Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1889-10-11

anu IlOm tuoHOo oOtOoo y" Wv
Darwin, and he finally got ship
from there across to Melbourne.
The Ben Hammond had been
reported lost in the Indian ocean,
bat her fate war considered mys
terry. Vessels which had preceded
and followed her had met with the
most favorable weather, and there
was much speculation as to what
had brought about her loss. Rem
foes story explained a portion of
the mystery, and several craft were
sent out TO search for the brig.
She could not be found or heard of,
and it was at last concluded that
she had gone to the bottom.
In the month OF June, 1865, ii
years later, | passed through the
Straits of Sunda on the English
ship Prince John, bound for the
port of Melbourne. We had scarce
ly cleared the Java cape when it
csme on to blow a gale from the
west. The gale increased to a
hurricane after a few hours, and,
although We kept the old ship
afioat, she was driven a long ways
to the east. We had terrific
wind and set for four days, and
by that time our drift had carried
us down to the eastern end of Java.
One morning at about 9 O'Clock,
lust after | had heard the captain
say thai the gale was breaking, we
were boarded by . sea which swept
the ship from stem to stern. We
were lying to, you understand,
with the usual watch on deck.
Three of us we're carried overheard
by the wave, but l did not see
either of the others. 1 was whirled
end over end and bufieted about
until | thought | should drown be.
fore l had seen the surface, but
after a time | was heaved up to
daylight, and | had no sooner got
my eyes clear than | saw one of our
quarter boats close to me. 1t had
been torn loose by the same wave,
and was floating right side up, but
full of water. | got hold of it, and
after resting a bit pulled myself
in and secured myself by lashing
to one of the thwarts.
The waves ran right over me at
brief intervals, but the weight OF
the water held the boat down until
she drove like a log, and she could
not therefore upset as she turned
brOadslde to the sea.
1t was, as | said, about 8 o'clock
when l went overheard. AT about
4 in the afternoon | sighted land
to the north, and an hour later |
found myself driving between two
islands. Half an hour later a
current set in to the right, and /
drove in for the land and brought
up at the head of bay or inlet
half a mile long and not over 200
feet wide. Hard aground at the
head Of this bay, with her bOwsprit
touching the trees on the shore,
was the old Ben Hammond, the
long lost and almost forgotten
brig. | drove right in past her,
and was heaved on the sands by
the swell, aud the first thing did
was to sit down and wonder wheth-
er | was really IN my senses or had
gone daft. There rested the old
brig on an even keel, masts stand.
ing as plumb as ever, yards braced
as they we're left years before, but
the sails rotted and blown away,
and many ropes broken and fray cd
and streaming in the wind.
| had heard of her loss, and had
read Renioe's story as related by
the papers, and it took the pluck
out of meto find her there. Indeed
| was so awed and overcome that ]
did not dare board her that night
but made my bed on the sands and
slept sOundly till morning. | had
secured nay yawl when | drove III,
and as came to examine it next
morning l found it a most
free from Injury, while the mast
and sail and tiller were secure nm
der The thwarts. BY this time the
gale was over, aud l was surprised
to see how far the water had fallen
away from the beach.
My next move after inspecting
the yawl was to board the brig.
This was an easy matter, as the
water az low tide did not reach
her fOremast. | was desperately
afraid of facing a skeleton as |
drew my head above the rail, and
| made a lengthy survey before l
dropped to the deck. There was
a great deal of litter about, and
much OF the exposed woodwork
had begun to decay.
A more lonesome sight one could
not find. | moved slowly from
stem to stern, and was relieved
when no ghOstly relic of the dead
presented itself. The brig had the
old fashioned fo'csstle, and | no
ticed that the slide over the open
ing was secured. The cabin doors
were also shut. dreaded to make
further investigation, but hunger
and peace of mind compelled me,
and l finally entered the cabin.
The medicine chest was upset in
the main cabin or eating room,
and the bottles scattered abOnt the
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