San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-01-16

The question Of what we could or should
do had been narrowed down very materially.
The hull was not much damaged, and we
knew that it could never sink with those
barrels aboard. We hauled the corpses out
of the way, covered them with q spare sail,
and then every man was ut liberty to do as
he pleased All discipline was gone, and as
the hull sat high out of water no one felt any
immediate danger. The wind and sea both,
fell after the blast that dismasted US, and be-
fore 10 o'clock l believe that every Jack /,
aboard was sound asleep / remember that,
it was after sunrise when went on deck and
1 was the first one up. In about three minutes
the captain made his appearance He was
not yet over his spree, and had doubtless
come on deck to have a row. One look
around him was sufficient to change his
mind on that point He was completely
knocked out at what he saw, and his
countenance betrayed all the emotions in the
calendar as he approached me and asked:
"W-what is it, Reeferr
1--WE were struck by squall last evening
and dismasted, SIR"
"And I-In-
ave tried to call you up, sir, but you were
dead drunk"
1t was my opportunity to give it to him
straight, and did not spare him.
"Yes, sir" went on, as he passed his hand
over his eyes as IL to clear away a veil, sit
was all your fault. You were drunk when
we left port, and you got stupid soon after
that. You are responsible for what this
covers, sir, as well as the loss of this brig"
took his arm and walked him over to the
bodies, and pulled Off the sail 1t was a
shocking sight, and no wonder he started
back with cry of horror.
"How-was it'll" he slowly demanded.
"The niger stabbed the mate, sir, and the
man was killed as the masts went over. Both
deaths are laid at your door. This is the re-
suit of your lying drunk"
"Great Godl Great Godr he gasped, as
he held up his hands in horror.
"Yes, sir, it's an awful nights work." !
said In reply. "And what are we to do
nowT'
"Deadl Both deadl And the brig a
wreckl" he whispered, as he glared around
him.
At that moment the men began to appear
on deck, and the captain covered his face
with his hands for moment, and then
rushed into his cabin. We gathered about
the stump of the foremost as all came on
deck, but not over ten minutes had elapsed
when the steward came out, shouting that
the captain was gone We rushed aft in a
body, and there he was on his back in the
water, hands over his eyes, and the water
just covering them. He was probably dead
then, but if not we were helpless. We had
so boat, and before any one brought-a rope
the body had drifted too far away to be
caught The man had crawled through one
of the cabin windows, and doubt IL he had
yet fully recovered his senses.
AS soon as we had had bite to eat Mr.
Waters insisted that take command of the
wreck. knew myself to be the best sailor
aboard, and when all the other men joined in
| agreed to take the responsibility Of acting
as commander. We had now a steward, who
was also cook, three men and q boy, making
five souls aboard. The masts were old and
rotten, and had gone of close to the deck,
playing smash with the port bulw arks as
they crashed down. We first tried the
pumps. The brig was leaking, but not to
alarm. | believe we could have rugged w
jury mastS and got some sort of sail on the
craft, but the stinginess of the owners took
that hope away. There were no spare spars
or sails, or at least nothing, to suit our. pur-
pose. We went at it and repaired the bull
warks as well as possible, and then rugged
signal spar to the stump Of the foremost,
which offered the best hold When we had
run up a signal of distress there was nothing
more for us to do but wait until help should
arrive. We were, as every one must know,
OFF the Brazilian banks, much frequented by
whalers. There was q good bit of coasting
trade as well, and we wondered greatly that
some craft or other had not already fallen in
with us. When we had rugged our signal our
strange voyage may be said to have begun.
1t was agreed that all should live on the
cabin stores as long as they lasted, and two of
the men occupied the staterooms of the mates
without objection. While we were a free
and easy community in one way, can say
for the men that sailors never behaved better.
By common consent we flung overheard all
Intoxicating liquors, and no man sought to
take advantage Of my doubtful authority to
issue orders. By night we hung lantern in
place of the flag, and we took turn and turn
at keeping the deck. There was nothing
whatever else to do, as the weather continued
fair and the men slept all the night and Q
good share of the day. l will now give some
extracts from the diary kept and have even
since preserved:
Sixth Day-Not sail has been sighted
since our accident All we'll From the set
of the wind and currents l am certain we
have drifted long way to the east-out into
mid ocean We start the pumps twice
day"
Eleventh Day-We have been drifting to
the northeast for the last three days. No
sign Of a sail yet. Pebbles, able seaman, il
quite ill"
Fourteenth Day-Pebbles died yesterday
1t was great shock to US, as no one thought
him seriously i'll He went off very quietly,