The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1890-12-03
THE MILO PILOT.

Chant man was To carry me- she being
bouno there after part of a cargo of
fruit The capJain of the Good Hope
was noIled Johl Napton, and though lie
was cod and 4reful navigator he had
one ling f"Ilt. He was very quick
temps / and sometimes quite vindic-
tive. it for all this, his men liked
him, u be never failed to grant them
all the reasonable privileges in his power.
The fcst mates name was Sawyer, a
true lor and an excellent man.
We I'd smooth run until we had
passeC southern capes of Greece and
entered archipelago, but here we had
signs OF d weather. Capt. Napton had
never bc IN in these waters before and
did not feel quite safe to trust himself
among the lonian isles in a long storm,
and we had reason to believe that such
storm was coming To be sure, the
chart was explicit, but then those are
wild tracks to travel in stormy nights.
Unpleasant weather the task is but slight,
but it was very likely to be different
now
Capt. Napton asked my advice l told
him there were plenty of experienced
pilots at Milo, and that in all probability
one of them could be hired to go to
Smyrna and back for mere trife. As
for the archipelago, though had passed
through it several times, knew nothing
about navigating it. The captain con
ferred with his officers. and it was soon
arranged that the ship should stop at
Milo and take in pilot. On the next
morning Milo was in sight on the lar
board bow, and having run in to the
westward of the Pigeons we hove to off
the coast and made a signal In less
than half an hour we were boarded by
half dozen rough looking fellows, ev-
cry one of whom professed to know all
about navigating the archipelago
Among the number was an oldish man
who gave his name as Marco Midas. He
--sellopsed Gshines For Livelihood, lVat Iis
statements with regard to his qualifica-
tons as pilot We're by far the most sat
isfactory of the lot He offered to go to
Smyrna and back with us for $25, and
after some further consultation he was
engaged
Near noon we filled away. There was
but little wind, not more than enough
to run off two or three knots and even
that was from the northward and east
ward and as near dead ahead as pos
sible so the pilot concluded to make a
''long leg" upon the starboard tack and
pass to the leeward of Siphanto. 1t was
O'Clock in the afternoon when the shiI
was again put about, it being intended
to make run to the eastward between
Siphanto and Serpho. The breeze hat
freshened little and the reel now RAJ
off four knots. The northern point o
Siphanto bore about five points on tn,
lee bow, about ten miles distant
TN afraid we shall have to tacl
again. said the pilot, looking anxiousl,
on the point Of land under the lee bow.
1--WE can certainly clear that cape Of
this ack, returned the captain.
But I'm afraid the ship won't boil
up to ner course" resumed the pilot
"She must certainly hold up to east b
north to do it, fer she makes consider
able lfeway7'
"On I'll war mt her to do that" sal
the ain very confidently, and wit
the al If a man who does not like t
have d: ship thought incapable of dom
the riGlt thing.
So e pilot, feeling assured that thu
far al would be right, went below to GO
his ST er. lie had been gone perbaI
half our, when there WAS a sudde
shock, u in a moment more the shi
stood sti Marco Midas fastened upo
deck, al was Just IN time to meet tn
captain the companion way.
What does this mean cried Napto
in an angry tone.
The old pilot gazed for amomert upo
the shore, which W as yet some five mil,
distance, and then he calmly said:
"Itsyou own fault, captain"
my fault, you lying lubber?"
Certainly it is, calmly returned tn
pilot.
Take that, theni" and in the heat
his passion the captain struck the oil
man blow that sent him staggerin
half way across the deck
Without waiting to see the effects
his hasty outburs5, Napton sprang to IL
rail and ordered all the yards to |
squared, The ship had struck upon
hard sandbar, but, as she was not goin
very fast at the time, and as the bar al
peared to be somewhat abrupt, she W;
easily got off, and as soon as she ha
backed clear of the danger, she was pl
upon the starboard tack, and stood of
TO the northwGrd.
The pilot had turned very pale, anc
f0nnnn Ia 81, IL
yet he made no movement toward tn
captain. We all knew that he was no
10 blame, for the ship had not been KEEP
upon the course which the captain ha,
promised, but the helmsman testified
mat part Of the time her head had beel
as Tar out of the way as east-half-south
instead of east b. north, and upon look
ing at the chart we found that we mus
nave struck on the extreme northern
point of the bar Yet Capt. Naptoi
could not be made to see his error no
would he abate one whit of his wrath
lie sent the old pilot below and toll,
nun not to show his face on deck again
Midas obeyed without a word, thong
we could see that his hands were clipci
60 nervously together and could ais
near the low grating of his teeth.
The captain studied over his chart f.
some time, and at length made up h
mind that he would pass between Ii
two Serphos, and then run up throul
the strait Of Silota. The wind hauled
little TO the southwark and blew fresbe
At dark the little island Of Kalipoli v
upon tie larboard beam. but in half
hour 5erward the wind died away Il
dead aim This state Of things last
1or out half an hour longer, ana til