San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-01-04

relieved when no ghostly relic or the dead
presented itself. The brig had the old fash
Toned fo'castle, and / noticed that the slide
over the opening was secured The cabin
doors were also shut / dreaded to make a
further investigation, but hunesc 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 bot
tlessscattered about the floor. There was a
spread on the table, but it was black with
mold, and, after a brief look, l had to re-
tire until the fresh air could drive out the
heavy odors. By and by | returned, and
when had looked into the berths and found
no moldering skeletons, great load was
taken off my mind. l had, however, to ex-
anime the fo'castle yet, but, being encour-
aged by what l had failed to find in the
cabin, made short work of it. Not body
had been left aboard Renfoe must have
heaved the dead overheard before he left
the brig, although he had no recollection Of
the act.
In the cooks galley found everything in
good order, ana when l looked over the stores
in the pantry everything smelled and tasted
as wholesome as if only week out of the
warehouse Within an hour from the time
boarded her | was eating breakfast pre-
pared in the galley and was feeling quite at
home When | had satisfied my hunger /
opened up the matches and the cabin skylight
and then turned to and cleared the deck of
much of the litter. When things looked a
bit more trim went down and got the chart
showing the Sunda Islands, and, after little
calculation, | located my position as being on
the west side of Lombak Island. 1t was not
the main island, exactly, but one lying SO
close to it that it went by the same name and
was separated only by half mile of shallow
water. Lombak proper was inhabited, but
for many years past the western end Of the
island had been avoided on account of a
plague starting there and sweeping Off hun
dreds of natives.
1t seemed strange that some of the trading
craft had not entered the strait and caught
sight of the brig, and stranger yet how the
craft gotin there The chart made it plain
err A westerly gale created strong cur.
rent through the straits, and one which made
its influence felt several miles off the coast
In ordinary weather, with ordinary depth Of
water, the channel was dangerous to any sort
of craft, many lodges and bars being shown
| suppose the big sails helped her along, and
she got just the right slant at the proper time
to carry her into the bay and beach herself
The spot was sheltered by the trees and one
would have had to be very close to see her.
| got hold of the manifest and also in
spected the hold, and l found she had a valu
able cargo and one which had not been
damaged $40 worth. There were four oil
five steam engines, a great lot of agricultural
tools, fur tlre in the rough, woodenware Of
all sorts, scores of cases of boots and shoe
and dry goods, and enough, in fact, to make
up a cargo valued at e27, 000 The brig wa
| as dry as a bone, and after little ventila
ton and diSinfecting she smelled as sweet a
peach. | was a week aboard of her before
| decided what to do. The small boat was il
good condition, and took on water and pro
visions, and one morning ran down the strait
to the north for the Flores seas, feeling quit,
sure of meeting some British vessel befor,
crossing to Borneo. | had scarcely left my
island behind when | saw H. NJ. S. tn,
Dragon bound to the east, and by mid-after
| noon was aboard of her. After sending m'
back with a guard to hold the brig, she re
turned to Surabaja, ON the north coast Of
Java, and reported to the consul, and within
| a month everything had been removed from
the old Ben Hammond and she was left tx
| decay. Her cargo insurance had been paid
but everything was recovered in such fine
order that the loss was triRing New Yorl
Sun.