Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1890-04-25
THE RUNAWAY ship.

| hal cOmnlnd of the Old Ever
shot, a good ship, and one which
put money into the hands OF her
owners. She was built for the
India trade. and, with the excep.
tiOn Of one voyage TO Smyrna, she
had struck to the purpose for
which she was put together. On
| the present occasion | was bound
for India, and my cargo was made
iup of a curious variety. l had for
passengers an old gentleman whose
head was white and his form bent
with years, and his three sons, the
youngest of whom was about 80,
aDd the eldest not far from 30
years. Then there were several
women, and some half dozen emil.
dren.
We had doubled the southern
capes OF Africa, and were just pOk-
ing OGr nose into the Indian ocean,
when circumstance happened
which was destined to Try our
nerves somewhat. One afternoon
one of the men in the fOretOp report
ed a sail very near ahead, in the
line of our course,
"Some homward. bound Indian
man, probably" remarked Mr..
lee, my ate.
nodded assent, and then went
to the cabin and told my passen-
gers that if they had any letters to
Srud home, they had better have
them ready, for perhaps We were
about to meet ship bound for
old England. They went to work
upon NY suggestion at once, and
ia the course OF half an hour we
had a letter bag neatly sewed mp.
and directed.
The wind was now a little south
of east, so that we stood upon our
course northesast with freedom,
and the coming ship was heading
very nearly upon us, though as We
came nearer she kept away little
further TO the westward.
SIS it an English ship?' asked
nv white.haired old passenger.
81 think it is" was my reply,
and Just as l spoke my mate came
down from the foretOp, where be
had been with the glass. noticed
that his face looked troubled, and
also that he kept back some re-
ma1k which he was on the point of
dropping, at the same time regard
ing the old passenger with a lock
that he was IN the way. l took
the hint and careiessly walked
forward. Mr.. Beckett, the mate IN
question, followed me. At the
Igangvay stopped.
what is it y l asked.
"Why, sir, that slip is the old
lDorset,' SAID he.
"The Dorset p replied. 'lm-
possible"
"But l am sure" said Beckett.
"There is not another ship in Eng
land with such figure-head. Those
two girls are not to bo mistaken"
But YOU are sure that she has
that figure head|
"Certalnly. You'll be able to
see 1t from here in a few moments?
"But," said l, "the Dorset has
not vet had time to reachs Sidney,
let alone getting back as Tar as
this"
"Of course" answered Beckett,
"but don't you think a ship could
run away without doing the er-
rand she has in hand ?"
"Eb p That's all I uttered at
the moment, for strange thought
was beginning to work its way to
my mind.
@You remember what sort of 8
cargo the Dorset bad, don't you ?
my mate remarked.
Of course 81 remembered, for
} met the captain of the Dorset th'
day before she sailed, and had
$ ouiet dinner with him at Crowley s
He was an old friend Of mine an(
% named BamStead-H AIRY Bum
;, stead-aud as good a sailo
0 as ever trOd a deck at sea. Nov
: tje facts, as they came cIoTdlnI
rather unpleasantly upon my mine
we these: "The Dorset sale
Just TWO weeks before l did, an
.ook ont 33 convicts who had bee
sentenced to transpor'atIon'-
These, OF course, be had to drop 2
SID cy. or Port Jackson, aud As h
hgd pdIt oi a cargo for that place
he was to 70 there first. so
knew lhat the Dorset had no bu'
mess to be running away from tn
Indian ocean now.
"WGat do You think about il
asked Beckel, who had bee
watching me.
"Tet me take tho glass, raid
without seeming to notice th
Question.