The evening world., 1890-07-15

would act like a mailman. We were we'll
into the Indian Ocean and were running
under reefed topsails and topgallantsails.
About eight bells the captain, who had
been drinking hard all day. was seized
With q tit Of insanity and jumped over
board.
We we're running about eight. knots,
and he was soon left astern.
The boatswain, a big Irishman. saw
him go and jumped after him. The ship
was brought TO the wind, boat lowered
aud sent in search.
The boatswain was picked up almost
exhausted, but the captain was not
found.
The boatswain was taken into the cabin
and after a CAREFUL nursing and with the
help of some of the captains whiskey he
was soon made all right again. The mate
took charge and gave orders 10 furl royals
and topgallan's, when the sky got as dark
as il were midnight. He called all hands
on deck and sent them alott. The wind
shipped fore and aft.
All hands were letting go ropes. haul
ing and singing and the mate cursinp
like trooper" when there WAS ter
rible crash heard. The foretopmast and
topgallantmast had been carried AWAY,
with FIVE men. A boat was lowered. but
the missing men could not be found in
and arrived in Hong Kong after n Passage
OF l35 days. THOMAS CooNAN
Scraped by an Iceberg.
To ne Editor
In 1877, the year of the monster fee.
bergs, crossed the Atlantic from Europe
in the steamship State Of Alabama. We
we're six days ont when at midnight OF
April l2,while going at moderate speed,
we actually grazed along the side of All
enormous berg. which loomed out of the
darkness like monster apparltion.
| Being no mariner, l cannot give lnti.
tude and other details of our bearings,
but one thing remained certain-we had q
very miraculous escape.
Engines were reversed and lights pro-
cured on deck. was almost stunned by
the grandeur of the sight before me. The
berg was concave in shape, the upper por.
tion leaning far over the vessel and
seemed in imminent danger of crushing
us TO atoms. The constant rocking OF
the berg filed us with mortal dread at the
helplessness Of our position, and no one
can realize what despairing moments they
were, save he who has had the expert
ence.
Huge pendant icicles threateningly
dangled over the steamer. and one. strlk-
~
over three feet in diameter.
According 70 the captains computation
the berg was at least 300 feet long and
$50 feet high. The ship seemed mere
nothing in contrast to that immense
mountain of ice. Had we swerved Just a
little from our course we would have col
lided with disastrous results and perhaps
would not now have an opportunity to
relate our encounter with one of the
largest icebergs seen in the Atlantic.
HERMAN A. HEYDT.
Turned the Mates Hair Gray.
TO the Editor:
In 1871, when mate OF the brig Hearts
Delight. running from New York to
Oporto. Portugal, 1 met with an adven.
ture which turned my hair gray and made
me prematurely old man.
We were about three days ont when,
after little blow, the ships carpenter re-
ported, leak; Taking lantern l went
down forward to see if il was serious.
We carried a general cargo, and slowed
away forward were fifty kegs of gun
powder. / had got into the hold from
the after hatchway. and was making my
way forward when / saw something that
made my heart stop still. There, by two
open kegs of gunpowder, stood Malay
madness in his eyes. Seeing me coming
he raised up his lantern, and taking the
candle out bent forward with the evident
intention of firing the powder.
A second more and the flame would
have touched it, and that ship and crew
sent to eternity, when sudden roll Of
the ship caused bale of cotton to fall
from its place, and striking him in the
chest it pinned him to cask.
When l went on deck after securing
h i'm my hair had turned white. and my
gait was as an old mans. M. Z. L.