News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1890-12-11
THE milo PILOT.

In the month Of March, 1912, |
took passage at Marseilles on board
the merchant snip Good Hope. My
own ship was at Smyrna, and thith-
er the merchantmen was to carry
me, she being bound there after part
of a cargo of fruit. The captain of
the Good Hope was named John
NaptOn, and though 'he was a good
and careful navigator he had one
striking fault. He was very quick
tempered and sometimes quite vim
dictive. But for all this, his men
liked him, for he never failed to grant
them all the reasonable privileges in
his power. The first mates name
was Sawyer, a true sailor and an eX-
cellent man.
We had a smooth run until we had
passed the southern capes of Greece
and entered the archipelago. but
here we had signs of bad weather
Capt. Napton had never been in these
waters before and did not feel quite
safe to trust himself among the lOni-
an isles in long storm, and we had
reason to believe that such a storm
was coming. To be sure, the chart
was explicit, but then those are wild
tracks to travel in stormy nights. In
pleasant weather the task is but
slight, but it was very likely to be
tUtdpt. IIGP tPSt0n uaAeu any uu,Iuv. 1
told him there were plenty Of expert
enced pilots at Milo, and that in all
probability one of them could be
hired to go to Smyrna and back for
mere tFife. AS for the archipela-
go, though had passed through it
several times, knew nothing about
navigating it, The captain conferred
with the officers, and it was soon ar
ranged that the ship should stop at
Milo and take in a pilot. On the
next morning Milo was in sight on
the lar-bOard bow, and having run
into the westward of the Pigeons we
hove to off the coast and made a sig
nal. In less than half an hour we
were boarded by half a dozen rough
looking fellows, every one of whom
professed to know all about navi-
eating the archipelago. Among the
number was an oldish man who gave
his name as Marco Midas, He fol
lowed fishing for a livelihood, but his
statements with regard to his quail.
fieations as a pilot were by far tine
most unsatisfactory Of the lot. He
offered to go to Smyrna and back
with us for $35, and after some fur
ther consultation he was engaged.
Near noon we filled away. There
was but little wind, not more thar
enough to run off two or three knots
and even that was from the north
ward and eastward and as near deaC
ahead as possible, so the pilot con
cluded to make "long leg" upOI
the starbQard tack and pass to tn,
leeward of Siphantp. 1t was foul
O'Clock in the afternoon when tho
ship was again put about, it being
intended to make Il run to the east
ward between Siphanto and Serpho
The breeze had freshened a little anC
the reel now ran off four knots. Th,
northern point of Siphanto bort
about five points on the lee bow
about ten miles distant.
"I'm afraid we shall have to tacl
again." said the pilot, looking anX
iously on the point of land under th
lee bow.
ave can certainly clear that cap
on this tack" returned the captain.
"But I'm afraid the ship won
hold up to her course" resumed tn
pilot. She must certainly hold u
to east bY north to do it, for sh
makes considerable leeway."
, sob, I'll warrant her to do that,
said the captain very confidently
and with the air of a man who doe
not like to have his ship thought il
, capable of doing the right thing.
SO the pilot, feeling assured tha
! thus far all would be right, went bt
! low to get his supper He had no
been gone perhaps halfan hour, whe
there was "a sudden shock, and in
} moment more the ship stood still
Marco Midas hastened upon decl
: and was Just in time to meet the cal
) tain at the companion way,
. "What does this mean?" erie
. Napton in an angry tone.
The old pilot gazed for q mOmeI
upon the shore, which was vet son
llNc IlilCo ulcuCilu, anu tIlcll llG CtllIl
ly said:
Its your own fault, captain"
t "My fault, you lying lubber?'
e "Certainly it is, calmly returne
$ the pilot,
"Take that, then p andin the hes
of his passion the captain struck tt
old man a blow that sent him staj
gering half way across the deck.
Without waiting to see the effec
of his hasty outburst, Napton sprar
;. to the rail and ordered all the var,
, to be squared, The ship had stru,
upon a hard sandbar, but, as 81
y was not going very fast at the tim
I and as tho bar appeared somewhi
# abrupt, she was easily got off, al
> as soon as she had backed clear
s. the danger, she was put upon t
le starboard tack, and stood off to t
l. nOrthward.
The pilot had turned very pa
4 and though his frame shook wi
N agitation, yet he made no moveme
toward the captain. We all kn'