Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1891-11-28

/ that arose with the gray dawn and f0u'
and bought the greatest invention Of the
age, the lightning space destroyer or wind
wagon. 1t was slowed away under a
shed near False Cape. Some workmen
at the ormond Hotel built her. and when
they left sold her to an old beach comber
who has sworn never to ride the con.
traption' again, since she threw him
through clump of Spanish bayonets
All she needs is ballast to be as steady as
church. She has only spilled me twice
coming up. Her name is Sandy, which
fits her nature. Jump on to windward
and I'll take you home.
The wind was blowing fresh from the
east, nearly at right angles to the coast,
so that the breeze was abeam. The Sandy
lay headed in 10 it, and as the brake on
the rudder wheel was eased off she
rolled slowly down TO the breakers. The
tiller was pulled 90 starboard, and as the
head came round and the sails filled, the
boat gathered headway, and rolled of
| close hauled. The wheels left scarcely
mark ON the hard sand and whirled with
soft, Gathering hum. The yacht sped
gracefully up to the cabin door and
nautical landing was made. The moon
was in the third quarter and turtle hunt
was planned for that night, for which
the Sandy proved valuable aid. The
moon rose at 10 o'clock, and we waited
until the great bali came golden from the
sea and made a dancing silvery path over
the water 20 our feet. The wind held
fresh and the Sandy rolled toward False
Cape. Against the shining sand every
piece of driftwood stood in black relief,
and the huge bulk of a sea turtle could
be easily seen. After half an hour of
silent whirting saw a dark object move
slowly across the beach ahead like great
shadow 1t was a turtle, and she had
laid her eggs, and she was headed for
the water. The Sandy was sliding along
slowly now and the big turtle was awk-
wardly scrambling and scratching to-
ward the surf with alarming swifmess.
When about so feet away, we could wait
no longer, and jumped overheard Our
rush caught the turtle but a few feet from
safety, and six hands grasped one side
of the 400 pound prize and turned the shell.
over with mighty heave. Its powerful
dippers plowed the sand in showers over
us and its horny jaws snapped viciously.
but the huge turtle was helpless, and after
much prying and straining the great
mass was lifted on board. The nest was
so carefully covered that probing in the
sand failed to bring TO light the 10
or l2 dozen of parchmentlike shells. The
turtle car was pushed homeward, the
wind having died, and at midnight we
reached the Vera Cruz, with several hun
dred weight of turtle steaks.
| About week after the acquisition of
the new tangled yacht the warm and
sunshiny weather changed in the night,
and at daybreak the driving rain and
booming surf proclaimed "Norther
All day the wind howled gale, and by
night was blowing hurricane, with
gray leaden sky. The old shanty had
been built Of solid oak timbers and stood
the storm well. At 10 o'clock that night
there was lull in the gale, the Florida
"Northerp blowing very fitfully. The
blackness broke away a little, and we
bundled up in oilskins and struggled to
| the beach. The surf rolled in grandly
high and the spray and scud flew in
against the black beyond. Here a line of
dangerous shoals runs for miles along,
and there is a Government life saving
station at False Cape. From the shore
the water deepens for half mile out,
and shoals long distance as it shows OF
calm days. But there were no signs of a
wreck and all was blackness seaward.
Macomber and / had turned back for
the cabin when Hughes, who had the
Alicia's night glasses, shouted, "There
goes blue rocket and there's red one.
A vessels ashore on the Hetzel shoals
and signaling the station.
"The patrol will see their flashes and
get the susf boat and crew down here,
| [ shouted in answer, for the roar of the
storm was in our ears Through the mist
a red rocket CLEANED angrily and van
ished. We stood in silence watching
until Macomber shouted: "The patrol
only comes two miles this side Of the sta
tion and he'll never see that flash. If
that crew lis to come ashore alive, we'll
have to do something and do it quick
Boys, we'll take the Sandy and carry the
news to tie station If it blows the whole
outfit to sea- Are you with me!"
Withous answering we ran for the
wind wagon which had been rolled under
the lee of the house, and her spars and
sails taken inside.
The captain gave his orders and we
worked as never before @Stretch a stay
from the masthead to the stern; tie the
jaw Of the gaff to the boom, and goosc-
wing the mainsaiL Double reef the jib
and hitch on an extra mainsheet while
| put on another rudder.
In wonderfully quick time the Sandy
was ready for her wild flight Only
rag of masnsail showed with handker
chief of iib. Over the stern was lashed
a long plank trailing on the sand, with
about five feet in board, powerful lever.
The soft sand above the beach had been
beaten hard by the rain, and tie skipper
pushed the boat past the shelter of the
cabin after Hughes and ! had stretched
| out fat on the windward side. Ma
somber jumped 10 his station at the tiller.
as the fierce gust caught the sail, and we
felt the windward wheel rise from the
sand before gathering headway, and
she hung balanced for one narrowing in
slant. Bot as the sheets were eased the
big wheels revolyed, slowly at first, and
hen faster as the hard beach was reached.
t was flying. The wind was from the
lortheast, nearly aft, and the tremendous