San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-02-06

away a mysterious current began to draw
a ship toward the grewsome islands, and
do what she would she would drift upon
its bosom until it drew her to destruction
upon one of the jagged rock bound shores.
Nothing could save the ship that struck
this current when it was in its destructive
mood, and back and forth, night and day,
in spite of anchors, of skill, of labor at
the oars even, nothing could release her
from its sinister grasp, and on and on
she would slide smoothly and gently but
irresistibly back and forth, until she
struck perhaps on the pointed teeth at
the foot of the great Rodondo, and in
moment was lost to view, or on some other
one of the rock bound islands.
Albemarle is the largest of them all,
and Marlborough lies behind Albemarle,
which, with its jawlike points incloses
Marlborough like tongue, and in one
side and out the other would float the I'M
lucky ship until the hour of her destruc-
ton.
At other times there was bare chance
for a ship, when this vicious current
seemed at rest, and then she could steer
her way between them to Chatham and
Great harrington, where there was water,
and which are the only ones of all the
group where drop was to be obtained.
Whales also go into the Albemarle to
calve, and this was just the season, so
that the captain felt still more anxious to
go in, hoping to find his cargo there, and
in his anxiety taking the great risk.
Presently the lookout cried: GA sailr'
"Where away?' hailed the captain
from the decks
''On the port bow"
The captain sprang into the rigging and
looked long and earnestly at the sail"
and then came down slowly and thought
fully. "Rodondo," said he briefly to the
two mates, who stood by him, and he
anXiously began to scan the horizon and
take note of the wind, as well as Of the
fact that though the breeze was light they
made good Roadway.
He went to the cabin and got out his
charts and traced them anxiously, and
soon appeared on deck again. The white
speck now appeared clearly on the hori-
Zon, and every instant grew larger and
clearer and looked like ship under full
sail coming directly toward them, but as
they neared her they saw that it was
great tower of rock, with terraced sides,
which gave it the appearance of ship,
and the presence of millions of birds,
which make this great rock tower their
home, had made it white with bird lime,
so that its sides cleaned like new sails in
the sun.
Nearer and nearer glided the ship, and
by and by the different terraces could be
distinguished, with their wonderful array
of inhabitants. On the lower terrace sat
melanges of all that is most ridiculous in
nature, and above them a terrace filed
with pelicans, and so on, each successive
terrace occupied by another species of
aquatic bird, including the albatross and
the pretty boatswain's mate and stormy
petrol at the very top. Plateau and ter
race all the way up; over 300 feet this great
whitened tower stands alone, washed at its
base by fierce waves, which lash them
selves into fury within twenty feet of it's
base, which has no shore, nothing but the
eternal rock, which starts upward from
the foundation of the world.
The birds screamed their warnings, but
too late; the current had full possession
of the brig and was bearing her on to
certain destruction.
Capt. Nelson now tried by all means in
his power to check the course of the brig.
He tried to go about and sail out of the
current. Useless; she drifted broadside
faster than she could sail across it, and
he gave himself up for destruction, and
told the men to make ready the boats.
All was done, and then they waited for
the final moment. At givenIsignal they
began to lower the boats, hoping that they
might possibly be able row across the cur
rent or at least escape Rodondo, which
stood there awaiting its prey, but sud-
denly great underground wave arose
and lifted the brig as if it had been a
feather and tossed it lightly upon the
sharp points and jagged rocks that guard
the base of the monster rock, and in a
minute all was over. The brig was gone,
none could see or tell where.