Daily Yellowstone journal., 1891-11-07
LucKlEsT SHIP AFLoAT.
No Danger Ever Troubles This Nautical
Mascot.

NJ A84ANA @F-
Mascot.
There is a vessel now lying at San
Francisco that attracts a great deal OF
attention by her queer rig and old fash
toned appearance She is the British
Tour masted bark Omeo. belonging to
Melbourne. The old craft has quite a
| history and was formerly a steamer.
She was built in 1858. in England. and
Is 7s9 o During the civil war she
was used as a blockade runner n
made a number Of trips to Charleston.
escaping capture more than once from
the Federal war vessels.
The last "trip she made was a re-
markable one. She passed the gun
boats that were blockading the harbor'
and then orders were given 10y the flag
ship to keep a sharp lookout TOR her
when she attempted to leave, and to
catch her at all hazards The days
went by until six weeks had passed,
and the officers were beginning to
think that the steamer had given them
the slip and made away without their
knowing il. when VI night rockets
were seen from the cruisers as u some
one was signaling on shore
p 4 bright lookout was kept for the
/, slippery blockade runner, and just be
fore daylight she vas seen well IN shore,
nassipr out. She was loaded TO the
= guards with cotton, and had several
hundred bales piled on deck. Hail a
4 dozen steamers started after her at
: once and il seemed a il she would be
. caupbt al last. But she managed Il
u reach open water without coming IN
I range of the runs Of the warships. anc
in a few hours had distanced all bu'
one Of her pursuers.
This was one of the new gunboats,
screw steamer of great speed; and a
the two few through the water tn
American captain had the satisfaction
Il Of noting that slowly but surely he wa
overhauling the heavily laden block
g. ader The captain of the BritisI
steamer also perceived that the CUR
,e boat was gaining OF him. and he kne'
ii that il was only a question OF time
er unless something turned up TO proven
lis il. when the American would be on n
lg way TO New York with the cotto
TO steamer in tow.
He looked at his deckload. which VI
ly worth thousands Of dollars in Live
er pool could he land It there, and the
N looked at the American. which va
ad slowly crawling up on him, until evei
ed minute he expected TO see the pun
sS smoke from her bow gun. He decide
that the deckload must go But the
was great danger Of gripping q
steamer should he drop the big bal
u over the side, as one Of them might
r. caught in the propeller, and then sh
IN and cargo would 90 TO New York wit
or out a doubt
de In order to prevent this. a long sta
ie was rigced over the stern and the bal
H. rolled out on il before they were dropp
- into the sea The plan worked I'll
class-in fact better than the bold I
ed glishmen had dared TO hope Bi
-ly after bale was dropped overheard. al
o a long line OF them hoated on {
.er water right in the road Of the Anne
r, can steamer. and no attention was pa
10 NIlEln DN Tue DAhNNA1 - 49, 49,
until a crash was heard and in a I
m seconds her engines stopped The e.
tain went down in the engine room
d. learn what was the matter, and a sh'
as investigation showed that the gunbC
was helplessly crippled.
J a One of the bales had been caught
IN the propeller and its contents "ou
re- around the shaft in a second, and
.ho their chagrln the rich prize shpI
ma through their fingers when they W
led nearly alongside. After the wal
Flll Omeo went TO Australia, and 10
d. number of years ran from Melbou
TO New Zealand. and was then turl
site into a sailing vessel. She is regar'
as the luckiest ship aioaL as well
Is" one of the fastest. as, In spite OF
as queer rig, very few can outsa1 bel
50 Detroit Free Press.
4 as -
.nta The opportunity That the Colleges 1