Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1892-11-04

We were wrecked, but We were saved.
The reef caught and broke the force OF
the heavy seas, and they hadn't power
enough to break up the brig where she
lay. She lifted half dozen times after
she struck, and thus wallowed out a bed
for herself in the sands, and settled down
as firm as a rock. We carried Captain
Richards below, hauled the drunken mate
forward out of the reach of the water
flying over US, aud there was nothing
else TO do but wait for daylight and dis
cover cur exact situation. The Captain s
wife and sister-iu.law had been pretty
badly upset by events, but yet they took
heart as soon as it was known that the
moment Of peril was passed. The crew,
with the exception of Chips and myself,
retired to their quarters to sleep as calmly
as if nothing had occurred. We were
called to the cabin, and after bit Cap
tain Richards said:
"Just what the men forward will do
in such an emergency as this | can't say,
but want to be prepared for the worst.
We are IN the track of vessels, but it may
be fortnight before we are taken OIL.
Do YOU know If any Of the men have pis-
tols9"
answered that both Spaniards aud
the African had double -barrelled pistols,
and volunteered to go forward and secure
them. While l was on this errand
Chipps hunted the staterooms OF the
mates to see what could be found. While
l got the pistols he found two revolvers
and double -barrelled fowling piece.
The Captain himself had shotgun, and
we found an abundance Of ammunition
for all the firearms. A hunt was then
made for liquors, and three bottles were
found in the staterooms. When the
search had been concluded Chips got
out his tools and fixed bar for the cabin
door, cut two portfolios to command the
deck, and knocked tos ether three or four
stout shutters which could be put in
place inside. In fact from the time we
were called down until broad daylight
VIC were working to put the cabin in
state of defence and prepare for the
worst. We had just knocked off when
the men began to turn out. The first
discovery made was that Mr. Brooks was
dead. He had expired where we left
HIM, aad a ghastly sight he was. The
next was that the brig was high and dry
on the sands, the tide now being out, aud
that she had been beached on a lovely
shore. We knew it must be an island,
and the Captain had little difficulty in
naming it. 1t Is, | may tell you, small
island, being about three miles long By
half that distance in width. 1t was we'll
wooded, AID as daylight grew stronger
the chatter of parrots and the notes OF
other birds became almost a nuisance.
We could see trees laden with wild fruits,
profusion of flowers on every hand, and
the men uttered shouts Of delight as they
turned out. When breakfast had been
eaten the Englishmau, whose name was
Tom Deau, called the men around him
and said:
"See here, mates lot US understand
this thing. take it that this ends our
VOYAGE. When crafts ashore hard
aud fast, one mans as good as another.
propose to take what will make me
comfortable aud happy and go shore fol
a good time
Every single man except Chips was
at once agreed. At this point they
we're simply in 70: lark and had no
evil plans. There was no mate to argue
With them, and none OF them would see
the Captain, though he sent word to
several by name. What was it to him,
anyway The brig was ashore, there
was nothing to be done, and if re'cHe
arrived they could easily be found
ashore. You would have thought the
steward and cook bound to remain by
the people in the cabin, but they were
among the first to go. They were very
impudent about it, too, aud it was pref
ty plain that the entire lot were deter
mined to do as they pleased. The men
were gone about three hours and re-
turned in high spirits. The island wa
veritable paradise. they said, and they
proposed making permanent camp
about a mile from the brig Tom Dean
had apparently been chosen as theiI
leader, and he was very independent and
saucY. He ordered his crowd to help
themselves to whatever they fancied,
aud when Chips demonstrated Dean
threatened him. They collected bed
ding, spare sails, beef, bread, -four aud
other provisions, aud then removed the
main hatch and broke out cask OF
brandy and broached it. The Captain
knew what WAS going on, but he fel
that he was powerless.
The iugrates left the brig loaded
down with plunder, aud we knew they
would enter upon spree which might
last until next day. Chips aud got
the dead body Of the mate down on the
sands and buried it, cleared up the
decks, attended to the wants of those in
the cabin as far as able, and 1t being
now about 3 o'clock in the afternoon,
he lowered himself over the bows to