Arizona republican., 1892-02-10

Vi bCNClb1 AItAtS hCS
and consumed weeks. And the timber
was brought over by Chief Marin, an
aborigine given to cruising on a float Of
logs and tules, who alone knew the
winds and currents of the bay. 1t was
but matter of day now to sail over
FOR the timber and return with it.
Corporal Pedro Sanchez had made all
the voyages with the commandante and
rated now as superior navigator, his
marine fame being dear to him. Don
Luis had swollen him with pride by
placing him in command for this one
trip. His enlargement became perilous
when Lieutenant Echeandia suddenly
proposed to Senorita Pachita that they
make the voyage, and she, being young
and thoughtless, consented.
Brave Corporal Sanchez sailed the
MEXICO superbly as far as Angel island,
descanting eloquently on the art and
mystery of seamanship. Issuing to his
crew of three soldiers sundry orders in
commanding voice of thunder, lie pre-
pared to pass the point.
Alas, an eastern wind came whistiing
through the treacherous Raccoon strait,
and in spite of all Corporal Pedro's sea.
manship the MEXICO was caught and
whirled round and round and borne
with the racing tide toward the Golden
Gate.
Senorita Pachita de Sola screamed,
but there was no help sent down from
heaven, even on the appeal of those
pretty lips, grown quite white, or of that
pale face, with its big black eyes wild
with terror.
Lieutenant Juan dc Echeandia swore
-swore at Corporal Pedro Sanchez; but
profanity, though frequently an adjunct
to navigation, is not of use in imparting
knowledge thereof.
SO out to sea they drifted, far out, al
most to the Farallones.
For eight days and nights they were
as chip ON the waves, the Raccoon
guests having snapped the mast and
carried away the sail. Corporal Pedro,
famous as u mariner, had forgotten to
bring oars.
Senorita de Sofa gave herself up to
Mary, mother Of God; as did the cor
poral and the three men in the bow, who
passed the hours in shuddering prayer.
But Lieutenant Juan had soldiers
soul
On the second day he drew his sword,
and at its point the men yielded such
food and water as the boat contained
These he bestowed where his body was
between them and recapture.
The corporal Pedro, though fool and
unfortunate, was loyal. With him the
lieutenant kept watch and watch, and
through all those awful eight days and
nights (by my pen, it is true that the
boat was gone that long, as you may
read in Hittell's History of California'D
the Senorita de Sofa wanted for neither
food nor drink, and the delicacy of Lieu
tenant Juan would have brought tears
of gratefulness. to any woman's eyes.
He did wonders-as tradition has hand
ed down-with cloaks and coats and
stray bits Of rope TO cabin the lady.
On the eighth day-sincere prayer is
ever answered. blessed wind sprapg
up from the west and, tide assisting,
blew the MEXICO back through the Gold
en- Gate. The cruising chief Marin, on
his tule float, was sent by Providence to
tow her to the Preside wharf, where
the commandant and the cheering gar
rison awaited the return of the lost to
life-the ones saved by an unquestiona-
BILE miracle. The padres bore the lesson
home in many a sermon.
AS the Senorita de Sola rose in the
stern to disembark she tottered from
weakness and agitation. Lieutenant
Juan stretched out an arm and pre-
served her from ducking. She gave Il
little scream, not at the public embrace,
but because in throwing up her small
brown hands she had broken a slender
gold chain that hung about her neck
broken it, and over into the deep water
it went, together with locket that had
rested on her virgin bosom.
"My dears," said Commandante Don
Luis Antonio Arguello, when they had
refreshed themselves at his quarters and
related their adventures-"my dears, /
think thai under all the circumstances
the best thing you can do is to get mar
ried, and at once"
I'm with YOU" exclaimed Lieutenant
Juan de Echeandia in Spanish, opening
his arms.
And Senorita Pachita de Sola crept
timidly into them, hiding her lovely,
blushing face upon his happy, weather
beaten breast.
IN AUGUST, 1890, AGAIN.
Lieutenant John Anderson was re-
strained from throwing the abalone shell
into the bay, after his indefensible Ian
guage concerning it, because, imbedded
under transparent, everything, irides.
cent deposit, he beheld an open golden
locl,et, showing the face of handsome
young man, evidently Spanish.
Miss de Sofa, excited, took it from him,
it intently, looked up with
sparkling eyes and pointed slim, tri-
olive finger at a name beneath
the miniature.
"There!' she cried; grandma did love |
that Monterey ensign, though she always
denied itr'
But Pachita-Pachita darling do |
name the day." pleaded Lieutenant An