The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1892-03-21
AHAUNTEDSCHOONER

one of the prettiest and sweetest looking
schooners that ever crossed harbor bar
bound to the banks for fish or safely
weathered wintry sea. She had lines
IKE yacht. and many time have
seen her sail past a gaudy pleasure craft
and leave her astern as though she were
becaimed. She had sheer that was de-
dightful to look upon and saucy rake
to her masts that gave her coquettish
appearance.
Her history was remarkable She had
been picked up deserted in the Spanish
Main by Gloucester brig engaged in
carrying salt fish to the West Indies
She was rolling in the trough of the sea
with only the stump of her mainmast
standing. The skipper of the brig low
cred boat and went aboard Of her
She was as tight as bottle, and why
hef crew should have abandoned her
was one of those inexpicable mysteries
of the ocean upon which not even faint
light is shed.
There was nothing on board to give
any clew to-her history or nationality
She had been left in hurry, as was
shown by unmistakable signs, but her
commander had taken all his documents
WIFI ulIu, StS well DIS Ills nautical lDSBIQ-
ments and chronoIneters. She carried
two long brass carronades, and there
was stack of fifty muskets and the
same number of cutlasses in the between
decks-all highly suggestive of piracy
The hammocks Of the crew were swing
ing to the beams, and the bags and
chests Of the sailors were left behind In
her lower hold was a quantity of pig
iron used for ballast, but no trace of
treasure or cargo was to be found. Her
, boats were gone and the davit falls were
trailing in the water, while two big
tackles with which the long boat had
been lowered into the sea hung from
the wreckage of the rigging.
Old Billy Cuddington, the skipper of
the brig. rubbed his horny hands with
glee. 1t wasn't often that he found him
self playing in such luck. He took all
his crew but two aboard the schooner
and all worked with will and soon
rigged juryinasts. That night he took
her in tow and at daybreak next morn
Ing all hands got to work again and got
her In shipshape order. There was
spare foresail in her sail locker, which
was bent as mainsail, while storm
trysail did duty as a foresail The bow
spirit was uninjured. and after setting up
the Forestry n small jib was bent to it.
There were casks of salt beef and pork
down below, three tanks full of fresh
water and any amount of hardtack, -four
and rice. The skipper put the mate and
four sailors in charge. with orders to
keep him in sight and steer for Glouces-
ter. Mass The brig was in good sailing
trim. having q quantity of rum and mo-
lasses In her lower hold while the tween
decks were fall of green cocoanuts.
Captain Cuddington, who was a
thrifty New Englander that did not be-
iieve in giving anything away, opened
<his heart on this occasion. He filed a
ten gallon keg with rum and broke out
200 or 800 cocoanuts and sent them
aboard the schooner, with instructions
TO the mate to take his nip regularly and
always to remember to mix it with
cocoanut juice, which had the effect of
mellowing it and making it less heady.
There was "A lovely whole-sail breeze
when the mate and his men made sail on
the prize After they got the foresail,
mainsail and jib on her she began to
scoot through the water like steam.
boat. The mate, seeing what clippe,
ne had under him, thought he would
play practical joke on old Billy Cud.
board beam and both vessels were head.
ing about N. N. W. The schooner was
moving about three feet to the briggs
one Calculating his distance very
neatly the mate tackled the schooner and
ran down to the brig to leeward of hel
with lifted sheets and bellying sails
Then luffing sharp under her stern he
went on the other tack and blanketeo
her. Then he hailed the brig.
'Goodby, captain" he yelled. '1I
tell the Gloucester girls you're coming
guess I'll get there three weeks before
you. Your burned old hooker can't gel
out of her own way"
tell you old Billy Cuddington wa.
madder than a March hare. He always
had thought his brig was a hummer
and to see this schooner. with her jury
rig and meager sail spread, walk away
like witch was too much for him. Hs
hailed the schooner and ordered the
mate to heave to, but that worthy was
as full of mischief as Il wagon load oi
monkeys, SO he only laughed at the ole
man. An hour later he set sort Of
apology for spinnaker. 1t seemed tx
have the pulling power of several dray
horses, and under its influence the
schooner forged ahead and by nightfal
was out of sight, much to the surprise
and disgust of Captain Cuddington. whC
put no faith in humanity and was no
sure that his mate would not put int
some southern port and sell the Graf
and run away with the money
That's what Cuddington would hav,
done if he had been in the mates Sc,
boots, but the mate was constructed OF
different and fairer lines. The sailor
~ 49, L. Al.
rest of the voyage. 1t was clew up ant
h<xssk T1,o ,Id