The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-12-31

THE PORTUGUESE HAD CREPr SILENTLY UP BE-
HIND tue CAPTAIN
we were of Tarifa. n little this side OF
Gibraltar. Tie tide swircd around this
cape vita the vclocity OF a mill-race.
Suddenly the brig gave a lurch and In
stantly fell Off several points from her
course.
"Jlui. you COMPOUNDED lubber. keep her
head up" ] shouted.
Cant DO a.. SIR"
why what's the matter?'
Matter enough. sir. the rudders
damned. ard won't work"
! stamped on the deck for the cap
tain. and ran aft. IL was indeed so.
10 seemed as II The lower hook had
snapped allowing the rudder post to
twist and catch in the case, where il
held firmly.
The tremendous current around the
cape now had us 40 fits mercy. and we
began 90 drift towards the coast OF Bar
barry. What with The wind and tide the
sea was something friehtful. and TO
make our prediCament worse the viz
llcucus-lo looking fellows forward seemed
90 DE- Matching some dev!lish plot or
cJher under cover OF the darkness.
"This is terrible business. 1om,"
said the captain
"Ay. Sir! bad enough ina the oDen sea-
where we could run before Tie wind
bat here IL is worse than bad. Before
au hour we shall all be on the RMS. sir
Just as sure as YOU are born"
'Im afraid so, Tom, unless we are
oyerhtl'Cd ny some steamer, which
amt very likely
II shouldn't be surprised. captain" ]
said looking forward. "to find that those
devils by the forecastle there were IN
league with those murderous Rimans
They seem rather pleased over or" mis-
fortune than otherwise"
Although 1 had never beer through
te si.aishts before, J had hear many
}a'n ~ those pirauc scoundvcis and
Their bioCd-curdling work Living almost
under the shadow Of the garrison at
Gibraltar these Eihians were yet as
ickess Of life and as much pirates
within the limits of their means as any
I1Fers who ever pat cut from Salec.
lhere We're stories Of yachts beCaimed.
and disabled ships which had escaped
these eayages only by a miracle
The ldGs as this portion OF the
Morocco coast IS called. extends from
Iangier ou the west TO near the western
ms2nuer OF Algiers, having length Of
So great az one time were the Injuries
l.hetei by The Rimans on passing mer-
o. '''''tFf lNdt mort or tnc NidilQme
o",ea paid an annual sum that they
1isht 90 unmolested. Austria and Spain
eseiared war against the Sultan of
Norrocco. and succeeded in 6btainine
Compensation FOR losses
he sultans authority IN the Rin re-
s'on was not strong. however. and pi-
iellcal cepFedauons stM continued
what prize would be- our brig drif,-
INs surely into their clutches ANA baIf-
manned with fellows as v,llaipous M
themselves. and willing % shme the
lol 'e
TOR nearly an hour we had beer bitch
Mg ana rolling AID drifting until now
we could discern through the darkness
ne bree ters tossing their white foam
h'l more than a quarter Of a mile away.
ani beyond them the threatening cliffs.
Let so The drag" yelled the captain.
ana the anchor shot over the bow, but
AZ fun cable length and failed % touch
bottom. by George!" he exclaimed
I've been In tough places before, but
ms beats them all. We're a goner,
sure"
Nearer and nearer we drifted. with
nothing but the chance OF our anchor