Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1893-07-31
STIRBOlRD!

On the smooth, sunlit waters Of the gulf
Of Mexico a man was pacing the deck OF
fine frigate. over which floated the gay
flag of the Colombian confederation, one
Of the great Spanish republics OF South
America.
That he did not belong to the ship was
evident enough, for he was not in uniform,
but in plain clothes, and his fair complex
lon and light hair contrasted SO markedly
with the swarthy faces and black boards OF
the crew as to show at the first glance that
he was no countryman Of theirs.
He might OF course be a passenger. and
such indeed he was, but passenger OF a
somewhat peculiar kind-viz, prisoner
An American by birth, he had served Tor
some time in the United States navy, and
then seeing no chance Of active service,had
gone south to take part as volunteer IN
one Of the countless wars that were always
going on in South America, In the course
of which his ship and himself after long
and desperate combat had been taken by
the enemy.
Such being the case, 1t might have SEEM
ed strange To any one to see this prisoner OF
war walking at large ON the deck OF the
vessel that had captured him, and TO all
appearances quite at home there. But the
courtesy as well as the courage OF Spain
had been inherited by the brave men who
commanded the victorious frigate and they
did their utmost to soften the captivity Of
an opponent whose stubborn valor had won
the admiration of them all
Contenting themselves with exacting a
pledge from their prisoner that he would
make no attempt to escape-which indeed
there was little chance Of his doing out
. d, q la xxrif
In sight-the captain and officers OF the
frigate treated him rs a guest rather than
| a captive, made him dine at their table,
talked with him like old friends, supplied
him with cigars from their own stock, and,
In a word, did all they could To make him
comfortable.
But for all this kindness they were des-
tined to be repaid in very unexpected
manner.
The frigate, having received not a few
severe injuries in the recent fight, was max
ing for Carthagena-the nearest Colom-
bian port-in order to refit, and all went
well till they were within a short distance
of the coast, when the weather, which had
hitherto been beautifully fine, suddenly be-
came thick and hazy, eliminating at length
in one of those formidable sea fogs which
80 often roll In from the north Atlantic
when no one expects them, literally turn
ing day into night
The Colombian captain, though familiar
with these waters from his childhood, was
now lat sea" in every sense of the words,
and brave as he was began to feel uncom-
Portable. He knew that he could not be far
from the mouth of the Carthagena harbor,
and he remem bered only too well the dan
gerous coral reefs which made it one Of the
most perilous spots in all South America.
Moreover, In waters which literally
swarmed with coasting vessels Of all sizes,
the risk of fatal collision stared them In
the face every moment, and In such wealth
er, when no one could see half a cables
length ahead, what could they do to avoid
itf
The officers were all on deck-the captain
himself included-and with them was the
American prisoner, whose thorough naval
training enabled him to appreciate the full
extent of the danger as keenly as any man
ON board.
All were straining their eyes and ears to
the utmost for any sign Of an approaching
vessel, when all at once the Yankee officers
quick sight described, looming ghostlike
through the spectral dimness that hemmed
them in, the shadowy outline of a huge
ship, half rs large again as their own,
which seemed to be bearing right down
upon them.
His warning shout called the attention of
his companions to tlhs alarming appari-
tion, which was already close aboard Of
them.
Then the officer Of the watch, young
and comparatively inexperienced man, un-
nerved by this sudden and terrific peril,
lost his head and called out wildly to the
man at the wheel:
Port your helmP
But the captive American, with his YAM
kee quickness and long nautical expert
ence, saw In a moment that this order, II
obeyed, must inevitably bring the two YES
sells into collision. Quick as lightning he
sprang forward and shouted in Spanish to
the steersman with the full strength of his
powerful voice:
"Starboard your helmi StarboardP
The second order came just in time to
counteract the first. Round flew the wheel,
and the frigate, "paying OFF, barely in
time, passed 50 close to the strange vessel
that, as Jack S favorite saying would phrase
1t, ''you might have shied a biscuit aboard"
In another instant the stranger had van
ished like dream.
"By st. Jagol' muttered the sailors to
each other. THAT official Americana"
(American olIicer) ''has been a lucky pris-
oner for us, for il it hadn't been for him we
should have gone straight to the bottom,
ship and ALL"
About an hour later the fog lifted )" and
the anxious captain bebeld to his no small
relief the familiar entrance of Carthagena
harbor only few miles off on the port
bow, with its grim old fortress scowling
above it. And when they had worked their
way in through the perilous channel and
were safe at anchor in the sheltered road
stead the young Colombian lieutenant went
straight up to the spot where the American
prisoner was standing and held out his
hand.
"Senor," said he, with stately Spanish
courtesy, 'your skill and presence of mind
have saved all our lives and our ship as
well, for, had you not had the boldness to
contradict the order which gave, and all
my companions would have been lost. In
their names and my own / beg to thank
you for what you have done, and trust
you will permit me to have the honor OF
presenting you with this slight token of my
gratitude"
He drew a costly emerald ring from his
finger as he spoke and offered ii to the
American, who accepted with a courteous
bow, and In after years when the war was
over and the two brave men met as friends
the Colombian saw his gift still upon the
northern officers finger, where indeed IL re-
M aimed so long as the latter was alive
Exchange
Used Another Article.