The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-04-19
THE CASTAWAYS.
Eight Shipwrocked Mariners and
Thor Unvarnishcd Talo-


Thor Unvarnishcd Talo-
On a December morning, In the year
1885. mail steamer. homeward bound
from New Zealand port, was APP
preaching the meridian OF tho Horn,
but on parallel more southcrly than
ii Is now the custom Of steamships TO
take In rounding that stormy, Ice -xirt,
desolate and most inhospitable Of all
hcadlands.
December In those distant regions Is
midsummer, and the weather 81 that
morning was a. fair and stIil as .
brcczeiess April day Ia this country,
bat the swell Of I'll vast tract of ocean
ran ceaselessly reminiscent reHpira-
tions Of giantess whose conflict with
the heavens IL eternal. and whose
breathing panscs are very few and far
between, indeed Over this long, dark
blue. westerly swell the great metal
fabric went sweeping In long. floating.
launching courtesies, whitening the
water astern Of her with q milo Of
wake
The chief officer was on the bridge;
the first breakfast bell had runa and
the captain. smart as d naval officer III
buttons and lace trimmings, quilted the
chart room and Joined the mate to take
q look around before going below. This
skipper was q man of eagle sight, and
instantly on directing his eycssove the
ships bow he exclaimed:
what is that black object yonder?r
The chief mate peercd and the cap
tain leYeled o telescope.
"A ships boat, said he, ''and seem
ingly full Of people"
The boat. when sighted. was some
three or four miles distant, and the
speed Of the steamship was about thir.
teen knots In q few minutes the
alarm in the engine room rang It's re-
verberatory warning, sending a little
thrill Of wonder throughout the ship 80
rarely Is that telegraph handled on the
high seas.
Il count eight men, SIR cried the
chief mate, with a bEnocular glass at his
eye.
Again the engine-room alarm rang
out; the pulsing that for days had been
ceaselessly throbbing through the long
fabric ianguished, and In few min
utes to another summons Of the metal
tongue below ceased, and the great
steamship hoated along TO her own Inn
petus slowly till the boat was within
the toss Of q biscuit of the bow, with
the passengers erowding to the side,
and sailors and walters and steerage
folk blackening the rail forward.
The occupants Of tho boat consisted
Of eight wild, hairy, veritable scare
crows Of men, dressed In divers fash
ions Scotch caps, yellow sou'westers,
sea boots, toil-worn monkey jackets,
and the like
Boat ahoyi" hailed the captain. as
she slowly washed alongside. What Is
wrong with your"
4 fellow standing up In the stern
sheets cried back in strong Yankee
accent
For Gods sake, sir, take us aboard
Ourwater's almost given ont, and there's
nothing left to eat
Look out for the end of line, =
Dawiea the captain fare you strong
enough u get aboard without hcip?T
Aye, Sir. wen manage it /"
A rope was thrown, ana one after an
other the fellows came swinging and
seraptng and scrambling up the clean
side Of the steamship The passen.
gers crowded around and gazed at
them with curiosity and pity. Their
sympathetic eyes seemed to find famine
painfully expressed In the leathern
eonntenances that stared back through
mats Of hair
We must let your boat CO. saii the
captain
Can't help it. sir; tina nkful enough
to b. here. j reckon" answered the
fellow who had called from the stern
sheets and who acted as spokesman.
Anything belonging to you to come
out2''
Nothing. BY the etarnaL let her
go. sir. II sailors sea blessings can
freight craft she ain't going to float
long"
The bontywas sent adrift, the engine
bell rang out, once more the great mail
steamer was thrashing over the long,
tall heaye u Cape Horn swell
How came you into this mess?'' in.
quired the captain.
ihe man who had spoken before
made answcr:
We're all THAT'S lcft If fhe crew III
the Bostcn bark George washington
She was q Nhafcr o,1e hundred and
eightY-fonr, days out ii were fonf
days ago vas TIE drst ii smell FIRE.