The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-05-25
THE CASTAWAYS.
hight Shipwrecked Mariners and
Their Unvarnishod Tale.

Their Unvarnishod Tale
On December morning, In tho year
1883, mail steamer. homeward bound
from q New Zealand port, was ap-
preaching the meridian Of the Horn,
but on o parallel moro sonthcrly than
1t "a now tho custom Of steamships 10
take IN rounding that stormy. icc-girt,
desolatc and most inhospltable of MI
headlands.
December In those distant regions Il
midsummer, and the weather Of that
morning was as fair and still as q
breezeless April day in this country,
but the, swell Of III vast tract Of ocean
ran ccaselessly reminiscent rcspira-
tions of o giantess whose conflict with
the heavens Is eternal. and whose
breathing pauses 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 a mile Of
wake
The chief officer was on the bridge;
the flrst breakfast bell had rung and
the captain. smart ms naval officer In
buttons and lace trimmings, quilted the
chart room md joined the mate to take
. look around before going below. This
skipper was man Of eagle sight. and
instantly on directing hisscyes over tho
ships bow he exclaimed:
What Il that black object yonder?'
The chief mate peered and the cap
tain levclcd d telescope.
"A ships boat. said he, ''and seem
ingly full Of people
Tho boat, when sighted, was some
thrco or four miles distant, and the
speed Of the steamship was about thir-
teen knots In few minutes tho
alarm in the engine room rang its re-
yerberatory warning, sending little
thrill Of wonder throughout the ship SO
rarely Is that telegraph handled ON the
high sens.
Il count eight men. sir, cried the
chief mate, with binocular glass at his
eye.
Again the engine-reem alarm rang
out; the pulsing that for days had been
ceaselesaiy throbbing through the long
fabric lanEuished, and In few min
ptes TO another summonsSof the metal
tongue below ceased, and the great
steamship hoated along TO her own Inn
petne slowly till the boat was within
the tors Of biscuit Off the bow, with
the passengers crowding to tho side,
and sailors and walters and Storage
folk blackening the rail forward.
The occupants Of the boat consisted
nj nj 1at. ~.
crows Of men, dressed In divers fash
Ions Scotch caps, yellow sou'westers,
sea boots, toil-worn monkey Jackets,
and the like
Boat ahoyr hailed the captain, as
she slowly washed alongside. What Is
wrong with you7"
A fellow standing up in the stern
sheets cried back in strong Yankee
accent:
For Gods sake, sir, take us aboard
Our waters almost given out, and there's
nothing left 70 eat"
Look out for tho end OF line.
Dawled the captain. .Arc you strong
enough to get aboard without hclp2"
Aye. sir, we'll manage IL"
A rope was thrown, and one after an.
other the fellows came swinging and
scraping and scrambling up the clean
side Of the steamship The passen.
gers crowded around and gazed al
them with curiosity and pity, Their
sympathetic eyes seemed to find famine
painfully expressed in the leathern
conntenances that stared back through
mats Of hair.
I'VE must let your boat GO, " saii the
captain.
Cant help 1t, sir; tina nkful enough
70 be here, ! reckon" answered the
fellow who had called from the stern
sheets and who acted as spokesman.
Anything belonging to you to come
outf',
Nothing, by the etarnal. Let her
go. sir. II sailors sea blessings can
freight craft she amt going to Aoat
long
The boat was sent adrift, the engine
bell rang out, once more the great mail
steamer was thrashing over the long,
tall heave Of Cape Horn swell
How came you into this mess2n in.
qnired the captain
The man who had spoken before
made answer:
We're all that's left Of the crew 81
the Boston bark George Washington
She was whaler, one hundred and
eighty-four days out 1t were -four
days ago. ! was the first to smell fire.