The morning call., 1893-11-28
How Mrs. Captain Brock Sails
the Seas.
CLOSE CABIN ACCOMMODATIONS.
A Strike on a Reef Creates ConSter-
nation and Causes the Crew to
Get Tangled Up.

schooner Caleb Curtis, is at Butarltarl
making the best of her investment in
cargo destined to please the natives of the
far-away South Sea islands.
The Caleb Curtis left this harbor several
months ago on voyage of discovery and
incidentally to trade with the Samoans or
any other natives of the tropical Pacific
who might be charmed with Mrs. Captain
Brooks manner of doing business.
Several communications have been re-
ceived by friends of the little party of six
that went on board the Caleb Curtis on
certain Sunday morning in August, cast off
her lines and dropped out through the
Golden Gate with fair wind. bound for
the coral isles of the southern ocean.
The crew OF the Caleb Curtis consisted
of Mrs. Captain Brock. her husband.
Rollo Brock. who acts as sailing master,
first officer, two seamen and ca bin-b boy.
Those who remember the Caleb Curtis
as a stanch pilot boat with flush decks and
cockpit and scarcely enough room In her
cabin TO swing the proverbial cat in will
perhaps question the capability of the
schooner TO store below a cargo of trading
goods and six healthy well-grown persons,
such as have been mentioned.
But the Caleb Curtis was not a pilot
boat after she passed through the altera-
tior which her skipper caused 60 be made
In her tween deck accommodations. a
separate room was built for the woman
trader. and berihs were so arranged that
first officer Ewart had ample room to
stretch himself in his specially constructed
bunk, though he does have to lie on his
back to pull Lis trousers on.
The cabin-boy was provided with COM
bined locker and bunk. which was con-
trived so as TO permit of his placing his
feet through a convenient portfolio on the
starboard side of the cabin. The sailors
had compartments exactly fitted to their
forms. and taking it all in all sleeping
apartments Oh the Caleb Curtis were snug
and water tight.
The shippers and sailing-master's room
was a little more commodious. 1t con-
tanned a wide bunk draped Hastily with
curtains, stove, settee, safe and a
clock. This compartment was to be used
as "Irading-ro0m" also. In it the only
woman sea-trader in the world proposed to
get as much copra, as many punches of
bananas or as much coral as possible for
the smallest exchange of goods that the
laws OF the South Sea Islands would per-
NIT.
But the Caleb Curtis never was possessed
of a mascot. She was wrecked upon more
than one occasion. and there was some
thing that hovared over her continually.
The sailors called it Jonah"
When the Curtis sailed from here she
had fair winds until the tropics were
reached and there she experienced Gains
and warm weather.
The awning was spread over the cock
pit and the skylight to the cabin, but
nevertheless the between-decks quarters
were suddenly transformed from a coy
little dot OF cabin. such as sailors like to
crawl into on cold nights, to a redbot
oven, wherein even the cabn-boy turned
10 bster-red and was wont to stick his head
tfah ot4a ha1F IF &c -
portfolio referred to in another paragraph.
Skipper Brooks room being amidship
and in spot where Old Sol most FREE
quently showed his smiling face and
laughed last and best it was the equator
of the Caleb Curtis and none others than
those most thoroughly acclimated could
weather its heat.
Quarters or deck in the shadow of the
mansail were found to be preferable to a
room between decks. The baimy air of
the tropical nights made it possible for the
Curtis crew to enjoy few hours of re-
pose upon the deck planks.
Occasional squalls and showers of rain
disturbed the sleepers. and oftenti times the
wind blew in quick puffy gales. which
made the traders seek the seclusIOn that
their oven-like cabin granted, and pray
heaven that the shower would cease.
Upon such occasions the schooner also
had ample opportunity to show her sailing
qualities.
She would pick up her heels in an as
founding fashion and SKIP away at a 10
knot gait, riding the waves like seabird.
Not small amount of satisfaction did
the adventures take in the shooting of
waterfowls, fishing and trailing for
sharks.
When the little schooner was lying be-
Gained in close proximity to the Marshall
group she was surrounded by band of
vicious man. eaters that seemed to be fully
aware of the fact that the Caleb Curtis
was no ordinary craft and that there must
of her. But when Mrs. Captain Brock
welded harpoon and baited shark
hook with side of pork the dorsal fins of
the marauders of the deep vanished for
ever
Some say the "hoodoo" did it, while
others aver that the acrobatic sailing
master, who, IL will be remembered. was
wards Gardens, went through series of
old-time hOrZontal-bar maneuvers which
frightened the sharks away.
Several islands were passed and Butari-
tart sighted. Captain Brock and her sail
ing-master saw before them the land of
promise, the Islands where trades were to
be had and bargains are more numerous
than at the counters of San Francisco
dry-goods store. In the heat of excitement
at approaching the land the heat of the
cabin and the episode OF the sharks were
forgotten.
All hands stood by the sheets and hal
yards. and the Curtis was headed for the
beach. But that old irrepressible hoodoo
was there, and while the captain and her
assistant were getting the bunting ready
to display the Curtis came down on a reef
with thump that sent the cabin-boy right
straight up in the air, where he executed
gyrating movements and landed on the
main hatch.
Mrs. Captain Brock collapsed in the
cockpit and forgot all about that half
gross of So watches she purchased for
special trades with the Butaritarans.
Sailing master Brock "bent the crab"
and did three back somersaults, bringing
up against the galley. The two seamen
got tangled up in the b gear and were not
lOOseneG until the sheet was lowered.
In spite Of vicissitudes, hot weather and
running on reefs the voyage of the Gale
Curtis is destined to end well. The woman
trader will make money. and when she h as
disposed of her cargo of goods she will sail
away for Sydney, Australia, there TO en-.
joy it among her people and to prove to
them what a hoodoo schooner can do.
Wouldn't Pay Fees.