The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1894-03-21

that they were astOn1Sheu at MS giving
up so quickly, he said ne believed the
leak was under the ballast, where it
could not be got at, and as the water
was rapidly gaining on the pumps he
saw no reason to exhaust themselves in
a useless struggle. There was no sail in
sight and at the rate of gain the ship
could not float over five hours We
would get away before a change of
weather and while the wind was fair for
the boats to run for Bathurst, at the
mouth of the Gambia river.
The long and short of it was that we
got away from the Juno when she had
o. feet of water in her hold and Captain
Stout called on every man to witness
that we were driven to abandon her to
save our lives. I was in Mr.. Smiley's
boat. as were all others of his watch,
and he took an early opportunity to eau
ton me against talking to the men about
what I had seen in the hold. I knew he
was satisfied that the ship had been scut-
tied. and though everything had seemed
regular enough the men appeared tosu
pect something wrong. While we sailed
to the east the ship drifted to the south,
and after awhile we lost sight of her.
The next morning we were picked up
bv FL. M. corvette Rescue, which was
coming out of the Gambia, bound for
Sierre Leone. Both boats were IN com
pany. YOU understand. Captain Stout
no doubt gave the commander the ffgll-
particulars Of the loss of The Juno, but
as we had undergone no suffering the
matter did not excite much comment
among the corvette's crew. MIR. Smiley
again cautioned me not to talk, and when-
asked him if anything was to be done
to Captain Stout he did not answer me.
The corvette made d long run to the
west before heading down the coast, and
as night came down the wind fell light,
and curious phenomena were witnessed
1t was bright moonlight, but here anc
there were banks Of vapOr of the color O
hos steam. There would be lanes o.
moonlight between these banks, making
islands of them, and when the corvette
drove into one she would be ip darkne8
for from one to five minutes. At jus
midnight, when the moon was brightest,
the lookouts on the corvette got a sud
den scare. They saw a ship sail across a
lane Of moonlight between two banks OF
vapor and gradually disappear.
The fact was reported to the officer OF
the deck. with the additional informa
ton that she was wrecked alOft and de
serted below. Instead of reprimanding
them for sighting the Flying Dutchman,
he sent man aloft to look over the
vapor banks and called the captain. Ten
minutes later the specter ship was sight
ed again, and as she seemed to be aban-
! doned a boats crew was sent off to board
! her.
You have guessed what craft it was
the Juno. She hadn't driven above 20
miles from where we abandoned her.
We left her with 30 inches Of water in
her hold She now had three feet and
no more. as a sailors coat which had
somehow dropped overheard had been
sucked into the leak and stopped the in
| flow. The curious pumpI had discov-
cred in the hold was an affair rugged up
by Captain Stout to scuttle the ship at
pleasure. 1t was arranged to press out
the loose end of a plank and let the, sea
rush in, and but for the most trifing ac-
cident the ship must have filled and
foundered.
Stout and the second mate were sent
home in irons, while Mr.. Smiley was
given charge of the Juno, and when the
I trial came off the two men and one Of
the shippers were sent to prison for life
| was the main witness at the trial
which, as told you at the beginning,
created great excitement, and the Juno
was such an object of curiosity that she
was visited by no less than 1900 per
sons in the space Of eight weeks.