The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-01-18

the crew, who we're living epitol
fashions, past and current, Of prett2
all the nations Of the earth. Proba1
company OF equal size ever displayed
variety OF costumes. Assuredly none
be on more distant terms with tailor
laundress. 1t was impossible TO say which
gave the greater distinction---the Diversity.
the dirt or the tatters
There were Arab shirts reaching to the
ankle, Indian turbans, Syrian combazes,
European jenkins, top boots, Jerseys, hats
and frock coats, Persian gowns, breeches Of
all known cuts and countries in every de-
gree of foulness. in every stage Of decay and
raggedness--all jumbled together as II some
malicious artist had tried what effects Of
incongruity and grotesqueness, what out
RACES on taste and decency. he was capable
of achieving.
The captain, as the chief parsonage on
board, was naturally the most conspicuous
example Of the ridiculous. He was elab-
orately arrayed in steeple beaver. strongly
suggestive Of the defunct missionary in
spite Of its iaunty ostrich plume and tar
nished silver band; coarse wooden shirt,
smeared like a hog in autumn; leathern
girdle, from which depended sword,
brace OF pistols and a crooked dagger full
of significant purple stains; Turkish trou-
sers that had originally been crimson, but
were now of more bues than the maker of
Joseph's coat ever dreamed Of; pair Of
red boots that must once have shed their
splendor on state assemblies and gather
ings of grandees, and sashes enough of va
rlous colors to furnish regiment OF sheiks.
The decorations were thicke in the rear.
Indeed when the gallant captain turned
his back it might seem he was clad In por-
Gus plasters patched with canvas steeped
in pitch, so heavy were the incrustations Of
tar, grease, paint and other adhesive sub
stances. No sense Of absurdity, however,
disturbed his serene self consequence He
paced the deck with as proud step, as high
and keen look, as II he were an admiral Of
the fleet in faultless uniform and the evil
dence Of a hundred victories blazing on his
breast, seldom condescending to any famil-
farity with those about him, never with
me. huddled In my corner.
We tore along at an incredible rate and
were soon beyond sight'of land. though for
a good while the smoke Of the burning
brig showed our starting point. Whittier
we were bound could not guess and burst
not ask. l was free to conjecture, IL I
pleased, that our course was for some happy
haven not far of, though appearances
rather suggested we were securing the sea
for prey.
By and by we hauled our wind and began
to fetch in backward direction. But we
had not gone a league when we bounded off
on another tack and for the next hour or
two we tackled and changed 30 frequently,
running close hauled as II for our lives and
dropping Off as If in sheer perversity, that
completely lost my reckoning
II was wonderful how that strangely
built ship behaved, how sensitive she was
to the gentlest pressure of the helm, how
clean, quick and graceful were all her
movements aud how she rushed on her
course when she got her head. In spite Of
rather rough seamanship, only once did
she make mistake. Through a too hasty
1uff she happened to come dead into the
winds eye. and for the space Of second
she hung In irons with loose sails. She
aeemed to shake herself with vexation, like
o highly spirited horse thrown on it's
Launches without reason, turned quickly
half round, caught the wind again, and
then, with her yellow wings spread to their
utmost, went skimming along like sea
bird.
It was now well on In the afternoon. The
sun, though scorohingly hot, was near orr,
level, and the water was deepening In pur-
pie and crimson. was beginning to think
we were To have night at sea, when the
captain gave the order to put the helm
hard down. We swung round and sped on
q landward course, sailing free and very
swjts