The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1894-09-22
SEMILLANTE'S WRECK.
A Thrilling Story OF the Sandman
Sea-

OF the sea, OF Whlch the nShermen or
the place often speak at eventide, and
about which chance has enabled me
to learn strange particulars.
IL was three years ago. was sail
ing the Sandman sea with seven or
eight sailors of the coast survey IL
was n rough voyage for n novice; we
did not have one good day through
March. The wind was furious and the
waves never Gained. One evening, as
we were flying before the tempest, our
vessel came for refuge TO the mouth
OF the Straits of Bonifacio, among some
little islands.
Their aspect was not alluring. They
were great, bald rocks, covered with
birds, some bushes OF lentislx, few
tufts OF absinthe, and here and there,
In the slime, decaying pieces OF wood.
But, my soul IL was better 10 pass the
night among these sinister rocks than
TO be on frail old bark, half decked,
where the blast came In as though IL
were quito at home; 90 we contcnted
ourselves.
No sooner had we disembarked than
the sailors lighted a Are for the fish
soup, aud the captain called me. point
ing to little Enclosure surrounded by
white wall almost lost In the mist at
the end of the island. "Will you como
TO the cemetery?" said he.
"A cemetery. captaini where are
wc?"
ION the Lavezzi islands, monsieur
The six hundred mon OF the frigate
Semillante are buried here Mt the spot
where she was lost ten years ago. Poor
fellowsl Az they don't receive many
visits, the least we can do is to go and
say; 'Bonjour TO them SO long as we
are here"
with all my heart, captain"
How sad IL was, the cemetery Of the
Bemillantei see IL still. with It's lit
tle low wall; its open door. rusty and
hard TO open; its silent chapel; the hun
dreds of black crosses hidden by the
weeds. Not one wreath OF immor-
telles, not one souvenir-nothingl All.
the poor, abandoned dead! How cold
they must be in their chance tombsl
We stayed moment kneeling. The
captain prayed nloud. Enormous
gulls, the only guardians OF the GEM
.etery, circled over our heads, mingling
their hoarse cries with the wailing OF
the sea. The prayer finished, we came
sadly back TO the corner OF the island
where the bark was anchored. No
time had been lost during our absence.
We found n great fire. flaming In the
yshelter of n rock, and the soup smok-
ing. Sitting down In circle. with
our feet to the flames, soon each had
lon his knees bowl OF red pottery, In
~ - 81
covered plentifully with the broth.
The repast was silent ono. We were
wet, wo were hungry, and then, the
nearness of the graveyard
However, when tho bowls were emp
tied we lighted our pipes and talked n
Internationally of tho Semillante.
Tell me, how did IL happen2"
asked tho captain, who. with his head
on his hands, stared at the flames with
n thoughtful air.
"How did IL happen?" said the good
Lionetti with heavy sigh. "Alas, no
human being can tell. All we know Is
that the Semillante, laden with troops,
left Toulon the evening before In bad
weather. During the night IL grew
worse-wind, rain and n terrible sea,
the like OF which was never seen be-
fore. In the morning the wind fell
little, but the sea was worse, IL pos
sible, and with II the DEVILS own fog,
go that one could not have distin-
guished beacon light four feet away.
Those fogs, monsieurl You have no
idea how deceitful they arei But l
also have an idea that the Semiliante
must have lost her helm In the morn
ing, for the captain, even In a heavy
fog, could hardly have made such
mistake. lie was well-tried mariner.
We all knew him lie had commanded
the Corsican station for three years.
and knew the coast ms we'll as l, who
know nothing else"
"At what time do they think that
fhe Semlllante persisted?
at must have been at noon--yes,
monsieur, fully noon, but, forsooth.
with that fog, that noon was worth no
more than a night as black as the jaws
of wolf A llfe-saver OF the coast
told me that the same day toward half
past eleven, having gone out OF his
cabin 20 fasten his shutters, the wind
whirled away his cap, and at tho risk
OF being carried OF himself by tho
blast he commenced to crawl along
the beach on all fours after IL. You
see the douaniers aren't rich. and
cap costa Well, IL seems that our
man, lifting his head, saw right near
him, through the fog q great ship
scudding along under bare poles to-
ward tho Lavezzi islanda
This ship went very fast, so fast
that he had hardly time for a good
look. Everything points 10 tho belief
chat n was the Semillante, because n
half hour later tho shepherds OF the
islands heard--why. here comes tho
shepherd himself, he will tell you
Bonjour, Palombo. Come, warm thy
self Have no fear"
A muffied man, whom had seen for
acme minutes prowling around our fire,
La inlraaa fnr nnA Of Oh a