Smyrna times., 1894-09-26

at each stroke particles of chopped up
wood. But which pump? Luckily l
decided on the port or larboard one,
reaching down with my head under
water, l tore off the breeching board.
and quickly run my hand around the
base of the pump where it rested on
the timber, l thought it all right and
was about to try the starboard one,
when suddenly something from above
coming down on my hand cut a cash.
To my surprise it was a carpenters
chisel-a heavy One-inch and q half
socket chisel.
Here was the cause of the leak. Here
was the death of the slander, the truth
at last was known. 1t became easy
enough now to reach conclusions, and
remedy. got on deck as quickly as
possible, my bleeding hand grasping
the chisel, as l silently held it out to
Capt. Kane, whose astonishment was
only increased when as a solution, it
was explained that the chisel had been
dropped when fitting the new pumps.
by a careless workman, below the lower
bucket valve. Had it been between the
lower and upper valve, it would not
have mattered so much, but the con.
tinual action of the pumps had lifted
the chisel, and then in dropping it
struck the timbers, and finally the
planking, and then the leak. A few
more strokes and it would have cut
clear thrOughs, and sent us to the bot
tom, and, paradOxical as it may appear,
this is a case in which pumping out
ship would sink her, for had the pumps
not been worked, the particles of
chopped wood would not have been
seen. Quick rs flash the bucket
spears were sent down, and both valves
taken out, a round plug wrapped
with tarFed canvass was soon on its
way down to ill up the hole tne chisei
made, and to cur great satisfaction we
soon perceived that the starboard
pump was gaining on the water and
finally we saw the leak had been stop.
ped-we were saved. Do you think
blasphemy would have stopped that
leak ? Not one oath had been uttered
or muttered during all that trying time,
and Providence had befriended us, not
however in money, but in moneys
worth.
Willing hands soon braced around
the yards, aud merrily the Lapwing
danced over the waves, light and free,
seemingly CONSCIOUS of the peril she so
narrowly escaped, and without further
incident we safely arrived in the Roads
at Barcelona, when we found orders
awaiting US to proceed to Malta, an
English garrison port in the Mediterra-
mean. Such of our cargo as had not
do hn1
cargOes are always "dunnaged" up
high, and a few hundred barrels, in-
cluding that which was thrown over
board would make the balance at least
saleable. Capt. Kane took his orders
and left for Malta without broaching
into the cargo. A loss would he the
same at Malta as at Barcelona. In due
course we reached Malta, and found
our cargo in fairly good condition and
readily sold it. We remained at Malta
some weeks, and it was during this in
terim that the remarkable incident oc-
Cured which l have prefaced as worth
the telling for its uneanniness.
A few days before l had shipped on
the Lspwing in Baltimore, friend had
made me a present of a fine Meer-
schaum cigar holder, and one day
while we lay at sea, becalmed, l had
cut the initials of ~. B. S." on the
stem. The mere fact of having done
this was to me primG facie evidence
that was not laboring under halluci-
nation or, was hypnOtized, a condition
of the mind which makes one believe
fancy to be reality. No, these initials
became absolute proof.
One evening party of us left the
shipping, where we lay cOngregated to
attend a concert given by the garrison
band at the western approach to the
town. We stayed quite late, ENJOYING
the music and the interchange of
civilities among the very large COM
pany of officers, with their ladies of
which this important naval post in the
Mediterranean ranks next perhaps to
Gibraltar, | left however about 10
o'clock in company with the first mate
of Boston ship, lying next to US in
the harbOr. As we were leisurely
walking along, chatting, the moon hav-
ing given US ample light TO see our
way, we became aware of the approach
of two figures from the rear, by seeing
their shadows as they advanced quick
ly. We turned to look at them and
saw two ladies dressed in black, with
Spanish Mantillas over their heads.
which coming down close, almost con-
cealed their features, perhaps their in
tentiOu to do. Pardon lis, Messieurs,"
said one of them, for being so bold as
to accOst strange gentlemen on the
highway, but we are belated having
been unavOidably detained from reach.
ing home earlier in the evening, and as
it is very late would ask the protection
of the gentlemen in the direction they
were going.h
Certainly, ladies'" we both replied,
1--WE will only be too glad to see you
safe at home in town"
OF the two ladies one was somewhat
taller than the other, while both soon
gave evidence of cultured training, on
various subjects, the Crimean war, the
Eastern question, now the writings of
Qaltarie, Gibbons and Humes, and
learning that we were Americans, de-
plored the fact that America had
literature yet to evolve from the fu-
ture, paying at the same time a tribute
to the heindomitable zeal and ability of her
people in all connections with business
enterprises. Very soon we reached
the broad avenue, leading to the huilt
up portion OF the town, when, nv
companion halted, and regretting his
inability to go further as the alb
sence of the Captain aboard his shin
would require him to take bls place,
he bid us a OOrteOus good night, and
soon disappeared in the darkness. The
ladies appearing to be more timid about
proceeding now, that my companion
had left, begged of me, as their resi-
dence was still some distance away to
the east of the town, that would pro-
tect them still further by going home
with them aud receiving the thanks of
their father, who was an invalid. l
gallantly replied that having come 40
far would see them home, secretly re-
GREETING however, of having left my
revolver in my room aboard ship, and
not having it for use, If after all, these
cultured appearing ladies were but
simply two decOys bent on Turing one
or both of us to destruction.
Still, was in for the fortunes of the
of the night, and what would be the
outcome of it,rested with the two ladies.
IL was now about half past eleven. The
sea air sweeping in over the town, &C.
quired added force on the bare high
way we were walking, and the air be-
coming too chilly, we quickened our
H.