Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-04-25
MYSTERY OF THE SULTAN.

M - L Il
In the wear of 1860 I sailed in the
ship Sult..n, a vessel of $50 tons bur
den. from the port Of Liverpool, bound
round the Horn to Valparaiso, with
valuable general cargo. The captain
was a man FAMED Jonas JDrtin. /,
who went in her as chief mate, am
named William Fletcher.
We carried no second officer. Often
it happened in these days that even
big ships sailed with what is termed an
"onIy mate" who was supposed to
comprise in himself all that was to be
expected in the shape of duty and
knowledge from first and second Of
ficer
AS I, however, held no certificate as
"only mate" l signed as chief, and the
boatsWain, a man named Benjamin
Matthews, took the working part of
second mate under me; that is, he re-
lieved me when my watch was up,
walked the decks and trimmed sail at
his discretion. But he took no part in
the navigation Of the ship; indeed, l
doubt if he knew what sextant was,
and | am not sure that he could read
or write.
Captain Jortin was u tall, lCng-faccd
man, with SO remarkable a chin that
his mouth seemed TO be placed almost
exactly in the middle of his face, His
skin was yellow. He had followed the
sea for many years, but the flesh of
his cheeks reflected nothing of the glow
and bronze of sun and weather. His
eyes were a dead black, like an East
Indians, without animation in their
glance, and slow in their motions.
All went we'll with us till we had
gone clear of the northeast trade wind
and struck the "humbugging" paral-
lels, as they are called, where you get
sheet Gains with wide ocean white
as level ice field, then faint draughts
crawling UP in the direct line of the
ships course, painting the FURNISHED
surface with darkling shadows like
huge marine spiders creeping down
from the edge of the horizon.
1t was the second down watch; the
hour was about $50; the ships yards
were braced we'll forward, and she
was ripping along to the pressure of a
three-knot breathing Of air, coming hot
as steam from out of the glowing pavil-
ions of the west.
1t was sickeningly close with the
menace of an electric storm in a deli
cate winking of violet dumb lightning
away down in the southeast. A fiddle
was going up the forecastle- head. A
sailor was chanting Il ditty to the tune
Most of the ships company were lis
tening, lounging about the cathead and
against the rail, pipes in mouth. The
captain was walking aft, alone, meas
uring a space of the deck from abreast
of the wheel and something forward
Of the mizzen rigging. His gait was
that of n man in funeral procession
stiff, solemn, self-conscious. He had
not been on deck above half an hour,
and in that time had not once ad-
dressed me. Not. indeed that there
was anything strange in this; mates
and captains seldom converse at sea.
| had charge of the ship this dog
watch and was standing at the head
Of the Starboard poop ladder, listening
to the music forward. Suddenly the
steward came out of the cabin under
the cuddy front and looked for a mo-
ment eagerly up at me with a white
face. l called down:
What is it," interpreting his ex-
preston Of fear into something wrong.
He came half way up the ladder and
said:
Some ones been trying to Scuttle
the ship, l think. l can hear water
running in 'twixt the wall and the
linin' in the after cabin in the steer
age"
| instantly ran aft and repeated the
mans statement to the captain He
looked ut me steadfastly with his
grave, funeral black eyes, and ex-
claimed in Il dull. slow way:
"Scuttle. Nonsense, sir. Who would
commit such crime aboard this ship:
Go below with the steward, and report
what you hear and see"
| straightway descended the com
panion steps, and the steward followed
AA1S y 10Y " tiS 1uhtN IOul. w Z eu-
tered the Steerage, a part of the hold
under the saloon or cabin deck. Four
cabins were bulkheaded off on either
hand. They We're now used mainly as
store-rooms: in their day they had
been stocked with passengers, for the
Sultan was an old ship. and fifteen
years earlier than the date of this
story had not been without renown as
brisk, comfortable roomy liner, :
with regular sailings from Blackwell
for Australian ports.
In a minute or two l distinctly heard
Il fountain like running water. 1t was
nearly dark I babe the steward jump
for light; he returned with lantern.
and on throwing the light against that
part of the lining or inner wall, whence
the trickling noise proceeded, | in
stantly discovered two augur holes
neatly plugged.
Good mercy" l shouted, in a sud
den fright; 1.-The ship has been holed
and will be sinking under out feet as
we stand here"
I told the steward to remain in the
cabin with the lantern and rushed on
deck, shouting for the carpenter to
lay aft. While Shirley was coming I
reported what l had seen TO the cap
tain, who stiffened himself with a