Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-02-09


the same mysterious way. Coming down to
later date, We have the CruSader-the
old Crusader, 1 rlean-the CleDtic, tie
White Slave. the Ontario, an American
liner and host of others. In 1890 we have
the Erin of the National line, the Italian
bark Silvio, which sailed from Holy bead
in January of that year and was suisse
quently spoken in the North Atlantic; The
Thanemore, a British steamer, and the
Roman Empire, a splendid iron ship, which
as passed on the 18th of June by home
vard-bound vessel. and reported all we'll
But, PERHAPS the strangest case of all was
tEat of the German ship. the Maria RICK
mer5. about which there has been so much
talk lately in the shipping world"
Il remember hearing of her" said capt;
Lorton. 'She was a five-masted bark. l
think. and said to be the largest sailing
ship afioat."
well, this magnificent vessel, fully man
ned and in charge of experienced officers,
sailed from Saigon for Bremen on the 18th
of July, 1892. 1t was only her second voy-
age, mind you. She was sighted in the
Atlantic about 800 miles west of the Azores,
and the total disappearance OF SUCH a
ship. in comparatively fine weather, Is one
of the most remarkable of these ocean
mysteries. From all those vessels, not enc
soul escaped to tell of the disaster and,
save in one or two instances, not even
beat or life buoy belonging to them was
picked up. How did they disappear? You
will say they fouEdered in gale; possibly
some of them might have done So out LOT
all How do you account for the fact that
dozens of other vessels crossed the Allan
tic in safety at the very same time,
often without encountering unusually pad
weather.
1T seems strange. certainly" remarked
Moxly.
ut Just comes to this" continued the
skipper, in a rather excited way, for he
was now thoroughly warmed into the sub
ject 1T just comes to this: An unknown
danger lay in the path of those vessels
or some of them. at any rate-they came
upon il suddenly, perhaps in the dead of
night. when they were least prepared, and
the result was appalling disaster.
But 1 don't see how all this proves
the existence of a mid-Atlantic rock, sald
Capt. Lorton.
'Wait a minute; I'm coming to that pres
emily" replied Linklater. In I6 L was
bound from Pensacola, in Florida, 70 Fal-
mouth, with a cargo of grain. My vessel
the bark ST. Kilda of Sutherland-after-
ward wrecked, you may remember, OH
Cape Hatteras-was what you might call
clipper, though a good, safe boat in
heavy sea. Her qualities were well tested
on that voyage, at any rate; we came III
for one of the stiffest gales ever encohn,
tered In the Atlantic. After trying TO mold
her on her course for some hours, had
to give it up as a bad job and let her drive.
We ran away before the wind for the best
part of two days in nor westerly difec-
ton.
when the gale slackened bit, 1 got the
vessel round, and commenced to beat back
to our former course. 1t was still blowing
fresh enough, the sea running high, and
the clouds showing signs of more wind, so
we had to be Sparing with our canvas
One night, just as was about to go below
and turn in, the man in the bows suddenly
sung out:
" breakers aheadr
my first impression was that the fellow
had got hold of a rum cask. and had been
the warning. but as 1 stood there. the man
turned and shouted in more startling tones:
Breakers ahead, sir1
Now, If he had said: The sea-serpent
ahead or a mermaid ahead l mightn't
have been so surprised, but breakers
ahead'-in midocean, mind you-fairly took
my breath away. / rushed forward. AS
stood in the bows. peering out over the
tossing waters, / could distinctly hear the
roar of breakers somewhere in front.
1.-The moon was showing out through the
broken clouds, and just then l caught
sight of dark spot straight ahead, round
which the water swirled and tossed. 1 had
barely time to holloa out: Hard a-port? to
the helmsman. in order to clear it. With
out any mistake 1T was rock. L could
see its black top appear for q second or
two, and then 1t was covered in cloud of
foam. Sometimes a big wave swept right
over it, but generally they smashed with
roar that 1 can tell you would have struck
terror to your heart"
A dead silence followed this extraordi-
nary story. 1t had been told In such a
way as to convince US that there was some
tnlnS III IT, Even Sdpt AOItOH dppet.cu
to ponder over the facts. After a long
pause Moxly said:
II remember once hearing an old skipper
from Dundee tell pretty much the same
story"
1t was plain to be seen that Linklater's
strange yarn had made deep impression
upon every man present. After that last
remark no one spoke. Perhaps If 1t had
been told under different circumstances it
might not have taken such hold upon us;
but somehow the pounding of the pillows
ON the beach, the rumble of single and