The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1895-04-29


death recalls one of the stirring scenes
of the war.
Captain Ludlow had been master
for many years when he was called to
New Bedford to take command of the
clipper ship Isaac Rowland, which
Edward Robinson, father of Mrs.
Hetty Green, had fitted out as a
whaler.
Around stormy Cape Horn, through
tropic days and nights, urged by mon
soons and baffled by capricious winds,
she made her way to the North Pacific
and on the morning of June %, 1865,
stood at the entrance of Behring strait.
On one side, behind the bank of fog,
was Cape East, and only few miles
away lay the Asiatic mainland. The
Rowland was on her way to the north,
"where the white whale wars by the
frozen pole" From the strait blew
cold, arctic winds.
THEN CAME THE SHENANDOAH.
The fog slowly lifted, and league
away Captain Ludlow saw nine ships
and barks ranged in a group about
craft flying signals of distress. He was
curious to see the cause of the trouble.
He learned, but it cost him dearly.
The American ship Brunswick had
been damaged off there by an ice foe.
Her bows were stove, and she was
sinking. One by one the other ships
had seen her reversed ensign and had
come to her aid. 1t was at the begin
ming of the whaling season, and these
craft were going from Glands of sun
to lands of snow"
The crew of the Brunswick and
their effects were taken Oft. There
were eleven craft riding at their cables
ready to sail into the frozen north.
The fog lifted, and over the sea rim to
the southwark appeared black fun
mel and the squared yards of man
of-war. The fleet of whalers made no
sign to get out of the way. The skip
pers thought they saw British man
of.war.
The flags did not look British ex-
actly. The craft came nearer Ports
few open, and the sun, which had
broken through the fog, shone on
tering of bunting, q quick movement
of halyards, and the stars and bars
whipped out from under the mizZen
gaff. 1t was the rebel privateer Shen-
andoah.
Over her side swarmed a hundred
men. The davits swung, there was a
rattle of blocks, and half a dozen boats
filled with armed sailors were moving
toward the peaceful 1otilla.
Captain Ludlow, at the approach of
the stranger, had lowered boat and
had gone himself to speak to her. He
soon caught the CLINT of rified cannon
and the flash of muskets. He came
alongside. The commanding officer,
standing on the bridge, ordered him
TO return at once to his ship.
FACED CAPTAIN wARDELL.
The skipper saw and heard enough
to know that the stranger was the
privateer Shenandoah. She was COM
manded by the notorious Captain
Wardell The decks of the cruiser
were cleared for action. Every gun
was manned.
The boats went among the fleet and
men, in quick, sharp sentences, told
the shippers that they must get ready
10 leave at once.
Captain Ludlow returned to his
ship. He went into the cabin and
hastily gathered together his papers.
While he was there he heard the
measured beat of oars outside and the
sound of scrambling feet over the ves-
sells side. He left his cabin. He was
confronted by two files of armed men.
Captain Wardell stood before him.
"Well, 1 guess not, my hearty, "said
Captain Ludlow, easily. ave Yanks
have wiped out your southern con-
federacy. The best thing you can do is
to break for cover. Don't you know,
my friend, that the war is over 2"
Captain Wardell knew nothing of
the Kind. The Yankee skipper showed
him the papers telling of the surren-
der of Lee and the end of the great
rebellion. Captain Wardell smiled
superciliously.
HAlI Yankee lies" he said. 81
don't want to look at your newspapers.
Pack up. This ship is going to be
fired"
The skipper expostuIated. He in
sisted that there was no war. He and
the Shenandoah's commander sat in
the Howland's cabin for fifteen or
twenty minutes arguing the matter.
The upshot of the discussion was that
Captain Ludlow handed over 8 big
bag Of gold, retaining one guinea for
luck, at Mr.. Wardell's suggestion.
Then he went on deck. The boats
crew from the privateers had chopped
down the ratings and smashed the
sailors chests. Every thing movable
and infismmable they had piled on
deck. They poured tar and slush over
it. The crew, thirty-five men in all,
had left the vessel in their own boats.
GREAT SHIPS OF FLAME.
Wardell and Ludlow stood for a
minute alone upon the deck.
"Sir," said the skipper, "it's
shame TO burn such a beautiful ship
as this, and all for nothing. There is
no war If you set fire to this ship
you'll suffer for it."
sect into the boat" said the COM
nander, throwing a torch into the
rubbish on deck.
In ten minutes the flames were leap
ing to the yards. The skipper took
last view of his own craft. He glanced