Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1895-02-09
THE LONE CORVET.

''Poor Ted! Poor Tedl I'd give my
commission to see him again."
Captain Richard Debney of the British
navy, commander Of the man-of war Cor
morant, was entertaining some friends in
the harbor of San Francisco, and the talk
turned upon Ted Debney, his brother, who
had resigned from the navy several years
before because he had chivalrously pre-
vented a French cruiser from boring holes
in a wretched opium smuggling craft
Ted was impulsive, brave, daring and
loved alike by his superiors and his men.
"Have you ever got ON the track Of TedS"
''Once l thought I had at Singapore,
but nothing came Of it. No doubt he
changed his name. He never asked for,
nor got, the legacy which my poor father
left him."
An hour later they were aboard the Cor
morant dining with number of men
asked to come and say goodby to Mostyn,
who was starting for England the second
day following, after a pleasant cruise and
visit with Debney.
Meanwhile, from far beyond that vel
low lane of light running out from Golden
Gate there came vessel, sailing straight
for harbor. She was large, old fashioned
cruiser, carrying guns, and whom she
passed another vessel she hoisted tho Brit
ish ensign She looked like half obsolete
corvet, spruced up, made modern by ev-
cry possible device, and all her appoint
ments were shapely and in order. She was
clearly British man of-war, as shown in
her trim dressed sailors, her good handful
Of marines, but her second and third lieu
tenants seemed little like Englishmen, and
indeed one was an American and one was a
Hollander. There were gun drill and cut
lass drill every day, and, what was also
singular, there was boat drill twice day,
SO that the crew Of this man-of-war, as
they saw Golden Gate ahead Of them, were
perhaps more expert at boat drill than any
boat that sailed. They could lower and
raise boat With wonderful experiences IN
a bad sea, and they rowed with clocklike
precision and machinelike force
Their general discipline did credit to
the British navy. But they were not given
to understand that by their commander,
Captain Shewell, who had an eye like a
spot Of steel and tongue like aloes or
honey as the mood was on him.
This was most noticeable when he was
shut away from the others in his cabin.
Then his whole body seemed to change
The eye became softer and yet full OF q
sort Of genial deviltry, the body had a
careless alertness and elasticity, the whole
man had the athletic grace of wild ami
NAL, and his face had o hearty sort OF hui
NOR which the slightly lifting lip in it's
bizarre disdain could not greatly modify
He certainly seemed well pleased with
himself, and more than once, as he sat
alone, he laughed outright, and once he
said aloud, as his fingers ran up and down
schedule-not a man-of-war's schedule
laughing softly:
''Poor old Farquhar, if he could see me
now!" Then to himself: "Well, as told
him, was violently tossed like a ball into
the large country, and Two had o lot Of
adventure and sport. But here's some
thing more-the biggest game ever played
between nations by private person-with
$500, 900 as the end thereof, If all goes well
with my lone coryetl'
The next evening. just before dusk, after
having idled about out OF sight of the sig
nal station nearly all day, Captain She
we'll entered Golden Gate with the Hornet
Of no squadron. But the officers at the
signal station did not know that and sim
ply telegraphed to the harbor in reply to
the signals from the corvet that British
man of war was arriving She came lei
surely up the bay, with Captain Shewell on
the bridge. He gave low whistle as he
saw the Cormorant in the distance He
knew the harbor well, and he saw that the
Cormorant had gone to a new anchorage,
not the same as British mcn-of-war took
formerly. He drew away to the old anchor
age. He need not be supposed to know
that a change was expected Besides, and
this was important to Captain Shewell,
the old anchorage was nearer the docks,
and 1t was clear, save for ono little life
boat and a schooner which was making
out as he came up.
As he came to anchor the Cormorant
saluted her. and she replied instantly.
Customs officers who were watching the
craft from the shore or from their bouts
gave up hope Of any excitement when they
saw and heard the salutes. But two went
out to the Hornet, were received gracious
ly by Captain Shewell, who, over glass
Of wine in his cabin-appropriately hung
with pictures of Nelson and Collingwood-
said that he was proceeding to Alaska to
rescue crew shipwrecked on an island,
and that he was leaving the next day az
soon as he could get some coal, though he
feared it would be difficult coaling up that
night. Still, he did not need great deal,
he said-which was indeed the case-but
he did need some and he knew that for
his own safety and the Hornets he must
have 1t. After this, with cheerful com.
pliments and the lerfunctory declaration
ON his part that there was nothing duti-
able on board, the officers left him, greatly
pleased with his courtesy, saluted as they
left the ships side by the marines and
sailors standing at the gangway. The
officers did not notice that one Of these
sailors winked an eye at another, and that
both then grinned and were promptly or
dered aft by tho second lieutenant.
As soon as 1t was very dark two or three
boats pushed out from the Hornet and
rowed swiftly to shore, passing customs
boat as they went, which was saluted by
the officers In command. After this, boats
kept passing back and forth for long
time between the Hornet and the shore.
which was natural, seeing that first
night in port Is sort Of holiday for on
cers and men. If these sailors had been
watched closely, however, It would have
been seen that they visited but few saloons
ON shore and drank little, and then EVIL
deEtly a. . blind. Close watching would
also have discovered the fact that there
were few people on shore who were glad
TO ~ the safe arrival Of the Hornet and