The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1896-06-10
THE MIAMI MEETS A PLAGUE.
TRAVELLING WITH TRADES in THE
INDIAN OCEAN.
A Death-neaIfng Craft Whose Mem
ory lis Recorded Among the
MultitudiOus Mysteries
of the Sea.
rrorn the Philadelphia MINES.


American bark Miami was dipping
her nose in the surges of the lndlaI
Ocean about 800 miles west OF Sandai
mood Island. AS she was travelling
with the trade winds the crew had
nothing to do but smoke and groWl. AT
last one was sent aloft to fix a chafing
mat on one of the mainstays. No soon
er had he got into the top than he hall
ed. "Ship ahoy, right off the starboard
quarter"
The captain came on deck and after
long look to the east said to his mate
"Mr. Borden, take the glass and say
what you make of the craft. Some
thing queer there"
The mate, after a long scrutiny, re-
piled: can old tea wagon. Main ana
mizzen mast gone, and jury foremost
Her hull seemed all right, but | can't
see any people aboard. She must have
cargo or be full of water, for she dips
clean to the forrard rail.
"Wen, Wen run down to her. Stand
by for stays"
In few minutes the Miami y on the
other tack, was rushing through the
water toward the stranger, and came
up in the wind 200yards away.
Evidently an old-timer, for her quar-
ter galIeys jutted out from the stern
like houses, and the channels were
broad enough to swing hammock in,
but her appearance indicated long
battle with the boister0us main. There
was only the stump of bOwspirit left,
and long trails Of seaweed like Drqid's
beard hung from the bow.
"She's deserted, captain" said the
man in the top. cher cabin is pad
locked, and the fokessel scuttle batten-
ed down."
"Well, Wen take a squint at her.
Man the boat, Mr.. Borden, and get her
log, and see what's in the hold, We
may do a little salvage work"
The boat, manned by four of the sail
ors, pulled around to lee of the wreck,
and the mate and three Others scram-
bled aboard. Never in their lives had
they seen such ship. All the staunch-
ions were double timbers, the rail was
two feet thick and deck irons in pro-
portion. No tempest could wreck such
a craft, but no human being was seen
and from the appearance of the jury
mast it must have been rugged year
before.
"She's a Frencher,'' said sailor,
'FloOk at her scuttle butt (water cask)
striped red and white" I'm English
or American ships always green). alM
"Sure enough" replied the mate !;
"and now let's get into the cabin"
The door was solid teak plank cross
ed by an iron bar, secured by paddock
that must have weighed ten pounds.
''Well, this beats me-" said the mate.
Murphy, get into the boat, and you
two pull back to the ship and bring
tools. I'll get in here somehow"
One of the men hailed from forward
"Mr. Borden got off the fokessel scut-
tie, and there's the skelington of a man
below and there are Lascar tOgs."
The mate brought up skull. "Why
that man must have been dead ten
years, and here is turban and Malay
knife. Well, wait till we get the log.
And now they went to work with the
tools, heavy top-mauls, and after hal
an hours sledging broke the cabin
lock and the door seemed to open of it
own volition. A grandly furnished
room met their eyes. On the port sid
was closed row of hunks, but the res
was filed with rich furniture, and OF
the long table lay an open book, whil
at the head, swinging to Carlin, wa
richly mounted sword and plumet
hat. Everything looked century old
No sign of life, but there was strang
sitting odor, and in an instant Their
came to the men an impression tina
they were not alone. There wass
movement of the shadows where tn
quarter galleries lay; they mingled an,
seemed to grow luminous, came to
point like an eye, glowing red and ma
lignant. Four drawer men or less mag
NATIVE could scarcely have been foun
than Borden and his sailors, but unit
now not word had been spoken. The
Murphy cried out: "Mr. Borden, II
chokin' )" and, with feeling of uncon
trolled terror, a rush was made out
side.
"Oh, Lord, three mouthfuls more {
that Mnmla hove killed rs Mhnnua