Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-04-01

,.rcw-tug Corona. and the other James
Cranton. representative OF wrccking
ondicatc which had purchased the voa-
..i on the chance of getting her anoat.
There was nory. crimson CLEAN along
dbl, western horizon, against which the
Irathcry foliage OF the maneroves stood
oat black and clear as though carved IN
.tony. while the yellow water and bub-
Ifne slime beneath flashed back a lurll
...w upon thc rusty plates OF the steamer
all the haegard faces Of the men.
The story OF this Dutchman is a tragic
..c." observed the captain, wiping the
aspiration from his forehead. "sho
I.oko two plates on reef, then they
chel her iu here and half the hands
o..i OF fcvcr-easy TO understand that
must have been "a bad bargain FOR the
syndicate"
yes" Was the answer. this pile of old
...r and rusty machinery has cost us
1900 altoecthor. AN We have got IN
r.um is the few hundred pounds worth
. odds and ends ON board the tug. and
u.te buried two men. The steamer will
r..e. Goat again. in two years she'll be
f.aeI JOB a mangrovo forest; I've seen IL
fore in Africa However. we've all
done OUR best. and now wen get out o.
rs CHASTITY place before we die OF fever.
liza sick row. and YOU don't seem very
t.-ht'
~, they sld down q line into a boat
which bay a0ngs &c. and with q brief
... lads. dropped wearily into tho
Iae crew bent TO their oars. and as the
dipped foul cNhalatiOns rose from
I.. g..sty water. across which the light.
t.. tlg twlnkled family through the
altering mist 10 was. as Crant0n had
- shasuy place. The dingy foliage
Of Oh. mausrOves walled the lagoon 3D.
DF side. In places the watery
l0r-. ro@e maze " white stems and
.ne branches. from many feet OF
slim. and froth. while in others arched
...- .rept like the tcntacles of "a huge
octopus far out across banks Of evil
r- mud. each pale branch overhead
...U.- down fresh shoot 20 feed on the
option below. over AN brOOded q
n-e atmosphere heavy with the doors
ot retreiaction. which bring sickness and
L TO the Euro can who breathes
0.m.
When they reached the tug, darkness
..- closing down. and it was just possible
to make ou. three or four scanuly-attired
r-urs crawling feebiy about the lum-
itreI deck among piles Of hawsers.
chains. and miscellaneous salvage.
How are the two seamen nowg' asked
%. Captain. rs he climbed over the low
rI. and a h0arse voice answered.
sinking fast, I'm afraid, sir; no chance
t.r "a sick man here"
knock of now and heave the boat
up. Tell them TO start the fires; we go
Dst to-m0rroWs tide; and the Captain
disappeared below.
For a time CTantOn leaned oyer the
ra.l gazing into the gathering darkness
and wondering how long it would take
him to recover the health and money
lost in this unfortunate venture. Forest
and lagoon seemed to swarm with life
From somewhere beyond the mangrove
fringe the howl Of a hunting leopard rang
out through the Stiffness; water and
mud heavcd and bubbled with the move
mc1t of countless scaly creatures: while
TO intervals the harsh crOak Of a wading
stork echoed across the misty surface
or swimming alligator ploughed a fur
row across the steamers bows. All these
sounds Cranton knew and loathcd. He
had heard them before on the Amazon
and the Niger. and knew that they had
Tlng the death-kncll Of many strong
man. But there was another sound.
which promised life and health and his
flushed face frightened as a monOtOnous.
vibrating note dTifted up the night
breeze 10 was the song of the long At
l1nuc swell, sweeping across the thun-
deriug bar. With last glance sea-
wards, Crant0n crawled into his sitting
cabin. swallowed % bitter dTauGht of
waiskey and Quinlne. and flung himself
down 10 sleep. Early next morning he
was awakened by the rafting winch and
the clauk Of chain and, going on deck
he saw the sickly crew getting the anchor
over the bows.
Presently the Captain strobe 10 the
end OF the bridge and said. 1.-THE surf
will be easy to-day. there's 90 light air off
shore. or deep as she is. we'd never have
got out" Then the telegraph tinlded,
the propeller Whiried up the foam astern,
and with the muddy water boiling into
white wreaths beneath her bows the Co
roma steamed down the lagoon.
A seaman leaned over the rail, waving
his hat. as they passed "a spit of yell
low sand. "GOOd-by, Tom good-by,
Jim. Give the poor fellows a call. sir
no said. The Captain smiled, then ne
raised his cap, and grasped lanyard.
Three times the deep boom OF the
whistle rang out across forest ana
water. and thrice the red ensign fiuttered
aloft. a glowing streak of color against
the morning blue, while rough. weather
beaten men stood bareheaded in the
bats and screaming parrots settled down
again among the mangroves, and the
forest closed round lonely wooden
cross
THANK God. we're off, and there are
no more left behind We're not out OF
the woods yet, though observed me
erlmy engineer. as he looked out through
the gratings.
Presently q dense volume of dingy
smoke streamed away from the Corona s
funnel. and the boat trembled through
out 10 the vibration of her painting en-
efnes. for the roaring bar lay close
ahead. yelled in white smother Of
foam. Out she went. swinging stream
ing forefoot high into the air. or plune-
ing 10 the bits in a white-crested rol-
Ter. wallowing and diving with Hooded
decks. until az last the surf was passed
and she rose and fell smoothly on the
classy undulatiOns of the Atlantic
NOW for Sierra Leone and home,
said the Captain. dashing the spray
from hls face. while feeble ATTEMPT
a. q cheer went up, and this time the
ensign rose 10 the masthead. Inen the
Corona was put on southwest coui7e
aud shore her way at good ten hholS
an hour through the long, blue swell
the flashing water roaring from Deheau
her bows. and streaming away asteIh
FRI strcaky lines Of white and green ia
Tho wake of the throbbing propeller
while sickly men crawled about the deck
drinking i'm with delight the pure sea
breeze Presently The Captain descend