The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-08-17
HOW THE MIAMI MET
THE PLAGUE SHIP
Travelling with the Trades Was She In
the Indian Ocean.
SIGHTED A STRANGE OLD WRECK
Boarded Her and Broke in the Cabin
Door with Terrible Result--This
Happened in 1893. and Three Years
Later the Same Dereiict Was Seen
by a French ship--Grim Romance
of the Ocean.

oil the ocean.
On the Sd day of January, 1885, says
the Philadelphia Times. the American
bark Miami was dipping her nose In
the surges Of the Indian Ocean, about
800 miles west Of sandalwood 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 main stays. No sooner had he
got into the top than he hailed, Ship
ahoy, right off the starbpard quarter"
The captain came on deck and after
a long look to the east said to his mate:
"Mr Borden. take the glass and say
what you make OF that craft. Some
thing queer there"
The mate, after a long scrutiny, re-
piled: "An old tea wagon. Main and
mizzen mast gone, and a jury fore
mast. Her hull seems al, right, but 1
can't see any people aboard. She must
have a cargo or be full of water, for
she dips clean to the forrard rail-"
"Well, we'll run down to her. Stand
by for stays"
In a few minutes the Miami on the
other tack, was rushing through the
water towards the stranger, and came
up in the wind 200 yards away.
Evidently an old-timer, for her quar-
ter galleys jutted out from the stern
like houses, and the channels were
broad enough to swing a hammock in
but her appearance indicated a long
battle with the boisterous main. There
was only the stump of a bow-sprit
left, and long trails of seaweed like a
Druids beard, hung from the bow.
"She's deserted, captain" said the
man in the top. Her cabin is pad
locked, and the fokesel scuttle bat
tened down."
well, We'll take a squint at her.
Man the boat Mr.. Borden, and get her
log. and see what's in the hold. We
may do little salvage work"
ABOARD THE WRECK.
The boat, manned by four of the
sailors, pulled around to the lee of the
wreck, and the mate and three others
scrambled aboard. Never in their lives
had they seen such a ship. All the
staunchions were double timbers, the
rail was two feet thick and deck irons
in proportion. 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 rigged a
year before.
"She's a Frencher," said a sailor,
look at her scuttle butt (water cask)
striped red and white" Qn English or
American ships always green).
Sure enough" replied the mate;
'and now let's get into the cabin"
The door was solid teak plank crossed
by an iron bar, secured by a 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 had hailed from for
| ward: "Mr. Borden I got off the fokesel
scuttle, and there is the skillington OF
man below and there are Lascar togs."
The mate brought up skull. why,
that man must have been dead ten
years, and here is. a 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 half
| an hours sledging broke the cabin
lock and the door seemed to open OF
its own volition. A grandly furnished
was a closed row of hunks, but the
rest was filled with rich furniture. and
on the long tablet lay an open book
while at the head, swinging to a Carlin
was a richly mounted sword and plum
ed hat. Everything looked century
old. No sign of life, but there was a
strange sitting odor, and in an instant
there came to the men an impression
| ho not
a movement of the shadows where the
quarter galleries lay, they mingled and
seemed to grow luminous, came to a
point like an eye, glowing red and
malignant. Four braver men or less
imaginative could scarcely have beer
found than Borden and his sailors, but
until now not a word had been spoken
Then Murphy cried out: "Mr. Borden
I'm chokin'," and, with a feeling OF
uncontrolled terror rush was made
outside
THE AIR POISONED.
"Oh, Lord, three mouthfuls more OF
that would have killed us. Whoever
left this ship must have had some arr
Of poisoning the air, and keeping of
strangers. 1 feel as If my head would
bust" said the mate. 1t was no sudder
fright. Their faces wore a deep purpl.
with eyes red and swollen.
Let us take a look at the hold ;
After much hammering the hatch was
lifted and long rows of bales were seen
Goat skins. by jingo, and she's as
tight as a bottle. Rig the pump anC
give her a draw"
"The pump sucks air, sir; but Mr.
| Borden, there's someone in that cabin
Listen!"
The mate did, but heard nothing save
a queer gurgle. Impulsively he swune
the door open. 1t was pitch dark AL
the light from the bull's-eyes had dis
appeared save the small dot of fire a
the far end. One whiff of the stihinl
Odor and he staggered back and yelled
| quick menl Get in the boat! Tha