The morning times., 1897-02-28
THE LAW OF THE SEA
CBY CHARLES B. LEWIS.

All writers Of sea stories devote chap
the sea and all readers OF the same feel
their pulses thrill as they read OF heroic
rescueS. This sentiment may have been
observable fifty years ago, and now and
then you read OF a rescue worthy Of heroes
but, as a matter Of fact, shop-owncrs and
sea captains are anything but sentimental
in these days of money making. or ten
shipS who sight a signal OF distress at sea,
eight Will sneak past ii if possible, and the
other two viii be more Interested in the
salvage question than in the saving OF life.
Shippers want their goods shipped as soon
as possible. Ship owners overload ar-l
uuderman their vessels. and yet want them
to make quick voyages. Sea captains must
"crack on" ana do their best and so it
Genes about that aid Is seldom extended
when there is reasonable eX cuse for dodg-
ing It.
In the year 1880 the brig Welcome left
the port of Liverpool for the West Indies,
having on board $50 men, women and
children, who We're going TO settle on
one Of the islands She had a crew of
fifteen men, supercargO and two cabin
passengers, thus bringing the total up to
almost 200. Fine weather accompanied the
craft until she had accomplished two-thirds
OF the voyage. Then gale sprang up,
which disnasted her and sent her drifting
back over her wake. The gale had scarcely
abated when a fire broke out. and though
it was eXtinguished after a hard fight
great quantity Of provisions was consumed
and much ofthe fresh water was sacrificed
Not spar was left aboard for jury mast,
and as the Tudder had been carried away
and there was four feet of water in the
hold the people realized that the wreck
could not be abandoned too soon. The
mate returned to his ship to report, and
half an hour later the Spaniard swung his
yards and sailed away and was soon out
Of sight. The excuse afterward made was
that he was short of provisions and water
for his own crew and had voyage of
twenty days before him. He probably told
the truth about il, as the average ship
owner closely figures the length of q
voyage and provisions accordingly.
Four days after tine Spaniard sailed away
We OF the ship Evening Star sighted the
wreck. We were sailing under the Holland
flag, commanded by a Holland captain
and mate, and l believe the craft was of
that nationality. She was bound from
Demerara to New York, loaded mostly
with sugar, / believe, and had been de-
tained in Demerara a couple OF weeks to
ship crew. It so happened that an
American maG-of-war, to which belonged
as an enlisted man put into that port
for some slight repairs, and twelve Of us
deserted in a body to 20 aboard of the
Star We were ali sailors. It does not
excuse our action to say that the Hol-
lander brought this desertion about by
the promise OF high wages BE wanted
crew and did not care how the mencame to
him. We had close shave from being
captured by our captain, but got to sea all
right. and as the weather was good and
the wind favorable, the Hollander cracked
on'' TO make up for lost time. One morn
ing Just after sunrise we found the drifting
brig square in our path and only two or
three miles away. After q brief look at
her through the glass captain and mate
fell to cursing at their III luck. As matter
OF fact, we had neither water nor pro-
visions to spare, and the ship was loaded
dow to the mark with cargo, hut when
we heard our officers propose TO pass the
wreck without notice every man of the ten
was ready for mutiny.
We demanded that communication be
opened with the unfortunate people, and,
after good deal Of growing, the Star
ran down to them and sent q boat aboard.
The report Of the mate when he returned
was to the effect that the people were on
quarter allowance, with sickness among
the women and children, and that they
desired to abandon the wreck and be taken
aboard of the ship. We had spare spars
aboard, and the 'Hollander offered to sell
three or four sticks for about three times
their value, the pa ynent TO be made in gold
on delivery. The captain OF the brig de-
clined buying, as he was satisfied that the
shattered hulk could never be worked into
port, even if fully provisoned. The Hol-
lander then agreed to sell one cask OF water
and about thirty pounds Of bread, but just
as we were ready to transfer the goods a
squat Jeanne up and that gave him an eX-
cuse Far sailing away. His firm intention