Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-01-12
SWEPT Up BY The SEA.

Glenham. Cen Swift, Lady Artwell and
her two daughters and other men and
women Of note at home and abroad.
Aside from her general cargo the ship
carried treasure to the amount Of $780,
ooO. The bankers at Madras figured out
that the passengers must have had at
least sloO.O coo among them, while an Indian
potentate. on his way TO be received as q
guest of royalty, had strong box OF Jew
elry and gems valued al so great a sum
that no one dared speak Of It.
1t was intended that the ship should be
conveyed as far as the Cape OF Gooo Hope
by man-of-war. as there were plenty,
Of pirate crafts still afioat but the gov
eminent vessel met with mishap at ca
and was detained somewhere, and the Star
finally decided 10 sail without her as there
was little fear but that she could take
care Of herself.
Two days out Of Madras she was sighted
and reported, but that was the last seen
or heard of her until the year 1854.
In 1856 a Malay sailor who died aboard
Of AN English tea ship told her captain
that the Star was attacked and captured
by pirates TO the South of Ceylon, and
tina, he was one CT the men engaged in
the attack. He said there were i've native
crafts, and that they came upon the Star
in a calm and carried her by boarding.
The pirates had suffered such heavy loss
that in ervenge they killed everybody TO
the last child. Then they looted the ship
and scut,,ed her and the plumber was
subsequently divided on Ill island in the
China sea.
The dying statement of the pirate was
never fully investigated for some reasoa.
In the year 1868 I was one Of the crew
OF the English bris Swiftsure which was
II king a survey of the islands 10 the
northwest of Madagascar. Al ihe Cha
COS group as we We're pulling into land
one day wi,h seven men in the boat, we
were upset in the surf and only two of
escaped death. Ny companion was q
sailor named Wallace, and while in a
half-drowned state We were swept along
the coast of the island by cu~ren taud
finally thrown on shore In q bit of a cove.
The island on which we Wer, east is one
of the group of nine and the innermost
one Of all. Wallace and I were inclined
erected a hut IN the woods. procured IRE
by rubbing TWO cry sticks together and
after a thorough exploration Of our do
main. which was not over two miles
across IN any direction We slept ate and
talked and had a pretty easy time Of il.
We had been on tne island about three
months when We awoke one morning 20
md the sea ike a sheet Of glass and the
air as still as death The sky was over
cast, and yet Of a coppery color. and the
birds OF the Island appeared TO be in
great alarm. After surveying things for
q while Wallace save IL as his opinion
that We were in Tor a typho5n or an earth
quake.
There was a high hill in the centre,
bare of everything but couple Of trees
and few bushes, and We sought it on
account Of the tidal wave We knew would
surely follow an earthquake.
Inc mena-ilE look OF the sky and the
sea increase. and FISH by the thousands
drove up on the sandy beech TO their
death. Just abou, noon. when We were
wondering what ii was 10 he the whole
island suddenly began 10 hCave and trcm-
BE.
There was more than one shock but
the first was rha mos, violent and lasted
longest. Two or three minutes after the
fourth or fifth shock Wallace stood up
ard looked out upon the sea 10 hte east
and shouted 20 M.
Lock. Look. The tidal wave Is coming
in and there's big ship on The crest Of
it,
Ten miles away there was wall of
water which seemed 10 lift Its white crest
almost 20 the sky and TO reach north and
south as FAR as I cc'id see. Riding on the
crest was "a great ship. with her three
mas,s s,andin cerect ana some Of the
Yards across.
II cafe rolling on like a railroad train.
and almost before I could have counted
twenty i- struck the eh7ra nj 3r~ Island
ard swept across in. The island was a
good thirty fee. above water I'm every par.
while on -he hill We were M r.lst ian fee
hut all portions save the hill were covered
by NJ leas- ten feet.
The ship came straight for the HILL but
al the wave divided IL was svept 10 the
left ard struck the earth and was turned
full about. While fl hung there the wa
-ers PASSED or. and 10, nj our fee, rest
ing almost on a level keel. was as straight
a sight as the eyes OF a sailor ever be-
held
From stem 10 stern and from keel 20
masthead the fabric was covered with
mud and slime and barnacIe and sea grass
and shells and as she rested there the
water poured OF her decks and out OF her
hold in such . sobbiag choking way as TO
bring the shivers.
After a couple OF hours. to le- the ground
dry out biz We descended the hill TO see
What damage had been done About one