The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-04-20
Chicago News.)

terS TO what IS called tine Sentleut OF
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 Il rescue
worthy Of heroes, but as Il matter of fact
ship owners and sea captains are any
thing but sentimental in these days OF
money making. OF ten ships which
sight signal of distress at sea eight
will sneak past 1t if possible and the
other two will be more interested in the
salvage question than in the saving of
life Shippers want their goods shipped
as soon us possible. Ship owners over
load and underman their vessels and
yet want them to make quick voyages.
Sea captains must "crack on and do
their best, and so II comes about that
aid is seldom extended when there is
reasonable excuse for dodginE II.
In the year 1880 the brig Welcome LETT
the port Of Liverpool for the West In
dies, having ON board $50 men, women
and children, who were going to settle
on one Of the Islands. She had crew Of
fifteen men, a Supercargo and two cabin
passengers. thus bringing the total UP
to almost 200. Fine weather accompa-
MED the craft until she had accomplish
ed two-thIrds Of the voyage. Then Il
gale sprang up which dismasted her
and sent her drifting back over her
wake. The gale had scarcely abatcd
when fire broke out. and though it
was distinguished after n hard fight,
n great quantity OF provisions were con
Sumed and much Of the fresh water was
sacrificed. Not q spar was left abroad
for jury mast and as the ruddcr 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 return
ed to his ship to report and half an
hour later the Spanard swung his yards
and sailed away and was soon out Of
sight The excuse afterwards made was
that lie was short Of provisions and
water for his own crew and had n vOy-
age Of twenty days before him. He
probably told the truth about it. as the
average ship owner closely figures the
length or voyage and provisions ac-
cordngly.
Four days after the Spaniard sailed
away we OF the ship Evening Star Sight
ed the wreck. We were sailing under
the Holland flag, commanded By Iol-
land captain and mate, and believe the
craft was Of that nationality. She was
bound from Demarara TO New York.
loaded mostly with sugar. believe. and
had been detained In Dcmnrara & cou
pie of weeks to ship crew. II so hap
pened that an American man-of-war to
which belonged as an elisted man
put into that port for some slight repairs
anu twelve OF us deserted in a body
to so abroad OF the Star. We were all
sailors. 1t does not excuse our action
to say that the Holander brought our
desertion about by the promise OF high
wages. He wanted crew and did not
care ho" the men came 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 tie Hollnnder ''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 a
Drief look at her through the glass
captain and mate fell to cursing their
III luck. AS a matter Of fact, we had
neither water nor provisions to spare
and the ship was loaded down to the
mark with cargo. bat when we heard
our officers propose TO pass the wreck
without notice every man Of the ten
was ready for mutiny
we demanded that communi en- ion be
opened with the unfortunate people and
after good deal Of growing. the Star
ran down to them and sent a boat
abroad. The report Of the mate when he
returned was TO the effect that the PEG
pie were on quarter allowance, with
much sickness among the women ana
children and that they desired TO aban-
don the wreck and he taken aboard Of
the ship. We had spare spars abroad
aiu Tue f1O!ianuef OH ereti TO sell them
three or four sticks for about three
times their value. the payment to BIZ,
made In gold on delivery. The captain
Of the brig declined buying, as he was
satisfied that the shattered hulk could
never be worked into port, even If fully
prov stoned. The Hollander then agreed
10 sell one cask Of water and about thir-
ty pounds of bread, but just as we were
ready to transfer the goods a suuall
came up and that gave him an excuse
Tor sailing away. His first intention
was TO abandon the wreck to her fate,
and as soon as we realized 1t the ten
OF US went aft in a body and assured
him unless he bore up and furnished re-
lief we should refuse duty and take the
consequences. He clustered and threat
ened and brought out his p stols but wf
were firm and at length he gave orders
to put the ship about
we had to beat up the wreck and ny
the time we reached her there was half
Il gale blowing and the sea was so heavy
that we could not transfer the provis-
Ions. AT the end Of an hour the Hol-
lander was for making sail again. but
we refused to touch rope. He and his
mate. both armed with behaving pins
sought to drive us aloft but we disnrn-
ed them and locked them in their state
rooms. Among us was a man who had
made several voyages as mate and was
competent to handle a ship and he was
installed as mate and given an able sea
man as mate. We had hoped 10 get the
provisions to the wreck before nirht