Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-07-10

ing out in long white pennons in front of
her. Never have l seen a vessel which ap-
yeared TO have gone through rougher han
ding.
But we could not he surprised at that, for
there had been times during the last three
days when il was a question whether our
own bark would ever see land again. For
thirty-six hours We had kept her nose to it.
and if the Mary Sinclair had not been as
good a seaboat ever left the Clyde we
could not have come through And yet
here We were at the end of 1t with the loss
only of our gig and of part of the star
board bulwark- 1t did not astonish Us.
however. when the smother had cleared
away TO find that others had been less
lucky. and that this mutlated brig, stag
gering about blue sea and under a cloud
less sky, had been left. like a blinded man
after a lightning flash, to tell of the ter
ror which is past.
Alardyce, who was a slow and meth
Odcal Scotchman. stared long and hard at
the little craft while our seamen lined the
bulwark or clustered upon the fore shrouds
to have a view of the stranger In lati-
tude ~ degrees and longitude 10 degrees,
which were about our bearings one be-
comes a little curious to whom one
meets for one has left the main lines of
Atlantic commerce to the north. For ten
days We had been sailing over a solitary
second mate.
had come to the same conclusion, for 1
could see no sign of life upon her deck.
and there was no answer to the friendly
warnings from our seamen. Her crew had
probably deserted her under the impress
zion that she was about to founder.
She can't last long," continued Altar
dyce, in his measured way. she may put
Ter nose down and her tail up any minute.
The waters Tipping up to the edge of her
RAIL-
What's her fag?' I asked.
I'm trying to make out. It's got all
az and ton Lodi ifh h.l
Yes, I've got ii now, clear enough. It's the
Brazilian flag. but it's wrong side up.
She had hoisted signal of distress, then,
before her people had abandoned her. Per-
haps they had only just gone. 1 took the
mates glass and looked round over the
tumultuous face of the deep blue Atlantic,
still veined and starred with white lines
and spoutngs of foam. But nowhere could
see anything human beyond ourselves
There may be living men aboard" said l.
There may be salvage muttered the
second mate.
Then We will down upon her lee
side, and lie to-
Wewere not more than a hundred yards
from her when We swung our foreyards
aback, and there we Were the bark and
the brig. ducking and bowling like two
clowns in a dance.
Drop one of the quarter boats" said I.
Take four men, Mr. Allardyce and see
what you can learn of her"
But just at that moment my first officer,
MT. Armstrong, came on deck, for seven
bells had struck, and 1t was but few min
utes of his watch. 1t would interest me
to go myself to this abandoned vessel and
70 see what there might be aboard of her
SO, with a word to Armstrong, swung my
SELF over the side. slipped down the falls,
ana took my place in the sheets Of the
boat
1t was but little distance. but 1t took
some time to traverse, and SO heavy was
the roll that often when we were In the
trough of the seas We could not see either
the bark which we had left or the brig
winch We were approaching. The sinking
sun did not penetrate down there. and 1t
was cold and dark in the hollows Of the
waves. but each passing bilow heaved us
up into the warmth and the sunshine once
more AT each of these moments, as we
hung upon a white-capped ridge between
the two dark valleys, l caught a glimpse
OF the long peagreen line and the noddine
foremast of the brig. and l steered SO as 10
come round by her stern so that might
determine which was the best way of
boarding her As we passed her We saw
the name Nossa Senhora da Victoria print
ed across her dripping counter.
The weather side. SIR said the second
mate stand by with the boathook car
pehter. An instant later We had Jumped
over the bulwarks. which were hardly
hlsher than our boat, and found ourselves
upon the deck Of the abandoned vessel
Our FIRST thought was TO provide for our
own safety in case-as seemed very prob
able-the vessel should settle down henea III
our feet With this object two of our men
cd her on from the vessels side 80 that she
might Dc ready in case we had to make a
hurried retreat. The carpenter was sent tc
hnd out how much water there was and
Whether II was still gaining. while the other
seaman. Allardyce and myself made a rapid
Inspection OF the vessel and her cargo
The deck vas Uttered with wreckage and
Win hencoops. In which the dead birds
were washed about. The boats were gone
with the exception of one the bottom of
which had been stove. and 1t was certain
that the crew had abandoned the vessel.
Ihe cabin was II deck house. one side
OF which had been beaten In by heavy
sea Allardyce and j entered 1t, and found
the captains table as he had left II, his
books and paPers-all Spanish or Portu-
Euese-scattered over 1t, with piles Of CT
farette ash everywhere. / looked abou,
Tor the log but could not find II.
AS likely as not, he never kept one -
said Allardyce. Things are pretty slack
aboard South American trader, and they
don't do more than they can help. II there
was one. II must have been taken away
with him IN the boat"
i should like to take all these books and
papers. said l. Ask the carpenter how
much time We have"
His report was reaesuring. The vessel
was fuil OF water. but some of the cargo
was buoyant. and there was no immediate
danger Of her sinking. Probably she would
never sink. but would drift about as one