The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-07-06

ing the Beautiful ac-
| quaintance, but was to be we'll paid
for doing so. In the first freedom from
anxiety i began TO look forward with
almost pleasure to what lay before me.
Don't you think you could get up
for little whilei" Walworth said,
when he had finished his smoke. at
would do you good. Let me help you. "
With his assistance scrambled out
of the hammock into cane chair along
very weak and incapable of much exer-
tion. There could be no doubt that /
had lost a good deal more blood than
had at first imagined.
Once seated in the chair, looked
about me. / was now permitted a full
and uninterrupted view of the vessel
and was able to make good use of my
eyes. Roughly speaking, that is to say
as far as / could tell, not being nautic-
al man, she must have been q topsail
schooner of about 800 tons burden, with
auxiliary steaming power, for / could
see the funnel, which was not in use
just then, lying along the deck. In
what part Of the world she had been
built could not tell, but wherever it
was she did credit to her designer, for
her lines were perfection, and nothing
short Of it. If ever boat were built
for speed she was that one, and / said
as much to my companion, who laughed.
There can be no doubt about that,
he answered. "But then, You see, no
other boat but the fastest built would
suit her ladyship. Believe me, there are
times when even the Lone Star is pretty
well put to it to throw dust in her ene-
mics eyes. If you feel strong enough,
shall we take walk round and examine
her?''
There was nothing / should have
liked more, so, taking the arm he offer
ed me, we set off. The first thing that
attracted my attention was the spotless
neatness and cleanliness prevailing. The
decks, which were flush fore and aft,
were as white as curds the brasses on the |
wheel, capstans, masts, skylights, be- |
laying pins, shone till you could see
your face in them. Not detail seemed |
to have been overlooked. Even the great |
sheets of canvas, bellying into balloons
above our heads, appeared at first sight |
to have been lately washed, while the
very ropes were white and, when not in
actual use, flemish coiled upon the
decks. She carried six boats, an unusu-
ally large number for craft of her size;
two were surfboats, / found ON inspec-
ton; two were uncollapsible lifeboats;
one was an ordinary ships gig, while
the other was small steam launch of
excellent build and workmanship. For
D craft OF 800 tons her spars were enor-
nous; her topmast head must have
been 100 feet from her deck, if an inch,
while from her rig for ard could guess
the amount of extra canvas she was ca
pable of carrying. Walking to the side,
discovered that she was painted white,
with broad gold stripe little above
the water line; below this she was
sheathed with copper, which shone like
gold whenever the water left it,.
Inside the bulwarks, and reaching to
within an inch of the souppers, were
some contrivances that caused me a con-
siderable amount of curiosity. At first
glance they looked like reversible shop
shutters more than anything else, being
about feet long by wide, and were
attached to the rail Of the bulwarks by
enormous hinges. On my asking for
what purpose they were intended, my
guide again laughed and said:
lyon must not ask too many ques-
ions, my friend, for obvious reasons.
N this case, however, and since you
rave given your word not to tell what
7ou may see, l will explain"
Detaching the catch of one, he lifted
from the deck and threw it over the
lde, where it hung, just reaching to
he top OF the copper below water.
do you grasp the idea?" he contin-
led. 1.-The next one fits into that, and
he next one into that again, and so on