Evening star., 1898-06-11
s AL Y A G E.,
WRITTEN FOR THE EVENING STAR BY CUTLIFFE HYNR.
(copyreht s Mcclure Col

And 1 came to you because ! knew you.
captain. m no navigator myself. though
can make shift to handle sailboat: so
a navigator was wanted. I said to myself
! the man in all creation for this Job is Capt
Kettle and then what should 1 do but run
| right up against you.
THANK you. Mac"
But there's one other thing you'll have
! 10 DO. and that's buy, beg. borrow or steal
the ship to carry the expedition. because
the rest of us can't raise blessed shilling
amongst us. 1t needn't be big outlay
| That old 2. & o. lifeboat which I was
taking about would carry us fine, and /
think three five-pound notes would buy
her.
Very WELL" said Kettle. "And now let's
get move on US. There's been enough
time spent in talk and the sooner we're
on that wreck the less chance there is of
any one else getting there to overhaul her
before us
1t would be Improbable to follow in
detail the fitting out of a wrecking ex-
pedftion upon Insufficient capital and so
! be 1t briefly stated that the old lifeboat
| (Wmch had passed through many hands
! since she was cast from the =. & O. ser
| vite) was purchased by dint of haggline
| for an absurdly small sum, and victualed
| and watered for eighteen days. The
| Portuguese. wno still refused to disclose
! the precise location of the wreck said
! that ii might take fortnight to reach her
and prudence would have suggested that it
| was advisable to take at least a months
| provisions. But the meagerness of their
capital fatty forbade this, and they were
! only able TO furnish the boat with what
would spin out to eighteen days on un-
/ comfortably short ration. They trusted
! that what pickings they might find in
! the store rooms of the wreck herself would
/ provide them for the return voyage.
With this slender equipment. then. they
! sailed forth from Gibraltar bay. an obvious
| party OF adVenturers. They were bonn
| harded by questions and the curious stares
OF all the shipping interest on the Rock;
/ hEt- A,tt,
! naval busybody (who had been bid
| den carry his inquisitiveness to the
| deuce) that they had earned official sus-
picion. and would be watched accordingly,
and If ever ill-wishes could sink craft
| that ancient Z. & o. lfeboat was full to
| her marks.
! The voyage did not begin with prosperi-
1 ty. There is always a strong surface cur
rent running in through the straits. and
| just then the breezes were light. The life
| boat was a dull sailer. and her people in
| consequence had the modification of keep
ing Carnero point and the frowning rock
| behind in sight for three baking days. The
| two Portuguese were first profane. then
| sullen then frightened: some saints day it
| appeared. had been violated by the start
ana they began first to hint at and then
TO insist a return. To which Kettle re-
torted that he was going to see the mat
ter through now if he had to hang in the
! straits for the whole eighteen days. and
SuDslSt for the rest Of the trip upon dew
and their belts. and in this McTodd backed
him up. Once started and away from the
whisky bottle. there was nothing very
yielding about Mr.. McTodd. Only one com
promise did Kettle offer to make He
would stand across and drop his Portu-
Suese partners on the African shore if they
on their part, would disclose the where
abouts OF the wreck. and in due time when
the dividends were gathered, he faithfully
promised them their share. But to this
they would not consent. In fact there was
good deal of mutual Gistrust between the
two parties.
At last. however. a kindly slant of wind
took the lifeboat in charge and hustled her
wetly out into the broad Atlantic and
when they had run the shores of Europe
and Asia out of sight. ard there was moth
ing round them but the blue heaving water
with mere and there sail and a steamers
smoke. tnen senior Antonio saw fit to give
Captain Kettle course
I'VE was steamin' froma Teneriffe to
Madeira when we saw thosea rocks with
DuncaEsby Head asho''
IN m" said Kettle. "ThoseIl be the Sal
wage islands,
'Steamah was pile up on de first.
Mother island we pass after"
That's Piton Island. if I remember
Let's have look at the chart" He hand
ed over the tiller to McTodd, took a latter
ed admiralty chart from one of the lockers.
ana spread 1t on the damp floor gratings
me TWO Portuguese helped with their
Drown paws to Keep it from futtering
away. Yes either Little Piton or Great
Piton Which side did you pass it on?"
Antonio thumped a gunwale of the life
boat.
kept II on the port hand going north.
did you? Then that'u be Great Piton and
sweet shop it is for reefs according to
this chart. ] wish I'd directory 1t will
be regular cats dance getting in But. I
say young man. isn't there light there?''
'Lighta? / not understand
You sayvy light house-faro-show-
mark-light in dark
oh. yes. lighta house ] got there No.
no lighta house.
We'll. there's one marked here as pro-
Jected, and l was afraid 1t might have
come ] forgot the Canaries were Spanish.
and Madeira was Portugee. and that these
rocks which lie half way would be a sort