The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-08-28

arter the fog shut i'm out"
| The Captain conferred with his of
ficers moment, then called:
| I'VE are goin in to careen ourselves.
That fellow struck US on the water line
We are homeward bound, and Rios
too far to run back. Follow us in; but
If you lose sight of us, it's small bay,
latitude 8, 81, 40, south, rocks to the
north, low land to the south, good water
at the entrance, and a fine beach. Look
out for the brig. It's Swarth and his
gang. Good morning."
Aye, that hi WILL Thankee. Good
|marnin'."
In three hours the brig was speck
under the rising land ahead, in an
other she was out of sight; but before
| this Captain Swarth and his crew had
held a long conference, which resulted
In sail being shortened though the man
at the wheel was given a straight
course to the bay described by the Eng
lish Captain.
Late on the following afternoon the
old bark Numbered into this bay--a rip
ping sheet of water, bordered on all
sldes by a sandy beach. Stretching up
10 the mountainous country inland was
a luxurious forest of palm laurel and
cactus, bound and intertwined by al
most impossible underground and
ABOUT half way from the entrance to
the end of the bay was the English
prlg, moored and slightly careened on
the 1nshore beach. Captain Swarth' S
seamanly eye noted certain appear
ances OF the tackles that held her down
winch told him that the work was done
ana she was being Stacked upright.
Just In time" he muttered
Ihey brought the bark to anchor near
the beach, about a half mile from the
orig toward the entrance, furled the
canvas and ran out an anchor astern
with the cable over the taffrail. Heav-
ing on this, they brought the vessel
parallel with the shore. So far-good.
Guns and cargo lightered ashore more
anchors seaward to keep her off the
beach, masthead tackles to the trees to
heave her down and preventer rigging
and braces to assist the masts would
have been next in order but they pro-
ceeded no further toward careening
Instead they lowered the two crazy
boats, prOvisioned and armed them on
the inshore side of the bark, made GER
tain other preparations-and waited
On the deck of the English brig things
We're moving. gang of bluejackets,
under the First Lieutenant, were heav-
ing in the cable; another gang, under
the boatswain, were sending down and
slowing away the heavy tackles and
careening gear, failing out halliards
and sheets, and coiling down the light
running rigging, while topmen aloft
loosed the canvas to bunt gaskets,
| a he ho
deck.
The Second Lieutenant overseeing
this latter paced the port quarter deck
and answered remarks from Captain
Bune, who paced the sacred starboard
side the brig being at anchor), and oc-
casionally turned his glass on the d.
lapidated craft down the beach,
Seems to me, Mr.. Shack he said
across the deck, that an owner who
would send that bark around the Horn
and the master who would take her
ought to be sequestered and cared for,
either in an asylum or in Jail"
Yes, sir, l think so, too" answered
the Second Lieutenant, looking aloft.
Might be an insurance job Clear away
that bunt gasket on the royal yard
he added in a roar.
Captain Bunce-round, rosy, with
brilliant mutton chop whiskers-mut-
tered: "Insurance-wrecked intention
| ally-no, not here where we are;
wouldn't court investigation by her ma
| jesty's officers He rolled forward,
then aft, and looked again through the
| glass.
Very large crew-very large" he
said, very curious, Mr.. Shack"
A hail from the forecastle, announc-
ing that the anchor was short, pre-
vented Mr.. Shack answering. Captain
Bunce waved a deprecatory hand to
the First Lieutenant, who came aft at
once, while Mr. Shack descended to the
waist and the boatswain assembled the
| forecastle steps to attend to the anchor
/ The First Lieutenant now had charge
| of the brig, and from the quarter deck
gave his orders to the crew, while Cap
tain Bunce busted himself with his
glass and his thoughts.
/ Fore and-aft sail was set and head
| sheets trimmed down to port, square
sails were dropped sheeted home, and
| hoisted, foreyards braced to port, the
anchor tripped and fished, and the brig
paid off from the land breeze and with
foreyards swung, steadied down to a
course for the entrance.
! Mr.. Duncan" said the Captain,
there are fully forty men on that
bark's deck, all dressed alike-all in red
shirts and knitted caps, and all dane
! ing around like madmen. Look" He
handed the glass to the First Lieuten-
ant, who brought it to bear.
Strange" said the officer after a
short scrutiny; there were only a few
showing when we spoke her outside. 1t
looks as though they were all drunk"
| As they drew near, sounds of singing
| -uproariouS discord-reached them
and soon they could see with the naked
eye that the men on the bark We're
wrestling. dancing, and running about,
| Quarters. sir?" inquired Mr. Dun
can. "Shall we bringto. alongside?"
| "Well-no-not yet" said the Cap
tain, hesitatingly; tits all right-possi-
bly,; yet it is strange. Wait a little
| They waited and had sailed down all
most abreast of the gray old craft
noticing as they drew near an appre-
| ciable diminution of the uproar. when
flag arose from the stern of the bark
a dusky flag that Strengthened out d.
rectly toward them, SO that it was dif-
| ficult to make out.
But they soon understood. AS they
reached a point squarely abreast of the
bark, five points of flame burst from
| her innocent gray sides, five clouds of
smoke assembled and five round shot,
coming with the thunder of the guns,
hurtled through their rigging. Then
they saw the design of the flag white
skull and crossbones, and noted anoth-
er, a black flag, too, but pennant-
shaped and showing in rudely painted