The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-07-09

ID IL
lefty for commander and crews, land was
made, San Salvador was occupied, and the
mutiny wa changed to rejoicing and APP
plause of the skin of the admiral. Column
bus passed through the great seaweed sea
as many q navigator has since. Captain
Andreason Of the Norwegian bark Narka
was caught in its embrace nearly 400 years
later and was forced to take to the ships
yawi to escape with his life. He escaped,
but many q vessel n crow similarly
caught have never left that ocean prison.
In telling the story of his adventure to
the Chicago Chronicle Captain Andreason
says that be set sail from America for
Copenhagen with O cargo of eofncd meats
and fruits which subsequently saved the
lives Of himself and crew. A little more
thar a week after leaving port the vessel
ran right into O furious northwest gale.
Officers and men feared this but little, for
their ship had weathered many an Allan
tic storm. They shortened sail and eased
her off, still beating up against the storm
and making fair wny OF their course. But
for once tho little ship was oy~ermatchcd.
For nearly O week the vessel was toss
ed about with no signs of rescue. The
men bravely held up, still hoping for the
coming of o sail. The watches were set,
and not a portion of the horizon escaped
the vigilance of the watchers. But all WAS
unavailing, for they were rapidly drifting
into the seaweed sea, where no ships
would venture to give them aid. Heat be-
gan to be a serious addition to their woes.
Water rations wero reduced, for they could
not tell how long they might float thus,
and provisions must be husbanded for
safety. Then one morning the forward
lookout hailed:
ssSeaweed on the bows, STRIP
The same hail came from aft. Captain
and crew rushed to the sides. of the ship.
There they saw the floating meadows clos
ing in around their vessel, and then they
knew that they were in the clutches of the
Sargasso. Captain Andreason made q
hasty~ calculation to verify his fears. The in
s~trulnents told the tale-they were locked
in the emil race of the floating seaweed sea.
They were destined to remain in that
deadly embrace for six long, weary, heart
breaking months.
Long weeks passed, with no change ex-
cepting the ever increasing intensity Of
the heat. The ships provisions gave out,
and the men were forced to resort to the
cargo to sustain life. The blazing tropical
sun poured it's fiery rays upon the decks
and started the seams of the vessel. Men
were FRUSTRATED and too weak to perform
the ~perfunctory tasks set them that a NAL
ady even more terrible might not attack
them. Minds wero giving away under the
heat and strain, SO the captain kept them
busy so that insanity might not add its
horrors to the accommodated and accum-
mulating miseries of their condition.
Dnc day when the men were Longing
about the vessel they spied q stately ship
apparently bearing down upon them. Her
sails tapped lazily, as if little care was be-
slowed upon her. but the sailors of the
Marks We're too oyerjoyed to notice what
in ordintry times would have excited their
suspicious. They rugged up additional sig
mails and kanticaily waved everything
aboard whssA might do duty as a sign Of
their distress.
The ship sailed sAllenly along, drifting,
like their own, under the impulse of the
currents. Not q sign of life could be seen
aboard her as she drew nearer and nearer.
Nobody was at her wheel; nobody was on
her decks; not a living creature was OBJ
served. Then she shifted and passed the
Narka within easy distance. At the wheel
yTero 1ne scaLCered DOlIes OF q human sKcl-
eton. At the mainmast foot coiled a huge
python. who lazily lifted his horrid head,
tWi&ed his folds and darted q red and
E,idding tongue at the horror stricken
4lors. The weather beaten sides Of the
ycesel had long lost all trace of paint, NO
sfun of her name, origin or destination
could be seen. She was d derelicf, all that
remained Of her crew being the few bones
5cattcred about tbadeck.
FNN