Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1899-08-23

ttCONtItu MS nerve ana called Tor VOL
unteers TO board the strange craft and
see what We could learn about her. At
first the men drew back. There was
something 50 uncanny about the stran-
ger that they wanted 10 get away as
fast as possible. Finally boat crew.
led by the first mate. volunteered. and
we went over and boarded the sudden
and mysteriously arisen derelict We
slipped on the thick green slime that
covered the deck az we climbed over
the rail. and the pale faces Of the men
showed that they had no heart in the
work we had undertaken TO do.
"A hasty glance about the deck
showed that everything was gone by
the board except the broken spars and
torn rigging that hung 60 the stumps
of the masts. The beats were all gone
The wheelhOuse was stove in, and the
captains cabin had been crushed by
falling spars With an oar from our
boat we scraped among some Of the sea-
weed and slime and found that the
matches had all been battened down.
We found the main gangway covered
with dense heap of seaweed. in which
there were scores Of crabs and strange
looking dwellers in the depths Of the
southern seas. With much labor we
cleared away this mass Of stuff and
reached the head Of the ladder leading
down from the main deck Dill. the
mate. looked down into the dark water
that rose almost 10 the top Of the gang
way, and then he sprang back with a
cry of horror.
"A sudden roll Of the ship on "A deep
swell churned the water between decks
and the bloated body of q dead sailor
was thrown mp the ladder and SO
wedged IN the passageway that the face
stared straight up at a.. The flesh was
soft and white, as if ready 10 drop from
the bones, and the ewes bad already fallen
ont. The hideous face seemed 20 mock
at Us with a CHASTITY leer.
with one accord We all started back
toward the stern Of the vessel. where
our boat was tied to the rail Before we
reached the boat there came another
heavy swell. the ship lurched To star
board and as she rolled back 10 an even
keel something in her framework below
decks broke with mrificd crash Then
small fountain OF black water. caured
by yellow bubbles. broke from the open
gangway and a great quantity of gas
that had been confined below shot high
up into the air with report like e~cap-
ing steam.
''Nlth this eruption from the depths
of the ship there came an odor of de-
caying flesh 50 strong and sickening
that we fell into Our boat almost over
come. The line was cut and we pushed
away as quickly as possible Nest Of Us
We're SO overcome that We We're unable
TO handle the oars. hut. fortunately. an
other roll on a sunken wave carried the
ship away from us and we were clear of
the horrible odor. The roar Of escaping
gas continued for several minutes. and
then the broken and battered derelict
settled stern first and sank swiftly out
of sight
The Mary Clay reached home in
time and on our next trip 70 south
America we found possible solution of
the remarkable incident of ship rising
from the sea. \ British vessel loaded
with live stock for Brazil had been lost
some months before. probable near the
SargOssa sea. If the ship settled on an
even keel at the bottom. sand and sea
weed might have closed the rent in her
hull that caused her 10 sink. Then. with
the matches battened down above. the
decomposition Of the bodies Of the ami
mails that had formed the cargo would
create enough gas between decks in
time 70 cause the vessel To rise To the
surface. When We cleared the gangwav
the gas escaped and the broken vessel
went to the bottom a second time. 49,
New York Cor. 81. Louis Globe Demo.
crat