Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1899-07-15
THE SPRAY ENTERING SYDNEY
HARBOR.

April, 1895, and In eight Gays was
200 miles across the Atlantic. being
a record for the little craft of $50
miles a day. IL took Capt. Slocum
some time TO get used TO the solitude
OF the cruise, and he tried all kinds
OF devices to make believe he had
company. Firstly he would call out
the name of the boy who had sailed
with him in his last ship; then he
would sing out the number of bells
struck, and during the night watches
he would address himself TO the moon.
Eventually, however, he got accus-
toned to the appalling silence OF the
llmitless sea. In 20 days the adven-
turer reached Gibraltar. From thence
he sailed for South America. where. of
the coast OF Terra del F'uego, the ma
tives tried TO board him. but on being
nred at they made of. The following
ruse had something to do with keep
Ing them at safe distance. Sticking
his hat on a projection, so that 1t
would show above the hatchway. near
the tiller, the captain ran forward
through the hold to the fore-latch.
changing his coat In the meantime. and
placing another hat on a log OF wood
on the hatehway. and walked the deck
bit, finally going below and taking
his old place by the tiller. so that
these movements gave the natives the
impression that there we're at least
three men on board. Slocum was
about thirty days getting through the
straits of Magellan, always with a head
wind and sometimes with rain. Re-
turning through the straits some time
after, he was followed by canoes. and
as IL was almost calm the natives soon
gained upon him. The captain had.
therefore, to prepare for a possible
fight. He first sprinkled the deck with
tin lacks, with the points upward. and
concealed a revolver up his sleeve.
after which he merely awaited their
approach ready for any emergency. He
had also placed a repeating rife con-
Veniently near On the arrival of tn.
first canoe, which contained a chief
the captain was asked where the re-
manner OF the crew we're, because
when the Spray passed that way before
there were three men on boaru. SIo-
Gums reply was that they were sleep
ing, and that they 1.-THE natives). had
better not make a row. or the men
would be very angry anu make trouble
"hen they d"oke. Seeing the rife,
which he was Itching to possess. thu
chief asked how often will 1t shoot7p
70 which the captain replied, "As manv
times as there are natives" Eyentu-
any the gallant skipper got rid OF Mis-
unWelcome visitors, without alIowinu
them on board, and he proceeded nm
his way unmolested. In the chief the |
captain recognized regular cut-throat
from the description given him nv +. |
master OF vessel, a friena of him
VINO warned him not to give him hal, |
chance to get on board, but to sboo, |
MIN down at sight. Happily. blood
shed was avoided, the natives M dorh,
'h'hKihg the crew were lying hidden
and ready to fire on them at the least
sign OF treachery. Had the savage
even dreamed that this remarkabIe
man was quite alone on the ocean no
would infallibly have been killed He
at length arrived at Apia same.
where one OF his first visitors wa, Mra
ROBERT Louis Stevenson. He called AT
several Islands, in that part of m.
world, and noted the customs OF the
natives. He also brought away xoms
very interesting curlos for his friends
N America. At one island the ,i,tIs
spray was towed into a safe ancAor-
,ss by some native girls, who came m,
n a canoe to welcome Captain slo-
,um' an honor which the skipper Of .
he little vessel keenly appreciated ,