Arizona republican., 1899-02-25
was she managed to slip so quietly

was she managed to slip so quietly through the rollers.
 I found each wave, instead of the big, smooth, glossy mountain it looks from shore, or from a vessels deck. was for all the world like any range of hills on the dry land, full of peaks and smooth places and valleys. The coraele, left to herself, turning from side to side. threaded, so to speak, her way through these lower parts, and avoided the steep slopes and higher, topping sum- mits of the wave.
 Well, now" thought I to myself, ''it is plain 1 must lie where I am, and not disturb the balance; but it is plain, also, that I can put the paddle over the side, and from time 0 time, in smooth places, give her a shove CT two toward land.''
 No sooner thought upon than done. There I lay on my elbows, in the most trying attitude, and every now and again gave a weak stroke CT two to turn her head to shore.
 It was very tiring and slow work, yet I did visibly gain ground, and as we drew near the Cape of he Woods. though I saw I must infallibly miss that point. I had still made some hun dred yards of casting. I was, indeed, close in. I could see the cool, green tree-tops swaying together in the breeze, and I felt sure I should make the next promonotory without fail.
 It was high time, for I now began to be tortured with thirst The glow of the sun from above, it's thousand fold reflection from the waves, the sea water that fell and dried upon me, cak- ing my very lips with salt, combined to make my throat burn and my brain ache. The sight of the trees so near at hand had almost made mt sick with longing; but the current had soon car ried me past the point, and as the next reach of the sea opened out 1 beheld q sight that changed the nature of my thoughts.
 Right in front of me, not half a mile away, I beheld the 'Hispaniola," under sail. I made sure, of cc.lrse, that l should be taken; but I was so dis iressed for want of water that 1 scarce knew whether to be glad or sorry at the thought, and long before I had come to a conclusion surprise had taken en- tire possession of my mind and I could do nothing but stare and wonder.
 The .1ispaEiola" was under her rnainsail and two jibs and the beautiful white canvas shone in the sun like snow or silver. When I first sighted her all her saiis were drawing; she was lying q course about northwest, and l presumed the men on board were go- ine. round the island on their way back to the anchorage. Presently she began to fetch mere ard more to the west ward, so that thought they hnd sight ed me and were going about in chase. At last, however. she fell right into the winds eye. was taken dead aback, and stood there awhile helpless, with her sails shivering.
 Clumsy fellows" said I, they must still be drunk as owls" And I thought how Capt. Smollett would have set them skipping.
 Meanwhile the schooner gradually fell off, and filled again upon another tack, sailed swiftly fer q minute or so, and brought up once more dead was this repeated. To and fro, up and down. north. south. cast and west the ''IIispaniola'' sailed by sweeps and dashes, and at each repetition ended as she had begun, with idly Tapping canvas. It became plain to me that nobody was steering. And, if so, where were the men? Either they were dead drunk or had deserted her, I thought, and perhaps if I could get on board 1 might return the vessel to her cap tain.
 The current was bearing coracle and schooner southward at an equal rate. As for the later's sailing, it w&s so wild and intermittent, and she hung each time so long in irons, that she certain ly gained nothing, if she did not even lose. If only I dared to sit up and pad dle I made sure that 1 could overhaul her. The scheme had an air of adven- ture that inspired me, and the thought of the water breaker beside the fore companion doubled my growing cour- age.
 Up I got, was welcomed almost in stantly by another cloud of spray, but this time stuck to my purpose, and set myself with all my strength and eau ton to paddle after the mustered His paniola" Once 1 shipped q sea so heavy that I had to stop and bail, with my heart fiuttering like bird; but gradual ly I got into the way of the thing, and guided my coracle among the waves, with only now and then q blow upon her bows and dash of foam in my face.
 I was now rapidly gaining on the schooner: I could see the brass glisten on the tiller as it banged about, and still no soul appeared upon her decks. 1 could not choose but suppose she was deserted. If not, the men were lying drunk below, where might bat ten them down, perhaps, and do what chose with the ship.
 For some time she had been doing the worst thing possible for me-standing still. She headed nearly due south, waving, of course, all the time. Each