Rocky Ford enterprise., 1899-05-25
CHAPTER XVII.
An Evil Spirit.


We sailed from the Bay OF Matanzas
at 2 o'clock a. m. on the Sd OF April,
bound for the Cape Of Good Hope,
which we were fated never to reach.
The Eugenie had been freighted for
that colony with rich cargo Of mo-
lasses, sugar. coffee, and tobacco, and
arrangements had been made that from
Cape Town she would be chartered for
London. Thus had fair prospect OF
seeing nearly a half Of this terrestrial
globe before ] repassed my good old
fathers threshold at Elsmere.
earnestly hoped that we might
encounter no more waterspouts or tor
nadoes. as they were not at all to my
taste: but from other causes than phe-
| nomena or the war OF the elements 1t
| was my fortune. or. rather my mis-
fortune, to undergo such peril and suf-
fering as were far beyond my concep-
tion or anticipation.
| By o'clock on the morning of our
departure the light on Piedras Key
was bearing south by east. sinking into
the waves astern, and going out as we
bade long farewell to the lovely
shores OF Cuba.
Three Of our men had died OF yell
low fever in hospital, so we sailed from
Matanzas with ten able-bodied hands,
exclusive of three ship boys, the cap
| tain, first and second mates.
In the waters, after the rainy sea-
| son, the sky IS 50 cloudlcss in the fore
noon that the heat of the sun becomes
almost insuprortable; thus we were
| U1 In tn ha rf IN d
sails rlgged down the open skylight to
an awning over the quarterback for
coolness and to skids for the preven-
ton Of blisters on the sides of the brig:
but In the starry night the land-wind
which comes off these fertile isles,
laden with the rich aroma of their
spice-growing savannas. Is beyond de-
scription grateful and delicious.
Without any incident worth record
ing, we ran through tie sea Of the
Windward Isles. thence along the coast
of South America, and when we ap-
preached the calm latitudes. as that
tract of the ocean near the equator is
named, We became sensible of the over
powering increase of heat. while the
breezes were but flaming ones" as
the sailors term those which, under the
double influence of the air and motion
of the hull. are just sufficient to make
the lighter canvas collapse and swell
again.
We were soon aware of other an
noyances than mere heat, for now it
seemed as IL there was an evil spirit
on board the Eugene. and that nothing
went right within or about her.
The crew sulked and quarreled
among themselves as II the demon of
mischief lurked in the vessel. and daily
something unfortunate occurred Hal
yards or braces gave way, by which the
yards were thrown aback ;and in one
instance the brig nearly lost her main
mast. Standing and running rigging
were found to be mysteriously fretted,
and even cut, as II by knife; and
then the crew whispered together OF
Antonio ell Cubano-that horrid. dark.
mysterious fellow, whose character
none of us could fathom.
Twice our compasses went wrong,
and remained so for days! and before
the cause was discovered the Eugenie
had drifted far from her course.
This varying was inexplicable, unit.
Hislop, who set himself to watch, and
frequently saw Antonio lowering near
the pinnacle at night, unshipped the
compass box and found there were con-
cealed near 1t an iron marlinspike on
one side and lump of tallow on the
other, either of which was sufficient
to affect the magnetic needle.
After their removal the compass
worked as well as before. The crew
were strictly questioned; all vowed to-
tai ignorance of the transaction, and
Antonio summoned every saint in the
Spanish calendar to attest his inno-
cence, but none, however, appeared.
The crew now felt convinced that. in