The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-12-24

why n Vessel Made n Slow Voyage
From Port of Spain.
From the Chicago Chronicle.


From the Chicago Chronicle.
Philadelphia, Pa, Dec. 16-Oecasionally
a sailing vessel makes a slow voyage be-
cause something gets wrong with her sails
or spars. Then again she may have adj
verse winds or be for a long time be
Gained. In the strange experience of the
brig ResuItado however, lately in port
from Port Spain, neither of these ccndi-
tons was TO blame. From the time she
weighed anchor on her voyage 10 Phila-
delphia the weather was good and steady
trade winds prevailed from favorable
quarter.
Ii is a very lonely part of Trinidad
where the Resultado received her cargo
A Wild coast afforded scarcely safe har-
Dor for the Resultado even during the few
DAVIS the weather remained good. Ma
tives stored the cocoanuts in the hold and
the crew had little TO do. On Oct !, one
day before the Resultado weighed anchor,
the first man on deck in the morning made
a singular discovery. He hurried back
into the captains cabin and informed
him that there was a snake on the mast.
Capt. Smith accused the sailor of baing
drunk and ordered him out OF the cabin.
But the sailor stuck TO his story and The
skipper went on deck 20 investigate.
He found twined around the mainmast
an immense serpent Capt. Smith thinks
that the reptile must have bsen about a
foot In diameter. The crew quickly assem-
bled on deck and gazed at the monster
with fear and astonishment. 1t was APP
parent that it must be dslodged and how
| to do ii was a puzzle 1t was suggested
that the reptile be shot, but an inventory
of the firearms on board showed them TO
| be limited to a 32-caliber revolver in the
CAPTAINS pocket. He discharged the
weapon a great many times at the snake.
/ esss,,s 90
greeted by Kisses and the snake clutched
| tighter 20 the spar.
| Can't Smith was in quandary. Sailing
day had come and he had to 80. The crew
| weighed anchor and started to get up
sail Then a new difficulty presented
itself Sail could be made all right on
| the other masts, but not on the one where
| the snake reposed. So tightly had he
wound his coil about it that the rigging
| refused 70 run through the blocks. The
| men were afraid to pull too hard for fear
! Of bringing the reptile down on their
| heads so the novel spectacle was afforded
Of the Resultado sailing away on her
| homeward voyage without rag of can
| vas set on her malnmast. The Resultado
unable to get up all her mainsail, made a
| slow run The captain said that the pres
| ence of the reptile cost him at beast ten
| days delay.
| For two weeks the crew despalred OF
| Riding themselves OF the reptile. Occas-
| ionally they would pull a rope on which
| his body rested and he would respond In
| a manner that showed he was very much
| alive. His muscular contracticns almost
| cracked the spar. Deliverance was at
hand, however. and from an unexpected
| quarter. on oct. 10 a Tremendous snow
| storm arose. For some days the weather
had been growing colder and the snake
| seemed 20 be- IN a torpid condition. When
the cold weather began he weakened, and
| when the first fake fen on him he sudden
Is unloosod himself and fel with mighty
| splash into tho ocean.
Capt Smith says be had good opportu.
nifty 10 observe the snake before IA struck
tie waior, Ho thinks that ifs length could
not have been under thirty feet N disap-
pearcd Instantly apd WIS seen no more.