Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1900-05-12

'' 'Aso suspense and utter Devil.
derment.
shs was a large. square-rigged YES,
SEA- ship running ciose-hanled on
tue port-tack Ito use "A man-o'-war
phrase), and with nearly all her can.
vas set
she was about four miles of the reef
AZ the entrance OF the bay, and was
bearing directly toward il. Her can.
vas s!immered like snow in the moon.
shine. and We could see the red lights
OF her cabin windows fash at times
upon the sea astern. and the Wilderness
OF her long flush deck. as she careened
before the breeze.
Yet how was II. we all asked. that
there was not breath of wind with
u.s.
Perhaps she brings it with her."
suggested Hislop.
And how 1t came to pass that she
appeared right in the citing and out
side the bay all at once7" asked Tom
l.Ambourne.
"She must have rounded the high
blum while We were all palayering."
said Probart.
Nothing more was said for q time.
bu, whether 1; was the effect Of imag.
nation or OF an oyers,rained eyeslshi
! know not. she seemed TO melt as II
were tn the brightness OF the Moon
shine-,o become so indistinct that we
could sec the line OF the horizon
through her topsails; and next II
seemed as II her hull. her spars and
rigging were edged with brigh, prls-
matte hues.
II 3 impossible FOR me TO describe
The blank astonishment. or rather the
intense CONSERVATION. OF our men on
the DISAPPEARANCE OF this vessel. which
was the object % SO many hopes and
wishes.
Some tire elapsed before the poor
fellows rallied sufficiently 20 speak on
the subject. and meanwhile. there
flashed upon my memory some strange
aud welrd old Celtic tales. which a
Highland boy at Elton was wont to
tell us. o, ships which In the days OF
Dsslan trasersed the steep hills and the
salt lochs OF Moryen with equal IA
eility.
1T is a ship-or rather the repre-
fontatlOn OF a yerltahle ship-which
cannot be far oil the island. and Is
making for !, at this moment" said
lilslop. emphaiieally.
How Ear do you think she is. s.r!'
aased Hugh shnie. mocklngiy.
Perhaps twenty perhaps 8
hundred--lt Is impossible TO say"
So thoroughly were our companions
scared by the recent spectral appear
auoe, which they connected In some
way with the dreadful character o!
Antonio el Cubano. that they at once
commenced with alacrlty the prepare.
,ions for putting TO sea.
IL may be that somewhat OF the pro-
fessIonal restlessncss OF sailors con-
frmed their resolution.
They were already tired OF their so.
journ on the island, and. inspired BY
the desire of reaching Tristan da Gun
la. which is inhabited by about eighty
families Of Portuguese. English ant
mulattocs. among whom Hislop as
sured them they might linger Ions
enough before they were taken of b,
A passing shIp-quite as long as II the,
remained on the Isle OF Alphonso-anC
where for subsistence they would b.
forced to work rs day laborers in thu
sayanuas and on the highways.
AS for the Island of Diego Alvarez
our Scotch mate, who seemed to know
| everything, assured them that 1t pro
duced only moss and sea grass, an,
/ that IL cast there they would die o
starvation. Moreover. without char
or compass. how could they hope 4
steer with certainty In any direction
They all might perish in detail b!
/ the most dreadful deaths In their opel
boat. gasping with unquenched thirs
under the blaze Of tropical sun. II
paid much more: but they would lister
TO nothing save their own fears ant
restless impulses.
1. too, was weary of the island; an,
though feeling all the despondenc,
that follows a severe disappointment
on the disappearance of the illusor,
ship. | in no way shared the wild an
| lll-reEulated wishes Of the crew
though assured that I would be com
PEELED to follow their desperate for
tunes
Hislop and I still fingered: SO "
we're told peremptorily that II we di
not come on board at once they woul
shove Off without us. Thus compelled
we stepped in most reluctantly an
seated ourselves in the stern. and h
assumed the tiller. The oars were ru
through the rowlocks. and Lambourn
was about to shove of. when Probar'
who had the bow oar. suddenly re
membcred that he had left his hatche
near our wigwam, and asked me I
get II.
I Jumped ashore, and was proceed
ing along the beach for 1t, when sud
denly was confronted by Antonio
who from q thicket had been watch
ing our operations and departure.
His tawney skin--for he was make
10 the waist--his ferocious aspect, hi
head Of matted hair, his colossa