The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1900-06-16

US?
Perhaps she brings It with her."
suggested Hislop.
And how 1t came to pass that she
appeared right in the ofing and out.
side the bay all at once?" asked Tom
Lambourne.
"She have rounded the high
bluff while we were all p~alavering,"
said Probart.
Nothing more vas said for a time,
but whether it was the effect Of mag.
ination or Of an overstrained eyesight
I know not, she seemed to melt as 1t
were in the brightness Of the moon
shine-to become so indistinct that we
could see the line of the horizon
through her topsails; and next 1t
seemed as If her hull, her spars and
rigging were edged with bright pris-
matte hues.
1t is impossible for me to describe
the blank establishment, or rather the
intense CONSERVATION. Of our men on
the disappearance of this vessel, which
was the object Of SO many hopes and
wishes.
Some time elapsed before the poor
fellows rallied sufficiently to speak on
the subject; and meanwhile, there
flashed upon my memory some strange
and weird old Celtic tales, which a
Highland boy at Elton was wont to
tell us, of ships which In the days of
Ossian traversed the steep hills and the
salt lochs Of Morven with equal IA
cility.
1T Is a ship-or rather the repre-
sentation Of a veritable ship-which
cannot be far off the island. and Is
making for it at this moment" said
Hislop, emphatically.
How far do you think she is. sir?"
asked Hugh Shute, mockingly.
Perhaps twenty miles-perhaps a
hundred-it is impossible to say"
So thoroughly were our companions
scared by the recent spectral appear
ance, which they connected in some
way with the dreadful character of
Antonio ell Cubano, that they at once
commenced with ~alacrity the prepara-
lions for putting to sea.
1t may be that somewhat OF the pro-
I6SSlOudl T6btl6SSu6SS Oh BElIOFB con-
firmed their resolution.
They were already tired OF their so
journ on the island, and, inspired by
the desire Of reaching Tristan da Cum
ha, which is inhabited by about eighty
families of Portuguese, English and
mulattoes, among whom Hislop as
sured them they might linger long
nnp,,oh hafnro fhou uaro olynp go ~
a passing ship-quite as long as II they
remained on the Isle Of Alphonso-and
where for subsistence they would be
forced to work as day laborers In the
savannas 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, and
that If cast there they would die of
starvation. Moreover, without chart
CT compass. how could they hope to
steer with certainty in any direction?
They all might perish in detail by
the most dreadful deaths in their open
boat, gasping with unquenched thirst
under the blaze Of a tropical sun. He
said much more; but they would listen
to nothing a their own fears and
restless impulses.
l, too, was weary Of the island; and
though feeling all the dependency
that follows a severe disappointment
on the disappearance of the illusory
ship, l In no way shared the wild and
ll~l-regulated wishes of the crew.
though assured that / would be COM
PEELED to follow their desperate for
tunes.
Hislop and I still fingered; 80 we
were told peremptorily that If we did
not come on board at nee they would
shove off without US. Thus compelled,
we stepped In most reluctantly and
seated ourselves In the stern, and he
assumed the tiller. The oars were run
through the rowlocks, and Lambourne
was about to shove of, when Probart,
who had the bow oar, suddenly re-
membered that he had left his Ratchet
near our wigwam. n asked me to
get 1t.
I jumped ashore, and was proceed
ing along the beach for it, when sud-
denly | was confronted by Antonio,
who from a thicket had been watch
ing our operations and departure.
His tawney skin-for he was naked
to the waist-his ferocious aspect. his
head OF matted hair, his colossal
strength and atrocious character were
not without a due effect upon the
boats crew at this crisis.
shove of-shove off" l heard sew
eral voices cry in the boat; here
comes that dog of a Cubano.'
I struggled with Antonio; but he
laughed loudly. and drew his pistol
with the air of one who would enforce
obedience; besides, his eyes, which
the tangled masses of his hair over
hung, were flashing with malignant
fire, as all the slumbering devil was
reused within him.
The whole crew saw this, and I per-
ceived that Marc Hislop made an at
tempt to rise up and spring overheard
to my succor; but as all their hopes of
reaching Tristan da Cunha depended
entirely upon his skill and knowledge
OF navigation. he was seized by War
rem, Chute and others, roughly thrust
down in the stern sheets and forcibly
held there.
l saw now that the fear and selfish
ness of the rest prevailed over all that
Hislop, Lamborune and Carlton could
urge; for, amid a storm of contending
tongues, l perceived the oars dippfng