Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1901-03-17

a little over. I an going to suitcase this
house for six months and go with you on
this voyage. I see you have figured on a
cook. ! shall be cook myself. If I can
cook and work here I can dc the same
aboard a brig. and we want no idlers. I
have fully made up my mind to carry out
my ideas, and you will go ahead as fast
as possible"
was pushing things along to get away
at the earliest hour. when l heard that
the captain of the late Good Intent was
secretly seeking a craft to charter. This
satisfied me as to the value of the wreck
II 1t was still intact. and also made nae
hustle the harder. When we finally got
away, there was no talk about it, and 1
was the only man aboard who knew our
real destination. That we should be fol-
lowed within a week or ten lays was GER
tain, and we were no sooner clear of the
heads than orders were given to crack
on and keep the little hooker travelling
for all she was worth. We were in bal
last only, having cleared for Japan, and
I had picked UP a good sailer in chartering
the Duchess.
Ihere is a wide stretch Of salt water
and weeks of sailing between the Cali
fornia coast and the Necker islands,
which lie in a southwest direction and
number y, great n small. Only the
largest two are inhabited, but knew that
residents of them roved among the
whole group and that shell gatherers and
traders would be frequently met with.
Among our outfit was a 6 pound cannon
and 10 muskets, bought of a junk dealer
in San Francisco. If we found the wreck
we might have to hold it by force and do
some sharp fighting. From the first day
or sailing until the morning we sighted
Nlgger island, one of the Necker group.
n the one where the Good Intent had
left her bones, she appeared to be certain
that our adventure would turn out all
right. Her confidence inspired all the rest
of us, but l know my heart was in nv
mouth when we coasted along the island
to the west side and opened the reef.
The wreck lay there on the reef as she
had been abandoned, and a yell came
from every throat. We had simply to feel
our way down to as near as possible and
then take the yawl and board her. She
looked a sad wreck, but we found her in
fairly good shape when we got aboard,
having the widow with US. The reef was
half a mile from the beach, and the ship
had driven on to it stem first, run about
half her length and then made a cradle
for herself. At high tide there were two
feet of water in her lower hold: at low
tide she was drained of every drop. How
that wreck could have remained where
she was without having been seen looked
like a miracle, but she had not been
boarded by a human being. Hull and
rigging were beyond saving, but most of
the cargo was all right.
Now, see how queer are the ways of
fortune. We had not been on the wreck
an hour before two native
each carrying 15 islanders, hove in sight
and came down to us. The fellows at
once demanded a share of the loot. and
we had to resort to the big gun to drive
them away. They returned under a white
flag before night and offered their SER
vices for pay, and 20 of them were en-
age to assist us.
1t would have been a great find without
the opium, but the stuff was aboard all
right. The value of the tin cases packed
in one of the staterooms was not far
from $4,000. and of general cargo we
took in a load which sank the brig to her
plimsoll mark. In a week we were
through with the wreck and ready to turn
her over to the ISLANDERS for what they
could get out Of her. We UP anchor and
for the Pacific coast at noon one
day, and within three hours we rose a
bark which was heading straight for the
spot we had left. 1t was the captain of
the lost Good Intent, but he had come too
late.
We made port after an uneventful voy-
age, the cargo was landed and disposed
of with only a few days delay, and one
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