The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-01-02
!, A STRANGE CAPTURE.
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: T eight bells on an October

lear, of New York, bound
home from Cape Town, Captain Jabez
Starkweather, lay drifting in a thick
sea fog, without as much breeze as
would wink candle.
The shore line Of Southern Africa
was only thirty miles distant, the Wal
visch Bay entrance bearing northeast
by half east. In those days that was
q formidable coast, partly from un-
charted surroundings, but more be-
cause its principal products were
lions, crocodiles, sharks and half can
nibal savages, with few unfriendly
Dutch Beers long way to the south
ward.
The dog watch had been set full half
an hour, and there ought to have been
a breaking of daylight, but the fog
thickened, and the darkness was SO
Opaque that the helmsman said he
could feel it brush his knuckles when
he stirred her wheel.
Sudde1ly there rose from the foggy
blackness that lay packed upon the
sea off her port bow, seemingly not
two cables length away, a long dpawn,
swelling! indescribably despairing cry,
: such as ho man of that ship had ever
before hard.
Following the strange cry, as the
ship settled in the hollow after q lazy
swell of the barely breathing ocean,
could be family heard gurgling pant
ing, as Ii some tirec swimmer or spent
cIinger 10 a wreck was distressed by
the heaTng water.
Every man on deck clustered along
her port bow rail and leaned out, lis
tening, with straining eyes. Mate
Doolittle leaped up, clinging with his
right hand to her fore port shroud,
his left hand followed to an ear,
swinging, his body far outward, listen
ing till he sound ceased. Then he
called:
Name, o. wonder! what was that?
Do any qf you men know?"
No ona answered.
The n5ise of the crew moving or
Mate D,olittle's voice attracted the
creature whatever it was; for while
they listened, With bulging eyes, the
cry rose tgair, nearer. and with still
more m,laJcholy whine, but with
note o. erness modulating it's des-
pair gurgling painting could be
- Ed, swimming toward the
little jumped inboard and
boat lowered. While the
overhauling her falls he ran
q reappeared with Captain
her by the time the boat was
t fall.
at lamentable cry rose from
Of the sea; this time close
her starboard bow, fol-
gurgling moan, like that
trong swimmer in agony"
krkweather ran to his boat.
81" he ordered. Put
Paded muskets in her stern
Doolittle. Tumble in, men!
teady-so - unhook. Mr..
'haterer it is, bring it.
Fanished as the sea heaved
as invisible in the fog be-
d pulled her length, but
could trace her course
ing and splashing of her
- llled about, zigzag, three
tes, and then lay still, lis
enly there came from her
hing, confused yells, and
musket. Mate Doolittle
Fing excited orders.
sses! Don't strike him!
fire again without Or
p ready. Tumble aft.
Face him! Oars-let
be way. Hilloa. the
oat~
e on deck there, so we
distance. It's blacker
African watch pocket.
board an awful pas
enough-stand by to
fd out of the darkness
;, and slowly heaved
ntil she lay under the
fas something in her
rk heap. from which
led aft; the foremost
1y cutlasses in hand
leveled musket at
fard fall with an oar
Fast forward, sir"
Id all. Heave the
/, men. up this after
steady"
pen climbed up. the
boat was hoisted.
dark heap in her
lge lion, sprawled
pind parts drag
ASeemed nearly
. gasps.
- vel with the
- lie said to
heastically: