Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-16
WRECK AND AUIN.
A Scene IN the Bay Of Nsples-


In October, 1913. went over TO the Island
or Capri, some twenty miles from Naples, to
enjoy rustic festival. Our party consisted
of some Englishmep and some Italians. Tho
latter being in the service Of the Govern.
ment, had . fixed time laid(to their leave
Of absence. When the morning srrivcd that
was appointed for the departure Of our Ital-
ian friends, We accompanied them to the
shore, where they made their arrangements
for the passage back to the mainland, There
was srNng west-and. by. south wind roar
ing round the Island, and the sea looked
dangerous; but in Naples, where there is no
career for o young man out OF Government
employ, an official must not trAo with bis
post. The preparations, therefore, for the
launching Of the boat went on.
1t was one of those wide bottomed boats,
commonly used in tho port of NapIs, upon
which the sIran ger starts out for t!moon-
light row TO Poallippo, or botakes himself
with his portmanteau and LIS carpet-bsg,
or with his wife md her pill-box full of
few things to the steamer. Such boats are
not made for riding on q stormy sea. The
men preparing to- put out that morning were
our two friends, tho officials, and two boat
men. One Of tho passengers was hailed by
the Captain of "a good sttong bark tpon the
point Of starting "Come with US, Raf1inl-
iuccio: it will be madness to sail out in that
cockleshsll through such q sea-"
Raffmiluccio, delicate youth, replied mat
he was no coward. He had come in the
boat and might 60 back in the boat, with the
Madona's blessing. The other passenger was
a stout black bearded pau, and the two boae-
men were youth and'a weather. beaten call
or from the port of Naples.
Tho little harbor at Capri. is so shell.
tered from certain, winds that there is often
q deceptive smoofhness in its waters. 1t
was only by looking QUITO sea, that. one
detected, on that wild O yer morning how
the water 'wriohed undefs~lhe torture of the
wind. Far rs the eye could reach, the sea
Was covered with those smaller storm waves,
called in the phrase of the country pccore.
These, us the day advanced, swel!ed into
great pillows, lccOaLoni( Will, came rolling
IN upon our little island, and dashed vio
lentiy against the coast Of Massa aud SoS.nto
Too boat had been showed oil, and had re
turned for sorts article, left accidentally be-
lind. A group Of wedther-wise old sail.rs.
thronged about the fool-iar.ly crew in yam
urging them, to wait for fsirer weather;sbut
they put out to'ses again. artmnde strait for
the cape, under the summer palace Of Tibe.
aus. Tais is well kuown point, which
boa,men often seek when they desire 10
cltch direct wind for their fnsssage to, the
The gale tDat had been blowing
rouut the island appeared TO pour out from
this point its Undivided force, aud beat the
sea with n strength almost irresistible. We
saw the mast Of the little boat snap the mo.
incnt IL had reached the cape, nnd the crew
put back not to await cnliner weather, but to
seek another temporary mast, and start again.
M threat or persuasion could delaiux the
ita}iaus, &ho fenreu t17sSceed Eegf tsyhtr A6r
leave. rude mast was ser up, aud again
tue boat started, ieapiug atross, wave after
we've. We saw no more uflt. III watched
it for some distance" said thu captain Of the
bark, which had started at the same time
" Their mast bent as though it wcnid break
Mt every puff of wind, aud the little sail
tutterei like u handkerchief upon the waves.
lu'A inomeht it disappeared, and we knew
that OUR fUruboding had proved true" The
rest Of the tale l had from the lips Of the
black bearded otiicia, the sole survivor: and
q wilder tale of human passion does not often
full within the bounds of sober truth.
The old mariner Mt starting had been plac-
ed ut the helm, Us the most competent man
Of the party; but there was IN alarming
difference between the eddies, currents aud
bHows at the Cape, and the smooth waters
ofthe Bhy Of Naples. A monstrous cdaltioae
appeared in the distance, leaping, roai'isg,
flaming. 1t was close upon their quarter.
its crest overhung them ), and in IN instant,
said MY informant, they were swallowed up.
The buat was overturned. but the crew
desperately for liie-rose with IT
ohce more TO the surface, clinging to its bot
tom. In their last agony they giared upon
each ether, face. to face, amoug tue beaung
waves, and the loud excavations of his COM
panions were poured passlouately on the
ancient mariner, whose want OF skill was
cursed as the fatal cause Of their despair.
The hold Of the poor old follow, weak with
ago and faint with emotion, had not strength
enough to bear up amid the tossing of tho
waters, and Us his grasp relaxed, the others
watched his weakness with fiendish sausfac
ten. at is some consolation" exclaimed
one, "to see you die first, fool Us you are. "
He did not hear the latest maledictivns. bat
went down in the deep sea.
The mex: who died was Raffdelluccio, up
on whose. daily work the daily bread of a
mother and three children depended. al am
still with cold, and can hang on no longer,"
he said to his companion. Get on my shoui-
ders," was the answer of the stronger man ;
ands so he did, and so he died, the living man
with the dead weightupon him, graphing still
for life, and drifting before the storm. The
young boatman, the other survivor, trembling
himself upon the brink of eternity, crept round
to the dead body, and having robbed it of