The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1902-06-19

and after a brief ABSENCE, returned to tn,
deck with a tin box containing his docu
ments, and in company with one Of oul
officers, went on board the Shenandoah.
The Alma was condemned, and it fel
| to my lot TO return with The Captain Il
his clothing. and any other little persona
property he might wish to preserve.
| That he felt his misfortune keenly wa:
evident. although he manfully strove tC
conceal it under u cool, nonchalant ex
| terror.
4 tell you what, Maty," he said, as
| we were returning from this, to him, sad
errand, I've daughter at home tina,
| that craft yonder was named for, and il
goes against me cursedly to see her de
! stroyed.
Neither myself nor my brother OIL
GERS have any disposition to do you per,
| sonal injury | answered. Our orders
are to prey upon the commerce Of the
United States, and in carrying them out,
private individuals have TO suffer.
Il know it is only the fortune of war,
and l must take my chnuc"S with the
rest" the Captain said, Icsuiuteiy, ''bul
it's - hard, and L only hope 1 shall
have an opportunity of returning your
polite attentions before this muss Is over,
thatS all
BY this time the crew of the Alma ha.!
been transferred to the Shenandoah, each
old shelI-back disconsolately bringing with
HIM the bag that contained his dunnagc,
ard were confined in single irons, and
then cur carpenters went OF to the prize
ar: ed with augers with which TO seattle
it,
In the course of an hour they returned.
having LEI formed their duty, and | stood
leaning over the quarter railing, watching,
with Il curious hear t-hcav!IrsS that none
but Il sailor can understand, to see the
gallant Old barquc sink iuto her ocean
gave.
About 4 O'Clock her stern suddenly set
tied, her bows reared high III the ::ir, as
# i'll indignant depreciation of such :iacri-
legious treatment at the hands IF sean"n,
and with ali sail set she went down right
Dravcly.
1t WAS the first time | ever saw 4 yes-
sci sink ut sea, and ] confess It WAS some
time ere | could fully recover from tlic
unpleasant feelings the sight "ngcndered.
\ sailor learns to love Il Snip is soneth.n
almost ANIMATE: and To see one deserted
in lniIotcan by those who haze Deem aer
guar,;iaus, and slowly settling i'll The uri-
rathomabic waters, is almost like St:nu-
ing beside II deathbed 10 watch the sink
ing away of Il soul into the ocean of
eternity.
But 1 was fatcd to have large ez-
pe:!ence i'll thi. direction r,c The Sh"nan-
uDah ana Hii''bE pa. iS'' company
The Alma was ai.tuied liz ID degrees 10
inmates north latitude, and 70 degrees A
minutes west longitude, and was valued at
S.jJ,U Go Six OF her crew joined lis,
gIG;ity TO our satisfaction. for We sadly
needed such an accession - oar numbers,
aid received the same bounty as those
who shipped ut the Island VI DeSrrtiiS.
] he rest were cIlIincdIn tn: tOp-EI!lant
fGrcc!Stle, while the anfcrs'S were accnIll-
modatcd i'll the ward room and treated
with every cUnSidei.iti6n,E which | need
scarcely SAY they heartily appreciated,
specially the Captain, who remarked to
ne that he little anticipated s:i-iI kind
Tess fiom an cE"my; but lie declined al
,.ffcrs OF rcfresnmrHt, nor ryui | wonder,
nudcr the circumstances, III his diSEciina-
ton 10 Join in our C0nyiviI.!tv.
/ subsequently hccnlncu ,lurt" familiar
With h!ri. AMI Easscd many h0nr$, list
and last. III listening To ti:n stories of h.s
owI' experience, liich lie related with
.I:riie gusto. 'h
s;cIcIaI days How elapsed! without bring
.ii:s any especial incident 10 breat the
m"''ctony ii the voyage. The weather
was glDliOua; fEc tiEely 'Ait tibu u an.
rev made tir labor ~ working our IA.
La: ship faii iCa.. heavily unol Eel criH-
I.any, and ciatcd with jhe success thai
had th;ls far attended us. We dashed
iHrrii!y forward on our course.
Tn" Thought often Occu!iei to me, and
| dOEEt not to MANY OF Hy Shlplidtes,
that there Was something almost terribly
predetermined as to the way and manner
III which orr cruise was destined Ia
terminate. brt that vary uncertainty gave
an additional Z"st TO the wild, free life
upon which We were entering, and sur
rorH;!cd with Il flesh Gla!nor of romance,
our ship and the cause III which she sailed.
TWO MORE CAPTURES.
On the 9th OF November we discovered
ii little forc-and-att schooner standing TO
southwark, ana gave chase, undcr steam.
,cIuIr s % CiOc!. we had made IL prize of
her, and she proved 10 he the Charter
Oak, from Boston. bound to San f'rIncIs-
90 with general cargo.
The taEtaia mad his wife. her sister.
and Il Elite boy Oh hoard with him. and
there they were bound round Cape Horn,
in that little schooner Of less than 1915
tons bnrdeH-a noteworthy instance Of
Yankee perseverance and daring.
We were IN want OF variety of
articles III the furnishing way, particularly
chairs, and concluded, without much hest
tat.on, to help ourselves from the prize,
so oar boats were lowered and IL party
sent on load of her, To break out her
hold and bring away whatever might be
of Us" TO US.
The beats returned, after several hours
absence. loaded to the waters edge with
sofas, chairs, small tables, and an almost
endless variety Of preserved fruits and
vegetables. among the rest Il quantity OF
canned tomatoes. which lasted us about
six months, and formed an agreeable adj
LIti0n to our CUminiSSlI lat.
Having helped ourselves to what we
wished. and transferred the ladies', olii-
GERS and crew to oar own ship, the
schooner was set OIL fire. and we steamed
away TO the SnuthwaId, Il light wind blow
ing from ;he northeast, and the sea al
most without Il ripple.
The prisoners taken from the Charter
Oak wcic confined in single irons and
placed III the tOp-gai;nt forecastle, and
Hccommoda tons were found for the Off
GERS, the ladies, and the little boy in the
ward room.
All were in fine spirits as we gidcd
away from the scene of our last achieve
ment. Even the Captain of our last prize
noticed walking the poop with his wife.
with n very much-at-homc and perfectly
contented air.
For the next three days all hands were
busy i'll putting together and setting up
our new furniture, and in dispensing of the
other contributions which the Charter
Oak had poured into oar treasury. Every
thing in the shape Of cdibies was equally
divided among the messns fore and aft.
In all things on the Shenandoah it was
share and share alike. .5
| should mention that as soon at ii
could he arranged, the after cabin on the
starboard side was given up to the use
of the ladies and the little boy. and it
WAS amusing to notice with what amaze