The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1902-03-07
AIR, FRIDAY MORNING.

| Helena. Accordingly we lowered her
into the water. and she was duly manned
by her regular crew Of four |. who am
now spinning this yarn. pulled bow.
We rowcd right around her. looking Cor
| n convenient place to climb on her deck.
but finding none we just made fast to the
main channels by the painter. and |, be
| ing the youngest. scaled her side and
jumped over her rail to her deck. just
abaft the main rigging. Everything was
as neat as ninepence. The ropes were all
coiled snugly around the Delaying pins.
and there was no sign of disorder about
the decks | threw over the end of one
Of the running gear into the boat so that
the skipper might hang On to il aurl
Chamber up. The old man caught hold of
It and, having a lot Of low cunning. just
rried its strength. 1t was so rotten that
1t parted at once. The skipper muttered
an oath and looked daggers at ME. Final
ly he climbed up with the help of the
painter, and after passing the boat astern.
with one hand to take care of her. we pro-
ceeded to investigate.
The vessel had evidently been clipper.
Her skylights were beautifully carved,
and the companioH-"y leading to her cab
in was as elegant as that Of yacht. The
door, however, was locked. A thick blue
mold incrusted the glass of the skylight
on the inside, and the frames would not
lift up. The hatchway leading to the
forecastle was closely barred and bolted,
while the fore and main matches were
tightly battened down.
Captain CULVER. while cruising around
the decks, stumbled across an old rusty
iron crown bar, and with this he pried open
the doors of the after companionway. He
peered down below, and it was dusky and
murky as d tomb.
He sang out: Below there! Is there
anybody below?" And then he hesitated
as IL in n quandary.
This was the first time ever saw the
old fellow show the white feather.
After a little while he brace3 up and.
seizing the crowbar. broke open the cabin
skylghts. using. as 1t seemed to me. un-
necessary force In so doing. A mysteri-
GUS, pestilent odor assembled from the
aperture.
go down below, Bill" said the skipper
to one Of his boats crew. land see what
there is."
Captain. I'd rather jump overheard
and never come up again than go down
that there companionway alone" was the
reply of the scared sailor. whose timbers
actually shivered with fear.
"You wretched coward. you've drunk
your last tot of grog aboard my ship"
roared the skipper as he plunged down
the cabin steps.
| followed him at q cautious distance.
being far more frightened than he was.
The stairs led down into a handsome and
lofty saloon. beautifully hung with orr
entail tapestry. In mahogany swinging
tray above the cabin table were decanters
and tumbers of cut glass. Although ev-
erything was covered with blue mold an
inch thick. It was evident that a careful
steward had been accustomed to rule over
the destinies of the saloon.
On either side of the main cabin were
number Of doors leading into staterooms.
The skipper tried the one nearest the
stern Oh the starboard side. 1t was lock
ed.
"Pass down that crowbar. Bill" said
the captain in quiet tones. He no longer
put on the air of Il staggering blusterer
but acted as though he was in church lis
tening to a sky pilot.
The crowbar was handed him. and with
II he pried open the stateroom door. a
strange and startling spectacle was re-
vealpd. With her head buried in the cush
IONS Of a low couch. on her knees before
the image of the Blessed Virgin and with
her let black hair hiding her cheeks and
descending in raven torrents down her
back was beautifully dressed woman.
Beside her were Il hrcviury and rosary.
The skipper started back as though he
had been shot The woman actually
seemed to hear the EXCUSE me. madam.
for intruding." he began. but at that mo
ment, realizing that she could not he alive.
he took hold Of her gently. AT his first
touch the form collapsed and fell to the
floor.
We all rushed on deck and found the
Hurkaru within hailing distance. Tween
ty salors were sent OIL board the strange
ship, and it was curious to see how brave
we became when REINFORCED by such
lot of sturdy jack tars To make long
story short, we ransacked the vessel from
stem to stern. In her lower hold we
found the skeletons of $50 persons. all in
iron manacles There were just 200 of
them, because and a fellow midshipman
counted them by order of the skipper.
This accounted clearly for the vessel
She had been a SLAYER and had been aban'
doned, though for what reason nobody
could understand. She had probably
drifted for years off the African coast
far out Of the track OF ships. and this ar,
counted for her not having been reported
before. A sudden shift of wind must
have waited her off the land and driven
her into the highway of the ocean fire
auented by homeward bound East India
men.
The mystery of the woman was deeper
and darker A brown sheet of paper.
with big spots on it. telling clearly Of
tears. and some faded characters. which
looked like Spanish. was found beside
her. Nobody could interpret 1t.
The mate wanted the captain to tow
the schooner to st. Helena and sell her
for what she would fetch. The skipper
being one of the old school and superstl
tious at that. wouldn't listen to him. IL"
said he was going to burn her. and burn
her he did. A barrel Of coal tar and u
bundle of oakum judiciously arranged
worked admirably. and the poor Africans
had splendid funeral pyre.