Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1904-10-12
The High thief

1
cock and bog 10 - the long
boat ana salt away Is the brig
was left without a eros a thai was
tile beginning Of l5r yvnture
ON the next day tl came a gale
from the pog3h. and l4e chief wen,
scndding away bsfoFc t. bat after a
raa 90 h,sulrrl ,s She was dIa
masfed and ieft wreck on the tum-
bling seas Tie cook was OF no &C
count as a sailar anl tic boy OF nssie
help. but the wreck e was cut ioosc.
and four days after tie gale the hulk
YVES riding lisb and dry and as tight
as n bottle below. This was when She
was sighted for the FIRST time after the
crew left. was one OF the crew Of
the Euslish bark Hawthorne. home
ward bound from India. and one morn
ing NE sighted TIE wreck and bore up
Tor H.
Oar mate WAS sent aboard. and from
Captain Davis. who seemed all right in
his head again, he got the particulars
I have given you. Finding the hull
sound and the cargo valuable. the matt
offered 70 scud men aboard to rig mry
nlnsts and sail her into port, but the
captain would not allow IL. Nelther
would he consent TO be taken of the
wreck. II the cook and the boy wanted
TO so lie had no objection. but he bad
started on voyage TO Australia. and
be would finish il or sink with his
ere Tie cock, who was q relative
q the captain, decided TO stay, but the
/ ! had had enough OF It and was
brought aboard OF us. We lay by the
wreck for three hours. hoping the palr
left aboard would change their minds
but as they did not we sailed away.
1t was two weeks before the High
land Chief was Spoken again. In tina
time she had drifteti $50 miles 10 the
south. This time she was overhauled
by the steamer Kongo Prince. India
bound, and II boat was sent aboard
Captain Davis was found at dinner
He had weathered another gale and tho
hull was still sound The steamer OF
fered him a tow 10 Cape Town, but b.
rejected the cfTer.
The cook had tired of the situation
and wished 10 be taken OF, but the
captain had made up his mind TO stick
and no arguments could dissuade him
The cook went aboard the steamer. and
the captain was left alone on a groan-
Ing hulk In mldoeean. IL WAS thirty
one days before she was boarded again.
and the wreck had drifted COO miles.
though not altogether to the south. SHE
was In the highway of commerce, how
ever, and had probably been passed by
a score of craft which failed to make
her out.
One morning she was sighted 10y the
American tea ship Flying Scud. home
ward bound. and. as usual. a boat was
sent aboard. Captain Davis was In
good health and the hulk as sound as
dollar. He admitted that he was a bit
lonely. but was more determined than
ever TO stick 10 his craft. What be
wanted We're spars and few men, and
it so happened that the Scud could nc.
eommodate him with both. Then he
raised the question of price and re-
fused to pay what was asked. and he
finally fell into temper and ordered
hAc tAAftts tGEh ~ AAitAA CIV II NfSkils
Although he had driven his own
crew away by his threats he took II
much to heart that they had gone. and
there seemed to be a hope cn his part
that they would finally return. In his
obstinacy he lost sight of the fact that
any one else had rights in the case
While he owned the brig others owned
the cargo. and as soon as his adventure
was reported steps were taken 10 res
cue him by force. In other words, any
craft sighting him was authorized to
tow the hulk into port and claim sal
wage on the cargo. which believe was
valued at about 100000.
A week later the wreck was over
hauled by the English bark Endeavor.
which had received notice OF the desire
OF the owners OF the cargo. The cap
tain of the Endeayor made up his mind
to seize the wreck. rig jury masts and
carry her into port, and a nice plum
In the way Of salvage he would have
had had he succeeded. The Highland
Chief was then below the latitude of
the cape and drifting TO the south.
RHptaAA lahAss Cdlil4N sInOAiAiE cigar
and seeming TO, be clear OF all anxiety.
received the mate of the Endeavor In
a hospitable manner, but soon let him
understand that he did not intend to
leave the wreck. IL he could get spare
spars at his own figure and IL three or
four men could be had without bonus
he would make shift TO finish his voy-
age.
This was no more than he had said
before. but the mate of the Endeavor
believed that loneliness and anxiety
had affected his mind 90 a consider
able extent. While he was obstinate
minded and had a pride OF keeping his
word. his whole fortune was invested
In that hulk, and II was bu. natural
he should want 10 save It, The cap
tain of the Endeavor offered him fair
terms In Several directions. and II was