The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1905-07-25
"A ROYAL
ELOPEMENT

we we're ~ Lie III the DOA "a OArA
bourg. France, In the American schOon-
er yacht Meteor. VIXEN the Count Du-
barry came aboard and chartered her
for the strongest voyage you eve
heard of. His countess had eloped with
an Englishman named MessmOre ON
ais yacht. h FLYING Cloud. and we
were to oxertake the craft If possible
md bring back the lady.
1t was a foolish idea IN the count to
chase his wife under any clrcum-
stances. but in this case he was an old
nan. i'll poor health. lame and had new
ar even made a voyage across the Eng
.ish channel. We We're n small craft
with a big crew. and all hands were
. .rowded for want of room. but the old
fellow was willing to suffer any incon-
venience and run my risks for the
sake of overhauling the clippers. He
:lad two friends and a doctor with him,
md 1t was his lavish use of money
which prepared us for sea so quickly.
rhe runa ways had a fast craft. plenty
II money. and they woul not be over
hauled if they could help it. The count
had Il craft equally as fast and had
vowed to hunt them down If 1t took
five years. That was the way things
stood MS we sailed out of the harbor in
a craft as well found and manned as
ever put to sea.
We got down to Madeira without
getting word of the craft and after a
race to the CanarieS We're again diSap-
pointed. Ii was two days after leav-
ing the latter group and while holding
for tie Cape De Nerdes that we got
our first news. 1t came from an Eng
fish man-of-war. which had come upon
the schooner to the south of the cape
while she was repairing damages re-
ceived aloft during u squall. Messpore
could not even suspect that the couiA
was after him. and so he would take
his time and not carry too much sail.
Thus we reasoned. but there was not
much consolation In it. We might
run a parallel course with him for a
week and neither one sight the other.
We might pass him by in the night, or
he might shorten sail while we cracked
on. Luck was with us, however.
One morning when well down the
African coast we encountered an Eng
fish brig which had passed the schoon-
er the day before and 50 closely as to
| catch her name. She reported the
Cloud as driving along at an easy pace,
and Their we felt that we must over
haul her within two or three days.
Just before shutdown we caught sight
OF a sail ahead of us, and everybody
aboard believed it to be the craft we
were pursuing. The count and his
| friends passed the night drinking and
jabbering and walking about, and they
plainly said that they me mt to sink
the Englishman sooner than let him
get away from US. 1t was our plan to
close up OF her that night, but not too
much SO, as 1t was dark and rainy,
and we feared to overrun her. Men
were on watch below and aloft all
aight, and when morning came the
Cloud was dead ahead and only two
miles away.
1t was planned that we should speak
the pursued and give out that our
c~hrononreter was out of order. If she
lay to in response to our signals the
| captain would board her with three or
| four men and detain her until the
count and his friends could follow. We
few a signal as soon as she was dis
covered. but she gave US not the slight
est attention. AS we came nearer h
took alarm and made more sail, and
then began the real With a
man like the count to back him, our
captain did not hesitate to open fire
| on the other craft, and she was struck
twice before she got out of range. The
count was on deck and fair to be seen,
and we plainly saw Messnore and the
countess board the other. If the lat
ter craft had been armed there would
have been a pretty fight.
hat was the beginning of a race
which had les end days later and at a
=. ..-1-. F. UvHA-
sailing close hauled the yacht had the
heels of us. but we could beat her on
any other wind. We had one heavy
gale and several dark nights, and we
lost sight Of her half u dozen times,
but she held a true course for the
Cape. and we followed after and final
~ overhauied her when she was but
two days away. She was lying to
when we sighted her at daybreak.
and as We approached and got the gun
ready a boat was lowered from her
side, and her captain was pulled
aboard of US. He asked for the count
and said:
Your countess is aboard of Ia
yacht, but declares that she hates the
sight of you and will never return.
You have ed us for days and
days. but there is no need for the chase
to go on longer. We are bound for the
Cape, and there Mr.. Messmore Will go
ashore with you and give you satisfac-
ton"
The count and his friends jumped at
the chance. The man even raised his
hat and bowed to his clipping wife as
she appeared to view on the other
craft Two days later we arrived at
Cape Town together, m next day the
duel came Off. OF the two the English