The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1906-06-30
CHAPTER I


nomenal, even in the ATTITUDES where a
great calm reigns from month to month.
1t Is almost impossible to present to
northern eyes this picture of a southern
sea cleaning beneath a sun which had
known no cloud for weeks; impossible to
portray the brilliant monotony Of it all
with any degree of reality. The sun
rises day by day, week In and week out,
unclouded from the straight horizon,
sails right overhead, and at last sinks
westward undimmed by thinnest vapor.
Month after month, year after year, aye,
century after century, this days work
Is performed. The scorching orb of light
rises at the same monotonous hour and
sets, just as he did when this world was
one vast ocean, with but one ship sail
ing on it.
Firm the dark, mysterious depths Of
the ocean, wavering ripples mounting
In radiation to the surface, broke at
times the blue uniformity Of its bosom.
Occasionally a delicate nautilus foated
along before some unappreciable breath,
presently to fold its sails and disappear.
Long trailers Of seaweed floating idly
almost seemed to be endowed with a
sinuous life and movement.
No bird in the air, no fish in the sea!
Nothing to break the awful silence! A
wreck might float and drift here or there
upon these aimless waters for years to-
gsther and never be found.
But Chance, the tickle, ruled that two
vessels should break the monotony of
sea and sky on this particular afternoon.
One, mighty structure, with tall taper
ing z,asts, perfect in itself, an ideal
merchantmen. The other, small, of ex-
quiste yacht-like form, and with every
outward sign of great speed obtaina-
BILE.
There was obviously something amiss
with the larger vessel. Instead Of white
sails aloft on every spar, bare poles
and slack ropes stood markedly against
the blue ether.
In contrast, the other carried every
foot of canvas. Carried 1t literally; for
the white cloth hung mostly idle, only
at times Tapping softly to a breath Of
air that was not felt on deck. Since
dawn the smaller vessel had been stead
lily, though very slowly, decreasing the
distance between them, and now there
were signs of activity on her deck, as
| though a boat were about to be lowered.
Across the silent waters trilled the call
| of boatswain's whistle. The vessel
was plainly man-of-war. As a matter
of fact, she was one of the quick sailing
schooners built and designed by the Brit
ish government for the suppression of
the slave trade on the west coast of AZ
RIGA.
Every knob of brass cleaned In the
| % hnly or cd
as white as milk. Aloft no rope was
frayed, no seizing adrift. 1t was easy
to see that this trim vessel carried a
large crew under strict discipline.
And now the melodious song of sailors
hauling together foated through the
glittering air to the great vessel of the
dead. No answering cry was heard
no expectant faces peered over the
black bulwarks. The signal flags, "Do
you want helpT hung unnoticed. The
scene was suggestive of that fable tell
ing Of a mouse proffering aid to a lion;
the huge, still merchantmen could have
taken the slave catcher upon it's broad
decks.
Presently a boat left the smaller YES
sci and SKINNED over the water, impell-
ed by sharp, regular strokes. The sound
of the oars alone broke the silence Of
Nature.
In the stern Of the boat sat a square
shouldered little man, whose brown face
and glistening chestnut beard, pleasant
ly suggestive Of clearly refinement, com
. bined with readiness of resource. His
| pleasant eyes were scarcely hazel, and
! yet could not be described as gray, be-
cause the two colors were mixed. As
the boat approached the great mer'
chairman, this officer formed his two
hands into a circle and raised his prac
i, ticed voice:
"Ahoy-there !"
| There was no reply; and a moment oil
two later the small boat swung In be
meath the high bulwarks. There was q
rope hanging almost to the water, and
with quick jerk the young fellow scram
bled up the ships side like monkey
Three of the boats crew prepared to fol
low him.
He sat for a moment balanced on the
| blistered rail. and then leaped lightly or
, to the deck. Between the planks the pitch
had oozed up and glistened like jet, II
some places the seasoned wood had warp
ed. He stood for a moment alone amiC
the tangled ropes, and there were bead.
! of perspiration on his brown forehead. Il
Ia no pleasant duty to board derelic
ship, for somewhere or other there will
probably be an unpleasant sight, such al
Is remembered through the remainder o.
the beholder's life.
There was something crude and hare
In the entire picture. In the merciless
. almost shadowless light Of a midday SUI
every detail stood out in hard outline
The perfect ship, with its forlorn, bedrag
gled deck; the clean spars towering NJ
into the heavens, with their loose cord
age, their clumsily furled sails; and upol
. the moss-grown deck this square-shoulder
ed little ofhcer-trim, seaman-like
d prompt. amid the universal slackness-
l the sun cleaning on his white cap an,
7 gilt buttons.
While he stood for a moment hesitat
Ing, he heard a strange, unknown sound
II was more like the rattle In a choking
!. mans throat than anything else that h
could think of. He turned quickly, an,
:. stood gazing upon the saddest sight h
had yet seen In all his life. Over tn
tangled ropes the COUNT figure of a whit