The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-06-16

II being my watch on deck. i was
promenading fore and aft just TO leeward
OF the group. and consequently overheard
pretty nearly everything that passed. The
Vestale. II appeared from NJ. lie Bretons
statement had just returned TO the coast
from a fruitless chase half way acros
the Atlantic after large bark whlch
had managed TO slip out OF the Congo and
dodge past them some three weeks pre-
yiously. and she was now about TO look In
there once more i'm the hope OF meeting
with better fortune. And. judging from
the course we were steering that we
had lust left the river, Nj. lie Breton
had 'by order OF Capitaine Duoose ven
tured upon the liberte" OF boarding us
4, order TO ascertain the latest news.
The skipper OF course mentioned our
exploring expedition OF the previous day
assured him OF the total absence OF all
ships from the river, and finally invited
him into the cabin 10 take wine with MN
They were below fully half an hour.
ard when they returned to the deck the
Frenchman was chattering away In very
broken English I'm the most lively man
ner, and gesticulating with his hands ana
shoulders as only a Frenchman can. But
Notwithstanding the animation with which
ne was conversing. l could not help MOTTO
ing that his eyes were all over the ship
not In an abstracted fashion, but evil
IDENTIFY with the object OF thoroughly
taking stock OF us. II struck me, too,
that his English was TOO broken to be
quite genuine--or rather TO be strictly
correct that II was not always broken
10 the same extent. For instance. ne
once or twice used the word the" utter
ing Il as plainly as l could and at other
times I noticed that he called IL "ze or
dee" And l detected him ringing the
changes I'm like manner on several other
words From which | inferred that he
was not altogether as fair and above
board with us as he wished us TO be-
lieve. felt half disposed 10 seize an
early opportunity 10 mention the matter
10 Mr.. Austin: but then, on the other
hand | reflected that NJ. lie Breton could
hardly have any possible reasori for at
tempting TO deceive us in any way, and
SO for the moment the matter passed
out of my mind
Al length our visitor bowed himself
down over the side, throwing one last
lingering look round our decks as he did
so. and in another Ave minutes was once
more on board his own ship. which. hoist
ing up her boat. filled her main topsail
and with a dip OF her ensign by way OF
"good by" resumed her course.
THANK heaven I've got rid Of the fell
low at last " exclaimed Captain Vernon
with a laugh, when the brig was once
more fairly under weigh HE has pumped
me dry; such an inqufsitive individual
think never In my life encountered be-
fore. But I fancy rnat have sue
ceeded in persuading him that he will
do no good by hanging about the coast
hereabouts We want no Frenchmen 10
help us with our WORK; and | gave him
so very discouragng an account OF the
state OF things here, that / expect they
will take a trip northward after looking
into the river"
We continued running off the land for
the remainder OF that day the whole OF
the following night, and up TO noon next
day. with a breeze which sent US along,
under topsails only. at rate OF about six
knots an hour. On the following day. at
six bells In the forenoon watch (1l a. M.
the lookout aloft reported a something
which he took TO be floating wreckage.
about three points on the port bow; and
Mr. Smellie our second lieutenant at
once went aloft TO the foretopmast-cross-
trees TO have a look at II through his tele-
scope A single glance sufiiced TO ac-
quaint him with the fact that the OBJ
feet which was about six miles distant,
was raft with people upon II, who were
making such signals as II was In their
power 20 make with the object OF at
tracting our attention. Upon the receipt
OF This news on deck, Captain Vernon
at once ordered the ships course 10 be
altered to the direction OF the raft.
gun being fired and the ensign run up
TO the gaff-end at the same time.
II was n trihe past noon when the
Daphne rounded 90 about a hundred yards
10 windward OF the raft mad sent away
n boat 10 pick up those upon H. II was
a wretched makeshift structure. COM
posed Of spar or TIVE. some half burned
hencoops. and a few pieces OF charred
bulwark- planking: and was 80 small that
there was scarcely room on Il for the