The sun. (Jacksonville, Fla.) 1905-1908, 1906-01-13

sent out two orpedoboats and tug and after about
three hours they managed to get us off,"
And you are now in harborY'
Yes But the reason I've called il to ask YOU
to do me favor and write me letter of thanks in
Italian to the Admiral, and one to the Captain of the
Port-polite letters that can copy and send to them
You know the kind OF thing"
Certainly" | replied, the interested in him
on account of the curious suspicion that the port
authorities seemed to entertain He was evidently
gentleman, and after | had been with him ten min
utes | secuted the idea that he had endeavored to
cast away the Lola.
| took down a couple of sheets of paper and
scrubbed the drafts of two letters couched in the
most elegant phruseoogy, rs is customary when adj
dressing Italian oiicialdom.
Fortunately, I left my wife in England, she
would have been terribly frightened" he remarked
presently There was a nasty wind blowing all
night, and the fool of captain seemed to add to
peril by every order he gave"
"You are alone thenY'
81 have friend with me-" was the answer.
And how many of the crew thcre'"
Sixteen, all TODD"
"Engsh ! suppose"
"Not all. | find French and Italians are more
sober than English, and better behaved in port"
| examined him critically he sat facing me,
and the fact of his desire to send thanks to the
authorities convinced that he was wcll-brcd
gentleman. lie was about forty-fve, with merry,
round goodnatured face, red with the southern sun,
blue eyes, and short fair beard His countenanCc
essentially that of a devoted to opcn.ar
sport for it slightly furrOwcd and weather
meaten as true yachtsmans should be. His speech
refined and cultivated and rs chatted he gave
the impression that enthusiastic lover of the
sea, he had cruised the Mediterranean many times
from Gibraltar up to Smyrna. He had, however,
before put into leghOrn.
After we had arranged that his captain should
come to me in the afternoon and make u formal
report OF the accident went out together across
the white sunny piazza to Nasi's, the wclknown
pastry cooks where it is the habit of the Livorncsc
to take their ante-lunchcOn vcrmouth.
The more saw Of IIornby, the more ! liked him.
He was chatty and witty. and treated his accident
huge joke.
"We shall be here quite week ! suppose" he
said we were taking our vermouth "Were on
our way down to the Greek Islands, as my friend
Charter wants to them. The engineer says there's
something strained that we must get .mended. But
by the way" he added, "why don't you dine with
on board tonight? DO. We can give you a few
English things that may be change to YOU"
This invitation gladly accepted for two reasons
One was because the suspicious Of the Captain of the
Port had aroused my curiosity, and the other was
because had, honestly speaking, taken great fancy
to Horribly
The captain of the Lola, short thickset Scots.
from Dundee, with u barely healed cicatrice
across his left cheek, called Mt the Consulate Mt 2
o'clock and made his report, which appeared to me
to be very lame one. He struck me M being nm.
worthy his certificate, for he evidently entirely
out Of his bearings when the accident occurred. The
owner ana ms 1rlend tnarter were IN their bertlS
asleep when suddenly he discovered that the vessel
was making Roadway. They had in fact, run
upon the dangerous shoal without being aware OF it,
strong running with stiff breeze, and
although his seamanship was poor, ne capable
enough to recognize at once that they in very
perilous position,
"Very fortunate il wasn't more serious, sir" he
added, after telling me his story which wrote at
his dictation for the ultimate benefit Of the Board
OF Trade
Didn't you send up signals Of DISTRESS" in.
qured.
"No, sir-never thought OF It,"
"And yet you knew that You might be lost?'
remarked with recurring suspicion.
The canny Scot whose was Macintosh
hestated few moments, then answered:
"Well, sir, you see the fishing boat had sighted
us, and we saw her turning back to port to fetch
help"
His excuse neat one Probably it was his
neglect to make signals Of distress that had aroused
the suspicious of the Captain Of the Port From first
to last the story Of the master OF the Lola was,
considered. a very unsatisfactory one.