Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-05-22

night the WlnQ aDACeQ COIlSIuSTdDlJp
and we had some sleep. At daybreak
the sea was comparatively smooth, and
it was on that eighth day after leaving
the wreck that there happened one Of
the most remarkable boat races L ever
knew.
CAS- the light strengthened our range
Of vision became more extensive and
suddenly a great shout awOke the
watch below. We sprang up, thinking
of collision, or land, or, indeed, any
thing other than the reality.
About two miles on our starboard
bow there lay a semi-dismantled ship,
deep in the sea, and evidently quite
helpless.
For her the skipper instantly shaped
a course, and all eyes eagerly awaited
some sign Of life on board the stran-
ger.
"'She's abandoned said the mate.
"'What is she?' inquired the skip
per.
French replied the chief.
"I believe So
But Immediately after the words
were spoken the mate yelled fit to wake
the dead, and pointed towards a large
vessel lying about three miles under
our lee, while between her and the
Frenchman was a large boat pulling
rapidly towards the wreck.
1.-THE excitement of the mate was
intense.
"'Look at that boat, men' cried he.
If those chaps get aboard that dere-
lict we'll lose as fine a salvage as
ever dropped across our hawse. What
say ye?-it is only a matter Of half
an hours hard pull
with a hearty compliance, we dou-
ble-banked the oars, while both mates
helped all they knew, and even the
old man became highly excited in the
contest.
"The strange boat was slipping along
at a rare pace; but you must remem-
Der that twenty-five men were crowded
into ours, and only about half those
could find room to pull, while our oppo-
nents were flying light and hadn't been
starving on one biscuit a day.
Bully, boys! Stick to it, cried
the mate. We'll all be happy to-mor-
row and there's plenty of grub on
board the Frenchee. Easy starboard-
pull port
"And with that the skipper took us
along in the ship-shape style
I'm q moment the mate was on her
deck cheering and laughing like boy
and singing out to the strange crew
that we were much obliged, but didn't
require their services.
81 firmly believe they thought we
were ghosts, till the mate began to
yell. You see, they couldn't under
stand where we had come from, so sud-
den-like, there being no vessel visible,
only theirs and the prize. Anyhow,
they asked SO many questions that we
were obliged to reply; and then they
went away, singing out about Smart
Yankees!' and other rubbish, till the
mate fairly laughed at them.
"That is how we won a prize Of
two hundred and fifty thousand dollars,
and 1 don't suppose such a windfall
is ever likely to come my way again"
But how did you get her home,
Jim?" l asked.
"Home" cried he. I'VE didn't go
home, but took her safely into Ber-
muda, and from there found a passage
home in a steamer.
"She was a Frenchee, homeward
bound, with a valuable East India car
go. With care and several spare spars,
we rugged some jury-masts and took
her safely to an anchorage, as 1 said.
'Of course, there was a deal Of law
over the salvage; but at last the case
was fairly settled. I got tidy bit for
my share, and with that set my wife
up in a little grocery store, where she
finds deal to occupy her time, while
I'm at sea.'-GOlden Days.
uA I'D nnENm nrTE ATTTNATOD