Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1907-02-13

T.
ting grewsomc fancy range and pic
turc these two Wasps meeting some
where on a lonely sen - those two
alonc-aud fighting each other until no
vestigc OF either remained to tell the
tale. or perhaps some other strange
Fate overlook them. and. caught i'm the
endless eddies OF the Sargasso sea.
those two Wasps are even now float
inS side by side. from the gan OF one
dropping the moldering shreds OF the
red cross o. England and from the
other few shreds OF what were once
the stars and stripes"
VERY pretty idea" said the pay
master. land much more romantic
than 70 simply suppose that they were
both capsized and went down with all
hands"
But il they had SO capsized." re
torted the first lieutenant. would IL
not have been likely that some bit OF
wreckage. some boat or piece Of n
boat. something about the decks.
should have been left floating about
for other ships 10 pick up and thus
give clew 10 their fate? II II had
been only one ship the wonder would
not have been SO great. but here were
two good sized men-of-war. both last
seen in the track OF merchant vessels
In well frequented seas and both droD-
ping or the face Of the waters almost
simultaneously and not a vestige Of
either ever seen-picked up-and both
named the Wasp. and both sailing out
Of a Portsmouth as their last home
port 10 the port OF the missing Wasps."
We'll" said the captain OF the ma
rines, the case Of the two Wasps was
the most extraordinary one Of the sort.
l think. recorded in naval annals. but
there have been many other ships.
some OF them ncn-of-war. too. which
have sailed from port and never been
seen 10y mortal eyes after they passed
out beyond the harbor's mouth.
There was the thirty-six gun frigate
InsurSeat. captured IN our little war
with France and taken into our navy.
IN July 1900. manned by q crew OF
400 men under Captain Patrick Fetch
or. the InsurSent sailed from Philadel-
phia under orders TO cruise of the
coast I'm the track Of merchantmen GO
ing from the West Indies 10 France.
From the time that that splendid frig-
ate passed out 10y the capcs Of the
Chesapeake 10 this day no word OF her
has ever come back. though she went
70 cruise in q sea sw1rIning with ship
ping"
And I would add 20 tho list OF those
American mcn-of-war which have
shared the fate OF the two Wasps and
the Insurgcut." remarked n lieutenant.
'the eighteen gun corvet Saratoga and
The fourteen gun brig Pickering
The Saratoga sailed from pliadeI-
phia early in October Of 1TSO and OF
the coast took several prizes. which
the appearance OF British ship or the
line forced her TO abandon. She was
then OF tlc capCs of Delaware. but
She made 30 port. From the time She
was seen hurrying away from tile Brit
iSh ship Of tho line tin now she has
never been sighted. There was gale
the following day. but the Saratoga
had often 7yeathercd gales Of more
power and no piece of wrccka-e from
her was ever washed ashore on tho
coast near which she was last seen.
The Pickering left port q month
$3.50 "--'N. v-Dc-S 10
S,' ''',e "a 'Ne 'ic'Hl'y Oh Ou2deloupe.
", ~. -" ''ic s''--c l''I' rs lue Two
-, ~ .-7'.' sen anu '-e S'r'Jo-
49, -.. va" $50 ''e' 81 s--'''eu "ller she
CI,-l.-,. eS', o.. '-N '-1 c"PeS OF me
..-rbese s,,,...,.. ....
.--,ot -, =, -, ~. s,1.-eS "a inc
Ivbo a., or,. 80. -, '',('l' ,.-U we
nor bnt stor5 b., -, - - - 60
tber, II ,Tn -. 80 ''"e "a
mad os ,bo -. - =
sural, tho s,ii,. g.. -, ~, -
stItio1 = ,o+ -, I.'..-. ga
Iiavo Ms, p, -. 80 w.
us irorirc a. -, 81. -
,,,o,,-,s-,,..- ,,-r.tl,. 80 ~ -
ana never returned are Stlil somewhere
"Hoal III the SargaSSo sen. II You Will
~ 'Le nrS' lieutenant has suggested
- = I'i ~ l.o.' l'r inc Two W"sps. And
WouiD II nov oe 81 pretty superstition
- - S 80 ,''''i'S' LOT an Know Il
- - 80 10y go '',''et 10! our ir.encs
-. 60 " o1-U q. -o' 'e
as the old legend OF ENGLAND was +b,+
some day Arthur and his KNIGHTS
should come again IT, rescue England
in her direst need. some d9v. IN the
hour of Americas greatest need. all
these lost ships VIII coma sailing in
again 10 fight her battles MS they
fought them Of yore:'
"Humnh" said 4 yOung lieutenant