Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-21

high on the coral reef. She
Spanish steamship, built in Italy,
and had made the run many times between
Havana and the Mediterranean ports. She
had run with an easy company, and many
passengers had changed their countries IN
her; for she had been crack packet in her
day and her day had passed, joining the vast
host of limitless time
From distance the black hull doomed
large and sinister, a long iron mass standing
out clearly in the surrounding whteness OF
coral and foam. Closer observation showed
the rusty plates, the painless cabin houses,
remained Her two rakish tunnels stood
slantwise holding their places by the aid
of rusty guys, the chains and all valuable
metal work having long ago been stripped
from her. And so she lay as the Buccaneer,
a wrecking schooner from Nassau, came
slowly across the bank.
The rays of the setting sun shone strongly
upon the iron hull, and the crew of the
schooner gazed at her from various positions
of ease and lassitude; for the day had been
hot and sultry and the air filled with a
brassy colored humidity that was as thick
as heavy haze on the horizon. The master
of the wrecker was a Spaniard. He was
a good looking fellow, bronzed and fine
featured, and his black hair streaked
with gray. Heavy lines in his face suggested
suffering rather than exposure, although his
vocation was rigorous enough.
The master had gazed for fully quarter
of an hour at the wreck as the vessel famed
along before the light breeze, when his mate
addressed him.
Shall we get the gear ready, sir? l got a
box of Atlas powder and twenty fathom OF
fuse with expoders.
Yes, get what you need in the small
boat" said the master absently. "You can
haul down the jib and let 60 when you're
ready Give her not more than four tathoms;
for we won't stay here 1ong-looks like it's
coming on bad, and the glass is falling. The
bank isn't safe this time of year. We ought
to get into some pocket and tie up" The
master spoke absently, still gazing at the
wreck and the mate noted it.
She doesn't look much like what she did
when you had her, SIR, said he.
What, the Stella Polare?"
Yes, sir, and it wasn't so long ago either.
like Yesterday when you ran her into Havana
for her last voyage under the old charter.
When you're ready with the small boat
with you, said the Captain, still gazing at the
hull.
Anchoring with the fore and mainsails sti
the small boat went slowly into the bay.
was little or no surf on the lee of the bank, al
party landed without difficulty. Then they
carrying their outfit to the wreck They
break her up, stripping the plates from her sic
old iron and tearing apart the most valuable p
of her engines to sell at Key West. 1t was
that the men who had been there before thel
declined as improbable, for it required consid
work to strip the plates and the engines wer
rusted in the half submerged hull. At high
there was little of value uncovered in her hold
the wrecking crew had not been successful
season. and it was case of getting what they
Wrecks had been few, and the sponging ind
which all wreckers of the bank usually follow
the summer and hurricane season, had paid
returns Dynamite was expensive to use;
was just as we'll to explode a part of it as to h
spoil on their hands. They could still keep e
for few loads of fish, for the law of the re,
IL ,orI to h r1,
sives, and they were far away from any pryins
The crew carried sledges and hydraulic
with a spare tackle or two, and the mate CARR
explosive. They reached the high side whe
dry sand had banked against it, and one b
mounted to the deck, the Captain going af
gazing at the old hulk in an absent manner
was long ship, and he walked the entire len
her deck until he reached the taffrail. Th