The Springdale news. [volume] (Springdale, Ark.) 1887-1990, 1909-02-03


like a banner over the Pacific,
across whose depths the trade
wind droned in measured cadence. On
the oceans wide expanse a hulk wal
lowed sluggshly, the forgotten relict
of once brave and slightly ship, pos
sfbly the sphinx of some untold ocean
tragedy. she lay black and forbidding
in the ordered procession of waves
Half mile TO the east of the derelict
lowered a ships cutter the turn of her
crews heads speaking expectancy. AS
far again beyond, the United States
cruiser Wolverine outlined her severe
and trim silhouette against the hori-
zon. In all the spread of wave and
sky no other thing was visible. For
this was one of the desert parts of the
Pacific, 800 miles north of the steam
ship route from Yokohama to Honolu-
lu, 500 miles from the nearest land.
Gardner island, and more than 700
northwest of the Hawaiian group.
On the cruisers quarter deck the of
fieers lined the starboard rail. Their
interest was focused on the derelict.
Looks like heavy job said Ives.
one of the junior lieutenants. These
foaters that lie with deck almost
awash will stand more hammering
than a mud fort
"Wish they'd let us put some six
inch shells into her." said Billy Ed
wards, the ensign, a wistful express
sion on his big, round, cheerful face.
I'D like to see what they would do"
Nothing but waste few hundred
dollars of your Uncle Sans money"
observed Carter, the officer of the deck.
1T takes placed charges inside and
out for that kind of work
Barnett Is the man for her then"
said Ives. Hes no economist when
II comes to getting results. There she
goes.'
Without any particular haste, as 1t
seemed TO the watchers, the hulk was
some hidden leviathan. Its outlines
melted into black, outshowering
mist. and from that mist leaped a
giant Up, up, he lowered. tossed
whirling arms a hundred feet abranch,
shiyered aud dissolved into wide
spread cataract. The water below
was dashed into fury. In the midst of
which mighty death agony beat back
the troubled waves of the trade wind.
Only then did the muffied double boom
of the explosion reach the ears of the
spectators, presently to be followed by
whispering. swift skimming wavelet
that swept irresistibly across the big
ger surges and Tapped the ships side.
as for message that the work was
done.
Here and there in the sea CLINT of
silver, patch of purple or duh red or
glistening apparition of black show
ed where the unintended victims of
the explosion, the gay hued open sea
fish of the warm waters had sue
cumbed to the force OF the shock. OF
the intended victim there was no sign
save few fragments of wood bobbing
In a swirl OF water
When Barnett, the ordnance officer
IA charge Of the destruction, returned
to the ship Carter complimented him.
Good clean job, Barnett She was
tough customer too"
What was sheT' asked Ives
The Caroline Lemp, three masted
schooner. Any one know about herr"
Ives turned to the ships surgeon.
Trendon, a grizzled and brief spoken
veteran, who had at his fingers tips
al the lore of all the waters under the
reign of tho moon
What does the information bureau
Of the seven seas know about it,
Lost three years ago-sprlng OF 1901
got into ice field off the tip of the
Aleutians. Some of the crew froze
Others got ashore. Part Of survivors
accounted for. Others not Say
they've turned native Don't know
myself"
.'The Aleutians" exclaimed Billy Ed
wards. Great cats! What a drift.
How many thousand miles would that
be-"
Not as far as many another derelict
has wandered in her time son." said
Barnett.
The talk washed back and forth
across the hulks of classic sea mys-
teries new and old; Of the City OF