The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1911-08-05
SAVED BY A SERPENT

SAVED BY A SERPENT
story Of the Sea, AIongside of Which
the Ancient Mariners Tale Needs
No Salt
The one-time battleship Pensacola
lay in the Horse Latitudes becalmed
says the Ten Stories Magazine. Not a
breath of air stirred her canvas, which
hung limp and fiabby from the yards
The only motion was the long grad
slowly to starboard. then back TO por,
on the deepest swells. The blocks
creaked dismally and the slack crew
ropes tapped occasionally against the
canvas with a loud report. The deck
was dry a bone, and the pitch bot1-
ed out from between the planks as il
it were in a heated caldron.
The captain was in his bath tub TAX
ing his customary long afternoon "sies-
ta," absorbing fresh water cooled by
vaporizat ton, in an endeavor to keeI
from being shriveled from the sultry
heat. The door which led into his
stateroom was open, also the door
leading on into the ca bin. The win
dows of the. large stern ports had beer
removed, so that there was nothing tt
obstruct his view out upon the silen
sea.
On deck the crew were in no sucf
state of listless comfort. They had NJ
water in which to soak themselves: in
deed, there was scarcely enough Il
drink, and the terrible fear of week
piled upon weeks becalmed' in tha
idle ocean held their faces drawn ant
white. They stood about the bulwark
gazing anxiously skyward for the fain
sign of a Mares Tail
The mate spoke up: "Hans Hansen
they tell me you were born at Hamer
fest. Is that right?'
AYE, sir" answered Hans weakly
Then you go and sit on the bin
nacfe stand looking sol'west and whis
tie the best tune you've got in tha
square head of yours. II nothins
shows up by the second dog watch ge
into the fore peaks with Skyjarsen."
AYE, aye sir said Hans as h,
climbed the pinnacle stand. His tun.
was bit strained and Sremulous. 70
his heart was clutched in fear of TIN
fore-peaks. Since Skyjarsen had faile,
he entertained little hope. The merr,
air he tried to whistle sounded. ami,
the rasping IF the blocks and flappin.
of slack ropes, more like a dirge to TIL
dead than a bonny tune for fai
wind.
OF sudden the eager faces on decl
turned ghaStly gray: something hug
and green rose from the water an
quarter. Hans fell off the binnacl
and landed on deck with a thud Th
ship seemed to stop swaying, the bloc,
ceased to creak and all was as still
as death. The mate went over an
peered into the sea, but could see moth
ing. The water spread away to tn
horizon, thick, CLASSY. unbroken.
THAT settles it, said he turning re
signedly to the rest, Eve are in tn
edge of the Saragossa sea shi
was never known to get out. Tha
monster out there is the one the oil
shippers say is always found in thes
waters waiting to crawl through tn
hatchways and chase the crew over
board"
I've heard tell, sir, that the Sara
gossa sea floats around and even tn
best of them can't tell how close the
are until they're In It," said one of tn
men, greatly agitated.
This conversation took place amid
| ships in subdued tones; so enrapt wer
| they that no one perceived what too
place under the stern of the vesst
| until they heard the captain Shrek
| ing in an agonfzed voice for help. Th
stern of the vessel began to jun
about as IL it were cork, and til
timbers could be heard to strain. as
about to burst.
This aroused the crew to actor
| They were in danger of being cast int
| the sea. The mate ran to the Sterl
| and looking over the staff-rail sa
| 100 feet of green scales beating tf
water into a maelstrom. The hair ros
stiff upon his head and he sprang bac
in horror. Several of the sailors star
ed down the cabin hatchway, intendin
to investigate the cause of the cal
| tains frenzied cries. but they wei
confronted with a convulsive mass
get back on deck. All hands were 4
a panic.
The great scaly monster had peere
in at the stern ports and, seeing IL
captains head and shoulders protru,
ing above the edge of the tub, iammt
it's huge head through the port in
the cabin and stretched its carcass
through the state room to the vel
edge of the tub in a mighty effort
reach him. The great horny fin upt
its back caught on the timber abo'
the port holeN@ad it could enter no fu
ther, strive a. might. At least
hundred feet Off remained in the w
ter astern of the ship and in it's e
J tail began to disturb the calm of Il
sea in a frightful manner
At the first flop of the tail the ca
, tain opened his eyes and stared in
the gaping mouth all hung with bi
of seaculp and dripping slime. Ty
} convulsing feelers reached for him al
all but touched him as he reclined. Fl
eyes nearly. darted from their socket
his blood froze in spite of the heat
, paroNysm seized his brain: with
iagonized shrek he fell backward fain
ing into the water. where he almo
drowned before it revived him T
serpent hissed and spewed salt wat
into his face. struggling desperate
, to stretch few feet further. It seer
ed of no mind to give up the cherish
! morsel and under the powerful DR.
pulsion of its tail in the water the sh