Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1912-10-17
CHAPTER XVIII.

CHAPTER XVIII.
In Which a Reception Is Called OF.
Far out on the Pacific coast there
are two small islands, perhaps hun
dred miles distant from one another.
The first of these is uninhabited. On
the other is little colony of English
speaking people, half-breed descend
ants of native women and the surviv-
ors of crew from British vessel
the eighteenth century.
On the first of these islands, the
smaller one, the Sea Mist had been
wrecked Driven out of her course by
a typhoon, she staggered through day
after day and night after night of
terrific wind and storm until, at last,
there was promise of fair weather.
Captain Nat, nearly worn out from
anxiety, care, and the loss of sleep,
had gone to his stateroom and the
first mate was in charge. 1t was three
o'clock, the wind still blowing and the
darkness pitchy, when the forward
lookout shrieked warning, Breakers
under the lee!" Almost the next in
slant the ship was on coral reef,
full of water, and the seas breaking
over her from stem to stern.
Morning came and showed a little
patch of land, with palm trees and
tropical vegetation waving in the
gusts and green in the sunshine Cap
tain Nat ordered the boats to be low
cred. Much as he hated the thought,
he saw that the Sea Mist had made
her last voyage and must be aban-
doned. He went to the cabin, col
lected papers and charts and prepared
to leave The ships money, over ten
thousand dollars in gold belonging to
the owner and to be used in trade
and speculation among the East In
dies, he took with him. Then the
difficult and dangerous passage
through the opening in the reef was
begun.
Only the captains boat reached the
shore. The mates was caught by 4
huge breaker, dashed against the reef
and sunk. Captain Nat, his second
mate and five of his men were all that
was left Of the Sea Mist's company
And on that island they remained for
nearly two weeks. Provisions they
had brought ashore with them. Wa
ter they found by digging. Nat hid
the gold at night, burying it on the
beach below high-water mark.
hOr 4
cation by consulting the chart, he de-
termined to attempt a voyage to the
second island, where he knew the
English colony to be. Provisions were
getting short, and to remain longer
where they were was to risk starva.
/ ton and all it's horrors. So, in the
1 longboat, which was provided with a
sail. they started Charts and papers
and the gold the skipper took with
them. None of the crew knew of the
existence of the money; 1t was Sc
cret which the captain kept to him.
self.
A hundred miles they sailed in the
longboat and, at last, the second isl.
and was sighted. They landed and
found, to their CONSERVATION and sur.
prise. that it, too, was uninhabited
The former residents had grown tired
of their isolation and, a trading yes
sci having touched there, had seized
the opportunity to depart for Tahiti
Their houses were empty, their cat
tie, sheep. goats, and fowl roamed
wild in the woods, and the fruit was
rotting on the trees. In its way the
little island was an Eveless Eden,
flowing with milk and honey; but to
Captain Nat, conscientious skipper
with responsibilities to his owners, it
was prison from which he deter.
mined to escape. Then, as ii to make
escape impossible. a sudden gale came
up and the longboat was smashed by
the surf
Il guess that settles It," ruefully
observed the second mate, another
Cape Colder, from Hyannis "Cal'late
We'll stay here for spell now, hey,
Cap'n."
For a spell, yes" replied Nat.
Well stay hare until We get another
craft % se4 SAT- IN, and no longers
another craft? Another one?
Where in time you goin' to get her?"
Build her." said Captain Nat cheer.
fully. Then. pointing to the row of
empty houses and the little deserted
church, he added, There's timber and
nails-yes. and cloth, such as tits. If
can't build boat out of them I'll
agree to eatsthe whole settlement"
He did not have to eat it, for the
boat was built 1t took them six
months to build her, and she was a
curious-looking vessel when done, but,
as the skipper said. "She may not be
clipper, but she'll satl anywhere. II
you give her time enough" He had