Lincoln County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1911-1919, 1913-11-27

over her from stem to stern.
Morning came and showed 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
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 1t on the
beach below high-water mark.
Then, having made sure of his To-
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-
tion and all its horrors. So, in the
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; it was a Sc
cret which the captain kept to him
self
A hundred miles they sailed in the
longboat and, at last. the second ISL
| 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 tc
Captain Nat, conscientious skipper
with responsibilities to his owners. II
was prison from which he deter
mined to escape. Then, as If to make
escape impossible, a sudden gale came
up and the longboat was smashed by
the surf.
Il guess that settles It," ruefulll
observed the second mate, anothel
Cape Colder, from Hyannis. "Cal'lat'
we'n stay here for a spell now. hey
Capn."
For a spell. yes" replied Nat
We'll stay here until we get anothe
craft to set sail in. and no longer"
Another craft? Another one
Where in time you goin to get her?
Build her." said Captain Nat cheer
fully. Then. pointing to the row o
empty houses and the little deserte
church, he added. There's timber an
nails-yes. and cloth. such as It's.
| can't build a boat out of them II
agree to eat the whole settlement"
He did not have to eat 1t. for tn
boat was built. 1t took them 81
months to build her. and she was
curious-looking vessel when done. bu
as the skipper said. "She may not b
clipper. but she'll sail anywhere.
you give her time enough" He ha
been the guiding spirit of the Who'll
enterprise. planning 1t. laying the kee
burning buildings to obtain nails an
iron. hewing trees for the large:
beams. showing them how to spi