The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1915-03-04
The Mystery Of
the Pelican
A Story of the Sea During
Wartime.
By F. A. mitchell

Julia Gowan sailed from New York for
Genoa, Italy. She was an English bot
tom, owned by Americans and con-
verified after the great European war
broke out to a United States vessel.
She carried cargo of copper. Wheth-
er it was intended for Italy or was to
be forwarded to a country engaged In
war 1 never knew, but did know that
copper was in great demand for the
manufacture of ammunition. And l
further knew that, although we were
sailing under the stars and stripes, our
captain was constantly on the lookout
for war vessels, though / am not sure
whether at that time copper had been
declared cOntraband of war.
We steered a course south Of that
usually taken by ships bound for the
Mediterranean in order to take as lit
tie risk as possible. There are few
vessels to be met with on that part Of
the worlds waters, and we did not
speak ship till we were in longitude
80 degrees 40 minutes west, latitude %
degrees 20 minutes north, and then we
spoke a vessel we came upon because
she had been abandoned.
She was small steamer Of about
800 tons. Our captain, after satisfying
himself that he could get no reply to
signals, sent me aboard Of her with a
dozen men to examine her and report.
I found her in good order, but the only
living thing aboard was dog. He was
dying of hunger, but considered that
he could not have been left there very
long or he would doubtless have died,
for 1 could not find any indications
that food had been left for him.
I went below to have a look at the
cargo and found the hold full Of rifles
The machinery seemed to be In good
working order, and there was trace
of fire left in the furnace. The only
thing wanting was the ifeboats.
saw no reason why she should not be
taken into port as prize. signaled
the captain, telling him what I had
found, and he came aboard to have a
look at the ship and cargo himself.
We concluded that the vessel had
sighted man of war and that the
crew, expecting capture. had concluded
to get away themselves. There were
several ways by which they might
have escaped-in a fog OF by boarding
faster vessel than the pursuer. The
absence of the ships boats tended to
confirm this theory.
The captain concluded to try to get
the vessel into port as prize. If she
could be taken to Europe her cargo
would be very valuable, but of course
there was danger of capture by war
vessels, for there was no doubt that
cargo of rifles was cOntraband Of war.
Anyway, the captain directed me to re-
me, including an engineer that he
would send me, and ordered me to try
to get the ship to either a Spanish or
q Portuguese port. If I could get far
enough north to reach the western
coast of France, better still, but he adj
vised me not to try for France unless
I was chased and saw chance to es-
cape in that direction.
Since there was fuel for power and
food for a prize crew there was moth
ing to be sent me except the engineer.
Soon after his arrival the fires were
relighted, and, steam having been gen
Grated, we parted with the Gowan,
r
and the next morning she was out OF
sight.
I found that our prize-her name was
the Pelican-was faster ship than
might have been expected from her
size. She could do fifteen knots an
hour. There were flags Of all nations
aboard, which was not surprising, con-
sidering that she was carrying a con-
traband cargo. Indeed, there was every
indication that she had been taking big
risks.
One unexpected discovery was made
there had been a woman aboard.
We found in stateroom we supposed
to have been intended for the captain
lot Of feminine paraphernalia. Think
ing that in this room I might find
something that would throw light on
the case, made a careful search.
found nothing except crumpled bit
Of writing paper on which had been
written in woman's hand:
Father-Why am locked in my room!
I am frightfully worried about you. Some
thing must have happened. I will try to
get this to you, but don't know how.
HELEN.
There was just enough in this to be
tantalizing. Who was "fatherW And
who was Helen? She had evidently
not been able to send her message and
had crumpled it and thrown it into one
Of the drawers.
/ would have proceeded at once to
look for further evidence, but at the
time discovered this message was
called On deck by the watch, who had
sighted a line Of smoke on the star
board quarter. / kept on the same
course till the steamer came near
enough for me to see with glass that
she was a cruiser, though she display
ed no flag; then / put the ship due
north, which would place the cruiser
astern. She was evidently coming for
me, for she increased rapidly in size.
I put on all steam, but the cruiser
must have been making from three to