The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1916-04-20


to sink the hull or let her drift. We had
no explosives with which to blow her to
pieces and she seemed too wet to burn very
fast. 1t was finally decided to return to
our own vessel and let Wallace try few
shots with the three ounder. We first
broke open all the matches, and after cover
ing the dead seaman with some canvas, we
pulled off to the yacht and told Wallace
what we thought should be done.
'Sure thing" said he, 81 can sink her.
He brought several rounds of ammunition
for his quick-hrer, and after loading and
swinging his gun, he let fly at the hulk
Now, three FOUNDER is not big gun.
but it has considerable push behind the
projectiles it discharges. The first shot
ripped hole in the hull just above the
water. Our gunner gave cheerful grin
and said, "Ah, l have not forgotten my
naval training Five shots were fired in
to the hulk before she showed signs of
sinking. But when once she started to
take water, she went down fast Our meet
ing and the destruction of the derelict to-
gether with the latitude and longitude, was
recorded in our yachts log. After satisfy
ing ourselves that the derelict would 90
down in short time we resumed our course
towards Pateete.
We had enjoyed very fine weather since
leaving Panama and were in hopes that it
would continue; but in this we were dis
appointed. On the ninth day out, the
barometer began to 60 down. The fall
was very slow during the day, and we did
not pay great deal of attention to it. But
at midnight l was awakened by Babcock
who was on watch.
"Come and take a look at the glass
Frank, l guess the bottom has dropped OUT
was the joyful news with which he aroused
me.
| | hurried out on deck and flashed light
on the barometer and then took a sniff of
the wind. What the barometer should and
what the wind told my nose caused me to
get busy.
| wake Wallace up and tell him to get
everything snug for gale, for we are
going to have one that will be hummer
Babcock did as told him, and in few
minutes, Wallace, with the help of Bah
cock and Jackson had everything fastened
down. Jackson and Smith went to the en-
| gine-room while Babcock, Wallace and |
stayed on deck. Wallace had taken the
wheel, and there was nothing to do but
wait for what three of us at least, knew was
coming. We had not long to wait, for the
wind had died down and there was a calm
| for about twenty minutes. Then there
came signing sound and the next minute
we were in full grown gale.
The wind was from the northeast and
when it struck us, it forgot how to sigh; it
was one continuous roar; and with it came
rain. For a while it looked as though we
were at the end OF our journey. The force
of the wind and rain seemed to beat down
the waves and keep them from rising; but
not for long. We altered our course in
order to bring the wind on the port quarter
and in this way hoped to get as far away
from the center of the storm as possible.
The gale stayed with US for about eigh-
teen hours, before it showed signs OF blow
ing itself out; and just when we were be-
ginning to congratulate each other on our
escape the starboard engine broke down.
Running on one propeller made steering a
very difficult job; but as there was still
heavy sea running there was nothing left
for us to do but keep moving Had we
tried to swing around and Law to with our
head to the sea, we would very likely have
been swamped.
The third day after the gale struck US we
sighted an island of considerable size, but
as we had been unable to take an observa-
ton for nearly four days, we had no way
of knowing what island it was, nor had we
any idea of our position. AS the
ladies were feeling the effects of the gale
and our engine needed repairs, we decided
to run in under the lee side of the island
and look for an anchorage. The course
was altered and after short run, we found
a agOOn III WHICH tne wafer SEEMED qulte
calm. The lagoon was almost completely
enclosed by coral reef, on the seward
side, and it took sometime to find an open
ing through which we could enter. When
an opening was found, there was some
doubt about the depth of water covering it;
so Wallace, Babcock aud Smith volunteered
to go in with the tender and take sound
ings. Right there l patted myself n
the back because l was single man. The
tender was swung out and just as the three
boys we're going to climb aboard to be
lowered away, their wives rushed out on
deck and ried to stop them. There
really was no danger, but what is the use of
trying to reason with a woman? Wallace,
however, was boss as far as his wife was
concerned; and in order to keep our yacht