Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1917-08-03
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The Deserted :
Ship :
} She Came Into Cape Cod :
In Good Condition !
By F. A. mitchell
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BY F. A. mitchell

Captain Barnickel ceased going to
sea with the close Of the year 1914 and
retired to his home on Cape Cod. He
had built that home on the seashore
and could look upon the ocean and the
ships rounding the cape or standing
far out to sea. In summer he would
either be sitting in wicker chair on
his porch or pacing to and fro, as had
been his habit on the bridge. In either
case no was not far from an old fash
Toned glass that he had used many
years before at sea.
One morning-it was the second sum-
mer after the captain had retired from
sea life-he was pacing the porch
when, seeing a sail approaching, he
stopped his walk and stood looking out
on her with his body bent forward and
his hands clasped behind him, in ex-
actly the same position that he had
done the same thing at sea many a
time before. Then, turning about he
went for his glass, supported on pair
Of brackets against the front Of the
house, and, taking 1t down, leveled it
on the vessel.
1t was q schooner under half sail.
There was a light wind, and she came
along slowly. Now and again she
would luff up into the wind, remain
stationary for a short while, then,
catching the breeze, move forward
again.
Looks as II there was no one at the
helm" remarked the captain to him
self.
He lowered his glass for awhile,
raising 1t again when the schooner had
drawn nearer. This time he could see
her decks plainly, and not a person
could be seen on them.
That's very strange" said the cap
tain.
1t certainly was the strangest sight
Captain Barnickel had ever seen-a
full rugged ship sailing before the wind
with not person on deck, not even a
helmsman. Nor was there sign of any
person In the hold below or In the rig
glng.
The vessel was moving parallel to
the shore. Had she not she would have
been beached. When she came oppo-
site the Barnlckel home she luffed up
into the wind and remained station
airy. The observer had a good look at
her. She seemed to be in perfect con-
dition except that her boats were gone.
That she was at the mercy Of the
winds and the waves was evident. II
there were persons aboard of her they
were certainly below, but there was
not the slightest sign OF any one above
or below.
By this time the vessel was observed
by other persons than the captain.
Laying aside his glass, he walked to
his gate and thence down to an inlet
where there were boats. Taking one Of
them, he took aboard a volunteer crew
and was pulled to the strange ship.
Reaching her, he directed that the an
Choir DO let go and the sails lowered.
The ship being thus brought to stand
still, the captain looked about him.
As he had noticed from tho shore,
nothing was amiss ON deck except that
the boats were gone. The party went
below and found nothing at all amiss
there. Indeed, the table was set In the
cabin for breakfast, and a pot Of coffee
stood at one end Of the table. It was
stone cold, as were all the dishes that
had been prepared. Evidently some
thing had occurred just before those on
board were expecting to sit down TO
the morning meal.
The only Indication OF hasty flight
was that the lockers In the staterDoms
stood open and for the most part empty.
A few pieces of clothing lay upon the
floor That women and children had
been aboard was evident from the fact
that articles OF clothing fitted for such
persons were present. The log was
found. and the last entry had been
made six weeks before and had ended
abruptly with no mention Of approach
Ing danger.
The name OF the ship painted on the
stern and In other places was the Es-
peranza, from which II was judged
that she was Spanlnrd. Whatever
had occurred TO cause her desertion
must have taken place off Gibraltar
for the last reckoning entered indicat-
ed this.
Captain Barnickel had met something
that In all Of his forty years at sea he
had never met before. He had run
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