Bridgeton pioneer., 1917-04-19
The Deserted
Ship
She Came Into Cape Cod
In Good Condition
By F. A. mitchell

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
Tar 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 he was not far from an old FASH
ioned 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-
ssctly 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 it down. leveled it
on the vessel
1t was schooner under half sail.
There was 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 If there was no one at the
helm" remarked the captain to him
self
He lowered his glass for awhile.
raising it 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
sain.
1t certainly was the strangest sight
Captain Barnickel had ever seen-a
full rigged ship sailing before the wind
with not Il person on deck, not even a
5elmsman. Nor was there sign of any
person in the hold below or in the rig
sging.
The vessel was moving parallel to
the shore. Had she not she would have
been beached When she came oppo-
site the Barnickel home she luffed up
1nto the wind and remained station
s@ry. The observer had a good look at
1oer. She seemed to be in perfect con-
sditaon 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
on below.
By this time the vessel was observed
by other persons than the captain.
Laying aside his glass, he walked to
BIS gate and thence down to an inlet
where there were boats. Taking one of
them, he took aboard volunteer crew
and was pulled to the strange ship
Reaching her. he directed that the an
ehor be let 80 and the sails lowered
The ship being thus brought to stand
Still, the captain looked about him.
AS he had noticed from the 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
sfood at one end of the table. 1t was
stone cold, as were all the dishes that
Fad 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 fight
'7Nas that the lockers in the staterooms
stood open and for the most part empty
a Ie9w pieces Of clothing lay upon the
Aoor. 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
.Etern and in other places was the Es-
peranza, from which it was judged
that she was a Spaniard. Whatever
Fad occurred to cause her desertion
FAUST have taken place off Gibraltar.
nor the last reckoning entered indicat-
ed this.
Captain Barnickel had met something
that in all Of his forty years ut sea he
mad never met before He had run
ACROSS derelicts, but not deserted
snip. Those about him looked to him
ffar guidance, and he directed that the
Vessel be taken into the met and
ssScked. This was done by the men
Ssder the captains orders. The Esper
zaaza was tied up. her sails lowered.
+aeors locked, and there she remained
while those who had taken her in wait
sd for some tidings of those who had
a Sseserted her. Meanwhile Captain Bar.
aackel reported her presence on the
Cape Cod coast to the proper authori
ties.
II.
Jose Alvarez, young sailor of Cadiz
Had risen from before the mast to bt
7nafo of n x-acco1 op1 ~.