The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1919-08-07
Continued From Last Week)
CHApT Err Nv.
In Which We Enter the w;,,,.,

re"fs and tire rolling swell of ocenu
gave way at once to millpond calm.
ness. We were at the entrance of
North blight. one of the three nights
when, dotted with numerous lovely
ing Gays, breaks up AndrUS island In
the middle and allows n passaae
through u mnze-like archipelago direct
10 the northwest end of Cuba. Here
on the northwest shore is small and
very lonely settleWent--one OF the two
or three settlements on the else-de-
serted Misunderstanding point.
Here we dropped anchor and Cbnr-
iie' VINO had some business ashore.
proposed our landing with him; but
mere again our passenger aroused his
suspicions-though Heaven knows
why-by preferring to remain aboard
PLEASE let mc-off," he requested in
his most tOD-lofty English accent. "You
can see for yourself that there's moth
Ing OF interest-nOthing but n beastly
lot of niger cabins, and dirty coral
rock that will cut your boots to pieces.
Ia much rather smoke and wait for
you In peace" and, taking out his
case and lighting Il cigarette, he
waved 1t gaily to US as we rowed Off.
He had certainly been right about
Behring's pOint-Charlie was absurdIy
certain that he had known 1t before
ana had some reason for not landing
Tor more fOrlorn and poverty
stricken foothold of humanity could
hardiy be conceived Il poor little Llus.
ter OF negro cabins, indeed. Scrt.m.
bling up from the beach, and with no
streets hut crnggy pathways In and
out among the gray clinkcr-like coral
But 1T was touching to find even
here that, though the whole worldly
goods of the community would scarce
~ have fetched ten dollars, the souls
U men were still helI worth caring
for: for presently we came upon a
pretty little church, with II schoolhouse
near by, while from tlie roof of an nd
jncent building we were hailed by II
pleasant-faced white man, busy with
some shingling.
1t was the good priest OF the little
place, Father Serapion, disguised In
overalls and the honest CRIME of his
labor; like true Benediclinc. pray
Ing with his strong and skillful hands
Father -SerupiOn and Charlie were
old fi,.,ds, and Charlie took occasion
to conf!Ge in him with regard to To.
bins, and. to his huge delight. discOv.
erred that man answering very close
ly to his description had dropped in
there with large spOnger two days
before. He had only stopped long
enough to buy rum at the little store
near the landing and had been off
again through the blight, sailing west.
Father Serapion, who knew Charlie
shooting ground promised
to send swift messenger should any
thing further of interest to us come
to his knowledge within the next week
or so.
Then we sailed away from Behring's
point, due west through the North
blight. Morning found JUS sailing
through a maze of lOw-lying desert Is
lands of a bewildering sameness Of
shape and size, with practically moth
Ing to distinguish enc from another
We had hoped to- reach. our camp,
out VII t1t SLUG Vi t1le ISldIu,
that evening, hut that lodging the
shoals and sticking in the mud had
considerably delayed us. Besides
though Charlie and the captain both
hated 10 admit Ii, we had lost our
way. So night began to fall and, as
there is no sailing in such waters at
night, we once more cast anchor un-
der a gloomy, black shape of land. ex-
ceedipgly lonesome and forgotten
looking. which we agreed to call "Lit-
tie Wood cny"-till morning.
. Soon all were asleep except Sailor
and me. i lay awake for long time
watching the square yard Of stars that
shOne down through the hatch In our
cabin ceiling like n little window look
Ing into eternity. while the waters lap
ped and Tapped outside, and the night
talked strangely to itself. Next morn
Ing Charlie and the captain were
forced to own p-that the Island, dis
covered to the day, was not Little
Wood cay. No humiliation gGps deep
er with u sailing man than having to
ask his way. Besides, who was there
to ask I'm that solitude? Doubtless a
cOrmOrant flying overhead knew 1t,
but no one thought to ask him.
However, we were I'm luck. for, after
sailing about II bit. we came upon two
lonely negroes standing up I'm their
boats and thrusting long poles into the
water. They were sponging-mOst
melancholy OF occupations-and they
looked fOrlOrn enough In the still
dawn. But they had smile for our
plight. II was evidently good joke
to have mistaken Sapodilla cay for
Little Wood cay. OF course we should
have gone-''so." And 80" we pres
emily went, not without rewarding
them for their information with two
generous drinks OF old jamaica rum.
One of our reasons for seeking Lit
tie Wood cay, which 1t proved had
been close all the time. was that # h
one OF the few Gays where one can get
fresh water. Good water here" says
I.. <xl. a.