Evening star., 1923-12-30

We were so glad to leave them be-.
hind that ! remember not a man look
ed back as the snow-clad peaks sank
from view, nor to this day have ever
inquired how or by whom they were
discovered do not even know what
nation claims sovereignty over them;
it is welcome to them.
~ II a
WE sailed with a fair wind, double
reefed mainsail. and a reefed
jib. Under this rig we figured the boat
would make an average of seven
knots. The wind was strong from
west souwest, and the sea was long
and true.
Next morning at o'clock / got the
sun. The sight worked up gave me
longitude 543015 east. Our position at
noon was latitude 47.45.30 south longi-
tude 50 east. The days run gave US a
fair idea Of the speed of the boat. We
were making little over six knots. OF
course, we could increase cur speed to
seven, and even eight had we shaken
out our reefs and carried full sail, but
we We're taking no chances as we
thought it best to follow the rule of
safety first.
A most vigilent lookout was MAIN
tanned all through the day and night
for a passing ship; and no chances
We're taken Of running on floating
wreckage or anything of that kind
that might cause injury to our pre-
cious craft.
On the fifth day the wind veered
and came out pretty strong from the
south'ard. Southerly winds in those
latitudes are strong and harsh. The
great expanse of ocean between the
Cape of Good Hope and the latitude
and longitude that we had reached.
westerly gales. But we were ap-
preaching the continent of Australia
that, to a large extent, influences and
changes the course of these air cur
rents,
This condition, however. brought us
face to face with a nasty cross-sea.
1t was then more than ever that ad-
mired the sea-going qualities of the
boat. She rose on each sea in grand
shipped no water.
We had covered about 1000 miles
of the distance at about 4 o'clock in
the morning of the tenth day out
from Possession Island. when the
lookout reported light astern." All
hands started up and looked in the
direction indicated. We could clear
ly discern a red and q green light
showing that ship was coming up
astern, steering practically the same
course that we were.
We had provided ourselves with
candles and crude lamps, and always
had two o. more of these lamps
lighted at night. AS the ship over
hauled us we raised lamp where
it could be clearly seen by the look
out on the ship astern. Presently
we heard sharp orders given, while
running gear could be heard passing
through the sheaves of the blocks
as the sails were clewed up. A full
rugged ship. under lower topsails,
came alongside.
The officer of the watch hailed us.
what vessel is that?"
We answered back:
1.-The Comet. What vessel are your
"The Lough e.
where are you bound for"
/, Melbourne"
BY this time the officer on board
of the larger ship could see that ours
was a small boat. and he realized
that he evidently was speaking with
a crew of shipwrecked mariners. I
told him that we had left Possession
Island ten days before and were head
ing for Freemantle., He said:
Il will stand by until daylight
Don't you wish to come abroad?"
X X X
TYP to that time 1 believe each one
of us unquestionably would have
been glad of the opportunity of get