Year: 1873

SHIPS OF SeaIarlng lie.


On inquring for the Captain we were shown into
the cabin Of the schooner, ard the party inquired
for stepped forth and informed US who he was For
want OF friend to do the hOnors introduced
self with the nonchaance peculiar to those whose
duty 1t IS to become acquainted with everybody /;
and on being furnished with seat, we commenced
plying our vocation immediately to pump-without
any preparatory conversation about the weather
or the state OF the crops. On making the inquiry
If he was the party with whom the Earl OF Aber
deen shipped in Boston, he replied al am, sir, ana
this is the vessel in which he sailed as first officer
when he was lost"


We then asked him how 1t happened that he
secured such an unusual type OF an onicer9 He
replied that he was ordered to Boston In January,
1870, to take charge of the Hera she being then
new vessel, having been launched in December,
1862 from the yard of Nickerson l. Co., in East
Boston. Being three-master and having q capac-
ity Of 1888 tons he was much pleased with her, and
not only assumed command, but purchased an in
terest in her. The ship was chartered by Peabody
& Co. to 60 to Melbourne, Australia, with a cargo
OF general merchandise, and as he was in hurry
to get into warmer latitudes he used all
haste in getting the cargo aboard; but as he had
no first officer great deal of the work fell
to the lot OF the clerk Of the above firm, q
Peabody asked the Captain to get first oflicer as
soon as he could The latter replied that he would
take the first good man that offered himself but he
knew OF none then that he could get.


While in his cabin In the afternoon tall, we'll
dressed Young man. appasrenty gentleman by yn his
II he were not going to Australia.


He replied that he was.


country and would like to secure passage.


He was answered that the accommodations were
and and he Would be content with it, that he could
have 1t with pleasure He replied that it would
suit very well; that he was not very particular, as
all he cared for was to reach Australia 1t being his
purpose to travel through that country, thence
proceed to China and the lsthmus OF Suez, then
turn to Europe. Alter looking the vessel all over
he seemed to be well satisfied with her, and praised
her general appearance. He then asked the Cap
tain II he did not want first otflcer.


The question seemed 80 strange, coming as 1t did
from one apparently cultured gentleman, that the
latter was puzzled anu eyed the other some time
ere he made any reply; but recovering himself, he
demanded If he could get any persons to recon-
mend him.


not know; but If 1t were actually required that he
thought he could procure satisfactory references.
his business SO he told him that references would
be unnecessary. In response to the inquiry as TO
not care much aoout wages; that he had money
enough. aud that he went TO sea in the position he
did merely for the purpose oil seeing life. In
answer to further inquiries he replied that he was
of q good family and was travelling for the pur-
pose of seeing foreign countries and for the pur-
pose OF becoming ACQUAINTED with life In Its vari-
GUS conditions The Captain being satisfied with
his answer. shipped him promptly and assigned
turned in short time habited in the costume worn
by men OF the class he presumed to represent. He
went to work with VIII and soon had the cargo
ner than any other which the Captain had seen. He
was rather quiet and unostentatious, but the ce-
lerlty with which he labOred attracted the atten.
tion of the senior member OF the firm OF Peabody
Co., VINO told the Captain that he was fortu-
nate in securing so efficient first mate.


The mysterious sailor signed the ships articles
on the l4th OF January, giving his name George
II. Osborne, and on the zlst, one week later, the
vessel put to sea- The officer was found to be
equally as good q sailor as bookkeeper, so this
caused the commander to take new interest in
him. ahey S often oasted Together t Of an evening"
himself 10 be not only well up In his business, but
also to be well read and to have seen much OF the
world.
could not be doubted, az he ofered Is lel TIE CAP
tain have few thousand dollars If 1t would help
him in purchasing shares Of the vessel. He would
not state where his family resided or who he was
himself; In fact, he did not seem to care to talk
about the matter at all. In his he was apt
spoke with CANTOR, not only about his own expe
rence as sailor and his past life, but about has
future movements. on all subjects Introduced he
talked very interestingly, and many OF his remarks
were quite original proving him TO be a man OF
as at fnu s the wefe
regard the latter highly and their acquaintance,
notwithstanding their apparent difference IN social
position In life, soon rpened so rapidly that they
would call each other b. the baptsmal name in
stead Of the formal manner prescribed by etiquette
vessel was In about latitude Ss deg and longitude
65 deg, they experienced the dying lorce or
storm. The wind was blowing stlf gale aud the
sea was running heavily, Which caused The ship to


At iour A. N. the first ofncer went on deck as the
watch of the former was between that hour and
eight A. M. AS soon as he reached the deck he
saw the condition OF the weather, so he gave
see eth that Ii it wa was done @ promptly While lowering
the matnsai he came near the boom, and that be-
ing swinging rapidly 1t struck him, and at the
same time he was caught by the main peak down.
haul and thrown overheard on the port side be-
tween the main and mizzen masts. 1t is not posi-
lively known that he was struck as described, but
it is so inferred from his conduct In the water.


He had scarcely gone over the railng ere the
Watcn sh0uteo !a mah OverGoarn @ ms cry M caused a,
but little distance from the vessel, he threw him
a rope aud told him to seize IT, To this there was
injured, ordered the headway OF the vessel to be
stopped, and then threw out panks hatch and
some lenders, and told him again to seize one Of
them He was then lying almost nat on the water.
and had he made any fair share OF exertiOn he
would have caught some OF the materials thrown
to him but not doing this is why the Captain thinks
he was injured ere being taken overheard. As the
sea was running high at the time 1t commenced to
heave the vessel rapidly forward. The drowning
man, who seemed entirely at the mercy OF the
waves, seeing this shouted "Captan can't you
me DO try and save Sd me- sst out n sne % Soa sho
panks thrown to him, and that the boat would put
out TO his aid; but In lowering the boat It was
badly smashed, as the ship was pitching heavily.
Finding that the boat could not be used, the vessel
was move TO In hopes that the lost man had been
fortunate enough In securing some or the material
thrown to him, as any one piece OF planking was
buoyant enough TO bear his weight and that he
could be picked up at daylight


After beating about in that vicinity for four hours,
AID not finding any trace OF his 0f1icer the Cap
tain resumed his voyage, sincerely lamenting the
loss OF one whom he had learned to admire.


when he reached his destination, Melbourne, he
telegraphed to the charterers OF the vessel in Bos-
ton his safe arrival and the loss OF his first ofcer.
After discharging cargo he started for Hong Kong;
thence returned TO Halifax, Nova Scotia When he
arrived there he was met by the family lawyer OF
the Earl OF Aberdeen and the prcceptor OF his
oiiicer and they took his deposition as 10 the man.
ner In which the latter shipped and how he was
was running in American vessels under the name
OF Osborne; 30 when the cid Earl died. which he
did the I3th OF January, the day before his son