Part 14 (1/2)
For reasons of scientific interest, I invited inthe crew-list of the _Spray_ Very few had challenged it, and perhaps few ever will do so henceforth; but for the benefit of the few that may, I wished to clench beyond doubt the fact that it was not at all necessary in the expedition of a sloop around the world to have more than one man for the crew, all told, and that the _Spray_ sailed with only one person on board And so, by appoint, just as I was ready to sail, fu it i that only one person was on board when she arrived A certificate to this effect, besides the official documents from the many consulates, health offices, and customhouses, will seee may find its way into hands unfamiliar with the business of these offices and of their ways of seeing that a vessel's papers, and, above all, her bills of health, are in order
The lieutenant's certificate beingloath, now filled away clear of the sea-beaten rocks, and the trade-winds, co on her course On May 8, 1898, she crossed the track, hoe out She passed Fernando de Noronha at night, going some miles south of it, and so I did not see the island I felt a contentlobe, and even as an adventure alone I was in no way discouraged as to its utility, and said to e is now on record” A period wascurrent off Cape St Roque, Brazil--All at sea regarding the Spanish-Anals with the battle-shi+p _Oregon_--Off Dreyfus's prison on Devil's Island--Reappearance to the _Spray_ of the north star--The light on Trinidad--A char introduction to Grenada--Talks to friendly auditors
On May 10 there was a great change in the condition of the sea; there could be no doubt of e and long-forgotten current ripples pattered against the sloop's sides in gratefulto it while the _Spray_ kept on her course By these current ripples I was assured that she was now off St Roque and had struck the current which sweeps around that cape The trade-winds, we old sailors say, produce this current, which, in its course frooverned by the coastline of Brazil, Guiana, Venezuela, and, as some would say, by the Monroe Doctrine
The trades had been blowing fresh for soht, amounted to forty , htyof the coast of Brazil, though I was not ues off and was always in the Brazil current
I did not know that ith Spain had been declared, and that I ht there, to meet the enemy and be captured Many had told me at Cape Town that, in their opinion, as inevitable, and they said: ”The Spaniard will get you! The Spaniard will get you!” To all this I could only say that, even so, he would not get much Even in the fever-heat over the disaster to the _Maine_ I did not think there would be war; but I aiven the ht when, on the 14th of May, just north of the equator, and near the longitude of the river A fro astern as if poked up out of the sea, and then rapidly appearing on the horizon, like a citadel, the _Oregon!_ As she canals ”C B T,” which read, ”Are there any er than the _Spray's_I ever saw It gave htmare some time after when I reflected on it in my dreaon_]
I did not nals till she passed ahead, where I could read them better, for she o s I hoisted the signal ”No,” for I had not seen any Spanish nal, ”Let us keep together for ard as necessary Perhaps on_ stea for Spanishwas dipped beautifully three ti as she passed on Both had crossed the line only a few hours before I pondered long that night over the probability of a war risk now co upon the _Spray_ after she had cleared all, or nearly all, the dangers of the sea, but finally a strong hope masteredout of a storht, made Devil's Island, two points on the lee bow, not far off The as still blowing a stiff breeze on shore I could clearly see the dark-gray buildings on the island as the sloop brought it abean of life was seen on the dreary place
Later in the day a French bark on the port tack, ht, close-hauled on the wind She was falling to leeward fast, The _Spray_ was also closed-hauled, and was lugging on sail to secure an offing on the starboard tack, a heavy swell in the night having thrown her too near the shore, and now I considered the e of wind I had already enjoyed reat oceans, and I asked ht to have the wind turned now all into my sails while the Frenchman was bound the other way A head current, which he steh for him And so I could only say, in my heart, ”Lord, let matters stand as they are, but do not help the Frenchman any more just now, for ould suit him ould ruin me!”
I reme that in answer to a prayer of his own the wind changed from southeast to northwest, entirely to his satisfaction He was a good lorify the Architect--the Ruler of the winds and the waves? Moreover, it was not a trade-wind, as I reed for hie when you ask it, if you ask long enough Again, this man's brother maybe was not bound the opposite ell content with a fair wind himself, which made all the difference in the world[H]
[H] The Bishop of Melbourne (cos) refused to set aside a day of prayer for rain, reco his people to husband water when the rainy season was on In like e where practicable
On May 18,1898, is written large in the _Spray's_ log-book: ”To-night, in latitude 7 degrees 13' N, for the first time in nearly three years I see the north star” The _Spray_ on the day following logged one hundred and forty-sevenher onward On the 20th of May, about sunset, the island of Tobago, off the Orinoco, ca west by north, distant twenty-tworapidly toward her ho the coast of Tobago, the wind still blowing fresh, I was startled by the sudden flash of breakers on the port bow and not far off I luffed instantly offshore, and then tacked, heading in for the island
Finding ain offshore, but without er Sail whichever way I would, it seemed clear that if the sloop weathered the rocks at all it would be a close shave, and I watched with anxiety, while beating against the current, always losing ground So the matter stood hour after hour, while I watched the flashes of light thrown up as regularly as the beats of the long ocean swells, and always they seemed just a little nearer It was evidently a coral reef,--of this I had not the slightest doubt,--and a bad reef at that Worse still, there ht into which the current would sweep me, and where I should be hemmed in and finally wrecked I had not sailed these waters since a lad, and laoat that ate my chart I taxed my memory of sea lore, of wrecks on sunken reefs, and of pirates harbored aht not co that I could think of applied to the island of Tobago, save the one wreck of Robinson Crusoe's shi+p in the fiction, and that gave me little information about reefs I remembered only that in Crusoe's case he kept his powder dry ”But there she booain,” I cried, ”and how close the flash is now! Alo by, _Spray_, old girl! 'T is abeae more! and oh, one more like that will clear your ribs and keel!” And I slapped her on the transoer, when a wave greater than the rest threw her higher than before, and, behold, from the crest of it was revealed at once all there was of the reef I fell back in a coil of rope, speechless and amazed, not distressed, but rejoiced Aladdin's laht on the island of Trinidad, thirtyflashes over the waves, which had deceivedon the horizon, and how glorious was the sight of it! But, dear Father Neptune, as I live, after a long life at sea, andcorals, I would have h all the rest of the night I saw iht fetch up on a real one, I tacked off and on till daylight, as nearly as possible in the same track, all for the want of a chart I could have nailed the St Helena goat's pelt to the deck
My course was now for Grenada, to which I carried letters froht of the 22d of May I arrived at the island, and cast anchor in the roads off the town of St George, entering the inner harbor at daylight on thefroood run, and I doffed ain to the pilot of the _Pinta_
Lady Bruce, in a note to the _Spray_ at Port Louis, said Grenada was a lovely island, and she wished the sloop e home When the _Spray_ arrived, I found that she had been fully expected ”How so?” I asked ”Oh, we heard that you were at Mauritius,” they said, ”and froovernor, we knew you would coht
The _Spray_ sailed fro under the lee of the Antilles, arriving at the island of Do better, I cast anchor at the quarantine ground; for I was still without a chart of the islands, not having been able to get one even at Grenada Here I not only met with further disappointment in the matter, but was threatened with a fine for the e There were no shi+ps either at the quarantine or at the commercial roads, and I could not see that it ro chap, a sort of deputy harborht it did, and he ordered e, which, in truth, I had already investigated and did not like, because of the heavier roll there fro to the sails at once to shi+ft, I said I would leave outright as soon as I could procure a chart, which I begged he would send and get for 't all,” he insisted, and raising his voice so that all the people alongshore could hear hi passion when they on shore snickered to see the crew of the _Spray_ sitting cal sail ”I tell you dis am quarantine” he shouted, very eneral,” I replied; ”I want to be quarantined anyhow” ”That's right, boss,” soet quarantined,” while others shouted to the deputy to ” out o' dat” They were about equally divided on the island for and against ave it up when he found that I wished to be quarantined, and sent for an all-iside, starched froht up and down as a fathom of pump-water--a marvel of importance ”Charts!” cried I, as soon as his shi+rt-collar appeared over the sloop's rail; ”have you any charts?” ”No, sah,” he replied with row on dis island” Not doubting the information, I tripped anchor immediately, as I had intended to do froua, where I arrived on the 1st of June, having sailed with great caution in ood company, now fell in with the port officers' stea on board Sir Francis Fleht of ”all hands,” gave the officer in charge instructions to towday his Excellency and Lady Fle with Captain Burr, R N, paid ua, as was done also at Grenada, and at each place a highly intelligent audience filled the hall to listen to a talk about the seas the _Spray_ had crossed, and the countries she had visited
CHAPTER XXI
Clearing for hoasso--The jibstay parts in a gale--Welcoe of plan--Arrival at Newport--End of a cruise of over forty-six thousand ain at Fairhaven
On the 4th of June, 1898, the _Spray_ cleared frole-handed, even round the world, was returned to her for the last ti the paper to me, wrote on it, as General Roberts had done at Cape Town, a short coular course, is now lodged in the Treasury Departton, D C
On June 5, 1898, the _Spray_ sailed for a ho first direct for Cape Hatteras On the 8th of June she passed under the sun frorees 54', and the latitude of the _Spray_ was the same just before noon