Page:Barbour--For the freedom from the seas.djvu/109



TWO days later, in sight of Mariguana Island, they found the Chilian bark San Felipe, or what was left of her. She had a cargo of rough lumber aboard and although little remained above-deck the hulk was still afloat. Shell fire had carried away masts and deck houses and left gaping wounds in the hull. The Gyandotte sent an officer aboard and the latter speedily returned with the word that the attack, from the evidence found, had taken place not over twenty-four hours before. The ship was deserted and all valuables had been removed. That the deed had been done by the German raider previously reported was the belief of officers and men, and what had looked before like a wild-goose chase suddenly assumed importance. Spirits arose on the cruiser and for the rest of that day, while she ran southward, every man off duty elected himself lookout. But finding the raider, about whom little was known, was a difficult task. They passed a 87