Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1843-01-19


discovered, carried the tnp-gnlant mast
away in the sheeye hole, sending forward the
royal mast with royal skysa royal siudding-
sail, main topgallant staysail apd The head of
the guff topSoIl. Gsgcly was on the royal
yard.
scarcely dared 10 look on the booms or IN
the lnrbnnrd gnngways, where he should have
fallen. For a minute was in Intense ngony;
in the next saw the shadow OF the boy
through the ,opgallant sail rising rapidly tow
ards the topgallant yard, which still remain
ed al the mast head. Presently he rose 10
view, DESCENDED on the after side Ia the top.
mast cap, and began TO examine with cool
ness to sec what was first to be done TO
! clear the wreck. | did not dream 0t the
time that the carrying away this mast was
the work of treachrry; but knew that It
was an occasion OF this sort, The loss oi ooy
overheard, or an accident 10 spar, creating
confusion and interuplng The regularity oi
! duty. which was likely 10 be taken odvnn-
ioge OF by the consplrators were they still
bent on the prosecution OF their enterprise
The greatest pains were therefore TAKEN Ia
proven, all confusion. The first Lieutenant
took the deck every thing connected with
the wreck was sent down from alOit the
rigging unroved and coed down sails bent
aircsh TO the yards; the spare topgnllant
mast got out, scrnpcd, aud sluslIcd, and lhe
fd hole cut every one employed, and every
thing made 10 90 on with underwriting regu-
lariiy. To ny astonlsbInent all those who
were most conSpicuonsly named III the pro-
gramme Of Dir rSpenccr,no ma,tcr 10 what part
of The vessel they might be stationed mustered
al The man.top masthead whether animated
l some newborn z"nl III The service Of
their Country, or collected there Tor the pur-
pose Of conspirlDg, it was not easy to decide.
The coincidence coufirncd The existence OF
a dangerous conspiracy, suspended, .ct per-
haps no, abandoned. The eye OF Mr.. Spen-
Ger travelled perpcinally To the masthead, I,
and cast thither many ot those strange and
s,ealihy glanccs which had heretofore no
ticcd. The wreck b. log cleared supper was
pped before sending up new mnSi. Aller
supper the snme persons mustered again at
the mas, head, and the topgallant mast was
! iidded, the light yards crossed, and the snlls
set. BY this time il was dark, uLd quarters
, had been unvolGably dispensed with Sill
| thought under the circumstances that 1t
! was scarcely snie 10 leave Cromwell at
large during the night. The night was The
season Of danger. After consulting Lieut..
/ Ganscvoort, ! determined to arrest Croln-
I well the moment he reached the deck. An
/ officer was sent 10 leeward 10 guard the lee
! rigging, and the malnstays were also thought
! of, though no, watched, as his voice was
| heard in the top aud descending the lleglng.
| ! met him ai the foot of the Jacobs ladder
surrounded by the officers, guided him all on
the quarter deck, and caused him TO SIT down.
II On questioning him rs 10 secret conver-
saton he had held the night before with Mr..
I Ia a. &c hair mud Al
| At was not me, sir, it was Small Crom-
well was the taIlrst man on board, Small the
shortest, Cromwell was immediately ironed
and Slnall, thus pointed out by an associate
to increased suspicion, was also sent for III
terrorated and lroncd. Increased vigilance
was now enioined upon all the officers
! Hcnccforward all were perpetually armed
Either myself or the first lieut.. was always on
deck, aud generally both N US were.
4 On the morning of the following day, be-
ing Monday, the 2Sth Of November, two
crimes of considerable magnitude appeared
on the master at-arnls' report of prIsoncrs.-
Charles Lambert, apprentice, had been gull
ty OF theft III stealing slnnet for hat from
Ward NJ. Gugcly; aud Henry WullhanI, the
waro room steward, had stolen brandy from
the ward-ruom mess, and given it To Spencer.
These were vile offences the present was
not the time To brug the discipline of the
vessel To stand, and the prisoners were
both punished To the extent of the law
| WalIhan, whilst in irons, had the night be-
fore told Daniel Nc kiplPy, who had access
TO the ward-room as cot boy, where three
bottles of wine could be found his object
bang no doubt 10 furnish the means Of ex-
ctement TO the consplrators, to induce them
To rise, release Walthnm, and get possess ION
of the vessel. Mckinley was down IN the
programme as certain, and as stationed at the
arm chest He reported WalllIam Ia the
first Lieutenant an extraordinary denuncla.
tIun under the circumstances, probably Oc-
casiunrd by his desire To relieve hlmsclt from
suspicion. Walthnm having thus, IN con-
. tempt Of discipline, committed second OIL
fence whilst IN confinement, was rcmanded
7 into irons To be subjected TO second punish
menl on the following day.
The punishment being over, thonght this
ft opportunity 10 cndeavor 10 make some
impression on the crew. The number oi
them actually engaged in the conspiracy
might not be great; that It was known 10 Il
majority of them had reason To believe
in general they might be considered dsai
fected, and Disposed on all occasions To hold
back aud resist the discipline of the ship
The mysterious agency that had been a
p work since our departure from New York tC
ut the crew was now disclosed. | com
meuced by explaining 10 them the genera
f.: nature of the PROJECT of Mr.. Spencer, sudl
! ously avoiding 10 excite any suspicion Tint
p was IN possession o.. the names Of those wb'
I were implicated. ] was willing ~ fact tina
the worst Of them should repent aud hid
themselves among the well disposed porlloi
4 OF the crew. took care To- nlurlr lhcu
b that the majority OF them, whatever might b.
their nclinatIons, were To shure the tate -
the officers. | cndcnvored to divert tht
minds OF the slightly d-ailected from the pic
, lures of successful wee which Mr.. Spence
, had presented to them; ! alluded TO the CT
! cnustance ot most oi the crew, unlike crew
/ ~ general, having ties Of kindred to rende
, HE dear TO them, aud expressed lhe hops
, that within three weeks We should be ngnIi
, among our friends | thanked God that ",
had friends To follow us with solIciiudc ant
affection !: for 70 have friends and not tn b.
unworthy of them was the best guarani,
that could be gwen for truth aud fidelity.
The effect of this upon the crow was vari
2 Gus IT filled many vuh horror at tho idea q
| what they had escaped from u inspired 9th
ers with terror at danger awaiting tlicm lion
I tI,tr touur Ntou with the cousptrHfN Th