Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1854-07-06
VOLnNF XII. NO. 20.

tiny; on which in towering passion. the can
tain ran down to his cabin, and returned with
blunderbuss loaded with slugs, with which he
took deliberate aim at the supposed mutineer,
fired, and mortally wounded him. The man was
handed down from the yard, and stretched on
the deck, evidently dying. He fixed his eyes on
the captain, and said-' Sir, you have done it
ior me but ~iH neuer ledce you."
The captain swore at him in return for a fat
luoDer, and said he would have him thrown in
to the slave-kettle, where they make food for
the negroes, and see how much fat he had got.
The man died; his body was actually threwn
INTO the slavc-kettle; and the narrator observed.
with nairete which confirmed the extent of his
own belief in the truth of what he told.-"There
was not much fat about him after all.''
The captain told the crew they must keep alb
Soiutely silent on the subject Of what had pass.
ed; and as the mate was not willing to give an
explicit and absolute promise, he ordered him
10 90 confined below. After day or two, he
came to the mate and demanded if he had anx
intention to deliver him up for trial when he
got the vessel home. The mate, who was tired
OF close confinement in that sultry climate.
spoke his comman er fair. and obtained b;s
liberty When he mingled among the crew
once more, he found them impressed with the
Idea, not unnatural in their situation, that the
ghoSt oi the dead man appeared among them
when they had spell of duty, especially if o
SAIL was to be handed, on which occasion the
spectre was sure to be out upon the yard before
any OF the crew. The narrator had seen the
apparition himself, repeatedly--hc believed the
captain saw it also--but he took no notice of it
ior some time, and the crew, terrified at the
violent temper of the man, dared not call his
attention to it. Thus, they held on their course
homeward, with great fear and anxiety
At length the captain invited the mate. who was
now in sort Of favor, to 60 down to the cab
in and take glass of grog with him. In this
interview, he assumed a very grave and anx-
ious aspect
" need not tell you, Jack, " he said, "what
sort OF hand we have got on board with us.
tie told me he would never leave me, and he
has kept his word. You only see him now and
then, but he is always by my side, and never
out of my sight. At this very moment see
him. am determined to bear it no longer, and
have resolved to leave you"
The mate replied, that his leaving the vessel
while out of sight of land was impossible. He
advised if the captain apprchended any bad con-
sequences from what had happened, he shgdld
run Tor the west of France or Ireland, rtheErs 90
asnore' and leave bin, (the mate,) to carry the
vessel into Liverpool. The Captain only shook
mis- head gloomily, and reiterated his determine
tlon to leave the ship.
At this moment, the mate was called to the
deck Tor some purpose or other, and the instant
nc got up the companion-ladder, he heard a
splash In the wafer, aud looking over the ship's
side, saw that the captain had thrown himself
into the sea from the quartcr-gallery and was
running astern at the rate of six knots an hour.
hen just about to sink, he seemed to make a.
last czcrtion, spung out of the water. clasped
Ais hands towards the mate, crying, "By
Bill is with me now :" and then sunk to be
seen no more.