Worcester daily spy., 1860-11-20
ldlortester Dallp SPY.
Mystery of the CrcwIess Ship.

Sa 50 was hioCllsil StO, ana sue was soon ready
to return to tue Unite d States Jack and my.
self had made our calculations 10 abandon the
brig few days before she was to leave port,
and had taken some of our baggage clandes.
timely on shore. Our shipmates became aware
OF our intentions, but refuse to accompany u.s.
and Ill order to curry favor with the captain
and mate, informed them of our proie cted
movements. A stopper was accordingly clap
ped on our proceedings, in the shape of an
officer who conveyed us to Jail, where we
were kept on short allowance until the brig
was on the point OF sailing, when we were
taken most inglorio-Sly on board, handcuffed,
and looking unutterab.e things.
The rpbuke OF the captain as we passed over
the gangwdy, the insulting jecrs OF the mate,
and the winks and smiles of the crew were not
calculated to solace us OF our disappointment
or awaken Christian principles within our
bosoms. And as the mate soon resumed his
Old practice of using his fists rather freely,
Jack declared that che could stand it no long.
er, but would throw the uniecling brute over
board" TO the commission of this terrible
crime | offered no arguments in opposition.
a few nights after this, we were slan1ing
along on wind under double-reefed top
sails, in the middle watch The brig was Ia
boring heavily in head sea, and | was at the
helm, my tenIper ruffled at the coarse aud vul-
gar epthets with which Mr. Rundell from
time 10 time honored me, because | could not
with the tiller prevent the brig at times from
pitching heavily Suddenly the fore sheet
was let 90, and the sail tapped as if it would
burst from the bolt rope.
"ilallo shouted the mate, what's to pay
now!'
"The fore sheet has slipped off the elect,
sir" replied Jack Hensdale.
"Well, haul it aft then, and be hanged to
you, and Delay it properly, you know nothing
sol, OF sOldicr!'
Jack took h)d of the fore sheet, but re-
quefted assistance, being unable to haul it aft
alone The mate went forward to the lee
waist, and seized the rope, when Jack struck
him hard blow on the head with HEAVIER,
which knocked him against the bulwarks, and
then seized him by the throat to throw him
overheard.
MIR. Rundell was stunned only for a moment
Before Jack could accomplish his murderous
work, the mate recovered his senses, and
struggled desperately for life, calling also upon
the captain tor assistance. Jack finuing the
work more difficult than he expected, sum.
moned me to his assistance. l lett the helm
and rushed toward tile spot where the combat.
ants were engaged in deadly strife. l grasped
the mate around the body, and by our united
strength we lifted him on the gunwale, in
spite of his cOnvulsive efforts to break away
and just as the captain, who rushed up the
companion way at the cries of the mate, reach.
ed the waist, and while the men belonging to
the starboard watch were fastening up the
fore SC little to his rescue, we succeeded in
overcoming his resistance, and dropped him
into the water
The captain saw the act, although he was
too late to prevent it, He shouted "murdcr!"
and called upon the men to secure the mur.
H,,VarS Va 1afnnJ.1 full, fOr
a time but at last were knocked down, hand
cutied and dragged below into sort OF half
deck winch was entered from the steerage. A
couple OF ringbolts were driscn firmly into the
ships side, to which we were lashed and kept
on a short allowance OF bread and water.
The captain visited us every day. and with Il
triumphant smile couSocd us with tine assur.
ence that we should soon be in port, and moth.
ing could save us from being hanged. Indeed,
for a time there seemed to be no hope OF escap-
ing the gallOws. We were seen in the very
act, and under circumstances which rendered
it almost certain that the crime was deliberate.
ly planned and no one could doubt TOR mo.
mcnt that l was as guilty as my shipmale,
who had attempted to do the deed single hand
ed.
But Jack IIensdale had been in limbo be-
fore and was familiar with the whole history
of handouts. Before we reached the Ameri~
can coast we could both manage to slip off our
irons at pleasure without a great d gree Of
pain, and we formed plan to gain possession
of the brig when we came in sight OF land,
and make a determined effort to avoid the
hangman'S moose.
Shortly after daylight one morning, land
was seen from the top gallant yard, alar Off
The captain was rejoiced, for he and the three
men with him were almost worn out with their
labors and watchings. The wind being mode
rate, and the captain sleepy, having been on
deck the greater portion OF the night, he re
tired TO his stale room to seek repose, assuring
us with a spiteiu grin that Point Judith was
in sight, and we should be snugly deposited in
Jail before twelve o'clock.
My shipmate and myself, soon afterward,
relieved ourselves of our handouts and crept
cautiously into the steerage, and then pa -sed
stealthily up the cabin stairs to the quarter
deck The man at the helm was terrified at
the sight of us. With our unshaven faces and
uncombed locks we must have looked Eild and
wicked as il bent on some. desperate deed.
He was about to cry out, when we menaced
him with instant death if he made any noise.
A bucket with rope attached to it was stand
ing near the break of the deck, and Jack told
the hehnnsman to draw bucket of water to
''tetch the pump" The poor fellow obeyed,
trembling with fear, but as he was leaning
over the gangway, Hensdale seized him by
the legs and pitched mm headong into the
sea
The cook, who was busy in the galley, hear
ing the cry of his unfortunate shipmate as he
struck the water, came out to see what was
the matter, but was compelled to share his
fate. We now had possession of the deck.
The captain was below, asleep in his state
room, and one man was in the fOrecaste, gno-
rant Of the scenes which had been enacled on
deck. Horror struck at the atrociOus acts Of
which we had been guilty, and shrinking from
the commission of further crime, ! entrCated
Jack to save the lives of the captain and our
remaining shipmate. he replied with dem
oniac irown, that we had gone too far to look
back, that mercy now was out OF the question,
unless we were willing to swing on Il gallOws
for dead men only Il Il no tales.
Hensdale threw down a coil of rigging on
the quarter deck, directly over the captair's
state room. The noise, as we anticipated,
awoke Captain Huxham, who turned out, and
putting on his clothes in haste, ascended the
cabin stairs, but before he could put foot on
the deck, or was aware that the mutineers had
possession of the brig, a blow from a hand
spike in the strong hauds Of Jack llensdale
felIed him to the deck We at once laid hold
OF him, and bundled him over the quarter rail.
Only one ct the crew remained to be disposed
OF. He was summoned on deck, and sumnia-
rily dispatched.
Now said Jack, owe must be lively, and
get tackles on the fore and main yard arms,
anu hoist out the long boat"
Tins was the only boat on board, the Jolly
poat having been washed from the stern in Il
gaze OF WIND off Cape Clear. We rugged lhe
purchases, hove the brig to, and took the falls
10 me "inuIass, and with but little trouble sue.
ceeded In our undertaking. Our handcufIs