Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-08-13
Gales and Sketehes.
THE STRICKEN SHIP.
In Adventure that can be Y0uched for.

CONCLUDED FROM YESTERDAYS PAPER.
As they had eaten hearty meal so re-
Gently, thought they might 60 without
anything more till we got the promised
supply from the frigate; SO told them,
through their captain. who spoke French,
that had nothing to give them.
They would not believe my statement.
Food we had-they knew it-and we must
share it with them They were hungry !;
| had only seven men, must supply them.
Food they would have.
again told them more firmly, that had
nothing for them They reiterated their
disbelief, and said they would search my
boat
now directed the boats crew, in low
tone. to be on the alert, and that they must
at all risks. prevent their provisions from
being taken by them. / added that We
might be in fog for perhaps another
twenty-four hours, and so separated from
the fiigate.
Whether the Danish sailors understood
me or not, cannot say: have thought
since that they did; but, at any rate, it
was evident that they believed that there
was a good stock of provisions in the boat :;
indeed, their captain himself limited that
he knew as much
To pacify them, / promised if they
should wait until morning they should see
what we had got, and that we should
share it with them.
/ said this, being satisfied that there
would be no need to keep our few biscuits
from them in the morning, as in all likeli-
hood we should be alongside the frigate
But it was all to no purpose. Have the
provisions, they declared, they would 4; and
at once.
SO had to say, determincdly, no.''
There were thirty of them to eight Of
us, but we were in good health. while
they appeared feeble and scurvystricken.
Still, the spirit, which the doctor had dis
tributed to them, had imbued them with a
certain amount of artificial strength, along
with good deal of dutch courage"
saw there was likelihood of trouble, and
it would be necessary to act promptly and
energetically, even though violence might
be called for
At this crisis thought struck me-
Watching for the most prominent of the
agitators, my eye fell on one who to this
day, / believe to have been an Englishman.
Stepping quickly up to him, siezed him
by the collar, and the next moment he was
prisoner in charge of my boats crew.
then told the others, that would in
stantly hang their shipmate to the yard
arm, If they made any movement toward
searching our boat.
Of course this was only threat and I
scarce knew how it might result. For
tunately it had an effect that in the end per-
haps proved the salvation both of myself
and boats crew.
The Danes showed dissatisfaction at their
comrade being arrested-almost threaten
ing IA rescue; but, after clamoring awhile,
they went forward, and below, into the
fore-peak of the bark. But l knew it was
only to deliberate, and. perhaps. return
more determined than ever Hunger was
urging them to desperation.
| And the dread of what might ensue now
urged me also to adopt a desperate course.
An idea had suggested itself on sesing
them go below; and hastily, but silently,
hurrying forward, with Davis by my side.
we clapped on the forecastle hatch. and at
once secured it with the combing bar.
We had them now safe as in a trap.
We could hear their threats and loud
clamor, but needed neither one nor the
other.
now divided my men into two watches,
Trimble taking command of one, myself
the other; Davis being place,l in charge
of the provisions, as knew him to be a
trustworthy man.
Morning broke. with the fog still envel-
opng us. and | began to feel our position
really perilous, particularly as Trimble re-
ported that he had not heard single gun
from the frigate during the whole OF his
watch. The last one that had been heard
was about hall-past eight the evening be-
fore. Still, judging from appearances, l
had hope that the breeze would treshen,
and clear the fog by noon.
Nor was disappointed. About half
past eleven A. NJ. it lifted, and we could
see the horizon all around us.
The horizon-but nothing more. No
Melpomene!
Here we were on the wide ocean, in the
same situation as the Stricken Crew" we
had come to rescue from distress and star.
walton.
And, if anything, we We're in a worse
position; for We knew not what those
desperate men might be tempted to do.
Perhaps fire the ship
A moments reflection brought up before
me the real peril of the situation.
! 1T was truly appalling.
| We had still lett few biscuits about
| fifty in all.
The food we had given the unfortunate
Danes had only increased their suiferings; !;
and their cries coming up through the
closed hatch were heart-rendlng. But
what could we do for themp To have re-
leased them would have been TO seal our
own destruction. Under the delusion that
we were well provisioned, and half insane
with their suflerings, they might have set
upon, torn us, and perhaps done worse.
Their captain, and two or three others,
were still on deck, a guard of the Melpo-
mene's keeping watch upon their move
ments.
All day long we kept a lookout for the
fligate, but she was nowhere to be seen
and as the sun went down our hearts sank
along with it. We ourselves began to
realize the pain of hunger in all It's dread
reality.
Annthar ,;nrht ,a ,SaJ a era;n III A avt,,,,,