The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1871-07-27
ofthis kind. L really believe they
meant to rise upon us that same night

and take the brig there III the lagoon
only they didn't see their opportunity
clear. The next morning we got un
der way from Ebon, and started on
cruise among the other islands OF th'
chain. We didn't find any gold a
any other place, and the trade il
shells was nothing alarming. heart
the captain say he should shove ne
off soon, and run down among th'
Caroline islands, and thence to China
Dark Bill overheard him, too; ant
that night there were more secre
confabs and councils than ever among
his gang. But this all seemed to blow
over, and the duty went on quietly
for two or three days.
We were drawing near to Strong''
island, and expected to make the land
next morning. The captain hat
worked up his reckoning and given
the course for the night, while Dark
Bill was at the wheel in the first part
of the watch. Soon after he was re.
lieved, and came forward, | saw him
at the lee rail by the fore swifter
watching the mate, who was walk.
ing the quarter deck. Selling the
moment when the mates back was
turned toward him, he darted into
the lee iore-rigging | stood staring
open mouthed vt him, and wondering
what he was after. AS the main and
middle staysails were both set he was
hid from the mate while going aloft,
and reached the foretopwithout being
seen, except by me, and those who
were with him in the plot. AS soon
as perceived that he stopped i'll the
foretop, it occurred to me that the
arm-chests had been left there. There
were two of them, one in each top,
which had been placed there while we
lay at Ebon; and, as we expected to
go from there III few days to some
other savage island, they had not been
sent down. They contained both fire.
arms and cutlasses.
Pretty soon | saw something swing
out by the foremast which cleaned
in the moonlight; and | knew that
Bill was lowering the cutlasse5 down
by piece of spunyarn, to his mate
Barney, who stood carelossly leaning
against tue foot of the mast. | no
longer hesitated to make known my
suspicious to the Captain and officers.
! started aft, but had not made two
steps when | was seized by the throat,
borne to the deck, and gagged before
| had u chance to cry out. Abraham
Hicks and Paine, with the help Of the
black "a Parsee he was, from Bonn
bay held me down, secured the gag
into my mouth and lashed me hand
and foot; then they pushed me close
under the lee of the long boat, where
| would not be seen, They flashed
their knives before my eyes as awarn-
ing to he quiet, and left me there.
They would have killed me no doubt
only for fear of raising an alarm be-
fore they were ready to strike the
blow at the mate and Captain, But
the fools had forgotten that l had my
sheath-knife in my belt round my
waist. Luckily for me, too, it was
a little loose in its sheath. But it was
necessary to work very carefully or
they would notice my movements. |
lay still till | saw Bill slide down the
topsail sheets forward of the mast.
His shirt was heavily filled out all
round, and he took out several pistols
AS soon as he reached the deck, with
cartridges to match. He and Barney
went to work to load and prepare
them, while the others covered their
movements Gy walking before them,
carelessly singing snatches of songs.
| thought now it was time for me to
begin my operations, BY carefully
lifting and wrilhing my body few
times, | contrived to drop my knife
gently out of its sheath to the deck.
Then working myself feet foremost,
little by litsle, till my head was near
it, managed, after some difficulty,
to cut the Iashing of the gag. The
knife was very sharp, but this was
the worst operation of all, and | did
not succeed till ! had cut my cheek
quite severely. But it was no time
to think of that then. Cleared of the
gag got the knife in my teeth, and
soon severed the scizing that bound
my wrists. The rest was easy. |
still lay quiet after my limbs were
free. even put the gag in again, so
that wien the Parsee ran round to
leeward and peered at me, he thought
| was all secure as | had been left.
Two more men OF the other watch
came up out of the forecastle Tor fore
cabin to join the mutineers; and then
they closed the side of the scuttle
and fastened it securely, leaving four
men imprisoned below. The whole
party, seven in number, now began
to move aft---that is, towards the
storn-cabin where the officers were.
They collected their force in range of
the long-boat, ready for a rush. Bill
turned to the others. ..- o.
"Where is sjhorty?" he demanded.
"All safe" whispered Paine, point
ing toward me.
The leader leaned over and glanced
at me, as | lay motionless, with the
gag still in my mouth.
"All right said he, "we'll do for
him afterwards. Softly as cats, now
'boys!-come on" .y
? They passed round the head of the
bsat, but they were no quicker than /
W iN'9S w H. iNOi1 ttiid tlI
on the lee side. One of the alter
matches was left off, rs I well knew.
dropped lightly down upon the
Water-caslis, and crept in out OF sight.
I had 10 definite object in doing this,
beyond prolonging my life n little.
was sure that | would-Oe the first OBJ
ject of BllPs vengeance, rs soon as he
had disposed of the officers. But de-
telmined MOTTO die gagged and bound
L would, at least, get place where L
could fight for my life, and sell it
dearly. The tiers Of water-casiss were
slowed nearly UP to The after bulk
head, or after Partition, which sepa-
rated the hold from the cabin. a lit
tie space bad been left, just large
enough fol- a man to crouch down and
lie concealed.
1t seemed to me at that moment
that the power Of all my senses was
centered inmy ears. But, instead Of
struggle or a fall, as had expected,
| heard only q loud slam of the doors
leading into the cabin and then an
angry dispute between Bill and one Of
his own gang, Abraham Hicks. Cau-