The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-02-27
THE MUTINY.
4 Ia FRoM a sAILoNIs LOG.


she'll. She was bound on kind of pick
up voyage, after sandal wood, shells, and
other things. We ran down 20 the Mar
shall Islands, among the Ralick Chain,
and anchored in the coral lagoon at Ebon.
IL is commonly known as Covells Island.
The natives came out TO US with lots OF
English soyereigns, which they We're ready
to barter for bits of tobacco. In answer 10
questions as 10 where they got the gold,
we could extort nothing but evasive gruuts
from them. But, of course, we bought all
we could get
suppose that the captain must have had
in hand more than three thousand pounds
in gold when they stopped bringing it OF
to us. There couldn't have been more
than four hundred among all the rest of
US | had about forty myself and the
captain gave me ten more indeed, he gave
the same sum TO every man. Fifty pounds
was Il large sum for a foremost man TO
have all az one time.
But we had some hard cases among our
crew-some who would stab man for a
single sovereign, or throw him overheard
for his tobacco or clothes didn't feel
safe a minute among these fellows so l
tied up my fifty sovereigns in bag, and
took them aft, and asked the captain to
keep them for me. He readily agreed to
do so, and gave me u receipt.
But this act OF mine was seen by Bill
Boltwood, the master spirit of these fel
lows--Dark Bill, as he delighted 70 he
called-and he was down on me from that
hour. This Bill had been convict in the
colony, and had served ont his time
don't know what his crime was, but he
was capable OF anything. ! can't think OF
any villany that would be too bad for him
To turn his hand 70. and he took as much
delight in the sight OF blood as a tiger is
SAID to- I've seen him and an Irishman.
who was called Ugly Barney, go into the
back yard of a public in Sydney, and
batter each others faces all to pieces for a
pot Of beer. They seem 10 do it in sheer
enjoyment OF the thing itself
Well, Dark Bill says to me, with
look taat was meant to bully me So
You thought YOU couldn't trust your ship
mates ah. shorty? Or did you think
yond curry favor with the Captain by
tu,tug him with your gold So
" us truo,' said |. looking him square
in thc eye; there's some Of my shipmates
that | don't like 10 trust"
q" DO you mean that for me ;" said he,
clustering
Never mind didn't mention any
names, but, if the jacket fits, you can put
it on
RI smash your head for five bob q"
said he, clustering again.
don't think you would, if you dared,
answered him, very coolly. for didn't
fear him sinGle.handei. d" ! don't doubt
you'd ia 'O0ns by me for fifty sovereigns
and don't want to throw temptation IL
your way
Tie glarei al me, and ground his teeth /;
bu; he didn', offer to smash ny head.
Perhaps twas because nobody 3fe-ed him
five bob To do it but twould have been
dear job TO him al twice the money.
I really believe they meant 70 rise upon
Us tina, same night, and take tn brig
there N the lagoon. only they didn't see
thei, opportunity clear. The next morn
ing We got under way from Ebon. and
started on a cruise among the other stands
OF the chain. We didn't find any gold at
any other place, and the trade in shells
wa. not alarming. heard the Captain
say he should shove her of soon. and run
down among the Caroline Islands, thence
90 China.
Dark Bill overheard him too; aud that
night there were more secret confabs and
councils than ever among his gang. But
this oll seemed to blow over. ana the duty
went on quietly for two or ,hree days.
We were drawing near 20 Strong's
Island and expected to make The land next
morning. The captain had worked up his
reckoning and given the course or the
night. while Dark Bill was at the wheel in
the FIRST part of the watch Soon after he
was relieved and came forward, | saw him
at the lee rail by the fore swiiter. watch
ing the mate. who was walking The GUAR.
terdeck Seizing the moment when the
mates back was turned towards him, be
dartcd into the lee fore-riggiug stood
staring open mou;.el Al him, anu wonder.
ing what he was after. a. the main and
middle staysails were 10th set. he was
hidden from the mate while going aiof,,
ard reached the toretop withou, being
seen. except by me- and those who were
with him in the plot.
4. soon as perceived that he stopped
in the toretop. it occurred to uac that the
arm-chests had been eft there. There
were two Of them, one in each top, which
had been placed there while we lay
az Ebon and as we expected TO 60 from
there in few days 20 some other savage
Island they had not been sent down. They
contained both firearms and cutlasses.
Pretty soon ! saw something swing out
b, the foremost which CLEANED in the
moonlight and saw that Bill was low.
cring The cutlasses down by piece OF
spunyarn, 20 his mate, Barney, who stood
carelessly leaning against the foot Of tic
mast 10 longer hesftatsd to make known
my suspicious 70 the Snptain Ind ohcara
J started oft, but had not made tWc
do II. Il a