The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1875-06-26
In THE JAWS OF DEATH.

AHO C,'pP0r sui ~ 1rhnelt Wes Iy1n& In
Mscao Roads waiting for q cargo OF
coolies, tho first instaIlment of which
was already alongside. They were des-
tined Tor the island of Cuba, and were
to bs5 landed at Havana.
Considerable alterations had been
made for the accommodation of the
natives, and at the same time additional
security added for the security of
officers and crew. The fore and main
matches had been fitted With heavy
iron grating securely bolted to the
combiDes, while over the main . species
of iron cage had been constructed, Rtted
with door and secured by bolts.
The ship carried three masts, q boat
swain, and Kteen men, which, With the
captain, st9Wafd and cook, completed
the TfAnsits complement
The chief mate, John Maynard, was Q
hapdsome young son Of the ocean, stall
wart and brave. The second mate, Mr..
Halpin, was . good, efficient oAlcer,
while the third officer vas yet Q young
bov, scarcely twenty.
Half dozen sailors, armed With cut
lasses ground sharp ~ razors, buckIed
round their waists, and with loaded
muskets, stood on either side of the
gangEav az the coolies fled over side
from the large tonka boats alongside
that had received their freight at the
bSEracoons.
Two days out from port, the steward,
who bad contracted the fever 1t Macao,
died, leaving no alternative to Captain
Sylvester, but to choose another. and
from the ranks Of the coolies. He could
not well select one from the crew, there
were none too many. on deck and the
duties were far from light, 20 Q China
man, Assam by name, WAS daily installed
in the cabin.
His dark eye glittered with some
strong inward emotion rs he stood
humbly, even crineingly, before the
captain, listening to his directions, but
he made no further demonstration.
The captain took no nDtioe of il, and he
was suffered to depast without further
delay.
Slowed away IN the run Of the ship
abaft the cabin were come 80. 200, q
portion of the ships earnings, safely
packed in kegs. The fact had been
careful concealed by the officers from
the crew, and as for the coolies, it would
have been adding Goals to the fires had
they but an inkling of the dangerous
sec TT.
On the morning of the third day
Capt Sylvester crawled into the run OF
he vessel, ]. aving the door open be
hind him, his object being to lock after
the safe stowage of the specie. With
out q moments warning he came upon
the Chinese steward, Who was too intent
upon what he had before him to notice
he approach Of his master.
The Chinaman by some means had
managed to break open n key containing
the precious metal, and the glittering
contents lay exposed to the sparkling,
avaricious gaze OF the willy native.
For . moment Sylvester was 20 taken
by surprise, 30 overcome by nameless
terror, as to be incapable OF motion, and
large drops OF perrpiration rolled down
Recovering himself he roared ont in q
voice of thunder, ssYou internal scoun-
drel, what are You doing here :" And
scrambling forward the irate captain
attempted to gTapple With his DANGEROUS
foe. But the steward, quick a. 8 fash
of lightning, evaded the captains blow,
dealt him one rs he glided by, while
Sylvester was doundering around among
the boxes and barrels, bewildered and
half stunned, the Chinese steward
sprang through the low door, dsrted
out Of the cabin and disappeared on
deck.
No one took particular notice of the
fellow as he sauntered carelessly
along, pausing for . moment by the iron
cage which covered the main hatch.
The latter was crowded with coolies, and
to them he addressed few rapid, kut
tUral sentences, at the same time apply
ing key to the door which he had pur-
Joined from the captains state room.
CHANGING quickly aft. he Withdrew b.
one side. and at that instant prolonged
add terrible cry burst from the coolies,
followed by tremendous rush MP the
ladders.
With one bound the treacherous ma.
tive sprsng upon the nearest sentinel,
and before the sailor, completely taken
by surprise, conld recover, his musket
had been snatched from hls hand and 9
blow from the same stretched the pool
fellow ifeless on the deck,
Like the rush of some mountain tor
rent the coolies swarmed ON deck. Gar.
ryiDg everything before them. The
sentinels we're literally swallowed up BY
the Infatuated mob of yelling demons
and were never seen again.
Maynard, together with the second
mate and man at the wheel, were the
ro'e occupants of the quarter deck, and
upon them, all unarmed - they were
the mob rushed.
Amid the din and uproar Maynard
heard the voice of Capt. Sylvester call.
ing upon him to jump through the
skyight.
Jump, my lad, aud bearA hand.
nave the cabin door barricaded."
me mate required no second bidding.
Wsn shout to the second mate TO fol
low, ne sprang through the frail etruc-
lure, and the Dext inetspt the two ON
GERS we're side by side with Sylvester,
Who burriedly thrust into their hands a
loa6cl :