New Orleans Republican., 1875-11-07

. continuous, Omiuous sound-thud. thud,
thud, ,thud-accOmpanied with the pouring
of water, which caused me to hurry on deck,
where scene of terrible confusion met my
eyes, for it was broad daylight A mast
had gone, the deck was Uttered with cord
age and broken woodwork. All WAS cOnfu-
sion: authority in abeysnce; convicts, sail
hurrying to and fro, CT working at the
pumps. The gale had abated, was dying
out, in fact, but there was q leak which
could not be discovered, though, in cOnse-
quence of the number of hands to relieve
one another in pumping the water did not
gain much upon us. Finding was not
wanted there. l went below again to attend
upon Phipps,. who had been left l knew not
no " long, and was too weak to help him
self much. The fever had left him, but he
was low and desponding, and asked me to
read the Bible to him, which did.
After time heard MacNab come down,
and went into the salsOn, out of which our
private cabins opened, to speak to him. /
found him loading his pistols.
"The leak has been found and stopped"
he said "but dinna like the looks of the
convicts; some Of them haze got arms, fear
me-
While he was speaking shouts and shots
were heard above, and he rushed to the
cabin etaire, following him. Directly we
reached the deck we saw body OF con-
victs coming aft, ahead of Williams, who
had a musket in his hands
"The game is up, lieutenant he cried;
'you had better surrender"
MacNabs answer was pistol shot; Viii
liams staggered but recovered himself, lev
eled his musket, fired, and MacNab fell
dead in my arms. In moment 1 was
knocked down, bound and thrust aside to
be a helpless spectator of crimes leould not
move finger to prevent. Some of the ruff
fans rushed down the cabin stairs and re-
turned, dragging poor Phipps with them.
With brutal jests they bore him to the lee
bul Narks, one took his shoulders, another
his feet, and they tossed him alive into the
sea. All the sailors or marines who were
sick, or had been wounded in the struggle,
were in a like manner thrown overheard;
the remainder were gathered together in a
body, and Williams who had evidently been
elected chief, made them speech, offering
them their lives if they would join them
terrible death before them, and acceded,
but corporal of marines stood firm.
"You will all be taken and hanged within
a month" he boldly said. land had sooner
drown with honest men than swing with
thieves and murderers."
The words we're hardly out of his mouth
when he was shot dead.
Anu uOW ldus, CIlcu w llldLus, huoW
what you are all thinking of-the rum"
[Cheers "Well, every man shall have a
tot, and few at time shall have skinful.
But most of us must keep sober to manage
the ship, go l have set guard over the
spirit room, and any man who tries to force
it will have his brains blown out. l will
tell you what propose to do. if you agree.
There are some islands near where we are,
with the best climate, the finest fruit, and
plenty of food without working for it. We
will make for one of these, land everything
out of this rotten old ship, and then scuttle
her. You have made me your captain, and
appoint Lloyd my chief officer. He is
sailor, and knows where those islands are,
and how to reach them, so he will sail the
ship"
Loud acclamations greeted the address,
and the assembly adjourned to the grog
tubs.
was not long left unmolested; knot of
fellows gathered around me and discussed
what they should do with me, and one at
last suggested that / should be made to
swallow the contents of my medicine chest,
which was forthwith brought up for the
purpose and some calomel pills were actual
ly forced into my mouth. How ! wished
that had been homopatb!
While was struggling a man came up.
What are you doing with the dootorl"
he wasn't to be touched9 He wants to see
you, sir, down in the cabin, !" he added civil
~ to me. My prosecutors skunk of, grumb-
bling, and my deliverer cut my bonds and
led me to Williams, who had been shot in
the shoulder and wanted his wound at
tended to. managed to extract the bullet,
and when he was easier he said:
~ am sorry for all these horrors, doctor,
l swear l am; but you know the men l have
to deal with, and how slight my hold is
upon them. You have been kind to many
of them and are useful besides, SO managed
to save your life, but when / said q word
for the others they would not listen. As
for MacNab, he fired at me first, or he
would never have fall by my hand"
"YOu are responsible to God and the law,
not to me-" replied.
Ought l have refused to tend his wound
Was it my duty to beard and upbrsid him
do not know; life is sweet, and l wished
and tried to preserve it, excueing my pueil-
lanimity at the time by the thought that
my testimony, if l survived, might bring
the whole body of rascsls to Justice.
quite understood the tenure upon which
my life was held, in spite of Willism's plau-
sible speeches. There were many sick and
several wounded, both by tho storm and in
tho fight when the vessel was seized and
they needed my services. When they
thought they could do without me- 1 should
be silenced forever, together with every.
other probable witness against them. Mean
while the ship was kept ON her course to-
ward the Friendly Islands, under LlOyd's
management, and on the third, day land was
sighted.
That evening sailor who had joined the
mutineers on cOmpulsion, and had been
hurt, came to me aud said
II beg pardon, sir, but would you dress
my wound on deck where every one can see
us 7"
saw he had q reason, and consented.
I've something to say, cir, and don't
want to be seen talking to you in private
way for fear Of making them suspicious
Bill Hicks was at the mast head on the look.
out last watch, and he saw something that
he did not report, and that was Q British
frigate, round the headiand of that there
island: Don't start, sir. There's only us of
ready to lower for some days. We mean to
lower that quickly ct nightfall, and let it
tow behind; and then, later, such as can
will get into it, cast of, and row for the
trigate. If you like, sir, you had better lie
down In the boat and be lowered with it.
Say you want quiet read or sleep or some
thing, if you're seen. There's q risk, Of
course. but not big one. Lloyd's half
drunk now, and will be quite after Q bit,
they have reached the islands they think
it's all right. There is only that viii
llama"
II can manage him said l." and we
parted.
Williams wound was painful and his
pulse feverish; SO he gladly swallowed Q
soporific which would Keep him quiet for
some hours.
At proper time I got into the boat in.
foA In xuk kn