The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1876-11-08
The Four Spaniards.

In 1872, I was second mate of the
brig Isabel. We had been freighting
for six OF eight months among the
West India Islands, and picked up a
good deal of money. At last the hot
weather came on, freights grew dull,
and we made ready to sail for home.
In the mean time there came on board
four Spaniards, who wished to engage a
passage to the North, and being able
to accommodate just that number, we
accepted them. They were all sinister
looking fellows, and one in Particular
so much so, that I wondered why Cap
tain Hillman entertained so little dis
trust Of him.
Neither myself or the chief mate
liked the arrangement; for in those
days every sailor had the dread of
pirates pretty deeply impressed upon
his mind. And. indeed, we had only
a few months previous been chased by
the murderous scoundrels off the Isle
of Pines.
We set sail, and I must confess that
passed the first night in some uneasi-
ness. The passengers spoke but little
English, and their conversation was,
therefore. mostly between themselves.
During such colloquies, it seemed to
me that l could detect in them the
manner of guilty men-a constant look
of distrust and watchfullness but as
the second day wore on, and became
accustomed to the appearance of their
well-dressed figures at my side, my
anxiety abated.
Toward the evening of this day how
ever my attention was drawn to slight
alteration between the cook and the
Spaniard, Bacalardo, the man whom I
had remarked as the most villianous.
looking Of the four. Drawing near
them, [ asked what had happened.
"Why, SIR" replied the negro cook,
'swhile I was out OBJ de galley dis
Spanish gemman sprinkle something
on de meat. l scrape it off the best
way could. doesen't want no in
terferunce in de fairs OBJ my galley
The faithful old negro looked angry );
nor was this all-his glance and tone
told me that grim and dreadful suspi-
cion had entered his mind. The Span
lard, however, remarked that he had
merely intended to season the meat
with kind of pepper highly esteemed
in Cuba but, upon my expressing q
curiosity to see it, he regretted that
he had none remaining. [ was about
to order the cook not to produce the
meat at supper, when the captain,
approaching us, made light of the af-
fair, laughing at the old negro's jeal-
ousy of encroachment upon his Pc
culiar province and as the mysterious
substance seemed to have been wholly
removed by the cook S knife, I hoped
that no harm might result.
The captain ate freely of the meat 3;
the mate was evidently affected at
what had TRANSFERRED, yet his appetite
prevailed. avoided it entirely and
as to the Spaniards, the circumstance
of their leaving it untasted seemed not
remarkable, as we had learned on the
day previous that they were not in the
habit of eating animal food at supper.
Shortly afterwards, the captain,
mate, and three of the crew became
dreadfully sick. I felt a terrible
presentiment Of the worst, yet what
was to do? The captain was helpless
in his berth the mate lay in agony
upon the transom the only foremost
hand able to come on deck was at the
wheel; the cook was paralyzed with
fear and my ideas of what could or
ought to be done, we're confused by the
suddenness and appalling difficulty of
my position.
Should arm and attack the villains {?
Whom should I arm, and how COM
mence? We're the helmsman to stir
from his station, knife would be at
his heart; and were the cook to leave
his galley, he would not walk to the
end of it.
went to the cabin where the cap
tain and mate were vomiting in great
distress and while overhauling the
medicine, more from the sense of rest
lessness which we all feel in the pres
ence of sickness, than from any hope
of affording relief, the companion
doors were shut upon me, and the
slide showed to it's place. At the same
moment there was a slight struggle on
deck, a groan and a fall; the next
came heavy splash in the water un.
der the stern. had felt that I could
as easily defend myself in the cabin as
elsewhere, for upon deck l had been
entirely at the mercy of the pirates,
momentarily expecting them to strike !;
but reason for their not doing so soon
became evident.
Bacalardo came to the slide and or
dered me to come on deck. refused.
and expressed a determination to de.
fend myself.
eve no kill you,' he said, "we want
you for navigate.