Litchfield enquirer., 1876-10-05
The Four Spapiards.

Isabel. We had been freighting for six or eight months among the West India Islands, and picked up good deal of money. At last the hot weather came on. freights grew dull, and We made ready to sail for home. In the meantime there came on board four Spaniards, who wished to engage passage to the North, and being able to accommodate just that number, we accepted them. They were all sinster-looking fellows, and one in particular was so much so, that wondered why Captain Hillman entertained so little distrust of him. Neither myself nor 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 afew months previous been chased by the murderous scoundrels of the Isle of pines.
 We set sail, and I must confess that I 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 I could detect in them the manner of guilty men-a- constant look of dis trust and 7watchfulness; but as the second day wore on, and became accustomed tU tire appearance of their weh-uressed figures at my side, Emy 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-iook- ing of the four. Drawing near them, I asked what had happened.
 "Why, sar," replied the negro cook, "while l was out ob de galley. dis Spanish gemman sprinkle something on de meat. 1 scrape it off de best way I could. doesn't want no interference in dc fairs ob my galley" l#t5 .a.
 The faithful old negro looked angry; nor was this al-his glance and tone told me that a grim and dreadful suspi. cion had entered his mind. The Spaniard, however, remarked that he had merely intended to season the meat with kind of pepper highly esteemed in Cuba; but, upon my expressing . curiosity to see it, he regretted that he had none remain. ing. l was about to order the cook not to produce the meat at supper, when the captain, approaching us, made light of the affair, laughing at the old negro's jealousy of encroachment upon his pe- culiar province; and as the mysterious substance seemed to have been wholly removed by the cooks knife, I hoped that no harm might result.
 The captain ate freely of the meat; the mate was evidently affected at what had transpired, yet his appetite prevailed. avoided it entirely; and as to the Spaniards, the circumstance of their leaving it untasted seemed not remark able. as we had learned on the day pre- vious that they were not in the habit of eating animal food tt supper.
 Shortly afterwards, the captain. mate. and three of the crew became dreadfully sick. l felt terrible presentiment of the worst, yet what was I to doa The captain was helpless in his berth; the mate lay in agony upon the transom the only foremast hand able to come on deck was at the wheel; the cook was paralyzed with fear, and my idaaa of what could or ought to be done, were confused by the suddenness and appalling difficulty of my position.
 Should I arm and attack the yillainsp Whom should arm, and how commence2 Were the helmsman to stir from his sta tion. knife would be at his heart; and were the cook to leave his galley. he would not walk tolthe end of it. ..@ Iwent to the cabin, where the captain. and mate were vomiting in great dis tress; and while overhanling the medi- cine, more from that sense of restlsssness which we all feel in the presence of sick ness. than from any hope of affording relief, the compauira doors were shut upon me, and the slide showed to it's place. At the same moment there was slight struggle on deck, groan and . fall; and next came . heavy splash in the water under the stern. l had felt that Icould 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. .5s..+-....
 .Bacalardo came to the slide and or- dered me to come on. deck. refused, and expressed a determination to defend myself. N, + ...., ..... V. .'8 i.'s.
 la a.We no kill you" he said; i've want you for navigate" 1Tase s..sls...us \ s'Whashave you done with the cook 2 I then asked. s1oat# .tah
 IF "We stab him; he is overheard; 50 is other man. aAH men in the forcastle