Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1877-11-29
THE CAPTAINS STORY.

in TNe wear 1855 4 was SeCONu
mate OF the Canadian brig Isabel.
We had been frtightlng for six or
eight months among the West India
IslanIs, and picked up a good dea!
of money. At last the hot weather
came on, freights grew duh, and we
made ready to sail for home. In the
meantime there came on board four
Spaniards, who wished to engage y
passage TO Montreal ; and being able
10 accommodate just that number,
we accepted them. They were all
sinister hooking fellows. and one in
particular was SD much 50, that |
wondered why Capt. Hillman enter
,tained so little distrust of them.
Neither myself nor the chief mate
llked the arrangement for in those
DAYS every sailor had the dread of
pirates deeply impressed upon his
mind. And, indeed, we had only a
few months previous been chased by
the murderous outlaws of the Isle of
Pines. -
We set sail, and I must confess
that passed the iirst night I'm some
nneasiness. The passengers spoke
but little English. and their ccnver-
sstion was, therefore. mostly be-
tween themselves. During such
colloquies it seemed to me that
could detect i'm them the manner OF
guilty men-a constant look of dis
trust and watchfulness but rs the
ecoud day wore on. and / became
accustomed to the appearance OF
their well-dressed figures at my side,
my anxiety ahated.
1 Towards the evening of this day,
however. my attention was drawn
to.e slight alteration between the
negro cook and the Spaniard Bacal
ardo, the man whom / bad remark
ed as the most yillainous looking of
The four. Drawing near them | ask
cd what had happened.
seWby sar,'' replied the cook,
1.while was. out oh de galley, dis
Spanish gemman sprinkle something
on de meat. / scrape it off de best
way Il could. i doesn't want noin-
reference In de 'fairs ob my galley. y
The faithful old negro looked an
ary nor was this all--his glance
and tone told me that aSgrim and
dreadful suspicion had entered his
mind. The Spaniard said he had
merely intended tn season the meat
with kind of pepper highly esteem
Cd IN Cuba but on my expressing
curiosity to see 1t, he regretted
That lie had none remaining I was
about to order the cook not to pro
duce the meat at supper, when the
captain, approaching us, made light
of the affair, laughing at the old ne
gro's jealousy of encroachment upon
bis peculiar province; and as the
mysterious substance seemed to have
been wholly removed by the cook,
kuife, I hoped no harm might re-
suit.
The captain ate freely of the meat;
tue mate was evidently affected by
what had trans fpired, yet his aupe.
tite prevailed. j avoided it entire
ly and as TO the Spaniards, the Gil,
cumstance of their leaving it untaSt
I'd seelned,not remarkable, as we
had learned on the day previous
that they were not in the habit OF
eating animal food at supper.
Shortly afterward the captain.
mate and three of the crew became
dreadfully sick. / felt dreadful
presentiment of the worst /; yet what
Mas I TO do ? The captain lay help
less In his birth ; the mate lay i'm
agony upon the transom; the only
foremast hand able TO come on deck
Was at the wheel: the cook was par
alyzed with fear, and my ideas of
what could or ought TO be done wtre
confused by the suddenness and ap-
palliDg difficulty of my position.
Should arm and attack the vii
Iains ? Whom should / arm and how
10 commence ? Were the helmsman
10 stir from his station, a knife
would be at his heart ; and were the
cock to leave his galley he would not
walk to the end OF it.
went into the cabin where the
captain and mate were vomiting i'm
great distress, and while overhaul
ing the medicine, more from that
sense Of restlessnes8 which we all
feel in the presence OF sickness, than
ipcm any hope OF a[furding relief.
She companion doors were shut upon
s,ie. and the slide showed in its place.
At the same time there was a strug-
N IS
gip on deck, q groan and fall and
asext came heavy splash in the wa
Ter under the stern. [ had felt that