The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-01-22
THE RUNAWAY SHIP.

l had command of the old Evershot,
good ship, and one which put much money
into the hands of her owners. She was built
for the India trade, and with the exception
of one voyage to Smyrna, she had stuck to
the purpose for which she was put together
On the present occasion she was bound Tor
India and my cargo was made up OF curl
Gus variety. 1 had for passengers an old gen.
tleman, whose head was white and his form
bent with years. and his three. sons, the
youngest of whom was about 30 and the cid
est not far from so years. Then there were
several women and some half dozen chill
dren.
We had doubled the southern capes of At
rica and were just poking our nose into the
Indian Ocean, when circumstance happened
which was destined to try our nerves some
what. One afternoon one of the men in the
foretop reported sail very near ahead In
the line of OUR course:
s.Some home-bound Ind1aman, probably,
remarked Mr.. Lee, my mate
nodded assent, and then went to the
cabin and told my passengers that II they
had anv letters to send home they had better
have them ready. for perhaps we were about
to meet ship bound to old England. They
went to work upon my suggestion at once,
and in the course of half an hour we had
letter bag neatly Sc we'd up and directed.
The wind was now little south of east so
with freedom, and the comiLg ship was
heading very nearly upon US, though as we
came nearer she kept away little further
to the westward.
is it an English ship" asked my white
haired old passenger.
Il think 1t is, - was my reply; and just as
| spoke my mate came down from the fore
top, where he had been with the glass. 1
noticed that his face looked troubled, and
also that he kept back some remark which
he was on the point of dropping, at the same
time regarding the old passenger with look
that seemed to indicate that he was in the
way. took the hint and carelessly walked
forward Mr.. Beckett, the man in question,
followed me. At the gangway l stopped.
What is it?'' ] asked.
said he.
1.-THE Dorset?' l replied. impossible"
aBut [ am sure" persisted Beckett
There's not another ship in England with
such figure head. Those two girls are not
to be mistaken.
But are YOU sure she has that figure
head?'
Certainly. You'll be able to see it from
here in few moments"
But" said L 1.-The Dorset has not yet had
time to reach Sidney, let alone getting back
as far as this"
s'Of course answered Beckett. with a keen
glance about him, but don't you think a
ship could run away without doing the er-
and she had in hand?"
eEh?" That's all l uttered at the moment,
.Or strange thought was beginning TO work
Is way to my mind.
You remember what sort of cargo the
Dorset had, don't your my mate remarked.
OF course / remembered, for | met the
captain of the Dorset the day before she
.alled, and had quiet dinner with him at
cowley's. He was an old friend of mine, and
named Bumstead-Harry Bumstead-and as
GOOD a sailor as ever trod deck at sea. Now
The facts as they came crowding rather un-
pleasantly upon my mind, were these: The
Dorset sailed just two weeks before did,
fnd took out SO convicts who had been SEN
fenced to transportation. These, of course,
lie was to drop at Sidney or Port Jackson,
and as he had part of cargo for that place,
he was to go there first So ! knew that
the Dorset had no business ito be running
sway from the Indian Ocean now.
What do you think about it?'' asked
Beckett, who had been watching me.
LET me take the glass;" said l, without
seeming to notice the question.
He handed me the glass and l at once
Ieaped upon the horseback and sset the
focus. The coming ship was now SO neal
that the hull was nearly all up, and my frs
look was upon the figure head. There could
b. no mistake now. / could distinctly SEE
the two female forms, clasping each other by
the hands, knew to be the adjoining fgur,
of the Dorsets eutwater.
D6Ckct, srtu, ditCI L Aod iCe
myself upon this point, that Is the Dorset
and no mistake"
Yes, but what do you make of it?'
what do you make of it?'' I asked.
He pondered few moments, and thel
said: Il think the convics have taken tn
ship"
so do II was my rejoinder.
As thus spoke walked aft to where N.
first mate stood by the wheel, and DRAWN
him one side 1 told him my fears HI
leaped upon the rail and gszed off upon GU
neighbor, and when he reached the des
again he was of nay opinion
st must be so,'' he said "What shal
we do?"
That was the question. Whatshal1 we do
The ship had now come to within half
mile, and all doubts respecting her identit
were at an end. / now knew that she wa
the Dorset and of course felt confident tbs
theeonvicts must by some means have game
possession.
'.She didn't have the best crew that eve
was" remarked Lee, neryously. 81 knee
some OF her men, and they were as preclou
a set of scamps as ever breathed."
This made the matter worse still or m
whole crew ] could muster but thirty mel
counting the tree able passengers, having 81
five men on shore at St Helena, sick wit
fever and being unable at the time to max
their places good. On board the Dorset thel
would he three-and- thirty conyicts and
all probability. good part of the crew-pe
haps forty men in all. What shall we d.
To let the ship pass on under such circun
stances seemed hardly the thing for an EN-
,lishman, and to engage with such renegad
crew. as sheer madness.sI asked my Officer
what they thought. and they thought just {
did. explained the matter to my thrs
passengers. and they you'd help me if the
could be assured they would be of any use.
But curing all this time the ship in que
ton had been nearing us We having steere
30 Is to speak with her, and now she was M