The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1880-08-12

tender about giving the two scoun drels
chance to swim You never got any ba
usuage from me, did your"
"We never did that No, sir-no " wa
the response from my four fellow-oarsmen
just heave ahead whenever you're ready
and Wen stand by you-never fear"
Of course, nothing further was needed t.
assure me that the crisis had come. Blu
what was to do? ...
A moments thought told me that hae
only to remain passive.
A few inmates later, the captain was OBJ
served to be fast, and his boat shot rapid,
off behind the whale 4.--
Then the third mate standing up, waved
around his head the small flag, or g waif, y
which every whale-boat carries and instant
ly there WAS a commotion on board the boats
of the first and second officers-the two
mates being pitched into the sea, while their
boats, as well as our own, were pulled swift
ly around and headed for the vessel ..,i +.
The shipkeepers crew of four men had
meanwhile risen upon him, making him a
prisoner without difficulty; and now, as the
three boats arrived alongside, each contain
ing five mutineers, the above-named officer
and myself had good reason for considering
that we belonged to a "lost cause" We
were two against nineteen.
Full sail was at once made on the ship,
and, being kept off with the trade-wind on
the quarter, she soon left the Captains boat
out of sight.
| ho 1nl
the shipkeeper or myself, and, upon our de-
Ginning to fall into their plans, still continued
to treat us as well as they did each other,
telling us we might do as we pleased in the
matter, their only object being to run the
ship in upon Madagascar, and abandon her.
However, the trade-wind died to calm,
as it sometimes does in that neighborhood,
and we were q whole week in making
hundred miles,
The third mate, though intemperate and
unprincipled, was man of ordinary educa-
tion, and a tnlHrnhlA navigator; so that hA
found no difficulty in taking the vessel into
small bay on the coast. The place was
not much frequented by strangers-only
now and then solitary whaleman touching
there.
In this bay, one of the first objects that
met our eyes was the ship Zebra, lying at
anchor; and, as our sailors were all in some
degree intoxicated with liquor which they
had found in the Jasper's cabin, their im-
precautions, directed against "Old Chap
man, )" the moment they made ont his vessel,
resembled the rawlings of madmen
From the first moment of the mutiny,
very little order had been maintained, and
now the Jasper was a pandemonium, where
men swore, laughed, sang, danced, or
Knocked each other down in fierce brawls,
as the impulse seized them.
1t was soon discovered that almost the
whole of Captain Chapman's crew had run
away and gone up among the natives be-
ing glad to make their escape from his de-
testable tyrrany.
He hardly knew how he was to get his
ship out of the bay, light handed as he was,
in order to run over to Mauritius for more
men. He might, however, possibly pick up
a few Lascars at the place he then lay.
This information We gathered from him
as he hailed us; Mr.. Myrick, our former
third mate, telling him that our captain was
sick below, and inviting him to come on
board. ... .-....-....-.. ..--
Mr.. Myrick's character was of dramatic
turn. Ideas of considerable breadth, in
volving important combinations, would flash |
upon him suddenly, especially when, as the |
sea phrase is he was g about three sheets |
in the wind" i.'
"Now," said he, to the men, 81 must
have order. Set your braces taut, every one
of you, and behave yourselvesi Old Chap
man is coming aboard, and will give him q
trial by naval court-martial. This ship is,
for the time being, a man war. When I
was boatsteerer with the old scoundrel, he
kept me fourteen days in cask; and
know, for certain, that he drove one poor
fellow overheard by running at him with
Iadleful of boiling oil Well, things have
shifted tacks, and we'n see." 81
Captain Chapman, with his mate and two
sailors, came on board. He was large
coarse, heavy y-jawed, fiabby- checked brute,
with wide, bulging head-a great, fat hog,
Standing upreared upon two legs. a4 ,g'
|
who was second in command on board the
Jasper he walked into the cabin, where
Myrick, with due formality, arrested him
for maltreatment and murder upon the high
seas; while four men, standing ready,
slapped irons on his wrists and ankles.
The captain, who was as much a coward
as he was q rufian, begged piteously for
b,,f, Oft 10 III |
peal.
Myrick then assembled to the deck, where,
seizing the mate of the Zebra by the shoui-
aers, he marched him to the gangway, bid
ding him take to his boat and be off A
F" You never struck any of u.s." he said,
$50 you may go. But I'll have old Chapman
langling. at the mainyard before sunset"
& This announcement was no surprise to
ne, for had seen that the mutineers were
Utterly reckless at the best, and knew that
now they were maddened with rum, which
aad set all their deadly animosities on fire.
wondered only that in their fury they had
spared the unofending mate of the hated
nip.
The proceedings of the "naval court {
nartlal were more honorable than couid |
,ave been expected. The prisoner, with {
he irons struck from his ankles, was led !
lpon deck, and made to pass through some .
hing like the ordeal of legal trial. [
One of the men who had never sailed with {
lim presided in the case, giving it hear ,
ng; while Myrick took the triple part of ]
ccuser, witness, aud attorney for the gov I
-... s
All those of the mutineers who had sailed I
n the Zebra gave evidence, stating that her
aptain had driven a man overheard with
'oiling oil, and that the man in conse-
uence drowned; and they also testified to
he fact of his having inflicted outrageous
ruelties upon themselves. 81