Morris tribune., 1882-07-13
The Captains Life.
From "a Summer in the Azores

The Captains Life.
From "a Summer in the Azores" By c.
Alice Baker.
zone day in March, 1869, while
layin' in port off Bunburry, in Western
Austrrlia, was ashore, and l see
nice lookin' young fellow, about twenty
four years old, eyein' me pretty sharp.
He WAS at work on 4 chain-gang. Watch
in his chance, he says to me-, Are you
the mate of that whaler?"
YES" says I.
Then; says he, Has the priest said
anything to you about me-.
We'll, he's goin, to- says 1 and pass
ed on quick.
The priest follered right along, and
asked me if I'd ever seen that young
man before.
Never, to my knowledge" says I.
"Then he told me it was-,a Feniau
prisoner; that he had been confined in
Dartmoor prison in England for seven
months, and then sent to Australia for
life; that he'd ben there goin' on 'leven
months, and wanted to get off. And the
upshot Oft was the priest offered me
five hundred dollars to get him Oft.
Il told him | didn't want his morey.
IF he'd been 4 thief or a murderer |
wouldn't have tried to hel p him anawav
but l couldn't make out that he'd com
we fixed 1t that the next day, when nv
ship got under way l should pick him
UP in the yawl-and I did.
1T beat all how quick everybody on
board took to that fellow-he was so
pleasant, and such a handsome young
| chap.
"Wel, come August, we had to put
into Rodrigues for water 1t was that,
or die of thirst. That's not far from
Mauritius in the Indian Ocean.
soy this time the news OFFS escape
had got ahead of US and was known all
over the world. 1t was just before sun
set when boat from shore come along
| side, and her officer boarded us.
WAS standin just as near me as l
be to you, when the officer up and says
to me: Have you got man aboard by
| the name Of"
seemed if twas about an hour-and then
says No says 1, very quiet: we did
have 4 fellow aboard by the name of
Brown, but he died two months ago at
Java;
He looked at me minute; then says
| he, Well, you've got some ticket-of-leave
men aboard, havn't your
Il was mighty glad he asked me that;
for l thought 1t would take up his atten-
ton and give me little time to think.
''' can't say as to that says l.
:" Well says he, call your men up
from forrard and Wen soon find out
"' No, says l: I don't want nothin' to
do with that kind of business. You can
look for yourselves if you like
So he and his gang went forrard and
| hauled out the stoWaWays, and put 'em
aboard their boat, and pulled ashore,
appearin' to be satisfied.
AS soon as they were gone, half
with me! What can doe They'll come
back for me, but I'll meyer be taken
aliven
| "I knew he meant what he said; for
the priest had told me he'd tried to com
NIT suicide, and, if he couldn't escape,
had determined to Kill himself.
Gained him down; told him to 90 below
and keep out of sight, and I'd try to
think up something; but says I ,, You
sha'nt be taken as long as can stand by
you ..-- :
II knew very well that as soon as
they got ashore those ticket-of-leave
men would blow on him; and 1 really
| didn't know what to do. Things looked
| black.
"By this time it got to dark, and 1
sat down by myselfto think. Then I re-
| membered kind of locker under the
the dishes he wasn't usin'. 1t was shet
by pusthin' one of the stairs right over it
IEknow they'd never find him there
| I 70 LolI I, - i
find little grindstone there was on the
ship, while | KEEP the men busy forward
When I came back I'd stop a spell and
talk with the steward; and when he
heard me talkin' he must throw the
grlndstone and his hat over board, give
a shrek and then run and stow himself
in the locker.
"When come along back 1 stopped
and says to the steward, i don't know
what will happen when those fellows
come aboard tomorrow morning. -
will never be taken alive. Hill kill some
of 'em and kill himself ;he threatened tc
do it in Australia
"Just then we heard great splash
and a scream. What's tbat% says l.
It's says the steward, hes
thrown himself overheard
| Everybody heard it. The captain wal
off that day. I rushed after, told the
other officers and ordered out the boats
The men felt terribly. Every one of 'en
was fond of him. We got out four boat!
and swept that harbor for hours I was
the last boat in. When got aboard
found the second mate leanin' over the
ships side, cryin bitterly. He's gone
poor fellow! here's his hat, says he; the
men have just picked it up. We neve,
shall see him again.
There wasn'ta wink ofsleep on boart
that night. The next morning put The
flag at half-mast. Everybody was solemn
as death.-'s wet hat lay on the hatch
way, They all thought he was dead.
THE captain come off to see what wal
the matter. told him the story-hov
we heard the splash, got out the boat
and picked UPS hat. Right in th,
midst of it the officers from Rodriguez
come aboard to claim their man. We
told 'em the story and show ed 'em tn,
wet hat. They never offered to searcl
the vessel. They see how bad the mel
felt; and they believed it all and pulled
off.
Late that afternoon we got our waite
all aboard and bore away to sea. Iwait
ed till we was almost out O. sight o. land
then says to the captain: Il guess III
go below and get cigar I went ant
hauled the step away; and there was
all in heap. | can see that fellow
face right before me now, white as chalk
eyes as black as night. He looked lik,
a wild man.
J What nowp says he trembling al
ovsr;;o
! What do you mean?' says he.