The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1882-04-26
sAvEDBY PLUCK.

had been soiourningin Paris for
some time, and became anxious fol
new sights and scenes, SO ! took
passage on a small vessel at Havrt
bound for pleasure excursion in
the Mediterranean. This vessel was
English build, being in fact one Of
the largest class of pleasure yachts
Her late owner was a wealthy but
dissolute young noble. who had
built and luxuriously fitted up the
Belle, as he called ner, for his own
use. Coming over to Havre he left
her in charge of the captain and re-
paired to Paris, where he plunged
into every species of dissipation.
Before many weeks had elapsed he
fell into the hands of several of his
countrymen, who were professional
gamblers and blacklegs, although
their real character was disguised by
the most fastidious dress and the
most scrupulous department. From
this point the story of poor Lord
C-is that OF hundreds of others.
The conspiracy that these sharks
formed to plul.der him was perfectly
successful, and he lost more at the
gaming table than his estate would
yield for whole life time.
Mad with his ill-fortune, as he un-
suspectingly thought it, he offered to
put up the "Beile" againstfive thoa-
sand pounds. 1t was done, and he
lost-it would have been impossible
for him to win. Tossing off tum-
bier of raw brandy he rushed from
the place, and was not seen again
for two days, when his body was
found among the drowned at the
Morgue. The scoundrels who now
owned the yacht were glad to get
rid of her before the.affair become too
public. and therefore offered her for
sale at two thousands pounds. l
had seen the vessel at Havre and
taken a great fancy to her, and
knowing that she was richly worth
five times the sum demanded l con-
ceived a plan for forming a little
stock company of few o. the
wealthy Americans then sojouraing
in Paris, and purchased her particu-
larly with a view of making pleas
ure excursion in the Mediterranean.
The project worked to charm /;
the shares were taken, and the new
owners of the Belle setabout making
their preparations for a six months
cruise along the shores of the great
est sea, which with me was a long
cherished plan.
But we experienced some trouble
before our voyage began. The cap
tain of the yacht made his appear
ance in Paris with the unwelcome
news that his crew had deserted to a
man, being dissatisfied with the pro-
posed voyage, and that he feared he
should not be able to ship another.
The difficulty was at length reme-
died by the kind assistance cf the
American consul, and a dozen men
were procured tor the voyage. The
business of attending to this impor-
tant affair was by unanimous con-
sent intrusted to me, and as my fel-
low-voyagers were in ignorance of the
character of the crew, they were not
troubled with the anxieties that be-
set me about them. As is generally
the case, able seamen were not to be
picked up in a foreign port, nor
could we obtain either English or
Americans: OF the twelve that we
shipped at Havre, seven were French,
two Portuguese, two Spanish. and one
a mulatto from the West Indies.
They were all an ill-favored, rascal
ly-looking set; but the mulatto was
certainly the most brutal, ferocious-
appearing human being that my
eyes ever beheld. He was quite
seven feet high, long-limbed, broad
crested. and strong as a horse. His
coarse features were usually as heavy
and sullen as those of an idiot, but
occasionally a gleam of intelligence
shot across them that made him
look almost fendish.
After completing their shipment,
the consul took me aside and said,
very seriously:
"Now, sir, after helping you get
this crew, am free to give you a
piece of advice-don't sail with
them unless you have captain who
knows how to enforce discipline and
compel obedience"
aI'll answer for him" was my re-
ply. Ross Cryder is as brave as a
lion and not afraid Of anything in
the shape of a man. / knew him
in command of a Liverpool liner
long before he met Lord C.
He'll do / know"
"Well, I'm glad of that" said the
consul. drawing long breath.
aTell him for me the only members
of his crew that / really know any
thing against are the two Portuguese
and the darkest Spaniard. They
have been in the galleys. ! suspect
that little Frenchman of being spy
for secret order of assassins at
Rome, but I'm not certain. The
captain will see for himself that the
mulatto wants watching; his face