Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1882-09-02

u
In Western Australia, I was ashore
and l see . nice-looking young fell
low, about "a years old, eyein me
pretty sharp. He was at work on !
chain-gang Watchin' his chance be
said to me. Are you mate to thai
whaler.-
Yes; SAYS l."
"TheD, says" he, las the prizes,
said ANYTHING to you about me-"
No, says 1.
We'll, he's goin' to-" says he, and
passed ON quick.
The priest followed right along
and asked me If I'd ever seen that
young man before.
Viewer, 10 my knowledge, !" says /.
Then he told me it was =, a FEM.
an prisoner; that he had been confin-
ed in Dartmcor Prison in England
for seven months, and then sent 70
Australia for life; that he'd been
there gOin' on 'leyen months, and
wanted to get off And the upshot
Of it was the priest offered me 500 to
get biM Off
Il told him didn't want his
money. II he'd been q thief or muir
derer, wouldn't have tried TO help
him. away; but l couldn't make ont
that he'd committed any crime; SO the
priesi aud l. We fixed it that the next
day, when my ship got under way,
l should pick him up in the yawl-
and / did.
1t beat all how quick everybody
ON board took to that fellow-he was
SO pleasant, and such a handsome
young chap.
Well, come August, we had to
put into Rodrigues for water. It was
that or die of thirst. That IL not far
from Mauyitius in the Indian ocean.
BY this time the news Of his es-
cape had got ahead of US. and was
known ali over the world. It was
just before sunset when boat from
shore came along side. and her officers
boarded u.s."
WAS standin' Just as near me
IS be to you. when the officer up
and says to me: Have you got man
aboard by the name Of"
1 kind of thought q minute-it
seemed IS il it was an hOur-and then
l says no. says l very quiet; We did
have q fellow aboard by the name of
Brown, but he died two months ago
ut Java"
He looked at ME q minute; then
says he. ''well, you've got some ticket
Of-leave men aboard, haven't yOu:"
l was mighty glad he asked me
that; for l thought it would take up
his attention and give me little time
u think.
''Ican't say as to that, says /.
WELL" says he. ''csll your men up
from forward, and we'll soon find
out"
NO" says I; I don't want nothing
to do with that kind Of business.
You can look for yourselves if you
like"
So he and his gang went forrard
and hauled ont the stOwaways and put
EN- aboard their boat and pulled
ashore. appearin' to be satisfied.
Az soon as they were gone.
half crazy, says to me, My God! it's
all up with me. what can l do!
They'll come back for me, but I'll
never be taken alive"
knew he meant what he said:
for the priest had told me he'd tried
to CO ..,mit suicide, aud II he couldn't
escape he had determined to kill him
self. I Gained him down; told him
TO 10 below and keep out Of sight,
and I'd try TO think up something;
but says |. You shan't be taken as
long - I can stand BY you"
knew very well that Is soon IS
they got ashore those ticket-of-leave
men would blow on him; and l real
" didn't know what to do. Things
looked black.
BY this time 1t got to be dark, and
I sat down by myself to think. Then
l remembered q kind of locker up
stairs, where the steward sometimes
KEEP the dishes no wasn't usin'. 1t
was shut by pushin' one Of the stairs
right over it. l knew they'd never
find him there. Then I went 10 -
and told him to 60 and lind q little
grindstOne there was on the ship.
while l kept the men busy forward.
When l come back I'd stop q spell
and talk with the steward; and when
he heard me talkin' he must throw
the grindstone and his hat overheard,
give q shrek and then run and stow
himself in the locker.
When / came along back stop
ped and says 10 the steward, Il don't
know what will happen when those
fellows come about tomorrow morn
ing. will never be taken alive.
He'll kill some Of 'em aud kill him
self; he threatened to do It In Austria
lia."
Just then We heard a great splash
and ascream. "What sthAt!" says l.
..It's -, says tho steward; hes
thrown himself overheard"
Everybody heard it. The captain
was of that day. l rushed aft, told
the officers. and ordered out the boats.
The men felt terribly. Every one OF
'cm Vas fond Of him. We got four
boats and swept that harb0f for hours.
I was the last boat In. When l got
oOOoIu lOuuu suC oCCVuo uAoe0 sooo
in over the ships side, cryin' bitterly.
Hes gone poor fellow! Here's bis
hat. says he; the men have just pick
ed it up. We never shall sec him
again."
There wasn't . wink of sleep on
board that night. The next morning
I put the dag ct half-mast. Every
BODY was solemn Is death. -1
vet hat that lay on the hatchway.
They all thought he was dead.
The captain came of TO go what
was the matter. told him how We
heard tho splash. got out the boats
and picked up -'s hat Hight In
the midst of Il the officers from Rod
risucs come aboard to claim their
man. We told 'em the story and
showed 'em the vet hat. They never
offered to search the vessel. They see
how bad the men felt. and they be-
lieved it.all andlpulled Cd.
Late that afternoon We got our
water IN aboard and bore away to
sea. / waited till We were almost out
O. sikht o'land: then ! says to the cap