Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-11-09
THE CAPTAINS TALE.

| tie Is gained. New Y 0rk Tribune.
THE CAPTAINS TALE.
One day in March, 1869, while we was
layin' in port off Bunbury, in Western
Australia, was ashore and l see o nice
lookin' young fellow, about "a years old,
eyein' me pretty sharp. He was at work
on chain.gang. Wstchin' his chance, he
says to me, " Are you the mate of the
whaler ?"
eyes," says l.
Then says he, " Has the priest said any
thing to you about me %
No, says |.
"Well, he's goin' to-" says he, and
passed on quick.
The priest follered right along, and asked
me if I'd ever seen that young man before.
"Never to my knowledge" says l.
Then he told me it was -, Fenian
prisoner; that he had been confined in
| Dartmoor prison in England for seven
months, and then sent to Australia for life !;
that he'd been there goin' on leven months
and wanted to get off. And the upshot of
it was the priest offered me $500 to get
him off.
told him didn't want his money. If
he'd been thief or murderer, l wouldn't
have tried to help him any way but
couldn't make out that he'd committed
any crime; so the priest and /, 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 pleas.
ant, and such handsome young chap.
Well, 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.
By this time the news of IS escape
| had got ahead of us and was known all
over the world. 1t was just before sunset
when boat from ashore come alongside,
and her officer boarded US.
was standin' Just as near me as be
to you, when the officer up and says to me !:
"Have you got man aboard by the name
kind of thought a minute-it seemed
if twas an hour--and then says, "No,"
says l, very quiet "we did have fellow
aboard by the name of Brown, but he died
two months ago at Java"
He looked at me moment; then says
he, "Well, you've got some ticket. f.leave
men aboard, haven't you 2"
l was mighty glad he asked me that );
for l thought it would take up his attention
and give M little time to think.
:" can't say as to that, says I.
"Well, says he, call your men up
from forrard and we'll soon find out"
"No," says 81 don't want nothin' to
do with tt at 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, ap-
pearin' to De satisfied.
As soon as they were gone, -, half
crazy, says to me: "My God it's all up
with me What can 1 do? They'll come
back for me, but I'll never be taken alive %
l knew he meant what he said for the
priest hao told me he'd tried to commit
suicide, and, if he couldn't escape, had de.
termined to kill himself. l Gained him
down told him to go below and keep out
of sight, and I'd try to think up some-
thing; but says /, +" on sha'ns be taken as
long as can stand by you"
( t kne&ezery well Mat as soon as they
/ got ashore those ticket.of-le3ve zen would
4 blow on him really didn't know what to
do. Things looked black.
1 BY this time it got to be dark, and sat
! down by myself to think. Then | remem.
bered kind of locker under the stairs.
where the steward sometimes kept the
| dishes he wasn't usia'. 1t was shet by
pushin' one of the stairs right over it, 1
! knew they'd never find him there. Then
1 went to - and told him to go and find
a little grindstone there was on the ship,
while KEEP the men busy forrard. When
| come back I'd stop spell and talk with
the steward and when he heard me talk
in he must throw the grindstone and his
hat overheard, give shrek and then run
and stow himself in the locker.
When | come along back l stopped and
says to the steward, 81 don't know what
will happen when those fellows come
aboard tomorrow morning; - will
never be taken alive. He'll kill some of
'em and kill himself he threatened to do
it in Australia"
Just then We heard great splash and a
scream. whats that?" says l.
It's -" says the steward; "hes
thrown himself overheard"
Everybody heard it. The Captain was
off that day. rushed aft, told the other
officers, and ordered out the boats. The
men felt terribly. Every one of 'em was
fond of him. We got out four boats and
swept that harbor for hours. 1 was the
last boat in. When got aboard l found
the second mate leanin' over the ships
side, cryin' bitterly. Hes gone, poor
fellow Here's his hat" says he; "the
men have just picked it up. We never
shall see him again"
There wasn't a wink of sleep on board
that night. The next morning l put the
flag at half-mast. Everybody was solemn
as death. IS wet hat lay On the hatch
way. They all thought he was dead.
The Captain come off to see what wa:
the matter. l told him the story-how we
head the splash, got out the boats and
picked up 5 hat. Right in the mids,
of it the officers from Rodrigues come
aboard to claim their man. We told ZEN
the story aud showed em the wet hat
They never offered to search the vessel
They see how bad the men felt; and they
believed it all and pulled off.
: Late that afternoon we got our water al
aboard and bore away to sea. waited til
we was almost out o sight O. land then
says to the Captain, 81 guess I'll go below
and get cigar" 1 went, and hauled tn,
step away and there was - all in
heap. l can see that fellows face RICH
|
as night. He looked like wild man.
"What now?" ssys he, trembling al
over.
"Come out of that" says l.
"What do you mean ?" says he.
"Don't stop to ask questions, man,
says l. Gee: out of that and come up
you're safe for this time. Land is almos
out of sight"
He crawled out, and we went ON decl
; together.
"Now," says l. ego and shake band
with the Captain"
l went to the side of the ship, and stood
there smokin', and pretendin' to be scan
n;ng the kc-izen. see the Captain give
one look at -; kind of scared look
He thought it was his ghost. Then h,
, wrung s hand, and burst out crsin
jest like baby. Pretty soon no looked q
, me. I never said word. odd that fel
: low have anything to do with It'll" says he
l IA Summer in the Azores.