The Dillon tribune. [volume] (Dillon, Mont.) 1881-1941, 1883-02-17

:-.e..t;,.,, saa Beckett
Wat. %,:4 said I. ut isn't zoo late yet, |
"Hold on! When I have my plan d..
ed you shall know it. ;"
It was now quite late. for the or,
touched the horizon of the waters who a mad
Dorset passed us. l watched .Ia tne
ceding ship until darkness and distance ., te
her from me. and knew she was IN. nn
for the Atlantic. l had seen her sho. una
sail for the night, and with the last , Nv
she had been steering sou th-west. 'S
As soon as the curtain of night had f.n.-
ordered the ship to be worn around nSa'
the other tack, and having set her co1 poh
due south. crowded on all sail. Whsn sp
had been Delayed on the new tack, tho ~ 81
know what meant.
II mean," 1 answered, g that will b,,.
those villains safely in irons again if cane
But how?" came from half the c,e,
at breath.
And told them.
"Our ship is by all odds the svifte..
,ailer, even with equal canvas but nov.
that the Dorset has only topgallant sail; SAIL
set over double reefed topsails. while w.
are now carrying everything, we shall shoo,
ahead fast By midnight l calculate to ~
further south than she can be to make
run to the westward, and lie in wait for ber
We know her course, and by careful reckon
ing cannot fail to strike it."
And what them"
81 can tell you better when the time
comes. Stand by me, and I'll be care.
ful."
The breeze held good and fair, and with
studding sails below and aloft We spanked
on until midnight, at which time knew
we must be much further south than tn.
Dorset" Then / changed the course to
west-south- west, and at three clock, after
careful computation, l believed l wax
where l should be.
AS soon as this had been decided gave
orders for heaving to, and taking in SAIL
sent down the lofty yards, sent the top
gallant masts on deck. and housed the ton
masts.
While this was being done the passengers
had been bringi. G the arms on de *, and
making them ready. and had more than
enough for a ~utlass and brace of pistols
for each man.
/ had just got the pumps rugged when the
lookout aloft reported sail. l FASTENED
forward, and could distinctly discern the
sharp lines of the top hamper of heavy
ship against the sky. l put myself in her
way, run up signal, lanterns, and set men
ut work ut my pumps.
When she had come near enough she put
down her helm, and laid her course to run
under our stern.
ship shoy !" came from the Dorset
for l had distinguished her figure head,
and knew her.
Fearing that the villains might recognize
my voice, instructed Lee to answer for
me:
AYE! aye! Send us boat; we've sprung
leak, and are sinking"
"Who are ye?
"The 'Amphitrite,' of Liverpool"
What are ye got aboard :"
Furniture and provisions, and hun
dred thousand pounds in gold
The Dorset" hove to, and lowered a
boat, which was very soon alongside full
Of men and villainous men they looked to
be as they came over the side.
"Ye haven't settled much in the water
remarked one of their number.
"We've kept the pumps going til ve
can't pump any more" ! said.
"Well, where's yer gold? Let's have that
first"
This way" 1 said, moving toward m.
csbin door.
When abreast the after pump gave t..
signal agreed upon for the men to stop
pumping; and in a moment more l gave
another signal agreed upon. l shouted:
Down, every man
The man of tie mutineers nearest me fell
by my hand, and others fell as quickly.
| Only fifteen men had come off in the boat
and as they were taken completely by sur
| prise they were captured and ironed before
they could fully understand what was the
! matter.
" Ship ahoy!" / shouted, through my
trumpet, initiating as nearly as possible
my hand
Halo !" came in reply.
| :'Send another boat. We can't bring
half. Hurry! The old things SINKING
Another boat soon came alongside with
ten men in it. As they came over the rai
they were taken from behind, and s-cure,
| without blOOdSheO.
| NV course was now simple. We had five
and twenty of the villains safely under Out
charge, and having seen them so securely
bound that they could no. move, called
twenty-four Of my men into the two ooats
alongside, leaving only skin charge Of the
ship. We pulled for the s. Dorset and as
we came to under her gangway we saw i
few men looking over the rail but we had
taken the precaution to put on the Scotch
caps of the convicts, and they did not sus.
pect. Beckett was the first upon her deck
and followed.
"Got the gold ?" asked burly fellow.
whom l recognized at once as the boat
swain of the ship, and one of the precious
villains of whom Lee had spoken.
cit is in the boats" answered Beckett
rig whip, and we'll soon have it
aboard"
The fellow turned at once to see to the
rigging of the whip. saw that my men
had all come over the side, and gave IT,
signal. We had no particular need to *
careful of life now, for two of the prisone;'
on board my ship had confessed the crime
Of which those had been guilty who he.
the Dorset I" in charge The chief o.
the mutineers l cut down with my own
hand. Besides him there were only sxreel,
to deal with. Four others were kl.No
outright, while l lost not man. They
were overcome and secured, and then
made my way to the starboard gual"'
gallery, where found and embraced zap