Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1884-05-21
"The Hyena."

An example is recorded in the annals
of the French navy Of a crew who vol
UNFAIRLY sacrificed themselves for the
purpose of avenging their cruel treat
ment by the captain. The case was
that of twenty gun brig, the captain
of which, nicknamed the Hyena, had
been sent to the Antilles on special
mission, where he remained nearly three
years. living himself on shore. but never
suffering neither officer or man to quit
the vessel, except select few who
brought him reports of what took place
on board, and what was said concern
| ing him, and who took back lis orders
to the lieutenant who commanded in
! his absence, who, however cruel an"
harsh these orders were, had no choice
but to execute tn I'm His mission ter
minated, he came on board. apparently
gay and happy in the thought that his
success would be well rewarded on his
arrival IN France. He could not have
failed to see the gloo ny looks that were
cast upon him when ne stepped on deck,
but he did not appear to mind them,
and went Straight below to his cabin.
They were in the channel of the Ba-
WuCu VI NAllu
began 10 blow. The captain was sum-
moned on deck and gave orders for the
instant reduction of sail. The lieuten-
ant gave the order ''all hands on deck"
and then repeated the captains order.
the Quartermaster threw his whistle
into the sea, tore off the badges CT his
grade from his cuffs and walked sadly
back to the forecastle. The breeze kept
increasing in violence.
''Lower the topsail5," screamed the
captain.
"We will not" was the reply of a
hundred voices.
The captain turned to his officers:
$50 arms, gentlemen; there is mutt
ny on board"
Not word did they answer, but
with the exception of the officer of the
watch, they retired in a body to another
part of the deck. The breeze freshened
to hurricane, the vessel lay with her
broadside to the waves, which poured
over the deck incesSantly; still no man
stirred, until few of the worst men in
the ship went aft to the captain and
said:
"we shall all be lost. What Is to be
done?"
Down with the SPIES" yelled the
crew; 1--WE will die togetheI."
The pale and trembling captain
snatched the speaking trumpet from the
hands Of the officer whose duty it was
to transmit his orders to the crew, and
gave them direct; but they only ELECTED
a mocking laugh in .eply. The brig
had now fallen into the trough of the
sea and was lying almost on her beam
ends,
'.Pardonl Pardonp' shrieked the cap
tain. For Gods sake cut away the
masts."
Still nobody stirred. AL at once the
masts broke away and the vessel right
ed; but the whole masts, yards and
spars being held beside the brig by
means Of the cOrdage, beat against It's
side like battering-rAms.
II will pardon you all" cried the
terrified captain in his agony, ''if you
will cut away the rigging"
The excitement of the crew had now
become SO great that in their deilriOus
thirst for vengeance they lushed over
all intervening obstacles AMI surround |
ed the captain.
Thou shalt die, thou and thy spies |
after thee," they yelled in reply.
Help gentlemen, help" he screamed |
to his officers, II promise you Promo
ton, crosses, what you will!''
Not an officer moved; and soon amidst |
the roar of the wind, the daShing OF |
the waves and the blows of the masts |
against the briggs side, threatening |
every instant 20 beat it in, there arose
piercing shrieks from five men whose |
clothes had been torn from their bodies, |
and who were being tortured by men
laboring under the frenzy caused by
the anticipation of death, and the Off
GERS looked with indifference on the
bloody spectacle-one alone quit them,
ana he went below, opened the powder
magazine, and an instant afterward the
shattered bodies of the tyrant and his
victims were tossing in the fOaming
water among the fragments Of the YES
sci. OF all on board, one alone survi-
we'd, and that was little cabin boy,
who was picked up directly afterwards
by an American vessel.