The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1886-03-03
"Well, was obliged to dodge the law
for q scrape got into at Mohile. y

II shall leave her at the first chance.
That's your lay; but keep quiet The
captain and mate are bad men, and won't
stop at murder to hush your talk. If
there is a chance for break depend upon
me to go with you"
'fHow far TO the north do we qo2"
''We shall cruise among the islands,
and perhaps along the Alabama coast.
Take my advice and do duty and keep
your eyes open.p
With that he left me, and after finish
ing my pipe slept until about 2 o'clock
in the morning, when we got slant of
wind from the Gulf, and the mate called
us to up anchor and make sail. We
crept along at a slow pace, and about
sunrise had the Big Chandelier is
land under our beam. During the
afternoon we ran down to the northern
end and came to anchor within a few
fathoms of coasting schooner, which
was then lying a wreck on the rocks
within a stones throw of the beach,
Her masts were gone, bulwarks stove,
and the beach was covered with wreck
age. 1t was plain that she had come
ashore in gale, but in the tail end of it,
and the sea had not broken her up.
Long enough before we came to an
chor, although was at the wheel of the
Glance, saw man on the wreck max
ing signals 1t seemed to me that the
captain and mate placed themselves pur-
posely in my line of vision, to prevent
my seeing the man, and we had not yet
begun to take in sail when the mate took
the wheel, and the captain sent me into
the hold to look up some spare oars for
the yawl. | was rummaging around
down there for half an hour, the oars
being only prctence to keep me off the
deck, and when the captain finally called
me up the sails were down, the anchor in
the water, and several of our men were
aboard the wreck, having taken our
! yawi to convey themselves across the
space.
l was not allowed to 60 aboard of the
wreck, but was ordered to remain on the
schooner to help receive cargo which the
others broke out. The yawl presently
made her first trip, bringing load of
ropes, chains, and sails, and these trips
wc1e continued at intervals all day.
When they came to break out cargo the
yaw. brought us -four, hardware, grocer
les, and clothing. some damaged and
some in good shape, and the mate bore a
hand to help us on the schooner.
There was no knocking off for dinner,
and from the way the men were rushed it
was plain that the captain feared discov-
cry and was in hurry tc get everything
out of the wreck and be off We had a
bite to eat as we worked, and at sunset
we were piped for supper. This we ate
on our decks, and my friend of the night
before, who gave me his name as Bill,
planned to take a seat near me. had
worked hard and without grumbling, and
captain and mate no longer felt sus-
piciOus of me, or at least showed no
signs of it. There was an opportunity
now for few words with the man Bill
and l asked him if it was a case of salvage.
'Wuss'n thatr he whispered back.
Wasn't there man-one of the crew
on the wreck when we first came upP'
Eyes"
"Where is he nowp
knocked on the head and thrown to
the sharksi
''Do you mean that he was murdered! ~
"That's Just it, matey While you
were below the captain and mate
rowed off TO the wreck. We all saw a
man aboard, but none OF us have seen
him since. Had he been allowed to live
on it would mye been case of salvage
With him dead, what's TO prevent our
captain from owning all he can get.
''And you talk as coolly as if only a
dog had been thrown ovcrboard"
"1ush! II there is the least show for
escape I'm off with you this very night
No more nOw--we are watchedm
i After supper the yawl was sent off
again, and we worked until about II
o'clock Tw0-thirds of the cargo had
been transferred, and our captain meant
to hang right by until he had secured
everything or a shift of weather drove
him away. There had been a fair breeze
all day and it still held, coming from the
southeast. There was doubtless a smart
surf on the 1ther side of she island, but
sn oar side the water was quiet
enough.
When the crew turned in the man Bill
was left on deck as an anchor watch
The man Topped down q&eck, some
without a thing between them and the
planks, and in half an hour their snOres
were hearty and continuous. Then 1
cautiously rose up and joined Bill. The
yaWl was towing astern, Win the oars on
the thwarts and 1 was determined on
escape. To my surprise 1 found him
eager and anxious 10 90 with me.
While captain and mate both appeared
asleep, we dared take no risks. If we
got away in the boat it must be bare
handed. Any attempt to look up water
i provisions, and the mast and sail might
upset our whole plain.
While Bill walked the deck whistling
to himself, l drew the yawl under the
stern and slid down the painter. In a
minute or two he came after me, and
then cut the rope and pushed us Off We
at once began to float to the northwest,
and in quarter of an hour were out Of
sight of the schooner It would not do to
use the oars yet, however, and we were
waiting to increase our distance, when all