, 1886-07-09

NoWt Hith, MI. 1ditluK ID W NC out
captain, and he is to be promptly obeyed.
/ shall be first mate. Peterson second, and,
though we berth in tho cabin, you shall
have just as good food as W. do. We will
now name the watches, and things will go
OF as IL there had been no rouble.n
His word was not questioned. There was
no exultation, no lawlessness, no boast
ing. Every man was quiet and thought
full. They had been wronged. They had
righted that wrong in their W. way, and
were now simply seeking to make a safe
escape. In twenty minutes after the cap
tain was set afioat you could not have told
that anything out of the routine had hap
pened. The decks were washed down,
breakfast prepared. and when things had
been cleared ava Johnson came down
into the cabin and said:
"Mr. CARING. how far are we out from
the Sandwich islands,"
mot 60 exceel seventy miles"
"Very well; will you please give us the
course for the Paumotu isla.Ids."
but l was going TO alter the course to
run for South America"
w don't var to go there. What l
said was to deceive the captain. for it's
likely he'll soon be picked up. We want
to run down to the Paumotu islands"
] got out the charts, gave him the
NO N'o 20 ~ ~ OA aClh. AlhCl1
thing was shipshape, the men as respect
full as you please, and it was hard to real-
ize that anything like mutiny and murder
had occurred. 1t seemed as II the very
winds looked upon the revolution with
favor, for the breeze hauled to our best
sailing point and sent US along hour after
hour and day after day until we were far
to the south of the Sandwich Islands.
1 am telling you now what l afterward
swore to, that a better crew never trod q
deck There was no wrangling, no drink
ing. and not the least indication of insub-
ordination. When we came to overhaul
the ships stores we our four-ffths of
them as fresh and sound as any sailor
could ask for. The other portion must
have been put in by the captain on come
speculation.
Near the line of the equator we had
light winds and Gains for several days.
but finally got n slant which carried us to
the south until we got q holding breeze,
and one afternoon we sighted tine islands
for which we had long been headed. The
group comprises fly or more islands,
with those of the Society, Cook, and
Tabna lying just to the south. At this
day most of the islands are inhabited. At
that date only a few Of them were, and
there were not above three or four ports
"a tbh AeAtb A4 thO III
whalers in want of vegetables and water.
The bark had planned to visit the Mar
shall, Gilbert, and Phoenix islands, lying
near the equator, and much nearer Hon
olulu. The m islands had been
selected by the mutineers because two of
them had once been wrecked among them,
m spent a year or more in leading a half
civilized life.
Before dark we had made q safe anchor
age, and, though the voyage was now
ended, discipline still remained us strict as
ever. That evening johnson came down
to me and snid:
"Mr. Carliug, the -oyage is endea. you
have done as yop agreed, and you must
admit that tbs men have been we'll be
haved. WI you go with us tomorrow or
SIX by the BARK"
Il must stand by the craft"
Just as you say, sir. This is a sheltered
spot, and we will leave you in good shape.
We shall take the long boat, some spare
sails, a few stores and other things, but
nothing to cripple the bark. Good night,
Mr.. CARING"
The next day the long boat was hoisted
out, aud the men took some muskets, a
few hatchets, kettles to cook in, fishing
tackle, tobacco, pipes, and a keg of rice.
and finished off with ship stores enough to
last 'em for IA couple Of weeks. There was
over 5000 in gold in the cabin, and as
johnson knew it the Others must have
known it as well, but not q man asked Tor
a dollar. 1t was 3 o'clock in the afternoon
before they were ready to go, and the last
two hours were spent in making every
thing snug. All the light sails were sent
dow and put into the sail room, and
the others were carefully slowed.
The second anchor was dropped, and
the captains dingey was hoisted out and
mad fast alongside for my use if l wanted
to go ashore. Then every man signed the
paper 1 had drawn up, and as they went
over the side each one took my hand and
bade me good-dy. l never saw one of
them again.
Six weeks later a Massachusetts whaler
discovered the Midway in her snug berth,
and, rs she happened to nave the crew Of
a wrecked vessel aboard, | had no trouble
in securing a compliment of men to re-
turn the bark to San Francisco. The cap
tain, as was afterward learned, had
drifted two days before he was picked up
by u trading steamer but he died several
days after his rescue. So far as | know no
steps were ever taken to overhaul the mu-
tineers, as after my statements in the
courts public sympathy was altogether in
their favor.-New York Times.