The Iola register., 1886-11-12
The Story of a Wreck.
Thrilling and Romantic Account Of
Mutiny at Sea.
az w. CLARK RUSSELL.
CHAPTER u.-Coxrrxurn

CHAPTER H-CoNrrxuEn
Fingered dforthree-quarters Of an hour
on deck. during which time the slight
breeze died entirely out and . most
perfect calm fell. Perhaps the moon
would bring breeze with her as she
rose at twenty minutas past nine, so
filled another pipe to await her COM
ing.
As / struck a match, the stewart
came halfway up the poop-ladder to
tell me that the spirits were on the
table.
did the captain send you?"
asked.
NO. SIR" he answered. IL though.
I'd let you know, as they'll be cleared
away after nine. and my orders are not
to serve them again when once they re
slowed away for the night. That's the
captain rule"
'.All right" said I. Another time
should have gone below and had my
glass of grog: but | considered it nv
best policy to keep clear of Coxon until
!, the temper that had been excited by
my unfortunate production of the ship s
biscuit was cooled down.
took some turns along the deck.
and shortly after nine one of the lamps
in the cuddy was eXtinguisheJ. and on
looking through the skylight l found
that the three men had left the table
The crew had evidently turned in, for
/ heard no voices; and now that the
talking which had been going on in the
.cuddy no longer vexed the ear with
rough accents, profound silence and
peace came down upon the ship.
At last up rose the moon. She made
her coming apparent by paling the
stars in the southern sky, then by pro-
jecting white mist of light over the
horizon. Anon her upper limb, red as
fire. jetted upward, and the full orb.
vast and feyerish as the setting sun.
sailed out of the sea, most slowly and
solemnly, lifting with her black mist
that belted her like circle of smoke;
this vanished, and by degrees. pcrcep-
tiblc to the eve. her color changed; the
red chastened into pearl. her disk grew
smaller and soon she was well above
the horizon, shining with a most clear
and silvery splcndor, and making the
sea beneath her lustrous with m lid
light. But not 4 breath Of air followed
her coming. The heavens were cloud
less and the sea wonderfully calm. l
might keep watch all night, and still
have nothing to report; so, knocking
the ashes out of nv pipe. / descended
the poop-ladder and entered my cabin.
CHAPTER III.
Ihad slung cot, although there was
n good mahogany bunk IN the cabin.
No sensible person would sleep in a
bunk at sea when he could swing in q
hammock or cot Suppose the bunk is
athwart ship; when the vessel goes
about you must shift your pillow; and
very often she will 60 about in your
watch below and catch you asleep. so
that when you wake you find Your feet
are in the air. all the blood in your
body in your head.
The watch on deck had orders to call
the captain if n change Of wind came;
also knew that the pilot would he up.
shifting about, of and on through the
night; SO | turned in properly and
slept soundly until two: when waking
up | drew on my small clothes and
went on deck. where found DucklinG
mousIng about in the moonshine in a
pair of yellow flannel drawers. he hav-
ing. like myself. come up to see if any
wind was stirring. He looked like a new
kind of monkey in his tight white rig
and immense head of hair. mo wind,
no wind" he muttered, in sleepy
grumhlc, and then went below with a
run. nearly tumbling. in fact. head
over heels down the companion-ladder
l returned to my cabin, and when |
next awoke found nv cot violently
swinging. l thought for the moment
that we.werc under way and in heavy
sea, but on looking over saw Mr.
Duckling. who exclaimed: .-Out with
YOU. Mr.. Royle, There's a good breeze
from the east ards. Look alive and
call the boatswain to pipe all hands"
Hearing this l was wide awake 1T
once. and in few minutes was max
ing NV way to the boatswain's cabin.
a deck-house on the port side against
the forecaste. He and the carpenter
were fast asleep in hunks placed one
over the other. laid hold of the
boatswain's leg and shook it He sat
upright.
All hands, sir?'
"ies; look sharp. bosun."
He was about 10 speak. but stopped
short and said: AYE, ave, sir" where
upon hurried aft.
1t was twenty minutes past five by
the clock in the cuddy. The sun had
been risen half an hour. and was al
ready warming the decks. But there
was a fine breeze: which brought ripe.
fresh morning smells from the land
with it, and made the water run in
little leaps of foam against the ships
side
Captain CoNon and the pilot were
both on the poop. and as l came up
the former called out:
'1s the boatswain awake yet?'
'.fes. sir" / answered. and dived
into nv cabin to finish dressing. l
heard the boatswain's pipe sound, fol-
lowed by the roar of his voice sum-
moning the hands to weigh anchor.
NV station was on the forecastle, and
thither l went But none of the hands |
had emerged as yet. the only man seen
being the fellow on the lookout
MIR. Royle," cried out the captain.
lump below. will YOU. and see what |
those fellows are about
l went to the fore-scuttle and peered |
into It. bawling: Below there,"
There's no use singing out" said a
voice; 1--WE don mean 20 get the ship |
under way until you give US something
fit 10 eat"
who was that who spoke?" 1 !
called. ''Show yourself, my man."
A fellow came and stood under the |
[ore-scuttle, and. looking up. said. in a
bold. defiant way:
Il sPoke-.Bill Marling, able sea-
man.