The Grenada gazette., 1888-12-20


and inflicted a stab which proved fata
within half an hour After thus sins
his knife, he took up his quarters i
the fo'castle, and swore that he woulc
kill any man who dared descend afte
him. We pulled the cover over AM
made him prisoner, but in short tim,
We realized that We were in the fix o
the man who dare not let go Of th'
bear. None of us had change 0
clothes or could turn in.
In this emergency Mr.. Waters tool
the responsibility of hauling tn,
captain out OF his berth and trying Il
make him understand the situation
The beast got back enough sense tt
realize that his sacred person was ha
Ing pulled and hauled ABOUT, and he
got hold OF Il pistol aud threatened tt
shoot the next man who disturbed him
In this emergency We held a fo'castle
council, Some were for putting back
others for running into Georgettwh,
and others for holding On Until heSi
day and seeing how the Captain would
come out It was while we were en-;
gagged In this discussion, and "a one
had an eye on the weather, that an
"ox-eye" struck the brig, and brought
both masts down together as il thef
had been chopped ea. The instincts
OF a sailor act every man at work with
out orders, but the old hulk got pretty
badly banged about before we had tho
wreckage cut clear and the danger
averted. The negro mBrderef sanad
on deck during the confusion, but, in
stead of aiding Us to save the Brig, he
got the yawl into the water, put III
water and provisions, and when we
We're finally at liberty to look about us
he was ready to shove of. He was tad
quick for us, ard away he drifted into
the darkness to leeward, the yawl
bouncing like a cork, and seemingly
about to upset, but tho fellow was
as cool as ice, and got her
off before the seas. As the mnin-
mast came down block Or strap
fell upon the head of sailor named
Chester We could not give him any
attention for half an hour, and when
we got around to II he was dead. We
we're dismnsted, had two corpses
our only boat was gone, md
the captain was still drunk. Sailor
Jack has some curious adventures, and
is surrounded by strange tifcum-
but none could have well been
in q worse fix than we were aboard OF
the Duchess,
The Question of what we could or
should do had been narrowed down
very materially. The hull WAS not
much damaged, and we knew that It
could never sink with those b@rrels
lboard, We hauled the corpses out of
,he Way, covered them with Il spare
sail, and then every man We5 at liberty
o do as he pleased. All discipline was
gone, and as the hull sat high out of
Sater no one felt any immediate dam
ger The wind and sea both fell after
he blast that dismasted US, and before
en- O'Clock believe that every Jack
lboara was sound asleep. ] remember
hat 1t was nfte" sunrise when | went
N deck, md | 'Rns the first Cne up. In
bout three minutes the captain made
lis appearance. He was not yet over
lis spree, and had, doubtless, come on
seck to have n row, Ono look around
lin was sufficient to change his mind
m that raint iid was completely
out at what he saw, and his
betrayed all the emotions
II the calendar as he approached me
nd asked;
wv snal is 1t, Rccfer?"
"We were struck by squall lust
vening and dismastcd, sir"
"And IT," 4
I'VE tried to cali you up, sir, but
'ou ~Dtc dead drunk
1t WIS my opportunity to give it to
lin straight, and | did not spare him.
"Ycs, sir" | went on. as he pasacd |
lis hand over his eyes rs II to clear
way " vail. ait Wds all your fault.
,ou were drunk when we left port, and
GU got stupid soon after that. You
re responsible fer what this covers,
ir. as wall as the loss of this brig"
l took his arm and walked him over
the bodies, and pulled off the sail.
was Il shocking sight. and ho
Fonder he started back with a cry of
error.
"How-was-it?' he slowly de-
landed.
"The niger stabbed the mate, sir,
nd the man was killed as the iiiasts
ent over. Both deaths are laid at
our door. This is the result of your
ing drunk"
Great God! Great Godm he gasped,
he held up his hands in horror
"Yes sir, it, an awful hights work."
said in reply. And what are we to
, nowF'
Dead! Both dead! And the brig a
reck" he whispered, as he glared
'ound him.
At that moment the men began to
ppear on deck, and the captain COW
ed his face with his hands for a
oment, and then rushed into bis
'bin. We gathered about the stump
the foremost as all came on deck,
1t not over ten minutes had elapsed
hen the steward came out, shouting
at the captain was gone. We rushed ,
t in a body, and there he was on his
lck in the water, hands over his eyes
nj the Wntar i,ct pnvariur tbop, IL |