Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1888-05-18

IN their Iracases Jnree or four were severely
wounded. The crew was also divided The
laxity of discipline had made the men impu-
dent and lazy, and we had not left the
islands three days behind us when I was
made aware of a plot to capture the ship and
turn her into pirate. The conspiracy was
headed by Frenchman named La Fount,
who was not only the Oldest man in years
among the crew, but probably the best sailor.
He could take an observation, work out dead
reckoning, and was an ambitious, energetic
man, although thoroughly bad one. A
sailor becomes plotter if his hands are idle
In these days every foremost hand knows
that pirate craft could not sail any sea for
week without being overhauled, but in
those far back years we had no ocean tele-
graph and few steamship lines. There were
plenty of uncharted islands, and the chance
for success as rover seemed very good. La
Fount made plain statement to me, seeming
to have no fear that might betray him, or
that would disagree with him. The ship
was to be allowed to reach the Amazon, the
people put ashore, and the A1batross was
then to be seized and sailed away. There
was to be no bloodshed if it could be pre-
vented, neither in the seizure nor in the fu-
ture career Of the craft My name was
placed on the list of mutineers as second
mate, and was told that every man of the
crew, outside of the officers, had agreed to
the project I soon found this to be the case.
''Under other circumstances should have
gone to the cabin and made clean breast of
the plot to the captain. Indeed, that was my
first thought, but quickly abandoned it, In
the first place, he would not have believed
me, and in the next he was not the man to
cope with mutiny To have told the mates
would not have helped the case, and to have
taken any of the emigrants into my conf
dence would have precipitated the mutiny.
At the first move of officers or emigrants the
sailors would have thrown off all disguise,
seized the ship, and probably sent the people
away in the boats. After turning the matter
over and over in my mind decided that my
wisest policy was to remain silent, and seem
to be hand and glove with the conspirators
After a tedious voyage we finally made the
Amazon. At any time after leaving Havre
storm would have doubtless destroyed us,
but we encountered no peril of that SORT No
voyage could have been attended by more
favorable winds or better weather. During
the last week of the voyage the emigrants
became more reconciled to each other, and
their plans. 1t was resolved to steal the ship
and her stores from the syndicate, settle out
side the company's tract, and found young
republic. The idea that the government of
Brazil, or the government of any other South
American state, would have voice in such
a project never entered their heads. The
colony or republic was to be increased in
numbers by emigrants from America, who
would come by the thousands, the captain
said, the laws and ordinances were to be of
the most liberal character. Slaves were to
be brought from Africa, and every white
man should have two or three to work for
him. All property was to be held in COM
mon, and all colonists should pay homage to
the captain as president.
s "There were, therefore, two bands of con-
spirators at work, each unknown to the other
I had week to think it over, and made up
my mind to go with the mutineers. To be
left on a wild coast, exposed to sickness and
want, and to be mixed up with such state
of affairs as would soon prevail in the colony,
was as bad as helping to run off with the
vessel AS to piracy, that was matter which
might never come up at all. We ran to the
south of the Amazon, about $50 miles, and
brought up in bay which was well sheltered
on all sides. A stream of fresh water here
descended to the sea, and the land was rich
and the locality evidently free from malaria.
The captain and several people went off to
survey the locality, and before the day was
over it was decided that the colony should be
located here. The people were wild to get on
shore, seeming to believe that they had found
paradise. The ship had brought out lum-
Der to construct houses, but the emigrants
would not wait for plank to be unloaded.
I'm, ttn dow soul off
ashore, and before night most of them had
erected some sort Of temporary cover. A
night ashore among the insects and wild ami
mails took away much of the enthusiasm, and
the next day many returned to the shelter of
the ship. While the lumber, seeds, tools, and
household goods were being unloaded sur
vey of the land was made and in about five
days each individual was in possession of his
ground, and the first of the rude shanties were
erected and inhabited.
1.-THE captain paid little or no attention to
the ship. Everything favored the plans of the
mutineers, and it was determined by them to
carry off the second mate and force him to
join them. The ship could have been seized
any hour after her arrival, but La Fount
wanted her clear of her useless cargo, and
perhaps felt some compassion for the colo
nists 1t was on the morning Of the tenth day,
and everything had been landed, the captain
and mate were ashore, when La Fount took
command. The second mate, when informed
of what was on foot, made no objections to
Joining, and under his directions the anchor
was weighed and the Albatross stood out of
the harbor. When at sea La Fount took
command, the mate was made first, and I was
installed second officer. The plot had been
canvassed so often that there was little ex-
element or enthusiasm. La Fount gave all
to understand that he should exact discipline
and obedience, and he was as good as his
word. Never was there speedier or more
radical change in the conduct of a crew.
II do not know what La Fount's plans
were, but we had held due east two days when
two six pound cannon in the hold were
ordered hoisted on deck and he went down
into the after hold with lantern to make an
inspection. He had not been absent ten min
utes when the ship suddenly lifted out of the
water, split into thousand fragments, and
then followed burst of flame and terrific
explosion. She had blown up. remem-
bered of being lifted high in air and then
lost my senses. When came to was cling
ing to portion of the mainmast, and had
probably drifted for an hour or more, as no
other person or wreckage was in sight. ]
was burned in two places and had received
several wounds from missiles, and how !
reached the spar and chung to it is mystery
to me. That night at 9 o'clock the ship Will
lam Rogers, bound from Rio Janeiro to New
York with coffee, picked me up, and for more
than two weeks was unable to leave my
berth. The ship had run through the wreck
age of the Albatross without discovering any
of her crew, and, without doubt, was the
only one who escaped. As to the colonists
left behind us, the savage natives killed off
many, a war upon each other further reduced
their number, and finally, when the survivors
set out to reach Para, accident, sickness,
starvation and wounds put an end to the
last ones. When a government vessel was
sent to bring the splonists home none could