Evening journal., 1889-09-13

the third mate, hut even with his assistance |
IL was a considerable time before matters |
were al all quoted
The two officers hid to submit to much |
more iusolent language than was agreeable, |
and there had been an ugly and menacing |
display Of weapons by the men They came
back aft pale and silent with anger over a |
situation 50 unpleasant, which they seemed
powerless TO control
This was in the second week. Matters were
worse at tie beginning of the third. The
men now held the forward part of the ship as
their independent domain worked or not as
suited their individual preferences. and con.
stantly defed and msulted the officers. The
weather. luckily for all on board, had been
fair with gentle northerly breezes, for in case
OF a storm there would have been great dan
ger, with such a crew on board, Of going TO
the bottom As it was the officers worried
along, encouraging the willing, ignoring the
insolent, and, at times, even taking from ne
cessity a hand in the manual labor them
selves
II this condition Of affairs were to prevail
when they should reach the stormy winds
and waves of Cape Horn, the fate of the
vessel seemed inevitable indeed and deplor
able.
"We've endured this state Of things about
long enough said Mr.. Herbert to the cap
tain as they stood together on the quarter
duck during the dog watch on the evening OF
the fifteenth day. by our reckoning, If this
breeze holds we should be to morrow noon in
latitude $ dogs. north, longitude ITO dogs.
west
IF we propose to get rid Of this shipload
Of criminals and not go with them to de.
t-uction of Cape Horn, we must change our
a..
the sun and proved our reckoning. BY my
calculations it win be a run of about twenty
one hundred and forty miles to Callao. and
steering by the wind along the equator, we
ought with fair luck to make the port inside
of twenty days The winds are southerly at
this season, and we may sail free all the
way
Mr.. Herbert spoke with freedom to his
superior officer, but he had sailed years with
Capt ConyeIs, who greatly relied on him,
and who in this emergency had sought his
advice
well, suppose it must be 50, . said Capt
Conyers with something like a sigh. Il don't
know what the owners will think to have us
go out of our course like this
ut can't be helped said Mr. Herbert
And now propose another thing, captain,
if you'll sanction It. And that is 10 recap
ture this ship. think we've been the sport
Of a lot of beachcombers long enough, and
should like to get into authority again, if
only for half an hour, just to see how it
would SEEM have plan by which / think
we can put those fellows down and keep
them under until we can set them ashore"
Come to my room to talk, where wen be
out Of the hearing of the man at the wheel, !"
said Capt Conyers, nervously.
| IThpy entered the hin and fhafsa eeacf1n.d
between them a long conversation Of an argu-
| mentative character In which objections
raised by the captain were successfully done
away with by the confident and energetic
representations of Mr.. Herbert, so that
finally the captain, rising, said in a tone of
resignation, "Well, wen try itn
| The force that might be counted on in sup
| port of the lawful authorities Of the shfp was
seven in number, being the captain, first,
second and third mates, the carpenter, stew
ard and cook. The element opposed was
twenty-eight in number, but Of these several
OF the able seamen were not pleased with
their associates and appreciated the dangers
Of their position; these men were neutral
factors who would not resist, nor could they
be counted on TO assist the officers in the
event of a mutiny OF the crew.
Mr.. Herbert book none Of the other officers
into his confidence until the next day at noon.
Then while they were at their dinners they
were briefly told what was expected Of them
and given their instructions what to do.
They all entered most heartily into his
plans A little after two bells in the after.
noon Mr.. Herbert left the cabin and walked
forward among the men There be satw a
sight which, at that time Of day, has rarely
been paralleled on a merchant ship sailing Oh
the high seas There was no work going on
fore or aft but the entire crew, save the man
at the wheel, were lounging at their ease.
Some were sitting on deck at cards, Others
we're lying In their berths smoking, and
others again were sitting on the bits or Iean-
ing against the rail indulging in converse
ton which was plentifully mixed with oathi
and obscenity.
As Mr.. Herbert came among them they
glanced at him with contemptuous indiffer.
ence and went on with their occupations
But his face was very serious and his voice
was so impressive that they were compelled
to listen with attention as he spoke.
"Boys, there's danger ahead The old
mans been looking at his glass, and he says
we're going to have one of the worst kind OF
storms and it'll strike the ship right away
Now, boys, all hands turn up aloft and fur
the sails We're in the squally latitudes now,
remember, and wen go to the bottom in q
hurry if a cyclone catches US with our canvas
spread"
The men looked from one to the other, not
much liking the prospect held out by Mr..
Herbert either of the work or the storm.
Presently one of their number dropped his
cards and got up from the deck saying:
"Well, boys, guess we'd better do as be
says There'n be time afterwards TO finish
our game
so one by one they quilted the rail- got ur
from the deck or rolled out of their hunks
and slouched in an independent manner Z
the places assigned them. By the time the
clew lines and buntlines had been hauled and
Delayed the entire crew had turned to, auc
were then all sent up to furl the sails on The
mainmast
They clambered up the rigging, awkward
ly enough the most Of them, but in time they
were all aloft, strung out along the yards
Juggling away at the canvas, and working
still harder to save themselves from falling
As they fumbled at the sails directed from
the deck by the second and third mates, Mr.
Herbert, the carpenter and the cook met by
preconcert at the forecastle, which they a
once entered.
The carpenter carried mallet and chise
and the cook a gunny sack. The carpentei
proceeded actively to pry open every chest
each of which was expeditiously searched BY
MIR Herbert and the weapons contained
therein transferred to the bag held by tbs
cook.
Every bunk and mattress was thorough,
/ he into ,ftefl