Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1889-05-31

the looks and actions of the men were
suspicious, and it was plain to all that
they were sailors. They let US all severely
alone except the Captain and the cook,
and I called it to mind afterward that
while one interested the former the other
two were occupied with the latter. l
| could "chin-chin'' a bit and the cook
could speak a little English, and so we
managed to understand each other pretty
well. Three days after the men came
aboard "Slop-Slip," as we called the
cook, assured me with very serious face
that the strar gers were evil-minded men,
who had planned to capture the schooner.
They had asked him to join them, and he
had refused / posted OF to the Captain
with the news, and he greeted it with
contempt.
eff you and the cook have nothing
better to do, I'll put you to rubbing the
rust of the anchor chain" he grutfly re-
piled.
The mate also laughed at me, but when
I went quietly among the men every one
of them was ready to believe. Each one
had noticed something to arouse his
suspicious, but in the absence Of orders
we could do nothing but wait for what
might turn up.
We were getting we'll down toward the
northernmost island of the group, when
something happened which should have
opened the Captains eyes. The leader
of the three borrowed the glasses and went
up to the crosstrees of the mainmast and
took long look around. We saw the
sailor in his every move, and he had not
been down an hour when native craft
came creeping up from the south, bows
on to us. She had free wind, while we
had been beating down all the forenoon.
We were at this time forty or fifty miles
to the northward of the group, with
beautiful afternoon and a smooth sea.
Half an hour after the native craft had
been sighted, one of the natives and the
Captain retired to the cabin. Five
minutes later the native showed his
head above the deck and called to the
mate, VINO had just come on watch. He
disappeared down the companionway land
at the same time | entered the forecastle
to look for something wanted. I was
| down there about five minutes. Iheard
no particular row on deck, but when I
reappeared [ was struck dumb by the
spectacle. One of the natives was at the
wheel, and was bringing the schooner
into the wind to lie to. The decapitated
bodies of the two Americans and the
cook were lying amidships, while the
| two STedes were at the foremost cross
trees. Not a shout had been raised nor
cry uttered. The work had been done
with terrible rapidity and in silence.
AS I reached the deck one Of the ma
tives came forward with bloody creese
in his hand and called me ''good boy"
and said I should not be hurt. He left
me sitting On the windlass so scared and
| weak that could not stand, and then as
sisted his companions to lower the sails.
When this had been accomplished they
called to the Swedes to come down. The
poor fellows began crying and lamenting,
and refused to descend. The natives
picked up the bodies from the deck and
tossed them overheard, and then de-
scended to the cabin and brought up the
bodies Of Captain and mate and served
them the same way. Both had been killed
by the one native who enticed them down.
About the time the last body was flung
ONcI I1lC 111Il G1lt udGIF Z CId1G oISW d1OHS-
side. She had thirty men on board, all
of whom seemed to know our three pas
sengers and their plans. There was great
rejoicing over the capture of the schooner,
and for 4 quarter of an hour no one paid |
me any attention. Then there was hot
discussion, part of the gang seeming
anxious for my life, but TIE result was that
was conducted to the cooks galley and
given to understand thatI was to do the
cooking. Although our cook was Chinese
they did not spare him. What saved me
was my youth, or they might have planned
to cut my throat afterI had served their
turn.
When my fate had been settled the
SWedes were again ordered down. One
of them descended, begging and plead
ing, but he was cut down the moment
his feet touched the deck. The other re-
fused to come down, and half a dozen
natives ran up the foremost shrouds with
knives in their hands Before they could
reach him the sailor made his way hand
over hand along the frantic stay to the
mainmast. His feat was greeted with
applause, but others assembled, and there
was no longer any hope for him. The
poor fellow made the best defence
possible, but they cut and hacked him
until he lost his hold and fell to the deck
His body was thrown overheard, deck
and cabins cleansed Of blood stains, and