Wichita eagle., 1889-08-27

But ISN'T IL QESaoIHi}y mono toneus-th
same thing, day after dayT" inquired Jennie
"Dear, mol" said the matron. 'If you ar
not mere passenger impatient to be as you
journeys end, you can have as much hem,
Life on shipboard as anywhere. AS to mo
notony, the sea is the most variable thing il
the world, hardly alike two daysin success
sion"
Didn't you ever nleet any nice pirates o,
have any nutinieS on board, OF anything OF
that sort, you knowT' Alice remarked per.
suasiyely.
Mrs. Jones laughed. 'Net exactly shs
said; ''but we had a bit of scare on one
voyage. Perhaps you would like to hear
about thRts"
We gathered around, and she began:
MY husband was,ceptsin of the Bonanza,
"a ship running between Melbourne and Liver
pool, some twenty-five years ago. l shall
never forget tho first vevaga 7 nada -ifh
him. Vessels did not go so fast then as Jhey
do now, and I remember that we were just
five months and three days from Phillips
dock, Liverpool.
''Our freight was gold dust for the return
"trip, and the worst Of it was that we could
get a crew only of convicts. Our own sail
orS caught the gold fever, which was rum
ming very high then, and while the ship was
lying at Melbourne ran away to the gold
fields to prospect for themselves. These con-
ivicts were cid sailors who had been trans
ported for crime, but who had served out
their terms and wished TO return TO England
by working their passage. David-that was
my husbands nane-said we could do no
better than to take them, and he hadn't the
eli hot .l-a
trouble; they were too anxious to get back to
England.
'All seemed TO 60 well for while, but
after we had been out TO sea for some time,
it seemed to my husband as if the Bonanza
was a little Off her bearings; so the first
bright day he took an observation. He was
shut up for about an hour making the calcu-
latiOns. When he came out 1 saw by his face
that something was wrong. He went aft and
spent some time with the helmsman He had
found that the Bonanza was off her bearings,
sure enough. The man at the wheel told him
that she wouldn't mind her helul-that she
was water logged. This got about among
the passengers. and they began TO be nervous;
so my husband announced that he would
make an examination, and invited two of the
passengers TO accompany him into the held
They went down into the lower hold, where
the ballast is slowed, and found the ship was
all right. The captain sent the boatswain
aloft to give out through the trumpet that
the report was false
!After this Icould see that David was I'M
easy, although l did not then understand
why.
Il awoke one night Just before seven bells
struck. When l heard the bells. I knew that
it was only half past 8, and was trying to
get to sleep again, whea my ears, which are
exceptionally quick, light peculiar scrap
ing sound under the hensn. There would not
seem TO be anything ala, ming about this, for
most ships are fun of Its, but the fact YVES,
that the gold tank Yves built into the ship
just under the captains berth, the only en-
trance being by trap door, II this scrap
ing came from the tank it could not be rats,
for no rat who had any respect for his teeth
would be likely to experiment on the zinc
lining. a few nights afterward l heard the
noise again, and felt sure it was some sharp
instrument working on metallic surface.
I awakened David, but be could not hear
anything, and said that it must be my i'm
agiEation.
Soon after this, I noticed that curious
change had come over Arnie, our cabin boy.
His whole name was Arnold Mcintyre. He
was really very young for the place, but /
had been pleased with disappearance and in
dQced my husband to take him. This was the
boys first trip. His father had been pros
porous squatter in Australia, a Scotchman by
birth, and d fne man.
lone night the father was awakened by
the barking of the dogs, and on going to the
door found gang of bush rangers surround
ing the house. They evidently knew that he
had been selling cattle that day and had
brought home 8 large sum OF money. It is
not Likely that they intended to harm him,
for it was only the money that they were
after, but he showed &gh6 and Knocked two
of them down.
''Well, the end OF it was that the poor
Scotchman got a. bullet through his head,
and the bush rangers rode away with every
thing valuable. Mrs. Mcintyre was never
the same again. Sac lost her wits. let the
baby fan on its head lin consequence OF which
it died not long afterwardf, and she took no
note of Arnie. He was a bright, clever lad,
and it seemed a pity that he should go to de
srruction, 50 we took care of him.. He was
very fond Of us, and took greab pleasure in
teaching Lima, for he was very grateful and
a quick scholar.
AN at once, as Tssaid, great change
seemed to have come over him. He came
into the cabin one morning as white as a
piece Of canvas and l peticed that his arm
shook 50 that he hal 70 carrysthe captains
coffee cup with Both hands. lie declared he
vas we'll. and seealeato be startled when We
spoke suddenly to MIN; but during breakfast
often noticed that he was gazing at Us with
an indescribable expression. have seen
something Ike it1n the face Of q dumb aGi-
NAL when tits trying iosvain 70 make itself
understood by alaliIlan being.
Il was sitting on deck Tvithsgly work, one
pleasant.morning soon after, when, happen
ing to need a book which was below, | sent
Arnie down to get il. When be handed it to
ne there was q foldedslip OF paper between
the leaves; a single word was scrawled upon
1.-THE word 'Muripy.'
That day when we had finished our ON.
ner, the captain rose in his place and made
short speech He said something like thls:
Ladies and gentlemen, wish TO have a
few straight words with you. l dShot wish
TO cause alarm, and hope there is no occasion
for any. but I think it best that there should
be Z fair understanding between Us, as to
how matters stand. / have reason TO believe
that all is not right on bosrd-that there is
mischief brewing among the crew. II l can
have tie support of the passengers feel sure
that i can manage the men, There must be
10 panic among you. Il is absolutely neees-
sary that all be cslrn, watchiul and self con-
troliei believe that you will be. Think
can trust yen and Shall expect you 10 sus-
tain me- We vii look this danger in the
face, aud we shall ses whether a dozen true
Englisamen can be cowed by q gang of coa-
victsr