Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1889-09-06


could speak little English, aud so
We managed TO understand each
other pretty we'll. Three days az
ter the men came aboard, "Slop'
Slip, as we called the cook, assur'
ed me with very serious face that
the strangers were evil-mlnded
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 this
news, aud he greeted 1t with con-
tempt.
"If YOU and the cook have moth
ing better to do, I'll set you to rub
bing the rust off the anchor chain,"
he gruffiy replied.
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 bis
suspicious, but in the absence OF
orders we could do nothing but
wait for what might turn up.
We were getting we'll down to-
ward the northernmOst island OF
the group, when something hap
pened 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 a native craft
came creeping UP from the south,
bows on to us. She bad a free
wind, while we had been beating
down all the forenoon. We were
at this time 40 or 30 miles to the
northward of the group, with a
beautiful afternoon and a smooth
sea. Half an hour alter the native
craft had been sighted, one of the
natives and the captain retired to
the cabin. Five minutes later the
native showed his bead ABOVE the
deck and called to the mate, who
had Just come on watch. lie dis
appeared down the companlonway,
and at the same time / entered the
forecastle to look for something
vented. / was down there about
dve minutes. heard no partIcu-
lar rev on deck, but when l reap
peared ! 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 we're ly-
ing amidships, while the two
Swedes were at the foremast cross.
trees. Not shout had been raised
nor a cry uttered. The work had
been done with terrible rapldity
and in silence.
AS / reached the deck one of the
natives came forward with a bloody
creese in his hand and called me
"good bOy' and said | should not
be hurt. He left me sitting on the
windass so scared and weak that
l could not stand, and then assist.
ed his companions TO lower the
sails. When this had been accom-.
pllshed they called to the Swedes
TO come down. The poor fellows
began crying and lamentlng, and
refused to descend. The natives
picked up the bodies from the deck
and tossed them overheard, and
then descended to the cabin and
brought up the bodies of captain
and mate and served them the
same way. Both had been killed
by the ore native who entlced
them down. About the time the
last body was flung over the rail
the native craft drew alongside.
She had thirty men on board, all
of whom seemed to know our three
passengers and their plans. There
was great rejoicing oyer the cap
ture of the schooner, aud for a
qua rter Of an hour no one paid me
any attention. Then there was a
hot discussion, paIt OF the gang
seeming anxious for my life, but
the result was that was conduct
ed to the cooks galley and given
to understand that was 10 do the
cooking. Although our cook was
a Chinese they did not spare him.
What saved me WAS my youth, OF
they might have planned to cut my
throat after had served tbelT
turn.
When my fate had been settled
the Swedes were again ordered
down. Que OF them descended
begging aud pleading, but he wal
cut down the moment his fee
touched the deck. The other re
fused to cJme down, and hall
dozen natl yes ran up the foremas
shrouds with knives in their hands
Before they could reach him tn
sailor made his way hand owe
hand along the tri Rntic stay to th
main ID ast. His feat was sfeete'
with applause, but others ascende'
and there was no longer any hop
for him. The poor fellow mad
the best defense possible, but the,
cut and hacked him until he los
his bold and fell to the deck. III
T body was thrown overheard, dec
, and cabins clesnsed Of blood stain
0 and about sundowrl the schoone