Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1890-05-09
ON THE BRIG COUNTESS.
Story Of an Adventure on the Gar
ribbean Sea.
The Ships Apprentice Graphically De-
scribes the Scenes That Were En-
acted During Mutiny of
Which He Was the Sole
Survivor.

pool paper to the effect that the courts
had decided to rehear the case of Mrs.
Allan White, daughter of Captain
Thomas Of the brig Countess. To the
general reader those lines meant moth
ing. / do not suppose there are fifty
people in all England to-day who can re-
call the case of the Countess, although
the particulars were published far and
wide, and finally appeared in book form.
1t is thirty years since the circumstances
occurred, and as was the sole survivor
of the crew, and the one who gave all
the particulars to the English press, per-
haps can tell the adventure in way
to interest you.
The Countess was a Bristol brig,
owned in part and commanded by Cap
tain Thomas, who was not only thor
ough seaman, but man of excellent
heart We were bound out to George
town, in British Guinea, with orders to
call at Jamaica This was my third
voyage with Captain Thomas, the other
two extending only to ports in Spain
and return. | was an apprentice, or
ships boy, having nothing to do with
the cabin but living with the crew in
the fo'castle and learning to be a sailor
On the day we left Bristol was four
teen years of age and stout and robust
for a boy of my size. We carried two
mates, cook, and seven men before the
mast. This was very full-handed for a
brig of her size, but it was one of the
poculiarities of the Captain, never to put
to sea short-handed Rather than do so
he would carry one hand extra He was
often laughed at for this, but he con-
tended that it paid in the long run, and
so it did.
After we left port and got Things ship
shape had opportunity to look over
the crew and see what they were made
of, and was not long in making up my
mind, boy that | was, that we had ship
ped hard lot. There is always leader
in the fo'castlo, and in those days it was
the best fighter. Seamanship and edu-
cation had to how to brute strength 1t
wasn't three days before burly big fell
low, who went by the name of Bristol
Bob, but whose real name was Ravens,
had established himself as "boss." II
he had had the good of the brig in view
this would have been for her benefit,
but it soon TRANSFERRED that he had plans
of his own. At sea the first mate stands
his own watch, while the second mate
stands for the Captain. Our second
mate was named Miner, and | was il
his watch, as was also Bristol Bob and 8
couple of his chums. The first mate
was named Parker, and it soon trans
PRED that he was a good seaman but ;
man of little tact or Judgment. While
the captain was too lenient he was too
harsh, and we had not been at sea
week before the second mate did no
seem to he clear as to whether he SHOULD
side with the men or the officers,
Before reaching Jamaica the crew hat
been on the point of mutiny half dozel
times. There had been blows and kick
and cuffs; the first mate had been knock
cd down; the captain had called tn
crew aft and made them speech; tn
second mate had given the men to un
stand that he sided with them; on reac !
ing Jamaica every one of the crew wo lit
have deserted but for the plans of tn
ring leader. lie had already sown seed
which were taking root Tho captain
did expect the men to cut sticks, an
was surprised that none loft. hear
him say as much to Mr.. Parker. Whe
the latter found that the men were t
stay by he threatened to go ashore hin
self claiming that such men could onl
be handled by enforcing the severes
discipline, but the captain someho'
smoothed it over with him, and whe
we left the island we still had ever
man aboard who had shipped at Bristo
On several occasions had seen Bristt
Bob and his chums in close convers;
ton, and on several Other occs ions tn
cook had shipped int ts,@ focastl'
where he mad no business to be, to hol
conrabs. could see plain enough tia
something suspicious was in the wine
and think Mr.. Parker also suspecte
the plotting, as we had no sooner le
Kingston than saw him closely watcl
Ing al tue iuth' III SWUNG VhO ""VVn'
anew, Bob and two of his friends an
myself were placed in his watch.
For the first three days out nothin
unusual occurred. The men did the
work as we'll as could be asked for, an
were so respectful as to create surpris
Every thing was on the surface, howe
!. err. When out OF sight in the fo'cast
he men were growing and cursir
sc than before. One afternoon
- on the fourth day, ! believe WI
Jused from my sleep during my watC
below by a conversation between b
and man named Jackson. They kne
Nlwas in the bunk, but believed me
y sleeping soundly.
Ia