Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1890-05-09
"They'd murder me tha moment

stepped on deck, Whispered the captain |
to me- I'm killed be anyhow, and |
might as well die like game man."
He then called to them that he'd never
surrender, and that he'd shoot down any
man he could bring within range. The
fellows cursed and yelled in response,
and though we could hear them moving
about the decks from that time till day
light, they made no new move. When
day fully broke, Bristol Bob again de-
manded surrender, but received the
same answer. We expected them to
smash the rest of the skylight, but this
they hesitated TO do, as they would
have. no means Of repairing it when the
captain was disposed Of. There was not
even pistol among them, while the
captain had revolver, double-barreled
pistol and musket. He also had
sword in his state-room, which would
prove an ugly weapon at close quarters.
While l was only boy, l had both
pluck and nerve, and could handle
pistol to do an enemy damage,
Daylight was not two hours old before
the mutineers discovered that they had
captured the wrong end Of the brig first.
They had the decks and fo'castle, but
the captain held the cabin. BY listen
ing at the stern ports and under the
skylight we heard much Of what was
said. The brig was holding due cash
and we heard words dropped about
mysterious island-buried gold-living
like nabobs, and so on. How to come at
us was a puzzle, but nothing was done
until midafternoon. Then the doers OF
the companion were burst In, and the
men encouraged each other to attack
the cabin door. Each hung back, how
ever, as there was bit of entry at the
foot OF the stairs, with turn to the
right to reach the door. On account of
this they could not bring beam to
bear, nor could more than one man work
at time. Realizing their disadvan-
tage, and wishing to come ct their end
the safest way they were ready to
make any promise to bring the captain
out He defied them, and thus two
days and two nights passed.
The brig had meanwhile been making
good speed to the east, and we now
heard the men growing because the ISL.
and had not been sighted. On the fore
noon of the third day there were several
violent quarrels among them, and in one
Of these the second mate was stabbed to
death and his body flung overheard.
The captain had treated me very kind
ly, and we had not suffered for food or
drink, there being full cooler of water
in the cabin when the row began. He
had crackers, sardines and other fine
provisions in his own pantry, and while
/ stood watch three hours he stood six.
He said the end would be that both OF
, us would be killed, and he was impa-
tient for the mutineers to begin their
work so that he might get shot at
them. On this third day Bristol Bob
stood on the port quarter, while har-
! arguing us through the skylight, and
the captain located him, brought his
musket to bear, and shot him dead, We
r knew this from what was said on deck
Half an hour later, as we heard one Of
them at the cabin door, the captain
3 made ready to fire bullet through it.
and, by some carelessness, discharged
: the weapon prematurely and received
. the ball in his throat, and he died in
: five minutes. was so overcome that
Q hid away in his statereom, and the mu
r tineers no longer had any one to resist
o them. The first thing l knew it was
4 night and it was SO very quiet that
s knew there could be no wind outside.
: crept out into the cabin, but every thinl
s remained as l had left it. For two hours
t l listened for sounds from the deck, bu
o heard nothing from the mutineers, ant
l finally fell asleep. twas morning whel
h ! was aroused, and then by men drop
i ping into the cabin through the sky
t light. They belonged to the .Scotcl
h whaler Bruce, which was lying near by
il and which had had us in view ever sine,
daylight. The mutineers had taken tn
O long boat and abandoned the brig, whicl
# was driving at her own sweet will, an,
@ to this day not one of the men has eve
been heard Of No doubt they met wit
d some accident by which all persisted a
i sean. Y. Sun.