Connecticut western news., 1890-04-16
ON THE BRIG COUNTESS.

ON THE BRIG COUNTESS.
 The other day I saw notice in a Liverpool paper to the effect that the courts had decided to rehear the case of Mrs. Allan White, daughter of Capt Thomas of the brig Countess. To the general reader those lines meant nothing. I do not suppose there arc fifty people in all England today who can recall the case of the Countess, al- though the particulars were published far and wide, and finally appeared in book form. It 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, perhaps can tell the adventure in way to interest you.
 The Countess was Bristol brig, owned in part and commandeq by Capt. Thomas, who was not only a thorough seaman but man of excel lent heart We were bound out to Georgetown, in British Guinea, with orders to call at Jamaica. This was my third voyage with Capt. Thomas, the other two extending only to ports in Spain and return. I was an appren- tice, or ships boy, having nothing to do with the cabin but living with the crew in the focasue and learning to be sailor. On the day we left Bristol was IA years of age, and stout and robust for boy of my size. We car ried two mates, cook, and seven men before the mast This was very full handed for brig of her size. but it was one of the peculiarities of the cap tain 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 contended 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 I was not long in mak- ing up my mind, boy as I was, that we had shipped hard lot There is always leader in the fo'castle and in those days it was the best fighter. Seamanship and education had to bow to brute strength. We were not out three days before a burly big fellow who went by the name of Bristol Bob, but whose real name was Ha- vens, had established himself as ''boss." If he had had the good of the brig in view this would have been for her benefit, but 1t soon transpired that he had plans of his own. At sea the first mate stands his own watch, while the second mate stands for the cap tain Our second mate was named Mizner, and was in his watch, as was also Bristol Bob and a couple of his chums. The first mate was named Parker, and it soon transpired that he was good seaman but a man of little tact or judgment. While the captain was too lenient he was too harsh, and we had not been at sea a week before the second did not seem to be clear as to whether he should side with the men or the officers. Before reaching Jamaica the crew had been on the point of mutiny half dozen times. There had been blows and kicks and cuffs; the first mate had been knocked down; the captain had called the crew aft and made them a | speech; the second mate had given the men to understand that he sided with them; on reaching Jamaica every | one of the crew would have deserted but for the plans of the ringleader. | He had already sown seeds which were taking root. The captain did expect the men to cut sticks, and was surprised that none left. I heard him say as much to Mir. Parker. When the latter found that the men were to stay by he threatened to go ashore himself, claiming that such men could only be handled by enforcing the Sc verest discipline, but the captain some. how smoothed it over with him, and when we left the island we still had every man aboard who had shipped al Bristol. On several occasions I had seen Bristol Bob and his chums in close conversation, and on several into the forecastle, where he had nc business to be, to hold confabs. could see plain enough that something think Mir. Parker also suspected the plotting, as we had no sooner left Kingston than I saw him closely watching all the men. In setting the watches anew, Bob and two of hi! friends and myself were placed in his
 watch. | For the first three days out nothing
 unusual occurred. The men did theil
 work as well as could be asked for
 and were so respectful as to create sur
 prise. Everything was on the surface
 however. When out of sight in thu
 fo'castle the men were growling ant
 cursing worse than before. One after
 noon-it was on the fourth day, I be
 lieve-I was aroused from my sleel
 during my watch below by conver
 sation between Bob and a man named
 Jackson. They knew I was in th'
 bunk, but believed me to be sleepin.
 soundly.
 This is the plan as have though : 1t out" Bob was saying. After WI have got the brig we win cruise to th
 eastward for a spell. While can shoot the sun or figure up and get ou , latitude and longitude, l can see
 chart as well as any one, and the To,
 will tell us how far we have run. w know that all the islands are to tn
 northeast. Every one is down on tn
 chart. Beyond them is the Atlantic
 The island am after is not down ol
 the chart. It is northeast of Trinidad
 and maybe 200 miles away.
 Don't Mizner know4" asked th ! other.
 "Never heard of it, but this is hi
 hrst trip thus way.
 ''Is he agreedf
 Certain. He is to be first, you set
 ond"
 But all are to live alike9"
 Correct. We are just officers i
 name. We all eat in the cabin, slee
 where we please, and share and shar
 alike. Nobody is to set hisself up g better than anybody else"
 That's fair. And the captain an mate are to go?'
 tsOf co,,rSo