Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1890-04-16
ON THE BRIG COUNTESS.
Story Of an Adventure on the Car
ribbean Sea.

The Ships Apprentice Graphically De-
scribes the Scenes That Were En-
acted During a Mutiny OF
Which He Was the Sole
Survivor.
The other day saw a notice in a Liver
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 l can tell the adventure in way
10 interest you.
The Countess was a Bristol brig,
owned in part and commanded by Cap
tain Thomas, who was not only thor
ouRh seaman, but a 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 10 ports in Spain
and return. j 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 sailor.
On the day we left Bristol / was four
teen years OF age, and stout and robust
for boy of my size. We carried two
mates, a cook, and seven men before the
mast. This was very full-handed for a
brig of her size, but 1t was one Of the
peculiarities of the Captain, never to put
20 sea short-handed. Rather than do so
ne 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'castle, and in those days it was
the best fighter. Stewardship and edu-
cation had to bow 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" III
he had had the good OF the brig in view
this would have been for her benefit,
but it 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 Captain. Our second
II -
his watch, as was also Bristol Bob and a
couple of his chums. The first mate
was named Parker, and 1t soon trans
pired that he was good seaman but q
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 mate did not
seem to be clear as TO whether he should
side with the men or the ofiSsrs.
Before reaching Jamaica the crew had
been on the point of mutiny half dozen
limos There had been blows and kicks
and cuffs; tho first mate had been knock
ed down; the captain had called the
crew aft and made them a speech; the
second mate had given the men to I'M
stand that he sided with them; on reach
ing Jamaica every one of the crew would
have deserted but for the plans of the
ring leader. He bad already sown seeds
which were taking root. The captain
did expect the men to cut sticks, and
was surprised that none left. heard
him say as much to Mr.. Parker. When
the latter found that the men were to
stay by he threatened to 60 ashore him
self. claiming that such men could only
be handled by enforcing the severest
discipline, but the captain somehow
.smoothed it over with him, and when
we left the island we still had every
man aboard who had shipped at Bristol.
On several occasions j had seen Bristol
Bob and his chums in close converse
ton, and on several other occasio4s the
cook had slipped into the to'castle,
where he had no business to be, to hold
confabs. could see plain enough that
something suspicious was in the wind,
and l think Mr.. Parker also suspected
the plotting, as we had no sooner left
Kingston than i saw him closely watch.
ing ali tho men. In setting the watches
anew, Bob and two of his friends and
myself were placed ~ his watch.
For the first three days gut nothing
unubual OCCbfNE0- AhC AhOA wv sAOti
work as well as could be asked for, AND
were 70 respectful as to create surprise
Every thing was on the surface, hcweV
or. When out of sight in the fo'castl'
the men were growing and cursini
worse than before. One afternoons
was on the fourth day, believe wa
aroused from ms sleep during my watcl
below by a conversation between Bo'
and a man named jackson. They kneI
j was in the bunk, but believed me t.
be sleeping sOundly.
This is the plan As have thought /
out" Bob was saying. AFTER we hav'
got the brig we will cruise to the east
ward for spell. While / can't shoe
the sun or figure up or get our latitud
and longitude, can see chart as wei
as any one, and the log will tell us HOY
Ear we have run. We know that all tn
islands are to the northeast. Ever.
one Is down on the chart. Beyond then
is the Atlantic. The island am afte
is not down on the chart. 1t is north
east OF Trinidad, and may be two hun
dred miles away.
Don't Miner know" asked Ia
other.
Never heard of it, but this Is his FRS
trip this way"
is ho agreed?" 49,