Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1891-02-14

them with Delaying pins, but all to no
purpose The entire lot were stupidity
drunk, just as the natives had planned
for.
It was perilous situation for the
woman 70 be placed in. If the natives
captured me schooner they would
murder every one Of the crew as natural
sequence, and the first step toward
capturing hes lad already been taken.
The step she took showed sound judg-
ment. The schooner's yawl was down,
having been in almost hourly use. The
native village was about forty rods back
from the beach, and as the schooner
swung to the ebb tide she presented her
broadside to the village. When the
yawl was pulled around to the port side
she was out Of sight. Mrs Williams's
first act was to step the mast; her next
to supply the craft with provisions and
water. There were an unusual number
of lights burning in the village, showing
that something was on foot, but she had
no fear Of an attack until Il later hour.
The natives would wait until certain that
oil the people were helpless.
Mrs. Williams had determined to slip
away from the doomed craft in the yawl,
although she had no experience in the
| management of a small boat After
water and provisions she brought up all
her money, which was in boxes she could
handle. Not penny of it was left be
hind. There was rifle, revolver and
double -barreied shotgun belonging to
her husband. These she took. touethsl
with powder, shot and fixed ammunition
Then she gathered up all her bedding
and clothing, took three or four spare
/ blankets, two suits of clothes belonging
to the officers, aad when these were in
the boat she took pots, pans, dishes
and cutlery, bundled up a lot of
carpenters tools, secured two axes, a lot
Of small rope, several pieces of canvas,
Land, in brief, loaded the yawl with
whatever was portable and handy, in
Guiding the clock, compass, quadrant
sextant and lamp and four gallons OF
oil. She worked for upward of two
hours getting these things into the
boat, and the last articles taken aboard
were meat, flour, beans, tea aud Other
provisions from the laZarette
1t was about ten o'clock when Mrs
Williams took her seat IN the yawl anC
cast off from the schooner, and the tide
ut once driftcd her ont of the bay ana
to the north. The only thing Of conse
quence she had forgotten was chart Of
the Java Sea, which she could have put
her hand on at Minutes notice, and il
was the want Of this which made Cru
soc of her for several years AS tt,
yawl went to sea after its own fashion,
Mrs. Williams los. the points of the
compass at once. Indeed, had she kept
them in mind, it would have been of ut
benefit Just then, as she mad not studied
the chart and could not have told which
wav to steer to reach another group o.
the main land. She heard nothing
whatever from the natives, but several
years later it was ascertaned that the,
did not board the schooner until mid
night. The men, all of whom were still
drunk and asleep, were stripped and
tossed overheard to drown and then TIC
absence of the woman and her money
was discovered. Five or six ratlv
crafts were at once sent in pursuit, while
the people who remained looted tn
schooner Of everything Of value L
them. and then tOwed her out to dee
I water and scuttled her to hide the evi
, dences of their crime.
flttI uIilllu8 tuItC VI iOut .AlieS ON
, to sea the yawl got a light breeze. ant
: after few trials the woman learne'
J how to manage the sail and lay course
4 She had'no idea which way Sue W.
/ heading, but ran of before the breeze
: and kept going all night aud until mic
q afternoon next day. Sne must have pasSe
4 the island OF Upnons IN the early mosr
i ing, but 50 far 10 the westward that ST
: could not see II The wind hauling 6
]. midforenoon altered her course by sew
r eral points, and the noFthernmost lsah
0 of the group named Polio was IL
;. brought in line The Island ! scvs
a miles long by three IN width at i
9 widest part, and well wooded az
. watered. The woman landed on L