Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-06-13
| age, but intended to use ths brig to make


The first thing was to get rid of the dead
bodies. They allowed us to sew them in
canvas before they went overheard, and
then our wounded man was made comfort
able. fully expected that the lot of us
would be turned adrift in their boat, but
they had other plans. There was not
sailor among them, and they were COM
PEELED to keep US to navigate the brig At
ter the burial the leader said to us:
1--WE mean you no harm. We are des-
perate men and mean to make our escape
After we have been landed in some safe
place you may sail away with your brig.
If you try to deceive us we will show you no
mercy"
was further informed that must act
as captain and navigate the brig, and
was allowed to choose a mate from among
my men. After that a council was held
among the eight as to what place should
be steered for. / brought them the charts
from the cabin, and after long debate it
was decided TO run for the Amazon river,
The brig had only weeks supply of water
and provisions for so many men, or they
would perhaps have decided on the Ameri-
can coast. At O'Clock, just as they had
reached a decision, the wind breezed I'D.
the yawl was taken aboard and set the
course for the big river, about 500 miles
away. Just at sunset we rose British
man-of-war going up the coast. The CON
victs identified her at once, and as we
would pass each other within a mile there
was cause for excitement. They had helped
themselves to our spare clothing and
thrown away their own suits, but there
were too many men on our decks for
small brig. All but three were sent be-
Ion he l..s,.1
as he surveyed the approaching craft:
You Will show our colors and salute
her. If she should hail us you know what
to answer. You can betray US, but will
kill you if you dor
The man-of-war crossed our course a
mile away, and dipped the ensign to her.
We were only peaceful trader in her eyes,
and no one aboard gave us a second look or
thought.
You did well, said the convict, who
was called Moran by his companions.
Deal honestly by us and we will by you. "
From the very first had hoped that we
might retake the brig, but the convicts
would only trust US so far. The watches
were so divided by order of Moran that our
men were divided, and two of the convicts
were kept under arms to act as sentries
Moran and the second mate had quarters
aft with me, while all others berthed for
ward. All of us were under constant sur
VIGILANCE, though decently treated, and no
two of us were ever left alone together If
had planned to run the brig into the port
of Parnahyla, down the coast, or headed
up for Cayenne, they would have been too
sharp for me While none of them could
take the wheel, they kept constant watch
on the compass. They knew the course
was -outh by west, and if the brig broke
off point they were quick to detect it.
The winds were light and variable, and
it was the sixth day after our capture be
fore we drew in with the coast Moran's
orders were to avoid Para by entering the
north mouth, and when we were fairly in
the river he told me their plans. was to
take them in the brig up as far as the
mouth of the Xingu river, and they would
then pull up the stream in the yawl and
make for the diamond district. We were
not above thirty miles into the river when
we were obliged to come to anchor for the
want of breeze. ! knew not thing what
ever of the navigation of the stream, and
had no chart of it, but Moran insisted that
we should not take pilot. About the
time we anchored, the demeanor of the con
victs seemed to change for the worse.
They were very lordly in giving orders
and staggered around in a fashion entirely
new to them. 1t appeared also as if three
or four of them were anxious to pick a
quarrel with our men. That evening the
second mate found opportunity to say
to me:
Depend upon it, Mr. Lenox, they
never meant to stand to the bargain |
shouldn't be surprised if they were plan
ming to cut our threats and scuttle the
brig"
| strongly suspected them of some evil
intention, but nothing came of it that
night. Next morning we had wind and
tide in our favor, and at noon, when we
anchored again, we had made twenty-five
miles. Another twenty-five would take
us to the mouth of the Xingu Right away
after dinner the yawl was lowered, and
Moran began to outfit her. His manner to
me was very brusque and quarrelsome,
and avoided him as much as possible.
Whatever they thought could be made
useful was placed in the boat, and they
were rummaging about the whole after
noon. At about o'clock Moran ordered
all the old crew of the brig into the cabin
Every man of US at once realized that the
climax was at hand, and acting in concert
we made a sudden and furious attack. We
got possession of two of the muskets and
were making a good fight of it, though
bound to be beaten in the end, when a
Brazilian gunboat which was on her way
up the river sheered alongside of US and
had grappled on before some of us saw her.
Her presence put an end to the fight, of
course. We had two men wounded, while
we had killed one convict and wounded a
second.
Our captors were neatly trapped, but
they no sooner realized it than they claim
ed to be the real crew of the vessel and de-
nounced us as convicts. They were SO
earnest and emphatic in their declarations
that the commander of the gunboat was
almost convinced. ! destroyed their case
however, when asked them for the cap
tain's name, our port of hail, the names
of the different ropes and sails, etc They
were ironed and taken aboard the gun
boat to be conveyed to Cayenne, while the
brig was towed down to Para to be put
through the LEGAL forms necasSarv in STcb