Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1892-12-22
AN n CAREER.
An American Boy Tramp Becomes a
Kings son-hi-law.

Kings son-hl-law.
Capt. Edward Ernest Maynard was
in C~larksville, Tenn., on a visit to
his friends and relatives. Capt.
Maynard's comparatively brief career
is one OF thrilling interest. When he
was, fourteen years old he al away
from nome and made his way to New
York, where his uncle, ii. p.
Kirkham, secured him a place on a
vessel bound for Africa. lie made an
u~neyentful voyage Of a year and
returned TO the United States with
his zeal for a sailors life noe the least
abated, and soon afterward joined a
ship bound for Hong Kong, China.
There were no happenings Of import
ance until the vessel arrived in the
neighborhood Of the Caroline Islands,
where she was overtaken by a storm
and driven upon reefs, going down a
short distance from shore. The
officers and crew landed without loss
of life. They were congratulating
themselves when, to their dismay, a
band of black sayages closed in on
them with wild yells, brandishing
their weapons in the most m~epacing
name possible. The terrified
sailors offered no resistance and made
an unconditional surrender The
savages did not prove to be the blood
thirsty creatures the shipwrecked
sailors supposed. Instead Of being
roasted or boiled in pots they were
treated very kindly. The captives
were distributed among the tribe,
each one placed in a family, where
they received comparatively good
Treatment. Ernest's fine appearance
so won the good will of the King that
he was given a place in the royal
household. He made it a study to
please, and succeeded so well that he
was treated like a crown prince with
an ancient pedigree. The King had
a young daughter in whose company
Ernest was much thrown. After he
had learned enough of the dialect to
understand the young princess and
make her understand him he began
to grow sentimental. With the
Young couple time few by, and hardly
before he knew it he was the son-in-
law Of a king. The king was as well
pleased with his son-in-law as his
daughter was with her husband. AS
no vessels ever stopped at the island
the captives had little hopes of ever
seeing civilization again. They tried
toacceptth the situation philosophically
and adapt themselves to the
circumstances. The natives lived by
hunting and fishing, and the sailors
proceeded to change their calling,
some of them becoming fishermen.
while Others applied themselves to
the capture Of game. The style Of
dress in vogue on the island was very
foreign to what the sailors were used
to at home. The natives were like
partially bald head, in that they were
only covered in spots. The captive,
were required TO conform to the
prevailing style.
When they had been upon tn,
island about seven months the king
son-in law submitted TO his friends
bold plan to escape by taking boat
and crossing the 500 miles of sea t,
Honolulu. The sailors agreed, and a
the first opportunity they escaped
and after many days of toll and hard
ship reached Honolulu, where the.
were provided with clothing ant
sent TO the United States.
Soon afterward Maynard shippet
as quartermaster on the STEAMSHIP
Aquan, which ran on the Contra
American and West Indian line
trading between New York ant
Jamaica. In March, 1891, the vesse
struck a rock called by the sailors tn
"Snorer." Ernest and the captain
took a boat and put out to sea, Will
the helpless passengers bidding then
Godspeed. 4 kind fate guided tn,
boat containing the two brave mel
safely TO a port, where they secured
steamer and a schooner. The tw,
vessels arrived in time to save tn.
passengers. The captain and Ernes
went aboard the wrecked vessel, anC
when they returned to deck tn
other ships had sailed away. leavinI
them TO their fate. The only mean
of escape left them was the boat. Ii
it they again put out, and arrived
safe at Honduras, 300 miles away
There they met a sister ship of tn,
Aquan and returned with it to New
York.
Maynard made his next voyage oil
the Ell Dorado, which was ship
wrecked nea the Bahamas. He ther
shipped on the Excelsior, of thu
Morgan line. This ship ran from
New York to New Orleans. He mex
went as captain Of the Gussie, O
the same line, to Central America
On July 10. 1892, he joined the Alamo
as second officer. This steamer nov
runs from New York to Galveston.
Capt. Maynard is the grandson of 3
sailor, a nephew of Henry P. Kirkham
of New York, who is in the shipping
business: also nephew of Capt
kirkham, haTbOr master of the
Windward islands, and captain OF
the port of Barbados. He is the
great grandson of William Kirkham.
who belonged to the royal navy. and
related to John Till, Of the East
India service,
Fed Her Child Pins.
William and Mary puSbman yyers