The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-06-12
GOOD STORIES or THE PRESENT DAT
How Ten r, ench Convie's Captured ~ Hrig
ut sea and Were Trapped.
,b,y igit. 1909. by Cha,',, y. L,vi..

calling at Georgetown Ell route. was called Tho
Little Queen. She was n trim new craft lust
out from England. and was commanded by
ono OF tho oldest mariners ever saw in active
service. His name was Rothsay and he was
hale and hearty at az years of age 1t may he
recorded ms a curious thing that he was the
only Englshman aboard OF an English craft
Both mates cook. and all iorcmast hands were
Americans. and three OF the mon were Cape
Codders. Tho explanation was that we had
been wrecked in q sugar vessel in the Curib-
bean Sea and picked UP and carried to ia
maica by II British steamship. There were
nine Of us all told as the brig left the island.
Georgetown. rs you Will soc by the map Is
on the north coast Of Brazil. in tho State or
province OF Guinea. A strip OF territory 800
miles long by 500 broad is divided up among
tho Il ritish. Dutch. and French. and the two
latter have established penal colonies there.
We reached GEORGETOWN in duo time. and dis
charged II part of our cargo. and just as we
were ready to sail we woro notified that ten
convicts from the French penal settlement OF
Cayenne had got away to sea in tho yawl OF a
French merchantmen. Little attention was
paid to this notice, rs such escapes were By no
means rare. and when We began our run
down tho coast tho incident passed out OF our
minds. Ono day ut noon. when we were to tho
south OF Cayenne and about forty miles off the
coast II man alott discovered ships boat
about two miles away and heading down across
our course AS she was standing in from sea-
ward our first impression was that she car
ricd n shipwreckcd crew. I had Just come on
watch whom the boat was reported. As soon
as lcvclled tho glass ut hcr l detected tho
clothing OF French convicts. and counted an
even ten men. The craft was under sail but
the breeze was light and the sea smooth. She
\vn m niir Invita- md 70 l,.1J
would intercept us.
AS soon as the Captain was notified Of tho
discovery no ordered tho brig kept Off four or
five points. and then called tho crew aft and
notified them that II the convicts got aboard
they would not hesitate at murder Half
dozen muskets would have given us u power
full advantage. but there was not even single
barrellcd pistol in the brig If it came to a
fight we could only arm ourselves with capstan
bars and Delaying pins. We had hopes. how
ever. OF getting or without coming to close
quarters. While the wind was light. we had
all sail on the brig. and there was no question
soon as we shifted our holm the yawl
raised a signal OF distress and the con-
Xits showed Ut in 0 Ga0r us pad
must have realized that We had established
an shook er lists d a o os
ed like wild beasts. got a plain view OF the
Ssyer saw We were rapidi H9q isasins them
behind and congratulatinE ourselves on the
and in the course OF a quarter OF an hour It
fell fiat; When this occurred we heard faint
doused their sail and put over two pairs OF oars.
tho sass f anoi a U9b
the crew and hold them up to their work. The
Goat can only board us ct the bows See that
Tor his life." N''''' ''"AN '""' ~ N'us' AS"'
-. Quarter Of an hour later the yawI lay off
Every man OF tho ter looked the Villain, Only
be e9d he asked and
There was neither a young nor an old face
asmong them. but ali wore niddle-aced men.
others had thrown away their jackets. Their
leader was short. stout man. so dark COM
and as the boat drew near no stood up in tho
stern n sheets and caI9d out:
on here to the east yesterday afternoon"
u. II knowW youn shouted Capt. Kothsay in
ennc. If you attempt to board US you will find
They could not know how well or how poorly
leader after brief consultation with his men en-
innocent men. We do not wish to board YOU o,1
We have neither food nor drink, and we ask
The Captain consulted with me in regard to
1t. They must come alongside in order to re;
Bcsiies. We had little or nothing to spare.
They had been nti0at tlve or six lays. and none
81 have nothing to spare. aud warn you to
keep of y shouted the Captain in answer to
the request.
We had secn no arms among them and had
surposed them to be without weapons Of any
sort. 10 our great surnrise five muskrts.
suddenly lifted into view, while four oars
dropped into tho water. and the ynwl made Tor
convict. and thoer with, muskots opened IRE.
Capt. KothsNy WAS killed.. and the second mate
sas hs WITH hFy o hna %ss na
hold Of. but within Ave minutes tho brig rig
Killed in the hight on deck. and none q" oai us
eiScaped injury As an. an offset we Killed two Of
They had bayonrt5 to thrir mllskcts. and it |
was either surrender or hc killed. 1t ia but |
Justice to the icllGws to say that they were not |
ihny were in Ioss ,ssion Of the Irig Their ntti- |
tude became almost friendly. As chief officer |
and on tho other hand the leader informed me
that they wcrr sorry to interrupt our voyage.
but, intended to use the brig to make good
The first thing ,was to get rid Of tho dead
bodies. They allowed US to sew thcm in emu
vas before they went overheard and then nur
" oundcl man was made .comfortnhie fully
expected that III" lot Of US would be turned
adrift in their boat: hut thoY had other plans
There WAS not sailor among them ana They
were compelled t. kcep us to nav gatc tho brig
Alter tho burial the leader said to us:
"Wo mean you no harm. We are desperate
non. and mean TO mako our escape. Aicr wo
have been banded in some safe place you may
sail away, with your brig. II YOU try to deceive
US wo will show yOu no mercy"
| MAS further informed that | must act az
Captain and navigate til, brig and / WAS
allowed to choose a MAZE from, among IN, men
Aftcr that q council was heiI among tito eight
brought them he charts from tho ga, in, and
fIcr II long debate / was decided to run Tor
thr Amazon tivcr. The brig had only "A We ,k's
supply Of wacr and provisions for 50 many
men. on they would perhaps have decided on
IN, American coast, Vt o'clock. lust ~ they
had reached decision tho wind hrrrZod M
the yaw was taken hnoari and set the cvutso
IUr the ~ river about 5OD miles away
lrpGI the vcry first ! had hoini that we
might r"iak" the eriGi put tho ,cohy'ts wont
vilrl hy order Of Moran that our mrn wore
divided and two Of tho conYcth w"r, kept
under arms to act M scn'ries. Moran undtin
SECOND mate mad quarters ait with me while
To-, l...I