Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1892-01-29
A MYSTERY.

SUPPOSE landsman knew that
whenever he left his house he was
under NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. by
someone who meant him evil. and was
waiting favorable opportunity TO
stab him in the back? His feelings
need not be envied. Take the same
instance on the broad ocean-one craft
shadowing another day and night with
evil intent and you can imagine Jack
Tar's feelings--no law TO appeal to
no chance to evade the grim pursuer.
Such case happened to me when
second mate Of an Australian trading
schooner, and some OF the queer points
about it will never be cleared up. We
had picked up cargo among the spice
islands o. the Banda sea- and the in
tenton was TO proceed to Singapore
for market At an island called
Wetta where we stopped TO take on
the last OF our hardwood. We were
offered big price TO take band of
about fifty natives-men, women and
children-to the island OF Timor, lying
to the south. This charter vas made
and we had pleasant run and no
about dozen natives at Coepang
which is the chief seaport Of Timor
who wanted to go to the east end OF
the island OF Java They were. as
we afterward knew. conspirators VINO
were planning against the govern
ment of Java, but they paid us a good
price. and we carried out our part of
the contract
The difference il made to us was
that we must now coast along tho big
island to Sunda straits. a matter OF
700 miles, instead OF vovaging the
landlocked Flores and Java seas.
While open piracy was unknown.
there were many suspicious crafts in
those seas and at brief intervals
traders were plundered or captured
outright We had no cannon. but our
crew OF eight men had muskets and
cutlasses and could be depended on to
fight. We stood off the coast under
the land breeze after landing our men
at night and by daylight: had an Off
ing Of twenty-five miles Then we
headed 10 the west We had Just
done 80 when we noticed craft
rugged like an Arab dhow coming up
astern of us. She was nearly of our
size but could sail three feet 10 our
two in any sort Of wind. Such crafts
confne themselves to the coastng
trade and seldom make long voy-
ages. We could not see why this fel.
low should be so far from the coast
unless on our trail. and we soon felt
assured that his business was with us.
He shortened sail to keep about a
mile astern OF us, and hung right
there all day.
His plan is to creep up TO us and
lay us aboard at night" said the cap
tain. as we talked the matter over.
while | can't make out over four or
five men on his decks. I'm satisfied
that he has twenty or thirty hidden
away"
We should have been prepared as
well as we could when night came but
late in the afternoon gale came up
from the northwest driving US out to
sea and we knew he'd have all he
could do TO manage his craft even if
he dared to keep up the pursuit That
he dared was soon settled. Indeed,
his craft was as seaworthy as ours,
but the natives OF those islands are
not looked upon as proficient naviga-
tors. We were driving away in the
darkness. the seas pitching US like IA
cork. and when we lost sight of him
astern we sheltered our lights, broke n
point of'the course we were leading and
fellcitated ourselves that we would not
be in sight when morning came. What
was our establishment and disgust
10 find him holding his old position as
daylight came 1t did not seem as II
he had changed by ten feet. How he
could have kept it was marvel to us.
as the night was so thick from the
time IL shut in that our night glass
could not locate him. The gale still
held. and we still drifted away into
the Indian ocean. and If he meant us
harm we had plenty OF time to prepare
for him.
The second nighT came on bright
and clear. and we could not have
evaded him by any trick as midnight.
The gale had blown itself out ard an
hour later we had sail on the schooner
and were headed up 10 the northwest
under change OF wind. Inc dkow
followed our example as promptly as
If sigpalcd TO, but as there was still n
heavy sea running. we had no fear Of
her for several hours TO come. When
morning came she was sticking like n
burr in the same old spot and her
grim persistency began TO unnerye us.
Some OF the men insisted that she was
a spirit ship" sailed by dead men,
and that her hanging in our wake vas
an omen Of disaster and death.
1t was real relief TO see her about
o'clock in the forenoon forge ahead TO