Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1892-12-22
An rvENTFuL CAREER.
An Amcsirn Boy Tramp Becomes IL
.int,S SUn-in-law,

capt. T. i"afd Ernest Maynard was
in Clarksvilc, Tenn. on Il visit to
his friends and relatives. Capt.
Maynard romparativlcy brief career
is one of thrilling interest. When lie
was fourteen years old he ran away
from nome and made his way to New
York. where his uncle, II. p.
kirkham. secured him IA place on a
vessel bound fol- Africa. He made an
uncventtul voyage of a year and
returned to the United States witl.
his zeal for a sailors life not the least
abated. and soon aftcrwarl Joined
ship bound for Hong Kong. China.
lhcIc were no happenings of import
aucc Rntil the vessel arrived in the
ueighborhood of the Caroline Islands.
where she was oyertaken by storm
and driven upon reefs. going down
short distance from shore. The
officers and crew landed without loss
OF life. They were communicating
themselves when. to their dismay,
band OF black savage> closed in on
them with wild yclls, brandishng
their weapons in the most menacing
manner possible The terrified
sailors offered no resistance and made
an unconditional surrender The
savagos did not prove 10 be The blood
thirsty creatures the shipwrcckcd
sailors supposed. Instead of being
roasted or boiled in pots they were
treated very kindly. The captiycs
We're distributed among the tribe.
each one placed in family. where
they received comparatively good
treatment, Erncsts fine appearance
( 80 won the good will OF the King that
lie was given place in the royal
1 jlou>ehold, He made it a study TO
please, and succeeded 50 We'll that he
was treated like crown prince with
an ancient pedigree. The King had
Il young daughter in vii
/ Ernest was much thrown. After he
4 had learned enough of the DIALECT To
j understand the young princess and
make her understand him he began
To grow sentimental. With the
young couple time flew by. and hardly
before he knew it he was the Son-in-
law of a king. The king was as we'll
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
1oactept the >ituationp hilosopilically
and adapt themselves to the
circumstances. The natives lived by
hunting and fishing, and the sailors
proceeded To change their calling,
some oil 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 We're used
to al home. The natives We're like a
partially bald head, in that they were
only covered in spots. The captveS
We're required TO conform to the
prevailing style.
When they had been upon the
island about seven months the kings
Sonin law submitted To his friends Il
bold plan TO escape by taking boats
and crossing the 800 miles OF sea to
Honolulu. The sailors agreed. and at
the first opportunity they escaped,
, and after many days Of toll and hard
: ship reached Honolulu. where they
!, al 1, II
sent To the nted States.
Soon aftcrward Maynard shipped
as QuartcrmaSter on the steamship
AQuan. which ran on the Central
American and West Indian line,
trading between New York and
Jamaica. In March, 1891, the vessel
struck rock called by the sailors the
''Snorer." Ernest and the captain
: took a boat and put out TO sea, with
;, the helpless passengers bidding them
GodSpccd. a kind fate guided the
: boat containing the two brave men
: safely to d port. where they secured Il
: steamer and schooner. The two
. vessels arrived in time to save the
passengers. Tie captain and Ernest
went aboard the wrecked vessel, and
. when they returned to deck the
/, other ships had sailed away. leaving
them to their fate. The only means
i OF escape left them was the boat In
! it they again put out, and arrived
:, safe at Honduras. 300 miles away.
!. There they met sister ship Of the
- Aquan and returned with it to New
:, York.
e Maynard made his next voyage on
X the I'll Dorado. which was ship,
IS wrecked near the Bahamas. He then
IS shipped on the Excelsior. OF the
T. Morgan line. This ship ran from
n New York to New orleans. He next
n went as captain of the Gussie. OF
ne the same line. to Central America