The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-09-22

III.
put out far into the opening and lie off and
on till morning. The reason for this is
plain and not disputed. The cover Of night
offers too many opportunities for Door dew
lis Of the forecastle, like myself, to slip
overheard into the shadowy waters end
strike for freedom.
l made two attempts to escape at Homo
lulu. took long chances in both cases, and
in both was captured. ! went ashore one
day with boats crew and was allowed to
stroll about the dock under the close sur
veillance or boat steerer and several Kan
aka policemen. A young German sailor
and myself managed to steal aboard the
Fifeshire. big English merchantmen,
lying alongside the dock, and stow ourselves
away among the coal in the forepeak. We
were eventually discovered, hauled out be-
grimmed from head TO foot, and taken back
TO the ship. We we're put to work, by way
OF punishment, and never allowed to go
ashore again.
In consequence determined to escape by
swimming at the first opportunity which
offered me a modicum OF hope. l knew
that those waters swarmed with sharks.
Indeed, the ugly monsters were frequently
about the ship in schools, fitting in the
deeps like ghostly shadows. We took sew
eral, one OF them measuring twelve feet in
length. But l was heartily sick OF life
aboard the ship; sick OF the humdrum
slavery, the scant commons Of the fore-
castle, the uncongenial companionshtp,
the squalor and wretchedness Of it all. /
was willing TO risk the sharks.
One morning the captain put off for the
city with boats crew. Old Mr.. Sanders
dropped his SNUG rotundities into a chair by
the skylight, buried his nose in a newspa per
and seemed comfortably settled for the
morning. Gabriel and the cooper were alb
sorbed in work at the wise bench. thought
the stars were at last propitious. Barring
sharks, had every hope Of success As for
distance, could swim it easily. I dressed
myself hastily in Dungaree trousers ana a
flannel shirt and put cap on my head.
tied my shoes together with a rope yarn and
slung them, baldric fashion, across my shout
der.
Then with a parting injunction to my
shipmates to lower the boat as slowly as
possible II they had to chase me, crawled
over the bow, let myself down by the bob
stays and dropped silently into the water.
allowed myself to drift astern awhile and
then was away with the strongest stroke
was master OF for shore and freedom.
swan on my side watching the vessels
for developments. Suddenly Mr.. Sanders
arose from his seat. What DEVILS impulse
prompted himi At almost any other time,
provided there were no work, he would
have fallen into a sound snooze in the
warmth of that drowsy cline He saw me.
stood looking perplexed for moment, then
shouted:
Hey. you'll Who is that ovsrboArdl Come
back here"
l paid no attention. One hope was shat
tered, but one other remained. I relied
now on tie hardness and Intentional bung-
ling OF my mates.
Lay aft here, boats creww I heard
Mr.. Sanders call. The boys answered the
summons lazily. l could see them take
down the falls from the davits and get
them tangled in their pretended efforts to
lower the boat. And how Mr.. Sanders and
Gabriel we're busting and jumping about
among them. At last the boat was got into
the water. Gabriel headed for me-
At the start one of the boys caught
crab, then another. l took renewed heart
at these signs that they were helping me to
get away. was taking long stroke The
smooth waters were breaking all about my
face and head az l plowed through them,
for I was swimming as l never swan be-
fore. At length the boat began to gain on
me. The boys told me the reason after
ward. Gabriel was a sleek, unctuous, foxy
old fellow. He threw his body forward in
strong jerks like a coxswain in q boat race,
and at the same time showed upon the
stroke oar. And all the time he kept re-
peating in agonized tones as il his soft heart
were breaking for me, 20, nv God that
poor boys drowning; pull away, my lads.
He's gone down. No, there he is yet. there
he is yets Pull, my boys; pull my bully
boysl We may save him."
The men on the oars, of course, had their
backs TO me and could not tell at the time
just what dramatic liar old Gabriel was.
When the boat got close to me- tried to
dodge of at right angles, but 10 was no use,
Gabriel, with his tiller, could swing her
right upon me, so l gave up and was pulled
into the boat l had got nearly mile from
the ship when was captured. The shores
seemed very near-those delicious tropical
shores With their cocoa, banana and orange
groves and their beauty OF verdure and
bloom. Just how lovely they were 20 me
none can fully appreciate except one who
has tried to reach them and been captured
and returned to a seven months imprison-
ment aboard a whaler.
When was taken back to the ship my
wrists were handouffed tlgether and was
called up out of my dungeon 20 discuss a
bareback and cup OF water my manacles
were never loosened while we were in port.
slept with them on. remained in irons
five days and five nights, until the vessel
started northward for the spring bow-head-
ing grounds of the Boring sea.
We were gone seven mouths, and 1t was
eleven months from the commencement of
the voyage before l saw San Francisco.
When was finally discharged IN this port
had just IS to my credit on the ships books,
but had acquired most variegated assort-
ment of experiences which will stand me in
good stead for the rest of my life.