Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1892-11-24
The Story Of a Wreck.
yhriIiina and Romantic Account Of
. Mutiny ct Sea.
ny W. CLARK RUSSELL.

watched her enter her cabin. Tho sit
uation was, indeed, dreadful one for
10 sweet and helpless woman TO be
placed in. l, q rough, sturdy fellow,
used 10 the dangers OF the sea, was
scared al our position when | contom-
plated It. Truly might say that our
lives hung by hair, and that whether
we were to live or perish dismally
would depend upon the courage and
promptness with which tho boalswain
and should act at the last moment
1t was worse for me that | did not
know the exact plans Of tho mutinccrs.
was aware that their intention was
10 scuttlc the ship and leave her, with
us on board, 10 sink; but how they
would do this did not know. ] mean
! could not forcsce whether they would
.cuttlc the ship while all the crew re-
mained on board, stopping until they
knew tho vessel was actually sinking
before taking TO tho boats, or whether
they would get into the boats, leaving
one man In the hold toscuttle the ship,
and. lying by, 20 tnko him oTwhcn his
work should have been performed.
Either was likely; but ono would
make our preservation comparatively
easy; tho other would mako 1t almost
impossible.
Imade suro tho carpenter would 20
20 bed rs soon rs no had done break
fast, but instead OF doing so he went
20 tho port sido Of the long boat, nc.
companicd by johnson, tho cook and q
couple Of the hands, and presently
heard the 1uttering and screaming Of
hens.
crossed tho poop TO SEQ what was
the matter. and found all four mon
wringing the necks Of tho poultry. In
o short time. about sixteen hens--alI
that remalned-lay dead IN heap neal
the coop. The cook and johnson gath
cred them up and carried them into tho
galley.
Soon after they returned and clam
berod on TO tho top Of tho long-boat,
tho cover OF which they pitched of.
and fell. each with knife In his hand,
upon tho pigs. The nolso now was
hidcous. Tho pigs squenled like human
beings; but both men probably know
their work. for tho screcching did not
last above five minutes
Tho cook, with his face, arms and
brooches all bloody. flung tho carcasscs
round to witness the sport, and u deal
Of ugly play followed. They tossed tho
slaughtered pigs ut each other, and
men and pigs fell down with tremen-
dous thuds; and soon there was not
man who did not look rs though he had
been rolled for mn hour In tho gutter OF
y shambles. Their hoarso laughter,
their horrible oathI, their rage not
moro shocking than their mirth, the
live men rolling over the dead pigs,
their faces and clothes ghastly with
blood-all this was scene which madO
ono hbhor ones self for laughing at 1t,
though II was impossible to help laugh
ing sometimes. But occasional ~ my
iuIr,h would DO checked by sudden
spasm OF terror. when j caught sight
OF n fellow with an infuriato face, mon
strous with Its crimson coloring, rush
with his knife at another, and DO struck
down like a nincpin by dead pig
hurled full ut his head before ho could
deliver his blow.
The saturnalia came 10 an end, and
tho mon, cursing, growing, grooming
and laughing - some Keeling hall
stunned, and oil painting for breath
pirgod into tho forecastlo 10 clean
themselves, whilo tho cook and John.
son carried the pigs into tho galley.
did not quito understand what this
scene hcralded. but had not long to
wait before II was explained.
Aitor much delay tho docka were
washed down and two mon cleaned
ont tho long boat A largo quantity
~ provisions Snd rum worc then
stored near tho forcmast, ready TO be
shipped In tho long-boat.
These proportions brought the
reality Of our position homo to me,
yet preserved my composurc.
Presently the carpenter came e
where l was standing, aud asked m,
how many hands the long-boat woult
carry.
about twenty" replied
"Onc on top o tother, like cattlo'
he growled. Why, mate, Their
wouldn't be standin' room"
" Do you mean to put of from tn
ship in herP"
Z" In her and ono Of them others,
no replied, meaning the quarter-boats
III you want my opinion, shoul
say that all hands ought to get INT
the long-boat. She has heaps Of beam
and will carry us all well. Beside,
she can sail. II will look better, toe
20 be found in her, should We b
picked up before landing; becaus
you can make out that both quarter
boats were carried away"
"We're all resolved" he answered
doggedly. "WemoRn to put or in tn
long-boat and one o them Quartor-boat
Tho quarter-boat can tow the long-boi
II it's calm. Why lax'd you how man
the long-boat 'ud carry, was bccau,
we don want TO overload tho qua
ter-boat. We can use her rs II tendC
for stores and water, do you see, :
that II we get to II barren place W
shan't siarvc."
~ understand"
"Thcm two boats'll DO enough, an,
ways"
II should say so. They'd carr
thirty persons between them, l n
swered.
To satisfy himself he went and toe
another look at tho boats, and afto
ward called johnson up to him.
They talked together for some tin
and then procuringa chisel and hatch
Bot lhto tnN port puNItcI-puut Nllu lI
ceoded, 10 rip n portion of the plankir
t out OF her My rage and mortiiicatiC
were so great at this action, which W
clearlytakent oprevent our escapinga
rthey had deserted us upon the sinkil
ship. that did not trust myself
speak to the carpenter, although
stood by me after the work was dol
evidently expecting me to questi,
him.
The men then proceeded to load Il