The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-03-12
Copyright by The Author.l

such as the Alligator. Lucy Bates ard the
Santa Catarlna were. would have been at
tackled in open boats, had nos calculated
upon the bravery and dash of British naval
officers and British seamen. Fortunately
for me-. the officer in counted
mon there being honor among thieves. and
directed all his boats on the Lucy Bates.
which was nearest to him, meaning. doubt
less. when he had settled with her TO turn
his attention to the Alligator and Santa
Catarina.
This gave me an opportunity which 1 was
not slow TO avail myself of, for / quickly
got q spring on my cable and veered away,
so as to get my broadside TO bear on the
combatants, and opened fire on friend and
foe at once. Three boats / sank in a co.,
pie OF minutes and the others 1 disabled; the
lieutenant who commanded, however, was
u smart seaman, cut the Lucy Bates cable
So as to let her drift down on top of us, but
L was not to be caught in that way. and cut
my cable and spring together. and the
breeze by this having reached us made
sail and giving another broadside kept
away down stream. for a channel which
my mate, Arthur Wilmshurst. knew of,
which would enable US to gain the main
channel of the river. below the English
warships. and against the freshening sea
breeze. L knew no square rugged ship could
stand q chance with such q powerful
schooner as the Alligator.
The Santa Catarina about this time blew
up. What became OF those who fired the
train know not. and the Lucy Bates be-
ing under no control ran on shore. Care
fully piloted by W~Ilmshurst. and taking
~soundings as necessary, We made rapid
progress while we were glad to see the
corvette and brig were Standing up stream
so as To reach the anchorage where We had
been lying by the upper entrance. and l
considered that most robabl thew knew
nothing of the passage we intended to
make use of. and thought that they had
caught us in a trap without any chance OF
escape.
""Round the next BEND said Wilmshurst,
land we shall he clear of these narrow
channels. and Jour countrymen may
whistle tor u.s."
We were then passing within about fifty
feet OF the shore. and TO round the bend
we had to come still closer in. so close IN
deed that branches of the man grove bushes
swept against our Sides. when from among
them three boats dashed upon US and flung
their Gre ws upon our deck.
We were taken and for q time
discipline gave Our adversarles an advan-
tage over US, but in the end our superior
numbers told and after ten minutes of
and those of our opponents who had not
been killed or forced overheard were lying
side by side bound hand and foot.
We now could lie our course ont to sea
past Sharks point. and having seen ali sail
set and making sure that the two men-of-
war were no longer In sight. j went below
TO wash myself, prior TO doing which /
shared a bowl of punch with WIlmshurst,
lOi, luueeu, DBDtlDR was JulTSby WOIk.
We soon made an offing from the'coast
and canght the trades, and were we'll on
our way across the Atlantic before Wins
hurst came and asked me what l intended
to do with the prisoners. What prison.
ersf" l asked. for l confess that l had clean
forgotten that we had any other prisoners
aboard than the Door black wretches who
filled our holds. why, those that came
on board unlimited JUST rs we were leaving
the creek. They came on board against
our will. and remained on board against
their own"
was staggered for O moment, for l knew
If i let any of these men return to England
1t would be known that 1t was the Alliga-
tor which had escaped from the Congo, and
that no pains would be spared TO insure my
capture. and that it would be sure to come
out that l had not only been engaged in
Shaving technically piracy. but also had
been guilty of murder and actual piracy
with regard to the Santa Catarina. and
that when taught a short shrift and q long
rope would be my portion.
After thinking a bit. / gave orders for
them to be brought aft or the quarter
deck. and presently six men were brought,
handcutfed together. under the guard of
some OF the biggest ruffians of my crew. AS
L turned toward them, one OF them spoke,
saying. "Ahi my lord. / 0oD't think / was
wrong when l said you'd have your throat
cut or become q pirate as You were leaving
Port Royal sec you have preferred the
second alternative
Looking at the speaker, ] recognized,
though he was clad IN rags and ~tatters, his
head bound In q bloody olout, and that
he was unshorn and haggard. the naval
officer who had told me there wasn't O
man among my crew. when | shipped
them. who did not deserve hanging. As
soon as i recognized him 1 knew that he
must die or else 1 would be hunted down.
but at the same time / determined that, for
a time at least. he should live as my guest;
for l was getting tired of the life l was
leading, without one single person with
whom / could speak save Wilmshurst. and
even his stories of shaving and worse-for
now the mask was CT he openly joked
about piracies in which he had been en-
gagged. and seemed to revel IN the bratalities
OF which he had been o witness and In
most OF which he had Been an a~ctor-began
TO pail upon me.
"Ah! my dear fellow l said, 81 must
own appearances are against me. i did
not want my throat cut. so gave in to this
wild cruise To the Congo, but l have had
stored To the of the ship on the
condition that take her safely TO the Ha-
wanna, where we ought to arrive in three
weeks or thsreabouts. ain sorry indeed
that you have been 50 ecurvily treated, but
now you must be my guest until our ar
rival there, and your men shall be better
treated than ever they have been in their
lives before. Once at Havana 1 will ar
range for your passage to Port Royal"
\ on internal blackguard, don't you
think to hoodwink me with any of your
lying yarns. haven't we been told day
after day that the skipper of the craft was
an Englishman who was nicknamed the
devill And though i recognized the craft |
thought you had been murdered and some
renegade coundrel had stolen the schooner.
/ wish to God, for your sake. 1t had been
sou
turned to Wilmshurst who was stand
ing by me and asked if what | had said was
not true. "Ay, every word You speak is as
true as IL you swore TO Ii. Sure, 1 told you
if you didn't come with us willingly you'd
have TO come with us unwilllngly. and you
consented. never dreaming what was going
to happen. In the Congo L was In charge"
Il wish | could believe 1t 10 be true"
said the Lieutenant.
of honor, and now PHI prove it. Wins
hurst, have those irons taken off and take
Mr.. Hawkshaw down in the saloon and
give him clothes and a bath, AND his men
give them all they want. clothes. food and
drink; rig up q screen in the port gangway
where they may mess and sleep together:
and bark ye. let none OF our ruffians go near
them TO tempt them to join u.s."
In the saloon i knew Hawkshaw would
find no one who spoke English, and could,
therefore. learn nothing of what had
passed. while, as for the blue-lackets, L
trusted that unlimited food. tobacco and
grog wou.d lull any suspicion that they
might have formed.
Wilmshurst soon returned, having pro-
yided Hawkshaw with all he wanted. He
said. What's in the wind nows l played
M we'll, being all In the dark. but, for the
life of me. j cannot fathom what you're
after. One thing know. and that is you