The herald., 1893-12-14


jump from one rock to apother until we
got into little inlet where Sam brought
his boat and then pulled us aboard.
We did the same thing the next day.
The next day after that it was too
rough and we did not go the rock at.
all. Then Sam pulled his boat up and
did little corking on the bot
tom, and in the afternoon George
asked him to let us have the boat to go
and get some mussels. George and l
went and got some mussels and we came
back to the schooner, That night the
skill got flooae; early in the morning
Sam woke me up and asked me what
time let the boat go. | did not know
what he was talking about at the time;
l asked him what was the matter and he
repeated the same thing again; then 1
came up on deck and asked him what
he was talking about and kicking up
such fuss about? He used come strong
language at the time; he told me that
the boat was set adrift, and wanted to
know who did it. / told him did not
know anything about it; he never said
anything to George, but after that he
said, zone OF you two must have done
it," We spent day looking for the
boat; we had slipped our cable and we
came back the next morning and picked
up the anchor and then started home.
At this time the only one Smith seemed
to have grudge against was me, and
all the way up | only spoke to him
when he spoke to me; from the time we
left San Diego to the time saw George
for the last time / never heard cross
word between Smith and George; their
relations were pleasant all the time !;
Smith frequently .alked with and con-
suited George about the business of the
trip and about the sailing of the vessel !;
George had worked very hard on the
rock and seemed very anxious that
Smith should have q successful trip; it
never occurred to me that there was
likely to be any trouble, and did not
notice that there was any difference in
Smiths actions coming back than in his
actions going down. 1t took US nine
days from the time we picked up the
anchor to get back the three of us
stood watch, three hours on and three
hours off; at IL O'Clock at night of
Thursday December 1st Georges last
watch ended; at this time we were
abreast OF Coronado islands, and be-
tween the islands and the mainland.
1t was my turn to take my watch, as
Georges watch that night was from 8 to
II; at IL O'Clock he called me, and as
soon aa came up said ''can you see
the light houseP" and he said ''yes,"
and we both got glimpse OF the light !;
it was moonlight at the time. took
the tiller and George went below into
the cabin; he asked me il | did not want
some crackers and cheese; l said did
not; he took some crackers and jam and
then turned in; he drew his curtain in
front of his bunk and never spoke to me
again. stayed on my watch until 3
O'Clock and then called Sam Smith, and
turned in. My bunk was forward,
Sans and Georges hunks were
aft in the cabin; as soon as
| turned in fell asleep; the
next thing 1 knew something woke
me up and l jumped up and put my
head up through the hole in the deck
and heard George say: "For Gods
sake, Sam, don't shoot me-" saw Sam
with the gun in his hands. l was sure
from the directisn of Georges voice that
he was in the water, and supposed Sam
had a rope around him or something.
Then George said: "You know l have
been good boy on this trip; save me
for Gods sake" The tone of Georges
voice was very sgonized. Then there
WAS silence for awhile. After that
George said: For Gods sake, Sam,
throw me an oar overheard" Sam
never answered word as far as l could
hear. Then Georges last words were,
"Oh, Sam, am dying horrible death. :"
imagined l saw George in the water,
but could not swear toiit.l Itwaspgetty
nearly daylight by Slthis time. It was
some time after heard George cay
"Oh. Sam, amdying horrible death"
that Sam fred off his gun, but up to
this had never said anything. After
the shot Smith saw me, and l asked him
what he was. shooting at. He said
"Only bird" / said: "Did you hit
him? ?" He said mo" He was sitting
then over the gangway with his feet
dangling down into the cabin; then he
bent down his head towards the cabin
as II he was speaking with or having a
conversation with George, and he said
"What?" just as if George had asked
him the same question l did. Then he
said what" again, and then he said
'only bird" Then he said "No," as
if IN conversation with George. l
stood looking to see if l could see
Georges body floating around any
where, but could not. Then he asked
me what 1 was looking at. / said
Nothing" Then / said, "Do you
think we will get in today, Sam?" He
said "Yes, l guess 80" or something
like that. and he pointed over to Point
Iona. There was a fog hanging over it,
and he said "rhere ie Point Iona over
there" said Eyes. see it," Then
soon after that he said, "Do you know
anything about sending that boat
adriftl" said "No; how many more
times do you want me to tell you? 1
have told you half a dozen times. "
Then he told me there WAS box of
pilot crackers forward where slept, and
to get them and take them into the
cabin. L did 80. saw then as I went
into the cabin that the curtains of
Georges bunk were thrown back and
that there was blood all over the cabin.
/ went down backwards and made Sam
believe that 1 did not notice anything
strange down there. took the whole
thing in at a glance. l had seen blood on
Sans shirt and across his pants. Then l
went and sat opposite to him for awhile
at the gangway with my feet dangling
over the cabin, too, and made out as if
did not know anything about it. Then
he told me that he thought it was plot
between US. He said he thought George
sent the boat adrift, but he said he
thought knew all about it. l told him
did not know whether George sent the
boat adrift or not. said II don't know
thing about it, Then / asked him if
L 4