San Saba County news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1874-19??, 1893-05-26

Oulcer L was asked ABOUT our carg
and destination, and on the othe
hand the leader informed me tina
they were sorry to interrupt on
voyage but intended to use the bril-
to make good their escape.
The first thing was to get rid O
the dead bodies They allowed us t
sew them in canvas before they
went overheard, and then our wound
ed man was made comfortable.
/ fully expected that the lot of n
would be turned adrift in their boat
but they had other plans Their.
was not a sailor among them, an,
they were compelled to keep us t,
navigate the brig. After the buria
the leader said to US:
1--WE mean to do you no harm. W,
are desperate men, and mean to max,
our escape, After we have beer
landed in some safe place you MAJ
sail away with your brig. 1t you try
to deceive US we will show you n,
mercy"
1 was further informed that mus
act as captain and navigate the brig
and was allowed to choose a mate
from among my men. After that q
council was held among the eight a.
to what place should be steered for
/ brought them the charts from the
cabin, and after Ions debate il wa.
decided to run for the Amazon river.
The brig had only weeks supply OF
water and provisions for so many
men, or they would perhaps have de.
cided on the American coast At
o'clock, just as they had reached the
decision the wind breezed up, the
yawl was taken aboard and | set the
course for the big river. about 800
miles away. just at sunset We saw
British man-Of-war going up the
coast
The convicts identified her at once,
and, as we would pass each other
within a mile there was cause for ex-
citement. They had helped them
selves to our spare clothing and
thrown away their own suits. but
wv many men On our
uecAs ior Il small DrlS' All but
three were sent below, and the
leader of the gang said to me, as he
surveyed dhe approaching craft:
You Will show our colOrs and sa-
iute her. II she shoull hall US you
know Wnat 10 answer. lou can be-
tray us put VIII XIII You II you do %
me man-ol-war crossed our course
a mile away and dipped the ensign
TO her. we were only peaceful
trader IN her eyes and no one aboard
gave us a second look or thought
You did well, said the convict,
who was called Moran by his com
panlons' Deal honestly by US and
we Will by you"
From the very first had hoped
that we might retake the brig. but
the eonvicts would only take US so
far. The watches were so divided by
order of Moran that our men were
divided, and two of the convicts
were kept under arms to act as SEN
tries. Moran and the second mate
had quarters aft with me, while 9TH
ers berthed forward. All of us were
under constant surveillance, though
decently treated, and no two of us
were left alone together. Ii I had
planned torun the brig into the port of
Parnahyla, down the coast. or headed
up for Cayenne, they would have been
too sharp for me. While none of
them could take the wheel. they kept
constant watch on the compass.
They knew the course was south by
west, and If the brig broke off point
they were quick to detect it.
The winds were light ana variable,
and 1t was the sixth day after our cap
ture before we drew IN with the coast.
Moran $ orders were to avoid Para
by entering the north mouth and
when we were fairly IN the river he
told me their plans, l was to take
tnem IN the orlg as lar as the mouth
oil the Aingu river, ana they would
-rSa1t up the stream IN the yawl and
make ior the diamond district We
were NOT above thlrty miles INTO the
river when we were oollged to come
INTO ancnor Tor want oil breeze l
knew nothing Whatever oil the naVl-
CATION OF the stream, and had no chart
oil II, nut Moran insisted that we
should not take pilot About the
time we anchored the demeanor oil
onr conVlcts seemed to change Tor the
worse. Ihey were very lordIy IN
giving orders ana staggered around
IN fashion that was entirely new to
them II appeared also as Il three
or Tour oil them were anxious 10 PICK
a quarrel with our men. mat even
ing the second mate found opportun-
lty to say TO me:
depend upon 1t, Mr.. Leonx, they
never meant TO stand by the bargain.
/ shouldn't be surprised ii they were
planning to cut our threats and scut-
tie the brig
i strongly suspected them Of some
evil intention, hut nothing came Of it
that night
Next morning we had wind and tide
in our favor. and at noon, when we
anchored again, we had made twenty
five miles. Another twenty-five
would take us to the mouth of the
Hingu-