The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-11-07

HIS DEFENSE.
satisfactory and the feed unusually good,
the captain did not apprehend any serious
trouble. To this day he is unable to explain
the cause of the mutiny, but he is inclined
to think there was a spell cast on the ship
by beggar who was driven from her deck
as she lay in Foot hoo and that she sailed
from that port under an evil star. All
sailors are more or less sNperstitious.
The Mohawk was well down the Indian
ocean when the mutiny occurred, and it
came without the least warning, like
thunderclap from clear sky. One of the
men, a Lascar, refused point blank to go
aloft, and when the first mate attempted
to lay hands on the fellow he gave cry
that brought two-thirds of the sailors rush
ing to his side Then he defed captain or
mate to lay a hand on him.
"Mutinyl'' cried Captain Cross, starting
for his cabin, where he kept fine win
chester rife
Although shocked by the suddenness of
the affair, he was not stunned, and he
meant to make stiff fight, but two of the
rebellious crew intercepted and grappled
with him. As he struggled with the men,
both of whom were powerful fellows, he
saw the first mate fighting fiercely in the
midst of the mutineers. The others of the
crew who were not in the plot had fallen
back to the rail, all of them appearing
frightened and undecided. The skipper
roared at them to pitch in and fight for
their lives, but even that was not enough
to arouse them.
The struggle was brief, resulting in the
complete cOnquering of the captain, first
mate and those of the crew who were MOTH
the plot, for plot it plainly was The leader
of the mutineers was a dark faced man
named Delaro, in whose veins there ran the
mingled blood of at least three races He
was sullen, silent man, but an efficient
sailor, and Captain Cross had never for
moment dreamed he would head rebel
lion.
What do you mean to do with us2" de
manded the skipper after he had discover
ed commands and threats were wasted.
Wait" said Delaro, who was standing
guard, a loaded musket in his hands.
Don't git in hurry You find out soon"
~ warn you that will hunt you down
and bring you to justice for this" grated
the furious but helpless captain. You
will not escape"
Delaro sneered. THAT'S all you know.
We not fools to sail the seas. Pirates all
gone. Ship worth money; cargo worth
money. know how to git money Then
you find u.s. We be scattered everywhere"
The captain tried to convince him he
would find it impossible to dispose of the
Mohawk or her cargo, but the chief of the
mutineers expressed his scorn by looks and
grunts. A boat was quickly loaded with
salt grub" two casks of water being
added, after which she was lowered from
the davits and the overpowered sailors
fn intn hon ha
tineers aimed their firearms at the unfor-
tunates and sent few bullets ''chugging'
into the water about the boat as the ship
sailed away.
The men in the boat watched her until
she was hull down against the horizon, and
Captain Cross seemed to arouse himself
with an effort.
Men" he said soberly, "there is group
of small islands to the westward, and pro-
pose we make for them, as, if ! am not mis-
taken, a storm is brewing We do not want
to be ON the sea in this boat if heavy blow
arises"
They got out the oars and pulled away
to the west. 1t was near shutdown when
they ran through the jagged reef that sur
rounded beautiful little island, and they
were scarcely ashore when the storm that
had been threatening for long hours came
swirling down upon them with appalling
suddenness. Darkness flung itself over the
sea with the vanishing of the sun, and all
that wild night they crouched in the lee of
huge overhanging bluff while the wind
roared, the surf thundered over the reef,
the murk was sundered by jagged light
ming, and the earth fairly reeled at each
peal of thunder. The rain literally fell in
a flood.
Toward morning the ferceness of the
storm lessened, and as a muddy brown
streak showed in the east the fury of the
tempest swept on and was gone. Still the
breakers doomed over the reef in a white
mass OF foam that leaped up in vain at
tempt to brush the sullen mass of ragged
clouds that hung low over the face of the
ocean.
All at once one of the men leaped up,
fairly screaming:
Look, look, shipr'
They all looked in the direction indicated,
and they distinctly saw a dismasted shiI
driving toward the reef, seeming perfectly
helpless to avert her doom. Evidently she
had been disabled and nearly wrecked In
the terrible storm, and the work of disaster
was to be completed ON the relentless reef.
Its the Mohawk shouted Captain
Cross II know her for all that has hap
penedl She's flying a signal of distress
Why don't the men take to the boats
She'll surely 90 to pieces on the reefP'
Now the mutineers could be distinctly
seen rushing about wildly, and it soon be
came evident they had no boats to launch
probably having been deprived of them il
the hurricane. Then Captain Cross ant
his companions rushed down to the shor'
and showed their boat into the water Ii
the teeth of the heavy sea, thing the!
could not have accomplished. but for th'