Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-08-18
THE ELLA NOBLE.

II was only 19 years old when I ship ped the first tilne" said my friend, the old sailor The craft was brig called , the Swallow, and she was bound for the west coast of Africa, having a cargo of cotton cloth. boots and shoes. rum in casks, needles. brass kettles, cutlasses, old muskets and other stuff that could be readily traded for gold dust. nuggets and ivory with the natives. In those days, more than 10 years ago, fortunes were made i'll this trad", but times have changed since then.
 We had another object besides trading, for we Were instructed 10 look after the schooner Ella Noble. which had sailed for the very locality to which We were bound and had never returned. What had become uf her was mystery, for although she Was spoken when within a | days sail of the African coast no further | tidinGs had come from her, and it was feared she had met with some fatal dis aSter.
 The crew Were mostly made up of the toughest men found i'll shipping of fees and along the water front, for the voyage was not a desirable one. as there was sure to be no little risk of life and | the food could not be the best procurable | by any means. 1 was not at all favor | ably impressed by my messmates, but my head was full If foolish notions about the romance in d cruise to Africa, and J was more than eager to go. Some of the { romance faded when I Was put on salt , rations and compelled to do the duty of | a common before the mast sailor. ,1 z 1T he needed to be in order to command such a crew and keep them in subjec- ton. He had a voice like foghorn and q scowl that was black as .thunder- cloud. The first mate was a Spaniard named Corello He had a fiery temper and heavy hand. but l fancied him more than the skipper.
 For some reason Corrllo seemed to | take liking to me, and afterward had cause to thank my good fortune this was true. He Was not nearly so hard on me as he might have been, although felt that my lot Was quite hard enough.
 | 1t was not long after leaving port that observed queer actions among the sailors. There waS great deal of nut l terinE. and sometimes l would espy 1 some of the men with their heads togeth- CT talking in low tones. 1 did not like this, and Su l told the mate about it. He | looked at me qurrrly, saying guardedly: l Have cair,. Itsr men no like tat | tier. If z,N hear you tell tings. some | time you get Tlr finished by drawing | his finger across his throat in q significant | manner.
 | From that time felt sure there was trouble brewing; hut 1 remembered the | warning and wa~ careful to keep my mouth shut. My dislike for the captain increased. and | actually grew to detest the man after l >tw lim knock down with marline spike sick man whom he had ordered alott. lut who was unable to mount thv ratljnvs.
 During the first part of the voyage the captain ,.ni Curvllo got along well enough. and We had sighted the African coast when 1hry lli their first quarrel The skipper ait, nlpttd to bully the Span iard, as was his custom with the regular men, and Corello tiared up i'll an instant Hot words followed. All at once the master grabbed Epa light running block and flung it at 1lt lnatp's head.
 The aim was IT It enough, but Corellc lodged. Then tjss. skipper caught up q belaying pin and started for the Span. iard. 1 saw a flash of steel and CorellC fell back against thH main hatchwav, 6 knife ill his hand. With a Spanish oatE he swore he would cut the captain. heart out if an attempt was made tC strike him with the belaying pin.
 For q little time the two men looked straight into each others eyes, and ther } the captains hand fell. 1 expected ht would order that CurrllO be seized ant put i'll irons. but ke did nothing of tn, kind Instead he retired to his cabin and saw singular smile playing abou the mates mouth. while fancied ther, was burning power in his black eyes. That night Curello came to me as stood my watch. He touched me lightly on the arm. whispering:
 "1 save you. Don't you be scare whe1 the time come. Then he was gone.
 Il felt that q mutiny was threatened F and Was ill doubt about what to do. n did not join the mutineers. and hat about determined to report my suspicion! to the captain when 1 was relieved iron , the watch. As 1 was going forward saw two forms and heard the voice O = Corello saying:
 Not this night. Tomorrow"
 This relieved my feelings somewhat and I dared not attempt to arouse tn skipper then. as 1 knew he would mak terrible racket about it, so I went t. my bunk. I didn't sleep much, but tn night passed without further incident
 Morning found us becalmed at tn mouthNof a large river. The sun cam up red and scorching, making the wate
 simmer like burnished silver. Not