The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1894-12-27


three or four of the emigrants- the
finally came TO know, they were con
spring against the syndicate and per-
fectlng plans for their own aggrand-
1zement, Our captain was. ii appear
ou- not only an egOtist, but a political
demagogue. His idea was to found a
colony or republic and become its TuI-
er, and this idea was fostered and en-
cOuraged by a cOterie who also had
personal axes to grind. Never was a
sbIp taken so completely into the hand
Of Providence. During the first two
weeks out We We're twice on fire by the
carelessness of the emigrants. but the
flames We're subdued without serious
damage. Day after day we had favor
ing winds, and made good progress,
and the ship seemed to take care of
herself independent OF the officers.
In due time we reached the Cape
Verde Islands. That locality was com
paratively ly unkdOWn then, and the cap
tain and his schemers had a mind to
take possession of one Of the islands.
v e We're at anchor week while they
We're looking around, but they had to
abandon their idea. Some Of the emf
grants became suspicious, called a
meeting Of all, and for a couple of
days terror reigned aboard. Those
who had started for the ANA
zon IN good faith wanted to continue
the voyage at once, and threats were
made to take possession of the ship in
case the anchor was not weighed. On
the day before we left forty of the
emlgrants, being again the most res,
pectable portion. became alarmed at
the outlook, and took all their belong
Iug5 and went on shore. The captain
attempted TO prevent this move, but
the men were armed and determined
and carried their point. They landed
or Que OF the outlying islands, plenti
fully supplied with fruits and water.
ana three months later every one was
overwhelmed by the tidal wave. which
rolled across the Atlantic from the
coast Of Africa.
Nv e had no sooner left the islands
than our troubles aboard increased
4 portion Of the emigrant5 were for
returning to France. while the re
We're determined to proceed
TO the Amazon. These two factions
were constantly quarreling and fight
ing. and in their fracases three or
four We're severely wounded. The
crew was also divided The laxitv of
discipline had made the men impu-
dent and lazy, and we had not left the
Islands three days behind Us when |
was made aware Of plot to capture
the ship and turn her into d pirate.
The conspiracy was headed 5y a
Erenchman named La Fount, who
was not only the oldest man in wears
among the crew, but probably the
best sailor. He could take an obser
yaIOn, work out dead reckoning, and
was an ambitious, energetic man, al
though thoroughly bad one. 4
..e.,i91, 5ec0aaoB = Ple-tc~r e lis hands
are idle. In these days every fore
mast hand knows that a pirate craft
could not sail any sea for a week
without being overhauled. but in
those far back years we had no ocean
telegraph and few steamship lines
There were plenty Of uncharted is
lands, and the chance for success as a
rover seemed very good. La Fount
made plain statement to me, seem
ing to have no fear that | might be
tray him, or that | would disagree
with him. The ship was to be allow
eu 10 reach the Amazon, the people
put ashore and the AlbatrOss was then
to be sailed away, There was to be
no bloodshed if it could be prev ented.
neither In the seizure nor in the fu-
tire career of the craft My name
was placed on the list Of mutineers.
as second mate, and | was told that
every man Of the crew, outside Of the
officers, had agreed to the project. |
soon found this 10 be the case.
Under other circumstances I
should have gone to the cabin and
made clean breast of the plot to the
captain. Indeed. that was my first
thought, but Iquickly abandoned it. |
In the first place, he would not have
believed me, and in the second he was
not the man TO cope with a mutiny |
To have told the mates would not
have helped the case, and to have |
helped the case. and to have taken /
any Of the emigrants into my conf
ience wonld have precipitated the
At the first move Of officers
)r emigrants the sailors would have /
thrown off all disguise, seized the ship. I
and probably sent the people away in /
the boats. After turning the matter .
over in my mind l decided that my
wlsest policy was to remain silent. and .
seem to be hand and glove with the
After a tedious voyage I
ve finally made the Amazon. At any
lme 2fter leaving Havre storm .
would have destroyed us, but we en-