The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1894-12-04

Once again the leak was stopped, and,
as on the former occasion, on returning
on deck the pumps were manned and
the hold freed from water
But now the sailors grumbled furi-
ously. First they insisted on jackson
being released, next ON the ship being
narrowly searched.
From 10 O'Clock till four bells in the
afternoon watch we were employed in
overhauling the vessel. We probed every
nook and Granny of her from the fore
peak to the lazaret, diligently seeking
likewise for any signs Of hidden man
in the steerage. All to no purpose. The
villain, whoever he was, must certainly
be one of the ships company.
For my part, | suspected the steward,
and so did Shirley, the carpenter. Mat
thews did not know what to think The
captain stalked apart. gloomy and 81
lent.
That evening in the first dog watch
was in my cabin smoking a pipe, turn
ing over in my mind some scheme for
protecting our lives by stationing a
watch day and night aft, and wonder
ing if Captain Jortin would see his way
to some arrangement of this sort, when
the steward knocked on my cabin door
and walked in.
The fellow addressed me civilly, with
an air of reluctance and astonishment
He said Captain Jortin had just given
him instructions to lock me up in my
cabin, where l was to consider myself
as under arrest on suspicion of attempt
ing to scuttle the ship. My meals would
be served regularly. I'm sorry, sir, -
added the fellow, ito have to do this
duty.
So saying, he closed and locked the
door, and heard him withdraw the key.
sprang from my bunk, put my pipe
down and stood overwhelmed with sur
prise and CONSERVATION. To be merely
suspected of such crime was to be pro-
fessionally ruined.
thought the captain must be mad to
lock me up without first charging me.
Why did not he confront me and accuse
me in the presence Of others and give
me a chance to prove my innocence?
Those holes had been bored by an anger.
An auger is tool not very readily con-
cealed in small cabin. Why had not
the captain caused my berth to be
searched?
Since knew that was an innocent
man cannot express how great were my
grief and wrath as paced the deck Of
my cabin that was now my prison, won
dering with a burning heart and with
throbbing brows who the real offender
could be; whether 1t was indeed the
steward, as now perhaps in my temper
was the more willing to suppose;
whether. If the ship was actually sunk
under our feet, as was threatened by
the mysterious villain who had twice
subtly sought to drown her hold, the
crew would remember that lay help
less prisoner locked up in my berth?
/ think it was about half past s when
the steward unlocked the door and en-
tered with tray Of food, some cold wa
ter and few gills of rum in pannikin.
He seemed very shy in his manner
and was for making haste. | babe him
tell the captain l was an innocent man
and begged for an interview. He prom
ised to deliver my message.
''And / will ask you," said I, ''to
remember should they sound the well
and find the ship taking water that
am locked up here and helpless I"
He said, AYE, aye, sir, /" and left the
cabin, turning and withdrawing the
key as before.
Captain Jortin did not come near me.
All that night 1 lay awake. All next
day l awaited visit from him with
consuming impatienoe. Nobody came to
me but the steward, who thrice in the
day brought me meal
On the evening of the third day Of
my imprisonment was startled out of
nap by a disturbance in the cuddy out
side heard tramp of feet and the
growing sound Of seamen's voices l
thought mutiny had happened and
listened with my heart beating hard in
my ears.
Presently my door was struck upon
and the handle violently tried. Then
the voice of Matthews bawled for the
steward to bring the key. In a few
minutes the door was flung open.
Matthews stood in the doorway. At
least two-thirds Of the ships company
were massed around about him.
Come out, sir, said the boatswain.
"We've discovered who's been trying
to sink the ship"
"Who2"
GAS 1 live to tell yer, it's the captain
himselfl' cried Matthews, bringing his
right fist into the palm of his left hand
with mighty report.
Half dozen voices wanted to deliver
the yarn at once. l got it clearly from
the carpenter, but was Thunderstorm
while listened.
Half an hour before this time the
steward had observed the captain come
out of his berth and enter the Storage.
There was something strange in his
walk and aspect. The flush of the sun
set was upon the skyhght. The steward
saw very plainly.
The captain concealed something that |
resembled a large parcel under the
breast of his coat. The steward resolved |
to follow him, saw him go into the cabin
where the auger holes had been bored, !
and by the very faint light in that in
terror observed him produce an auger |
from under his coat and apply the tool |
to the plugged orifices. The extraor
binary part was that the motions of the |
captain were those of an automaton.
The steward fed on deck The boat |
swain was in charge of the ship. He |
shouted to some of the crew to follow
him as witnesses, and they rolled in a
body into the steerage where they
found the captain coolly and mechan-
ically boring away with his anger.
They seized him. and now it was they
discovered, so they said, that the man
was acting in his sleep.
This at least was the opinion of those
who witnessed his behavior when he
was seized. He cried out like one VIC
lently awakened and swore he did not
know where he was nor what he was
doing. The men conveyed him to his
cabin, looking him up in it, and then
came to me.
To end this singular experience, the
crew insisted upon my taking command
and practically forced me to navigate
the vessel to Buenos Ayres. They would
not suffer me to free the captain, who
they feared would serve them some dia-
DOllcal brlCh IL 4 BdNo mn AAS AADOAt
As for him, he solemnly declared over
and over again to me that he knew not
what he had done, and that he had
trick of walking in his sleep.
On the arrival of the ship went to
the British consul with my report. and
he thought proper to take charge of
Captain Jortin with view of sending
him to England in British man-of-war
that was then lying at Buenos Ayres.
The consul shook his head when talk
ed of sleep walking. He said:
she must have brought the anger
otooo~l 18th hf,,, II FORMED M r,art ~