The morning call., 1894-02-11


account of the maiden voyage of the ship
John Mcleod, and is made public for the
first time BY well-known young business
man Of San Francisco who sailed in her as
a passenger. That one voyage was enough
for him, and be took up life on shore
instead Since the events about to be-
related happened the John Mcleod has
been remarkably lucky vessel, and the
story uphOlds an old theory of some sail
ors. which is that if ship has narrow
escape on her first voyage she will never
have any trouble in the future.
The John Mcleod sailed from New
York on her first voyage in November.
1881. with cargo of crude petroleum and
machinery fer Shanghai. The vessel was
built at New Brunswick by the firm of
Mcleod & Co., and at that time was the
best ship they had turned out. She was
commanded by Captain Stuart. who had
been many years in the service of the
company. and carried a crew of fifteen
able seamen, a sailmaker, a stewa I'd and
cook. The captains wife and child ccom-
panied him and there was Oh frst-class
passenger. brother of the captain as we'll
as a cabin-bOy.
Th ere was no trouble to get crew be-
cause men are always anxious to ship in
Few vessel. feeling. perhaps, that they run
no danger of striking a streak of bad luck
but when the time came for weighing n
Choir il was found that two of them had
disappeared.
Captain Stuart got out his boat and
started ashore for more men, but had
hardly got away from the ships side be-
fore two hard-looking chaps in leaky
diugy offered their S ervIces. They were
ref fused, but hung around the vicinity of
the ship for several hours.
1t was late when the captain came back
with the new men, so be concluded not to
sail IN til morning. When that time came
he was again two men short. OF course
lie was yexed, but not wishing to sail
sbort-handed with a new vessel, made an
other trip to the shore to fill up his crew.
But somehow something had got out
about his ship. and no men wanted to sail |
FI>h bin. lis returned in the evening !:
With his mind made up to leave in the |
morning under any circumstances.
just as the order was given TO weigh
anchor the two hard-lOOking men in the
leaky diDgy again appeared and offered
their services. This time they met with
Il ore pleasant reception. and Captain
Stuart asked who they were. They gave
a couple of unpronouncPable names and
said they were Greeks, which, however,
the captain did not believe, as from their
appearance he judged them to be Firms.
At any rate, they came aboard and took
their places in the forecsstle. the mate
being told to keep an eye on them.
The mems real names could not be pro-
nounced, but as they sounded something
like Antoine and Conrad. that was what
they were called. Antoine was the older
man. and seemed to be boss of the other
The natives of Finland are not favorites
with snip captains. but Captain Stuart
thought be had better put up witt these
men than work the vessel short handed.
Both Antoine and Conrad were watched
carefully, but it soon looked as IL there
was no need of it because they behaved
themselves and gave no trouble.
When the ship had been a hundred DAYS
out from port and was in the vicinity of
the Loo Choo Islands the captain had his
suspicious aroused by frequently seeing
Antoine looking over the rail instead of at
tending to his duties. When spoken to he
appeared surly and did as lie was told
with great reluctance.
The vicinity of the Loo Choo Islands is
and always has been dangerous part of
the ocean on account Of the great number
OF pirates that infest the locality. The
men are treacherous brutes, and sharp
lookout was kept so TO be ready to
guard against possible surprise. 1t soon
became apparent that Antoine could not
be trusted, and somehow Captain Stuart
got it into his head that the man was in
league with the pirates and would help
them if an opportunity presented itself.
Whether sucb was the case or not can
never be known positively, but that he
c0ntem plated some tTeacbery there can be
no doubt. as the story will show.
One morning the captain came on deck
and found Antoine at the wheel. l. was
not the mans watch, so he asked how
long he had been there, and why. Antoine
answered that be had only been there a
lew minutes. relieving man who had
been suddenly taken sick.
The captain as q OF satisfied. and glanc-
ing at the compass found the vessel point
ing her nose due north instead of northeast,
the course which she had when he left he
deck before going below. Antoine eX-
planned that that was the course he was
told to keep by the man he had relieved.
This did not satisfy the ca ptaiD. who in
stituted inquiries, only to find that the
man whom Antoine said he had relieved
had disappeared. Stuart became alarmed
and gave orders 10 have the ships exact
position worked out The calculation
showed the vessel to be away off her
course and heading directly for the islands
All that day there as great excitement
on ooaro and nobody knew just what TO
mink. conrad was not to be found, but
events aflerward showed that he had hid
v
man whom Antoine relieved at the wheel
Is sui mystery, but circumstances point
TO the probability of his having been
thrown overheard by the Finn, who took
his place and kept it for some time before
he was discovered.
Captain Stuart ordered Antoine put in
irons. but his wife became frightened and
begged him not to- fearing that Conrad
would plan some treachery-perhans xii
them in their sleep. Her pleading pre-
vailed and Antoine was allowed IN 90
about his duties as usual.
Up TO this time the weather had haor
fine during the entire voyage, but late in
the afternoon things began to look had
although there were DO positive indica
tions o! storm.
That night the sun sank calmly in the
west but some strange power made All
on beard see weird. CHASTITY glare spread
over the smooth surface OF the ocean and
ieei portent OF evil in the soft evening
breeze.
Toward midnigbt the air herame onnrso.