Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1894-11-22
No. 81
MmrWN CmM MR

man, cannot express now greaC was
my grief and wrath as I paced the deck
Of my cabin that was now my prison,
wondering with burning heart and
with throbbing brows who the real Of
fender could be-whether it was indeed
the steward, as I 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 william who had twice subtly
sought to drown her hold, the crew
would remember that I lay a helpless
prisoner, locked up in my berth?
On the evening Of the third day of my
Imprisonment | was startled out of a
nap by disturbance in the cuddy out
side. [ heard tramp of feet and the
growing sound Of seamen's voices. I
thought a 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 few
minutes the door was flung open.
Come out, sir said the boat-swain !;
we've discovered who's been trying to-
sink the ship
WHO?
AS l live to tell yer, it's The captain
himselfY cried Matthews, bringing his
right fist into the palm Of his left hand
with a mighty report.
Half dozen voices wanted to deliver
the yarn at once. got it clearly from
the carpenter, but was thunderstruck
whilst listened.
Half an hour before this time the
steward had observed the captain come
out Of his berth and enter the steerage.
There was something strange in his
walk and aspect. The hnsh OF the sun.
set was upon the skylight; the steward
saw very plNnly.
The captain concealed something that
resembled q large parcel under the
breast Of his coat. The steward resolved
to follow him,saw him g into the cabin
where the anger 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 orilices. The extraor-
dinary part was that the motions of the
captain were thoseof an automaton.
The steward fled 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
body into the steerage where they found
the captain cool y and anically bor.
Ing away with his aug'r.
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. lie cried out like one violently
awakened, and swore he did not know
where be was nor what he was doing.
The men conveyed him to his cabin,
locking 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
trick if I gave him his liberty
On the arrival of the ship l 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 Buenous
Ayres. The Consul shook his head when
l talked of sleep walking. He said:
He must have brought the auger
abroad with him it formed no part of
the carpenters tool chest. Next, the
ship was scuttled in daylight; | cannot
somehow reconcile somnambulism with
sunshine
1t was to remain mystery, however,
to the end. l was detained at Buenos
Ayres by number of our men running
and before the ship sailed the news
came aboard that Captain Jortin had
been found dead in his bed. The doc.
tors found that he had died from apo
plexy.
1t may possibly be madness was the
cause of his attempting to scuttle her,
though it does not quite explain to my
why it was that he went to
sea with an auger in his cabin.
If OF Picrce's small "Pellets" you take one
or two
After eating your meal you may comfort
ably swallow