The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-12-09


sight At the end of that time every |
thing had been carried out of sight |
among the bushes. When ready to go, |
Johnson turned to face us, drew himself |
up, and, fastening his gaze on Captain
Clark, he said:
Captain, was playing you soft yes
terday when l told you that we'd be
content with the provisions. We want
the bark, and we'll keep trying for
her as long as there's man left alive.
You've shown US no mercy and need
expect none from US.
"Well. what's your point?'' asked the
captain as the fellow paused.
'It's just this: Give us the bark.
and we'll go away in her and leave you
in comfortable shape on the island. Re-
fuse us, and Wen lind "a way to destroy
ship and all Of you, even if we perish
at the same time. IL shouldn't rest with
you and your bloody mates to say no to
this, for the men with wives and chill
dren ought 10 have word. Look here,
Saunders, Smith, Will, ns, you women
who want TO see home again, are you
going to-
Captain Clark bad rifle in his
hands. He raised ii to his shoulder and
covered the convict and said to him.
"I'll count five and then drop you
dead in your tracks,
He counted one, two, three, and then
job .son turned and walked away. 1t
| 1t wa. not bluff OH the captains part.
His finger was pressing the trigger, and
| L. Il covf N
the fellows head. He would have been
justified in doing it, but thus far we
had shed blood only in defense. Some
Of the people were disposed to believe
that if the mutineers meditated any
further move Johnson would have been
too. polite to utter threats, but two or
three Of us took different view of the
matter. He was not a diplomat. He
was man utterly without fear, and
when there was q chance for fight he
never thought of using strategy to Sc
cure an advantage. Defeat had worked
him up to that pitch where he must
free his mind, and he would need watch
ing none the less for announcing his de-
termination.
If the wind had not shifted directly
into the south, making it an utterly i'm
possible thing to sail the bark out OF the
bay, no matter how large a crew she
might have had aboard, think our cap
tain would have carried her out and
made shift to at least reach another an
chorage. The nervous strain had begun
to tell on Us and some of the women
were right down i'll, and the knowledge
that we were still in peril and might
have to fight for our lives at any min
ute had no consolation in it,
Il don't know what plans they
have" said Captain Clark as we coun.
seled together, "but we must be wide
awake for them day and night. Ii they
had one single musket and 90 rounds OF
ammunition we might have to make
terms with them. Thank the Lord that
they haven't They'll cook UP some
devilish scheme, however, and, as said,
we must be watchful. Let them once
get possession and they'd show mercy
to neither man, woman nor child. F"
What secretly dreaded was that they
would fire the forest, which was just then
very dry. The thought camo to them,
no doubt, but the Hindu would have
also been consumed, and their plan was
to possess her. However, by neon of the
day nave been speaking about it came
OH TO rain in grand style, and the storm
! continued until next morning without q
|, break. Everything being thoroughly
drenched, with q certainty of more rain
at brief intervals, there was no longer
the fear that the forest might be fired
by accident or design.
All the men, the single women and
Mary Williams were counted off and
divided into three watches. Awnings
were placed fore and aft to protect the
watch on deck from the weather, ano
during the day, unless too wet, one mar
in the watch was to be stationed in the
crosstrees with glass and "a rifle. As
l came on duty ON the second morning,
having Mary and Haskell in my watch,
/ was the first one to take trick aloft.
| left my rifle at the crosstrees and went
up until had u clear view of the island
over the trees. judged it to be about
two miles square, and it was thickly
covered with trees and bushes except III
occasional spots. The mutineers had
made camp about half mile due
north Of the ship. The sail had been
stretched on stakes, and two or three
fires were smoldering, but it was
O'Clock before / got sight of any of the
men. Then they came crawling out, one
by one, and soon had proof that all hao
not gone merry with them. With the
glass l could bring each man so close
that it seemed as if / could lay hand
on his shoulder.
There seemed to be dispute about
who should act as cook, and from words
the gang soon came to blows. There were
half dozen fights going on at once,
| and saw Ben johnson using hands, feet
and club to restore order. When the
, fighting ceased. ten of the men seized
a part of the provisions and went of
through the forest toward the western
shore. They defied johnson and had Sc
lected new leader.
Whether the move would turn out
GOOD or i'll for us was to he determined