The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1896-08-06

lOI HIT Il III S''lcllti IlIuBt Ib'N'Ai IL
different man from what ! had
thought him He obstinately refused
to discuss our situation. saying: Tn
der existing circumstances my opinion
Is worth as much as Yours; besides,
he added. zone man is as good rs an
other now"
Here was democracy and independ-
ence with a vengeance: but | gave the
matter up, for [ intended to have a
talk with the crew before we turned
in. The steward followed me about
all day; like a we'll trained dog. be
was always at NV heels. and though
he was a most loquacious man on
shipboard. his silence there was re
markable | had forbidden the crew
to make a fire on the beach. ae If
might attract the crew Of some preda
tory Arab dhOw whose sense Of HJc'tHt
and fHltm We're not Of the highest or
der; but they made small fire behind
q large rock, and while they We're at
supper | addressed them.
| spoke Of our situation and of the
adyisability Of our making efforts to
gain some seaport town. ''We are
thrown on the coast Of Abyssinia, lads,
and may reasonably expect decent
treatment, if we are civil to the people
we meet Continuing. | said: Il
have no map Of the country, but If my
memory Of our imperfect chart of the
Red Sea serves me, we are not far
from Azel Bay, to the northward; once
there. | am sure we can find passage
to Alden and thence to Colombo"
To my dismay, one of the seamen.
who said he acted as spokesman for
his mates, told me that they were
going on their own hook, and that the
second mate was going with them.
I'VE won't have you with us, for you
viii bring bad luck with you" he SAID.
The rascal speciously added: I'VE
won't leave you defenceless, captain;
you shall nave your own revolvers and
Il gun. and if the steward will cast
in his lot with you, he shall have a
gun as we'll In return for this, how
ever. yOu must give each of us five
pounds in gold that you have with
you; we know you have it, and before
we turn in we must have it.'
1t seems that their superstitions
were aroused by the mates awful
crime and his insanity They connect
ed me with Mr.. Cross condition. and
thought that, being so much together,
| bad or was in danger of having, my
brain turned. but they were not to be
convinced Of my ability to direct their
movements. Their minds were made
and nothing could say would change
them; so, taking my bag of gold. |
gave each man five pounds, which he
received in silence, though the second
mate whined something about his
being an officer, whereat / kicked
him and sent him sprawllng among
the embers. Sailors like manly man,
and their laughter at the mates dis
comfiture proved to me that they had
little or no respect for their associate.
[ had to smile at the result Of my
splenetic answer to his request. and
at his rueful cOuntenance as he brush
ed the sparks and ashes off his cloth
ing.
| lay awake nearly all night: plan
after plan being mentally discussed
only to find myself just where | start
ed from. There was a ridiculous quirk
in the decision the crew had come to,
that made me feel pretty cheap: yet
what could | do? They hau disOwn-
ed NE; had refused to travel in my
company, and though they were TO
carry with them considerable of my
personal property, | could say nothing,
nor compel them to give it up. From
their stand point, perhaps, they were
leaving me in good shape: but how
could they reconcile their consciences
and their ungenerouS conduct was
more than | could understand l fell
asleep. and after two or three hours
restless dreaming awoke to find my
self alone.
Alone? No; for a short way from
my tent, beside large bowlder, stood
the steward. He was shaking his fist
at something OF somebody ont to sea,
and. from his flow of language, |
thought he had been tampeung with
the spirit flask. In this, however, |
was wrong: for his Irish bio ~ was up,
and who can guage an Irishman's so
briefly when his danderis aroused? /
remember his words:
May the divil fly away ye, Bad
scran tc We an all that belongs t'ye.
Yc'd lave the cap'u an mesiIf to starve
an cit numbered, an divil a fut ye'd
stir. Stir is it begob. its airly ye're
stilrin', an the cap'n not awake to see
We"
How much longer he would have
gone ON in this TRADE Of abuse | can
not tell, but he stopped when | called
10 him:
"Phelim, what is going on ont
there"
The blaggards have taken the
boats. an are off to say wild M and
following his pointed finger, saw the
boats between three and five miles tC
the southwark. The cowardly scound
rels had left us without a good 10y
or Il word
| hid my feelings, and calmly bade
the steward to get breakfast Il
never would have done to show how
keanly | felt the desertion of thes,
men who had 50 lately been subject tC
my orders, for the stewards sym,
pathy and complaints would hay,
irritated me beyond measure.
could say with truth that | never NAL
treated the crew, nor would | permi
others TO 90 so; they We're well fed
and enjoyed every privilege that coulC
possibly he accorded them. and yet il
my direst need they deserted me
hoped they would never have cause Il
regret their baseness, but | am afraiC
! they did, for | have not seen no
heard of them from that hour to this
How they Jared | know not, anC
should this history of the loss of thu
, Topaz and my subsequent wandering
meet the eyes of one or more. | woul'
be glad TO hear the story of thei
adventures.
When we consider that the intes