The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-12-04
mot the slightest. I"

all their schemes and plans, thwart any
attempt at Iiutiny. find work for them
every day scsfbur or Eve months, pun
ish the refrac tory, look out for sickness
and land the gang safe at Botany Bay"
"Why, /, didn't know that, all that
was expected Of met exclaimed the I
Young mau in tones Of surprise and
fright. ~ didn't know that I would
ever come in contact with q convict ex-
cept he needed medical services. -
\ II believe your name is ,Haxtonp'
&oldiy queried the captain.
Y" Yes. sir-U Colchester Haxton.''
"Well, Mr.. Haxton, you are not only
the biggest fool 1t has been my misfor-
| tune to encounter, but whoever helped |
you to this appointment ought to be
down among the convicts. shall come
| to anchor and refuse to sail until you
| are rep)aced by a man Of experience.
"But, sir, my appointment was regu-
larly made after passing the examina-
ton, and have behind me such men as
the Hon. James Bolingbroke, the Hon.
| George Farleigh, the Hon. -
"Blast your honorablesl'' interrupted
the captain. 1.-THE question is. Are you
ct or unfit?. II unfit, and everything thus
far points that way, then it's my duty
to my ship and passengers to come to
anchor at once and enter complaint.
The captain was so savage that Mr..
Haxton left the table and sought his
stateroom Just as came down. The
idea was to come to anchor at once. but
when had put the. other side Of the
case to the captain it was all abandoned.
Though was in sense to blame for
all the misfortunes Which thereafter &C.
CURED, argued with the captain for
what believed to be the best interests
of all concerned. If we came to anchor
and raised a row, it would get into the
newspapers. The men who had secured
the appointment for the doctor were
people of great influence, In defending
themselves they would attack us, and
instead Of our doctor being replaced our
profitable charter would doubtless be
cancelled, and we would be put to con-
siderable loss. We could only say of the
doctor that he was young and did not
know how to take hold, but his friends
would declare him perfectly fit in a
medical way, and that the routine could
be picked up in day or two.
In talk OF 90 minutes l convinced
The captain that our best plan was to
;; hold right ON and come to the assist
, ance of the doctor. We were to touch at
the cape of Good Hope. If he proved
incompetent, we could enter protest
there. There were many instances where
convicts had rebelled and captured the
ships, but in no case was 1t previous TO
reaching theCape. We might reasonably
conclude that we would be safe up 10
that time even if the doctor did not turn
out to be the man for the place. There
fore, instead of our voyage ending as
soon as it had begun, Captain CLARK
knocked at the door of the doctors state
: room and said to the young man, who
, had already begun to pack up his things
while I hold to it that you should
never have been sent aboard to fill sucl
q q responsible position, it is just posi-.
O BILE that you may turn out all right
= have decided to continue the voyage
: and if you bestir yourself and take hole
with spirit I am bound to give you al
a assistance asked for.
Haxton's mind was greatly relieved
j. and he at once set about it to post him
- self as to what his duties were. Things
. . looked much brighter after that talk
!, though it did not Danish our doubts
!, and fears. Next day. when we wcr
fairly at sea, DIR. Haxton appointed cap
!, tains for the gangs, began to plan wofl
= for them en- voyage and hustle about II
y such business way that he made
+ more favorable impression OH crew ant
:. passengers. My curiosity as to what tn
- conyicts thought of him was soon salts
fed. The bo'sun, whose name wa
I. Smith, was one of the crew sent below
- with the guards at noontime OF our sec
~ ond day out He overheard enough
a convince him that the convicts ma
- sized the doctor up for "soft mark,
and that they were counting on havln
:, an easy time during the voyage. On
" could find proof in their demeanor q
~ they came on deck. Each man had
:. impudent, defiant swagger as he walked
= and each seemed anxious to be guilty
:, some infraction of discipline. had m
= eye out for Ben johnson, and at the en-
a of a couple of days picked him Tor
! ringleader. The Difference shown hi
= by tho other convicts satisfied me tina
90 he had been selected as the ruler owe
"A ALL, Each captain of gang had pee
= selected by the doctor because OF n
IA short term and his demeanor as stead
10 man, but the convicts had elected be
johnson TO rule them because OF n
n. being the most fearless and despera'
no character among them.
er 1t was tho rule Of all convict SCI
II that the men should be employed du
a ing the voyage. 1t wasn't for the cal
20 tain to say what they should 40 o.
be the matter was left entirely III u
Al hands of the doctor. DIR. Haxte
=. was not even posted as to this rule d
IN when the captain called his attenti'
-. TO il he went below to consult the CO.
victs as to their avocations. A rev
mr. them had given these when convic' q