Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-09-11
line thrown of, and the boat pulled away

Ing long way around to star
board" Then in another moment. with
roar like a lion. he shouted: The -
- Is heading off from us!
1t was now broad daylight. The deck
looked more like a mad house than any
tbfrg else. The men fired their rifles. but
that had no effect. l was united and beg
ged to fire the small cannon, but We had
nothing but blanks left. Passengers and
crew and pirates were soon all mixed up.
| quickly took in the situation The chief
mad made on with his plumber and left us
ard his sixteen cutthraaat dupes adrift!
These latter made for the only boat we
rad saved, but as they were lowering 1t
gained my wits again, quickly explained
matters to those of our people then on
deck who were not slow in seizing the vii
lains: In fact. they would have been made
snort work OF had not persuaded our peo-
pie particularly those who had had gold
ABOARD, to desist, IN order the fellows could
be turned over to the authorities-if we
were ever picked up. The rascals made
absolutely no resistance, begged for len
lency, said they had been pressed into
service, ETC. They were searched, relieved
OF arms and locked I'D in coal bunker
ana guard put over them. With
out sail and In anchorless water we were
driven by stiff east wind well out to sea.
log.
Trouble ON the Rush.
We drifted until October 8. Our supplies
were low, indeed, particularly our water,
ara we were on scant allowance, when we
sighted the cruiser Indian Their
en1ef engineer thought we could proceed
hnoer our own steam with the repairs he
made, but we only lost four days more
the shaft was beyond help. Our
prisoners were transferred and supplies nut
aboard Of us, and the Indian started to tow
us to Seattle. About thirty miles outside of
F1attery we were overtaken by the Rush
she mad had troubles of her own: her up-
per WORKS were gone, and she looked pretty
badly used up.
The captain of the Rush reports that as
soon as the terrible storm subsidized, during
Which he had managed with the greatest
trouble to keep nose up and well out to
sea. he took his bearings. repaired what
damage he could and then began his
search for his consorts. After several
days of vainly scanning the horizon, he
found the Corwin, with two anchors out
lying In the lee of Cox's Island, just off
Vancouver Island. She was in nineteen
fathoms and had plenty of berth room.
She was badly disabled. We left some nee
essary materials and men to help put her
IN shape, when she could proceed slowly
under her own steam through the inner
course to Vancouver, where she could go
into dockage. or. If the weather permitted,
could proceed to one of our own docks.
Tie Rush then put off in search of her
two other companions in affection. The
captain picked UP some floating spars he
recognized as belonging to the Grant and
began 4 tedious and dangerous hunt
of Hecate's strait.
After several days of that work he found
what was left of the Grant on the rocks
south of Calvert Island She had been
driven in through the north channel, lad
foundered on the rock sho pal and driven
across the pass and settled do vn in three
fathoms.
Her crew had gotten the boats off
and were camped on the mainland just
north of Draney Inlet. They were rigging
up sails for the lifeboats and making ready
to beat down the strait just as they sight
ed the Rush. She took them on board
after her officers assured themselves that
1t was useless to attempt any repairs
then on the sunken boat and that no fur
Their harm could befall her from the sea-
then put out to sea again. 4" =" The cap
tain of the Grant being the last to COM
municate with or see the Portland, was sure
she had made for the open instead of seek
ing a harbor, but after cruising
around for three days without a sight Of
its lost ward the Rush turned on her course
and made for Seattle to report. One
of the most intelligent of the Indians pris-
oners was talked to by our representative
with the captains permission the man
spoke freely, and, without any bravado
said he expected life sentence. and it did
not matter much to him. He states he has
always been in hard luck, anyway, without
a family, rover, and lately in jail for
holding man up in Tacoma. He was in
Portland and intended enlisting in the
army. when he saw an advertisement for
able-bodied men to go upon q somewhat
hazardous expedition, but at big pay" He
went to the advertiser at the time men
toned and there met three others about as
low-down fellows as himself.
Planning the Expedition.
The man who wanted them turned out
to be this Capt ,Belden. He did not explain
the nature Of the expedition, said it was
upon the sea and there was $1,000 in 1t for
each OF them for months easy work. He
took them to Frisco, was free with his
money. They had nothing to do until the
tug was ready, except to refrain from
drink Two who forgot themselves were
dropped for the infraction of the rule. =
They were shipped on the Pathfinder as
deck hands with others the captain had
picked up In Sacramento and elsewhere.
The mate seemed to know all about
navigation. and sometimes argued at first
with the captain, but he soon subsidized. The
captain seemed to have wonderful infit-
ence over them ALL rarely spoke to any,
and did not hesitate to lock one up or kick
right and left II things did not go his way.
They were all thoroughly scared OF him.
The consumptive engineer seemed to be the
only one in the confidence Of the captain,
they being a good deal together, and either
one was always on watch while the other
slept. They were armed. but all the others
had had to give up their knives, ETC., and
everything was doubly locked up in the
pilot house. where they both slept.
Lie HIGH were given ~ uuutTStdIlu that
Japan was not their destination, that some
shady work would be required of them, and
that If it turned out to be harder than ex-
pected there was more than 1000 each in
it for them. They were drilled every
day, with military precision, simply to do
whatever the captain told them, quickly
and however ridiculous the order might
be. The pilot house was steel and
well protected. Two small rapId-fire
guns were mounted soon after we left port
and covered over with tarpaulins. -
Food was plenty and of good quality.
After a weeks cruising the captain told
them exactly what he was after-that the
Portland was well protected and had three
revenue cutters with her, but that he would
find way of getting at her by fair or foul
means, but depended on fogs to detach the
beats: that there might be fighting to do,
in which case they were to obey orders,
shoot straight and that $4,000 each
was about what he expected to pay.
The tug, under low steam, was concealed
well up an inlet just of of the Scott cham
mel. the extreme north Of Vancouver
Island The men fished and lounged around
until two days before the attack, when the
tug was taken out and kept patrolling we'll
OF the main land. Even in the safe
harbOr they were in they had felt the eff