The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1897-12-30
LOST AND RECOVERED.
By p. II. GUERNSEY.

Cape of Good Hope and India ports
She was a staunch, tidy and well fount
craft, and Capt Berry was part owner
l had made the trip from the Cape t.
Bombay twice when the adventures
am about to relate had their begin
ping. The crew numbered lively.
men, and as is usually the case ,
fresh lot of men was shipped fol
each voyage / alone had made the
three trips without change, and this
was because Capt. Berry had taken g
great liking to me. [ could have
gone as first mate, being perfectly
competent to navigate the ship, but
had had an operation performed on
one of my eyes and did not dare to
risk the responsibilities Of the posi-
tion At each trip We had a new first
mate. and a strange one came aboard
at Bombay to go back to the cape.
He was introduced to me as Mr.. Hall
but it isn't at all probable that that
was his name. He was big, strong
fellow, thorough sailor, and [ had
no reason to believe that we should
not get along together. The captain,
too, seemed to like him, and the crew
as whole was above the average.
We had been out three days before
| found that Mr.. Hall was a queer
man. If the word anarchist" had
then been coined it was not familiar
to the public. The ideas advanced by
the masses to day were then unheard
of The mate began a conversation
which resulted in making me suspici-
GUS of him. The ship belonged to a
company which owned five others
| Each craft was known to be we'll
found and we'll manned, and could al
ways have its pick of men for crew.
| was lnore than aetonished to hear
Mr. Hall declare that the company
was making too much money and be
coming too mnch of power in the
land. They were building up, he de
clared, at the expense of the sailor.
No man. firm or corporation had any
any moral right to SO much wealth
and power God had designed that
all should share alike; one man had
no right to roll in wealth while anoth-
er wanted for bread, and SO forth, and
SO forth. He took the same line
which all the well known anarchists
and social is have adopted and fol
lowed since. and l could not doubt
that he Was deeply in earnest. While
the conversation led me to believe
that he was holding dangerous views,
there was nothing for me to worry
about. AS for repeating his words to
the caDtaiD. the idea never entered
my head.
1t wasn't long before Hall sought
occasion to sound me again, and |
suddenly made the disco very that he
had been tampering with the men.
hal not seen him talking with them
but two or three of them assumed
such an independent bearing that it
was plain the seed had fallen Oh
fruitful soil. The crew was made up
of rovers-English, American, Dutch
and Lascars. Not more than two
could claim the same nationality.
When we had been out five days.
during my watch on one evening, 1
overheard enough of a conversation
between three of the men to satisfy
me that Hall had deliberately gone to
work to create dissatisfaction and
mutinous spirit. I had entire charge
| of the deck at the time, and having
necessary order / watched and saw
| it obeyed in q manner to prove that
| there was sJu.ething very wrong with
| the men-at least the men In my
watch. Sailors always growl more or
less, no matter how we'll situated, but,
unless on the point of mutiny, are
prompt to obey ali order. In this case
the men lounged forward in an impu
dent way, each one growing below
his breath, and [ plainly caught the
words of one of them as he said:
Oh the company! We are
| Just as good men as they arep'
| did not let on that / heard it, nor
did Ireprove them for their want of
promptness. Had [ been sure of Mr..
Hall it would have been different. II
he had been talking to the crew as he
talked to me then l had a matter on
hand to be handled very carefully. /
was vexed and worried, but decided
10 wait.
Next day in my watch we had to
break out cask of beef from the
hold. Even with the captain on deck
smoking his cigar the men Jagged and
exhibited their impudence When
the tackle was let down through ,he
forehatch one of the men descended
to make it fast to the cask. He fusseG
around for five minutes, growing
swearing. and when 1 swung mysel
down and sharply reproved him TO
his want of energy he ripped out a
me:
'Oh. yes! We've got to break on
backs to pile up dollars for the naboh
3 ashore, They'd sell the hearts bloo
. of every Jack aboard for poun
q noter'
Acting under the regulations gov
. elning any ship, l should hav
knocked him do vn. ! passed his re
marks without word, feeling in 10
neart thrt the whole crew must b
dead ripe for mutiny. [ intended
go to the captain as soon as my waite
was over, but had waited too Ions
! Just as we hauled the cask OF dec
| oit VA TIC CoAJlL IAlo al
! pearance was signal to the men I
knock OF and crowd aft Hall wake
] over to the captain and calmly said
] Capt. Berry. do you believe tbs
one man has right to grow rich {
the expense OF another?''
{ Nv what do you mean. siri" gasI
ed the astonished captain.
81 mean that I am tired of watcl
ing, working and shaving for the pro
! it of others. The company is to
= rich and arrogant 1t has its foot Q
too many sailors necks."
Go to your cabin, sir! suspen
you from duty shouted Capt. Be
ry, who was both amazed and ;ndi,
nant.
Not SO fast, captain" replied Hal
smiling blandly. I've have conclut
II Il A. Al al L..