The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-04-25

Shorty it was-and they dragged the
carpenters tool chest up the hill-bury-
ing Shorty on the way, without prayers
and returned for the two lower yards
This job used up the day. and as they
tied up their wounds with rope yarns
and tar that night they talked with the
cook about poisoning the afterguard.
The cook refused. 1t was unprofessional
and ne had no poison; but. as a result
of the discussion, which was not whis-
pered, Yank Tate moved his goods aud
kinder displeased, cappen.' he said,
and very unreasonable, and they
might get into my shop when I'm
asleep and do somethin' they'd be sorry
for afterwards"
In the morning they rugged shears
over the bow of the Junk (Which. like
the brig. pointed down hilD, of the fore
and main yards, lashing the upper ends
and sinking the lower in socket holes in
a couple of tenders. At the shear-head
they dashed two three-fold blocks, each
as large as a small trunk, and to
stump near the heel, a roustabout, or
heavy snatch block to take the haul
ing part of the eight-inch hawser they
would use as lifting tackle. The lower
blocks of this tackle they were to Sc
cure to a shot of anchor chain. which
this was job at which their souls re-
volted. for they were forced TO burrow
under the Junk with knives. as there
were no spades in the brig. If the Chi
namen possessed them they made no
sign, but hung over the rail and guyed
them in derisive Dantomime.
They took turns at the muddy task,
and the mud dried on them. layer over
layer, for no time was allowed them TO
p1 nd a fnllr
at a time at this. the rest, after reevinS
of the big tackle, busted themselves in
cutting down palm trees and fiattenlnS
the trunks for ways Cor rails, and in
ripping I'D deck planks and dragging
them up the hill for cradles. This work
was not done in a day: it took several,
and they labored in the hot sun, polioed
continually by the captain or mate,
teased by their sores and on short al
lowance of water: for several tanks had
been demolished in the wreck. But at
last the holes were dug and the chain
passed under the bow, through the
rings of the lower blocFs, and secured.
Then they hauled the 12-part tackle
hand-taut to a palm tree, and ClaDped
q tackle to the hauling part close 20 the
shears, another on the hauling part OF
this. and thus. luff upon huff, they
quadrupled their power, until, with I'VE
Swarth decided that his men could lift
the bow OF 100-foaI junk.
And they did. Under his singing alb
jurgations, backed by the Eourished
pistol. thew swung on the fall ri the
last tackle. shifting w when blocks
came home, sweating. curssng and COM
planning. while the painted eyes IN the
bow glared At them. AMI Two score,
Cinnamon Grinned down on them and'
added their weight. Up came the bow
"a quarter inch at a Il saVe-until high
enough for Ydnk Tate To block up the
forefoot (she had no xeeD with tenders.
Then they sl2 1ke1 her down on the
blocks, shifted the shears and the gear
to the stern and repeated the operation
with the junk resting on blocks the
next step was to build two cradles to tit
the bottom. The men rugged the ways
under Yank Tate's supervision. while he
himself fashioned the cradles of the deck
Dl,nl,s and the halves of anchor stocks,
which, fiat sides down and cheated. were
to rest on the ways. With a slack stern
line out TO q tree they pulled on tackle
leading ahead, and the craft, amid me
scuealing of her crew, slid forward until
brought up by the hawSer aStern- This
was encouraging. and for a moment the
underlying sailor instinct dominated. ana
the men gave 4 rousing cheer But when
the next step was given out-chopDing
down trees and clearing away StumpS-
the sailor died out of them. and Mr. Todd
remained up in his watch below TO assist
the captain in clubbing them into obedi-
ence-
Captain Swarth was 10th to shoot them.
recognizing that there was more of
death potential in three bullets against
10 men (the cook had assumed an armed
neutrality than in one against -. or two
against IA. So the three bullets were
held in reserve and Mr.. Todd's assertion
that '-one handspike was worth a dozen
of EN- was acted upon. And Yank Tate
nourished his broad ak, and they went
to work. with aching heads and blue
spots on their several skins. and in three
days had cleared track half way TO the
beach. where a deep gully and stretch
of swampy ground beyond sent them
back for instructions. They received them.
They would trim off and sharpen the
tru=.-s of trees they had feiled and as
many more as was needed: then, after
the carpenter had constructed a pile
driver. they would sink two parallel lines
of piles To support the ways to the solid
ground above.
Captain Swarth was asleep at this juno
ture. and Mr.. Todd and the carpenter re-