West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1897-03-18
CHAPTER x

This. then, as 1 reasoned il out to N.Y.
SELF was 4oIk's idea. and no doubt IL
tas in his mind when he cane aboard
&c the Cape. His talk OF the islands and
SIC gOlGhclds had excited nid corrupted
the crew and probably tie guards The
ccnvicts woUo 10 be rClcarod, the ship
seized, and those in % e Saicn would
then 20 their own way. York would be
the nominal captain, but / could not
doubt that Bon Johnson would bo the
actual ruler Ebd loader. l did not be-
lievo the crew rs uwholc woul} ~ INFO
ruch thing il they believed that mar
der was 20 be done They would stipu-
late that officers and passengers wcTc TO
he mGrcoucd on some island ana givcu
chance for life. They had been well
used, well fed and had no grudgcs TO
safety. They had boon led from tie
path Of duty by the smooth talk OF the
villain York, but they could not wish
us barin.
could not be sure that MI tho crew
had entered into the plot. There wcro
at least three middle aged, steady going
men who had probably not been app
preached, bat this would not help Us out
much. When tho moment of revolt
came, they would be looked out for and
when they found the bark in possession
of the mutineers they would no com
PEELED 10 strike hands with thvm. with
the convicts numbering more than three
to one, md with at least score of sail
ors among them, and perhaps ut least
one navigator, it was easy enough TO
arrive at tho result. They might not
maroon the crew or send them adTift
But the chances were even up that thoy
would, retaining only the services Of
York.
To fully realize the state Of affairs
you must understand sailors nature
l doubt If abuse or starvation could
have driven our crew 20 mutiny. The
average sailor has n lively imagination
He is good listener. a smooth tongued
far can convince him against his will.
He is always signing for lazy life,
and though he is wasteful OF his money
tho idea Of having plenty OF it will load
him into almost any thing. The pictures
York had drawn OF the golddeids and
the green islands Of tho Indian ocean
had corrupted them and blinded them
to consequences.
You will ask why 1 did not at once
let them know was in possession of
their secret and take prompt measures
10 check the contemplated revolt. l an
swer that because such step on my
part would have brought things to n
head at once and insured cur destluc-
ton. And, too, l was not sure they
were fully committed 90 the plot. and
should we chance to fall in with anoth-
e. man-ofwar or overhaul Il merchant
man and keep her company it would al
ter their plans materially. / went TO
Captain Clark with my information, of
course He was just able to move about
and in a nervous state, and | dared not
tell him a. much as / have told you. lie
reflected for awhile after hearing my
story, and then said:
well, Ralph, / do net 500 that we
can do moro than is being done. II the
crew IS with the convicts, they can take
the bark at any hour it pleGses them,
and our only hope Is that thcy may de-
bay until we sight a man-of-war In
that CAGE we could straighten ont affairs
very quickly AS we have been fur oil
our course, and as York has had no
means OF ascertaiuing our position for
many days past, there Will bo no move
for day or two yet. rio won't want to
t.ke charge Of ship without knowing
what cOu1se to gail her. "
This was good philosophy, and ! took
care TO give no one the latitude and
longitude o. worked ont from tho noon
observations On the next two days York.
SIS / learned from Haskell. iuade rcJeat-
Cd efforts 10 secure the results Of luycal.
culGtions and was seemingly much put
out over his failures. L changed the
course e the ship twice in the two days
in order TO further mysufy him.
In the morning watch Of the third
day after my conversation with Hawley
IN the lszaiette we sighted ship bear
ing up 20 u from the south, and pres
emily made out that sho was AN Amet-
can whalcr. As she drew near she flew
signal that she wished % speak us.
Gud an hour later her captain vas pull.
Ell 90 tho Eindu's side in hisown boat.
] met him at the rail and conducted
him 60 tho cabin for an interview with
Captain CLARK. Ho introduced himself
o. CAPTAIN Lewis Holt Of the Now Bed
ford yhaler Good Luck, which had
then been cruising for year and q half
BIS erraud aboard Of us was 60 replon-
ish biz medicine chest and as his was
his FIRST visit % g convict ship hs was
naturally cuTiOus Tie witnessed the op-
trattcns of gang taking their morning
wan up, and almost by accident heard
some one speak tho name Of York He
lnff1utlv turned iO mr and asked:
Have you gos q mate aboard By that
nance
"Eo. pios.1ur r.a1 ly tlas uamc
- Cuqo Town, VINO claimed f1 have
becu tlirl Iaato rf Naalar, but Ir is
a9fiug ss "a r.nf1 gvrr tuo coI.gfrts rf