Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1897-03-09
aance0, nte ana aranx, ana all quarrel.
ing was ut an end, and in the cabin We
watched and waited and grew more
hopeful as the time passed on.
CHAPTER XIV.
WE PEACH AN ISI AMI

Inc 0Itut hustTullau DiBut, d1 IL ID
called, is an indentation in the south
coast Of Australia of what is known
as Nuyt's Land. Fifty miles of the
coast is an island Of about $50 acres
in extent called Victoria island. The
fact that we had been spoken by only
one vessel since the mutineers took pos
session, and that no others had even
been sighted as far rs we knew, satisfied
us in the cabin that the ship was drift.
ing into the blight There was not set.
Element on that coast ut the time, while
the natives were extremely hostile, and
little was known Of them. Being, rs
we figured, out Of the track Of all sail.
ing craft and the breeze still holding
from the south, il seemed certain that
the end Of our drifting must be wreck
on reef or the beach.
At 10 o'clock on the morning Of the
fourth day after being spoken by the
Englishman we heard the mutineers
cheering aud congratulating, and we
were satisfied that either the coast or an
island was in sight. In the course Of
half an hour white flag was raised
over the barricade, and Ben johnson
appeared in sight to say:
Captain Clark, there is an island in
sight to the north. We can make out an
opening in the reef, but unless there is
hand at the wheel TO steer her through
the bark must strike and be wrecked. I"
"Well, what do you want to dor"
asked the captain.
''There's bay inside the reef. II
you'll come out and take charge, We'll
obey orders and bring her To anchor in
the bay. Then we'll 20 ashore and give
you full possession. It's either that or
all hands will go to the devil when she
strikes the reef, and We are not ready
TO give up yet"
The proposition was taken under ad-
visement and discussed There might be
q trick in it, but we had more conf
dence in ourselves than before. BY leav
ing the women to watch ut the loOpholes
below there would be q respectable force
Of Us together on deck IN front Of the
cabin TO meet any rush with q volley.
II the bark struck the jagged coral reef,
even with that small sea OH, she would
grind to pieces III al hour, and there
must be frightful loss Of life. IL was
decided to work the craft into the bay.
The cabin doors were opened, and every
man of US stepped out on deck prepared
for what might happen. Then the cap
tain said to johnson:
If there is any trick in this, we arc
prepared for you. Let a sailor come aft
and take the wheel Now put two or
three others ut work TO overhaul the
ground tackle.
He then gave the necessary orders for
making sail and wearing the bark
around until her nose pointed at the
opening in the reef. The island ioomed
up right before us, and had there been q
delay Of 10 minutes we should have
been on the reef. The mutineers obeyed
ell orders with alacrity, and such Of
them az came aft Of the barricade were
respectful III look and demeanor. The
opening in the reef was not above 40
feet wide, aud had we not been exactly
opposite il we should never have got in.
As il was, we had to go it blind, as the
saying Is, no one knowing what depth
of water we should find. What seemed
TO be river, but what was really a
long and narrow bay, ran into the cen.
ter Of the island for q distance Of half q
mile.
There were two turns or elbows In
the bay, but once over the reef the bark
glided along until she was at length
brought up in 80 feet Of water near the
head Of the bay. On the west Of US
were steep shore and deep water. On
the east there was clear strip of beach,
with the water gradually deepening
When the anchor was down. the bark
would swing to the tide safely enough,
but with no more than 80 feet to spare.
In other words. the Instance between
her stern ana the shore was only bis
cult toss. When the anchor was down
and everything aloft made snug, John.
son mounted the barricade and said:
Captain, We arc going ashore. We
gave You the hest fight we could, but
were beaten. II you want to take the
bark out, none Of US will raise hand
in opposition. II you want to come
ashore, no one shall molest you. In the
end man.of-w war will come for US, but
meanwhile We shall enjoy ourselves.
"And what do you want in return for
that fine speech?" asked the captain,
feeling assured that it prefaced re-
quest of some sort
"Well, by your kind leave, we want
share Of the provisions, as We shall
get tired Of fruit after awhile. We also
want two or three old sails for tents,
an Ak or two, matches and some cook
ing utensils. Well have to have boat
to set the things and our wounded men
ashore, but we'll return her."
The captain was so glad to have them
out Of the ship, even if they were to re-
main in sight on land, that he readily
granted the request. Four Of them were
permitted to lower one OF the quarter
boats, and for the next three hours she
was used to convey the rascals and their
dunnage across the strip of water. They
were allowed to help themselves with
liberal hand, but it was stuff which was
of no account to us without our prison.
ers.
1t was after 3 O'Clock in the afternoon
before the last man departed, and then
the boat was given push from the
beach and sent back to US. Among the
gang were eight wounded men, their
injuries having been inflicted when the
women fred through the loopholes
Perhaps they had extracted some of the
shot from their legs, but enough was
left to cause them to curse and groan as
they limped about the decks. The bar
ricade was almost disposed Of in loading
the boat, and half an hour after the
last trip we had a clear deck. and the
women and children were out for an
airing. The passengers were for having
the captain trip the anchor and sail at
once, but he gathered them around him
and said:
"Here are but three sailors Of us. Not
one Of you men can 90 aloft or take q
trick at the wheel. ! don't say that we
might not navigate the bark down to
Adelaide; but. with the season just
changing and bad weather coming ON,
we'd be taking strong risks. The Eng
lishman who spoke us thoroughly un-
derstood our peril and can be depended
ON to report MS II we hang right here
for fortnight, we'll see a man-of-war
in the ofiing. We can't recapture the
conv;Cfa INIT MO cau vemain hera m n