Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1897-01-28

pOrG DOW. IL WASH ten minutes De1OTe
there was furious quarrel among
them, and from such words as we could
catch we knew they were divided on the
course Of action to be taken. They had
no signal Of distress to set, even though
they wanted to bring the strange vessel
down to us, but it was more than prob
able that she would alter her course to
ascertain why we were drifting away
with all sail carefully slowed instead Of
having everything spread to the breeze.
In the course Of half an hour flag Of
truce was displayed above the barricade,
and few seconds later York revealed
himself and shouted:
Captain Clark, will you give US the
boats and allow us to leave the bark?'
faye, that l won'tl' replied the cap
tain, whose quick wit OWNED what
was in the wind. 1.-The first one Of you
on this side Of that barricade gets bull
let into him."
1t was likely merchantmen bearing
down ON us, and the fellows wanted
the boats to go off and capture her. In
another half hour we heard them shout
ing to somebody to keep off, as we had
pestilence aboard. That was in revenge,
you know. We knew, however, that
the sight of tho barricade and of SO
many men crowded together on the TO-.
castle, even if they got no sight of the
convict uniforms. would hold tho
stranger by us until she had solved the
mystery. While tho mutineers were
still shouting, she passed astern of us
and we signaled her from the cabin
windows. She proved to he the English
brig Vixen, London, bound from Port
Darwin. The two men in her rigging
figured out tho situation pretty prompt.
ly, and the brig was thrown into the
wind and her boat lowered, and present
ly her captain was pulled under the
stern Of the Hindu. While tho rest of
US kept watch on the mutineers and
prepared for any move on their part,
Captain Clark stated our situation, but
did not ask for help. He found that we
had drifted more to the north than
what we had figured on and that wind
and current We're setting us in toward
the west coast of Australia, bat there
was nothing to worry over as yet
The English captain had crew Of ~
men, but not so much as pistol aboard.
He, however, offered to bring I'll his
men aboard to help in an attack and
was not little put out that Captain
Clark did not think it the wisest plan.
He was simply asked to report our situa-
ton to the first man-of-war he met, AS
also to the first Australian bound craft
he should sight. In fact, u brief report
was prepared by our captain to be hand
ed to the proper officers. When he was
ready to return to his vessel, the captain
pulled around to the bow OF the Hin
du and gave the mutineers u piece Of
his mind They tried to shout him
down, but it was plainly evident that
his declaration that every man would
swing at the end Of a rope detracted
from their enthusiasm.
There was no change up to noon, ex-
cept that the breeze freshened little.
For three hours after dinner the mutt
neers were SO quiet that we became ap-
prehensive and prepared for rush. 1t
was we'll that we did. l may tell you
that, aside from Mrs. Roberts, Mary
williams and Miss White, we had no
assistance from the women. They were
frightened ard nervous and could hard
ly te induced to move about. But for
Mary's cool, calm manner we should
have had no help at all. She went about
cheering up the children and speaking
brave words to the women, and seeing
that there were only enough men Of US
to fifty guard the cabin she proposed to
keep watch at the bulkhead. 1t was ar
ranged that the three spoken Of should
take turn and turn about at watching,
and it was we'll they had their ears
open. After dinner that day the fell
lows rugged up battering ram between
decks to burst open the bulshead. 1t
was heavy spar slung to tho deck
beams, and with Is or 90 men to give it
impetus the planks must have given
way before it,
1t was Miss White who reported
what was going on, and / was sent to
investigate. l found that the spar was
covered by two loopholes In one Of
these arranged double barreled
fowling piece. heavily charged with
swan shot, and when Mary had prac-
ticed with an empty gun until she I'M
derstood the mechanism Of it musket
was loaded for her and she was placed
at the other loophole. Mrs. Roberts was
to discharge the fowling piece, and Miss
White was to have a gun in reserve.
We were ready before the mutineers
were. 1t was nearly O'Clock when
without shout or signal or warning Of
any kind they came leaping over the
barricade, armed with the same weap-
ons as before. Ben Johnson and others
of the more desperate conpicts took the
lead, and almost before we knew it
they were chopping and smashing at the
cabin. Some of the men carried small
bales and boxes to heave OH the sky
light, none Of them knowing of the iron
shield bolted underneath. The gang felt
how desperate it's situation was, and
though we began pouring in our fire at
once, it seemed as if all were pledged
to die rather than retreat. Those on
deck were also bargaining for time for
those below to get to work ut tho bulk
head, probably figuring that we were
not prepared in that direction. I don't
like to tell you Of the results. None Of
the mutineers below may have been
killed, but SO many were peppered with
the shot that all ran away from the
spar, and it was only after a messenger
came on deck to report the failure be-
low that retreat was ordered. When
the fight was over, we counted Is dead
men OH the decks, of whom - were
convicts and of whom York was ono.
There were no wounded, and l tell you