, 1897-04-26
April rs, 1896, reaching Port Prize, 80

days later.
Collins dropped his name Robinsol
and took that Of James Cook. Then h
betook himself to Jim Sweeney. a
american who run a sailors boarding
house in Port Pirie. and sold him a fair
ly new suit and Il pair of shoe for s.
With this money he bought n ticket b,
train FOR Adelaide. the capital Of Soutl
Australia, where on August 3. 1896. hi
shipped as steward on the steamer
"Brunnyung." Capt. Brown, bound fol
Freemantle on the west coast of Aus.
tralia, with a cargo Of general supplies
for the gold mining country. At Free,
mantle he deserted and naturally could
not collect his salary OF SIS n month
sui Collins was not absolutely broke
for in his pocket was $3.50 received from
the passengers in ship.
From Freemantle he betook himself
to Perth. the capital Of West Australia,
There his star Of prosperity began to
rise for he got u position as trainer to
the Perth Bicycle club. at 500 n month
and expenses. He felt SO much at home
in athletics, his former occupation. that
he almost caught himself on one or two
occasions speaking of himself as Collins
and telling Of what he had done in
America in the racing line. But from
prudence he refrained.
A SOFT JOB.
The Perth Bicycle club was composed
OF blue bloOds anxious to win honors on
the track. In that country large purses
are given for handicaps. and all races
are for cash prizes. Consequently the
amateur cyclist is unknown in Austria
LA. Three Of Collins clubmen won
handicap races the month he lived at
Perth. and they gave him altogether
500 in presents. He also collected his
salary promptly.
Then the longing for America came
over him again. In spite of the risk Of
capture he concluded t O return and even
be arrested. il need be. Having conf
dence in his innocence, he declared, he
determined to face the false accusation
and consequent trial. if need be. Gen
tlemen." said Collins n day to the
president OF the club. Il am going to re-
sign. | want to go to Melbourne and
get into trade in a small way" well,
old chan 1nnpkar kn0ur n 3, % 80
have you CO. answered the president,
but you are your own boss doncher
know"
BEFORE THE MAST
So Collins went to Melbourne, the cap
ital OF Victoria, shipping from that point
as an able seaman on the Nemesis as
far as Adelaide, from which point he
shipped before the mast to Sydney, New
South Wales on the steamer "Leura,'
Capt. Wilcox. From Sydney he entered
service as a full 1edged tar on the AL
exandria," Capt. Barield, bound for
San Francisco. He reached that port on
December 16, 1896. being paid off the
following day.
Although not pursued by detectives
after leaving for Australia, Collins un.
derwent many dangers. While passing
through Bass straits between Tasmania
and Australia the vessel was nearly
wrecked, being driven for three days
amidst reefs by a storm.
STORM AND SHARK.
The ship sprung several leaks and for
five days the men were kept at the
pumps, Collins, although a steward, tax
ing his turf until he almost tainted
from exhaustion. 1t was on this voyage
that he saw more crulety than is ordi-
narily supposed to be practiced in Span
ish dungeons. Being the steward he was
well treated. but numbers OF the sailors
were beaten with Delaying pins on the
slightest provocation and were half
starved. The object in treating them
so, he says was to get them to desert ut
the end OF their voyage before the re-
turn trip and thus lose their pay.
On a trip into the country beyond
Perth, West Australia, Collins was Bit
ten by a poisonous brown snake, but a
remedy in use there. added to good
whisky, saved his life.
When returning TO San Francisco
Collins and another seaman named
Adams were one day fishing for sharks
while the ship was becalmed. Adams
caught a man-eater and in the effort to
land him both Adams and Collins fell
overheard. There were several sharks
swimming around the vessels, n Of
which finished Adams. The escape OF
Collins was due only to the prompt re-
sistance of other members OF the crew,
who fought off the man-eaters with boat
hooks until Collins could be rescued.
BACK TO CALIFORNIA.
After arriving at San Francisco the
fugitive shipped to Port Townsend,
Wash, where he worked as runner for
a sailors boarding house. In this posi-
ton he continued until he ran across q
man who had known him in Denver.
Then he shipped to British Columbia.
returning subsequently to Sacramento.
where he became trainer for the Capital
City Cycle club at $50 a month. After
working four days he was arrested,
leaving Sacramento last Friday with
Deputy Sheriff Gregory
Collins protests his innocence, and de-
clares that the police are jobbing him.
He is 81 years of age, having been born
in Edgerton. Wis. in 1866. His wife lie