Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-01-09

words with any man llVlng, tnOuSn ne
was neither brutal nor lacking in good
manners. He had seen enough to war
rant him in opening the subject with
the doctor, and they were scarcely seat.
ed at the table when he led off with:
"Now, then, I suppose this is your
first voyage as doctor?"
"Yes, sir"
"And suppose you have had no ex-
perience whatever with convlcts
ashore?'
"Not the slightest.
"And yet you are expected to have
the government of go as desperate vii
lains as ever wore chains-see through
all their schemes and plans, thwart any
attempt at mutiny, find work for them
every day for four or five months, pun
ish the refractory, look out for sickness
and land the gang safe at Botany Bay"
"Why, didn't know that all that
was expected of mel" exclaimed the
young man in tones Of surprise and
fright. "I didn't know that / would
ever come in contact with convict ex-
cept he needed medical services. F"
"I believe your name is Haxton3"
coldly queried the captain.
eyes, sir-Colcheste Haxton."
"Well, Mr.. Haxton, you are not only
the biggest fool it has been my misfor-
tune to encounter, but whoever helped
you to this appointment ought to be
down among the convicts. shall come
to sanchor and refuse to sail until you
are replaced by man Of experience. "
"But, sir, my appointment was regu-
larly made after passing the examiDa-
tion, and I have behind me such men as
the Hon. James Bolingbroke, the Hon.
George Farleigh, the Hon. -
"Blast your honorablesl" interrupted
the captain. 1.-THE question is. Are you
fit or unfit If unfit, and everything thus
far points that way, then it's my duty
to my ship and passengers to come to
anchor at once and enter complaint. "
The captain was so savage that Mr..
Haxton left the table and sought his
stateroom just as came down. The
! idea was to come to anchor at once, but
when I had put the other side of the
case to the captain it was all abandoned.
| Though was in a sense to blame for
| all the misfortuneS which thereafter oc-
CURED, argued with the captain for
what believed to be the best interests
of all concerned. If we came to anchor
and raised q row, it would get into the
newspapers. The men who had secured
the appointment for the doctor were
people of great influence. In defending
themselves they would attack US, and
instead of our doctor being replaced oul
profitable charter would doubtless be
Cancelled, and we would be put to con.
siderable loss. We could only say of the
doctor that he was young and did not
know how to take hold, but his friends
would declare him perfectly fit in a
medical way, and that the routine could
be picked up in day or two.
In talk of 20 minutes I convinced
the captain that our best plan was to
hold right Oh and come to the assist
ance of the doctor. We were to touch at
the cape of Good Hope. If he proved
incompetent, we could enter protest
there. There were many instances where
convicts had rebelled and captured the
ships, but in no case was it previous tc
reaching the Cape. We might reasonably
conclude that we would be safe up to
that time even if the doctor did not turn
out to be the man for the place There
FORE instead of our voyage ending as
soon as it had begun, Captain CLARK
knocked at the door of the doctor state.
room and said to the young man, who
had already begun to pack up his things
while I hold to it that you should
never have been sent aboard to fill such
a responsible position, it is just posi-
BILE that you may turn out all right. /
have decided to continue the voyage,
and if you bestir yourself and take hold
with spirit I am bound to give you all
assistance asked for "
| HaXton's mind was greatly relieved.
and he at once set about it to post him
self as to what his duties We're. Things
looked much brighter after that talk,
though it did not Danish our doubts
and fears. Next day, when we were
fairly at sea, DR.. Haxton appointed cap
tains for the gangs, began to plan work
for them Ell voyage and hustle about in
suoh a business way that he made a
more favorable impression OH crew and
passengers. My curiosity as to what the
convicts thought of him was soon salts
fed. The bo'sun, whose name was
Smith, was one of the crew sent below
with the guards at noontime of our Sec
ond day out. He overheard enough to
convince him that the convicts had
sized the doctor up for soft mark, y
and that they were counting on having
all easy time during the voyage. One
could find proof in their dcmeanor as
they came OH deck. Each man had an
impudcnt, defiant swagger as no walked,
and each seemed anxious to be guilty of
some infraction of discipline. / had my
eye out for Ben Johnson, and at the end
of couple of days l picked him for u
ringlcader. The Difference shown him
by the other convicts satisfied me that
he had been selected as the ruler over