Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-01-30

ammunition we might have to make
terms with them. Thank the Lord that
they haven'tl They'll cook up some
devilish scheme, however, and, as said,
we must be watchful. Let them once
get possession and they'd show mercy
to neither man, woman nor child. "
What secretly dreaded was that they
would fire the forest, which was just then
very dry. The thought came to them,
no doubt, but the Hindu would have
also been consumed, and their plan was
to possess her. However, by noon of the
day have been speaking about it came
on to rain in grand style, and the storm
continued until next morning without
break. Everything being thoroughly
drenched, with certainty Of more rain
at brief intervals, there was no longer
the fear that the forest might be fired
by accident or design.
All the men, the single women and
Mary Williams were counted off and
divided into three watches. Awnings
were placed fore and aft to protect the
watch on deck from the weather, and
during the day, unless too wet, one man
in the watch was to be stationed in the
crosstrees with q glass and rifle. AS
came on duty on the second morning,
having Mary and Haskell in my watch,
was the first one to take trick aloft.
I left my rifle at the crosstrees and went
up until had clear view Of the island
over the trees. I judged it to be about
two miles square, and it was thickly
covered With trees and bushes except in
occasional spots. The mutineers had
made a camp about half mile due
north Of the ship. The sail had been
stretched on stakes, and two or three
fires we're smoldering, but it was 9
o'clock before I got sight Of any. Of the
men. Then they came crawling out. one
by one, and soon had proof that all had
not gone merry with them. With the
glass I could bring each man 30 close
that it seemed as if I could lay hand
ON his shoulder.
There seemed to be dispute about
who should act as cook, and from words
the gang soon came to blows. There were
half a dozen fights going on at once,
and saw Ben johnson using hands, feet
and club to restore order. When the
fighting ceased, ten of the men seized
part of the provisions and went of
through the forest toward the western
shore They defied Johnson and had Sc
lected a new leader.
Whether the move would turn out
good or i'll for US was to be determined.
The more they fought among them
selves the less likely they were to attack
us, and yet we should now have two
different gangs, each working independ-
emily of the other, to look out for.
The day and the night passed away
without an alarm, but at an early hour
in the following morning the entire
force of the smaller party appeared on
the beach and hailed the bark. They
were pretty evenly divided between con-
victs and sailors, and they put forward
as their speechmaker the sailor who
had served as bosn of the bark. As
everybody came on deck in response to
the alarm, the party on the beach un-
covered their heads In respectful way,
and the bos'n began:
Captain CLARK and good friends all,
this is the truth, and may the whole
gang of us perish on the spot if it isn't.
We were dragged into this business. We
had to join 'em to save our lives. Ev-
cry one Of US here would have fought
for the ship if we could have got aft
among you, but they watched US too
close. Mates, calls upon you, one ard
all, to tell the captain if I'm speaking
the truth or no.
"Aye, he is thatl' shouted three or
four in chorus.
."And what do you want to get at?"
asked the captain in reply.
"Well, sir, it's just this way, sir.
Those of US you see here have broke
away from the others. We have no heart
in it, you see. We wants to come
aboard, sir. We don't ask to be trust
ed, but are willing to be put in irons
and carried to Australia for trial. We
may be hung for what we've done, sir,
but we shall certainly be murdered if
you don't take us aboard. "
The sympathies of the women, and of
some of the men as well, were at once
aroused, and they entreated the captain
to grant the request. He silenced them
with gesture and said to the mutineers:
"Harkee, Dick Taylor and the rest of
you'll Your words are fair, but your
hearts are black enough. I know your
game, and say to you that if there's a
man of you left in sight when the min
ute is up I'll put bullet through his
head"
Away went the rascals, heller skel-
ter, and they were only we'll concealed
in the bushes when they sent up a great
kissing and groaning and shouting, and
when that ceased they INDUCED i'll
threats to make the blood run cold. They
we'll knew that the iron cages had been
destroyed and that we hadn't pair of
shackles or handouts aboard. No mat.
ter. how we secured them, if foolish
enough to take them aboard, some oDe
of them would have found way to lib