West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1897-02-18
CHAPTER VI
rAssrNaERs ANp GUARDS.

GASSLNGERS AND GUARDS.
AS the passengers and guards were
al brought into the great trouble which
ultimately fell upon the Hindu, the
reader should AT least be introduced to
them. The one single man was named
Haskell. He was about % years of age,
and farmer by occupation. l mt first
took him for stupid lout, and all 9TH
ers were inclined TO make him n butt OF
Iidicule, but you will see that his looks
belied him. There were four married
Villains, Roberts, Saunders
aud Smith. Williams as you know,
was Mary's father. The others knew
nothing about, except they were fair TO
do people who were going out TO the
Colony III hopes to better themselves.
The two single women had boon serv-
ants in England and were Miss Foster
and Miss White. There were thus 70
adults, while Roberts had two children,
smith three and Saunders one, making
up more, or is passengers in all
The names of the seven guards were
Hooper, Larkins, Green, Tobias, Rich
mond, Tannehill and Martin All were
English or American, and all claimed
to be men out Of work and at least semi
respectable. Hooper was the ex.sergeant
and in charge OF the gang He was bet
ter dressed than the others and was
likewise a keen, sharp looking man. I
can't say that l mistrusted the man
from the outset, but after reading the
anonymous note handed aboard by
strange hands looked over the seven
and made UP my mind that Hooper was
the man to keep an eye on. tie had q
great gift Of CAB, as 1 soon discovered
and his position would likewise give
him certain influence.
Very little occurs ON board ship, no
matter how large she is or how many
passengers she carries, which does not
become common talk within % few
hours. The doctors incompetency leak
ed out after two or three days, as also
did the fact Of Captain Clark taking
charge Of the convicts. The punishment
OF the two prisoners was public affair
and witnessed by all except the women
and children. These things, as you may
suspect, created no little anxiety among
the passengers, and we had only been
five days out when they drew up and
signed paper requesting the captain
to return TO port, declaring their belief
that thoir lives would be imperiled by
an outbreak before the bark had been q
fortnight at sea.
What we shall do, replied Captain
Clark, will be 10 continue the voyage
1t we meet an inward bound ship and
any Of you want to return, / will refund
yonr passage money. While acknowl-
edge that the doctor is not the rizht
man in the right place, he is doing bet
ter every day and will soon work into
the harness. BY the time we reach the
Cape we shall have no fault to find with
him. As for the convicts, they have got
q taste OF what l am made Of, and few
days hence will see them as mild as
lambs. Aside from the perils of the sea,
guarantee to land every soul Of you
on Australian soil. -
There was some muttering and COM
planning, but the people soon came TO
think better of it, and thus the affair
ended. From his being in charge Of the
guard, Hooper had privileges not ac.
corded to the others. The fact that ne
was strongly against the protest was
brought to my attention. He had a
dozen arguments at his tongues end to
the captains one. Indeed Others be-
sides myself remarked on his overzeal.
BUSINESS. One might argue from this
that he had no fear Of the situation and
was anxious that the voyage should not
be interrupted, but / could not helm
ask myself if he had not some other OBJ
1ect IN view. If he was the trnitor re-
ierred toin the note, then TO turn back
would upset all his plans The ufYaA
was soon over, however, and for three
VI four days everything ran smoothly.
On the afternoon Of the third day we
sighted an inward bound craft, and
Captain Clark went among the passen-
gers to ask il any desired to DO trans
shipped No one wanted TO 90, and wo
dipped our flag in salute, asked to be
reported and drove on.
Up to this time only two Of the gangs
had got TO work. The 10 men of the
second gang had cl'fned to be painters,
blacksmiths aud Oh , like, and we could
give them no work On deck until fairly
at sea and everything was shipshape for
the long voyage. Ben johnson was in this
gang, and have no doubt that tho men
acted under his instructions in giving
In their occupations 10 was a plan to
bring them all ON deck, you see. and so
make DE- the worse for us. Work they
must, however, and in due time they
were brought up and assigned 70 differ.
crt ta2k2 The rule was that no two
should work together, and that there
should be no conversation. In the
course Of q fortnight Dr.. Haxton pulled
himself together in wonderful shape to
save hi8reputation, but ono who studied
him ciosely could not fail to make out
that be was lacking in nerve. If This
lack was apparent 20 the captain and
mygeh, IL most have also been 20 the
shrewder Of the couyicts. and 20 at least