West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1897-04-08
CHAPTER XIII.
THdsRE DAGs'AND NNuTs

onCEs 10 as No man could take the
wheel or touch ropo without being a
fair target Tor our weapons That the
fellows realized tho situation was evil
dent from tho quarreling among them.
We looked Cor them to make some
movo during the night, aud about mid.
night VIC discovered that they wero
erecting barricade across the deck he
tween tho fore and the main mast They
We're using casks and bales to do this,
and, though we coRld have opened filo
md driven them of, Captain Clark de-
cided that u barricade would be DO
menace TO us. They had no ammunition
fcr the musketsand were probably erect
ing It to cover themselves while getting
breath OF fresh air ON deck
III tell you what, Ralph, said tho
captain to mo rs we Stood alone on
watch after midnight whilo tho others
slept I've got hopes OF not only get
ting tho Hindu back into our own
hands, but l believe we shull carry our
cargo TO Botany Bay. They can I sail
tho ship non take to the boats, and what
are they TO do?'
But IL 1t comes OH TO blow gale"
! quoried.
L.
we may all 90 down together "
At o'clock in the morning breeze
sprang up. but it was nothing TO cause
anxiety. The mutineers were pretty
quiet during the last hours Of the night,
but when day fairly broke the whole
gang OF the.n were suddenly ustir and
betraying great excitement After puz-
zilng over IL Tor u bit, we decided that q
sail must be III sight 10 the eastward.
how far OF or how near she would paS5
us We had 10 means OF know ing, as the
bark 6 head WAS 10 the south. Over the
top Of the barrioade we could SEQ the
heads Of the fnutincers and mako ont
that tho object Of interest was on tho
port bow. 1t wasn't ten minutes before
there was q furious quarrel among
them, and from such words rs wo could
catch wo knew they were divided on the
course of action 10 be taken. They had
no signal OF distress to set, even though
they wanted TO bring the strange vessel
down TO u.s. but il was more than prob
able that she would alter her course to
ascertain why we We're 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
hinlee,e aud shouted:
Captain CLARK, will you give rs the
boats ard allow US 30 leave the bark?''
Aye, that I wou'tr' replied the can
tain, whose quick wit OWNED what
was ia tho wind 1.-The first one Of YOU
Gu this side of that barricado gets "a bull
let into him. -
II was likely merchantmen bearing
down on Us, ard the fellows anted
the boats to go Off and capture her. In
another half hour we heard them shout
h5g TO somebody to keep of, as we had
pestilonoo aboard. Tbotwas in revenge,
you know. We knew, however that
the sigLC OF the barricade and of so
many men crowded together on the TO-
castle, even IL they got no sight Of the
convict uniforms. would hold the
stranger ~ Us until sho had solved the
mystery. While the mutinecrs were
still shouting, she passed astcrn cf Us.
and we sigudied her from the cabin
windows. she proved TO be the English
big Vixen, London, bound from Port
Darwin. Tho two men il her rigging
hgursd out the situation pretty prOlu.,t-
~, and tho brig was thrown into the
wind and her boat lowered. and present
~ her captain was pulled under the
ttern o. the Hindu. While the rest Of
US kept watch Ou the mutineers and
prepared for any move on their part.
Captain CLARK stated our situation, but
ald not ask Tor help Ito found that we
bad drlftcd moro 20 .tue north than
what 80 had figured on and that wind
and current were setting Us in toward
enc west c9ast Of Au1yalia. bat there
was nothing 70 worry yTer ass yet.
Tho English captain had % crew Of u
men, bat rot 20 much les a pistol abOard.
kle, however, offered 20 bring all his
men aboard 70 help iD Az attack a8d
was not little put out that Captain
CLARK did not think 10 the wisegt plan.
70 was simply asked 10 report our situa-
ZION 10 the first Inan-of-war be mot, as
sisO 20 the first Australian bound craft
DC shOuld sight. ia fact, a brief report
~ae prepared by our captain to DO hand.
60 90 tha proper officers when DE was
yeady ~ lurn ~ bis vessel, the captain
pul>i around 90 the bow II the Hin
~ and gave thc mutiuear8 a piece Of
his mind They tried ~ shout him
down, hut wac plainly evident that
bI 4..lHn'eI that every mau would
swing ~ the end AZ rope dotractad
frOri t"'ir rlthu iaem
There va7 30 change up ~ noon. cx.
copt iHar f.r Hrorze frrs.euld "a Ii..fo.
Ior .are. hours after dinner tine mutt
I.r wre ar quiet t1at wc became au-
II..ea vc aud prepared for a Tu-h. It
Wi. ...t That esd. did -.-.- g. ID ....t