Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-04-24


and talked and acted nike sailors for they
were close to their element. and could see
the end Of their labors. Capt. Swarth re-
1ofced secretly At the change. but did not
dare commend It openfy-they might take
n for weakness. and he had but one shot
Lett. So the iron wtifed man maintained his
iron rule. marshaliing them back and forth
night and morning like couvfcts-whfch the
mate averred they were born to become.
The spirit OF resistance was nearly extin-
guished now, but the appetite for liquor
was strong as ever. It is questionable wis
dom to stop sailors grog-almost as dam
gerous an experiment as stopping tobacco.
They worked through the forecastle bulk
head one night. secured barrel of whisky
and were fmmovably drunk when the mate
called them In the morning. As there was
no way to punish them for this but to kill
them. Capt Swarth allowed them to sleep
II off, and then turned them out with burst
ing heads to strike out Of the hold every
barre! on top of the cargo. As fast as the
barrels came up, Yank Tate knocked IN the
hungs and allowed the contents to run to
waste In the Judgment Of all well-regu-
lated pirates. this vas as illogical a pro-
ceeding as suicide. and they began to doubt
the sanity Of their captain
But they went to work again. The sheers
were rugged and the double tackle singled
and tenoned the heels Of the topmasts and
enlarged the holes in the deck. Then, with
luns on the sheer tackle they hoisted the
briggs main topmast and fitted 1t where
Snt Hkalu1AASt OF the JUNK naQ Oeen-fn the
center. The fore topmast followed. ship
ping near the bow. and raking forward
She'll never be anythin but junk" said
Yank, as he eyed the hybrid, no matter
how we fix her; SO what's the Odds
They rugged no bowsprit. but the fore
topmast staysaif, cut down and bent to the
forestry. made a handy sail to box her
around with: and for a spanker they rugged
In it to make it At. Finally she lay. com
plete. with four square, and two fore and
aft sails, ready to launch at the next high
tide. As this would not be until O'Clock
for any possible leaks or weak spots in the
hull, and as the tide went out in the even
ing, they followed 1t down the beach with
the ways. pinning and greasing them.
While this was going on. Capt. swarth
and Capt. Lee Kin-who had become very
good friends-heid a little confab over the
quarterraiL The outcome was that when
the ways were laid the men, tired as they
were. would take tackles up the hill and
hoist out Of the 'tween-deck the four
treasure chests. drag them down and lift
them aboard the junk. They did 1T, and
midnight coming as the last chest was
transshipped. they threw themselves down
like dead men on the sand to await the
time of launching.
Then 1T was that Capt Swarth gave way
to the first weakness-the first feeling of
pity. He had nearly killed them with work.
but the work was done. There was not a
breath of wind. and it might be dangerous
to try to pass the reef at night So he
spoke kindly to them-told them to turn in
and sleep until high tide the next afternoon
If they wished: then they could bring their
clothes and his Instruments. which would
be their last work on the island until they
returned in new ship for the barrels
under the cargo. He would serve out
nightcap to each and would hope that
there was to be no more trouble or mis-
understanding. Some cheered family:
others. too weak to cheer. shed tears: all
voted him fairly good fellow at heart:
and they thankfully drank the grog and
turned in to dreamless sleep. while Capt:
Swarth went to his room and Angel Todd
paced the deck-on watch.
An hour or SO later Capt. Lee Kin emerged
frcm his cabin and looked around on the
moonlit ocean and shadowy palm groves.
1t was full high-tide and the water was
tapping against the bow of his junk. He
wbistled softly down hatch and his crew
came up. Picking up Yank Tate's top maui,
Capt. Lee reached over the bow. and with
enc blow-he was a large man and strong
man--.sent the starboard dog-shore flying.
The rafting on the beach was answered by
a shout from up the hill.
Mclean wakee up" he muttered. He
stepped around and released the other
shore, and the junk, with culver running
through her. slid down the ways. raised her
bow, foated and drifted toward the reef.
The crew were evidently instructed ahead
and not for nothing. perhaps, had they
watched. for months, the reconstruction of
their junk: for they mounted aloft. loosed
the square sails. came down and set them.
Then followed the staysail and spanker,
while Capt. Lee Kin steered her. under the
faint breath OF off-shore wind. for a break
IN the reef. and looked back, occasionally.
at a crowd Of yelling, cursing, raving men
On the beach.
Mclean dam fool" he grunted.
shot rang Out-Only one; and Capt Lee
observed that the crowd had split up into
three groups-each a whirling, heaving
bunch Of arms and legs Then. for a while
his attention was required in steering
through the inlet: but as he looked back
from without the reef, he saw three men,
bound hand and foot, hanging from the
sheer-head, where they writhed and twisted
In the moonlight
'Cappen. matee man. calpenee man." he
said. The spectacle impressed him, how
ever. and he treated his own crew kindly
as he sailed westward.
Six months later a gun-deck sloop with
rev royals and topgallant sails hove-to OFF
the reef and sent In boat. The lieutenant
In charge reported on his return as follows:
I'VE found the wreck of the brig I'D in
the woods. dismantled and half burned, but
no sign Of the junk. There's line of piles
up the hill. aid ways on the beach, which
go to show that they launched her. We
buried over dozen grisly skeletons-three
OF them We cut down from the sheer-head-
and by the looks of things, they had a bat
tie, for every skeleton gripped knife or a
cut!ass It's Sw1rth's crowd, no doubt,
aid suppose they killed the poor China
men, fitted out the junk, then fought among
themselves, and the side that won got
away"
But corpulent. opulent Chinese gentle
man, who. about this time opened prince
~ establishment in Shanghai could have
given better explanation.