Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1897-01-26

| the captain, who had pretty thoroughly
posted himself as TO matters aboard Of q
convict ship while we were fitting out.
"rm q good mind 10 cast OF, come to
anchor and demand that no be replaced
by an old hand. /"
protested against such step. argu.
ing that the authorities knew their bust.
ness and must have confidence in the
man they had put aboard; but to tell
you the truth. had little faith in my
own words. Supper was the first meal
to be served to the convicts. We had q
double galley on deck. with two cooks.
and the convicts were to be supplied
with government provisions. IL was for
the doctor to see that things were prop
erly cooked, to set the hours for the
meals and % take general charge of the
provisions while ON deck. The cagcs. a.
have told you. were built one in rear
Of the other. beginning at tho fo'castle
bulkhead. The gangs of convicfs were
numbered I, and 3. and each had its
captain or boss. Every man was sup
piled with tin 'plate and cup The
first gang to come up was No I. A lad
der which was kept ON deck when not
in use was let down through the fore
hatch into q space between tif first two
cages. Two men stood there with mus
kets. and the doctor unlocked the door
and called to the men to come out in
line, headed by their captain. As they
passed up they marched 10 the galley.
placed cup and plate on shelf outside
Of q sliding window. and the cook gave
them their food and drink. Then the
line marched around the galley and de-
scended to its cage to eat the l. n!
Thus only ono gang was on deck
time.
am telling you how Things went
with doctor who knew his business
and how they did go with US after q
time, but that first meal settled all
doubts as TO what sort Of man our doc.
tor was. He had to call upon the cap
tain to post him, and when he learned
that he must 90 down and unlock the
iron doors i. was plain to see that he
had no more nerve than woman.
very much doubt il he would have put
foot on the ladder il the second mate
hadn't shown him the way and the cap.
tain given him hard rub about his
cowardice. As I told you, We had seven
regular guards. Had the doctor been
the right sort Of man this force would
have been sufficient Knowing that the
convicts would size him up for q COW.
ard. the captain ordered two of the crew
below with the guards and armed two
more for the deck.
Things passed of all right, so far as
having the convicts up and down again,
but such Of us as were closely watching
the fellows made sure that they had TAX
en- the Doctors dimensions. ! looked
every one Of the 60 full in tho face, and,
though ! laid no claim to being pbysi.
ognomist. decided for myself that we
might as well have had 90 red handed
pirates aboard. The idea Of boy at
tempting TO govern such gang would
have brough, smile had l been ashore
ana clear Of consequences.
The passengers had table TO them
selves, while the three officers of the
ship and the doctor ate at a smaller
one. We did not have our supper until
Captain Clark was not man TO mince
words with any man living, though he
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 of with:
"Now. then. I suppose this is your
first voyage Us doctor?'
"Yes, sir. "
''And suppose you have had no ex.
perience whatever with convicts
ashore?"
''Not the slightest I"
"And yet you are expected to have
the government Of 20 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, l didn't know that all that
was expected Of meW exclaimed the
young man in tones Of surprise and
fright. II didn't know that would
ever come in contact with convict ex-
cept he needed medical services. I"
Il believe your name is Haxton?
coldly queried the captain.
"Yes. sir-Colchester 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 anchor and refuse TO sail until you
are replaced by man of experience. ="
But, sir. my appointment was regu-
larly made after passing the examina-
tion, and have behind me such men Us
the Hon. James Bolingbroke, the Hon.
George Farleigh, the Hon. -
"Blast your honorables!' interrupted
the captain. ''The question is. Are you
fit or unfit! II 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 SC savage that Mr..
Haxton left the table and sought his
stateroom just as I came down. The
idea was to come to anchor ut once, but
when ! had put the other side Of the
case to the captain it was all abandoned.
Though was in sense to blame for
all the misfortunes which thereafter oc-
CURED, argued with the captain fo
what believed to be the best interests
Of all concerned. II we came to anchor
and raised o 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 our
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
-c,,ld dooIora hi,v, y,arfactly AZ I'm A