Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1897-02-04

matter. l1o was not diplomat. lie
was man utterly without fear, and
when there was chance for a fight he
never thought of using strategy to Sc
cure an advantage. Defeat had worked
him up to that pitch where he must
free his mind, and he would need watch
ing none the less for announcing his de-
termination.
If tho wind had not shifted directly
into tho south, making it an utterly i'm
possible thing to sail the bark out Of the
bay, 10 matter how large crew she
might have had aboard, think our cap
tain would have carried her out and
made shift to at least reach another an
chorage. The nervous strain had begun
to tell Oh us and some Of tho women
were right down i'll, and the knowledge
that we were still in peril and might
have to fight for our lives at any min
uto had no consolation III it.
II don't know what plans they
have" said Captain Clark as we coun-
seled together, "but wo must DO wide
awake for them day and night. II they
had one single musket and 80 rounds OF
ammunition we might have to make
they haven't! 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. y
What l secretly dreaded was that they
would fire the forest, which was just then
very dry. Tho 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 a
break. Every thing being thoroughly
drcnched, with a 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
in the watch was to bo stationed in the
crosstrees with n glass and rifle. AS
came on duty on the second morning,
having Mary and Haskell III my watch,
l was the first one to take q trick alOft.
loft my rife at the crosstrees and went
upuntil | had clear view of the island
over the trees. l judged it to he about
10 U
covered with trees and bushes except IN
occasional spots The mutineers had
made q camp about half mile due
north Of the ship. The sail had been
stretched on stakes, and two or three
fires wero smoldering, but it was 8
o'clock before 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 l could bring each man so close
that it seemed as if I could lay hand
OIL his shoulder.
There seemed to bo a dispute about
who should act as cook, and from words
the gang soon camc to blows. There were
half a dozen fights going on at once,
and l saw Ben Johnson using hands, feet
and q club to restore order. When the
fighting ceased, ten of the men seized
part of the provisions and went OFT
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 moro they fought among them
selves the less likely they were to attack
as and yet we should now have two
different gangs, each working indepeud-
emily of tho other, to look ont for.
The day and the night passed away
without an alarm, but at an early hour
OH the following morning the entire
force of the smaller party appeared on
tho 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 bos'n Of the bark. AS
everybody came OH deck in response to
the alarm, the party on the beach I'M
covered their heads in a respectful way,
and the bos'n began:
Captain Clark and good friends all,
this is the truth, and may tho 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 rney watched US too
close. Mates, calls upon you, one and
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 Eilling to be put in irons
and carried TO Australia for trial. We
may be hung sor what we've done, sir,
but we shall certainly be murdered II
you don't take US aboard.
The sympathies of the women, and OF
some of the men as we'll, 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
Won! Your words are fair, but your
hearts arc black enough. l know your
game, and l say to you that If there 8
man of you left in sight when the MN
ute is up I'll put bullet through his
head "
Away went the rascals, heller skel-