The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-03-06
CHAPTER II.

Whewi it was hot. Not a breath Of
wind stirring anywhere, and il had
been this way for two days. At noon
the captain summoned US to the cabin
for a consultation. Then he called in
the Barbados pilot and said to him:
Now, then. Jose, tell these gentle
men where we are
Yes, sir said the pilot. "D'you no
tice that tall point dim and far away
to our left at about II o'clock?"
Yes" we both replied.
well, that is Mana point; right
there is the mouth of the Maroni river;
that point marks the beginning of
French Guiana. You told me to tell
you when we We're coming to Cayenne.
If we hold this course and speed for
three hours longer we shall be abreast
of Cayenne"
Hudson looked at his watch. It was
12:45. To the captain he said:
kindly send orders down to slacken
speed; bring it down to two miles an
hour or lower. Let her have just
enough head to keep Storage way on
her
"All right, sir" said the captain, and
soon we felt the throbbing and trem-
bling OF the steamer cease, and, losing
her speed, she began to roll a little in
the light swell. The pilot was sent on
deck to keep a vigilant lookout Then
we sent for our men. One by one they
filed into the cabin. We sent the cap
tain away and saw that the steward
had gone forward, and to make sure
that no one should oveFhear our plans
we asked the captain to see that the
crew WAS kept forward, all except the
man at the wheel. Then Hudson made
the men a speech.
Look here men," he said; 'I have
hired you for a special purpose. have
certain work to do and l want you to
help me. I shall not attempt any longer
to disguise from you that our work is
dangerous, needs courage and cool
heads. 1 have promised you all good
pay. The sums 1 have promised you
viii be paid whether we succeed or not,
so long as you do your duty. Should
we succeed the sums 1 have promised
you shall be doubled"
Then slowly and carefully. but with
the utmost plainneSS, Hudson unfOlded
his plan. He told them what we in
tended to do. He insisted that what he
wanted above all things was To do the
work before him without bloodshed.
But" he said, IF there is fighting, if
at a critical moment there are men in
our way. men who wish to imprison Us,
can I rely on you men to fight. with
me?" Hudson, though not an eloquent
taIker, succeeded in impressing the men
with the earnestness, the Importance
and the danger of our work and all of
their hands. swore to stand by him
through thick or thin to the end of the
enterprise.
This was well enough. We dismissed
The men and went forward to look after
our launch. We had it in perfect work
ing order in less than an hour, fuel on
board, water and provisions and arms
under the seats. Then we called our
six men to us and pointed out their sta
tons on the launch. We swung our
heavy davits, so the launch might be
lowered, and then Hudson made an ar
rangement with the captain of the
steamer by which he pledged himself to
have his crew ready to hoist the launch
inboard at a moments notice.
By this time it was 8 o'clock, and
there just ahead of us, peeping up
above the horizon, a shade of dark blue
against the lighter blue of the skies, we
could see the Isles du Salut
AN steam ahead, captaini" said |
Hudson quietly, and soon the steamer |