The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1898-05-13

was in the plot, and after the ship had
been seized these two men cast their lot
with the mutinccTs. was routed out only
after the men had secured the officers, and
l then found all the passengers dressed and
in the cabiOn and George Early and Mary
Sinclair talking together. The change Of
plan was to seize the ship and 90 sailing to
some island where the men could enjoy
themselves in their own way, with piracy
perhaps at the tinis
1t was currently reported that the Iron
Duke had largo amount OF specie aboard,
besides a valuable cargo, and young Early
was a good tullcr among such ignorant
men as inhabit the forecastlo. As matter
of fact, there was some specio-a few thou
sand dollars in silvor-but, as to the men
reaping any benefit out Of mutiny, each
and all must have known better had they
stopped to argue the matter. The ship
held to her course, and nothing was done
until next morning There were some
lawless acts among the men, as might
have been expected, but nothing to make
the passengers afraid, and the carpenter
had general charge Of the ship and carried
her SafOiy along.
An hour after daylight the GREY; gath
cred and elected George Early as captain.
AS he had not been two weeks at SCI this
was a queer thing to dc, but the mon
wanted to honor him for leading the lau-
tiny 1t was found that not ln;.n aboard
knew anything of navigation, but tho
charts were brought on deck and consult
ed, and it was agreed that the ship could
be nayigated without help from the irisrru-
mcnts. Captain and mate had been tied
hand and foot for hours and were brought
h, Iol b.,I fhEir
breakfast. The mate had nothing to say.
The captain made a speech in which no
offered to overlook tho whole matter if the
men would return to duty. They jecTed
and Knocked him in reply. Some were for
killing tho two men at onCo, but Early
had decided to give them Il show. Ono of
the quarter boats was launched and provi-
stoned for Il week and the two officers or
dercd into her. They went without 4
word, seeming to realize that nothing they
could say would change the plans Of tho
mutineers, and then came the question of
the fate OF the passengers. Early had per-
haps planned to keep them aboard, but ev-
cry one begged to be sent away with the
officers Even Mary Sinclair's aunt was
included, although she was 80 years OF age,
in poor health and knew that hardship
and suffering awaited her. As for the
girl herself, she looked upon her lover rs a
hero and was for helping him to carry cut
his plans am sure she knew that Il nu-
tiny was brewing and that Early was the
leader, but she rather encouraged it than
otherwise When the aunt and other pas
sengcrs charged her with this, as they did
soon after tho ship changed hands, she
only laughed st them il reply.
She was not only thoroughly infatuated
with the good looking criminal, but had
become perfectly reckless OF consequences.
After long wranglo the Passengers We're
allowed to go III tho boat, and mere winter
and food were put into hCr. Not ono Of
the crew expressed Il desire to go along,
and that | was permitted to depart has al
ways been a matter Of wonder, as | would
have been Of use aboard, and the other APP
prentice was detained. That | did get
away was owing to the fact that l was
sent down into the beat to keep her Tended
off from the skip ard to receive the pro
visions, and W!.cn ali the people had come
down we cas-; off in hurry, leaving Mary
Sinclair behind.
When sent adriit without sail or COM
pass and with only two oarS-Soyen OF US
we were about 500 miles from the near
est land, which was the land We bad sailed
from. 1t was fortunately midsummer
weather, and we lid not Suffer from cold,
but for Is days VIC were knocking about
on short ratiuns and wet to the skin most
of the time.
The only use made Of the oars was to
keep the boats head to tie seas, and day
and night we kept q lockout for rescue. 1t
.,Ga Oh tI!G morning q tho fourteenth GaE
and just as gale was piping up that a
French brig, homCwuTd bound, sighted
and picked us up with Mrs. Mosher so
near dead chat sho gasptl her iIat as she
was lifted to tic deck OF the brig. Tho
remainder of Us We're half starved and
thoroughly worn cut, and two or three
days more would have brought death to
halt the number We Turo landed ut 4
French port and sent On to Liverpool and
that was tho last hcar, Of any Of NY fell
low sufferers, huo the Iron Duke tl;.d I'D
ventures whic! some Of you may have read
III the public prints. Two days after we
were sent QGriiJ she Ira5 spoken - an
English maD-Ci-Tar. She had altered her
course and YVES running 10 tho south, pre-
sumGbly intending to round the Horn. AS
she refused to answer signals, she was
chased for 80 miles Us 4 suspicious chaTaG-
ter, but outz4ill,l the man -Of-war and got
away.
She was next seen off the Azores, and
next to the ': st Of the Madciras, and by
This tiine two English lncn-of-war were
after Lcr .he finally dropped out Of sight
altogether. and nothing was heard Of her
for :, year Tn tho Scotnl, ship William,
| nOElcwal1 bound from Australia ard Gem
| ing up Ike co.s., uvl...g.u!eG & ;.sTelict
which hal c,!.ea..y l@-n knocking about
for months l.as.s Hl.G gu;1a, L"lwaIks
swept aw -. r4.,5ar broken and the hulk
full of water !, waa tho Iron Duke, and
no human fott had trod her decks for
1 many weeks She had evidently been dis
mastcd IN nc, but how long her crew
| had stuck hy her or whether any ever Loft
| her is only gunsswork. The chances are
| all were swr!; away by the monster waves
| which cleared her decks and left her water
| logged Powder was used to shGtter and
| sink her, and, though for several years
| later the English government sought for
| traces of any CT tho crew who might have
escaped, nothing was ever heard of single
one Of them.