The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-03-19

in the eastern sky, two OF the mulattos,
Blanco and Duranno. crept silently up
behind the seaman and struck him
down with handspikes.
Early. the English lad. who knew
nothing OF the plot, was looking out
on the forecasrle head at the time.
Above the humming OF the foresail
above him and the tapping OF the water,
he heard a sudden crash and the voice
OF the mate calling murder. He ran
aft and found Duranno, with horrible
persistence. still beating the mate about
the head When he attempted 10 inter-
fere the fellow ordered him steruly into
the deckhousa and he obeyed. In the
deckhouse the Norwegian carpenter
and Candereau. the French seaman,
were sleeping. both Of whom were
among the honest men. The boy Early
told them what had occurred, his story
being zorro borated by the screeches
OF the mate from outside The car
penter ran out and found the unfortu
nate fellow with his arm broken and
his face horribly muitilated-
Who's that he cried, as he heard
steps approaching.
It's me-the carpenter"
For Gods SAX. get me into the
cabin"
The carpenter had stopped with the
intention Of doing so. but MarsoltnO,
back OF the neck and knocked him
down. The blow was not a dangerous
one, but the carpenter took il as a
sign that he should mind his own
business, for he went back with impo-
tent tears to his deckhouse. In the
meanwhile Blanco, who was the giant
of the party, with the help Of another
muuneer. had raised Karswell, and
hurled him, still yelling for help. over
the buIwaTks into the sea He had been
the first attacked, but he was not the
first 10 die.
The first of those below TO hear the
dreadful summons from the deck was
the one who had come for pleasure
trip. He ran up the companion and
had his head beaten TO pieces with
handspikes as he emerged OF the per-
sonal characteristics OF this pleasure
tripper the only item which has been
handed down is the grim fact that he
was so slight that one man was able
TO throw his dead body overheard. The
captain had been aroused at the same
time and had rushed from his room
into the cabin Thither he was fol-
lowed by Leon, WattO and Lopez, who
stabbed him TO death with their knives.
There only. remained Taffir, the second
mate, and his adventures may be treat
ed with less retfcence since they were
happier in their outcome
He was awakened in the first gray
OF dawn by the sounds Of smashing
and hammerfng upon the companion
To so experienced q seaman those
sounds at such an hour could have
carried but one meaning, and that the
most terrible which an officer at sea
can ever learn. With a sinking heart
he sprang from his bunk and rushed
TO the companion It was chOked by
the SPRAYING figure OF the captain s
hrn har v4-h IN ~
blows was still descending In trying
to push his way up Taffr received a
crack which knocked him backward.
Half distracted he rushed back into
the cabin and turned down the lamp,
which was smoking badly-a graphic
little touch which helps Us TO realize
the agitation of the last hand which
lit it. He then caught sight OF the
body of the captain pierced with many
stabs and lying in his blood-mOttled
nightgOWn upon the carpet HORNED
at the sight he ran back Into his berth
and locked the door, waiting in help
less CULVER OF apprehension for the
next move Of the muttneers. He may
not have been Of q very virfle char
acter. but the circumstances were
enough TO shake the most stout-heart-
ed. II is not an hour at which g. man
is at his best, that chill hour Of the
opening dawn, and 70 have seen the
two men, with whom he had supped
the night before, lying in their blood.
seems to have completely unneryed
him. Shivering and weeping he lis
tened with straining ears for the foot
steps which would be the forerunners
Of death.
At last they came, and OF a half
dozen men at least. dumping heavily
down the brass-clamped steps OF the
companion. A hand beat roughly upon
his door and ordered him out. He
knew that his frail lock was no protec-
ton, so he turned the key and stepped
forth. II might well have frightened
stouter man, for the murderers were
all there-Leon, Carlos, Santos, BlaQco,
Duranno. Watto-dreadful looking folk
most of them at the best OF times, Dut
now, armed with their dripping knives
and crimson cudgels, and seen in that
dim morning light, as terrible a group
as ever writer Of romance hos con-
jured up in his ina gination. The Manila
men stood in a silent semicircle round
the door. with their savage Monaghan
faces turned upon him.
What are you going TO do with me p
he cried Are you going to kill me?'
He tried 10 cling to Leon as ne spoke,
for rs the only one who could speak
English he had become the leader.
NO" said Leon; we are not going
20 kill you. But we have killed the
captain and the mate. Nobody on
board knows anything OF Navigation
You must navigate us to where we can
land"
The trembling mate, hardly believing
the comforting assurance of safety,
eagerly accepted the commission.
Where shall I navigate you to-" he
asked
There was a whispering in Spanish
among the dark-faced men. and it was
Carlos who answered in broken Eng
lish.
Take up River Platte" said he.
Good country. Plenty SPANISH" And
so it was agreed
And now cold fit of disgust seems
20 have passed through those caiIous
rufTians. for they brought down mops
and cleaned out the cabin. A rope was
slung round the captain and he was
hauled on deck. TafFlr. to his credit be
il told. Interfering 10 impart some de-
cency TO the ceremony of his burial
There goes the captain" cried Watto.
the handsome Levantine lad, as he
heard the splash of the body He'll
never call US names any more" Then
all hands were called into the saloon
with the exception OF Candereau, the
1Vb0 remained ba