Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-02-15
STORY UF THE SEA.
Unpleasant Experience Of a
Maine Sea Captain.
A Mutiny on Shipboard in the
Pacific.
The Only Woman on Board Was a
Winthrop, Maine, Girl.

| Here is the story of sea tragedy
which we clip from an Australian
newspaper. The sea captain who is
the hero of the tale is a Maine man,
Herbert C. Mason, a native of Harps-
well. His wife who was the only wo-
man on board the ship in the exciting
| days described. is a native of Win
! throp where her relatives now reside.
Her name, before her marriage to Cap
tain Mason in 1894, was Miss Mary b.
Mason. Not only for it's local interest
but for it's own features the story is
well worth reading.
The sea is full of tragedy, romance,
and mystery, and there are few men
| who have sailed in command for any
length of time whose experiences do
not include some adventures more or
less startling. 1t is not trouble that
comes from mother ocean in her wild
est moods that seamen fear most.
Hurricane or typhOOn, dismasting or
stranding alike find the seaman pre-
pared for action with a readiness or re-
source seldom found elsewhere, and
given a Staunch crew such troubles
are overcome, or the outcome battled
with, difficulties which would appall
the ordinary individual being accepted
as a part of the seaman's life and
common risk. But if there be one dan
ger to which the merchantmen is ex-
posed, and from which he shrinks, it
is the spirit of mutiny, which in times
CT hac ho of G,o
vessel. Mutiny is bad enough among
the crew, but when the disorder mani
tests itself in the officers, the situation
becomes most serious.
The last voyage Of the American ship
James Drummond (now in Newcastle)
from Puget Sound to Fremantle was
marked by one of those tragic Incl
dents, which ending as it did with the
death of the mate, will not soon be for
gotten by those who formed the ships
company on that eventful passage The
James Drummond left Chemanius with
a lumber cargo and a crew rather bet
ter than the average, the majority Of
the men having Joined the vessel at
the lumber port. There had been n
change of officers, as is frequent when
vessels are loading at a home port, and
some time before sailing Captain Mason
shipped as chief officer, man named
T. Burns, who had sailed In that capac-
ity in a number of American vessels,
including the Pactolus and M. P.
Grace. In the latter part of April, the
| James Drummond left the Sound
| bound for Fremantle, and from the
statements of those on board it appears
trouble commenced from the outset of
the voyage. Early in the passage it is
stated that the mate commenced ILL
treating the cabin boy and frequently
dubbed the yOungster about the deck,
followed this by turning the men to"
on Sundays for unnecessary work.
There were to be no idle bones on that
ship" he said, but Captain Mason
thought otherwise, and the latter Incl
dent together with the cruelty to the
cabin boy caused strained relations be-
tween master and mate. Later on
Burns started shifting things about
| the decks, and generally taking mat
tiers into his own hands, a practice
Captain Mason objected to, and when
reprimanded for not obeying instruc-
tons. Burns invited the master to con-
fine him to his room. The master de-
sired to have peace, and allowed the
matter to blow over, but the mate re-
manned Surly and intractable. He
would go to the galley and eat there
in preference to taking his meals aft
until the master demonstrated with
him for such an unofficerlike proceed
ing, when he discontinued the prac-
tice. His disposition never improved
and in going about the decks he was
oil va
ened to kill anyone who crossed him.
AS the passage continued his conduct
became more and more difficult to I'M
derstand. In his watch at night he
would call the men off the lookout, and
converse with them on the poop, but
sea etiquette does not permit Of the
master catechising a sailor as to the
conversation which takes place be-
tween him and an officer. and the
mates curious conduct remained unex-
planned, and added further to the mys-
terry of his general behaviour.
Matters came to crisis while the
vessel was making her way through
the islands. At four o'clock one morn
ing the master went on deck, and find
ing the fore and main royals which
had been clewed up at $50 A. NJ. still
unfurled, spoke sharply to the mate
for not attending to his duty. Some
words and a scufrie ensued, in which
Burns is stated to have said. You are
only a living corpse, and won't have
much longer to run this ship" The
next few days were full of anxiety.
Fully convinced that the mate medi-
tated an attack upon his life, Captain
Mason armed himself. and kept a care
full watch upon his mutinous officer. On
the third day after the open quarrel
(June 49,, with the Fiji Islands under
the lee the storm broke. The master.
with his wife and son, were sitting at
supper in the forward cabin, when the
mate came to the table and took his
seat. While the master was in the
act of serving some food Burns drew a
revolver and pointed it at the captain.
but the latter, who was on the watch,
drew his weapon and fired first, the
bullet striking the mate in the chest.
Almost simultaneously the Chinese
cabin boy, seeing the master threat
ened, seized knife and stabbed the
mate in the throat. Securing another
revolver, and hastily locking his wife
and son in the after cabin, Captain
Mason fastened on deck, expecting to
find more trouble awaiting him. and
fully convinced the crew had been