News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1902-11-19
THE END OF
a MUTINY

ct was only nineteen years old
when | shipped the first time" said
my friend, the old sailor. "The
craft was brig called the Swallow,
and she was bound for the west
coast Of Africa, having a cargo of
cotton cloth, boots and shoes, rum
in casks, needles, brass kettles, cut
lasses, old muskets and other stuff
that could be readily traded for
gold dust, nuggets and ivory with
the natives. In those days, more
than forty years ago, fortunes were
made in this trade, but times have
changed since then.
owe had another object besides
trading, for we were instructed to
look after the schooner Ella Noble,
which had sailed for the very local
ity to which we were bound and had
never returned. What had become
of her was a mystery, for although
she was spoken when within days
sail of the African coast no further
tidings had come from her, and it
was feared she had met with some
fatal disaster.
"The crew was mostly made up of
the toughest men found in shipping
offices and along the water front,
for the voyage was not a desirable
one, as there was sure to be no lit
tie risk of life, and the food could
not be the best procurable by any
means. ! was not at all fayorably
impressed by my messmates, but
my head was full of foolish notions
about the romance in a cruise to
Africa, and | was more than eager
to 90. Some of the romance faded
when I was put on salt rations and
compelled to do the duty of COM
mon before the mast sailor.
'The captain was a brutal fellow
as he needed to be in order to COM
mand such a crew and keep it in
subsection. He had a voice like a
foghorn and scowl that was black
as a thundercloud. The first mate
was Spaniard named Corello. He
had a fiery temper and a heavy
hand, but | fancied him more than
the skipper.
''For some reason Corello seemed
to take a liking to me, and | after
ward had cause to thank my good
fortune this was true. He was not
nearly so hard on me as he might
have been, although | felt that my
lot was quite hard enough.
at was not long after leaving
port that l observed queer actions
among the sailors. There was
great deal of muttering, and some
times l would espy some of the men
with their heads together talking in
low tones. l did not like this, and
so l told the mate about it. He
looked at me queerly, saying guard
edly:
Have caire. Zese men no like
tattler. If icy hear you tell things,
some time you GET He finished
by drawing his finger across his
throat in a significant manner.
'From that time | felt sure there
was trouble brewing, but | remem-
bered the warning and was careful
to keep my mouth shut. My dis
like for the captain increased, and l
actually grew to detest the man
after | saw him knock down with a
marine spike a sick man whom he
had ordered aloft, but who was I'M
able to mount the ratlines.
During the first part of the voy-
age the captain and Corello got
along we'll enough, and we had
sighted the African coast when they
had their first quarrel. The skipper
attempted to bully the Spaniard, as
was his custom with the regular
men, and Corello fared up in an in
slant. Hot words followed. All at
once the master grabbed up light
running block and flung it at the
mates head.
'The aim was true enough, but
Corello lodged. Then the skipper
caught up Delaying pin and start
ed for the Spaniard. | saw flash
of steel, and Corello fell back against
the main hatchway, a knife in his
hand. With a Spanish oath he
swore he would cut the captains
heart out if an attempt was made to
strike him with the Delaying pin.
"For little time the two men
looked straight into each others
eyes, and then the captains hand
fell. expected he would order
that Corello be seized and put in
irons, but he did nothing of the
kind. Instead he retired to his cab