Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-12-02

lowing in the trough of the sea, COM
plete wreck aloft. After a brief look
at her through the glass the captain
began cursing his i'll luck. AS Il mat
ter of fact, we had neither room, water
nor provisions TO spare, and the ship
was loaded down to the mark with
cargo. but when we heard our officers
propose to pass the wreck without no
tice every man of the twelve was
ready for mutiny. We demanded that
communication be opened with the I'M
fortunate people, and after good Zeal
of growing the Dolphin ran down to
the wreck and sent boat TO her
The report of the mate when he re-
turned was to the effect that the peo-
pie were on quarter allowance, with
much sickness among the women and
children, and that they desired to ADAM
don the wreck and be taken aboard OF
the ship. We had spare spars aboard,
and the captain offered to sell three or
four sticks for about three times their
value, the payment to be made in gold
on delivery The brig declined this
generous" offer, as the crew was sat
isfied that the shattered hulk could
never be worked into port, even II
fully provisioned besides.
Our captain was holding off, not
wishing to take the unfortunates and
yet afraid of us, when a squall came
on. and he attempted to sail away.
The whole crew, including the second
mate, at once refused duty. The cap
tain and first mate then declared their
authority at end and went below, but
we We're not to be bluffed. The second
mate was installed as captain, and two
hours later all the people on the wreck
had been transferred. 1t was in good
time, too, as Il gale came on that lasted
for three days and must have sent the
brig to the bottom.
We had mutinied and taken posses
sion of the ship, but we felt that cir
cumStanceS justified it. Neither insult
nor harm was offered the two officers.
They made many threats as to the
punishment we should receive when
the ship arrived in port, but we stood
firm and kept clear of any further quar-
rels. Our craft had no accommodation
whatever for passengers, and you can
imagine the mess we We're in when
that crowd was taken aboard. The
captain not only fatty refused TO take
charge of the navigation, but would
have nothing whatever to do with the
unfortunates. He could have sheltered
many women and children in the cabin.
but not even the sick ones were invited
to make use of it. Everybody aboard
had to be put on short allowance az
once, and shift was made whereby
the women and children were at least
sheltered
After Il general consultation it was
decided to make for the Bermudas, and
OH the fourth day after taking the peO-
pie off the wreck we sighted an Amer
lean ship and secured from her fair
supply of water and a quantity of -four
and biscuits. 1t was a run of seven
days more TO the islands, and during
the last three days no adult had food
enough TO keep down the pangs of hun
ger. None of us believed that we could
be punished for taking the ship out of
the captains hands to save human life,
and / am sure we would not have been
meddled with but for the presence of a
British man-of-war in port. AS soon
as our captain could board the craft
and report all of us were arrested and
flung into prison to await the action of
the law. l never found out just where
they intended to send us for trial, but
presume it was Bremen.
For some reason or other there was
a long delay, and at length matters
were complicated by our being claimed
as deserters from an American man-of-
war. The people whom we had saved
were grateful enough, to be sure, but
all others looked upon us as lot of
pirates who ought to have been hung
as soon as captured. When we had
been in jail five months we got word
from an American who was pretty
thoroughly posted on the case that we
should soon be sent away for trial and
that we might expect at least five
years imprisonment apiece.
This news decided us to make an at
tempt to break jail, and one night
week later. using tools which a guard
had been bribed to pass in TO us, we
sawed away the bars of window and
gained our liberty. Proceeding TO the
harbor we found an American vessel
ready to sail, and before our escape
was discovered we were miles at sea.
Five of us afterward surrendered to
the naval authorities as deserters and
took our punishment, but what became
of the others L do not know.
To save the lives of almost 800 fell
low beings we were driven to mu-
tiny on the high seas. and while it
would seem to have been both noble
and heroic action, and one that we
should have received credit for, moth
ing but misfortune and disgrace grew
out of it. The contemplate action of
our captain even found excusers.
though it was plain that had he had
his way the wreck would have taken
every soul to the bottom with her.
NJ. QUAD.