The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1904-07-29
The Highland Chief
Copyright, 1904. by T. G. Mcclure.l

her captain, became temporarily in
sane and drove all his crew except the
cook and boy to take to the long
boat and sail away. Thus the brig
was left without a crew, and that was
the beginning of long adventure.
On the next day there came a gale
from the north, and the Chief went
scudding away before ii. but after q
run of q hundred miles she was dis
masted and left wreck on the tum-
bling seas. The cook was of no ac-
count as sailor and the boy of little
help, but the wreckage was cut loose,
and four days after the gale the hulk
was riding high and dry and as tight
as bottle below. This was when she
was sighted for the first time after the
crew left. I was one Of the crew of
the English bark Hawthorne, home
ward bound from India, and one morn
ing we sighted the wreck and bore up
for it,
Our mate was sent aboard, and from
Captain Davis, who seemed all right in
his head again, he got the particulars
have given you. Finding the hull
sound and the cargo valuable the mate
offered to send men aboard to rig jury
masts and sail her into port, but the
captain would not allow it. Neither
would he consent to be taken off the
wreck. If the cook and the boy wanted
to so he had no objection, but he had
started on voyage to Australia, and
he would finish 1t or sink with his
craft. The cook, who was relative
Of the captain, decided to stay, but the
boy had had enough Of it and was
brought aboard Of us. We lay by the
wreck for three hours, hoping the pair
left aboard would change their minds,
but as they did not we sailed away.
1t was two weeks before the High
land Chief was spoken again. In that
time she had drifted $50 miles to the
south. This time she was overhauled
by the steamer Kongo Prince, India
bound, and boat was sent aboard.
Captain Davis was found at dinner.
He had weathered another gale and the
hull was still sound. The steamer Of
fered him tow to Cape Town, but he
rejected the offer.
The cook had tired Of the situation
and wished to be taken off, but the
captain had made up his mind to stick
and no arguments could dissuade him.
The cook went aboard the steamer, and
the captain was left alone on a groan-
ing hulk in midocean. 1t was thirty
one days before she was boarded again,
and the wreck had drifted 500 miles,
though not altogether to the south. She
was in the highway Of commerce, how
ever, and had probably been passed by
score of craft which failed to make
her out.
One morning she was sighted by the
American tea ship Flying Scud, home
ward bound, and, as usual, boat was
sent aboard. Captain Davis was in
good health and the hulk as sound as q
dollar. He admitted that he was a bit
lonely, but was more determined than
ever to stick to his craft. What he
wanted were spars and few men, and
1t so happened that the Scud could ac-
commodate him with both, Then he
raised the question Of price and re-
fused to pay what was asked, and he
finally fell into temper and ordered
his callers back to their own craft.
Although he had driven his own
crew away by his threats he took 1t
much to heart that they had gone, and
there seemed to be hope on his part
that they would finally return. In his
obstinacy he lost sight of the fact that
any one else had rights in the case.
While he owned the brig others owned
the cargo, and as soon as his adventure
was reported steps were taken to res
cue him by force. In other words, any
craft sighting him was authorized to
tow the hulk into port and claim sal
wage on the cargo, which believe was
valued at about 100000.
A week later the wreck was over
hauled by the English bark Endeavor,
which had received notice Of the desire
Of the owners Of the cargo. The cap
tain Of the Endeavor made up his mind
to seize the wreck, rig jury masts and
carry her into port, and nice plum
in the way of salvage he would have
had had he succeeded. The Highland
Chief was then below the latitude Of
the cape and drifting to the south.
Captain Davis, calmly smoking cigar
and seeming to be clear of all anxiety,
received the mate Of the Endeavor in
hospitable manner, but soon let him
understand that he did not intend to
leave the wreck. If he could get spare
spars at his own figure and II three or
four men could be had without bonus
he would make shift to finish his voy.
age.
This was no more than he had said
before, but the mate Of the Endeavor
believed that loneliness and anxiety
had affected his mind to q consider
able extent. While he was obstinate
minded and had pride Of keeping his
word, his whole fortune was invested
IN that hulk, and 1t was but natural
he should want to save II. The cap.
tain Of the Endeavor offered him fair
terms In several directions, and 1t was
only after Davis had rejected them
that move was made to carry the
wreck by force.
The mate returned with four men
to back him, and, suspecting their in
tentions, Captain Davis armed him