The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-08-20


We were lying in Apia Harbor. ready
for sea, bound on labor-recrulting
cruise to New Britain and New Ireland.
1t was just after dawn when the SKIP
Der and 1. who were sleeping on deck.
were awakened by hearing a canoe
come alongside, and a strange voice
hailing the anchor watch.
II want to see the captain at once.
Then the stranger came aboard and
walked aft.
WELL" said the captain, "who are
you, and what do you want?'
'Tm-oh, my name is Brown-or
Smith, if you like-and 1 want berth
as steward"
do you. Well, I have a steward
as you'll find out in few minutes when
the side" (Our steward, Simpson, had
been given nights liberty on shore,
and had promised to be back at six
o'clock.
=
can't, poor chap. He's dead. Had a
mill with a big Dutchman at Charley
the Russians over game of cards
about an hour ago, and the Dutchman
hit him over the heart. He dropped
like stone. and died in half minute.
Too fat, you know"
-'And you want to step into his shoes
before the poor devil is cold!"
I, I,o e.
dead? You'll want a steward, and 1 am
as good man as you can get in this
place. There will be half-a-dozen mon
grel Dagos here before breakfast, want
ing the berth. and as I am the early
bird, I have the first right to the
worm"
Packenham stroked his beard, and
eyed our visitor steadily.
Got good discharges?" he inquired.
mo, no discharges of any kind. But
i can do the work"
What have you been doing here in
Apia?"
Nothing. stony-broke and loafing on
the beach. Have a black mark against
me-if you want to know the truth, my
name is Watersheds Waters. I was
second mate and recruiter of the
Princess, and had to skip out of Fiji.
/ was sure that, when the case came
on. should get five years at least. And
yet / only acted as I ought TO lave
done. and saved the ship"
In an instant our interest-and SYM
pathies as well-were aroused. The
Princess case was then being much
talked about Briefly, it was this. The
vessel, like ours. was in the kanaka :
labor trade, and when at Rougsiinvi,;e :
Island. In the Solomon Group, . i.i-
fermined attempt to cut her off was ,
made by the natives. The captain !
and two of the crew were clubhed TO
death, and the rest would have shared
that fate but for Wat,rs and n sea. {
man, who, taking their Winchester i
carbines. sprang up the rigging into |
the foretop, and from there shot down
at the savages on deck. killing eleven
and wounding several others. The rest
sprang overheard and swan ashore,
and Waters, unfortunately. killed two
more as they were escaping. This in
the opinion of the commander of
bunboat then cruising in the Solomons,
was "cruel and unnecessary slaughter
The Princess was seized and sent, to
Fiji with prize crew. and few days
later Waters, by bribing his native
jailers. made his escape.
The captain pondered moment or
two. Samoa was then out of the jur:s-
1iction of the High Commissioner for
the Western Pacific, so Waters was
safe from arrest for the present. But
he would not be so once We left Sa-
moa, and there was every likelihood
OF our meeting British man-of-var
somewhere about New Britain or New
Ireland.
Look here, Waters. TIL do what I
can for you. and will ship YOU as cook
and steward; but you know that we
are going to the Northwest, and