Smyrna times., 1905-08-16
Mutiny and
Piracy
BY CLARA TAYLOR
Copyright, 1905, BY T. c. Mcclure

on seven voyages and had acted as
mate and second mate. She could mend
A sail, steW her trick, make or take in
sail and use a quadrant as we'll as any
one, or at least as well as any mate
that ever sailed with the Hannah Snow,
as the brig was named. Captain Snow
ran between Boston and the West In
dia islands, and the shippers of Bos-
ton came to know his wife and the way |
she could discipline a crew and han |
die the craft
On a certain date the brig was load |
ing in Boston for a quick market. EX-
ira help was put on to get the cargo |
aboard, and Captain Jabez signed a
bond to get that cargo to it's destina-
tion within a certain number of days,
barring hurricanes, waterspouts and
other acts of Providence. The bond had
not been signed more than an hour
when he broke his leg. Nothing was
surer than that he could not carry out
his agreement, and a great financial
loss as well as many weeks of vexa-
tiOus delay stared the couple in the
face They must either find a captain
to take charge of the brig or forfeit
the charter and pay a good round sum,
and Captain Jabez was wondering if
a man could be found when his wife
broke in on him.
"Jabez, SaS4 have broke your leg, and
/ don't want to be cross with you, but
you seem to forgit that 1 am still on
earth"
mo, l don't" he replied, but 1 don't
see what you can do in this case eX-
cept to git me back home and nurse
me-"
well, 1 see where 1 can do some
thing else, and I'm goin' to do it too.
I'm goin to take the Hannah to the
West Indies and back and save our
charter"
Have you lost your sensesF'
Not a bit of it. If l couldn't make
that voyage l wouldn't be worth my
salt. l know all the crew, and I'll have
Bill Henderson for mate. Wen slip
down there and be back ag'in before
your leg has begun to knit. There
needn't be any more talk about finding
a captain"
When Captain Jabez thought the
matter over he was inclined to think
that his wife could do all she said, but
the cOnsignees had to be consulted.
When Aunt Hannah went to them and
stated the case they did not raise a sin
gle objection, and it was settled that
che was to be Captain Hannah Snow
for the voyage. 1t was only after the
brig had left port that the mates
1 meanness came to the surface. He
had sailed with the craft on several
voyages and was a neighbor of the
Shows at home. When the accident
happened to Captain Jabez the mate
naturally hoped to get command for
the voyage He would have been dis
tressed If any other captain had come
aboard, but to be walked over by q
woman, even though she was the cap
tain's wife and a neighbor, was toe
much.
Aunt Hannah saw that he was in the
sulks. Look here, Bill Henderson,
she said, ''it won't do you the leas
mite of good to go on biting you
tongue over this. 1 can captain thi
DTlR dS wen as JdDcAt anu III SSAAS -
take her out and back"
You'll have her at the bottom be
fore we strike the gulf stream" he re
piled.
You never mind where I'll have hel
but tend to your knitting. We are
crack on and make the best time W
can"
A day later she found the mate carr!
ing too little sail, and an argumeI
ensued. Later on she came on dec
from her watch below to find hil
cumming with the men. Two
three other things happened to put h'
out of temper, and she exercised Il
privilege of a captain by breaking
the mate and sending him to the Il
castle. When she would replace hi
with the next best man, the sailor
fused to take the place. The crew WI
with the mate Aunt Hannah expires
ed her mind freely, and as cons
Quence the crew refused to obey. ~
brig was brought to the wind, sail ia
en- off, and the woman was laughed
She was told that not d man would
duty until the mate was reinstated.
Then it's mutiny, is itY' she replit
Very well. I'll let you know th
you've got the wrong pig by the e.
I'll lose brig. cargo and everything e
In the world before I'll give In /"
For a day and night the brig ma
no progress, and as the weather "
fair she incurred no danger.
The crew saw that the woman
not intend to give in, and 1t anger
them. There was one among tn
who had read dozens Of pirate bot
and always longed to sail under
black flag. Things had never co
right for him before, but now he t
advantage of the temper Of the 9th
to broach the subject. He was a g
4 talker. and he held out such an allur
picture that even the mate, who
above the average man In intelligeI