The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-08-04

. 1
! mid-deck of the Matanzas, facing tn,
ruffian, and just about to speak tn
words which might overwhelmme il
/ successful mutiny.
The sergeant stood Just at my right
the corporal at my left; Hall imme
diately beyond him, and Rolan exactl,
in front of me, not more than four feet
away. We five made an irregular cir
Gle of about a yard in diameter. Ny
thinking was done in less time thar
one of these pipe whiffs is drawn in
and expelled; and, just as Rolan spoke
1 reached out my hand toward the
sergeant, with the handouts.
''Take them, sergeant, and fasten
his hands," l said.
/ But he had not touched them-nav.
his own arm had hardly begun to ex-
tend itself forward-when Rolan. with
a quick, cat-like motion, snatehed the
shackles from my hand, tossed them
overheard, and turned upon me. His
eyes were afre with mad, british pas
sion; his fists clenched and elevated,
and his foot took one step toward me.
| 1t all happened in an instant. in the
snap of a finger, and I was ready for
him. My pistol was drawn and the
hammer up before the shackles struck
the water; and as he took that step.
| in just such an attitude as / have seen
| a prize-fghter assume ON a quick of
fensive, l shot him.
Did you mean to kill him?" asked
A1inimus
L certainly did; and I say, in all
humility what 1 think, that to my
prOmptness alone that ship with the
crew and passengers, were indebted
for their salvation. The ball struck
him in the left breast, just above the
heart. severing the great artery, as I
afterward learned. He jerked his right
hand up to the place, and settled
heavily to the deck, at my feet, with
the cry:
20, boys, he's killed me, he's killed
met" And from the hold came up a
responsive cry, "You murderer, you
murderer"
I bent down over him as his head fell
to the deck. The heat of the action
was yet in me, but it was in all kind
ness that I asked him:
What have you to say? Who has
been right in this business? ?"
He turned his eyes to me. The
ne1u ali lGIt luSiIis anu ne SpOh6
in a voice that was burdened with
terror.
You were Highland was wrong
wrong-wrong! But, oh, for Gods sake,
pray for me! pray for me!''
The color left his face in an instant.
They were his last articulate words; he
died in three minutes.
Up to this time believe I had not |
been excited; but just as rose to my |
feet, with my eyes fixed on the dead
mans face, the cry of murderer was |
flung at me again from the hold, and |
then, confess, 1 could not restrain my |
temper I sprang down the ladder with |
the smoking revolver in my hand, and |
faced the crowd. They fell back with
out word, cowed, think by the silent
they saw in me.
Men, I hope you understand me
now,' 1 said. II will have no epithets.
nor anything that looks like insubordi-
nation. You have compelled me to do
what 1 have done, by your own folly,
and now remember will deal as
sternly with any man who attempts a
They believed me, and acted accord
ingly. This was the last of revolt
which I have now good reason to be-
ieve had waited it's opportunity since
the day of our leaving Governors
and 1 have the testimony of
many officers high in rank, that the
effect of the example which l set was
most salutaFy. Within week 1 had
turned over my precious crew to their .
commanding officers; and
I'm at liberty to hope that their pun
Oh, 1
heir deserts.
And how did you get out of the
crape?" that little Interrogation
Doint-Minimus, asked.
We were at New Orleans that night.
IN the following day I went up to the
headquarters of General Emory, then
commanding the defenceS, to report to 4
lis Acknowledgements the result of my
mission, and the return of the party 4
ust as I had reached the climax of
ny narrative, as 1 have related it to
GU, the General walked in, and caught
ny last words:
'Hows that?'' he interrupted, sharp
?, bending his shaggy brows, and lift
1g his leonine front omfnously upon
lie. What's that, sir? Repeat it."
And I repeated it briefly, giving the
xact truth of the affair. He listened
ttentively, and when I had conclud-
d, looked me very sternly in the eye.
And SO You shot a soldfer?N
Yes, SIR
xiii him?''
yes, sir"
'Deserter YOU say?'>
Yes, SIR
"Humph! Deserter to the enemy's Z
nes?"
Yes, SIR
'Humph, humphr How many more
them did you bring me?' 4
"Forty-six live ones, SIR
We'll, sir, you have done well-iust 4
hat You should have done. believe 3
ou've got the stuff in You for a SOL 4
er. Why the devil didn't you shoot y
lem abbey? Colonel Smith, write 4
/ order generating Colonel Croker
ON all blame in this affair. We have ,
} officers to spare for courts of in z
nd ToI~ ~