The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1912-07-20

Df1dge and rebuilt over the wheel amidshins
ooile OF the upper works were stripped ava,
anu Tue whole appearance of the vessel was
changed to such an extent that even her build
eis would hardly have recognized her
- santos | bought outright a cargo OF
eonee ana headed for Cape Town, South AT
rlca, Where consigned it to VIM G. Anderson
& Son, with instructions to sell # for cash
and quickly.
made Leigh sailing-master, and we cleared
lisnt Tor Australia, with short stop at the
MauTlt1us fors#coal. We coaled again at AL
4 Dany,sM esL Australia From there We went
& 70 Port Adelaide, South Australia, and then on
70 Melbourne, where we came to grief. or
FORT Philip Head We signaled for pilot and
canny Scot came aboard. He seemed sus-
picious OF us from the first and noticed that
ne was studying the ship closely as we steamed
up to anchorage off Williamstown
landed at once and went to the Civil sery-
Ice Club Hotel to recuperate from a bad case
OF malaria which had contracted at the Maui
r1tlus. While not alarmed by the apparent
suspicion OF the pilot | was impressed by it
and gave strict orders to Leigh to allow no one
to come aboard Leigh's one weakness was
drink and to guard against his becoming help
lessly intoxicated I instructed Wilson either to
remain on board or visit the ship every day
My fever grew worse after I went ashore
that should have nurse, as was all alone
The doctor was with me when the nurse ar
rived, and as the latter entered the door the
doctor made quick movement as though
something had startled him, looking in amaze
ment from one Of us to the other. could not
imagine what had happened until he said:
That man looks enough like you to be your
twin brother! ! never have seen such re-
semblance between two men!"
l surveyed the nurse more critically and
saw that we did look strangely alike, even
to the scared face The nurse said his name
was William Nourse and that he had arrived
in Melbourne only two or three days before
from Tasmania, where he had worked in the
HobartstoWn hospital
While was recovering at the hotel, events
We're transpiring in connection with the ship.
Wilson, it developed, soon relaxed his vg-
lance and gave himself up to pleasures ashore
but without coming near me- whereupon old
Leigh blithely betook himself to his beloved
bottle. After d few days the shrewd Scotch
pilot paid the ship friendly visit, found Leigh
full three sheets in the wind, encouraged him
to proceed with his rotations until he fell
asleep and then went over the ship at his
leisure, taking measurements and making OBJ
seryations
Naturally, his measurements correspondent
exactly with those of the Ferret, which had
been reported as missing.
was greatly surprised when, late one aft
ernoon about ten days after our arrival at
Melbourne l received word from Joe that the
ship had been recognized as the Ferret and
seized; that he had taken to the bush and
that l had better disappear as quickly and
quietly as possible II | wished to escape arrest
for the officers were looking for both Of US.
l told Nourse that warrant was out for
my arrest on some technical violation OF the
port regulations, and that, while had no fear
OF the result of a trial. J. did not feel strong
enough to go through with 1t, and therefore
| intended to leave at once, and secretly, and
stay away until the trouble blew over. He
agreed to go with me, and soon after dark
we left the hotel quietly by rear entrance
which opened on an alley.
We engaged a carriage and drove to "a sub
urb on the railroad running to Sydney.
On the long drive to Longwood I became
that my capture. was certain, for
the country was 20 thinly settled that we were
sure to attract attention and be easily fol
lowed. while if I4stuck to the railroad was
sure to be apprehended In seeking some new
way out of the dilemma I conceived the idea