River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1912-07-04

revolt that being Matched had broken it's
shell. The Government was promptly turned
over to him by Alcantara.
The Costa Ricans were, found in the midst
of one of their periodical but always quite
futile efforts to depose their President, General
Tomaso Guardia and had no difficulty in dis
posing of my arms and ammunition, which
exchanged for cargo of coffee.
With the cargo of coffee we headed for New
Orleans, where sold it.
While the coffee coming out stores were
swiftly going In, and we were out of the river
again and on way to Hayti in record
breaking time. Though had good cause to
remember Santo Domingo never had been in
the ''Black Republic" and, as had heard there
was q probability of some lively times there,
l determined to visit it before | returned to
New York.
But the crankiness of the Richards inter
fered with my plans When were about
one hundred miles west of Key West the old
ship committed suicide by burning herself to
death The fire started in the hold amidships,
but we could not even imagine what might
have caused it, 1t was so unexpected that il
had good start before we discovered it. We
fought it, of course, but we might as well have
tried to qllench volcano in eruption The
strange craft had made up her mind to go I'M
der. and there was nothing for us to do but
take to the whaleboat. which was large enough
for all Of us, as had only small crew.
After we had showed off we returned at con-
siderable risk to rescue big black cat which
was on the ship when bought her. We had
christened him John Croix"
Our humanity was well rewarded, for John
saved our lives, or at least saved us from a
lot of suffering Eventually we drifted among
the islands to the westward Of Key West and
we headed for the largest one in sight. In the
heavy sea that was running we made a bad
mess of the landing. Our boat was overturned
and stove in, the bung came out of the water
cask and all of our supplies and most of our
instruments were lost
Early in the morning the cat awakened me
by rubbing against my face At first
thought he was only depressed, like the rest
Of us, and wanted company, but he pestered
around until | got up and followed him Call
ing to me over his shoulder. he led the way
to a clump of mangrove trees, whose roots
overhung the bank three feet above high tide
John trotted under the mass of roots and be
gan to purr loudly. / started to follow him
and then backed out but the cat yowled SO
loudly that 1 got down all tours again and
followed him. I crawled along for ten or
twelve feet until found John standing over a
rivulet of fresh water about as hig as my
finger.
drank my fill from it and then awakened
the others and told them of Johns discovery
They hailed him as savior and when he
came trottfng into camp couple Of hours later
with an oyster in his mouth they were ready
to beatty him.
Strengthened and encouraged, we patched uT
our boat and when the storm had blown itseli
out, put to sea again, and encountered little
schooner from St Johns, Fla. which took us
to Key West where we soon got ship fca
New York.
l returned to Melbourne In 1885. after az
absence of about four years, and went to Men
zies' Hotel, which not the one l has
stopped at before-when I was Jamss Stuar'
Henderson.
When Nourse and Wilson were reieayct
from prison the former scurried across 2asi
Strait to his old Tasmanian home with the
money | had paid him for so successfully I'M
personating me. He considered that he lfaC
been well compensated and expected to irves
his capital in some small business, to which a.
fluent position, under ordinary conditions, ~
never could have aspired with any degree o
confidence