The Southern herald., 1912-07-26

EaoI bar ain, a little schooner at ST
q s.-.sl Thomas loaded her with mahog
any at Santo Domingo and start
ed for Liverpool to see what was going on In
that part OF the world. We we're caught in a
heavy gale and were forced to run into Var
mouth. Nova Scotia. where we arrived In a
sinking condition.
On the false charge that my papers were
forged. the agent for Lloyds', with whom the
ship was insured. seized the vessel as was
having her repaired and had me arrested for
barratry. | was taken to Halifax. where l
was put to considerable inconvenience in Sc
curing bail
| pleaded my own case and, as soon as |
could get hearing. was released, but in the
meantime the agent for the underwriters had
liboled my ship and sold her at auction, and
her new owners had sent her away to South
America.
My last real adventure had epded with the
burial Of the Leckwith, which scnk in the Red
Sea. and was hungry for soine new excite
ment-the very essence and sole enjoyment OF
my life. While casting about for something to
satisfy my appetite, the recollection Of the
Yarmouth outrage came over me and decided
to steal a ship and let the underwriters pay
for her. as partial compensation for the one
they had stolen from me.
= After a survey Of the available supply, hit
on the Ferret, a handsome and fairly fast lit
tie passenger steamer belonging to the High
land Railway Company, which was lying at
Gourock Bay on the Clyde They would not
let her out on a general charter, which was
what l wanted. SO l concluded to charter her
for a year for cruise in the Mediterra-
mean. with the option of purchase for fourteen
thousand pounds at the end of that time. All
II ~ cd nd
deal closed by Joe Wilson, my trusted aide,
and was careful to impress him with the ne
cessity for the insertion Of the option-of-pur-
chase clause. had SO much confidence in him
that | did not closely examine the charter pa
pers and not until 1t was too late did l dis
cover that he had neglected the one vital point
My plan was to go back out East and dig
up the guns Frank Norton and | had buried
on a little island when we left the China Sea,
and perhaps resume the unholy occupation OF
preying on the pirates between Singapore and
Hong Kong. l wanted the option-ofpurchase
clause inserted in the charter partly as sop
to my conscience and partly with the Idea
that II we were, by any remote chance, appre-
hended before we reached the China Sea
could announce that had exercised my option
and was prepared to pay for the ship.
: With the delivery OF the charter, In proper
form, as l supposed, made great show of
fitting the ship out for yachting cruise, at
the same time smuggling on board two small
cannon and a lot of rifles and ammunition
Lorensen, my old captain, was seriously Ill,
80 | took on as sailngmaster man named
Watkins He was well recommended, but 1t
later developed that he had a strain Of negro
blood and q well-dehned streak Of yellow Tom
Leigh one of my old men, was first officer,
-
new one.
We coaled at Cardiff and cleared for Malaga.
We passed Gibraltar late In the afternoon, as
was intended, and signaled "All well" to the
observer for Lloyds'. As soon as 1t was dark
we headed over toward the other shore for
twelve or fifteen miles and then stood straight
out to sea again. AS we made the second
change In our course we stove in couple OF
our boats and threw them overheard along
with lot Of life-preservers l wanted to make
It appear that the Ferret had foundered, and
we ran into a heavy blow which dovetailed
beautifully into my scheme At daylight we
were we'll clear Of Gibraltar but within sight
of the Moroccan coast. called the crew afi
and addressed them to this effect:
Taking advantage Of the option-of-purchasC
clause In the charter now declare myself the
owner Of this ship and will pay for her, al
stipulated, at the end Of the period for which
she is chartered. We are going on very diff
ferent trip from that for which you signed
1t will be attended by some danger but, prob
ably, by profits which will more than compen
safe you for the risk you run Those OF yol
who wish to go with me will receive double
pay, bonus OF fifty dollars for signing new
papers, and a share Of the profits from thu
trip. Those who do not care to go may TAKE
a boat and go ashore"
Every man agreed to stay with me. there
upon rechristened the ship the India--a nam'
begitimately held by a vessel on the other sid
of the world, as was indicated by Lloyds
register-ired gun and dipped the flag AM
declared her in commission At the same tim
rechristened myself, ceremony to which
was equally accustomed. and took the nam
of James Stuart Henderson. | presented tn
ship with new log and certificate OF registr
and other necessary papers from the counter