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

A~~AM q uu4eL Sp2il nau bought, at
$50 bargain, little schooner at ST
q - Thomas loaded her with mahog
any at Santo Domingo and start
cd for Liverpool to see what was going on il
that part of the world. We were caught in {
heavy gale and were forced to run into Var
mouth, Nova Scotia. where we arrived in {
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 TO,
barratry. I was taken to Halifax, where
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
Nbeled my ship and sold her at auction, and
her new owners had sent her away to South
America
MY last real adventure had ended with the
burial of the Leckwith. which sank in the Red
Sea- and / was hungry for some new excite
H 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 ship and let the underwriters pay
Tor her, as partial compensation for the one
! lley naQ stolen from me-
After survey Of the available supply hit
on the Ferret q handsome and fairly fast lit
tle passenger steamer belonging to the High
& land Railway Company, which was lying at
II dpurock Bay on the Clyde They would not
{ ist her out on general charter, which was
what wanted, SO concluded to charter her
{ for 9 year for a cruise in the Mediterra-
nean with the option Of purchase for fourteen
thousand pounds at the end Of that time. All
OF the negotiations were conducted and the
i deal closed by Joe Wilson, my trusted aide.
ana was careful to impress him with the ne
cessty for the Insertion Of the option-of-pur-
chase clause. had SO much confidence in him
y Mat DID not closely examine the charter pa
pers ana not until it was too late did dis
cover that he had neglected the one vital point
wy plan was to go back out East and dig
up the guns Frank Norton and | had buried
oh little island when We left the China Sea-
and perhaps resume the unholy occupation of
pfeyng on the pirates between Singapore and
hong Kong. ! wanted the options purchase
clause inserted in the charter partly as SOP
4 Y my conscience and partly with the idea
snat II we We're by any remote chance, appre-
4 1ehaed before we reached the China Sea /
you'd announce that l had exercised my option
I ana was prepared to pay for the ship.
Win the delivery of the charter in proper
y iolm, as ! supposed, made a great show Of
suhg the ship out for yachting cruise, at
! 'ue same Tune smuggling on board two small
cannon and lot of rifles and ammunition.
Z Aolehsen, my old captain. was seriously ill,
y 7, look on as saling-master man named
Watkins He was we'll recommended, but 1t
aser developed that he had strain Of negro
s viuoa ana Well-defined streak of yellow Tom
n
new one.
+ Il, We coaled at Cardiff and cleared for Malaga
~ passed Gibraltar late in the afternoon, as
y .,u intended, and signaled "All well" to the
suse1sef Tor Lloyds'. AS soon as it was dark
Y u " neaded over toward the other shore for
~. I've OF ntteen miles and then stood straight
~ ~ y sea again. AS we made the second
~ ,a.Ase ~ our course We stove in couple Of
~, ooats and threw them overheard, along
4 7 - q hfe-preservers. I wanted to make
= appeaf that the Ferret had foundered. and
ss.4 TN into heavy blow which dovetailed
au'huiiy into my scheme At daylight we
& 4 M !. wen clear Of Gibraltar but within sight
M 80 moroccan coast called the crew aft
a., SUPPRESSED them to this effect:
ss,. aA.hs advantage of the option of-purchase
an - Inc charter | now declare myself the
sir,,.. L. shls snip and will pay for her, as
an ,.,, at the end Of the period for which
fr.s ! s0aftereu We are going on very diff
ts s.v Trip from that for which you signed.
AM !. We attended by some danger but. prob
rata IL - pioiits which will more than compen-
vho wv iof the risk you run Those of YOU
pay - - % 50 with me will receive double
pane pohus OF fifty dollars for signing new
TIN M, anu share Of the profits from the
bo.. anose who do not care to go may take
y soat and so ashore"
apon man agreed to stay with me- there
hstin ,eenflstened the ship the India name
ef fha a.s.s neid by vessel on the other side
ise;s.s. Morid, as was Indicated by Lloyds'
as eils,sr,-fred gun and dipped the flag and
II raes sa ner IN commission. At the same time
Mn aa,,s,. myself, a ceremony to which l
ii Ian sua'iy accustomed, and took the name
ship ai.s stuart Henderson. presented the
Ind o,s MI new log and certificate of registry
Ass necessary papers from the counter