The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1913-03-20
A Mutiinv
BY DONALD CHAMBERLAIN

crew. l. WO ueu were lOSL OFeEDOaru III
a storm, three died Of sickness, and five
deserted at Madeira. We went through
the strait Of Gibraltar with eight mcr
and when we reached Naples were re-
duced to six, for we had scarcely cast
anchor when two more men left US for
parts unknown.
We lay in Naples week. taking on
cargo Of olive oil, figs and Italian
fruits. Several days before sailing on
the return voyage the captain was re-
Quested to take some money to New
York 1t wasn't much. but quite enough
to excite the cupidity Of common
sailor. Waterman was 50 proud of be-
ing intrustcd with the amount-about
S12 ,0O0-that he had to tell one of the
men about it. The worst Of it was that
we were obliged to make up the crew
at Naples in order to take the ship back
to New York. and any one who has
ever been in Naples will understand
what kind Of men we were obliged to
accept. Some of them were a weak
ened degraded lot. while the rest look
ed as if they had seen service as brig
ands. The fact Is that before we got
through with them made up my mind
that they had spent the greater part OF
their lives behind bars.
When we sailed away from Naples
confess | had misgivings about ever
getting across the Atlantic with such
crew. The second mate, Hanford,
felt good deal as l did about it. but
the captain didn't seem to feel the
least uneasy Before making due
westward we went down to Messina
to take on oranges The evening of our
arrival I noticed by the locks OF the
men and certain hurried consultations
that took place among small groups Of
them that something was brewing.
Instead Of going to my berth when J
came Off watch and feeling uneasy,
when no one saw me | slipped into
one of the ships boats. hadn't been
there very long before there was a
commotiop beneath me | heard shots
down between decks, and several Of
the crew poured up the companion
way. and the whole lot of them
talked hurriedly directly beneath the
boat | was in. knew BY what was
said that they had billed the captain
and the second mate and had been
disappointed in not finding me in my
berth What had become Of me was
their chief topic Of conversation. and
it seemed to trouble them very much.
Some one said that he had seen a man
leap overheard. and this seemed to
satisfy them that had thus escaped,
but they didn't propose to take any
chances, and their leader. dividing the
ship into sections. detailed two men
to search each section. Certain of
being captured if remained where l
was, when no one was near me let
myself down into the water and.
swimming to the rudder. climbed up OF
it. Not being first class swimmer.
didn't dare to try to get to the shore.
which was fully mile distant.
1t wasn't long before heard the
anchor being drawn up, and felt sure
that the men were going to put out
somewhere and would stand a good
chance Of being drowned perched
where l was. However. | couldn't
help myself and must take my chances
of meeting death that way rather than
giving myself up to be murdered.
They sailed northeastward and in q
few hours came near land. which was
a part Of the toe Of the boot Of italy.
as it appears OF the map. They coast
ed along till they came to very thin
~ settled region from which noun
tains rose from beach. There they
ran the ship ashore. Taking two Of
the boats they landed, and. turning
the boats adrift, they began to- walk
northward On the beach.
I was now relieved Of my fear ard
turned my whole energies toward fet-
lowing them up and turning them over
to the authorities for punishment.
Swimming forward to the bowsprft
chains, l climbed up on deck. lowered
= boat and when the men were pans.
ing around spur in the mountain
pulled away from the ship, When !
came in sight Of them again l was 70
them simply man in boat for they
were too far away to see who I was,
a. nd In Nd Us l,,n az
they might have. | pretended to be
fishing ...
After proceeding northward for q
couple Of hours. coming to gap, they
turned eastward. pulled ashore and
leaving my boat. took the only road
they could have followed. They stop
ped at small town, and halted out
side. When they left the place en-
tered It, and, finding telegra phi facilities
sent message to the nearest point
where would be likely to find a pc
lice force sufficient to handle them and
sent an account Of the situa ton. with
the direction the men were moving
I was requested to keep track of them
If possible and post the police from
time to time of any change in thei1
route.
About 5 O'clock in the afternoon
met the police detachment and guidct
them to point where I knew the mer
were journeying. We let them pro
coed to sort Of pocket. where We
called on them to surrender The,
were only partly armed. and the police