Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-06-13

aornething about navigation, told them
that IL they would seize the ship he
would take them to the coast Of Ire.
land, where they could abandon her
and thus save their lives. This seemed
to them to be their only chance. sna
they agreed to adopt It.
We were several hundred miles south
of Greenland when the nutIneers came
to this decision. They kept it secret
from those OF the original crew VINO
had stood by their duty. but their 60
cret was suspected from Observation
of their actions. When a crew known
to be mutinous are seen putting their
heads together 1t is evident that thee
are connecting some stroke One OF
our active crew who had sailed O grear
deal in eastern waters and had a snst.
tering of several languages spoke
there made an eayesdropper Of himself
and gathered enough from their taEk
to get their plan. He came with II
straight to me.
There were some twenty cutthroats
among the crew. against whom We
could oppose only myself, my two of.
GERS and four men-in other words.
seven against twenty. The mutineery'
plan was to kill all those who were
not of their number, make for shore
either ireland or Newfoundland-Ieav
the ship and scatter.
There was one enemy they did not
reckon upon. After leaving the Med
iterranean on our way north we had
taken aboard fifty casks Of port wine
to be sold in New York on the compile
ton of the voyage Some Of the mu-
tinsers, considering the matter of tax
ing the ship as good as accomplished.
broke into the compartment where the
wine was stored and helped them
selves. Others, seeing plentiful sup
ply of the beverage at hand, drank
also, and in the course Of a couple OF
hours two-thirds of their number were
drunk.
Unfortunately their leader kept sober
and succeeded in keeping the rest OF
his men In like condition. Nevertheless
after holding a consultation with my
two officers decided to make an at
tempt to suppress the mutiny. Re
alizing what kind of a crew 1 had to
deal with, had before leaving the
east taken a supply Of arms TO my
cabin. AS soon as it appeared that the
orgie was not likely to go further
called my officers and my four men to
my cabin. armed them, and together
we went out, and called for those Of
the crew who were sober to come for
ward. They did so, and 1t was evident
from their looks that they intended to
put up fight / knew they were arm
ed, though they kept their arms out Of
sight Since it was their nature to
fight, there was every reason why they
should attempt to carry out their pnr-
pose of taking the ship.
I intended to talk with them, en-
deavoring to persuade them to return
to duty, but they did not give me an
opportunity. They had traversed but
half the distance between them and Us
when their leader said something in
tongue 1 did not understand. Then,
some drawing pistols and some knives.
they made a rush for us, and a lively
fight commenced
We drove them back, with one Of {
their men and one of ours lying on the
deck. But, rallied by their leader, they
returned and this time succeeded in Z
dropping two of our men-the second
officer and a seaman-out Of the fight
while they lost but one man, leaving
them nine to our four. We had strong 8
er stuff in us, but they were more
agile and could better avoid our blows,
the principal weapons used on each
side being cutlasses.
The odds were now much against Us.
We were preparing for 4 third attack
when on our starboard quarter / saw
q ship. She had been unnoticed by
our party on account of the excitement
we were under fighting for our lives
The mutineers did not see her because
they were fighting with their backs TO
her. When they started for Us the
third time 1 held up one hand as
signal for a parley and with the Other
pointed TO the coming vessel.
The sight of ship that l might sig
1al for help took the courage out OF
hem. Their leader urged them TO
strike n final blow before we could
wall ourselves OF her assistance; but
,anic stricken, they scattered. running
pack to the forecastle, whence they
aad come. and down the companion
way. l ordered one of my men 70
lose the door and bar them in, which
lie did
Meanwhile the ship that had saved
is came on. l saw no one on deck ex'
ept the helmsman. who seemed to Dc
ashed at the wheel, though there
we're men lying on the deck. Puttns
he Pelican on course 10 pass me
tranger at close range when she
anne abreast of US l saw that ne
elmsman was dead. man proppea
gainst the mainmast was dead. aha
hose lying on the deck were dead
We had been saved by dead men.
The ship had been caught. prooapp
ong before. In a northern latitude "
xtreme cold weather. and the ere"
ad been frozen. Likely they had TUE
ut of provisions. Since then she q.
cen sailing in these frigid waters ~
a.. M