The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1915-03-26
Picked Up at
!. Sea
By DONALD CHAMBERLlN

. We were sailing on the Australian
coast when a boat vas espied by the
lookout. She was an ordinary ships
lifeboat, open, and was dancing mer-
rily on the waves in the bright sun
light. When she came nearer we
counted nine men in her. She was
heading for US, and the captain gave
an order to slow down. AS o o as
she came alongside a man in the bow
hailed us and asked us to take them
aboard.
The captain questioned them, and
they told him that they were members
of the crew Of a ship that had collid-
ed with another in a fog and had gone
to the bottom. He asked how long
ago that was and they said 4 week.
he asked what had become of the
officers and the rest Of the crew and
was told that they had gone down with
the ship. There was only time to get
out the one boat before she sank.
The story didn't appeal to the cap
tain as being likely, but he could not
refuse to take the men aboard and did
As soon as they came aboard we
saw that their faces were by no means
attractive. They asked our captain for
what port he was bound and when he
said Melbourne I noticed that on the
faces Of some Of them was a scared
look. while others seemed to be saying
to themselves, mot IL we can prevent
it."
I made up my mind that the men
were mutineers and had either been
put of a ship or sunk a ship or some
thing Of the kind, but when they were
put to work they showed such igno-
rance Of everything nautical that I
changed my opinion. That they were
not what they purported to be was
evident, but what they wer we had
no means of knowing.
Our ship was a small steamer, not
needing a numerous crew. We usually
carried eighteen men, including cap
tain and mate. 1 being mate, but now
we were reduced to twelve.
One evening one Of u regular crew
came to me and told me that the
strangers had taken weapons from the
ships armory and hidden them in the
hold. The captain was asleep in his
cabin at the time, and I preferred to
act on the information rather than
wake him up. He was a headstrong
man and was liable to give u enc
mics the advantage by some rash act.
,5GI sent for the man who had been
spokesman when we met them and
asked him whether he and his men
preferred to make some other port
than Melbourne. He admitted that
they would, but when l asked him
where they would like to put in he said
that they preferred not to stop at an
Australian port at all. l told him to
consult with his mates as to what they
wanted and let me know.
1 did this to put the strangers of
their guard and gain time. It was evil
dent, from their not wishing to go
ashore In Australian territory. that
they were criminals. After consulting
with the others the leader came back
and told me that they would like to be
put out in q large boat we carried
which was rugged with a sail and In
part decked over. OF course they would
need to he provisioned.
This was a dead giveaway on their
part and showed that they were des-
perate. for they had no knowledge Of
navigation and would be at the mercy
of the winds and waters. l pretended
to accede to their request and d.
rected that they come on deck and get
the boat ready to be lowered. AS soon
as they went to work l sent men to
collect the weapons they had stolen.
When this was done I stationed men
in different parts OF the vessel. all
armed. Then l began to send the
strangers in different directions for
different articles they would need on
their voyage. Some were sent for pro-
visions. some for. water. some Tor
blankets. some for fuel.
Il first ordered their spokesman. who
was leader as we'll. to take two men
with him and so down to the bold for
some salt pork. He obeyel and three
out of the niDe men went below not
to reappear again. for as soon as they
got into the. dark bold hands were
clipped on their mouths and they were
removed to the brig. As soon as 1t
was reported to me that they had been
captured sent two more men to the
sail room for canvas They. too. were
secured. and within twenty minutes
from the time they had started to get
the boat ready I had them all under
lock and key. ~
When the captain appeared on deck
the next morning and I told him that
the strangers had stolen arms he look
ed serious. Then when I told him that
I had the. men secured he was aston
ished, not being able to understand
how he could have slept through q mu-
tiny. Finally when 1 gave him my
plan and the manner Of it's accomplish
ment he reprimanded me for acting
without his orders.
Ho- devs lakap wo roachn6 nnrf