The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-12-11
ABOARD THE
COUNTESS
By M. QUAD
By M. QUAD
Copyright, 1916, by the Mcclure :
Newspaper Syndicate.

of the brig Countess. To the general
reader these lines meant nothing. l
do not suppose there are fifty people in
all England today who can recall the
case of the Countess, although the par
ticulars were published far and wide
and finally appeared in book form.
The Countess was Bristol brig,
owned in part and commanded by
Captain Thomas, who was not only a
thorough seaman, but man of excel
lent heart. We We're bound out to
Georgetown, in British Guiana, with
orders to call at Jamaica. This was
my third voyage with Captain Thomas,
the other two extending only to ports
in Spain and return. was an appren-
tice, or ships boy, having nothing to
do with the cabin, but living with the
crew in the fo'castle and learning to be
sailor.
After we left port and got things
shipshape I had opportunity to look
over the crew and see what they were
made of, and was not long in making
up my mind, boy as l was, that we had
shipped hard lot There is always a
leader in the focastle, and in those
days 1t was the best fighter. Seaman
ship and education had to bow to brute
strength 1t wasn't three days before
a big, burly fellow, who went by the
name Of Bristol Bob, but whose real
name was Ravens, had established
himself as "boss." If he had had the
good Of the brig in view this would
have been for her benefit, but 1t soon
transpired that he had plans of his
own.
Before reaching Jamaica the crew
had been on the point of mutiny half
q dozen times.
One afternOOn-it was on the fourth
day, believe-I was aroused from my
sleep by conversation between Bob
and man named Jackson. They
knew l was in the bunk, but believed
me to be sleeping soundly.
"This is the plan as l have thought
1t out" Bob was saying. after we
have got the brig we will cruise to the
eastward for spell. The island am
after is not down on the chart. 1t is
northeast Of Trinidad and maybe 200
miles away from here"
Don't Miner know?" asked the
other.
"Never heard of 1t, but this is his
first trip this way"
The men presently went about their
business, but l made the pretense of
sleeping soundly until called to relieve
the other watch. | was all in trem-
BILE over what ! had heard and had no
idea of what course | should take.
While it seemed proper for me to go
to the captain or mate with my infor-
nation, the reader must not overlook
the difficulties in the way. | planned
dozen different ways to reach head
quarters. and that l didn't put the cap
tain on his guard was his own fault.
One night during our watch he call
ed to me to bring something from his
room. Bob and his friends were for
ward at the heel of the bowsprit, and
as came out of the cabin the mate
was at the water cask. AS l reached
him I whispered:
II should very much like to speak
to you or the captain, SIR"
IF you don't get forward I'll speak
to you In way you'll remember for q
year to come" he growled.
M dOuht bo fp,o ojpo1 ho5
complaint to make, but II he had per-
mitted me to speak 1t might have pre-.
vented the tragedy which followed.
A few nights later Bristol Bob called
the mate forward, and shortly after
ward he came to me and said:
boy. run down and tell the captain
that the first mate is ILL.,"
l found the captain sound asleep,
but as soon as l had told him what l
had overheard in the fo'castle and
what | suspected had just happened
on deck it was wonderful how coolly
he took the exciting news. AS he
reached for his pistols he ordered me
to bolt the doors of the companion-
way. The men stood at the entrance.
and as they caught sight Of me they
stepped back, supposing the captain
was following. l slammed and bolted
the swinging doors.
The fellows cursed and yelled. and
though we could hear them moving
around the decks from that time until
daylight, they made no attack. Final.
ly we heard some one working with
an ak on the cabin door, and the can
tain made ready to fire bullet through
1t. BY some carelessness the weapon
was prematuesly discharged, and he
received the bullet in his throat, diving
few moments later. / was so over.
come and frightened now that the can
tain was gone that l hid in his state.
room, and the mutineers no longer had
any one to resist them.
The first thing knew it was night
and 1t was SO very quiet that / knew
there could be no wind outside.
crept out into the cabin, but every.
thlhg remained as l had left it, For
two hours l listened for sounds from
the deck, but heard nothing and ANAL |
~ Tell asleep. was aroused by men
dropping into the cabin throupb +bo