The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-08-19

We were bound out of London with
a general cargo. The wind dying out,
we had to come to anchor in the
Downs. The crew had been grumb bling
about the grub; and were now grum-
bling yet more. l was second officer,
and to me came the cook saying: "Mr.
Royle, would you mind tasting this?"
and handed me bit of a ships bis
cult. Sugar, molasses, tea and pork
LII they call 'em that-they're all the
rotten mess, sir"
The biscuit was bad, and though it
was not my place to do so, took it to
Captain Coxon, but got nothing from
him except curses and the cold ad.
vice to mind my own affairs. Mr..
Duckling, the first officer added few
obsequious remarks on his own &C
count The result was that the crew,
getting no redress, refused to make
sail on the ship, and were put ashore.
Next morning a crimp came down
from London with fresh crew.
A fair wind sprang up, the ship was
got under way, but we were not clear
of the Channel when the Few crew
were also complaining of the grub.
Hot words were passed between them
and the captain, SO hot that the cap
tain had to take notice. He finally
promised to put into some handy port,
in Spain or elsewhere along the route,
and lay in a fresh supply Of ships
stores.
What injustice in the meaness Of
owners and captains!" I thought.
Here were good sailors and ordinarily
harmless men who might be made into
criminals, and all to the end that our
banking balances might be kept large
and our national power supreme.
Without the British sailor there would
be no British Empire, and what treat
ment is melted out to him! He sub
mlts to hardships and danger, and re-
ceiyes low wages, poor food and mean
living quarters; even should he be
granted a hearing for a grievance,
nineteen out of twenty persons ap-
pointed to investigate the trouble are
qualified neither by experience nor
sympathy to render a just verdict.
The Grosvenor, of which I was Sec
ond officer, was a fast-sailing, full
rugged little ship of 500 tons. The cap
tain, under owners orders to make
what time he could to Valparaiso, was
out to drive her We were rushing
along under a press of canvas when
we ran over a small craft Of some
kind. I got a glimpse, in the dark, Of
a mast and a sail before they vanish
ed under US.
No word came to bring her to.
asked Captain Coxon, who was on
deck, If he was not going to try to
save the possible survivors.
"Save be hanged! Why didn't they
keep out of our Way?"
| l knew what I wanted to say; but it
is in the power Of ships captain to
49,, f,,+ 90
officer under him. I held my tongue
We ran into a three days gale. We
had a terrible time, but managed to
live through it. AS it was moderating
we sighted wreck, a most mournful
and piteous sight. It was in my watch,
and I ordered the ship luffed to have
better look at her. What I saw was
an arm projecting through her deck
house window. 1 at once called the
captain and asked for instructions.
"Keep her away" was his order.
! I called him a murderer, and ap-
pealed to the men. They cried to save
the lives on the wreck. The captain
then allowed me to take a boats crew
and see what I could do.
After a hard struggle our boat made
the wreck. She was an English ship.
At no little peril ran along the deck
to her house, where 1 found young
girl and her old father. Another man
was also there alive, but insane. See
ing a pannikin of fresh water, this
man grabbed it, drained it and drop
ped dead.
When we were back aboard the
Grosvenor, I, for my part in the res
cue, was put in irons.
This wreck incident, added to fur
thor nap61acc ohnca of tho and
the further failure of the captain to
live up to his promise of putting in for
better food, inflamed the crew beyond
endurance. They watched their
chance, rushed the poop in the night
and killed the captain. They then
killed Mr.. Duckling They might have
killed me too, Notwithstanding that
had shown sympathy to them, but
somebody had to navigate the ship to
within fifty miles Of the Florida coast,
which was where they intended to
abandon her and row ashore.
Having the safety of the young girl
and her old father as we'll as my own
life to think Of, / agreed to act as
navigator.
I was having my supper in the cab
in under the new regime when I felt
touch on my arm. 1 looked up. It
was Miss Robertson, the rescued girl.
Before l could prevent her, she took
my hand and kissed it. She told me
then of the wrecked ship. Her father,
wealthy Liverpool merchant, was the
owner of the ship, which had been
bound home from Capetown After
the storm, the officers and crew, fear
ing the ship would sink under them,
had taken to the boats. She and her
father had spent terrible three days
on the wreck, and now her father, al
ready a nervous wreck, was shaken
anew by the frightful threats of the
mutineers here. She trusted to me for
| the safety Of her father and herself
Her trust inspired me with new
| onorov To covo fhor, ~o1y