The Argosy, October 1906 — page 131: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

<< oe ss SHANGHATIED. began operations. We had opened the north side of the island, and the wind having canted to the south’ard we made a short board on the starboard tack, the main yard was backed, and the ship brought to a stand about a mile off shore. The little sandy cove of the landing- place could be made out with the un- aided eye, as also the white cottages of the islanders in a sort of cleft, green with grass or some sort of herbage. Next, the two quarter-boats were low- ered, and both brought to the gangway. A couple of seamen got in each and passed a length of topsail chain-sheet from the*bow of ene to the stern of the other for a towing line, which could not be cut. From my place on the poop I wit- nessed these preparations in silence, the men evidently foreseeing — * would hold aloof. The boats being ready, they* got. the gangway ladder over the side, and then four of the biggest fellows went into the cuddy, from whence there immediately ascended a storm of objurgations in Captain Milligan’s rasping voice. He might as well “have talked to the ship’s capstan. ‘They lifted him out of his bunk and carried him on deck, two men at his feet and two at his shoulders, and in this fashiorr handed him down the ladder and deposited him in the waiting boat. The mate they served in the same way, to a similar accompaniment of “‘lan- guage,” to which the men, with admi- rable self-restraint, made no reply, al- though I could see their tanned faces flush and their muscles twitch at some of the vile epithets bestowed on them. It was Mrs. Milligan’s turn next, and I stood ready to check any violence or the slightest indignity. But her spirit seemed completely cowed, and when the carpenter said, “ This way, mum!” she walked: out on deck ad allowed. herself to be handed down the ladder without a _whimper or a single wag of her tongue. Now came a temporary halt, and sounds of argument welled up through the skylight. Suddenly Harris poked his head ‘through the companion. “Sorry to trouble yer,” he said, “ but wot about their traps—shall we send ’ em “Ty ‘should certainly collect their per- r ‘tiny harbor. sonar. property,” I answered, = but. don’t them ourselves.” With a wave of the hand he vanished and in a few minutes the five of them appeared, each laden with an armful of dresses, trousers, coats, boots and hats. They even tossed into the boat a box of cigars belonging to the captain, Hogan's pipe and tobacco, and lastly they handed down very carefully the cage containing Mrs. Milligan’s canary-bird. “All ready, boys?” sang out Harris. Right O!” came the reply. : The two sailors got out of the cap- tives’ boat and allowed it to drop aft; then the forward boat was brought to the -gangway and a crew of four took their places on the thwarts, Harris steering. They shoved off, tossed their oars over” the side, and rowed away for the island at a pace which kept the towing orm taut. 4 In twenty minutes they had covered the distance, and vanished behind a - rocky spur or cape which defended the In fifteen minutes more they reappeared—one boat only—and, having nothing in tow, came along at a smart pace. They hooked on to the falls, and Har- ris came straight to where I stood, grin- ning with satisfaction. I could not for- bear questioning him. “ How did you manage it?” I asked. ‘Are they safe?” “ Right as a trivet,”’ he chuckled: ‘We towed ’em into shallow water a few fathom from the sandy beach. There was a little mob o’ natives waitin’ for us to land. So we jest slips the towin’ chain an’ sings out to them ’t we’d brought some wisitors. Then we hauls off a bit, an’ waited to see wot they'd do. ‘Jest as I figgered, three or four of ‘em wades into the water an’ drags the boat ashore. Then they hands out old she Hundred-per-cent, an’ then they stands an’ jaws an’ ’olds up their ’ands at th’ sight o’ the captain an’ Hogan all tied up ; an’. then they lifts ’em out bodily — an’ sets ’em on their feet. All this time they was both of ’em jawin’ away that we was bloody mutineers, an’ shakin’ their — fists at us, an’ makin’ signs for the islanders to chase us. a But I fancy them — ‘touch the ship’s instruments ; we'll wank, = \ 4 A ; J 4 ea AN gf Be , Ur t BY beach-combers wanted to get at the Eomichooks