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Excerpt:-"Now, look here, men," he continued, with an air of bluster which I hoped would not increase upon him, "you know, of course, that Charles committed murder this morning by stabbing the mate, who lies a dead body in his bunk below; and you likewise know that for an act of this kind, when he gets ashore, he'll be hung up by the neck, and left to dangle there till his bones blow away. Now, as he's a murderer, it's my duty to put him in irons, and keep him under hatches till I'm able to hand him over to the people employed by the law to sentence and strangle him, and all such folks as he. D'ye see, men ?" with a powerful flourish of his arm, and a slight increase of bluster, as though he was gaining in spirit from the air of attention with which the sailors seemed to listen to him. "We don't want no difficulties. Aboard me everything has always been plain sailing, and up to the knocker. My mate lies a dead man, and I want the chap as killed him."

He paused, running his eye over them. Two or three of the crew gave their heads a quick shake, but none of them spoke.

"The man," proceeded Broadwater," is lying snugged away in the fo'k'sle. Now, look ye here, my lads. There need be no trouble about it at all. All that you've got to do is just to remain where you are, whilst me and the second mate fetches him — seeing that he won't come under milder persuasions."

  • Author: William Clark Russell
  • Title: Marooned
  • First Published Format: HC
  • First Published Date: 1891

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