The Sufferings and Escape of Capt. Chas. H. Brown From an Awful Imprisonment by Chilian ConvictsBrown, Charles H., captain of the bark Florida
History
The Sufferings and Escape of Capt. Chas. H. Brown From an Awful Imprisonment by Chilian Convicts
Brown, Charles H., captain of the bark Florida
Brown, Charles H., captain of the bark Florida; Florida (Ship); Punta Arenas (Chile) -- History
On February 1st, another gale, far heavier than the last, caused us to
ship a great deal of water in the cabin. There was no real danger, but
I never saw fellows more frightened than were our prisoners, as the
water came dashing through their state-room windows. For Cambiaso,
he was a perfect coward when he was sea-sick. Nine days afterwards we
were in real danger; as a sudden squall struck the vessel, and broke
the main-yards in the slings. When the gale abated, we got a spare yard
ready, and were soon in sailing order again.
We were disappointed in our hopes of meeting with any vessels from
which we could obtain relief; and we had experienced great difficulty
in finding a watering place; so that by the time we reached the western
extremity of the Straits, I found myself so short of water that I
determined to abandon my intention of going to Valparaiso, and to make
San Carlos, the port on the northern extremity of the island of Chiloe.
This course seemed to me more necessary, as I doubted our ability
to keep the prisoners under for many days longer, there having been
already two attempts to rise among them, only kept down by our prompt
watchfulness. The most desperate among them were either fearful of
coming within the reach of the arm of the law, or were tempted by the
treasure which lay almost within their grasp. I think nothing had so
much effect in restraining them as the perfect fearlessness with which
I moved about among them, and the apparent confidence with which I
issued my orders--directing the prisoners in the hold to come on deck,
to go to the galley for their mess, to clean out their quarters, and so
forth--as if I were perfectly sure that I should be obeyed.
During the last few days of our passage, I had been alarmed by
noticing words passing between some of the soldiers who were on guard,
and the prisoners, as they came up on deck for their daily walk. There
was evidently another outbreak in contemplation. I communicated my
suspicions to my friends, and we redoubled our vigilance.
On the 13th of February, in the evening, as the altered course of the
vessel must have informed some of them that we were nearing port, a
larger party than usual made their appearance on deck, armed with
whatever weapons they could collect from below. Some of the cutlasses
and other weapons belonging to the rebels we had never been able to
obtain, they having secreted them.
My crew were stationed at their posts on deck, and armed; and captain
Avalos ordered his men to load up their muskets in the presence of
the prisoners. About ten o’clock, three of our own men deliberately
left their places and walked over to the ranks of the prisoners. We
withdrew to the cabin, and stood with our loaded pistols and muskets in
our hands, and our drawn swords, with other loaded pistols, lying on
the table within our reach. Under the table was the box in which the
treasure was nailed up.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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