A SEA CAPTAIN OUTWITTED.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 39, 7 May 1879, Page 3

A SEA CAPTAIN OUTWITTED.

Everyone must recollect the circufnstanoes con nepted with the quarrel between two sailors on, board the ship Looh Fergus (says the*, Chronicle) and the trial and ac^ittal/b'f youn^ Jones, at the Supreme -Gourt, on a; charge of manslaughter. The evidence showed thalb'. Jones'; had- acted simply m selfdefence, and a good deal of sympathy was feltfor the lad m his painful position. The captain of the Loch Fergus appeared to have felt nothing for the lad. neither visiting him when m gaol nor helping to find legal aid. Yet directly Jones was set free, the captain insisted that he should returnto the /shlpj and refused the lad's earnest request to ,be\ discharged. Jones pleaded his case pitifully. He said be could not bear to sec the place where the unfortunate affair occurred 5 that lie would rather die than go home m the shipt and thttf. he could not bear to look his shipmates m the face The captain was inexorable, and insisted upon the boy coming on boawil- but ultimately agreed to let him stay ashore for a day; At this juncture a woman's wit and. innate kindness of ,he4rfc were enlisted: on behalf of .',. Jones, which secured his deliverance and completely bafQed the stony-hearted captain. A lady named :,Blrs_. Ancell, residing at Thorndon,. had from the very first taken jakindly interest m the unfortunate 1 and friendless lad. She visited him when he was m gaol, and found him a I shelter m her own. house when he- was set at libepfcy. The captain ferretted the lad out of Mrs. : Ancell's house and ordered him to go on board • the ship. Jones protested, Mrs. Ancell entreated* but the captain wasinexqi;able. THen the lady tried stratagem.. Affecting to fall m with the captain's yiews, she pledged her word that Jones should *lje delivered on board at S o'clock the niglit before the ship ; . sailed. And .the lady ; kept her word, because a.t the time ap* Jones duly went on board the Loch. Fergus, and apparently all chance Of ihjs escape was at an : end. But'th* lady had arranged v^itli Jones that h^r son would run undo,** tlie stera of the Vessel m a dingy that nig l\t at 10 o'clock,and Jp^es wa^s to^t'bntriwi to drop ovet .the stewi uhpei^eei ved by mea.t\s oF-- a rhpex anil get into the the dingy. TUe dingy^ rowed by a lad of thirteen* got alongside the iipessel unpereeivedi Jones crawled aft* and getting ov-er- the stem * loweredjhimiSelf ml» the boat. Then, with sen tie. stmkes v thf^boys p»Jled for the .shore,'^^d when a.>faLr; distance bft from'the siiip t pulledfor Teiry life* 3Jut a rievr and iintniiientjdaji^rf arosjf,jy little boat sprung a serioiis leak and be,ga^te §1& #^lw^ oi, Jfea^h^gi ■■.-: '1 ■.-. v i ■ : ': """ :: '-

shore appeared at an end, but the boys strngeled gamely on until they got near H.M.S. Emerald, when they were rescued from their perilous , position, supplied witli refreshments, and put ashore. Jones then lay %>erdw f or ; a fpw hours uritil'llie Loch Fergus had sailed but of the ! h arbor, when he once more reappeared at Mrs. Anc'ell's house. Mrs Ancell's kindness did not end here, because through lier - efforts Jones a couple of days -afterwards -obtained a passage to Sydney m a vessel belonging to_ Captain Williams. We have. told this little story simply as the events occurred^ It says muchfor Mrs Ancell's kindness of heart, as well as for the pluck of her son, and it shows that when a. woman is bent upon a particular purpose all the hard-hearted sea captains that ever trod a quarter-deck will not baulk her.