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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..183d3b7 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #62633 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/62633) diff --git a/old/62633-8.txt b/old/62633-8.txt deleted file mode 100644 index cc2733f..0000000 --- a/old/62633-8.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,6567 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Catalpa Expedition, by Zeph. W. -(Zephaniah Walter) Pease - - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - - - - -Title: The Catalpa Expedition - - -Author: Zeph. W. (Zephaniah Walter) Pease - - - -Release Date: July 13, 2020 [eBook #62633] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - - -***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CATALPA EXPEDITION*** - - -E-text prepared by Tim Lindell, Graeme Mackreth, and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) from page images -generously made available by Internet Archive (https://archive.org) - - - -Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this - file which includes the original illustrations. - See 62633-h.htm or 62633-h.zip: - (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/62633/62633-h/62633-h.htm) - or - (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/62633/62633-h.zip) - - - Images of the original pages are available through - Internet Archive. See - https://archive.org/details/catalpaexpeditio00peas - - - - - -[Illustration: CAPT. GEORGE S. ANTHONY - -Commander of the Catalpa] - - -THE CATALPA EXPEDITION - -by - -Z. W. PEASE - -With Illustrations - - -[Illustration] - - - - - - -New Bedford, Mass. -George S. Anthony -1897 - -Copyright, 1897, -by George S. Anthony. - -All rights reserved. - - - - -INTRODUCTION - - -One hundred years after the Declaration of Independence, an American -whaling captain, George S. Anthony, commemorated the event by enforcing -another declaration of independence which set free the Irish political -prisoners who were sentenced to a lifetime of servitude in the English -penal colony in Australia. - -The story of the rescue of these prisoners in 1876 is a brave incident -of history which has hitherto been told too briefly. When Captain -Anthony, commanding the bark Catalpa, landed the men for whose relief -the expedition was planned, at New York, public interest in the -romantic voyage was very intense. The boldness of the raid upon the -English colony and the remarkable features of the conspiracy, excited -universal curiosity concerning the details of the affair. - -At that time international complications seemed certain, and there were -many reasons why those concerned in the rescue furnished only meagre -information of the inception of the plan and its progress during the -two years which were spent in bringing it to a successful consummation. - -Brief newspaper accounts appeared at the time, and this material has -been worked over into magazine sketches. The frequency with which -the original newspaper story has been revived during the years which -have elapsed suggested that the interest was still alive and led to -the writing of the story which follows. The facts were contributed by -Captain Anthony, who placed his log-book and personal records at the -disposition of the writer, and the present version is authorized by the -man who was most prominent in it. - -Some of the incidents of history which led up to the Fenian conspiracy -in 1867 are compiled from familiar sources. The records of the -court-martial are from transcripts of the proceedings made in Dublin -expressly for this book, and have never previously been published. - -No attempt has been made to embellish the narrative. It has been -the effort of the writer to tell it simply, as he knows the gallant -commander would best like to have it told. - - New Bedford, Mass., 1897. - - - - -CONTENTS - - - CHAPTER PAGE - - I. Sailing of the Catalpa 1 - - II. Fenian History 4 - - III. The Irish Political Prisoners 9 - - IV. The Court-Martial 16 - - V. The Court-Martial continued 35 - - VI. Banishment to Australia 51 - - VII. O'Reilly's Escape 54 - - VIII. Other Escapes and Rescues 58 - - IX. Appeals from Australia 66 - - X. The Plot 70 - - XI. The Vessel and the Start 75 - - XII. Whaling 82 - - XIII. A Hurried Departure 91 - - XIV. An Awkward Meeting 96 - - XV. A Strange Episode 103 - - XVI. Arrival at Australia 107 - - XVII. The Land End of the Conspiracy 110 - - XVIII. Meeting of Anthony and Breslin 116 - - XIX. Arranging the Details 122 - - XX. A Critical Situation 127 - - XXI. Leaving the Ship 132 - - XXII. The Escape 135 - - XXIII. In The Open Boat 142 - - XXIV. An Awful Night 148 - - XXV. A Race with the Guard-Boat 152 - - XXVI. Overhauled by the Georgette 157 - - XXVII. Bound Home 162 - - XXVIII. A Cordial Reception 167 - - XXIX. Settlement of the Voyage 183 - - Appendix 186 - - - - -LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS - - - PAGE - - Portrait of Capt. George S. Anthony _Frontispiece_ - - Portrait of John Devoy 24 - - The Jail at Freemantle where the Prisoners were - confined 52 - - The Catalpa Outward Bound 80 - - Portrait of Samuel P. Smith 94 - - Portrait of John J. Breslin 112 - - The Town of Freemantle, Australia 124 - - The Rescued Prisoners 138 - - The Race for the Catalpa 154 - - The Catalpa Homeward Bound 164 - - Portrait of James Reynolds 184 - - A Cartoon from the Irish World 202 - - - - -THE CATALPA EXPEDITION - - - - -CHAPTER I - -SAILING OF THE CATALPA - - -On an April morning in 1875, the whaleship Catalpa lay at anchor in the -harbor at New Bedford, ready for sea. Although the whaling industry -was waning on the ebb tide, there were yet over a hundred whaleships -sailing out of the port of New Bedford, and the departure seemed to -call for no unusual notice. - -It was a pretty spectacle, to be sure. The still waters, the green -pastures running down to the shore of the lower harbor, and the ship, -trim and taut. For, while a whaleship suggests to many a greasy, clumsy -hulk, the outgoing whaler is actually as ship-shape and clean as a -man-of-war. - -The yellow sun shone on the yellow hull of the Catalpa. Her rigging was -aglow with fresh tar, and her gaudy colors and signal flags gave her a -holiday appearance alow and aloft. - -Presently the sailors are on the yards, shaking out the sails. The -captain, with his papers under his arm, the very picture of a captain, -by the way, strong and athletic in figure, with ruddy cheeks and life -and fire in his bright eyes, goes aboard with the agent and a few -friends, who are to accompany him down the bay. - -The pilot instructs the mate to get under way, the anchors are soon -on the bow and the chains stowed. The vessel sails out of the harbor, -for in these days tugs are a luxury which the sailor despises, and -soon the Catalpa is sailing briskly under fore and main topsail, main -topgallant-sail, spanker, gafftopsail and staysail and flying jib. - -Late in the afternoon the captain says good-by to his friends. The wind -is blowing freshly from the southwest. - -"Stand on the port tack two hours longer, then tack out and you will be -clear of land," said the pilot, and, with the prosaic wishes of "good -luck," departs. - -Later the wind hauls to the southward. Before midnight the captain has -the vessel under short sail and is working off shore. - -And this seemingly commonplace commencement of a whaling voyage is, in -truth, the story of the departure of one of the most boldly conceived -and audacious expeditions against the English government which was ever -planned,--the only important Fenian conspiracy which was ever entirely -successful. - - * * * * * - -Standing upon one of the wharves on the waterfront, a man in a dark -frieze ulster watched the incidents of the morning with absorbing -interest. His eyes said a fond good-by to the captain as he rowed out -to the vessel, for he dared not risk an appearance in the group which -had assembled about the captain for a handshake. He was one of the few -men who knew that greater perils than those which usually await the men -who go down to the sea in ships must be met by the captain if he was -true to a great trust, and that the vessel was going out in response to -the cry of men who were outcast and in chains because they loved their -country. - - - - -CHAPTER II - -FENIAN HISTORY - - -"This is serious business now," said a clever English literary man when -he heard of the Fenian organization. "The Irish have got hold of a good -name this time; the Fenians will last." - -The Fenians were the ancient Irish militia organized in the third -century by Fionn or Finn, who is said to be the Fingal of Ossian. -In Scott's "Antiquary," Hector M'Intyre, jealous for the honor and -the genuineness of Ossian's songs of Selma, recites a part of one in -which Ossian asks St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, whether he -ventures to compare his psalms "to the tales of the bare-armed Fenians." - -"There can be no doubt," writes Justin McCarthy, "that the tales of -the bare-armed Fenians were passed from mouth to mouth of the Celts in -Ireland and the highlands of Scotland, from a time long before that at -which any soothsayer or second-sighted sage could have dreamed of the -landing of Strong-bow and the perfidy of the wife of Breffni. There -was an air of Celtic antiquity and of mystery about the name of Fenian -which merited the artistic approval given to it." - -The Fenian agitation commenced in 1858, following the Phoenix clubs in -the sequence of the secret associations which have been so prominent in -Irish history. Had it not been for the American civil war, it is quite -likely that it would have lacked the fame which it subsequently won, -but the strained relations between England and America inspired the -hope that war between the two great nations might follow, and that this -would afford an auspicious opportunity for the uprising for Ireland's -independence, which has ever been uppermost in the minds of the Irish -patriots. Then the war had created the Irish-American soldiers, who -were inclined to consecrate their energies to a new purpose in behalf -of their native land. - -The movement was more promising than any which had preceded it. In -the first place, as Mr. McCarthy points out, "It arose and grew into -strength without the patronage or the help of any of those who might -be called the natural leaders of the people. In 1798 and in 1848, the -rebellion bore unmistakably what may be called the 'follow-my-leader -character.' Some men of great ability, or strength of purpose, or high -position, or all attributes combined, made themselves leaders, and the -others followed. But Fenianism seemed to have sprung out of the very -soil of Ireland itself. Its leaders were not men of high position, or -distinguished name, or proved ability. They were not of aristocratic -birth; they were not orators; they were not powerful writers. It was -ingeniously arranged on a system by which all authority converged -towards one centre, and those farthest away from the seat of direction -knew proportionately less and less about the nature of the plans. They -had to obey instructions only, and it was hoped that by this means weak -or doubtful men would not have it in their power prematurely to reveal, -to betray, or to thwart the purposes of their leaders." - -The organization flourished in America, where the provisional -government was established, and it soon had its ramifications all over -Great Britain as well as Ireland. England's secret agents began to -report the visitation of mysterious strangers to Ireland, strangers -with Celtic features but with the bearing of American soldiers. This -did not fail to attract the attention of the English government and the -English newspapers. In "Saunders' News" I find an impolite reference -to "the imitation Yankee rowdies who infest the streets of Dublin." -The spy system flourished, and when James Stephens, the head centre of -Fenianism, arrived in Ireland, he was arrested in company with James -Kickham, the poet. Stephens was committed to Richmond Prison, Dublin, -early in 1865, but before he had been many days in confinement he was -released. Of the man who accomplished the liberation of Stephens there -will be much said in ensuing chapters. The escape produced a prodigious -sensation and had the effect of convincing the Irish peasantry that -Stephens was the type of leader who would be adequate to the great -task which had been aspired to,--the raising of the flag of an Irish -republic. - -Meanwhile the Fenians in America were divided on the policy of invading -Canada, which was urged by some, while others pressed for operations in -Ireland. A small body of men finally crossed the Niagara River on the -night of May 31, 1866, and drove back the Canadian volunteers, but the -United States government enforced the neutrality of the frontier line, -unexpectedly to the Fenians, arresting several of the leaders on the -American side. The Canadians hurried up reinforcements. Several Fenians -were captured and shot, and the ill-advised invasion scheme resulted in -a miserable fiasco. - -Once more Stephens, who had returned to New York, declared his purpose -of resuming operations in Ireland, and many Irish-Americans went -across the Atlantic to await his appearance at the head of an army of -insurgents. It was their presence alone which led to the poor attempt -at rebellion which was finally made, for not only were the peasantry -unarmed and unprepared for a war, but most of the people of the country -were opposed to the wild scheme, and the Catholic clergymen were -everywhere attempting to avert the certain disaster by discouraging the -secret organization and the proposed insurrection. - -Stephens, who was looked for to lead the men who sought deliverance -from the English government, never appeared. Those who were true -desperately resolved to give some sign of their sincerity. There were -many wild plots, a few conflicts with the police. The government was -informed of them in advance, and none were successful. The habeas -corpus act was suspended, and this action was promptly followed up by -arrests, court-martials, imprisonments, and banishments to the penal -colony at Australia. - -"In March, 1867," writes McCarthy, "an attempt at a general rising -was made in Ireland. It was a total failure; the one thing on which -the country had to be congratulated was that it failed so completely -and so quickly as to cause little bloodshed. Every influence combined -to minimize the waste of life. The snow fell that spring as it had -scarcely ever fallen before in the soft, mild climate of Ireland. -Silently, unceasingly it came down all day long and all night long; -it covered the roads and fields; it made the gorges of the mountains -untenable, and the gorges of the mountains were to be the encampments -and the retreats of the Fenian insurgents. The snow fell for many days -and nights, and when it ceased falling the insurrectionary movement was -over. The insurrection was literally buried in that unlooked-for snow." - - - - -CHAPTER III - -THE IRISH POLITICAL PRISONERS - - -The man who watched the ship to the line where the sea and the sky met -was John Devoy. - -Some time before there had come to him a voice, crying from the prisons -of Western Australia, the land of slaves and bondmen, the penal colony -of Great Britain. In the penal gangs were six of the comrades of John -Boyle O'Reilly. Forlorn but not quite forgotten, they worked on the -roads, "the weary work that has no wages, no promotion, no incitement, -no variation for good or bad, except stripes for the laggard." O'Reilly -had escaped from it, but he remembered the men who still toiled in the -convict's garb on the government road. - -"They were cutting their patient way into a forest only traversed -before by the aborigine and the absconder," quoting from O'Reilly's -"Moondyne." "Before them in the bush, as in their lives, all was -dark and unknown,--tangled underbrush, gloomy shadows, and noxious -things. Behind them, clear and open, lay the straight road they had -made--leading to and from the prison." - -These men had been soldiers like O'Reilly, and like him had joined the -Fenian conspiracy of 1866 and 1867, when revolution was plotted in -Ireland. Devoy had been the indefatigable agent of the revolutionary -party, having been appointed chief organizer for the British army by -James Stephens, who had been selected as chief executive of the new -republic which was the dream of the Irish in 1865, as it is to-day. In -a few months Devoy, quoting his own words, "laid up sufficient evidence -to procure himself a sentence of fifteen years' penal servitude." Among -the men were Thomas Darragh, Martin J. Hogan, James Wilson, Thomas -Hassett, Michael Harrington, and Robert Cranston. - -They were brave, reckless fellows who were readily converted to the -doctrine of Fenianism. They attended the gatherings at the public -houses, joined in the singing of Moore's melodies in the congenial -company at Hoey's, and made the chorus of "We'll drive the Sassenach -from our soil" inspiring to hear. Then came the arrests and the -convictions for mutiny in her Majesty's forces in Ireland. - -Mr. Darragh was born in 1834 in Broomhall, County Wicklow, his father -being a farmer there. He was a Protestant and when he entered the army -was an Orangeman, but he was subsequently converted through Fenian -agencies to the national faith. He enlisted in the 2d Queen's and -saw active service in China and Africa, receiving the distinction -medal for gallantry displayed. Mr. Darragh had attained the rank of -sergeant-major and was on the list for promotion. He became a member of -the Brotherhood early in its organization and was arrested for mutiny -in September, 1865, at the School of Musketry, Fleetwood, England. -He was taken to Cork, where he was tried and sentenced to be shot. -The sentence was afterwards commuted to imprisonment for life. He was -described in the prison "Hue and Cry" as being stout, five feet six and -one half inches in height, with red hair, gray eyes, round visage, and -a fresh complexion. - -Mr. Hogan was born in Limerick in 1839, and was a carriage painter -by trade. He enlisted in the English artillery, but his discharge -therefrom was secured and in 1857 he joined the 5th Dragoon Guards. He -was sworn into the organization in 1864 and deserted the army early in -1865, in order to be ready to take part in the contemplated rising. He -was soon after arrested, tried, and sentenced to life imprisonment. -He was a finely-built man, with "the gait and appearance of a cavalry -soldier," according to the official prison description. - -James Wilson had lived an eventful life. His real name was McNally, but -it was a common thing for Irishmen to enlist in the British army under -assumed names. He was born in Newry, County Down, in 1836. He served -for seven years in the Bombay, India, artillery, which he left at the -time of the white mutiny, when the East India Company was abolished. -He had lived in Syria and America. In 1860 or 1861 he enlisted in the -5th Dragoon Guards and was sworn into the Fenian organization in 1864. -He was continually propagating Fenianism, and in 1865 deserted with -Hogan. The fact that they remained in Dublin awaiting the uprising, -although gazetted as deserters, is a fine tribute to their devotion. -They worked under the direction of John Devoy until they were arrested -in 1866. They were asleep in bed when the police came upon them, or a -desperate resistance might have been looked for. Wilson is described at -this time as of medium stoutness, five feet eight and one fourth inches -in height, with a fresh complexion, brown hair, gray eyes, and oval -visage. - -Thomas Hassett was born in Cork in 1846, and was a carpenter by trade. -He joined the Phoenix organization in 1859 and afterwards went out -with the Papal Brigade to Italy, serving through the brief campaign. -In 1861 he enlisted in the 24th Foot, and in 1864 was sworn into the -Fenian Brotherhood. He, in turn, swore in 270 members of his regiment. -It was his suggestion that the contemplated fight begin in Dublin by -seizing the Pigeon House, which contained twenty-five thousand stand of -arms. When it was considered to be in danger a guard of ninety men was -placed upon it, of which number sixty were Fenians. Hassett proposed -a plan of capture to his superiors in the organization, but it was -rejected on the ground that they were not ready for a general fight. -In January, 1865, Mr. Hassett was informed while on sentry that he -would be arrested for Fenianism as soon as he came from his post. He -concluded to leave at once, and, marching into the Fenian rendezvous in -full uniform with his gun on his shoulder, presented himself to John -Devoy. - -"Most of the fellows who desert for Ireland's sake," said he, "come to -you empty-handed, but here am I, ready for work." - -O'Reilly presents a dramatic picture of Hassett's appearance at the -meeting of organizers, whither he marched from the sentry post. He -says,-- - -"Private Hassett walked off his post and, shouldering his rifle, -proceeded confidently through the streets of Dublin, in which a soldier -with arms is never questioned. It was ten o'clock at night, and it so -happened that Hassett knew of a certain meeting of organizers, and -other 'boys on their keepin',' which was being held that evening. -Thither he bent his steps, reached the house, and, knowing how it was -done, gained admission. The rebels sat in council upstairs; faces grew -dark, teeth were set close, and revolvers grasped when they heard the -steady stamp on the stairs and the 'ground arms' at their door." - -"A moment after, the door opened and the man in scarlet walked into -the room; all there knew him well. With full equipments, knapsack, -rifle and bayonet, and sixty rounds of ammunition, Hassett had deserted -from his post and walked straight into the ranks of rebellion. He was -quickly divested of his military accoutrements; scouts went out to a -neighboring clothing-store, and soon returned with every requisite for -a full-fledged civilian. The red coat was voted to the fire, and the -belt and arms were stored away with a religious hope in the coming -fight for an Irish republic. - -"The next evening one more was added to the group of strangely dressed -men who smoked and drank their pots-o'-porter in a certain house in -Thames Street. The newcomer was closely shaven and had the appearance -of a muscular Methodist minister. The men were all deserters, and the -last arrival was Hassett. Vainly watching for the coming fight, the -poor fellows lived in a mysterious misery for several weeks. It is -hard to realize here now the feeling that was rife in Dublin then. -At last one of the deserters was recognized in the streets by the -military informer,--Private Foley, of the 5th Dragoons,--tracked to the -rendezvous, surrounded by the police, and every one captured." - -In 1873 he escaped from prison in Western Australia, and lived on an -Irish farm for a time; but it was a bad season and he could not get -together an outfit. After two months he made a dash for the coast and -stowed himself away on an outgoing vessel, but he was captured by the -water police and brought back to the convict establishment. For two -years afterward he was kept in irons with the chain gang. - -Michael Harrington was forty-eight years old at this time. He was -born in Cork, where his father was a merchant, and he was given the -advantage of a liberal education. His tastes were for the army, and -in 1844 he enlisted in the 61st Foot. He served through the Punjab -war, and also through the Sikh war under Sir Hugh Gough, who made the -now famous exclamation, "Magnificent Tipperary!" Mr. Harrington also -took part in the Sepoy war, and then returned home with his regiment. -He joined the Fenian organization in 1864 and was very active in -enlarging its membership. In January, 1866, being in danger of arrest -and desirous of freedom to take a more active part in the projected -uprising, he deserted. Yet he remained in Dublin, was arrested on -suspicion after the suspension of the habeas corpus act, identified -as a deserter, tried and sentenced for life. He was described on the -prison records as fairly stout, with brown hair, gray eyes, and a -sallow complexion. - -Robert Cranston was born in Stewartstown, County Tyrone, in March, -1844, and assisted his father on the farm previous to enlisting in the -61st Foot at the age of twenty. He joined his fortunes with the Fenian -conspiracy and industriously assisted in "propagating the faith." Of -his regiment at least six hundred were sworn members of the Fenian -organization. - - - - -CHAPTER IV - -THE COURT-MARTIAL - - -The court-martials of the men with whom this story deals are of -interest in so far as they exhibit the extraordinary efforts which were -made to convict the conspirators. This is particularly striking in the -case of Sergeant Darragh, who was court-martialed at Cork, February 21, -1866. In this case an informer went so far as to receive the sacrament -of the Roman Catholic Church in carrying out a deception which was -to result in the betrayal of those who accepted him as a friend. The -notorious informer, Talbot, testified in all, or nearly all, of the -cases, of the existence of the conspiracy. - -The court-martial of Darragh throws light upon the details of the -conspiracy as well as the methods of the spies of the English -government, and inasmuch as it is an episode which has never been -printed, liberal extracts from the proceedings will be given. The -charges against Darragh were:-- - -First: "For mutinous conduct at Cork on or about the month of April, -1865, in that coming to the knowledge of an intended mutiny in -her Majesty's forces quartered in Cork barracks, he did not give -information thereof to his commanding officer." - -Second charge: "For conduct to the prejudice of good order and -military discipline in having at Cork, on or about the month of April, -1865, joined a treasonable and seditious society, called the Fenian -Brotherhood, having for its object the levying of war against the -Queen, and the subverting of the government of the country." - -When the prisoner was brought forward he handed to the President -(Colonel Shute) a memorandum, stating that he had failed in procuring -the means of employing counsel for his defense, and praying the Court -to permit his solicitor, M.J. Collins, to aid him in the conduct of the -case. The President said that the Court granted the application. - -Colonel Addison was then examined, and swore that the prisoner had -never at any time informed him of any intended meeting of soldiers in -Cork barracks. - -John Warner, the informer, was then produced, and, in answer to -questions put through the deputy judge-advocate (Colonel Nugent), -deposed: I was discharged from her Majesty's service in 1857, after -coming from the Crimea. - -Did you receive a pension?--Yes, sixpence a day, for the period of -eighteen months. - -Were you wounded at the Crimea?--Yes, in front of Sebastopol, in the -month of August, 1855. - -Did you join the Fenian Society?--Yes. - -When did you first become acquainted with J.J. Geary?--In 1864, in -the latter end of 1864, after being discharged from the militia in -Kinsale--the City of Cork Artillery. - -Are you aware whether he had any connection with the Fenian conspiracy? -If so, what was that connection?--He was connected with the Fenian -Society as a centre, which means a colonel of it. - -After you were enrolled as a Fenian, did Geary give you any particular -instructions for your guidance after you were enrolled?--Yes. - -State what they were. - -_Prisoner._ I object to that. - -_The Prosecutor_ (Col. Lane Fox) contended that the instructions the -witness received for the carrying out of the conspiracy were not -hearsay, and quoted an authority in support of that view. - -_Deputy Judge-Advocate._ This is a statement of a third party in the -absence of the prisoner. - -_Prisoner._ I object to any instructions given by Geary. The witness -can state what he did in consequence of any such instructions; but any -instructions given behind my back, without my knowledge, I object to. - -The court was cleared, and on being reopened it was announced the -question was not to be put. - -Examination by the prosecutor. You say you received particular -instructions for your guidance from Geary. State what you did in -consequence.--I got instructions from Geary regarding the oath. I was -warned three weeks before I came up to the barracks to enroll men. I -was called before the meeting for not going up to the barracks. - -_President._ State what you did. - -_Witness._ I came up to the barracks and met Darragh outside the gate. -I asked him to go down to the North Main Street with me. He went with -me to the North Main Street, to Geary's. We had some drink in the -inside tap-room, and during the time there I asked would he become a -member of the Fenian Society, and he said yes. Then we both went out in -the back yard, and I repeated the oath to him, and he did so after me. -I then gave him a Catholic prayer-book. He swore on that book to be a -member of the Fenian Society. Then we came in and I introduced him to -Geary as a member of the society. Geary shook hands with him. He said -he was very glad to have one like him enrolled. That was all at that -time. - -Repeat as nearly as you can the oath which you administered to -Darragh?--"I (John or James, whichever the case may be), do swear -allegiance to the present republic now virtually established in -Ireland; that I will maintain its independence and integrity at every -risk, and I will obey the command of my superior officers. I take this -oath in the true spirit of an Irish soldier at liberty to free my -country. So help me God." - -Did you know Darragh before that?--I did, in the regiment of the depot -of the 2d Queen's. - -Were you ever in the 2d Regiment?--I was. I volunteered from them. - -Had you any facilities for enrolling men in the barracks?--Yes. I was -told off for that special purpose, and a good many of the men knew me -and would not stop me going in and out of the gate. - -Were Geary and the prisoner previously acquainted when you introduced -them?--I could not say they were. - -Did they shake hands as if they knew each other?--They shook hands as a -member should be introduced, in a manner. - -Did you hear Geary give any instructions to the prisoner for his -guidance?--Yes. He gave Darragh instructions in my presence to go about -the barracks, and find out any men that would join the society and -bring men down to Geary's house, but not to deliver the oath,--to bring -them to me or to himself. If I was not there he would swear him in. -Accordingly he did, and the first man he brought was Butler to Geary's -house. - -How long was that after you swore Darragh in?--To the best of my belief -from a fortnight to three weeks. - -Did the prisoner say anything about any particular corps that he would -work in?--Yes, he said he would wish to work in no other regiment but -his own. - -Did the prisoner bring any other soldier to you or to Geary to be -sworn?--He took none to me but Butler. I cannot speak as to Geary. - -Did you hear Geary give Darragh any instructions relative to taking the -barracks?--Darragh told him the different parts, in my presence, which -were weakest and the easiest to get in. He said if there were one or -two men in every passage--enrolled men--they would be sufficient with a -thousand outside to take it. I heard him say that much in my presence -to Geary. - -Did you hear Geary say anything about what was to be done to the -commanders when the signal for a rising was given? - -_Prisoner._ I object to that. - -_Prosecutor._ When a conspiracy is proved, the act of any one applies -to the whole. I am asking the witness now what was the intention of the -Fenian Society. We have already received documents which do not relate -exactly to the prisoner, but to the aims and objects of the society. I -withdraw the question for the present. - -_Prosecutor_ (to witness). Did you hear Geary, as a member of the -Fenian Society, say anything about what was to be done to the -commanders when the signal for a rising was given?--The commanders, he -said, were to be destroyed if they did not take the oath of allegiance -to the society. Every man that did not take the oath of allegiance -would be destroyed. I heard Geary say that. - -Who was it said to?--It was said to Darragh, and to different other -members in my presence. - -Did you keep a list of the members enrolled?--Yes, sir. (A book was -produced, which the witness identified as that in which he had the -names of new members enrolled.) - -The court adjourned. - - - Cork, Thursday, February 22d. - -The president (Colonel Shute) and the other officers of the court took -their seats at eleven o'clock, when the trial of Sergeant Darrah, of -the 2d (Queen's Own) Regiment, was resumed. - -John Warner, the informer, who was under examination at the rising of -the court yesterday, was again produced and gave the following further -testimony:-- - -Are you certain that the prisoner was present when Geary said that the -commanding officers were to be destroyed?--He was. - -Are you quite certain?--I am. - -When he said the commanders were to be killed, and all in the barracks -who did not take the oath, are you quite certain that he said all the -commanders who did not take the oath? - -The prisoner objected to the question. - -_Prosecutor._ Was it that the commanders especially were to be -destroyed that did not take the oath of allegiance, or that every -one was to be destroyed, the commanders included?--Every one, the -commanders included, who did not take the oath of allegiance to the -Fenian Brotherhood. - -Are you able to read and write?--I can read and write a little. I can -write my name. - -_President._ Can you read print and writing?--I can read print, but not -writing. - -_Prosecutor._ Have you ever seen the prisoner at Geary's since he was -sworn in, and if so, how often?--About three or four times. - -Where did he generally go to when in Geary's?--Upstairs in a front room -over the shop. - -Is there a small room at the end of the shop on the ground -floor?--There's a small room on the left hand side before you go into -the shop, and two inside that. - -Did you see the prisoner go into either of these rooms, and if so, how -often?--Once he went to the inside one with me, before he was sworn, -the inside tap-room. - -Were you ever in the prisoner's room in the barracks?--I was. - -How often?--Three or four times. I took tea with him there one evening. - -Who was present on those occasions besides the prisoner and -yourself?--Two color sergeants of the 2d Queen's and their wives. - -Their names?--I don't know their names. - -Did you speak of the Fenian Society in the presence of these sergeants, -and of the prisoner?--No, not in the room. - -_President._ Did you do so in the presence of those other -sergeants?--No, not at all. - -_Prosecutor._ Can you state, of your own knowledge, what rank the -prisoner held in the Fenian Society?--Geary told him he would be a B, -which was a captain. - -Do you know if Geary and the prisoner are relations?--I could not say. - -Were you acquainted with Bryan Dillon?--I was. - -Had he any connection with the Fenian Society, and if so, what was -his rank?--He was a centre or an A, which means colonel in the Fenian -Society. - -Have you seen him in the company of the prisoner?--I never did. - -Do you know if Bryan Dillon was tried at the Commission for being a -member of the Fenian Society?--Yes. - -The prosecutor then handed in a certificate of the conviction of Bryan -Dillon, at the special commission, held in Cork, when he was sentenced -to ten years penal servitude. - -Examination continued. Do you know a man named Thompson?--Yes. - -What was his Christian name?--I can't say, but he lodged at Geary's. - -Was he connected with the Fenian Society, and what was his -connection?--He was a B in the society, which made him a captain. - -Did you ever see him in company with the prisoner?--Once in Geary's, in -the front room over the shop. - -Give a description of what took place at Geary's house?--A man named -Donovan, from Dublin, lectured on the rifle, showing how to make -cartridges, and military and field engineering. - -Did you see a rifle raffled for there?--Yes. - -Was it the headquarters of the Fenian Society in Cork?--It was the -principal part of the city for the Fenian Society to meet in. - -[Illustration: JOHN DEVOY - -Organizer of the Rescue Expedition] - -Do you recognize this book (book produced), and if so, state what -you used it for?--This is the book on which I swore in Darragh and -different other members besides. - -Did you make any communication to Sub-Inspector Hamilton as to how your -being in the barracks could be proved? - -_Prisoner._ I object to that question. - -Prosecutor contended that the question was legal. - -The court was cleared. - -When it reopened, the deputy judge-advocate announced that the Court -ruled the question might be recorded, but not answered. - -Examination resumed. Had you any communication with Mr. Hamilton in -reference to your being in the barracks with the prisoner?--Yes. - -Did the members of the Fenian Society carry on drill in the -neighborhood of the barracks?--In a place called the Lawneys, about a -mile from the barracks. - -_Prosecutor._ I close. - -Cross-examined by the prisoner. Did you know I was in Cork until the -time you say you met me outside the barrack gate?--No, I did not know -you were there until then. - -Did you swear, in answer to the prosecutor, that you came up to -the barracks for me, which is true?--I did not come up for you in -particular. - -Were you in the habit of coming to the Cork barracks previous to the -day you say you met me at the gate? If so, for how long?--No, I was -not. - -Did you come to the barracks before, and if so, how often?--I have come -in before, when doing Sir John Arnott's business,--conducting it. - -Were you in barracks when the last detachment of the 2d (Queen's) -Regiment arrived here from England?--I could not tell; I was not aware -what time they came, or what place they came from. - -Did you see Corporal McKillop with me marching into Cork barracks?--I -did not. - -Do you know McKillop?--I do not. The first time I spoke to you since I -left the depot was outside the gate. - -Did you not speak to me when I marched in with my detachment?--No. - -Did you not go to the canteen to drink with me?--Not when you marched -in, but I came in one evening to the barrack and had drink with you. - -_Prisoner._ I wish to have Corporal McKillop produced for -identification. - -_President._ Was the meeting in the canteen before the time you spoke -to him at the barrack gate?--It was a week or two after I met him -outside the gate that we drank in the canteen. - -_Deputy Judge-Advocate._ McKillop is on furlough in England. - -_President._ You say McKillop is in the barracks; how do you know? - -_Prisoner._ I can't know, for I have been in close custody for six -months. - -_President._ If he be a material witness, he shall be recalled by -telegram. - -Cross-examined. Was that the first time you drank with me at the -canteen?--It was not. Geary and Butler and two more drank with us at -the canteen. Geary paid for the drink. - -When was the first time; how soon after you swore me in?--In some time -after. - -Why did you not mention that before, in answer to the Court?--I did not -think of it. It is hard to think of everything at once. - -You say you swore in Butler, and did you swear in any other soldier -between the time you swore in Darragh and Butler?--I am not sure -whether I swore in Farrell between them or not. Butler brought me a -corporal and a private. I think their names are in the book. - -Did you swear any and how many soldiers between swearing in Darragh -and Butler?--I do not think I swore any between you and Butler except -Farrell; but I don't know whether he was or not. - -What was the time between swearing me in and swearing in Butler?--It -may be a fortnight or three weeks. - -During that time did you swear in civilians?--Yes. - -State the number?--It may be two or three. - -Did you swear in any soldier previous to the time you say you swore me -in?--Not a regular soldier; there were militia. - -You say I directly went to Geary and took a treasonable oath without -the smallest reluctance. What month was that in?--It may be in the -latter end of March or beginning of April. - -When you joined the Fenian Society did you do so for the purpose of -betraying them?--I took the oath for the purpose of betraying them, and -I could not get their intentions without taking the oath. - -When did you join the society?--In December, 1864. - -When did you first give information?--In July, 1865. I tried before to -go to Captain Tooker but was followed. Captain Tooker is a magistrate -of the city of Cork. - -Did you go of your own free will to give him information?--I did. - -Were you from May, 1864, to September, 1865, most actively engaged -in endeavoring to induce parties to become members of the Fenian -Society--swearing them in and enrolling them?--I was. I should do so by -orders of Geary. - -How many members did you enroll?--I can't be exact; they are in the -book; but about fifty altogether. - -The prosecutor said that the witness was not bound to answer any -question affecting his credibility. - -The president said the main point was credibility. - -_Prisoner._ It was the prosecutor who first asked the question. - -The Court decided the question could be put. - -Cross-examination continued. Did you not know all the secrets of the -society immediately after you were admitted?--I did not until January, -1865, when I was introduced to Geary. - -Did you swear information against the members of the Fenian Society in -September, 1865?--Yes. - -Did you mention one word about me in that?--No, I did not, but I told -it to Sub-Inspector Hamilton. - -_Prisoner._ I object to that answer. - -At two o'clock the court adjourned for an hour. - -On the reassembling of the court, at three P.M., the president -(Colonel Shute) said that the Court had decided that the witness on -cross-examination had a right to explain his answer. - -_The Deputy Judge-Advocate._ The question was, Did you make any mention -of the prisoner in your information? - -_Witness_ (_Warner_). I did not. On account of mentioning it to -Sub-Inspector Hamilton I did not think that there was any occasion to -state it in the informations. - -_Prisoner._ Do you know that I am a Protestant and an Orangeman and a -member of an Orange lodge at Delgany?--No. - -Are you a Protestant and did you state to me that you were an -Orangeman?--I am a Protestant and on my oath I don't think I told you -anything about my being an Orangeman, because the society would come on -me if I spoke of anything of the sort at all. - -Were you always a Protestant, or did you cease to be one? If so, when -did you cease to be one?--I was always a Protestant, but I went to Mass -a few times, as I thought I would get into their graces by being a -Roman Catholic and get some of their secrets. - -Was the going to Mass the only thing you did about becoming a Roman -Catholic?--That is all. - -Did you not go to a Roman Catholic clergyman in Cork and state to him -that you wished to become a Roman Catholic?--I did. One of the Fenians -came with me and said I wished to become a Roman Catholic. - -Did you not receive some religious books and religious instructions?--I -did. He went with me to the monk, and he (the monk) gave me some -religious books to read. - -Did you go afterwards by yourself to the clergyman or the monk?--I -went afterwards by myself to receive some instructions from the monk -according to the order I received from him. - -Then your answer is not true that your going to Mass is the only thing -you did towards being a Roman Catholic?--There was not time, for it -requires an explanation. The answer could not be given well at once. - -Were you sincere in your intention of becoming a Roman Catholic, or -were you only deceiving the clergyman or monk?--I was deceiving him for -the purpose of getting the information I wanted to get from the society. - -When you were in the depot at Templemore did you know Sergeant-Major -McKinmon?--I did. - -Did you desert from the depot there?--I did. He gave me money to -desert, but I think it would be dishonorable to speak of that here, as -he is a captain now. - -_Prisoner._ I wish Captain McKinmon to be brought here. - -_President._ You can summon any witness you wish, and the sooner you do -so the better. - -Cross-examination continued. Were you tried by court-martial for that -desertion?--I was tried for being absent without leave, but not for -desertion. - -Were you punished for it?--Yes, I got forty-two days for it by -regimental court-martial. - -When were you discharged from the 42d Regiment?--Some time in 1857. - -Was not the portion of the discharge which generally contains the -character cut off?--No, it was not. The books of the garrison can state -it. I drew my pension in this garrison. - -Where is your discharge?--I lost it; but you can refer for the form to -the local garrison. - -What character did you get in your discharge?--The character was very -good. - -Were you examined at the special commission at Cork, on the trial of -Colonel O'Reardon, who was charged with being a member of the Fenian -Society?--Yes. - -Did you not swear that he was a member of the Fenian Society?--I did. - -And that he came to Ireland to inspect the forces?--He gave -instructions according as he got them from John O'Mahony. - -And that you put the men through their drill before him?--One night for -him; but generally for a man named Captain Kelly. - -Did you not further swear that he was four or five months here, and -gave instructions to the Fenians in rifle practice?--I swear I saw him -on several occasions in Geary's giving instructions to Fenians. - -Did not the jury disbelieve you, and was he not acquitted?--He was -acquitted at all events. I could not swear whether I was believed or -not. - -At what time did your son write the names in the book produced?--Always -when I enrolled the men my little boy would put them down as I would -tell him. - -The witness was then examined at some length by prisoner and prosecutor -as to the entering of the names. - -_Prosecutor._ How long is it since you saw the book?--Not since I gave -it to Mr. Hamilton in September last, until to-day. - -_Prisoner._ You have stated that all you have stated is true?--I have -forgotten a great many things; but all I have stated is true. - -The court adjourned at four o'clock. - -John Warner was recalled and questioned by the prisoner. - -_Prisoner._ Did you at any time meet in Cork the man whom you say swore -you in?--I did. - -How soon after he swore you in?--I could not be exact as to the time; -it was in 1865, at any rate, in Mr. O'Connor's timber yard. - -How soon did you come to Cork after you were sworn in?--After the -regiment was disembodied in Kinsale in June, 1864. - -When were you sworn in?--In May, 1864. - -Did you bring the letter from Crowley with you in June when you came to -Cork?--I did not. - -Did you see Crowley from the time you left Kinsale until you saw him in -1865 in Cork?--No. - -When did you get the letter from Crowley, and where?--I did not get it -at all. - -Were you acting for the Fenian Society in Cork in 1864?--Yes. At the -latter end of 1864 I attended a meeting at Geary's, the first meeting I -did attend. That was in the latter part of December. - -Was Geary at that meeting?--He was; I was speaking to him. - -Was that the first time you spoke to him?--I don't think it was. About -a week before he sent Mr. Bryan to me, and Geary then told me to attend -a meeting on that night week. I was speaking to Geary in the beginning -of December, or at the end of November, 1864. - -Did you not swear yesterday that you never saw Geary till 1865,--which -is true?--I don't think I swore that on yesterday. - -_Prisoner._ I would ask to have the witness's evidence of yesterday -read. - -_President._ This particular portion. - -The evidence of the witness on this point was referred to, and it -appeared from it that Warner had stated that he did not see Geary in -1864 for the first time. - -The prisoner then said he had no other question to ask Warner. - -The following letter was then put in by the prosecutor and read by the -president:-- - - My dear James,--Please add to the list of contributors to the Keane - Fund the following inclosed names, for J.J., Cork. Of course you think - it awkward to have the names instead of the cash, but the following - reason, which is not fit for publicity, will be enough for you. Since - Keane's imprisonment, on 7th Dec., I have paid for his grub about £4 - 10s., so instead of having anything on hand, I'm only waiting for the - balance, which I hope will soon come to hand. It is so very long since - I heard from you that I don't know whether you are dead or alive. Will - you let me have some news, and say how is Mr. Johnson. - - Yours faithfully, J.J. Geary. - -The court-martial of Darragh did not conclude until March 2. The -testimony against Darragh was mainly that of soldiers who testified -that the prisoner introduced them to Warner, who administered the oath -of the Fenians to them. - -Private Michael Harrington was convicted on the evidence of a private -to whom he confessed he was a Fenian, drinking to the health of the -"'M.C.'s' or the 'M.B.'s,' or something like that." There was evidence -that Harrington solicited men to take the Fenian oath. Another private -testified to meeting Harrington at Fenian meetings when "Erin my -country" and "My heart beats for thee" were sung. - - - - -CHAPTER V - -THE COURT-MARTIAL CONTINUED - - -An incident in the trial of Private Martin Hogan is not without -interest, illustrating the arbitrary manner of the Court toward the -prisoners. - -Private Foley was under examination, and testified to meeting Hogan at -various public houses in Dublin, where the prisoner's conversation was -of a treasonable and seditious character. - -At one meeting an American guerrilla officer, who had served under -Confederate General Morgan, discussed plans with them for mounting the -men on colts, arming them with rifles, and as to the best means of -carrying off their horses out of the barracks. Plans of action for the -Fenian soldiers were also discussed, the prisoner being present and -occasionally taking part in them. - -Mr. McMechan cross-examined the witness, and the examination was -proceeding, when the counsel requested that the witness be required -to speak in a louder and more distinct tone, and placed nearer to the -prisoner in order that his remarks might be taken down. - -The president ordered the witness to move to within two or three yards -of the table at which counsel and prisoner were sitting, and to speak -as loud as he could. - -This was done, but with no more satisfactory result to counsel for the -prisoner, and a request to move nearer and speak louder was repeated. - -The president said the witness had spoken loud enough for any man with -even ordinary faculties to hear, and if these were not possessed by -counsel, some one who possessed them ought to be procured. - -Counsel then handed in a statement to the effect that he did not hear -the witness, nor had he heard anything distinctly that day. He was -not deaf, and was possessed of ordinary faculties. He had no wish to -obstruct or delay the Court, and, that he might not do so, he had asked -that the witness be directed to stand nearer. The observations made by -the president tended to unfit him for the discharge of his duties, and -he requested that they would be withdrawn. - -Subsequently Mr. McMechan sent in the following and stood waiting a -reply. - - "Sir,--Having remonstrated with you for what you said, and you not - noticing it, I now beg to withdraw." - -The president read the first communication and said, "I am sorry that -my remarks should tend to unfit counsel from attending to his duty, but -I refuse to withdraw them." - -Mr. McMechan immediately left the court. - -The president directed Mr. Lawless, the prisoner's solicitor, to be -sent for. - -On Mr. Lawless entering the court, the president said that Mr. McMechan -had withdrawn from the case, and he wished to tell him that he would -give half an hour, or any reasonable time, to provide another counsel -if he thought proper. - -Mr. Lawless said he was very sorry for what had occurred between -Mr. McMechan and the Court, but as he was senior counsel in all the -court-martial cases, he could not, according to the etiquette of the -profession, withdraw the case from him, nor was he at all inclined to -do so, as he had full confidence in whatever course he (Mr. McMechan) -thought right to adopt. - -_The President._ Have you any application to make on behalf of the -prisoner? - -Mr. Lawless said he had no application to make. - -_The President._ Under these circumstances the trial must proceed -without counsel. - -Colonel, the Hon. S.J.G. Calthorpe, 5th Dragoon Guards, was examined to -prove that the prisoner had not given him notice of an intended mutiny -in her Majesty's forces in Ireland. - -Sergeant Alsopp and Sergeant Miller of the 5th Dragoon Guards were -examined to prove the desertion of the prisoner, and the making away -with regimental necessaries. - -The prisoner was placed on his defense, and stated that his counsel -having left him, he did not know what to do; he could get no other -counsel now, and felt inclined to throw himself on the mercy of the -Court. - -The president said he would receive his defense in the morning, and -adjourned the further hearing of the case in order to give the prisoner -time to prepare it. - -The trial of Martin Hogan was resumed. - -Mr. Lawless was present, and handed in a written statement to the -president. - -_The President._ Before reading this, I am anxious to say, that I most -emphatically disclaim any intention whatever of having said anything -disrespectful, or that I intended annoying the prisoner's counsel; and -I wish to say that if I should at any time-- - -_Mr. Lawless._ The prisoner's counsel is outside sir. Will you allow -him to be present? - -_President._ Certainly. - -Mr. McMechan then entered the room, when the president said, "I will -repeat the words I have just said, which were these: That I desire most -emphatically to disclaim any intention whatever of saying anything -disrespectful to the prisoner's counsel, or any other person engaged in -this court. If at any time I imagined I did so, I should be very sorry -for it. I would be the last to offend any one." - -_Mr. McMechan._ I am perfectly satisfied, sir. - -_Mr. Lawless._ We will withdraw that statement, sir. - -The statement was handed back, and Mr. McMechan, instructed by Mr. -Lawless, remained to defend the prisoner. - -The prosecution was then closed. - -The trial of Private Robert Cranston was one of the longest. It was -held in the Victoria Library, Colonel Brett presiding. Cranston was -arraigned on the following charges, First: For mutinous conduct in -having at Dublin, on the 18th February, 1866, come to the knowledge of -an intended mutiny in her Majesty's troops then quartered in Richmond -barracks, Dublin, and not giving information of the said intended -mutiny to his commanding officer. - -Second charge: For conduct to the prejudice of good order and -discipline in the following instances,--First instance: For having at -Dublin, in the month of December, 1865, endeavored to induce Private -Foley, 64th Regiment, to join the illegal society called the Fenian -Brotherhood, having for its object the overthrow by force and violence -of her Majesty's government in Ireland. Second instance: For having at -Dublin, in the month of January, 1866, endeavored to induce Private -Thomas Morrison, 61st, to join an illegal society called the Fenian -Brotherhood, having for its object the overthrow by force and violence -of her Majesty's government in Ireland. Third instance: For having at -Dublin, on the 17th February, 1866, used the following language to -Private Abraham, 61st Regiment: "An outbreak will take place in a few -days. I am to get a sworn member of the Fenian Society in each of the -barrack rooms in Richmond barracks to put a bit of sponge into the -nipples of all the rifles belonging to the men who are not Fenians, and -thereby render them useless. When the regiment is called out to meet -the Fenians, the Fenians will advance close up to it; the men of the -61st who belong to the Fenians will not fire on them, and the others -who are loyal will not be able; and the Fenians amongst the 61st will -then go over to their party and at once fire on those who refuse to -join the society." - -Third charge: For having in December, 1865, and in January and -February, 1866, at Dublin, knowingly received and entertained Thomas -Chambers, 61st Regiment, a deserter from the said regiment, and not -giving notice to his commanding officer. - -The assistant adjutant-general, the Hon. Col. Fielding, prosecuted, -assisted by Dr. Townsend. - -Mr. McMechan, with Mr. Lawless as attorney, appeared for the prisoner. - -_Deputy Judge-Advocate._ Have you any objection to be tried by the -president, or by any other member of this court? - -_Prisoner._ None, sir. - -The charges having been read by the deputy judge-advocate, the prisoner -pleaded not guilty. - -The prosecutor having stated the case for the prosecution, witnesses -were called and examined. - -Head Constable Talbot was examined, and deposed that he was present at -Fenian meetings in December, 1865, and January and February, 1866. - -Did the soldiers take part in the proceedings of those meetings? - -Prisoner objected. - -_Deputy Judge-Advocate._ The particular part taken by soldiers cannot -be specified; only the fact that they took part, if they did so. - -Were they present when the objects were discussed?--Yes. - -Private James Meara examined by the prosecutor: I have belonged to -the 1st Battalion of the King's Regiment (8th) for five years. I have -known the prisoner since August 1865; in December, after Christmas, I -met him in Hoey's public house in Bridgefoot Street. On that occasion -there were also present several civilians, Fenian centres, and some -soldiers. I was a member of the Fenian Society. There was to have been -a rising of the Irish Fenians in the army. I was at several Fenian -meetings in the month of December, 1865, at Hoey's; and in January, -1866, at Barclay's public house in James's Street; and in March, 1866, -at Shaughnessy's public house at Newbridge, and also at Tunny's public -house, Barrack Street, in August, 1865. At Tunny's, in August, 1865, -I met William Francis Roantree, the prisoner Cranston, and several -others, Baines and Rynd. At Shaughnessy's I met Baines, Doyle of the -61st, and some of the 4th Dragoon Guards. At Hoey's I met Chambers of -the 61st, Wilson, Hogan, and Keatinge of the 5th Dragoons, a few of -the 87th, Devoy, Williams, Rynd, and Baines. At the meeting in Hoey's -in December, a rising in the army was discussed. Several men of the -61st were brought down to be sworn by Devoy and Chambers, and I saw the -prisoner take an active part in the meeting. I was never arrested on a -charge of being connected with the Fenian Society. - -Cross-examined by the prisoner. I was last examined as a witness at -Green Street. I don't know whether I was believed or not. Kearney was -not tried for firing a shot at me. He was not acquitted. I was sworn -a Fenian by Thomas Baines. The oath I took, as I remember, was as -follows: "I, in the presence of the Almighty God, do solemnly swear -allegiance to defend the Irish republic, now virtually established, -to take up arms in its defense at a moment's warning, to defend its -integrity and independence; and further to exterminate the Saxon out of -the land, to keep all secrets and truths commended to me, and to obey -my superior officers and those placed over me." I swore to defend the -Queen against all enemies. - -Did you swear to fight against her?--I decline to answer that question. - -The deputy judge-advocate told the witness that unless he apprehended -that what he should say in reply would subject him to a criminal -prosecution he should answer the question. - -_Witness._ I understand you, sir. According to the Fenian oath I was -sworn to fight against her, although in the heart I did not mean it. - -After swearing to defend her, and afterwards swearing to fight against -her, say candidly whether anything you swear is deserving of credit or -belief? - -_Deputy Judge-Advocate._ I think that is for the Court to infer. - -_Witness._ I decline to answer the question. - -The prisoner having pressed for a reply, the court was cleared, and, on -reopening, the deputy judge-advocate announced the opinion of the Court -to be that the question was as to a matter of inference, and not to be -answered by the witness. - -Cross-examination continued. I was at the Curragh in March. I was sworn -a Fenian in March, 1865. - -When did you first give information of an intended mutiny to your -commanding officer?--I decline to answer that question. - -_Deputy Judge-Advocate._ You must answer it. - -_Prosecutor._ Answer the question. - -_Witness._ I gave information in March or April, I am not sure which, -this year. - -Cross-examination continued. I decline for the safety of the officers -to say to whom I first gave information. - -State under what circumstances, without mentioning names.--For the -purpose of injuring the Fenians, and the leaders, and so forth, to the -utmost of my power, I came forward from the motives of loyalty and love -of justice. - -Reëxamined by the prosecutor. I was, in fact, fired at, as I stated in -my cross-examination. - -By the Court. The intentions to mutiny existed in the months of January -and March, 1866, and the prisoner was aware of them. I was fired at and -wounded, and the persons who did it were Fenians. - -Private John Abraham examined by the prosecutor. The witness being a -little deaf, the questions were, by direction of the Court, read out -near to him by Major Gordon. He deposed that he had been twenty-three -years in the 61st Regiment. Some time since the 17th or 18th of January -he met the prisoner, whom he had known close upon two years, at Hoey's -public house. On that occasion there were present Private Harrington, -Foley, Kenny, Priestly, Cranston, the prisoner, and Chambers, the -deserter, all of the 61st, and a lot of cavalry of the 5th Dragoon -Guards, and a good number of civilians, including one that he had -enlisted in the 60th Rifles. Chambers shook witness by the hand and -asked him how he was getting on, and he said very well, and asked -Chambers how was he getting on, and he said very well, that he had -drawn £10 6s. to-day, which was better pay than he had had when he -was in the 61st. The prisoner and Chambers went out to the top of the -stairs, and witness did not hear what passed between them. - -Had you ever any conversation on the parade-ground at Richmond barracks -with the prisoner in February last.--Yes, I was on the parade-ground -when the prisoner, Cranston, came up to me and said, "How are you -getting on, countryman?" "Very well," said I: "Cranston, how are you -getting on?" "First-rate," he said. I said, "I think things are very -slow, or rather dull, this weather." "No," he said, "they are not; I -think things are getting on very well, for there is going to be an -outbreak in the course of two or three days, and I can destroy every -rifle that is in the regiment." "Oh," said I, "that is easily enough -done." Said he, "I will have a sworn Fenian to go into each room and to -stuff the chambers of the nipples of the arms belonging to the soldiers -who are not Fenians with fine sponge." He said that when we should be -called out, we should get the word to load and the soldiers who were -Fenians would fire over the heads of the civilian Fenians, and that the -arms belonging to the soldiers not Fenians would then be all stopped. -Of course he thought I was a Fenian at the time. At that time the -sergeant-major gave the word to take up the covering, and interrupted -the conversation. No other person was present at it, which to the best -of my recollection took place about the 17th February. On the same -evening I saw and spoke to Sergeant-Major Young of the 61st. - -A few other questions having been asked the witness, the court was -adjourned to this morning at half past ten o'clock. - -The trial of Private Cranston was resumed yesterday morning by the -court-martial sitting in the Victoria Library, shortly before eleven -o'clock. - -Private Abraham cross-examined by the prisoner. The last time I saw -Doyle was this morning in the square of this barrack. There were five -or six men present. I was enlisted in Lisburn. - -Were you in the habit of going to houses frequented by Fenians?--I was -after Cranston spoke to me; I don't remember when I first went to any -such house. I might have been in such houses before Christmas last, -but I knew nothing of their character. I saw you at the Curragh, but -I can't state in whose company, as I did not look after you to see in -whose company you were. It was after the depot joined headquarters. I -might have conversed and drank with you there, but I don't remember if -I did. I have drank with hundreds, and I don't remember every man I -drank with. To the best of my belief the conversation in the canteen at -the Curragh took place more than a year ago. I understood that in case -of a rising the Fenians of the 61st were to fight against the Queen, -when Cranston told me so. I did not when in the canteen at the Curragh -understand that the object of the Fenians was to put down the Queen's -government and establish a republic. - -What did you then understand its object to be?--Well, I did not take -any notice what it was to be then or understand anything about it. I -used to hear several talking about Fenianism. I did not take any notice -of it then. I was asked to become a Fenian and refused. - -Why?--Why, because I thought they were no good. I thought there was -harm in them. When asked to join, I had no curiosity to learn their -objects. After the conversation in the canteen at the Curragh, I -thought they were not loyal subjects; but when they were all talking -about Fenianism, and I did not know that it might not be a humbug, I -think I gave information about the conversation in the canteen at the -Curragh, but I cannot answer when. My commanding officer was Colonel -Redmond, and I gave him information of everything that I knew, after -Cranston spoke to me about the outbreak. I reported to him in Richmond -barracks, and Cranston was there then. I think that was in January. I -never made any report while I was at the Currag myself. I had always -plenty of conversation that I forgot. I reported all that I remembered. - -Will you swear that you ever mentioned to your commanding officer -anything whatever about the conversation in the canteen at the -Curragh?--No, I will not. I can swear that I reported to some officer. -I cannot say whether it was the commanding officer or not. - -Do not you know you never did?--No, I do not. I think I made a -statement to Captain Whelan. I made no statement in writing, because I -can neither read nor write. - -The remainder of the testimony was largely by informers whom Cranston -had induced to take the Fenian oath, and charged him with treasonable -language. - -Private Meara, 8th Regiment, was the principal witness against Private -James Wilson, whose court-martial came in August. Meara was one of the -witnesses who betrayed O'Reilly. He testified in the case of Wilson -that he was a sworn member of the Fenian Brotherhood, and attended -meetings at various places. - -He knew the prisoner and met him about Christmas, 1865, at Hoey's -public house, in Bridgefoot Street; also met a man named Williams -there. The prisoner went up to Williams and said there was a body -of deserters in Dublin who were kicking up a row for their pay, and -Williams told him that he had paid them. Williams said that he had -told the deserters to kick up a row. Corporal Chambers of the 61st -was present, and Devoy. Williams and Devoy were Fenian agents, the -former being occupied swearing in soldiers. He was an officer of the -Fenians besides. Devoy held the same rank as Williams, and higher if -anything. He heard the prisoner on one occasion speak to a man in -his regiment about making prisoners of Sir Hugh Rose and the Lord -Lieutenant. Civilians were present at the time. The prisoner said that -Sir Hugh Rose was a more important man to make a prisoner of than the -Lord Lieutenant, and that it would be easily done. A man named Hogan -was there, and was dressed in civilian's clothes. Corporal Chambers -was also dressed in civilian's clothes. At another public house in the -month of January witness said to prisoner that his regiment would soon -leave Dublin, and the latter replied that it would not leave until the -green flag would be flying. I have seen a man named Barrett of the 5th -Dragoon Guards, at Hoey's, and other men, whose names I don't know. - -Private Goggins, 5th Dragoon Guards, deposed that he was quartered -in Dublin on the 17th of January, 1866. He was in a public house in -Clare Lane, kept by a man named Cullen. The prisoner was there, and a -man named Devoy, and another civilian who was represented as the man -who was to command the Fenian cavalry when it broke out. He asked the -men how they could get their horses and accoutrements out of barracks, -and Wilson said by making a dash at the gate. The man said he was in -command of cavalry guerrillas under General Morgan. He said that the -men he commanded used to dismount and fight on foot when their swords -were broken, and he asked the men in the public house if they could do -so, too. Witness was in a public house in Longford, kept by a man named -Hughes, in April or May, 1865. Went into the house with, the prisoner; -prisoner handed witness a book, and asked him "to swear to take up arms -when called upon." Witness took the oath, thinking there was no harm in -it. "It's all right, now," he said, "you are a Fenian, and for your own -sake, as well as mine, keep it." - -Witness said: "Jim, you know I have prize money to draw, and you should -not have taken me in that way." - -In November, 1865, the prisoner told him to meet him at Hoey's public -house in Bridgefoot Street. There were two civilians in the room who -spoke of expected arrivals of Americans. There was plenty of beer -there, but witness paid for none of it, and saw no soldiers pay for it. -The prisoner was dressed in civilian's clothes in the public house in -Clare Lane. - -To the Court. I did not consider myself a sworn Fenian after taking the -oath I have mentioned. - -Patrick Foley, late 5th Dragoon Guards, deposed that he was in Hoey's -public house on the 17th of January last, and met the prisoner there. -He was a deserter from the regiment. The American captain asked how -many Fenians there were in the 5th Dragoon Guards, and Devoy said about -one hundred. Hogan, who was a deserter, said he could give a list of -the names. The American spoke of getting horses out of the barracks, -and how they should manoeuvre in cavalry fighting. - -Wilson declined to offer any defense. As for Private Thomas Hassett, he -defiantly pleaded guilty to treason. - -All the men were sentenced to death, but the penalty was subsequently -commuted to life imprisonment, and was finally further commuted to -penal servitude. - - - - -CHAPTER VI - -BANISHMENT TO AUSTRALIA - - -After being convicted of mutiny in her Majesty's forces in Ireland, the -men spent weary months in hideous English prisons. One day the keys -rattled in the dungeon doors; they were marched out in double irons, -chained together with a bright, strong chain. They were taken aboard -the convict ship Hougoumont, where the chains were knocked off and they -were ordered below. - -There were sixty-three political prisoners on the Hougoumont, and they -were the first sent out to Australia since the Irish uprising in 1848. -They were likewise the last ever sent to the colony. Of these prisoners -fifteen had been soldiers, and they were placed with the criminals in -the fore part of the ship at night, although they were permitted to -spend the days with the political prisoners. - -Of the horrors of a convict ship experience it is unnecessary to say -more than to quote O'Reilly, who was one of the unfortunate company on -the Hougoumont. - -"Only those who have stood within the bars," says he, "and heard -the din of devils and the appalling sounds of despair, blended in a -diapason that made every hatch-mouth a vent of hell, can imagine the -horrors of the hold of a convict ship." - -Strapped to the foremast was the black gaff with its horrid apparatus -for tricing unruly men up for flogging, and above, tied around the -foremast, ever before their eyes, was a new hempen halter, "which swung -mutineers and murderers out over the hissing sea to eternity." - -Every night the exiles, Catholic and Protestant, joined in a prayer -which ran as follows:-- - -"O God, who art the arbiter of the destiny of nations and who rulest -the world in thy great wisdom, look down, we beseech thee, from thy -holy place on the sufferings of our poor country. Scatter her enemies, -O Lord, and confound their evil projects. Hear us, O God, hear the -earnest cry of our people, and give them strength and fortitude to dare -and suffer in their holy cause. Send her help, O Lord, from thy holy -place. And from Zion protect her. Amen." - -The Hougoumont reached Freemantle, after a dreary voyage, at three -o'clock on the morning of January 10, 1868. "Her passengers could -see," writes James Jeffrey Roche in his "Life of O'Reilly," "high -above the little town and the woodland about it, the great white stone -prison which represents Freemantle's reason for existence. It was 'The -Establishment;' that is to say the government; that is to say, the -advanced guard of Christian civilization in the wild bush. The native -beauty of the place is marred by the straggling irregularity of the -town, as it is blighted by the sight and defiled by the touch of the -great criminal establishment." - -[Illustration: THE JAIL AT FREEMANTLE, WHERE THE PRISONERS WERE -CONFINED] - -Then the convicts heard the appalling code of rules, with the penalty -for violation, which was usually death; and then they were assigned to -the road parties, and from daylight to dark, in the heat which made the -cockatoos in the trees motionless and the parrots silent, they blazed -their way through the Australian bush and forest. - -The present was made horrid by the companionship of desperate and -degraded men, "the poison flower of civilization's corruption," and the -future seemed hopeless. - -Meanwhile James Wilson sent out an appeal for rescue. He sent it to -John Devoy in America. - - - - -CHAPTER VII - -O'REILLY'S ESCAPE - - -The men to whom reference has been made in the preceding chapter were -not the only Irish political prisoners. In 1876 there were seventeen -still in prison for the attempted revolution of 1866 and 1867. The -leaders had been pardoned, but this fact only emphasized the injustice -to the men who had been swayed by love for Ireland to follow, and who -were still paying the penalty of their devotion. - -Some of them, and the number included Michael Davitt, were in prison -in England. Some had been pardoned, some had been released by death. -John Boyle O'Reilly had escaped. He had been in the convict settlement -rather more than a year, and had been granted a few poor privileges -on account of his ability and good conduct. He assisted one of the -officers in his clerical work, and was appointed a "constable," with -the duty of carrying dispatches from station to station and conducting -refractory convicts in the road-gang to the prison. - -But there was no promise of escape in this liberty, for there were -but two avenues open, the trackless bush and the ocean. Suicide was -better than flight to the bush; for if the convict could hide from the -trained "trackers," natives with a keener intelligence and skill in -tracking men than the blood-hounds of the South, the only alternative -was death from hunger and thirst. - -Yet O'Reilly reached a point of desperation where death seemed almost -preferable to the awful associations and weary routine which made the -life a horror to the poet. But when he told his plans to Rev. Father -McCabe, whose parish was the bush country, and whose life work among -the prisoners is a precious memory of good influence, the thoughtful -man said, "It is an excellent way to commit suicide. Don't think of -that again. Let me think out a plan for you." - -After dreary months the good priest sent a man named Maguire, who -promised to arrange with one of the New Bedford whaling captains who -were expected with their vessels at Bunbury in February--it was then -December--to secrete him aboard. Two months went by, and O'Reilly had -now become so impatient that, hearing that three whaleships had put -into Bunbury, he had determined to venture alone. That day Maguire came -to him again with the information that Captain Baker of the whaling -bark Vigilant of New Bedford had agreed to take him on board if he fell -in with him outside Australian waters. - -On an evening in February O'Reilly started for a hiding-place in the -woods, and lay down beneath a great gum-tree at the woodside to await -Maguire and another friend. At about midnight he heard "St. Patrick's -Day" whistled. - -It was the sweetest music he ever heard, for it was the signal of the -men who had come to release him from a horrid captivity. - -They rode for hours until they reached a dry swamp near the sea. Then -they waited until a boat was brought. At daylight sturdy oarsmen had -carried him almost out of sight of land, and in the afternoon they had -reached the farther shore of Geographe Bay, near the place where they -had arranged to await the Vigilant. - -They had no water, and suffered horribly from thirst. Through the hot -day which followed, O'Reilly lay on the sand, tortured with blistering -pains and hunger. Maguire brought him food and water at last, and that -night he slept on the boughs. In the afternoon the white sails of the -whaleships were seen and the company put out, but to their amazement -the Vigilant sailed away, never heeding their signals. - -O'Reilly's heart was bitter. The men returned to the shore and resolved -to leave O'Reilly in hiding while they returned home and arranged -for his escape by one of the other whaleships. They left him in the -secluded sand valley, promising to return in a week. - -But O'Reilly could not wait. The next morning he put to sea alone in a -dory, and at night he was on an unknown sea. The next noon he sighted -the Vigilant again, and once more she sailed away. It should be said -that Captain Baker did not see his boat on either of these occasions. - -O'Reilly rowed all night, and in the morning reached the sand hills on -the headland of Geographe Bay once more. Exhausted with fatigue and -anxiety, he cared for nothing but sleep, and this he could have without -stint in the secluded valley. Five days later his friends returned, -having arranged with Captain Gifford of the whaling bark Gazelle of -New Bedford to pick him up. In order to insure the fulfillment of this -agreement, good Father McCabe had paid the captain ten pounds. - -The next morning O'Reilly and his friends once more rowed out toward -the headland. He was leaving Australia forever. Toward noon he was -picked up by bark Clarice and subsequently was transferred aboard the -Gazelle. - -This is only the chief incident, briefly told, of the escape of -O'Reilly. It suggested some years later a means to a more brilliant -accomplishment, for the bravery and ingenuity of the officers of -the New Bedford whaleship in a subsequent event, when an attempt to -secure possession of the escaping prisoner at Roderique made a strong -impression upon O'Reilly. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII - -OTHER ESCAPES AND RESCUES - - -The rescue of the young Irish revolutionist, John Mitchell, was the -first of the series of escapes participated in by Irish patriots. -Mitchell was a talented and brave young man, whose life and history -have been an inspiration to the devotees of Irish freedom. He was -originally a writer upon the "Nation," but its policy was too -conservative for his tastes, and in 1847 he founded a new journal -called "The United Irishman." Mitchell belonged to that section of -"young Ireland" which advocated immediate war with England. He believed -the time was now ripe, and he set about making his paper as obnoxious -to the English government as possible. He was a brilliant writer and an -enthusiast for the revolution. His plan was to force the hand, first -of the English government, then of the Irish people. He deliberately -challenged the government to arrest the leaders of his party. Then he -calculated that the Irish people would rise to defend or rescue their -heroes, and rebellion would be effected. - -For three years he continued his taunting tactics. He wrote in a -strain of fiery sedition, urging the people to prepare for warlike -effort, while he described how to make pikes and use them; how to cast -bullets; and how to make the streets as dangerous for cavalry horses -as Bruce made the field of Bannockburn. Some of the agencies which -were suggested for the use of the people, when they should take up -arms, were almost devilish in their ferocity, such as the employment of -vitriol. At length the government was forced to recognize the violence -of young Mitchell's newspaper attacks, and a measure was framed by the -government to meet the case, enabling it to suppress newspapers like -"United Irishman" and imprison the publishers. Mitchell was defiant -still, and he was arrested. Greatly to his chagrin, no attempt was -made to rescue him. "Had there been another Mitchell out of doors, -as fearless and reckless as the Mitchell in the prison," writes a -historian, "a sanguinary outbreak would probably have taken place." -He was sentenced to expatriation for fourteen years, and was deported -first to Bermuda and then to Australia. Smith O'Brien, Meagher, and -other of the confederate leaders were likewise sent there. - -In 1853 P.J. Smyth, who was known as "Nicaragua," a correspondent of -the "New York Tribune," was commissioned by the Irish Directory of New -York to proceed to Australia and procure the escape of Mitchell and his -political associates. Mitchell was under parole, and his sense of honor -would not permit him to leave without surrendering it. On June 8, 1853, -in company with Smyth, he presented himself to the police magistrate -in Bothwell and surrendered his parole. - -"You see the purport of that note, sir," said he. "It is short and -plain. It resigns the thing called 'ticket of leave' and revokes my -promise, which bound me so long as I held the thing." - -Then they left the magistrate, who was either stupid or afraid to make -an attempt to detain them, and, mounting horses, rode through the -Australian woods until Hobart Town was reached, when they sailed on -the passenger brig Emma to Sydney, and in due time reached the United -States. Meagher soon followed. O'Brien declined to have anything to -do with any plot for escape while he was on parole, and his honorable -conduct was rewarded by a pardon. - -After reaching this country, Mitchell founded a paper advocating -slavery, and championing the Southern cause in the Rebellion. One of -his last acts here was a lecture, the proceeds of which went to swell -the fund which was being raised for the Catalpa expedition. Later -he returned to Ireland, where, owing to some defect in the criminal -law, he could not be arrested, his time of penal servitude having -expired, although he had not served it. He was elected to Parliament -for Tipperary, was disqualified for a seat, and then reëlected. Some -turmoil was expected, when Mitchell was withdrawn from the controversy -by death. - - "Weep for him, Ireland, mother lonely; - Weep for the son who died for thee. - Wayward he was, but he loved thee only, - Loyal and fearless as son could be. - Weep for him, Ireland, sorrowing nation, - Faithful to all who are true to thee; - Never a son in thy desolation - Had holier love for thy cause than he." - -The rescue of Kelly and Deasy at Manchester was daring and successful, -but it was only accomplished by the killing of one man, and three -were subsequently hanged for complicity in the affair. Colonel Kelly -and Captain Deasy, Fenian agents in England, were captured by the -Manchester police on September 11, 1867, and a week afterward were -arraigned at the Manchester police office. Being identified as Fenian -leaders, they were again remanded and placed in the prison van to be -conveyed to the borough jail. They were in charge of Police Sergeant -Charles Brett. When half way to the prison, and just as the van passed -under the railway arch over Hyde Road at Bellevue, a man jumped into -the middle of the road, pointed a pistol at the head of the van-driver -and ordered him to stop. Immediately thirty armed men swarmed over -the wall which lined the road. A shot was fired, and the driver was -so frightened that he fell from his seat. One horse was shot, and the -gallant police escorts scattered and ran for their lives. - -An endeavor was then made to break in the door of the van. It was -locked on the inside, and the key was in the possession of a police -officer named Brett, who sat within. A shot was fired at the key-hole -to blow off the lock, and the unfortunate police officer received a -wound from which he died soon after. The doors were then opened, a -woman prisoner in the van handing out the keys, which she found in -the pocket of the officer. "Kelly, I'll die for you," said one of the -Fenian rescuers. - -He kept his word. - -The prisoners were freed, and were seen to enter a cottage near the -Hyde Road. They left it unfettered, and were never seen after by -English officials. Several men were put on trial for the murder of -Brett, and five were found guilty,--Allen, Larkin, O'Brien, Condon or -Shore, and Maguire. The defense was that the prisoners only meditated -a rescue, and that the death of the policeman was an accident. The -five were sentenced to death, but the newspaper reporters were so -certain that Maguire was not concerned in the affair that they joined -in a memorial to the government, expressing their conviction that the -verdict was a mistake. The government made an investigation, and found -that he was not near the spot on the day of the rescue,--that he was a -loyal private in the Marines, and not a Fenian. He was pardoned, but -not unnaturally the circumstances caused a grave doubt with relation to -the soundness of the verdict in the other cases. - -Strenuous attempts were made to secure a commutation of the sentence. -Mr. Bright was foremost with his exertions, and Mr. Swinburne, the -poet, wrote an appeal for mercy, from which a few verses are quoted:-- - - "Art thou indeed among these, - Thou of the tyrannous crew, - The kingdoms fed upon blood, - O queen from of old of the seas, - England, art thou of them, too, - That drink of the poisonous flood, - That hide under poisonous trees? - - "Nay, thy name from of old, - Mother, was pure, or we dreamed; - Purer we held thee than this, - Purer fain would we hold; - So goodly a glory it seemed, - A fame so bounteous of bliss, - So more precious than gold. - - * * * * * - - "Strangers came gladly to thee, - Exiles, chosen of men, - Safe for thy sake in thy shade, - Sat down at thy feet and were free. - So men spake of thee then; - Now shall their speaking be stayed? - Ah, so let it not be! - - "Not for revenge or affright, - Pride or a tyrannous lust, - Cast from thee the crown of thy praise. - Mercy was thine in thy might, - Strong when thou wert, thou wert just; - Now, in the wrong-doing days, - Cleave thou, thou at least, to the right. - - * * * * * - - "Freeman he is not, but slave, - Whoso in fear for the State - Cries for surety of blood, - Help of gibbet and grave; - Neither is any land great - Whom, in her fear-stricken mood, - These things only can save. - - "Lo, how fair from afar, - Taintless of tyranny, stands - Thy mighty daughter, for years - Who trod the winepress of war; - Shines with immaculate hands; - Slays not a foe, neither fears; - Stains not peace with a scar! - - "Be not as tyrant or slave, - England; be not as these, - Thou that wert other than they. - Stretch out thine hand, but to save; - Put forth thy strength, and release; - Lest there arise, if thou slay, - Thy shame as a ghost from the grave." - -The government refused to listen to the appeals, and Allen, Larkin, and -O'Brien were hanged at Manchester on November 23, 1867, meeting death -with courage and composure, we are told. Shore escaped, since he was -proven to be an American citizen, and the English spared him lest the -protection of the American government might have been invoked in his -behalf. - -One more incident may be added to the chapter of Fenian rescues. This -was the attempt to blow up the House of Detention at Clerkenwell in -December, 1867, where two Fenian prisoners were confined. This affair -was farcical in conception, but its results were cruelly tragic. - -"At the very time that this horrible crime and blunder was -perpetrated," writes a historian, "one of the London theatres was -nightly crowded by spectators eager to see an Irish melodrama, among -the incidents of which was the discussion of a plan for the rescue of -a prisoner from a castle cell. The audience was immensely amused by -the proposal of one confederate to blow up the castle altogether, and -the manner in which it occurred to the simple plotters, just in time, -that if they carried out this plan, they must send the prisoner himself -flying into the air. The Clerkenwell conspirators had either not seen -the popular drama or had missed the point of its broadest joke." - -A barrel of gunpowder was exploded close to the wall. Sixty yards -of the prison wall were blown in, and many small dwellings in the -vicinity were shattered. A dozen persons were killed, one hundred and -twenty were wounded, and there were other serious consequences. Had -the prisoners been near the wall, they would have been killed. Five -men and a woman were put on trial for the crime, but only one man was -convicted. He was found guilty on the evidence of an informer and -executed. It was agreed that the persons who were concerned in this -plot were "of that irresponsible crew who hang on to the skirts of all -secret political associations, and whose adhesion is only one other -reason for regarding such associations as deplorable and baneful. Such -men are of the class who bring a curse, who bring many curses, on even -the best cause that strives to work in secret. They prowl after the -heels of organized conspiracy, and what it will not do they are ready -in some fatal moment to attempt." - -And this brings us back to the last and most important of Irish -national rescue projects. - - - - -CHAPTER IX - -APPEALS FROM AUSTRALIA - - -In 1870 the British government had granted conditional pardon to such -political convicts in Australia as had been civilians at the time of -their offense, but the military prisoners were exempted. Still the -latter were not without hope, as the letter of one of them to O'Reilly, -who had amnestied himself, shows. "It is my birthday as I write this," -ran the letter, "and I know I am turning it to the best account by -writing to such a dear old friend. Who knows? perhaps I may be able -to spend the next one with you. If not, then we will hope for the -following one. At all events, we must not despair." - -The men were not always so calmly hopeful. Sometimes-- - - "There spake in their hearts a hidden voice - Of the blinding joy of a freeman's burst - Through the great dim woods. Then the toil accurst, - The scorching days and the nights in tears, - The riveted rings for years and years, - They weighed them all--they looked before - At the one and other, and spoke them o'er, - And they saw what the heart of man must see, - That the uttermost blessing is liberty." - -And so it happened that Hassett, who was a man of remarkable daring, -"with his eyes on the doom and danger," made his escape from the road -party in April, 1869. He penetrated the bush to the sea, like O'Reilly; -and after eleven months of privation he took refuge on board a ship at -Bunbury. But he had "grasped the flower but to clutch the sting." As he -reached the threshold of freedom he was snatched back. Discovered and -recaptured, he was sentenced to three years of hard labor in the chain -gang at Swan River, with six months' solitary confinement. The first -part of the sentence is not without humor, since Hassett was serving a -life sentence at hard labor when he made his escape, and there was no -terror in the additional three years of servitude. - -Upon the occasion of the Queen's accession to the title of Empress -of India, one hundred and forty members of Parliament, including Mr. -Bright, Mr. Plimsoll, Mr. Mundella, Mr. Fawcett, and many others of the -ablest men of the House, presented a petition for the pardon of the -political prisoners, but it was rejected. - -And so perished the last hope of the friends of the prisoners of -clemency from the government. "Delayed, but nothing altered, more -straining on for plucking back," the friends of the prisoners, with an -audacity which must be admired, determined then that they should be -freed in spite of the government. - -From time to time appeals had been sent forth from the prisoners in -Australia to their friends at home and in America. Martin Hogan had -written to Peter Curran in 1872, having seen Curran's name in a letter -written by O'Donovan Rossa to the Dublin "Irishman." A copy of this -paper had been smuggled into the prison, and suggested the appeal to -America. - -Then James Wilson wrote to John Devoy in New York, sketching a plan -of action, and his appeal stirred the devoted man to a final gigantic -effort. Devoy sent back the cheering response that steps were being -taken for the execution of the plan. - -After a conference with John Kenneally and James McCarthy Finnell, -prisoners who had been released, Mr. Devoy presented the matter to the -Clan-na-Gael convention at Baltimore in 1874, and John Devoy and John -W. Goff, the latter of whom is now the recorder of the New York courts, -James Reynolds of New Haven, and Patrick Mahon and John C. Talbot were -appointed a committee to carry out the project. - -Devoy, Reynolds, and Goff were the most active, and, without definitely -revealing their plans, such was the confidence of the Irish people in -them that they were not long in securing a fund of $20,000. This was -not accomplished, however, without the sacrifice of business, health, -and money, on the part of the men most active. Sympathizing miners in -New Zealand were stirred by John King, an ex-prisoner, to contribute -$4,000, and two agents of the revolutionary party in Ireland, Denis F. -McCarthy of Cork and John Walsh of Durham, England, brought $5,000 and -their personal aid. - -John J. Breslin, a brave man who assisted James Stephens, the head -centre of the Fenian movement, to escape from the jaws of death -in 1865, and of whom I shall have much more to say presently, was -assigned the dangerous rôle of active agent, with Thomas Desmond of -San Francisco as an associate. They were to go to Australia and place -themselves in communication with the prisoners. - -Finally a vessel was to be fitted out for Australia, manned by men -fearless of consequences, to rescue the life prisoners from their -captivity. - -It was here that Mr. O'Reilly made a valuable suggestion to Devoy, -that a whaling vessel should be sent. Such a vessel might sail on an -ostensible whaling voyage and avert the suspicion with which another -ship cruising in the waters of Western Australia might be received. The -suggestion was at once accepted as an inspiration. - - - - -CHAPTER X - -THE PLOT - - -While the fact that O'Reilly was rescued by a whaleship was the direct -cause of the determination to send a vessel representative of New -Bedford's victorious industry, there were other reasons which commended -the selection. - -Men who engaged in this perilous mode of hardy enterprise must -necessarily be persevering and brave. Perhaps the originators of the -enterprise remembered that it was a whaleship bearing the name of -Bedford which was the first vessel to display the flag of the United -States in British waters, and that in 1783, when the countries were at -war. - -Barnard's "History of England," a rare book, recites that "the ship -Bedford, Captain Moores, belonging to the Massachusetts, arrived in -the Downs on the 3rd of February, passed Gravesend on the 3rd, and was -reported at the Custom House on the 6th instant. She was not allowed -regular entry until some consultation had taken place between the -commissioners of the customs and the lords of council, on account of -the many acts of parliament in force against the rebels of America. -She is loaded with 487 butts of whale oil, is American built, manned -wholly by American seamen, and wears the rebel colors. This is the -first vessel which has displayed the thirteen rebellious stripes of -America in any British port. The vessel is at Horseledour, a little -below the Tower, and is intended to return immediately to New England." - -The New Bedford whaleman has ever been a type of enterprise and daring, -but the commission which these Irish patriots proposed, of challenging -the British navy with a whaleship and snatching a half dozen men from -the jaws of the British lion, was a supreme test of pluck. - -When it was decided to fit out a whaleship, O'Reilly directed Devoy -and his friends to consult with Captain Henry C. Hathaway in New -Bedford. At the time of his rescue, Captain Hathaway was the third -mate of the Gazelle, and O'Reilly occupied a stateroom with him. A -strong attachment had grown up between them, which was strengthened -when Hathaway saved O'Reilly from drowning during a fight with an -ugly whale, in which O'Reilly's love of excitement had led him to -participate. - -Captain Hathaway was at this time captain of the night police force in -New Bedford. He entered into the plans with interest, and told Devoy -that the commander whom he needed to carry the expedition to success -was Captain George S. Anthony. John T. Richardson, the father-in-law -of Captain Anthony, was a whaling agent, and the proposition was -first broached to him, and he agreed to arrange an interview for the -Clan-na-Gael committee with Anthony. - -Captain Anthony was a New Bedford boy, and pledged his life to the -sea at the age of fifteen. He had been a successful whaleman, and his -faithfulness had been demonstrated in a service of ten years in one -ship, of which Jonathan Bourne was the agent. - -But the captain had recently married, and had concluded to abandon the -longboat forever. He was given a position at the Morse Twist Drill -Works, where he was employed in February, 1875, when Devoy and his -friends first went to New Bedford. - -But a sailor is never long contented ashore, and Anthony was growing -restless. Mr. Bourne was inclined to make light of his resolution to -become a mechanic, and constantly dropped in upon him at the shop with -tempting offers to return to his service, until the foreman suggested -to Mr. Bourne that he should "let Anthony alone." Then Mr. Bourne -slapped the stout sailor on the back and said, "Well, Anthony, I'll -let you alone. But remember and let me know when you are ready to go -whaling again." - -Mr. Bourne's experience had taught him something. He had detected the -restlessness of Anthony, who acknowledged that he was out of place in -a machine-shop, and he knew that one day he would come to his office, -prepared to sign shipping papers. - -A few days later Anthony met Mr. Richardson and said to him: "I'm -tired of this. Go down and see Mr. Bourne and ask him if he will let me -have a ship." - -"Wait a few days; I have something better for you," said Mr. -Richardson. Two days before he had met Devoy and his comrades, and he -was then carrying their secret about with him. - -The next morning Mr. Richardson again met the captain: "Come to the -store this evening," said he; "there will be two or three men there -whom I wish you to meet." - -At about eight o'clock Anthony presented himself at Richardson's. The -store of the latter was at 18 South Water Street. It was an outfitters' -establishment, with a stock of such clothing as is to be found in the -slop chest of the sailor in the front of the store, while there was an -open space at the rear filled with chairs. - -About a big stove sat a number of men, several of whom were strangers -to Anthony. He remembered that he had seen them about Richardson's -place for several days, and had once been on the point of inquiring -who they were. Captain Hathaway was one of the men in the group whom -he knew, and it may be said that Mr. Devoy, Mr. Goff, and Mr. Reynolds -were also present. - -"It's just as well to sit in the dark," said one, and the lights were -at once put out, which seemed to Anthony a rather singular proceeding. - -Then he was introduced to the men, but their names were unfamiliar -to him at that time. Captain Anthony was less a stranger to the men -whom he met. They had made a study of him for several days before they -decided to intrust him with the secret and the enterprise which was -nearest their hearts, and they had now decided that he would do. - -The man who stood in the lamplight for a minute before the flame was -extinguished was of athletic build, with black hair, and eyes which -were so black, bright, and alert that they were the conspicuous feature -of the face. The brilliant color in the captain's cheek indicated -vigorous good health. - -Then John Devoy, whom Captain Anthony had carelessly noticed was a -short man with full black whiskers, unfolded the plan of the proposed -rescue of the Fenian prisoners to the astonished captain. - - - - -CHAPTER XI - -THE VESSEL AND THE START - - -It was an ideal conspiracy, you see, the plans being made under the -cover of darkness. Mr. Devoy was a brilliant talker, and he knew his -subject well. He hurried over the story of the revolution in which the -men were engaged, making prominent the fact that his friends who had -been transported to Western Australia were not criminals. - -Then he sketched the plan of rescue. In his enthusiasm it probably -seemed the easy task to Devoy which he represented it to be. His -friends would provide a whaleship, fitted for sea. Captain Anthony -was to sail as soon as possible, and beyond keeping up a pretense of -whaling, his part would merely be to show his vessel off the coast of -Australia on a certain date. There he would be hailed by a company of -men in a boat. He would take them aboard and sail for home. The shore -end of the escape would be managed by others. - -Captain Anthony asked for time in which to consider the proposition, -and he was given one day. Meanwhile he was pledged never to speak of -the plan, not even to Mrs. Anthony, whether or not he accepted the -commission. The captain did some hard thinking that night, and the next -evening, when he again met the committee at Richardson's, he told them -he would go. They expressed their gratification, gave authority to Mr. -Richardson and Captain Anthony to select a suitable vessel, and left -the city, well satisfied with their selection of a commander. - -I have always suspected that Devoy and his friends must have aroused -the sympathy of Captain Anthony and awakened within him a personal -interest in the men whose zeal for patriotism had placed them in -an unfortunate position. A promise that he would be well paid was -certainly inadequate to the weary voyage, the risk, and the sacrifice -he must make in leaving his family. Captain Anthony had been married -but a year, and there was a baby daughter but a few months old. His -mother was ill, and had not the spirit which dominated Devoy appealed -to him, there can be no satisfactory explanation of his assumption of -the trust. - -Mr. Richardson and Captain Anthony now commenced their search for a -vessel. They looked at the Jeannette, a New Bedford whaler, the Sea -Gull, a Boston clipper and fast, but in need of expensive repairs, and -the Addison, formerly a whaleship, but at that time a packet running -on the route between Boston and Fayal. None were regarded as entirely -suitable. - -At last they heard of the Catalpa. She was formerly a whaleship sailing -out of New Bedford, but had been placed in the merchant service. She -had just returned with a cargo of logwood from the West Indies and -was for sale. Captain Anthony and Mr. Richardson went to East Boston, -where she lay. They were satisfied with her, and, finding she could -be bought cheaply, communicated with the committee, which authorized -her purchase. She was bought on March 13, 1875, and the price paid was -$5,500. - -The Catalpa was a vessel of 202.05 tons net, 90 feet in length, 25 feet -in breadth, with a depth of 12.2 feet. She was rigged as a merchant -bark, with double topsails, a poop deck, and cabin half above decks. -Her main deck was roomy and she had an open hold, there being nothing -between decks excepting her beams. The house and galley were on deck, -merchant fashion; altogether she seemed a stanch vessel. The bark was -brought around to New Bedford and the fitting commenced at City Wharf -under Captain Anthony's direction. - -Davits and whaleboat gear were rigged, a forecastle was built for the -sailors, a half deck put in, sail and rigging pens built on one side -and a steerage on the other. Then it was discovered that the riding -keelson was rotten, and John W. Howland, who was in charge of the -repairs, performed a mechanical feat never before attempted. The foot -of the mainmast rests upon this part of the vessel, yet a new piece was -put in with such skill that the rigging did not settle throughout the -voyage. - -The bark was provided with a forward and after cabin. Two rooms on the -starboard side were knocked into one for the use of the captain, the -mate's room was on the port side, opposite, and the second and third -mates were furnished accommodations in the forward cabin. - -The vessel was fitted ostensibly for a whaling voyage of eighteen -months or two years in the North and South Atlantic. Captain Anthony -was given supreme authority in the arrangement of the vessel and in -securing the fittings, and gave his personal attention to the stowing -of the ship. - -On the day of sailing, the vessel and outfit had cost the Clan-na-Gael -committee $18,000. The vessel stood in the name of James Reynolds of -New Haven, a fact which aroused considerable curiosity among the New -Bedford whaling agents, since he was a newcomer in the field which they -had regarded as a monopoly. - -The conspirators made but one request with relation to the crew. They -wished to have one of their number accompany the vessel, and Dennis -Duggan was selected. He was shipped as carpenter. Otherwise the -responsibility was placed with Captain Anthony, and it was a difficult -task, requiring no little discretion and knowledge of the character of -men. - -He made a wise choice, it will be seen later, in the selection of -Samuel P. Smith of Edgartown as first mate. The crew was purposely made -up largely of Kanakas, Malays, and Africans, since they were likely -to be less suspicious than other sailors and could better endure the -climate of the southern seas. - -The shipping articles described the crew as finally made up as follows. -The names of some of the men were invented and bestowed upon them by -the shipping agents. - -------------------+--------------------+--------------+----------------+ - | | Place of |Of what Country | - Name. | Place of Birth. | Residence. | Citizen, or | - | | | Subject. | -------------------+--------------------+--------------+----------------+ -Samuel P. Smith. | Edgartown. | Edgartown. | United States. | -Antone Farnham. | Brava. | New Bedford. | Brava. | -George H. Bolles. | New Bedford. | New Bedford. | United States. | -Caleb Cushing. | Harwich. | New Bedford. | United States. | -Mopsy Roso. | Malay. | New Bedford. | Malay. | -John Roso. | Malay. | New Bedford. | Malay. | -Walter E. Sanford.| N. Bridgewater. | Raynham. | United States. | -Cyrus S. Hill. | N. Woodstock, N.H.| Exeter, N.H. | United States. | -Antone Ferris. | Cape de Verde Is. | New Bedford. | Cape de Verde. | -Henry D. Paine. | Woodstock, Vt. | Woodstock. | United States. | -John Coeking. | New Britain, Conn.| New Britain. | United States. | -Edmund F. Gleason.| Candia. | | United States. | -Robert Kanaka. | Hope Island. | New Bedford. | Hope Island. | -Mike Malay. | Malay. | New Bedford. | Malay. | -Zempa Malay. | Malay. | New Bedford. | Malay. | -Lumbard Malay. | Malay. | New Bedford. | Malay. | -Gingy Malay. | Malay. | New Bedford. | Malay. | -Henry Parrott. | St. Helena. | New Bedford. | St. Helena. | -Thomas F. Knipe. | St. Helena. | New Bedford. | St. Helena. | -Thomas Kanaka. | Hope Island. | New Bedford. | Hope Island. | -Robert Ceil. | St. Helena. | New Bedford. | St. Helena. | -Joseph Rosmond. | St. Lucia, W.I. | New Bedford. | St. Lucia. | -Dennis Duggan. | New York. | | | -------------------+--------------------+--------------+----------------+ -------------------+-----+--------+------------+-------+-------+ - | | | | | | - Name. | Age.| Height.| Complexion.| Hair. | Eyes. | - | | | | | | -------------------+-----+--------+------------+-------+-------+ -Samuel P. Smith. | 29 | 5.11 | Sandy. | Brown.| Gray. | -Antone Farnham. | 43 | 5.11 | Dark. | Black.| Black.| -George H. Bolles. | 24 | 5.6 | Sandy. | Brown.| Black.| -Caleb Cushing. | 23 | 5.1 | Sandy. | Brown.| Black.| -Mopsy Roso. | 21 | 5.5 | Dark. | Black.| Black.| -John Roso. | 30 | 5.4 | Dark. | Black.| Black.| -Walter E. Sanford.| 19 | 6 | Light. | Light.| Blue. | -Cyrus S. Hill. | 21 | 5.10 | Dark. | Black.| Brown.| -Antone Ferris. | 50 | 5.8 | Dark. | Gray. | Black.| -Henry D. Paine. | 17 | 5.9 | Light. | Light.| Blue. | -John Coeking. | 27 | 5.3 | Light. | Light.| Blue. | -Edmund F. Gleason.| 30 | 5.2 | Dark. | Black.| Black.| -Robert Kanaka. | 22 | 5.7 | Black. | Black.| Black.| -Mike Malay. | 21 | 5.3 | Black. | Black.| Black.| -Zempa Malay. | 21 | 5.2 | Black. | Black.| Black.| -Lumbard Malay. | 21 | 5.3 | Black. | Black.| Black.| -Gingy Malay. | 21 | 5.4 | Black. | Black.| Black.| -Henry Parrott. | 22 | 5.6 | Black. | Black.| Black.| -Thomas F. Knipe. | 22 | 5.9 | Black. | Black.| Black.| -Thomas Kanaka. | 28 | 5.7 | Black. | Black.| Black.| -Robert Ceil. | 18 | 5.6 | Dark. | Black.| Gray. | -Joseph Rosmond. | 21 | 5.8 | Black. | Black.| Black.| -Dennis Duggan. | 30 | 5.9 | Light. | Light.| Blue. | -------------------+-----+--------+------------+-------+-------+ - - New Bedford, April 29, 1875. - -Although the suspicions of nobody had been aroused in any quarter which -would lead to anxiety, the shipping agents were very persistent in -their inquiries about the destination of the ship. - -"Captain Anthony is going where he has a mind and will stay as long -as he pleases," was Mr. Richardson's invariable reply to those who -questioned him. - -The bark was now ready for sea, and Devoy, who was at this time night -editor of the "New York Herald," went to New Bedford to give Captain -Anthony his final instructions. - -"You will cruise until fall, about six months, in the North Atlantic," -were Devoy's orders. "Then you are to put in at Fayal, ship home any -oil which you may have taken, and sail at once for Australia, where -we expect you to arrive early in the spring of 1876. You are to go to -Bunbury, on the west coast, and there communications will be opened up -with you from our Australian agent." - -The serious illness of Captain Anthony's mother delayed his departure -for two days. Devoy remained over, and at nine o'clock on Thursday -morning, April 29, 1875, he waved his handkerchief in farewell to -Captain Anthony as he rowed away from the dock to board the Catalpa. - -Although a large company of his friends had made up a party to -accompany the captain down the bay, he could not trust himself to bring -his wife. He had said good-by to his wife and baby at home. - -[Illustration: THE CATALPA OUTWARD BOUND] - -This was the first anniversary of Captain Anthony's wedding, and -among those who were on the bark was Rev. O.A. Roberts, the clergyman -who had officiated at the marriage. Mr. Roberts was curious to see a -chronometer, and after the vessel was under way he examined it and -asked about its winding. Captain Anthony's attention thus being called -to it, he learned that he was bound to sea without a key for his -chronometer. Fortunately a mechanic named Arnett was on the vessel, and -he bored and filed an old clock key to fit the chronometer, and it was -wound. This was only the commencement of trouble with the chronometer, -which continued throughout the voyage. - -Late in the afternoon, off Cuttyhunk, the friends on shore left the -Catalpa. During the remainder of that day Captain Anthony was in the -depths of despondency. While in the companionship of Devoy and the -conspirators he had imbibed the enthusiasm and spirit of the affair. -But now he was alone with the responsibility. There was not an officer -with whom he could share his secret. With a hulk of a whaleship he was -defying the mightiest naval power on earth. - -In the evening half a gale was blowing and the bark was plunging -drearily in heavy seas, under short sail. The captain thought of his -wife, his child, and his mother sick at home, and he thought of the -task he had assumed to accomplish in the convict land of Australia. -There was gloom within the little cabin that evening, as well as -without. - - - - -CHAPTER XII - -WHALING - - -But the heart-heaviness did not last long. If Captain Anthony had -not been a man of exceptional pluck, he would not have been bound to -Australia in the Catalpa. The first days of a voyage are busy. The -crew is called aft, watches are told off, and boats' crews selected. -The regulations to be observed on shipboard are read, and the master -gives general instructions to be obeyed during the voyage. Then, if the -weather permits, the boats are lowered and the green hands are taught -their places and the handling of their oars. - -Perhaps the reader will be interested in the first entry in the -log-book of the voyage which was to become famous. It is prosaic -enough:-- - - Remarks on Board Bark Catalpa, Captain Anthony, - Outward Bound, Thursday, Apr. 29th, 1875. - - This day commences with light breezes from the S.E. and clear weather. - At 9 A.M. took our anchors and stood to sea. At 11.30 the captain came - on board with officers. Crew all on board. - -For several days thereafter all hands were busily employed in getting -the vessel ready for whaling. Captain Anthony did not enter into the -preparations with the spirit which might have been expected under -different circumstances, possibly, but the work afforded relief from -the routine. - -The chronometer once more intruded itself upon the captain's troubled -mind. After taking a number of sights and making a computation by -it, the result showed the vessel to be in the interior of New York -State. The hammering and pounding which the instrument had undergone -in the process of fitting the key had changed the rate. The captain -and the mate corrected it, but when three days out a German bark was -signaled and it was found that there was a difference of forty miles in -longitude between the navigators. The chronometer was never reliable -thereafter, and the captain was never certain of his position. - -Violent, rugged weather was now encountered. The first whale was raised -on the afternoon of May 3, but it was going quickly to windward and -there was no chance to lower the boats. The next day at five P.M., when -on the southern edge of the Gulf, a school of whales was sighted and -the vessel was luffed to the wind; but again the whales were going so -fast that it was useless to lower. On May 5 another school of whales -was sighted on the lee quarter and the captain wore ship to head them -off. A heavy squall arose, with rain, and under two lower topsails the -bark dashed along, but the whales were elusive. All the next day the -chase continued, and one small whale was taken. - -The whale was taken alongside. At 5.30 the work of cutting commenced -and it was finished at eight in the evening. The great pieces of -blubber are hauled over the main hatch and minced into fine pieces, -called "horse pieces." Then the boiling commences. Water is turned into -caboose pens, or jogs along the deck, to prevent the woodwork catching -fire from the try works. The casks containing provisions, towlines, and -sails are emptied, cleansed, and swabbed clean. The hot oil is then -poured in and the casks are lashed to the rail on the ship's side to -cool before being stored below. - -This whale was a very small one and made but about twenty barrels of -oil. It may not be uninteresting to give the reader some idea of the -size of the right whale, which is the largest of whales. Captain Davis, -a veteran whaleman, has made a comparison of the various parts with -familiar objects, which is here quoted: "The blubber, or blanket, of a -large right whale would carpet a room twenty-two yards long and nine -yards wide, averaging half a yard in thickness. Set up a saw-log two -feet in diameter and twenty feet in length for the ridgepole of the -room we propose to build; then raise it in the air fifteen feet, and -support it with pieces of timber seventeen feet long, spread, say, nine -feet. This will make a room nine feet wide at the bottom, two feet -wide at the peak, and twenty feet long, and will convey an idea of the -upper jaw, the saw-log and slanting supports representing the bone. -These walls of bone are clasped by the white blubbery lips, which at -the bottom are four feet thick, tapering to a blunt edge, where they -fit into a rebate sunk in the upper jaw. The throat is four feet, and -is mainly blubber, interpenetrated by fibrous, muscular flesh. The -lips and throat of a two-hundred-and-fifty-barrel whale should yield -sixty barrels of oil, and, with the supporting jaw-bones, will weigh as -much as twenty-five oxen of one thousand pounds each. Attached to the -throat by a broad base is the enormous tongue, the size of which can -be better conceived by the fact that twenty-five barrels of oil have -been taken from one. Such a tongue would equal in weight ten oxen. The -tail of such a whale is about twenty-five feet broad and six feet deep, -and is considerably more forked than that of the spermaceti. The point -of juncture with the body is about four feet in diameter, the vertebra -about fifteen inches, the remainder of the small being packed with -rope-like tendons from the size of a finger to that of a man's leg. -The great rounded joint at the base of the skull gleams like an ivory -sphere, nearly as large round as a carriage wheel. Through the greatest -blood-vessels, more than a foot in diameter, surges, at each pulsation -of a heart as large as a hogshead, a torrent of barrels of blood heated -to one hundred and four degrees. The respiratory canal is over twelve -inches in diameter, through which the rush of air is as noisy as the -exhaust-pipe of a thousand-horse-power steam engine; and when the fatal -wound is given, torrents of clotted blood are spattered into the air -over the nauseated hunters. In conclusion, the right whale has an eye -scarcely larger than a cow's, and an ear that would scarcely admit a -knitting-needle." - -On May 12 the Catalpa had reached the "Western Ground," and two whales -were killed. It was nearly midnight before they were taken alongside. - -On May 30, in lat. 37° 3´ north, long. 57° 50´ west, a brig in distress -was raised to leeward, dismasted and flying signals. She proved to be -the brig Florence Annapolis, forty-nine days from Liverpool, bound to -Nova Scotia with a cargo of salt. Water and provisions were gone and -the crew was on the verge of starvation. When the mast went by the -board, one of the crew had his leg broken and two others were injured. -Captain Anthony supplied the vessel with water and small stores, -and his crew assisted in rigging up two sails, with which the brig -ultimately reached port in safety. - -Late on the afternoon of June 13 the first whale seen for a month was -sighted. It was a smoky day, with a fresh breeze from the south. Mr. -Smith, the mate, was in charge of one of the boats, which was lowered. -The boatsteerer had thrown the iron, and Mr. Smith had taken his -position at the head of the boat with the lance for the fatal stroke, -when he was knocked overboard by the whale and severely cut about the -head. He was pulled in by the crew, and crawled on his hands and knees -to the head of the boat once more, where he killed the whale and fell -back in a faint. Smith was brought aboard the bark, badly injured, and -the whale was alongside at one A.M. The next morning Mr. Smith insisted -upon attending to his duties and assisted in directing the cutting-in, -although he was very weak from the loss of blood from the cuts on his -head and neck. This little incident indicated to Captain Anthony that -he had made no mistake in selecting Mr. Smith, and he felt sure that -when the supreme test came he would have at least one man behind him -upon whom he could rely to the uttermost. - -From that date until August nothing of particular interest occurred. -Icebergs were seen in July, and the Kanaka boatsteerer died and was -buried at sea, the service being read by Captain Anthony. - -Late in August the Catalpa fell in with the bark General Scott, Captain -Bobbins, and "gammed," with her. The word "gammed" is the whaling -vernacular for keeping company. On the morning of the 27th a flat calm -prevailed, when a large sperm whale was raised close to the ship. Three -boats were lowered and this attracted the attention of the captain of -the General Scott, who ordered his men to the boats. The fact that the -whale spouted seventy times each time it came up indicated that it was -of good size. Then the whale sounded and was down forty minutes. The -boats from both ships were now in ardent chase, but when the whale came -up he was nearer the Scott's boats. So the officers shouted and agreed -to "mate," or divide the whale. Mr. Smith of the Catalpa struck the -whale, and all joined in the killing. Then, as the General Scott was so -much larger than the Catalpa, the whale was taken alongside that vessel -for boiling. It is a rule among whalemen that when two ships are mated, -if either takes a whale before the first has been boiled, the ships -again divide. So while the General Scott was trying out, the Catalpa -cruised away, captured another whale, and at six o'clock the same night -had it alongside. This latter whale was small, making about forty-five -barrels, which was divided. The larger whale "stowed down" 130 barrels. - -On September 5 the Catalpa gammed with the bark Draco, Captain Peakes. -Captain Anthony had sailed in the Draco for ten years of his life, -and Captain Peakes was an old friend. On the 19th the Catalpa raised -sperm whales and secured two. On October 14 Flores was sighted, and the -captain now learned that through the fault of his chronometer he was -120 miles out of his "reckoning." - -Captain Peakes suggested to Captain Anthony that before going in he -should catch up a deckload of albicores, which abounded, and as they -are a choice edible he could trade them off in the town for potatoes. -The albicores follow ships in this locality, and were all about the -vessel, breaching for flying-fish and squid. So with white rag for -bait, the crew caught half a hundred fish weighing forty or fifty -pounds each. - -Captain Anthony landed in his small boat and was at once placed under -arrest by the custom-house authorities for smuggling. The fish, it -seems, were regarded as a product of the American fisheries, and could -not be landed without paying a duty. Moreover, Captain Anthony was -informed that they were worthless. So he gave them away to a man on -the dock, but this made no difference to the customs authorities, who -insisted that they must be returned to the vessel or pay the duty. The -captain ordered a native to take them back to the ship or do anything -he liked with the fish. He rowed around a point and landed the fish, -but the island officials, having demonstrated their authority, released -Captain Anthony from arrest. - -The potatoes were placed aboard the vessel, when a heavy gale sprang -up. Captain Anthony was ready to sail, but he had left his bill of -health ashore, and he was forced to lay off and on in terrible weather -before he could get back once more. - -On October 20 the Catalpa left the island for Fayal, and several days -later, in a gale of wind, the vessel was worked up between Pico and -Fayal and anchored off the town. The vessel had 210 barrels of sperm -oil aboard, and for several days the crew was employed in breaking out -the cargo and landing it to be shipped home. Then the casks of bread -and flour were recoopered and the watches were given liberty on shore. -Here the captain was rejoiced at getting letters from, his family and a -photograph of his daughter. - -Most of the crew, including third mate Bolles, one of the boatsteerers, -and nearly all of the foremast hands, deserted, and three sailors who -were sick were discharged. A runner agreed to furnish men, but it was -necessary for them to be smuggled aboard the ship, since they had no -passports. They were picked up by the Catalpa's boats under shadow of -the fort, and, although hailed by the guard-boat, they were successful -in reaching the vessel. One or two of the men who ran away were -captured, and a crew was once more patched up. - -The chronometer again claimed attention. Although the captain had had -it adjusted at Flores, in the short run to Fayal he found himself sixty -miles out of the way in his reckoning. Here he met Captain Crapo of the -bark Ospray, who had three chronometers, including one which had been -in the bark Cornelia, condemned on the Pacific coast. Captain Anthony -bought this for $110 and experienced much satisfaction in the belief -that he now had an instrument which he could trust. - -These were busy days for the captain, for aside from the trouble with -the crew, the fierce weather on the Western Ground had used up rigging -and canvas, and he was compelled to buy a new outfit. - -On the sixth of November Captain Anthony made a hurried departure from -Fayal. - - - - -CHAPTER XIII - -A HURRIED DEPARTURE - - -The cause of the haste in leaving the island was a letter which Dennis -Duggan, the ship's carpenter, received from Thomas Brennan. - -Duggan, it will be remembered, was the only Irishman on the Catalpa, -since the leaders had agreed that the presence of a number might arouse -the suspicion of the British authorities when Australia was reached. -Brennan had been very urgent in his appeals to accompany the expedition -when it left America, but permission was refused. He declined to accept -the rebuff, however, and he determined to stow away on the vessel -before she sailed, but arrived at New Bedford a day too late. - -Nothing daunted, he shipped on a little schooner sailing for St. -Michael's, planning to join the Catalpa at Fayal. The letter which -Duggan received announced that Brennan had taken passage on a steamer -from St. Michael's which was due to arrive the following day. - -Captain Anthony and Duggan had agreed never to converse on the subject, -lest the suspicions of the officers might be excited; but the carpenter -promptly carried the letter to the captain. - -"I think we have all the crew we need at present," remarked Captain -Anthony. "Mr. Brennan may get left." - -He hastened to the custom-house, cleared his vessel for Teneriffe in -the Canary Islands, and at 5.30 o'clock in the afternoon, in a drizzle -of rain and a fresh breeze from the southwest, the moorings were -slipped and the Catalpa was working out to windward between Pico and -Fayal. - -As the vessel was heading out through the islands the next morning, the -steamer on which Brennan was a passenger was seen at a distance, going -in to Fayal and the captain bestowed a grim smile upon Duggan. Brennan -saw the ship likewise, but it will be seen that he did not falter in -his purpose to join the Catalpa. - -And now a crisis had come in the affairs of the expedition. Captain -Anthony knew that the deception could not be kept much longer from -his chief mate, Mr. Smith, and had planned for many months to make a -confidant of him on the voyage from Fayal to Teneriffe. - -Thus far the vessel had proceeded according to the plans announced -before starting. During the period which had elapsed, the Catalpa had -pursued whaling with good success, but, as the reader knows, this -avocation was only a cloak to the true purpose of the voyage. - -During the hard labor of the months which had passed, Captain Anthony -had never forgotten for an instant the desperate work which was before -him. He thought of it by day and dreamed of it by night, yet he must -continually be on the guard to keep his plans from his comrades in the -cabin. - -He had explained as a reason for going to Teneriffe, that he -contemplated whaling about the river Platte, and proposed to stop there -for water. The water at Fayal was taken from wells near the shore and -was brackish, while that at Teneriffe is much sought after by whalers. - -So far there was nothing to arouse a question upon the part of the -chief officer. But after Teneriffe there was to be the long and dreary -voyage around the Cape of Good Hope and across the Indian Ocean, with -no pretense of whaling. The officer must be admitted into the secret -before Teneriffe was reached. If he refused to assist the enterprise -he must be landed there. He might very properly be indignant at being -inveigled into such a voyage and give away the plan. - -Captain Anthony had decided that of all men Smith the mate was -an officer among a thousand for such work. He was bold and -adventure-loving. But his very impetuosity was dreaded by the captain -in the interview which was to come; for whereas he might accept a -part in the programme with enthusiasm, he was perhaps as likely to be -enraged at the deception practiced upon him. - -It was therefore with many misgivings that Captain Anthony asked him -into the cabin one pleasant evening, when the vessel was a few days out -from Fayal. Mr. Smith seemed to be in exceptionally good spirits, and -it was an opportunity which the captain had awaited for some time. The -doors were closed, and at Anthony's invitation Smith sat down. - -It is not the fashion of sailors to make long stories, and Captain -Anthony was as blunt and brief as if he were instructing his mate to -put more sail on the ship. - -"Mr. Smith, you shipped to go whaling," commenced the captain. "I want -to say to you now, before we get to Teneriffe, that the Catalpa has -done about all the whaling she will do this fall. We're bound to the -western coast of Australia to try and liberate six Fenian prisoners who -are serving a life sentence in Great Britain's penal colony. This ship -was bought for that purpose and fitted for that purpose, and you have -been utterly deceived in the object of this voyage. You have a right -to be indignant and leave the vessel at Teneriffe. You will have the -opportunity when we arrive there, and if you go I can't blame you. - -"But this ship is going to Australia, if I live, and I hope you will -stay by me and go with me. God knows I need you, and I give you my word -I will stand by you as never one man stood by another, if you will say -you will remain in the ship and assist me in carrying out the plans." - -[Illustration: SAMUEL P. SMITH - -First Mate of the Catalpa] - -Mr. Smith's face, at this announcement, was a picture of surprise which -the captain will never forget. After a moment, the mate asked a few -questions about the prisoners to be rescued, the plan, and the men -behind it, and Captain Anthony assured him that if any trouble came he -would exonerate him completely from the conspiracy and would proclaim -that he shipped to go whaling. Then Mr. Smith sat silent for a few -minutes. - -The reply which came is not the polite language of the parlor, but it -was very satisfactory to Captain Anthony, and was couched in language -which could not have been made more expressive of Mr. Smith's purpose. -He arose and took the captain by the hand. - -"Captain Anthony," said he, "I'll stick by you in this ship if she goes -to hell and burns off her jibboom." - -This undoubtedly struck the captain at that moment as the quintessence -of eloquence, and you may be sure the hand of Mr. Smith, which was -placed in his, was shaken with a heartiness which told the story of his -joy. - -The two men talked long together. Smith had wondered at the interest of -the strange men, Devoy and Reynolds, who had visited the ship during -her fitting, and he never had been able to understand how it was -expected the vessel could go to the River Platte and return in eighteen -months; but otherwise his curiosity had never led him to suspect that -he was not in the entire confidence of the captain. Captain Anthony was -in a happier frame of mind when he went to his stateroom than he had -experienced for many months. - - - - -CHAPTER XIV - -AN AWKWARD MEETING - - -The peak of Teneriffe, 12,182 feet high, can be seen ninety miles on a -clear day. Captain Anthony had seen it as far by accurate observation. -Trusting in the correctness of his new chronometer, he expected to -raise the land dead ahead. He was therefore surprised, one afternoon, -when he raised the peak sixty or seventy miles on his weather quarter. -Captain Anthony ordered the vessel hauled sharp by the wind, and by a -fortunate change was able to head up so that he arrived off the port -the following evening, November 20. The new chronometer was no longer -to be implicitly trusted. - -The bark was at once boarded by the custom-house officials, who wished -to see the bill of health. Captain Anthony passed out the health papers -certified to by the Spanish consul. There had been so many changes in -the crew at Fayal and the start was made so hurriedly that the number -of men was erroneously given as twenty-five. The officials ordered -the captain to call all hands to the rail, which was done, and only -twenty-two men were mustered. Then the captain was asked to account for -the other three men, but was unable to do so, and he was asked if he -had not made way with them, which he, of course, strenuously denied. - -Then the officer demanded the log-book, ship's papers, crew lists, -and certificates of discharges and desertions, and, failing to find -any accounting for the three men, announced that he should detain -the vessel until an explanation was forthcoming. But after profuse -apologies and explanations on the part of the captain, the officer -finally agreed to permit the vessel to enter. - -Captain Anthony went ashore, saw the consul, and made arrangements -for taking water aboard. He dared not give the crew shore liberty, -lest they might run away. The consul advised him to ship the men taken -aboard at Fayal regularly, but as the men might refuse to return if -they landed at Teneriffe, on the ground that they did not belong to -the vessel, he consented to go aboard the Catalpa, and the men were -accordingly shipped aboard the bark. - -An American schooner from New Haven was in port, and Captain Anthony -took his chronometer aboard. For three days he was engaged in taking -sights and fixing the rate, which had been given incorrectly, he found. -Captain Anthony was now bound across the Indian Ocean, and as he knew -that this was the last land he would see for many weeks or months, he -was very particular about the work. - -A quantity of lumber, boards and joist, were taken aboard here, to -build quarters for the guests whom the captain expected to take aboard -at Australia. The explanation was vouchsafed to the crew that the big -spruce boards and joist were for mending the boats; but notwithstanding -the absurdity, it was perfectly satisfactory to the men. The captain -had drawn $1,000 on the owners at Fayal for refitting, and he spent -$300 additional at Teneriffe. - -On November 25 the Catalpa sailed from Teneriffe, clearing for "River -La Platte and other places." The vessel was now in ship-shape order, -and was bound for Australia as straight as she could be sent. - -Still the deception of whaling must be kept up with the crew, and a man -was always kept on the lookout at masthead. For several weeks light -breezes prevailed, and nothing occurred to break the monotony. On -December 19 three small whales were taken, making about forty barrels -of oil. Then there was a short season of baffling winds and squally -weather, but about the 24th the trade winds struck on. The Catalpa -crossed the equator in longitude 27° on Christmas night. The prevailing -winds had been to the southward, and the vessel had sailed on the port -tack for so long a time that she must have been close in upon Cape St. -Rourke. No land was sighted, however, and it must have been passed in -the night. - -Then for a period of two months the voyage was monotonous enough. Light -breezes prevailed and considerable of the time was spent in repairing -sails. Finback whales were sighted and occasionally the boats were -lowered, but the pursuit was without success. - -On the night of Friday, February 11, the vessel was in lat. 41° -11´, long. 17° 58´, when a heavy gale from the S.S.W. commenced. At -daylight the bark was under two lower topsails and foresail, steering -S.E. by E. The cross sea on this occasion was the most treacherous -and menacing which Captain Anthony had ever experienced. The combers, -coming in opposite directions, came together with reports like a clap -of thunder, and the danger of a sea striking the deck was looked upon -with no little apprehension. As the gale and sea increased the Catalpa -hove to under the two lower topsails and mizzen staysail. Suddenly, -to Captain Anthony's consternation, the lower foretopsail split and -tore in shreds. Now, before leaving port the captain had been warned -never to take in the topsails in heavy weather lest the vessel should -thrash herself in pieces. The vessel was flat-bottomed and shallow and -required sail to prevent her from rolling to windward and shipping -seas, which might be her destruction, he was told, and in corroboration -of this he knew that when the topsails were taken in in a hurricane off -Cape Horn, on a previous voyage, a sea boarded the Catalpa, sweeping -everything from the deck, breaking the mate's leg, and doing serious -damage to the vessel. - -"Now look out for trouble!" shouted Captain Anthony to Mr. Smith, as -the very catastrophe which was dreaded happened. But to the captain's -surprise the Catalpa came up into the wind and sea and lay like a duck, -rising and settling in the surges with a graceful, buoyant swell. - -At three o'clock on the afternoon of the storm a vessel was sighted on -the other tack with nothing set but the main spencer and foretopmast -staysail. She rolled until her keel was almost in sight, and Captain -Anthony not only recognized her as a whaleship, but from the brightness -of the copper on the vessel's bottom, which was exposed as she reeled -in the great seas, he knew that she had left home but recently. But -Captain Anthony realized that his presence in this locality would -be difficult to explain to a whaling captain who knew that he had -sailed ostensibly on a short voyage in the Atlantic, and he heroically -determined to forego his inclination to hear the latest news from home. -The little bark wore around and came on the same tack with the Catalpa, -but she was soon left far astern. - -At midnight, however, the wind died out, and the next day the little -bark was in sight. The weather was genial, the sun glowing, and to -all appearances there never blew a gale over so placid a sea. Captain -Anthony decided to speak the vessel. So he hauled aback, and when the -stranger came up, lowered a boat and boarded her. She proved to be the -Platina of New Bedford. Captain Walter Howland, who commanded her, was -an intimate friend, but Captain Anthony was not so well pleased at the -meeting as he might have been under other circumstances. The Platina -was four months out from home and had fifty barrels of oil. - -"What under heavens are you doing here, Anthony," said Captain Howland. -"You're the last man I expected to see out here. I thought you -intended to make a short voyage in the North Atlantic." - -Captain Anthony said he had concluded to go farther, and inquired of -Captain Howland where he proposed to go. The latter said he was bound -for the Seychelles Islands and through the Mozambique Channel. Captain -Anthony evinced much interest in this plan, and the Platina's master -got out his charts and gave the captain considerable information about -the locality, Captain Anthony taking copious notes the while. Captain -Anthony told Captain Howland that he might bring up on the whaling -ground which was his destination. - -Then Captain Howland gave his old friend the news from home, but it -was quite evident that he was suspicious of Captain Anthony's presence -in this part of the world, for several times he stopped short, and -repeated, "Say now, honest, what are you doing here?" - -"Where are you going to refit?" he asked at another time. Captain -Anthony evaded answering this question by asking Captain Howland where -he proposed to refit, and entered the information he received in his -notebook. - -Meanwhile Mr. Farnham, the second mate, and the boat's crew from the -Catalpa were mingling with the Platina's crew, and learned for the -first time that the vessel was not off the coast of Patagonia, bound -for the River La Platte, but nearer the Cape of Good Hope and headed -for the Indian Ocean. - -"I tot we long time getting that River Platte," Captain Anthony heard -the Portuguese mate saying to the men. "I tink maybe old man go to New -Zealand catch whales. I there once. I tink nice place." - -Late in the day Captain Anthony said good-by to Captain Howland and -returned to the Catalpa. The wind breezed up, main royals were set, and -onward the vessel bowled. The Platina was in sight for three days, when -she disappeared from the Catalpa's horizon. - - - - -CHAPTER XV - -A STRANGE EPISODE - - -Nothing stranger ever happened on land or sea than the circumstance -whereby Captain Anthony came into possession of the charts used on the -convict ship Hougoumont, which were subsequently employed to frustrate -the plans of the government which first provided them. - -A large English bark was signalized on the 16th of February in lat. -39° 46´ S., long. 31° 54´ E. It was a beautiful morning, and Captain -Anthony concluded to board her and see if he could procure a detailed -chart of the Australian coast, which he was now rapidly approaching. - -The vessel proved to be the Ocean Beauty, seventy days from Liverpool -and bound for New Zealand. The captain was a big, convivial Englishman, -full of jolly stories which he loved to tell. Captain Anthony spent a -pleasant hour in his cabin and finally asked him if he had made many -voyages in this direction. - -"Been making them out here all my life," he said. "Why, I was master of -a convict ship, the Hougoumont, and carried a shipful of prisoners to -Australia in 1868." - -The name "Hougoumont" seemed familiar to Captain Anthony. Suddenly it -flashed upon his mind that this was the vessel which Devoy had named -as taking the Fenian prisoners whom he was bound to rescue out to -the colony. The meeting at this time, and the reminder, unnerved the -captain for a moment and if the Englishman had been observant he might -have suspected from his conduct that the mention of the name of the -vessel created an unexpected sensation. - -But the suggestion started the captain of the Ocean Beauty to relate -reminiscences of life on the convict ship. He told Captain Anthony of -John Boyle O'Reilly. "You may have heard of him," he said, "for he -escaped in one of your whaleships." He recalled the publication of a -paper by O'Reilly on the Hougoumont called "The Wild Goose," so named -because the soldiers of Sarsfield, who entered the service in foreign -armies upon the failure of their effort for liberty, were called "The -Wild Geese." It was published weekly, Father Delaney, the ship's -chaplain, furnishing O'Reilly with the paper and writing materials. -John Flood, Dennis B. Cashman, and J. Edward O'Kelly were editors, -with O'Reilly, and Cashman wrote an ornamental heading entwined with -shamrocks, and the sub-heads as well. It was published on Saturdays, -and O'Reilly read it to the company between decks on Sundays. In this -publication his narrative poem "The Flying Dutchman," written off the -Cape of Good Hope, first appeared. - -"We published seven weekly numbers of it," O'Reilly has written. "Amid -the dim glare of the lamp the men, at night, would group strangely on -extemporized seats, the yellow light full on the pale faces of the -men as they listened with blazing eyes to Davis's 'Fontenoy,' or the -'Clansmen's Wild Address to Shane's Head!' Ah, that is another of the -grand picture memories that come only to those who deal with life's -stern realities!" - -The Englishman's reference to Australia opened the way for Captain -Anthony to inquire the possibilities of the place for refitting and -taking aboard fresh provisions. The Englishman advised it, saying that -it was a cheap place to recruit ship. - -"Have you a sheet chart of the coast you could spare me?" asked Captain -Anthony finally. - -"Lots of them. Here's the roll I used when I was master of the -Hougoumont. Help yourself. You're welcome to any you want." - -The Englishman handed out a bulky roll, and Captain Anthony selected -a chart of the western coast of Australia on a large scale, showing -the survey about Swan River, Freemantle, Bunbury, Rottnest Island and -lighthouse. - -Then, as the wind was strengthening, Captain Anthony arose to go. The -Englishman bid him "God speed," and the men parted. - -Upon reaching the Catalpa, Captain Anthony went down into the cabin, -chuckling in great glee. - -"What's happened?" asked Mr. Smith. - -"Why," said the captain, "would you believe it? I've just been given -the very chart which was used by the captain of the Hougoumont to land -the prisoners we're after, at Freemantle. The captain little thought it -was to be used in taking a ship there to rescue the same men." - -The hilarity over this circumstance kept the two men in good humor for -a long time. - - - - -CHAPTER XVI - -ARRIVAL AT AUSTRALIA - - -For eleven days, from February 29 to March 10, the vessel lay to -most of the time under lower topsails and staysails, in a heavy and -prolonged gale from the S.S.E., dead ahead. It rained, and the days -were anxious and dreary to the captain. When an observation was finally -taken it was found that in this period the vessel had made only 60 -miles progress south and 120 miles east. Such a storm from the east is -very unusual in this latitude. - -But at last strong, fair winds from the west and southwest set in and -the Catalpa sailed like a racehorse. On March 15 the island of St. Paul -in lat. 38° 25´ S. and long. 78° 28´ E. was raised. Whalemen always -like to stop at St. Paul for the fishing. Captain Anthony had been -there a number of times, and with a crude apparatus had often taken -a boatload of crawfish in a few hours. A large iron hoop is used, -interwoven with spun yarn, and baited. Other varieties of fish can be -caught with hook, line, and pork bait. - -Sail was shortened and lines were prepared for fishing. Small boats -were lowered and, upon rowing in near the shore, the kelp, which -abounded, was hauled over the bow of the boat and served as an anchor. -The Catalpa ran around under the lee of the island, which by the way -has a peak 820 feet in height, when a westerly gale came on, commencing -with heavy squalls. - -The sea was ugly and the fishing expedition was abandoned. With all -sail set, the Catalpa made fine progress that day. Great seas struck -her stern and followed over the leading boards, but the vessel was -already due at Australia and Captain Anthony determined to crowd her -henceforth. - -After leaving St. Paul the crew was satisfied that the bark was going -to New Zealand, and of course they were not enlightened. Fair wind in -plenty favored the vessel and she was driven hard, some days making -200 miles, until on March 27 the high land of Cape Naturaliste on the -Australian coast was sighted. The crew was now certain that this was -New Zealand, and Mr. Farnham, the second mate, said he recognized the -promontory. - -The chains were soon bent on the anchors, and at night the vessel was -anchored in the shoal water of Geographe Bay. At five o'clock the next -morning the Catalpa was once more under way, and at ten o'clock reached -anchorage off Bunbury harbor, at the head of the bay. - -So after nearly a year at sea, a year of worry and hard work, the -rendezvous was reached. It brought little exaltation to Captain -Anthony, for he knew that the crisis was at hand which would be the -supreme test of his courage. - -During these closing days he had said but little to his only confidant, -Mr. Smith, but his mind had been busy with disconcerting thoughts. Whom -would he meet? Might not the conspirators have failed in carrying out -the land end of the plot? Possibly the plan had been discovered and the -authorities were awaiting his arrival on shore to take him in custody -and seize the vessel. The long delay had been a long torture for a man -of Captain Anthony's activity, and he welcomed the developments which -awaited him on shore. - - - - -CHAPTER XVII - -THE LAND END OF THE CONSPIRACY - - -For many weary months the reader has followed the fortunes of the -expedition by sea. It was at this point that Captain Anthony's -solicitude concerning the success of the conspiracy on land became -intense; so here seems a proper place to commence the recitation of -another part of the story. - -And here we meet a man of whom it has been said that there is no more -romantic figure in the stormy history of modern Ireland. John J. -Breslin was selected to go to Australia and manage the land end of the -rescue. - -Mr. Breslin was already a famous hero, and his burning love of country, -his chivalry and his bravery, were written in the hearts of Erin's sons -and daughters. He is described by one writer as "a tall, courtly man, -whose classical features, flowing white beard, and military bearing, -made him a striking personage wherever he went. - -"His history reads like a chapter from the days of good King Arthur. -His name will, in time to come, start wonderful echoes among the -thousand hills of Ireland." - -His bold and adroit rescue of James Stephens, the head centre of the -Fenian movement in Ireland, while the government was gloating over his -capture, startled the nations in 1865. Mr. Breslin was born in Drogheda -in 1835. His father was a County Tyrone man and subsequently removed to -Leinster. John received a good national school education and was always -studious and an undefatigable reader. Although he ever upheld the -views of the Nationalists, he had no connection with any organization -until 1865, when Stephens's reply to the magistrates after his arrest -confirmed him in the national faith. - -Stephens had been engaged with the Irish patriots, Smith and -O'Brien, in 1848, and escaped to Paris after the miserable failure -of the insurrection at Ballingarry. For five years he plotted by -correspondence, and then the little coterie of exiles drew lots to see -which should return to Ireland to organize the new conspiracy. Stephens -was selected, and he made a house-to-house canvass of the Emerald Isle, -walking over 3,500 miles, reconnoitring the strongholds of Ireland, -sometimes disguised as a priest, sometimes as a beggar, and associating -with the people in their cabins and farmhouses. - -Meanwhile tireless and faithful friends of Ireland in America were -working with similar purpose, and the result was the organization -known as "The Irish Republican Brotherhood," or "Fenians." More than -a million Irishmen in America, and half that number in Ireland, were -enrolled. At the head of the vast conspiracy was James Stephens. The -aim of the Fenian organization was the formation of an army to cope -with the army of England. - -When the organization grew formidable, England determined to suppress -the brotherhood in Ireland, and through treachery and the employment of -spies the British government at length learned that Stephens was the -"head centre;" but so manifold were his disguises that the police were -baffled for a long time. - -During his wanderings Stephens had married a beautiful Tipperary girl. -She was identified as Mrs. Stephens while at the head of the household -of a gentleman living in the suburbs of Dublin, whose name was presumed -to be Herbert. The house was surrounded one night and "Herbert," who -proved to be Stephens, was captured as he slept. - -There was much rejoicing in England at the capture, and Stephens was -consigned to the Richmond bridewell, one of the strongest prisons in -Ireland. The ponderous iron door of his cell was secured with bars, and -it was on a corridor which was guarded by a second iron door, double -locked. There he was shut in and extraordinary precautions taken to -prevent his escape. - -Mr. Breslin was at that time superintendent of the prison hospital. One -night he opened the door of Stephens's cell with a false key, placed -a loaded revolver in the fallen leader's hand, and led him forth to -freedom. Guards, heavily armed, were everywhere, but they were eluded, -and Stephens once more escaped to France. - -[Illustration: JOHN J. BRESLIN - -Who managed the land end of the Rescue] - -The escape amazed England. It was long before suspicion fastened -upon Breslin. Then he came to America, and was for a while a railway -freight agent in Boston. Here he worked for a time, making few -acquaintances. "Few knew him," said O'Reilly, "and to few were shown -the culture and refinement behind the modest exterior. In thought and -appearance eminently a gentleman; in demeanor dignified and reserved; -in observance, rather distrustful, as if disappointed in his ideal man; -somewhat cynical, perhaps, and often stubbornly prejudiced and unjust; -a lover of and a successful worker in literature,--such is an outline -of a character that may indeed be called extraordinary." - -In America Mr. Breslin soon became a powerful spirit in the -Clan-na-Gael, and the proposed expedition to rescue the political -prisoners in Australia was work for which his bold spirit hungered and -thirsted. His selection as the manager of the land end of the rescue -was equally as fortunate as that of his co-worker, Captain Anthony. - -His associate was Captain Thomas Desmond, a Nationalist from the time -he could stand alone. Captain Desmond was born in Queenstown, but came -to this country in early childhood and was living in Los Angeles, -California, at this time. - -Messrs. Breslin and Desmond sailed from San Francisco for Australia in -September, 1875. There they were to meet John King, a Dublin man, who -had lived in New South Wales for several years, and who had collected -about $3,500 for the rescue project. - -Upon their arrival at Freemantle, Australia, in November, the men -separated and became ostensible strangers. Mr. Breslin assumed the -name of J. Collins, and posed as a man of wealth seeking investments. -His dignity and grace of manner enabled him to carry out the rôle with -success, and it was not long before he became a universal favorite. -The governor was attracted by the charm of his manner, and frequently -entertained him. - -After visiting Perth, Mr. Breslin concluded that he would make -Freemantle his headquarters, and established himself at the Emerald -Isle Hotel. Desmond went on to Perth and found employment at his trade -of carriage-making. - -Presently Mr. Breslin made the acquaintance of William Foley, a Fenian -who had once been a prisoner, and through him notified James Wilson of -his arrival and arranged for further communications. On one occasion -Mr. Breslin was invited to inspect the prison, "The Establishment," -as they call it in the colony, and he was conducted through it by the -superintendent, Mr. Donan. - -The Fenian prisoners were working on the roads by day, and after -much difficulty Mr. Breslin succeeded in talking over his plans with -Wilson. Then, inasmuch as the Catalpa was not expected before the last -of January, to avoid suspicion he took a trip inland, visiting Perth, -Guildford, York, Northam, Newcastle, and various smaller villages. - -Then followed dull weeks of anxious waiting. About $4,000 in money -was brought by King, who passed as a gold miner, contributed by New -Zealand sympathizers, which proved timely at this crisis. Two other -agents of the revolutionary organization in Ireland, Denis F. McCarthy -of Cork, and John Durham, also appeared on the scene and volunteered -their assistance. They assumed the duty of cutting the telegraph wires -after the escape should be effected. - -The prisoners were frequently shifted around, communication with -them was often difficult, and Mr. Breslin was as nearly distracted -as a cool-headed man could be. In March, the whaling bark Canton was -reported at Bunbury, and Mr. Breslin telegraphed the master to know if -he had any news of the Catalpa of New Bedford. He replied that he knew -nothing of her. - -Mr. Breslin determined to go to Bunbury, and on the 6th of March left -for the town. There was no news, and he returned to Freemantle in a -small coasting vessel called the May. - -At length, on the 29th of March, at 6.30 in the morning, there was -posted on the bulletin board at the telegraph office at Freemantle the -announcement of the arrival of the Catalpa at Bunbury. - - - - -CHAPTER XVIII - -MEETING OF ANTHONY AND BRESLIN - - -The morning after the arrival of the Catalpa at Bunbury was bright and -beautiful. Captain Anthony ordered a crew of picked men into one of the -boats, for he dared not trust some of his sailors ashore, fearing they -would desert the ship, and landed on the jetty. Then the boat returned, -and the captain walked toward the town. - -He was on the alert for recognition, and wandered about the old town -all day, momentarily expecting and hoping that some fellow-conspirator -would reveal himself. He returned to the ship at night, disappointed -and anxious. Captain Anthony and Mr. Smith had a serious consultation, -and agreed that there was nothing to do but to wait. - -The next morning Captain Anthony again went ashore. At the head of -the jetty a boy approached and asked if he was Captain Anthony. Upon -receiving an affirmative reply, the lad handed the captain a telegram. -It read as follows:-- - - Electric Telegraph, Western Australia, - Bunbury, 29th March, 1876. - - Time, 10.40 A.M. - By B.W. - - The following telegram received here from Freemantle Station. Subject - to the regulations and conditions printed on the other side:-- - - - To Captain Anthony:-- - - Have you any news from New Bedford? When can you come to Freemantle? - - J. Collins. - -The captain was straightway relieved of a ton of care. Now he knew that -there were friends in this remote land who were to share the great -responsibility. He went to the telegraph office and wired to Collins:-- - - No news from New Bedford. Shall not come to Freemantle. - - G.S. Anthony. - -Captain Anthony engaged rooms at the local hotel and prepared to await -developments. He had bought fresh meat for the ship of a marketman -named David Hay, who told him much of an American gentleman of great -wealth who was prospecting in the locality. Suspecting he might be -the confederate who was to meet him, Captain Anthony looked up Hay, -who presently alluded once more to the American, declaring he was the -finest man he ever met. - -"What is his name?" asked Anthony. - -"Mr. Collins," replied Hay. - -At four o'clock the next afternoon, when the mail-coach from Freemantle -rolled into Bunbury, Captain Anthony was at Hay's store. - -"Why, there's the very man I was telling you about!" ejaculated Hay, as -he looked up. "Come up to Spencer's Hotel and I'll introduce you." - -The men walked up to the hotel and asked for Collins. He came down -from his room in a few minutes, and the introduction followed. The -meeting had taken place in the most natural manner possible, and -without giving cause for suspicion that the men were meeting by -appointment. - -Collins wore a light suit. He was a magnificent fellow, and he charmed -Captain Anthony, as he charmed all men with whom he came in contact. -The captain remained to supper with his new friend, but not a word of -the rescue was uttered at this time. After supper, Collins ordered -cigars and invited Captain Anthony to take a walk. It was now after -sundown, and the men walked out on the jetty in the darkness. The -jetty was a long pile wharf, with a sentry house at the head, where -an officer is constantly on guard to prevent smuggling. When they had -walked a safe distance down the jetty, Breslin turned, grasped the -captain's hands with a hearty "How are you?" - -Then he told the captain of his fears, consequent upon the tardiness -of the vessel in arriving, and then quickly outlined the plan. The -prisoners, he said, were working on the road under a strong guard -all day, and were locked in prison cells at night. Plans were to -be devised by which the men were to escape and reach the coast at -a place called Rockingham, about twenty miles south of Freemantle. -There Captain Anthony was to meet them with a whaleboat and take them -aboard his ship, which was to lie a dozen miles off the coast, where -it would attract no attention. In order that Captain Anthony might -become thoroughly acquainted with the locality, Breslin proposed that -he should return to Freemantle with him on the colonial mail steamer -Georgette, which was to leave Bunbury the next day, April 1. Then the -captain might study the coast and see the spot where the men were to be -embarked, if the plans worked well. The rescue was to be attempted on -Thursday, April 6. - -Then the men walked back to the hotel and retired. The following -morning Captain Anthony took Mr. Breslin aboard the Catalpa and -introduced him to Mr. Smith. Then they went ashore to go aboard the -Georgette. - -As they walked up the jetty their surprise was overwhelming when they -saw Thomas Brennan coming toward them. - -Brennan's indefatigable determination to join the expedition had at -length succeeded. When he arrived at St. Michael's as the Catalpa -sailed out, he was by no means disconcerted. He then resolved to go to -London and take a steamer for Australia. - -Brennan offered the captain of the Selbourne, a fruit steamer, fifty -pounds to take him to Liverpool; but the proposition was rejected, -and he stowed himself away with several other men. When the ship was -at sea, the men presented themselves to the captain, who made them -prisoners, believing they were criminals fleeing from punishment for -crimes committed on the island. He declared he would deliver them to -the Liverpool authorities. - -This was serious for Brennan. He had a large sum of money about him -which would render him liable to suspicion, and he could not afford to -be delayed. When Liverpool was reached the captain signaled for the -police, whereupon Brennan jumped overboard and started for the shore. -When nearly exhausted he was picked up by a rowboat and landed. Then he -proceeded to London and took a steamer for Australia. - -Ill-luck pursued him, for when the steamer reached King George's Sound -she was quarantined on account of smallpox, which was raging. And the -next day the Georgette was to sail for Bunbury, where he suspected the -Catalpa might be. If he missed her, he would be detained another month. -He made his escape and secured passage on the Georgette. - -It must be admitted that neither Breslin nor Anthony were overjoyed at -the meeting. They already had all the assistance they needed, and each -addition to the party only increased the chances of arousing suspicion. -But Brennan was here, and there was nothing to do but take him along to -Freemantle. - -It was agreed that Captain Anthony was to be introduced as the guest -of "Mr. Collins" on the steamer. Brennan was to be a stranger. Captain -Anthony at once commenced to cultivate the friendship of Captain -O'Grady of the Georgette. The latter had sailed out of New York and -was interested in the American. Captain Anthony was with him in the -pilot-house throughout the trip, and secured an acquaintance with the -coast, the courses, and bearings. He gave particular attention to -the coast outside Rockingham and the positions of Rottnest and Garden -islands. - -At noon the next day Freemantle was reached. High over the town the -stone prison in which the prisoners were confined at night stood like -a sentinel, and reminded Captain Anthony that his task was no trifling -one. But there was a suggestion more grim in the discovery of one of -Her Britannic Majesty's gunboats, the Conflict, anchored in the harbor. -She was a schooner-rigged vessel, carrying two guns and thirty men, and -the captain saw by her lines that she must be a fast sailer. - -The appearance of the gunboat was unexpected, and Captain Anthony and -Mr. Breslin exchanged significant glances as they saw her. It was -Sunday morning when they landed, and they went to the Emerald Isle -Hotel, where Captain Anthony was introduced to his fellow-conspirators, -John King and Captain Desmond. The latter was working as a wheelwright -at Perth and posed as a Yankee. He kept up his assumed identity by a -liberal use of the vernacular of the Vermont farmer. From the latter -it was learned that the gunboat had come to Freemantle on an annual -visit, and might remain for a week or ten days, then proceeding to -Adelaide and Sidney; also, that another gunboat was expected to call at -Freemantle and take Governor Robinson to visit the northwest coast. - - - - -CHAPTER XIX - -ARRANGING THE DETAILS - - -In the afternoon Mr. Breslin brought around a trap to drive over the -road to Rockingham, where the men were to embark in the whaleboat for -the ship, if the escape was successful. For ten miles the drive was -over the hard macadamized road built by the prisoners and called the -Fenian road. With a pair of horses and four men in the trap, this -distance was accomplished in forty minutes, and the test was very -satisfactory. Then a sandy, heavy road was encountered for a distance -of seven miles, which merged into a mere track winding through the -"black boys," as the trees are called, the bush, and the sand to -Rockingham Hotel. The latter stretch was about four miles, and the -total distance was made in two hours and twenty minutes. - -Here a hard, sandy beach was discovered. Garden Island, a long, low -stretch of land covered with tall grass and bush, makes out from a -point and extends nearly to Freemantle, forming Cockburn's Sound, a -sheltered inlet. At the north end of the island is a narrow passage -between the island and Cape Peron, a point on the mainland. Here the -men alighted. - -"Now, this is the place," said Mr. Breslin, "where we propose to bring -the men, and where we expect you to meet us with a boat." - -Captain Anthony stuck up an old piece of joist or rail in the sand -above high-water mark. - -"Let it be understood that this is the place where I will meet you with -my boat if God spares my life," said the captain. - -The four men then drove back to the hotel at Rockingham, where they -rested, for the day had been intensely hot, and men and horses were -thoroughly fatigued. That evening they arranged a code of cipher for -telegraphing. Breslin was to notify Captain Anthony at Bunbury when the -gunboat left Freemantle, and the captain was to telegraph back the hour -of sailing. Forty-eight hours from the time when the telegram was sent, -Captain Anthony was to have the Catalpa off the coast at Rockingham and -his boat on the beach. - -This was leaving much to chance, of course. Rockingham was a hundred -miles from Bunbury, and head winds, bad weather, or calms might prevent -the Catalpa from covering the distance within that time. But it was -indeed a desperate undertaking; the men had resolved to take desperate -chances and trust the luck which had thus far attended the expedition. - -The telegraphic code was arranged as follows: When the gunboat sailed, -Breslin was to send the message, "Your friend (N. or S. meaning north -or south) has gone home. When do you sail?" This meant, "The gunboat -has sailed north or south. All right. Start from Bunbury." In case the -gunboat arrived to take the governor to the northwest coast, Breslin -was to wire "Jones is going overland to Champion Bay. When do you clear -out of Bunbury?" And when the coast was again clear, "Jones has gone to -Champion Bay; did not receive a letter from you," meaning, "All right -again." - -[Illustration: THE TOWN OF FREEMANTLE, AUSTRALIA] - -On Monday, Captain Anthony was invited to go with his friends and -a party of merchants in the colony to Perth, the residence of the -governor. The company assembled at one of the hotels, and previous -to the dinner were entertained by the songs of a Western Australian -shepherd. A copy of the verses of one of the selections, describing -one of the unique sports of the colony, was given the captain at his -request. These are the lines:-- - - "I'm an odd thinking man, - And will get on if I can,-- - I'm only a shepherd, 'tis true; - I find sport with my gun - Whilst out on the run, - In hunting the kangaroo! - - "Some folks talk of the fox, - Ride through heather and box, - Hounds, steeds, and their hunting crew; - That is all very well, - But no sport can excel - The chase of the kangaroo. - - "If I put up a doe, - Oft her offspring she'll throw - From the pouch in her breast, 'tis true; - And now for the fun,-- - For I don't use my gun,-- - But run down the young kangaroo. - - "Whilst my dogs on the scent - Of killing intent, - Swiftly o'er the plain they flew: - They ne'er lose a trail, - Nor to kill ever fail, - Or show the dead kangaroo. - - "When a booma's at bay - You've the devil to pay, - He'll fight like a boxer,'tis true: - He's a terrible foe, - As the dogs often know, - In encounters with kangaroo. - - "I've kept you too long, - So an end to my song; - I hope 'twill amuse not a few. - When we meet again - We'll go out on the plain, - For a hunt of the kangaroo." - -When the gentlemen were about to be seated at the dinner-table, Captain -Anthony was filled with consternation as a government official placed -his hand on his arm and said, "Excuse me, sir, but what is your name -and business, and what are you doing here?" - -Captain Anthony naturally thought the plot had been betrayed, when -Breslin stepped up to explain that this was a custom of the country. -The captain received such a shock that he failed to thoroughly enjoy -the dinner. He found another illustration of the suspicion which is -always abroad in the penal colony, later in the day. Going into the -hydrographic office to buy a chart of the coast, he was compelled to -reply to a long series of questions before he was permitted to purchase -it. - -On Thursday, April 6, Captain Anthony started back to the ship in the -Bunbury mail coach, carrying $250 in gold which Mr. Breslin had given -him to square up his bills. This was a thirty-two hours' journey over -sandy roads, and as the weather was hot and Captain Anthony was the -only passenger, he was utterly wearied when he arrived at Bunbury at -four P.M. the following day. - - - - -CHAPTER XX - -A CRITICAL SITUATION - - -And now followed a period of waiting, and the captain was worn with -anxiety. The possible suspicion of the people ashore at the delay -in departure must be anticipated, and the captain busied himself in -getting potatoes and onions, wood and water aboard, and opened up -negotiations for a quantity of kangaroo skins. - -The crew had become uneasy at the long delay, and were almost mutinous -at their restricted shore liberty, for Captain Anthony did not dare to -trust them with shore leave, excepting in charge of an officer. Their -own theory of the proceeding was that the vessel was fitting for a -cruise to New Zealand. They were humored in this belief, and were kept -busy in painting and refitting. - -One forenoon, when the captain was ashore with Mr. Smith, they noticed -the colors at half-mast, and saw that four of the crew had stolen a -boat and were rowing ashore, with another boat's crew in pursuit. The -runaways reached shore and started for the beach. The police were -notified, and soon overtook and captured them. The ringleader, Joseph -McCarty, struck an officer and was detained. The other three were -delivered aboard the vessel and were placed in irons in the steerage. -The man who was arrested was a desperate fellow, and Captain Anthony -was glad to have him go. He was sentenced for seven days for the -assault. The captain hoped to get to sea before he was released, but -the man served his time and went down on the jetty and sought to go -aboard the ship. Captain Anthony did not dare to trust the man, in view -of his delicate mission, and refused to receive him. He was one of the -men who was shipped at Teneriffe, and had a bad record. - -Two days had passed since the captain's return to the vessel, and no -word had been received from Breslin. Meanwhile, the vessel was in -readiness for a prompt departure. At noon, on Tuesday, April 11, a -telegram was delivered to Captain Anthony, which read as follows:-- - - Your friend S. has gone home. When do you sail? - - J. Collins. - -Captain Anthony at once cleared his vessel at the custom-house, and -later in the day, as he was about to telegraph that he would start, -word was brought to him at the hotel that the Catalpa had been seized -by the custom-house officials and that an officer was in charge. The -distracted captain hastened to the custom-house, and found his offense -had been a violation of the law in landing a barrel of pork after he -had cleared. After a long consultation the officers released the -vessel, but it was then too late to sail. - -On Wednesday, Captain Anthony telegraphed:-- - - I'll sail to-day. Good-by. Answer, if received. - - G.S. Anthony. - -Back came the reply:-- - - Your telegram received. Friday being Good Friday, I shall remain in - Freemantle, and leave for York on Saturday morning. I wish you may - strike oil. Answer, if received. - - J. Collins. - - Freemantle. - -Captain Anthony at once appreciated the situation. He knew that the -prisoners were detained in their cells on Sundays and holidays, and -that his plan would have placed him at Rockingham on Friday. He replied -to Breslin's telegram:-- - - Yours received. Did not leave to-day. Wind ahead and raining. Sail in - the morning. Good-by. - - G.S. Anthony. - -That evening the captain discovered that his crew had been doing a -rescue on its own account, and had stowed a ticket-of-leave man in the -mizzen-topmast staysail. While he pitied the fellow, he was fearful -that the authorities might discover the man hidden on his vessel, and -make trouble which would interfere with the great object ahead. So he -notified the police, and they came aboard and took the man ashore. - -Still misfortune crowded in upon the conspirators. A heavy storm came -on, extra anchors were necessary; but with the whole length of chain -out the Catalpa dragged, and destruction on the bar was threatened. - -It was impossible to sail, and Captain Anthony knew that Breslin's -plans must be upset once more. He went to the telegraph office to send -a message, and found it closed on account of the holiday. He hunted -up the operator, a woman. She declined to go to the office, saying it -would be useless, since the Freemantle office was closed. The captain -pleaded, for he knew that everything depended upon it. At length the -woman opened the office and sat down to the instrument. - -She called for several minutes. There was no reply. - -"I told you it would be of no use," she replied. - -Just then came an answering click. The operator sat down at the -instrument once more. After a moment, she said:-- - -"They are taking the message. An operator happened in." - -Captain Anthony nearly shouted with joy. This is the message which he -sent:-- - - J. Collins, Esq.:-- - - It has blown heavy. Ship dragged both anchors. Can you advance money, - if needed? Will telegraph again in the morning. - - G.S. Anthony. - -Once more the element of good luck had manifested itself, this time at -a most critical point. - -On Saturday morning, April 15, Captain Anthony finally telegraphed:-- - - "I shall certainly sail to-day. Suppose you will leave for York Sunday - morning. Good-by." - -Straightway the answer came back:-- - - Your telegram received. All right. Glad you got off without damage. Au - revoir. - - J. Collins. - -Captain Anthony reported at the custom-house that he was ready for sea, -and the officers came off and prodded the hold and every dark space -with spears, according to custom, to see if any prisoners were stowed -away. At two o'clock in the afternoon a moderate favoring breeze from -the S.S.W. was blowing. Anchor was hoisted, and with all sail set the -Catalpa slipped up the coast bound for Rockingham. - - - - -CHAPTER XXI - -LEAVING THE SHIP - - -At sundown the vessel was well outside the harbor and sail was -shortened. In the evening the captain went below for a nap, telling the -officers in charge of the deck not to go over three miles an hour, to -keep the land well in sight, and call him at midnight if all was well, -but sooner if there was any change in the weather. At twelve o'clock -Captain Anthony was on deck again. The weather continued favorable, for -which he was exceedingly grateful. The inverted season corresponded to -fall at home, and it was the time when storms were looked for. A delay -now would certainly be disastrous, and the weather was a source of the -most constant anxiety. - -The captain remained on deck throughout the night. At noon on Sunday -the vessel had proceeded up the coast until it was about twenty miles -south of Rottnest lighthouse, off Freemantle harbor. Now he called Mr. -Smith into the cabin, spread out the chart, and explained to him that -the lighthouse was twelve miles offshore from the Freemantle jetty and -one hundred and ninety-seven feet above the level of the sea, with a -signal station on top from which the approach of vessels was signaled -to the town. He cautioned the mate to keep the ship out of near range, -and told Mr. Smith that the crisis had come and he was about to start -in the small boat. He was to lay off and on the land and keep a sharp -lookout for his return. - -"If I do not come back," he said, "you must use your best judgment. Go -whaling or go home, as you like." - -Then the men clasped hands, and Captain Anthony once more thanked -fortune that he could leave his vessel in the hands of a brave man who -could be trusted, whatever the emergency. - -The captain then went on deck, threw a coat into one of the whaleboats, -stowed away a bag of hard-bread, two kegs of water, and half a boiled -ham, and ordered the boat lowered. A crew which the captain had -selected after much thought was then stationed at the oars: Mr. Sylvia -the third mate, Tobey the boatsteerer, Lewis a Portuguese, and Mopsy -and Lombard, two Malays. Each man was told to take his coat, and the -proceeding doubtless caused amazement among the men; but good sailors -obey orders in silence and no word was spoken among them. - -It was one o'clock in the afternoon when the boat left the ship. -Captain Anthony was due at Rockingham at noon the next day. A small -sail was put on the boat, and she made good progress. Just before dark, -when the boat was well in under Garden Island, the sail was taken in -and oars were shipped, for the captain did not wish to make a landing -before nightfall. When the boat was off the south end of the island -the captain was startled at a roaring like thunder, and an instant -later saw blind breakers, ten feet in height, making directly for the -boat. He shouted orders to the men to look out for their oars and trim -the boat. They let the oars come alongside and succeeded in keeping -the little craft steady. She was lifted high in air on three of the -rollers. Then all was quiet, for the boat had reached the smooth waters -of Cockburn Sound. Oars were shipped once more, and the boat jogged on -in the darkness. The captain knew by the ranges he had taken as he came -through the passage that he must be near the spot selected as a meeting -place. - -A landing was made on the beach. Captain Anthony stepped ashore and had -not walked more than three hundred feet when his foot struck the stake -which had been set up as a mark on his previous visit. - -It was now about 8.30 o'clock in the evening. The boat was hauled up on -the beach and the men were told to lie down in the grass and sleep. It -was clear and warm, and, unquestioning, they did as the captain told -them. - -Captain Anthony walked the beach all the night through, filled with -disquieting thoughts and longing for the day. - - - - -CHAPTER XXII - -THE ESCAPE - - -Meanwhile, how had it fared with Breslin, whom we have seen must have -been forced to change his plans several times at brief notice? Mr. -Breslin had arranged a signal with Wilson which meant, "Get ready; -we start to-morrow morning," but he could not give it on Friday. He -succeeded, however, in sending a letter of instructions, concluding: -"We have money, arms, and clothes; let no man's heart fail him, for -this chance can never occur again." - -Desmond went from Perth to Freemantle and joined Breslin, with a pair -of fine horses and a four-wheeled wagon. He reached there Friday -evening. Mr. Breslin had a similar conveyance and the best pair of -horses he could get in Freemantle engaged for Friday and Saturday. On -Friday afternoon he took the horses out for a trial trip, to see that -they went well together and were in good condition. - -Everything was in readiness for the attempt, when Mr. Breslin received -Captain Anthony's telegram announcing that the Catalpa could not start -on account of the storm. By a fortunate chance Cranston had been sent -from the prison into the town that evening, and he was informed of -the change in the programme. Mr. Breslin thought that inasmuch as the -vessel had dragged both anchors, she must have gone on the bar, and -that a delay of weeks might follow before she was again ready for -sea. So Desmond returned to Perth and prepared for another wait. But -on Saturday came the telegram from Captain Anthony announcing that he -would sail that day. - -The escape must therefore be accomplished on Monday. Mr. Breslin -engaged the same horses for Sunday and sent King to Perth on horseback -to notify Desmond to return to Freemantle with his horses on Sunday -evening. Saturday evening he walked to the jetty and gave to Wilson -the signal which meant, "We start to-morrow morning." Fortunately he -noticed Wilson's puzzled look, for an escape on Sunday, when the men -were locked in the prison, was, of course, impossible. Then he realized -the error. Walking leisurely across, he said to Wilson as he passed, -"Monday morning," without being observed by the warden or the other -prisoners. - -Desmond arrived in Freemantle at about two o'clock Sunday afternoon -with an inferior pair of horses, and when Mr. Breslin went to get the -horses he had engaged, he found that Albert, the owner, had given the -best horse to Mr. Stone, the superintendent of the water police, to -go to Perth, his brother-in-law, the sheriff, having been injured by -being thrown from his horse. Moreover, Albert told him he could not -have the other horse, since he had promised it to a man to go to the -Perth regatta on Easter Monday. So he engaged another pair, but the -expedition was much more poorly equipped in this respect than on the -date first selected. - -And now came Monday. There were many anxious hearts in Australia that -night, and Captain Anthony, who paced the lonely beach, was not alone -in his sleepless vigil. At 5.30 o'clock in the morning Breslin had the -hostler called. Brennan started at six for Rockingham with arms and -luggage. At seven Mr. Breslin went to Albert's stable and found his -horses harnessed to a light trap, waiting for him. He told the hostler -to let them stand a few minutes and then found Desmond and directed him -to have his horses harnessed and ready to leave in half an hour. - -It was arranged that Desmond should leave by a side street which, after -a few turns, took him up on the Rockingham Road, while Breslin was to -drive up High Street, as if he were going to Perth, then turn around -by the prison and on to the same road. King, who was well mounted, -was to remain for a reasonable time after the start, then follow with -information whether the alarm had been given. - -At half past seven Breslin drove slowly up the principal street, turned -to the right, walked his horses slowly by the warden's quarters and -pensioners' barracks. The men were beginning to assemble for parade. He -had arranged with the prisoners that he would have the traps waiting at -the road at a quarter before eight, the nearest to be stationed about -five minutes' run from the prison, and that they would remain until -nine o'clock. - -Being ahead of time, Breslin drove slowly along the Rockingham Road, -met Desmond, and they stopped under a tree and divided the hats and -coats they had brought to cover the convict garb, each taking three -long linen coats and three hats. Then Breslin drove back toward -Freemantle, Desmond following. - -Time, 7.55 o'clock. - -A few minutes later, three men in prison dress were seen coming -down the Rockingham Road. They proved to be Wilson, Cranston, and -Harrington. Breslin told them to pass on and get into Desmond's trap, -which they did. Desmond wheeled his horses around and they were -seated and ready to start when the other three came in sight. Breslin -drove toward them and found they were Darragh, Hogan, and Hassett. -One carried a spade and another a large kerosene can. When the men -recognized their rescuers, the man with the spade threw it with -exultant vigor into the bush and the prisoner with the can bestowed a -kick upon it in good football fashion. - -At this critical juncture, Breslin's horses rebelled and refused to -wheel around. Darragh caught one by the head, but he plunged so that -Breslin was afraid the animal would break the harness, and shouted -to Darragh to let go. He did so and the horses started fairly well -together. Driving to a wider part of the road, they wheeled nicely. -Breslin picked up his men, and the horses were off at dashing speed. -Desmond, meanwhile, was out of sight, and King had come up, reporting -everything quiet when he left. - -[Illustration: THE RESCUED PRISONERS - -(_From the Irish World, September 2, 1876_)] - -It must here be explained how the prisoners were able to get away -so successfully. Their good conduct and length of imprisonment had -entitled them to the rank of constable, which afforded the opportunity -for communication with each other. Wilson and Harrington worked in the -same party at the construction of harbor works in Freemantle. Hogan -was a painter by trade, and on this morning was employed in painting -the house of Mr. Fauntleroy, outside the prison walls. Cranston was -employed in the stores, and as messenger occasionally. Darragh was -clerk and attendant to the Church of England chaplain, and enjoyed -facilities for communication with the other prisoners. This morning he -took Hassett with him to plant potatoes in the garden of Mr. Broomhole, -clerk of works in the convict department. - -It fortunately happened that on the morning of April 17 all the -political prisoners were at work outside the prison wall. Cranston -walked out as if going to deliver a message. He overtook the working -party and told the warden he had been sent to take Wilson and -Harrington to move some furniture in the governor's house, which was -the nearest point to the meeting place. He exhibited a key, and the -warden directed the two men to go with Cranston. - -Darragh and Hassett started as if for work in the same direction, and -Hogan made an excuse to the warden to leave his work for a moment, and -joined them. - -"There was one incident of this daring enterprise which completed its -dramatic intensity," writes James Jeffrey Roche. "The soldier convicts -in Freemantle numbered one more than those who were rescued. That one -was purposely left behind because of an act of treachery which he had -attempted against his fellows ten long years before. He was tried -with the others, by court-martial, and found guilty of treason; but -before his sentence received the approval of the commander-in-chief he -had offered to divulge the names of certain of his comrades not yet -arrested, though implicated in the Fenian conspiracy. His offer was -not accepted. The government punished him for his treason, and his -comrades, half a score of years afterward, punished him more cruelly -for the treason which he had contemplated against them." - -The two traps, followed by King, made a quick journey to Rockingham. -Mr. Somers, the proprietor of the hotel, stood in the door as the traps -passed, but suspected nothing, inasmuch as he knew Breslin and Desmond, -and the prison garb of the other men was concealed by their long coats. -As the men drove up, he shouted:-- - -"What time will the Georgette be at the timber jetty?" - -"Is the Georgette coming here?" shouted Breslin. - -"Yes. She's due now." - -Here was alarming news. The presence of the Georgette would ruin -all. The horses were driven to a gallop. At half past ten the party -approached the beach and saw Brennan making signals to them to hasten. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIII - -IN THE OPEN BOAT - - -Captain Anthony walked up and down the beach throughout the long night, -while his crew slept in the warm sand. He knew that the fate of the -expedition, disastrous or successful, depended upon the developments of -the ensuing day, and he was impatient to know the fate which awaited -him. Twice during the night he roused the men to haul the boat farther -up the beach, as the tide was rising. They responded sleepily and then -dropped asleep again in careless sailor fashion. - -As daylight approached, the captain was surprised and alarmed to find -he was near a timber station. It had been unnoticed on the previous -visit. Soon after sunrise, a gang of men put in an appearance and -commenced carting lumber to a jetty not more than half a mile away. - -He knew his presence must be discovered, and it was not long before one -of the men from the jetty was seen approaching. - -"What's going on?" asked the man, as he came up. - -Captain Anthony told him he was bound to Freemantle for an anchor, to -replace one which was lost. The man grinned at this. - -"Lad," said he, "you've hooked it (ran away) from some ship, and I -advise you to get out. This is no place to lay." - -Then Anthony told him he was master of a ship, but the man was not to -be convinced. - -"I believe you're after Kenneth Brown," he said. - -Brown was a man who was at that time under arrest for the murder of his -wife. - -Captain Anthony concluded it was useless to attempt a further -explanation, and asked the man if he would tell him the best way to get -out with his boat. - -"I'm an ex-prisoner myself," said the man, "and I knew you were after -somebody." He seemed disposed to assist the captain, to the relief of -the latter, for if he had started to join his companions, Anthony would -have been alarmed to an extent which might have made it necessary to -resort to desperate means for his detention. - -The visitor then told the captain that he must be very sure and keep -close to Garden Island. There was a dangerous reef farther out, and it -would be sure destruction to the boat to attempt to go out that way. - -"But that's the way I came," said the captain. As he looked out, he saw -the breakers making white water on the coral reef. He must have been -carried completely over it by the blind rollers the previous night. He -now realized that his escape had been providential. - -Then the man said, in reply to questions, that he was getting a cargo -of timber ready for the Georgette. - -"When is the Georgette coming?" asked the captain with eagerness. - -"Why, she's coming now," he replied. "You can see her smoke." - -There in the offing the captain saw the smoke of the steamer, and he -began to realize that the situation was growing critically perilous. - -At this moment there was a rattle of wheels, and Captain Anthony saw a -two-wheeled trap, drawn by a horse on the gallop, coming up the beach -toward him. - -Brennan was driving, and he had the luggage of the party. He had lost -his way, and had led his horse through the brush until he reached the -beach. There he saw the men and the boat and drove his horse on the run -toward them. - -"Who is that man?" asked Brennan, as he came up and saw the stranger. - -"He's a prisoner here and working on that jetty," replied the captain. - -"We must shoot him," said Brennan. - -"There will be no shooting yet," said the captain. "Where are the -others?" - -"Close behind," said Brennan, and he commenced unloading valises and -bags belonging to Breslin, King, and Desmond. - -Next King came up on horseback. The situation was explained to him, and -he rode back to urge his comrades on. - -Meanwhile the boat's crew sat huddled in the sand, apprehensive at the -proceedings. The captain ordered them to push the boat into the water, -each man to stand by the side of the boat, abreast his thwart. When he -gave the order, he instructed them to shove the boat off as quickly -as possible, to take the oars and pull. He cautioned them not to be -afraid, whatever happened, at which the poor fellows looked at each -other in consternation. - -After an interval of fifteen minutes, which seemed much longer, a -rattling of wheels and clatter of hoofs was heard, and Desmond and -Breslin drove up with the prisoners, their horses quite exhausted. - -As the prisoners jumped from the traps, their long linen coats blew -open, showing their convict suits, with the unusual accompaniments of -English belts, each containing two six-shooters. They seized rifles -from the carriages, and with their arms full of cartridges made a rush -for the boat. - -At this the crew stood paralyzed, for they thought they were about -to be attacked. One Malay drew a sheath knife and the others seized -buckets, raised oars, and prepared to resist the men who were closing -in upon them. This move was so unexpected that it was fortunate -that an attack was averted, but a loud order from the captain in -various languages at his command quieted the men. It was subsequently -learned that the theory of the crew was that Captain Anthony had been -smuggling and that the arrivals were government officials. The crew had -determined to fight if necessary, to prevent the arrest of the captain. - -At length the boat was afloat. The prisoners had been ordered to stow -themselves as closely as possible in the bottom of the boat. Breslin, -King, and Desmond sat in the stern and Captain Anthony took a position -on top of the stern sheet, with the steering oar. - -After some splashing the men began to pull with enthusiasm to the -accompaniment of a running stream of rallying cries from the captain -of "Pull as if you were pulling for a whale," "Come down, Mopsy," -"Pull, Tobey, pull," "Come down, you big Lewis," "Pull, Tobey, pull," -"Give them the stroke, Mr. Sylvia," "What do you say, men," "Come down -altogether," "Pull away, my men, pull away." - -Now the wind was beginning to breeze up from the west, blowing -straight on shore. On the beach stood the timber-worker from the -jetty, dumfounded at the spectacle, with the six horses, wandering -about the shore. The boat was no more than a half mile from the beach -when a squad of eight mounted policemen drove up. The flight had been -discovered. - -With the police were a number of "trackers," aboriginal bushmen who -play the rôle of human blood-hounds. They wore short bokas, or cloaks -of kangaroo skin, with belts of twisted fur around their naked bodies. -These natives are attached to the prisons to follow the trail of -absconding convicts, and they are wonderfully adept in running down a -prisoner. - -The police were armed with carbines and might have shot some of the -men in the boat, but fortunately they did not fire. They watched the -boat a while and then took the horses and led them toward the timber -station. - -Breslin had prepared a note to the governor which he fastened to a -float and posted by the ocean mail. As the wind and tide were setting -ashore, it undoubtedly reached its destination. The letter was as -follows-- - - Rockingham, April 17, 1876. - - To His Excellency the British Governor of Western Australia. - -This is to certify that I have this day released from the clemency of -Her Most Gracious Majesty Victoria, Queen of Great Britain, etc., etc., -six Irishmen, condemned to imprisonment for life by the enlightened and -magnanimous government of Great Britain for having been guilty of the -atrocious and unpardonable crimes known to the unenlightened portion -of mankind as "love of country" and "hatred of tyranny;" for this act -of "Irish assurance" my birth and blood being my full and sufficient -warrant. Allow me to add that - - In taking my leave now, I've only to say - A few cells I've emptied (a sell in its way); - I've the honor and pleasure to bid you good-day, - From all future acquaintance, excuse me, I pray. - - In the service of my country, - John J. Breslin. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIV - -AN AWFUL NIGHT - - -It was five o'clock in the afternoon when the rowboat went through the -passage, and as Captain Anthony saw the menacing reef upon which the -water was foaming and breaking, it seemed impossible that he had gone -over it the night before. - -Now the little boat was riding on lengthened seas which were rolling -in from the ocean with increasing violence. The wind was blasty, but -hauled a little in the boat's favor, so that Captain Anthony ordered -the little sail set and told his companions if he could head in the way -he was now going, the ship should be raised in an hour. - -The fury of the wind and sea now poured upon the boat, and darkness was -coming on, when the Catalpa was raised ahead. Captain Anthony knew that -the little boat would not be visible to the ship and that the latter -would stand off shore as soon as it became thick. - -The sky grew blacker and the sea grew steadily heavier. The boat -began to jump and jar until it seemed that she might lose her spar or -mast step. The seas commenced to comb and break across the stern, or, -running the length of the boat, would tumble in, soaking the men and -threatening to swamp the little craft. Captain Anthony felt that his -salvation lay in reaching the ship that night. - -The sixteen men were directed to take a place on the weather gunwale, -and the man in charge of the sheet was ordered to take a turn about the -thwart and not to slacken an inch. A crisis had arrived, and any risk -was preferable to a night on the ocean in such a storm as was imminent. -The boat leaped forward at a spanking rate, and the spray flew like -feathers; and the water rose in mimic mountains, crowned with white -foam which the wind blew in mist from summit to summit. Miles away the -Catalpa was seen, barely discernible at moments when she rose on the -crest of a larger wave than common, thrusting her bows into the air, -surrounded by foam, and apparently ready to take flight from the sea. - -Then, with a crash, the mast went over the side, breaking close to the -thwart. The boat nearly capsized to windward, but the captain threw -her head to the wind and the magnificent efforts of the crew kept her -afloat. Monstrous seas now rolled into her, threatening to overwhelm -the craft. She was almost water-logged, and shipped water over bow and -stern alternately, as she rose and fell. The crew bailed vehemently and -desperately. The rescued men were very sick, and lay in the bottom of -the boat, a wretched heap of miserable humanity. - -The boat was relieved of some of the water, and the wreck hauled in. -Oars were shipped, but rowing accomplished nothing more than holding -the boat on her course, and almost in despair the men saw the Catalpa -tack offshore. - -The gale increased in violence as night wore on, and the men were -completely worn out. The seas dashed over them, and their strength was -taxed to exhaustion in bailing quickly lest the next sea might tumble -in and wreck the boat. After the mast went, Captain Anthony took the -midship oar, lashed on the jib, and stuck it up. The sheet was hauled -aft, and the centreboard lowered, which steadied the boat and kept -steerageway on her. The phosphorescence afforded a spectacle which -Captain Anthony had never witnessed in equal degree, but it only made -the wild scene more terrifying and awful. - -For hours the seas continued to hurl themselves across the boat, while -the men cast out the sea with bailers improvised from water kegs, the -heads of which were knocked out. - -Little was said, but occasionally one of the rescued men would ask -"Captain, do you think we will float through the night?" The captain -would cheerily reply, "Oh, yes, I've been out on many a worse night;" -but he has since confessed that he would not have given a cent for the -lives of the entire company. Under other circumstances the danger would -have been much less. But the boat was overloaded, the gunwales being -within two inches of the water, and she was nearly unmanageable. To run -back to Garden Island meant capture. - -The crew had eaten nothing but a little dry hard-bread since the noon -of the day previous, and were painfully athirst. The provisions and -water in the boat had been washed overboard. Captain Anthony was on his -knees on top of the stern sheets steering, and often the seas rose to -his armpits. The men were groaning, and it was so dark that the captain -could not see his crew. No word was spoken excepting repeated orders to -bail. - -Late in the night, when the captain had decided that the boat must -swamp before long, the gale subsided somewhat. Daylight was welcome -after the awful night. The sea had now gone down, and there was -prospect of a fair day. The seas came aboard less frequently, and -courage and hope returned. - -At sunrise every one was overjoyed to see the ship standing in toward -the land. Oars were once more shipped, and with the sail drawing good -progress was made. - - - - -CHAPTER XXV - -A RACE WITH THE GUARD-BOAT - - -About an hour after sunrise the Georgette was seen coming out of -Freemantle. The men knew she was searching for them, and she seemed to -be heading directly for the little boat. The sail was taken down, oars -shipped, and the men lay down, one on top of the other, so that nothing -showed above the rail. The steamer passed within a half mile of the -boat and Captain Anthony could plainly see an officer on the bridge -with glasses, scanning the shore. The boat must have appeared like a -log and been mistaken for a piece of floating timber, if it was seen -by the men on the Georgette, for she steamed by and went out to the -Catalpa. - -The anxious men in the boat feared she would remain by the Catalpa and -prevent them from going aboard, but the Georgette steamed up the coast -after a while and swung in toward Garden Island, passing the whaleboat -once more, but at a safe distance. - -Oars were once more manned. Mr. Smith on the Catalpa had not sighted -the boat yet, for the background of high land interfered. The men -pulled for two hours, when it was seen that there was a lighter -alongside the ship, and it was at first surmised that it was a fishing -vessel. Captain Desmond looked intently and then exclaimed:-- - -"My God! There's the guard-boat, filled with police. Pass out those -rifles." - -The guard-boat was large, with two mutton-leg sails, and there were -thirty or forty men aboard. Affairs in the whaleboat assumed a -belligerent aspect. Rifles were distributed, wet cartridges drawn from -revolvers and replaced with fresh, and the prisoners swore they would -fight until the last man was killed. - -At Desmond's cry the appearance of exhaustion vanished. Every man was -alert. The crew put new vigor into the stroke of the oars. When about -two and a half miles from the Catalpa, the lookout at the masthead -evidently raised the whaleboat, for the Catalpa suddenly bore down -with all sail set. The police evidently suspected something, for the -officers ran up the sail-hoops on the mast and started after the ship, -with three or four men at the sweeps to hasten her progress. - -Now it was a question whether the guard-boat would intercept the small -boat before the ship was reached. If this was done, there would be a -fatal conflict. The rescued men tried to help at the oars, but their -efforts were a detriment, and they were ordered to lie in the bottom -of the boat, that they might not hamper the crew. There they lay, and -hugged their rifles grimly. - -There were moments of suspense, but at length it was seen that the -whaleboat would reach the Catalpa. As soon as he was within hailing -distance Captain Anthony shouted to Mr. Smith:-- - -"Hoist the ensign!" - -The ensign was already bent, and one of the men jumped to the halyards -and ran it to the peak. - -Mr. Smith had men at the braces and managed the vessel superbly. As -the boat slammed alongside, everything was thrown hard aback. The men -grabbed the boat tackle and swung the forward tackle to Mr. Sylvia and -the after to Captain Anthony. - -The captain secured it, and, turning to order the men aboard ship, -found he was alone in the boat. The prisoners had gone up the -sideboards by the grip rope, with rifles and revolvers in their hands. -The boat was hoisted on the davits, and as the captain stepped over the -rail the guard-boat swept across the bow. - -The rescued men knew the officers, and they crowded to the rail in -great glee, waving their rifles and shouting salutations and farewells, -calling the officers by name. The guard knew that it was useless -for them to attempt to board the vessel. The officer in command -accepted the result gracefully, and, giving a military salute, said -"Good-morning, captain." "Good-morning," replied Captain Anthony, and -the guard-boat kept off toward the shore. - -[Illustration: - - The guard-boat The whaleboat with escaping prisoners - The Georgette - -THE RACE FOR THE CATALPA] - -There were wild scenes on board the whaleship in the next hour. The -rescued men were in a state of exaltation, and cheered the captain, the -crew, and everybody connected with the enterprise. If Captain Anthony, -Mr. Breslin, and the others had been reprieved from a death sentence -they would have felt no greater joy and contentment. Captain Anthony -and Breslin complimented Mate Smith, and the former called the steward. - -"Get up the best dinner the ship can afford," he said. "We're hungry." - -The steward succeeded admirably. There were canned chickens and -lobsters, boiled potatoes, canned fruits, tea and coffee, and it was -the most memorable dinner in the lifetime of the men who assembled. -Messrs. Breslin, Desmond, and King dined with the captain, and the -rescued men ate in the steerage. - -Mr. Smith related that when the Georgette came alongside that morning, -the captain of the English steamer asked where the boat was which was -missing from the cranes. The mate replied that the captain had gone -ashore. "What for?" was asked. "I don't know anything about it," said -Mr. Smith. "Can I come aboard?" asked the officer. "Not by a damned -sight," was Mr. Smith's reply. It was the theory of the Georgette's -officers that the gale had been so violent that the small boat must -have returned to land, so, leaving the guard-boat alongside, she ran in -under the shore to cut off the whaleboat if possible. - -After dinner Captain Anthony directed Mr. Smith to let the boat's crew -go below and stay as long as the men wished. - -That night the wind died out, and the topsails hung supinely from the -yards, the air which breathed occasionally from the land being unable -to shake the heavy canvas. The captain gave up his room to Mr. Breslin, -and Desmond and King were assigned to rooms in the forward cabin. - -Captain Anthony lay down on a four-foot lounge, instructing Mr. Smith -to work off shore if possible, but the ship did not move her own length -during the entire night. - - - - -CHAPTER XXVI - -OVERHAULED BY THE GEORGETTE - - -At daybreak Captain Anthony was called by Mr. Smith, who announced -that the Georgette was approaching. Breslin was summoned, and the men -hastened on deck. - -As the steamer came nearer, it was seen that she had a regiment of -soldiers aboard. The Georgette was a four hundred ton vessel, twice -as big as the Catalpa. On her upper deck a big gun was mounted, and -the soldiery were assembled on the main deck, a forest of bayonets -glistening in the morning sun. - -It was a show which was calculated to intimidate the men on the little -whaleship, but no one on the Catalpa faltered. The captain ordered the -ensign hoisted to the masthead, and mounted the poop deck. - -It was seen that Colonel Harvest, heavy laden in the gorgeous trappings -of a British army officer, was in charge of the deck. At one moment, -when the colonel's attention was elsewhere, Captain O'Grady waved his -hat at his whilom companion on a recent trip, and Captain Anthony waved -his hand in response. - -The next salutation was a solid shot fired across the bow of the -Catalpa. As it ricocheted along, the water flew as high as the -masthead. Meanwhile the ship was rolling helplessly, for there was no -wind. As the yards bowed to meet the water, her sails flapped and yards -creaked. But now a faint breeze filled the sails, and the Catalpa began -to make some headway. When she was abeam the Georgette, Colonel Harvest -shouted:-- - -"Heave to!" - -"What for?" screamed Captain Anthony in reply. - -"You have escaped prisoners aboard that ship." - -"You're mistaken," said Captain Anthony. "There are no prisoners aboard -this ship. They're all free men." - -The Georgette had a whaleboat on the davits, and the men on the -whaleship assumed it was for boarding purposes. Breslin collected the -rescued men together, and they determined to resist. While the above -colloquy was in progress, Mr. Smith had fitted out the company with -cutting spades, whaling guns, and heavy pieces of iron and logs of wood -with which to sink the boat if it came alongside. - -"I see the men aboard the ship now," yelled Colonel Harvest. - -"You're mistaken, sir," returned Captain Anthony. "Get up, men, and -show yourselves." - -The men walked to the rail. "You can see for yourself they are my -crew," said the captain. - -"I have telegraphed the American government, and have orders to seize -you," was the colonel's next announcement. - -Captain Anthony knew this was impossible and made no reply. - -"Are you going to heave to?" asked the colonel. - -"No, sir," replied Captain Anthony firmly. - -The Georgette was on the lee of the Catalpa. The wind was freshening -and the Georgette was steaming to keep up. - -"Don't you know you have violated the colonial laws?" asked Colonel -Harvest. - -"No, sir," answered Captain Anthony; at which the colonel seemed -greatly enraged. - -"I'll give you fifteen minutes in which to heave to," said he, "and -I'll blow your masts out unless you do so. I have the means to do it." - -He pointed to the gun, which the soldiers were swabbing, preparatory to -reloading. - -"This ship is sailing under the American flag and she is on the high -seas. If you fire on me, I warn you that you are firing on the American -flag." This was Captain Anthony's reply. - -The vessels were now about eighteen miles offshore. On the tack upon -which she was sailing the Catalpa was running inshore. Captain Anthony -feared it was the trick to decoy him into Australian waters, and -decided to go about on the other tack. He consulted with Mr. Smith -whether it was advisable to tack or wear ship, his fear of the former -course being that the vessel might get "in irons" and lose her headway, -and in the confusion the Georgette might shoot alongside. - -So it was decided to wear. When the Catalpa's crew hauled up the clews -of the mainsail, hauled down the head of the spanker, and let the -gafftopsail run down, the officers on the Georgette evidently thought -the Catalpa proposed to haul back, and the steamer was stopped. - -Then Captain Anthony put the wheel up, and the vessel swung off quickly -and headed straight for the Georgette, going before the wind. The -captain of the steamer construed this as an attempt to run him down. He -rang the jingle-bell and went ahead at full speed, but when the Catalpa -swung by him, her flying jibboom just cleared the steamer's rigging. -The ship's sails filled on the other tack and the Catalpa headed -offshore. - -The Georgette again steamed under the bark's lee. Colonel Harvest once -more asked the captain if he proposed to "heave to," and the captain -once more replied that he did not. The steamer followed for an hour, -Colonel Harvest walking the bridge. Then the Georgette stopped. It was -now four o'clock in the afternoon. The wind was fair and fresh, and -constantly increasing. - -When the Catalpa was some distance away, Captain Anthony called to the -rescued men, "Boys, take a good look at her. Probably you'll never see -her again." When the vessels were a few miles apart, the Georgette -steamed back towards Freemantle, leaving a grateful and thankful party -behind. - -"When the English commander gave the order to his stokers to slack -down the fires, a veritable _feu d'enfer_, the battle ended," said -the "Kilkenny Journal," in describing the incident. "But it was a -terrible affray, and while the firing lasted there was a tremendous -expenditure of coals. Every credit is due the Georgette. She steered -off in magnificent style. As it turned a stern lookout upon its foe, -the banner of Britain displayed its folds, and the blazoned lion, -shimmering in the sun, seemed to make a gesture of defiance with his -tail, by curving it between his heels." - -And the Catalpa sailed serenely on, and the star-spangled banner -floated bravely in the breeze. - - - - -CHAPTER XXVII - -BOUND HOME - - -That night the Catalpa took a squall from the eastward which developed -into a gale, and the bark ran before it under two lower topsails and a -foresail. In forty-eight hours the vessel was four hundred miles off -the coast. - -This led the leaders of the rescue to appreciate their extreme good -fortune, for if the gale had arisen the night the Catalpa left Bunbury, -Captain Anthony and his crew would not have been waiting on the beach -at Rockingham to receive the fleeing prisoners. The police, closely -following, would have rearrested the men, Breslin and his followers -would have been arrested, and disaster would have been the result -of the year of anxiety and the expenditure of a fortune contributed -largely by men who gave at considerable sacrifice. England would have -been exultant at having captured the man who released Stephens, and the -Clan-na-Gael would have suffered bitterly from the ignominy. - -The day after the storm, April 19, Captain Anthony had two casks of -clothing hoisted on deck. They were the best "slops" (the whaleman's -vernacular for clothes and supplies) ever put aboard a whaling vessel. -The casks' heads were taken out, and Captain Anthony said to the men, -"Go in and help yourselves. Take all you care for, and you'll need the -thickest, for you'll see some cold weather before you reach America." -Each man selected at least two suits of clothing, as well as a large -supply of underclothes. - -The rigging-pen between decks was knocked down and two tiers of berths -were built, one for each of the rescued men, from the lumber bought at -Teneriffe. They were amply supplied with bedding, seats and tables were -built, and a boy from the forecastle was assigned to attend the men. - -The vessel was kept well to the northward, to take advantage of the -southeast trade-winds, which were taken in lat. 24°. Then fresh and -fair winds wafted the vessel across the Indian Ocean. At times the old -Catalpa logged two hundred miles a day, although she was not regarded -as a fast sailor. - -The men were given the freedom of the ship and thoroughly enjoyed the -liberty which had been restored to them. Mr. Breslin wrote a song which -the men were wont to sing as they lay on the decks on warm evenings. -These were the words:-- - - "Right across the Indian Ocean, while the trade-wind follows fast, - Speeds our ship with gentle motion; fear and chains behind us cast. - Rolling home! rolling home! rolling home across the sea; - Rolling home to bright Columbia; home to friends and liberty. - - "Through the waters blue and bright, through dark wave and hissing foam, - Ever onward, with delight, we are sailing still for home. - O'er our pathway, in the sunshine, flies the wide-winged albatross, - O'er our topmast, in the moonlight, hangs the starry Southern Cross. - - "By the stormy cape now flying, with a full and flowing sail, - See the daylight round us dying on the black breast of the gale! - See the lightning flash above us and the dark surge roll below! - Here's a health to those who love us! Here's defiance to the foe! - - "Now the wide Atlantic clearing with our good ship speeding free, - The dull 'Cape of Storms' we're leaving far to eastward on our lee. - And as homeward through the waters the old Catalpa goes, - Ho! you fellows at the masthead, let us hear once more, "She blows." - - "Next by lonely St. Helena, with a steady wind we glide - By the rock-built, sea-girt prison, where the gallant Frenchman died, - With the flying fish and porpoise sporting 'round us in the wave, - With the starry flag of freedom floating o'er us bright and brave. - - "Past 'The Line,' and now the dipper hangs glittering in the sky. - Onward still! In the blue water, see, the gulf weed passing by. - Homeward! Homeward to Columbia, blow you, steady breezes, blow, - 'Till we hear it, from the masthead, the joyful cry, "Land ho!" - -Mr. Farnham, the second mate, died suddenly of heart disease on the 8th -of May, and was buried at sea the following day. He had been a faithful -man, and there was sincere sorrow throughout the ship's company. - -[Illustration: THE CATALPA HOMEWARD BOUND - -Running before a Gale] - -Captain Anthony made his course for the south end of Madagascar, and -stood well inshore in rounding the cape, across the Agulhas Banks, -to receive the advantage of the current which sets into the Atlantic -Ocean. Here severe winter weather was encountered. Then the "trades" -were welcomed once more, and the Catalpa sailed on with a fleet of -twenty-one merchant vessels, all following the same course. - -Naturally the bark gave St. Helena a wide berth, since the neighborhood -of a British possession was to be avoided. Subsequently it was learned -that an English warship awaited the Catalpa at this point. There is an -English naval station at Ascension, and Captain Anthony was likewise -shy of a near approach to the island. - -On July 10 the Catalpa crossed the equator into the North Atlantic on -long. 31° west. "You're almost American citizens now," remarked the -captain to the men on this day. - -Sperm whales were seen occasionally, and the boats were twice lowered, -but the men were impatient to proceed, and little loitering was -indulged. - -After running out of the northeast trades, Captain Anthony proposed -to Mr. Breslin that the vessel should make a business of cruising for -whale for a while. "Now is just the season," said he, "for whaling on -the Western Grounds. We are well enough fitted, excepting that we lack -small stores, and we have plenty of money to buy from other vessels. -I know the whaling grounds, and by hauling up to the northward we -are almost certain to pick up a few hundred barrels of oil, and the -voyage can be made as successful financially as it has been in other -respects." Mr. Breslin agreed to this, and the course was made north by -east. The men noticed the change in direction, and pleaded that they -might be put ashore without any delay, and after a day or two it was -decided to yield to their wishes; orders were given to keep her off, -and the bark was once more homeward bound. - -In the height of a savage gale the Catalpa passed Bermuda, and a few -days later the lead showed that the vessel was approaching the coast. -Then a pilot came aboard, and he was greatly surprised to find the -destination to be New York, inasmuch as the vessel was a whaleship. But -Captain Anthony and Mr. Breslin had agreed that this was the best place -to land the men. Sandy Hook was eighty miles away. At six P.M. an ocean -tug was spoken, which offered to tow the vessel into New York harbor -for $250, but after considerable dickering the price was reduced to -$90, and it was accepted. - - - - -CHAPTER XXVIII - -A CORDIAL RECEPTION - - -Meanwhile the story of the rescue had been telegraphed to New York, and -reporters swarmed aboard at quarantine, which was reached at midnight. -Captain Anthony did not know what the situation might be or how much -it would be wise for him to tell, and the reception of the newspaper -men was one of the most arduous experiences of the voyage. But their -editions were waiting, and they could not delay long. At two o'clock on -the morning of August 19, 1876, the Catalpa anchored off Castle Garden. - -Captain Anthony and Mr. Breslin went ashore at sunrise in one of the -boats and first went to the hotel of O'Donovan Rossa, which was a -headquarters for men affiliating with the Clan-na-Gael. The first -person whom they met in the office, singularly enough, was a man who -was a prisoner in Australia at the time of the rescue, but who was -subsequently released and arrived in this country by steamer. He -received the rescuers with enthusiasm. Various leaders were summoned, -and the captain and Mr. Breslin were warmly welcomed. - -Later in the morning Captain Anthony went to the barge office and -secured a permit to land his passengers. When he returned to the -Catalpa she was surrounded by small boats, for the morning newspapers -had told of her presence in port, and there was much curiosity to see -her. - -"Men," said Captain Anthony, as he stepped on the deck, "I have a -permit for you to go ashore, and you are at liberty to go when you -please." - -"God bless you, captain, you've saved our lives," said Darragh, and in -a few minutes the company left in the shore boat, in high spirits. - -Meanwhile Captain Anthony had communicated with Mr. Richardson, and -he was instructed to leave the vessel in New York and return home, -for his friends were anxious to see him. The local branch of the -Clan-na-Gael, with representatives of other Irish societies, had been -meeting nightly, arranging a reception to the gallant rescuer, and he -was received at the train by thousands of people on the Sunday morning -of his return. - -They were shocked at the changed appearance of the captain. When he -left New Bedford, sixteen months before, he weighed 160 pounds and his -hair was black as coal. The months of worry and intense excitement had -worn upon him to such an extent that his weight was now reduced to 123 -pounds and his hair was sprinkled with gray. - -A few days after Captain Anthony arrived home, the following circular -reached the office of the chief of police in New Bedford:-- - - -POLICE DEPARTMENT. - - Chief Office, Perth, Western Australia, - - April 18, 1876. - - James Darragh, 9707, life sentence, 2d March, 1866, aged 42, Fenian, - absconded from Freemantle, 8.30 A.M., April 17, 1876. - - Martin Hogan, 9767, sentence, life, August 21, 1866, aged 37, Fenian, - absconded as above. - - Michael Harrington, 9757, life sentence, July 7, 1866, 48 years, - Fenian, absconded as above. - - Thomas Hassett, 9758, life sentence, June 26, 1866, Fenian, absconded, - etc. - - Robert Cranston, 9702, life sentence, June 26, 1866, Fenian, - absconded, etc. - - James Wilson, 9915, life sentence, Aug. 20, 1866, age 40, absconded, - etc. - -N.B.--Martin Hogan's marks include the letter D on his left side; so do -those of Michael Harrington, Thomas Hassett, and James Wilson. - - Sir,--I beg to inform you that on the 17th instant the imperial - convicts named in the margin absconded from the convict settlement - at Freemantle, in this colony, and escaped from the colony in the - American whaling bark Catalpa, G. Anthony master. This bark is from - New Bedford, Massachusetts, U.S.A. The convicts were taken from the - shore in a whaleboat belonging to the Catalpa, manned by Captain - Anthony and six of the crew. The abettors were Collins, Jones, and - Johnson. - - I attach the description of each of the absconders, and have - to request that you will be good enough to furnish me with any - particulars you may be able to gather concerning them. - - I have the honor to be, sir, - - Your obedient servant, - - M.A. Smith, _Supt. of Police_. - - To the Officer in charge of the Police Department, } - New Bedford, Massachusetts, U.S.A. } - -It was addressed to "The Officer in charge of Police Department, New -Bedford, Massachusetts, United States, America." - -Now Captain Henry C. Hathaway was at this time chief of police, and -in view of the fact that he had been rather intimately connected with -the enterprise, it may be believed that he was not unduly zealous in -assisting the Australian authorities. - -The Catalpa, in charge of a pilot, sailed to New Bedford. The scene -on her return was very different from that at her departure. She -arrived at the old whaling port on the afternoon of August 24th. She -was sighted as she came into the bay, and the news of her approach -attracted thousands of people to the wharves. A salute of seventy guns -was fired as the bark sailed up the river, and when she was made fast -to the dock, men and women swarmed aboard and carried away everything -which was not too large for souvenirs. - -On the following evening a reception was tendered Captain Anthony -at Liberty Hall, and the auditorium was crowded with cheering, -enthusiastic people. The stage was decorated with the American flag and -the flag of Ireland. John McCullough called the meeting to order, and -the officers were as follows:-- - -_President._--Dr. Stephen W. Hayes. - -_Vice-Presidents._--John McCullough, Michael F. Kennedy, Hugh J. -McDonald, Neil Gallagher, John F. Edgerton, James Carroll, Jeremiah -Donohue, Michael Murphy, John Sweeney, William Morrissey, Edmund -Fogarty, James Clary, Michael F. McCullough, Antone L. Sylvia, Patrick -Cannavan, James Sherry, John Agnew, John Welch. - -_Secretaries._--Patrick Haley, Peter O'Connell, and John Green. - -John Boyle O'Reilly was present, and Captain Anthony was the guest of -honor. Mr. Smith, the Catalpa's mate, and Thomas Hassett, one of the -rescued men, were also present. - -Dr. Hayes expressed his gratitude that the political prisoners were now -in the land of the free, where the flag which protected them on the -Catalpa would continue to protect them as long as it waved. - -O'Reilly's address on this occasion was one of his most eloquent -efforts, and it is to be regretted that it is not preserved in its -entirety. The summaries which were printed in the newspapers do him -very inadequate justice. - -He said that it was with no ordinary feelings that he had come. He -owed to New Bedford no ordinary debt, and he would gladly have come -a thousand miles to do honor to New Bedford whalemen. Seven years of -liberty, wife, children, and a happy home in a free country were his -debt of gratitude, and when the close of his sentence came, in 1886, -his debt to New Bedford might be grown too heavy to bear. - -They were there, he said, to do honor to Captain Anthony, to show their -gratitude to the man who had done a brave and wonderful deed. The -self-sacrifice and unfailing devotion of him who had taken his life in -his hand and beached his whaleboat on the penal colony, defying its -fearful laws, defying the gallows and the chain-gang, in order to keep -faith with the men who had placed their trust in him,--this is almost -beyond belief in our selfish and commonplace time. - -There were sides to this question worth looking at, he continued. -To Irishmen it was significant in manifold ways, one of which was -that these men, being soldiers, could not be left in prison without -demoralizing the Irishmen in the English army, who would not forget -that their comrades had been forsaken and left to die in confinement, -when the civilian leaders of the movement had been set free. But the -spirit that prompted their release was larger and nobler than this, and -its beauty could be appreciated by all men, partaking as it did of the -universal instinct of humanity to love their race and their native land. - -England said that the rescue was a lawless and disgraceful -filibustering raid. Not so, said Mr. O'Reilly. If these men were -criminals, the rescue would be criminal. But they were political -offenders against England, not against law, or order, or religion. They -had lain in prison for ten years, with millions of their countrymen -asking their release, imploring England, against their will to beg, to -set these men at liberty. Had England done so it would have partially -disarmed Ireland. A generous act by England would be reciprocated -instantly by millions of the warmest hearts in the world. But she -was blind, as of old; blind and arrogant and cruel. She would not -release the men; she scorned to give Ireland an answer. She called the -prisoners cowardly criminals, not political offenders. - -After the ship sailed and there was a long time when no tidings came, -O'Reilly said that doubts and fears came, as they were sure to do; but -Captain Hathaway said once and always of Captain Anthony: "The man who -engaged to do this will keep that engagement, or he won't come out of -the penal colony." - -After describing some of his own experiences in Australia, Mr. O'Reilly -pointed to the bronzed and worn face of Mr. Hassett, one of the rescued -prisoners, and said: "Look at that man sitting there. Six years ago he -escaped from his prison in the penal colony and fled into the bush, -living there like a wild beast for a whole year, hunted from district -to district, in a blind but manful attempt to win his liberty. When -England said the rescue was illegal, America could answer, as the -anti-slavery men answered when they attacked the Constitution, as -England herself answered in the cause of Poland: 'We have acted from -a higher law than your written constitution and treatise,--the law of -God and humanity.' It was in obedience to this supreme law that Captain -Anthony rescued the prisoners, and pointed his finger at the Stars and -Stripes, when the English commander threatened to fire on his ship. - -"The Irishman," concluded Mr. O'Reilly, "who could forget what the -Stars and Stripes have done for his countrymen deserves that in time of -need that flag shall forget him." - -Then Mr. Hassett described the bravery of Captain Anthony, and pictured -him as he held the steering oar on the night of the gale, risking his -life for the men. He could never amply express his gratitude to Captain -Anthony, he said, and he was sure that New Bedford never produced a -braver sailor. - -Meanwhile there were similar demonstrations throughout the country. At -San Francisco a mass meeting of Irish citizens passed resolutions of -sympathy for the prisoners and took steps for increasing the relief -fund which had been started. - -The Robert Emmet Association of Troy, N.Y., fired a salute in honor -of the safe arrival of the Catalpan six. At Woonsocket the wildest -enthusiasm prevailed; meetings were held and salutes fired. The Emmet -Skirmishing Club of Sillery Cove, Quebec, held a congratulatory -meeting, and the Shamrock Benevolent Society of St. Louis, one of the -largest Irish Catholic societies in the West, adopted resolutions of -honor to Captain Anthony. - -The news of the rescue had been slow in reaching England, and as late -as May 22 a debate was in progress in Parliament on the release of -the political prisoners in Australia. Disraeli was the first lord of -the Treasury, and he had been asked to advise her Majesty to extend -her royal mercy to the prisoners who were suffering punishment from -offenses in breach of their allegiance. - -In a speech Disraeli said the men sent to Australia were "at this -moment enjoying a state of existence which their friends in this house -are quite prepared to accept." The Irish members shouted "No." But -Mr. Disraeli was right and the Irish members were wrong, for the men -were on the deck of an American vessel as he spoke, free from English -authority. - -On the morning after Disraeli's speech Boucicault wrote a letter to the -"London Telegraph" which was read with much interest. He wrote:-- - - The reply made by Mr. Disraeli last night to the 134 members who - pleaded for the amnesty of the Irish prisoners should not be regarded - as wholly unsatisfactory. His speech was in the gentle spirit of an - apology, formed of excuses for the delay of the Government in acceding - to the wishes of the people of Ireland. But the manner of this - fluent and eloquent speaker was exceedingly hopeful. He hesitated, - wandered, halted, lost his way, and turned about in distress. A - leading member observed in my hearing that he had never seen him so - confused. He said there were only fifteen prisoners; that two of them - could not be regarded as political offenders, because in the act of - rebellion they had shed blood, and therefore were ordinary murderers. - (He did not add they were no more entitled to consideration than - Oliver Cromwell, whose statue graces the House.) Then turning to - the thirteen prisoners--of these six were imprisoned in England and - seven in Western Australia--these men, he assured the House, were so - comfortable where they were, so happy, so well off, that really their - liberation would be a misfortune to them, rather than a boon. - - It is a rule in literary composition that, when a substantive - expresses vigorously the full scope and meaning of an idea, we weaken - its effect by the addition of an adjective. So would any remark, or - even a note of admiration detract from the rule of this astounding - proposition. It should be left alone in a space of silence. The - lameness and impotency of the speaker made an eloquent impression on - the House, for the lameness seemed that of one who declined to trample - on the prostrate, and the impotency was that of a kind and just man - who could not find words to frame a cruel sentence. - - Your obedient servant, - Dion Boucicault. - - London, May 23. - -The rescue was the subject of very savage comment in the English -newspapers, and some of the editorials are reprinted in the Appendix. - -Invitations to attend various functions in honor of the rescue poured -in upon Captain Anthony, and he found himself a hero with the Irish -people throughout the world, a position in which he stands to-day, for -the debt has never been forgotten. That the valiant deed still lives -in the memory, it may be said that ten thousand people in Philadelphia -greeted the captain last summer, on the occasion of the presentation to -the Clan-na-Gael societies of the flag which flew over the Catalpa on -the day when the British were defied. Here is the story printed in the -"Philadelphia Times" on the date of August 6, 1895:-- - -The green flag of Ireland, entwined with the Stars and Stripes, floated -proudly over the main entrance to the Rising Sun Park yesterday -and gave greeting to ten thousand people who joined in the annual -Clan-na-Gael celebration. The multitude came from all sections of the -city, and all the suburban towns and the adjoining counties sent large -contingents of Clan-na-Gael sympathizers. The management made every -possible provision for the entertainment of those present, and spared -neither expense nor time in making the celebration a success, giving -big prizes to the field and track athletes from many sections of the -Union and from Canada who took part in the sporting events. - -The grounds were decorated possibly on a more elaborate scale than on -any former occasion. Exclusive of what the track and field provided in -the way of amusement, there were pastimes for the younger and older -folks, such as tenpin alleys, merry-go-rounds, baseball, and swings. -There were several bands of music, one for those who occupied seats on -the pavilion from which the track and field sports could be seen, and -two others on the dancing platform. - -The great feature of the day's exercises, and that which attracted the -most attention, were the introduction of Captain George S. Anthony and -the presentation by him to the Clan-na-Gaels of the flag which floated -from the masthead of the whaling bark Catalpa, which had on board the -political prisoners rescued from the penal settlement of Western -Australia, when it was overtaken by a British gunboat. Captain Anthony -presented the flag from a temporary platform erected on the tracks, and -after it had been accepted in behalf of the Clan-na-Gael the scene was -one of great enthusiasm. Luke Dillon, president of the Irish American -Club, introduced Captain Anthony, and almost simultaneously the old -Stars and Stripes were unfurled to the breeze and the band seated on -the grand stand played the "Star-Spangled Banner." About four thousand -people joined in singing the anthem, and the Clan-na-Gael Guards fired -two volleys as a salute. - -On the platform were seated State Senator James C. Vaughn, of Scranton; -Michael J. Breslin, a brother of John J. Breslin, who had charge of the -land part of the Catalpa expedition; Martin Hogan, of New York, Thomas -Darragh, and Robert Cranston, three of the rescued prisoners; Dr. -William Carroll, William Francis Roantree, John Devoy, J.J. Thompson, -Major Fitzpatrick, of Trenton, N.J.; Michael Gribbel, of Jersey -City; Bernard Masterson, Eugene Buckley, and Michael J. Gribble, of -Pittsburgh. - -Captain Anthony, in presenting the flag, said:-- - -"Twenty years ago you came to me with a request to aid you in restoring -to freedom some soldiers of liberty confined in England's penal colony -of Western Australia. Your story of their sufferings touched my heart, -and I pledged my word as an American sailor to aid in the good work to -the best of my ability. - -"You intrusted me with the command of the bark Catalpa. I took her to -the West Australia coast, and when the gallant Breslin and his trusty -men had effected the rescue of their friends I brought the party safely -in the ship's boat to the Catalpa and placed them on board under the -shelter of the American flag. When on the high seas the commander of -an armed British steamer fired a solid shot across the Catalpa's bows, -demanded the surrender of the rescued men, and threatened to blow -out the masts of my vessel, if I failed to comply with his demands, -I refused, and told the British commander that if he fired on the -American flag on the high seas he must take the consequences. He then -withdrew, and I took your friends to New York, where I landed them in -safety. - -"The flag which floated over the Catalpa on that April day in 1876--the -Stars and Stripes which protected the liberated men and their -rescuers--I have preserved and cherished for twenty years as a sacred -relic. I would fain keep it and hand it down to my children as a family -heirloom, but I am confident it will be safe in the keeping of those -who were associated with me in an enterprise of which we have all -reason to be proud. Your countrymen have ever been loyal to the flag of -the United States and ever ready to shed their blood in its defense. I, -therefore, present you with this flag of the Catalpa as a memento of -our common share in a good work well done and a token of the sympathy -of all true Americans with the cause of liberty in Ireland. I know you -will cherish it as I do, and that if the interests of that flag should -ever again demand it your countrymen will be among the first to rally -to its defense?" - -When Captain Anthony finished his address he was the recipient of many -beautiful bouquets. - -John Devoy, who had been delegated by the Clan-na-Gael to accept the -colors, was unable to do so because of sickness, and Michael J. Ryan, -who acted in his place, read the speech which Mr. Devoy had prepared:-- - -"Captain Anthony, old friend and comrade, I accept this flag on behalf -of the organization which fitted out the Catalpa, selected you as -her commander, and which shared with you the credit for the work of -humanity which she was the chief instrument in accomplishing. I accept -it with pride as a memento of a noble deed, and I promise you it shall -be cherished by us while life is left us, and handed down to future -generations, who will love and cherish it as well. It is the flag of -our adopted country, under which Irishmen have fought side by side with -native Americans on every battlefield where the interests and the honor -of that flag were at stake, from Bunker Hill to Appomattox. It is the -flag which symbolizes the highest development of human liberty on this -earth, and in the future, as in the past, the race to which we, to whom -you present this flag, belong, will stand shoulder to shoulder with -yours in its defense and in the maintenance of its proud and glorious -record. - -"You recall to our minds to-day memories of events in which native -Americans and Irishmen were closely associated; in which Irish -enthusiasm and Yankee coolness, grit, and skill in seamanship effected -a combination that won a decisive victory for humanity over the forces -of oppression. The battle of human freedom has not yet been won, and -the combination of which you formed such an important part may serve as -an example worthy of imitation and enlargement in the future. - -"Your part in that work was noble and disinterested throughout. I -went to New Bedford twenty years ago, knowing not a soul in the city, -bearing a letter of introduction from John Boyle O'Reilly to Henry C. -Hathaway, who has done noble work in aiding the poet-patriot to escape -from the Western Australian prison to the land of the free. He entered -heartily into the project with which the Clan-na-Gael had intrusted -me, and introduced me to you and your father-in-law, Mr. Richardson. -Without any promise of reward for your services, or compensation -for the risks you would run, you undertook to carry out the work of -liberation. You sailed away to the southern seas, you carried out -the work you pledged yourself to accomplish, you incurred new risks -which had not been asked of you, you defied the British commander -who threatened to fire on the Stars and Stripes, and brought the six -Irishmen rescued from a British prison in safety to America. In all -this you bore yourself proudly and gallantly, like a true American -sailor, and you placed the Irish people under heavy obligations to you. - -"Our chief regret to-day is that the man most closely associated with -you in the rescue, John J. Breslin, the man who commanded the land -force of the expedition, and to whose skill and courage its success was -wholly due, is not here to receive this flag from your hands. As he -has gone to his last account, the honor of taking his place has been -assigned to me, although I was only concerned in the management of the -American end of the enterprise. Many of those who took part in the -rescue and two of the men to whom you helped to give liberty are here -to do you honor and to thank you in the name of the Irish race for the -gallant feat you accomplished nineteen years ago and for your generous -gift of this historic flag. Others still are in their graves, while -some live too far away to participate in this day's proceedings, which -recall an event of which we are all proud. - -"Captain Anthony, in the name of the Clan-na-Gael, I thank you for the -Catalpa's flag, and wish you a long and happy life." - - - - -CHAPTER XXIX - -SETTLEMENT OF THE VOYAGE - - -In February, 1877, Mr. Devoy, with James Reynolds, went to New Bedford -and made a liberal settlement with the crew. An average was taken of -the catch of oil by the vessels which sailed the same season with the -Catalpa, several of which had made "big cuts." The settlement with the -men was on this basis. - -The Catalpa was presented to Captain Anthony, Mr. Richardson, and Henry -C. Hathaway, but her value was not great. She was eventually sold and -altered into a coal barge, coming to an ignominious end at Belize, -British Honduras, where she was condemned. - -Captain Anthony's occupation was now gone, since it would be unsafe for -him to enter an English port. He was for a while an officer of the New -Bedford police force, but was appointed an inspector in the New Bedford -custom-house in President Cleveland's first term, a position which he -has since held. - -Gallant John Breslin died in New York on November 18, 1888, with -the name of his country upon his lips. To the last he believed that -revolution was the only remedy for Ireland's wrongs. The announcement -of his death drew tears from Irish eyes the world over, for his burning -love of country, his chivalry and unparalleled bravery had touched the -hearts of Erin's sons and daughters. Clan-na-Gael societies telegraphed -their sorrow, and John Devoy and all the Catalpan leaders hastened to -New York to be present at the funeral exercises. - -"Out of all the incidents of the so-called 'Fenian movement,'" said -the "Pilot," "the most brilliantly daring have been two rescues of -prisoners, namely, that of the chief organizer, James Stephens, from -Richmond Prison, Dublin, in 1865, and of the six military prisoners -from Western Australia last April. These two rescues are in many -ways remarkable. Unlike almost every other enterprise of Fenianism, -they have been completely successful; and when completed have been -commented on in the same way, as 'well done.' Every other attempt or -proposal has fallen through or ended with loss. The rescue of Kelley -and Deasy from the police van in Manchester was successful so far as -the release of the prisoners went; but it was bought with the lives of -Allen, Larkin, and O'Brien, and the nine years' misery of Condon. The -proposed attack on Chester Castle was discovered and prevented by the -English government. The seizure of Pigeon House Fort, with its armory, -at Dublin, never emerged from the stage of dreamland. The attempt to -blow up Clerkenwell Prison, London, to release Richard Burke, was a -disastrous failure, by which nothing was accomplished, by which many -suffered, the lives of several poor working people were sacrificed, -and the wretched lodging-house homes of others destroyed. - -[Illustration: JAMES REYNOLDS - -Treasurer of the Rescue Committee] - -"But the rescue of James Stephens, even while the government was -gloating over his capture, was as unexpected and thorough as if the man -had vanished in smoke. No one suffered from it,--at least from English -law,--no one was arrested; neither the government nor the public ever -knew how or by whom it was accomplished. The man or men who did the -work claimed no recompense either of money or notoriety. Two thousand -pounds reward failed to elicit the slightest clew. The thing was -cleverly, cleanly, bravely done, and those who knew of it knew how to -keep the secret. - -"The rescue of the six military prisoners from the penal colony of West -Australia was performed in a similar manner as to daring, silence, and -complete success. Looking back on it, no one can say that aught was -forgotten or left to chance. With admirable deliberation every inch -of the train was laid, every sporadic interest was attended to, and -the eventful rescue was carried out to the prearranged letter with -scientific precision. As in the escape of Stephens, no trail remained; -no one left in the trap; no price paid in human life or suffering. It -was a clean thing from beginning to end; it was 'well done.'" - -The total expense of the expedition was about $30,000, and a fund was -raised in addition to give the rescued men a start in the new life -which had been vouchsafed to them. - - - - -APPENDIX - - -[_London Telegraph._] - -Closely following upon the recent debate in the House of Commons on the -Fenian prisoners, still held most justly in durance, come particulars -from Western Australia of the escape of the half dozen jail-birds who, -while they were in captivity, excited so much sympathy among Irish -rebels and their abettors. Every Englishman knew that this sympathy -was misplaced, and, as a matter of fact, it turns out that it was the -very mildness of the captivity of the Hibernians in an Australian penal -settlement which made their escape so easy. - -[After telling how the rescue was effected, the "Telegraph" continued:] - -So the English cruiser had to return to Freemantle as empty as it left, -and the skipper of the Catalpa, who was evidently, like most Yankee -mariners, an accomplished sea lawyer, sailed off in triumph, laughing -at our scrupulous obedience to international law. This is a humiliating -result, and it is not easy to see who most deserves blame,--the sleepy -warder who allowed all the men to give him the slip and sounded no -alarm in time to overtake them on their long carriage drive, or the -authorities at Rockingham, who permitted the Catalpa to get outside -the territorial limit before stopping her. Nor is it clear what is -the next step to be taken. If the American vessel took on board the -convicts in Australia, that is in British waters, we presume that -we can insist on their rendition and on redress in some shape for a -violation of our sovereignty. We can readily conceive what would have -happened if an English vessel in the harbor of say Norfolk, Va., had -received Confederate prisoners on board, and had sailed off, daring -pursuit or arrest. Thus our government may be excused for being firm -and peremptory in calling attention to whatever violation of law -the Yankee whaler may have committed. On the other hand, there is -the consideration that the enterprising skipper of the Catalpa has, -without meaning it, done us a good turn; he has rid us of an expensive -nuisance. The United States are welcome to any number of disloyal, -turbulent, plotting conspirators, to all their silly machinations. If -these are transferred to British soil, we shall know how to deal with -them,--as we have shown already. - - -[_Melbourne Argus._] - -The news from Western Australia confirms the suspicion that a grave -international outrage was committed in the escape of the Fenian -prisoners from Freemantle. They were actually taken away while wearing -the convict garb by the master of an American ship, who dispatched a -boat ashore for that purpose. It is impossible to suppose that a man -did not know very well what he was doing, and his proceedings are -precisely as if a French boat were to run to the hill of Portland and -take away as many convicts from there as could crowd into her. The -imperial authorities are bound to take cognizance of the episode, and -to demand a substantial redress. We shall be told, no doubt, that the -escaped convicts are political refugees, and attention may be called to -the fact that Communist convicts frequently arrive in Australia without -the permission of their gaolers. But the attempt at a parallel will -deceive no one. The Communists arrive here without any aid on our part. -They build boats and take their chance, and if the Fenians had found -their way to America, their case would be very different from what it -is. Rochefort and his companions came over, it is true, in a British -bark; but, though the complicity of the captain was suspected, it was -never proved. But with the Catalpa there is evidence of a plot; there -is testimony that the American master took his boat to an unsuspected -spot, and that he made special exertions to ship the men. The ship was -on the high seas, it is true, and outside of British jurisdiction, but -the master and his boat went to the shore, and for a felonious purpose, -and that constitutes the breach of the law of nations. The offense -is too serious, too glaring, to be overlooked, and we presume that -important communications will speedily pass between the governments of -Westminster and Washington. - - -[_Melbourne Advocate._] - -The correspondence will be voluminous, but very courteous on both -sides, and, after being long drawn out, it will terminate in friendly -assurances; for it would never do that first cousins, bound together -by common interests, and in whose hands the great destinies of the -English-speaking race rest, should seriously quarrel over the fate of -a half dozen unfortunate Irishmen. The Slidell and Mason business was -a little more serious, and there was no quarrel over it. The cabinet -of Westminster will have a strong case for Washington in this Fenian -business, but Washington is not without a case against Westminster; for -its demand for the unconditional extradition of an American criminal -has been refused by the English government. Washington, besides, will -be apt to say that these escaped Fenians were political prisoners, and -though Great Britain may maintain the contrary, European opinion will -be decidedly against her view of the case. Something will also be said -about Communist convicts being sheltered on British soil, and after all -that can be urged on each side has been said, the whole affair will -taper down to an indivisible and invisible point, or, to use a more -homely phrase, it will end in smoke. - - -THE RESCUED PRISONERS - -On the 12th inst., William Foley, one of the Irish political prisoners -recently confined in Western Australia, arrived in New York from -Queenstown, on the steamship Wisconsin. When the news of the escape -of the prisoners came last week, it was thought that Foley was among -the number, but it now appears that his sentence expired last January, -and he sailed from Perth, Western Australia, on the 16th of that month -for London. From London he proceeded to Dublin, and after spending a -fortnight there went to his home in Tipperary, but finding none of his -friends there except one uncle, a very old man, he went to Cork, where -he remained about ten days, when he started for New York. The following -is the substance of Foley's story, given to a "New York Herald" -reporter by the gentleman who received it:-- - -Toward the end of last November two gentlemen arrived in Western -Australia, and, knowing the means, at once placed themselves in -communication with the prisoners, and commenced to thoroughly survey -the ground on which they were to work. Foley, being on ticket-of-leave -at the time, and having just got out of the hospital, where he had -been suffering from heart disease, was introduced to one of them by a -friend, and on the stranger giving certain information which showed -what his mission was, an understanding was arrived at. A great deal -of delicate work had to be done, and every precaution taken to avoid -attracting the attention of the authorities, but up to the last moment -of Foley's stay in the colony not the least suspicion was aroused. The -two agents each followed a legitimate occupation, and acted in every -way as if going to make their home in Western Australia, or bent solely -on making lasting business connections with the colony, and so discreet -were their movements and conduct that no one dreamed that they were -anything but what they appeared to be. "I asked no questions," said -Foley, "and they told me nothing which I had not a right to know." - -Toward the close of the spring of last year all the prisoners not on -ticket-of-leave, and two of the men who had tickets-of-leave, were sent -in from the various gangs in which they had been working through the -bush and lodged in the principal convict station at Freemantle. Their -names were James Wilson, Martin Hogan, Thomas Hassett, Thomas Darragh, -Michael Harrington, Robert Cranston, and James Kelley, life-sentenced -men, and Thomas Delaney and James McCoy, whose tickets-of-leave were -revoked. These were all, with the exception of Wilson, engaged in -constructing a reservoir within the prison of Freemantle, which is -situated on the hill, intended to supply water to the shipping in the -harbor. Wilson was training a horse for the doctor of the prison, and -this employment enabled him to go out of the prison several times each -day, and gave him many facilities for perfecting the plan of escape. -Many disappointments occurred, however, owing to unforeseen accidents, -and one golden opportunity was lost through failing to connect with a -certain ship. The ability of the agents was tested to the utmost and -the patience of the expectant prisoners was sorely tried. Still nothing -occurred to arouse the suspicion of the prison officials and no one -connected with the attempt lost heart. Two days before Foley took his -departure he had an interview with Wilson, and on the former asking -him how he should correspond with him, Wilson said, "Don't write to us -any more; I am confident we shall all follow you soon." When taking -his leave two days later neither could speak, but could only exchange -a silent but hearty shake of the hand. This was on January 16. Foley -took his passage on a sailing vessel for London, and after a voyage of -ninety-four days arrived in that city. - -Though he could not feel sure that all had escaped, Foley expressed -the greatest confidence in the safety of those who had got on board the -American ship. The Georgette, which was sent in pursuit of the Catalpa, -according to the statements of the Sydney papers, telegraphed here -from San Francisco, is only a small screw steamer, built on the Clyde, -about two hundred tons burthen, which is employed in carrying the mails -from Champion Bay, the most northern settlement in West Australia, -to King George's Sound, which is the most southerly point at which -vessels call in the same colony, and she is manned by only ten men at -the most,--ordinary sailors who never saw any service. In Perth and -Freemantle there are not more than thirty policemen at any time, and -if all of these went on board the Georgette the released soldiers and -their friends could make short work of them in a hand-to-hand fight. -The only artillery in the colony is in Perth--four old nine-pounders -belonging to a company of volunteers, the members of which live -scattered through the surrounding country and could not be got together -at a short notice. There are about forty retired soldiers living in -the neighborhood of Perth, but they are all old men, and could not be -collected at any shorter notice than the volunteers. - -It would take some time to unlimber the guns, get the Georgette ready -and prepare for a pursuit, and the point on the coast selected for -a rendezvous, according to arrangements made previous to Foley's -departure, is about twenty-five miles from Freemantle. Everything -considered, it would take several days to enable the Georgette to start -in pursuit, and by that time the Catalpa, or any other vessel on which -they might be, would be beyond her reach. Then the Georgette could not -be provisioned for a long cruise, nor could the police force nor the -pensioners be spared from the colony for any length of time, and there -was no ship of war at all in the neighborhood. Altogether the chances -of the recapture of the prisoners by the Georgette appear to be very -remote, even if she would risk boarding an American ship on the high -seas. Boats had been already secured when Foley left, to accommodate -all the prisoners and convey them out to sea so that they might not get -on board any ship in British waters. "The news," said Foley, "seems -too good to be true; it is so short a time since I saw them within the -prison walls, and all I can say is, God speed them on their way, and -may God bless the Yankee captain who took them aboard." - -Foley is thirty-eight years of age, and enlisted in 1853 in the Bombay -Horse Artillery, under the East India Company, and served all through -the Sepoy rebellion. In 1859 he returned to England, and soon after -reënlisted in the Fifth Dragoon Guards, in which regiment he remained -until his arrest for Fenianism in February, 1866. He is a simple, quiet -man, but known by his comrades to be a man of indomitable courage. -Before his imprisonment he was a man of magnificent physique, being six -feet in height and splendidly proportioned. At present he is reduced -considerably, through the terrible ordeal through which he has passed, -and very little of that soldier's strut so characteristic of British -cavalrymen can be noticed in him.--_Pilot_, June 24, 1876. - - -CAPTAIN ANTHONY OF THE CATALPA - -The remarkable story printed in this week's "Pilot," from the pen of -the chief agent in the rescue of the prisoners, makes it clear that the -captain of the whaling bark Catalpa is a man of extraordinary nerve and -integrity. Captain George S. Anthony is a young man, scarcely thirty -years of age; a silent, unassuming sailor. There is nothing in his -appearance, except, perhaps, the steadiness of the deeply-sunken dark -eye, to tell that in a moment of pending danger that would frighten -brave men this one would take his life in his hand, and, with his -usual quiet air, steer into the very jaws of destruction. - -When the Catalpa lay off the coast of the penal colony, at the -appointed place for the rescue, Captain Anthony did not, as he might -have done, send one of his officers in command of the boat that was to -land on the dangerous coast. With a picked crew of his whalemen, the -captain took the steering-oar himself. When he had reached the shore, -a man who had been watching the incoming boat informed him that he had -passed over a terrible danger; that right in the line he had crossed -lay a fatal reef, over which no boat had ever before sailed in safety. -Had this information not been given, it is almost certain that the -entire boat's crew, with the rescued prisoners, would have been lost, -for Captain Anthony would certainly have sailed out as he had entered, -and in that event the bones of the brave fellows would now be whitening -on the ledges of the reef. When the escaped prisoners arrived, and the -frail boat again put to sea, the firm hand of the captain still held -the steering-oar. The night came down, the wind rose, and the water -lashed over the deep-laden boat. They could not see the ship's lights, -but steered blindly into the darkness. There was no choice of roads. -Behind them was the chain-gang for the rescuers and the gallows for the -absconders. The morning came, and the drenched and weary men, instead -of a bark, saw a gunboat in pursuit. They were grateful then for the -rising waves, in the troughs of which their little boat escaped the -watchful eyes of the pursuit. The trained skill of the seaman was here -invaluable. He knew that a boat might escape being seen from the deck -of a ship, though only a short distance away. He lowered his sail, and -got into the wake of the gunboat, the point where they would be least -likely to look. And when the gunboat steamed away, and the smaller -police-cutter hove in sight and bore straight down on the whaleboat, -trying to cut them off from the ship, Captain Anthony shouted -encouragement to his tired men, calling them by name, using all the -whaleman's arts to urge his hands in the last spurt before the whale -is struck--till he saw that they had distanced the cutter by a few -terrible yards, and were safe alongside the Catalpa. For thirty hours -Captain Anthony had held the steering-oar of his whaleboat. - -It is a splendid story of endurance and devotion to duty. The brave man -had undertaken to rescue these prisoners, and he held to his engagement -with a manly faith that neither danger nor death could appall. To -the rescued he was not bound by ties of race or nationality; but he -knew they were political prisoners, cruelly held in bondage; and the -seaman's heart, made generous by intercourse with foreign lands, felt -deeply the bond of humanity, regardless of Celtic or Anglo-Saxon -promptings. - -It must not be forgotten that by this achievement Captain Anthony has -destroyed his career as a whaleman. He has placed himself beyond the -pale of every British harbor in the world. He can no more follow his -profession in the South Sea or in the Indian Ocean, for nearly every -port at which the whaleships get supplies are possessions of the -British Crown. By this one act, done for Irishmen, Captain Anthony has -literally thrown away the years and experience that have made him one -of the best whalemen in New Bedford. - -The Irish people of America should not forget this, nor allow such a -debt to remain against their name. CAPTAIN ANTHONY SHOULD GET SUCH A -TESTIMONIAL AS WILL PUT HIM BEYOND THE NECESSITY OF EVER GOING TO SEA -AGAIN. Unless this be done, the brave man has ruined his future in the -interests of a selfish and ungrateful people. If the masses of our -people would contribute each a mite--ten cents apiece--enough would -be done. At the meetings of Irish societies throughout the country, -subscriptions of this kind might be raised; and local treasurers could -be appointed to receive contributions. All subscriptions sent to "The -Pilot" will be acknowledged. There is not an Irish man or woman in -America who could not give something, no matter how small, to such an -object; and we trust that no time will be lost in setting the movement -in practical operation.--_Pilot_, September 2, 1876. - - -ESCAPE OF THE IRISH PRISONERS - -... Business was almost entirely suspended, and the imposing Masonic -ceremony of laying the foundation stone of the new Freemasons' Hall, -which was to take place at four o'clock, was almost forgotten, -and attracted but little if any attention. In the course of the -afternoon, His Excellency, accompanied by the Colonial Secretary, -drove down, and after consultation with the Superintendent of Water -Police, the Comptroller-General, and other officials, and the agent -for the Georgette, it was decided to dispatch the Georgette again -to the Catalpa, with a view to intercept the boat, or to demand the -surrender of the prisoners from the captain, if they were on board. The -pensioners and police were again embarked, a twelve-pounder field-piece -was shipped and fixed in the gangway; provisions were put on board, -and a fatigue-party of pensioners were engaged in coaling--thirty tons -being put on board in a short time. By eleven o'clock arrangements -were completed, and the Georgette steamed away from the jetty. Not a -few, both on board and on shore, but gave way to gloomy forebodings -as to the result of this second visit to the ship. Certainly, the -arrangements made by the authorities warranted those who were not -acquainted with international law, or aware of his excellency's -instructions, in concluding that the governor had determined upon -resorting to force, if necessary, to capture the fugitives. By early -morning the Georgette was outside of Rottnest, and at daylight sighted -the ship bearing S.S.E. under full sail. The Georgette hereupon -hoisted her pennant and the ensign, and all hands were put under -arms. As the Georgette did not gain upon the ship, and the wind was -freshening, a gun was fired under the vessel's stern,--and she then run -up the American flag. She took no further notice of the signal, and the -Georgette, under full steam and all sail, gave chase. As the ship did -not attempt to shorten sail or take any notice of the signal, when the -Georgette had steamed to within a quarter of a mile of her a gun was -fired across her bow, and the captain of the ship then got into the -quarter-boat.... - - -WHAT THE AUSTRALIAN PRESS SAYS - -The comments of the Western Australian papers will be interesting -to the readers of "The Pilot." "The Perth Inquirer" of the 26th of -April says: "It seems humiliating that a Yankee with a half dozen -colored men should be able to come into our waters and carry off -six of the most determined of the Fenian convicts,--all of them -military prisoners,--and then to laugh at us for allowing them to -be taken away without an effort to secure them. But international -law must be observed, and, doubtless, the Home Government will seek -and obtain redress for this outrage. It is evident that Collins came -to this colony with ample means as the agent of the American Fenian -Brotherhood, and that Jones, Johnson, and Taylor were co-workers in -furthering the escape of the prisoners. Immediately the Catalpa arrived -in Bunbury, Collins proceeded there, and doubtless interviewed Captain -Anthony, who shortly afterwards came to Freemantle under the plea of -securing fresh charts, but in reality to reconnoitre the coast. The -Catalpa appears to have cleared out of Bunbury on the 28th of March, -when a ticket-of-leave man named Smith was found stowed away and taken -by the police. She must have returned to Bunbury, and again cleared out -finally on the 15th instant. It would appear that there was a desire to -obtain correct legal information on international law, for about the -time of Captain Anthony's visit to Freemantle, Johnson called upon Mr. -Howell, the solicitor in Perth, and asked several questions as to the -limit of neutral waters, from which we infer that the captain knew what -he was about when he told Mr. Stone that his flag protected him where -he then was." - - -TOO BAD TO BE LAUGHED AT BY THE YANKEES - -The "Freemantle Herald," of April 22, said:-- - -"The early return of the steamer gave rise to every kind of conjecture, -and as her approach was watched from the shore, wagers were freely made -as to the cause of her early return. Many declared that the Catalpa, -warned of the steps the governor was taking by the previous visit of -the Georgette, had attacked her and beaten her off. Others laid bets -that, overawed by the determination of force on board the Georgette, -the captain of the Catalpa had quietly surrendered the runaways. As is -usual in such cases, the sequel showed that neither was right. When the -true condition of affairs became known, there were some manifestations -of indignation at the colony having been fooled by a Yankee skipper. -The pensioners and police felt that they had been taking part in a very -silly farce, and had been laughed at by the Yankees at sea and the -public on shore, and sincerely hoped that instructions would be given -to go out again and take the prisoners by force. The governor, however, -who throughout had acted with most commendable energy and prudence, was -not to be led into committing a breach of international law to gratify -a feeling of resentment at the cool effrontery of the Yankee, directed -that the armed parties on board the Georgette should be dismissed, and -the vessel returned to the agent, with his excellency's thanks for -the readiness with which the vessel had been placed at his disposal, -and for the hearty manner in which both the agent, Mr. McCleery, the -captain, Mr. M. O'Grady, and all concerned, had coöperated with him in -the matter; at the same time expressing his approbation of the conduct -of Mr. Stone. These instructions were carried out, and in a short time -the crowds dispersed, and the town elapsed into its normal condition -of quietude, having suffered three days of the most intense excitement -ever experienced in its history."--_Pilot_, August 12, 1876. - - -HOW THE IRISH PRISONERS ESCAPED - -The following letter has been received by Mrs. O'Reilly, John Street, -Kilkenny, from her son, Rev. John O'Reilly, who is at present in -Freemantle, Western Australia. Father O'Reilly, following in the -footsteps of many ardent young missionaries, left home and friends to -pursue his sacred calling in the region of the Southern Cross. We can -easily understand what his feelings were when the mail steamer returned -to her moorings after her fruitless pursuit of the whaler bearing away -the escaped prisoners:-- - - Freemantle, W.A., April 18, 1876. - - My dear Mother,--You owe to the accidental detention of the mail - steamer the letter which I am now writing. The cause of the delay - is an event which will probably excite so much attention in the Old - Country and America, that it will form the principal if not the sole - topic of my note. - - You are aware before now that Western Australia is a convict colony. - Hither were sent some seven or eight years ago a number of the - prisoners sentenced to penal servitude on the occasion of the Fenian - disturbances a little before that date. These were gradually released, - and at the beginning of the present month only eight remained in - confinement in Western Australia. All eight had been soldiers. The - prisoners of the establishment work in various gangs throughout the - town, and the Fenians were distributed at different points with the - rest. Amongst the prisoners some are chosen to fill offices of trust - in connection with the prison arrangements, and are called constables. - One of the Fenians was a constable, and by delivering pretended orders - to the warders in charge of the working parties, he was enabled to get - six of the Fenians together when occasion required. - - The occasion came yesterday. At nine o'clock he withdrew these whom he - required from under the warders in charge. The six prisoners assembled - at a spot just outside Freemantle. Two carriages, with two horses - each, were in readiness. They got in, and away they go. - - I must retrace my steps a little. Towards the end of last year - a gentleman represented as from one of the neighboring colonies - arrived here. He put up at the best hotel at the port, and has since - mixed with the best society. He went by the name of Mr. Collins. - His business here was always an enigma to the residents, but it was - supposed by some that he had come here with a view of seeing his - way to the opening of some business. Another person lately arrived - here too, named Jones, a Yankee; but as he worked at a trade no one - noticed him. Now it appears these two persons were the chief actors - in the plot. They arranged the details of the flight, and awaited the - fugitives with carriages at the place of rendezvous yesterday. - - The party drove to a spot sixteen miles or so from Freemantle, where - they were seen to enter a boat evidently belonging to a whaler in the - offing. - - Yesterday, port and metropolis were in a state of intense excitement. - The government chartered an only steamer, a peaceful mail boat, put on - board a guard of pensioners and police,--we have no soldiers in the - colony,--and sent it in pursuit. A little before the steamer an open - boat manned with water police had started on the trail of the runaways. - - To-day, at four, the steamer returned. A crowd had assembled on - the jetty to see her come in; I was amongst the number; she did not - bring the prisoners; she reported having been alongside the whaler. - The captain and one boat's crew were absent. The authorities in the - steamer requested to go on board, but were refused permission. As the - vessel lay in neutral waters, they could not use force to attain their - desires. - - The water police boat is still in chase of the missing ship's boat, - but I doubt if they will come up with her. Under cover of the darkness - of the night--and it threatens to be dark indeed--the absent crew, - with the fugitives, will make the ship; and even if the police crew - found them, and there was a fight, as there would be pretty sure to - be, if a forced capture were attempted, it is very doubtful who would - be the victors. Against the fifteen water police, there would be the - six prisoners, their two accomplices, and the boat's crew. - - The whistle is sounding its warning, and my letter must hurry to the - post. With kindest love to all, believe me, - - Your affectionate son, J. O'Reilly. - ---_Pilot_, June 24, 1876. - - -THE ESCAPE OF THE POLITICAL PRISONERS - -"There was a torchlight procession in Dublin on Saturday night, June -10, in celebration of the escape of the political convicts from West -Australia, and Disraeli was burned in effigy." So runs the latest -telegram from Ireland, and the news is fully significant. Ireland -knows the meaning of the escape, and will act on it. It was planned -and carried out by her sons in America; and this fact will intensify -the national spirit of the Old Country, and make her feel that she is -beginning to reap the harvest of her motherhood. - -The first news of the escape of the Irish prisoners appeared last week -in the following dispatch:-- - - "London, June 6. A dispatch from Melbourne, Australia, states that all - the political prisoners confined in Western Australia have escaped on - the American whaleship Catalpa." - -About the same time the SS. Colima from Sydney, Australia, reached San -Francisco with news to the same effect, but adding that the ocean cable -from Australia to Java had been cut on April 27, immediately before the -escape. - -Two weeks ago the English Prime Minister scornfully refused to release -those prisoners at the earnest request of Ireland. It was in his hands -then to render this escape meaningless, and to make Irishmen believe -that they had better wait for the slow course of English justice. But -the old spirit of domineering insolence was too strong in the British -House of Commons. To show mercy to Ireland would be a confession of -weakness; they determined to refuse the Irish petition, and at their -own haughty will select the time to release the prisoners. - -But Ireland has had satisfaction this time. At the moment that Disraeli -was jauntily telling the House that he would not release the prisoners, -they were on board a Yankee ship, free as air, thousands of miles from -an English chain or an English dungeon. Ireland laughs at England at -home; and all America joins in our jeer across the Atlantic. - -It is the beginning of a new order of things in Irish national -movements. Heretofore England could buy informers and perpetuate the -distrust of each other which has been the curse of Irishmen. The -reins of agitation have been too often given into inferior hands, and -inferior intelligence has too long dominated Irish councils. - -The escape of the prisoners from Western Australia is the best proof -that Irishmen can manage the most dangerous and difficult enterprises, -and keep their own counsel in a way unknown almost to any other nation. -The plan of this escape was completed nearly two years ago. Every -portion of the gigantic scheme was worked out in the United States. The -machinery was set in motion here, eighteen months ago, which recently -struck such an alarming note in the penal colony. When the freed men -are landed safe in America or some other country, the plan of the -escape may be published. Until then we shall only say that nothing was -left to chance, that no expense was spared, and that brave men were -ready to risk liberty and life itself to make the attempt a success. - -To one devoted man, more than to any other, the whole affair is -creditable. He it was who, with the pitiful letters received from the -prisoners in his hand, excited the sympathy of Irish conventions and -individual men. He neglected his business in New York to attend to the -prisoners. He told those who helped the object that they would have to -trust him, that the secret must not be generally known. They did trust -him, for they had reason to know his purity as a patriot. The event -proves the truth and devotedness of the man. We have asked him for -permission to publish his name; but he will not allow us till the men -are absolutely safe. To another man, an American friend, the gratitude -of the Irish people is also due. - -These outlines are not imaginative, but real. We have been acquainted -with the plan since its inception; and of late have been anxiously -watching for the good news. - -[Illustration: A CARTOON FROM THE IRISH WORLD, SEPTEMBER 2, 1876] - -There was never an enterprise so large and so terribly dangerous -carried out more admirably. It will be remembered of Irish patriots -that they never forget their suffering brothers. The prisoners who -have escaped are humble men, most of them private soldiers. But the -PRINCIPLE was at stake--and for this they have been released. England -will now begin to realize that she has made a mistake that will follow -her to her death-bed, in making Ireland so implacable and daring an -enemy. This is only an earnest of what will come when the clouds of war -are over her. The men who sent the Catalpa to Australia are just the -men to send out a hundred Catalpas to wipe British commerce from the -face of the sea.--_Pilot_, June 17, 1876. - - -LESSONS FROM THE PRISONERS' ESCAPE - -The well-planned and boldly executed rescue of the Irish political -prisoners from the penal colony of Western Australia contains lessons -worth noting by those who desire to perpetuate Irish nationality. A -nation that cultivates the evil weed of Distrust will never become -strong or great. Cohesion is the principle of power, and the people -that cannot stand by each other for a common cause, under common -leaders, are no stronger than a ball of sand, to be scattered at a -touch. - -Heretofore the curse of Ireland has been the impossibility of union. -Party hated party; class distrusted class. Rich men were called -traitors because they, having something to lose, refused to enter on -every wild plan of revolution without considering the probabilities. -Poor men were too easily led by demagogues. The man who spake loudest, -who boasted most, became the idol of the hour. When the opportunity -offered, he sold the people he had so easily deceived, and scorned -them for their credulity. There are plenty of "successful men" of this -class--such as Judge Keogh, who a few years ago called God to witness -that he would never desert the People's Cause, but who, when made a -judge, was the first to lay a ruthless hand and an insulting tongue on -the religion and nationality of his country. - -With such an experience Irishmen have grown distrustful to such a -degree that the danger from their doubt is greater than from their -deception. Better a thousand times to be deceived than to lose faith in -your brother's honesty and patriotism. - -The CURE of this national disease is coming--for the CAUSE of it -is plain. Distrust has grown from disappointment; and this has been -the result of a bad selection of men. Ireland has hitherto trusted -the TALKERS rather than the DOERS. She has given her vote to the -noisy demagogues who tickled her ear, and has turned from the men who -appealed to her common-sense. For twenty-five years past--with the -exception of the abortive Fenian movement--the Irish people have acted -as if green flags, denunciation of England, and poetic sun-burstry were -enough to establish Ireland's claim to national independence. - -We trust and believe that a change for the better is coming. Ireland -is beginning to see that the men who are able to do something for -themselves, the men of judgment and prevision in their own affairs, -are likely to bring the best intelligence into national deliberations. -Hereafter it will not be a recommendation for an Irish politician that -he has failed to make a decent living at everything else. - -The rescue of the political prisoners proves that the Irishmen who talk -least can do most. It proves also that distrust is not chronic in the -Irish people--that they can stake great issues on the faith of single -men--when they have selected them for their capacity and intelligence -instead of their braggadocio. - -Another and most valuable lesson from the rescue has a bearing on the -English army. The thousands of Irishmen in the ranks knew that those -men were kept in prison BECAUSE THEY HAD BEEN SOLDIERS. It seemed, too, -for two or three years past, that those men had been forgotten. The -leaders of the movement were free; and no one seemed to care for the -poor fellows whose very names were unknown. The soldiers in the army -knew that of all the Irish prisoners of '66 and '67, there were none -who risked more or who would have been more valuable than a trained -dragoon, the indispensable artilleryman, and the steady linesman. To -see their comrades forgotten and left to rot in their dungeons was -enough to make the Irishmen of the army abjure their nationality and -accept the English dominion in Ireland. - -This has been averted by the rescue. The soldiers in the English army -will read the news with a deeper thrill than any other Irishmen. It has -a larger meaning to them than to others. "Now," they will say, "now, at -last, we are a part of the Irish people. Our red coats do not separate -us from our countrymen; and if we suffer for their cause they will be -true as steel to us in the day of trial." - -It is full time that Irish nationality should take intelligent -position. All shades of Irish politics can agree in mutual respect; -they are all shades of green. One party may desire more than another, -and believe it possible of attainment. But they should not hate the -others that think differently. The Home Rulers are as honest as the -Fenians, and as intelligent. One should say to the other: "We travel -the same road; but when you stop, we go farther. If we succeed, you can -join us; if we fail, we shall return to you for support." This is true -nationality; and when this spirit grows among the Irish people, there -cannot be a doubt of the result.--_Pilot_, June 24, 1876. - - -THE RESCUED PRISONERS - -GRAND RECEPTION IN BOSTON - -On the 1st inst., a grand entertainment was given in Music Hall for -the benefit of the released prisoners, who were present. The immense -hall was crowded; nearly every seat on floor and galleries was filled. -The stage was fitted up with a handsome proscenium, the Sheil Literary -Institute playing the patriotic drama of Robert Emmet. The greatest -credit is due to the management committee. Polite ushers were in -attendance, and not the least hitch occurred in the whole evening's -entertainment. The address was delivered by John E. Fitzgerald, Esq., -who was greeted with thundering applause. He pictured in graphic -words the condition of Ireland for centuries; while Poland and other -struggling nationalities had been wiped from the map, the intense -individualism of the Irish as a nation had preserved them. The movement -for which these gallant fellows had suffered was the embodiment of the -national idea. (Applause.) - -The more pacific and undefinable agitation known as the Home Rule -movement was by no means final--as England well knew. It was a step -toward something fuller,--toward the only consummation that will ever -satisfy Irishmen,--complete separation. (Great applause.) The sentiment -of Henry Grattan was still vivid,--that no one but the Irish people -had a right to legislate for Ireland. Mr. Fitzgerald dwelt eloquently -on the devotion of the Nationalists to their imprisoned brethren. He -spoke in the highest praise of the efforts of those by whom this last -brilliant exploit was accomplished with so much wisdom and secrecy. -He said that the sum of $30,000 had been contributed in this country -in its aid, and though the object of the contribution was so widely -known, the secrecy was maintained until its accomplishment. He hoped -that a generous and substantial testimonial would be presented to -Captain Anthony, the brave man who had risked and accomplished so much -in their behalf. Mr. A. O'Dowd recited Meagher's "Sword Speech" in -impressive style. A song, "Cead Mille Failthe," by Mr. E. Fitzwilliam, -was sung by the composer, and pleased the audience so well that an -encore was given, in response to which Mr. Fitzwilliam sang another -of his compositions, entitled, "The Irishman's Version of One Hundred -Years Ago," which was also generously applauded. Miss Annie Irish, -a well-known vocalist, sang two songs in acceptable style; and Mr. -Sheehan, who was warmly received, received an encore, to which he -responded in his usual excellent manner. - -The drama by the Sheil Literary Institute was, as usual with that body, -well played, and gave great pleasure to the immense and patriotic -audience. Before its performance there were loud requests for "Captain -Anthony" to come forward, but that brave fellow, who sat in the -audience with Captain Hathaway, of New Bedford, was too modest to make -his appearance. - -At the close of the drama the demand for the appearance of the rescued -prisoners was imperious, and had to be gratified, though it was -intended by the committee that the men should not be paraded. But -the call was so strong and kindly that the bronzed men appeared on -the stage, and were introduced by Mr. Fitzgerald. The greeting they -received will never be forgotten. It was plain how deep a chord their -suffering and escape has struck in the Irish heart. They numbered six, -though Mr. Wilson, one of the rescued men, was not present; his place -was filled by Mr. William Foley, the ex-prisoner who arrived in this -country about two months ago. - -The entertainment was a complete success; and, besides its value -as a patriotic safety-valve, it will add a considerable sum to the -testimonial to be presented to the ex-prisoners, to enable them to -begin life in this new country under fair circumstances.--_Pilot_, -September 9, 1876. - - -THE RESCUED PRISONERS - -RECEPTION TO JOHN J. BRESLIN - -A large audience assembled in Boston Theatre on the evening of Sunday, -the 24th inst., to tender a public reception to Mr. John J. Breslin, -the chief agent in the rescue of the Fenian prisoners from Australia. -The reception was under the management of the United Irish Brotherhood, -and the committee of arrangements deserves the greatest credit. - -Charles F. Donnelly, Esq., presided on the occasion, and among others -on the platform were Captain Anthony, City Marshal Hathaway, of New -Bedford, Alderman O'Brien, Thomas Riley, Esq., and a large number of -prominent and respectable citizens. - -Mr. Donnelly, in an eloquent address, reminded his audience that the -turmoil of a political campaign did not prevent them from assembling -to do honor to brave men. Could they say that the spirit of the -knights and saints of old was dead? Did it not survive in the act -of the brave men there present? A year ago, and the escape of the -political prisoners would have been deemed an impossibility; it had -been undertaken and executed by Mr. Breslin, who set out to rescue -from bondage, ten thousand miles away, men whom he had never seen, men -whose only crime was loving their country, perhaps not wisely, but too -well,--if an Irishman could love his country too well. But the age -of chivalry had been revived even in this hard, practical age by a -generous Yankee captain. (Loud applause.) Many morals might be drawn -from this event, but he would select one,--it was this: that when an -Irishman and a Yankee combine to carry out an undertaking, they can do -it in spite of the whole power of the British Empire. - -Mr. Donnelly then stated that he had received a letter from Wendell -Phillips regretting his inability to attend, and expressing sympathy -with the objects of the meeting. A telegram of similar import was read -from General Butler, which concluded thus: "A prominent Massachusetts -politician says that Fenianism should be crowded out of politics. -Fenianism is the love of one's native land. I hope it may never be -crushed out of the heart of any citizen of this country." - -Alderman O'Brien, the next speaker, said that when coming there he -had no intention of making a speech. He came there in common with his -fellow-citizens to extend to these brave men a cordial welcome, and to -show them that he felt as he spoke, he would shake hands with them -all. He was followed by Thomas Riley, Esq., who began by likening the -cause of Ireland to that patriotic society whose birth antedated that -of George III., and which still lived on. The spirit of Irish liberty -was not dead, as was proved by their presence there that night to do -honor to a man and an act. The achievement of Mr. Breslin was worthy of -the annals of an earlier era. Ireland's history was one of oppression. -An Englishman had once charged that the Irish were "an unpolished -nation;" to which a native of Ireland replied, "It ought not to be -so, for we have received hard rubs enough to be polished long ago." -It was acts like Mr. Breslin's that kept alive the spirit of liberty. -Plantagenet and Tudor, and Stuart and Cromwell, all had dealt Ireland -crushing blows, all had waded through seas of Irish gore; yet all -their dynasties had perished off the face of the earth, and the spirit -of Irish liberty still survived. The worst of the Roman Emperors was -Julian, yet he sent no Christian to the cross or the wild beasts, he -merely banned and barred Christian education, for he well knew that -without education a nation relapsed into the depths of barbarism. -England had done the same; in her savage, barbarous penal code she had -proscribed education and educators, but Ireland still clung to the -light of liberty. She listened to the sound of the battle of freedom -in the West, and her sons caught the flame, and Flood, and Grattan, -and the Volunteers raised her to nationhood, and crowned her with the -star of freedom. She had lost that eminence, but the spirit burned -again in the immortal O'Connell; it still survived the golden-mouthed -Father Burke. The speaker paid a touching tribute to the memory of -John Mitchel, and denounced England as championing the iniquity of the -age, of upholding dead and rotten Turkey and her butcheries, and that -the hour of retribution had arrived, if Russia would only advance. -If England lost her temper in the threatened European complication, -Ireland would be her "beetle of mortality." During his eloquent -address Mr. Riley was frequently applauded. - -Captain Hathaway, who succeeded him, said he was not an Irishman, but -that was not his fault. He detailed the facts already published as to -the inception of the plan of escape, how Mr. Devoy had approached him -with a letter from his (Mr. H.'s) friend, Mr. John Boyle O'Reilly, and -the consequent chartering of the Catalpa. - -Captain Anthony, who divided attention with Mr. Breslin as the lion -of the night, succeeded, and was greeted with a storm of applause, to -which that man of deeds, not words, responded by two modest bows. - -Mr. John J. Breslin, who was enthusiastically received, then addressed -the audience. He said that parliamentary action, prayers, and petitions -had all failed to move the bowels of compassion of the British -government in behalf of the prisoners, for the reason said government -had no bowels. Mr. John Devoy, well and honorably known in '65, in 1873 -began to actively agitate the plan of escape, and had, in the fall of -1874, raised funds sufficient to warrant him to make the attempt. The -funds were raised in various ways; one of John Mitchel's last lectures -was given for the purpose. Mr. Devoy placed himself in communication -with a gentleman whose high literary abilities and rare poetic talents -had raised him to a prominent position among the journalists of the -day; by whom he (Mr. Devoy) was introduced to Captain Hathaway, of -New Bedford, through whom the Catalpa was obtained. Mr. Breslin -gave a clear, concise, and detailed account of his proceeding from -first to last in carrying out the details of the escape. Most of -this has already appeared in our columns. His description of the -face of the country, cities, geology, and flora of Western Australia -was particularly good, and show both scholarship and observation on -his part. Alluding to the sandy nature of the soil, he related the -following anecdote: An inhabitant meeting a "new chum," told him it was -a fine country. "It is," said the latter, "so mighty fine that most of -it would pass through a sieve." - -At the close of Mr. Breslin's address, the chairman announced the -meeting adjourned. Before and after the proceedings, Mr. Breslin, who -is of commanding presence and courteous demeanor, was surrounded by -groups of enthusiastic countrymen, each eager to express admiration and -sympathy.--_Pilot_, September 30, 1876. - - -WHY DON'T ENGLAND DEMAND THE PRISONERS? - -Mr. Gladstone is an able man, watchful and jealous of the honor of -England. He has written a pamphlet of great power on the Turkish -atrocities in Bulgaria, in which he says that Turkey should be excluded -from Bosnia, Herzegovina, and Bulgaria, as a power unfit to rule -civilized and Christian people. He says that the English government -should lead in accomplishing this result,--"to redeem by these measures -the honor of the British name, which in the deplorable events of the -year has been more generally compromised than I have known it in any -former period." That is true; the past two or three years have torn -away more of England's prestige than all her previous history. She -has fallen into decay so fast that she has not made a single effort -to reassert herself as a Great Power. When Russia broke the Black Sea -Treaty, England growled, but backed down. She sees the Czar laying -railways to Northern Asia, and she hears the tramp of his legions -already on the border of Hindostan; but she fears to stir a finger. -When her Prime Minister, Disraeli, last year made an assertion that -irritated Prussia, and that iron empire frowned, the fearful minister -hastened to eat his words before the face of Bismarck. When the -Fenian prisoners--men whom she persisted in calling "criminals"--were -taken from her in defiance of all her laws, she dare not demand -them from the United States. Why? Because the root of her greatness -is split--the germ of her strength is rotten. Beside her heart she -has the disease that will sooner or later strike her down. She has -maltreated, misgoverned, scorned, derided the island and the people of -Ireland, until oppression has generated in their hearts the terrible -political mania of national hatred. God forbid that we should exult -in such a feeling; but no one who knows Ireland and Irishmen can -deny its existence. England, to save herself, to possess the land, -has driven the Irish people over the world; but wherever they went -they carried with them the bitter memory of their wrongs and hates. -She has strengthened the world against herself. She is powerless and -contemptible; if she were to-day to demand the return of the Fenian -prisoners, the people of all nations would shout in derision, and the -United States would answer with a particular sneer. It is well for Mr. -Gladstone to say that her honor is waning. But he has only seen the -beginning of the end. The haughty and truculent country must eat the -leek till its heart is sick.--_Pilot_, September 16, 1876. - - -JAMES REYNOLDS, THE TREASURER - -James Reynolds, of New Haven, Conn., familiarly known as "Catalpa Jim," -was born in County Cavan, Ireland, on October 20, 1831. His ancestry -dates back over fourteen hundred years to the noble sept MacRaghnaill, -which the Irish historians tell us was a branch of the tribe called -Conmaie, whose founder was Conmacrie, third son of Fergus MacRoigh, by -Meive, the celebrated queen of Connaught, in the first century of the -Christian era. - -He was but sixteen years of age when, during the memorable famine -that peopled the cemeteries of Ireland, he bade adieu to his native -heath and sailed away to the distant shores of America, bearing with -him a freight of precious memories that were to bear fruit in after -years of patriotic endeavor. On his arrival in this country he at -once apprenticed himself to learn the brass-founding trade, and in -1850 he settled in Connecticut, where he has since made his home. For -twenty-eight years he has been a resident of New Haven, where he has -received repeated political honors at the hands of his fellow citizens. -For several years he has been at the head of the town government as -town agent; the only Irishman who has ever been elevated to this -position in a city where Puritanic influences and prejudices have -not yet wholly passed away. In addition to his municipal duties, Mr. -Reynolds has for years conducted a lucrative and somewhat extensive -business as a brass-founder. - -He early espoused the cause of his country and brought to its service -all the energies of an active and impulsive nature. When, in the years -following the rebellion, Irish patriotism was directed in a movement -against England through her colonies in America, we find him foremost -among those whose financial resources flowed freely into the common -treasury. Not when his practical mind told him that not here lay the -channel to Irish freedom did he close his purse-strings; not even when -a prudent judgment convinced him that here lay a waste of Irish blood -and human treasures did he say nay to the appeal for funds. It was -enough for him to know that even one blow was struck at England, one -thrust was made in the great cause of Irish freedom. James Reynolds -never believed that the liberation of Ireland was to be effected -through the conquest of Canada. His strong native sense and sagacious -foresight taught him the folly of such a hope, yet, when the movement -was inaugurated, he entered into it heart and soul, with all the -enthusiasm of his noble nature, hopeful that even one blow might be -struck at the shackles that bound his country. - -But it was in the Catalpa movement that his great patriotism found -its highest opportunity, and the name of James Reynolds gained the -imperishable splendor of immortal fame. The history of that memorable -expedition is still fresh in the memory of Irishmen; how the little -bark with its gallant crew sailed into Australian waters and bore away -its precious freight, bringing to freedom and glory those patriots -who were expiating in exile their efforts for Ireland; bidding bold -defiance to the British man-of-war who gave her chase, and riding -safely into the harbor of New York,--all these details are still green -in the Irish memory. And while the fame of this daring rescue shall -last; while the name of Catalpa shall wake and fan the fires of Irish -enthusiasm, so long will the name of James Reynolds be held in fond and -loving remembrance. For it was he who mortgaged his home, who placed a -chattel upon his household goods, who beggared himself for the time, -that the sinews might be forthcoming to inaugurate and sustain the -expedition. Other choice spirits lent him their counsels and their -fortunes, but James Reynolds gave his all that the Catalpa rescue might -be consummated. True, the success of the expedition recompensed him in -a measure for his financial sacrifices; it brought back some of the -little fortune he freely gave in the cause, but his chief reward, the -glory of his great heart and the pride of his noble life, is the memory -which he treasures, which his children and his children's children will -carry in their hearts, that his sacrifices were not in vain,--that they -brought humiliation to England, liberty and happiness to the rescued -patriots, and eternal fame and glory to Ireland. - -When the Land League movement was inaugurated, he at once actively -interested himself, and was one of the leading delegates at its first -national convention. He has been a member of the succeeding ones, and -has acted a number of times on the committee on resolutions. He was -for several years a member of the executive council, the committee -of seven, and was state delegate of the League for Connecticut. He -enthused much of his own enthusiasm into the movement, and during his -administration the League in the Nutmeg State was to the front in point -of numbers and the character and influence of its work. - -James Reynolds is a pure, unselfish patriot; around his name breathes a -lustre undimmed by a single thought of personal ambition, the faintest -breath of self-interest or individual aggrandizement. Other men have -given greater intellectual gifts to the service of Ireland; others -have told her wrongs with a sublimer magic of eloquence, and waked -the sympathies of men in the sweep of their mighty oratory; and still -others, perhaps, have braved a larger measure of personal danger; but -none has devoted his whole energies, his entire worldly fortune, with -a loftier patriotism, a more generous spirit of sacrifice, than James -Reynolds has for the little isle that gave him birth. - -Personally he is a man of genial temperament, frank, guileless, and -companionable, unaffected in manner and speech, open-handed and -generous; a man whose friendships are firm and lasting; a citizen -whose activities are always beneficial.--_The Irish-American Weekly_, -Lincoln, Neb., March 20, 1892. - - - - - The Riverside Press - CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A. - ELECTROTYPED AND PRINTED BY - H.O. 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W. 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W. -(Zephaniah Walter) Pease</h1> -<p>This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States -and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no -restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it -under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this -eBook or online at <a -href="http://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a>. If you are not -located in the United States, you'll have to check the laws of the -country where you are located before using this ebook.</p> -<p>Title: The Catalpa Expedition</p> -<p>Author: Zeph. W. (Zephaniah Walter) Pease</p> -<p>Release Date: July 13, 2020 [eBook #62633]</p> -<p>Language: English</p> -<p>Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1</p> -<p>***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CATALPA EXPEDITION***</p> -<p> </p> -<h4 class="pgx" title="">E-text prepared by Tim Lindell, Graeme Mackreth,<br /> - and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team<br /> - (<a href="http://www.pgdp.net">http://www.pgdp.net</a>)<br /> - from page images generously made available by<br /> - Internet Archive<br /> - (<a href="https://archive.org">https://archive.org</a>)</h4> -<p> </p> -<p> </p> -<table border="0" style="background-color: #ccccff;margin: 0 auto;" cellpadding="10"> - <tr> - <td valign="top"> - Note: - </td> - <td> - Images of the original pages are available through - Internet Archive. See - <a href="https://archive.org/details/catalpaexpeditio00peas"> - https://archive.org/details/catalpaexpeditio00peas</a> - </td> - </tr> -</table> -<hr class="pgx" /> -<p> </p> -<p> </p> -<p> </p> - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/illus1.jpg" alt="pic" /> -<a id="illus1" name="illus1"></a> -</p> - -<p class="caption"> CAPT. GEORGE S. ANTHONY<br /> - -Commander of the Catalpa</p> - - - - - -<p class="ph1" style="margin-top: 10em;">THE CATALPA EXPEDITION</p> - -<p class="ph5">BY</p> - -<p class="ph3">Z. W. PEASE</p> - -<p class="ph4"><i>WITH ILLUSTRATIONS</i></p> - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/illus13.jpg" alt="pic" /> -</p> - - -<p class="ph4" style="margin-top: 10em;">NEW BEDFORD, MASS.</p> -<p class="ph3">GEORGE S. ANTHONY</p> -<p class="ph5">1897</p> - - - - - - -<p class="ph5">Copyright, 1897,</p> -<p class="ph4"><span class="smcap">By</span> GEORGE S. ANTHONY.</p> - -<p class="ph5"><i>All rights reserved.</i></p> - - - - - -<p class="ph2">INTRODUCTION</p> - - -<p><span class="smcap">One</span> hundred years after the Declaration of Independence, an American -whaling captain, George S. Anthony, commemorated the event by enforcing -another declaration of independence which set free the Irish political -prisoners who were sentenced to a lifetime of servitude in the English -penal colony in Australia.</p> - -<p>The story of the rescue of these prisoners in 1876 is a brave incident -of history which has hitherto been told too briefly. When Captain -Anthony, commanding the bark Catalpa, landed the men for whose relief -the expedition was planned, at New York, public interest in the -romantic voyage was very intense. The boldness of the raid upon the -English colony and the remarkable features of the conspiracy, excited -universal curiosity concerning the details of the affair.</p> - -<p>At that time international complications seemed certain, and there were -many reasons why those concerned in the rescue furnished only meagre -information of the inception of the plan and its progress during the -two years which were spent in bringing it to a successful consummation.</p> - -<p>Brief newspaper accounts appeared at the time, and this material has -been worked over into magazine sketches. The frequency with which -the original newspaper story has been revived during the years which -have elapsed suggested that the interest was still alive and led to -the writing of the story which follows. The facts were contributed by -Captain Anthony, who placed his log-book and personal records at the -disposition of the writer, and the present version is authorized by the -man who was most prominent in it.</p> - -<p>Some of the incidents of history which led up to the Fenian conspiracy -in 1867 are compiled from familiar sources. The records of the -court-martial are from transcripts of the proceedings made in Dublin -expressly for this book, and have never previously been published.</p> - -<p>No attempt has been made to embellish the narrative. It has been -the effort of the writer to tell it simply, as he knows the gallant -commander would best like to have it told.</p> - - -<p><span class="smcap">New Bedford, Mass., 1897.</span></p> - - - - -<p class="ph2">CONTENTS</p> - - - - - - -<table summary="toc" width="55%"> -<tr><td><small>CHAPTER</small></td><td></td> <td><small>PAGE</small></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="right">I.</td> <td><a href="#CHAPTER_I"><span class="smcap">Sailing of the Catalpa</span></a></td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_1">1</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="right">II.</td> <td><a href="#CHAPTER_II"><span class="smcap">Fenian History</span></a></td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_4">4</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="right">III.</td> <td><a href="#CHAPTER_III"><span class="smcap">The Irish Political Prisoners</span></a></td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_9">9</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="right">IV.</td> <td><a href="#CHAPTER_IV"><span class="smcap">The Court-Martial</span></a></td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_16">16</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="right">V.</td> <td><a href="#CHAPTER_V"><span class="smcap">The Court-Martial continued</span></a></td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_35">35</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="right">VI.</td> <td><a href="#CHAPTER_VI"><span class="smcap">Banishment to Australia</span></a></td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_51">51</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="right">VII.</td> <td><a href="#CHAPTER_VIII"><span class="smcap">O'Reilly's Escape</span></a></td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_54">54</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="right">VIII.</td> <td><a href="#CHAPTER_VIII"><span class="smcap">Other Escapes and Rescues</span></a></td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_58">58</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="right">IX.</td> <td><a href="#CHAPTER_IX"><span class="smcap">Appeals from Australia</span></a></td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_66">66</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="right">X.</td> <td><a href="#CHAPTER_X"><span class="smcap">The Plot</span></a></td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_70">70</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="right">XI.</td> <td><a href="#CHAPTER_XI"><span class="smcap">The Vessel and the Start</span></a></td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_75">75</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="right">XII.</td> <td><a href="#CHAPTER_XII"><span class="smcap">Whaling</span></a></td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_82">82</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="right">XIII.</td> <td><a href="#CHAPTER_XIII"><span class="smcap">A Hurried Departure</span></a></td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_91">91</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="right">XIV.</td> <td><a href="#CHAPTER_XIV"><span class="smcap">An Awkward Meeting</span></a></td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_96">96</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="right">XV.</td> <td><a href="#CHAPTER_XV"><span class="smcap">A Strange Episode</span></a></td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_103">103</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="right">XVI.</td> <td><a href="#CHAPTER_XVI"><span class="smcap">Arrival at Australia</span></a></td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_107">107</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="right">XVII.</td> <td><a href="#CHAPTER_XVII"><span class="smcap">The Land End of the Conspiracy</span></a></td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_110">110</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="right">XVIII.</td> <td><a href="#CHAPTER_XVIII"><span class="smcap">Meeting of Anthony and Breslin</span></a></td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_116">116</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="right">XIX.</td> <td><a href="#CHAPTER_XIX"><span class="smcap">Arranging the Details</span></a></td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_122">122</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="right">XX.</td> <td><a href="#CHAPTER_XX"><span class="smcap">A Critical Situation</span></a></td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_127">127</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="right">XXI.</td> <td><a href="#CHAPTER_XXI"><span class="smcap">Leaving the Ship</span></a></td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_132">132</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="right">XXII.</td> <td><a href="#CHAPTER_XXII"><span class="smcap">The Escape</span></a></td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_135">135</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="right">XXIII.</td> <td><a href="#CHAPTER_XXIII"><span class="smcap">In The Open Boat</span></a></td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_142">142</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="right">XXIV.</td> <td><a href="#CHAPTER_XXIV"><span class="smcap">An Awful Night</span></a></td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_148">148</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="right">XXV.</td> <td><a href="#CHAPTER_XXV"><span class="smcap">A Race with the Guard-Boat</span></a></td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_152">152</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="right">XXVI.</td> <td><a href="#CHAPTER_XXVI"><span class="smcap">Overhauled by the Georgette</span></a></td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_157">157</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="right">XXVII.</td> <td><a href="#CHAPTER_XXVII"><span class="smcap">Bound Home</span></a></td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_162">162</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="right">XXVIII.</td> <td><a href="#CHAPTER_XXVIII"><span class="smcap">A Cordial Reception</span></a></td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_167">167</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="right">XXIX.</td> <td><a href="#CHAPTER_XXIX"><span class="smcap">Settlement of the Voyage</span></a></td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_183">183</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td></td><td><a href="#APPENDIX"><span class="smcap">Appendix</span></a></td> <td align="right"><a href="#Page_186">186</a></td></tr> -</table> - - - - -<p class="ph2">LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS</p> - - -<p style="margin-left: 10%;"> - -<span ><span class="smcap"><a href="#illus1">Portrait of Capt. George S. Anthony</a></span></span><br /> -<br /> -<span class="smcap"><a href="#illus2">Portrait of John Devoy</a></span><br /> -<br /> -<span class="smcap"><a href="#illus3">The Jail at Freemantle where the Prisoners were -confined</a></span><br /> -<br /> -<span class="smcap"><a href="#illus4">The Catalpa Outward Bound</a></span><br /> -<br /> -<span class="smcap"><a href="#illus5">Portrait of Samuel P. Smith</a></span><br /> -<br /> -<span class="smcap"><a href="#illus6">Portrait of John J. Breslin</a></span><br /> -<br /> - -<span class="smcap"><a href="#illus7">The Town of Freemantle, Australia</a></span><br /> -<br /> -<span class="smcap"><a href="#illus8">The Rescued Prisoners</a></span><br /> -<br /> -<span class="smcap"><a href="#illus9">The Race for the Catalpa</a></span><br /> -<br /> -<span class="smcap"><a href="#illus10">The Catalpa Homeward Bound</a></span><br /> -<br /> -<span class="smcap"><a href="#illus11">Portrait of James Reynolds</a></span><br /> -<br /> -<span class="smcap"><a href="#illus12">A Cartoon from the Irish World</a></span> -</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[Pg 1]</a></span></p> - - - - -<p class ="ph2">THE CATALPA EXPEDITION</p> - - - - -<p class ="ph2"><a name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I</a></p> - -<p class="center">SAILING OF THE CATALPA</p> - - -<p><span class="smcap">On</span> an April morning in 1875, the whaleship Catalpa lay at anchor in the -harbor at New Bedford, ready for sea. Although the whaling industry -was waning on the ebb tide, there were yet over a hundred whaleships -sailing out of the port of New Bedford, and the departure seemed to -call for no unusual notice.</p> - -<p>It was a pretty spectacle, to be sure. The still waters, the green -pastures running down to the shore of the lower harbor, and the ship, -trim and taut. For, while a whaleship suggests to many a greasy, clumsy -hulk, the outgoing whaler is actually as ship-shape and clean as a -man-of-war.</p> - -<p>The yellow sun shone on the yellow hull of the Catalpa. Her rigging was -aglow with fresh tar, and her gaudy colors and signal flags gave her a -holiday appearance alow and aloft.</p> - -<p>Presently the sailors are on the yards, shaking out the sails. The -captain, with his papers under his arm, the very picture of a captain, -by the way,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[Pg 2]</a></span> strong and athletic in figure, with ruddy cheeks and life -and fire in his bright eyes, goes aboard with the agent and a few -friends, who are to accompany him down the bay.</p> - -<p>The pilot instructs the mate to get under way, the anchors are soon -on the bow and the chains stowed. The vessel sails out of the harbor, -for in these days tugs are a luxury which the sailor despises, and -soon the Catalpa is sailing briskly under fore and main topsail, main -topgallant-sail, spanker, gafftopsail and staysail and flying jib.</p> - -<p>Late in the afternoon the captain says good-by to his friends. The wind -is blowing freshly from the southwest.</p> - -<p>"Stand on the port tack two hours longer, then tack out and you will be -clear of land," said the pilot, and, with the prosaic wishes of "good -luck," departs.</p> - -<p>Later the wind hauls to the southward. Before midnight the captain has -the vessel under short sail and is working off shore.</p> - -<p>And this seemingly commonplace commencement of a whaling voyage is, in -truth, the story of the departure of one of the most boldly conceived -and audacious expeditions against the English government which was ever -planned,—the only important Fenian conspiracy which was ever entirely -successful.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Standing upon one of the wharves on the waterfront, a man in a dark -frieze ulster watched the inci<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[Pg 3]</a></span>dents of the morning with absorbing -interest. His eyes said a fond good-by to the captain as he rowed out -to the vessel, for he dared not risk an appearance in the group which -had assembled about the captain for a handshake. He was one of the few -men who knew that greater perils than those which usually await the men -who go down to the sea in ships must be met by the captain if he was -true to a great trust, and that the vessel was going out in response to -the cry of men who were outcast and in chains because they loved their -country.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[Pg 4]</a></span></p> - - - - -<p class ="ph2"><a name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II</a></p> - -<p class="center">FENIAN HISTORY</p> - - -<p><span class="smcap">"This</span> is serious business now," said a clever English literary man when -he heard of the Fenian organization. "The Irish have got hold of a good -name this time; the Fenians will last."</p> - -<p>The Fenians were the ancient Irish militia organized in the third -century by Fionn or Finn, who is said to be the Fingal of Ossian. -In Scott's "Antiquary," Hector M'Intyre, jealous for the honor and -the genuineness of Ossian's songs of Selma, recites a part of one in -which Ossian asks St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, whether he -ventures to compare his psalms "to the tales of the bare-armed Fenians."</p> - -<p>"There can be no doubt," writes Justin McCarthy, "that the tales of -the bare-armed Fenians were passed from mouth to mouth of the Celts in -Ireland and the highlands of Scotland, from a time long before that at -which any soothsayer or second-sighted sage could have dreamed of the -landing of Strong-bow and the perfidy of the wife of Breffni. There -was an air of Celtic antiquity and of mystery about the name of Fenian -which merited the artistic approval given to it."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</a></span></p> - -<p>The Fenian agitation commenced in 1858, following the Phœnix clubs -in the sequence of the secret associations which have been so prominent -in Irish history. Had it not been for the American civil war, it is -quite likely that it would have lacked the fame which it subsequently -won, but the strained relations between England and America inspired -the hope that war between the two great nations might follow, and -that this would afford an auspicious opportunity for the uprising for -Ireland's independence, which has ever been uppermost in the minds -of the Irish patriots. Then the war had created the Irish-American -soldiers, who were inclined to consecrate their energies to a new -purpose in behalf of their native land.</p> - -<p>The movement was more promising than any which had preceded it. In -the first place, as Mr. McCarthy points out, "It arose and grew into -strength without the patronage or the help of any of those who might -be called the natural leaders of the people. In 1798 and in 1848, the -rebellion bore unmistakably what may be called the 'follow-my-leader -character.' Some men of great ability, or strength of purpose, or high -position, or all attributes combined, made themselves leaders, and the -others followed. But Fenianism seemed to have sprung out of the very -soil of Ireland itself. Its leaders were not men of high position, or -distinguished name, or proved ability. They were not of aristocratic -birth; they were not orators; they were not powerful writers. It was -ingeniously arranged<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</a></span> on a system by which all authority converged -towards one centre, and those farthest away from the seat of direction -knew proportionately less and less about the nature of the plans. They -had to obey instructions only, and it was hoped that by this means weak -or doubtful men would not have it in their power prematurely to reveal, -to betray, or to thwart the purposes of their leaders."</p> - -<p>The organization flourished in America, where the provisional -government was established, and it soon had its ramifications all over -Great Britain as well as Ireland. England's secret agents began to -report the visitation of mysterious strangers to Ireland, strangers -with Celtic features but with the bearing of American soldiers. This -did not fail to attract the attention of the English government and the -English newspapers. In "Saunders' News" I find an impolite reference -to "the imitation Yankee rowdies who infest the streets of Dublin." -The spy system flourished, and when James Stephens, the head centre of -Fenianism, arrived in Ireland, he was arrested in company with James -Kickham, the poet. Stephens was committed to Richmond Prison, Dublin, -early in 1865, but before he had been many days in confinement he was -released. Of the man who accomplished the liberation of Stephens there -will be much said in ensuing chapters. The escape produced a prodigious -sensation and had the effect of convincing the Irish peasantry that -Stephens was the type of leader who would be adequate to the great -task which had been aspired to,—the raising of the flag of an Irish -republic.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</a></span></p> - -<p>Meanwhile the Fenians in America were divided on the policy of invading -Canada, which was urged by some, while others pressed for operations in -Ireland. A small body of men finally crossed the Niagara River on the -night of May 31, 1866, and drove back the Canadian volunteers, but the -United States government enforced the neutrality of the frontier line, -unexpectedly to the Fenians, arresting several of the leaders on the -American side. The Canadians hurried up reinforcements. Several Fenians -were captured and shot, and the ill-advised invasion scheme resulted in -a miserable fiasco.</p> - -<p>Once more Stephens, who had returned to New York, declared his purpose -of resuming operations in Ireland, and many Irish-Americans went -across the Atlantic to await his appearance at the head of an army of -insurgents. It was their presence alone which led to the poor attempt -at rebellion which was finally made, for not only were the peasantry -unarmed and unprepared for a war, but most of the people of the country -were opposed to the wild scheme, and the Catholic clergymen were -everywhere attempting to avert the certain disaster by discouraging the -secret organization and the proposed insurrection.</p> - -<p>Stephens, who was looked for to lead the men who sought deliverance -from the English government, never appeared. Those who were true -desperately resolved to give some sign of their sincerity. There were -many wild plots, a few conflicts with the police. The government was -informed of them<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</a></span> in advance, and none were successful. The habeas -corpus act was suspended, and this action was promptly followed up by -arrests, court-martials, imprisonments, and banishments to the penal -colony at Australia.</p> - -<p>"In March, 1867," writes McCarthy, "an attempt at a general rising -was made in Ireland. It was a total failure; the one thing on which -the country had to be congratulated was that it failed so completely -and so quickly as to cause little bloodshed. Every influence combined -to minimize the waste of life. The snow fell that spring as it had -scarcely ever fallen before in the soft, mild climate of Ireland. -Silently, unceasingly it came down all day long and all night long; -it covered the roads and fields; it made the gorges of the mountains -untenable, and the gorges of the mountains were to be the encampments -and the retreats of the Fenian insurgents. The snow fell for many days -and nights, and when it ceased falling the insurrectionary movement was -over. The insurrection was literally buried in that unlooked-for snow."</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span></p> - - - - -<p class ="ph2"><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III</a></p> - -<p class="center">THE IRISH POLITICAL PRISONERS</p> - - -<p><span class="smcap">The</span> man who watched the ship to the line where the sea and the sky met -was John Devoy.</p> - -<p>Some time before there had come to him a voice, crying from the prisons -of Western Australia, the land of slaves and bondmen, the penal colony -of Great Britain. In the penal gangs were six of the comrades of John -Boyle O'Reilly. Forlorn but not quite forgotten, they worked on the -roads, "the weary work that has no wages, no promotion, no incitement, -no variation for good or bad, except stripes for the laggard." O'Reilly -had escaped from it, but he remembered the men who still toiled in the -convict's garb on the government road.</p> - -<p>"They were cutting their patient way into a forest only traversed -before by the aborigine and the absconder," quoting from O'Reilly's -"Moondyne." "Before them in the bush, as in their lives, all was -dark and unknown,—tangled underbrush, gloomy shadows, and noxious -things. Behind them, clear and open, lay the straight road they had -made—leading to and from the prison."</p> - -<p>These men had been soldiers like O'Reilly, and like him had joined the -Fenian conspiracy of 1866<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span> and 1867, when revolution was plotted in -Ireland. Devoy had been the indefatigable agent of the revolutionary -party, having been appointed chief organizer for the British army by -James Stephens, who had been selected as chief executive of the new -republic which was the dream of the Irish in 1865, as it is to-day. In -a few months Devoy, quoting his own words, "laid up sufficient evidence -to procure himself a sentence of fifteen years' penal servitude." Among -the men were Thomas Darragh, Martin J. Hogan, James Wilson, Thomas -Hassett, Michael Harrington, and Robert Cranston.</p> - -<p>They were brave, reckless fellows who were readily converted to the -doctrine of Fenianism. They attended the gatherings at the public -houses, joined in the singing of Moore's melodies in the congenial -company at Hoey's, and made the chorus of "We'll drive the Sassenach -from our soil" inspiring to hear. Then came the arrests and the -convictions for mutiny in her Majesty's forces in Ireland.</p> - -<p>Mr. Darragh was born in 1834 in Broomhall, County Wicklow, his father -being a farmer there. He was a Protestant and when he entered the army -was an Orangeman, but he was subsequently converted through Fenian -agencies to the national faith. He enlisted in the 2d Queen's and -saw active service in China and Africa, receiving the distinction -medal for gallantry displayed. Mr. Darragh had attained the rank of -sergeant-major and was on the list for promotion. He became a member of -the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span> Brotherhood early in its organization and was arrested for mutiny -in September, 1865, at the School of Musketry, Fleetwood, England. -He was taken to Cork, where he was tried and sentenced to be shot. -The sentence was afterwards commuted to imprisonment for life. He was -described in the prison "Hue and Cry" as being stout, five feet six and -one half inches in height, with red hair, gray eyes, round visage, and -a fresh complexion.</p> - -<p>Mr. Hogan was born in Limerick in 1839, and was a carriage painter -by trade. He enlisted in the English artillery, but his discharge -therefrom was secured and in 1857 he joined the 5th Dragoon Guards. He -was sworn into the organization in 1864 and deserted the army early in -1865, in order to be ready to take part in the contemplated rising. He -was soon after arrested, tried, and sentenced to life imprisonment. -He was a finely-built man, with "the gait and appearance of a cavalry -soldier," according to the official prison description.</p> - -<p>James Wilson had lived an eventful life. His real name was McNally, but -it was a common thing for Irishmen to enlist in the British army under -assumed names. He was born in Newry, County Down, in 1836. He served -for seven years in the Bombay, India, artillery, which he left at the -time of the white mutiny, when the East India Company was abolished. -He had lived in Syria and America. In 1860 or 1861 he enlisted in the -5th Dragoon Guards and was sworn into the Fenian organization in 1864. -He was continually propagating Fenianism,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span> and in 1865 deserted with -Hogan. The fact that they remained in Dublin awaiting the uprising, -although gazetted as deserters, is a fine tribute to their devotion. -They worked under the direction of John Devoy until they were arrested -in 1866. They were asleep in bed when the police came upon them, or a -desperate resistance might have been looked for. Wilson is described at -this time as of medium stoutness, five feet eight and one fourth inches -in height, with a fresh complexion, brown hair, gray eyes, and oval -visage.</p> - -<p>Thomas Hassett was born in Cork in 1846, and was a carpenter by trade. -He joined the Phœnix organization in 1859 and afterwards went out -with the Papal Brigade to Italy, serving through the brief campaign. -In 1861 he enlisted in the 24th Foot, and in 1864 was sworn into the -Fenian Brotherhood. He, in turn, swore in 270 members of his regiment. -It was his suggestion that the contemplated fight begin in Dublin by -seizing the Pigeon House, which contained twenty-five thousand stand of -arms. When it was considered to be in danger a guard of ninety men was -placed upon it, of which number sixty were Fenians. Hassett proposed -a plan of capture to his superiors in the organization, but it was -rejected on the ground that they were not ready for a general fight. -In January, 1865, Mr. Hassett was informed while on sentry that he -would be arrested for Fenianism as soon as he came from his post. He -concluded to leave at once, and, marching into the Fenian rendezvous in -full uniform with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span> his gun on his shoulder, presented himself to John -Devoy.</p> - -<p>"Most of the fellows who desert for Ireland's sake," said he, "come to -you empty-handed, but here am I, ready for work."</p> - -<p>O'Reilly presents a dramatic picture of Hassett's appearance at the -meeting of organizers, whither he marched from the sentry post. He -says,—</p> - -<p>"Private Hassett walked off his post and, shouldering his rifle, -proceeded confidently through the streets of Dublin, in which a soldier -with arms is never questioned. It was ten o'clock at night, and it so -happened that Hassett knew of a certain meeting of organizers, and -other 'boys on their keepin',' which was being held that evening. -Thither he bent his steps, reached the house, and, knowing how it was -done, gained admission. The rebels sat in council upstairs; faces grew -dark, teeth were set close, and revolvers grasped when they heard the -steady stamp on the stairs and the 'ground arms' at their door."</p> - -<p>"A moment after, the door opened and the man in scarlet walked into -the room; all there knew him well. With full equipments, knapsack, -rifle and bayonet, and sixty rounds of ammunition, Hassett had deserted -from his post and walked straight into the ranks of rebellion. He was -quickly divested of his military accoutrements; scouts went out to a -neighboring clothing-store, and soon returned with every requisite for -a full-fledged civilian. The red coat was voted to the fire, and the -belt and arms<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span> were stored away with a religious hope in the coming -fight for an Irish republic.</p> - -<p>"The next evening one more was added to the group of strangely dressed -men who smoked and drank their pots-o'-porter in a certain house in -Thames Street. The newcomer was closely shaven and had the appearance -of a muscular Methodist minister. The men were all deserters, and the -last arrival was Hassett. Vainly watching for the coming fight, the -poor fellows lived in a mysterious misery for several weeks. It is -hard to realize here now the feeling that was rife in Dublin then. -At last one of the deserters was recognized in the streets by the -military informer,—Private Foley, of the 5th Dragoons,—tracked to the -rendezvous, surrounded by the police, and every one captured."</p> - -<p>In 1873 he escaped from prison in Western Australia, and lived on an -Irish farm for a time; but it was a bad season and he could not get -together an outfit. After two months he made a dash for the coast and -stowed himself away on an outgoing vessel, but he was captured by the -water police and brought back to the convict establishment. For two -years afterward he was kept in irons with the chain gang.</p> - -<p>Michael Harrington was forty-eight years old at this time. He was -born in Cork, where his father was a merchant, and he was given the -advantage of a liberal education. His tastes were for the army, and -in 1844 he enlisted in the 61st Foot. He served through the Punjab -war, and also through the Sikh<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span> war under Sir Hugh Gough, who made the -now famous exclamation, "Magnificent Tipperary!" Mr. Harrington also -took part in the Sepoy war, and then returned home with his regiment. -He joined the Fenian organization in 1864 and was very active in -enlarging its membership. In January, 1866, being in danger of arrest -and desirous of freedom to take a more active part in the projected -uprising, he deserted. Yet he remained in Dublin, was arrested on -suspicion after the suspension of the habeas corpus act, identified -as a deserter, tried and sentenced for life. He was described on the -prison records as fairly stout, with brown hair, gray eyes, and a -sallow complexion.</p> - -<p>Robert Cranston was born in Stewartstown, County Tyrone, in March, -1844, and assisted his father on the farm previous to enlisting in the -61st Foot at the age of twenty. He joined his fortunes with the Fenian -conspiracy and industriously assisted in "propagating the faith." Of -his regiment at least six hundred were sworn members of the Fenian -organization.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span></p> - - - - -<p class ="ph2"><a name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV</a></p> - -<p class="center">THE COURT-MARTIAL</p> - - -<p><span class="smcap">The</span> court-martials of the men with whom this story deals are of -interest in so far as they exhibit the extraordinary efforts which were -made to convict the conspirators. This is particularly striking in the -case of Sergeant Darragh, who was court-martialed at Cork, February 21, -1866. In this case an informer went so far as to receive the sacrament -of the Roman Catholic Church in carrying out a deception which was -to result in the betrayal of those who accepted him as a friend. The -notorious informer, Talbot, testified in all, or nearly all, of the -cases, of the existence of the conspiracy.</p> - -<p>The court-martial of Darragh throws light upon the details of the -conspiracy as well as the methods of the spies of the English -government, and inasmuch as it is an episode which has never been -printed, liberal extracts from the proceedings will be given. The -charges against Darragh were:—</p> - -<p>First: "For mutinous conduct at Cork on or about the month of April, -1865, in that coming to the knowledge of an intended mutiny in -her Majesty's forces quartered in Cork barracks, he did not give -information thereof to his commanding officer."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span></p> - -<p>Second charge: "For conduct to the prejudice of good order and -military discipline in having at Cork, on or about the month of April, -1865, joined a treasonable and seditious society, called the Fenian -Brotherhood, having for its object the levying of war against the -Queen, and the subverting of the government of the country."</p> - -<p>When the prisoner was brought forward he handed to the President -(Colonel Shute) a memorandum, stating that he had failed in procuring -the means of employing counsel for his defense, and praying the Court -to permit his solicitor, M.J. Collins, to aid him in the conduct of the -case. The President said that the Court granted the application.</p> - -<p>Colonel Addison was then examined, and swore that the prisoner had -never at any time informed him of any intended meeting of soldiers in -Cork barracks.</p> - -<p>John Warner, the informer, was then produced, and, in answer to -questions put through the deputy judge-advocate (Colonel Nugent), -deposed: I was discharged from her Majesty's service in 1857, after -coming from the Crimea.</p> - -<p>Did you receive a pension?—Yes, sixpence a day, for the period of -eighteen months.</p> - -<p>Were you wounded at the Crimea?—Yes, in front of Sebastopol, in the -month of August, 1855.</p> - -<p>Did you join the Fenian Society?—Yes.</p> - -<p>When did you first become acquainted with J.J. Geary?—In 1864, in -the latter end of 1864, after<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span> being discharged from the militia in -Kinsale—the City of Cork Artillery.</p> - -<p>Are you aware whether he had any connection with the Fenian conspiracy? -If so, what was that connection?—He was connected with the Fenian -Society as a centre, which means a colonel of it.</p> - -<p>After you were enrolled as a Fenian, did Geary give you any particular -instructions for your guidance after you were enrolled?—Yes.</p> - -<p>State what they were.</p> - -<p><i>Prisoner.</i> I object to that.</p> - -<p><i>The Prosecutor</i> (Col. Lane Fox) contended that the instructions the -witness received for the carrying out of the conspiracy were not -hearsay, and quoted an authority in support of that view.</p> - -<p><i>Deputy Judge-Advocate.</i> This is a statement of a third party in the -absence of the prisoner.</p> - -<p><i>Prisoner.</i> I object to any instructions given by Geary. The witness -can state what he did in consequence of any such instructions; but any -instructions given behind my back, without my knowledge, I object to.</p> - -<p>The court was cleared, and on being reopened it was announced the -question was not to be put.</p> - -<p>Examination by the prosecutor. You say you received particular -instructions for your guidance from Geary. State what you did in -consequence.—I got instructions from Geary regarding the oath. I was -warned three weeks before I came up to the barracks to enroll men. I -was called before the meeting for not going up to the barracks.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span></p> - -<p><i>President.</i> State what you did.</p> - -<p><i>Witness.</i> I came up to the barracks and met Darragh outside the gate. -I asked him to go down to the North Main Street with me. He went with -me to the North Main Street, to Geary's. We had some drink in the -inside tap-room, and during the time there I asked would he become a -member of the Fenian Society, and he said yes. Then we both went out in -the back yard, and I repeated the oath to him, and he did so after me. -I then gave him a Catholic prayer-book. He swore on that book to be a -member of the Fenian Society. Then we came in and I introduced him to -Geary as a member of the society. Geary shook hands with him. He said -he was very glad to have one like him enrolled. That was all at that -time.</p> - -<p>Repeat as nearly as you can the oath which you administered to -Darragh?—"I (John or James, whichever the case may be), do swear -allegiance to the present republic now virtually established in -Ireland; that I will maintain its independence and integrity at every -risk, and I will obey the command of my superior officers. I take this -oath in the true spirit of an Irish soldier at liberty to free my -country. So help me God."</p> - -<p>Did you know Darragh before that?—I did, in the regiment of the depot -of the 2d Queen's.</p> - -<p>Were you ever in the 2d Regiment?—I was. I volunteered from them.</p> - -<p>Had you any facilities for enrolling men in the barracks?—Yes. I was -told off for that special<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span> purpose, and a good many of the men knew me -and would not stop me going in and out of the gate.</p> - -<p>Were Geary and the prisoner previously acquainted when you introduced -them?—I could not say they were.</p> - -<p>Did they shake hands as if they knew each other?—They shook hands as a -member should be introduced, in a manner.</p> - -<p>Did you hear Geary give any instructions to the prisoner for his -guidance?—Yes. He gave Darragh instructions in my presence to go about -the barracks, and find out any men that would join the society and -bring men down to Geary's house, but not to deliver the oath,—to bring -them to me or to himself. If I was not there he would swear him in. -Accordingly he did, and the first man he brought was Butler to Geary's -house.</p> - -<p>How long was that after you swore Darragh in?—To the best of my belief -from a fortnight to three weeks.</p> - -<p>Did the prisoner say anything about any particular corps that he would -work in?—Yes, he said he would wish to work in no other regiment but -his own.</p> - -<p>Did the prisoner bring any other soldier to you or to Geary to be -sworn?—He took none to me but Butler. I cannot speak as to Geary.</p> - -<p>Did you hear Geary give Darragh any instructions relative to taking the -barracks?—Darragh told him the different parts, in my presence, which -were weakest and the easiest to get in. He said if there were<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span> one or -two men in every passage—enrolled men—they would be sufficient with a -thousand outside to take it. I heard him say that much in my presence -to Geary.</p> - -<p>Did you hear Geary say anything about what was to be done to the -commanders when the signal for a rising was given?</p> - -<p><i>Prisoner.</i> I object to that.</p> - -<p><i>Prosecutor.</i> When a conspiracy is proved, the act of any one applies -to the whole. I am asking the witness now what was the intention of the -Fenian Society. We have already received documents which do not relate -exactly to the prisoner, but to the aims and objects of the society. I -withdraw the question for the present.</p> - -<p><i>Prosecutor</i> (to witness). Did you hear Geary, as a member of the -Fenian Society, say anything about what was to be done to the -commanders when the signal for a rising was given?—The commanders, he -said, were to be destroyed if they did not take the oath of allegiance -to the society. Every man that did not take the oath of allegiance -would be destroyed. I heard Geary say that.</p> - -<p>Who was it said to?—It was said to Darragh, and to different other -members in my presence.</p> - -<p>Did you keep a list of the members enrolled?—Yes, sir. (A book was -produced, which the witness identified as that in which he had the -names of new members enrolled.)</p> - -<p>The court adjourned.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span></p> - - -<p> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><span class="smcap">Cork</span>, Thursday, February 22d.</span><br /> -</p> - -<p>The president (Colonel Shute) and the other officers of the court took -their seats at eleven o'clock, when the trial of Sergeant Darrah, of -the 2d (Queen's Own) Regiment, was resumed.</p> - -<p>John Warner, the informer, who was under examination at the rising of -the court yesterday, was again produced and gave the following further -testimony:—</p> - -<p>Are you certain that the prisoner was present when Geary said that the -commanding officers were to be destroyed?—He was.</p> - -<p>Are you quite certain?—I am.</p> - -<p>When he said the commanders were to be killed, and all in the barracks -who did not take the oath, are you quite certain that he said all the -commanders who did not take the oath?</p> - -<p>The prisoner objected to the question.</p> - -<p><i>Prosecutor.</i> Was it that the commanders especially were to be -destroyed that did not take the oath of allegiance, or that every -one was to be destroyed, the commanders included?—Every one, the -commanders included, who did not take the oath of allegiance to the -Fenian Brotherhood.</p> - -<p>Are you able to read and write?—I can read and write a little. I can -write my name.</p> - -<p><i>President.</i> Can you read print and writing?—I can read print, but not -writing.</p> - -<p><i>Prosecutor.</i> Have you ever seen the prisoner at Geary's since he was -sworn in, and if so, how often?—About three or four times.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span></p> - -<p>Where did he generally go to when in Geary's?—Upstairs in a front room -over the shop.</p> - -<p>Is there a small room at the end of the shop on the ground -floor?—There's a small room on the left hand side before you go into -the shop, and two inside that.</p> - -<p>Did you see the prisoner go into either of these rooms, and if so, how -often?—Once he went to the inside one with me, before he was sworn, -the inside tap-room.</p> - -<p>Were you ever in the prisoner's room in the barracks?—I was.</p> - -<p>How often?—Three or four times. I took tea with him there one evening.</p> - -<p>Who was present on those occasions besides the prisoner and -yourself?—Two color sergeants of the 2d Queen's and their wives.</p> - -<p>Their names?—I don't know their names.</p> - -<p>Did you speak of the Fenian Society in the presence of these sergeants, -and of the prisoner?—No, not in the room.</p> - -<p><i>President.</i> Did you do so in the presence of those other -sergeants?—No, not at all.</p> - -<p><i>Prosecutor.</i> Can you state, of your own knowledge, what rank the -prisoner held in the Fenian Society?—Geary told him he would be a B, -which was a captain.</p> - -<p>Do you know if Geary and the prisoner are relations?—I could not say.</p> - -<p>Were you acquainted with Bryan Dillon?—I was.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span></p> - -<p>Had he any connection with the Fenian Society, and if so, what was -his rank?—He was a centre or an A, which means colonel in the Fenian -Society.</p> - -<p>Have you seen him in the company of the prisoner?—I never did.</p> - -<p>Do you know if Bryan Dillon was tried at the Commission for being a -member of the Fenian Society?—Yes.</p> - -<p>The prosecutor then handed in a certificate of the conviction of Bryan -Dillon, at the special commission, held in Cork, when he was sentenced -to ten years penal servitude.</p> - -<p>Examination continued. Do you know a man named Thompson?—Yes.</p> - -<p>What was his Christian name?—I can't say, but he lodged at Geary's.</p> - -<p>Was he connected with the Fenian Society, and what was his -connection?—He was a B in the society, which made him a captain.</p> - -<p>Did you ever see him in company with the prisoner?—Once in Geary's, in -the front room over the shop.</p> - -<p>Give a description of what took place at Geary's house?—A man named -Donovan, from Dublin, lectured on the rifle, showing how to make -cartridges, and military and field engineering.</p> - -<p>Did you see a rifle raffled for there?—Yes.</p> - -<p>Was it the headquarters of the Fenian Society in Cork?—It was the -principal part of the city for the Fenian Society to meet in.</p> - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/illus2.jpg" alt="pic" /> -<a id="illus2" name="illus2"></a> -</p> - -<p class="caption">JOHN DEVOY<br /> - -Organizer of the Rescue Expedition</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span></p> - -<p>Do you recognize this book (book produced), and if so, state what -you used it for?—This is the book on which I swore in Darragh and -different other members besides.</p> - -<p>Did you make any communication to Sub-Inspector Hamilton as to how your -being in the barracks could be proved?</p> - -<p><i>Prisoner.</i> I object to that question.</p> - -<p>Prosecutor contended that the question was legal.</p> - -<p>The court was cleared.</p> - -<p>When it reopened, the deputy judge-advocate announced that the Court -ruled the question might be recorded, but not answered.</p> - -<p>Examination resumed. Had you any communication with Mr. Hamilton in -reference to your being in the barracks with the prisoner?—Yes.</p> - -<p>Did the members of the Fenian Society carry on drill in the -neighborhood of the barracks?—In a place called the Lawneys, about a -mile from the barracks.</p> - -<p><i>Prosecutor.</i> I close.</p> - -<p>Cross-examined by the prisoner. Did you know I was in Cork until the -time you say you met me outside the barrack gate?—No, I did not know -you were there until then.</p> - -<p>Did you swear, in answer to the prosecutor, that you came up to -the barracks for me, which is true?—I did not come up for you in -particular.</p> - -<p>Were you in the habit of coming to the Cork barracks previous to the -day you say you met me at the gate? If so, for how long?—No, I was -not.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span></p> - -<p>Did you come to the barracks before, and if so, how often?—I have come -in before, when doing Sir John Arnott's business,—conducting it.</p> - -<p>Were you in barracks when the last detachment of the 2d (Queen's) -Regiment arrived here from England?—I could not tell; I was not aware -what time they came, or what place they came from.</p> - -<p>Did you see Corporal McKillop with me marching into Cork barracks?—I -did not.</p> - -<p>Do you know McKillop?—I do not. The first time I spoke to you since I -left the depot was outside the gate.</p> - -<p>Did you not speak to me when I marched in with my detachment?—No.</p> - -<p>Did you not go to the canteen to drink with me?—Not when you marched -in, but I came in one evening to the barrack and had drink with you.</p> - -<p><i>Prisoner.</i> I wish to have Corporal McKillop produced for -identification.</p> - -<p><i>President.</i> Was the meeting in the canteen before the time you spoke -to him at the barrack gate?—It was a week or two after I met him -outside the gate that we drank in the canteen.</p> - -<p><i>Deputy Judge-Advocate.</i> McKillop is on furlough in England.</p> - -<p><i>President.</i> You say McKillop is in the barracks; how do you know?</p> - -<p><i>Prisoner.</i> I can't know, for I have been in close custody for six -months.</p> - -<p><i>President.</i> If he be a material witness, he shall be recalled by -telegram.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span></p> - -<p>Cross-examined. Was that the first time you drank with me at the -canteen?—It was not. Geary and Butler and two more drank with us at -the canteen. Geary paid for the drink.</p> - -<p>When was the first time; how soon after you swore me in?—In some time -after.</p> - -<p>Why did you not mention that before, in answer to the Court?—I did not -think of it. It is hard to think of everything at once.</p> - -<p>You say you swore in Butler, and did you swear in any other soldier -between the time you swore in Darragh and Butler?—I am not sure -whether I swore in Farrell between them or not. Butler brought me a -corporal and a private. I think their names are in the book.</p> - -<p>Did you swear any and how many soldiers between swearing in Darragh -and Butler?—I do not think I swore any between you and Butler except -Farrell; but I don't know whether he was or not.</p> - -<p>What was the time between swearing me in and swearing in Butler?—It -may be a fortnight or three weeks.</p> - -<p>During that time did you swear in civilians?—Yes.</p> - -<p>State the number?—It may be two or three.</p> - -<p>Did you swear in any soldier previous to the time you say you swore me -in?—Not a regular soldier; there were militia.</p> - -<p>You say I directly went to Geary and took a treasonable oath without -the smallest reluctance. What month was that in?—It may be in the -latter end of March or beginning of April.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span></p> - -<p>When you joined the Fenian Society did you do so for the purpose of -betraying them?—I took the oath for the purpose of betraying them, and -I could not get their intentions without taking the oath.</p> - -<p>When did you join the society?—In December, 1864.</p> - -<p>When did you first give information?—In July, 1865. I tried before to -go to Captain Tooker but was followed. Captain Tooker is a magistrate -of the city of Cork.</p> - -<p>Did you go of your own free will to give him information?—I did.</p> - -<p>Were you from May, 1864, to September, 1865, most actively engaged -in endeavoring to induce parties to become members of the Fenian -Society—swearing them in and enrolling them?—I was. I should do so by -orders of Geary.</p> - -<p>How many members did you enroll?—I can't be exact; they are in the -book; but about fifty altogether.</p> - -<p>The prosecutor said that the witness was not bound to answer any -question affecting his credibility.</p> - -<p>The president said the main point was credibility.</p> - -<p><i>Prisoner.</i> It was the prosecutor who first asked the question.</p> - -<p>The Court decided the question could be put.</p> - -<p>Cross-examination continued. Did you not know all the secrets of the -society immediately after you were admitted?—I did not until January, -1865, when I was introduced to Geary.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span></p> - -<p>Did you swear information against the members of the Fenian Society in -September, 1865?—Yes.</p> - -<p>Did you mention one word about me in that?—No, I did not, but I told -it to Sub-Inspector Hamilton.</p> - -<p><i>Prisoner.</i> I object to that answer.</p> - -<p>At two o'clock the court adjourned for an hour.</p> - -<p>On the reassembling of the court, at three <span class="smcap">P.M.</span>, the president -(Colonel Shute) said that the Court had decided that the witness on -cross-examination had a right to explain his answer.</p> - -<p><i>The Deputy Judge-Advocate.</i> The question was, Did you make any mention -of the prisoner in your information?</p> - -<p><i>Witness</i> (<i>Warner</i>). I did not. On account of mentioning it to -Sub-Inspector Hamilton I did not think that there was any occasion to -state it in the informations.</p> - -<p><i>Prisoner.</i> Do you know that I am a Protestant and an Orangeman and a -member of an Orange lodge at Delgany?—No.</p> - -<p>Are you a Protestant and did you state to me that you were an -Orangeman?—I am a Protestant and on my oath I don't think I told you -anything about my being an Orangeman, because the society would come on -me if I spoke of anything of the sort at all.</p> - -<p>Were you always a Protestant, or did you cease to be one? If so, when -did you cease to be one?—I was always a Protestant, but I went to Mass -a few times, as I thought I would get into their graces by being a -Roman Catholic and get some of their secrets.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span></p> - -<p>Was the going to Mass the only thing you did about becoming a Roman -Catholic?—That is all.</p> - -<p>Did you not go to a Roman Catholic clergyman in Cork and state to him -that you wished to become a Roman Catholic?—I did. One of the Fenians -came with me and said I wished to become a Roman Catholic.</p> - -<p>Did you not receive some religious books and religious instructions?—I -did. He went with me to the monk, and he (the monk) gave me some -religious books to read.</p> - -<p>Did you go afterwards by yourself to the clergyman or the monk?—I -went afterwards by myself to receive some instructions from the monk -according to the order I received from him.</p> - -<p>Then your answer is not true that your going to Mass is the only thing -you did towards being a Roman Catholic?—There was not time, for it -requires an explanation. The answer could not be given well at once.</p> - -<p>Were you sincere in your intention of becoming a Roman Catholic, or -were you only deceiving the clergyman or monk?—I was deceiving him for -the purpose of getting the information I wanted to get from the society.</p> - -<p>When you were in the depot at Templemore did you know Sergeant-Major -McKinmon?—I did.</p> - -<p>Did you desert from the depot there?—I did. He gave me money to -desert, but I think it would be dishonorable to speak of that here, as -he is a captain now.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span></p> - -<p><i>Prisoner.</i> I wish Captain McKinmon to be brought here.</p> - -<p><i>President.</i> You can summon any witness you wish, and the sooner you do -so the better.</p> - -<p>Cross-examination continued. Were you tried by court-martial for that -desertion?—I was tried for being absent without leave, but not for -desertion.</p> - -<p>Were you punished for it?—Yes, I got forty-two days for it by -regimental court-martial.</p> - -<p>When were you discharged from the 42d Regiment?—Some time in 1857.</p> - -<p>Was not the portion of the discharge which generally contains the -character cut off?—No, it was not. The books of the garrison can state -it. I drew my pension in this garrison.</p> - -<p>Where is your discharge?—I lost it; but you can refer for the form to -the local garrison.</p> - -<p>What character did you get in your discharge?—The character was very -good.</p> - -<p>Were you examined at the special commission at Cork, on the trial of -Colonel O'Reardon, who was charged with being a member of the Fenian -Society?—Yes.</p> - -<p>Did you not swear that he was a member of the Fenian Society?—I did.</p> - -<p>And that he came to Ireland to inspect the forces?—He gave -instructions according as he got them from John O'Mahony.</p> - -<p>And that you put the men through their drill before him?—One night for -him; but generally for a man named Captain Kelly.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span></p> - -<p>Did you not further swear that he was four or five months here, and -gave instructions to the Fenians in rifle practice?—I swear I saw him -on several occasions in Geary's giving instructions to Fenians.</p> - -<p>Did not the jury disbelieve you, and was he not acquitted?—He was -acquitted at all events. I could not swear whether I was believed or -not.</p> - -<p>At what time did your son write the names in the book produced?—Always -when I enrolled the men my little boy would put them down as I would -tell him.</p> - -<p>The witness was then examined at some length by prisoner and prosecutor -as to the entering of the names.</p> - -<p><i>Prosecutor.</i> How long is it since you saw the book?—Not since I gave -it to Mr. Hamilton in September last, until to-day.</p> - -<p><i>Prisoner.</i> You have stated that all you have stated is true?—I have -forgotten a great many things; but all I have stated is true.</p> - -<p>The court adjourned at four o'clock.</p> - -<p>John Warner was recalled and questioned by the prisoner.</p> - -<p><i>Prisoner.</i> Did you at any time meet in Cork the man whom you say swore -you in?—I did.</p> - -<p>How soon after he swore you in?—I could not be exact as to the time; -it was in 1865, at any rate, in Mr. O'Connor's timber yard.</p> - -<p>How soon did you come to Cork after you were sworn in?—After the -regiment was disembodied in Kinsale in June, 1864.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span></p> - -<p>When were you sworn in?—In May, 1864.</p> - -<p>Did you bring the letter from Crowley with you in June when you came to -Cork?—I did not.</p> - -<p>Did you see Crowley from the time you left Kinsale until you saw him in -1865 in Cork?—No.</p> - -<p>When did you get the letter from Crowley, and where?—I did not get it -at all.</p> - -<p>Were you acting for the Fenian Society in Cork in 1864?—Yes. At the -latter end of 1864 I attended a meeting at Geary's, the first meeting I -did attend. That was in the latter part of December.</p> - -<p>Was Geary at that meeting?—He was; I was speaking to him.</p> - -<p>Was that the first time you spoke to him?—I don't think it was. About -a week before he sent Mr. Bryan to me, and Geary then told me to attend -a meeting on that night week. I was speaking to Geary in the beginning -of December, or at the end of November, 1864.</p> - -<p>Did you not swear yesterday that you never saw Geary till 1865,—which -is true?—I don't think I swore that on yesterday.</p> - -<p><i>Prisoner.</i> I would ask to have the witness's evidence of yesterday -read.</p> - -<p><i>President.</i> This particular portion.</p> - -<p>The evidence of the witness on this point was referred to, and it -appeared from it that Warner had stated that he did not see Geary in -1864 for the first time.</p> - -<p>The prisoner then said he had no other question to ask Warner.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span></p> - -<p>The following letter was then put in by the prosecutor and read by the -president:—</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p><span class="smcap">My dear James</span>,—Please add to the list of contributors to the -Keane Fund the following inclosed names, for J.J., Cork. Of course -you think it awkward to have the names instead of the cash, but the -following reason, which is not fit for publicity, will be enough for -you. Since Keane's imprisonment, on 7th Dec., I have paid for his grub -about £4 10s., so instead of having anything on hand, I'm only waiting -for the balance, which I hope will soon come to hand. It is so very -long since I heard from you that I don't know whether you are dead or -alive. Will you let me have some news, and say how is Mr. Johnson.</p> - -<p> -Yours faithfully, <span class="smcap">J.J. Geary</span>.<br /> -</p></blockquote> - -<p>The court-martial of Darragh did not conclude until March 2. The -testimony against Darragh was mainly that of soldiers who testified -that the prisoner introduced them to Warner, who administered the oath -of the Fenians to them.</p> - -<p>Private Michael Harrington was convicted on the evidence of a private -to whom he confessed he was a Fenian, drinking to the health of the -"'M.C.'s' or the 'M.B.'s,' or something like that." There was evidence -that Harrington solicited men to take the Fenian oath. Another private -testified to meeting Harrington at Fenian meetings when "Erin my -country" and "My heart beats for thee" were sung.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span></p> - - - - -<p class ="ph2"><a name="CHAPTER_V" id="CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V</a></p> - -<p class="center">THE COURT-MARTIAL CONTINUED</p> - - -<p><span class="smcap">An</span> incident in the trial of Private Martin Hogan is not without -interest, illustrating the arbitrary manner of the Court toward the -prisoners.</p> - -<p>Private Foley was under examination, and testified to meeting Hogan at -various public houses in Dublin, where the prisoner's conversation was -of a treasonable and seditious character.</p> - -<p>At one meeting an American guerrilla officer, who had served under -Confederate General Morgan, discussed plans with them for mounting the -men on colts, arming them with rifles, and as to the best means of -carrying off their horses out of the barracks. Plans of action for the -Fenian soldiers were also discussed, the prisoner being present and -occasionally taking part in them.</p> - -<p>Mr. McMechan cross-examined the witness, and the examination was -proceeding, when the counsel requested that the witness be required -to speak in a louder and more distinct tone, and placed nearer to the -prisoner in order that his remarks might be taken down.</p> - -<p>The president ordered the witness to move to within two or three yards -of the table at which<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span> counsel and prisoner were sitting, and to speak -as loud as he could.</p> - -<p>This was done, but with no more satisfactory result to counsel for the -prisoner, and a request to move nearer and speak louder was repeated.</p> - -<p>The president said the witness had spoken loud enough for any man with -even ordinary faculties to hear, and if these were not possessed by -counsel, some one who possessed them ought to be procured.</p> - -<p>Counsel then handed in a statement to the effect that he did not hear -the witness, nor had he heard anything distinctly that day. He was -not deaf, and was possessed of ordinary faculties. He had no wish to -obstruct or delay the Court, and, that he might not do so, he had asked -that the witness be directed to stand nearer. The observations made by -the president tended to unfit him for the discharge of his duties, and -he requested that they would be withdrawn.</p> - -<p>Subsequently Mr. McMechan sent in the following and stood waiting a -reply.</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p>"<span class="smcap">Sir</span>,—Having remonstrated with you for what you said, and -you not noticing it, I now beg to withdraw."</p></blockquote> - -<p>The president read the first communication and said, "I am sorry that -my remarks should tend to unfit counsel from attending to his duty, but -I refuse to withdraw them."</p> - -<p>Mr. McMechan immediately left the court.</p> - -<p>The president directed Mr. Lawless, the prisoner's solicitor, to be -sent for.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span></p> - -<p>On Mr. Lawless entering the court, the president said that Mr. McMechan -had withdrawn from the case, and he wished to tell him that he would -give half an hour, or any reasonable time, to provide another counsel -if he thought proper.</p> - -<p>Mr. Lawless said he was very sorry for what had occurred between -Mr. McMechan and the Court, but as he was senior counsel in all the -court-martial cases, he could not, according to the etiquette of the -profession, withdraw the case from him, nor was he at all inclined to -do so, as he had full confidence in whatever course he (Mr. McMechan) -thought right to adopt.</p> - -<p><i>The President.</i> Have you any application to make on behalf of the -prisoner?</p> - -<p>Mr. Lawless said he had no application to make.</p> - -<p><i>The President.</i> Under these circumstances the trial must proceed -without counsel.</p> - -<p>Colonel, the Hon. S.J.G. Calthorpe, 5th Dragoon Guards, was examined to -prove that the prisoner had not given him notice of an intended mutiny -in her Majesty's forces in Ireland.</p> - -<p>Sergeant Alsopp and Sergeant Miller of the 5th Dragoon Guards were -examined to prove the desertion of the prisoner, and the making away -with regimental necessaries.</p> - -<p>The prisoner was placed on his defense, and stated that his counsel -having left him, he did not know what to do; he could get no other -counsel now, and felt inclined to throw himself on the mercy of the -Court.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span></p> - -<p>The president said he would receive his defense in the morning, and -adjourned the further hearing of the case in order to give the prisoner -time to prepare it.</p> - -<p>The trial of Martin Hogan was resumed.</p> - -<p>Mr. Lawless was present, and handed in a written statement to the -president.</p> - -<p><i>The President.</i> Before reading this, I am anxious to say, that I most -emphatically disclaim any intention whatever of having said anything -disrespectful, or that I intended annoying the prisoner's counsel; and -I wish to say that if I should at any time—</p> - -<p><i>Mr. Lawless.</i> The prisoner's counsel is outside sir. Will you allow -him to be present?</p> - -<p><i>President.</i> Certainly.</p> - -<p>Mr. McMechan then entered the room, when the president said, "I will -repeat the words I have just said, which were these: That I desire most -emphatically to disclaim any intention whatever of saying anything -disrespectful to the prisoner's counsel, or any other person engaged in -this court. If at any time I imagined I did so, I should be very sorry -for it. I would be the last to offend any one."</p> - -<p><i>Mr. McMechan.</i> I am perfectly satisfied, sir.</p> - -<p><i>Mr. Lawless.</i> We will withdraw that statement, sir.</p> - -<p>The statement was handed back, and Mr. McMechan, instructed by Mr. -Lawless, remained to defend the prisoner.</p> - -<p>The prosecution was then closed.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span></p> - -<p>The trial of Private Robert Cranston was one of the longest. It was -held in the Victoria Library, Colonel Brett presiding. Cranston was -arraigned on the following charges, First: For mutinous conduct in -having at Dublin, on the 18th February, 1866, come to the knowledge of -an intended mutiny in her Majesty's troops then quartered in Richmond -barracks, Dublin, and not giving information of the said intended -mutiny to his commanding officer.</p> - -<p>Second charge: For conduct to the prejudice of good order and -discipline in the following instances,—First instance: For having at -Dublin, in the month of December, 1865, endeavored to induce Private -Foley, 64th Regiment, to join the illegal society called the Fenian -Brotherhood, having for its object the overthrow by force and violence -of her Majesty's government in Ireland. Second instance: For having at -Dublin, in the month of January, 1866, endeavored to induce Private -Thomas Morrison, 61st, to join an illegal society called the Fenian -Brotherhood, having for its object the overthrow by force and violence -of her Majesty's government in Ireland. Third instance: For having at -Dublin, on the 17th February, 1866, used the following language to -Private Abraham, 61st Regiment: "An outbreak will take place in a few -days. I am to get a sworn member of the Fenian Society in each of the -barrack rooms in Richmond barracks to put a bit of sponge into the -nipples of all the rifles belonging to the men who are not Fenians, and -thereby render them useless. When the regiment<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span> is called out to meet -the Fenians, the Fenians will advance close up to it; the men of the -61st who belong to the Fenians will not fire on them, and the others -who are loyal will not be able; and the Fenians amongst the 61st will -then go over to their party and at once fire on those who refuse to -join the society."</p> - -<p>Third charge: For having in December, 1865, and in January and -February, 1866, at Dublin, knowingly received and entertained Thomas -Chambers, 61st Regiment, a deserter from the said regiment, and not -giving notice to his commanding officer.</p> - -<p>The assistant adjutant-general, the Hon. Col. Fielding, prosecuted, -assisted by Dr. Townsend.</p> - -<p>Mr. McMechan, with Mr. Lawless as attorney, appeared for the prisoner.</p> - -<p><i>Deputy Judge-Advocate.</i> Have you any objection to be tried by the -president, or by any other member of this court?</p> - -<p><i>Prisoner.</i> None, sir.</p> - -<p>The charges having been read by the deputy judge-advocate, the prisoner -pleaded not guilty.</p> - -<p>The prosecutor having stated the case for the prosecution, witnesses -were called and examined.</p> - -<p>Head Constable Talbot was examined, and deposed that he was present at -Fenian meetings in December, 1865, and January and February, 1866.</p> - -<p>Did the soldiers take part in the proceedings of those meetings?</p> - -<p>Prisoner objected.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span></p> - -<p><i>Deputy Judge-Advocate.</i> The particular part taken by soldiers cannot -be specified; only the fact that they took part, if they did so.</p> - -<p>Were they present when the objects were discussed?—Yes.</p> - -<p>Private James Meara examined by the prosecutor: I have belonged to -the 1st Battalion of the King's Regiment (8th) for five years. I have -known the prisoner since August 1865; in December, after Christmas, I -met him in Hoey's public house in Bridgefoot Street. On that occasion -there were also present several civilians, Fenian centres, and some -soldiers. I was a member of the Fenian Society. There was to have been -a rising of the Irish Fenians in the army. I was at several Fenian -meetings in the month of December, 1865, at Hoey's; and in January, -1866, at Barclay's public house in James's Street; and in March, 1866, -at Shaughnessy's public house at Newbridge, and also at Tunny's public -house, Barrack Street, in August, 1865. At Tunny's, in August, 1865, -I met William Francis Roantree, the prisoner Cranston, and several -others, Baines and Rynd. At Shaughnessy's I met Baines, Doyle of the -61st, and some of the 4th Dragoon Guards. At Hoey's I met Chambers of -the 61st, Wilson, Hogan, and Keatinge of the 5th Dragoons, a few of -the 87th, Devoy, Williams, Rynd, and Baines. At the meeting in Hoey's -in December, a rising in the army was discussed. Several men of the -61st were brought down to be sworn by Devoy and Chambers, and I saw the -prisoner take an<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span> active part in the meeting. I was never arrested on a -charge of being connected with the Fenian Society.</p> - -<p>Cross-examined by the prisoner. I was last examined as a witness at -Green Street. I don't know whether I was believed or not. Kearney was -not tried for firing a shot at me. He was not acquitted. I was sworn -a Fenian by Thomas Baines. The oath I took, as I remember, was as -follows: "I, in the presence of the Almighty God, do solemnly swear -allegiance to defend the Irish republic, now virtually established, -to take up arms in its defense at a moment's warning, to defend its -integrity and independence; and further to exterminate the Saxon out of -the land, to keep all secrets and truths commended to me, and to obey -my superior officers and those placed over me." I swore to defend the -Queen against all enemies.</p> - -<p>Did you swear to fight against her?—I decline to answer that question.</p> - -<p>The deputy judge-advocate told the witness that unless he apprehended -that what he should say in reply would subject him to a criminal -prosecution he should answer the question.</p> - -<p><i>Witness.</i> I understand you, sir. According to the Fenian oath I was -sworn to fight against her, although in the heart I did not mean it.</p> - -<p>After swearing to defend her, and afterwards swearing to fight against -her, say candidly whether anything you swear is deserving of credit or -belief?</p> - -<p><i>Deputy Judge-Advocate.</i> I think that is for the Court to infer.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span></p> - -<p><i>Witness.</i> I decline to answer the question.</p> - -<p>The prisoner having pressed for a reply, the court was cleared, and, on -reopening, the deputy judge-advocate announced the opinion of the Court -to be that the question was as to a matter of inference, and not to be -answered by the witness.</p> - -<p>Cross-examination continued. I was at the Curragh in March. I was sworn -a Fenian in March, 1865.</p> - -<p>When did you first give information of an intended mutiny to your -commanding officer?—I decline to answer that question.</p> - -<p><i>Deputy Judge-Advocate.</i> You must answer it.</p> - -<p><i>Prosecutor.</i> Answer the question.</p> - -<p><i>Witness.</i> I gave information in March or April, I am not sure which, -this year.</p> - -<p>Cross-examination continued. I decline for the safety of the officers -to say to whom I first gave information.</p> - -<p>State under what circumstances, without mentioning names.—For the -purpose of injuring the Fenians, and the leaders, and so forth, to the -utmost of my power, I came forward from the motives of loyalty and love -of justice.</p> - -<p>Reëxamined by the prosecutor. I was, in fact, fired at, as I stated in -my cross-examination.</p> - -<p>By the Court. The intentions to mutiny existed in the months of January -and March, 1866, and the prisoner was aware of them. I was fired at and -wounded, and the persons who did it were Fenians.</p> - -<p>Private John Abraham examined by the prose<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span>cutor. The witness being a -little deaf, the questions were, by direction of the Court, read out -near to him by Major Gordon. He deposed that he had been twenty-three -years in the 61st Regiment. Some time since the 17th or 18th of January -he met the prisoner, whom he had known close upon two years, at Hoey's -public house. On that occasion there were present Private Harrington, -Foley, Kenny, Priestly, Cranston, the prisoner, and Chambers, the -deserter, all of the 61st, and a lot of cavalry of the 5th Dragoon -Guards, and a good number of civilians, including one that he had -enlisted in the 60th Rifles. Chambers shook witness by the hand and -asked him how he was getting on, and he said very well, and asked -Chambers how was he getting on, and he said very well, that he had -drawn £10 6s. to-day, which was better pay than he had had when he -was in the 61st. The prisoner and Chambers went out to the top of the -stairs, and witness did not hear what passed between them.</p> - -<p>Had you ever any conversation on the parade-ground at Richmond barracks -with the prisoner in February last.—Yes, I was on the parade-ground -when the prisoner, Cranston, came up to me and said, "How are you -getting on, countryman?" "Very well," said I: "Cranston, how are you -getting on?" "First-rate," he said. I said, "I think things are very -slow, or rather dull, this weather." "No," he said, "they are not; I -think things are getting on very well, for there is going to be an -outbreak in the course of two or three<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span> days, and I can destroy every -rifle that is in the regiment." "Oh," said I, "that is easily enough -done." Said he, "I will have a sworn Fenian to go into each room and to -stuff the chambers of the nipples of the arms belonging to the soldiers -who are not Fenians with fine sponge." He said that when we should be -called out, we should get the word to load and the soldiers who were -Fenians would fire over the heads of the civilian Fenians, and that the -arms belonging to the soldiers not Fenians would then be all stopped. -Of course he thought I was a Fenian at the time. At that time the -sergeant-major gave the word to take up the covering, and interrupted -the conversation. No other person was present at it, which to the best -of my recollection took place about the 17th February. On the same -evening I saw and spoke to Sergeant-Major Young of the 61st.</p> - -<p>A few other questions having been asked the witness, the court was -adjourned to this morning at half past ten o'clock.</p> - -<p>The trial of Private Cranston was resumed yesterday morning by the -court-martial sitting in the Victoria Library, shortly before eleven -o'clock.</p> - -<p>Private Abraham cross-examined by the prisoner. The last time I saw -Doyle was this morning in the square of this barrack. There were five -or six men present. I was enlisted in Lisburn.</p> - -<p>Were you in the habit of going to houses frequented by Fenians?—I was -after Cranston spoke to me; I don't remember when I first went to any<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span> -such house. I might have been in such houses before Christmas last, -but I knew nothing of their character. I saw you at the Curragh, but -I can't state in whose company, as I did not look after you to see in -whose company you were. It was after the depot joined headquarters. I -might have conversed and drank with you there, but I don't remember if -I did. I have drank with hundreds, and I don't remember every man I -drank with. To the best of my belief the conversation in the canteen at -the Curragh took place more than a year ago. I understood that in case -of a rising the Fenians of the 61st were to fight against the Queen, -when Cranston told me so. I did not when in the canteen at the Curragh -understand that the object of the Fenians was to put down the Queen's -government and establish a republic.</p> - -<p>What did you then understand its object to be?—Well, I did not take -any notice what it was to be then or understand anything about it. I -used to hear several talking about Fenianism. I did not take any notice -of it then. I was asked to become a Fenian and refused.</p> - -<p>Why?—Why, because I thought they were no good. I thought there was -harm in them. When asked to join, I had no curiosity to learn their -objects. After the conversation in the canteen at the Curragh, I -thought they were not loyal subjects; but when they were all talking -about Fenianism, and I did not know that it might not be a humbug, I -think I gave information about the conversation<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span> in the canteen at the -Curragh, but I cannot answer when. My commanding officer was Colonel -Redmond, and I gave him information of everything that I knew, after -Cranston spoke to me about the outbreak. I reported to him in Richmond -barracks, and Cranston was there then. I think that was in January. I -never made any report while I was at the Currag myself. I had always -plenty of conversation that I forgot. I reported all that I remembered.</p> - -<p>Will you swear that you ever mentioned to your commanding officer -anything whatever about the conversation in the canteen at the -Curragh?—No, I will not. I can swear that I reported to some officer. -I cannot say whether it was the commanding officer or not.</p> - -<p>Do not you know you never did?—No, I do not. I think I made a -statement to Captain Whelan. I made no statement in writing, because I -can neither read nor write.</p> - -<p>The remainder of the testimony was largely by informers whom Cranston -had induced to take the Fenian oath, and charged him with treasonable -language.</p> - -<p>Private Meara, 8th Regiment, was the principal witness against Private -James Wilson, whose court-martial came in August. Meara was one of the -witnesses who betrayed O'Reilly. He testified in the case of Wilson -that he was a sworn member of the Fenian Brotherhood, and attended -meetings at various places.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></span></p> - -<p>He knew the prisoner and met him about Christmas, 1865, at Hoey's -public house, in Bridgefoot Street; also met a man named Williams -there. The prisoner went up to Williams and said there was a body -of deserters in Dublin who were kicking up a row for their pay, and -Williams told him that he had paid them. Williams said that he had -told the deserters to kick up a row. Corporal Chambers of the 61st -was present, and Devoy. Williams and Devoy were Fenian agents, the -former being occupied swearing in soldiers. He was an officer of the -Fenians besides. Devoy held the same rank as Williams, and higher if -anything. He heard the prisoner on one occasion speak to a man in -his regiment about making prisoners of Sir Hugh Rose and the Lord -Lieutenant. Civilians were present at the time. The prisoner said that -Sir Hugh Rose was a more important man to make a prisoner of than the -Lord Lieutenant, and that it would be easily done. A man named Hogan -was there, and was dressed in civilian's clothes. Corporal Chambers -was also dressed in civilian's clothes. At another public house in the -month of January witness said to prisoner that his regiment would soon -leave Dublin, and the latter replied that it would not leave until the -green flag would be flying. I have seen a man named Barrett of the 5th -Dragoon Guards, at Hoey's, and other men, whose names I don't know.</p> - -<p>Private Goggins, 5th Dragoon Guards, deposed that he was quartered -in Dublin on the 17th of January, 1866. He was in a public house in -Clare Lane, kept by a man named Cullen. The prisoner was there, and a -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span> -man named Devoy, and another civilian who was represented as the man -who was to command the Fenian cavalry when it broke out. He asked the -men how they could get their horses and accoutrements out of barracks, -and Wilson said by making a dash at the gate. The man said he was in -command of cavalry guerrillas under General Morgan. He said that the -men he commanded used to dismount and fight on foot when their swords -were broken, and he asked the men in the public house if they could do -so, too. Witness was in a public house in Longford, kept by a man named -Hughes, in April or May, 1865. Went into the house with, the prisoner; -prisoner handed witness a book, and asked him "to swear to take up arms -when called upon." Witness took the oath, thinking there was no harm in -it. "It's all right, now," he said, "you are a Fenian, and for your own -sake, as well as mine, keep it."</p> - -<p>Witness said: "Jim, you know I have prize money to draw, and you should -not have taken me in that way."</p> - -<p>In November, 1865, the prisoner told him to meet him at Hoey's public -house in Bridgefoot Street. There were two civilians in the room who -spoke of expected arrivals of Americans. There was plenty of beer -there, but witness paid for none of it, and saw no soldiers pay for it. -The prisoner was dressed in civilian's clothes in the public house in -Clare Lane.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span></p> - -<p>To the Court. I did not consider myself a sworn Fenian after taking the -oath I have mentioned.</p> - -<p>Patrick Foley, late 5th Dragoon Guards, deposed that he was in Hoey's -public house on the 17th of January last, and met the prisoner there. -He was a deserter from the regiment. The American captain asked how -many Fenians there were in the 5th Dragoon Guards, and Devoy said about -one hundred. Hogan, who was a deserter, said he could give a list of -the names. The American spoke of getting horses out of the barracks, -and how they should manœuvre in cavalry fighting.</p> - -<p>Wilson declined to offer any defense. As for Private Thomas Hassett, he -defiantly pleaded guilty to treason.</p> - -<p>All the men were sentenced to death, but the penalty was subsequently -commuted to life imprisonment, and was finally further commuted to -penal servitude.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span></p> - - - - -<p class ="ph2"><a name="CHAPTER_VI" id="CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI</a></p> - -<p class="center">BANISHMENT TO AUSTRALIA</p> - - -<p><span class="smcap">After</span> being convicted of mutiny in her Majesty's forces in Ireland, the -men spent weary months in hideous English prisons. One day the keys -rattled in the dungeon doors; they were marched out in double irons, -chained together with a bright, strong chain. They were taken aboard -the convict ship Hougoumont, where the chains were knocked off and they -were ordered below.</p> - -<p>There were sixty-three political prisoners on the Hougoumont, and they -were the first sent out to Australia since the Irish uprising in 1848. -They were likewise the last ever sent to the colony. Of these prisoners -fifteen had been soldiers, and they were placed with the criminals in -the fore part of the ship at night, although they were permitted to -spend the days with the political prisoners.</p> - -<p>Of the horrors of a convict ship experience it is unnecessary to say -more than to quote O'Reilly, who was one of the unfortunate company on -the Hougoumont.</p> - -<p>"Only those who have stood within the bars," says he, "and heard -the din of devils and the appalling sounds of despair, blended in a -diapason<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span> that made every hatch-mouth a vent of hell, can imagine the -horrors of the hold of a convict ship."</p> - -<p>Strapped to the foremast was the black gaff with its horrid apparatus -for tricing unruly men up for flogging, and above, tied around the -foremast, ever before their eyes, was a new hempen halter, "which swung -mutineers and murderers out over the hissing sea to eternity."</p> - -<p>Every night the exiles, Catholic and Protestant, joined in a prayer -which ran as follows:—</p> - -<p>"O God, who art the arbiter of the destiny of nations and who rulest -the world in thy great wisdom, look down, we beseech thee, from thy -holy place on the sufferings of our poor country. Scatter her enemies, -O Lord, and confound their evil projects. Hear us, O God, hear the -earnest cry of our people, and give them strength and fortitude to dare -and suffer in their holy cause. Send her help, O Lord, from thy holy -place. And from Zion protect her. Amen."</p> - -<p>The Hougoumont reached Freemantle, after a dreary voyage, at three -o'clock on the morning of January 10, 1868. "Her passengers could -see," writes James Jeffrey Roche in his "Life of O'Reilly," "high -above the little town and the woodland about it, the great white stone -prison which represents Freemantle's reason for existence. It was 'The -Establishment;' that is to say the government; that is to say, the -advanced guard of Christian civilization in the wild bush. The native -beauty of the place is marred by the straggling irreg<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span>ularity of the -town, as it is blighted by the sight and defiled by the touch of the -great criminal establishment."</p> - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/illus3.jpg" alt="pic" /> -<a id="illus3" name="illus3"></a> -</p> -<p class="caption"> THE JAIL AT FREEMANTLE, WHERE THE PRISONERS WERE -CONFINED</p> - -<p>Then the convicts heard the appalling code of rules, with the penalty -for violation, which was usually death; and then they were assigned to -the road parties, and from daylight to dark, in the heat which made the -cockatoos in the trees motionless and the parrots silent, they blazed -their way through the Australian bush and forest.</p> - -<p>The present was made horrid by the companionship of desperate and -degraded men, "the poison flower of civilization's corruption," and the -future seemed hopeless.</p> - -<p>Meanwhile James Wilson sent out an appeal for rescue. He sent it to -John Devoy in America.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></span></p> - - - - -<p class ="ph2"><a name="CHAPTER_VII" id="CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII</a></p> - -<p class="center">O'REILLY'S ESCAPE</p> - - -<p><span class="smcap">The</span> men to whom reference has been made in the preceding chapter were -not the only Irish political prisoners. In 1876 there were seventeen -still in prison for the attempted revolution of 1866 and 1867. The -leaders had been pardoned, but this fact only emphasized the injustice -to the men who had been swayed by love for Ireland to follow, and who -were still paying the penalty of their devotion.</p> - -<p>Some of them, and the number included Michael Davitt, were in prison -in England. Some had been pardoned, some had been released by death. -John Boyle O'Reilly had escaped. He had been in the convict settlement -rather more than a year, and had been granted a few poor privileges -on account of his ability and good conduct. He assisted one of the -officers in his clerical work, and was appointed a "constable," with -the duty of carrying dispatches from station to station and conducting -refractory convicts in the road-gang to the prison.</p> - -<p>But there was no promise of escape in this liberty, for there were -but two avenues open, the trackless bush and the ocean. Suicide was -better than flight to the bush; for if the convict could hide from the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span> -trained "trackers," natives with a keener intelligence and skill in -tracking men than the blood-hounds of the South, the only alternative -was death from hunger and thirst.</p> - -<p>Yet O'Reilly reached a point of desperation where death seemed almost -preferable to the awful associations and weary routine which made the -life a horror to the poet. But when he told his plans to Rev. Father -McCabe, whose parish was the bush country, and whose life work among -the prisoners is a precious memory of good influence, the thoughtful -man said, "It is an excellent way to commit suicide. Don't think of -that again. Let me think out a plan for you."</p> - -<p>After dreary months the good priest sent a man named Maguire, who -promised to arrange with one of the New Bedford whaling captains who -were expected with their vessels at Bunbury in February—it was then -December—to secrete him aboard. Two months went by, and O'Reilly had -now become so impatient that, hearing that three whaleships had put -into Bunbury, he had determined to venture alone. That day Maguire came -to him again with the information that Captain Baker of the whaling -bark Vigilant of New Bedford had agreed to take him on board if he fell -in with him outside Australian waters.</p> - -<p>On an evening in February O'Reilly started for a hiding-place in the -woods, and lay down beneath a great gum-tree at the woodside to await -Maguire and another friend. At about midnight he heard "St. Patrick's -Day" whistled.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span></p> - -<p>It was the sweetest music he ever heard, for it was the signal of the -men who had come to release him from a horrid captivity.</p> - -<p>They rode for hours until they reached a dry swamp near the sea. Then -they waited until a boat was brought. At daylight sturdy oarsmen had -carried him almost out of sight of land, and in the afternoon they had -reached the farther shore of Geographe Bay, near the place where they -had arranged to await the Vigilant.</p> - -<p>They had no water, and suffered horribly from thirst. Through the hot -day which followed, O'Reilly lay on the sand, tortured with blistering -pains and hunger. Maguire brought him food and water at last, and that -night he slept on the boughs. In the afternoon the white sails of the -whaleships were seen and the company put out, but to their amazement -the Vigilant sailed away, never heeding their signals.</p> - -<p>O'Reilly's heart was bitter. The men returned to the shore and resolved -to leave O'Reilly in hiding while they returned home and arranged -for his escape by one of the other whaleships. They left him in the -secluded sand valley, promising to return in a week.</p> - -<p>But O'Reilly could not wait. The next morning he put to sea alone in a -dory, and at night he was on an unknown sea. The next noon he sighted -the Vigilant again, and once more she sailed away. It should be said -that Captain Baker did not see his boat on either of these occasions.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span></p> - -<p>O'Reilly rowed all night, and in the morning reached the sand hills on -the headland of Geographe Bay once more. Exhausted with fatigue and -anxiety, he cared for nothing but sleep, and this he could have without -stint in the secluded valley. Five days later his friends returned, -having arranged with Captain Gifford of the whaling bark Gazelle of -New Bedford to pick him up. In order to insure the fulfillment of this -agreement, good Father McCabe had paid the captain ten pounds.</p> - -<p>The next morning O'Reilly and his friends once more rowed out toward -the headland. He was leaving Australia forever. Toward noon he was -picked up by bark Clarice and subsequently was transferred aboard the -Gazelle.</p> - -<p>This is only the chief incident, briefly told, of the escape of -O'Reilly. It suggested some years later a means to a more brilliant -accomplishment, for the bravery and ingenuity of the officers of -the New Bedford whaleship in a subsequent event, when an attempt to -secure possession of the escaping prisoner at Roderique made a strong -impression upon O'Reilly.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span></p> - - - - -<p class ="ph2"><a name="CHAPTER_VIII" id="CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII</a></p> - -<p class="center">OTHER ESCAPES AND RESCUES</p> - - -<p><span class="smcap">The</span> rescue of the young Irish revolutionist, John Mitchell, was the -first of the series of escapes participated in by Irish patriots. -Mitchell was a talented and brave young man, whose life and history -have been an inspiration to the devotees of Irish freedom. He was -originally a writer upon the "Nation," but its policy was too -conservative for his tastes, and in 1847 he founded a new journal -called "The United Irishman." Mitchell belonged to that section of -"young Ireland" which advocated immediate war with England. He believed -the time was now ripe, and he set about making his paper as obnoxious -to the English government as possible. He was a brilliant writer and an -enthusiast for the revolution. His plan was to force the hand, first -of the English government, then of the Irish people. He deliberately -challenged the government to arrest the leaders of his party. Then he -calculated that the Irish people would rise to defend or rescue their -heroes, and rebellion would be effected.</p> - -<p>For three years he continued his taunting tactics. He wrote in a -strain of fiery sedition, urging the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</a></span> people to prepare for warlike -effort, while he described how to make pikes and use them; how to cast -bullets; and how to make the streets as dangerous for cavalry horses -as Bruce made the field of Bannockburn. Some of the agencies which -were suggested for the use of the people, when they should take up -arms, were almost devilish in their ferocity, such as the employment of -vitriol. At length the government was forced to recognize the violence -of young Mitchell's newspaper attacks, and a measure was framed by the -government to meet the case, enabling it to suppress newspapers like -"United Irishman" and imprison the publishers. Mitchell was defiant -still, and he was arrested. Greatly to his chagrin, no attempt was -made to rescue him. "Had there been another Mitchell out of doors, -as fearless and reckless as the Mitchell in the prison," writes a -historian, "a sanguinary outbreak would probably have taken place." He -was sentenced to expatriation for fourteen years, and was deported -first to Bermuda and then to Australia. Smith O'Brien, Meagher, and -other of the confederate leaders were likewise sent there.</p> - -<p>In 1853 P.J. Smyth, who was known as "Nicaragua," a correspondent of -the "New York Tribune," was commissioned by the Irish Directory of New -York to proceed to Australia and procure the escape of Mitchell and his -political associates. Mitchell was under parole, and his sense of honor -would not permit him to leave without surrendering it. On June 8, 1853, -in company with Smyth, he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</a></span> presented himself to the police magistrate -in Bothwell and surrendered his parole.</p> - -<p>"You see the purport of that note, sir," said he. "It is short and -plain. It resigns the thing called 'ticket of leave' and revokes my -promise, which bound me so long as I held the thing."</p> - -<p>Then they left the magistrate, who was either stupid or afraid to make -an attempt to detain them, and, mounting horses, rode through the -Australian woods until Hobart Town was reached, when they sailed on -the passenger brig Emma to Sydney, and in due time reached the United -States. Meagher soon followed. O'Brien declined to have anything to -do with any plot for escape while he was on parole, and his honorable -conduct was rewarded by a pardon.</p> - -<p>After reaching this country, Mitchell founded a paper advocating -slavery, and championing the Southern cause in the Rebellion. One of -his last acts here was a lecture, the proceeds of which went to swell -the fund which was being raised for the Catalpa expedition. Later -he returned to Ireland, where, owing to some defect in the criminal -law, he could not be arrested, his time of penal servitude having -expired, although he had not served it. He was elected to Parliament -for Tipperary, was disqualified for a seat, and then reëlected. Some -turmoil was expected, when Mitchell was withdrawn from the controversy -by death.</p> - -<p style="margin-left: 25%;"> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">"Weep for him, Ireland, mother lonely;</span><br /> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">Weep for the son who died for thee.</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Wayward he was, but he loved thee only,</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">Loyal and fearless as son could be.</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Weep for him, Ireland, sorrowing nation,</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">Faithful to all who are true to thee;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Never a son in thy desolation</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">Had holier love for thy cause than he."</span><br /> -</p> - -<p>The rescue of Kelly and Deasy at Manchester was daring and successful, -but it was only accomplished by the killing of one man, and three -were subsequently hanged for complicity in the affair. Colonel Kelly -and Captain Deasy, Fenian agents in England, were captured by the -Manchester police on September 11, 1867, and a week afterward were -arraigned at the Manchester police office. Being identified as Fenian -leaders, they were again remanded and placed in the prison van to be -conveyed to the borough jail. They were in charge of Police Sergeant -Charles Brett. When half way to the prison, and just as the van passed -under the railway arch over Hyde Road at Bellevue, a man jumped into -the middle of the road, pointed a pistol at the head of the van-driver -and ordered him to stop. Immediately thirty armed men swarmed over -the wall which lined the road. A shot was fired, and the driver was -so frightened that he fell from his seat. One horse was shot, and the -gallant police escorts scattered and ran for their lives.</p> - -<p>An endeavor was then made to break in the door of the van. It was -locked on the inside, and the key was in the possession of a police -officer named Brett, who sat within. A shot was fired at the key-hole -to blow off the lock, and the unfortunate police<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</a></span> officer received a -wound from which he died soon after. The doors were then opened, a -woman prisoner in the van handing out the keys, which she found in -the pocket of the officer. "Kelly, I'll die for you," said one of the -Fenian rescuers.</p> - -<p>He kept his word.</p> - -<p>The prisoners were freed, and were seen to enter a cottage near the -Hyde Road. They left it unfettered, and were never seen after by -English officials. Several men were put on trial for the murder of -Brett, and five were found guilty,—Allen, Larkin, O'Brien, Condon or -Shore, and Maguire. The defense was that the prisoners only meditated -a rescue, and that the death of the policeman was an accident. The -five were sentenced to death, but the newspaper reporters were so -certain that Maguire was not concerned in the affair that they joined -in a memorial to the government, expressing their conviction that the -verdict was a mistake. The government made an investigation, and found -that he was not near the spot on the day of the rescue,—that he was a -loyal private in the Marines, and not a Fenian. He was pardoned, but -not unnaturally the circumstances caused a grave doubt with relation to -the soundness of the verdict in the other cases.</p> - -<p>Strenuous attempts were made to secure a commutation of the sentence. -Mr. Bright was foremost with his exertions, and Mr. Swinburne, the -poet, wrote an appeal for mercy, from which a few verses are quoted:—</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</a></span></p> - -<p style="margin-left: 25%;"> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">"Art thou indeed among these,</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Thou of the tyrannous crew,</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">The kingdoms fed upon blood,</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">O queen from of old of the seas,</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">England, art thou of them, too,</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">That drink of the poisonous flood,</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">That hide under poisonous trees?</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">"Nay, thy name from of old,</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Mother, was pure, or we dreamed;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Purer we held thee than this,</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Purer fain would we hold;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">So goodly a glory it seemed,</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">A fame so bounteous of bliss,</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">So more precious than gold.</span><br /> -</p> - - -<hr class="tb" /> -<p style="margin-left: 25%;"> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">"Strangers came gladly to thee,</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Exiles, chosen of men,</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Safe for thy sake in thy shade,</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Sat down at thy feet and were free.</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">So men spake of thee then;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Now shall their speaking be stayed?</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Ah, so let it not be!</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">"Not for revenge or affright,</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Pride or a tyrannous lust,</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Cast from thee the crown of thy praise.</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Mercy was thine in thy might,</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Strong when thou wert, thou wert just;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Now, in the wrong-doing days,</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Cleave thou, thou at least, to the right.</span><br /> -</p> - - -<hr class="tb" /> -<p style="margin-left: 25%;"> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">"Freeman he is not, but slave,</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Whoso in fear for the State</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Cries for surety of blood,</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Help of gibbet and grave;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Neither is any land great</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Whom, in her fear-stricken mood,</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">These things only can save.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">"Lo, how fair from afar,</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Taintless of tyranny, stands</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Thy mighty daughter, for years</span><br /> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Who trod the winepress of war;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Shines with immaculate hands;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Slays not a foe, neither fears;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Stains not peace with a scar!</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">"Be not as tyrant or slave,</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">England; be not as these,</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Thou that wert other than they.</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Stretch out thine hand, but to save;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Put forth thy strength, and release;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Lest there arise, if thou slay,</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Thy shame as a ghost from the grave."</span><br /> -</p> - -<p>The government refused to listen to the appeals, and Allen, Larkin, and -O'Brien were hanged at Manchester on November 23, 1867, meeting death -with courage and composure, we are told. Shore escaped, since he was -proven to be an American citizen, and the English spared him lest the -protection of the American government might have been invoked in his -behalf.</p> - -<p>One more incident may be added to the chapter of Fenian rescues. This -was the attempt to blow up the House of Detention at Clerkenwell in -December, 1867, where two Fenian prisoners were confined. This affair -was farcical in conception, but its results were cruelly tragic.</p> - -<p>"At the very time that this horrible crime and blunder was -perpetrated," writes a historian, "one of the London theatres was -nightly crowded by spectators eager to see an Irish melodrama, among -the incidents of which was the discussion of a plan for the rescue of -a prisoner from a castle cell. The audience was immensely amused by -the proposal of one confederate to blow up the castle altogether, and -the manner in which it occurred to the simple plotters, just in time, -that if they carried out this plan, they must send the prisoner himself -flying into the air. The Clerkenwell conspirators had either not seen -the popular drama or had missed the point of its broadest joke."</p> - -<p>A barrel of gunpowder was exploded close to the wall. Sixty yards -of the prison wall were blown in, and many small dwellings in the -vicinity were shattered. A dozen persons were killed, one hundred and -twenty were wounded, and there were other serious consequences. Had -the prisoners been near the wall, they would have been killed. Five -men and a woman were put on trial for the crime, but only one man was -convicted. He was found guilty on the evidence of an informer and -executed. It was agreed that the persons who were concerned in this -plot were "of that irresponsible crew who hang on to the skirts of all -secret political associations, and whose adhesion is only one other -reason for regarding such associations as deplorable and baneful. Such -men are of the class who bring a curse, who bring many curses, on even -the best cause that strives to work in secret. They prowl after the -heels of organized conspiracy, and what it will not do they are ready -in some fatal moment to attempt."</p> - -<p>And this brings us back to the last and most important of Irish -national rescue projects.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</a></span></p> - - - - -<p class ="ph2"><a name="CHAPTER_IX" id="CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX</a></p> - -<p class="center">APPEALS FROM AUSTRALIA</p> - - -<p><span class="smcap">In</span> 1870 the British government had granted conditional pardon to such -political convicts in Australia as had been civilians at the time of -their offense, but the military prisoners were exempted. Still the -latter were not without hope, as the letter of one of them to O'Reilly, -who had amnestied himself, shows. "It is my birthday as I write this," -ran the letter, "and I know I am turning it to the best account by -writing to such a dear old friend. Who knows? perhaps I may be able -to spend the next one with you. If not, then we will hope for the -following one. At all events, we must not despair."</p> - -<p>The men were not always so calmly hopeful. Sometimes—</p> - -<p style="margin-left: 25%;"> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">"There spake in their hearts a hidden voice</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Of the blinding joy of a freeman's burst</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Through the great dim woods. Then the toil accurst,</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">The scorching days and the nights in tears,</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">The riveted rings for years and years,</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">They weighed them all—they looked before</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">At the one and other, and spoke them o'er,</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">And they saw what the heart of man must see,</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">That the uttermost blessing is liberty."</span><br /> -</p> - -<p>And so it happened that Hassett, who was a man<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</a></span> of remarkable daring, -"with his eyes on the doom and danger," made his escape from the road -party in April, 1869. He penetrated the bush to the sea, like O'Reilly; -and after eleven months of privation he took refuge on board a ship at -Bunbury. But he had "grasped the flower but to clutch the sting." As he -reached the threshold of freedom he was snatched back. Discovered and -recaptured, he was sentenced to three years of hard labor in the chain -gang at Swan River, with six months' solitary confinement. The first -part of the sentence is not without humor, since Hassett was serving a -life sentence at hard labor when he made his escape, and there was no -terror in the additional three years of servitude.</p> - -<p>Upon the occasion of the Queen's accession to the title of Empress -of India, one hundred and forty members of Parliament, including Mr. -Bright, Mr. Plimsoll, Mr. Mundella, Mr. Fawcett, and many others of the -ablest men of the House, presented a petition for the pardon of the -political prisoners, but it was rejected.</p> - -<p>And so perished the last hope of the friends of the prisoners of -clemency from the government. "Delayed, but nothing altered, more -straining on for plucking back," the friends of the prisoners, with an -audacity which must be admired, determined then that they should be -freed in spite of the government.</p> - -<p>From time to time appeals had been sent forth from the prisoners in -Australia to their friends at<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</a></span> home and in America. Martin Hogan had -written to Peter Curran in 1872, having seen Curran's name in a letter -written by O'Donovan Rossa to the Dublin "Irishman." A copy of this -paper had been smuggled into the prison, and suggested the appeal to -America.</p> - -<p>Then James Wilson wrote to John Devoy in New York, sketching a plan -of action, and his appeal stirred the devoted man to a final gigantic -effort. Devoy sent back the cheering response that steps were being -taken for the execution of the plan.</p> - -<p>After a conference with John Kenneally and James McCarthy Finnell, -prisoners who had been released, Mr. Devoy presented the matter to the -Clan-na-Gael convention at Baltimore in 1874, and John Devoy and John -W. Goff, the latter of whom is now the recorder of the New York courts, -James Reynolds of New Haven, and Patrick Mahon and John C. Talbot were -appointed a committee to carry out the project.</p> - -<p>Devoy, Reynolds, and Goff were the most active, and, without definitely -revealing their plans, such was the confidence of the Irish people in -them that they were not long in securing a fund of $20,000. This was -not accomplished, however, without the sacrifice of business, health, -and money, on the part of the men most active. Sympathizing miners in -New Zealand were stirred by John King, an ex-prisoner, to contribute -$4,000, and two agents of the revolutionary party in Ireland, Denis F. -Mc<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</a></span>Carthy of Cork and John Walsh of Durham, England, brought $5,000 and -their personal aid.</p> - -<p>John J. Breslin, a brave man who assisted James Stephens, the head -centre of the Fenian movement, to escape from the jaws of death -in 1865, and of whom I shall have much more to say presently, was -assigned the dangerous rôle of active agent, with Thomas Desmond of -San Francisco as an associate. They were to go to Australia and place -themselves in communication with the prisoners.</p> - -<p>Finally a vessel was to be fitted out for Australia, manned by men -fearless of consequences, to rescue the life prisoners from their -captivity.</p> - -<p>It was here that Mr. O'Reilly made a valuable suggestion to Devoy, -that a whaling vessel should be sent. Such a vessel might sail on an -ostensible whaling voyage and avert the suspicion with which another -ship cruising in the waters of Western Australia might be received. The -suggestion was at once accepted as an inspiration.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[Pg 74]</a></span></p> - - - - -<p class ="ph2"><a name="CHAPTER_X" id="CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X</a></p> - -<p class="center">THE PLOT</p> - - -<p><span class="smcap">While</span> the fact that O'Reilly was rescued by a whaleship was the direct -cause of the determination to send a vessel representative of New -Bedford's victorious industry, there were other reasons which commended -the selection.</p> - -<p>Men who engaged in this perilous mode of hardy enterprise must -necessarily be persevering and brave. Perhaps the originators of the -enterprise remembered that it was a whaleship bearing the name of -Bedford which was the first vessel to display the flag of the United -States in British waters, and that in 1783, when the countries were at -war.</p> - -<p>Barnard's "History of England," a rare book, recites that "the ship -Bedford, Captain Moores, belonging to the Massachusetts, arrived in -the Downs on the 3rd of February, passed Gravesend on the 3rd, and was -reported at the Custom House on the 6th instant. She was not allowed -regular entry until some consultation had taken place between the -commissioners of the customs and the lords of council, on account of -the many acts of parliament in force against the rebels of America. -She is<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</a></span> loaded with 487 butts of whale oil, is American built, manned -wholly by American seamen, and wears the rebel colors. This is the -first vessel which has displayed the thirteen rebellious stripes of -America in any British port. The vessel is at Horseledour, a little -below the Tower, and is intended to return immediately to New England."</p> - -<p>The New Bedford whaleman has ever been a type of enterprise and daring, -but the commission which these Irish patriots proposed, of challenging -the British navy with a whaleship and snatching a half dozen men from -the jaws of the British lion, was a supreme test of pluck.</p> - -<p>When it was decided to fit out a whaleship, O'Reilly directed Devoy -and his friends to consult with Captain Henry C. Hathaway in New -Bedford. At the time of his rescue, Captain Hathaway was the third -mate of the Gazelle, and O'Reilly occupied a stateroom with him. A -strong attachment had grown up between them, which was strengthened -when Hathaway saved O'Reilly from drowning during a fight with an -ugly whale, in which O'Reilly's love of excitement had led him to -participate.</p> - -<p>Captain Hathaway was at this time captain of the night police force in -New Bedford. He entered into the plans with interest, and told Devoy -that the commander whom he needed to carry the expedition to success -was Captain George S. Anthony. John T. Richardson, the father-in-law -of Captain Anthony, was a whaling agent, and the proposition was -first<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</a></span> broached to him, and he agreed to arrange an interview for the -Clan-na-Gael committee with Anthony.</p> - -<p>Captain Anthony was a New Bedford boy, and pledged his life to the -sea at the age of fifteen. He had been a successful whaleman, and his -faithfulness had been demonstrated in a service of ten years in one -ship, of which Jonathan Bourne was the agent.</p> - -<p>But the captain had recently married, and had concluded to abandon the -longboat forever. He was given a position at the Morse Twist Drill -Works, where he was employed in February, 1875, when Devoy and his -friends first went to New Bedford.</p> - -<p>But a sailor is never long contented ashore, and Anthony was growing -restless. Mr. Bourne was inclined to make light of his resolution to -become a mechanic, and constantly dropped in upon him at the shop with -tempting offers to return to his service, until the foreman suggested -to Mr. Bourne that he should "let Anthony alone." Then Mr. Bourne -slapped the stout sailor on the back and said, "Well, Anthony, I'll -let you alone. But remember and let me know when you are ready to go -whaling again."</p> - -<p>Mr. Bourne's experience had taught him something. He had detected the -restlessness of Anthony, who acknowledged that he was out of place in -a machine-shop, and he knew that one day he would come to his office, -prepared to sign shipping papers.</p> - -<p>A few days later Anthony met Mr. Richardson<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</a></span> and said to him: "I'm -tired of this. Go down and see Mr. Bourne and ask him if he will let me -have a ship."</p> - -<p>"Wait a few days; I have something better for you," said Mr. -Richardson. Two days before he had met Devoy and his comrades, and he -was then carrying their secret about with him.</p> - -<p>The next morning Mr. Richardson again met the captain: "Come to the -store this evening," said he; "there will be two or three men there -whom I wish you to meet."</p> - -<p>At about eight o'clock Anthony presented himself at Richardson's. The -store of the latter was at 18 South Water Street. It was an outfitters' -establishment, with a stock of such clothing as is to be found in the -slop chest of the sailor in the front of the store, while there was an -open space at the rear filled with chairs.</p> - -<p>About a big stove sat a number of men, several of whom were strangers -to Anthony. He remembered that he had seen them about Richardson's -place for several days, and had once been on the point of inquiring -who they were. Captain Hathaway was one of the men in the group whom -he knew, and it may be said that Mr. Devoy, Mr. Goff, and Mr. Reynolds -were also present.</p> - -<p>"It's just as well to sit in the dark," said one, and the lights were -at once put out, which seemed to Anthony a rather singular proceeding.</p> - -<p>Then he was introduced to the men, but their names were unfamiliar -to him at that time. Captain<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</a></span> Anthony was less a stranger to the men -whom he met. They had made a study of him for several days before they -decided to intrust him with the secret and the enterprise which was -nearest their hearts, and they had now decided that he would do.</p> - -<p>The man who stood in the lamplight for a minute before the flame was -extinguished was of athletic build, with black hair, and eyes which -were so black, bright, and alert that they were the conspicuous feature -of the face. The brilliant color in the captain's cheek indicated -vigorous good health.</p> - -<p>Then John Devoy, whom Captain Anthony had carelessly noticed was a -short man with full black whiskers, unfolded the plan of the proposed -rescue of the Fenian prisoners to the astonished captain.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</a></span></p> - - - - -<p class ="ph2"><a name="CHAPTER_XI" id="CHAPTER_XI">CHAPTER XI</a></p> - -<p class="center">THE VESSEL AND THE START</p> - - -<p><span class="smcap">It</span> was an ideal conspiracy, you see, the plans being made under the -cover of darkness. Mr. Devoy was a brilliant talker, and he knew his -subject well. He hurried over the story of the revolution in which the -men were engaged, making prominent the fact that his friends who had -been transported to Western Australia were not criminals.</p> - -<p>Then he sketched the plan of rescue. In his enthusiasm it probably -seemed the easy task to Devoy which he represented it to be. His -friends would provide a whaleship, fitted for sea. Captain Anthony -was to sail as soon as possible, and beyond keeping up a pretense of -whaling, his part would merely be to show his vessel off the coast of -Australia on a certain date. There he would be hailed by a company of -men in a boat. He would take them aboard and sail for home. The shore -end of the escape would be managed by others.</p> - -<p>Captain Anthony asked for time in which to consider the proposition, -and he was given one day. Meanwhile he was pledged never to speak of -the plan, not even to Mrs. Anthony, whether or not he accepted the -commission. The captain did some hard thinking that night, and the next -evening,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</a></span> when he again met the committee at Richardson's, he told them -he would go. They expressed their gratification, gave authority to Mr. -Richardson and Captain Anthony to select a suitable vessel, and left -the city, well satisfied with their selection of a commander.</p> - -<p>I have always suspected that Devoy and his friends must have aroused -the sympathy of Captain Anthony and awakened within him a personal -interest in the men whose zeal for patriotism had placed them in -an unfortunate position. A promise that he would be well paid was -certainly inadequate to the weary voyage, the risk, and the sacrifice -he must make in leaving his family. Captain Anthony had been married -but a year, and there was a baby daughter but a few months old. His -mother was ill, and had not the spirit which dominated Devoy appealed -to him, there can be no satisfactory explanation of his assumption of -the trust.</p> - -<p>Mr. Richardson and Captain Anthony now commenced their search for a -vessel. They looked at the Jeannette, a New Bedford whaler, the Sea -Gull, a Boston clipper and fast, but in need of expensive repairs, and -the Addison, formerly a whaleship, but at that time a packet running -on the route between Boston and Fayal. None were regarded as entirely -suitable.</p> - -<p>At last they heard of the Catalpa. She was formerly a whaleship sailing -out of New Bedford, but had been placed in the merchant service. She -had just returned with a cargo of logwood from the West<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</a></span> Indies and -was for sale. Captain Anthony and Mr. Richardson went to East Boston, -where she lay. They were satisfied with her, and, finding she could -be bought cheaply, communicated with the committee, which authorized -her purchase. She was bought on March 13, 1875, and the price paid was -$5,500.</p> - -<p>The Catalpa was a vessel of 202.05 tons net, 90 feet in length, 25 feet -in breadth, with a depth of 12.2 feet. She was rigged as a merchant -bark, with double topsails, a poop deck, and cabin half above decks. -Her main deck was roomy and she had an open hold, there being nothing -between decks excepting her beams. The house and galley were on deck, -merchant fashion; altogether she seemed a stanch vessel. The bark was -brought around to New Bedford and the fitting commenced at City Wharf -under Captain Anthony's direction.</p> - -<p>Davits and whaleboat gear were rigged, a forecastle was built for the -sailors, a half deck put in, sail and rigging pens built on one side -and a steerage on the other. Then it was discovered that the riding -keelson was rotten, and John W. Howland, who was in charge of the -repairs, performed a mechanical feat never before attempted. The foot -of the mainmast rests upon this part of the vessel, yet a new piece was -put in with such skill that the rigging did not settle throughout the -voyage.</p> - -<p>The bark was provided with a forward and after cabin. Two rooms on the -starboard side were knocked into one for the use of the captain, the -mate's room was on the port side, opposite, and the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</a></span> second and third -mates were furnished accommodations in the forward cabin.</p> - -<p>The vessel was fitted ostensibly for a whaling voyage of eighteen -months or two years in the North and South Atlantic. Captain Anthony -was given supreme authority in the arrangement of the vessel and in -securing the fittings, and gave his personal attention to the stowing -of the ship.</p> - -<p>On the day of sailing, the vessel and outfit had cost the Clan-na-Gael -committee $18,000. The vessel stood in the name of James Reynolds of -New Haven, a fact which aroused considerable curiosity among the New -Bedford whaling agents, since he was a newcomer in the field which they -had regarded as a monopoly.</p> - -<p>The conspirators made but one request with relation to the crew. They -wished to have one of their number accompany the vessel, and Dennis -Duggan was selected. He was shipped as carpenter. Otherwise the -responsibility was placed with Captain Anthony, and it was a difficult -task, requiring no little discretion and knowledge of the character of -men.</p> - -<p>He made a wise choice, it will be seen later, in the selection of -Samuel P. Smith of Edgartown as first mate. The crew was purposely made -up largely of Kanakas, Malays, and Africans, since they were likely -to be less suspicious than other sailors and could better endure the -climate of the southern seas.</p> - -<p>The shipping articles described the crew as finally made up as follows. -The names of some of the men were invented and bestowed upon them by -the shipping agents.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</a></span></p> - -<table summary="crew" width="98%"> -<tr> -<td class="td1">Name. -</td> -<td class="td1">Place of Birth. -</td> -<td class="td1">Place of<br/> Residence. -</td> -<td class="td1">Of what Country<br/>Citizen, or<br/>Subject. -</td> -<td class="td1">Age. -</td> -<td class="td1">Height. -</td> -<td class="td1">Complexion. -</td> -<td class="td1">Hair. -</td> -<td class="td2">Eyes. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="td3">Samuel P. Smith. -</td> -<td class="td3">Edgartown. -</td> -<td class="td3">Edgartown. -</td> -<td class="td3">United States. -</td> -<td class="td3">29 -</td> -<td class="td3">5.11 -</td> -<td class="td3">Sandy. -</td> -<td class="td3">Brown. -</td> -<td class="td5">Gray. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="td4">Antone Farnham. -</td> -<td class="td4">Brava. -</td> -<td class="td4">New Bedford. -</td> -<td class="td4">Brava. -</td> -<td class="td4">43 -</td> -<td class="td4">5.11 -</td> -<td class="td4">Dark. -</td> -<td class="td4">Black. -</td> -<td>Black. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="td4">George H. Bolles. -</td> -<td class="td4">New Bedford. -</td> -<td class="td4">New Bedford. -</td> -<td class="td4">United States. -</td> -<td class="td4">24 -</td> -<td class="td4">5.6 -</td> -<td class="td4">Sandy. -</td> -<td class="td4">Brown. -</td> -<td>Black. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="td4">Caleb Cushing. -</td> -<td class="td4">Harwich. -</td> -<td class="td4">New Bedford. -</td> -<td class="td4">United States. -</td> -<td class="td4">23 -</td> -<td class="td4">5.1 -</td> -<td class="td4">Sandy. -</td> -<td class="td4">Brown. -</td> -<td>Black. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="td4">Mopsy Roso. -</td> -<td class="td4"> Malay. -</td> -<td class="td4">New Bedford. -</td> -<td class="td4">Malay. -</td> -<td class="td4">21 -</td> -<td class="td4">5.5 -</td> -<td class="td4">Dark. -</td> -<td class="td4">Black. -</td> -<td>Black. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="td4">John Roso. -</td> -<td class="td4">Malay. -</td> -<td class="td4">New Bedford. -</td> -<td class="td4">Malay. -</td> -<td class="td4">30 -</td> -<td class="td4">5.4 -</td> -<td class="td4">Dark. -</td> -<td class="td4">Black. -</td> -<td>Black. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="td4">Walter E. Sanford. -</td> -<td class="td4">N. Bridgewater. -</td> -<td class="td4">Raynham. -</td> -<td class="td4">United States. -</td> -<td class="td4">19 -</td> -<td class="td4">6.0 -</td> -<td class="td4">Light. -</td> -<td class="td4">Light. -</td> -<td>Blue. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="td4">Cyrus S. Hill. -</td> -<td class="td4">N. Woodstock, N.H. -</td> -<td class="td4">Exeter, N.H. -</td> -<td class="td4">United States. -</td> -<td class="td4">21 -</td> -<td class="td4">5.10 -</td> -<td class="td4">Dark. -</td> -<td class="td4">Black. -</td> -<td>Brown. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="td4">Antone Ferris. -</td> -<td class="td4">Cape de Verde Is. -</td> -<td class="td4">New Bedford. -</td> -<td class="td4">Cape de Verde. -</td> -<td class="td4">50 -</td> -<td class="td4">5.8 -</td> -<td class="td4">Dark. -</td> -<td class="td4">Gray. -</td> -<td>Black. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="td4">Henry D. Paine. -</td> -<td class="td4">Woodstock, Vt. -</td> -<td class="td4">Woodstock. -</td> -<td class="td4">United States. -</td> -<td class="td4">17 -</td> -<td class="td4">5.9 -</td> -<td class="td4">Light. -</td> -<td class="td4">Light. -</td> -<td>Blue. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="td4">John Coeking. -</td> -<td class="td4">New Britain, Conn. -</td> -<td class="td4">New Britain. -</td> -<td class="td4">United States. -</td> -<td class="td4">27 -</td> -<td class="td4">5.3 -</td> -<td class="td4">Light. -</td> -<td class="td4">Light. -</td> -<td>Blue. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="td4">Edmund F. Gleason. -</td> -<td class="td4">Candia. -</td> -<td class="td4"> -</td> -<td class="td4">United States. -</td> -<td class="td4">30 -</td> -<td class="td4">5.2 -</td> -<td class="td4">Dark. -</td> -<td class="td4">Black. -</td> -<td>Black. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="td4">Robert Kanaka. -</td> -<td class="td4">Hope Island. -</td> -<td class="td4">New Bedford. -</td> -<td class="td4">Hope Island. -</td> -<td class="td4">22 -</td> -<td class="td4">5.7 -</td> -<td class="td4">Black. -</td> -<td class="td4">Black. -</td> -<td>Black. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="td4">Mike Malay. -</td> -<td class="td4">Malay. -</td> -<td class="td4">New Bedford. -</td> -<td class="td4">Malay. -</td> -<td class="td4">21 -</td> -<td class="td4">5.3 -</td> -<td class="td4">Black. -</td> -<td class="td4">Black. -</td> -<td>Black. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="td4">Zempa Malay. -</td> -<td class="td4">Malay. -</td> -<td class="td4">New Bedford. -</td> -<td class="td4">Malay. -</td> -<td class="td4">21 -</td> -<td class="td4">5.2 -</td> -<td class="td4">Black. -</td> -<td class="td4">Black. -</td> -<td >Black. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="td4">Lumbard Malay. -</td> -<td class="td4">Malay. -</td> -<td class="td4">New Bedford. -</td> -<td class="td4">Malay. -</td> -<td class="td4">21 -</td> -<td class="td4">5.3 -</td> -<td class="td4">Black. -</td> -<td class="td4">Black. -</td> -<td>Black. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="td4">Gingy Malay. -</td> -<td class="td4">Malay. -</td> -<td class="td4">New Bedford. -</td> -<td class="td4">Malay. -</td> -<td class="td4">21 -</td> -<td class="td4">5.4 -</td> -<td class="td4">Black. -</td> -<td class="td4">Black. -</td> -<td>Black. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="td4">Henry Parrott. -</td> -<td class="td4">St. Helena. -</td> -<td class="td4">New Bedford. -</td> -<td class="td4">St. Helena. -</td> -<td class="td4">22 -</td> -<td class="td4">5.6 -</td> -<td class="td4">Black. -</td> -<td class="td4">Black. -</td> -<td>Black. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="td4">Thomas F. Knipe. -</td> -<td class="td4">St. Helena. -</td> -<td class="td4">New Bedford. -</td> -<td class="td4">St. Helena. -</td> -<td class="td4">22 -</td> -<td class="td4">5.9 -</td> -<td class="td4">Black. -</td> -<td class="td4">Black. -</td> -<td>Black. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="td4">Thomas Kanaka. -</td> -<td class="td4">Hope Island. -</td> -<td class="td4">New Bedford. -</td> -<td class="td4">Hope Island. -</td> -<td class="td4">28 -</td> -<td class="td4">5.7 -</td> -<td class="td4">Black. -</td> -<td class="td4">Black. -</td> -<td>Black. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="td4">Robert Ceil. -</td> -<td class="td4">St. Helena. -</td> -<td class="td4">New Bedford. -</td> -<td class="td4">St. Helena. -</td> -<td class="td4">18 -</td> -<td class="td4">5.6 -</td> -<td class="td4">Dark. -</td> -<td class="td4">Black. -</td> -<td>Gray. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="td4">Joseph Rosmond. -</td> -<td class="td4">St. Lucia, W.I. -</td> -<td class="td4">New Bedford. -</td> -<td class="td4">St. Lucia. -</td> -<td class="td4">21 -</td> -<td class="td4">5.8 -</td> -<td class="td4">Black. -</td> -<td class="td4">Black. -</td> -<td>Black. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="td4">Dennis Duggan. -</td> -<td class="td4">New York. -</td> -<td class="td4"> -</td> -<td class="td4"> -</td> -<td class="td4">30 -</td> -<td class="td4">5.9 -</td> -<td class="td4">Light. -</td> -<td class="td4">Light. -</td> -<td>Blue. -</td> -</tr> -</table> -<p><small><span class="smcap">New Bedford</span>, April 29, 1875.</small></p> - - - - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</a></span></p> - -<p>Although the suspicions of nobody had been aroused in any quarter which -would lead to anxiety, the shipping agents were very persistent in -their inquiries about the destination of the ship.</p> - -<p>"Captain Anthony is going where he has a mind and will stay as long -as he pleases," was Mr. Richardson's invariable reply to those who -questioned him.</p> - -<p>The bark was now ready for sea, and Devoy, who was at this time night -editor of the "New York Herald," went to New Bedford to give Captain -Anthony his final instructions.</p> - -<p>"You will cruise until fall, about six months, in the North Atlantic," -were Devoy's orders. "Then you are to put in at Fayal, ship home any -oil which you may have taken, and sail at once for Australia, where -we expect you to arrive early in the spring of 1876. You are to go to -Bunbury, on the west coast, and there communications will be opened up -with you from our Australian agent."</p> - -<p>The serious illness of Captain Anthony's mother delayed his departure -for two days. Devoy remained over, and at nine o'clock on Thursday -morning, April 29, 1875, he waved his handkerchief in farewell to -Captain Anthony as he rowed away from the dock to board the Catalpa.</p> - -<p>Although a large company of his friends had made up a party to -accompany the captain down the bay, he could not trust himself to bring -his wife. He had said good-by to his wife and baby at home.</p> - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/illus4.jpg" alt="pic" /> -<a id="illus4" name="illus4"></a> -</p> -<p class="caption"> THE CATALPA OUTWARD BOUND</p> - -<p>This was the first anniversary of Captain An<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</a></span>thony's wedding, and -among those who were on the bark was Rev. O.A. Roberts, the clergyman -who had officiated at the marriage. Mr. Roberts was curious to see a -chronometer, and after the vessel was under way he examined it and -asked about its winding. Captain Anthony's attention thus being called -to it, he learned that he was bound to sea without a key for his -chronometer. Fortunately a mechanic named Arnett was on the vessel, and -he bored and filed an old clock key to fit the chronometer, and it was -wound. This was only the commencement of trouble with the chronometer, -which continued throughout the voyage.</p> - -<p>Late in the afternoon, off Cuttyhunk, the friends on shore left the -Catalpa. During the remainder of that day Captain Anthony was in the -depths of despondency. While in the companionship of Devoy and the -conspirators he had imbibed the enthusiasm and spirit of the affair. -But now he was alone with the responsibility. There was not an officer -with whom he could share his secret. With a hulk of a whaleship he was -defying the mightiest naval power on earth.</p> - -<p>In the evening half a gale was blowing and the bark was plunging -drearily in heavy seas, under short sail. The captain thought of his -wife, his child, and his mother sick at home, and he thought of the -task he had assumed to accomplish in the convict land of Australia. -There was gloom within the little cabin that evening, as well as -without.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</a></span></p> - - - - -<p class ="ph2"><a name="CHAPTER_XII" id="CHAPTER_XII">CHAPTER XII</a></p> - -<p class="center">WHALING</p> - - -<p><span class="smcap">But</span> the heart-heaviness did not last long. If Captain Anthony had -not been a man of exceptional pluck, he would not have been bound to -Australia in the Catalpa. The first days of a voyage are busy. The -crew is called aft, watches are told off, and boats' crews selected. -The regulations to be observed on shipboard are read, and the master -gives general instructions to be obeyed during the voyage. Then, if the -weather permits, the boats are lowered and the green hands are taught -their places and the handling of their oars.</p> - -<p>Perhaps the reader will be interested in the first entry in the -log-book of the voyage which was to become famous. It is prosaic -enough:—</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p> - -<span class="smcap">Remarks on Board Bark Catalpa, Captain Anthony</span>,<br /> -Outward Bound, Thursday, Apr. 29th, 1875.<br /> -</p> - -<p>This day commences with light breezes from the S.E. and clear weather. -At 9 <span class="smcap">A.M.</span> took our anchors and stood to sea. At 11.30 the -captain came on board with officers. Crew all on board.</p></blockquote> - -<p>For several days thereafter all hands were busily employed in getting -the vessel ready for whaling.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</a></span> Captain Anthony did not enter into the -preparations with the spirit which might have been expected under -different circumstances, possibly, but the work afforded relief from -the routine.</p> - -<p>The chronometer once more intruded itself upon the captain's troubled -mind. After taking a number of sights and making a computation by -it, the result showed the vessel to be in the interior of New York -State. The hammering and pounding which the instrument had undergone -in the process of fitting the key had changed the rate. The captain -and the mate corrected it, but when three days out a German bark was -signaled and it was found that there was a difference of forty miles in -longitude between the navigators. The chronometer was never reliable -thereafter, and the captain was never certain of his position.</p> - -<p>Violent, rugged weather was now encountered. The first whale was -raised on the afternoon of May 3, but it was going quickly to windward -and there was no chance to lower the boats. The next day at five -<span class="smcap">P.M.</span>, when on the southern edge of the Gulf, a school of -whales was sighted and the vessel was luffed to the wind; but again -the whales were going so fast that it was useless to lower. On May 5 -another school of whales was sighted on the lee quarter and the captain -wore ship to head them off. A heavy squall arose, with rain, and under -two lower topsails the bark dashed along, but the whales were elusive. -All the next day the chase continued, and one small whale was taken.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</a></span></p> - -<p>The whale was taken alongside. At 5.30 the work of cutting commenced -and it was finished at eight in the evening. The great pieces of -blubber are hauled over the main hatch and minced into fine pieces, -called "horse pieces." Then the boiling commences. Water is turned into -caboose pens, or jogs along the deck, to prevent the woodwork catching -fire from the try works. The casks containing provisions, towlines, and -sails are emptied, cleansed, and swabbed clean. The hot oil is then -poured in and the casks are lashed to the rail on the ship's side to -cool before being stored below.</p> - -<p>This whale was a very small one and made but about twenty barrels of -oil. It may not be uninteresting to give the reader some idea of the -size of the right whale, which is the largest of whales. Captain Davis, -a veteran whaleman, has made a comparison of the various parts with -familiar objects, which is here quoted: "The blubber, or blanket, of a -large right whale would carpet a room twenty-two yards long and nine -yards wide, averaging half a yard in thickness. Set up a saw-log two -feet in diameter and twenty feet in length for the ridgepole of the -room we propose to build; then raise it in the air fifteen feet, and -support it with pieces of timber seventeen feet long, spread, say, nine -feet. This will make a room nine feet wide at the bottom, two feet -wide at the peak, and twenty feet long, and will convey an idea of the -upper jaw, the saw-log and slanting supports representing the bone. -These walls of bone are clasped by the white blubbery<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</a></span> lips, which at -the bottom are four feet thick, tapering to a blunt edge, where they -fit into a rebate sunk in the upper jaw. The throat is four feet, and -is mainly blubber, interpenetrated by fibrous, muscular flesh. The -lips and throat of a two-hundred-and-fifty-barrel whale should yield -sixty barrels of oil, and, with the supporting jaw-bones, will weigh as -much as twenty-five oxen of one thousand pounds each. Attached to the -throat by a broad base is the enormous tongue, the size of which can -be better conceived by the fact that twenty-five barrels of oil have -been taken from one. Such a tongue would equal in weight ten oxen. The -tail of such a whale is about twenty-five feet broad and six feet deep, -and is considerably more forked than that of the spermaceti. The point -of juncture with the body is about four feet in diameter, the vertebra -about fifteen inches, the remainder of the small being packed with -rope-like tendons from the size of a finger to that of a man's leg. -The great rounded joint at the base of the skull gleams like an ivory -sphere, nearly as large round as a carriage wheel. Through the greatest -blood-vessels, more than a foot in diameter, surges, at each pulsation -of a heart as large as a hogshead, a torrent of barrels of blood heated -to one hundred and four degrees. The respiratory canal is over twelve -inches in diameter, through which the rush of air is as noisy as the -exhaust-pipe of a thousand-horse-power steam engine; and when the fatal -wound is given, torrents of clotted blood are spattered into the air -over the nauseated hunters. In<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</a></span> conclusion, the right whale has an eye -scarcely larger than a cow's, and an ear that would scarcely admit a -knitting-needle."</p> - -<p>On May 12 the Catalpa had reached the "Western Ground," and two whales -were killed. It was nearly midnight before they were taken alongside.</p> - -<p>On May 30, in lat. 37° 3´ north, long. 57° 50´ west, a brig in distress -was raised to leeward, dismasted and flying signals. She proved to be -the brig Florence Annapolis, forty-nine days from Liverpool, bound to -Nova Scotia with a cargo of salt. Water and provisions were gone and -the crew was on the verge of starvation. When the mast went by the -board, one of the crew had his leg broken and two others were injured. -Captain Anthony supplied the vessel with water and small stores, -and his crew assisted in rigging up two sails, with which the brig -ultimately reached port in safety.</p> - -<p>Late on the afternoon of June 13 the first whale seen for a month was -sighted. It was a smoky day, with a fresh breeze from the south. Mr. -Smith, the mate, was in charge of one of the boats, which was lowered. -The boatsteerer had thrown the iron, and Mr. Smith had taken his -position at the head of the boat with the lance for the fatal stroke, -when he was knocked overboard by the whale and severely cut about the -head. He was pulled in by the crew, and crawled on his hands and knees -to the head of the boat once more, where he killed the whale and fell -back in a faint. Smith<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</a></span> was brought aboard the bark, badly injured, and -the whale was alongside at one <span class="smcap">A.M.</span> The next morning Mr. Smith -insisted upon attending to his duties and assisted in directing the -cutting-in, although he was very weak from the loss of blood from the -cuts on his head and neck. This little incident indicated to Captain -Anthony that he had made no mistake in selecting Mr. Smith, and he felt -sure that when the supreme test came he would have at least one man -behind him upon whom he could rely to the uttermost.</p> - -<p>From that date until August nothing of particular interest occurred. -Icebergs were seen in July, and the Kanaka boatsteerer died and was -buried at sea, the service being read by Captain Anthony.</p> - -<p>Late in August the Catalpa fell in with the bark General Scott, Captain -Bobbins, and "gammed," with her. The word "gammed" is the whaling -vernacular for keeping company. On the morning of the 27th a flat calm -prevailed, when a large sperm whale was raised close to the ship. Three -boats were lowered and this attracted the attention of the captain of -the General Scott, who ordered his men to the boats. The fact that the -whale spouted seventy times each time it came up indicated that it was -of good size. Then the whale sounded and was down forty minutes. The -boats from both ships were now in ardent chase, but when the whale came -up he was nearer the Scott's boats. So the officers shouted and agreed -to "mate," or divide the whale. Mr. Smith of the Catalpa struck the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</a></span> -whale, and all joined in the killing. Then, as the General Scott was so -much larger than the Catalpa, the whale was taken alongside that vessel -for boiling. It is a rule among whalemen that when two ships are mated, -if either takes a whale before the first has been boiled, the ships -again divide. So while the General Scott was trying out, the Catalpa -cruised away, captured another whale, and at six o'clock the same night -had it alongside. This latter whale was small, making about forty-five -barrels, which was divided. The larger whale "stowed down" 130 barrels.</p> - -<p>On September 5 the Catalpa gammed with the bark Draco, Captain Peakes. -Captain Anthony had sailed in the Draco for ten years of his life, -and Captain Peakes was an old friend. On the 19th the Catalpa raised -sperm whales and secured two. On October 14 Flores was sighted, and the -captain now learned that through the fault of his chronometer he was -120 miles out of his "reckoning."</p> - -<p>Captain Peakes suggested to Captain Anthony that before going in he -should catch up a deckload of albicores, which abounded, and as they -are a choice edible he could trade them off in the town for potatoes. -The albicores follow ships in this locality, and were all about the -vessel, breaching for flying-fish and squid. So with white rag for -bait, the crew caught half a hundred fish weighing forty or fifty -pounds each.</p> - -<p>Captain Anthony landed in his small boat and was at once placed under -arrest by the custom-<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[Pg 89]</a></span>house authorities for smuggling. The fish, it -seems, were regarded as a product of the American fisheries, and could -not be landed without paying a duty. Moreover, Captain Anthony was -informed that they were worthless. So he gave them away to a man on -the dock, but this made no difference to the customs authorities, who -insisted that they must be returned to the vessel or pay the duty. The -captain ordered a native to take them back to the ship or do anything -he liked with the fish. He rowed around a point and landed the fish, -but the island officials, having demonstrated their authority, released -Captain Anthony from arrest.</p> - -<p>The potatoes were placed aboard the vessel, when a heavy gale sprang -up. Captain Anthony was ready to sail, but he had left his bill of -health ashore, and he was forced to lay off and on in terrible weather -before he could get back once more.</p> - -<p>On October 20 the Catalpa left the island for Fayal, and several days -later, in a gale of wind, the vessel was worked up between Pico and -Fayal and anchored off the town. The vessel had 210 barrels of sperm -oil aboard, and for several days the crew was employed in breaking out -the cargo and landing it to be shipped home. Then the casks of bread -and flour were recoopered and the watches were given liberty on shore. -Here the captain was rejoiced at getting letters from, his family and a -photograph of his daughter.</p> - -<p>Most of the crew, including third mate Bolles, one of the boatsteerers, -and nearly all of the foremast<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[Pg 90]</a></span> hands, deserted, and three sailors who -were sick were discharged. A runner agreed to furnish men, but it was -necessary for them to be smuggled aboard the ship, since they had no -passports. They were picked up by the Catalpa's boats under shadow of -the fort, and, although hailed by the guard-boat, they were successful -in reaching the vessel. One or two of the men who ran away were -captured, and a crew was once more patched up.</p> - -<p>The chronometer again claimed attention. Although the captain had had -it adjusted at Flores, in the short run to Fayal he found himself sixty -miles out of the way in his reckoning. Here he met Captain Crapo of the -bark Ospray, who had three chronometers, including one which had been -in the bark Cornelia, condemned on the Pacific coast. Captain Anthony -bought this for $110 and experienced much satisfaction in the belief -that he now had an instrument which he could trust.</p> - -<p>These were busy days for the captain, for aside from the trouble with -the crew, the fierce weather on the Western Ground had used up rigging -and canvas, and he was compelled to buy a new outfit.</p> - -<p>On the sixth of November Captain Anthony made a hurried departure from -Fayal.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[Pg 91]</a></span></p> - - - - -<p class ="ph2"><a name="CHAPTER_XIII" id="CHAPTER_XIII">CHAPTER XIII</a></p> - -<p class="center">A HURRIED DEPARTURE</p> - - -<p><span class="smcap">The</span> cause of the haste in leaving the island was a letter which Dennis -Duggan, the ship's carpenter, received from Thomas Brennan.</p> - -<p>Duggan, it will be remembered, was the only Irishman on the Catalpa, -since the leaders had agreed that the presence of a number might arouse -the suspicion of the British authorities when Australia was reached. -Brennan had been very urgent in his appeals to accompany the expedition -when it left America, but permission was refused. He declined to accept -the rebuff, however, and he determined to stow away on the vessel -before she sailed, but arrived at New Bedford a day too late.</p> - -<p>Nothing daunted, he shipped on a little schooner sailing for St. -Michael's, planning to join the Catalpa at Fayal. The letter which -Duggan received announced that Brennan had taken passage on a steamer -from St. Michael's which was due to arrive the following day.</p> - -<p>Captain Anthony and Duggan had agreed never to converse on the subject, -lest the suspicions of the officers might be excited; but the carpenter -promptly carried the letter to the captain.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[Pg 92]</a></span></p> - -<p>"I think we have all the crew we need at present," remarked Captain -Anthony. "Mr. Brennan may get left."</p> - -<p>He hastened to the custom-house, cleared his vessel for Teneriffe in -the Canary Islands, and at 5.30 o'clock in the afternoon, in a drizzle -of rain and a fresh breeze from the southwest, the moorings were -slipped and the Catalpa was working out to windward between Pico and -Fayal.</p> - -<p>As the vessel was heading out through the islands the next morning, the -steamer on which Brennan was a passenger was seen at a distance, going -in to Fayal and the captain bestowed a grim smile upon Duggan. Brennan -saw the ship likewise, but it will be seen that he did not falter in -his purpose to join the Catalpa.</p> - -<p>And now a crisis had come in the affairs of the expedition. Captain -Anthony knew that the deception could not be kept much longer from -his chief mate, Mr. Smith, and had planned for many months to make a -confidant of him on the voyage from Fayal to Teneriffe.</p> - -<p>Thus far the vessel had proceeded according to the plans announced -before starting. During the period which had elapsed, the Catalpa had -pursued whaling with good success, but, as the reader knows, this -avocation was only a cloak to the true purpose of the voyage.</p> - -<p>During the hard labor of the months which had passed, Captain Anthony -had never forgotten for an instant the desperate work which was before -him.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[Pg 93]</a></span> He thought of it by day and dreamed of it by night, yet he must -continually be on the guard to keep his plans from his comrades in the -cabin.</p> - -<p>He had explained as a reason for going to Teneriffe, that he -contemplated whaling about the river Platte, and proposed to stop there -for water. The water at Fayal was taken from wells near the shore and -was brackish, while that at Teneriffe is much sought after by whalers.</p> - -<p>So far there was nothing to arouse a question upon the part of the -chief officer. But after Teneriffe there was to be the long and dreary -voyage around the Cape of Good Hope and across the Indian Ocean, with -no pretense of whaling. The officer must be admitted into the secret -before Teneriffe was reached. If he refused to assist the enterprise -he must be landed there. He might very properly be indignant at being -inveigled into such a voyage and give away the plan.</p> - -<p>Captain Anthony had decided that of all men Smith the mate was -an officer among a thousand for such work. He was bold and -adventure-loving. But his very impetuosity was dreaded by the captain -in the interview which was to come; for whereas he might accept a -part in the programme with enthusiasm, he was perhaps as likely to be -enraged at the deception practiced upon him.</p> - -<p>It was therefore with many misgivings that Captain Anthony asked him -into the cabin one pleasant evening, when the vessel was a few days out -from Fayal. Mr. Smith seemed to be in excep<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</a></span>tionally good spirits, and -it was an opportunity which the captain had awaited for some time. The -doors were closed, and at Anthony's invitation Smith sat down.</p> - -<p>It is not the fashion of sailors to make long stories, and Captain -Anthony was as blunt and brief as if he were instructing his mate to -put more sail on the ship.</p> - -<p>"Mr. Smith, you shipped to go whaling," commenced the captain. "I want -to say to you now, before we get to Teneriffe, that the Catalpa has -done about all the whaling she will do this fall. We're bound to the -western coast of Australia to try and liberate six Fenian prisoners who -are serving a life sentence in Great Britain's penal colony. This ship -was bought for that purpose and fitted for that purpose, and you have -been utterly deceived in the object of this voyage. You have a right -to be indignant and leave the vessel at Teneriffe. You will have the -opportunity when we arrive there, and if you go I can't blame you.</p> - -<p>"But this ship is going to Australia, if I live, and I hope you will -stay by me and go with me. God knows I need you, and I give you my word -I will stand by you as never one man stood by another, if you will say -you will remain in the ship and assist me in carrying out the plans."</p> - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/illus5.jpg" alt="pic" /> -<a id="illus5" name="illus5"></a> -</p> -<p class="caption"> SAMUEL P. SMITH<br /> - -First Mate of the Catalpa</p> - -<p>Mr. Smith's face, at this announcement, was a picture of surprise which -the captain will never forget. After a moment, the mate asked a few -questions about the prisoners to be rescued, the plan,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[Pg 95]</a></span> and the men -behind it, and Captain Anthony assured him that if any trouble came he -would exonerate him completely from the conspiracy and would proclaim -that he shipped to go whaling. Then Mr. Smith sat silent for a few -minutes.</p> - -<p>The reply which came is not the polite language of the parlor, but it -was very satisfactory to Captain Anthony, and was couched in language -which could not have been made more expressive of Mr. Smith's purpose. -He arose and took the captain by the hand.</p> - -<p>"Captain Anthony," said he, "I'll stick by you in this ship if she goes -to hell and burns off her jibboom."</p> - -<p>This undoubtedly struck the captain at that moment as the quintessence -of eloquence, and you may be sure the hand of Mr. Smith, which was -placed in his, was shaken with a heartiness which told the story of his -joy.</p> - -<p>The two men talked long together. Smith had wondered at the interest of -the strange men, Devoy and Reynolds, who had visited the ship during -her fitting, and he never had been able to understand how it was -expected the vessel could go to the River Platte and return in eighteen -months; but otherwise his curiosity had never led him to suspect that -he was not in the entire confidence of the captain. Captain Anthony was -in a happier frame of mind when he went to his stateroom than he had -experienced for many months.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[Pg 96]</a></span></p> - - - - -<p class ="ph2"><a name="CHAPTER_XIV" id="CHAPTER_XIV">CHAPTER XIV</a></p> - -<p class="center">AN AWKWARD MEETING</p> - - -<p><span class="smcap">The</span> peak of Teneriffe, 12,182 feet high, can be seen ninety miles on a -clear day. Captain Anthony had seen it as far by accurate observation. -Trusting in the correctness of his new chronometer, he expected to -raise the land dead ahead. He was therefore surprised, one afternoon, -when he raised the peak sixty or seventy miles on his weather quarter. -Captain Anthony ordered the vessel hauled sharp by the wind, and by a -fortunate change was able to head up so that he arrived off the port -the following evening, November 20. The new chronometer was no longer -to be implicitly trusted.</p> - -<p>The bark was at once boarded by the custom-house officials, who wished -to see the bill of health. Captain Anthony passed out the health papers -certified to by the Spanish consul. There had been so many changes in -the crew at Fayal and the start was made so hurriedly that the number -of men was erroneously given as twenty-five. The officials ordered -the captain to call all hands to the rail, which was done, and only -twenty-two men were mustered. Then the captain was asked to account for -the other three men, but was unable to do so,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[Pg 97]</a></span> and he was asked if he -had not made way with them, which he, of course, strenuously denied.</p> - -<p>Then the officer demanded the log-book, ship's papers, crew lists, -and certificates of discharges and desertions, and, failing to find -any accounting for the three men, announced that he should detain -the vessel until an explanation was forthcoming. But after profuse -apologies and explanations on the part of the captain, the officer -finally agreed to permit the vessel to enter.</p> - -<p>Captain Anthony went ashore, saw the consul, and made arrangements -for taking water aboard. He dared not give the crew shore liberty, -lest they might run away. The consul advised him to ship the men taken -aboard at Fayal regularly, but as the men might refuse to return if -they landed at Teneriffe, on the ground that they did not belong to -the vessel, he consented to go aboard the Catalpa, and the men were -accordingly shipped aboard the bark.</p> - -<p>An American schooner from New Haven was in port, and Captain Anthony -took his chronometer aboard. For three days he was engaged in taking -sights and fixing the rate, which had been given incorrectly, he found. -Captain Anthony was now bound across the Indian Ocean, and as he knew -that this was the last land he would see for many weeks or months, he -was very particular about the work.</p> - -<p>A quantity of lumber, boards and joist, were taken aboard here, to -build quarters for the guests whom the captain expected to take aboard -at Australia. The explanation was vouchsafed to the crew<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[Pg 98]</a></span> that the big -spruce boards and joist were for mending the boats; but notwithstanding -the absurdity, it was perfectly satisfactory to the men. The captain -had drawn $1,000 on the owners at Fayal for refitting, and he spent -$300 additional at Teneriffe.</p> - -<p>On November 25 the Catalpa sailed from Teneriffe, clearing for "River -La Platte and other places." The vessel was now in ship-shape order, -and was bound for Australia as straight as she could be sent.</p> - -<p>Still the deception of whaling must be kept up with the crew, and a man -was always kept on the lookout at masthead. For several weeks light -breezes prevailed, and nothing occurred to break the monotony. On -December 19 three small whales were taken, making about forty barrels -of oil. Then there was a short season of baffling winds and squally -weather, but about the 24th the trade winds struck on. The Catalpa -crossed the equator in longitude 27° on Christmas night. The prevailing -winds had been to the southward, and the vessel had sailed on the port -tack for so long a time that she must have been close in upon Cape St. -Rourke. No land was sighted, however, and it must have been passed in -the night.</p> - -<p>Then for a period of two months the voyage was monotonous enough. Light -breezes prevailed and considerable of the time was spent in repairing -sails. Finback whales were sighted and occasionally the boats were -lowered, but the pursuit was without success.</p> - -<p>On the night of Friday, February 11, the vessel<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[Pg 99]</a></span> was in lat. 41° -11´, long. 17° 58´, when a heavy gale from the S.S.W. commenced. At -daylight the bark was under two lower topsails and foresail, steering -S.E. by E. The cross sea on this occasion was the most treacherous -and menacing which Captain Anthony had ever experienced. The combers, -coming in opposite directions, came together with reports like a clap -of thunder, and the danger of a sea striking the deck was looked upon -with no little apprehension. As the gale and sea increased the Catalpa -hove to under the two lower topsails and mizzen staysail. Suddenly, -to Captain Anthony's consternation, the lower foretopsail split and -tore in shreds. Now, before leaving port the captain had been warned -never to take in the topsails in heavy weather lest the vessel should -thrash herself in pieces. The vessel was flat-bottomed and shallow and -required sail to prevent her from rolling to windward and shipping -seas, which might be her destruction, he was told, and in corroboration -of this he knew that when the topsails were taken in in a hurricane off -Cape Horn, on a previous voyage, a sea boarded the Catalpa, sweeping -everything from the deck, breaking the mate's leg, and doing serious -damage to the vessel.</p> - -<p>"Now look out for trouble!" shouted Captain Anthony to Mr. Smith, as -the very catastrophe which was dreaded happened. But to the captain's -surprise the Catalpa came up into the wind and sea and lay like a duck, -rising and settling in the surges with a graceful, buoyant swell.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[Pg 100]</a></span></p> - -<p>At three o'clock on the afternoon of the storm a vessel was sighted on -the other tack with nothing set but the main spencer and foretopmast -staysail. She rolled until her keel was almost in sight, and Captain -Anthony not only recognized her as a whaleship, but from the brightness -of the copper on the vessel's bottom, which was exposed as she reeled -in the great seas, he knew that she had left home but recently. But -Captain Anthony realized that his presence in this locality would -be difficult to explain to a whaling captain who knew that he had -sailed ostensibly on a short voyage in the Atlantic, and he heroically -determined to forego his inclination to hear the latest news from home. -The little bark wore around and came on the same tack with the Catalpa, -but she was soon left far astern.</p> - -<p>At midnight, however, the wind died out, and the next day the little -bark was in sight. The weather was genial, the sun glowing, and to -all appearances there never blew a gale over so placid a sea. Captain -Anthony decided to speak the vessel. So he hauled aback, and when the -stranger came up, lowered a boat and boarded her. She proved to be the -Platina of New Bedford. Captain Walter Howland, who commanded her, was -an intimate friend, but Captain Anthony was not so well pleased at the -meeting as he might have been under other circumstances. The Platina -was four months out from home and had fifty barrels of oil.</p> - -<p>"What under heavens are you doing here, Anthony," said Captain Howland. -"You're the last<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[Pg 101]</a></span> man I expected to see out here. I thought you -intended to make a short voyage in the North Atlantic."</p> - -<p>Captain Anthony said he had concluded to go farther, and inquired of -Captain Howland where he proposed to go. The latter said he was bound -for the Seychelles Islands and through the Mozambique Channel. Captain -Anthony evinced much interest in this plan, and the Platina's master -got out his charts and gave the captain considerable information about -the locality, Captain Anthony taking copious notes the while. Captain -Anthony told Captain Howland that he might bring up on the whaling -ground which was his destination.</p> - -<p>Then Captain Howland gave his old friend the news from home, but it -was quite evident that he was suspicious of Captain Anthony's presence -in this part of the world, for several times he stopped short, and -repeated, "Say now, honest, what are you doing here?"</p> - -<p>"Where are you going to refit?" he asked at another time. Captain -Anthony evaded answering this question by asking Captain Howland where -he proposed to refit, and entered the information he received in his -notebook.</p> - -<p>Meanwhile Mr. Farnham, the second mate, and the boat's crew from the -Catalpa were mingling with the Platina's crew, and learned for the -first time that the vessel was not off the coast of Patagonia, bound -for the River La Platte, but nearer the Cape of Good Hope and headed -for the Indian Ocean.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[Pg 102]</a></span></p> - -<p>"I tot we long time getting that River Platte," Captain Anthony heard -the Portuguese mate saying to the men. "I tink maybe old man go to New -Zealand catch whales. I there once. I tink nice place."</p> - -<p>Late in the day Captain Anthony said good-by to Captain Howland and -returned to the Catalpa. The wind breezed up, main royals were set, and -onward the vessel bowled. The Platina was in sight for three days, when -she disappeared from the Catalpa's horizon.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[Pg 103]</a></span></p> - - - - -<p class ="ph2"><a name="CHAPTER_XV" id="CHAPTER_XV">CHAPTER XV</a></p> - -<p class="center">A STRANGE EPISODE</p> - - -<p><span class="smcap">Nothing</span> stranger ever happened on land or sea than the circumstance -whereby Captain Anthony came into possession of the charts used on the -convict ship Hougoumont, which were subsequently employed to frustrate -the plans of the government which first provided them.</p> - -<p>A large English bark was signalized on the 16th of February in lat. -39° 46´ S., long. 31° 54´ E. It was a beautiful morning, and Captain -Anthony concluded to board her and see if he could procure a detailed -chart of the Australian coast, which he was now rapidly approaching.</p> - -<p>The vessel proved to be the Ocean Beauty, seventy days from Liverpool -and bound for New Zealand. The captain was a big, convivial Englishman, -full of jolly stories which he loved to tell. Captain Anthony spent a -pleasant hour in his cabin and finally asked him if he had made many -voyages in this direction.</p> - -<p>"Been making them out here all my life," he said. "Why, I was master of -a convict ship, the Hougoumont, and carried a shipful of prisoners to -Australia in 1868."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[Pg 104]</a></span></p> - -<p>The name "Hougoumont" seemed familiar to Captain Anthony. Suddenly it -flashed upon his mind that this was the vessel which Devoy had named -as taking the Fenian prisoners whom he was bound to rescue out to -the colony. The meeting at this time, and the reminder, unnerved the -captain for a moment and if the Englishman had been observant he might -have suspected from his conduct that the mention of the name of the -vessel created an unexpected sensation.</p> - -<p>But the suggestion started the captain of the Ocean Beauty to relate -reminiscences of life on the convict ship. He told Captain Anthony of -John Boyle O'Reilly. "You may have heard of him," he said, "for he -escaped in one of your whaleships." He recalled the publication of a -paper by O'Reilly on the Hougoumont called "The Wild Goose," so named -because the soldiers of Sarsfield, who entered the service in foreign -armies upon the failure of their effort for liberty, were called "The -Wild Geese." It was published weekly, Father Delaney, the ship's -chaplain, furnishing O'Reilly with the paper and writing materials. -John Flood, Dennis B. Cashman, and J. Edward O'Kelly were editors, -with O'Reilly, and Cashman wrote an ornamental heading entwined with -shamrocks, and the sub-heads as well. It was published on Saturdays, -and O'Reilly read it to the company between decks on Sundays. In this -publication his narrative poem "The Flying Dutchman," written off the -Cape of Good Hope, first appeared.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[Pg 105]</a></span></p> - -<p>"We published seven weekly numbers of it," O'Reilly has written. "Amid -the dim glare of the lamp the men, at night, would group strangely on -extemporized seats, the yellow light full on the pale faces of the -men as they listened with blazing eyes to Davis's 'Fontenoy,' or the -'Clansmen's Wild Address to Shane's Head!' Ah, that is another of the -grand picture memories that come only to those who deal with life's -stern realities!"</p> - -<p>The Englishman's reference to Australia opened the way for Captain -Anthony to inquire the possibilities of the place for refitting and -taking aboard fresh provisions. The Englishman advised it, saying that -it was a cheap place to recruit ship.</p> - -<p>"Have you a sheet chart of the coast you could spare me?" asked Captain -Anthony finally.</p> - -<p>"Lots of them. Here's the roll I used when I was master of the -Hougoumont. Help yourself. You're welcome to any you want."</p> - -<p>The Englishman handed out a bulky roll, and Captain Anthony selected -a chart of the western coast of Australia on a large scale, showing -the survey about Swan River, Freemantle, Bunbury, Rottnest Island and -lighthouse.</p> - -<p>Then, as the wind was strengthening, Captain Anthony arose to go. The -Englishman bid him "God speed," and the men parted.</p> - -<p>Upon reaching the Catalpa, Captain Anthony went down into the cabin, -chuckling in great glee.</p> - -<p>"What's happened?" asked Mr. Smith.</p> - -<p>"Why," said the captain, "would you believe<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[Pg 106]</a></span> it? I've just been given -the very chart which was used by the captain of the Hougoumont to land -the prisoners we're after, at Freemantle. The captain little thought it -was to be used in taking a ship there to rescue the same men."</p> - -<p>The hilarity over this circumstance kept the two men in good humor for -a long time.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[Pg 107]</a></span></p> - - - - -<p class ="ph2"><a name="CHAPTER_XVI" id="CHAPTER_XVI">CHAPTER XVI</a></p> - -<p class="center">ARRIVAL AT AUSTRALIA</p> - - -<p><span class="smcap">For</span> eleven days, from February 29 to March 10, the vessel lay to -most of the time under lower topsails and staysails, in a heavy and -prolonged gale from the S.S.E., dead ahead. It rained, and the days -were anxious and dreary to the captain. When an observation was finally -taken it was found that in this period the vessel had made only 60 -miles progress south and 120 miles east. Such a storm from the east is -very unusual in this latitude.</p> - -<p>But at last strong, fair winds from the west and southwest set in and -the Catalpa sailed like a racehorse. On March 15 the island of St. Paul -in lat. 38° 25´ S. and long. 78° 28´ E. was raised. Whalemen always -like to stop at St. Paul for the fishing. Captain Anthony had been -there a number of times, and with a crude apparatus had often taken -a boatload of crawfish in a few hours. A large iron hoop is used, -interwoven with spun yarn, and baited. Other varieties of fish can be -caught with hook, line, and pork bait.</p> - -<p>Sail was shortened and lines were prepared for fishing. Small boats -were lowered and, upon rowing in near the shore, the kelp, which -abounded, was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[Pg 108]</a></span> hauled over the bow of the boat and served as an anchor. -The Catalpa ran around under the lee of the island, which by the way -has a peak 820 feet in height, when a westerly gale came on, commencing -with heavy squalls.</p> - -<p>The sea was ugly and the fishing expedition was abandoned. With all -sail set, the Catalpa made fine progress that day. Great seas struck -her stern and followed over the leading boards, but the vessel was -already due at Australia and Captain Anthony determined to crowd her -henceforth.</p> - -<p>After leaving St. Paul the crew was satisfied that the bark was going -to New Zealand, and of course they were not enlightened. Fair wind in -plenty favored the vessel and she was driven hard, some days making -200 miles, until on March 27 the high land of Cape Naturaliste on the -Australian coast was sighted. The crew was now certain that this was -New Zealand, and Mr. Farnham, the second mate, said he recognized the -promontory.</p> - -<p>The chains were soon bent on the anchors, and at night the vessel was -anchored in the shoal water of Geographe Bay. At five o'clock the next -morning the Catalpa was once more under way, and at ten o'clock reached -anchorage off Bunbury harbor, at the head of the bay.</p> - -<p>So after nearly a year at sea, a year of worry and hard work, the -rendezvous was reached. It brought little exaltation to Captain -Anthony, for he knew that the crisis was at hand which would be the -supreme test of his courage.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[Pg 109]</a></span></p> - -<p>During these closing days he had said but little to his only confidant, -Mr. Smith, but his mind had been busy with disconcerting thoughts. Whom -would he meet? Might not the conspirators have failed in carrying out -the land end of the plot? Possibly the plan had been discovered and the -authorities were awaiting his arrival on shore to take him in custody -and seize the vessel. The long delay had been a long torture for a man -of Captain Anthony's activity, and he welcomed the developments which -awaited him on shore.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[Pg 110]</a></span></p> - - - - -<p class ="ph2"><a name="CHAPTER_XVII" id="CHAPTER_XVII">CHAPTER XVII</a></p> - -<p class="center">THE LAND END OF THE CONSPIRACY</p> - - -<p><span class="smcap">For</span> many weary months the reader has followed the fortunes of the -expedition by sea. It was at this point that Captain Anthony's -solicitude concerning the success of the conspiracy on land became -intense; so here seems a proper place to commence the recitation of -another part of the story.</p> - -<p>And here we meet a man of whom it has been said that there is no more -romantic figure in the stormy history of modern Ireland. John J. -Breslin was selected to go to Australia and manage the land end of the -rescue.</p> - -<p>Mr. Breslin was already a famous hero, and his burning love of country, -his chivalry and his bravery, were written in the hearts of Erin's sons -and daughters. He is described by one writer as "a tall, courtly man, -whose classical features, flowing white beard, and military bearing, -made him a striking personage wherever he went.</p> - -<p>"His history reads like a chapter from the days of good King Arthur. -His name will, in time to come, start wonderful echoes among the -thousand hills of Ireland."</p> - -<p>His bold and adroit rescue of James Stephens, the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[Pg 111]</a></span> head centre of the -Fenian movement in Ireland, while the government was gloating over his -capture, startled the nations in 1865. Mr. Breslin was born in Drogheda -in 1835. His father was a County Tyrone man and subsequently removed to -Leinster. John received a good national school education and was always -studious and an undefatigable reader. Although he ever upheld the -views of the Nationalists, he had no connection with any organization -until 1865, when Stephens's reply to the magistrates after his arrest -confirmed him in the national faith.</p> - -<p>Stephens had been engaged with the Irish patriots, Smith and -O'Brien, in 1848, and escaped to Paris after the miserable failure -of the insurrection at Ballingarry. For five years he plotted by -correspondence, and then the little coterie of exiles drew lots to see -which should return to Ireland to organize the new conspiracy. Stephens -was selected, and he made a house-to-house canvass of the Emerald Isle, -walking over 3,500 miles, reconnoitring the strongholds of Ireland, -sometimes disguised as a priest, sometimes as a beggar, and associating -with the people in their cabins and farmhouses.</p> - -<p>Meanwhile tireless and faithful friends of Ireland in America were -working with similar purpose, and the result was the organization -known as "The Irish Republican Brotherhood," or "Fenians." More than -a million Irishmen in America, and half that number in Ireland, were -enrolled. At the head of the vast conspiracy was James Stephens.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[Pg 112]</a></span> The -aim of the Fenian organization was the formation of an army to cope -with the army of England.</p> - -<p>When the organization grew formidable, England determined to suppress -the brotherhood in Ireland, and through treachery and the employment of -spies the British government at length learned that Stephens was the -"head centre;" but so manifold were his disguises that the police were -baffled for a long time.</p> - -<p>During his wanderings Stephens had married a beautiful Tipperary girl. -She was identified as Mrs. Stephens while at the head of the household -of a gentleman living in the suburbs of Dublin, whose name was presumed -to be Herbert. The house was surrounded one night and "Herbert," who -proved to be Stephens, was captured as he slept.</p> - -<p>There was much rejoicing in England at the capture, and Stephens was -consigned to the Richmond bridewell, one of the strongest prisons in -Ireland. The ponderous iron door of his cell was secured with bars, and -it was on a corridor which was guarded by a second iron door, double -locked. There he was shut in and extraordinary precautions taken to -prevent his escape.</p> - -<p>Mr. Breslin was at that time superintendent of the prison hospital. One -night he opened the door of Stephens's cell with a false key, placed -a loaded revolver in the fallen leader's hand, and led him forth to -freedom. Guards, heavily armed, were everywhere, but they were eluded, -and Stephens once more escaped to France.</p> - - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/illus6.jpg" alt="pic" /> -<a id="illus6" name="illus6"></a> -</p> -<p class="caption"> JOHN J. BRESLIN<br /> - -Who managed the land end of the Rescue</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[Pg 113]</a><br /><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[Pg 123]</a></span></p> - -<p>The escape amazed England. It was long before suspicion fastened -upon Breslin. Then he came to America, and was for a while a railway -freight agent in Boston. Here he worked for a time, making few -acquaintances. "Few knew him," said O'Reilly, "and to few were shown -the culture and refinement behind the modest exterior. In thought and -appearance eminently a gentleman; in demeanor dignified and reserved; -in observance, rather distrustful, as if disappointed in his ideal man; -somewhat cynical, perhaps, and often stubbornly prejudiced and unjust; -a lover of and a successful worker in literature,—such is an outline -of a character that may indeed be called extraordinary."</p> - -<p>In America Mr. Breslin soon became a powerful spirit in the -Clan-na-Gael, and the proposed expedition to rescue the political -prisoners in Australia was work for which his bold spirit hungered and -thirsted. His selection as the manager of the land end of the rescue -was equally as fortunate as that of his co-worker, Captain Anthony.</p> - -<p>His associate was Captain Thomas Desmond, a Nationalist from the time -he could stand alone. Captain Desmond was born in Queenstown, but came -to this country in early childhood and was living in Los Angeles, -California, at this time.</p> - -<p>Messrs. Breslin and Desmond sailed from San Francisco for Australia in -September, 1875. There they were to meet John King, a Dublin man, who -had lived in New South Wales for several years, and who had collected -about $3,500 for the rescue project.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[Pg 114]</a></span></p> - -<p>Upon their arrival at Freemantle, Australia, in November, the men -separated and became ostensible strangers. Mr. Breslin assumed the -name of J. Collins, and posed as a man of wealth seeking investments. -His dignity and grace of manner enabled him to carry out the rôle with -success, and it was not long before he became a universal favorite. -The governor was attracted by the charm of his manner, and frequently -entertained him.</p> - -<p>After visiting Perth, Mr. Breslin concluded that he would make -Freemantle his headquarters, and established himself at the Emerald -Isle Hotel. Desmond went on to Perth and found employment at his trade -of carriage-making.</p> - -<p>Presently Mr. Breslin made the acquaintance of William Foley, a Fenian -who had once been a prisoner, and through him notified James Wilson of -his arrival and arranged for further communications. On one occasion -Mr. Breslin was invited to inspect the prison, "The Establishment," -as they call it in the colony, and he was conducted through it by the -superintendent, Mr. Donan.</p> - -<p>The Fenian prisoners were working on the roads by day, and after -much difficulty Mr. Breslin succeeded in talking over his plans with -Wilson. Then, inasmuch as the Catalpa was not expected before the last -of January, to avoid suspicion he took a trip inland, visiting Perth, -Guildford, York, Northam, Newcastle, and various smaller villages.</p> - -<p>Then followed dull weeks of anxious waiting. About $4,000 in money -was brought by King, who<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[Pg 115]</a></span> passed as a gold miner, contributed by New -Zealand sympathizers, which proved timely at this crisis. Two other -agents of the revolutionary organization in Ireland, Denis F. McCarthy -of Cork, and John Durham, also appeared on the scene and volunteered -their assistance. They assumed the duty of cutting the telegraph wires -after the escape should be effected.</p> - -<p>The prisoners were frequently shifted around, communication with -them was often difficult, and Mr. Breslin was as nearly distracted -as a cool-headed man could be. In March, the whaling bark Canton was -reported at Bunbury, and Mr. Breslin telegraphed the master to know if -he had any news of the Catalpa of New Bedford. He replied that he knew -nothing of her.</p> - -<p>Mr. Breslin determined to go to Bunbury, and on the 6th of March left -for the town. There was no news, and he returned to Freemantle in a -small coasting vessel called the May.</p> - -<p>At length, on the 29th of March, at 6.30 in the morning, there was -posted on the bulletin board at the telegraph office at Freemantle the -announcement of the arrival of the Catalpa at Bunbury.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[Pg 116]</a></span></p> - - - - -<p class ="ph2"><a name="CHAPTER_XVIII" id="CHAPTER_XVIII">CHAPTER XVIII</a></p> - -<p class="center">MEETING OF ANTHONY AND BRESLIN</p> - - -<p><span class="smcap">The</span> morning after the arrival of the Catalpa at Bunbury was bright and -beautiful. Captain Anthony ordered a crew of picked men into one of the -boats, for he dared not trust some of his sailors ashore, fearing they -would desert the ship, and landed on the jetty. Then the boat returned, -and the captain walked toward the town.</p> - -<p>He was on the alert for recognition, and wandered about the old town -all day, momentarily expecting and hoping that some fellow-conspirator -would reveal himself. He returned to the ship at night, disappointed -and anxious. Captain Anthony and Mr. Smith had a serious consultation, -and agreed that there was nothing to do but to wait.</p> - -<p>The next morning Captain Anthony again went ashore. At the head of -the jetty a boy approached and asked if he was Captain Anthony. Upon -receiving an affirmative reply, the lad handed the captain a telegram. -It read as follows:—</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p> - -<span class="smcap">Electric Telegraph, Western Australia</span>,<br /> -<span class="smcap">Bunbury</span>, 29th March, 1876.<br /> -<br /> -Time, 10.40 <span class="smcap">A.M.</span><br /> -By B.W.<br /> -</p> - -<p>The following telegram received here from Freemantle Station. Subject -to the regulations and conditions printed on the other side:—</p></blockquote> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[Pg 117]</a></span></p> - -<blockquote> - - -<p><span class="smcap">To Captain Anthony</span>:—</p> - -<p>Have you any news from New Bedford? When can you come to Freemantle?</p> - -<p> -<span class="smcap">J. Collins.</span><br /> -</p></blockquote> - -<p>The captain was straightway relieved of a ton of care. Now he knew that -there were friends in this remote land who were to share the great -responsibility. He went to the telegraph office and wired to Collins:—</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p>No news from New Bedford. Shall not come to Freemantle.</p> - -<p> -<span class="smcap">G.S. Anthony.</span><br /> -</p></blockquote> - -<p>Captain Anthony engaged rooms at the local hotel and prepared to await -developments. He had bought fresh meat for the ship of a marketman -named David Hay, who told him much of an American gentleman of great -wealth who was prospecting in the locality. Suspecting he might be -the confederate who was to meet him, Captain Anthony looked up Hay, -who presently alluded once more to the American, declaring he was the -finest man he ever met.</p> - -<p>"What is his name?" asked Anthony.</p> - -<p>"Mr. Collins," replied Hay.</p> - -<p>At four o'clock the next afternoon, when the mail-coach from Freemantle -rolled into Bunbury, Captain Anthony was at Hay's store.</p> - -<p>"Why, there's the very man I was telling you about!" ejaculated Hay, as -he looked up. "Come up to Spencer's Hotel and I'll introduce you."</p> - -<p>The men walked up to the hotel and asked for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[Pg 118]</a></span> Collins. He came down -from his room in a few minutes, and the introduction followed. The -meeting had taken place in the most natural manner possible, and -without giving cause for suspicion that the men were meeting by -appointment.</p> - -<p>Collins wore a light suit. He was a magnificent fellow, and he charmed -Captain Anthony, as he charmed all men with whom he came in contact. -The captain remained to supper with his new friend, but not a word of -the rescue was uttered at this time. After supper, Collins ordered -cigars and invited Captain Anthony to take a walk. It was now after -sundown, and the men walked out on the jetty in the darkness. The -jetty was a long pile wharf, with a sentry house at the head, where -an officer is constantly on guard to prevent smuggling. When they had -walked a safe distance down the jetty, Breslin turned, grasped the -captain's hands with a hearty "How are you?"</p> - -<p>Then he told the captain of his fears, consequent upon the tardiness -of the vessel in arriving, and then quickly outlined the plan. The -prisoners, he said, were working on the road under a strong guard -all day, and were locked in prison cells at night. Plans were to -be devised by which the men were to escape and reach the coast at -a place called Rockingham, about twenty miles south of Freemantle. -There Captain Anthony was to meet them with a whaleboat and take them -aboard his ship, which was to lie a dozen miles off the coast, where -it would attract no attention. In order that Captain Anthony<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[Pg 119]</a></span> might -become thoroughly acquainted with the locality, Breslin proposed that -he should return to Freemantle with him on the colonial mail steamer -Georgette, which was to leave Bunbury the next day, April 1. Then the -captain might study the coast and see the spot where the men were to be -embarked, if the plans worked well. The rescue was to be attempted on -Thursday, April 6.</p> - -<p>Then the men walked back to the hotel and retired. The following -morning Captain Anthony took Mr. Breslin aboard the Catalpa and -introduced him to Mr. Smith. Then they went ashore to go aboard the -Georgette.</p> - -<p>As they walked up the jetty their surprise was overwhelming when they -saw Thomas Brennan coming toward them.</p> - -<p>Brennan's indefatigable determination to join the expedition had at -length succeeded. When he arrived at St. Michael's as the Catalpa -sailed out, he was by no means disconcerted. He then resolved to go to -London and take a steamer for Australia.</p> - -<p>Brennan offered the captain of the Selbourne, a fruit steamer, fifty -pounds to take him to Liverpool; but the proposition was rejected, -and he stowed himself away with several other men. When the ship was -at sea, the men presented themselves to the captain, who made them -prisoners, believing they were criminals fleeing from punishment for -crimes committed on the island. He declared he would deliver them to -the Liverpool authorities.</p> - -<p>This was serious for Brennan. He had a large<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[Pg 120]</a></span> sum of money about him -which would render him liable to suspicion, and he could not afford to -be delayed. When Liverpool was reached the captain signaled for the -police, whereupon Brennan jumped overboard and started for the shore. -When nearly exhausted he was picked up by a rowboat and landed. Then he -proceeded to London and took a steamer for Australia.</p> - -<p>Ill-luck pursued him, for when the steamer reached King George's Sound -she was quarantined on account of smallpox, which was raging. And the -next day the Georgette was to sail for Bunbury, where he suspected the -Catalpa might be. If he missed her, he would be detained another month. -He made his escape and secured passage on the Georgette.</p> - -<p>It must be admitted that neither Breslin nor Anthony were overjoyed at -the meeting. They already had all the assistance they needed, and each -addition to the party only increased the chances of arousing suspicion. -But Brennan was here, and there was nothing to do but take him along to -Freemantle.</p> - -<p>It was agreed that Captain Anthony was to be introduced as the guest -of "Mr. Collins" on the steamer. Brennan was to be a stranger. Captain -Anthony at once commenced to cultivate the friendship of Captain -O'Grady of the Georgette. The latter had sailed out of New York and -was interested in the American. Captain Anthony was with him in the -pilot-house throughout the trip, and secured an acquaintance with the -coast, the courses,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[Pg 121]</a></span> and bearings. He gave particular attention to -the coast outside Rockingham and the positions of Rottnest and Garden -islands.</p> - -<p>At noon the next day Freemantle was reached. High over the town the -stone prison in which the prisoners were confined at night stood like -a sentinel, and reminded Captain Anthony that his task was no trifling -one. But there was a suggestion more grim in the discovery of one of -Her Britannic Majesty's gunboats, the Conflict, anchored in the harbor. -She was a schooner-rigged vessel, carrying two guns and thirty men, and -the captain saw by her lines that she must be a fast sailer.</p> - -<p>The appearance of the gunboat was unexpected, and Captain Anthony and -Mr. Breslin exchanged significant glances as they saw her. It was -Sunday morning when they landed, and they went to the Emerald Isle -Hotel, where Captain Anthony was introduced to his fellow-conspirators, -John King and Captain Desmond. The latter was working as a wheelwright -at Perth and posed as a Yankee. He kept up his assumed identity by a -liberal use of the vernacular of the Vermont farmer. From the latter -it was learned that the gunboat had come to Freemantle on an annual -visit, and might remain for a week or ten days, then proceeding to -Adelaide and Sidney; also, that another gunboat was expected to call at -Freemantle and take Governor Robinson to visit the northwest coast.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[Pg 122]</a></span></p> - - - - -<p class ="ph2"><a name="CHAPTER_XIX" id="CHAPTER_XIX">CHAPTER XIX</a></p> - -<p class="center">ARRANGING THE DETAILS</p> - - -<p><span class="smcap">In</span> the afternoon Mr. Breslin brought around a trap to drive over the -road to Rockingham, where the men were to embark in the whaleboat for -the ship, if the escape was successful. For ten miles the drive was -over the hard macadamized road built by the prisoners and called the -Fenian road. With a pair of horses and four men in the trap, this -distance was accomplished in forty minutes, and the test was very -satisfactory. Then a sandy, heavy road was encountered for a distance -of seven miles, which merged into a mere track winding through the -"black boys," as the trees are called, the bush, and the sand to -Rockingham Hotel. The latter stretch was about four miles, and the -total distance was made in two hours and twenty minutes.</p> - -<p>Here a hard, sandy beach was discovered. Garden Island, a long, low -stretch of land covered with tall grass and bush, makes out from a -point and extends nearly to Freemantle, forming Cockburn's Sound, a -sheltered inlet. At the north end of the island is a narrow passage -between the island and Cape Peron, a point on the mainland. Here the -men alighted.</p> - - - -<p>"Now, this is the place," said Mr. Breslin, "where we propose to bring -the men, and where we expect you to meet us with a boat."</p> - -<p>Captain Anthony stuck up an old piece of joist or rail in the sand -above high-water mark.</p> - -<p>"Let it be understood that this is the place where I will meet you with -my boat if God spares my life," said the captain.</p> - -<p>The four men then drove back to the hotel at Rockingham, where they -rested, for the day had been intensely hot, and men and horses were -thoroughly fatigued. That evening they arranged a code of cipher for -telegraphing. Breslin was to notify Captain Anthony at Bunbury when the -gunboat left Freemantle, and the captain was to telegraph back the hour -of sailing. Forty-eight hours from the time when the telegram was sent, -Captain Anthony was to have the Catalpa off the coast at Rockingham and -his boat on the beach.</p> - -<p>This was leaving much to chance, of course. Rockingham was a hundred -miles from Bunbury, and head winds, bad weather, or calms might prevent -the Catalpa from covering the distance within that time. But it was -indeed a desperate undertaking; the men had resolved to take desperate -chances and trust the luck which had thus far attended the expedition.</p> - -<p>The telegraphic code was arranged as follows: When the gunboat sailed, -Breslin was to send the message, "Your friend (N. or S. meaning north -or south) has gone home. When do you sail?" This<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[Pg 124]</a></span> meant, "The gunboat -has sailed north or south. All right. Start from Bunbury." In case the -gunboat arrived to take the governor to the northwest coast, Breslin -was to wire "Jones is going overland to Champion Bay. When do you clear -out of Bunbury?" And when the coast was again clear, "Jones has gone to -Champion Bay; did not receive a letter from you," meaning, "All right -again."</p> - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/illus7.jpg" alt="pic" /> -<a id="illus7" name="illus7"></a> -</p> -<p class="caption">THE TOWN OF FREEMANTLE, AUSTRALIA</p> - -<p>On Monday, Captain Anthony was invited to go with his friends and -a party of merchants in the colony to Perth, the residence of the -governor. The company assembled at one of the hotels, and previous -to the dinner were entertained by the songs of a Western Australian -shepherd. A copy of the verses of one of the selections, describing -one of the unique sports of the colony, was given the captain at his -request. These are the lines:—</p> - -<p style="margin-left: 25%;"> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">"I'm an odd thinking man,</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">And will get on if I can,—</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">I'm only a shepherd, 'tis true;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">I find sport with my gun</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Whilst out on the run,</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">In hunting the kangaroo!</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">"Some folks talk of the fox,</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">Ride through heather and box,</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Hounds, steeds, and their hunting crew;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">That is all very well,</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">But no sport can excel</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">The chase of the kangaroo.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">"If I put up a doe,</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">Oft her offspring she'll throw</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">From the pouch in her breast, 'tis true;</span><br /> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[Pg 125]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">And now for the fun,—</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">For I don't use my gun,—</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">But run down the young kangaroo.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">"Whilst my dogs on the scent</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">Of killing intent,</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Swiftly o'er the plain they flew:</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">They ne'er lose a trail,</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Nor to kill ever fail,</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">Or show the dead kangaroo.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">"When a booma's at bay</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">You've the devil to pay,</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">He'll fight like a boxer,'tis true:</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">He's a terrible foe,</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">As the dogs often know,</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">In encounters with kangaroo.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">"I've kept you too long,</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">So an end to my song;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">I hope 'twill amuse not a few.</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">When we meet again</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">We'll go out on the plain,</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">For a hunt of the kangaroo."</span><br /> -</p> - -<p>When the gentlemen were about to be seated at the dinner-table, Captain -Anthony was filled with consternation as a government official placed -his hand on his arm and said, "Excuse me, sir, but what is your name -and business, and what are you doing here?"</p> - -<p>Captain Anthony naturally thought the plot had been betrayed, when -Breslin stepped up to explain that this was a custom of the country. -The captain received such a shock that he failed to thoroughly enjoy -the dinner. He found another illustration of the suspicion which is -always abroad in the penal colony, later in the day. Going into the -hydrographic office to buy a chart of the coast, he was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[Pg 126]</a></span> compelled to -reply to a long series of questions before he was permitted to purchase -it.</p> - -<p>On Thursday, April 6, Captain Anthony started back to the ship in the -Bunbury mail coach, carrying $250 in gold which Mr. Breslin had given -him to square up his bills. This was a thirty-two hours' journey over -sandy roads, and as the weather was hot and Captain Anthony was the -only passenger, he was utterly wearied when he arrived at Bunbury at -four <span class="smcap">P.M.</span> the following day.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[Pg 127]</a></span></p> - - - -<p class ="ph2"><a name="CHAPTER_XX" id="CHAPTER_XX">CHAPTER XX</a></p> - -<p class="center">A CRITICAL SITUATION</p> - - -<p><span class="smcap">And</span> now followed a period of waiting, and the captain was worn with -anxiety. The possible suspicion of the people ashore at the delay -in departure must be anticipated, and the captain busied himself in -getting potatoes and onions, wood and water aboard, and opened up -negotiations for a quantity of kangaroo skins.</p> - -<p>The crew had become uneasy at the long delay, and were almost mutinous -at their restricted shore liberty, for Captain Anthony did not dare to -trust them with shore leave, excepting in charge of an officer. Their -own theory of the proceeding was that the vessel was fitting for a -cruise to New Zealand. They were humored in this belief, and were kept -busy in painting and refitting.</p> - -<p>One forenoon, when the captain was ashore with Mr. Smith, they noticed -the colors at half-mast, and saw that four of the crew had stolen a -boat and were rowing ashore, with another boat's crew in pursuit. The -runaways reached shore and started for the beach. The police were -notified, and soon overtook and captured them. The ringleader, Joseph -McCarty, struck an officer and was detained.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[Pg 128]</a></span> The other three were -delivered aboard the vessel and were placed in irons in the steerage. -The man who was arrested was a desperate fellow, and Captain Anthony -was glad to have him go. He was sentenced for seven days for the -assault. The captain hoped to get to sea before he was released, but -the man served his time and went down on the jetty and sought to go -aboard the ship. Captain Anthony did not dare to trust the man, in view -of his delicate mission, and refused to receive him. He was one of the -men who was shipped at Teneriffe, and had a bad record.</p> - -<p>Two days had passed since the captain's return to the vessel, and no -word had been received from Breslin. Meanwhile, the vessel was in -readiness for a prompt departure. At noon, on Tuesday, April 11, a -telegram was delivered to Captain Anthony, which read as follows:—</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p>Your friend S. has gone home. When do you sail?</p> - -<p> -<span class="smcap">J. Collins.</span><br /> -</p></blockquote> - -<p>Captain Anthony at once cleared his vessel at the custom-house, and -later in the day, as he was about to telegraph that he would start, -word was brought to him at the hotel that the Catalpa had been seized -by the custom-house officials and that an officer was in charge. The -distracted captain hastened to the custom-house, and found his offense -had been a violation of the law in landing a barrel of pork after he -had cleared. After a long consultation the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[Pg 129]</a></span> officers released the -vessel, but it was then too late to sail.</p> - -<p>On Wednesday, Captain Anthony telegraphed:—</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p>I'll sail to-day. Good-by. Answer, if received.</p> - -<p> -<span class="smcap">G.S. Anthony.</span><br /> -</p></blockquote> - -<p>Back came the reply:—</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p>Your telegram received. Friday being Good Friday, I shall remain in -Freemantle, and leave for York on Saturday morning. I wish you may -strike oil. Answer, if received.</p> - -<p> -<span class="smcap">J. Collins.</span><br /> -</p> - -<p><span class="smcap">Freemantle.</span></p></blockquote> - -<p>Captain Anthony at once appreciated the situation. He knew that the -prisoners were detained in their cells on Sundays and holidays, and -that his plan would have placed him at Rockingham on Friday. He replied -to Breslin's telegram:—</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p>Yours received. Did not leave to-day. Wind ahead and raining. Sail in -the morning. Good-by.</p> - -<p> -<span class="smcap">G.S. Anthony.</span><br /> -</p></blockquote> - -<p>That evening the captain discovered that his crew had been doing a -rescue on its own account, and had stowed a ticket-of-leave man in the -mizzen-topmast staysail. While he pitied the fellow, he was fearful -that the authorities might discover the man hidden on his vessel, and -make trouble which would interfere with the great object ahead. So he -notified the police, and they came aboard and took the man ashore.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[Pg 130]</a></span></p> - -<p>Still misfortune crowded in upon the conspirators. A heavy storm came -on, extra anchors were necessary; but with the whole length of chain -out the Catalpa dragged, and destruction on the bar was threatened.</p> - -<p>It was impossible to sail, and Captain Anthony knew that Breslin's -plans must be upset once more. He went to the telegraph office to send -a message, and found it closed on account of the holiday. He hunted -up the operator, a woman. She declined to go to the office, saying it -would be useless, since the Freemantle office was closed. The captain -pleaded, for he knew that everything depended upon it. At length the -woman opened the office and sat down to the instrument.</p> - -<p>She called for several minutes. There was no reply.</p> - -<p>"I told you it would be of no use," she replied.</p> - -<p>Just then came an answering click. The operator sat down at the -instrument once more. After a moment, she said:—</p> - -<p>"They are taking the message. An operator happened in."</p> - -<p>Captain Anthony nearly shouted with joy. This is the message which he -sent:—</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p><span class="smcap">J. Collins, Esq.</span>:—</p> - -<p>It has blown heavy. Ship dragged both anchors. Can you advance money, -if needed? Will telegraph again in the morning.</p> - -<p> -<span class="smcap">G.S. Anthony.</span><br /> -</p></blockquote> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[Pg 131]</a></span></p> - -<p>Once more the element of good luck had manifested itself, this time at -a most critical point.</p> - -<p>On Saturday morning, April 15, Captain Anthony finally telegraphed:—</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p>"I shall certainly sail to-day. Suppose you will leave for York Sunday -morning. Good-by."</p></blockquote> - -<p>Straightway the answer came back:—</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p>Your telegram received. All right. Glad you got off without damage. Au -revoir.</p> - -<p> -<span class="smcap">J. Collins.</span><br /> -</p></blockquote> - -<p>Captain Anthony reported at the custom-house that he was ready for sea, -and the officers came off and prodded the hold and every dark space -with spears, according to custom, to see if any prisoners were stowed -away. At two o'clock in the afternoon a moderate favoring breeze from -the S.S.W. was blowing. Anchor was hoisted, and with all sail set the -Catalpa slipped up the coast bound for Rockingham.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[Pg 132]</a></span></p> - - - - -<p class ="ph2"><a name="CHAPTER_XXI" id="CHAPTER_XXI">CHAPTER XXI</a></p> - -<p class="center">LEAVING THE SHIP</p> - - -<p><span class="smcap">At</span> sundown the vessel was well outside the harbor and sail was -shortened. In the evening the captain went below for a nap, telling the -officers in charge of the deck not to go over three miles an hour, to -keep the land well in sight, and call him at midnight if all was well, -but sooner if there was any change in the weather. At twelve o'clock -Captain Anthony was on deck again. The weather continued favorable, for -which he was exceedingly grateful. The inverted season corresponded to -fall at home, and it was the time when storms were looked for. A delay -now would certainly be disastrous, and the weather was a source of the -most constant anxiety.</p> - -<p>The captain remained on deck throughout the night. At noon on Sunday -the vessel had proceeded up the coast until it was about twenty miles -south of Rottnest lighthouse, off Freemantle harbor. Now he called Mr. -Smith into the cabin, spread out the chart, and explained to him that -the lighthouse was twelve miles offshore from the Freemantle jetty and -one hundred and ninety-seven feet above the level of the sea, with a -signal station on top from which the approach of vessels was sig<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[Pg 133]</a></span>naled -to the town. He cautioned the mate to keep the ship out of near range, -and told Mr. Smith that the crisis had come and he was about to start -in the small boat. He was to lay off and on the land and keep a sharp -lookout for his return.</p> - -<p>"If I do not come back," he said, "you must use your best judgment. Go -whaling or go home, as you like."</p> - -<p>Then the men clasped hands, and Captain Anthony once more thanked -fortune that he could leave his vessel in the hands of a brave man who -could be trusted, whatever the emergency.</p> - -<p>The captain then went on deck, threw a coat into one of the whaleboats, -stowed away a bag of hard-bread, two kegs of water, and half a boiled -ham, and ordered the boat lowered. A crew which the captain had -selected after much thought was then stationed at the oars: Mr. Sylvia -the third mate, Tobey the boatsteerer, Lewis a Portuguese, and Mopsy -and Lombard, two Malays. Each man was told to take his coat, and the -proceeding doubtless caused amazement among the men; but good sailors -obey orders in silence and no word was spoken among them.</p> - -<p>It was one o'clock in the afternoon when the boat left the ship. -Captain Anthony was due at Rockingham at noon the next day. A small -sail was put on the boat, and she made good progress. Just before dark, -when the boat was well in under Garden Island, the sail was taken in -and oars were shipped, for the captain did not wish to make a landing -before nightfall. When the boat was off<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[Pg 134]</a></span> the south end of the island -the captain was startled at a roaring like thunder, and an instant -later saw blind breakers, ten feet in height, making directly for the -boat. He shouted orders to the men to look out for their oars and trim -the boat. They let the oars come alongside and succeeded in keeping -the little craft steady. She was lifted high in air on three of the -rollers. Then all was quiet, for the boat had reached the smooth waters -of Cockburn Sound. Oars were shipped once more, and the boat jogged on -in the darkness. The captain knew by the ranges he had taken as he came -through the passage that he must be near the spot selected as a meeting -place.</p> - -<p>A landing was made on the beach. Captain Anthony stepped ashore and had -not walked more than three hundred feet when his foot struck the stake -which had been set up as a mark on his previous visit.</p> - -<p>It was now about 8.30 o'clock in the evening. The boat was hauled up on -the beach and the men were told to lie down in the grass and sleep. It -was clear and warm, and, unquestioning, they did as the captain told -them.</p> - -<p>Captain Anthony walked the beach all the night through, filled with -disquieting thoughts and longing for the day.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[Pg 135]</a></span></p> - - - - -<p class ="ph2"><a name="CHAPTER_XXII" id="CHAPTER_XXII">CHAPTER XXII</a></p> - -<p class="center">THE ESCAPE</p> - - -<p><span class="smcap">Meanwhile</span>, how had it fared with Breslin, whom we have seen must have -been forced to change his plans several times at brief notice? Mr. -Breslin had arranged a signal with Wilson which meant, "Get ready; -we start to-morrow morning," but he could not give it on Friday. He -succeeded, however, in sending a letter of instructions, concluding: -"We have money, arms, and clothes; let no man's heart fail him, for -this chance can never occur again."</p> - -<p>Desmond went from Perth to Freemantle and joined Breslin, with a pair -of fine horses and a four-wheeled wagon. He reached there Friday -evening. Mr. Breslin had a similar conveyance and the best pair of -horses he could get in Freemantle engaged for Friday and Saturday. On -Friday afternoon he took the horses out for a trial trip, to see that -they went well together and were in good condition.</p> - -<p>Everything was in readiness for the attempt, when Mr. Breslin received -Captain Anthony's telegram announcing that the Catalpa could not start -on account of the storm. By a fortunate chance Cranston had been sent -from the prison into the town that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[Pg 136]</a></span> evening, and he was informed of -the change in the programme. Mr. Breslin thought that inasmuch as the -vessel had dragged both anchors, she must have gone on the bar, and -that a delay of weeks might follow before she was again ready for -sea. So Desmond returned to Perth and prepared for another wait. But -on Saturday came the telegram from Captain Anthony announcing that he -would sail that day.</p> - -<p>The escape must therefore be accomplished on Monday. Mr. Breslin -engaged the same horses for Sunday and sent King to Perth on horseback -to notify Desmond to return to Freemantle with his horses on Sunday -evening. Saturday evening he walked to the jetty and gave to Wilson -the signal which meant, "We start to-morrow morning." Fortunately he -noticed Wilson's puzzled look, for an escape on Sunday, when the men -were locked in the prison, was, of course, impossible. Then he realized -the error. Walking leisurely across, he said to Wilson as he passed, -"Monday morning," without being observed by the warden or the other -prisoners.</p> - -<p>Desmond arrived in Freemantle at about two o'clock Sunday afternoon -with an inferior pair of horses, and when Mr. Breslin went to get the -horses he had engaged, he found that Albert, the owner, had given the -best horse to Mr. Stone, the superintendent of the water police, to -go to Perth, his brother-in-law, the sheriff, having been injured by -being thrown from his horse. Moreover, Albert told him he could not -have the other horse, since he had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[Pg 137]</a></span> promised it to a man to go to the -Perth regatta on Easter Monday. So he engaged another pair, but the -expedition was much more poorly equipped in this respect than on the -date first selected.</p> - -<p>And now came Monday. There were many anxious hearts in Australia that -night, and Captain Anthony, who paced the lonely beach, was not alone -in his sleepless vigil. At 5.30 o'clock in the morning Breslin had the -hostler called. Brennan started at six for Rockingham with arms and -luggage. At seven Mr. Breslin went to Albert's stable and found his -horses harnessed to a light trap, waiting for him. He told the hostler -to let them stand a few minutes and then found Desmond and directed him -to have his horses harnessed and ready to leave in half an hour.</p> - -<p>It was arranged that Desmond should leave by a side street which, after -a few turns, took him up on the Rockingham Road, while Breslin was to -drive up High Street, as if he were going to Perth, then turn around -by the prison and on to the same road. King, who was well mounted, -was to remain for a reasonable time after the start, then follow with -information whether the alarm had been given.</p> - -<p>At half past seven Breslin drove slowly up the principal street, turned -to the right, walked his horses slowly by the warden's quarters and -pensioners' barracks. The men were beginning to assemble for parade. He -had arranged with the prisoners that he would have the traps waiting at -the road at a quarter before eight, the nearest to be stationed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[Pg 138]</a></span> about -five minutes' run from the prison, and that they would remain until -nine o'clock.</p> - -<p>Being ahead of time, Breslin drove slowly along the Rockingham Road, -met Desmond, and they stopped under a tree and divided the hats and -coats they had brought to cover the convict garb, each taking three -long linen coats and three hats. Then Breslin drove back toward -Freemantle, Desmond following.</p> - -<p>Time, 7.55 o'clock.</p> - -<p>A few minutes later, three men in prison dress were seen coming -down the Rockingham Road. They proved to be Wilson, Cranston, and -Harrington. Breslin told them to pass on and get into Desmond's trap, -which they did. Desmond wheeled his horses around and they were -seated and ready to start when the other three came in sight. Breslin -drove toward them and found they were Darragh, Hogan, and Hassett. -One carried a spade and another a large kerosene can. When the men -recognized their rescuers, the man with the spade threw it with -exultant vigor into the bush and the prisoner with the can bestowed a -kick upon it in good football fashion.</p> - -<p>At this critical juncture, Breslin's horses rebelled and refused to -wheel around. Darragh caught one by the head, but he plunged so that -Breslin was afraid the animal would break the harness, and shouted -to Darragh to let go. He did so and the horses started fairly well -together. Driving to a wider part of the road, they wheeled nicely. -Bres<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[Pg 139]</a></span>lin picked up his men, and the horses were off at dashing speed. -Desmond, meanwhile, was out of sight, and King had come up, reporting -everything quiet when he left.</p> - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/illus8.jpg" alt="pic" /> -<a id="illus8" name="illus8"></a> -</p> -<p class="caption">THE RESCUED PRISONERS<br /> - -(<i>From the Irish World, September 2, 1876</i>)</p> - -<p>It must here be explained how the prisoners were able to get away -so successfully. Their good conduct and length of imprisonment had -entitled them to the rank of constable, which afforded the opportunity -for communication with each other. Wilson and Harrington worked in the -same party at the construction of harbor works in Freemantle. Hogan -was a painter by trade, and on this morning was employed in painting -the house of Mr. Fauntleroy, outside the prison walls. Cranston was -employed in the stores, and as messenger occasionally. Darragh was -clerk and attendant to the Church of England chaplain, and enjoyed -facilities for communication with the other prisoners. This morning he -took Hassett with him to plant potatoes in the garden of Mr. Broomhole, -clerk of works in the convict department.</p> - -<p>It fortunately happened that on the morning of April 17 all the -political prisoners were at work outside the prison wall. Cranston -walked out as if going to deliver a message. He overtook the working -party and told the warden he had been sent to take Wilson and -Harrington to move some furniture in the governor's house, which was -the nearest point to the meeting place. He exhibited a key, and the -warden directed the two men to go with Cranston.</p> - -<p>Darragh and Hassett started as if for work in the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[Pg 140]</a></span> same direction, and -Hogan made an excuse to the warden to leave his work for a moment, and -joined them.</p> - -<p>"There was one incident of this daring enterprise which completed its -dramatic intensity," writes James Jeffrey Roche. "The soldier convicts -in Freemantle numbered one more than those who were rescued. That one -was purposely left behind because of an act of treachery which he had -attempted against his fellows ten long years before. He was tried -with the others, by court-martial, and found guilty of treason; but -before his sentence received the approval of the commander-in-chief he -had offered to divulge the names of certain of his comrades not yet -arrested, though implicated in the Fenian conspiracy. His offer was -not accepted. The government punished him for his treason, and his -comrades, half a score of years afterward, punished him more cruelly -for the treason which he had contemplated against them."</p> - -<p>The two traps, followed by King, made a quick journey to Rockingham. -Mr. Somers, the proprietor of the hotel, stood in the door as the traps -passed, but suspected nothing, inasmuch as he knew Breslin and Desmond, -and the prison garb of the other men was concealed by their long coats. -As the men drove up, he shouted:—</p> - -<p>"What time will the Georgette be at the timber jetty?"</p> - -<p>"Is the Georgette coming here?" shouted Breslin.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[Pg 141]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Yes. She's due now."</p> - -<p>Here was alarming news. The presence of the Georgette would ruin -all. The horses were driven to a gallop. At half past ten the party -approached the beach and saw Brennan making signals to them to hasten.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[Pg 142]</a></span></p> - - - - -<p class ="ph2"><a name="CHAPTER_XXIII" id="CHAPTER_XXIII">CHAPTER XXIII</a></p> - -<p class="center">IN THE OPEN BOAT</p> - - -<p><span class="smcap">Captain Anthony</span> walked up and down the beach throughout the long night, -while his crew slept in the warm sand. He knew that the fate of the -expedition, disastrous or successful, depended upon the developments of -the ensuing day, and he was impatient to know the fate which awaited -him. Twice during the night he roused the men to haul the boat farther -up the beach, as the tide was rising. They responded sleepily and then -dropped asleep again in careless sailor fashion.</p> - -<p>As daylight approached, the captain was surprised and alarmed to find -he was near a timber station. It had been unnoticed on the previous -visit. Soon after sunrise, a gang of men put in an appearance and -commenced carting lumber to a jetty not more than half a mile away.</p> - -<p>He knew his presence must be discovered, and it was not long before one -of the men from the jetty was seen approaching.</p> - -<p>"What's going on?" asked the man, as he came up.</p> - -<p>Captain Anthony told him he was bound to Freemantle for an anchor, to -replace one which was lost. The man grinned at this.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[Pg 143]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Lad," said he, "you've hooked it (ran away) from some ship, and I -advise you to get out. This is no place to lay."</p> - -<p>Then Anthony told him he was master of a ship, but the man was not to -be convinced.</p> - -<p>"I believe you're after Kenneth Brown," he said.</p> - -<p>Brown was a man who was at that time under arrest for the murder of his -wife.</p> - -<p>Captain Anthony concluded it was useless to attempt a further -explanation, and asked the man if he would tell him the best way to get -out with his boat.</p> - -<p>"I'm an ex-prisoner myself," said the man, "and I knew you were after -somebody." He seemed disposed to assist the captain, to the relief of -the latter, for if he had started to join his companions, Anthony would -have been alarmed to an extent which might have made it necessary to -resort to desperate means for his detention.</p> - -<p>The visitor then told the captain that he must be very sure and keep -close to Garden Island. There was a dangerous reef farther out, and it -would be sure destruction to the boat to attempt to go out that way.</p> - -<p>"But that's the way I came," said the captain. As he looked out, he saw -the breakers making white water on the coral reef. He must have been -carried completely over it by the blind rollers the previous night. He -now realized that his escape had been providential.</p> - -<p>Then the man said, in reply to questions, that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[Pg 144]</a></span> he was getting a cargo -of timber ready for the Georgette.</p> - -<p>"When is the Georgette coming?" asked the captain with eagerness.</p> - -<p>"Why, she's coming now," he replied. "You can see her smoke."</p> - -<p>There in the offing the captain saw the smoke of the steamer, and he -began to realize that the situation was growing critically perilous.</p> - -<p>At this moment there was a rattle of wheels, and Captain Anthony saw a -two-wheeled trap, drawn by a horse on the gallop, coming up the beach -toward him.</p> - -<p>Brennan was driving, and he had the luggage of the party. He had lost -his way, and had led his horse through the brush until he reached the -beach. There he saw the men and the boat and drove his horse on the run -toward them.</p> - -<p>"Who is that man?" asked Brennan, as he came up and saw the stranger.</p> - -<p>"He's a prisoner here and working on that jetty," replied the captain.</p> - -<p>"We must shoot him," said Brennan.</p> - -<p>"There will be no shooting yet," said the captain. "Where are the -others?"</p> - -<p>"Close behind," said Brennan, and he commenced unloading valises and -bags belonging to Breslin, King, and Desmond.</p> - -<p>Next King came up on horseback. The situation was explained to him, and -he rode back to urge his comrades on.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[Pg 145]</a></span></p> - -<p>Meanwhile the boat's crew sat huddled in the sand, apprehensive at the -proceedings. The captain ordered them to push the boat into the water, -each man to stand by the side of the boat, abreast his thwart. When he -gave the order, he instructed them to shove the boat off as quickly -as possible, to take the oars and pull. He cautioned them not to be -afraid, whatever happened, at which the poor fellows looked at each -other in consternation.</p> - -<p>After an interval of fifteen minutes, which seemed much longer, a -rattling of wheels and clatter of hoofs was heard, and Desmond and -Breslin drove up with the prisoners, their horses quite exhausted.</p> - -<p>As the prisoners jumped from the traps, their long linen coats blew -open, showing their convict suits, with the unusual accompaniments of -English belts, each containing two six-shooters. They seized rifles -from the carriages, and with their arms full of cartridges made a rush -for the boat.</p> - -<p>At this the crew stood paralyzed, for they thought they were about -to be attacked. One Malay drew a sheath knife and the others seized -buckets, raised oars, and prepared to resist the men who were closing -in upon them. This move was so unexpected that it was fortunate -that an attack was averted, but a loud order from the captain in -various languages at his command quieted the men. It was subsequently -learned that the theory of the crew was that Captain Anthony had been -smuggling and that the arrivals were government officials. The crew had -determined to fight if necessary, to prevent the arrest of the captain.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[Pg 146]</a></span></p> - -<p>At length the boat was afloat. The prisoners had been ordered to stow -themselves as closely as possible in the bottom of the boat. Breslin, -King, and Desmond sat in the stern and Captain Anthony took a position -on top of the stern sheet, with the steering oar.</p> - -<p>After some splashing the men began to pull with enthusiasm to the -accompaniment of a running stream of rallying cries from the captain -of "Pull as if you were pulling for a whale," "Come down, Mopsy," -"Pull, Tobey, pull," "Come down, you big Lewis," "Pull, Tobey, pull," -"Give them the stroke, Mr. Sylvia," "What do you say, men," "Come down -altogether," "Pull away, my men, pull away."</p> - -<p>Now the wind was beginning to breeze up from the west, blowing -straight on shore. On the beach stood the timber-worker from the -jetty, dumfounded at the spectacle, with the six horses, wandering -about the shore. The boat was no more than a half mile from the beach -when a squad of eight mounted policemen drove up. The flight had been -discovered.</p> - -<p>With the police were a number of "trackers," aboriginal bushmen who -play the rôle of human blood-hounds. They wore short bokas, or cloaks -of kangaroo skin, with belts of twisted fur around their naked bodies. -These natives are attached to the prisons to follow the trail of -absconding convicts, and they are wonderfully adept in running down a -prisoner.</p> - -<p>The police were armed with carbines and might<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[Pg 147]</a></span> have shot some of the -men in the boat, but fortunately they did not fire. They watched the -boat a while and then took the horses and led them toward the timber -station.</p> - -<p>Breslin had prepared a note to the governor which he fastened to a -float and posted by the ocean mail. As the wind and tide were setting -ashore, it undoubtedly reached its destination. The letter was as -follows—</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p> - -<span class="smcap">Rockingham</span>, April 17, 1876.<br /> -</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p><span class="smcap">To His Excellency the British Governor of Western Australia.</span></p></blockquote> - -<p>This is to certify that I have this day released from the clemency of -Her Most Gracious Majesty Victoria, Queen of Great Britain, etc., etc., -six Irishmen, condemned to imprisonment for life by the enlightened and -magnanimous government of Great Britain for having been guilty of the -atrocious and unpardonable crimes known to the unenlightened portion -of mankind as "love of country" and "hatred of tyranny;" for this act -of "Irish assurance" my birth and blood being my full and sufficient -warrant. Allow me to add that</p> - -<p> -<span style="margin-left: 2.5em;">In taking my leave now, I've only to say</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 2.5em;">A few cells I've emptied (a sell in its way);</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 2.5em;">I've the honor and pleasure to bid you good-day,</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 2.5em;">From all future acquaintance, excuse me, I pray.</span><br /> -</p> - -<p> -<span style="margin-left: 3.5em;">In the service of my country,</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 5.5em;"><span class="smcap">John J. Breslin</span>.</span><br /> -</p></blockquote> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[Pg 148]</a></span></p> - - - - -<p class ="ph2"><a name="CHAPTER_XXIV" id="CHAPTER_XXIV">CHAPTER XXIV</a></p> - -<p class="center">AN AWFUL NIGHT</p> - - -<p><span class="smcap">It</span> was five o'clock in the afternoon when the rowboat went through the -passage, and as Captain Anthony saw the menacing reef upon which the -water was foaming and breaking, it seemed impossible that he had gone -over it the night before.</p> - -<p>Now the little boat was riding on lengthened seas which were rolling -in from the ocean with increasing violence. The wind was blasty, but -hauled a little in the boat's favor, so that Captain Anthony ordered -the little sail set and told his companions if he could head in the way -he was now going, the ship should be raised in an hour.</p> - -<p>The fury of the wind and sea now poured upon the boat, and darkness was -coming on, when the Catalpa was raised ahead. Captain Anthony knew that -the little boat would not be visible to the ship and that the latter -would stand off shore as soon as it became thick.</p> - -<p>The sky grew blacker and the sea grew steadily heavier. The boat -began to jump and jar until it seemed that she might lose her spar or -mast step. The seas commenced to comb and break across the stern, or, -running the length of the boat, would<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[Pg 149]</a></span> tumble in, soaking the men and -threatening to swamp the little craft. Captain Anthony felt that his -salvation lay in reaching the ship that night.</p> - -<p>The sixteen men were directed to take a place on the weather gunwale, -and the man in charge of the sheet was ordered to take a turn about the -thwart and not to slacken an inch. A crisis had arrived, and any risk -was preferable to a night on the ocean in such a storm as was imminent. -The boat leaped forward at a spanking rate, and the spray flew like -feathers; and the water rose in mimic mountains, crowned with white -foam which the wind blew in mist from summit to summit. Miles away the -Catalpa was seen, barely discernible at moments when she rose on the -crest of a larger wave than common, thrusting her bows into the air, -surrounded by foam, and apparently ready to take flight from the sea.</p> - -<p>Then, with a crash, the mast went over the side, breaking close to the -thwart. The boat nearly capsized to windward, but the captain threw -her head to the wind and the magnificent efforts of the crew kept her -afloat. Monstrous seas now rolled into her, threatening to overwhelm -the craft. She was almost water-logged, and shipped water over bow and -stern alternately, as she rose and fell. The crew bailed vehemently and -desperately. The rescued men were very sick, and lay in the bottom of -the boat, a wretched heap of miserable humanity.</p> - -<p>The boat was relieved of some of the water, and the wreck hauled in. -Oars were shipped, but row<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[Pg 150]</a></span>ing accomplished nothing more than holding -the boat on her course, and almost in despair the men saw the Catalpa -tack offshore.</p> - -<p>The gale increased in violence as night wore on, and the men were -completely worn out. The seas dashed over them, and their strength was -taxed to exhaustion in bailing quickly lest the next sea might tumble -in and wreck the boat. After the mast went, Captain Anthony took the -midship oar, lashed on the jib, and stuck it up. The sheet was hauled -aft, and the centreboard lowered, which steadied the boat and kept -steerageway on her. The phosphorescence afforded a spectacle which -Captain Anthony had never witnessed in equal degree, but it only made -the wild scene more terrifying and awful.</p> - -<p>For hours the seas continued to hurl themselves across the boat, while -the men cast out the sea with bailers improvised from water kegs, the -heads of which were knocked out.</p> - -<p>Little was said, but occasionally one of the rescued men would ask -"Captain, do you think we will float through the night?" The captain -would cheerily reply, "Oh, yes, I've been out on many a worse night;" -but he has since confessed that he would not have given a cent for the -lives of the entire company. Under other circumstances the danger would -have been much less. But the boat was overloaded, the gunwales being -within two inches of the water, and she was nearly unmanageable. To run -back to Garden Island meant capture.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[Pg 151]</a></span></p> - -<p>The crew had eaten nothing but a little dry hard-bread since the noon -of the day previous, and were painfully athirst. The provisions and -water in the boat had been washed overboard. Captain Anthony was on his -knees on top of the stern sheets steering, and often the seas rose to -his armpits. The men were groaning, and it was so dark that the captain -could not see his crew. No word was spoken excepting repeated orders to -bail.</p> - -<p>Late in the night, when the captain had decided that the boat must -swamp before long, the gale subsided somewhat. Daylight was welcome -after the awful night. The sea had now gone down, and there was -prospect of a fair day. The seas came aboard less frequently, and -courage and hope returned.</p> - -<p>At sunrise every one was overjoyed to see the ship standing in toward -the land. Oars were once more shipped, and with the sail drawing good -progress was made.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[Pg 152]</a></span></p> - - - -<p class ="ph2"><a name="CHAPTER_XXV" id="CHAPTER_XXV">CHAPTER XXV</a></p> - -<p class="center">A RACE WITH THE GUARD-BOAT</p> - - -<p><span class="smcap">About</span> an hour after sunrise the Georgette was seen coming out of -Freemantle. The men knew she was searching for them, and she seemed to -be heading directly for the little boat. The sail was taken down, oars -shipped, and the men lay down, one on top of the other, so that nothing -showed above the rail. The steamer passed within a half mile of the -boat and Captain Anthony could plainly see an officer on the bridge -with glasses, scanning the shore. The boat must have appeared like a -log and been mistaken for a piece of floating timber, if it was seen -by the men on the Georgette, for she steamed by and went out to the -Catalpa.</p> - -<p>The anxious men in the boat feared she would remain by the Catalpa and -prevent them from going aboard, but the Georgette steamed up the coast -after a while and swung in toward Garden Island, passing the whaleboat -once more, but at a safe distance.</p> - -<p>Oars were once more manned. Mr. Smith on the Catalpa had not sighted -the boat yet, for the background of high land interfered. The men -pulled for two hours, when it was seen that there was a lighter -alongside the ship, and it was at first surmised that it was a fishing -vessel. Captain Desmond looked intently and then exclaimed:—</p> - -<p>"My God! There's the guard-boat, filled with police. Pass out those -rifles."</p> - -<p>The guard-boat was large, with two mutton-leg sails, and there were -thirty or forty men aboard. Affairs in the whaleboat assumed a -belligerent aspect. Rifles were distributed, wet cartridges drawn from -revolvers and replaced with fresh, and the prisoners swore they would -fight until the last man was killed.</p> - -<p>At Desmond's cry the appearance of exhaustion vanished. Every man was -alert. The crew put new vigor into the stroke of the oars. When about -two and a half miles from the Catalpa, the lookout at the masthead -evidently raised the whaleboat, for the Catalpa suddenly bore down -with all sail set. The police evidently suspected something, for the -officers ran up the sail-hoops on the mast and started after the ship, -with three or four men at the sweeps to hasten her progress.</p> - -<p>Now it was a question whether the guard-boat would intercept the small -boat before the ship was reached. If this was done, there would be a -fatal conflict. The rescued men tried to help at the oars, but their -efforts were a detriment, and they were ordered to lie in the bottom -of the boat, that they might not hamper the crew. There they lay, and -hugged their rifles grimly.</p> - -<p>There were moments of suspense, but at length it was seen that the -whaleboat would reach the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[Pg 154]</a></span> Catalpa. As soon as he was within hailing -distance Captain Anthony shouted to Mr. Smith:—</p> - -<p>"Hoist the ensign!"</p> - -<p>The ensign was already bent, and one of the men jumped to the halyards -and ran it to the peak.</p> - -<p>Mr. Smith had men at the braces and managed the vessel superbly. As -the boat slammed alongside, everything was thrown hard aback. The men -grabbed the boat tackle and swung the forward tackle to Mr. Sylvia and -the after to Captain Anthony.</p> - -<p>The captain secured it, and, turning to order the men aboard ship, -found he was alone in the boat. The prisoners had gone up the -sideboards by the grip rope, with rifles and revolvers in their hands. -The boat was hoisted on the davits, and as the captain stepped over the -rail the guard-boat swept across the bow.</p> - -<p>The rescued men knew the officers, and they crowded to the rail in -great glee, waving their rifles and shouting salutations and farewells, -calling the officers by name. The guard knew that it was useless -for them to attempt to board the vessel. The officer in command -accepted the result gracefully, and, giving a military salute, said -"Good-morning, captain." "Good-morning," replied Captain Anthony, and -the guard-boat kept off toward the shore.</p> - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/illus9.jpg" alt="pic" /> -<a id="illus9" name="illus9"></a> -</p> - - -<p class="caption"> -The guard-boat The whaleboat with escaping prisoners The Georgette<br /> - - -THE RACE FOR THE CATALPA</p> - -<p>There were wild scenes on board the whaleship in the next hour. The -rescued men were in a state of exaltation, and cheered the captain, the -crew, and everybody connected with the enterprise. If Captain Anthony, -Mr. Breslin, and the others had been<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[Pg 155]</a></span> reprieved from a death sentence -they would have felt no greater joy and contentment. Captain Anthony -and Breslin complimented Mate Smith, and the former called the steward.</p> - -<p>"Get up the best dinner the ship can afford," he said. "We're hungry."</p> - -<p>The steward succeeded admirably. There were canned chickens and -lobsters, boiled potatoes, canned fruits, tea and coffee, and it was -the most memorable dinner in the lifetime of the men who assembled. -Messrs. Breslin, Desmond, and King dined with the captain, and the -rescued men ate in the steerage.</p> - -<p>Mr. Smith related that when the Georgette came alongside that morning, -the captain of the English steamer asked where the boat was which was -missing from the cranes. The mate replied that the captain had gone -ashore. "What for?" was asked. "I don't know anything about it," said -Mr. Smith. "Can I come aboard?" asked the officer. "Not by a damned -sight," was Mr. Smith's reply. It was the theory of the Georgette's -officers that the gale had been so violent that the small boat must -have returned to land, so, leaving the guard-boat alongside, she ran in -under the shore to cut off the whaleboat if possible.</p> - -<p>After dinner Captain Anthony directed Mr. Smith to let the boat's crew -go below and stay as long as the men wished.</p> - -<p>That night the wind died out, and the topsails hung supinely from the -yards, the air which breathed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[Pg 156]</a></span> occasionally from the land being unable -to shake the heavy canvas. The captain gave up his room to Mr. Breslin, -and Desmond and King were assigned to rooms in the forward cabin.</p> - -<p>Captain Anthony lay down on a four-foot lounge, instructing Mr. Smith -to work off shore if possible, but the ship did not move her own length -during the entire night.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[Pg 157]</a></span></p> - - - - -<p class ="ph2"><a name="CHAPTER_XXVI" id="CHAPTER_XXVI">CHAPTER XXVI</a></p> - -<p class="center">OVERHAULED BY THE GEORGETTE</p> - - -<p><span class="smcap">At</span> daybreak Captain Anthony was called by Mr. Smith, who announced -that the Georgette was approaching. Breslin was summoned, and the men -hastened on deck.</p> - -<p>As the steamer came nearer, it was seen that she had a regiment of -soldiers aboard. The Georgette was a four hundred ton vessel, twice -as big as the Catalpa. On her upper deck a big gun was mounted, and -the soldiery were assembled on the main deck, a forest of bayonets -glistening in the morning sun.</p> - -<p>It was a show which was calculated to intimidate the men on the little -whaleship, but no one on the Catalpa faltered. The captain ordered the -ensign hoisted to the masthead, and mounted the poop deck.</p> - -<p>It was seen that Colonel Harvest, heavy laden in the gorgeous trappings -of a British army officer, was in charge of the deck. At one moment, -when the colonel's attention was elsewhere, Captain O'Grady waved his -hat at his whilom companion on a recent trip, and Captain Anthony waved -his hand in response.</p> - -<p>The next salutation was a solid shot fired across<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[Pg 158]</a></span> the bow of the -Catalpa. As it ricocheted along, the water flew as high as the -masthead. Meanwhile the ship was rolling helplessly, for there was no -wind. As the yards bowed to meet the water, her sails flapped and yards -creaked. But now a faint breeze filled the sails, and the Catalpa began -to make some headway. When she was abeam the Georgette, Colonel Harvest -shouted:—</p> - -<p>"Heave to!"</p> - -<p>"What for?" screamed Captain Anthony in reply.</p> - -<p>"You have escaped prisoners aboard that ship."</p> - -<p>"You're mistaken," said Captain Anthony. "There are no prisoners aboard -this ship. They're all free men."</p> - -<p>The Georgette had a whaleboat on the davits, and the men on the -whaleship assumed it was for boarding purposes. Breslin collected the -rescued men together, and they determined to resist. While the above -colloquy was in progress, Mr. Smith had fitted out the company with -cutting spades, whaling guns, and heavy pieces of iron and logs of wood -with which to sink the boat if it came alongside.</p> - -<p>"I see the men aboard the ship now," yelled Colonel Harvest.</p> - -<p>"You're mistaken, sir," returned Captain Anthony. "Get up, men, and -show yourselves."</p> - -<p>The men walked to the rail. "You can see for yourself they are my -crew," said the captain.</p> - -<p>"I have telegraphed the American government, and have orders to seize -you," was the colonel's next announcement.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[Pg 159]</a></span></p> - -<p>Captain Anthony knew this was impossible and made no reply.</p> - -<p>"Are you going to heave to?" asked the colonel.</p> - -<p>"No, sir," replied Captain Anthony firmly.</p> - -<p>The Georgette was on the lee of the Catalpa. The wind was freshening -and the Georgette was steaming to keep up.</p> - -<p>"Don't you know you have violated the colonial laws?" asked Colonel -Harvest.</p> - -<p>"No, sir," answered Captain Anthony; at which the colonel seemed -greatly enraged.</p> - -<p>"I'll give you fifteen minutes in which to heave to," said he, "and -I'll blow your masts out unless you do so. I have the means to do it."</p> - -<p>He pointed to the gun, which the soldiers were swabbing, preparatory to -reloading.</p> - -<p>"This ship is sailing under the American flag and she is on the high -seas. If you fire on me, I warn you that you are firing on the American -flag." This was Captain Anthony's reply.</p> - -<p>The vessels were now about eighteen miles offshore. On the tack upon -which she was sailing the Catalpa was running inshore. Captain Anthony -feared it was the trick to decoy him into Australian waters, and -decided to go about on the other tack. He consulted with Mr. Smith -whether it was advisable to tack or wear ship, his fear of the former -course being that the vessel might get "in irons" and lose her headway, -and in the confusion the Georgette might shoot alongside.</p> - -<p>So it was decided to wear. When the Catalpa's<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[Pg 160]</a></span> crew hauled up the clews -of the mainsail, hauled down the head of the spanker, and let the -gafftopsail run down, the officers on the Georgette evidently thought -the Catalpa proposed to haul back, and the steamer was stopped.</p> - -<p>Then Captain Anthony put the wheel up, and the vessel swung off quickly -and headed straight for the Georgette, going before the wind. The -captain of the steamer construed this as an attempt to run him down. He -rang the jingle-bell and went ahead at full speed, but when the Catalpa -swung by him, her flying jibboom just cleared the steamer's rigging. -The ship's sails filled on the other tack and the Catalpa headed -offshore.</p> - -<p>The Georgette again steamed under the bark's lee. Colonel Harvest once -more asked the captain if he proposed to "heave to," and the captain -once more replied that he did not. The steamer followed for an hour, -Colonel Harvest walking the bridge. Then the Georgette stopped. It was -now four o'clock in the afternoon. The wind was fair and fresh, and -constantly increasing.</p> - -<p>When the Catalpa was some distance away, Captain Anthony called to the -rescued men, "Boys, take a good look at her. Probably you'll never see -her again." When the vessels were a few miles apart, the Georgette -steamed back towards Freemantle, leaving a grateful and thankful party -behind.</p> - -<p>"When the English commander gave the order to his stokers to slack -down the fires, a veritable <i>feu d'enfer</i>, the battle ended," said -the "Kilkenny<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[Pg 161]</a></span> Journal," in describing the incident. "But it was a -terrible affray, and while the firing lasted there was a tremendous -expenditure of coals. Every credit is due the Georgette. She steered -off in magnificent style. As it turned a stern lookout upon its foe, -the banner of Britain displayed its folds, and the blazoned lion, -shimmering in the sun, seemed to make a gesture of defiance with his -tail, by curving it between his heels."</p> - -<p>And the Catalpa sailed serenely on, and the star-spangled banner -floated bravely in the breeze.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[Pg 162]</a></span></p> - - - - -<p class ="ph2"><a name="CHAPTER_XXVII" id="CHAPTER_XXVII">CHAPTER XXVII</a></p> - -<p class="center">BOUND HOME</p> - - -<p><span class="smcap">That</span> night the Catalpa took a squall from the eastward which developed -into a gale, and the bark ran before it under two lower topsails and a -foresail. In forty-eight hours the vessel was four hundred miles off -the coast.</p> - -<p>This led the leaders of the rescue to appreciate their extreme good -fortune, for if the gale had arisen the night the Catalpa left Bunbury, -Captain Anthony and his crew would not have been waiting on the beach -at Rockingham to receive the fleeing prisoners. The police, closely -following, would have rearrested the men, Breslin and his followers -would have been arrested, and disaster would have been the result -of the year of anxiety and the expenditure of a fortune contributed -largely by men who gave at considerable sacrifice. England would have -been exultant at having captured the man who released Stephens, and the -Clan-na-Gael would have suffered bitterly from the ignominy.</p> - -<p>The day after the storm, April 19, Captain Anthony had two casks of -clothing hoisted on deck. They were the best "slops" (the whaleman's -vernacular for clothes and supplies) ever put aboard a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[Pg 163]</a></span> whaling vessel. -The casks' heads were taken out, and Captain Anthony said to the men, -"Go in and help yourselves. Take all you care for, and you'll need the -thickest, for you'll see some cold weather before you reach America." -Each man selected at least two suits of clothing, as well as a large -supply of underclothes.</p> - -<p>The rigging-pen between decks was knocked down and two tiers of berths -were built, one for each of the rescued men, from the lumber bought at -Teneriffe. They were amply supplied with bedding, seats and tables were -built, and a boy from the forecastle was assigned to attend the men.</p> - -<p>The vessel was kept well to the northward, to take advantage of the -southeast trade-winds, which were taken in lat. 24°. Then fresh and -fair winds wafted the vessel across the Indian Ocean. At times the old -Catalpa logged two hundred miles a day, although she was not regarded -as a fast sailor.</p> - -<p>The men were given the freedom of the ship and thoroughly enjoyed the -liberty which had been restored to them. Mr. Breslin wrote a song which -the men were wont to sing as they lay on the decks on warm evenings. -These were the words:—</p> - -<p style="margin-left: 10%;"> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">"Right across the Indian Ocean, while the trade-wind follows fast,</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Speeds our ship with gentle motion; fear and chains behind us cast.</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Rolling home! rolling home! rolling home across the sea;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Rolling home to bright Columbia; home to friends and liberty.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">"Through the waters blue and bright, through dark wave and hissing foam,</span><br /> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[Pg 164]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Ever onward, with delight, we are sailing still for home.</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">O'er our pathway, in the sunshine, flies the wide-winged albatross,</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">O'er our topmast, in the moonlight, hangs the starry Southern Cross.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">"By the stormy cape now flying, with a full and flowing sail,</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">See the daylight round us dying on the black breast of the gale!</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">See the lightning flash above us and the dark surge roll below!</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Here's a health to those who love us! Here's defiance to the foe!</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">"Now the wide Atlantic clearing with our good ship speeding free,</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">The dull 'Cape of Storms' we're leaving far to eastward on our lee.</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">And as homeward through the waters the old Catalpa goes,</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Ho! you fellows at the masthead, let us hear once more, "She blows."</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">"Next by lonely St. Helena, with a steady wind we glide</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">By the rock-built, sea-girt prison, where the gallant Frenchman died,</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">With the flying fish and porpoise sporting 'round us in the wave,</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">With the starry flag of freedom floating o'er us bright and brave.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">"Past 'The Line,' and now the dipper hangs glittering in the sky.</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Onward still! In the blue water, see, the gulf weed passing by.</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Homeward! Homeward to Columbia, blow you, steady breezes, blow,</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">'Till we hear it, from the masthead, the joyful cry, "Land ho!"</span><br /> -</p> - -<p>Mr. Farnham, the second mate, died suddenly of heart disease on the 8th -of May, and was buried at sea the following day. He had been a faithful -man, and there was sincere sorrow throughout the ship's company.</p> - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/illus10.jpg" alt="pic" /> -<a id="illus10" name="illus10"></a> -</p> -<p class="caption"> THE CATALPA HOMEWARD BOUND<br /> - -Running before a Gale</p> - -<p>Captain Anthony made his course for the south end of Madagascar, and -stood well inshore in rounding the cape, across the Agulhas Banks, -to receive the advantage of the current which sets into the Atlantic -Ocean. Here severe winter weather was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[Pg 165]</a></span> encountered. Then the "trades" -were welcomed once more, and the Catalpa sailed on with a fleet of -twenty-one merchant vessels, all following the same course.</p> - -<p>Naturally the bark gave St. Helena a wide berth, since the neighborhood -of a British possession was to be avoided. Subsequently it was learned -that an English warship awaited the Catalpa at this point. There is an -English naval station at Ascension, and Captain Anthony was likewise -shy of a near approach to the island.</p> - -<p>On July 10 the Catalpa crossed the equator into the North Atlantic on -long. 31° west. "You're almost American citizens now," remarked the -captain to the men on this day.</p> - -<p>Sperm whales were seen occasionally, and the boats were twice lowered, -but the men were impatient to proceed, and little loitering was -indulged.</p> - -<p>After running out of the northeast trades, Captain Anthony proposed -to Mr. Breslin that the vessel should make a business of cruising for -whale for a while. "Now is just the season," said he, "for whaling on -the Western Grounds. We are well enough fitted, excepting that we lack -small stores, and we have plenty of money to buy from other vessels. -I know the whaling grounds, and by hauling up to the northward we -are almost certain to pick up a few hundred barrels of oil, and the -voyage can be made as successful financially as it has been in other -respects." Mr. Breslin agreed to this, and the course was made north by -east. The men no<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[Pg 166]</a></span>ticed the change in direction, and pleaded that they -might be put ashore without any delay, and after a day or two it was -decided to yield to their wishes; orders were given to keep her off, -and the bark was once more homeward bound.</p> - -<p>In the height of a savage gale the Catalpa passed Bermuda, and a few -days later the lead showed that the vessel was approaching the coast. -Then a pilot came aboard, and he was greatly surprised to find the -destination to be New York, inasmuch as the vessel was a whaleship. But -Captain Anthony and Mr. Breslin had agreed that this was the best place -to land the men. Sandy Hook was eighty miles away. At six <span class="smcap">P.M.</span> -an ocean tug was spoken, which offered to tow the vessel into New York -harbor for $250, but after considerable dickering the price was reduced -to $90, and it was accepted.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[Pg 167]</a></span></p> - - - - -<p class ="ph2"><a name="CHAPTER_XXVIII" id="CHAPTER_XXVIII">CHAPTER XXVIII</a></p> - -<p class="center">A CORDIAL RECEPTION</p> - - -<p><span class="smcap">Meanwhile</span> the story of the rescue had been telegraphed to New York, and -reporters swarmed aboard at quarantine, which was reached at midnight. -Captain Anthony did not know what the situation might be or how much -it would be wise for him to tell, and the reception of the newspaper -men was one of the most arduous experiences of the voyage. But their -editions were waiting, and they could not delay long. At two o'clock on -the morning of August 19, 1876, the Catalpa anchored off Castle Garden.</p> - -<p>Captain Anthony and Mr. Breslin went ashore at sunrise in one of the -boats and first went to the hotel of O'Donovan Rossa, which was a -headquarters for men affiliating with the Clan-na-Gael. The first -person whom they met in the office, singularly enough, was a man who -was a prisoner in Australia at the time of the rescue, but who was -subsequently released and arrived in this country by steamer. He -received the rescuers with enthusiasm. Various leaders were summoned, -and the captain and Mr. Breslin were warmly welcomed.</p> - -<p>Later in the morning Captain Anthony went to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[Pg 168]</a></span> the barge office and -secured a permit to land his passengers. When he returned to the -Catalpa she was surrounded by small boats, for the morning newspapers -had told of her presence in port, and there was much curiosity to see -her.</p> - -<p>"Men," said Captain Anthony, as he stepped on the deck, "I have a -permit for you to go ashore, and you are at liberty to go when you -please."</p> - -<p>"God bless you, captain, you've saved our lives," said Darragh, and in -a few minutes the company left in the shore boat, in high spirits.</p> - -<p>Meanwhile Captain Anthony had communicated with Mr. Richardson, and -he was instructed to leave the vessel in New York and return home, -for his friends were anxious to see him. The local branch of the -Clan-na-Gael, with representatives of other Irish societies, had been -meeting nightly, arranging a reception to the gallant rescuer, and he -was received at the train by thousands of people on the Sunday morning -of his return.</p> - -<p>They were shocked at the changed appearance of the captain. When he -left New Bedford, sixteen months before, he weighed 160 pounds and his -hair was black as coal. The months of worry and intense excitement had -worn upon him to such an extent that his weight was now reduced to 123 -pounds and his hair was sprinkled with gray.</p> - -<p>A few days after Captain Anthony arrived home, the following circular -reached the office of the chief of police in New Bedford:—</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[Pg 169]</a></span></p> - - -<p class="center">POLICE DEPARTMENT.</p> - -<p> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><span class="smcap">Chief Office, Perth, Western Australia,</span></span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">April 18, 1876.</span><br /> -</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p>James Darragh, 9707, life sentence, 2d March, 1866, aged 42, Fenian, -absconded from Freemantle, 8.30 <span class="smcap">A.M.</span>, April 17, 1876.</p> - -<p>Martin Hogan, 9767, sentence, life, August 21, 1866, aged 37, Fenian, -absconded as above.</p> - -<p>Michael Harrington, 9757, life sentence, July 7, 1866, 48 years, -Fenian, absconded as above.</p> - -<p>Thomas Hassett, 9758, life sentence, June 26, 1866, Fenian, absconded, -etc.</p> - -<p>Robert Cranston, 9702, life sentence, June 26, 1866, Fenian, -absconded, etc.</p> - -<p>James Wilson, 9915, life sentence, Aug. 20, 1866, age 40, absconded, -etc.</p> -</blockquote> - -<p>N.B.—Martin Hogan's marks include the letter D on his left side; so do -those of Michael Harrington, Thomas Hassett, and James Wilson.</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p><span class="smcap">Sir</span>,—I beg to inform you that on the 17th instant the -imperial convicts named in the margin absconded from the convict -settlement at Freemantle, in this colony, and escaped from the colony -in the American whaling bark Catalpa, G. Anthony master. This bark is -from New Bedford, Massachusetts, U.S.A. The convicts were taken from -the shore in a whaleboat belonging to the Catalpa, manned by Captain -Anthony and six of the crew. The abettors were Collins, Jones, and -Johnson.</p> - -<p>I attach the description of each of the absconders, and have -to request that you will be good enough to furnish me with any -particulars you may be able to gather concerning them.</p> - -<p>I have the honor to be, sir,</p> - -<p> -<span style="margin-left: 5%;">Your obedient servant,</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 10%;"><span class="smcap">M.A. Smith</span>, <i>Supt. of Police</i>.</span> -</p> - -<p> -To the Officer in charge of the Police Department, }<br /> -New Bedford, Massachusetts, U.S.A. } -</p> -</blockquote> - -<p>It was addressed to "The Officer in charge of Police Department, New -Bedford, Massachusetts, United States, America."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[Pg 170]</a></span></p> - -<p>Now Captain Henry C. Hathaway was at this time chief of police, and -in view of the fact that he had been rather intimately connected with -the enterprise, it may be believed that he was not unduly zealous in -assisting the Australian authorities.</p> - -<p>The Catalpa, in charge of a pilot, sailed to New Bedford. The scene -on her return was very different from that at her departure. She -arrived at the old whaling port on the afternoon of August 24th. She -was sighted as she came into the bay, and the news of her approach -attracted thousands of people to the wharves. A salute of seventy guns -was fired as the bark sailed up the river, and when she was made fast -to the dock, men and women swarmed aboard and carried away everything -which was not too large for souvenirs.</p> - -<p>On the following evening a reception was tendered Captain Anthony -at Liberty Hall, and the auditorium was crowded with cheering, -enthusiastic people. The stage was decorated with the American flag and -the flag of Ireland. John McCullough called the meeting to order, and -the officers were as follows:—</p> - -<p><i>President.</i>—Dr. Stephen W. Hayes.</p> - -<p><i>Vice-Presidents.</i>—John McCullough, Michael F. Kennedy, Hugh J. -McDonald, Neil Gallagher, John F. Edgerton, James Carroll, Jeremiah -Donohue, Michael Murphy, John Sweeney, William Morrissey, Edmund -Fogarty, James Clary, Michael F. McCullough, Antone L. Sylvia, Patrick -Cannavan, James Sherry, John Agnew, John Welch.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[Pg 171]</a></span></p> - -<p><i>Secretaries.</i>—Patrick Haley, Peter O'Connell, and John Green.</p> - -<p>John Boyle O'Reilly was present, and Captain Anthony was the guest of -honor. Mr. Smith, the Catalpa's mate, and Thomas Hassett, one of the -rescued men, were also present.</p> - -<p>Dr. Hayes expressed his gratitude that the political prisoners were now -in the land of the free, where the flag which protected them on the -Catalpa would continue to protect them as long as it waved.</p> - -<p>O'Reilly's address on this occasion was one of his most eloquent -efforts, and it is to be regretted that it is not preserved in its -entirety. The summaries which were printed in the newspapers do him -very inadequate justice.</p> - -<p>He said that it was with no ordinary feelings that he had come. He -owed to New Bedford no ordinary debt, and he would gladly have come -a thousand miles to do honor to New Bedford whalemen. Seven years of -liberty, wife, children, and a happy home in a free country were his -debt of gratitude, and when the close of his sentence came, in 1886, -his debt to New Bedford might be grown too heavy to bear.</p> - -<p>They were there, he said, to do honor to Captain Anthony, to show their -gratitude to the man who had done a brave and wonderful deed. The -self-sacrifice and unfailing devotion of him who had taken his life in -his hand and beached his whaleboat on the penal colony, defying its -fearful laws, defying the gallows and the chain-gang, in order to keep<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[Pg 172]</a></span> -faith with the men who had placed their trust in him,—this is almost -beyond belief in our selfish and commonplace time.</p> - -<p>There were sides to this question worth looking at, he continued. -To Irishmen it was significant in manifold ways, one of which was -that these men, being soldiers, could not be left in prison without -demoralizing the Irishmen in the English army, who would not forget -that their comrades had been forsaken and left to die in confinement, -when the civilian leaders of the movement had been set free. But the -spirit that prompted their release was larger and nobler than this, and -its beauty could be appreciated by all men, partaking as it did of the -universal instinct of humanity to love their race and their native land.</p> - -<p>England said that the rescue was a lawless and disgraceful -filibustering raid. Not so, said Mr. O'Reilly. If these men were -criminals, the rescue would be criminal. But they were political -offenders against England, not against law, or order, or religion. They -had lain in prison for ten years, with millions of their countrymen -asking their release, imploring England, against their will to beg, to -set these men at liberty. Had England done so it would have partially -disarmed Ireland. A generous act by England would be reciprocated -instantly by millions of the warmest hearts in the world. But she -was blind, as of old; blind and arrogant and cruel. She would not -release the men; she scorned to give Ireland an answer. She called the -prisoners cowardly criminals, not political offenders.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[Pg 173]</a></span></p> - -<p>After the ship sailed and there was a long time when no tidings came, -O'Reilly said that doubts and fears came, as they were sure to do; but -Captain Hathaway said once and always of Captain Anthony: "The man who -engaged to do this will keep that engagement, or he won't come out of -the penal colony."</p> - -<p>After describing some of his own experiences in Australia, Mr. O'Reilly -pointed to the bronzed and worn face of Mr. Hassett, one of the rescued -prisoners, and said: "Look at that man sitting there. Six years ago he -escaped from his prison in the penal colony and fled into the bush, -living there like a wild beast for a whole year, hunted from district -to district, in a blind but manful attempt to win his liberty. When -England said the rescue was illegal, America could answer, as the -anti-slavery men answered when they attacked the Constitution, as -England herself answered in the cause of Poland: 'We have acted from -a higher law than your written constitution and treatise,—the law of -God and humanity.' It was in obedience to this supreme law that Captain -Anthony rescued the prisoners, and pointed his finger at the Stars and -Stripes, when the English commander threatened to fire on his ship.</p> - -<p>"The Irishman," concluded Mr. O'Reilly, "who could forget what the -Stars and Stripes have done for his countrymen deserves that in time of -need that flag shall forget him."</p> - -<p>Then Mr. Hassett described the bravery of Captain Anthony, and pictured -him as he held the steer<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[Pg 174]</a></span>ing oar on the night of the gale, risking his -life for the men. He could never amply express his gratitude to Captain -Anthony, he said, and he was sure that New Bedford never produced a -braver sailor.</p> - -<p>Meanwhile there were similar demonstrations throughout the country. At -San Francisco a mass meeting of Irish citizens passed resolutions of -sympathy for the prisoners and took steps for increasing the relief -fund which had been started.</p> - -<p>The Robert Emmet Association of Troy, N.Y., fired a salute in honor -of the safe arrival of the Catalpan six. At Woonsocket the wildest -enthusiasm prevailed; meetings were held and salutes fired. The Emmet -Skirmishing Club of Sillery Cove, Quebec, held a congratulatory -meeting, and the Shamrock Benevolent Society of St. Louis, one of the -largest Irish Catholic societies in the West, adopted resolutions of -honor to Captain Anthony.</p> - -<p>The news of the rescue had been slow in reaching England, and as late -as May 22 a debate was in progress in Parliament on the release of -the political prisoners in Australia. Disraeli was the first lord of -the Treasury, and he had been asked to advise her Majesty to extend -her royal mercy to the prisoners who were suffering punishment from -offenses in breach of their allegiance.</p> - -<p>In a speech Disraeli said the men sent to Australia were "at this -moment enjoying a state of existence which their friends in this house -are quite prepared to accept." The Irish members shouted "No." But -Mr. Disraeli was right and the Irish<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[Pg 175]</a></span> members were wrong, for the men -were on the deck of an American vessel as he spoke, free from English -authority.</p> - -<p>On the morning after Disraeli's speech Boucicault wrote a letter to the -"London Telegraph" which was read with much interest. He wrote:—</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p>The reply made by Mr. Disraeli last night to the 134 members who -pleaded for the amnesty of the Irish prisoners should not be regarded -as wholly unsatisfactory. His speech was in the gentle spirit of an -apology, formed of excuses for the delay of the Government in acceding -to the wishes of the people of Ireland. But the manner of this -fluent and eloquent speaker was exceedingly hopeful. He hesitated, -wandered, halted, lost his way, and turned about in distress. A -leading member observed in my hearing that he had never seen him so -confused. He said there were only fifteen prisoners; that two of them -could not be regarded as political offenders, because in the act of -rebellion they had shed blood, and therefore were ordinary murderers. -(He did not add they were no more entitled to consideration than -Oliver Cromwell, whose statue graces the House.) Then turning to -the thirteen prisoners—of these six were imprisoned in England and -seven in Western Australia—these men, he assured the House, were so -comfortable where they were, so happy, so well off, that really their -liberation would be a misfortune to them, rather than a boon.</p> - -<p>It is a rule in literary composition that, when a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[Pg 176]</a></span> substantive -expresses vigorously the full scope and meaning of an idea, we weaken -its effect by the addition of an adjective. So would any remark, or -even a note of admiration detract from the rule of this astounding -proposition. It should be left alone in a space of silence. The -lameness and impotency of the speaker made an eloquent impression on -the House, for the lameness seemed that of one who declined to trample -on the prostrate, and the impotency was that of a kind and just man -who could not find words to frame a cruel sentence.</p> - -<p> -<span style="margin-left: 5%;">Your obedient servant,</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 10%;"><span class="smcap">Dion Boucicault</span>.</span><br /> -</p> - - - -<p style="margin-left: 25%;"><span class="smcap">London</span>, May 23. </p> -</blockquote> - -<p>The rescue was the subject of very savage comment in the English -newspapers, and some of the editorials are reprinted in the Appendix.</p> - -<p>Invitations to attend various functions in honor of the rescue poured -in upon Captain Anthony, and he found himself a hero with the Irish -people throughout the world, a position in which he stands to-day, for -the debt has never been forgotten. That the valiant deed still lives -in the memory, it may be said that ten thousand people in Philadelphia -greeted the captain last summer, on the occasion of the presentation to -the Clan-na-Gael societies of the flag which flew over the Catalpa on -the day when the British were defied. Here is the story printed in the -"Philadelphia Times" on the date of August 6, 1895:—</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[Pg 177]</a></span></p> - -<p>The green flag of Ireland, entwined with the Stars and Stripes, floated -proudly over the main entrance to the Rising Sun Park yesterday -and gave greeting to ten thousand people who joined in the annual -Clan-na-Gael celebration. The multitude came from all sections of the -city, and all the suburban towns and the adjoining counties sent large -contingents of Clan-na-Gael sympathizers. The management made every -possible provision for the entertainment of those present, and spared -neither expense nor time in making the celebration a success, giving -big prizes to the field and track athletes from many sections of the -Union and from Canada who took part in the sporting events.</p> - -<p>The grounds were decorated possibly on a more elaborate scale than on -any former occasion. Exclusive of what the track and field provided in -the way of amusement, there were pastimes for the younger and older -folks, such as tenpin alleys, merry-go-rounds, baseball, and swings. -There were several bands of music, one for those who occupied seats on -the pavilion from which the track and field sports could be seen, and -two others on the dancing platform.</p> - -<p>The great feature of the day's exercises, and that which attracted the -most attention, were the introduction of Captain George S. Anthony and -the presentation by him to the Clan-na-Gaels of the flag which floated -from the masthead of the whaling bark Catalpa, which had on board the -political prisoners rescued from the penal settlement of Western<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[Pg 178]</a></span> -Australia, when it was overtaken by a British gunboat. Captain Anthony -presented the flag from a temporary platform erected on the tracks, and -after it had been accepted in behalf of the Clan-na-Gael the scene was -one of great enthusiasm. Luke Dillon, president of the Irish American -Club, introduced Captain Anthony, and almost simultaneously the old -Stars and Stripes were unfurled to the breeze and the band seated on -the grand stand played the "Star-Spangled Banner." About four thousand -people joined in singing the anthem, and the Clan-na-Gael Guards fired -two volleys as a salute.</p> - -<p>On the platform were seated State Senator James C. Vaughn, of Scranton; -Michael J. Breslin, a brother of John J. Breslin, who had charge of the -land part of the Catalpa expedition; Martin Hogan, of New York, Thomas -Darragh, and Robert Cranston, three of the rescued prisoners; Dr. -William Carroll, William Francis Roantree, John Devoy, J.J. Thompson, -Major Fitzpatrick, of Trenton, N.J.; Michael Gribbel, of Jersey -City; Bernard Masterson, Eugene Buckley, and Michael J. Gribble, of -Pittsburgh.</p> - -<p>Captain Anthony, in presenting the flag, said:—</p> - -<blockquote> -<p>"Twenty years ago you came to me with a request to aid you in restoring -to freedom some soldiers of liberty confined in England's penal colony -of Western Australia. Your story of their sufferings touched my heart, -and I pledged my word as an American sailor to aid in the good work to -the best of my ability.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[Pg 179]</a></span></p> - -<p>"You intrusted me with the command of the bark Catalpa. I took her to -the West Australia coast, and when the gallant Breslin and his trusty -men had effected the rescue of their friends I brought the party safely -in the ship's boat to the Catalpa and placed them on board under the -shelter of the American flag. When on the high seas the commander of -an armed British steamer fired a solid shot across the Catalpa's bows, -demanded the surrender of the rescued men, and threatened to blow -out the masts of my vessel, if I failed to comply with his demands, -I refused, and told the British commander that if he fired on the -American flag on the high seas he must take the consequences. He then -withdrew, and I took your friends to New York, where I landed them in -safety.</p> - -<p>"The flag which floated over the Catalpa on that April day in 1876—the -Stars and Stripes which protected the liberated men and their -rescuers—I have preserved and cherished for twenty years as a sacred -relic. I would fain keep it and hand it down to my children as a family -heirloom, but I am confident it will be safe in the keeping of those -who were associated with me in an enterprise of which we have all -reason to be proud. Your countrymen have ever been loyal to the flag of -the United States and ever ready to shed their blood in its defense. I, -therefore, present you with this flag of the Catalpa as a memento of -our common share in a good work well done and a token of the sympathy -of all true Americans with the cause of lib<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[Pg 180]</a></span>erty in Ireland. I know you -will cherish it as I do, and that if the interests of that flag should -ever again demand it your countrymen will be among the first to rally -to its defense?"</p> -</blockquote> - -<p>When Captain Anthony finished his address he was the recipient of many -beautiful bouquets.</p> - -<p>John Devoy, who had been delegated by the Clan-na-Gael to accept the -colors, was unable to do so because of sickness, and Michael J. Ryan, -who acted in his place, read the speech which Mr. Devoy had prepared:—</p> - -<blockquote> -<p>"Captain Anthony, old friend and comrade, I accept this flag on behalf -of the organization which fitted out the Catalpa, selected you as -her commander, and which shared with you the credit for the work of -humanity which she was the chief instrument in accomplishing. I accept -it with pride as a memento of a noble deed, and I promise you it shall -be cherished by us while life is left us, and handed down to future -generations, who will love and cherish it as well. It is the flag of -our adopted country, under which Irishmen have fought side by side with -native Americans on every battlefield where the interests and the honor -of that flag were at stake, from Bunker Hill to Appomattox. It is the -flag which symbolizes the highest development of human liberty on this -earth, and in the future, as in the past, the race to which we, to whom -you present this flag, belong, will stand shoulder to shoulder with -yours in its defense and in the maintenance of its proud and glorious -record.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[Pg 181]</a></span></p> - -<p>"You recall to our minds to-day memories of events in which native -Americans and Irishmen were closely associated; in which Irish -enthusiasm and Yankee coolness, grit, and skill in seamanship effected -a combination that won a decisive victory for humanity over the forces -of oppression. The battle of human freedom has not yet been won, and -the combination of which you formed such an important part may serve as -an example worthy of imitation and enlargement in the future.</p> - -<p>"Your part in that work was noble and disinterested throughout. I -went to New Bedford twenty years ago, knowing not a soul in the city, -bearing a letter of introduction from John Boyle O'Reilly to Henry C. -Hathaway, who has done noble work in aiding the poet-patriot to escape -from the Western Australian prison to the land of the free. He entered -heartily into the project with which the Clan-na-Gael had intrusted -me, and introduced me to you and your father-in-law, Mr. Richardson. -Without any promise of reward for your services, or compensation -for the risks you would run, you undertook to carry out the work of -liberation. You sailed away to the southern seas, you carried out -the work you pledged yourself to accomplish, you incurred new risks -which had not been asked of you, you defied the British commander -who threatened to fire on the Stars and Stripes, and brought the six -Irishmen rescued from a British prison in safety to America. In all -this you bore yourself proudly and gallantly, like a true American -sailor, and you<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[Pg 182]</a></span> placed the Irish people under heavy obligations to you.</p> - -<p>"Our chief regret to-day is that the man most closely associated with -you in the rescue, John J. Breslin, the man who commanded the land -force of the expedition, and to whose skill and courage its success was -wholly due, is not here to receive this flag from your hands. As he -has gone to his last account, the honor of taking his place has been -assigned to me, although I was only concerned in the management of the -American end of the enterprise. Many of those who took part in the -rescue and two of the men to whom you helped to give liberty are here -to do you honor and to thank you in the name of the Irish race for the -gallant feat you accomplished nineteen years ago and for your generous -gift of this historic flag. Others still are in their graves, while -some live too far away to participate in this day's proceedings, which -recall an event of which we are all proud.</p> - -<p>"Captain Anthony, in the name of the Clan-na-Gael, I thank you for the -Catalpa's flag, and wish you a long and happy life."</p> -</blockquote> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[Pg 183]</a></span></p> - - - - -<p class ="ph2"><a name="CHAPTER_XXIX" id="CHAPTER_XXIX">CHAPTER XXIX</a></p> - -<p class="center">SETTLEMENT OF THE VOYAGE</p> - - -<p><span class="smcap">In</span> February, 1877, Mr. Devoy, with James Reynolds, went to New Bedford -and made a liberal settlement with the crew. An average was taken of -the catch of oil by the vessels which sailed the same season with the -Catalpa, several of which had made "big cuts." The settlement with the -men was on this basis.</p> - -<p>The Catalpa was presented to Captain Anthony, Mr. Richardson, and Henry -C. Hathaway, but her value was not great. She was eventually sold and -altered into a coal barge, coming to an ignominious end at Belize, -British Honduras, where she was condemned.</p> - -<p>Captain Anthony's occupation was now gone, since it would be unsafe for -him to enter an English port. He was for a while an officer of the New -Bedford police force, but was appointed an inspector in the New Bedford -custom-house in President Cleveland's first term, a position which he -has since held.</p> - -<p>Gallant John Breslin died in New York on November 18, 1888, with -the name of his country upon his lips. To the last he believed that -revolution was the only remedy for Ireland's wrongs. The an<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[Pg 184]</a></span>nouncement -of his death drew tears from Irish eyes the world over, for his burning -love of country, his chivalry and unparalleled bravery had touched the -hearts of Erin's sons and daughters. Clan-na-Gael societies telegraphed -their sorrow, and John Devoy and all the Catalpan leaders hastened to -New York to be present at the funeral exercises.</p> - -<p>"Out of all the incidents of the so-called 'Fenian movement,'" said -the "Pilot," "the most brilliantly daring have been two rescues of -prisoners, namely, that of the chief organizer, James Stephens, from -Richmond Prison, Dublin, in 1865, and of the six military prisoners -from Western Australia last April. These two rescues are in many -ways remarkable. Unlike almost every other enterprise of Fenianism, -they have been completely successful; and when completed have been -commented on in the same way, as 'well done.' Every other attempt or -proposal has fallen through or ended with loss. The rescue of Kelley -and Deasy from the police van in Manchester was successful so far as -the release of the prisoners went; but it was bought with the lives of -Allen, Larkin, and O'Brien, and the nine years' misery of Condon. The -proposed attack on Chester Castle was discovered and prevented by the -English government. The seizure of Pigeon House Fort, with its armory, -at Dublin, never emerged from the stage of dreamland. The attempt to -blow up Clerkenwell Prison, London, to release Richard Burke, was a -disastrous failure, by which nothing was accomplished, by which many -suffered, the lives of sev<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[Pg 185]</a></span>eral poor working people were sacrificed, -and the wretched lodging-house homes of others destroyed.</p> - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/illus11.jpg" alt="pic" /> -<a id="illus11" name="illus11"></a> -</p> -<p class="caption"> JAMES REYNOLDS<br /> - -Treasurer of the Rescue Committee</p> - -<p>"But the rescue of James Stephens, even while the government was -gloating over his capture, was as unexpected and thorough as if the man -had vanished in smoke. No one suffered from it,—at least from English -law,—no one was arrested; neither the government nor the public ever -knew how or by whom it was accomplished. The man or men who did the -work claimed no recompense either of money or notoriety. Two thousand -pounds reward failed to elicit the slightest clew. The thing was -cleverly, cleanly, bravely done, and those who knew of it knew how to -keep the secret.</p> - -<p>"The rescue of the six military prisoners from the penal colony of West -Australia was performed in a similar manner as to daring, silence, and -complete success. Looking back on it, no one can say that aught was -forgotten or left to chance. With admirable deliberation every inch -of the train was laid, every sporadic interest was attended to, and -the eventful rescue was carried out to the prearranged letter with -scientific precision. As in the escape of Stephens, no trail remained; -no one left in the trap; no price paid in human life or suffering. It -was a clean thing from beginning to end; it was 'well done.'"</p> - -<p>The total expense of the expedition was about $30,000, and a fund was -raised in addition to give the rescued men a start in the new life -which had been vouchsafed to them.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[Pg 186]</a></span></p> - - - - -<p class ="ph2"><a name="APPENDIX" id="APPENDIX">APPENDIX</a></p> - - -<p class="center">[<i>London Telegraph.</i>]</p> - -<p><span class="smcap">Closely</span> following upon the recent debate in the House of Commons on the -Fenian prisoners, still held most justly in durance, come particulars -from Western Australia of the escape of the half dozen jail-birds who, -while they were in captivity, excited so much sympathy among Irish -rebels and their abettors. Every Englishman knew that this sympathy -was misplaced, and, as a matter of fact, it turns out that it was the -very mildness of the captivity of the Hibernians in an Australian penal -settlement which made their escape so easy.</p> - -<p>[After telling how the rescue was effected, the "Telegraph" continued:]</p> - -<p>So the English cruiser had to return to Freemantle as empty as it left, -and the skipper of the Catalpa, who was evidently, like most Yankee -mariners, an accomplished sea lawyer, sailed off in triumph, laughing -at our scrupulous obedience to international law. This is a humiliating -result, and it is not easy to see who most deserves blame,—the sleepy -warder who allowed all the men to give him the slip and sounded no -alarm in time to overtake them on their long carriage drive, or the -authorities at Rockingham, who permitted the Catalpa to get outside -the territorial limit before stopping her. Nor is it clear what is -the next step to be taken. If the American vessel took on board the -convicts in Australia, that is in British waters, we presume that -we can insist on their rendition and on redress in some shape for a -violation of our sovereignty. We can readily conceive what would have -happened if an English vessel in the harbor of say Norfolk,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[Pg 187]</a></span> Va., had -received Confederate prisoners on board, and had sailed off, daring -pursuit or arrest. Thus our government may be excused for being firm -and peremptory in calling attention to whatever violation of law -the Yankee whaler may have committed. On the other hand, there is -the consideration that the enterprising skipper of the Catalpa has, -without meaning it, done us a good turn; he has rid us of an expensive -nuisance. The United States are welcome to any number of disloyal, -turbulent, plotting conspirators, to all their silly machinations. If -these are transferred to British soil, we shall know how to deal with -them,—as we have shown already.</p> - - -<p class="center">[<i>Melbourne Argus.</i>]</p> - -<p>The news from Western Australia confirms the suspicion that a grave -international outrage was committed in the escape of the Fenian -prisoners from Freemantle. They were actually taken away while wearing -the convict garb by the master of an American ship, who dispatched a -boat ashore for that purpose. It is impossible to suppose that a man -did not know very well what he was doing, and his proceedings are -precisely as if a French boat were to run to the hill of Portland and -take away as many convicts from there as could crowd into her. The -imperial authorities are bound to take cognizance of the episode, and -to demand a substantial redress. We shall be told, no doubt, that the -escaped convicts are political refugees, and attention may be called to -the fact that Communist convicts frequently arrive in Australia without -the permission of their gaolers. But the attempt at a parallel will -deceive no one. The Communists arrive here without any aid on our part. -They build boats and take their chance, and if the Fenians had found -their way to America, their case would be very different from what it -is. Rochefort and his companions came over, it is true, in a British -bark; but, though the complicity of the captain was suspected, it was -never proved. But with the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[Pg 188]</a></span> Catalpa there is evidence of a plot; there -is testimony that the American master took his boat to an unsuspected -spot, and that he made special exertions to ship the men. The ship was -on the high seas, it is true, and outside of British jurisdiction, but -the master and his boat went to the shore, and for a felonious purpose, -and that constitutes the breach of the law of nations. The offense -is too serious, too glaring, to be overlooked, and we presume that -important communications will speedily pass between the governments of -Westminster and Washington.</p> - - -<p class="center">[<i>Melbourne Advocate.</i>]</p> - -<p>The correspondence will be voluminous, but very courteous on both -sides, and, after being long drawn out, it will terminate in friendly -assurances; for it would never do that first cousins, bound together -by common interests, and in whose hands the great destinies of the -English-speaking race rest, should seriously quarrel over the fate of -a half dozen unfortunate Irishmen. The Slidell and Mason business was -a little more serious, and there was no quarrel over it. The cabinet -of Westminster will have a strong case for Washington in this Fenian -business, but Washington is not without a case against Westminster; for -its demand for the unconditional extradition of an American criminal -has been refused by the English government. Washington, besides, will -be apt to say that these escaped Fenians were political prisoners, and -though Great Britain may maintain the contrary, European opinion will -be decidedly against her view of the case. Something will also be said -about Communist convicts being sheltered on British soil, and after all -that can be urged on each side has been said, the whole affair will -taper down to an indivisible and invisible point, or, to use a more -homely phrase, it will end in smoke.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[Pg 189]</a></span></p> - - -<p class="center">THE RESCUED PRISONERS</p> - -<p>On the 12th inst., William Foley, one of the Irish political prisoners -recently confined in Western Australia, arrived in New York from -Queenstown, on the steamship Wisconsin. When the news of the escape -of the prisoners came last week, it was thought that Foley was among -the number, but it now appears that his sentence expired last January, -and he sailed from Perth, Western Australia, on the 16th of that month -for London. From London he proceeded to Dublin, and after spending a -fortnight there went to his home in Tipperary, but finding none of his -friends there except one uncle, a very old man, he went to Cork, where -he remained about ten days, when he started for New York. The following -is the substance of Foley's story, given to a "New York Herald" -reporter by the gentleman who received it:—</p> - -<p>Toward the end of last November two gentlemen arrived in Western -Australia, and, knowing the means, at once placed themselves in -communication with the prisoners, and commenced to thoroughly survey -the ground on which they were to work. Foley, being on ticket-of-leave -at the time, and having just got out of the hospital, where he had -been suffering from heart disease, was introduced to one of them by a -friend, and on the stranger giving certain information which showed -what his mission was, an understanding was arrived at. A great deal -of delicate work had to be done, and every precaution taken to avoid -attracting the attention of the authorities, but up to the last moment -of Foley's stay in the colony not the least suspicion was aroused. The -two agents each followed a legitimate occupation, and acted in every -way as if going to make their home in Western Australia, or bent solely -on making lasting business connections with the colony, and so discreet -were their movements and conduct that no one dreamed that they were -anything but<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[Pg 190]</a></span> what they appeared to be. "I asked no questions," said -Foley, "and they told me nothing which I had not a right to know."</p> - -<p>Toward the close of the spring of last year all the prisoners not on -ticket-of-leave, and two of the men who had tickets-of-leave, were sent -in from the various gangs in which they had been working through the -bush and lodged in the principal convict station at Freemantle. Their -names were James Wilson, Martin Hogan, Thomas Hassett, Thomas Darragh, -Michael Harrington, Robert Cranston, and James Kelley, life-sentenced -men, and Thomas Delaney and James McCoy, whose tickets-of-leave were -revoked. These were all, with the exception of Wilson, engaged in -constructing a reservoir within the prison of Freemantle, which is -situated on the hill, intended to supply water to the shipping in the -harbor. Wilson was training a horse for the doctor of the prison, and -this employment enabled him to go out of the prison several times each -day, and gave him many facilities for perfecting the plan of escape. -Many disappointments occurred, however, owing to unforeseen accidents, -and one golden opportunity was lost through failing to connect with a -certain ship. The ability of the agents was tested to the utmost and -the patience of the expectant prisoners was sorely tried. Still nothing -occurred to arouse the suspicion of the prison officials and no one -connected with the attempt lost heart. Two days before Foley took his -departure he had an interview with Wilson, and on the former asking -him how he should correspond with him, Wilson said, "Don't write to us -any more; I am confident we shall all follow you soon." When taking -his leave two days later neither could speak, but could only exchange -a silent but hearty shake of the hand. This was on January 16. Foley -took his passage on a sailing vessel for London, and after a voyage of -ninety-four days arrived in that city.</p> - -<p>Though he could not feel sure that all had escaped,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[Pg 191]</a></span> Foley expressed -the greatest confidence in the safety of those who had got on board the -American ship. The Georgette, which was sent in pursuit of the Catalpa, -according to the statements of the Sydney papers, telegraphed here -from San Francisco, is only a small screw steamer, built on the Clyde, -about two hundred tons burthen, which is employed in carrying the mails -from Champion Bay, the most northern settlement in West Australia, -to King George's Sound, which is the most southerly point at which -vessels call in the same colony, and she is manned by only ten men at -the most,—ordinary sailors who never saw any service. In Perth and -Freemantle there are not more than thirty policemen at any time, and -if all of these went on board the Georgette the released soldiers and -their friends could make short work of them in a hand-to-hand fight. -The only artillery in the colony is in Perth—four old nine-pounders -belonging to a company of volunteers, the members of which live -scattered through the surrounding country and could not be got together -at a short notice. There are about forty retired soldiers living in -the neighborhood of Perth, but they are all old men, and could not be -collected at any shorter notice than the volunteers.</p> - -<p>It would take some time to unlimber the guns, get the Georgette ready -and prepare for a pursuit, and the point on the coast selected for -a rendezvous, according to arrangements made previous to Foley's -departure, is about twenty-five miles from Freemantle. Everything -considered, it would take several days to enable the Georgette to start -in pursuit, and by that time the Catalpa, or any other vessel on which -they might be, would be beyond her reach. Then the Georgette could not -be provisioned for a long cruise, nor could the police force nor the -pensioners be spared from the colony for any length of time, and there -was no ship of war at all in the neighborhood. Altogether the chances -of the recapture of the prisoners by the Georgette appear to be very -remote, even if she<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[Pg 192]</a></span> would risk boarding an American ship on the high -seas. Boats had been already secured when Foley left, to accommodate -all the prisoners and convey them out to sea so that they might not get -on board any ship in British waters. "The news," said Foley, "seems -too good to be true; it is so short a time since I saw them within the -prison walls, and all I can say is, God speed them on their way, and -may God bless the Yankee captain who took them aboard."</p> - -<p>Foley is thirty-eight years of age, and enlisted in 1853 in the Bombay -Horse Artillery, under the East India Company, and served all through -the Sepoy rebellion. In 1859 he returned to England, and soon after -reënlisted in the Fifth Dragoon Guards, in which regiment he remained -until his arrest for Fenianism in February, 1866. He is a simple, quiet -man, but known by his comrades to be a man of indomitable courage. -Before his imprisonment he was a man of magnificent physique, being six -feet in height and splendidly proportioned. At present he is reduced -considerably, through the terrible ordeal through which he has passed, -and very little of that soldier's strut so characteristic of British -cavalrymen can be noticed in him.—<i>Pilot</i>, June 24, 1876.</p> - - -<p class="center">CAPTAIN ANTHONY OF THE CATALPA</p> - -<p>The remarkable story printed in this week's "Pilot," from the pen of -the chief agent in the rescue of the prisoners, makes it clear that the -captain of the whaling bark Catalpa is a man of extraordinary nerve and -integrity. Captain George S. Anthony is a young man, scarcely thirty -years of age; a silent, unassuming sailor. There is nothing in his -appearance, except, perhaps, the steadiness of the deeply-sunken dark -eye, to tell that in a moment of pending danger that would frighten -brave men this one would take his life in his hand, and, with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[Pg 193]</a></span> his -usual quiet air, steer into the very jaws of destruction.</p> - -<p>When the Catalpa lay off the coast of the penal colony, at the -appointed place for the rescue, Captain Anthony did not, as he might -have done, send one of his officers in command of the boat that was to -land on the dangerous coast. With a picked crew of his whalemen, the -captain took the steering-oar himself. When he had reached the shore, -a man who had been watching the incoming boat informed him that he had -passed over a terrible danger; that right in the line he had crossed -lay a fatal reef, over which no boat had ever before sailed in safety. -Had this information not been given, it is almost certain that the -entire boat's crew, with the rescued prisoners, would have been lost, -for Captain Anthony would certainly have sailed out as he had entered, -and in that event the bones of the brave fellows would now be whitening -on the ledges of the reef. When the escaped prisoners arrived, and the -frail boat again put to sea, the firm hand of the captain still held -the steering-oar. The night came down, the wind rose, and the water -lashed over the deep-laden boat. They could not see the ship's lights, -but steered blindly into the darkness. There was no choice of roads. -Behind them was the chain-gang for the rescuers and the gallows for the -absconders. The morning came, and the drenched and weary men, instead -of a bark, saw a gunboat in pursuit. They were grateful then for the -rising waves, in the troughs of which their little boat escaped the -watchful eyes of the pursuit. The trained skill of the seaman was here -invaluable. He knew that a boat might escape being seen from the deck -of a ship, though only a short distance away. He lowered his sail, and -got into the wake of the gunboat, the point where they would be least -likely to look. And when the gunboat steamed away, and the smaller -police-cutter hove in sight and bore straight down on the whaleboat, -trying to cut them off from the ship, Captain Anthony shouted -encouragement<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[Pg 194]</a></span> to his tired men, calling them by name, using all the -whaleman's arts to urge his hands in the last spurt before the whale -is struck—till he saw that they had distanced the cutter by a few -terrible yards, and were safe alongside the Catalpa. For thirty hours -Captain Anthony had held the steering-oar of his whaleboat.</p> - -<p>It is a splendid story of endurance and devotion to duty. The brave man -had undertaken to rescue these prisoners, and he held to his engagement -with a manly faith that neither danger nor death could appall. To -the rescued he was not bound by ties of race or nationality; but he -knew they were political prisoners, cruelly held in bondage; and the -seaman's heart, made generous by intercourse with foreign lands, felt -deeply the bond of humanity, regardless of Celtic or Anglo-Saxon -promptings.</p> - -<p>It must not be forgotten that by this achievement Captain Anthony has -destroyed his career as a whaleman. He has placed himself beyond the -pale of every British harbor in the world. He can no more follow his -profession in the South Sea or in the Indian Ocean, for nearly every -port at which the whaleships get supplies are possessions of the -British Crown. By this one act, done for Irishmen, Captain Anthony has -literally thrown away the years and experience that have made him one -of the best whalemen in New Bedford.</p> - -<p>The Irish people of America should not forget this, nor allow such a -debt to remain against their name. <span class="smcap">Captain Anthony should get such -a testimonial as will put him beyond the necessity of ever going to sea -again.</span> Unless this be done, the brave man has ruined his future -in the interests of a selfish and ungrateful people. If the masses of -our people would contribute each a mite—ten cents apiece—enough would -be done. At the meetings of Irish societies throughout the country, -subscriptions of this kind might be raised; and local treasurers could -be appointed to receive contributions. All subscriptions sent to "The -Pilot" will be acknow<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[Pg 195]</a></span>ledged. There is not an Irish man or woman in -America who could not give something, no matter how small, to such an -object; and we trust that no time will be lost in setting the movement -in practical operation.—<i>Pilot</i>, September 2, 1876.</p> - - -<p class="center">ESCAPE OF THE IRISH PRISONERS</p> - -<p>... Business was almost entirely suspended, and the imposing Masonic -ceremony of laying the foundation stone of the new Freemasons' Hall, -which was to take place at four o'clock, was almost forgotten, -and attracted but little if any attention. In the course of the -afternoon, His Excellency, accompanied by the Colonial Secretary, -drove down, and after consultation with the Superintendent of Water -Police, the Comptroller-General, and other officials, and the agent -for the Georgette, it was decided to dispatch the Georgette again -to the Catalpa, with a view to intercept the boat, or to demand the -surrender of the prisoners from the captain, if they were on board. The -pensioners and police were again embarked, a twelve-pounder field-piece -was shipped and fixed in the gangway; provisions were put on board, -and a fatigue-party of pensioners were engaged in coaling—thirty tons -being put on board in a short time. By eleven o'clock arrangements -were completed, and the Georgette steamed away from the jetty. Not a -few, both on board and on shore, but gave way to gloomy forebodings -as to the result of this second visit to the ship. Certainly, the -arrangements made by the authorities warranted those who were not -acquainted with international law, or aware of his excellency's -instructions, in concluding that the governor had determined upon -resorting to force, if necessary, to capture the fugitives. By early -morning the Georgette was outside of Rottnest, and at daylight sighted -the ship bearing S.S.E. under full sail. The<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[Pg 196]</a></span> Georgette hereupon -hoisted her pennant and the ensign, and all hands were put under -arms. As the Georgette did not gain upon the ship, and the wind was -freshening, a gun was fired under the vessel's stern,—and she then run -up the American flag. She took no further notice of the signal, and the -Georgette, under full steam and all sail, gave chase. As the ship did -not attempt to shorten sail or take any notice of the signal, when the -Georgette had steamed to within a quarter of a mile of her a gun was -fired across her bow, and the captain of the ship then got into the -quarter-boat....</p> - - -<p class="center">WHAT THE AUSTRALIAN PRESS SAYS</p> - -<p>The comments of the Western Australian papers will be interesting -to the readers of "The Pilot." "The Perth Inquirer" of the 26th of -April says: "It seems humiliating that a Yankee with a half dozen -colored men should be able to come into our waters and carry off -six of the most determined of the Fenian convicts,—all of them -military prisoners,—and then to laugh at us for allowing them to -be taken away without an effort to secure them. But international -law must be observed, and, doubtless, the Home Government will seek -and obtain redress for this outrage. It is evident that Collins came -to this colony with ample means as the agent of the American Fenian -Brotherhood, and that Jones, Johnson, and Taylor were co-workers in -furthering the escape of the prisoners. Immediately the Catalpa arrived -in Bunbury, Collins proceeded there, and doubtless interviewed Captain -Anthony, who shortly afterwards came to Freemantle under the plea of -securing fresh charts, but in reality to reconnoitre the coast. The -Catalpa appears to have cleared out of Bunbury on the 28th of March, -when a ticket-of-leave man named Smith was found stowed away and taken -by the police. She must have returned to Bunbury, and again cleared out -finally on the 15th instant. It would appear that there was a desire to -obtain<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[Pg 197]</a></span> correct legal information on international law, for about the -time of Captain Anthony's visit to Freemantle, Johnson called upon Mr. -Howell, the solicitor in Perth, and asked several questions as to the -limit of neutral waters, from which we infer that the captain knew what -he was about when he told Mr. Stone that his flag protected him where -he then was."</p> - - -<p class="center">TOO BAD TO BE LAUGHED AT BY THE YANKEES</p> - -<p>The "Freemantle Herald," of April 22, said:—</p> - -<p>"The early return of the steamer gave rise to every kind of conjecture, -and as her approach was watched from the shore, wagers were freely made -as to the cause of her early return. Many declared that the Catalpa, -warned of the steps the governor was taking by the previous visit of -the Georgette, had attacked her and beaten her off. Others laid bets -that, overawed by the determination of force on board the Georgette, -the captain of the Catalpa had quietly surrendered the runaways. As is -usual in such cases, the sequel showed that neither was right. When the -true condition of affairs became known, there were some manifestations -of indignation at the colony having been fooled by a Yankee skipper. -The pensioners and police felt that they had been taking part in a very -silly farce, and had been laughed at by the Yankees at sea and the -public on shore, and sincerely hoped that instructions would be given -to go out again and take the prisoners by force. The governor, however, -who throughout had acted with most commendable energy and prudence, was -not to be led into committing a breach of international law to gratify -a feeling of resentment at the cool effrontery of the Yankee, directed -that the armed parties on board the Georgette should be dismissed, and -the vessel returned to the agent, with his excellency's thanks for -the readiness with which the vessel had been placed at his disposal, -and for the hearty manner in which both the agent, Mr. McCleery, the -captain, Mr. M.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[Pg 198]</a></span> O'Grady, and all concerned, had coöperated with him in -the matter; at the same time expressing his approbation of the conduct -of Mr. Stone. These instructions were carried out, and in a short time -the crowds dispersed, and the town elapsed into its normal condition -of quietude, having suffered three days of the most intense excitement -ever experienced in its history."—<i>Pilot</i>, August 12, 1876.</p> - - -<p class="center">HOW THE IRISH PRISONERS ESCAPED</p> - -<p>The following letter has been received by Mrs. O'Reilly, John Street, -Kilkenny, from her son, Rev. John O'Reilly, who is at present in -Freemantle, Western Australia. Father O'Reilly, following in the -footsteps of many ardent young missionaries, left home and friends to -pursue his sacred calling in the region of the Southern Cross. We can -easily understand what his feelings were when the mail steamer returned -to her moorings after her fruitless pursuit of the whaler bearing away -the escaped prisoners:—</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p> - -<span class="smcap">Freemantle</span>, W.A., April 18, 1876.<br /> -</p> - -<p><span class="smcap">My dear Mother</span>,—You owe to the accidental detention of the -mail steamer the letter which I am now writing. The cause of the delay -is an event which will probably excite so much attention in the Old -Country and America, that it will form the principal if not the sole -topic of my note.</p> - -<p>You are aware before now that Western Australia is a convict colony. -Hither were sent some seven or eight years ago a number of the -prisoners sentenced to penal servitude on the occasion of the Fenian -disturbances a little before that date. These were gradually released, -and at the beginning of the present month only eight remained in -confinement in Western Australia. All eight had been soldiers. The -prisoners of the establishment work in various gangs throughout the -town, and the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[Pg 199]</a></span> Fenians were distributed at different points with the -rest. Amongst the prisoners some are chosen to fill offices of trust -in connection with the prison arrangements, and are called constables. -One of the Fenians was a constable, and by delivering pretended orders -to the warders in charge of the working parties, he was enabled to get -six of the Fenians together when occasion required.</p> - -<p>The occasion came yesterday. At nine o'clock he withdrew these whom he -required from under the warders in charge. The six prisoners assembled -at a spot just outside Freemantle. Two carriages, with two horses -each, were in readiness. They got in, and away they go.</p> - -<p>I must retrace my steps a little. Towards the end of last year -a gentleman represented as from one of the neighboring colonies -arrived here. He put up at the best hotel at the port, and has since -mixed with the best society. He went by the name of Mr. Collins. -His business here was always an enigma to the residents, but it was -supposed by some that he had come here with a view of seeing his -way to the opening of some business. Another person lately arrived -here too, named Jones, a Yankee; but as he worked at a trade no one -noticed him. Now it appears these two persons were the chief actors -in the plot. They arranged the details of the flight, and awaited the -fugitives with carriages at the place of rendezvous yesterday.</p> - -<p>The party drove to a spot sixteen miles or so from Freemantle, where -they were seen to enter a boat evidently belonging to a whaler in the -offing.</p> - -<p>Yesterday, port and metropolis were in a state of intense excitement. -The government chartered an only steamer, a peaceful mail boat, put on -board a guard of pensioners and police,—we have no soldiers in the -colony,—and sent it in pursuit. A little before the steamer an open -boat manned with water police had started on the trail of the runaways.</p> - -<p>To-day, at four, the steamer returned. A crowd had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[Pg 200]</a></span> assembled on -the jetty to see her come in; I was amongst the number; she did not -bring the prisoners; she reported having been alongside the whaler. -The captain and one boat's crew were absent. The authorities in the -steamer requested to go on board, but were refused permission. As the -vessel lay in neutral waters, they could not use force to attain their -desires.</p> - -<p>The water police boat is still in chase of the missing ship's boat, -but I doubt if they will come up with her. Under cover of the darkness -of the night—and it threatens to be dark indeed—the absent crew, -with the fugitives, will make the ship; and even if the police crew -found them, and there was a fight, as there would be pretty sure to -be, if a forced capture were attempted, it is very doubtful who would -be the victors. Against the fifteen water police, there would be the -six prisoners, their two accomplices, and the boat's crew.</p> - -<p>The whistle is sounding its warning, and my letter must hurry to the -post. With kindest love to all, believe me,</p> - -<p> -Your affectionate son, <span class="smcap">J. O'Reilly</span>.<br /> -</p></blockquote> - -<p>—<i>Pilot</i>, June 24, 1876.</p> - - -<p class="center">THE ESCAPE OF THE POLITICAL PRISONERS</p> - -<p>"There was a torchlight procession in Dublin on Saturday night, June -10, in celebration of the escape of the political convicts from West -Australia, and Disraeli was burned in effigy." So runs the latest -telegram from Ireland, and the news is fully significant. Ireland -knows the meaning of the escape, and will act on it. It was planned -and carried out by her sons in America; and this fact will intensify -the national spirit of the Old Country, and make her feel that she is -beginning to reap the harvest of her motherhood.</p> - -<p>The first news of the escape of the Irish prisoners appeared last week -in the following dispatch:—</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[Pg 201]</a></span></p> - -<blockquote> - -<p>"London, June 6. A dispatch from Melbourne, Australia, states that all -the political prisoners confined in Western Australia have escaped on -the American whaleship Catalpa."</p></blockquote> - -<p>About the same time the SS. Colima from Sydney, Australia, reached San -Francisco with news to the same effect, but adding that the ocean cable -from Australia to Java had been cut on April 27, immediately before the -escape.</p> - -<p>Two weeks ago the English Prime Minister scornfully refused to release -those prisoners at the earnest request of Ireland. It was in his hands -then to render this escape meaningless, and to make Irishmen believe -that they had better wait for the slow course of English justice. But -the old spirit of domineering insolence was too strong in the British -House of Commons. To show mercy to Ireland would be a confession of -weakness; they determined to refuse the Irish petition, and at their -own haughty will select the time to release the prisoners.</p> - -<p>But Ireland has had satisfaction this time. At the moment that Disraeli -was jauntily telling the House that he would not release the prisoners, -they were on board a Yankee ship, free as air, thousands of miles from -an English chain or an English dungeon. Ireland laughs at England at -home; and all America joins in our jeer across the Atlantic.</p> - -<p>It is the beginning of a new order of things in Irish national -movements. Heretofore England could buy informers and perpetuate the -distrust of each other which has been the curse of Irishmen. The -reins of agitation have been too often given into inferior hands, and -inferior intelligence has too long dominated Irish councils.</p> - -<p>The escape of the prisoners from Western Australia is the best proof -that Irishmen can manage the most dangerous and difficult enterprises, -and keep their own counsel in a way unknown almost to any other nation. -The plan of this escape was completed nearly two years ago.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[Pg 202]</a></span> Every -portion of the gigantic scheme was worked out in the United States. The -machinery was set in motion here, eighteen months ago, which recently -struck such an alarming note in the penal colony. When the freed men -are landed safe in America or some other country, the plan of the -escape may be published. Until then we shall only say that nothing was -left to chance, that no expense was spared, and that brave men were -ready to risk liberty and life itself to make the attempt a success.</p> - -<p>To one devoted man, more than to any other, the whole affair is -creditable. He it was who, with the pitiful letters received from the -prisoners in his hand, excited the sympathy of Irish conventions and -individual men. He neglected his business in New York to attend to the -prisoners. He told those who helped the object that they would have to -trust him, that the secret must not be generally known. They did trust -him, for they had reason to know his purity as a patriot. The event -proves the truth and devotedness of the man. We have asked him for -permission to publish his name; but he will not allow us till the men -are absolutely safe. To another man, an American friend, the gratitude -of the Irish people is also due.</p> - -<p>These outlines are not imaginative, but real. We have been acquainted -with the plan since its inception; and of late have been anxiously -watching for the good news.</p> - -<p class="center"> -<img src="images/illus12.jpg" alt="pic" /> -<a id="illus12" name="illus12"></a> -</p> -<p class="caption"> A CARTOON FROM THE IRISH WORLD, SEPTEMBER 2, 1876</p> - -<p>There was never an enterprise so large and so terribly dangerous -carried out more admirably. It will be remembered of Irish patriots -that they never forget their suffering brothers. The prisoners who -have escaped are humble men, most of them private soldiers. But the -<span class="smcap">PRINCIPLE</span> was at stake—and for this they have been released. -England will now begin to realize that she has made a mistake that will -follow her to her death-bed, in making Ireland so implacable and daring -an enemy. This is only an earnest of what will come when the clouds of -war are over her. The men who sent the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[Pg 203]</a></span> Catalpa to Australia are just -the men to send out a hundred Catalpas to wipe British commerce from -the face of the sea.—<i>Pilot</i>, June 17, 1876.</p> - - -<p class="center">LESSONS FROM THE PRISONERS' ESCAPE</p> - -<p>The well-planned and boldly executed rescue of the Irish political -prisoners from the penal colony of Western Australia contains lessons -worth noting by those who desire to perpetuate Irish nationality. A -nation that cultivates the evil weed of Distrust will never become -strong or great. Cohesion is the principle of power, and the people -that cannot stand by each other for a common cause, under common -leaders, are no stronger than a ball of sand, to be scattered at a -touch.</p> - -<p>Heretofore the curse of Ireland has been the impossibility of union. -Party hated party; class distrusted class. Rich men were called -traitors because they, having something to lose, refused to enter on -every wild plan of revolution without considering the probabilities. -Poor men were too easily led by demagogues. The man who spake loudest, -who boasted most, became the idol of the hour. When the opportunity -offered, he sold the people he had so easily deceived, and scorned -them for their credulity. There are plenty of "successful men" of this -class—such as Judge Keogh, who a few years ago called God to witness -that he would never desert the People's Cause, but who, when made a -judge, was the first to lay a ruthless hand and an insulting tongue on -the religion and nationality of his country.</p> - -<p>With such an experience Irishmen have grown distrustful to such a -degree that the danger from their doubt is greater than from their -deception. Better a thousand times to be deceived than to lose faith in -your brother's honesty and patriotism.</p> - -<p>The <span class="smcap">CURE</span> of this national disease is coming—for the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">[Pg 204]</a></span> -<span class="smcap">CAUSE</span> of it is plain. Distrust has grown from disappointment; -and this has been the result of a bad selection of men. Ireland has -hitherto trusted the <span class="smcap">TALKERS</span> rather than the <span class="smcap">DOERS</span>. -She has given her vote to the noisy demagogues who tickled her ear, -and has turned from the men who appealed to her common-sense. For -twenty-five years past—with the exception of the abortive Fenian -movement—the Irish people have acted as if green flags, denunciation -of England, and poetic sun-burstry were enough to establish Ireland's -claim to national independence.</p> - -<p>We trust and believe that a change for the better is coming. Ireland -is beginning to see that the men who are able to do something for -themselves, the men of judgment and prevision in their own affairs, -are likely to bring the best intelligence into national deliberations. -Hereafter it will not be a recommendation for an Irish politician that -he has failed to make a decent living at everything else.</p> - -<p>The rescue of the political prisoners proves that the Irishmen who talk -least can do most. It proves also that distrust is not chronic in the -Irish people—that they can stake great issues on the faith of single -men—when they have selected them for their capacity and intelligence -instead of their braggadocio.</p> - -<p>Another and most valuable lesson from the rescue has a bearing on the -English army. The thousands of Irishmen in the ranks knew that those -men were kept in prison <span class="smcap">BECAUSE THEY HAD BEEN SOLDIERS</span>. It -seemed, too, for two or three years past, that those men had been -forgotten. The leaders of the movement were free; and no one seemed to -care for the poor fellows whose very names were unknown. The soldiers -in the army knew that of all the Irish prisoners of '66 and '67, there -were none who risked more or who would have been more valuable than -a trained dragoon, the indispensable artilleryman, and the steady -linesman. To see their<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">[Pg 205]</a></span> comrades forgotten and left to rot in their -dungeons was enough to make the Irishmen of the army abjure their -nationality and accept the English dominion in Ireland.</p> - -<p>This has been averted by the rescue. The soldiers in the English army -will read the news with a deeper thrill than any other Irishmen. It has -a larger meaning to them than to others. "Now," they will say, "now, at -last, we are a part of the Irish people. Our red coats do not separate -us from our countrymen; and if we suffer for their cause they will be -true as steel to us in the day of trial."</p> - -<p>It is full time that Irish nationality should take intelligent -position. All shades of Irish politics can agree in mutual respect; -they are all shades of green. One party may desire more than another, -and believe it possible of attainment. But they should not hate the -others that think differently. The Home Rulers are as honest as the -Fenians, and as intelligent. One should say to the other: "We travel -the same road; but when you stop, we go farther. If we succeed, you can -join us; if we fail, we shall return to you for support." This is true -nationality; and when this spirit grows among the Irish people, there -cannot be a doubt of the result.—<i>Pilot</i>, June 24, 1876.</p> - - -<p class="center">THE RESCUED PRISONERS</p> - -<p class="center"><span class="smcap">GRAND RECEPTION IN BOSTON</span></p> - -<p>On the 1st inst., a grand entertainment was given in Music Hall for -the benefit of the released prisoners, who were present. The immense -hall was crowded; nearly every seat on floor and galleries was filled. -The stage was fitted up with a handsome proscenium, the Sheil Literary -Institute playing the patriotic drama of Robert Emmet. The greatest -credit is due to the management committee. Polite ushers were in -attendance, and not the least hitch occurred in the whole evening's -entertain<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">[Pg 206]</a></span>ment. The address was delivered by John E. Fitzgerald, Esq., -who was greeted with thundering applause. He pictured in graphic -words the condition of Ireland for centuries; while Poland and other -struggling nationalities had been wiped from the map, the intense -individualism of the Irish as a nation had preserved them. The movement -for which these gallant fellows had suffered was the embodiment of the -national idea. (Applause.)</p> - -<p>The more pacific and undefinable agitation known as the Home Rule -movement was by no means final—as England well knew. It was a step -toward something fuller,—toward the only consummation that will ever -satisfy Irishmen,—complete separation. (Great applause.) The sentiment -of Henry Grattan was still vivid,—that no one but the Irish people -had a right to legislate for Ireland. Mr. Fitzgerald dwelt eloquently -on the devotion of the Nationalists to their imprisoned brethren. He -spoke in the highest praise of the efforts of those by whom this last -brilliant exploit was accomplished with so much wisdom and secrecy. -He said that the sum of $30,000 had been contributed in this country -in its aid, and though the object of the contribution was so widely -known, the secrecy was maintained until its accomplishment. He hoped -that a generous and substantial testimonial would be presented to -Captain Anthony, the brave man who had risked and accomplished so much -in their behalf. Mr. A. O'Dowd recited Meagher's "Sword Speech" in -impressive style. A song, "Cead Mille Failthe," by Mr. E. Fitzwilliam, -was sung by the composer, and pleased the audience so well that an -encore was given, in response to which Mr. Fitzwilliam sang another -of his compositions, entitled, "The Irishman's Version of One Hundred -Years Ago," which was also generously applauded. Miss Annie Irish, -a well-known vocalist, sang two songs in acceptable style; and Mr. -Sheehan, who was warmly received, received an encore, to which he -responded in his usual excellent manner.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">[Pg 207]</a></span></p> - -<p>The drama by the Sheil Literary Institute was, as usual with that body, -well played, and gave great pleasure to the immense and patriotic -audience. Before its performance there were loud requests for "Captain -Anthony" to come forward, but that brave fellow, who sat in the -audience with Captain Hathaway, of New Bedford, was too modest to make -his appearance.</p> - -<p>At the close of the drama the demand for the appearance of the rescued -prisoners was imperious, and had to be gratified, though it was -intended by the committee that the men should not be paraded. But -the call was so strong and kindly that the bronzed men appeared on -the stage, and were introduced by Mr. Fitzgerald. The greeting they -received will never be forgotten. It was plain how deep a chord their -suffering and escape has struck in the Irish heart. They numbered six, -though Mr. Wilson, one of the rescued men, was not present; his place -was filled by Mr. William Foley, the ex-prisoner who arrived in this -country about two months ago.</p> - -<p>The entertainment was a complete success; and, besides its value -as a patriotic safety-valve, it will add a considerable sum to the -testimonial to be presented to the ex-prisoners, to enable them to -begin life in this new country under fair circumstances.—<i>Pilot</i>, -September 9, 1876.</p> - - -<p class="center">THE RESCUED PRISONERS</p> - -<p class="center"><span class="smcap">RECEPTION TO JOHN J. BRESLIN</span></p> - -<p>A large audience assembled in Boston Theatre on the evening of Sunday, -the 24th inst., to tender a public reception to Mr. John J. Breslin, -the chief agent in the rescue of the Fenian prisoners from Australia. -The reception was under the management of the United Irish Brotherhood, -and the committee of arrangements deserves the greatest credit.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">[Pg 208]</a></span></p> - -<p>Charles F. Donnelly, Esq., presided on the occasion, and among others -on the platform were Captain Anthony, City Marshal Hathaway, of New -Bedford, Alderman O'Brien, Thomas Riley, Esq., and a large number of -prominent and respectable citizens.</p> - -<p>Mr. Donnelly, in an eloquent address, reminded his audience that the -turmoil of a political campaign did not prevent them from assembling -to do honor to brave men. Could they say that the spirit of the -knights and saints of old was dead? Did it not survive in the act -of the brave men there present? A year ago, and the escape of the -political prisoners would have been deemed an impossibility; it had -been undertaken and executed by Mr. Breslin, who set out to rescue -from bondage, ten thousand miles away, men whom he had never seen, men -whose only crime was loving their country, perhaps not wisely, but too -well,—if an Irishman could love his country too well. But the age -of chivalry had been revived even in this hard, practical age by a -generous Yankee captain. (Loud applause.) Many morals might be drawn -from this event, but he would select one,—it was this: that when an -Irishman and a Yankee combine to carry out an undertaking, they can do -it in spite of the whole power of the British Empire.</p> - -<p>Mr. Donnelly then stated that he had received a letter from Wendell -Phillips regretting his inability to attend, and expressing sympathy -with the objects of the meeting. A telegram of similar import was read -from General Butler, which concluded thus: "A prominent Massachusetts -politician says that Fenianism should be crowded out of politics. -Fenianism is the love of one's native land. I hope it may never be -crushed out of the heart of any citizen of this country."</p> - -<p>Alderman O'Brien, the next speaker, said that when coming there he -had no intention of making a speech. He came there in common with his -fellow-citizens to extend to these brave men a cordial welcome, and to -show<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">[Pg 209]</a></span> them that he felt as he spoke, he would shake hands with them -all. He was followed by Thomas Riley, Esq., who began by likening the -cause of Ireland to that patriotic society whose birth antedated that -of George III., and which still lived on. The spirit of Irish liberty -was not dead, as was proved by their presence there that night to do -honor to a man and an act. The achievement of Mr. Breslin was worthy of -the annals of an earlier era. Ireland's history was one of oppression. -An Englishman had once charged that the Irish were "an unpolished -nation;" to which a native of Ireland replied, "It ought not to be -so, for we have received hard rubs enough to be polished long ago." -It was acts like Mr. Breslin's that kept alive the spirit of liberty. -Plantagenet and Tudor, and Stuart and Cromwell, all had dealt Ireland -crushing blows, all had waded through seas of Irish gore; yet all -their dynasties had perished off the face of the earth, and the spirit -of Irish liberty still survived. The worst of the Roman Emperors was -Julian, yet he sent no Christian to the cross or the wild beasts, he -merely banned and barred Christian education, for he well knew that -without education a nation relapsed into the depths of barbarism. -England had done the same; in her savage, barbarous penal code she had -proscribed education and educators, but Ireland still clung to the -light of liberty. She listened to the sound of the battle of freedom -in the West, and her sons caught the flame, and Flood, and Grattan, -and the Volunteers raised her to nationhood, and crowned her with the -star of freedom. She had lost that eminence, but the spirit burned -again in the immortal O'Connell; it still survived the golden-mouthed -Father Burke. The speaker paid a touching tribute to the memory of -John Mitchel, and denounced England as championing the iniquity of the -age, of upholding dead and rotten Turkey and her butcheries, and that -the hour of retribution had arrived, if Russia would only advance. -If England lost her temper in the threatened European complication, -Ire<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">[Pg 210]</a></span>land would be her "beetle of mortality." During his eloquent -address Mr. Riley was frequently applauded.</p> - -<p>Captain Hathaway, who succeeded him, said he was not an Irishman, but -that was not his fault. He detailed the facts already published as to -the inception of the plan of escape, how Mr. Devoy had approached him -with a letter from his (Mr. H.'s) friend, Mr. John Boyle O'Reilly, and -the consequent chartering of the Catalpa.</p> - -<p>Captain Anthony, who divided attention with Mr. Breslin as the lion -of the night, succeeded, and was greeted with a storm of applause, to -which that man of deeds, not words, responded by two modest bows.</p> - -<p>Mr. John J. Breslin, who was enthusiastically received, then addressed -the audience. He said that parliamentary action, prayers, and petitions -had all failed to move the bowels of compassion of the British -government in behalf of the prisoners, for the reason said government -had no bowels. Mr. John Devoy, well and honorably known in '65, in 1873 -began to actively agitate the plan of escape, and had, in the fall of -1874, raised funds sufficient to warrant him to make the attempt. The -funds were raised in various ways; one of John Mitchel's last lectures -was given for the purpose. Mr. Devoy placed himself in communication -with a gentleman whose high literary abilities and rare poetic talents -had raised him to a prominent position among the journalists of the -day; by whom he (Mr. Devoy) was introduced to Captain Hathaway, of -New Bedford, through whom the Catalpa was obtained. Mr. Breslin -gave a clear, concise, and detailed account of his proceeding from -first to last in carrying out the details of the escape. Most of -this has already appeared in our columns. His description of the -face of the country, cities, geology, and flora of Western Australia -was particularly good, and show both scholarship and observation on -his part. Alluding to the sandy nature of the soil, he related the -following anecdote: An inhabitant meeting a "new chum," told him it was -a fine country. "It is,"<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">[Pg 211]</a></span> said the latter, "so mighty fine that most of -it would pass through a sieve."</p> - -<p>At the close of Mr. Breslin's address, the chairman announced the -meeting adjourned. Before and after the proceedings, Mr. Breslin, who -is of commanding presence and courteous demeanor, was surrounded by -groups of enthusiastic countrymen, each eager to express admiration and -sympathy.—<i>Pilot</i>, September 30, 1876.</p> - - -<p class="center">WHY DON'T ENGLAND DEMAND THE PRISONERS?</p> - -<p>Mr. Gladstone is an able man, watchful and jealous of the honor of -England. He has written a pamphlet of great power on the Turkish -atrocities in Bulgaria, in which he says that Turkey should be excluded -from Bosnia, Herzegovina, and Bulgaria, as a power unfit to rule -civilized and Christian people. He says that the English government -should lead in accomplishing this result,—"to redeem by these measures -the honor of the British name, which in the deplorable events of the -year has been more generally compromised than I have known it in any -former period." That is true; the past two or three years have torn -away more of England's prestige than all her previous history. She -has fallen into decay so fast that she has not made a single effort -to reassert herself as a Great Power. When Russia broke the Black Sea -Treaty, England growled, but backed down. She sees the Czar laying -railways to Northern Asia, and she hears the tramp of his legions -already on the border of Hindostan; but she fears to stir a finger. -When her Prime Minister, Disraeli, last year made an assertion that -irritated Prussia, and that iron empire frowned, the fearful minister -hastened to eat his words before the face of Bismarck. When the -Fenian prisoners—men whom she persisted in calling "criminals"—were -taken from her<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">[Pg 212]</a></span> in defiance of all her laws, she dare not demand -them from the United States. Why? Because the root of her greatness -is split—the germ of her strength is rotten. Beside her heart she -has the disease that will sooner or later strike her down. She has -maltreated, misgoverned, scorned, derided the island and the people of -Ireland, until oppression has generated in their hearts the terrible -political mania of national hatred. God forbid that we should exult -in such a feeling; but no one who knows Ireland and Irishmen can -deny its existence. England, to save herself, to possess the land, -has driven the Irish people over the world; but wherever they went -they carried with them the bitter memory of their wrongs and hates. -She has strengthened the world against herself. She is powerless and -contemptible; if she were to-day to demand the return of the Fenian -prisoners, the people of all nations would shout in derision, and the -United States would answer with a particular sneer. It is well for Mr. -Gladstone to say that her honor is waning. But he has only seen the -beginning of the end. The haughty and truculent country must eat the -leek till its heart is sick.—<i>Pilot</i>, September 16, 1876.</p> - - -<p class="center">JAMES REYNOLDS, THE TREASURER</p> - -<p>James Reynolds, of New Haven, Conn., familiarly known as "Catalpa Jim," -was born in County Cavan, Ireland, on October 20, 1831. His ancestry -dates back over fourteen hundred years to the noble sept MacRaghnaill, -which the Irish historians tell us was a branch of the tribe called -Conmaie, whose founder was Conmacrie, third son of Fergus MacRoigh, by -Meive, the celebrated queen of Connaught, in the first century of the -Christian era.</p> - -<p>He was but sixteen years of age when, during the memorable famine -that peopled the cemeteries of Ireland, he bade adieu to his native -heath and sailed away to the distant shores of America, bearing with -him a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">[Pg 213]</a></span> freight of precious memories that were to bear fruit in after -years of patriotic endeavor. On his arrival in this country he at -once apprenticed himself to learn the brass-founding trade, and in -1850 he settled in Connecticut, where he has since made his home. For -twenty-eight years he has been a resident of New Haven, where he has -received repeated political honors at the hands of his fellow citizens. -For several years he has been at the head of the town government as -town agent; the only Irishman who has ever been elevated to this -position in a city where Puritanic influences and prejudices have -not yet wholly passed away. In addition to his municipal duties, Mr. -Reynolds has for years conducted a lucrative and somewhat extensive -business as a brass-founder.</p> - -<p>He early espoused the cause of his country and brought to its service -all the energies of an active and impulsive nature. When, in the years -following the rebellion, Irish patriotism was directed in a movement -against England through her colonies in America, we find him foremost -among those whose financial resources flowed freely into the common -treasury. Not when his practical mind told him that not here lay the -channel to Irish freedom did he close his purse-strings; not even when -a prudent judgment convinced him that here lay a waste of Irish blood -and human treasures did he say nay to the appeal for funds. It was -enough for him to know that even one blow was struck at England, one -thrust was made in the great cause of Irish freedom. James Reynolds -never believed that the liberation of Ireland was to be effected -through the conquest of Canada. His strong native sense and sagacious -foresight taught him the folly of such a hope, yet, when the movement -was inaugurated, he entered into it heart and soul, with all the -enthusiasm of his noble nature, hopeful that even one blow might be -struck at the shackles that bound his country.</p> - -<p>But it was in the Catalpa movement that his great patriotism found -its highest opportunity, and the name<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">[Pg 214]</a></span> of James Reynolds gained the -imperishable splendor of immortal fame. The history of that memorable -expedition is still fresh in the memory of Irishmen; how the little -bark with its gallant crew sailed into Australian waters and bore away -its precious freight, bringing to freedom and glory those patriots -who were expiating in exile their efforts for Ireland; bidding bold -defiance to the British man-of-war who gave her chase, and riding -safely into the harbor of New York,—all these details are still green -in the Irish memory. And while the fame of this daring rescue shall -last; while the name of Catalpa shall wake and fan the fires of Irish -enthusiasm, so long will the name of James Reynolds be held in fond and -loving remembrance. For it was he who mortgaged his home, who placed a -chattel upon his household goods, who beggared himself for the time, -that the sinews might be forthcoming to inaugurate and sustain the -expedition. Other choice spirits lent him their counsels and their -fortunes, but James Reynolds gave his all that the Catalpa rescue might -be consummated. True, the success of the expedition recompensed him in -a measure for his financial sacrifices; it brought back some of the -little fortune he freely gave in the cause, but his chief reward, the -glory of his great heart and the pride of his noble life, is the memory -which he treasures, which his children and his children's children will -carry in their hearts, that his sacrifices were not in vain,—that they -brought humiliation to England, liberty and happiness to the rescued -patriots, and eternal fame and glory to Ireland.</p> - -<p>When the Land League movement was inaugurated, he at once actively -interested himself, and was one of the leading delegates at its first -national convention. He has been a member of the succeeding ones, and -has acted a number of times on the committee on resolutions. He was -for several years a member of the executive council, the committee -of seven, and was state delegate of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">[Pg 215]</a></span> League for Connecticut. He -enthused much of his own enthusiasm into the movement, and during his -administration the League in the Nutmeg State was to the front in point -of numbers and the character and influence of its work.</p> - -<p>James Reynolds is a pure, unselfish patriot; around his name breathes a -lustre undimmed by a single thought of personal ambition, the faintest -breath of self-interest or individual aggrandizement. Other men have -given greater intellectual gifts to the service of Ireland; others -have told her wrongs with a sublimer magic of eloquence, and waked -the sympathies of men in the sweep of their mighty oratory; and still -others, perhaps, have braved a larger measure of personal danger; but -none has devoted his whole energies, his entire worldly fortune, with -a loftier patriotism, a more generous spirit of sacrifice, than James -Reynolds has for the little isle that gave him birth.</p> - -<p>Personally he is a man of genial temperament, frank, guileless, and -companionable, unaffected in manner and speech, open-handed and -generous; a man whose friendships are firm and lasting; a citizen -whose activities are always beneficial.—<i>The Irish-American Weekly</i>, -Lincoln, Neb., March 20, 1892.</p> - - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 10em;"> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">The Riverside Press</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><span class="smcap">CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A.</span></span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><span class="smcap">ELECTROTYPED AND PRINTED BY</span></span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><span class="smcap">H.O. 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W. -(Zephaniah Walter) Pease - - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - - - - -Title: The Catalpa Expedition - - -Author: Zeph. W. (Zephaniah Walter) Pease - - - -Release Date: July 13, 2020 [eBook #62633] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) - - -***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CATALPA EXPEDITION*** - - -E-text prepared by Tim Lindell, Graeme Mackreth, and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) from page images -generously made available by Internet Archive (https://archive.org) - - - -Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this - file which includes the original illustrations. - See 62633-h.htm or 62633-h.zip: - (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/62633/62633-h/62633-h.htm) - or - (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/62633/62633-h.zip) - - - Images of the original pages are available through - Internet Archive. See - https://archive.org/details/catalpaexpeditio00peas - - - - - -[Illustration: CAPT. GEORGE S. ANTHONY - -Commander of the Catalpa] - - -THE CATALPA EXPEDITION - -by - -Z. W. PEASE - -With Illustrations - - -[Illustration] - - - - - - -New Bedford, Mass. -George S. Anthony -1897 - -Copyright, 1897, -by George S. Anthony. - -All rights reserved. - - - - -INTRODUCTION - - -One hundred years after the Declaration of Independence, an American -whaling captain, George S. Anthony, commemorated the event by enforcing -another declaration of independence which set free the Irish political -prisoners who were sentenced to a lifetime of servitude in the English -penal colony in Australia. - -The story of the rescue of these prisoners in 1876 is a brave incident -of history which has hitherto been told too briefly. When Captain -Anthony, commanding the bark Catalpa, landed the men for whose relief -the expedition was planned, at New York, public interest in the -romantic voyage was very intense. The boldness of the raid upon the -English colony and the remarkable features of the conspiracy, excited -universal curiosity concerning the details of the affair. - -At that time international complications seemed certain, and there were -many reasons why those concerned in the rescue furnished only meagre -information of the inception of the plan and its progress during the -two years which were spent in bringing it to a successful consummation. - -Brief newspaper accounts appeared at the time, and this material has -been worked over into magazine sketches. The frequency with which -the original newspaper story has been revived during the years which -have elapsed suggested that the interest was still alive and led to -the writing of the story which follows. The facts were contributed by -Captain Anthony, who placed his log-book and personal records at the -disposition of the writer, and the present version is authorized by the -man who was most prominent in it. - -Some of the incidents of history which led up to the Fenian conspiracy -in 1867 are compiled from familiar sources. The records of the -court-martial are from transcripts of the proceedings made in Dublin -expressly for this book, and have never previously been published. - -No attempt has been made to embellish the narrative. It has been -the effort of the writer to tell it simply, as he knows the gallant -commander would best like to have it told. - - New Bedford, Mass., 1897. - - - - -CONTENTS - - - CHAPTER PAGE - - I. Sailing of the Catalpa 1 - - II. Fenian History 4 - - III. The Irish Political Prisoners 9 - - IV. The Court-Martial 16 - - V. The Court-Martial continued 35 - - VI. Banishment to Australia 51 - - VII. O'Reilly's Escape 54 - - VIII. Other Escapes and Rescues 58 - - IX. Appeals from Australia 66 - - X. The Plot 70 - - XI. The Vessel and the Start 75 - - XII. Whaling 82 - - XIII. A Hurried Departure 91 - - XIV. An Awkward Meeting 96 - - XV. A Strange Episode 103 - - XVI. Arrival at Australia 107 - - XVII. The Land End of the Conspiracy 110 - - XVIII. Meeting of Anthony and Breslin 116 - - XIX. Arranging the Details 122 - - XX. A Critical Situation 127 - - XXI. Leaving the Ship 132 - - XXII. The Escape 135 - - XXIII. In The Open Boat 142 - - XXIV. An Awful Night 148 - - XXV. A Race with the Guard-Boat 152 - - XXVI. Overhauled by the Georgette 157 - - XXVII. Bound Home 162 - - XXVIII. A Cordial Reception 167 - - XXIX. Settlement of the Voyage 183 - - Appendix 186 - - - - -LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS - - - PAGE - - Portrait of Capt. George S. Anthony _Frontispiece_ - - Portrait of John Devoy 24 - - The Jail at Freemantle where the Prisoners were - confined 52 - - The Catalpa Outward Bound 80 - - Portrait of Samuel P. Smith 94 - - Portrait of John J. Breslin 112 - - The Town of Freemantle, Australia 124 - - The Rescued Prisoners 138 - - The Race for the Catalpa 154 - - The Catalpa Homeward Bound 164 - - Portrait of James Reynolds 184 - - A Cartoon from the Irish World 202 - - - - -THE CATALPA EXPEDITION - - - - -CHAPTER I - -SAILING OF THE CATALPA - - -On an April morning in 1875, the whaleship Catalpa lay at anchor in the -harbor at New Bedford, ready for sea. Although the whaling industry -was waning on the ebb tide, there were yet over a hundred whaleships -sailing out of the port of New Bedford, and the departure seemed to -call for no unusual notice. - -It was a pretty spectacle, to be sure. The still waters, the green -pastures running down to the shore of the lower harbor, and the ship, -trim and taut. For, while a whaleship suggests to many a greasy, clumsy -hulk, the outgoing whaler is actually as ship-shape and clean as a -man-of-war. - -The yellow sun shone on the yellow hull of the Catalpa. Her rigging was -aglow with fresh tar, and her gaudy colors and signal flags gave her a -holiday appearance alow and aloft. - -Presently the sailors are on the yards, shaking out the sails. The -captain, with his papers under his arm, the very picture of a captain, -by the way, strong and athletic in figure, with ruddy cheeks and life -and fire in his bright eyes, goes aboard with the agent and a few -friends, who are to accompany him down the bay. - -The pilot instructs the mate to get under way, the anchors are soon -on the bow and the chains stowed. The vessel sails out of the harbor, -for in these days tugs are a luxury which the sailor despises, and -soon the Catalpa is sailing briskly under fore and main topsail, main -topgallant-sail, spanker, gafftopsail and staysail and flying jib. - -Late in the afternoon the captain says good-by to his friends. The wind -is blowing freshly from the southwest. - -"Stand on the port tack two hours longer, then tack out and you will be -clear of land," said the pilot, and, with the prosaic wishes of "good -luck," departs. - -Later the wind hauls to the southward. Before midnight the captain has -the vessel under short sail and is working off shore. - -And this seemingly commonplace commencement of a whaling voyage is, in -truth, the story of the departure of one of the most boldly conceived -and audacious expeditions against the English government which was ever -planned,--the only important Fenian conspiracy which was ever entirely -successful. - - * * * * * - -Standing upon one of the wharves on the waterfront, a man in a dark -frieze ulster watched the incidents of the morning with absorbing -interest. His eyes said a fond good-by to the captain as he rowed out -to the vessel, for he dared not risk an appearance in the group which -had assembled about the captain for a handshake. He was one of the few -men who knew that greater perils than those which usually await the men -who go down to the sea in ships must be met by the captain if he was -true to a great trust, and that the vessel was going out in response to -the cry of men who were outcast and in chains because they loved their -country. - - - - -CHAPTER II - -FENIAN HISTORY - - -"This is serious business now," said a clever English literary man when -he heard of the Fenian organization. "The Irish have got hold of a good -name this time; the Fenians will last." - -The Fenians were the ancient Irish militia organized in the third -century by Fionn or Finn, who is said to be the Fingal of Ossian. -In Scott's "Antiquary," Hector M'Intyre, jealous for the honor and -the genuineness of Ossian's songs of Selma, recites a part of one in -which Ossian asks St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, whether he -ventures to compare his psalms "to the tales of the bare-armed Fenians." - -"There can be no doubt," writes Justin McCarthy, "that the tales of -the bare-armed Fenians were passed from mouth to mouth of the Celts in -Ireland and the highlands of Scotland, from a time long before that at -which any soothsayer or second-sighted sage could have dreamed of the -landing of Strong-bow and the perfidy of the wife of Breffni. There -was an air of Celtic antiquity and of mystery about the name of Fenian -which merited the artistic approval given to it." - -The Fenian agitation commenced in 1858, following the Phoenix clubs in -the sequence of the secret associations which have been so prominent in -Irish history. Had it not been for the American civil war, it is quite -likely that it would have lacked the fame which it subsequently won, -but the strained relations between England and America inspired the -hope that war between the two great nations might follow, and that this -would afford an auspicious opportunity for the uprising for Ireland's -independence, which has ever been uppermost in the minds of the Irish -patriots. Then the war had created the Irish-American soldiers, who -were inclined to consecrate their energies to a new purpose in behalf -of their native land. - -The movement was more promising than any which had preceded it. In -the first place, as Mr. McCarthy points out, "It arose and grew into -strength without the patronage or the help of any of those who might -be called the natural leaders of the people. In 1798 and in 1848, the -rebellion bore unmistakably what may be called the 'follow-my-leader -character.' Some men of great ability, or strength of purpose, or high -position, or all attributes combined, made themselves leaders, and the -others followed. But Fenianism seemed to have sprung out of the very -soil of Ireland itself. Its leaders were not men of high position, or -distinguished name, or proved ability. They were not of aristocratic -birth; they were not orators; they were not powerful writers. It was -ingeniously arranged on a system by which all authority converged -towards one centre, and those farthest away from the seat of direction -knew proportionately less and less about the nature of the plans. They -had to obey instructions only, and it was hoped that by this means weak -or doubtful men would not have it in their power prematurely to reveal, -to betray, or to thwart the purposes of their leaders." - -The organization flourished in America, where the provisional -government was established, and it soon had its ramifications all over -Great Britain as well as Ireland. England's secret agents began to -report the visitation of mysterious strangers to Ireland, strangers -with Celtic features but with the bearing of American soldiers. This -did not fail to attract the attention of the English government and the -English newspapers. In "Saunders' News" I find an impolite reference -to "the imitation Yankee rowdies who infest the streets of Dublin." -The spy system flourished, and when James Stephens, the head centre of -Fenianism, arrived in Ireland, he was arrested in company with James -Kickham, the poet. Stephens was committed to Richmond Prison, Dublin, -early in 1865, but before he had been many days in confinement he was -released. Of the man who accomplished the liberation of Stephens there -will be much said in ensuing chapters. The escape produced a prodigious -sensation and had the effect of convincing the Irish peasantry that -Stephens was the type of leader who would be adequate to the great -task which had been aspired to,--the raising of the flag of an Irish -republic. - -Meanwhile the Fenians in America were divided on the policy of invading -Canada, which was urged by some, while others pressed for operations in -Ireland. A small body of men finally crossed the Niagara River on the -night of May 31, 1866, and drove back the Canadian volunteers, but the -United States government enforced the neutrality of the frontier line, -unexpectedly to the Fenians, arresting several of the leaders on the -American side. The Canadians hurried up reinforcements. Several Fenians -were captured and shot, and the ill-advised invasion scheme resulted in -a miserable fiasco. - -Once more Stephens, who had returned to New York, declared his purpose -of resuming operations in Ireland, and many Irish-Americans went -across the Atlantic to await his appearance at the head of an army of -insurgents. It was their presence alone which led to the poor attempt -at rebellion which was finally made, for not only were the peasantry -unarmed and unprepared for a war, but most of the people of the country -were opposed to the wild scheme, and the Catholic clergymen were -everywhere attempting to avert the certain disaster by discouraging the -secret organization and the proposed insurrection. - -Stephens, who was looked for to lead the men who sought deliverance -from the English government, never appeared. Those who were true -desperately resolved to give some sign of their sincerity. There were -many wild plots, a few conflicts with the police. The government was -informed of them in advance, and none were successful. The habeas -corpus act was suspended, and this action was promptly followed up by -arrests, court-martials, imprisonments, and banishments to the penal -colony at Australia. - -"In March, 1867," writes McCarthy, "an attempt at a general rising -was made in Ireland. It was a total failure; the one thing on which -the country had to be congratulated was that it failed so completely -and so quickly as to cause little bloodshed. Every influence combined -to minimize the waste of life. The snow fell that spring as it had -scarcely ever fallen before in the soft, mild climate of Ireland. -Silently, unceasingly it came down all day long and all night long; -it covered the roads and fields; it made the gorges of the mountains -untenable, and the gorges of the mountains were to be the encampments -and the retreats of the Fenian insurgents. The snow fell for many days -and nights, and when it ceased falling the insurrectionary movement was -over. The insurrection was literally buried in that unlooked-for snow." - - - - -CHAPTER III - -THE IRISH POLITICAL PRISONERS - - -The man who watched the ship to the line where the sea and the sky met -was John Devoy. - -Some time before there had come to him a voice, crying from the prisons -of Western Australia, the land of slaves and bondmen, the penal colony -of Great Britain. In the penal gangs were six of the comrades of John -Boyle O'Reilly. Forlorn but not quite forgotten, they worked on the -roads, "the weary work that has no wages, no promotion, no incitement, -no variation for good or bad, except stripes for the laggard." O'Reilly -had escaped from it, but he remembered the men who still toiled in the -convict's garb on the government road. - -"They were cutting their patient way into a forest only traversed -before by the aborigine and the absconder," quoting from O'Reilly's -"Moondyne." "Before them in the bush, as in their lives, all was -dark and unknown,--tangled underbrush, gloomy shadows, and noxious -things. Behind them, clear and open, lay the straight road they had -made--leading to and from the prison." - -These men had been soldiers like O'Reilly, and like him had joined the -Fenian conspiracy of 1866 and 1867, when revolution was plotted in -Ireland. Devoy had been the indefatigable agent of the revolutionary -party, having been appointed chief organizer for the British army by -James Stephens, who had been selected as chief executive of the new -republic which was the dream of the Irish in 1865, as it is to-day. In -a few months Devoy, quoting his own words, "laid up sufficient evidence -to procure himself a sentence of fifteen years' penal servitude." Among -the men were Thomas Darragh, Martin J. Hogan, James Wilson, Thomas -Hassett, Michael Harrington, and Robert Cranston. - -They were brave, reckless fellows who were readily converted to the -doctrine of Fenianism. They attended the gatherings at the public -houses, joined in the singing of Moore's melodies in the congenial -company at Hoey's, and made the chorus of "We'll drive the Sassenach -from our soil" inspiring to hear. Then came the arrests and the -convictions for mutiny in her Majesty's forces in Ireland. - -Mr. Darragh was born in 1834 in Broomhall, County Wicklow, his father -being a farmer there. He was a Protestant and when he entered the army -was an Orangeman, but he was subsequently converted through Fenian -agencies to the national faith. He enlisted in the 2d Queen's and -saw active service in China and Africa, receiving the distinction -medal for gallantry displayed. Mr. Darragh had attained the rank of -sergeant-major and was on the list for promotion. He became a member of -the Brotherhood early in its organization and was arrested for mutiny -in September, 1865, at the School of Musketry, Fleetwood, England. -He was taken to Cork, where he was tried and sentenced to be shot. -The sentence was afterwards commuted to imprisonment for life. He was -described in the prison "Hue and Cry" as being stout, five feet six and -one half inches in height, with red hair, gray eyes, round visage, and -a fresh complexion. - -Mr. Hogan was born in Limerick in 1839, and was a carriage painter -by trade. He enlisted in the English artillery, but his discharge -therefrom was secured and in 1857 he joined the 5th Dragoon Guards. He -was sworn into the organization in 1864 and deserted the army early in -1865, in order to be ready to take part in the contemplated rising. He -was soon after arrested, tried, and sentenced to life imprisonment. -He was a finely-built man, with "the gait and appearance of a cavalry -soldier," according to the official prison description. - -James Wilson had lived an eventful life. His real name was McNally, but -it was a common thing for Irishmen to enlist in the British army under -assumed names. He was born in Newry, County Down, in 1836. He served -for seven years in the Bombay, India, artillery, which he left at the -time of the white mutiny, when the East India Company was abolished. -He had lived in Syria and America. In 1860 or 1861 he enlisted in the -5th Dragoon Guards and was sworn into the Fenian organization in 1864. -He was continually propagating Fenianism, and in 1865 deserted with -Hogan. The fact that they remained in Dublin awaiting the uprising, -although gazetted as deserters, is a fine tribute to their devotion. -They worked under the direction of John Devoy until they were arrested -in 1866. They were asleep in bed when the police came upon them, or a -desperate resistance might have been looked for. Wilson is described at -this time as of medium stoutness, five feet eight and one fourth inches -in height, with a fresh complexion, brown hair, gray eyes, and oval -visage. - -Thomas Hassett was born in Cork in 1846, and was a carpenter by trade. -He joined the Phoenix organization in 1859 and afterwards went out -with the Papal Brigade to Italy, serving through the brief campaign. -In 1861 he enlisted in the 24th Foot, and in 1864 was sworn into the -Fenian Brotherhood. He, in turn, swore in 270 members of his regiment. -It was his suggestion that the contemplated fight begin in Dublin by -seizing the Pigeon House, which contained twenty-five thousand stand of -arms. When it was considered to be in danger a guard of ninety men was -placed upon it, of which number sixty were Fenians. Hassett proposed -a plan of capture to his superiors in the organization, but it was -rejected on the ground that they were not ready for a general fight. -In January, 1865, Mr. Hassett was informed while on sentry that he -would be arrested for Fenianism as soon as he came from his post. He -concluded to leave at once, and, marching into the Fenian rendezvous in -full uniform with his gun on his shoulder, presented himself to John -Devoy. - -"Most of the fellows who desert for Ireland's sake," said he, "come to -you empty-handed, but here am I, ready for work." - -O'Reilly presents a dramatic picture of Hassett's appearance at the -meeting of organizers, whither he marched from the sentry post. He -says,-- - -"Private Hassett walked off his post and, shouldering his rifle, -proceeded confidently through the streets of Dublin, in which a soldier -with arms is never questioned. It was ten o'clock at night, and it so -happened that Hassett knew of a certain meeting of organizers, and -other 'boys on their keepin',' which was being held that evening. -Thither he bent his steps, reached the house, and, knowing how it was -done, gained admission. The rebels sat in council upstairs; faces grew -dark, teeth were set close, and revolvers grasped when they heard the -steady stamp on the stairs and the 'ground arms' at their door." - -"A moment after, the door opened and the man in scarlet walked into -the room; all there knew him well. With full equipments, knapsack, -rifle and bayonet, and sixty rounds of ammunition, Hassett had deserted -from his post and walked straight into the ranks of rebellion. He was -quickly divested of his military accoutrements; scouts went out to a -neighboring clothing-store, and soon returned with every requisite for -a full-fledged civilian. The red coat was voted to the fire, and the -belt and arms were stored away with a religious hope in the coming -fight for an Irish republic. - -"The next evening one more was added to the group of strangely dressed -men who smoked and drank their pots-o'-porter in a certain house in -Thames Street. The newcomer was closely shaven and had the appearance -of a muscular Methodist minister. The men were all deserters, and the -last arrival was Hassett. Vainly watching for the coming fight, the -poor fellows lived in a mysterious misery for several weeks. It is -hard to realize here now the feeling that was rife in Dublin then. -At last one of the deserters was recognized in the streets by the -military informer,--Private Foley, of the 5th Dragoons,--tracked to the -rendezvous, surrounded by the police, and every one captured." - -In 1873 he escaped from prison in Western Australia, and lived on an -Irish farm for a time; but it was a bad season and he could not get -together an outfit. After two months he made a dash for the coast and -stowed himself away on an outgoing vessel, but he was captured by the -water police and brought back to the convict establishment. For two -years afterward he was kept in irons with the chain gang. - -Michael Harrington was forty-eight years old at this time. He was -born in Cork, where his father was a merchant, and he was given the -advantage of a liberal education. His tastes were for the army, and -in 1844 he enlisted in the 61st Foot. He served through the Punjab -war, and also through the Sikh war under Sir Hugh Gough, who made the -now famous exclamation, "Magnificent Tipperary!" Mr. Harrington also -took part in the Sepoy war, and then returned home with his regiment. -He joined the Fenian organization in 1864 and was very active in -enlarging its membership. In January, 1866, being in danger of arrest -and desirous of freedom to take a more active part in the projected -uprising, he deserted. Yet he remained in Dublin, was arrested on -suspicion after the suspension of the habeas corpus act, identified -as a deserter, tried and sentenced for life. He was described on the -prison records as fairly stout, with brown hair, gray eyes, and a -sallow complexion. - -Robert Cranston was born in Stewartstown, County Tyrone, in March, -1844, and assisted his father on the farm previous to enlisting in the -61st Foot at the age of twenty. He joined his fortunes with the Fenian -conspiracy and industriously assisted in "propagating the faith." Of -his regiment at least six hundred were sworn members of the Fenian -organization. - - - - -CHAPTER IV - -THE COURT-MARTIAL - - -The court-martials of the men with whom this story deals are of -interest in so far as they exhibit the extraordinary efforts which were -made to convict the conspirators. This is particularly striking in the -case of Sergeant Darragh, who was court-martialed at Cork, February 21, -1866. In this case an informer went so far as to receive the sacrament -of the Roman Catholic Church in carrying out a deception which was -to result in the betrayal of those who accepted him as a friend. The -notorious informer, Talbot, testified in all, or nearly all, of the -cases, of the existence of the conspiracy. - -The court-martial of Darragh throws light upon the details of the -conspiracy as well as the methods of the spies of the English -government, and inasmuch as it is an episode which has never been -printed, liberal extracts from the proceedings will be given. The -charges against Darragh were:-- - -First: "For mutinous conduct at Cork on or about the month of April, -1865, in that coming to the knowledge of an intended mutiny in -her Majesty's forces quartered in Cork barracks, he did not give -information thereof to his commanding officer." - -Second charge: "For conduct to the prejudice of good order and -military discipline in having at Cork, on or about the month of April, -1865, joined a treasonable and seditious society, called the Fenian -Brotherhood, having for its object the levying of war against the -Queen, and the subverting of the government of the country." - -When the prisoner was brought forward he handed to the President -(Colonel Shute) a memorandum, stating that he had failed in procuring -the means of employing counsel for his defense, and praying the Court -to permit his solicitor, M.J. Collins, to aid him in the conduct of the -case. The President said that the Court granted the application. - -Colonel Addison was then examined, and swore that the prisoner had -never at any time informed him of any intended meeting of soldiers in -Cork barracks. - -John Warner, the informer, was then produced, and, in answer to -questions put through the deputy judge-advocate (Colonel Nugent), -deposed: I was discharged from her Majesty's service in 1857, after -coming from the Crimea. - -Did you receive a pension?--Yes, sixpence a day, for the period of -eighteen months. - -Were you wounded at the Crimea?--Yes, in front of Sebastopol, in the -month of August, 1855. - -Did you join the Fenian Society?--Yes. - -When did you first become acquainted with J.J. Geary?--In 1864, in -the latter end of 1864, after being discharged from the militia in -Kinsale--the City of Cork Artillery. - -Are you aware whether he had any connection with the Fenian conspiracy? -If so, what was that connection?--He was connected with the Fenian -Society as a centre, which means a colonel of it. - -After you were enrolled as a Fenian, did Geary give you any particular -instructions for your guidance after you were enrolled?--Yes. - -State what they were. - -_Prisoner._ I object to that. - -_The Prosecutor_ (Col. Lane Fox) contended that the instructions the -witness received for the carrying out of the conspiracy were not -hearsay, and quoted an authority in support of that view. - -_Deputy Judge-Advocate._ This is a statement of a third party in the -absence of the prisoner. - -_Prisoner._ I object to any instructions given by Geary. The witness -can state what he did in consequence of any such instructions; but any -instructions given behind my back, without my knowledge, I object to. - -The court was cleared, and on being reopened it was announced the -question was not to be put. - -Examination by the prosecutor. You say you received particular -instructions for your guidance from Geary. State what you did in -consequence.--I got instructions from Geary regarding the oath. I was -warned three weeks before I came up to the barracks to enroll men. I -was called before the meeting for not going up to the barracks. - -_President._ State what you did. - -_Witness._ I came up to the barracks and met Darragh outside the gate. -I asked him to go down to the North Main Street with me. He went with -me to the North Main Street, to Geary's. We had some drink in the -inside tap-room, and during the time there I asked would he become a -member of the Fenian Society, and he said yes. Then we both went out in -the back yard, and I repeated the oath to him, and he did so after me. -I then gave him a Catholic prayer-book. He swore on that book to be a -member of the Fenian Society. Then we came in and I introduced him to -Geary as a member of the society. Geary shook hands with him. He said -he was very glad to have one like him enrolled. That was all at that -time. - -Repeat as nearly as you can the oath which you administered to -Darragh?--"I (John or James, whichever the case may be), do swear -allegiance to the present republic now virtually established in -Ireland; that I will maintain its independence and integrity at every -risk, and I will obey the command of my superior officers. I take this -oath in the true spirit of an Irish soldier at liberty to free my -country. So help me God." - -Did you know Darragh before that?--I did, in the regiment of the depot -of the 2d Queen's. - -Were you ever in the 2d Regiment?--I was. I volunteered from them. - -Had you any facilities for enrolling men in the barracks?--Yes. I was -told off for that special purpose, and a good many of the men knew me -and would not stop me going in and out of the gate. - -Were Geary and the prisoner previously acquainted when you introduced -them?--I could not say they were. - -Did they shake hands as if they knew each other?--They shook hands as a -member should be introduced, in a manner. - -Did you hear Geary give any instructions to the prisoner for his -guidance?--Yes. He gave Darragh instructions in my presence to go about -the barracks, and find out any men that would join the society and -bring men down to Geary's house, but not to deliver the oath,--to bring -them to me or to himself. If I was not there he would swear him in. -Accordingly he did, and the first man he brought was Butler to Geary's -house. - -How long was that after you swore Darragh in?--To the best of my belief -from a fortnight to three weeks. - -Did the prisoner say anything about any particular corps that he would -work in?--Yes, he said he would wish to work in no other regiment but -his own. - -Did the prisoner bring any other soldier to you or to Geary to be -sworn?--He took none to me but Butler. I cannot speak as to Geary. - -Did you hear Geary give Darragh any instructions relative to taking the -barracks?--Darragh told him the different parts, in my presence, which -were weakest and the easiest to get in. He said if there were one or -two men in every passage--enrolled men--they would be sufficient with a -thousand outside to take it. I heard him say that much in my presence -to Geary. - -Did you hear Geary say anything about what was to be done to the -commanders when the signal for a rising was given? - -_Prisoner._ I object to that. - -_Prosecutor._ When a conspiracy is proved, the act of any one applies -to the whole. I am asking the witness now what was the intention of the -Fenian Society. We have already received documents which do not relate -exactly to the prisoner, but to the aims and objects of the society. I -withdraw the question for the present. - -_Prosecutor_ (to witness). Did you hear Geary, as a member of the -Fenian Society, say anything about what was to be done to the -commanders when the signal for a rising was given?--The commanders, he -said, were to be destroyed if they did not take the oath of allegiance -to the society. Every man that did not take the oath of allegiance -would be destroyed. I heard Geary say that. - -Who was it said to?--It was said to Darragh, and to different other -members in my presence. - -Did you keep a list of the members enrolled?--Yes, sir. (A book was -produced, which the witness identified as that in which he had the -names of new members enrolled.) - -The court adjourned. - - - Cork, Thursday, February 22d. - -The president (Colonel Shute) and the other officers of the court took -their seats at eleven o'clock, when the trial of Sergeant Darrah, of -the 2d (Queen's Own) Regiment, was resumed. - -John Warner, the informer, who was under examination at the rising of -the court yesterday, was again produced and gave the following further -testimony:-- - -Are you certain that the prisoner was present when Geary said that the -commanding officers were to be destroyed?--He was. - -Are you quite certain?--I am. - -When he said the commanders were to be killed, and all in the barracks -who did not take the oath, are you quite certain that he said all the -commanders who did not take the oath? - -The prisoner objected to the question. - -_Prosecutor._ Was it that the commanders especially were to be -destroyed that did not take the oath of allegiance, or that every -one was to be destroyed, the commanders included?--Every one, the -commanders included, who did not take the oath of allegiance to the -Fenian Brotherhood. - -Are you able to read and write?--I can read and write a little. I can -write my name. - -_President._ Can you read print and writing?--I can read print, but not -writing. - -_Prosecutor._ Have you ever seen the prisoner at Geary's since he was -sworn in, and if so, how often?--About three or four times. - -Where did he generally go to when in Geary's?--Upstairs in a front room -over the shop. - -Is there a small room at the end of the shop on the ground -floor?--There's a small room on the left hand side before you go into -the shop, and two inside that. - -Did you see the prisoner go into either of these rooms, and if so, how -often?--Once he went to the inside one with me, before he was sworn, -the inside tap-room. - -Were you ever in the prisoner's room in the barracks?--I was. - -How often?--Three or four times. I took tea with him there one evening. - -Who was present on those occasions besides the prisoner and -yourself?--Two color sergeants of the 2d Queen's and their wives. - -Their names?--I don't know their names. - -Did you speak of the Fenian Society in the presence of these sergeants, -and of the prisoner?--No, not in the room. - -_President._ Did you do so in the presence of those other -sergeants?--No, not at all. - -_Prosecutor._ Can you state, of your own knowledge, what rank the -prisoner held in the Fenian Society?--Geary told him he would be a B, -which was a captain. - -Do you know if Geary and the prisoner are relations?--I could not say. - -Were you acquainted with Bryan Dillon?--I was. - -Had he any connection with the Fenian Society, and if so, what was -his rank?--He was a centre or an A, which means colonel in the Fenian -Society. - -Have you seen him in the company of the prisoner?--I never did. - -Do you know if Bryan Dillon was tried at the Commission for being a -member of the Fenian Society?--Yes. - -The prosecutor then handed in a certificate of the conviction of Bryan -Dillon, at the special commission, held in Cork, when he was sentenced -to ten years penal servitude. - -Examination continued. Do you know a man named Thompson?--Yes. - -What was his Christian name?--I can't say, but he lodged at Geary's. - -Was he connected with the Fenian Society, and what was his -connection?--He was a B in the society, which made him a captain. - -Did you ever see him in company with the prisoner?--Once in Geary's, in -the front room over the shop. - -Give a description of what took place at Geary's house?--A man named -Donovan, from Dublin, lectured on the rifle, showing how to make -cartridges, and military and field engineering. - -Did you see a rifle raffled for there?--Yes. - -Was it the headquarters of the Fenian Society in Cork?--It was the -principal part of the city for the Fenian Society to meet in. - -[Illustration: JOHN DEVOY - -Organizer of the Rescue Expedition] - -Do you recognize this book (book produced), and if so, state what -you used it for?--This is the book on which I swore in Darragh and -different other members besides. - -Did you make any communication to Sub-Inspector Hamilton as to how your -being in the barracks could be proved? - -_Prisoner._ I object to that question. - -Prosecutor contended that the question was legal. - -The court was cleared. - -When it reopened, the deputy judge-advocate announced that the Court -ruled the question might be recorded, but not answered. - -Examination resumed. Had you any communication with Mr. Hamilton in -reference to your being in the barracks with the prisoner?--Yes. - -Did the members of the Fenian Society carry on drill in the -neighborhood of the barracks?--In a place called the Lawneys, about a -mile from the barracks. - -_Prosecutor._ I close. - -Cross-examined by the prisoner. Did you know I was in Cork until the -time you say you met me outside the barrack gate?--No, I did not know -you were there until then. - -Did you swear, in answer to the prosecutor, that you came up to -the barracks for me, which is true?--I did not come up for you in -particular. - -Were you in the habit of coming to the Cork barracks previous to the -day you say you met me at the gate? If so, for how long?--No, I was -not. - -Did you come to the barracks before, and if so, how often?--I have come -in before, when doing Sir John Arnott's business,--conducting it. - -Were you in barracks when the last detachment of the 2d (Queen's) -Regiment arrived here from England?--I could not tell; I was not aware -what time they came, or what place they came from. - -Did you see Corporal McKillop with me marching into Cork barracks?--I -did not. - -Do you know McKillop?--I do not. The first time I spoke to you since I -left the depot was outside the gate. - -Did you not speak to me when I marched in with my detachment?--No. - -Did you not go to the canteen to drink with me?--Not when you marched -in, but I came in one evening to the barrack and had drink with you. - -_Prisoner._ I wish to have Corporal McKillop produced for -identification. - -_President._ Was the meeting in the canteen before the time you spoke -to him at the barrack gate?--It was a week or two after I met him -outside the gate that we drank in the canteen. - -_Deputy Judge-Advocate._ McKillop is on furlough in England. - -_President._ You say McKillop is in the barracks; how do you know? - -_Prisoner._ I can't know, for I have been in close custody for six -months. - -_President._ If he be a material witness, he shall be recalled by -telegram. - -Cross-examined. Was that the first time you drank with me at the -canteen?--It was not. Geary and Butler and two more drank with us at -the canteen. Geary paid for the drink. - -When was the first time; how soon after you swore me in?--In some time -after. - -Why did you not mention that before, in answer to the Court?--I did not -think of it. It is hard to think of everything at once. - -You say you swore in Butler, and did you swear in any other soldier -between the time you swore in Darragh and Butler?--I am not sure -whether I swore in Farrell between them or not. Butler brought me a -corporal and a private. I think their names are in the book. - -Did you swear any and how many soldiers between swearing in Darragh -and Butler?--I do not think I swore any between you and Butler except -Farrell; but I don't know whether he was or not. - -What was the time between swearing me in and swearing in Butler?--It -may be a fortnight or three weeks. - -During that time did you swear in civilians?--Yes. - -State the number?--It may be two or three. - -Did you swear in any soldier previous to the time you say you swore me -in?--Not a regular soldier; there were militia. - -You say I directly went to Geary and took a treasonable oath without -the smallest reluctance. What month was that in?--It may be in the -latter end of March or beginning of April. - -When you joined the Fenian Society did you do so for the purpose of -betraying them?--I took the oath for the purpose of betraying them, and -I could not get their intentions without taking the oath. - -When did you join the society?--In December, 1864. - -When did you first give information?--In July, 1865. I tried before to -go to Captain Tooker but was followed. Captain Tooker is a magistrate -of the city of Cork. - -Did you go of your own free will to give him information?--I did. - -Were you from May, 1864, to September, 1865, most actively engaged -in endeavoring to induce parties to become members of the Fenian -Society--swearing them in and enrolling them?--I was. I should do so by -orders of Geary. - -How many members did you enroll?--I can't be exact; they are in the -book; but about fifty altogether. - -The prosecutor said that the witness was not bound to answer any -question affecting his credibility. - -The president said the main point was credibility. - -_Prisoner._ It was the prosecutor who first asked the question. - -The Court decided the question could be put. - -Cross-examination continued. Did you not know all the secrets of the -society immediately after you were admitted?--I did not until January, -1865, when I was introduced to Geary. - -Did you swear information against the members of the Fenian Society in -September, 1865?--Yes. - -Did you mention one word about me in that?--No, I did not, but I told -it to Sub-Inspector Hamilton. - -_Prisoner._ I object to that answer. - -At two o'clock the court adjourned for an hour. - -On the reassembling of the court, at three P.M., the president -(Colonel Shute) said that the Court had decided that the witness on -cross-examination had a right to explain his answer. - -_The Deputy Judge-Advocate._ The question was, Did you make any mention -of the prisoner in your information? - -_Witness_ (_Warner_). I did not. On account of mentioning it to -Sub-Inspector Hamilton I did not think that there was any occasion to -state it in the informations. - -_Prisoner._ Do you know that I am a Protestant and an Orangeman and a -member of an Orange lodge at Delgany?--No. - -Are you a Protestant and did you state to me that you were an -Orangeman?--I am a Protestant and on my oath I don't think I told you -anything about my being an Orangeman, because the society would come on -me if I spoke of anything of the sort at all. - -Were you always a Protestant, or did you cease to be one? If so, when -did you cease to be one?--I was always a Protestant, but I went to Mass -a few times, as I thought I would get into their graces by being a -Roman Catholic and get some of their secrets. - -Was the going to Mass the only thing you did about becoming a Roman -Catholic?--That is all. - -Did you not go to a Roman Catholic clergyman in Cork and state to him -that you wished to become a Roman Catholic?--I did. One of the Fenians -came with me and said I wished to become a Roman Catholic. - -Did you not receive some religious books and religious instructions?--I -did. He went with me to the monk, and he (the monk) gave me some -religious books to read. - -Did you go afterwards by yourself to the clergyman or the monk?--I -went afterwards by myself to receive some instructions from the monk -according to the order I received from him. - -Then your answer is not true that your going to Mass is the only thing -you did towards being a Roman Catholic?--There was not time, for it -requires an explanation. The answer could not be given well at once. - -Were you sincere in your intention of becoming a Roman Catholic, or -were you only deceiving the clergyman or monk?--I was deceiving him for -the purpose of getting the information I wanted to get from the society. - -When you were in the depot at Templemore did you know Sergeant-Major -McKinmon?--I did. - -Did you desert from the depot there?--I did. He gave me money to -desert, but I think it would be dishonorable to speak of that here, as -he is a captain now. - -_Prisoner._ I wish Captain McKinmon to be brought here. - -_President._ You can summon any witness you wish, and the sooner you do -so the better. - -Cross-examination continued. Were you tried by court-martial for that -desertion?--I was tried for being absent without leave, but not for -desertion. - -Were you punished for it?--Yes, I got forty-two days for it by -regimental court-martial. - -When were you discharged from the 42d Regiment?--Some time in 1857. - -Was not the portion of the discharge which generally contains the -character cut off?--No, it was not. The books of the garrison can state -it. I drew my pension in this garrison. - -Where is your discharge?--I lost it; but you can refer for the form to -the local garrison. - -What character did you get in your discharge?--The character was very -good. - -Were you examined at the special commission at Cork, on the trial of -Colonel O'Reardon, who was charged with being a member of the Fenian -Society?--Yes. - -Did you not swear that he was a member of the Fenian Society?--I did. - -And that he came to Ireland to inspect the forces?--He gave -instructions according as he got them from John O'Mahony. - -And that you put the men through their drill before him?--One night for -him; but generally for a man named Captain Kelly. - -Did you not further swear that he was four or five months here, and -gave instructions to the Fenians in rifle practice?--I swear I saw him -on several occasions in Geary's giving instructions to Fenians. - -Did not the jury disbelieve you, and was he not acquitted?--He was -acquitted at all events. I could not swear whether I was believed or -not. - -At what time did your son write the names in the book produced?--Always -when I enrolled the men my little boy would put them down as I would -tell him. - -The witness was then examined at some length by prisoner and prosecutor -as to the entering of the names. - -_Prosecutor._ How long is it since you saw the book?--Not since I gave -it to Mr. Hamilton in September last, until to-day. - -_Prisoner._ You have stated that all you have stated is true?--I have -forgotten a great many things; but all I have stated is true. - -The court adjourned at four o'clock. - -John Warner was recalled and questioned by the prisoner. - -_Prisoner._ Did you at any time meet in Cork the man whom you say swore -you in?--I did. - -How soon after he swore you in?--I could not be exact as to the time; -it was in 1865, at any rate, in Mr. O'Connor's timber yard. - -How soon did you come to Cork after you were sworn in?--After the -regiment was disembodied in Kinsale in June, 1864. - -When were you sworn in?--In May, 1864. - -Did you bring the letter from Crowley with you in June when you came to -Cork?--I did not. - -Did you see Crowley from the time you left Kinsale until you saw him in -1865 in Cork?--No. - -When did you get the letter from Crowley, and where?--I did not get it -at all. - -Were you acting for the Fenian Society in Cork in 1864?--Yes. At the -latter end of 1864 I attended a meeting at Geary's, the first meeting I -did attend. That was in the latter part of December. - -Was Geary at that meeting?--He was; I was speaking to him. - -Was that the first time you spoke to him?--I don't think it was. About -a week before he sent Mr. Bryan to me, and Geary then told me to attend -a meeting on that night week. I was speaking to Geary in the beginning -of December, or at the end of November, 1864. - -Did you not swear yesterday that you never saw Geary till 1865,--which -is true?--I don't think I swore that on yesterday. - -_Prisoner._ I would ask to have the witness's evidence of yesterday -read. - -_President._ This particular portion. - -The evidence of the witness on this point was referred to, and it -appeared from it that Warner had stated that he did not see Geary in -1864 for the first time. - -The prisoner then said he had no other question to ask Warner. - -The following letter was then put in by the prosecutor and read by the -president:-- - - My dear James,--Please add to the list of contributors to the Keane - Fund the following inclosed names, for J.J., Cork. Of course you think - it awkward to have the names instead of the cash, but the following - reason, which is not fit for publicity, will be enough for you. Since - Keane's imprisonment, on 7th Dec., I have paid for his grub about L4 - 10s., so instead of having anything on hand, I'm only waiting for the - balance, which I hope will soon come to hand. It is so very long since - I heard from you that I don't know whether you are dead or alive. Will - you let me have some news, and say how is Mr. Johnson. - - Yours faithfully, J.J. Geary. - -The court-martial of Darragh did not conclude until March 2. The -testimony against Darragh was mainly that of soldiers who testified -that the prisoner introduced them to Warner, who administered the oath -of the Fenians to them. - -Private Michael Harrington was convicted on the evidence of a private -to whom he confessed he was a Fenian, drinking to the health of the -"'M.C.'s' or the 'M.B.'s,' or something like that." There was evidence -that Harrington solicited men to take the Fenian oath. Another private -testified to meeting Harrington at Fenian meetings when "Erin my -country" and "My heart beats for thee" were sung. - - - - -CHAPTER V - -THE COURT-MARTIAL CONTINUED - - -An incident in the trial of Private Martin Hogan is not without -interest, illustrating the arbitrary manner of the Court toward the -prisoners. - -Private Foley was under examination, and testified to meeting Hogan at -various public houses in Dublin, where the prisoner's conversation was -of a treasonable and seditious character. - -At one meeting an American guerrilla officer, who had served under -Confederate General Morgan, discussed plans with them for mounting the -men on colts, arming them with rifles, and as to the best means of -carrying off their horses out of the barracks. Plans of action for the -Fenian soldiers were also discussed, the prisoner being present and -occasionally taking part in them. - -Mr. McMechan cross-examined the witness, and the examination was -proceeding, when the counsel requested that the witness be required -to speak in a louder and more distinct tone, and placed nearer to the -prisoner in order that his remarks might be taken down. - -The president ordered the witness to move to within two or three yards -of the table at which counsel and prisoner were sitting, and to speak -as loud as he could. - -This was done, but with no more satisfactory result to counsel for the -prisoner, and a request to move nearer and speak louder was repeated. - -The president said the witness had spoken loud enough for any man with -even ordinary faculties to hear, and if these were not possessed by -counsel, some one who possessed them ought to be procured. - -Counsel then handed in a statement to the effect that he did not hear -the witness, nor had he heard anything distinctly that day. He was -not deaf, and was possessed of ordinary faculties. He had no wish to -obstruct or delay the Court, and, that he might not do so, he had asked -that the witness be directed to stand nearer. The observations made by -the president tended to unfit him for the discharge of his duties, and -he requested that they would be withdrawn. - -Subsequently Mr. McMechan sent in the following and stood waiting a -reply. - - "Sir,--Having remonstrated with you for what you said, and you not - noticing it, I now beg to withdraw." - -The president read the first communication and said, "I am sorry that -my remarks should tend to unfit counsel from attending to his duty, but -I refuse to withdraw them." - -Mr. McMechan immediately left the court. - -The president directed Mr. Lawless, the prisoner's solicitor, to be -sent for. - -On Mr. Lawless entering the court, the president said that Mr. McMechan -had withdrawn from the case, and he wished to tell him that he would -give half an hour, or any reasonable time, to provide another counsel -if he thought proper. - -Mr. Lawless said he was very sorry for what had occurred between -Mr. McMechan and the Court, but as he was senior counsel in all the -court-martial cases, he could not, according to the etiquette of the -profession, withdraw the case from him, nor was he at all inclined to -do so, as he had full confidence in whatever course he (Mr. McMechan) -thought right to adopt. - -_The President._ Have you any application to make on behalf of the -prisoner? - -Mr. Lawless said he had no application to make. - -_The President._ Under these circumstances the trial must proceed -without counsel. - -Colonel, the Hon. S.J.G. Calthorpe, 5th Dragoon Guards, was examined to -prove that the prisoner had not given him notice of an intended mutiny -in her Majesty's forces in Ireland. - -Sergeant Alsopp and Sergeant Miller of the 5th Dragoon Guards were -examined to prove the desertion of the prisoner, and the making away -with regimental necessaries. - -The prisoner was placed on his defense, and stated that his counsel -having left him, he did not know what to do; he could get no other -counsel now, and felt inclined to throw himself on the mercy of the -Court. - -The president said he would receive his defense in the morning, and -adjourned the further hearing of the case in order to give the prisoner -time to prepare it. - -The trial of Martin Hogan was resumed. - -Mr. Lawless was present, and handed in a written statement to the -president. - -_The President._ Before reading this, I am anxious to say, that I most -emphatically disclaim any intention whatever of having said anything -disrespectful, or that I intended annoying the prisoner's counsel; and -I wish to say that if I should at any time-- - -_Mr. Lawless._ The prisoner's counsel is outside sir. Will you allow -him to be present? - -_President._ Certainly. - -Mr. McMechan then entered the room, when the president said, "I will -repeat the words I have just said, which were these: That I desire most -emphatically to disclaim any intention whatever of saying anything -disrespectful to the prisoner's counsel, or any other person engaged in -this court. If at any time I imagined I did so, I should be very sorry -for it. I would be the last to offend any one." - -_Mr. McMechan._ I am perfectly satisfied, sir. - -_Mr. Lawless._ We will withdraw that statement, sir. - -The statement was handed back, and Mr. McMechan, instructed by Mr. -Lawless, remained to defend the prisoner. - -The prosecution was then closed. - -The trial of Private Robert Cranston was one of the longest. It was -held in the Victoria Library, Colonel Brett presiding. Cranston was -arraigned on the following charges, First: For mutinous conduct in -having at Dublin, on the 18th February, 1866, come to the knowledge of -an intended mutiny in her Majesty's troops then quartered in Richmond -barracks, Dublin, and not giving information of the said intended -mutiny to his commanding officer. - -Second charge: For conduct to the prejudice of good order and -discipline in the following instances,--First instance: For having at -Dublin, in the month of December, 1865, endeavored to induce Private -Foley, 64th Regiment, to join the illegal society called the Fenian -Brotherhood, having for its object the overthrow by force and violence -of her Majesty's government in Ireland. Second instance: For having at -Dublin, in the month of January, 1866, endeavored to induce Private -Thomas Morrison, 61st, to join an illegal society called the Fenian -Brotherhood, having for its object the overthrow by force and violence -of her Majesty's government in Ireland. Third instance: For having at -Dublin, on the 17th February, 1866, used the following language to -Private Abraham, 61st Regiment: "An outbreak will take place in a few -days. I am to get a sworn member of the Fenian Society in each of the -barrack rooms in Richmond barracks to put a bit of sponge into the -nipples of all the rifles belonging to the men who are not Fenians, and -thereby render them useless. When the regiment is called out to meet -the Fenians, the Fenians will advance close up to it; the men of the -61st who belong to the Fenians will not fire on them, and the others -who are loyal will not be able; and the Fenians amongst the 61st will -then go over to their party and at once fire on those who refuse to -join the society." - -Third charge: For having in December, 1865, and in January and -February, 1866, at Dublin, knowingly received and entertained Thomas -Chambers, 61st Regiment, a deserter from the said regiment, and not -giving notice to his commanding officer. - -The assistant adjutant-general, the Hon. Col. Fielding, prosecuted, -assisted by Dr. Townsend. - -Mr. McMechan, with Mr. Lawless as attorney, appeared for the prisoner. - -_Deputy Judge-Advocate._ Have you any objection to be tried by the -president, or by any other member of this court? - -_Prisoner._ None, sir. - -The charges having been read by the deputy judge-advocate, the prisoner -pleaded not guilty. - -The prosecutor having stated the case for the prosecution, witnesses -were called and examined. - -Head Constable Talbot was examined, and deposed that he was present at -Fenian meetings in December, 1865, and January and February, 1866. - -Did the soldiers take part in the proceedings of those meetings? - -Prisoner objected. - -_Deputy Judge-Advocate._ The particular part taken by soldiers cannot -be specified; only the fact that they took part, if they did so. - -Were they present when the objects were discussed?--Yes. - -Private James Meara examined by the prosecutor: I have belonged to -the 1st Battalion of the King's Regiment (8th) for five years. I have -known the prisoner since August 1865; in December, after Christmas, I -met him in Hoey's public house in Bridgefoot Street. On that occasion -there were also present several civilians, Fenian centres, and some -soldiers. I was a member of the Fenian Society. There was to have been -a rising of the Irish Fenians in the army. I was at several Fenian -meetings in the month of December, 1865, at Hoey's; and in January, -1866, at Barclay's public house in James's Street; and in March, 1866, -at Shaughnessy's public house at Newbridge, and also at Tunny's public -house, Barrack Street, in August, 1865. At Tunny's, in August, 1865, -I met William Francis Roantree, the prisoner Cranston, and several -others, Baines and Rynd. At Shaughnessy's I met Baines, Doyle of the -61st, and some of the 4th Dragoon Guards. At Hoey's I met Chambers of -the 61st, Wilson, Hogan, and Keatinge of the 5th Dragoons, a few of -the 87th, Devoy, Williams, Rynd, and Baines. At the meeting in Hoey's -in December, a rising in the army was discussed. Several men of the -61st were brought down to be sworn by Devoy and Chambers, and I saw the -prisoner take an active part in the meeting. I was never arrested on a -charge of being connected with the Fenian Society. - -Cross-examined by the prisoner. I was last examined as a witness at -Green Street. I don't know whether I was believed or not. Kearney was -not tried for firing a shot at me. He was not acquitted. I was sworn -a Fenian by Thomas Baines. The oath I took, as I remember, was as -follows: "I, in the presence of the Almighty God, do solemnly swear -allegiance to defend the Irish republic, now virtually established, -to take up arms in its defense at a moment's warning, to defend its -integrity and independence; and further to exterminate the Saxon out of -the land, to keep all secrets and truths commended to me, and to obey -my superior officers and those placed over me." I swore to defend the -Queen against all enemies. - -Did you swear to fight against her?--I decline to answer that question. - -The deputy judge-advocate told the witness that unless he apprehended -that what he should say in reply would subject him to a criminal -prosecution he should answer the question. - -_Witness._ I understand you, sir. According to the Fenian oath I was -sworn to fight against her, although in the heart I did not mean it. - -After swearing to defend her, and afterwards swearing to fight against -her, say candidly whether anything you swear is deserving of credit or -belief? - -_Deputy Judge-Advocate._ I think that is for the Court to infer. - -_Witness._ I decline to answer the question. - -The prisoner having pressed for a reply, the court was cleared, and, on -reopening, the deputy judge-advocate announced the opinion of the Court -to be that the question was as to a matter of inference, and not to be -answered by the witness. - -Cross-examination continued. I was at the Curragh in March. I was sworn -a Fenian in March, 1865. - -When did you first give information of an intended mutiny to your -commanding officer?--I decline to answer that question. - -_Deputy Judge-Advocate._ You must answer it. - -_Prosecutor._ Answer the question. - -_Witness._ I gave information in March or April, I am not sure which, -this year. - -Cross-examination continued. I decline for the safety of the officers -to say to whom I first gave information. - -State under what circumstances, without mentioning names.--For the -purpose of injuring the Fenians, and the leaders, and so forth, to the -utmost of my power, I came forward from the motives of loyalty and love -of justice. - -Reexamined by the prosecutor. I was, in fact, fired at, as I stated in -my cross-examination. - -By the Court. The intentions to mutiny existed in the months of January -and March, 1866, and the prisoner was aware of them. I was fired at and -wounded, and the persons who did it were Fenians. - -Private John Abraham examined by the prosecutor. The witness being a -little deaf, the questions were, by direction of the Court, read out -near to him by Major Gordon. He deposed that he had been twenty-three -years in the 61st Regiment. Some time since the 17th or 18th of January -he met the prisoner, whom he had known close upon two years, at Hoey's -public house. On that occasion there were present Private Harrington, -Foley, Kenny, Priestly, Cranston, the prisoner, and Chambers, the -deserter, all of the 61st, and a lot of cavalry of the 5th Dragoon -Guards, and a good number of civilians, including one that he had -enlisted in the 60th Rifles. Chambers shook witness by the hand and -asked him how he was getting on, and he said very well, and asked -Chambers how was he getting on, and he said very well, that he had -drawn L10 6s. to-day, which was better pay than he had had when he -was in the 61st. The prisoner and Chambers went out to the top of the -stairs, and witness did not hear what passed between them. - -Had you ever any conversation on the parade-ground at Richmond barracks -with the prisoner in February last.--Yes, I was on the parade-ground -when the prisoner, Cranston, came up to me and said, "How are you -getting on, countryman?" "Very well," said I: "Cranston, how are you -getting on?" "First-rate," he said. I said, "I think things are very -slow, or rather dull, this weather." "No," he said, "they are not; I -think things are getting on very well, for there is going to be an -outbreak in the course of two or three days, and I can destroy every -rifle that is in the regiment." "Oh," said I, "that is easily enough -done." Said he, "I will have a sworn Fenian to go into each room and to -stuff the chambers of the nipples of the arms belonging to the soldiers -who are not Fenians with fine sponge." He said that when we should be -called out, we should get the word to load and the soldiers who were -Fenians would fire over the heads of the civilian Fenians, and that the -arms belonging to the soldiers not Fenians would then be all stopped. -Of course he thought I was a Fenian at the time. At that time the -sergeant-major gave the word to take up the covering, and interrupted -the conversation. No other person was present at it, which to the best -of my recollection took place about the 17th February. On the same -evening I saw and spoke to Sergeant-Major Young of the 61st. - -A few other questions having been asked the witness, the court was -adjourned to this morning at half past ten o'clock. - -The trial of Private Cranston was resumed yesterday morning by the -court-martial sitting in the Victoria Library, shortly before eleven -o'clock. - -Private Abraham cross-examined by the prisoner. The last time I saw -Doyle was this morning in the square of this barrack. There were five -or six men present. I was enlisted in Lisburn. - -Were you in the habit of going to houses frequented by Fenians?--I was -after Cranston spoke to me; I don't remember when I first went to any -such house. I might have been in such houses before Christmas last, -but I knew nothing of their character. I saw you at the Curragh, but -I can't state in whose company, as I did not look after you to see in -whose company you were. It was after the depot joined headquarters. I -might have conversed and drank with you there, but I don't remember if -I did. I have drank with hundreds, and I don't remember every man I -drank with. To the best of my belief the conversation in the canteen at -the Curragh took place more than a year ago. I understood that in case -of a rising the Fenians of the 61st were to fight against the Queen, -when Cranston told me so. I did not when in the canteen at the Curragh -understand that the object of the Fenians was to put down the Queen's -government and establish a republic. - -What did you then understand its object to be?--Well, I did not take -any notice what it was to be then or understand anything about it. I -used to hear several talking about Fenianism. I did not take any notice -of it then. I was asked to become a Fenian and refused. - -Why?--Why, because I thought they were no good. I thought there was -harm in them. When asked to join, I had no curiosity to learn their -objects. After the conversation in the canteen at the Curragh, I -thought they were not loyal subjects; but when they were all talking -about Fenianism, and I did not know that it might not be a humbug, I -think I gave information about the conversation in the canteen at the -Curragh, but I cannot answer when. My commanding officer was Colonel -Redmond, and I gave him information of everything that I knew, after -Cranston spoke to me about the outbreak. I reported to him in Richmond -barracks, and Cranston was there then. I think that was in January. I -never made any report while I was at the Currag myself. I had always -plenty of conversation that I forgot. I reported all that I remembered. - -Will you swear that you ever mentioned to your commanding officer -anything whatever about the conversation in the canteen at the -Curragh?--No, I will not. I can swear that I reported to some officer. -I cannot say whether it was the commanding officer or not. - -Do not you know you never did?--No, I do not. I think I made a -statement to Captain Whelan. I made no statement in writing, because I -can neither read nor write. - -The remainder of the testimony was largely by informers whom Cranston -had induced to take the Fenian oath, and charged him with treasonable -language. - -Private Meara, 8th Regiment, was the principal witness against Private -James Wilson, whose court-martial came in August. Meara was one of the -witnesses who betrayed O'Reilly. He testified in the case of Wilson -that he was a sworn member of the Fenian Brotherhood, and attended -meetings at various places. - -He knew the prisoner and met him about Christmas, 1865, at Hoey's -public house, in Bridgefoot Street; also met a man named Williams -there. The prisoner went up to Williams and said there was a body -of deserters in Dublin who were kicking up a row for their pay, and -Williams told him that he had paid them. Williams said that he had -told the deserters to kick up a row. Corporal Chambers of the 61st -was present, and Devoy. Williams and Devoy were Fenian agents, the -former being occupied swearing in soldiers. He was an officer of the -Fenians besides. Devoy held the same rank as Williams, and higher if -anything. He heard the prisoner on one occasion speak to a man in -his regiment about making prisoners of Sir Hugh Rose and the Lord -Lieutenant. Civilians were present at the time. The prisoner said that -Sir Hugh Rose was a more important man to make a prisoner of than the -Lord Lieutenant, and that it would be easily done. A man named Hogan -was there, and was dressed in civilian's clothes. Corporal Chambers -was also dressed in civilian's clothes. At another public house in the -month of January witness said to prisoner that his regiment would soon -leave Dublin, and the latter replied that it would not leave until the -green flag would be flying. I have seen a man named Barrett of the 5th -Dragoon Guards, at Hoey's, and other men, whose names I don't know. - -Private Goggins, 5th Dragoon Guards, deposed that he was quartered -in Dublin on the 17th of January, 1866. He was in a public house in -Clare Lane, kept by a man named Cullen. The prisoner was there, and a -man named Devoy, and another civilian who was represented as the man -who was to command the Fenian cavalry when it broke out. He asked the -men how they could get their horses and accoutrements out of barracks, -and Wilson said by making a dash at the gate. The man said he was in -command of cavalry guerrillas under General Morgan. He said that the -men he commanded used to dismount and fight on foot when their swords -were broken, and he asked the men in the public house if they could do -so, too. Witness was in a public house in Longford, kept by a man named -Hughes, in April or May, 1865. Went into the house with, the prisoner; -prisoner handed witness a book, and asked him "to swear to take up arms -when called upon." Witness took the oath, thinking there was no harm in -it. "It's all right, now," he said, "you are a Fenian, and for your own -sake, as well as mine, keep it." - -Witness said: "Jim, you know I have prize money to draw, and you should -not have taken me in that way." - -In November, 1865, the prisoner told him to meet him at Hoey's public -house in Bridgefoot Street. There were two civilians in the room who -spoke of expected arrivals of Americans. There was plenty of beer -there, but witness paid for none of it, and saw no soldiers pay for it. -The prisoner was dressed in civilian's clothes in the public house in -Clare Lane. - -To the Court. I did not consider myself a sworn Fenian after taking the -oath I have mentioned. - -Patrick Foley, late 5th Dragoon Guards, deposed that he was in Hoey's -public house on the 17th of January last, and met the prisoner there. -He was a deserter from the regiment. The American captain asked how -many Fenians there were in the 5th Dragoon Guards, and Devoy said about -one hundred. Hogan, who was a deserter, said he could give a list of -the names. The American spoke of getting horses out of the barracks, -and how they should manoeuvre in cavalry fighting. - -Wilson declined to offer any defense. As for Private Thomas Hassett, he -defiantly pleaded guilty to treason. - -All the men were sentenced to death, but the penalty was subsequently -commuted to life imprisonment, and was finally further commuted to -penal servitude. - - - - -CHAPTER VI - -BANISHMENT TO AUSTRALIA - - -After being convicted of mutiny in her Majesty's forces in Ireland, the -men spent weary months in hideous English prisons. One day the keys -rattled in the dungeon doors; they were marched out in double irons, -chained together with a bright, strong chain. They were taken aboard -the convict ship Hougoumont, where the chains were knocked off and they -were ordered below. - -There were sixty-three political prisoners on the Hougoumont, and they -were the first sent out to Australia since the Irish uprising in 1848. -They were likewise the last ever sent to the colony. Of these prisoners -fifteen had been soldiers, and they were placed with the criminals in -the fore part of the ship at night, although they were permitted to -spend the days with the political prisoners. - -Of the horrors of a convict ship experience it is unnecessary to say -more than to quote O'Reilly, who was one of the unfortunate company on -the Hougoumont. - -"Only those who have stood within the bars," says he, "and heard -the din of devils and the appalling sounds of despair, blended in a -diapason that made every hatch-mouth a vent of hell, can imagine the -horrors of the hold of a convict ship." - -Strapped to the foremast was the black gaff with its horrid apparatus -for tricing unruly men up for flogging, and above, tied around the -foremast, ever before their eyes, was a new hempen halter, "which swung -mutineers and murderers out over the hissing sea to eternity." - -Every night the exiles, Catholic and Protestant, joined in a prayer -which ran as follows:-- - -"O God, who art the arbiter of the destiny of nations and who rulest -the world in thy great wisdom, look down, we beseech thee, from thy -holy place on the sufferings of our poor country. Scatter her enemies, -O Lord, and confound their evil projects. Hear us, O God, hear the -earnest cry of our people, and give them strength and fortitude to dare -and suffer in their holy cause. Send her help, O Lord, from thy holy -place. And from Zion protect her. Amen." - -The Hougoumont reached Freemantle, after a dreary voyage, at three -o'clock on the morning of January 10, 1868. "Her passengers could -see," writes James Jeffrey Roche in his "Life of O'Reilly," "high -above the little town and the woodland about it, the great white stone -prison which represents Freemantle's reason for existence. It was 'The -Establishment;' that is to say the government; that is to say, the -advanced guard of Christian civilization in the wild bush. The native -beauty of the place is marred by the straggling irregularity of the -town, as it is blighted by the sight and defiled by the touch of the -great criminal establishment." - -[Illustration: THE JAIL AT FREEMANTLE, WHERE THE PRISONERS WERE -CONFINED] - -Then the convicts heard the appalling code of rules, with the penalty -for violation, which was usually death; and then they were assigned to -the road parties, and from daylight to dark, in the heat which made the -cockatoos in the trees motionless and the parrots silent, they blazed -their way through the Australian bush and forest. - -The present was made horrid by the companionship of desperate and -degraded men, "the poison flower of civilization's corruption," and the -future seemed hopeless. - -Meanwhile James Wilson sent out an appeal for rescue. He sent it to -John Devoy in America. - - - - -CHAPTER VII - -O'REILLY'S ESCAPE - - -The men to whom reference has been made in the preceding chapter were -not the only Irish political prisoners. In 1876 there were seventeen -still in prison for the attempted revolution of 1866 and 1867. The -leaders had been pardoned, but this fact only emphasized the injustice -to the men who had been swayed by love for Ireland to follow, and who -were still paying the penalty of their devotion. - -Some of them, and the number included Michael Davitt, were in prison -in England. Some had been pardoned, some had been released by death. -John Boyle O'Reilly had escaped. He had been in the convict settlement -rather more than a year, and had been granted a few poor privileges -on account of his ability and good conduct. He assisted one of the -officers in his clerical work, and was appointed a "constable," with -the duty of carrying dispatches from station to station and conducting -refractory convicts in the road-gang to the prison. - -But there was no promise of escape in this liberty, for there were -but two avenues open, the trackless bush and the ocean. Suicide was -better than flight to the bush; for if the convict could hide from the -trained "trackers," natives with a keener intelligence and skill in -tracking men than the blood-hounds of the South, the only alternative -was death from hunger and thirst. - -Yet O'Reilly reached a point of desperation where death seemed almost -preferable to the awful associations and weary routine which made the -life a horror to the poet. But when he told his plans to Rev. Father -McCabe, whose parish was the bush country, and whose life work among -the prisoners is a precious memory of good influence, the thoughtful -man said, "It is an excellent way to commit suicide. Don't think of -that again. Let me think out a plan for you." - -After dreary months the good priest sent a man named Maguire, who -promised to arrange with one of the New Bedford whaling captains who -were expected with their vessels at Bunbury in February--it was then -December--to secrete him aboard. Two months went by, and O'Reilly had -now become so impatient that, hearing that three whaleships had put -into Bunbury, he had determined to venture alone. That day Maguire came -to him again with the information that Captain Baker of the whaling -bark Vigilant of New Bedford had agreed to take him on board if he fell -in with him outside Australian waters. - -On an evening in February O'Reilly started for a hiding-place in the -woods, and lay down beneath a great gum-tree at the woodside to await -Maguire and another friend. At about midnight he heard "St. Patrick's -Day" whistled. - -It was the sweetest music he ever heard, for it was the signal of the -men who had come to release him from a horrid captivity. - -They rode for hours until they reached a dry swamp near the sea. Then -they waited until a boat was brought. At daylight sturdy oarsmen had -carried him almost out of sight of land, and in the afternoon they had -reached the farther shore of Geographe Bay, near the place where they -had arranged to await the Vigilant. - -They had no water, and suffered horribly from thirst. Through the hot -day which followed, O'Reilly lay on the sand, tortured with blistering -pains and hunger. Maguire brought him food and water at last, and that -night he slept on the boughs. In the afternoon the white sails of the -whaleships were seen and the company put out, but to their amazement -the Vigilant sailed away, never heeding their signals. - -O'Reilly's heart was bitter. The men returned to the shore and resolved -to leave O'Reilly in hiding while they returned home and arranged -for his escape by one of the other whaleships. They left him in the -secluded sand valley, promising to return in a week. - -But O'Reilly could not wait. The next morning he put to sea alone in a -dory, and at night he was on an unknown sea. The next noon he sighted -the Vigilant again, and once more she sailed away. It should be said -that Captain Baker did not see his boat on either of these occasions. - -O'Reilly rowed all night, and in the morning reached the sand hills on -the headland of Geographe Bay once more. Exhausted with fatigue and -anxiety, he cared for nothing but sleep, and this he could have without -stint in the secluded valley. Five days later his friends returned, -having arranged with Captain Gifford of the whaling bark Gazelle of -New Bedford to pick him up. In order to insure the fulfillment of this -agreement, good Father McCabe had paid the captain ten pounds. - -The next morning O'Reilly and his friends once more rowed out toward -the headland. He was leaving Australia forever. Toward noon he was -picked up by bark Clarice and subsequently was transferred aboard the -Gazelle. - -This is only the chief incident, briefly told, of the escape of -O'Reilly. It suggested some years later a means to a more brilliant -accomplishment, for the bravery and ingenuity of the officers of -the New Bedford whaleship in a subsequent event, when an attempt to -secure possession of the escaping prisoner at Roderique made a strong -impression upon O'Reilly. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII - -OTHER ESCAPES AND RESCUES - - -The rescue of the young Irish revolutionist, John Mitchell, was the -first of the series of escapes participated in by Irish patriots. -Mitchell was a talented and brave young man, whose life and history -have been an inspiration to the devotees of Irish freedom. He was -originally a writer upon the "Nation," but its policy was too -conservative for his tastes, and in 1847 he founded a new journal -called "The United Irishman." Mitchell belonged to that section of -"young Ireland" which advocated immediate war with England. He believed -the time was now ripe, and he set about making his paper as obnoxious -to the English government as possible. He was a brilliant writer and an -enthusiast for the revolution. His plan was to force the hand, first -of the English government, then of the Irish people. He deliberately -challenged the government to arrest the leaders of his party. Then he -calculated that the Irish people would rise to defend or rescue their -heroes, and rebellion would be effected. - -For three years he continued his taunting tactics. He wrote in a -strain of fiery sedition, urging the people to prepare for warlike -effort, while he described how to make pikes and use them; how to cast -bullets; and how to make the streets as dangerous for cavalry horses -as Bruce made the field of Bannockburn. Some of the agencies which -were suggested for the use of the people, when they should take up -arms, were almost devilish in their ferocity, such as the employment of -vitriol. At length the government was forced to recognize the violence -of young Mitchell's newspaper attacks, and a measure was framed by the -government to meet the case, enabling it to suppress newspapers like -"United Irishman" and imprison the publishers. Mitchell was defiant -still, and he was arrested. Greatly to his chagrin, no attempt was -made to rescue him. "Had there been another Mitchell out of doors, -as fearless and reckless as the Mitchell in the prison," writes a -historian, "a sanguinary outbreak would probably have taken place." -He was sentenced to expatriation for fourteen years, and was deported -first to Bermuda and then to Australia. Smith O'Brien, Meagher, and -other of the confederate leaders were likewise sent there. - -In 1853 P.J. Smyth, who was known as "Nicaragua," a correspondent of -the "New York Tribune," was commissioned by the Irish Directory of New -York to proceed to Australia and procure the escape of Mitchell and his -political associates. Mitchell was under parole, and his sense of honor -would not permit him to leave without surrendering it. On June 8, 1853, -in company with Smyth, he presented himself to the police magistrate -in Bothwell and surrendered his parole. - -"You see the purport of that note, sir," said he. "It is short and -plain. It resigns the thing called 'ticket of leave' and revokes my -promise, which bound me so long as I held the thing." - -Then they left the magistrate, who was either stupid or afraid to make -an attempt to detain them, and, mounting horses, rode through the -Australian woods until Hobart Town was reached, when they sailed on -the passenger brig Emma to Sydney, and in due time reached the United -States. Meagher soon followed. O'Brien declined to have anything to -do with any plot for escape while he was on parole, and his honorable -conduct was rewarded by a pardon. - -After reaching this country, Mitchell founded a paper advocating -slavery, and championing the Southern cause in the Rebellion. One of -his last acts here was a lecture, the proceeds of which went to swell -the fund which was being raised for the Catalpa expedition. Later -he returned to Ireland, where, owing to some defect in the criminal -law, he could not be arrested, his time of penal servitude having -expired, although he had not served it. He was elected to Parliament -for Tipperary, was disqualified for a seat, and then reelected. Some -turmoil was expected, when Mitchell was withdrawn from the controversy -by death. - - "Weep for him, Ireland, mother lonely; - Weep for the son who died for thee. - Wayward he was, but he loved thee only, - Loyal and fearless as son could be. - Weep for him, Ireland, sorrowing nation, - Faithful to all who are true to thee; - Never a son in thy desolation - Had holier love for thy cause than he." - -The rescue of Kelly and Deasy at Manchester was daring and successful, -but it was only accomplished by the killing of one man, and three -were subsequently hanged for complicity in the affair. Colonel Kelly -and Captain Deasy, Fenian agents in England, were captured by the -Manchester police on September 11, 1867, and a week afterward were -arraigned at the Manchester police office. Being identified as Fenian -leaders, they were again remanded and placed in the prison van to be -conveyed to the borough jail. They were in charge of Police Sergeant -Charles Brett. When half way to the prison, and just as the van passed -under the railway arch over Hyde Road at Bellevue, a man jumped into -the middle of the road, pointed a pistol at the head of the van-driver -and ordered him to stop. Immediately thirty armed men swarmed over -the wall which lined the road. A shot was fired, and the driver was -so frightened that he fell from his seat. One horse was shot, and the -gallant police escorts scattered and ran for their lives. - -An endeavor was then made to break in the door of the van. It was -locked on the inside, and the key was in the possession of a police -officer named Brett, who sat within. A shot was fired at the key-hole -to blow off the lock, and the unfortunate police officer received a -wound from which he died soon after. The doors were then opened, a -woman prisoner in the van handing out the keys, which she found in -the pocket of the officer. "Kelly, I'll die for you," said one of the -Fenian rescuers. - -He kept his word. - -The prisoners were freed, and were seen to enter a cottage near the -Hyde Road. They left it unfettered, and were never seen after by -English officials. Several men were put on trial for the murder of -Brett, and five were found guilty,--Allen, Larkin, O'Brien, Condon or -Shore, and Maguire. The defense was that the prisoners only meditated -a rescue, and that the death of the policeman was an accident. The -five were sentenced to death, but the newspaper reporters were so -certain that Maguire was not concerned in the affair that they joined -in a memorial to the government, expressing their conviction that the -verdict was a mistake. The government made an investigation, and found -that he was not near the spot on the day of the rescue,--that he was a -loyal private in the Marines, and not a Fenian. He was pardoned, but -not unnaturally the circumstances caused a grave doubt with relation to -the soundness of the verdict in the other cases. - -Strenuous attempts were made to secure a commutation of the sentence. -Mr. Bright was foremost with his exertions, and Mr. Swinburne, the -poet, wrote an appeal for mercy, from which a few verses are quoted:-- - - "Art thou indeed among these, - Thou of the tyrannous crew, - The kingdoms fed upon blood, - O queen from of old of the seas, - England, art thou of them, too, - That drink of the poisonous flood, - That hide under poisonous trees? - - "Nay, thy name from of old, - Mother, was pure, or we dreamed; - Purer we held thee than this, - Purer fain would we hold; - So goodly a glory it seemed, - A fame so bounteous of bliss, - So more precious than gold. - - * * * * * - - "Strangers came gladly to thee, - Exiles, chosen of men, - Safe for thy sake in thy shade, - Sat down at thy feet and were free. - So men spake of thee then; - Now shall their speaking be stayed? - Ah, so let it not be! - - "Not for revenge or affright, - Pride or a tyrannous lust, - Cast from thee the crown of thy praise. - Mercy was thine in thy might, - Strong when thou wert, thou wert just; - Now, in the wrong-doing days, - Cleave thou, thou at least, to the right. - - * * * * * - - "Freeman he is not, but slave, - Whoso in fear for the State - Cries for surety of blood, - Help of gibbet and grave; - Neither is any land great - Whom, in her fear-stricken mood, - These things only can save. - - "Lo, how fair from afar, - Taintless of tyranny, stands - Thy mighty daughter, for years - Who trod the winepress of war; - Shines with immaculate hands; - Slays not a foe, neither fears; - Stains not peace with a scar! - - "Be not as tyrant or slave, - England; be not as these, - Thou that wert other than they. - Stretch out thine hand, but to save; - Put forth thy strength, and release; - Lest there arise, if thou slay, - Thy shame as a ghost from the grave." - -The government refused to listen to the appeals, and Allen, Larkin, and -O'Brien were hanged at Manchester on November 23, 1867, meeting death -with courage and composure, we are told. Shore escaped, since he was -proven to be an American citizen, and the English spared him lest the -protection of the American government might have been invoked in his -behalf. - -One more incident may be added to the chapter of Fenian rescues. This -was the attempt to blow up the House of Detention at Clerkenwell in -December, 1867, where two Fenian prisoners were confined. This affair -was farcical in conception, but its results were cruelly tragic. - -"At the very time that this horrible crime and blunder was -perpetrated," writes a historian, "one of the London theatres was -nightly crowded by spectators eager to see an Irish melodrama, among -the incidents of which was the discussion of a plan for the rescue of -a prisoner from a castle cell. The audience was immensely amused by -the proposal of one confederate to blow up the castle altogether, and -the manner in which it occurred to the simple plotters, just in time, -that if they carried out this plan, they must send the prisoner himself -flying into the air. The Clerkenwell conspirators had either not seen -the popular drama or had missed the point of its broadest joke." - -A barrel of gunpowder was exploded close to the wall. Sixty yards -of the prison wall were blown in, and many small dwellings in the -vicinity were shattered. A dozen persons were killed, one hundred and -twenty were wounded, and there were other serious consequences. Had -the prisoners been near the wall, they would have been killed. Five -men and a woman were put on trial for the crime, but only one man was -convicted. He was found guilty on the evidence of an informer and -executed. It was agreed that the persons who were concerned in this -plot were "of that irresponsible crew who hang on to the skirts of all -secret political associations, and whose adhesion is only one other -reason for regarding such associations as deplorable and baneful. Such -men are of the class who bring a curse, who bring many curses, on even -the best cause that strives to work in secret. They prowl after the -heels of organized conspiracy, and what it will not do they are ready -in some fatal moment to attempt." - -And this brings us back to the last and most important of Irish -national rescue projects. - - - - -CHAPTER IX - -APPEALS FROM AUSTRALIA - - -In 1870 the British government had granted conditional pardon to such -political convicts in Australia as had been civilians at the time of -their offense, but the military prisoners were exempted. Still the -latter were not without hope, as the letter of one of them to O'Reilly, -who had amnestied himself, shows. "It is my birthday as I write this," -ran the letter, "and I know I am turning it to the best account by -writing to such a dear old friend. Who knows? perhaps I may be able -to spend the next one with you. If not, then we will hope for the -following one. At all events, we must not despair." - -The men were not always so calmly hopeful. Sometimes-- - - "There spake in their hearts a hidden voice - Of the blinding joy of a freeman's burst - Through the great dim woods. Then the toil accurst, - The scorching days and the nights in tears, - The riveted rings for years and years, - They weighed them all--they looked before - At the one and other, and spoke them o'er, - And they saw what the heart of man must see, - That the uttermost blessing is liberty." - -And so it happened that Hassett, who was a man of remarkable daring, -"with his eyes on the doom and danger," made his escape from the road -party in April, 1869. He penetrated the bush to the sea, like O'Reilly; -and after eleven months of privation he took refuge on board a ship at -Bunbury. But he had "grasped the flower but to clutch the sting." As he -reached the threshold of freedom he was snatched back. Discovered and -recaptured, he was sentenced to three years of hard labor in the chain -gang at Swan River, with six months' solitary confinement. The first -part of the sentence is not without humor, since Hassett was serving a -life sentence at hard labor when he made his escape, and there was no -terror in the additional three years of servitude. - -Upon the occasion of the Queen's accession to the title of Empress -of India, one hundred and forty members of Parliament, including Mr. -Bright, Mr. Plimsoll, Mr. Mundella, Mr. Fawcett, and many others of the -ablest men of the House, presented a petition for the pardon of the -political prisoners, but it was rejected. - -And so perished the last hope of the friends of the prisoners of -clemency from the government. "Delayed, but nothing altered, more -straining on for plucking back," the friends of the prisoners, with an -audacity which must be admired, determined then that they should be -freed in spite of the government. - -From time to time appeals had been sent forth from the prisoners in -Australia to their friends at home and in America. Martin Hogan had -written to Peter Curran in 1872, having seen Curran's name in a letter -written by O'Donovan Rossa to the Dublin "Irishman." A copy of this -paper had been smuggled into the prison, and suggested the appeal to -America. - -Then James Wilson wrote to John Devoy in New York, sketching a plan -of action, and his appeal stirred the devoted man to a final gigantic -effort. Devoy sent back the cheering response that steps were being -taken for the execution of the plan. - -After a conference with John Kenneally and James McCarthy Finnell, -prisoners who had been released, Mr. Devoy presented the matter to the -Clan-na-Gael convention at Baltimore in 1874, and John Devoy and John -W. Goff, the latter of whom is now the recorder of the New York courts, -James Reynolds of New Haven, and Patrick Mahon and John C. Talbot were -appointed a committee to carry out the project. - -Devoy, Reynolds, and Goff were the most active, and, without definitely -revealing their plans, such was the confidence of the Irish people in -them that they were not long in securing a fund of $20,000. This was -not accomplished, however, without the sacrifice of business, health, -and money, on the part of the men most active. Sympathizing miners in -New Zealand were stirred by John King, an ex-prisoner, to contribute -$4,000, and two agents of the revolutionary party in Ireland, Denis F. -McCarthy of Cork and John Walsh of Durham, England, brought $5,000 and -their personal aid. - -John J. Breslin, a brave man who assisted James Stephens, the head -centre of the Fenian movement, to escape from the jaws of death -in 1865, and of whom I shall have much more to say presently, was -assigned the dangerous role of active agent, with Thomas Desmond of -San Francisco as an associate. They were to go to Australia and place -themselves in communication with the prisoners. - -Finally a vessel was to be fitted out for Australia, manned by men -fearless of consequences, to rescue the life prisoners from their -captivity. - -It was here that Mr. O'Reilly made a valuable suggestion to Devoy, -that a whaling vessel should be sent. Such a vessel might sail on an -ostensible whaling voyage and avert the suspicion with which another -ship cruising in the waters of Western Australia might be received. The -suggestion was at once accepted as an inspiration. - - - - -CHAPTER X - -THE PLOT - - -While the fact that O'Reilly was rescued by a whaleship was the direct -cause of the determination to send a vessel representative of New -Bedford's victorious industry, there were other reasons which commended -the selection. - -Men who engaged in this perilous mode of hardy enterprise must -necessarily be persevering and brave. Perhaps the originators of the -enterprise remembered that it was a whaleship bearing the name of -Bedford which was the first vessel to display the flag of the United -States in British waters, and that in 1783, when the countries were at -war. - -Barnard's "History of England," a rare book, recites that "the ship -Bedford, Captain Moores, belonging to the Massachusetts, arrived in -the Downs on the 3rd of February, passed Gravesend on the 3rd, and was -reported at the Custom House on the 6th instant. She was not allowed -regular entry until some consultation had taken place between the -commissioners of the customs and the lords of council, on account of -the many acts of parliament in force against the rebels of America. -She is loaded with 487 butts of whale oil, is American built, manned -wholly by American seamen, and wears the rebel colors. This is the -first vessel which has displayed the thirteen rebellious stripes of -America in any British port. The vessel is at Horseledour, a little -below the Tower, and is intended to return immediately to New England." - -The New Bedford whaleman has ever been a type of enterprise and daring, -but the commission which these Irish patriots proposed, of challenging -the British navy with a whaleship and snatching a half dozen men from -the jaws of the British lion, was a supreme test of pluck. - -When it was decided to fit out a whaleship, O'Reilly directed Devoy -and his friends to consult with Captain Henry C. Hathaway in New -Bedford. At the time of his rescue, Captain Hathaway was the third -mate of the Gazelle, and O'Reilly occupied a stateroom with him. A -strong attachment had grown up between them, which was strengthened -when Hathaway saved O'Reilly from drowning during a fight with an -ugly whale, in which O'Reilly's love of excitement had led him to -participate. - -Captain Hathaway was at this time captain of the night police force in -New Bedford. He entered into the plans with interest, and told Devoy -that the commander whom he needed to carry the expedition to success -was Captain George S. Anthony. John T. Richardson, the father-in-law -of Captain Anthony, was a whaling agent, and the proposition was -first broached to him, and he agreed to arrange an interview for the -Clan-na-Gael committee with Anthony. - -Captain Anthony was a New Bedford boy, and pledged his life to the -sea at the age of fifteen. He had been a successful whaleman, and his -faithfulness had been demonstrated in a service of ten years in one -ship, of which Jonathan Bourne was the agent. - -But the captain had recently married, and had concluded to abandon the -longboat forever. He was given a position at the Morse Twist Drill -Works, where he was employed in February, 1875, when Devoy and his -friends first went to New Bedford. - -But a sailor is never long contented ashore, and Anthony was growing -restless. Mr. Bourne was inclined to make light of his resolution to -become a mechanic, and constantly dropped in upon him at the shop with -tempting offers to return to his service, until the foreman suggested -to Mr. Bourne that he should "let Anthony alone." Then Mr. Bourne -slapped the stout sailor on the back and said, "Well, Anthony, I'll -let you alone. But remember and let me know when you are ready to go -whaling again." - -Mr. Bourne's experience had taught him something. He had detected the -restlessness of Anthony, who acknowledged that he was out of place in -a machine-shop, and he knew that one day he would come to his office, -prepared to sign shipping papers. - -A few days later Anthony met Mr. Richardson and said to him: "I'm -tired of this. Go down and see Mr. Bourne and ask him if he will let me -have a ship." - -"Wait a few days; I have something better for you," said Mr. -Richardson. Two days before he had met Devoy and his comrades, and he -was then carrying their secret about with him. - -The next morning Mr. Richardson again met the captain: "Come to the -store this evening," said he; "there will be two or three men there -whom I wish you to meet." - -At about eight o'clock Anthony presented himself at Richardson's. The -store of the latter was at 18 South Water Street. It was an outfitters' -establishment, with a stock of such clothing as is to be found in the -slop chest of the sailor in the front of the store, while there was an -open space at the rear filled with chairs. - -About a big stove sat a number of men, several of whom were strangers -to Anthony. He remembered that he had seen them about Richardson's -place for several days, and had once been on the point of inquiring -who they were. Captain Hathaway was one of the men in the group whom -he knew, and it may be said that Mr. Devoy, Mr. Goff, and Mr. Reynolds -were also present. - -"It's just as well to sit in the dark," said one, and the lights were -at once put out, which seemed to Anthony a rather singular proceeding. - -Then he was introduced to the men, but their names were unfamiliar -to him at that time. Captain Anthony was less a stranger to the men -whom he met. They had made a study of him for several days before they -decided to intrust him with the secret and the enterprise which was -nearest their hearts, and they had now decided that he would do. - -The man who stood in the lamplight for a minute before the flame was -extinguished was of athletic build, with black hair, and eyes which -were so black, bright, and alert that they were the conspicuous feature -of the face. The brilliant color in the captain's cheek indicated -vigorous good health. - -Then John Devoy, whom Captain Anthony had carelessly noticed was a -short man with full black whiskers, unfolded the plan of the proposed -rescue of the Fenian prisoners to the astonished captain. - - - - -CHAPTER XI - -THE VESSEL AND THE START - - -It was an ideal conspiracy, you see, the plans being made under the -cover of darkness. Mr. Devoy was a brilliant talker, and he knew his -subject well. He hurried over the story of the revolution in which the -men were engaged, making prominent the fact that his friends who had -been transported to Western Australia were not criminals. - -Then he sketched the plan of rescue. In his enthusiasm it probably -seemed the easy task to Devoy which he represented it to be. His -friends would provide a whaleship, fitted for sea. Captain Anthony -was to sail as soon as possible, and beyond keeping up a pretense of -whaling, his part would merely be to show his vessel off the coast of -Australia on a certain date. There he would be hailed by a company of -men in a boat. He would take them aboard and sail for home. The shore -end of the escape would be managed by others. - -Captain Anthony asked for time in which to consider the proposition, -and he was given one day. Meanwhile he was pledged never to speak of -the plan, not even to Mrs. Anthony, whether or not he accepted the -commission. The captain did some hard thinking that night, and the next -evening, when he again met the committee at Richardson's, he told them -he would go. They expressed their gratification, gave authority to Mr. -Richardson and Captain Anthony to select a suitable vessel, and left -the city, well satisfied with their selection of a commander. - -I have always suspected that Devoy and his friends must have aroused -the sympathy of Captain Anthony and awakened within him a personal -interest in the men whose zeal for patriotism had placed them in -an unfortunate position. A promise that he would be well paid was -certainly inadequate to the weary voyage, the risk, and the sacrifice -he must make in leaving his family. Captain Anthony had been married -but a year, and there was a baby daughter but a few months old. His -mother was ill, and had not the spirit which dominated Devoy appealed -to him, there can be no satisfactory explanation of his assumption of -the trust. - -Mr. Richardson and Captain Anthony now commenced their search for a -vessel. They looked at the Jeannette, a New Bedford whaler, the Sea -Gull, a Boston clipper and fast, but in need of expensive repairs, and -the Addison, formerly a whaleship, but at that time a packet running -on the route between Boston and Fayal. None were regarded as entirely -suitable. - -At last they heard of the Catalpa. She was formerly a whaleship sailing -out of New Bedford, but had been placed in the merchant service. She -had just returned with a cargo of logwood from the West Indies and -was for sale. Captain Anthony and Mr. Richardson went to East Boston, -where she lay. They were satisfied with her, and, finding she could -be bought cheaply, communicated with the committee, which authorized -her purchase. She was bought on March 13, 1875, and the price paid was -$5,500. - -The Catalpa was a vessel of 202.05 tons net, 90 feet in length, 25 feet -in breadth, with a depth of 12.2 feet. She was rigged as a merchant -bark, with double topsails, a poop deck, and cabin half above decks. -Her main deck was roomy and she had an open hold, there being nothing -between decks excepting her beams. The house and galley were on deck, -merchant fashion; altogether she seemed a stanch vessel. The bark was -brought around to New Bedford and the fitting commenced at City Wharf -under Captain Anthony's direction. - -Davits and whaleboat gear were rigged, a forecastle was built for the -sailors, a half deck put in, sail and rigging pens built on one side -and a steerage on the other. Then it was discovered that the riding -keelson was rotten, and John W. Howland, who was in charge of the -repairs, performed a mechanical feat never before attempted. The foot -of the mainmast rests upon this part of the vessel, yet a new piece was -put in with such skill that the rigging did not settle throughout the -voyage. - -The bark was provided with a forward and after cabin. Two rooms on the -starboard side were knocked into one for the use of the captain, the -mate's room was on the port side, opposite, and the second and third -mates were furnished accommodations in the forward cabin. - -The vessel was fitted ostensibly for a whaling voyage of eighteen -months or two years in the North and South Atlantic. Captain Anthony -was given supreme authority in the arrangement of the vessel and in -securing the fittings, and gave his personal attention to the stowing -of the ship. - -On the day of sailing, the vessel and outfit had cost the Clan-na-Gael -committee $18,000. The vessel stood in the name of James Reynolds of -New Haven, a fact which aroused considerable curiosity among the New -Bedford whaling agents, since he was a newcomer in the field which they -had regarded as a monopoly. - -The conspirators made but one request with relation to the crew. They -wished to have one of their number accompany the vessel, and Dennis -Duggan was selected. He was shipped as carpenter. Otherwise the -responsibility was placed with Captain Anthony, and it was a difficult -task, requiring no little discretion and knowledge of the character of -men. - -He made a wise choice, it will be seen later, in the selection of -Samuel P. Smith of Edgartown as first mate. The crew was purposely made -up largely of Kanakas, Malays, and Africans, since they were likely -to be less suspicious than other sailors and could better endure the -climate of the southern seas. - -The shipping articles described the crew as finally made up as follows. -The names of some of the men were invented and bestowed upon them by -the shipping agents. - -------------------+--------------------+--------------+----------------+ - | | Place of |Of what Country | - Name. | Place of Birth. | Residence. | Citizen, or | - | | | Subject. | -------------------+--------------------+--------------+----------------+ -Samuel P. Smith. | Edgartown. | Edgartown. | United States. | -Antone Farnham. | Brava. | New Bedford. | Brava. | -George H. Bolles. | New Bedford. | New Bedford. | United States. | -Caleb Cushing. | Harwich. | New Bedford. | United States. | -Mopsy Roso. | Malay. | New Bedford. | Malay. | -John Roso. | Malay. | New Bedford. | Malay. | -Walter E. Sanford.| N. Bridgewater. | Raynham. | United States. | -Cyrus S. Hill. | N. Woodstock, N.H.| Exeter, N.H. | United States. | -Antone Ferris. | Cape de Verde Is. | New Bedford. | Cape de Verde. | -Henry D. Paine. | Woodstock, Vt. | Woodstock. | United States. | -John Coeking. | New Britain, Conn.| New Britain. | United States. | -Edmund F. Gleason.| Candia. | | United States. | -Robert Kanaka. | Hope Island. | New Bedford. | Hope Island. | -Mike Malay. | Malay. | New Bedford. | Malay. | -Zempa Malay. | Malay. | New Bedford. | Malay. | -Lumbard Malay. | Malay. | New Bedford. | Malay. | -Gingy Malay. | Malay. | New Bedford. | Malay. | -Henry Parrott. | St. Helena. | New Bedford. | St. Helena. | -Thomas F. Knipe. | St. Helena. | New Bedford. | St. Helena. | -Thomas Kanaka. | Hope Island. | New Bedford. | Hope Island. | -Robert Ceil. | St. Helena. | New Bedford. | St. Helena. | -Joseph Rosmond. | St. Lucia, W.I. | New Bedford. | St. Lucia. | -Dennis Duggan. | New York. | | | -------------------+--------------------+--------------+----------------+ -------------------+-----+--------+------------+-------+-------+ - | | | | | | - Name. | Age.| Height.| Complexion.| Hair. | Eyes. | - | | | | | | -------------------+-----+--------+------------+-------+-------+ -Samuel P. Smith. | 29 | 5.11 | Sandy. | Brown.| Gray. | -Antone Farnham. | 43 | 5.11 | Dark. | Black.| Black.| -George H. Bolles. | 24 | 5.6 | Sandy. | Brown.| Black.| -Caleb Cushing. | 23 | 5.1 | Sandy. | Brown.| Black.| -Mopsy Roso. | 21 | 5.5 | Dark. | Black.| Black.| -John Roso. | 30 | 5.4 | Dark. | Black.| Black.| -Walter E. Sanford.| 19 | 6 | Light. | Light.| Blue. | -Cyrus S. Hill. | 21 | 5.10 | Dark. | Black.| Brown.| -Antone Ferris. | 50 | 5.8 | Dark. | Gray. | Black.| -Henry D. Paine. | 17 | 5.9 | Light. | Light.| Blue. | -John Coeking. | 27 | 5.3 | Light. | Light.| Blue. | -Edmund F. Gleason.| 30 | 5.2 | Dark. | Black.| Black.| -Robert Kanaka. | 22 | 5.7 | Black. | Black.| Black.| -Mike Malay. | 21 | 5.3 | Black. | Black.| Black.| -Zempa Malay. | 21 | 5.2 | Black. | Black.| Black.| -Lumbard Malay. | 21 | 5.3 | Black. | Black.| Black.| -Gingy Malay. | 21 | 5.4 | Black. | Black.| Black.| -Henry Parrott. | 22 | 5.6 | Black. | Black.| Black.| -Thomas F. Knipe. | 22 | 5.9 | Black. | Black.| Black.| -Thomas Kanaka. | 28 | 5.7 | Black. | Black.| Black.| -Robert Ceil. | 18 | 5.6 | Dark. | Black.| Gray. | -Joseph Rosmond. | 21 | 5.8 | Black. | Black.| Black.| -Dennis Duggan. | 30 | 5.9 | Light. | Light.| Blue. | -------------------+-----+--------+------------+-------+-------+ - - New Bedford, April 29, 1875. - -Although the suspicions of nobody had been aroused in any quarter which -would lead to anxiety, the shipping agents were very persistent in -their inquiries about the destination of the ship. - -"Captain Anthony is going where he has a mind and will stay as long -as he pleases," was Mr. Richardson's invariable reply to those who -questioned him. - -The bark was now ready for sea, and Devoy, who was at this time night -editor of the "New York Herald," went to New Bedford to give Captain -Anthony his final instructions. - -"You will cruise until fall, about six months, in the North Atlantic," -were Devoy's orders. "Then you are to put in at Fayal, ship home any -oil which you may have taken, and sail at once for Australia, where -we expect you to arrive early in the spring of 1876. You are to go to -Bunbury, on the west coast, and there communications will be opened up -with you from our Australian agent." - -The serious illness of Captain Anthony's mother delayed his departure -for two days. Devoy remained over, and at nine o'clock on Thursday -morning, April 29, 1875, he waved his handkerchief in farewell to -Captain Anthony as he rowed away from the dock to board the Catalpa. - -Although a large company of his friends had made up a party to -accompany the captain down the bay, he could not trust himself to bring -his wife. He had said good-by to his wife and baby at home. - -[Illustration: THE CATALPA OUTWARD BOUND] - -This was the first anniversary of Captain Anthony's wedding, and -among those who were on the bark was Rev. O.A. Roberts, the clergyman -who had officiated at the marriage. Mr. Roberts was curious to see a -chronometer, and after the vessel was under way he examined it and -asked about its winding. Captain Anthony's attention thus being called -to it, he learned that he was bound to sea without a key for his -chronometer. Fortunately a mechanic named Arnett was on the vessel, and -he bored and filed an old clock key to fit the chronometer, and it was -wound. This was only the commencement of trouble with the chronometer, -which continued throughout the voyage. - -Late in the afternoon, off Cuttyhunk, the friends on shore left the -Catalpa. During the remainder of that day Captain Anthony was in the -depths of despondency. While in the companionship of Devoy and the -conspirators he had imbibed the enthusiasm and spirit of the affair. -But now he was alone with the responsibility. There was not an officer -with whom he could share his secret. With a hulk of a whaleship he was -defying the mightiest naval power on earth. - -In the evening half a gale was blowing and the bark was plunging -drearily in heavy seas, under short sail. The captain thought of his -wife, his child, and his mother sick at home, and he thought of the -task he had assumed to accomplish in the convict land of Australia. -There was gloom within the little cabin that evening, as well as -without. - - - - -CHAPTER XII - -WHALING - - -But the heart-heaviness did not last long. If Captain Anthony had -not been a man of exceptional pluck, he would not have been bound to -Australia in the Catalpa. The first days of a voyage are busy. The -crew is called aft, watches are told off, and boats' crews selected. -The regulations to be observed on shipboard are read, and the master -gives general instructions to be obeyed during the voyage. Then, if the -weather permits, the boats are lowered and the green hands are taught -their places and the handling of their oars. - -Perhaps the reader will be interested in the first entry in the -log-book of the voyage which was to become famous. It is prosaic -enough:-- - - Remarks on Board Bark Catalpa, Captain Anthony, - Outward Bound, Thursday, Apr. 29th, 1875. - - This day commences with light breezes from the S.E. and clear weather. - At 9 A.M. took our anchors and stood to sea. At 11.30 the captain came - on board with officers. Crew all on board. - -For several days thereafter all hands were busily employed in getting -the vessel ready for whaling. Captain Anthony did not enter into the -preparations with the spirit which might have been expected under -different circumstances, possibly, but the work afforded relief from -the routine. - -The chronometer once more intruded itself upon the captain's troubled -mind. After taking a number of sights and making a computation by -it, the result showed the vessel to be in the interior of New York -State. The hammering and pounding which the instrument had undergone -in the process of fitting the key had changed the rate. The captain -and the mate corrected it, but when three days out a German bark was -signaled and it was found that there was a difference of forty miles in -longitude between the navigators. The chronometer was never reliable -thereafter, and the captain was never certain of his position. - -Violent, rugged weather was now encountered. The first whale was raised -on the afternoon of May 3, but it was going quickly to windward and -there was no chance to lower the boats. The next day at five P.M., when -on the southern edge of the Gulf, a school of whales was sighted and -the vessel was luffed to the wind; but again the whales were going so -fast that it was useless to lower. On May 5 another school of whales -was sighted on the lee quarter and the captain wore ship to head them -off. A heavy squall arose, with rain, and under two lower topsails the -bark dashed along, but the whales were elusive. All the next day the -chase continued, and one small whale was taken. - -The whale was taken alongside. At 5.30 the work of cutting commenced -and it was finished at eight in the evening. The great pieces of -blubber are hauled over the main hatch and minced into fine pieces, -called "horse pieces." Then the boiling commences. Water is turned into -caboose pens, or jogs along the deck, to prevent the woodwork catching -fire from the try works. The casks containing provisions, towlines, and -sails are emptied, cleansed, and swabbed clean. The hot oil is then -poured in and the casks are lashed to the rail on the ship's side to -cool before being stored below. - -This whale was a very small one and made but about twenty barrels of -oil. It may not be uninteresting to give the reader some idea of the -size of the right whale, which is the largest of whales. Captain Davis, -a veteran whaleman, has made a comparison of the various parts with -familiar objects, which is here quoted: "The blubber, or blanket, of a -large right whale would carpet a room twenty-two yards long and nine -yards wide, averaging half a yard in thickness. Set up a saw-log two -feet in diameter and twenty feet in length for the ridgepole of the -room we propose to build; then raise it in the air fifteen feet, and -support it with pieces of timber seventeen feet long, spread, say, nine -feet. This will make a room nine feet wide at the bottom, two feet -wide at the peak, and twenty feet long, and will convey an idea of the -upper jaw, the saw-log and slanting supports representing the bone. -These walls of bone are clasped by the white blubbery lips, which at -the bottom are four feet thick, tapering to a blunt edge, where they -fit into a rebate sunk in the upper jaw. The throat is four feet, and -is mainly blubber, interpenetrated by fibrous, muscular flesh. The -lips and throat of a two-hundred-and-fifty-barrel whale should yield -sixty barrels of oil, and, with the supporting jaw-bones, will weigh as -much as twenty-five oxen of one thousand pounds each. Attached to the -throat by a broad base is the enormous tongue, the size of which can -be better conceived by the fact that twenty-five barrels of oil have -been taken from one. Such a tongue would equal in weight ten oxen. The -tail of such a whale is about twenty-five feet broad and six feet deep, -and is considerably more forked than that of the spermaceti. The point -of juncture with the body is about four feet in diameter, the vertebra -about fifteen inches, the remainder of the small being packed with -rope-like tendons from the size of a finger to that of a man's leg. -The great rounded joint at the base of the skull gleams like an ivory -sphere, nearly as large round as a carriage wheel. Through the greatest -blood-vessels, more than a foot in diameter, surges, at each pulsation -of a heart as large as a hogshead, a torrent of barrels of blood heated -to one hundred and four degrees. The respiratory canal is over twelve -inches in diameter, through which the rush of air is as noisy as the -exhaust-pipe of a thousand-horse-power steam engine; and when the fatal -wound is given, torrents of clotted blood are spattered into the air -over the nauseated hunters. In conclusion, the right whale has an eye -scarcely larger than a cow's, and an ear that would scarcely admit a -knitting-needle." - -On May 12 the Catalpa had reached the "Western Ground," and two whales -were killed. It was nearly midnight before they were taken alongside. - -On May 30, in lat. 37 deg. 3' north, long. 57 deg. 50' west, a brig in -distress was raised to leeward, dismasted and flying signals. She -proved to be the brig Florence Annapolis, forty-nine days from -Liverpool, bound to Nova Scotia with a cargo of salt. Water and -provisions were gone and the crew was on the verge of starvation. When -the mast went by the board, one of the crew had his leg broken and two -others were injured. Captain Anthony supplied the vessel with water -and small stores, and his crew assisted in rigging up two sails, with -which the brig ultimately reached port in safety. - -Late on the afternoon of June 13 the first whale seen for a month was -sighted. It was a smoky day, with a fresh breeze from the south. Mr. -Smith, the mate, was in charge of one of the boats, which was lowered. -The boatsteerer had thrown the iron, and Mr. Smith had taken his -position at the head of the boat with the lance for the fatal stroke, -when he was knocked overboard by the whale and severely cut about the -head. He was pulled in by the crew, and crawled on his hands and knees -to the head of the boat once more, where he killed the whale and fell -back in a faint. Smith was brought aboard the bark, badly injured, and -the whale was alongside at one A.M. The next morning Mr. Smith insisted -upon attending to his duties and assisted in directing the cutting-in, -although he was very weak from the loss of blood from the cuts on his -head and neck. This little incident indicated to Captain Anthony that -he had made no mistake in selecting Mr. Smith, and he felt sure that -when the supreme test came he would have at least one man behind him -upon whom he could rely to the uttermost. - -From that date until August nothing of particular interest occurred. -Icebergs were seen in July, and the Kanaka boatsteerer died and was -buried at sea, the service being read by Captain Anthony. - -Late in August the Catalpa fell in with the bark General Scott, Captain -Bobbins, and "gammed," with her. The word "gammed" is the whaling -vernacular for keeping company. On the morning of the 27th a flat calm -prevailed, when a large sperm whale was raised close to the ship. Three -boats were lowered and this attracted the attention of the captain of -the General Scott, who ordered his men to the boats. The fact that the -whale spouted seventy times each time it came up indicated that it was -of good size. Then the whale sounded and was down forty minutes. The -boats from both ships were now in ardent chase, but when the whale came -up he was nearer the Scott's boats. So the officers shouted and agreed -to "mate," or divide the whale. Mr. Smith of the Catalpa struck the -whale, and all joined in the killing. Then, as the General Scott was so -much larger than the Catalpa, the whale was taken alongside that vessel -for boiling. It is a rule among whalemen that when two ships are mated, -if either takes a whale before the first has been boiled, the ships -again divide. So while the General Scott was trying out, the Catalpa -cruised away, captured another whale, and at six o'clock the same night -had it alongside. This latter whale was small, making about forty-five -barrels, which was divided. The larger whale "stowed down" 130 barrels. - -On September 5 the Catalpa gammed with the bark Draco, Captain Peakes. -Captain Anthony had sailed in the Draco for ten years of his life, -and Captain Peakes was an old friend. On the 19th the Catalpa raised -sperm whales and secured two. On October 14 Flores was sighted, and the -captain now learned that through the fault of his chronometer he was -120 miles out of his "reckoning." - -Captain Peakes suggested to Captain Anthony that before going in he -should catch up a deckload of albicores, which abounded, and as they -are a choice edible he could trade them off in the town for potatoes. -The albicores follow ships in this locality, and were all about the -vessel, breaching for flying-fish and squid. So with white rag for -bait, the crew caught half a hundred fish weighing forty or fifty -pounds each. - -Captain Anthony landed in his small boat and was at once placed under -arrest by the custom-house authorities for smuggling. The fish, it -seems, were regarded as a product of the American fisheries, and could -not be landed without paying a duty. Moreover, Captain Anthony was -informed that they were worthless. So he gave them away to a man on -the dock, but this made no difference to the customs authorities, who -insisted that they must be returned to the vessel or pay the duty. The -captain ordered a native to take them back to the ship or do anything -he liked with the fish. He rowed around a point and landed the fish, -but the island officials, having demonstrated their authority, released -Captain Anthony from arrest. - -The potatoes were placed aboard the vessel, when a heavy gale sprang -up. Captain Anthony was ready to sail, but he had left his bill of -health ashore, and he was forced to lay off and on in terrible weather -before he could get back once more. - -On October 20 the Catalpa left the island for Fayal, and several days -later, in a gale of wind, the vessel was worked up between Pico and -Fayal and anchored off the town. The vessel had 210 barrels of sperm -oil aboard, and for several days the crew was employed in breaking out -the cargo and landing it to be shipped home. Then the casks of bread -and flour were recoopered and the watches were given liberty on shore. -Here the captain was rejoiced at getting letters from, his family and a -photograph of his daughter. - -Most of the crew, including third mate Bolles, one of the boatsteerers, -and nearly all of the foremast hands, deserted, and three sailors who -were sick were discharged. A runner agreed to furnish men, but it was -necessary for them to be smuggled aboard the ship, since they had no -passports. They were picked up by the Catalpa's boats under shadow of -the fort, and, although hailed by the guard-boat, they were successful -in reaching the vessel. One or two of the men who ran away were -captured, and a crew was once more patched up. - -The chronometer again claimed attention. Although the captain had had -it adjusted at Flores, in the short run to Fayal he found himself sixty -miles out of the way in his reckoning. Here he met Captain Crapo of the -bark Ospray, who had three chronometers, including one which had been -in the bark Cornelia, condemned on the Pacific coast. Captain Anthony -bought this for $110 and experienced much satisfaction in the belief -that he now had an instrument which he could trust. - -These were busy days for the captain, for aside from the trouble with -the crew, the fierce weather on the Western Ground had used up rigging -and canvas, and he was compelled to buy a new outfit. - -On the sixth of November Captain Anthony made a hurried departure from -Fayal. - - - - -CHAPTER XIII - -A HURRIED DEPARTURE - - -The cause of the haste in leaving the island was a letter which Dennis -Duggan, the ship's carpenter, received from Thomas Brennan. - -Duggan, it will be remembered, was the only Irishman on the Catalpa, -since the leaders had agreed that the presence of a number might arouse -the suspicion of the British authorities when Australia was reached. -Brennan had been very urgent in his appeals to accompany the expedition -when it left America, but permission was refused. He declined to accept -the rebuff, however, and he determined to stow away on the vessel -before she sailed, but arrived at New Bedford a day too late. - -Nothing daunted, he shipped on a little schooner sailing for St. -Michael's, planning to join the Catalpa at Fayal. The letter which -Duggan received announced that Brennan had taken passage on a steamer -from St. Michael's which was due to arrive the following day. - -Captain Anthony and Duggan had agreed never to converse on the subject, -lest the suspicions of the officers might be excited; but the carpenter -promptly carried the letter to the captain. - -"I think we have all the crew we need at present," remarked Captain -Anthony. "Mr. Brennan may get left." - -He hastened to the custom-house, cleared his vessel for Teneriffe in -the Canary Islands, and at 5.30 o'clock in the afternoon, in a drizzle -of rain and a fresh breeze from the southwest, the moorings were -slipped and the Catalpa was working out to windward between Pico and -Fayal. - -As the vessel was heading out through the islands the next morning, the -steamer on which Brennan was a passenger was seen at a distance, going -in to Fayal and the captain bestowed a grim smile upon Duggan. Brennan -saw the ship likewise, but it will be seen that he did not falter in -his purpose to join the Catalpa. - -And now a crisis had come in the affairs of the expedition. Captain -Anthony knew that the deception could not be kept much longer from -his chief mate, Mr. Smith, and had planned for many months to make a -confidant of him on the voyage from Fayal to Teneriffe. - -Thus far the vessel had proceeded according to the plans announced -before starting. During the period which had elapsed, the Catalpa had -pursued whaling with good success, but, as the reader knows, this -avocation was only a cloak to the true purpose of the voyage. - -During the hard labor of the months which had passed, Captain Anthony -had never forgotten for an instant the desperate work which was before -him. He thought of it by day and dreamed of it by night, yet he must -continually be on the guard to keep his plans from his comrades in the -cabin. - -He had explained as a reason for going to Teneriffe, that he -contemplated whaling about the river Platte, and proposed to stop there -for water. The water at Fayal was taken from wells near the shore and -was brackish, while that at Teneriffe is much sought after by whalers. - -So far there was nothing to arouse a question upon the part of the -chief officer. But after Teneriffe there was to be the long and dreary -voyage around the Cape of Good Hope and across the Indian Ocean, with -no pretense of whaling. The officer must be admitted into the secret -before Teneriffe was reached. If he refused to assist the enterprise -he must be landed there. He might very properly be indignant at being -inveigled into such a voyage and give away the plan. - -Captain Anthony had decided that of all men Smith the mate was -an officer among a thousand for such work. He was bold and -adventure-loving. But his very impetuosity was dreaded by the captain -in the interview which was to come; for whereas he might accept a -part in the programme with enthusiasm, he was perhaps as likely to be -enraged at the deception practiced upon him. - -It was therefore with many misgivings that Captain Anthony asked him -into the cabin one pleasant evening, when the vessel was a few days out -from Fayal. Mr. Smith seemed to be in exceptionally good spirits, and -it was an opportunity which the captain had awaited for some time. The -doors were closed, and at Anthony's invitation Smith sat down. - -It is not the fashion of sailors to make long stories, and Captain -Anthony was as blunt and brief as if he were instructing his mate to -put more sail on the ship. - -"Mr. Smith, you shipped to go whaling," commenced the captain. "I want -to say to you now, before we get to Teneriffe, that the Catalpa has -done about all the whaling she will do this fall. We're bound to the -western coast of Australia to try and liberate six Fenian prisoners who -are serving a life sentence in Great Britain's penal colony. This ship -was bought for that purpose and fitted for that purpose, and you have -been utterly deceived in the object of this voyage. You have a right -to be indignant and leave the vessel at Teneriffe. You will have the -opportunity when we arrive there, and if you go I can't blame you. - -"But this ship is going to Australia, if I live, and I hope you will -stay by me and go with me. God knows I need you, and I give you my word -I will stand by you as never one man stood by another, if you will say -you will remain in the ship and assist me in carrying out the plans." - -[Illustration: SAMUEL P. SMITH - -First Mate of the Catalpa] - -Mr. Smith's face, at this announcement, was a picture of surprise which -the captain will never forget. After a moment, the mate asked a few -questions about the prisoners to be rescued, the plan, and the men -behind it, and Captain Anthony assured him that if any trouble came he -would exonerate him completely from the conspiracy and would proclaim -that he shipped to go whaling. Then Mr. Smith sat silent for a few -minutes. - -The reply which came is not the polite language of the parlor, but it -was very satisfactory to Captain Anthony, and was couched in language -which could not have been made more expressive of Mr. Smith's purpose. -He arose and took the captain by the hand. - -"Captain Anthony," said he, "I'll stick by you in this ship if she goes -to hell and burns off her jibboom." - -This undoubtedly struck the captain at that moment as the quintessence -of eloquence, and you may be sure the hand of Mr. Smith, which was -placed in his, was shaken with a heartiness which told the story of his -joy. - -The two men talked long together. Smith had wondered at the interest of -the strange men, Devoy and Reynolds, who had visited the ship during -her fitting, and he never had been able to understand how it was -expected the vessel could go to the River Platte and return in eighteen -months; but otherwise his curiosity had never led him to suspect that -he was not in the entire confidence of the captain. Captain Anthony was -in a happier frame of mind when he went to his stateroom than he had -experienced for many months. - - - - -CHAPTER XIV - -AN AWKWARD MEETING - - -The peak of Teneriffe, 12,182 feet high, can be seen ninety miles on a -clear day. Captain Anthony had seen it as far by accurate observation. -Trusting in the correctness of his new chronometer, he expected to -raise the land dead ahead. He was therefore surprised, one afternoon, -when he raised the peak sixty or seventy miles on his weather quarter. -Captain Anthony ordered the vessel hauled sharp by the wind, and by a -fortunate change was able to head up so that he arrived off the port -the following evening, November 20. The new chronometer was no longer -to be implicitly trusted. - -The bark was at once boarded by the custom-house officials, who wished -to see the bill of health. Captain Anthony passed out the health papers -certified to by the Spanish consul. There had been so many changes in -the crew at Fayal and the start was made so hurriedly that the number -of men was erroneously given as twenty-five. The officials ordered -the captain to call all hands to the rail, which was done, and only -twenty-two men were mustered. Then the captain was asked to account for -the other three men, but was unable to do so, and he was asked if he -had not made way with them, which he, of course, strenuously denied. - -Then the officer demanded the log-book, ship's papers, crew lists, -and certificates of discharges and desertions, and, failing to find -any accounting for the three men, announced that he should detain -the vessel until an explanation was forthcoming. But after profuse -apologies and explanations on the part of the captain, the officer -finally agreed to permit the vessel to enter. - -Captain Anthony went ashore, saw the consul, and made arrangements -for taking water aboard. He dared not give the crew shore liberty, -lest they might run away. The consul advised him to ship the men taken -aboard at Fayal regularly, but as the men might refuse to return if -they landed at Teneriffe, on the ground that they did not belong to -the vessel, he consented to go aboard the Catalpa, and the men were -accordingly shipped aboard the bark. - -An American schooner from New Haven was in port, and Captain Anthony -took his chronometer aboard. For three days he was engaged in taking -sights and fixing the rate, which had been given incorrectly, he found. -Captain Anthony was now bound across the Indian Ocean, and as he knew -that this was the last land he would see for many weeks or months, he -was very particular about the work. - -A quantity of lumber, boards and joist, were taken aboard here, to -build quarters for the guests whom the captain expected to take aboard -at Australia. The explanation was vouchsafed to the crew that the big -spruce boards and joist were for mending the boats; but notwithstanding -the absurdity, it was perfectly satisfactory to the men. The captain -had drawn $1,000 on the owners at Fayal for refitting, and he spent -$300 additional at Teneriffe. - -On November 25 the Catalpa sailed from Teneriffe, clearing for "River -La Platte and other places." The vessel was now in ship-shape order, -and was bound for Australia as straight as she could be sent. - -Still the deception of whaling must be kept up with the crew, and a man -was always kept on the lookout at masthead. For several weeks light -breezes prevailed, and nothing occurred to break the monotony. On -December 19 three small whales were taken, making about forty barrels -of oil. Then there was a short season of baffling winds and squally -weather, but about the 24th the trade winds struck on. The Catalpa -crossed the equator in longitude 27 deg. on Christmas night. The -prevailing winds had been to the southward, and the vessel had sailed -on the port tack for so long a time that she must have been close in -upon Cape St. Rourke. No land was sighted, however, and it must have -been passed in the night. - -Then for a period of two months the voyage was monotonous enough. Light -breezes prevailed and considerable of the time was spent in repairing -sails. Finback whales were sighted and occasionally the boats were -lowered, but the pursuit was without success. - -On the night of Friday, February 11, the vessel was in lat. 41 deg. -11', long. 17 deg. 58', when a heavy gale from the S.S.W. commenced. At -daylight the bark was under two lower topsails and foresail, steering -S.E. by E. The cross sea on this occasion was the most treacherous -and menacing which Captain Anthony had ever experienced. The combers, -coming in opposite directions, came together with reports like a clap -of thunder, and the danger of a sea striking the deck was looked upon -with no little apprehension. As the gale and sea increased the Catalpa -hove to under the two lower topsails and mizzen staysail. Suddenly, -to Captain Anthony's consternation, the lower foretopsail split and -tore in shreds. Now, before leaving port the captain had been warned -never to take in the topsails in heavy weather lest the vessel should -thrash herself in pieces. The vessel was flat-bottomed and shallow and -required sail to prevent her from rolling to windward and shipping -seas, which might be her destruction, he was told, and in corroboration -of this he knew that when the topsails were taken in in a hurricane off -Cape Horn, on a previous voyage, a sea boarded the Catalpa, sweeping -everything from the deck, breaking the mate's leg, and doing serious -damage to the vessel. - -"Now look out for trouble!" shouted Captain Anthony to Mr. Smith, as -the very catastrophe which was dreaded happened. But to the captain's -surprise the Catalpa came up into the wind and sea and lay like a duck, -rising and settling in the surges with a graceful, buoyant swell. - -At three o'clock on the afternoon of the storm a vessel was sighted on -the other tack with nothing set but the main spencer and foretopmast -staysail. She rolled until her keel was almost in sight, and Captain -Anthony not only recognized her as a whaleship, but from the brightness -of the copper on the vessel's bottom, which was exposed as she reeled -in the great seas, he knew that she had left home but recently. But -Captain Anthony realized that his presence in this locality would -be difficult to explain to a whaling captain who knew that he had -sailed ostensibly on a short voyage in the Atlantic, and he heroically -determined to forego his inclination to hear the latest news from home. -The little bark wore around and came on the same tack with the Catalpa, -but she was soon left far astern. - -At midnight, however, the wind died out, and the next day the little -bark was in sight. The weather was genial, the sun glowing, and to -all appearances there never blew a gale over so placid a sea. Captain -Anthony decided to speak the vessel. So he hauled aback, and when the -stranger came up, lowered a boat and boarded her. She proved to be the -Platina of New Bedford. Captain Walter Howland, who commanded her, was -an intimate friend, but Captain Anthony was not so well pleased at the -meeting as he might have been under other circumstances. The Platina -was four months out from home and had fifty barrels of oil. - -"What under heavens are you doing here, Anthony," said Captain Howland. -"You're the last man I expected to see out here. I thought you -intended to make a short voyage in the North Atlantic." - -Captain Anthony said he had concluded to go farther, and inquired of -Captain Howland where he proposed to go. The latter said he was bound -for the Seychelles Islands and through the Mozambique Channel. Captain -Anthony evinced much interest in this plan, and the Platina's master -got out his charts and gave the captain considerable information about -the locality, Captain Anthony taking copious notes the while. Captain -Anthony told Captain Howland that he might bring up on the whaling -ground which was his destination. - -Then Captain Howland gave his old friend the news from home, but it -was quite evident that he was suspicious of Captain Anthony's presence -in this part of the world, for several times he stopped short, and -repeated, "Say now, honest, what are you doing here?" - -"Where are you going to refit?" he asked at another time. Captain -Anthony evaded answering this question by asking Captain Howland where -he proposed to refit, and entered the information he received in his -notebook. - -Meanwhile Mr. Farnham, the second mate, and the boat's crew from the -Catalpa were mingling with the Platina's crew, and learned for the -first time that the vessel was not off the coast of Patagonia, bound -for the River La Platte, but nearer the Cape of Good Hope and headed -for the Indian Ocean. - -"I tot we long time getting that River Platte," Captain Anthony heard -the Portuguese mate saying to the men. "I tink maybe old man go to New -Zealand catch whales. I there once. I tink nice place." - -Late in the day Captain Anthony said good-by to Captain Howland and -returned to the Catalpa. The wind breezed up, main royals were set, and -onward the vessel bowled. The Platina was in sight for three days, when -she disappeared from the Catalpa's horizon. - - - - -CHAPTER XV - -A STRANGE EPISODE - - -Nothing stranger ever happened on land or sea than the circumstance -whereby Captain Anthony came into possession of the charts used on the -convict ship Hougoumont, which were subsequently employed to frustrate -the plans of the government which first provided them. - -A large English bark was signalized on the 16th of February in lat. -39 deg. 46' S., long. 31 deg. 54' E. It was a beautiful morning, and -Captain Anthony concluded to board her and see if he could procure -a detailed chart of the Australian coast, which he was now rapidly -approaching. - -The vessel proved to be the Ocean Beauty, seventy days from Liverpool -and bound for New Zealand. The captain was a big, convivial Englishman, -full of jolly stories which he loved to tell. Captain Anthony spent a -pleasant hour in his cabin and finally asked him if he had made many -voyages in this direction. - -"Been making them out here all my life," he said. "Why, I was master of -a convict ship, the Hougoumont, and carried a shipful of prisoners to -Australia in 1868." - -The name "Hougoumont" seemed familiar to Captain Anthony. Suddenly it -flashed upon his mind that this was the vessel which Devoy had named -as taking the Fenian prisoners whom he was bound to rescue out to -the colony. The meeting at this time, and the reminder, unnerved the -captain for a moment and if the Englishman had been observant he might -have suspected from his conduct that the mention of the name of the -vessel created an unexpected sensation. - -But the suggestion started the captain of the Ocean Beauty to relate -reminiscences of life on the convict ship. He told Captain Anthony of -John Boyle O'Reilly. "You may have heard of him," he said, "for he -escaped in one of your whaleships." He recalled the publication of a -paper by O'Reilly on the Hougoumont called "The Wild Goose," so named -because the soldiers of Sarsfield, who entered the service in foreign -armies upon the failure of their effort for liberty, were called "The -Wild Geese." It was published weekly, Father Delaney, the ship's -chaplain, furnishing O'Reilly with the paper and writing materials. -John Flood, Dennis B. Cashman, and J. Edward O'Kelly were editors, -with O'Reilly, and Cashman wrote an ornamental heading entwined with -shamrocks, and the sub-heads as well. It was published on Saturdays, -and O'Reilly read it to the company between decks on Sundays. In this -publication his narrative poem "The Flying Dutchman," written off the -Cape of Good Hope, first appeared. - -"We published seven weekly numbers of it," O'Reilly has written. "Amid -the dim glare of the lamp the men, at night, would group strangely on -extemporized seats, the yellow light full on the pale faces of the -men as they listened with blazing eyes to Davis's 'Fontenoy,' or the -'Clansmen's Wild Address to Shane's Head!' Ah, that is another of the -grand picture memories that come only to those who deal with life's -stern realities!" - -The Englishman's reference to Australia opened the way for Captain -Anthony to inquire the possibilities of the place for refitting and -taking aboard fresh provisions. The Englishman advised it, saying that -it was a cheap place to recruit ship. - -"Have you a sheet chart of the coast you could spare me?" asked Captain -Anthony finally. - -"Lots of them. Here's the roll I used when I was master of the -Hougoumont. Help yourself. You're welcome to any you want." - -The Englishman handed out a bulky roll, and Captain Anthony selected -a chart of the western coast of Australia on a large scale, showing -the survey about Swan River, Freemantle, Bunbury, Rottnest Island and -lighthouse. - -Then, as the wind was strengthening, Captain Anthony arose to go. The -Englishman bid him "God speed," and the men parted. - -Upon reaching the Catalpa, Captain Anthony went down into the cabin, -chuckling in great glee. - -"What's happened?" asked Mr. Smith. - -"Why," said the captain, "would you believe it? I've just been given -the very chart which was used by the captain of the Hougoumont to land -the prisoners we're after, at Freemantle. The captain little thought it -was to be used in taking a ship there to rescue the same men." - -The hilarity over this circumstance kept the two men in good humor for -a long time. - - - - -CHAPTER XVI - -ARRIVAL AT AUSTRALIA - - -For eleven days, from February 29 to March 10, the vessel lay to -most of the time under lower topsails and staysails, in a heavy and -prolonged gale from the S.S.E., dead ahead. It rained, and the days -were anxious and dreary to the captain. When an observation was finally -taken it was found that in this period the vessel had made only 60 -miles progress south and 120 miles east. Such a storm from the east is -very unusual in this latitude. - -But at last strong, fair winds from the west and southwest set in and -the Catalpa sailed like a racehorse. On March 15 the island of St. Paul -in lat. 38 deg. 25' S. and long. 78 deg. 28' E. was raised. Whalemen -always like to stop at St. Paul for the fishing. Captain Anthony had -been there a number of times, and with a crude apparatus had often -taken a boatload of crawfish in a few hours. A large iron hoop is used, -interwoven with spun yarn, and baited. Other varieties of fish can be -caught with hook, line, and pork bait. - -Sail was shortened and lines were prepared for fishing. Small boats -were lowered and, upon rowing in near the shore, the kelp, which -abounded, was hauled over the bow of the boat and served as an anchor. -The Catalpa ran around under the lee of the island, which by the way -has a peak 820 feet in height, when a westerly gale came on, commencing -with heavy squalls. - -The sea was ugly and the fishing expedition was abandoned. With all -sail set, the Catalpa made fine progress that day. Great seas struck -her stern and followed over the leading boards, but the vessel was -already due at Australia and Captain Anthony determined to crowd her -henceforth. - -After leaving St. Paul the crew was satisfied that the bark was going -to New Zealand, and of course they were not enlightened. Fair wind in -plenty favored the vessel and she was driven hard, some days making -200 miles, until on March 27 the high land of Cape Naturaliste on the -Australian coast was sighted. The crew was now certain that this was -New Zealand, and Mr. Farnham, the second mate, said he recognized the -promontory. - -The chains were soon bent on the anchors, and at night the vessel was -anchored in the shoal water of Geographe Bay. At five o'clock the next -morning the Catalpa was once more under way, and at ten o'clock reached -anchorage off Bunbury harbor, at the head of the bay. - -So after nearly a year at sea, a year of worry and hard work, the -rendezvous was reached. It brought little exaltation to Captain -Anthony, for he knew that the crisis was at hand which would be the -supreme test of his courage. - -During these closing days he had said but little to his only confidant, -Mr. Smith, but his mind had been busy with disconcerting thoughts. Whom -would he meet? Might not the conspirators have failed in carrying out -the land end of the plot? Possibly the plan had been discovered and the -authorities were awaiting his arrival on shore to take him in custody -and seize the vessel. The long delay had been a long torture for a man -of Captain Anthony's activity, and he welcomed the developments which -awaited him on shore. - - - - -CHAPTER XVII - -THE LAND END OF THE CONSPIRACY - - -For many weary months the reader has followed the fortunes of the -expedition by sea. It was at this point that Captain Anthony's -solicitude concerning the success of the conspiracy on land became -intense; so here seems a proper place to commence the recitation of -another part of the story. - -And here we meet a man of whom it has been said that there is no more -romantic figure in the stormy history of modern Ireland. John J. -Breslin was selected to go to Australia and manage the land end of the -rescue. - -Mr. Breslin was already a famous hero, and his burning love of country, -his chivalry and his bravery, were written in the hearts of Erin's sons -and daughters. He is described by one writer as "a tall, courtly man, -whose classical features, flowing white beard, and military bearing, -made him a striking personage wherever he went. - -"His history reads like a chapter from the days of good King Arthur. -His name will, in time to come, start wonderful echoes among the -thousand hills of Ireland." - -His bold and adroit rescue of James Stephens, the head centre of the -Fenian movement in Ireland, while the government was gloating over his -capture, startled the nations in 1865. Mr. Breslin was born in Drogheda -in 1835. His father was a County Tyrone man and subsequently removed to -Leinster. John received a good national school education and was always -studious and an undefatigable reader. Although he ever upheld the -views of the Nationalists, he had no connection with any organization -until 1865, when Stephens's reply to the magistrates after his arrest -confirmed him in the national faith. - -Stephens had been engaged with the Irish patriots, Smith and -O'Brien, in 1848, and escaped to Paris after the miserable failure -of the insurrection at Ballingarry. For five years he plotted by -correspondence, and then the little coterie of exiles drew lots to see -which should return to Ireland to organize the new conspiracy. Stephens -was selected, and he made a house-to-house canvass of the Emerald Isle, -walking over 3,500 miles, reconnoitring the strongholds of Ireland, -sometimes disguised as a priest, sometimes as a beggar, and associating -with the people in their cabins and farmhouses. - -Meanwhile tireless and faithful friends of Ireland in America were -working with similar purpose, and the result was the organization -known as "The Irish Republican Brotherhood," or "Fenians." More than -a million Irishmen in America, and half that number in Ireland, were -enrolled. At the head of the vast conspiracy was James Stephens. The -aim of the Fenian organization was the formation of an army to cope -with the army of England. - -When the organization grew formidable, England determined to suppress -the brotherhood in Ireland, and through treachery and the employment of -spies the British government at length learned that Stephens was the -"head centre;" but so manifold were his disguises that the police were -baffled for a long time. - -During his wanderings Stephens had married a beautiful Tipperary girl. -She was identified as Mrs. Stephens while at the head of the household -of a gentleman living in the suburbs of Dublin, whose name was presumed -to be Herbert. The house was surrounded one night and "Herbert," who -proved to be Stephens, was captured as he slept. - -There was much rejoicing in England at the capture, and Stephens was -consigned to the Richmond bridewell, one of the strongest prisons in -Ireland. The ponderous iron door of his cell was secured with bars, and -it was on a corridor which was guarded by a second iron door, double -locked. There he was shut in and extraordinary precautions taken to -prevent his escape. - -Mr. Breslin was at that time superintendent of the prison hospital. One -night he opened the door of Stephens's cell with a false key, placed -a loaded revolver in the fallen leader's hand, and led him forth to -freedom. Guards, heavily armed, were everywhere, but they were eluded, -and Stephens once more escaped to France. - -[Illustration: JOHN J. BRESLIN - -Who managed the land end of the Rescue] - -The escape amazed England. It was long before suspicion fastened -upon Breslin. Then he came to America, and was for a while a railway -freight agent in Boston. Here he worked for a time, making few -acquaintances. "Few knew him," said O'Reilly, "and to few were shown -the culture and refinement behind the modest exterior. In thought and -appearance eminently a gentleman; in demeanor dignified and reserved; -in observance, rather distrustful, as if disappointed in his ideal man; -somewhat cynical, perhaps, and often stubbornly prejudiced and unjust; -a lover of and a successful worker in literature,--such is an outline -of a character that may indeed be called extraordinary." - -In America Mr. Breslin soon became a powerful spirit in the -Clan-na-Gael, and the proposed expedition to rescue the political -prisoners in Australia was work for which his bold spirit hungered and -thirsted. His selection as the manager of the land end of the rescue -was equally as fortunate as that of his co-worker, Captain Anthony. - -His associate was Captain Thomas Desmond, a Nationalist from the time -he could stand alone. Captain Desmond was born in Queenstown, but came -to this country in early childhood and was living in Los Angeles, -California, at this time. - -Messrs. Breslin and Desmond sailed from San Francisco for Australia in -September, 1875. There they were to meet John King, a Dublin man, who -had lived in New South Wales for several years, and who had collected -about $3,500 for the rescue project. - -Upon their arrival at Freemantle, Australia, in November, the men -separated and became ostensible strangers. Mr. Breslin assumed the -name of J. Collins, and posed as a man of wealth seeking investments. -His dignity and grace of manner enabled him to carry out the role with -success, and it was not long before he became a universal favorite. -The governor was attracted by the charm of his manner, and frequently -entertained him. - -After visiting Perth, Mr. Breslin concluded that he would make -Freemantle his headquarters, and established himself at the Emerald -Isle Hotel. Desmond went on to Perth and found employment at his trade -of carriage-making. - -Presently Mr. Breslin made the acquaintance of William Foley, a Fenian -who had once been a prisoner, and through him notified James Wilson of -his arrival and arranged for further communications. On one occasion -Mr. Breslin was invited to inspect the prison, "The Establishment," -as they call it in the colony, and he was conducted through it by the -superintendent, Mr. Donan. - -The Fenian prisoners were working on the roads by day, and after -much difficulty Mr. Breslin succeeded in talking over his plans with -Wilson. Then, inasmuch as the Catalpa was not expected before the last -of January, to avoid suspicion he took a trip inland, visiting Perth, -Guildford, York, Northam, Newcastle, and various smaller villages. - -Then followed dull weeks of anxious waiting. About $4,000 in money -was brought by King, who passed as a gold miner, contributed by New -Zealand sympathizers, which proved timely at this crisis. Two other -agents of the revolutionary organization in Ireland, Denis F. McCarthy -of Cork, and John Durham, also appeared on the scene and volunteered -their assistance. They assumed the duty of cutting the telegraph wires -after the escape should be effected. - -The prisoners were frequently shifted around, communication with -them was often difficult, and Mr. Breslin was as nearly distracted -as a cool-headed man could be. In March, the whaling bark Canton was -reported at Bunbury, and Mr. Breslin telegraphed the master to know if -he had any news of the Catalpa of New Bedford. He replied that he knew -nothing of her. - -Mr. Breslin determined to go to Bunbury, and on the 6th of March left -for the town. There was no news, and he returned to Freemantle in a -small coasting vessel called the May. - -At length, on the 29th of March, at 6.30 in the morning, there was -posted on the bulletin board at the telegraph office at Freemantle the -announcement of the arrival of the Catalpa at Bunbury. - - - - -CHAPTER XVIII - -MEETING OF ANTHONY AND BRESLIN - - -The morning after the arrival of the Catalpa at Bunbury was bright and -beautiful. Captain Anthony ordered a crew of picked men into one of the -boats, for he dared not trust some of his sailors ashore, fearing they -would desert the ship, and landed on the jetty. Then the boat returned, -and the captain walked toward the town. - -He was on the alert for recognition, and wandered about the old town -all day, momentarily expecting and hoping that some fellow-conspirator -would reveal himself. He returned to the ship at night, disappointed -and anxious. Captain Anthony and Mr. Smith had a serious consultation, -and agreed that there was nothing to do but to wait. - -The next morning Captain Anthony again went ashore. At the head of -the jetty a boy approached and asked if he was Captain Anthony. Upon -receiving an affirmative reply, the lad handed the captain a telegram. -It read as follows:-- - - Electric Telegraph, Western Australia, - Bunbury, 29th March, 1876. - - Time, 10.40 A.M. - By B.W. - - The following telegram received here from Freemantle Station. Subject - to the regulations and conditions printed on the other side:-- - - - To Captain Anthony:-- - - Have you any news from New Bedford? When can you come to Freemantle? - - J. Collins. - -The captain was straightway relieved of a ton of care. Now he knew that -there were friends in this remote land who were to share the great -responsibility. He went to the telegraph office and wired to Collins:-- - - No news from New Bedford. Shall not come to Freemantle. - - G.S. Anthony. - -Captain Anthony engaged rooms at the local hotel and prepared to await -developments. He had bought fresh meat for the ship of a marketman -named David Hay, who told him much of an American gentleman of great -wealth who was prospecting in the locality. Suspecting he might be -the confederate who was to meet him, Captain Anthony looked up Hay, -who presently alluded once more to the American, declaring he was the -finest man he ever met. - -"What is his name?" asked Anthony. - -"Mr. Collins," replied Hay. - -At four o'clock the next afternoon, when the mail-coach from Freemantle -rolled into Bunbury, Captain Anthony was at Hay's store. - -"Why, there's the very man I was telling you about!" ejaculated Hay, as -he looked up. "Come up to Spencer's Hotel and I'll introduce you." - -The men walked up to the hotel and asked for Collins. He came down -from his room in a few minutes, and the introduction followed. The -meeting had taken place in the most natural manner possible, and -without giving cause for suspicion that the men were meeting by -appointment. - -Collins wore a light suit. He was a magnificent fellow, and he charmed -Captain Anthony, as he charmed all men with whom he came in contact. -The captain remained to supper with his new friend, but not a word of -the rescue was uttered at this time. After supper, Collins ordered -cigars and invited Captain Anthony to take a walk. It was now after -sundown, and the men walked out on the jetty in the darkness. The -jetty was a long pile wharf, with a sentry house at the head, where -an officer is constantly on guard to prevent smuggling. When they had -walked a safe distance down the jetty, Breslin turned, grasped the -captain's hands with a hearty "How are you?" - -Then he told the captain of his fears, consequent upon the tardiness -of the vessel in arriving, and then quickly outlined the plan. The -prisoners, he said, were working on the road under a strong guard -all day, and were locked in prison cells at night. Plans were to -be devised by which the men were to escape and reach the coast at -a place called Rockingham, about twenty miles south of Freemantle. -There Captain Anthony was to meet them with a whaleboat and take them -aboard his ship, which was to lie a dozen miles off the coast, where -it would attract no attention. In order that Captain Anthony might -become thoroughly acquainted with the locality, Breslin proposed that -he should return to Freemantle with him on the colonial mail steamer -Georgette, which was to leave Bunbury the next day, April 1. Then the -captain might study the coast and see the spot where the men were to be -embarked, if the plans worked well. The rescue was to be attempted on -Thursday, April 6. - -Then the men walked back to the hotel and retired. The following -morning Captain Anthony took Mr. Breslin aboard the Catalpa and -introduced him to Mr. Smith. Then they went ashore to go aboard the -Georgette. - -As they walked up the jetty their surprise was overwhelming when they -saw Thomas Brennan coming toward them. - -Brennan's indefatigable determination to join the expedition had at -length succeeded. When he arrived at St. Michael's as the Catalpa -sailed out, he was by no means disconcerted. He then resolved to go to -London and take a steamer for Australia. - -Brennan offered the captain of the Selbourne, a fruit steamer, fifty -pounds to take him to Liverpool; but the proposition was rejected, -and he stowed himself away with several other men. When the ship was -at sea, the men presented themselves to the captain, who made them -prisoners, believing they were criminals fleeing from punishment for -crimes committed on the island. He declared he would deliver them to -the Liverpool authorities. - -This was serious for Brennan. He had a large sum of money about him -which would render him liable to suspicion, and he could not afford to -be delayed. When Liverpool was reached the captain signaled for the -police, whereupon Brennan jumped overboard and started for the shore. -When nearly exhausted he was picked up by a rowboat and landed. Then he -proceeded to London and took a steamer for Australia. - -Ill-luck pursued him, for when the steamer reached King George's Sound -she was quarantined on account of smallpox, which was raging. And the -next day the Georgette was to sail for Bunbury, where he suspected the -Catalpa might be. If he missed her, he would be detained another month. -He made his escape and secured passage on the Georgette. - -It must be admitted that neither Breslin nor Anthony were overjoyed at -the meeting. They already had all the assistance they needed, and each -addition to the party only increased the chances of arousing suspicion. -But Brennan was here, and there was nothing to do but take him along to -Freemantle. - -It was agreed that Captain Anthony was to be introduced as the guest -of "Mr. Collins" on the steamer. Brennan was to be a stranger. Captain -Anthony at once commenced to cultivate the friendship of Captain -O'Grady of the Georgette. The latter had sailed out of New York and -was interested in the American. Captain Anthony was with him in the -pilot-house throughout the trip, and secured an acquaintance with the -coast, the courses, and bearings. He gave particular attention to -the coast outside Rockingham and the positions of Rottnest and Garden -islands. - -At noon the next day Freemantle was reached. High over the town the -stone prison in which the prisoners were confined at night stood like -a sentinel, and reminded Captain Anthony that his task was no trifling -one. But there was a suggestion more grim in the discovery of one of -Her Britannic Majesty's gunboats, the Conflict, anchored in the harbor. -She was a schooner-rigged vessel, carrying two guns and thirty men, and -the captain saw by her lines that she must be a fast sailer. - -The appearance of the gunboat was unexpected, and Captain Anthony and -Mr. Breslin exchanged significant glances as they saw her. It was -Sunday morning when they landed, and they went to the Emerald Isle -Hotel, where Captain Anthony was introduced to his fellow-conspirators, -John King and Captain Desmond. The latter was working as a wheelwright -at Perth and posed as a Yankee. He kept up his assumed identity by a -liberal use of the vernacular of the Vermont farmer. From the latter -it was learned that the gunboat had come to Freemantle on an annual -visit, and might remain for a week or ten days, then proceeding to -Adelaide and Sidney; also, that another gunboat was expected to call at -Freemantle and take Governor Robinson to visit the northwest coast. - - - - -CHAPTER XIX - -ARRANGING THE DETAILS - - -In the afternoon Mr. Breslin brought around a trap to drive over the -road to Rockingham, where the men were to embark in the whaleboat for -the ship, if the escape was successful. For ten miles the drive was -over the hard macadamized road built by the prisoners and called the -Fenian road. With a pair of horses and four men in the trap, this -distance was accomplished in forty minutes, and the test was very -satisfactory. Then a sandy, heavy road was encountered for a distance -of seven miles, which merged into a mere track winding through the -"black boys," as the trees are called, the bush, and the sand to -Rockingham Hotel. The latter stretch was about four miles, and the -total distance was made in two hours and twenty minutes. - -Here a hard, sandy beach was discovered. Garden Island, a long, low -stretch of land covered with tall grass and bush, makes out from a -point and extends nearly to Freemantle, forming Cockburn's Sound, a -sheltered inlet. At the north end of the island is a narrow passage -between the island and Cape Peron, a point on the mainland. Here the -men alighted. - -"Now, this is the place," said Mr. Breslin, "where we propose to bring -the men, and where we expect you to meet us with a boat." - -Captain Anthony stuck up an old piece of joist or rail in the sand -above high-water mark. - -"Let it be understood that this is the place where I will meet you with -my boat if God spares my life," said the captain. - -The four men then drove back to the hotel at Rockingham, where they -rested, for the day had been intensely hot, and men and horses were -thoroughly fatigued. That evening they arranged a code of cipher for -telegraphing. Breslin was to notify Captain Anthony at Bunbury when the -gunboat left Freemantle, and the captain was to telegraph back the hour -of sailing. Forty-eight hours from the time when the telegram was sent, -Captain Anthony was to have the Catalpa off the coast at Rockingham and -his boat on the beach. - -This was leaving much to chance, of course. Rockingham was a hundred -miles from Bunbury, and head winds, bad weather, or calms might prevent -the Catalpa from covering the distance within that time. But it was -indeed a desperate undertaking; the men had resolved to take desperate -chances and trust the luck which had thus far attended the expedition. - -The telegraphic code was arranged as follows: When the gunboat sailed, -Breslin was to send the message, "Your friend (N. or S. meaning north -or south) has gone home. When do you sail?" This meant, "The gunboat -has sailed north or south. All right. Start from Bunbury." In case the -gunboat arrived to take the governor to the northwest coast, Breslin -was to wire "Jones is going overland to Champion Bay. When do you clear -out of Bunbury?" And when the coast was again clear, "Jones has gone to -Champion Bay; did not receive a letter from you," meaning, "All right -again." - -[Illustration: THE TOWN OF FREEMANTLE, AUSTRALIA] - -On Monday, Captain Anthony was invited to go with his friends and -a party of merchants in the colony to Perth, the residence of the -governor. The company assembled at one of the hotels, and previous -to the dinner were entertained by the songs of a Western Australian -shepherd. A copy of the verses of one of the selections, describing -one of the unique sports of the colony, was given the captain at his -request. These are the lines:-- - - "I'm an odd thinking man, - And will get on if I can,-- - I'm only a shepherd, 'tis true; - I find sport with my gun - Whilst out on the run, - In hunting the kangaroo! - - "Some folks talk of the fox, - Ride through heather and box, - Hounds, steeds, and their hunting crew; - That is all very well, - But no sport can excel - The chase of the kangaroo. - - "If I put up a doe, - Oft her offspring she'll throw - From the pouch in her breast, 'tis true; - And now for the fun,-- - For I don't use my gun,-- - But run down the young kangaroo. - - "Whilst my dogs on the scent - Of killing intent, - Swiftly o'er the plain they flew: - They ne'er lose a trail, - Nor to kill ever fail, - Or show the dead kangaroo. - - "When a booma's at bay - You've the devil to pay, - He'll fight like a boxer,'tis true: - He's a terrible foe, - As the dogs often know, - In encounters with kangaroo. - - "I've kept you too long, - So an end to my song; - I hope 'twill amuse not a few. - When we meet again - We'll go out on the plain, - For a hunt of the kangaroo." - -When the gentlemen were about to be seated at the dinner-table, Captain -Anthony was filled with consternation as a government official placed -his hand on his arm and said, "Excuse me, sir, but what is your name -and business, and what are you doing here?" - -Captain Anthony naturally thought the plot had been betrayed, when -Breslin stepped up to explain that this was a custom of the country. -The captain received such a shock that he failed to thoroughly enjoy -the dinner. He found another illustration of the suspicion which is -always abroad in the penal colony, later in the day. Going into the -hydrographic office to buy a chart of the coast, he was compelled to -reply to a long series of questions before he was permitted to purchase -it. - -On Thursday, April 6, Captain Anthony started back to the ship in the -Bunbury mail coach, carrying $250 in gold which Mr. Breslin had given -him to square up his bills. This was a thirty-two hours' journey over -sandy roads, and as the weather was hot and Captain Anthony was the -only passenger, he was utterly wearied when he arrived at Bunbury at -four P.M. the following day. - - - - -CHAPTER XX - -A CRITICAL SITUATION - - -And now followed a period of waiting, and the captain was worn with -anxiety. The possible suspicion of the people ashore at the delay -in departure must be anticipated, and the captain busied himself in -getting potatoes and onions, wood and water aboard, and opened up -negotiations for a quantity of kangaroo skins. - -The crew had become uneasy at the long delay, and were almost mutinous -at their restricted shore liberty, for Captain Anthony did not dare to -trust them with shore leave, excepting in charge of an officer. Their -own theory of the proceeding was that the vessel was fitting for a -cruise to New Zealand. They were humored in this belief, and were kept -busy in painting and refitting. - -One forenoon, when the captain was ashore with Mr. Smith, they noticed -the colors at half-mast, and saw that four of the crew had stolen a -boat and were rowing ashore, with another boat's crew in pursuit. The -runaways reached shore and started for the beach. The police were -notified, and soon overtook and captured them. The ringleader, Joseph -McCarty, struck an officer and was detained. The other three were -delivered aboard the vessel and were placed in irons in the steerage. -The man who was arrested was a desperate fellow, and Captain Anthony -was glad to have him go. He was sentenced for seven days for the -assault. The captain hoped to get to sea before he was released, but -the man served his time and went down on the jetty and sought to go -aboard the ship. Captain Anthony did not dare to trust the man, in view -of his delicate mission, and refused to receive him. He was one of the -men who was shipped at Teneriffe, and had a bad record. - -Two days had passed since the captain's return to the vessel, and no -word had been received from Breslin. Meanwhile, the vessel was in -readiness for a prompt departure. At noon, on Tuesday, April 11, a -telegram was delivered to Captain Anthony, which read as follows:-- - - Your friend S. has gone home. When do you sail? - - J. Collins. - -Captain Anthony at once cleared his vessel at the custom-house, and -later in the day, as he was about to telegraph that he would start, -word was brought to him at the hotel that the Catalpa had been seized -by the custom-house officials and that an officer was in charge. The -distracted captain hastened to the custom-house, and found his offense -had been a violation of the law in landing a barrel of pork after he -had cleared. After a long consultation the officers released the -vessel, but it was then too late to sail. - -On Wednesday, Captain Anthony telegraphed:-- - - I'll sail to-day. Good-by. Answer, if received. - - G.S. Anthony. - -Back came the reply:-- - - Your telegram received. Friday being Good Friday, I shall remain in - Freemantle, and leave for York on Saturday morning. I wish you may - strike oil. Answer, if received. - - J. Collins. - - Freemantle. - -Captain Anthony at once appreciated the situation. He knew that the -prisoners were detained in their cells on Sundays and holidays, and -that his plan would have placed him at Rockingham on Friday. He replied -to Breslin's telegram:-- - - Yours received. Did not leave to-day. Wind ahead and raining. Sail in - the morning. Good-by. - - G.S. Anthony. - -That evening the captain discovered that his crew had been doing a -rescue on its own account, and had stowed a ticket-of-leave man in the -mizzen-topmast staysail. While he pitied the fellow, he was fearful -that the authorities might discover the man hidden on his vessel, and -make trouble which would interfere with the great object ahead. So he -notified the police, and they came aboard and took the man ashore. - -Still misfortune crowded in upon the conspirators. A heavy storm came -on, extra anchors were necessary; but with the whole length of chain -out the Catalpa dragged, and destruction on the bar was threatened. - -It was impossible to sail, and Captain Anthony knew that Breslin's -plans must be upset once more. He went to the telegraph office to send -a message, and found it closed on account of the holiday. He hunted -up the operator, a woman. She declined to go to the office, saying it -would be useless, since the Freemantle office was closed. The captain -pleaded, for he knew that everything depended upon it. At length the -woman opened the office and sat down to the instrument. - -She called for several minutes. There was no reply. - -"I told you it would be of no use," she replied. - -Just then came an answering click. The operator sat down at the -instrument once more. After a moment, she said:-- - -"They are taking the message. An operator happened in." - -Captain Anthony nearly shouted with joy. This is the message which he -sent:-- - - J. Collins, Esq.:-- - - It has blown heavy. Ship dragged both anchors. Can you advance money, - if needed? Will telegraph again in the morning. - - G.S. Anthony. - -Once more the element of good luck had manifested itself, this time at -a most critical point. - -On Saturday morning, April 15, Captain Anthony finally telegraphed:-- - - "I shall certainly sail to-day. Suppose you will leave for York Sunday - morning. Good-by." - -Straightway the answer came back:-- - - Your telegram received. All right. Glad you got off without damage. Au - revoir. - - J. Collins. - -Captain Anthony reported at the custom-house that he was ready for sea, -and the officers came off and prodded the hold and every dark space -with spears, according to custom, to see if any prisoners were stowed -away. At two o'clock in the afternoon a moderate favoring breeze from -the S.S.W. was blowing. Anchor was hoisted, and with all sail set the -Catalpa slipped up the coast bound for Rockingham. - - - - -CHAPTER XXI - -LEAVING THE SHIP - - -At sundown the vessel was well outside the harbor and sail was -shortened. In the evening the captain went below for a nap, telling the -officers in charge of the deck not to go over three miles an hour, to -keep the land well in sight, and call him at midnight if all was well, -but sooner if there was any change in the weather. At twelve o'clock -Captain Anthony was on deck again. The weather continued favorable, for -which he was exceedingly grateful. The inverted season corresponded to -fall at home, and it was the time when storms were looked for. A delay -now would certainly be disastrous, and the weather was a source of the -most constant anxiety. - -The captain remained on deck throughout the night. At noon on Sunday -the vessel had proceeded up the coast until it was about twenty miles -south of Rottnest lighthouse, off Freemantle harbor. Now he called Mr. -Smith into the cabin, spread out the chart, and explained to him that -the lighthouse was twelve miles offshore from the Freemantle jetty and -one hundred and ninety-seven feet above the level of the sea, with a -signal station on top from which the approach of vessels was signaled -to the town. He cautioned the mate to keep the ship out of near range, -and told Mr. Smith that the crisis had come and he was about to start -in the small boat. He was to lay off and on the land and keep a sharp -lookout for his return. - -"If I do not come back," he said, "you must use your best judgment. Go -whaling or go home, as you like." - -Then the men clasped hands, and Captain Anthony once more thanked -fortune that he could leave his vessel in the hands of a brave man who -could be trusted, whatever the emergency. - -The captain then went on deck, threw a coat into one of the whaleboats, -stowed away a bag of hard-bread, two kegs of water, and half a boiled -ham, and ordered the boat lowered. A crew which the captain had -selected after much thought was then stationed at the oars: Mr. Sylvia -the third mate, Tobey the boatsteerer, Lewis a Portuguese, and Mopsy -and Lombard, two Malays. Each man was told to take his coat, and the -proceeding doubtless caused amazement among the men; but good sailors -obey orders in silence and no word was spoken among them. - -It was one o'clock in the afternoon when the boat left the ship. -Captain Anthony was due at Rockingham at noon the next day. A small -sail was put on the boat, and she made good progress. Just before dark, -when the boat was well in under Garden Island, the sail was taken in -and oars were shipped, for the captain did not wish to make a landing -before nightfall. When the boat was off the south end of the island -the captain was startled at a roaring like thunder, and an instant -later saw blind breakers, ten feet in height, making directly for the -boat. He shouted orders to the men to look out for their oars and trim -the boat. They let the oars come alongside and succeeded in keeping -the little craft steady. She was lifted high in air on three of the -rollers. Then all was quiet, for the boat had reached the smooth waters -of Cockburn Sound. Oars were shipped once more, and the boat jogged on -in the darkness. The captain knew by the ranges he had taken as he came -through the passage that he must be near the spot selected as a meeting -place. - -A landing was made on the beach. Captain Anthony stepped ashore and had -not walked more than three hundred feet when his foot struck the stake -which had been set up as a mark on his previous visit. - -It was now about 8.30 o'clock in the evening. The boat was hauled up on -the beach and the men were told to lie down in the grass and sleep. It -was clear and warm, and, unquestioning, they did as the captain told -them. - -Captain Anthony walked the beach all the night through, filled with -disquieting thoughts and longing for the day. - - - - -CHAPTER XXII - -THE ESCAPE - - -Meanwhile, how had it fared with Breslin, whom we have seen must have -been forced to change his plans several times at brief notice? Mr. -Breslin had arranged a signal with Wilson which meant, "Get ready; -we start to-morrow morning," but he could not give it on Friday. He -succeeded, however, in sending a letter of instructions, concluding: -"We have money, arms, and clothes; let no man's heart fail him, for -this chance can never occur again." - -Desmond went from Perth to Freemantle and joined Breslin, with a pair -of fine horses and a four-wheeled wagon. He reached there Friday -evening. Mr. Breslin had a similar conveyance and the best pair of -horses he could get in Freemantle engaged for Friday and Saturday. On -Friday afternoon he took the horses out for a trial trip, to see that -they went well together and were in good condition. - -Everything was in readiness for the attempt, when Mr. Breslin received -Captain Anthony's telegram announcing that the Catalpa could not start -on account of the storm. By a fortunate chance Cranston had been sent -from the prison into the town that evening, and he was informed of -the change in the programme. Mr. Breslin thought that inasmuch as the -vessel had dragged both anchors, she must have gone on the bar, and -that a delay of weeks might follow before she was again ready for -sea. So Desmond returned to Perth and prepared for another wait. But -on Saturday came the telegram from Captain Anthony announcing that he -would sail that day. - -The escape must therefore be accomplished on Monday. Mr. Breslin -engaged the same horses for Sunday and sent King to Perth on horseback -to notify Desmond to return to Freemantle with his horses on Sunday -evening. Saturday evening he walked to the jetty and gave to Wilson -the signal which meant, "We start to-morrow morning." Fortunately he -noticed Wilson's puzzled look, for an escape on Sunday, when the men -were locked in the prison, was, of course, impossible. Then he realized -the error. Walking leisurely across, he said to Wilson as he passed, -"Monday morning," without being observed by the warden or the other -prisoners. - -Desmond arrived in Freemantle at about two o'clock Sunday afternoon -with an inferior pair of horses, and when Mr. Breslin went to get the -horses he had engaged, he found that Albert, the owner, had given the -best horse to Mr. Stone, the superintendent of the water police, to -go to Perth, his brother-in-law, the sheriff, having been injured by -being thrown from his horse. Moreover, Albert told him he could not -have the other horse, since he had promised it to a man to go to the -Perth regatta on Easter Monday. So he engaged another pair, but the -expedition was much more poorly equipped in this respect than on the -date first selected. - -And now came Monday. There were many anxious hearts in Australia that -night, and Captain Anthony, who paced the lonely beach, was not alone -in his sleepless vigil. At 5.30 o'clock in the morning Breslin had the -hostler called. Brennan started at six for Rockingham with arms and -luggage. At seven Mr. Breslin went to Albert's stable and found his -horses harnessed to a light trap, waiting for him. He told the hostler -to let them stand a few minutes and then found Desmond and directed him -to have his horses harnessed and ready to leave in half an hour. - -It was arranged that Desmond should leave by a side street which, after -a few turns, took him up on the Rockingham Road, while Breslin was to -drive up High Street, as if he were going to Perth, then turn around -by the prison and on to the same road. King, who was well mounted, -was to remain for a reasonable time after the start, then follow with -information whether the alarm had been given. - -At half past seven Breslin drove slowly up the principal street, turned -to the right, walked his horses slowly by the warden's quarters and -pensioners' barracks. The men were beginning to assemble for parade. He -had arranged with the prisoners that he would have the traps waiting at -the road at a quarter before eight, the nearest to be stationed about -five minutes' run from the prison, and that they would remain until -nine o'clock. - -Being ahead of time, Breslin drove slowly along the Rockingham Road, -met Desmond, and they stopped under a tree and divided the hats and -coats they had brought to cover the convict garb, each taking three -long linen coats and three hats. Then Breslin drove back toward -Freemantle, Desmond following. - -Time, 7.55 o'clock. - -A few minutes later, three men in prison dress were seen coming -down the Rockingham Road. They proved to be Wilson, Cranston, and -Harrington. Breslin told them to pass on and get into Desmond's trap, -which they did. Desmond wheeled his horses around and they were -seated and ready to start when the other three came in sight. Breslin -drove toward them and found they were Darragh, Hogan, and Hassett. -One carried a spade and another a large kerosene can. When the men -recognized their rescuers, the man with the spade threw it with -exultant vigor into the bush and the prisoner with the can bestowed a -kick upon it in good football fashion. - -At this critical juncture, Breslin's horses rebelled and refused to -wheel around. Darragh caught one by the head, but he plunged so that -Breslin was afraid the animal would break the harness, and shouted -to Darragh to let go. He did so and the horses started fairly well -together. Driving to a wider part of the road, they wheeled nicely. -Breslin picked up his men, and the horses were off at dashing speed. -Desmond, meanwhile, was out of sight, and King had come up, reporting -everything quiet when he left. - -[Illustration: THE RESCUED PRISONERS - -(_From the Irish World, September 2, 1876_)] - -It must here be explained how the prisoners were able to get away -so successfully. Their good conduct and length of imprisonment had -entitled them to the rank of constable, which afforded the opportunity -for communication with each other. Wilson and Harrington worked in the -same party at the construction of harbor works in Freemantle. Hogan -was a painter by trade, and on this morning was employed in painting -the house of Mr. Fauntleroy, outside the prison walls. Cranston was -employed in the stores, and as messenger occasionally. Darragh was -clerk and attendant to the Church of England chaplain, and enjoyed -facilities for communication with the other prisoners. This morning he -took Hassett with him to plant potatoes in the garden of Mr. Broomhole, -clerk of works in the convict department. - -It fortunately happened that on the morning of April 17 all the -political prisoners were at work outside the prison wall. Cranston -walked out as if going to deliver a message. He overtook the working -party and told the warden he had been sent to take Wilson and -Harrington to move some furniture in the governor's house, which was -the nearest point to the meeting place. He exhibited a key, and the -warden directed the two men to go with Cranston. - -Darragh and Hassett started as if for work in the same direction, and -Hogan made an excuse to the warden to leave his work for a moment, and -joined them. - -"There was one incident of this daring enterprise which completed its -dramatic intensity," writes James Jeffrey Roche. "The soldier convicts -in Freemantle numbered one more than those who were rescued. That one -was purposely left behind because of an act of treachery which he had -attempted against his fellows ten long years before. He was tried -with the others, by court-martial, and found guilty of treason; but -before his sentence received the approval of the commander-in-chief he -had offered to divulge the names of certain of his comrades not yet -arrested, though implicated in the Fenian conspiracy. His offer was -not accepted. The government punished him for his treason, and his -comrades, half a score of years afterward, punished him more cruelly -for the treason which he had contemplated against them." - -The two traps, followed by King, made a quick journey to Rockingham. -Mr. Somers, the proprietor of the hotel, stood in the door as the traps -passed, but suspected nothing, inasmuch as he knew Breslin and Desmond, -and the prison garb of the other men was concealed by their long coats. -As the men drove up, he shouted:-- - -"What time will the Georgette be at the timber jetty?" - -"Is the Georgette coming here?" shouted Breslin. - -"Yes. She's due now." - -Here was alarming news. The presence of the Georgette would ruin -all. The horses were driven to a gallop. At half past ten the party -approached the beach and saw Brennan making signals to them to hasten. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIII - -IN THE OPEN BOAT - - -Captain Anthony walked up and down the beach throughout the long night, -while his crew slept in the warm sand. He knew that the fate of the -expedition, disastrous or successful, depended upon the developments of -the ensuing day, and he was impatient to know the fate which awaited -him. Twice during the night he roused the men to haul the boat farther -up the beach, as the tide was rising. They responded sleepily and then -dropped asleep again in careless sailor fashion. - -As daylight approached, the captain was surprised and alarmed to find -he was near a timber station. It had been unnoticed on the previous -visit. Soon after sunrise, a gang of men put in an appearance and -commenced carting lumber to a jetty not more than half a mile away. - -He knew his presence must be discovered, and it was not long before one -of the men from the jetty was seen approaching. - -"What's going on?" asked the man, as he came up. - -Captain Anthony told him he was bound to Freemantle for an anchor, to -replace one which was lost. The man grinned at this. - -"Lad," said he, "you've hooked it (ran away) from some ship, and I -advise you to get out. This is no place to lay." - -Then Anthony told him he was master of a ship, but the man was not to -be convinced. - -"I believe you're after Kenneth Brown," he said. - -Brown was a man who was at that time under arrest for the murder of his -wife. - -Captain Anthony concluded it was useless to attempt a further -explanation, and asked the man if he would tell him the best way to get -out with his boat. - -"I'm an ex-prisoner myself," said the man, "and I knew you were after -somebody." He seemed disposed to assist the captain, to the relief of -the latter, for if he had started to join his companions, Anthony would -have been alarmed to an extent which might have made it necessary to -resort to desperate means for his detention. - -The visitor then told the captain that he must be very sure and keep -close to Garden Island. There was a dangerous reef farther out, and it -would be sure destruction to the boat to attempt to go out that way. - -"But that's the way I came," said the captain. As he looked out, he saw -the breakers making white water on the coral reef. He must have been -carried completely over it by the blind rollers the previous night. He -now realized that his escape had been providential. - -Then the man said, in reply to questions, that he was getting a cargo -of timber ready for the Georgette. - -"When is the Georgette coming?" asked the captain with eagerness. - -"Why, she's coming now," he replied. "You can see her smoke." - -There in the offing the captain saw the smoke of the steamer, and he -began to realize that the situation was growing critically perilous. - -At this moment there was a rattle of wheels, and Captain Anthony saw a -two-wheeled trap, drawn by a horse on the gallop, coming up the beach -toward him. - -Brennan was driving, and he had the luggage of the party. He had lost -his way, and had led his horse through the brush until he reached the -beach. There he saw the men and the boat and drove his horse on the run -toward them. - -"Who is that man?" asked Brennan, as he came up and saw the stranger. - -"He's a prisoner here and working on that jetty," replied the captain. - -"We must shoot him," said Brennan. - -"There will be no shooting yet," said the captain. "Where are the -others?" - -"Close behind," said Brennan, and he commenced unloading valises and -bags belonging to Breslin, King, and Desmond. - -Next King came up on horseback. The situation was explained to him, and -he rode back to urge his comrades on. - -Meanwhile the boat's crew sat huddled in the sand, apprehensive at the -proceedings. The captain ordered them to push the boat into the water, -each man to stand by the side of the boat, abreast his thwart. When he -gave the order, he instructed them to shove the boat off as quickly -as possible, to take the oars and pull. He cautioned them not to be -afraid, whatever happened, at which the poor fellows looked at each -other in consternation. - -After an interval of fifteen minutes, which seemed much longer, a -rattling of wheels and clatter of hoofs was heard, and Desmond and -Breslin drove up with the prisoners, their horses quite exhausted. - -As the prisoners jumped from the traps, their long linen coats blew -open, showing their convict suits, with the unusual accompaniments of -English belts, each containing two six-shooters. They seized rifles -from the carriages, and with their arms full of cartridges made a rush -for the boat. - -At this the crew stood paralyzed, for they thought they were about -to be attacked. One Malay drew a sheath knife and the others seized -buckets, raised oars, and prepared to resist the men who were closing -in upon them. This move was so unexpected that it was fortunate -that an attack was averted, but a loud order from the captain in -various languages at his command quieted the men. It was subsequently -learned that the theory of the crew was that Captain Anthony had been -smuggling and that the arrivals were government officials. The crew had -determined to fight if necessary, to prevent the arrest of the captain. - -At length the boat was afloat. The prisoners had been ordered to stow -themselves as closely as possible in the bottom of the boat. Breslin, -King, and Desmond sat in the stern and Captain Anthony took a position -on top of the stern sheet, with the steering oar. - -After some splashing the men began to pull with enthusiasm to the -accompaniment of a running stream of rallying cries from the captain -of "Pull as if you were pulling for a whale," "Come down, Mopsy," -"Pull, Tobey, pull," "Come down, you big Lewis," "Pull, Tobey, pull," -"Give them the stroke, Mr. Sylvia," "What do you say, men," "Come down -altogether," "Pull away, my men, pull away." - -Now the wind was beginning to breeze up from the west, blowing -straight on shore. On the beach stood the timber-worker from the -jetty, dumfounded at the spectacle, with the six horses, wandering -about the shore. The boat was no more than a half mile from the beach -when a squad of eight mounted policemen drove up. The flight had been -discovered. - -With the police were a number of "trackers," aboriginal bushmen who -play the role of human blood-hounds. They wore short bokas, or cloaks -of kangaroo skin, with belts of twisted fur around their naked bodies. -These natives are attached to the prisons to follow the trail of -absconding convicts, and they are wonderfully adept in running down a -prisoner. - -The police were armed with carbines and might have shot some of the -men in the boat, but fortunately they did not fire. They watched the -boat a while and then took the horses and led them toward the timber -station. - -Breslin had prepared a note to the governor which he fastened to a -float and posted by the ocean mail. As the wind and tide were setting -ashore, it undoubtedly reached its destination. The letter was as -follows-- - - Rockingham, April 17, 1876. - - To His Excellency the British Governor of Western Australia. - -This is to certify that I have this day released from the clemency of -Her Most Gracious Majesty Victoria, Queen of Great Britain, etc., etc., -six Irishmen, condemned to imprisonment for life by the enlightened and -magnanimous government of Great Britain for having been guilty of the -atrocious and unpardonable crimes known to the unenlightened portion -of mankind as "love of country" and "hatred of tyranny;" for this act -of "Irish assurance" my birth and blood being my full and sufficient -warrant. Allow me to add that - - In taking my leave now, I've only to say - A few cells I've emptied (a sell in its way); - I've the honor and pleasure to bid you good-day, - From all future acquaintance, excuse me, I pray. - - In the service of my country, - John J. Breslin. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIV - -AN AWFUL NIGHT - - -It was five o'clock in the afternoon when the rowboat went through the -passage, and as Captain Anthony saw the menacing reef upon which the -water was foaming and breaking, it seemed impossible that he had gone -over it the night before. - -Now the little boat was riding on lengthened seas which were rolling -in from the ocean with increasing violence. The wind was blasty, but -hauled a little in the boat's favor, so that Captain Anthony ordered -the little sail set and told his companions if he could head in the way -he was now going, the ship should be raised in an hour. - -The fury of the wind and sea now poured upon the boat, and darkness was -coming on, when the Catalpa was raised ahead. Captain Anthony knew that -the little boat would not be visible to the ship and that the latter -would stand off shore as soon as it became thick. - -The sky grew blacker and the sea grew steadily heavier. The boat -began to jump and jar until it seemed that she might lose her spar or -mast step. The seas commenced to comb and break across the stern, or, -running the length of the boat, would tumble in, soaking the men and -threatening to swamp the little craft. Captain Anthony felt that his -salvation lay in reaching the ship that night. - -The sixteen men were directed to take a place on the weather gunwale, -and the man in charge of the sheet was ordered to take a turn about the -thwart and not to slacken an inch. A crisis had arrived, and any risk -was preferable to a night on the ocean in such a storm as was imminent. -The boat leaped forward at a spanking rate, and the spray flew like -feathers; and the water rose in mimic mountains, crowned with white -foam which the wind blew in mist from summit to summit. Miles away the -Catalpa was seen, barely discernible at moments when she rose on the -crest of a larger wave than common, thrusting her bows into the air, -surrounded by foam, and apparently ready to take flight from the sea. - -Then, with a crash, the mast went over the side, breaking close to the -thwart. The boat nearly capsized to windward, but the captain threw -her head to the wind and the magnificent efforts of the crew kept her -afloat. Monstrous seas now rolled into her, threatening to overwhelm -the craft. She was almost water-logged, and shipped water over bow and -stern alternately, as she rose and fell. The crew bailed vehemently and -desperately. The rescued men were very sick, and lay in the bottom of -the boat, a wretched heap of miserable humanity. - -The boat was relieved of some of the water, and the wreck hauled in. -Oars were shipped, but rowing accomplished nothing more than holding -the boat on her course, and almost in despair the men saw the Catalpa -tack offshore. - -The gale increased in violence as night wore on, and the men were -completely worn out. The seas dashed over them, and their strength was -taxed to exhaustion in bailing quickly lest the next sea might tumble -in and wreck the boat. After the mast went, Captain Anthony took the -midship oar, lashed on the jib, and stuck it up. The sheet was hauled -aft, and the centreboard lowered, which steadied the boat and kept -steerageway on her. The phosphorescence afforded a spectacle which -Captain Anthony had never witnessed in equal degree, but it only made -the wild scene more terrifying and awful. - -For hours the seas continued to hurl themselves across the boat, while -the men cast out the sea with bailers improvised from water kegs, the -heads of which were knocked out. - -Little was said, but occasionally one of the rescued men would ask -"Captain, do you think we will float through the night?" The captain -would cheerily reply, "Oh, yes, I've been out on many a worse night;" -but he has since confessed that he would not have given a cent for the -lives of the entire company. Under other circumstances the danger would -have been much less. But the boat was overloaded, the gunwales being -within two inches of the water, and she was nearly unmanageable. To run -back to Garden Island meant capture. - -The crew had eaten nothing but a little dry hard-bread since the noon -of the day previous, and were painfully athirst. The provisions and -water in the boat had been washed overboard. Captain Anthony was on his -knees on top of the stern sheets steering, and often the seas rose to -his armpits. The men were groaning, and it was so dark that the captain -could not see his crew. No word was spoken excepting repeated orders to -bail. - -Late in the night, when the captain had decided that the boat must -swamp before long, the gale subsided somewhat. Daylight was welcome -after the awful night. The sea had now gone down, and there was -prospect of a fair day. The seas came aboard less frequently, and -courage and hope returned. - -At sunrise every one was overjoyed to see the ship standing in toward -the land. Oars were once more shipped, and with the sail drawing good -progress was made. - - - - -CHAPTER XXV - -A RACE WITH THE GUARD-BOAT - - -About an hour after sunrise the Georgette was seen coming out of -Freemantle. The men knew she was searching for them, and she seemed to -be heading directly for the little boat. The sail was taken down, oars -shipped, and the men lay down, one on top of the other, so that nothing -showed above the rail. The steamer passed within a half mile of the -boat and Captain Anthony could plainly see an officer on the bridge -with glasses, scanning the shore. The boat must have appeared like a -log and been mistaken for a piece of floating timber, if it was seen -by the men on the Georgette, for she steamed by and went out to the -Catalpa. - -The anxious men in the boat feared she would remain by the Catalpa and -prevent them from going aboard, but the Georgette steamed up the coast -after a while and swung in toward Garden Island, passing the whaleboat -once more, but at a safe distance. - -Oars were once more manned. Mr. Smith on the Catalpa had not sighted -the boat yet, for the background of high land interfered. The men -pulled for two hours, when it was seen that there was a lighter -alongside the ship, and it was at first surmised that it was a fishing -vessel. Captain Desmond looked intently and then exclaimed:-- - -"My God! There's the guard-boat, filled with police. Pass out those -rifles." - -The guard-boat was large, with two mutton-leg sails, and there were -thirty or forty men aboard. Affairs in the whaleboat assumed a -belligerent aspect. Rifles were distributed, wet cartridges drawn from -revolvers and replaced with fresh, and the prisoners swore they would -fight until the last man was killed. - -At Desmond's cry the appearance of exhaustion vanished. Every man was -alert. The crew put new vigor into the stroke of the oars. When about -two and a half miles from the Catalpa, the lookout at the masthead -evidently raised the whaleboat, for the Catalpa suddenly bore down -with all sail set. The police evidently suspected something, for the -officers ran up the sail-hoops on the mast and started after the ship, -with three or four men at the sweeps to hasten her progress. - -Now it was a question whether the guard-boat would intercept the small -boat before the ship was reached. If this was done, there would be a -fatal conflict. The rescued men tried to help at the oars, but their -efforts were a detriment, and they were ordered to lie in the bottom -of the boat, that they might not hamper the crew. There they lay, and -hugged their rifles grimly. - -There were moments of suspense, but at length it was seen that the -whaleboat would reach the Catalpa. As soon as he was within hailing -distance Captain Anthony shouted to Mr. Smith:-- - -"Hoist the ensign!" - -The ensign was already bent, and one of the men jumped to the halyards -and ran it to the peak. - -Mr. Smith had men at the braces and managed the vessel superbly. As -the boat slammed alongside, everything was thrown hard aback. The men -grabbed the boat tackle and swung the forward tackle to Mr. Sylvia and -the after to Captain Anthony. - -The captain secured it, and, turning to order the men aboard ship, -found he was alone in the boat. The prisoners had gone up the -sideboards by the grip rope, with rifles and revolvers in their hands. -The boat was hoisted on the davits, and as the captain stepped over the -rail the guard-boat swept across the bow. - -The rescued men knew the officers, and they crowded to the rail in -great glee, waving their rifles and shouting salutations and farewells, -calling the officers by name. The guard knew that it was useless -for them to attempt to board the vessel. The officer in command -accepted the result gracefully, and, giving a military salute, said -"Good-morning, captain." "Good-morning," replied Captain Anthony, and -the guard-boat kept off toward the shore. - -[Illustration: - - The guard-boat The whaleboat with escaping prisoners - The Georgette - -THE RACE FOR THE CATALPA] - -There were wild scenes on board the whaleship in the next hour. The -rescued men were in a state of exaltation, and cheered the captain, the -crew, and everybody connected with the enterprise. If Captain Anthony, -Mr. Breslin, and the others had been reprieved from a death sentence -they would have felt no greater joy and contentment. Captain Anthony -and Breslin complimented Mate Smith, and the former called the steward. - -"Get up the best dinner the ship can afford," he said. "We're hungry." - -The steward succeeded admirably. There were canned chickens and -lobsters, boiled potatoes, canned fruits, tea and coffee, and it was -the most memorable dinner in the lifetime of the men who assembled. -Messrs. Breslin, Desmond, and King dined with the captain, and the -rescued men ate in the steerage. - -Mr. Smith related that when the Georgette came alongside that morning, -the captain of the English steamer asked where the boat was which was -missing from the cranes. The mate replied that the captain had gone -ashore. "What for?" was asked. "I don't know anything about it," said -Mr. Smith. "Can I come aboard?" asked the officer. "Not by a damned -sight," was Mr. Smith's reply. It was the theory of the Georgette's -officers that the gale had been so violent that the small boat must -have returned to land, so, leaving the guard-boat alongside, she ran in -under the shore to cut off the whaleboat if possible. - -After dinner Captain Anthony directed Mr. Smith to let the boat's crew -go below and stay as long as the men wished. - -That night the wind died out, and the topsails hung supinely from the -yards, the air which breathed occasionally from the land being unable -to shake the heavy canvas. The captain gave up his room to Mr. Breslin, -and Desmond and King were assigned to rooms in the forward cabin. - -Captain Anthony lay down on a four-foot lounge, instructing Mr. Smith -to work off shore if possible, but the ship did not move her own length -during the entire night. - - - - -CHAPTER XXVI - -OVERHAULED BY THE GEORGETTE - - -At daybreak Captain Anthony was called by Mr. Smith, who announced -that the Georgette was approaching. Breslin was summoned, and the men -hastened on deck. - -As the steamer came nearer, it was seen that she had a regiment of -soldiers aboard. The Georgette was a four hundred ton vessel, twice -as big as the Catalpa. On her upper deck a big gun was mounted, and -the soldiery were assembled on the main deck, a forest of bayonets -glistening in the morning sun. - -It was a show which was calculated to intimidate the men on the little -whaleship, but no one on the Catalpa faltered. The captain ordered the -ensign hoisted to the masthead, and mounted the poop deck. - -It was seen that Colonel Harvest, heavy laden in the gorgeous trappings -of a British army officer, was in charge of the deck. At one moment, -when the colonel's attention was elsewhere, Captain O'Grady waved his -hat at his whilom companion on a recent trip, and Captain Anthony waved -his hand in response. - -The next salutation was a solid shot fired across the bow of the -Catalpa. As it ricocheted along, the water flew as high as the -masthead. Meanwhile the ship was rolling helplessly, for there was no -wind. As the yards bowed to meet the water, her sails flapped and yards -creaked. But now a faint breeze filled the sails, and the Catalpa began -to make some headway. When she was abeam the Georgette, Colonel Harvest -shouted:-- - -"Heave to!" - -"What for?" screamed Captain Anthony in reply. - -"You have escaped prisoners aboard that ship." - -"You're mistaken," said Captain Anthony. "There are no prisoners aboard -this ship. They're all free men." - -The Georgette had a whaleboat on the davits, and the men on the -whaleship assumed it was for boarding purposes. Breslin collected the -rescued men together, and they determined to resist. While the above -colloquy was in progress, Mr. Smith had fitted out the company with -cutting spades, whaling guns, and heavy pieces of iron and logs of wood -with which to sink the boat if it came alongside. - -"I see the men aboard the ship now," yelled Colonel Harvest. - -"You're mistaken, sir," returned Captain Anthony. "Get up, men, and -show yourselves." - -The men walked to the rail. "You can see for yourself they are my -crew," said the captain. - -"I have telegraphed the American government, and have orders to seize -you," was the colonel's next announcement. - -Captain Anthony knew this was impossible and made no reply. - -"Are you going to heave to?" asked the colonel. - -"No, sir," replied Captain Anthony firmly. - -The Georgette was on the lee of the Catalpa. The wind was freshening -and the Georgette was steaming to keep up. - -"Don't you know you have violated the colonial laws?" asked Colonel -Harvest. - -"No, sir," answered Captain Anthony; at which the colonel seemed -greatly enraged. - -"I'll give you fifteen minutes in which to heave to," said he, "and -I'll blow your masts out unless you do so. I have the means to do it." - -He pointed to the gun, which the soldiers were swabbing, preparatory to -reloading. - -"This ship is sailing under the American flag and she is on the high -seas. If you fire on me, I warn you that you are firing on the American -flag." This was Captain Anthony's reply. - -The vessels were now about eighteen miles offshore. On the tack upon -which she was sailing the Catalpa was running inshore. Captain Anthony -feared it was the trick to decoy him into Australian waters, and -decided to go about on the other tack. He consulted with Mr. Smith -whether it was advisable to tack or wear ship, his fear of the former -course being that the vessel might get "in irons" and lose her headway, -and in the confusion the Georgette might shoot alongside. - -So it was decided to wear. When the Catalpa's crew hauled up the clews -of the mainsail, hauled down the head of the spanker, and let the -gafftopsail run down, the officers on the Georgette evidently thought -the Catalpa proposed to haul back, and the steamer was stopped. - -Then Captain Anthony put the wheel up, and the vessel swung off quickly -and headed straight for the Georgette, going before the wind. The -captain of the steamer construed this as an attempt to run him down. He -rang the jingle-bell and went ahead at full speed, but when the Catalpa -swung by him, her flying jibboom just cleared the steamer's rigging. -The ship's sails filled on the other tack and the Catalpa headed -offshore. - -The Georgette again steamed under the bark's lee. Colonel Harvest once -more asked the captain if he proposed to "heave to," and the captain -once more replied that he did not. The steamer followed for an hour, -Colonel Harvest walking the bridge. Then the Georgette stopped. It was -now four o'clock in the afternoon. The wind was fair and fresh, and -constantly increasing. - -When the Catalpa was some distance away, Captain Anthony called to the -rescued men, "Boys, take a good look at her. Probably you'll never see -her again." When the vessels were a few miles apart, the Georgette -steamed back towards Freemantle, leaving a grateful and thankful party -behind. - -"When the English commander gave the order to his stokers to slack -down the fires, a veritable _feu d'enfer_, the battle ended," said -the "Kilkenny Journal," in describing the incident. "But it was a -terrible affray, and while the firing lasted there was a tremendous -expenditure of coals. Every credit is due the Georgette. She steered -off in magnificent style. As it turned a stern lookout upon its foe, -the banner of Britain displayed its folds, and the blazoned lion, -shimmering in the sun, seemed to make a gesture of defiance with his -tail, by curving it between his heels." - -And the Catalpa sailed serenely on, and the star-spangled banner -floated bravely in the breeze. - - - - -CHAPTER XXVII - -BOUND HOME - - -That night the Catalpa took a squall from the eastward which developed -into a gale, and the bark ran before it under two lower topsails and a -foresail. In forty-eight hours the vessel was four hundred miles off -the coast. - -This led the leaders of the rescue to appreciate their extreme good -fortune, for if the gale had arisen the night the Catalpa left Bunbury, -Captain Anthony and his crew would not have been waiting on the beach -at Rockingham to receive the fleeing prisoners. The police, closely -following, would have rearrested the men, Breslin and his followers -would have been arrested, and disaster would have been the result -of the year of anxiety and the expenditure of a fortune contributed -largely by men who gave at considerable sacrifice. England would have -been exultant at having captured the man who released Stephens, and the -Clan-na-Gael would have suffered bitterly from the ignominy. - -The day after the storm, April 19, Captain Anthony had two casks of -clothing hoisted on deck. They were the best "slops" (the whaleman's -vernacular for clothes and supplies) ever put aboard a whaling vessel. -The casks' heads were taken out, and Captain Anthony said to the men, -"Go in and help yourselves. Take all you care for, and you'll need the -thickest, for you'll see some cold weather before you reach America." -Each man selected at least two suits of clothing, as well as a large -supply of underclothes. - -The rigging-pen between decks was knocked down and two tiers of berths -were built, one for each of the rescued men, from the lumber bought at -Teneriffe. They were amply supplied with bedding, seats and tables were -built, and a boy from the forecastle was assigned to attend the men. - -The vessel was kept well to the northward, to take advantage of the -southeast trade-winds, which were taken in lat. 24 deg. Then fresh and -fair winds wafted the vessel across the Indian Ocean. At times the old -Catalpa logged two hundred miles a day, although she was not regarded -as a fast sailor. - -The men were given the freedom of the ship and thoroughly enjoyed the -liberty which had been restored to them. Mr. Breslin wrote a song which -the men were wont to sing as they lay on the decks on warm evenings. -These were the words:-- - - "Right across the Indian Ocean, while the trade-wind follows fast, - Speeds our ship with gentle motion; fear and chains behind us cast. - Rolling home! rolling home! rolling home across the sea; - Rolling home to bright Columbia; home to friends and liberty. - - "Through the waters blue and bright, through dark wave and hissing foam, - Ever onward, with delight, we are sailing still for home. - O'er our pathway, in the sunshine, flies the wide-winged albatross, - O'er our topmast, in the moonlight, hangs the starry Southern Cross. - - "By the stormy cape now flying, with a full and flowing sail, - See the daylight round us dying on the black breast of the gale! - See the lightning flash above us and the dark surge roll below! - Here's a health to those who love us! Here's defiance to the foe! - - "Now the wide Atlantic clearing with our good ship speeding free, - The dull 'Cape of Storms' we're leaving far to eastward on our lee. - And as homeward through the waters the old Catalpa goes, - Ho! you fellows at the masthead, let us hear once more, "She blows." - - "Next by lonely St. Helena, with a steady wind we glide - By the rock-built, sea-girt prison, where the gallant Frenchman died, - With the flying fish and porpoise sporting 'round us in the wave, - With the starry flag of freedom floating o'er us bright and brave. - - "Past 'The Line,' and now the dipper hangs glittering in the sky. - Onward still! In the blue water, see, the gulf weed passing by. - Homeward! Homeward to Columbia, blow you, steady breezes, blow, - 'Till we hear it, from the masthead, the joyful cry, "Land ho!" - -Mr. Farnham, the second mate, died suddenly of heart disease on the 8th -of May, and was buried at sea the following day. He had been a faithful -man, and there was sincere sorrow throughout the ship's company. - -[Illustration: THE CATALPA HOMEWARD BOUND - -Running before a Gale] - -Captain Anthony made his course for the south end of Madagascar, and -stood well inshore in rounding the cape, across the Agulhas Banks, -to receive the advantage of the current which sets into the Atlantic -Ocean. Here severe winter weather was encountered. Then the "trades" -were welcomed once more, and the Catalpa sailed on with a fleet of -twenty-one merchant vessels, all following the same course. - -Naturally the bark gave St. Helena a wide berth, since the neighborhood -of a British possession was to be avoided. Subsequently it was learned -that an English warship awaited the Catalpa at this point. There is an -English naval station at Ascension, and Captain Anthony was likewise -shy of a near approach to the island. - -On July 10 the Catalpa crossed the equator into the North Atlantic on -long. 31 deg. west. "You're almost American citizens now," remarked the -captain to the men on this day. - -Sperm whales were seen occasionally, and the boats were twice lowered, -but the men were impatient to proceed, and little loitering was -indulged. - -After running out of the northeast trades, Captain Anthony proposed -to Mr. Breslin that the vessel should make a business of cruising for -whale for a while. "Now is just the season," said he, "for whaling on -the Western Grounds. We are well enough fitted, excepting that we lack -small stores, and we have plenty of money to buy from other vessels. -I know the whaling grounds, and by hauling up to the northward we -are almost certain to pick up a few hundred barrels of oil, and the -voyage can be made as successful financially as it has been in other -respects." Mr. Breslin agreed to this, and the course was made north by -east. The men noticed the change in direction, and pleaded that they -might be put ashore without any delay, and after a day or two it was -decided to yield to their wishes; orders were given to keep her off, -and the bark was once more homeward bound. - -In the height of a savage gale the Catalpa passed Bermuda, and a few -days later the lead showed that the vessel was approaching the coast. -Then a pilot came aboard, and he was greatly surprised to find the -destination to be New York, inasmuch as the vessel was a whaleship. But -Captain Anthony and Mr. Breslin had agreed that this was the best place -to land the men. Sandy Hook was eighty miles away. At six P.M. an ocean -tug was spoken, which offered to tow the vessel into New York harbor -for $250, but after considerable dickering the price was reduced to -$90, and it was accepted. - - - - -CHAPTER XXVIII - -A CORDIAL RECEPTION - - -Meanwhile the story of the rescue had been telegraphed to New York, and -reporters swarmed aboard at quarantine, which was reached at midnight. -Captain Anthony did not know what the situation might be or how much -it would be wise for him to tell, and the reception of the newspaper -men was one of the most arduous experiences of the voyage. But their -editions were waiting, and they could not delay long. At two o'clock on -the morning of August 19, 1876, the Catalpa anchored off Castle Garden. - -Captain Anthony and Mr. Breslin went ashore at sunrise in one of the -boats and first went to the hotel of O'Donovan Rossa, which was a -headquarters for men affiliating with the Clan-na-Gael. The first -person whom they met in the office, singularly enough, was a man who -was a prisoner in Australia at the time of the rescue, but who was -subsequently released and arrived in this country by steamer. He -received the rescuers with enthusiasm. Various leaders were summoned, -and the captain and Mr. Breslin were warmly welcomed. - -Later in the morning Captain Anthony went to the barge office and -secured a permit to land his passengers. When he returned to the -Catalpa she was surrounded by small boats, for the morning newspapers -had told of her presence in port, and there was much curiosity to see -her. - -"Men," said Captain Anthony, as he stepped on the deck, "I have a -permit for you to go ashore, and you are at liberty to go when you -please." - -"God bless you, captain, you've saved our lives," said Darragh, and in -a few minutes the company left in the shore boat, in high spirits. - -Meanwhile Captain Anthony had communicated with Mr. Richardson, and -he was instructed to leave the vessel in New York and return home, -for his friends were anxious to see him. The local branch of the -Clan-na-Gael, with representatives of other Irish societies, had been -meeting nightly, arranging a reception to the gallant rescuer, and he -was received at the train by thousands of people on the Sunday morning -of his return. - -They were shocked at the changed appearance of the captain. When he -left New Bedford, sixteen months before, he weighed 160 pounds and his -hair was black as coal. The months of worry and intense excitement had -worn upon him to such an extent that his weight was now reduced to 123 -pounds and his hair was sprinkled with gray. - -A few days after Captain Anthony arrived home, the following circular -reached the office of the chief of police in New Bedford:-- - - -POLICE DEPARTMENT. - - Chief Office, Perth, Western Australia, - - April 18, 1876. - - James Darragh, 9707, life sentence, 2d March, 1866, aged 42, Fenian, - absconded from Freemantle, 8.30 A.M., April 17, 1876. - - Martin Hogan, 9767, sentence, life, August 21, 1866, aged 37, Fenian, - absconded as above. - - Michael Harrington, 9757, life sentence, July 7, 1866, 48 years, - Fenian, absconded as above. - - Thomas Hassett, 9758, life sentence, June 26, 1866, Fenian, absconded, - etc. - - Robert Cranston, 9702, life sentence, June 26, 1866, Fenian, - absconded, etc. - - James Wilson, 9915, life sentence, Aug. 20, 1866, age 40, absconded, - etc. - -N.B.--Martin Hogan's marks include the letter D on his left side; so do -those of Michael Harrington, Thomas Hassett, and James Wilson. - - Sir,--I beg to inform you that on the 17th instant the imperial - convicts named in the margin absconded from the convict settlement - at Freemantle, in this colony, and escaped from the colony in the - American whaling bark Catalpa, G. Anthony master. This bark is from - New Bedford, Massachusetts, U.S.A. The convicts were taken from the - shore in a whaleboat belonging to the Catalpa, manned by Captain - Anthony and six of the crew. The abettors were Collins, Jones, and - Johnson. - - I attach the description of each of the absconders, and have - to request that you will be good enough to furnish me with any - particulars you may be able to gather concerning them. - - I have the honor to be, sir, - - Your obedient servant, - - M.A. Smith, _Supt. of Police_. - - To the Officer in charge of the Police Department, } - New Bedford, Massachusetts, U.S.A. } - -It was addressed to "The Officer in charge of Police Department, New -Bedford, Massachusetts, United States, America." - -Now Captain Henry C. Hathaway was at this time chief of police, and -in view of the fact that he had been rather intimately connected with -the enterprise, it may be believed that he was not unduly zealous in -assisting the Australian authorities. - -The Catalpa, in charge of a pilot, sailed to New Bedford. The scene -on her return was very different from that at her departure. She -arrived at the old whaling port on the afternoon of August 24th. She -was sighted as she came into the bay, and the news of her approach -attracted thousands of people to the wharves. A salute of seventy guns -was fired as the bark sailed up the river, and when she was made fast -to the dock, men and women swarmed aboard and carried away everything -which was not too large for souvenirs. - -On the following evening a reception was tendered Captain Anthony -at Liberty Hall, and the auditorium was crowded with cheering, -enthusiastic people. The stage was decorated with the American flag and -the flag of Ireland. John McCullough called the meeting to order, and -the officers were as follows:-- - -_President._--Dr. Stephen W. Hayes. - -_Vice-Presidents._--John McCullough, Michael F. Kennedy, Hugh J. -McDonald, Neil Gallagher, John F. Edgerton, James Carroll, Jeremiah -Donohue, Michael Murphy, John Sweeney, William Morrissey, Edmund -Fogarty, James Clary, Michael F. McCullough, Antone L. Sylvia, Patrick -Cannavan, James Sherry, John Agnew, John Welch. - -_Secretaries._--Patrick Haley, Peter O'Connell, and John Green. - -John Boyle O'Reilly was present, and Captain Anthony was the guest of -honor. Mr. Smith, the Catalpa's mate, and Thomas Hassett, one of the -rescued men, were also present. - -Dr. Hayes expressed his gratitude that the political prisoners were now -in the land of the free, where the flag which protected them on the -Catalpa would continue to protect them as long as it waved. - -O'Reilly's address on this occasion was one of his most eloquent -efforts, and it is to be regretted that it is not preserved in its -entirety. The summaries which were printed in the newspapers do him -very inadequate justice. - -He said that it was with no ordinary feelings that he had come. He -owed to New Bedford no ordinary debt, and he would gladly have come -a thousand miles to do honor to New Bedford whalemen. Seven years of -liberty, wife, children, and a happy home in a free country were his -debt of gratitude, and when the close of his sentence came, in 1886, -his debt to New Bedford might be grown too heavy to bear. - -They were there, he said, to do honor to Captain Anthony, to show their -gratitude to the man who had done a brave and wonderful deed. The -self-sacrifice and unfailing devotion of him who had taken his life in -his hand and beached his whaleboat on the penal colony, defying its -fearful laws, defying the gallows and the chain-gang, in order to keep -faith with the men who had placed their trust in him,--this is almost -beyond belief in our selfish and commonplace time. - -There were sides to this question worth looking at, he continued. -To Irishmen it was significant in manifold ways, one of which was -that these men, being soldiers, could not be left in prison without -demoralizing the Irishmen in the English army, who would not forget -that their comrades had been forsaken and left to die in confinement, -when the civilian leaders of the movement had been set free. But the -spirit that prompted their release was larger and nobler than this, and -its beauty could be appreciated by all men, partaking as it did of the -universal instinct of humanity to love their race and their native land. - -England said that the rescue was a lawless and disgraceful -filibustering raid. Not so, said Mr. O'Reilly. If these men were -criminals, the rescue would be criminal. But they were political -offenders against England, not against law, or order, or religion. They -had lain in prison for ten years, with millions of their countrymen -asking their release, imploring England, against their will to beg, to -set these men at liberty. Had England done so it would have partially -disarmed Ireland. A generous act by England would be reciprocated -instantly by millions of the warmest hearts in the world. But she -was blind, as of old; blind and arrogant and cruel. She would not -release the men; she scorned to give Ireland an answer. She called the -prisoners cowardly criminals, not political offenders. - -After the ship sailed and there was a long time when no tidings came, -O'Reilly said that doubts and fears came, as they were sure to do; but -Captain Hathaway said once and always of Captain Anthony: "The man who -engaged to do this will keep that engagement, or he won't come out of -the penal colony." - -After describing some of his own experiences in Australia, Mr. O'Reilly -pointed to the bronzed and worn face of Mr. Hassett, one of the rescued -prisoners, and said: "Look at that man sitting there. Six years ago he -escaped from his prison in the penal colony and fled into the bush, -living there like a wild beast for a whole year, hunted from district -to district, in a blind but manful attempt to win his liberty. When -England said the rescue was illegal, America could answer, as the -anti-slavery men answered when they attacked the Constitution, as -England herself answered in the cause of Poland: 'We have acted from -a higher law than your written constitution and treatise,--the law of -God and humanity.' It was in obedience to this supreme law that Captain -Anthony rescued the prisoners, and pointed his finger at the Stars and -Stripes, when the English commander threatened to fire on his ship. - -"The Irishman," concluded Mr. O'Reilly, "who could forget what the -Stars and Stripes have done for his countrymen deserves that in time of -need that flag shall forget him." - -Then Mr. Hassett described the bravery of Captain Anthony, and pictured -him as he held the steering oar on the night of the gale, risking his -life for the men. He could never amply express his gratitude to Captain -Anthony, he said, and he was sure that New Bedford never produced a -braver sailor. - -Meanwhile there were similar demonstrations throughout the country. At -San Francisco a mass meeting of Irish citizens passed resolutions of -sympathy for the prisoners and took steps for increasing the relief -fund which had been started. - -The Robert Emmet Association of Troy, N.Y., fired a salute in honor -of the safe arrival of the Catalpan six. At Woonsocket the wildest -enthusiasm prevailed; meetings were held and salutes fired. The Emmet -Skirmishing Club of Sillery Cove, Quebec, held a congratulatory -meeting, and the Shamrock Benevolent Society of St. Louis, one of the -largest Irish Catholic societies in the West, adopted resolutions of -honor to Captain Anthony. - -The news of the rescue had been slow in reaching England, and as late -as May 22 a debate was in progress in Parliament on the release of -the political prisoners in Australia. Disraeli was the first lord of -the Treasury, and he had been asked to advise her Majesty to extend -her royal mercy to the prisoners who were suffering punishment from -offenses in breach of their allegiance. - -In a speech Disraeli said the men sent to Australia were "at this -moment enjoying a state of existence which their friends in this house -are quite prepared to accept." The Irish members shouted "No." But -Mr. Disraeli was right and the Irish members were wrong, for the men -were on the deck of an American vessel as he spoke, free from English -authority. - -On the morning after Disraeli's speech Boucicault wrote a letter to the -"London Telegraph" which was read with much interest. He wrote:-- - - The reply made by Mr. Disraeli last night to the 134 members who - pleaded for the amnesty of the Irish prisoners should not be regarded - as wholly unsatisfactory. His speech was in the gentle spirit of an - apology, formed of excuses for the delay of the Government in acceding - to the wishes of the people of Ireland. But the manner of this - fluent and eloquent speaker was exceedingly hopeful. He hesitated, - wandered, halted, lost his way, and turned about in distress. A - leading member observed in my hearing that he had never seen him so - confused. He said there were only fifteen prisoners; that two of them - could not be regarded as political offenders, because in the act of - rebellion they had shed blood, and therefore were ordinary murderers. - (He did not add they were no more entitled to consideration than - Oliver Cromwell, whose statue graces the House.) Then turning to - the thirteen prisoners--of these six were imprisoned in England and - seven in Western Australia--these men, he assured the House, were so - comfortable where they were, so happy, so well off, that really their - liberation would be a misfortune to them, rather than a boon. - - It is a rule in literary composition that, when a substantive - expresses vigorously the full scope and meaning of an idea, we weaken - its effect by the addition of an adjective. So would any remark, or - even a note of admiration detract from the rule of this astounding - proposition. It should be left alone in a space of silence. The - lameness and impotency of the speaker made an eloquent impression on - the House, for the lameness seemed that of one who declined to trample - on the prostrate, and the impotency was that of a kind and just man - who could not find words to frame a cruel sentence. - - Your obedient servant, - Dion Boucicault. - - London, May 23. - -The rescue was the subject of very savage comment in the English -newspapers, and some of the editorials are reprinted in the Appendix. - -Invitations to attend various functions in honor of the rescue poured -in upon Captain Anthony, and he found himself a hero with the Irish -people throughout the world, a position in which he stands to-day, for -the debt has never been forgotten. That the valiant deed still lives -in the memory, it may be said that ten thousand people in Philadelphia -greeted the captain last summer, on the occasion of the presentation to -the Clan-na-Gael societies of the flag which flew over the Catalpa on -the day when the British were defied. Here is the story printed in the -"Philadelphia Times" on the date of August 6, 1895:-- - -The green flag of Ireland, entwined with the Stars and Stripes, floated -proudly over the main entrance to the Rising Sun Park yesterday -and gave greeting to ten thousand people who joined in the annual -Clan-na-Gael celebration. The multitude came from all sections of the -city, and all the suburban towns and the adjoining counties sent large -contingents of Clan-na-Gael sympathizers. The management made every -possible provision for the entertainment of those present, and spared -neither expense nor time in making the celebration a success, giving -big prizes to the field and track athletes from many sections of the -Union and from Canada who took part in the sporting events. - -The grounds were decorated possibly on a more elaborate scale than on -any former occasion. Exclusive of what the track and field provided in -the way of amusement, there were pastimes for the younger and older -folks, such as tenpin alleys, merry-go-rounds, baseball, and swings. -There were several bands of music, one for those who occupied seats on -the pavilion from which the track and field sports could be seen, and -two others on the dancing platform. - -The great feature of the day's exercises, and that which attracted the -most attention, were the introduction of Captain George S. Anthony and -the presentation by him to the Clan-na-Gaels of the flag which floated -from the masthead of the whaling bark Catalpa, which had on board the -political prisoners rescued from the penal settlement of Western -Australia, when it was overtaken by a British gunboat. Captain Anthony -presented the flag from a temporary platform erected on the tracks, and -after it had been accepted in behalf of the Clan-na-Gael the scene was -one of great enthusiasm. Luke Dillon, president of the Irish American -Club, introduced Captain Anthony, and almost simultaneously the old -Stars and Stripes were unfurled to the breeze and the band seated on -the grand stand played the "Star-Spangled Banner." About four thousand -people joined in singing the anthem, and the Clan-na-Gael Guards fired -two volleys as a salute. - -On the platform were seated State Senator James C. Vaughn, of Scranton; -Michael J. Breslin, a brother of John J. Breslin, who had charge of the -land part of the Catalpa expedition; Martin Hogan, of New York, Thomas -Darragh, and Robert Cranston, three of the rescued prisoners; Dr. -William Carroll, William Francis Roantree, John Devoy, J.J. Thompson, -Major Fitzpatrick, of Trenton, N.J.; Michael Gribbel, of Jersey -City; Bernard Masterson, Eugene Buckley, and Michael J. Gribble, of -Pittsburgh. - -Captain Anthony, in presenting the flag, said:-- - -"Twenty years ago you came to me with a request to aid you in restoring -to freedom some soldiers of liberty confined in England's penal colony -of Western Australia. Your story of their sufferings touched my heart, -and I pledged my word as an American sailor to aid in the good work to -the best of my ability. - -"You intrusted me with the command of the bark Catalpa. I took her to -the West Australia coast, and when the gallant Breslin and his trusty -men had effected the rescue of their friends I brought the party safely -in the ship's boat to the Catalpa and placed them on board under the -shelter of the American flag. When on the high seas the commander of -an armed British steamer fired a solid shot across the Catalpa's bows, -demanded the surrender of the rescued men, and threatened to blow -out the masts of my vessel, if I failed to comply with his demands, -I refused, and told the British commander that if he fired on the -American flag on the high seas he must take the consequences. He then -withdrew, and I took your friends to New York, where I landed them in -safety. - -"The flag which floated over the Catalpa on that April day in 1876--the -Stars and Stripes which protected the liberated men and their -rescuers--I have preserved and cherished for twenty years as a sacred -relic. I would fain keep it and hand it down to my children as a family -heirloom, but I am confident it will be safe in the keeping of those -who were associated with me in an enterprise of which we have all -reason to be proud. Your countrymen have ever been loyal to the flag of -the United States and ever ready to shed their blood in its defense. I, -therefore, present you with this flag of the Catalpa as a memento of -our common share in a good work well done and a token of the sympathy -of all true Americans with the cause of liberty in Ireland. I know you -will cherish it as I do, and that if the interests of that flag should -ever again demand it your countrymen will be among the first to rally -to its defense?" - -When Captain Anthony finished his address he was the recipient of many -beautiful bouquets. - -John Devoy, who had been delegated by the Clan-na-Gael to accept the -colors, was unable to do so because of sickness, and Michael J. Ryan, -who acted in his place, read the speech which Mr. Devoy had prepared:-- - -"Captain Anthony, old friend and comrade, I accept this flag on behalf -of the organization which fitted out the Catalpa, selected you as -her commander, and which shared with you the credit for the work of -humanity which she was the chief instrument in accomplishing. I accept -it with pride as a memento of a noble deed, and I promise you it shall -be cherished by us while life is left us, and handed down to future -generations, who will love and cherish it as well. It is the flag of -our adopted country, under which Irishmen have fought side by side with -native Americans on every battlefield where the interests and the honor -of that flag were at stake, from Bunker Hill to Appomattox. It is the -flag which symbolizes the highest development of human liberty on this -earth, and in the future, as in the past, the race to which we, to whom -you present this flag, belong, will stand shoulder to shoulder with -yours in its defense and in the maintenance of its proud and glorious -record. - -"You recall to our minds to-day memories of events in which native -Americans and Irishmen were closely associated; in which Irish -enthusiasm and Yankee coolness, grit, and skill in seamanship effected -a combination that won a decisive victory for humanity over the forces -of oppression. The battle of human freedom has not yet been won, and -the combination of which you formed such an important part may serve as -an example worthy of imitation and enlargement in the future. - -"Your part in that work was noble and disinterested throughout. I -went to New Bedford twenty years ago, knowing not a soul in the city, -bearing a letter of introduction from John Boyle O'Reilly to Henry C. -Hathaway, who has done noble work in aiding the poet-patriot to escape -from the Western Australian prison to the land of the free. He entered -heartily into the project with which the Clan-na-Gael had intrusted -me, and introduced me to you and your father-in-law, Mr. Richardson. -Without any promise of reward for your services, or compensation -for the risks you would run, you undertook to carry out the work of -liberation. You sailed away to the southern seas, you carried out -the work you pledged yourself to accomplish, you incurred new risks -which had not been asked of you, you defied the British commander -who threatened to fire on the Stars and Stripes, and brought the six -Irishmen rescued from a British prison in safety to America. In all -this you bore yourself proudly and gallantly, like a true American -sailor, and you placed the Irish people under heavy obligations to you. - -"Our chief regret to-day is that the man most closely associated with -you in the rescue, John J. Breslin, the man who commanded the land -force of the expedition, and to whose skill and courage its success was -wholly due, is not here to receive this flag from your hands. As he -has gone to his last account, the honor of taking his place has been -assigned to me, although I was only concerned in the management of the -American end of the enterprise. Many of those who took part in the -rescue and two of the men to whom you helped to give liberty are here -to do you honor and to thank you in the name of the Irish race for the -gallant feat you accomplished nineteen years ago and for your generous -gift of this historic flag. Others still are in their graves, while -some live too far away to participate in this day's proceedings, which -recall an event of which we are all proud. - -"Captain Anthony, in the name of the Clan-na-Gael, I thank you for the -Catalpa's flag, and wish you a long and happy life." - - - - -CHAPTER XXIX - -SETTLEMENT OF THE VOYAGE - - -In February, 1877, Mr. Devoy, with James Reynolds, went to New Bedford -and made a liberal settlement with the crew. An average was taken of -the catch of oil by the vessels which sailed the same season with the -Catalpa, several of which had made "big cuts." The settlement with the -men was on this basis. - -The Catalpa was presented to Captain Anthony, Mr. Richardson, and Henry -C. Hathaway, but her value was not great. She was eventually sold and -altered into a coal barge, coming to an ignominious end at Belize, -British Honduras, where she was condemned. - -Captain Anthony's occupation was now gone, since it would be unsafe for -him to enter an English port. He was for a while an officer of the New -Bedford police force, but was appointed an inspector in the New Bedford -custom-house in President Cleveland's first term, a position which he -has since held. - -Gallant John Breslin died in New York on November 18, 1888, with -the name of his country upon his lips. To the last he believed that -revolution was the only remedy for Ireland's wrongs. The announcement -of his death drew tears from Irish eyes the world over, for his burning -love of country, his chivalry and unparalleled bravery had touched the -hearts of Erin's sons and daughters. Clan-na-Gael societies telegraphed -their sorrow, and John Devoy and all the Catalpan leaders hastened to -New York to be present at the funeral exercises. - -"Out of all the incidents of the so-called 'Fenian movement,'" said -the "Pilot," "the most brilliantly daring have been two rescues of -prisoners, namely, that of the chief organizer, James Stephens, from -Richmond Prison, Dublin, in 1865, and of the six military prisoners -from Western Australia last April. These two rescues are in many -ways remarkable. Unlike almost every other enterprise of Fenianism, -they have been completely successful; and when completed have been -commented on in the same way, as 'well done.' Every other attempt or -proposal has fallen through or ended with loss. The rescue of Kelley -and Deasy from the police van in Manchester was successful so far as -the release of the prisoners went; but it was bought with the lives of -Allen, Larkin, and O'Brien, and the nine years' misery of Condon. The -proposed attack on Chester Castle was discovered and prevented by the -English government. The seizure of Pigeon House Fort, with its armory, -at Dublin, never emerged from the stage of dreamland. The attempt to -blow up Clerkenwell Prison, London, to release Richard Burke, was a -disastrous failure, by which nothing was accomplished, by which many -suffered, the lives of several poor working people were sacrificed, -and the wretched lodging-house homes of others destroyed. - -[Illustration: JAMES REYNOLDS - -Treasurer of the Rescue Committee] - -"But the rescue of James Stephens, even while the government was -gloating over his capture, was as unexpected and thorough as if the man -had vanished in smoke. No one suffered from it,--at least from English -law,--no one was arrested; neither the government nor the public ever -knew how or by whom it was accomplished. The man or men who did the -work claimed no recompense either of money or notoriety. Two thousand -pounds reward failed to elicit the slightest clew. The thing was -cleverly, cleanly, bravely done, and those who knew of it knew how to -keep the secret. - -"The rescue of the six military prisoners from the penal colony of West -Australia was performed in a similar manner as to daring, silence, and -complete success. Looking back on it, no one can say that aught was -forgotten or left to chance. With admirable deliberation every inch -of the train was laid, every sporadic interest was attended to, and -the eventful rescue was carried out to the prearranged letter with -scientific precision. As in the escape of Stephens, no trail remained; -no one left in the trap; no price paid in human life or suffering. It -was a clean thing from beginning to end; it was 'well done.'" - -The total expense of the expedition was about $30,000, and a fund was -raised in addition to give the rescued men a start in the new life -which had been vouchsafed to them. - - - - -APPENDIX - - -[_London Telegraph._] - -Closely following upon the recent debate in the House of Commons on the -Fenian prisoners, still held most justly in durance, come particulars -from Western Australia of the escape of the half dozen jail-birds who, -while they were in captivity, excited so much sympathy among Irish -rebels and their abettors. Every Englishman knew that this sympathy -was misplaced, and, as a matter of fact, it turns out that it was the -very mildness of the captivity of the Hibernians in an Australian penal -settlement which made their escape so easy. - -[After telling how the rescue was effected, the "Telegraph" continued:] - -So the English cruiser had to return to Freemantle as empty as it left, -and the skipper of the Catalpa, who was evidently, like most Yankee -mariners, an accomplished sea lawyer, sailed off in triumph, laughing -at our scrupulous obedience to international law. This is a humiliating -result, and it is not easy to see who most deserves blame,--the sleepy -warder who allowed all the men to give him the slip and sounded no -alarm in time to overtake them on their long carriage drive, or the -authorities at Rockingham, who permitted the Catalpa to get outside -the territorial limit before stopping her. Nor is it clear what is -the next step to be taken. If the American vessel took on board the -convicts in Australia, that is in British waters, we presume that -we can insist on their rendition and on redress in some shape for a -violation of our sovereignty. We can readily conceive what would have -happened if an English vessel in the harbor of say Norfolk, Va., had -received Confederate prisoners on board, and had sailed off, daring -pursuit or arrest. Thus our government may be excused for being firm -and peremptory in calling attention to whatever violation of law -the Yankee whaler may have committed. On the other hand, there is -the consideration that the enterprising skipper of the Catalpa has, -without meaning it, done us a good turn; he has rid us of an expensive -nuisance. The United States are welcome to any number of disloyal, -turbulent, plotting conspirators, to all their silly machinations. If -these are transferred to British soil, we shall know how to deal with -them,--as we have shown already. - - -[_Melbourne Argus._] - -The news from Western Australia confirms the suspicion that a grave -international outrage was committed in the escape of the Fenian -prisoners from Freemantle. They were actually taken away while wearing -the convict garb by the master of an American ship, who dispatched a -boat ashore for that purpose. It is impossible to suppose that a man -did not know very well what he was doing, and his proceedings are -precisely as if a French boat were to run to the hill of Portland and -take away as many convicts from there as could crowd into her. The -imperial authorities are bound to take cognizance of the episode, and -to demand a substantial redress. We shall be told, no doubt, that the -escaped convicts are political refugees, and attention may be called to -the fact that Communist convicts frequently arrive in Australia without -the permission of their gaolers. But the attempt at a parallel will -deceive no one. The Communists arrive here without any aid on our part. -They build boats and take their chance, and if the Fenians had found -their way to America, their case would be very different from what it -is. Rochefort and his companions came over, it is true, in a British -bark; but, though the complicity of the captain was suspected, it was -never proved. But with the Catalpa there is evidence of a plot; there -is testimony that the American master took his boat to an unsuspected -spot, and that he made special exertions to ship the men. The ship was -on the high seas, it is true, and outside of British jurisdiction, but -the master and his boat went to the shore, and for a felonious purpose, -and that constitutes the breach of the law of nations. The offense -is too serious, too glaring, to be overlooked, and we presume that -important communications will speedily pass between the governments of -Westminster and Washington. - - -[_Melbourne Advocate._] - -The correspondence will be voluminous, but very courteous on both -sides, and, after being long drawn out, it will terminate in friendly -assurances; for it would never do that first cousins, bound together -by common interests, and in whose hands the great destinies of the -English-speaking race rest, should seriously quarrel over the fate of -a half dozen unfortunate Irishmen. The Slidell and Mason business was -a little more serious, and there was no quarrel over it. The cabinet -of Westminster will have a strong case for Washington in this Fenian -business, but Washington is not without a case against Westminster; for -its demand for the unconditional extradition of an American criminal -has been refused by the English government. Washington, besides, will -be apt to say that these escaped Fenians were political prisoners, and -though Great Britain may maintain the contrary, European opinion will -be decidedly against her view of the case. Something will also be said -about Communist convicts being sheltered on British soil, and after all -that can be urged on each side has been said, the whole affair will -taper down to an indivisible and invisible point, or, to use a more -homely phrase, it will end in smoke. - - -THE RESCUED PRISONERS - -On the 12th inst., William Foley, one of the Irish political prisoners -recently confined in Western Australia, arrived in New York from -Queenstown, on the steamship Wisconsin. When the news of the escape -of the prisoners came last week, it was thought that Foley was among -the number, but it now appears that his sentence expired last January, -and he sailed from Perth, Western Australia, on the 16th of that month -for London. From London he proceeded to Dublin, and after spending a -fortnight there went to his home in Tipperary, but finding none of his -friends there except one uncle, a very old man, he went to Cork, where -he remained about ten days, when he started for New York. The following -is the substance of Foley's story, given to a "New York Herald" -reporter by the gentleman who received it:-- - -Toward the end of last November two gentlemen arrived in Western -Australia, and, knowing the means, at once placed themselves in -communication with the prisoners, and commenced to thoroughly survey -the ground on which they were to work. Foley, being on ticket-of-leave -at the time, and having just got out of the hospital, where he had -been suffering from heart disease, was introduced to one of them by a -friend, and on the stranger giving certain information which showed -what his mission was, an understanding was arrived at. A great deal -of delicate work had to be done, and every precaution taken to avoid -attracting the attention of the authorities, but up to the last moment -of Foley's stay in the colony not the least suspicion was aroused. The -two agents each followed a legitimate occupation, and acted in every -way as if going to make their home in Western Australia, or bent solely -on making lasting business connections with the colony, and so discreet -were their movements and conduct that no one dreamed that they were -anything but what they appeared to be. "I asked no questions," said -Foley, "and they told me nothing which I had not a right to know." - -Toward the close of the spring of last year all the prisoners not on -ticket-of-leave, and two of the men who had tickets-of-leave, were sent -in from the various gangs in which they had been working through the -bush and lodged in the principal convict station at Freemantle. Their -names were James Wilson, Martin Hogan, Thomas Hassett, Thomas Darragh, -Michael Harrington, Robert Cranston, and James Kelley, life-sentenced -men, and Thomas Delaney and James McCoy, whose tickets-of-leave were -revoked. These were all, with the exception of Wilson, engaged in -constructing a reservoir within the prison of Freemantle, which is -situated on the hill, intended to supply water to the shipping in the -harbor. Wilson was training a horse for the doctor of the prison, and -this employment enabled him to go out of the prison several times each -day, and gave him many facilities for perfecting the plan of escape. -Many disappointments occurred, however, owing to unforeseen accidents, -and one golden opportunity was lost through failing to connect with a -certain ship. The ability of the agents was tested to the utmost and -the patience of the expectant prisoners was sorely tried. Still nothing -occurred to arouse the suspicion of the prison officials and no one -connected with the attempt lost heart. Two days before Foley took his -departure he had an interview with Wilson, and on the former asking -him how he should correspond with him, Wilson said, "Don't write to us -any more; I am confident we shall all follow you soon." When taking -his leave two days later neither could speak, but could only exchange -a silent but hearty shake of the hand. This was on January 16. Foley -took his passage on a sailing vessel for London, and after a voyage of -ninety-four days arrived in that city. - -Though he could not feel sure that all had escaped, Foley expressed -the greatest confidence in the safety of those who had got on board the -American ship. The Georgette, which was sent in pursuit of the Catalpa, -according to the statements of the Sydney papers, telegraphed here -from San Francisco, is only a small screw steamer, built on the Clyde, -about two hundred tons burthen, which is employed in carrying the mails -from Champion Bay, the most northern settlement in West Australia, -to King George's Sound, which is the most southerly point at which -vessels call in the same colony, and she is manned by only ten men at -the most,--ordinary sailors who never saw any service. In Perth and -Freemantle there are not more than thirty policemen at any time, and -if all of these went on board the Georgette the released soldiers and -their friends could make short work of them in a hand-to-hand fight. -The only artillery in the colony is in Perth--four old nine-pounders -belonging to a company of volunteers, the members of which live -scattered through the surrounding country and could not be got together -at a short notice. There are about forty retired soldiers living in -the neighborhood of Perth, but they are all old men, and could not be -collected at any shorter notice than the volunteers. - -It would take some time to unlimber the guns, get the Georgette ready -and prepare for a pursuit, and the point on the coast selected for -a rendezvous, according to arrangements made previous to Foley's -departure, is about twenty-five miles from Freemantle. Everything -considered, it would take several days to enable the Georgette to start -in pursuit, and by that time the Catalpa, or any other vessel on which -they might be, would be beyond her reach. Then the Georgette could not -be provisioned for a long cruise, nor could the police force nor the -pensioners be spared from the colony for any length of time, and there -was no ship of war at all in the neighborhood. Altogether the chances -of the recapture of the prisoners by the Georgette appear to be very -remote, even if she would risk boarding an American ship on the high -seas. Boats had been already secured when Foley left, to accommodate -all the prisoners and convey them out to sea so that they might not get -on board any ship in British waters. "The news," said Foley, "seems -too good to be true; it is so short a time since I saw them within the -prison walls, and all I can say is, God speed them on their way, and -may God bless the Yankee captain who took them aboard." - -Foley is thirty-eight years of age, and enlisted in 1853 in the Bombay -Horse Artillery, under the East India Company, and served all through -the Sepoy rebellion. In 1859 he returned to England, and soon after -reenlisted in the Fifth Dragoon Guards, in which regiment he remained -until his arrest for Fenianism in February, 1866. He is a simple, quiet -man, but known by his comrades to be a man of indomitable courage. -Before his imprisonment he was a man of magnificent physique, being six -feet in height and splendidly proportioned. At present he is reduced -considerably, through the terrible ordeal through which he has passed, -and very little of that soldier's strut so characteristic of British -cavalrymen can be noticed in him.--_Pilot_, June 24, 1876. - - -CAPTAIN ANTHONY OF THE CATALPA - -The remarkable story printed in this week's "Pilot," from the pen of -the chief agent in the rescue of the prisoners, makes it clear that the -captain of the whaling bark Catalpa is a man of extraordinary nerve and -integrity. Captain George S. Anthony is a young man, scarcely thirty -years of age; a silent, unassuming sailor. There is nothing in his -appearance, except, perhaps, the steadiness of the deeply-sunken dark -eye, to tell that in a moment of pending danger that would frighten -brave men this one would take his life in his hand, and, with his -usual quiet air, steer into the very jaws of destruction. - -When the Catalpa lay off the coast of the penal colony, at the -appointed place for the rescue, Captain Anthony did not, as he might -have done, send one of his officers in command of the boat that was to -land on the dangerous coast. With a picked crew of his whalemen, the -captain took the steering-oar himself. When he had reached the shore, -a man who had been watching the incoming boat informed him that he had -passed over a terrible danger; that right in the line he had crossed -lay a fatal reef, over which no boat had ever before sailed in safety. -Had this information not been given, it is almost certain that the -entire boat's crew, with the rescued prisoners, would have been lost, -for Captain Anthony would certainly have sailed out as he had entered, -and in that event the bones of the brave fellows would now be whitening -on the ledges of the reef. When the escaped prisoners arrived, and the -frail boat again put to sea, the firm hand of the captain still held -the steering-oar. The night came down, the wind rose, and the water -lashed over the deep-laden boat. They could not see the ship's lights, -but steered blindly into the darkness. There was no choice of roads. -Behind them was the chain-gang for the rescuers and the gallows for the -absconders. The morning came, and the drenched and weary men, instead -of a bark, saw a gunboat in pursuit. They were grateful then for the -rising waves, in the troughs of which their little boat escaped the -watchful eyes of the pursuit. The trained skill of the seaman was here -invaluable. He knew that a boat might escape being seen from the deck -of a ship, though only a short distance away. He lowered his sail, and -got into the wake of the gunboat, the point where they would be least -likely to look. And when the gunboat steamed away, and the smaller -police-cutter hove in sight and bore straight down on the whaleboat, -trying to cut them off from the ship, Captain Anthony shouted -encouragement to his tired men, calling them by name, using all the -whaleman's arts to urge his hands in the last spurt before the whale -is struck--till he saw that they had distanced the cutter by a few -terrible yards, and were safe alongside the Catalpa. For thirty hours -Captain Anthony had held the steering-oar of his whaleboat. - -It is a splendid story of endurance and devotion to duty. The brave man -had undertaken to rescue these prisoners, and he held to his engagement -with a manly faith that neither danger nor death could appall. To -the rescued he was not bound by ties of race or nationality; but he -knew they were political prisoners, cruelly held in bondage; and the -seaman's heart, made generous by intercourse with foreign lands, felt -deeply the bond of humanity, regardless of Celtic or Anglo-Saxon -promptings. - -It must not be forgotten that by this achievement Captain Anthony has -destroyed his career as a whaleman. He has placed himself beyond the -pale of every British harbor in the world. He can no more follow his -profession in the South Sea or in the Indian Ocean, for nearly every -port at which the whaleships get supplies are possessions of the -British Crown. By this one act, done for Irishmen, Captain Anthony has -literally thrown away the years and experience that have made him one -of the best whalemen in New Bedford. - -The Irish people of America should not forget this, nor allow such a -debt to remain against their name. CAPTAIN ANTHONY SHOULD GET SUCH A -TESTIMONIAL AS WILL PUT HIM BEYOND THE NECESSITY OF EVER GOING TO SEA -AGAIN. Unless this be done, the brave man has ruined his future in the -interests of a selfish and ungrateful people. If the masses of our -people would contribute each a mite--ten cents apiece--enough would -be done. At the meetings of Irish societies throughout the country, -subscriptions of this kind might be raised; and local treasurers could -be appointed to receive contributions. All subscriptions sent to "The -Pilot" will be acknowledged. There is not an Irish man or woman in -America who could not give something, no matter how small, to such an -object; and we trust that no time will be lost in setting the movement -in practical operation.--_Pilot_, September 2, 1876. - - -ESCAPE OF THE IRISH PRISONERS - -... Business was almost entirely suspended, and the imposing Masonic -ceremony of laying the foundation stone of the new Freemasons' Hall, -which was to take place at four o'clock, was almost forgotten, -and attracted but little if any attention. In the course of the -afternoon, His Excellency, accompanied by the Colonial Secretary, -drove down, and after consultation with the Superintendent of Water -Police, the Comptroller-General, and other officials, and the agent -for the Georgette, it was decided to dispatch the Georgette again -to the Catalpa, with a view to intercept the boat, or to demand the -surrender of the prisoners from the captain, if they were on board. The -pensioners and police were again embarked, a twelve-pounder field-piece -was shipped and fixed in the gangway; provisions were put on board, -and a fatigue-party of pensioners were engaged in coaling--thirty tons -being put on board in a short time. By eleven o'clock arrangements -were completed, and the Georgette steamed away from the jetty. Not a -few, both on board and on shore, but gave way to gloomy forebodings -as to the result of this second visit to the ship. Certainly, the -arrangements made by the authorities warranted those who were not -acquainted with international law, or aware of his excellency's -instructions, in concluding that the governor had determined upon -resorting to force, if necessary, to capture the fugitives. By early -morning the Georgette was outside of Rottnest, and at daylight sighted -the ship bearing S.S.E. under full sail. The Georgette hereupon -hoisted her pennant and the ensign, and all hands were put under -arms. As the Georgette did not gain upon the ship, and the wind was -freshening, a gun was fired under the vessel's stern,--and she then run -up the American flag. She took no further notice of the signal, and the -Georgette, under full steam and all sail, gave chase. As the ship did -not attempt to shorten sail or take any notice of the signal, when the -Georgette had steamed to within a quarter of a mile of her a gun was -fired across her bow, and the captain of the ship then got into the -quarter-boat.... - - -WHAT THE AUSTRALIAN PRESS SAYS - -The comments of the Western Australian papers will be interesting -to the readers of "The Pilot." "The Perth Inquirer" of the 26th of -April says: "It seems humiliating that a Yankee with a half dozen -colored men should be able to come into our waters and carry off -six of the most determined of the Fenian convicts,--all of them -military prisoners,--and then to laugh at us for allowing them to -be taken away without an effort to secure them. But international -law must be observed, and, doubtless, the Home Government will seek -and obtain redress for this outrage. It is evident that Collins came -to this colony with ample means as the agent of the American Fenian -Brotherhood, and that Jones, Johnson, and Taylor were co-workers in -furthering the escape of the prisoners. Immediately the Catalpa arrived -in Bunbury, Collins proceeded there, and doubtless interviewed Captain -Anthony, who shortly afterwards came to Freemantle under the plea of -securing fresh charts, but in reality to reconnoitre the coast. The -Catalpa appears to have cleared out of Bunbury on the 28th of March, -when a ticket-of-leave man named Smith was found stowed away and taken -by the police. She must have returned to Bunbury, and again cleared out -finally on the 15th instant. It would appear that there was a desire to -obtain correct legal information on international law, for about the -time of Captain Anthony's visit to Freemantle, Johnson called upon Mr. -Howell, the solicitor in Perth, and asked several questions as to the -limit of neutral waters, from which we infer that the captain knew what -he was about when he told Mr. Stone that his flag protected him where -he then was." - - -TOO BAD TO BE LAUGHED AT BY THE YANKEES - -The "Freemantle Herald," of April 22, said:-- - -"The early return of the steamer gave rise to every kind of conjecture, -and as her approach was watched from the shore, wagers were freely made -as to the cause of her early return. Many declared that the Catalpa, -warned of the steps the governor was taking by the previous visit of -the Georgette, had attacked her and beaten her off. Others laid bets -that, overawed by the determination of force on board the Georgette, -the captain of the Catalpa had quietly surrendered the runaways. As is -usual in such cases, the sequel showed that neither was right. When the -true condition of affairs became known, there were some manifestations -of indignation at the colony having been fooled by a Yankee skipper. -The pensioners and police felt that they had been taking part in a very -silly farce, and had been laughed at by the Yankees at sea and the -public on shore, and sincerely hoped that instructions would be given -to go out again and take the prisoners by force. The governor, however, -who throughout had acted with most commendable energy and prudence, was -not to be led into committing a breach of international law to gratify -a feeling of resentment at the cool effrontery of the Yankee, directed -that the armed parties on board the Georgette should be dismissed, and -the vessel returned to the agent, with his excellency's thanks for -the readiness with which the vessel had been placed at his disposal, -and for the hearty manner in which both the agent, Mr. McCleery, the -captain, Mr. M. O'Grady, and all concerned, had cooperated with him in -the matter; at the same time expressing his approbation of the conduct -of Mr. Stone. These instructions were carried out, and in a short time -the crowds dispersed, and the town elapsed into its normal condition -of quietude, having suffered three days of the most intense excitement -ever experienced in its history."--_Pilot_, August 12, 1876. - - -HOW THE IRISH PRISONERS ESCAPED - -The following letter has been received by Mrs. O'Reilly, John Street, -Kilkenny, from her son, Rev. John O'Reilly, who is at present in -Freemantle, Western Australia. Father O'Reilly, following in the -footsteps of many ardent young missionaries, left home and friends to -pursue his sacred calling in the region of the Southern Cross. We can -easily understand what his feelings were when the mail steamer returned -to her moorings after her fruitless pursuit of the whaler bearing away -the escaped prisoners:-- - - Freemantle, W.A., April 18, 1876. - - My dear Mother,--You owe to the accidental detention of the mail - steamer the letter which I am now writing. The cause of the delay - is an event which will probably excite so much attention in the Old - Country and America, that it will form the principal if not the sole - topic of my note. - - You are aware before now that Western Australia is a convict colony. - Hither were sent some seven or eight years ago a number of the - prisoners sentenced to penal servitude on the occasion of the Fenian - disturbances a little before that date. These were gradually released, - and at the beginning of the present month only eight remained in - confinement in Western Australia. All eight had been soldiers. The - prisoners of the establishment work in various gangs throughout the - town, and the Fenians were distributed at different points with the - rest. Amongst the prisoners some are chosen to fill offices of trust - in connection with the prison arrangements, and are called constables. - One of the Fenians was a constable, and by delivering pretended orders - to the warders in charge of the working parties, he was enabled to get - six of the Fenians together when occasion required. - - The occasion came yesterday. At nine o'clock he withdrew these whom he - required from under the warders in charge. The six prisoners assembled - at a spot just outside Freemantle. Two carriages, with two horses - each, were in readiness. They got in, and away they go. - - I must retrace my steps a little. Towards the end of last year - a gentleman represented as from one of the neighboring colonies - arrived here. He put up at the best hotel at the port, and has since - mixed with the best society. He went by the name of Mr. Collins. - His business here was always an enigma to the residents, but it was - supposed by some that he had come here with a view of seeing his - way to the opening of some business. Another person lately arrived - here too, named Jones, a Yankee; but as he worked at a trade no one - noticed him. Now it appears these two persons were the chief actors - in the plot. They arranged the details of the flight, and awaited the - fugitives with carriages at the place of rendezvous yesterday. - - The party drove to a spot sixteen miles or so from Freemantle, where - they were seen to enter a boat evidently belonging to a whaler in the - offing. - - Yesterday, port and metropolis were in a state of intense excitement. - The government chartered an only steamer, a peaceful mail boat, put on - board a guard of pensioners and police,--we have no soldiers in the - colony,--and sent it in pursuit. A little before the steamer an open - boat manned with water police had started on the trail of the runaways. - - To-day, at four, the steamer returned. A crowd had assembled on - the jetty to see her come in; I was amongst the number; she did not - bring the prisoners; she reported having been alongside the whaler. - The captain and one boat's crew were absent. The authorities in the - steamer requested to go on board, but were refused permission. As the - vessel lay in neutral waters, they could not use force to attain their - desires. - - The water police boat is still in chase of the missing ship's boat, - but I doubt if they will come up with her. Under cover of the darkness - of the night--and it threatens to be dark indeed--the absent crew, - with the fugitives, will make the ship; and even if the police crew - found them, and there was a fight, as there would be pretty sure to - be, if a forced capture were attempted, it is very doubtful who would - be the victors. Against the fifteen water police, there would be the - six prisoners, their two accomplices, and the boat's crew. - - The whistle is sounding its warning, and my letter must hurry to the - post. With kindest love to all, believe me, - - Your affectionate son, J. O'Reilly. - ---_Pilot_, June 24, 1876. - - -THE ESCAPE OF THE POLITICAL PRISONERS - -"There was a torchlight procession in Dublin on Saturday night, June -10, in celebration of the escape of the political convicts from West -Australia, and Disraeli was burned in effigy." So runs the latest -telegram from Ireland, and the news is fully significant. Ireland -knows the meaning of the escape, and will act on it. It was planned -and carried out by her sons in America; and this fact will intensify -the national spirit of the Old Country, and make her feel that she is -beginning to reap the harvest of her motherhood. - -The first news of the escape of the Irish prisoners appeared last week -in the following dispatch:-- - - "London, June 6. A dispatch from Melbourne, Australia, states that all - the political prisoners confined in Western Australia have escaped on - the American whaleship Catalpa." - -About the same time the SS. Colima from Sydney, Australia, reached San -Francisco with news to the same effect, but adding that the ocean cable -from Australia to Java had been cut on April 27, immediately before the -escape. - -Two weeks ago the English Prime Minister scornfully refused to release -those prisoners at the earnest request of Ireland. It was in his hands -then to render this escape meaningless, and to make Irishmen believe -that they had better wait for the slow course of English justice. But -the old spirit of domineering insolence was too strong in the British -House of Commons. To show mercy to Ireland would be a confession of -weakness; they determined to refuse the Irish petition, and at their -own haughty will select the time to release the prisoners. - -But Ireland has had satisfaction this time. At the moment that Disraeli -was jauntily telling the House that he would not release the prisoners, -they were on board a Yankee ship, free as air, thousands of miles from -an English chain or an English dungeon. Ireland laughs at England at -home; and all America joins in our jeer across the Atlantic. - -It is the beginning of a new order of things in Irish national -movements. Heretofore England could buy informers and perpetuate the -distrust of each other which has been the curse of Irishmen. The -reins of agitation have been too often given into inferior hands, and -inferior intelligence has too long dominated Irish councils. - -The escape of the prisoners from Western Australia is the best proof -that Irishmen can manage the most dangerous and difficult enterprises, -and keep their own counsel in a way unknown almost to any other nation. -The plan of this escape was completed nearly two years ago. Every -portion of the gigantic scheme was worked out in the United States. The -machinery was set in motion here, eighteen months ago, which recently -struck such an alarming note in the penal colony. When the freed men -are landed safe in America or some other country, the plan of the -escape may be published. Until then we shall only say that nothing was -left to chance, that no expense was spared, and that brave men were -ready to risk liberty and life itself to make the attempt a success. - -To one devoted man, more than to any other, the whole affair is -creditable. He it was who, with the pitiful letters received from the -prisoners in his hand, excited the sympathy of Irish conventions and -individual men. He neglected his business in New York to attend to the -prisoners. He told those who helped the object that they would have to -trust him, that the secret must not be generally known. They did trust -him, for they had reason to know his purity as a patriot. The event -proves the truth and devotedness of the man. We have asked him for -permission to publish his name; but he will not allow us till the men -are absolutely safe. To another man, an American friend, the gratitude -of the Irish people is also due. - -These outlines are not imaginative, but real. We have been acquainted -with the plan since its inception; and of late have been anxiously -watching for the good news. - -[Illustration: A CARTOON FROM THE IRISH WORLD, SEPTEMBER 2, 1876] - -There was never an enterprise so large and so terribly dangerous -carried out more admirably. It will be remembered of Irish patriots -that they never forget their suffering brothers. The prisoners who -have escaped are humble men, most of them private soldiers. But the -PRINCIPLE was at stake--and for this they have been released. England -will now begin to realize that she has made a mistake that will follow -her to her death-bed, in making Ireland so implacable and daring an -enemy. This is only an earnest of what will come when the clouds of war -are over her. The men who sent the Catalpa to Australia are just the -men to send out a hundred Catalpas to wipe British commerce from the -face of the sea.--_Pilot_, June 17, 1876. - - -LESSONS FROM THE PRISONERS' ESCAPE - -The well-planned and boldly executed rescue of the Irish political -prisoners from the penal colony of Western Australia contains lessons -worth noting by those who desire to perpetuate Irish nationality. A -nation that cultivates the evil weed of Distrust will never become -strong or great. Cohesion is the principle of power, and the people -that cannot stand by each other for a common cause, under common -leaders, are no stronger than a ball of sand, to be scattered at a -touch. - -Heretofore the curse of Ireland has been the impossibility of union. -Party hated party; class distrusted class. Rich men were called -traitors because they, having something to lose, refused to enter on -every wild plan of revolution without considering the probabilities. -Poor men were too easily led by demagogues. The man who spake loudest, -who boasted most, became the idol of the hour. When the opportunity -offered, he sold the people he had so easily deceived, and scorned -them for their credulity. There are plenty of "successful men" of this -class--such as Judge Keogh, who a few years ago called God to witness -that he would never desert the People's Cause, but who, when made a -judge, was the first to lay a ruthless hand and an insulting tongue on -the religion and nationality of his country. - -With such an experience Irishmen have grown distrustful to such a -degree that the danger from their doubt is greater than from their -deception. Better a thousand times to be deceived than to lose faith in -your brother's honesty and patriotism. - -The CURE of this national disease is coming--for the CAUSE of it -is plain. Distrust has grown from disappointment; and this has been -the result of a bad selection of men. Ireland has hitherto trusted -the TALKERS rather than the DOERS. She has given her vote to the -noisy demagogues who tickled her ear, and has turned from the men who -appealed to her common-sense. For twenty-five years past--with the -exception of the abortive Fenian movement--the Irish people have acted -as if green flags, denunciation of England, and poetic sun-burstry were -enough to establish Ireland's claim to national independence. - -We trust and believe that a change for the better is coming. Ireland -is beginning to see that the men who are able to do something for -themselves, the men of judgment and prevision in their own affairs, -are likely to bring the best intelligence into national deliberations. -Hereafter it will not be a recommendation for an Irish politician that -he has failed to make a decent living at everything else. - -The rescue of the political prisoners proves that the Irishmen who talk -least can do most. It proves also that distrust is not chronic in the -Irish people--that they can stake great issues on the faith of single -men--when they have selected them for their capacity and intelligence -instead of their braggadocio. - -Another and most valuable lesson from the rescue has a bearing on the -English army. The thousands of Irishmen in the ranks knew that those -men were kept in prison BECAUSE THEY HAD BEEN SOLDIERS. It seemed, too, -for two or three years past, that those men had been forgotten. The -leaders of the movement were free; and no one seemed to care for the -poor fellows whose very names were unknown. The soldiers in the army -knew that of all the Irish prisoners of '66 and '67, there were none -who risked more or who would have been more valuable than a trained -dragoon, the indispensable artilleryman, and the steady linesman. To -see their comrades forgotten and left to rot in their dungeons was -enough to make the Irishmen of the army abjure their nationality and -accept the English dominion in Ireland. - -This has been averted by the rescue. The soldiers in the English army -will read the news with a deeper thrill than any other Irishmen. It has -a larger meaning to them than to others. "Now," they will say, "now, at -last, we are a part of the Irish people. Our red coats do not separate -us from our countrymen; and if we suffer for their cause they will be -true as steel to us in the day of trial." - -It is full time that Irish nationality should take intelligent -position. All shades of Irish politics can agree in mutual respect; -they are all shades of green. One party may desire more than another, -and believe it possible of attainment. But they should not hate the -others that think differently. The Home Rulers are as honest as the -Fenians, and as intelligent. One should say to the other: "We travel -the same road; but when you stop, we go farther. If we succeed, you can -join us; if we fail, we shall return to you for support." This is true -nationality; and when this spirit grows among the Irish people, there -cannot be a doubt of the result.--_Pilot_, June 24, 1876. - - -THE RESCUED PRISONERS - -GRAND RECEPTION IN BOSTON - -On the 1st inst., a grand entertainment was given in Music Hall for -the benefit of the released prisoners, who were present. The immense -hall was crowded; nearly every seat on floor and galleries was filled. -The stage was fitted up with a handsome proscenium, the Sheil Literary -Institute playing the patriotic drama of Robert Emmet. The greatest -credit is due to the management committee. Polite ushers were in -attendance, and not the least hitch occurred in the whole evening's -entertainment. The address was delivered by John E. Fitzgerald, Esq., -who was greeted with thundering applause. He pictured in graphic -words the condition of Ireland for centuries; while Poland and other -struggling nationalities had been wiped from the map, the intense -individualism of the Irish as a nation had preserved them. The movement -for which these gallant fellows had suffered was the embodiment of the -national idea. (Applause.) - -The more pacific and undefinable agitation known as the Home Rule -movement was by no means final--as England well knew. It was a step -toward something fuller,--toward the only consummation that will ever -satisfy Irishmen,--complete separation. (Great applause.) The sentiment -of Henry Grattan was still vivid,--that no one but the Irish people -had a right to legislate for Ireland. Mr. Fitzgerald dwelt eloquently -on the devotion of the Nationalists to their imprisoned brethren. He -spoke in the highest praise of the efforts of those by whom this last -brilliant exploit was accomplished with so much wisdom and secrecy. -He said that the sum of $30,000 had been contributed in this country -in its aid, and though the object of the contribution was so widely -known, the secrecy was maintained until its accomplishment. He hoped -that a generous and substantial testimonial would be presented to -Captain Anthony, the brave man who had risked and accomplished so much -in their behalf. Mr. A. O'Dowd recited Meagher's "Sword Speech" in -impressive style. A song, "Cead Mille Failthe," by Mr. E. Fitzwilliam, -was sung by the composer, and pleased the audience so well that an -encore was given, in response to which Mr. Fitzwilliam sang another -of his compositions, entitled, "The Irishman's Version of One Hundred -Years Ago," which was also generously applauded. Miss Annie Irish, -a well-known vocalist, sang two songs in acceptable style; and Mr. -Sheehan, who was warmly received, received an encore, to which he -responded in his usual excellent manner. - -The drama by the Sheil Literary Institute was, as usual with that body, -well played, and gave great pleasure to the immense and patriotic -audience. Before its performance there were loud requests for "Captain -Anthony" to come forward, but that brave fellow, who sat in the -audience with Captain Hathaway, of New Bedford, was too modest to make -his appearance. - -At the close of the drama the demand for the appearance of the rescued -prisoners was imperious, and had to be gratified, though it was -intended by the committee that the men should not be paraded. But -the call was so strong and kindly that the bronzed men appeared on -the stage, and were introduced by Mr. Fitzgerald. The greeting they -received will never be forgotten. It was plain how deep a chord their -suffering and escape has struck in the Irish heart. They numbered six, -though Mr. Wilson, one of the rescued men, was not present; his place -was filled by Mr. William Foley, the ex-prisoner who arrived in this -country about two months ago. - -The entertainment was a complete success; and, besides its value -as a patriotic safety-valve, it will add a considerable sum to the -testimonial to be presented to the ex-prisoners, to enable them to -begin life in this new country under fair circumstances.--_Pilot_, -September 9, 1876. - - -THE RESCUED PRISONERS - -RECEPTION TO JOHN J. BRESLIN - -A large audience assembled in Boston Theatre on the evening of Sunday, -the 24th inst., to tender a public reception to Mr. John J. Breslin, -the chief agent in the rescue of the Fenian prisoners from Australia. -The reception was under the management of the United Irish Brotherhood, -and the committee of arrangements deserves the greatest credit. - -Charles F. Donnelly, Esq., presided on the occasion, and among others -on the platform were Captain Anthony, City Marshal Hathaway, of New -Bedford, Alderman O'Brien, Thomas Riley, Esq., and a large number of -prominent and respectable citizens. - -Mr. Donnelly, in an eloquent address, reminded his audience that the -turmoil of a political campaign did not prevent them from assembling -to do honor to brave men. Could they say that the spirit of the -knights and saints of old was dead? Did it not survive in the act -of the brave men there present? A year ago, and the escape of the -political prisoners would have been deemed an impossibility; it had -been undertaken and executed by Mr. Breslin, who set out to rescue -from bondage, ten thousand miles away, men whom he had never seen, men -whose only crime was loving their country, perhaps not wisely, but too -well,--if an Irishman could love his country too well. But the age -of chivalry had been revived even in this hard, practical age by a -generous Yankee captain. (Loud applause.) Many morals might be drawn -from this event, but he would select one,--it was this: that when an -Irishman and a Yankee combine to carry out an undertaking, they can do -it in spite of the whole power of the British Empire. - -Mr. Donnelly then stated that he had received a letter from Wendell -Phillips regretting his inability to attend, and expressing sympathy -with the objects of the meeting. A telegram of similar import was read -from General Butler, which concluded thus: "A prominent Massachusetts -politician says that Fenianism should be crowded out of politics. -Fenianism is the love of one's native land. I hope it may never be -crushed out of the heart of any citizen of this country." - -Alderman O'Brien, the next speaker, said that when coming there he -had no intention of making a speech. He came there in common with his -fellow-citizens to extend to these brave men a cordial welcome, and to -show them that he felt as he spoke, he would shake hands with them -all. He was followed by Thomas Riley, Esq., who began by likening the -cause of Ireland to that patriotic society whose birth antedated that -of George III., and which still lived on. The spirit of Irish liberty -was not dead, as was proved by their presence there that night to do -honor to a man and an act. The achievement of Mr. Breslin was worthy of -the annals of an earlier era. Ireland's history was one of oppression. -An Englishman had once charged that the Irish were "an unpolished -nation;" to which a native of Ireland replied, "It ought not to be -so, for we have received hard rubs enough to be polished long ago." -It was acts like Mr. Breslin's that kept alive the spirit of liberty. -Plantagenet and Tudor, and Stuart and Cromwell, all had dealt Ireland -crushing blows, all had waded through seas of Irish gore; yet all -their dynasties had perished off the face of the earth, and the spirit -of Irish liberty still survived. The worst of the Roman Emperors was -Julian, yet he sent no Christian to the cross or the wild beasts, he -merely banned and barred Christian education, for he well knew that -without education a nation relapsed into the depths of barbarism. -England had done the same; in her savage, barbarous penal code she had -proscribed education and educators, but Ireland still clung to the -light of liberty. She listened to the sound of the battle of freedom -in the West, and her sons caught the flame, and Flood, and Grattan, -and the Volunteers raised her to nationhood, and crowned her with the -star of freedom. She had lost that eminence, but the spirit burned -again in the immortal O'Connell; it still survived the golden-mouthed -Father Burke. The speaker paid a touching tribute to the memory of -John Mitchel, and denounced England as championing the iniquity of the -age, of upholding dead and rotten Turkey and her butcheries, and that -the hour of retribution had arrived, if Russia would only advance. -If England lost her temper in the threatened European complication, -Ireland would be her "beetle of mortality." During his eloquent -address Mr. Riley was frequently applauded. - -Captain Hathaway, who succeeded him, said he was not an Irishman, but -that was not his fault. He detailed the facts already published as to -the inception of the plan of escape, how Mr. Devoy had approached him -with a letter from his (Mr. H.'s) friend, Mr. John Boyle O'Reilly, and -the consequent chartering of the Catalpa. - -Captain Anthony, who divided attention with Mr. Breslin as the lion -of the night, succeeded, and was greeted with a storm of applause, to -which that man of deeds, not words, responded by two modest bows. - -Mr. John J. Breslin, who was enthusiastically received, then addressed -the audience. He said that parliamentary action, prayers, and petitions -had all failed to move the bowels of compassion of the British -government in behalf of the prisoners, for the reason said government -had no bowels. Mr. John Devoy, well and honorably known in '65, in 1873 -began to actively agitate the plan of escape, and had, in the fall of -1874, raised funds sufficient to warrant him to make the attempt. The -funds were raised in various ways; one of John Mitchel's last lectures -was given for the purpose. Mr. Devoy placed himself in communication -with a gentleman whose high literary abilities and rare poetic talents -had raised him to a prominent position among the journalists of the -day; by whom he (Mr. Devoy) was introduced to Captain Hathaway, of -New Bedford, through whom the Catalpa was obtained. Mr. Breslin -gave a clear, concise, and detailed account of his proceeding from -first to last in carrying out the details of the escape. Most of -this has already appeared in our columns. His description of the -face of the country, cities, geology, and flora of Western Australia -was particularly good, and show both scholarship and observation on -his part. Alluding to the sandy nature of the soil, he related the -following anecdote: An inhabitant meeting a "new chum," told him it was -a fine country. "It is," said the latter, "so mighty fine that most of -it would pass through a sieve." - -At the close of Mr. Breslin's address, the chairman announced the -meeting adjourned. Before and after the proceedings, Mr. Breslin, who -is of commanding presence and courteous demeanor, was surrounded by -groups of enthusiastic countrymen, each eager to express admiration and -sympathy.--_Pilot_, September 30, 1876. - - -WHY DON'T ENGLAND DEMAND THE PRISONERS? - -Mr. Gladstone is an able man, watchful and jealous of the honor of -England. He has written a pamphlet of great power on the Turkish -atrocities in Bulgaria, in which he says that Turkey should be excluded -from Bosnia, Herzegovina, and Bulgaria, as a power unfit to rule -civilized and Christian people. He says that the English government -should lead in accomplishing this result,--"to redeem by these measures -the honor of the British name, which in the deplorable events of the -year has been more generally compromised than I have known it in any -former period." That is true; the past two or three years have torn -away more of England's prestige than all her previous history. She -has fallen into decay so fast that she has not made a single effort -to reassert herself as a Great Power. When Russia broke the Black Sea -Treaty, England growled, but backed down. She sees the Czar laying -railways to Northern Asia, and she hears the tramp of his legions -already on the border of Hindostan; but she fears to stir a finger. -When her Prime Minister, Disraeli, last year made an assertion that -irritated Prussia, and that iron empire frowned, the fearful minister -hastened to eat his words before the face of Bismarck. When the -Fenian prisoners--men whom she persisted in calling "criminals"--were -taken from her in defiance of all her laws, she dare not demand -them from the United States. Why? Because the root of her greatness -is split--the germ of her strength is rotten. Beside her heart she -has the disease that will sooner or later strike her down. She has -maltreated, misgoverned, scorned, derided the island and the people of -Ireland, until oppression has generated in their hearts the terrible -political mania of national hatred. God forbid that we should exult -in such a feeling; but no one who knows Ireland and Irishmen can -deny its existence. England, to save herself, to possess the land, -has driven the Irish people over the world; but wherever they went -they carried with them the bitter memory of their wrongs and hates. -She has strengthened the world against herself. She is powerless and -contemptible; if she were to-day to demand the return of the Fenian -prisoners, the people of all nations would shout in derision, and the -United States would answer with a particular sneer. It is well for Mr. -Gladstone to say that her honor is waning. But he has only seen the -beginning of the end. The haughty and truculent country must eat the -leek till its heart is sick.--_Pilot_, September 16, 1876. - - -JAMES REYNOLDS, THE TREASURER - -James Reynolds, of New Haven, Conn., familiarly known as "Catalpa Jim," -was born in County Cavan, Ireland, on October 20, 1831. His ancestry -dates back over fourteen hundred years to the noble sept MacRaghnaill, -which the Irish historians tell us was a branch of the tribe called -Conmaie, whose founder was Conmacrie, third son of Fergus MacRoigh, by -Meive, the celebrated queen of Connaught, in the first century of the -Christian era. - -He was but sixteen years of age when, during the memorable famine -that peopled the cemeteries of Ireland, he bade adieu to his native -heath and sailed away to the distant shores of America, bearing with -him a freight of precious memories that were to bear fruit in after -years of patriotic endeavor. On his arrival in this country he at -once apprenticed himself to learn the brass-founding trade, and in -1850 he settled in Connecticut, where he has since made his home. For -twenty-eight years he has been a resident of New Haven, where he has -received repeated political honors at the hands of his fellow citizens. -For several years he has been at the head of the town government as -town agent; the only Irishman who has ever been elevated to this -position in a city where Puritanic influences and prejudices have -not yet wholly passed away. In addition to his municipal duties, Mr. -Reynolds has for years conducted a lucrative and somewhat extensive -business as a brass-founder. - -He early espoused the cause of his country and brought to its service -all the energies of an active and impulsive nature. When, in the years -following the rebellion, Irish patriotism was directed in a movement -against England through her colonies in America, we find him foremost -among those whose financial resources flowed freely into the common -treasury. Not when his practical mind told him that not here lay the -channel to Irish freedom did he close his purse-strings; not even when -a prudent judgment convinced him that here lay a waste of Irish blood -and human treasures did he say nay to the appeal for funds. It was -enough for him to know that even one blow was struck at England, one -thrust was made in the great cause of Irish freedom. James Reynolds -never believed that the liberation of Ireland was to be effected -through the conquest of Canada. His strong native sense and sagacious -foresight taught him the folly of such a hope, yet, when the movement -was inaugurated, he entered into it heart and soul, with all the -enthusiasm of his noble nature, hopeful that even one blow might be -struck at the shackles that bound his country. - -But it was in the Catalpa movement that his great patriotism found -its highest opportunity, and the name of James Reynolds gained the -imperishable splendor of immortal fame. The history of that memorable -expedition is still fresh in the memory of Irishmen; how the little -bark with its gallant crew sailed into Australian waters and bore away -its precious freight, bringing to freedom and glory those patriots -who were expiating in exile their efforts for Ireland; bidding bold -defiance to the British man-of-war who gave her chase, and riding -safely into the harbor of New York,--all these details are still green -in the Irish memory. And while the fame of this daring rescue shall -last; while the name of Catalpa shall wake and fan the fires of Irish -enthusiasm, so long will the name of James Reynolds be held in fond and -loving remembrance. For it was he who mortgaged his home, who placed a -chattel upon his household goods, who beggared himself for the time, -that the sinews might be forthcoming to inaugurate and sustain the -expedition. Other choice spirits lent him their counsels and their -fortunes, but James Reynolds gave his all that the Catalpa rescue might -be consummated. True, the success of the expedition recompensed him in -a measure for his financial sacrifices; it brought back some of the -little fortune he freely gave in the cause, but his chief reward, the -glory of his great heart and the pride of his noble life, is the memory -which he treasures, which his children and his children's children will -carry in their hearts, that his sacrifices were not in vain,--that they -brought humiliation to England, liberty and happiness to the rescued -patriots, and eternal fame and glory to Ireland. - -When the Land League movement was inaugurated, he at once actively -interested himself, and was one of the leading delegates at its first -national convention. He has been a member of the succeeding ones, and -has acted a number of times on the committee on resolutions. He was -for several years a member of the executive council, the committee -of seven, and was state delegate of the League for Connecticut. He -enthused much of his own enthusiasm into the movement, and during his -administration the League in the Nutmeg State was to the front in point -of numbers and the character and influence of its work. - -James Reynolds is a pure, unselfish patriot; around his name breathes a -lustre undimmed by a single thought of personal ambition, the faintest -breath of self-interest or individual aggrandizement. Other men have -given greater intellectual gifts to the service of Ireland; others -have told her wrongs with a sublimer magic of eloquence, and waked -the sympathies of men in the sweep of their mighty oratory; and still -others, perhaps, have braved a larger measure of personal danger; but -none has devoted his whole energies, his entire worldly fortune, with -a loftier patriotism, a more generous spirit of sacrifice, than James -Reynolds has for the little isle that gave him birth. - -Personally he is a man of genial temperament, frank, guileless, and -companionable, unaffected in manner and speech, open-handed and -generous; a man whose friendships are firm and lasting; a citizen -whose activities are always beneficial.--_The Irish-American Weekly_, -Lincoln, Neb., March 20, 1892. - - - - - The Riverside Press - CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A. - ELECTROTYPED AND PRINTED BY - H.O. 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