At the back of the world

by George Pugh; Jennie Pugh

“When breakfast time came, the passenger told me to bring his breakfast to his room, I did so, and he never left his room or came on deck for one moment all that day. This caused a lot of talk amongst the crew. Like most small coasters, we all had our food together, and during the meals the talk was generally about the passenger and his luggage. It was suggested by the captain that the passenger had robbed a bank or something else, and that his luggage contained the proceeds of the robbery, and he added, ‘as we are helping him to escape, we ought to have a share of the plunder.’ All hands heartily agreed to this suggestion.

“We had a fresh breeze across the Sea of Marmora, and entered the Dardanelles with a moderate gale after us. The following day we cleared the Dardanelles, and with a brisk gale from the north we stood towards Tenedos Island. That morning, while we were at breakfast, the cook said he had peeped through the keyhole during the night, and had seen the Turkish passenger putting a lot of jewels into a body belt out of his small bag. From that moment he was a marked man, his fate was sealed. When off Tenedos it was blowing hard with a big sea running, and the old brig laboured heavily, the passenger came out of his room, and asked the captain to land him at Mitylene, as he felt very ill. While he was talking to the captain, the brig gave a heavy lurch, pitching him head first against the bulkhead, stunning him for a moment. As soon as he fell the captain sprang into the room, and began looking for the small handbag. Whilst he was searching for it, the passenger revived, and seeing the captain in his room, he drew his revolver and fired at him, wounding him in the leg. The captain closed with him at once, and in a moment, hearing the shot, all hands rushed into the cabin, and seeing the captain and passenger struggling together they sprang to the assistance of the captain, and drove their knives into the passenger’s body.

“It was all done in a moment, and the old man lay dead at the feet of his murderers. They looked at one another for a moment, then, after a consultation, it was decided to throw the body overboard. But before doing so, the mate sent one of the men, who had taken part in the murder, to relieve the man at the wheel, when this man came into the cabin, the mate told him to stick his knife into the body, so that all should share alike. This the man did without a moment’s hesitation. The captain turned to me, his eyes glaring fiercely and said:—‘Here, boy, come and do your part.’ I drew back and refused, but he seized me by the throat, and threatened to serve me the same as the passenger, if I did not do so. I knew too well he would put his threat into execution if I either hesitated or refused, so I took my sheath knife and drove it into the poor body, but thank God he never felt my blow.

“The body was then thrown overboard, and the blood mopped up off the cabin floor. During this time the old brig had been racing along before a gale of wind under the full topsail and foresail, and yawing about very badly, it was quite impossible to steer her straight. The weather, too, was becoming hazy. The passenger’s luggage was then brought on deck and examined. The small bag was nearly full of jewellery, mostly diamonds, the portmanteaux contained some clothing, a lot of gold and silver coins, and several rolls of parchment and notes. Just at this time the brig broached to, and shipped a very heavy sea. All hands now rushed on deck and set to to shorten sail. The weather got worse and worse and the sea was getting dangerous, so the captain decided to run to leeward off Mitylene and shelter.

“After the sail had been reduced and the brig made snug, the crew all gathered together in the little cabin. I was sent to the wheel. The night was pitch dark, and the vessel had no light hung out, the only one on deck was the small light on the binnacle.

“The money and valuables were then spread out on the table in the cabin, and divided amongst them. But for some reason or other they fell out over the division. The captain to quieten them brought out some bottles of spirits, but no sooner had the spirits begun to take effect than they charged the captain with taking part of the diamonds while they’ were aloft at the sails. This he denied, although at the time he had the body belt full of the diamonds and jewellery on his person, which he had taken off the dead body while they were aloft. In an instant knives were drawn and the captain was stabbed to death. Then pandemonium reigned supreme.

“The night was dark as Erebus, the brig was rushing along wildly, I could not keep her on her course. I called and called to be relieved, but no one heeded me. They were by this time all mad drunk, gloating over the spoils. The body of the dead captain still lay on the deck. The mate gave it a kick, and in doing so heard something clink. In an instant he was on his knees and found the body belt and the jewels.

“‘Share! Share!’ cried all, but half crazed with drink, the mate refused. Then the others rushed at him with their knives. He sprang on one side, and rushed on deck by the wheel. Here they closed with him and a terrible scuffle took place. In a few minutes the cook and one man got up, leaving the mate and three seamen dead on the deck. I was terrified, and could scarcely hold on to the wheel.

“There were only the two men and myself left on board. They went back into the cabin, taking no notice of me, and just as they left the deck I saw broken water on the bow. I called out to them, but before the words were out of my mouth the ship crashed on to the rocks of Cape Segre, Mitylene Island. As she struck end on, a tremendous sea came over the stern and washed me clean over the side among the rocks. I managed to swim to the back of one large rock, and found myself in smooth water, and was able to climb up out of the water. The old brig had gone to pieces, at once. I never saw a vestige of the two men or heard a single cry. I think they were killed as she struck. They had died in their sins—died drunk, with the awful crime of murder on their souls. Judgment had come swiftly. God’s vengeance had been sharp and sure.

“I lay on the lee side of the large rock where I had landed, until daylight. I had escaped without a scratch. God had taken care of me.