WHERE THE WHITE MAN TREADS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 15110, 28 September 1912, Page 9

WHERE THE WHITE MAN TREADS.

SOME PEOPLE I HAVE KNOWN. No. 11. BY W. 8., TE KUITI. That New Zealand and its outlying islands, as the Chathams, were the easiest of access, and safest asylums for Australian prison escapees, the numbers to bo met with in the early days of last century abundantly make credible. When I take a mental obviev,- of those even. J. have known by their repute, and others, personally, came in contact with, and listened to, the absorbing why and how of their bondage, their tales of irk and inhuman thrall, their never-ceasing efforts to escape therefrom, including ..supplement for padding, point and finish to the tale, I am astonished that fiction has not more frequently drawn on this fount of hitman narrative. I said easiest of access and. safest: easiest, because in these latitudes the sealing and whaling grounds just then discovered, and men willing to abcise themselves for two years or mora from female and civilised companionship, to parts where only the coarsest fare, the rudest housing, exposure to weather inclemencies, and ' mutiny threat of scant avail, obtained, were hot readily' procurable, and projectors of these seal and whaling companies, were quite prepared to assist escape. And safest, because managers would scarcely disclose their labour source, and involve themselves in penalties for tho assistance given; labour which, when not required, could disperse, and if it chose, admix with the Maori, and take a native wife, who if it were good to her, would when danger threatened, secrete the father of .her children where an army might ,search for him in vain. The impression prevails that all these escapees were criminate: that because their wrists showed gyve galls, and stride fetter weights, and their escape collateral proof that- they were irredeemable. This is a fallacy idealised by. repetition. For when you reflect that up to j the beginning of last century _ theft of money, however small, counterfeiting, forgery. and murder, if 110 influential backing to urge mitigation of punishment should intervene, they were hung, and there was an end to them. Lesser infractions, or trumped up accusations to be be rid of an obnoxious suitor, Chartists, Irish insurrectionaries, offences now penalised wifh months instead of years, _ we have a. choice where much good grain may be wind-winnowed from the chaff. I have known such : cultured, kindly, humane men, with whose behaviour where all folk seem alike 110 one would associate with dishonour or criminal intent. My earliest tutor was an escapee whose part-history is hero subjoined, retold as he confided it to mother and I. A very human script of frayed edge and missing page. But I know the narrative by heart and absorbed the essence of his plea that circumstances were too strong for him. His name was John Scoon, _ Irish .by birth and parentage, but English by uprear and tutelage. His father was _ a boat-builder on the Thames, at that time a lucrative employment to a man of skill. So much so that he could send his son to I college, where he showed his aptitude for geometry, and studied navigation, till blandished by the syrens of outlandish discoveries, we loose trace of him till at the ago of 28 we find him ship-keeper of the Miranda, whaling ship, of Liverpool. Many of that day's whaling captains could barely .read or write, but being expert whalemen, and in sailor superstition _ "lucky." the company's directory supplied them with a "ship-keeper" to navigate, and when the captain took his boat in pursuit of a whale, to "keep," or sail the ship. It was the custom then, if 011 a two-years South Sea cruise, and the season fortunate, not to take the oil freight home, but tranship it to a merchantman, 01* sell it in Sydney or Hobart Town, and get back to their whaling ground. In cases of such premeditated lengthy voyages some married captains with one child, or none, • took their wives, with them. _ And the Miranda's captain. Coppin, having married the pretty barmaid of his shore lodging inn, copying the usage, and his wife being willing, they sailed away. Captain Coppin being by some years the elder of his wife, and she, with the gossamer virtue and training of her kind, judging a flirtation with the handsome shipkeeper her sex's due prerogative, did so flirt, and with a license her husband resented with instinctive male severity. Upon which it followed that she flirted the more brazenly. . Here Scoon in his narrative admits obliquity, and recognising his status and terms of close propinquity he stood in with his captain, that ho should have visibly discouraged a proceeding, not only . reprehensible as a mere diversion, but dangerous to a harmony imperative on board the confines of a ship at sea.. But ho not only condoned her improper advances, but secretly _ abetted them. One of their opportunities to whisper treason was at the wheel, which she insisted he should teach her in his watch 011 deck, when the captain and his mates were below abed ; then the helmsman was sent forward, that no earshot might disturb their treachery. So that when the weather was propitious, it becamo a well-known joke that helmsman co.uld take a turn below : "for the mises is ala in in' how to steer. Ha——

ha !" ' One day the cross! ices called down : "There she blows!" "Where away?" The point ,being given the captain's and two other boats were lowered, Mrs Coppin took the wheel, which long practice had taught her to handle with dexterity. Presently the boats were seen to forgo ahead with white water at the bows, a sign that "the barbs went home, and held. For directly ho feels iron, or that he is chased, instinct tells him to either •sound (dive) or fleet off against the wind. Later the "whip" (small flag raised in a boat to indicate a kill, a call that the ship move up); and she worked nearer, Mrs. Coppin at the wheel handling it with her j usual dexterity. The boats lay with J peaked oars, in a line, the captain's at the tail, holding to a warp fastened to the fish, awaiting her approach, now on this tack, now on that. Scoon beside Mrs. Coppin giving such final instructions as would lay them just beside the kill. "When you see mo wave my right hand turn, to port, when I wave my left turn to starboard, when I hold straight above my head keep on as you are. You understand?" "Yes, dear, I understand." For it. had come to that between them, that such endearments meant all from her side, whose infatuation became every day more palpable, and this last with its, strong - intonation - made Scoon extra thoughtful as he climbed the foc'sle head, that this perhaps had gone too far. All the men stood at brace and halyard. As they neared the boats he waved his left hand, but she kept right on. Never arrow flew with straiehter aim at. Crecy and Poictiers tlfttn did that pile of bfellvinrr canvas for the captains boat. Frantically he waved, raved "Down ! down ! hard down!" But he might as well have spoken to the wind as to that woman at the wheel! And before he could lean to the deck and run aft to snatch it- from her hands, the great vessel lifted and I crashed down on the boat-! And with the unchecked way upon her, pushed the mangled thing in front of her and turned ! bottom up! Scoon leapt 011 the poop : i "Woman what have von done?"' But she I smiled serenely : "I have opened the gate. I dear, to yon and me !" "Out- of mv way !" I he cried* tearing her from the wheel and casting her aside, pinning it till the sails lav flat against the mast. But to what end? The captain killed' and two men drowned before the other boats could cutadrift and lend a hand ! This narrative is not set out to pensketch whaling accident's. Enough to record the central incident round which the story groups the actors of this olden sea tragedy ; of which whalemen saw too frequent instances to mourn long for a shipmate's death, or cut adrift good oil because of tragedies' "She lost her nerve." was the verdict, at cutting in and trying out. Scoon knew, but that knowledge to himself. The first mate stepped into the captain's rank. Upon consulting with all hands,

it was resolved to make the nearest port, make known their loss, and decide what further course to take; and as Van Diemen's land was nearest by 600 miles, a, month later she arrived at Hobart Town. One day, a week after the catastrophe, as Scoon was sitting on the skylight after making midday by the sun, Mrs Coppin approached him : "Jack walk the deck with me." Walking the leasido out of earshot she stole her arm through his : "Jack, you have changed, since you know when; forget it and be kind to me. It j was only love for you that tempted me. Tell me, how is it to be?" "As it is at present Mrs Coppin!' "Mrs Coppin! Call me Esther as you used to, and be good to me. Do not let all I have dared and done be wasted !

And sobbed. But Scoon deigned no answer and gently disengaged his arm, a miserable sellaccusing sharer of this woman's crime. Shall he make atonement by degrading liis remnant honour Shame and detestation. 'No! Each must expiate-she her way, lie his, apart their sin! "You intend to cast me off then? she said Jwo days later. "See here 'Mrs Coppin--" "Call me Esther, Jack." "Let each do penance with a gulf between. How could wo look upon our children knowing them to be the_ . progeny of crime? Maybe time will bring oblivion to both of us: till then our highways | must not meet 1" "Is this your final answer then?" she breathed hotly. . "Take it kindly, Mrs Coppin, but it is !" "Very- well then ; look to yourself!" When tho Miranda arrived at Hobart Town, a report of tho calamity was handed to the authorities and an inquiry held. John Scoon, as tho drafter of the report, was ret called to explain it and . give evidence. After stating what we know except the flirtation and its consequencehow that Mrs Coppin had learnt to steer, and had become competent as any man on board; how that he instructed her what signals to obey, left-hand for starboard, right-hand for port, and arm uplifted, for keen on as you arc, the magistrate asked : "What then, in your opinion led to the catastrophe?" "I think, sir, that 6ho suddenly lost nerve just when we neared the boats," lie said after a pause, to be succinct, and shield the woman he had flirted with : "I think," he said, not looking her way, "that it was an accident," and stopped to gulp down the sheltering lie. "Wo think that when the time came to go about, she forgo,t the _signals, sir.'! "How came you to that opinion ''Because," he said, with another gulp, "when I rushed to the wheel, she stared at vacancy, as though paralysed." The next to be called was Mrs Coppin. After corroborating the previous witness up to the signalling by hand wave, she paused, and pointing at Scoon, said clear and chill: "I charge that man .'with the murder, of niv husband !" After a- few seconds of general consternation, _ the Court said : "Explain why, Mrs Coppin?" "Because," she answered in the same calm chili voice, "instead, of signalling me to luff, lie held up his arm, as the sign agreed upon : 'Keep on as you are," and kept it there, and I obeyed him sir!" "What reason do you give that he should do so ' "Because," she answered without tremor, "Because lie made love to me, and my husband blocked the way !" _ " "Do you think he had reason to believe that his advances were not. repugnant to you ?" "Sir, we were friends on board a ship, and I only laughed at his presumption to thus address his - captain's wife'.*' "This is ~a serious charge, Mrs Coppin, can you support it by witnesses?" "None, sir, but this: he made the signal : 'Keep on as you are,' and I obeyed ft!" , "Could you not see the boats?" "I could, but not so well as he upon the foc'sle head, and he, being in responsible command, should know better what to do than I." (Here his own narrative is quoted to the end). "Then the magistrate turned to me : "Mr Scoon, what is your reply to this?" I looked at the woman and heard her as of a voice calling from a fathomless abyss. I seemed transported to the centre of a boundless. silent desert, only disturbed by the thumping ;of my lttiart against my ribs. I thought of my mother and sister at home, and wondered vaguely whether they were of the same sex as tliie human fiend whom once upon. a . time ] kissed! I looked back upon mv_ past life and sought for some sin which this stupendous accusation was to make atonement for. These and. other stupefactions dulled my hearing, and it was only after a repetition , of the . question that I . thought: "Shall I' spare her? I will ; not!" and speaking with all the solemnity I could muster, said distinctly, pointing at her : "As God if my witness, that woman lies!" And casting all chivalric sentiment with which I was taught to grace her sex,, aside, continued : "I made the signal to luff, and she deliberately disobeyed it.. Sir, it was she made love "to me. and when I charged her with murder, at the wheel—" "Stop !" cried the magistrate; you have stated on oath, that in your opinion she lost hei nerve, and that it was an accident. You contradict yourself. I shall send this cast up to the District Court, which sits this day week. Orderly., arrest 'that.' man!" •'But why continue this part •of rn\ narrative, I was convicted and sentencet to "fifteen years hard labour in the chair gang ! Fifteen years hard ; labour in i chain gang ! My world of reason rambled This then is tho vengeance of . a ivomar scorned ! This compensation for xejectior of a sinful love! . This the reward o: loyalty to shield the woman you have on< time kissed ! Fifteen years hard laboui in the chain gang for collusion with i crime !" "Two years later, I, with others of mj gang, were tasked to carry timber dowr a jetty to- extend it seaward. Looking uj the harbour one day I saw a barque ente] the port flying the U.S. stars and stripe* and by the many boats she carried, knev her to be a. whaleship. And my hop* grew green again. For 110 matter hov sharp and shrewd this wardship, hardlj one sealer or .whaler of that flag left tin port, but released some poor creature froir his bonds, not even excepting a chair ganger. •, "That afternoon a man I took to be hei captain, walked down the street paralle with us, he on the side-walk, and 1113 gang upon the street, carrying our twelve foot 9 by 3 planks, two men under each. It happened that the side-walk ..was beinj: taken up to lay down flags, to avoic which he stepped into the road beside us Suddenly I took heart and called softly : "Sir." "Sharp ,as a cricket he answerer without turning his head: 'Yes; whal ; can you do?" "I can ship-keep, pull ai: oar, "do A.B. work .any hope _ for me.' "Yes," he said, still staring straight ahead watch out for me to-morrow; you are m\ meat, I'll fix you up." "The next day he was there, looking ai tho sky, timing his walk to be beside me at that spot: ' When you to-morrow : Man overboard! you slip behind that pile of planks stacked lengthwise on the wharf, and do there what you're told.' Upon which my shoulder sores were healed, and I walked on air. Still the ' suffocating dread lest it should fail brought me no sleep that- night. On the morrow some sailors ostentatiously rolled two casks of biscuit from an up-town store, down the wharf and placed them beside one already there. As each two plank-carriers laid down their load they stepped back in file against tho wharf coambing. Suddenly Ave heard a splash and cry : 'Man overboard.' At once all eyes were turned that wav, and warders, prisoners and idlers rushed to the wharf side to peer over. Instantly I clutched my chain short up, to prevent it clink, and stepped behind the high plank stack. Two sailor-men stood there, one of whom kicked a cask head, which fell inward : 'Quick! in with you. now lift the lid and brace your feet against it. Right!' Directly "the word right was uttered, the captain's voice called up from the boat beside the wharf : 'Now then boys, lower down those casks of hard-tack : sharp* the word and sharps* the deed !' Tlieu I heafd the claws hooked 011 my cask; I heard the derrick winch pawl clapper; I rose into the air, suspended on eternity : felt myself lowered— also to eternity, and finally bump into the boat. A train the captain's shout urged haste : this time for a warder's benefit, who looked keenly at each face, glanced swifflv under the stern and bead decking of the boat, and walked away, calling: It must have— Well, his teeth won't —again.' Then I heard tho captains: 'Give way boys ; lift her along,' and breathed easier. "0 the cunning of that cantain's escape device! the 'man' overboard was only a four-foot hardwood corbel, placed on the wharf-edge furtherest from the casks and boat, . poised with such delicate . regard to

balance, that thq merest Bide thrust ' of / ho sailor's foot, stationed there, at the proper moment-, tipped it over into the sea* where, being hardwood, and green, it sank out of sight before the rush set in. And the 'cask head' was so nicely hinged; and. the inside chime kerf cut away, that it • would fall inward; and the outside chime • kerf wood let stand to prevent it, when pressed hard from within, from falling out- . ward ; 0, it was snakishly devised ! "But the complete escape was yet to be; for the customs officer aboard was on tho watch for escapees and contraband; a. coarse fellow with rum-blotched cheeks and. nose, who looked over the side into the boat: 'What you got there, skipper?' 1 'Only three casks of hard tack, lower that ■ one down oil deck, boys, that, the officer may see.' Bub that was not the cask in which I was quaking with heartaching agony! After the officer had knuckled and rolled the cask, tho captain cried : 'All right eh? The others are the same. Come down below and taete my rum. Which invito ho no sooner heard than he was gone, and I was lowered into the _* hold. An hour later I heard the clang and the clonk of windlass pawls; and yet. Inter, the vessel list; and later still., her heave upon the swell, and the water gurgle at her sides ; and finally the rasp of file upon my gyves and fetters, and I was free ! God bless that Yanky skipper, to all eternity ! '/.'■•