or. In a few
days I received five milreis and a long skin of cashass. The cashass is
put in skins such as are used for bologna sausage. In that form it can
easily be secreted about a sailor's clothing and smuggled on board. The
cashass I gave to Matt for safe-keeping, as we should need a good drink
before taking our long swim. The five milreis in silver I put in a small
bag hanging round my neck. Every night we would sneak up to the gun
deck. The prospects not being favourable, we would postpone our trip.
One night while I was awake, the ship's corporal came to my hammock with
a lantern in his hands. He took a look at me and then went away. I knew
then that our plan to go was known. After that I remained in my hammock
and let Matt do the prospecting. Finally, one morning, we concluded to
make the attempt that night. During the day I had my bag from the rack
to do some sewing, and Matt came to me with a blue flannel shirt and
asked me to put it in my bag for a while, which, unfortunately, I did.
That night the corporal came to my hammock twice before midnight; then
I dozed off to sleep and was awakened by some one feeling my face. It
was Matt. He was quite drunk and insisted upon my taking a drink from
the skin. He said he was then going to the gun deck to get a rope ready
for getting into the water and would return for me when all was ready.
That was the last I saw of him. I waited for a while. The effects of the
strong liquor put me into a sound sleep. The next thing I knew was that
the crew were holystoning the gun deck. The noise of the stones right
over my head had awakened me. I put on my clothes and tried to sneak in
among them unobserved, but the attempt was a failure. The boatswain saw
me. "Hello, Mike, where did you come from? I thought you had gone ashore
with Matt," was the salute I received.

It seems that when all hands were called, we were missed at once. Matt's
hammock, being the nearest, was examined. He being gone, it was
concluded that I was with him. I tried to play innocent, but it was of
no use. After breakfast I was ordered before the first lieutenant and
reported for not turning out to scrub decks, and then for aiding and
abetting desertion. My bag was brought from the rack and examined. The
blue cloth was missing. A stolen shirt, with the owner's name under the
collar, was found. Matt stole that shirt. It was the one he had asked me
to keep for him. Conduct detrimental to discipline in Her Majesty