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Updated: July 29, 2025
The second mate, who had been in command of the vessel when she struck on the rock, was similarly charged along with me. Knowing myself to be innocent, I determined, of course, to stand my trial. My wonder was, what Beljames would do. Would he follow my example? or, if he got the chance, would he try to make his escape?
What motive determined him on deserting, I am not able to say. It was my own wish to supply his place by promoting the best seaman on board. My owners' agents overruled me, and appointed a man of their own choosing. "What nation he belonged to I don't know. The name he gave me was Beljames, and he was reported to be a broken-down gentleman.
"Beljames had heard of the intended prosecution. How he had been made aware of it, death left him no time to tell me. The miserable wretch had poisoned himself whether in terror of standing his trial, or in remorse of conscience, it is not any business of mine to decide.
Whoever he might be, his manner and his talk were captivating. Everybody liked him. "After the two calamities of the loss of the ship and the disappearance of the diamonds these last being valued at five thousand pounds I returned to England by the first opportunity that offered, having Beljames for a companion.
"While my mind was running on these recollections, I was told that a decent elderly woman wanted to see me. She proved to be the landlady of the house in which Beljames lodged; and she brought an alarming message. The man was dying, and desired to see me. I went to him immediately. "Few words are best, when one has to write about one's own troubles.
I left him for a moment, to pull the table nearer to the bed and in that moment he groaned, and cried out for help. I ran to the room downstairs where the doctor was waiting. When we got back to him he was in convulsions. It was all over with Beljames. "The lawyers who are to defend me have tried to get Experts, as they call them, to interpret the cipher. The Experts have all failed.
"I might have thought it only friendly to give this person a word of warning, if I had known where to find him. We had separated when the ship reached the port of Falmouth, in Cornwall, and had not met since. I gave him my address in London; but he gave me no address in return. "On the voyage home, Beljames told me that a legacy had been left to him; being a small freehold house and garden in St.
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