The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware advertiser., 1827-06-14
Irom he .N0n'reat Hrri!L
A GOOD ONE.


p,,,ment. falling oytrboald from the Chaholy
hgS i.aan, boat. between long Point and Montreal
.nd co n,iraculousy appearing on me neach PC
eS.Lis comrades had disembarkcd reminded me
~ aircumstance that occurred during my scr
';,nIs on hoard the Dolphin man-ot-war, bouha
.a.be west Indies We were gong at inc ra'e
DraSo,t three knots and half, when Tom Gar.
k,arl. belonging to the fore.t"p, lwho' Q! tno
H.. was a bit of wag,) sleeping in the lee iofe
ciain, BY sudden lurch OF the ship was tiso"ii
cyerJoard
man oyerboardl!i wa9 the general cry lore
and aft-and every one ran TO otter, OF g.'c ~
s.stance to the downing man
Tom, who was a tolelably GOOD swimmer 's
every body thought, but nothing cNtfaoFu''N! cNt
,rote nm. on finding himself in deep water, am
beran to use his paddles, the ship EaasinS ahead
ssI was saving before, At the rate OF three knots
snd balG-Tom was soon lost sght OF uhoer
tbe counter, (for although our ship was not on
Sir Robert Seppings plan, yet she was Trcuy
ntll abaft. wien Tom was lucky enough 10 get
Mold of the r1dcr chains The hands All run
ofcxpccting to see Tom astcrn, and'o lower 'lie
;olly-b-at down TO pick him upi but no Tom WAS
70 be seen "IIe is gonc," said they, TO Davy \
lockcr" and efforts ceased. :,
Our shin was very deep, bound out TO the
West Indies consequently our gun room pnf'S
were low in the water. This Tom saw, ana rs
it was getting dark, he thought he would w.lt
iii they had beat to quarters, and plpeu 'nc
hammocks down, bcfole they got on board,
which he did and then popped down into the
adys hold, (whcrc the gunner keeps hls wads
and snare monkey taila) and there renamed III
the middle of the first watch, when he sailed
forth and made free with our bags, taking
.nourb to serve him for three days At the enc
ofths time, we were jlcging along AZ an easy
rate, with ely any Wind, about a knot, whct
master Tom, unobscwcd, slips out of the ror
lie came in at, and dropping astein began I,
hail the ship "rhe Dolphin ahoy!" "liallow,
.ays the Quartcrmaser, who was abait getting
pall Of the mainbracc Says Tom, I'll yon don,
! lack the naintopsail and heavc to, shall slnk
for no man can swim to the vest Indies wiihou
provisions"
Every body run aft in amusement, for it ha,
been blowing fresh during the time We suppos
cd he had been overheard, but there was no tim
to be iost--so the boat WAS lowered, and poo
Tom picked up, to the great qualification and aa
constituent Of every body on board.
On our arrival, as the Captain was on shor
dining with the Governor, the talk turned upo
swimming The Governor was extoling tn
powers of a black man he had and our captai
swore no man could swim with Tom Garboarc
Of the Dolphin's iorctop; however, to make
long story short, the Captain and the Govcrnc
made a heavy bct--the time was appointed
Tom asked one week to get ready.
The carpenters were ordered to make VIII;
chests and convcniences Tom required. ri
purser was instructed at his request to supply
fortnights provisions. The day came and To
went on shore at the wharf appointed when |
hegan to stow his grub. The black fellow loo
ri at him with astonishmcnt-"what you
dcrc, massa" says he; "what am doing here
says Tom, "why am taking in my provision
% be sure, and advise you to do the same,
damn the bit ofthis do you get on the road, ="
"Why, massa," says the negro, sine no sw
more nine ten miles" ''Nine or ten miles
says Tom, rs ifin amazement at the short Il
ance, "why, man, I'm going to Tobago, viii
lbelievc is over 200 miles, and shan't be ba
Tor a fortnight"
The spectators were astoun1-a, The bla
refused TO swim The governor lost his wag
and it was not until We were homeward bou
that Tom told the secret.
BOB TRANSOM.