Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1838-07-03
RIGHT AND WRONG-A
SKETCH AT SEA.
BY THOMAS HOOD.

civil or unclVll, common or uncommon,
have been so fully and so frequently dis
cussed, that one would suppose there was
nothing new to be felt or expressed on
the subject. | was agreeably surprised
therefore, during the late passage from
Ireland, to hear the rights Of an individual
asserted in so very novel manner, as to
seem worthy of record. The injured par
ty was an involuntary fellow passenger,
and the first glance at him, as he leisgrely
assembled the cabin stars, bespoke him an
original. His face, figure, dress gait, and
gestures, were all more or less eccentric;
yet without any apparent affectation of
singularity his manner was perfectly ear
nest and business like, though quaint. On
reaching the deck, his first movement
was toward the gangway; but moment
suficed to acquaint him with the state of
the case. The letter bags having been
detained an hour beyond the usual time OF
departure, the steam had been put on the
gallop, and her majesty's mail packet the
Guebre, had already accomplished some
hundred fathoms of her course. This
untoward event, however, seemed rather
to surprise than annoy our original, who
quietly Stepped up to the captain, with
the air of demanding what was merely a
matter of course.
Halo, skipper! of she goes ey!
But you must turn about, my boy, and let
me get OUT"
""Let you get out?" echoed the asto-
nished skipper, and again repeating it with
what the musicians call staccato-"Let
I-you-get-out?"
Exactly so. I'm going ashore.,'
Pm rather afraid not, sir said the skip
per, looking decidedly serious, sunless you
all0de to the other side!''
"The other side!" exclaimed the odity,
Involuntary turning toward England.
"Pooi ''Poo nonsense man; | only come
to look at your accommodations. FIN
not going across with you; Pm not upon
my world"
Il must beg your pardon, sill" saio the
captain quite solomnly; F." but ii is my firm
opinion that you are going across!"
POO! Poo! all CANNON; tell you,
am going back to Dublin.
"Upon my word, them" said the skipper
rather briskly, "you must swim back,
like grampus, or borrow pair of wings
from the gulls.' The man at the helm
grinned his broadest, at what he thought
a good joke of his officers; while the orr
ginaI turned sharply round, parodied a
hyena's laugh at the fellow, and then re.
turned to the charge.
"Come, come, skipper; it's quite as far
out as care for, if you want to treat me
to SAIL"
"Treat you TO sail p roared the in,
dignant officer, BOUNDS! sir, Pm in ear.
nest as ever | was in my life. -
$50 much the BETTER" answered the
original; Tn not joking myself, and have
no right to be joked upon"
"Joke or no Joke" said the captain, ''al
| know is this. The mail bags are OF
board, and it's more than my post is wortt
to put back"
,,Eh? What? How!a exclaimed the
oddly, with a sort of nervous dance
"Yoa astonish me!-Do-you-really-
mean to say--I'm obliged to go--whe
Their I've right or not
II do, indeed sir; Pm sorry for it, bu
it can't be helped. My orders are posi-
tive. The moment the mail is on boart
| must cast off.
'.Indeed! well,but you know-why--
why, that's your duty not mine. / haY
no right to be cast off! I've no right t,
be here at all I've no right to be an,
where except in Merton Square.
The captain was bothered. He shrug
, ged up his shoulders, then gave a lo1
whistle, then plunged his hands in hi
pockets, then gave a loud order to some
body, to do something somewhere or 9th
ler; and then began to walk short turns o
the deck. His captive in the mean time
/, made hasty strides towards the stern, as
, intending to leap over board; but he sud
: denly stopped short and took a bewildere
look at the receding coast. The origina
z wrong was visibly increasing in length
: breadth and depth, every minute; and h
: again confronted the captain.
: "Well skipper, you've thought better {
. it; I've norlght in the world, have = 70
J, will turn her around"
Totally impossible sir; quite out {
!, my power.
Every well, very well, very. wei, il
q deed The originals temper was gel
ting up, as we'll as the sea. .'But mint
q sir, protest; protest against yoa, 81
Q and against the ship, and the ocean, 81
! and every thingl I'm getting farther GU
b but remember the consequences. / hay
0 no right to Be kidnapped; ask the crow
lawyers If yen think ct. 2
t And with the announcement, the speal
: er began to pace up and down, Ike Il
captain, but a. the opposite side Of Il
Q deck. He was On the boil, however,
2 wen IS the engine; and every. time ia
= lie passed near the man whom he consl
o cred as his Sir Hudson Lowe, he ga
d vent 70 his inward feeling ia q iiiirk Of 4
) head, accompanied By q short pig.lil
It nrunf. Now and then, i broke olt
& words, but always the same four mon
svllahles. This is too bad Wi
il i most emphatic Iali 81 the foot to sac
+ 81 last i occurred to stout, ponipou
D looking parsonage. to lntegpose as a n