Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1846-05-09
From the Oipc Branch.
A A OVERHEARD.
NY A. AZ

"CalI all hands 10 bout ship !" was shout
cd In d quick, sharp and loud voice, by Capt
Arcott, as he strobe, trumpet in hand on the
quarter deck Of the good ship Aleibiades,
then on Il homeward bound passage from Cal.
cutta, and about twelve hours sail inside OF
the Gulf Stream, close hauled on a wind
and bowling it Off on the good smart rate Of
nine knots by the log.
"All hands to bout ship !" was reiterated
by Mr., Mason, the mate, from the leewaist,
and who Immediately went forward and
began 10 make preparations for lacking ship.
"Bout ship, down daro,'' sung out black
Sam, the Joe Miller Of the ships company IL
the watch below, at the same time thrusiing
his bullet head half way down the fore scut
tie and setting his ebony phlz on a broad
grin.
"No, wen not bout chip, down hero ~ said
little Ned Arcott, swell go on deck to do
that"
"Yab! yah! why, you is smart, you is,
massa Ned, really gittin' smart ga; sumfn mus
be gwine TO happen to you tor you, declar,'
"Sumfn will happen 70 you fore soon, you
imp of darkness, if you don't take your ink
bottled phiz out Of the s%Cuttle," rejoined Ned,
as he came slowly up out of the forecastle,
buttoning his vest and rubbing his eyes, for
he bad been taking a nap in his afternoon,
watch below.
Ned Arcott was q short, plump, rosycheek-
ed, black. eyed and MISUNDERSTANDING little fel-
low as ever knotted a reef point or handled a
deck swab; he was about fifteen years old, and
the only son Of the captain, who being an old
salt himself, and having served twelve years
before the mast, when young, was determtn-
ed that Ned should acquire every practical as
we'll as theoretical knowledge of s~eamaHsbip,
and never have il thrown in his teeth, that he
had crawled in at the cabin window; he there
fore kept him in the forecastle with the crew
and showed him no favors-indeed there were
those on board who said that the old man
would ride him down harder than any other
boy on board the ship, but that can easily be
accounted for by an overstrained wish to be
impartial on the captains part, or a miscon-
ception on the part ofthose who asserted it as
a fact.-But that was neither here nor there,
Ned as may well be supposed, being the cap
tain's son, and a merry, good-hearted, fearless
fellow, was a ~faVorite with all hands from the
chief mate down to the Jenny Ducks, who
was an original specimen ola Patlander, as G.
YER dug turf, and there was not a man on
board Of the ship but would have risked his
life for little Ned the REFER, any day.
"All ready for'ard!" cried Capt, 4 reott.
"Aye, aye, sir, all ready - was the re-
ply.
'Put your helm down there, my man," said
he, turning his head and nodding to the man
at the wheel.
Hard down went the wheel in a moment,
and the noble ship swept round into the wind
with a majesty and grace incompatible.
"Let go and haul"
Whir-r- went the after yards, as they
swung round in a moment. Wei, the after
yards; head, yards nowhere, there, that's
well all well, board the main tack and haul
aft the sheet; there well of all, Delay
In a few minutes every brace was hauled
taut, every sheet aft, all the ropes laid up and
everything all ataunto whilst Capt. Arcott
resumed his station on the quarter deck and
was again auxionsly watching the aspect Of
the weather which looked rather squally in
the west. After walking, the deck for a few
minutes and scrutinizing the motion of the
clouds closely, he turned quickly in his
walk.
'Mr. Mason said he, 'clew up those
to'ga.lant sails, and haul down that flying jib,
and stow them, for | think we may as we'll
take in our light sail first, for we shall have to
do it tonight, | fear
"Aye, aye, sir = was the response, and
soon the mate and crew were busy in clew-
ing up the light sails and slowing them.
Come come, my boys, where are you all!'
said Mr. Mason, as he looked round and saw
no one fuFling the flying jfb, come hurrah
there, Ned, lay out there to that fying jib-
lay out, and away cleared two or three of the
crew, and in advance of all was Ned.
Look out for yourself, Ned, and don't gel
Stat of that BOOM said Jack Brown, who was
next to him.
'Neyer fear me, Jack. | can hold on with
my eye ids was the reply, and he had scar.
cely uttered it before the ship plunged heayi-
ly into a head sea, and rising on it quickly
gave the flying jib boom a smart, quick jerk
that threw Ned, over the boom with such vic.
lence. as TO wrench his hands from the life 70.
pes, and down he vent head foremost under
the ships bow.
"a man overheard was shrieked by those
on the jb boom, with fearful shrillness thai
thrilled on every nerve.
Oh what is there that will ~paralyze the
heart and dry up the fountains Of speech and
drought for an instant, and for an instant on.
l, like the shrek that bears to the ear the
sound of death. For a second every sou
seemed dead, SO still and horrostrucck did thet
stand; but , twas only a second.
"A man overheard shrieked every one al.
most simultaneously.
who! who!'cried Capt. Areoit, bewilIe.
red apperantly, and jumping to the break d
the quarter.
Cor a mighty, cap'n,, cried Sam, 'massa
| Ned is overheard, sap
Hard down the helm? hard dogn,' shout,
ed the captain, jumping TO the wheel in an
| instant, and helping The man to heave down