The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1851-06-07

time, and that more than once he had 10 so
efbto himseir Whiis his ship was id P6lT ahd
join her only at the last moment, In order 20
avoid arrest at the complaint Of soms Of his
misused men. Bot W far from this being n
gainat him, there were not a few ald'sea dogs
who really tho't that II was IN his favor aud
.yss ~ tl,st trrnr, irar nv vrry- ricar irira'
OF the distinction between good officer and
a hard one. Glad, at any rate, was when
Mr. CLARK joined the brig, aud commenced
helping 70 stow the cargo, syon found that
report had not belied his character, and hat
he was thorough, driving fellow, who knew
what work meant aud how 20 have il done
He was evidently disposed to severity with
cartmen, stcvedores and Others but could
perceive no evidence of capriciousness or
downright bad temper.
"ln few days, owing mainly 10 his actiyi-
" and energy, the cargo was aboard aud
slowed, and the brig ready for sen Our
crew, consisting, as have said, Of three men
and boy, came on board and the wind shit
ing Immediately 10 "lroe," We "shootod home"
every thing and stood out 10 sea
I'VE had been ont but very few days
when | became convinced that Air Clark
manner was, To the full, as rough as l had
heard IL reported, Hardly an order came
from his lips unaccompanied by an oath, or
some opprobrious epithet. And but littl,
Hess liberal In the use of blows. Upon srvu.
raj occasions demonstrated with him, but hC
pleaded so strongly in justification, the neces
sity of the ease that ! wa. compelled to LEI
him have his way" =
T II is always a delicate thing for a captain
TO meddlc with mates authority disciplin,
is the main point, and upon any disagreement
in the cabin il is sunc 20 suffer
Another reason for my.indispoaiiion 10 in
tcrfere with the exercise, by Mr. Clark, of hi
r authority IN his own way, was the fact tia
his displays Of lad temper were not who'll,
unpro,oked. Had had job himself for frs
officer, sure am that his we'll tried patienc,
would hardly have enabled him To resist th,
temptation Of ofhourshing a ropes end. at leas
a dozen times a day. was frequently pro
yokcd beyond all bounds, by the conduct OF
the men.
For small crew, hardly worse one coul
have been selected One Of the three mel
was willing enough, but he was slow and stu
pid. The Others were smart, active fellow,
but real grumbling, growing rasratS; VII
had made up their minds from the frTst,neve
to liN hand or stir foot when they eouI
: help it. They had both been in the Englis
sfsis-- ss4..y although iEsAEi-s4sa-r
acquired all the vices Of the English sailor
In fact / recollect that one of them told nm
that he had made three voyages in Canadi
an timber ship, where, every time they reefe,
topsails, the officers were compelled To- chas
the men up the rigging with handspikes.
To these two men. -Whnse names Wcre ia
usual sailor hailing handles, Jack and Bill
the mate had taken supreme dislike, an
, they to him. At last things got to be so bac
that not an order of his did they pretend I
obey, unless it was accompanied with curs
and a blow and not unfrequently. in tia
night, during the mates watch, when onl
three persons were on deck have | bee
aroused from sleep by the sound of rope
, end on BilPs back, and his yells Of rage an
pain.
Well, in this way cursing and grumblin.
and hogging, as thousands Of vessels hay
done since, we made our course across III
Atlantic. Had known as much A. do no
things would have been different woul
, have resolutely set my face against MrClark
brutal and badgering ways on the one han,
nj .ll 4
Bit or Jack to tho rigging upon the FIRST su
hcrcnt provocation, given them three doze
with the cats, in regular man-o'-war styl
called the accounts square, and treated thei
mildly till they had run up another score,
! be wiped Off in the same manner. They yer
, soon would have understood how the land la
and come to the conclusion that il was tim
TO huff up Bit and leave of backing an
filing round mutiny point There never w;
sailor who would not knock under to du
mixture of severity and kindness but tn
constant hectoring only makes one feel ba,
and disPoses him 10 run, his head agaiHst
maring spike or Delaying pin,- sstenevS
he sees his tormentor have it in hand. How
ever, was young then, as have said, an
didn't know as much as | do now.
We left Liverpool and if il was bad b,
= fore IL was still worse after we left. Ofte
d and often ! wished the voyage over, and th'
: Clark and his two base drums as he used
call them, were, paid of and discharged
Generally 1 enjoy ths sea it rs sucii u gran
, place for sentiment. like to come on decl
) and after giving an extra pull or two upo
the, halyards and braces, to walk up and dow
a and study the eeasssess play of light upon ii
Q curling, kissing hills of water. l love- I
7 stretch myself nP0h the BOBBY hatch or he
: coop, and gaze up into the clear blue van
: Of heaven, until the stars show themselves i
. the daylight and you don't so much as sa
thankye, hut hook right past them, up, UP |
S the pure sapphire, where no sunbeams al
r ,needed-where God lives, and hosts Of ange
: a1aL an hiA breath Arnnnd Lila Eternal 1hrnn.