Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1852-02-12

Oliver an offer for one of his vessel
In minute we reached the countin
room door, and in we all tumbleC
pell-mell, in the most admirable cor
fusion.
"HaIIoaI' said the old man.
+ "Whats brokei Are you all ru
a mad, ye vagrantsl"
. "No, SIR" | replied, acting a
. spokesman for the party-"no, sill
! but we have come down to see if
; "Never mind what you've com
down TO see about" said the old man
. interupting me-"Pve got something
TO say TO you scamps first, and theI
you can see all about it afterwards
I There is a gentleman here in thi
+ city," continued Oliver, "who ha'
got lot of pork tc 60 TO Mackinaw
and he has been down TO charter ont
of my vessels. But | wouldn't lei
him have one of 'em, for the idea
popped into my head that you chap,
would like to earn little more spen.
ding money, and ] was just going to
send and hunt you up, and offer you
one OF the vessels and welcome,
when here you all come in a snarl,"
"Thee cheers for old Oliver"
shouted Gust, and we yelled and
Jumped ill we shook down the stove
pipe, capsized the stove, and turned
the old mans desk over, and then we
were obliged to knock off shouting,
for the smoke choked us, and we
were obliged 10 run ou! into the street
to breathe.
When the clerks had got every
thing shipshape in the office, we re-
entered; and Oliver, bidding US sit
down and be quiet, again addressed
US as follows:
"Now, boys, about the vessel
Let me see. You want a craft that
will carry fifteen hundred barrels Of
pork. Well, there's the Marshal
Ney; she's too big, besides, she don't
sail much. Very well, there's the
Napoleon, and the Lodi, and the
Austerlitz, and the Marengo, and
| the"
"Hold onI'' shouted Larry, inter-
rupting The old man. "Give US the
Marengo, and let US be of; if we
wait here for you to get through the
whole list, the lakes will be froze up,
and we shall lose the pork job"
"Well, take her and be of, you
crazy beggars," said Oliver. "Be off
with you. You've picked out the
best vessel in the fleet; but | don't
care: so be off--get outl" and the
old man hustled us out of the office,
and we made tracks for the Ma
rengo.
The vessel was a beautiful top-sail
schooner, just large enough to carry
our fifteen hundred barrels and not
be too deep. Her sails were un6ent
and slowed away in the cabin, but
we reused Them out directly and
turned TO bending them.
As soon as the sails were bent, |
started off for the hotel to find Mr..
Preston, and tell him the news.
Preston was overjoyed at my success,
and inviting me TO fire up from one Of
old Ben's black bottles, we started on
the run for Howard and Wadham's
warehouse, where we found the Ma
rengo alongside the wharf all ready
TO take in cargo.
Eleven OF US, all stout, able fellows,
made quick despatch Of it, and before
sun-down, we had the pork all under
decks, and the Marengo was ready
for sea.
When our cargo was all in, we
called special meeting of all hands,
for the purpose Of electing a captain
and officers for the cruise.
Larry proposed me for the office
OF commander in consideration of
my past services in procuring the
cargo | offered an amendment by
nominating Bob, as he had been in
command Of the schooner the past
season, and the papers would be all
right in his name.
The others admitted the correct
ness of my argument, and Bob was
unanimously elected Captain of the |
Marengo for the voyage. Reub was
appointed chief mate, ! came in as
second dickey, and as the Office of
cook was the most important post in
the ship, we elected Larry for that
berth, he being the Oldest and most
experienced one among the eleven.
The question of offering the ves-
sci being settled, we next proceeded |
10 form a code OF laws by which we
were to be governed during the voy-
age.
This, however, was a rather diff |
cult matter to arrange. for each of
the eleven had favorite form of his
own, all of which were about as ul-
ira as the idea of building railroad
10 the moon. We were about TO
drop the subject without coming TO
any definite conclusion, when Larry
-.ovo.oI 4, 1I,n x.,b.ob mo uOtad xuac