Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1854-08-24
ALEAP FOR LIFE.
By WIN. BURTON.

at Havana, shipped IN the American
barque. Independence. Captain Robert
IL, bound to Valparaiso, and thence
round the Horn to the western coast Of
North America. She was large ves-
sci, of some hundred tons register, with
a handsome poop, topsgallant forecastle
and all other points of fash ship
The captain was native of Jersey, and
the crew were a mixture of Americans,
British, and Spaniards, with sprink-
ling of wooley-heads, or snow-balls, as
we called the negroes.
We had not been a week out ere
great dissatisfaction prevailed among
the crew, for the captain, with unac-
countable perversity, did not allow us
half enough junk, i. e. salt beef, to our
meals; and what we did get was what
sailors call cold horse" viz: hard,
tough, lean, stringy stuff, devoid of
nourishment. The usual allowance of
junk on shipboard is one pound and a
half for each man per diem; but l am
sure we did not get more than half that
quantity. The captain used to come on
deck every morning, and stand by the
steward as he weighed out the junk
from the "harness cask," /" to see that he
did not get an ounce over what he had
ordered. On the other hand, the cap
tain allowed us twice as much grog as
usual. But sailors, though very fond
of rum, can't live upon it; and three
quarters of pound of "old horse"
and a few rotten biscuits, quite alive
with "weevils," was poor days al
lowance for a hearty fellow.
Our first mate often demonstrated
with the captain on his conduct, and
plainly told him that the men would not
submit to it; but the only reply the cap
tain made, was to tell him to mind what
he was about, or he would "break him
and haze him up" meaning that he
would send the mate forward as COM
mon sailor and work him to death. At
length, after long and fierce discussion
in the forecastle, we all went aft one
morning in a body, and complained
through the carpenter, as spokesman,
that we had not enough to eat. Cap
tain l. listened without Interrupt
tor. and then coolly turned round and
said
Steward, go down into the cabin and
bring my pistols"
We looked at one another in silence.
In couple of minutes the steward
returned with the pistols, and with a
face as pale as death. handed them to the
captain. The latter coolly placed them
both on full cock, and laying them side
by side on the top of the pinnacle,
crossed his arms and glared round on
every soul of us ere he spoke.
CHOW, men," cried he, between his
teeth, call I've got to say is, that you
are mistaken if you think you are to get
the upper hand of me. l am your cap
tain, and the law gives me power to do
what 1 like. You didn't ship to bully
me. GO for'ard to your duty, and the
first man that hesitates, or gives me
any jaw, I'll shoot him as soon as l
would pigeon"
We tumbled to the forecastle in
body, and four hours afterward the
captain walked the deck big with his
achievement.
We had the light, battling winds for
many days, and the temper of the cap
tain grew perfectly savage.
By and by came calm, and he was
a complete madman. He stormed, and
swore from morning to night and
'hazed' us all from the cabin boy up to
the mate. Our allowance of meat was
worse than ever, and he stopped our
grog altogether and put us on half al
lowance of water, under pretence that
he feared to run short if the calm lasted.
But when breeze sprung up at the ex-
piration of four days, our allowance re-
mained the same-half meat, half
water, and no grcgl The sailors grew
half desperate, and curses both loud
and indistinct, and deep menaces were
muttered.
By and by it was whispered that the
captain had had coup de soleil, or sun
stroke, before leaving Havana, and that
he had drank freely of brandy ever
since, and consequently was really in
sane to a certain extent. This would
explain his conduct, and we were all
inclined to accept it as the proper solu-
ton; but the captain had certainly never
yet committed any act which would
legally be held proof of insanity; for
all that he did, tho highly cruel and
tyrannical, was within the bounds of
that fearful amount of almost irrespon-
sible power that the law allows to sea-
captains. We had been three weeks
out when it became my morning to
watch on deck. Six bells q O'Clock
had Just been struck, and I was en-
gagged in coiling away the line of the
log, which had been hove by order of
the mate, when in charge of the deck,
when Captain L. unexpectedly
came out of the cabin. noticed that
he had wild, nervous look, for he
glanced around and aloft, just as man
might do when suddenly aroused from a
dream.
whats the course?" he abruptly
demanded of the man at the wheel.
Southeast by east, SIR"
The captain then stepped up to the
binnacle and looked at the compass
Turning round with an oath he struck
the man a blow in the month. that