Butte record., 1854-08-26
A LEAP FOR LIFE.
By WILLIAM HURT3S.

-tEA-4 s.lA di0LAak 1.1fAf t4iE
at Havana, | Islippei in the American
barqae Indepena nee. Captain Robert
L., bound to Valparaiso, and thence
rund The Horn to the western coast Of
North America She was a large YES
SCI, Of SOME seven hundred tons register,
wa'h handsome poop, top-galian. for
castle. and all other poinss of 2 fash
81 P. The captaia was native Of Jef>
ssy, and the crew were mixture Of
Americans. British and Spaniards, with
spriakiing Of wooly-hea ds, or saols-
bulls We called the negroes.
We had not ben week out ere very
great dirsat siachon prev ilei among
the crew, for the captain with unaceout-
able perversitv, did not allow US hall
enough junk H. e., saltcd beef to meals
and even what we did get WAS VIII
sailors call ''old horse" viz, hard,
tough, lean, stringy stuff, devoid Of
nogrishment The usual allowance of
junk on shipboard is one pound aad
half for ch man per diem, but I am
sure We did not gei m IRE than half that
quantity The captain used TO come on
deck cry morning, and stand by the
steward as he weigh out the junk fr,m
the harness cask," to see that d
not get an ounce over what he had or
dsred. On the other hand, this captain
allowed Us thrice as much grag as Is
usual. But sal or. alih0u gh yery foAd
of I'M, can't live upon it; and three
quarters Of a peund Of old horse, . and
few rotten biscuits, quite alive with
''weevils," was poor days allowance
for hea ty fellow.
Our first mate often demonstrated
with the captain on his condnct, ana
plainly told him that The men would not
submit to it bat the only reply the cap
tain made was to tell hin to mind what
/ he WAS about, or he would "breaiz him
and haze him up" meaning that he
wonld send the mate forward as com
mon sailor, and work him to death At
length. after a long and fierce discussion
IN the f1recastls, We all went aft one
morn ng il body, and complained
through the carpenter as spokesman.
/ that We had not enough TO eat. Cap
tain L listened without interruption,
and then coolly turned round and said
"Steward, go down in the cabin and
bring my pistols"
/ We looked at one another IN silence.
In ascouple of minutes the steward
returned with the pistols, and, with a
face as pale as death, hanAvd them to
| he captain. The litter coolly placed
/ tn m both on full cock, aud laying them
sid by side on the top Of the bianacle,
crossed his arms and glared round at ey-
cry soul of Us ere he spoke.
New, men," en d he, at length, be
tween bis teeth, sall I've got to say is,
thst you are mistaken il you think you
are going to get the upper hand of me-
am your captain, and the law gives M
power 10 do what I Ike. You dida't
! ship to bully me- Go for'ard to your
duty, AID the first MN that b, states
or gives N any Jaw, III shoot him as |
"ould a pigeon"
We tambled to the forecastle in a
| body, and for hours after the captain
lked the deck biz with achievement.
" d light battling winds for many
days, AMI the temper of the captain
q e~ perfectly savage. BY aud by came
4 calm, and he was a complete mailman.
/ He Ioru.ed ard swore from morning to
night. and ''haz d" US AL, from the cab
il boy op to the mate. Our allowance
of me. was worse than ever, and be
stppped gro altogether, and put Us on
hall alio" anee # water, under pretenee
hat he feared to run short if the calm
asted. Bat when a breeze sprang mp
at the expiration of four days, our al
vance renamed the ime-haif meat,
half water. no erog The sailors grew
half deSp rate, and curses both loud and
d'ep w~re banded from mouth to mouth,
and indistinct menaces mutiered.
By and y it grew whispered in the
ship that he captain had had d coup de
solea, or sun stroke, before leaving Ha-
vana, aud that he had drank freely oil
brandy evr since, and was consequent
" really insane to certain exteI t.
This would exyl in bis cenduct, and We
all we're inc'iaed to accept it as the prop
e. solnt;ln; but the captain had certain
" nev~r Mt committed any act viii.