Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1854-06-15
MIS- E 0 u S.
From Sharpe's London Magazine.
A LEAP FOR LIFE.
BY WILLIAM HURTON.

After my discharge from the Hospits OF
Havana, shipped in the American barqne
Independence, Captain Robert L.,
bound to Valparaiso. and thence round the
Horn to the western coast of NORTH Amer
lea. She was large vessel, OF some sew
en- hundred tons register, with handsome
poop, top galan, forecaslle. and all other
points Of fash ship. The captain was
native Of Jersey, and the crew we're mix
,ure of Americans, British and Span'ards,
with sprinkling of woolly- y-heads, or ''snoac
5al1s,' as we called The negroes.
We had no, been week out, ere very
great dissatisfaction prevailed among the
crew, for The captain, with unaccountabe
perversi.y, did not allow us half enough
Junk ii. e. sailed beef 10 our meals; and
even wha, we did get, was what sailors
call "old horse" viz, hard, tough, lean.
s,ringy stuff, devoid of nourishment. The
usual allowance Of junk on ship-board is
one pound and half for each man per
diem; bu. ] am sure we did not get more
than half ,ha, quantity. The captain used
to come on deck every morning, and stand
by the steward as he weighed out the junk
from the s'barness cask," to see that we did
not get en- ounce over what he had ordered.
On the other hand, this captain allowed US
thrice ss much grog as is usual.* Blu! sal
lors, although very fond of rum, can't live
upon 1t; and three quarters of pound ol
sold horse" and few rotten biscuits, quite
alive with "weevils,' was poor days al
lowance for hearty fellow.
Our first male often demonstrated with
the captain on his conduct, and plainly told
him that the men would not long submit to
il; but the only reply the captain made
was 10 tell him to mind wha, he was about
or he would ''bresk him up,"-meaning
that he would send the mate forward as a
common sailor, and work him to DEATH
AIlenglh after long and fierce discussion
in the forecaslle, we all went aft one morn
ing in body, and complained through the
carpenter, as spokesman, that we had no
enough to eat. Captain - listened
without interruption, and then coolly turnet
round and said
"S,eward, 60 down in the cabin, and brinI
my pislols.'
We looked at one another in silence.
In couple Of minutes The steward return
ed with the pistols, and, with face as pal
as death, handed them to the captain. Th
latter coolly placed both on full cock, an
laying them side by side on the top of 'h
binnacIe, crossed his arms, and glare
round a, every soul of us ere he spoke.
"Now, men," cried he at length, betwee
*This is literal fact. The whims cf sea-off
GERS are often very strange indeed. once m ad
voyage in Swedish ship, and the captain be
ing laid up in the deck-house, almost in dyn
state the mate, was lord paramount. He was
gigantic fellow, and was always complaining tn;
the men didn't their SALT yet he treated the'
very well, and gave them liberal allowance
beef and pork (both most excellent in quality
but not drop Of grog. He himself never touch
ed meat! | messed with him in the cabin dali
for nearly month, and the only food he ate W;
torsk-dried Goldfish. This man would read b
Swedish Bible in loud monotonous voice for q
hour at spell, and thea break off to tell me mo
indecent stories.