Smyrna times., 1855-06-06
Dumorous gktttbts.
THE CAPTAINS BATHING TUB.


deal given to mischief, one day made his way
INTO the captains cabin, while they were en-
gagged above in making out strange sail in the
horizon. Here he finds all sorts of luxuries.
including various wines, of which he drinks
enough to raise his courage not only, but TO
make him somewhat reckless of consequences.
In this state he finds himself in room adj
joining the cabin, tin bathing-tub in one cor
ner, luXurlously supplied with rare cosmetics,
and smelling like barber's shop of the first
class. 81 NOw," he says, 81 had tried all the
other good things that l found in the cabin;
had drunk the captain wine. and Strengthened
myself out on his safe, aud swung in his ham,
mock; and thought | wouldn't quit without
taking dip in his bath"
Accordingly he stripped, and was Just enjoy
ing the first pleasant feel of the water, when
he was interrupted by the messenger-b boy, who
had been sent into the cabin by the Captain
Fortunately he was not discovered this time,
but it made him cautious
81 must cOutrlve some way to get out with
nay clothes If anybOdy came along again.
wasn't long IN finding the way. The ports on
the side Of the forward cabin were open, and
through them | could easily get out into the
mIZcn- chains, where | could dress myself with
out being seen. There was big gun in each
port, It carronade, as they call 'em-short but
| fat-the biggest kind-you never see such kind
OF guns, except aboard ships of war. | could
Chamber out alongside one of 'em easy enough
! though. | was little fellow then"
lie takes his shoes, clothes and hat, and
sticks them outside of the port where they
couldn't be seen; d" and then" he says, al went
back to the tub. All this didn't take more than
half minute. for | worked sharp, can tell
YOU The only thing was afraid of was tlut
the steward would come in and catch me.
didn't care a tinker's copper for the captain. /
knew could get out of the port in less time
than would take him to come down the poop
ladder. Big bugs are never in a hurry-t
wouldn't look digniied, you know"
Presently, while lying luxlriously in the cap
taln's tub, he hears him coming down the cabin
stairs, when he jumps out the receptacle and
makes for the port.
81 was fairly outside and safe, as thought,
in the chains, before the captain opened the
cabin door. | sat there minute, driving nav.
self, and then was going TO begin to dress.
when heard the sound of oars coming round
the stern of the ship | knew by the regular
dip in the water, and by the noise of the oars
IN the rOw-locks, that it was u man-o'.war's
boat, and, of course, it was the Fl; st cutter COM
ing alongside, though it seemed TO me she had
come up mighty quick"
"fIere | was in rx. They would see me
from the boat as soon as they pulled round the
stern, and | should have had work to tell what
was doing, stark naked, in the chains. |
couldn't get my clothes on quick enough to be
ready for COmPany-but | couldn't stand up
without considerable risk of beins seen from
the poop, IN case some fellow happened to be
looking over the larboard side ! concluded
pretty soon what to do. | first looked into the
cabin. The captain wasn't in sight, So iammed
my clothes into the mu2zle of the gun, and then
! got IN after myself, feet foremost. | told you.
you know, that the guns OF the kind they call
carronades. are short, but have tremendous big
bores. They are used in close fighting. and.
when nothing else comes handy, they load them
with cask of nails, and such sort of things
| showed myself III feet foremost, because |
knew that if ranmed my head in first, with
my body on top Of it for a wad, it would be
rather close quarters for breathing, comforta-
! bly,. found it rather snug berth us il was: |
1 N m inch ofi I I
was out OF sight at any rate.
al supposed that after the men had come
aboard, the boat would be hauled out to the
booins, and that then could get out of the gun.
But, instead of thut they had the cutter loaded
with something, | don't know what, that it took
pretty near an hour, it seemed to me, to clear
her oil They got a sling ON the mainyard, and
| could hear the orders given to hook on in the
boat, and the bo'sn's mate in the gangway
piping to haul taught and hoist away aud
'avast hoisting,' and come up over and over
!. again, until it appeared to me they had got
dozen launch-bOats over the side. BY this time
) MY back began to ache with lying in the bore
! Of that old gun; it didn't exactly fit my shoul-
ders.
began now to hear talking in the cabin
The gun, you know, was all in the cabin except
the muzzle of it, that run out Of the port.
couldn't hear so well through the iron though,
|, and il was sometime before could make ou,
what the talk was ABOUT. could distinguish
: the captains voice., and could hear the words
! lock and wafer pretty often. At last he
g and the man he was talking with came close ut
: to the very gun was in, and then heard him
call the gunner by name in talking to him, and
recognized him by his gro'sl heard hin
y rubbing the gun off with his hand, and playing
II with the lock, and two or three times he snap