Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1858-02-13
Selctt Tale.
CHRIsTMAs-DAY ON AN ICEBERG.

passed my Christmas day, some years ago,
on board of the fine East Indian ship South
ern Cross" one thousand tons register.
was coming home from Melia with two
years leave of absence and highly blue
bilious liver. On that Christmas.day we
were just south of the equator, with the ther-
mometer standing at 90 degrees in the shade.
We dined with windows and doors opened
wide, and fore-and-aft sail suspended over
the cabin skylight, punka fashion, making
feeble attempts TO cool us with air blown off
the coast of Africa. Having, on that special
occasion, considered it necessary to appear
all dt the cuddy-tabe in full dress, it may be
imagined what relief we experienced, dinner
over and the ladies bowed out, in unbutteR-
ing our waistcoats, resigning our tight dress
coats to the backs Of the seats, and ourselves
to the enjoyment of the gentle evening
breeze of the Ocedn-cum dignitdte.
Having recounted our remembrances of
any past Christmas days distinguished by
Incidents worth relating we had relapsed into
cheroots, brandy y-pawnee, and meditation !:
the latter expression, when at sea, means
thinking of nothing, and taking your time
about doing it.
"Who has got the helum p asked the cap
tain of the steward, who chanced to enter the
cuddy. II never discovered why he persisted
in making two syllables of that word.)
Ben Spinyan, sir" answered the steward
(The creaking from the motion Of the wheel
here became very regular and carefully
"Oh," said the captain; "well, start one Of
the men aft to take the hellum, and send Ben
in for glass Of grog."
The steward seemed inclined to stand on
his dignity, and object to the intrusion of
"Ben" into his domain. However, seeing
that every one around the table looked most
after-dinnerly good natured, he obeyed the
captains order.
"'Tbis fellow" said the skipper, ailuding to
Ben, sis one OF the best specimens have on
board of the genuine saltwater breed. a
capital sailor, he has been everywhere in the
world and seen everything in or near any
port where vessel can put in ; yet if we
were to drop anchor tomorrow among the
Tee-total Islands, if there are any, Ben would
manage to get drunk within half-a-dozen
hours after being on shore, and to get done
out of all his money before returning to the
ship. He has been in all kinds of scrapes
and adventures, and I'd lay you wager can
spin you any amount Of yarns about queer
spent Chrstmasdays at sea. wish, gentle
men, that it lay in my power TO serve our
roast beef and plum pudding to all these poor
fellows, for when we think of the hardships
of sea-faring life"
This was one of the captains grievances.
believe the old villain (who had share in
the ship Systematically served out the weak
est grog and the woodiest of beef that he
could procure, yet as sure as he got the
"tother glass" he began to talk nautical
philanthropy in the above strain. Luckily,
the entrance Of the old seamen cut sho=t his
prosings.
A well built, strong fellow was Ben Spin
yau, with fine, open, impudent face, and q
pair of eyes that seemed to have caught their
color from the sea, and twinkled over the
run of the glass of rum that the doctor handed
to him at the bottom Of the table, with a
brightness that many fair damsel would
have envied. Not that the glass of rum was
tossed of without due observances and cere-
monies, for Ben was one of natures polite
men, and his hearty Here's wishing merry
Christmas and good vyage," had genuine
ring about it pleasant TO hear.
"Hottish weather for Christmas-day, Ben,
said l, as he set down the empty glass with
immense care that it should rest perfectly
upright on the table.
well, to be sure, sir" said Ben, stroking
his short hair frontward with his hard brown
hand, 81 have knowed it deal colder, espe
cially up about Canedee."
"Wby, what on airth brought youu Canada
at Christmas ?" asked the doctor, pleasant
and very clever Yankee, who was, what he
called, going round the world before begin
ming 10 go through it.
"Why, you see, sir" said Ben, al wasn't
exactly there, neither; should ha' been
] precious glad to have been there or anywhere
else on that Christmas-day."
"Where were you then :" / asked.
deed, sir" said Ben, in the simplest
matter-offact manner possible, ~ was on an
iceberg"
"On an iceberg" We echoed, and helping
Ben to another glass to wind him up, we goi
from him the following story. have endeay
ored to render his narrative as nearly a,
possible in his own words. His pronuncia
tion. however, Of some Of them is quite un
spellable.
| 1--WE was loading from Quebec, q goo,
many years ago now, when there was SON
lriots going on up the country as kept bacl