Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1859-11-12
THE 1ANTI-SLAvERY BUGLE.


could have discovered it, and would have sunk us
the iceberg struck us.
Jack Withers was taken TO the cabin, and there
he managed to tell his story. Shortly after !
put him in the hold he crawled forward, and
when he became used to the dim ~glimmer that
camc through the dead lights, looked about for q
snug place in which to lie. for his imbs were
sore. lie went to sleep, and when he awoke he
heard a faint sound, like water streaming through
a smal hole. lie wen. to The open place in the
cargo, and looked down, and he was sure he could
see a small jet Of water springing up from the
ships bottom. lie leaped down, and in o few
minutes found that the timbers had given wholly
away, and that the stream was increasing in size.
lie pla ed his hand upon tie plank, and found it
broken, and discovered that tho pressure Of the
water without was pressing it inward. He bad
sense enough to see that il il gained an inch more
il must all go,anl the ship be lost,a and perhaps all
hands perish. And he saw, too, that il he could
keep the broken plank in its place he might stop
the incoming flood. So he sat himself upon it
and braced his feet against the cask, and then
called for help. But he was so far away, 50 low
down, with su,h a dense mass of the cargo about
him, that his vice scarcely reached, other ears
than his own. Some Of the men heard him, but
thought he was talking to himself.
And there be sat, with his feet braced, fer four
and-twenty dreory hours, with the water squirting
in tiny streams all over him, drenching him to
the skin. lie had thought several times of going
to the h~atchway and calling for help; but he knew
that the broken plank would be forced in If he
n = = ~ - IL
His strength was failing him his limbs were
racked with pain-but he would not give up. ]
asked him if he should not have given up if had
not come as | did. He answered that he could mo-
have done it while he had life in him. He said he
thought not of himsclf-he was ready to die-bu,
be would save therest if he coulc--and he had
saved US, surely saved US all, from q waterJ
grave.
That boy lay sick almost unto death but
nursed him With my own bands-nursed him ali
through his delirium and when his reason re
turned. and he could sit up and talk. 1 then bow
ed M self before him, and humbly asked his par
don for all the wrong | had done him. lie threw
his arms about my neck, and told me if I would
be good to him, he would never give me cause FOL
offence and added as he sat up again-'I am no
a coward ; | couldn't ie a dog
From that hour | never forgot those words anG
and from that hour | have never struck q blow OF
board my ship. | make men feel that they are
men = that | SO regard them. and that l wish tt
make them as comfortable and happy as possible
and l have not failed to gain their respect anc
confidence. | give no undue license, but make IN,
crew feel that they have a friend and a superior il
the same person. For nine years l sailed in tire,
different ships, with the same crew. A maj
couldn' be hired to leave me save for an officer
berth.
And Jack Withers remained with me thirteer
, years. lie was my cabin boy one of the fore
most hands my second mate and the last tim
he sailed with me he refused the command Of
new barque because he would not be separated
j, from me. But he is a captain now, and one Q
the best this country ever afforded. 'a.
Such, gentlemen, is my experience in govern
!, ment and discipline on ship board" .e