The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1859-11-09
THE CABIN ROY.

qnaintance. Capt. Streeter was about thre,
score, and had followed the sea during mos
Of his lite. Morton was considerably y0un
ger, but still seaman ot much experience
The subject Of the abolition of fogging in oul
navy came up in course Of conversation, and
Capt. Morton expressed himself very decid.
edly in favor OF time honored institutions
the cato nine tails.
81 am not prepared to say" remarked Cap,
Streeter, in reply, +" that the condition Of oul
man o -wars-m will be in every case bene
fitted by the abolition OF ilosging, though
am sure that it might be SO. | mean, Of
course, for such offences as are usually pun
shed on ship
For my part" returned Morton, :"
shouldn't care to take coMmand Of ship il
the power of furnishing refractory seamen as
| thought proper were taken from me-"
Well" said Capt. Slreeter, 81 used ia
think just so. In fact, there were but few
masters more passionate or severe than was.
Men used TO run away from me, and on more
than one occasion my life has been in danger
from violence of men have abused. | used
the cat and the ropes end almost as freely
as used my tongue and used to wonder
how il happened that always had the luck
to get such bad men.
When ! was about forty years Of age !
took command Of the ship Petersham. She
was an old craft. and had ,een full as much
safety. But her owners were willing TO trust
a valuable cargo in her. SO wouldn't refuse
to 90 myself. We were bound for Liverpool,
and nothing happened until about the eighth
day out, when we ran foul of a small iccburg.
II was early in the morning, before sunrise,
and not above five or six feet OF ice was a.
boye water, il having nearly all melted in the
warm waters of the Gulf Stream. did not
think we had sustained much injury, Tor the
shock was slight, but was very angry anil gave
the look.out a severe punishment, without
stopping to inquire whether he could have
seen the berg in time to escape il.
My cabin boy was named Jack Withers
He was fourteen years Of age, and this was
his first voyage. had taken him from a
widowed mother, and had promised her that
would see him well treated-lhat was ifhe
behaved himself. lie was a bright, quick,
intelligent lad, but soon made myself be.
lieve that he had an awful disposition. |
fancied that he was the most stubborn piece
Of humanity had ever come across. Imade
up my mind he had never been properly 60
yerne,l, and resolved 10 break him in. told
him I'd curb his temper before had done
with him. In reply he told me that might
kill him il liked !; and flogged hun with the
end Of the mizzen-top- gallant halliards till
lie could hardly stand. asked him il he
got enough, ami he toId me might Ilng him
more il wished it. felt strong inrlina.
tion 10 throw the boy overheard, but al the mo.
meat he staggered back against the mizzep
mast fram absolute weakness, and left him
10 hlmseli. When | reasoned calmy about
the BOYS disposition. was forced to &C.
knowledge that he was one Of the smArtest
aud mast faithful lads had ever seen. Wher
asked him 10 do anything he would he Of
like a rocket; but when roughly nrdered
him TO dn it, then came the disposition witt
which found fault.
One day when il was very near noon,
spoke 10 him and 10 him and told him TO q
down below and bring M nv quadrant. II,
was looking over the quarter rail, and
knew he did not hear me, aud the next tim,
| spike ripped out an oath and intimated i
he didn't mnye Id help him.
~ didn't hear ye,r he said, with an inde
pendent tone.
" No words" said !.
"Is'pose can speak, he retorted, moving
slowly towards the companion way.
Ills looks, words, and the slow. careless
manner in which he moved. fired me 10 4
moment. and gra.ped him BY tie cellar.
"Speak to me again like that, and Ill aos
you within an inch "f your life" said !.
"You can hos away" he replied, firm aud
undavnted as rock.
Aud did fng him. caught up the end
of rope, and beat him until my arm iairly
achrd but he never even wlnched.
Iiuw's that" said l.
"Thers is little nore life in me you'd
better fog out" was the reply.
And did nog him again. beat him IN.
I'll he sank frdn my hand against the rail
and then sent one 81 the men for my quad.
rant.
When il came and had adjusted il for m,
observation, | found that the sun was a.
ready past the meridian, and that was toe
late.
This added fuel to the FIRE Of nv madness
and quickly seizing the lad BY the collar.
ted him 10 the main hatchway, aud had The
hatch taken Oft. then thrust him down IL
and swore would keep him there until biz
stubborness was broken. The hatch wa,
then pu, on. and ] went into the cabin.
suffered a good deal that afternoon, not with
any compunctious Tor What had done, but
with my own temper sud bitterness. But il
made me mad to think that could not con.
auer that boy-ihat could not break dOsH
his cool, stern opposition. |" But will do il.
I said to myself. "by the hesyens above me
III starve him into 4, or he shall die undei
the operation.
After supper went 70 the hatehway, ant
called out 10 him, but he returned me no an
swer. So elosed the hatch end and wenl
away. At ten o'clock called again and
got no answer. | might have thought thai
the fogging had taken away bis senses. had
not some % the men assured me that the,
had heard him, not an hour before, talk