The Yazoo Democrat., 1860-03-24
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GFrom the Boston Traveller.
COMING ALOFT-A TRAGEDY.


British frigate to illustrate the terrible
cruelty inflicted upon seamen, in the name
Of discipline, during the early part of the
present century He describes timid boy
who was so cruelty lashed because he was
afraid to 60 alott, that he became maniac,
and ever afterwards appeared to act without
fear, running like monkey from masthead
to masthead and along the yards.
An old man-of-war's man told the writer
of this the same story many years ago, with
a sequel, which Captain Hall has not given.
The sailors story was insubstauce as fol
lws:
A timii boy, about fourteen years of age,
hesitated to go aloft, but, by the captains
orders, was forcibly put in the main rigging,
and then boatswain's mate was commanded
to lash him like dog uatil he learned to
run aloft. The poor fellows legs and arms
trembled, he grasped the shrouds, he cried,
he prayed the inhuman captain for Gods
sake to have mercy on him; but all in vain.
The boatswain's mate was ordered to lay on
harder and harder, regardless of the boys
piercing screams, which made even veteran
seamen turn from the brutal scene with dis
gust. His clothes were rent from his back,
the blood followed the lash, and still the
tyrant roared out, "Lay on, boatswain'
mate!' With one wild scream he sprang
from under the lash and bounded up the
rigging with amazing rapdity. He doubled
the futtock rigging like cat, passed up the
topmast and topgallant rigging with undi>
minished speed, Skinned the uurattled royal
rigging, and perched himself like bird
alongside of the pendant which ssreamed
from the masthead. Here he paused, look
ing fearlessly upon the deck below. All
hands came up to see hih-his cries and
cruel treatment had already enlisted their
sympathy, and, if possible, had increased
their hatred of the captain.
The monster was smiling complacently at
the success of his experiment; for he was
one Of those tyrants who boasted that the
cat, properly applied, could make men do
anything. Still he was apprehensive that
the boy might destroy himself, and the cir
cumstance be used against him at the Ad
mirality, where he knew representations of
his cruelty had already been made. The men
gazed in silence, looking hrst at the boy and
then at the captain, who was seated near
the taffrail. They dared not be seen speak
ing to one another; it was foggabe of
fence; even at night spies passed under
their hammocks to ascertain if they whis
pered. The officers walked the lee side of
the quarter deck, occasionally casting their
eyes aloft, but were as silent as the men.
Still the boy clung to the mast head, play
ing With the pendant, apparently uncoa
scious of the interest be excited below
Tired of gazing aloft, the captain sung out
through the speaking trumpet, "Down from
aloft ! Down."
The boy sprpng upon the truck at a
bound, and raising himself erect, waved his
cap around his head; then stretching his
arms out, gave wild, laughing scream, and
threw himself forward, The captain jump
ed to his feet, expecting to see the boy
dashed in pieces on the deck but when
clear of the shade of the sails, he saw him
sliding along the main royal stay toward the
foretopgalant masthead, and heard him
laugh and chatter like a monkey, as if en-
joying the sport. He reached the mast head
in safety, aud then descended along the top.
gallant backstay hand-over hand. The cap
tain looked at him, and was about to speak,
but could not find words. The boy frothed
at the mouth and nose; his eyes seemed
starting out of his head be rolled upon the
deck in convulsions, staining it with the
blood which still trickled from his back
He was maniac The surgeons skill in
the course of few weeks restored his
health, but not his reason.
J From that time forward he was fearless.
In the darkest night, in the fer4est gales,
he would scamber along the deck like dog,
and bound aloft with a speed which no one
on board could equal. He would run over
the yards without holding, pass from mast
to mast on the stays, ascend and descend
by the leeches of the sails, and run upon
the naked studding. sail booms. He was
nimble as cat, and had forgotten fear.
Some of the light duties aloft he learned to
discharge in company with them-be did as
they did, but could not be trusted to do
anything himself. One order he always
obeyed without hesitation. At the com
mand, "Away aloft," he was of, and never
paused until be reached the mast head. AS
he was harmless, and rarely spoke, the cap
tain kept him on board, and, in the course
of year. sent him often aloft for amuse
ment His strength increased with his years,
but his bulk and hight remained nearly the
same at eighteen as when he became ma
MAC.
His ribs, breast and back, seemed ono
case of bone, aud his sinews and muscles
made his legs and arms appear like pillared
columns. lie was fair, with light blue eyes,
and delicate skin his face oval and full, but
void of expression neither love, fear, re
venge or pleasure could be traced in its
soli outline. His eyes stared at everything
without appearing to see, and when be
spoke, there was rarely any meaning in his
wolds. He followed the men in their vari,
GUS duties, like dog following his master
Whenever he was struck or started by 8
boatswain's mate, he ran up the main rig
ging, screaming at the top Of his lungs
and nevar ,,ahead until Lo hol ,oarfor,~o a,