Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-11-19

early age embraced the occupation of a mari
ner. | made Il number of voyages from Prov
idence or New port to the West Indies, and
when | was about nineteen years old, beng
strong and active able to do all a seamans
duty-and addicted, l regret to say, TO all
seaman's vices-I shipped with Captain HuX-
ham on board the Sea Bird, bound Tor Brls-
toll.
The brig was a small vessel, the officers and
crew consisting of the captain, Mr.. Rundell,
the mate. four men before the mast, and i
cook, who was a young man belonging to
Newport il being his first voyage to sea. Cap
tain UuXha was a stern man, who cared lit
tie for the comfort of the sailors, and was
treat stckler for discipline. Mr.. Rundcll, the
mate, was tall and muscular. and prided him
self on his skill and power to knock men about
like nine pins, and get ont of them the worth
of their wages. Ii the captain was disiked,
the mate was bitterly hated by the whole
crew. Unfortunately for me, l was placed
III the hrboard watch, and my watchmate was
middle aged, burly looking, native OF Great
Britain, who had seen much of the world,
and borne a prominent part in many strange
and desperate adventures. He was bold,
reckless fellow, case hardened in rascality,
and, as he often boosted, feared neither God
nor man.
AS matter of course, Jack Hensdale and
Il
lnsolent, and the mate arbitrary and clad with
authority. After terrible pounding from the
mate, my shipmate was forced to succumb, but
he often threw out dark hints of revenge, and
was sulky and i'll humOred during the passage
across the Atlantic Occasionally Jack re-
ceived 4 torcib!e reminder from Mr.. RunJcl
in the shape OF clip on the side of the head
or heavy ropes end over the shoulders, to
be more attentive to his work or more respect
tu III his demeanor, all Of which tended to in
crease the hostility OF my watchmate toward
the mate. In the little disputes aud troubles
between Jack Ilensdale and Mr. Rundel the
captain of course took the part of the mate,
and more than once aided that officer in tax
ing the pride out of Jack" as he called it, by
the application Of an emollient known us the
oil Of hemp.
Jack often complained to me of his wrongs,
ard cXpatated on the brutal treatment he re-
ceiyrd. Nor were the abuses confined TO bin
alone l was sometimes unplCasantly made
aware Of the mates brawny fist, and Sympa-
thzing deeply with my shipmate, allowed him
to exercise an unhappy influence over my ac-
tons. More than once during The passage,
Jack suggested, in a round about way, the
eXpediency Of making the mate flood for
fishes" but | was not yet prepared for the de
liberate perpetIation OF the crime of murder,
even under such continued provocation, and
suggested that the passage would Suonb be over
and we could desert OH our arrival at Bristol,
and afterwards waylay Mr.. RundeIl, and with
good fiogging pay him the principal aud in.
tereSt Of the heavy debt we owed him then
travelling across the country to Falmouth, we
could easily find another ship and embark in
quest OF other adventures. TO this plan Of
mine, Jack Hensdale, after some muterings
about the delay, and haIt-uttered threat that
the t1ogging should last him for lite time.
accsded.