The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1860-06-02
The Boy Aloft.
A THRILLING NAUTICAL SKETCH

uC ADOy <AAOlts
THRILLING NAUTICAL SKETCH.
Captain Basil Hail in his miscellaneous
writings, relates an incident OH board of a
British frigate TO illustrate the terrible
cruelty inflicted upon scanIen, III the name
of discipline, during the early years of the
present century. lie describes 4 timd
boy who was cruelty lasled because he
was afraid to 70 aloft, that he became a
maniac, and ever atterward appeared TO
act without fear, running like !, monkey
from masthead to masthead and along the
yards.
An old nlan-Oiwdr 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 in substance
is follows:
4 timid boy, about fourteen years ofage,
hesitatcd to 60 aloft, but, by the captains
orders, was torcibly pat in the main rig
gIug, and then a hoatswains mate was
commanded 10 lash him like u dog until
he learned 10 run alOit The poor fellow
lerS and arms trcmblcd, he crasped the
~hrouds, hc cried, he prayed the inhUman
captain tur God : sake 10 have mercy on
him; bat all III vain. The boatswains
mate was ordered to lay on harder and
harder, regardless of the boys piercing
screams which made even veteran seamcn
turn from the brutal scene with disgust
MS Gio'hes was rent rom ms hach' 'He
pioou ioiIo" t" 'i'e iasii anu sun the y rant
roared out, Lay on, bOatswains mate
'il one 80 cam ne Sl''"n5 from u""'r
'ne la9h' ana 'o"uIti u, the flS2iH2 ana
WIN amazing I',llh''y- lie "o"D!ed .!.o
!"'''SH '~7'''S i'NT ci'' passed. zap N.e
'"l'i'IS' an" 20 I'-'''ai' ''2el,'2 "'h undL,
1tiIl'Ht" 'l''0u' 7''''',e' tte uh'"i''ed
roy - I'5S'lt2 anu l'SEc-t" "..'!s%h Ike 4
"a ~ IN "'',1" ''"''I-
- ' ..o'ii S''e Iiits.'.t''. i'e't ne paused
~ 81 80 "'o" INC u''h nc!n"-
, ~ ~. - Up - S'o MIN MS cries
- nj '-'..' I''ii1'.h
''''' H.
"a ,''' IT. - W. -. -! 'I''',
~ --i'-''' -; s.-i-.-I' Oo'''
'''' - W. '.'S ''o va
W -, = lit 'i,e
-- ~ 1''.'' -'',' .i''" ''
= ~ '.tA'
No. anu "a
'' '-I'-s' nm "t 'i'S
AH,il'A!.-y "Aete ne Ahe" representations
81, ~I rs cruelty h"" "'''N''s nt'h n'a"t.
me men E,zIh III sI,''S'' 4oo"'hE i'Is' Al
me b2y al" theh At me captain VINO was
se"''" ''''F 'il' 'l,I'''L lheS u"'ci n"l
"'2@"1 ""r"vc eve" a. h'-H' SP''4
laSS'u ""l't' men ~, -, 70 80 an
ui'Y "nSi,sf|'' me 't''eeI' ne"
'M' ice s'Ht ~ 'i'1 l"'' u, N'o'i-
any C">''I,2 ''t" e!'a "'V''' o"' were -
att"C a. 'ie men
IN ne '"i I'm ~ '-I' M i'i'',''
P'-! t"5 ~, 'l's o..''"'i',
,o'''i''"2 % l'ie 'iI'ti'S' ne NC''.'t 'e'o"
lHei "''" gazing "'y'. ''le 'Hl TAI" su''s
o"' "a '"'-'.'' 4'"'
from .i', ","'' h'""
IN M "'s 'It'!7 Ll;'' il;-Ir t..e ''uoN d. :.
"""''" '''''
NJ cap "i""' ms i''a,' 'i''i'
Ms "''''> 'L' ~ 4 "'',''
an" 'i'5'" Il!i'Ic'lI oI"'Nu. me cal'n'h
Imp ~ ~ - - -. m
~! ""r' :, - - "a ;,r ''''
',!n' u t''o % ~ a.. '-'I'
.,i'''st. ION 'ii, .',,-i' 3 Ir
m - -
!. .i'' s' ,''', e'',,, II ni,aj -'"'t ,%
,.I'i - a,'l ,h,,i Il, "oord.d
,i,, .r1a, Ia.l"tay Gand nv.r.
i' Ia,'T ria c5,,,1;n Io1llrd ~ him and
,,.a. l.o,,t ~ .rcal, Lut could NOT find
,vnrj. Tho Lnv frn,hcd at the month
and nose. his ewes seemed starting ont OF
his head. he rolled mon III. deck in con
wilson's sta;u;ur il with the blood which
still tricklcd from his back. He WAS a
maniac The surgeons skill inthe course
of few wcoks restored his bodily health,
but not his reason
From that time forward he was fearless
In the darkest night, night the tierce,,
eale. he would scamper along the deck
like 4 dog, and bound aloft with q speed
which no one on board cou.l coual He
would run over the wards without holding
pass from mast to mast on the stays. as
ceud and descend by the leeches of the
sails ard run upon the studding sail booms
He was as niinblc as a cat. and had for
gotten fear Some of the light duties
aIoft he learned to discharge in company
with the men-hc did as they did bu,
! could not lie trusted to do ANYTHING him
self One order he always obeyed with
out hesitation At the commsnd, :; Away
+ aloft" he was off and never paused until
he reached the masthead. As he wa.
harmless and rarely spoke. the captair
kent him on board and in the course o
YEAR. sent him alort for amusement
Ills strength increased with his wears. but
) his bulk and height remained nearly the
,, same at eighteen as when he became
, maniac
His ribs. breast and back seemed one
case of bone, and his sincws and muscles
made his lecs and arms appear like pillar
ed columns. He was fair. with light blue
eyes and delicate skin; his face oval and
,, full but void of expression-neither love
fear. revenge, or pleasure could be tracet