St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1861-04-18

tho how the deuce ne manages to get an
observation with that squint of his, can't
tell. hope sha' mt be in his watch he's
tartar, l know" ...
awe must try and get together" says
I. II don't half like the looks Of these
fellows"
After supper We went mid.ships for
the mate to pick the watches.
"Mr. Coates," says the captain, "take
those two new men into your watch"
So Ned and ! were in the FIRST mates
watch I didn't see their game in this till
afterwards.
We soon got into train, and got on with
our mates pretty well. One thing that puz-
zled us both was that We kept away to the
south ard so much: mostly you take south
east course-this chap steered nearly due
south.
This went on q day or two, aud one
night was on the look. out, and Ned came
up to have chat bit and smoke his pipe.
"What did the skipper tell US about the
chap that died?'
"Nothiug only that he died."
"Didn't say what off,
"Not word; you'd better ask one of
the chaps"
"He got down and went to one of the
men, an 1rishman, who was sitting down
on the deck to wind'ard. "
"What did that chap die of?''
"Cold water"
"What do you mean? Cold water and
the headache nerhansO -
"Why the devil don't you speak out ?'
said Ned, offering the Irishman his bacca
box.
otis rich man that you are, Ned, with
honeydew in your box, like mate or cap
tain. What did he die of, then ?-he was
drowned"
"Hew ?"
"Why, you sec, the captain called US
aft when the steamboat left, and said
word or two; and this chap was a Yankee
"a regular Northerner-Enew all about
politics he spoke up against the cap
tain, and said he wasn't talking according
to the articles, and he'd hail the first ship
we spoke, and make him put him and his
traps aboard Of her. Well, as you may be
sure, we all laughed at him, and he came
forward like the rest of us, and in the night
he tumbled overboard.'
"Tumbled!
"Well, you see, he was keeping anchor
watch, and the mate came forward and
sent him out to make fast the gasket of
the flying jib that had come loose, and as
he was coming up over the rail he met the
captain, and a capstan bar fell on his head,
and he dropped into the water"
"That is, the captain knocked him on
the head ?"
"Well if you like to say SO, for don't
think one end of the bar would have hit
him SO hard if the captain hadn't had
hold of t'other.''
"Captain murdered him then ?'
"That's as you call things"
You eau fancy this wasn't very pleasant
to hear.
"Now there's another thing, O'Connel
where are we going? We've been driving
south ard ever since we came on board.0
"True for you it is and you signed for
London, didn't you?"
"Welp' says Ned, "London isn't to be
got at By keeping her SOUTH"
"Perhaps the old man means to make
a call somewhere"
"Nonsense !! With ship full of cotton 2"
"Full of praties more likely; there's
not score Of bales in her."
"Why, she cleared out with cotton ~
"Dare say she did, but she hasn't got
any," -.
"Why the devil don't you tell all you
know"
"Because it misht'nt be good for you
to know it," said O'Connel and he went
away aft to take his trick at the wheel.
"Did ye hear him." said Ned. "Its q
co. 49,. -. ..:.,s.
81 wish I was we'll out Of it," says l.. 4
Next day: the captain called us all aft.
i. "Now, III tell you what I'm about lads:
I'm going to the coast for a cargo of niggers;
some of you know, it, some don't-I don't
ask you whether you'll like to 60, because
you must 60. You'll have nigger man,
besides your wages, for the voyage-so go
forward and do your duty"
Ned was going to speak, but I stopped