New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1861-02-16
TIE CABIN BOY.
A SHIPM ASTER'S STORY.


On my way across the Sound fell in with two
old sea captains-John Strceter and asa Morton
with whom had some slight acquaintance. Capt
Strceter was about three score, and had followed
the sea during most of his life. Morton was con-
siderably younger, but still a seaman Of much e1-
perience. The subject OF the abolition OF togging
in our navy came up in course of conversation,
and Capt Morton expressed himself very de-
cdedly in favor Of the time-honored institution,
the cat o. nine tails.
81 am not prepared to say" remarked Capt.
Sreetcr, in reply, that the condition of our mem
o-warsmen will be in every case benefited by the
abolition Of fogging, though | am sure that it
might be 50. | mean that the officers have it
within their power to do away with all kinds Of
punishment. / mean, of course, for such offences
as are usually punished on shipboard.
For my purt' returned Morton, " / shouldn't
care to take command of ship il the power of
Furnishing refractory Geamen as thought proper
were taken from me-
WellH said Capt. Streetcr, " I used to 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 iu danger from the violence Of men
whom had abused ] used the cat and ropes
end almost as freely as used my tongue; and
used to wonder how it happened that always had
the luck 10 gct such bad men.
When 'yas:lbout 40 years of age took com
maud of the shin Pedestrian. She was an old
craft. and had seen full as much service as she
capable OF seeing with safety. But her owners
were willing to trust valuable cargo in her, so
w0uld'nt refuse to trust myself. We were bound
for Liverpool, and nothing unusual happened until
about the eighth day out, when We ran foul of a
small iceberg 1t was early in the morning before
SUNRISE and not above six eight feet OF ice was
out of water, it having been nearly all melted
away in the warm waters Of the Gulf Stream.
did not think We lad sustained much injury, for
the shock was slight bnt was very angry, and
gave the lookout severe punishment, without
stopping TO inquire whether he could have seen the
berg in season TO escape it.
Mv cabin boy was named Jack Withers. He
was 4 years Of age, and this his first voyage.
had taken him from a widowed mother, and had
promised her that would see him well treated
that was, if he behaved himself He was bright,
quick, intelligent lad but I soon made myself be-
lIeye that he had m awful disposition. tancicd
he was the most stubborn piece of humanity had
ever come across. | had made up my mind he had
never been properly governed, and resolved to
breaE him in. tol1 him I'd curb his temper be-
fore had done |i!h him. In reply he told me [
might kill him if liked; and l iogEed him with
the end Of the nizcn top.galant haIIiards till ne
could hardly stand. | asked him if he had got
enough aud he told me that might fog him more
if | wished it. felt strong inclination to throw
the boy overheard, but at that moment he stag
gered against the miznnmast from absolute weak
ness and left him to himself When reasoned
calmly about tha boys disposition was forced to
acknowledges That thu boy was one OF the smArtcSt
and mott faithful lads | had ever seen. When l
asked him to do anything lie was off like rocket,
but Whru | roughly ordered lin to do it, then
came the disposition with which found fault.
One day, Whcu it Wa3 very near noon spoke to
him aud told him to 20 below AVID bring up my quad
rant. He was looking over the quarter-rail, and |
knew he did not hear me, and the next time
spoke ripped ont on oath, and intimated that il
he did mt move Ia holp him.
81 didn't hear ye," he said, with rather an inde-
pendent tone
g No WoTd3,' said |.
al spose l can speak," he rGtorted, moving
slowly towards the complnionway
His looks, words, and the slow, careless manner
in which he moved, fired mo in moment, and
gr2sped him by the collar.
"Spca} to me like that, and I'll fog you within
an inch OF your lifc,' grid |.
" You can fog away" he replied, firm and I'M
daun.ad as a rock.
And | did fog him. I caught up the end of a
rope, and beat him till my arIn fairly acAcd; but
he never WinCed
'Thero'5 little more life in me you'd better
fog out" was hi3 reply.
And beat him again. I beat him till he sank
from my hand against the rail and then sent one
of the men for my quadrant. When it came, and
had adjusted it for my observation, l found that
the sun was already past the meridian, and that |
was too late. This added fuel 10 the fire OF my
madness, and quietly seized the lad by the col
lar and led him to the nain hatchway, and had the
hatch taken of. | thrust him down and swore |
would keep him there until his stubbornness was
broken The hatch was then put on, and l went
into the cabin. | suffered good deal that after
noon, not with any cOmpunctions for what had
done, but with my own temper and bitterness. 1t
made me mad to think that | could not conquer
that boy-that | could not break down his cool,
stern opposition. " But will do it," said to my
self, "by the heavens above me, I'll starve him
into it, or he shall die under the operation"