The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1862-05-07


the main hatchway, and had the hatch
taken off. Then thrust him down aud
swore l would keep him there till his
stubbornness was broken. The hatch
was then put on, aud | went into the
cabin. 1 Isuffered 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 op-
position. "Bnt I will do it," said l to
myself, "by the heavens above me, I'll
starve him into it, or he shall die under
the operation"
After supper I went to the hatchway,
and called out to him, but he returned
no answer so | closed the hatch and
went away. At ten clock | called again,
and again I got no answer. might have
thought that the Aogging bad taken away
his senses, had not some of the men as
sured me that they had heard him, not an
hour before talking to himself | did
not trouble him again until morning
After breakfast l went to the hatchway
and called out to him once more. l
heard nothing from him, nor could | see
bim-I had not seen him since put him
down there. I called out several times
but he would not reply-an1 yet the
same men told me they had heard him
talking that very morning. He seemed
to be calling on them for help, but he
would not ask for me. meant to break
him into it. "He'l beg before he'll
starve," I thought, and so ] determined
to let him stay there. supposed he
had crawled forward to the forecastle
bulkhead, in order to make the sailors
hear him. Some of the men asked leave
to 90 down and look for him, but re-
fused. 1 threatened to punish the first
man that dared 60 down.
At noon went again, and as he did
not answer me this time resolved that
he should come to the hatchway and ask
for ne ere went any more. The day
passed away, and when evening came l
began to be startled. I thought of the
many good qualities the boy had, and of
his widowed mother. He had been in
the hole thirty six hours, and all of forty
without food or drink. He must be too
weak to cry out now 1t was hard for
me to give up, but if he died there from
absolute starvation it would 60 harder
with me still. So at length made up
my mind to 60 and see him. 1t was not
quite snndown when | had the hatch ta-
ken off and l Jumped down on the boxe.
alone.
A little way forward | saw a space
where Jack might easily have gone down,
and to that point l crawled on my hands
and knees. | called out there but could
get no answer. A short distance farther
I saw wide space which | had entirely
forgotten, but which now remembered
had been left open on account of break
in the flooring of the hold, which would
have left everything that might have been
slowed there resting directly upon the
thin planking of the ship.
To this place made my way and looked
down. | heard the Splashing of the wa
ter, and thought | could detect a faint
sound like the incoming of q tiny jet or
stream. At first | could see nothing, but
as soon as l became used to the dim
light. could distinguish the faint out
lines of the boy at some distance from
me. He seemed 10 be sitting on the
broken floor, with his feet stretched out
against cask. I called out to him and
thought he looked up.
Jack, are you there ?"
ayes, help me For Heavens sake
help me! Bring men and lantern-the
ship has sprung leak !"
hesitated, and he added in more
eager tone:
make haste-I'Il try and hold it till
you come back"
| waited to hear no more, but hurried
on deck as soon as possible and returned
with lantern and three men. Three of
the timbers were completely wormeaten
to the very heart, aud one of the outer
planks had been broken and would burst
in at any moment the boy might leave 1t,
whose feet were braced against the cask
before him. Half-adozen little jets Of
water were streaming in about him, aDd
he was wet to the very skin. l saw the
plank must burst the moment the strain
was removed from it. so | made my men
brace themselves against it before | lifted
him up. Other men were called down
with planks and spikes, and adzes, and
with much care aud trouble, we finally
succeeded in stopping the leak, and avert
ing the danger.
The plank which was stove in was six
feet long and eight inches wide and would
have let in a stream Of water Of that ca
pacity. 1t would have been beyond our