Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1864-02-27
The Captains Story.

The Captains Story.
When was about forty years of age l
oak command of the ship Petershan She
vas an old craft, and had seen full as much
.s-vice as she was capable of seeing with
ssfety. But her owners were willing to trust
valuable cargo in her, so l would not re-
use to trust myself We were bound to
Liverpool, and nothing unusual happened un-
n about the eighth day out, when we ran
foul of small iceberg. Ii was early in the
morning, before sunrise, and not above siX
ar eight feet of ice was above the water, il
b,ging nearly all been melted in the warm
rsgion of the gulf stream. / did not think
Is had sustained much injury, for the shock
Kas light; but was very angry, and gave the
lookout severe punishment, without stop
Diuz 20 inquire whether he could have seen
the berg In time to escape it,
Nv cabin bow was named Jack Withers.
He was fourteen years of age, and this was
lis first voyage. had taken him from his
widowed mother, and had promised her that
would see him well treated, that was, if he
behaved himself He was bright, quick,
intelligent lad. / soon made myself believe
he had an awful disposition. fancied that
he was the most stubborn piece of humanity
had ever came across. / made up my mind
that be had never been properly governed,
and had resolved to break him in. Itold
him Ia curb his temper before I'd done with
him In reply he told nae that l might kill
aim If liked; and l fiOgged him with the
end Of the mizzen top gallant halyards till he
could hardly stand. / asked him if he'd got
enough, and he told me j might fog him
more if | wished TO- | felt a strong inclina-
non to throw him overheard, but at that mo-
ment he staggered back against the mizzen-
mast from absolute weakness, and / left him
10 himself When L reasoned calmly about
the boys disposition, | was forced to ae-
knowledge that he was one of the smartest
and most intelligent and faithful lads | had
ever seen. When asked him to do any
thing he would be off like rocket; but when
/ roughly ordered him TO do it, then came the
disposition with which found fault.
0ne day, when ii was very near noon, /
spoke 10 hIm to bring up my quadrant He
vas looking over the quarter-rail, and / knew
De did not hear me; the next time L spoke
ripped out an oath and minated If he did not
move I'd help him.
II didn't hear you" he said, with an indie
pendent tone. iA
g No words said i. ..g--z---,-
Il suppose / can speak, p he retoFted, NOV
ing slowly toward the companion way.
Ills looks, words, and the slow, careless
manner in which he moved, fired me in mo-
ment. and grasped him by the collar.
"Speak 20 me again like that, and I'll fog
you within an inch Of your life" said /.
You can fog away" he replied, firm and
undaunted as rock.
And did fog him. i caught up the end
Of rope, and beat him till my arm fairly
sched but he never WINGED.
"HOw's thatg" said |.
There's little more lie in me 3you'd
better fog it out" was the reply.
And beat him again. l beat him till he
sank from my hand against the rail and
sent one of nay other men for my quadrant.
When it came, and had adjusted il for OBJ
serTation, / found that the sun was already
past the meridian, and that i was too late.
This added fuel to the fire of my madness,
and quickly seizing the lad by the collar, l
led him to the main hatehway, and had the
hatch taken off, then thrust him down, and
swore would keep him there till his stub
bOrnness was broken. The hatch was then
put on, and / went into the cabin. / suffer-
cred good deal that afternoon, not with any
cOmpunetions Of conscience for what l had
done, but with my own temper and bitter
ness. II 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 myself 'I'l starve him into
It, or he shall die under the operation
After supper went TO the hatchway and
called out to him, but he returned me no
answer. At S o'clock called again, and
again cot no answer. / might have thought
that the hogging had taken away his senses
had not some of the men assured me that
they had heard him, not an hour before, talk
ing to himself. did not trouble him again
until morning After breakfast went to tbs
hatchway and called to him once more.
heard nothing from him, nor could l see hin
Il had not seen him since put him dow
there. called out several times, but h'
would make no reply, and yet the same mel
told me they had heard him talking that yer!
morning. He seemed to be calling on then
for help, but he would not ask for me.
meant to break him into it. He'll beg be
fore he'll starve, thought; and so deter
mined to let him stay there, l supposed tina
he had erawled forward TO the forecastl'
bulkhead, in order to make the sailors hea
him. Some of the men asked leave 70 g
down and look for him, but refused, an:
threatened 10 punish the first man that eare'
togo down. aael s5.i-i a tf'F'
Al noon went again, and as he did no
~achCf AHc A4AN1OAfN0
should come to the hatchEay and ask for me
ere l went any more. The day passed away
and when evening came again, began to b
startled. / thought of the many good guam
ties the boy had, and Of his widowed mother
he had benin the hold thirty-six hours, anC
all forty hours without food or drink. He
must he too weak te cry out now. 1t wal
bard for me TO give up, but if he died there
nom actual starvation, it might go hard will
me still So atlength made up my mind 4
90 and see him. Il was not quite sundowl
when had the hatch taken of, and jumped
down upon the boxes alone. A little way for
ward saw space where Jack might easill
have gone down, and TO this point crawleC
FeaInY hands and knees. I-called out there
but could get no answer. A short distance fur
ther was a wide space, which had entirely for
gotten, but which now remembered had beef
hit open, on account of break in the flooring
81 the hold, which would let anything tina
might have been stored there rest directl,
upon the thin planking Of the ship. To thi
pace made nv way, and looked down.