The Portland daily press., 1864-01-09
MISCELLANY.

Wnen was ABOUT forty years oi aye tOOk
command OF the ship Petersham. She was an
old craft, and had seen full as much service as
she was capable of seeing with safety But
her owners were willing to trust valuable
cargo in her, so l would not refuse to trust
myself. We were bound to Liverpool, and
nothing unusual happened until about eight
days out, when We ran into an iceberg. 1t
was early in the morning, before sunrise and
not above six or eight feet of Ice was above
water, it having nearly all been melted in the
warm region OF the gulf stream. / did not
think we had sustained much injury, for the
shock was light; but l was very angry, and
gave the lookout severe punishment, with
out stopping TO inquire whether he could have
seen the berg or not in time to escape it.
My cabin-boy was named Jack Withers.
He. was fourteen years of age, and this was
his first voyage. had taken him from his
widowed mother, aud had promised her that
would see him well treated, that was, If he
behaved himself. He was bright, quick,
intelligent lad. l soon made myself believe
he had an awful disposition. fancied that he
was the most stubborn piece ofhumanity that
had ever come across. | had made up my
mind that he had never been properly govern
ed. and had resolved to break him in. / told
him I'd curb his temper before I'D done with
him. In reply he told me l might kill him if
liked; and l logged him with the end of
the mizen top-gallant ballard till he could
hardly stand. | asked him II he had got
enough, and he told me / might fog him
more if wished to. felt a strong incli-
nation to throw the boy overheard, but at
that moment he staggered back against the
mizzen mast from absolute weakness and L
left him to himself When | reasoned calmly
about the boys disposition was forced TO ac-
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 a rocket; but when
roughly ordered him TO do it, then come the
disposition with which | found fault.
One day, when it was very near noon,
spoke to him to bring up my quadrant. He
was looking over the quarter-rail, and knew
he did not hear me: the next time | spoke
ripped out an oath, and intimated that if he
did not move I'd help him.
Il did not hear YOU" he said with an indie
pendent tone.
mo words" said |.
81 suppose can speak, "she retorted, NOV
ing slowly away toward the companion way.
His looks words and the slow careless man.
ner In which he moved fired me in moment
and grasped him by the collar.
Speak to mo again like that and win fog
you within an inch of your hie," said /.
"You can fog away" he replied firm and
undaunted as rock.
And did fog him. | caught up the end
OF q rope, and beat him till my arm fairly
aehed ;but he never winched.
SLOWS that?" said |.
"There's little more life in me you'd bet
ter fog it out" he replied.
And beat him again. i beat him till he
sank from my hands against the rail; and
sent one of my other men for my quadrant.
When it came and had adjusted it for obser-
walton found that the sun had alreany pass
ed the meridian, and was too late. This adj
ded fuel TO the fire of MY madness, and quick
ly selling the lad by the collar, led him to
the main hatch-way, and had the hatch taken
OIL. | then thrust him down, ard swore
would keep him there till his stubbornness
was broken. The hatch was then put on and
/ went into the cabin. Isuffered good deal
that afternoon, not with any compunction of
conscience for what had done, but with my
own temper and bitterness. 1t made me mad
to think could not conquer that boy,-that
could not break down his cool stearn oppos-
ton. "But will do it," / said to myself; I'll
starye him into it, or he shalt die under the
operation
After supper went TO the hatch-way and
called out to him but he returned me no an
swer. At 10 o'clock called again and again
got no answer. ! might have thought the
ilogging had taken away his senses, had not
some OF the men assured me they heard him
not an hour before talking to himself. After
breakfast / went to the hatch-way and called
to him once more. heard nothing from him
neither could see him,-I had not seen him
since l put him down there. / called out
several times, but he would make no reply
and 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 hina into it.
He'll beg before he'l starve, thought: and so
determined to let him stay there. supposed
he had crawled forward to the forecastle bulk
head in order 10 make the sailors hear him.
Some Of the men asked leave to 60 down and
look fof him, but refused, and threatened 10
punish the first man that dared TO go down.
At noon l went again, and as he did not
answer me this time. l resolved that he
should come TO the hatch-y way and ask for me
ere went any more. The day passed away
and when evening came again began to be
startled. i thought Of the many good quail
ties the boy had, and OF his widowed mother.
lie had been in the hold thirty-six hours, and
all of forty hours, without food or drink. lie
must be two weak TO cry out now. 1t was
hard for me to give up, but If he died there
from actual starvation, 1t might go harder
with me still. So at length made up my
mind to go and see him. 1t was not quite
shutdown when had the hatch taken of and
jumped dowuiupon the boxes alone. A little
way forward saw a space where Jack might
easily have gone down, and to this point |
crawled on my hands and knees. Icalled out
there but could get no answer. A short dis
lance further was a wide space, which had
entirely forgotten, but which now remember
ed had been left open on account oil a break
in the flooring of the hold, which would let
any thing that might have been stored there
rest directly upon the thin plank of the ship.
To this place l made my way, and looked
down. / heard the splashing OF water, and
thought could detect q sound like the in
coming OF a tiny jet or stream. At first i
could see nothing; but us soon as | become
used to the light, ] could distinguish the
faint outlines of the boy at some distance be-
low me. He was sitting on the broken floor
with his feet stretched out against cask l
called out to him and thought he looked up.
Jack, are you theref'
He answered me in faint, weary, TONE
"Yes. help me! Do help me! Bring men and
bring lantern the ship has sprung a leak!'
hesitated, and he added in a more eager
tone, Make haste-1 viii try and hold it till
you come back"
l waited to hear no more, but hurried on
deck as soon as possible, and returned with a
lantern and three men. / leaped down beside
the boy, and could scarcely believe the evil
dence Of my own senses. Three Of the tim
beers were completely worm-eaten to the very
heart, and one Of the outer planks had been
broken, and would burst in any moment the
boy might leave 1t, whose feet were braced
against the plank before him. HalEa-dozen
little jets of water were streaming In about
him and he was wet to the skin. i saw the
plank must burst the moment the strain was
removed from II so / made my men brace