The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1866-02-17

if he had known the consequences, he
would have had bis hand hacked from
his body sooner than have touched it,
"Wcll, Bill gave me permission TO
take a small demijohn Of the same liq-
uor which ! found in the cabin, aboard
for the men, but forbidding lac to
broach it until the prisoners were Ian
died. Having scuttled the brig, we
shaped our course for the Rio Tigre,
and on the third morning came up with
the long range of islands, shoals and
bars that reach out eastward from the
south bank Of the river. Here we
landed our prisoners, previously build
ing n shanty for the temporary shelter
Of the wounded, until their companions
could procure them assistance from Il
little town few miles up the river.
We had scarcely got under way again
ere the breeze failed us, and the hard,
clear air seemed to promise ndrthcr.
I'm q few hours il was quite calm.
and the aca, like q sheet Of glass, lay
beneath rs m0tioniess and unFuiIlcd.
The weather became oppressivtly hot
and the SUIT shonG with intolerable fer
yor througi, the !ieated air. The sea-
gulls---ininllible barOmeto ors-had gath
cred along the shore, and were lazily
floating on the water, precning their
feathers as they always do before n
storm We had not made more than
few miles ohing, when the little scat
tered patches Of white, hcccy cloud
that come in the van Of the northers,
made their appearance and fitted across
the sky with extraordinary rapidity,
and ia less than two hours afterwards
the sea was one soething, Kissing cy-
panse of foam, swept by one OF the
! irrcest northcr5 | ever encountered.
As the sea rose, our little craft, deeply
/ loaded rs she was with the spoil of our
prize, began to labor heavily, and the
skipper being strongly urged by Ham
/ (who, poor fellow, though with the
/ best intention in the world, seemed to
! be- our evil Lcuiu5--in short, n perfect
Jonah, with great reluctance put the
helm up anil ran in again under the lee
Of the shoals aud islands Of the Rio
Tigre, and came TO anchor under The
( lee OF q small island, well covered with
/ timber, which in some measure broke
the fury Of the Gale, Having made
all snug for the night, and asccrtaiucd
that the anchors held securely, we pip
cd to supper, and Ham reminded his
. brother that ne had promised the men
/ that they should have the jug of bran
dy as soon rs the prisoners were land.
ed. Bills kind and yielding dispoSi-
ton could refuse his brother nothing.
lie asscntcd, and us soon rs supper
WAS over he began u carousc, and
mirth anl conyjyiality were the order
of the night. Bill Wainwright being
unaware that there was any more liq-
uor on board, dreamed Of no dangc,
and Joined in our hilarity. AS he put
the cup to his lips, he caught my eye
and looked disconnected, but laughing.
ly said:
"'Wcl, it can't do much harm
there's no more to he had.-Roys
here's a quick and safe passage home,
"Poor Bill! If he had not drank
that toast, We might have had Il differ
, cnt voyage. Ham had from Difference
TO the captain filed the cup, and hi,
brother observing this, drank but hal
of its contents, bur quite enough to eX
cite the old and fatal craving. THEFT
/<."-soss s'.,'ss si's, .,i,sl .ssl -.<s.'-
one had drank, little Harry Included
there was still some left. As the pota
ton began to take its effect, mirth
song and story prevailed in turn, and
Captain Wainwright. alone was grave
and serious, and knew that he was
engaged in Il fierce struggle between
the cravings of his appetite and his bet
ter resolutions; and for time |
thought the latter would prevail; but
when the full cup was again passed to
him, he returned it-empty!
at is needless to amplify on the
consequences. The orgy was begun.
Hams cask was produced, and Bill
was soon beyond the control Of reas-
on, o. the regard Of consequences.
The songs grew louder and mirth more
uproarious, until the most sober and
circumspect of both officers and crew
would gladly have ended the festivities !;
but Bill was now frenzicd with liquor,
and one of his drunken freaks was to
compel every one else to drink, partic-
ularly those who tried to avoid it, and
rs we feared to arouse his anger by re-
fusal, the result was that we were all,
even to poor little Harry, soon in a
state either of helpless intoxication,
or of drunken frenzy. .'.
! What eXtrayaGancoS we committed
while in this state cannot remember.
but fell into a drunken stupor quite
early in the evening, from which l
awoke some time after with 4 raging
. thirst. found the crew nil living
/ about, drunk and helpless. The wind
had greatly abated aud all was quiet
Having tried in vain to arouse
, some of the men, | went down into the
e cabin and there found poor Bill lying
t on the floor breathing stentorously and
e hard, his flushed face and relaxed limbs
!. showing the futili!y Of any attempt to
/ rouse him. Ham and little Harry lay
4 on deck close to the companionway
e the boy had, even in his intoNication
; with the instinct Of affection, nestled
r his head upon his brSthor's broad bo
som. and his fair skin and bright gold
en- hair eontrssted strongly in the clea
moonshine with Hams bronzed anC
rugged features, muscular throat ant
shaggy beard. Grieved and sick a
heart at this sad picture of our drunk
Ell folly, and anxious about its conse
qaenees, went forward and stretched
myself on the bulwarks of the fnre,