The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1867-10-18
stood by his side and asked him how

stood by his side and asked him how
long he had followed the sea.
He told me ever since he could re
member, except at intervals which
he had spent on shore. Inext asked
him if either of his parents were liv
ing. He said no. I was then going
to ask him another question, wheI
he looked up in my face, and said
"There, captain you had bette
stop where you are. / see you
drift, and / amt fond of telling ny
own affairs"
" But you are a strange man, ant
cannot see through you at all" sait
/.
"Well, an what's the need Of vel
| seeing through meG" he growled
giving the wheel an extra turn, and
heayins 1t back again. .s,r-'t
| said no more to him, but wen'
about tiny own business, satisfied thai
he would do the best by being left
alone. - --- se-~---
/ We had reached the Cape of Good
Hope. and thus far Lotion had main,
tanned dogged sullen subordination
since the scene to which have refer.
red but after we had doubled the
Cape he commenced once more to
show his evil prsEks.
One night he knocked Bill Cook.
son down, and kicked up a general
disturbance. l hurried forward and
lput a stop to it as soon as possible
but this did not hinder it, for the
next day he had another fight.
told him if he did so again
would put him in irons; but he took
no notice Of my threat. He seemed
to have become utterly reckless of all
consequences, and at enmity with the
whole crew. In fact he appeared to
take fiendish delight in feeling thai
we all bated him.
We now saw that there was no safe
ty with him, and I carried my threat
into execution. 1 put him in irons
/ kept him confined week, and then
let him tree; but after that l went
armed, for knew not what he might
do.
But even this seemed to have nc
influence, but only to make him
worse.
The men all feared him, for he was
powerful, and more than that, they
feared he would not hesitate to use
knife if provoked to it. At length
got out Of patience, as / found that
the peace of the crew was destroyed
while he remained on board.
l tried to reason with tie fellow,
but he would only snarl and scowl at
my persuasions- / was puzzled. l
had tried every sort of means, and
yet not q particle Of impression could
make upon him. l had urged him
with all the power of which l was Ca
pable. had pointed out to him, in
every conceivable form, the real joys
of life he was throwing away. In
short, no father ever talked more
kindly and feelingly to child than
did to him.
But finally 1 gave it up. One day
Lotion had been worse than usual.
and as he gave me threatening an
swer ] simply said:
Now, Marl., L--~-~~-..~ .lS
last resource; let me see one other
act of evil from you, and / will set
you ashore upon the first land we see.
II u-ilt do - raof oocnra1 -
He looked at me sharply as I spoke,
but / could not see that it had affect
ed him in any way. However, let
him rest at that. On the very next
day the men were sent aloft to shake
the reefs out of the topsails. Iheard
an oath from the main topsail yard,
and on looking up l saw that Lotion
was having spar with Bill Cockson
again. Lotion was on the flemish
horse casting loose the earring, and
Cockson was next to him.
"Let me alone." / heard Cockson
say; 81 want to do my duty" On
the next instant / saw Lotion spring
in and give the youngster blow that
knocked him from the yard. Quick
as I could ] ordered the men in from
the yard and hove the ship to. Bill
was picked up, though twas a narrow
chance, for the blow he had received
almost stunned him.
As soon as some men had come
down, went forward with some
irons, and ordered LOfton 10 give me
bis hands, but be refused. l called
ON nv men to kelp me, when the fel-
! low drew his knife and swore he'd
run the FIST man through who placed
hand on him.
| The words were hardly from his
mouth when my mate struck him
down with Delaying pin, and in a
few moments more we had him iron
ed. / spoke not word, but confin-
ed him under the topgallant forecas-
tie.
Three days from that time, one of
the lookout men reported land on
the larboard bow.
We steered for it at once, and
found it 20 be asmall island not more
than three or four miles in diameter,
and well wooded. ] ordered the
boat to be lowered, and then put Lof
ton into it. II seemed hard to leave
q human being in such place, and 1
made up my mind that If he would
only beg for mercy and promise to
behave himself, / could recant. But
he did no such thing. went to the
shore with him, and he was sullen
and silent, and even after we had land
ed he spoke rot a word until 1 had
spoken first.
"You won't repent, will you Z" i
said.
His answer was only a volley of
oaths, and ] came off and left him.
and ere long my ship was on her way
again. I turned to look back upon
the island, and saw Lotion standing
nearly where 1 had left him. He was
gazing after US, and then determin-
ed thatif he would only make the
least sign towards the ship / would
go back and get him. But as soon
as he saw that / was looking after
him he plunged into the woods.
We stood on, but l must confess
that the face of that man haunted
me. The run to Calcutta was made
in safety, and on my way back l in
Ton Io1 m efoya of tho leland o,A saa