The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1869-03-27

hAs been 30 long practiced both In the Amer
lean and British navies
I do not believe i shall ever forget the frs
exhibition Of this sort Isttended on board o
my own ship, not that the spectacle was Il
any way more revolving than scores I hav,
since witnessed, bot because the sight wa
new 70 me. remember il wanted fully ~
minutes OF seven in the morning when my
servant aroused me. "Why so early to
day y inquired, as turned out. "a fay
ing match, you know, SIR said Jones' Nv
heart gave an anxious "thud" against my
ribs, as IL myself were to form the Gram foI
the sacrifice" hurried through with ms
bath, and, dressing myself a. II for holiday
in cooked hat, sword and undress coat,
went on deck. We were at ancnor H. 81
mons Bay. All the minutie Of the scene o.
remember as though it were bat
yesterday, The morning was cool and clear
1.-The bills clad in lilac and green, seabird:
floating higt in al. and the waters of the
bay rejecting the blue Of the sky and the
lofty mountain sides, forming q picture al
most dream-!ike in its quietness and sereni-
ty. The men were standing about in groups
dressed in their whitest Of panialoons, bluesi
Of smocks, and neatest of black silk necker-
chiefs. By-snd-bY the cuiprit was led aft
BY file Of marines, and | went below tc
make the preliminary examination, in order
to report whether or not ne might be 6t for
the punishment. He was as good speci.
men Of the British marine as one could wish
to look upou-hardy, bold, and wiry. HE
crime had been smuggling spirits on board
Needn't examine me, do tor" he said, IL
amt afeari Of their four dozen they CAM
hurt me, sir-leastwsys my back, you know
my breast though; hum M !" and be
shook bis head, rather sadly, thought, a.
he bent down his eyes. "What," said /,
shave you anything the matter with your
chest T" may, doctor, nay; it's my feelings
they'll hurt. I've little girl at home that
loves me, and-bless you, sir, wont look
her in the face again, no-bow" | Eel, bis
palse. No lack of strength there, no ner-
yousness the artery had the 6rn beat Of
health, the tendons felt ike rods of iron be-
meath the finger, and his biceps stood out
hard and round as the mainstay of an old
seventy four, pitied the brave fellow, and
yery wrong Of me it was, but | could not
helm Titled cut and offered him a large
glass Of rum. "Ah SIR" he said, with a
wistful eve on the ruby liquid, don't tempt
me. sir. I ear bear the BIT o. haying athout
that; woulda.'t have my messmates smell
Dutch courage on my breath, sir thaLkee
the same, doctor" And he walkei on
deck and surrendered himself All hands
had already assembled, the men aud BOYS on
one side. and the officers, in cooked hats aud
swords,on the other. A grating hal been
lashed against the hulwark, and ano ther
placed on deck beside H. The culprit's
shoulders and back were barred, and strong
belt fastened around the lower part Of the
lions for protection he was then firmly tied
by the hands to the upper, and by the feet
to the lower grating little basin Of cold
water was placed at his fee; ; and all was
now prepared. The sentence was read, and
orders given to proceed with the punishment
The cat is terrible instrument OF torture !;
| would not use il on q bull unless in self
defence: the shaft is about foot and half
long, and covered with green or red baize
according to taste the thongs are nine,
about sRentv eight inches in length, Of the
thickness Of goose-quill, and with two knots
tied on each. Men describe the first blow
az ike gtru~sr- ef molten dead. C0mbing
out the thongs with his five ingers before
each blow, firmly aud determinedIy was the
first dozen delivered by the bo'swain's mate
and as uufinchngly received. Then, "One
dozen, ssr, please" be reported, saluting the
commander. Continue the punishment"
was the calm reply. A rev man and q new
cat. Another dozen reported again, the same
reply. Three dozen. The hesh like burning
steel, had changed frcm red to purple, aud
sable and white; and between tue third and
fourth dozen, the suffering wretch, pale
ii -
begged q comrade to give him q mouLhful of
water. There was a tear in tne eye Of the
hardy sailor who at once obeyed him, whis-
peri lg rs he id so-"Keep up, Bill /; irn
soon be over now" s'Five, six, the corp0-
raj slowly counted-"seven, eight" 1t is
the last dozen, and how acute must be the
torture mime, ten" The blood comes
now fast enough, and-yes, gentle reader, I
viii spare your feelings. The man was cast
loose at last and put on the sick j !. He
had borne his punishment without groan
and without moving a muscle. A large pei
monkey sat crunching in the rigging, and
grinning ali the time. ] have no doubt he
enjoyed the spectacle immensely, for he was
only an ape.
Tommie G. was pretty, fair-skinned,
He was one OF class only too common IN
the service having become enamoured OF
the sea, be had run away from his home and
Joined the service and, poor little man be
round out when too late that the stern real
tiles Of q sailors life did not az all accord
with the golden notions be had foi med Of is
Being fond Of slowing himself away iu cor.
ners with +. book, instead of keeping hi.
watch, Tommy very often got into disgrace
spent much Of his time at the masthead
and had many unpleasant palmer rencount-
ers with the corDoral's cane. One day, his
watch being over, be had retired u cor.
ner with his little "dirty- box" Nobod,
ever knew one-haH Of the beloved knick-
knaeks and valued nothings be kept in thai
wee box; il was in fact his private cabia
bTs ga Ictuni sd ctoruHs, to which be couis
-etreat when anything vexed him sort Of
portable home, In which be could forget th'
toll of his weary watch, the glddy mast
hea.' or even the corpors's cane. lie hal
extracted, and was dreamly gazing on, the
portrait Of q very young lady, when the cor
pOrsl came up and rudely seized IL, AMI
made o very rough and inelegant remarl
concerning the fair virgin. "That is nm
sister," cried Tommie, with tears in hi
| eyes, "four sister r. sneered the corporal
'sshe is ---D and he added a word tha
cannot be named. There was the spirit o
young England, however, in Tcmmi e.
breast and the WORD had scarcely crosse,
the corporaPs lips, wnen these lips, and hi
nose too were dyed in the blood the boy
ist had drawn. For ihas hlow poor Tom
mie was condemned to receive four doze
1 lashes. And the execution OF the sentenc
was carried out witA the pomp and sho,
used on such occasions. Arrayed in cooked
hats and sRords, we assemble 70 witnes
thai helpless child in bis agony. On
would have thought that even the roug
bo'swein's mate would have hesitated I
dis6gare skia 90 tsnder, or that the implor
ing gIanse TomA.ie east upward on the 6rs
descending lash would have uunerved hi
arm. Did Il : No, reader; pity there doubt
less was among us, but mercy-none. OF
j We wcre brave bandi And the poor bo
wtithed In his agony; his Screams On
il cries were h9artrenderinQ and. God forriU