Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1870-03-24

never beheld-it fairly glittered with
IN expression OF fiendish exultation! /
unfiinchingly returned his gazc with a
look of defiance, which know | then
felt, and before which, the cowardly
rascal quailed. jenkins was the first
to speak. 4 was just about to give my
self an introduction said he. with a
snccr: but perceive that you recog-
nize 'ne as an old acquaintance You,
no doubt, have been very anxious to see
me, as have, for a long time. been in
Your debt. just trifle, for services rem
dcred in the way of a little surgical oper-
ation,-pointing to his sightless eye.
Before the voyage is up, hope to see
all old scores amicably adjusted.
Where am l. demanded.
Wen sir, rs near rs can reckon, you
are on board the good brig Eagle, of
Boston, commanded by Captain Eowline
of Salem, and about twenty leagues
south Of Nova Scotia.
How came | herc?' was the next
question.
We'll. in the first place, YOU sailed
here; but YOU signed shipping articles
in Eastport, to go on board the Eagle.
then at anchor in Lubec harbor, loaded
with choice pine lumber, and ready to
sail.
The papers are dated, December. "a,
and, in them, YOU obligated Yourself
to go IA voyage, a. able seaman, first, to
Valparaiso, Chill; thence to Australia,
and back to Boston, by way Of Liver
pool.
sank upon sea-chest, with n groan
A cowardly. dastardly outrage
cried with venemence; Il signed the ar
ticles without knowledge of the act, in
q state of intoxication'
You talked bravely' said he, in the
tavern where you were left. You told
any number of marvellous sea yarns; and
insisted upon pnt,ing your name to the
articles.
Il tried to dissuade you' Gin this he
no doubt licd) but you would not take
mo" for an answer: now YOU must
bear the consequences of your own free
act. Your being drunk was your con
Germ. not mine. All bad to do wa. to
tote Won down to Lubec, and put YOU
| aboard
Il will not do duty | replied. .You
had no right to smuggle me on board in
this way. No one. having spark of
honor, wonld be guilty OF such mean
ness
''Oh well,-just as you please about
that" was his ironical reply; but il
you have been TO sea, as much as YOU.
say, (about hundred years. Judging
from your account) you must be aware,
that on board of craft like this, we
have some pleasant, little modes for
compelling refractory sailors to do
duty. The only thing You can do, is
TO make the best Of bad bargain, and
not 10 be quite so drunk when you
!
grog you want but if you get boozy,
on ship-board, on go the patent. me-
tallic ruffles."
/ With these taunting words, he left
| for the deck and buried my face be-
tween my knees, and wept many bit
ter tear-the first since childhood. l
reviewed the past few days; and, if
ever poor soul repented Of sin. l did
then. Oh. how loathed and abhored
the very name of alcohol
hated it worse than saint hates
| Satan!
felt that the appetite tor liquor,
which had haunted me for years, was
gone forever.
Like the woman in sacred writ felt
within me, that l was cured of that
plague
then turned my thoughts towards
nv immediate situation. | should gain
nothing by being obstinate. l had no
one to blame but myself. l resolved
to follow the mate advice, to make the
best of bad bargain. | went on deck,
and reported myself to the captai n,
ready for duty.
You have come to a wise conclusion
said the captain. "Nothing on ship
board like coming right up to duty,
with hearty good will, man-fashion.
found the crew to be composed of
the very worst specimens Of humanity.
They were, with one or two excep-
tions, foreigners, and dissipated set
altogether.
OF the mates character, you know
but | soon discovered him to be wholly
incompetent for the important position
he pretended to fill. He was seldom
sober, and always anywhere but in the
right place.
The captain, on the contrary. was a
temperate man and soon found, to
my delight, that he was gentleman
as we'll. found, in him, friend from
the outset. He was kind and forbear-
ing toward the crew, and treated them
as men but the ungrateful scoundrels
saw that he was firm as the hills,
rigid disciplinarian, and that he meant
to be master of his own vessel.