Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1871-09-13


oi mania known As delirium tremens.
IL was enough TO make any landsman
nervous Is 10 our fate, should the heavy
weather continues but there was still the
satisfaction Of knowing that the two mates
were thorough seAmen, who would, no
doubt, take upon themselves the manage
msnt Of the ship. should there be any rial
danger. These feelings did not trouble me
long, for, the weather again Frightening,
hope rose, and day after day glided pleas
antly by. We saw but little Of the Cap
tain, and only learned that be was confined
by indisposition 20 his cot, the cause ofthis
indisposition being only known to a few
but | could see that the fint mate, Mr.. |
Ray, looked more anxious than usual and |
taking the opportunity Of being ON deck |
one night. had a long talk with my friend, |
to learn that the Captain only recovered
from one tit TO seek the means for bringing
on another.
"Pity we did not leave him behind alto
gether,n said at last.
ave thought SO a dozen times,n said
my friend, "for this sailing with madman
on board does not suit my book"
The days glided slowly by with varying
weather The hot ATTITUDES were reached.
There was little horse-play as we crossed
the line then a shark was caught, and at
times q dolphin or bonito; and at last,
painting with the heat, we lay beneath the
almost vertical sun, without a breath of
wind TO fill the sails as they hung from the
yards, the vessel gently rolling in the swell
as the sen heaved and fell without so much
as a ripple visible. Rough coverings were
rugged up; but in spite Of all that could be
done to mitigate it, the heat was unbear-
able, beating down upon our heads, and
reflected from the sea, which shone like
vast mirror Of polished metal. Gaping
seams, with the tar oozing forth, rails and
stanchions so heated that a hand could
not be borne upon them, and the tween
decks sitting as an oven, it was no wonder
that we were constantly longing for the
comparative cool of the night; but even
then there was not time for the tempera-
ture to grow much lower before the sun
once more rose, each day apparently hotter
than the last.
We were seated one evening, watching
the last glow of the setting sun, when
? Anderson, the second mate, made the re-
mark that he thought a change was COM
ing and then our attention was taken up
by Mr.. Ray passing close by us, and de-
scending as if to the Captains cabin.
"How has he been to-day 2' | said, as
? Mr. Ray disappeared.
"Worse than ever" was the reply. "lt
, were Ray, Pd make prisoner of him.
! and take sole command. He'd be quite
, justified in so doing"
, Further conversation was cut short by
/ the temperance of the mate, who
f beckoned hastily to my companion.
Q Something wrong" he exclaimed, as ht
I lcaped to his feet and quite as quickly
n followed him to the hatchway.
i "Good heavens, Anderson p' exclaimed
0 Mr.. Ray, "what's to be done Z He's ravinI
d mad"
q "Have you no medicines 2" said.
. Medicines Yes; but how are we t
4 deal with a man in his state2 Jus
n listen."
v In effect, as he ceased speaking, ther
;f came from below the sound of breakin
q chairs, smashing glass, and a noise as G
some one leaping from side to side of tn
4 cabin, followed by tremendous batterin
n at the door.
y "Pve locked him in," said Ray 70
i he's not fit to come on deck. But get hell
- and we must secure him, and strap hir
9 into his cot"
"a A short consultation was held; and the
,s it was decided to call one Of the old seame
% sturdy, quiet man, and to do all as quie
,ee ly as possible, SO as not to alarm the res
ir Of the passengers and crew.
u Anderson fetched the old sailor, WI
> came rolling up, turning the lump of toba
~ co in his mouth and from his remark
w was evident that he had been enlightene
u upon the business in hand.
w "Ah,n he growled, what thing it
w W as any one will go on wasting precio'
rs liquors, and turning blessings into pisou
a I knowed this would be the end of it,"
" "Don't preach, man." said Ray, angril
- "but come along Now, look here"
~ whispered, as we descended: "as soon as
~ ~ open the door, all step quietly in togethe
llyy He'll dash at US the same as he did at II
on ~ while ago; but he can only tackle o.
oh man at once, SO that while he is engage
ot the Others must secure him."
om We had hardly nerved ourselves for o
w. ~ task, and the mate was holding up
W hand rs a signal as he unlocked the doc
,ss when we were staggered by the sharp
m man mort of a pistol, simultaneous with whi
a. a. there was a dull thud close to my ear a
ns % I started back with the knowledge that
m ~ bullet had just passed through the cab
~ door and whistled by my head. Then cal
:, loud, harsh laugh, followed by a coul
~ - more pistol-shots, both of which pass
ND ND through the panel of the door.
ha ho need hardly say that we beat retr'
,be directly; aid as we stood once more
- deck, the first mate wiped the perspirat
~ from his forehead, and looked from one
nd ~ the other, as much as to say, What sh
Ibo we do2 4,
lnt .at 1t was, indeed trying position and
I la a few moments no one spoke. Then
tSa uol Raw seemed to recover himself, and spt
.n out firmly and quietly: "We should o
Aoo be casting away our lives if we were to
A,+ in now. The only plan ! can suggest is
9to ~ watch him through the skylight, and &C
,nJ when he is asleep"
nlu at don't think he can do any mischie
NMas M the meantime" said; but we must 81
him soon."
;, Miscbiefp said the old sailor dry
~ 10 "Well, dunno; but what if he Keeps
my my popping off that revolver thing
!, = shall be having bullet in among
- powder, and blow-up."
Powderm / said.
,ou eyes in the magazine"
,T ';nl "Is there powder on boardf
nan ,nn with strange tremor in my voice,
tb;s turned to Anderson. !,
wv ,n' "Yes, heavy lot Of it," he said husE
who ana as he spone' nls - - Sle hee4s