Connecticut western news., 1872-04-12
THE ACCEPTED OFFERING.

THE ACCEPTED OFFERING.
 The evening was pretty warm, so 1 sat in my cabin with my window and door open. l was reading by the light of wax candle, put in swiyel-stand; but, al- though was interested in the subject, I could not help being aware, in sort of dreamy way, of the sounds which reached my ear from time to time. There was the harsh grinding and rattling of the steam winch at work sdischarging the cargo the cries and curses of the coarse men at work; the striking of the bells on board; the tapping of the water at the wharf; the sounds of the great ferry boats which crossed from East Boston to Boston proper. I was beginning to feel tired, and was thinking of turning in for the night, when the lamp that hung in the passage revealed the figure of the "second mate, great rough, sulky-looking fel- low, with as warm heart as ever beat in human breast. tsOh,' said I, "come in; sit down and spin me that long promised yarn of yours Take cigarette 'tis the only thing I smoke; I'll keep you com pany." So saying, I produced two of the little weeds, and we commenced slowly to exhale &
 -" We'll, sawbones,n ? he began, q was the doctor), q hate palavar; so here goes. was once mate of coolie-ship. I am not going to speak of the coolie trade at this time; but it's about the coolies that the story is. I'm not going to enter into time or place; but suffice it that our ship was good one, and that we were on a voyage with alright heavy load of coolies. We were very tightly packed, I can tell you, and no mistake. We'll, we had the blackies on deck pretty much, and we did all we could to yentilate and purify them; and as yet we had had no disorder among them-all was going pretty well.
 "The skipper was much engaged below he was one of the kind that believe in keeping the steam up-high- you know. In fact, 1 had command; the old man never interfered. Doctor, boys are the greatest nuisance and torment that you can have, afoat or ashore-no mis- take. We had two boys. They were lit tie dwarfsh chits, but as cunning and tricky as young apes. It took us all our time to look after those boys. Sometimes they fought-sometimes they leagued in mischief; but if they were out of sight you might be sure they were doing nc good. George was the name of one Harry that of the other. The whole ot the ship was against them, and they against the whole ship. It was a game, and the little wretches played well. Of course they were tbrashed from time to time but that seemed to act only as stimulant
 Well, one day the coolies got up great affair-at least, it was great affai to them, poor creatures. They were tt give sort of offering to their god-or a least one of them. They wanted to be il his good books, yott see, and so they mad, him this gift. Idon't know all that wal in the bundle, but thinE there was rice and k7aoto that there was money. Tn, offering was fixed in the truck of tn, main -mast-the truck, you know, is tn button affair at thevery point of the mast Well, it was fastened up during the day and the sign was, that if the god came il the night and took away the bundle, h was well pleased, and meant to bless thei voyage. It was fastened all right, an. they set a watch of their own to keep
 tight eye to the bundle, so that they migh see the god swoop down and carry i away. There was also a group of ceolie - at the shrouds to see that there wa no ihallowed interference by the ship peVi e.
 "Well, evening shaded into night an, deuced dark night it was too--heav masses of cloud scudding across sombr sky: not bad weather, but father threat ening, you know. was on watch, feel ing rather anxious as to how the nigh mig It turn out. Our doctor, a native &o, sl. 1Ys gent fellow, can tell you, and well edu cated. He did mt believe in the god com ing down and taking away the bundle but be wasn't afool to express his min before the eoolies. They are rather dan gerous cattle at times. You read nov and again of their rising in mutiny, killin the officers and crew, aye, even settin fire to the ship, and playing the deuc generally. Coolies are not to be trife with, especially when there is grea crowd of them. Of course, they are ie norant and superstitious, and such are a ways dangerous Life with such peopl is at discount, and no mistake. We'll, tn doctor and were devising plans for yer tilating the ship by kipdling fires, etc., an so the watch passed. When eight bell struck at midnight, turned in as soon s lwasreiieved. It seemed scarcely mir ute before 1 heard eight bells strike.agair and was forced to know that it was5fou o'clock. in the morning, and time for m Ito be on deck to take my watch. Tn 'second said that the wind had not rise higher than when I went below, but ths the night had been intensely dark It wa so at the time he spoke. I commenced t pace to and fro-wislling heartily that m watch was over-and, as time passed noticing the gradual diffusion of the ur certain light of early morning.
 Suddenly, my blood was fairly froze in my veins by a devilish uproar.
 thought at first that it was mutiny-the fire. While was composing ray mind ft action, the screaming was renewed tenfol, Coolies streamed and crawled on deck i dozens. They were all violently excited but did not seem disposed to do any mi chief I sent one of the hands to asce tain what was the. TOW, before I gave m command; but before he returned, tt native doctor. sprang to. my side. with
 glassy terror-stricken eye and trem bli1 1s.,,ha E tH~l ,a-. Lo E.