Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1873-03-22

deck. While the schooner was lying
becalmed, in the gray of the morning,
Seaton had been discovered, nearly a
quarter of a mile away, rowing rapidly
in the schooner's small boat toward the
shore. Another boat was lowered, and
in half an hour he was brought back on
board. The captain was in a perfect
frenzy of rage. As is usual when
mans anger proceeds from deep-seated
personal antipathy, he seemed to forget
the main point of the sailors wrong
doing-his desertion from the ship-and
fell to berating him as thief for at
tempting to steal the boat. He shook
his fist in his face and said he ought to
kill him on the spot. Suddenly he
started back and called to one of the
men:
"Foley, get out coil of yawl rope.
I'll keel-haul the English thief y
Young Seaton had submitted to his
recapture with helpless and woe-begone
expression, and had seemed to give him
self up to despair; but when he heard
the captains order, an expression of alb
ject terror came over his face. He knew
too we'll what it meant. While the rope
was being prepared he begged the cap
tain, in the most piteous terms, to have
him whipped or kept in irons without
food-anything rather than to be tied
and held under the water. He even
knelt and grasped the captains legs, but
was sent rolling over upon his back by a
brutal kick. After that he said nothing,
but lay upon the deck trembling like
leaf. 1t was doubtful whether he was
fully conscious when he went over the
side. He was passed slowly under the
schooner's keel. Second after second
was licked on the mates watch. AS the
men who were handling the rope at
tempted to make haste, they were an
grily ordered to haul more slowly
Three minutes had elapsed, when the
mate suggested that longer time in the
water might kill man that was as deli
cate as the Englishman appeared to be.
With a growl, the captain gave orders to
pull up.
The poor man was brought on board,
limp and senseless, but life was evident
ly not extinct, and the captain left the
deck and went into his cabin. The
sympathizing sailors gathered about
their companion, and did everything
possible to hasten his restoration to
consciousness. He was rolled over
barrel, his arms and legs rubbed, and
afterwards he was wrapped in warm
blankets. 1t was hours, however, be-
fore he could speak, and not till three
days had elapsed could he return to
duty. He had evidently suffered great
pain, even after the terrible agony of
returning life had passed from him. He
became gloomy and taciturn, and said
that he did not think he could live long,
and might not live to complete the trip.
He even wrote several letters, and gave
them unsealed to one of his companions.
They were addressed to his relatives,
and were written in cheerful style,
giving a glowing, imaginative account
of his successes in America. He told
them that he was in fair way to make
money, and from the first found friends,
but that he was then about to embark in
perilous enterprise in which he should
either win great success or meet with
irreparable disaster and almost certain
death. These letters were read to his
friend, explaining that if he should die
on the passage, it was his desire that
they should be mailed at the next port
the schooner should touch at. He did
not want any account of the manner of
his death sent, as he did not desire to
distress his relatives, but to leave them
to infer, after the lapse of long time,
that he had perished in the full flush of
hope and adventure.
Several days had elapsed after the
scene described, and Seaton had begun
to regain its cheerfulness. His comrades
thought that he would forget the terrible
punishment which had been inflicted
on him, and their suspicious that he
contemplated suicide had passed en-
tirely from their minds. A fair breeze
had sprung up which, as the Belle of the
Wave was flying through the waters of
the southwestern part of the Gulf, had
swelled almost to gale. 1t was blow
ing directly astern, however, and, aside
from the pitching motion, there was
little to inconvenience those on board.
On the occasion of which we write, the
sun was just sinking over the dim, blue
Mexican mountains with splendor sell
dom seen except in southern latitudes.
The sea rolled in angry green waves
after the vessel, magnificent in their
power, but incapable of doing harm.
About 6 o'clock the captain came on deck
with his daughter, a little girl about seven
years of age, in his arms, apparently to
show her the sunset, and probably wish
ing to witness the conflict of the wind
and waves. He was standing in the
waist of the ship, when Seaton, who was
passing forward, was thrown against
him by lurch of the vessel, and both
fell to the deck. The captain sprang up