Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-05-21
COnQuering q Sea Dog.

COnquering a Sea Dog.
Some years ago, when the old ship
Lightheart Was new and staunch, and
when l had command of her, there hap
pened on board an incident over which
[ have laughed many time, when memo
ry has brought it back to me. | loaded
at Mobile with cotton, and ran to Liver.
pool. Among my crew was man named
Rannot. Sam, We always called him. He
was one of the largest formed men L ever
saw, and came from somewhere in New
England. He stood six feet aud FIVE
inches in his bare feet, and Was stout and
bulky in proportion. He had one fault,
and that was an inordinate pride of
strength he was not quarreIsome, nor had
he revengetul point 10 his character, and
yet he was continually pestering and an
noying the crew. Hardly day passed
that he did not give one or more Of them
bodily pain by his freaks. lie would
catch poor fellow by the legs, and swing
him over his head at the immlnent risk of
smashing his brains out against the mast or
| =,
at the poor mans fright. Sometime he
would catch man by the the arms and
| lay him upon the deck, aud in no very
easy manner, either. 1t was no use tor
man to demonstrate, for he would be sure
to punish him some way.
OF course [ forbade Sam from doing
such things, but ne could not remember my
orders longer than one night, the love OF
| fun, as he called it, was fixed SO strongly
upon him. He did not realize how un-
pleasant his prAnks were, nor did he know
that the rest Of the crew had grown to dis
like him. They had adopted many expe-
dients to cure him, but they all failed, and
though he had often been made the butt
of practical jokes-such as sudden drench-
ing in cold sea water while he slept, and
other things equally unpleasant-yet he
always paid his tormentors off with In
terest. He was, in fact, the worse practi-
cal Joker | ever saw, aud not whit did
he care, 50 long as he exhibited his hercu-
lean strength and broke no bones.
When my ship arrived at Mobile, on
the return voyage, another cargo OF cotton
|
load and be off as quick as possible. But
no sooner was the ship cleared than my
men-alI but Sam Rannot-came and in-
formed me that they could not 60 with me
again unless Sam was discharged. | was
not prepared for this. ln heavy work
Sam was worth any three men on board
and was always willing and ready. Yet L
| bo ~
thoug ghtless pranks, and could not blame
them. l told the men to come to me on
the following day, and | would then give
them an audience.
At first thought of promising them
that would see that the old sea dog did
not annoy them any more, but L soon con-
vinced myself that that would be of no
USE Sam would cut up his capers when
[ could not see him, and the men would
not report him every time he hurt them,
But soon a new idea entered my head. |
had brother who owned large panta-
ton on the Chickasaw. His place was not
over fifteen miles from Mobile, and he had
lust the man | wanted. His big arms
we're like iron, and his breast and shoulders
like large bundle of wire done up IN raw
oxhide.
| bantered my brother to let me have
Cato for one or two voyages.
Take him in welcome said he. Hes
getting too important here
Why, is he ugy?' l asked.
oh, no F.; just the other way. He's too
good natured altogether. He sets the very
cancho into the other boys. Eve made
too much of him.
But will he work ?
Yes
So l got Cato for twelve dollars a
month SO long as | wanted him, with the
privilege Of having him for one cruise only
for nothing. But [ took him for better
or for worse,' and | agreed to pay for his
services.
On the next day went on board the
ship. and when the men came to me fol
nv answer, [ asked them if they would
sail with Sam if L would produce quiet
inoffeusive nan who could handle him,
and take said man to sea with me. They
said they would-they would have gone
: with me for nothing. for the sake of seeing
Dam cOuuuoEeu tOlu tucm uo SuUuiu
be, and enjoined secrecy, which they prom
ised.
When Cato learned he was going to sea
with me he was beside himself with JOY
and when came to tell him what [ want
! ed of him he laughed until the tears rolled
down his great black cheeks.
On the very day OF sailing [ brought
Cato on board At first the men exhibit
ed some signs of dislike, but when they
3 found what jolly good hearted old fel
? low he was they gave him their hands
Sam R.nnot winked prod'giousIy when he
i saw the new man, and more than once h
whispered to those near him, 'Thereu b.
i fun Afore long
On the third day out we got everything
e snug and trim, save clearing and covering
e the long boat; and now the crew coult
b 6nd time to snooze by daylight. 1t was ii
II the afternoon, the wind was southwark ant
L westward, and we had it upon the star
4 board-beam, the ship bowling along at to
% rate of about six knots. Cato sat upol