Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1873-03-21
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We bad not been many days at sea befor
my mind misgave me, and began to dreat
an unfortunate termination to our voyage
for matters had gone wrong from the yer,
beginning. There had been trouble will
the crew, who seemed to have an idea tha
perennial drunkenness was the propei
state Of mans existence and who, as lont
as sixpence lasted, obslinately refused tc
go on board, in many cases having TO b,
hauled from the wharf over the side like
so much suspended animation. Then We
had been warped out in the river, aud were
lying awaiting the captain we found that
he had been taken suddenly and violently
Ill, so that a weeks delay followed, ending
In fresh appointment, and the coming of
a new captan-a man of quiet, genial as
pect, whose presence seemed to augur a
termination to our troubles, and he was
welcomed accordingly.
For a merchautman outward bound IL by
no means the paradise existing in the
minds Of ardent school boys, bitten with a
longing for life at sea. Twenty-four hours
OF The life on board and its discomfit-
uses effectually sickeped me; but then l
had chosen my vessel for reasons OF econ
omy, knowing that every 95 note would
be, perhaps, of priceless value in my new
home; so 1 made up my mind not to be
discontented, but to bear all that fell to my
lot. had taken my passage to Buenos
Ayres, with the full intention of TOUCHING
it for some years TO come, and therefore l
argued that 1t would be cowardly to turn
tail at the tirsttrouble that fell to my share.
But really it was trying work in spite OF
the strongest determ nation. The sailors
were soon in that stale of respondent mis-
cry which succeeds long oebauch, and,
as If giving the unfortunate passengers the
the credit of being the cause of their suffer-
ings, lost no opportunity of visiting the
said sufferings upon their heads. / said
upon their heads, but the feet as frequently
suffered, buckets of water being dashed
upon them-of course accidentally y-if we
ventured on deck during holy-stoning
time. We came TO grief, too, over ropes,
over the stowage of cargo, and in a variety
Of ways during those first days; our sea-
going friends looked upon us as an inferior
race Of beings, whom as lubbers, it is their
duty to afflict. But by dnt of good tenn
per, this was all pretty well got over, in
time for the rough weather we encountered
down channel, aud right away across the
bay of Biscay; sufficiently bad to confine
US all, sick and well, below hatches. for
many dreary day o pitching and tossing
with the ships timbers groaning and creak-
ing 20 degree hat seemed to threaten fall
ing to pieces.
Picture to yourself, you who have not
been on shipboard, gloomy, low-ceiled
prison, with stout beams crossing every
here and there, the light streaming feebly
through the little windows, the air you
breath hot, foul and sitting, the hatch
above you battened down, so that, save at
| special times, there is no communication
with the deck. and nearly every fellow pas
senger either bcmoaning his hard fate, or
else groaning as he lies in the helpless mis-
cry of sea-sickness. 1 think that if all the
miseries of rough voyage could be fore
seen, those who take trips to far-of lands
would be greatly reduced in numbers.
couple of days respite came at last in
the shape OF fine weather, and in the reac-
tion produced by the bright sunshine and
The free, brisk air we brealhed on deck,
the troubles of the past were forgotten
The captain still seemed all that was pleas
ant; but there was a flushed and heavy
look in his countenance that did not like,
and before long / had another opinion
upon the subject, for in conversation
found that the second mate had been at the
same school as myself, and together we
went over the old days and compared notes,
as I walked the deck with him far into his
watch.
The weather turned foul once more, but
this time, through the mate, contrived 10
stay on deck, when to my surprise, found
that the greater part of tn e duty was shit
ed on to the chief mate, the captain seldom
showing himself on deck.
"Now don't think il Is from cowardice."
said my friend TO me, as we walked the
deck that night, when the gale had some-
what moderated. "Of course this is in con-
tidence."
l nodded.
"Well," he continued, "I don't know
what TO make of him sometimes I think
he is mad. How he got appointed to this
ship can't tell. Mr.. Ray don't say any
thing, but he's one of those men who think
all the more, and of course he be particu-
larly careful lest the captain should think
that, as first mate, he is jealous because
the command was not placed in his hands,"
No more was then said but before ma
ny days had passed we found that the man
who had been intrusted with fine vessel.
| valuable cargo, and more than all, the
lives OF passenger and crew, was one of
those beings who, not content with the en-
joyment of the good things of life, are In
the habit of having incorporate outbreaks.
when the impulse to drink, commencing,
perhaps, with the stimulants taken In some
time of peril, grows perfectly uncontrolla-
BILE, and eliminates at length in one of
those horrible fits of mania known as de-
lirium tremens.
1t was enough to make any landsman
nervous as to our fate should the heavy
weather continue; but there was still the
satisfaction Of knowing that the two.mates
were thorough seamen, who would, no
doubt, take upon themselves the manage
ment of the ship should there be any real
danger. The feeling 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 captain,
and only learned that he was confined to
his cot by indsposition, the cause of this
ipdisposition being only known to few;
but could see that the first mate, Mr..
Ray looked more anxious than usual, and,
taking the opportunity of being on deck
one night, had long talk with my friend,
TO learn that the captain only recovered
from one iit TO seek the means of bringing
m apnthar