Juniata sentinel. [volume] (Mifflintown, Pa.) 1846-1873, 1873-10-01
JOHN MERRILL's SECRET,

JOHN MERRILL'S SECRET.
Among the heterogeneous crowd who
we're to be my shipmates in the Amphion,
l was particularly attracted to q slender
youth from one of the back counties of
New York State, who signed his name
on the papers as John Merrill. He was
nearly my own age, judged and there
was AN air of quiet refinement about
him, strikingly in contrast with the
rude, boisterous character of the major
ity of our associates. These last were
about an average of such raw material
as is recruited every day of the week at
the metropolis, and shipped off to the
whaling ports, to be manufactured into
seamen.
John was, from the first, retired and
uncommunicative, though less so in his
intercourse with me than with any one
else. he never referred to his antece-
dents, though I had given him my whole
autobiography before we had been a
fortnight at sea. And as found him
sympathizing listener whenever wanted
to let my tongue run on, l don't think
[ ever thought of esteeming him any
the less for his reticence as to his past
life. I merely thought that he must
have some good reason for wishing to
conceal his true history, and was too
conscientious to invent a new one.
One of Johns eccentricities-Ikn knew
not what else to call twas that he
always kept his sea-chest locked. This
is unusual in a whaler's forcastle, and
always subjects the man doing it to un-
pleasant remarks, as implying a want of
confidence in the honesty of his ship
mates. It is common to say of the man
who does it, that che is either q thief
himself, or else thinks the rest of us are
thieves. But John Merrill only
blushed, without making any audible
reply, when such cutting insinuations
were thrown out, as they occasionally
were, in his hearing. They had no
effect whatever, in producing any change
in his habits. Even 1 myself, could
never get a peep at his inventory. He
was generous, even to fault, in respect
to giving or lending little matters but
he always kept his chest in the darkest
corner of our little dark, triangular
quarters, and when he took out or put
in anything, was careful never to leave
it unlocked.
As concerned his duty, he did not
appear to be the stuff of which crack
sailors are made. But he won upon the
good opinion of the officers. even to
gruff Mr.. Baldwin, our executive, tarry
old Triton, whom current report de-
clared to be web-footed.
81 can't haze that boy" he would
say. 1--WE must ease him, till he has
eaten few barrels of salt horse to har
den his sinews
could not tell why, but 1 don't think
was ever envious of my comrade be-
cause the mate favored him in this way,
while he drove me up to my utmost
capacity. Both of us were respectful
and willing. and tried hard to do our
duty, and as he expressed it ''make men
of ourselves" And l think felt rather
elated to know that Mr.. Baldwin dis
covered that there was tougher material
in me than John Merrill. and worked
us accordingly. 1t was an honor to be
selected to pull the mates tub oar,
while he was enrolled in the rear rank
of the "ship-keepers." And [ never
complained, even when, in reefng top
sails, the old salt would say kindly,
'Step down, John Merrill, want You
to help me-" while at the next moment,
he roared at me on the yard in voice
of thunder, 'Lay out there, you Bill,
and take up the dogs ear What are
you staring at in the bunt?"
1 think 1 may have assumed patron
izing air in my intercourse with John,
in consequence of all this. Feeling a
professional superiority, I could not
avoid letting it appear sometimes. But
| if SO, he never seemed to notice it. Ii
there was sudden call in our watch
for one of the boys to jump aloft and
reef studding- sail halyards or loose a
royal, John would start sometimes, but
1 would gently push him back and Jump
in ahead of him. l was proud of my
ability to take the lead, and there was
gratitude instead of indignation or
shame in his clear, blue eye on such
occasions. Some of the men standing
near would, perhaps, intimate that he
was wanting in pluck to let me do this,
but don't think l ever thought SO,
though of course felt fattered by snch
remarks. as any body would.
But John Merrill made sure, though
slow, progress in his duties, and his
sinews hardened up, as Mr.. Baldwin
had prophesied. Though delicate in
frame, his health seemed perfect.
and in some respects we had no better
man among us. He was always ready
/ to take an extra trick on the lookout,
for he seemed to like being alone,
where he could commune with his own
! thoughts. And he was soon acknowl-
edged to be the best helmsman on
board. Did the sturdy old Amphion
show a determination to carry her wheel
an extra spoke to the windward at
sfull-and-by," or to make wayward
sheers and yaws when off before it. no
one could manage her like this quiet,
timid youth.
He was always ready to take my turn
at the helm for me; indeed, he would
have taken them all if 1 would have let
him. He could have done me no greater
favor than this for no duty, however
laborious or dangerous, was so irksome
to me as steering the ship. To do it
we'll, required an abstraction of the
mind for two hours from all other mat
ters, with touch and kind of fore
sight, or rather fore-feeling, in which
John Merrill excelled, but which few
rough -and-tumble sailors possess.
Mr.. Baldwin declared that he ''never
knew q right-down smart fellow who
could steer more than fair, decent
trick :" and that he ''never knew an A l
extra helmsman who was good for much
else." And, after an observation of
many years, think his statement was
not far from the truth.
We made our first port at Talcahuane,
after doubling Cape Horn, and John
and l, being in the same watch, were
much together on shore. But he would
never stay after dark, and appeared
utterly insensible to the fascinations of
the Chilian brunettes. He would not
drink liquor, and his example in this
respect had good effect upon myself.
We sailed for cruise on the coast OF
Peru, after short stay in port. Among
tho mon Skinned To fiIl vacancies was