The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1875-03-13

IN SAN FRANCISCO HARBoR.
At 2 O'Clock P. NJ. James Hanlon, able seaman,
while rigging out a main top gallant studding
sail boom, fell from the yard overheard. Ship
was hove to and port quarter boat lowered, but
Hanlon never came TO the surface.
December 12th.-Weather still hazy, wind n.
E. William Todd. ordinary seaman, while making
up a gasket on the port cross jack yard arm fell
overheard. Hove ship, to, but be never came TO
the service.-lExtract from the Official log of the
British iron ship--on her passage from Mel
bourne to San Francisco
The captain of the vessel, now in this harbor,
from whose log the above extracts were made,
and the name Of which, by bis request, we re-
press, related the following curious narrative to
the writer:
81 had" said he, 80 almost finished taking in
a stiHening of coal for my trip to San Francisco,
when two young men came aboard my ship and
told the mate, Mr.. $, that they would like
to see the captain. l was at lunch at the time,
so the fret officer directed them to wait a few
minutes. During this period, as Mr.. s.
afterward told me, they conyersed earnestly and
loudly in French, one
SEEMING TO URGE,
And the other object, to some plan or project.
At last, Todd, the youngest, put his foot on the
gangway plank, when Hanlon pulled him back,
and at this moment 1 came on deck. Hanlon
touched his cap and said Please, sir. 1 would
III " sup Will YOU VI sun GEaDclbcO.
He was a tall, handsome, 1.-THE looking fellow,
with a thoroughly seaman like air. Il can only
take you for the round trip to Liverpool, 1 an
swered, What do You want to ship as? able
seaman. 1 SUPPOSE?
Yes, sir, able seaman. Here is my last dis
charge
I examined it, and found it all correct. |
glanced at bis companion. He was of small
stature, had fair curling hair, and looked like an
English school boy. l thought, This fellow has
run away from home, gone to sea-, and now wants
to get back again DO you want to ship also?'
/ said to him.
yes, SIP I'd like to ship as ordinary seaman.
/ can furl and steer, but L lost my last discharge
Well, L took them to the shipping Office and
they signed the ships articles az James Hanlon,
A. B., and William Todd, D. s. The writing
was not in the usual scrawl Of ignorant men.
Hanlon's was a bold, good hand, and Todd wrote
his name in small, fine characters, which L have
observed customary with those educated in conti-
mental schools. We got to sea, and the first day
out an incident occurred which afterwards made
an impression on me. Todd was coiliDg down
ropes on the poop, and Hanlon was at the wheel.
Observing a slight equall sweeping over the wa
ter, l gave orders to let go the mizen royal halli-
ards, and sang out to Todd to jump up a loft and
furl the sail. He sprang into the mizen rigging,
and had proceeded up a few ratlins, when he hes
itated, and looked, as l thought, nervously at the
tapping canvas above him, and then at Hanlon.
He holding the wheel, with one hand, stepped
and said
SOMETHING SHARPLY IN FRENCH,
Or may be Italian, l could not tell which. Todd
his way, got out on the yard and made
the sail fast in a very creditable manner. | was
about to reprove HanloD, but on second thoughts
/ concluded, as there was some mystery about
these two men, l v would keep quiet and find it
out in some other way.
Todd became an immense favorite in the fore
castle. In the dog watch, from 6 to 8, he used
70 sins Eor tho man Traffu EnnlTah on6 EranPh
songs, and when Hanlon, bis chum, who was al
ways with him at these hours, chimed in, the
effect was delightful. Todd's voice was of a fem
mime character, such as L have often noticed with
young boys, and Hanlon had a really fine bari
tone. One day / sent forward for Todd to have
him dissntanelo Gomo 6ohins toohlo. Ho como
aft, and just then the mate called me to inspect
some work going on in the fore hold. You see
this piano of mine. Well, it is not a very fine
instrument, but it has helped me to while away
many a dreary hour of a long passage. When L
I heard a few chords of the instrument
Then the accompaniment to a p~laintive little
English melody which has always beena favorite
of mine, "Little Nell'-founded on the heroine
Of Dickens Old Curiosity Shop" The first
verse of the song was sang with a pathos and
tenderness / had never heard equaled. At the
close Of the second verse / entered the cabin and.
as / expected, Todd seated at the piano.
HE BLUsHED AND APoLoGIzED
In a manner that astonished me. 1t was never
acquired at sea, or even at school.
"Where did you learn to sing, Todd" 1
asked.
home, sir" he said. al have the fishing
lines all clear now"
'Never mind the fishing lines finish that
He did 30, and then, as if quite carried away,
sang song after song-airs from operas and bal
ladsIuntil the mates call of Where's that
boy, Todd?'' aroused me from the pleasure and
adjustment IN which l had listened to the per-
Torrance. The next day 1 called both Hanlon
every attempt 1 made to unrayel the history of
the previous career of either was met with 81
lence or evasion which it was impossible to break
through"
81 shall now" said the Captain, - refer you
to another portion of the ships log"
November 27th.-Weather thick and rainy.
was brought aft this morning. The sec
ond mate stated that he had ordered him to furl
the fore top gallant stay sail and he had refused,
telling the officer he might lay out and furl it
himself. Asked Hanlon what he meant by this
characterization. He touched his cap civilly, and
answered "a that he did not feel well, had been i'll
for some days and could not tell what was the
1 sent him forward after rebuking him
for his conduct"
Alter this 1 noticed that some GOODNESS had
grown up between Todd and Hanlon. The sail
DTS remarked it, too, and chafFed them about 1t a
good deal. One fellows chat brought him a
severe drubbing, for Hanlon knocked him down,
and the joker came forward for sticking plaster
with as mangled a mug as I have ever seen. This
stopped the chaf. On the afternoon of Deem
Der 9th the mate sent Hanlon aloft to rig out a
top gallant studding sail boom. Todd was max
ing sennit on deck, and just before Hanlon went
loft he touched him on the shoulder, and as the
carpenter told me
WHISPERED SOMETHING
In his ear. Hanlon bent down and touched the
boys hand with his lips, then jumped aloft, and
he next thing was the cry of " Man overheard -
Nobody saw him fall. As the log informs you,
was done eoolly and promptly, but be
never came TO the surface. Alter the boat was
loisted to the davits again, Todd was found lying
It the foot of the main mast, in a fit. He was
,arried to bis bunk and well cared for. Deem
Der 18th he came on deck and walked aft to coil