Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-01-23
IN DANGEROUS COMPANY.

We had not been ten days at sea before m v
mind nisgave me, and began TO dread an
unfortunate termination To our voyage for
matters han gone wrong from the very be-
ginning There had been trouble with the
crew, who seemed To have an idea that ppr-
snnlal drunkenness was the proper STATE of
mans existence: and who. as long as a six
pence lasted Obstinately refused to go on
ooaru IN many cases having TO De hauled
nom the wharf over the side III Ike so much
Suspended animation Then when we had
Been warped out into the river. and were
awaiting the Captain, We found that ne had
Dfen taken suddenly and violently ILL., 80
that a weeks delay followed, ending in n
Besh appointment, and the coming OF q new
saptaln-a man OfQuiet, genial aspect, whose
presence seemed to- augur a termination of
eor troubles, and he was welcomed accord
ugly.
For merchant outward bound is by no
means the paradise existence IN the minds of
aren't sehool-6Oys- bitten with longing for
NE at sea Twenty-fOur hours of the life
o1 board and its discornforts effectually
siskened me. bat then / had chosen my YES
=. Df reasons or economy, knowing that
pFaeeiess value IN a new home; 40 made up
ny mind not 10 be disconnected. but to bear
All thaf fell To my lot. 1 had taken my pas
sage To Buenos Ayres with the fun Intention
81 coughing IL for some years To come. and
therefore argued that IL would be cowarily
70 turn tail at the frSt trouble that fell To nv
share But really il was trying work in
spite OF the strongest determination The
sailors Were soon i'm that pleasant state of
"a
oaueh, and. as If giving the unfortunate pas
ssngers the credit of being the cause of their
sanerlngs lost no opportunity or visiting the
said sunerinSs upon their heads. said upon
their heads. but the feet as frequently suf-
fefed, buckets OF water being Dashed upon
teeni-of course accidentally-if we ven
iofesi Oh deck during hOly-stOning times. We
came 10 grief too. over ropes. over the stow
IbH OF cargo. and in a variety of WAYS during
Nos hrSi days-our sea going friends looked
upon us a. an inferior race OF beings. whom
a. IubbeTS- NJ was their duty TO affiict. But
oS cunt OF good temper. this was all pretty
vel got over. IN time for the rough weather
We encountered down channel and right
away across the bay Of Biscav. sufficiently
DAD 10 eoifine uS all, sick and well. below
hatfhe> Tor many a dreary day OF pitching
anu tossing with the ships tiniberS 9roaning
and cracking 10 a decree that seemed to
Al. eaten falling to pieces
Pltture 10 yourself YOU VINO have not been
oh shlp-bOard. a gloomy, lOw-ceile1 prison,
with stout beams crossing every here and
shere the light Stealing Ieebly through the
nttie WINDOWS, the air YOU breathe hot. foul,
anu SHINING. The hatch above YOU batfened
down. 50 that. save at special tipts.. there is
no communication with the dec <: and No.. Nv
eNeTS itttOw passenger either bemoaniny ~.
tb., bt 81 or else groaning as he Lies prone i'm
,t. nt pIts> misery OF sea-sickneSs I think
- ..ie fiIisefi6s 6f 4 rough voyage
S sDt ioreSeen. those who take triDs 10
IoH lands would De greatly reduced IN
Dunoers
A couple OF days respite came al last in
The shape Of fine weather. and in the reaction
produced by the bright sunshine. and free
DISK air we breathed on deck. the troubles of
the past were forgotten. The captain still
seemed all that was very pleasant: but there
was flushed and heavy look in his cOunte-
nance that did not like. and before long
mao another opinion upon the subject for In
conversation. found that the second mate
had been al the same school a. myself AMI
toseihef we went over the oil days and COM
Far INTO the watch.
The weather turned foul once more. but
inns illne, through the mate. ] contrived To-
STAY On deck when. To nv surprise / t1lnl
mat the greater part of the duly was shifted
Oh 20 me chlti male, the captain seldom
showing on deck
SAID my friend 10 Inc. a. We walked the deck
thsat Sht- when the gale had somewhat mo-
aefatesI OF course this il in confidence"
We'll" he continued. Il don't know what
10 make of him; sometimes think ne : mai
IL SOMETIMES That ne is given to drinking
dow ne got appointed to this ship. / cant
TEL Nr Ray do mt say anything but ne is
one Oh those men who think all the more: and
Oi course hell be particularly careful lest
me captain should think that, as first mate
ne Il jealous because the command wa, moi
placed in his hands"
No more was then said; but before MANY
days had passed. we found that the man vino
had been entrusted with q fine vessel a
Variable cargo, and, more than all the lives
sortnnate beings who. not content with tho
Sooy ment OF the good things of this life, are
the habit OF having Incorporate out
oseaks, when the impulse to drink COM
Dencing, perhaps with the stfmulanrs "a
ken IN some time OF peril, grows perfectly
nDeontrollabIe, and eliminates at length in
eoe of those horrible fits of mania known a :
aetirium tremens.
IL was enough to make any landsman
nervous as To our fate. should the heavy
wSaiher continue; but there was.still the sat
1shcuon OF knowing that the two mates
49, thofouxh seanen, who would. no doubt
nke upon themselves the management of
ne snip should there be any real danger
These feelings did not trouble me long foT
tne weather again Frightening hone rose
and day AFTER day giided pleasantly by We
saw but little of the captain, and only
teamed that he was confined by indisn,sI
ffon 10 his cot, the cause OF this indiSposftion
icing only known TO a few; but could see
that the first mate. Ar. Raw looked n,ore
anxious than usual: and IA king the Onportn
sity OF being ON deck one night hal = IONS
salk with my friend, 10 learn that the can,
lain only recovered from one ft to seek tIie
means OF bringing on another.
PITY we did not leave him behind aIto-
fether," said at last.
II we thought 81 a dozen times, :" said my
friend. for this sailing with a madrnan on
beard does not suit my book"
The days glided slowly by with varying
weather The hot attitudes were reached
There was little hOrse-play as we crossed
the line; then "A shark was caught. and al
times a dolphin or bonitO: and at last pauf-
ing with the hear, we lay beneath the almost