The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-04-19
A Dance at Sea.

broad ocean on a holiday. To please
his American passengers, the captain-s
warm hearted Scotchman-dressed the
ship with flags from stem to stern. l,
was a magnificent day-there was not
q breath of wind to Lift the semi-trans
parent, golden stained haze in the at.
mosphere-and 80 the boatswain "plpeo
all hands for a holiday frolic. ...
The passengers "piped" themselves,
and rushed in body to see the sailors
act an original play, in which, disguised
as elephants, donkeys, aud other AMI
mails, they did inconceivably funny
things. Then they gave concert a 70
minstrels, with world of natural and
characteristic humor. And in what fes
tive, jolly spirits we got, to be sure
One Of us-a bright, charming young
fellow-invited the whole ship-pas'
sengers, officers, crew, cook, and powder
money-to q ball in the evening, ending
in supper at his expense, on condition
that we danced to the figures sshe called
them out. We were ready at that mo-
ment to promise to dance on our heads
to anything, and looked on at a distance
with delightful anticipation, while he
gave some mysterious instructions te an
old salt, which included some writing
on his part and much gigghng on the
part Of the tar, who walked off present
", looking as tickled as a little boy with
a new kite. ~ =, H.. ~
After tea the deck was cleared Ifor
action. The full moon erode through
the heavens without saddle or bridle.'
as -"horsy"t passenger remarked. The
captains "finely chiseled eye winked !
serenely at the subversion Of law and
order, q as an amateur sculptor observed.
The little stumpy old sailor who owned
q dilapidated fiddle and was to do the
music brought out his Oremona, which
whined and squealed to perfection as he
tried his hand at the good old tunes OF
"Monie Musk" Life let us CHERISH =
and "The Dashing White Sergeant, "
and soon after the dancing began.
But the figures Instead Of "right-
and-left, ETC., which commences CO.
tilon, our host, taught by the old tar,
yelled out this nautical paraphrase: si .
20" Haul upon your starboard tack, and
let the other craft pass, then bear up
and get your head upon the other tack;
regain your berth onthe port tack; back
and ,An with Your partner; boxhaul, and
wear round twice against the sun in
company with the opposite craft, then
your own, afterward bo1haul and bring
her round to plaeel" ,.c..r.et y T.. ..+f,
As we danced with the sailors, they
kept us g to our bearings" and We wait
ed, mid shouts of laughter, for the next
figure, which everybody knows in the
yernaeular as 90 forward two" - t7'!!E
4" Shoot ahead about two fathoms
until you nearly come stem on with the
other craft under way, then make stern
board to your berth; side out for q bend,
first to; starboard, then to port; make
sail and pass the opposite craft, and ge!
your head round on the other tack; an
other side out to starboard and port
then make all sail to regain your berth
wear round, back and; fill, and boxhaul
your partner l"";S ~. .,... q: -'.'' ..t a.
After this came "right hand across,
which the old tar translated pintt
"Heave ahead and pass the adversary
! yard-arm to yard.arn," giving thew
figure with such droll directions that W
were aching with laughter, ending with
"Regain your berth by the best means
possible, and let go the anchor" 4, +.
The rest of the cotillon, given witt
sailing orders, was 80 riotously funny
that the jig which ended it was dances
according to every ones whim, although
the paraphrase was as good as it coufd
be-commencing with: "Wear round
to starboard, passing under your part
ner's bows, and sight the catheads OF all
the crafts" and ending with: !" Boxhan]
the whole squadron in the circular order
y II to laugh is to grow fat, our md: d
vidual tonnage, that jolly day in the
middle OF the ocean, ought to have been
prodigiously increased. The sailors
greeted every figure with uproarioua
Cheers and q * Yo-heave oh!" while we
laughed till we could only gasp. - -.