Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-06-13

A KENNEBECKER IN CUBA.
Among the American Captains in Havan
By CAPT. j. Ii. DREW OF FARMINGDALE.
ON SIIIPBOARD.

ON snIPBoARD.
Come with me. The fresh sea breeze
is blowing and we will 60 on board. Our
squadron OF boats work out among the
fleet of vessels, the Marine Band is play
ing on board the monster "Arapiles'' iron
clad, and thousand streamers fill the skv.
we are soon on board, our repast is over,
and We repair to the clean quarter deck.
The awnings are spread, and we seat our
selves as though at home. Soon the sun is
gliding the distant hil-tops, showing here
and there tufted palm or grove OF orange
trees. Some distant convent bell is call
ing to vespcrs. Gradually the breeze SUBJ
sides to gently breathing air, and the
hum OF the busy day, the squeaking tackle
and fall, is done. Those who don't want
their boats any more hoist them up, the
mate is in the waist thinking OF his far
away home, and the sailors gathered in
knots about the "fokistle" Well, it is
just lovely! 1t is time when there is mu-
sic in the air. Slowly descend the flags
OF every nation in the world. following the
lead of the royal frigates. The band PLAYS
the Spanish march, and we sit musing
there. Then come the old lines to US,
Ear, far over hill and dell, On the winds
stealing, List to the convent bell," etc.
Soon our crew start song. Far over the
waves comes trembling back a response
from some other American vessel. What
memories come rushing along. The
Wild Afuratta," 1.-The Old Cabin Home,''
and many another old ballad of our boy
hood. An English crew gave us some
thing new from London. or one of Dib-
den's old songs. such as ''Ye Mariners OF
England" (Which by the way, is not Dib-
den's) The Germans give the ''Watch on
the Rhine," and the Spanish matelot tunes
his guitar and sings the Evening Song to
the Virgin. Not such music this, perhaps
as one of our select company of perform.
ers would give, but far richer to me the
music of the tired and the weary. the music
ter things.
HOW THEY TELL STORIES.
Now again lemonade and oranges are
brought; mo, thank you, don't smoke
I'll take an orange if you please One
Captain after another drops along from
neighoring vessels, and the boats crews
disperse forward to tell of the "ast Ship
and how they did there. Near the wheel
sits Capt. Brightman OF Down river, Mass.
He owns the vessel, has spent life time
in the trade, and loads this and other ves-
sells with the productions of his labor
His memory goes back to the days of pi-
rates and the embargo. He tells with
honest pride in the most modest way OF
the MANY things he has learned in West
Indies. (Here is the place to find out all
about the good and evil of the island)
By and by Capt. Booster of Stoneland,
Maine, drops alongside. His powerful
frame and horny hands grow old. and
with look from under his great shaggy
eyebrows, he says that some how or other
he can't do SO well as he used to-dear old
soul, as though he had not done enough.
He tells OF hardships on many a sea, and
says that once while on a wreck they were
pumping for their lives. when young
man from his own town said, Captain, |
want to go and pray" "You leave that
pump" said Capt b. through his clenched
teeth, land | will kill you. You pump
and | will pray" He knew that if that
man left the pumps others would, and
then it would be all over but he meant 10
save them, and he did. When they got
home, the local minister took Capt. B. to
do about it; but said he. "What could |
do? iclt awfully about it, but there was
no other way, was there On the taft
rail sit two Cape Cod shippers, talking
about their girls down on the Cape"
A Captain from Richmond, Me, now sail
ing from Mobile, tells the story of the
earthquake in St Thomas few years ago.
All listen to it with breathess interest.
He says that there We're hundreds of ships
- all al and pntinnc no
A few days before, when an awful hurr-
cane occurred which sunk many of them,
vessels were driven right over one anoth-
er three deep and hundreds of lives were
lost in a few minutes; he never saw any
thing like its fury, but that was nothing
to the earthquake that followed. He SAYS
that he was on shore with friend, when
an old negress told them to flee up the
mountain side for their lives. When they
had gained some distance they paused to
look round on the town and harbor, and
there they saw a sight that almost froze
their blood Slowly and with awful mo-
tion all the water receded from the har-
Dor and left the bottom dry, sight no
living man had ever seen. 1t was like
the opening of the sixth seal. The
churches and buildings began to totter.
the ground rent beneath them, emitting
flames of sulphur and smoke. The fall
ing walls, the screams Of the living, the
groans of the dying went up, and then
with ore mighty rush the sea came back
wall of water sixty feet high, carrying
everything with it, The ships thai were
left were hurled like bubbles up the noun
tain side. and landed in the midst of the
city, mighty groan and it was all over.
He says he fought all through the war.
He passed the forts with Farragut at New
Orleans and Mobile. and he showed the
place in his breast where he was shot to
prove it, but he never knew fear till then
fear was no name for it. When the
ground was rocking under his feet he was
sick and fell helpless to the ground And
thus we pass the evening Old friends
meet that were in Singapore twenty years
ago. ''Do you remember" says one. ''of
the ship Dolphin when she was there ?n
Yes; well, | was mate of that ship with
old Joe Hoyt. as smart sailor as ever
trod ships deck" ''And l was in the
Annie Kimball. you remember. Don't
you remember mep" "What, Hallett |!
Frank Hallet Of course do. Can it be