The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1877-12-14
STOWED Il VA Il.

| Australian trade. One autumn she was
| discharging a general cargo at the railway
pier, Willamstown, Port Philip, and my
| duties chiefly consisted in keeping a watch
| full eye upon the stevedores at work in the
| hold, for they were terrible fellows for
broaching cargo whenever they got a
chance, and the quantities of wines, beers
| and spirits aboard offered them many
| TEN ptations.
Notwithstanding all my vigilance, casks
| and cases were constantly sent on deck
void Of contents, and was repeatedly Gen.
sured by the chief officer for not keeping a
sharper lookout. This CALLED me much,
for l was confident the gang then at work
were not the depredators, as l had seen
| several bottled ale casks dragged empty
| from the places where they had been stow
ed, and l knew that their depletion was
due to some other agency than the one at
| tributed. At last l received hint from
the cook that there was always plenty of
| grog knocking around the forecaslle and
! the inference | naturally drew was that
the sailors had effected ingress to the
| hold by forcing passage through the bulk
| head in the fore peak, and made night in
cursions upon the cargo. So l resolved 20
sneak below, after the matches had been
| closed at sunset, anc enheavor to catch
| some of the crew in the act,
told the first mate the suspicious I en-
tertained, and he considered my project
| good one so, shortly after nightfal, he
| lowered me down the after hatchway hi m
| self, carefully reclosing it, as, of course, if
the men got notion of what was in the
wind, my mission would be fruitless.
| The night was cloudy and stormy, occa-
sional squalls of wind and rain drowning
every sound on deck but in the spacious
| lower hold all was still and silent the
grave. l CROPPED my way forward for
some distance, clambering on hands and
knees over chests, bales and boxes, until
at last l found my way impeded by several
huge cases of machinery, which barred up
the passage from one hatchway to tue
other, on the starboard side. On the port
side and amidships small cases of wine
were slowed, and as | could easily lift
them, | commenced removing the top
layer, and trawling ahead as | did so. AS
a lamp would have betrayed my presence
to the thieves, l did not carry one; but |
had a few matches in my waistcoat pocket
and I occasionally lighted one when | lost
my way through the labyrinth of goods.
| Atlast, on removing good sized bale, L
found empty space before me, and suppos-
ing | bad arrived at the main hatchway,
from whence all the cargo had been re-
moved, l faced about and began lowering
myself by my hands and feet to the keiison,
but a case | glasped suddenly gave way
aud [ was pre- cipitated to the plank floor
ing, the package falling upon my legs
and holding me down with its weight,
which was considerable. l tried to rise,
| but the effort was futile, and the pain in
| my crushed limbs was excruciating. The
air was hot and sitting, with peculiar
Sickening odor hanging upon it.
After fumbling in my pocket for a match
I struck the last one | had against the iron
band of the case. Directly it ignted a
sheet of white flame flickered around, and
in its pale. wierd light, L saw ghastly
skeleton crouched in close proximity to
where | lay.
Huge drops of sweat welled up and stood
in dewy beads upon my brow, yet chill
sensation shook every nerve and muscle III
my body. | could see nothing in the in
tense darkness; but as if lured by fascina-
ton glanced in the direction of the ghast
ly figure until my eyes stood out of their
! sockets. | fancied | could see the long,
bony arm of the skeleton thrust itself forth
to grasp me; the fleshless face, the hollow
temples, seemed clear to my sight, and the
white rows of teeth seemed to mock and
| grin at my despair. | was but youngstei
and | could bear the horrible phantasy nc
| longer my overstrained nerves relaxed
and | swooned.
How long | remained unconscious
can not tell; but, when my senses re-
turned, | heard noise short distance
ahead of where l lay, and saw a ray OF
yellow light CLEAN through the interstices
of some loosely slowed packages on my
right. Then the sound of a mans voice
fell on my ear, and, by the intOnation OF
it, knew that sailor named Carstairs
was in the vicinity of where | lay.
'It's good for us the mate thinks it's
| the land porters as breaches the cargo, oil
we'd never get drop of this good liquor.
| say, Bill, can't we smuggle off enough
to last the voyage home ;" L heard him
say.
.sCarstairs!" | hallooed in a faint voice,
that sounded strangely unnatural even
to myself. "Heip! I'm jammed up IL
| here
had been let fall.
Heavens! Bill, did you hear that p? y
half shrieked the terror stricken sailor.
"'Tis summat onnat'ral, anyhow, Lets
| get out o this, Joe. L knew no good
would ever come of this way of doing
business" replied his companion.
l hallooed again, louder and more dis
tiuctly. "For heavens sake don't leave
. | me here to die!' | cried.
"That's the third mates voice, fol
. sure,'' said Carstairs. whats he artei
{ down here? Spying on us suppose: But
if he's hurted, it's best we go and nell
, him; he's not bad sort, and, perhaps
won't split on u.s."
Flinging cases and barrels aside. the,
advanced quickly towards me, guided o,
my voice as | repeatedly hailed them A
last only one case stood between them ant
me; they rolled it away, and grasped th'
one beneath which | lay.
.'Are you much hurt, sir?' asked Car
stairs.
al can scarcely tell," I replied, as the,
lifted me up. Then | pointed in th'
direction of the skeleton. ''Look there,
| | said.
mercy, mercy!'' cried the sailor, hi
stalv form trembling all over as hi
l gaze fell upon the CHASTITY figure whicl
the bright glare of the lamp revealed t
{ MS in all its repulsiveness. lis SON
3 poor fellow who's slowed himself away fo
the passage he added, when the firs
agony of surprise had passed away.
l was sorely bruised, but no bones wer
broken. The sailors assisted me aionl
4 L I l,oxa haf a ~