The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1878-09-27
Il THRILLING STOR

The following incident actually occurred
on board of British frigate, and was com
municateG to the writer, several years ago,
by an old man of wars ma1
A timid boy, about fourteen years of age,
hesitated to go aloft, but by the captains
orders, was fOrcibly put in the main rig
ging, and then a boatswains mate was
commanded to lash him like Cog until he
learned to run alOft. The poor fellows
legs and arms trembled, he grasped the
shrouds, he cried, he prayed the iuhuman
captain for God S sake to have mercy on
him butfall in vain. TIE boatswains
mate was ordered to lay on harder, and
harder, regardless of the boys piercing
screams, which made even veteran seamen
turn from the brutal scene with disgust.
His clothes were rent from his back, the
blood followed the lash, and still the tyrant
roared out, Lay on, boatswaiu's mate -
With one wild scream he spraug from
under the lash, and bounded up the rigging
with amazing rapidity. He doubled .he
futtock rigging like = cat, passed up the
tOpmast and topgallant rigging with undi-
mnished speed, Skinned the unrattled
royal rigging, aud perched himself like
bird alongside of the pennant which
streamed from the masthead. Here he
paused, looking fearlessly upon the deck
below. All hands came up to see bim-his
cries and cruel treatment bad already en-
listed their sympathy, and, if possible, had
increased their hatred of the captain.
The monster was smiling compaccntly
at the success of his experiment he was
one of those tyrants who boasted that the
cat, properly applied, could make men do
anything. Still he was apprebensive that
the boy might destroy himself, and the
circumstances be used against him at the
Admiralty, where he knew represen ations
of his cruelty had already been made. The
men gazed in silence, looking first at The
boy and then at the captain who was seat
ed near :he taffrail. They dared not TO be
! seen speaking to one anOJber-it was a
J tinggiug offence even at night spies pass
! ed under their hammocks to ascertain if
! they whispered. The officers walked the
| lee side of the quarter deck, occasionally
! casting their eyes aloft but were as silent
! as the men. Still the boy chung to the
/ masthead. playing with the pennant, ap
! parently unconscious of the interest he ex-
! cited below. Tired with gazing aloft, the
/ captain sung out through the speaking
trumpet, "Down from aloft Down ~
The boy sprang upon the truck at a
+ bound, and raising himself erect. waved
his cap around his heao then, stretching
1 bis arms out, gave wild laughing scream
! and threw himself forward. The captain
jumped to his feet, expecting to see the
boy dashed in pieces on deck but when
/ clear of the shade of the sails he saw him
! sliding along the main royal stay towards
/ the fore top gallant masthead, and heard
/ him laugh and chatter like monkey, as if
enjoying the sport. He reached the mast
head in safety, aud then descended along
the top gallant backstay, hand over hand.
/ The captain looked az him, and was about
to speak, but could not find words The
boy frO.hed at the mouth and nose his
eyes seemed starting out of his head he
/ rolled upon the deck in convulsiGns, stain
/ ing it with the blood which still trickled
. from his back. He was a maniac The
surgeons skill in the course of few weeks
! restored his bodily health, but not his rea-
/ son.
/ From that :ime forward he was fearless.
/ In the darkest night, the fiercest gale, he
/ would scamper along the deck like dog,
/ and bound aloft with a speed which no one
on board could equal. He would run over
| the yards without holding, pass from mast
to mast on the stays, ascend and descend
/ Sy the leeches Of the sails, and run upon
/ the studding sail booms. He was as nim-
BILE as cat, and had forgotten fear. Some
/ of the light duties aloft he learned to dis
/ charge in company with tbem-he did as
/ they did, but could not be trusted to do
/ anything himself. One order he always
obeyed without hesitation. At the COM
! mand, AWAY aloft," he was OFF, and never
! paused until he reached the masthead. AS
! he was harmless and rarely spoke. the ca D.
! tain kept him on board, and, in the course
! of year, sent him aloft for amusement.
! His strength increased with his years, but
/ his bulk and height remained nearly the
same at eighteen as when he became a
maniac.
/ His ribs. breast and back seemed one
/ case of bone, and his sinews and muscles
made his legs and arms appear like pillared
columns. He was fair, with light blue
eyes and delicate skin /; his face oval and
fun, but void of ezpressioD-neither love,