Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1878-01-30
Going AlOft.

CAPTAIN sUTTER'S STORY.
Twas very young when | first entered
upon shipboard, and at the age of fourteen
considered myself quite IL sailor. When
was eighteen shipped on board an East
Indiaman for II long voyage. There were
six of us on board of about the same age.
and we had about the same duties to per-
form The ship, the old Lady Dunlop"
was large one, and our crew was large
one in proportion, there being tifty-two
all told. We boys" as we were called,
messed together, and in all respects were
separate from the rest of the crew, Just as
much us the officers are. Our captain was
noble hearted, honorable man, kind and
generous, but yet very strict. or course
we Youngsters found plenty of occasion to
find fault with him, and very often were
his decisions arraigned before our mess
and decidedly condemned, In fact, we
should have reversed many of his iudg-
ments if we had the power; but rs he was
the commander, and we We're only fore
most hands, and boys at that, he had his
own way, and the luminous decisions we
came to We're consequently of no avail,
|
and lost to the world.
Now, we boys had learned in the course
of our travels to d ink our grog as'well as
any sailors. We could toss off Il glass Of
rum and water with as much grace rs any
one, and we claimed the right to do so, not
only us privilege, but rs an honor to
which IL life upon the ocean entitled US.
But even in this respect our cap'ain pre-
tended to differ from lis. When we could
get on shore we would invariably indulge
in our cups, and not unfrcquently would
we come off, or be brought off in state
anvhing but sober. said we, but there
was one of our number who could not be
induced to touch IL drop OF anything in
toxicating. His name was John Small,
and he belonged to one OF the towns Of
New Jersey.
Now Jack Small not only refraned en-
tiyely from drinking himself, but he used
sometimes to ask us to let the stuff alone.
He gave the job up, however, for we made
such sport OF him that he was glad to let
us alone. But our captain had sharp eyes,
land it was not long before he began to
show Jack Small mvors which he did not
show to us. lie would often take Jack
ashore with him to spend the night, and
such things as that, while we were Kept
on board the ship. Of course this created
Il sort of envy on our parts, and it ended
in sort of il-will towards poor Jack.
; Now in truth, Jack was one of the best
fellows in the world. He was kind, oblig-
, ing and honest, always ready to lend Il
helping hand in case of distress, and as
7 true friend us ever lived-only he would
MT drink with us, that was all. lie Learned
faster than we did, was II better sailor
t and had learned more of navigation. Bu
=, this we tried to lay to the captains paying
i him the most attention, though we knew
n better ut the time, for we had the privilege
g of learning as much Us we had n mind to
= The truth of the matter was, we five love
J. the idea of being called old salts bette
e than we did anything else and we sprn
IS more time in watching for oppouunitie
o 10 have spree, than we did to perlet
S ourselves in the profession we had choser
IS 1t even gol so ut length that Jack Sma
e was called upon to take the deck when TIL
.e officers were busy, and he used to wor
h out the reckoning ut noon us regularly 4
y did the captain. Yet Jack was in our mes
n and he was II constant eyesOre. We 81
IS he was reaching rapidly ahead OF MS
Is every useful particular, and yet we won
nj not open our eyes. We were envious
s. his rood fortune, rs we called ii, and uSt
V, every opportunity to ruin him. But
f. never got angry in return. lie somellm
a would laugh at us, and ut others he won
s. so feelinglv chidr us that we would +
he main silent for awhile.
A At length the idea entered our hea
he that Jack should drink with us. We tai
he ed the matter over in the mess when Ja'
or was absent, and we mutually pledged ca
h, other that we would make him drink
he the first opportunity. After this determi
lin alton was taken, we treated Jack mo
he kindly, and he was happier than he h
mo- been for some time. Once more we lAug
les ed and joked with him in the mess. and
lst in return helped us in our navigation. y
mt were on our homrward bound passage,
,rs way of Brazil and our ship stopped ut /
ire Janerio, where we We're TO remain we
ire or 50. One pleasant morning we
de youngsters received permission to 90
nd shore and spend the whole day; and :
,in cordingy we rugged up our best t'gs II
len were carried to the lNnding.
nd Now was our chance, and we put {
M heads together to see how it should
.ay done. Jacks first desire us soon rs he :
nd on shore, was to 20 up and examine
pes various things in the city. lie wanto
,th visit the churches and such like places, II
ne. to please him we agreed to 90 W
in him if he would 20 an take dinner W