River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1879-02-20
Naval Anecdotes.

From the Boston Journal
There is story told among sailors of
an old Nantucket skipper who said if he
could only taste the soundings anywhere
on our coast he could tell where he was
the darkest night that ever was known.
The bows that sailed with him deter
mined to test this, and the Eext time they
were in port procured some earth from
neighbours garden and secreted it on
board the vessel they sailed in and of
which the old skipper was master. One
night, when he was in his bunk the
young rascals woke him up and said that
they had got sounding and wanted him
to taste and tell them where they were.
Accordingly he deliberately applied his
tongue to some of the mud and then
sprang from his berth, exclaiming, 'Nan-
tucket's sunk and here we are right over
Hackett's garden"
knew a firm once in Boston who were
fitting a bark for the East Indies, and the
captain in looking over her effects found
the lead line broken and used. He tod
the owners that all there was left of it
was ten fathoms and be wanted new
one. Keep her Che boaD in ten faith
oms, said the owner. sand she will go
ashore
| once knew German Captain who,
when he had brought the reflected sun,
down to the waters edge, thought he
discovered dirt in the horizon glass. He
rubbed it and looked again; yet there 1t
was. and the harder he rubbed the more
obstinate it became. There was an OBJ
ieet there more real than the image OF
the sun. He jumped up on the round
house" and looked, called for his spy
glass, and looked again, and 10! boat
"Keep her oft" he cried, and as they
drew nearer what sight they saw Four
CHASTITY beings in an open boat alive, and
one dead. They were the sole survivors
of a ship that had foundered in the Gulf
of Martabau five days before. No COM
ments are necessary upon this. 1t is the
simple truth, for | saw one of the men.
Our captain is very fond Of seeing the
sun rise and set, and on board the sand
wich'' it is of the rules OF the ship that
man shall be sent at those times TO the
royal mast head to look around, for there
the objects are more clearly seen.
We used to have story Ill the lore
castle about fussy captain who was
eternallv Jaw ing the man at the wheel.
At last be got so far as TO say Here, let
me take that wheel and show you how
she had ought to be steered. You take
this spvglass and be captain while | steer"
This sailor was CHEEKY fellow and sub
mltted to this with a ready lave, aye, sir"
Marching APP and down the weather side
of the quarter with the spygass, he, with
ridiculous gravity, looked at some distant
shin. and then with mock authority said,
fluff little there" steady so, you are
high enough don't give her too much
wheel, mind" and continued his prom
ensde. He knew his lease OF authority
would be short, and he came to the point
at once, by calling IN commanding
voice, "Stewardl' That functionary came
running up at once, while our captain OF
a period ordered him "to fetch him a glass
of grog, ard" added he, ''another for the
man at the wheel"
One more warn and | will have done
with the steering. The old ship Diana
was running down befo the northeast
trades for New Orleans, and one day al
dinner the captain called to a young tel
low who was at the wheel, through the
omen skylieht. Glow does she heads
The youth replied: southwest by ives
half west, little westerly, sirl' TIL,
captain said to his passengers, That
precious youngster. | wonder il cal
get another "west" out of him. "Jack,
said he, put another west on that cours
and | will give you duck enough
for hammock" Southwest by west hal
west little westerly, Captain West,
came down through the sky-hght. ant
the boy got his duck, for the captain
! name was West.