Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-04-18
A Young Sailors Story.

Three years ago shipped ON board
the Niger, Captain Phillips. Our voy-
age was to Hilo, Sandwich Islands, and
back to Puget Sound, whence we sailed.
The captain, officers and crew were,
when joined, Americans and West In
diamen; bat, as another hand was
wanted besides myself, 1 persuaded
Jack Chester, an Englishman with whom
/ had become friendly, to fill up the va
cancy. Jack was fine-looking fellow,
a jovial companion, and had lots of in
formation, which he knew how to use !;
but, although he dressed and talked
like a sailor, he had not been long on
board ship before it. became plain that
he had not been brought up salt.
Our captain was Tartar and no mis-
take and, as he had the eye of a hawk,
no fault committed by man or boy es-
capped him. This was especially unfor-
tunate for my English shipmate. He
had shipped an able seaman's wages.
but his deficiencies we're so many and
glazing that our captain, who seemed
to watch his movements more carefully
than those of the rest of the crew, often
inflicted upon him punishment painful
to witness. had strong attachment
to Chester, and stood his friend when
ever could, by taking some of his du-
ties along with my own; but was not
always at hand to help him, so he fell
oftener than others beneath the cap
tain's displeasure.
One night, when I was at the wheel,
the wind rose into gale. The captain
came on deck and set all hands to reef
the top-sails. The men were manning
the halyards to hoist away, when poor
Chester, instead of letting go the reef
tackle, let go the weather .topsail
brace, and away went the yard fore and
aft. By luffing up smartly, however,
we managed to get checked without car
rying anything away. But Captain
Phillips, frothing at the mouth, swore
he would tan the foolish lubber's hide
who had done SO clumsy thing. Say
ing which, he rushed at Chester with O
piece of ratline, which he brought
down upon his neck and shoulders, Civ.
ing him fearful cut. He was in the
act of raising it again when voice
from aloft roared out: "Hold your
handw
The voice was wonderfully loud and
clear, seemingly coming from the main
top. The captain fell back, and looking
up, cried in great rage: "Aloft therer'
Halloa!" was the answer back.
Come down on deck" was the cap
tain's imperious order.
"Come up here and see how You will
like it" was the contemptuous response.
Come down, I say, on deck, y
foamed the captain.
"Come up and fetch me- returned
the voice from aloft.
Who is up there, Mr.. Rassom p
cried the captain. appealing to the first
officer.
"No one sir" was the reply, so far
as l can see. All seem present on
deck"
The captains rage was now terrible
to witness.
All seem present, Mr.. Rassom ?
What do you mean by that, sir? I ask
you again, who is up there ?"
No one known to me-" returned the
man. Altar present. All are on deck,
in sight
Such was the case. But the second
mate, without awaiting orders, sprang
up the Rigging and looked over the top
rim, then made the circuit of it, looking
all around the masthead, and then re.
ported himself alone.
"Then the ship must be haunted!''
cried the chief mate.
The captain hereupon dropped the
rope's-end which he had held in his
hand, and went below. 1t was evident
that he was strangely affected by what
had occurred. And so nv fellow
countryman escaped further punish.
ment that night.
But, in a few days, our skipper had
forgotten his fears, and, looking out for
another object upon which he could
vent his spleen, ! had the ill-fortune to
feel his wrath. He ordered me to make
a knot in the end of an old tagged rome
to be. used for flashing. In little
while | returned, saying that 1 had
made the best job I could OF rope
which was quite tagged out.
=" Well,' said he, if that's your best
You are as much of a lubber as your
friend Chester. But I'll dock you both
to ordinary seaman's wages" tried