The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1879-11-01
don't seem to mind it much.'
Have you made any protest


'Have we! You ought to have
been here last night when they
pot nigger to sleep in a ham
mock right next to US; we were
gong to throw him out, but be
ran screaming about the deck
calling for the officers. He was
frightened nearly out of his wits,
bat some Of the officers came and
we had to put up with it. We
went to the commanding officer
about the niger teacher, and he
told us we must study under him
or pass an examination that
would carry us above him, and
if we didn't do this we could 90
to prison. I'D rather 60 to prison
than to submit to niger teach
er-it wouldn't be such a dis
grace. My cousin passed the ex.
animation and is out of his way,
but l stuck OH grammar aud 80
must submit or 60 to prison, and
( would 60 there only l expect to
get my discharge in a few days.
'Have none Of the boys attempt
ed to escape !
yes, aud two of 'em got away.
Last Sunday one of the fellows
went to the chapel in citizens
clothes, and after the services
were over he stepped on board
the barge and went ashore. He
hasn't been seen since. Then
another fellow escaped at Key
West. He got sick OF the job,
and one night while we were lay
ing at the wharf he told me that
he was going to run away. We
slept almost side by side, and
after dark he got up and bid me
goodbye, aud crawled out Of the
port-hole and got past the corpo.
raj Of the guard. / reckon the
corporal saw him, but didn't try
to stop him. He was in sailors
clothes. too, but tie did not come
back. Some of the marines are
| nice fellows, and it they see boys
that are homesick, and want to
get away, they don't take much
pains to stop 'em.'
Have you been ashorer
No. said the boy. with a tre-
| NOR in his voice, it's hard when
a fellow cau't have his liberty ;
but they won't let a fellow 60
ashore until he's out of debt. aud
it's pretty hard to do that. They
make US pay ior our sailor clothes.
They're pretty cheap here, but
they charged US mighty high on
the Wachusett. For a suit like
this l have on they charged % 81
| but here it would only cost 81 IS,
The officers were pretty rough on
us OH the Wachnsett, but here
they treat us we'll. We can have
private talks with the officers
but Lieut.. Peters, on the Wachu.
sett, wouldn't listen TO any of rs
You are anxious to get home 2
| Yes can make more money
at work for my father. He owns
a sugar plantation, and the grind
ing season is coming on whel
there would be plenty of work
aud after the season was over
could 60 to school. We ouly ge
50 a month on board. and ther'
isn't much chance of rising
When we enlisted We though
that we could get to be midship
men; the papers said so; but W
have found out that We could ne'
er get to be more than a bo's'l
in the navy, and what's a bO's'n
Only IAN old hack-the loves
place among 'em.'
, AS the reporter WAS lcavin
, Officer Moore accOsted the writer
t Reporters sometimes come aboar
r said ne, and get hold OF som
= good for nothing, who tells sOn
outrageous yarn, and we revis
their accounts. l think Cheathal
: 10 an honest and intelligent lad
Y we think a good deal Of him bel
\ and would tell the truth.
J. He only objects to beans an
a suiggers,'' said the reporter.
i, We'll, he'll have TO get used I
them,' said th. officer. 'They'l
having an easy time of it her
but t. them get to sea and the
O they may have something to ta
about. Many of them enllstt
IS nntleI false impression, ;hinkir
o they would be made naval OF