Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-03-31


you bit of the early part of my ocean life
and it is very important bit, too, for upon
it the whole Of my subsequent manhood has |
been built"
We prepared to listen to Captain Sutter
with most perfect attention, for he was not
only an old seaman, but one of the most sue
cessful commanders in our mercantile ma
rine. The story was as follows:
al was very young man when | first en-
tered upon shipboard, and at the age of four
teen / considered myself quite sailor.
When | was eighteen | was shipped on
board an East Indiaman for a long voyage.
There were six of us on board of about the
same age, and we had about the same du'
ties to perform. Our captain was a obe
hearted, honorable man, kind and generous,
but yet very strict.
"Now, we boys had learned, in the course
of our travels, to drink our grog as well as
any sailors. We could toss off glass of
rum and water with as much grace as any
one, and we claimed the right TO do SO, and
not only as privilege, but as an honor to
which life upon the ocean entitled us.
But even in this respect our captain pre-
tended to differ from us. When we could
get on shore we would invariably indulge in
our cups, and not unfrequently would we
come off, or be brought off, in state any
thing but sober. / said we, but there was
one of our number who could not be in
duced to touch drop of anything intoxi-
eating. His name was John Small, and he
belonged to one of the towns of New Jersey.
"Now Jack Small not only refrained en-
tirely from drinking, himself, but he used
sometimes to ask us to let the stuff alone.
He gave that job up, however, for we made
such sport of him that he was glad to let us
alone. But our captain had sharp eyes, and
it was not long before he began to show
Jack Small favors which he did not show
to us. He 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 a sort OF
envy on our part, and it ended In sort oil
ill-will towards poor Jack.
"Now, in TRUTH Jack was one of the best
fellows in the world. He was kind, obliging
and honest, always ready to lend helping
hand in case of distress, and as true friend
as ever lived only he would not drink with
us, that was all. He learned faster than we
did, he was better sailor, and had learned
more of navigation. But this we tried tc
lay to the captains paying him the most at
tention, though we knew better at the time
for we had the privilege of learning just as
much as we had mind to.
at even got so at length that Jack Smal
was called upon to take the deck sometimes
when the officers were busy, and he used t
work out the reckoning at noon as regularl,
as did the captain. We were envious OF hi
good fortune, as we called it, and used Il
seize every opportunity to tease and run him
But he never got angry in return. lie some
times would laugh at us, and at others h
would so feelingly chide us that we woul'
remain silent for awhile.
"At length the idea entered our head
that Jack should drink with us We talke'
the matter over in the mess when Jack wa
absent, and we mutually pledged each othe
that we would make him drink at the frs
opportunity. After this determination wa
taken, we treated Jack more kindly, and b
was happier than he had been for some tim'
: Once more we laughed and joked with hir
in the mess, and he in return helped us i
our navigation. We were on our homewar
: bound passage, by the way OF Brazil, an
our ship stopped at Rio Janeiro, where W
were to remain week or so. One pleasan
morning we six youngsters received permii
sion to go on shore and spend the whol
day; accordingly we rugged up in our be'
togs aud were carried to the landing.
"Now was our chance, and we put ou
heads together to see how it should be don't
Jacks first desire, as soon as he got on shor'
, was to 90 up and examine the various thing
7 of interest In the city. He wanted to Wis
the churches, and such like places, and
please him we agreed to 60 with him If b
, would 90 and take dinner with us. II
I agreed to do this at once, and we thought "
t had him sure. We planned that after dil
e ner was eaten we should have some ligi
sweet wine brought on, aud that we woul
contrive to get run enough into what
drank to upset him; for nothing on cart
b. would please us more than to get JAG
Small drunk, and carry him on board in th'
, shape. Then we fanced that the captain
+ favoritism would be at an end, and that
e would no longer look upon our rival wit
r more preference than ourselves. We hs
e the matter all arranged and in the mea
e time we paid Jack all the attention in OF
power, so much SO that he signihed wi
ingness to go anywhere TO please us, provide
we did not go to any bad place.
n "Dinner time came and most capt.
q dinner we had. The eatables were di
/ patched with becoming gusto and then ii
n dishes were removed, and at a sign from n
e the wine was brought in.
$ "Ah what have you here ? asked Jac
u betraying some uneasiness at the appearan
9 oi 'ne s,asses anu oo.s'eo' ,;oa
i ohly NIUE new wine, epiea >,
Z careiessiy as couiu' Meie Ju'oo Vi VI
s. grape
g "' But it is wine, nevertheless pursued
e IL isi "lne' cIieu oaln 'a''' WI
r was one oil the hardest nuts oiu Neptune eV
e cracked M, MI, ..
Il =" NO, chiined IN Ilm Pisck, ano.heI
e about the same stamp. ohiy h''
y simple juice Come poys, MI up;
n Inc glasses were accoruihsiy hiieo %
rrait performing that duty, anu ne took ca
that JACKS glass hau soou quah'i'y
l. s"eeteneu rum III IL
IT " NO, SAID JACK, as the glass was NOV
Is towards nun II you are gong W oohiinen n.
lr thus, VIII keep your company Win wat
s. while you remain orderly oue VIII
r touch VINE
$, ms was spoken very niiuly, ahe , WI
h kihd shiie, Out yet IL was spoken hrih
c. ana we couiu see that ou, P,al was spo
y oeing hnooheu III 'ne he"'' We aisea -,
Ell 10 uiink WIN US, oiiy que siass, II no mo-
e, we toia MN now inhocens !, was, anu u, -
'e happy his SOCIAL giass "ouiu in"Ae u'
r we oonlu not move niT' M; ~. l.,
y" iheh iet nun go crieu l lm' VINO ~