The Republican journal., 1881-10-06
A Deadly Cargo.

uttl Dttu tUlu tilul, tl u Ctl ldtu SttI
ors lodging house in a northern por g.
there was to be found Il Dutch seaman
who had been an actor in as wild and
fearful a sea tragedy as any that is to be
round in naval story. Being ignorant of
the Dutch language, was careful to in
quire, before visiting the seaman, Wheth-
er he spoke English. | was answered
yes he spoke English tiuently. This re-
solved me-so got into train and went
away to the seaport, For tWopence a
boy undertook to carry me straight to
the street where the sailors lodging house
was to be found, and presently ! was
knocking at the door of Il decent, clean
looking building. "Is this Mrs.-s? ~
said | to the woman who answered the
summons. "Yes," she answered, exam
ining me with a pair Of shrewd black
eyes. 'lou have a Dutch seaman,
named Peter Meinkec, stopping in the
house." said |. ''Can | see him :" and,
that she might not misconstrue my mo-
tive in calling, | gave her the reason,
This cleared her face, and very promptly
she went down the passage and disap-
peared through a door which, as she
opened it, let out a smell of strong to-
bacco and the hum of a number OF grutt
voices. In minute or two my Dutch
man came along, looking bewildered and
eXpectant He was middle aged man,
Witha very Dutch east of cOuntenance, red
hair, sand-colored skin, eyes like cairn-
gorms, and STOPPING body. He walked
slowly and like fisherman, dragging his
heavy legs after him. | asked him if his
name was Peter Meinkee, and he said
''les," and then told him my business,
and mentioned the name of the person
who had recommended me to call upon
him. "Ah," said he, and stralghtway
threw open the door of little parlor, the
window of which looked on to the street
1t was the tlttest room in the world to lis
ten to a nautical story in; sofa like Il
cabin locker, an oval mirror on the man
tie piece, with an old telescope slung on
one side and an old quadrant on the 9th
er Cngra\ ings Of ships in various stages
Of distress; a lamp (swinging from the
ceiling) that looked to have seen some
rough weather at sea; with Il crowd
Of other marine suggestions, the whole
strongly improved by smell that tasted
like a mingling Of oakum, new canvas and
OLD RUN PuNCHEONS.
Knowing sailors to be shy and modest
body of men, | endeayorcd to put my
Dutchman at his ease by sitting down
and looking as if | were at home, and
touching lightly on various commonplace
topics before bringing him to the business
in hand. He seemed to appreciate my
struggles on his behalf: the bewildcrment
slowly dritted away out of his broad cOun-
tcnanCe and | was gratitied to remark
that, although, on the whole, he talked
more with his throat than with his tongue
his knowledge of the English language
was considerable. | invited him to drink
but he said he would rather not, as he
would be having his tea soon. How
ever, he accepted a cigar, which he
put into his mouth with an ar of great
satisfaction; and, having talked him into
an easy posture of mind, continued to
ply him with questions until had got him
fairly under way with his yarn. He then
did very well, and never stopped until he
had nothing more left to say. | had half
a mind at first to write down his story in
his own uncouth and gutteral Words but
finding that no combination of letters
would yield me the manner Of his deep
and sober speech, nor the fine and pic
turesque detormities of his English, |
abandoned that intention for plain writ
ing.
"Yes, sir, as you say, sailors go through
some dreadful trials. When you've heard
me, you'll agree that mine comes up to
the worst Of them. My name is Peter
Melnkee, and Rotterdam is my native
town. was b years old last week, and
I'm not surprised you should look as if
YOU reckoned me to be 80 at least. The
sea ages men as nothing else does, and if
You had taken me to be 80 I'd only an
swer that that time would be too short
for the troubles I've gone through. The
vessel ! was aboard of was Rotterdam
brig, but of our voyage out I'll say moth
ing, for all that concerns you is to know
what betell me during my voyage home.
Our company consisted of master, mate
and eight seamen, enough hands to do
the work Of the brig, though she was a
large vessel, with round bottom and
plenty of beam, clumSily spared and
heavy to work Our cargo was coffee
berry, picked green, you must know,
| which | now reckon to be the deadliest
cargo vessel can load up with, owing to
the vapor it gives otf-50,O 900 times worse
than freight of gunpowder mixed up
with what you call Internal machines.
But that
WE FORECASrLE MEN
knew nothing about. If the skipper
knew, he kept it to himself We were
not all Dutchmen. The captain and
mate were; but there were one or two
| Danes and a Frenchman, and a couple Of
half and half men, hailing from nowhere
and calling themselves what you pleased,
and speaking the lingo that men talk who
come from noWhere-a mixture OF Ian
guages which was hard to follow, though
they understood orders in Dutch. Tilat-
Jap is in the island of Java, and from that
| place we sailed on fine warm day. We
| had a long voyage before us, but we were
all in good spirits. Capt. Ferdinand Kos
! ter was an excellent seaman and a kind
man, and treated us WE'LL and his mate
Nicolas Tode, though rough and pas
sionate when things went wrong, had the
right kind of heart in him. The skipper
was fond Of hearing us sing and watch US
dance. On the same evening of the day
on which we sailed, he set us going at
that work, calling out to us that the long
er the voyage, the more merrily it ought
to be begun. This was his way. And his
sayings heartened us too. If they didn't
bear looking into, they had a CHEEKY
sound Jan Macs, seaman, had a con-
certina, and played it well. That eve
ming he got upon the booms with it over
the galley, and started lis all dancing.
Little we imagined that death sat crouch
ed in the briggs hold, listening to our
laughter and the pattering of our feet.
Afterward, when | was alone, used to
call that evening to mind, and think OF