The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-09-20
THE PRoPHE coy,
A Sailors Yarn.

by the company as a transport to con-
yey troops to Calcutta. We had nearly
two hundred rank and file on board;
the major, who commanded the party,
three heutenants, and a doctor. We
are now about leaving Cork Harbor;
the chain comes in merrily to the songs
Of the seamen.
1.-THE anchor is right up and DOWN.
shouts the boatswain.
''Heave and haulr' says the mate.
Loose sailsr' 'All readyr' is shout
ed from the respective yards. .'Let
fall-sheet home TO the topsails
haul that starboard clewline-let 60
that starboard buntline-that will do.
The sheets belay-man the ha1liards."
The halliards are manned, and the
three topsails mast-headed at the same
time. In few minutes the ship is one
crowd of sails from her decks to her
trucks; the starboard main-braces are
hauled in, and the larhoard.. fore braces,
to cast the ship the right way. The
jibs are loosed ready for hosting, the
windlass is again manned, again the
chain comes in, but now it comes more
slowly-they are breaking the anchor
out of the ground. Il is away; the
ships head falls off heavily from the
light breeze, the jibs are run up, the
after-sails fill, the fore-yard is hauled
round. the anchor Gated and fished,
the good ship Black Eagle gathers way
through the water, and is now standing
gallantly out of Cork Harbor.
We were scarce clear of the harbor's
mouth, certainly not three miles from
it, when fearful change came Ger the
heroes composing the gallant seven
tieth. The night before, while at
nautical; among others. one whose ev-
cry verse terminated with
"Hurrah for life of war and strife and pi-
rates life for me;
FJrwe ere the pirate kings, the demons of the
All the ed-jackets had given chorus
to this song. Scarce twenty-four hours
had passed since these words were flow
ing from their lips, yet how changed
were their feelings. Now they utterly
abhorred the life they had been signing
for; repentance had come suddenly,
like a thief in the night, and the ode
in every part of the deck, in every
possible attitute expressive of sea-sick-
ness.
I will now pass over few weeks,
and bring the Black Eagle close TO the
line. During this time she has had her
share of fair and foul winds; the ''pi-
rates. have quite recovered from their
sea-sickness, and seem again to have
acquired taste for that rowing life, for
nightly do they sing the same bold
song, with the same stentorian chorus.
The weather each day becomes warmer
and the trade winds lighter.
Among the men belonging to the
seventeen was a young man named
Palmer; he was tall and well-made,
and, report said, not slight favorite
among the fair sex. He had been mar
ried week before sailing, and had
tried all he could to desert, but he had
no luck; he was caught, and brought
on board the Black Eagle with the rest.
From the time of his arrival he spoke
to no one, and from his wild way and
flushed cheeks you would almost have
fancied he had been drinking. Of an
evening, dancing, boxing, single-stick
went on among the soldiers, sailors,
and officers; yet he who used to be the
first in all these exercises now took no
part in them. Each day he grew thin
ner; but the doctor of the regiment,
whose ideas were never extended be-
yond the necessary duties of eoting,
drinking, and sleeping, said there could
would complain.
At last the heat became so oppres-
siye between decks that the sick were
brought on the spardeck to enjoy the
air during the cool part OF the day.
One morning the corporal reported to
the doctor hat Palmer could not rise
from his hammock The doctor went
down to him. and found him in u high
state of fever; he was defirious, and
knew no one; he talked alternately of
home, his wife, and his brothers. He
was carried on deck, that he might en-
ioy the fresh breeze and cool air; at
least SO the doctor said; but such a
thing was impossible, so near the line,
and under a nearly vertical sun. The
sick man laid in his hammock beneath
the spars away from all his former
friends, and there was no one by to
moisten his black and parched lips. with
a drop of water, for even his own mess
mates seemed TO shun him.
/ went to him and said, palmer, can
get you anythingP' but at that mo-
ment he was delicious, and made no
answer, but rambled on in his own wild
manner about home. Poor fellow! he
was dying. and dying fast. Some OF
the soldiers were playing cards under
vi ACstI Ills 4aHlInochs oOttiC
dice, and others playing at pitch-farth-
ing.
Toward evening he seemed to get
better, and the doctor held out hopes
OF his recovery; but the ships surgeon
shook his head, and declaring it impos-
slble. However, he passed better
night, and toward morning became
sensible.
Daylight broke-it was dead calm,
and the ocean lay like a sheet of mol
ten lead. In vain the eye was stretched
across the wide expanse of water in
hopes of detecting breeze; the sol
diers, who suffered from heat more
than the sailors, We're strewn about the
deck, gasping for breath; the children
were begging for water, and the women
were heaping abuse on their husbands
for having brought them to sea.
I turned away from the sight of their
distress, and as j did SO heard the
following conversation between two
soldiers who were standing next to
poor Palmer's hammock.
by the powers. and Palmer. has
had a narrow sscapen said one of
them.
.sIndced, Dcrmot, and you may say
that responded the other.
eli bet you that he is well in .
week. said slse first speaker.
aAflG would bet you, were it not q