Sacramento daily record-union., 1882-01-27
A SAILORS Story.
A Tale Told en- the Street. and True
One

witness the following DER true tale to which
a RECORD UNION representative was an at
tentive listener in group of staid business
men yesterday on J street. One of the Juniors
had doubted the statement of a senior tina
there is no man who canaot point to re
nance il his family history.
"Very wei" replied the elder, I am Sc
certain Of what l state, that challenge yor
to name any man whose place OF business is
within sight, as most unlikely to have roman
tic recollections, and if he can refer to nc
part of his family history as either tragic OF
romantic, I'll pay the oysters for the Assem-.
bled company. Ii he does, however, you
shall pay the wager"
"Done," cried the latter, and he pointed
to portly and unromantic looking merchant
just then leaving his store door on street,
not thousand yards above Seventh.
Needn't ask him." interjected an old see
captain, who was one of the party. can
tell you story of his father, which l happen
to know to be true, and if you don't vote it
romantic and tragic enough, Ill pay for the
supper myself" And thereupon, as the COM
pany consolidated itself on the corner, the
sailor told his story:
IS | knew that merchant as a boy in a New
England seaport town. His father and
were friends. There lived in that place a
very old captain, a man of gigantic stature /;
he was one of ths old-ti sailors, who ruled
on his ship like tyrant He didn't often
have crew that he could get along with
without trouble. He was one of the lighting,
gruff and stubborn sort, who would rather keel
sailor over than speak fair word to
L - L. L,,~ 4
many lad learned III der him in a year what
he couldn't get elsewhere in two or three
years. He was one of Paul Jones' men. and
did more than his share of the fighting in the
engagement in 1779, between the Bonhomme
Richard of 45 guns and the British frigate
Serapis of A guns. That was the fight in
which the Richard got so riddled that she
sank little after the fight, and it used to be
told that old 81 got knocked overheard by
some mishap, and fioated around on spar
and padded toward the British ship, intend
ing to board her alone single-banded. He
was never tired of Dragging about his ex-
ploits with Paul Jones. Well, when the
father of your merchant here was stout
boy, he and another boy of our town were
put under Captain 81, for voyage, to
learn the ropes. The boys knew considerable
about boats though, and could steer q vessel,
q
grounds on the Atlantic. They sailed in the
brig-from Boston to Palermo, and old 81
took out a good crew-fact is, if it had been
known that Captain ST was to com.
mand, the owners couldn't have got
that crew tween decks for love nor
money. Well, he came off with the boys
just before the brig sailed, and then right
royal tophet opened upon that ship, but the
Captain treated the boys well 'twouldn't
have done, you see, to let them come back
home and report otherwise. Well, when he
got on the other side the crew lefs in a lump,
and for the return voyage 81 had to take
in the toughest lot of Spaniards ard Por-
tuguese hands ever got together regular
cut throat lot but he didn't fear them
rather enjoyed the idea of conquering such a
piratical- looking set. Things went along q
good deal smoother than 81 expected; thu
roughs didn't seem to mind his abuse at all
in fact, such desperate appearing set OF
chaps were they that the boys always stuck
to it that the skipper treated them mighty
sight better than they deserved. They had
fair weather and good voyage after leaving
Gibraltar, and till about half way across,
when one roughi.h night the crew, which was
Simon-pure band of pirates, mutinie1,
killed the mate, who had the watch, and
stabbed old 81 half dozen timee, but he
fought his way to the cabin, got below with
the only passenger he had. and bulk
were astonisaed at the fshting qualities
Of the Yankee Captain, and concluded it
wouldn't be safe for them, strong as they
were, il he ever got on deck again SO they
took stun'sail boom and lashed it across the
companion way to keep him below. Then
they dragged the boys out of the long boat
and made them steer ship. While one boy
would be at the wheel the other would be
tied up in the boat. Why didn't they steer
themselves, the Portuguese? Why, they
were too confoundedly lazy, and they didn'S
understand it so we'll as the boys, either. So
things went for day or TIVE, till the cut
hroats were out of supplies The Captain
had the stores below in the steerage, Just
ford of the companion way. he couldn't
come up, and the pirates dai Fat go below
Well, do you know they used to take those
boys to the chimney every hour or two, and
with long knives at their bare breasts threaten
20 cut their hearts out and throw them bleed
ing down the fiue If old 81 didn't pass up pro-
visions? Did he do it? No, sir; not at once
Why your merchants father here used to tell
by the hour of the horror of those moments
The passenger down below with the Captain
would beg him to pass up stores and save the
boys lives. Not he; he'd see the boys
the passenger, the ship and the bloody pirates
in the hottest corner of hades first, and then
didn't let the boys shape the course for the
American side, and daily bring 'em near so
he could hear them speak, and he'd instruct
them the best he cou d from his prison."
''What, through the chimney ?"
Certainly. The brig was an old-fashioned
vessel, and had brick fire place in the cabin
VITA chimney up to the deck, and wooden
hue above. Well, you just go and ask your
merchant here how the story of the romance
of that time runs in his family, how his faith
er ran down to skin and bone, and got so
weak he could scarce stand; how old 81 at
last doled out just enough to keep life in the
pirates for the sake of the boys. They got SO
hard up they killed and ate the dog and the
they shouldn't kill and eat the boys too, and
evea went so far as to lash one of the boys up
and make ready for his roasting. They let
the old man know what was going on, but
he wouldn't weaken, though he over and over
sgain offered to come out if the villains would
stand off and let him get a fair footing on
deck once. They really feared he'd fire the
ship, no doubt of it, and SO spared the lads.
Well, they got to desperate straits II can't
begin to tell you now of the awful scenes
on that briggs decS); when one night
there came on b9rrlDle DlOS, al q
while the pirates howled, old 81 just
sang and danced aud shouted down below,
and told EN- they were all goin' straight to
Davy Jones locker. Well, some of the
riggin' aloft was carried away, and next
morning, when the weather cleared up, one Of
the pirates went up to clear away. Old 81
espied him in the fore-topmast cross-
trees-through the chimney-and declared
he'd fetch him down. The passenger begged
him not to shcot, the boys would be murdered
then, certain sure, but 81 shook him off, de-
clarei they'd be better off than to starve any
longer, got good sight on the chap up aloft
with his musket, and he did fetch him :
the bronzsd rascal came Hopping down on
deck dead, with chunk of lead in his heart,
and the blood just squirting from his mouth.
Then it was rough for the boys, sure. and the
pirates began to clip their ears and bodies of
skin, and throw it all bloody down to old 81,
but he wouldn'r bulge. Well, 1t went on
that way for twenty days, and that the boys
weren't killed was simply because the rascals
were afraid to steer the snip, and perhaps they
feared old 81 would blow 'em up if they put
away the lads. Now, the Captain kept a
light out at his cabin window, and so
hooded the lantern, that the cutthroats
above never knew that a signal
was ou. every night calling for help.
Well. on the twenty-second day ship hove
ia sight, and presently made for the brig,
but she had fair pair OF heels and kept
off. and all the while old Si was sig
mailing from the cabin window, and at night
he put out his distress light again. The
dark went on the old one again. Where
80 I.l 70 l.