Connecticut western news., 1882-08-23
THE MIDDY's YARN.
DY CLARK RUSSELL.

. X
 eY CLARK RUSSELL.
 We'll, if you want to know what pu
 1t in my head to go to sea, can't tel you. l went to sea because I wante. to be man and see life }; and rathe fancied should like to wear a uniform too.
 "I joined the ship in the East Indis Docks. It was all confusion to me, ani \ can't recollect much of what hap pe0ed at the start. Our berth was ir the tween decks, dark, narrow bit o room, full of hunks, with slip o table that travelled on stanchions. run. ming amidships. All the youngsters were there when I went below, smoking strong Cavendish tobacco, slowing theil mattresses in their hunks, skylarkina about. and using anything but polite words. They had all of them made one or two voyages before, and knew the ropes, and they soon twigged me as a hrst voyager, and cheered me up by sone pretty black pictures of the life heeore me.
 "'Youngster, cried one of them, why don't you go down on all fours and wae your taiii Don't you know you're a dogp You must be a dog. or you wouldn't go to sea. The seas only fit life for dogs.'
 "'Stop till he's slung aloft to scrape down the mizzen-royal- mast in gale of wind,' said another; 'then he'll find out why he's come to sea. Dye know where the mizzen- royal-mast is kept slowed l? Go and ask the skipper to light you down into the lszarette, where you'll find the butchers mate shelling peas. He has charge of the mizzen- n-mast, and IS the only man allowed to serve out new dead-eyes when the ships figure head goes adrift and stops the fellow at the wheel from obeying orders.
 However, all this was put on only to impress me with an idea of their man. iness and what fine Bellows they were. Later on they turned out to be good natured chaps enough.
 We lowed down the river. and as far as the Downs, and then went away down Channel on our own hook. The wind shifted and came on to blow, and a black fight set in. It was my first night at sea, and I was in my bunk turned ip, too sick to stand, when heard voice roaring down the hatch, All hands l Dye hear the news ? I never thought they'd make me get up, but in 8 few moments down comes one of the midshipmen, with the water draining from his oil-skins like a shower.bath. and, seeing me lyiug quiet, dashes his wet sou'-wester in my face, and, laying hold of my legs, hauls me clean out of the bunk. Up with you ? he bawled {; fits all hands reef top sails. Come, bundle into your clothes, and bear hand The decks were rolling about under Dae like ee-saw, and the mid shipmar, seeing that could not keep my feet, laid hold of me by the collar, and hauled me on deck. It was pitch dark, the rain driving along fit to blind fellow, the wind roaring aloft, all three tep-sail halyards let go, and the canvas banging in the darkness like great guns going of, all the crew, and idlers as well, singing out at the ropes, and the second mate in the waist and the chief mate aft shouting at the top of their voices. knew 1t wouldn't do to skulk, and, sick as I was, I laid hold of rope, and began to haul along with the others. But the third mate, spying me, roared out my name, and told me to lay aft and jump aloft and help the other midship- men to reef the mizzen- top.sail. It was awful work to me, going aloft. It's bad enough for youngster and 8 beginner on fine day but it's shame to drive Q greenhorn into the rigging for the first time on black night, with the canvas jumping fit to knock an old hand off the yard. But boys who go to sea mustn't expect to meet with any consideration. If the shippers gentleman they Fl get 1t, but 8 wise boy will never reckon | upon better treatment than being kicked | by his mates into learning his duty. Of course, I'm speaking about the mer. chant service I don't know anything about the navy. believe the naval | sheer at us merchant mid. dies, and reckon us to be mostly cads, We'll, don't mind their sneers, for one. Until can meet naval midshipman who has sat on the Flemish horse and helped to pass the lee earring of the main -top-sail on roaring black night, with half dozen of icebergs within a couple of miles of his ship, I'll put up with navy sneers.
 Well, I couldn't tell you how 1 managed to crawl aloft. got into the lee-shrouds, which were slack and up and down, but stopped dead when I | came to the mizzen-top, for I didn t know how to get over it. Icouldn't see the fnttockrshrouis, and If I had I don E |