Connecticut western news., 1882-08-23
VOL. XII.

think should have attempted them.
 squeezed through the lubber's hole, bu D once in the top I was too i'll to go higher
 I sat down, dreadfully sick, and wishe' myself dead. My cap had been blowl of my head, my boots were full of water
 and having no oil.skins on was soaked , to the skin by the rain.
 "Here they found me when they
 came of the yard, and an ordinary sea
 man, taking pity on me, showed my leg
 through the lubber's hole and helped
 me on deck again. It's all very vel
 saying that this sort of thing is what
 every boy must endure who goes to sea,
 but don't you think it's enough to make
 a fellow sick of sailorizing and want to
 stop ashore when he finds himself on
 dry ground? Marryat, indeed no sea-
 story books ever put the real truth be-
 fore chap. Gan Marryat put the flavor
 of salt pork in your throat Gan he
 make you understand what being on
 deck in foul weather for twelve hours ct
 a stretch is, with the galley fire washed
 out, nothing to drink but cold water,
 and nothing to eat but sea. biscuits,
 which are always either too hard to bite
 or too soft to swallow, with damp
 bunk to go to when the watch is called
 at lastP Gan he make you realize what
 washing down means in bitter cold
 weather, cleaning the brasswork, wrest-
 ling with sail as hard as iron when
 your hands are so numbed that you
 don't feel to have any fingers? Fathers
 pay money-and good sums of money,
 too-for their boys to do that sort of
 work. Whats the use of calling us
 midshipmen2 In reality we are noth.
 ing but ordinary seamen, and not so
 well of, for captains look upon us as
 owners perquisites, and as in the road
 and troublesome. They profess to
 teach you navigation, but during the
 ten months my voyage out and home lasted I never had quadrant in my
 hand, and if my father makes me stick
 to the sea, then all the navigation I'll know l shall have to learn ashore. No, no; you needn't think I'm merely grumbling. I'm just giving you the living truth. I'm not going to tell you all about my voyage. I only spoke about that top-sail job in the Channel to let you see what youngsters, fresh from school and comfortable homes and good mothers to look after their wants, have to expect when they go to sea.
 "I'll tell you what our routine was, and if you like you may talk to some other midshipman or premium appren- tice-for there's no difference in the treatment they get, though they are called by different names-and see if his yarn don't tally with mine. I was in the chief mates watch-the port watch, it's called. We'll, suppose we have the middle watch in; at four o'clock we're turned ont and come on deck. It's still dark, and there's nothing to be done, if the winds steady and the ship is holding her course. But soon after the sun rises the pumps are rigged, and the watch turns to and washes the decks down. If it's fine warm weather pull off my boots if not, keep them on of course. The midshipmen have to scrub the poop down they lay hold of the brushes, and the third mate l wills the water along. That was our | way; but, of course, customs are dif- | erent. in different ships. We scrub | 1nder the hencoops, scrub the gratings abaft the wheel, clean the paint-work, and when that house-mald's job is ove2 we swab and coil down and make the | poop fit for the passengers to enjoy themselves upon. By the time all this s done, the brasswork cleaned, and so orth, it's past seven bells, and we go below to breakfast. I've already de- 'cribed our cabin, but you could never it without seeing drawing of it. once killed twenty-aght cock coaches in my bunk in twelve minutes /: 7ou bet I didn't, and see If you don't ose. It wasn't only that our cabin was lark and numbered up with table and ounks, and our 'stores'-which I've al- 'eady .described-stowed away in cor Ter alongside dresser full of plates md dishes; we had heap of emjgrants | n the tween decks and what with the women squabbling, and the children 'qualling, and the men growing, the 'ow all da y long was like an Irish riot. say nothing of the different smells of he food and the wasbing.tubs. We'll, we'd go below to breakfast; but what vas there to eat Biscuit, with a bit 'f yesterdays pork or beef-but seldom hat, for, bad as the food was, we youngsters were never so well supplied with salt meat but that we weren't lways ready to eat each others allow. snce-and some black liquor called tea. with mass of short yellow sticks float. ltop of it. When I used to look at that ood how my conscience would prick nc for having turned up my nose at the Timers on my fathers table, saying, as used to, to my mother, Mutton again its always mutton ? Or, Apple tartl Why don't you give us plum pudding or changer I'd have put up with mutton and apple-tart every day at sea or months at 3 stretch could I've got em. After breakfast the starboard watch would go on deck, and we of the port watch would turn in. At quarter be- ore twelve we'd rouse out to get dinner. This consisted of pork or beef. lift vas pork day, we'd have some luke.