The Republican journal., 1883-02-22
Yarns Spun While Off DUTY.
"REMINISCENCES OF THE QUARTER DECK A,


| nave Sucn varied experience as those brave
| captains who ''go down to the sea in ships. y
Amid the raging of the hurricane at sea, or the
| quiet scenes in port, they are ever on the alert
| A great source of annoyance to them are the
men in the ferecastle. The time once was when
boy entered upon a term of apprenticeship on
| shipboard as he would for any calling. Good
| sailors were then turned out who subsequently,
rose to be captains But it is different now.
The old sailor is almost thing of the past, and
IN his stead is a motley crowd of foreigners.
This has been brought about by the advent of
steamers and the boarding house system of
shipping men, 1t is entertaining to listen to one
of these veteran captains talk of what took
place off the Horn, the Cape, Frisco or out
East. journal representative recently con
versed with Capt. H., one of Befasts best nav
igators, who is not only thorough sailor, but
an intelligent, well read gentleman The read
ing of his yarns in print convey but little of
their charm as they fell from his lips Here
| are few of Them
DIDN'T LIKE HIS GRUB.
Our friend the captain prided himself ON
feeding his sailors well, giving them plenty of
good hearty food, and was surprised one tlav
by Jack coming aft with his dinner, which be
alleged was not fit to eat. The captain tasted
it, pronounced it good enough. Summoning
aft all hands, the captain asked each of the sail
ors if they found fault with their rations they
answering No Turning to the fault finding
sailor he said-"My man. you are one of the
dainty sailors, of whom | have seen Il great
,,l,,I
day" "Oh no SIR said the sailor >'Yes. y
replied the captain, ''you SHALL and Selling
Jack by the shoulder he dragged him into the
cabin and placed him at the table between him
self and wife. Wont YOU have some Of this
please" said the gallant captain, passing the
sailor Il dish of food. "And won't YOU have
some Of this, please:' ehimed in the captains
wife" experimenting the request with a smile.
Jack stood this kindness as long Us possible,
but it was TOO much for him. Selling faVora-
bic opportunity he made break. rushed ont of
the cabin and on to the foracastle, where he
was greeted with shouts Of laughter from the
rest of the crew. Jack found no more fault
with his provisions after that, and was content
to eat with his messmates
NO FlLIIN 10 THAT SIl Fl.
our captain was at Calcutta and at the time
provisions were very cheap, Chickens. eggs,
&c, could be purchased for VERY small figure,
much less than what was paid for the Sips
stores. As a matter of economy, As we'll us TO
give the sailors fresh provisions, the captain or
dered The steward to lock up the sea provisions
and feed the sailors ont Of the market Jack re
called himself on roast chicken, steWed chicken,
| boiled fowl, fried eggs, scrambled eggs, &c.
Judge of the captains surprise one day to have
q sailor approach him to lind fault with his
fare. "Cap'en," said he. ''can't You give lis
some salt beef and hardbrcad, there don't seem
to be any film to that stuff, meaning his diet
of poultry.
Jack is very particular a> to his diet, not that
he doesn't relish good mor>eI, bul from prin-
ciple. He believes that salt beef and hard tack
are the proper articles of diet for 4 sailor, and
| feels insulted if "cabin tiXins are offered him.
| The writer Of this has been in a ships forccus-
tie and has seen sailors reject good, sweet flour
| biscuit, eating bareback instead saying that
there was something wrong with the biscuit or
| they wo;:!d have been kept in the cabin
NEPTUNE sIIANEs THE NATE.
| 1t is the practice when Il Ship crosses the
| equator for Old Neptune. The god Of the sea, to
| board the vessel over the bow for the purpose
of initiating all sailors Who are about TO cross
| the line for the first time.
| Our captain was on the passage from England
| to Rio. The chief mate was Young man from
| Searsport now Il successful sea captain from
| that town. lie had never been south of the
| equator When the ship was approaching the
| line the mate thought he would put up a "racll-
| et' on some fresh sailors in the forecaste. The
| second mate was to impersonate old Neptune.
| With long, flowing, manila beard, >heepSki
| brooches and frock and a dolphin striker for a
| trident, lie made his appearance over the bow,
demanding the sailors. With a brush made
| from a ropes end Old Neptune athered their
! faces with slush, completing the tonSorial per
| Torrance by shaving them with an iron hoop.
| The mate looked on approvingly aud hugely en-
| joyed the sport. Alas for the mate, the second
| officer had given him away When old Nep-
| tune asked if there We're any more victims one
| of'the sailors informed him that the mate had
| never crossed the line. 1t was of no use to beg
| off and the insigaor of the fun had to submit
| to the barbering process.
| GIVING THE SAILORS 4 Bath.
| Our captain was once at Caao at a time
| when sailors were very scarce 1t required
| much vigilance on the part of the officers to
| keep the crew from running away. The ship
| had been discharged and was riding at anchor
| near The shore. She had patent iron windlaSS
| and in port usually rode with the compressor Of
| the Windlass hove down, the king-pin which
| keyed the windlss being out. TO give the ship
more chain it only required the lever to be
raised when the chain would run out rapidly.
| The second mate was on watch and at about
midnight he saw five sailors creep out Of the
| forecaste and over the bow. \ bumboat in
| which was two men was under the bow made
| fast to the ships chain waiting for the sailors.
| When the last man had disappeared over the
| bow the officer ran forward and placed his
| hand upon the lever of the windlasS, The five
| sailors were hanging to the chain like herring
| on string. In an instant the officer raised the
| lever, the chain out like lightning, taking the
| sailors, bumboat and all, nearly 70 the bottom.
| The captain heard the noise, rushed on deck
| and asked the second mate the trouble. Moth
| ing, sir," replied the officer, ''onlv I'm giving
| the sailors Il bath Presently the men camt
| up blowing like porpoises. With a revolver
| pointed at them the seconu mate ordered the
| sailors to swim to the chain and climb on board
the ship, which they did. The two bummers
| sW am ashore.
TAKE THAT, YOU son OF 4 Gun
| Once at Shields our captain, then mate of 4
| ship, got word that the sailors We're to run
away in the night, and determined that he
| would thwart their plans About midnight
| the two mates went forward and laid down on
| the topgaIlant forecastle. The mate had huge
| horse pistol, loaded with a charge of powder
only. Presently boat with two men pushed
| off from the shore and came under the ships
bow. "Are You ready" whispered one OF
| the men in the boat, "Yes," saws the mate
''climb up and take our bags" The fellow
! climbed up over the head rails and peerec
about. 'Where are youI" whispered the man
| "Here, you son of Il gum replied the mate
placing the pistol alongside his head and pull
| ing the trigger. The explosion was terrific. The