Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1884-12-29
TIE PACKET BLUE COAT

q reckon my first voyage was men,
orable one, . said an old South street
merchant, speaking of his sailor days.
The Blue Coat was neat Boston ship.
She was loading for Pernambuco when /
went on board. Her captains name was
John Salisbury, and the mates name was
Bevins Salisbury was great big Yam
kee and Bevins was Matte little fellow
from Baltimore They were great chums,
too, and whenEwas at work polishing
up the bright work about the quarter
deck every morning | used to hear them
talking about their families and other
private matters. Just across the pier
was another Boston ship called the Alice,
loading for Pernambuco, and the conse-
quence was that an intense rivalry sprung
up between the two captains. We were
getting our cargo slowed first, but the
other captain swore he would beat lis sail
ing, and so catch the market first.
Another reason why Captain Salisbury
was anxions TO make a short passage
was that his wife and q two-year- old
baby were in England visiting. and were
going to sail in the old packet ship
Ranger for New York in time to eat the
Christmas turkey at home, and as we
were to put to sea before the end of Sep
TENDER we had chance of getting back
for the same occasion.
The crew, and there were twenty of
them, tumbled their chests over the rail
before the last barrel was slowed. I rec
kon I'll never forget two of them. One
was great broad-shouldered fellow, too
hseef 80 ho s<t~ H
Adam, and better man on a t0psail
ballard or weather earring never
smoked pipe. However, he seldom
got the weather earring, because the
other chap, whose real name was Henry
Plainly, but who was known only as
Dandy, was as handsome a man as you
could find In weeks search among
sailors boarding houses. He had curly
brown hair, blue eyes with a sort of
scared look In them, good FIVE fOot-ten
figure, and small hands and feet. His
dress and bearing gave him his nick
name. McAdam was known as Badly
Jim, for reasons that were obvious when
his hat was off. OF course these two
men did not agree we'll, and as Badly
was aggressive, Dandy was Imposed on,
and Badly became the ruler Of the star
board watch. When we got to sea l
very soon learned that certain personal
regard which Captain Salisbury had for
my father did not save me from bec0m-
ing Baldv's body servant, and that was
about the most unfortunate position 8
boy could hold. The second day out, as
watch, Badly ordered me to grease his
boots, which did after he was snoring.
was inwardly cursing the fate that
took ne TO sea. when Dandy came down
the ladder, looked at me minute, and
then turned in, for we were all in one
watch. did good job, and three
hours later was routed out by the watch
on deck. There was q brisk wind
blowing. and just as Badly reached the
deck sea came over the rail forward
and sloshed down around him. thorough
II wetting one foot, because his boot
Ind hole in it. was known as Use
less.
" Here, Useless, said Badly You
little cuss, why didn't you grease the
cracksT'
/ was mad, and was about to say some
thing 70 show il, when Badly, with his
big book, lifted me clear into the lee
scuppers Il was an awful kick. |
crawled to the edge Of the fore hatch,
but no medicine could have relieved me
50 much as what followed. The men Of
both watches, excepting Dandy, laughed
st me. When reached the hatch comb
lngs he turned to Badly and said, impe-
riously:
ASK the boys pardon. He did !
good Job on the boots, for / saw him
st Il
That was sumner and no mistake.
For mild hammered Dandy 70 tell the
boss Of the forecastle to ask boys
pardon was too much Badly just
dropped . bit. Is Il to get d better
hold On something. and then started for
Dandy The result nearly turned the
forecasile upside down. He didn't take
step ill Dandy met him. and then
500 sthins seemed to lift bin into The