The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1885-04-24
Che Iatly 8nltetin.
FRIDAY, APRIL "a, 1885.
A sHlPMAsTER's STORY ABOUT Fl0c-
GINC.

When l was about forty years of
age | took command of the ship
"Petersham." She was an old craft,
and had seen full as much service as
she was capable Of seeing with
safety. But her owners were will
ing to trust a valuable cargo in her,
so | would not refuse to trust my
self. We were bound to Liverpool,
and nothing unusual happened until
about the eighth day out, when we
ran foul of small iceberg. 1t was
early in the morning, before sunrise,
and not above six or eight feet of
ice was above the water, it having
nearly all been melted in the warm
waters of the Gulf Stream. did
not think we had sustained much
injury, for the shock was light; but
l was very angry, and gave the look
out a severe punishment, without
stopping to inquire whether he could
have seen the berg in time to escape
it.
My cabin boy was named Jack
Withers. lie was fourteen years of
age, and this was his first voyage. l
had taken him from his widowed
mother, and promised her that l
would see him well treated-that is,
if he behaved himself He was n
bright, quick, intelligent lad. l
soon made myself believe he had an
awful disposition. l fancied that
he was the most stubborn piece of
humanity | had ever come across.
l had made up my mind he had
never been properly governed, and
resolved to break him in. ! told
him I'd curb his temper before I'd
done with him. In reply he told me
l might kill him if l liked; and l
logged him with the end of the
mizzen top-gallant halliards till he
could hardly stand. l asked him if
he'd got enough, and he told me l
might fog him more if l wished to.
| felt strong inclination to throw
the boy overheard, but at that mo-
ment he staggered back against the
mizzen-mast from absolute weakness,
and left him to himself. When 1
reasoned calmly about the boys
disposition, l was forced to ac-
knowledge that he was one of the
smartest and most intelligent and
faithful lads / had ever seen. When
l asked him to do anything he would
be off like a rocket; but when l
roughly ordered him to do it, then
came the disposition with which 1
found fault.
One day, when it was very near
noon, l spoke to him to bring up
my quadrant. He was looking over
the quarter-rail, and l knew he did
not hear me; the next time l spoke
l ripped out an oath, and intimated
if he did not move I'd help him.
II didn't hear ye," he said with
an Independent tone.
''No Words" said l.
81 suppose 1 can speak," he re-
torted, moving slowly towards the
companion way.
His looks, words, and the slow,
careless manner in which he moved,
fired me in a moment, and l grasp
ed him by the collar.
"Speak to me again like that, and
I'll fog you within an inch of your
life," said l.
"You can fog away" he replied,
firm as rock.
And I did fog him. l caught up
the end of rope and beat him till
my arm fairly ached; but he never
WINGED.
CLOVIS that?" said 1.
"There's little more life in me-
you'd better fog it out" was the
reply.
And l beat him again. l beat
him till he sank from my hand
against the rail; and 1 sent one OF
my other men for my quadrant.
When it came and had adjusted il
for observation, found that the sun
had already passed the meridian,
and that was too late. This added
fuel to the fire of my madness, and
quickly Selling the lad by the collar
l led him to the main hatchway anC
had the hatch taken off. 1 ther
thrust him down and sworc 1 would
keep him there till his stubbornnes.
was broken. The hatch was ther
put on, and 1 went into the cabin
l suffered good deal that after
noon, not with any compunctions O
conscience for what had done, bu
with my own temper and bitterness
1t madc9 me mad to think that
could not conquer that boy-tha
l could not break down his cool
stern opposition.
"But | will do it, | said t,
myself, "by the heavens above me
l will starve him into it, or he shall
die under the operation!'
After supper | went to the hatch
way and called out to him, but h
rnturna1 mo M onswar Co olosa,