Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-03-28
HlfsftIlaneDns.
Anicted With . Jonah.
THE SEA CAPrAN's FEAR OF PARSONS
Sons.

| ..yo, NAV ,anoh at me as hard as you
,;L. hu, T still stick to it that there are
such things as Jonahs even IN tnese uays,
said white haired old sea captain one
afternoon recently to a few Ir1enos VINO
were helping him to surround s.oVe ~
/ the Office of South street chandier snoP.
.AItbonoh | was never really what you
could call superstitious, began tne cap
tain. II had the idea, even while was
mate. that if when got to be captain L
should ship parsons son IN my crew. II
would bring me bad luck. You know
parsons sons are full OF spirits and all
| that. and sometimes get into trouble.
Then their friends think it would do them
a world of good to make voyage or two
before the mast. Well. after got TO De
captain l refused several times TO ship
| parsons son Just on account OF that IDEA
| of mine. About 10 years ago l was put
| in command of trim little bark Just on
the stocks, that was loading in this port
for Cape Haytien, in the. West Indies:
Just as | was about to sail my steward
came to me and asked me if | wouldn't
take a boy. He promised to look after
the bov, and have him in his own state
room. From the way he talked. | thought
the boy was some relation Of his. | liked
the steward, and he had sailed with me
for several years. So to oblige him,
said would take the boy. In the hurry
of getting off Thought no more of the
bow until we got off Sandy Hook. Then
| asked the steward if he had brought the
boy. He says, oh, yes, sir. but he's sea-
sick. and think it would be better for
him to keep his birth until he's all right
again So left it to the steward to
bring him on deck when he saw fit You
see. although the boy had signed the arti
Giles. and all that l hadn't clapped eyes
on him once. The next morning when
was on deck, up came the steward with
the bov. started back when | saw the
youngster. He was fat. clumsy lad OF
about lS shuddered when | looked at
him. 1t seemed to me as if. saw il-luck
in his face | wouldn't have been any
more set back if | had seen the word
Jonah written on his forehead. | looked
reproachfully at the steward, and then
called the mate and told him to set the
bov at work. Then asked the steward
if he thought it was doing the fair thing
bv me to 90 and smuggle Jonah on
board my bark The steward got
kind of indignant. Why said he,
that boy amt Jonah. He's good boy,
only one of his chums went and got into
scrape and laid the blame all on him. So
his people had to send him to sea. His
father is a very nice man. My sister is
seamstress in his family Then | asked
the steward who the BOYS father was. 1t
turned out that he was parson. That
WAS all cared to hear. | knew | was in
| for it now There was no doubt now but
that | had got genuine Jonah on board.
II thought at first of putting about and
landing my Jonah, but the wind was fair
so kept on. But on the third day out
came head wind. That was followed by
hurricane, in which my new bark began
to leak. Then came calm with a fog.
sudden we felt terrific shock The bark
had run into waterlogged wreck, but we
soon cleared her. Fortunately we were
! going very slowly or the accident would
| have made hole in our bows. But the
bark made good deal more water after the
collision, although she seemed all right
otherwise. A few days afterward white
squat struck us md carried away two of
the upper yards. and split whole set of
sails. | used to sit on deck and watch
my Jonah as he waddled clumsilv about
and began to wonder if after all,
wouldn't be justified in quietly pitching
him overheard, for felt sure that he was
the cause OF all our ill-luck. When we
were within about a days sail of Cape
Haytien noticed that we had GOT into a
strange current, but managed to get out
just soon enough to avoid running into
the reefs of the Caycos, which. YOU know
is the most dangerous neighborhood in
that part of the West Indies You never
saw a more thankful captain than was.
when finally dropped anchor in the har-
Dor of Cape Hayden, although my bark
was leaking very badly for so new yes
sci.
"While the bark was unloading and
taking on a fresh cargo. | was trying to
hit on some plan for getting rid of my DO
nah. He was shipped for the round trip.
and was afraid that the Consul would
not consent to nv dlscharging the boy.
But at last hit on plan. hated to have
to be tricky, but did not dare to risk 90
ING back with Jonah on board. for | felt
sure that he would bring some terrible
disaster on the bark if she left port with
him again. The boy had not gone ashore
once up to the time that the cargo was on
board. and the bark was ready to sail
sent the steward ashore for some fresh
provisions. and about an hour atterward !
sent for Jonah. pointed out the town
and the country around it. and asked him
if he didn't want to take a run ashore
Says |. Why. the bark won't
, sail these three days because
| am going to take large
= consignment of gold, and that hasn't
got here yet The boy seemed pleased
and | gave him money enough TO cover
his wages for the time he had heen with
me and couple OF months more. Now,
said |, just you go a:hore and
have a good time called a
+ shore boat and got him into it.
it. can assure you that | saw him going
away with good deal of pleasure Soon
! aRerward the steward came off with the
: fresh provisions. Everything was ready
: tar sailing. and just then the pilot came
on board. ordered the crew to heave
up the anchor at once The steward
= missed Jonah. of course, and was wild
, about him. Says |. If the young scrape-
grace has gone and run away how can we
help it?' He didn't seem satisfied. but il
was too late tor him to do anything. for
by that time we were getting under way.
The VOYAGE back was the luckj lest I have