River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1885-09-10
MY FIRST VOYAGE.

/ reckon my first voyage was a
memorable one, said an old South
street merchant, speaking Of his sailor
dav~. The Blue Coat was neat
Boston snip She was loading for
Pernambuco when | went on board.
Her captains name was John Sails
burv. and the mates name was Bevins.
Salisbury was a big Yankee, and
Beyins was natty little fellow from
Baltimore They were great chums,
too. and when | was al work polishing
up the bright work upon 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 Pernam-
buco, and the consequence was that
IN intense rivalry sprung up between
ihc two captains We were getting
our cargo slowed first, but the other
captain swore he would beat us
sailing, and so catch the market first.
Another reason why Capt. Salisbury
was anxious to make a short passage,
was that his wife and 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 rs we We're To put to sea before the
end of September. we had chance
Of getting back for the same occasion.
The crew, and there We're twenty OF
them. tumblcd their chests over the
rail before the last barrel was slowed.
reckon Ill never forget two Of
them. One was a great broad
shouldered fellow, too big to be quick.
His name was jim McAdam, and a
better man on a topsail ballard or a
weather caring never smoked pipe.
However he seldom got the weather
caring. because the other chap, whose
real name was Henry Parmley, but
who was known as Dandy, seldom gave
him a chance Dandy was as hand
some a man as you could find IN a
week 5 search among sailors boarding
houses He had curly brown hair
blue eyes, with sort of scared look in
them, !. good five foot ten figure, and
small hands and feet. His dress and
bearing rave his nickname McAdam
was known as Badly jim, for reasons
that were obvious when his hat was
off. OF course these two men did not
agree well, and as Badly was aggressive.
Dandy was imposed upon, and Badly
became the ruler of the starboard watch
When we got to sea ! very soon
learned that certain personal regard
which Capt Salisbury had for my father
did not save me from becoming Baldy's
body servant. and that was about the
most unfortunate position boy could
hold
The second day out. as we were
going below for the afternoon watch,
Badly ordered me to grease his boots,
which | did after he was snoring. l
was inwardly cursing the f~te that
took me to sea, when Dandy came
down the ladder, looked at me
minute, and then turned in. for we
were al in one watch. | did good
lob. and about three hours later was
routed out by the watch on deck.
There was brisk wind blowing. and
lust as Badly reached the deck a sea
came over the rail forward and sloshed
down around him. thoroughly wetting
one foot. because his boot had hole
in was known as Useless. Here
Useless. said Badly. you little beast,
why the didn't you grease the
crackS9 was mad. and was about to
say something to show 1t, when,
Badly with his bic boot lifted
me clear into the lee sorPpers. 1t was
IN awful kick. | crawlcd to the edge
of the forchatch, but no medicine
rould have relieved me so much as
what followed The men OF both
watches. excepting Dandy, laughed at
me. When | reached the hatch comb
inc he turned and said imperiously:
Ask the boy : pardon. Tie did good
lob ON the boots. for | saw him st It.
That was sumner and no mistake.
For mild-mannered Dandy to tell the
boss of the forecastle to ask boy
uardOu was too much. Badly Just
dropped a bit. rs if To get "a better
bold IN something. and then started
for DANDY The result nearly turned
the forecastle upside down. He didn
take step till Dandy met him, and
then something seemed to lift HIM ln-
TO the air His left shoulder struck
the deck first. and then the big boots
came down with a racket that brought
Mr.. Tullis. the second mate. and Capt.
Salisbury forward What's up here?
said Mr. TulliS | am. sir. No man shall
strike me. said Dandy, with salute.
So am l. said Badly. rs sle rose and
made for Dandy again. He got no
further than before His head struck
the deck first again. Avast. or III
mt YOU in irons for a month, said the
capfain. What do you mean by thatg
RaIdy crawled on the hatch much rs
had and then. there being nothing
small about him. told the truth about
fhe whole matter. After that nobody
was 50 much respected in the forecastie
rs DANDY. But when one of the crew
tried afterwards to chat Badly about
She licking. he got slap across the
law that made his teeth rattle, and
Badly said: Well, yeou can't dew it.
eff Dandy kin.
All this time we'd been carrying on
sail. and the Blue Coat was Just jump
mo herself. Capt. Salisbury knew
THING or TWO about ships. and he
wasn't going to let any rival ship get
in ahead of him if he knew it. After
the first two weeks, he used to ask the
lookout. about every time a sail was
reported. if it was square sail or
rattle. a rattle was the name he gave
TO the little three-cornered sky-sails
which the Alice carried above her roy
ais. He was awtully excited when the
outlook reported topsail schooner on
the weather beam one day. However,