The Portland daily press., 1885-12-19

defence, he claimed but the Captain knew
of it, and was holding it over him.
At four O'Clock / left the wheel and my
watch went below. AT six o'clock we came
on deck. We had not gone about again, but
supposed we would very soon, The Captain
and Scotty were standing in front of the
cabin door, Scotty was as pale as ghost.
Says he to the second mate:
The Captain says send all of the men aft. :
The Captain looked surprised at this, but
said nothing. The men all came aft. Then
Scotty cried out
Captain Phillips, will you make me mate
This is the last time shall ask your
Scotty said this in such way that the
Captain looked frightened. He suffered
for minute but he saw wicked look
spreading over Scotty's face, and he said;
Yes, Scotty, | appoint you mate
Scotty took two bounds that took him up
on the afterhouse. He had grown straight
all of sudden lie held up his head, and
there was fire in his eyes. For the first time
he really looked WELL
Helm to lee!' he cried; we must put
about!'
Then he gave out his orders as rapidly and
as clearly as if he has commanded ships for
years.
The ship swung around on the port tack,
but as she did so my hair must have lifted
my hat up about two inches, for right close
on our port quarter lay line of breakers
which dashed over a ledge of wicked-looking
reefs. had no doubt that Scotty intended
to run the ship on those reefs if the Captain
had refused the last time to make him mate.
Captain Phillips was leaning against the
bulwarks and looking at the breakers. He
seemed to be regularly stunned. Scotty,
after lacking, wore the ship slowly around
until she headed about north-northwest, be-
fore the southeast trade winds.
During the rest of the run to San Francis
co Scotty was not only mate, but command
Ell of the ship as well. Capt. Phillips did
nothing but NOPE. He gave no orders him.
self but left everything to Scotty, who
seemed to be first rate navigator, and he
was proud to show it.
The day after we arrived at San Francisco
we were paid off. stumbled across an old
were standing at the window, when who
should we see going along on the sidewalk
but Captain Phillips and Scotty. Jim start
ed back at sight of them.
why, | know them fellows says he.
They are
Says L:
They are the captain and mate I've been
sailing under.
Says he:
Which is the captain?'
pointed out Captain Phillips, and he be-
gan to laugh.
Why said he, that's old Bill Jones, a
steward sailed with on an English bark
four years ago. He put on so many airs
that folks took him to be captain when he
was on shore; but he never had as much
brains as | have got, and that's saying
mighty little. But the young fellow with
Bill Jones has got brains He was an ap-
mighty smart at navigation. They said he'd
make first-class shipmaster.'
Then questioned him bit, and it turned
out that on the bark the second mate was
down ON Scotty, and was always using him
rough. One morning the second mate was
missing, and it was supposed that he fell
oveboard during the night No one suspect
Scotty. made up my mind that this sec
ond mate had attacked Scotty, who had killed
him in self-defense, and had made away with
the body. The steward knew his secret, and
by holding it over him, made Scotty do just
what he wanted, until he finally broke out
and got made mate. The steward probably
passed himself off as captain, and by forged
letters, or something of that sort, got COM
mand of a ship. You could get command of
an American ship then without passing an
examination.