The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-04-22
AFFLICTED WITH A JONAH.
Tie Sea Captains Fear OF Parsons
Sons.
How He Proved That One Brought Mis-
fortune to Him by Chapter From
His Own Experience.
Now York Tines. I

recently TO few friends who we're helping
him to surround a stove in the
Office Of South street chendler's shop
The Captains statement led TO satirieal
remarks on the part of some of the others.
But the old mans superstition was proof
against Iidieuls, ard be said qlits earnestly:
NOV il you chaps will only listen to me
for few minutes, 1 will guarantee to con-
vince every one OF you that, although the
original Jonah may be dead as a herring, his
spirit still lives, and every now and then gets
into some uniuckY landsman, who insists on
going 70 sea and brings misfortune to every
ship he sets his foot on" The Captains lis
teners admitted that they were open to con-
yicti0D, and were ready TO listen to any evil
der ce as TO the existence OF Jonahs which
might be laid before them.
Although l was meyer really what You
could call superstitious," began the Captain,
II had the ioes, even while 1 was 8 mate,
that If when got to be q captain should
ship parsons son in my crew it would
bring me bad luck. You know parsons
sons are full of spirits and ell that, and
sometimes get in trouble. Then their friends
think it would do them a world OF good to
make g voyage or two before the mast.
Well, after got to be Captain refused sew
ersl times TO ship parsons son Just on &C
count of that idea Of mine. About ten years
ago l was put in command of trim little
bark Just OFF the stocks that was loading In
this port for Cape Hay ten, in the Wes.
Indies. Just IS l was about TO sail my
steward came to me and asked me II 1
wouldn't take boy. He promised to look
after the boy, and have him in his own
ststeroom. From the way he talked /
thought the boy was some relative of his
L liz ed the steward, and he had sailed with
me for several years. &c. to oblige him, l
said he would lake the boy. In the hurry
OF getting off l thought 10 more of the boy
until off Sandy Hook. Then 1 asked the
steward If he had brought the boy. He
says: Oh. yes sir, but he's sessick and |
think it would be better for him to keep his
berth until he's all right again So le'tit
to the steward 10 bring him on deck when
he saw fit. You see, althO ugh the boy had
signed articles, and ell that, l hadn't
clapped eyes On him once.
The next morning, vhan was
on deck, mp came the steward With the boy.
l started hack when saw the ysungster. He
was fat, clumsy lad OF about eighteen.
shuddeTed when looked at him. Ii seemed
to me as if l saw Ill luck in his face. l
wouldn't have been any more set back il I
had seen the word Jonah written oa his
forehead. l looked re2roachfully at the
steward, and then I called the mate and
asked the steward /! be thought il was doing
the fair thing by ne to go aud smuggle a
Jonah on board my bark. The steEard got
kiL Ct indignant. Why said he, that
boy amt Jonah. He's good boy, only
one Of his chums went and got into a sc.epe
and laid the blame all On him. So bis pso-
pie had to send him to sea. His father is q
very nice man. Ny sister is seamstress in
bis family Then | asked the steward who
the boys father was. Il turned out that he
vas q psTsoD. That was sll cared to hear.
knew l was in for it now. There was no
doubt now but that l had got a genuine
Jonah on hoard.
Il thought at first Of putting about and
landing my Jonah, but the wind was fair, so
kept on. Bat on the third day out came
head wind. That was followed by hurri-
cane, IN which my new lark began to Leak
Then came q calm with fog. We were
going along easily, when all of sudden We
felt terrible shock. The bark had run into
a wstteIlogged wreck, but we soon cleared
her. Fortunately, We we're going very
slowly, or the accident would have made
hole in our bows. But the bark made good
deal OF water after the collision, although
she seemed all right otherwise. A few days
afterwsrd white squsll struck rs and
carried away two of the upper yards and
split a whole set OF sails. | used 10 sit on
deck ard watch my Jonah as he waddlsd
clumsily about, and / began to wonder il,
after sll, 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 days sail OF Cape Hay
tien / noticed that we had got into q
strange current, but / managed to get out
just soon enough to avoid running onto the
reefs of the Csycos, which you know is the
most dangerous neghbCIhood in that part of
the West Indies. You never saw a man
more thankful, captain, than | was when
finally / dropped anchor in the harbor of
Cape hay tien, although my bark was leak
ing very badly for so new vessel.
awhile the bark was unloading and taking
on a fresh cargo / was trying to hit on some
plan for getting rid OF my Jonah. He had
shipped for the round TRIP, andI was afraid
that the CoLsui would not consent to my dis
charging the boy. But at last hit on plan.
j hated TO have TO be tricky, but l did not
dare 10 risk going back with Jonah on board,
for felt sure that be would bring some ter
rible 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 pro-
visions and about an hour afterTard ] sent
for Jonah. / pointed out the town and the
country around it and 1 asked him if he
didn't want to take a run ashore. Says l,
why, the bark won't sail for these three
days be cause am going to take q large con-
signment of gold, and that hasn't got
here yet The boy seemed pleased, and
gave him money enough to cover
his wages for the month he had
been with me and couple of months
more. Now, said /, Just you go ashore and
have good time l called shore-boat
and Jonah got into 1t. can assure you that
saw him going away with a good deal of
pleasure. Soon afterwaId the steward came
off with the fresh provisions. Everything
was ready for sailing, and just then the pilot
cane on beard. ordered the crew to heave
up the anchor at once. The steward missed
Jonah. of course and was wild about him.
Says /, IF the yonng scapegracs has gone
and run away, how can we help itY He
didn't seem satisfied, but it was too late for
him to do anything, for by that time we
were getting under way. The voyage back
| was the luckiest have ever had. The wind
was right behind Us ell the way up to this
port. The sea was little rough aud there
| seem ed to be hurricanes ali around us, but
somehow they never touched US. Although
the bark had been leaking considerably even
in port, she frightened up again the moment
we got out to sea. We were lucky in every
way. ! laid my good luck to our having
| got rid of Jonah, which, of course, was the
| reason.
The voyage proved such profitable one
| to the owners of my bark that they sent me
right back 20 Cape Hayden. The voyage
back to that port was quick and prosper
| Gus one in every way. But IS we got near
| Cape Haytien began to feel little uneasy
about Jonah. / thought that perhaps l
hadn't done right in sending the lad ashore