Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1886-06-02
MUTINY At SEA.

When you come to speak of dreadful
things, you may set it down that a mu-
tiny at sea can be classified first. 1t is il
most cases the turning of the worm. Men
who nave had it drilled into them for
years that they must put up with such
food as hogs would refuse, obey every or
der without question, peril their lives at
The word, cringe and tremble before one
of their " species because he is in au-
thority, are not to be driven into mutiny on
the high seas without extreme provoca-
ton.
When the worm turns, then look outl
Your cringing foremost hand, who only
the day before thanked the mate for
knocking him down, may be a tyrant in
turn.
The ship becomes a floating hell. The
slaves of yesterday are the masters today.
II once they take the step which render
them m%utineers, they will not hesitate to
go farther and add murder to the crime.
In the year 1866, after having served on
coasting vessels for several years, and
made one voyage from New York to Liv-
erpool, | shipped as second mate on the
bark Midway, bound from San Francisco
TO the Sandwich islands, and thence ON a
trading voyage to the islands OF she south
west. The bark was a small one, hut a
good sailer n a dry ship, and believe |
was IN luck in securing my berth, The
captain, whose name was Burrows, seemed
o very pleasant man, making use of no
profaue language, and appearing to be as
mlld-tetnpercd as a parson. Mind you, |
am giving my first impressions as | sized
him up while we yet lay at the wharf.
| shipped ut Honolulu, the bark having al
ready completed She first part of her voy-
age. ! heard fumor to the effect that her
whole crew deserted her on her arrival
at the islands. but rumors among sailors
are not to be depended on, and / gave the
matter 10 investigation, though | sawthat
she was shipping a fresh crew. We left
Honolulu with twelve men before the
mast, and. we were. not yet Off
soundings when the trouble began.
The meat which had been boiling away
in the cooks coppers during the fore
noon gave u STANCE odors. From the
whiffs ! had caught now and then | knew
something was wrong, and when the meat
was carried forward in the kids ut noon
the stenc WIS enough to turn ones
stomach. Vhe mate, whose name was
Berry, saw that. ! was surprised such
meat should be placed before the men on
a voyage just begun, and he growled:
All! d. 'em; it's too good Tor such as
they. just let me catch 'em making a
fuss over it, and Ell work up their old iron
III a way TO open their eyesl''
| was astounded. Mr.. Berry had seemed
y quiet, even-tempered man, and / had
said to myself that there would be no
Dnlying aboard of the Midway. The
watches had not yet been. set, but the
bark was on her course before q light
breeze, and things were being made ship
shape. The captain was already at din
nel,, and soon after uttering the remarks
quoted above the mate went down to join
him.. was thus left in charge of the deck,
but the crew, with the exception of the
man ut the wheel. We're forward with their
kids. AS the beef made its appearances
there was q movement of surprise, and /
heard several of them utter expressions of
disgust. The meat was picked up and
closely examined, and then ali faces were
turned in my direction. Then, after a
brief consultation, n old sailor whose
every look and action proved the genuine
tar, picked up the meat tub and came aft
Wlth II. He was going to make q com
plant, which he had % perfect right to do,
und l, as officer of the deck, had no right
to refuse to listen. He put down the tlb,
aoffed his hat, and very respectfully said:
~ tllilSt tlG llGtUAlSHa u laTulN ut
to;baitsa shark. It'll is probably the fault
Of the cook. Will you kindly forward our
complaint to the captainsn
AT chat moment Captain Burrows. APP
peared on deck. Taking in the situation
at u glance, he walked straight up to the
sailor n Numbered:
What in heli's mime does this mean.
you deep" Finding fault with your pro-
visions before the first meal is begunli Get
forward, you internal whelpia
The man retreated without a.word IN
reply, but left the tub behind him. I'm
ieiilng you the solemn truth when ] say
THAT the odor of it WAS enough TO turn my
stomach seven'or'eigllt feet away.
TITS just like 'em, the hounds!n roared
the captain. Its the beef they find fault
with, ehi Here, every mothers son, come
aftl'
The men slowly obeyed, knowing that a
storm was at hand. The captain picked
ZIP thestub, held it out toward them, and
sud, is there anything wrong with the
nieaJg Who says this isn't as sweet beef
as was ever placed before ~sailors9 Who
is the maH?p
For u minute not one of them answered
him. Then the mar who had brought the
tub aft stepped out, made a respectful sa-
lutte, and replied, captain Burrows, we
didn't find fault with you, but with the
cook. The meat is So far gege that nc
man aboard can eat it.
AOh, it's bad, is it?n sneered the captain.
as he placed the tub in my hands. aNc
one can eat it, Ell? Let's see about thatYr
With his naked fingers he lifted up a
piece and bit Off a mouthful and swat
lowed it. AT that moment the mate ap-
peared on deck, and the captain called.
Nh Berry, the men declare this meat is
unfit to eat, Come and taste it. and give
me your opinion
The mate came forward and tasted it.
saw him vince as he chewed at the stuff.
but he brayely swallowed it down, and cx-
claimed: ~The best beef ever saw
aboard a ship"
you whelps! You hounds, You gang
of lazy sojers, but I'll teach you to find
fault" screamed the captain, as he threw
The tub at the nearest sailor; and then he
dashed among them, followed by the
mate, and four or five men We're knocked
down and kicked about in the most brutal
manner. Not II of them made an at
TENT at resistance, and they were not fol-
lowed beyond the foremost.
There! ] guess they have had an intro
duction to me, and will know hereafter
how to brace their yards, y chuck4ed the
captain as he came aft. II run this craft,
Mr.. CARING, and / want every man
aboard to know it. / want no man in
the cabin who coddles the fo'castle. Why
didn't you knock the dog down when he
came aft with the beefss
Capt Burrows I replied, II was never