Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1886-08-18
I cn1lnht the brute at Last

The boys bred in Eastport were in a sense
half sailors, without having ever been to sea.
The atmosphere and sentiment Of sea life
penetrated every family and permeated every
life. None of us were in the strictest sense
"greenhornS" We came to "know the
ropes" sometimes earlier than we could read
Our principal sport was that of going aloft
on the ships as they lay al the wharf. We
knew also of the strictness Of the sea dis
cipline, and that from the moment the fore
mast hand went over the vessels side he was
the slave of the officers.
knew this full WELL Indeed, | was afraid
of Sam Pell had heard stories of his hard
ness and cruelty to sailors. He was one of
your "knock down and drag out" mates, and
he reveled in this reputation.
felt in his present treatment of me fore
taste of what was in store during the voyage
He might not beat me, but an officer who is
"down on a sailor can make his life uncom-
Portable in hundred ways; and l felt that
Pell was "down on me-"
Mr.. Pell on this occasion had, it seemed to
me- heaped the cup of indignity upon me to
overflowing That is, from my point of
view. From that of u sailor and an officer
the case was entirely different. As to mari
time law, custom, usage, all the right lay on
his side. 1t was his place to order, mine to
obey. was in temper-not the temper Of
cool bravery, which. having counted all
costs, determines what to do and adheres to
such determination. Mine was the temper
of lunatic.
Ilet 90 the pigs legs and walked toward
the gang plank.
''Go back to your duty!' roared Pell.
All Eastport was looking at me. In
theatrical parance, had the whole stage
to myself. said nothing and stepped upon
the gang plank.
go back to your duty again roared Pell
He stepped between ME and the gangway
and laid his hand on my shoulder / brushed
it off contemptuously. He grabbed my hair
and swung me half round. l struck him in
the face. MI Pell knocked me down. At
that moment Capt Lauring came out of the
cabin
whats all this aboutH he demanded, as
his eyes fell on the situation then presenting
itself.
Mr.. Pell had been strack a pretty hard
blow. 1t was new to his experience to be
struck by a foremost hand. He was as much
astonished as angered.
"That whelp there" said he, "refuses duty
and has struck me-"
"What! Refuse duty and strike an officer
before the ships clear of the dock" erie the
captain "Holder, take your chest and traps
ashore. You can't go Oh this ship"
~ don't want to-" was my reply.
mo words back. young man, so long as
you're ON this deck" replied the captain.
"Mr. Pell, see that this mans things are put
on the wharf directly"
walked ashore and my luggage soon fol-
lowed me.
So left the Ann Mary Ann, in full view
Of my townspeope. 1 did not remain upon
the wharf l walked and kept on walking.
I knew not, cared not, whittier. | left the
village and went into the forest. with which
Eastport is thickly surrounded. | found
myself going past the two beautiful lakes
our skating ponds in winter-then over a
salt water creek crossed by bit of bridge.
Mile after mile so / Travelled Oh. reckless,
angry, ashamed. discouraged, deSpairins,
fitting from mood to mood, from resolution
to resolution Oh, if could but live in these
woods-live on walnutS, Gari:. leaves, any
CuluS-Sleep uuucI lllc UIeeS "ilLouI uio1oLh-
fort, that were not fettered and slave to
house, table, three meals day and the
thousand necessities with which man has
burdened himself That l were rs indie
pendent of these people about HE us were the
ducks l startled from the salt water ponds
near the beach.
Ifound myself upon a high point of land
at the harbor's entrancc-full six miles from
the wharf lin my unnoted wandcrings and
turning, | must have travelled twelve.) |
looked up. The Ann Mary Ann was before
me, about half mile distant in the main
channel, with every sail set that would draw,
and as the watch ''bowsed away" on the main
tack heard coming over the water the strains
of the old sea song with which was familiar:
'Oh the bully boats comm,
Don't you hear her sails a hummin'."
The Ann Mary Ann was pretty sight in
her cloud of white canvas and the life, ami
nation and joyou>ness apparent on board
might have Knocked me- but for thought
which suddenly flashed upon me. | said
aloud to the departing vessel: I'll be there
before you, my fine fellows" and | knew |
should.
But howe