The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-04-24
cdupht the brute at last.

with the vigor and regularity of piston rod,
setting up at the sane time n squealing that
rose far above the rest of the clamor and di-
rected every eye upon myself, Mr., Pell, |
think, enjoyed this, and to prolong it took no
notice of me and sent no one to my assist
ance, though short time previous he had
found time and opportunity every few min
utes to give additional directions regarding
this marine boar chase.
In the midst of this ridiculous situation my
eye fell on Blanche Seton, standing by a
wharf post, a little apart from the crowd.
Her face wore an expression of sadness.
There was some laughing and gufawing
among the crowd, and occasionally mock
directions were cried out to me i'll nautical
phraseology regarding the proper navigation
of the unruly animal ONE ancient salt ad
vised me TO fluff, another ''to put her helm
hard down." while third told me to haul
aft the spanker, wear ship and run for tho
cabooSe' The climax was reached when a
jovial mariner raised the whalemanS heart
stirring cry, There She blowsw
The boys bred in PASSPORT were in a sense
half sailors, without having ever been to sea.
The atmosphere and sentiment of "A sea life
penetrated every family and perncated every
life. None of Us were in the sti'icteSt sense
"greenhoTns.n We came to know the
ropes sometimes earlier than we could read.
Our principal sport was that of going alnft
on the ships rs they lay at the wharf. We
knew also of the strictne~s of the sea dis
ciplinc, and that from the moment the fore
mast hand went over the vessels side he was
the slave of the officers.
knew this full we'll Indeed, was afraid
of Sam Pell hal heard stories of his hard
ness and cruelty to sailors. He was one of
your "knocl; 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 sailor can make his life uncom-
Portable in hundred ways; and | felt that
Pell was down on me-
Mr.. Pell on this occasion had il seemed to
me, heaped the cup Of indignity upon me to
Overlooking That is, from my point Of
view. From that of a sailor and an officer
the case was entirely different. As TO mari
time law, custom, usage, all the right lay on
his side. II 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.
] let go the pigs legs and walked toward
the gang plank.
GO back Ia your duty roared Pell
All Eastport was looking at me. In
theatrical parlance, ! had the whole stage
20 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
1t OF contemptuouSly. lie grabbed my hair
and swung me half round | struck hun III
the face. Mr. Pell knocked me down. Al.
that moment Capt. LauriLg came out Of the
cabin.
What's all this about be demanded, as
his eyes fell on the situation then presenting
itSelf
M Pell had been struck a pretty hard