The Iola register., 1886-11-25

A regular growl came up from tho
men. and johnson exclaimed:
1--WE can't live on nothing til we
get to Valparaiso"
''What do YOU want me to dop" cried
the skipper. savagely.
''t's not for us to dictate" replied
johnson. "All that the crew wants i
grub fit 10 eat"
"Put into Brest," exclaimed voice.
at amt far off. There is good junk
and biscuit to be got at Brest."
''Who dares to advise me as to what
I'm to doa" shouted the skipper in his
furious way. "By heaven, I'll break
every bone in the scoundrefs body if
he opens his Internal mutinous mouth
again! l tell you l can't change the
provisions here. and I'm not going to
alter the ships course with this wind
astern, not if you were all starving in
reality" But having said this, he
pulled up short, as if his temper was
diverging him from the line of policy
he had in his mind to follow; he low
cred his voice and said: 'I'll tell you
what, my lads; you must make the
provisions last you for the present,
and if can make fair wind of it, I'll
haul round for some Spanish port; or if
not there, I'll see what land is TO be
picked up"
"You hear what the captain says,
don't yeup' growied Ducking.
'.It isn't US that minds waiting, it's
our stsmachs," said Fish, the small
faced man.
'.Do you mean to tell me you can't
got a meal out of the food in your
hands?" demanded the captain, point
ing among thep.
1--WE wouldn't mind if the bread and
molasses was right" cried Fish. 'But
they aren't. Nothen's right. The
VERY weevils amt ordinary; they're
longer and fatter than common bread
worms"
"Hold your jaw!' bawled Duckling.
1.-The captain has spoken to you fairer
than any skipper that ever sailed
under would have spoke. So now cut
forward-do YOU hear?-and finish
your breakfast Cook, come from be-
hind that mainmast, you leafing mig.
ger, and lcATe the main-deck. or I'll
make you tsot to show the others the
road"
He pulled a hrass belaying-pin ont
of the rail and fiourished it. The cap
tain walked aft to the wheel, leaving
Duckling to finish off with the men.
They moved away, talking in low
grulabling tones among themselves,
manifestlv dissatisfied with the result
of their conference, and presently were
all in the forecastle.
"I'il tell you what it is, Mr.. Royle."
said Dueking, turning impudentIy
upen me; lyon must wake up. if you
please. aad help me to keep those fel-
lows in their places. You must talk to
EN- and curse 'em! do you understand,
Mr. RoyleP''
mo. don't understand" I replied.
Il don't believe in cursing men,"
''Oh. suppose you are one Of those
officers who call all hands to prayer
before you reef dewn, are youp" he
asked, with coarse, sneering laugh.
Il don't t think Captain Coxon will APP
preciate your services much if that's
your kind"
II am Gerry you should misunder-
stand me-" 1 said. gravely. Il believe
/ can do my work. and get others to do
theirs, without fsul language and
knocking men down"
Thunder and lightning! what
spsony skipper n:Nsed you at his
breast? Could you knock man down
if you tried?"
Il think" said l, that l could
knock man down if tried. Perhaps
two. But then don't try. The skip
per who nursed me was not New Or.
leans man. but an Englishman, and
something better-an English gentle-
man. That means that no one on
board his ship ever gave him OCCASION
10 use has fists"
1t was now plain that was unsuited |
to the taste and society of the two men |
with whom ! was thrown. saw that
1t would be next to impossible to retain
my self-respect and continue to do duty |
as an officer without bringing Coxons
displeasure upon me. So came to .
determination to do my duty as CONF
pletely as l could. SO as to deprive
Coxon of all opportunity of making
my berth more uncomfortable than it
was; to hold my tongue. to take no no
tice of the shippers doings, to steer
clear of Duckaing as much as possible,
and to quit the ship, if possible. ut
Valparaiso. How l kept these good
resolutions you shall hear.
CHAPTER W.
The weather mended next day, and
We made all sail with a fine breeze,
south-sOuthwest. We had left
the Downs on Tuesday, the 22d of Au-
gust. and on the 25th we found by OBJ
that we had made a distance
Of over nine hundred miles. which.
the heavy seas the ship had
and the depth to which
she was loaded, was very good sailing.
Next day we were well upon the Bay
Of Biscay. Here it fell calm and the
ship made little progress. This put
COXon IN a ferocious temper and he
routed the crew out at all hours to
man first the port and then the star
board braces until all of us were worn
out. All this did no good and the ex-
tra work ws.s put on Us because the
skipper was in rage at the calm. and
not caring to rest himself was deter
mined the crew should not Next
light breeze sprung up and
We ran before it. but did not make
more than six knots an hour
And so till Thursday the 31st of
August, on which day we were. to the
best of memory, in latitude 45 degrees
n d longitude about 10 degrees.
The men during this time had been
pretty quiet. The boatswain told me
hat grumbling among them was as
regular as meal-times; but no murmurs
came aft, no fresh complaints were
made to the skipper. The reason was.
think, the crew believed that the
kipper meant to touch at Madeira or
me OF the more southerly Canary
Stands. That this was their notion