The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1886-05-19
"What transpired subsequentlY Is

''What transpired subsequently is
only known from what he himself related
year ago to the officers of the patrol.
1t was few weeks after he was. dis d.
charged that the American ship Mer-
chant passed out of the narrows bound
to San Francisco. She was in tow, and
her commander, Capt. Donaldson, when
he saw Sandy Hooks white sands draw
ing near, ordered the mate a man named
Cody, to get on deck several sailors who
had been brought on board in a beastly
state of drunkenness. In those days, as
is now generally known, a system of bru-
tallty was in vogue; thus it was that
when the chief officer ran forward to the
forecastle where the several tardy men
were asleep, he determined to awaken
them in an ld-fashioned manner.
Grasping capstan bar, he entered the
sailors headquarters and dealt two of
these men-a German and a Scandina-
vlan-a cruel blow on the limbs. Both
awoke in an instant.
Il called to you fellows to get on
deck before we left the wharf, the mate
calculated, but you need a little coax
ing, l reckon, and l thought I'd give it
to you on the end of capstan'b bar. Now,
II you don't get out to work like streak
OF lightning I'll knock the foreign eyes
out of your dumb heads. Git Hey!
listen to that fellow over there, will you,'
he continued, turning his attention to the
third and last individual, who was snor-
ing in lower bunk about ten feet away.
'Oh, I'll make you sober in short order
me hearty. Bar medicine is always good
after a drunk and, as he spoke, he
struck his slumbering victim blow in
the pit of IL te stomach With a cry the
latter sat boldly upright; so rapid did
he move in fact that his head encount-
cred with dreadful force the bottom
planking of the upper berth. There was
vacant stare in his swollen eyes and
they seemed to mock his pale hectic like
face and bloodless lips. So weak did
the man look that for moment the mate
was less brutal, and in tone which was
indeed compassionate for one of his cali
bre, he said;
Git out, me hearty. Well soon be
setting sail and will want your hand.
Don't look at me like that, but git out
and come to work
"The man slowly moved from his
bunk, and half walked, and half stag
gered toward the centre of the forecastle.
lie looked about him for few minutes,
and then, as if to fathom some deep
mystery, he inquired in voice so hoarse
as to again make the mate pity him.
"Where am II Tell me quickly,
where am II
"'Where are you2" said the mate with
astonishment why, you're on the ship
Merchant bound to Frisco. Hold onl
If you continue working your hands like
that swear I'll have to put you in irons
Be smart now and git
''He hadn't time to complete his COM
mand, for the wan-faced stranger had
glanced down at his own person and the
to scream. He had not noticed before
that he was attired in the rough costume
of a sailor, and when he did the horrible
truth nearly paralyzed him. In moment
he took in his position, though the mate
for the life of him could not understand
his strange actions. With one bound he
sprang for the door on the port
side to make certain whether or not
his fearful Imagination was real. He
saw through his blood-stained eyes a
dozen men aloft setting a number of the
square sails, saw that already the fore
and aft canvas had been hoisted, saw
that man stood at the wheel aft taking
orders from another on the poop deck,
and worst of all saw the white steam as
it escaped from the little pipe of the tug
which was fast taking the craft and him
self away to sea. Altogether he saw too
much and swooned to the deck. That
man was George Duncan, and he had
been robbed in this great city.
To hide the crime and obtain a
premium which was offered
by sea captains for seamen the plunder-
ers had decked him in sailor garments,
carried him on board the Merchant,
which was ready to sail and shipped him
as common Jack Tar. In other words,
he had been shanghaied. When he re-
gained consciousness the sun was going
down and he was in bunk in the fore
castle. He got up and with little diff
fculty, for the ship was doing some
grand sailing and rolling, walked on
deck. He saw the man to whom he had
spoken that morning standing near the
miZzen mast. He reeled toward him.
He was perfectly sober now, and the
tears insisted on coming to his eyes, but,
Notwithstanding their presence, he dra-
matically said;
"You are man, and know will lis
ten to what have to say. You told me
this morning l shipped as a sailor on
board this vessel l did not. l am not
a sailor. have never been to sea be-
fore, have been duped by some un-
known persons. Now / am only an inn
pediment to you, and will be obliged to
remain such for several months unless
you choose to put me ashore. l ask you
for Gods sake, to make some nelr-by
harbor, so that may effeot. reparation to
my poor wife and baby boy before it is
too late"
"There was little noble feeling mixed
up with the brutal character of the mate
Cody, and he really sympathized with the