The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-12-02
CHAPTER VII.

All that night it blew terribly hard,
| and raised as wild and raging sea as
ever | remember hearing or seeing
described. During my watch-that is,
from midnight until four o'clock
wind vcered a couple of points, but
had gone back again only to blow
harder, just as though it had stepped
ont of its way trifle to catch extra
breath.
was quite worn out by the time my
turn came to 90 below, and though
the vessel was grooming like live
creature in its death-agOnies. and the
seas humping against her wit. such
shocks as kept me thinking that she
was striking hard ground, fell asleep
as soon as my head touched the pill
low, and never moved until routed out
by Ducklirg four hours afterward.
All this time the gale had not ahated
in the least. The main deck was fairly
afiOat, but | ascertained from Duck
ling that the well had been sounded
ana the ship found dry; and therefore
since we were tight below it mattercd
little what water was shipped above,
as the matches were securely battencd
down fore and att But still she Ia
bored under serious disadvantage from
being so heavily overloaded.
Partly out of curiosity and part
ly with wish to hearten the men |
looked into the fOrcaStle. The dark
ness here was made visible by an oil
lamp resembling a coffee-Tot with a
wick in the spout which burned black
and smokily.
The whole of the crew were below.
Some of the men lay smoking in their
hunks. others in their hammockS with
their boots over the edge; one was
patching Il coat, another @reasing his
boots. others were seated in group
talking. while under the lamp were a
couple of men playing at cards upon Il
chest, three or four watching. and
holding on by the hammocks. over their
heads.
\ man, lying in his bunk with his
face toward me, started up and sent
his legs, incaSed in blanket trousers
and brown wooden stockings, flying
ont.
Here Mr.. Royle, matesr' he called
ont. LETS ask him the name of the
port the captain means to touch at for
proper food, for We aren't goin' to wait
much longer"
Don t ask me any questions of that
kind, my lads" l replied, promptly,
seeing general movement of heads in
the hunks and hammOckS I'D give
You proper victuals if had the order
ing of them; and have spoken to Cap
tain CoXon about you, and | am sure
he will see this matter put to rights"
'Who thinks" said voice from
hammock, that we're going to let
ourselves be grinded as we was last
night, without proper whites 20 sup
port us? I'd rather have signed arti-
cleS for coai-barCe with drowned
rats to eat from GraveScnd to WhitSta-
bile than shipped in this here cursed
vessel, where the breads just lit to
make savageS retch!'
l had not bargained for this, but l
had merely meant to address them
cheerily, with few words of approval
of the smart way in which they had
worked the ship in the night. Seeing
that my presence would do no good,
Turned about and left the fOrecaStie,
hearing, as l came way, one of the
Dutchmen cry out: Look here, Mr.
Rile, will you be plea>he to ssay when
we are to how, something to eat?-for
We will kill tie pigs in the long-boat, if
the skipper don't mindt-so look QUIT"
As ill-luck would have it, Captain
CoXon was at the break of the poop ard
saw me come out of the forecastle
He waited until he had got me along
side of him, when he asked me what l
was doing among the men.
II looked in to give them a good
word for the work they did last night"
l answered.
land who asked you to give them 4
good word, as yeu call it?''
81 have never had to wait orders to
encourage a crew."
Mind what you are abou. sir!" he