Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1888-02-15

out, so i couldn't make my pier, and
l didn't want to take tug for such a
short distance. That night you re-
member it rained heavy, and the next
day found couldn't get to my pier to
discharge, there being another vessel
ahead of me. So / told the boys
they all could go ashore, and I'd keep
anchor-watch. 1t was dead calm, SC
we got all sail set to dry in the sun.
and off they went, leaving me alone.
II reckon it was nigh on to eight
bells when a chap pulls alongside in
a leaky skiff,. and halls:
"Is the skipper aboard p
ayes, says l.
"I'd like to see him. says he.
"'Fire away says l, I'm him.
"'I heer'd you wanted to ship an
other hand says he.
$50 l do says L. BE you sailor
man ?
"'Well, rather says he.
$50 with that he comes over the
side and l asked him few questions
which he answered all right, and
then l set him to put long splice in
the fying,jib halyards, which he did
in better shape and quicker nor ]
could done it myself, so / shipped
him, and sent him aloft to scrape
down the fore top-mast, while l, hav-
ing been broke of my rest several
nights, lay down in the shade Of the
mainmast and went to sleep.
II must have slept nigh on to four
hours, when l woke up, feeling sort
of numb about the wrists, and hear
ing shouts. l tried to get up, and
then found that / was tied hand and
foot, so / couldn't do no more then
twist about like, and my new hand
was a maxim things livelier nor the
Polly Ann was used to.
"First off l thought he had got
crazy-drunk OH some New England
rum l had in my locker; but soon
seen he want no more drunk than
you be, but was looney, sure enough.
"He thought he was in command
of a man-o'war, and getting ready to
go into action. 1t didn't seem to
make the slightest difference that he
had to do all TIE work himself. He
would give his orders in regular
quarterback style, and execute 'em
as well as he could, with his own
hands. l was afeard to speak to him,
for fear he would knock me on the
head with a capstan-bar, taking me
for an enemy. l knew the boys
would not be back with the boat till
pretty late, as they was going to see a
play, and for the life of me, l couldn't
contrive any way of getting free.
meanwhile the weather had
changed, and a breeze was blowing
up the water in gusts. The Polly
still had all sail set, but she had
swung round, of course, head to the
wind, and although the sails were
stating good deal, she was steady
enough, having her load aboard.
"My new hand went forrard after a
while, and / heard him hammering at
something. Then he began to slack
away on the cables, which was a
natural thing for any sailor man to
do seeing how things was but pretty
soon he let the whole chain go over.
board by the run, and the Polly
began to drop astern on the strong
food tide that was setting up stream,
her booms a swinging back and forth,
and she a shivering all over.
"The new hand came aft on the
keen jump, stopping to slack away
the foresail sheet bit, and then to
the wheel like fash He got her
on the wind presently, and stood over
toward the Jersey shore. i expected
he'd run her on the shoals, but he
knew what he was after, and after a
little he gave her good pull and
then put her about handsomely, let
ting the jib take care of itself till he
could get chance to run forward and
let her down. | could see a Bit
through the scupper hole from where
/ lay, and soon saw he was heading
for the mouth of the Schuylkill.
"By this time the wind had freshen.
ed till it was blowing regular snort.
err from the southland. Everything
on the river was under double reefs
while we we're staggering along with
whole sail, and the weather-rigging
straining like it would snap. The
wind was fair to run up the river il
he knowed enough to keep her in the
channel, but was beginning to hope
he would beach her on Mud Island.
"All this time hadn't laid still by
no means, but tried everything Oh
him, from soft sawder to rough words
but it t'wa'n't no good he'd sing out
to his imaginary Leftenant to have
me took below or hove overheard. OIL
triced up to the mainmast but i