The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1888-09-11
POOR JACK.

could have navigated @ ship to any
part OF the world. did not enter upor
1 the occupation through force of CIR
cumstances, but because I loved tht
sea, had fair education, steady
habits, and served my time with an
uncle who was a splendid sailor and 6
God fearing man. I should have beer
his mate after receiving my rating, .bu,
he died while we were loading ship,
and the owners Kept me ashore Tor 6
s. couple OF months to look over the pa.
pers and fix up accounts. Then Icould
have had berth as mate, but a strange
notion had come over me. Several
captains had been hauled up for abus,
ing their men, and had been present
at the trials. My Indignation was
aroused by the stories told by tile men,
and, encouraged by half a dozen phil.
anthroplsts, determined to become a
sailors champion. 1t was very silly, I
I, au = =, ear
nestly believed 1T was my B,ss,a ~ 7,
was silly for one man to hh2na h - work
a revolution. Had q hKJ hK@Jrad obonor ~ :
ions set out and beep anI,aa nu.su w. Vnamp a',,p
ets and courts, nasleu @,.py Wy nwn psre
como Of It, '-''' =
~ ~ nlss Sseep was to procure the ma
- ~ Of every country, with all the
yfnles and regulations bearing upon
SAILORS rights, I was very particular
IN securing definitions Of the term mu.
tiny, and in reading laws concerning
the rights Of sailors, to be quoted at
length before consuls In foreign ports.
had the help Of q lawyer In this work
and he gave me many hints Of value.
When ! was loaded and prjmed I
slowed $500 in cash In my pocket and
shipped aboard the brig Adventure,
bound from Liverpool to the West In.
dies. This ship had been recommended
to me as a good one to begin on, as the
captain had been arrested several times
for cruelty, but always escaped convic.
ton through the influence Of the own
ers and the perjured testimony Of the
mates. 1 was now 23 years Of age, s
feet IL inches tall, weighed 100 pounds
and was afraid of no call on shipboard.
was stout as bull, good boxey
and wrestler, and had never seen q
days sickness. AS tumbled aboard
the Adventure with half dozen other
sailors, I was determined to do my full
duty as far as possible, and to obey all
rules and regulations to the fullest ex-
tent. Before We were fairly under way
saw that we were to have floating
hell. The captain was q hard drlnker
and az and the mates delighted
TO CURSE abuse. Aboard of nv
uncle's sh, flors were treated like
men, and drinl and profanity were un.
known. was prepared for the change,
however. and let nothing astonish me.
exhibited my activity and Willingness
In getting away, and before the
watches were set it must have been
patent to the officers that was thor
ough seaman. This should have coun-
ted In my favor, and it did for a little
while. There 10 always q leader In
every crew. He not Only governs the
NN-So'"ooADs Dao hO ooUo tuo paCb OE Tile
men. especially those In his watch, Ir
ne is active and willing, the mon will
patter after him to a certain extent. If
he is a growler and a laggard, his dis
position will affect all. by taclt con-
sent was made leader, and, to the
great surprise of some Of the old sailors.
Informed them that / had come
aboard to do my full duty in cheerful
manner. and that I wanted no growl-
Ing or shirking. This gave them the
pace, and yet it got me into trouble.
The officers could find no excuse for
abusing the crew, and we're evidently
troubled over 1t. On the third dav
out, asI was taking my trick at the
wheel, | noticed that both captain and
first mate were in ugly mood, having
been drinking too much. There was
not the slightest excuse for grnmb-
ling. We had fair wind, every sail
was drawing, and everything below
and aloft was tidy and shipshape. The
watch on deck were oil busy. and /
wondered what excuse the captain could