Wichita eagle., 1889-08-25
THE ST0WAWAY.


Reading in the papers the other day of the
arrest Of the mate OF the Rio steamer FL
nance for cruelty to three or four stowaways
who made their appearance after the vessel
was well on her voyage has recalled wildly
an adventure had when boy of IA, and,
though l was very humble individual my
self, the particulars of that adventure stirred
the people of great kingdom
know the sailor from topmast head to KEEL
son, have sailed in all sorts Of crafts, with
all sorts of crews, and have served many
/ captains / know that sailors are rough and
/ uncouth, and that there is always dispose
/ ton to find fault and to magnify evils. Jack
would have his growl no matter how well
! fed or how well used On land there is a GER
tain antagonism between employer and en-
! ployed. On ship board this is intensified, but
! that is because the employer has so much
more power over the employed. frankly
admit that l have never met half a dozen
/ Sailors no matter what sort of captain they
/ were serving under, who were without com
plants, but it does not follow that all the
/ others complained without reason. The ship
! may be comfortable and full handed, the
/ fare all right and the captain good man,
but the mates can still make the craft mighty
uncomfortable for the men venture to as
sert that there ere not half dozen long voy-
age sailing crafts leaving our shores in which
abuses calling for loud growing do not ex-
ist, and what is true of America is true Of all
other countries The Dutch, Swedes, Rus
slams and Lascars will stand over work, poor
grub and the abuse OF officers, and as much
for this reason as any other the Yankee sail
or has been driven from the sea and his
place filed by thesa Substitutes
J When 1 was II years Old my mother died,
and my father decided to go to Australia l
was his only child, and he was by no means
burdened with money. He was a master
! plumber, and he set out for Sydney under
contract. Three months after our arrival he
married again, and it was not six weeks be-
/ fore my stepmother pushed me into the
/ street. was under sized and sickly, but l
ne~er gave her the slightest cause for even a
/ harsh word. She simply took an aversion to
me, and somehow her hatred came to be re-
( fected in my father. He saw me thrown out
! on the world with hardly a protest. and two
/ days later when he met me in the street he
/ gave me about eight shillinss In money and
advised me to set up as bootblack and news
boy. | should probably have followed his
suggestions had / not on that same day
were planning to stow themselves away
aboard Of an English brig called the Charles
b. Churchill They were boys who had run
away from home or been thrown over like
myself and the idea was that they could do
better in England. was invited to Join, and
when our plans had been aid there were four
of US Of about the same age. We looked the
brig over, found that VIC could get aboard,
and made our arrangements.
One night, when the brig was nearly ready
for sea, l stole aboard, carrying with me
about two quarts of water and four pounds
Of bread and meat. This was the share 1 was
to furnish | was to be first aboard, slip
down the rnidship hatch, and the others were
to follow at brief intervals. A fire on board
q ship few hundred feet away collected the
crew of the brig aft, and got aboard with
ont risk. The hold was nearly full Of bags,
barrels and boxes, and after waiting few
minutes | made my way over these toward
the bow, and found very comfortable place
on lot OF dry hides. remained awake and
alert for two hours, and then fell asleep
without realizing that l was bit sleepy. 1t
was morning when | uwoke. and as the sail
ors were at work below dared not move or
call out. figured that my companions were
through the day, sleeping most OF the time.
At about sundown felt the ship under mo-
ton, and an hour later the matches were
closed and | was in midnight darkness.
had matches and a stub of candle, and, after
striking light, moved around and whistled
and called to my companions. l could make
M way over the freight pretty easily in any
direction. and / would not give up that l was
alone until had searched for a full hour.
Then l was positive that was alone; the
others had either backed out or had been
baflied in their attempt TO get aboard. l was
much upset at the discovery, and crawled
back to my bed and cried myself to sleep.
1t had been agreed among US boys that we
should keep secreted three days after sailing
None Of Us anticipated any trouble when we
should make our presence known l had no
way of computing time, as it was night ell
the time in the mold, but after my bread and
water had been used up and was hungry
and thirsty, decided that the three days
were up. Crawling to the cover Of the hatch
! knocked On it and shouted, and after little
it was opened and was helped out 1t was
Q O'Clock on the morning Of the fourth day.
The first word from the captain was curse,
and his frs. act was to swing me about the
deck by tho hair. Then he called for rope
aSd beat NE Until tainted away, and while
lying unconscious be and the first mate
kicked me several times. When | came to !
was ordered forward among the men They
gave lie kind words, satisfied ny hunger and
thirst and hoped that the worst WAS over Il
was rot, however. AT about noon was
called ait, aud after the captain had interro
gated me as TO my identity and why had
selected lis vessel, be gave ne another beat,
ins and turned me over 70 The mate wisn tie
words;
You can have him now, and hope you' !
Kill him before tbs week Is out"
sra sir leav- sha; u me - vas t7a reply
I'll End dozen ways 70 mako him wish he'd
never been born"
had committed Al oFsrse. but nothing
deserving such punishment as received for
the next three days. was foeged, kicked,
cuffed and mairreated II every way captain
and mate could think Of, and was more than
oncs rendered insenSble By their cruelty.
heard tie men curs.ng the officers for their
conduct, and encouraging each ether 70 In
terfsrc, but / was passive. Indeed. after a
beating or Two, was 50 hs-ried rhs. ccuId
scarcely rencmber ny OWE name On the
afternoon Of the fourth day, soon after din
re-, while | was forward with the watch
and assisting the sail maker TO repair e ssil,