The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-07-26

seamen c;tnlIe ait, and one OF them, cap
in hand, addressed him. The spokes-
man said that he and his mates had
made up their minds that the ''Nellie"
had become an unlucky ship, and that
they dared not return to Boston in her.
They had worked the ship faithfully on
the voyage down. and they asked to be
paid off for the half-voyage, and dis
charged.
Captain Willis was the very last man
afloat who would tolerate any conduct
of this kind from his sailors. He
sternly ordered them back to their
duty. telling them that they had shipped
for the whole voyage, and the whole
voyage they must make. He added in
a significant way that such men could
not be trusted with shore leave. and
that they must stay on board till the
anchor was up again.
The Captain fattered himself that he
had settled the matter by his firm
words and decided way; but he did not
know the spirit of these men. They
had determined that they would never
return to Boston on the ''Nellie. That
night the whole five tried to swim
ashore. Two were carried out to sea
by the swift current and drowned;
the mangled body of another was
found floating the next morning, al
most bitten in two by shark; as the
other two were not heard of again, it
was never known whether they
reached the quay safely. or whether
they succumbed to some Of the many
perils of this harbOr.
| Captain Willis now found himself
reduced TO his mate. Ben Hardy, the
cook. and single seaman, beside his
nephew. who knew nothing about
working the ship. In no pleasant
frame of mind. he went ashore and Of
fered large premium to Il shipping
agent to procure him crew immedi-
ately. The agent promised to do his
best. and went to work. The same
evening he visited the Captain on
board his vessel.
Its no use, SIR he said. 1've
found dozen able seamen in Havana
who want to ship; but one and all fatty
refuse to sail with you.
what do the rascals mean?" the
Captain demanded.
''Why. the truth is, sir, the story
about your bark being nnlucky has
been spread all over, and they won't
90 in her.
THE idiots!' shouted Captain Willis,
stamping about his cabin. 1--WE sailed
this bark for more thai a dozen years
and nothing has gone amiss until this
voyage. Never lost man overheard
before; never had more than day
sickness before
''Well, sir, you know what sailor:
are better than do. Those fellows de-
sorting, and at least three of EN- get.
ting wound TAP at it, has fixed the
thing. so there's no use in my talking
about it. I'll try and get you a picked
up lot, of all sorts; but better than thai
[ can't do"
The Captain ragged and stormed al
the idea of his going back to Boston
with crew of re-the-masters; but
he had to yield to the inevitable, and
the agent went ashore with instruc
tons to do the best he could<
All the next day the agent wa;
bringing out to the bark by ones ant
twos the newly-shipped crew, unit
eleven had been secured. The Cap
tain examined each man, and hi.
temper was by no means improved
when he found that there was not one
able seaman among the lot. There
were four negroes, powerful, muscll
lar fellows. who had been working a.
stevedOres, and who had made up thei
minds that they would like a sea-voy
age. They carried clasp-knives in Their
Wristbands, and were not very pleas
ant lot to look at. Four more wer,
depraved-looking Creoles, the very
dregs of the Spanish population. will
four as Misunderstanding faces al
were ever seen aboard ship. Tw,
more were vagrant stowaways, VIII,
had come from Liverpool on mer
chant vessel, getting the rope's-ent
literally on the passage, and after
spending month at Havana in tn,
calaboose. upon being released the,
went straight to the shipping-otfice
not knowing where else to 60 Tn
eleventh was mulatto, almost gian
in size, with sullen, ugly look abou
the eyes. His account of himself wa
that he was a free man, had worked OF
tobacco-lands back of Cardenas. an,
had come to Havana to engage in some
thing different; he didn't much car
what.
This man the Captain eyed YER
closely.
''There's something about your mo
tons, my man. he said, THAT make
me think that you know more of tn
sea than you want to tell. Walk acros
the deck"
The mulatto hesitated.
- Start!' Numbered the Captain.
The man walked to the other side
and returned.
THAT walk can't be disguised
You're an old sailor; what your reason
is for concealing it, l don't know no