, 1889-09-19
OLD NAVY DAYS.
Old Jim Macgregor's Service on the
Congress Fifty Years Ago.

OIu Jim MacgregOr's Service ON the
Congress Fifty Years Ago.
a correspondent writing from Mas
sabasic, n. H., says:
Old Jim Macgrcgor, white whiskercd
and wrinkled, stood under the yellow
light of a kerosene lamp at the bar of
the hotel on Massabasic lake one even
ing recently and interested the half
dozen gentlemen present with his expe-
riences in the United States navy more
than a half..century. ago. Jim had been
out on the beautiful lake trying his skill
in landing u string of its finny inhab.
itants.
what luck, Jim2' inquired one OF
the gentlemen.
II got enough for breakfast" was the
reply, saying which he lifted piece of
torn newspaper spread over u basket
and held up before the admiring gaze of
all q half dozen of the finest pickerel
that ever gladdcncd the eyes of Il fisher
man. There were two which weighed
fully three pounds apiece, while the
others were much smaller.
"How long have you been trying to
depopulate this lake, Jim2' asked one
of the bystanders.
"Let me see,n said the patriarch, as
he thoughtfully stroked his silvery
beard. II have lived about here almost
from the time of my birth, which oc-
CURED over seventy two years ago, with
the exception of three years spent in the
United States navy. The lake and its sur
roundings have agreat fascination for me,
and If live to be 1870, which time i cx-
pect to cover before am called in, every
hour shall be spent within sight of those
rippling waters. | have little road
house up there among the the trees, and
1 and my wife are great favoritcs among
the young people who drive out this
way In the evening. Many of them stop
and refresh themselves with food and
drink. My wife Is one of the finest cooks
to be found in these parts, and her repu.
tation in this line extends far beyond
the confines of Manchester.
Jim then halted in his conversation,
and, taking little yellow bag from his
trousers pocket. which contained Il
piece of very hard plug tobacco, cut off n
mouthfui and resumed his talk.
During the winter we have lots Of
fun on the lake with our ice boats.
There is five or six mile sweep, and the
wind draws down among the islands with
"A rush and roar that threatens the very
hair on your head. / believe it's these
wintry gales which have thinned out my
whiskers. Ten years ago they hung
down foot or more, and now they are
not more than halt that length. Last
year came very near
soUARINe UP MY MORTAL ACCOUNTS
and turning over ice boating to some
one else. | shalt never forget that after
noon if live to be u thousand years old.
The wind was tearing down the lake
I and the boys were anticipating u most
exciting sail down the pond. One of my
passengers was jolly Jack Rydell, who
asked me if he might manage the helm
when we got under way. ! had not
much faith in Jacks skill, but
assr0tly r1tsr much Yielded persuasion ts him. 6 bfi
with the greatest difficulty we main
taincd our seats OH the frail craft as she
flew along. / told Jack to be careful of
the lee-shore as we began to swing into
the somewhat narrow passage between
the mainland and one of the islands. He
gripped the tiller with all his might, but
| noticed in an instant that he was Civ
ing way, and, before l could reach him,
the flying boat had escaped his control,
and we shot toward the rocky bank.
There was n terrific crash, and felt my
self being hoisted into the air. When
came back to earth struck sidewise on
a boulder, and the bones in my right
hit by a trip-hammer. Jack didn't go
into the air, but was slid along the bank
for ten or feeteen feet. j was nine weeks
on crutches after this episode, and have
never fully recovered the use of my in
jured limb. That was the first and last
time | ever allowed any one but my self
to manipulate the steering apparatus Of
''You spoke, Jim, about your being in
the navy; how long ago was thatg'
more than half century. When |
was about ls years old | had an attack
of sailor fever through reading number
of sea stories. and it grew so upon me
that made up my mind TO go to Ports
mouth and offer my services to Uncle
pie country people, with only q vague
idea of what life in the navy meant.
They opposed my going at first, but
finally reconciled them to giving their
consent, and away | started. There
were no steam cars in those days, and to
reach Portsmouth it was either neces-
sary to go on foot or by the old lum ber-
flush with American coin, 50 / concluded
TO cover the distance by walking. In
two days my legs brought me to the
the navy yard. lt was a strange sight to
my eyes, which had never beheld a
water craft larger than the little skifls
we used upon the lake. There was
one particularly handsome vessel ly-
ing at the wharf, and her decks We're
swarming with sailors, who were busily
engaged IN putting everything in order
preparatory to going to sea, which fact l
learned later. | remember asking u
grizzly old salt how | should proceed to
BECOME SAILOR IN THE NAVY.
and he kindly pointed out the enlist
ment office, toward which | went with
much trepidation of heart. There was IA
big marine standing before the door OF
the little building where the landsmen
were sworn in, and as | passed him it
seemed as though had forever been sep
arated from the green trees and shining
waters of my country home. After my
examination, which In every way showed
me to be fully equipped to assume the
duties of my new occupation, L was in
formed that the warship Congress would
sail in few days to join the Mediter-
ranean squadron, and that | had been
attached to her crew as a landsman at
so month. She mounted fifty-two
guns and wns the successor of another
vessel of the same name which had been
condemned and broken up, portion of
her material being used in the new Con-
gress. We sailed away one bright morn
Ing in September, with great deal OF
fuss and feathers, bound ON our long
journey to the Orient"
"Was there much logging in the navy
ut this timer"
ayes, u great deol."
"Did you ever feel the sting Of the
cato mine tails?'
"On three different occasions and the
scars are upon my back to this very day.
My first introduction to the cat was very
early in my career as q blue Jacket. |
was assisting the cook of my mess one
dQy, and while bending over my work