The Press., 1890-02-06

aloft. I concurred. They bade mo clear out and get down on deck. was glad to do so. Reefing topsails in reality was very different from reedng them in books or in imagination. On reaching, the deck I concluded to lie down. All through the evening had experienced : an uneasy sensation in the stomach. l argued with myself it was not seasick-' ness-something did not agree with me. But when I lay down in the scuppers admitted being seasick. Then I only cared to lie there. Life was too miser-. able even to hope in. The tumult went on as ever. The sailors trampled over me. Being in the way, they dragged me aside. cared not. Finally some one bawled in my ear, ''Sicki go below" l went. The five other boys, all similarly affected, all caring naught for life or living, lay in their hunks.
 The boys house was about the size of a respectable pigpen-a single pigpen. There was room in it for two boys to turn at once, providing they turned slowly and carefully. On going on board we had bestowed such of our outfit as could be brought into this pen in the manner in which boys of 16 bestow things generally on first commencing to "keep house." Everything was arrangedf on terra firma basis. We made nocal culation for the ships deviating from an even keel. When she did commence to pitch everything fell down. Clothing fell on the floor; plates, knives, forks, cups and bottles rolled from shelf and bunk; bread, meat, and the molasses kegs fell; plum and sponge cake, pie and sweetmeats fell: for each boy had space in his sea chest filled with these articles, placed there by kind, dear relatives at home. It was intended that we should not refer to them until the ship was far advanced on her voyage.
 But we never had such large supplies of cake and sweetmeats at hand before; so we went for these things immediate ly. The house abounded with them the first night out. The roof leaked. We left our sliding door carelessly open, and few barrels of the ocean stopped over the bulwarks into the apartment. At midnight our combined clothing, plates, mugs, knives, forks, bottles, water kegs, combs, hair brushes, hats, pants, coats, AAO1Os OA OcSAAS PA0s S<sAO9 0"ONoAAAVcso0p AA4V- lasses, salt water, and an occasional sea- sick and despairing boy, united to form a wet, sodden mass on the floor two feet in depth. Above, the storm howled and swept through the rigging, with little sail to interrupt it. Six sick and wretched boys in their berths lay ''heads and pints," as they pack herring-that is, the toe of one rested on the pillow of the other, for it was not possible to lie otherwise in those narrow receptacles for the living. But the horrors of that second night are not to be related.
 No solicitous stewards with basins and tenders of broth and champagne attend ed us. We were not cabin passengers on an ocean steamer. Barely had the next mornings dawn appeared when our door was flung open. In it stood that dread full second mate of the greenish eyes, hard, brick red complexion, horny fists and raspy voice-a hard. rough, rude, unfeeling man, who cried: Come out of thatl Oh, you're young bears-your troubles ain't commenced yetr' Then his long, bony arm gripped us, one after another, and tore us from our bunks Out this dreadful morning we tumbled, in the wet clothes wherein we had lain all night. weak, sick, staggering. giddy. A long iron hook was put in my hand and was desired to go forward and as- sist in hauling along length after length of the cable, preparatory to slowing 1t away. Sky and sea were all of dull, monotonous gray; the ship was still clambering one great wave after al- o%L or1 Hah notony. All the canvas of the preced- ing day had disappeared, save much diminished foretopsail and storm stay sail. The mates on duty were alert and swearing. The men, not all fully re. covered from their last shore debaucll, were grumbling and swearing also. The cook, dark hued tropical mongrel, with glittering eyes, was swearing at something amiss in his department. It was miserable time. But cure was quickly effected. In thirty-six hours all seasickness had departed. With the del icate betting process in vogue with wealthy cabin passengers it would have required week. But we had no time in which to be seasick.
 | Life for us on board this ship was com ! ucuCSu Uu d u0" UdSkbs we were obliged to learn manners" Manners among modern youth have become al- most obsolete. The etiquette and for mality required from the younger to the elder, and common to the time of perukes and knee brooches, has now little place save on shipboard, where such traditions and customs finger. We were surprised to find it our duty to say ''sir" to an off. cer, and also to find it imperative to rec. ognize every order addressed us by the remark Aye, aye, sirl" The sullen shambling fashion cf receiving words addressed to us in silence, so that the speaker was left in doubt as to whether he was heard or not, had no place of soundings. In short, we were obliged to practice what is not common now to many boys on shore-that is, an out. ward show of respect for superiors. If business called us to the ''West End" o1 ship, the quarter deck. our place was to walk on the lee sidc of that deck and leave the weather side the moment the duty was done. If sent for any article by an officer, it was our business to find it without further recourse to him.
 | PRENTICE MULFoRD.