The Logan County banner. [volume] (Logan, W. Va.) 1889-1903, 1890-04-24
THE MATES ANTIPATHY.
It Results in His Death in Ter
rible Manner.

was dining with a merchant who re-
sided in the picturesque Tito town of
Port Louis Mauritius, when first met
old Captain Brundagc. He had just
brought his ship from Calcutta, with
cargo in the lower hold, and a between
deck load Of Indian coolies, under con-
tract to work for term OF years on the
sugar plantations The captain told as
that cholera had broken out soon after
they got clear OF the HeogHley, and that
not only had itcarried Off some Fifty OF
tho coolies, but 1t had reduced his crew
by four of the best men; and this the old
man evidently took to heart lie was a
pleasant, white-haired and gTizzle-
bearded veteran, halo and full Of en-
orgy, weff-informed, with good man
ners and plenty of conversation. After
dinner we rode over the island and en-
joyed tho view over the harbcr and
along the hillside, and, presently, the
talk drifted on the trustworthiness of
first IMPRESSIONS, and the origin and sig
nifinance Of those curious aversions to
strangers which sometimes crop UP In
the best regulated minds. Captain
Brundage listened for some little time,
and then said in a reflective tone:
''Some years ago, at this very port, or
close to 1T, Witnessed the conclusion of
Ms strange case OF sudden proposes
sion Us, I,think, was ever heard Of"
OF course We all expressed desire to
hear tho story and the captain, who
was a good narrator, proceeded to tell It
rs follows: - r.
''Ten years ago" he said, 81 was sail
ing from Liverpool to bombay. when, in
heavy gaie-jius before reaching the
Cape of Good Hope, l lost my second
mate, who was washed overheard in SO
heavy a sea that 1t was impossible to
lower boat. /, therefore, ran into the
Cape and shipped another mate. lie
was a likely-looking young fellow an
Englishman from the north, very steady,
pretty we'll as far as seamanship went,
but slow and inclined to distrust his
own abilities--not slight fault in an
officer. My first mate had sailed with
me before. His name was March; he
was q dark man, in the prime Of life, q
fine sailor, an excellent navigator, quite
active in mind and body, fall OF re-
source and thoroughly trustworthy.
had always regarded him as of cheer
full and agreeable disposition, and he got
on well with all tho men in the fore
castle who knew their duty, though he
was inclined to be severe with shirks
and the kind of half-bakcd frauds that
sign articles as able seamen, though
they don know enough to pass a scry-
ing-mallct let alone take their trick at
the wheel.
Young Norris shat was tho now
second mates name--camo aboard two
or three days before we sailed, and went
to work. ! soon noticed that he and
March didn't seem to cotton to one
another. and took the first opportunity
of speaking to March about it. To my
surprise, his face darkoped tho moment
] mentioned Norris and curious OK
preston, suggestive of strong dislike
and equally strong pcrplcxity, passed
over his features. lle was silent for n
moment, then turned to mo and said,
quito eagerly, as though he felt relief
in expressing his thoughts:
"Captain, it's a very curious thing,
and I'm half-inclined to be ashamed Of
1t, though can't help itbut from the
first moment Il saw that man, ] have
hated him. As ! have said, no reason
/. goes to this feeling. It is simply an
impression whichs the sight of him
created. All can Say further is, that
1t is associated with dim suggestion
don't know what else to call it--that
this fellow will do me great harm He
colored little and continued: i dare
say you will laugh at me. feel in
clincd to laugh at myself, but somehow
/ am always checked by tho cropping up
of the original aversion, which really
seems to DO like sort Of warning of
danger
OF course" observed the captain, ~
did my best to laugh off the mates
moodiness; told him he must be bilious,
and prescribed blue-mass for him, and
so forth. But could see that tho i'm
preston had really been deep, that he
was in serious earnest, and that he was
brooding over the matter. | dare say
should have forgotten all about it had it
not soon become apparent that Mareh's
temper was changing for the worse,
and also that he was getting into the
bad habit Of trying to haze the second
mate. In short, his aversion to the lat
ter was growing every day, and while
Norris did not share it, and was gem
orally imperturbably good-natured, he
was certain to find out sooner or later
that his superior ffieef-t DISH keaE him-
and was trying to make his duty hard
for him.
cat last March, by and of breeding
over his prepossessions, got into o dam
gerous state of mind, as the incident
am going to relate will show:
I'VE were in the Indian Ocean, and
the latitude was one in which we might
expect sudden and stiff squalls, when
one night, when we were going along
with fair wind on the quarter and tho
topmaststuddingsails set, Mr.. March
had the first watch, from eight to
twelve. JUST before eight bells mid
night he noticed small cloud On the
horizon. 1t was apparently Of little NC
count, but no MAI knew better than
he that 1t was his duty to call the attcn-
ton of the officer who relieved him to
1t, that he might watch it vigilantly.
Well, SO far had his hatred of Norris
gone by this time that he said nothing
to him, but went below, leaving the
second mate, scarcely half awake yet,
on the poop.
Fifteen minutes later l was flung out
Of my cot by the sudden hceling Of the
ship, and, as scrambled up the COM
panion-way, heard the crash OF small
spars, and the Stating Of loosc canvas
A henvy, black squall had come up. with
thu swiftness all sailors nre familiar
With, and strssk W On our bvsm end,
J - sss5zs=.