Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1890-02-05

5,k1 watch was at
work on them.
M Ky The carpenter
V&&SE was CT led as
6A usual. and after
the usual bungling and fishing in the
well for the broken valves. they were
put in order again. 1t was then nearly
l a. m Meanwhile all the able seamen
in our watch had ut eight bells walked
below. The watch newly come on deck
refused to pump the ship clear. alleging
it was the business of the others The
watch below were hidden to come OIL deck
and perform their neglected duty They
refused. This was mutiny The four
mates got their pistols. entered the fore
castle and stormed. ordered and threat
ened. 1t was of no avail. The fifteen
able sean,cn who refused constituted the
main strength and effectiveness Of that
watch. They were threatened with be-
ing put in irons. They preferred irons
to pumping out of their turn. They were
put in irons, fifteen stout men. by four
mates. who then returned and reported
proceedings to the captain. The men re-
manned shacklcd until the next morn
ing. 1t was then discovered that it was
impossible to work the ship without their
aid. or course they couldn't handle the
vessel in irons.
The Wizard rated over 5000 tons. and
many frigate of her size would have
been deemed poorly off with less than
one hundred men for handling the ship
alone. We rarely secured the lower sails
properly in heavy weather, from the mere
lack of physical strength to handle them.
So Capt. S. pored sadly at his break
fast through his gold bowed spectacles,
and when the meal was over issued
orders for the release Of the fifteen men
in irons. In this little affair the boys and
ordinary scamen belonging to the mutt
nous watch took no part. They were
strictly neutral and waited to see which
side would win. felt rather unpleasant
and alarmed. Though not Il full fledged
nlutiny and a conversion Of a peaceful
merchantmen into pirate. it did look
ut one time as If the initiatory steps TO
such end were being taken.
One Of the great aims of existence at
sea is that of keeping the decks clean.
The scrubbing. swishinS and smashing
is performed by each watch on alternate
mornings, and commences at daylight.
1t was the one ordeal which regarded
with horror and contempt You are
called up at in the morning, when the
sleep Of growing youth is soundest.
| The maniacal wretch Of the other watch,
who does the calling. docs it with the
| glee and screech of tiend. He will
not stop his "All h-a-a-ndsv' until he
hears tome responsive echo from the
sleepers. He is noisy and joyous be
cause it is so near the time he can turn
in And these four hours Of sleep at sea
arc such luxurics rs may rarely lie real
lied on shore. Eut the mates watch is
calling US. screeching, bowling, thump
ing On the forccastle door. and making
himself extremely pleasant.
| We arc called and on deck. and Stun
bling about. maybe with one boot half
on. and more asleep than awake and
more dead than alive. We are in the
warm. cnervating latitude CT the tropics,
with every sinew relaxed from the steam
ing heat, Perhaps there is light wind
aft. we are carrying studding sails
S:uliinS sails are beautiful to look at
from distance. But when once You
have sailed in a ship carrying them from
the royals down and know something OF
the labor Of rigging them out all on one
side. fore. main and m.Z1en masts. and
then, ii the breeze alters a couple oi
points. taking the s;arloar'l sails all down
und .:.,gin.; out the larloa.d. 0: perhaps
| Nv, b,th c;lau-,pl tl,;S m Sunday IF
trnonn. when there are no jobs and
you've been expectin.; plenty of leisure
to cat your duff and mo,aSs,@. or II
you have ever hcipn carry those
heavy yards about the d,ci when
tho ship WAS rnllin:; violently in a heavy
ground sct II. and every tine she brought
up. sails. t.iccks and verythiES nova
bic was bringing up also with IL series oi
pistol like reports. or If you have "vel
laid out n :. royal yard tryins, IL I'ass d
heavy ro.h. through the "l-wrl block.
at the ea.rcIiie Vna thereof while the
mast and yard were osci!!a;in. 10 ant
fro with you through. the air l.! rapid
~ recurrin" series If gigantic arcs c;.;,set
oy the lazy swell. IN the trough OF which
your ship Is re !linS-an.i al the end u
each r.!i YOU find yourself holding OF
4 for dear lie. lest al the termination 81
each oscillation you be shot like an ar
row into tie ssa from your insecure
perrin Why in all these cases the haui
and I,ietu:esqucness Of ship unde
sru,!d.ny sails will BIZ tempered 10y son'
soh,r realities
Il is sW u o O'Clock. The norninl