Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1891-12-24
THE SLAYER.

We were homeward bound in the
ship Hurkaru from ports on the Ma
dras coast loaded with sugar in the
lower hold and our tween decks full
OF bales of cotton. We had been
favored with splendid southerly winds
ever since rounding the Cape OF Good
Hope, and we had touched at ST.
Helena to put a sailor ashore who was
dying of dysentery.
was what the owners called a
''midshipman. my father having paid
ESQ premium to them for the priv
lege of my wearing brass bound cap
with their house flag on it aud blue
uniform for the few weeks while was
ashore. The rest of the year 1 cleaned
out hen-coops, fed the fowls. washed
the captains clothes, kept the stew
ards books. assisted Sambo, the negro
cook, and turned the grindstone for
Chips" the carpenter. Every Sum-
day was allowed on the poop, and
having an old pig yoke" was allowed
to shoot the sun" working out the
latitude by the old 80. 48 method, and
invariably getting it wrong.
On this particular occasion was up
in the mizzentop setting up the top.
mast rigging with a handy billy
tackle assisted by another .midship.
man." who also hailed from London.
We were not high enough up to make
the strange craft out but in about half
an hour she hove in sight and we could
see her plainly. She was hull down
and her canvass seemed to be in rags,
Tapping in the breeze.
.On deck therer I shouted.
'.Hallo" sang out the captain, who
was walking the poop. putting huge
black clouds OF smoke out of a mouth
that stretched from ear to ear. What
in Satans name do you want nowp
Can't you set up that rigging without
any help? Clap stopper on your jaw
tackle and 20 on with your work"
please sir. there's a queer-looking
craft in sight from here. All her sails
seem to have blown away"
The old man gave grunt and came
aloft to have look at her. carrying a
pair Of good marine glasses slung
around his neck. He got on to the miz
zentopsail-yard and observed her close.
ly for FIVE minutes Then he hurried
down on deck and told the steward to
call the chief mate. whose watch it
was below. Meanwhile he exchanged
q few words with the second mate. who
Immediately afterward roarod out in
d stentorian voice:
Lay down from aloft every moth
ers son Of you. and bring your tar
buckets with you"
All hands got down as smartly as
they could. feeling very much sur
prlsed.
just at this time the port watch
came on deck muttering and growing,
for it was only four bells in the after
noon watch. and they thought they
were safe until 1 o'clock.
We took In all the stun sails, hauled
the mainsail up snug and kept away a
couple Of points heading direct Tor
the stranger with tapping saila which
was now plainly visible from the deck.
She was three-masted topsail
schooner. Not soul was to be seen
on her decks II she had been abap.
doned 1t must have been In q hurry.
for every sail had been left set This
was evident to the nautical eye, al
though the canvas hung in tatters
from yards and s,.lffs. She was long
and low. and judging from her gener-
al appearance must have been very
last. Originally she had been pointed
black, but only a few patches remained
to tell the tale. Sun. wind and sea
had left her grayish white, and as
she wallowed in the trough OF the sea
she looked weird and CHASTITY and
chostly.
Presently we got the order to lower
away the captains gig. which hung
from the port davits just as we had
h0is{xad har. I'm of<n,, lo.r;,r 49,. ~,