New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-11-29
AN OLD-TTME SEAMAN.
A LIVELY AUTOBIOGRAPHY.

ventures Of Captain Robert William EasiwicE
Edited by Herbert Compton. Illustrated. $40 PIP
3ol. Macmillan " Co.
The life of the veteran seaman, here told by him.
self in his old age with manly simplicity, Of
varied and constant adventure. SO full his
career of stirring incident that the reader is apt to
gret the want of the literary instinct in the writer for
had he understood what most Interests the world he
could have made out of his own experience and with
out the least eYaggeratiOn, Of the most interest
ing and popular of books. As 1T Is the old sailor has
simply set down the facts az they occurred usuali5
emitting those details the narration of which IL fu
of attraction. Such writer naturally give his
readers credit for far knowledge than They really
possess, especially in regard T., those professional mat
tiers which perfectly FAM lar to himself lie also
sbTinks from going into any detail over episodes
creditablc to himself, in which he occupies prom
nent position Notwithstanding these drawbacks Cap
tain Eastwick's life is remarkable book, and more
over, doubt be entertained concerning Its al
thentcity for tie editor rs been able To support the
narrative in many points by citations from the news
papers of the period. The story, 1t seems, only got
published by lucky accident. The life was dictated
by the Captain then blind about 1885, and upon the
death. in 1882 of bis last surviving box OF old
family papers passed into Mr.. ComptJr's hands. and
while examining them 10 ascertain what should be pre-
served and whit destroyed, he came upon his grand
fathers autobiography. "The autobiography" he
writes, "was written in queer little shagrecn-co'-
cred album and in the form Of epstle addressed
10 the narratOrs eldest daughter The old mariner
prefaces it with these words: "As fancy it will be
gratifying to you my dearest child sit down 70 die
tate brief and hasty sketch of MY llfe which, how
ever from the multiplicity of events attending it, must
be abridged to inc1nsdcable portion as TO reduce
it to summary Of the hardshps, trials and
losses sustained by your father
Captain Eastwick was born in London In June,
1772 and lied In 1867. He retired from the sea In
1926 for the last forty years Of his life he was
blind. One of his earliest recollections IS OF high-
wayman whom he and his paymates often encountered
on FinChley Common, where the knight OF the ROAD
piled his trade The boys gave him the name OF The
Gray Ghost because he always rode fine gray
horse, and had wonderful way Of appearing sud
denly and without warning. by bounding into the
middle of the road by leap when he was least ex-
pected and drawing his horse up on to its launches,
all done so quickly and quietly that he seemed like
phantom horseman.' One day the boy heard that
famous hgrwayman had been caught convicted and
huns in chains upon old gibbet near the highroad
and the lad being full of curiosity, determined to 90
and see the sight. What was his amazement TO
recognize in the swinging malefactor his old acquan
ance the Gray Ghost. The description OF this visit
TO the galows is quite esrle and shows that the
Captain might have become a graphic writer he'd he
cultivated his literary aptitude. lie was still very
young, and living alone with bis widowed mother
develop taste for the But before the time came
for satisfying this longing he had memorable OK
perence. The of the Gordon riots reached
Edmonton, where he lived, and lie and another small
boy started off early In the morning and walked 10
London to see the excitement Once In the city, the
rash couple got eLtanged in the rotous mob and were
carried away by It, Sudden alarm of The Soldiers u
| set the crowd into panic flight, and young Eastwlck
fell was trampled under foot and had a leg broken
Next he went to some very poor schools and his
passon for the sea increasing, his godfather wealthy
man, finally had him apprentleed to a London firm OF
shlpowners for four years. anc entered on his first
VOYAGE on a ship named the Friendship. lie soon had
the illusions token out of him here, for he found that
he was treated as the servant-almost the slave-of
everybody rssbOard, and the first mate had taken
! a dislike to him his life was miserable enough APP
| psaIpg one day TO old man of-war's man among
tho crew. the sailor told him there was no such thing
as Justice or injustice at sea there only duty
| and mutiny Whatever he was told to do was the
first; whatever he did not do when ordered was the
second Afterward he declared himself thankful for
| this discipline for IL braced him up. Having served
his time he passed his examination for chief mate and
was fortunate enough TO .obtan speedy employment.
| About this time he offered berth I'm the East
India Company's navy but declined 1t because promo
ton was too slow In that service. But once captain
of an East India Company's ship, and mans fortune
was made In those days For the captain had lucra-
tive privileges, such fifty tons Of free freight out
| ward and twenty-five tons homeward, besides other
| opportunities Of making money. |" In Short says
Captain Eastwick, the gains TO prudent commander
| averaged from $4,000 to $4,000 voyage sometimes
perhaps falling as low as $1,000. but at others rising
| TO 10000 and $4,000 The time occupied from the
period OF ship beginning receipt of her outward cargo
10 her being finally cleared Of her homeward
generally from fourteen TO eighteen months and TIRES
| or four voyages assured any man very handsome
| fortune"
| sfVick led mat m
| bound on strange voyage. She was chartered u
search for a certain small hay on the west coast OF
Africa where, five years before gold said TO have
! been discovered. The Coast fever. however. had
carried OF everybody belonging to the ship that made
the discovery. saving the surgeon. and he was iIe