Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1891-07-28

like madman's, Upon Duckling.
The fellow with the biscuits came
| forward. but a heavy lurch at that mo-
| ment made him stumble, and the bis
cults rolled out of his arms. They were
collected oficiously by the others, and
placed again in his hands, all sop
ping wet; but he said, in collected
voice:
"These here are the starboard watch's
bread. Meier man has tasted of them.
We've brought 'em for you to see, as
SO be it may happen that you aren't
familiar with the muck the steward
| sarves out"
Hand up dry one.h said the skip
per.
A man ran forward, and returned
with biscuit, which the captain took,
broke, smelled and tasted. He handed
it to Duckling, who also smelled and
tasted. He, (the captain) said: ''Fire
awayr'
The fellow with the biscuits with
drew, and one of the men, bearing the
pork swimming in vinegar, advanced.
| He was Dutchman, and was heard
and understood with difficulty.
''My mates they shay tat tiss pork is
pashty, and it ishn't pork ash faashy;
an l shwear it gifts me ia shtomach-
ache-it does, sir, ass am a man."
This speech was received with great
gravity by the men as we'll as Coxon.
| who answered: bland it up"
The mess was showed through the
rail and poked at by the skipper with
penknife; he even jabbed piece of
it out and put it into his mouth. I
watched for a grimace, but he made
| none. He handed the tin dish, as he
had the biscuit, to Duckling, who looked
at it closely and put it on the deck.
1 1.-The next" said the captain.
| The Dutchman hustled back among
the others, and the man with the treacle
came out.
This, sir, is what the stewards
l givin' us for molasses," said he. look
ing into the pannikin.
The captain made no answer.
''And though his senses are agin
him, he goes on calm of it molas-
ses."
Another pause.
"But to my way of thinkin' it amt
no more molasses than it's oysters. It's
billed black beetles, that's what 1 call
: it, and you want tooth-pick as thick
of your teeth arter a meal of it"
Hand itup," said the captain, from
whom every moment l was expecting
an expression of temper. He did not
offer to taste the stuff, but inspected it
with apparent attention, and tilted the
vessel first this way and then that, that
the treacle might run.
Here's your molasses," said he,
handing down the pannikin. "What
8 else is thereP'
"We're willin' to call this tea," said
1 man, holding up an earthenware jar
, filled with black liquid; "but it amt
tea like what theyrsells ashore, and
faint tea like what I've bin used to
= drink on board other vessels It's
tea" continued he, looking first into
u the jar and then at the skipper, ''and
yet it amt. May be 1t was growed in
England, for there isn't no flavor Of
CLANCY about il. Its too faint fol
u bacca leaves, and faint sweet enough
: for liquorish. Fish here says it's the
; mustiness as makes ittaste like senna- y
The captain having kept silence fol
> some time, exchanged looks with Duck
IS ling, and called to know if the men hac
any more complaints to make. They
l talked among themselves, and John
son answered: mo"
u Every we'll, then," he said. 81 car
do nothing for you here. There ar
no bakehouses yonder," nodding a
she sea, ''to get fresh bread from. Yol
l. must wait till we get to Valparaiso"
II A regular growl came up from tn
IL men, and johnson exclaimed:
eve can't live on nothing till w
=, get to Valparaiso"
a what do you want me to doP" crie'
- | the skipper, savagely.
u "It's not for us to dictate" replie'
Johnson. "All that the crew wants
=, grub fit to eat"
W ''Put into Brest," exclaimed voice
" '.It amt far off. There is good jun
y, and biscuit to be got at Brest."
l. "Who dares to advise me as to wha
lS I'm to doP" shouted the skipper in hi
~ furious way. "By heaven, I'll brea
~ every bone in the scoundreps body
We he opens his Internal mutinous mout
~ again! tell you I can't change tn
~, provisions here, and I'm not going
n alter the ships course with this win
astern, not if you were all starving j
~ reality" But having said this, b
~; te pulled up short, as if his temper WIS
," diverging him from the line of polio
to he had in his mind to follow; he low
q cred his voice and said: "I'll tell 20
~ what, my lads; you must make tn
-, IL provisions last you for the presen
ne and if can make fair wind of it, L
~ haul round for some Spanish port; or
~ not there, I'll see what land is to
~ picked up"
VI ''You hear what the captain say
I'LL don't your" growled Ducklihg.
''It isn't us that minds waiting, it
ed our stomachs," said Fish, the SINAI
up faced man.
ao do you mean to tell me you can
get meal out of the food in yol
ak handsP" demanded the captain, poin
all ing among them.
A 1--WE wouldn't mind if the bread al
cir molasses was right" cried Fish ''B
eat they aren't. Nothen's right. II
ar, very weevils amt ordinary; they
tea longer and fatter than common brea
tln worms"
md "Hold your jaww bawled Ducklin
me "The captain has spoken to you fair
than any skipper that 1 ever sail'
OK ander would have spoke. So now c