Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1891-07-27


~ of his vessel by shipping fresh
crew without exchanging the bad stores
for good was quite certain, and won
1ered that so old sailor as he should
be such fool as not to forsee some dis
astrous end to his own or his owners
contemplate cheese-paring policy.
However, l had not SO good an opin-
ion of the pilots taciturnity as to make
him my confidant in these thoughts.
A little after eight the steward called
me down to breakfast, where / found
the pilot impatiently shifting an at
mosphere charged with the aroma of
broiled ham and strong coffee own,
as helped myself to a rasher and con-
trasted the good provisions with which
the cuddy table was furnished with the
bad food served to the men, that was
weak enough to sympathize very
steward told me that not a man among
them had broken his fast; this he had
been told by the cook, who added that
;he men would rather starve than eat
the biscuit that had been served out to
them. Such was their way of showing
themselves wronged; and the steward
declared that he did not half like
bringing our breakfast from the galley,
for the men, when they smel1ed the
ham and saw him going aft with a
tin of hot rolls, became so forcible in
their language that he every moment,
during his walk along the main-deck,
expected to feel himself seized behind
and pitched overheard.
After breakfast I went upon deck,
and saw Deal boat making for the
ship. She came along in slashing
style, under her broad 1ug!-and in a
| oh
me to see that she towed our quarter
boat astern, and that Coxon and Duck
ling were among her occupants. I
went to the gangway to receive her;
she fell off, then 1uffed, running a fine
semicircle; down dropped her lug, her
mizzen brought her right to, and she
came alongside with beautiful pre-
cision, stopping under the gangway like
a carriage at your door.
caught the line that was flung from
her, took a turn with it, and then
Coxon and the chief mate stepped on
board. The moment he touched the
deck, Coxon called to the men, who
were hanging about the forecastle.
''Get your traps together and out
with you! If ever a man among you
stops in my ship five minutes, I'll fling
him overheard" -
With which terrible threat he W alked
into the cuddy. Duckling remained at
the gangway to see the crew leave the
ship. The poor fellows were all ready.
They had made up their minds to 90
ashore, but hardly knew under what
circumstances. They were clearly dis
appointed by the shippers procedure,
for as they came to the gangway, car
rying their bags and chests, all kinds
| nf RI Nf fhnfN- oiVofo
on the matter, were uttered by them.
THE old blackguard!" said one,
f1inging his bag into the boat, and
lingering before Duckling and myself
in order to deliver his observations,
che hasn't the pluck to have us tried.
Pitch us overheard! let him try his
(etc.) hand upon the littlest of usl I'd
take six months, and thank 'em, Just
to warm my fist on his (etc.) face!'
and so forth. -s7r---es--'e -
Duckling was wise to hold his peace.
The men were furious enough to have
mastered him had he opened his lips.
The older hands got into the boat
in silence, but none of the rest left
the ship without some candid express
sion of his feelings. One said he'd
gladly pay pound for leave to set fire
to the ship. Another called her a
n
that the vessel would be sunk, and the
brutes commanding her drowned be-
| fore this time tomorrow. Every evil
wish that malice and rage could IN
vent was hurled at the vessel and at
those who remained in her. In after
days l recalled that beautiful morning,
the picture of the lugger alongside
the ship, the hungry, ill-used men
with their poor packs going over the
vessels side, and the curses they pro-
nounced as they left us. o.
An incident followed the entry of
the last of the men in the boat
The sail was hoisted, the rope that
held the boat let go, and her head was
showed off; when the "Portugee," in
the excitement and fury of his feel
ings, drew in his breath and his
cheeks, and spit with tremendous
energy at Duckling, who was watch
ing him; but the missile fell short; in
a word. he spit full in the face of one
of the old hands, who instantly
knocked him down. He tumbled
head over heels among the feet of the
crowd of men, while Duckling roared
out: If the man who knocked that
BLACKBOARD down will return to his
duty, I'll be his friend" But all the
answer he got was a roar which re-
sembled in sound and character the
mingled laughter and groans of q
large mob. The fresh wind caught
and filled the sail, the boat bounded
away under the pressure, and in few
minutes was a long distance out Of
hail. v-ss..~.. $500.
CHAPTER ".
"A fresh crew came down from Lon.
don the following morning in charge
Of crimp.
Ducklino went ashore to meet them