Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1891-07-08
CAPTAIN JONES.

w uOht ulSklSllilE luIlltS were 10 DC
everywhere tasted in the atmosphere of the
darksome wooden cave. The seven men
were seated, not on morocco chairs or vel
vet sofas, but on rude boxes, whose lids
were scored by the cutting up of cake to-
bacco. There were one or two pillars or
stanchions in this gloomy wooden cave,
from which daDgled several oilskin coats
and olskin leggins, and under the cell
ing hung number of bags called ham
Knocks, with here and there "a ragged blan-
ket peeping over the edge, or an old shoe
showing through the meshes. In the
midst of the ceiling was a square hole
called hatch, down which this day there
floated very little daylight, owing partly
to the hatch being small and partly to the
sky being overcast with clouds.
Had those seven men seated in this in
terror been closely shaven, and had they
been appareled in well washed colored
shirts, sleeved waistcoats comfortable
trousers and caps with naval peaks, they
would have passed as harmless, respecta
BILE body of seafaring men-persons who
would say mum" to lady when ad-
dressed by her, and answer intelligently
and respectfully when asked about the
weather But as they now sat they looked
as sulky and wild a set of fellows as one
could imagine, strangely and fearfully at
tired, grimy Of face and hairy, booted with
half Wellingtons and belted in Mapping
fashion, and timid people would have
thought that they carried a murderous
air because each man wore a sheath upon
his hip, in which lay very sharp blade.
The wooden cave in which these men sat
rose and fell as though it were the extreme
end of a long board violently seesawed,
and this motion, combined with the smell
of the fumes Of the slush fed lamp and a
vapor rising out of a small tub of boiled
pork, not to mention other odOrs such as
might be produced by well worn newly
creased sea boots, bedding which had made
several voyages round the world, s00ty
clay pipes, old ropes, stale salt water and
many mysteries Of malodorous commodi-
ties slowed below in the hold and forepeaki
must instantly have upset the stomach OF
any landsman who out Of curiosity should
have put his head into the little hatch tc
see what was inside of it.
This cave was indeed a ships forecastle
but the seven men who sat in 1t were mar
liners who had for many years been tossed
by the various oceans of the world, and
could not possibly have been made seasick
even though they should have been Offered
handsome reward to try. One Of then
was large, strong man, with a shaggy
head of hair and beard like rope yarns
He looked as though he had taken
header and come mp again to blow crowned
with seaweed. This strong man suddenl
and with a sulky fury Of gesture whippe'
the knife out OF the sheath that wa
strapped to his hip, and plunging it into
lump of pork lifted the horrid block int
the air, and cried out;
Here it is aginW
As he pronounced these words the littl
square OF hatch was obscured by the inte1
position Of a mans body.
"The smell Of that there pork" said th
voice belonging TO the body in the hatci
'fs something TO sit upon, somethin
strong enough to lean agin. Why, a ma
might turn TO and chop them fumes int
first class bunk boards. Talk o strength.
Come below, cookw bawled one Of u
seven men.
mo; I've got TO see to the capt'n's Dime
But I'm Of ye il there's 70 be troubi
When / signed it was for whites, and Oh
bottom, and ships company. PUN
pump. and nothen to eatl Nothen TO e.
and pump, pumpl Here's logic as don
tally with this covey's reckoning for one
And the man, violently shifting himse
upon the breast, disappeared.
The powerful sailor who had held q
pork alott while the cook discoursed shoe
it off the blade into the tub again and spa
ITS about time said he, "thet all ham
was agreed"
"All hands is agreed" said one of q
sailors, "'cepting that blooming Dutc
man, Peter But If be don't come into
it'll be a bad job for one Of us if, on sor
dark night, him and me happens to
aloft together"
'sThat there Peter" said sailor, Nv
a-boasting to me that he'd ha' shipped I
a mound a mouth. Dye know he'd cat
shipmate's shirt If by 50 doing he thong
he would arm shilling by saving his
lowance."
This is sweet meat for Peter" said o
of the seven, pointing to the pork, and
pound a month is good money to Pet
and il Peter and the likes Of him could 8
their way, then if ye wanted TO see WI
sort of a man an English sailor looked II
we'd have to ask the master of the fl
workhus as hove in sight TO show ye HIN
what blazing fool a fellow makes
himself when he goes TO seap' exclaimed
man with red hair and a broken nose.
might ha' been market gard ner hac
staid ashore. Think Of thatl What di
run away for' For the likes Of this fol
parlor," said he, waving his hand rou
the forecastle, "and for the LIKES of yoi
pointing to the hammock, for bed, a
the likes Of that muck" he added, point
10 the pork, "as a meal But no growhn
allowed. Ho, mol Tell 'em that pick
dog amt pork and that wermin al
ships bread and you're taken before
magistrate and committed and locked
and left to rot, whilst the blooming Dut
men are getting all the jobs, beca'
picked dog 10 them Is pork and wermi
-ehsh.D He struck his fist heavily NJ
the chest on which he sat and fastened
eyes upon bis huge knuckles while
turned them about, as though be were
specting sample OF coal.
"No use keeping all on grunting,"
claimed a quiet looking seaman, addr
ing the others over his folded ar
whats TO be the horder OF the dayf'
"a bust up," answered the strong ~
who bore the nickname OF Black -
Here we are, sixteen days out, two ha
overheard, ADD not enough men by SIX
seamen TO work the ship, vessel max
water and requiring TO be pumped ey
four hours, meat ut TO make wulture
ships bread old and wormy, and the
OF us mems stores shop sweepings. \
this being so Pm agoing TO knock of We
for one"
"And me for another
"And me for another" went in a or
from mouth TO mouth.
"I'here's the mate and there's the