The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-05-13
LIFE ON THE HUAsCAR.
Rough Life Experienced on the Chilean
Man-of- War.

Rough Life Experienced on the Chilean
Man-of-War.
''DO | know the Huascar? Well, | think
l do. l spent nine long months on board
her"
The sp aker was sailor named Morris
Kennah, at present staying in sailors
boarding house on Drumm street. II got into
the Chilean navy" continued Kennah, "the
same way all the rest of the white men do,
l had run away from Boston bark in Val
paIaisO and got on the beach there aud the
first thing | knew | was arrested as
vagrant and sent on board the HuaScar for
year. Down there they don't send any
one to jail for petty offenses. If the offender
is sailor he is sent to the navy; if not, he
is made a soldier.
Yes, l saw some rough times on board
the old tank. Men were triced up and
fogged for the slightest breach of discipline
and the treatment was hard. Every day
some of the men deserted If caught they
would get seyenty-fve lasheS sure as fate
and more than one died from the terrible
punishment while was on board.
TRIED TO ESCAPE.
q came very near getting into serious
trouble before l left. Half a dozen men,
who were not allowed to go ashore, evolved
break for liberty The plan was to wait un-
til one Of the party was on guard at the
boat at the gangway and then we were to
qnietly get into her and pull for the shore,
and trust to luck to change cur clothes afte II
ward. The night the crowd made the break
l was on board one of the tOrpedO-boats on
duty, and so was prevented from taking
hand III il. The plan worked all right as
far as getting ashore went but instrad of
skipping out after they got there, they re-
mained in town drinking, and next day were
arrested and sent back to the HuaScar. The
men were taken before the captain, and
after his hearing what they had to say, they
were sentenced to be hogged the next day.
'sPRANG Al THE CAPTAIN.
This 50 enraged two of the men that
before the guard could prevent it they
sprang at the captain like a pair Of tigers
and gave him terrible pounding. Of course
they were soon oyeTpowered and heavily
irOned, and next day, instead Of being
logged, were tried by court-martlai and SEN
tenced to be shot. The other three men
were flogged half to death, and did not get
out Of their cots for nearly month. After
man is condemned 10 death in Chile he is
allowed but little time to get ready, and the
day after the cOurt-martial the men were
taken on board the ag-ship Cochran and
carried outside the harbor. A priest read
prayer TO them and they were run up to the
fore yard, one each side.
TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA-
"a canvas bag containing thirty pounds of
iron was tied to the waist of each of the
poor fellows, and after they had hung half
an hour the rope was cut and with a splash
the bodies disappeared in the ocean.
81 staid on board couple of months, and
then made my escape by swimming 10 a
whaler while she was getting up her anchor.
/ stayed on board the latter craft until she
reached Panama, and then got chance to
come to San Francisco. | don't want to
SEQ a Chilean man-of-w again, and | pity
the man that has to serve on board them
any length of time"