Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1891-05-14

| repeated my question to him.
"Well," he said. 81 don't often go to
Caprera, for it isn't worth my while; but
tomorrow night l am sailing for Leg
horn, and as times are bad, If the slgnore
likes to make some arrangement with me
and my cousin, who goes with me, we
might manage to leave our regular
course and land the signore on the island;
but | must first consult with him, as he
is part owner of the craft"
The plan seemed as if it might answer,
so | sent him off for his cousin to
neighboring wine-shop, and they soon
returned together He was a very differ
ent-looking man from Bartolo, and L
rather liked his appearance. A tall,
stout-looking sailor with bland smile,
but noticed that he was entirely under
Bartolo's thumb, and agreed with him
in everything he said.
"Well here is Antonio" said the lat
ter. ''He thinks that we might accom-
modate the signore; but the ship is not
fine vessel, so perhaps the signore had
better see her before he decides. True,
it is but short journey of II or IA
hours, so that little discomfort will not
much matter, especially as, this chance
lost, it may be some time before another
presents itself. OF course the signore
understands that we are poor men, and
shall require some good inducement to
make us lose time by going out of our
way but if the signore will pay us one
hundred lire (f4) down and give us
small 'buona manO' on arrival, we will
take him.
The price did not seem eXtravagant,
but it is always necessary to bargain
with Italians, or they take you for an
''imbecile'' who can be easily robbed; so
bearing this fact in mind, | expressed
astonishment at their asking so much,
and told them it was quite out of the
question. At last, after deal of hag-
Cling, we agreed that if next day liked
the look of the craft, l would pay them
eighty lire down, and give them another
ten lire on their landing me safely at
Caprera.
1t was now getting late, so we sepa-
rated, on the understanding that | was
to meet Bartolo at the same place in the
morning at s.
| was there at the appointed hour, and
found him waiting for me. His cousin,
he said, had gone on board, and was get
at that evening.
After walking mile among a sea of
masts and sails of all colors and shapes,
we at last got to Bartolo's ship. She was
small cOasting felucca with a large la
teen sail, of the kind so common in the
Mediterranean. Antonio and the man |
had first spoken to the night before were
busy slowing away miscellaneous cargo
of grain, fruit, and baccala, or dried
stocktish, which it is hoped tastes better
than it smells.
| stepped on board and was shown my
cabin, if such it could be called. 1t was
in the forepart of the ship and close to
the mast. | entered it through narrow,
dark hatchway, and down ladder of
six or seven steps; and when | got to
the bottom had to bend almost double,
as it was simply square box about four
feet high and six feet wide. Bartolo had
certainly not lied when he made me I'M
derstand that l should have to rough it.
In one corner was a wooden bunk with
a dirty sheepskin laid over it. Furniture
there was none; there was horrid
smell of bilge-water about the whole
place, and the only light came through
the open hatchway. Altogether it was
a most uninviting place; but, rejecting
that it was only for one night, and that,
the weather being fine, | should probably
pass most of the time on deck, / settled
to sail with them, and to be on board
again at $50. | now went on deck for
look round. There were three separate
hatchways. In the middle one they were
storing away the cargo, and the one aft
was used by the crew.
| walked to the town and killed some
time by looking into the different shop
windows. | was much attracted by q
gunmaker's who displayed great vari-
put it into my head, but while gazing at
those weapons the thought suddenly
struck me that as knew nothing of the
men to whom | was trusting myself, it
might perhaps be as well to have some
weapons of defense about me. True, in
my travelling bag | carried life preserv-
er given me years ago, which had slept
there harmlessly ever since; but still a
revolver would be more useful in case of
accidents; so | walked into the shop, and
after looking several of them over, ended
in purchasing small one, with packet
of cartridges.
| now went to the hotel to pack up my
traps. | wished only to take what would
go into my travelling bag, so turned out
rything | thought useless. In doing
so | came across the life preserver; | was
about to chuck it aside, when | thought
| might as we'll take it, and replaced it
in the bag.
y NoOi1
called the hotel keeper, and told him |
was going away for two or three days,
and proposed to leave the remainder of
my baggage in his charge. | then dined,
paid my bill, and, bag in hand, strolled
down again to the port.
All on board was ready for sailing.
BartolO came up at once and asked me
for the eighty lire which had agreed to
pay in advance, as he said they had to
complete some purchases before leaving.
| At O'Clock sharp we left the harbor,
with fair wind; it was beautiful
evening, not cloud to be seen, and soon
after dark a glorious moon rose out of
sea. l sat on deck smoking my cigar
and enjoying the tranquility of the scene,
while being famed by the soft sea
breeze.
The crew consisted of BartOlo, his cou-
sin, the tall man called Beppo, and boy
called Gigi.
For Italians they were not sociable
| lot. | tried several times to get into con-
versation, but they seemed rather to