Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1891-07-25

udu lnduG du 6uOp bu0 p11OU gave ill
order which was repeated by the chief
mate with lungs of brass:
''Aft here, and clew. up the main
sail and furl it!'
The. men threw down the scrubbing-
brushes and chainhooks which they
had picked up, and came aft to the
| main-deck in most surly fashion.
Duckling eyed them like mastiff a
cat 1 noticed some smart-looking
hands among them, but they all to a
man put on a lubberly air; and as they
hauled upon the various ropes, l
| heard them putting al manner OF
coarse, violent expressions, having
| reference to the ship anG her officers,
into their songs.
They went up aloft slowly and laid
out along the yard, g1umbling furi-
ously. And to show what bad sailors
they were, suppose, they slowed the
sail villainously, making bunt that
must have blown out to the first capful
of wind.
Meanwhile, Duckling waited until
the men were off the yard and descend
ing the rigging; he then roared out:
"Furl the mainsailr'
The men stopped coming down, and |
looked at the yard and then at Duck |
ling; and one of them said, in a sullen |
tone: lit is furled." ~
Twas amazed to see Duckling hop1
off the deck ON to the poop-rail and |
spring up the rigging; thought he
was going to thrash the man who had |
answered.; and the man evidently |
thought so too, for he turned pale, and |
edged sideways along the ratline on
which he stood. while he held one of
his hands clenched. Up went Duck
ling, shaking the shrouds violently
: with his ungainly, sprawing way OF
climbing. In a moment he had swung
| himself upon the foot-rope, and was
casting off the yardarm gaskets.
[ don't think half a dozen men could
have loosed the sail in the time taken
/ by him to do so. Down it fell, and
t up the poop-ladder, and without loss
of breath, roared out: 81 i. ,:,,..s,5
I ''Furl the main-sailr' - -
8 J The men seemed inclined to disobey;
some of them had already reached the
? bulwark; but another below, accom-
panied by gesture, appeared to decide
t them. They mounted slowly, got up
, on the yard, and this time did the job
. in a sailor-like fashion. @-~'>-----
$ ''I'm only beginning with them," he
said, in his rough voice, to me; and
i then glanced at Coxon who gave him
! nod and smile.
o The pilot now told me to go forward
3 and see every Thing ready Tor bringing
The royals and top-gallant sails were
s clewed up and furled, and then the or
k der was given to let go the top-sail
I halliards. Down came the three heavy
yards rumbling along the masts, with
= the sound of chain rafting over
~ sheaves. The canvas fell into festoons,
y and the pilot called:
"Al ready forrard?'' ''All ready"
"Let go the anchor!"
"Stand clear of the cable!' I shouted.
- Whack! whack! went the carpenter 8
y driving hammer. A moments pause,
- then tremendous splash, and the ca
n BILE rushed with hoarse outcry through
- the hawser-hole. <-.As=-~-~.-
"a When this job was over waited on
y the fore-castle to superintend the stow
- ing of the sails forward. The men
~ worked briskly enough, and l heard one
% of them who was slowing the fore-top-
20 mast stay-sail say: ''that 1t was good
AZ luck the skipper had brought up. He
h. didn't think he'd be such fool"
II This set me wondering what their
ne meaning could be; but I thought il
best to take no notice, nor repeat what
., Mr. Duckling had to say to the men
nt the better we.should all get on.
Of 1t was half-past seven by the time
1u the sails were furled, and the decks
" cleared of the ropes. The hands went
y below to tea, and was walking af
a. when the cook came out of the galley
III and said: -z-HasS-~- H-sEzs"~ ~
or BEG your pardon, sir; would yor
ii mind tasting of thisp'' And he handed
10 me bit of the ships biscuit. smellec
70 it and found it moldy, and put piece
IN in my mouth, but soon spit it out .
ell II can't say much for this cook ,
a, = s'It's not fit for dogs replied the
LIS cook. "But so far as I've seen, all the
~ provisions is the same. The sugar
IN like mud and the molasses is full o
re- grit; and though have been to sea
lis man and boy, two-and-twenty year,
never saw tea like what they've got OF
OF board this ship. 1t amt tea-it make
no the liquor yaller. It's shavings, ant
, wot | say is. regular tea amt shay
ne ings." - $3.50 --A--'ssSs~'-'-'--~'
Sc. @Well, let the men complain to tn
alf captain" 1 answered. HE can re
ny port to the owners, and get the ship
RS stores condemned" ~-sx.ssssz-~ssssss<
eo ''It's my belief they wos condemned
10 afore they came on board" answers
no the cook. s'I'n bet any man a week
~ grog that they wos bought cheap in
TX docE-yard sale O. rotten grub by orde
an O. the Admiralty. ,, ,.4assses4s.ao'ssrS
, ra ''Give me biscuit" said l. ''and II
l ei9 show it to the captain" -Saas.sks--s'apA'
o.; 81 He took one out from drawer Il
~ ~ which he kept the dough for, tn
=, chddy's use, and put it in my poke
~ and went aft. ,gsY-Ea4=r4s -
Iea ~ -
"a CHAPTER IL
opt tr,,, 49, ,,so -, aosor;1o- +l,o sh;r
out -i;"L 80 80 p IT, ~ W. - ,,o,,oh thas
-" befell me which is related in this story
" l should place before your eyes in q
OF true a picture as can draw. <espH<
~ - The Grosvenor, then, was a small
uS fnll-r1rred shin of five hundred tons