Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1891-04-29
a sudden. He held up his head, and

a sudden. He held up his head, and
there was fire in his eyes. For the
first time in his life he really looked
we'll. Helm to lee 7 he cried we
must put aboutp Then he gave out
his orders as rapidly and as clearly as
if he had commanded ships for years.
"The ship swung around on the
port tack, but as she did so my hair
must have lifted my hat up about two
inches, for right close on our port
quarter lay line of breakers which
dashed over ledge of wicked look.
ing reefs. / had no doubt that Scotty
had intended to run the ship on those
rocks if the captain had refused the
last time to make him mate. Capt.
Phillips was leaning against the bull
warks and looking at the breakers.
He seemed to be regularly stunned.
Scotty after lacking wore the ship
slowly around until she headed about
north-northwest before the southeast
trades. During the rest of the run
to San Francisco Scotty was not only
mate but commander of the ship as
well. Capt. Phillips did nothing but
NOPE. He gave no riders himself,
but left everything to Scotty, who
seemed to be a frst-rate navigator,
and he was mighty proud to show it.
"The day after we arrived at San
Francisco we were paid off. | stumb-
led across an old shipmate of mine
called Liverpool Jim. We went into
a saloon and had a few rounds of
drinks. We were standing at the
window when who should we see
going along the sidewalk but Capt.
Phillips and Scotty. Jim started
back at sight of them.
why, l know those fellows, says
he. They are
"Says l, They are the captain and
mate I've been sailing under
"Says he, (Which is the captain /?
81 pointed out Capt. Phillips and
he laughed.
"'Why,' said he, that's old Bill
Jones, a steward l sailed with on an
English bark four years ago. He
put on so many airs that folks took
him for captain when he was on
shore, but he never had as much
brains as I've got, and that's saying
mighty little. But the young fellow
with Bill Jones has got brains. He
was an apprentice boy on the same
bark and was mighty smart at naviga-
ton. They said he'd make first
class shipmaster.'
"Then l questioned him Il bit, and
| turned out that on the bark the
second mate was down on Scotty, and
was always using him rough. But
one morning the second mate was
missing, and it was supposed that he
fell overheard during the night. No
one suspected Scotty. | made up my
mind that this second mate had at
tackled Scotty, who had killed him in
selfdefence and had made away with
the body. The steward knew his
secret, and by holding it over him
made Scotty do just what he wanted,
until he finally he broke out and got
made mate.
The steward probably passed himself
off as a captain and by forged letters
or something of that sort, got com.
mand of ship. You could get COM
mand of an American ship then with
out passing an examination.
81 never learned whether Scotty
told his story of the killing of the
second mate to the English consul at
Frisco. But about two years later
on when the bark l belonged to lay
at anchor off Staten island, a big
American ship that was being lowed
to sea passed quite close to us. On
the afterhouse stood the captain. 1t
was Scotty. There was no installing
him, though he had grown a full
beard and stood up straight, and
really looked well. But when / look
ed on the main deck who should | see
come out of the cabin but another
man l knew we'll. He had on long
apron and white cap, but he put on
airs enough for captain. He was
the steward of the ship. But who do
you suppose it was? 1t was Bill
Jones, the man who for several years
passed himself off as shipmaster,
and who then called himself Capt.
Phillips.
A Curioue Evnorimout