Iuka reporter. (Iuka, Miss.) 1888-1894, 1892-03-31
LOB SCOUSE" AND "SALT
JUNK"
Tale of the Sea Showing the Influence
Exerted by Diet.

Il HdfC a J,tl anu
to black cats. l can stand
the Maltese and other varieties whose
colors do not bring them under my
pet aversion. But black cats Ugh!
And this is why:
A dozen years ago, perhaps, I
shipped as boy before the mast
aboard large clipper ship bound for
San Francisco via Cape Horn. / am
mentioning no names for obvious rea-
sons, as will appear later on. Nor
will | enter into particulars regard
ing the trials and horrors (for me) OF
that voyage. Enough to say that |
ran away from comfortable and lux
urious home to partake of the alleged
joys (?) of "life on the ocean wave"
| had rather be many things now
than sailor
The captain, stern and austere
old shell back" was part owner in
the vessel. He hailed from Cape Cod.
IF you want poor grub" the sailors
informed me, "just ship ander Cape
Cod Yankee skipper, an you've got
it," | may say right here that / had
every reason during the voyage to ac-
cept the above statement without any
reservation whatever.
The captain had on board as pets
two enormous black cats of the male
persuasion. Tom and Jerry were
their names. These felines were
given the freedom of the ship from
the start, and by the captains strict
orders they enjoyed an immunity from
all interference or moleStation that
the ancient cats of Egypt might have
envied.
They were fed daily just in front of
the cabin door on scraps and sundry
delicacies from the captains table.
1t used to stick in my gorge some
what after going to the galley for my
allowance of Junk" and dob scouse,"
to watch those cats quietly feeding on
fried chicken and other things that
my own daily diet led me to think
belonged to the dead past
On several occasions, when no one
was looking, | had driven the cats
away from their meals, which | de-
voured with intense relish. | had
invariably been scratched on these
occasions, and this by no means in
creased my love for the captains pets.
had succeeded one day in captur-
ing mess of corned beef hash. when
l was detected by the captain in the
act OF transferring the same to my
own digestive apparatus. 1t only
amounted to few ticks with Il ropes
end and being deprived of my watch
below for that night; but my hatred
for those felines now knew no bounds.
Besides, they were fed in the cabin
after this, which was, of course, Ia
booed ground for me-
Ali thought /, if I could only
catch one of you chaps some dark
night, / 1t was dark and stormy
that evening. | was stationed aft
near the poop steps, and more
wretched specimen of humanity
would be hard to imagine than l was
as the seas broke over the side and
drenched me to the skin.
My foot struck against something
soft. There was plaintive meouw.
Locked out, by thunder" said /.
Here, puss, pussl" 1t was Tom, no
other. With sudden movement L
had the creature by the back of the
neck. Here's for that last scratch,
Tom," said l, and Tom was forthwith
launched out into the storm.
There was cOmmotion on board
the following morning. The captain
eyed me suspiciously and remarked
carelessly to the mate, IF / thought
that cub had hand in this I'd heave
him overheard"
After this Jerry was great pet
with the captain and steward. Once
| accidentally stepped on Jerry's tail
and was bitten and scratched on the
leg. Served you right, you young
whelp," observed the captain, who
was standing near, by way of conso-
lation. Once again | was scratched
by Jerry, who had wandered by me
with chicken bone in his mouth.
The grub" that day had been par
ticularly bad, and the sight of the
chicken bone was more than / could
stand. didn't capture the bone, but
received instead another walloping
from the captain, who had witnessed
tuc OCCulICHSS.
We were only weeks distance
from port. The ship was being gen.
orally scraped and painted, and it had
fallen to my lot to manipulate the
tai barrel. This consisted in stirring
the mess about with a heavy bar, as
one would churn butter. Both the
captain and mate had gone below for
dinner The sailors were all busily
occupied for'ard. The tar barrel was
about amidship looked around,
and discovered Jerry quietly sleeping,
spread out ON the main hatch.
/ don't know what put it into my
head, but ] wondered how Jerry
would like it if There was q
sound of scuffling, which brought the
mate out to see what was the matter.
| was pounding away at the tar barrel
for dear life
"Here, don't work so hard at that
tar" exclaimed the mate. | then re-
Taxed my efforts. There were three
feet of soft tar in that barrel, and /
have since wondered whether theyever
found the remains of Jerry at the bot