Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1892-10-06


were tagged by their heavy work, and
the captain ordered the steward 10
serve out lot Of grog apiece to them,
more out of policy than pity, think,
as he would remember what was In
their minds respecting their provisions,
and how the ships safety depended on
their obedience.
CHAPTER VII
All that night II blew terribly hard.
and raised as wild and raging sea as
ever | remember hearing or seeing
described. During my watch-that is,
from midnight until four o'clock the
wind vccrcd q couple Of points, but
had gone back again only TO blow
harder, just as though 1t had stepped
out Of Its way tritle TO catch extra
breath.
was quite worn out by the time my
turn came TO 90 below, and though
the vessel was grooming like live
creature in its death-agonies, and the
seas humping against her with such
shocks as kept me thinking that she
was striking hard ground, fell asleep
rs soon as my head touched the pill
low, and never moved until routed out
by Duckling four hours afterward.
All this time the gale had not abated
in the least. The main deck was fairly
aIloat, but / ascertained from Duck
ling that the well had been sounded
and the ship found dry; and therefore
since we were tight below II mattcrcd
little what water was shipped above,
ms the matches were securely battened
down fore and aft But still she la
bored under serious disadvantage from
being so heavily overloaded.
Partly out of curiosity and part
ly with wish TO hearton the men |
looked into the forcastle. The dark
ness here was made visible by an oil
lamp resembling coilce-pot with a
wick in the spout which burned black
and smokily.
The whole OF the crew were below.
Some of the men lay smoking In their
hunks, others IN their hammocks with
their boots over the edge; one was
patching coat, another grcasing his
boots, others wcro seated in group
talking, while under the lamp were
couple Of men playing at cards upon n
chest, three or four watching, and
holding on by the bammocks, over their
heads.
A man, lying In his bunk with his
face toward me, started up and sent
his legs, incased in blanket trousers
and brown wooden stockings, flying
out
Here's Mr.. Roylc, mates" he called
out Lets ask him the name Of the
port the captain means to touch at for
proper food, for we aren't goin' TO wait
much longer"
don't ask me any questions of that
kind, my lads" | replied, promptly,
seeing general movement OF heads In
the hunks and hammocks. "l'd give
you proper victuals II had the order
ing Of them; and have spoken to Cap
tain CoXon about you, and ! am sure
he will sec this matter put to rights"
"Who thinks" said n voice from
hammock, "that we're going to let
ourselves be grindcd as we was last
night, without proper whites to sup
port usP I'd rather have signed arti-
clcS for coal-bargc with drowned
rats to eat from Grayesend to Whitsta-
bic than shipped in this here cursed
vessel, where the breads Just fit TO
make savages retchn'
] had not bargained for this, but |
had merely meant TO address them
cheerily, with few words Of approval
Of the smart way in which they had
worked the ship in the night. Seeing
that my presence would do no good,
/ turned about and left the forccastlc,
hearing, as l came way, one of thu
Dulchmcn cry out; "Look here, Mr..
Rilc, will you be plcashod TO ssay when
We are to how something TO oat?-lor
We will kill TO pigs in tho long-boat, If
the skipper don't mmdt-so look out.'
As ill-luck would have it, Captain
CoXon was at the break of the poop and
saw me come out Of tho forecastle.
lie waited until he had got me along
side of him, when he asked me what
was doing among the men.
III looked in to give them q good
word for the work they did last night"
l answered.
"And who asked you to give them q
good word, rs you call it,"
Il have never had to wait orders to
encourage crew"
mind what you are about, sir!' he
exclaimed, In voice tremulous with
rage. 81 see through your game, and
III put n stopper upon II that you won't
like.
What game, sirp Let me have your
meaning"
"An Internal mutinous gamcm he
roarcd. Don't talk to me-, sirl |
know you'll I've had my eye upon you'll
You'll play false II YOU can, and are
trying TO smother mp your rebel mean
ings with gonteel airs! Get away, sir!"
ho beloved, stamping his foot. Get
away aft You're Jumping. useless
incumbrancel But by thunderl III
give you two for every one you try to
give me! So stand Dyl'
And, apparently half mad with his
rage, he staggered away in the very
direction in which he had told me to 90,
and stood near the wheel. glnring upon
me with white face, which looked indie
scribably malevolent In the fur cap and
ear-protectors that ornamentcd 1t.
was terribly vexed by his rudeness,
which l was powerless to resist. and
regretted my indisoretion In entering
the forecastle after the polite resolu-
tons had formed. However, Captain
Coxon's ferocity was nothing new to
me; truly believed he was not quite
right in his mind, and expected. as in
former cases, that he would come round
bit by-and-by, when his insane tenn
per had passed
The gale, at times the severost that |
was ever in, lasted three days, during
which the ship drove something like
"i'-h'" -rl"s - tho northwest. The
sea on the afternoon of the third tay
was appalling; had the ship attempted