Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1892-10-29
AN OLD TUB.
by AN OLD SALT.


in the ancient East but sailing vessel
insured up to her bulwarks, and set
afoat by pious shipowners with the de-
vout hope that she may never reach her
destination.
1t was in such q craft that | made
my first sea voyage in the Winter Of
1864. The good ship Pelican was reg
istered A l at Lloyds, and was called
a first-cass vessel in those days, hnt she
was veritable Noah's ark Of living
creatures inuumerable, from rts to
cockroaches.
We sailed around the Cape, and it
took us Just five whole months to so
from Gravesend to Calcutta, during
which period we never once sighted
land
We were in all, some forty passen-
gers, including a maj jor general, three
lieutenant-colonels couple of majors
and four parsons. The sailors were
alarmed at the preponderance of
the latter, for it appears that since
the days of the prophet Jonah, Nep-
tune has had strange aversion to
preachers of any kind.
1t was in vain that | endeavored to
assure the boatswain that there was all
the difference between prophets in these
DAYS and those of Nineyeh.
Them parsons II sink us as sure rs
my name is Wilkins !! said the old salt.
We had not been three days at sea
before we discovered that we had on
board romantic incident. One of our
fair passengers land out of two score
there were at least twenty who claimed
to be fair was an interesting young
widow going to her pa" in the tea
district of Assam, under the safe escort
of u male cousin.
But the Bay of Biscay is very dis
turbing to the esoteric subtlctles Of the
inner man. and its mighty heavin3s and
turbulent tossings completely upset the
tender conscience of the widow and she
made clear breast of it. Just when
she thought the Pelican was going
Gown she confessed to the four parsons
that her "ma!e cousin was none other
than her dear welded husband, and
that her pa was a merchant in London
and not tea planter in Assam.
The major-general and the three lieu
tenant -colonels administered II severe
rep imand to the young scamp, who
Happened to be an ensign in her ma es
~, service, and the ladies of our happy
ca immunity decided to ostracize the
hyi 'c for the rest of the voyage. She
N.,., clearly very unfit young person,
they said, "for ship registered Al at
ilnvd's."
!!ut the major general, who was a
perfect encyclopedia of miscellaneous
Information, assured us that elopements
hli the social sanction of both the
church and the law, for it was well
known, he said, :" that both Archbishop
Iiowlev and Lord Chancellor Eldon,
when they We're young men, had
adopted this very reprehensible method
Of getting married.
The example Of the former satisfied
the four parsons and that of the latter
soothed the conscieuceS of the most
ai'istocratic of the ladies; and when we
were safe out of the Bay of Biscay the
young person became one of the
most popular members of our select
circle.
But the life and soul of the party
was the maj general. He was faith
crlv to the ladies, both young and old.
He smoked his pipe with the captain,
took snuff with the boatswain, played
cards with the three lieutenant -colonels
and was most devout in his religious
exercises on Sunday. What a true
henefactor was the major-general on a
five months voyage! And whet stories
he could tell! He would recline in his
deck chair for hours and spin tue most
wonderful yarns.
Here is one of his greatest -
My dear young ladies, have not
yet told You one of the most remark
able incidents in my whole military ca
reer 1t was at the defence of Lucknow
when the immortal Havelock com
manded, and we We're under heavy fire
the niggers had possession of our
guns, that l wanted to send despatch
to General Havelock and obtain an inn
mediate reply. 1t was a most perilOus
service and | called for a volunteer.
My sergeant-major stepped forward
and said he would go at all risks.
Walker was the most perfect drill in
the whole camp and always a ready
martyr to the call of duty.
We'll, ladies, he went. and in the
course of half an hour he returned Will,
Havc!ork' reply. The poor fellow had
com" within six PAGES of my tent when
"A cannon ball struck hi, head clean oil
lii, hc;Ilesa trunk stood erect, advanced
six PAGES, raised his hand where his
bead oGght to have been. apI giving
mi i,1ry salute, put Hay"lock's S reply
iltp my hand. and fell dead at my
Irrt
80 general, exclaimed several of the
ladies 1T once.
1t is a fact, my dear Young friends,
tIir old mHlor-gcn"raI said, is he tapped
hi snuI box. Sergeant Major Wal
krr left six chi.drrI aud II wife to draw
government pensions.
\ o.i-ht sound seemed to cm;imata
from tAr man at In" wheel. ali |
t5o5eat hrani tl, u.d -a.o" matter,
"Ihl : Il 'ort,"r. nUl u,t Il ru.'.r ulii-
tlry officer pres mt G,u.'t to idv.lIol
the Ma, ,or Ernc... $ ",E,. }l.E ,-..l-
ia OF long r,Ni-r u-r e .H.rr
from rnia,%ra Iiy,r, and ~. .I"' atand
contradiction.
}.c ual six babies On board; the
vlp.' -iN hcio4 oa T.. th, ct..i Il
p.rr, Il can never 3. " ...i. "..T
! Is IN c;,%s e. "a a