Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1892-09-22


under way" and turning TO me with
q wink, ho added; "'lf the grub Is go-
ing to bring more rows, VIC must fight
'em on the high seas
There was little breeze from the
southwest, quite enough 10 give us
Roadway against the tide that was run
ming up the Channel. The men, zeal
Gus us all newcomers are, hastcncd
briskly out and manned tho windlass.
Within quarter Of an hour from the
time the first order was given tho ship
was under way.
Th'. breeze freshenod as VIC stretched
seward, and the ship soon carried n
deal Of canvass. The men seemed
pleased witt her pace.
The day was gloriously fine. The
sea was an emerald green, alive with
little lcuping waves, each with its mar
row thread OF froth.
This part Of the channel was full Of
shipping, and | know, by the viyidness
with which my memory reproduccs the
scene, how beautiful was the picture
impressed upon IT, All on our right
were tho English shores, made delicate
and even fanciful by distance; here and
there fairy-like groups Of houses,
standing on the heights among trees
or cmbosomed In valleys, with silver
sands sloping to the sea; deep shadows
staining the purity OF tho brilliant
chalk; and a foreground Of pleasure
boats, with sails glistcning like pearl,
aud bright flags streaming. And to
our right and left vessels Of different
rigs and sizes standing up or down
channel, some running, like ourselves,
free, with streaming wakes, others
coming up closc-haulcd, some in ballast
high out of water, stretching their
black sides along the sen, and expos
ing 10 windward shining surfaces Of
copper.
At half-past two o'clock In the after
noon, all sail that was required having
bccn made, aud the decks cleared, the
hands were divided into watches, aud
!, having charge Of the port watch,
came on deck. The starbonrd watch
went below, but, rs the men bad not
dincd, n portion Of my own watch
Joined the others in the forccastle to
get their dinner.
! now discovered that the copper
faced man, to whom ! have drawn at
tention, was the new cook. | heard
the men bandying Jokes with him as
they went In and out Of tho galley, car
rying tho stcaming Jumps OF pork and
recking dishcsOf pea-soup into the fore
castle, whence concluded that they
had either not Yet discovered the quail
ity of the provisions, or that they were
more easily satisfied than their predc-
cossors had been.
Among the men IN my own watch
was the great, strapping fellow whom
! had likcned to life-guardsmen. |
had thought the man too big TO be
handy up aloft, but was very much de-
cclyed, for in all my life ! never wit
messed such fcats Of activity rs he per-
formed. His long logs had enabled
him to take two ratlincs at n time, and
he saved himself the trouble of getting
oy, + the futtock shrouds by very easily
making two steps from the main
shrouds TO the main-yard, and from
the main-yard 10 the main-top. |
watched him leave the galley. carrying
his smoking mess; but | also noticed
before lost sight of him, that he took
II suspiciously long sniff at the steam
under his nose, and then violently cx-
. perforated.
] presently noticed the cooks cop
per-iaco, crowned with an odd kind OF
knitted cap, protruding from the gal
| ley, and his small eyes gazcd intontly
at me. paced the length of the poop,
and when | returned, the cooks head
/ was still at its post; and then his body
came out and ho stood staring in my
| direction.
| had 10 turn abruptly TO hide my
mirth, for his face was Ornamcntcd
with an expression Of disgust eXquis-
| itcly comical with tho wrlnklcd nose,
tho arched, thick mouth and the
scrcwcd-up eyebrows.
When ugain looked, he was COM
ing along the deck, swinging II piece
Of very fat pork at the end of II string.
lie advanced close TO the poop-laddcr,
at the top Of which Twas standing, and
holding up the pork. said;
you SEQ dis, sarp'
"Ycs," | answered.
"Mo belong to country where we
no eat pork" he exclaimed, with
great gravity, still preserving hi-
wrinkled nose and immensely dig.
gustcd expression.
,.lvh,t countr,, e. tl,o,pn I oaLoI
"IIot couniry sor" n, answered
.pn, M. wiII 90 nort an boerd sbin !,
,,V,,,, ,,ro,,oy :,
f''Ii,, -. 49,. ..- ,
nut me VIII not eat rotten porE
on board ship or anywhere else ' lac
cried cNcitedly.
"ls that piece OF pork taintedP'
inquired ,
don't know nuilen bout tainted
sar, he replied, but 1t smells kinder
strong. But not so strong rs the