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

inc crew were Whtcnlng us, anu ulu
not want the captain 10 come on deck
and find me talking 10 this man about
the provisions. But II so happened
that at this particular moment the cap
tain emerged from the companion
hatchway. The man did not stir and
the captain said:
"What does that fellow wantp"
"lle Is complaining Of the pork, sir
/ have referred him to you."
lie gave me n sharp look, and lean
ing forward, said, In quiet, mild
voice:
whats the matter, my mani"
"Why. sir, I've been asked to come
and say that the pork that's been
served to the men Is in very bad
state. to be sure. It's more smell than
meat, and what amt smell Is brine"
If am sorry to hear that" said the
captain, in a most bcnignant manner.
Look into the cuddy and tell the stew.
ard | want him."
The steward stepped on the quarter.
deck, and looked up at his master In
way that made me suspect he had got
his cue.
whats the matter with the pork,
stcward?"
Nothing, sir, that know Of"
"Tho men say II smells Strong-that's
what you say, Think remarked tho
captain. addressing the man.
VERY strong, sir strong enough
to sit upon, sir
III don know how that can be"
exclaimed the steward looking very
puzzled indeed. "It's sweet enough
In the cask. Pcrhapsit's the fault of the
billing"
Nothing to do with tho billing,
mate said the man, shaking his ex-
traordinary head, at the same time sur
vcying the steward Indignantly. "Bil-
ing clears away smells, rs rule"
Perhaps you've opened bad cask.
II So said the captain, fling IL over
board, for I'll not have the men pois-
oned. Let tho cook boil me sample
from the next cask you open, and put
itupon my table-do you hear9" "Yes,
saw
"That will do" continued the cap
tain, addressing the man. "You may
go forward and tell your mates what l
have said.
And away struggled the man to in
form the crew. no doubt, that the skip
per was n brick, and that he'd like to
punch tho steward head.
At seven o'clock the next morning
we were abreast the Isle Of Wight and
stopped to put the pilot ashore. A
dandy-rigged boat put of in response
to our signal.
was glad when the pilot got over the
side. He was mean toady, and had
done me no good with tho captain.
The gangway ladder had been thrown
over TO enable him TO descend, and the
boat washed high and low, up and
down, alongside, sometimes level with
the deck, sometimes twelve or fourteen
feet in n hollow.
"Now's your time" said I, nischiev-
ously, as he hung on to the man-rope
with one leg out to catch tho boat rs
she rose. He took me at my word and
let go; but the boat was sinking, and
down he went with her, and had the
satisfaction Of seeing him roll right
into the boats bottom. and there get
so bopclessly entangled with the pump
and some trewling gepr, that 1t took
two boatinen to pull him out and set
him on his feet.
Then away they went, the pilot wav-
ing his hat TO the skipper, who cries;
'Man the lee main braces"
Tho great yards were swung around,
and the ship lay over TO the immense
weight Of canvas.
Ease off those iib-sheets there, and
set the main-sall."
The ship, feeling the full breeze,
surgcd slowly forward, parting the
topping seas with laundering blows of
her bows. The wind was well abcam.
perhaps half II point abaft, and every
sail was swollen like the cheeks Of
rude Boreas in the picture of that bleak
worthy
/ This cracking on delighted Duck
ling, whose head turned 80 violently
about, as he stared first at these sails,
4 then at those, then forward, then aft,
that thought he would end in putting
a kink into his neck.
( "This IL proper" he exclaimed, in
his hoar,c voice, after ordering some
hands ito clap the watch-tackle on to
the main-tack and rouse 1t down"
"Wc'll teach 'em how to froth this
blessed channel! guess we've had
enough of Gains. and II the Scilly
amt some miles astern by the second
dog-watch tomorrow I'll turn monk,
you sccl"
We were heading well west-south-
west, and the water was flying in
sheets of foam from the ships bows.
BY this time IL was dark, and the sky
thick with the volume Of wind that
swept over it; and the stars shone
hazily, but It was rs much as | could
do to trace the outlines of the main
royal and top gallant sail.
Tho vessel was rushing through the
water at II great pace. The roar
ing of the wind ON high, the
crcaking Of the spars, the clanking
M. M nnNrI N.I,En