The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-01-14
orEn THE LEE RAIL AND BACK.
One or Two or the sesxotus Adventures OF
Mr.. Jnrses vnu Up,sgtor OF Ireland.

One or Two or the sesxotug Adventures OF
Mr.. Jnues vnn Up,asto. OF ireland.
To TIE EDITOR OF THE SuS-Sr; The con-
eluding PARAGRAPH OF the article in your issue
Of Jan. IL. concerning the rescue OF Bos'n
Lastadius. brought to my mind a curious cir
cumstance that happened on tho whaleship
Henry THOMPSON OF New London while lay
ing to in n heavy gale. northeast Of japan. in
the year 1914. in which a tragedy we'll under
way was turned into q farce By an ~Irishmau's
luck and quick wit.
james Van UpinGton tnotwithstandlns his
name. he was as Irish as the hill OF Howth) was
our cook. Jimmy was made cook shortly after
passing the Cape OF Good Hope. eastward
bound. because neither punishment nor coax
ing could get him above tho rail after a GER
tain night of the Cape.
The weather that night was very dirty: fro
auent squalls OF wind and rain made II neces-
sary to shorten sail. The corposants were
pickering from yardarm and masthead. Jump
ing from one to the other. appearing and dis
appearing at their W devilish will. Jimmy
and 1 were furlinG the foreto'gallant sail. ! to
windward. when suddenly n corposant about
the sise and shape OF a waterm elon settled on
the eye OF the f~oreto'eallant stay q few feet
above our heads. Jimmy. being to leeward.
didn't see 1t. but I had n good look at 1t. 1t
seemed to be perfectly harmless and without
the power to illuminate anything EXCEPT that
II made the eyes Of the topcnIlapt ligging
thing let 60 aioit and. following the to'galIant
M. and Jimmy 'a saw i II then for the irst time.
Though 1t was close to my face 1 ielt no heat
S Mns no not sm q BIT fHes sffa I .a, dnlS Sde sia 81 Gl'"n For a !
moment. Put Jimmy was u sight, His lace
t. him must have looked liz a ,verita6le
& sGGnsi for hs gave an pp IS. Thy y yea. sn NJ s q,
vile. :, threw up his hands and fell back ward.
Luckily catching the tacSstay. he got safe on
baked snins, and lay groaning under thelee
frightened than hurt. alter We had got the ship
And that was the last time that Jimmy ever
went atoye the rail: SO the cook was taken out
though lie Gpew as little about cooking as. Ie
knew, about handling a sail. When we left
be easier to make him a cook thun a sailor.
and 30 Jimmy was cook the rest OF the voy-
The. day that we were lying to to tho
north'ard and BASTARD o' japan We were home-
| ward bound in 2 !eisnrely sort ofa way. taking
s sSa 20 ? res;ea h0t niaintor Ssi' tsias 20 a un sfsa 1
sas ''s out "' o:. the EeS ,c aIhles.'D Which Twas Was
Whist Rii"S .h sc an,ch the on a %ain WAS :,a nGf AROUND TO aid
up a kettlcfui Of water as the ship made q lee
lnrch. The old kettle was the only one aboard
to make coffee in. and as 1t had been in use
before. it was pretty we'll worn. but it was
precious. as it had TO last tho voyage out AS
Jimmy, made IL dip the ship gave n heavier
lurch than usual. and overheard went. Jimmy.
Kettle. and all. As the shin rolled to windward
on the lee lurch he was .scooped aboard again
and. clutchinG the. main fferail. hold on for
d di,n' Iise ioF Seein I; that tina b the Jay lSssh ~ was sss, a ga n
quick as u fash. lie iabhers. boys. / helt on
TO the ault kettle anyhow" But the fact was
he. did not know whether he had hold OF a
kettle or grindstnne. HuGu MCKAY.
GREENPoIST. Jan. IL. 1893.