The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1893-12-01
A FORECASTLE STORY.
The Second Mate Tells Of a Mem
orable Voyage.

''To tell you the truth, am not at all
pleased with the outlook of this voyage.
/ have been going to sea now for
fifteen years, and never before felt a
feeling of dread on leaving port,
especially when homeward bound as
we are"
The above remarks were made by the
second mate to the first mate of the
American bark, James Clyde, bound
from Alexandria, Egypt, to New
York. The cargo consisted of bones
gathered from the African deserts, and
was consigned to a large fertilizer
manufacturing company in the states.
well, must admit, too, that had
rather have crew made up entirely of
white men instead of the heathenish
looking lot of Arabs that are huddled
tog gether there for'rd, but, as to your
superstitious fears, Harry, they are
groundless, and, indeed, unbecoming
man of your reasoning"
True enough, and l even laughed at
the boys for leaving the ship when they
saw what the cargo was to be. The
idea of the grinning skulls and bleached
bones of dead Arabs, crowded into the
hold of the vessel until there was not
enough room left for a spider to crawl,
did not disturb me when 1 was trying
to persuade the crew that worked us
out here to stay by her Nor can say it
is that exactly now, but some dreadful
feeling of depression, almost like
supernatural warning. Added to our
gruesome cargo, the old skipper is de-
termined to sail tomorrow morning,
bright and early, even If it is Friday"
'Oh, we'll, even if it is Friday, which
the owner, old Skikes. himself would
wait to pass, even if our cargo is of hu-
man bones, and even if we have a crew
of black devils to wor k ship, still 1 will
not be childish enough to back away
from my contract to stay by the old
wagon
"Heave away there, my lads, cheerily
now"
The second mate was leaning over the
cathead watching the cable slide noisily
through the hawse pipe, and urging
the men at the capstan (who, by the
way, could understand scarcely a
word spolen) until the anchor came in
view
'"The anchors up, sir, clear anchor"
he sings out to the skipper who is on
the bridge, who answers with: "All
right, Mr.. Lyman; cat and fish the an
chor and secure it for sea, and send me
anothe; man aft here to the wheel as
soon as he can be spared"
The first mate was busy with one
watch of the crew bending and set
ting the lighter sails, the second
mate securing everything loose around
the deck for sea, while the cap
tain was on the bridge repeating
the con to the men at the wheel
from the pilot forward, who was anus
ing himself by jumping ON the tow line
from the little tug ahead, which was
stretched so taut that every kick made
it sing like the bassest bass string on a
bass violin.
The vessel was soon out to a safe
enough distance to be turned over to
the officers of the vessel by the pilot,
and, after the usual hand shaking and
"bon voyage" from the pilot, he
dropped into the little boat alongside,
and the homeward-boun trip was COM
menced, every man aboard busy with
the numberlesS duties aboard vessel
the first few hours out. After the
day had been spent making the ship
snug for sea, overhauling the gear and
lashing loose articles, the watches were
set with the first dog watch, the first
mate and starboard watch taking the
first watch. The day had been spent
very lonesomely, as the skipper was
cross over the nautical ignorance of the
crew and their inability to understand,
and the men themselves had worked ST.
lently and sulkily on account of his
harshness The contrast was so great
TO the beginning of a homeward bound
voyage with jolly set of Yankee sail
ors, who are thinking of the Nancy
Lee in the states, and singing "shan-
ties" every time they haul on a rope,
that was glad enough to go below
and rest alone until my watch on deck
commenced.