The morning call., 1893-03-21
+" SAILOR BROWN
What the Fernie Brought
ON Saturday.
A PUGILIsTIC sTOWAWAY.
The Interesting Story of Browns
Career Since He Failed to
Whip Young Mitchell.

Scarcely had the British ship Sir Arthur
Fernie dropped anchor off Meiggs wharf as
she entered this port last Saturday when a
shore boat shot out from the vessels side
with the greater part OF the Fernie's crew
in it.
The men were in fear OF arrest, and made
away as soon as they touched the wharf.
The leader OF the gang was Sailor"
Brown.
Four years ago this Sailor" Brown was
pugilist of no mean reputation. He had
fought and beaten pretty much all of his ac-
quaintances in the army and navy, and,
looking to greater honors, which he fan
cied could be had for the demanding. lie
found foolhardy hacker who bound him
to fight Young Mitchell for the middle
weight championship OF the Pacific Coast.
On this occasion Sailor Brown met his
Waterloo. He had tried it once too often.'
Further residence in this city meant much
raising of the eyebrows and CALLING chatting,
so the amphibi0us Brown took to the water
again and shipped with the revenue cutter
Bear for the rctic.
Up in the cold north where the intelli-
gence OF the sailors proves had never
reached the benighted natives Captain
Healy and his officers had barrels of sport
over Brown. Matches were made ard won
by the score. Folks about Sitka and Juneau
were easy" TO the pugiist, and the frozen
zone resUunded with the fame OF the great
incOg.
But time passed, and the Sailor" yearn-
ing for other fields, left the Bear and ship
ped on q Britlsher for Liverpool. Here he
fought, and bled, and won. He spent the
money he made and, drifting down to Lon
don, eked out livelihood by doing odd jobs
about the Whtechapel saloons.
One day word filtered down through the
Sums to Brown that prlze-fgh ting was
booming at New Orleans. lie did not stop
for second thought, but packing his
grip" stole aboard the Sir Robert Fernie
and cOncealing himself in the forepeak,
away up under the bOwsprit, allowed he
would return to his native land.
The Ferne weighed anchor and put to
sea and Brown and the DOwspTit went with
her. For five days he preserved his nOSi-
ton undiscovered. he ate some food he
had prudently brought with him and an
accompllce in the crew provided him with
Wa ter.
on the sixth day his small quarters had
given him cramps in his legs, so he shifted
few feet and stretched.
The bOatswain of the Fernie at that mo-
ment CHANGED to look down into the hold
and started in surprise to see two big feet
with no visible appendaZe loom out from
the darkness, wiggle aud 20 IN again.
he argued a t once that man was behind
them, and acting on this suppositiOn he or
dered the unknown 10 come up on deck
lie said he wanted to speak TO him.
Brown refused, and the boatswain In
wrath seized the feet and dragged the stow
away out into the light.
A stOwaway to a bOatswain is an abOmi-
nation upon the earth. and the sailor"
soon felt the force OF bOatswain ROblnson's
rage. lie stood it time or two. until his
old fighting spirit was thoroughly reused,
when he lit out with his right and laid the
officer low with a rafting blow on the jaw.
Two sailors ran up to RobnsOn'S assist
ance, and the rext moment sat YEARLY
down beside the boatswain. The day
seemed cold and dark and dreary.
Then ON: rushed Captain Cannon and
sw0re by the shiveriHg ghost of the FLYING
Dutchman that il Brown did not surrender
on the moment he would lay him low with
a haudspike.
It occurred to the sailor that the better
part Of yalOr was discretion and that he
had best surrender This he did. and spent
the following day in irons.
When the stOwaway was released he de-
MED all knowledge Of seafaring, and ead
be was only landlubber and couldn't haul
rope. In this way he escaped l0athsOme
labor, aud sauntering about, pipe in mouth,
came merrily on 10 Frisco.
But little excitement was still left in
store for Brown. While concealed IN the
peak he had discovered a secret passage by
which he could enter the hold. He impaired
this information TO few select friends. and
the gang began a series Of nightly trips 10
the whisky Kegs in the cargo.
All might have gone well, but sailors are
not easily restrained when in their cups,
and ore night the gang" got gloriousy
full and preclpitated a free light on deck
They did up the watch, and led by Brown,
literally owned the ship for time.
Finally assistance came, however, and the
bows retired to the seclusion Of irons, where
doubtless they found food for reflection.
Fr,rf l..- .N.,. .
on to port and anchored off Meiggs wharf.
This Is why Brown was SO anxious TO land.
Sailor" Brown will now look for u hacker
presumably.