The morning call., 1893-07-23

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In the spring of 1S47 | was in New York
CITY. was but youngster, though I'd
made two deep sea voyages already. Twas
walking along West street when met an
old shipmate-Tom PhiIlipS-who had
acted as 4 sea-father to me in the last ship
/ had been in. Barring his love for ram,
Tom was as fine seaman as ever trOd
deck. That day he was perfectly sober
and he told me had just shipped IN the
George Washington. fine, large snip
bound for Rio. The captain, he said, was
q Conn ecticut man. and l could not have
a better chance if | wanted TO go to sea
than to join her. Well. ! followed 1om
advice, found the skipper, signed
the articles and took my dunnage
on board. We lay at a pier on North
River, just below Canal street, and
as we we're to sail the next morning. ali
hands had turned in except lOm FhllllpS,
who was not on board. Down ID the lore
castle we were bowling off sleep at a
lively rate. when | was awakened by some
one calling my name. | turned over IN
nv bunk. and there, close at my SIDE,
stood Tom The moon, which was at It's
full streamed light enough down the
gaDgwav for me to see his face a 5 II was
turned toward me. 1t was as pale as death,
and could see by the sickly glare great
drops of perspiratiOn on his forehead. Tor
his cap was settled way back upon his
head Come, Harry, for Gods sake,
nome get ont Of this" he said, pulling me
By the shoulder.
What's the matter, Tom ?" l muttered.
for thought the poor fellow was out OF
ind 6rip Or OfhRr
His only reply was. Come, Harry, my
boy, come, before the old man G. aboard,
and It's too late" He had turned while
be spoke, to his own berth, which was
next TO nine, and, taking his dunnage bag
ont without waiting TO haul taut tAe puck
erIng string, swung it over his shoulder
ami mounted the stairs, saying as he dis
appeared, Hurry up. my boy; you've not
a minute to lose.
Our talk had awakened several of the
crew. and they had lots of questions to ask,
but / did not stop TO answer, but sapped
on my trousers and followed Tom on to
the deck. Day was Just breaking, and bv
the Light of the gathering dawn aud that
shed by the fading moon, every object
aboard and upon the wharf was distinctly
visible. Tom had just gone over the side,
and stood on the dock leaning against
pile with one hand steadying his bag.
while with the other he pointed to a gang
dock while the other was placed
inside an after port which led into tho
lower hold. | followed Toms direction
and saw one of the Queerest sights | ever
looked upon. There was a steady line of
rats coming out of the hold and marching
Wn that gang-plank like so many ma
rlnes, and at the wharf end OF the plank
was q rat bigger than any of the others.
He stood perfectly still like general on
review, and as the other rats passed him
they seemed 10 lift up their tails as If in
salute. So soon as they passed their leader
they Scampered Off as fast as their legs
could carry them aud disappeared around
the corner of a warehouse. | think must
have watched them more than a minute
l8fOre the last of the Tats passed out CT the
ship, and then the big old rat turned and
ran away, though noticed his pace was
deal more dignified than that of the COM
mon sailor rats that went be ore him. AS
he disappeared. drew long breath and
turned to look at Tom. He stood per-
fectiy still. as though be was carved out
OF marble, and both sides of me | saw my
shipmates. Not man spoke, but we eli
looked at one another, each to see who
was tie most scared. We were still gaZ-
ing e. each other like so many wooden
mummies, when the mate came along for
ward and sung out: What in bIazes has
got into you men this morning-in hurry
TO get to sea, hey? Sep around lively,
now; the skipper'll be aboard soon. and
the tug will be alongside at sunrise. A
couple of you get out that towing line and
coil il on the topgallant forecastle. Harry,
you and another one haul in that gang
plank and help Mr.. Brown Brown was
the second mattel to make fast that after
port The rest clean up the decks. and
why don't you fellows move, hey!"
Up to that time not a man had
stirred, and the mates eyes fairly
hTtrn no Loo
words. Dick stock. or as we used to call
him, "Old Anchor Stock" was the recog-
ni1ed leader of the forecastle He was an
old man-of-war's man, and had been to
sea ever since he was big enough to strad-
die a belaying-pin. He had, too been
shipmate with the mate when that officer
was before the mast, ten years before.
We all looked toward Dick in this mo-
ment of trouble. He seemed to under
stand our thoughts, and. with gravity
of manner to which the effects of his pre-
vious nights potations gave mock dig
nifty, advanced to the front. ana giving a
jerk Of the head, halfway between a
bow of res ptct and nod of familiarity.
said:
Please. sir, Mr. Holmes, you know as
how | aPys told you that Washington was
an unlucky name for a ship. Them men
as has been shipmates with me. who
knowed Washington as general of ma
IIHtS, say do UbW no was n SUOu man 10
his crew and managed to win some pretty
good fights, but somehow, when they went
to namin' ships after him, 1t pears he
didn't like it. He always rather do his
fightin' on land, they tell me, 'cept one
winter night when he took a cruise in
yawl on the Delywar and threw grape and
small shot 'mOngst a lot of Hessuns. But
that showed he was no sailor to trust him.
Self in them kind of craft 'mongst a lot of
Ice which might have smashed him
and all hauds up fner'n pow
der afore they ever made the port
where the Hessuns was at. Well. sir, as
was sayln', George Washington might
pc good name tur general, but it's a
bloody poor name for a ship. This morn
N, sir, | heard Harry here and Tom
Philips talkIn' about somethin', and l
turned out to see what the row was, and
when L came on deck I'm blasted if /
didn't see a whole navy of rats going
over the side, and every one of 'em lifted
VI his tail as he went up the deck wonder.
as much as to say, Goodbye, ginral. we
ike good home, but We don't want to |
be drowned in IT, And. sir, we think as
how them rats are very knowing creeturs-
ard IT'S likely as how the Great Admiral |
up aloft put 1t in their heads 10 20 ashore |
rather'n be drowned below matches with |
out chance for their lives. An we was !