The morning call., 1893-05-21
A Sailors Prophecy of the
Torrisdale Mutiny.
REBELLED AGAINST WORMS.
ForeteIling That the Trouble Would
Be Caused by Them ard Cold
Weather at Certain Time.

"The muting on the Torrisdale."
| 1t was tugboat-hand that volunteered
this information. He sat on the wharf
whiting a piece of stick, casting occa-
| sional glances In the direction of the ship
he spoke of, but the building of the seawall
hid her from view.
"'TaBt many ships that sail that can
boast of carrying prophet" he continued,
acrentuating his remarks with each vigor-
Gus slice Of his jackknife at the piece of
wood in his hand.
"Who is this Dan, and what does he
look likep asked the reporter taking a
seat on the edge OF the wharf.
Look likep Well he's just plain,
ordinary sailor. low and stout, with a
peculiar habit O. telling uncanny stories
and working men up to making kicks
against the grub and such.
Just before the Torrsdale left the
warm belt and the air smelt of sou'westers
Dan started in to prophecy He went
easy al first; ali he did was look up at the
ships lofty spars, shake his head dole
fully, glance uneasily at the clouds and
sing in mournful way that old sea maxim:
macKerel sky and sou'west gales
Make tall ships carry very low sails
Dan kept this up for some time till
5 me OF the men threatened to throw him
overheard il he did not keep quiet.
But sure enough it did start in to blow.
1t blew living streak, and before evening
the weather was almost too cold for the
men to work about the decks and in the
rigging.
Having satisfied himself that he had
predicted the state o. the weather Dan
took to chidng the cook and kicking about
the grub. L prophesy,' said he. that this
here ship Is going to have trouble. Men
aint going to he content with having
weavilly biscuit and wormy pork 'longside
of them al the mess table.
Stop pushing! yelled his shipmates.
Stop nothing! answered Dan. I'm a
prophesying, and you look out for squalls
when Dan gets to looking into the lin and
uncertain future. My experience with hu-
man nature and maggots Is such that can
speak of both with impunity and know Pm
a-telling the truth.
1.-The average maggot and the average
man. continued Dan. his nerve mistaken,
don't jibe very well together till after
death. Then the soul having left the
body the worm is liable to take an uni fair
THAT'S what Dan said, and l tell you
this Dan is no fool--he is we'll read. is Dan.
He kept on asa ying to the men:
Yes, the superiority of mind over matter
gives the dead man a little advantage over
the worm, inasmuch as he does not have
to apply for a passport TO bring his bug
with him into paradise: but shipmates al
sea it is different proposition entirely.
Atofy ~ OF 81
for US, or else [ prnphesy there will be
serious trouble on board this vessel.
"Three days after this Ericsson dis
covered a maggot in a ships biscuit too
large to be taken without salt. The port
watch held an examination 10 determine
whether it was not garden worm, so
long and slIppery-lonking was it.
Then the row Commenced. Ericsson
took bis find to the captain and Instituted
complaint for the whole ships crew, but
without avail. 1t was eat the biscuits,
worms and all, or 90 hungry.
There was rumble of discomfort in the
fOrecastle. Dan was delighted. Didn't
1 tell you there'd be trouble aboard the
ship before we reached port he howled
into the ear of the ships carpenter, family
dancing with delight at the idea of his
auguries coming true.
g Six days from now,' he whispered to
the steward, we will see mutny-mark
my words! The weather is getting colder
and colder every day. and men don't like
10 wash paint when the glass is trying to
draw all the mercury from the tube into
the bulb.
TITS not according TO the laws OF nature
for man, and especially a seaman. to be
on Intimate terms with icicles and there's
going TO be more icicles in the ships rig
ging than there are hairs in the captains
whiskers.
i once shook hands with an icicle, but
it wasn't on board vessel. 1t was hu-
man icicle-there is no need of explaining,
but he was a man 1 tried to borrow the
price of a drink from. But then he's got
nothing to do with the coming mutiny,
Yes. bows, there will be a mutiny, sure
The sixth day came with swirl of snow
and change of barometer.
"Dan stood for'ard watching the crew as
they were ordered to work about the decks,
which were constantly filed with water.
The muttering broke forth in all its fury.
The men held consultation in the fore
castle and it was decided to refuse to do
duty unless the tasks imposed were neces-
sary TO the navigation of the ship.
Gentlemen said Oracle Dan, mount
ing on a cracker box. I have prophesied
many things and they have all come true.
Let me make one more iab at the future.
Drophesy now that eleven of you will
be put in chains and held as prisoners
foretell, furthermore, that | will escape
punishment and live TO see you of the port
watch groveling in chains, while ] shall be
eating of the good things of the ca ptain's
mess
Nothing but divine providence saved
Dan from being pitched overheard, but his
good luck rescued him again.
The following day six men were rut in
irons as truly as Pm sitting here on this
dock" said the tugboat man, looking
keenly at the reporter, ''and five were con-
fined to the sail-lockers."
And Dan the prophet escaped ?" ques-
toned the newspaper man, feeling relieved
that the end had come.
mo. No, sir; he did not escape. He
got saucy to the mate. got knocked down
and sat on. All the other men were con-
fined from one to three days, but Dan-Dan
the prophet, the fortune-teIler, got locked
up for seven days in closet, and had his
meals passed into him through the key
hole"
FRUIT FOR THE WORLDS FAIR.-The
Lol -.