The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1894-06-29
miscellaneous.
A SAILORS YARN.

Strolling around Fort Hamilton, came
across an old skipper and got a story out
of him. He was bronzed, hearty veteran,
and began the talk as stood gazing at
ono Of the French liners which had just
come into port and lay off Staten Island.
He had a brisk, direct way of speaking
and used good language, rarely making
slip and never using an oath.
There was nothing on the water like
that when first went to seq, over 30 years
ago." he said. They are grand ships and
do wonders"
Yes" said I. ga seaman's life Is very
different now from what 1t was, as even
can remember"
Yes, it's different, no doubt" he said,
but we don't turn out such sailors as we
used to do. You can hardly tell sailor
now from q landsman or a tramp"
After giving wonderfully graphic pic
ture of an old time tar he stirred UP some
memories and gave sketch of the first
vessel he ever commanded. ''She was the
Saucy Jack, a square rugged brig" he
said, ''of 500 tons, which was q goodish
sized ship for those days. She was built at
Sunderland for Barty Dowell, great ship
owner about that time. Let's zee. She
was launched in 1928, and she was over 10
years old when first knew her She had
been a good bit in the Mediterranean trade
and was once or twice freighted by the
government to carry stores to Gibraltar
In those days they used to send few con-
yicts to the rock to work on the fortifica
tions, and if they behaved they We're pref
ty well treated. l was first mate, and our
crow was as good as ever sailed. They all
hailed from North or South Shields and
were content to stick by their owners till
promotion came. The day before we were
going to sail on the homeward voyage the
captain went ashore to have good time
with some of the officers, and he sent the
boat back, as the brig lay a little over
quarter of a mile from the shore, and the
captains friends promised to put him
aboard. The night was pretty dark
though the stars wero out. A steady
southeast wind was blowing. The anchor
watch were huddled up by the bulwarks
r'ard asleep
Il was aft, leaning over the compan
ion hatch, enjoying pipe and watching
the lights ashore. There was one light
on land throwing n long troubled line of
silver over the gentle swell, and my eyes
were fixed on this when saw something
DTGdA IL. NulACu W UIlC lIltlkil EthU-
lines and stood there. Presently l was
sure that some one was swimming toward
the ship. went below, got couple of
pistols from the captains berth and came
on deck again. l stuck one pistol in my
belt and held the other ready for use in
case of need. Standing by the backstay, l
distinctly saw the swimmer making ap-
parently for the bow of the ship. 1 re-
moved my pipe from my mouth to my left
hand as l leaned over the bulwarks and
happened to turn my pipe 80 that the
spark fell out. The swimmer, no doubt
seeing the spark, stopped and turned and
swan toward me. / waited until no got
close alonsidc and then 1 asked in q quiet
tone, Who are your He began to tread
water and said:
For Gods sake, throw me a rope.
They'll murder the captain
You may be sure that 1 had rope
over the side in no time. The fellow
caught It, and made 1t fast. He was up
the side In flash and sprang on deck.
Now, what's the matterP' 1 asked. Then
between frequent gasps he told me that
some renegades had drugged the captain
to rob him, and that as he was struggling
against the effects of the draft they would
probably murder him rather than let him
escape them.
g Give me some clothes, he said, for
he was shivering and I'll go ashore with
you and lead you to the place.
II reused up the men, selected four of
them, told them to get out the boat and
be ready to row me ashore at once, as the
captains life was in danger. That was
enough to make them bestir themselves.
Then 1 went below, bidding the fellow
folI0xry md T roI1tn1 mt a rio for him He
was naked and as 1.-the and sinewy fell
low as you'd see In a month of Sundays.
AS he was donning the toys asked, Why
didn't you rouse up the soldiers2'
" If I'd attempted that, he answered,
I should have been dead man In O min
ute
II went on deck while he was dressing,
telling him to hurry. There were few
cutlasses In tho poop and each man armed
himself By the time the boat was In the
water, the young fellow was On deck and
in short time we were dashing through
the water to the shore. He directed us
where to land, and we were soon ashore
with the boat made fast. Now, then, /
said, lead the way But the fellow had
vanished as though the earth had swell
lowed him up.
You may we'll believe that was aston
ished, and 80 were the men. We looked all
around, but could sec nothing of him.
Presently wo saw the glitter of a bayonet,
and going in the direction We're challenged
by sentinel. told him what had hap
pencd and he said, Why, the captain is
with Major Dash and other officers not so
yards from here 1t was on the sentinel's
post and he led the way, and In two min
utes found the captain alive and hearty.
n II. L.. IL 10
friends goodby, and we rowed him to the
brig.
'When we got aboard, the first thing
the captain did was to go to the cabin and
look around On entering his berth, he
found that his desk had been forced and
e7O In gold taken. Besides this, he
missed handsome gold watch and chain
presented to him by his owners and % sill
yer snuff box Expecting something of the
kind, he had ordered the boat to remain
by the side of the brig. He dropped into
her and was rowed ashore. There he learned
that though q search had been made for
the man he could not be found. Next
morning 1t was discovered that q young
convict named Mackay had disappeared.
Being bright fellow and evidently well
educated, the officers had taken fancy to
him and had induced the governor to al
low him to do light Jobs around their
quarters. A small sailboat was missing,
and there was no doubt that the young
scamp had escaped in her and had proba-
bly, taken refuge with the Spaniards on
the other side of the bay.
''The fellow had planned the thing well.
He knew that the captain was ashore and
likely to remain some time Slipping off
the convict garb, which might have him
dered his meeting with a hospitable recep-
ton among the Spaniards, he no doubt dis
posed of it where it couldn't readily be
discovered. He WAS ready then for swim
and trusted to the story he was to tell
aboard the ship for an outfit that would
be nautical, for in those days sailors dressed
sailor fashion. AS sailor escaped from q
British ship he would be welcomed, he
knew, if he could get across the bay. He,
doubtless also knew just where to find the
boat he needed, and he trusted to luck for
the rest. "-BroOklyn Citizen.