The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-12-15
Being Yarns Spun on the F0recastIe of a
New Cruiser by An Old Salt.
I--HALCYoR DAYS AT BAR HARBOR.
The Old Ros'n's Mate of the Forccns-
tie Discusses Present Grievances
ma Past Pleasnres-Good Nnturcd
Growl for The Trials of the New
Maya RcSretrui Sigh.


box, and extracting therefrom his
''dhudcen" and half Whitfield plug of
black navy, took out his knife, Srllenly
cthipped, off pipeful OF the weed, and
damned IT into his black and oily
Woodstock" with horny fingers
What's entin' YOU, Nick?" asked
Apprentice Mullaney quizzically, as the
old shell back" spat contemptuously
at the spit kid in the lee of the cap
stan.
Vote eatn' me, is it? Wot amt a
eatin' me? The damned service is get
TN wuss nor wukllus. What with
these ere moo ships, moo guns, moo
orf'cers, moo regulations, moo manoo-
Nres an fresh apprentices, Il snilorman
wot knows his blzness don't git no
snow nohow," and Nick slammed down
the lid or his ditty box, sat on II, and
Eazed discontentedly out over the rail
to where the westering autumn sun
was incarnadinlng the rocky and pic
turesQue Bar Ilarbor shore.
Nlullaney was nt,whilc the old man
puifed moodly at his pipe and n group
OF apprentices and landsmen luungcd
gradually nca ger within sound OF the
old mans voice; some leaning INDECENT
~ ana eSpectantly against the siN-inch
rifle, and others seating themselves near
by in attitudes OF lazy expectancy.
"Wot you all Skuikin' round here
Ior?' asked Nick presently.
We're Just layin round waiting for
pipe down" said Mullaney deprecut-
froubin' me? Well its you Arabs
Wots troGhlin' me mostly. And when il
amt you, why its somethin' else Here
We been soin' and a. BLOWN and IL
Sweatti and piptn' scnce all hunds
this mornin'. And all for what? list
ter get this dod gasted new tangled
ballyhoo clean and ship shape for wis
ltors. And visitors i, has Beer from
blessed minnit Men visitors wimmcn
visitors, docks, dulicsses, doods and
doodines I'LL sc can't rest. and sang
wiched III between is II lot of these ere
cusseH orlicinl visits wot keeps Inc
face"
'"Taint no picnic, that's a fact" said
Muilancy consoiirgiy.
Taisin of pc-lic.," said Nick in
fcminisccn; zone. we uster have Il pic
mic when | was heb in 70 in the old
Portsmouth Them was the times
when ships coInpn'y had a soft spell
when ship cropped iiiliick in this ere
harhor."
What were you in those days, Nicl,?"
"wtured Mullaney. settling himself
comfortably Tor the enjoyment of
Nicks earrulity, which he knew to be
the Old mans before hammocks"
solacc.
:! was cox'n Of the whaleboat That
was the first iuiT':5 boat. and ] had a
crew OF kids like Tou-thdt is they was
apprentice hoys-which was the only
them. cGs they was every one of EN-
SailorS.--Which YOU amt They could
send up rral or To gall'nt yard take
me weather c;Inrin' in reefin n topsl
ana could get to'Sallnt mast ready
Tor comm down with The best of us but
It's NIL different now. You Arabs kin
do heap nj divin' and biler Dustin and
Dell hanSin, hut you couldn't tell IL bull
rope from bulls foot" The old man
sa@ed pityingly at the group OF young
sters before him and sighed for the
glory OF vanished days.
Wasn't there AS much ship visit
ING done here when YOU were here in
the Portsmouth as there is now?"
asked Mullaney TO recall the old man
TO the point from which he had wan
dered.
Well. / dunno. There may have
been as much, but there warn't the fuss
Except one day that ] recllect." and
the old man chucklcd grimly over his
"reminiscences.
Who made the FUSS" ventured q
frccked faced landsman
ut warnt me, though I reckon |
helped fe see, twas a field day-Sa,-
urday | thin;-an after quarters bags
had been piped up an the smokin' lamp
lit. The visitors commenced comm
aboard right arter quarters, an there
was all sorts of EN-: the men mostly all
togscd up in these ere long Dennis
suits, with trousers recfed at the knees
ana yaller shoes with rubber suleS; the
gals and older wimmen was dressed in
colOrs enough to make a set of inter
nashnl code signals. Sweepers had
just been pipcd / was on the star
board side Of the gun deck. right by
the port under the side ladder. gcttin
my SEWN gear outen my bag when l
sees a little shore boat comm along
eide with an ole lady sittin I'm the stern
sheets who could have given the Bow'ry
fat woman cards an spades. ] reckon
she tipped the beam nigh onto 300
pounds. 'I.ongside OF the old woman
was pretty slip Of n girl about seven
teen years old an II lifteen-y year old
kid was at The oars 'midShirs.
when they came alongside the ole
lady unlimbers herself and gets up to
step ontcr the gangway. Puts her foot
on the gunnel ter take the step; the kid
loses his grip on the grab rope and the
beat slides away from the ladder side
ways The ole lady's weight kecs the
boat over an the whole bilin' of 'em
goes kitin' into the drink. Somebody
on deck sings out man overheard /
sees the kid go headfust off the gang
way, another Teller talsSs the water
from the hammock rail, and does like
wise through the gun. deck port. The
Ole lady and come up together, face