The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1896-02-08
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TALES OF. CAPT. .DONBGhl
AS a Boy He Would Be Willing ID
Die If He Could Command
"a Vessel.
His Time Came and Agony and
Hardships Followed to
Harden Him. l.s.
'---- r'r7
Some Incidents Pathetic. But
of Very Trying Char
acter.

Port Cobourg, in the county Of NORTH
cumberland, Ontario, on Lake Ontario, rs
a fairly good harbor of refuge, and yes
sells are often driven in there for safety.
There Capt.James Donegan was born,and
there he imbibed his taste for the life
of a sailor. AS a boy, it was his delight
to. get out on the pier and watch the ves-
sells sail into the harbor, and hear the
masters sing out port" "starboard, ,''and
other nautical terms. In his young mind
there were no potentates so great as the
men who commanded these vessels. 70
express this feeling N the captains own
words. she would be willing to die if he
could only command a vessel for a single
month and be able to order a crew OF
lively .seamen to lower away the Haih-
SAIL clew up the topsaip or haul down
the jib. 5a
At AN early age little Jimmie Donegan
would make his escape from home and
go off in some of the fishing boats. AS he
grew older this became a regular Occur
patton and in the course of time he was
the proud owner OF a fishing smack.
Capt. Donegan made success of the busi-
ness and stuck to it for two years Then,
when 90 years of age, he was given the
command of a yacht. The yachting craze
was at its height at this time, and when
the Prince of Wales paid his visit to
America it was one of the features on
Lake Ontario, jnaugurated for his enter
taipment. Capt. Donegan was in all the
races arranged for the event, and by his
skill and good seananship was usually
the victor Not even did a nishap. II
which he capsized his boat and nearly
drowned all on board, have any effect
IN diminishing the fame he had achieved.
But Capt. Donegan was cut out for
sterner work than yachting. When ~
years old he shipped before the mast as
boy sailor, but so ambitious was he to !
learn that in his second month he was
paid mems wages. Capt. Donegan had
some tough as we'll as many amusing
experiences as common sailor. Ele
speaks of one while on the schooner
Jupiter. The captain of this craft had
NO consideration for his men. He was
ugly and brutal, but worst of ali, he only
half fed them. He would mot eat with
the crew, and the mess sent forward to
the forecastle was too tough for even
hardened, and hungry seamen. They
used to leave It lying around, and it was
noticed that even the rats would not
touch it, The men determined to enter
a protest They resolved to take the mess
to the captain and ask for change. Dob
egan was chosen as the spokesman and
the rest of the crew agreed to stand at
his back while he braced up to the sklps
per. Getting the stuff together young
Donegan started aft, but when he got ON
deck and was about to address the mas
ter he found he was alone. His brave
hackers had all skunk out Of sight. But
it was not in Jim Donsgan's nature To-
back out when he had once started to-
do something. ss$
Captain" he said, 1--WE don't think that
Captain he said, 1--WE don't think the:
cook is treating lis right in the matter
of grub; this is the stuff she is giving giving a
u.s."
"Well, what is the matter with it915@
growled the captain. "Ain't it good /
enough for your
No, it ain't good enough, and We
won't stand it amy more. The rats wont
eat this" 5-..H.
.sIt's all you'll get, rats or no rats, = was /
the reply. "rrhe grub is good enough for
you swabs." 5sts
"Then you eat it," cried Donegan,
throwing the lunch pan down ON the deck
at the captains feet. The captain took
a safe way Of venting his anger. gfg$;
GO for'ard, you lubberly son OF a sfraS
cook" he yelled, and, this being a conn.,
mand from a captain to seaman DMas
deck, Donegan knew he had best obey it,88s
and he DID, That was the end Of thssS
protest, but II did not serve TO improve
the quality Of the food. Once in port the
crew was discharged, and in a war ~;
words Donegan gave the captain as good
as he sent. egs sss 55zSSs
1t was not long after this that C;al,i.Ss$3|
Donegan shipped on the Calcutta as sfirlfat II u
mate, and was master Of her when shs;%
was wrecked at Michigan City. An inelaff
dent occurred in connection with this ssI
event which shows the dispositions OF sdil1 4
ors to have sport even in the midst gt1lsss ls
the most extreme danger. The Calcattaas
was trying to make the harbcr OF ~ lcIiE.ass II
gan City, but there was no light ann I'M; b;
consequence the vessel was driven ashore
There WAS q heavy sea at the time, and
as the gale threw the water up over the5ss
deck and into the rigging it froze The
night was pitch dark, but the men n1aIi-1t8;;
aged to launch their boat and get safeIyS
to shore. Before going they played w g atsSS .S
they thought would be an excellent JolsessssS
E5DL
and tied them up in the rigging, m slasss
thgna look as much as possible li1te spoas,sss
half frozen mariners clinging there fssss1
their lives Saxy Brooks, AN old saiiqrsa
was responsible for the trick, and S. ilfsS
must have felt entirely Satisfied with hlas lls &
work, for as soon as aylight in the 1norlsSas
ing revealed the terrible sight the zSptsdas IL
women Of Michigan City went down vi $dtya yEas
all the rough weather to the beach g :aaIs|s isls
there got down upon their knees aflt,sss
prayed for the salvation of the SUI lppsag ag5s Il
men.
speaking Of Saxy Brooke; n Ferni nslesas as
Capt. Donegan Of Ca pt.J lack 4 Isbeste ss8a
ter KNOWN as" Crotched- eyed Jack ,sl
and Brooks were reputed to 81 tAsas
llomel.estt men on the wholessSsc
lakes. IS. ass|
Years went and, though tlh
each other by shearsaN, they l1a ~
ii st, and eael ii: aad
See the other ana setlie 81
zion of poks. ass