The herald., 1896-08-23
pncuLIAR1r1ns OF sA1LoRa.
Admiral Erben Tells Some Good Stories

Admiral Erben Tells Some Good Stories
Of the old Salts.
AT the latest of those story telling
evenings, which are chief feature Of
the Aldine club, Admiral Erben was per-
suaded to relate few incidents. The
bluff old seaman, who carries the blush
from Neptune's kiss in his bronzed
cheek rose and was greeted in righ.
royal fashion. He said that after he had
accepted the invitation of the club he
had been asked If he would not relate
some incidents of the sea, or, as thew
say on board ship, spin yarn" He
wished it understood in advance that the
old-tlme sailor of whom Marryat wrote
Is fast passing away. In fact, he had
about disappeared from the sea. But
sailors had always been loyal. Jack had
always been true to his ship, true to his
officers, no matter what might come. He
had known sailors, when court-martial
was about to be held, to go to their Off
GERS and ask for exact information rs to
what they were to testify.
This led him to recall that in the war
a big dry dock lying at Pensacola had
broken from her moorings and floated
down the bay, only to strand under the
guns of Fort Pickett. A boats crew Of
sailors were at hand to assist the army
people, and finally it was decided, mas
much as the dry dock could not be re-
covered, to send out and set her on fire.
The boats crew of twelve men and a
coXswain were assigned to this duty.
"Ihey did their work, ard although my
own vessel was seventy-three miles out
to sea- said the admiral. "you could
almost see to read by the light of the
fire. An inquiry was instituted. After
the men had set dock on fire they rowed
away. and. of course the crew had their
eyes turned on the burning dock. Yet
when they were called up to give evl.
dence and were asked, Did you see any
light?" they answered. NO, sir.'
when was in London last year." the
admiral continued, when the laugh had
subsidized. I'VE were well treated. The
theater people were very kind to us. send
ing tickets and telling us that our men
would have the entree of any theater at
any time. SO Jack went 10 every theater
in London and enjoyed himself. One
night, with a party of friends, went to
the Royal opera. We We're hardly seated
in cur box when one Of the ladies looked
down into the stalls and said: why, adj
miral, there are some of your men here,'
| sal dl thought not for none of them
would want to sit out n performance OF
Nerdts 'Falstaff.' But / looked down.
and sure enough there were three of nv
men. and they stayed the performance
through. The next day called up that
hickory-faced old boatswan's mate and
asked him how he liked the opera.
Well he said admiral you couldn't
leave till the prince of Wales left. and
couldn't leave till you did, and we stayed
it out. "
BY this time the admiral had got warm
eel up to his work. and he told still an
other yarn on the late Admiral Gregory.
When the latter was Il captain in the
navy. The later was serving in Euro
pean waters and had taken his ship into
Malta. where a British ship ws living.
The idea of hospitality in those days was
to entertain man until either host or
guest went under the table. and the work
was not considered well done until this
had been accomplished. They kept
changing the officers on Captain Gregory
When he went to call on the English
officers. and seeing that he would not he
able to stand the strain Of the brandy
the American quietly raised his glass
and let liquor down inside his old-fash.
loned stock necktlc. He kept this up un-
II 1.-THE British captain was taken to bed
by his steward. Then CAPTAIN Gregory
called for fresh bottle of brandy. took
another smoked pipe, went on deck.
talked with the officer of the watch and
was rowed back to his ship. The next
Gay when the Engllshman awoke he
-callsd the officer Of the watch and asked
nm when Captain Gregory left the ship.
Told the hour. he said "Well, was he
screwed:-a nautical term of pecu-
ilar condition. He was told that the
American was sober. Then he sought
his cabin steward, and asked the same
question. NO. eir" remarked the stew
ard, "he was all right, but never did
see man sweat as he did sir