The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1896-04-01

| repairs the work is done by a man call
ed the ships husband, who also sees
that she is in every respect seaworthy,
which means in a proper condition to
make voyage.
Now, Just where we are standing"
/ continued, sis called the ships waist,
or middle, and lies between the quar-
ter-deck and the forecastle. The quar-
ter-deck Is the space between the stern
and the mainmast. We are now stand
ing with our faces towards the head or
bow of the ship. On our left hand is
the larboard side, or port, and on our
right is called starboard.r
/ also told Jack about the wheel,
which is fastened in an upright posi-
ton on an axle. 1t has handles on its
edge about foot apart, and is used for
winding the tiller ropes, which connect
with the rudder for steering the ship.
\ strong and heavy column of wood,
five feet in height and shaped some
thing like the letter A, only that ii
spreads cut wide at the top, which is
pierced with holes, was the next thing
that attracted Jacks attention. This,
| explained, was the capstan, which is
principally used in raising the anchor.
The "blue-peter," which is blue
flag with a white square in its centre,
had been flying for some time from the
top of the mainmast. Jack thought il
was the ships colors, but explained
TO him that it was the signal for sail
ing aud was used also to recall boats
that had been sent out.
Captain Thornton was very kind to
Us during our first day at sea, and as
a special treat took us in the evening
into his own cabin and showed us
many curious. things from foreign lands |
and seas. On his table was model |
of the rock of Gibraltar, the strongest |
fortress in the world. The model was |
cut out of granite with loop-holes for |
cannon, with galleries and underground |
passages just like the real fortress.
"What kind of watch-dogs do you
suppose are kept in the fortress?' ask
ed the captain, looking at Jack. "Now,
don't both of you speak at once"
II should think" I replied, ''that
the cannon were the best of watch
dogs"
"Good: Master Tom,n he cried,
"but | ought not to have put it that
way. Properly speaking, though they
do keep a sharp lookout for strangers,
their watchfulness does no good; in
short, they are monkeys, almost a
hundred, big and little fellows
"Monkeysr' ~ we both cried.
"Yes," answered the captain. 'and
they are protected by the government,
though for what ressonI~ cannot say.
No one is allowed to harm them, and
a record is kept in book of all their
When baby monkey Is
born the fact is printed in paper call
ed the Gibraltar Chronicle. Isn't that
funny ~
Then the captain showed lis some
poisoned arrows once used by the ma
tives of South Africa a collection of
very beautiful shells from every quar-
ter of the globe, and great glass case
filled with specimens from the depths
of the notwithstanding fishes and
seaweed looking like green, blue and
red silk.
From IA drawer in cabinet the cap
tain produced a piece of shell called
''onycha," which, he said, belonged to
"A kind of shellfish found in the lakes of
India. He rubbed little whale oil on
the shell and then set ii on fire. \
beautiful green and yellow fame leap
ed into the air, and was followed by a
thick white smoke which quickly fill
ed the cabin with very pleasant per-
fume Then the captain told us that
these shells always gave out smell
like musk when burning.
"You boys are free to roam about the
ship wherever you choose" said the
captain at the close of the evenings
'and | shall be glad TO
have you make Use of this cabin at any
time. There are books here, master
Tom he said, pointing to well-filled
case above his head, ''that will tell you
and Jack many wonderful things about
the sea and its inhabitants, but do not
on any account have anything to do
with that little door or you will be
sorry for it," He pointed as he spoke
to an iron door in the corner of the
cabin, in the lock of which big key
was sticking. "You may be sure,
young gentlemen" he continued
in solemn manner as he turned on
his heel and bade us goodnight "that
/ have a good reason for thus warning
you"
The excitement caused by our strange
however, drove the cap
tain's warning out of our heads, bat it
came back to us in a startling manner
not long afterwa ards.
One night, shortly after IL o'clock,
Captain Thornton left Us in his cabin
to answer call from some one on
deck. Jack was reading in one corner,
and / was looking at a specimen of the
"ship-worm," which, the captain had
told me, was found in ali but the cold
est seas and was very destructive to the
wood of ships. ] was wondering why
the worm was covered by little shell,
and was about to pick it up to examine
it more closely, when / heard cry
from Jack, followed by a low growl.
turned quickly and saw with alarm
that Jack had disobeyed the captains
orders, and had opened the iron door.
The growl had come from an animal,
which looked like a leopard. 1t stood
on the sill of the door looking at us
with eyes like balls of fire.
do not know to this day how l did
it, but grabbed hold of Jack, who had
rushed to my side after opening the
door, and ran with him as fast as
could up the companion-way 10 the
deck, screaming all the time for the
captain. In my excitement / was half
way up the rigging with Jack clinging