The sun., 1897-01-17

only contribution 10 the ships stores. After
that he never slept wink on beard the boat
tain ordered Mike. who was in the bow. to keep
n good lookout for land. but Mike was go busy
Sn,np head much n' sSoa. IT, The time time passed e very
slowly and without incident. save at one time he
thought he heard is,p cry asern , one m
but kept his watch on his shipmstes until near
morning. when he happened to see that they
boatswain. who had the helm. he suggested
rousing the Captain. lest the boat be thrown
hanksred for such an accident as that, and held
on his course until the sun rose, and then the
foE And sssy found
But as they looked around TO convratnlats
their shipmates they found that the second
An English gun boat. the Rsttlesnake. was
In port, aud her Captain sailed out in search
stove In and afoat, but not \ trace Of anv OF her
crew. What had wrecked her will never be
sSs the ss
and fearing that they would escape him alto.
gether. preached the boat for a victim. m.wrecking
When, Mr. Hamlin had finished this tale in
nearly the words that are here given, his friend.
Hsmi,n. You are a blank idiot to be sitting
here telling me these stories when you might
What would / do with them. then ?" said
The reply to this question set namlin to think
Ing, and thinking to somo purpose, for both
suggested that Hamlin write out his expert
ences for publication in q book. During the fol-
lowing months ut took seven OF them Mr.. Ham
lin pat In hiS chair In the gine room with blank
books at hand. and while the crosshead drove
to and fro and the biz balance wheel whirled he
wrote out In chronological order his expert.
ences as Yankee sailor. Everything was
nut down In his own language-tho Ian
gunge Of the forecastle. The spelling was
not always accurate nor the grammatical
construction such rs to meet the approval OF
critics. but the tales showed a masters hand.
Mr. Booth. having had the benefit uf n coll late
education. took this manuscript and edited II
Just far as was necessary TO nt IL for publca-
| tion. He corrected the spelling. made subjects
and verbs agree. usually. and 40 on; but he left
the tales In all essential particulars as the sailor
| wrote them. The manuscript was then taken
| to President Brett of the Macmillan Company.
| and rs n result OF this an historical story Of
life ut sea has been printed. 1t is en-
titled "On Many Seas" and the author has
concealed his real name under the nom dc
plume OF Williams. The yarn quoted above 10 u
| fair sample OF the Incidents with which this
| study deals and of the style of tho writer. but
| the most interesting feature OF the book Is
probably one that crept In uuconsctOusly. For
after telling through more than 800 pages and
| In n way to excite the sympathy OF the readers,
all about the harshness cruelty Of officers At
sea and the joyswh frnicsome sailors expert.
enco In getting even for pains suffered, he
| relates how ho became officer himself. and
then. tho boot being On the other foot, he gives
| full details OF how he, with heavy hand and be-
| laying pins-even with n revolver In one case
| ruled. And 1t In but fair to say that he here
| excites the sympathy OF the reader Also though
| IL the reader knows the sea the sympathy Is
| likely to be moderate. In short, hs an accurate
| and vivid portrayal of the life with which II
deals, there Is nothing superior 10 this book.