The National tribune., 1897-07-29

night, and helped on his weary way by the
nigs. He was barefoot. torn, and dragged by
wading through swamps and briars; SAID he
had heard in South Carolina that United
States ships were on the Mississippi River !;
did not know how far away this river was,
only it was somewhere to the westward, so
he set out to find it. There seemed spec al
provid guiding him to strike the river
Just where our ships were anchored. Few
Northern men would have braved the risk
and endured the suffering he did for the
sake of getting to the United States.
We enrolled Ali Mitchell as a landsman
in the naval service but he did not serve
his country long. His health was broken
by his long journey, and he left us to join
another union from which no traveller re-
turns.
1t was hoped as we got supplies of fresh
food. that health might return to our ship,
but it did not Sickness increased. Most
of the men and officers We're under the
Surgeons care. Then the Surgeon was at
tackled with serious disease and sent North.
We had doctor visit us from another gun
boat. He also fell sick, and for awhile,
aided by our Surgeons Steward, l took
charge Of the dispensary.
l had read a little medicine, and could
treat fairly we'll certain disorders, and tried
to, at least do no harm where l did not
know how to do good
The Doctors Steward gave the medicines
prescribed, and presently it was discovered
that lie had way of collecting fees from those
on whom he practiced. Knowing that when
he's gave opiates to patients they slept soundly,
he robbed these poor fellows of the few things
of value they had with them! One of our
sick men saw him at this pifering and re-
ported it. The man was watched, and the
place where he hid his booty was discovered.
The crime fixed on him, he was made the
victim of a summary court-martial, pun
ished pretty thoroughly on board, and then
sent to the penitentiary.
We sent bad cases to the naval hospital
ship, anchored short distance above u.
One afternoon in September we heard the
fire alarm on the hospital ship, aud saw
dense smoke rolling from her port wheel
house. Our boats were called away, but had
not crews drilled to man them promptly.
The boats had hung at the davits for
year, and when launched they leaked so they
could hardly be kept afoat
One of the ironclads had steam and was
soon alongside of the hospital ship. The
helpless men were carried to the gunbOat.
Meanwhile, the fire was extinguished, and
they were carried back to the hospital ship.
This fright taught us to have always one
ship with steam enough to move if needed,
and to have small boats put in order, with
drilled crews to man them.
The next Sunday after this fire alarm
Capt. Gwin said to me: "Paymaster, the
Secretary of the Navy orders Divine service
held on board ship at 10 o'clock every Sab
bath morning. AS we have no Chaplain,
you will read the service"
But, Captain, never did such thing.
There is no prayer book on board"
Probably you may get one from Chap
lain OF the army on shore"
:" went ashore and soon found an army
Chaplain who had Book of Common
Prayer, according to use of Protestant
Episcopal Church." With this sacred litera-
ture, / went back and asked the Captain to
order all hands TO attend service on forward
gun-deck, as proposed to have an audience
to this my maiden effort.
Meanwhile. 1 had the Ward room Steward
spread tablecloth over the capstan to serve
as pulpit-desk, and found man used to
the Episcopal service TO stand by me and
read from my book the responses. Ready
on time, the Executive gave the first COM
mand OF ordnance manual" Silence!"
began. When l read the supplication for
the President of the United States one of
our ngs shouted: Oats SO! Bless Presi-
dent Lincoln!"
dismissed my hearers with the benedic-
ton. This was the last religious service on
the gunboat. After this, Sunday was
usually our busy day.
The next day after this clerical exercise
l fell down an open hatchway on my tug
boat hurting myself badly. This moved
me to some expression of feeling that did
not sound like prayer. Hearing this, the
Tugmaster said to me, approvingly: Pay
master, you swear to-day as good as you
prayed yesterday."-A. w. P, Vineland,