New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-01-24
IN THE FOREC1STLE.
/, NARRATIVE OF LIFE BEFORE THE
MAST.
OK MANY SEAS THE LIFE AND EXPLOITS
OF A YANKEE SAILOR. BY Frederck Benton
Williams Herbert F. Hambienl Ecned by
Ills Friend William Stone Booth Octave. PIP. x.
All The Macmillan Company.

on MANY SEAS. THE LIFE AND EXPLOITS
OF A YANKEE SAILOR BY Frederick Benton
Ills Friend William Stone Booth. Octave. pr. X,
All The Macmillan Company
Mr. Hamblen In coming before the public as an
author abandons not one iota OF his character
as a sailor. From cover 10 cover he discourses
with the i,nperturbable humor of a man who
has taken NE az he has found it. without
much disnosltibn TO regard his fate as dfferng
from tha, OF other men. II he has tried to dress
I'D his experiences II must he confessed tfai ne
has concealed the effort: This book Is one IF N"
most artess which has beer published in many
years II challenges comparison at once with
Dana's well-known volume. and IL bears tn" test
well Indeed there is one respect In whirh II Is
evcr more rsmarka bic than Two Years Before the
Mas" II paints life IN the forec,siie not &c ONE
thing experienced for comparatively brief period
by a man of gentle birth and assured POSITION n
home but as the very bread and butter q one born
10 its hardshps ana developed from start 20 inish
under It's iron discipline The narrative il unms-
fakably genuine. Here and there it may be sus-
pected that the author is drawing the long bow hut
the suspicion passes. a lasting conviction OF the
mans veracty remains.
Mr.. Iiamblen seems his confession. to
have beer a harum-scarurn boy. with desire to
plaoidly grow up amid the New Eneland scenes
which were good enough for his family He gave
his parents intending trouble. became more frac-
tious and unmanagcable day by day. and early in
his teens he prevailed upon his father allow him
TO ship on board a 3p-ton schooner for Florida
from New-York. This would appear to have been
some time about the close OF the war. From the
day OF his sailing down New-York fIarbor he has
gone from port port with the proverbal indif-
ference OF the mariner. His book closes his
gaining command OF ship lie ia interesting in
the first place by reason Of the adventurous ma
ture Of his career lie has suffered from all OF
the ills OF the sea He has been wrecked. ne has
bac dsal rirh ic.ho
tineera Most OF all. he has worked his way up
tenacously through the use OF those time-honor
resources OF the sailor. his ceverness and his
Drawn There Is astonishing amount Of fighting
talked about in these pages. and II they TO be
believed. the brutality Of sea life has never been
painted I'm colors dark. II Is in connection with
this phase Of forecastle existence that he gives
perhaps the most satisfactory proof Of his good
faith as a narrator. II would take a remarkably
wise novelist TO invent the chapter on Dago Char
lev" which is entitled "Subduing a Desperate"
In that chapter Mr. Hamblen reveals the sure san
OF the mate risen from tho ranks-a willingness
nay. eagcrness-to the fun length OF physical
coercion In the tanning Of refractory subordinate
Earlier in the book author records his right
cOus Indignation at the methods OF captains and
mates who would brook no defiance. With the
true frankness OF his craft. he gibbe,s the men
who abused him. He gives an account Of his
sunerings from scurvy and the nhurnan treat
ment he received the hands OF one cap
tain. The latter him near unto death
with the scurvy and stll refused to give
him more limejuicc-one OF the best specifies In
such an ilness-than the act Of Parliament re-
qulred The same captain obtained some potatoes
from another vessel or ST. Helena the under
standing that they we're to be given to the sailor