The Brunswick times., 1897-04-04

son NV Honor as a Sailor, Won't Leave
You," Said the Captain to a Swede Sailor.
Bravery and Pathos In the Sea Business
of the Old Days.
"Bah!'' he said 'You have lot to
learn, young man. You have as much
sentiment in your construction as this
stick carry.
''The idea of youth like you trying
to tell me that there is as much bravery
and pathos attached to seafaring now as
there was when was master of wind
jammerl You probably believe that you
are correct in your statement; but, man
alive, you are making a fool of yourself.
Here i'll these days you have lifeboats
big and stout enough to carry an army
of men. You have steam to manipulate
the falls, patent davits to swing clear.
No lowering away by hands ard no get
ting them back over the side with every
pound of flesh a-pulling. New tangled
guns for throwing life line, RATS that
won't go to pieces in the first chop of a
sea, cork jackets that need no instruction
cards, but which go on like mans
vest; pumps that are rusty for want of
use, seamless plates and dozens Of other
inventions in these days. Where were
they i'll the old times?
"Let me tell you something don't
say but that there are many brave and
gallant mariners i'll the business now.
But the old shipwreck meant more in
the matter of life taking than the ship
wreck of today does. Did you ever hear
tell of a sailor of the old school trying
to get into boat before the passengers
were out of danger? You needn't say
you have, because you have not. Why,
the only ones who ever attempt any
thing of that kind are stokers and fire.
men and rowdies who have the impu-
dence to call themselves sailors.
81 remember the case of shore loafer
named Holmes, who tried shenanigan
like that. He was afterward tried in the
United States circuit court at Philadel-
phia and was convicted of manslaughter
He was one of 80 shipwreclxed persons
who took to the long boat, which was
greatly overloaded and constantly in
danger of sinking. Well, this beach rat
Holmes and some more of Abraham's
men threw overheard 16 passengers, two
OF whom were women, to Tighten the
boat. The court held that sailor is
bound by law if necessary to sacrifice
his life to save the life of passengers
Furthermore the court held that while
two sailors might struggle with each
other for the possession of the same
plank which could save but one, if
passenger were on the plank even the
law of necessity would not justify the
sailors in taking it from him. You do
not think much of that law? Well, it is
the law of God. 1t is also the law of
duty.
"Did you ever hear of the case of
Captain Nutman of the ship Aidar? He
was good sailor and gallant master
and no matter what many may think,
it is possible to be both. His ship foun-
dered, but he refused to be taken off.
Do you knew why he refused to he taken
off? There was an injured man on board
and while the old timbers were going
to pieces under his very feet he knelt
down and said to the man:
Il won't leave you, lad. On my
honor as sailor I WON'T
"On his honor as sailor he would
not leave him. Have you ever heard of
anything more touchingly honest? Cap
tain Nutman went down with his ship,
but managed to hold on to his man and
to get to the bottom of an upturned
boat, from which they were afterward
rescued. 1t was month or so after that
when townsman asked Captain Nut
man what the name of the rescued man
was.
"'Why, never inquired, he said.
He just signed articles in the regular
way. | may have heard it then, but I
do not know it now. He was a Swede,
that's all I know of him.
''The friend shook his head in aston
ishment as he inquired;
What! A Swede? Take all that
chance for Swede?'
why, yes, even for Swede. I didn't
care whether he was a Swede or a
Laplander. He was a good sailor and
would have done the same for me had
things been reversed"
Nor ls CilaG a11, young man. Ihere
was shipwreck about 1845, but the
name of the craft has escaped my mem
ory. The crew took to one boat, which
was overcrowded A noble Newfound-
land, the pet of the ship, swan along
side the boat All the men turned their
eyes sadly upon him, but they knew
there was no room for him in that boat.
The captain loved that dog better than
ne loved his life, and he stood up in the
boat as he took off his coat and said:
i cannot see him die like this.
Give him my place in the boat. can
hold on to the plank, and he cannot.