The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1897-12-09

| covered with o MIN like snake s
when excited they glittered under hi.
shaggy brows with a sinister, venom
GUS light.
The first prize was captured Sep
tember 5 in the North Atlantic. i
was whaler, four years out, whose
crew knew nothing of the war. She
was burned. Captures were frequent
after that
Among the prisoners was the mate
of a whaler that was comical figure
the Yankee of English farces. He
was over six feet, with huge bones
that seemed to have no flesh on them
and he wore a high colored. long
tailed, claw hammer coat, with brass
buttons as big as ring bolts. He used
to sit on the deck and spell out hymns
from book and hum them over, and
10 cap all he wore tall beaver hat
Of course this was abhorent to sailor
etiquette They could stand long
shore togs, all but the tall hat, and sc
one day one of the men knocked the
white tile over the Yankees eyes
He was brought up in the wind at a
rat g that astonished him. In ten sec
onds himself and an applauding
friend were laid ont on the deck, the
big Yankee offering at the same time
to whip any man forward of the miz-
zen mast, and l believe he could have
done it. 1t was generally admitted
that he had done right, and thereaf
ter he wore his tall hat without mo
le5tation.
1t is not our purpose to give any
detailed account of the Alabama's 8
long cruise We prefer to pick from
Mr.. Haywood's entertaining volume
some incidents illustrating the chaac-
ter of the crew. A mutiny was plan
ned at one time, the plan being to
load one of the forward guns with
kentledge, fire it aft through the star
board cabin, then seize the quarter
deck and sail the vessel for United
States port where, some of the men
had heard, a reward of Sl,OO0,000
would be paid for her. The officers
learned Of the conspiracy, and by
their firmness checked it, but they
punished nobody, and disorder thence
forth increased.
AS a general thing, the captains OF
our prizes took it very coollY, occa
slonally remarking that but for the
American flag al the mizzen we would
not have got within shooting distance
of them, while one big broad should
cred fellow declared that, keep away
the guns of the Alabama, he and his
crew could lick all hands on the Con
federate vessel, and he looked as if he
would like to try it, too.
Noveno Der Is, 1862, we came in
sight of Martinique. We got liberty
to go ashore, and in twenty minutes
were fighting the police, and as l de-
test the French l was by no means
averse to having row with them,
The warrant officers and ships po
lice had bad time, as many of the
men came aboard drunk and fought
desperately.
The next day our liberty was stop
ped, and at night, after the order was
given to out lights" party collected
at one of the forward starboard ports
and Forest was lowered into the wa
ter and swan ashore far a supply of
liquor. Now sharks are plenty in
these waters. and I watched the des
perate fellows course expecting every
moment to see a black fin cutting the
water in his wake. but he got ashore
and in about an hour came back with
a five gallon can of rum. 1t was awful
stuff, but it was taken by the entire
watch, the lights were at once lit, and
the yelling and uproar commenced.
A rush was made for the main deck,
AMI as the men had Delaying pins,
sand clubs and slnng shots, the Off
GERS had hard work to keep them
down. At last the drums beat to
quarters, and the marines and officers
forced their way below. MGregor
was quite sober and active in the
fight, and melted the men to stand
their ground. He pitched Delaying
pin at one of the masters mates that
barely missed him, and cut a manrope
in two. Mason and got forward be
hind the foremast, as expected to
hear the order to fire away every
minute. II was pitch dark, as all the
lights were knocked out, the decks
crowded with fighting, yelling men,
surging back and forward, making "A
perfect pandemonium The larboard
watch came down armed with buckets
and delnged the mutineers with wa
ter, and this was moro effectual than
any other weapon save cold steel.
1t took five stout men to put Forest
in irons. and was glad to see NJ
Gregor rendered harmless by lick
from Delaying pin that would have
stove in the head of most men. Next
morning the place looked like the
shambles and many of the man of
our watch were badly cut up. All re-
fused to peach on their messmates.
a lew days before Christmas we
came in sight of the Areas islands
and on Christmas day went on shore,
if shore it could be called, when you
could dig hole and go afishing any
where. 1t was miserable day and
ended in fight, in which nearly the
whole crew took part, so that it re
quired an armed guard from the ship
to seperate them. An extra spirit ra.
ton was the only indication of hoi
day One of the officers remarked to
"Cocky Bill" who came aboard ter
ribly cut up, that he had made nad
use of his liberty" and got the cheer
full answer that 1t was poor 'art
that never rejoices-"
AS an instance of the improvidence
of English sailors read the following:
AT Kingston, Jamaica, one Of the
men, drunk of course. bought of a
negro woman child about four years
old, and gave her sixteen shillings for
it. With the little Niger, which was
as fat as a poodle, under his arm and
bowling like pirate, Fin started for
the boat, Justly thinking it sailors
prank. An officer WAS in charge of
the launch. and sternly told the man
to leave the child go; after much jaw
and growing he pulled off his jun
nor and urany,a1 hiG profopo in IT