The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-01-10
lyv[Hl EGl GAR[E[E[N
BY MORGAN ROBERTSON.
Copyright. 1897. s. s.. Mcclure CO..

Copyright. 1897.
"Tajrce is he armed that hath his quarrel
Just.
Bard og Avon
But four times he who gifts hiz bio in
fust
Josh Billings
Capt. William Belchior was more than
Il marinet. He was known as "Bucko'
Belchior in every port where the British
language is spoken, having earned this
prefix by the earnest readiness with
which in his days rs second and chief
mate he would whirl belaying-pins
beavers and hand spikes about the decks;
and by his success in knocking down,
tricing up, and working up sailors who
tlispleaScd him. With a blow of his list
he had broken the jaw of a man help
lessly ironed in the 'twccn-deck, and on
the same voyage. armed with simple
belaying-pin. had sprung alone into n
circle of brandishing sheath knives and
quelled a mutiny. He was short, broad,
beetle browed and gray-eyed, of undoub-
ted courage, but with the quality Of sym
pathy left out of his nature.
During the ten years in which he had
been in command, he was relieved of
much of the executive work that had
made him famous when he stood watch,
but was always ready to ratify his rep
utation as a "Bucko' should friction:
with the crew occur past the power of:
his officers to cope with. His ship, the;
Wilmington, a sky sail-yard clipper, was:
rated by sailor men as the hottest craft
under the American flag, and Capt. Bel:
ehior himself was spoken of by consuls
and commissioners, far and near, as K
man peculiarly unfortunate in his select
ton of men, for, never passage ended
but that he was up as complainant against
one or more heavily-ironed and badly use@
srp members of his crew.
His officers were, in the language %
one of these defendants 20 the same.
breed o dorg' None Others could or
would sign with him. His crews weIs,
invariably put on boart III the stream,
or at anchorage never at the dockt
Drunk when coerced by the boarding
masters into signing the ships articles,
kept drunk until delivery flor no sober
men able to run would join herr, they
were driven or hoisted up the side lille
animals-some in Il stuppOr from drink
or drugs, some tied hand and foot, strut-
Cling and cursing with returning memory
and reason.
Equipped thus, the Wilmington, boulsd
for Melbourne, discharged her tug and
pilot off Sandy Hook one summer morn
ing, and with fresh quartering wihd
and raising sea, headed for the souteast.
The day was spent in getting her sail osn,
ind in the licking into shape" of the
men as fast as they recovered their
senses. Oaths and missiles flew about the
deck, knock-downs were frequent, and
by eight bells in the evening, when the
Two mates chose the watches much jas
boys choose sides in a ball game the
sailors were well convinced that their
masters lived aft.
Three men, Iong-haired fellows, sprawl
ed on the main hatch, helpless from sea-
sickness, were left to the last in the
choosing, and then hustled into the light
from the nearby galley door to be ok
amined. They had been dragged from the
forecastle at The mates call for :All
hands"
"Call yourselves able seamen, / sup
pose," he said with an oath, as he gl@red
into their woe begone faces.
No, pard, said the tallest and oldest
Of the three, ia weak voice; Were not
seamen; we don't know how we got here,
neither
The mates answer was Il fist-blow
under the ear that sent the man head
long into the scuppers. where he LAY,
quiet.
Say sir when you speak to me- you
bandy-legged farmers" he snarled, glow
ering hard at the other two, as they dung
TO and leaned against the water tank.
I'm pard to none of ye."
They made him no answer and he