The Opelousas courier., 1898-11-05
Captain DIggs.
By B. NJ. Neill.
"'Arty, my lad-'arty."

Why Captain Biggs, not being al
Englishman, nor In the habit of drop
ping his "h' on other occasions, sail
"'arty," instead Of "hearty," will for
ever remain a mystery. Perhaps h
had an idea that 1t was q right, tight
salty way of saying it; but this is onl!
a theory, and 'connot be substantiate(
by proof.
The person addressed on this occas
iona rather good-looking young gen
tleman, of say twenty-ive-smiled hi:
pleasure at hearing .of the captains
good health.
"You sea-faring men are remarkably
healthy, as a class" he observed.
Eyes, sir" answered the captain, de
cidedly. "You are right. Look at me
sir-the very picture of health. Right
and tight as, a vessel fresh from the
ship-yard. 'Arty, sir? 'Arty's NJ name
for it, sir"
Captain Biggs was a stout. red,
faced MANN fact, from tip to toe
what some people would call a thor
ough sea-going dog.
The young Englishman-whose name
by the way, was Ernest Johns-sre'
marked, as a good thing to say:
comparing yourself to a new yes
sci, captain, is hardly fair to yourself,
That has never been tested, and you
have; and when, indeed, have you been
found wanting?"
Captain Biggs had, indeed, a great
reputation for reliability.
"Come down into the cabin" he said
to Ernest, land take dinner"
They were soon dispatching the
meal, in the good old American fash
ion Of boiling it.
49," said the captain, when it was
entirely bolted, as he leaned back in
his chair In a way that threatened to
split the back-"so you're to be my
supercargo?
II am to have that pleasure" an
swered Mr.. Johns.
II like thatw exclaimed the old salt,
bringing his fist down upon the table
with a force that made the dishes rat
tle-"I like that! A supercargQ of the
right sort gives a moral tone to a YES
sci, and If there's anything / like, it
Is a moral tone"
The captain, having so expressed
himself, added additional emphasis by
delivering a round oath.
Both the cargo and the vessel were
owned by Ernest Johns employers,
and it was necessary to have an agent
at the discharging port; hence his po-
sition as s~upercargo.
Criticism, as regarded the vessel, or
its discipline, was no part Of his duty,
OF he might have observed that the
cabin-boy, who waited upon them,
shrank in terror from the captains
glance.
One Inconsistency, however, Ernest
could hardly help noticing. The cap
tain, in continuation of his remarks
upon moral tone, condemned, in no
mild terms, the practice, of imbibing
spirituous or malt liquors, INDUCED in,
as he knew, by some commanders.
As this tight-tight, 1t is to be feared,
in more respects than one-old salts
breath had a suspicious flavor, and his
nose an equally suspicious rosiness, his
remarks were not calculated to in
spire confidence.
The first week of the voyage passed
off without any incident of note. On
one or two occasions the captain
knocked the cabin-boy down. but this
seeming to be nothing unusual, the
supercargo only wondered a little, and
was silent. .
It was the ninth day out. Toward
the east nothing could be seer but
sky and ocean; in the west, however,
land was distinctly visible. The super
cargo was standing in the bow of the
vessel, watching the dancing waves.
Suddenly he heard the noise of a fall,
and, turning, beheld the eabin-boy
stretched upon the deck, and Captain
Blggs standing over him with a face
distorted with passion, and exclaim-
ing:
'Break dishes, will you, you young
scoundrel!r'
The blow had been a terrible one,
for the blood a flowing freely down
the boys face.
Flushing with Indignation, Ernest
ran and was about to lift the PROSTATE
lad from the deck, when the captain
pushed him rudely. aside, muttering:
!. Attend to your own affairs, sir, or
I'll give You some of the same"
SURPRISING his anger, for he saw
the man vas much intoxicated, Ernest
eteppedl aside IN silence.