Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1898-10-20

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far as I know, 1t may be correct
enough, though upon this point Icon
fess | have my doubts. OF course, we
are all aware that every Englishman
lis born sailor-a circumstance which
is conclusively proved by the fact, SO
we'll established on the Channel boats,
that no Englishman is ever seasick.
But question very much if even
Britons can thoroughly understand
nautical terms, unless they have en-
ioyed the benefit of special educa-
tion, and I have, therefore, deter
mined to tell my little sea stories in
plain, homely English.
am quite aware that to some of
my readers this may come as disap-
pointment. Only last night I told q
lady, great friend of mine, that I
was going to make the attempt. Her
lace fell.
..oh,' she said, "woat tAere be
anything about Delaying pin?"
''Certainly not" I replied.
'I'm sorry for that" she said. II
always attach so much Importance to a
belaying-pin.
"What is Delaying -pin?" I asked.
'I'm not quite sure" she answered,
with little hesitation; "but I rather
think that the captain uses it to stick
in his neecktie."
I don't pretend to know whether
she was right In her conjecture or
not. But I shall not make use of the
term. And I shall also avoid such
expressions as "Avastl" and "Ahoy!"
which always strike me as being par
ticularly offensive. I don't objecti to
plain, commonsense words, such as
as mast and deck; and this, think,
should be accepted as guarantee
that the method which propose to
adopt is not the outcome of mere
,wriggishness; but an honest endeavor
4 TO make myself understood.
George Williams is captain in the
merchant service. know him we'll.
At the time of which / am writing he
was young officer, full Of courage
aud resource, and, In spite OF t1ns, a
great fayorite with his employers,
Messrs. Evans and Harrison, He had
lately been given the command OF d
ship called the Crocodile, and he
therefore went to see the owners, at
their Office in the city, in order that
he might receive his instructions.
Morning, Williams" said Mr..
Harrison.
Morning, SIR" said Williams.
,"The Crocodile is to 90 to Naples
with cargo Of" Well, it doesn't
really matter what the cargo was; it is
sufficient for my story that It was a
cargo of something. George Williams
was quite satisfied, SO we need not
trouble about it any further. Why
should we be bothered about matters
that do not concern us? Mr.. Harri-
son continued: II don't think that
you will be able to find a cargo for the
return journey at Naples; SO you will
have to come away from there in bal
last"
am obliged to use this term be-
,oause know of no other that exactly
conveys the meaning that I wish to ex-
press. But it is most ridiculous and
misleading phrase. When a ship is
without cargo, it has to carry some
dead weight to prevent it from being
too high out of the water, and this
dead weight is called ballast. Ani
then the sailors tell you that the shir
is in ballast. OF course, what they
really mean is that the ballast is in the
ship, not the ship in the ballast. This
I believe to be the true explanation
though I know it is dreadfully confus
ing.
Mr.. Harrison went on to say tina
Williams would have to look into on.
or two ports on his way homo on thu
chance of picking up cargo, And h
named the places at which he was tt
call.
Then it was that brilliant ide'
struck George Williams. Coal woult
be much more expensive out at th'
4 1Oreign nations then it was in Lon