The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1899-01-27
there were not less. than fifteen sail
sight of the vessel which picked me
CHAPTER w,
The Eugene.

C11AI ON ~.
The Eugene.
After being conveyed on board, hot
brandy punch was readily administered
to me; all my wet clothes were taken
on, and l was put into a snug berth.
the cozy warmth Of which, together
with the effect of the steaming punch
"a stiff nor'wester," as I heard it called
and the toll and misery, mental and
bodily, l had undergone, all conduced
to give me a long and almost dream
less slumber. Thus the noon Of the
next day was far advanced before I
awoke to the realities of life and a
consideration of the awkward predica-
ment in which I was placed.
I had been picked up by the Eugene,
a new brig of $50 tons register, cop
pered to the bends, and standing Al
at Lloyds," as I was Informed by Sam
uel Weston, her master. He added
that she had a crew of twelve hands,
men and boys, exclusive of Marc His
lop, the mate, and Tattooed Tom, his
assistant, and that the brig had the
reputation of being one. of the best
sailing out of London.
The morning was fine and warm; the
skylight was open, and a pleasant cur
rent of air passed through the clean,
wainscoted cabin. A spotless white
cloth was on the table, across which
there were dashed certain bars of wood,
technically termed a fiddle, to keep
the plates and glasses from falling to
opnyorS. md IN 1nNlinr frnv, c,,r.
tanned berth (for I was not permitted
to rise) l saw the captain and mate at
lunch yer brandy and water, biscuits
and cheese; and busy the while with
charts and compasses, as they were
comparing their nautical notes and OBJ
servations. '.' .~'
The brig seemed to be running stead
lily through the water upon the STAR
board tack, and could hear the gurgle
of the sea under her counter, as it bub-
bled away in the wake astern-in fact,
the sound seemed to be just a foot
above my ear, realizing the terrible
idea that there was "only a plank be-
tween me and eternity"
Capt. Samuel Weston was a we'll
1du A1dA VI 1uluOlS ulSuC, anu 0OllS-
where about forty years of age. He
was rather grave than jovial in a
ner, but pleasant, kind and gentleman
ly. There was nothing about him that
particularly indicated the seaman, and
he never used startling adjectives, or,
according to the proverbial idea, inter-
larded his conversation with obscure
nautical phraseology.
He wore a short pea-coat with brass
buttons, and a straw hat. A handsome
gold ring secured his necktie, and the
fag-end of a cheroot was between his
teeth. He was exactly portrayed thus
in his colored calotype, which was
framed and screwed into the bulkhead.
Close by it was another of a lady with
a little boy, standing at the base of a
column, which of course had a crimson
curtain festooned behind it; and they,
l had no doubt, were his wife and child.
So Capt. Weston-or, as he preferred
to call himself, Sam Weston-was more
domestic in his tastes than those who
usually live by salt water are sup
posed to be.
Neither was there anything partic-
ularly nautical in the appearance of the
mate, who was a smart and athletic
young fellow, about five-and-twenty
years of age, with somewhat of a Glas-
gov accent, keen gray eyes and sandy
colored hair; and he it was Though l
was not aware of it then. or for long
after) who boldly plunged into the
stormy sea, and swan to the founder
ing schooner, and finding that 1 could
neither understand nor obey i%nstruc-
lions, had made a line fast to M waist,
and thus conveyed me safely into the
boat; so to this young Scotchman I
owed my life and a debt of gratitude
(To be continued.)