The Bourbon news., 1899-04-25


land you know what a seaman is with
out his clay"
II am to ask the boatswain to grant
us little time below I whispered to
my companion. ''Feign overcoming
weariness as we pass out"
With this I signed to my companions
to follow, and returned to the fore
castle. The boatswain had lighted his
own pipe and was sitting on one of the
mems boxes, firing away in leisurely
puffs.
I made heavily along to him, exag-
gerating my real WEAKNESS, and pre-
terred my request.
"Aye, if you like" he replied, care
lessly. "Yonder, in that corner, you
will find three hammocks. Sling them
and afterward take your bite. Aye,
and have turn with the pipe. A sea-
man is naught without his clay, and
you will be filter for the work.
I thanked him and translated the
talk to my companions.
We were not long, saving that we
dared not mend our pace too suddenly,
in singing the hammocks and dispos-
ing of our few effects.
1t was now the beginning of the first
dog watch, and none of the men were
in the forecastle. The time was sea-
sonable, and we hastened to begin our
confab with the cook. We asked him
first what had brought him on Span
ish ship, for we Britons are not often
found on such, and in answer he gave
us brief but consistent story of ship
ping from a Scotch port and in a smart
blow falling overheard, to be picked
up just in the nick of time by Span
ish coaster. She carried him to Mala-
ga, he said, his original port being Car
tagena, and from there he had been
glad to ship on the Pilanca. His story
ended, we fell to questioning him on
our present surroundings. What was
the Pilanca, and who were these fine
people she carried?
"Aweel, the Pilanca is naething but
common sort of merchantmen" he
answered, "and her trade is maist
times betwiXt Havana and the straits,
but just moo she is a special charterer
frae the king. She is carrying Don
Perez de Guzman, governor of Pana-
ma, to Chagre, and the auld noble ye
clavered WI is the man."
"But now word as to our own state,
Sandy" 1 began. COR, first, should
be thankful for better grip of your
name"
It'll be a cordial to hear ye speak it;
these looms canna," he answered, with
q sniff. Its Donald Mac Ivrach, frae
Clagvarloch."
Then, friend Donald" went on,
what think you of our prospects? Are
they not something dubious?
81 Gamma say nae," he answered, his
countenance SOLDERING. "Ye are like
to be ser'd WI no sweet sauce ance ye
reach Panama"
Let it rest So" said Mr.. Tym. "And
now another question: Who are all
these other bravely dressed people?
L noticed both men and women"
''Will it be brawly dress fowk?' said
MacIvrach, Frightening. NAY. but we
hae the governors leddy-the auld
dame WI the dour look and the bit
whiskers-though it's no sure We wad
see them, either, along WI the man
tilla, and sic like-and for anither grit
ane, Don Luis Delasco, a count by title,
and rich in land and gowd, but sma' in
body. and an i'll tyke to look upon. He
is the governors son-in-law, and is not
to be envied, they say, sic dei's ane
scauld is her leddyship. Amang the
ithers are Don Lopez Castillo, Don En-
rique de Cavodilla, and Don Leon de
Cruzon. They are hidalgos, and friends
O. the governor, and three mair proud,
preceese auld cocks yell gaze far to
find"
We were very well satisfied with this
description, and indeed, somewhat sur
feited, especially in view of the tempt
ing smells from the cookery. Mac
Ivrach hastily inverted another box,
hunted up three pannikins, with
spoons, which he placed upon it, and
poured out the mess from the pot. 1t
proved to be a delicious onion stew.
We lost no time in proving it, which /
Will Sdy ~" plCdSCO my pdldlC LuOA Z
than anything ever remember of eat
ing. and in this wise l continued-be-
ing no whit before my companions
till the pot was empty.
Mac Ivrach now crowned his hos
pitable efforts by producing pipes and
tobacco, and when we had moved the
boxes about, that we might take more
comfortable postures, we raked a coal
from the furnace, and with great ease
and pleasure proceeded to light up.
Our stomachs were satisfied, we were
cozily by ourselves, and the ship was
travelling very pleasantly along, so
that, for the time at least, we might be
said to be in a state of comparative
content. This was all the more CRATE
full after the long hardship and ex-
posure of the raft. In the discourse
that followed we answered freely Mac
Ivrachs questions, he having till now
but a scant knowledge of US, and con-
trived to impress him, as l thought,
with the advantage to himself in con-
GINNING. bic friopdSbin and OOOd offices