The Republican journal., 1901-03-14

cCCVAOA VI oHO PA"NO, on0 S"uuy u"AA
dulcinas danced with the white man,
and all the imports from Her Royal
Majesty's dominion were found in that
quarter. All I know of exports was
that one English bark was there load
ed with disgusting kiln burnt molasses.
Farther back, looming up above the
houses, were some tamarind trees, free
for all to get supply. Close by the ves-
sci, on the greasy looking mud flats, were
small fish that enjoyed basking in the
sun, and they would let the tide ebb
away from them sometimes twenty feet.
But they never were caught mapping
when you tried to head them off from
getting into the water. just across the
river nearly every day we saw some
blood-red birds the size of our crane
walking around on the beach. They
were perfect beauties, and often there
were greyish ones with them. A little
farther up the stream was cocoanut
plantation, and young fellow who
came on board said his uncle owned
that plantation and that he would give
long boat load Of cocoanuts for plug
of what was then three-cent tobacco.
But it was considered a poor trade for
nuts with the burrs on, as barrel of
cocoanuts with the burrs off was bought
for 80 cents, delivered on board. We
ho6 1if%1a %,ro,,h1ac tho 70 OF Ia
about the rooster who was a lusty
Grower out of season, and our con-
versation at breakfast for some time
was how to get rid of the rooster. 1t
was suggested by Morse first, think,
but acquiesced in by all, that lighted
match held to the ROSTERS nostrils
when the birthstone was burning would
instantly kill the Objectionable bird.
But the rooster shook his head so that
the match would not do the business.
After getting out our cargo we sailed
away for Bonaire, to load salt for Bos-
ton. Our passage was quick, as we had
, a fair wind and fair current, and
when the vessel got to the island the
! current set the vessel by the first salt
heaps; and then it was the next, or per
haps nothing, so the vessel was run in
| and struck on the beach and in the
meantime the hawser was taken ashore
and fastened to cemented stone mon
ument. The vessel was then backed
and rode by the hawser and one anchor,
| with one anchor underfoot and without
! any stern moorings. Under the lee of
the island it was quite calm, without
much swell. From the deck of the YES
sci not a house was in sight-only a
sandy beach and white salt pile. The
settlers and salt works were inland.
The island belongs to Queen Wilhel-
mina'S dominion now. A shoal water bay
made in somewhere, and from aloft the
i works could be seen.The salt was taken
Oh board in boats. Two or three horses
were put into the water and plank
laid on them, and black women lugged
/ the salt in short bag On their heads
, from the pile to the boats ard threw
the bags in two straight lines into the
boat, and the negroes hauled the boats
off to the vessel by small line. Four
] teen thousand bushels were taken on
board in about three days. The black
mans dinner consisted of a lump about
as big as a mans two fists of cracked
corn, rather finer than our cracked
corn. They are persistent beggars for
beef and bread and were always hun
CRY.
After our cargo was on board we sail
ed away around the west end of the
! island and headed for Mona passage
and Boston; two wales and half out,
to come on the coast in February; and
| before many days the boys were drown
ed out of the fOreward- house and took
quarters in the poop aft. A heavy
plank was secured reaching from the
poop deck to the eforward-house, and the
| main deck below was stirred to commo-
ton with porridgc- thick mess of very
cold salt water and ice. At one time
the ice got ahead of us, and about froze
| everything together, and the cold was
intense. l think that on the land since
have worked on colder days driving
an OK team than l saw on that vessel;
but on the road you get a lee along the
woody places to warm up. On vessel
you must stand and take it. Well,
after while we got to Boston, and
just off the light we partook of our last
meal; that is to say, good meal. All
that was left after that was some con-
demned hardbread that had whale oil
split into it,. There were spells when
some good sweet morsels were relished
between the oil spells. but it required
caution and to 60 slow to make a meal.
So we have written some of the happen
ings of long ago. Now Capt. Morse
and Capt. Rendell have got plenty of
money and are living at their ease,
while the writer has pulled along on
solid ground without much complaint;
has got some good boys and girl, and
the world has used us perhaps better
than we deserve.