Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1902-06-03
"Your discharge says twenty-five.

"Your discharge says twenty-five.
returned the clerk.
"Ah. yes. yer amer. but It's said that
fer the last t'irty years"
"lsn't it time it was altered. thenE
retorted the clerk. magisterial again,
rs he entered fifty-f1ve on the articles.
The old fellows quaint speech. added
to an indefnable aureole of good hui
NOR about him, had completely chang
ed the sullen aspect Of our crowd. 80
that for the moment we quite forgot
that but fourteen of US were engaged
to take the four thousand ton ship Ga.
reth to New Zealand first and then to
any other part Of the world, voyage
not to exceed three years.
So. with even the Dutchmen laugh
Ing and chuckling in sympathy with
the fun they felt. but didn't under
stand. we all dispersed with our ad'
vance notes to get such discount as
fate and the sharks would allow. In
good time we were all aboard, for ships
| were scarce and all of us anxious to
get away. but when we saw the vast,
gaunt hull well down to plimsolPs mark
and the four towering steel giants or
| masts. with their immense spreading
branches, and thought Of the handful
we were to manage them we felt a
colder chill than even the biting edge
of the bitter east wind had given US.
We mustered in the dark. iron barn
Of the foks'l and began selecting hunks
temporarily until we were picked for
watches. when our attention was ar
rested by the voice of McGinty, saying:
"Bhoys!'
All turned toward him where he stood.
with bottle of rum and teacup. and
no one needed Il second call. When the
bottle was empty and our hearts had
gone out to the donor. he said clearing
| his throat once or twice:
"Bhoys. fergive me. I'm an i'm
poshter. broke me right kneecap an
| five ribs comm home from Frisco in
the Lumcch-fell from the foret' gallant
yard-a bin three months in Poplar
hospital. | can't 80 aloft. but didn't
think what a crime it was goin' to be
ag'in We all until see this awful over
spared brute here. Don't be hard on
me. bhoys. Ye wouldn't have me
starve ashore. would ye. now. or fret
me poor ovid heart out in the wurk
house after forty-tive years Oh the open
sea?
He stopped and looked around dis
tressfully. and in that moment all our
hearts warmed to him. We were a
mixed crowd Of course. but nearly half
of us were British. and there would
have been stormy scene II any Of the
aliens had ventured to raise protest
against McGinty's incapacity. We
didn't express our sympathy. but we
felt It, and he. with native Quickness,
knew that we did. and never from that
day forward did the brave old chap
hear a word of complaint from any OF
US about having to do his work.
Just then the voice of the bos n
sounded outside. Turn TO-" and as we
departed to commence work. although
not word was said. there was u fierce
determination among us TO protect NC
Ginty against any harshness from the
officers on account Of his disablement.
There was too much of hustle getting
out Of dock for any notice TO be taken
uf his stiff leg. which he had so clever
ly concealed while shipping: but. the
mate happening to call him up 10 the
| forecasile head for something. his
lamencss was glarngly apparent at
once TO the bos'n. who stood hchind
MIN. For just minute II looked like
trouble as the bos'n began to blustcr
about his being cripple. but we all
gathered round. and the matter was eff
fectually settled ut once.
We never regretted our consideration.
for. while ii was true that he couldn't
get aloft, and those mighty sails would
have been a handful for double our
number in q breeze of wind. there ncv
er was q more willing. tireless worker
on deck, and below he was perfect
godsend. His sunny temper. buDDling
| fun and ineXhaustible stock or yarns
made our gray lives happier than they
had ever been at sea before. Ii we had
allowed 1t. he would have been slave
to all Of US, for we carried no boys. and
all the odd domestic jobs Of the foks
had to be done by ourselves. AS it was,
he was always doing something for
somebody. and as he was thorough
sailor in his general handiness and
ability his services were highly appre
ciated. He made the Gareth COM
Portable ship in spite Of her manifold
drawbacks.
In due time we reached the roaring
forties" and began to run the casting
down. The long. tempestuous stretch
of the southern ocean lay before u.s.
and the prospect was BY no means
cheering. The Gareth. in spite OF her
huge bulk. had given us taste OF her
quality when running before heavy
breeze of wind shortly after getting
clear of the channel. and we knew that
she was one Of the wettest Of her class.
q vessel that welcomed every bowling
sea as an old friend and freely invited
it to range the whole expanse OF her
decks from poop to foksl. And. IN
accordance with precedent. we Knew
| that she would be driven to the last eX
tremity Of canvas endurance. not only
| In the hope Of making quick passage
but because shortening snil after really
hard running was such an awful strain
upon the handful Of men composing
| the crew. so that when once the light
sails were secure an attempt would al
ways be made to hang on 10 the still
enormous spread of sail remaining unit
the gale blew itself out or We had rur
ou, of its vast area. But for some days
the brave west wind fingered In its lair
and we slowly crept to the southwark
and eastward with trumpery lltlls
spurts OF northerly and northweSterly
breeze. We had reached Al degrees
south and about 10 degrees east wher
one afternoon it fell calm.
One of the most magnificent sunsets
Imaginable spread its glories over the
westeru sky Great spIashes OF gor
seous coloring stained the pnle blue OF
the heavens and Illuminated the fan
tastic crags and ranges Of cloud that
lay motionless around the horizon like
fragments OF a disintegrated world. a
long. llstless swell came solemnly from