The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-07-19


usually accept defeat as gracefully as they
deliver it, afterward asking those by whom
/ they We're vanquished how they did it.
| One OF these fellows, a notoriously bad
man, became stranded in Manila during
, the late war, He was at last driven by
| want to join a company Of civilian scouts
He made good, became the bully OF the
company and was feared even by the
| officers until he had to face the enemys
| fire. Then he turned tail and ran so far
that he was never again seen that side Of
Manila
Nearly all sailors are easily awed by
mysterious natural phenomena or APP
parently supernatural manifestations
Earthquakes at sea, especially at night
will strike terror in the heart of the bravest
seaman aioat, not SO much on account of
| danger, which is never great, but simply
because he feels himself in the presence
of a great natural force against which he
is perfectly helpless.
The danger from wind and waves is
familiar one against which he has been
trained to fight but when a cain sea about
him begins to boil and froth and form into
whirlpools, he stands conquered.
was once aboard a large ship, the crew
of which were all thorough seamen. most
of them reckless West Coast adventures,
and several well known Honolulu snug :
Cling desperadoes.
One night in the tropics their courage
was tested and found wanting. The sea
was calm and full moon hung high in
deep indigo, cloudless sky.
Suddenly, over the creamy expanse OF
the sails, mysterious shadows appeared.
which. to our excited imagnations, as
sumed the most horrible shapes. The
men were panic-strcken and crouched
under the break of the poop in frightened
heap. too benumbed by terror even to
exchange ordinations OF wonder Yet
none Of those men would have ow ned up
to any superstitious beliefs. and they
laughed over their fright next day
But the nerviest case l ever heard Of
was that Of a Norwegian sailor aboard
he big American fourmaster Shenandoah
She was commanded by Capt. Murphy,
whose reputation extends all over the
world among seamen.
One day he ordered the Norwegian up
TO the royal yard to do some duty there.
But cap'n," protested the sailor its
not safe until the foot-rope's fixed. Let
me fix that first"
do as tell you.' ordered the capt ain
THE foot-rope 8 all right"
The man went aloft. Ten minutes later
all hands heard yell and saw the Nor
wegan come tumblng down through the
rigging, a distance OF over a hundred
feet. He landed on the canvas tarpaulin
of boat, bounded off and rolled over onto
the main hatch.
Of course, everybody thought the man
dead, but when all hands gathered around
him he showed signs Of life. The fall
on the boat had saved him. Presently
he rose to sitting position and rubbed
his head in daZed fashion.
How dye feel, Johnson?" asked the
| captain, anXiously.
The captains voice seemed to bring
Johnson's senses back to him. He rose
slowly to his feet glazing wildly at the
captain and at a piece of the foot-rope
he still held fast in his hand. He deliber-
ately pulled off his jumper and threw it
upon deck.
"Cap'n," he said slowly, you said that
foot rope was all right. Cap'n, you was
damn liar Now, you come on and smash
your jaw. give you all the fight you want.
| Come on, now"
But for the first time on record Capt.
Murphy took water. He wouldn't fight
that kind of man.
J Unlike this particular Norwegian, few
! sailors, no matter how reckless, will defy
the authority of an officer. That fear is
| deep bred.
| In one forecastle I was in there was big
six-foot Swede who had spent all his life
at sea on coasting schooners, and conse-
| quently was not much Of a seaman on
square-rigged vessel.
This caused trouble, and it was not long
before the Swede had fight on with his
| watchmates. He beat one entirely and
fought another to standstll and was
severely mauled himself.
week later the mate called him down
for incompetence. The Swede answered
back, whereupon the mate, small man with
a stiff leg, slapped his face.
This the Swede accepted meekly and
afterward was kicked several times by the
same mate, but never made any show of
resistance. And the man the Swede had
previously knocked out was twice the
mates size
An incident which occurred in sailors
home in England further illustrates the
seaman's fear of authority.
A new arrival at the home was walking
up and down the corridor when he swung
suddenly around on man who had passed
him.
Hey" he shouted. "ain't your name
Sam Smart?'
"Yes," replied the other.
"Waa Won ever second mate on tho
Typhoon?'
yes"
Remember me?"
NO
well, am Tim Smith that sailed with
you four years ago on the Typhoon. You
licked me four times that trip; now | arm
going to lick you once as good as those
four
And before anybody could interfere,
Tim Smith had knocked out his old buckle
mate. In such case interference would
have been considered unseamanlike.
ALBERT SoNNICHsEN, Able Seaman.
HER GRAY HAIR NO PROTECTION
so an Honest Railroad Conductor Must 90