The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1904-12-12
"A SEA YARN
FROM PARA
How Ping and Pong Won SIS
For BinnacIe Bill.
IT'S TRUTH S'WELP 'IM
Bill Bet the BOsun That Two ostriches
in the Cargo Had Eaten Half
Pound Of
Nails.
IT'S TRUTH S'wELP I'M

sblngle nails IS the presumably yerac-
ious tale told by old 'Binnaele Bill"
johnson, able seaman, of the steamer
Amazonense, which came into port from
Para day or two ago loaded with
rubber, says the New York Sun. The
ostriehes, together with several rare
specimens Of South American fauna,
were sent yesterday to the National
Geological Gardens at Washington.
@Binnacle Bill" told his story aboard
the ship this morning.
"They war ostwiehes, all right sir,
said Bill, as he lighted a strong pipe and
took several thoughtful pulls, and they
war wonderful birds. One O them war
named Ping and the other Pong, least
wise tha's what we called EN- aboard
the ship, and / are very thankful to
'em. why are thankful Why for
the very good reason that because Of
them birds old Binnacle Bill IS Just five
plunks 10 the good
How did that happen? was asked.
well, it was this ere way, an If
you don't believe it, sir, iii show you
the nails and the FIVE pIunks, and you've
seen ostwiches yourself
"The Amazonense is very staunch
vessel, SIR but she warn't constructed
to convey ostwiches, deer, armadilloes
aud such delicate beasts, leastwise and
keep 'em healthy. You see, sir, when
we were of Cape Hatteras, it sort o.
freshened up like and for a day or two
sometimes We were rollin' nigh scuppers
under. Materially them there beasts be-
gan to grow somewhat uneasy, like In
fact, sir, we had little private musicale
aboard which war not remembered all
together for its harmony. Those ost-
lwiches war the leaders o. the show, and
they war ably assisted by couple o.
ducks and that capybar, which are a
cross between q duck and a dog. He
would be the last named, sir, if be didn't
have webbed feet and be would have
been a duck If he had quacked instead
o. barked. An there were Others with
long, foolish names that disremember,
but they were strong on the chorus.
Now, sir, no ADLER seaman ever spliced
irope than Binnacle Bill Johnson, but
the captain, knowing / war very fond o.
animals, sent me down ere below during
that blow 10 look after this menagerie.
i Well, sir, it war not the simple life.
! Ping and Pong war savin' things, it
'peared to me, that ] would blush TO
repeat, sir, and the other animals were
helpin' some, you bet. I was goin'
around the cages sayin' sSh!' to sort o.
soothe EN-, when OF a sudden the ship
q - - ~
them cages begins to shoot the chutes.
+ They all landed kerplunk in a bunch
and then slid back again on the next
heel. ] yells for help and We stops
the seesawing. IT war mighty fortunate
that there warn't none O them beasts
lhurted. There warn't even one got loose
except a armadillo, and I ketehed him
by his tell.
Il seed, however, that ther'd got To
be some little tinkerin' done on them
cages, and arter / had made EN- all
fast again with ropes, / went for'ard
for some single nails got more than
half pound in pint measure and start
cd ii to hammer a few busted Stats on
to that ostwieh cage Soon / see
war goin' 20 need saw, and SO | went
to fetch it, leavin' those shingle nails
iclose beside the cage.
Begin your parding, sir, but s'welp
me, sir, when came back those nails
war gone"
What Of that2v asked the listener.
what o. that2 Those ostwiches ate
them nails, three.quarters Of a pound
sir
How are you going to prove iti
asked the listener skeptically.
Il aThat's what the bosun asked when
iii told him the ostwiches had swallered
EN-, continued Binnacle Bill, reflling
his pipe and lighting il, "He said he'd
give me five dollars if | could prove
aAnd did you do it," was asked.
Indeed / did, affirmed Bill "or to
be perfectly truthful, sir, the birds
proved it theirselves You see, sir, may.
be you not knowing the habits Of est
wiches, these birds are not used to
travelling in ocean steamer. They're
very good sailors in the air, but they
ARE the wuss kind Of landlubbcrs when
they rides the ocean waves, as the poet
says. They amt got none o the duck
family amongst their relations.
& well, as ! war sayin', knew per.
feckly well that Mr.. Ping and Mr. Pong
had swallered them single nails, but
KNOWN / couldn't cut 'em open to
prove it, | thought / wouldn't say any
thing more about It. An I didn't until
next day 1t had roughened up some
more and war blowing q pretty stiff
nor'easter ] was back down here look
in artcr the menagerie again when
noticed Ping lyin down in his cage witt
his head against slat, and he looked
more mournful nor had ever seen him
afore.
What's the matter, Pingi / says t.
him. sorter sympathetic like.
Ping histed up his head and let ont
a squawk that. made me jump about
three feet Then he quoted down, an
lif / remember rightly, sir, be stuck ii.
/ tongue out, understood, understood
PERFECTLY. Poor old Ping war seasicx
bod CAST my spinnaker, If it warn't q
sad sight. But ] knew what war comm
an ] yels for the bosun And surei
waters wet, sir, old Ping unloaded about
All his ballast Just as the bosun arrived