Crittenden record=press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1907-1909, 1908-02-06
FINANCING
A SPREE
By j. c. PLUNfNfER
Copyright. by Daily Story Pub. Coz

When the brig Glcnclg received
orders at Barbados to proceed TO
Aqun, llavti. to load for Ilavre the
merits of Aquin. as port. were can-
vaSscd in the forccastlc. \ sailor is
living gazetteer of the world and
if he hasn't been to a port he has
always known some one who has,
The reports concerning Aquin were
not favorable
II was described as a town in
habted by niggers. tarantulas. cent?
pedes and scorpions, devoid Of
amusements and depressing to the
soul of the average seaman. Doubt
less if HadcS was dispaSSionately de-
scrlbed it would be- found to have
one good feature and Aqun pos
sesscd onc-the cheapnes> of white
rum. An cNchcqucr must be- de-
plctcd, indeed, that could not az
ford a suiliciency OF this spirit for
term of blssful intoNlcation.
We reached Aquin, which hes at
the apex of a triangular ba, and
dropping anchor made ready TO
take on a cargo of logwood. Log
wood and yellow fever are the chief
exports Of the town. many vessels
carrying away an assortment O, both
products
Our skipper was a flinty-c4eekcd
Scotchman 81 mean that he wouldn't
burn sidelightS AT sea To save O aud
while labor was dirt cheap. he rut us
to loading cargo while there W, lots
Of necessary work wanting N the
rigging.
The cargo came of in lighters.
and one day we were notified that
the next was holiday and no wood |
could be sem out. Then Mike.
smooth-faced lrishman, the sIokes-
man of the crew, demanded shore
leave Of the skipper. Capt. Nc
Dewitt suggested work in the rig. |
ging. but Mike convinced him that |
not a stroke of work would be done
by the crew that day, and he gudg-
ingly consented. On one point }. was
immoyable; not penny wouE he
advance W. He knew that ioney
meant a drunk, a fracas and ,onse-
quent confinement in cilabozo
from which we could only be re-
deemed on payment of fine. and
while the Haytians might be behind
the times in many thinga they knew
how TO levy fines agains a skipper |
who had to have his crev TO put TO
sea. True, the fines would be
charged up TO us, but fhen Capt |
McDevitt feared We miht desert |
at Havre and leave a balance owing. |
That night we held a ways and
means committee in the fosecastle
and it was barren of resu 3. Not |
only were We pennies but arthing-
less. The whole crew. inclu ling the
cook, could not raise money enough
to buy ha' penny tars.
Ned, the cockney. had had a
counterfeit shilling which had been
spurned with contumely b many |
vendors of spirits in man5 ports,
but even this had been sto from
him at Barbados.
"Wot's the use Of going hashore
# we've no money" growl.d Ned. |
Mike was beating tattoo with a
-poon on the tin dish which lad con-
tanned our supper and said .othlng. |
Might as well stay abo rd this
blooming brig" sighed anot n.
"Whlst,' said Mike. ''be ~. I'm
beginning TO see hole IN the |
clouds
"Nhat is it, Nike" We c.lmored.
"We'll 20 ashore Tomorrow" he
answered. "and well thrv IN idee
that's come to me. I've been twice
10 San Domingo and know the
ways Of these naygers.
We went ashore early the follow
ing morning. The cook came with
us to bring back the boat and had
agreed to come for us in the evening.
lie had not been taken into our
confidence that Mike had a plan in
embryo and simply turned up what
he could of snub nose at the idea
of a jaunt on land with no liquor.
We walked demurely up into the
town, Mike in the lead. A war was
in progress between Hayti and San
Dorn;nco and aOldiers wopo nm