Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-03-03
AdNhtures on Land and Sea 'A7
OF Vim. II. Holmes of Augusta.

more act1Ve lives OF ldd Hoio eiii INNS
experiences than Capt. william II.
Holmes OF this city who resigned his
position on Supt. Keefe's force of en-
ployees at the State House about
year age, As boy, Capt. Holmes ran
away to sea and. made several whaling
voyages to the Arctic. He was In the
navy during the Civil War and fought
at the capture of. Port Royal. He was
also with Farragut at Mobile and
went through the fighting at the forts
before the capture of New Orleans
The story Of Capt. Holmes nrst
voyage on the whaling bark Tenedos
out of New London in, 40 reads like
one OF Clark Russels sea romances
The Tenedos was an old time Yankee
''hell ship" and her skipper, old Nat
Middleton who has been dead these ~
years past. had Jack London's Sea
Wolf discounted so far as sheer bru-
tally to his men is concerned. Ola
whaling men about New London and
New. Bedford still spin yarns about
him and has savage ferocity and his
inhumanity to his crews.
Probably l should never have
wanted to go whaling" said Capt.
Holmes IF it hadn't been for the
pleasant little run down the coast
from Bangor to New London that |
had in the schooner Example in the
summer of '49. The weather was
ideal and l somehow got the idea that
a whaling voyage was in the nature of
a long uninterrupted picnic. The
Tenedos was just fitting out for long
cruise to the Arctic and as soon as
we tied up to the New London dock
went around to the office of Minor &
Lawrence the agents, to ask II they
didn't want a boy. u was large for
my age and thep snapped me up with
atidity, explaining that I was fortu-
nate to get berth in the Tenedos as
she had always been an unusually
lucky ship. fa*E
f"'Besides,' they added, she has one
Of the best yskippers that ever sailed
salt water
while we were talking Capt Mid
dleton came in. He was Z striking
looking man. red checked and pug
nosed and with piercing blue eyes. In
spite of the fact that he wasn't over
five feet seven in height and weighed
1870. he was as quick and as active as
a lad and as strong as moose. He
greeted me kindly asked where l came
from and chatted with me pleasantly
for few minutes and then l signed
the ships articles I was to have one
barrel Of oil out of every 40 that the
Bark took and she carried 2200 barrels
hen fun. was to be furnished with
all clothing for the voyage which was
to be paid for out of my share of oil
when the ship reached home. This,
they told me, was very liberal offer.
I'VE hung around New London for
the next three weeks, waiting for the
ship to finish fitting and the rest of
the crew and I spent most of our time
in a place known as the Ferry House
Capt Middleton was there with us
most of the time. cracking jokes. set
ting up the drinks and making himself
agreeable generally. 1t wasn't long
before we decided that the captain
was one OF the best things that had
ever happened, and we all looked for
ward to being under his command
during the voyage with the keenest
anticipations of pleasure.
zone day orders came for all hands
to go on board and haul the bark out
into the stream. We We're told that
we could come on shore again as soon
officers were on board and the bark
was in command of an old sailor
named Bill Bingles. After we had
gotten into position in the stream
some of the men attempted to go into
the whale boat which was towing
astern. and row ashore but Bingles.
who was giant for strength. hauled
them roughly back and started them
Of ho ,,iy
which the decks were Uttered There
was to be no more shore leave for any
of us, he said.
Il was whetting my knife on the
grindstOne that afternoon when Bin
giles roared out some order or other, I
don't know to this day what it was |
was puzzled and sat where | was.
waiting for some one to explain what
to do. In an instant Bingles was be-
hind me with a ropes end.
I'll learn yer to jump when
speak, he yelled with an oath and he
struck me on the side of the head with
all of his strength. The blow knocked
me headlong over the grindstone and
for a minute or two I was daZed but
rain of blows. distributed impartial
ly over my body. quickly brought me
to my senses and / sprang forward
out of his reach. Bingles went ashore
the next day about noon. when the
captain and other officers came on
board. But he had taught me a les
son and, after that, I made it parti
cular point to always jump at the
first word of command, no matter
whether l knew what the order was
for or not.
With Capt. Middleton on board We
at once stood out to sea. We had in
tended to complain to him about
Bingles and his brutality but, owing
to a sudden change in his manner. we
concluded not to. AS soon as he
reached the deck he commenced to
curse and roar at us in a simply in
comprehensive way while we stood
gaping at him in wide eyed amaze
ment. He seemed so utterly unlike
the genial Capt. Middleton of the Fer
ry House that l remember wondering
to myself if he wasn't really another
man. 1t was puzzlng.
I'VE We're well out to sea and all
hands We're busily engaged in putting