Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1914-02-27


cation from the bookshelf, and shored
It up on steady base. Then he sct
his watch by the ships chronometer
and went out once more on deck AMI
gave crisp and lucid commands TO
those concerned in the rigging and
victualing of the port life-boat.
His last action before leaving was
to change the uniform that the chief
engineer had slimed with oil for a
fresh rig 1t is not many men who
would have given thought for their
clothes before starting on an open
boat voyage in mid-Atlantic that
could only be classed as desperate,
but / can merely report Mr.. Kettle
as found him.
The mates choice of crew for the
life-boat was also typical OF the man.
Skill would be needed for the trip,
strength, endurance, and above al
things, obedience. And yet Mr.. Ket
tie knowing to the full the weakness
of every member of the Norman
Towers complement, deliberately
picked as his associates the Ave
worst men on board. He even in
cluded among them the black who
only that morning had tried to knife
him.
When the life.boat was ready, Mr..
Kettle looked up at the row of wor.
led faces that stared down at him
rom the steamers rail- gave curt
wave. and ordered his man to shove
off.
"And now" said he, do any of
'ou farmers know how to sail
NCat?"
II appeared that none OF them did.
hey were steamer sailors all of
Nem. able to drive winch, paint
nd clean paint, take wheel. or
'g derrick
Well" said the mate with an un-
kind grin. "I'll teach you, and when
you next step ashore, II ever you get
there, you'll be smart enough fore
and alters to sail as deck-hands in
an American Cup race. But dead OF
alive, you've Just one use at present
and that's as ballast. Pile your
selves up to windward."
They did it sullenly.
You with the bald head there,
smile Dye hear me, you son of a
can-opener? Smile, or by James, III
knock your yellow teeth down your
throat. Don't you dare to throw
black looks at me. Now wen just
call watches. I'm captain, and III
AXE port. jenkins, as you've the
Hnly clean face at your end of the,
,oat I'll appoint you chief officer,
md you take the starboard watch.
Let me see! I'll give you the Dutch
nan, and Badly here, with the win
ming smile. And that leaves me o.
sen and the Senegambian. who still
links he's going to get that pig
knife of his into my ribs before we're
through with this boat trip. Well,
Mr.. jenkins, as we're shipping a good
ieal of water you can set your star
wines to bail, and the port watch
an shake out a reef. She'll carry a
lit more canvas, If she's humored
nnd times the essence of the contract
| 'ust now if we're to save the Tow
ers"
Rapidly behind them the disabled
steamer dipped out of sight below
| he sierra of the horizon. and pres
ntly they had the heaving circus of
ocean to themselves. A puff OF
squall poured down against them
Kettle luffed not an inch but kept the
boat rigidly an her course. The
wave-tops (as he ntended) poured
in over the lee gunwale.
Bail, you sinful malingers," he
bawled at them Bail and keep your
egs dry and the ship affoat. I'll at
tend to your souls when the time
comes. Mr.. jenkins, you come aft
and take the lee tiller beside me.
You've got to learn to handle the
boat sometimes, and nice light
breeze like this is just the time to
begin There you are! Now you've
| got her all by your shivering self.
and mind you keep her ramping full.
Don't you dare to luff for foot Of
wave-top."
The men were scared and sullen,
| and the method of their schooling
was brutal, but they improved hour
| by hour. There was spare tiller
in the boat, lusty cudgel of oak.
and this the mate used vigorously
over their heads and shoulders when.
ever they were slow, or dense, or in
any way short of the perfect seaman.
Discipline was carried on in big-ship
fashion. They fed at appointed hours
on sparing ration; they drank lime
Juice in their musty water. as or
dained by the British Board of Trade;
and bells were struck every half
hour on tin bucket with ding dong
regularity.