Year: 1864

SoMquS1InB = 00a-OoEr


Some years ago, when the old ship Light
Heart was new and staunch, and when l
bad command of her, there happened on
board an incident, over which Ihave laughed
many time, when memory has brought it
back to me. loaded at Mobile with cot
ton and ran to Liverpool. Among MY crew
was q man named Rannot-Sam, we always
called him. He was one of the largest
formed men l ever saw, and came from
somewhere in New England. He stood
six feet and FIVE inches in his bare feet, and
was as stout and bulky in proportion. He
had one fault, and that was an inordihate
pride of strength. He was not quarrel
some, nor had he revengefnl point in his
character, and yet he was continually pes
tering and annoying the crew, Hardly a
day passed that he did not give ole or more
of them bodily pain by his freaks. He
would catch a poor fellow by the legs, and
swing him over his head, at the imminent
risk Of smashing his brains out against the
mast or bIlWarks, and then he would laugh
hugely at the poor mans fright. Some
times he would seize Q man by the arms
and lay him upon the deck, and in no very
easy manner, either. 1t was no use for the
men to demonstrate, for be would be sure
to punish them in some way.


Of course I forbade Sam from doing
such things, but he could not remember
my orders longer than over one night. The
love of fun" as he called it, was fixed
too strongly upon him, and it could not be
taken out Of him. He did not realize how
unpleasant his prahhs were, nor did he
know that the rest Of the crew Had grown
to dislike him. They had adopted many
expedients to cure him, but they all failed,
and though he had often been made the
butt Of practical jOkes-such as sudden
drenching in cold sea-water while he slept,
and other things equally unpleasant-yet he
always paid his tOrmentors off with inter
est. He was, in fact, the worst practical
joker ever saw, and not a whit did he
care, SO long as he exhibited his hereulean
strength, and broke no bones.


When my ship arrived at Mobile, on the
return voyage, another cargo Of cotton was
ready for me, and was ordered to load and
be off as quick as possible. But no sooner
was the ship cleared than my men-all but
Sam RannOt-came and informed me that
they could not 60 with me again unless Sam
was discharged. l was not prepared for
this. In heavy work Sam was worth any
other three men on board, and always will
ing and ready. Yet knew how the crew
suffered from his thOughtless pranks, and
l could not blame them. l told the men
to come to me on the following day, and l
would give them an audience.


At first thought Of promising them that
| would see that the old sea-dog did not
annoy them any more, but soon convinced
myself that that would be Of no use. Sam
would cut up his capers when l would not
see him, and the men would not report
him every time he hurt them. But soon
a new idea entered my head. l had q
brother, who owned large cotton planta-
ton on the Chickasaw. His place was not
over fifteen miles from Mobile, and he had
just the man wanted. His big arms were
like iron, and his breast and shoulders like
. large bundle of wire done up in raw OK
hide.


l bantered my brother to let me have
Cato for one or two voyages.


stake him and welcome" said he.
" He's getting too important here"


"What-is be ugly |"


"Oh, no; just the other way. He's too
gOOd-natured altogether. He sets the very
sancho into the other boys. I've made too
much of him."





"But will he work."


ayes"


So got Cato for twelve dollars month
as long rs l wanted him, with the privilege
of having him one cruise for nothing. But
l took him for better or for worse," and
agreed to pay for his services.


On the next day l went on board the
ship, and when the men came to me for my
answer, / asked them Il they would sail
with Sam II ! would produce aquiet, inOf
fensive man who could handle him, and
take said man to sea with me. They said
they WOuld-they would have gone with
me for nothing, for the sake Of seeing Sam
conquered. ItOld them he should be, and
enjoined them to secesy, which they prom
ised.


When Cato learned that be was going 10
sea with me, he was beside himself with
joy; and when came to tell him what l
wanted Of him, he laughed till the tears
rolled down his great black cheeks.


On the day Of sailing brought Cato on
board. At first the men exhibited some
signs Of dislike, but when they found what
a Jolly, good-heaftod old fellow he was, they
gave him their hands. Sam RannOt Winked
pfOdigiously when be saw the new man, and
more than once he whispered to those near
him:


"Thcre'll be fun before long"


On the third day ont we got everything
snug and trim, save clearing and covering
the long boat; and now the crew could find
time to snoOze BY daylight IL was in the
afternoon, the wind was from the south
ward and westward, and We had it upon
the starboard beam, the ship bowling along
at the rate Of about six knots. Cato sat
upon the eOmbinas Of the main hatch, and
Sam was slowly approaching him, not very
unlike as q dog sometimes approaches .
smaller animal which il never before saw.


"Say, blaekey, getup," ordered Sam, with
q grin, at the same time looking around TO-
see If the rest Of the crew were ready to
enjoy the sport.


O..