Show MY FIRST CRUISE Midshipman Life Halfa Century Ago t BY COMMODORE GILUS U sNAVYJ i r October 12 1S4S marked the day on which I passed my examination at the Wk Kaval academy at Annapolis and was admitted ad-mitted into the navy of the United Slates as acting midshipman on six months i probation At the expiration of that tirae my remaining re-maining in the service would depend 10 r upon the character of the letter the commanding I i com-manding officer of the vessel to which I might be attached should forward to the I honorable secretary of the navy If la if vorable then a warrant would be Issued < signed by the president of the United States If unfavorable I would be restored re-stored to the bosom of my family I My warrant bears the signature off of-f President Zachary Taylor Sly orders were to report to the commandant com-mandant of the Norfolk navy yard for duty on the frigate llarilan fitting out as J flagship of the Home squadron w On Nov 35 I and five other youngsters had our orders endorsed and reported onboard on-board the receiving ship Pennsylvania t for residency until the Raritan should be put in commission Obtaining permission to leave ship we L paid a visit to the vessel in which we were to make our first visit to foreign shores t Everything to our landlubber eyes appeared t ap-peared to be in rf state of chaos for hun dredsof men were at work r Anxious ascertain just where we were r to eat and sleep we hunted fore and alt finally in the after part of the berthdeck we discovered a portion bulkheaded off with rooms ran zed along either side and at once selected it as our quarters and made a grand rush to choose slats rooms 1 selected one immediately abreast the skylight and wrote my name in letters large and bold on the back of the bureau which had not yet been placed in position posi-tion and as did I so did every other of 1 L tnav half dozen of raw recruits Our utter disgust can be better imagined than I ately made up his mind that here was a proiier subject for a practical joke He approached the stranger entered into conversation seemingly taking great pleasure in pointing out whatever was interesting and picturing life on board a manofwar in brightest colors finally asking him if he would not like to ship asa as-a midshipman Beceiving an eager reply in the affirmative affirma-tive he told the youth he would be at leisure in a few moments to accompany him to the shipping then calling a messenger mes-senger he despatched the following note to his messmates Great fun going to ship a midshipman midship-man Jonnny Raw have everything ready A few moments later he appeared in the gun room with his victim and introduced I him to those present He was received I with becoming dignity and after a mild course of hazing under the name of examination ex-amination his commission was made out also orders to report to the commanding com-manding officer He was informed that the captain who was in reality a regular old tartar was one of the mildest and best natured men in the world but was in the habit of pretending pre-tending be angry wheneveraa midshipman midship-man appeared before him for the first time that he did this to test the courage to seewhat kind of stuff was in him and he must not mind anything the old man might say if he became violent to puS his thumb to his nose twiddle his fingers and say Look here old man I wasnt brought up in the woods to be scared at owls By this time the lad was frightened so over the side and into the boat he tumbled and no sooner did his feet striKe the shore than he proceeded to make the best time he could encumbered as he was with a sword that kept dan Ung around his legs in getting out of sight They then arrayed him in a full uniform uni-form with all the adjuncts of a well dressed man each of the young jokers contributing of his best I In accordance with instructions he proceeded pro-ceeded to the upper gun deck sent his I name in to the captain by the orderly J stationed at the cabin door and was ad V ifw z 1 1 1 1 U II k I pir OFFICERS GATHERED IN A GROUP described when we came to go on board with our possessions and a miserable dark little pen was pointed out to us as the midshipmens quarters Those we had taken possession of proved to be the ward room occupied by the commissioned officers of the snip It would be many a long day ere we could hope to attain to the luxury of such ease and comfort We were steerage officers I and the steerage in a mbrchant vessel is paradise when compared to that of an old fashioned frigate no ventilation not a I ray of heavens light and only such relief re-lief from total darkness as could be furnished fur-nished by a tallow dip stuck in a tin candlestick Into this space twelve feet wide by sixteen feet long would be packed fifteen or sixteen midshipmen with all their belongings There was no S P C A in those days had there been doubtless we would have I been looked upon as ht subjects for attention atten-tion HOW SAILORS WERE PUNISHED IN iSIS Before leaving the Pennsylvania 1 was introduced to the modus operandi of inflicting in-flicting punishment on refractory sailors The earpiercing whistles of the boatswain boat-swain and his mates followed by the hoarse call a11 hands witness punishment punish-ment was heard and I was informed by the masteratarms that my presence was required on the quarterdeck 1 found the officers gathered in a group near the btarboard gangway while the crew was forward of the mast on the booms and in the gangway The prisoners were brought up from their place of confinement and ranged in a line between the officers arid crew The catbac with its supply of cato ninetails was opened each boatswain mate taking one and standing ready to obey the order of the captain Commanding Command-ing officers were restricted in the number of lashes they could inflict the extreme limit being twelve multiplied by nine even twelve lashes well laid on was a terrible punishment On this occasion there were three men who had been tried by courtmartial for assaulting an officer while on shore As each mans name was called his offence was stated with the amount of punishment awarded The brief order strip was given and he divested himself him-self 01 all clothing to his waist and took his place on a grating to which lila feet were secured by strong cords his hands tied to hammocks in the netting At the order go onl a boatswains mate stepped quickly forward run his fingers deftly through the tails of the cat to clear them then with a sudden raising of the hand there was a sharp swishing sound and the lashes fell with a thud upon the back of the victim each one of the nine tails being almost as hard as apiece a-piece of solid wire They left a long I blue welt aud these welts were cut oJen by succeeding blows the blood spurting forth until the back presented a spectacle Of Weeding quivering fiesb For a time I could not tear my eyes away but it finally became so horrible that I could stand it no longer and turned my back on the brutal scene sick in mind and body s IRACTICAL JOKES More pleasant incidents however were connected with my residence onboard on-board the old Pennsylvania One of them might properly bear the title of The Tables Turned A raw 14tarhpcfu from the pines of North Carolina had come up to visit the Q great city of Norfolkand see tns sights In the course of his wanderings he found himself on board the Pennsylvania As be drifted about gazing on his strange surroundings he attracted the attention of one of the oldsters who I immedi = J I 1 L J u a j mitted the presence of that august I personage whose ears were horrified by a familiar greeting Good morning cap how are you Ive juStshIpped asa midshipman and theres my orders to report to you After several gasps of rage and astonishment astonish-ment the old veteran managed to recover his breath sufficiently to roar out What do you mean you young rascal by coming into my cabin and addressing me in this manner 1 Nothing daunted the reply came quickly from the youngster Oh say old man theres no use putting on airs with me I know all about you You dont suppose I was brought up in the woods to be scared by owls do you and placing his thumb to his nose he gave the sign of contempt Too enraged to speak the captain bounded from his chair snatched the orders or-ders from the hand of the young man glanced at them and took in the situation at once Then seizin the youth by the collar he dragged rather than led him to the quarterdeck had a boat called away I and as soon as it was manned pointed to the sentry at the side saying Do you see that soldier walking up and down on I that platform Well that gun he carries is loaded and if you are not out of sight in two minutes after you land I will give him orders to shoot you and he will do it too Now get into that boat and leave and may the Lord have mercy on you if I have to give the order to shoot t I the captain watched him until he disappeared dis-appeared then sent word to the first lieutenant that none of the midshipmen were to be permitted to leave the ship until un-til further orders after which he retired I to his cabin well pleased at having turned the tables on the jokers who by this time 1 were beginning to have serious doubts as to where the fun was to come iu and still more dubious did it appear when on asking ask-ing permission to go on shore they were informed that they were quarantined One of the number went to the captain offered an humbleapology and asked permission to go on shore to recover the various articles worn off by the countryman country-man but their appeal was in vain and 1 I when they were finally released from 1 quarantine all search for Johnny Haw was fruitless the last that was seen of him has h-as making for tho woods still in uniform uni-form but with the sword over his shoulder shoul-der where it would not interfere with his locomotion For many days afterward was only necessary to say great fun Johnny Raw from the country in order to getup get-up a firstclass row with any of the jokers tho one who had contributed an elegant gold watch and chain to the outfit being particularly warm on the subject On March 12 we got under way stood down the bay and before the sun set had passed out between the capes and were actually at sea and it was not long ere I every landlubber wished he could get ashore again or dieit did not make much difference to him which There had been a terrible storm many vessels had been driven on shore with fearful loss of life and lifesaving stations sta-tions not having been established at that tim our ship had been sent out to search for vessels in distress We cruised off and on the coast unti the 18th In the afternoon the wind increased in-creased until at midnight it was blowing a gale and on the 21st we were being batteredabout in the heaviest cyclone 1 have ever experienced Storm sails made of the heaviest hemp canvas WEre bent andhoistedj only to b e Jblown out of the boltropes like so much paper and only tarpaulin plaeed in the mizzen rigging rig-ging kept the ship from falhngoffint the trough of the sea where she would 1 soon have been a wreck r To us youngsters it was a grand sIght IT J P to sea the great black waves towering far faoveTis then comerolling on seemingly tb our inevitable overwhelming when nobleship would gracefully rise like a bird from the Valley of water climb the side of the oncoming monster seeming to rejoice in her ability toelude it But the terrific strain told on the hull of the old ship opening her seams until it required constant bailing in the ward room to keep the water from going down into the magazine light room and from I there to the magazine The captain con eluded that it was necessary to put into port for repairs and on the 22d our course was laid for New York On the 25th we were treated to another gale which blew until the first day of April on which day we anchored off Sandy Hook MIRAGE OFF SANDY HOOK The next morning broke bright and clear and we were treated ton sight not rd iI LOOK HERE OLD MAN uncommon yet seldom witnessed in such perfection of detail Every vessel in sight i ships barques brigs schooners vessels of all kinds and sizes each had its counterpart clearly and sharply defined in hull rigging spars and sails and following its every motion sailing along immediately over it but in an inverted position The whole of the Long Island coast as far as the eye could reach presented the same strange appearance In some instances the substance and shadow wore in close contact while in others the reflection would be suspended same distance above tho object On the 3d the tow boat came alongside and towed us to the Brooklyn navy yard all hands glad enough to be safely in harbor |