Considerable difficulty arose about the regular allowance of spirits, which was three glasses per day. But the sailors now swore they would not work, unless they might be allowed to have four. So desperate were they grown that one of them struck the mate. I was standing near, and sprang and dealt the fellow a blow under the ear, which sent him headlong upon the deck, where he lay several minutes. On getting up, he asked me why I struck him. I told him, that blow was the promptings of pure love; to which he replied, "if that is the way you love, I want no more of it." He then went forward about his business, with his jaw so bruised that it was several days before he could eat his regular allowance.
After we came to anchor at the ballast ground, off Delhouse, after a passage of thirty days, and were discharging our cargo, consisting of oakum, wheat, rum, tobacco, bale goods, iron and nails, which was carried on shore on lighters, all of the seamen became intoxicated to such a degree as to be utterly unable to perform duty. When it was ascertained that they stole the liquor from the ship and took it on shore, they all went below and refused to do duty unless the captain would sign a paper freeing them from embezzlement, and continuing their wages to them. This they knew he would readily do, as the cold weather was coming on, which made him extremely anxious to get away, lest he should be caught in the ice, and be under the necessity of remaining during the winter, which he would have been obliged to do, had they left, for hands could not be procured to do the work. After the paper was signed they went to their duty.
When the ballast was discharged, we hauled the ship to her berth and commenced taking in lumber. One night the raft of timber, (composed of logs about 75 in number) broke loose from the chain to which it was fastened. The mate, hearing the noise, called to me, as I had charge of it, saying, "the raft has broken adrift." I sprang from my berth and called the men to assist me, but called in vain. No one, save an old Frenchman, would venture upon the raft to assist me. I had nothing on but the clothes I slept in, (I usually slept in cold weather with my drawers and stockings on,) save my cap. We found the logs getting loose from each other, as well as from the ship. The wind blew from the northwest very hard, blowing the water all over us.
Thus we worked with our clothes stiff with ice for nearly three hours. After we had secured the timbers, we went on deck. I took a stick and beat the ice from my drawers, shifted myself throughout, drank nearly a half pint of hot sling, and went to my berth.
The next day I was very sore and stiff; the night following I experienced some pain in my side, got up, and walked the deck; vomited several times. I grew gradually worse until I could not breathe without a sort of catch or twitching, which was extremely painful. When I lay down, I could not rise again without assistance.
When morning came a physician came on board and bled me, which afforded great relief. He came again in the afternoon of the same day, and learning that the captain was going to sail soon, he told him if he carried me to sea, it would be the death of me, as I was most severely attacked with pleurisy, and must have medical aid immediately.
I was taken on shore to a house, where I remained seven days, seeing my sick nurse only four times, he leaving me some soup.
The vessel left the harbor the next day after I went on shore, being driven out by the ice, with the loss of an anchor and part of the cable.
One day the old Frenchman who assisted me on the raft, came to see me. I told him how I had been neglected, and shaking his head, he said it was too bad, and that I should not stay there, and then left the room. After an hour or two he returned with a horse and sleigh, assisted me into it and drove a distance of five miles, to the house of a French lady, where I remained six weeks.
This kind lady, although an entire stranger, took a mother's care of me, at the same time knowing not that she should ever be compensated for it. Her many kindnesses I can never forget.