"LUSITANIA" YARNS TOLD BY CAPTAIN WATT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 23, 20 February 1909, Page 4

"LUSITANIA" YARNS TOLD BY CAPTAIN WATT.

MFTV YEARS' RECOLLECTIONS OF I A POPULAR COMMANDER, [After roving the sea iur u\cr lift/ years, Captain J. H. Watt, who commanded the famous Cunardcr, the Lusitania, has retired into private liie. On more tnan one occasion lie lias been within an ace of death. Below, he relates some of his experiences of the lighter side of life, gathered whilst in the Cunard service.]

Bang! bang! bang! crash! Someone was knocking wildly at the door of the state-rooiu. , "Halloa! Who's there?" asked the [captain.

"Seaman So-and-so. I've conic to tell you, sir, there's a man in No. 20 brandishing a loaded revolver, and he threatens to shoot himself."

"Call the doctor," replied the captain,' laconically, as he turned over and dozed again, lie had jusl left the bridge after a long spell in the teeth of a gale. Sucn incidents occur so frequently in the daily run of a sea captain's life that no more than passing attention is ever given to them.

A WOMAN AND THE CAHDPLAVEKS Here is something much more amusing which came under the personal observation of Captain Watt, lie tells the story in these words:

A woman came to me one day, apparently in great trouble. "Captain/' "he *aid, ''my husband i= placing cards willi a lot of swimlicu, who aie robbing him of all hi> luuney, For the love of lleaven. ship it. or we shall be ruined." 1 looked iino the saloon and glanced at lite player-. All were periectly respectable gentlemen, well known to me. So 1 turned io the lady and told hc,r I] i could not disturb the party: they wore j nil honest men, aud if her husband 1 chose to play for mouey that was his, own look-out. Uowcvcr, he seemed to he having appalling luck, so i promised the lady I would endeavor to break up the party. 1 sent for the doctor. Pointing out ihe lady's husband.. I said, '"Sec that gentleman sitting in the corner—the ■ild gentleman who is getting so excited? 1 should think he is unwell: what do you think?''

The doctor looked quizzically at me and understood.

''Yes. yes," lie answered; "he looks decidedly unwell. I'll jusl speak to him."

Then ill his most professional maimer the doctor called the husband aside and tokl him lie might injure his health if lie continued to play. But the husband understood the dodge and refused to cease playiTig, despite the warning of the doctor and the prayers of his wife, wlio by this time was beseeching him 011 her knees lo lay down the cards.

Several other dodges were tried, but all to no purpose. The old lady got frantic, and before we could stop her she had pushed her head through the porthole and shouted so that everybody could hear:

'"You rogues! You swindlers! If you continue to rob my husband, the captai'.i will put you in prison at once. 1 ' The men threw down their cards, horrilied, while the poor husband, rising to his feet, gasped, more in sorrow than in anger: ''Oh, woman, woman! I'd won all my money back, and was winning theirs handover list. Co away, you fool, go away!" A MIDNIGHT IXTRUDKU.

■ It is customary for Captain Watt to sleep with his state-room door open. Once this led up to a queer experience which he still remembers. Telling the story to Tit Kits' commissioner, Captain Watt said:

One night, "while I was sound asleep, someone crawled stealthily into my room -and gradually made his way to my bed. J woke instinctively, feeling

all was not well. Over 111 c—with his head bent down to my face, his breath warm 011 my cheek—was a man.

1 had the light lull on his face in a second. His hair was disarranged, and there was a wild look in his eyes. Evidently it was a "ease" for pacification. "Well," I asked, "what do you want?" lie replied in a soft whisper, as though fearful that anybody might hear him:

"Listen! There is a conspiracy against you, sir. They want to sink the ship" 4, G0 away!" I said. '"They can't sink the Lusitauia."

"Oh, can't they t Captain, believe me. They aro going to sink and plunder the ship, ond we shall all be lost." This looked serious, so I called to the man on duty outside and asked how il was the follow had been permitted to disturb me.

"Why did you lot him through?" J nsked. ••Well,'" said the seaman. "be said ho know something to toll you. something thill might save tin. 1 ship.' 1 -Why didn't yon come in wiih him?" "lie said he must see yon privately." Together we took him lo the doctor. The poor fellow was suffering from acute delirium tremens. At the time it gave mo rather a fright, because - well, you never know what those madmen are up to. do you?

Till-: BEAUTIFUL SI.TFRAOKTTi:. One day, just before we were sailing.

a woman came on hoard accompanied by her daughter. They wove Americans returning to New York. Now, I've seen

a good many beautiful women at various times of my life, but never have 1 seen one so wondrously beautiful as that young lady travelling with her mother. Sho was tall, splendidly proportioned, with fair liair, blue eyes, and a lovely creamy complexion.

Dinner-time came and—well, all the men were panting for introductions. She. knew it, too, and she led them about the most amusing dance I ever saw. 1 should think she had a hundred of them in love with her at the same time. Sho couldn't move an inch without a dozen or so around her. She became the talk ,of (lie ship. I don't know what happened. It may have been that she was tired oi their proposals. Anyhow, one day, when there was an unusual cluster around her. she asked what ther thought of the Women's Suffrage movement.

'•'Tommy rot,"' said one. "A crowd of madwomen,'' said an other.

"Ugly old crones looking for excitement" "Absurd creatures/' "Senseless mortals.'' "'Pitiful objects.' 1 These and other observations, rapped out simultaneously, showed only too eloquently the feeling of the men. The lady then drew herself icily ab>p.

'Tin so glad you are candid. You may Ibe surprised to hear that Fm a Kufjfragette, and that T marched in the pro* 'cession round London." Tableau! A cold shiver, cooling all their ardour, ran down the backs of the congregated men. One by one thov melted awav, but before they had quite disappeared the lady stood on a seat and shouted triumphantly, ''Votes for Women!''

Ami for rest of tin.' journey she received the eold shouhler. which provided a scene almosL us comical as mini--I>or uiKi h;ul been.- -.From Til J Jits.

LIVING SOLDIERS OF FORTUNE. Tlu' jalmv dill's of (lie typical s»li]i"r o[ fniUiiic an popularly have passed away. ' Nevertheless, there are still plums to he picked up here and there. Sergeant Raldoek. for example, has just hern apnointed cavalry instructor to the army ot Mtilai Ilafid. (lie new Kmperor of Morocco.

This means that ho exchange* his ''non-com,'s" chevrons for an uflieer's epaulette*; while his former pay of a few shillings a day is increased to something liku .CISOO a year, with "allowances.'' And this delectable little hillet has become, his, curiously enough, because lie fought so gallantly at 'Mara- 1 kesh for Abd-el-Aziz, (he old Emperor, whom Mulai IFafid defeated and deposed. Tn the same way the Chinoe (loverimeni look into its service during ih" great Taiping uprising <|uite a number of Ktiropoatis who had previously warred iigain>t them on the side of the rebels. Sonic of these were men of low origin runawar sailors ami the like—yei they infrequently rose to high rank, and such as survived retired with their fortunes made for life. It is well known, too. to our intelligence department, that there are several men nf Hritish nationality dwelling on the other side of fhe \orthero frontiers of India amount the warlike border trihe»me';i. Some of these are deserter* from our armv, and would moot, with -diorl shrift if they were caught.

I Others are civilian adventurers, exjoivil servants, and the like. Tint lliev ! ure all sidd'e 's of fortune, ready 'and eager to tight upon occasion, even •"gainst their own countrymen: and for the most part they make a pretty good thing out of it.