DOING THE "POOR JACK" BUSINESS.

Westport Times, Volume II, Issue 201, 23 March 1868, Page 3

DOING THE "POOR JACK" BUSINESS.

{From the Sydney Mail.) It is not often that we meet in this country with the "poor tar," who spins a yarn of his having beenw recked and lost everything, to a gullible public about fifty times in twenty-four hours, or whose stock-in-trade consists of a box of cigars—generally manufactured out of dried cabbage leaves—"just smuggled, Sir, out of a ship from Havanna, the only way I has to get a livin'." We find, however, that one of this genus did turn up at Tinonee, on the Macleay .River, who, taking advantage of the wrecks on Crowdy Head, pitched a rather plausible story of the horrors of shipwreck, and the dire consequences thereof to the " mother of an only son, who was a

widow." The Manning Biver Neios says : —No sooner had information of the late disaster at Crowdy and other parts of this coast heen received, than the inhabitants of Saree were visited by a person who, acting upon the old proverb, " It's an ill wind that blows nobody any good," seems to have determined to convert that sympathy which most persons feel under such circumstances, to his own personal benefit. The person alluded to was quite sailor-like in appearance, with a swarthy counternauce, and wore a sailor's Sunday costume —a blue coat, and cloth cap of the same colour. Introducing himself at the parsonage at Taree, he said he was the captain of the Raven, one of the ill-fated ships just wrecked on the coast ; that he left Sydney for Newcastle, having on board a quantity of furniture, and when he arrived near Newcastle on Saturday the 15th instant, he saw the Fire King going into the harbour, towing slowly after her a large ship ; that in consequence he was delayed ; lost a favourable'opportunity which did not occur again, and was driven to the southward. The gale increased with fearful violence during Saturday night ; he stood with his night-glass constantly looking for some distant light by which to guide his labouring craft. The danger increased ; the men lost hope, and cried for grog to keep up their sinking spirits, andg.V'he distributed amongst them at intervals two bottles of the best. No light appeared, and, they rushed madly through the waters, nor stayed the course until the noble ship was dashed to pieces on the pitiless rocks at Crowdy. All hands were saved but one—a poor lad about seventeen, " who was the only son of of his mother, and she was a widow." She lived at Newcastle ; " and how," he asked, whilst a tear bedimmed his eyes, and a sigh escaped from his tender, heaving bosom, as he spoke of the lost one—" how shall I break the sad news to his mother ? Poor woman, it will break her heart." "But," said he, " it is a consolation to know that it was no fault of mine. I could not help it. All that could be done was done. The poor lad's shoe was picked up this morning on the beach." He then stated that two other ships a little further towards the south met a similar fate to his own ; and that one man was lost. He further states that the pilot, Mr. Bradley, had very kindly suffered his men to remain at the station untif the arrival of the Eire King ; but that he himself was hastening overland to Newcastle, to bear the sad tidings, and unburthen himself of all his woe. He had come to crave a little assistance to enable him to perform his journey. The clergyman, believing the man's statement, made him a donation, which he received with marks of deepest gratitude. After this he visited a public-house, where he imbibed rather freely to drown his sorrows. The next morning he visited Mr. Flett, whose generous heart was likewise opened to relieve a sorrowful petitioner. The shiprecked mariner was next seen at Mr. Murray's, in Tinonee ; but during the interval, Constable Coady having returned from the scene of the wrecks, reported no lives lost, and every man at the station. This officer was thereupon at once dispatched to seek after, and, if possible bring back the person who claimed to be the Baven's captain. This person being informed that Constable Coady was on the opposite bank, waiting to be put across the river, walked quietly out of Mr. Murray's public house up the hill, and in amongst the bushes, where, after a good deal of running, and walking, and riding, and dodging, on the part of Coady, he was found, taken, and brought to Tralee, whence he was conveyed to Wingham, examined by Captain Creagh; and remanded until Monday morning, when he was brought before Mr. H. Flett, and Captain Creagh, justices of the peace. The The Bev. W. C. Hawkins gave the evidence, and Constable Coady proved that he was not the person he had represented himself to be. The prisoner thereupon admitted his guilt, and after a pretty severe lecture from Mr. Flett, who pointed out the injury that such conduct must do to really deserving persons, he was delivered over to the attention of Constable Emerson for fourteen days, during which time, it is to be hoped, he will discover that even old maxims must not have the truth squeezed out of them—for even a gentle strain may transform the truth into a lie, and all anticipated advantage, in .that case, will be but a delusion.