"MINNESOTA" AND OTHER UNFORTUNATES 249 



what life must have been in close and constant association with 

 such a captain. On December 23, 1870, he ordered the mate 

 below ''for striking me Several Blows with his Fist and^linching 

 me by the Hair in the C^abin in the Most abusive Manner." 

 Again, on February 2, 1872, he ordered the mate below "for 

 Clinching me on deck & abusive language &," On February 

 24th, at the Bay of Islands, he called the United States consul on 

 board to quell a mutiny; he also discharged the mate, but failed 

 to make an end of the matter. 



On March 1st, at about half-past five in the afternoon, as 

 Captain Peirce came on deck, one Michael Kelley, a seaman, hit 

 him on the head with a club hammer and knocked him senseless. 

 When the captain had sufficiently recovered from the effects of 

 the assault, he went ashore to have his wounds dressed by a 

 doctor, and had Kelley arrested "and placed in Jaoil." In the 

 log book he enters an account of the pain in his head. 



By July 4th, there was trouble with the new mate and Captain 

 Peirce must needs again resort to his favourite retaliation: he 

 ordered the mate below "for refusing to Seize A Man up in the 

 Riging when Ordered by me to do so & for his Insolent and 

 Abusive Language. The Man, Alexander Rasher, had been 

 very Saucy some days Previous & refused to Obey orders on 

 Deck. I had given the Man orders Not to take A Watch 

 Below in the Day time in Consequence of his improper Con- 

 duct. I came down from aloft at 10 A. M. went into the 

 Forecastle and found the Man in his Birth Ordered him On 

 Deck he refused to go on Deck & Struck me A Blow in my 

 Face with his Fist." 



Exactly a month later trouble broke out anew: "I had told 

 Mr. Roberts to Kill A Hog: he took the Axe & went foreward 

 wheir the Hog was & Commenced to Strike the Hog with the 

 Axe. I said to him do Not be so Brutal take & Stick the Hog 

 . . . Kill him in a decent Manner He then Stuck the 

 Hog after A Manner & Coming aft on the quarter Deck wheir 

 I was. Came Behind me Struck me A Severe Blow on my 

 Head with his Fist, Knocking me down on Deck rendering me 

 insensable for Several Minutes while I was unconscious, he 



