AFLOAT AND ASHORE

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 3614, 18 November 1924, Page 2

AFLOAT AND ASHORE

BLUEJACKETS AT BULL-FIGHT. AN ADMIRAL'S TALES. I When a sailor who can write plain English sits down to pen his reminiscences (says the Sydney ‘ Sim ’) the reader can confidently expect something breezy, humorous, and well spiced, with the spirit of high adventure. Such a book is ‘ Spun Yarn: From the Strands of a Sailor’s Life Afloat and Ashore,’ by Admiral Sir Henry F. Woods. One of the admiral’s most joyous yarns is about two British bluejackets who went to a bull-fight at Valparaiso, taking with them a supply of fiery spirit: “Our two bluejackets, however, did not seem to think there was very much in it, to judge by their funny remarks about the ruddy bulls and the monki-

fied jumpers, and presently I saw one of them suddenly leap into the ring. Pulling his black silk handkerchief adrift, he waved it about as he had seen the ‘ Cluilos ’ do with their red cloths, and presently the hull made a charge. Jack jumped nimbly aside, and the hull passed. SAviftly it turned and was after Jack again, but the sailor was safe behind the barrier when the hull struck it with an angry blow that resounded throughout the enclosure. The spectators were wild with delight. ‘ Bravo, marinero! Bravo, marinero!’ was shouted from all parts of the arena. Never had they seen such a fine sight as this contest between a British sailor and a bull. Three times Jack was chased round the ring by the j angry animal, always escaping a prod i by getting behind a barrier just in j time. Then, tired of the game, he got j over the barrier and joined his com- I panion. ‘Bravo, Bill!’ said his chum. I ' Take a pull,’ and, handing over the ! bottle to Bill, climbed over into the | ‘ ring ’ in which the bull stood watching from the opposite end.” BILL’S CHUM. Apparently jealous of the applause bestowed upon the sailor, all the per- ; formers had retired. The other sailor 1 had imbibed more than his chum Bill, , but he was convinced that what Bill i had done he could do also. j “ Advancing in zigzag steps and | squaring up his fists in a fighting atti- , tude, he cried out ‘ Come on! Come ! on!’ The bull next moment was upon I him. High in the air the poor fellow was tossed, and he fell with a dull thud 1 upon the hard ground of the ring—an | inert mass. “ The sound of the man’s body as lie ; struck the ground was so loud that : I thought his bones must have been j broken, and I was disgusted and en- | raged to hear the applauding shouts of !

thought, apparently, was given by anyone in the crowd to the unfortunate sailor save by his chum and myself. Bill, without the slightest hesitation, jumped into the arena, and, paying nc attention to the bull, sat down alongside his friend and lifted his head on to his shoulder. Taking the bottle from under his serge, he pulled out the cork quickly with his teeth, and with the heartening request, ‘ Here, 80, take a swig of this!’ he poured some of the contents into his churn’s mouth. Miraculous as it may appear, the man was neither killed nor seriously injured. He was just dazed a bit, and the liquor reived him. The bull was so amazed, apparently, at the sight of what was going on before his eyes that lie never attempted to gore or to trample upon either, but just backed away to the other end of the ring as if to prepare for another charge. But na never moved; he merely stood quietly gazing, as Bill, supporting his chum, walked him quietly outside by the entrance. “In justice to the spectators, I must say that their voices were hushed at once when they saw what the other sailor was doing to save his friend, and their departure in safety was hailed by loud ‘.Vivas!’ and ‘Bravos!’ ‘Bravo les marineros livgleses!’ ” SEA SERPENT SEEN. The admiral declares he once saw a sea serpent. “In crossing the Javanese Sea, on the way to Angier Road, the great port of call for homeward-bound sailing vessels in those days, we saw one forenoon an enormous water serpent passing over the channel between two islands, just as we were emerging from it. It must have been nearly 50ft long and as thick in width as the largest of our coir hawsers. It was holding its head some 2ft or so above water, and moving at a rapid rate.”