One gentleman, well known in his time by the name of Bully W——­, stood on the poop of the square-rigged ship Challenge, and shot a seaman who was at work on the main yardarm!  It was never known precisely why he did it; but it was well known that had he not made his exit from the cabin windows, and had he not received assistance to escape, he would have been lynched by a furious public.  This man once commanded a crack, square-rigged clipper called the Flying Cloud.  His passages between New York and San Francisco were a marvel to everybody.  He was credited, as many others like him have been, with having direct communication with the devil, and is said never to have voluntarily taken canvas in.  He was one of those who used to lock tacks and sheets, so that if the officers were overcome by fear they could not shorten canvas.  His fame spread until it was considered an honour to look upon him, much less to know him.  He became the object of adoration, and perhaps his knowledge of this swelled his conceit, so that he came to believe that even the shooting of his seamen was not a murderous, but a permissible act, so far as he was concerned.  But this man was only one among scores like him.

There was once a famous captain of a well-known Australian clipper, a slashing, dare-devil fellow, who made the quickest passages to and from Australia on record.  But at last he lost his head, and then of course his money, and died in very pinched circumstances.  Poor fellow, he couldn’t stand corn!  The people of Liverpool gave a banquet in honour of him.  He arrived late in the banqueting hall, and there were indications that he was inebriated.  When he had to respond to the toast of his health he shocked his audience by stating that he would either be in hell or in Melbourne in so many days from the time of sailing.  Destiny ordained that he was not to be in hell, and not in Melbourne either—­only hard and fast on Australian rocks!  His misfortunes and his habits soon put an end to his professional career, but his deeds are deservedly talked of to this day.  He was undoubtedly one of the smartest men of his time, and ought to have been saved from the end that befell him.

Captains who claimed public attention for reasons that would not now be looked upon with favour were usually known by the opprobrious name of “Bully this” or “Bully that;” but “Jack the Devil” and “Hell Fire Jack” were perhaps as widely used names as any others.  There were various causes for the acquisition of such distinction.  It was generally the fearless way in which they carried sail, and their harsh, brutal treatment of their crews that fixed the epithet upon them.  I am quite sure many of them were proud of it.  They were conscious of having done something to deserve it.  It will appear strange that seamen should have been found to sail with such commanders; not only could they be found, but many were even eager to sail with them, the reason being that they desired to share some of the notoriety which their captains had acquired.  They loved to talk of having sailed in a vessel made famous by the person who commanded her, even if he were a bully!  His heroics were made an everlasting theme.  The A.B.s rarely made more than one voyage with him; many of them deserted even at the first port.  The dreadful usage, and the fear of being killed or drowned, were too much for them sometimes.