Proceedings of the New York State Historical Association (Volume 9); Annual Meeting with Constitution and By-Laws and List of Members (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1910. Excerpt: ... One day the Captain wishing to afford some merriment to the crew, commanded Allen to be brought upon deck. Hoping to frighten him, the Captain said: "There is a possibility that the ship will founder--if so, what will become of us, especially you, Mr. Allen, a rebel against the king?" "Why," said Allen, "that would be very much like our dinner hour." "How so?" said the Captain, not reflecting that Allen was only allowed to come on deck while he himself went down into his cabin to dine. "Well, you see," answered Allen, "I'd be on my way up just as you would be going down." The Captain was not at all pleased with this reply, and commenced a regular tirade of abuse against the American people. "In a short time," said the Captain, "all the rebels will be in the same situation as yourself." This was too much for Allen, and he determined to apply his newly acquired dexterity in unloosening his fetters to some purpose. Quickly raising his hands to his mouth, he apparently snapped asunder the pins and bolts, and hurling his hand-cuffs and fetters overboard--seized the astonished Captain by the collar, and threw him headlong upon the deck, then turning to the affrightened crew, he exclaimed in a voice of thunder: "If I am insulted again during the voyage, I'll sink the ship and swim ashore." This exploit so terrified the Captain and crew, that Allen was allowed to do pretty much as he pleased the remainder of the voyage. In Moore's Memoirs (page 113), Allen relates this incident in a little different form: "To give an instance, upon being insulted, in a fit of anger, I twisted off a nail with my teeth, which I took to be a ten-penny nail; it went through the mortice of the bar of my hand-cuff, and at the same time, I swaggered over those who abused me; particularl...