The Drunken Sailor's Plunge

Two reporters of this paper yesterday witnessed the same scene, and, unbeknown to each other, both wrote it up. Here are their different accounts of it: 'He Had His Own Way'—Among the sailors who shipped on board the Challenger, going to sea yesterday, was one noisy, boisterous fellow who gave a heap of trouble before he was got on board. He ranted and tore around and made a free exhibition of himself for quite a time, and finally, when in the boat, declared he wanted to jump overboard. Captain Thompson told the men to let him jump, which they did, when the fellow plunged into the bay. Once in, he showed no intention of drowning, but swam about the best he was able. He took in considerable water, and when just about ready to drown was hauled into the boat, with which he then gladly went to the ship. If they had not let the fellow have his own way he'd have been unhappy to the end of the voyage, but now, on the contrary, he will probably be one of the most tractable men on the ship. 'A Drunken Sailor'—A drunken sailor from the Challenger created some excitement on Yesler’s wharf yesterday afternoon by his wild and frantic actions. He was finally forced into a boat by his companions, and they started to pull for the ship. They had, however, taken but a few strokes when the drunken madman threw himself into the water and swam as rapidly as possible away from the boat. Another boat put out from shore to his assistance, but he fought furiously with the man who attempted to pull him from the water. In the mean time the first boat had caught up, and after a desperate struggle the fool was drawn into it and forced to lie still on the bottom. He was then taken out to the ship and forced on board after another struggle. The man gave as the reason of his strange behavior that he wanted another drink before going on board, but the crowd which the disturbance collected seemed to be pretty generally of the opinion that the best plan to pursue in the case would have been to allow the fellow to drown as quietly as possible.