The Argosy, October 1906 — page 121: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

: ae, See gave ae sey SE “Sheet h one! = gust, as =< did aie, el the S hip, =a8 before the fellows had cast off the gas- owners, and her officers were cursed Wwe a= = kets of | the other square sails. half a dozen different dialects. == a = Then came eee 5 pal from the ‘In their rough way the fellows com-- Se deck ===. miserated my personal plight, and first = ee You, Bantock, loose the maint’gal- a pillow, then a blanket, were tossed _ lant an’ royal!” This was boys’ work, into my empty bunk. But I lacked every- — aes but as no watches had been set, it was thing else—boots, jacket, coarse shirts, ae anybody’s job. As I shinned down a a knife, and oilskins, to ae Se of = backstay and gained the deck, eight bells pipe and tobacco. __ = were struck, and “all hands " were sum- I foresaw that an early visit to the ‘moned. : slop- -chest was-an absolute necessity. = =x We were a motley ‘crew—twenty-six As soen as the port watch had break- _ ~ of us all told—fer the ship was a lump- fast, we went on deck, and the starboard \ ing big: boat, carrying three royal yards. watch went below. ‘We were speedi ——" . © There were four Irishmen, a Finn, a hustled to werk about the decks, the Lascar, a couple of Ratcliffe. Highway. ether-watch having made all plain sail. — — lads, and several Germans, or “ gtutene It was my trick at the wheel, and I took men == an early opportunity of stating my wants Being vided ‘into watches, I ee to the chief mate. - | myself in the port division, which was the I noticed that he gave me a queer cock 2 first mate’s, and then’ we - vere told to get of- his eye when I mentioned the slop-- _ breakfast. “~~ chest. = - | ene deck: house was a fairly contort He was a little man, named Coker, able affair, as such sea-parlors go—clean, and a good seaman, ‘far and away the light, and airy. A long table ran on best man aft.. He had heard my story stanchions fore and aft, and there were frem Hogan, and in a few words he let = benches at each side lengthy enough to me know that he sympathized with my accommedate each watch. unique position. Brae gered him — : Back of the benches were the bunks, to say mere. .< -double-deckers, sixon a side, for which ~ “ When Captain’ E Sppeartee: ee “we proceeded to draw lots, and I was _ he'll introduce you to it 1k Say who TUS <2 s lucky enough to get a lower bunk amid- the slop-chest on this hooker.” And ships. But that was all—for I had without giving time to ask questions, he ss _ neither mattress nor blanket. waved me forward, my two hours’ trick _ This was my first chance really. to get being ever. : os acquainted. with my mates, and I soon A lady! Who could it be? N ot the eee ee found that I was the only American in stewardess, for-I had seen no signs of a the crew. ‘Among other things I learned petticoat about the decks. Perhaps some = that the ship was the Shanadoah, bound relatien ef the skipper’s. However, at ; round the Horn to San Francisco ; that seven bells there was a halloo sent for- —__ 2 the first mate was a “ putty man’ phat ward fer ‘ Tom Smith.” oe the second mate was a “holy terror ” “Tem Smith’s wanted aft!” = Sa om | - that the “ old man,” meaning the captain, Smith!” “ Here,” Smith!” . “ Hey, was a drunken hypocrite, and so forth. | Smith!” went echoing . and Se From all of which it seemed as though — aloft into the swelling canvas. iS - we should be anything but a happy I was yelling for Tom Smith as. ae - ship. lustily as the others, when T _ felt - ce ES Grumbling began at our first meal, for friendly push from the bes’n. the grub was execrable—the hard-tack ‘“Tt’s you they want, ye baie fool!” “ 2 moldy and weevilly ; ; the tea simply some- he exclaimed. “ Get away aft wi’ ye!” jee. thing dark and evil-smelling, sweetened Then the truth flashed upon me. es hoe with coarse molasses; this was our appeared on the ship’s articles as “Tom ae breakfast. a Smith,” the crimps having robbed me = &s : aoa -Qne or two. old shellbacks munched of name as well as liberty. os 28 and drank the stuff stolidly enough, but __I trotted nimbly aft, and through one ae ans the wakehe turned away in dis- of the see doors. that opened into the = me : “= = comic books. con