The Argosy, October 1906 — page 123: what you’re looking at

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

Tier —s at a thoagand per cent profit, and trafficking on the necessities of the -_ shipmen _ who need a friend more than any other class in the world, and upon whom, in an emergency, the safety of that ship depended. She looked me up and down with her brazen black eyes as I fingered the goods, and inquired with some asperity if the I could not resist giving her a shot, as ~ I rolled my purchases into a bundle and - stuffed the pipe and tobacco: into my pocket, at the risk of her reporting me. to. the skipper for insolence. , “Have you any cigars?” I Sequel “ T rather think I sha’n’t be able to afford much of your tobacco. Or perhaps you have some champagne that isn’t too dear?” “This is a temperance ship, young man, ”” she snapped back, “and I wish it 129 s . Was an anti-tobacco ship likewise ! ~ The devil it is!” 1 thought, as I went on deck; “then the temperance is all forward, as” I’m a sinner!” For neither grog nor rum was served out on = board. My watch were at dinner as I ‘entered the deck-house and pitched the goods into my bunk. — : ‘““Smith’s been shopping!” “ How much did she soak you?” “ Expect to have any pay to take up when we git to Frisco?” were some of the gibes with which I was greeted. “T’ve been robbed!” said I shortly. ‘In course you has!” retorted a black-haired young. Englishman named Zz Jack Harris. “ W’y, I ’eard the ole girl tell Coker that. she made six hundred dollars out of ’er bloomin’ slop-chest last voyage ! ’Ow’s that, matey?” “ T shouldn’t have. been surprised if it had been six thousand,” I returned, while fishing about in the mess-kid for a bit of beef that was not all hide and gristle. “She charged me Fifth Avenue prices == for Bowery -goods—and mighty poor = Bowery. at that. What do you say to paying fifty cents for this pipe, and a __. quarter for this little cake of plug?” Se “The bloomin’ old she- pirate!” eXx- Se 2 claimed Harris, and every man in the watch growled as though he had been ersoally 5 swindled: ae < = ? SHANGHAIED. poor devils who manned her husband’s- articles were not good enough for me? — a daily diary of this eventful voyage. of my heart; = Tell "ee wot, _ mates,” eutdiped a a “3 short and fat seaman who answered to = the contradictory ‘nickname of “ Bones,” 2 “the grub on this cursed hooker ain’t fit ee for swine. J ain’t had no dinner!” = 2 “Same here!” ‘growled the. others. = Se ‘““Somethin’s goin’ to happen if— = = —— ain’t fed better, that’s wot!” continued _ =< Bones, as he flung himself into his bunk, —— smoking furiously. _ —- SS = = = II. : a WELL, it is not my purpose to give you days rolled by, and the men, sulky and — half-starved, were driven to their tasks — Es by Hogan with. blows and brutal lan-_ guage, in which a was abetted by the skipper. | ; ye The note of a chantey was “never ee = The food got worse, if possible, as the = = heard ; the crew refused to sing. There | =e was scarcely a man who did not havea broken nose, a gashed lip, or a lump on ae his head, to say nothing of body bruises. — ~ Me, the mate let alone; of abuse I got — my share, but of*blows none. The ship ~ was literally hell with the lid off. oe Appeal to Captain Milligan.was use- _ < less; he was seldom sober, but drunk or sober he always backed up Hogan. Seo pitied First Mate Coker’ from the bottom = he would take no part in oe hazing the men, and consequently the — ay ja captain and Hogan hazed him as far as S: they dared. a However, long before we were up with : the line, Coker tell ill and kept his cabin. -For a week he did not “appear on deck. > Then, one day, we ran in under the lee of Barbadoes; a colered pilot put off, Coker was helped over the side, and we saw him no mere. Se This did not help matters aboard the ~ = Shanadoah. Coker had been the only | oe gentleman aft, and with him out. of the — PS | ship the two blackguards had things their =< ss own way. i Sto The men never ceased srumbil pe : night or day, and threats of violence ste were made every hour of the twenty-four. = ee The skipper took the first mate’s watch, os otherwise the cruel routine was ‘un | = changed, except that Coker’s absence seemed to remove the last restraints of oe decency from Milligan and Hogan. Sig es ee The former was never’ sober ; the lat~ ~~ ne