Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-09-09
TREATMENT OF SAILORS.

How tho sailors are sometimes treated may
be learned from the following extract from the
Rev. Mr.. Taylor's - Seven Years Preaching in
San Francisco" This book gives some graphic
descriptions of the wrongs perpetrated on sail
Ors:
Whom the sailors bill at the boarding house
runs to cover the advance the landlord says
- Jack you must ship"
- / won't do it, says Jack
"You shall do it, you owe me hundred dol
lars, and you must either pay me to-day or go
to sea in the ship Challenge"
80, don't want to go to sea YET" says Jack
go, well, never mind, says the landlord, You
are clever fellow, and you may stay at my
house as long as you please, and pay me when
you get ready. Come let's take a drink"
Jack, very glad to be on such good terms with
the landlord, walks up to the bar, and drinks to
the health of his master. In ten minutes he is
as insensible as log. When he RECEIVERS from
his mysterious sleep, he is out of sight of land
He is awakened by the stern command,
"Wake up here, and go to work"
The poor fellow, rubbing his eyes, inquiries {:
"What ship is this? Whittier bound?"
"To Hong Kong
@ How did L get here?''
"Why, you shipped SIR" says the master.
q never shipped in this ship"
eyes, you did, sir, and you must 90 to work
without any more grumbling," replied the cap
tain, sternly.
g want to see the articles, says the sailor.
Well, sir, here they are. What is your
name 20
My name Ia John Waters"
" There it is, written on the articles in two
places once by the landlord and once by the
shipping master"
i never signed those articles, replies John.
No." replies the master, % You were too
drunk to write your name, but there's your
mark
John put his hand to his head, and studies
moment and says:
Il want my advance before 1 go to work :.
how much WAS L to get ~
. One hundred and twenty-five dollars for
the run, paid in advance" replies the captain,
and here is your account from the shipping
office; your bill with the boarding master took
one hundred dollars, leaving me twenty-five,
which he handed me to give you when you got
sober"
John takes the twenty five dollars and goes
to work. But, you ask, what did the land
shark give to the sailor, to take away his senses
so suddenly2'
1t was compound of whisky, brandy, gin,
rum and opium, which, IL man drinks he
slakes into the Lethean stream for a dozen of
hours.
But the kidnappers practice not alone on sea-
men. Here is case from the same volume
A landlord, lacking man TO make up crew,
met German glazer on Long Wharf, with a
pack Of glass on his back, and said to him
q HE, my good fellow, don't you want job"
eyes, sir.
"I want you," said the shark" to put some
glass in the stern of that ship" pointing to a
ship in the stream. Jump into my boat here,
and I'll take you on board'
So off they went. As the German sat in the
stern Of the boat, much pleased with the pros
pect Of a good job, the shark said to him,
will yOu have a cigar"
YES"
So the glazer sat and puffed away as he used
to do in his Faderland, but before they reached
the ship he tumbled over in the bottom of the
boat The shark threw his pack of glass into
the bay and running along side, hailed On
deck there lower away and haul up the man."
A rope was lashed around him and he was
hauled up. Tho shark run into the captains
Office, saying, Captain, I've got a first rate
sailor here, he's little booty to-day, but he'll
be all right Tomorrow, and got his advance
The poor German walked up at sea, with a lon
ger job than he had engaged for and the worst
of the business, he must not only work for no.
thing, but be kicked and cuffed through the
whole voyage for having the presumption to
impose himself RS an able seaman. when he
knew nothing about the business. The cigar
was drugged.
On one occasion a shoemaker stepped to the
bar to take a drink and walked up the next day
at sea, and did not get back to his business for
nine months.