The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1874-01-22
s.Seewaways.o

In the melancholy catalogue OF the
unfortunates engulred in the Vile du
Havrc, we read that there were six stow
awayaD This term is sufficiently Curl
GUS to call for explanation. A "stowa-
way" is an individual who, at the last
moment just before the vessel leaves the
dock, sinks on board, crccps below, and
conccaIs himself in remote hooks ana
corners of tho lower deck or
the forepeak. Sometimes he
gets into the hold bat there, if the hatch
es are ba.tcncd down, he runs the imi-
nent risk of being smothered. At ali
events, he crawls into his hidingplace,
and crouches there like rat behind the
wainscot, quaking for fear Of discovery
And dctcction must sooner or later b.
the doom of the stewaway. So well Is
the practice Of smuggling human bag
gage known TO sea going folks, that pri-
or to large cmigrant ship sailing, there
is generally organized picket Of sail.
ors headed by one Of the mates, and
furnished with lanterns and rauans,
who make tour of exploration among
tho packing cases and provisions casks.
sfIuRting for stowaways is most ex-
citing sport the wretched defaulters are
"started" from their holes roundly
abused, hustled on deck, "slanged" BY
the captain, and are then contumacious-
" kicked over the side. Some stowa'
ways however, they, 6 Lerally COZ rive
to pass unoticed in the search and six
the number found on the Will au Hayre
may be considered fair average
among hundred and fly passengers.
The ship, in any case, canao; be many
DAYS At sea before they arc discovered.
Every fresh hogshcad of biscuit or beet
that is unheaded diminishis their chance
of immunity; there have been instances
Of the unfortunate creatures being mad
vcrtently jammed up between and be-
hind heavy piles of merchandise. ,and SO
suffering u living cntombment rivaling
that of Constance de Beverly in herror.
Stowaw2ys dragged from their hiding
places when the ship is IN blue water
have TO take their chances; AID very
calamitous chance it is. III the culprit
I've a woman she has not much TO fear
Jack is proverbiaily gallant, and an act
i've woman may make hcrsclfver use
full in the cabin and ccok-hOuse. Blu,
when the offender happens to be man
he has alphabetically a bad time OF IT.
lie NAV consider himself fortunate If he
is allowed to earn he worth of his bed
and board by performing the most men
ial drudscry, aud at the end OF tho voy-
age from this port :he captain can, If he
chooses, take the stowaway before
magistrate. and have him punished for
fraud. 1t usually happens, however,
that the skipper, when the run is over,
IS as glad to get rid OF his Improbable
passenger as the passenger is to be well
out of the ship. The formcr says
nothing about the pecuniary loss his
owners have suffered, and he latter is
quite content 10 be silent with regard 10
the numerous attentions conveyed
through the Instrumentality of marlin
spikes and ropes ends with which he
has been favored by the bOatswain.
What the French authorities would have
said TO these waits and strays on their
arrival at uavrc is uncertain, but the
poor fellows need no frOwns OF human
Justice now. They are drowned.-N Y.
Mercury.