Weekly Trinity journal., 1874-01-17
S'rOWAWAYS.

In the melancholy catalogue of poor
people engulted in the Vile du Hare,
we read that there were twenty-seven
steeragc passengers, and six "stowa-
ways" The last named term is sufl
ciently curious to call for explanation
and in rendering it we touch upon one OF
the most wretched features of emigrnnt
life. A stowaway" is an individual
who, at the last moment, just before the
vessel leaves the dock for her destination,
sinks on board, creeps below, and con-
ceals himself as securely as he is able,
in remote hooks and corners of the lower
deck or the forepeak. Sometimes he gets
into tho hold, but there, if tho matches
are battened down he runs the imminent
risk of being smothered. At all events
he crawls into his coigne of vantage, and
crouches there like rat behind the vain
scot, quaking for fear of discovery. And
discovery must sooner or later be tho
doom of the stowaway.
So we'll is the practice of smuggling
human baggage known to sea-going
folks, that prior to largo emigrant ship.
sailing there is generally organized
picket of sailors, headed by one of the
mates, and furnished with lanterns and
ratans, whe make n tour Of observation
and exploration among the packing cases
and provision casks. Hunting fol tho
stowaways" is n most exciting sport, the
wretched delaulters are started" from
their holes, roundly abused, hustled on
deck, " slanged" by tho captain-happy
they who, in an American clipper, es-
cape being ShOnghacd" by the boat
swain or booted by the first mate-and
then contumaciously kicked over tho
side. Some stowaways, however, gcner-
ally contrive to pass unnotced in the
search and six-tho number found on
board the vie do Hdpre-may be con-
sdored fair average among $50 passcn-
gers. The ship, in any case, cannot be
many days at sea before they are discov-
cred. Every fresh hogshcad of beef or
biscuit unheadcd dminishes their chances
Of immunity still there have been in
stances known of the unfortunate crea-
lures being inadvertently jammed up be-
tween and behind heavy piles of mel
chandise, and so suffering living en-
tombment rivalling that of Constance de
Beverly in horror.
Stowaways dragged from their hiding
places when the ship is in blue water have
TO take their chance and very calam-
itous chance ii is. If the culprit be wo-
man she has not much to fear. Jack is
proverbially gallant, and an active wo-
man may make herself very useful in tho
cabin and tho cook house. But when
the offender happens to be a raw lad
which he generally is, and Irish to boot,
he has emphaticaly II bad time" Of it.
He may consider himself fortunate if he
is allowed to earn the worth of his bed
and board while performing the most
menial drudgery, and at the end of tho
voyage the captain can if he desires, take
the stowaway before n 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 that passenger
is to be we'll out Of the ship. The former
says nothing about the pccuniary loss his
owners have suffered, and the latter is
quite content to be silent with regard to
the numerous attentions conveyed thro'
the instrumentality of marlinspikes and
ropes ends with which he has been fav-
orcd by the boatswain and his assstants.
What the French authorities would
have said to these waits and strays on
their arrival at Havre is uncertain &: but
the poor fellows need fear no frowns Of
human justice now. They are drowned.