National Republican., 1883-08-07
A PLAGUE or RATS AT SEA.
Unhappy Experience OF Passenger ON
Mediterranean Steamer.

Mediterranean Steamer.
NetO Yort Traveller.
A passenger on one Of the small steamers
engaged in the fruit trade and touching at
various ports along the Mediterranean, tells
the following story of his experiences ON the
tho voyage from Leghorn TO this city.
Coming on board at Leghorn l was favor
ably impressed by the general appearance
of the steamer, though somewhat surprised
to find so few passengers, only five or six
staterooms being engaged. For some day' al
went we'll, and the voyage along the shores (
Italy, with CLASSY sea and perfect wealth
was all that was delightful. ut
my pleasure in the dreamy Tango,
of an italian summer, the hols
tempered by the fresh sea brotz,s,
was soon to receive check from what at first
was simply an annoyance, but which finally
became so intolerable that sleep became al
most impossible, and safety could only be
found at the cost of unceaslng vigilance.
Tho secret of all our trouble is given in ono
word-rats. On shore, If house is filled
with these beasts there is some remedy at
hand, or at least there is always the last no.
sort of flight. But at sea there Is no escape,
and for person cursed with an unuttcrablo
loathing for this class of vormin, the knowl-
edge that he is shut up and hopelessly con-
tolerable.
GAS we passed down the coast, stopping at
half dozen different ports and never ut sea
more than q day or two, there was compare
lively little trouble, though it was noticed
that traps were continually set and one of
the sailors, on being questioned, said they
had caught great number of rats since leav-
ing Leghorn, and he added that he thought
the rats We're increasing in number, moro
coming on board at each port However, be-
| yOnd occasionally hearing them at night and
| a general feeling that the ship contained far
more than her fair allowance, the passengers
two ladies only being included in the
number-took little notice of the
matter, and nothing serious occurred until
we left Gibraltar. Then the trouble be-
gan. The cargo, which consisted almost en-
tirely Of oranges and lemons, was of course
almost untouched; and when we were three
days out the rats, becoming bolder by hunger,
began to make their presence known in a
manner which was decidedly unpleasant. To
give some idea Of the number it was not un-
usual for from thirty to fifty to be caught and
| drowned in single day, and this made no
perceptible difference in the number. At
| first they confined their voyages to the hold
and forecastle, but finally invaded the saloon
| and staterooms. Going to ones room at
night was at last feat requiring some nerve
and courage-the more so as it had generally
to be done in pitch darkness. 1t was not at all
unusual to step down into the saloon and hear
sound as if hundreds of rats were scampering
away at your approach. Sleep became lux
ury to be enjoyed only by day, for the state
rooms were unbearable finally. Soap, shoes,
trunks, clothes, everything in fact was eaten
and destroyed by this ravenous horde, rem
dered wild by famine and bold by countless
numbers. Several of the sailors were severely
bitten in their sleep. and good sized dog
| that had shown intense hatred for the pests
at the beginning of the voyage, became shy of
going below at night, and the last ten days
before reaching New York passed his entire
time on deck. He could not be induced to go
below even in the day time.
b" 1t would not be possible to estimate the
number of rats on board, but it must have
reached well into four figures, and many of
the sailors said they had never known in all
their voyages a ship so overrun with vermin,
many being of the large Norwegian variety.
When we reached New York for days rats
were seen leaving the ship at all hours, many
hundreds escaping to the docks in this way.
The reason for the presence of so unusual and
| fierce horde was said to be the nature of the
cargo carried out from America, which con-
sisted largely of provisions and grain"