Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1883-10-05
RATS AT SEA.
-.
Unhappy Experience of a Passenger on
the Mediterranean ship Severa:
Sailors Badly Bitten.

| 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
voyage from Leghorn to New York
city:
Coming on board at Leghorn
was favorably impressed by the gen
eral appearance of the steamer,
though somewhat surprised to find
so few passengers, only five or six
staterooms being engaged. For
some days all went well and the
voyage along the shores of Italy with
a CLASSY sea and perfect weather was
s1 that was delightful But my
pleasure in the dreamy languor of an
Italian summer, the heat tempered
by the fresh sea breezes, was soon to
receive check from what at first was
simply an annoyance, but which
finally became SO intolerable that
sleep became almost impossible, and
safety could only be found at the
cost of unceasing vigilance. The
secret of all our trouble is given in
one 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 resort of flight.
But at sea there is no escape, and for
person cursed with an unutterable
loathing for this class of vermin, the
knowledge that he is shut up and
hOpelesly Unsigned to their tender
mercies is simply intolerable.
"As we passed down the coast,
stopping at half a dozen different
ports and never at sea more than a
day or two. there was comparatively
little trouble, though it was noticed
that traps were continually set, and
one of the sailors. on being ques-
toned, said they had caught a great
number of rats since leaving Leg
horn. and he added that he thought
the rats were increasing in numbers,
more coming on board at each port.
However, beyond occasionally hear
ing them at night and a general feel
ing that the ship contained more than
her fair allowance, the passengers
two ladies only being included in the
number-took little notice of the mat
ter, and nothing serious occurred
until We left Gibraltar. Then the
trouble began. The cargo, which
consisted almost entirely of oranges
and lerlons, was Of course almost
untouched; and when we were three
days out, the rats, becoming bolder
by hunger, began to make their pre-
sence known in manner which was
decidenly unpleasant. To give some
idea of the number, it was not un-
usual fer from thirty to fifty to be
caught and drowned in a single day,
and this made no perceptible diff
ference in the number. At first they
confined their voyages to the hold
and force -stle. 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 a sound as if
hundreds Of rats were scampering
away at your approach. Sleep be-
came a luxury to be enjoyed only by
day, for the staterooms were unbear-
able finally. Soap, shoes, trunks,
clothes. everything in fact was eaten
and destroyed by this ravenous horde,
rendered wild by famine and bod
by countless numbers. Several of
the sailors wero 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 reach
ing New York passed his entire time
on deck. He could not be induced
to 60 below even in the day time.
1T would not be possible to esti-
mate the number of rats on board,
but it must have reached we'll 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"