The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-12-11
Mariners on the Great lakes.

NSJSp " "tbG W u way hnu
don a pair of flowing trousers and be-
come free and easy sailors, pirates or
captain, give ear. This ideal picture
of the wheelman is all mist. / didn't
notice in the pilot-house a single novel
or a lazy back-chair. But l did notice
that if a wheelman was wanted, the
mate did not scruple to rouse HIM out
of his bunk, wen ut l o'clock in the
morning, no matter if it was very cold
on the outside; and l also noticed thac
the maj said nothing about Eyes, sir,
III BIO there in a minute" or wait till
l finish this nap" He came riehtout,
and taking his partners place, held it
for six weary hours amid a%silcnce that
would chill one. So my boy, when
you pack up your possessions in a red
handkerchief and steal out of the back
window OF q dark night to run away
to the lakes to become rich and ia
nous, like billie, the Boy Whaler or
the King of the Quarter Deck" don't
try wheeling.
Cabin boyP The lake steamers car
~ no cabin boys; the cook is the best
they can afford in this line. But then
there are tho sailors, the men with
pretty blue blouses, with anchors at
the shoulders, they who wear jaunty
hats over one ear, .'lay out On the
yard-arm," who slcep in hammocks,
and who sing:
an a Jolly tar, am J.,
AS free AS an ocean bird.
There are these men, surely? No,
my son; on the great lakes these noble
men are scarcer than mountains in the
Sahara desert. Thcre NAV be a few
sailors of this stamp Gu the stage, but
that's the only place you'll find 'em.
The lakes are sadly deficient. Those
who correspond nearest to sailors on u
steamship are the deck-hands, who
are a sorry lot. All the deck-hands I
ever saw looked pretty much alike
an old par OF trousers, one suspender,
an old hat and a shirt. And as for
wcrk--l hate to say so-but the cap
tain or mate never seemed quite con-
tented unless he had these ideal fell
lows sticking their hand in tar-buckets
or paint-pots, or making them scrape
down masts, tar down rigging or such
like inviting tasks. The deck-hands
of the lakes are coal-heavers and cargo
handlers, and are, as a ruIo, driven to
work and watched like children, who
seldom keep a place over n trip, and
who have been known to come aboard
a steamer, eat a couple OF hearty
meals and then run away.
But there are the mates? Correct,
there are. Mates are mon who have
sailed years and years, and who, for
being steady and principled, have
been rewarded with n place of impor.
lance, to be sure, but one having in it
all the tedious work of a deck-hand-
and the responsibility of n captain. A
mate, beside standing watch, has the
immed' ate supervision OF this mean,
tedious work aforesaid, and in many
cases its performance also. .
But, after all, it is the captain OF the
lake vessel who fares the hardest. He
must be up. day or night, coming
through the rivers and wherever there
is the least difficult navigation. He
has sometimes to be up fifty hours on
a watch. He has to see out eyery
piece of bad weather if it lasts a day er
u week. This is part Of his respon.s.
bliity. Then, perhaps. he has twenty
odd lives on his hands. a $3.50, 600
steamship and u valuable 2,00O-ton-
cargo. Or if he has a tow he
may have the care of a hundred lives
and a million-odd dollars of property.
Besides, he must keep track of the in-
ternal workings of his ship, and If any
one has a tendency to shirk duty he
must know it. So occasionally he will
need lend a helping hand in printing
and scrubhing, especially if his men
are awkward or clumsy or need direc-
tions. On all steamers captains, no
matter what their age or dignity, are
per-"
So, my boy, any time you get dis
satisfied with three meals a day ami a
home that compels you TO split the
kidding every night, pack up that lit
tie red handkerchief and start tor the
lakes; but don't blame me if you re-
turn in a month or SO with a telescoped
spine, hands like hams and a burning
desire to attack a wood-pil two hours
every morning by way of amusement.
--LOutsUiIe Courier journal.