The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1886-11-11
ON BOARD A YACHT.
The Sailors Have an Easy Time. But DO
Not Like the Life.

Not Like the Life.
Housekeeping on board yacht we
find to be quite an interesting study.
Champagne is one of the cardinal prin-
ciples. Many of us do not drink it,
fearing headache, but it is always
.sthere," and we believe no yacht IS
considered properly ballasted without
champagne. Various yacht owners
have various superstitions, however. and
it is said that the owner of the May
flower never sails unless the white sloop
is fully stocked with melons. Small
wonder. however. that the owners of
racing yachts need some creature COM
fort on board, for on race days every
bit of coal is put on shore to ''lighten
the ship" aud collations are the order of
the day. In some yachts even the cabin
furniture is taken out during a race and
every bit of superfuous weight is re-
chor, etc. No idlers are allowed on
board either If a guest is invited on
racing yacht in one of these close and
exciting contests it is with the under
standing that be is to help the crew, in
order to make up for his weight. In
other words. the crew is a Corinthian
..haul in on the main sheet"
! Yacht sailors have pretty easy, COM
Portable time of it, as may be imagined,
and yet many of them do not like the
life They long for the perils and ex-
citements of the deep sea sailing. when
they have once become used to it, and
beg to be allowed to return to the ocean.
! Indeed the destination of yacht is
al MI, xuif
| contrary winds and equally perverse
| Gains, with the constantly recurring
necessity of shipping more water. and
"A new supply of ice, the ocean wave
gets good deal neglected. The stow
ing of the .ce is accomplished in
+ highly cooperative manner-six people
and one good rope and tackle all assist
! ing at the ceremony. The last man
| has the hardest timeof it, for he really
| has to carry the ice, and on his shoulder
at that. Clad in an oilskin garment,
the patient Ludwig stands in the hold,
receives the big Jumps of ice, amid
directions from below and above, and
staggering little under the heavy load,
drops it into the big refrigerator. 1t
all looks SO simple, and is done SO sys-
tenlatically, that it is quite Impressive.
We mentally resolve to erect forthwith
ropes and tackles in our own house,
and to organize the cook and the
walters, and our 'big boy" into an
amateur crew, to be drlhed into the use
of this tackle which accomplishes such
wonders on board ship, and then it
strikes us that the iceman on land, in a
landlubberly way, and with the help of
pair of stairs, accomplished the ice
feat unassisted, save by tongs! But the
rope and tackle are mighty on board
ship, and one of their most Curl
GUS feats is when n sailor stands on a
gaff and hosts himself and the sail
simultaneously, assisted by his mates,
who haul him below till he has reached
a sufficient height, when he slides down
the mast-with his boots on!
How much pleasanter it would be if a
ship could sail always on one tack! No
sooner are we comfortably established
with deck-chair and cushions, a protect
ing ..vashmak" against the sun, and
the sad story of the cruise of the
Jeanette. as a protection against en-
nui, than the eternal order comes,
"Hard-a-iee;" the sailors echo it and fly
to change all the sails, jibs, and giblets,
and we must shift too, or sit in the hot
sunlight! But the book we hold in our
lap, with its tale of heroic endurance
and brave endeavor, suggests the wick
edness of grumbling at little matters.
Alas! it suggests as well the folly and
uselessness of overcarefully watching
and guarding boy. Poor De Long,
the child whose fond mother would moi
permit him to join in any rough OIL
boyish sports lest he should come tc
harm, what a terrible fate was his
The boy for whom swimming and
shooting were too dangerous goes to the
north pole and perishes of Arctic colo
and hunger! What mockery of fate
what oriental fatalism is here!-Bost0a
ITdUeier.