The Dickinson press., 1888-10-06
WHY BOYS GO 10 SEA.
Tho Charm of Sailor Dress-Romantie
Notions of Foreign Lands.


Notions of Foreign Lands.
was but II very little lad when first wen,
to sea-my age l3 years and Gmonths Why
went to sea can hardly say. l had Ger.
tainly no clear views. Maybe the reading of
story books about the ocean life raised kind
of hankerins in me; but think it was the
desire to shine in buttons, to wear n pair of
blue cloth trousers flowing at the feet, /;
little jacket with pretty brass bound sleeves,
Il colorcd shirt with collar lying we'll open
at the throat and embellished with n black
silk handkerchief tied in n proper sailors
knot, the ends twinkling to every breeze like
the fly of IL streamcr pulling at Il mast, n cap
on the back of my head with sparkling de-
vice above the peak of it representing n
golden wreath encircling flag beautifully
coiorcl with blue and silver silk l say it
was II ycarning to walk attircd i'll clothes of
this kind that ended in my going to sea.
My notions of the deep were entirely TO-
mantle | thought of coral Islands. green
savannahs, forests Of fruit trees, savagcs
with bows and arrows, great elephants with
little black men riding cross legged on their
heads blue rivers winding toward the pur
pie of distant mountains with shining white
cities upon their banks, where the roofs of
the houses of the nobility were garnished
with gold and silver and precious stones,
where there We're ducks that laid cmeralds
and hens rubies, and where there We're the
funniest monkeys in the world too be had for
the asking. promised ono of my little sis
ters TO bring her a box of gold dust and tho
ivory tusk of an elephant; for another was
to- procure II bird of paradise, two humming
birds and lizard that wasn't poisonous. To
my brother Tommy, who was two years
younger than myself l promised Il real
canoe, and rather think added that if it
was to be managed would present him with
live savage to so fishing with him in it.
knew geography pretty well, though my
ideas of distant lands were q little confused
when came to think of their product; but it
seemed to me that II fellow only needed to 60
To sea to obtain what he wanted. The world
WAS very big, thought. and when n man
sailed into it hc was bound to meet with
everything that was wonderful and worth
having. 1t never struck INC that | might
make n voyage to n place where there were
10 elephants, no gold dust, no canoes, no
s;lvages even, merely n civilized black man or
two, such as you may meet any day, bland,
clean and shining, in London street. In
deed, | no more realized the sort of country !
might first visit than | did tho life l must
lca,! in order to get to it. There was n great
deal of fruit mixed up in my scafaring
dream; the brass buttons and the badgc stood
first, and then my vision was as plentifully
stocked as big market with cocoanuts, ba-
iaas, oranges, dates, custarl apples and
| other first class eating.
knew something about ships; had lived
| half of my little life in n seaport town, and
could talk of bowsprits, quarter boats, dead
eyes and jibs without blundcring; but of tho
Eardshils of Il sailors life, the food he eats,
the work lie has to do | was, of course. quite
ignorant. 1t has often amused and interested
me since to ask u boy, say of 1873, who
has told his papa and mamma that he is tie
tcrmined to go to sea, what his notions of the
calling are. As /; rule l find them wonder
fully like what mine We're. 1t is partly an
idea of getting away from school, partly tho
dream of becoming n man all at once, partly
a fancy of pirates, buried treasure glitter
ing uniforms, and fine curiosties to be got
somehow and brought home, the whole col
orcd with the light Of the romance which
shines very gloriously upon the minds OF
boys when they are little, but which slowly
fades as one gets old and older, till life turns
as gray round about one as u cold November
day.-Clark Russell