The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-11-23
BOYS LIFE At SEA.
PRENTICE MILFORD TELLS A BIT
or YOUTHFUL EXPERIENCE. -

orr Eli 81 rarc-L Learning Good Nan
ners-h Belly in huthor.iy-An ''Ordi-
nary Seaman"
There were on board six "boyG hcsides
myself. end all from the same village as
our captain That was the principal rca-
SON for shipping on his vessel. II was
no. Z good thing to do. as wc soon found
out. To lc known on board as a friend
or protcgc Of tho captain Is 10 draw Mt
once q prejudice unfavorahlc you from
crow and officers. They think You are
trying TO creep IN at the cabin windows
The motto Cl shipboard is that true
sailor iau1t come in through the hawse
holes. That may or lay not hold true,
according f. The LIND 4 toy or material
that co.lca in either way. If nan has
got the silOr in him il will come out
snywhcrr.
] W. ID TIE rrcond mates watch. lie
was q torn brute. Bot he rworc half Of
RS firl,.e-i ont # ilc. and thc fresh air
and enforced cycrcisc CT pounding the
rlsi from ihr cliair cable before It was
stowc.i AVA did the rest.
Or o-.f..rieacc vac rough But II was
rarrl We lrome1 il q short time many
thin .cur p.r.n's Ind neglected otcach
us. .l.I 81. the ort II .lCIding and wash
ing orr ,rTi clothrs. Up a. that tine !
hat, 81 thn clcWli nrCcs ify #
rpai4 ca clothing Ny first oiorts
wi b Gre needle. one sunny morning 90
sat cd deck. called forth abueive express
si0n- rorarding my luck cf skill from
the thnd ml-. re ccrdcsccndcd TO
teach nc. Cur earlier ciorts at wash
Ing called forth conteilp.uOus cxpleuyes
from the Oh sailors. who aid that such
badly washed clothes hung i1 the rigging
were disgrace 10 Che ship. We rcsOrted
nj tine tOa 81. wa.h, which consists IN
tying flannel lint TO a line, ilinging it
OvorOOarland letting 1t tow after the
phip. Sometimes We hauled in 80 lines
less The shirt IRON badly tied knots, and
sometimes. when the ship was surglng
along a. the rate Ct ten knots an hour,
we hauled in q shirt less good deal Of
the warp. for a lit Of cloth won't last
long when treated in this manner.
SAILORS BILL or FARE.
Our sea fare was "lobsc0usc" and
fluid called coffee for breakfast; "saIt
horse" and bard tack for dinner on Mon
day, FORK and beans On Tuesday, salt
beef AGAIN on Wednesday. salt fish ON
Friday. and beef again on Saturdays and
SUNDAYS: fluid called tea, sweetcned in
bulk with mOlasScs for supper, and on
"dun days" Thursday and Sunday
lump Of plain boiled flour, without
puins or other fruit to give it the true
inwardnoes of pudding. This taught
l.. .,1 Inn rff,e
porcd at home. For the first time in our
lives we really appreciated the value of
our home breakfasts. with milk III our
coffee. buckwhcat cakes, and score OF
other things, which we thought came IS
easily rs dew from the clouds and must
I've cvcrywhcrc Some Of us had be-
lonCed t0thc Dainty-and-Giil
cub order Of boys-grunbled at the
coffee for breakfast, turned up our noses
ut this or that dish. and made 'mother
hustle 20 rcl Us something fat to eat.
Three weeks at sea cured us Of that.
Even the slcll Of real coffee, a. II was
carried b. the black steward from the
galley TO the cabin table. was treat,
and an occasional cold breakfast roll or
discarded bit of any calin dish that
found * way % u wa q luxury not 20
tie described ia words. Thee were
"bcnavlne." That is the sea phrase ioT
the crumbs that fall 90 the boys from the
captains table "i.Obscousc' is made OF
hard bread. boiled a short time with
shredded salt beef II is g relialable dish
anywhere. a midnight luxury FOR sea
lunch is a biscuit, an onion and % slice Of
raw pork IL sounds rOngh 70 the lands
mans car. but | have seen sailors, after
being a month ashore, longing eagerly
for this combination.
LEARNING GOOD if.ENELS.
am almost ashamed - say that 1t
was necessary for Us boys g. 50 q sea in
order TO learn some necessary manners.
For instance. when spoken 10 10y an Off
Ger or ordered by him individually e. do
any duty il was required q US t. cay
Gave. ave. sir. ia order 70 show that vc
had heard what he hod said and rot 20
Off without saying word, as we Fad
often done IN somewhat similar circun-
stances with our parents. leaving them I'D
doubt whether we had heard them or
not Then wc were required 20 show
certain Difference. even 90 the older
sailors. but W. had not been il the habit
of doing e many Of The grown up men
of our village. II % boy on 6hipiHati
was too fresh, as the modern saying goes,
with the old salts of the iorecastle and
too much inclined t. move his tongue
glibly when in their company, either
with them or his own mates, lac was very
quickly reminded that his char and
verbal horae play must lie reserved for
his own special company and for time
and place.
our ship was furnished with bully
second mate. lie was knocking some
body down much Of the time. This was
during the flush Of the era Of fast Cali
fornia clippers, high sailors wages and
fast passages t. San Francisco. Men
shipped. claiming IL be able seamcn,
who had not mastered their trade. Be
cause an allie seaman's vocation Is a
trade as much as Is that Of shoemaker
lie should know all about Enottine and
splicing and be equal TO any repairs or
work REQUIRED alon. An Ordinary sea-
man" is expected to "hand reef and
steer" which. in substance, means he
"should know the ropes, he able TO
make himself useful on yard IN rccimg
end rot hang on a useless encumbrance
asIdid. lie should know also how TO
steer Il ship properly, which. in the case
l.