Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1890-02-12

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venting themselves from slipping Of
their seats on and over that table. those
on the lower, side had equal difficulty
in keeping themselves up to convenient
feeding distance.
Capt Reynolds. at the bead Of tho
board. had hard lot in the endeavor to
maintain his dignity and sitting perpen
dicularly at the same time on the then
permanent and not popular angle Of
forty five But |. steward. butler. cook
and cabin boy. bore the hardest trbula-
ton Of all in carrying my dishes across
the deck. down the cabin stairs. and ar
ranging them on a table at an angle Of
forty-five. OF course. at this time tho
rack used in rough weather to prevent
plates and pIatters from slipping of was
brought into permanent use.
Transit from galley to cabin was &C.
complished by crawling on two legs and
one arm. thus making Of myself a peri
patetic human triangle. while the unoo-
cupied hand with difficulty bore aioft
the soup tureen. 1t was then l appreci-
ated the great advantages afforded in
certain circumstances by the prehensile
mote ancestors. With such properly
equipped appendage. the steward might
have taken close hitch around an eye
bolt. and let all the rest of himself and
his dishes safely down into the little
cabin. 1t ia questionable whether mans
condition has been physically improved
by the process OF evolution He may
have lost more than he has gained A
monkey can we'll afford to scorn the rel.
atively clumsy evoiutions Of the most
skillful human brother acrobat
In former days while narratinx the
events Of this voyage. which have
done some thousands of times. used 70
say 1--WE whaled." But never whaIet,
never went in the h,ats. never pulled
IN oar ! had other fish to fry in the
galley, and now that | commence to
realize what a conscience il. | mention
this for truths sake as well as to give
variety to the story We were boarded
occasionally by few Mexicans There
was one melancholy looking Don Some
body who seemed always in a chronic
state of corn husk cigarette When not
smoking he was rolling them. when not
rolling or smoking he was Liz hting them.
He and his companions were peroons OF
some importance. for which reason Capt.
Reynolds rendered them the Inequalities
OF the Henry, and would ask them to
whatever meal was nearest ready
These two Mcxicans had enormous
stowage for grub. They resembled the
gulls. They also seemed unfathouable
There was no filling them. What they
did Mt table they did with all their might,
and when they finished. especially when
eating by themselves. rs they frequently
did. there was literally nothing left.
Nothing" in this case meant something.
1t meant in addition to bread. meat and
potatoes. every scrap of butter on the
butter plate and every grain OF sugar in
the sugar bowl. didn't take the hint
the first time they ate with us. deeining
the entire absence of butter and sugar
Mt the end Of the repast to be owing to
my placing u small amount on the table,
The second time they came on board !
remedied this. But OH inspection after
they had finished | found left only an
empty butter plate and sugar bowl. 1t
was SO Mt the third trial. Butter and
sugar seem to be regarded as dclicacies
by the natives Of Lower California. Nor
do they seem to comprehend the real
mission and import Of butter ana sugar
on the table. They regarded both these
articles as regular dishes. and scoopcd
them in. On discovering this. after u
consultation with the captain. put them
on allowance. These two men would
have eaten up all our butter and sugar
III four weeks.
However, it was comparatively a slight
toll they levied on us for carrying of
their whale oil, seal and abalone. We
were miles within their legal boundaries
taking away the wealth of their waters.
Twelve other American whalers lay in
Marguerite bay that season. 1t was prac-
ticaly an invasion, only the Mexicans
didn't seem to know they were invaded.
or didn't care if they did know. So long
AS they Lad plenty Of butter and sugar
on coming on board and the bIuhber
stripped rarrasses which came on shore
they seemed satisfied These carcasses
they cut open when stranded and OK
tracted the fat about the heart. which,
on being fried out. would yield from one
to four barrels Of oil and about three
miles of solid stencil They borrowed
from us the vessels whcrewith to boil
this fat was ordered to loan
them all the pots. pans and kettles
which could be spared from my cult
nary laboratory They never returned
them, and WAS very glad they did
not. No amount Of srourin. would
ever have rid them Of the ot.or of de-
composed ieviatlan We left them q
dozen or So iron vessels the richer. \
Mexican. at least on that coast. with a
keith, is locke! up to RS a man of wealth
Br>"nd sciapcs. cigarette lighters. sad
dies and bridges. III" gan. of natives on
shore mad frw other possessions They
seemed brilliant examples of con,ent.d
poverty The individual Mexican is a
more independent being than tho cit.zen
OF our own tnr,st.d 'ind-penslent" ma
ton His wants are ten times less.
S'ne mercantile hopes may hang on
the hsI'"ras and senorita~ The few We
saw wanted calicmS IF gay and diverse
patterns The men will cat butter and
sugar. but whether they will h,y these
articles remains to be- proved. Perhaps
furniture sets "f polished and painted
horses skulls might temu some of the