The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-07-20
ON THE BOUNDING BILL0W
First Trippers and the Queer Exper-
fences They Are Liable
to Have.
Determinations Rivalry in the Cor
geouaness Of Floral Offer
ings at Sailing.

8oOu6u0SS Oh flOral Ou0r.
ings at Sailing.
Gloomy State of Affairs When Past tn
HoOk-Crew Getting Sober,
Passengers Sick.
Az SEA, June 23.-There is only one plac,
where the great Atlantic liners come to .
complete stop, unless from accident, be-
tween their New York docks and Queens
twon. This is for most interesting littl,
incident and ceremonial, of which first
trippers usually have no knowledge, anc
which even old voyagers seldom quite un.
derstand. 1t is called dropping the pilot
If you are still upon the promenade deck
and have got the mists of parting out OF
your eyes, you have perhaps wondered
what that bronzed- faced man in citizens
clothing was doing up there among the be.
spangled officers upon the bridge. He seems
the quietest fellow on board. His eyes are
singing out the row of channel buoys, or,
with glass, rapidly scanning the lower
Jersey shores and the cleaning lines of the
Long Island sands, or again glancing at this
point or that along the sea horizon. His is
an anxious face. The lines in it uncon-
sciousiy picture the human look that tells
of something lost, or Of great danger that
there may be. ! have seen men like him
stand where he is with that same look and
the preparation dripping from their faces
in streams in the coolest of weather. This
=. 10 $3.50 {o;, l>r%r In he
stands there, now and then giving low
toned order, he is absolutely the commander
of the ship. He is a New York pilot, de-
tailed from the lower Wall street pilot
office to take your ship to sea. In ordinary
cases his Zee would be based upon the
steamships a dumped" price is made. He
must remain aboard until Sandy Hook is
passed and as much further out as the
steamer captain desires. If it be pleasant
weather, when you are abreast of
Sandy Hook you will notice row.
boat. yawl-built, manned by two men,
putting out from the lightship anchored be-
tween your steamer and the Hook. This
lightship is simply a New York harbor pi-
lot-boat by pilot regulations made to do her
turn of months stand" in this unsa-
worry. though often exciting, berth. Het
crew are pilots 'prentices getting their first
lessons and experiences at pilots duties and
towards your steamer in the channel is
called "pilot's punt;" and the two oars
men are knottily-bui prentice lads of Il
or 20 years of age. At the same moment
the punt heads for the steamer, the latter't
engines slow down. The punt apd the steam.
Lines are cast; the punt made fast to float
alongside the ships port side; and the rope
ladder is lowered. Meantime the pilot hal
resigned his post on the bridge. The CHIEF
officer Immediately takes his place. Step
ping to the chart-room the pilot certifes in
the port of New York; the ships command.
er certifies the pilots fee, which pilotage il
duly paid by the New York agents of the
line; and in moment more the pilot hal
been dropped" into the waiting punt. B,
the ships rail stands the purser, or tn
byes have been hastily written, sealed ant
stamped, and hundreds of kilograms in
dited between the docks and the Hook
These, the last slender thread between Liant
and home and the irrevocable fnality o
your voyage. are letdown by line to thu
tenderness in his arms. In another instan
the ships engines are again thunder
fo tor the fiehtship. The officer or
the bridge mods to the boatswain
whose shrill whistle ''strikes tn
0RR0. Inc QuaIterm61GeI DrlnR GOWN I'M
ships three hags-the ''blue Peter" or sail
ina-lay Gag from the foremost, the owner
or "house'' flag from the ,nainmast, and tn,
ensign from the Raf-as dead-shot hunte
will bring some gay bird of passage from it,
flight quiveringly to his feet. farewell
cheer rings out over the port side after tn
departing pilot. Your voyage has nov
There can nowhere be noticed more dol
orous change than that which in twenty
four hours time after sailing day has com
over the manner. appearance and environ
ment Of from ], 600 to 1000 souls on you
great ocean steamer; The quiet people il
handsomely. These were the least hilariou
ana obstreperous sailing. But they com
prise but a trifiing percentage. Nearly all tn
rest have come aboard as they would atten,
reception or the opera, with a view t.
making something of an impression. Tha
quite forgiveable human weakness of eve
beng ON the alert to be thought we'll of, ha
had every form of expression. This on
has held a veritable levee on the wharf
Another has arranged to receive all name
of needless correspondence and kilograms
Another has actually sent to a choice circl
ing date and hour, with delicate intima
tion that the presence of dear friends a
sailing would be charming token of re
gard. This brings score of carriages,
crowd of folk, q dozen or SO regrets by mes
sengers, and what is still more acceptable
because of its impressiveness, perfec
ovation in fruits, bonbons and flowers. !
is feast to this class of departing one
to oyerhear covert inquiries like "Wh'
are those people?'' "What party il
that2'' "High rollers, that crowd, eh?'
And the silks, diamonds ane
They know it, and pleasant little thrill O
Nounuact cOmoa 0f IL all Ruf tho haiubf ~,
delight or despair to these nouveaux riches
is found in the matter of paying floral of
ferings. The chief steward of the grea,
liner upon which am now writing esti
mates the value of flowers sent to the cabir
within twenty four hours previous to sailing
as often reaching $500! One stand never
cost less than $3.50. How its possessor, 6
wicked old crone of 10, hid underneath
paint. wig and bangs, and bespangled with
diamonds, glared with scorn at the $50 OF
500 offerings piled upon the cabin tables
But some of our New York worthless are
very clever about this steamship flower
show.
do you See that mafnifcent fgure?''
asked the stewart pointing to piece four
feet in height artistically formed into SEM
blance Of the coat-of-a of quite cele-
brated English house. 'The lady of the
family to whom this was sent. claims to be
of noble birth, although her husband sells
rum for living. She crosses often with
MS: and she usually has the handsomest
offering sert aboard. I know her florist
very well. She makes the order herself