Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1890-01-11


nose even 10 nope IN. Inc tulnus went
on as cser. Tho sailors trampled over
me. Being In tho way, they dragged me
aside cared not. Finally some one
bawled in my car, Sick! go below" ]
went. Tho Eve other boys, all similarly
affected, ali caring naught for life or
living, lay In their hunks.
The boys house was about the size Of
a respectable pigPcn---s single pigpen.
There was room in II for two boys TO
turn at once. providing they turned
slowly and carefully. On going on board
we had bestowed such Of our outfit as
could be brought into this pen in the
manner In which boys OF 10 bestow
things generally on first commencing to
"keep house." Everything was arranged
on terra firma basis. We made no cal
culation for the ships deviating from an
even keel. When she did commence to
pitch everything fell down. Clothing fell
on the floor; plates, knives, forks, cups and
bottles rolled from shelf and bunk; bread,
meat. and the molasses kegs fell; plum
and sponge cake, pie and sweetmcats
fell; for each boy had space In his sea
there by kind. dear relativesat home. II
was intended that we should not refer to
them until the ship was far advanced on
her voyage.
But we never had such large supplies
of cake and swcctmeats at hand before;
SO we went for these things Immediate
". The house abounded with them the
first night out The roof leaked We
left our sliding door carelessly open, and
few barrels Of the ocean stopped over
the bulwarks into the apartment. At
midnight our combined clothing, plates,
mugs, knives, forks, bottles, water kegs,
combs, hair brushes, hats, pants. coats,
meat, bread, pie, cake, sweetmeats, mo
lasses, salt water, and an occasional sea.
sick and dcspairing boy, united to form
a wet, sodden mass on the floor two feet
in depth. Above. the storm howled and
swept through the rigging, with little
sail to interrupt 1t. Six sick and
wretched boys in their berths lay "heads
and pints," as they pack herring that
is, the toe Of one rested on the pillow Of
the other, for 1t was not possible TO lie
otherwise in those narrow reccptacles
iOi tiaN hNihb ASub 'ip Va 'istt
second night are not TO he related.
No solicitous stewards with basins and
tenders of broth and champagne attend
ed US. We were not cabin passengers on
an ocean steamer. Barely had the next
mornings dawn appeared when our door
was flung open. In it stood that dread
ful second mate Of the grcenish eyes,
hard, brick red complexion, horny fists
and raspy voice--a hard, rough, rude,
unfeeling man, who cried: Come out of
that! Oh, you're young bears--your
troubles amt commenced yctr' Then
his long, bony arm gripped us, one after
another, and tore us from our bunks.
Out this dreadful morning we tumbled,
In the wet clothes wherein we had lain
all night, weak, sick, staggering, giddy.
A long iron hook was put in my hand
and was desired to go forward and as
sist in hauling along length after length
OF the cable, preparatory to slowing 1t
away. Sky and sea were all of dull,
monotonous gray; the ship was still
clamberiDg one great wave after an
notony. All the canvas of tho preccd.
ing day had disappeared, save much
diminished foretopsail and storm stay
sail. The mates on duty were alert and
swearing. The men, not all fully re.
covered from their last shore debauch,
were grumbling and swearing also. The
cook, dark hued tropical mongrel,
with glittering eyes, was swearing at
something amiss in his department. 1t
was a miserable time. But cure was
quickly effected. In thirty-six hours all
seasickness had departed. With the del
icate petting process in vogue with
wealthy cabin passengers it would have
required week. But we had no time
in which to be seasick.
Life for us on board this ship was com
menced on new basis. We were
obliged to learn "manners." Manners
among modern youth have become al
most obsolete. The etiquette and for
mality required from the younger to tho
elder, and common to the time of perulses
and knee breeches, has now little place
save on shipboard where such traditions
and customs linger. We were surprised
to find it our duty to say ''sir' TO an oili.
Ger. and also TO find it imperative to rec
ognize every order addressed us by the
remark "Aye, aye, sir!" The sullen,
shambling fashion of receiving words
addressed TO us in silence, SO that the
speaker was left in doubt rs to whether
Ire was heard or not, had no place off
soundings. In short, we were Obliged to
practice what is not common now to
many boys on shore-that is, AN out
ward -sllew Of respect Coz -saperiors. If
business called us TO the "Wcst End" of
ship, the quarter deck, eur place was
TO walk on the lee side of that deck and
leave the weather side the moment the
duty was done. II sent for any article
by an officer, it was our business to find
it without further recourse to him.
PRENTICE MULFoRp.
CHESS IN HAVANA