Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-05-15
CHAPTER XI.
LIFE IN THE STEERAGE.

LIFE IN THE STEERAGE
After everything was cleaned up on deck
and we resumed the usual routine of ships
duties, the old man called me aft and said:
Take your traps aft to the steerage, and
after this you will lower in the head of my
boat always. You will get the 18th lay from
this time forward
And thus L received my first promotion.
My chest was soon in its new place, and
my duties were much easier 1 was exempt
from steering and keeping lookout at night
When we scrubbed decks handleda bucket
instead of a broom, and was a sort of petty
officer. Ny duties were to take my turn at
the main masthead to look out for whales
and keep the side lights trimmed and burn
ing brightly at night. There are two boat
steerers in each watch, and thus the work is
evenly divided.
My success as harpooner had evidently
encouraged the captain to make another
trial of raw material, and In few days my
chum was given an opportunity to distin-
guish himself, and killed his whale, which
was small with his irons. He was promoted
likewise, and one of the old boat steerers
was "broken," or reduced to the forecastle.
We were in the same watch, and life seemed
much easier to me for the rest of the
voyage.
As the season was now over for sperm
whales we gladly squared away one morn
ing for the Kanaka Islands. We were over
taken by the Alaska the same day, and
sailed in company with her until we reached
Vac Vac, on the Friendly Islands.
For several days before we saw the land a
large school of skirjacks and aIbatrosses
kept us company, disappearing at shutdown,
and as regularly reappearing each morning
under our bows as we bowled along in the
northeast trades. We caught enough to fill
several barrels by dangling line from the
jibboom with white ray on the hook. The
fish mistake it for flyingfish and are read
lily hooked, and when the fisherman pulls
his prize on the boom a man stands ready
with bag, in which it is carried on deck,
where several men are kept busy splitting
and sailing them.
One old skipjack steadily refused to bite,
keeping little to one side of the tempting
hook, and one day the mate darted an iron
at him, ust grazing his side and leaving a
long white mark. After that we used to
look for him each day, and named him ''Old
Jack. He was always in sight, but just
out of reach.
At last the welcome cry of "Land hop'
from the masthead was heard, and we were
soon able to sec what appeared to pe to be
large forest growing out of the water.
The trees grow nearly to the waters edge,
and the land was very low, which accounts
for the illusion. As we near the land four
bells sounded from aft and 1 went aloft to
relieve my chum at the masthead. From
my lofty perch 1 had an excellent oppor-
tunity to look about me, for we were soon
threading our way among number of small
islands densely covered with cocoanut
trees, and surrounded in nearly every case
by a coral reef over which the seas broke,
leaving a long line of white foam behind
them. Inside the reef the water was smooth
as mill pond, and the snow white beach
stood out in marked contrast to the deep
blue of the water, which 1 had never seen
equaled In intensity in any other port of
the world
All that day and the next we held our
way, until at length we passed through
narrow passage and came to anchor in a
landlocked bay within 20 yards of the tall
palms, while from every quarter came the
native canoes, with their curious out
riggers, each anxious to be the first to
board us, for 1 may state here that no
whaler had touched here for several years.
As we STAYED here over a month, was
enabled TO learn something of the language
and customs Of the people, who seldom are
mentioned in print.
No sooner had We swung to our cable than
the canoes came within few feet of the
ships side, and, as their outriggers are
easily broker, they did not attempt to come
any nearer, but from each canoe q dusky
form plunged into the water, and clambered
over our rails like monkey. Fine-looking,
brawny chaps they are. EAeir skin is
clean copper color, and their broad
shoulders, shapely limbs and pleasant faces
impress one favorably at once.
Not having been informed of their GUS
when a ine-looking native rushed up to me |
and, seizing my hand and smiling pleasant
ly, said:
I was utterly at loss what to reply, so 1 |
said YES" and shook his hand good !
1 afterward found had sealed a compact
with him which nothing could induce him |
to break.
Their language is very simple and the al
phabet contains only IA letters, the letter
'r' not being one of them, and consequent
ly what my acquaintance meant to say was,
''You nv friend?" as they invariably sub.
stitute 81" Tor "r'
The day after we arrived we were at work
on deck when the third mate had words
with one of the crew and flew into a violent !
passion. He struck the sailor, and then
took few steps, gave groan and fell to
the deck. He was carried to the cabin door
and assisted down the steps, when he
gasped:
81 wish was deadr' And as if in answer
to his PRAYER, he pitched heavily forward on
the cabin floor. When he was lifted life
was extinct. He had been troubled with
heart disease for long time, and suffered
so much that he had many times been heard
to wish for death as preferable to the tor
nents he endured. The carpenter built
rude coffin, and the next day he was laid to
rest in beautiful cocoanut grove, with a
simple board at his head giving his name
md age.
To Be Continued Nert Sunday
SPRING time is here The bugs will soon
Begin to crawl Kill them all before thew