The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-05-01
ARR BLOWS!!

OAPIs - IL u. HOblNbON
Copyright. 1881. By the Author.
CHAPTER L
HOW I sHIPPHp.
In the year 1875. having Just returned from
svoyage to the west coast OF Africa. which. BY
the way. Was my first experience In plough.
ing salt water" was trying to settle down on
shore again ct my trade. but failing health
determined me to try the sea once more.
Ihsd had enough OF the African trade. 20 I
concluded that "blubber hunting" was the
LATEST way In which to build up my constitu.
ton and ct the Same time see little OF the
world. Thus. one day In September. found
myself standing on tho pier In Now Bedford
IN cold. drizzling rain. looking at BLUM
bowed. clumsy bark OF about $50 tons. painted
dirty yellow. with Triton" on her stem.
Al WAS looking curiously up at her single
topsail yards and other old fashioned peculiar.
ttics. q well-dressed. middle.agod man ap.
preached. and.lwith an insinuating smile. said:
~ see you're looking at the old Triton"
"Yes," said L "There Is no law to prevent
It. 10 therer"
.No, no. OF course not" he replied. "Look-
ing for chance to ship"
"Where is she going and how long II the
voyase% asked.
VnE00 y60fo-ln Cn0 AtihuClcs om ouo VI
tho owners. Ever been to sea7"
II have made one voyage In palm-oil
trader" said I. land was offered second
mates berth when we got back"
"Just the man we want Whore do you be-
lonRT'
Nantucket" replied.
Nantucket Why. man. any SCRAP island
or will make good whaleman. Como right
up to my store and sign the papers I'll give
you the 175th lay Come along"
followed him to his large clothing store on
Union street, where signed the ships articles
sailor llke-without reading them. I was
told the ship sailed in two weeks, and was
about to leave for the steamer to return home.
when. with bland smile. he said:
"Nuw. Mr.. Barker. you will want an outfit
keep everything you'll need and o chest to put
tin. and you can have all you want When
the voyage is over we will deduct It from your
wages"
l had never been on Q whaler. but I was
brought up on an island where whaling was
the principal industry since its settlement
and we'll knew the kind Of outfit and the out
sageous prices should be obliged to pay
finally. SO said politely:
"Idon't want anything. shall buy my stun
ct homo for cash."
For . moment he was speechless with sur
prise and baffied greed. and then his better
feelings evidently got the ascendsncy. and.
tuoking one thumb In his vest and laying his
disengaged hand on my shoulder. he deliver
Cd himself as follows:
young man. I am q shark It's my bust
moss to skin sailors. but II you have the cash
to buy elsewhere d. me II don't advise
you to do itl'
n will not weary You with an account Of my
Anal preparations. or the parting with my
mother aud slsters Sufflce 1t to say that on
Aug. 10. 1876. We said good.by to Yankee land
and shaped our course for the Azores Islands.
where We were to ship several native Portu-
gueso to complete our crew.
It 10 only fair that should give the reader
general outline OF tho crew with whom my lot
was cast for what was. although unknown to
me then. destined to be o cruise around the
world lasting over four years.
The Captain was a long. lean Mattapoisett
man who had served with distinction in the
navy and ut the close OF the war returned to
whaling. He possessed the courage OF lion
and good share Of his strength. md In addi-
ton was 1rst-cass navigator and thorough
seaman. and. although rough. was kind man
ct heart The nrst officer was from Fair
haven. stout. red-fac man. who. while full
Of courage. had no Judgment whatever and
was universally disliked. The second mate
fellow. q splendid sailor and keen whnlemnn.
but love for strong drink promised to ruin what
otherwise would have been % successfu! career
Tho third offloor was Gay Hoad Indian
In tie last stngos OF consumption. who was
shipped only because he owed tho iirin money
and would in this way cancel MS much OF tho
debt as possible boioro no diod. Poor fol-
low! We buried him at scn in \ few months.
The fourth officer WAS II Portuguosr. Tho
four "harpooners." or boat stccrrrs'' MS thov
arc now calod woro Portuguese. and tho 90 ,k
and largo proportion OF tho crew were also
gees" as sailors say. Then thnrn wcro two
Germans. two Kanakns. n Frcnchnan. two
1rishmen. n nativ" of 81. IIcona. and half
dozen Yankees and Canadians. In nll. wo had
thlrty-one persons on board. including car
penter. cooper. and blacksmith.
When wo wsro c!onr of thu Ian wo wero
mustered on deck and divided into two
Watches. | was chosen among tho first ny tho
second mate and assigned Ia TIL, s.arbonri
watch. was also informed that was to pull
tho 'midship's oar in the old mans hoat" tD
which said ago. ayo, air." not hnyln. tho
slightest idca where tho honorable position
might be. ] soon found out. however
0Aftcr wo had boon Divided into watches the
port watch went below and tho second mato
called out:
"Horo. one Of You starboard watc,,mcn. r..
liovo the whoe und let that man 90 boow with
his WATCH"
was nhout tho only man nhlo to got 70 tho |
Wheol, so went aft and took tho spoko.. Tho |
mato watchod my performance for n few mn.
mcnts. and then. seemingly satisfied Tint T
knew my business wont forward To nsco,tr,n
how many OF his watrl, hal over soon n shin
before. Avery sorry looking crowd they ware
The majority had como on board under the In