The record-union., 1892-10-08
SALT WATER ETIQUETTE
Why the Big Indiaman Was So Yer,
Courteous.


The Atlantic Ocean is streaked from
one side to the other with the long, black
trailing smoke-plumes of the big, rushing
record breakers" and ocean grew.
hounds" and few are left of the gallant
old white-winged craft that carried the
flag and the fame of the nation to every
part of the world, save some scattering
'oll Sleds" which the sailors or to speak
more correctly, the deckhands on, the
liners contemptuously refer to as wind
TANNERS" Here and there, however,
will be seen an occasional East Indian
semi-clipper, either bound out to China
or the East Indies, loaded with case oil.
or coming home with a cargo Of hemp,
Jute, hnseed, rattan or some other of the
fragrant and valuable products of the
gorgeous East. But through all the
changes in the size and rig of vessels,
through all the vicissitudes of a life on
the ocean wave, the Captain of ship, be
1t big or little, is, as rule, as punctilious
in the matter of etiquette as a Spanish
grandee.
And the etiquette of the sea is a won
derful thing. n hail from little seventy
five-ton "fore-and-after'' will be an
swered with as much regard for the pro-
prieties by an East India ship of 1000
tons as it would be by one of its own size,
and when the big ship has been run
through storm and fog by dumb luck
and dead reckoning" the appearance of
the little one is hailed with delight, as
atfording means Of rectifying possible
errors in reckoning. An instance of this
kind occurred OFT Cape Cod a short time
ago, when the Captain of a ship with a
valuable cargo and a crew Of twenty i've
men, as the log lifted about noon of the
seventh consecutive day without an OBJ
servation, saw almost under his bows
little "cordW wood coaster" creeping along
under mainsail and jib, with her skipper
at the wheel and her crew lone manl Wig
orously hauling away at the jib sheet.
ship ahoyn' roared the skipper.
Back from the deck away above him
came the answering call, "Ahoy therep'
Where ye tromY' was the next uues-
ton.
Calcutta, bound for Boston," was the
reply. -,
"Linseed, spice and jute butts.n
How long ye bin out?'
"One hundred and sixty days"
Gossip said the skipper, and then
came the chance of the big ships Captain.
schooner ahoy!" came from the deck
of the ''lime-juicer."
"Ahoy there" was the answer.
WHATS your longitude?"
The skipper knew where he was and
the master of the Calcutta ship was un-
certain. SO when the answer was given
he was much relieved, for it showed that
he was nearer home than he had reck-
oned. But he was going to have his talk
out any way, and although the little fell
low had his jib to windward he roared
out:
Where you from?"
Gloucester, bound for New Bedford.u
w hats your cargo?"
Rocks and bilge water, mostly"
How long you been out?'
The skipper was stung by the sarcasm
of the last question, and with look of
scorn at the big ship beloved out: "Bin
out all night by thunder, and 1 wish
hadn't. Draw away your jib," and the
sheet block went over to the lee rail with
bang, the sail filled, and the last the In
diaman heard of the schooner was the
skipper's shout from the stern of his boat.
''4e think ye're darn smart, don't ye, jest
cause ye're bigr'