The Progress., 1892-12-03


tie. The slush lamp was alight, as
always is. day and night, in such place
and two OF the men had sat down for
game OF cards, and third was lynn
down, when the place was suddenly in
vaded by rats. They didn't dodge AM
glide about in search of food. but boldl,
and viciously attacked the men. Tn,
sailors came tumbling up ON deck shout
ing and swearing, and the last man al
had three rats clinging to him as bt
reached the deck. Each man had been
bitten three or four times, and one rodent
held to his grip on the mans hand unit,
choked to death. The three victims were
ridiculed and laughed at, however, and
permission being given the whole watch
armed themselves and jumped down for
frolic. They had one too. They killed
about thirty rats. but every man was
bitten ct least once. II was found that
about dozen holes had been gnawed In
the bulkhead separating the hold, and
the carpenter went down and nailed
pieces Of tin over them. The men were
not bothered again that night, but we
were again driven out of the cabin. The
captain ordered man down there, to be
relieved every two hours, and we bunked
down on deck and caught what sleep we
could.
Next morning the wind fell light. and
the captain ordered a grand rat hunt.
on shipboard which inter
feres with the routine affects discipline
disastrously, and tho way the officers
had been driven from their quarters had
their prestige with the crew.
Every man who could be spared from
The decks took q hand in the hunt, but
we did not kill above q dozen rats. The
hold was full OF cargo, mostly of heavy
'tuff. and could not be entered. and
here the rats took refuge % soon as we
,egan the hunt. We found, however.
hat they had seriously damaged most
II our provisions. They had eaten into
he barrels Of -four and ships bread.
nd some Of the cabin stores had been
wep< clean.
A rat will gnaw hole in q water cask
search f the fluid, but except IN this
l never knew one to mst3dle
nth beef. vinegar and spirits. They
nawed into and let all the brine out of
hree casks Of beef, and in the same way
hey tapped q barrel q vinegar and q
eg OF brandy. By a stroke Of good
sck the captain thought f his bag of
harts in time, but the pests had already
'ade their way into the flag locker and
hewed the bunting 10 rags. Our third
late was a Dane, and he declared that
three or four rats were caught and
'eir tails cut off we should have no
ore trouble. The men captured sew
al and sent them into the hold with
eeding stumps, and for two days and
ghts we saw only an occasional rat.
hen the tail shortening business seemed
lose its charm, and we were as bad
overrun as before. The only way
10 men could get any sleep in the
castle was 10 keep one Of their mum.
n on the watch, and even then sleeper
two was bitten every night.
The bulkheads in ships cabin, as you
'obably know. are Of light stuff. We
'd no sooner clapped piece Of tin over
10 hole than the rats began gnawingl
lother. In broad Daylight they could
heard working away in q dozen diff.
rent places at once, and at night moth.
g would keep them out. We had a
OF tin plate among our cargo, and !
Q captain ordered several boxes broken
It. We then went at It and sheeted 9
cry bulkhead and the bottom Of every
or, lined the lazarette, and before we c
sre through we used up several hun 8
ed sheets. Wherever rat could gnaw q
stopped him, and after q couple OF 8
US we cleared them out of fo'castie and ,
bin. Two or three nights later, as u
Is pacing the deck and the brig was r
yging along at an easy gait, one Of the II
Itch suddenly yelled out and came q
nning aft with big rat perched on his ! p
oulder and having its teeth fast in his n
r. 1t was rats again, full score OF W
am running over the main deck, and we p'
med to and killed them off to find two =
les gnawed through the deck. After 4,
1t 1t became a part of the duty of each
Itch to listen for rats gnawing the u
ck. We heard them often enough, bui
landspike brought down with thumb
er the spot would make them let oo