The morning call., 1893-12-09
SCENES ON THE CITY DOCKS
Rush for Berths Spite Tales OF
Hardship.
DEPARTURE OF THE MORGAN
Some Everyday Scenes From the Lii
of a WhaIeman Viewed From
CIay-Street Wharf.

The peculiar game OF whale-catching is
being actively prepared for along the
wafer front The whaling feet has come.
unloaded its cargoes of oil and bone and
unfolded its usual supply Of tales OF the
northern seas.
One by one the blubber-hunters are de-
parting now. and the trials of all newly
fiedged whalemen are about TO commence.
The steam fleet has not moved so quickly
as the wind TANNERS, but before many
days these. too, will cast off for the whal-
ing grounds.
Notwithstanding the stories told of the
hardships of seamen who sign to ship in
whalers, hundreds of men are besieging
the local whaling-vessel owners applying
for berths. Old salts and landlubbers
elbow each other in attempts to be the
first to speak for a chance, ard old time
whalers find no lack of sailors and hunters
10 fill the narrow confines of the dungeon
like forecastle.
Thursday the Charles w. Morgan went
to sea, and. though most of her crew had
gone on board the day before. there were
those who clung TO terra frma until the
last moment and then came Struggling
down to the awaiting Whitehall boats
about at the moment when the anchor
pipes and the tugboat was alongside im-
patient TO take the TOW" 10 a good offing.
Travellers who are bound for q short
voyage at sea and are attended at the dock
by host of friends who desire to wish
them godspeed and pleasant voyage,
must not compare their departure with the
hurried exit of the whaIemen. The latter
generally come down to the boat-anding
In On express wagon accompanied by
boarding house runner. possibly couple
OF friends and a man whose duty prinei-
pally consists in looking tough and con-
veylng an impression that outsiders are
requested to keep at a respectful dis
tance and not interfere with tie pro-
ceedings OF his employer, the boarding.
house man. He swears, chews tobacco and
eVinceS a disposition to plug" somebody
just for luck. He tells the man who is
being shipped to 'get skate on" himself
as der bark's hove short on the anchor"
Having fully established his reputation as
latent but energetic power, ready to Gre
ate havoc when once released from the
shackles OF pr0priety, he kindly volunteers
TO purchase flask OF whisky iOr the for
lora and poverty-strieken sailor, who has
spent all his advance money trying to
satisfy his thirst aud is longing for lust
one more mouthfnl OF good waterfront
whisky. The whaleman's face assumes
benign and grateful expression at the
sight OF bottle, but alas his JOY is almost
turned to sorrow on observing the BOARD
lng-house cOntiD gent elevate the flask and
drink, regardless of others. long and deep !
When the bottle gets around TO Jack, the
| liquor is at its lowest, and affords Just
enough moisture to make the disappointed
sailor wish for few dollars and an hour
of freedom among the adjacent saloons.
One particular landlubberly and "green"
looking seaman who boarded the Morgan,
was possessed of most remarkable "kit."
BE carried it in cigar-box. 1t consisted of
| n n 4 q n nm Rlys and
plugs of tobacco. He was eventually going
to the Arctic. yes he knew il. but he
didn't care. San Francisco. he averred,
was 1.-THE chilliest Iceberg" he ever expected
to encounter.
OF the thousand or more men who were
recently dumped ashore by the whaling fleet
not more than so per cent will return to
the north. One season OF hunting takes
all the romance out of whaling trip
The rapidly departing fleet is taking with
Ii fresh class of Saltwater" suckers |
who are held in small esteem by the ini- |
tiated.
The sight of the belated among the |
Morgan crew putting IF for their vessel |
attracted quite crowd at the Clay-street |
float The most humorous incident of the
occasion was the parting between col
ored sailor and his bride of a few weeks
"Oh, my husband! oh, my husband!'
sobbed the woman as she buried her face
in her hands. Then suddenly she seemed
10 remem Der that she had forgotten some
thing. She whispered something into the
ear of her worse half and be reluctantly
pulled out few dollars from the depths
of his overall pocket and handed them to
her. She took them. shed a few more
tears, waved q last adieu TO her departing
swain as the boat pulled away from the
wharf and thirty minutes later was going
down the city front possessed of jag"
that would have done credit to long
shoreman.
But then this does not tell about the
whaling fleet. Well, the whalers are 60
ing, going, and will soon be gone.
The Milk Order.