The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-12-03
JACK TAR'S FIRST DAY OUT.
BROUGHT DRUNK TO TEE SNIP BH
hrs ~MksTkRs" ON SHORE.


No-ey .nd senses so.e, ne - Dragged On,
OF the Forseastie and DrowsiIy Inquires
what Voyage re Has shipped For-uow
= Landsu,an May Become n Sailor.
Nothing troubles the sailorman less than
the recent reduction OF wages on British ships
from $3.50 to S10.4O a month Il Is So 10 less
for the boarding master. as he regards it. and
makes little personal difference to Jack. Many
OF the better class OF sallormen would cheer
fully accept lower wages even than that II
they could make their homes aboard ship. and
so escape the difficulties that beset them on
shore. 1t is not always from choice that Jack
is a registering bacchanal while in port; IL is
due to the debasing system that interested
landsmen have organized for him, and no one
appreciates the dangers and besetments OF
the system better than Jack himself
Little Of the life OF the sailor is seen BY a
cabin passenger on q transatlantic liner. sit
uatons on the liners are comparatively per-
manent. and the men avoid many OF the traps
that are set for their less fortunate comrades.
II Ia on a sailing ship or a freighter that Jack 8
troubles are seen to tho fullest advantage. A
resident OF this city engaged passage a short
time ago for Porto Rico and return In n British
freight steamship. and in the voyage OF n
m onth he made close study OF the system Of
Handling" sailors in this port. His relations
with the ships owners were such that he was
allowed unusual privileges on board: and to
avoid trouble with the Spanish authorities.
who are great sticklers for red tape. he was
put on the crew list as assistant purser.
What do you think" this gentleman said
to a SUN reporter yesterday. OF any decent
workingman in this city. perhaps a man with
family depending upon him and a man who
has never been on board a ship. being put for
chilly on board a steamer on the eve OF her
sailing, carried away to some foreign country,
with no chance for weeks to communicate
with his friends. and compelled to do a sailor
work throughout the voyage2 Rather a start
ling proposition. is 1t not2 Yet not only is It
entirely possible. but 1t actually often happens.
"On my recent voyage to Porto Rico we
started on a tug from an East River pier and
found the ship lying of tho Statue OF Liberty
waiting for US. with anchor and steam both up.
The Captain and purser we're both with us on
the tug. and as soon as we stepped aboard the
Captain gave the order to start. She was a
very stanch and solid British iron stesms p
OF about $500 tons. built for charter. and car
rylnR. as soon found donkey engines, steam
wlnches. and every modern appliance.
1T was about o'clock In the afternoon
whom we started. and the first thing that
struck me was the remarkably small number
OF men in sight. They were so few that It
look ed as though the officers and one quarter
master were going to run the ship to Porto
Rico. We had a beautiful little cabin fitted
with mahogany. and the one largo stateroom
was occupied BY the Captain and myself.
Several smaller staterooms, opening of tho
cabin. were occupied by the first and second
officers. the purser. and the steward. OF
these men. the purser. OF course. had nothin g
to do with the navigation OF the ship. and tn o
steward occupied his stateroom very literally.
for he was stretched out on the floor OF 1t dead
drunk. The first and second mates were on
duty. but the former was in such condition
that he navigated the decks with great diff
Guilty. The only man in sight before the mast
was the quartermaster. q why young sailor.
perfectly sober who enjoyed the distinction
OF being the only Amori an officer on board,
ali the others being either English or scotch.
saw. as soon as we were under way, that
tho Captain was worried. lie was q perfectly
sober little British tar small. but strong as an
was not hard to tell that il was the cond ition
OF his crew that worried him: but he took or
down by Sandy Hook. where tho pilot left us.
and few minutes later We we're outside. with
the Highland Lights on our starboard quar-
Porto Rico. Everything was lovely in the engine
room. the Scotch engineer and mis- two English
assistants being steady men. and the four coal
passers straight enough to shovel coal.
AS soon as we were outside and all com
munication with the shore cut on the Captain
crew. His first step was TO call the chief mate
aside and give him talking TO- What he
said do net know. but whatever II was it was
very effective. for the mate Strengthened up.
and from that moment was as sober as any
tho wheel and tho second mate on the bridge
the Captain and chief mate went forward.
cabin amidships. and low decks fore and ait OF
this. Then the bow again was raised. making
q little forward house which wSs the iorecas-
Ing into several little rooms in this forecastle
onened flush on the main deck. and the Cap.
them all braced shut from the inside. Evil
IDENTIFY the sailors were fortified in this castle.
and did not intend to come out Kicking the
doors. pounding. shouts and threats were Of
no avail, but pair OF crowbars had more eff
feet and some OF the doors were forced open.
mast, and who had been brought on board by
the shipping master an hour or two before the
aud at least two OF them unable to walk With
out assistance, were then pulled out OF the
forecastle, one by one 1--WE men. the shipping
had delivered. dead or alive. They did not
come out willingly. either. in most cases. The
TO offer any resistance. ana they were dragged
out by the heels and rolled and shaken about
the deck till they were able to stand. The
third man was y powerful fellow with a rich
chance to tight the whole crew. He was sober
two officers seized him by the shoulders and
dragged him out.
a captain, you understand. mas no right 10
strike sailor except In self-detence, or in case
OF mutiny; but this fellow was no sooner on
his feet outside than he aimed a furious blow
at the Captain. This was precisely what the
CAPTAIN expected and desired; and, though
the sailor was double the officers size. the
plucky little Captain polished him on heauti-
fully In one short round. and made hi cry
for mercy and promise to obey orders. As last
as the men were pulled out and sobered up
they were stood against the rail, and three re-
pentant mutineers were now in line waiting
for uItheT orders.
The fourth man came out without resls-
lance. He had been among the drunkest Of
all when the battle began; but the scuiiiing
had partly sobeIed him and he crawled out.
pulled himself together and took his place in
the line, whore lie made number four. lie was
hy long odds tho finest looking man OF tho
tiye. though slightly built. lie had tho most
sailor-like appearance. too, in dark blue
trousers, shirt open at the throat, sailor hat
aud sheath knife In his belt all hTanl new,
But curlously enough hs had never been on
board a ship before that day lie was an
American mechanic who had been shanEh9ied.
However, must not get ahead OF ms story
There was only ono man left now IN the
forecastle. another big hurry fellow. and no
gave more trouble than all the others. ile was
sober enough to know what was going on. hut
still drunk enough to be obstinate aud deter
mined not to come out The room he was in
was so small that ne could brace himself
effectively against its two ends, and the COM
bined strength of the Captain and tho first
1stfs. IL