The morning call., 1894-10-29
LOFTY TO LOWLY.
Transformation of a Man
Of the World.
INTO A MAN OF THE SEA.
How James Whittier Eastman
Became a Whaler.
HE CAME HOME TO A FORTUNE.
One of the Herriman's Crew a
WeII-known Scion of Well
Known Family.
HE CAME HOME TO A FORTUNE.

is satisfied. Most men have to be kicked
and mauled about and made to feel the
sharpest and the most painful of "the
stings and arrows of outrageous fortune"
before they cry quits, but plain, unpal-
atable salt pork and beans did the job for
James Whittier He has thrown up both
hands, fguratively speaking. and cried,
Hold, enough!
w hen James, Whittier Eastman signed
or the whaler Emma Rerriman he did SO
with the consent of Mr.. Whittier, his
uncle. of the firm of Whittier, Fuller &
Co. He did so with the full know ledge
that be would have to forego the epicurean
pleasures of the table d'hbte and settle
down to sea food. He knew that going
a-WhaIing acco riding 10 the shipping
masters way was not Understanding
accor ding to the masters of sea literature,
but he did not think that it was as bad as
the water-fro Mt prophets declared it to be.
Think of the return home" be solili-
ouiZed. "Thin of the heavily ladened
ship pointing her greasy nose toward
AlcatraZ light. When the Merchants Ex-
change repor ter yells out, What's your
catch? p just think of answering back from
the masthead a half hundred sperms.'
Whew, everybody would return wealthy"
j
sDOrtiest young men passed from the every
day ife of a prodigal son TO the everyday
life Of a Whaler. He took time by the fore
lock. and said: II will study no longer the
flowing bowl. bnt turn my attention to the
f1wing sea" Then James Whittier East
man signed. Two weeks later, had it
not been a breach of deepsea ethics, he
would have kicked himself. Instead he
kicked the mesSbOy, and SwnTe according
to the first chapter of MeMaDus. Yes. in
that brief period the young gallant had
fallen from bis high estate" and was well
terng in his disappointment.
jim Eastman might have chosen better
vocation. He had every opportunity Go
do so. His relations were wealthy enough
to have purchased him little whaler of
his own and send him forth upon the broad
sea Of adventure to strike oil through the
first hide-b0uDd thing that floated his
way. But jim had already spent enough
jingling dollars upon a free silver basis
TO make it necessary for his kin to dis
courage q further outlay of lucre. 1t was
decided that he should go to sea 10 another
mans boat, and so he did.
From the gilded palace to the dingey
f0recastle; from the ''lean and slipperd
PANTHEON" to the bulgy bIoganed overall =.
The transformation was complete, and
James Whittier Eastman became assistant
dispenser of the salt horse" and
bakers" He left his pretty wife enjoy
ing the delicaces of the Palace Hotel
menu, and cast his future among the
cooks. Society was shocked. 1t has
never recovered since.
But there were some of the essentials Of
nineteenth century gentleman that Mr..
Eastman did not overlook. He had
vague idea that he might some daV get
to port and TO society, SO in the abyssfmal
depths OF his canvas kit he stored a
stylish suit of clothes. patent leather boots
and a few SILK handerchlefs. By means
OF these he was reIran sferred from the
lOwiy TO the lofty when he got back home
Friday night last.
Crackediice Of the Arctic is far different
from the dainty, CLASSY chips of The par
room. Old pipes and black tobacco can
not hOps 0 vie with fragrant Hayanas
French meals tickle the palate more than
does the grub" of a whale-chaser. All
these things MI Eastman found out and
rebelled. He did not care to stay in the
cabin, 50 he became foremast hand, He
got up at all hours of tie day and night
and shouted 'Whale, hor and "Thera
she blows" with the rest OF the boys. The
exercise made him hungry, but he could
not masticate, much less digest, the ships
food supply.
Three months outthe Herriman got well
inio the Arctic circle. Winds that whisked
snowy locks about The bTows OF icebergs
fell upon the HERMAN in all their chill
mess. wow, il was an awful cold day for
Jim, and he thought of the warm stove in
the gIillroom and the sable artist in while
apron asking sOothln gly: Whats yours
sir? Hot Scotch ?" Then the paten;
leather shoes anG four-button cutawav
would come out of their hiding place and
almost speak TO him and say: when
shall we shine again ?"
Storms came and with them bailstones
that der sively played pocket-pool with the
scupper-holes. and aur0ras that initiated
footllghIS with the north pole for a Stage
Polar bears gave specially performances
among the ice hummocks, while much
coveted but shy white foxes refused IN he
seated in the HerrimaH's private box
traps. All such sights were calculated to
inspire the adveniuresome city gentlemen
with longing TO SHIFT the scenes to Mar
ket street ard its throng Of fair women
and diamond -bedazZled men.
Between decks stern reality coufroni9d
him. Distorted faces peereG from beneath
blankets-gaunt, hungry faces that gaz.d
into the smoke-iadeDed, darkeDed atmos-
phere hopelessly, spiritlessly. They were
faces of men who were his shipmates-
faces of creatures that differed as much in
expression from those OF The happy, guile
less visages of the sporty boys" of the
free city as the veiled midnight sun does
from the solar blessing of a Semi-trOpic
land Some of these sbiDmate had given
up all hope in life, and Journeyed Oh, on
not caring where they landed. They had
shipped in Whalers before, and knew what
It was to suffer. 1t had become second
nature TO them. James Whittier could
not stand the contrast between his newly
found companions and those OF his ac-
quaiotance few months previous. so he
got out his cutaway ahd patent leathers
again and tried to forget bis surroundings.
But the strange man in a strange place
was not altogether without hope. He still
clung to the notion that enormous sup
plies Of oil and bone to be sold on 'lay'
would compensate him for all the misery
he had suffered. He fancied that the ship
would make big catch. Alas, in this be
was mistaken. Lots Of leyithans were
sighted. but only three were captured.
Inc OIL vas tried out, expenses figured up
and profits divided or rather reckoned.
he found that he had only S3S coming to
him, so in disgust he signed the whole
sum over to the steward, who had been his
friend Oh the trip.
Soon after the Herman dropped anchor
off Meiggs wharf James Whittier Eastman
signaled for boat He arrayed him
self IN his cntlway, put on his patent
leather shoes, parted his whskers with a
piece of whaleb0ne and bid farewell TO
whaiers and whalemen forever
He gave his sailors kit to some of the
men. and told the bOatmen TO land him
as soon as possible. Several hours later
he was among the lofty" again and cele-
brating his return.
"While was away" he told. 81 in nherited
another small fortune OF 500 One of
my uncles left it to me. My wife is In