The morning call., 1894-03-22
THE TOLNA'S TOMMY TALKS
And Tells Still Another Tale
of Woe.
STOLE THE
HAM -?
WHO
The Counts Aristocratic Nose Lo.
Gates the Thief in the Galley
and Tommy Confesses.

The sailors are saying terrible things
again about the trading yacht TolDa and
her noble owner. Count Festetics. and her
feminine captain. Countess Festetcs.
A large batch of fresh gossip arrived by
the barken inc Tropic Bird few days ago
from Tahiti, where the Tolna has been
tied up for the past sixty days.
All interested minds here were relieved
when the Galilee arrived last month with
the news that the Tolna had reached
Papeete, but as the arrival of the yacht
and departure of the brig were only sep
arated by matter of an hour or two none
of the vsgaries OF the voyage were
obtainable. Nobody knew whether
the scratch crew of natives shipped
at Hawaii In place Of the sailors who
deserted because of the steady diet of salt
grub and the stu endousness of Count
Festetics' attainmenis as navigator had
remained true or not. When the Tolna
fetched up in Papeete harbOr, Tahiti, the
crew was limited to the sailing-master.
second mate. Tommy the cook and the
Count and the Countess. TIE foremast
hands either deserted or were marooned at
some Island en- route. The Count says they
deserted; Tommy says they were given
shore leave and that the yacht sailed away
and left them before their leave expired,
because there was considerable money
due them as wages.
Tommy is a diininutiye square-headed
English lad. who threw up the sponge in
Papeete and has become responsible for
most OF the pecuniary scandal attaching to
the Counts name.
The Tropc Birds crew only remember
The general outlines of Tommy's charges :;
details OF names and dates have escaped
them.
HIS first story was told in the nature of
an expression of concern for the fate of
his shlpmaies. who were left at some
native village when the Tolna commenced
the last lap OF her cruise between HiIO
and Papeete. No one on the TrOpic Bird
remembers the name of this island, but
they locate it as being in the archipelago
or which Tahiti is part. and Vouch for
the fact that there were no sailors on tie
Tolna when they saw her, outside of the
sailing-msster and tine mate.
Tommy told the Birds crew that the
first trouble with the Count occurred over
the quality and short allowance of lbe
provisions doled out to the crew. he was
cook with nothing to cook worth speaking
of, and IL he is to be believed. gu ting his
own language, the spldermis Of the men
bore the same relation to their backbone
that a sQuaresail forward does to n ast
when vessel is hove TO.
Rebellion was confined to grumbling
however. until the Tolna touched at the
island where the sailors were left. Festetics
wanted Tommy to 60 ashore on a foTaging
expedition, and in lieu of coin gave him a
bundle OF cheap suspenders to sell or trade
for provisions. The population being
mainly clad in a coating of cocoanut oil,
with the addition OF lava lava-Lhat is,
breechelout, Tommy thought that il would
be d lffirult matter to work off l0blot of
trouser supporters and declined the CON-
igS fhnr
Improvement in the cuisine, and day or
two before reaching Papeete Tommy stole
ham from the cabin stores and feasted
himself, the male and the sailing master.
The theft was not discovered immedi-
aiely by the absence of the ham. but
some time afterward by the power of scent
vested in the Counts aristoeratic nosr.
Festeties suggested to Tommy that there
was a smell of hsm-cooking forward. and
pursuing the suggestion with an investiga-
tion the remains of the meat were dis
covered.
Who stole the ham?
Tommy admitted that he was the indi-
vidual, and added that be was driven to
theft by hunger, and would continue to
raid the cabin stores if the necessity con-
iinupd to exist.
The cook was Immediately discharged,
and was still in Papeete when the Tropic
Bird sailed engaged in telling stories Of
lect 30 per cent of his wages which were
withheld when he was discharged.
Count and Countess Festetics did their
own cooking on little alcohol stove in
the cabin, but their cupboard was care
fully locked. Tommy was not prepared
to state he character of their diet
All the above the Birds crew picked up
from Tommy and the mate. What they
know of their own knowledge is that the
TOlna is dirtier and more disOTderly than
a guano packet and that she gave evidence
of such hard usage as to be In urgent need
of repairs.
The American and British Consuls and
other people of the better class called on
the Count and the Countrss and extended
them considerable courtesy when thew
first arrived. but later these people did not
visit the yacht at all.
Fesietics secured still another crow for
the Tolna before the Bird sailed in tie
persobse of some Marshall Islanders who
had been carried away from their own
country on trading bark. The fate of
the crew taken from Hawaii had caused
considerable comment, and. in accordance
with common South Sea Island law, the
Count was forced to sign a bond that he
would restore the natives to their home.
The six men composing the crew were
sent ashore TO board, and the sailing
master was given an allowance of 81 so
per day for the purpose of feeding them.
Restaurants are scarce in Pappete, and
the general rice of meals is 80 cents.
Even Chinese landlords refuse to cut rates
to figure 81 low as to allow { Tolna's
sailing-maser chance to feed bis men.
While all hands were ashore on food in
tent a squali broke on the harbor aud
came near proving the undoing of the
Tolna. The Count and Countess united
in a vain endeavor to let go another
anchor. but only succeeeed In bruising
their fingers.
The yacht dragged steadily toward the
beach. and would undoubtedly nave gone
ashore If she bad not hooked the Tropic
Birds chain.
The last heard by the Bird from from
the Countess was a complaint of the high
rate of living at Papeele and an expressed
determination to sail the Tolna over TO
the little island of Main-, about fourteen
miles distant, where needed repairs coulo
he mada