Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1894-05-26
ALONE ON A GREAT VESSEL
The Dreary Duties Of the shipkeeper n
New York Harbor.

The Dreary Duties Of the shipkeeper IN
New York Harbor.
One of the most lonesome, ana to y
landsman the most disagreeable,
places which a sailor may Till Is that
of ships keeper. Every ght, as the
shadows around the South street
piers in New York begin to deepen
and the swirling currents OF the
East River change from a greenish-
brown to dull, grimy black, men may
be seen climbing up the companion
ways Of the trim American shl ps and
the more or less untidy foreign ones.
These men are called keepers. One
of them steps over the rail of big
clipper and looks carefully about the
deck. After a few words Of instruc.
ton the skipper goes ashore and
leaves the big, black, lonesome hulk
to the keepers care.
All over the ship from stem to
stern, goes the keeper. Into all the
dark places away up under the fore.
castle deck, up one side and down the
other, looking after the fastening Of
the lines leading to the pier, he goes,
WIN lis CyCS Vt0lucu W 6cc III tuO
darkness almost as clearly al Q cat
can, and sometimes with q cat for
company. A sharp lookout Is needed,
for, 10 spite Of all the vigilance Of
the police, there are some river
thieves yet left on the New York
waterfront
II it is o pleasant night. so much
the better. There 10 always q little
life In the street, and the gloom Of
night Is lightened by the lamps on
shore and the hum OF the city's never
ending noises. hut when the clouds
gather and the wind begins to puff,
and the sound Of the flowing tide Is
increased by the Flap lap OF little
waves, then comes the weary part Of
the nights business Gently at first
but with constantly increasing vol
ume, comes the snow. The wind be-
gins to whistle through the taut
rigging, the lights gradually become
less plain, the passing Of ferry boat
Is known only by the noise II makes,
and with his oiled coat and SOU.
wester buttoned on and down, the
keeper makes q hurried "trip to the
pier to see that his lines are fast.
There they are tense and rigid rs
fddle.strings. Then back on deck
he goes to cover matches with tar
paulins, shut all doors, crouch under
the weather rail and 'let her blow"
Blow she does, and the whistle In the
rigging changes to shrill piping a.
though o gigantic .fOlian harp were
suspended In the air over his head
The high sides Of the ship feel the
force OF the gale and she tugs aud
strains rs II full Of life and trying -
escape from bondage.
But II will not DO to stay under
the sheltcring rail for long. Up and
out again, for on nights like this the
"longshore pirates love to do their
work, and sharp knife and swift
cut may mean q few fathoms Of
hawser for tho thief and unknown
damage to the ship, since junk shops
are not particular Wd th0S 10 an.
other pier emily ~ or so away.
So IL goes all through the night,
and when morning comes and the
shore people appear ready for work
they ind the tracks OF the keeper In
every part OF the ship where snow
has settled, and up aud down the
pier, mute but indisputablc evidence
that II anything Is wrong II 10 some
thing the presence Of the keeper
could not prevent