Birmingham age-herald., 1895-02-05
NC ROMANCE IN IT.
NO MUSIC OR HoRNPIPE IN THE LIFE
 OF THE MODERN SEAMAN.

. OF THE MODERN SEAMAN.
 Bitter Disappointment Followed an Inves-
 tigation-Saiiors Who Work, Eat and
 Sleep and Are Devoid of All Ambition.
 Hard and Hopeless Life.
 My earliest and strongest impressions of seafaring life were gained by watching the evolutions of her majesty's ship Pima fore while she lay in tho dry dock in Phil adelphia, and although my ideals have been somewhat shaken by seeing the deck hands of the transatlantic steamers re- tained the notion that the counterpart of my old friends would be found aboard sailing vessels. But that dream is over. The first shock came soon after leaving port, when told tho captain that he was c to teach me how to dance the bornpipe. ItHe said that he didn't know how, and, sr moreover, had never seen any one who ,f did. I replied that was not from the .f country, but he solemnly assured me that , he was telling the truth and called upon the second mate to bear him witness. The latter, after much reflection, recollected that he had once known sailor who could dance hornpipe, but couldn't remember lawhether it was on voyage to the East Indies or while he was "in steam" on the sMississippi. Further inquiry proved that no one else had ever witnessed such a per formance.
 This was not the most bitter disappoint- ment, however. am not great lover of music, but it seemed to me to be neces- sary part of a sailors existence that he should scamper merrily about and pour forth the gladness of his heart in song. To be sure, they do make a noise when they pull on the ropes and occasionally burst into dirge while at pumps, but to both of these performances the cry of the penguin is cheerful by comparison.
 Indeed have como to the melancholy conclusion that the flavor of romance evap- orated with the first generation of sea men, There is none of that picturesque idleness which was led to believe was as essential as the song and dance. Were one of them to write his daily life it would be expressive of more energy than Mark Twain's famous diary, but would partake of the same simplicity. It would read, Worked, ate and slept" Work begins when they are driven aboard by their re- spective keepers and ceases when the yes sel arrives at her destination so that the time occupied in eating and sleeping is their only respite. In heavy and squally weather there is also constant pulling of sails. It is then that their abilities in that monkeylike accomplishment of climbing the riggings are tested As you stand on deck in heavy gale and watch all hands upon one of the yardarms furling sail you begin to put some faith in Darwin's theory concerning the origin of mankind In fine weather their duties are of differ ent sort They then turn painters, car penters and jacks of all trades. Holy stoning," scraping painting and varnish- ing go on until the ship looks as if she were just off the drydook.
 Sometimes in an idle moment or in a fit of temporary insanity sailor decides to wash shirt or red bandanna. One day during heavy rain this madness became epidemic, and after closing the "scuppers' all bands got upon the deck and proceeded to wash their clothes with small piece of soap with large question mark.
 Were they as well treated on all vessels as they were on the Standard they might possibly learn to take care of themselves when ashore. It is indeed caso of out of the frying pan into the fire for when they escape from the rule of more CT less severe shipmasters they have not the sense to keep out of the way of boarding house run ners and tho like. If they would only keep their wits about them and make up their minds to defend themselves in an honest way, they could not fail to better their condition. They sometimes entertain themselves by shirking work at the latter part of the passage and by damaging the rigging just before saying farewell.
 They never lose the shceplike appear ance with which they come aboard, going i. about in flock at the beck and call of tho 4 officers. The watch may be forward pull Ing at some ropes when they hear, Come ! aft, two O yerl'' and immediately replying, E Come aft, two O yerl" they shuttle in ! body in that direction. In nothing arc sailors more obliging than in regard to their names. It matters not what they are : called-Tom, Dick, Harry-all are the same to them as long as each has sepa- rate one. When two happen to claim the same name on their arrival, each tries to !, eutdo the other in nobly sacrificing it to his companion. Truly they are believers 3 fin the poeticai theory concerning the rose and can sec nothing in name.
 k Bringing up the rear in the ships com ! pany came the animals. Besides a pig we left port with an army of chickens, cats and rats, of which the latter were by far the most numerous. The chickens wont all too soon, the cats departed save two, : but the rats remained faithful to us. The ssurviving cats wero natives of Boston and Showed Q great fondness for baked beans and brown bread. It was just as well fhat their comrades did not live, for they were all possessed with hearty appetitcs and doubtless would have proved very severe tax upon our supply of provisions When the bell sounded, these creatures ap |poAred from their various hooks and cor