The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-09-19
The OCEAN TRAMP.
NOTES OF LIFE ABOARD THE ROW
ING FREIGHT CARRIERS.
Why Trip on "A Tramp f. Rough
CaDtafns-shfps That Are Stunned.

7 The tramp is a craft in considerable
/ evidence on the highways Of the ocean in
these days Of great commercial enterprise
/ and competition. The reason for apply
/ ing the term tramp" TO cargo ships is a
/ little obscure. unless the name original
/ " referred only to the ships out of work.
! seeking different ports for a cargo, and
/ was later used to include all vessels en-
I gagged in the carrying trade making ir-
regular trips to various parts Of the
/ world.
The righteousness Of this class Of YES
sells is apparent TO the traveller. In every
port Of any considerable size the tramp
/ is present. and on the high seas a large
| percentage Of the vessels encountered viii
be tramps. plying in all directions. cross
/ ing the paths Of regular ocean liners, and
| occasionally making their presence dis
agreeably apparent by their neglect Of
certain maritime laws. That the safety
Of ocean navigation on dark nights and
in foggy weather depends largely upon
the persistent use Of lights and steam
whistles or fog-horns, does not always
seem to be fully appreciated by the val
astrous consequence of this. neglect has
been recorded more than once in the past,
but the unknown wherea bouts of the elus-
i've tramp makes il difficult to place the
blame. This species of craft is as mys-
terious in its movements as its land pro-
totype
The idea of spending asummer vacation
on one Of these modern commercial pi-
rates would never occur to a sane man,
unless the qualification Of an itching for
sea voyage was rendered impossible
by depleted pocketbook, or he belonged
to that class of modern Adventures who
are willing to undergo any hardship for
the sake OF the experience gained. The
opium-eater who shipped on a tramp sail
ing vessel bound from New York to China
in order to cure himself of habit may
have acted wisely, but tne man who en-
gagged for such a long voyage without any
equally good excuse should be classed
among the ins ane At least he viii prob
ably be fitted for this classification at
the end of his voyage, If not at the be-
ginning
But ashort trip on a tramp steamer is
an experience not without us compen-
sating qualities. To the initiated it is
a rough life. Passengers are not taken,
and in order to comply with the requisites
Of the law you must sign as one of the
crew. In doing this you bring yourself
under the autocratic rule of the captain,
ana he may dispose of you to suit his
pleasure. but more often to suit his dis
pleasure. When you become one Of the
crew, you are treated in the same man
ner as precedent has established on board
of your particular vessel. This varies all
the way from the abjcet servile fear and
worship given to the captain and the
mates, to the eowardly abuse and cuff
fling generally bestowed upon the cabin
boy and the greenhorris. The fact that
a v
sion, but simply a 'landlubber" in quest
of experience, will have no deterrent
effect upon some crews. Others may give
you more respect.
What experience does We mean?' de-
mands the chief of the filthy mess-room,
eying you askance as he, slices his tobac-
co from a huge cake in his hand.
THE experience of a sailors life" is the
inevitable innocent reply-"the kind of life
you lead on a vessel like this"
"Oh, l see." in an unnecessarily en-
phatic voice. you shall have experience
then"
You usually do. The worst Of the hard
tack and salt meat Is served to you; the
dirtiest work in cleaning up other peo-
pies muses. is assigned to you; the draw
ing of the lots for any unpleasant job is
always so arranged that you are the I'M
lucky person selected; the anger of the
bully of the mess-room vents itself upon
your head; and even the cook and cabin
boy, confident in the general protection of
| the rest of the crew, yield no respect to
you If work is shirked, you are to
blame, such processes of logic being used
to prove it that the mind is temporarily
| bewildered. fti
This ill-treatment may not last long. 1t
| depends upon the crew and upon the new
hand Most sailors on tramp vessels are
| not bad at heart. They have hardened
natures, and cannot appreciate a sensi-
| tive, superfne soul; but beneath their
| rough exterior they have a fair sense of
1 honor and justice. If you bear your part
well, accepting the harsh treatment with
good sense and humor, knowing when to
draw the line, they will in time learn to
/ like and respect you. But squeamishness
is not tolerated. Better fall into the hands
of a Fiji cannibal when the pot is boil
ing than into the hands of tramp ateam-
er's crew when over-nice in your tastes
| and preferences.
Working your passage on a regular liner
| is spicy enough to suit most palates, but
the tramp steamers have none of the lux
uries Of quarters and eatables that pre-
vail on the OCEAN greyhounds Between
decks, when sailing through the tropics.
the air is foul and sitting beyond ex-
preston if the tramp steamer happens to
be carrying cargoes of an odOrous nature.
1t is wonderful how the heat will bring
out various smells from a pile of sailed
hides, or how the tropical sun will make
a deck load of live cattle appear often
sive to every sense of the body. Then
from the lower decks and ships hold there
come stenches from mixed cargo of cof-
fee, salted meats, dry hides, and horns,
that make one long for the untainted at
mosphere over the bow of the ship. In the
common mess room things are no bet
ter Here sailed meats are constantly
frying and dripping over a hot fire, while.
the greasy-looking cook prepares the mid
day meal Salt meat, numerous canned
goods, and bareback constitute the daily
bill of fare, washed down with some rank
black coffee. For few days after leav-
ing port fiery whisky takes the place OF
the coffee, but this soon gives out, and the
sailors reluctantly return to their former
diet.
Now the ways Of smuggling whisky on
board are numerous, and every Jack-tar
tar is adept in this line. Most shippers
discourage the use of strong drink on
shipboard, and many absolutely allow it
to appear on board outside of the cap
tain's cabin. 1t is always kept there, but
it is dispensed with a more sparing hand
than in the messroom. Where the prohi-