The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1898-11-17

nifty to become possessed Of After
some conversation with them consern-
ing their mode of life, decided to at
tempt to secure employment on one of
the large ships coming into the port,
and my associates being themselves in
want of situation, volunteered to con.
duct me to a shipping Office. 1 pro.
ceeded to or near the Old Washington
Market, in whose vacinity cluster
number of such offices, and was told
that If really desired work men were
wanted down the bay on the oyster
boats. 1 had received tip sometime
previous never to snip on an oyster
dredger and consequently demurred to
the proposition of my comrades that
we might investigate the conditions
and terms offered. Thinking no harm
could result, 1 at last consented and
following instructions we proceeded
to the Dorsey Oyster Dredging Co.'s
Office. After some conversation with
the agent, we were invited to the bar
connected with the Office to talk the
matter over, and after few smiles my
comrades agreed to ship, although 1
tried to dissuade them by describing
what 1 had been told, which the agent
in smooth oily language, declared had
eminated from someone's imagination.
after signing their contracts my COM
panions were told to be ready to leave
that evening and forthwith proceeded
to rid themselves of their few remain.
ing coins. After several fingers of the
cup that cheers and also inebriates,
l felt an over powering drowsiness
stealing over me and so made for
chair in the best possible manner, where
1 must have sunk in slumber, for when
l next opened my eyes the scene had
changed wonderously, for we were out
on the briny deep in narrow, low
ceiling'd, dark, stuffy, foul smelling
place, with the cry of heave, and wind
mingled with the Tapping of sails and
rattle of chains coming to my ears ev-
cry now and then. At last moved by
curiosity l made for narrow strea k
of light which 1 found to be door
slightly ajar, and pushing it open en-
erged upon the deck of a small sailing
craft. The "Lucy Ann," an oyster
dredger. How came 1 there? Very
simple. One word explained all.
SHANGHAIED. On seeing on deck, one
of the men forward approached and
spoke to me, but what he said, the
Lord only knows for 1 don't and it was
more than week before l could un-
derstand even small part of his con-
versation, for of all the smashing, bang
ing and knocking around the English
language has received, the natives of
the eastern shore of Maryland ought to
get the pudding, for their part in it, the
white population especially, for the ne
negrOs speak palmer english than the
whites. The man who spoke to me l
found afterward to be the captain,
and the four other men dredgers. BY
dlnt Of much questioning aud inter
pretlng by one Of the crew | aScer-
tanned that | had been shipped to him
from Baltimore at fourteen dollars a
month and had arrived in a state of
supposed intOxication. Well, after
mush kicking l realized that l might
as we'll make the best of it, grin and
bear it, as l could not get to the shore
for dingy there was none, and swim
three miles [ could not. The place was
about 100 miles below Baltimore on
Chesapeake Bay, called Hungry River,
and there was no lie about it's name.
Ship bread, salt pork, salt beef, beans
and chicory were the eatables. Deli
cious, eh. The boat was called buck.
eye. Why l don't know. About so
feet long and carried two masts, and
rain or shine we were always out
dredging. The dredges consist of an
iron in shape something very like
street grading scraper with a network
of chains enclosing the open part, and
row of sawlike teeth along the wild
est side, and is heaved over board, and
when loaded drawn back by a windlas.
There are two dredges on each boat.
Oysters are plenty, but no matter how