The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-11-06


between Memphis and New
Orleans; also of the high gambling on
the Atlantic liners, which, in spite of
the efforts to suppress it, has been the
cause Of many a tragedy.
But little, however, has ever found
its way into print about such incidents
on voyage across the Pacific on the
big China steamers. They offer to
their patrons opportunities for observ-
ing, or, if they choose, participating in
games that are about as unique and
interesting as are to be seen anywhere
in the world. Square games, but sure
winners in the long run. Games that
run day and night; where you can play
anything from 5 cents to $4,000 on a
single bet, and have a chance to bet
every two or three minutes all day and
all night through.
The games are owned and run by
Cinnamon who are employed on the
ship. You can find nice quiet games
OF whist or euchre and such going on
in the smoking-rooIn, or even a game Of
poker with a small ante and moderate
limit, among friends. OF course, for
there are no professional card players
on the Pacific liners except as chance
passengers.
To see the real gambling you must
work your way through the mass OF
almond-eyed Asiatics TO the aft part OF
the ship, where the Chinese crew,
kitchen and saloon men and Goa!
pasSerS are Quartered. There you VIII
find the game called fan-tan in full
blast.
There are other gambling games be-
sides fan-tan going on at times about
the after deck, but fan-tan is the great
and absorbing interest for both play
ers and spectators, the spectators gen
orally becoming players sooner or later
if they look on long enough.
Fan-tan, like poker with the Amer
leans, is the great game with the Chi
nese, both on sea and land. 1t is not
played with cards, but with buttons or
suchlike small things of uniform size.
On shipboard the layout is simple
and inexpensive; a table nearly breast
high, about two and half by three
feet, on which is marked a square eight
or ten inches long on each side, small
bowl full Of common china or bone but
tons and a small stick about eighteen
inches long, slightly curved at one side.
Two men manage the game-the
counter or dealer, who stands on box
or sits on a hiph stool at one end of the
able. and the cashier who stands near
him with a well filled pouch of silver
(Mexican dOllars) and gold, English or
American, and roll of paper money,
of England notes. The Mexican dol
lar is the standard currency of the
game though. Bets are at times made
and paid in any of the other moneys.
or in fractional pieces from one sen up.
Near at hand is a well filled money
chest, always under the close watch of
one or more of the owners of the game
who may be off duty. From this well
filled chest the cashier may replenish
his pouch should fortune smile long
enough on some bold and heavy PLAYER.
Every deal generally leaves the game
more or less ahead after paying the
winners.
on a recent voyage on the steamer
China there were three games of fan
tan going night and day from the time
the Golden Gate was left until Mele
Head at the entrance to Yokohama
Bay, has turned.
The game that is owned and run by
the captains boy and the saloon
men is said to carry 100000 in its money