New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-06
SAILORS PLEASURES
HOBBIES RIDDEN AT SEA WITH ENDLESS
PERSEVERANCE.


expected. 1t is the turning out of the sea chest
or donkey" the sea name for overhaulihs
the contents and putting them back again. IL
is most satisfactory when a chum looks on, 10
whom you can tell the history of each article
and who will refrain from injudicious comment
upon any photographs of your lazy friends
And indeed where a man has been fairly steady
and secretive the old donkey often contains a
most interesting assortment of odds ana ends,
each with matter for chat pertaining to II. so
that a review Of these treasures is quite pleas
ant way of passing an idle hour.
But. except in rare instances, most men have
some hobby or another which they will ride with
the utmost energy and perseverance, no matter
what may be the difficulties in the way. one OF
the chief Of these is model making. With no
other tools bat knife and an awl mad" ont oi
a broken sail needle some will turn out a
model worthy Of plac" in any museum. I'm
tircly absorbed in their work. they VIII sacrlhce
much needed sleep. white away in me brlGht
moonlight Of the tropics and seem To nave no
other object in life but To turn out piece OF
carving that shall be- a credit To their patient
talents. The pathos of these labors often lies
In the fact that they are fricndl"ss men VINO
have no one to give their pretty handiwork to
no one. that is. who VII valu" it for the GINer
sake: and consequently tn 'se long elaborated
models may be found in great numbers in
watorside boarding houses and public house
parOrS-and IT. worse places. AS to selling
them. doubt if the idea ever enters their heads
But doubtless tie doing of the work Is what his
poetry was to Colerdgc-its own exceeding
great reward-and the same may be said with
truth of the many directions in which the sailors
ingenuity and industry find a vent.
Toll TO NO PURPOSE
One particular hobby that I have seen carried
70 great lengths is the making of photograph
frames out Of an enormous number Of tiny
pieces Of wood; one in particular that remem-
Ter contained over three thousand pieces Of ma
fOgany, pine. deal and ebony. none of which
were quarter Of an inch in thickness and six
inches long. There were openings for eight pho
tographs. and the whole fabric looked like a
Gothic church front 1t took the artist three
months ST -ady Application in watches below
and at night To finish it. and then one night ia
port he got drunk. took il from its shelf in his
bunk. aud Jumped on II. Another form OF pleas
ure largely INDUCED in is the making Of mats.
Some men-ony few, though-wl buy few
pounds Of g9ylN colored carpet thrums from the
ship chambers. and, begging piece Of tarpap-
lin canvas from the sailnakcr, or whoever has
the power To grant the request. will stitch H."
thrums into the canvas in carefully design 4
patterns, leaving pile when finished half an
inch deep the whole forming "A most hanis"i-
and durable hearth rug. Others however. who
cannot keep sDh,r long enough while ashore TO
lay in a stock OF thrums and yet must make
mats. use nomelt rope yarns and. putting the
Lest work INTO thcm for the love Of il. rroduC'
dOormats Of a variety Of patterns and thc hard
est wearing qualities. Like the models. thtS,
fine pieces Of work generally fall into the hands
O. unworthy roCipi, nts. who sn,cr At poor JACKS
folly when he has gone to sea again.
MIsER IN CLOTHES.
Some men are never 50 happy as when mend
ing clothes or Transforming one garment into
another 1t Is a positive passion with them.
We had a SW,de Of Goth.nburE On board the
Dartmouth on China voyage who a re-
markable instance OF this II" could never resist
the temptation To- steal piece Of canvas. new
or second hand. although il must be admitted
that he never hal much chanr, - convey The
former. Eut any 0i picc" u canvas as l"ns
"a It NUuli lang together. b" could ~. 1T pas
him. He would make IL into Il garment Of som.
e. tf fC,.lf for hAt cd
thread bare cloth or flannel FOR cold. yet at ~"
same time b" never lost an opportunity Of &C
curing good. scryiceahle clothing as well.
But not for wear. Canvas was his only wear
al sea. and his chief Of joys 10 open his chest
and gloat over his accommodating stock 81 good
garments. They were 20 him Wha' gold b. to
miScr, and h. never seemed weary OF taking
them out Of his chest. unfolding them. passing
th"m lovingly through his hands and carefully
slowing them away again. II, hadn't much
clothing when he came aboard. but when on the
conclusion f our twelve months voyage he was
discharge in London ne had splendid stock.
He went TO th" sailors Home. having been PAD
off with -. and on the second day got drunken
than usual While IN this condition be- demanded
g. from the bank i'm the Home where hc had
lodged his money. They very proI crly refused &C.
give il 20 him while uc Wa, drunk which SO en-
ragged him that hc kicked up tremendous row.
winding W by demanding his entire balance.
Finding that reasoning with him dd no good.
the officials paid him out. He left the Home at
once. ana in eight days after that ! Saw him
aboard Of an outWard-lound ship with just tn
clothes he stood upright in ana no more
Reading, Of course. fills most important part
among sailors pleasures. Scamcn arr oInuiVo-
rous readers. il spite Of IN" miserable gloom
that usually charactcriZcs the fo'c'so. When
was bofJr" Tho mast used To- lay in stock If
candles 50 that might bc abb" to read i'm tn
only apartment had to myself my bunk. but
ii was not very safe practice. As to what sail
Ors rcad-wcN ] haven't seen the contents Of
ships library fer long time-I mean those
boxes Of books that put ON board ship by
missions 20 Scamcn and such institutions with
The most benevolent intentions. But have often
seen such boxes Of books in which thcrc was
not one that il wasn't an insult TO offer men for
rcCrcatiVc reading. many hardly up TO the re-
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