The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-06-10
smooth and swift. But In my time the
transported soldier was an object OF pity
TO the sailor.

transported sOioier was an OBJECT OF PITY
TO the sailor.
DRILLING IN sEAwAY.
No shipboard diversion used 10 amuse me
more than seeing the soldiers drilled in a
seaway I took note OF such sounds as
present 'umpsr' shoulder 'umps!" "Or-
der 'umps!" and so on. The men stood in
line on the weather deck. and the chap who
drilled them stood up in front with his
back to leeward. The solemnity of the
barrack yard was in this business. and the
row OF Atkinses looked uncommonly grave
and fearfuIIy watched the drill corporal.
but the heave of the sea was under their
boots. and you need TO take a long voyage
20 acquire the art OF the swinging plank.
In my time most sailors went bow legged,
because their ships were nearly all bows
and the rest was buttocks, and the cease
less rolling so arched the lower limbs that
a full rugged ship the horizon could be
framed within the oval of mans legs.
Suddenly, while the line OF privates was
ali attention. the ship would give a sharp
heel to ieeward, and the whole troop would
wildly and Involuntary charge the drill
sergeant, who, on more than one occasion,
i have seen stagger back until his heel
struck the coaming OF the main hatch, upon
which he would fall. an ignoble sight. much
lamented by the officers in cloaks upon the
poop. You must know that at sea, in a
sailing ship. it is in the power of the helms
man so to meet the scend Of the surge as
wiIlfully to ship considerable head of froth
and green water over the weather rail or
bow. Every sailor knows the sensation
impaired when the ship hangs" in a
-,
then that the helmsman has it in his power
TO keep the deck dry or TO make 1t very
damp.
Over and over again I have watched a
wicked man at the wheel so twirl the
spokes as to soak the line of Tommies in
the waist. Nothing is more sad than the
spectacle of a drenched soldier lined with
moist pipe clay, like the outside of bottle
of old port. Mind your helm! the cap
tain or mate would shout. but 1t was then
too late. The drill must end while the men
dried themselves, and no other evidence OF
remorse was visible in the face of the man
at the wheel than more clearly cut out
line. a higher and more yearning express
sion, OF the cube Of black tobacco in his
cheek.
TOMMY'S RATIONS.
How was Tommy fed aboard our troop
ship? Harriet Lane had not then come
in. You will ask what Harriet Lane is
1t is boiled meat in cans or tins, and ii
takes its name from a woman who was
murdered in Whitechapel, whose remains
the sailors of to-day believe are perpetu-
ated for forecastle use. Certainly the ship
owners do not partake of this delicacy
But If we had no Harriet Lane we went
to sea with filthy compound called soup
and bully" This was composed of dogs
meat, carrots and other vegetables, in lit
tie red cans. and whenever I thought 1t
would do me good to be sick 1 opened a
tin Of soup and bully and smelt it,
Now, our troops were fed upon this soup
and bully" but do not suppose that this
was their only regale. When I was at sea
In this voyage. in 1903, the scale of provi-
sions for the British merchant service
issued in 1914 by the committee of the Cen
eral Shipowners' Society was still in force,
and our sailors as well as our soldiers
rations consisted inter ALA of these things
Each man on Sunday received a pound
and quarter OF beef, half pound of
flour, quarter OF an ounce of tea, three
quarters OF a pound Of sugar for the whole
week, half pint OF vinegar for the week.
half an ounce of lime juice per day, and
half an ounce Of sugar to sweeten that
draught-
On Monday he received a pound and a
quarter OF salt pork. quarter of a pint
OF peas, a quarter Of an ounce OF tea, and
lime juice and sugar as before One pound
OF rice week was served out. AS much
biscuit as could be eaten without waste
was supplied. Now, beef and pork look
very well in print. We think of the sir
loin. and the cracking beloved of Charles
Lamb But beef and pork ashore bear no
affinity whatever with the things which are
thus labeled on board ship. Any man who
went to India as soldier forty years ago
or thirty years ago will know what 1 mean
when talk of shipboard beef and pork
But one luxury the government provided
for our troops on board my Transports de-
tail studiously overlooked by the owner of
the vessel. Mr. Duncan Dunbar. who could
think of nothing but the souls of his crew
and the sobriety of his sailors. which of
course. must enter largely into their saliva
tion- In our main hold were slowed
number OF casks of stout or porter. and il
was my comfortable privilege to serve this
liquor out 10 the military messes.
bcSltOoc a CASk with I'm
bunghole and pumped into vessels which
were extended by the messmen In rotation.
This drink was very good for the soldiers
when. in the Indian ocean, we ran short Of
water The sailors sucked their shirts for
the dew therein, and pint OF water In
twenty-four hours was reckoned a noble
allowance. This was Jacks whack. but
the hold was full OF stout for the soldiers.
and they drank il, and L cannot remember
that Jack Muck forward ever throughout
the voyage got so much as a sup of LIQUOR.
SOLDIERS GOOD COMPANY.
Ny control over the casks OF stout rem
dered my relations with the ships cook
Very easy. He was constantly laboring
under accesses OF thirst which cold could
not dull nor heat infame and | entered
into covenant with him that. in considera-
ton OF my keeping him supplied with
enough stout TO leave him sober and COM
Portable, he was to make jam tarts. pre-
served fruit pies and other such delicacies
for me. was but fifteen years old and a
hungry boy, and. like the rest of us who
Were sailors. 1 found no sustenance i'm