The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-08-18
TRIP IN 4 BASKET.

out in the harbor Transfer 10 the shore
Is made by small launches or tug boats,
or in the small craft Of native boatmen-
The same is the case in most OF the
Malay and Indian ports. In some of these
harbors il is moi unsuai % ind a choppy
little sea blown up by breezes which are
delightfully."- refreshing on shore or on
the deck Of a steamer, but which kick
up enough of a tumble 20 make a trip in
a native boat an active il not a disagree
able experience
But 1 have decided 10 abjure all com
plant of the landing conditions OF such
ports If I am spared any further eNPer-
fence on the coast OF South Africa. Cape
Town has a harbor and docks. Rough
seas. high winds. and storms may be en-
counteTed OF the Cape OF Good Hope.
which the old Portuguese navigators SO
,ittingly named the Cape OF Storms
but at Cape Town ones steamer ties up
at a dock. At all the other ports on that
coast, as far north, I believe, as Suez.
one anchors of shore Some OF the ports
OF the East African coast offer harbors,
but at Mossei Bay. Port Elizabeth, East
London and Durham the ship lies in the
open roadstead. MosSel Bay has a dent
in the shore. which is called harbor, and
so has Port Elizabeth. but neither counts
for very much az a protection against
the waves of that region. AT Durham and
East London ships ancnor from one 10
three miles out at sea.
Transfer from ship to shore at these
points is effected by means Of tug boats.
Transfer from ship 10 tug boat and vice
versa, is effected by means OF a basket.
The sea N that quarter is seldom smooth.
and is sometimes too rough to admit OF
transfer of either freight or passengers.
This may last for Few hours or for TWO
or three days. There one lies at anchor
rolling, rocking and pitching. running his
disposition. and. if a victim 10 sea-sick-
ness, having very unhappy time To
roll when at anchor IS far worse than to
roll under Roadway. There is disgusting
regularity and monOtony about it which
is somewhat broken by the onward move
ment of a vessel.
Let US assume that the traveller has ar
rived a Durham on a big ship like the
Saxon as large as the average OF Atlantic
liners. The anchor is down, mountains Of
luggage are brc1ghg from hold and state
rooms. All is hustle and confusion. The
nervous and the inexperienced are in their
usual state of apprehension for them
selves and for their baggage, which is
hidden away somewhere in that heap on
the deck. and, therefore. hcDelessly lost
beyond a doubt. The ship rolls in a strong
sea coming straighs on shore from the
southwest. After an hour or two of that
sort of thing. a strongly built little tue
boat comes putting out of the mouth Of
the river. across the bar. and wallows and
tumbles its passage out 10 the vessel.
One looks over the rail. The deck Of the
tug is twenty-five or thirty feet below.
1t looks TO be fifty feet. Suddenly. as il
lifted by some gigantic unseen hand. the
tug boat shoots up into the air, tipping
bit as it comes buinping its way up the
side of its big neighbor. until the decks
of the two are nearly on a level. Then il
goes down again down until it seems as
if it would never stop. But il stops. and
comes back, up and down. with its cap
tain and the agent of the line hanging on
to things and shouting messages to the
officers of the ship.
If you are going ashore here my friend.
you have to get on board the tug boat and
wallow and tumble over the intervening
miles until smoother water is reached in
side the bar. There is nothing aluring
about the trip. on all such experiences I
noticed that. when it was matter of
leaving the ship in a rough sea. endless
courtesy dominated. It was quite evident
that after YOU is manners for ne was
the prevailing sentiment. When II was
matter of leaving the tug for the ship, the
condition was reversed, and there was no
question whatever Of manners with the
majority It was simply a grand scramble
to get off first. Loading or unloading re-
quires from thirty minutes to an hour and
the prospect of coasting I'D and down the
side of a ship. on board an uncomfortable
and plunging little tug boat offers no at
traction to the average traveller
But the ship has 20 be made. and one
desce1ds to the main deck in very much
the same frame Of mind as one goes TO the
dentists chair. There is the means of
T. cir Ia rrrfaI -rf
basket. seven feet or so IN height. and
between three and four feet In diameter.
A door opening or one side admits the
victims TO the circular enclosure. around
which runs seat. All 1he humanity
which the contrivance will hold IS packed
into IT, The door is shut and fastened:
the attendant sailor signals to the oper-
ators Of a donkey engine; and to the
rattle Of winch and chains. away goes the
thing in the air 1t may go smoothly. OF
it NAV go with a jerk ard p lurch TO be
steadied by the guy rope. while the oc-
cupants are shaken into q heap. 10 the
serious detriment of hats. ribs and toes
IN II goes TO give good clearance. An
other mechanism swings IL outboard. over
the tug where &c hangs poised for
favorable opportunity 10 lower away to
the deck below.
Much now depends upon the skill Of the
probable motion Of the tug. he may send
the basket downward 10 alight on the
deck with a slight jar Of impact only.
The hosting rope is instantly slackeDeG
10 avoid an undesirable separation be-
tween deck and basket by a further de-
cent OF the deck. The door is opened and
the contents Of the cage emerge to pull
themselves and their disordered apparel
together. But II the signalman be not
to- lsf -r-fa Of
ment. that may happen which have seen
on more than one occasion. descending
basket may meet an ascending deck. with
disastrous results to the contents Of the
basket. 7 once saw such q mlshau il
very stormy sea The basket was thrown
violently upon its side. literally spining
its passengers out Of ITS top. with a hair
breadth escape from being spilled over
board. The sigraiman lost his
head. sisnaned 20 hoist vhen he
should have signailed 80 slack
away. ard the basket rose again with a
part o. fts occupants sFillc5 sprawiinE
on deck while the rest were spilled back
again and h1lsred In nid-alr But that
is not q frequent occur-ence-
Bat the basket gees ND ard down. ard
the waiting passengers are gradually
Transferred Meanwhile. % ls pro. hle
that some ~ The cartier Transfers are
beginning 10 De uncomf5rta Sea legs
on a ~ a0-ton shin ere iiferert c1u-
trigarce from chose reecrd on bicEire
rlurginE and hesTinE tes boar Hanut-
then ara thcsr q ~ are Sod sailors arsF
utter fsrrent iaez Den for uF or
Qualities in thst respect Taer comes the
FhoreWard t~iu. and thc general long
breath - relf@f ~ The tgE ri3rs into fre
smooth water behind rhe Ear ard the
hulkhaae.
The r.-r-vesrs fr4~ - a reversed ~ ftfe