The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1901-01-02
Chinese Mess Boys.

The thrift of the Chinese is well
explained by the following conversa-
tion had with gentleman recenus
passing through here who for n good
many years was an officer on the Chi
ma boats and had ample opportunity
10 watch the Celestials among the
crew and passengers in the Asiatic
steeraCe.
The more ! see Of the Chinese the
less : think know of their character
and ways OF life" Said he: For a
good many years ! have had intimate
dealings with them on board shin and
there was always something new for
me To learn They are thrifty TO n
degree and great tradesmen. and 1t
all times looking for the best Of a bar
gain. As race | have found them
honest. but at the same time those
wlom we have 10 deal with in the
crew Of the steamers are always look
ing out for number one at the com.
pany's expense.
take for instance the mess-bovs on
the steamers. Every three davs they
20 TO the storekeeper for the regular
rations allowed the mess. There is
a certain amount of tea. coffee. staple
articles. sugar and Jams and ieliies
The mess.boy had n habit of taking for
himself very little portion from each
package as IL is issued which he puts
AWAY. In the case Of canned goods
n certain number OF tins are issued
every three DAYS and in case by tine
time of the next issue all these are
not used no the mess-bov has them
for himself They are boarded up
with his other supplies. On a trip
from China 20 San Francisco and re
turn there are great many issues NJ
supplies and hv the time the vessel
reaches China again the mess-hov has
quite a stock of things TO dispose of
"Ot course IL we see ANYTHING of
the kind going on we put a stop to Il !
hut there are so manv WAYS OF Snug
Cling these little things ashore that II |
Is next 10 impossible 10 do so entirely. |
The baggage OF the Chinese passen- !
gers is the principle mode OF getting I
goods ashore az the Oriental ports and |
where there are often a thousand 1
boxes and parcels in the steerage he
longing to the passengers Il would ne
\ herculean task to search all of
them Then again il is not ALWAYS
that these goods find their wav of the
ship hut instead are sold to the steer
age passengers for what they will
bring Once on going unexpectedly !
into the Asistic steeraae | saw one of
the mess-hoys with a bucket in his
hand which he threw under a bunk
rs soon as he saw me coming. | went
and looked into the bucket and there
was nothing there but pieces of the
rake and pie that had come of the
plates OF the first cabin passengers
This thrifty son OF Confucius had gath.
cred the bits M and pared them off
4 little 10 make them look all right
ard was peddling them among the
Chinese steeraCe passengers selling
each piece for a cent or even less.
There was no wrong in doing this. but
he was afraid that he would be Jerk
ed up for his trading. All the bottles
from the ship and even the tin cans
are disposed Of and not thrown over
board as one would suppose The
bottles are sold. the small ones for a
half cent and the larger ones for a
reut apiece The tin cans are cur and
out into sheets and certain
number are tied together into bun
lie and sold in the Orient
Besides the chow furnished for the
steerage passengers on the vessels the
mess-hovs and steerage stewards have
A supply OF Chinese delicacies which
they take along on the trip and these
are proyided for the epicures among
ne Chinese passengers. IL they have {
he price 10 pay for them.
The chinaman is a great gambler
md TO while away the time on a
ong ocean voyage the steerage nas-
'engers have games OF various kinds '
hat they risk their money on. An al.
-emnt has been made 10 put a ston
o the practice but II has met with
disastrous results 10 the company. rs
ne Cinnamon refuse 10 travel on a
'essel where they can not gamble. ana
II was stopped entirely il would not
,e possible TO keep Chinese crew
lhoard. as the crew as a usual thing 4
the bank that the passengers 20 up Il
'sainst While ] was in the service
We tried to regulate the practice by S