The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-10-25
NEWS OF THE WATERFRONT.
WINDJAMMER
SAVED MONEY
Nate Worried Crew-They De-
serted and Left Wages
Behind.

ally leave their ships at each port the
vessels touch at. In many American
vessels, nowadays. sailors seldom stay
for more than one trip.
"I'll tell you how that is" said a
skipper yesterday, for | have had
some experience. You see freights are
very unsatisfactory now, and captain
must do everything in his power to
scrape along, make his vessel pay, and
incidentally hold his job. ~Ttake, for
instance, this situation. l know a
skipper who recently took a cargo of
lumber to Sydney. His cargo was a
poor one, and having spent long
time on his trip down, he knew that
by the time sailors were paid, and the
vessel was discharged and cleaned.
there woul be nothing left out of his
earnings for the trip.
tWell, this son of the sea knew
thing or two. He knew he could save
the wages of sailors while in the port
of Sydney, and he also wished to save
the greater part of the money that the
men had earned on the trip down.
Then he wished to have the men leave
the ship Immediately on arrival at the
Australian port.
He spoke of this situation to the
mate, a busy fellow who was a mate
clear to the bottoms of his shoes. If
you want 'em to git said the mate,
I'll see that they git within twenty
four hours after we touch Sydney
wharves, and you can bet your port
holes they won't come back looking
for any money
well, my friend had his doubts as
to the mates ability to scare the sail
ors OFF the ship-for that is what he
wanted done. The mate went among
the sailors. Several fights ensued in
which the sailors always got the worst
of it. The mate kept the men at work
night and day, and man had no
sooner crawled into his bunk during
watch below than the mate was down
there after him, and bringing him up
quick and lively to do something about
the sails. The men were kept aloft
during the greater portion of their
time.
We'll, you can imagine that it was
not many days before that crew COM
menced to imagine that they were up
against about the worst proposition
that ever happened. One and all were
opposed to having to make the re-
turn trip by way of Newcastle, and as
for spending couple of weeks On the
vessel in Sydney, discharging cargo,
we'll, that would be more bad luck.
They feared the mate. They limited to
the mate about getting paid off in Sgd
ney, and he promptly swore a most
awful oath that every one of them
would stay by. the ship and return in
her to the states He said he would
have deserters arrested and returned to
the vessel. Whispers could later be.
all desert the vessel in Sydney.
We'll, when they got to Sydney, they
were berthed about noon, and during
the remainder of that afternoon the men
were up to their heads in hard work.
After supper the captain and mates
left the vessel. They hurried off to
the nearest pub and over cigars and
whiskey discussed the sailors. In an
hours time they returned to the YES
sci, The captain and mate inspected
the crews quarters. There was not a
single vestige Of a sailor or sailors
kit there, and during the entire stay
of that schooner in Sydney not one OF
those fellows put in an appearance at
the wharf at which the schooner was
lying.
THE captain was a few hundred
ahead by the venture, and declared
that he would keep an eye on the
mate, and that there would be trouble
II the worthy ever attempted to leave
the schooner. And-well, / would not
mind having that kind of a mate, my
self, only would not want his services
anywhere around the Sound, as it
would cost me a premium of about
$50 each to get new men there from
the crimps"
VHaaala Wow, Hrr~o~a