Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1902-05-20
MILLIONS Of MAdd0TS

immigration to these Islands from
Alaska Is something unusual ana
there Is at present much talk on the
waterfront in connection with the ar
rival here Of millions Of little beings
and scararing men are wondering why
the immigration officials are not look
ing into the matter.
The fine. rour.masted schooner
James Rolph. Captain Olsen. arrived
in this port on the 18th instant from
KilIisnoo with over 10000 bags of
mackcrel fertilizer. She locked at
the railway wharf, where she is at
present living. and proceeded to dis
charge her aromatic load. About seven
thousand bags of the fertilizer were
brought down on deck and. of course,
this deck.load had to be taken off first.
Slings were rugged and the work OF
disCharging proceeded in good shape.
II seems that the fertilizer on deck
had become wet during the passage
from Alaska. having absorbed moist
ure from the heavens in the shape Of
rain.
When mackerel fertilizer becomes
wet 1t is the breeding ground for mill
lions of maggots. This Is what hap.
pened in the case of the fertilizer on
the deck of the schooner James Rolph.
The bags of fertilizer were piled
about ten deep on the deck OF tho
schooner and when the first layer was
taken off the maggots began to show
themselves. 10 real trouble was eX.
perienced with the swarming little
creatures. however, until the deck had
been reached, for, as eacn layer Of
bags was removed, the maggots natur.
ally retreated deeper down toward the
deck. so that, when the deck was fin
ally reached ana all the bags had been
removed from the vessel, the maggots
were almost two inches thick and the
schooner's crew was forced to use
shovels to scoop them from the plank.
ing.
Millions and millions of maggots
were shoveled up in this way and
thrown overheard. Many Of them chung
to the planking OF the wharf and man.
aged to crawl in great droves up onto
the wharf and on to the sides of the
schooner. Some even managed to
crawl back on deck, while. on the sides
OF the vessel, just above the water
line, there could be seen thick line
of maggots from stem to rudder post.
While the multitudinous little beasts
were being shoveled from the decks of
on the poop deck, armed with a hose.
The maggots were making for the cab
in. crawling over the break of the poop
and doing their level best to get onto
the poop deck. But the man with the
hose on the after deck managed to
hold them back by playing a powerful
stream of water on the advancing
hosts.
Never before has such a sight been
seen in Honolulu harbor and those al
the railway wharf who were speCta
tors will remember the scene for many
and many a day.
The maggots seemed to move as
with one will, for huge masses of them
moved in wavelike motions along the
deck, carrying along old pieces OF can
vas and small pieces OF wood on the
tops of their individually insignificant,
but c0nglomerately tremendous bod
les.
The presence of the maggots almost
resulted in tragedy aboard the James
Rolph. The Japanese cook, Toni
started to go ashore to do his market
ing early in the morning and. forget
II about the presence of the mag
on the gangway withou
where he placed
1.-Two Will