Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1902-04-26
The Ren, Life Of n snilnr.

liNNNffN"tN Ut& lilt>lSNiNlS tsAIFHf. ana III
one time or other in his early years h.
signs for an opportunity to gain prac-
teal insight into its mysteries
He imagines that all sailors live in
happy go-lucky style doing rs they
please. working when the inclination
strikes them, and having any number
of idle hours in which to'lounge around
and kill time by spinning yarns"
As matter of course this false idea
has been foStered by the authors of ro-
manceS of the sea. in which the sailor is
usually painted as Il wild. rolicking fell
low, whose chief aim in life is 70 enjoy
himself without giving Il Thought to the
morrow. If however. he was 10 shin or
some merchant vessel, it would not be
long before he would find all this to be
mere sentimental hosh and the daily
routine on bonrd to be Of most exact
ing character.
Every Jack-tar lives on a floating
house of business, so Ia speak. which /,
continually carrying him into unexpected
lahors. He begins his days work with
the morning watch at 1 o'clock, when
he is required to turn ont of his by no
means roomy bunk in that part of the
ship technically known as the forecastle,
but universally referred to ms the
aud wash all parts Of ii, which are usn-
ally begrimmed with iron rust, dirt and
salt water.
lie has no trouble in finding the water
necessary for this work. simply tossing
Il bucket overheard and hauling it back
| by means OF n stout rope attached 20 the
handle Then, with the aid Of buckets
aud ordinary hrooms, brushes or mopS,
he usually succeeds in making things tnl
| erably clean
IT the ship is coming into port and the
| captain wishes the decks to look particu-
| larly white, Jack must 90 down on his
| hands and knees aud Scour the decks
! with certain articles called ''holystones.
Now, holystones are not treasured
| fragments OF some classical shrine, bur
/ common looking pieces of sandstone
about the size of brick. and 1t is not
4 too much to say that poetry ahandons
/ the nautical mind when the holystoning
| process becomes necessary.
The operation is always long and In
| borious, and the only respite he has from
| this odioils t;;si- l. ~ polishing furnished
| brass work or being ordered aloft to at
| tend to some troublesome sail or bit OF
| running gear.
Consequently. by o'clock. when he is
| relieved by the forenoon watch. h. has
had sufficient exercise to get up an ap-
| petite for breakfast such MS is rarely
| equaled or surpassed Icy anything hui
! man.
This meal. year in and out consists
of liberal supply OF hot, black bryer-
age called coffee which is stewed to dis
traction and swcetcned. IL az all, with
mnlasseS
Then, there is a ships bread porridgc.
or 'hurgpo, and n species OF hash called
'lphscouse. which nobody bur Il hungry
sailor was ever known to successfully
4.
20 cplcurc, but a gastronomic genius who
dispatches everything to satisfy m or
ganic craving with goat-lke facility and
| relish
lie then fills his pipe, spins yarns or
returns 20 his unambroslal bunk for "a
nap. while his shipmateS, the forenoon
watch are busy making things snug on
deck and aloft
Now the duties incumbent on this
watch are multifaIious. depending main.
Is upon the state of the weather If it
j. calm. they are very easy: hut in ease.
of storm or a sudden blow, the forenoon
watch has its hands ful
Yards must he constantly trimmed. ac-
cording to the directions o. the wind
sails furled and running gear looked aft
er; and. in addition to Il senman'S regt-
lar duties Of setting ana shortening sail.
there is always plenty Of sail nending,
rope splicing. spar scFaping. oiling. var
niShing and printing 20 do. 10 say ngth
ing Of the dirty work Of tHrring the
standing rigging and ropes occasionally.
Then every man must take his turn or
trick AT the wheel. which is always Il
mOnotononS and extremely dangerous
duty in bad weather
At 100, the men who composed the
morning watch" are called 10 2 dinner
Of hot pea soup. boiled pork and \ piece
Of another Kind Of meat, usually desi2.
mated as salt horse" and supposed 10
he snitcd beef. bnt II would be difficult
matter 10 persuade the ordinary saiior
that il ever formed a portion Of the IN.
aiouY of 81 COW or steer.
To relieve the mOnotohy Of this diet, he
IL occasionally treated to a dessert Of
| ''plum-duT' or stick jaw pudding,
which is highly relshed by all
This sumptuouS meal is then washed
down with coffee, and Jack, feeling like
| afternoon watch which relieves the
forenoon watch" at II o'clock.
This watcn Is employed on deck with
duties similar 70 those engaged in by TIL
watch il relieved, and at J O'Clock in the
afternoon gives way 10 another watch.
Generally speaking, the men have f0ur
hours on duty and four hours Of But il
! this took place with undertaking fegu-
/ llrity. IL Is evident that Que set Of men
would always be on duty during the best
/ part Of the uight--an arrangement that
! would be manifcstly unfair. IN order.
| therefore, that one watch should not
have the long nights duty, there are
/ what sailors call the dog watches"
| These watches are the hours between
| ( o'clock in he afternoon and $ o'clOca
/ in the evening
| The afternoon watch. accordingly. 60
! below at O'Clock. and tome on deck nj
! &. when they have two hours dog watch
! At O'Clock IN go below again. aud
/ thus. los means Of these dog watches, the
! crew OF ship gets alternate nights Of
| duty on deck
/ In moderate weather everything is usu
| allv made snug al0ft between u and
O'Clock in the evening, when Jacks days
work may be considered ended. II not
/ - .,-s4,hf 10 ,.a,, sp5oka HE rMna sing \