The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1903-09-13
BUNG SOCIETY
Of BIG BRINY
Stewards on South Sea
Liners Members of
Fraternity.
Corks Are Their Tokens and
"Bung Up" Is Their
Passwords.

Many quaint and curious customs, hui
morous and pathetic. survive among sail
ors, and now and then a new one arises
which seems to have no connection with
the old ones. Just as the liner has bred
a new type Of seaman. and new sea-
faring class-the stewards-so these latter
seem to have established a Neptune of
their own-a humorous social deity known
as the Grand Worthy Bung head of the
Society of Bungs.
The Grand Worthy holds court princi-
pally in the China and Australia trade.
though members of mis- court frequently
spend the summer in trips across the
Atlantic. generally on such vessels as sail
from Southampton, whittier come the
ships from the south and east. When
trade is dull on the passenger ships OF
the Oriental lines in summer. IL is good
on the transatlantic liners, and stewards
are transferred to them, where the harv-
est is greatest. 1t is only below decks,
however, that the steward puts on his
alert and respectful manner and frolics
with his fellows.
In the seclusion and freedom Of the
"glory hole" when the stewards are on
duty, you might see a steward draw
cork from his pocket, step up to another
and cry: "Bung up Then must the
If this badge of membership is lost or
mislaid, the loser Is fined twopence for
the benefit Of the treasury Of the society
Then there is apt to be chorus Of "Bung
up!' from the onlookers. who are also
members, and for each who addresses
him the unfortunate who has mislatd his
precious token must pay the twopence
fine, I'D to the sixth time. After that he
is exemDt-uQtil the next time.
That is about all one will see Of the
Bung Society on the short Atlantic trips,
but the longer voyages to India and
China il fiourishes to a much greater ex-
tent. There. in the fOTepeak or the glory
hole" the Grand Worthy Bung holds
court on frequent evenings with quaint
and amusing ceremony. None at these
sessions may address the Grand Worthy
Bung unless spoken to- under penalty Of
twopence; none may enter the lodge with
out the password, and IL a member is adj
dressed by the Grand Worthy he must al
ways in replying call him by his full title.
| or be mulcted. The penalty for profanity
| is penny a word and for dumb motions
| there is a like fine. There are fines also
/ for misappropriat ting another mans in
! sigma of membership, for falling asleep
during lodge meeting. for neglecting to
! learn passwords or ritual, or for disclos-
ing either to another member, and a host
of other things that insure alertness and
/ loyalty
The chief steward. though one Of the
dfgnftaries of the ship generally belongs
/ to this whimsical society, but it is not
I permitted to "Bung him up and he is
not subject to the penalties: instead he
stands a stated assessment of half a sew
ereign. The society is thus not only per-
mitted but encouraged. It conduces to
fellowship among the stewards, trains
! them to be alert. watchful and respectful
qualities valued highly in the profession
and gives that touch of huInor 20 life
I on shipboard that brightens long hours
/ and wearying labor. The money which
accumulates in the treasury is spent at
| intervals in a 1ollihcatlon ashore. when
| the members of the society are able 10
/ attend, and this may take the form OF
/ dance in London, a picnic up the Hugh
/ in India, or chopstick dinner in some
/ Chinese tea Observation-Disclosures American.