The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-03-30
KANsAN AT SEA.
Experiences of a Fort Scott Boy on q
Transport.

Transport.
Ben Davis. the Fort Scott boy who
served in the capacity as steward OH
one of the large transports in the serv-
ice Of his Uncle Sammy was talking
to a crowd Of oDen-mouted land lub-
bers'' in one of the uptown restaurants
the other evening Of course none OF
those who were listening had ever seen
salt water, much less having been on II.
and they were all attention. He told OF
the numerous trips he had taken while
on the transport and of the way the
sea treated land lubbers,' as they art
called. who have never been on the sea
before.
He had told Of nearly all Of the FRANKS
that are played on one another while
on the ship, and the conversation had
turned to thieving.
The worst thieving ever heard of. -
said Ben. was while I was on the
transport Sheridan. I was then steward
of the ship and it was my duty to pro-
vide rations for the men who were on
dog watch. "
He was asked by a dozen voices at
once what this was. and after telling
them that it was the night watch who
take the ship in charge, he proceeded
with his story.
The men complained to me several
times about not leaving anything for
them to eat at night. OF course I had
left them plenty, and / told them 50
enough for one man when they came
to their midnight lunch. Well
thought they were trying to work me-
for more ratiOns which is the custom
Of the sailors. and I did not pay much
attention to them, but the next morn
ing and for several mornings after thew
made the same complaint. There was
nothing to do but TO report to the cap.
! tain the circumstances. as [ was con.
tldent that l had left the rations all
right, and was also confident that some
enc was stealing them. Whether it was
the men themselves or not was the
Question
Wen, after I had told the captain he
ana 1 fixed UP plan to catch whoever
II was The next night l issued the re-
CURED amount Of ratiOns. and instead
OF turning IN the captain and I watched
for DEVELOPMENTS When they did come
they were 50 novel that we were una bic,
TO speak for a While. It was along
ABOUT II o'clock and everything was
quiet. We were lying in wait with our
eyes glued to the spot where the ra-
lions were lying. when all Of a sudden
we saw whole dish of roast pork
seemingly rise I'D in the air and disap.
pear through the hatchway above VS.
We're so dumbfounded that we could not
move or speak. neither could we move
our eyes rom the SPOT Then a large
ban o. beans rose W in the same way
roast nork
This was too much. and the captain
rose up and with one bound jumped
INTO the hole and grabbed the pan of
oeSns ana pulled them back into the
cablh again The pan did not come
along though. for something fell on the
Moor with bang that caused the CAP
tam TO turn about seventeen shades
whittier. A little investigation however.
proved what 1t was. Those thieves had
gotten their heads together and stolen
couple of large shin forks that the
cheIs use They are almost as large
as some Of the smaller sized pitch forks
4 ney S1ad taken two of them and tied
handles on them about six feet long
L hen they tied the two forks together
IN SCISSORS shape and when they wanted
anythlnS they simply hooked the forks
or nandS, over the whole article and
took 1T out just as easy as man could
take UP pan and lift it about This
broke up the gang and the captain kept
the forks as memento."
AFTER relating this story he thought
for some time and then started on an
other one after some one had suggested
something about fish.
Speaking of fish" said Ben. makes
me think of the dish they used TO serve
on the ship that they called gold fish
his was nothing more or less than sal
mon salad. but was called gold fish from
It's color. OF course you know that if
) GU eat too much OF this dish it win
give you the cramps. especially if YOU
are not used to it and the sailors are
not used TO anything like that and when
they do get some of it they make a fool
OF themselves and eat too much as a
rule.
One dax we had gold nsh for dinner
ana one Of the fellows had eaten too mricr
cf II and il gave him the cramps He got
so nad that we sent for the SURGEON Of
course --ou know they do not allow any
whisky on the ship and when the men zce
i they are Ike ne Indians after it. Wei.
the surgeon came cut where the fellow
was lying writhing on the deck and after
icozlrg al him minute ne opened his
case ard produced g bottle OF whisky and
-outed little Of It between the mans
lips.
Inside Of two minutes there was about
- ct the "a lo-s lElIlg over the desk ErCau-
lng with the cramps. The surgeon was 4
wise one and knew IN minute what was
up 50 be ordered ali of the men taka7
into the cabin. After he set them il there
be ordered some boiling hot water and
towels These were brought to him and ne
had one Of the towels wrung out through
+ this hot water and placed on the stcinachs
/ Of all the men who had the cramps Of
course there was not one Of them who
had the cramps at ali. but they wanted a
drink Of the whisky. but after they had
started they had to play ont their parts
and submit to the treatment as the sur
gecr administered. Il was something Of p
torture tn them and the surgeon made T.
as bad he could. He ordered the tow
els charged every tine there was the
slightest Indication Of one Of them getting
ccid TIE newt tiThe one Of the men had
the cramps there WASH any Of the others
that had it.