Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-03

BILE. and certainly no purchase is less pro.
ductive of profit. And even should these
brought safely home by dint of infinite
trouble and care. Il Is a strange fact that
they are always bought to the dealers
shops when there is an overwhelming stock
hand. and if he takes them at all II Is
only from sheer philanthropy, pure pity for
the poor vender, who he knows would
otherwise be compelled to give them away
or see them die.
There is another branch OF sea traffic
which seamen used TO engage In. which can
Ivy no means be neglected, although II only
exists now in the few deep water sailing
ships that remain. aliude TO the manu-
facture of articles tor or ornament,
usually intended for sale, by seamen in
their spare time. There was an amazing
amount OF patience and ingenuity expended
upon the things. and Il Is certain that when
the worker became fully interested In his
production he often lost a great deal Of
really essential sleep. OF these minor In
dustries. netmeking, I think, should come
first, and for various reasons. but princi-
pally because it is a legitimate offshoot
from the Intricate and beautiful art of
sailorizing or manipulation of rope and
canvas for the service of the ship. Mats In
many forms for cleanliness and for chatting
gear were essential for the old sailing ships,
and very handsome specimens OF the sea
mans art they were.
-
And it was quite natural that II he could
get the materials Jack would Develop this
art in aesthetic directions. such materials
including carpet thrums or yarns, which
may even now be bought for the purpose
In bye streets of sailor towns. and various
gaudy soft woods With these and a piece
of canvas Communicated" dhe wise cali
| III while sailmaking or acquired by bar
| ter from the sailmaker for tobacco, Jack
could turn out exceedingly handsome and
| durable hearth rugs or with wool alone In
gpn mn dpcnrl
of the old type. Or failing these a Few odds
/ and end of rope and canvas, collected
while repairs are going on, would furnish
4 the materials for the humber IL more use
| full door mat of various kinds, but all ex-
1 ceedngly good and neat looking.
| But 1t must be said that whatever visions
| OF profit by the sale of these articles may
| have been present to the mind of the sailor
| during his long self-imposed labor. they are
| but seldom realized. Such pieces of good
workmanship may usually be seen adorn-
| ing the rooms of boarding houses and 0tner
dwellings less reputable, whose lessees have
cajoled them out OF easy going Jack. No
| doubt he has had In a superlative degree
the joy of the working. and with that he
| has perforce to be content.
| The following remarks apply even more
| forcibly to the craft Of model making and
| wood carving, to which are allied IN the
whale ships Of the rspeImaeeti fishery ne
In bone and ivory. I have often seen, work
| turned out by these entirely self-taught
| tificers. which would have graced any ex-
| hfbition In the world. / have watched II In
| progress of construction, watched the work
| man making his own tools-out of files dis
carded by the carpenter-out of saii-needles.
| broken knives, anything of steel-and have
never known which to admire most, the
| constructive skill and adaptive methods OF
| the artist or his infinite patience and self
| sacrifice.
|
| ] bound to use the latter word be-
cause. after all. with such humble set OF
| poorly paid workers sailors It is certain
that little return for all this faithful toll
| would be of great value and encourage
| ment to them, and II is equally certain that
| in ninety-nine cases out of 100 they get
none. I speak with absolute knowledge.
| for 1 saw my first voyage. now nearly
| thirty years ago, piece OF work
turned out by an A. b. that was marvel
A panorama of the Downs, with thirty-four
| ships of various kinds at anchor and get
| ting under weigh, &c, all in half model
| relief and of the most beautiful workman
| ship in wood carving and delicate hand
| ling of fairy-light rigging. 1t went at last
| to an absolutely worthless destination, and
| the worker was rewarded by being called
fool for his pains. / have seen. man spend
| six months of spare time making a photo
| frame to hold dozen portraits. Of tiny
pieces of wood not much longer than
1 matches. jointed and fitted into each other.
| and numbering thousands. And then he
] sold 1t for two pounds of tobacco. OF
| "scrimshoning' the exquisite work of the
| whalemen on their long dreary voyages. in
ivory bone rare woods. silver and baleen /
have no space nowto talk, only to note that
much of 1T occupies places of honor in
grand country houses and museums, for
which the average remuneration has been
at the rate of one pound OF tobacco for
three months work. / once bought an
ivory pastry cutter from another whaleship
in Futuna which had occupied the maker
in all his spare time for sixteen months /
gave him what he asked, two pounds of to-
bacco and sold my purchase in New Yea
land for 80 los, the price I was offered, the
buyer afterward refusing to part with his
treasure for 80.