The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1906-02-23
ON THE
CATTLESHIP
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The afternoon before the cattle.
steamer Earldorman sailed for Liver
pool, Clyde Amidown and Arthur
Cranston sat talking earnestly in the
writing-room of a Portland hotel.
Amidown, from New York, had never
been obliged to earn single dollar
Of the generous number at his COM
mand; Cranston, native Of Kansas,
had never spent a cent that had not
cost him effort of brain or muscle.
Despite this difference, the two were
close friends. They had just gradu-
ated from the same college, and were
off that summer for a three months
tour of Europe.
Amidown would gladly have paid
the expenses of the trip out of his
own pocket for the sake of his
friends company; but he knew the
selfrespecting Westener too we'll to
make such a proposition. So they
decided to cross the Atlantic on
cattie-steamer A1nidown had secured
cabin passage, while Cranston had
that morning signed papers as one
OF the cattlemen.
The two had just returned from
inspecting Cranston's stuffy quarters.
Arnidown's heart misgave him, and
he tried to persuade his friend to
share his stateroom.
What's sixty-hve dollars, Arthur"
expostulated he. you can make it
up in short time. I wont charge
you usury on it,
That's all right, old man." re-
turned the other, but l don't see any
easier way of earning it than by
nine days work aboard ship. I'm
1qt to be frightened out of it because
my room happens to be, a little
dvamped and the work promises to
be dirty"
AmidpWn held his peace, and that
might they took their baggage to the
ship.
At nine the next morning the sheep
and cattle began to come on board
from the cars Cranston, arrayed in
old football clothes, was stationed
near one of the gangways, stick in
hand, to prod along recalcitrant
steers. His friend was an interested
spectator on the bridge. BY two
o'clock fifteen hundred sheep were
hleating in the pens on the upper
deck, while nine hundred wild rancn
cattle from the Canadian Northwest
shouldered one another in their mar
row quarters on the three decks be-
low. At three the ship steamed slow
ly out of the harbor and the voyage
was fairly begun
Cranston found his daily routine
novel and by no means unpleasant.
In all there were forty-five cattle.
men, one-fifth of them professionals
or paid men," and the remainder
green hands, or "stiffs," as their fel.
low workmen termed them, crossing
in this way to save their passage
money. A dozen nationalities and as
many callings were represented.
There were Poles and Huns return.
ing from the Pennsylvania coal
mines. shipwrecked English sailors,
an electrician, music teacher, doc.
tor, and half dozen college men
They were divided into squads, each
in charge of an experienced man.
At half-past four in the morning
they turned out" and had breakfast.
Then the cattle and sheep were given
all the water they could drink. --.4s
was followed by hearty feed of
hay. At eleven o'clock shorts and
cracked corn were served out. In the
afternoon came more Ray and more
water. 1t made full day for iran
ston and his associates.
Five days out severe storms burst
over the Earldorman. The cattlemen
had their hands full, getting up beasts
that were down. patroling the gang
ways and repairing damage of differ
ent sorts.
Now a port would. burst open, and
solid spout of water deluge the
shrinking steers from behind. Now
a pile of hay bales or grain sacks
would come tumbling down. A dozen
of the "stiffs" were so seasick that
they could not work, and this made
it harder for the others
The great mass Of the cattle were
thoroughly frightened by the storm.
On some, however, it had an opposite
effect. One small black steer on the
port side of the lowest deck became
so maddened by the unaccustomed