The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1907-02-14

Yanks who had shipped (?) under sim
liar circumstances, participated in the
drill. We worked from six in the
morning until six at night, seemingly
accomplishing nothing. On the morn
ing OF the third day. we weighed anchor
and drifted down to Astoria, at which :
place we arrived late in the afternoon.
Here we cast anchor and remained till
Saturday. The sailors were allowed
Friday afternoon to themselves. Up
on being told that this would be my
last chance to write to relatives and
friends, most of my time was spent in
writing.
Saturday morning we again weighed
anchor and Immediately loosened all
sails preparatory to float out with the
ebb. Our next task, not an easy one,
was the hauling aboard and securing
both anchors, which consumed several
hours. Almost before l realized it we
were on the bosom of the Pacific. The
gentle rocking of the ship had little or
no effect on me and l was beginning
to hope that was one of those rare
exceptiOns-a person not susceptible
to nausea. My hopes were soon blasted,
however, for along in the afternoon l
began to ''feed the fishes" Those who
have experienced the pangs of seasick-
ness know that one in Its grip is hardly
in condition to work. Divers little
tricks, such as drinking large quanti-
ties of salt water, chewing piece of
fat and the like, were perpetrated on
me, augmenting rather than relieving
the ailment. But l was determined
not to give in and, altho l never over
came the sickness, the least swell
bringing it on, did not lose one day
of the voyage.
AT six o'clock we knocked off work
ana had supper. none for me.) The
meal finished, we were called aft and
the port and starboard watchs were
chosen by the chief and second mates.
The dog watch fell to our, the port
watch's, lot. AlthO the derivation of
the name has never been explained to
me, l suppose, inasmuch as the watch
below rarely or never turns in, that it
Is So called because of its analogy to q
dogs sleep. My duty consisted in
striking every half hour, the small bell
On the binnacie, the lookout man re-
spending Oh The large tOksI bell. For
Instance, at $50 / struck "hve-beIls"
f and aJ I, "six-DeLs." Eight bells, or
r four hours, constitute a Wa.ch. here
was at sea III d Wlnd-Dag, doomed 10
WORK tour hours ana sieep IOur hours,
r alternately, until we reached Ply
[ mouth, England Not a pleasant
8 thought TO one used to at least eight
: hours unbrOken sleep.
= A days routine Was something like
!, this: At six O'Clock each morning,
= Sundays excepted, the watch on deck
:. washed down the same and got out
q such tools as would be required by the
other watch. This work usually con-
. sumed the two hours from six to eight.
Il At eight o'clock the watch below
t turned out and began work chipping
n and scraping the rust from the bull
!. warks This work was frequently in
terrupted by light and heavy squalls
e which called the attention OF the men
: to the sails. At twelve the watch that
S had slept from eight to twelve was
), turned out. 1t merely took up the
. work where the other watch left off
n and continued thus till four at which
= time the other watch relieved it. The
If watch now on deck worked till six,
:. when it in turn was relieved, to come
:. back on deck at eight. 1t will be seen
~ that twelve hours were devoted to
work. This work of chipping and
20 scarping continued for several weeks
,s Loose shrouds and stays were then
- hauled taut, old and worn blocks re-
=, placed with new, and ratlines renewed
u All the ropes were Overhauled, too
y Then came that job for which almost
le all sailors have an aversion; namely
10 tarring down. Painting was the next
: thing on the program after which the
= decks were "holystoned" and all Tho
10 brass was FURNISHED.
Do not think for moment that th(
pt above named tasks we're done in 8 dal
- or week. The voyage from Portland
~ Ore, to Plymouth, England, consumed
'n one hundred and fifteen days, TIVE
k weeks of which were spent In round
in ing Cape Horn-and such two week.
ba hope never again to experiences. Elk
cepting Sundays, and the weather no
As infrequently deprived us of this day o
ed rest, every day was wOrk-day. o
or the hardships endured shall not dwell
10 upon. the object of this little articl
= being merely to show that the sailor !
- not idle while at sea and, incidently
81 that sshanghaiing" men still exists, Il
er a mild FORM today. A. M. B.