Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-01-19
Is "shanshaied" in 'Frisco-suffer.
From Cold and Hunger-Narrowly
Escapes Death-Returns to Port
and Receives $40 as Pay.

make me feel that all the hardships |
had passed through with in former
days on the briny deep, were like
dreams of paradise"
The old fellow stopped and fell into
a sort OF reverie. After several mo-
ments he looked up, settled back in
his chair and continued "a man who
is rowing over the world, from year to
year, meets with many peculiar ex-
periences. The one that am about to
tell you of has to do with the one, and
the only one trip that l ever made up
to the Arctic ocean after whales and
whale Oil.
II never did have any desire, or real
longing, to make cruise in that style
of craft. for l knew that whaling is
one of the dirtiest and most hazardous
fate with. l got into it, but it was no
fault of mine that did.
Is Shanghaied.
ut all happened in this manner. l
was ashore in Frisco one spring knock
ing about, spending my money as sail
ors are wont to do after a long cruise.
was late from big 'windjammer'
that had come around the Horn from
New York, loaded with a cargo of gen
eral merchandise. She had discharged
her freight in the Golden Gate city and
the crew was paid OFF. 1t left me with
out a berth, but was not overly anXi-
Gus to find one especially as long as
my money lasted.
One evening was down in the VI
cinity of the wharves and shipping,
and as the night was little cool, l
stopped into public house for a
drink. 1t was a dirty looking place
and as sat at the little table in one
corner Of the room, slipped the drink
and in an absent sort of way listened
to several longshoremen argue in
drunken gibberish about the tonnage
Of some late arriving ship which was
in the harbor.
81 finished the drink and then order
ed another While imbibing the sec
ond drink, 1t seemed to me that was
getting very sleepy for that time in
the evening. I got extremely drowsy
and the last thing can remember is
that allowed my chin to fall on my
breast and in vague sort Of way
was looking at the funny shaped ball
on the leg of the table. Then all was
blank.
Taken Aboard Ship.
How long slept there, do not
know. When awoke it seemed to me
that was aboard ship again. APP
parently was in bunk in the fo'cas-
tie Of vessel. I could feel the gentle
roll, back and forth, and the rise and
fall as she heaved into the sea. Over.
head, could hear the noise Of men
running about on the decks and the
thuds caused by coils Of rope being
thrown down on deck. was able to
hear the noise of creaking blocks and
the shouts of the mates as they sang
out orders that called for the loosing
of sail.
"At first thought that perhaps ]
was still dreaming, or maybe had
taken little too much at the public
house and it was causing me to have
distorted fancies. But the next in.
slant all these notions were dispelled
For, down through the companion
way Of the BOBBY hatch there came a
torrent of oaths and words which a
sailorman knows SO well and which
tells him that he is not dreaming. 1t
was the deep throated call for "all
hands on deck" given by a big burly
mate. For the first time fully real.
lied that was aboard Z ship and l
tumbled out of my bunk, slipped on
my clothes, and jumped up onto the
deck above. Taking good look
around, I saw that was at sea sure
enough and knowing that l had not
signed articles for any vessel, the
truth rushed upon mel had been
shanghaied.
Years ago, 'shanghaing' was an old
trick of boarding house keepers in sea
port towns. They would drug sail.
ors and put them aboard a vessel after
drawing months pay in advance on
them for board and lodging
Ship Was WhaIer.
Arriving on deck 1t did not take me
find out that was aboard one Of those
nasty whaling ships and from the
position of the sun, we were bound
north. There were the numerous long
whaling boats piled up amidships with
lashings on, ready to be broken out
when needed. The heavy wooden
davits were in evidence, secured for
sea and the filthy looking try-kettles,
begrimmed with greese stood in readi.
ness.
my observations were cut short by
a sharp command from one Of the
mates to lay aloft and shake out the
to-gallant sails and not stand there
like an old woman at market stall.
Knowing full we'll, that then was not
the time to demonstrate, did what ]
was told and was soon swinging on
one of the to-gallant yards between
wind and water aletting go the can
vass ready for sheeting home.
Coming to the deck again, went
aft to the old skipper, who was stump
ing the weather side of the quarter
deck with a long glass in his hand. /
explained to him that had not
Signed on in his old hooker of a
ship and that he and his crowd were
a lot of pirates and that wanted him
to drop me with the first vessel we
sighted.
NLN,,, fJ,io III az