The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1908-04-18

Our esteemed friend John A. Shaw
paymaster on board United States
Steamship Kearsarge, who before ia
vored US with communication from
the West Indies has again kindly re-
membered us. His letter was written
on the Pacific ocean some days after
the big fleet had passed through the
Straits.
The Letter.
On Board U. S. S. Kearsarge.
To the Labor World:
AS everybody is first, here is the
news to all of the past month.
TO start with, here's good luck. to
everybody, and hope you are eating
three squares per day, and holding
your own at the old stand,
The fleet left Trinidad, Dec. 20, and
struck good weather all the trip.
Crossing the Equator all the ships
had good time. To all you land
lubhers that never "crossed the line'
/ will explain.
The Ceremonial.
Since Noah was skipper" in the
~A>' "AASAA q oAAp CAOoSCu LIE udIOr
those on board who never crossed the
line before must pay their respects to
Father Neptune." Those Of the crew
who have crossed must take part in
the official ceremonies, and represent
the different characters such as "Nep-
tune the clerk, the barber and as
s1stant. the doctor and assistant, Judge,
bears, mermaids, and Neptune's wife
and daughters? At noon Of the day
the snip crosses, the party appear on
deck dressed In the regalia of what
they represent, and, led by the band
parade about the decks.
The tank is a long awning triced
up from the deck with four or fiv,
fire hoses keeping it filled. The plat
form Is erected above this with a
movable seat to go over the tank.
The victim sits here and as they
are finished with him he is shovel
backward and drops into the tank OF
water, where he Is pounced upon by
the sharks and mermaids in, the tank,
who All but drown hirn .befere lie gets
out. The lather> used in these exer-
clses consists of mixture of flour,
molasses and a small amount of tar,
Which is rubbed into the hair care
1ulIy and looks very niggerish when
dry. The pills which the doctor forces
upon the victim are a mixture Of .soa 0
and mustard with a drink of salt wa
ter for a wash If the victim els un-
ruly and will not swallow the pill,
place your forefinger and thumb on
each side OF his nostrils and press
fORpfhar IF ho II
will choke. The officers must, report
the same as the crew. If they do
not want to get the shave they paw
forfeit. The forfeit is six dozen
bottles Of beer which goes to the
Neptune party. After man has been
through these exercises he can spit
over the weather rail, and is known
as sailor. 1t would have done my
heart good il I could have two Or
three of the "Snaboo Bunch" aboard
on that day. You would think yo,,
were going some other place besides
Port Arthur
Arrival at Rio dc Janeiro.
Our arrival at Rio de Janeiro, Bra
zil Jan. IL, was a grand success from
a navel point Of view AS we were
about fifteen miles from port, three
Brazilian men, of-war came out to
meet us and act as escort: Our en-
trance into the harbor was a noisy
one. Everything that had a whistle
attached to 1t was in line and footing
l don't believe it was so much Of the
show they gave us, but the knowledge
that the money was in sight. EYery-
thing raised in price as soon as our
smoke was on the horizon.
OF course all Of US was anxious to
go ashore and "Rubberneck." The
first you noticed on landing was a
| large sign on the front Of the custom
house, that the "Y. M. C. A." had
temporary quarters in the buildina
for the exchange of money and for
information. The exchange was II
Peso for $500 gold. A Peso is about
30 cents American. The first day ev-
erything was fine, but, after they had
seen what an easy mark the blue
+! jacket was, why they were the worst
| crooks I ever had the misfortune tt
| buck up against. If you were no.
| careful they would have your shoes.
Meeting With Ameri>ans. ....:
| AAS~u Wiz pACoouAO W IASSS d 1HN
Of the wire boys from the WestinR
house plant the first day ashore. The
| Westinghouse firm are building a plan
| about 200 miles inland from the cit,
! near waterfall, and they have abou
| 15o American boys which they brough'
| from the States under contract. The,
were the gladdest bunch of boys me,
| for many day. They reminded mi
Of lot Of children on an excursion
A few Of them left their work ant
went with US while all hands madj
merry. (
! We went to the peak of Corcovad,
mountain, 2300 feet above sea level
which you reach by cable car Whil,
here we had lunch and one Of til
wire butchers related story whicl
thought was good as will relat,
when get home. "
Visit to Gardens. ~
After lunch we returned to- the cit,
and took train for the Botanical an,
geological Gardens. The Botantcal
gardens Of Brazil are known the worl
over for its variety OF palms. It /