The Washington herald., 1911-06-18
SEEING EUROPE ON NEXT TO NOTHING

their halters had to be exchanged. Some
times the cattle would tear from its fas-
Jennings the horizontal timber to which
they were tied, and this had to be put
in place. The half hourly round required
about FIVE minutes, and the balance of
the time 1 was perched on a beam under
an electric light, reading, but alert to hear
any unusual commotion among the cattle.
had been informed that lunch would
be furnished the three cattle watchmen
at midnight. 1 naturally expected it
would come from the same source as
the day rations. Upon finding the galley
closed, inquired OF passing stoker
where the lunch was to be obtained. He
directed me to the stokers' quarters.
When I arrived there I found half a
dozen seated at table, devouring baked
potatoes and joints Of beef, and guzzling
tea. On my inquiring where they OBJ
tanned their victuals, they pointed down
TO the farther end of the room. When
arrived there, I became the target for
a heavy bombardment of baked potatoes.
Hastily covering my face with my hands,
Iturned about and rushed for the door.
Adventures with the Stokers.
These stokers were of a very low type
of men. None of the cattlemen appeared
capable of committing a crime, but 1t
was otherwise with the stokers. While I
was watching at night all alone, they
would pass up and down the lanes be-
tween the, stalls and question me suspi-
ciously in order to find out where was
going, and how much money had about
me- II had not concealed the truth,
some. of them would as likely as not
have robbed me and thrown me over
board, which 1t would have been very easy
to do during one of my solitary vigfls.
I had intended before the voyage was
over to descend to the furnace room IN
order to see the stokers at work, but
reIinquished this intention when 1 heard
Of the experience of fellow-cattleman
who had descended there only 10 be de-
luged with soft coal
Nv nights. of watching and reading
were SO pleasant that was always sorry
when day began to dawn. But the. great
est pleasure Of all was now at hand At
dawn changed my place OF watching
to a stairway leading up from the cattle
deck. With only the top Of my head
ana eyes projecting above the hatchway
and with not another soul in sight or in
sound. except far above me on the
bridge. I stood and gazed at the beau
tiful bilIowy, blue sea all around and
the flaming, variegsted eastern sky, the
illumination gradually increasing until
the four quarters OF the heavens. were
filled with glory Nothing but the azure
sea around, the flaming sky above. and
the black and white painted steamer
silently plowing her way over the track
less wastes toward England.
At a. m. my duties were over. With
the other night watchmen I now went
around and shook the sleeping men by
the shoulders In order to waken them,
and then turned IN myself. I had been
troubled with insomnia on land, but now
my head was no sooner laid on the hay
stuffed bag which served as pillow
than I was asleep. and slept soundly
ali day. until p. m, even through the
which reigned while the
men were eating their breakfast.
On the eleventh day out we steamed
up the Thames River and dropped an
ciior at Cravesend. Here the cattle were
driven aboard lighters. and our duties
were at an end.
tCoBnsht. lsli. b James L Bah7sf.)