The Detroit times., 1914-12-03

he was crazy. But when the pay
ments stopped they quickly discover
ed that Sailor Brown was sane, and
released him. United States Consul
James Oliver Lang started him on his
way TO London.
Before the Mast"
What II is like. being at sea, "bc-
fore the mast" OF a merchant steam
ship. Poet Brown thus sets down I'm a
piece entitled Life Aboard a Steam
ship" II reads;
A Sailors life is very hard upon mer
From all enjoyment they are barre
when on foreign trip
I've served some time before the mas
upon the ocean blue.
80 / know how their time Is passed
and everything they do.
The same old routine every day. with
scarcely any change;
It's a alEiay' sic sns strange nSHsc DAy'uf
The same old skipper in command 10
make II hot for Jack;
The same chiefs mate who always
stands behind a sailors back.
The same old bossy second mate, tht
same important third.
Who think they're doing sOmethin =
great TO make their voices heard
The same old stingy steward aft; the
same old dirty cook
1t is enough to drive one daft on theiF
physogs TO look.
Unto the same old wheel we go and
stand FOR two long hours
Exposed 10 all the winds that blow and
drenched by heavy showers;
The same foc'sle head at night, on
which 20 walk about,
For every light that comes In sight
TO keep good lookout
The same old paint and brushes. the
same old tar and oil,
The same old bo'sn rushes the sailors
through their toll;
The same old water, wads and soap to
wash the paint quite clean,
The same, old rags and polished dope
to make \the brasswork seen.
The same OLD water full of salt no
matter whese we go;
IL We get fresh ms not our fault we
need change. you know. :,
which we have 10 sleep.
The same old bugs DER us to crawl
Just like, a flock Of sheep.
The same old wet hash for breakfast
the same old dry hash for tea;
The meat they get for dinner Is as
salty as can be.
The same old story when we're sick,
we're treated like dog,
And II We dare o make kick. it's en-
tered In the log.
The same old story when at home-we
spend our money free,
And when it's gone, again we roam
upon the same old sea.
The Whale and Jonah.
Sailor Brown says he never heard
of Lewis Carroll, but there's some
think Lewiscarrollesque In the A. BIS
little poem called THE Whale"
which runs:
One night, while lookout leaned over
When up from the depths came
greasy old whale.
Who looked up at me with his dreamy
old eye
And told me this story with many
my dear sailor boy, have great cause
TO grieve,
For few men my story will ever be-
Perh ps you have heard what I'm go
ing to tell
But ] Will relate every word Of it
Twas long time ago In the month
OF December
That l swallowed man can plainly
/ saw the poor fellow and knew he
would drown.
But thought It was cruel to let him GO
So l opened my mouth just as wide as
For a tarry old sailor don't taste very
/ kept him inside OF me nine days,
Where he made such row / could not
sleep a wink
So made for the land where chuck
And sworo ia not swallow man any
more,
He told me his name. it was Jonah. l
Although IL happened a long time ago.
1 am now very old and before ex-
I should like men to know that I am
NOT liar.
So II you believe what 1 told you is
true
To my sons, and daughters I'll recon-
And IL you should fall in the ocean
I'll tell them to save you the very
1 said believed him. for how could
doubt
Hearing the story from one who could
So he spouted and grunted a farewell
70 me.
Then dove out of sight In the greatest
OF glee.
Episodes at Sea.
Sailor Brown has written long
of his $50 days Of sailing on
the bark DRUMMER. Here Is one
couplet:
One hundred and six days at sea we
crossed the earths equator,
A line Invisible TO US. the same as the
Creator
There's a genuine moaning sound
with this. coming after months and
months on a salt pork diet:
Whenever l would think about green
peas and new potatoes,
Young onions, radishes and fine, large
ripe tomatoes,
/ had no appetite at all for grub put
up In tins,
And felt as IL the condensed COW had
kicked me In the shins.
There's a lot of sailor superstition
stuff about the trip contained In this:
The trade winds left us In the lurch
without the least compunction;
We didn't get n decent breeze until we
caught shark
Severed the tail and nailed IL to the
jib-boom OF our barque.