The Republican journal., 1915-04-29
seafarers Renaissance.
/, George L. Norton in the Marine
Journal.

Journal.
Rsrg .lrn near the waters edge on
r--st and most extensively navi-
h. s-r in the State of Maine, the
EsaH Fsnobscot, as we'll as from a
h VI .tafarers-g grandfather, father
russ-sea talk was the gist of con-
Emu0 heard in our younger days, so
BIN became saturated with the idea
|HcorIag a sailor long before we were
EHC9gH to even handle an oar. Itwas
I e.gnt to listen to the yarns our
fa spun after returning from a voy-
| @l booming settled down in home
lnl his vessel was ready for an
j. VOYAGE The reader will notice |
|n hrr "yarns;" while we believed
|n when nrst told US, we have since
|ot.l ..elr truthfulness. Here is one
.g yarns, The reader can judge for
a@.. as o. It's possibility.
Eno-e lays there was no canned food
|@ the monotony of salt and dried
b. 2"eh vas the only way to preserve
t@ use. Beans, peas, rice, and
r Toe latter, had much to do with
Is. growing so often, as they
Ess so. To prove our parents
Eor. hue nourishment contained in
g55- ... -ge story of a vessel he was in
pr seaman before the mast.
4 castaway on a desolate
a- Pacific Ocean. She carried
a5E fifteen all told, who were saved
Jlo --s clothes they stood in owing
fl5 lrpaking up and the wreck
I q. gut to sea with the eXcep-
A barrel of rice that washed
s9! good condition. This was the
\ 0.. nay bad. Eight of the crew
Aa4l they would sooner starve TO
Pm nsl 20 prolong their eXistenc
a4ld aiing the cussed, tasteless stuff.
.susa as there wasn't a chance of
n. lsIa5 aiken off that barren island,
|. Tue sooner they died the better. The
s4l as the story was told US, was that
fsgl. ueu who ate rice died within
l lays "a each other in about thirty
~ 81ls ihose that ate nothing lived
y" days after the last of their rice
E,@g snpmates passed away, when a
'''e ~ sight and they were rescued.
a The lime referred to a younger
7leT and myself were nearing the
4asl We could make ourselves useful
Ssil coaster. Our parent. well
Fat Of Our desire, rather encouraged
''' when in a laxative mood he would
ls what he termed "horse sense"
[,Ns Of which | remembered some and
\, alter profited by it. For instance,
we occasion he said, "Now boys,
r. n you get older, before signing arti-
N n, u make voyage off shore make it
"A business to go on board the vessel
Examine the pump-brakes; if you
.l7Ih well worn, walk ashore and
\. d i EI ship whose pump-brakes have
E. f. ". Ie used. Your chances are much
-. Lar afety as we'll as much less
4, -p'ns II you shun a. leaky ship, and
g... method is the best way to prove
9 4,rsl she Is light or leaky.
b. ,'lo asr thing | want TO impress upon
". nuns II you ever become officers,
h. !, aNoW yourselves to take anything
~, .Ds snip that doesn't belong to you,
Al nv aaoIlia't have. For instance, it
h ali vanished rule on shipboard that
E5v. va junk, useless bits of rope and
h. are ihe mites perquisites. He
s, ah empty ii ur barrel or as many
|B,o.2s ~ tp I'd this stuff, where it
Esgs" avn rom day to day, and on long
k.6t 'g,S,umulates to a considerable
Mi Never allow anything like a
IA 6g p'sCe OF rope or canvas to get into
Ts gaIfel. In fact, know it's contents
|erI mat you would not be afraid to
Egts,r VI deck in the presence of your
|5aTreJ, as The going price isn't over So
l HI and many a good mate has lost
|saj il " allowing a good rope to be
(Eeb IL s me bottom Of his junk barrels,
4 sts. sold to the junkmen by weight.
h sIDsS Safd IN those days was allowed
BIT Of l. e., pot skimmings and all
H. grease not fit for use in cook
Eay iaS he sold by the pound also.
ElGd IL pound of clear, fat pork has
FtOpb" ~ way into the slush barrel
EqgbiI n we ne cooks dishonesty. When
ESk ), !" 'hls theft he had to walk the
Il IA u uomely lessons told at the fire.
Ehiy s "e Younger male members of the
aid ~ rs invaluable to them in after
Fesrican' u much to do in making of the
M tho thu mariners of cities and villages
aisions seaeoast the honest, earnest,
W Oh al u seamen that they were in the
acb oo usys before the foreigner with
sfacto ,pportunity became the dominat-
=" The forecastle as he is today.