New-York tribune., 1921-12-11
YOU SHOULD ASK FOR A TALE OF THE SEA-
nRnunum msnam

"Under such conditions one doesn't relish
carrying on radio conversation with every
shore official who feels like asking a few ques-
tions. What interested me just then was how
we could save the ship and our own lives
rather than in answering questions such
Are you standing by? We were standing
wherever we could get hold and that was
mighty precarIous.
"The amateus wireless operator does good
deal to clutter things up when there's any
sort Of trouble at sea. There are thousands
Of these wireless outfits along this coast, and
the same in Australia. They keep cutting in
ships at sea and busiest when there.
a storm or wreck, asking a thousand ques-
tions one against the other.
Somewhere along the New South Wales
coast there's a minister who uses his wireless
to send prayers broadcast over the Pacific.
That isn't bad idea, and contrary to the
popular notion, there are just as many devout
Christians at sea as there are ashore, but it's
sort of depressing to have constantly repeat
ed through a black and stormy night over the
radio: Let US pray-let US pray-let Us pray
Sometimes radio operators at sea hand out
pretty tart advice when they get nerves from
listening to too much shore chatter.
"For about an hour thought we might turn
turtle any minute. You see, we hadn't
cargo enough aboard to hold her down and
she was bouncing like a rubber ball. 1 had
pumps rugged forward and began shooting oil
over the bows. That had much to do with our
coming through safe. 1t kept the seas from
breaking aboard and gave us chance to get
about on deck. We were lucky to have the
oil. BY degrees it spread out and made a
cat all
see just beyond where the oil extended that
there was a much heavier sea.
when dawn broke the storm died We were
close on the rocks. With the wind moderating
we sneaked up on our anchors, got 'eln both
aboard and crawled in over the bar It was
certainly a treat to feel level deck under our
feet again.
eve look on cargo and made for Sydney
That's where Sinbad came aboard acting as
importa 1t as though he owned the boat Our
last call was at Brisbane, where we finished
loading and started for home We just missed
a bubonic plague quarantine order at Bris-
bane. If we'd been an hour later the West
Wind would have been lying there yet
From the minute left Brisbane our
troubles were over. We made better time
than any on the outward voyage, although we
were only logging six to seven knots but it's
steady does it and so long as she kept
plugging along I was satisfied We hove to
for an hour off Pitcairn Island and the traders
tried to swap two ring-tQiled monkeys for
Sinbad.
1--we heard whole lot about these Pitcairn
islanders, descended from the mutineers of the
Bounty. Some people say they're all half
crazy from interr1arriage and too little con-
tact with the world outside, but from what I've
seen of them they're a smart lot of folk
mighty religious and sharp traders.
The Pitcairners are short Of cats and pay
well for them because of the rat plague. Our
freroom gang heaved clinkers at the boat
crews for insulting the ships mascot The
remainder of the route home from Panama was
uneventful. We made Boston on November 8
and later came down home. The West Wind
is laid up. I don't know when she'll go to sea
again"
Over at the Port Of CAL in Jane Street,
foregathered last night council of sea law
yers bent on providing for proper care of
Sinbad the Sailor pending that temperamental
travellers decision to ship again. Present
were Scotty, Mac. Lee, Walsh and Lyons, of
the West Winds fireroom force, forming
fund to supply the family cat with chopped
liver and Grade milk this winter.
Meanwhile. Sinbad. recumbent on a red silk
cushion embroidered with gilt fringe, stretched
luxuriously before the hearth fires grateful
warmth and blinked and blinked and blinked.