,9ieLOOKOUT

Photo by Lcroj' Gates When Winter Comes to 25 South Street ... A View of the Institute from Jeanette Park THE SEAMEN'S CHURCH INSTITUTE OF NEW YORK VOL. xxx No.2 FEBRUARY, 1939 EDIT R'S ::':01'£: In re, ponse to many retluests from L )01,0 ''I' readers we arc having another SEAMEN'S ::':Ui\lI3[1{ of TH ~ L 0"-­ OUT. The article', poems, tories and illustration in this issue have been contributed by merchant 'cam 'no The Lookout Vol. xxx February, 1939 No. 2

\'OL, XXX, FEBRUARY, 1939 II~" CL ~ PUBLISHED MONTHLY ]1uL Smm:1uL by the By Gerry Mefferd SEAMEN'S CHURCH EDITOR'S NOTE; On Thursday evening, INSTITUTE OF NEW YORK January 12th, Gerry Mefferd the "land­ lubber" from Iowa (who learned to 25 SOUTH ST., NEW YORK, N, Y. navigate by shooting the sun with an Telephone BOwling Green 9·2710 Iowa cornfield providing the horizon) CLARENCE G, MICHALIS who sailed for three years on a world­ President girdling voyage in a 45-foot ketch "Hur­ THOMAS ROBERTS ricane", showed his pictures and told of Secretary and Treasurer his experiences before a large and en­ REV. HAROLD H. KELLEY thusiastic audience of merchant seamen Superintendent in the auditorium of the Seamen's Church MARJORIE DENT CANDEE, Editor Institute of New York. We asked 27­ Entered a.s second ela.ss matter July year old Mefferd to write a short piece 8, 1925, at New Y or~. N. Y" under for THE LOOKOUT on one of the the act of March 3, 1879. highlights of the "Hurricane's" cruise. SubsC1'iptitm He might have selected the pig-hunting One Dollar Annually expedition in Galapagos, or diving among sharks and coral for pearls in Tuamotus, Single Copies, Ten Cents or the fire-walkers of Mbenga in Fiji, Gift. to tbe Institute of $5.00 aDd over or racing another world-girdling yacht include a year'. subscription to "The Lookout." "Director" in a South Pacific gale. But Address all communicatioKS to he chose the experience of being wrecked SEAMEN'S CHURCH INSTITUTE on a coral reef near ew Guinea. OF NEW YORK 25 South Street ROBABLY the mo t thrilling P experience of the yoyage Ray Kauffman and I took around the world in his forty-five foot ketch "Hurricane" was when we were Photo b)' Captaill Ray Kauffman Gerry Mefferd "Shoots the Sun". shipwrecked forty miles southeast of New Guinea. again t the counter and climbed It happened in tbe black of night higher into the rigging as they swept when an uncharted current set us over the ship. \Ve felt her bang on seventeen miles off our course. Her the coral and we knew that as soon keel struck a shuddering blow on as we could get away we would a sunken reef. I awakened out of have to leave her. a sleep on deck to find us sur­ She was already leaking when we rounded by white breakers. The got below and the musty smell of ship was being tossed like a toy by the coral reef was filling the cabin. the big seas. Vvriting of that awak­ \Vading waist deep among floating ening, I am surprised that we were pans. pillows, books and match not panicky. On the contrary, we boxes we dug out Ii fe preservers, were fJuite logical. \ Ve groped our food and water. Consulting a chart way to the bigh side and clung to we learned that we had a twelve the rigging, waiting to see what the mile stretch of open ocean to cross. seas were going to do to us. \Ve didn't know whether three of \Ve saw waves rise black and us could make it in a ten foot PllOfO bv Scamau Or1..'illc H(lJldlo,~ sinister astern, heard them thunder dinghy or not. "Medico" to the Rescue-( See page 8) the little boat afloat. Somehow we peg Canada. In the Nayy I was get back in the American forces made land. 'ent through the Gunnery School; was to return to my ship and de­ When we stepped ashore at Wari came out of the Gunnery School a clare myself as an American, which Island we were met by a wild look­ seaman gunner and joined pecial I did. I was asked if I would put ing ban~ of tattooed savages who, service or what they called the Sui- same in writing; I did. I wa im­ by refusl11g to take us to the white cide Club. I was then given four mediately taken off the ship and se~tlement of Samarai some forty days leave. I returned to my ship taken ashore and put in the Brig J11lles away, kept us captives for and was sent to the Belgian Coast, at Chatham, England. I\-Iy uniform four days, hoping that the Hurri­ and the North Sea after a year of \"as taken from me and I was put cane would break 'up so they could thi kind of work. I was given 4 in prison clotl1es. This offense was salvage her. In desperation one days leave again. I went to London so severe that I wa to go before night, we stole a native dug-out to spcnd ame and during thi leave an dmiral for trial. I was tried canoe and Ray and two friendly who should I meet but my shipmate before dmiral Sturdy who fought native boys sailed for help. Berr;. who had shipped in the Bark the battle a f the Faulkland I lands Luckily the sturdy little ship held to Australia in 1914. He "vas in against Von Spree. I was taken together until he got back with kilts. and had just returned from before him with a guard on each another boat and thirty natives. the front for a short leave. Need- side of me. He read my statement Ie s to ay we had a great time that I was an American and wanted The 45 foot ketch "Hurricane" Working day and night, we dug a canal across the reef. At low tide together for the next two days. to get back in the American forces On returning from my leave and that I had joined the British Jlist before dawn we la'unched we hove the boat down on its good ~he volunteers were asked for, for Xavy under false nationality. He d!nghy and placing our gear in side and made temporary patches lt balled out over the bow-sprit. something which no one knew any- laid the statement dO'wn and looked ~addling with canvas and bunk boards. vVe thing about. except that the chances at me, and said "Jackson are you through the surf we got took out the ballast and pumped her m the lee of the reef and rowino­ oj coming hack were pretty n ar aware that you leave yourself open dry. Then on a spring tide we along in the smooth water we could nil. Something was in the wind. I to be shot ?" My answ l' was "No see sharks and giant clams which kedged her over the reef and into went to the Captain to \"olunteer, ir.' He said' \\ ell you do. I am would have made upsetting fatal. the lagoon. At a shipyard in Sa­ he asked me these questions. after going to give ) au a \\ eek to think When we stood out into the open marai we put thirteen new planks looking over 111y record. "Jackson", this over." I was taken back to the cy sea we were lost in the long ocean in her port side. say' he. "are y u married; are you Bri ; the next morning an officer swells. On their peaks we could see Small boats that go on outside \\"illing to do anything that I may came to the Brig and asked me if an island in the distance. We rowed reefs and come off again are few ask?" I told the captain that I wa I had thought it over. and I asked feverishly for three and one half and far between. A lucky lull in the not married. and that I was willing him just what the Admiral meant, hours. And as a breeze was pickino­ southeast trades is all that saved to do anything for the country for by me thinking it over, and I was up, we bailed frantically to keep the Hurricane. which I wa fighting. and also that told that jf I was still a Canadian I was only sorry that I only had I wouIeI be sent back to my ship. one life to give. as I was one sailor PI a e don't laugh hut when the tBlo~ that knew what he was fighting for officer came back next morning I ]iuL 4 )mW1tUrJ.rI1l- (Hi('fht) and not ( light). The \Va a Canadian, J was that day By Charles Jackson Captain eemed to give me a smile sent back to my ship as if nothing and aid after looking at my rec- had ever happened. EDITOR'S :'\OTE:. Gn Sunday afternoon, WHILE stopping here at the January 1st, Station W~~C~ broadcast Institute in 1914 with my pal arc!. I accept you. This brings us up to the early a program from the audltonum of the BI k' f h' I )Jaw while all thi. j taking place part of March 1918. at which time Sea.men's Church Institute of ~ew York erry 00 mg or a s Jp, was America had declared \Var. and II wa sent for at Chatham. On in which former :Mayor James J. Walke; lucky enough to get an English ship saw in the paper that all . mericans reporting I was sent to H.l\I.S. interviewed a group of seamen in recyard going to England with a load of to the most thrilling experiences the/had \Var supplies. My fanner ship­ \\ ho had joined the Allied forces THET!., Captain R. S. Snyed in ever ha~ at sea. S~aman Ch.arles J.ackson mate Berry also got a ship a Ba k would be repatriated to their own command. fitting out in dock yard told bnefly of hl expenence In the. . ,r country's forces. I \vas given four at Chatham. I learned on going ~locking of the Zeebrugge Channel dur- gOl.ng. to Au?traha. We got to Great days leave after \"olunteering, so aboar 1 that I was one of many lI1g the World War. For this act of Bntam all nght and I was paid off. while in London I went to !\dmiral volunteer. \Ve loaded the ship with brav~ry he was awarde.d. the Special I was to be sent home but in the ServIce Medal of the Bntlsh Navy, the . ..' .. Sim' office to be repatriated. I mine.. and concrete. al a liquid fire Victory Medal and the British War meantJme I had Jomed the BntJsh could not sce Admiral Sims. but hi gun and many other preparations Medal. Navy as a Canadian from Winne- ecretary told me the only way to were made. till no one knew what 2 THE L 0 0 K 0 U T FEBRUARY 1939 THE LOOKOUT 3 we were going to do or where we life where I saw an entire crew do from all sides. We foul the harbor were going although many rumors that. The Admiral left the ship and defense (heavy wires stretched were going about among us. The now we understood what was be­ across the harbor) in our propellers, latter part of March we were given fore us. What did the future of one engine done, I get word from all the wages we had coming, with the night hold for us? the engine room. Still we are com­ four days leave, and were told not At 5 P.M. we left for Zeebrugge ing, way in the harbor now, almost to open our lips about the ship, from the Downs, a secret anchorage to the place where we want to blow which I assure you we did not. 'We near Dover, myself and another ourself up, but word comes again returned from leave and finally the man at the wheel, for we were steer­ from the engine room-shells com­ day came when we put to sea but ing by hand. \Ve arrived off the ing through both boilers, engine still no one knew where we were Belgian coast just before dark. cannot last much longer. Things going or what we were even going Everything was ready; the entire come fast now. I tell the forward to do. nd to be honest, even when Grand fleet was bombarding Zee­ gun crew to lie down so they will I say twenty years after, no one brugge. The planes were giving not get hit. Firing at close range, seemed to care, I myself thought of them plenty from shore. The idea next moment gun crew all lie dead. only the job to be done. 1 am sure wa a decoy a they would not no- I try to get Captain. He has been Charles Jackson is Greeted by Mrs. Roper my shipmates felt the ame way. tice us. At this point the steaming blown off upper bridge, also two land, sometime the next day. \Ve crew were taken off the hip, and other men with him. Engine room had quite a reception and the same At Sea-The BIoc king 0 f Zee brugge, the Admiral came aboard to wish us calls up, wants to know why red dmiral that told me that 1 left Belgium, on the Night of uccess and luck. He left the ship light is burning (our signal to aban­ mysel f open to be shot, told me that April 22-23, 1918 again and boarded the North Star, don ship). 1 tell him no orders yet. 1 was one of the best men in the The day of pril 22, 1918 came and called over to us "1 will be with Ship is undergoing a most terrific British avy-Admiral Sturdy. I around. \\ e were lying at anchor you". The time now was about shell fire at close range, not 20 yards was taken to the hospital at South at the Goodwin Down. Admiral 10 :55, dark as could be, no lights from dock. V"le are right at the End, England, and was there for Keys came aboard with a minister, anywhere. We had to find the en­ entrance, ship will not go any fur­ fourteen months. I still carry shrap­ called all hands together. The Ad- trance to the harbor. \ Ve started ther, she is done. The Lieutenant nel in my head today-just a little miral unfolded a chart, then told us in at slow speed, the Captain got comes in the wheelhouse and tells reminder that 1 took part in the what we were going to do. "Men," us together and said "Men, this me to give the signal to abandon first successful blocking in history. says he, "we are going to attempt to ship goes in. No matter who is ship. I do. Guns hitting us from 1 left hospital and returned to block the port and fortress of Zee- alive to take her ill." Our ships all sides. He gives order to blow Chatham, whence I started. There brugge tonight. The time of attack started attacking from all sides, the up ship. There she goes. 1 leave 1 saw on the bulletin board all over­ will be 11 :55 P.~I. 1 have here a fleet firing over us. The Germans the wheelhouse to find machine gun seas men report for discharge. I chart of every gUll implacement at seemed to sense something was up, bullets hitting us like hailstones, lost no time in reporting, only to Zeebrugge. The place is very heav- not just a bombardment, so they and the Germans are using gas on find out that I could not be dis­ ily fortified, to say nothing of the started putting flamin CT "onions" us, something we did not figure on; charged because I was up for a sur­ mine fields outside of the harbor, (lights fired from cannon) in the at least we had no gas masks. I vey for pension. I saw the doctor also the harbor defense guns. This air and lighting the place up like tried to get to the after part of the and told him I wanted to be dis­ ship will lead the way in, followed day. At this point they mu t have ship. All searchlights are on us. charged and he warned me if I by two others. I want to warn all seen us because we were getting hit I-Ialfway I see the mid-ship gun signed clear I waiver all future hands the best that I can hope for at five miles out by rakes of shells. ha been hit. The dead lying around claims. I sign, and am discharged. i a prison in Germany if you do get Our fir t man died from shell fire the gun, one man is moving-one The third day here I am in London in. If there be anyone who "'ould at this point. As we kept coming of his legs i gone. I go over and with fourteen months wage in my like to back out now. he can still the shells came faster and faster, push him overboard, that i the do so. (No one backed out, I am but we still kept coming. Now we last for me as 1 was hit myself. I pocket. What shall I do? \Vell I glad to say.) That is all 1 have to are about half a mile outside the was taken out of the water by one try to get a ship again, and did say". Then the minister said: "Men, harbor and under direct fire of all of our small boats. When I came manage to get a ship to Boston. I 1 came aboard here with Admiral guns, and we got it too. We had to, Capt. Snyed laid alongside of do want to say everythinO' in this Keys to hold a little service becau e thought more about hitting a mine me. he wa saying "Well done article is one of the true experiences we -don't know who will be here in on our way in, but our luck is hold­ Jackson" over and over again. I that I have gone through in my 30 the morning." From Admiral down, ing. \Ve are still coming; we enter was in bad hape ga sed, and shrap­ years at ea. I am back now where each made his peace with hi God, the harbor 'under a most terrific nel in the head. I started from-at the Institute, on his knees, the only time in my shell fire; the shells are hitting us \Ve were landed in Dover, Eng- still looking for a ship. I wonder! 4 THE L 0 0 K 0 U T FEBRUARY 1939 THE LOOKOUT 5 Images and!or text cannot ]iuL $JuL Images and!or text cannot be shown due to copyright A lowly sailor tho I be be shown due to copyright restrictions. Let me ee again the white No mi er has more wealth restrictions. than me ails at the dmyning No king can have a fuller life \Yhen first the rising un peep. Tor man a more inspiring 0'er the sea; wife. Let me feel again the first My heart is full when clay is done faint breeze of morning Vlith gold bestowed me by " nd see the loom of Southern the sun isle , to lee. The stars and moon hower To climb the leaning pars and gems at night And pathways dark are filled feel the spindrift with light. Beating upon my eager up­ And when I'ye done my trick "My road calls me, lures me turned face; at wheel West, East, South and North; To feel a ship' swift plunge, Then to my bunk where I can feel Most roads lead men homeward and slowly uplift, "And all I ask is a tall ship My road leads me forth." The swelling bosom of the Sea Flinging the angry seas into Oft bringing tender sleep to And a star to steer her by." -J ORN MASEFIELD. their place. me. -JOHN MASEFIELD. There surely is no finer bed I ~\'eary of the land and would be faring \\ h~e king can lay a regal head Back to the sea, my fir t loye and my pride. Nor coffers where a mi er' stored In time of torm, it toil and danger sharing A finer gold than my heart's hoard. In peaceful days, its calm swift flowing tide. And who can boast a sweeter wife? The sweet Aeolian music of the sea breeze, So patient, silent, free with life. It softly chant an epic of the brave. At times tempestuous, then serene I long once more to stand upon the crosstrees A rolling blue and heaying green On a ship under sail in a by-gone day. ot wife alone i she to me By Israel Stout She's mother. wife and God-all three! Images and!or text cannot be shown By "Rope Yarn" Thomas Wilson Walker due to copyright restrictions. Images and!or text cannot be shown due to copyright restrictions.

"And there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken." Wood Cuts by Rockwell }(,. reprinted from "N by E", "They that go down to the sea in ships, witb tbt kind permission of If rt Brace & Co., Publisbers -JONAH 1:4 that do business in great waters." PSALM 107:23 ]1UUJ1l.d.tI- a6fJaJul i.IvL ''BhuWlllL'' By Christian Beck

EDITOR'S Non.:: Chri tian Beck has been and we ran into a calm. Later on, going to sea for forty years, and he has we were three or four clays wallow­ My most wonderful experience at sea orders our Captain over, with the ship's now (reluctantly) decided that it's about in2' with the swell until we ran into time to "swallow the anchor" and retire ~ was in September, 1937, while sailing papers. Alongside, 3 Germans step in my to the comfortable haven for old salts the trade winds. That got us over from Hopewell, Va. to Haulsenburgh, boat, giving orders to row for "Borgila". on Staten Island known as Sailors' Snug the Line and into a stiff Southwest­ Finland. Suddenly, another submarine comes up Harbor. He was born in Denmark and erly wind. That wind carried us I was second assistant engineer on the shooting- at U 30. This was an unusual started his seagoing career when a lad down to the Cape and around it. of 14. Steamship Silver Sword. ·We were about thrill, lying in the firerine between the Christian Beck stayed at the Seamen's few days after we were outside half way aero s the Atlantic when we submarines, shells whistling overhead, and Church Institute of New York, 25 South Durban waiting for a towboat to ran into a storm which lasted four days. dropping dangerously close. Street, until his papers and credentials tow us in. In fourteen days we On the fifth day the messman was found U 30 disappeared, taking my skipper were collected in order to qualify him for were ready to 2'0 out a2'ain, having admission to Sailor's Snug Harbor. We ~ ~ being carried by the sea from rail to rail along, leaving me with 3 of their crew. helped him procure evidence that he has discharged half of our cargo, the down the forward deck. No one knew By PETER STABOE. spent ten years as a seafarer-that means other half going to Lourenco Mar­ how-he got there, but it was a miracle 3,650 actual days at sea). Interviewed, ques in Delagoa Bay. he was eager to tell of a terrifying ex- ,E I . . 1 d that he was not swept overboard. In 1928 it was my good fortune to perience he endured aboard the British . ~ veryt 1111g ran 11lce y an soon The sailors took him to the hospital make a six-month singlehanded cruise ship "Bluebell" in 1900. It is a wild tale, we were in Delagoa Bay dis­ and we all gathered around taking off around the Caribbean in a small auxiliary of starvation and death, and Christian charging the balance of our cargo his clotbes, drying him and administering yawl. tells it with gusto and a charming Danish and laid there for orders. The fol­ in whatever way we could to his relief; StartinO' from Havana, thi voyage was accent. It is a tale of drifting for seven lowing day the Captain came months, from Calcutta to St. Helena, as aboard \V1'th orders to l1ead for Cal­ but it seemed only a few minutes before packed with adventure, from which it one by one, the crew died until finally the Captain came down from the bridge is hard to select one more fitting than only three were left. But let Christian cutta. In about four weeks after with information that the wirele s oper­ the others for this yarn. tell his salty tale in his own way: leaving Delagoa Bay we were get­ ator had picked up a French liner three Sinki.ng a dOloy in the Belize river-a ting towed up the Hugli River and hundred mile away and the doctor on "I HAD been a hore about four- small dugout loaded with a live cow was teen days in Liverpool. when I moored with chains in the harbor that ship JeVas giving us instructions just the most amusing incident of this jour­ landed a job on the British ship of Calcutta laying there for a cargo how to give first aid in the right way to ney, and transiting the Panama Canal, 'Bluebell', to sign on the day after to come aboard. We had a very relieve the sufferer. for which $2.25 was charged, was per­ at the Board of Trade. The next ca y time on account of the coolies On the following- day we transferred haps one of the most interesting. morning I reported for duty as working the cargo and we having him in the middle of the Atlantic to the The most thrilling, however, occurred Able Seaman. That day and the alJ the credit we wanted from the steamer Manllattall bound for New York in the windward passage, off Cape Maisi, folJowing one there was a lot of tailor or the bumboat man. Just as where he was under the care of day and Cuba when I fell overboard while at­ work on hand bendinO' sails and soon as the ship was loaded we night nurses and a regular doctor. tempting to replace a balloon jib with stowing- provisions away, for the were ready to go to sea, bound for I cannot forget this experience and I storm canvas in a sudden squall. day folJowing we \-\'ere getting ready Georgetown, Demerera, British think all of us seamen should be very Fortunately I carried the jib overboard through the bob stays and was able to to leave for Durban, South Africa. Guiana. Soon slip the chains and thankful to the inventor of the radio and pull m)'self back on board, not, however, "The next morning at 6 AM. the we were towing out to the Hugli to the operators that the government without considerable struggle and anxiety towboat was laying alongside ready River. compels us to carry for our safety.* that something might give way in the to take us out to Holyhead. On the "Nearing Diamond Harbor I was By GEORGE ATKINS. lashing squall and leave my hip to sail way out our steering gear went out up at the wheel as the Steward -EOITOR'S NOTE: "MEDICO", the radio call on with no hand on board. used by ships when needing medical advice, was of commission and we had to be came running up and announced originated by the Seamen's Church Institute of There was also a matter of a lost that the Captain was dead. The ew York in 1922 and first used by station rudder near Gallinas Point, Colombia, an towed into Holyhead. Two days KDKF on our roof at 25 South Street. after, everything was in shape. We Pilot told me to follow the tow­ alligator which climbed aboard at the boat, and the Chief Mate and the floating dock in Balboa, and hurricane were towed out to sea and were off When 25 miles off the Norwegian winds off Hatteras, all on the same trip. on our own hook, and in a short Pilot went down to the Captain's coa t, April 16, 1917, steamers "Svanfoss" After falling overboard, however, these time every titch of sail was put room and found him dead, with a and "Borgila" were attacked by a Ger­ things came as an anti-climax, just part on her and down we went for the bottle of poison on his table. The man ubmarine. I was mate on the of the day's work in sailing a small ship Line. Steward said that the Captain took "Svanfoss". The ship was abandoned. inglehanded. "Everything went nice and poison because he had used the While rowing away, U 30 comes up. By CLIFFORD H. GALLOWAY. smoothly until 16 degrees North money for himself (he caroused in 8 THE LOOKOUT FEBRUARY 1939 THE LOOKOUT 9 alcutta and also ent a large draft morn1l1g and was buried over the the Apprentice on the poop noticed they were all aboard our ship. They home) \vhich he should have pent ide. smoke on the horizon, and all of us asked us all kinds of questions and for fresh provisions. lime juice, "Another ten days went by. Two rushed on deck with all the glasses how long we had been at sea, also etc., for the crew. The Pilot right or three more of the sailors and pying, spying for the smoke on the about provisions and water. They away signaled the tugboat to tow one of the Apprentice' wer also horizon. turned sickly green when they saw in Diamond Harbor and anchored. laid up. During the night after that "\\'e were drawing nearer and dead rats in the water tank. So we That was late in the afternooll and two of the ailors died and mo t of nearer to it, in a couple of hours' told them we had had nothing to eat the next day a boat came alongside the crew were feeling shaky, their time a big Union Castle Liner filled but cracker hash and rain water to and took the body ashore. feet started to s\vell up and became with soldiers was laying close to drink and only three men left "\\"e laid at Diamond Harbor for very itchy, al a their finger. Sev­ our ship. The Union Castle Liner aboard the ship. By that time the about twelve days until another Cap­ eral days after that there were only was bringing troops home from fir t boat came back again and the tain came down from Calcutta to four ailor, three \])nrentices, Sec­ Capetown after the Boer Vlar. A Chief Officer with the full boat take the hip out. The whole crew ond l\Iate, Captain, and Steward boat was lowered from the Liner crew arrived alongside and took complained to the Chief Officer and left \vho were not sick. After that, and in it were six sailors and one charge. The boat and all the officers the Steward that we had not re­ two more ailors died and we officer, Second Mate of the Liner, had left for the Liner and in a short ceived any provision' and we were dumped them over the side. Still and as it came along side of our while were returning with provi­ running short of grub before we another Apprentice got sick and ship and asked us what was wrong sions of all kinds for us. The Chief came into any South :\frican port. also the econd 1\Iate. and a couple with our ship we told him 'Beri Officer and the eight men from the J usl as soon a the new Captain more died in the fo'c' Ie. \Ve kept beri and scurvy' and just as soon as Liner were bringing all the provi­ came aboard we again complained, on plo\ving along the best we could. he heard that he told the men in sions on board. The Captain of the but it had no effect as he aid \\'e making for the South African coa t, the boat to shove off. The Second Liner placed the Second Mate in could alwa\"S reach any South but on account of the head winds Mate of the Liner was afraid to go command of the 'Bluebell', and one Am rican port if we 'hould run \\ e got further away from our goal. aboard the 'Bluebell' because he Apprentice and fifteen volunteers in short of ration. The day after \ve The worst of it wa that the ap­ thought beri beri and scurvy were the crew to take us in to S1. Helena, had fair wind and ho\'e anchor up tain got ick as well as another .\p­ contagious. But the Apprentice on and that was the fir t we knew that and put all sail and off we went. prentice, and only four sailor and our ship had got hold of the Cap­ we were only sixty miles from St. Three weeks at sea bucking head one Apprentice were left to handle tain's gun and pointed same at the Helena. ext morning we reached wind, the Steward cutting- down the ship. By that time four sailors Second Mate in the boat and com­ St. Helena and anchored in the har­ on the ralion.. no more so ft tacks and one Apprentice were laid up in pelled him and two sailors to come bor. The three of us were sent to and \"Cry little salt meat could be their hunks. :\fter that thing- \\'ent aboard the ship. the Ho pital with nothing but raw had. the bi cuit, were mould\' and from bad to worse. and one after "By that time the soldiers and potatoes to eat, One raw potato will full of maggot. the biscuits''when the other died and over the ide officers on the Liner rushed to the cure scurvy, but the Hospital at St. broken were moving on the table, they al a went without any burial side of their ship and the officers Helena seemed to think that if one so it \\'a nothing from morning to or nion Jack. on the bridge noticed what had hap­ wa good. hundreds were better, nig-ht bllt kicks and grumble n the " 0 we dri fted. not being able pened to the sailors and Second and us three boys were allowed part of th crrw. By that time the to handle the ship properly for six !fate. Then another boat was low­ nothing at all for nine days except Carpenter had been laid up for or :even weeks. and by that time ered from the Liner filled with raw potatoes. So this narration ends ab III four days and all the sailors the Captain was o\'er the ide. also Army officers and in a short while our eventful trip." were in prett)' bad shape in their another r-\pprentice and the Stew­ bunk. ard. leaving only us three kids "It went along- for another ten ahoard the hip. The three of u, ~[ate DEAD NED by John Masefield Doctor Copshrews, to whom Ned was dav.. and thr Chief and one \\'cre under eventeen 'cars of age apprenticed, and a surgeon, who knew o(the .-\pprentice were laid up and and certainlv could not handle the lIacmillan. 2.50 Ned's father, claim the body, restore life the next day found the Carpenter ship. and U{e Apprentice still alive Dead Ned is aptly called the auto­ and aid Ned in escaping from England. dead in his bunk. \ \'e then sewed c1idnot know very much about naVI­ biography of a corpse. It is an eighteenth He sails from Liverpool as surgeon of century tale, the story of Edward Mansell the Albicon, bound for the coast of Dead him up in a canvas bag- and threw gation. and we dld not know where who, still a minor and not quite out of an Ned, haunt of slavers. him over the side. The Captain we \\'ere, but we still kept on teer­ apprenticeship to the medical profe ion, Told in the preci e language of the said a few words and prayer for the in~ on a \\'e terly course a, the is accused of the murder of his onlv eighteenth century, the story moves Carpenter and over he went. draped wind allowed u to. \Ve ailed and friend, Admiral Topsle Cringle. - rapidly, after a slow start, and ends on a Ned is, of cour e, innocent. but the promise of another volume which wilt be in the Briti, h flag, Two day. later c1ri fted \\'ith our en ign upside evidence, though circum tantial, is over­ welcomed by all who read the beginning two more ailors \vere laid up. and down. and a alt meat barrel lashed whelming and he is found guilty, of the adventure. th Chief :-rate died the following in the main top. until one morning sentenced, and hanged at Tyburn jail. Fred E. Harris (Chief Mate) 10 THE LOOKOUT FEBRUARY 1939 THE LOOKOUT Il ~ }iJML ]mfJ ]Aipd 1:d ~ By John W. Binnie, Chief Engineer. I'm Fain Just Ask A Man WAS born in Scotland. On my posed to be lost, some of the crew I first trip to sea, in 1893, aboard got a very bad disappointment when 1'111 fain fOl' ,ight 0' the water lust tn' it ,'lllllctillle, the Steamship "WAIKATU", on they were told that their wives had iront', ;fhen ,:ou'll knuw the way back to England from New married again! Fur the smells 0' hemp all' tar, The lI:11e worth Found in iricndship's glow, Zealand, our ship lost her propeller It was taken to court and they For the creak 0' boom an' the and shaft in a storm in the "roaring decided not to arrest anybody for Cjueak 0' block hi p ant! spend days Forties" off Cape Horn. We had bigamy and the fir t husbands could o \n' the dock where ailor are: ,\nel weeks at sea, a cargo of mutton, plenty of coal have their wives back aaain! 0 Then come ashur' and water. But no ship saw our one was to blame as Lloyd's had 1'111 fain for whiff 0' the low-tide For oIll' last spree. signal and we drifted for nearly ten given the ship up for lost and in­ Oats, months! Of course, there was no surance paid. You']] \"ant \'our Oing For the reck 0' kclp an' shell. radio in those days, The British On my second trip to sea, in o \nel care not where Admiralty sent a ship in search of 1894, aboard the S.S. "GLENDO '­ For the tang 0' . alt an' the grey­ You "pcnd your timc us (we learned later) but they NEN", Our ship caught fire and we "Teen reach ff fun i.' there, missed us. Lloyd's reported the had to abandon her. It was near _\n' the i('(ht 0' crest an' '\"ell: Jlut just in case "WAIKATU" lost after six the Equator, and we were in a life­ months, and paid off the insurance. That \'ou S11(lltld J11ect, boat for 18 days-18 men. We ran J'm fain for the instant gli111pse 0' H al lolk; real iriclld , Our ship was finally sighted, and short of water-finally, each man sail '1'1 r,\T is a treat! towed to port, where our propellor was fed one spoonful daily. Eight Tn a \lTinkled sky-line set, was repaired. Almost two years Ther' is a difference, men went crazy, drank salt water For the sur.. h an' the song- an' soothe had elapsed when, at last, we ar­ l3e1 ie"e YOU 111('. and jumped overboard. The tropic 0' rived at London docks. There was surf- Iust ask a man great rejoicing, Crowds of people sun beat down, burning our flesh, For the ,ea-wist',- in l11e. yet. \ \°!lo g-oe, to sea! were on the dock to meet their loved and the Tropic rain drenched us. By Hr(;[] :\f.\LCOUr :'IrcCoR~rlcK l1\. \Y,\RREX . '1"\00'1'0, ones. After being so long away At long last, ten of u reached Dur­ from home, and the ship was sup- bin, South Africa. (/)1lJla»L S/titL OLD SHIPMATES By F. E. Harris, Mate They ailed the, ea together in the old windjammer day The ocean' \I'him,; and mood they'd :ice in all it;; \'arying \I'aY:i HE was a skys'l yarder and a He sighed. In sailing craft irum iure and aft to the quare riuued clipper grand thing of pure beauty. Cap'n The tempo changed and he heard S The\' rotjO"hed it and the\' iou"'hr it ir0111 the Jlorn to Barfins I.and. Henry Wilson eyed her with the ap­ the Roaring Forties shriek as they . n . b preciation of a true sailorman. tore at halyard and stay. The gray­ The\' sweltered in the trupic:- and they froze in .\rctic 't()r111 , "There," he said aloud, "is a real beards of the Horn rushed at him \Yer;t hunary on han ration' with th· biscuit full of \\'01'1115 ship". and crashed aboard while the deck They han!l·eI and pulled un Ill'aces, in Ice cuppers like tu drown His gaze took in the long sweep heaved and bucked beneath his feet. Back: and arms and \'llices weak a~ they challlied "Blll\\' the .\Jan ])own" of her, the lofty spars, the trim Tea from China, wool from Aus­ yards. He nodded approvingly at tralia. spice from the Isles. Their Xeath foc'slc head the)' .. pun the yarn that sailurs like the he,'t her snowy paintwork and glittering fragrance filled his nostrils. He Of aiel ship clays ane! Bucko :'Ilate', .< 'hanghai lhown" and "I'addy \\'e t". brass. The gilt scrollwork on her sighed again. They "bustecl up" ,their pay days and the to\l'n the)' painted r·t! counter was a work of art. All her Then his dream was shattered. A gear was snugly coiled down on the harsh, strident, female voice broke Till'the hlue sky wa their blanket and the sidewalk \\'a. their becJ. pins, upon his ears. "Henry \Vil on! Bnt the 111en and the day anel the. hips ha\'e gone to the land of Iktler "Everything shipshape and Bristol You come right up here and get your \ \'eather fashion," Cap'n Henry murmured. supper. How many times do I have Hut hlow high. blow low, fair wind or ion!. they always stnck tugcth'r. As he toad there a faraway look to call vou ?" came into Cap'n Henry's eyes. He So he put the little model back B\' JI.\JHoE: L. ,\TKJ:\',. saw the wide blue ea again, stretch­ on its tand and climbed wearily up ,11 aster JIarilli'r. ing away to the horizon. while the the stairs to his supper. Trade sang softly in the rigging. F. E. HARRIS. SEAMEN'S CHURCH INSTITUTE OF NEW YORK • BOARD OF MANAGERS

Honorary Pr~sident RT. REv. WILLIAM T. MANNING, D.D.• LL.D., D.C.L.

PTesid~nt CLARENCE G. MICHALIS

Cl~ricaI Vic~'PTesid~nts RT. REv. ERNEST M. STtRES, D.D. REv. FREDERICK BURGESS RT. REV. BENJAMIN M. WASHBURN, D.D. REV. ROELIP H. BROOKS, S.T.D. REv. WILLIAM TUFTS CROCKER REv. SAMUEL M. DORRANCE REv. W. RUSSELL BOWIE, D.D. REv. FREDERICK S. FLEMING, D.D. REv. DONALD B. ALDRICH, D.D.

Lay Vic~·Pusid~nts HeRBERT L. SATTERLEE ORME WILSON HON. FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT HARRY FORSYTH

Secretary and 'T'reasurer THOMAS ROBERTS

HENRY MCCOMB BANGS P. SHELTON PARR STEPHEN H. P. PELL EDWARD J. BARBER JOHN H. FINLEY FRANKLIN REMINGTON CHARLES R. BEATTIE FRANK GULDEN JOHN S. ROGERS, JR. EDWIN DET. BECHTEL CHARLES S. HAIGHT, JR. KERMIT ROOSEVELT REGINALD R. BELKNAP LOUIS GORDON HAMERSLEY CHARLES E. SALTZMAN GORDON KNOX BELL AUGUSTUS N. HAND SAMUEL A. SALVAGE GORDON KNOX BELL, JR. OLIVER ISELIN JOHN JAY SCHIEPPELIN CHARLES W. BOWRING AYMAR JOHNSON THOMAS A. SCOTT EDWIN A. S. BROWN BENJAMIN R. C. Low T. ASHLEY SPARKS DOUGLAS F. COX RICHARD H. MANSPIELD J. MAYHEW WAINWRIGHT FREDERICK A. CUMMINGS LoUIS B. MCCAGG, JR. FRANK W. WARIlURTON JOSEPH H. DARLINGTON JUNIUS S. MORGAN ERNEST E. WHEELER CLEMENT L. DESPARD MORTON L. NEWHALL WILLIAM F. WHITEHOUSE CHARLES E. DUNLAP HARRIS C. PARSONS WILLIAM WILLIAMS SNOWDEN A. FAHNESTOCK JOHN H. G, PELL WILLIAM D. VlINTER DE CoURSEY FALES GEORGE GRAY ZAIlRISKIE

HONORARY MEMBER OF THE INSTITUTE JOHN MASEFIELD

Superintendent REV. HAROLD H. KELLEY