A TRAMP'S TRAMP.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 60, 12 March 1926, Page 9

A TRAMP'S TRAMP.

VISITING THE WORLD'S PORTS. THE SEARCH FOR CARGOES. TWO YEARS OUT FROM HOME. Tramping the seven seas, in fair weather and foul, visiting gtrange ports in search of stranger cargoes—that is the life of the hundreds of merchant ships of the -world that know no regular trade. A typical example of the tramp steamer is furnished by the s.s. Hartfield, which this morning was discharging phosphate at the King's wharf. The familiar "red duster" hung above her etern, and the lettering below_ her name showed her to be registered in London. Patches of new paint could not disguise the fact that she was no regular trader. Her decks and sides were rusted, and she looked exactly what ehe was—a tramp of the seas. As long ago as January, 1924, the Hartfield sailed out of Hull. Since then she has visited well-nigh a hundred of the world's ports, but has not once returned to her home port of London. Her crew had expected a long voyage, but the Hartaeld's tra- -pings have exceeded their expectations. Now, however, their hopes are lugh, for on completion of the discharge of her phosphate the steamer is to load a cargo that ; will send her back to England. When she left Hull early in 1924, the '■ Hartfield was an empty ship, but she was bound for Barry, South Wales, to load coal for St. Vincent, in the Cape Verde Islands. The passage to St. Vincent was stormy but uneventful, and after discharge the steamer 6ailed for Capetown. For almost the whole of the run the Hartfield was pushing against solid south-east trades. After bunkering at the Cape, she went on to Durban to load coal for Port Sudan. S.O.S. From Burning Steamer. While proceeding from Port Sudan to Aden, the Hartfield experienced the first thrill of her trip. A S.O.S. message was received from the steamer Frangestan. which was on her way from the Straits Settlement to Mecca, the holy city of the Mohammedans, with over 14,000 pilgrims on board, stating that she was on fire, and asking the Hartfield to render assistance. The thirty-odd miles separating the two steamers were soon covered, the Hartfield arriving in the vicinity of the burning ship soon after nightfall. It was then found, however, that the steamer Clan Mclvor had arrived a short time before, and had taken off both passengers and crew. The Hartfield could therefore do nothing. The hapless Frangestan ■ was blazing fiercely from her bows to the bridge, her iron plates be/ng red hot. Aft of the bridge everything appeared in order. Her portholes were lighted, and there was nothing i- suggest that she was a total loss. Reflecting on the still waters, the light from the burning ship showed the fins of numbers of sharks,

which had been attracted by the glare, j As nothing could be done, the Harffield t again headed for Aden. At the lastnamed port it was learnt that the Frangestan had been sunk the day after the fire by the British submarine K53. It I was also learnt that, shortly after the fire had been discovered, one of the pil- ) grims had approached the captain, and j asked permission to empty his bowl of I holy water on to the flames, pleading j that this act would surely quench the i fire. The request had been granted, | but the progress of the flames had not i been stayed. A Variety of Cargoes. On leaving Aden the Hartfield had a full cargo of salt tucked within her holds. She was bound for Chittagong. in Burma. From the last-named port she proceeded to Calcutta. In the Hughli a mixed cargo was shipped, gunnies, tea, and rice being taken on board j for carriage to the West Coast of South j America. Favourable weather was experienced on the voyage past Suma:ra and the numerous Dutch Islands studding those seas. After passing through Torres. Straits the Hartfield stopped off Thursday Island to take on a pilot for her trip past the Barrier Reef. She next called at Newcastle, NS.W., for bunkers, proceeding- thence to Lyttelton. At the New Zealand port "she loaded 150 pedigree Corridale rams on their way to a large station in Panto Arenas. Soon after leaving the New Zealand coast, the Hartfield encountered a series of cyclonic storms, which caused her to heave-to for the best part of four days. Terrible seas were running, and the freighter, with her cargo of live stock housed on deck, was dancing about in an alarming manner. A number of the stock pens were smashed by the waves, and on one occasion the animals were huddled together on the Open deck, where they were in jdanger of being washed away. Fortunately, the ship weathered the blow in good style and no damage was done. After landing the rams, the Hartfield unloaded her general carsro at numerous ports on the Chilian coast as far north as Arica, and then went toIqnique to complete discharge and to load nitrates for Alexandria. Thence she passed through the Supz Canal and touched at Port Sudan. Colombo, and Calcutta in the order named. From Calcutta, where she had been cleaned and painted, the Hartfield took a coal carso to Rangoon, later loadine at Madras with a valuable cargo of carpets, rugs, rubber and fancy goods for New York. After loading aloncr the Malabar coast, she arrived at Bombay to fill up. but met with a mishap, her bow striking the dock. The greater part of her cargo was then discharged, and she was dry-docked, ten of her ■ nlatps being replaced- En route from Bombay to Boston. New York, and Philadelphia, the steamer called at Aden. Port Sudan and Algiers. Stormy Weather at Nauru. From Philadelphia the Hartfield went to Galveston. in Texas where she loaded sulphur for Auckland, New Plymouth, Newcastle, Wallaroo and Adelaide, arriving at this port during August of last year. Her next destination was Nauru Island, where eke loaded pbocphate for Chwlong aod Melbourne.

Leaving the latter port she went to Sydney to dock and to load five hundred tons of general cargo, including bullocks, turkeys and other Christmas luxuries for Nauru and Ocean Islands. Shortly after the steamer arrived off Ocean Island trouble occurred between the Chinese and kanaka phosphate workers, and the kanakas, who had commenced work on the Hartfield, downed tools and went inland. The. Hartfield was asked to stand-by in readiness to take off the white inhabitants, but this step was not found necessary, and the vessel proceeded to Nauru Island. Most of the stock had been landed before a hard westerly compelled the steamer to put to sea. The storm lasted off and on for nearly three weeks,- -during which period botli the Hartfield, and the only other steamer waiting to load, were drifting off the island. By the end of three weeks both coal and stores were running low. and salt water was being distilled daily, the fresh water tanks having been drained- When the wenthor moderated the Hartfield completed her discharge of Naiiru cargo and returned to Ocean Island, where the inhabitants had held their Christmas* festivities without their turkeys, it being now the New Year. Once again "an empty ship, the Hartfield went back to Nauru Island where she loaded her present phosphate cargo. Contrary winds were experienced on the v-oyags to this port, and. on arrival last Saturday,- the steamer's bunkers were all but empty. Now the Hartfield's long tramp is drawing to a close. • and her crew are looking forward to the time when their ship will at last return to London and home.