AMATEUR SEAMEN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15504, 10 January 1914, Page 1 (Supplement)

AMATEUR SEAMEN.

BT CEItRY. Ma.vy a time have I warbled, "I went to «« as a bold A.8.," without thinking that some day I really could sing the words with some sort of truth. Even now as I look at my discharge as an OS. it is hard to realise that I've not been dreaming, but then it says that my character for sobriety is "very good."" It came about in this way. Having Put in three weeks as foot " special " on Queen Wharf, and hearing that some of our number had gone to sea as volunteer crews, three of us decided to answer the next call for volunteers. A few days after we were accepted as deck hands by the master of a coastal boat, but when wo came to meet him and the Inspector of Marine to sign on, the latter told us that the captain had the offer of three A.B.s and asked us if we would change to another ship. Thi we were at first unwilling to do, but gave in when we learnt that our ship was bound for Australia. Wo were introduced to the skipper, who told us that he was off to get coal, that he could not tell us as to what port he was going, but that it was only a few hours by rail from Sydney, where, if we liked we could put in lour days while the boat was loading. We agreed to sign on as deck hands on beinjr promised that we would not have to handle coal. The skipper then asked if we could eet more volunteers from the -specials" as he wanted four firemen and four more deck hands; this we undertook and collected the number within two days. Out of the eleven "specials" one only, certainly not more than two, had been to sea before as part of a crew A launch took us off to the ship, which had been hung up for three weeks in the stream. On Friday, November 28, we hove anchor and said good-bye to Auckland. During the day many rumours passed round as to our destination; the clerks amongst us were rather upset when Japan and Java were mentioned, since we had been assured by the skipper that it was Australia, and that w e would be back in Auckland within three weeks; some of us. however, wished- it might be Japan, and were disappointed when we learnt later that it was the Port of Kimla, about forty miles south of Sydney. Our watches as deck hands were four hours on and four off, firemen and trimmers having four on and eight off. I felt very much at sea when I took the wheel for two hours on the 12-4 p.m. watch, but, having land to steer by, managed fairly well considering I'd never had my hands on a wheel before. I won't say how I fared later when I had to steer by the compass. At night I had a watch on the bridge, my duty being to report any lights to the mate, who was rather humorous over the many imaginary lights which I reported to him. By Saturday the sea was so rough that w e were forced to anchor in a bay up North, I think it was Doubtless Bay, where we remained till Sunday, when we hove anchor at 6 a.m. ; the sea being still very choppy we only averaged about three knots. When I went on the p.m. watch I was told that the second engineer wanted me in the engine room. He asked me if I'd ever oiled machinsry. "Yes," I said, and he said. "What?" "Oh," said I, "bicycles and sewing machines." So I became " greaser," and had an easy job, although the heat and smell of oil were nut very f'leasant. I oiled the propeller shaft, leering gear, dynamo, and a few pumps overv half hour. This took mo from five to ten minutes; the rest of my time I spent on deck.

By this the bunkers were empty and coal had to be brought from the hold, which meant that " all hands and the cook " had to be trimmers till we reached port, during which time some of us learnt what hard toil is like; fortunately I have done a good deal of shovel work and did not mind that part, but it took mo some time to manipulate a wheelbarrow full of coal in a rough sea; some of us developed sea-sickness and were knocked out for a time. I had two days' greasing after this, when I was allowed to oil the main engine, and felt very important. The South Head light on Sydney Harbour was sighted at 10 p.m. on Friday, December 5, and at 6 a.m. on Saturday we anchored off Port Kimla. The mines were evidently not working, as we wero I ordered to proceed to Newcastle. Arriving there at 6 p.m. the pilot came out in a very fin© steam yacht and took the ship through the heads. Then that necessary nuisance, the port doctor, came aboard and examined our arms; one of our party had not been vaccinated, but ho pinched his arm hard in three places, and the doctor, on examining it, said, " Mv word, that's a remarkably fine take." We hoped to get ashore that night and proceed to Sydney, but to our annoyance w i had to hoist the yellow flag, and waittill Sunday, when we were all vaccinated. Having been delayed two days on the voyage we only got two days in Sydney, of which we made the most, enjoying particularly Sydney Harbour, the National Gallery, the Botanical Gardens, and the Grand Opera Company's production of " II Trovatore. " Returning from the theatre and supper at the Australia we were not overjoyed on reaching the hotel to find a telecram from the skipper requesting our return. We did not leave Newcastle till Thursday, and had a very good time in that interval, as well as some pretty hard work at levelling and covering the holds. The homeward voyage took from Thursday, December 11. till Thursday, 18th. The ship was very low in the water and met with some very rough weather. On the 16th we ran into a hurricane, and at times we only did 24 knots ; we shipped! about half the ocean, and at night wove obliged to heave-to; all the way over "the darks were dry for about one day only, and to get to the foe's'le we had to go over the holds and winches. A few/ of us were then nursing our arms ; some were ryiite incapacitated. On the 17th, at 4.45 a.m.. we sighted land and! found we were off the South Island, and at 10 p.m. we anchored in Wellington Harbour. On the way into the harbour we received a Morse message saying 'that the strike was still on and that th'.> tram« were not, running, but from our Zjichorage wo could both see and hear the trams, so we eoneluded that the strike was about over, 'if it had not beea we would have gone down to Lyttelto/i ; as it was, we were verv glad to lea/?e the ship on Thursday, and more so 'w'hen we received our pav and return Jfaie to Auckland.