WHISPS OF SPRAY

Southland Times, Issue 19389, 1 November 1924, Page 11 (Supplement)

WHISPS OF SPRAY

THE “HAREM.”

(By

'R.W."

Captain William Henry Wilkins strolled into the offices of Raffles and Co., Fenchurch Street, London, to report his arrival at “Fresh Wharf.” He was greeted on all sides with a “Good morning, Captain,” to which h© answered in a deep but not unpleasant voice, his face beaming good naturedly as he passed the various desks and counters on his way to that portion of the office labelled with the legend—in big white letters—“ Mediterranean Desk.” Having entered and being informed by the junior clerk that the desk manager was at that moment closeted with Sir Thomas, the head of the firm, he crossed to the stenographer’s seat and extending a hard mis-shapen hand—that hand had once closed round a dagger weilded by a mad Italian fireman, and the sinews had all been cut —he greeted her with unmistakeable friendliness. “Old Foggy” was fond of Miss Foster. Did she not work hard to support her widowed invalid mother, was she not the writer of all those official communications he received from his owners, and above all, how she reminded this lonely old man of the first stenographer Raffles & Co. had had, Miss Kitty Brewster, to w r hom he had given his heart as a young officer in the early days of the firm, and who had died suddenly while he was away at sea, shortly after they were married. They had lots in common these two —Miss Foster and Foggy. Hers was the only home he ever visited in London when his ship was in port and at the end of every trip he brought some small gift for her or the grey haired old lady for whom she worked so hard. The desk manager’s return terminated their friendly chat and the skipper turned his attention to the business relating to his voyage, after which he was informed that Sir Thomas was waiting to interview him in the private room. With a cheery farewell he left the desk and crossed over to the glass door leading to the private office and sanctum of the “Head of the Firm.”

Having been ushered into the private room of his chief by that “confidential clerk and factotum,” Nathaniel Kenny, he was greeted by a “Good day, William,” for Sir Thomas Raffles always greeted his old employees by their Christian names and it was a standing joke in the firm that one only attained that privilege after 20 years’ service. Both men being comfortably seated and a few preliminaries discussed, Sir Thomas opened up the subject for whch the audience had been arranged with the remark: “Now, William, you know that fast little pasenger steamer owned by Kirchner & Co.—the Kovno, I mean?” Captain Wilkins looked up. “Know ’er? I think I do. I calls her the ‘Harem,’ for that half-bred Anglo-Scandihovian skipper of hers don’t know how to manage male men, but he must employ women folk as cooks and stewards. By the same token she is getting all the tourists and passengers to travel by her, although it don’t, affect us as we ain’t in the passenger line yet. I admit she’s a fine little craft, for no matter what old MacPherson, our chief engineer, can do—and he can, do a lot,. Sir Thomas —she is just a knot faster than the old Volturno, and, being twin screw, she handles neater.”

To this rapidly given comment the owner added: “Well, William, we are going into the passenger business from now, mark you! We have got a hold on Kerchner and have purchased the Kovno, so I’m going to give you charge of her.” “By the great hook pot and pannikin, sir, I thank yer, and will you let me take me chief engineer, MacPherson? He and I could do wonders with that little craft, but, by Jimmy, sir, I ain’t takin’ her if I ’ave to carry them wimen. Wimen and ships don’t agree. I’d sooner have male men. They’d jump to yere order. But wimen ! ! No. I ain’t going to skipper no harem,” answered old Foggy. “Now listen to me, Captain, I said I would give you charge of the Kovno and you will run her to the best advantage for the firm, with either men or women, but always to the firm’s advantage remember. I am promoting that mate of yours, Dunley, to command the Volturno and you can let MacPherson know that his second will relieve him. Old Mac will sail with you in the Kovno. We are taking her over to-day, so I want you and Mac to be on the i.ob; you both know how she is equipped/ Remember we have taken her just as she stands, so the firm will look to you for results and fair dealing.” Having thus delivered his ultimatum, Sir Thomas turned to the papers on his desk and without glancing up, added: “That is all, William. She is lying in Mill wall dock. take her over at noon—have MacPherson with you. Good-day.” Thereupon old Foggy, with a gruff “Goodday, Sir Thomas,” left the room. He did not see the wink and smile that was directed to his broad back by Sir Thomas Raffles, K.C.B.

As he passed out he slipped into the Mediterranean desk and, addressing Miss Foster, who happened to- be alone, he said: “Me dear, the owner has given me the new ship and I’m glad you insisted on me reading them books written by that Emerson chap and that poetry by the joker Kiplin’. I’ll feel at home now talking learned-like with the passengers.’ Then, turning to the phone, he called up the manager of “Green’s Sailors’ Home,” arranging for a complete complement of male cooks and stewards to be ready to sign on the Kovno next day. Later, going aboard the Volturno, he proceeded to the engine-room skylight down which he called: “Are yer down there, Mac?” to which he received the cheery reply: “Aye, mon, cum doon, its lying on the top of ma bunk, but I’d have ye ken that there be only twa pegs left—help yersel.” “It ain’t yer whiskey I want, its yourself, Mac,” answered the old man.. Soon the long form of Andrew MacPherson, clothed in oil-stained overalls came on deck and was informed of the changes that were about to take place. The engineer received the news in silence. For some minutes those two old shipmates, the short stumpy old north country man and the long lanky Scot stood side by side linked by the same thoughts. How often had they stood to each other in danger and extremity! To them, both homeless men, the old Volturno had been; “home, wife and child;” they had nursed her through many a gale and now the time of parting came, the wrench was to be hard. “Hey, mon, it’s glad I am that my old -gel will be kindly treated by my second, Jock Hall. I’d a liked weel to a’ had him wi’ me, but I’d sooner he .had charge here, he knows her gait weel,” was all the old chief enginerr said as he turned to go below tp prepare for the walk to Millwall dock and his new ship. About 2 p.m. they met alongside the Kovno, a fine modern passenger steamer of 4,000 tons, then lying in a quiet part of Millwall basin. Raffles & Co.’s riggers and shore gang were busily checking and testing gear As these two stepped aboard together. They parted at the head of the gangway, the chief proceeding to the ongine-room, where he noted with satisfaction the well-kept, tidy condition of that department, and, making a mental note he would see to it that the second

engineer—who was the responsible officer for the state of efficiency he saw before him—-should be retained, he made his way to the chief engineer’s cabin, where he found the chief engineer of the Kovno lying hopelessly drunk. Old Foggy proceeded to the captain’s quarters on the bridge deck, where, after knocking for some time and hearing sounds within, lie pushed open the door and entered. Here he found no less thap five women in the dress of stewardesses busily engaged in strapping up trunks and bulky packages. On informing them who he was, he "noticed the startled appearance of the women folk and promptly asked what tho packages contained and as promptly was told: “Kaptan’s property; all Kaptan’s close.” Deliberately he moved forward to a trunk which, though closed, was yet unfastened and, opening the lid of which he found a quantity of ship’s plate and silver, all marked ‘TKS. Kovno.” That night twenty-five cooks and stewards, all women, left the Kovno with their baggage for good, but not before each bun-

die of tho baggage had first been carefully overhauled by “Old Foggy.” Captain Carl Jorgensen, the “Anglo-Scandinavian” skipper of the Kovno also left her rather hurriedly, after a brief but interesting interview with his successor, and it was noted by the riggers that, considering the number of years he had been in the ship, his personal belongings were remarkably light, although they were contained in a great array of trunks. The T.S.S. Kovno is how a favourite passenger ship from London to the Mediterranean ports, but she is wonderfully improved. She can show the old Volturno a clean knot and a-half now, and no one thinks of her as having been a “harem” ship. One other thing: If you ever are fortunate enough to travel by her, Captain Wilkins will undoubtedly entertain you by pointing out all thq famous points, ports and places mentioned in th© Odyssey of Homer, of which he has a splendid translation by Pope, and if you can got a peep at the inside of the cover you will notice that it is a gift from Mias Foster, of Raffles <fc Co, London.