THE CATTLEMAN'S OFFICE
We found the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad easy to beat, and were at the
end of our journey in a very few days. When we entered the cattleman's
office, from which place owners and foremen were supplied with men, it
was evident to me that Red was well known in this place, hearing him
make enquiries of Washington Shorty, New York Fatty, Philadelphia
Slim, and others. At this place I made the acquaintance of Oklahoma
Sam, an extremely quiet man, very much respected in that he had a cold
blooded fashion of whittling wood and paring his nails with a steel
blade nearly a foot long. Another queer character was Baldy, of whom
Australian Red related this anecdote. When stranded in Liverpool and
hungry, he once took up a position in front of a confectioner's shop,
and, being an extremely lazy man, placed his shoulder against the
lamp-post, and settled himself for a long reverie. He might have been
there an hour or more, when the baker came out and complained of
Baldy's person, being ragged and dirty, as the reason why people
hurried past his establishment; telling Baldy straight that his
presence was detrimental to the trade of any shop that catered to the
inner man. Baldy, too lazy to speak, much less show any signs of
anger, took a firmer bearing on the post and settled to a more
prolonged reverie. Two or three hours elapsed when the baker, who had
come several times to stare at him through the window, rushed out and
shouted with much irritation--"For Heaven's sake, go: here, take this
sixpence, and let me see the last of you." Baldy, who had not wished
the baker good morning, wished him good afternoon, and strolled
quietly away, with the price of a good meal in his hand. Nobody, who
thoroughly understood Baldy's disposition, would wonder at this; for
this success, after all, was only the result of laziness, but most of
his companions gave him credit for using unique strategy in obtaining
money.
Shelter only was supplied at this office, and that of the barest kind,
being no other than the hard floor, and blanketless. Owing to this the
men, who, after making a trip often had to wait sometimes two or three
weeks for another chance, were all good beggars. Some of them had
begged Baltimore off and on for ten years, and knew every good house
in the city. One would say--"I shall go to the dressmaker for my
breakfast"; another intended to go to the dairy, the fat woman, or the
dentist; the latter being always good for money in the shape of a ten
cent piece.
We had been at this office three days, when the shipper sent
Australian Red and myself, with four others, to rope cattle at the
yards. Seven hundred and fifty head of cattle had to be shipped that
night, and the ropes had to be placed on their necks or horns, with
which they had to be fastened to their places aboard ship. After Red
had taken a rope, and given me a practical illustration of what was to
be done, the cattle began to arrive. They were very wild, having just
come from the plains of the west. There was a long narrow shoot in the
yards, with one end blocked, and when a number of cattle had been
driven into this, and had wedged themselves too close and fast to be
capable of any wild movement, it was our business to slip a noose
around their horns, or necks, draw this rope as tight as possible, and
fasten it with a knot, so as to prevent it from slipping. When this
was accomplished, the end of the shoot was opened, and they were
rushed out with their ropes dangling, and a fresh batch were then
driven in and served likewise. After which they were put in cars and
sent to the ship. Now the foreman, knowing Red, asked him if he would
like to go with him, to which Red answered yes, at the same time
putting in a good word for me, which at once met with the foreman's
approval. We were not therefore surprised, on our return, when the
shipper called us into his private office to sign articles--Red to
receive two pounds for the trip, and myself thirty shillings, an
amount seldom paid to a raw hand, except on the recommendation of
owner or foreman.
I shall never forget the first night's experience, when the cattle
were brought to the ship in a train of cars. A large sloping gangway
was erected to span the distance between ship and shore, and up this
incline the poor beasts were unmercifully prodded with long poles,
sharpened at the end, and used by the shore cattlemen. The
terror-stricken animals were so new to the conditions, that they had
no notion of what was expected of them, and almost overleaped one
another in their anxiety to get away. What with the shout of savage
triumph, the curse of disappointment, and the slipping and falling of
the over-goaded steers, I was strongly tempted to escape the scene. As
the cattle were being driven aboard, we cattlemen, who had signed for
their future charge, caught their ropes, which we were required to
fasten to a strong stanchion board. Sometimes one would run up behind,
and prevent himself from turning. On one of these occasions, I crossed
the backs of others, that had been firmly secured, so as to force this
animal to a proper position. The animal, whose back I was using for
this purpose, began to heave and toss, and at last succeeding in
throwing me across the back of the other, this one tossing and rearing
until I was in danger of my life, only the pressure of the other
beasts preventing him from crushing my limbs. Taking possession of
his rope, I held it to a cattleman, who was standing waiting and ready
in the alley, and he quickly fastened this refractory animal to the
crossboards. Now the foreman had been watching this, and coming to the
conclusion that I was a good man with cattle, said he would like me to
be the night watchman. This undoubtedly does require a good man, as I
soon discovered, on the first night out. There were two lots of cattle
aboard, and for these two foremen, two lots of cattlemen, and two
watchmen. As all hands are available in the day, any difficulty with
the cattle can soon be attended to; if necessary, all hands taking
part. But when there is any trouble at night, one watchman only has
the assistance of the other, who, of course, expects the same aid from
him, in cases of emergency. Now if a number of cattle have broken
loose, and worked themselves into intricate positions, the watchman is
supposed to awake the foreman and his men to assist him, but one would
rather struggle all night with his difficulties than to take these men
at their word, knowing their peevishness and dislike for a man who has
disturbed them from a sound sleep. A watchman is therefore told to
call up all hands, if he cannot cope with the cattle under his charge,
but he is never expected to do so.
What soon breaks the spirit of these wild animals is the continual
motion of the vessel. There is always plenty of trouble at first, when
they slip forward and backward, but in a few days they get their
sea-legs, and sway their bodies easily to the ship's motion. The wild
terror leaves their eyes, and, when they can no more smell their
native land, they cease bellowing, and settle calmly down. This
restlessness breaks out afresh when nearing shore on the other side,
and again they bellow loud and often, long before the mariner on the
look-out has sighted land.
We also had on this trip two thousand head of sheep, quartered on the
hurricane deck. When we were six days out there came a heavy storm,
and the starboard side was made clean, as far as pens and sheep were
concerned, one wave bearing them all away. This happened at night, and
on the following morning the sheep men were elated at having less work
to do during the remainder of the voyage. The cattle, being protected
on the main deck, and between decks, and their breath filling the air
with warmth, make the cattleman's lot far more comfortable than that
of the sheep-men. The condition of the cattle can be seen without
difficulty, but ten or fifteen sheep lying or standing in the front of
a crowded pen, may be concealing the dead or dying that are lying in
the background. For this reason it is every morning necessary to crawl
through the pens, far back, in quest of the sick and the dead, and it
is nothing unusual to find half a dozen dead ones. The voyage would
not be considered bad if thirty sheep only died out of two thousand.
What a strange assortment of men were these cattlemen and sheepmen.
One man, called Blacky, a bully without being a coward, fell in love
with a small white cat, which we had found in the forecastle. His
ruffianism at once disappeared, and every time he was at liberty,
instead of looking for trouble with his fellow-men, he could be seen
peacefully nursing this cat, at the same time addressing it
endearingly as "Little White Dolly," and such simple language as a
child might use.
It was our duty to keep the cattle standing, and not to allow them to
rest too long on their knees; and not let them, on any account,
stretch full length in the pens. One reason for this was that a
kneeling steer would be overstepped by his nearest neighbour, and if
the latter happened to rise, their ropes, which were so fastened as to
give them very little freedom, would be tightened and crossed,
bringing their heads together in such close proximity, that they would
make frantic efforts to escape each other's presence. And another
reason for not allowing them to lie down for any length of time was
that their joints would become so stiff as to make them almost
incapable of rising, though goaded by the most heartless cruelty. I
used the most humane methods to attain this end, and sought to inspire
terror in them by the use of the most ferocious war-cry, which often
succeeded. If that failed to raise them, I struck them with a flat
stick on the haunches, which they could scarcely feel, at the same
time not forgetting to use my voice. Not succeeding in this, I
resorted to the old remedy, which rarely fails, standing at their
backs and twisting their tails. A bullock can kick in any direction.
There is terrible power in his side kick, also his front kick,
throwing his hind leg forward with a speed that is remarkable for such
an unwieldy animal. But his back kick, when you stand back to back
with him, has not the least power to cause hurt. The other watchman
and myself had about an equal number of cattle under our charge, and
when I was in difficulty he kindly came to my assistance, and I did
likewise for him, although he seldom seemed to need other help than
his own. We made our rounds about every half hour. Sometimes I found a
steer in the alley; by some means or other he had cleared the head
board and, still being a prisoner, stood fastened outside the pen
instead of inside. Another time we would find one standing with his
tail to the head-board, instead of his head, owing to the rope getting
loose, or being broken; after which he had turned himself around to
see if there was any way of escape behind him. It required great care,
in cases of this kind, to place them again in their original
positions.
Up till the fourth night we had experienced no bad weather, and the
cattle had been quiet and requiring little care. On this particular
night my attention had been drawn several times to a big black steer,
which, time after time, had persisted in lying down. At last, in pity
for the poor beast, I let him rest, thinking to get him into a
standing position at the last moment, when I went off duty, after
calling the foreman and his men. But when that last moment came I
failed in all my efforts to raise this animal, whose joints, I
suppose, had become stiff after a prolonged rest. I was not therefore
greatly surprised when the foreman came, after I had gone off duty, to
the forecastle, with the complaint of having found a number of cattle
lying down, and one, he said, in particular, which must have been
lying down half of the night. "When I left the cattle," I said,
"nothing seemed to be wrong." "Come up and see this one," he answered.
I followed him on deck, and there I saw several cattlemen standing in
front of a pen, in which I recognised the big black steer. He was now
lying full length in the pen, the others having had to be removed for
his convenience. "See this," said the foreman, "this creature should
be standing. Twist his tail," he continued, to a cattleman, who at
once obeyed. During this operation another cattleman fiercely prodded
the poor creature's side with a pitchfork, which must have gone an
inch into the body. At the same time another beat the animal about
the head with a wooden stake, dangerously near the eyes. The animal
groaned, and its great body heaved, but it made no attempt to move its
legs. "Wait," said the foreman then, "we will see what this will do."
He then took out of his mouth a large chew of tobacco, and
deliberately placed it on one of the animal's eyes. My heart sickened
within me, on seeing this, and I knew that I would have to be less
gentle with these poor creatures to save them the worst of cruelty. In
a second or two the poor beast, maddened by pain, made frantic efforts
to rise, tried again and again, and after seeing its great sides
panting, and hearing a number of pitiful groans, it succeeded in the
attempt.
These cattlemen are, as a rule, great thieves, and well the sailors
and firemen know it, and especially the steward and cook. One evening,
when the men had finished their day's work, and I was preparing to go
on duty for the night, I heard Blacky propose a night's raid on the
captain's chickens, which were kept in a small coop under the bridge,
and rather difficult to rob, considering the bridge was always
occupied by the captain or one of his first officers. But, next
morning, on coming to the forecastle I was not greatly surprised to
smell a peculiar and a not unpleasant odour, coming from that place.
Blacky and another had made their raid during the previous night,
leisurely killing the chickens on the spot, which was certainly the
best plan. When I descended the forecastle steps, I saw that the stove
was red hot, on which was a large tin can full of potatoes, onions and
chicken. I am not ashamed to say that I did not scruple to partake of
this rogue's mess, knowing from experience how this company ran their
boats, allowing their stewards such miserly small amounts for
provisions, that the common sailors and firemen did not get sufficient
food to eat, bad as its quality was.
When we arrived at Liverpool, we were not long clearing our decks of
cattle. After one is forced to lead, which is often difficult to do,
they all follow, and it is the same with the sheep. It is more often
necessary to control their mad rush than to goad them on. We received
payment aboard--Red two pounds, myself thirty shillings, one other a
pound, and the rest ten shillings each, which was to board and lodge
us ashore for six days, when we would have passenger tickets back to
the port from which we had sailed. If the ship, from any cause, was
delayed over this number of days, we were to receive an extra half a
crown for every day over. Red, having been in Liverpool several times
previously, led the way to a cheap house, at which place I persuaded
them to pay down six nights' lodging, so as to make sure of some
shelter, not forgetting to caution them against drink, as they would
need every penny of the remainder for food, which would be more
difficult to obtain in this country than their own.
These cattlemen are recognised as the scum of America, a wild, lawless
class of people, on whom the scum of Europe unscrupulously impose.
They are an idle lot, but, coming from a land of plenty, they never
allow themselves to feel the pangs of hunger until they land on the
shores of England, when their courage for begging is cooled by the
sight of a greater poverty. Having kind hearts, they are soon rendered
penniless by the importunities of beggars. Men waylay them in the
public streets for tobacco, and they are marked men in the public
houses--marked by their own voices. First one enters and makes a
successful appeal, who quickly informs another, and others as quickly
follow. These wild, but kind-hearted men, grown exceedingly proud by a
comparison of the comfortable homes of America with these scenes of
extreme poverty in Liverpool and other large sea-ports, give and give
of their few shillings, until they are themselves reduced to the
utmost want. And so it was on this occasion. The next day after
landing, I made my way to the public library, for I had not enjoyed
books for a considerable time. When I returned from this place,
Australian Red at once approached me to borrow money, with his old
hint of having some concealed. On questioning the others, six in
number, I found that these men had not the price of a loaf of bread
among them. As for myself, I had not been drinking, and had only spent
seven shillings, and a part of that had been given away in charity.
For even in the coffee-house ragged lads set their hungry eyes on
one's meal, and sidle up with the plaintive remark that they will be
thankful for anything that is left. In such cases, who could help but
attend to them at once, before attempting to enjoy his own meal? As
far as my money went I maintained Red and the others, but the day
previous to sailing, there was not one penny left. We were to sail the
following night, but would not be supplied with food until breakfast
time the next morning. When that hour arrived we were all weak from
hunger, not having had food for over forty hours. When the food did
arrive in the forecastle, these hungry men strove for it like wild
beasts, without any system of equal shares.
What a monotonous life we now had for thirteen days. No work; nothing
to do but to eat and sleep. And how I had intended to enjoy this part
of the trip! The few hours I had spent in the library, had brought
back my old passion for reading, and, had it not been for the distress
of others, I had now been the happy possessor of some good books. This
was not to be; for I was to lie in my bunk with but one
consolation--that I had sufficient tobacco under seal with the steward
to last me until the end of the voyage. This new experience was a
disappointment, and it was my firm resolve, on returning to Baltimore,
to seek some more remunerative employment, to save, and then to work
my passage back to England in this same way, and go home with my
earnings.
We had a rough passage back, the ship being light, with little more
than ballast. One night the vessel made a fearful roll, and the lights
went dark, and we thought every moment that she would turn over. A
coal bunker was smashed by the waves, and large pieces of coal bounded
across the deck with a force that would have broken every bone in a
man's body. Pieces of heavy wood, that would have cut off a man's feet
as clean as a knife, slid across the deck from side to side. We
thought the end had come, especially when we saw an old sailor rush on
deck in his bare feet, his shirt being his only apparel. Sleep was out
of the question for some hours, for we were forced to cling to our
bunks with all our strength, to save ourselves from being thrown out,
when we would be rolled here and there, and soon battered into an
unconscious state.
We reached Baltimore on the thirteenth day, and at once made our way
to the cattlemen's office, intending on the morrow to make better
arrangements for the future.