File:The merchant vessel - a sailor boy's voyages around the world (1884) (14776833131).jpg

Identifier: merchantvesselsa1884nord (find matches)
Title: The merchant vessel : a sailor boy's voyages around the world
Year: 1884 (1880s)
Authors: Nordhoff, Charles, 1830-1901 LaPlante, Charles. egr Wyllie, W. L. (William Lionel), 1851-1931. ill Dodd, Mead & Company. pbl
Subjects: Boys Conduct of life Voyages and travels Voyages around the world Merchant ships Seafaring life Sailing Slavery
Publisher: New York : Dodd, Mead & Co.
Contributing Library: Boston Public Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Boston Public Library

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Having himonce in the vein, I pestered him with questions until Imanaged to obtain from him some details of his bush life.All my efforts failed in getting him to give me any con-nected account of the mode of life which he had there led ; butbit by bit, I obtained the information which is given below. Three men stay together on one part of the station. Theseare a hut-tender and two cattle-tenders. The hut-tender, whocooks for himself andhis mates, and perhaps washes for them,if they ever find it desirable to put on a clean shirt, is generallya green hand in the woods—a new Chum he is called in colo-nial lingo. He receives from sixteen to eighteen poundssterling (eighty to ninety dollars) per annum, with his rationsof tea, sugar, and flour. It is his duty to remain at the hut, while his confreresare off with the cattle. Here he stays, sometimes for dayswithout seeing a soul, when the others are away in search of alost herd, or bringing a drove back to the pastures. Day in, >> ©
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CA TTLE- TENDJNd. i day out, he sees naught but the dreary plain undisturbedaught of life, except an occasional bird, or a wapiti^ or kan.roo. It is easy to imagine how in this lonely state it after awhile ceases to be natural to speak, and a dreamy silence be-comes the habit of the man. Sometimes the hut-keeper has a gun, and occasionally shootsa little game. But even this is scarcely sufficient excitement torelieve the dreariness of the life. Besides, it is necessary toremain near the hut, in order to keep safe watch and wardover the supplies there deposited, and to be in readiness towait upon the horsemen when they come in with theirflocks. After having served at this branch of the business ayear or two, the hut-keeper is supposed to have sufficientexperience to warrant his advancement to the post of cattle-tender. He is now supplied with a horse, or perhaps two,that he may be able to change animals in his long rides.His salary is increased to from twenty-two to twenty-five pounds,

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