Honolulu Republican, Volume IV, Number 505, 24 January 1902 — WHALING BARK JOHN WINTHROP NEEDS MEDICAL ASSISTANCE [ARTICLE]

WHALING BARK JOHN WINTHROP NEEDS MEDICAL ASSISTANCE

Fourth Mate Layton Suffers From Eye Trouble Craw Has a Hrt Sipry to Tell-iotceii Men Out ol Twiyfoiir law Never Been to Sea Bete-Clai to Hate Boon Bltailtaied.

The whaling bark John and «inihrop arrived off port early yesterday morning. after a leisurely voyage of days from San Francisco. She is bound on a cruise which probably will la-<t about ten months. She put in here be' ause Fourth Officer Layton is suffering from some disease of the eyes and needed medical assistan^. Captain Maeomber reports that on the way down whales were sighted once, but no capture was made. The vessel, on b-aving here will proceed to Guam, where she will engage in trading with the natives and then will go to the Okhotsk Sea whaling. There never pas a ship which came to Honolulu with a more discontented crew than the John and Winthrop. If th« < aptain had come alongside of a wharf or even had he anchored in the stream he would not have a ':»ilor left on board his vessel in the morning. Gets Suckers for Sailors. The « rew is composed of 4 mates. 1 boat header. 5 boat steerers or harpooners and -4 men. Out of these t%cnty four. nineteen have never gone to sea before, and claim that they were shanghaied on board the John and Winthrop by a man named L. Levy, of San Francisco. Their story recalls the days when the old crimping system was an accomplished fact in every port in the I'nited States. An advertisement which appeared in the San Francisco newspapers

during the month of September, attracted the attention of a number of unemployed men. It read thus: ‘ Wanted —Young men to go on a cruise in the South Seas. No experience required. Apply to L. Levy, Battery and Jackson streets." Passengers to Shoot Whales. When the men applied to go on the cruise, it is claimed that they were told that no seamens work would be required of them. They were to be passengers as far as the Okhotsk Sea and then would have to go in the boats and shoot whales. The American spirit of adventure got the better of them they signed the articles and went aboard. A 140 note for advance wages was supposed to be given them, but as a matter of fact none of the men ever saw the color of it. They say that L. Levy received the notes, as, according to the American shipping laws, they cannot be cashed until 48 hours after the vessel has sailed and in exchange the men received a “complete w halers outfit. Complete Whalers’ Outfit. When the men opened their bags on Iward. this is what they found; One pair heavy shoes. 2 pairs stockings. 1 suit heavy underwear. 1 light woolen cap. and one liottie of whiskey. And that whaler s outfit is supposed to last ten months! One of the men has sworn that he will not touch I the contents of his bag and proposes to return it to the dealer and shipping master when the voyage is ended.

He says that he will buy clothes from the slop chest, and on his return to San Francisco will report the whole matter to the authorities. The first day at sea for the "sailors" of the John and Winthrop was one of cruel deceptions. They thought they were to be only passengers, but the captain thought otherwise. Seasickness notwithstanding, they were ordered up aloft to unfurl the sails, and. under the directions of the big Cape Verde Island Portuguese, who are officers of the ship, they did it in a lively fashion. 1. p the rigging they went, and then on a rope to the farther end of the yards. Some of them would have left their work unfinished. but for the presence of the big colored officer near by. Crew Prepares to Escape. When the fourth mate’s illness compelled the vessel to turn her bow towards Hawraii, the men breathed a sigh of relief and secretly made preparations to add to the floating population of Honolulu. They counted without their host, however. Captain Macomber knows a thing or two in the whaling business, and it is not the first time that he has had such a crew. In fait no other kind of a crew can be secured to go whaling. Captain Macomber di'd not bring his ship inside but kept her cruising out side under short sails, waiting for the return of his fourth mate. The John and Winthrop will proceed on her long cruise early this morning.