THE GENTLE THREE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 87, 5 January 1918, Page 8

THE GENTLE THREE

LASCARS ASHORE ON LEAVE THEIR (CHILDLIKE AMUSEMENTS

(By Will Lawson.)

Through tlio throng of white Australians who hurried from their ferries at Circular Quay, Sydney, the Gentle Three sauntered—three dark-skinned sailors, whose flag is the British (lag, whose King the English Kingnone of the busy white foil; took aiy notice of them at all. '

Yet they were worth looking' at, worth regarding closely, even though they were exactly similar to thousands 1 of other Lascars who have come >and : gone in British ships, daring the death- ; infested seas, and have, sauntered through the Sydney streets in this 1 slow, apparently disinterested way. 1 Chundra Da, the little fellow with the -black embroidered smoking cap ' and red slippers, as picturesque trimmings to his white trousers and green jacket, had a paper hag in his hand. I It contained some pastry. His dusky fingers lingered inside the bag for '< some moments ere they transferred to 1 his mouth a portion of the contents. ' Chundra Da was not speaking much for the time being. His friend. Hira. Lai, had finished bs 1 cake, and was lighting a cigarette; the smoke floating in the clear morning air was of about the same shade of blue as Hira Lai's cerulean cap; but his hair hung in lank curls, or hanks, about his ears, and his long coat only nartlv. hid his dirty-looking trousers. His shoes were a dusty grey. He looked very happy. . So did the third one m the group, ! Gunga Din. He was carrying bs paper bag intact, reserving it as a oelighfc to bo enjoyed later. His cigarette was well under way, and his clothes, • of a dungaree-blue shade, were clean. 1 If not so smart as Chundra - Da, lie > was cleaner than Hira Lai. let, vit.i 1 a perversity which often occurs,- tne ' lender of the three was the frowsy Hira Lai. . , „ , . '■ At the corner of Pitt and flunte ■ Streets the Gentle Three paused r-Jit ' appeared to have a debate abut some important mutter, For an instant it became almost animated, but that n- ■ stent quickly nassed. Hira Lai calml> overruled his friends, and they strolled up Hunter Street towards Macqua Street. They had the day oft. and meant to emoy themselves. Witn a whole shilling each in their pockets they were out on the spree, i At Macquarie Street Chundra Pij and Gunga Din paused, but Hira, La led on towards the Domain In lingo.i„g, loitering fashion talking in «£ tones and smoking their "" '° ( heavy-scented cigarettes the tl«« deck-hands headed towards the pictni gallery. As they walked quietly do* the tree-shaded walk .towards then came four others of their .kind. far as a European could judge th< seven might have been brothers Presently they met. Would thej pause and speak, and maybe 30.n fo.ee, to make the jaunt a merrier one The did not even look at one anothei t« 1 Gentle Three marched on and the fou marched past. They-were men cf . different caste, firemen, trimmers, . c. greasers from the same liner s engine room-men of a higher caste than tin The'three deck-hands, with Hira La leading, stepped softly into the pie ur ; nailery, and in the abode of art silenc fell upon them. From picture to pic tare thev moved, and whateve thoughts'passed through their minU! no flicker of expression crossed then faces, no word was spoken, save « occasional whisper. At the, endof t« hours they emerged into the siinshui again. Somehow they seemed to ftl into the scarlet scene better than thej suited the picture gallery. .' Hira Lai led them off to thegardens to e.W in a childlike way at tin glorious flowers and tree-grow .spaces, with the blue harbour beyond Then they hied away to the city. i< buy mire sweets, and so carry on tnt SP ln e "the afternoon the wind tairnec to the south, and they went hack to W ship, got warm European clothing, ant troopel ashore. again. Atnmeococ thev were leaning over the rail or I.V mont Bridge, watching the shipping he the keen wind did not appea: to worry them much. They were ye sober and very happy. They were hav inc a riotous lime. '■ Next day, with.the sun shimnj again, found them at work on the shp and, lest this expression ■ should. su& IS terrific lahonr with heavy weight such as New Zealand wharf h nds tc with, it must be explained that the wre sitting on .ailors' chairs, painty the funnels by means of queer long tlTbi-LhL, Each pajnterhad. mate who held his paint-pot. Anothei gang was painting the hull., or part 0 ft, and both gang.-worked very Bent -and spilt no paint. \not ever, wiiei K, «--en orders, which sounded like. treats c murder, but produced no visible effec upon the gangs. . , On the wharf a number of steuaio, were gently beating and brushing c net runners and mats belonging to tb «100 Ther did this on a. convenien plcking-ca«; standing up and chattwj as they worked. , K An onlooker asked a passing ofiice "what the Lascars did in port. "'How do they amuse themselves? " The officer smiled. ■ ' "Thev have such funny ideas 0 ,nniero'ent, 1 can't answer, oft-hand, hesai""hut lean tell, ron that the: spend most J of their time on board Thev don't usually draw much mone. when we're here, so they can't go ( up own and change your colour-sclieme K they're so quiet;andorderly w, don't not ce much what they do. d "I've noticed them at the pictur. gallery and in < the gardens am streets," the other said. •'Quite likely. They gcj about ,!, children, looking at everyth ig. T u co s them notlnng.. They stick to th, ship because 6 he Is their home, am they're much happier at sea. One can imagine the large, line ehurninr «v throngh tropic sea Infra. Lai out on the forecastle had. striking the hell and chanting "Hum dekty hai" ("I'm 1 lookmi

° U Ai?d Gunga Din and. Clumdra Da in the witch on deck, gazin 2 stolidly at the calm seas. , .• . r<„„ t i„ But it is hard to imagine the Gentle Three in a storm.