OUR BRITISH SAILORS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 3, Issue 867, 7 September 1881, Page 3

OUR BRITISH SAILORS.

—-—♦ [To the Editor of tlia Waikarapa Daily.] Sir,—l hope to-morrow we shall lwve J r ™ hands elected to man the good ship Masterton," for I see the old caplnin Slid crew are well-nigh exhausted, and unless fresh hands are put on board we tnußt drift back, as some of the old hands cannot see further than their own cabindoor. We all know they are in distress, J for have we not seon liim hoisting hia ™ ttgnah at the mast-head 1 He was also trying to get a sight up aloft with his theodolite, when Mr Gapper (the chief mate) came and said he was posseised of great knowledge of steam machinery, and that the chief engineer had impeded the progress of the vessel. These two sea-dogs disagreed. The captain, being a very mildtempered old gentleman, bid James (who, by-the-way, was at least " three sheets in the wind") sit down, The chief mate swore by the capstan-bar and anchor he would Dot stop, and went off in the steamlaunch ; for this, I believe, he will get his name struck off the ship's books tomorrow. Mr Uiah being a good officer, is to bs promoted to captain, on whichocci lion the whole crew (ably assisted by the chief engineer) will "splice the mainbrace." The new captain intends making great progress if his crew is supplemented by able seamen Price, Dixon, and Wilton. Mr Woodroofe was once chaplain on board this vessol, and preached many a sermon, but now he has left in disgust, declaring that the ship is sinking, and he is going round preaching its funeral sermon, lam, &c., Passenger on Boakd.