410 EXTORTION ABOARD SHIP. 



of the slop-cliest, one hundred dollars, or more, inde- 

 pendent of the outfitter's bill. He finds a woolen 

 shirt is charged to him at the extortionate price of 

 three dollars and a half; pumps, worth fifty cents a 

 pair, at a dollar and a half; the commonest kind of 

 rawhide boots, five dollars a pair; a frieze jacket, 

 seven dollars ; thread, six cents a skein ; and sus- 

 penders, such as could be bought anywhere else for 

 five cents a pair, aboard ship are sold for half a dollar. 

 These prices are not exaggerated, I copy them from 

 my ship's bill. 



Beside these extortions an additional twenty-five 

 per cent is charged on all money advanced in foreign 

 ports by the captain to the crew ; six per cent, interest 

 per annum is our legal rate, and I for one should not 

 grumble at paying for cash advanced at that rate ; 

 but some of our money we only received seven 

 months previous to our arrival home, and I cannot 

 but think that a charge of twenty-five per cent, for 

 the use of money a trifle over six months, is exorbi- 

 tant and dishonest. Still there are Shylocks in the 

 world who would absorb the last dollar of earnings 

 from the sailor, after years of exposure to wind and 

 weather have rightfully earned for him his scanty 

 wao-es. 



I have not yet finished with the specifications of 

 these overcharges. The ship is not at home yet, and 

 we only know what the bill aboard ship amounts to ; 

 the recipient of it, although he is astounded at its 

 amount, adds it and the amount of his outfitter's bill 

 together, and consoles himself with the thought that 

 he has forty or fifty dollars still due him ; and thus 

 persuaded, on the arrival of the ship he goes ashore, 



