Lascars. 153 



show to whom they prefer entrusting their own lives, and 

 those of their wives and children. 



The fact of experienced owners confiding valuable vessels 

 to Lascar crews, might be advanced as an argument to prove 

 their reliability. It fortunately happens that occasions of 

 extreme peril at sea, to cope with which the Lascar is unfit 

 by reason of his want of dogged pluck, of physical strength, 

 and of capacity to endure cold, occur so rarely, that the 

 pecuniary loss thus entailed is, on an average, less than the 

 money saved by their employment I need hardly say that 

 this principle is the same as that of habitually working ships 

 short-handed. Were the value of the lost lives debited to the 

 Lascar-loving companies, how long, may I ask, would they be 

 able to run their ships under the present system ? Again, the 

 manner in which these Lascars are recruited, is often wholly 

 vicious ; for it frequently happens that the native boatswain 

 (tindal) ' raises ' the crew, who, having gained their position by 

 his favour, naturally regard him, and not the captain, as their 

 master. Such a practice is open to the most glaring abuses. 

 Besides, in none of the Lascar-carrying lines, not even in the 

 P. and O., is there a test demanded of the captain and officers 

 as to their knowledge of Hindustanee. It would be ridiculous 

 to say that it is sufficient if the tindal^ who is the supposed 

 mouthpiece of the captain and officers, understands English ; 

 for peril at sea does not always approach with such slow and 

 measured steps, as to justify imperative loss of time in 

 summoning the interpreter and in getting him to translate 

 orders ? Besides, it is as impossible for him to be ubiquitous, as 

 it is for him to be secure from accident or sickness. I grant 

 that the crew, as a rule, understand the general purport of the 

 usual words of command used in making or shortening sail, 

 and other ordinary evolutions ; but nothing further. Is this a 

 satisfactory state of things ? I appeal to my readers if any 

 ship which has to fight against wind, water, rocks and fire, 

 can be called efficient, if its respective officers and men cannot 

 make themselves mutually and readily intelligible ? The 



