Four Months Afoot in Spain Part 19

Unlike the nests of the _Prinzessin_, however, they might reasonably be called berths, for though they offered no luxury, or indeed privacy, being two hundred in a section, the quarters were ventilated, well-lighted, and to a certain extent clean. I stepped to the nearest unoccupied bunk and was about to toss my bundle into it when a young steward in shirt-sleeves and ap.r.o.n sprang at me.

"No good, John," he shouted, in c.o.c.kney accents and striving to add force to his remarks by a clumsy pantomime. "Berth take. No more. No good, John. All gone. But--" jerking his head sidewise--"Pst! John!

I know one good berth. One dollar--" holding up a hand with forefinger and thumb in the form of that over-popular object--"All take, Joh--"

"Say, what t'ell's the game, anyhow, mate?" I interrupted.

His legs all but wilted under him.

"Sye, ol' man," he cried, patting me on the shoulder. "S'elp me, I took you for one o' these waps, as why shouldn't I, in that there sky-piece an' make-up? Of course you can 'ave the berth. Or sye, over 'ere by the port'ole's a far 'an'somer one. There y' are. Now, mite, if ever I can 'elp you out--" and he was still chattering when I climbed again on deck.

Unfortunately, in the rough and tumble of embarking I had lost sight of the Spaniards. When I found them again every berth was really taken, for there was a shortage--or rather considerably more than the legal number of tickets had been sold; and the quartet, having withstood the blackmail, were among those unprovided. That night they slept, if at all, on the bare deck. Next day I protested to the third-cla.s.s steward and he spread for them two sacks of straw on a lower hatch. There, too, the icy sea air circulated freely. Worst of all, in spite of the solemn promises of the agent, their bags, in which they had packed not only blankets and heavier garments, but meat, bread, fruit, cheese, and botas of wine sufficient to supply them royally during all the journey, had been stowed away in the hold. For two days they showed, after the fashion of emigrants, no interest in gastronomic matters. When appet.i.te returned they could not eat American--or rather English food. "No hay ajos!--It has no garlic!" they complained. Once or twice I acted as agent between them and an under cook who sneaked out of the galley with a roast chicken under his jacket, but they grew visibly leaner day by day.

On the whole steerage life on the New York was endurable. The third-cla.s.s fare was on a par with most English cooking,--well-meant but otherwise uncommendable. The tables and dishes were moderately clean, the waiters, expecting a sixpence tip at the end of the pa.s.sage, were almost obliging. In the steerage dining-room, large and airy, was a piano around which we gathered of an evening to chat, or to croak old-fashioned songs. Here it was that I felt the full force of my long total abstinence from English. It was days before I could talk fluently; many a time my tongue clattered about a full half-minute in quest of some quite everyday word.

On the fourth day out the oldest of the Spaniards appealed to me for the twentieth time to intercede for them with the third-cla.s.s steward.

"Hombre," I answered, "it is useless; I have talked myself hoa.r.s.e. Go to him yourself and it may have some effect."

"But he understands neither Castilian nor Euscarra!" cried the Basque.

"No matter," I replied. "He is a man in such and such a uniform. When you run across him touch him on the sleeve and lay your head sidewise on your hand--the pantomime for sleep the world over--and he will remember your case."

An hour or more afterward I was aroused from reading a book in an alleyway aft by the third-cla.s.s steward.

"I say," he cried, "will you come and see what the bloomin' saints is biting these Spanish chaps? They ayn't no one else can chin their lingo."

I followed him forward. Before the dispensary stood a wondering and sympathetic group, in the center of which was the Basque making wry faces and groaning, and the ship's surgeon looking almost frightened.

"What's up?" I asked.

"Blow me if I know!" cried the medicine-man. "This chap comes and touches me on the arm and holds his hand against his cheek. I gave him a dose for toothache, and the beggar 's been howling ever since. Funny sort of creatures."

The Spaniards got no berth during the voyage, though I carried their appeal in person to the captain. They were still encamped on the lower hatch on the morning when the land-fever drew us on deck at dawn. Soon appeared a light-ship, then land, a view of the charred ruins of Coney Island, then a gasp of wonder from the emigrants as the sky-sc.r.a.pers burst on their sight. We steamed slowly up the harbor, checked by mail, custom, and doctor's boats, and tied up at a wharf early in the afternoon. Rain was pouring. I appeared before a commissioner in the second cabin to establish my nationality, bade the Basques farewell as they were leaving for Ellis Island, and scudded away through the deluge.

In my pocket was exactly six cents. I caught up an evening paper and with the last coin in hand dived down into the Subway.

The Summer's Expense Account: Transportation ................... $90.

Food and Lodging ................. 55.

Bullfights, sights, souvenirs .... 10.

Miscellaneous .................... 17.

----- $172