ON THEIR WAY HOME.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVII, Issue 8, 7 December 1926, Page 7

ON THEIR WAY HOME.

SHIPS WITH THE SALMON.

FLEET OF “SQUARE-RIGGERS.”

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 23. Twenty able, well-conditioned vessels, constituting what is perhaps the world's largest fleet of square-riggers in active commission, are on their way home from Alaska to San Francisco. Early in April each year they sail for Alaska, carrying an average of 130 men each. In their holds are quantities of tinplate and box shooks for putting up tne season’s catch of salmon. The majority of the passengers are cannery hands. Those who actually work the ships are on their papers as “sea-men-fishermen. ” As soon as the vessels reach Behring Sea and tie up at the cannery, all hands “jump ship.” Cannery men go to their jobs ashore. Erstwhile sailors §air off, man their boats and settle own to the prosaie work of fishing. While the salmon are running, life aboard the square-riggers, with only the skipper and cook left, is very quiet. Some time in September the ships again become a scene of life and activity. Tinplate has been manufactured into cans, shooks into cases, , which are now swung into the holds. Perhaps an old-time chanty, “We’re homeward bound ; good-bye ; fare ye well,” is sung as sails are broken out fore and aft, enough to lift the weather clew. Barring foul weather and head winds these sailing ships average about 30 days in the return passage. The record is held by the Sterling, which made the Golden Gate in 21 days in 1900. Next year she piled up on the rocks of Bristol Bay, and was a total loss. Practically all the vessels of the fleet carry the prefiex Star to their names; Star of Lapland, Star of Finland, Star of Italy, Star of Scotland, etc. Two are of wood, six of iron, and-the balance pf Steel, None of them is new. The oldest, the Star of India, 1318 tons, was built at Ramsay, Scotland, in 1863. The Star of Peru, 1027 tons, was laid down the same year at Sunderland. The Star of Lapland is the pride of the fleet. Her masts are 200 ft. high.