The Autobiography of a Super Tramp 15

The Autobiography of a Super Tramp 15

CHAPTER XIII

 

THE CANAL

 

 

I now left Baltimore, travelling alone, making my way as fast as

possible towards Chicago, where a canal was being built to facilitate

commerce between that large inland city, and deep water, at which

place I soon arrived.

 

On the banks of that canal were assembled the riff-raff of America and

the scum of Europe; men who wanted no steady employment, but to make

easy and quick stakes--for the pay was good--so as to indulge in

periodical sprees, or in rare instances, for the more laudable purpose

of placing themselves in a better position to apply for more

respectable employment. They came and went in gangs, for the work was

so hard that there were few men that did not require a week's rest

after a month's labour. So much for the rough but honest working

element. But unfortunately these canal banks were infested by other

gangs, who did not seek work, and yet were often to be seen loafing

about the various camps. Then how did these men live? For they could

not successfully beg, seeing that work was to be had for the asking.

Perhaps the explanation is that seldom a day passed but what a dead

body was dragged out of the water, and more than two-thirds of these

bodies bore the marks of murder. The bodies were not those of men

coming from the city in search of employment, but of such men as had

been known to have quit work a few days previous, having then had a

month's or more pay on their persons, and who had been on the way to

the city for enjoyment. Yes, these loafers were undoubtedly the thugs

and murderers, and if a man was inclined to hazard his life, all he

had to do was to make it known that he on the following day was to

draw his earnings, with the intention of walking the canal banks to

one of the distant towns. It was hardly likely that he would reach his

destination, but would be taken out of the canal some days later--a

murdered man. To defeat the purpose of these unscrupulous life-takers,

the more timid workmen waited for one another until they were

sufficiently strong in number to discharge themselves and travel

without fear. But alas! there was many a man who prided himself on his

own heart and muscles for protection and dared the journey alone. At

the time of which I write there had been no houses built on those

banks, therefore no women walked to and fro, and no children played

there. No doubt such are to be seen there at the present day, innocent

of the violence and the blood that was shed there in the past.

 

I had applied for work at one of these camps and being sickened of the

same in a little more than three weeks demanded my earnings at the

same time Cockney Tom and Pat Sheeny drew theirs, with the intention

of accompanying them to Chicago. Being somewhat delayed in business,

owing to the absence of the timekeeper, and being then compelled to

remain for dinner, we soon saw the impossibility of reaching the city

before midnight. Therefore it was arranged between us that we should

settle for the night at some place half way between the camp and the

city, and rise early so as to enter the latter before noon on the

following day. With this intention we started, after receiving dinner

and pay, and after several hours' walk settled down.

 

There would be six hours' darkness and it was proposed that I should

keep awake for the first two hours' watch, after which Cockney Tom

would relieve me, and Pat would then keep watch until daybreak.

 

Now, in my two hours' watch I had on several occasions heard a stir in

the adjoining bush, but not being able to see whether it was a man or

a beast, I had not thought it necessary to alarm my companions. At

last I considered my duty to be at an end, and, after rousing Cockney

Tom, settled myself for sleep. Before I closed my eyes I noticed that

the second watch was still lying recumbent, although he seemed to be

wide awake; but I was too intent on my own sleep to care whether he

would be faithful to his trust or not. I don't think I could have been

asleep more than fifteen minutes when I was startled by a loud shout

and, springing to my feet was just in time to see Cockney Tom in

pursuit of one who was then entering the bush. The Irishman was also

up, and we both followed the chase. We soon reached our companion,

finding him standing dazed and confused as to which way the quarry had

gone. He explained to us that when on watch he was lying down with his

eyes closed, but with his ears wide open, and all his mental faculties

at work. Suddenly, he heard a step near and opening his eyes saw a

stranger standing within three feet of him. It was at that moment that

he gave the alarm, but the stranger was too fleet to be overtaken. "No

doubt," said Cockney, "there is a gang of them at no short distance

from here and if we are wise, we will continue our journey at once. I

have seen the man's face before, at the camp, and know I shall

recognise him if we meet again." His advice of continuing our journey

was hardly necessary, for sleep was now out of the question.

 

In less than a week after the above incident we three, having

squandered our earnings in Chicago, were back at the old camp seeking

re-employment. There happened to be only one vacancy, which the

Irishman persuaded Cockney to accept, whilst we two would travel on to

the next camp, a distance of two miles. We were about to do this when

the boss ganger asked me if I would like a position in the boarding

shanty as assistant cook. Knowing that an assistant cook meant no more

than carrying water, peeling potatoes, washing dishes, keeping a good

fire and opening cans of condensed meat and preserves--I felt quite

confident in undertaking such a position. So the Cockney and I started

to work at once, but before doing so, arranged for the keep of Pat

until a vacancy occurred, his meals to be entered to our account. The

next morning his chance came and he was set to work.

 

We had been working four days, and on the evening of that fourth day

we three and a number of others were resting ourselves in a quiet

place near the camp. Whilst seated there, smoking and talking, there

came along four strangers, who seated themselves some distance from

us, but within earshot of our conversation. No one paid much heed to

them, for it was not unusual to be visited by strangers in quest of

work. But there was one man who could not keep his eyes from them, and

that was Cockney Tom. "Yes," he said to me after several long puffs at

his pipe, "that stranger, showing us his side face, is the very man

who attempted to rob us." Saying this the Cockney took off his cap and

laying it carefully on the ground with its inside uppermost, placed

therein his dirty clay pipe, as gently as a woman putting a sleeping

babe in its cradle--and to the no small surprise of his companions

began to address them in this oratorical fashion: "Gentlemen, some

time ago a man attempted to rob me and two others, and ever since then

I have been longing to meet him face to face. At last we meet, and I

would like to know what is to be done with him." "Why, give him a good

hiding, of course," cried several angry voices. On hearing this the

Cockney at once turned towards the strangers--whom he had hitherto

pretended not to notice--and in three bounds was standing over them.

Placing his hands on the shoulders of one he said in a calm voice,

"This is my man." The man referred to rose deliberately to his feet,

as though he had expected this, and his companions did likewise.

"Well," said he, "what is the trouble?" "You know quite well," replied

the Cockney, "so you may as well strip without further question."

Whatever the stranger was, he certainly was no coward, for his coat

and waistcoat were soon in the hands of his companion. The Cockney

lost no time, and the next minute they stood squaring before each

other in such a scientific way as promised the onlookers a most

interesting exhibition. Although the stranger was the taller of the

two, the Cockney seemed to possess the longer reach. Round after round

they fought, and in spite of their heavy and muddy boots the footwork

was neat, and the dodging of their heads, and the feinting of their

arms made the more gentle onlookers overlook the drawing of blood.

There was no wrestling, or mauling on the ground, and there was no

attempt at foul blows, for each of the principals seemed to value the

favour of that most appreciative assembly. It looked more like a

friendly exhibition than two men attempting to take life. The

spectators laughed approval and buzzed with admiration until even the

bleeding men, hearing this, chaffed one another, and smiled at each

other grimly with their battered faces. Yes, it seemed friendly enough

until the tenth round when the Cockney, who the round previous seemed

to show signs of weariness, called to his assistance some latent force

which set his arms to work like a pair of axes on a tree, and down his

opponent fell, and the battle was lost and won. The stranger was borne

away by his companions, and Cockney Tom returned to the camp to dress

his injuries, which did not prevent him from work on the following

day. The Cockney was well pleased with this exploit, and if his

opponent was one of those thugs and murderers, who had taken an active

part in perhaps fifty or sixty murders, he would certainly be lucky if

he never met with severer punishment.

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER XIV

 

THE HOUSE-BOAT

 

 

I worked long enough on this canal to save fifty dollars, and then

quit, feeling the old restlessness return, which had unsettled me for

some time. With this comfortable sum in my possession I kept beating

my way west until I arrived at St. Louis, a large city on the

Mississippi, having up till now lived frugally, and spent nothing on

travelling. This kind of life was often irksome to me, when I have

camped all night alone in the woods, beside a fire, when one good

sociable companion might have turned the life into an ideal one. Often

have I waked in the night, or early morning, to find spaces opposite

occupied by one or two strangers, who had seen the fire in the

distance, and had been guided to me by its light. One night, in

Indiana, when it had rained heavily throughout the day, I had made my

fire and camped under a thick leaved tree, where the ground was dryer

than in the open. Sometime about midnight, I felt myself roughly

shaken, at the same time a sudden shower fell that pinned me

breathless to the earth. I looked here and there, but could see no

one. Then I left the shelter of the tree and saw to my surprise, that

the night was fine, and that the stars were thick and shining. As I

replenished the fire with wood, of which I always gathered in an

abundance before darkness came, it puzzled me much to account for

this. Although I thought the shaking must have been a dream, my wet

clothes were a sufficient proof of the rain's reality. Every man I met

on the following day enquired where I had lodged during the earthquake

shock on the previous night, and that question explained everything.

The earth had shaken me, and the leaves of the tree, which had been

gathering all day, the rain drops had in one moment relinquished them all upon my sleeping form.