there they wait until she drops anchor and the sails are furled; then they leap on board with cordial words of welcome to the sailors, and delight at their safe arrival.

Who are these warm-hearted, courteous, pleasant-spoken men? They are the sailors' 'friends,' the boarding-masters and crimps! Few and far between are the ships which are not welcomed by these honest and hardworking' sons of toil'!

Sailors, as has been previously mentioned, naturally arrive before a great city, after months at sea, in an excitable and impressionable frame of mind. The ship is anchored half a mile to a mile from the shore. She may lie there one to three weeks before coming alongside the wharves to discharge her cargo. They cannot get ashore in that time, and they know that when they do get there very scanty pocket-money will be allotted to them for their enjoyment.

The boarding masters, however, are on board first thing on arrival to show them that, however much sailors may be looked down upon by people on shore, they, at any rate, are determined to extend to these hardy mariners a true Californian welcome,' to assure them that their homes are open to

them at meal-time or any other time, and that splendid'times' await them on shore!

Going right amongst the crew, they tell them in a most descriptive manner the wonders of the city. A little bad drink is circulated and then a little more, and it does not become such a difficult task to rouse the evil passions of men already excited by their arrival in port. A little money is flung

round, a dollar or two here and there, perhaps four or five if men are badly wanted, and then the boarding-master and runner may usually be seen handing a few sailors' bags of clothing over the side of the ship, followed by the owners of the bags.

Many of these men desert on the impulse and excitement of the moment, and scores of them deeply repent having done so within two days of leaving. After finding out the true nature of the shore, many of them will tell you they would give anything almost to be able to rejoin the ship. But they cannot, as they are deserters.

The sailors on these ships should be preserved from the inroads and visits of these crimps, etc., for the few days or two or three weeks that the ships on arrival lie at anchor During this quiet time the

in the bay.

excitement and emotions of the moment of arrival somewhat wear off, and reason is given time to get the better of impulse. If this were so, there can be no question that a number of fine young sailors who now desert would not do so.

The captains of ships are not to be blamed for allowing these men on board for the following reason. The boarding - masters, etc., have got such control over the system by which men are supplied to ships wanting crews, that if captains refused permission and at all hazards prevented them from boarding their ships at any time, they would, if these captains eventually lost some of their men and wanted others to replace them, refuse to supply them, and a ship might have the greatest difficulty in procuring a crew for the homeward passage, and be put to great expense and delay.

If the British Government could bring the matter before the Government of the United States with a view to the same regulations being strictly enforced with regard to the boarding of ships by the boarding-masters, etc., that are in force at home, no doubt the result would be most beneficial to the sailor.

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It is, generally speaking, a very bad thing for a sailor to desert his ship in San Francisco. Some few hit a good job, but very few. A certain number go 'up country,' which means that in two or three months, after doing a little wandering in California, and getting an odd job now and then on a ranche, they are pretty sure to be in the city again in a condition of life known to seamen 'beached.' They are then received into the arms of the boarding-master and supplied with a sailor's cap and coat, so that they may once more resemble a sailor in appearance. The 'up-country' experience has generally removed, so far as clothing is concerned, all trace of the sailor, and unless he has a sailor's cap and coat on, a captain might believe a landsman was being smuggled upon him.

A certain number go on the Pacific coast, but after a few voyages, especially in winter, amongst the wet and cold of northern ports, and the very heavy labour of loading or discharging a cargo of lumber, most are glad to leave it and go 'deep water' again. The number of Scandinavians employed in the Pacific coasting trade is astonishing, and considering the number of those who desert

from British ships it is remarkable how very few British are to be found employed in the trade.

But what, we ask, becomes of the main army of deserters whom one sees coming ashore from the ships which anchor in the bay, pulled ashore by their true friend and protector,' the boarding-house runner, and sometimes by no less a personage than the boarding-master himself? What honour, what privilege, to be in such company Sometimes, very soon after the anchor is dropped, one or two of these boats are seen pulling away from the ship. More persons are in the boat now than when she left the wharf. In fact, she often seems crowded and low in the water. But as she draws nearer, we observe long motionless white things like pillow-cases piled up in the boat. What may these be? They are the sailors' bags with probably all his worldly belongings inside, and which worldly goods, in addition to himself, he is now about to bestow on the boarding-master. Up to the wharf they come and out they jump. What joy! on firm safe ground again. Away from hard tack and salt pork and coloured hot water. Away from endless sea and sky week by week for