Back in
the Scurvy days of the ol’ Canoe Club, men on voyages spent long months without
female companionship. Homo-erotic behavior may had been the cause of such
tally-wagging nature of the Wog Queen contests and sucking the cherry out of the Royal baby’s belly! Months underway could turn a young scallywag into
a true hardened man! Sailors coming back from deployment would spend their hard
earned money on booze, temporary housing, food, entertainment, and women, even
if they had to pay for the privilege.
Dr.
William Sanger, the resident doctor of a New York City’s women’s prison,
Blackwell Island, conducted a study in the mid 1850’s. When seamen came to the
city in large numbers after a period of good weather, Sanger noted waterfront
brothels were crowded, and for a few days, or while the sailors’ wages last, a very
extensive business is carried on. Sanger described the process in which case
many sailors and prostitutes became companions.
The bars
and ballrooms became the reception area for many a meeting where weather-beaten
sailors caroused and drank to the foam. In
the course of time a Swabby would get intoxicated, then a girl whom he had
honored with his special attention conveyed him to bed, and once business was
conducted she left him there to sleep himself sober.
Dr.
Sanger once wrote,
“If, by
any miracle, all the seamen and strangers visiting New York could be
transformed into moral men, at least half to two-thirds of the houses of ill repute
would be absolutely bankrupt.”
Yep, it seems it was all about Booze, Babes & Good Times ... not necessarily in that order.
Here are
a few pics of various shipmates over the years doing what sailors do best ... I hope you all enjoy!!!
Fin ...
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