Azizi-

This is a meaty topic to re-explore but I'm buried until after the holidays.

I'm glad that Barry responded with so much information and I hope to be able to respond in kind.

Ethnic and racist "slurs" were undoubtably prevalent aboard 19th century tall-ships, among the crews and between them and the officers as documented by a number of journals. I doubt if the prevelance of such terms changed much through the 19th century, although maybe a few more were added. What the terms actually meant when used in conversation is another question with a variety of answers depending of who was addressing who, and the social situation. We should really recruit a socio-linguist to clarify how to discuss this. And were things different aboard ships of different nations?

What the terms meant as used in shanties or forebitters is another question.

And then there is the question of how nautical poets such as Kipling, Masefield, and Cicely Fox Smith used the terms. Were they simply trying to reflect common useage among the sailors, or were they "slaves" to their own prejudices.

Here's a C. Fox Smith poem that seems appropriate to this topic, along with my notes:

ALL SORTS

"It takes all sorts to make a world, an' the same to make a crew;
It takes the good an' middlin' an' the rotten bad uns too;
The same's there are on land," says Bill, "you meet 'em all at sea . . .
The freaks an' fads an' crooks an' cads an' ornery folks like me."

"It takes a man for every job — the skippers an' the mates,
The chap as gives the orders an' the chap as chips the plates —
It takes the brass-bound 'prentices (an' ruddy plagues they be)
An' chaps as shirk an' chaps as work — just ornery chaps like me."

"It takes the stiffs an' deadbeats an' decent shellbacks too,
The chaps as always pull their weight an' them as never do,
The sort the Lord as made 'em knows what bloomin' use they be,
An' crazy folks, an' musical blokes . . . an' ornery chaps like me."

"It takes a deal o' fancy breeds — the Dagoes an' the Dutch,
The Lascars an' calashees an' the seedyboys an' such;
It takes the greasers an' the Chinks, the Jap an' Portugee,
The blacks an' yellers an' 'arf-bred fellers . . . an' ornery folks like me."

"It takes all sorts to make a world an' the same to make a crew,
It takes more kinds o' people than there's creeters in the Zoo;
You meet 'em all ashore," says Bill, "an' you find 'em all at sea . . .
But do me proud if most of the crowd ain't ornery chaps like me!"


Notes:

From ROVINGS: Sea Songs & Ballads, edited by Cicely Fox Smith, published by Elkin Mathews, London, UK, © 1921, pp. 51-52.

Here we have a vivid picture of how an old sailor might have described you and your messmates aboard one of those tall sailing ships at the close of the 19th century. The crew of a ship was not exactly a "melting pot" but if you learned your work and "pulled your weight with a will" you earned the respect of the old shellbacks regardless of where you came from. Of course, if you were the son of a prominent shipping family, you got a head start but you still needed to demonstrate capability to earn respect and promotion.


Cheerily,
Charley Noble