The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1869-04-28


Soon after we arrived, a number of Chi
nese merchants came on board to examine
our cargo of biche-le-Daer. They we're short,
stout, round-faced men. dressed in silk
clothes, with little round caps on their
heads, surmounted with gold button,
their faces adorned with grey moustacheS,
q tail hanging behind which reached to the
ground, and they we're all chewing betel-
nut at great rate. The matches being
taken off, specimens of the fish were hand
ed up, and carefully examined by these
celestial connoisseurs. They seemed to
be quite satisfied with the quality, and
closing the bargain with our captain-as I
afterwards heard. at an average price df
s24 per picul-bought the whole cargo of
1000 piculs. This was at once put into
bags and discharged into boats. and carried
to store-house of firm of American
merchants, there to be weighed.
was detailed by the captain to stay on
shore at the warehouse, and keep tally
of the bags and of the weights. There
was, perhaps slight suspicion that the
Cinnamon might slyly appropriate bag
or two of the valuable gelatinous substan-
ces. and so l was kept on watch at the
warehouse. The Chinese merchants were
frequently around. looking al the opera
tions of their experts, and chattering TO
them in what was to me, of course.
quite Greek. Often they would come to
me, and by signs, and few words of Eng
lish, imperfectly spoken. invite me to eat
with them. Although my meals were sent
to me, three times a day. from the house
Of the agents of our vessel, yet out of curl
osity. | often accepted the invitations Of
my Chinese friends. and joined them in
their repasts. In the variety of their
dishes, they reminded me of the French
a little of this and little of that-but their
standby was rice Samschoo-a very fiery
liquor, made from the bamboo, petit ctere
wound up the dinner Once they gave
me dish of soup. made Of bicIe-le-meT;
it certainly was very delicious. | never
could have dreamed, that the ugly looking
sea slug, which had been helping to catch
and cure could be SO appetizing. Various
queer looking continents and Questionable
looking articles of food were placed before
me during the repasts. to all of which, as
polteness required, gave due attention.
although must confess that some went
extremely against my palate. Their tea
was grand. The nearer one gets to China
the better the tea. and the farther off from
China, the poorer the quality. Ever since
| drank tea among the Cinnamon in Ma
Mia, have felt desire to go back to
drink tea again, for have never drank any
real tea since. The decoction that cheers.
but not inebrates, can only be found in
perfection in China or the Indies. A trans
portation over the sea spoils it. Unlike
coffee, it wants no age, and must be taken
in its youth.
After having got rid of our cargo to the
CbinaSa rnarobantS ya prooaodoJ 70 oloor
out the ship ready for the homeward cargo
This was to consist of bales of hemp and
boxes of indigo. The first is, as almost
everybody knows, composed of the fbres
of tree-of the genus Cannabis. This,
the fertile soil of the Philippines produces
in immense quantities, and Manila rope is
found in every part Of the world. From
the proceeds of the Fiji cargo, enough
cash was realized to load. not only the brig
with a return cargo, but also to charter
and load large Boston ship. Our owners
could not have netted less than 100000
for the voyage of twenty-four months,
which was the time of our absence from
home.
We lay at Manila about a month, and
during that time enjoyed several very
pleasant rambles on shore, and visited
many of the grand old churches and mon
asteries on the Spanish side of the river
In some of them were TO be found rare
paintings by the old masters. and many
curious relics of olden times. when Spain
was the proud mistress of the seas of the
Indies.
By an error in the calculations of the
early navigators in crossing the parallels Of
longitude. it happened that Sunday with
US was Saturday with them. This made
things a little awkward. as regarded the
work Of the ship. We had taken out cur
maInmast-it being decayed-and on the
Manila Saturday night. the new mast was
brought alongside. Our practice while in
port had been. to keep the Sunday after
the custom of the country and accordingly
on this occasion, We had worked all the
day expecting that the next would be a
day Of rest We were not little surprised
therefore, and good deal indignant
when, in the morning the mate ordered all
hands to .'turn-to,' and hoist in the new
main-mast The seamen demurred. and
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