Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-02-05
For the Public Ledger.l
RECOLLECTIONS
OP THE
ISLANDS
BY GEORGE W. oIFr.


The boat touches the gangway, aud
the Captain goes down to escort the
principal guest on deck. AT about this
moment the First Lieutenant, who was
on the poop, discovered that the royal
standard was foul of backstay, and
knowing that all the eyes in the feet
were ON us, and it would never do to
allow such slovenliness, he motioned to
one of the men on the main royal yard
to step out of his place on bis lofty perch
NEARLY two hundred feet above the
water-and clear the flag. Jack saw
the signal which released him from his
uncomfortable position, and quickly. did
what he was directed to do, but could see
no motion which indicated that he must
get back. Armstrong knew that the
Queen was coming up the side and he
must be at the gangway, as next IN rank
to the commander TO receive her. but he
knew also that the ERglishmenl and
Frenchmen and all other men would
laugh at the discipline which permitted
a man out of place at such time--the
honor of the service was at stake. The
old felIow--he was more than fifty
swung his right arm again and again,
growing faster and more emphatic at
each unheeded gesture. Still Jack would
not see. and still the old man swayed
and muttered. The Queen was nearly
on deck, and the case was desperate,
something had to be done, and that
quickly. We watched for an explosion,
and it came. "Main tOp-gsllant mast
head therel" shouted the First Lieuten-
ant in voice of thunder, get back on
that royal yard you son of sea-cookIi
The young lady visitors who had gath.
cred around scattered like covey OF
partridges, the captain came on deck
leading the Queen, the sojers pre-.
sented arms, the drums rolled, and
the thing wss accomplished. The Queen
wore q handsome gatln dress, but was
not handsome herselfI she was shaped
too much like beer barrel for that. Mrs.
Or. Judd, wife of the Minister of FL
nance. acted as principal lady Of
honor" and interpreter; other court
ladies of lesser note have forgotten;
but l shall never forget the men. They
were a dozen in number, and all large,
fellows. They wore the full
dTeas costume of the court-white satin |
hreeehes and vests, silk stockings and
pumps, cooked hats and dress swords,
and dress coats richly yet tasteiully Or
namented with lace and embroidery, vi
tbe marty, but dressed in plain clothes,
were the two princes, Liho Liho and Lot;
hoth have since been kings, and both
are now dead, the latter very recently.
Some of the men who BoW came IN the
dress of the courts OF Europe had
reached the age of manhood probably
before they had ever worn shirt, and
could but think that they must have en-
dured intense agony in going through
these pageants, which were certainly to
them very meaningless. am confident
that the whole party, men and women,
would have shouted for joy could they
have thrown away their EsHdy clothes
and been permitted to swim back TO the
beach free and easy. But that would
not have suited the plans OF their keep
ers. We showed them around the ship,
treated to a collation. in the cabin, and
finally the Queen iItimated that she
would be pleased to receive the officers.
We permitted her to have her way and
were all introduced, The last to put in
an appearance was tall, whlte-headed,
gawky midshipman named Foster lcom-
mauded the "cat fish feet in the river
during the war, and was known tar and
near as the Corporal " J, who came
rolling up the line of officers, and IN
stead of hating when his name was
mentioned boldly marched up and |
shook the royal hand in q warm and
easy manner, inquiring in the most
familiar way possible concerning the |
health Of the Madam, adding Hows
the Kingl" 1t useless TO say that we
The day was warm one, aud
the wind sails we're set. These are |
canvas ventlators or contrivances for |
sending a current OF air down into the |
hold and on the lower decks, and are
simplv long bags of canvas With open |
inrs and broad wings st top They are
set TO face the wind, aud when good
breeze is blowing the bag is a. round
and as firm looking as q post AZ least
l imagine from what happened that y
would 80 appear to a person who haa |
had never seen ous What happened /
was this. One Of the nobility bad /
got weary, and not seeing a place % |
sit doWn, sauntered up 70 the windsail, /
aud carelessly leaned up against H. As
a matter Of course be went down on 10 !
the orlop deck, head d0Un and satin
breeches and silk stockings ID.
The usual impulse under such CIR
cumsiances is 70 laugh and those