The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1874-06-26
FROM TAE WEST INDIES 70 PARA.
BY REV. JoHN DoYE, OF BRAZIL.

BY REV. JOHN DofH' OF BRAZIL
From the Caribbean Sea to the
Amazon few events broke the mo
noEony of the usual blowing through
wastes Of water. We amused our
selves in various ways. One even
ing, after dark, while several of us,
as usual, we're sitting on deck, the
captain proposed tha5 Mrs. Boyle
should 90 forward and see ''Lady
Macbeth" We went to the PROV,
and found the wind almost too strong
to walk against. Holding firmly to
the iron ruling, we leaned away over
and saw yerv large figure of a'wo-
man, painted entirely white, under
meath the ship. The captain is very
proud Of his "Lady Macbeth" and
frequently afterwards, took us for
ward to see her. She was about ten
feet long and. served to guide the
great vessel through the water.
After we had been blown sufficient
ly at the PROV, we descended the
| hatch-yay fused by the seimon in
coming on deck or going below,3 and
thence along atnarrow passage into
the engine-room. After looking at
the machinery there, the captain led
Tao way down g narrow, steep flight
of steps. to the room below, where
the mighty machinery which propels
the shin. was in its usual motion
Then we again descended still mar
rover steeper steps to the room be-
low; and still another brought us
down TO the very bottom or Keel
Stepping out Of this room through
door, we we're in the FIRE room twen-
ty feet below the surface of the wa
ter This room is about six feet
wide. and thirty or forty long, sim
ply long marrow passage; and along
each side are the glowing plouths Of |
the furnaces, eighteen on each side.
Those fremen what q Life they lead !
They are on duty four hours and off
EIGHT; but. with all that, they live
but short time. They look like
ghouls away down there in the fierce
Glare OF the furnace fires. When we
slepped into their ho5 prison house
thoy stared and grinned like unoart1-
ly beings. Our good natured cnp-
tain took q shovel from one Of them.
and putting it into Mrs. BIS. hands,
made her throw some coal into the !
furnace, that she might say she had |
done what he had never known an
other lady to do. We did not tarry |
long, but made our way up to the ST.
loon, and the captain, calling the
store-keopor. led Us TO the s5ore-room
to see what he had for us to eat. We 1
sat ON the heads Of barrels and had
"a pleasant chat about his wife, Sc
NE finally made our way back to the
saloon. passing. the barber shop,
bash-house. ana through the kitchen,
where we wore shown the molus o0-
eyo,adj Of serving up the edibles on
shipboard. Thence we passed
through the pantry, where the guam
titles Of china ware glistaned around
the walls, while the little black-eyed
Italian bow showed Us his depsrG-
ment, with the gpeates5 evident pride.
From there We passed into tho sa-
loon, where the captain bado us
warm goodnight, and went above
on deck, and retired to our state
room.
Every morning we wero'awakened
early by the sailors washing down
the deck, and our port hole had to
be closed to prevent thewater splash 7
ing into our room. This was always
done by The man who watched in the
saloon to give alarm ln case of fire.
The first Sunday morning after
leaving New York, 1 was awakened
by most terrific scraping and roll
ing Oh deck Just over my head. Ny
berth was not more than two feet
from the deck floor. The terrible
noise continuing, got out and sat
on the sofa. 1t seemed to last fully
fifteen minutes in that one spot. L
afterwards learned that the operation
was called ''boly stoning," They
scattered sand oyer the deck and
pushed and pulled largo stone
backwards and forwards to get OF
the dirt, and afterwards washed it
down. All this washing and rubbing
appeared to us very needless, forsthe
deck was as clean as pin all the
time; but The captain would say the
men must be kept busy, remember
ing, suppose, the old proyerb about
''idle hands. This rubbing was
called "holy-stoning," because al
ways done on the Sabbath. Il was
not repeated. | am happy to say,
during our voyage.
The operations Of the sailors al
ways interested me. The sails were
not much used, but the men were al-