The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-04-21

p Majesty here rose in his car and SaluteQ II
assembly with a wave of his trident, an
ne stated that owing to q cold which he ha
ne taken on recent visit TO the South 12al
~ -. -! - sIfed That he had de-
n Dufed his secretary, the shark, to deliver the
| usual nautical address Of welcome 10 us 10
Upou nod from his Majesty that worthy,
after several Intellectual attempts, uuiius
which he stated his inability 10 stanu gu
land, succeeded in mounting "uiSisloe
| tub" and delivered the following auuIess'
1" Nearly half decade ago, most variant zap.
tain, my court had the honor ana pe T;, ~ ~
welcome YOU to nv dominions. Then, as
ron remember. it was on board the noble
shin which had borne you through the merry
storms of the battle OF the elements. Wnen
vour arrival or the horizon was yesterday
ranorted to me by one Of my swift doiphlns
il warmed ny royal heart with pleasure at
the prospect of once more meeting you, ana
I fastened with due respect and ceremony TO
extend to YOU hearty welcome. 1t also gives
me much pleasure to see by your insignia of
rank that since your last visit your country
has rewarded your valiant services with an
additional mark of confidence. hope your
honor's health is as vigorous as your laureis
are green. Allow me also to congratulate
YOU and your gallant officers, many OF whom
/ have met before, on the ipe and sallor-like
appearance of your noble ship. But, most
valiant Captain, as look around my eyes be-
hold many strange faces. Why have they
dared 10 enter my dominions without my
permissious Were they aware OF the
conseaucncess Did they not know
that / r.le supreme in these regions:
That command and am obeyed wherever
the blue waves roll? That all my SUBJECTS,
from the tiny star-fish to the shovetnoseo
shark, come and 60 at my beck! This IS tne
first time within the memory of the Oldest OF
NV Tritons that ship with so many stran-
GERS has dared to seek entrance to my do
minjons What does it mean! 1t looks like
defiance, aud must be punished to the full
extent OF my law, from which there is no
appeal. My barber, anticipating your ar
rival, has supplied himself with in
struments of the stoutest and most
approved pattern, and is ready to perform
his duties. Age has not weakened the vlgor
of his arm, nor has time blunted the sharp
ness of his weapons. And now, most noble
CAPTAIN, may you never be dry for glass OF
grog may your compass, your log, and your
lead, be always true !; may no more cyclones
cross YOUR path of life, and may your voyage
be pleasant aud prosperous. Prime MINIS
ter: Order the mauatees to sound, and let
my children be brought forth ]"
After the delivery Of this address, which
was highly appreciated by the assembled
crew. at q nod from bis Majesty the work OF
initiation commenced. Those Of the ohcers
who had never sFcrossed the line" were
then seyerally introduced to his MaJesty, and
each one was furnished with passport.
granting him unlimiteH liberty on the seas,
on condition of "paying bis footing" on ar
rival in the first port. This condition was
agreed to on the part of those officers, and
soon the real fun of the entertainment com
menced.
AT a sign from the monarch the whole
court moved forward and took up their sta
, tons in front Of the "lake" and barber's
chair. Not many minutes elapsed ere the at
tendants approached with struggling vic
tim in their clutches, who made desperate
; efforts to escape the ordeal, but he was
= firmly held down III the dreaded "chair,''
- and In twinkling his face was smeared with
the yillaiaous compound of the BARRIERS, the
gigantic razor flashed for moment before
bis eyes, and in two sweeps of the
!. dexterous arm, large fakes Of lather
l hair, and in some instances portions
of skin were detached from the victims face
, The physician then advanced and inquired
if the sufferer was unwell, but the latter
= fearing to open his mouth to reply, this Wor
Z thy ESculapius insisted That he was Ill, ant
accordingly administered cordial OF sea
; brine from one of his numerous Doules o.
l forcing the neck of the bottle between TIT
, clenched teeth of the victim, and pouring
o norton of the contents down his throat
I before the disguised patient could recove
e sight or sense, he was lifted from TIT
u chair by brawuy arms, and pitched head
!, foremost into the "lake," where, after beiD.
scrubbed and "ducked" till almost breath
}, less, he was allowed TO founder out as bes
= he could. The same operation was performed
u upon all Except the officers) who had neve
"crossed the line," and the initiation wa
: thus kept up to late hour.
!, 1t was amusing and ridiculous ii
the extreme to see the desperate ef
forts made by many of the crew t.
{ evade this ordeal. They would sneak Of
> and secrete themselves IN every imaginable
hiding-place in the ship, some even bur
rowed in the bowels of the coal-bunkers
= but all were ferreted out by the shoyel-nose'
} sharks in attendance, and suffered the sam
( penalty. At late hour this grotesque pei
: tormance closed, and his Majesty, collectin,
= his court aroma him, stated that he had +
= board another ship, then in sight, and bid
. ding the captais and crew farewell, wit
Il many good wishes for pleasant cruise, dis
n appeared over the ships side and into tn
a bottom Of the vastly deep.
y His wishes were fully realized, for after a.
q agreeable run Of thirteen days we sighted tn
= harbor of Rio de Janeiro, and in few hour
thereafter let go our anchor In
t THE BAY or ALL BEAUTIES.
And well does it deserve this name, for it i
beyond doubt one Of the most magni6cen
sheets of water in appearance on the globe
1t presents view which, it matters not how
often you look upon it, always offers some
new scene of beauty and ench.tntment
From being surrounded by high mot ntains,
whose peaks tower above the cloud, and
having very narrow entrance, it was kn, own
among the Indian tribes, who owned The
whole OF this country before they were con
quered by the harnessed chiyalry of Spain. as
"The Hidden Water" 1t Is small Mediter.
ranean sea, and what is tabled of the entrance