The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1875-09-11

Woru coulu at any moment paralyZe fol
leign commerce in the lesser isles.
The liberal salary, and still more tn
prospective partnership, profered b,
farker Mills, proved irresistible temp
tations 10 a man in my position. A
managing clerk should receive, in Eng
tish money, nearly four hundred year
and hopes were held out to me, should
succeed in raising the yearly receipts o
the firm to q sufi :ient amount, that ii
"abour three years l might be allowed
a share in the profits. But to secur,
this appointment it was absolutely nee
lessary that should be at Nagasaki oi
November lst of the current year,
period when, by local custom, accounts
are squared, balances are paid, and ,
great deal Of cash changes hands. Tn,
nrm declined to wait longer than tn,
speclhed time, which, alter all, gave mi
all reasonable latitude for arriving Ii
Japan. My travelling expenses were de
lrayed by Parker Il Mills; and altogeth thel
the prospects which lay before me-
seemed fair enough. When once 1 shoult
be member OF the t'house," Dora and
| could pitch our tent matrimonial, with
OUT running any risk oil the hardships, Id
the strange new land that was but yes
terday thrown open to the encreachine
West. She and ner father had come al
lar as Southampton to see me off, ant
bid me farewell on the deck Of the
steamer that was to wait me along the
nrst stage of the watery high-road thai
led to fortune.
The Mediterranean voyage, the transit
to Suez, the descent Of Ihe Red Sea- and
the doubling Of Cape Comorin, were all
effected in an uneyentful comfort. But
ut Point-de-Galle a disappointment did
occur. The regular packet that should
have been ready to convey mails and
passengers Japanwards, had sustained,
on the eve Of sailing, u severe accident
to ber machinery, causing veXatiO
but unavoidable delay. Some of the out
ward-bound seemed scarcely sorry to
have 80 good an excuse for u ramble on
shore, and short sojoufn in the luXuri-
GUS climate Of Ceylon; but l, with one or
two others who. were eager to reacn
their destination, made immediate in-
quiries as to the quickest means of get
ting to the end of my journey.
81 scarcely know what to recommend
Just at this moment" said the good-hu-
mored agent of the Peninsular and Ori-
entail. III it were for Shanghai or Hong.
kong that you wanted passage, there
would be no difficulty at all; but Japan
Is another matter. Stay; to be sure
there is the Saucy Maid, clearing out for
Nagasaki harbor with an assorted cargo
A crank boat, but very fast, and with
fair weather and smooth seas will max e
the run at racing speed. Her passen-
ger accommodation, L suspect, is none OF
the best; but old Captain Harris Is not a
bad sort Of skipper, when you UNDER
stand his ways, and he won't overcnarge
you tor the trip"
L found on inquiry that the Saucy
Maid was clipper-built barque, with
very tall masts, and powerful auxiliary
engines, to force her along in case OF
contrary winds or calm. There was
but one berth vacant in the small cabin
space allotted to passengers, and this
was yielded up to me without a murmur
by my former companions, who looked
with dismay at, the cramped quarters
with which yoyagers in the clipper were
compelled to be content.
i was a sailor, however, and had less
fear of roughing 1t in a vessel not built
with any particular regard to passen-
gers comforts than might have been ex-
cusable in landsman. There could be
no doubt as to the Saucy Maids seven
leagued abilities of covering stretch of
sea, were the weather but favorable;
while gruf Captain Harris, rum-drink-
ing veteran OF the old school, was toier-
own youth had been spent upon the
ocean. For the rest of his passengers,
who were, to use his own phrase, "a
queer -lot-Parse ee brokers, Armenian
bagmen, and half-caste Portuguese from
Goa" he mad a contempt that he did not
care to conceal. Nor were his crew by
any means such as prudent command
er would desire to rely on in moments, OF
danger. There were too many Lascars
and Chinamen, and the European sail
Ors were Chiefly foreign seamen from the
north OF Europe, patient, docile fellows
enough, but not quite the sort OF stuff
one cares to have near one at pinch.
The weather was, however, beautifully
fine, and on sailing, we soon saw the low
blue line OF the Ceylon coast huiLdown
in the distance.
elf the wind holds" said the skipper,
as we walked the deck together, "why,
Mr.. Harland, you'll sight the tall peak
OF Fusihama in fewer days from the time
we manned the capstan to weigh anchor
than il the mail-steamer had not been
crippled in her gear. Pve been ON this
line, now, for nine years, and wonderful
luck the old .barky has had, can tell
you. Look how every sail draws, and
how the water boilS beneath her count.
er."
But the luck OF the Saucy Maid was
destined to interruption. The fair
breeze died away, and was succeeded
by battling head winds, with the usual
OF annoyance, tedium,
and sea-sickness among the landsmen OH
board. The strong auxiliary engines
carried us, in spite OF the elements,
the water, but The consumption
OF coal was SO great that when dead
calm made our sails quite useless, the
captain thought it best to bear up for
the coast OF the great island of Formosa,
in hopes there to obtain a fresh supply
Of fuel from some one of the vessels
likely to be then lying in the sheltered
bay lima. Coal bought under such cir
was likely to be costly
purchase, but time was of value also,
and Captain Harris did not hesitate.
Unfortunately, as it appeared. not one
)t the few steamships which, along with
a far greater number Of sailing vessels
Of every rig and nation lay becalmed in
lima roadstead and haven, could spare
us, at any price, ton of the precious
black diamonds, without which our en-
gines were mere inert lumber. There
was nothing for 1t but to wait, and, as
the tough old skipper sand, TO 'whistie
Ior wind"
Under this disappointment, the worst
side OF the CaptAin's nature came up.
permOst. LIE was an iliiterate old sea-
dog OF the Commodore Trunnion sort,
q m n in. ia lQnQao I'm Yn oJ h,,t tl,.,