Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1878-07-18

ulants we're needed for the sick, the slender
private stores of the captain or myself had
! to be called on.
nJ BE-. THE CABIN PASSENGERS,
of course, Jared differently. They b their
meals in the forward saloon, having com:
Portable table, chairs, napkins, knives and
forks, &c., while those in the steerage had
nothing of the sort The fortunate ones in
the cabin had also cabin boy and steward to
wait on them. Of course the ration system
did not apply to them, they partaking OF their
, food at a general table, as at hotel. The
captain, the two mates and took our meals
in the after saloon, getting the same food that
the cabin passengers had. Indeed, think
some of them used to watch US closely to
make sure that we did not have the advan.
tage of them either in quantity or quality OF
"grub." Our salt beef was usually made In
to hash, (known among seafsring folk as
"mystery,") while our bacon was carefully
boiled cooled and sliced. We had also an
occasional roast or broiled fowl, generally
good biscuit or bread, butter, potatoes, cod.
fish, baked beans, curry, every now and then,
and rice, with an invariable dessert Of pies,
pudding, or hot cakes and syrup. We had
two meals day. Other advantages that the
aristocracy of the Asor possessed were pickles,
vinegar, a limited supply of fresh water to
wash in and plenty to drink. There should
have been good supply of vinegar for every
body, for it would have rendered much of the
food and the water greatly more palatable;
but there was only small cask aboard, and
it was scarce luxury among the people in
the steerage. The latter we're required to
perform their ablutions in salt water, (when
they did perform them,) and were allowed
three quarts of the beverage per adult. From
this was subtracted sufficient quantity with
which to make coffee and tea. Each adult
received about quart and half a day. 1t
was issued as early as possible in the morn
ing. Capt. Holmes tried all imaginable ways
TO make the food "go" as we'll as possible,
having it made into general stews, &c. Now,
l expect most of us have seen the time when
rice, meat, meal and other etceteras, well
boiled together and seasoned, would have been
relished; but these people took curious an
tipathy to it, and would have none of the
mess. However bad the supplies may have
been, it seems as if any sane person, out at
before him, would refrain from wasting them.
Yet I've seen nearly enough bread, meat and
rice which would have looked eatable enough
to starving man, thrown carelessly or an
grily over the Azor's side, to feed all aboard
of her for week.
On this second nautical day Of the voyage,
Tuesday, the good order" of the quarter
deck was treated to that most cherished and
relished of all things by good society every.
where, mild scandal involving matrimonial
infelicity. Among the good society aforesaid
was light colored missionary of youthful as
pect who wore meek expression of coun-
tenauce and tall hat He had wife of
about his own age and color, and from the
first there were indications Of war between
them. On this evening he summoned her to
attend with him prayer meeting in the
steerage, and upon her declining, went below
into the forward saloon, from whence, in
few moments, his voice came through the sky.
light in dismal groans and fervent prayers, to
be delivered from the power Of this torment
ing woman" After this he rushed up, and
stamping wildly about the deck, sp'aking
bitter words Of his spouse, and fercely clutch
ing his hair, like an Othello with the black
partially washed off, This incident, of course.
furnished material for much gossip and grave
moralizing, and was perfect windfall IN the
way of social event. | went down to
THE PRAYER MEETING
and wished, for the first time, that the Nesus
and Courier was "pcture" paper, that l
was an artist, and that the scene could have
been reproduced in all of its strange pictur-
esqueness, even were the other two conditions
fulfilled. The long, low apartment, with its
crowded hunks, was dimly lighted. About
each of the three lamps, placed against the
two matches and the foot Of the foremast was
clustered a group of men bending over tat
tered hymn books, and singing with full
strength From the semi.darkness around,
came voices of all varieties, joining in the
camp meeting refrain, while the half.dressed
forms of men and women we're dimly to he
seen, leaning forward, listening and partici-
pating, the benches were crowded with others
similarly engaged, and the children slept
soundly through it all, bundled up in a won.
derful diversity of ways in bed. The ladder
and doors and windows of the main hatch.
house were crowded with other faces and
forms, and at the foot of the former stood the
preacher. When the hymn was over, all
heads were generally bent in prayer, the de-
votions being led either by the minister or
some prominent man in the congregation (for
this is but sample of scenes often repeatedly
The preaching was launched into the dark
ness when the time came, most Of the preach
er's audience being invisible to him. On al
most all of these occasions / was fervently
prayed for; one brother revealing by little
extra plain language the probable inspiration
of this portion, when he said, in tones of pas,
sionate pleading, BLESS the Reporter. Oh!
help him not to write any lies to Thy glory,
and the advancement of Thy work" Though
the grammatical construction of this sentence
rendered it somewhat dubious, it was easy to
discern its meaning.
This minister brought along in charge of
the A. NJ E. congregation is fair specimen
of his class think, from close observation,
that he is a man of really earnest piety, who
does his best according to his lights. But the
lights are so dim. He lacks entirely the ed
ucation and training which many colored min.
isters-especialy in the cities-possess He
seems barely able to read and write, mspro-
nouncing the simplest words, and producing
painfully ludicrous effects at the most solemn
moments. With crude, twisted and half de-
veloped ideas and reasoniDgs on subjects, he
covered up and hopelessly confused what
meaning he had, with flood of misapplied,
miscaled, and confounded words.
To the observer who thinks moment there
is something peculiarly saddening in this.