The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-02-14
GRANTS EASTERN TOUR.
The Cruise from Malta
to Egypt.
HOSPITALITIES IN MALTA.
The English Bands Play
American Airs.
LIFE AT SEA ON A MAN-OF-WAR.
LIFE AT SEA ON A MAN-OF-WAR
The Lights and Shadows of
a Cruise in Winter.
WARM WELCOME al ALEXANDRIA.

ALEXANDRIA. jan ., 1873
There were many temptations to remain In Malta
Inequalities showered upon U.S. All the great ones
Of the place. beginning with His Royal Highness the
Duke OF Edinburgh, We'd with another in making
our visit pleasant one. / Think If mail had
been ordered TO Malta instead OF Alexandra we
ihould have remained anyhow. AT tho last moment
there was disposition to stay, but the General bad
laken his leave and sent his cards. and he Is apt
TO change his mind. In the morning OF the last day
Of tho year he pushed ashore and roamod about
hour or two through the quaint the strange
old town. have called the town Malta, but It is
really named vaetta, after John do Ia vaette who
was Grand Master OF the Order Of st. John, and
cuilt the town in the middle part of the sixteenth
century. The knights held Malta for nearly two hun
dred aud flty years, and remained until the French
and then the English drove them out Tho people
save a peculiar dialect, based the Arabic, with
plenty OF Italian, French and English thrown in
The prevailing industry seems be following officers
and strangers around all day and begging Inc town
has many beautiful views, and could very easily
how life might DO tolerated here the warm, genial
air. 1t was the last day OF the year whom pushed
out into the bay and turned our prov toward tho
Mediterranean. There was quite group of officers
On deck surrounding the General and his party. AS
We nearcd the Sultan the band played our national
airs. winding up with 'Auld Lang Syne" We
exchanged greetings with them, and with
our compatrios OF the Gettysburg who had gathered
on the quarterback to say goodby. So our last re-
membrance OF Malta is the music that came from the
Sultan, the hurrah that came from the Gettysburg
and the lowering Of solitary Gag, up chf
which Indicated that our consular agent tho
watch aDd was bidding us good speed.
SEA LIFE.
am writing these lines whilo our ship is speeding
through tho Mediterranean, in the region where ST.
Paul found the wind called Eurociydon. We left
Malta In soft summer breezs and in the night the
winds came, and this morning tho sea high and
sweeps over bows and the rain falls and oozes into
your cot AS stumbling about n slippery deck is not
the most entertaining proceeding to one whose lie
has been mainly spent high land, came down
STAIRS and sat down to write letter 1t occurred
nue. that folks at home would like have sketch of
our lie at sea. how We live and what do when
arc under sail. The letters written you about
General Grants far have been letters
abou, ceremony and parade and guns firing, and when
we come to the hosptable shores Of the Khedive
presume there will be new festivities TO chronicle
GENERAL CRAMPS PARTY
Our company Is composed Of General Grant, his
vile, his son jesse X. Grant, maid and a courier,
Mr.. Hartog, who has been with the General on his
journey The General occupies the cabin, which he
shares with the captain. II is commodous cabin,
prettily decorated. with the exception of appal.
loo. This print rather ovcrwhelms the cabin, and
can imagine nothing more conducive sea sickness
than calm study Of this bewdering work of art.
The General has commodous little room in the bow
Of the ship; his son lies in swinging cot and takes
his rest like the clock pendulum. We are allowed to
do pretty much rs we please, being outside OF naval
regulations But the steady routine goes
around us. On n man-of-war lie
the beat OF the drum The hours, the
watches, the calls, the drill the discipline, the
mony-the sense OF command and the sense OF ooedi-
snce--al this is so new to us that 1t becomes pro-
foundly interesting. Life board war is
like being cog IN whee-you go around and around
ana cannot help yourself You by the beat Of
drum; the drum beats when you go to sleep. Its
alarm summons you to dinner Everything is strict,
steady precise. Hero is a company Of young gentle
men--and, as far know, gifted and accom-
plshcd gentemen--who give up home, and career
At home, to live for years and years In space about
as large as New York drawing room. Their whole
life changes. They merge their individuality in
code of regulations. Thoy listen for the drum
tap that may call them at any moment
midnight to fight the storm, at daybreak to fight
armed oe Home and friends are given up, and
new liie--an artificial ie--is accepted 1 Can think
Of nothing more attractive than such life in The be-
ginning. when faces are new, and one teels the
breeze freshening his brow. But alter months,
after year or two-how wearisome 1t must become
Yet here gentlemen who in the second
year OF their cruise and one signs OF strife or
rhaAug ! suppose such things do exist, and that
there skeletons IN The staterooms which stranger
syos but have not thcm or any token
OF their existence should not ask better
IN time Of pence or better defenders in time oil
than my good friends OF the Vandaa mess.
THE GENERAL AS SAILOR.
Our General fell into his sea lie quito readily. He
seemed TO welcome the with the rapture of boy
goingihomc for holiday. l eau well imagine what
'hohiay 1t must be to who has done in sixteen
years the work imposed upon General Grant He is
not an early riser but keeps up the American custom
Of breakfast at ten. After breakfast no takes up
newspaper IL he can find one, and cigar. Ny friend
Nirk Twain VIII be glad to know that the General read
with delight and appreciation his '1nnocents
Abroad" In Naples Que OF us discovered an English
version OF the "Nasby Papers, which was boon.
About noon If the weather calm the General comes
deck and couvcrses studies the sea and the
scenery. Dinner comes six O'Clock aud alter din
ner thsrc Is talk When the General is in tho
mood, when somo subject arises which interests
him, he is not only good, but remarkably
good talker. HIS Is clear aud terse. He mar
rates a story as clearly as he would demonstrate
problem IN geometry. His mind Is singularly accu-
rate and perspicaciuous He has iew very fcw
ments, and tins was surprising feature, remember
Ing the battles, civil anu military, in which he has
been co gagged. have heard him refer to OF the
men, civil and military, who have lourlshed with him.
aud there Is only about whom l have him
show feeling But II was feeling like that OF The
farmer In the scho0book who saw tho viper
when. he had warmed 10 lie about 10 sting
him. l do not mention any namo, because
! have wish TO excite controversies such, for
instance. as tho controversy over sumner. will
only ali ude the sumner business lar as to say
that think General Gram has been rather severely
nsed In the matter have never heard General
Grant speak with bitterness Of Mr.. Summer He iold
his story OF the removal Of Mr.. Motley, ana only told
II, II may quote his words, when ne had been
Charged by the friends OF Mr.. sumner with having
Killed Mr. Motley. IL seems TO me That u history IS
20 10 written both sides should be heard, and In
transaction IN which General Grant bore conspicu-
Gus part he is certainly entitled TO be heard as wit
aess AS have SAID, have never heard General
Grant speak with bitterness OF Mr.. sumner which
leads me TO repeat the observation made "A moment
Or two aRo--that he shows resonmeuts. had
known General rant iarly we'll before became the