The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1878-07-11

saw were composed OF EnRllsnhohj
Frenchmen and Norwegians, with few
nondescripts. One man with singular
foreign accent, deep black eyes and olive
complexion, was put down on che ships
papers as Peter Smith, of Greece. Ifany
one doubts that England is mistress OF
the seas, after observing how much more
frequently her flag is seen than that OF
any other nation, let him note how the
sailors from the rest of Europe ere all en-
gagged in her commerce and speak her
language and use her nautical vocabula
ry, while an immense number af her own
sons also are employed on her ships
Every sailor understands English, but
how many English sailors know any
other tongue than their own, or are ever
employed on any but their own or our
shipsP The officers of the ship were all
born British subjects, though now Amer.
lean citizens by naturalization. The
captain was big, burly man, with a
weather beaten countenance, the result
of thirty years of exposure to the ele.
ments, voice like the Nemean lion and
despotic disposition as to his subordi-
mates that brooked not opposition. he
would be polite and Considerate to pas
senger, and as gentle as a woman to re-
ally sick man, but for idleness, lazyness
or incompetency about ship he had no
toleration, and would pour out the walls
of his wrath in unstinted measure. De
never spared himself any work. He
knew what was done and what had been
left undone. He had, to use his own ex'
preston, "a heye like an 'awk," and
nothing escaped his observation. In
heavy gale and when there was real dan
ger it was reassuring to see him on deck,
manly, vigorous and vigilant, and to hear
his great voice giving his orders with no
uncertain tones. The first mate was on
ly noticeable for his great appetite, but
the second mate was singular character,
small man of saturnine humor, Before
the end of the second day he had given
a name to every man, based on some per-
sonal characteristic, which names were
adopted by all on the ship, including the
victims themselves, who answered to
them without question. "Limpey,"
"Red Eye" "Whiskers' and similar
names we've among his aptly applied list,
He used the English language in Tpeak-
ing to the men with a directness, vigor
and wealth of adjeCtives that were really
astonishing. His everyday converse
ton would furnish material for many a
chapter on words and their uses to the
"YoCal-velvet" voluptuary which that
eminent authority never dreamed of,
and which would be elsewhere inacces-
sible.
The voyage out lasted twenty-eight
days, during which there were two Sc
we're gales, but for the rest of the time we
had good average weather. The return
voyage, which began On the second day
Of December, was more eventful. In or
der to escape the tempests in the North
Atlantic at that season, merchant ships,
which are in no special haste to reach
port, are accustomed to take "the South
ern passage" as it is called. After leav-
ing the English Channel they keep on to
the South till about the twentieth par.
allel of latitude, and thence westerly and
northerly. In such a voyage, which is
some three thousand miles longer than
the direct course across, there is great w
riety. The weather was for part Of the
time intensely hot, and at Christmas
time the thermometer was in the neigh
borhood of 100 degrees. 1t was only on
the 6fty.second day after leaving Lon.
don that New York's we'll known ap-
proaches were reached.
Now, some persons may wonder how
any one could find pleasure in such an
experience. 1t was certainly not partiC
ularly lively, but if man wants rest and
quiet, a complete change of air and
scene, novel experience and knowl.
edge of what it means to be at sea, the
voyage described ie a good way to get all
these. If he goes on as good ship and
with as good captain as the writer he
will know that he is as safe as it is posi-
BILE for mortal to be on the ocean. If he
is not too sick when he starts he will re-
cover his health, and if he goes off well
he will be still better on his return, He
will be comfortably lodged and gener-
ously fed all the time and at a reasona.
price; and unless he is hopeless lands.
man he will not be easy till he finds him.
self again on the ships deck, bound on
another voyage. H.