The New York herald., 1879-08-25

thing else in it. My head touches the ceiling. and
If i want to yawn and stretch my arms must 60
on deck Yet in this small compass expect to live
more or less comfortably while We are on this par
ticular expedition. II the fortune of war should
compel us to abandon ship and take to dwelling
on the ice I will regret the comforts of even this
little dungeon" as Sir Joseph Porter. X. G. b..
might call it, and long to experience its STIFFNESS
once again.
COMPANION voYAGERs.
The doctor. chief engineer navigator, naturalist
and ice pilot share with me the wardroom gloom
When the cold weather comes on We will have big
stove set in midst, which will rsdiate enough
heat in quarters to keep tho ice king at bay and
make an Arctic winter endurable. Onr supplies OF
blankets are ample and excellent. and with furs and
fuel may defy the frost. matter how sharp its
attacks In the forecastle the men are very
comfortably slowed in . long apartment. with dou-
BILE banks of bunks-twenty four men in all, in
cludng tho three Cinnamon. who serve in the capa-
cities of steward. cabin boy and cook. The crew
being divided off into watches-port and starboard-
only half are on duty at any time the other half
being turned in" The men eat and sleep in the
same apartment for the present. but when We go
into winter quarters q house ON deck. large
afford them the comforts Of fresh air and
shelter which could not be combined for
their benefit below decks. Right at the mid
ship end OF the forecaste quarters is the cooking
galley. where the meals Of officers and men pre-
pared in the same pot. There is difference in the
food in any particular; indeed. believe the only
thing we have in the cabin not in common with the
men is loaf sugar. Jack has light brown-in many
cases better article for sweetening tea coffee.
A CHINESE ARTIST HASH.
The culinary department is presided over by Sam.
the Chinese cook whose conceptions often superb
in theory. but the very opposite in practice. He
means WELL however. and will improve. although
the coffee is sometimes awful. Not many days ago.
by general request. went to the galley and gave
Sam practical lesson in making coffee. The
"moon-eyed cuss looked on with a smile that was
truly "childlike and bland" while 1 manipulated
the fragrant Java and noted the progress OF the
decoction. The coffee pronounced superb,
although in all modesty say it. and fattered my
self that the future filed with delights for the
breakfast table. But alas. Sam relapsed after two
or three trials into the rut Of abominaion again. and
am under the necessity Of going over the whole
process of coHee making in the interest Of my own
we'll as my shipmates' gastronomic susceptible
ties While on the general subject Of food may
well remark that Sam has surprised greatly with
the number Of his combinations on hash. A hash he
regards his chef d9urre. and he becomes mo-
notnous in his efforts to excel As long the fresh
potatoes last am afraid We must submit patiently.
but when these and the carrots and turnips give out
Sam will be at mercy again. The materials of
hash can recognize up to certain point but be-
yond this all is blank uncertainty. l know beef.
mutton or pork in bulk. but when these three ee-
ments are mingled together in unknown proper
tions. with potatoes. carrots. onions and
the Lord only knows what else. speculation
staggers before the resultant mess and
nothing remains for the victim but to eat it If he
has any appetite. and If he has not to 60 without
anything more substantial than bread and butter.
For my part 1 eat my allowance or hash uncom.
plainingly feeling satisfied that the time will come
when even this mysterious dish will be regarded as
q luxury beside a rougher food composed Of posi-
lively recognizable materials.
PLENTY Eoop.
For oil that, however, have q hne supply of
food ON this ship. Preserved meats and soups Of
various kinds all kinds of vegetables canned. fruits.
dry and in liquid; -four, bread and condiments.
The allowance of fresh bread. twice . day. is lib
eral. and the bread itself much better than have
found at pretentious places ashore. Our steward
the artist in bread, pies and puddings. He Is an
Anglo-Chinaman. particularly Chinaman. and is an
unusually Intelligent fellow. Charley Long Sing
has been employed on several ships and steamers
before this trip. and feels home the deep blue
sea- But our cabin boy All Sing. is the most dilapi
dated specimen of celestial humanity 1 have ever
met. For several days after everybody on board but
himself had fully recovered their moral and physi-
cal balance this unhappy being lay coied up in some
corner like wild animal, refusing food and grow
ing weak as to alarm Nothing could be done
to him up until DIR. Amber took him in hand,
and by feeding him on Lebis's extract Of beef his
stomach began to retain food. The CHASTITY.
pitable indeed. for some days. but he has now suf-
hciently recovered to be able to perform some OF
his work. which is to assist the steward in tho
cabin and to do general cleaning up below. No one
of our party casts such longing looks toward the
northern horizon All Sing. lie has not the
slightest idea OF where he is going That is to say
all the explanation that could be given him by the
officers ana his own countrymen on board seems
not to have formed on his mind any definite i'm
preston regarding our object In going this ship
or whittier she is bound. He only wants to know
aren't we almost thereY
WORKING THE SHIP.
The routine Of lite board having fairly CON-
menced it is not likely to be changed except by the
peculiar circumstances of our voyage The fourhour
watches are relieved with absolute regularity on
deck, but at every six hours in the engineers de-
partment. All the operations of the ma
chinery are directed by Mr.. Melville
chief engineer. who is socially. physically
and professionally fine . fellow as ever
lived The engines OF the Jcsnnette are large for her
present boiler capacity and somewhat old
fashioned. They are low pressure engines. the
steam entering the cylinder at about ten pounds
Tho condenser old typo Jet affair. which Ut
fords a equal to about twenty-five thirtieths
of the maximum But this is not always secured
aed with consequent loss of motive power.
The propeller is two-bladcd one. that
can be lifted deck IL necessary. The pitch
of the is fourteen feet aud its diameter nine
feet. The for our slow steaming may be
found in the dsproporton between the propcling
area and diameter of the propeller aud the immersed
section of the ship to be moved well the dead
weight to be overcome. What is known our 'doub-
ling" outer sheetng of thrce-inch plsnks between
the load line and within lew feet OF tho keel adds