Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-03-21

From California 10 Japan.

a | Oh his iamlly; Dut Wnicn Will inlNi0''
much wider circle of his friends
JANUARY, 1879.
At sea ON board Pacific Mail stes nshil
"City Of Peking."
1t is as pleasant a morning will
as balmy air as greets US at home al tim
in the month Of May. As look through
the windows of the little apartment as ignet
me for three week. voyage. see nothing
but the broad eIpsnse of waters all aroune
and the arch OF heaven above us.
On the 4th of January. 1879, at l2 m
(which would be about IL. Burlington
time) we left San Francisco. The City o.
Pekipg moved slowly from her mooring'
into the bay and We were soon out oil hear
ing of good wishes expressed for sale anc
pleasant voyage, and beyond sight of the
waving of handkerchiefs and the throwing
of kisses from the shore. Steadily and
proudly our "fosting castle" moved
towards "the Golden Gate" the irothinG
mouth of the ocean gaping to receive US
We passed the "city of many hills Black
Point (Gen. McDowell's headquarters
Presidio (he military reseryation) IN oul
left; on our right were few islands ,some OF
which are of Importance in a military point
of view, and a range of rocky hills which,
with the corresponding cliffs on the opposite
side, constitute the portals OF the "Golden
G ate."
The City of Peking is magnificent ship,
s"s floating palace" and as We behold her
in her majesty and beauty and observe her
powerful and graceful movements, it does
not require great stretch of the imagina-
tion to feel that She is. in herself. proud
in her seeming consciousness of her abilities
and her charms. Her measurements are as
follows: Tonnage, 5,O70 tons; 423 feet in
length; AZ feet in breadth; depth Of hold
~ feet. and as We are sailing, today
it is about twenty ieet from the water to
the bottom rails Of the deck. She has two
compound vertical engines four cylinders.
two of 50 inches and two of SO inches, with
a stroke of piston Of a feet. Sho is limited
in her consumption Of fuel to forty-fSe tons
of coal daily. ln her full working power
she could consume upwards of one hundred
tons daily. The steering geer is worked By
steam. regulated by small wheel that
responds to the touch of the steers
mans finger. She has ten steam
boilers. seven in constant use.
| There are two smoke stacks, each 81 feet
in circumference There are l3 life boats,
two life RATS and gig, all ready for use
and complete FIRE extinguishing sppsra-
| tus.
The management Of the City Of Peking is
divided into three departments First. the
executive department consisting Of the Mas
ter, Captain Berry, chief officer, Mr.. Friel. a
second and third officer and Al men second,
the engineers department. one chief
| engineer, Mr.. Forsyth, six assistants and 40
men third, the purser department. which
| is the financial and cODmissary, which
| comprises the purser, Mr.. Howard. and
81 men. DR.. W. s. Whitcomb, a graduate
of Harvard, is surgeon. The steamer is
registered to carry 1872 passengers. The
officers are al Americans, the crew and
servants are Chinsnen. There are fourteen
passengers of the first class, seven Of whom
are booked for a trip around the world,
Col. Mosby Of cavalry fam. In the Southern
army during our civil war, and the vile
and two children OF a naval officer whose
ship is near Japan are among the passen-
| gers. Of steerage passengers there are 203.
all Cinnamon with three exceptions, on
| their return to the celestial empire, with
the profits OF their labor on the
Pacific Coast many of them having saved
money enough TO support them through
the remainder of their lives, in the simple
and inexpensive way they live in their na-
tive country; others broken down by unac-
customed hardships. sickness and dissIpa-
tion are on their way to their native country
to die and be buried there.
When we left San Francisco We were in
latitude $50 longitude 1899 and $500
miles from Burlington. We were not long
at sea before We began to experience the
effects of the motion. Alter light lunch
and few turns on deck we proceeded to
our state rooms and turned in" for q
change and remained quiet until the gong
sounded for the evening meal. Ii was not
long alter dinner when We returned to our
sleeping places for the night, nor did we
leave them until breakfast was announced,
Sunday morning. Col Merriam and myself
were the only persons " ho were at the table.
all tho other passengers preferring to have
their meals served in their tate-rooms.
At l2 IN. Sunday, We were in latitude
So deg. SO mip.. longitude l27 deg. 20
min. Our course had been South TO
West, and we had run 245 miles with clear
sky. mild weather and a smooth sea. There
were no religious services but few at the
public table, and very little stir among the
passengers. Early in bed but little sleep.
Monday morning, January 9th : A very
pleasant morning and brilliant sunrise,
cloudless sky, agreeable temperature and
smooth sea and company at breakfast. At
IL m. We had run 27l miles. In the even
ing there Was quito gathering in the
"social hsll'' and the captain entertained
US for some time, relating some of his eI
periences. lie has been saili ng in the
China trade for moro than thi rty years and
is full Of anecdotes and yarns" which are
full OF information and interest.
Tuesday. January 7th One Of the most
delightful days | ever experienced at sea.
Chairs nearly all filed at the tables, passen
gers walking the deck and lounginQ about
without overcoat, or wraps of any kind for
the first time the ladies' tongues have
been loosed to song and merriment.
Daily run 257 miles.
Wednesday, January 9Th Run 25S miles.
A Atter few days at sea ii fortunate enough
to become accustomed to the motions of the
ship and capable of taking the five daily
met l. without inconvenience, the novelty
Of seeing nothing but the sky above, the
ocean below and the palace in which VIC
dwell, passes away, and every incident,
however trifiing it might be under other
circumstances. seems worthy Of notice.
This morning, suddenly and without
warning, We heard strokes from the "big
hall nd fram ha
steam whistle. following each other in
rapid succession. In much less time than |
can write of it, do not think it was thirty
seconds, streams OF water were seen spout
ing from the n0zzles OF seven hose on diff er
ent portions OF the deck ON the roofs of
tho cab houses on the upper deck were
rows OF sailors, each with a pail of water
awaiting orders. Along the passage ways
in the cabins were lines OF hose and IN
ALMOST every nook and corner above and
below q man was standing with u pail OF
water 1t was a false alarm of fire, to test
the condition Of the extiDguishing apsr
atus and to familisrizs the men in its use.
At first the alarm was somewhat startling
to u. but before we had time
even to think of what appears
to US to be those useless life
prcservers slowed under our hunks,
we comprehended the movements of the
men and the purpose for which the or der
had been given them.
Thursday, Jan 9th. 1873: Latitude
30 deg | min; longitude l42 deg 81
miu.; course s. 76 deg. 10 min. W. Sailed
252 miles. Last evening we were on deck
until alter ten O'Clock walking and
| louDging about ~ we would on a mid -su m
mor evening, in the full enjoyment OF
moonlight sceno upon the water. There is
a sheep pen on deck containing half a score
of sheep or more, the source from which our
fresh mutton is provided; the sheep are Of
! two kinds. one the mernO. which Is fsmil
lar to US the other Shanghai. which has
very coarse wool more or less matted and in
tufts; it has long pendent ears like the b
hound, and broad fiat tail as large
mlttened human hand. This morning on
visiting the pen We found that during the
night an infant lamb had been born was
pleased to be able to congratulate the parties
| interested in the new conner aud to annOu nee
in my mid day report that the mother and
| her offspring were "as Com for table ~ could