The semi-weekly miner., 1882-04-19

there = some musical and dramatic tai
ent on board and the evenings are pleas
antly passed in tho eajoymsnt Of these
accomplishments.
Service y always held On Sunday
morning., when the Captain or Purser,
in case there II no minister, reads. the
English Church service. A concert II
always arranged during the voyage, the
proceeds of which 10 to the "Osphans'
Home" 1t Liverpool. An extensive IL
brary Is always accessible and many
pass their leisure hours In reading. The
smoking room IL the great resort Of all
those bibuleusly inclined, and many
q IL ;stng and ludicr0us scenes occur
there, generally at the expense Of some
''crank" that is sure to develop in the
nlst days II the voyoge. The ocean
voyage, like 'crossing the plains" has .
wonderful effect in developing charac-
ter. Gambling is permitted; poker be-
ing the favorite game, and sometimes
the play runs high. "Boston," and
that equinal game peculiarto the Rocky
Mountains, are not known on the sea.
On the Servia two nice-looking gentle
men, who played that they were stran-
gers, were found, by the boys that were
wont to back their judgment on a
"good hand" to be too well acquainted
before we reached Liverpool. They like
wise discovered thata liking full' won't
beat four aces. They left the ship sew
sral thousand winners, = certain Scot
tish Earl being one Of tue victims, the
others principally Americans.
The great event Of each day is pool
selling on the run Of the ship.
Certain numbers supposed to :em-
brace the limits OF the range
Of possibility are sold at, say ten
shiIlings each, which, ii fifty numbers
are sold make pool Of twenty-five
pounds. The numbers are put into u
hat and drawn out, by those interested,
consecutively. some ten or fifteen OF
these numbers lie in the range Of possi-
bility as colnpc red with the others. The
whole lot il sold at auction separately
and several guineas are sometimes paid
for these few supposed tO be ut or about
the prolahle number Of miiles the ship
will make. Half Of the proceeds Of sales
goes to the owner Of the number and
half into the pool. The owner Of the
fortunate number may win several hum
dred dollars. The log is cast every four
hours, from which dead reckoning" is
made in days in which the sun is not
visible. In the latter case however, the
meridian is obtained with the transit
and the exact distance ascertained and
the result posted in the conlpanion-way.
The food on these ships is excellent,
and the service, Of the first order. One
is expected to pay gratuities as follows:
To the steward that serves you at table
and the cabin ste ward each ten shillings;
four shillings to the boat boy aud half q
crown to the smoking-room steward. On
the day preceding the arrival ut Queens
town, everyone is occupied preparing
letters and dispatches to be returned
from that point. A steam tug comes
out to the entrance of the harbor for the
mail, and any passengers that may be
booked for that place. This requires but
half an hours delay and then the vessel
proceeds to Liverpool, run Of about IL
hours. The Irish coast is first sighted |
about sixty miles before reaching
Queenstown at Fascinet Head, FROM !
which place the arrival Of the ship is |
to tOQueenstOwn. fit he in the
night, signals are made by throwing
'ockets of different colors, and by this
means also, ships distinguish each 9TH
rr when passing during the night At sea.
During the day vessel ut sea is first |
discovered by the smoke about twenty !
miles distant, then appears successfully :
the sails, tunnels and then the hull may
he seen at distance of about twelve
mics. Land is always hailed with de-
light; the sca-sick are at once restored
and all hearts are gladdcncd at the PROS
pect Of soon again putting foot on terra
ffrnla. In ascending the Merscy to
Liverpool you pass by the great docks,
miles in length, anda view Of thousands
Df vessels bearing flags from every part
Of the globe soon im,rcsses one with the
fact Of entering thu greatest commercial
port in the world. The Servia is now
anchored in the middle Of the stream,
and the passengers and luggage are
taken ashore in . small tender. The
by the custom officers re-
luires but little time, tea, spirits aud
tobacco being the principle contraband
articles. We found the officers very
courteous in the performance of their
luties. Cabs aud carriages, loa&.ed on
top with packages and trunks, soon car
~ the passengers away to the hotels
md railway stations. Our little coul-
nnrifv II nov, lrOk on m and ifs mann. !