Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1888-08-02
THE CRUISE OF THE PUEJAUB.

The honorable East India Com
Panys war steamer Punjauh lay idly
at her moorings in the port of Alden.
Alden is always hot place, bat on
this particular afternoon the heat was
intense, to degree surprising the
experience of the most seasoned hands
on board. The suns perpendicular
rays not only "illumined the depths
Of the sea, but actually Equefed the
pitch ia the seams Of the deck in spite
Of the awning. If il was hot on deck,
it was unbearable below, and nearly
all the officers were to be seen loang-
ing about, leaning over the bnlwarks
and longing for the evening breeze.
Those Of the European sailors who
we're not oil liberty ashore followed
the example of their superiors, while
the native marines and the Lascar
position Of the crew idly disported
themselves in the very ARREST Of un-
dress costumes. Even the Somali
iiremen and stokers, usually supposed
10 be as impervIous to heat as so many
salamanders, did not seem much in.
ciiued for exertion, and smoked their
glrglIng hubble-bubbles with an air
Of resignation rather than enjoyment.
Any stranger boarding the Punl aub
might have thought she was manned
fore and aft by lotus-eaters. But
seaman, glancing either at the crew
OF the vessel, would have come to
different conclusion The snowy white.
ness OF the decks, the glittering arms
IN the racks, the carefully bronzed
guns, the manner in which every visi-
bic bit of metal was polished to the
highest possible pitch of brightness,
and the indescribable air of tautness
and trimness which pervaded the
whole ship, showed her to be not only
a man-of-war, but one on board of
which strict discipline was kept.
The Punlaub was one of the cruisers
of the Indian navy, kept up by the
company for the suppression of piracy
and to check the slave trade. She
Was fine vessel OF her class, 450 tons
burden, teak built and copper bottom
ed, a paddle steamer, two-masted, and
rigged as a fore. .and-aft schooner.
She carried six long eighteens OF a
side, had a thirty-two- pound stern
chaser and nine-pounder swivel on
her forecastle. In addition to her
complement Of officers, who were all
English gentlemen, she had a crew Of
thirty six British blue jackets, forty
of the best Lascars to be found in
Bombay, and fifty native marines.
Suddenly midshipman tripped up
to the officer of the watch, touched
his cap, and reported: Captains gig
coming eff, sir" The lieutenant look
ing shoreward, saw the gig, gave the
necessary orders; the side was piped;
and Captain Frank Dallas, command
ing the Punjaub, came on board, the
marine guard presenting arms rs he
passed the gangway. The captain,
rortly bionzed gentleman of about 40,
returning the salute of his officers,
said briefly: Sailing orders for to-
morrow, gentlemen, and made a sign
TO the first lieutenant to follow him
to his cabin.
Look here, Brownson, he said
when they were both seated. II have
just received orders to cruise in the
direction OF Zanzibar to try and in.
tercept FIVE large Arab dhows laden
with slaves, which, from information
which y has reached the Bombay
Government and been forwarded here,
are about to try and land their cargo
at the place. Moreover, | am to keep
a lookout for a suspicious bark which
sometimes shows Portuguese colors,
and at others flies the Stars and
Stripes. She is supposed to have no
right to either. 1t is known that she
has made a raid on the territory Of
our ally the Imsum of Muscat and
kidnapped some of his people. In fact,
the Government have good grounds
for believing her to be not only mixed
OF IN the BLACK ivory" trade, but to
ne nothing short of pirate. She is
said to be heavily armed, but dare.
say We shall give a good account of
her II We meet. You will oblige me
be sending party on shore at gun.
ire to collect such of the libertymen
As may not come on board tonight.
You will say nothing, even to the
officers, Of our destination till we are
out of port. We get under way at
lis N.
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