Sturgis advertiser. (Sturgis, Dakota [S.D.]) 1887-1???, 1888-12-27

Equator, and steam1ng past the Nico-
bar Island into the Straits of Malacca,
with Sumatra on our right and the
Malay peninsula on our left. It was
dark as we passed Penang, city and
island, one of the British Straits Set
Elements" but next day we reached
the more important island Of Singa-
pore. The Captain took the steamer
into Singapore harbor for water, and
gave us Just four hours to see the
town. AS, however, the town. lies
two miles back from the harbor,
and as we were half an hour bag
CLING with the Jews, Malays, negroes,
and Cinnamon who thronged the wharf
for q conveyance, we only had time to
drive up and come right back. I noticed
that we drove over low flats, which at
high water are covered by the tide,
but which twice day form broad ex-
panse of mud and refuse, rendering the
city very unhealthy. However, I also
noticed that on each side and back Of
the city were very beautiful wooded
heights from which peeped many bun
galows, and it is in that pleasanter To-
cality that the rich Europeans reside.
Folks who suffer from cold feet or
chills ought to go to Singapore. It is
located right on the equator; the heat
is excessive and does not vary five de-
grees during the entire year.
Steaming eastward from Singapore,
we began to enter the archipelago
islands, islands, islands-large, small,
and all sizes between, volcanic and
otherwise. Passing down the Java Sea
we passed Karimata and Bamea, both
mountainous islands with their SUBMITS
completely hidden away in the clouds,
and for long time we had the large
islands of Borneo and Java on our left
and right respectively. For two whole
days we were steaming through these
myriads Of islands, and among them
got good view of Mount Bator, q very
active volcano. We saw the smoke and
flames very distinctly, though Bator
was unusually quiet as we passed it.
The sail through the warm blue waters
OF the still Indian Ocean is mighty
pleasant, and as one hardly ever loses
sight of land there is nothing tedious
about the trip.
Now, although navigation of the
waters of the deep has been brought
down to pretty fine science, there are
still some out-of- the-way quarters where
shippers have to go very slow, and
sometimes have to stop altogether.
Torres Straits is one of these places
where the most northerly point OF Aus
tralis comes very close to the shores of
New Guinea. These straits are full of
Sreacherous reefs and currents and hid
den shoals, which have already proved
iAtal to many gallant craft. However,
zach successive trip of steamer with
,.n intelligent captain lessons these
dangers, Tor both the Queensland
sAustralia) Government and the En-
klish Home Government are preparing
reliable charts for mariners who nayi-
rate the intricate channel of Polynesia.
No. fast steaming is not one of the Of
lenses OF steamers which navigate
Asiatic waters, but it is, perhaps, bet
Ter 10 abe slow and sure, or, in the
words of the immortal Davy Crockett,
sBs sure you're right, then go ahead. !"
Our captain agreed with Davy and
eame to an anchorage toward evening,
where we lay until daylight. Then we
steamed on, and about noon ! got my
first sight of Australia country !
had for many years longed to visit; a
country for which now bold great
reQard: country which, believe,
will some day take q leading place
among the greatest nations OF the
world. Two hours later we came to an
anchor off the town of Somerset, the
most northerly town in Australia. It
e not much Of town, but it is . town
and British colonial town, with white
people predeminating. Not very
Etoney" white. perhaps, but still they
speak good old-fashioned Enghsn'
and wear good old British handTme-
down. ready-made clothing, and ars
broad enough in their ideas to show
some partially for good old Irish and