Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-10
AROUND THE WORLD.
The Romance Of a Pittsburg Boys
Career as a Sailor,
ABOARD A U. S. MAN-OF-WAk.
Albert Vessels Return After Voyage Of
81 Months.
HE WAS ONCE GIVEN UP FOR DEAD

A sailors cap of navy-blue now hangs
upon the hat-rack of Ernest Vessels resi-
dence, No. 428 Fifth avenue. The ribbon
band around it bears in gilt letters the in
scription, "Juniata, U. S. N" When
turned upside down this jaunty cap will
tumble out bundle of stories which form
real romance of adventure.
The cap only found a place on the peg a
few days ago. Before this week is ended
it will be in New York, and perhaps fort
night later on the high seas. In the mean
time there is wonderfully happy family
surrounding the simple article of nautical
apparel-and its plucky owner.
Mr. VESSEL keeps grocery store. He
is well known in the vicinity of Pride street,
and is one of the most successful business
men on the hill. In July, 1886. his son
Albert, then only 10 years of age, left home
for pleasure excursion to Cape May
and Atlantic City, promising his parents to
visit his grandfather's home in New York
City before returning.
HIS SUDDEN DISAPPEARANCE.
Albert was at that time student under
a well-known Pittsburg artist He was
pronounced a painter of considerable prom
ise. When, by the end of July, he had not
returned home and his letters had suddenly
ceased, Mr.. and Mrs. Vessel became very
uneasy. Communication with the grand
father showed that he had not visited him.
The boy had never been wild, and the parents
laughed at the theory that he had ian away.
They feared foul play. Detectives were
put to work in New York. and as last re-
sort search was made for any trace of
drowned person along the Jersey coast, as
it was known Albert was an expert swim
mer and very fond of the water.
But not the slightest clew to the Pitts
burg boys fate could be found. August,
September, October and November passed
away. In winter he was given
up for dead by most of his
relatives. Mrs. Vessel took the strange
disappearance very keenly. All efforts to
solve the mystery had been abandoned, and
no news was received in either December
or January. But in February there
came letter from Albert mailed in Brazil.
He told them that just after his arrival in
New York he saw an advertisement in the
Herald for sailors to ship on the United
States man of war "Juniatta" for a cruise
around the world. It was to leave that
night. There were but three hours to spare,
and he, acting upon an impulse to see the
world, engaged himself as an ordinary sea-
man aboard the vessel and was out of New
York harbor before he had time to telegraph
or write his folks.
AROUND THE WORLD.
The first opportunity he had to notify
Pittsburg of his whereabouts was in Brazil.
Since then he wrote letters regularly every
month, arriving home himself last week at
the age of % years; having Just landed in
New York after voyage Of 81 months; now
wearing the regulation Uniform of sailor,
looking bronzed from exposure in many
climes, and chuck full of yarns and relics of
all nations.
1t was sounding expedition. The
Juniatta steamed from New York to the
coast of Africa, thence to South America,
through the straits to Mexico, and at last
four months rest among the Sandwich
Islands. Honolulu was the nearest they
got to Samoa. On to China, next
to Japan, touching at all ports there
under the guidance of the United States
Minister; now to the Indian ocean, the Suez
OdUdl, OScd, Tile p6u Cd, anu
visits to points in the Holy Land; spending
Day on the Mede1ra Islands; France next,
the West Indies last and home in New
York last week.
Arriving in the United States Albert
Vessel found furlough awaiting him. It
had been secured by his father through the
generosity of Secretary Whitney, who be-
came interested when he learned that
brother of the seaman's is lying dangerously
ill in Pittsburg. This furlough expires on
Friday next.
IN A rYPHooN.
The Juniata is one of the old war vessels.
having 10 guns, 25 officers, crew of 2O5 men
and displacement of 1000 tons. To The
DISPATCH reporter last night young Mr.
Vessel gave very graphic account of the
terrific pounding the ship got last Septem-
ber in typhoon. It was a miraculous
escape from destruction. They had just
left Hong Kong, and on September 27 were
but 800 miles out when the typhoon struck
them.
The gale lasted nearly two days. and DUR
ing that time the Juniata lost four of her
boats, blew away her new stormsails, dam
aged the steering gear and shipped so much
water that the ports had to be broken open
laced around the spars, were blown off as
if they were made of paper, and the men
working on deck threw away their oilskin
and superfuous clothing to avoid being
blown overheard. The boats lost were torn
off By the wind from the davits and blown
away like matchwood. On the second day
of the gale Commander Wise was thrown
heavily to the deck by sea and sustained
injuries to the face besides breaking his
nose Most of the clothing of the officers
has been spoiled through water of which
there was at one time three feet in the ship.
A bag containing oil was towed from the
weather bow and decreased the violence of
the seas to marked degree. Ali matches
were battened down. Little water went be-
low the spar deck, but at one point so much
water had been shipped that had the engine
stepped but three minutes all would have
gone down.
So badly damaged was the boat that when
she reached New York she was condemned,
and now goes to Annapolis for use of the
cadets Mr., Vessel has been transferred to
the receiving ship for duty.
RARE GIFTS FROM HIM.
He brought home trunkful of curiosities
for his parents. These the writer had the
pleasure of inspecting last night. In one
bundle are ten canes from as many different
nations and of all the fine woods. Then
there are most beautiful works of carving in
ivory. pearl, silver and wood from japan,
Ceylon, Africa and China; hand-wrought
shawlsfo Mrs. Vessel from Persia, India and
South America; all sorts of curiosities of
idol worship, footwear and numismatics in
China; inlaid toilet boxes, ostrich eggs
from Africa, ingenious writing desks and
finally a whole bunch of "roses of Jericho"
This celebrated flower blooms in any
cline after it is cut from its parent stem as
long as it is kept,in water. Vessel got the