Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-11-17
HOME, SWEET HOME.
The Intense Longing in the Heart Of a
Sailor Who has Spent Three
LONG YEARS IN FOREIGN SEAS.
Crews Of the China Squadron Cheering
HOmeWard- Bound Ship.
SOLEMN BURIAL SERVICE AT SEA


WRITTEN FOR THE DIsPATcH.1
Can you realize the intense longing for
home which grows up in the heartof sailor
who has passed three years cruise on a
foreign station?
We had spent that length of time on the
China station, and were expecting orders by
every mail steamer to make the best Of our
way home. Steamer after steamer came,
but no orders, and growls at the delay were
loud and deep. Some of the old sailors
seemed to think it was due to the presence
on board of some unlucky Jonah, and it was
we'll for Jonah that the initials Of his name
were not known.
We had sailed from Panama three years
before, and had reached the station alter q
cruise through the Pacific Islands. Every
thing was novel to us, and the first year had
the principal Chinese and Jspa-
nese ports, and rapidly became
accustomed to the sight of oriental faces,
with eyes cut on bias, and that pride of
Chinaman's heart, his pigtail. OF Euro
pean or American society there was very
little, and how we did wish for the sight of
the pretty faces and trim figures OF our
American girls. As one of the youngsters
put it, s'If could clap eyes on one of those
sweet creatures again, I would surely fall in
love on the spot" and he echoed the pre-
vailing sentiment The uncivilized ele-
ments of our surroundings, which at first
had attracted, owing TO their novelty, began
to grow distasteful, and anything that wore
petticoats orremiuded us Of home, was more
admired than aught else.
orIa -, .ko -
lying in the harbor at Hong Kong, and all
was hustle for few days, getting in pro-
visions and making preparations for our
long journey. Coal was taken on board
and mess stores of all kinds laid in.
The homeward-bound pennant was broken
out. and made ready for the mo-
mentous day of our departure. When a
naval vessel starts on a cruise, the signal
quartermaster commences this pennant, and
for each month that the ship is away he
adds certain number OF feet to its length.
Our pennant had grown to such an extent
during the cruise that, flying from the
mainmast head, the end foated far astern,
being buoyed up by small balloon.
HAPPY DAY.
The final day came, and boats were con-
stantly coming from the shore with belated
parcels and the ship was crowded with
laundrvmen and compradores settling bills.
The old ship herself seemed to partake Of
the suppressed excitement visible on all the
faces and with steam Kissing from her es-
cape pipes, rode uneasily to her cable,
which had been hove short during the
morning watch. At last all the visitors
were hustled out of the ship, and the old
bos'n, with due sense of the gravity of the
occasion, blew his shrill pipe, and in voice
L l.. Al
many gale, passed the order, "All hands up
anchor for home" No song by prima donna
or tenor was ever greeted with such ap-
plause, nor could any such have sounded so
sweet to ears that had waited for this cry for
50 long a time. remember that as the
word was passed, the story of Philip No
Ian, or the Man Without a Country" came
to my mind, and realized then what a Sc
we're punishment was his To see ship after
ship leave for his native land, and never al
lowed even to hear its name mentioned.
HEAvING THE ANCHOR.
The men rushed for the capstan when the
order was given, and with hurrah the
anchor was brought to the cathead. The
long pennant streamed out astern, giving
notice to the ships in the harbor that we
were homeward bound, and the engines be-
gan to turn over Slowly we threaded our
way through the vessels about us, steaming
around each OF the men-of-War, and the men,
clustered in the rigging, cheered each one
as we passed, and were eheered in return.
Our racing boats crew had been the victors
in every contest while on the station, and
when the last ship was passed, fine game
cock, our emblem of supremacy, was thrown
from the maintop, and huttered down to the
water. In an instant boats darted from
each Of the ships, and the bird was rescued,
the rescuers having to defend its possession
against all challengers. A dummy Jonah
was thrown overheard, and supposed to
carry with it all bad luck which might in
terfere with pleasant passage home. In
the meantime the band had been PLAYING
appropriate airs, such as "The Girl Left
Behind Me" "Ohl Amt Mighty Glad to
Get Out of the Wilderness" and as we
passed out of the harbor the strains of
"Home, Sweet Home" made US all wish
that the way were shorter.
We stopped at few places on the way, our
route being across the Indian Ocean,
through the Red Sea and Mediterranean,
and across to New York. The weather dur
ing the whole trip was delightful, and it
was great satisfaction to think that every
knot we made carried us so much nearer
home. The girls at home certainly did
have hold of the tow rope, and the way
the old ship made time gave evidence
that goodly number of them were inter-
ested in our quick return.
A FUNERAL AT SEA.
One member of our crew was destined
never again to see his native shore. He
was young apprentice boy, who was taksn
sick about the time we started for home,
and had gradually grown worse. He was a
general faVorite, and many of the sailors
used to visit him as he swung in his cot in
the sick bay, and try to cheer him up. The
poor fellow seemed to realize that his num-
Der had been called, and that he must soon
answer the dread summons. but he made
brave fight against death until the last, hop
ing against hope that he might hold out
until he could see his old mother who lived
in New York. He fingered until we were
half wav across the Atlantic Ocean when
exhausted nature gave up the unequal strug-
gle. The burial took place next day.
Under any circumstances, burial
is an impressive sight, but doubly so when
it occurs at sea. It was bright, sunshiny
afternoon and the ship was under full |
sail. The body had been stitched up in a
hammock, weighted with couple of shot,
and was placed on bier on the quarter
deck and covered with the Union Jack, The |
light sails were taken in and the ship hove |
to with the main topsail to the mast, rose
and fell slowly to the movement of the |
waves. The bOs'n's call was again heard, |
but how changed the tone, and burdened |
with what sad significance. "All hands |
bury the dead" The men and officers gath |
cred on the quarterback with barred heads, and |
a cloud at that moment, obscuring the sun,
threw a veil of gloom over the scene. Amid |
3 most impressive silence the chaplain
stepped out, and in a voice which was
hardly under control, commenced reading
the burial service.
COMMITTED TO THE DEEP.