The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-03-06

the craft which he commanded. In his little
cabin were many good books, both in Span
lsh and English, and his surroundings in
his tiny sea home were as pleasant, and GER
tainiy more evident OF education. refine
ment and good taste than you Will often find
III cabins OF tue most pretentious American
sailing vessels.
His wife, Teresa, and nine children, the
latter grading In size from an infant in arms
TO lad OF eleven as regularly as a set of
tenDlns. and nearly as naked, cooked for
and waited upon Us, lending a hand at light
seamen's duties whenever required with
wonderful agility. adding pleasantly to the
picturesq ueness Of the everyday life of the
tiny vessel. and providing those most
blessed OF all sounds al sea, the voice of
woman and the prattle of children. cease
less, tuneful and winsome as ever make
melodic the sunniest home Of city, hamlet
or vale.
Not the least picturesque object On board
our brlgantine was our other passenger,
who with the dried hides, which ne re-
sembled in ylsage, had been taken on at
Iunls. lie vas TuniSian merchant trad
ing between TUniS and Malta. We all
treated him with much consideration
because his flowing robes aud white
. hurnoose, which took up a good deal Of
room, gave this otherwise measly-looking
man most important appearance, and,
unconscioasiy, / presume. because he
owned the hides and wheat. Then, too, he
was very bland and agreeable, popularity
c: all Mosems when they are found one
mile away from home. You will notice this
characteristic if you travel much about the
Mediterranean. In their own homes, streets
aud shops there are no more imperiously
grave, lmpertGTbable and sodden humans
than Turk, Arab and Moor. But let them
once turn their faces toward Christian ports
and profit, and their manner and bearing at
once change. They seem to have suddenly
become ready-greased with graciousness for
all trade and social eXigencies. Their strik-
ing habilmeDts no longer comport with
their reputed dignity OF character. The
bags on iheir heads and their ample robes
and sandals suggest the harlequin. Neither
Yankees nor Jews are a match for them in
the subtle shuffiings and diplomacies of
trade. In fact they are the IDLY Gam
nous" Of the Mediterranean.
In the long, 1anguorous days and glowing
evenings of our lazy sailing they were both,
the Maltese captain and the 1unisan mer-
chant, more to me than weeks of desultory
meetings of their kind in their own lands.
They were both intelligent, companioBable.
and both spoke English huently. Their
tfue feelings and opinions came gradually
and surely out of the confidential COM
partnership sea voyages universally lmpel.
They represented, in heredity, education
and feeling. the implaeable and endless
religious and race war between the people
Of the Crescent and the Cross. The fore
fathers of each had doubtless been slain
defending the banners of one or the other
They typifed Christian Europe pitted
against lnfdel Africa and Asia. But all
race and religious hatred was blent in a
common hatred of the English ma sters of
Malta. To reach the sentimental reason of
this | constantly espoused the English cause
To the Maltese captain / pointed out his
own successful career, and reminded him
delicaiely that he would have remained an