The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-10-13


cradle silver-haired captain Of acute mem
orv. IT'S a lively book and recalls old
times. Yet it's extraordinary that any
man possessed OF the least knowledge OF
the sea should have written il. Il is not
that il is improbable-that might well be
hardened in fiction, as You forgive II III
the charming, blunderful book. The Green
Hand for Instance. COOper's story Is inn
possible. But I don't want 10 talk liter
arv criticisms to you; / mean TO spin you
an old-fashioned yarn. a memory OF nearly
fifty years ago. recalled 10 me by reading
Coopers book.
Il was then second mate Of little ship
belonging to the river Thames. called the
Sarah Newman. She was about 600 tons
bur1hen. We counted in hundreds in those
times. in these you count thousands.
That little ship of GOO tons was famous
Atlantic passenger carrier. as popular in
her age as the latest born Of the triumph
ant plated giantcss Of the Clyde and Mer-
sew. Yet she was not a fast ship; on the
contrary. don't think she was ever known
10 exceed ten knots. She had got a name
for safety. The public loved her for her
consistency. Even when she was consider
ably overdue people were not concerned
about her. oh. no, they'd say; it's the
Sally Newman: she's bound TO turn up
And sure enough, presently in the course
OF days, supposing her homeward bound
from New York, they signalled her of
the Lizard, and five days later she'd be
heard Of as staggering against a head
win in the Gulls.
Il have a picture Of her I'm my mind s
eve. Heaven bless my heart! but do see
Tho q rtrh
her in fancy alongside that splendid steel
passenger steamship l was viewing the
other day at the invitation of Messrs.
Wigan, Richardson & Co, of the Tyne,
who certainly turn out magnificent work.
! wonder what a saloon passenger OF to-
day. standing on some hurricane or prom
enade deck as high-perched as the Sarah
Newman's main-top, would think of that
little ship as a cradle of the deep. How
would he like to sail to Boston in her?
Yet in her day, which was long one,
she went stuffed with passengers. first,
second, emigrants, to and fro, regular as
the pendulum of a grandfather's clock.
Her combats with the Atlantic We're fire.
quent, often terrific, always heroic, and
even the Irish emigrants of base degree,
the scowler who had killed an uncle in
but 10 settle other people mosty-even
that gentleman" said the silver-halred
captain would find a friendly word la
his gizzard for the poor old Sally when
he stepped ashore safe, and raggeu, souhd
and homeless, in New York.
capt. Henley was the master or that
ship when 1 went second mate OF her. II
was his first command of the vessel, put
he had long served her owners in other
ships Of theirs. lie was middle-aged
man, plentifully grizzled, tall and spare,
"a 4. 4r, - he lGflr Pc
member his great aquiline nose ana eye
brows, which curled like mustachios ana
a fOots depth of rugged, Wlry beard: lie
was the last man you would nave picked
out as the master of the ship amongst
the crowd Of people on her decks. Never
theless, there sailed out OF the port OF
London in those days OF Incompatible sea-
men, no mariner superior IN skill 10 capt
Henley.
zone Monday morning found us in Ply
mouth Sound, with the anchor down ana
the ship full of people. The captain mad
gone ashore, and / heard from the mate
that we waited for him and him only. But
detention Of hours, running into days IN
those ambling times of tacks and sheets
were thought nothing of, excited little IT.
rtability, was taken as an expected de-
tail of the voyage. Nowadays they dare
NOT lose a minute for fear of their
record 1t is good for the passengers,
but give me, as captain, the old easy
going, plenty-of-time conditions.
1T was a fine, bright morning. The
water streamed in flashes. Many little
white clouds were sailing under the blue
sky, and some Old-fashioned craft We're
under way, slowly surging past under
immense bosoms of topsails, which made
them look buNom as hearty old house
wives. Our decks forward were crowded
with emigrants. Babies were crying chill
dren We're lardng on the scuppers, or
scrambling amongst the feet OF the peo-
pie. Women with shaWlS over their heads
discOursed in patient groups. The bull
wark rail from the forecastle to the gang
way was alive with the poor creatures
cfa Ted
with many Woeful Visage at the beauti-
full prospect of English land. They were
leaving home forever. but the country
that was exiting them in poverty and mis-
cry, the soil that could produce no bread
for them and their children, yet held their
hearts, which seemed to break with
thought of being torn away.
Aft we were a goodly company of we'll
dressed ladies and gentlemen, most or
whom had come on board the previous
night on our arrival at Plymouth. our
topsails hung loose by their gear. Blue
Peter was flying at the fore. The hour
was about 1880; a fine inspiring scene il
was. After sydney Harbor l knew no
sWeeter piece of coast scenery than Ply
mouth sound. Several men-of-war were
Inoofed near Drake Island, and-I scarce
~ knew WHY found my sight dwelling
on small, rather handsome ten-sun brig
with lofty, raklng masts, and long, forking
boWsprit and jibOoms, steeVed al an an
gle of As degrees. She rode hardly bea,.
on to us, within musket shot. and l no.
tced that her bows had something of the
n
deed preposterously broad for her length /.
she showed a swell of side, like the biige
of a cask, and her little show of guns
grinned in their ports along the wide
painted streak.
The chief mate of ship was a man
named Bonham. He was at this time talk
ing with the doctor at the head of the
poop steps, and both seemed to look with
some Impotence toward Plymouth town
In fact, il was odd certainty that the
captain should detain his own shin, An
on-shore breeze was blowing a fine fav-
orable wind for giving the groaning point
OF Cornwall our stern, and heading out
Tor that broad and foaming ocean ~
Which gales of wind and ice seas and ice
bergs may be found all the year round
Some occasiOn-I forget what took
me below into the cuddy; a strange. old
world picture; ruby-tinctured panels rich
as old port in dye. and little cabin doors.
a beautifully futed shaft of mizzenmast
with piano secured to it, a long mar
row dining table. ferns and flowers in
the skylights, and people writing letters
down to the last moment ready to send
when might this hooker propose to
saiI said a gentleman, drawing the Cues-
ton in his nose.
When the captain comes aboard. sir.
] answered.
Is the water smooth out in the omen p
asked stout lady with yellow skin.
Therell be bit of a heave, no doubt.