The Portland daily press., 1897-10-02
IN. Y. SUM-
FrenchneR

she was laid up in government navy
yard. 1t was in the June of 1874 that Ola
Ironsides sailed out of Boston Bay bound
on a voyage around the world, more es-
pecially for the purpose of arranging for
the purchase of the island of Lauban, in
the East Indies, which the government
desired for coaling station. This pur-
pose, however, was frustrated, for the
British in some way gained an intima-
tion of the purpose of the Constitution s
voyage, and through the mediumship of
Sir James Brooke, afterward the Rajah
of Sarawak in Borneo, they bought the
island before the arrival of the Constitu-
ton in the East.
. OF the crew which then manned Old
Ironsides as far as known but one man
is now living in Boston, and he is Ben
iamin f. Stevens, President of the New
ENGLAND Mutual Life Insurance Com
pany. Not only in insurance circles is
Mr.. Stevens we'll known, but his reputa-
ton as story teller has spread on both
sides Of the Atlantic.
Mr.. Stevens's rating on Old Ironsides
ON her last voyage aorund the world was
as Captains clerk. mad Jack" Perci-
VAL who then commanded the Constitu-
ton, was close personal friend of his,
and it was owing to an offer from the
Captain that the lad-Mr. Stevens was
then but II years old-was enabled to
take the famous voyage. The voyage last
ed from June, 1874, to September, 1886,
and it was to this port that the Constitu
tion returned when her cruise was ended.
OF all the incidents of this trip there is
none which created more talk at the
time, and which also bore out the reputa-
ton of Old Ironsides more strongly than
that which happened while the Constitu-
tion was in Cochin-C China waters. Here
is the story as Mr.. Stevens tells it:
Ek' On. May z, 1645, we had been away
from home about a year and had visited
many ports and places from South Amer
lea to Africa and in the Indian Archipel-
ago. Our next stay was to be at Macao
and Canton, but our commander deemed
it proper to visit on his way the country
of Cochin China. On the day referred to
we sighted Cape Touron, the outlying
point of the city of Touron, which is the
port of Hue. the capital of the kingdom,
situated some miles in the interior. We
were in sight of the harbor for three
days, but it was not until the 10th that
the gale abated, and we came to anchor
in Touron Bay.
"The scenery was grand, much re-
sembling that Of the harbor of Rio janet.
ro. A river divides the city into two
parts, and each division contained forts
we'll manned by soldiers. An air of en-
terprise was given the bay by the large
number of little boats which continually
fitted about.
son the following day an officer was
sent to the city to call upon the authori-
ties to state our object in visiting the
port, together with our desire to obtain
fresh vegetables. This officer was the
late Admiral James Alden, who after.
ward figured so conspicuously in the
coast operations of our navy during the
Rebellion. He was received by a person
apparently of some distinction and con-
Quoted from the beach through file of
native soldiers to a palace Immediately
fronting the water, but at some distance
from it. The apartments allotted to him
were the same as those occupied by the
Peacock, which had visited the port
some time before. One of our Chinese
servants acted as interpreter but neither
he nor the Cochin Chinese could make
themselves understood, butt as the writ
ten CHARACTERISED the two countries close
" resembled one another, communication
was at length established in that man
ner. Our first inquiry was for water, to
which the mandarin replied: Why do
you want anything? What did you come
here for? Why don't you go to Macao for
what you want?' All of which was per-
fectly trivial and none of his business,
as Mr.. Alden soon took the liberty of in
forming him.
1.-THE interview ended upon the manda-
rims telling our envoy that he might
take in water and purchase few chick
ems. AS we had been thirty DAYS getting
over from Borneo a spring chicken was
not to be despised after a continuous diet
of salt beef and. pickles. After making
arrangements for q salute the next day
and drinking some tea the audience was
closed. The following day an exploring
party found an excellent supply of water,
swt ct and clear, with which we filled our
empty casks. We were not annoyed, but
were rather left to ourselves. No boats
hung around the ship for trade, and the
conduct Of the natives appeared suspicious
and not at all in harmony with the re-
poL ts litsuO ny VI tlAS S'sOONnS
Commodore John Downes. Neither We're
our boats allowed to land at the outlying
villages to get our spring chickens or the
other delicacies promised.
''At sunrise on the next day, in my ca
pacity as caterer for the cabin, L started
for the city in one of the quarter boats.
Capt TPercival, who had not the slightest
confidence in these bastard Chinese, had
hauled the ship in the night before near
er to the city, so that if anything went
wrong Old Ironsides could take a hand
in preserving order with her broadside of
twenty six guns.
1--WE at length reached the market,
which was crowded with buyers and sol
lers, and after considerable haggling pur-
chased n sufficient number of chickens
and other delicacies to last us until we
reached China.
"On the following morning boat was
seen approaching the ship, manned by
twenty or more rowers, containing in the
bows several mandarins with a numb or
of retainers. They were received in the
cabin and every attention shown to them.
They were also accompanied by an in
terpretcr who spoke little Spanish, with
which tongue Capt. Percival was famil'
lar. The visitors passed an hour with
4 r,.nIn y1-fI