The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1898-02-05
HOW HE CAME TO MAKE A VOYAGE AROUND
THE WORLD AND WHAT HE SAW
PART 2.

ton schooner.
While this storm was raging barrel OF
slush we call it skimmings, ashore, be-
| come unlashed and it was but short time
before the deck was grease from stem to
stern. Then there was no such thing as
getting anywhere only to pass yourself
along with anything that you could get
hold of that was along the waist
There were orders to try the log. knew
the reel was under my berth. got it and
started aft. First l made the rail around
the mainmast. held on there until the
ship rghted up, then l tried to make the
quarter deck. The ship went over so
quick that down in the waist | went /
was not hurt as bad a. let on to be. The
mate got the reel. l crawled back to the
house the best could and got some rest
by it.
Throwing the log then was the old-fash-
Toned way. A canvas cup at the end of
the line and knots in it, reel and sand
glass. This made me think we were near
ing land.
The storm began to moderate through
Sunday night and continued so until day
light, which made all happy because no
one was lost, nothing carried away.
Orders were given to shake reefs out of
topsails. The ship had single instead of
double topsail yards. Double topsail yards
had not come in use at that time. In
hosting the foretopsail with chanty the
runner that made fast to the upper top
sail block gave way and down came the
block. 1t splintered one mans arm and
cut several heads. 1t was bloody place
for while. 1t was wonder that no one
was killed. The captain, who was about
as good doctor as the common run, dressed
the wounds and put spllnts on the fractured
arm. So the damage was not so great.
We were happy again and went ON set
ting the sails.
We were then out about thirty-fve days
when land made its appearance. 1t was a
long sandy beach not more than six or
eight miles to the windward or north OF us.
Not sign of growth Of any kind was to
be seen.
My knowledge Of geography led me to
think that we were about entering the
Yellow Sea. Such was the case. Our
attention was attracted so much to the land
that we didn't think Of looking anywhere
else We had about a four or five knot
breeze and were slipping along right nicely
when some one sang out ''sail to the lee
ward" We looked, low and behold, it
was Chinese Junk. Her course, appat-
emily, was to cross our bow.
| saw the captain and first and second
mates having sultation, which was velJ
uncommon. Presently the captain took
his spyglass and never stopped until he got
in the foretop. There he looked through
the glass for several minutes.
l began to think there was something up.
| had read of Chinese Junks coming out
and attacking ships that were caught in a
calm and numbering the entire crew.
l think either before or since that time
an English gunboat entered one of these
Piratical dens, killed, sunk and blew up
everything in reach of it.
The captain came down. l watched him
pretty close. He had short talk with the
first mate, then order was given to unlash
the guns. We had one 12.pound and two
6-pound guns, with solid shot, canister and
grape and rifles, cutasses and boarding
pixies.
While we were hustlipg to get these
things together, for fight which | didn't
bargain for, stiff breeze sprang up. The
water was smooth and the ship under full
sail, with studdingrails set, she just walked
away, leaving the Junk astern and soon
out of sight.
The water became yellow or muddy
which no doubt gave it the name of yellow
Sea.
A man was placed in the mizzen chains
to throw the lead. The soundings were
regular at about 7 fathoms
Shortly afterward we anchored for the
night 1t was calm and we lowered the
sails and let them hang.
Next morning we got under way in a
hurry.
A very small Junk put in an appearance
We backed the mainyards and waited until
it came alongside, for the officers knew it
was Chinese Pilotboat. We threw over
rope ladder and soon our Pilot was on
deck l eyed him pretty close. He was
dressed in the same Chinese rig that we
are accustomed to seeing. He pulled from
somewhere out of his gown package OF
letters and handed them to our captain.
He overhauled them. ! supposed they
were certificates from captains whose ships
he had piloted in and out the river. They
were satisfactory and he was placed in
charge and stationed himself by the wheel.
He could say "port, starboard and steady"
in good English and that was about all.
The crew trimmed the sails accordingly.
All other work was laid aside.
My station was to look out for braces or
something on the quarter deck. | had a
good opportunity to see and hear what was
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