The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1898-04-08

The great engines stopped and the
ship tossed about on the waves for
three hours while a boat was lowered
and the chief engineer and ship carpen-
ter made an investigation. The result
was that the broken propeller was lashed
up with monstrous chain, and the sec
ond bulletin informed us that "We will
proceed to Southampton working one
propeller" We were glad that we were
not going to turn back, yet we deplored
the necessity of making the remaining
$500 miles in our crippled conditions; but
there was no alternative. We could not
get off and walk nor take the next train,
and the breakage could not he repaired
at sea. Fortunately the weather during
the entire trip was fine. Certainly no
ship ever had more favorable passage
in point of weather. Overcoats or wraps
were not used after the first day or two
until we were near the English coast. AL
most the entire time was spent on deck,
and the moon being in her zenith, the
nights were grand beyond description.
After the accident we crept along, ma
king from 251 to 33 miles in "a hours
We met other ships and signalled them
OF our misfortunes, with flags:by day and
lights by night. We needed no assist.
ance, and this message was given to be
reported when they reached port so that
any anxiety concerning our safety might
be dispelled. We whiled the time away
with games, reading and conversation as
best we could. Many hot argument
was INDUCED in between the English
and Americans over the merits of their
respective countries. The Englishman
would admit that nothing in America
was good, and the American was just as
positive of our own superiority oveT, not
only England, but of the entire world.
Now and then little diversion was
created by school of porpoises coming
near our ship. They are fish about
four feet long and are sometimes termed
the hogs of the sea.
One very beautiful sight is found after
night in watching the phosphorus in the
seething, foaming water in the wake of
the ship. At times it seems as if the
water is on fire, great sheets of light boil
ing up from the depths below. Flying
fish are often seen at the bow of the ves-
sci. They rise from the water and fly
perhaps hundred yards and drop into
the water again. They vary in size from
few inches to foot.
Thus we spent our time day after day.
A week passed and we had made 2122
miles and had 10ll miles before us
before our journey was over On Sat-
urday morning, March IL, at o'clock, I
went on deck before breakfast, and there
on our left a couple of miles away saw
ledge of rocks. Farther on were others
similar to it. Upon inquiry found they
were the Scilly Islands off the extreme
southwest coast of England. Later in
the forenoon we passed the Lizard point,
which is on the main land, and where
our arrival is telegraphedto all the world
All day Saturday we steamed up the
Channel, now and then coming in sight
of a point Of land. Saw the famous Ed
dystone lighthouse in the distance, which
claims to be the largest lighthouse in the
world. Fishing craft were numerous; we
could often count fleets of twenty to thir-
ty. We were all eager to get ashore; we
were hungry for news. 1t is hard to con.
ceive conditions where one is so COM
pletely dropped out of the world and its
affairs as when on sea voyage. There
is absolutely no hint of what is going on
in the world save the happenings on the
boat which you are on. We wondered
if Spain and the United States had gone
to war. Darkness overlook us before we
reached our destination, but there was
not much sleep for US. All day long the
crew had been getting the mail and the
passengers baggage out on deck, and
then part of the cargo. There were
114O bags of mail, fully half of which was
for the British Islands alone.
About 2 o'clock a. m, Sunday, the
18th, we steamed into the Empress dock
at Southampton, three and half days
overdue. We were interested in the
newspaper reports of our arrival and the
anxiety which was felt for our safety. We
were mot allowed to go ashore until z
o'clock, when we were marched into the
long sheds alongside the dock, where the
customs officers were waiting to inspect
our baggage. This is free trade coun-
try, as you well know, and the only du.
table goods are tobacco, spirits, perfume
ny, silver plate and reprints of copyright
ed literature. In mauy cases the trunks
were not opened at all. Some of our
number had a small quantity of smoking
tobacco, on which the duty was more
than the cost of the article itself The |
inspection over we boarded the train for
London and reached that greatest of all |
cities at Ia a. ma. The journey is at an
end. Very truly yours,
~