The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-04-02

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grows in waiting three long, long years
before returning from what seems to
us almost Punishment, honorable, 1t is
true, and yet more difficult to under
stand how the affairs of ones patriot
ism are kept burning and how the love
of country and its flag may live and
grow in hearts that are obliged, by the
circumstances. to pass most of their
lives away from and outside the dearest
associations of education and friend
snip.
1t is this eXile-this having to per-
! form duties that are beyond the public
observation and, TO some extent, outside
the public sympathy, often in the most
presidential regions of the globe, where
we stand guard over the commercial
rights of our countrymen, or on the re-
mote frontiers of civilization, where We
stand for the great power of right and
protection to those domiciled there-that
makes our country so grand to us and
our respect for it's flag So profound.
The flag, too, has a personality to US.
It represents the majesty of our gov
eminent of the people and their great
power. AS the symbol of freedoms
home it eXcites enthusiasm wherever it
is shown abroad and in the hearts of
it's freemen. defenders there is felt a
love and admiration for what it repre-
sents that is apt to be overlooked by
those who live where these privileges
are not so esteemed as by those of us
Who accustomed to long service abroad,
are able to compare there advantages
with those of either countries where
much of our lives have to be passed.
The Niagara reached Japan in the late
fall and proceeded to Yeddo, as then
known, but as Toxic in this day. Our
presence was most welcome and our re-
ception by the government of Japan
was just as cordial and just as hospit-
able as that of our government to their
embassy. The temple of Siogee in the
city of Yeddo was fitted up for the re-
ception and entertainment of our Off
GERS.
The great city of Yeddo was laid out
daily during our stay into interesting
districts for visits, of inspection.
The routes along which we were es-
corted were, as a rule, closely packed
with natives, who We're curious to see
the white foreigner for the first time
in their lives. But in no instance dur
ing these excursions was any incivility
or rudeneSS manifested, though on all
sides there was that natural curiosity
to get a closer look at the long haired
white man. In this the pretty Japanese
woman was, as a rule, more conspicu-
Gus than the man, and I dare say there
are many matrons living now in Toxic
who can remember a bright button con-
ferred i'm response to some roguish i'm
portunity.
A LONG TRIP HOME.
After our mission had been completed
and the presents from our government
to that of Japan had been landed,
we started on our return to Chinese
waters in the winter of 1S6O-61. Reach
ing Hongkong, the United States min
lister. Mr.. Ward, had. authority to re-
turn to the United States, and the Nj
agara was directed to take him to India
and thence to the mouth of the Red
Sea. where he took steamer for Europe,
and ultimately home.
This duty performed, the Niagara
proceeded from Alden to the Comoro
islands, northwest of Madagascar, and
lastly to Capetown, in South Africa.
our voyage home was in length some
what longer than that going out, and
nothing was known of the fall election
that had already taken place, although
there was considerable anxiety on board
among the officers and men, as our
complement included many from both
sections.
On the day of election, however
vote was taken on board ship, with The
result that Mr.. Lincoln received ma
had reached the highlands of Cape Cod,
Massachusetts, we were in utter ignor
ance of the Dortent of this vote. taken
away off in the China seas.
The absence of ships, however, along
our coasts about the latitude of Care
Hatteras as we were approaching home
caused painful forebodings lest some
disaster had befallen the country we
loved SO well. The mutterings in the
south nf tha wear before in the event of
a certain election caused some anxiety,
and the absence of vessels in regions
where in years gone by they were as
thick as the leaves IN Vallombrosa was
held by the older heads to be Cmilously
significant, but it was not until we
reached the highlands of Cape Cod that
we were to learn the full extent of the
great calamity that was upon us. The
election we had held on board the ship
way off in the waters o. China, on the
other side of the globe, was only the