The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-04-19

boston, who lett New OK over SIX
months ago on a merchant vessel
bound for Manila, gives a vivid de
Acription of the trip round the Horn
on sailing vessel.
Mr. Ely Harden has travelled in the
conventional manner to nearly every
ulartcr Of the globe. and thought the
novelty of throwing in his lot with
Lat of sailors in the merchant service
would be novel and interesting cx-
pcrience. During the first few days
oui all was we'll, and the hard fare aud
merry songs Of the mariners were
pleasant things, but these soon lost
their kccncss. and when repeated three
times a day for space Of six months
became decidedly anger rousing.
Ills letter was written several days
before reaching Manila Ro@ and &c.; er
landing postscripts were added. Fol
lowing are extracts from the cpistlc
"By the time this reaches you it
will probably be over six months since
you wished me bon voyage as our ship
drifted out of New York harbor.
These months may have passed quick
~ with you, but for ME they have
seemed like as many years. 1t has
been so long since have had any
communication with the world that /
am beginning to believe that there is
no world beyond the confines Of cnr
ship.
Another ten days or 80 will bring
us to the shores Of Manila, if we meet
with no accident in the meantime, and
it will be glad day for this ships
company when they can once more set
foot on dry land. No one who has not
had the experience can realize what it
is to be six months Oh sailing ship.
One hundred and five days out Of
sight Of land and fiftyfiv Of those
without even the glimpse Of passing
sail, alone on the boundlcss Pacific
Our ships company numbers TWEEN
ty-ninc souls all told OF these the
captain and first mate are the only
ones | have any intercourse with. and
naturally we are sufficiently tired Of
each other $ faces. We have become
so bored with each Others society
that it affords amusement for lis to
quarrel and fight. For the last month
we are seldom together for half all
hour at time without exchanging
personalities and often cuffs. These
1uarrcls are, Of course, not lasting
and are made up as quickly as entered
into.
'Onc day is like anothcr-Sundays
and holidays-thcy arc all the same.
The only way we keep track of the
days of the week is by what we have
to eat. We know Monday is salt-bccf
Cay, Tuesday salt Goldfish day. Wed
nesday salt pork day, and so through
the week. come on deck in the
morning at daylight before dressing,
take look around at the sea and sky
for time and after watching the sun
rise, which is sight in these waters
beautiful beyond description go below
and take salt bath. After this coffee
is in order, after which, return to the
deck, remaining until 7:3O, when
breakfast is served. The rest of the
morning is spent in walking around
the deck watching tic work and gsz-
ing at the sea aud sky. AT 1890 we
eat dinner, after which reading and q
nap are INDUCED in. At $50 we take
supper, which is followed by walking
or sitting on deck exchanging yarns
and. lately, sarcasms. Nine o'clock
finds US in bed,
"1'he weather furnishes the only
variety to this life. We have had
storms and Gains, hurricanes and
earthquakes, tidal waves and water
spouts and about everything else ON
Ncptune's bill Of fare. A storm on
ocean liners is bad enough, but on q
sailing ship, when your sail are being
torn into ribbons and every other wave
sweeps the deck from stem to stern
when they have to bail your cabin out
with buckets. when you take your
meals standing up or sitting down, as
the case may be, when all the crew are
called aft and kept there to prevent
their being washed overheard, when
you can't see the ship lights in any
direction and the captains voice
sounds dim and far away above tic
shrieking of the wind, then it becomes
serious and you feel perfectly willing
to exchange places with anyone, nc
matter who, that is on land. The
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