The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-03-19
Tbe Ships Ndventuve.
BY W. CLARK RUSSELL Copyright 1892 BY s. Mcclure CO..

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tea tray and the cakes 1t was arranged
that Hardy should. accompany Miss Arm
strong on board the Glamis Castle which
lay not far from York, when Capt Smed-
ley hoped to be able to tell her that he
mad managed to find a berth for her
aboard his ship.
1T will save vast deal of anxiety and
OF time, and 1t vial rescue you from the
horrors of the emigrant ship" said Hardy
to Julia, who smiled family and looked
as though the least expression of SYM
pathy would compel her into a passion of
tears.
MRS. Briefly spread liberal tea upon
the table, but not much appetite attend
ed 1t. The subject of the assistant stew
ardess was dropped, and Mrs. Smedley
| listened with attention, and Julia, with
nctltious interest to the conversation that
was almost entirely carried on by Hardy
and his friend. They had been ship
| mates as we have heard-Hardy as mid
| shlpman, Smedley as third mate, both
| occupying the midshipmans quarters in
! days when Blackwell liners used to sail
with twelve or fourteen REFERS in but
tons and badges who had sole charge of
the mizzen-mast the poop or quarter
| Geek Inc quarter boats and the gig. John
Companys flag was then flying, but they
| had not served in that employ They
afterwards came together, Smedley as
| chief mate and Hardy as third in a YES
| sci called the Asia, ship with long sky
| sal poles stem nearly as up and down
| as a cutters, black as night half the
length of her aft sparkling with round
ports They talked of this ship and of
her wonderful passages; how her captain
Wou'd carry fore, main and top-gallant
stu hsalls, and pass by ships which
thought they were cracking on with a
top-gallant sail set over single reefed
topsail.
Sailors who have been shipmates love
this sort OF memories and it is Like
watching the coil of the sea-one blue
ridge dissolving in the base of another,
with the laughter and the thunder of
heaving and racing brine-to hear them
Thus they passed the evening, with the
help of a little whisky and plenty of
tobacco, and Julia, sitting beside Mrs
Smedley, told her story over again, but
fully, and Mrs. Smedey talked of her
son, who was young curate of whom
she was very proud, not only because OF
his social Importance, but because of his
eioquence; she declared that he preached
better sermon, young as he was than
any minister of the gospel in the whole
diocese, and the interest Julia took in
| this matter, though the poor girl was
e
| last InGlaman, charmed Mrs. Smedley.
The East India Docks are among the
| Oldest on the Thames. They embody
many chapters OF the maritime history
| of this country. They are of extraordi-
nary interest to any one who knows the
| story OF the ocean, and of the might and
| majesty of England as the Queen of the
| Sea. Their Soup-colored waters have re-
| flected many different forms and types
| of ships from the emblazoned, glazed
| and caStellated stern Of the East mula-
man to the long, black, llow-funneled
, three-naSted steamer whose straight
| stem shears through it from Gravesend
| to New York IN less time than it took
| the indlaman to beat down channel. The
produce of many lands litters the quays
| and fills the sheds. The steam winch
! ratties, the giant arm of crane swings its
| tons, the SteNeGore shouts. in the Depths
| and the mate yells at the hatchway. The
| tall masts rise into the air, lifting their
, topnost@ yards into the yellow obscurity
up there; figures danglesOn the foot ropes
| or Jockey the yard-aBrf1s The house
+ bunting of a5iscore ef4lEns makes fes.
tival to the eye, and alongside IS the
! barge, whose slender company do not pay
| the dues, and whose language is beyond
the dreams of HoundsdItch
| 1t was a Wednesday afternoon, about
o'clock, and the docks were full OF the
| animation of the coming and going, ami
| the loading and the discharging ship
| The air trembled with hoarse voices
with the passage Of locomotive and
| wagons, with the rattle of steam machin,
/ cry, with the Kissing of escaping Vapor
| 1t was the Isle of Dogs and the after
noon was somewhat foggy. In one basin
| lay a number OF fine ships, nearly all
| sailing ships, for there were very few
| tunnels to be seen in those days, and
| along the edge of the wall of this basin
| two people were Waiking-HaIdy and Ju-
| liza Armstrong. They were two of a
| great many other persons, who were la
| borers, sailors and So forth; and, as they
walked slowly, for the road was obstruct,
| ed by goods and machinery as we'll as
| by toiers, Jumpers and loafers, Hardy
| pointing to a slip lying on the other Side
| Of the basin, exclaimed:
That's the York.
| Julia stopped to look at her. She was
not in trim to be seen 10 advantage; her
| sails were not bent, her running gear
was not rove, but all saving her royal
| yards were aloftj and her model though
| light and showing the green sheathin4:.
| vas visible in such perfection OF run, Il,
| such elegance of elliptic stern, in such
| swelling beauty and filming grace OF
! schooner cut-waters and f1aring bow as
could be matched only by those lovely
i creations of the ship builders art, the
| Hbe-GeeH CIlPpeTS.
"She is beautiful vessel" exclaimed
Julia. II wish you commanded her
so do t. answered Hardy, running a
critical eye over the ship.
DO you like the captain?"
II know his name answered Hardy,
but I've not yet met him. lie replaced
a gray-haired man who was a philan-
| thropist, and held notions and opinions
| which are not appreciated by shipowners.
! He was kind to his men, and owners
cannot die worth millions if kindness to
| crews is tolerated. A sailor to his mind
! was q man and not a dog. which aston
| ished the ship owners, whose views are
| otherwise. If the food was bad he went
| on preaching till lie came to something
| sweet, and this was an enormity. He
| would go into the foksie and attend
| upon a sick man, and help him SC far as
| kindness and the medicine chest couio
His crew would nave gone on sailing
round the world with him forever such
! men are not fit to command merchant
! Sailors" he added, sarcastically, land so
| ne is discharged and probably will rot
| find another ship, and God kne-- :. TAT
! he will do, for at his age what can he
| do?'
They continued their walk until they
arrived at the corner of the dock. A
| large full-rigged ship lay there. Her
house flag was cream-white with a
| black cross In lit; a delicate space of
! bunting that trenbled under the golden
ball of truck, FIR this vessel had short
royal-mastheads, and when the yards
were hoisted they sat like a frigate's
under the eyes of the rigging.
! Hardy caused Julia 10 stop, whilst
| they yet commanded view of the