The National tribune., 1902-07-03
BOAED.N

The following day we were the reclpi-
cuts of some more tangible proof Of the
goodwill with which the residents of Mel
bourne regarded us. Each OF our officers
received railroad pass to go and return
| from Sandridge TO MelboufIe on the Hob
son Bay Railroad. so long as we remained
in port. Invitations to dinners and balls
! poured in from all sides, and every one
| was particular to mention that he felt the
warnest sympathy for the Confederate
cause.
All this was agreeable enough if one did
not care to examine too closely into the
| sincerity of these friendly demonstrations,
and after 80 days ut sell, it was pleasant
to see the gay groups of women upon our
decks. but the Shenandoah had come there
to refit, not to be exhibited as Il curiosity,
| ana this continual crush ANA whirl of Wis
| ito:s put an e;fectual check to the real
| business in hand consequently, when the
| fist excitement had i'll Il measure sub
| sided, we were Obliged 70 close our doors
ard hang ont Il most inhoSpitablc and per
! cinptory not at home" to all callers.
| This prohibition caused considerable heart
| burmngs, but necessity knows no law, and
| upon the whole our popularity did not
| suffer Whenever and wherever an officer
! appeared OH shore, he was forthwith sur
| rounded by a little ccncave of sympathetic
admirers, and had we accepted 1.-THE of
! tie invitations We received to indulge i'll
! suIr:tao;is comforts, we should all of us,
| from the Captain down to the toughest old
| she!lbaCk in the forecastle, have been
| 5hGckingly inebriated during the whole
/ period OF our sojOurn.
| But, after all, that larry in Melbourne
| was one Of the bright "reminiscences of our
| adventurous cruise round the world. | do
not suppose so much hospitality ever was
or ever will be shown to another ship in
! that port, and there We're few if any who
sailed in the Shenandoah who will not
carry to their graves many pleasant meIn-
| cries OF the days they spent ON the shores
| OF Australia.
X must not be supposed, however, that
the entire population favored us, either
secretly or openly. There was Il strong
| party who firmly adhered to the cause of
the United States and THESE looked upon
us rs cortuinaciOus rebels, seeking to over
tarow, by the most unjustifiable and afro
/ C!ouS means, generous and beneiicent
| Government; and could they have retail
ated upon us some of the depredations we
| had committed upon their merchant
marine, our gallant ship would certainly
nave proceeded 10 further.
| Ere many days we received from a
| friendly source Il hint that a plot was on
| foot 20 destroy the Shenandoah by means
Of tOrpedOes, and from that time forward
three officers were constantly on watch at
| the same time, to prevent any suspicious
| looking boat or object from approaching.
In the light time, if a boat was discov-
cred in our vicinity, she was hailed three
| times, and then il a satisfactory answer
| was not received, our orders were per-
e4nptory TO fire into her; but we were for
tunately never driven to this extremity
| Scarcely night passed that there We're
not craft of more than doubtful character
| Hitting around Us; but at the first hail
they either pulled off or rendered such an
account OF themselves as we were content
| to accept.
Hundreds of men made application to
JOIN us here, but as we had no right to
ship any in Il neutral port, all were denied,
reluctantly, us will be readily imagined
| when it Is remembered how much we de-
sired to augment our numbers.
One day, remember, an old lady came
aboard with her little son. She was a
Southern woman, she said, and her boy
had been born III the Sunny South, and
she desire Capt. Waddell to take him as
the only contribution she had to offer to
her country, and educate him for the SER
vice. 1t was hard to deny such a request
made III such way, but it had to be
done, and the woman with her little rebel
went her way, sorrowful and disappointed.
On the 18th quite an accident occurred.
A party consisting of lady and two gen.
tienen' were coming off in a sail-boat to
visit us. The wind was blowing strong.
ard just as they had rounded our stern
the boat capsized. Another boat CHANGED
to be in the immediate vicinity, and for
tunately all were rescued, having sus-
tanned no more serious damage than a
thorough drenching in salt water, and a
very considerable fright. The gentlemen,
notwithstanding their saturated garments,
came ON board, but the lady would not
make the venture in her dropping crinO-
line, and returned to the shore, in de-
cided pet at the accident which had pre-
vented her from inspecting the cruiser.
The next day was Sunday, the grand
gala-day of the week in Melbourne. We
anticipated crowded ship fore and aft,
and were not disappointed. The crowd
commenced coming about 8 o'clock in the