The Savannah morning news., 1904-10-23

nine and half. The engineers did
HOC put on an extra pound of steam
ana there was no occasion for hurry
Inc snip simply progressed at nearly
double her best steaming rate. The
only possible explanation was that she
was carried along by some swift and
unknown ocean current. The skinner
declared that his hair simply stood on
END as, day after day, he read off the
hgures on the patent log and wonder
ed whether he had gone crazy.
Araders In the South Seas
Many OF the Sinbads of modern
commerce have their headquarters at
san Francisco, trading from that port
to quaint little islands in the South
seas, of which not one man in a mill
hon has ever heard. There was a time
when Frisco schooners used to ba
very busy in the opium smuggling
business. Stevenson's story. THE
Wrecker," was based on fact. But
latterly this enterprise has been made
Improbable by vigilant customs off,
clals at Hawaii and Samoa, and prob
aply rev ventures are made nowadays
Copra and cocoanuts are favorite
cargoes from the South seas to the
Pacific coast, and a few of the schoon-
fishers in the Torres Straits. or go
"blackblrding" for Kanaka labor to
supply the Queensland sugar planta-
lions.
There are steamships, too. which
trade from Frisco TO unheard-of ports
along the western coast of South
America for nitrates and guano to say
nothing of the steam whalers which
often pursue their prey far down be-
low the Horn and meet with many ex-
citing adventures on the fringe of the
Antarctic ocean.
Circle the Island of Jamaica.
A tiny steamer called the Spey de-
voted herself for many years to cir
COMMUNICATING the Island of Jamaica
once a week. She called at all the
"out-ports." and was the principal
means OF communication between
some Of them and civilzation-ciyili-
cation being represented by Kingston.
the capital of the island. Naturally,
her captain and officers were lions in
the local society of these little ports.
and their visit was the event of the
week.
The skipper was fond of chess. I'm
fortunately, he could seldom stay long
enough In a port to finish a game. He
would start 1t and have TO leave after
few moves. When he got back next
week, he would make a few more;
and, perhaps. the game would take
months to finish. II was the same with
tennis and other social diversions in
which the officers took part. They
were always in the nature of a serial
story.
Two or three years ago, the spey
was ordered TO leave Jamaica and go
to Trinidad. to take up the coastal
business of that island. She is there
now; but her skipper declared, half in
jest and half in earnest, that he did
not believe he would be able to make
the voyage.
THE old tub is 30 accustomed TO
going around Jamaica that i believe
she'd go on doing 1t II she were left
to herself" he said. she knows every
inch of the coast as well as / do, and
1t will be like tearing her up by the
roots to take her to Trinidad. II she
refused to let US steer her there, I
wouldn't be a bit surprised"
Ynchted Up the OrinOcO.
One OF the most delightful BUSH
nesses in the world was run by an old
gentleman who had a factory up the
River orinoco, In Venezuela, where he
manufactured a certain patent article
for which there is a worldwide de-
mand. He bought a fine English brig
and fitted her mp palatially as a yacht.
Once a year he loaded her with the
product OF his factory during the pre-
ceding twelve months and steered her
over TO France, where he sold the car.
go. He spent most OF the remainder
OF the year yachting about the West
Indies and along the South American
coast until another cargo was ready
for him.
When he died his sons kept the ship
IN commission. and II II still running.
They have certainly succeeded in
making a pleasure out OF their bust
ness.
lConvriRht 1904 hY Percy EnafrnentN