Year: 1879

public life. The average Englishman knows as much
about America as the average American knows
about Manitoba. and / am never surprised
at these questions After all there is easier way
books ON India lying unread i'll inyerabin, and the
prodigous extent and variety of my own igno-
rance about the very country To which driving
ON through this SOFT whispering sea, am indulgent
to others and tell all know patiently not knowing
when may not be seeker for knowledge my self
and. far India is concerned, knowledge of the
~ SEA LIFE IN THE TROPICS


Life on board these tropical ships is a constant
seeking for comfort. Every hour go the south.
Yesterday ut noon-yesterday being Monday, Febru-
AIRY 8. Is79--we were in latitude 10 deg. 80 min.
longitude 80 deg. 45 min. AT to-day
position was latitude IL deg. IL min., longi-
tude Al deg. % min. Tomorrow we hope to
Alden. Alden is at the mouth of the Red Sea.
Every hour we move into warmer atmosphere, and
killing time becomes really contest with the
The General looks at the tropical prospect with
the regions of the equator when with company of
infantry he found himself in Panama in july and
the cholera came among his people. The rest of us
planning what to do when the weather becomes
really warm My own private opinion is that the
Hindoos have solved the problem, and that If only
could array ourselves in loose cotton robes and go
about in bare feet it would be comfort.
Our English friends blossom out in various tints of
gray and white, and the deck the aspect of
June yachting party on Long Island Sound But the
Englishman is comfort seeking animal. Our cabins
good be- and all the ship there
contrivances for bringing air. fans for moving the
air, space and cleanliness. In the matter of cleanli





Twenty-three hours out of the twcnty-four de-
voted to scrubbng, and from bow to stern she lis
AZ bright and clean as model housewives dairy.
observed that one OF the passengers Who had been III
India and knew the ways of the Red Sea had his bed
carried up on deck and slept under the stars. The
example seemed good one, and the second night OF
our voyage my bed was made on the skylight.
preferred camping on our grating, but one OF
the officers told Inc that If l slept on the
grating the moon would shine in my face with APP
palling results; that III India to sleep with the moon
shining in ones face was fearful thing. This





an interesting theme The lady of the American en-
canpment quite confirmed the evil reports about
the moon. The General recalled the many. many
nights when, with no pillow but the base Of tree
and no covering but the universe he slept under n
under the awning and sleep. 1t would be much bet
ter than the cabin but tor the scrubbing the heavpg
| the lead and the constant movement around YOU
II open my eyes am sure to find purring, creep
| ing Indian with broom or brush cleaning some.
| you sleep with soft breezes from Arabia blowing
| upon you, and if you awake from your dreams
around you is the sea and above you the heavens in
| all their glory.


NIGHT AT SEA.


We are most Of us night birds-with the exception
of Mr.. Borie whose hour is the morning. We sat up
last night very late and even then there sup
Elementary hour i'll cabins, the General being
the theme of our medical service the war and
listened as he told of the modest heroism OF the
medical staff And when midnight struck, and
l came on the deck to find my cot on the sky
light, 1t seemed impossible to sleep. About
| me fellow passengers sleeping, on
benches. some on the grating. some on the deck.
|
life would be without its mdnights suppose it is
the habit which you acquire in early newspaper ser
have the news at sunrise; but midnight in great
| city, in London. in New York. in Paris.
has always been pus nsefui 80 hour Here ,,Is is
| go to bed, but how you resist the temp
tation to lounge back in a corner and have
| an hour with yourself-with yourself and Inn
mensty? Tonight we to the South
| ern Cross. You lounge in your and
study sky and the sea and the scene around you
ke
planets-that constellation, for instance, that clus-
ter of stars which used to shine upon your child
are looking at it and thinking # the light
tnat falls upon them also falls upon those who
der and sail tar The officer walks the bridge,
| watching the sky and The bell strikes a
| voice calls "AlPs well,' and voices "Alls
well, and you feel that brave men watch you
they drive this huge machine through the willing
waves. Every few moments guard slides along
ing that als WELL giving you cheerful good evening
Is ne passes, wondering perhaps why You have not
| gone to bed with better folks; wondering what
| should keep any one awake who could go to bed
The sailors come and throw the log. You watch the
dripping rope that comes in and make mental
wager with yourself us to the ships pace Twelve
knots say to myself. Eleven and half sir
breeze that will help us along to Alden
Well, you draw your shawl over you and crawl
awakened The decks must be cleaned. Your
want comes and tells you that your bath is ready.
bath you come the deck and find the early birds
| of the voyage hopping around in bare feet and





| ship is given over to passengers walking around
in bare feet, trying to kill time. Your servant
again with pint of coffee, and you sip it in kind
| of sheeted ghostly company-friends coming from
the bath ana going to the bath. At nine breakfast
aud woman come ON the scene, and our friends
appear in cool white linen garments to get through
the day-the hot and weary day-to kill time.
ALDEN.


We bathe good deal and doze q good deal and
read We do anything that does not require effort
We most of in various stages OF a novel, all
but the General, who is skmming through Mr.. Rus
sells book the Prince OF Wales Indian tour. Mr.
Bore has tranq M novel and the Doctor exciting
one, which he says is unreal. while the Colonel as
before remarked has fallen victim to the bewitch
ments of Mme Rawdon Crawey. dying
to read novel, but how 1 conscien-
tiously with all those unread cyclopedas
and guide books down stairs? So l
promise by trying to tell friends at home just how
We live at III the tropics-to give YOU page out
of the life and adventures OF American party
their way to India. l am afraid you will say il is
trivial and foolish, and that 1 might have some
thing heroic. or spicy. or useful and might have
made game Of our knglsh friends. or given you med
itations on the ancient world through which
have journeyed. or anticipations of the marvellous
world to which steaming 1t is possible,
however, that friends at home would like to know
just how we kill time sail For that purpose l
have written this letter. AS close the page
coming to the port of Aden We shall remain long
enough to post letters, and while the winds
rying this over the to New York we shah be
steaming on to Bombay.