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+The Project Gutenberg eBook, A Voyage in the 'Sunbeam', by Annie Allnut
+Brassey
+
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+
+
+
+Title: A Voyage in the 'Sunbeam'
+
+Author: Annie Allnut Brassey
+
+Release Date: January 31, 2005  [eBook #14836]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII)
+
+
+***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A VOYAGE IN THE 'SUNBEAM'***
+
+
+E-text prepared by Suzanne Shell, Ronald Holder, and the Project Gutenberg
+Online Distributed Proofreading Team
+
+
+
+Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this
+      file which includes the original illustrations.
+      See 14836-h.htm or 14836-h.zip:
+      (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/4/8/3/14836/14836-h/14836-h.htm)
+      or
+      (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/4/8/3/14836/14836-h.zip)
+
+Transcriber's Notes:
+
+   1. The first page of Chapter VIII: the last line of text was
+      partially missing, and a best guess was made on a few words.
+
+   2. Page 72: Typograpical error, 'nndertaking' changed to
+      'undertaking'.
+
+   3. Page 55, paragraph starting "Santa Anna", corrected 'past'
+      to 'part'.
+
+
+
+
+
+A VOYAGE IN THE 'SUNBEAM'
+
+Our Home on fhe Ocean for Eleven Months
+
+by
+
+MRS. BRASSEY
+
+Illustrated
+
+Chicago:
+Belford, Clarke & Co.
+
+1881
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: CAPE BRASSEY: SMYTHS SOUND]
+
+
+
+
+DEDICATION
+
+To the friends in many climes and countries, of the white and coloured
+races, and of every grade in society, who have made our year of travel
+a year of happiness, these pages are dedicated by the ever grateful
+Author
+
+[Illustration: Portrait of the Author]
+
+
+
+
+PREFACE.
+
+
+This volume needs no elaborate preface. A general sketch of the voyage
+which it describes was published in the 'Times' immediately after our
+return to England. That letter is reprinted here as a convenient
+summary of the 'Sunbeam's' performances. But these prefatory lines
+would indeed be incomplete if they did not contain a well-deserved
+tribute to the industry and accuracy of the author. The voyage would
+not have been undertaken, and assuredly it would never have been
+completed, without the impulse derived from her perseverance and
+determination. Still less would any sufficient record of the scenes
+and experiences of the long voyage have been preserved had it not been
+for her painstaking desire not only to see everything thoroughly, but
+to record her impressions faithfully and accurately. The practised
+skill of a professional writer cannot reasonably be expected in these
+simple pages, but their object will have been attained if they are the
+means of enabling more home-keeping friends to share in the keen
+enjoyment of the scenes and adventures they describe.
+
+THOMAS BRASSEY
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+CONTENTS.
+
+CHAPTER
+
+     I. FAREWELL TO OLD ENGLAND
+
+    II. MADEIRA, TENERIFFE, AND CAPE DE VERDE ISLANDS
+
+   III. PALMA TO RIO DE JANEIRO
+
+    IV. RIO DE JANEIRO
+
+     V. THE RIVER PLATE
+
+    VI. LIFE ON THE PAMPAS
+
+   VII. MORE ABOUT THE ARGENTINE REPUBLIC
+
+  VIII. RIVER PLATE TO SANDY POINT, STRAITS OF MAGELLAN
+
+    IX. SANDY POINT TO LOTA BAY
+
+     X. CHILI
+
+    XI. SANTIAGO AND VALPARAISO
+
+   XII. VALPARAISO TO TAHITI
+
+  XIII. THE SOUTH SEA ISLANDS
+
+   XIV. AT TAHITI
+
+    XV. TAHITI TO SANDWICH ISLANDS--KILAUEA BY DAY AND BY NIGHT
+
+   XVI. HAWAIIAN SPORTS
+
+  XVII. HONOLULU--DEPARTURE FOR JAPAN
+
+ XVIII. HONOLULU TO YOKOHAMA
+
+   XIX. YOKOHAMA
+
+    XX. KIOTO, LATE MIACO
+
+   XXI. THE INLAND SEA
+
+  XXII. TO CANTON UP THE PEARL RIVER
+
+ XXIII. FROM MACAO TO SINGAPORE
+
+  XXIV. SINGAPORE
+
+   XXV. CEYLON
+
+  XXVI. TO ADEN
+
+ XXVII. VIA SUEZ CANAL
+
+XXVIII. 'HOME'
+
+APPENDIX
+
+
+
+
+LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
+
+WOODCUTS IN TEXT.
+
+CAPE BRASSEY: SMYTH'S SOUND
+
+PORTRAIT OF THE AUTHOR
+
+SUNSET ON SOUTHAMPTON WATER
+
+NEARLY OVERBOARD
+
+THE DERELICT 'CAROLINA' LADEN WITH PORT WINE
+
+OUR FIRST VIEW OF MADEIRA
+
+MADEIRA FISH-CARRIER
+
+A COZY CORNER
+
+A PALM-TREE IN A GARDEN, OROTAVA, TENERIFFE
+
+TARAFAL BAY, ST. ANTONIO
+
+FATHER NEPTUNE
+
+HIS DOCTOR (CROSSING THE LINE)
+
+LULU AND HER PUPPIES
+
+VESPERS
+
+BOTAFOGO BAY
+
+THE SLAVE VILLAGE, FAZENDA, SANTA ANNA
+
+THE THREE NAVIGATORS
+
+PRAIRIE DOGS AND OWLS
+
+DEVIL'S HORNS
+
+LA CALERA
+
+INDIANS AT AZUL
+
+LASSOING HORSES
+
+'MONKSHAVEN' ON FIRE
+
+SHIPWRECKED CREW COMING ON BOARD
+
+FUEGIAN WEAPONS
+
+FUEGIAN BOW AND ARROWS
+
+PIN FOR FASTENING CLOAK, MADE FROM A DOLLAR BEATEN OUT
+
+FUEGIAN BOAT AND OARS
+
+BARTERING WITH FUEGIANS
+
+THORNTON PEAKS
+
+GLACIERS, SNOWY SOUND
+
+UNFIT BAY
+
+TWO-PEAKED MOUNTAIN
+
+INDIAN REACH
+
+CATCHING CAPE-PIGEONS IN THE GULF OF PENAS
+
+CHILIANS WAITING FOR THE TRAIN
+
+A FELLOW PASSENGER
+
+BATHS OF CAUQUENES
+
+UP THE VALLEY TOWARDS THE ANDES
+
+CACTI OF THE CORDILLERA
+
+HUASSO HUTS
+
+HUASSO OF CHILI
+
+MORNING MASS AT SANTIAGO
+
+WHAT MAKES HORSES GO IN CHILI
+
+JUVENILE SCRUBBERS
+
+CONVERSATION AT SEA
+
+INSCRIPTION FROM EASTER ISLAND
+
+TATAKOTOROA OR CLARKE ISLAND
+
+GOING UP THE MAST IN A CHAIR
+
+CHILDREN LOOKING UP
+
+OUR FIRST LANDING IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC, HAO OR BOW ISLAND
+
+MAITEA
+
+MAITEAN BOATMAN
+
+QUARANTINE ISLAND, PAPEETE
+
+UNDER THE TREES, PAPEETE
+
+CHAETODON TRICOLOR
+
+CHAETODON PLAGMANCE
+
+WATERFALL AT FAATAUA
+
+A TAHITIAN LADY
+
+TROPIC FEATHERS
+
+CHAETODON BESANTII
+
+TATTOO IN THE TROPICS
+
+FEATHER NECKLACE
+
+WAR NECKLACE
+
+ANCIENT WAR MASKS AND COSTUMES FROM THE MUSEUM AT HONOLULU
+
+CHALCEDON IMPERATOR
+
+FEATHERED CLOAK AND HELMETS
+
+THE PALI-OAHU
+
+ZEUS CILIARIS
+
+AMATEUR NAVIGATION
+
+LITTLE REDCAP
+
+JAPANESE BOATS
+
+FUJIYAMA, JAPAN
+
+A DRAG ACROSS THE SAND IN A JINRIKISHA
+
+INOSHIMA BY A JAPANESE ARTIST
+
+JAPANESE BOATMAN
+
+FACSIMILE OF OUR LUNCHEON BILL
+
+A FAMILY GROUP
+
+WAYSIDE TRAVELLERS
+
+ARRIMA. THE VILLAGE OF BAMBOO BASKET WORK
+
+YOKEN SAN OR SACRED MOUNTAIN, INLAND SEA
+
+HURUSIMA, INLAND SEA
+
+HOW WE WERE BOARDED BY CHINESE AND DISPERSED THEM
+
+CHINESE VISITING CARDS
+
+PEARL RIVER
+
+BOGUE FORTS
+
+CHINESE PAGODA AND BOATS
+
+THE FRENCH CONSULATE, CANTON
+
+CHINESE FOOT AND BOOT
+
+MAHARAJAH OF JOHORE'S HOUSE
+
+THE PET MANIS
+
+MALACCA
+
+HOW THE JOURNAL WAS WRITTEN
+
+PEACOCK MOUNTAIN, CEYLON
+
+SOUMALI INDIAN, ADEN
+
+STRAITS OF BAB-EL-MANDEB
+
+BEATING UP THE RED SEA
+
+HOMEWARD BOUND
+
+FALDETTA, MALTA
+
+ARMOURY IN THE GOVERNOR'S PALACE, VALETTA
+
+TANGIER
+
+VASCO DA GAMA
+
+BELEM CLOISTER GARDENS
+
+OUR WELCOME BACK OFF HASTINGS
+
+HOME AT LAST
+
+
+
+
+NOTE.
+
+I have to thank Mr. W. Simpson, author of 'Meeting the Sun,' for the
+passages given on pages 341 to 343 referring to the Japanese temples
+and their priesthood.
+
+The vessel which has carried us so rapidly and safely round the globe
+claims a brief description. She was designed by Mr. St. Clare Byrne,
+of Liverpool and may be technically defined as a screw composite
+three-masted topsail-yard schooner. The engines, by Messrs. Laird, are
+of 70 nominal or 350 indicated horse-power, and developed a speed of
+10.13 knots at the measured mile. The bunkers contain 80 tons of coal.
+The average daily consumption is 4 tons, and the speed 8 knots in fine
+weather. The principal dimensions of the hull are--length for tonnage,
+157 ft.; beam extreme, 27 ft. 6 in.; displacement tonnage, 531 tons;
+area of midship section, 202 sq. ft.
+
+A. B.
+
+[Illustration: Sunset on Southampton Water.]
+
+
+
+
+A VOYAGE IN THE 'SUNBEAM'.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER I.
+
+FAREWELL TO OLD ENGLAND.
+
+
+    _Masts, spires, and strand receding on the right,_
+    _The glorious main expanding on the bow._
+
+At noon on July 1st, 1876, we said good-bye to the friends who had
+come to Chatham to see us off, and began the first stage of our voyage
+by steaming down to Sheerness, saluting our old friend the 'Duncan,'
+Admiral Chads's flagship, and passing through a perfect fleet of craft
+of all kinds. There was a fresh contrary wind, and the Channel was as
+disagreeable as usual under the circumstances. Next afternoon we were
+off Hastings, where we had intended to stop and dine and meet some
+friends; but, unfortunately the weather was not sufficiently
+favourable for us to land; so we made a long tack out to sea, and, in
+the evening, found ourselves once more near the land, off Beachy Head.
+While becalmed off Brighton, we all--children included--availed
+ourselves of the opportunity to go overboard and have our first swim,
+which we thoroughly enjoyed. We had steam up before ten, and again
+proceeded on our course. It was very hot, and sitting under the awning
+turned out to be the pleasantest occupation. The contrast between the
+weather of the two following days was very great, and afforded a
+forcible illustration of the uncertainties, perhaps the fascinations,
+of yachting. We steamed quietly on, past the 'Owers' lightship, and
+the crowds of yachts at Ryde, and dropped anchor off Cowes at six
+o'clock.
+
+On the morning of the 6th a light breeze sprang up, and enabled us to
+go through the Needles with sails up and funnel down, a performance of
+which all on board felt very proud, as many yachtsmen had pronounced
+it to be an impossibility for our vessel to beat out in so light a
+breeze.
+
+We were forty-three on board, all told, as will be seen by reference
+to the list I have given. We had with us, besides, two dogs, three
+birds, and a charming Persian kitten belonging to the baby. The kitten
+soon disappeared, and it was feared she must have gone overboard down
+the hawse pipe. There was a faint hope, however, that she might have
+been packed away with the new sails, which had been stowed in a great
+hurry the day before. Unhappily she was never found again, and the
+children were inconsolable until they discovered, at Torquay, an
+effective substitute for 'Lily.'
+
+The Channel was tolerably smooth outside the Isle of Wight, and during
+the afternoon we were able to hold on our course direct for Ushant.
+After midnight, however, the wind worked gradually round to the
+W.S.W., and blew directly in our teeth. A terribly heavy sea got up;
+and, as we were making little or no progress, it was decided to put
+in to Torquay or Dartmouth, and there await a change. We anchored in
+Torbay, about half a mile from the pier, at 8.30 a.m., and soon
+afterwards went ashore to bathe. We found, however, that the high
+rocks which surround the snug little bathing cove made the water as
+cold as ice.
+
+Nothing more having been heard of our poor little kitten, we can only
+conclude that she has gone overboard. Just as we were leaving the
+railway-station, however, we saw a small white kitten with a blue
+ribbon round its neck; and all the children at once exclaimed,
+'There's our Lily!' We made inquiries, and found that it belonged to
+the young woman at the refreshment room, who, after some demur,
+allowed us to take it away with us, in compliance with Muriel's
+anxious wish, expressed on her face.
+
+About ten o'clock we got under way, but lay-to for breakfast. We then
+had a regular beat of it down Channel--everybody being ill. We formed
+a melancholy-looking little row down the lee side of the ship, though
+I must say that we were quite as cheery as might have been expected
+under the circumstances. It was bright and sunny overhead, which made
+things more bearable.
+
+_Sunday, July 9th_.--A calm at 2 a.m. Orders were given to get up
+steam; but the new coals from Chatham were slow to light, though good
+to keep up steam when once fairly kindled. For four long hours,
+therefore, we lolloped about in the trough of a heavy sea, the sails
+flapping as the vessel rolled. By the time the steam was up so was the
+breeze--a contrary one, of course. We accordingly steamed and sailed
+all day, taking more water on board, though not really in any great
+quantity, than I had ever seen the good ship do before. She carries a
+larger supply of coal and other stores than usual, and no doubt the
+square yards on the foremast make her pitch more heavily. We were all
+very sorry for ourselves, and 'church,' postponed from eleven until
+four o'clock, brought together but a small congregation.
+
+On the 8th we were fairly away from Old England, and on the next day
+off Ushant, which we rounded at about 4.30 p.m., at the distance of a
+mile and a half; the sea was tremendous, the waves breaking in columns
+of spray against the sharp needle-like rocks that form the point of
+the island. The only excitement during the day was afforded by the
+visit of a pilot-boat (without any fish on board), whose owner was
+very anxious to take us into Brest, 'safe from the coming storm,'
+which he predicted. In addition to our other discomforts, it now
+rained hard; and by half-past six I think nearly all our party had
+made up their minds that bed would be the most comfortable place.
+
+Two days later we sailed into lovely, bright, warm, sunny weather,
+with a strong north-easterly breeze, a following sea, and an
+occasional long roll from the westward. But as the sun rose, the wind
+increased, and we got rather knocked about by the sea. A good deal of
+water came on board, and it was impossible to sit anywhere in comfort,
+unless lashed or firmly wedged in. We were, however, going ten knots
+through the water, on our course, under our new square head canvas;
+and this fact made up for a good deal of discomfort.
+
+The thirty extra tons of spare sails, spars, and provisions, the
+fifteen tons of water, and the eighty-four tons of coal, made a great
+difference in our buoyancy, and the sea came popping in and out at the
+most unexpected places; much to the delight of the children, who, with
+bare feet and legs, and armed with mops and sponges, waged mimic war
+against the intruder and each other, singing and dancing to their
+hearts' content. This amusement was occasionally interrupted by a
+heavier roll than usual, sending them all into the lee scuppers,
+sousing them from head to foot, and necessitating a thorough change of
+clothing, despite their urgent protest that sea-water never hurt
+anybody.
+
+After our five o'clock dinner, however, we very nearly met with a
+most serious accident. We were all sitting or standing about the stern
+of the vessel, admiring the magnificent dark blue billows following
+us, with their curling white crests, mountains high. Each wave, as it
+approached, appeared as if it must overwhelm us, instead of which, it
+rushed grandly by, rolling and shaking us from stem to stern, and
+sending fountains of spray on board.
+
+[Illustration: Nearly Overboard.]
+
+Tom was looking at the stern compass, Allnutt being close to him. Mr.
+Bingham and Mr. Freer were smoking, half-way between the quarter-deck
+and the after-companion, where Captain Brown, Dr. Potter, Muriel, and
+I, were standing. Captain Lecky, seated on a large coil of rope,
+placed on the box of the rudder, was spinning Mabelle a yarn. A new
+hand was steering, and just at the moment when an unusually big wave
+overtook us, he unfortunately allowed the vessel to broach-to a
+little. In a second the sea came pouring over the stern, above
+Allnutt's head. The boy was nearly washed overboard, but he managed to
+catch hold of the rail, and, with great presence of mind, stuck his
+knees into the bulwarks. Kindred, our boatswain, seeing his danger,
+rushed forward to save him, but was knocked down by the return wave,
+from which he emerged gasping. The coil of rope, on which Captain
+Lecky and Mabelle were seated, was completely floated by the sea.
+Providentially, however, he had taken a double turn round his wrist
+with a reefing point, and, throwing his other arm round Mabelle, held
+on like grim death; otherwise nothing could have saved them. She was
+perfectly self-possessed, and only said quietly, 'Hold on, Captain
+Lecky, hold on!' to which he replied, 'All right.' I asked her
+afterwards if she thought she was going overboard, and she answered,
+'I did not _think_ at all, mamma, but felt sure we were gone.' Captain
+Lecky, being accustomed to very large ships, had not in the least
+realised how near we were to the water in our little vessel, and was
+proportionately taken by surprise. All the rest of the party were
+drenched, with the exception of Muriel, whom Captain Brown held high
+above the water in his arms, and who lost no time in remarking, in the
+midst of the general confusion, 'I'm not at all wet, I'm not.'
+Happily, the children don't know what fear is. The maids, however,
+were very frightened, as some of the sea had got down into the
+nursery, and the skylights had to be screwed down. Our studding-sail
+boom, too, broke with a loud crack when the ship broached-to, and the
+jaws of the fore-boom gave way.
+
+Soon after this adventure we all went to bed, full of thankfulness
+that it had ended as well as it did; but, alas, not, so far as I was
+concerned, to rest in peace. In about two hours I was awakened by a
+tremendous weight of water suddenly descending upon me and flooding
+the bed. I immediately sprang out, only to find myself in another pool
+on the floor. It was pitch dark, and I could not think what had
+happened; so I rushed on deck, and found that, the weather having
+moderated a little, some kind sailor, knowing my love of fresh air,
+had opened the skylight rather too soon; and one of the angry waves
+had popped on board, deluging the cabin.
+
+I got a light, and proceeded to mop up, as best I could, and then
+endeavoured to find a dry place to sleep in. This, however, was no
+easy task, for my own bed was drenched, and every other berth
+occupied. The deck, too, was ankle-deep in water, as I found when I
+tried to get across to the deck-house sofa. At last I lay down on the
+floor, wrapped up in my ulster, and wedged between the foot stanchion
+of our swing bed and the wardrobe athwart-ship; so that as the yacht
+rolled heavily, my feet were often higher than my head. Consequently,
+what sleep I snatched turned into nightmare, of which the fixed idea
+was a broken head from the three hundredweight of lead at the bottom
+of our bed, swinging wildly from side to side and up and down, as the
+vessel rolled and pitched, suggesting all manner of accidents. When
+morning came at last, the weather cleared a good deal, though the
+breeze continued. All hands were soon busily employed in repairing
+damages; and very picturesque the deck and rigging of the 'Sunbeam'
+looked, with the various groups of men, occupied upon the ropes,
+spars, and sails. Towards evening the wind fell light, and we had to
+get up steam. The night was the first really warm one we had enjoyed,
+and the stars shone out brightly. The sea, which had been of a lovely
+blue colour during the day, showed a slight phosphorescence after
+dark.
+
+_Thursday, July 13th_.--When I went on deck, at half-past six, I found
+a grey, steamy, calm morning, promising a very hot day, without wind.
+
+About 10.30 a.m., the cry of 'Sail on the port beam!' caused general
+excitement, and in a few minutes every telescope and glass in the ship
+had been brought to bear upon the object which attracted our
+attention, and which was soon pronounced to be a wreck. Orders were
+given to starboard the helm, and to steer direct for the vessel; and
+many were the conjectures hazarded, and the questions asked of the
+fortunate holders of glasses. 'What is she?' 'Is there any one on
+board?' 'Where does she come from?' 'Can you read her name?' 'Does she
+look as if she had been long abandoned?' Soon we were near enough to
+send a boat's crew on board, whilst we watched their movements
+anxiously from the bridge. We could now read her name--the
+'Carolina'--surmounted by a gorgeous yellow decoration on her stern.
+She was of between two and three hundred tons burden, and was painted
+a light blue, with a red streak. Beneath her white bowsprit the gaudy
+image of a woman served as a figure-head. The two masts had been
+snapped short off about three feet from the deck, and the bulwarks
+were gone, only the covering board and stanchions remaining, so that
+each wave washed over and through her. The roof and supports of the
+deck-house and the companions were still left standing, but the sides
+had disappeared, and the ship's deck was burst up in such a manner as
+to remind one of a quail's back.
+
+We saw the men on board poking about, apparently very pleased with
+what they had found; and soon our boat returned to the yacht for some
+breakers,[1] as the 'Carolina' had been laden with port wine and cork,
+and the men wished to bring some of the former on board. I changed my
+dress, and, putting on my sea boots, started for the wreck.
+
+[Footnote 1: Small casks, used for carrying water in boats, frequently
+spelt _barricos_, evidently from the time of the old Spanish
+navigators.]
+
+[Illustration: The Derelict 'Carolina' laden with Port Wine]
+
+We found the men rather excited over their discovery. The wine must
+have been _very_ new and _very_ strong, for the smell from it, as it
+slopped about all over the deck, was almost enough to intoxicate
+anybody. One pipe had already been emptied into the breakers and
+barrels, and great efforts were made to get some of the casks out
+whole; but this was found to be impossible, without devoting more time
+to the operation than we chose to spare. The men managed to remove
+three half-empty casks with their heads stove in, which they threw
+overboard, but the full ones would have required special appliances to
+raise them through the hatches. It proved exceedingly difficult to get
+at the wine, which was stowed underneath the cork, and there was also
+a quantity of cabin bulkheads and fittings floating about, under the
+influence of the long swell of the Atlantic. It was a curious sight,
+standing on the roof of the deck-house, to look into the hold, full of
+floating bales of cork, barrels, and pieces of wood, and to watch the
+sea surging up in every direction, through and over the deck, which
+was level with the water's edge. I saw an excellent modern iron
+cooking-stove washing about from side to side; but almost every other
+moveable article, including spars and ropes, had apparently been
+removed by previous boarders.
+
+It would have delayed us too long to tow the vessel into the nearest
+port, 375 miles distant, or we might have claimed the salvage money,
+estimated by the experts at 1,500_l_. She was too low in the water for
+it to be possible for us, with our limited appliances, to blow her up;
+so we were obliged to leave her floating about as a derelict, a
+fertile source of danger to all ships crossing her track. With her
+buoyant cargo, and with the trade winds slowly wafting her to smoother
+seas, it may probably be some years before she breaks up. I only hope
+that no good ship may run full speed on to her, some dark night, for
+the 'Carolina' would prove almost as formidable an obstacle as a
+sunken rock.
+
+Tom was now signalling for us to go on board again, and for a few
+minutes I was rather afraid we should have had a little trouble in
+getting the men off, as their excitement had not decreased; but after
+a trifling delay and some rather rough play amongst themselves, they
+became steady again, and we returned to the yacht with our various
+prizes.
+
+A 'Mother Carey's chicken' hovered round the wreck while we were on
+board, and followed us to the 'Sunbeam;' and although a flat calm and
+a heavy swell prevailed at the time, we all looked upon our visitor as
+the harbinger of a breeze. In this instance, at least, the well-known
+sailor's superstition was justified; for, before the evening, the wind
+sprang up, and 'fires out and sails up' was the order of the day. We
+were soon bowling merrily along at the rate of seven knots an hour,
+while a clear starlight night and a heavy dew gave promise of a fine
+morrow.
+
+_Friday, July 14th_.--We still have a light wind, right aft,
+accompanied by a heavy roll from the westward, which makes it
+impossible to sit anywhere with comfort, and difficult even to read.
+By 6 a.m. the sun had become very powerful, though its heat was
+tempered by the breeze, which gradually increased throughout the day,
+until, having set all our fore-and-aft canvas, as well as our square
+sails, we glided steadily along, in delightful contrast to the uneasy
+motion of the morning, and of the past few days. Under the
+awning--with the most heavenly blue sky above, and the still darker
+clear blue sea beneath, stretching away in gentle ripples as far as
+the eye could reach--it was simply perfect.
+
+Our little party get on extremely well together, though a week ago
+they were strangers to each other. We are all so busy that we do not
+see much of one another except at meals, and then we have plenty to
+talk about. Captain Lecky imparts to us some of his valuable
+information about scientific navigation and the law of storms, and he
+and Tom and Captain Brown work hard at these subjects. Mr. Freer
+follows in the same path; Mr. Bingham draws and reads; Dr. Potter
+helps me to teach the children, who, I am happy to say, are as well as
+possible. I read and write a great deal, and learn Spanish, so that
+the days are all too short for what we have to do. The servants are
+settling down well into their places, and the commissariat department
+does great credit to the cooks and stewards. The maids get on
+satisfactorily, but are a little nervous on rough nights. We hope not
+to have many more just at present, for we are now approaching calmer
+latitudes.
+
+In the course of the day, whilst Tom and I were sitting in the stern,
+the man at the wheel suddenly exclaimed, 'There's land on the port
+bow.' We knew, from the distance we had run, that this could not be
+the case, and after looking at it through the glasses, Tom pronounced
+the supposed land to be a thick wall of fog, advancing towards us
+_against_ the wind. Captain Brown and Captain Lecky came from below,
+and hastened to get in the studding-sails, in anticipation of the
+coming squall. In a few minutes we had lost our fair breeze and
+brilliant sunshine, all our sails were taken flat aback, and we found
+ourselves enveloped in a dense fog, which made it impossible for us to
+see the length of the vessel. It was an extraordinary phenomenon.
+Captain Lecky, who, in the course of his many voyages, has passed
+within a few miles of this exact spot more than a hundred and fifty
+times, had never seen anything in the least like it. As night came on
+the fog increased, and the boats were prepared ready for lowering. Two
+men went to the wheel, and two to the bows to look out, while an
+officer was stationed on the bridge with steam-whistle and bell ready
+for an emergency; so that, in case we ran into anything, or anything
+ran into us, we should at least have the satisfaction of knowing that,
+so far as we were concerned, it had all been done strictly according
+to Act of Parliament.
+
+_Saturday, July 15th_.--Between midnight and 4 a.m. the fog
+disappeared, as suddenly as it had come on. We must have passed
+through a wide belt of it. At 5.30 a.m., when Tom called me to see a
+steamer go by, it was quite clear. The vessel was the 'Roman,' and she
+passed so close to us that we made our number, and exchanged
+salutations with the officers on the bridge.
+
+Towards the afternoon a nice breeze sprang up, and we were able to
+bank fires and sail.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER II.
+
+MADEIRA, TENERIFFE, AND CAPE DE VERDE ISLANDS.
+
+    _Full many a green isle needs must be
+    In this wide sea of misery,
+    Or the mariner worn and wan
+    Never thus could voyage on._
+
+[Illustration: Our First View of Madeira]
+
+
+_Sunday, July 16th_.--Porto Santo being visible on the port bow, a
+quarter of a mile ahead, by 3.55 a.m. this morning, our three
+navigators congratulated themselves and each other on the good
+land-fall they had made.
+
+It looks a curious little island, and is situated about thirty-five
+miles north-east of Madeira, with a high peak in the centre, of which
+we could only see the extreme point, appearing above the clouds.
+
+It is interesting to know that it was from his observation of the
+drift-wood and debris washed on to the eastern shore that Columbus,
+who had married the daughter of the Governor of Porto Santo, derived
+his first impressions of the existence of the New World. Here it was
+that he first realised there might possibly be a large and unknown
+country to the westward; here it was that he first conceived the
+project of exploring the hitherto unknown ocean and of discovering
+what new countries might bound its western shores.
+
+An hour later we saw Fora and its light, at the extreme east of
+Madeira, and could soon distinguish the mountains in the centre of the
+latter island. As we rapidly approached the land, the beauty of the
+scenery became more fully apparent. A mass of dark purple volcanic
+rocks, clothed on the top with the richest vegetation, with patches of
+all sorts of colour on their sides, rises boldly from the sea. There
+are several small detached rocks, and one curious pointed little
+island, with an arch right through the middle of it, rather like the
+Perce Rock on the coast of Nova Scotia. We steamed slowly along the
+east coast, passing many pretty hamlets, nestled in bays or perched on
+the side of the hills, and observing how every possible nook and
+corner seemed to be terraced and cultivated. Sugar-canes, Indian corn,
+vines, and many varieties of tropical and semi-tropical plants, grow
+luxuriantly in this lovely climate. Nearly all the cottages in the
+island are inhabited by a simple people, many of whom have never left
+their native villages, even to look at the magnificent view from the
+top of the surrounding mountains, or to gaze on the sea, by which they
+are encompassed.
+
+We dropped our anchor in the bay of Funchal at about twelve o'clock,
+and before breakfast was over found ourselves surrounded by a perfect
+flotilla of boats, though none of them dared approach very near until
+the health-officer had come alongside and pronounced us free from
+infection. At this moment all are complaining much of the heat, which
+since yesterday has been very great, and is caused by the wind called
+'Este,' blowing direct from the African deserts. It was 79 deg. in the
+coolest place on board, and 84 deg. on shore in the shade, in the middle
+of the day.
+
+The African mail steamer, 'Ethiopia,' last from Bonny, West Coast of
+Africa, whence she arrived the day before yesterday, was lying in the
+bay, and the children went on board with some of our party to see her
+cargo of monkeys, parrots, and pineapples. The result was an
+importation of five parrots on board the 'Sunbeam;' but the monkeys
+were too big for us. Captain Dane, who paid us a return visit, said
+that the temperature here appeared quite cool to him, as for the last
+few weeks his thermometer had varied from 82 deg. to 96 deg. in the shade.
+
+We had service at 4 p.m., and at 5 p.m. went ashore in a native boat,
+furnished with bilge pieces, to keep her straight when beached, and to
+avoid the surf, for it was too rough for our own boats. At the water's
+edge a curious sort of double sleigh, drawn by two oxen, was waiting.
+Into this we stepped, setting off with considerable rapidity up the
+steep shingly beach, under a beautiful row of trees, to the 'Praca,'
+where the greater portion of the population were walking up and down,
+or sitting under the shade of the magnolias. These plants here attain
+the size of forest-trees, and their large white wax-like flowers shed
+a most delightful fragrance on the evening air. There were graceful
+pepper vines too, and a great variety of trees only known to us in
+England in the form of small shrubs. This being a festival day, the
+streets were crowded with people from town and country, in their
+holiday attire. The door-posts and balconies of the houses were
+wreathed with flowers, the designs in many cases being very pretty.
+One arcade in particular was quite lovely, with arches made of double
+red geranium, mixed with the feathery-looking pepper leaves, while the
+uprights were covered with amaryllis and white arum lilies. The
+streets were strewn with roses and branches of myrtle, which, bruised
+by the feet of the passers-by and the runners of the bullock sleigh,
+emitted a delicious aromatic odour.
+
+The trellises in the gardens seem overgrown with stephanotis, mauve
+and purple passion-flowers, and all kinds of rare creepers, the purple
+and white hibiscus shoots up some fourteen to sixteen feet in height;
+bananas, full of fruit and flower, strelitzias, heliotrope, geraniums,
+and pelargoniums, bloom all around in large shrubs, mixed with palms
+and mimosas of every variety; and the whole formed such an enchanting
+picture that we were loth to tear ourselves away.
+
+A ride of about twenty minutes in the bullock sleigh, up a steep hill,
+by the side of a rocky torrent, whose banks were overgrown with
+caladiums and vines, brought us to our destination, Til, whence we had
+a splendid view of the town and bay stretching beneath us. During the
+ascent we passed several cottages, whose inhabitants stood airing
+themselves on the threshold after the great heat of the day, and
+through the open doorways we occasionally got a peep into the gardens
+beyond, full of bright flowers and luxuriant with vines, fig-trees,
+and bananas. As we sat in the terrace garden at Til we enjoyed the
+sweet scent of the flowers we could no longer see, and listened to the
+cool splash of the water in the fountain below; whilst Allnutt, with
+unceasing energy, searched amongst the bushes for moths, of which he
+found a large number.
+
+We jogged down the hill a great deal faster than we had come up,
+stopping only for a short time in the now more than ever crowded
+'Praca,' to listen to one or two airs played by the Portuguese band,
+before we got back to the yacht at about half-past ten.
+
+Next morning we were off to the fish-market by seven o'clock, but it
+was not a good time for our visit, as there had been no moon on the
+previous night; and, though there were fish of various kinds, saw
+nothing specially worthy of notice. The picturesque costumes of the
+people were, however, interesting. We afterwards went to the
+fruit-market, though it was not specially worth seeing, for most of
+the fruit and vegetables are brought in boats from villages on the
+sea-shore; and, as it is necessary to wait until the sea-breeze
+springs up, they do not arrive until midday. After our walk the
+children and I went down to the beach and bathed, taking care not to
+go too far out on account of the sharks, of which we had been warned.
+We undressed and dressed in tents, not unlike clothes-horses, with a
+bit of matting thrown over them, in which the heat was intense. The
+beach is very steep; and as one gets out of one's depth immediately,
+indifferent swimmers put on a couple of bladders--which stick out
+behind their backs and produce a strange effect--or else take a
+bathing-man into the water with them. I preferred the latter course;
+and we all had a pleasant bathe.
+
+[Illustration: Fish Carrier]
+
+The natives seem almost amphibious in their habits, and the yacht is
+surrounded all day by boats full of small boys, who will dive to any
+depth for sixpence, a dozen of them spluttering and fighting for the
+coin in the water at the same time. They will go down on one side of
+the yacht too, and bob up on the other, almost before you have time to
+run across the deck to witness their reappearance.
+
+The Loo Rock, with its old fortress, close to our anchorage, forms a
+picturesque object; and the scene from the yacht, enlivened by the
+presence of numerous market-boats, laden with fruit and vegetables, is
+very pretty. We lie about 150 yards from the shore, just under Mr.
+Danero's quinta. The cliff just here is overhung with bougainvillaeas,
+geraniums, fuchsias, aloes, prickly pears, and other flowers, which
+grow luxuriantly quite down to the water's edge, wherever they can
+contrive to find a root-hold.
+
+After five o'clock tea we rode up the Mount and through the woods on
+horseback, along a road gay with masses of wild geranium, hydrangea,
+amaryllis, and fuchsia. We dismounted at a lovely place, which
+contains a large number of rare trees and plants, brought from all
+parts of the world. Here were enormous camellias, as well as purple,
+red, and white azaleas, Guernsey lilies, all growing in the greatest
+profusion.
+
+Our descent of the Mount, by means of a form of conveyance commonly
+used on the island, was very amusing. At the summit we found
+basket-work sleighs, each constructed to hold two people, and attended
+by a couple of men, lashed together. Into these we stepped, and were
+immediately pushed down the hill at a tremendous pace. The gliding
+motion is delightful, and was altogether a novelty to us. The men
+manage the sleighs with great skill, steering them in the most
+wonderful manner round the sharp angles in the zigzag road, and making
+use of their bare feet as brakes when necessary. The turns were
+occasionally so abrupt, that it seemed almost impossible that we could
+avoid being upset; but we reached the bottom quite safely. The
+children were especially delighted with the trip, and indeed we all
+enjoyed it immensely. The only danger is the risk of fire from the
+friction of the steel runners against the gravel road.
+
+After paying a visit to Mr. and Mrs. Blandy, whose house is
+beautifully situated, we dined at the hotel, and afterwards sat in
+the lovely semi-tropical garden until it was time to go on board to
+bed.
+
+_Tuesday, July 18th_.--We were called at 4.30 a.m., and went ashore
+soon after six to meet some friends, with whom we had arranged to ride
+up to the Gran Corral, and to breakfast there, 5,000 feet above the
+level of the sea.
+
+It soon became evident that the time we had selected for landing was
+the fashionable bathing hour. In fact, it required some skill on our
+part to keep the boat clear of the crowds of people of both sexes and
+all ages, who were taking their morning dip. It was most absurd to see
+entire families, from the bald-headed and spectacled grandfather to
+the baby who could scarcely walk, all disporting themselves in the
+water together, many of them supported by the very inelegant-looking
+bladders I have mentioned. There was a little delay in mounting our
+horses, under the shade of the fig-trees; but when we were once off, a
+party of eleven, the cavalcade became quite formidable. As we
+clattered up the paved streets, between vineyard and garden walls,
+'curiosity opened her lattice,' on more than one occasion, to
+ascertain the cause of the unwonted commotion. The views on our way,
+as we sometimes climbed a steep ascent or descended a deep ravine,
+were very varied, but always beautiful. About half-way up we stopped
+to rest under a delightful trellis of vines, by the side of a rushing
+mountain stream, bordered with ferns; then, leaving the vineyards and
+gardens behind us, we passed through forests of shady Spanish chestnut
+trees, beneath which stretched the luxurious greensward.
+
+At ten o'clock we quitted this grateful shade, and arrived at the neck
+of the pass, facing the Gran Corral, where we had to make our choice
+of ascending a conical hill, on our left, or the Torrinhas Peak, on
+our right. The latter was chosen, as promising the better view,
+although it was rather farther off, so we were accordingly seized
+upon by some of the crowd of peasants who surrounded us, and who at
+once proceeded to push and pull us up a steep slippery grass slope,
+interspersed with large boulders. The view from the top, looking down
+a sheer precipice of some 1,500 feet in depth into the valley below,
+was lovely. Quite at the bottom, amid the numerous ravines and small
+spurs of rocks by which the valley is intersected, we could
+distinguish some small patches of cultivated ground. Above our heads
+towered the jagged crests of the highest peaks, Pico Ruivo and others,
+which we had already seen from the yacht, when we first sighted the
+island.
+
+A pleasant walk over some grassy slopes, and two more hard scrambles,
+took us to the summit of the Torrinhas Peak; but the charming and
+extensive view towards Camara de Lobos, and the bay and town of
+Funchal, was an ample reward for all our trouble. It did not take us
+long to get back to the welcome shade of the chestnut trees, for we
+were all ravenously hungry, it being now eleven o'clock. But, alas!
+breakfast had not arrived: so we had no resource but to mount our
+horses again and ride down to meet it. Mr. Miles, of the hotel, had
+not kept his word; he had promised that our provisions should be sent
+up to us by nine o'clock, and it was midday before we met the men
+carrying the hampers on their heads. There was now nothing for it but
+to organise a picnic on the terrace of Mr. Veitch's deserted villa,
+beneath the shade of camellia, fuchsia, myrtle, magnolia, and
+pepper-trees, from whence we could also enjoy the fine view of the
+fertile valley beneath us and the blue sea sparkling beyond.
+
+_Wednesday, July 19th_.--We were so tired after our exertions of
+yesterday, that it was nine o'clock before we all mustered for our
+morning swim, which I think we enjoyed the more from the fact of our
+having previously been prevented by the sharks, or rather by the
+rumour of sharks.
+
+We were engaged to lunch at Mr. and Mrs. Blandy's, but I was so weary
+that I did not go ashore until about six o'clock in the evening, and
+then I went first to the English cemetery, which is very prettily laid
+out and well kept. The various paths are shaded by pepper-trees,
+entwined with bougainvillaea, while in many places the railings are
+completely covered by long trailing masses of stephanotis in full
+bloom. Some of the inscriptions on the tombs are extremely touching,
+and it is sad to see, as is almost always the case in places much
+resorted to by invalids, how large a proportion of those who lie
+buried here have been cut off in the very flower of their youth.
+Indeed, the residents at Madeira complain that it is a melancholy
+drawback to the charms of this beautiful island, that the friendship
+frequently formed between them and people who come hither in search of
+health, is in so many cases brought to an early and sad termination.
+Having seen and admired Mrs. Foljambe's charming garden by daylight,
+we returned on board to receive some friends. Unfortunately they were
+not very good sailors, and, out of our party of twenty, one lady had
+to go ashore at once, and another before dinner was over.
+
+They all admired the yacht very much, particularly the various cozy
+corners in the deck-house. It was a lovely night; and after the
+departure of our guests, at about ten o'clock, we steamed out of the
+bay, where we found a nice light breeze, which enabled us to sail.
+
+[Illustration: A Cozy Corner.]
+
+_Thursday, July 20th_.--All to-day has been taken up in arranging our
+photographs, journals, &c. &c., and in preparing for our visit to
+Teneriffe. About twelve o'clock the wind fell light and we tried
+fishing, but without success, though several bonitos or flying-fish
+were seen. It was very hot, and it seemed quite a relief when, at
+eight o'clock in the evening, we began steaming, thus creating a
+breeze for ourselves.
+
+_Friday, July 21st_.--We all rose early, and were full of excitement
+to catch the first glimpse of the famous Peak of Teneriffe. There was
+a nice breeze from the north-east, the true trade wind, we hope, which
+ought to carry us down nearly to the Line. The morning being rather
+hazy, it was quite ten o'clock before we saw the Peak, towering above
+the clouds, right ahead, about fifty-nine miles off. As we approached,
+it appeared less perpendicular than we had expected, or than it is
+generally represented in pictures. The other mountains too, in the
+centre of the island, from the midst of which it rises, are so very
+lofty that, in spite of its conical sugar-loaf top, it is difficult at
+first to realise that the Peak is 12,180 feet high.
+
+We dropped anchor under its shadow in the harbour of Orotava in
+preference to the capital, Santa Cruz, both on account of its being a
+healthier place, and also in order to be nearer to the Peak, which we
+wished to ascend.
+
+The heat having made the rest of our party rather lazy, Captain Lecky
+and I volunteered to go on shore to see the Vice-Consul, Mr. Goodall,
+and try to make arrangements for our expedition. It was only 2 p.m.,
+and very hot work, walking through the deserted streets, but luckily
+we had not far to go, and the house was nice and cool when we got
+there. Mr. Goodall sent off at once for a carriage, despatching a
+messenger also to the mountains for horses and guides, which there was
+some difficulty in obtaining at such short notice.
+
+Having organised the expedition we re-embarked to dine on board the
+yacht, and I went to bed at seven, to be called again, however, at
+half-past ten o'clock. After a light supper, we landed and went to the
+Vice-Consul's arriving there exactly at midnight. But no horses were
+forthcoming, so we lay down on our rugs in the patio, and endeavoured
+to sleep, as we knew we should require all our strength for the
+expedition before us.
+
+There were sundry false alarms of a start, as the horses arrived by
+ones and twos from the neighbouring villages, accompanied by their
+respective owners. By two o'clock all our steeds, twelve in number,
+had assembled, and in another quarter of an hour we were leaving the
+town by a steep stony path, bordered by low walls. There was no moon,
+and for the first two hours it was very dark. At the end of that time
+we could see the first glimmer of dawn, and were shortly afterwards
+able to distinguish each other and to observe the beautiful view which
+lay below us as we wended our way up and up between small patches of
+cultivation. Soon we climbed above the clouds, which presented a most
+curious appearance as we looked down upon them. The strata through
+which we had passed was so dense and so white, that it looked exactly
+like an enormous glacier, covered with fresh fallen snow, extending
+for miles and miles; while the projecting tops of the other Canary
+Islands appeared only like great solitary rocks.
+
+The sun had already become very oppressive, and at half-past seven we
+stopped to breakfast and to water the horses. Half-past eight found us
+in the saddle again, and we commenced to traverse a dreary plain of
+yellowish white pumice-stone, interspersed with huge blocks of
+obsidian, thrown from the mouth of the volcano. At first the monotony
+of the scene was relieved by large bushes of yellow broom in full
+flower, and still larger bushes of the beautiful _Retama blanca_,
+quite covered with lovely white bloom, scenting the air with its
+delicious fragrance, and resembling huge tufts of feathers, eight or
+nine feet high. As we proceeded, however, we left all traces of
+vegetation behind us. It was like the Great Sahara. On every side a
+vast expanse of yellow pumice-stone sand spread around us, an
+occasional block of rock sticking up here and there, and looking as if
+it had indeed been fused in a mighty furnace. By half-past ten we had
+reached the 'Estancia de los Ingleses,' 9,639 feet above the level of
+the sea, where the baggage and some of the horses had to be left
+behind, the saddles being transferred to mules for the very steep
+climb before us. After a drink of water all round, we started again,
+and commenced the ascent of the almost perpendicular stream of lava
+and stone, which forms the only practicable route to the top. Our poor
+beasts were only able to go a few paces at a time without stopping to
+regain their breath. The loose ashes and lava fortunately gave them a
+good foothold, or it would have been quite impossible for them to get
+along at all. One was only encouraged to proceed by the sight of one's
+friends above, looking like flies clinging to the face of a wall. The
+road, if such it can be called, ran in zigzags, each of which was
+about the length of two horses, so that we were in turns one above
+another. There were a few slips and slides and tumbles, but no
+important casualties; and in about an hour and a half we had reached
+the 'Alta Vista,' a tiny plateau, where the horses were to be left.
+
+The expedition so far had been such a fatiguing one, and the heat was
+so great, that the children and I decided to remain here, and to let
+the gentlemen proceed alone to the summit of the Peak. We tried to
+find some shade, but the sun was so immediately above us that this was
+almost an impossibility. However, we managed to squeeze ourselves
+under some slightly overhanging rocks, and I took some photographs
+while the children slept. The guides soon returned with water-barrels
+full of ice, procured from a cavern above, where there is a stream of
+water constantly running; and nothing could have been more grateful
+and refreshing.
+
+It was more than three hours before Tom and Captain Lecky reappeared,
+to be soon followed by the rest of the party. Whilst they rested and
+refreshed themselves with ice, they described the ascent as fatiguing
+in the extreme, in fact, almost an impossibility for a lady. First
+they had scrambled over huge blocks of rough lava to the tiny plain of
+the Rambleta, 11,466 feet above the level of the sea, after which they
+had to climb up the cone itself, 530 feet in height, and sloping at an
+angle of 44 degrees. It is composed of ashes and calcined chalk, into
+which their feet sank, while, for every two steps they made forwards
+and upwards, they slipped one backwards. But those who reached the top
+were rewarded for their exertions by a glorious view, and by the
+wonderful appearance of the summit of the Peak. The ground beneath
+their feet was hot, while sulphurous vapours and smoke issued from
+various small fissures around them, though there has been no actual
+eruption from this crater of the volcano since 1704. They brought down
+with them a beautiful piece of calcined chalk, covered with crystals
+of sulphur and arsenic, and some other specimens. Parched and dry as
+the ground looked where I was resting, a few grains of barley, dropped
+by mules on the occasion of a previous visit, had taken root and had
+grown up into ear; and there were also a few roots of a sort of
+dog-violet, showing its delicate lavender-coloured flowers 11,000 feet
+above the sea, and far beyond the level of any other vegetation.
+
+It was impossible to ride down to the spot where we had left the
+baggage animals, and the descent was consequently very fatiguing, and
+even painful. At every step our feet sank into a mass of loose scoriae
+and ashes; and so we went slipping, sliding, and stumbling along,
+sometimes running against a rock, and sometimes nearly pitching
+forward on our faces. All this too beneath a blazing sun, with the
+thermometer at 78 deg., and not a vestige of shade. At last Tom and I
+reached the bottom, where, after partaking of luncheon and draughts of
+quinine, we lay down under the shadow of a great rock to recruit our
+weary frames.
+
+Refreshed by our meal, we started at six o'clock on our return
+journey, and went down a good deal faster than we came up. Before the
+end of the pumice-stone or Retama plains had been reached, it was
+nearly dark. Sundry small accidents occurring to stirrup-leathers,
+bridles, and girths--for the saddlery was not of the best
+description--delayed us slightly, and as Tom, Dr. Potter, Allnutt, and
+the guide had got on ahead, we soon lost sight of them. After an
+interval of uncertainty, the other guides confessed that they did not
+know the way back in the dark. This was not pleasant, for the roads
+were terrible, and during the whole of our journey up, from the port
+to the Peak, we had met only four people in all--two goatherds with
+their flocks, and two 'neveros,' bringing down ice to the town. There
+was therefore not much chance of gaining information from any one on
+our way down. We wandered about among low bushes, down watercourses,
+and over rocks for a long time. Horns were blown, and other means of
+attracting attention were tried; first one and then another of the
+party meanwhile coming more or less to grief. My good little horse
+fell down three times, though we did not part company, and once he
+went up a steep bank by mistake, instead of going down a very nasty
+watercourse, which I do not wonder at his objecting to. I managed to
+jump off in time, and so no harm was done; but it was rather anxious
+work.
+
+About ten o'clock we saw a light in the distance, and with much
+shouting woke up the inhabitants of the cottage whence it proceeded,
+promising to reward them liberally if they would only show us our way
+back. Three of them consented to do this, and provided themselves
+accordingly with pine-torches, wrapped round with bracken and leaves.
+One, a very fine man, dressed in white, with his arm extended above
+his head, bearing the light, led the way; another walked in front of
+my horse, while the third brought up the rear. They conducted us down
+the most frightfully steep paths until we had descended beneath the
+clouds, when the light from our torches threw our shadows in gigantic
+form upon the mists above, reminding us of the legend of the 'Spectre
+of the Brocken.' At last the torches began to go out, one by one, and
+just as the last light was expiring we arrived at a small village,
+where we of course found that everybody was asleep. After some delay,
+during which Mabelle and I were so tired that we lay down in the
+street to rest, more torches were procured and a fresh guide, who led
+us into the comparatively good path towards Puerto Orotava. Finally,
+half an hour after midnight, we arrived at the house of the
+Vice-Consul, who had provided refreshments for us, and whose nephew
+was still very kindly sitting up awaiting our return. But we were too
+tired to do anything but go straight on board the yacht, where, after
+some supper and champagne, we were indeed glad to retire to our
+berths. This was at 3.30 a.m., exactly twenty-nine hours since we had
+been called on Friday night.
+
+It is certainly too long an expedition to be performed in one day.
+Tents should be taken, and arrangements made for camping out for one,
+if not two, nights; but, in the case of such a large party as ours,
+this would have been a great business, as everything must be carried
+to so great a height, up such steep places, and over such bad roads.
+Still, there are so many objects and places of interest, not only on,
+but around, the Peak, that it is a pity to see them only when hurried
+and fatigued.
+
+_Sunday, July 23rd_.--Orders had been given not to call us nor to wash
+decks, and it was consequently half-past ten before any one awoke, and
+midday before the first of our party put in an appearance on deck.
+
+Long before this, the 'Sunbeam' had been inundated with visitors from
+the shore. We had given a general invitation to the friends of the
+Vice-Consul to come and see the yacht; and they accordingly arrived in
+due course, accompanied in many cases by a large circle of
+acquaintances. Those who came first were conducted below and all over
+the vessel, but the number ultimately became so great that, in
+self-defence, we were obliged to limit their wanderings to the deck,
+opening the skylights wide, however, to enable them to see as much as
+possible of the saloon and cabins.
+
+From breakfast-time until prayers, at three o'clock, when the yacht
+was closed for an hour, there was a constant stream of visitors from
+the shore. It was a great nuisance; but still it seemed unkind to
+refuse to allow them to see what they had never seen before, and might
+possibly never have an opportunity of seeing again. All steamers and
+sailing-ships, as a rule, go to Santa Cruz; and the fame of our vessel
+having been spread abroad by our visitors of Friday, many of the poor
+people had come from villages far away over the mountains. We could
+not help feeling a certain respect for the determined way in which
+physical infirmity was mastered by curiosity for, though many
+experienced very serious inconvenience from the motion of the vessel,
+they still persevered in their examination.
+
+About five o'clock we went ashore ourselves, and drove up to Villa
+Orotava. The wide road is macadamised and marked with kilometre
+stones, and is planted on either side with pepper-trees, plane-trees,
+and the _Eucalyptus globulus_, which has grown 35 metres, or 115 feet,
+in seven years. The hedges are formed of blue plumbago, scarlet
+geranium, yellow acacia, lavender-coloured heliotrope, white jasmine,
+and pink and white roses.
+
+After driving a few miles, we turned down an old paved road towards
+the sea, and, by dint of a considerable amount of shaking, arrived at
+the celebrated Botanical Gardens, mentioned by Humboldt and others. We
+passed through a small house, with a fine dragon-tree on either side,
+and entered the gardens, where we found a valuable collection of trees
+and shrubs of almost every known species. The kind and courteous
+Curator, Don Hermann Wildgaret, accompanied us, and explained the
+peculiarities of the many interesting plants, from Europe, Asia,
+Africa, America, Australia, New Zealand, and the various islands of
+the North and South Pacific and Indian Oceans. The climate of
+Teneriffe is so equable, that the island forms a true garden of
+acclimatisation for the vegetable productions of the various countries
+of the world; by the judicious expenditure of a little more money,
+this establishment might be made an important means of introducing to
+Europe many new and valuable plants. At present the annual income is
+5,000 francs, the salary of the Curator being 1,000 francs.
+
+A rough drive over paved roads, commanding extensive views of sea and
+rocks, and of some palm-trees on a promontory in the distance, brought
+us, at about seven o'clock, to the boat, which was waiting our return.
+We arrived in due course on board the 'Sunbeam,' laden with bouquets
+of the choicest flowers, and soon after dinner we all retired to bed,
+not having yet recovered from the fatigues of yesterday.
+
+_Monday, July 24th_.--What one gains in the beauty and abundance of
+vegetable life here, one loses in its rapid and premature decay. Fruit
+gathered in the morning is scarcely fit to eat at night, and the
+flowers brought on board yesterday evening were dead to-day at 4.30
+a.m.; whilst some of the roses we brought from Cowes lasted until we
+reached Madeira, though it must be owned so many fell to pieces that
+my cabin used to be daily swept with rose-leaves instead of
+tea-leaves.
+
+We went ashore soon after six, and drove straight to the garden of the
+Marquis de Sonzal, where there is a beautiful palm-tree, 101 feet
+high, the remains of an enormous dragon-tree, old even in the
+fifteenth century, besides hedges of myrtle, jasmine, and clematis,
+and flowers of every description in full bloom. The dragon-tree is a
+species of dracaena, and looks rather like a gigantic candelabra,
+composed of a number of yuccas, perched on the top of a gnarled and
+somewhat deformed stem, half palm half cactus. Another beautiful
+garden was next visited, belonging to the Marquis de la Candia, who
+received us and showed us his coffee and plantains in full growth, as
+well as a magnificent Spanish chestnut-tree, coeval with the
+dragon-tree. Out of one of its almost decayed branches a so-called
+young tree was growing, but it would have been thought very
+respectable and middle-aged in any other locality.
+
+Every one here, as in Madeira, has been more or less ruined by the
+failure of the vines. Most of the large landed proprietors have left
+their estates to take care of themselves; and the peasants, for the
+last few years, have been emigrating by hundreds to Caraccas, in
+Venezuela. Things are, however, beginning to look up a little now. The
+cultivation of cochineal appears to succeed, though the price is low;
+coffee answers well; and permission has been obtained from the Spanish
+Government to grow tobacco, accompanied by a promise to purchase, at
+a certain fixed rate, all that can be produced. Still, people talk of
+the Island of Teneriffe as something very different now from what it
+was twenty-five or thirty years ago, both as regards the number of its
+inhabitants and the activity of its commerce, and mourn over 'the good
+old times;'--a custom I have remarked in many other places!
+
+[Illustration: A Palm-tree in a Garden, Orotava, Teneriffe.]
+
+The Marquis de la Candia and Don Hermann Wildgaret returned on board
+with us to breakfast. The anchor had been weighed, and the 'Sunbeam'
+was slowly steaming up and down, waiting for us. The stream of
+visitors had been as great and as constant as ever during our absence,
+in spite of the heavy roll of the sea, and the deck seemed quite
+covered with baskets of flowers and fruit, kindly sent on board by the
+people who had been over the yacht the day before. Amongst the latest
+arrivals were some very handsome Spanish ladies, beautifully dressed
+in black, with mantillas, each of whom was accompanied by a young man
+carrying a basin. It must, I fear, be confessed that this was rather a
+trial to the gravity of all on board. It certainly was an instance of
+the pursuit of knowledge, or the gratification of curiosity, under
+considerable difficulties.
+
+Immediately after breakfast, our friends bade us adieu, and went
+ashore in the shore-boat, while we steamed along the north side of the
+island, past the splendid cliffs of Buenavista, rising 2,000 feet
+sheer from the sea, to Cape Teno, the extreme western point of
+Teneriffe. In the distance we could see the Great Canary, Palma, and
+Hierro, and soon passed close to the rocky island of Gomera. Here,
+too, the dark cliffs, of volcanic form and origin, are magnificent,
+and as we were almost becalmed by the high land whilst we sailed along
+the north shore of the island, we had ample opportunities of admiring
+its rugged beauty. During the night we approached Palma, another large
+island of the Canary group, containing one of the most remarkable
+_calderas_, or large basins, formed by volcanic action in the world.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER III.
+
+
+PALMA TO RIO DE JANEIRO.
+
+    _A wet sheet and a flowing sea,_
+    _A wind that follows fast_
+    _And fills the white and rustling sail_
+    _And bends the gallant mast._
+
+_Tuesday, July 25th_.--There was not much wind during the night, and
+Palma was consequently still visible when I came on deck at daybreak.
+We had a light fair wind in the morning, accompanied by a heavy swell,
+which caused us to roll so much that I found it very difficult to do
+anything. Several shoals of flying fish skimmed past us along the
+surface of the water, occasionally rising to a considerable height
+above it. Their beautiful wings, glittering in the bright sunlight,
+looked like delicate silver filigree-work. In the night one flew on
+board, only to be preserved in spirits by Dr. Potter.
+
+_Saturday, July 29th_.--For the last three days we have been going on
+quietly with fair, warm weather, but a nice fresh breeze sprang up
+to-day. At midday the sun was so exactly vertical over our heads, that
+it was literally possible to stand under the shadow of one's own
+hatbrim, and be sheltered all round. Our navigators experienced
+considerable difficulty in taking their noon-tide observations, as the
+sun appeared to dodge about in every direction.
+
+About two o'clock we made the high land of St. Antonio, one of the
+Cape de Verde Islands, and, soon afterwards, the lower land of St
+Vincent. Some doubt existing as to the prevalence of fever at the
+latter place, Tom decided not to stop there, for fear of having to
+undergo quarantine at Rio de Janeiro. We therefore shortened sail, and
+passed slowly between the islands to the anchorage beyond the Bird
+Rock. This is a very small island, of perfectly conical form, covered
+with thousands of sea-fowl, who live here undisturbed by any other
+inhabitants. The town of Porto Grande, with its rows of white houses
+on the sea-shore, at the base of the rocky crags, looked clean and
+comfortable in the evening light. During the day, however, it must be
+a hot and glaring place, for there are no trees to afford shade, nor,
+indeed, any kind of vegetation. The water, too, is bad, and all
+supplies for passing steamers are brought from the other islands, at
+very uncertain intervals. It is still a great coaling-station, though
+not so much used as it was formerly, before the opening of the Suez
+Canal. The ships come out with coal, and go away in ballast (there is
+nothing else to be had here), procured from a point near the town, to
+Rio or elsewhere, where they pick up their homeward cargo of fruit,
+&c.
+
+The absence of twilight in these latitudes, both at dawn and sunset,
+is certainly very remarkable. This morning, at four o'clock, the stars
+were shining brightly; ten minutes later the day had commenced to
+break; and at half-past four the sun had risen above the horizon, and
+was gilding the surrounding mountain tops.
+
+_Sunday, July 30th_.--About 10 a.m. we were off Tarafal Bay--a most
+hopeless-looking place for supplies. High rocky mountains, sandy
+slopes, and black volcanic beach, composed a scene of arid desolation,
+in the midst of which was situated one small white house, with four
+windows and a thatched roof, surrounded by a little green patch of
+sugar-canes and cocoa-nut palms.
+
+But the result proved the sageness of the advice contained in the old
+proverb, not to trust to appearances only; for, whilst we were at
+breakfast, Mr. Martinez, the son of the owner of the one whitewashed
+cottage to be seen, came on board. To our surprise, he spoke English
+extremely well, and promised us all sorts of supplies, if we could
+wait until three o'clock in the afternoon. Having agreed to do this,
+we shortly afterwards went ashore in his boat, with a crew of more
+than half-naked negroes, and a hot row of about three miles brought us
+to the shore, where, after some little difficulty, we succeeded in
+effecting a landing. Our feet immediately sank into the hot black
+sand, composed entirely of volcanic deposits and small pieces, or
+rather grains, of amber, through which we had a fatiguing walk until
+we reached some palm-trees, shading a little pool of water. Here we
+left some of the men, with instructions to fill the breakers they had
+brought with them, while we walked on along the beach, past the
+remains of an English schooner that caught fire not far from this
+island, and was run ashore by her captain, thirty years ago. Her iron
+anchor, chain, and wheel still remained, together with two queer
+little iron cannon, which I should have much liked to carry off as a
+memorial of our visit. We then turned up a narrow shadeless path,
+bordered by stone walls, leading away from the sea, past a sugar-mill
+and a ruin. A few almond, castor-oil, and fig trees were growing
+amongst the sugar-canes, and as we mounted the hill we could see some
+thirty round straw huts, like beehives, on the sandy slopes beside the
+little stream. An abrupt turn in the mountains, amid which, at a
+distance of three leagues, this tiny river takes its rise, hides it
+from the sea, so that the narrow valley which it fertilises looks like
+a small oasis in the desert of rocks and sand.
+
+Mr. Martinez's house, where we sat for some time, and beneath the
+windows of which the one stream of the island runs, was comparatively
+cool. Outside, the negro washerwomen were busy washing clothes in large
+turtle-shell tubs, assisted, or hindered, by the 'washerwoman-bird,'
+a kind of white crane, who appeared quite tame, playing about just
+like a kitten, pecking at the clothes or the women's feet, and
+then running away and hiding behind a tree. The stream was full of
+water-cresses, while the burnt-up little garden contained an abundance
+of beautiful flowers. There were scarlet and yellow mimosas, of many
+kinds, combining every shade of exquisite green velvety foliage,
+alpinias, with pink, waxy flowers and crimson and gold centres,
+oleanders, begonias, hibiscus, allamandas, and arum and other lilies.
+
+[Illustration: Tarafal Bay, St. Antonio.]
+
+Mr. Bingham sketched, I took some photographs, Dr. Potter and the
+children caught butterflies, and the rest of our party wandered about.
+Every five minutes a negro arrived with a portion of our supplies. One
+brought a sheep, another a milch-goat for baby, while the rest
+contributed, severally, a couple of cocoa-nuts, a papaya, three
+mangoes, a few water-cresses, a sack of sweet potatoes, a bottle of
+milk, three or four quinces, a bunch of bananas, a little honey,
+half-a-dozen cabbages, some veal and pork, and so on; until it
+appeared as if every little garden on either side of the three leagues
+of stream must have yielded up its entire produce, and we had
+accumulated sacks full of cocoa-nuts and potatoes, hundreds of eggs,
+and dozens of chickens and ducks. It was very amusing to see the
+things arrive. They were brought in by people varying in colour from
+dark yellow to the blackest ebony, and ranging in size from fine
+stalwart men, over six feet in height, to tiny little blackies of
+about three feet six, with curly hair, snowy teeth, and mischievous,
+beady eyes. The arrival of the provision boat and the transfer of its
+miscellaneous cargo to the 'Sunbeam' was quite an amusing sight. The
+pretty black goat and the sheep bleated, the fowls cackled, and the
+ducks quacked, while the negroes chatted and laughed as they handed
+and hauled on board fish of all shapes and sizes, bunches of bananas,
+piles of cocoa-nuts, sacks of potatoes, and many other things,
+finishing up with a tiny black boy, about three years old, whom I
+think they would rather have liked to leave behind with us, if we
+would only have taken him. The fish proved excellent, though some of
+them really seemed almost too pretty to eat. A brilliant gold fish,
+weighing about three pounds, and something like a grey mullet in
+flavour, was perhaps the best. The prices were very curious. Chickens
+a shilling each, ducks five shillings, goats thirty shillings, and
+sheep ten shillings. Vegetables, fruit, and flowers were extremely
+cheap; but the charge for water, fetched from the spring in our own
+breakers by our own crew, with but little assistance from four or five
+negroes, was 3_l_. 18_s_. However, as ours is the only yacht, with one
+exception, that has ever visited this island, there was nothing for it
+except to pay the bill without demur.
+
+I never in my life felt so warm as I did to-day on shore, though the
+inhabitants say it will not be _really_ hot for two months yet; I
+never before saw cocoa-nut palms growing; and I never tasted a mango
+until this morning; so I have experienced three new sensations in one
+day.
+
+The night was fearfully close, muggy, and thundery, the temperature in
+the cabins being 89 deg., in spite of open sky-lights and port-holes.
+Generally speaking, it has not hitherto been as hot as we expected,
+especially on board the yacht itself. On deck there is almost always a
+nice breeze, but below it is certainly warm.
+
+_Tuesday, August 1st_.--Yesterday we were still under sail, but to-day
+it has been necessary to steam, for the wind has fallen too light.
+There was a heavy roll from the south, and the weather continued hot
+and oppressive. In the cabins the thermometer stood at 89 deg. during the
+whole of the night, in spite of all our efforts to improve the
+temperature. We therefore put three of the children in the deck-house
+to sleep, opening the doors and windows; and some of the rest of our
+party slept on deck in hammocks. In anticipation of the heavy
+equatorial rains, which Captain Lecky had predicted might commence
+to-day, we had had the awnings put up; a fortunate piece of foresight,
+for, before midnight, the rain came down in torrents.
+
+_Wednesday, August 2nd_.--At daybreak the sky was covered with heavy
+black clouds, and the atmosphere was as hot and muggy as ever. We had
+a great deal of rain during the day, and took advantage of the
+opportunity to fill every available tub, bucket, and basin, to say
+nothing of the awnings. It came down in such sheets that mackintoshes
+were comparatively useless, and we had soon filled our seventeen
+breakers, the cistern, and the boats, from which we had removed the
+covers, with very good, though somewhat dirty, washing water.
+
+_Friday, August 4th_.--We were only 289 miles off Sierra Leone in the
+morning, and at noon therefore Tom decided to put about. Having done
+so, we found that we went along much more easily and quite as fast on
+the other tack. We maintained a good rate of speed on our new course,
+which was now nearly due west, passing a large barque with every
+stitch of canvas set, hand over hand.
+
+We are still in the Guinea current, and the temperature of the water
+is 82 deg., even in the early morning; but the heat of the sun does not
+seem to have much effect upon it, as it does not vary to any great
+extent during the day.
+
+[Illustration: Father Neptune.]
+
+In the evening we saw the Southern Cross for the first time, and were
+much disappointed in its appearance. The fourth star is of smaller
+magnitude than the others, and the whole group is only for a very
+short time in a really upright position, inclining almost always
+either to one side or the other, as it rises and sets.
+
+_Tuesday, August 8th_.--We crossed the line at daylight.
+
+This event caused much fun and excitement, both in cabin and
+forecastle. The conventional hair was put across the field of the
+telescope for the unsophisticated 'really to see the line,' and many
+firmly believed they did see it, and discussed its appearance at some
+length. Jim Allen, one of our tallest sailors, and coxswain of the
+gig, dressed in blue, with long oakum wig and beard, gilt paper crown,
+and trident and fish impaled in one hand, was seated on a
+gun-carriage, and made a capital Father Neptune. Our somewhat portly
+engineer, Mr. Rowbotham, with fur-trimmed dressing gown and cap, and
+bent form, leaning on a stick, his face partially concealed by a long
+grey beard, and a large band-box of pills on one arm, made an equally
+good doctor to his Marine Majesty, while the part of Mrs. Trident was
+ably filled by one of the youngest sailors, dressed in some of the
+maids' clothes; but the accompanying pictures will give a better idea
+than any description of mine.
+
+[Illustration: His Doctor (Crossing the Line)]
+
+Soon afterwards we saw an enormous shoal of grampuses, large black
+fish, about 25 feet in length, something between a dolphin and a
+whale, with the very ugliest jaws, or rather snouts, imaginable. They
+are of a predatory and ferocious disposition, attacking not only
+sharks, dolphins, and porpoises, but even whales, more than twice
+their own size. We also passed through enormous quantities of
+flying-fish, no doubt driven to the surface by dolphins and bonitos.
+They were much larger and stronger in the wing than any we have
+hitherto seen.
+
+Lulu's puppies, born yesterday, have been respectively named Butterfly
+(who survived her birth only an hour), Poseidon, Aphrodite,
+Amphitrite, and Thetis--names suggested by their birth-place on the
+ocean close to his Marine Majesty's supposed equatorial palace.
+
+[Illustration: Lulu and her Puppies]
+
+At noon we were 250 miles off St. Paul's Rocks.
+
+_Thursday, August 10th_.--A very hot, showery day. Saw two large ships
+in the distance. In the morning we were almost becalmed for a time,
+but the breeze returned during the afternoon, and we were able to
+proceed on our course. I think this has been the most lovely of the
+many exquisite days we have enjoyed since we left England. It
+commenced with a magnificent sunrise, and ended with an equally
+gorgeous sunset, only to be succeeded by a beautiful moonlight night,
+so clear and bright that we could see to read ordinary print on deck.
+
+_Saturday, August 12th_.--At noon we were 300 miles off Bahia, a place
+we have made up our minds not to visit, as it would lengthen our
+voyage considerably, and there is not much to see there. We have
+therefore decided to proceed direct to Rio, where we are looking
+forward to arrive on Wednesday or Thursday next.
+
+The night was showery, with a good deal of wind and sea.
+
+_Sunday, August 13th_.--Sailing in the tropics is really very
+delightful! When going to the westward, there is almost always, at
+this season of the year, a favourable breeze, and the weather is
+generally either quite fair or moderately so.
+
+    Whispered to it, westward, westward,
+    And with speed it darted forward.
+
+We had service at 11.15 a.m., and again at 5.30 p.m. The choir has
+considerably improved; one of our new men plays the violin very well,
+and frequently accompanies the children and the nurse in their songs.
+On a clear calm night, beneath a tropical sky, when the members of
+this little group assemble on deck, and, by the light of a lantern,
+sing some of their simple songs, the effect produced is both melodious
+and picturesque.
+
+The wind dropped at about 10 p.m., and we had an unpleasant amount of
+roll during the night, sails flapping, spars creaking, and booms
+swinging as if they would pull the masts out of the vessel.
+
+[Illustration: Vespers.]
+
+_Monday, August 14th_.--This morning we saw a small schooner ahead,
+and thinking from her manoeuvres that she wished to speak us, we made
+our number and ran towards her. We soon found out, however, that she
+was a whaler, in chase of two large grampuses. She had two men on the
+look-out in the cross-trees, in a sort of iron cage; and though she
+was of much smaller tonnage than the 'Sunbeam,' she carried five big
+boats, one of which, full of men, was ready to be lowered into the
+water, the instant they had approached sufficiently near to the whale
+or grampus. These seas used formerly to abound with whalers, but they
+are now much less numerous, the seasons having been bad of late.
+
+To-night the stars were especially brilliant, and we spent some hours
+in trying to make out their names. Vega, our polar star for some time
+to come, shone conspicuously bright, and the Southern Cross could be
+seen to great advantage.
+
+_Wednesday, August 16th_.--We had a fine fair breeze all day, and at 5
+p.m. there was a cry from the mast-head of 'Land ahead!' Great
+excitement immediately prevailed on board, and Tom and Captain Brown
+rushed, for about the twelfth time, to the foretop to see if the
+report was true. They were soon able to announce that Cape Frio was
+visible on the port bow, about thirty-five miles distant. After even a
+fortnight at sea, an indescribable sensation is produced by this cry,
+and by the subsequent sight of the land itself. When we came up on
+deck this evening, after dinner, we all gazed on the lighthouse on the
+still distant shore as if we had never beheld such a thing in our
+lives before. The colour and temperature of the water had perceptibly
+changed, the former from a beautiful, clear, dark ultramarine to a
+muddy green; innumerable small birds, moths, locusts, and grasshoppers
+came on board; and, having given special orders that we were to be
+called early the next morning, we went to bed in the fond hope that we
+should be able to enter Rio harbour at daybreak.
+
+_Thursday, August 17th_.--'L'homme propose; Dieu dispose.' Steam was
+up at midnight, but by that time it was blowing half a gale of wind
+from the south-west, with such a steep short sea that the screw was
+scarcely ever properly immersed, but went racing round and round in
+the air with tremendous velocity, as we pitched and rolled about. Our
+progress was therefore at the rate of something rather under a mile
+an hour, and at daybreak, instead of entering the harbour of Rio, as
+we had hoped to do, we found ourselves close to Cape Frio.
+
+About 8 a.m. matters mended, the wind moderating and changing its
+direction slightly; so that, under steam and sail, we were soon going
+along the coast at the rate of four or five miles an hour. The surf
+was breaking with a loud roar upon the white sandy beach, while the
+spray was carried by the force of the wind far inland, over the strip
+of flat fertile-looking country, lying between the sea and a chain of
+low sugarloaf-shaped mountains, parallel with the shore, and only a
+short distance off.
+
+Our course lay between the mainland and the islands of Maya and Payo,
+where the groves of bananas and other trees looked very miserable in
+the wind. The tall isolated palm-trees, whose elastic stems bowed
+readily before the fury of the blast, looked, as they were twisted and
+whirled hither and thither, like umbrellas turned inside out. Passing
+the false Sugarloaf mountain, as it is called, we next opened out the
+true one, the Gavia, and the chain of mountains beyond, the outlines
+of which bear an extraordinary resemblance to the figure of a man
+lying on his back, the profile of the face being very like that of the
+late Duke of Wellington. As the sun sank in gorgeous splendour behind
+these hills, I think I never saw a grander or more beautiful sight;
+though the sky was so red and stormy-looking that our hopes of a fine
+day to-morrow were but faint.
+
+Before entering the harbour, a bar had to be crossed, which is a
+dangerous operation all the world over. The skylights and hatches were
+fastened down, and those of our party who did not like being shut up
+below took their places on the bridge, where, for the first time since
+we left England, it felt really quite cold. As we advanced, the
+beautiful harbour, with its long rows of glittering gas-lights,
+extending for miles on either side of the bay, and illuminating the
+city and suburbs, gradually became visible. On our left lay the two
+islands, Rodonda and Raza, on the latter of which is situated a
+lighthouse. The wind was blowing off the land when we reached the bar,
+so that, after all our preparations, there was hardly any sea to
+encounter, and the moment we were over, the water on the other side
+was perfectly smooth. A gun and a blue light from Fort Santa Cruz,
+answered immediately by a similar signal from Fort Santa Lucia,
+announced our arrival, and we shortly afterwards dropped our anchor in
+the quarantine ground of Rio close to Botafogo Bay, in the noble
+harbour of Nictheroy.
+
+After dinner it rained heavily, and continued to do so during the
+whole night.
+
+[Illustration: Botafogo Bay]
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IV.
+
+RIO DE JANEIRO.
+
+   _The sun is warm, the sky is clear,_
+   _The waves are dancing fast and bright,_
+   _Blue isles and snowy mountains wear_
+   _The purple noon's transparent light._
+
+
+_Friday, August 18th_.--The clouds still hung heavy on the hills, or
+rather mountains, which surround the bay, occasionally descending in
+the form of torrents of rain, and hiding everything from our view.
+
+Early in the morning we weighed anchor and steamed up the bay to the
+man-of-war anchorage, a much pleasanter situation than the quarantine
+harbour, where we had brought up last night. About 9.30 a.m. the
+health officers came on board, and half an hour later we had a visit
+from the custom-house official, who required Tom to sign and seal a
+declaration upon oath that he had no cargo on board, and not more coal
+than we absolutely required for our own consumption.
+
+About eleven o'clock we put on our mackintoshes and thick boots, and,
+accompanied by an interpreter, who (together with several washerwomen)
+had suddenly made his appearance on board, rowed ashore, pushing our
+way through crowds of boats laden with fruit and vegetables. The
+landing-place was close to the market, at some broken-down steps, and
+was crowded with chattering negroes, of every shade of colour. The
+quays seemed covered with piles of fruit and vegetables, discharged
+from the boats, the principal produce being sugar-cane, bananas, and
+oranges. Each side street that we came to was a little river, which
+had to be crossed, or rather forded, after paddling through the mud in
+the main thoroughfare.
+
+Our first visit was to the post-office--'no letters'--then to the
+British Consulate--'no letters'--and finally to the Legation, but
+there was nobody at home there; so we set off for the Hotel des
+Etrangers, to breakfast. Our way lay through the straggling suburbs of
+the city for about two miles, and as we drove along we could see and
+admire, despite the heavy rain, the magnificent groves of palm-trees,
+and the brilliancy and beauty of the tropical vegetation in the
+various private and public gardens that we passed.
+
+After breakfast we returned to the Legation, where we were most kindly
+received, but, much to our regret, no letters were forthcoming. We
+next paid a visit to some of the shops in the Rua do Ouvidor, for the
+sale of imitations of flowers, made from the undyed feathers of birds,
+and a large number of the more expensive varieties of ordinary
+artificial flowers, each petal consisting of the entire throat or
+breast of a humming-bird, and the leaves are made from the wings of
+beetles. They are very rare and beautiful, their manufacture being
+quite a _specialite_ of this city. The prices asked astonished us
+greatly; the cost of five sprays, which I had been commissioned to
+buy, was 29_l_., and the price of all the others was proportionately
+high. But then they wear for ever. I have had some for nine years, and
+they are as good now as when they were bought.
+
+_Saturday, August 19th_.--Though far from brilliant, the weather
+improved, and we were able to enjoy occasional glimpses of the
+beautiful scenery around us.
+
+Mr. Gough and Mr. O'Conor breakfasted with us on board, and we
+afterwards proceeded in a 'bond' to the Botanical Gardens, about seven
+miles out of the city. These 'bonds,' which are a great institution
+here, are large carriages, either open or closed, drawn sometimes by
+one, sometimes by two, sometimes by three mules. They go at a great
+pace, and run very smoothly. Ordinary carriages are dear; and as
+tramways have been laid down in almost every street and road, driving
+is a rather difficult affair. On our road we passed several
+delightful-looking private gardens. The railings were completely
+covered, some with white stephanotis and scarlet lapageria, others
+with a beautiful orange-coloured creeper and lilac bougainvillaea, or
+passion-flowers of many colours and variety. Inside we could see large
+trees with green and yellow stripes, croton-oil plants, spotted and
+veined caladiums, and dracaenas, the whole being shaded by
+orange-trees.
+
+Along the edge of Botafogo Bay there is a delightful drive, beneath a
+splendid avenue of imperial palms, extending to the gates of the
+Botanical Gardens. Each specimen rises straight up like the column of
+an Egyptian temple, and is crowned with a feathery tuft of large shiny
+dark green leaves, some thirty feet in length. The clumps of bamboos,
+too, were very fine, and nearly all the trees seemed to be full of
+curious orchids and parasites of every sort and kind.
+
+We had an agreeable drive back in the cool evening to dinner at the
+Hotel de l'Europe. The food was excellent, and included some delicious
+tiny queer-shaped oysters, which are found on the mangrove-trees,
+overhanging the water higher up the bay. We afterwards went to a
+pleasant little reception, where we enjoyed the splendid singing of
+some young Brazilian ladies, and the subsequent row off to the yacht,
+in the moonlight, was not the least delightful part of the programme.
+
+_Sunday, August 20th_.--At last a really fine day. We could now, for
+the first time, thoroughly appreciate the beauties of the noble bay of
+Nictheroy, though the distant Organ mountains were still hidden from
+our view. In the morning, we went to church on board H.M.S. 'Volage,'
+afterwards rowing across the bay to Icaraky, where we took the tramway
+to Santa Rosa. On our way we again passed many charming villas and
+gardens, similar to those we had admired yesterday, while the glorious
+and ever-attractive tropical vegetation abounded everywhere. In spite
+of the great heat, the children seemed untiring in the pursuit of
+butterflies, of which they succeeded in catching many beautiful
+specimens.
+
+_Monday, August 21st_.--After an early breakfast, we started off to
+have a look at the market. The greatest bustle and animation
+prevailed, and there were people and things to see and observe in
+endless variety. The fish-market was full of finny monsters of the
+deep, all new and strange to us, whose odd Brazilian names would
+convey to a stranger but little idea of the fish themselves. There was
+an enormous rockfish, weighing about 300 pounds, with hideous face and
+shiny back and fins; there were large ray, and skate, and
+cuttle-fish--the _pieuvre_ of Victor Hugo's 'Travailleurs de la
+Mer'--besides baskets full of the large prawns for which the coast is
+famous, eight or ten inches long, and with antennae of twelve or
+fourteen inches in length. They make up in size for want of quality,
+for they are insipid and tasteless, though, being tender, they make
+excellent curry. The oysters, on the other hand, are particularly
+small, but of the most delicious flavour. They are brought from a
+park, higher up the bay, where, as I have said, they grow on posts and
+the branches of the mangrove-tree, which hang down into the water. We
+also saw a large quantity of fine mackerel, a good many turtle and
+porpoises, and a few hammer-headed sharks. The latter are very curious
+creatures, not unlike an ordinary shark, but with a remarkable
+hammer-shaped projection on either side of their noses for which it is
+difficult to imagine a use.
+
+In the fruit-market were many familiar bright-coloured fruits; for it
+is now the depth of winter at Rio, and the various kinds that we saw
+were all such as would bear transport to England. Fat, jet-black
+negresses, wearing turbans on their heads, strings of coloured beads
+on their necks and arms, and single long white garments, which
+appeared to be continually slipping off their shoulders, here presided
+over brilliant-looking heaps of oranges, bananas, pineapples,
+passion-fruit, tomatoes, apples, pears, capsicums and peppers,
+sugar-cane, cabbage-palms, cherimoyas, and bread-fruit.
+
+In another part of the market all sorts of live birds were for sale,
+with a few live beasts, such as deer, monkeys, pigs, guinea-pigs in
+profusion, rats, cats, dogs, marmosets, and a dear little lion-monkey,
+very small and rather red, with a beautiful head and mane, who roared
+exactly like a real lion in miniature. We saw also cages full of small
+flamingoes, snipe of various kinds, and a great many birds of smaller
+size, with feathers of all shades of blue, red, and green, and
+metallic hues of brilliant lustre, besides parrots, macaws, cockatoos
+innumerable, and torchas, on stands. The torcha is a bright-coloured
+black and yellow bird, about as big as a starling, which puts its
+little head on one side and takes flies from one's fingers in the
+prettiest and most enticing manner. Unfortunately, it is impossible to
+introduce it into England, as it cannot stand the change of climate.
+The other birds included guinea-fowls, ducks, cocks and hens, pigeons,
+doves, quails, &c., and many other varieties less familiar or quite
+unknown to us. Altogether the visit was an extremely interesting one,
+and well repaid us for our early rising.
+
+At eleven o'clock we started for the Petropolis steamer, which took us
+alongside a wooden pier, from the end of which the train started, and
+we were soon wending our way through sugar and coffee plantations,
+formed in the midst of the forest of palms and other tropical trees.
+An Englishman has made a large clearing here, and has established a
+fine farm, which he hopes to work successfully by means of immigrant
+labour.
+
+After a journey of twenty minutes in the train, we reached the
+station, at the foot of a hill, where we found several four-mule
+carriages awaiting our arrival. The drive up from the station to the
+town, over a pass in the Organ mountains, was superb. At each turn of
+the road we had an ever-varying view of the city of Rio and its
+magnificent bay. And then the banks of this tropical high-road! From
+out a mass of rich verdure grew lovely scarlet begonias, and spotted
+caladiums, shaded by graceful tree-ferns and overhung by trees full of
+exquisite parasites and orchids. Among these, the most conspicuous,
+after the palms, are the tall thin-stemmed sloth-trees, so called from
+their being a favourite resort of the sloth, who with great difficulty
+crawls up into one of them, remains there until he has demolished
+every leaf, and then passes on to the next tree.
+
+The pace of the mules, up the steep incline, under a broiling sun, was
+really wonderful. Half-way up we stopped to change, at a buvette,
+where we procured some excellent Brazilia coffee, of fine but
+exceedingly bitter flavour. Our next halt, midway between the buvette
+and the top of the hill, was at a spring of clear sparkling water,
+where we had an opportunity of collecting some ferns and flowers; and
+on reaching the summit we stopped once more, to enjoy the fine view
+over the Pass and the bay of Nictheroy. The descent towards Petropolis
+then commenced; it lies in the hollow of the hills, with a river
+flowing through the centre of its broad streets, on either side of
+which are villas and avenues of noble trees. Altogether it reminded me
+of Bagneres-de-Luchon, in the Pyrenees, though the general effect is
+unfortunately marred by the gay and rather too fantastic painting of
+some of the houses.
+
+_Tuesday, August 22nd_.--We were called at half-past five, and, after
+a hasty breakfast, started on horseback by seven o'clock for the
+Virgin Forest, about six miles from Petropolis. After leaving the town
+and its suburbs, we pursued our way by rough winding paths, across
+which huge moths and butterflies flitted, and humming-birds buzzed in
+the almond-trees. After a ride of an hour and a half, we entered the
+silence and gloom of a vast forest. On every side extended a tangled
+mass of wild, luxuriant vegetation: giant-palms, and tree-ferns, and
+parasites are to be seen in all directions, growing wherever they can
+find root-hold. Sometimes they kill the tree which they favour with
+their attentions--one creeper, in particular, being called 'Mata-pao'
+or 'Kill-tree;' but, as a rule, they seem to get on very well
+together, and to depend mutually upon one another for nourishment and
+support. The most striking of these creepers is, perhaps, the liane,
+whose tendrils grow straight downwards to the ground, twisting
+themselves together in knots and bundles. Occasionally one sees,
+suspended from a tree, at a height of some fifty feet, a large lump of
+moss, from which scarlet orchids are growing; looking like an enormous
+hanging flower-basket. All colours in Brazil, whether of birds,
+insects, or flowers, are brilliant in the extreme. Blue, violet,
+orange, scarlet, and yellow are found in the richest profusion, and no
+pale or faint tints are to be seen. Even white seems purer, clearer,
+and deeper than the white of other countries.
+
+We had a long wet walk in the forest; the mosses and ferns being kept
+moist and green by the innumerable little streams of water which
+abound everywhere. Owing to the thickness of the surrounding jungle,
+it was impossible to stray from our very narrow path, notwithstanding
+the attractions of humming-birds, butterflies, and flowers. At last we
+came to an opening in the wood, whence we had a splendid view
+seawards, and where it was decided to turn round and retrace our steps
+through the forest. After walking some distance we found our horses
+waiting, and after a hot but pleasant ride reached Petropolis by
+twelve o'clock, in time for breakfast. Letter-writing and
+butterfly-catching occupied the afternoon until four o'clock, when I
+was taken out for a drive in a comfortable little phaeton, with a
+pretty pair of horses, while the rest of the party walked out to see a
+little more of Petropolis and its environs. We drove past the
+Emperor's palace--an Italian villa, standing in the middle of a large
+garden--the new church, and the houses of the principal inhabitants,
+most of which are shut up just now, as everybody is out of town, but
+it all looked very green and pleasant. It was interesting to see a
+curious breed of dogs, descended from the bloodhounds formerly used in
+hunting the poor Indians.
+
+_Wednesday, August 23rd_.--At six o'clock we assembled all on the
+balcony of the hotel to wait for the coach, which arrived shortly
+afterwards. There was some little delay and squabbling before we all
+found ourselves safely established on the coach, but starting was
+quite another matter, for the four white mules resolutely refused to
+move, without a vast amount of screaming and shouting and plunging. We
+had to pull up once or twice before we got clear of the town, to allow
+more passengers to be somehow or other squeezed in, and at each fresh
+start similar objections on the part of the mules had to be overcome.
+
+The air felt fresh when we started, but before we had proceeded far we
+came into a thick, cold, wet fog, which, after the heat of the last
+few weeks, seemed to pierce us to the very marrow. Eight miles farther
+on the four frisky white mules were exchanged for five steady
+dun-coloured ones, which were in their turn replaced after a
+seven-mile stage by four nice bays, who took us along at a tremendous
+pace. The sun began by this time to penetrate the mist, and the
+surrounding country became visible. We found that we were following
+the course of the river, passing through an avenue of coral-trees,
+loaded with the most brilliant flowers and fruit imaginable, and full
+of parroquets and fluttering birds of many hues.
+
+We stopped at several small villages, and at about 11 a.m. reached
+Entre Rios, having changed mules seven times, and done the 59-1/2
+miles in four hours and fifty minutes, including stoppages--pretty
+good work, especially as the heat during the latter portion of the
+journey had been as great as the cold was at the commencement. The
+term 'cold' must here be taken only in a relative sense, for the
+thermometer was never lower than 48 deg., though, having been accustomed
+for a long while to 85 deg., we felt the change severely.
+
+After a capital breakfast at the inn near the station, we got into the
+train and began a very hot dusty journey over the Serra to Palmeiras,
+which place was reached at 4 p.m. We were met on our arrival by Dr.
+Gunning, who kindly made room for Tom and me at his house, the rest of
+our party proceeding to the hotel. The view from the windows of the
+house, which is situated on the very edge of a hill, over the
+mountains of the Serra, glowing with the light of the setting sun, was
+perfectly enchanting; and after a refreshing cold bath one was able to
+appreciate it as it deserved. A short stroll into the forest adjoining
+the house proved rich in treasures, for in a few minutes I had
+gathered twenty-six varieties of ferns, including gold and silver
+ferns, two creeping ferns, and many other kinds. The moon rose, and
+the fireflies flashed about among the palm-trees, as we sat in the
+verandah before dinner, while in several places on the distant hills
+we could see circles of bright flames, where the forest had been set
+on fire in order to make clearings.
+
+We were up next morning in time to see the sun rise from behind the
+mountains, and as it gradually became warmer the humming-birds and
+butterflies came out and buzzed and flitted among the flowers in front
+of our windows. We had planned to devote the day to a visit to Barra,
+and it was, therefore, necessary to hurry to the station by eight
+o'clock to meet the train, where we stopped twenty minutes to
+breakfast at what appeared to be a capital hotel, built above the
+station. The rooms were large and lofty, everything was scrupulously
+clean, and the dishes most appetising-looking. Our carriage was then
+shunted and hooked on to the other train, and we proceeded to the
+station of Santa Anna, where Mr. Faro met us with eight mules and
+horses, and a large old-fashioned carriage, which held some of us, the
+rest of the party galloping on in front. We galloped also, and upset
+one unfortunate horse, luckily without doing him any harm. After a
+couple of miles of a rough road we arrived at the gates of the Baron's
+grounds, where the old negro slave-coachman amused us very much by
+_ordering_ his young master to conduct the equestrians round to the
+house by another way. Beneath the avenue of palm-trees, leading from
+the gates to the house, grew orange, lemon, and citron trees, trained
+as espaliers, while behind them again tall rose-bushes and
+pomegranates showed their bright faces. Driving through an archway we
+arrived at the house, and, with much politeness and many bows, were
+conducted indoors, in order that we might rest ourselves and get rid
+of some of the dust of our journey.
+
+Santa Anna is one of the largest coffee fazendas in this part of
+Brazil. The house occupies three sides of a square, in the middle of
+which heaps of coffee were spread out to dry in the sun. The centre
+building is the dwelling-house, with a narrow strip of garden, full of
+sweet-smelling flowers, in front of it; the right wing is occupied by
+the slaves' shops and warehouses, and by the chapel; while the left
+wing contains the stables, domestic offices, and other slave-rooms.
+
+[Illustration: The Slave Village, Fazenda, Santa Anna.]
+
+By law, masters are bound to give their slaves one day's rest in every
+seven, and any work the slaves may choose to do on that day is paid
+for at the same rate as free labour. But the day selected for this
+purpose is not necessarily Sunday; and on adjoining fazendas different
+days are invariably chosen, in order to prevent the slaves from
+meeting and getting into mischief. Thursday (to-day) was Sunday on
+this estate, and we soon saw all the slaves mustering in holiday
+attire in the shade of one of the verandahs. They were first
+inspected, and then ranged in order, the children being placed in
+front, the young women next, then the old women, the old men, and
+finally the young men. In this order they marched into the corridor
+facing the chapel, to hear mass. The priest and his acolyte, in
+gorgeous robes, performed the usual service, and the slaves chanted
+the responses in alternate companies, so that sopranos, contraltos,
+tenors, and basses, contrasted in a striking and effective manner. The
+singing, indeed, was excellent; far better than in many churches at
+home. After the conclusion of the mass the master shook hands with
+everybody, exchanged good wishes with his slaves, and dismissed them.
+While they were dawdling about, gossiping in the verandah, I had a
+closer look at the babies, which had all been brought to church. They
+seemed of every shade of colour, the complexions of some being quite
+fair, but the youngest, a dear little woolly-headed thing, was black
+as jet, and only three weeks old. The children all seemed to be on
+very good terms with their master and his overseers, and not a bit
+afraid of them. They are fed most liberally, and looked fat and
+healthy. For breakfast they have coffee and bread; for dinner, fresh
+pork alternately with dried beef, and black beans (the staple food of
+the poor of this country); and for supper they have coffee, bread, and
+mandioca, or tapioca.
+
+Returning to the house, we sat down, a party of thirty, to an
+elaborate breakfast, the table being covered with all sorts of
+Brazilian delicacies, after which several complimentary speeches were
+made, and we all started off to walk round the fazenda. Our first
+visit was to the little schoolchildren, thirty-four in number, who
+sang very nicely. Then to the hospital, a clean, airy building, in
+which there were happily but few patients, and next we inspected the
+new machinery, worked by water-power, for cleaning the coffee and
+preparing it for market. The harvest lasts from May to August. The
+best quality of coffee is picked before it is quite ripe, crushed to
+free it from the husk, and then dried in the sun, sometimes in heaps,
+and sometimes raked out flat, in order to gain the full benefit of the
+heat. It is afterwards gathered up into baskets and carefully picked
+over, and this, being very light work, is generally performed by young
+married women with babies. There were nineteen tiny piccaninnies, in
+baskets, beside their mothers, in one room we entered, and in another
+there were twenty just able to run about.
+
+Cassava is an important article of food here, and it was interesting
+to watch the various processes by which it is turned into flour,
+tapioca, or starch. As it is largely exported, there seems no reason
+why it should not be introduced into India, for the ease with which it
+is cultivated and propagated, the extremes of temperature it will
+bear, and the abundance of its crop, all tend to recommend it. We went
+on to look at the maize being shelled, crushed, and ground into coarse
+or fine flour, for cakes and bread, and the process of crushing the
+sugar-cane, turning its juice into sugar and rum, and its refuse into
+potash. All the food manufactured here is used on the estate; coffee
+alone is exported. I felt thoroughly exhausted by the time we returned
+to the house, only to exchange adieus and step into the carriage on
+our way to Barra by rail _en route_ to Rio de Janeiro. After passing
+through several long tunnels at the top of the Serra, the line drops
+down to Palmeiras, after which the descent became very picturesque, as
+we passed, by steep inclines, through virgin forests full of creepers,
+ferns, flowers, and orchids. The sunset was magnificent, and the
+subsequent coolness of the atmosphere most grateful. Leaving the
+Emperor's palace of Sao Christovao behind, Rio was entered from a
+fresh side. It seemed a long drive through the streets to the Hotel de
+l'Europe, where, after an excellent though hurried dinner, we
+contrived to be in time for a private representation at the Alcazar.
+As a rule, ladies do not go to this theatre, but there were a good
+many there on the present occasion. Neither the play nor the actors,
+however, were very interesting, and all our party were excessively
+tired; so we left early, and had a delightful row off to the yacht, in
+the bright moonlight.
+
+_Monday, August 28th_.--We have all been so much interested in the
+advertisements we read in the daily papers of slaves to be sold or
+hired, that arrangements were made with a Brazilian gentleman for some
+of our party to have an opportunity of seeing the way in which these
+transactions are carried on. No Englishman is allowed to hold slaves
+here, and it is part of the business of the Legation to see that this
+law is strictly enforced. The secrets of their trade are accordingly
+jealously guarded by the natives, especially from the English. The
+gentlemen had therefore to disguise themselves as much as possible,
+one pretending to be a rich Yankee, who had purchased large estates
+between Santos and San Paulo, which he had determined to work with
+slave instead of coolie labour. He was supposed to have come to Rio to
+select some slaves, but would be obliged to see and consult his
+partner before deciding on purchase. They were taken to a small shop
+in the city, and, after some delay, were conducted to a room upstairs,
+where they waited a quarter of an hour. Twenty-two men and eleven
+women and children were then brought in for inspection. They declared
+themselves suitable for a variety of occupations, in-door and out, and
+all appeared to look anxiously at their possible purchaser, with a
+view to ascertain what they had to hope for in the future. One couple
+in particular, a brother and sister, about fourteen and fifteen years
+old respectively, were most anxious not to be separated, but to be
+sold together; and the tiny children seemed quite frightened at being
+spoken to or touched by the white men. Eight men and five women having
+been specially selected as fit subjects for further consideration, the
+visit terminated.
+
+The daily Brazilian papers are full of advertisements of slaves for
+sale, and descriptions of men, pigs, children, cows, pianos, women,
+houses, &c., to be disposed of, are inserted in the most
+indiscriminate manner. In one short half-column of the 'Jornal do
+Commercio,' published within the last day or two, the following
+announcements, amongst many similar ones, appear side by side:--
+
+
+VENDE-SE uma escrava, de 22 annos,
+boa figura, lava, engomma e cose bem;
+informa-se na rua de S. Pedro n. 97.
+
+FOR SALE.--A female slave, 22 years of
+age, a good figure, washes, irons, and
+sews well; for particulars apply at No. 97
+rua de S. Pedro.
+
+
+VENDE-SE ou aluga-se um rico piano
+forte do autor Erard, de 3 cordas, por
+280$, garantido; na rua da Quitanda n. 42,
+2 andar.
+
+FOR SALE, OR TO BE LET ON
+Hire.--A splendid trichord pianoforte
+by Erard, for $280, guaranteed; apply at
+rua da Quitanda No. 42, 2nd floor.
+
+
+VENDE-SE, por 1,500$, um escravo de
+20 annos, para servico de padaria; na
+rua da Princeza dos Cajueiros n. 97.
+
+TO BE SOLD FOR $1,500.--A male
+slave 20 years of age, fit for a baker's
+establishment; apply at rua da Princeza dos
+Cajueiros No. 97.
+
+
+VENDE-SE uma machina Singer, para
+qualquer costura, trabalha perfeitamente,
+por preco muito commodo; trata-se
+na rua do Sabao n. 95.
+
+FOR SALE.--On very reasonable terms,
+a Singer's sewing-machine, adapted for
+any description of work; works splendidly:
+apply at No. 95 rua do Sabao.
+
+
+VENDE-SE uma preta moca, boa figura e
+de muito boa indole, com tres filhos,
+sendo uma negrinha de 6 annos, um moleque
+de 5 e uma ingenua de 3, cabenda cozinhar
+bem, lavar e engommar; na mesma casa
+vende-se so uma negrinha de 12 annos, de
+conducta afiancada e muito propria para
+servico de casa de familia, por ja ter bons
+principios, tendo vindo de Santa Catharina;
+na rua da Uruguayana n. 90 sobrado.
+
+FOR SALE.--A good black woman, good
+figure, good disposition, with three
+children, who are a little black girl 6 years
+of age, a black boy of 5, and a child 3
+years of age; she is a good cook, washes and
+irons well. At the same house there is likewise
+for sale a little black girl 12 years of
+age: her character will be guaranteed; she
+is well adapted for the service of a family,
+as she has had a good beginning, having
+come from Santa Catharina; apply at No.
+90 rua da Uruguayana, first floor.
+
+
+VENDE-SE o Diccionario portuguez de
+Lacerda, em dous grandes volumes, novo,
+vindo pelo ultimo paquete, por 30$, custao
+aqui 40$; na rua do Hospicio n. 15, 2d
+andar.
+
+FOR SALE.--Lacerda's Portuguese Dictionary,
+in two large volumes, quite new,
+arrived by the last mail, price $30, costs here
+$40; No. 15 rua do Hospicio, 2nd floor.
+
+
+VENDE-SE uma preta de meia idade,
+que cozinha, lava, e engomma com perfeicao;
+para tratar na rua do Viscande de
+Itauna n. 12.
+
+FOR SALE.--A middle-aged black woman,
+who is a first-rate cook, washes
+and irons splendidly; for particulars apply
+at No. 12 rua do Viscande de Itauna No.
+12.
+
+
+VENDEM-SE arreios para carrocinhas
+de pao; na rua do General Camara n.
+86, placa.
+
+FOR SALE.--Harnesses for small carts
+for delivery of bread; apply at No. 86
+rua do General Camara.
+
+
+VENDEM-SE 20 moleques, de 14 a 20
+annos, vindos do Maranhao no ultimo
+vapor; na rua da Prainha n. 72.
+
+FOR SALE.--20 young blacks from 14
+to 20 years of age just arrived from Maranham
+by the last steamer; No. 72 rua da
+Prainha.
+
+We had many visitors to breakfast to-day, and it was nearly two
+o'clock before we could set off for the shore _en route_ to Tijuca. We
+drove nearly as far as the Botanical Gardens, where it had been
+arranged that horses should meet us; but our party was such a large
+one, including children and servants, that some little difficulty
+occurred at this point in making a fair start. It was therefore late
+before we started, the clouds were beginning to creep down the sides
+of the hills, and it had grown very dusk by the time we reached the
+Chinisi river. Soon afterwards the rain began to come down in such
+tropical torrents, that our thin summer clothing was soaked through
+and through long before we reached the Tijuca. At last, to our great
+joy, we saw ahead of us large plantations of bananas, and then some
+gas-lights, which exist even in this remote locality. We followed them
+for some little distance, but my horse appeared to have such a very
+decided opinion as to the proper direction for us to take, that we
+finally decided to let him have his own way, for it was by this time
+pitch dark, and none of us had ever been this road before. As we
+hoped, the horse knew his own stables, and we soon arrived at the door
+of White's hotel, miserable, drenched objects, looking forward to a
+complete change of clothing. Unfortunately the cart with our luggage
+had not arrived, so it was in clothes borrowed from kind friends that
+we at last sat down, a party of about forty, to a sort of table-d'hote
+dinner, and it continued to pour with rain during the whole evening,
+only clearing up just at bed-time.
+
+_Tuesday, August 29th_.--After all the fine weather we have had
+lately, it was provoking to find, on getting up this morning, that the
+rain still came steadily down. Daylight enabled us to see what a
+quaint-looking place this hotel is. It consists of a series of low
+wooden detached buildings, mostly one story high, with verandahs on
+both sides, built round a long courtyard, in the centre of which are a
+garden and some large trees. It is more like a boarding-house,
+however, than an hotel, as there is a fixed daily charge for visitors,
+who have to be provided with a letter of introduction! The situation
+and gardens are good; it contains among other luxuries a
+drawing-room, with a delightful swimming-bath for ladies, and another
+for gentlemen. A mountain stream is turned into two large square
+reservoirs, where you can disport yourself under the shade of bananas
+and palm trees, while orange trees, daturas, poinsettias, and other
+plants, in full bloom, drop their fragrant flowers into the crystal
+water. There is also a nice little bathing-house, with a douche
+outside; and the general arrangements seem really perfect. The views
+from the walks around the hotel and in the forest above are beautiful,
+as, indeed, they are from every eminence in the neighbourhood of Rio.
+
+During the morning, the weather cleared sufficiently for us to go down
+to 'The Boulders,' huge masses of rock, either of the glacial period,
+or else thrown out from some mighty volcano into the valley beneath.
+Here they form great caverns and caves, overhung with creepers, and so
+blocked up at the entrance, that it is difficult to find the way into
+them. The effect of the alternate darkness and light, amid twisted
+creepers, some like gigantic snakes, others neatly coiled in true
+man-of-war fashion, is very striking and fantastic. Every crevice is
+full of ferns and orchids and curious plants, while moths and
+butterflies flit about in every direction. Imagine, if you can,
+scarlet butterflies gaily spotted, yellow butterflies with orange
+edgings, butterflies with dark blue velvety-looking upper wings, the
+under surface studded with bright owl-like peacock eyes, grey Atlas
+moths, and, crowning beauty of all, metallic blue butterflies, which
+are positively dazzling, even when seen in a shop, dead. Imagine what
+they must be like, as they dart hither and thither, reflecting the
+bright sunshine from their wings, or enveloped in the sombre shade of
+a forest. Most of them measure from two to ten inches in length from
+wing to wing, and many others flit about, equally remarkable for their
+beauty, though not so large. Swallow-tails, of various colours, with
+tails almost as long, in proportion to their bodies, as those of their
+feathered namesakes; god-parents and 'eighty-eights,' with the
+figures 88 plainly marked on the reverse side of their rich blue or
+crimson wings. In fact, if nature could by any possibility be gaudy,
+one might almost say that she is so in this part of the world.
+
+From 'The Boulders' we went down a kind of natural staircase in the
+rock to the small cascade, which, owing to the recent rains, appeared
+to the best advantage, the black rocks and thick vegetation forming a
+fine background to the sheet of flowing white water and foam. Our way
+lay first through some castor-oil plantations, and then along the side
+of a stream, fringed with rare ferns, scarlet begonias, and grey
+ageratum. We returned to the hotel, too late for the general luncheon,
+and, after a short rest, went out for a gallop in the direction of the
+peak of Tijuca, past the large waterfall, the 'Ladies' Mile,' and
+'Grey's View.' The forest is Government property; the roads are
+therefore excellent, and are in many places planted with flowers and
+shrubs, rare even here. It seems a waste of money, however; for there
+is hardly any one to make use of the wide roads, and the forest would
+appear quite as beautiful in its pristine luxuriance. To our eyes the
+addition of flowers from other countries is no improvement, though the
+feeling is otherwise here. More than once I have had a bouquet of
+common stocks given to me as a grand present, while orchids,
+gardenias, stephanotis, large purple, pink, and white azaleas,
+orange-blossom, and roses, were growing around in unheeded profusion.
+
+_Wednesday, August 30th_.--Once more a wet morning; but as it cleared
+towards noon, we ordered horses and some luncheon, and went up to
+Pedro Bonito. The ride was pleasant enough at first, but as we mounted
+higher and higher, we got into the clouds and lost the view. Finally,
+there seemed nothing for it but to halt near the top, under a grove of
+orange-trees, lunch in the pouring rain, and return without having
+reached the summit.
+
+_Friday, September 1st_.--At three o'clock this morning, when I
+awoke, I saw at last a bright, clear sky, and at five, finding that
+there was every prospect of a beautiful sunrise, we sent for horses,
+ate our early breakfast, and set off for the peak of Tijuca. Step by
+step we climbed, first through the grounds of the hotel, then through
+the forest, till we reached 'The Bamboos,' a favourite halting-place,
+by the side of a stream, near which grow, in waving tufts, the
+graceful trees which lend their name to the spot. It was very
+beautiful in the hill-side forest, with a new prospect opening out at
+every step, and set in an ever-varying natural framework of foliage
+and flowers. There was not sufficient time to linger, however, as we
+would fain have done, in the cool and shady paths, occasionally
+illumed by the bright rays of the sun, shining through the foliage of
+noble palms, the fronds of tree-ferns, and the spiral stems of
+many-coloured creepers.
+
+Before reaching the top of the peak, there are twenty-nine wooden and
+ninety-six stone steps to be ascended, at the foot of which we tied
+our horses. An iron chain is hung by the side to assist you, without
+which it would be rather giddy work, for the steps are steep, and
+there is a sheer precipice on one side of them. Arrived at the top,
+the scene was glorious; on every side mountains beyond mountains
+stretch far away into the distance, and one can see as far north as
+Cape Frio, and southwards as far as Rio Grande do Sul, while beneath
+lies the bay of Rio, with its innumerable islands, islets, and
+indentations. All too soon we had to scramble down again, and mount
+our horses for a hurried return to the hotel, there being barely time
+for lunch and a scramble to the yacht.
+
+_Monday, September 4th_.--We were all up very early this morning,
+superintending the preparations for our eldest boy's departure for
+England. The yacht had been gaily dressed with flags, in honour of the
+anniversary of the Emperor's wedding-day; but it must be confessed
+that our own feelings were hardly in accordance with these external
+symbols of joy. Breakfast was a melancholy meal, and I fear that the
+visitors from the 'Volage' were not very well entertained. After
+breakfast, we went ashore to the market, to get a couple of
+lion-monkeys, which had been kept for us, and which Tab was to take
+home with him to present to the Zoological Gardens. At one o'clock the
+steam-launch from the 'Volage' came alongside and embarked the luggage
+and servants. Half an hour later it returned for us; then came many
+tearful farewells to the crew, and we set off. We knew the parting had
+to be made, but this did not lessen our grief: for although it is at
+all times hard to say good-bye for a long period to those nearest and
+dearest to you, it is especially so in a foreign land, with the
+prospect of a long voyage on both sides. Moreover, it is extremely
+uncertain when we shall hear of our boy's safe arrival; not, I fear,
+until we get to Valparaiso, and then only by telegram--a long time to
+look forward to. Over the next half-hour I had better draw a veil.
+
+At two o'clock precisely, just after we had left the steamer, the
+starting bell rang, and the 'Cotopaxi' steamed away. As she passed the
+yacht, all our flags were dipped and the guns fired. Then we could see
+her rolling on the bar, for, calm as the water was in the bay, there
+was a heavy swell outside; and then, all too soon, we lost sight of
+her, as she sank,
+
+    ' ... with all we love, below the verge.'
+
+We heard to-day that, the Saturday before our first arrival at Rio,
+the bar was quite impassable, even for a man-of-war, and that,
+although she succeeded the next day, the sea was extremely rough.
+
+On our return to the 'Sunbeam,' I went to bed to rest, and the
+remainder of the party went ashore. A great many visitors came on
+board in the course of the afternoon; some remained to dine with us.
+At half-past nine we all went on shore again to a ball at the Casino,
+the grand public room in Rio, to which we had been invited some days
+ago. It seemed a splendid place, beautifully decorated in white and
+gold and crimson, with frescoes and pictures let into the walls, and
+surrounded by galleries. It is capable of containing fifteen hundred
+persons, and I believe that there were even more than that number
+present on the occasion of the ball given to the Duke of Edinburgh
+some years ago. The arrangement of the large cloakrooms,
+refreshment-rooms, and passages downstairs, and the balconies and
+supper-rooms upstairs, is very convenient. The ball this evening being
+comparatively a small affair, the lower rooms only were used, and
+proved amply sufficient. There were not a great many ladies present,
+but amongst those we saw some were extremely pretty, and all were
+exquisitely dressed in the latest fashions from Paris. The toilettes
+of the younger ones looked fresh and simple, while those of the
+married ladies displayed considerable richness and taste; for although
+Brazilian ladies do not go out much, and, as a rule, remain _en
+peignoir_ until late in the afternoon, they never fail to exhibit
+great judgment in the selection of their costumes.
+
+The floor was excellent, but the band made rather too much noise, and
+the dancing was different, both in style and arrangement, from what we
+are accustomed to at home.
+
+The time had now come when we had to say farewell to the many kind
+friends whom we have met here, and who have made life so pleasant to
+us during the last three weeks, in order that we might return to the
+yacht, to complete our preparation for an early start. The last
+leave-takings were soon over, and, with mutually expressed hopes that
+we might ere long meet some of our friends in England, Tom and I drove
+off, in the bright moonlight, to the quay, where our boat was waiting
+for us. The other members of our party found the attractions of the
+ball so irresistible that they were unable to tear themselves away
+until a much later nour.
+
+[Illustration: The Three Navigators]
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER V.
+
+
+THE RIVER PLATE.
+
+    _Blue, glossy green, and velvet black,_
+    _They coiled and swam; and every track_
+    _Was a flash of golden fire._
+
+_Tuesday, September 5th_.--We got under way at 6 a.m., and soon bade
+adieu to Rio, where we have spent so many happy days, and to our
+friends on board H.M.S. 'Volage' and 'Ready,' with whom we
+interchanged salutes in passing. It was a dull wet morning, and we
+could not see much of the beauties we were leaving behind us. The peak
+of Tijuca and the summit of the Corcovado were scarcely visible, and
+the Sugarloaf and Gavia looked cold and grey in the early mist. It was
+not long before we were rolling on the bar, and then tumbling about in
+very uncomfortable fashion in the rough sea outside. One by one we all
+disappeared below, where most of us remained during the greater part
+of the day. As for me, I went to bed for good at six o'clock in the
+evening, but was called up again at ten, to see some large bonitos
+playing about the bows of the yacht. It was really worth the trouble
+of getting up and climbing quite into the bows of the vessel to watch
+them, as they gambolled and frisked about, brightly illumined by the
+phosphorescence of the water, now swimming together steadily in pairs
+or fours, now starting in sudden pursuit of one of their number, who
+would make an independent rush forward in advance of his companions.
+
+_Saturday, September 9th_.--The last three days have been showery,
+with squalls which have freshened to a gale, and we are now scudding
+along, under all storm canvas, followed by crowds of cape-pigeons and
+cape-hens, and a few albatrosses. Towards this evening, however, the
+wind fell light, and we got up steam, in order to be prepared for any
+emergency, as a calm is frequently succeeded on this coast by a
+_pampero_, and we are now approaching a lee shore.
+
+_Sunday, September 10th_.--Tom has been on deck nearly all night. The
+shore is very low and difficult to distinguish, and the lights are
+badly kept. If the lighthouse-keeper happens to have plenty of oil,
+and is not out shooting or fishing, he lights his lamp; otherwise, he
+omits to perform this rather important part of his duties. The
+lighthouses can therefore hardly be said to be of much use. About 5
+a.m. Kindred rushed down into our cabin, and woke Tom, calling out,
+'Land to leeward, sir!' and then rushed up on deck again. The first
+glimmer of dawn had enabled him to see that we were running straight
+on to the low sandy shore, about three miles off, a very strong
+current having set us ten miles out of our course. The yacht's head
+was accordingly at once put round, and steaming seaward we soon left
+all danger behind. The sun rose brilliantly, and the weather during
+the day was very fine. Morning service was impossible, owing to the
+necessity for a constant observation of the land; but, after making
+the lighthouse on Santa Maria, we had prayers at 4.30 p.m., with the
+hymn, 'For those at Sea.' In the night we made the light on Flores,
+burning brightly, and before morning those in the harbour of Monte
+Video.
+
+_Monday, September 11th_.--After making the Flores light we proceeded
+slowly, and dropped our anchor in the outer roads of Monte Video at 4
+a.m. At seven o'clock we got it up again, and by eight were anchored
+close to the shore. We found that our arrival was expected, and the
+health-officers' boat was soon alongside. Next came an officer from
+the United States' man-of-war 'Frolic,' with polite messages and
+offers of service; and then a steam-launch belonging to the Pacific
+Company, and another from the Consul, Major Monro, with piles of
+letters and newspapers for us.
+
+Monte Video, as seen from the water, is not an imposing-looking place.
+On the opposite side of the entrance to the harbour rises a hill,
+called the Cerro, 450 feet high, from which the town derives its name,
+and further inland, on the town side, is another eminence, 200 feet
+high, called the Cerrito. With these exceptions the surrounding
+country looks perfectly flat, without even a tree to break the
+monotony.
+
+Soon after breakfast we went ashore--in more senses of the word than
+one; for they have commenced to build a mole for the protection of
+small vessels, which, in its unfinished state, is not yet visible
+above the water. The consequence was that, at a distance of about half
+a mile from the landing-steps, we rowed straight on to the submerged
+stonework, but fortunately got off again very quickly, without having
+sustained any damage. On landing, we found ourselves opposite the
+Custom House, a fine building, with which we afterwards made a closer
+acquaintance.
+
+There is a large and very good hotel here, l'Hotel Oriental. It is a
+handsome building outside, and the interior is full of marble courts,
+stone corridors, and lofty rooms, deliciously cool in the hottest
+weather. Having procured a carriage, Tom and I and the children drove
+through the streets, which are wide and handsome, though badly paved,
+and so full of holes that it is a wonder how the springs of a carriage
+can last a week. The houses seem built chiefly in the Italian style of
+architecture, with fine stucco fronts, and in many cases marble floors
+and facings, while the courtyards, seen through the grilles, blazed
+with flowers. All the lower windows were strongly barred, a precaution
+by no means unnecessary against the effects of the revolutions, which
+are of such frequent occurrence in this country. To enable the
+inhabitants the better to enjoy the sea-breeze, the tops of the houses
+are all flat, which gives the town, from a distance, somewhat of an
+eastern appearance. There are a great many Italian immigrants here,
+and most of the building and plastering work is done by them.
+
+The Paseo del Molino is the best part of the town, where all the rich
+merchants reside in quintas, surrounded by pretty gardens. They are
+very fantastic in their ideas of architectural style, and appear to
+bestow their patronage impartially, not to say indiscriminately, upon
+Gothic cathedrals, Alhambra palaces, Swiss cottages, Italian villas,
+and Turkish mosques. Except for this variety, the suburb has somewhat
+the appearance of the outskirts of many of the towns on the Riviera,
+with the same sub-tropical surroundings. These are, however, hard
+times on the River Plate, and more than half the quintas are deserted
+and falling into ruins. On our way back, by the Union Road, we met a
+great many of the native bullock-carts going home from market. These
+huge conveyances are covered with hides, and are drawn by teams of
+from two to twelve bullocks, yoked in pairs, and driven by a man on
+horseback, who carries a sharp-pointed goad, with which he prods the
+animals all round, at intervals. Dressed in a full white linen shirt
+and trousers, with his bright poncho and curious saddle-gear, he forms
+no unimportant figure in the picturesque scene. In the large
+market-place there are hundreds of these carts, with their owners
+encamped around them.
+
+When we at last arrived on board the yacht again, at three o'clock, we
+found that the miseries of coaling were not yet over, and that there
+had been numerous visitors from the shore. Everything on deck looked
+black, while below all was pitch dark and airless, every opening and
+crevice having been closed and covered with tarpaulin, to keep out the
+coal dust. It took seven hours to complete the work, instead of two,
+as was hoped and promised, so our chance of starting to-day is over.
+This seemed the more disappointing, because, had we foreseen the
+delay, we might have made other arrangements for seeing more on shore.
+
+_Tuesday, September 12th_.--The anchor was up, and we were already
+beginning to steam away when I came on deck this morning, just in time
+to see the first faint streaks of dawn appearing in the grey sky. The
+River Plate here is over a hundred miles wide, and its banks are very
+flat; so there was nothing to be seen, except the two little hills of
+Cerro and Cerrito and the town of Monte Video, fast vanishing in the
+distance. The channels are badly buoyed, and there are shoals and
+wrecks on all sides. The lightships are simply old hulks, with no
+special marks by which to distinguish them; and as they themselves
+look exactly like wrecks, they are not of much assistance in the
+navigation, which is very confusing, and sometimes perilous. Once we
+very nearly ran aground, but discovered just in time that the vessel
+we were steering for with confidence was only a wreck, on a dangerous
+shoal, and that the lightship itself was further ahead. The yacht was
+immediately put about, and we just skirted the bank in turning.
+
+The weather improved during the day, and a fine sunset was followed
+by a clear starlight night. At 10.30 p.m. we dropped our anchor
+outside all the other vessels in the roads at Buenos Ayres, eight
+miles from the shore. The lightship only carried an ordinary riding
+light, like any other vessel, so that it was almost impossible, unless
+you knew the port very well, to go in closer to the land at night.
+
+_Wednesday, September 13th_.--Daylight did not enable us to
+distinguish the town, for the river here is wide and the banks are
+low, and we were lying a long way from the shore, outside a great many
+fine-looking ships, at anchor in the roads. About nine o'clock a
+German captain, in a large whale-boat, came alongside and told us we
+were nearly eight miles from Buenos Ayres. Tom arranged with him to
+take us ashore; and accordingly we soon started. The water was smooth
+and there was a nice breeze, and we sailed gallantly along for about
+two hours, until we reached the town. After anchoring, we transshipped
+ourselves into a small boat, in which we were rowed to some steps, at
+the end of the long rickety mole, where we landed. Some of the planks
+of the pier were missing, leaving great holes, big enough to fall
+through, and others were so loose that when you stepped upon one end
+of them the other flew up almost into your face.
+
+Our first business was to secure the services of a pilot, to take us
+up to Rosario. The best man on the river was sent for; but when he
+came he did not recommend our undertaking the voyage, as the water is
+very low at present, and we might get stuck on a sandbank, and be
+detained for some days, although no further harm would be likely to
+occur to us. We decided, therefore, as our time is precious, to give
+up the idea of making the expedition in the yacht, and to go in the
+ordinary river-boat instead.
+
+Under the guidance of some gentlemen, we then went to the Central
+Railway Station to send off some telegrams, and thence to the River
+Plate Bank. The treasury contains 600,000_l_. in British sovereigns,
+locked up in three strong safes, besides paper-money and securities to
+the amount of 2,000,000_l_. It was the Rosario branch of this bank
+which was recently robbed of 15,000_l_. by an armed government force;
+an unprecedented proceeding in the history of nations, and one that
+might have led to the interference of foreign powers.
+
+There was time afterwards to go round and see something of the city,
+which, like many other South American towns, is built in square
+blocks, all the streets running exactly at right angles one to
+another. There is a fine plaza, or grand square, in which are situated
+the cathedral, theatre, &c., the centre being occupied by a garden,
+containing statues and fountains. The various banks, with their marble
+facings, Corinthian columns, and splendid halls, are magnificent
+buildings, and look more like palaces than places of business. Some of
+the private houses, too, seem very handsome. Outside they are all
+faced with marble, to a certain height from the ground, the interior,
+consisting of courtyard within courtyard, being rather like that of a
+Pompeian house.
+
+We next went to the agricultural show, which, though not an imposing
+affair to our eyes, appeared really very creditable to those who had
+organised it. The horses and cattle looked small, but there were some
+good specimens of sheep--specially the _rombonellis_ and _negrettis_,
+whose long fine wool was, however, only to be discovered by first
+turning aside a thick plaster of mud, beneath which it was concealed.
+We saw also some curious animals, natives of the country, such as
+vicunas, llamas, bizcachas, and various kinds of deer, a very mixed
+lot of poultry and dogs, and two magnificent Persian cats. Another
+department of the show was allotted to the commercial products of the
+country, animal, vegetable, and mineral; the whole forming a very
+interesting collection.
+
+In re-embarking, the disagreeable process of this morning had to be
+repeated--rickety pier, rotten steps, and small boat included--before
+we reached the whale-boat, after which we had an eight miles' sail out
+to the yacht. It was a cold, dull night, and getting on board proved
+rather difficult work, owing to the rough sea.
+
+_Thursday, September 14th_.--The pilot came on board at seven o'clock
+to take us in nearer the shore, but, after all, we found ourselves
+obliged to anchor again five miles off. No ship drawing more than ten
+feet can get inside the sand-banks, which makes it a wretched place to
+lie in, especially as the weather at this time of year is very
+uncertain. You may go ashore from your ship on a fine clear morning,
+and before you return a gale may have sprung up, accompanied by a
+frightful sea. Open boats are therefore quite unsafe, a state of
+things which has given rise to the existence of a class of fine boats,
+specially built for the service, which attend all the ships lying in
+the roads. They are half-decked, will sail in any weather, and can be
+easily managed by two men.
+
+About ten o'clock we went ashore again in the whale-boat, which Tom
+had engaged to wait on us during our stay, and made the best of our
+way to a warehouse to look at some ponchos, which are the speciality
+of this part of South America. Everybody wears one, from the beggar to
+the highest official. The best kind of ponchos are very expensive,
+being made from a particular part of the finest hair of the vicuna,
+hand-woven by women, in the province of Catamarca. The genuine article
+is difficult to get, even here. In the shops the price usually varies
+from 30_l_. to 80_l_.; but we were shown some at a rather lower
+price--from 20_l_. to 60_l_. each. They are soft as silk, perfectly
+waterproof, and will wear, it is said, for ever. We met a fine-looking
+man in one of beautiful quality yesterday. He told us that it
+originally cost 30_l_. in Catamarca, twenty years ago, and that he
+gave 20_l_. for it, second-hand, ten years ago; and, with the
+exception of a few slight tears, it is now as good as ever. Before we
+came here, we were strongly advised, in case we should happen to go on
+a rough expedition up country, not to be tempted to take with us any
+_good_ ponchos, as the Gauchos, or half-bred Indians of the Pampas,
+who are great connoisseurs of these articles, and can distinguish
+their quality at a glance, would not hesitate to cut our throats in
+order to obtain possession of them.
+
+The material of which they are made is of the closest texture, and as
+the hair has never been dressed or dyed it retains all its natural oil
+and original colour, the latter varying from a very pretty yellow fawn
+to a pale cream-colour. The majority of the ponchos worn here are,
+however, made at Manchester, of a cheap and inferior material. They
+look exactly like the real thing at first sight, but are neither so
+light nor so warm, nor do they wear at all well. Occasionally they are
+made of silk, but more often of bright-coloured wool. In shape a
+poncho is simply a square shawl with a hole in the middle for the head
+of the wearer. On horseback the appearance is particularly
+picturesque, and it forms also a convenient cloak, which comes well
+over the saddle, before and behind, and leaves the arms, though
+covered, perfectly free.
+
+The natives, as a rule, wear a second poncho, generally of a different
+colour, tucked into the waistband of their long full linen drawers
+(_calzoncillos_), so as to make a pair of short baggy over-trousers. A
+poor man is content with a shirt, drawers, and two ponchos. A rich man
+has many rows of fringe and frills of lace at the bottom of his
+_calzoncillos_, and wears a short coat, with silver buttons, and a
+gorgeous silver belt, covered with dollars. His horse-fittings and
+massive stirrups (to say nothing of his enormous spurs) will be of
+solid silver, and his arms inlaid with the same metal. He will
+sometimes give as much as from 10_l_. to 20_l_. for a pair of stirrups
+alone, and the rest of his dress and equipment is proportionately
+expensive. The cost of the silver articles is little more than the
+value of the metal itself, which is of very pure quality, and is only
+roughly worked by the Indians or Gauchos. But as Manchester provides
+the ponchos, so does Birmingham the saddlery and fittings, especially
+those in use in the neighbourhood of towns.
+
+After inspecting the ponchos, we breakfasted with some friends, and
+about noon started in the train for Campana. The line passes at first
+through the streets of Buenos Ayres, and thence into the open country,
+beautifully green, and undulating like the waves of the sea. Near the
+town and the suburb of Belgrano are a great many peach-tree
+plantations, the fruit of which is used for fattening pigs while the
+wood serves for roasting them. There is also some scrubby brushwood,
+and a few large native trees; but these are soon left behind, and are
+succeeded by far-spreading rich pasture land, and occasional lagunes.
+
+We saw for the first time the holes of the bizcachas, or prairie-dogs,
+outside which the little prairie-owls keep guard. There appeared to be
+always one, and generally two, of these birds, standing, like
+sentinels, at the entrance to each hole, with their wise-looking heads
+on one side, pictures of prudence and watchfulness. The bird and the
+beast are great friends, and are seldom to be found apart. We also
+passed several enormous flocks of sheep and herds of cattle, most of
+them quite unattended, though some were being driven by men on
+horseback. There were quantities of plovers, and a great many
+partridges, of two kinds, large and small, and the numerous lagunes
+were covered with and surrounded by water-fowl of all kinds--wild
+swans and ducks, snipe, white storks, grey herons, black cormorants,
+and scarlet flamingoes, the last-named standing at the edge of the
+water, catching fish, and occasionally diving below the surface. On
+the very top of some of the telegraph-posts were the nests of the
+oven-bird, looking like carved round blocks of wood, placed there for
+ornament. These nests are made of mud, and are perfectly spherical in
+form, the interior being divided into two quite distinct chambers.
+
+[Illustration: Prairie Dogs and Owls.]
+
+Campana was reached by four o'clock, the train running straight on to
+the pier, alongside of which the two vessels were lying, with steam
+up. Passengers, baggage, and freight were immediately transferred from
+the train to the boats; and we soon found ourselves steaming along in
+the 'Uruguay,' between the willow-hung banks of the broad Parana. The
+country, though otherwise flat and uninteresting, looks very pretty
+just now, in its new spring coat of bright green.
+
+We passed several small towns, amongst others, San Pedro and San
+Nicolas, which are quite important-looking places, with a good deal of
+shipping, and occasionally stopped to pick up passengers, who had come
+in boats and steam-launches from far-distant villages, situated on
+lagunes, which our steamer could not enter.
+
+Just before arriving at each stopping-place, we had a race with the
+'Proveedor,' and whenever she became visible at a bend in the river,
+half a ton more coal was immediately heaped on to our fires by the
+captain's order--a piece of reckless extravagance, for, do what they
+would, they could not make us gain five minutes. The competition is,
+however, very fierce, and I suppose the two companies will not be
+satisfied until they have ruined one another; whereas, if each would
+run a steamer on alternate days, they and the public would be equally
+benefited. The fares are exceedingly reasonable, being less than 3_l_.
+for the whole journey from Buenos Ayres to Rosario, including all
+charges.
+
+_Friday, September 15th_.--A violent storm of thunder and lightning,
+apparently just above our heads, woke us at six o'clock this morning.
+Torrents of rain followed, and continued to fall until we dropped our
+anchor at Rosario, at 8.45 a.m., just as we were in the middle of
+breakfast, in our cozy little stern cabin. Half an hour later we
+landed, though the rain still came down in sheets, but the steamer was
+now alongside the pier, and close carriages had been provided. A few
+minutes' drive through ill-paved streets brought us to the Hotel
+Universel, a handsome, spacious building, with marble courtyards, full
+of trees, plants, and flowers, into which all the sitting-rooms open.
+Above are galleries, round which the various bed-rooms are in like
+manner ranged. It all looked nice and cool, and suitable for hot
+weather, but it was certainly rather draughty and cheerless on such a
+cold, pouring wet day, and all our efforts to make our large room, in
+which there were four immense windows, at all comfortable, were vain.
+
+Rosario, like Buenos Ayres, is built in squares. The streets are
+generally well paved with black and white marble, but the roadways are
+composed of little round stones, and are full of holes and
+inequalities, so that, in crossing the road after heavy rain, one
+steps from the _trottoir_ into a very slough of despond. The universal
+tramway runs down the centre of every street.
+
+After luncheon we made a fresh start for Carcarana by a special train,
+to which were attached two goods-vans, full of horses, and a carriage
+truck, containing a most comfortable American carriage, in shape not
+unlike a Victoria, only much lighter and with very high wheels. After
+a short journey through a rich, flat, grass country, we arrived at
+Roldan, the first colony of the Central Argentine Land Company. Here
+we all alighted, the horses were taken out of the vans, saddled,
+bridled, and harnessed, and the gentlemen rode and I drove round the
+colony, along what are generally roads, but to-day were sheets of
+water. We saw many colonists, of every grade, from those still
+occupying the one-roomed wooden cottages, originally supplied by the
+Land Company, standing in the midst of ill-cultivated fields, to those
+who had built for themselves good houses in the town, or nice
+cottages, with pretty gardens, surrounded by well-tilled lands.
+
+The drive ended at the mill belonging to a retired officer of the
+British army, who has settled here with his wife and two dear little
+children. Here we had tea and a pleasant chat, and then returned to
+the train and proceeded to Carcarana, the next station on the line.
+Now, however, instead of the rich pasture lands and flourishing crops
+which we had hitherto seen on all sides, our road lay through a
+desolate-looking district, bearing too evident signs of the
+destructive power of the locust. People travelling with us tell us
+that, less than a week ago, the pasture here was as fresh and green as
+could be desired, and the various crops were a foot high; but that, in
+the short space of a few hours, the care and industry of the last ten
+months were rendered utterly vain and useless, and the poor colonists
+found their verdant fields converted into a barren waste by these
+rapacious insects.
+
+Carcarana may be called the Richmond--one might almost say the
+Brighton--of Rosario. It stands on a river, the Carcaranal, to the
+banks of which an omnibus runs twice a day from the railway-station,
+during the season, to take people to bathe. Near the station is also
+an excellent little hotel, containing a large dining-room and a few
+bed-rooms, kept by two Frenchwomen; and here the Rosarians come out
+by train to dine and enjoy the fresh air. It was quite dark by the
+time we arrived, so that we could not see much of the flourishing
+little colony which has been formed here. We therefore paddled across
+the wet road to the inn, where, despite the somewhat rough
+surroundings, we enjoyed a capital dinner, cooked in the true French
+style. They are specially celebrated here for their asparagus, but the
+locusts had devoured all but a very few stalks, besides which they
+were held responsible, on the present occasion, for the absence of
+other vegetables and salad. Yesterday there was a grand wedding-party
+near here, the complete success of which was, we were told, somewhat
+marred by the fact, that for six hours, in the very middle of the day,
+it became absolutely necessary to light candles, owing to the dense
+clouds of locusts, about a league in extent, by which the air was
+darkened. Trains are even stopped by these insects occasionally; for
+they appear to like a hard road, and when they get on the line their
+bodies make the rails so greasy that the wheels of the engines will
+not bite. Moreover, they completely obscure the lights and signals, so
+that the men are afraid to proceed. The only remedy, therefore, is to
+go very slowly, preceded by a truck-load of sand, which is scattered
+freely over the rails in front of the engine. Horses will not always
+face a cloud of locusts, even to get to their stables, but turn round
+and stand doggedly still, until it has passed.
+
+After dinner we once more stepped into our special train, in which we
+arrived at Rosario at about half-past nine o'clock, thoroughly tired
+out.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VI.
+
+LIFE ON THE PAMPAS.
+
+    _There's tempest in yon horned moon,_
+    _And lightning in yon cloud;_
+    _But hark the music, mariners!_
+    _The wind is piping loud._
+
+
+_Saturday, September 16th_.--Waking at half-past five, we busied
+ourselves until nine o'clock, when we again started in a special train
+for Carcarana. After a short stop at Roldan, it was reached two hours
+later, and breakfast was followed by a long ride through the Land
+Company's colony, and from thence to Candelaria, a purely Spanish
+settlement.
+
+I freely confess that I had hardly believed all the stories they told
+me last night about the terrible doings of the locusts, and thought
+they must have been slightly exaggerated. It all seemed too dreadful
+to be true--as if one of the plagues of Egypt had been revived by the
+wand of an evil magician. In this somewhat incredulous mood I rashly
+said that, although I was very sorry to hear of the visit of these
+destructive creatures, as they _were_ unfortunately here, I should
+like to see them. My wish was shortly to be gratified; for, in the
+course of our ride, we saw in the distant sky what looked very much
+like a heavy purple thunder-cloud, but which the experienced
+pronounced to be a swarm of locusts. It seemed impossible; but as we
+proceeded they met us, first singly, and then in gradually increasing
+numbers, until each step became positively painful, owing to the smart
+blows we received from them on our heads, faces, and hands. We
+stopped for a time at Mr. Holt's large estancia, where,
+notwithstanding the general appearance of prosperity, the traces of
+the ravages of the locusts were only too visible. On remounting, to
+proceed on our journey, we found that the cloud had approached much
+nearer, the effect produced by its varying position being most
+extraordinary. As the locusts passed between us and the sun they
+completely obscured the light; a little later, with the sun's rays
+shining directly on their wings, they looked like a golden cloud, such
+as one sometimes sees in the transformation scene of a pantomime; and,
+at a greater distance, when viewed from the top of a slight eminence,
+they looked like a snow-storm, or a field of snow-white marguerites,
+which had suddenly taken to themselves wings. When on the ground, with
+their wings closed, they formed a close mass of little brown specks,
+completely hiding the ground and crops, both grass and grain. In
+riding over them, though not a quarter of their number could rise, for
+want of space in which to spread their wings, they formed such a dense
+cloud that we could see nothing else, and the horses strongly objected
+to face them. They got into one's hair and clothes, and gave one the
+creeps all over. I am sure I shall often dream of them for some time
+to come, and I have quite made up my mind that I never wish to see
+another locust as long as I live. I have, however, secured some fine
+specimens for any one who is curious about them.
+
+The land we passed through appeared to be well farmed. We spoke to
+several of the colonists, especially to one Italian family, living in
+a little mud rancho with a tile roof. They were all gathered together
+to witness the dying agonies of one of their best cows, perishing from
+the effects of the drought. The rest of the animals in the corral
+looked, I am sorry to say, thin and miserable, and as if they intended
+soon to follow their companion's example. The poor people,
+nevertheless, seemed very cheery and contented, and hospitably gave
+us each a drink of some remarkably muddy water.
+
+After a thirty-mile ride under a hot sun, fortunately on the easiest
+of horses, we were none of us sorry to stop for a short time at
+Carcarana, and obtain some refreshment, before proceeding--horses,
+carriage, and all--by train to Rosario, another colony on the line.
+Arrived at the latter place, I thought I had had enough riding for the
+first day, and therefore visited the various farms and houses in the
+carriage, the rest of the party going, as before, on horseback. After
+a round of about fifteen miles, we returned to the station, where we
+were kindly received by the sister of the station-master. An excellent
+dinner was provided for us in the refreshment-room, before we entered
+our special train, and Rosario was reached at about ten o'clock.
+
+_Sunday, September 17th_.--A kind friend sent his carriage to take us
+to the English church, a brick building, built to replace the small
+iron church that existed here previously, and only opened last month.
+The service was well performed, and the singing of the choir
+excellent. We paid a visit to the Sunday schools after luncheon, and
+then drove to the quinta of Baron Alvear. The road lies through the
+town, past the race-course, crowded with Gauchos, getting up scratch
+races amongst themselves, and on, over undulating plains and
+water-courses, into the open country. Sometimes there was a track,
+sometimes none. In some places the pastures were luxuriantly green; in
+others the ground was carpeted with white, lilac, and scarlet verbena,
+just coming into bloom--for it is still early spring here. Here and
+there came a bare patch, completely cleared by the locusts, who had
+also stripped many of the fine timber trees in the garden of the
+quinta. On the gate-posts, at the entrance, were the nests of two
+oven-birds, like those we had already seen on the telegraph-posts, so
+exactly spherical as to look like ornaments. In one of the shrubberies
+a fine jaguar was shut up in a cage, who looked very like a tiger.
+Though he had evidently just had his dinner, he was watching with
+greedy interest the proceedings of some natives in charge of a
+horse--an animal which he esteems a great delicacy, when procurable.
+
+On our way across the camp we saw a great quantity of the seeds of the
+Martynia proboscidea, mouse-burrs as they call them,--devil's claws or
+toe-nails: they are curious-looking things, as the annexed woodcut
+will show.
+
+[Illustration: Devils Horns]
+
+Frank Buckland has a theory--and very likely a correct one--that they
+are created in this peculiar form for the express purpose of attaching
+themselves to the long tails of the wild horses that roam about the
+country in troops of hundreds. They carry them thousands of miles, and
+disseminate the seed wherever they go at large in search of food and
+water.
+
+When we returned to Rosario we noticed a great crowd still on the
+race-course, and were just in time to see the finish of one race,
+ridden barebacked, and for a very short distance. All the races are
+short; and as the natives are always engaging in these little contests
+of speed, the horses get into the habit of extending themselves
+directly you put them out of a walk. But the least touch is sufficient
+to stop them immediately, and I never saw horses better broken than
+they are here. The most fearful bits are used for the purpose; but
+when once this is accomplished, the mere inclination of the body, or
+the slightest pressure of the finger upon the bridle, is sufficient to
+guide them. They will maintain, for almost any length of time, a quick
+canter--what they call here 'a little gallop'--at the rate of three
+leagues (ten miles) an hour, without showing the slightest sign of
+fatigue. They don't like being mounted, and always fidget a little
+then, but are quite quiet directly you are in the saddle. I rode
+several horses which had never carried a lady before; but after the
+first few minutes they did not seem to mind the riding-habit in the
+least. They evidently dislike standing still, unless you dismount and
+throw the rein on the ground, when they will remain stationary for
+hours.
+
+_Monday, September 18th_.--The early part of this morning was spent in
+much the same way as on Saturday, Tom going as before to the Land
+Company's Office, whilst I remained at home to write.
+
+At nine o'clock we proceeded to the station, and started in our
+comfortable railway carriage for Tortugas. We formed quite a large
+party altogether, and the journey over the now familiar line, past
+Roldan, Carcarana, and Canada de Gomez, was a very pleasant one. At
+Tortugas we left the train, and paid a visit to one of the overseers
+of the colony and his cheery little French wife, who, we found, had
+been expecting us all day on Saturday. A few weeks ago this lady's
+sister was carried off by Indians, with some other women and children.
+After riding many leagues, she seized her opportunity, pushed the
+Indian who was carrying her off his horse, turned the animal's head
+round, and galloped back across the plain, hotly pursued, until within
+a mile or two of the colony, by the rest of the band. It was a plucky
+thing for a little bit of a woman to attempt with a great powerful
+savage, and she is deservedly looked upon in the village as quite a
+heroine.
+
+The journey between Rosario and Cordova occupies twelve hours by the
+ordinary train; and as Frayle Muerto is exactly half-way between the
+two places, the trains going in either direction commence their
+journey at the same hours (6 a.m. and 6 p.m.), by which means the
+passengers meet each other here in time to breakfast and dine
+together. There is a fine bridge over the river near Frayle Muerto,
+but the place is principally celebrated as having been the site of the
+Henleyite colony, which caused disappointment to so many young men of
+family, who were induced to come out here from England and to go up
+country, with no other result than the loss of all their money. The
+scheme was supposed to be perfect in all its details, but proved upon
+a closer acquaintance to be utterly worthless. The iron church at
+Rosario is still standing, which the members of the expedition took up
+there, and we have also met some of the young men themselves at
+various times.
+
+The train did not reach Cordova until 7.30 p.m., and it was therefore
+too late for us to see much of the approach to the city, but to-morrow
+we intend to do a good deal in that way. In the middle of the night we
+were aroused by a violent thunderstorm. The lightning was most vivid,
+and illuminated our room with many colours. The rain fell heavily,
+flooding everything, and making the streets look like rivers, and the
+courtyard of the hotel like a lake. It is one of the oldest, and, at
+the same time, one of the most unhealthy, of the cities of South
+America, for it is built in the hollow of the surrounding hills, where
+no refreshing breezes can penetrate.
+
+Travelling in Brazil is like passing through a vast hothouse, filled
+with gorgeous tropical vegetation and forms of insect life. In the
+neighbourhood of Monte Video you might imagine yourself in a perpetual
+greenhouse. Here it is like being in a vast garden, in which the
+greenest of turf, the brightest of bedding-out plants, and the most
+fragrant flowering shrubs abound. Each country, therefore, possesses
+its own particular beauty, equally attractive in its way.
+
+Shortly after leaving Cordova we passed through an Indian village;
+but, except at this point, we did not meet many natives during our
+ride. One poor woman, however, whom we did unfortunately encounter,
+had a fall from her horse, owing to the animal being frightened at the
+umbrella I carried, yet my own horse had, after a very brief
+objection, quietly submitted to the introduction of this novelty into
+the equipment of his rider.
+
+[Illustration: La Calera.]
+
+We found that the hotel on the Caldera for which we were bound was
+shut up; but one of the party had the keys, and an excellent lunch
+quickly made its appearance. The view from the verandah, over the
+river, to the Sierras beyond, was very fine. It had become quite hot
+by this time, and I was much interested in seeing all our horses taken
+down to the water to bathe. They appeared to be perfectly familiar
+with the process; and, the river being shallow, they picked out all
+the nice holes between the boulders, where they could lie down and be
+completely covered by the water. Just as we were starting to return,
+black clouds gathered from all around; the lightning flashed, the
+thunder muttered, and big drops began to fall. But the storm was not
+of long duration, and we escaped the worst part of it, though we had
+ample evidence of its severity during our homeward ride, in the
+slippery ground, the washed-away paths, and the swollen ditches. We
+stopped half-way to see the drowning out of some poor little bizcachas
+from their holes. The water had been turned into their dwellings by
+means of trenches, and as the occupants endeavoured to make their
+escape at the other end they were pounced upon by men and dogs; the
+prairie-owls meanwhile hovering disconsolately overhead. Two of the
+gentlemen of our party each managed to purchase a living bizcacha,
+which was then wrapped up in a handkerchief and conveyed home. When
+young they are pretty little creatures, and are easily tamed.
+
+It was late when we reached Cordova; but I was anxious to visit the
+Observatory before our departure, as it is one of the best, though not
+by any means the largest, in the world. Professor Gould, the
+astronomer, is away just at present, but we were kindly received by
+Mrs. Gould, who conducted us over the building. They have a fine
+collection of various instruments and some wonderful photographs of
+the principal stars--Saturn, with his ring and eight moons, Jupiter,
+with his four moons, Venus, Mercury, &c. If we could have stayed
+longer we might have seen much more; but it was now quite dark, and we
+had only just time for a short visit to the observing room itself. Our
+ride down to the city in the dark would have been exceedingly risky if
+our horses had been less sure-footed, for the roads had been washed
+away in many places, but we reached the bottom of the Observatory hill
+in safety, and shortly afterwards arrived at the hotel just in time
+for dinner.
+
+After dinner we drove to the station, where we found all our own party
+assembled, and many more people, who had come to see us off. I was
+given the Chilian bit used for the horse I rode to-day, as a
+remembrance of my visit. It is a most formidable-looking instrument
+of torture, and one which I am sure my dear little steed did not in
+the least require; but I suppose the fact of having once felt it, when
+being broken in, is sufficient for a lifetime, for the horses here
+have certainly the very lightest mouths I ever met with. A gift of a
+young puma, or small lion, was also waiting for me. It is about four
+months old, and very tame; but, considering the children, I think it
+will be more prudent to pass it on to the Zoo, in London.
+
+The train started at 8.30 p.m. and took an hour to reach Rio Segundo,
+where we found tea and coffee prepared. After that we proceeded to
+make our arrangements for the night; some of the gentlemen sleeping in
+the saloon-carriages, and some on beds made up in the luggage-van. Tom
+and I turned into our two cozy little berths, and knew nothing more
+until we were called at 4.30 a.m. at Canada de Gomez. The lamp had
+gone out, and we found it rather difficult work dressing and packing
+in the cold and dark; but it was soon done, and a cup of hot coffee in
+the refreshment-room afterwards made us feel quite comfortable.
+
+Then we all separated: Captain Dunlop to join his ship; Tom to
+complete his report on the colonies of the Central Argentine Land
+Company, which he is preparing in compliance with the request of the
+Directors in London; while the rest of the party awaited the arrival
+of the waggonette which was to take us to the estancia of Las Rosas.
+
+_Wednesday, September 20th_.--At 6.30 a.m. the waggonette arrived, a
+light but strong, unpainted vehicle, drawn by a pair of active little
+well-bred horses, both of whom had been raced in their day. There were
+but a few leagues of cultivated ground to be passed before we reached
+the broad, undulating, solitary Pampas, where for some time the only
+visible signs of life were to be found in the Teru-tero birds (a sort
+of plover), who shrieked discordantly as we disturbed their repose;
+the partridges, large and small, put up by the retriever who
+accompanied us; some prairie fowls; a great many hawks, of all sizes;
+and the pretty little wydah-birds, with their two immense tail
+feathers, four times the length of their bodies. The first glimpse of
+the far-spreading prairie was most striking in all its variations of
+colour. The true shade of the Pampas grass, when long, is a light
+dusty green; when short it is a bright fresh green. But it frequently
+happens that, owing to the numerous prairie-fires, either accidental
+or intentional, nothing is to be seen but a vast expanse of black
+charred ground, here and there relieved by a few patches of vivid
+green, where the grass is once more springing up under the influence
+of the rain.
+
+The road, or rather track, was in a bad condition, owing to the recent
+wet weather, and on each side of the five _canadas_, or small rivers,
+which we had to ford, there were deep morasses, through which we had
+to struggle as best we could, with the mud up to our axletrees. Just
+before arriving at the point where the stream had to be crossed, the
+horses were well flogged and urged on at a gallop, which they
+gallantly maintained until the other side was reached. Then we stopped
+to breathe the horses and to repair damages, generally finding that a
+trace had given way, or that some other part of the harness had shown
+signs of weakness. On one occasion we were delayed for a considerable
+time by the breaking of the splinter-bar, to repair which was a
+troublesome matter; indeed, I don't know how we should have managed it
+if we had not met a native lad, who sold us his long lasso to bind the
+pieces together again. It was a lucky _rencontre_ for us, as he was
+the only human being we saw during the whole of our drive of thirty
+miles, except the peon who brought us a change of horses, half-way.
+
+In the course of the journey we passed a large estancia, the road to
+which was marked by the dead bodies and skeletons of the poor beasts
+who had perished in the late droughts. Hundreds of them were lying
+about in every stage of decay, those more recently dead being
+surrounded by vultures and other carrion-birds. The next _canada_ that
+we crossed was choked up with the carcases of the unfortunate
+creatures who had struggled thus far for a last drink, and had then
+not had sufficient strength left to extricate themselves from the
+water. Herds of miserable-looking, half-starved cattle were also to be
+seen, the cows very little larger than their calves, and all
+apparently covered with the same rough shaggy coats. The pasture is
+not fine enough in this part of the country to carry sheep, but deer
+are frequently met with.
+
+A little later we again began to approach cultivated land, and a mile
+or two further brought us to a broad road, with high palings on either
+side, down which we drove, and through the yard, to the door of the
+estancia. The house is a one-story building, one room wide, with a
+verandah in front and at the back, one side of which faces the yard,
+the other a well-kept garden, full of violets and other spring
+flowers, and roses just coming into bloom. There are several smaller
+detached buildings, in which the sleeping apartments are situated, and
+which are also provided with verandahs and barred windows. Having
+visited the various rooms, in company with our hosts, we sat down to a
+rough but substantial breakfast, to which full justice was done.
+Travelling all night, and a ride of thirty miles in the fresh morning
+air, have a tendency to produce a keen appetite; and the present
+occasion proved no exception to that rule.
+
+After breakfast I rested and wrote some letters, while the gentlemen
+inspected the farm and stud. The proprietor of this estancia has the
+best horses in this part of the country, and has taken great pains to
+improve their breed, as well as that of the cattle and sheep, by
+importing thorough-breds from England. Unlike the Arabs, neither
+natives nor settlers here think of riding mares, and it is considered
+quite a disgrace to do so. They are therefore either allowed to run
+wild in troops, or are used to trample out corn or to make mud for
+bricks. They are also frequently killed and boiled down, for the sake
+of their hides and tallow, the value of which does not amount to more
+than about 10_s_. per head. Large herds of them are met with at this
+time of the year on the Pampas, attended by a few horses, and
+accompanied by their foals.
+
+The natives of these parts pass their lives in the saddle. Horses are
+used for almost every conceivable employment, from hunting and fishing
+to brick-making and butter-churning. Even the very beggars ride about
+on horseback. I have seen a photograph of one, with a police
+certificate of mendicancy hanging round his neck, taken from life for
+Sir Woodbine Parish. Every domestic servant has his or her own horse,
+as a matter of course; and the maids are all provided with habits, in
+which they ride about on Sundays, from one estancia to another, to pay
+visits. In fishing, the horse is ridden into the water as far as he
+can go, and the net or rod is then made use of by his rider. At Buenos
+Ayres I have seen the poor animals all but swimming to the shore, with
+heavy carts and loads, from the ships anchored in the inner roads; for
+the water is so shallow that only very small boats can go alongside
+the vessels, and the cargo is therefore transferred directly to the
+carts to save the trouble and expense of transshipment. In
+out-of-the-way places, on the Pampas, where no churns exist, butter is
+made by putting milk into a goat-skin bag, attached by a long lasso to
+the saddle of a peon, who is then set to gallop a certain number of
+miles, with the bag bumping and jumping along the ground after him.
+
+About four o'clock the horses--much larger and better bred animals
+than those we have been riding lately--were brought round from the
+corral. Mine was a beauty; easy, gentle, and fast. We first took a
+canter round the cultivated ground, about 300 acres in extent, and in
+capital condition. Lucerne grows here splendidly, and can be cut seven
+times a year. As we left the yard, Mr. Nield's man asked if he would
+take the dogs. He replied in the negative; but I suppose he must have
+referred to the greyhounds only, for we were certainly accompanied on
+the present occasion by _eleven_ dogs of various sorts and sizes,
+those left behind being shut up and kept without food, in anticipation
+of the stag-hunt to-morrow. We rode over the race-course, where the
+horses are trained, and on to the partridge ground. The larger kind of
+these birds are extremely stupid, and are easily ridden down by a
+horseman, or caught in a noose. They rise three times, and after the
+third flight they are so exhausted and terrified that it is easy to
+dismount and catch them with the hand, as they lie panting on the long
+grass. Partridge-hunting is considered good sport. It is necessary to
+keep your eye constantly fixed upon the bird, and to watch where he
+settles, and then to gallop to the spot as hard as possible, leaving
+your horse to look after himself amid the long grass; and this
+manoeuvre has to be repeated until at last the unfortunate bird is
+overtaken and caught.
+
+As we were riding along, the dogs found and killed a bizcacha, in a
+bank. Just as Mr. Elliott had pulled it out, and had laid it, dead, in
+the field, its little companion owl arrived, and appeared to be in the
+most dreadful state of mind. It shrieked and cried, as it hovered over
+us, and finally selected a small white fox terrier, who, I think,
+really had been principally concerned in the death, as the object of
+its vengeance, pouncing down upon his head, and giving him two or
+three good pecks, at the same time flapping its wings violently. The
+other dogs drove it off; but more than half an hour afterwards, while
+we were looking at some horses, nearly a mile from the spot, the
+plucky little owl returned to the charge, and again swooped down upon
+the same dog, with a dismal cry, and administered a vigorous peck to
+him. Altogether it was a striking and interesting proof of the
+attachment existing between these curious birds and beasts; the object
+of the owl in the present instance clearly being to revenge if
+possible the death of its friend.
+
+On our return to the farm, we went all round the place, and found that
+everything was being made secure for the night; after which we watched
+all the servants come in one by one for their daily ration of grog,
+and then retired to dress for dinner, shortly after which, being
+thoroughly tired out, I retired to my bed-room, attended by a very
+kind old Irishwoman, who had been deputed to look after me. My mind
+was at first somewhat disturbed by the discovery of one or two
+enormous toads and long-armed spiders in my apartment; but they
+fortunately did not interfere with my repose, for I slept like a top.
+All the rooms being on the ground-floor, it is almost impossible
+entirely to exclude intruders of this description. I admired very much
+what I took to be two fine ponchos, of a delicate fawn-colour, used as
+tablecloths, but upon a closer examination I found that they were made
+of the finest silk, and learned afterwards that they were imported
+from England. I don't know why the same material should not be
+employed for a similar purpose at home; but I believe that those
+manufactured hitherto have been designed expressly for the South
+American market, to which they are exported in considerable
+quantities.
+
+_Thursday, September 21st_.--At five o'clock, when I awoke, it was so
+misty that I could only see about half-way across the yard. By six,
+the hour at which we were to have started on our hunting expedition,
+matters had improved a little; but it was still considered unsafe to
+venture out, for fear of being lost on the vast plains which
+surrounded us. An hour later, however, it was reported that the fog
+was clearing off, and a little before eight o'clock we started.
+Horses, riders, and dogs, all appeared to be in the highest spirits,
+the former jumping and frisking about, hardly deigning to touch the
+ground, the latter tearing after one another and barking at every
+stray bird they met. The pack numbered seventeen, and could hardly be
+called a level lot of hounds, comprising, as it did, two deerhounds,
+five well-bred greyhounds, two retrievers, one setter, one spaniel,
+one French poodle, two fox terriers, one black and tan terrier, and
+two animals of an utterly indescribable breed; but they all did their
+work well, as the event proved. Even the shaggy fat old French poodle
+arrived in each case before the deer was cut up.
+
+Two deer were soon descried in the distance, and we cantered steadily
+towards them at the rate of about ten miles an hour, until the dogs
+winded and sighted them. Then, directly the first short yelp was
+heard, every horse extended himself in an instant, galloping away as
+hard as he could go, almost literally _ventre a terre_. They were
+nearly all thoroughbreds, and had been raced, so that the speed was
+something delightful. But it only lasted ten minutes, at the end of
+which time the dogs ran into one of the deer, and thus put a temporary
+stop to our enjoyment. He proved to be a fine buck, and was soon
+killed. His legs were cut off for trophies, but, his horns being like
+velvet, the head was not worth having. Some of the dogs pursued the
+doe, but failed to pull her down, and returned half an hour later
+fatigued and panting.
+
+It had become hot by this time, so we rode to the nearest water, to
+enable the animals to drink and bathe, and then started afresh at a
+sharp canter. There were plenty of bizcacha holes and boggy places to
+be avoided; but we allowed the horses to take care of themselves and
+us in this respect, and occupied ourselves almost exclusively in
+looking for fresh deer. For some time we found nothing; then two
+sprang out of the long grass close to the _canada_, which they
+crossed, and, on reaching the other side, started off in different
+directions. The pack pursued and divided, some going after each
+animal. I, and two others of the party, followed the doe, and after
+another short burst of ten minutes, at a tremendous pace, we ran into
+and killed her. As soon as she had been despatched, we wanted to
+follow the buck, in pursuit of which the rest of the riders had gone,
+but there was now nothing to be seen of him or them. Flat as the
+country looked, the slight undulations of the ground quite hid them
+from our view. After riding about for two hours in various directions,
+looking and listening most patiently, we abandoned the search in
+despair, and returned to the house, where we found that our friends
+had already arrived. They had enjoyed the best run they have had for
+many months--seven miles, from point to point--but the dogs had lain
+down, dead beat, at the end of the first six miles. The horsemen had
+galloped on, their animals tailing off one by one, until only two
+remained in it at all. Having mutually agreed to let the stag live
+till another day to afford perhaps as good a run and as much pleasure
+to some one else, they thereupon also abandoned the chase, and turned
+their horses' heads homewards.
+
+After a change of dress, we proceeded to pack up, preparatory to our
+departure, and then had breakfast, after which we bade adieu to our
+kind hosts, and started in the waggonette to retrace our steps to the
+station. It was very bright and hot, and the sun and wind had already
+begun to have a visible effect upon the vegetation of the Pampas. The
+streams were much more passable, and we reached Canada de Gomez at
+about half-past five, in a shorter time, than it had taken us to
+perform the outward journey yesterday. On reaching Rosario at about
+ten o'clock, we found several friends waiting to receive us, with
+invitations to tea; but we felt too tired in body and too disreputable
+in appearance to accept them, and preferred going straight to our
+hotel and to bed.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VII.
+
+MORE ABOUT THE ARGENTINE REPUBLIC.
+
+    _The twilight is sad and cloudy,_
+    _The wind blows wild and free,_
+    _And like the wings of sea-birds_
+    _Flash the white caps of the sea._
+
+
+_Friday, September 22nd_.--Mr. Fisher called for me at 8 a.m., to
+drive me in his little carriage to the railway yard and workshops, and
+then to pay some farewell visits. We also went to see the market, and
+to get some photographs of Rosario; after which, breakfast,
+packing-up, and paying the bill occupied our time until one o'clock,
+when we started for the steamer, to return to Buenos Ayres. On our
+arrival alongside the 'Proveedor,' I found that nearly all our Rosario
+friends had come down to the landing-place to see us off, and had
+brought all manner of remembrances for me and the children. Flowers in
+profusion; a tame cardinal bird for Muriel; a pair of dear little
+long-tailed green paroquets; the skin of a seal, shot at the
+Alexandria colony; a beautiful poncho; an Argentine bit, whip, and
+stirrups; a carpincha skin; two pretty little muletas--a sort of
+armadillo, very tame, and often kept in the houses here as a pet; and
+several other presents, all of which, when I look at them at home,
+will serve to remind me of the kind donors, and of the happy days
+spent in the Argentine Republic.
+
+It was not long before we were off, and steaming slowly astern of the
+'Uruguay.' This boat is not so large nor so fast as the 'Uruguay,'
+though the difference in speed does not probably amount to more than
+fifteen minutes in the twenty-four hours. Her saloon and deck are not
+so good, but her sleeping-cabins are much larger and more comfortable.
+The Italian captains are equally agreeable on both steamers, the
+civility is the same, and the fares and food are precisely similar, so
+that there is not much left to influence one in the choice of vessels.
+We had a pleasant party at an excellent dinner in the evening, the
+captain only regretting that we had not been on board two days ago,
+when Mlle. P. and the opera company went down from Rosario to Buenos
+Ayres. They had a very cheery evening, and some good music, which Tom
+told us afterwards he thoroughly enjoyed. There were no musicians on
+board to-night, and not any temptation to sit up late, which was
+perhaps as well; one of the reasons for our going back this way being
+that we wished to have an opportunity of seeing the River Tigre, which
+we should reach in the early morning. On the upward journey we had, to
+save time, embarked at Campana, which is situated above that river.
+
+_Saturday, September 23rd_.--At 4.30 a.m. the captain called me, being
+anxious that I should not miss any of the beauties of the Tigre. On my
+arrival on deck he kindly had a chair placed for me right in the bows,
+provided me with rugs and wraps, and sent for some hot coffee, which
+was particularly acceptable, as the morning air was fresh and chilly.
+The sky was flushed with rosy clouds, the forerunners of one of the
+most beautiful sunrises imaginable. The river itself is narrow and
+monotonous, the branches of the willow-tree on either bank almost
+sweeping the sides of the steamer. The centre channel is fairly deep;
+but we managed to run aground once, though we only drew nine feet, and
+in turning a sharp corner it was necessary to send a boat ashore with
+a rope, to pull the vessel's head round.
+
+At half-past six we reached the port of Tigre, where we found many
+fine ships waiting for the tide, to go up the river. Some delay
+occurred while the passengers' luggage was being examined; but in
+about half an hour we were able to land and walk to the
+railway-station, through an avenue of shady trees, round the trunks of
+which the wistaria, now in full bloom, was climbing, and past several
+houses, whose pretty gardens were ablaze with all sorts of flowers. At
+the station I found a letter from Tom, telling me we were expected to
+breakfast at a quinta, not far from Buenos Ayres.
+
+For about an hour and a half the line ran through a rich and fertile
+country, quite the garden of Buenos Ayres, until we arrived at the
+station where we were to alight. Here Mr. Coghlan met us and drove us
+to his house, which is charmingly situated in the midst of a grove of
+olive-trees, formerly surrounding the palace of the viceroys. After
+breakfast the gardener cut us a fine bouquet of roses and violets, and
+we walked to the tramway, and were conveyed by one of the cars,
+smoothly and quickly, to the city. The contrast between this mode of
+travelling and riding in an ordinary carriage through the ill-paved
+streets is very striking. It is really less fatiguing to walk than to
+adopt the latter mode of conveyance, and I believe that, but for the
+look of the thing, most people would prefer to do so. How the vehicles
+themselves stand the jolting I cannot imagine, for they are all large
+and handsome, and must suffer tremendous strains.
+
+At noon we went with Mr. Coghlan to see the market and the museum, and
+to do some shopping. The market is a large open building, well
+supplied with everything at moderate prices; meat, game, fruit,
+vegetables, and flowers being especially cheap and good. House-rent
+and fine clothes--what Muriel would call 'dandy things'--are very dear
+in Buenos Ayres, but all the necessaries of life are certainly cheap.
+People of the middle and lower classes live much better here than they
+do at home, and the development of bone and muscle in large families
+of small children, owing to the constant use of so much meat and
+strong soup, is very remarkable. When once they have attained the age
+at which they can run about, children get on very well; but the
+climate, and the difficulty of obtaining a proper supply of milk in
+hot weather, often prove fatal to infants. It is very difficult to get
+good servants here, as they can easily obtain much higher pay in other
+capacities, and are very soon enabled to set up in business for
+themselves. Returning to the hotel, we collected our parcels and had
+some luncheon, and then proceeded to the pier, where we found the
+children waiting for us to embark in the gig, and we soon arrived
+safely on board the 'Sunbeam.'
+
+At about half-past six, Tom and Mabelle returned from their expedition
+to the largest and most comfortable estancia in the country, where
+they were received most hospitably, and enjoyed themselves very much.
+
+After dinner, some of our party left in the whale-boat, being anxious
+to be present at Madame Almazilia's benefit performance at the opera,
+for which I fear they arrived too late after all. Whilst we were
+waiting at the railway-station to-day, some of the bouquets, which
+were to be presented at the theatre to-night, arrived by train. The
+flowers were arranged in all manner of strange shapes and
+devices--full-sized tables and chairs, music-stands, and musical
+instruments, and many other quaint conceits, composed entirely of grey
+Neapolitan violets, marked out with camellias and other coloured
+flowers.
+
+_Sunday, September 24th_.--Most of us went ashore in the whale-boat at
+ten o'clock, to attend the English church, reopened to-day for the
+first time for some months. After our own service we met many friends,
+and walked to the Roman Catholic cathedral. The streets were full of
+well-appointed carriages, and in the interior of the building we found
+a great many well-dressed ladies, and a few men. Mass had not
+commenced, and a constant stream of worshippers was still entering;
+but we remained only for a short time, and then returned to the Mole.
+By this time the wind had freshened considerably, and several of our
+friends tried to persuade us to remain on shore; but as we knew Tom
+was expecting us, and we wanted to get the things we required for our
+next journey, we thought it better to go off.
+
+It took us two hours and a half, beating against the wind, to reach
+the yacht, sea-sick, and drenched to the skin. Directly we got outside
+the bar the sea was very bad, and each wave broke more or less over
+the little half-deck, under which the children had been packed away
+for shelter. Seeing how rough it was out at the anchorage--far worse
+than near the shore--Tom had quite given us up, for it was now
+half-past three, and was preparing to come ashore, bringing our things
+with him. On board the yacht we found an unfortunate French maid, and
+another servant, who had come off early in the morning to spend the
+day and have dinner with our people, but who were now lying prostrate
+and ill in the cabin.
+
+Champagne and luncheon revived us a little, and Tom hurried us off to
+get ashore again by daylight, before the weather became worse. It was
+a very pleasant twenty minutes' sail to the shore, racing along before
+the wind, with two reefs in the mainsail--quite a different thing from
+beating out. The tide was high, and the captain therefore steered for
+the pier, where he hoped to land us. Unfortunately, however, he missed
+it; and as it was impossible to make another tack out, all that could
+be done was to let go the anchor to save running ashore, and wait
+until they sent out a small boat to fetch us. This took some little
+time during which we pitched and tossed about in a very disagreeable
+fashion. When the boat did at last arrive she turned out to be a
+wretched little skiff, rowed by two men, with very indifferent oars,
+and only capable of taking three passengers at a time. Tom went first,
+taking with him the two children, and the two poor sea-sick maids, and
+the boat at once put off for the land, Tom steering. It was terrible
+to watch them from the whale-boat, and when one tremendous sea came,
+and the skiff broached to, I thought for a moment that all was over,
+as did every one who was watching our proceedings from the pier. I
+could not look any more, till I heard shouts that they were safe
+ashore. Then came our turn. The boat returned for us, this time
+provided with better oars, and we were soon landed in safety, if not
+in comfort; and a third and last trip brought ashore the rest of the
+party and the luggage, Tom remaining at the tiller.
+
+Mr. Coghlan had come down to meet us, but, seeing the peril of the
+first boat, had gone away until he heard we were all landed, and now
+returned to congratulate us on our narrow escape and present safety.
+After we had rested for a short time in the waiting-room, to recover
+from our fright and shake our dripping garments, we went to the Hotel
+de la Paix, where we dined, and at ten o'clock we walked down to the
+railway-station, where a large number of people had already assembled,
+some of whom were to accompany us to Azul, while others had only come
+to see us off.
+
+Everything had been most comfortably arranged for us in the special
+train. The interior fittings of two second-class American carriages
+had been completely taken out, and a canvas lining, divided into
+compartments, each containing a cozy little bed, had been substituted.
+Wash-stands, looking-glasses, &c., had been provided, and a profusion
+of beautiful flowers filled in every available spot. In a third car
+two tables, occupying its entire length, with seats on one side of
+each table, had been placed; and here it was intended that we should
+breakfast, lunch, and dine.
+
+_Monday, September 25th_.--We slept soundly--speaking for the children
+and myself--until we were aroused at six o'clock this morning by the
+agreeable intelligence that we had reached our destination. Azul is
+about 300 miles south of Buenos Ayres, on the Southern Railway. It is
+a small and primitive place in itself, but is situated in the midst
+of splendid pastures, both for rearing sheep and cattle, of which
+there are large flocks and herds.
+
+Whilst we were waiting for breakfast, we walked a little distance to
+see a troop of mares treading mud for bricks. It was a curious, but
+rather sad sight. Inside a circular enclosure, some fifty yards in
+diameter, about fifty half-starved animals, up to their houghs in very
+sloppy mud, were being driven round about, and up and down, as fast as
+they could go, by a mounted peon, assisted by five or six men on foot,
+outside the enclosure, armed with long heavy whips, which they used
+constantly. Some of the poor creatures had foals, which were tied up a
+little distance off, and which kept up a piteous whinnying, as an
+accompaniment to the lashings and crackings of the whips. On our way
+back to the station we saw a horse, attached to a light gig, bolt
+across the Pampas at full gallop, vainly pursued by a man on
+horseback. First one wheel came off and then the other; then the body
+of the gig was left behind, and then the shafts and most of the
+harness followed suit; until at last--as we afterwards heard--the
+runaway reached his home, about five miles off, with only his bridle
+remaining.
+
+At nine o'clock the breakfast-bell rang, and we found an excellent
+repast spread out for us on two long tables. An hour later we started
+in seven large carriages, and proceeded first to make the tour of the
+town, afterwards visiting the bank, and a fine new house in the course
+of construction by a native, built entirely of white marble from
+Italy. Then we paid a visit to some Indians--an old chief and his four
+wives, who have settled quietly down in a toldo near the town. They
+were not bad-looking, and appeared fairly comfortable, as they
+squatted in the open air round the fire, above which was suspended a
+large iron pot, containing, to judge by the look and smell, a most
+savoury preparation. We next went to a store, where we picked up a few
+curiosities, and then drove to the mill of Azul, a new establishment,
+of which the inhabitants of the town are evidently very proud. There
+is a pretty walk by the mill-stream, overhung with willows, and close
+by is another toldo, inhabited by more Indians.
+
+[Illustration: Indians at Azul]
+
+Leaving the town, we now proceeded about two leagues across the Pampas
+to Mr. Frer's estancia. He is a farmer, on a very extensive scale, and
+possesses about 24,000 sheep and 500 horses, besides goodly herds of
+cattle. The locusts have not visited this part of the country, and the
+pastures are consequently in fine condition after the late rains,
+while the sheep look proportionately well. We passed a large
+_grasseria_, or place where sheep are killed at the rate of seven in a
+minute, and are skinned, cut up, and boiled down for tallow in an
+incredibly short space of time, the residue of the meat being used in
+the furnace as fuel. Running about loose, outside, were four or five
+curly-horned rams, between two of which a grand combat took place,
+apparently conducted in strict accordance with the rules of fighting
+etiquette. The two animals began by walking round and round, eyeing
+each other carefully, and then retiring backwards a certain distance,
+which might have been measured out for them, they stopped so exactly
+simultaneously. Then, gazing steadfastly at one another for a few
+moments, as if to take aim, they rushed forward with tremendous force,
+dashing their foreheads together with a crash that might have been
+heard a mile away. It seemed marvellous that they did not fracture
+their skulls, for they repeated the operation three or four times
+before Mr. Frer could get a man to help to stop the fight, when the
+two combatants were led off, in a very sulky state, to be locked up
+apart.
+
+Arrangements had been made for us to see as much of station-life as
+possible during our short visit. The peons' dinner had been put back,
+in order that we might witness their peculiar method of roasting, or
+rather baking, their food, and eating it; but we were rather later
+than was expected, and the men were so hungry that we were only able
+to see the end of the performance. Mr. Frer had also sent a long way
+across the Pampas for some wild horses, belonging to him, in order
+that we might see them lassoed; and Colonel Donovan had brought with
+him one of his best domidors, or horse-breakers, that we might have an
+opportunity of seeing an unbroken colt caught and backed for the first
+time.
+
+About a hundred horses were driven into a large corral, and several
+gauchos and peons, some on horseback and some on foot, exhibited their
+skill with the lasso, by catching certain of the animals, either by
+the fore leg, the hind leg, or the neck, as they galloped round and
+round at full speed. The captured animal got a tremendous fall in each
+case, and if the mounted horse was not very clever and active, he and
+his rider were very likely to be thrown down also. There was the risk
+too of the man receiving an injury from the lasso itself, if it should
+happen to get round his body, in which case he would probably be
+almost cut in half by the sudden jerk.
+
+[Illustration: Lassoing Horses.]
+
+The next proceeding was to cast a lasso at a _potro_, or unbroken
+colt, who was galloping about in the very centre of the troop, at full
+speed. His fore legs were caught dexterously in the noose, which
+brought him up, or rather down, instantly, head over heels. Another
+lasso was then thrown over his head, and drawn quite tight round his
+neck, and a bridle, composed of two or three thongs of raw hide, was
+forced into his mouth by means of a slip-knot rein. A sheepskin saddle
+was placed on his back, the man who was to ride him standing over him,
+with one foot already in the stirrup. All this time the poor horse was
+lying on the ground, with his legs tied close together, frightened
+almost out of his life, trembling in every limb, and perspiring from
+every pore. When the man was ready, the horse's legs were loosened
+sufficiently to allow him to rise, and he was then led outside the
+corral. The lassoes were suddenly withdrawn, and he dashed forwards,
+springing and plunging upwards, sideways, downwards, in every
+direction, in the vain effort to rid himself of his unaccustomed load.
+The man remained planted, like a rock, in the saddle, pulling hard at
+the bridle, while a second domidor, mounted on a tame horse, pursued
+the terrified animal, striking him with a cruel whip to make him go in
+the required direction. After about ten minutes of this severe
+exercise, the captive returned to the corral, exhausted, and perfectly
+cowed, and showing no desire to rejoin his late companions. In order
+to complete the process of breaking him in, we were told that it would
+be necessary to keep him tied up for two or three days, rather short
+of food, and to repeat daily the operation of saddling, bridling, and
+mounting, the difficulty being less on each occasion, until at last he
+would become as quiet as a lamb.
+
+We now saw our train approaching, orders having been given for it to
+come as far as it could from the station to meet us. We wished
+good-bye to Mr. Frer and his party, and, with many thanks to all, got
+into our carriages and drove across the plains to the railway. On our
+way we passed some large lagunes, full of wild fowl, and surrounded by
+scarlet flamingoes and pelicans. The ground we had to traverse was
+very boggy; so much so, that two of the carriages got stuck, and their
+occupants had to turn out and walk. At last we reached the train, and
+climbed into the cars, where we found an excellent luncheon prepared,
+which we ate whilst the train dashed along at the rate of forty miles
+an hour. About seven o'clock we stopped for tea and coffee, and the
+children were put to bed. By nine we had reached the junction for
+Buenos Ayres, where an engine met us, and took most of our party into
+the city, in one of the cars, while we went on to Punta Lara, the
+station for Ensenada.
+
+On arriving we were met by several of our men, who had been allowed to
+go ashore at Buenos Ayres on Sunday morning, and had not been able to
+rejoin the yacht since. On Sunday night, when they were to have
+returned, it was impossible for them to get off. Even the whale-boat
+was nearly dashed to pieces, at anchor, near the pier. They spent the
+early part of Monday morning in hunting everywhere with the pilot for
+the lost steward, and at last left the shore just in time to see the
+yacht steaming down the river, with only half her crew on board, and
+without a pilot. It seems they had been waited for from eight o'clock
+until eleven; it then became necessary to get under way, for fear of
+losing the tide. As it was, the yacht had not been able to get near
+the pier at Ensenada, and was now lying in the river, two miles out.
+The station-master, having been informed of the state of affairs, very
+kindly had steam got up in the railway tug to take us off. The
+children, with their nurses, remained in bed in the car, which was
+shunted into a siding until the morning, the doctor staying on shore
+in charge. The rest of us then set out for the yacht, which we reached
+at 1 a.m., only to be greeted with the pleasing intelligence that no
+fresh provisions had arrived on board for the party of friends we were
+expecting. The captain of the tug was good enough to promise to do
+what he could for us on shore; but everything is brought here from
+Buenos Ayres, and it is too late to telegraph for a supply. We cannot
+help fearing that something must have happened to our steward, for he
+has always been most steady and respectable hitherto, and I fancy
+Buenos Ayres is rather a wild place. Every inquiry is to be made, and
+I can only trust the morning may bring us some news.
+
+_Tuesday, September 26th_.--The morning was fine, with a nice breeze,
+but the tide was so low that we should have been unable to get
+alongside the pier until ten o'clock, when Tom thought we should just
+miss our guests. It was therefore decided that it would be better to
+send the steam-tug to meet the special train, especially as, if we
+took the yacht in, it would be impossible to get out again in the
+middle of the night, when we had arranged to sail.
+
+The steam-tug came off early, bringing two sheep, half a bullock, and
+some wild ducks, much to the relief of the cook's mind; but there were
+no vegetables to be had on shore, and of course it was too late to
+send to Buenos Ayres for any. We had to do the best we could without
+them, therefore, and I really do not think any one knew of the dilemma
+we had been in, until they were told, at the end of the day. The
+servants all turned to and worked with a will; but it was rather a
+different matter from having a large luncheon party on board in the
+Thames, with our London servants and supplies to fall back upon.
+
+For our own part, I think we all felt that the comparative scarcity of
+meat this morning was an agreeable change, after our recent
+experiences. Animal food is so cheap and so good in this country that
+at every meal four or five dishes of beef or mutton, dressed in
+various ways, are provided. In the camp--as all the country round
+Buenos Ayres is called--people eat nothing but meat, either fresh or
+dried, and hardly any flour with it. Especially in the more distant
+estancias, beef and mutton, poultry and eggs, form the staple food of
+the inhabitants. Very little bread is eaten, and no vegetables, and an
+attempt is rarely made to cultivate a garden of any sort. This year,
+too, the ravages of the locusts have made vegetable food scarcer than
+ever, and it must now be looked upon quite as a luxury by very many
+people; for there can be little doubt that to live entirely on meat,
+even of the best quality, though probably strengthening, must be
+exceedingly monotonous.
+
+About one o'clock we saw the tug coming off again, this time with her
+decks crowded. We found she had brought us fifteen ladies and thirty
+gentlemen--more than we had expected, on account of the shortness of
+the notice we had been able to give. The luncheon was managed by
+dividing our guests into three parties, the coffee and dessert being
+served on deck; but I am afraid the last division got very hungry
+before their time arrived. It could not, however, be helped, and it is
+to be hoped that the examination of the various parts of the yacht and
+her contents served to while away the time. Every one seemed to be
+pleased with the appearance of the vessel, never having seen one like
+her before. Indeed, the only yacht that has ever been here previously
+is the 'Eothen,' which formerly belonged to us.
+
+Mr. St. John's servant brought me a most magnificent bouquet, composed
+entirely of violets, arranged in the shape of a basket, three feet in
+width, full of camellias, and marked with my initials in alyssum.
+Altogether it was quite a work of art, but almost overpoweringly
+sweet.
+
+It was late before our friends began the task of saying good-bye--no
+light matter where, as in the present case, it is doubtful whether, or
+at any rate when, we shall meet again. At last they left us, steaming
+round the yacht in the tug, and giving us some hearty cheers as they
+passed. The Minister's flag was run up, salutes were exchanged, and
+the little steamer rapidly started off in the direction of the shore,
+followed by a dense cloud of her own smoke. Through a telescope we
+watched our friends disembark at the pier, and saw the train steam
+away; and then we turned our thoughts to the arrangements for our own
+departure.
+
+_Wednesday, September 27th_.--A fine breeze was blowing this morning,
+in a favourable direction for our start, but as ten and eleven o'clock
+arrived, and there were still no signs of the expected stores, Tom was
+in despair, and wanted to sail without them. I therefore volunteered
+to go ashore in the gig and see what had happened to them, and
+telegraph, if necessary, to Mr. Crabtree. Fortunately, we met the tug
+on our way, and returned in tow of her to the yacht. Then, after
+settling a few bills, and obtaining our bill of health, we got the
+anchor up, and proceeded down the river under sail. Between one and
+two o'clock we commenced steaming, and in the course of the evening
+were clear of the River Plate and fairly on our way to the Straits of
+Magellan.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VIII.
+
+RIVER PLATE TO SANDY POINT, STRAITS OF MAGELLAN.
+
+    _I have seen tempests, when the scolding winds_
+    _Have riv'd the knotty oaks; and I have seen_
+    _The ambitious ocean swell and rage and foam,_
+    _To be exalted with the threat'ning clouds:_
+    _But never till to-night, never till now_
+    _Did I go through a tempest dropping fire._
+
+
+_Thursday, September 28th_,--A fine bright morning, with a strong,
+fair wind. The order to stop firing was given at noon, and we ceased
+steaming shortly after. There had evidently been a gale from the
+southward during the last few days, for the swell was tremendous, and
+not only made us all feel very uncomfortable after our long stay in
+harbour, but considerably diminished our speed. Still, we managed to
+go twenty-seven knots in two hours and a half.
+
+I was lying down, below, after breakfast, feeling very stupid, when
+Mabelle rushed into the cabin, saying, 'Papa says you are to come up
+on deck at once, to see the ship on fire.' I rushed up quickly, hardly
+knowing whether she referred to our own or some other vessel, and on
+reaching the deck I found everybody looking at a large barque, under
+full sail, flying the red union-jack upside down, and with signals in
+her rigging, which our signal-man read as 'Ship on fire.' These were
+lowered shortly afterwards, and the signals, 'Come on board at once,'
+hoisted in their place. Still we could see no appearance of smoke or
+flames, but we nevertheless hauled to the wind, tacked, hove to, and
+sent off a boat's crew, well armed, thinking it not impossible that a
+mutiny had taken place on board and that the captain or officers,
+mistaking the yacht for a gunboat, had appealed to us for assistance.
+We were now near enough to the barque to make out her name through a
+glass--the 'Monkshaven,' of Whitby--and we observed a puff of smoke
+issue from her deck simultaneously with the arrival of our boat
+alongside. In the course of a few minutes, the boat returned, bringing
+the mate of the 'Monkshaven,' a fine-looking Norwegian, who spoke
+English perfectly, and who reported his ship to be sixty-eight days
+out from Swansea, bound for Valparaiso, with a cargo of smelting coal.
+The fire had first been discovered on the previous Sunday, and by 6
+a.m. on Monday the crew had got up their clothes and provisions on
+deck, thrown overboard all articles of a combustible character, such
+as tar, oil, paint, spare spars and sails, planks, and rope, and
+battened down the hatches. Ever since then they had all been living on
+deck, with no protection from the wind and sea but a canvas screen.
+Tom and Captain Brown proceeded on board at once. They found the deck
+more than a foot deep in water, and all a-wash; when the hatches were
+opened for a moment dense clouds of hot suffocating yellow smoke
+immediately poured forth, driving back all who stood near. From the
+captain's cabin came volumes of poisonous gas, which had found its way
+in through the crevices, and one man, who tried to enter, was rendered
+insensible.
+
+[Illustration: Monkshaven on Fire.]
+
+It was perfectly evident that it would be impossible to save the ship,
+and the captain therefore determined, after consultation with Tom and
+Captain Brown, to abandon her. Some of the crew were accordingly at
+once brought on board the 'Sunbeam,' in our boat, which was then sent
+back to assist in removing the remainder, a portion of whom came in
+their own boat. The poor fellows were almost wild with joy at getting
+alongside another ship, after all the hardships they had gone through,
+and in their excitement they threw overboard many things which they
+might as well have kept, as they had taken the trouble to bring them.
+Our boat made three trips altogether, and by half-past six we had them
+all safe on board, with most of their effects, and the ship's
+chronometers, charts, and papers.
+
+The poor little dingy, belonging to the 'Monkshaven,' had been cast
+away as soon as the men had disembarked from her, and there was
+something melancholy in seeing her slowly drift away to leeward,
+followed by her oars and various small articles, as if to rejoin the
+noble ship she had so lately quitted. The latter was now hove-to,
+under full sail, an occasional puff of smoke alone betraying the
+presence of the demon of destruction within. The sky was dark and
+lowering, the sunset red and lurid in its grandeur, the clouds
+numerous and threatening, the sea high and dark, with occasional
+streaks of white foam. Not a breath of wind was stirring. Everything
+portended a gale. As we lay slowly rolling from side to side, both
+ship and boat were sometimes plainly visible, and then again both
+would disappear, for what seemed an age, in the deep trough of the
+South Atlantic rollers.
+
+For two hours we could see the smoke pouring from various portions of
+the ill-fated barque. Our men, who had brought off the last of her
+crew, reported that, as they left her, flames were just beginning to
+burst from the fore-hatchway; and it was therefore certain that the
+rescue had not taken place an hour too soon. Whilst we were at dinner,
+Powell called us up on deck to look at her again, when we found that
+she was blazing like a tar-barrel. The captain was anxious to stay by
+and see the last of her, but Tom was unwilling to incur the delay
+which this would have involved. We accordingly got up steam, and at
+nine p.m. steamed round the 'Monkshaven,' as close as it was deemed
+prudent to go. No flames were visible then; only dense volumes of
+smoke and sparks, issuing from the hatches. The heat, however, was
+intense, and could be plainly felt, even in the cold night air, as we
+passed some distance to leeward. All hands were clustered in our
+rigging, on the deck-house or on the bridge, to see the last of the
+poor 'Monkshaven,' as she was slowly being burnt down to the water's
+edge.
+
+She was a large and nearly new (three years old) composite ship, built
+and found by her owners, Messrs. Smales, of Whitby, of 657 tons
+burden, and classed A 1 for ten years at Lloyd's. Her cargo, which
+consisted of coal for smelting purposes, was a very dangerous one; so
+much so that Messrs. Nicholas, of Sunderland, from whose mines the
+coal is procured, have great difficulty in chartering vessels to carry
+it, and are therefore in the habit of building and using their own
+ships for the purpose. At Buenos Ayres we were told that, of every
+three ships carrying this cargo round to Valparaiso or Callao, one
+catches fire, though the danger is frequently discovered in time to
+prevent much damage to the vessel or loss of life.
+
+The crew of the 'Monkshaven'--Danes, Norwegians, Swedes, Scotch, and
+Welsh--appear to be quiet, respectable men. This is fortunate, as an
+incursion of fifteen rough lawless spirits on board our little vessel
+would have been rather a serious matter. In their hurry and fright,
+however, they left all their provisions behind them, and it is no joke
+to have to provide food for fifteen extra hungry mouths for a week or
+ten days, with no shops at hand from which to replenish our stores.
+The sufficiency of the water supply, too, is a matter for serious
+consideration. We have all been put on half-allowance, and sea-water
+only is to be used for washing purposes.
+
+[Illustration: Shipwrecked Crew coming on Board.]
+
+Some account of the disaster, as gathered from the lips of various
+members of the crew at different times, may perhaps be interesting. It
+seems that, early on Monday morning, the day following that on which
+the fire was discovered, another barque, the 'Robert Hinds,' of
+Liverpool, was spoken. The captain of that vessel offered to stand by
+them or do anything in his power to help them; but at that time they
+had a fair wind for Monte Video, only 120 miles distant, and they
+therefore determined to run for that port, and do their best to save
+the ship, and possibly some of the cargo. In the course of the night,
+however, a terrible gale sprang up, the same, no doubt, as the one of
+which we had felt the effects on first leaving the River Plate. They
+were driven hither and thither, the sea constantly breaking over them
+and sweeping the decks, though fortunately without washing any of them
+overboard. After forty-eight hours of this rough usage the men were
+all exhausted, while the fire was gradually increasing in strength
+beneath their feet, and they knew not at what moment it might burst
+through the decks and envelope the whole ship in flames. They were
+beginning to abandon all hope of a rescue, when a sail was suddenly
+discovered; and as soon as the necessary flags could be found, the
+same signal which attracted us was displayed. The vessel, now quite
+close to them, proved to be a large American steamer, but she merely
+hoisted her own ensign and code-pennant, and then coolly steamed away
+to the southward. 'I think that captain deserved tarring and
+feathering, anyway,' one of the men said to me. Another observed, 'I
+wonder what will become of that man; for we had put all our lives in
+his hand by signalling as we did; and every seaman knows that right
+well.' Another said, 'When we saw that ship go away, we all gave in
+and lay down in despair to die. But our captain, who is very good to
+his crew, and a religious man too, said, "There is One above who looks
+after us all." That was true enough, for, about ten minutes
+afterwards, as I was talking to the cook, and telling him it was all
+over with us, I saw a sail to leeward, and informed the captain. We
+bore down a little, but did not like to go out of our course too much,
+fearing you might be a "Portuguese," and play us the same trick as the
+American.' (They could not understand our white ensign; for, our
+funnel being stowed, we looked like a sailing vessel, while all
+gunboats of our size are steamers.) 'When we saw it was an English
+vessel, and that you answered our signals and sent a boat off, we were
+indeed thankful; though that was nothing to what we feel now at once
+more having a really dry ship under our feet. Not that we have really
+suffered anything very terrible, for we had a bit of shelter, and
+plenty to eat, and the worst part was seeing our things washed
+overboard, and thinking perhaps we might go next. We have not had a
+dry deck since we left Swansea, and the pumps have been kept going
+most of the time. Why, with this sea, ma'am, our decks would be under
+water.' (This surprised me; as, though low in the water, the
+'Monkshaven' did not appear to be overladen, and the Plimsoll mark was
+plainly visible.) 'Our boats were all ready for launching, but we had
+no sails, and only one rudder for the three; so we should have had
+hard work to fetch anywhere if we had taken to them. We lashed the two
+boys--apprentices, fourteen and sixteen years old--in one of the
+boats, for fear they should be washed overboard. The youngest of them
+is the only son of his mother, a widow; and you could see how she
+loved him by the way she had made his clothes, and fitted him out all
+through. He was altogether too well found for a ship like ours, but
+now most of his things are lost. His chest could not be got up from
+below, and though I borrowed an old bread-bag from the steward, it was
+not half big enough, and his sea-boots and things his mother had given
+him to keep him dry and cover his bed--not oilskins, like
+ours.'--'Mackintoshes,' I suggested.--'Yes, that's the name--they were
+all lost. It did seem a pity. The boy never thought there was much
+danger till this morning, when I told him all hope was gone, as the
+American ship had sailed away from us. He said, "Will the ship go to
+the bottom?" and I replied, "I fear so; but we have good boats, so
+keep up your heart, little man." He made no further remark, but laid
+down gently again, and cried a little.'
+
+This poor child was dreadfully frightened in the small boat coming
+alongside, and his look of joy and relief, when once he got safely on
+board, was a treat to me. Every one on board, including the captain,
+seems to have been very kind to him. One of the men had his foot
+broken by the sea, and the captain himself had his leg severely
+injured; so the Doctor has some cases at last.
+
+It was almost impossible to sleep during the night, owing to the heavy
+rolling, by far the most violent that we have yet experienced.
+
+_Friday, September 29th_.--Again a fine morning. A fair breeze sprang
+up, and, the dreaded storm having apparently passed over, we ceased
+steaming at 6 a.m.
+
+All on board are now settling down into something like order. The
+stewards are arranging matters below, and measuring out the stores, to
+allowance the men for twelve days. The men belonging respectively to
+the port and starboard watches of the 'Monkshaven' have been placed in
+the corresponding watches on board the 'Sunbeam.' The cook and steward
+are assisting ours below, and the two boys are very happy, helping in
+the kitchen, and making themselves generally useful. The deck does not
+look quite as neat as usual. Such of the men's sea-chests as have been
+saved are lashed round the steam-chest, so that they can be got at
+easily, while their bags and other odd things have been stowed on
+deck, wherever they can be kept dry; for every inch of available space
+below is occupied. Captain Runciman is writing, with tears in his
+eyes, the account of the loss of his fine ship. He tells me that he
+tried in vain to save sixty pounds' worth of his own private charts
+from his cabin, but it was impossible, on account of the stifling
+atmosphere, which nearly overpowered him. Fortunately, all his things
+are insured. He drowned his favourite dog, a splendid Newfoundland,
+just before leaving the ship; for, although a capital watch-dog, and
+very faithful, he was rather large and fierce; and when it was known
+that the 'Sunbeam' was a yacht, with ladies and children on board, he
+feared to introduce him. Poor fellow! I wish I had known about it in
+time to save his life!
+
+The great danger of smelting coal, as a ship's cargo, besides its
+special liability to spontaneous combustion, appears to be that the
+fire may smoulder in the very centre of the mass for so long that,
+when the smoke is at last discovered, it is impossible to know how far
+the mischief has advanced. It may go on smouldering quietly for days,
+or at any moment the gas that has been generated may burst up the
+vessel's decks from end to end, without the slightest warning. Or it
+may burn downwards, and penetrate some portion of the side of the ship
+below water; so that, before any suspicion has been aroused, the water
+rushes in, and the unfortunate ship and her crew go to the bottom. On
+board the 'Monkshaven' the men dug down into the cargo in many places
+on Sunday night, only to find that the heat became more intense the
+deeper they went; and several of them had their hands or fingers burnt
+in the operation.
+
+This has been about the best day for sailing that we have had since we
+left the tropics. The sea has been smooth, and a fair breeze has taken
+us steadily along at the rate of nine knots an hour. The sun shone
+brightly beneath a blue sky, and the temperature is delightful. The
+sunset was grand, though the sky looked threatening; but the moon rose
+brilliantly, and until we went to bed, at ten o'clock, the evening was
+as perfect as the day had been. At midnight, however, Tom and I were
+awakened by a knock at our cabin door, and the gruff voice of Powell,
+saying: 'The barometer's going down very fast, please, sir, and it's
+lightning awful in the sou'-west. There's a heavy storm coming up.' We
+were soon on deck, where we found all hands busily engaged in
+preparing for the tempest. Around us a splendid sight presented
+itself. On one side a heavy bank of black clouds could be seen rapidly
+approaching, while the rest of the heavens were brilliantly
+illuminated by forked and sheet lightning, the thunder meanwhile
+rolling and rattling without intermission. An ominous calm followed,
+during which the men had barely time to lower all the sails on deck,
+without waiting to stow them, the foresail and jib only being left
+standing, when the squall struck us, not very severely, but with a
+blast as hot as that from a furnace. We thought worse was coming, and
+continued our preparations; but the storm passed rapidly away to
+windward, and was succeeded by torrents of rain, so that it was
+evident we could only have had quite the tail of it.
+
+_Saturday, September 30th_.--The morning broke bright and clear, and
+was followed by a calm, bright, sunny day, of which I availed myself
+to take some photographs of the captain and crew of the 'Monkshaven.'
+The wind failed us entirely in the afternoon, and it became necessary
+to get up steam. In the ordinary course of things, we should probably
+have had sufficient patience to wait for the return of the breeze; but
+the recent large addition to our party made it desirable for us to
+lose as little time as possible in reaching Sandy Point. Another grand
+but wild-looking sunset seemed like the precursor of a storm; but we
+experienced nothing worse than a sharp squall of hot wind, accompanied
+by thunder and lightning.
+
+_Sunday, October 1st_.--A fine morning, with a fair wind. At eleven we
+had a short service, at four a longer one, with an excellent sermon
+from Tom, specially adapted to the rescue of the crew of the burning
+ship. As usual, the sunset, which was magnificent, was succeeded by a
+slight storm, which passed over without doing us any harm.
+
+I have said that it was found impossible to save any provisions from
+the 'Monkshaven.' As far as the men are concerned, I think this is
+hardly to be regretted, for I am told that the salt beef with which
+they were supplied had lain in pickle for so many years that the
+saltpetre had eaten all the nourishment out of it, and had made it so
+hard that the men, instead of eating it, used to amuse themselves by
+carving it into snuff-boxes, little models of ships, &c. I should
+not, however, omit to mention that Captain Runciman managed to bring
+away with him four excellent York hams, which he presented to us, and
+one of which we had to-day at dinner.
+
+_Wednesday, October 4th_.--At 6 a.m., on going on deck I found we were
+hove-to under steam and closely-reefed sails, a heavy gale blowing
+from the south-west, right ahead. The screw was racing round in the
+air every time we encountered an unusually big wave; the spray was
+dashing over the vessel, and the water was rushing along the
+deck--altogether an uncomfortable morning. As the sun rose, the gale
+abated, and in the course of the day the reefs were shaken out of the
+sails, one by one, until, by sunset, we were once more under whole
+canvas, beating to windward. There were several cries of 'land ahead'
+during the day, but in each case a closer examination, through a
+glass, proved that the fancied coast-line or mountain-top existed only
+in cloud-land.
+
+_Thursday, October 5th_.--We made the land early, and most
+uninteresting it looked, consisting, as it did, of a low sandy shore,
+with a background of light clay-coloured cliffs. Not a vestige of
+vegetation was anywhere to be seen, and I am quite at a loss to
+imagine what the guanacos and ostriches, with which the chart tells us
+the country hereabouts abounds, find to live upon. About twelve
+o'clock we made Cape Virgins, looking very like Berry Head to the
+north of Torbay, and a long spit of low sandy land, stretching out to
+the southward, appropriately called Dungeness.
+
+Some of the charts brought on board by Captain Runciman were published
+by Messrs. Imray, of London, and in one of them it is represented that
+a fine fixed light has been established on Cape Virgins.[2] This we
+knew to be an impossibility, not only on account of the general
+character of the country, but because no indication is given of the
+light in our newest Admiralty charts. Captain Runciman, however, had
+more confidence in the correctness of his own chart, and could hardly
+believe his eyes when he saw that the light really had no existence on
+the bare bleak headland. His faith was terribly shaken, and I hope he
+will not omit to call Messrs. Imray's attention to the matter on his
+return home; for the mistake is most serious, and one which might lead
+to the destruction of many a good ship.
+
+[Footnote 2: I have since received a letter from Messrs. Imray
+requesting me to state that the light was inserted on erroneous
+information from the hydrographic office at Washington, and has since
+been erased from their charts.]
+
+About two o'clock we saw in the far distance what looked at first like
+an island, and then like smoke, but gradually shaped itself into the
+masts, funnel, and hull of a large steamer. From her rig we at once
+guessed her to be the Pacific Company's mail boat, homeward bound.
+When near enough, we accordingly hoisted our number, and signalled 'We
+wish to communicate,' whereupon she bore down upon us and ceased
+steaming. We then rounded up under her lee and lowered a boat, and
+Tom, Mabelle, and I, with Captain Runciman and four or five of the
+shipwrecked crew, went on board. Our advent caused great excitement,
+and seamen and passengers all crowded into the bows to watch us. As we
+approached the ladder the passengers ran aft, and directly we reached
+the deck the captain took possession of Tom, the first and second
+officers of Mabelle and myself, while Captain Runciman and each of his
+crew were surrounded by a little audience eager to know what had
+happened, and all about it. At first it was thought that we all wanted
+a passage, but when we explained matters Captain Thomas, the commander
+of the 'Illimani,' very kindly undertook to receive all our refugees
+and convey them to England. We therefore sent the gig back for the
+rest of the men and the chests of the whole party, and then availed
+ourselves of the opportunity afforded by the delay to walk round the
+ship. It was most amusing to see the interest with which we were
+regarded by all on board. Passengers who had never been seen out of
+their berths since leaving Valparaiso, and others who were indulging,
+at the time of our visit, in the luxury of a 'day sleep,' between the
+twelve o'clock luncheon and four o'clock dinner, suddenly made their
+appearance, in dressing-gowns and wraps, with dishevelled hair and
+wide-opened eyes, gazing in mute astonishment at us, quite unable to
+account for our mysterious arrival on board in this out-of-the-way
+spot. A mail steamer does not stop for a light cause, and it was
+therefore evident to them that the present was no ordinary occurrence.
+The captain told us that the last time he passed through the Straits
+he picked up two boats' crews, who had escaped from a burning ship,
+and who had suffered indescribable hardships before they were rescued.
+
+Captain Runciman is convinced, after comparing notes with the chief
+officer of the 'Illimani,' that the vessel which refused to notice his
+signal of distress was the 'Wilmington,' sent down from New York, with
+a party of forty wreckers, to try and get the steamer 'Georgia' off
+the rocks near Port Famine, in the Straits of Magellan. If this be so,
+it is the more surprising that no attempt was made to render
+assistance to the 'Monkshaven,' provided her signals were understood,
+as the 'Wilmington' had plenty of spare hands, and could not have been
+in a particular hurry. Moreover, one would think that, with her
+powerful engines, she might have made an attempt to tow the distressed
+vessel into Monte Video, and so secure three or four thousand pounds
+of salvage money.
+
+The captain of the 'Illimani' kindly gave us half a bullock, killed
+this morning, a dozen live ducks and chickens, and the latest
+newspapers. Thus supplied with food for body and mind, we said
+farewell, and returned to the 'Sunbeam;' our ensigns were duly dipped,
+we steamed away on our respective courses, and in less than an hour we
+were out of sight of each other. It is a sudden change for the
+'Monkshaven' men, who were all very reluctant to leave the yacht. Many
+of them broke down at the last moment, particularly when it came to
+saying good-bye to Tom and me, at the gangway of the steamer. They had
+seemed thoroughly to appreciate any kindnesses they received while
+with us, and were anxious to show their gratitude in every possible
+way. The two boys, especially, were in great grief at their departure,
+and were very loth to part with their boatswain, who remains with us
+to make up our complement.[3]
+
+[Footnote 3: After our return to England the following letter reached
+us from Messrs. Smales:--
+
+                                       'Whitby, June 30th, 1877.
+'THOMAS BRASSEY, Esq.
+
+'DEAR SIR,--Observing by the newspapers that you have returned home
+after your cruise, we take this opportunity of thanking you most
+heartily for the valuable assistance you rendered to the crew of our
+late barque "Monkshaven," in lat. 43 28 S., lon. 62 21 W., after she
+proved to be on fire and beyond saving. Your kind favour of October 1
+last duly reached us, and it was very satisfactory to know from an
+authority like your own, that all was done under the trying
+circumstances that was possible, to save the ship and cargo. The
+inconvenience of having so many extra hands for the time on board your
+vessel, must have tried your resources; but you will be probably aware
+that the Board of Trade willingly compensate for loss sustained in
+rescuing a crew, when a claim is made. You will be glad to learn that
+the master and crew arrived all well, in due course, at Liverpool, by
+the "Illimani," and were very grateful for your kindness to them. Our
+ill-fated vessel must have sunk very soon after you took off the crew,
+as nothing more has been heard of her, and it was a most fortunate
+circumstance that you were so near at hand, more especially as the
+captain reported to us, that a vessel carrying the American colours
+took no notice of his signal of distress. As shipowners, we generally
+find that our own countrymen are more heroic, and always ready to lend
+a helping hand to brother mariners in distress, so that, as you say,
+we do not doubt you experienced some satisfaction in rendering this
+service.--Trusting that you have enjoyed your trip, we beg to remain
+yours, truly obliged,
+
+                                                'SMALES Brothers.']
+
+About 8 p.m. we anchored for the night in Possession Bay. It was thick
+at sunset, but afterwards clear and cold, with a splendid moon.
+
+_Friday, October 6th_.--We got under way at 5.30 a.m., and steamed
+past the low sandy coast of Patagonia and the rugged mountains of
+Tierra del Fuego, and through the First and Second Narrows, to Cape
+Negro, where the character of the scenery began to improve a little,
+the vegetation gradually changing from low scrubby brushwood to
+respectable-sized trees. When passing between Elizabeth Island, so
+named by Sir Francis Drake, and the island of Santa Madalena, we
+looked in vain for the myriads of seals, otters, and sea-lions with
+which this portion of the Straits is said to abound; but we saw only
+seven or eight little black spots on the shore, in the distance, which
+disappeared into the sea as we approached.
+
+At 3 p.m. we reached Sandy Point, the only civilised place in the
+Straits. It is a Chilian settlement, and a large convict establishment
+has been formed here by the Government. Almost before we had dropped
+our anchor, the harbour-master came on board, closely followed by the
+officers of the two Chilian men-of-war lying in the harbour. The rain,
+which had been threatening all day, now descended in torrents, and we
+landed in a perfect downpour. We thought the pier at Buenos Ayres
+unsafe and rickety, but here matters were still worse, for the head of
+the structure had been completely washed away by a gale, and no little
+care was necessary in order to step across the broken timbers in
+safety. The town, which contains between 1,200 and 1,300 inhabitants,
+is composed entirely of one-storied log huts, with slate or tile
+roofs, and with or without verandahs. They are all arranged in
+squares, separated from each other by wide roads; and the whole
+settlement is surrounded by stockades. At the further end of the town
+stands the convict prison, distinguished by its tower, and the
+Governor's house, which, though built of wood, is the most
+pretentious-looking edifice in the place. There is a nice little
+church close by, and some tidy-looking barracks.
+
+We went straight to the house of the British Vice-Consul, who received
+us very kindly, and promised to do what he could to assist us in
+obtaining supplies; but the resources of the place are limited, and
+eggs, ship's beef and biscuits, and water, will, I expect, be the sum
+total of what we shall be able to procure. In fact, it is rather
+doubtful whether we shall even be able to renew our stock of coal. In
+the meantime we started off to potter about the town, finding,
+however, very little to amuse us. There were some new-laid ostrich
+eggs to be bought, and some queer-looking worked Patagonian
+saddle-bags.
+
+I fear we shall not see any of the Patagonians themselves, for they
+come to the colony only three or four times a year, to purchase
+supplies, and to sell skins and ostrich eggs. They are a mounted tribe
+of Indians, living on the northern plains, and are now on their way
+down here, to pay one of their periodical visits; but, being
+encumbered with their families, they move very slowly, and are not
+expected to arrive for another ten days. They will no doubt bring a
+splendid supply of skins, just too late for us, which is rather
+disappointing, particularly as we are not likely to have another
+opportunity of meeting with them at any of the places we touch at.
+They live so far in the interior of the country that they very seldom
+visit the coast.
+
+We went to see three Fuegian females, who are living in a house
+belonging to the medical officer of the colony. They were picked up a
+short time since by a passing steamer from a canoe, in which they had
+evidently sought refuge from some kind of cruelty or oppression. The
+biggest of them, a stout fine-looking woman, had a terrible gash in
+her leg, quite recently inflicted, and the youngest was not more than
+eight years old. They appeared cheerful and happy, but we were told
+that they are not likely to live long. After the free life and the
+exposure to which they have been accustomed, civilisation--in the
+shape of clothing and hot houses--almost always kills them. Their
+lungs become diseased, and they die miserably. Their skin is slightly
+copper-coloured, their complexions high-coloured, their hair thick and
+black; and, though certainly not handsome, they are by no means so
+repulsive as I had expected from the descriptions of Cook, Dampier,
+Darwin, and other more recent travellers.
+
+[Illustration: Fuegian Weapons.]
+
+_Saturday, October 7th_.--My birthday. Tom gave me a beautiful
+guanaco-skin robe, and the children presented me with two ostrich
+rugs. The guanaco is a kind of large deer, and it is said that the
+robes made from its skin are the warmest in the world. People here
+assure me that, with the hair turned inside, these robes have afforded
+them sufficient protection to enable them to sleep in comfort in the
+open air, exposed to snow, frost, and rain. They are made from the
+skin of the young fawns, killed before they are thirteen days old, or,
+better still, from the skins of those which have never had an
+independent existence. In colour, the animals are a yellowish brown on
+the back, and white underneath, and they are so small that when each
+skin is split up it produces only two triangular patches, about the
+size of one's hand. A number of these are then, with infinite trouble,
+sewed neatly together by the Indian women, who use the fine leg-sinews
+of the ostrich as thread. Those worn by the caciques, or chiefs, have
+generally a pattern in the centre, a brown edging, and spots of red
+and blue paint on the part which is worn outwards. Such robes are
+particularly difficult to obtain, on account of the labour and time
+necessary to produce them. Each cacique keeps several wives constantly
+employed in making them, of the best as well as of the ordinary
+description. The ostrich rugs, which are made here, are more
+ornamental, though not so warm and light as the guanaco robes. They
+are made of the entire skin of the ostrich, from which the long
+wing-feathers have been pulled out. Mabelle has been given a beautiful
+little rug composed of the skins of thirty little ostriches, all from
+one nest, killed when they were a fortnight old, each skin resembling
+a prettily marked ball of fluff.
+
+At eleven o'clock we went ashore. The Governor had kindly provided
+horses for all the party, and while they were being saddled I took
+some photographs. There are plenty of horses here, but the only
+saddles and bridles to be had are those used by the natives. The
+saddles are very cumbrous and clumsy to look at, though rather
+picturesque. They are formed of two bits of wood, covered with about a
+dozen sheepskins and ponchos; not at all uncomfortable to ride in, and
+very suitable for a night's bivouac in the open. 'Plenty of nice soft
+rugs to lie upon and cover yourself with, instead of a hard English
+saddle for your bed and stirrups for blankets,' as a native once said,
+when asked which he preferred. About one o'clock we started,
+accompanied by the officers commanding the garrison and two attendant
+cavaliers, equipped in Chilian style, with enormous carved modern
+stirrups, heavy bits and spurs much bigger than those whose size
+struck us so much in the Argentine Republic. We had a pleasant ride,
+first across a sandy plain and through one or two small rivers, to a
+saw-mill, situated on the edge of an extensive forest, through which
+we proceeded for some miles. The road was a difficult one, and our
+progress was but slow, being often impeded by a morass or by the trunk
+of a tree which had fallen right across the path, and was now rapidly
+rotting into touchwood under the influence of the damp atmosphere and
+incessant rain. Lichens of every colour and shape abounded, and
+clothed the trunks gracefully, contrasting with the tender spring
+tints of the leaves, while the long hairy tillandsia, like an old
+man's beard, three or four feet long, hung down from the topmost
+branches. The ground was carpeted with moss, interspersed with a few
+early spring flowers, and the whole scene, though utterly unlike that
+presented by any English forest, had a strange weird beauty of its
+own. Not a sound could be heard; not a bird, beast, or insect was to
+be seen. The larger trees were principally a peculiar sort of beech
+and red cedar, but all kinds of evergreens, known to us at home as
+shrubs, such as laurestine, and various firs, here attain the
+proportions of forest-trees. There is also a tree called Winter's Bark
+(_Drimys Winteri_), the leaves and bark of which are hot and bitter,
+and form an excellent substitute for quinine. But the most striking
+objects were the evergreen berberis and mahonia, and the Darwinia, the
+larger sort of which was covered with brilliant orange, almost
+scarlet, flowers, which hung down in bunches, of the shape and size of
+small outdoor grapes.
+
+[Illustration: Fuegian Bow and Arrows.]
+
+On our way back we took a sharp turn leading to the sea-shore, to
+which the forest extends in places, and rode along the beach towards
+the town. It was low water, or this would not have been possible, and
+as it was, we often had considerable difficulty in making our way
+between wood and water. The day was bright and clear, with a bitterly
+cold wind and occasional heavy showers of rain; a fair average day
+for Sandy Point. It is further west, they say, that the weather is so
+hopeless. Lieutenant Byron, in his terribly interesting account of the
+wreck of the 'Wager,' says that one fine day in three months is the
+most that can be expected. I wonder, not without misgivings, if we
+really shall encounter all the bad weather we not only read of but
+hear of from every one we meet. Though very anxious to see the
+celebrated Straits, I shall not be sorry when we are safely through,
+and I trust that the passage may not occupy the whole of the three
+weeks which Tom has been advised to allow for it.
+
+We saw a few sea-birds, specially some 'steamer-ducks,' so called from
+their peculiar mode of progression through the water. They neither
+swim nor fly, but use their wings like the paddles of a steamer, with
+a great noise and splutter, and go along very fast. On reaching the
+plains we had an opportunity of testing the speed of our horses, which
+warmed us up a little after our slow progress by the water's edge in
+the bitter wind. We rode all round the stockades, outside the town,
+before dismounting; but I saw nothing of special interest. Before the
+party broke up, arrangements were made for us to go to morrow to one
+of the Government corrals, to see the cattle lassoed and branded--an
+operation which is always performed twice a year.
+
+We reached the yacht again at half-past five. Dr. Fenton came on board
+to dinner, and from him we heard a great deal about the colony, the
+Patagonians or Horse Indians, and the Fuegians or Canoe Indians. The
+former inhabit, or rather roam over, a vast tract of country. They are
+almost constantly on horseback, and their only shelter consists of
+toldos, or tents, made of the skins of the old guanacos, stretched
+across a few poles. They are tall and strong, averaging six feet in
+height, and are bulky in proportion; but their size is nothing like so
+great as old travellers have represented. Both men and women wear a
+long flowing mantle of skins, reaching from the waist to the ankle,
+with a large loose piece hanging down on one side, ready to be thrown
+over their heads whenever necessary, which is fastened by a large flat
+pin hammered out either from the rough silver or from a dollar. This,
+their sole garment, has the effect of adding greatly in appearance to
+their height. They never wash, but daub their bodies with paint and
+grease, especially the women. Their only weapons are knives and bolas,
+the latter of which they throw with unerring precision. During their
+visits to the Sandy Point settlement their arms are always taken from
+them, for they are extremely quarrelsome, particularly when drunk.
+Nobody has been able to ascertain that they possess any form of sacred
+belief, or that they perform any religious ceremonies. Their food
+consists principally of the flesh of mares, troops of which animals
+always accompany them on their excursions. They also eat
+ostrich-flesh, which is considered a great delicacy, as well as the
+fish the women catch, and the birds' eggs they find. Vegetable food is
+almost unknown to them, and bread is never used, though they do
+sometimes purchase a little flour, rice, and a few biscuits, on the
+occasion of their visits to the colony.
+
+[Illustration: Pin for fastening Cloak, made from a Dollar, beaten
+out.]
+
+The Fuegians, or Canoe Indians, as they are generally called, from
+their living so much on the water, and having no settled habitations
+on shore, are a much smaller race of savages, inhabiting Tierra del
+Fuego--literally Land of Fire--so called from the custom the
+inhabitants have of lighting fires on prominent points as signals of
+assembly. The English residents here invariably call it Fireland--a
+name I had never heard before, and which rather puzzled me at first.
+Whenever it is observed that a ship is in distress, or that
+shipwrecked mariners have been cast ashore, the signal-fires appear as
+if by magic, and the natives flock together like vultures round a
+carcase. On the other hand, if all goes well, vessels often pass
+through the Straits without seeing a single human being, the savages
+and their canoes lying concealed beneath the overhanging branches of
+trees on the shore. They are cannibals, and are placed by Darwin in
+the lowest scale of humanity. An old author describes them as 'magpies
+in chatter, baboons in countenance, and imps in treachery.' Those
+frequenting the eastern end of the Straits wear--if they wear anything
+at all--a deerskin mantle, descending to the waist: those at the
+western end wear cloaks made from the skin of the sea-otter. But most
+of them are quite naked. Their food is of the most meagre description,
+and consists mainly of shell-fish, sea-eggs, for which the women dive
+with much dexterity, and fish, which they train their dogs to assist
+them in catching. These dogs are sent into the water at the entrance
+to a narrow creek or small bay, and they then bark and flounder about
+and drive the fish before them into shallow water, where they are
+caught.
+
+[Illustration: Fuegian Boat and Oars.]
+
+Bishop Stirling, of the Falkland Islands, has been cruising about
+these parts in a small schooner, and visiting the natives, for the
+last twelve years, and the Governor here tells us that he has done
+much good in promoting their civilisation; while the hardships he has
+endured, and the difficulties and dangers he has surmounted, have
+required almost superhuman energy and fortitude on his part. The
+Fuegians, as far as is known, have no religion of their own.
+
+The 'Wilmington' came in this morning. Her captain declares that as
+the 'Monkshaven' was not hove-to, he never thought that there could be
+anything seriously amiss with her. His glass was not good enough to
+enable him to make out the union-jack reversed, or the signal of
+distress, which he therefore supposed to be merely the ship's number.
+It was satisfactory to hear this explanation; and as not only the
+interests of humanity, but his own, were involved, there is every
+reason to believe that his account of the transaction is perfectly
+true.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IX.
+
+SANDY POINT TO LOTA BAY.
+
+    _And far abroad the canvas wings extend,_
+    _Along the glassy plain the vessel glides,_
+    _While azure radiance trembles on her sides._
+    _The lunar rays in long reflection gleam,_
+    _With silver deluging the fluid stream._
+
+
+_Sunday, October 8th_.--At 6 a.m. we weighed anchor, and proceeded on
+our voyage. At first there was not much to admire in the way of
+scenery, the shores being low and sandy, with occasional patches of
+scrubby brushwood, and a background of granite rocks and mountains.
+
+Soon after passing Port Famine we saw the bold outline of Cape
+Froward, the southernmost point of South America, stretching into the
+Straits. It is a fine headland, and Tom ordered the engines to be
+stopped in order to enable Mr. Bingham to sketch, and me to
+photograph, both it and the splendid view back through the channel we
+had just traversed to the snowy range of mountains in the distance,
+crowned by Mount Sarmiento, not unlike the Matterhorn in appearance.
+
+At this point the weather generally changes, and I suppose we must
+look forward to living in mackintoshes for some little time to come.
+
+In the afternoon, when in English Reach, where many vessels have been
+lost, great excitement was caused on board by the appearance of a
+canoe on our port bow. She was stealing out from the Barbara Channel,
+and as she appeared to be making direct for us, Tom ordered the
+engines to be slowed. Her occupants thereupon redoubled their
+efforts, and came paddling towards us, shouting and making the most
+frantic gesticulations, one man waving a skin round his head with an
+amount of energy that threatened to upset the canoe. This frail craft,
+upon a nearer inspection, proved to be made only of rough planks,
+rudely tied together with the sinews of animals; in fact, one of the
+party had to bale constantly, in order to keep her afloat. We flung
+them a rope, and they came alongside, shouting 'Tabaco, galleta'
+(biscuit), a supply of which we threw down to them, in exchange for
+the skins they had been waving; whereupon the two men stripped
+themselves of the skin mantles they were wearing, made of eight or ten
+sea-otter skins sewed together with finer sinews than those used for
+the boat, and handed them up, clamouring for more tobacco, which we
+gave them, together with some beads and knives.[4] Finally, the woman,
+influenced by this example, parted with her sole garment, in return
+for a little more tobacco, some beads, and some looking-glasses I had
+thrown into the canoe.
+
+[Illustration: Bartering with Fuegians]
+
+[Footnote 4: These skins proved to be the very finest quality ever
+plucked, and each separate skin was valued in England at from 4_l_. to
+5_l_.]
+
+The party consisted of a man, a woman, and a lad; and I think I never
+saw delight more strongly depicted than it was on the faces of the two
+latter, when they handled, for the first time in their lives probably,
+some strings of blue, red, and green glass beads. They had two rough
+pots, made of bark, in the boat, which they also sold, after which
+they reluctantly departed, quite naked but very happy, shouting and
+jabbering away in the most inarticulate language imaginable. It was
+with great difficulty we could make them let go the rope, when we went
+ahead, and I was quite afraid they would be upset. They were all fat
+and healthy-looking, and, though not handsome, their appearance was by
+no means repulsive; the countenance of the woman, especially, wore
+quite a pleasing expression, when lighted up with smiles at the sight
+of the beads and looking-glasses. The bottom of their canoe was
+covered with branches, amongst which the ashes of a recent fire were
+distinguishable. Their paddles were of the very roughest description,
+consisting simply of split branches of trees, with wider pieces tied
+on at one end with the sinews of birds or beasts.
+
+Steaming ahead, past Port Gallant, we had a glorious view over Carlos
+III. Island and Thornton Peaks, until, at about seven o clock, we
+anchored in the little harbour of Borja Bay. This place is encircled
+by luxuriant vegetation, overhanging the water, and is set like a gem
+amid the granite rocks close at hand, and the far-distant snowy
+mountains.
+
+[Illustration: Thornton Peaks]
+
+Our carpenter had prepared a board, on which the name of the yacht and
+the date had been painted, to be fixed on shore, as a record of our
+visit; and as soon as the anchor was down we all landed, the gentlemen
+with their guns, and the crew fully armed with pistols and rifles, in
+case of accident. The water was quite deep close to the shore, and we
+had no difficulty in landing, near a small waterfall. To penetrate far
+inland, however, was not so easy, owing to the denseness of the
+vegetation. Large trees had fallen, and, rotting where they lay, under
+the influence of the humid atmosphere, had become the birthplace of
+thousands of other trees, shrubs, plants, ferns, mosses, and lichens.
+In fact, in some places we might almost be said to be walking on the
+tops of the trees, and first one and then another of the party found
+his feet suddenly slipping through into unknown depths below. Under
+these circumstances we were contented with a very short ramble, and
+having filled our baskets with a varied collection of mosses and
+ferns, we returned to the shore, where we found many curious shells
+and some excellent mussels. While we had been thus engaged, the
+carpenter and some of the crew were employed in nailing up our board
+on a tree we had selected for the purpose. It was in company with the
+names of many good ships, a portion of which only were still legible,
+many of the boards having fallen to the ground and become quite
+rotten.
+
+Near the beach we found the remains of a recent fire, and in the
+course of the night the watch on deck, which was doubled and
+well-armed, heard shouts and hoots proceeding from the neighbourhood
+of the shore. Towards morning, too, the fire was relighted, from which
+it was evident that the natives were not far off, though they did not
+actually put in an appearance. I suppose they think there is a
+probability of making something out of us by fair means, and that,
+unlike a sealing schooner, with only four or five hands on board, and
+no motive power but her sails, we are rather too formidable to attack.
+
+_Monday, October 9th_.--We are indeed most fortunate in having another
+fine day. At 6 a.m. the anchor was weighed, and we resumed our
+journey. It was very cold; but that was not to be wondered at,
+surrounded as we are on every side by magnificent snow-clad mountains
+and superb glaciers. First we passed Snowy Sound, in Tierra del Fuego,
+at the head of which is an immense blue glacier. Then came Cape Notch,
+so called from its looking as if it had had a piece chopped out of it.
+Within a few yards of the surrounding glaciers, and close to the sea,
+the vegetation is abundant, and in many places semi-tropical, a fact
+which is due to the comparatively mild winters, the temperate summers,
+the moist climate, and the rich soil of these parts. Passing up
+English Reach, we now caught our first glimpse of the Pacific Ocean,
+between Cape Pillar on one side, and Westminster Hall, Shell Bay, and
+Lecky Point, on the other. Steering to the north, and leaving these on
+our left hand, we issued from the Straits of Magellan, and entered
+Smyth's Channel, first passing Glacier Bay and Ice Sound, names which
+speak for themselves. Mount Joy, Mount Burney, with its round
+snow-covered summit, rising six thousand feet from the water, and
+several unnamed peaks, were gradually left behind; until, at last,
+after threading a labyrinth of small islands, we anchored for the
+night in Otter Bay, a snug little cove, at the entrance to the
+intricacies of the Mayne Channel.
+
+[Illustration: Glaciers. Snowy Sound.]
+
+It was almost dark when we arrived, but the children, Captain Brown,
+and I, went on shore for a short time, and gathered a few ferns and
+mosses. We also found the embers of a fire, which showed that the
+natives were not far off, and we therefore thought it prudent to hurry
+on board again before nightfall. No names of ships were to be seen;
+but, in our search for ferns, we may possibly have overlooked them. We
+have not come across any Fuegians to-day, though in two of the places
+we have passed--Shell Bay and Deep Harbour, where a few wigwams are
+left standing as a sort of head-quarters--they are generally to be met
+with. During the night the watch again heard the natives shouting; but
+no attempt was made to re-light the fire we had noticed, until we were
+steaming out of the bay the next morning.
+
+_Tuesday, October 10th_.--In the early morning, when we resumed our
+voyage, the weather was still fine; but a few light clouds were here
+and there visible, and an icy wind, sweeping down from the mountains,
+made it appear very cold, though the thermometer--which averages, I
+think, 40 deg. to 50 deg. all the year round--was not really low. The line of
+perpetual snow commences here at an elevation of from 2,500 to 3,500
+feet only, which adds greatly to the beauty of the scene; and as it is
+now early spring the snow is still unmelted, 500 feet, and even less,
+from the shore. The stupendous glaciers run right down into the sea,
+and immense masses of ice, sometimes larger than a ship, are
+continually breaking off, with a noise like thunder, and falling into
+the water, sending huge waves across to the opposite shore, and
+sometimes completely blocking up the channels. Some of these glaciers,
+composed entirely of blue and green ice and the purest snow, are
+fifteen and twenty miles in length. They are by far the finest we
+have, any of us, ever seen; and even those of Norway and Switzerland
+sink into comparative insignificance beside them. The mountains here
+are not so high as those of Europe, but they really appear more lofty,
+as their entire surface, from the water's edge to the extreme summit,
+is clearly visible. At this end of the Straits they terminate in
+peaks, resembling Gothic spires, carved in the purest snow; truly
+'virgin peaks,' on which the eye of man has but seldom rested, and
+which his foot has never touched. They are generally veiled in clouds
+of snow, mist, and driving rain, and it is quite the exception to see
+them as distinctly as we now do.
+
+After leaving Mayne's Channel, and passing through Union and
+Collingwood Sounds, we found ourselves beneath the shadow of the
+splendid Cordilleras of Sarmiento--quite distinct from Mount
+Sarmiento, already referred to--along the foot of which extended the
+largest glacier we have yet seen.[5] With Tarleton Pass on our right
+hand, and Childer's Pass on the left, we came in sight of Owen's
+Island, one extremity of which is called Mayne Head, and the other
+Cape Brassey, these places having all been so named by Captain Mayne,
+during his survey in the 'Nassau,' in 1869. Near the island of
+Esperanza, the clouds having by that time completely cleared away, and
+the sun shining brightly, we had a splendid view of another range of
+snowy mountains, with Stoke's Monument towering high in their midst.
+The numerous floating icebergs added greatly to the exquisite beauty
+of the scene. Some loomed high as mountains, while others had melted
+into the most fanciful and fairy-like shapes--huge swans, full-rigged
+ships, schooners under full sail, and a hundred other fantastic forms
+and devices. The children were in ecstasies at the sight of them.
+
+[Footnote 5: I should explain that the names of places in these
+Straits frequently occur in duplicate, and even triplicate, which is
+rather confusing.]
+
+As we gradually opened out our anchorage--Puerto Bueno--we found a
+steamer already lying there, which proved to be the 'Dacia,' telegraph
+ship, just in from the Pacific coast. Having dropped our anchor at
+about 5 p.m., we all went on shore, armed as before, some of the
+gentlemen hoping to find a stray duck or two, at a fresh-water lake,
+a little way inland. We met several of the officers of the 'Dacia,'
+who, being the first comers, did the honours of the place, and told us
+all they knew about it. The vegetation was as luxuriant and beautiful
+as usual--in fact, rather more so; for we are now advancing northwards
+at the rate of about a hundred miles a day. There were no ducks in the
+lake, but we enjoyed the scramble alongside it, to the point where it
+falls over some rocks into the sea. The gig was drawn under this
+waterfall, and having been loaded to her thwarts, with about three
+tons and a half of excellent water, she was then towed off to the
+yacht, where the water was emptied into our tanks, which were thus
+filled to the brim. A small iceberg, also towed alongside, afforded us
+a supply of ice; and we were thus cheaply provided with a portion of
+the requisite supplies for our voyage. The 'Dacia' had an iceberg half
+as big as herself lying alongside her, and all hands were at work
+until late at night, aided by the light of lanterns and torches,
+chopping the ice up and stowing it away.
+
+Our boat being thus engaged, we were obliged to wait on shore until
+long past dark; but as we were a large and strong party, it did not
+much matter. Our men amused themselves by collecting a number of large
+and excellent mussels, some of which, distinguishable by the peculiar
+appearance of their shells, arising from a diseased condition of the
+fish, contained from ten to thirty very small seed pearls. The captain
+of the 'Dacia' came to dinner, and the officers in the evening; and
+they gave us much valuable information about the anchorages further up
+the Straits, and many other things. The captain kindly gave Tom all
+his Chilian charts of the Darien Channel, which has not yet been fully
+surveyed by the English Government, though the 'Nassau' passed through
+in 1869.
+
+_Wednesday, October 11th_.--I never in my life saw anything so
+beautiful as the view when I came on deck this morning, at a quarter
+to five. The moon was shining, large and golden, high in the heavens;
+the rosy streaks of dawn were just tinging the virgin snow on the
+highest peaks with faint but ever-deepening colour; whilst all around,
+the foliage, rocks, and icebergs were still wrapped in the deepest
+shade. As the sun rose, the pink summits of the mountains changed to
+gold and yellow, and then to dazzling white, as the light crept down
+into the valleys, illuminating all the dark places, and bringing out
+the shades of olive-greens, greys, and purples, in the most wonderful
+contrasts and combinations of colour. The grandeur of the scene
+increased with every revolution of the screw, and when fairly in the
+Guia narrows we were able to stop and admire it a little more at our
+leisure, Mr. Bingham making some sketches, while I took some
+photographs. To describe the prospect in detail is quite impossible.
+Imagine the grandest Alpine scene you ever saw, with tall snowy peaks
+and pinnacles rising from huge domed tops, and vast fields of unbroken
+snow; glaciers, running down _into_ the sea, at the heads of the
+various bays; each bank and promontory richly clothed with vegetation
+of every shade of green; bold rocks and noble cliffs, covered with
+many-hued lichens; the floating icebergs; the narrow channel itself,
+blue as the sky above, dotted with small islands, each a mass of
+verdure, and reflecting on its glassy surface every object with such
+distinctness that it was difficult to say where the reality ended and
+the image began. I have seen a photograph of the Mirror Lake, in
+California, which, as far as I know, is the only thing that could
+possibly give one an idea of the marvellous effect of these
+reflections. Unfit Bay, on Chatham Island, looking towards the
+mountains near Pill Channel, and Ladder Hill, which looks as if a
+flight of steps had been cut upon its face, were perhaps two of the
+most striking points amid all this loveliness.
+
+All too soon came the inevitable order to steam ahead; and once more
+resuming our course, we passed through Innocents and Conception
+Channels, and entered Wide Channel, which is frequently blocked up
+with ice at this time of year, though to-day we only met with a few
+icebergs on their way down from Eyre Sound.
+
+[Illustration: Unfit Bay]
+
+I have already referred to the extraordinary shapes assumed by some of
+the mountain peaks. That appropriately called Singular Peak--on
+Chatham Island--and Two-peak Mountain and Cathedral Mountain--both on
+Wellington Island--specially attracted our attention to-day. The
+first-named presents a wonderful appearance, from whichever side you
+view it; the second reminds one of the beautiful double spires at
+Tours; while the last resembles the tapering spire of a cathedral,
+rising from a long roof, covered with delicate towers, fret-work, and
+angles. In Wide Channel we felt really compelled to stop again to
+admire some of the unnamed mountains. One we christened Spire
+Mountain, to distinguish it from the rest; it consisted of a single
+needle-like point, piercing deep into the blue vault of heaven, and
+surrounded by a cluster of less lofty but equally sharp pinnacles.
+This group rose from a vast chain of exquisitely tinted snow-peaks,
+that looked almost as if they rested on the vast glacier beneath,
+seamed with dark blue and green crevasses and fissures.
+
+[Illustration: Two-peaked Mountain.]
+
+All this time the weather continued perfect. Not a cloud was to be
+seen, the sun was hot and bright, and the sky was blue enough to rival
+that of classic Italy. If we could but be sure that this delightful
+state of things would continue, how pleasant it would be, to stop and
+explore some of these places. We have, however, been so frequently
+warned of the possibility of detention for days and even weeks at
+anchor, owing to bad weather, that we are hurrying on as fast as we
+can, expecting that every day will bring the much-dreaded deluge,
+gale, or fog. In thick weather it is simply impossible to proceed; and
+if it comes on suddenly, as it generally does, and finds you far from
+an anchorage, there is nothing to be done but to heave-to and wait
+till it clears, sending a party ashore if possible to light a fire, to
+serve as a landmark, and so enable you to maintain your position. How
+thankful I am that we have been hitherto able to make the passage
+under such favourable circumstances! It has been a vision of beauty
+and variety, the recollection of which can never be effaced.
+
+Europe Inlet, on our right, going up Wide Channel, was full of ice.
+Husband's Inlet looked as if it was frozen over at the farther end,
+and Penguin Inlet seemed quite choked up with huge hummocks and blocks
+of ice. Tom therefore decided not to attempt the passage of Icy Reach,
+for fear of being stopped, but to go round Saumarez Island to Port
+Grappler by way of Chasm Reach, rather a longer route. It was a happy
+decision; for nothing could exceed the weird impressive splendour of
+this portion of the Straits. We were passing through a deep gloomy
+mountain gorge, with high perpendicular cliffs on either side. Below,
+all was wrapped in the deepest shade. Far above, the sun gilded the
+snowy peaks and many-tinted foliage with his departing light, that
+slowly turned to rose-colour ere the shades of evening crept over all,
+and the stars began to peep out, one by one. We could trace from the
+summit to the base of a lofty mountain the course of a stupendous
+avalanche, which had recently rushed down into the sea, crushing and
+destroying everything in its way, and leaving a broad track of
+desolation behind it. It must for a time have completely filled up the
+narrow channel; and woe to any unfortunate vessel that might happen to
+be there at such a moment!
+
+Port Grappler is rather a difficult place to make in the dark; but
+Tom managed it with much dexterity, and by eight o'clock we were
+safely anchored for the night. We all wanted Tom to stay here
+to-morrow to get some rest, which he much needs, but he has determined
+to start at five o'clock in the morning as usual, for fear of being
+caught by bad weather. Even I, who have of course had no anxiety as to
+the navigation, felt so fatigued from having been on the bridge the
+whole day since very early this morning, that I went straight to bed
+before dinner, in order to be ready for to-morrow.
+
+[Illustration: Indian Reach]
+
+_Thursday, October 12th_.--A day as perfect as yesterday succeeded a
+clear cold night. We weighed anchor at 5.15 a.m., and, retracing our
+course for a few miles, passed round the end of Saumarez Island, and
+entered the narrow channel leading to Indian Reach. The greatest care
+is here necessary, to avoid several sunken rocks, which have already
+proved fatal to many ships, a large German steamer having been wrecked
+as recently as last year. The smooth but treacherous surface of the
+channel reflected sharply the cliffs and foliage, and its mirror-like
+stillness was only broken at rare intervals, by the sudden appearance
+of a seal in search of a fresh supply of air, or by the efforts,
+delayed until the very last moment, of a few steamer-ducks, gannets,
+or cormorants, to get out of our way.
+
+Having accomplished the passage of Indian Reach in safety, we were
+just passing Eden Harbour, when the cry of 'Canoe ahead!' was raised.
+A boat was seen paddling out towards us from behind Moreton Island,
+containing about half-a-dozen people, apparently armed with bows and
+arrows and spears, and provided with fishing-rods, which projected on
+either side. One man was standing up and waving, in a very excited
+manner, something which turned out ultimately to be a piece of
+cotton-waste. Our engines having been stopped, the canoe came
+alongside, and we beheld six wild-looking half-naked creatures--two
+men, three women, and a very small boy, who was crouching over a fire
+at the bottom of the boat. There were also four sharp, cheery-looking
+little dogs, rather like Esquimaux dogs, only smaller, with prick ears
+and curly tails, who were looking over the side and barking vigorously
+in response to the salutations of our pugs. One man had on a square
+robe of sea-otter skins, thrown over his shoulders, and laced together
+in front, two of the women wore sheepskins, and the rest of the party
+were absolutely naked. Their black hair was long and shaggy, and they
+all clamoured loudly in harsh guttural tones, accompanied by violent
+gesticulations, for 'tabaco' and 'galleta.' We got some ready for
+them, and also some beads, knives, and looking-glasses, but through
+some mistake they did not manage to get hold of our rope in time, and
+as our way carried us ahead they were left behind. The passage was
+narrow, and the current strong, and Tom was anxious to save the tide
+in the dangerous English Narrows. We could not, therefore, give them
+another chance of communicating with us, and accordingly we went on
+our way, followed by what were, I have no doubt, the curses--not only
+deep, but loud--of the whole party, who indulged at the same time in
+the most furious and threatening gestures. I was quite sorry for their
+disappointment at losing their hoped-for luxuries, to say nothing of
+our own at missing the opportunity of bargaining for some more furs
+and curiosities.
+
+Shortly afterwards there were seen from the masthead crowds of natives
+among the trees armed with long spears, bows, and arrows, busily
+engaged pushing off their canoes from their hiding-places in creeks
+and hollows; so perhaps it was just as well we did not stop, or we
+might have been surrounded. Not far from here are the English Narrows,
+a passage which is a ticklish but interesting piece of navigation. A
+strong current prevails, and, to avoid a shoal, it is necessary at one
+point to steer so close to the western shore that the bowsprit almost
+projects over the land, the branches of the trees almost sweep the
+rigging, and the rocks almost scrape the side of the vessel. Two men
+were placed at the wheel, as a matter of precaution, and we appeared
+to be steering straight for the shore, at full speed, till Tom
+suddenly gave the order 'Hard a-port!' and the 'Sunbeam' instantly
+flew round and rushed swiftly past the dangerous spot into wider
+waters. It is just here that Captain Trivett was knocked off the
+bridge of his vessel by the boughs--a mishap he warned Tom against
+before we left England.
+
+Whilst in the Narrows we looked back, to see everything bright and
+cheerful, but ahead all was black and dismal: the sky and sun were
+obscured, the tops of the mountains hidden, and the valleys filled up
+with thick fog and clouds--all which seemed to indicate the approach
+of a storm of rain, although the glass was still very high. We went up
+South Reach and North Reach, in the Messier Channel, till, just as we
+were off Liberta Bay, in lat. 48 deg. 50' S., long. 74 deg. 25' W., the
+blackest of the black clouds came suddenly down upon us, and descended
+upon the deck in a tremendous shower--not of rain, but of _dust_ and
+_ashes_. Windows, hatches, and doors were shut as soon as we
+discovered the nature of this strange visitation, and in about half
+an hour we were through the worst of it: whereupon dustpans, brooms,
+and dusters came into great requisition. It took us completely by
+surprise, for we had no reason to expect anything of the sort.
+Assuming the dust to be of volcanic origin, it must have travelled an
+immense distance; the nearest volcano, as far as we know, being that
+of Corcovado, in the island of Chiloe, nearly 300 miles off. We had
+heard from Sir Woodbine Parish, and others at Buenos Ayres, of the
+terrible blinding dust-storms which occur _there_, causing utter
+darkness for a space of ten or fifteen minutes; but Buenos Ayres is on
+the edge of a river, with hundreds and thousands of leagues of sandy
+plains behind it, the soil of which is only kept together by the roots
+of the wiry pampas grass. For this dust to reach the Messier Channel,
+where we now are, it would have to surmount two chains of snowy
+mountains, six or seven thousand feet in height, and in many places
+hundreds of miles in width, and traverse a vast extent of country
+besides.
+
+The weather was still so fine, and the barometer so high--30.52
+inches--that Tom determined to go to sea to-day, instead of stopping
+at Hale Cove for the night, as we had originally intended. Directly we
+got through the English Narrows, therefore, all hands were busily
+engaged in once more sending up the square-yards, top-masts, &c., and
+in making ready for sea. Just before sunset, as we were quitting the
+narrow channels, the sun pierced through the clouds and lightened up
+the lonely landscape as well as the broad waters of the Pacific Ocean.
+Its surface was scarcely rippled by the gentle breeze that wafted us
+on our course; the light of the setting sun rested, in soft and varied
+tints, on the fast-fading mountains and peaks; and thus, under the
+most favourable and encouraging circumstances, we have fairly entered
+upon a new and important section of our long voyage.
+
+Although perhaps I ought not to say so, I cannot help admiring the
+manner in which Tom has piloted his yacht through the Straits, for it
+would do credit, not only to any amateur, but to a professional
+seaman. He has never hesitated or been at a loss for a moment, however
+intricate the part or complicated the directions; but having
+thoroughly studied and mastered the subject beforehand, he has been
+able to go steadily on at full speed the whole way. It has, however,
+been very fatiguing work for him, as he hardly ever left the bridge
+whilst we were under way.
+
+We steamed the whole distance from Cape Virgins to the Gulf of Penas,
+659 knots, in 76 hours, anchoring six times. This gives seven days'
+steaming, of an average length of eleven hours each; and as we stopped
+two or three hours, at different times, for Fuegians, photographs, and
+sketches, our average speed was nine and a half knots, though
+sometimes, when going with strong currents, it was twelve or fourteen,
+and, when going against them, barely six knots.
+
+Just at dark, we passed between Wager Island and Cheape Channel, where
+H.M.S. 'Wager,' commanded by Captain Cheape, was wrecked, and we spent
+the night in the Gulf of Penas, almost becalmed.
+
+_Friday, October 13th_.--We ceased steaming at 7.30 a.m., and made
+every effort throughout the rest of the day, by endless changes of
+sail, to catch each fleeting breath of wind. We did not, however, make
+much progress, owing to the extreme lightness of the breeze.
+
+Sorry as we are to lose the scenery of the Straits, it is pleasant to
+find the weather getting gradually warmer, day by day, and to be able
+to regard the morning bath once more as a luxury instead of a terror.
+The change is also thoroughly appreciated by the various animals we
+have on board, especially the monkeys and parrots, who may now be seen
+sunning themselves in every warm corner of the deck. In the Straits,
+though the sun was hot, there was always an icy feeling in the wind,
+owing to the presence of enormous masses of snow and ice on every
+side.
+
+_Saturday, October 14th_.--Light winds and calms prevailed the whole
+day. About 2 p.m. we were off the island of Socorro. In the afternoon
+a large shoal of whales came round the yacht. I was below when they
+first made their appearance, and when I came on deck they were
+spouting up great jets of water in all directions, suggestive of the
+fountains at the Crystal Palace. We were lying so still that they did
+not seem to be in the least afraid of us, and came quite close,
+swimming alongside, round us, across our bows, and even diving down
+under our keel. There was a shoal of small fish about, and the whales,
+most of which were about fifty or sixty feet in length, constantly
+opened their huge pink whalebone-fringed mouths so wide that we could
+see right down their capacious throats. The children were especially
+delighted with this performance, and baby has learned quite a new
+trick. When asked, 'What do the whales do?' she opens her mouth as
+wide as she can, stretches out her arms to their fullest extent, then
+blows, and finishes up with a look round for applause.
+
+Soon after 8 p.m. the wind completely died away, and, fearing further
+detention, we once more got up steam.
+
+_Sunday, October 15th_.--Still calm. We had the litany and hymns at 11
+a.m.; prayers and hymns and a sermon at 5 p.m. In the course of the
+afternoon we were again surrounded by a shoal of whales. We passed the
+island of Chiloe to-day, where it always rains, and where the
+vegetation is proportionately dense and luxuriant. It is inhabited by
+a tribe of peculiarly gentle Indians, who till the ground, and who are
+said to be kind to strangers thrown amongst them. Darwin and Byron
+speak well of the island and its inhabitants, who are probably more
+civilised since their time, for a steamer now runs regularly once a
+week from Valparaiso to San Carlos and back for garden produce. The
+potato is indigenous to the island.
+
+[Illustration: Catching Cape Pigeons in the Gulf of Penas]
+
+_Tuesday, October 17th_.--At 6 a.m., there being still no wind, Tom,
+in despair of ever reaching our destination under sail alone, again
+ordered steam to be raised. Two hours later a nice sailing breeze
+sprang up; but we had been so often disappointed that we determined to
+continue steaming. Just before sunset we saw the island of Mocha in
+the distance. It is said to have been inhabited at one time by herds
+of wild horses and hogs, but I think they have now become extinct.
+
+One of our principal amusements during the calm weather has been to
+fish for cape-pigeons, cape-hens, gulls, and albatrosses, with a hook
+and line. We have caught a good many in this way, and several
+entangled themselves in the threads left floating for the purpose over
+the stern. The cape-pigeons were so tame that they came almost on
+board, and numbers of them were caught in butterfly-nets. Their
+plumage is not unlike grebe, and I mean to have some muffs and
+trimmings for the children made out of it. Allen, the coxswain of the
+gig, skins them very well, having had some lessons from Ward before we
+left England. I want very much to catch an albatross, in order to have
+it skinned, and to make tobacco-pouches of its feet and pipe-stems of
+the wing-bones, for presents.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER X.
+
+CHILI.
+
+    _Sunbeam of summer, oh what is like thee,_
+    _Hope of the wilderness, joy of the sea._
+
+
+_Wednesday, October 18th_.--At 3.30 a.m. we were close to the land
+lying south of the Bay of Lota; at 4 a.m. the engines were stopped on
+account of the mist; and at 6 a.m. we began to go slowly ahead again,
+though it was still not very easy to make out the distance and bearing
+of the coast. The passage into the bay, between the island of Santa
+Maria and Lavapie Point, is narrow and difficult, and abounds with
+sunken rocks and other hidden dangers, not yet fully surveyed. Tom
+said it was the most arduous piece of navigation he ever undertook on
+a misty morning; but happily he accomplished it successfully. Just as
+he entered the sun broke through the mist, displaying a beautiful bay,
+surrounded on three sides by well-wooded hills, and sheltered from all
+winds except the north. One corner is completely occupied by the huge
+establishment belonging to Madame Cousino, consisting of coal-mines,
+enormous smelting-works, and extensive potteries. The hill just at the
+back is completely bare of vegetation, which has all been poisoned by
+the sulphurous vapours from the furnaces. This spot, from its
+contiguity to the works, has been selected as the site of a village
+for the accommodation of the numerous labourers and their families. It
+is therefore to be hoped that sulphur fumes are not as injurious to
+animal as they evidently are to vegetable life. As we drew nearer to
+the shore we could distinguish Madame Cousino's house, in the midst of
+a park on the summit of a hill, and surrounded on all sides by
+beautiful gardens. Every prominent point had a little summer-house
+perched upon it, and some of the trees had circular seats built round
+their trunks half-way up, approached by spiral staircases, and
+thatched like wigwams. The general aspect of the coast, which is a
+combination of rich red earth, granite cliffs, and trees to the
+water's edge, is very like that of Cornwall and Devonshire.
+
+We had scarcely dropped our anchor before the captain of the port came
+on board, and told us we were too far from the shore to coal, which
+was our special object in coming here; so up went the anchor again,
+and we steamed a few hundred yards further in, and then let go close
+to the shore, in deep water. Captain Moeller waited to go ashore with
+us, introduced our steward to the butcher and postmaster of the place,
+and then accompanied us to Madame Cousino's gardens.
+
+It was a steep climb up the hill, but we were well rewarded for our
+labour. Tended by over a hundred men, whose efforts are directed by
+highly paid and thoroughly experienced Scotch gardeners, these grounds
+contain a collection of plants from all the four quarters of the
+globe, and from New Zealand, Polynesia, and Australia. Amid them were
+scattered all kinds of fantastic grottoes, fountains, statues, and
+ferneries; flights of steps, leading downwards to the beach, and
+upwards to sylvan nooks; arcades, arched over with bamboos, and
+containing trellis-work from Derbyshire, and Minton tiles from
+Staffordshire; seats of all sorts and shapes, _under_ trees, _in_
+trees, and _over_ trees; besides summer-houses and pagodas, at every
+corner where there was a pretty view over land or sea.
+
+One of the heads of the establishment, a great friend of Madame
+Cousino's, was unfortunately very ill, and as she was nursing him, she
+could not come out to see us; but she kindly gave orders to her
+gardener to send some cut flowers and some ferns on board the yacht,
+to decorate the saloon; and as she was unable to invite us to luncheon
+at the big house, she sent some champagne and refreshments down to the
+Casa de la Administracion, where we were most hospitably entertained.
+She has had the latter place comfortably fitted up for the use of the
+principal employes on the works, and has provided it with a
+billiard-table, a very fair library, and several spare bed-rooms for
+the accommodation of visitors.
+
+After luncheon we went to see the copper-smelting works, which were
+very interesting. The manager walked through with us, and explained
+the processes very clearly. He could tell at once, on taking up a
+piece of rough ore, fresh from the mine, what percentage of copper or
+iron it contained, the amount varying from ten to seventy-five per
+cent, of the gross weight. The furnaces are kept burning night and
+day, and are worked by three gangs of men; and the quantity of copper
+produced annually is enormous. In fact, three parts of the copper used
+in Europe comes from here. The ore is brought from various parts of
+Chili and Peru, generally in Madame Cousino's ships; and coal is found
+in such abundance, and so near the surface, that the operation of
+smelting is a profitable one. Our afternoon, spent amid smoke, and
+heat, and dirt, and half-naked workmen, manipulating with dexterous
+skill the glowing streams of molten ore, was a great contrast to our
+morning ramble.
+
+Having seen the works, and received a curious and interesting
+collection of copper ore, as a remembrance of our visit, we started in
+a little car, lined with crimson cloth, and drawn by a locomotive, to
+visit the various coal-mines. First we went through the park, and then
+along a valley near the sea, full of wild flowers and ferns, and trees
+festooned with 'copigue,' the Chilian name for a creeper which is a
+speciality of this country, and which imparts a character of its own
+to the landscape during the month of May, when its wreaths of
+scarlet, cherry, or pink flowers are in full bloom. We went to the
+mouths of three coal-pits, and looked down into their grimy depths,
+but did not descend, as it would have occupied too much time. They are
+mostly about 1,000 yards in depth, and extend for some distance under
+the sea.
+
+We next visited a point of land whence we could see an island which
+closely resembles St. Michael's Mount. It is quite uninhabited, except
+by a few wild goats and rabbits. The sea-shore is lined with trees to
+the water's edge, and there are many bold rocks and fine white sandy
+caves in different parts of it. Some boats were drawn up high and dry
+on the beach, along which several picturesque-looking groups of
+shell-fish collectors were scattered. The mussels that are found here
+are enormous--from five to eight inches in length--and they, together
+with cockles and limpets, form a staple article of food.
+
+A steam-launch had been sent to meet us, but it could not get near
+enough to the shore for us to embark. A rickety, leaky small boat,
+half full of water, was therefore, after some delay, procured, and in
+this we were sculled out, two by two, till the whole party were safely
+on board. Outside there was quite a swell, and a north wind and rain
+are prophesied for to-morrow. Mr. Mackay returned with us to the
+yacht, and stayed to dinner. Before he left, the prognostications of
+bad weather were to some extent justified; for the wind changed, and
+rain, the first we have felt for some time, began to fall.
+
+_Thursday, October 19th_.--We have been persuaded by our friends here
+to try and see a little more of the interior of Chili than we should
+do if we were to carry out our original intention of going on to
+Valparaiso in the yacht, and then merely making an excursion to
+Santiago from that place. We have therefore arranged to proceed at
+once overland to Santiago, by a route which will enable us to see
+something of the Cordillera of the Andes, to have a peep at the
+Araucanian Indians on the frontier, and to visit the baths of
+Cauquenes. Tom, however, does not like to leave the yacht, and has
+decided to take her up to Valparaiso, and then come on to Santiago and
+meet us, in about five or six days' time. The anchor was accordingly
+hove short, and the mizen hoisted, when we landed this morning, in a
+drenching rain.
+
+A coach runs daily from Lota to Concepcion, the first stage of our
+journey, but a special vehicle was engaged for our accommodation, and
+a curious affair it was to look at. It seemed to be simply a huge
+wooden box, suspended, by means of thick leather straps, from C
+springs, without windows or doors, but provided with two long, narrow
+openings, through which you squeezed yourself in or out, and which
+could be closed at pleasure by roll-up leather blinds. Inside, it was
+roomy, well-padded, and comfortable.
+
+The rain had made the road terribly greasy, and several times the
+carriage slewed half-way round and slid four or five feet sideways
+down the hill, causing us to hold on, in expectation of a spill. At
+last we reached the bottom in safety, and, crossing a small river,
+emerged upon the sea-shore at Playa Negra, or Black Beach, along which
+we drove for some distance through the deep, loose sand, the horses
+being up to their fetlocks in water most of the time. Then we forded
+another little river, and, leaving the beach, proceeded up a steep
+road, not more than three yards wide, with a ditch on one side and a
+steep precipice on the other, to the little village of Coronel,
+overlooking the bay of the same name. While the horses were being
+changed, we walked down to the little wooden pier, on the sea-shore,
+and saw the 'Sunbeam' just coming out of Lota Bay.
+
+Drawn up by the side of the pier was a picturesque-looking
+market-boat, full of many sorts of vegetables, and little piles of
+sea-eggs, with their spines removed, and neatly tied up with rushes in
+parcels of three. The people seemed to enjoy them raw, in which state
+they are considered to be most nutritious; and when roasted in their
+shells, or made into omelettes, they are a favourite article of food
+with all classes. Coronel is a great coaling station, and the bay,
+which is surrounded by tall chimneys, shafts, and piers, connected
+with the mines, was full of steamers and colliers.
+
+Our road now ran for some time through undulating pasture-land, in
+which were many large trees, the scene resembling a vast park. Masses
+of scarlet verbena, yellow calceolaria, and white heath, grew on all
+sides, while the numerous myrtle, mimosa, and other bushes, were
+entwined with orange-coloured nasturtiums, and a little scarlet
+tropaeolum, with a blue edge, whose name I forget. Beneath the trees
+the ground was thickly carpeted with adiantum fern. The road over
+which we travelled was of the worst description, and our luncheon was
+eaten with no small difficulty, but with a considerable amount of
+merriment. Once, when we jolted into an unusually big hole, the whole
+of our provisions, basket and all, made a sudden plunge towards one
+side of the coach, and very nearly escaped us altogether.
+
+Half-way between Coronel and Concepcion, we met the return
+stage-coach, crowded with passengers, and looking as if it had just
+come out of the South Kensington Museum or Madame Tussaud's, or like
+the pictures of a coach of Queen Elizabeth's time. It was a long low
+vehicle, with unglazed windows all round it, painted bright scarlet
+decorated with brilliant devices on every panel, and suspended, like
+our own, by means of innumerable leather straps, from huge C springs.
+The seats on either side held three passengers, and there was a stool
+in the middle, like the one in the Lord Mayor's coach, on which four
+people sat, back to bask.
+
+Soon after we drew up to rest the horses at a little posada, kept by
+two Germans, called 'Half-way House,' and seven miles more brought us
+to a rich and well-cultivated farm belonging to Mr. Hermann, where we
+stopped to change horses.
+
+It was six o'clock in the evening when we reached the Bio-Bio, a wide
+shallow river, at the entrance of the town of Concepcion; it had to be
+crossed in a ferry-boat, carriage and all, and as it was after hours,
+we had some difficulty in finding any one to take us over. At last, in
+consideration of a little extra pay, six men consented to undertake
+the job, and having set a square-sail, to keep us from being carried
+down the river by the current, they punted us over with long poles.
+Sometimes there was nine feet of water beneath us, but oftener not
+more than four or five. The boat could not get close to the opposite
+shore, and it was a great business to get the carriage out and the
+horses harnessed, in some eighteen inches of water. First the carriage
+stuck in the sand, and then the horses refused to move, but after a
+great deal of splashing, and an immense display of energy in the way
+of pulling, jerking, shrieking, shouting--and, I am afraid,
+swearing--we reached the bank, emerged from the water, struggled
+through some boggy ground, and were taken at full gallop through the
+streets of the town, until we reached the Hotel Comercio, where we
+found comfortable rooms and a nice little dinner awaiting us.
+
+This was all very well, as far as it went, but when we came to inquire
+about our onward route we were disappointed to learn that the line to
+Angol was closed, owing to the breaking down of a bridge, and would
+remain so until next month, and that, with the exception of a
+contractor's train, which runs only once a week, there was nothing by
+which we could travel. 'To-morrow is Friday,' added Monsieur
+Letellier, 'and that is so near Monday, what can Madame do better than
+wait here till then?' By way of consolation, he informed us that there
+were no Indians now at Angol, as the Araucanian [6] Indians had
+recently all been driven further back from the frontier by the
+Chilenos, but that, if we were still bent on trying to get there, we
+could go by boat as far as Nacimiento, where we might, with some
+difficulty, procure a carriage. The river just now, however, is so
+low, that the boat frequently gets aground, and remains for two or
+three days; therefore, taking everything into consideration, we have
+decided to abandon this part of our programme, for otherwise we shall
+not reach Santiago in time. In any case, the journey will be a much
+longer one than we expected.
+
+[Footnote 6: I have lately received a letter from a friend in Paris,
+who says: 'Strange to tell, it is only a few days ago that poor Orelie
+Antoine I., ex-King of Araucania, died at Bordeaux, in a hospital. He
+reigned for some years, and then made war upon Chili, which gave him a
+warm reception; even captured his Majesty and sent him back to his
+native land. I met him here a few years ago, surrounded by a small
+court, which treated him with great deference. I found him a
+dignified, intelligent sovereign. He attempted to return to his
+kingdom, but was captured on the high seas by a Brazilian cruiser, and
+sent back to France to die a miserable death.]
+
+_Friday, October 20th_.--We went out for a short stroll round the
+Plaza before breakfast, which meal was scarcely over when Mr. Mackay
+arrived in a carriage, and took us off to see what there was to see in
+the town. The Plaza was full of bright-looking flower-beds, in which
+were superb roses, and many English flowers, shaded by oranges,
+pomegranates, and deutzias. Each plot belongs to one of the principal
+families in the town, and great emulation is displayed as to whose
+little garden shall be in the best order and contain the finest
+collection of plants and flowers.
+
+Concepcion has suffered, and still suffers, much from earthquakes. The
+existing town is only thirty-five years old. The houses are all one
+story high only, and the streets, or rather roads, between them are
+wide, in order to afford the inhabitants a chance of escape, should
+their dwellings be thrown down by a sudden shock. In summer everybody
+rushes out into the street, no matter what hour of the day or night it
+may be, as soon as the first symptoms of an earthquake are felt; but
+during the winter, when the shocks are never so severe, the alarm
+caused is not so great. The old town was about two miles distant from
+the present site, near a place now called Penco, but after being
+demolished in the ordinary way, an immense wave rolled up and
+completely destroyed all traces of its existence.
+
+We drove out to Puchacai, Mr. Mackay's hacienda, a pretty little
+thatched cottage, surrounded by a verandah, in the midst of a garden,
+where laburnums and lilacs bloom side by side with orange-trees and
+pomegranates. Round the garden are groves of shady English oaks (the
+first we have seen since leaving home) and Norfolk Island pines, the
+effect of the whole scene being strangely suggestive of the idea that
+a charming little bit of English rural scenery has in some mysterious
+manner been transported to this out-of-the-way spot in Chili. The
+interior of the house, which is simply but tastefully furnished, and
+at the time of our visit was full of fresh flowers, arranged with an
+artistic eye to colour, bears the same indescribable _homelike_ air.
+We were kindly received and regaled with luncheon, including, amongst
+other good things, fried _pejerey_ (king of fish), deservedly so
+called.
+
+In the afternoon we strolled about the garden, and looked at the farm
+and stable, and were shown the probable winner of one of the prizes at
+the forthcoming race-meeting. In the cottages on the estate some
+specimens of _minaque_ lace were offered to us--a lace made by most of
+the peasants in this part of the country. It varies considerably in
+quality, from the coarse kind, used for covering furniture, to the
+finest description, used for personal adornment It is very cheap,
+wears for ever, and strongly resembles the _torchon_ lace, now so
+fashionable in Paris and London for trimming petticoats and children's
+frocks. The women also spin, dye, and weave the wool from the fleece
+of their own sheep into the bright-coloured ponchos universally worn,
+winter and summer, by the men in this country. These ponchos are not
+made of nearly such good material as those used in the Argentine
+Republic, but they are considerably gayer and more picturesque in
+appearance.
+
+After dinner, there was nothing to do except to stroll about the town
+and buy photographs. They are extremely good in Chili--both views and
+portraits--but proportionately dear, the price being double what would
+be charged in London or Paris for the same thing.
+
+[Illustration: Waiting for the Train, Chili.]
+
+_Saturday, October 21st_.--Having wished good-bye to Mr. Mackay, and
+taken our seats in the train for Linares, we were now fairly launched
+on our own resources in a strange country, I being the only one of the
+party who could speak even a little Spanish. At San Romde we stopped
+half an hour to allow the train from Chilian to pass. Most of the
+passengers took the opportunity of breakfasting, but as we were not
+hungry we occupied the time in having a chat with the engine-driver, a
+very intelligent Canadian. He told us that, as it happened, we might
+have gone to Angol to-day after all, as a special car and engine were
+going there to take a doctor to see a patient, returning early
+to-morrow morning.
+
+The railroad runs alongside the Bio-Bio all the way to San Romde. On
+either bank are low wooded hills, on whose sides vines are cultivated
+in considerable quantities. The wild flowers grow luxuriantly
+everywhere: calceolarias, especially, in huge bushes of golden bloom,
+two or three feet high. At San Romde we left the river, and travelled
+through a pretty and well-cultivated country to Chilian, which derives
+its name from an Indian word, signifying 'saddle of the sun,' and is
+so called from the fact that the sun shines upon it through a
+saddle-shaped pass in the chain of the Andes.
+
+Like Concepcion, the existing town has been recently built at a
+distance of about a mile from the remains of the old place of the same
+name, which was overthrown by an earthquake about thirty years ago.
+The destruction was, however, not so complete as in the case of
+Concepcion, and some few of the better-conditioned houses are still
+inhabited by very poor people, though the walls have great cracks in
+them from top to bottom, and they are otherwise in a deplorable state.
+A large cattle and horse market is held at Chilian every Saturday, and
+it is said that, on these occasions, 100,000 dollars frequently change
+hands in the course of the morning, in the open market-place. All the
+business of the day was over by the time we got there, and there was
+nothing to be seen but a few stray beasts and quaint bullock-carts,
+and some peasants selling refreshments, _minaque_ lace, and other
+trifles. In several of the old-fashioned shops on the Plaza there were
+curious-looking stirrups, bits, spurs, and other horse-gear, all made
+of solid silver, roughly worked by the Indians themselves.
+
+Having had our baths, we returned to the hotel, where we found dinner
+laid out in my bed-room, which happened to be the largest, for our
+host did not approve of our dining at the table-d'hote, as we should
+have preferred to do. He gave us an excellent dinner, with good wine,
+and attended to us most assiduously himself.
+
+While the gentlemen were smoking, I went to see a poor engine-driver
+who had met with a bad accident, and who was lying at this hotel. He
+is a fine healthy-looking Englishman, and he told me that, until this
+misfortune, he had never known a day's illness in his life. It seems
+that, at four o'clock in the afternoon of this day week, he was sent
+off with a special engine to convey an important message. Something
+going wrong during the journey, he slackened speed, and, in stepping
+off the engine to see what was the matter, his foot slipped, and the
+wheel of the tender went over it. He had no one with him who could
+manage the engine alone, so he was obliged to get up again, and
+endeavour to struggle on to Talca; but after going a few miles
+further, the engine suddenly ran off the track, at a part of the
+unfinished line that had not yet been sufficiently ballasted. They
+could not get it on again unaided, and one of the men had to start off
+and walk many miles before he could procure assistance. Altogether,
+poor Clarke underwent forty-two hours of intense agony from the time
+of the accident until he received any medical attention. In spite of
+this he is now doing well; and though the foot, which is in a bath of
+carbolic acid and water, looks very bad, he is in great spirits,
+because the three local doctors, in consultation, have decided that
+amputation will not be necessary. He spoke in the highest terms of the
+kindness of our French host and his Spanish wife, the latter of whom,
+he says, has nursed him like a mother. He certainly has the one large
+room in the house, and when I saw him his bed was comfortably made and
+arranged, flowers and fruit were on a table by his side, and
+everything looked as neat and snug as possible. It was a treat to him
+to see some one fresh from the old country, and to hear all the news,
+and our voyage appeared to interest him greatly. While I was with him
+one of his friends came in, who remembered me quite well, and who knew
+one or two people with whom we are acquainted, including the manager
+of Messrs. Bowdler and Chaffers' yard, where the 'Sunbeam' was built.
+
+[Illustration: A Fellow Passenger]
+
+_Sunday, October 22nd_.--Though it was Sunday, we had no choice but to
+travel on, or we should not have been able to start until Tuesday. We
+were therefore up at five o'clock, and at the station before seven.
+From San Carlos, where we arrived at 8.15 a.m., we started for
+Linares, which was reached a couple of hours later. It is a much
+smaller town than Chilian, but is built on exactly the same
+plan--Plaza, cathedral, and all. To-day the streets were crowded with
+men on horseback, who had brought their wives in, seated
+pillion-fashion on the crupper behind them, to attend mass.
+
+Our road lay through a rich country, intersected by small rivers; with
+the distant snowy chain of the Andes as a background, and through
+thickly planted groves of poplars, growing in long shady avenues,
+fragrant with perfume from the magnificent roses which blossomed
+beneath their shade. In the course of our four hours' drive, we
+crossed a great many streams, in some of which the water was deep
+enough to come in at the bottom of the carriage, and cause us to tuck
+ourselves up on the seats; there was always a little pleasing
+excitement and doubt, as we approached one of these rivulets, as to
+whether we were to be inundated or not. We met a good many people
+riding and walking about in their holiday clothes, and at all the
+cabarets groups of talkers, drinkers, and players were assembled.
+
+The cottages we have seen by the roadside have been picturesque but
+wretched-looking edifices, generally composed of the branches of trees
+stuck in the ground, plastered with mud and thatched with reeds. Two
+outhouses, or arbours, consisting of a few posts and sticks, fastened
+together and overgrown with roses and other flowers, serve
+respectively as a cool sitting-room and a kitchen, the oven being
+invariably built on the ground outside the latter, for the sake of
+coolness. The women, when young, are singularly good-looking, with
+dark complexions, bright eyes, and luxuriant tresses, which they wear
+in two plaits, hanging down their backs far below the waist. The men
+are also, as a rule, fine-looking. In fact, the land is good, and
+everybody and everything looks prosperous. The beasts are up to their
+knees in rich pasture, are fat and sleek, and lie down to chew the cud
+of contentment, instead of searching anxiously for a scanty
+sustenance. The horses are well fed, and their coats are fine and
+glossy, and the sheep, pigs, and other animals are in equally good
+condition. It is therefore a cheery country to travel through, and at
+this spring-time of the year one sees it in its highest perfection.
+
+Before reaching Talca we had to cross the Maule, a wide, deep river,
+with a swift current. The carriage was first put on board a large
+flat-bottomed boat, into which the horses then jumped, one by one, the
+last to embark tumbling down and rolling among the legs of the others.
+With a large oar the boat was steered across the stream, down which it
+drifted about 200 yards into shallow water, where the boatmen jumped
+out and towed us to a convenient landing-place. Here we found several
+people waiting to be ferried over. A troop of mules having been driven
+into the water, which they seemed rather to enjoy, swam across safely,
+though they were carried some distance down the river.
+
+About five o'clock we arrived at Talca, and went straight to the Hotel
+Colon, kept by Gassaroni. Every Italian who starts an hotel in this
+part of the world calls it, as a matter of course, 'The Columbus
+Hotel;' for they are very anxious to claim the great navigator as a
+countryman, though the Spaniards dispute their right to do so, on the
+ground that Genoa, where he was really born, was at that time an
+independent State. While we were waiting for dinner we walked about
+the town, which so exactly resembles Concepcion and Chilian in the
+arrangement of its streets, buildings, and trees, that I doubt whether
+any one familiar with the three places could tell immediately which
+town he was in, if transported suddenly to the middle of the Plaza,
+though I believe Talca is rather the largest. It still retains its old
+Indian name, meaning 'thunder,' doubtless on account of the frequency
+and violence of the thunder-storms by which it is visited.
+
+_Monday, October 23rd_.--Soon after midnight I was aroused by a great
+noise. At first I thought I was dreaming, but a very brief reflection
+convinced me of the existence of an energetically played big-drum,
+somewhere in the immediate neighbourhood of my bed-room. I at once got
+up and, peeping through the window in the door, saw a military band of
+twenty-five performers, standing on the other side of the courtyard,
+blowing and hitting their hardest. It must be confessed that they
+played well, and that their selection of music was good, but it was,
+nevertheless, rather annoying, after a long and fatiguing day, and
+with the prospect of an early start, to be kept awake until half-past
+three in the morning, while they serenaded and toasted the _prima
+donna_, and each of the other members of the theatrical company who
+are staying here. The noise was, of course, increased by the
+reverberation from the walls of the courtyard, and, finding it
+impossible to sleep, I abandoned the attempt, and took to writing
+instead. At last the welcome notes of the Chilian national air gave me
+hope that the entertainment was over for the night--or rather
+morning--and soon afterwards all was once more quiet.
+
+We left Talca by the 7.30 train, Mr. Budge, who had business at
+Curico, accompanying us. All the engines and rolling stock this side
+of Santiago are of American make and pattern. Mr. Budge had secured
+one of the long cars, with a passage down the centre, and a saloon at
+each end, for us, so we were very comfortable, and he told us a great
+deal about the country as we went along. Like all Chilenos, he is
+very patriotic, and is especially proud of the financial stability of
+his country. He often said,' If English people would only invest their
+money here, instead of in Peru or the Argentine Republic, they would
+get eight per cent, on good security.' We heard the same thing from
+many other sources; and it certainly does seem that this country is
+the most settled, and the least liable to be disturbed by revolutions,
+of any in South America. At Curico[7] we breakfasted at a little
+restaurant on Chilian dishes and the wine of the country. The latter
+is excellent and of various kinds, but it is so cheap that none of the
+innkeepers can be persuaded to supply it to travellers, whose only
+chance of tasting it, therefore, is at some small inn.
+
+[Footnote 7: An Indian name, signifying 'black waters,' having
+reference to the mineral springs in the neighbouring mountains.]
+
+Mr. Budge left us at Pelequen, the next station to San Fernando,
+having put us in charge of the conductor, who promised to see after us
+at Cauquenes, but who wofully betrayed his trust. There was no regular
+station at the latter place, but as the train stopped, and we saw
+'Bains de Cauquenes' on an hotel close by, we jumped out just in time
+to see it go on again. Luckily the other passengers were kind enough
+to interest themselves on our behalf, and shrieked and hallooed to
+such good purpose that the engine was once more brought to a
+standstill, and our luggage was put out. Half-a-dozen little boys
+carried it to the inn, where I had to explain to the _patron_, in my
+best Spanish, that we wanted a carriage to go to the baths, seven
+leagues off. In a wonderfully short space of time, four good horses
+were harnessed to a queer sort of vehicle, which held four inside and
+one out, besides the driver, and which had to be entered by means of a
+ladder. Having all packed in, and paid our fare beforehand, we were
+rattled off at a merry pace towards the Andes. The road went up and
+down and round about, and crossed many rivers, but was fairly good
+throughout. We changed once at a large hacienda, where a man went into
+a large yard, containing about sixty horses, and dexterously lassoed
+the particular four required for our use. Several horsemen were
+waiting about, and I looked at their saddles, which were made of a
+dozen or more sheepskins, laid one on the top of the other, forming a
+soft seat to ride in by day and a comfortable bed to sleep on at
+night.
+
+[Illustration: Baths of Cauquenes]
+
+Early in the afternoon we saw some buildings in the distance, which we
+rightly guessed to be the baths, and soon afterwards we passed in at
+the entrance gate of the establishment, by the side of which was a
+rock with the word 'Welcome' painted upon its face. The whole distance
+from the station was twenty-three miles, which we had accomplished in
+a little over two hours. Driving between hedgerows of roses in full
+bloom, we were not long in reaching the door of the hotel, where we
+were received by the proprietor. He told us he was very full, but he
+managed to find us some small rooms, and then conducted us to the
+luxuriously fitted bathing establishment. After this came the
+table-d'hote, to which about seventy sat down, though many of the
+visitors were dining in their own rooms. In the evening we walked
+about the garden and chatted with several people, who all seemed to
+have heard of us and our voyage, and to be anxious to know what we
+thought of the Straits. We saw some English papers too, which was a
+great treat, though there did not seem to be much news in them.
+
+_Tuesday, October 24th_.--This is a wonderful place, built entirely of
+wood. The centre part is a square, seventy yards in extent, surrounded
+by a single row of one-storied rooms, with doors opening into the
+courtyard, and windows looking over the river or up into the
+mountains. In the middle of the square are a pavilion containing two
+billiard-tables, a boot-blacking arbour, covered with white and yellow
+jessamine and scarlet and cream-coloured honeysuckle, plenty of
+flower-beds, full of roses and orange-trees, and a monkey on a pole,
+who must, poor creature, have a sorry life of it, as it is his
+business to afford amusement to all the visitors to the baths. He is
+very good-tempered, does several tricks, and is tormented 'from early
+dawn to dewy eve.' I remonstrated with our host on his behalf; but he
+merely shrugged his shoulders and said, 'Mais il faut que le monde se
+divertisse, Madame.' From the centre square, marble steps lead to a
+large hall, with marble baths on either side, for ladies and gentlemen
+respectively. A few steps further bring one to a delightful
+swimming-bath, about forty feet square, filled with tepid water. The
+water, as it springs from the rock, is boiling hot, and contains, I
+believe, a good deal of magnesia and other salts, beneficial in cases
+of rheumatism and gout; but the high temperature of the water makes
+the air very muggy, and we all found the place relaxing, though
+perhaps it was because we indulged too freely in the baths, which are
+a great temptation.
+
+[Illustration: Up the Valley towards the Andes.]
+
+In the afternoon we went for a ride, to see a celebrated view of the
+Andes. Unfortunately it was rather misty, but we could see enough to
+enable us to imagine the rest. Some condors were soaring round the
+rocky peaks, and the landscape, though well clothed with vegetation,
+had a weird, dreary character of its own, partly due to the quantity
+of large cacti that grew in every nook and corner, singly, or in
+groups of ten or twelve, to the height of twenty or thirty feet.
+Though they say it hardly ever rains in Chili, a heavy shower fell
+this afternoon, and our landlord thoughtfully sent a boy on horseback
+after us with umbrellas.
+
+_Wednesday, October 25th_.--The bath was so delightful this morning,
+that we felt quite sorry it was to be our last. One could very well
+spend a week or two here, and find plenty to do in the way of
+excursions into the valleys of the Andes, which look most inviting in
+the distance.
+
+At half-past ten, we set out on our return journey to the railway,
+changing horses at the same place where we had stopped at coming up,
+and which we reached half an hour before the train was due; when it
+arrived we were allowed to get in with our belongings in rather a less
+hurried fashion than we had alighted. Luncheon was procured at
+Rancagua, and we finally reached Santiago at about 4.50 p.m. No sooner
+had we got fairly into the station than the car was invaded by a crowd
+of Porters touting for employment. They are all dressed in white, and
+wear red caps, on which is a brass number, by means of which they are
+easily recognised. The landlord from the Hotel Ingles, M. Tellier, met
+us, and we at once drove off, leaving our luggage to follow, in charge
+of one of the red-capped gentlemen. The drive from the station was
+along the Alameda, on either side of which were many fine houses; but
+the road was ill-paved and shaky as usual.
+
+[Illustration: Cacti of the Cordillera]
+
+The Grand Hotel, which used to be considered the best in South
+America, is now shut up, the company who owned it having recently
+failed; so all the smaller hotels, none of which are very good, are
+crowded to overflowing. The Hotel Ingles is considered the best,
+though I cannot say much in its favour. The rooms are good, but the
+situation is noisy, being at the corner of two streets; the servants
+are attentive, but the cuisine and arrangements are bad. Independently
+of all this, we have great reason to complain of the conduct of the
+landlord, for my first question, as soon as he had introduced himself,
+was, of course, 'Have Mr. and Miss Brassey arrived?' 'Yes, Madame, and
+went away this morning.' 'What! and left no letter?' 'No; but Monsieur
+returns to-morrow.' Imagine my surprise and disappointment! But there
+was nothing to be done but to go to the hotel and wait patiently. We
+afterwards found that _Tom had left a long letter, and that he had
+never said a word about returning_. The wretched man would not give me
+the letter, because he thought he could detain us, and he never sent
+the telegram I handed to him to forward to Tom at once, asking for an
+answer.
+
+[Illustration: Huasso Huts.]
+
+Our luggage arrived just in time to enable us to dress for the second
+table-d'hote at six o'clock, after which we went for a walk through
+some arcades, paved with marble, and full of fine shops, past the
+Grand Hotel, which was situated at the end of the Alameda, and is
+built over an arcade of shops. It is a handsome building, and must
+command a fine view. The cathedral and the archbishop's palace, large
+but rather dull-looking brick buildings, are close by. The surrounding
+gardens looked pretty by gaslight, and the scent of roses pervaded the
+evening air.
+
+[Illustration: Huasso of Chili]
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XI.
+
+SANTIAGO AND VALPARAISO.
+
+    _Gems of the changing autumn, how beautiful you are,_
+    _Shining from your glassy stems, like many a golden star._
+
+
+_Thursday, October 26th_.--Our kind hostess at Lota had given us a
+letter of introduction to her manager at Santiago, who called this
+morning to inquire what arrangements he could make which would be most
+agreeable to us during our stay. She had also given orders that her
+carriages and horses should be placed at our disposal, and at about
+ten o'clock we all started in an open break, drawn by a pair of
+good-looking half-bred brown horses, bigger than any we had seen
+before in this country.
+
+[Illustration: Morning Mass at Santiago]
+
+We went first to the Compania, a large open square, planted with
+flowers, the site of the old Jesuit Church, which was burnt down on
+December 8th, 1863. Well known as the story is, I may here recall the
+tragic details, standing on the very spot where they took place. It
+was the Feast of the Virgin, and the church was densely crowded with a
+congregation composed almost entirely of women, principally young,
+many of whom were servant-girls. Some of the draperies used in the
+decoration of the building caught fire, the flames spread rapidly,
+destroying in their course the cords by which the numerous paraffin
+and oil lamps were suspended across the nave and aisles, and
+precipitating their burning contents upon the people beneath. The
+great doors opened inwards; the crowd, trying to press out, closed
+them, and kept them hermetically sealed. The priests, anxious to save
+the church properties and sacred relics, shut the large iron gates
+across the chancel and kept them fastened, notwithstanding the
+agonising shrieks of the unhappy victims, many of whom might otherwise
+have escaped. Their conduct on this terrible occasion created at the
+time a feeling of bitter and universal indignation, and caused a shock
+to the popularity and authority of the priesthood in this country,
+from which it will take them a long time to recover.
+
+Mr. Long told us that, between seven and eight o'clock on the evening
+of the catastrophe, he was walking with some friends on the Alameda,
+when he saw smoke rising in dense volumes from the quarter of the city
+where the house in which he resided was situated. He and his friends
+ran quickly in the direction of the fire, giving the alarm as they
+went, and on reaching the church they found the doors closely shut,
+while fearful screams were issuing from the interior, and smoke and
+flames pouring from the windows. They got a party of men together
+accustomed to the use of the lasso--no difficult task here--and with
+them climbed from the neighbouring houses to the top of the church.
+Making a hole in the roof, they then dropped their lassoes over some
+of the women beneath, and so dragged them out of the building; but the
+number thus saved was necessarily very small, and it happened too
+often that many of the poor creatures below, in their eagerness to
+escape, hung on to the legs or body of the one they saw lassoed, and
+by their weight literally dragged her to pieces. Sometimes even a
+lasso broke, and those clinging to it, when almost within reach of
+safety, were again precipitated into the burning mass below. Any one
+who has seen a raw hide lasso, capable of withstanding the sudden rush
+of the fiercest bull ever captured, will be able to realise the
+immense strain which would be required to cause one to give way. The
+next morning at daybreak, the interior of the church presented a
+terrible spectacle. Mr. Long described it as being full of women,
+standing up, tightly wedged together, their hands stretched out as if
+in an attitude of supplication, their faces and the upper part of
+their bodies charred beyond recognition, the lower part, from the
+waist downwards, completely untouched.
+
+Their remains were buried in one large grave, in the cemetery of the
+Recoleta, and the spot is now marked by a square piece of ground, full
+of bright flowers, enclosed by iron railings, almost hidden by the
+creepers that entwine them, and shaded by willows, orange-trees,
+cypresses, and pomegranates. In the centre is a large cross, and on
+either side of the iron railings there is a marble tablet with the
+simple but touching inscription, in Spanish--
+
+'Incendio de la Iglesia
+  de la Compania,
+8 de Diciembre, 1863.
+Restos de las Victimas;
+  2000, mas o menos.'
+
+(Burning of the Church of the Compania, December 8th, 1863
+Remains of the victims. 2,000, more or less.)
+
+Almost every household in Santiago had lost one of its members. One
+lovely girl of seventeen was pulled out through the roof and taken to
+Madame Cousino's residence, where she lay for nearly a fortnight. She
+suffered the greatest agonies, but was sensible to the last, and gave
+a graphic account of the whole harrowing scene. The site of the
+church, hallowed by such sad memories, has never been built upon, but
+is preserved as an open space, surrounded by a strip of garden, and
+having in its centre a finely carved monument.
+
+The Houses of Congress were the next thing we went to see, after which
+we drove through a great part of the city and over a handsome bridge
+with statues and small niches on either side. Beneath it, however,
+there is little more than a dry torrent bed; and it is said that an
+American, when visiting this spot with a Santiago friend, who was
+showing him round, remarked, 'I guess you ought either to buy a river
+or sell this here bridge.' We also went to the Church of La Recoleta.
+From the church we went to the cemetery of the same name, which is
+prettily laid out, and well stocked with flowers and trees.
+
+It being now past eleven o'clock, we began to think about breakfast,
+and accordingly returned to the hotel, where I was disappointed to
+find no news from Tom and no answer to the telegram I sent last night.
+
+At one o'clock we started again, and had a pleasant but rather dusty
+drive of eight miles to Macul, the stud-farm established by the late
+Don Luis Cousino.
+
+We had some luncheon at Mr. Canning's house, in a room that had
+recently been split from top to bottom by an earthquake, and
+afterwards sat in the verandah to see the horses and some of the
+cattle, which were brought round for our inspection. Amongst them were
+Fanfaron, Fandango, and other beautiful thoroughbreds, three fine
+Cleveland coach-horses, Suffolk cart-horses and percherons, and some
+of the young stock. We saw only a few of the beasts, as at this time
+they are away feeding on the hills, but I believe they are as good as
+the horses. Mr. Long had arranged for us all to ride round the farm,
+and I was mounted on a lovely chestnut mare, sixteen hands high,
+daughter of Fanfaron, and niece to Kettledrum. I should have liked to
+have bought her and sent her home, but she was not for sale, though
+her value was 400_l_. English horses here are as dear, in proportion,
+as native horses are cheap. The latter may be bought for from twenty
+to sixty dollars apiece; and some of them make capital little hacks.
+
+We rode all over the farm, attended by half-a-dozen peones, who drove
+the young thoroughbred stock together, in the enormous fields, for us
+to see, and afterwards did the same thing with some of the cattle. We
+also went through the farm buildings, in one part of which we saw the
+operation of making lassoes. The best are composed of neatly plaited
+strips of cured hide, about a quarter of an inch wide, the commoner
+sort being made from an undressed cow's hide, with the hair on, cut
+from the centre in an ever-increasing circle, so that they are in one
+piece, many yards in length. In another part of the farm there were a
+few acres more of flower-gardens, orange-trees, and kitchen-gardens.
+
+[Illustration: What makes Horses go in Chili]
+
+Beautiful as the whole place is, it loses much in interest from its
+vastness. You never seem to know where you are, or when you have come
+to an end. I hear that Madame Cousino talks of extending the park
+still further, right up into the mountains, which seems almost a pity,
+as it is already too big to be kept in really perfect order, even with
+a hundred and twenty men employed upon it. Everything is completely
+surrounded and overgrown with flowers. Even the fields are separated
+by hedges of sweet-smelling double pink roses, and these hedges are
+larger than many a 'bull-finch' in the old country.
+
+After a delightful gallop of about two hours, we returned to the
+farmhouse, where we found a fresh pair of horses waiting for us in the
+break, and drove back to Santiago by moonlight.
+
+It was eight o'clock when we reached the hotel, and as the
+table-d'hote dinner only lasts from five till half-past seven, I
+asked for a private dinner in our own room or in the general
+dining-room, for our own party and two guests in addition. But the
+landlord said he was not at all sure about giving us dinner; he must
+see what there was in the kitchen first. We then declared we would go
+and dine at a cafe, and in less than half an hour managed to get an
+excellent little dinner at the Cafe Santiago, though even Mr. Long,
+who ordered it for us, could not induce them to give us native wine. I
+am bound to confess, however, that we punished ourselves at least as
+much as the landlord, for as we paid so much a day for board and
+lodging, he was of course bound to provide us with dinner, and we had
+thus to pay for our food twice over.
+
+_Friday, October 27th_.--Still no news from Tom. Mr. Long called at
+half-past eight, to take me to the market, and my first step was to
+send another telegram, this time taking care to see that it really was
+despatched.
+
+We then walked through the streets to the market-hall, a handsome iron
+building, commodiously arranged, which was sent out from England in
+pieces, and put together here. All round it are stalls, where you can
+get a capital breakfast, generally consisting of coffee, tender
+beef-steak, buttered toast, and boiled beans, for a small sum. One of
+our party, who had been at the market since half-past five, tried one,
+and fully confirmed the report we had heard as to their excellence and
+cleanliness. At the time of our visit all these refreshment stalls
+were crowded, and I felt rather tempted to join one of the hungry
+merry-looking groups myself. The market was well supplied with meat,
+fish, vegetables, fruit, and flowers of all kinds, green peas, French
+beans, and strawberries being specially abundant. There were
+quantities of queer-looking baskets to be seen, and some curious
+pottery, made by the nuns from a kind of cement. Outside the building
+there were men and women hanging about with ponchos, of their own
+manufacture, which they had brought in from the country, for sale. We
+bought some bright specimens as presents for the children, but it took
+some time to collect them, as each individual had only one to offer.
+They are the work of the women, in the intervals of household labour,
+and as soon as one is completed it is sold, in order that materials
+for a fresh one may be purchased. We also bought some of the carved
+wooden stirrups, made in the country, and used by all the natives.
+They are rather like a small coalscuttle in shape, and must be heavy
+and cumbersome.
+
+From the market we went to hear high mass at the cathedral. This is a
+fine building, though the interior seemed very dark. The high altar
+was illuminated by hundreds of candles, whose light shone on a crowd
+of kneeling women, all dressed in black, and with black veils over
+their heads, the contrast between their sombre appearance and the
+gilding and paintings on the walls--handsome at a distance, but tawdry
+on a closer examination--being very striking. The organ is of splendid
+tone and quality and reverberated grandly through the aisles, and the
+whole scene was not without a certain impressiveness. I had not
+thought of paying a visit to the cathedral when I went out this
+morning, and it was not until I saw every one staring at me that I
+remembered I had committed the terrible mistake of going to church in
+a hat, and without any veil; but we remained in a dark corner most of
+the time, and emerged into open daylight again before any of the
+authorities of the place had time to observe or remonstrate with me.
+My wearing a hat was, however, quite as much against all church rules
+as a similar proceeding on the part of a man would have been. The
+women of this city are almost always good-looking when young, and they
+glide gracefully about the streets in their long black clinging gowns
+and _mantos_, by which they are completely enveloped from head to
+foot.
+
+In the afternoon we went for a drive in the park, and to see Santa
+Lucia, of which, as the only hill in Santiago, the inhabitants of the
+city are very proud, and from thence drove to the Cousino Park, an
+extensive piece of ground near the Alameda, laid out and arranged
+under the direction of the late Don Luis Cousino, and presented by him
+to the city of Santiago.
+
+After a stroll round the park, Mr. Long took us to an emporium for
+Panama hats, which are made in Lima, Guayaquil, and other states of
+Chili, as well as in Panama, from a special kind of grass, split very
+fine, and worn by almost everybody on this coast. The best made cost
+340 dollars, or about sixty guineas, and fifty pounds is not at all an
+uncommon price to pay, though the inferior kind may be had for two
+pounds. Those ordinarily worn by the gentlemen here cost from twenty
+to thirty pounds each, but they are so light, pliable, and elastic
+that they will wear for ever, wash like a pocket-handkerchief, do not
+get burnt by the sun, and can be rolled up and sat upon--in fact,
+ill-treated in any way you like--without fear of their breaking,
+tearing, or getting out of shape. For the yacht, however, where so
+many hats are lost overboard, they would, I fear, prove a rather
+unprofitable investment.
+
+We now drove back to the hotel, past the Mint, a handsome building,
+guarded by soldiers, and with windows protected by iron gratings. On
+our return I found that one of the valuable ponchos, given to me in
+the Argentine Republic, had been taken from our room. The landlord
+declined to trouble himself about its recovery, as he said it was
+'most unlikely that any one would take a thing of no value to him
+here;' the real truth being that the guanaco ponchos are worth nearly
+double as much in Chili as they are on the other side of the Andes.
+
+After dinner we walked to the theatre, where we saw _La Sonnambula_
+well put on the stage, and well sung and acted by an Italian opera
+company. The _prima donna_, contralto, baritone, and bass were all
+good, but the scenery was occasionally somewhat deficient. The house,
+which is highly decorated--perhaps too much so for the ladies'
+dresses--looked well by night, though if it had been full the effect
+would have been still better. The box-tiers are not divided into
+pigeon-holes, as they are with us, and everybody can therefore see
+equally well. The Presidential box seemed commodious and handsome, and
+had the Chilian coat of arms in front of it, making it look very much
+like a Royal box.
+
+The walk back by moonlight was delightful. Some of our party
+afterwards went to the Union Club, where they met several English
+gentlemen, who were most kind and pressing in their invitations to
+them to stay a few days longer, and go up the mountains to see the
+views and to have some guanaco shooting. About twenty-four hours from
+here they say you can have your first shot, and a little further on
+you meet them in herds which may be counted by thousands. There are
+also wild horses and wild donkeys. Quaggas and huemuls used to be
+found, but are now extinct. The last named is a rare animal, exactly
+resembling a horse in every particular, except that its hoofs are
+cloven. It used only to be found in the mountains of Chili, and it is
+one of the supporters of the national coat of arms.
+
+_Saturday, October 28th_.--At 5 a.m. we were called, and soon
+afterwards parting gifts of flowers began to arrive, and even I was
+obliged to confess that four large clothes-baskets full of rosebuds
+were more than I quite knew what to do with. At seven Mr. Long came to
+know if he could help us in any way, and a little later Madame
+Cousino's coachman appeared with the carriage, to take us to the
+station.
+
+We had a pleasant drive down the Alameda, the sun shining brilliantly
+in a bright blue sky, and the distant mountains for the first time
+being clearly visible. The station was crowded with vendors of
+pottery, curious things in buffalo horn, sweetmeats, &c. The rolling
+stock on this line is of English manufacture, and we were therefore
+put into the too familiar, close, stuffy, first-class carriage, and
+duly locked up for the journey down to Valparaiso. The line, running
+as it does through mountain gorges for a great portion of the way,
+must have been a difficult one to make.
+
+Just now the whole country wears a golden tint from the bloom of the
+espinosa, which seems to grow everywhere, and which is now in
+perfection. The branches of this shrub are so completely covered with
+little yellow balls of flowers, which come before the leaves, and
+which have no separate stalk, but grow along the shiny, horny
+branches, that they look as if they were made of gold. It is called
+the 'burning bush' here, and its wood is said to be the hardest in the
+country. The flowers are often plucked off and dried, in which state
+they are most fragrant and are used for scenting linen and for keeping
+away moths. The thorns, however, are a terrible nuisance to the
+shepherds and owners of cattle, catching their clothes and tearing
+them as they gallop swiftly across over the plains. If I bore you by
+saying too much about the flowers, forgive me. I want to make you all
+realise, if possible, what a lovely flowery land Chili is. The whole
+air is quite perfumed with roses, principally large double pink roses,
+something like the old-fashioned cabbage rose, though there are a good
+many of the monthly kind and a few white and deep scarlet ones. They
+formed hedgerows on either side of the road, and in many places
+climbed thirty or forty feet up the trees, and then threw down long
+brambles laden with bloom, almost producing the effect of a wall of
+pink. There were also plenty of wild flowers of other sorts, such as
+scarlet and white lilies, larkspurs, eschscholtzias, evening
+primroses, and many others whose names I do not know.
+
+At Llaillai we stopped for breakfast, procured at a small restaurant
+at the station. While waiting for the train for Santiago to come in,
+we had plenty of time to observe the half-Indian girls selling fruit,
+flowers, cakes, &c., and jabbering away in a sort of _patois_ Spanish,
+in recommendation of their wares. Some of them were really pretty,
+and all were picturesquely dressed in bright-coloured stuffs, their
+hair neatly done up and decorated with flowers, their faces clean and
+smiling. At 11.15 a.m. we reached Quillota, where the train was
+literally besieged by men, women, and children, offering bouquets for
+sale--two or three of which were thrust in at every carriage
+window--and baskets of strawberries, cherimoyas, nisperos, melons,
+oranges, sugar-cane, plantain, bananas, asparagus, green peas, French
+beans, eggs, chickens, and even fish--nice little pejereyes, fresh
+from the stream close by. It must evidently be the custom of the
+Chilenos to visit by rail these fertile districts, for the purpose of
+doing their marketing; for the occupants of the train soon absorbed
+the entire stock of the vendors, who were left with empty baskets.
+
+I never saw such a country as this is for eggs and chickens. A hen
+seems never to have a smaller brood than ten, and I have often counted
+from seventeen to twenty-one chickens with the mother, and, more than
+once, as many as twenty-four. However well you may have breakfasted or
+dined, the waiters always come at the end of the meal to ask, not
+_whether_ you will have any eggs, but _how_ you will have them--fried,
+boiled, poached, or in some sort of omelette. If you refuse
+altogether, the chances are that two very lightly boiled eggs will be
+placed by your side, with the suggestion that you should beat them up
+and drink them. The inhabitants of the country always seem to finish
+their meals with eggs in some form or another.
+
+The celebrated 'Bell of Quillota,' a mountain which derives its name
+from its peculiar shape, and which serves as a good landmark in
+entering the harbour of Valparaiso, is well seen from the railway, a
+little below Quillota Station. We stopped again at Limache, a little
+village, situated in the midst of a fertile country, about twenty-five
+miles from Valparaiso, where fruit, flowers, &c., were as freely
+offered for sale as before, and again at Vina del Mar, the next
+station to Valparaiso. There is a good hotel here, in the midst of a
+pretty garden, where you can get an excellent breakfast or dinner.
+
+From this spot the line runs close along the edge of the sea, and we
+strained our eyes in vain, trying to discover the yacht. At the
+station we were assailed by porters and touts of every description,
+but, seeing no one to meet us, and not knowing where to go, we
+contented ourselves with collecting our luggage in a little heap,
+while a fight went on close by between a policeman and a coachman, who
+had been too persistent in his endeavours to obtain a fare. They
+knocked one another about a good deal, and broke one or two windows,
+after which they appeared quite satisfied, shook hands, and were good
+friends again. Tom, Mabelle, and Muriel arrived before it was over,
+and we were very glad to meet again after our short absence.
+
+A long, dusty drive brought us to the mole, and while the luggage was
+being packed into the boat, Tom and I went to call on the British
+Consul, where we found some letters. We were on board in time for two
+o'clock luncheon, after which, amid many interruptions from visitors,
+we devoured our news from home and other parts--for amongst our
+letters were some from Natal, India, Japan, Canada, Teneriffe, South
+American ports, St. Petersburg, Constantinople, and several other
+places, besides those from dear old England.
+
+About four o'clock Tom and I went ashore. We had intended going alone
+in the 'Flash' (our lightest boat), but a strong southerly wind had
+sprung up, which at once made the sea so rough that we went in the
+'Gleam' (the gig) instead, with six oars. It took the men all their
+time to get us ashore, though we had not far to go, for wind, tide,
+and waves were all against us.
+
+Valparaiso consists mainly of two interminable streets, running along
+the edge of the sea, at the foot of the hills, which rise immediately
+behind them, and on which are built all the residences and villas of
+the gentlemen of the place. Very few live in the town itself, which is
+composed almost entirely of large warehouses and fine shops, where you
+can get almost anything you want by paying between three and four
+times as much for it as you would do in England. For instance, the
+charge for hair-cutting is a dollar and a half (4s.), a
+three-and-sixpenny Letts's Diary costs two dollars and a half (10s.),
+a tall hat costs fifty-eight shillings, you must pay sixpence each for
+parchment luggage-labels, threepence apiece for quill pens, four
+shillings for a quire of common notepaper, and so on in proportion.
+
+We had, as I have said, seen the yacht leave Lota Bay, with a strong
+head-wind blowing, on Thursday, the 19th instant. In a few hours the
+wind fell to a calm, which then changed to a light favourable breeze,
+and the 'Sunbeam' reached Valparaiso on the following Saturday
+afternoon, anchoring out in the bay, not far from H.M.S. 'Opal.' Here
+they rolled and tumbled about even more than if they had been at sea,
+the swinging capacities of the saloon tables and lamps being tried to
+the utmost. On Sunday half the men went ashore for a few hours' leave,
+but neither they nor the boat returned until the next morning, as they
+had not been allowed to leave the shore after nine o'clock. In the
+meantime Tom had been told that small-pox was raging in the town, and
+he was much annoyed at their having to pass the night on shore, owing
+to proper inquiries as to the regulations of the port not having been
+made by them on landing. The next day the doctor went to see some
+medical _confreres_ at the hospital, and found that the reports were
+much exaggerated, the reality being that small-pox is always more or
+less prevalent both here and at Santiago. Three months ago it was very
+bad, but at the present time it is not worse than usual. Tom and
+Mabelle started for Santiago on Monday, but unfortunately left their
+letters of introduction behind; and as they did not like the hotel,
+they found it rather dull. We could not telegraph to them from
+Cauquenes, or anywhere _en route_, for there were no wires; so on
+Wednesday morning, not hearing or seeing anything of us, they returned
+to Valparaiso. Tom left a long letter for me, with enclosures (which I
+never received), in the innkeeper's hands, asking for a telegraphic
+reply as to our plans and intentions, and, as I have already
+mentioned, never said a word about coming back. Thursday was spent in
+seeing what little there is to see in Valparaiso, and in visiting the
+'Opal.' On Friday Tom went for a sail, moved the yacht close inshore,
+had a dinner-party on board, and went to a pleasant ball afterwards,
+given by the Philharmonic Society, an association of the same sort as
+the one at Rio. It was not, however, called a regular ball, but a
+_teriulia_, so the ladies were in _demi-toilette_. Tom described the
+room as good, the floor first-rate, the music excellent, the ladies
+good-looking, and the men agreeable. To-day he met us at the station
+with the children; and now, therefore, one account will describe the
+movements of the whole reunited party.
+
+_Sunday, October 29th_.--We all went ashore to church, having been
+told it was only five minutes' walk from the landing-place, instead of
+which it took us at least a quarter of an hour, in an intensely hot
+sun, to climb up a steep hill. The building itself was large, airy,
+and cool, and there is a good organ and choir, but most of the
+choristers had gone away to-day to a picnic in the country. During the
+Litany our attention was suddenly drawn to the fact that earthquakes
+are matters of frequent occurrence in this country, by a special
+prayer being offered up for preservation from them and their
+destructive effects.
+
+At four o'clock we went ashore for a ride, and having climbed the
+hills at the back of the town, which command extensive views over land
+and sea, we galloped across the downs and through some villages on to
+the old high road from Valparaiso to Santiago, along which we rode
+only for a few yards, turning off into a romantic valley, where the
+path was so narrow that we could barely squeeze through between the
+thickly growing shrubs and trees. At last we went up a steep hill on
+to another high road, and re-entered the town quite at the opposite
+end to that at which we had left it, after which a ride of two miles
+along the stony, ill-paved streets brought us to the landing-place.
+
+_Monday, October 30th_.--We were to be off directly the sea-breeze
+sprang up, at about eleven o'clock, and as I had many letters to
+write, I was called at 4 a.m., and finished them all before breakfast
+at eight. But first one visitor and then another arrived, and it was
+nearly eleven o'clock when we landed to make the final preparations
+for starting on our long voyage of eleven thousand miles across the
+Pacific.
+
+Our route, as at present, arranged, will be via the Society, Friendly,
+and Sandwich Islands. Juan Fernandez (Robinson Crusoe's Island), which
+we at first thought of visiting, we have been obliged, I am sorry to
+say, to give up, not on account of its distance from Valparaiso, as it
+is only 270 miles off, but because it lies too far to the southward,
+and is consequently quite out of the track of the trade wind, which we
+ought to pick up, according to the charts and sailing directions,
+about 500 miles to the northward and westward of this place. I have
+been trying to persuade Tom to steam out five or six hundred miles, so
+that we may make a quick passage and economise our time as much as
+possible, but he is anxious to do _the whole_ voyage under sail, and
+we are therefore taking very little coal on board, in order to be in
+the best trim. If we do not pick up a wind, however, there is no
+knowing how long we may lollop about. I suppose till we are short of
+water and fresh provisions, when the fires will be lighted and we
+shall steam away to the nearest island--uninhabited, we will hope, or
+at any rate peopled by friendly natives, which is rather the
+exception than the rule in the south-east corner of the Low
+Archipelago. There we shall fill up with fresh water, bananas,
+bread-fruit, and perhaps a wild hog or two, and resume our voyage to
+Tahiti. But this is the least favourable view of the matter, and we
+must hope to fall in with the trades soon, and that they will blow
+strong and true.
+
+The island of Juan Fernandez now belongs to the Chilian government,
+but is let on a long lease to a man who, they say here, is somewhat of
+a robber. He was very desirous that we should give him a passage in
+the yacht, and another man wanted to come too, with some pointers, to
+show us the best spots for game, goats, turtle, crayfish, and
+sea-fish, with all of which the place abounds. Some cattle have also
+been introduced, and the island is much frequented by whalers, who go
+there for fresh provisions and water. There is nothing particular to
+be seen, however, and the scenery of the island is not remarkable; at
+least, so people who have been there tell us, and the photographs I
+have bought quite confirm their report. Admiral Simpson, who stayed
+there once for a fortnight, told us a good deal about the place, and
+strongly recommended us not to go there unless we had plenty of time
+to spare, as we should not be repaid for our trouble, which would
+probably only result in the dissipation of all our childish illusions.
+
+Our first step on landing this morning was to go to the Consul's to
+post our letters. By the bye, I hope people in England will appreciate
+them, for they cost between nine and ten pounds to send home. For our
+outward letters, although prepaid in England, we had to pay over eight
+pounds before we were allowed to have them from the office.
+Twenty-nine cases of stores, provisions, wine, &c., which had also
+been sent out, all arrived safely, and cost comparatively little.
+There are very good French hair-dressers here, a tempting hat-shop,
+and a well-stocked book-shop; but everything, as I have said, is
+frightfully dear.
+
+It was half-past three when the harbour-tug arrived to tow us out of
+the harbour and so save our getting up steam. There was not a breath
+of air stirring, but Tom hoped we should find more outside when the
+tug cast us off. As we dropped slowly out, we had a good view of the
+harbour and town; and we soon found ourselves once more fairly
+embarked on the bosom of the wide ocean.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XII.
+
+VALPARAISO TO TAHITI.
+
+    _The western sea was all aflame,_
+    _The day was well nigh done!_
+    _Almost upon the western wave_
+    _Rested the broad bright sun._
+
+
+_Tuesday, October 31st_.--Throughout the night a flat calm prevailed.
+The morning was wet and foggy, or we might still have seen Valparaiso,
+and perhaps have had a peep at Aconcagua. There was a light contrary
+wind from the N.W. throughout the day. In the afternoon we saw two
+whales blowing in the distance.
+
+_Wednesday, November 1st_.--An almost calm day, with a few light
+showers, and fitful but unfavourable breezes. Some thirty or forty
+little birds, which the sailors called Mother Carey's chickens, but
+which were smaller and more graceful than any I have seen of that
+name, followed closely in our wake. I was never tired of watching the
+dainty way in which they just touched the tips of the waves with their
+feet, and then started off afresh, like a little maiden skipping and
+hopping along, from sheer exuberance of spirit.
+
+_Thursday, November 2nd_.--A bright sunny morning, with a heavy swell
+and light contrary wind, but the sea became more tranquil towards the
+evening. The sunset was superb, and the afterglow, as is often the
+case in these latitudes, lighted up sky and sea with an indescribable
+beauty, which attained its greatest magnificence about five minutes
+after the sun had disappeared, reminding one of the glorious sunsets
+of the African deserts, so often described by travellers.
+
+_Friday, November 3rd_.--Still a blue sky, bright sunshine, smooth
+sea, and light head-wind. The crew have all turned tailors, and are
+making themselves new suits from some dungaree we bought at
+Valparaiso, the clothes we expected for them not having met us there.
+
+[Illustration: Juvenile Scrubbers.]
+
+_Saturday, November 4th_.--As fine as ever. This is certainly sailing
+luxuriously, if not swiftly. We have now settled down into our regular
+sea-ways, and have plenty to do on board; so the delay does not much
+signify. Still, our time is limited, and we all hope to fall in with
+the trades shortly to carry us to Tahiti or some of the South Sea
+islands. We caught half-a-dozen of the little petrels, for stuffing,
+by floating lines of black cotton astern, in which they became
+entangled.
+
+To-night's sunset was more superb than ever. Each moment produced a
+new and ever increasingly grand effect. I mean to try and take an
+instantaneous photograph of one. It would not, of course, reproduce
+all the marvellous shades of colouring, but it would perhaps give some
+idea of the forms of the masses of cloud, which are finer than any I
+ever saw before. This ocean seems to give one, in a strange way, a
+sense of solemn vastness, which was not produced to the same extent by
+the Atlantic. Whether this results from our knowledge of its size, or
+whether it is only fancy, I cannot say, but it is an impression which
+we all share.
+
+_Sunday, November 5th_.--Fine, and considerably hotter, though not
+unpleasantly so. We had the Litany at eleven, and evening prayers and
+a sermon at four o'clock. Not a single ship has passed within sight
+since we left Valparaiso, and the only living creatures we have seen
+are some albatrosses, a few white boobies, a cape-hen, the little
+petrels already mentioned, a shoal of porpoises, and two whales.
+
+_Monday, November 6th_.--Passed, at 3 a.m. to-day, a large barque,
+steering south, and at 8 a.m. a full-rigged ship, steering the same
+course. We held--as we do with every ship we pass--a short
+conversation with her through the means of the mercantile code of
+signals. (This habit of exchanging signals afterwards proved to have
+been a most useful practice, for when the report that the 'Sunbeam'
+had gone down with all hands was widely circulated through England, I
+might almost say the world,--for we found the report had preceded us
+by telegram to almost all the later ports we touched at,--the anxiety
+of our friends was relieved many days sooner than it would otherwise
+have been by the fact of our having spoken the German steamer
+'Sakhara,' in the Magellan Straits, Oct. 13, four days after we were
+supposed to have gone to the bottom.) The weather continues fine, and
+we have the same light baffling winds. We hoped, when we started, to
+average at least 200 miles a day, but now we have been a week at sea,
+and have only made good a little more than 700 miles altogether,
+though we have sailed over 800 miles through the water. It is,
+however, wonderful, in the opinion of the navigators, that we have
+made even as much progress as this, considering the very adverse
+circumstances under which the voyage has so far been performed, and we
+must endeavour to console ourselves with the reflection that the
+sailing qualities of the yacht have undergone another severe test in a
+satisfactory manner. How the provisions and water will last out, and
+what time we shall leave ourselves to see anything of Japan, are
+questions which, nevertheless, occasionally present themselves to our
+minds. Independently of such considerations, nothing could be more
+luxurious and delightful than our present mode of existence. With
+perfect weather, plenty of books to read and writing to do, no
+possibility of interruptions, one can map out one's day and dispose of
+one's time exactly as one pleases, until the half-past six o'clock
+dressing-bell--which always seems to come long before it is
+wanted--recalls one to the duties and necessities of life.
+
+[Illustration: Conversation at Sea.]
+
+_Wednesday, November 8th_.--A grey cloudy morning and a flat calm. At
+twelve o'clock, to the great joy of everybody on board, Tom decided to
+get up steam, as we have now been becalmed quite twenty-four hours,
+and have made but little progress in the right direction for some
+days. The alacrity with which the order to stow sails and raise the
+funnel was obeyed--every one lending a hand--and the delight expressed
+on every countenance, must have assured him of at least the popularity
+of his decision.
+
+Whilst we were waiting for steam to be got up, Tom took Muriel and me
+for a row in the 'Flash,' his own particular little boat, with about
+four inches of freeboard. The possibility of doing this will give you
+a better idea of the tranquillity of this vast ocean than any
+description I can write. At the same time, when we wanted to get into
+the boat, we found there was a considerable roll on, and that it was
+no easy matter without the aid of a gangway or ladder. We rowed a
+little way from the yacht, and, considering how quiet it had seemed to
+us when on board, it was wonderful to observe how she rolled in the
+trough of the sea, without sails to steady her or motive power to
+guide her. The Lota coals, though black and dirty beyond description,
+burn up very quickly, and in about an hour we were steaming merrily
+along, the Arabian horseshoe on our bowsprit's end being now pointed
+direct for the island of Tahiti, instead of for wherever the wind
+chose to blow us.
+
+_Thursday, November 9th_.--A flat calm at 6 a.m.; a very light fair
+wind at 9 a.m. In spite of my remonstrances, Tom determined, at
+half-past nine, to cease steaming and try sailing again. About twelve
+o'clock a puff came that sent us along at the rate of 10-1/2 knots for
+a short time; but it soon dropped, and during the rest of the
+afternoon and evening, our average speed was only three or four knots
+an hour. This is very poor work for the trades, but I don't believe we
+are really in them yet, in spite of the wind charts. It is possible
+that they may vary in different years; besides which it is now the
+height of summer, with the sun south of the line, which would
+naturally make them lighter.
+
+_Saturday, November 11th_.--At last we seem to be feeling the
+influence of the trades, as the wind continues to blow from the same
+direction, though it varies much in force. Sometimes we are going
+along at the rate of 11-3/4 knots, sometimes barely five. In the
+afternoon we had the usual Saturday singing practice.
+
+_Sunday, November 12th_.--Another lovely day. We had the Litany and
+hymns at eleven, evening service and sermon at four.
+
+Just before morning church some one turned on the water in the nursery
+bath, and forgot to turn it off again, so that when we came aft from
+the saloon we had the pleasure of finding everything in the children's
+cabins afloat, and that a good deal of water had got down into the
+hold. It was rather annoying at the time, but, I dare say, like many
+other present troubles, it was a good thing in the end. It obliged us,
+at any rate, to have all the stores brought up on deck, and led to our
+taking an inventory of our resources sooner than we should otherwise
+have done. I am sorry to say we found that, owing to the departure of
+our head steward and the illness of his successor, they have not been
+husbanded as carefully as they should have been, especially those
+provided for use forward. Sailors are more like children than grown-up
+men, and require as much looking after. While there is water in the
+tanks, for instance, they will use it in the most extravagant manner,
+without thought for the morrow; and they are quite as reckless with
+their other stores.
+
+I find, however, that one of the drawbacks to taking a very close
+personal interest in the housekeeping arrangements on board is the too
+intimate acquaintance one makes with the various individuals composing
+the live stock, the result being that the private particular history
+of every chicken, duck, turkey, and joint of mutton is apt to be
+remembered with a damaging effect to appetite.
+
+In the afternoon two boobies, the first birds we have seen for some
+days, paid us a visit. I suppose we are too far out to see anything
+more of our pretty little friends, the petrels.
+
+_Monday, November 13th_.--We had a regular turn-out and re-arrangement
+of our stores to-day, and discovered that the waste and mismanagement
+have been greater even than we at first supposed. Fortunately, we
+found some spare tins of provisions stowed away under the nursery
+floor and forgotten, and which will now come in very opportunely. But
+I fear that, even as it is, we may be seriously inconvenienced before
+getting to the end of our voyage. Of the six sheep, sixty chickens,
+thirty ducks, and four dozen pigeons, brought on board alive at
+Valparaiso, we have comparatively few left, and not a great deal to
+give those few to eat; so we must depend mainly on our potted meats
+and vegetables, which happen to be excellent. We often wonder how the
+earlier navigators got on, when there were no such things as tinned
+provisions, and when the facilities for carrying water were of the
+poorest description, while they were often months and months at sea,
+without an opportunity of replenishing their stores, and with no
+steam-power to fall back upon in case they were becalmed. Still more
+wonderful, in my opinion, is the successful manner in which the
+Spaniards managed to convey their hordes in tiny vessels, together
+with a sufficient quantity of forage for them, to the New World,
+where, according to all accounts, they generally arrived in good
+condition, fit to go to work or to war immediately.
+
+The wind increased in the evening and blew dead aft. In the middle of
+the night the mizen-halyards broke, and blocks and all came down with
+a tremendous crash, which caused both Tom and me to rush up on deck.
+About an hour and a half's work put everything straight again,
+however, though it looked a sad mess at first. We had been remarking
+at dinner how lucky we had been, with all this rolling about in calms
+and running before the wind, not to have had anything carried away or
+any of the ropes chafed. Personally, I think the accident is not to be
+regretted, for now all the fore and aft canvas is stowed, and we are
+running under square canvas alone, which is much steadier work, though
+we still roll considerably.
+
+_Tuesday, November 14th_.--Fine, with a strong fair wind. I have been
+laid up for a few days with a touch of my old enemy, Syrian fever, but
+am gradually recovering, and enjoy very much lying on deck and
+reading.
+
+Our victualling arrangements have now been satisfactorily settled, and
+everybody has been put on an allowance of water, our supply of which
+will last the whole ship's company of forty persons for five weeks,
+leaving one tank still in reserve in case of accidents. As we expect
+to reach our destination in about three weeks from the present time,
+we have therefore, I hope, an ample supply for all our requirements.
+
+_Wednesday, November 15th_.--Pleasant as we have found life at sea in
+the South Pacific hitherto, it is, I fear, monotonous to read about,
+and I dare say you will find it difficult to realise how quickly the
+days fly past, and how sorry we are when each one comes to an end. I
+am afraid they are among those things which do not repeat themselves.
+At any rate, they afford a golden opportunity for reading, such as we
+are not likely to have again often, if ever, in our busy lives; and
+Tom and I are endeavouring to make the best use of it by getting
+through as many of the seven hundred volumes we brought with us as
+possible. The weather favours us in our endeavours to be industrious;
+for, while it is sufficiently warm to indispose one for a very severe
+course of study, it has never been so hot as to compel us to lie down
+and do nothing but gasp for breath--which is what we were warned to
+expect. There is indeed one slight drawback to the perfect enjoyment
+of our present state of existence, and that is the incessant motion of
+the vessel. When she rolls as quickly as she has done to-day, it is
+difficult to settle down steadily to any occupation, and at last one
+cannot help feeling aggravated at the persistent manner in which
+everything, including one's self, refuses to be still for a single
+instant.
+
+_Thursday, November 16th_.--To-day it is really warm--not to say
+hot--with a bright cloudless sky, which renders an awning acceptable.
+We saw some 'bo's'n' birds for the first time, and more shoals of
+flying-fish. I wish a few of the latter would come on board; they
+would be an agreeable addition to our breakfast-table.
+
+The rolling still continues, the wind being dead aft, and nothing but
+our square canvas being set. The effect is rather wearisome, and one
+longs to be able to say 'Catch hold of her head and keep her still, if
+only for five minutes' peace and quietness!' Cooking is difficult, and
+even eating is a hazardous occupation; and at our evening game of
+cards we have to pocket our counters and markers and hold on as best
+we can.
+
+_Friday, November 17th_.--At 8 a.m. the course was altered, our
+fore-and-aft canvas was set again, and we were once more gliding along
+swiftly and smoothly through the water, to the great relief of every
+one on board. The day was lovely, and though it was warm, a pleasant
+breeze throughout the ship prevented our feeling uncomfortably hot.
+
+_Saturday, November 18th_.--The days are so much alike that it is
+difficult to find anything special to say about them. They fly so
+quickly that I was surprised to be reminded by the usual
+singing-practice this afternoon that another week had gone by.
+
+The two green paroquets, 'Coco' and 'Meta,' given to me by Mr. Fisher
+at Rosario, have turned out dear little pets, with the most amusing
+ways. They are terrible thieves, especially of sugar, pencils, pens,
+and paper, and being nearly always at liberty, they follow me about
+just like dogs, and coax and caress me with great affection. They do
+not care much for any one else, though they are civil to all and
+good-tempered even to the children, who, I am afraid, rather bore them
+with their attempts at petting. The other foreign birds, of which I
+have a large collection, are doing well, and I begin to hope I shall
+get them home safely after all. We had at one time about twenty
+parrots, belonging to the men, on board, all running about on deck
+forward, with their wings clipped, but about half of them have been
+lost overboard. The dogs keep their health and spirits wonderfully.
+Felise is quite young again, and she and Lulu have great games,
+tearing up and down and around the decks as hard as they can go.
+
+_Sunday, November 19th_.--I am convalescent at last, and appeared at
+breakfast this morning for the first time for ten days.
+
+The wind was very variable throughout the day. Between 6 and 7 a.m. we
+were going twelve knots; between 7 and 8 only three; but as we never
+stop, we manage to make up a fair average on the whole.
+
+At eleven o'clock we had the Communion Service and two hymns. At
+midday the week's work was made up, with the following result. Our
+position was in lat. 15 deg. 38' S., long. 117 deg. 52' W.; we were 3,057
+miles from Valparaiso,--1,335 of which had been accomplished since
+last Sunday,--and 1,818 miles from Tahiti.
+
+To-day we were not far from Easter Island, the southernmost island of
+Polynesia. Here as in the Ladrones, far away in the north-west quarter
+of the Pacific, most curious inscriptions are sometimes found carved
+in stone. Annexed is a photograph taken from one I saw at a later
+stage of the voyage.
+
+[Illustration: Inscription from Easter Island]
+
+The sails had been flapping, more or less, all day, and at the change
+of the dog-watches, at six o'clock, Tom ordered the men aft to stow
+the mizen. This they had scarcely begun to do when a light breeze
+sprang up, and in a few minutes increased to a strong one, before
+which we bowled along at the rate of nine knots. These sudden changes
+are of constant occurrence, and, coming as they do without the
+slightest warning, are quite inexplicable. If only we had our old
+square sails, and our bigger yards and topmast, we should have saved a
+good deal of time already; for one or two knots an hour extra amount
+to from 25 to 50 miles a day, and in a month's run the difference
+would not be far short of 1,500 miles. But we heard so much from
+people in England, who had visited these parts, of squalls and
+hurricanes, that Tom did not like to run the risk of being
+over-sparred, especially with a wife and children as passengers.
+
+_Monday, November 20th_.--The fore-and-aft sails were taken in, as
+they were doing no good and the square canvas was drawing. This
+allowed the mizen-awning to be spread, making a pleasant place to sit
+in and a capital playground for the children, who scamper about all
+day long, and do not appear to feel the heat a bit.
+
+_Tuesday, November 21st_.--Certainly a _very_ hot day. We made steady
+progress under the same canvas as yesterday.
+
+_Wednesday, November 22nd_.--Between 2 and 3 a.m. a nice breeze sprang
+up, and between 3 and 4.30 a.m. all the fore-and-aft sails were again
+set. It was deliciously cool on deck at that time; but the sun rose
+fierce and hot, and more or less killed the breeze as the day wore on.
+
+_Thursday, November 23rd_.--Twenty-four days out. We had hoped to
+reach Tahiti to-day, and Tom begins to regret that he did not steam
+some distance out from Valparaiso, so as to pick up the trades sooner.
+Still it is satisfactory to know how well the 'Sunbeam' can and does
+sail against light contrary winds, and to have an opportunity of
+developing some of her good points, of which we were previously hardly
+aware. How she manages to slip along as she does, four or five knots
+an hour, with not sufficient wind to blow a candle out, is a marvel to
+every one on board. More than once, when the hand-log has shown that
+we were going five knots, I have carried a naked light from one end of
+the deck to the other without its being extinguished.
+
+The sunrise was magnificent, and a splendid albatross, the largest we
+have yet seen, was at the same time visible in mid-air, floating
+against the rose-coloured clouds. He looked so grand, and calm, and
+majestic, that one could almost fancy him the bird of Jove himself,
+descending direct from the sun. Where do these birds rest? How far and
+how fast do they really fly? are questions for the naturalist. We have
+seen them many times at a distance of at least two thousand miles from
+the nearest land.
+
+About nine o'clock there was a slight breeze, but it fell as the sun
+rose, and the day was intensely hot.
+
+_Friday, November 24th_.--A fine breeze in the early morning, which,
+however, gradually died away. Having now quitted the regular track of
+the trade winds and got into the variables, we lighted fires at two
+o'clock. Then another light breeze sprang up for a few minutes, only
+to fall away again immediately, and at six o'clock we commenced to
+steam.
+
+_Saturday, November 25th_.--A very wet morning, the sky clearing at
+about ten, but the weather remaining dull, heavy, hot, and oppressive,
+throughout the day. But we were making good progress under steam,
+which rendered the state of things more endurable than it would
+otherwise have been.
+
+Whilst I was standing on deck at night a flying-fish flew against my
+throat and hung there, caught in the lace of my dress. He is a pretty
+specimen, but only his wings are to be preserved, for Muriel will have
+his body for breakfast to-morrow.
+
+_Sunday, November 26th_.--Our fourth consecutive Sunday at sea, and
+out of sight of land. At 4 a.m. the sails were spread to a good
+breeze. At 7 we stopped steaming, but at 10 the wind again fell light.
+The Litany was read on deck this morning on account of the heat. The
+observations at noon showed that we were in lat. 15 deg. 47' S., long.
+135 deg. 20' W., the distance accomplished during the last twenty-four
+hours being 181 miles. We have now made good 4,067 miles from
+Valparaiso, and are 815 miles distant from Tahiti. At 5 p.m. we had
+prayers and a sermon, also on deck. It was then almost calm, and at
+eight o'clock we again began steaming, in order to insure our making
+the island of Tatakotoroa, 200 miles off, before dark to-morrow.
+
+_Monday, November 27th_.--I was on deck at 3.30 a.m. Everybody on
+board was more or less excited at the prospect of making land, after
+twenty-eight days at sea. It was a delicious morning, with a
+favourable breeze, and under steam and sail we progressed at the rate
+of from 10 to 11-1/2 knots an hour. Several birds flew on board,
+amongst whom were two boobies, who hovered round us and appeared to
+examine everything with great curiosity, especially the little
+wind-vanes at the extremity of the masts. At last they settled on the
+foretopmast, whereupon one of the sailors went up to try and catch
+them. They observed his movements closely, and appeared to be
+specially interested in his cap; but as he approached, first one and
+then the other flew away for a few yards, and then returned to his
+former position. At last the man, watching his opportunity, managed to
+seize one of them by his legs and bring him down in triumph, despite
+flapping wings and pecks from a sharp beak. He was shut up in the
+fowl-pen--now, alas, empty of its proper denizens--where we had an
+opportunity of examining him before he was killed. He was a fine,
+handsome, grey bird, with large blue eyes, and a wild hawk-like look.
+
+At one o'clock we were almost sailing over the spot marked by Findlay
+as the situation of Tatakotopoto, or Anonymous Island; but there was
+nothing whatever visible in the shape of land, even from the masthead,
+where a man was stationed, and from which it was possible to see a
+distance of ten or fifteen miles. Tom went up himself several times
+and scanned the horizon carefully, but in vain. It is therefore
+evident either that the position of the island is incorrectly stated,
+or that it has become submerged. I believe that in these seas there
+are many islands marked that have no existence, and that several that
+do exist are not marked, which renders it necessary to keep a constant
+good look-out. What a charming task it would be thoroughly to survey
+these parts, and to correct the present charts where necessary, and
+how much I should like to be one of the officers appointed for the
+service!
+
+[Illustration: Tatakotoroa or Clarke Island]
+
+At 1.30 p.m. land was sighted from the mast-head, and at two o'clock I
+saw from the deck what looked like plumes of dark ostrich feathers
+rising from the sea. This was the island of Tatakotoroa--also known as
+Narcissus, or Clarke Island--to the eastward of the Paumotu or Low
+Archipelago of the South Seas. The sailing directions describe the
+inhabitants as 'hostile,' and Sir Edward Belcher mentions that some of
+them tried to cut off the boats sent from a man-of-war for water. We
+were therefore afraid to attempt a landing, but sailed as near as we
+could to the shore, which, surrounded by a rampart of snow-white
+coral, and clothed almost to the water's edge with feathery palms,
+cocoa-nut trees, and luxuriant vegetation of various kinds, looked
+very tempting. A few canoes were drawn up on the beach near a large
+hut, out of which three or four natives came, and, having looked at us
+for some time, ran off into the woods. Blue smoke could be seen
+curling up from several points of the forest, no doubt indicating the
+presence of more natives, whose dwellings were concealed by the trees.
+
+[Illustration: Going up the Mast in a Chair.]
+
+[Illustration: Children looking up]
+
+After lunch, Tom had me hoisted up to the foretopmast-head in a
+'boatswain's chair,' which is simply a small plank, suspended by ropes
+at the four corners, and used by the men to sit on when they scrape
+the masts. I was very carefully secured with a rope tied round my
+petticoats, and, knocking against the various ropes on my way, was
+then gently hoisted up to what seemed at first a giddy height; but
+when once I got accustomed to the smallness of the seat, the airiness
+of my perch, and the increased roll of the vessel, I found my position
+by no means an unpleasant one. Tom climbed up the rigging and joined
+me shortly afterwards. From our elevated post we could see plainly the
+formation of the island, and the lagoon in the centre, encircled by a
+band of coral, in some places white, bare, and narrow, in others wide
+and covered with palm-trees and rich vegetation; it was moreover
+possible to understand better the theory of the formation of these
+coral islands. I was so happy up aloft that I did not care to descend;
+and it was almost as interesting to observe what a strange and
+disproportioned appearance everything and everybody on board the yacht
+presented from my novel position, as it was to examine the island we
+were passing. The two younger children and the dogs took the greatest
+interest in my aerial expedition, and never ceased calling to me and
+barking, until I was once more let down safely into their midst. As
+soon as we had seen all we could of the island, fires were banked, and
+we proceeded under sail alone throughout the evening and night.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIII.
+
+THE SOUTH SEA ISLANDS.
+
+    _And all throughout the air there reigned the sense_
+    _Of waking dream with luscious thoughts o'erladen,_
+    _Of joy too conscious made and too intense_
+    _By the swift advent of excessive Aiden,_
+    _Bewilderment of beauty's affluence._
+
+
+_Tuesday, November 28th_.--We passed Anaa, or Chain Island, in the
+morning watch, before daybreak. I came on deck to try and get a
+glimpse of it, and was rewarded by a glorious sunrise. We had a nice
+eight-knot breeze and a strong current in our favour, and just before
+breakfast Tom descried from the masthead Amanu, or Moeller Island,
+which we had hardly expected to make before ten or eleven o'clock.
+Some one remarked that it seemed almost as if it had come out to meet
+us. The reef encircling this island varies much in height and
+vegetation. In some places it supports a noble grove of trees, in
+others the sea breaks over the half-submerged coral-bed, the first
+obstacle it has met for 4,000 miles, with a roar like thunder.
+
+Before we had lost sight of Amanu, the island of Hao Harpe, or Bow
+Island, was visible on our port bow. I wished very much to land, and
+at last persuaded Tom, who was rather anxious on the score of the
+natives, to allow some of us to make the attempt, us cautioning to
+turn away from the shore directly, in case the islanders looked at all
+doubtful in their attitude and intentions. After lunch, therefore, we
+hove to, and the gig's crew were ordered to arm themselves with
+revolvers and rifles, which they were not to show unless required to
+do so. All the gentlemen had revolvers, and Mabelle and I were also
+provided with two small ones, Phillips and Muriel being the only
+unarmed members of the party. I took a bag full of beads, knives,
+looking-glasses, and pictures, for barter and presents, and with these
+preparations we set off to make our first personal acquaintance with
+the islanders of the South Pacific. Tom gave us a tow to windward, and
+we then rowed direct to a point on one side of the entrance to the
+lagoon, where we saw some natives waving something white. As we
+approached we could distinguish several figures standing on the point,
+under the shade of some cocoa-nut trees, and on the opposite side of
+the entrance some canoes were drawn up on the beach, by the side of a
+hut, close to a large clump of low trees. We were by this time
+surrounded by breakers, and it required no little skill to steer the
+boat safely through the broken water, between the race of the tide on
+one side, and the overfall from the coral reef on the other. It was
+successfully done, however, and, having rounded the point, we found
+ourselves at once in the waters of the tranquil lagoon. We should have
+preferred to land at the point, had it been possible, as it was
+doubtful whether it would be safe to go round the corner, and so lose
+sight of the yacht; but the intentions of the natives seemed
+peaceable, several of them running into the water up to their waists
+to meet us, while others could be seen hurrying along the beach, the
+women carrying what looked like bunches of fruit.
+
+It is really impossible to describe the beauty of the scene before us.
+Submarine coral forests, of every colour, studded with sea-flowers,
+anemones, and echinidae, of a brilliancy only to be seen in dreamland,
+shoals of the brightest and swiftest fish darting and flashing in and
+out; shells, everyone of which was fit to hold the place of honour in
+a conchologist's collection, moving slowly along with their living
+inmates: this is what we saw when we looked down, from the side of the
+boat, into the depths below. The surface of the water glittered with
+every imaginable tint, from the palest aquamarine to the brightest
+emerald, from the pure light blue of the turquoise to the deep dark
+blue of the sapphire, and was dotted here and there with patches of
+red, brown, and green coral, rising from the mass below. Before us, on
+the shore, there spread the rich growth of tropical vegetation, shaded
+by palms and cocoa-nuts, and enlivened by the presence of native women
+in red, blue, and green garments, and men in motley costumes, bringing
+fish, fowls, and bunches of cocoa-nuts, borne, like the grapes brought
+back from the land of Canaan by the spies, on poles.
+
+As soon as we touched the shore the men rushed forward to meet us, and
+to shake hands, and, having left the muskets and revolvers judiciously
+out of sight in the boat, we were conducted to a cluster of huts, made
+of branches, or rather leaves, of the palm-tree, tied by their
+foot-stalks across two poles, and hanging down to the ground. Here we
+were met by the women and children, who, likewise, all went through
+the ceremony of shaking hands with us, after which the head-woman, who
+was very good-looking, and was dressed in a cherry-coloured calico
+gown, with two long plaits of black hair hanging down her back, spread
+a mat for me to sit upon just outside the hut. By this time there was
+quite a little crowd of people assembled round, amongst whom I noticed
+one woman with a baby, who had her hair sticking straight out all
+round her head, and another who held a portion of her dress constantly
+before her face. After the gentlemen had walked away she removed the
+cloth, and I then saw that her nose had been cut off. Most of the
+women were good-looking, with dark complexions and quantities of
+well-greased, neatly-plaited black hair, but we did not see a single
+young girl, though there were plenty of children and babies, and lots
+of boys, the latter of whom, like some of the older women, had only a
+piece of palm matting round their loins. We therefore came to the
+conclusion that the girls must have been sent away intentionally when
+the approach of the yacht was observed.
+
+[Illustration: Our First Landing in the South Pacific, Hao or Bow
+Island.]
+
+As soon as I was seated, the head-woman told one of the men to knock
+down some cocoa-nuts from the trees close by, and after cutting off
+the ends she offered us a drink of the fresh cool milk, which was all
+the sweeter and better for the fact that the nuts were not nearly
+ripe. While this was going on, the natives brought piles of
+cocoa-nuts, fish, and fowls, and laid them at our feet as a present.
+Some of the fish were of a dark brown colour, like bream, others were
+long and thin, with a pipe-like nose and four fins, somewhat
+resembling the wings of a flying-fish.
+
+Seeing smoke in the distance, rising from under some high palm-trees,
+we thought we should like to go and see whence it proceeded, and
+accordingly set off to walk through a sort of bush, over sharp coral
+that cut one's boots terribly, the sun blazing down upon us fiercely
+all the time, until we reached a little settlement, consisting of
+several huts, the inhabitants of which were absent. Fine plaited mats
+for beds, cocoa-nut shells for cups, mother-of-pearl shells for
+plates, and coral, of various kinds and shapes, for dishes and cooking
+utensils, formed their only furniture. We saw three women, one very
+old, with nothing but a palm-leaf mat as a covering, the others
+dressed in the apparently universal costume, consisting of a long
+bright-coloured gown, put into a yoke at the shoulders, and flowing
+thence loosely to the ground, which completely conceals the wearer's
+form, even to the tips of her toes. I think these dresses must come
+from England or America, for they are evidently machine-made, and the
+cotton-stuft of which they are composed has the most extraordinary
+patterns printed on it I ever saw. Cherry and white, dark blue and
+yellow or white stripes, red with yellow spots, and blue with yellow
+crosses, appear to be the favourite designs. The women seemed gentle
+and kind, and were delighted with some beads, looking-glasses, and
+knives I gave them, in return for which they brought us quantities of
+beautiful shells.
+
+We saw the large iron knee of a vessel in one spot during our walk,
+and wondered how it came there. In another place we saw a canoe in
+process of construction, ingeniously made of boards, sewed together
+with plaited palm-leaves. The canoes in use here are very high, long,
+and narrow, and are only kept from upsetting by means of a tremendous
+outrigger, consisting of a log fastened to the extremity of two bent
+pieces of wood, projecting sideways from each end of the boat. The
+only animals we met with in our ramble were four pigs and a few
+chickens, and no other live stock of any kind was visible. No attempt
+seemed to be made at the cultivation of the ground; and I think, if
+there had been, we must have observed it, for our party separated and
+walked a good distance in various directions.
+
+The natives made us understand that on the other side of the entrance
+to the lagoon, in the better sort of house we had noticed, there
+resided a white man. He did not, however, make his appearance during
+our visit, and I imagine he must have been one of those individuals
+called 'beach-combers,' referred to in so many of the books that treat
+of the South Sea Islands,--a sort of ne'er-do-well Englishman or
+American, rather afraid of meeting any of his own countrymen, but very
+clever at making a bargain between a ship's crew and the natives, with
+considerable profit to himself.
+
+Among the bushes we found numbers of large hermit-crabs, crawling, or
+rather running, about in whelk shells, half a dozen of them
+occasionally having a grand fight amongst themselves. We picked up at
+least twenty different sorts of gracefully shaped pieces of coral, and
+quantities of shells of an infinite variety of form and colour;
+cowries, helmet-shells, the shells from which cameos are sometimes
+cut; mother-of-pearl shells, and a large spiral univalve, nearly a
+foot long, with dark brown spots and stripes on a delicate
+cream-coloured ground, like the skin of a tiger or leopard. On our way
+back to the huts we peeped into several of the canoes drawn up on the
+beach, in which were some fish-spears and a fish-hook, nearly three
+inches long, made of solid mother-of-pearl, the natural curve of the
+shell from which it was cut being preserved. A piece of bone was
+securely fastened to it by means of some pig's hair, but there was no
+bait, and it seems that the glitter of the mother-of-pearl alone
+serves as a sufficient allurement to the fish.
+
+In nearly all accounts of voyages in the South Seas much space is
+devoted to the description of the purchase, or rather barter, of
+hogs. We thought we could not do better than follow as far as possible
+the example of our predecessors, and accordingly bought two little
+pigs for two shillings each. They were evidently quite pets, lying on
+the mats outside the huts, and coming when called, just like dogs. The
+one I first bought appeared to be quite happy and content to be
+carried under my arm. The natives seemed quite to understand the value
+of money, and did not hesitate to ask for it in return for the
+cocoa-nuts full of shells which they brought us. I fancy some of the
+Tahiti schooners trade here for pearl, shells, and beche-de-mer.
+
+The cocoa-nuts, fowls, fish, coral, &c., having been put into our
+boat, we shook hands with the friendly islanders and embarked, and
+having rounded the point we soon found ourselves again in the broken
+water outside the lagoon, where the race of the tide and the overfall
+were now much more violent than they had been when we landed. If we
+had once been drawn into the current, we should have stood a good
+chance of being knocked to pieces on the coral reefs, strong as our
+boat was; but the danger was happily avoided, and we reached the yacht
+safely, much to Tom's relief.
+
+The natives did not exhibit the slightest curiosity about us during
+our visit to the island, and though they received us with courtesy,
+and assisted us as far as they could on our arrival and departure,
+they did not follow us about while on shore, nor, with the exception
+of one or two of them, did they take the trouble to walk across the
+point to see us get into the open sea and join the yacht. In this
+respect they might have given a lesson to many civilised people, so
+gentle, genial, and graceful, yet dignified, were their manners.
+
+The screw having been feathered and the sails set, our voyage was at
+once resumed. A few miles from where we had landed, we saw, high and
+dry on the coral reef skirting the island, a large square-built
+schooner, of about 500 tons, her masts gone, her hull bleached white
+by the sun, and a great hole in her side. She was on the inside of the
+reef, and must therefore either have drifted there from the lagoon, or
+else have been lifted bodily across by one of the big Pacific rollers,
+in some terrible storm. No doubt the iron knee we had seen on the
+island originally formed part of this vessel.
+
+_Wednesday, November 29th_.--We seem to have got into the real
+south-east trades, just as the chart tells us we ought to expect to
+lose them; for there was a strong fair breeze all day, which made it
+very pleasant on deck in the shade of the sails. But it was
+exceedingly hot in the saloon, where some of the woodwork has been
+pulled down, in order to secure better ventilation for the galley and
+the berths of some of the men, who, I hope, appreciate the alteration,
+for it is a source of considerable discomfort to us.
+
+We had the bigger of our two little pigs for dinner to-day, and a
+welcome change it was from the salt and potted meats. He was most
+excellent, and fully corroborated Captain Cook's statement as to the
+superiority of South Sea Island pork to any other--a fact which is
+doubtless due to the pigs being fed entirely on cocoa-nuts and
+bread-fruit. Still it seemed a pity to eat such a tame creature, and I
+mean to try and preserve the other one's life, unless we are much
+longer than we expect in reaching Tahiti. He is only about ten inches
+long, but looks at least a hundred years old, and is altogether the
+most quaint, old-fashioned little object you ever saw. He has taken a
+great fancy to the dogs, and trots about after me with them
+everywhere, on the tips of his little toes, even up and down the steep
+cabin stairs. I call him Agag, because he walks so delicately, whilst
+others accost him as Beau, not only on account of his elegant manners,
+but as being the name of his former home.
+
+The moon was more brilliant this evening than we have yet seen her
+during our voyage, and we could enjoy sitting on deck reading, and
+even doing some coarse needlework, without any other light. One
+splendid meteor flashed across the sky. It was of a light orange
+colour, with a fiery tail about two degrees in extent, and described
+in its course an arc of about sixty degrees, from S.S.E. to N.N.W.,
+before it disappeared into space, far above the horizon. If the night
+had been darker, the spectacle would have been finer; but even as it
+was, the moon seemed quite paled for a few minutes afterwards. We have
+seen many meteors, falling-stars, and shooting-stars since we left
+Valparaiso, but none so fine as the one this evening.
+
+_Friday, December 1st_.--The sun rose grandly, but the heavy black and
+red clouds, looking like flames and smoke from a furnace, gave promise
+of more rain. The heat was greater to-day than any we have yet felt;
+and it is now nearly mid-winter at home.
+
+[Illustration: Maitea.]
+
+At 5 a.m. we made the island of Maitea, and expected to reach it in
+about an hour and a half; but the wind fell light, and it was a
+quarter to ten before we got into the gig and set out for the shore.
+There are not many instructions about landing, either in Captain Cook
+or Findlay, but the latter mentions that houses are to be found on the
+south side of the island. We thought, however, we could distinguish
+from the yacht a little cove, close to some huts, at another part of
+the shore, where the surf did not break so heavily. We accordingly
+rowed straight for it, and as we approached we could see the natives
+coming down from all parts to meet us, the women dressed in the same
+sort of long, bright, flowing garments we had seen at Hao Harpe, with
+the addition of garlands round their necks and heads, the men wearing
+gay-coloured loin-cloths, shirts of Manchester cotton stuff, flying
+loose in the wind, and sailors' hats with garlands round them, or
+coloured silk handkerchiefs--red and orange evidently having the
+preference--tied over their heads and jauntily knotted on one side.
+Several of the men waded out into the surf to meet us, sometimes
+standing on a rock two feet above the water, sometimes buried up to
+their necks by a sudden wave. But the rocks were sharp, the only
+available passage was narrow, and the rollers long and high; and
+altogether it looked, upon a closer inspection, too unpromising a
+place to attempt a landing. Much to the disappointment of the natives,
+therefore, we decided to go round and try the other side of the
+island. Seeing us prepare to depart, the people on shore immediately
+launched a tiny canoe, with an enormous outrigger, and a man dressed
+in a pale green shirt, dark blue and yellow under garment, and with a
+silk handkerchief and garland on his head, came alongside and made
+signs that he would take us ashore one by one in his frail-looking
+craft. But the heavy Pacific rollers and the sharp rocks daunted us,
+and we declined his offer with thanks, and rowed off to the southward.
+Anything more enticing than the cove we were quitting can hardly be
+imagined. A fringe of cocoa-nuts and bread-fruit trees, overhanging an
+undergrowth of bright glossy foliage and flowers, a few half-hidden
+palm-leaf covered huts, from one of which--I suppose the chief's--a
+tattered Tahitian flag floated in the breeze, a small schooner drawn
+up among the trees and carefully covered with mats, the steep
+sugar-loaf point, at the entrance to the cove, clothed to its summit
+with grass and vegetation: these were the objects which attracted our
+attention in our hurried survey of the scene.
+
+[Illustration: Our Boatman]
+
+We had to give the island a wide berth in rowing round it, on account
+of the heavy rollers, which seemed to come from every side, breaking
+in surf against the dark brown cliffs, and throwing columns of white
+spray, from which the brilliant sunshine was reflected in rainbow
+hues, high into the air. As we proceeded matters looked worse and
+worse, and the motion of the boat became so disagreeable that both
+Muriel and I were very ill. At last we came to a spot where we could
+see some people sitting on the shore, and several others, who had
+probably come over from the other side to meet us, running swiftly
+down the sides of the cliffs to the beach. The island was of a
+different character from the one we had already visited, and was
+evidently of volcanic origin. No coral was anywhere to be seen, but
+there were big rocks jutting out at intervals into the sea all round
+it, one of which seemed large enough to afford us a sort of shelter in
+landing. The natives waved and pointed towards the channel beyond this
+rock, and one or two swam out to meet us; but we soon found that the
+channel would not be wide enough to admit our big boat, though it was
+no doubt sufficient for a light canoe, drawing some two inches of
+water. We therefore reluctantly turned away and resumed our uneasy
+coasting voyage, in the course of which we passed some nearly leafless
+trees, full of white patches, too large for flowers, which afterwards
+turned out to be booby-birds, who here find a resting-place. They are
+so numerous that it is hardly possible to walk beneath the trees
+without treading on their eggs.
+
+Having completed the circuit of the island, we found ourselves once
+more opposite the spot where we had first thought of landing, and the
+tide being by this time a little higher, we decided to make another
+attempt. Some of the natives, seeing us approach, plunged into the
+water as before, and seized the gunwale of the boat, while others, on
+shore, brought down rollers to put beneath our keel. We went in on the
+top of a big wave, and thus at last found ourselves--boat and
+all--high and dry on the beach of Maitea.
+
+The people came down to meet us, and conducted us to the house of the
+chief, who, with his pretty wife, received us kindly, but with much
+gravity and dignity. Mats were placed for me to sit upon, wreaths were
+offered me for my head and neck, and cocoa-nut milk to drink. We
+wished for some bananas, and they immediately cut down a tree in order
+to obtain a bunch. Cocoa-nuts were at the same time thrown down from
+the trees, and a collection of fruit, poultry, and meat--the latter
+consisting of the immemorial hog--was laid at our feet, as a present
+from the chief. The rest of the natives brought us pearls, shells,
+mother-of-pearl, small canoes, fish-hooks, young boobies, and all
+sorts of things, for barter; but the chief himself refused any return
+for his gift. Perhaps the greatest curiosity they offered us was about
+six fathoms of fine twine, made from human hair. Before these islands
+were visited by Europeans, this was the material from which
+fishing-lines were made; but it is now rarely used, and is
+consequently very difficult to procure. The young boobies they brought
+us looked just like a white powder-puff, and were covered with down
+far thicker and softer than any swan's down I ever saw.
+
+The natives seemed quite _au fait_ in the matter of monetary
+transactions and exchanges. For an English sovereign they would give
+you change at the rate of five dollars. Chilian or United States'
+dollars they accepted readily, but Brazilian currency they would not
+look at. They were pleased with knives, beads, looking-glasses, and
+picture papers I had brought on shore, and we did a brisk trade. We
+experienced great difficulty in explaining to them that we wanted some
+fresh eggs, Muriel's especial fancy, and a luxury which we have been
+without for some time. At last, by pointing to the fowls and picking
+up some small egg-shaped stones, we managed to procure a few, though,
+from the time it took to collect them, I should think the island must
+have been scoured in the search for them.
+
+Most of the natives seemed puzzled to comprehend why we had visited
+the island at all. 'No sell brandy?'--'No.' 'No stealy men?'--'No.'
+'No do what then?' Their knowledge of English was too limited to
+enable us to make them understand that we were only making a voyage of
+circumnavigation in a yacht.
+
+It was now time to bid farewell to our amiable hosts and their
+beautiful island. As we reached the landing-place, a small schooner,
+which we had previously noticed in the distance, came close to the
+shore, and a canoe put off from the island to meet it. We found that
+the vessel was bringing back from Tahiti and other places some of the
+inhabitants of the island, who had been away on a visit or in search
+of work. The meeting of the reunited friends and relatives was in
+some cases quite touching. Two women, in particular, sat and embraced
+each other for nearly a quarter of an hour, without moving, but with
+tears running down their faces.
+
+All our gifts and purchases having been placed in the boat, and one or
+two of us having embarked, she was shoved out over the wooden rollers
+into the narrow channel, where she lay-to while the rest of the party
+were brought alongside, one by one, in a frail canoe--an operation
+which occupied some time, during which we had leisure once more to
+admire the little bay I have already attempted to describe. We asked
+the captain of the schooner, who spoke French, to give us a tow off to
+the yacht, which he willingly consented to do, chatting cheerfully all
+the time, but evidently fearful of approaching too close to the yacht,
+and positively refusing our invitation to him to come on board. There
+can be little doubt that he mistrusted our intentions, and feared we
+might attempt to kidnap him and his crew; for the whites have, in too
+many cases, behaved in a most villanous manner to the inhabitants of
+these islands, who are, as a rule--to which there are of course
+exceptions--a kind and gentle people. I think if the many instances of
+the murder of ships' and boats' crews could be thoroughly sifted to
+the bottom, it would be found that most of them were acts of reprisal
+and revenge for brutal atrocities committed on the defenceless
+natives, who have been kidnapped, plundered, and murdered by
+unscrupulous traders and adventurers. Unfortunately, the good suffer
+for the bad, and such lives as those of Captain Goodenough and Bishop
+Patteson are sacrificed through the unpardonable misconduct of
+others--perhaps their own countrymen. It is still quite a chance how
+you may be received in some of the islands; for if the visit of the
+last ship was the occasion of the murder, plunder, and ill-treatment
+of the inhabitants, it is not to be wondered at that the next comers
+should be received with distrust, if not with treachery and violence.
+
+We reached the yacht at four o'clock, rather exhausted by so many
+hours' exposure to the broiling sun, having had nothing to eat since
+breakfast, at 7 a.m., except cocoa-nuts and bananas. The ship was put
+about, the sails filled, and, continuing steadily on our course
+throughout the evening, we made the smaller of the two peninsulas that
+form the island of Tahiti at 10.30 p.m.
+
+_Saturday, December 2nd_. We were dodging on and off all night, and at
+daybreak the weather was thick and rainy. At 4.30 a.m. we made the
+land again, and crept slowly along it, past Point Venus and the
+lighthouse in Matavai Bay (Captain Cook's first anchorage), until we
+were off the harbour of Papeete.[8] The rain was now descending in
+torrents, and we lay-to outside the reef for a short time, until a
+French pilot came on board and took us in through the narrow entrance.
+It was curious, while we were tumbling about in the rough sea outside,
+to see the natives placidly fishing in the tiniest of canoes on the
+lagoon inside the reef, the waves beating all the time furiously on
+the outer surface of the coral breakwater, as if anxious to seize and
+engulf them.
+
+[Footnote 8: 'Papiete' or 'Papeete,' _a bag of water_.]
+
+At nine o'clock we were safely anchored in the chief port of the
+island of Tahiti.
+
+Perhaps I cannot better bring this account of our long voyage from
+Valparaiso to a conclusion than by a quotation from a charming book,
+given to me at Rio, which I have lately been reading Baron de Hubner's
+'Promenade autour du Monde:'--'Les jours se suivent et se ressemblent.
+Sauf le court episode du mauvais temps, ces trois semaines me font
+l'effet d'un charmant reve, d'un conte de fee, d'une promenade
+imaginaire a travers une salle immense, tout or et lapis-lazuli. Pas
+un moment d'ennui ou d'impatience. Si vous voulez abreger les
+longueurs d'une grande traversee, distribuez bien votre temps, et
+observez le reglement que vous vous etes impose. C'est un moyen sur de
+se faire promptement a la vie claustrale et meme d'en jouir.'
+
+We have been five weeks at sea, and have enjoyed them quite as much as
+the Baron did his three. We saw but two ships between Valparaiso and
+Tatakotoroa: he saw only one between San Francisco and Yokohama. It is
+indeed a vast and lonely ocean that we have traversed.
+
+[Illustration: Quarantine Island, Papeete]
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIV.
+
+AT TAHITI.
+
+    _The cava feast, the yam, the cocoa's root,_
+    _Which bears at once the cup, and milk, and fruit,_
+    _The bread-tree which, without the ploughshare, yields_
+    _The unreap'd harvest of unfurrowed fields._
+
+           *       *       *       *       *
+
+    _These, with the luxuries of seas and woods,_
+    _The airy joys of social solitudes,_
+    _Tamed each rude wanderer._
+
+
+[Illustration: Under the Trees, Papeete]
+
+_Saturday, December 2nd_.--The anchor was dropped in the harbour of
+Papeete at nine o'clock, and a couple of hours later, by which time
+the weather had cleared, we went ashore, and at once found ourselves
+in the midst of a fairy-like scene, to describe which is almost
+impossible, so bewildering is it in the brightness and variety of its
+colouring. The magnolias and yellow and scarlet hibiscus,
+overshadowing the water, the velvety turf, on to which one steps from
+the boat, the white road running between rows of wooden houses, whose
+little gardens are a mass of flowers, the men and women clad in the
+gayest robes and decked with flowers, the piles of unfamiliar fruit
+lying on the grass, waiting to be transported to the coasting vessels
+in the harbour, the wide-spreading background of hills clad in verdure
+to their summits--these are but a few of the objects which greet the
+new-comer in his first contact with the shore.
+
+We strolled about, and left our letters of introduction; but the
+people to whom they were addressed were at breakfast, and we were
+deliberating how best to dispose of our time, when a gentleman
+accosted us, and, seeing how new it all was to us strangers, offered
+to show us round the town.
+
+The streets of Papeete, running back at right angles with the beach,
+seem to have wonderfully grand names, such as the Rue de Rivoli, Rue
+de Paris, &c. Every street is shaded by an avenue of high trees, whose
+branches meet and interlace overhead, forming a sort of leafy tunnel,
+through which the sea-breeze passes refreshingly. There is also what
+is called the Chinamen's quarter, through which we walked, and which
+consists of a collection of regular Chinese-built bamboo houses, whose
+occupants all wore their national costume, pigtail included. The
+French commandant lives in a charming residence, surrounded by
+gardens, just opposite the palace of Queen Pomare, who is at present
+at the island of Bola-Bola, taking care of her little grandchild, aged
+five, the queen of the island. She went down in a French man-of-war,
+the 'Limier,' ten days ago, and has been obliged to remain, owing to
+some disturbances amongst the natives. I am rather disappointed that
+she is absent, as I should like to see a person of whom I have heard
+so much.
+
+Having completed our tour, we next went to call on the British Consul,
+who received us kindly, and entertained us with an interesting account
+of the island and its inhabitants, its pearl-fisheries and trade, the
+French policy, the missionaries, &c., on all of which subjects he is
+well informed. He has just completed an exhaustive consular report on
+the condition of the island, which will, no doubt, appear in due
+course in the form of a blue-book.
+
+On our return to Messrs. Brander's office, where we had left one of
+our letters of introduction, we found the manager, with whom we had a
+long chat before returning on board.
+
+[Illustration: Chaetodon Tricolor.]
+
+At 5 p.m. we went for a row in the 'Glance' and the 'Flash' to the
+coral reef, now illumined by the rays of the setting sun. Who can
+describe these wonderful gardens of the deep, on which we now gazed
+through ten and twenty fathoms of crystal water? Who can enumerate or
+describe the strange creatures moving about and darting hither and
+thither, amid the masses of coral forming their submarine home? There
+were shells of rare shape, brighter than if they had been polished by
+the hand of the most skilful artist; crabs of all sizes, scuttling and
+sidling along; sea-anemones, spreading their delicate feelers in
+search of prey; and many other kinds of zoophytes, crawling slowly
+over the reef; and scarlet, blue, yellow, gold, violet, spotted,
+striped, and winged fish, short, long, pointed, and blunt, of the
+most varied shapes, were darting about like birds among the coral
+trees.
+
+At last, after frequent stoppages, to allow time for admiration, we
+reached the outer reef, hauled the boat up and made her fast, and, in
+bathing shoes, started on a paddling expedition. Such a paddle it was,
+too, over the coral, the surf breaking far above our heads, and the
+underflow, though only a few inches deep, nearly carrying me and the
+children off our legs! There were one or two native fishermen walking
+along the reef, whipping the water; but they appeared to have caught
+only a few small rock-fish, pretty enough to look at, but not
+apparently good to eat.
+
+The shades of night compelled us to return to the yacht, laden with
+corals of many different species. After dinner the bay was illuminated
+by the torches of the native fishermen, in canoes, on the reef. Tom
+and I went to look at them, but did not see them catch anything. Each
+canoe contained at least three people, one of whom propelled the boat,
+another stood up waving about a torch dipped in some resinous
+substance, which threw a strong light on the water, while the third
+stood in the bows, armed with a spear, made of a bundle of wires, tied
+to a long pole, not at all unlike a gigantic egg-whip, with all its
+loops cut into points. This is aimed with great dexterity at the fish,
+who are either transfixed or jammed between the prongs. The fine
+figures of the natives, lighted up by the flickering torches, and
+standing out in bold relief against the dark blue starlit sky, would
+have served as models for the sculptors of ancient Greece.
+
+_Sunday, December 3rd_.--At a quarter to five this morning some of us
+landed to see the market, this being the great day when the natives
+come in from the country and surrounding villages, by sea and by land,
+in boats, or on horseback, to sell their produce, and buy necessaries
+for the coming week. We walked through the shady streets to the two
+covered market buildings, partitioned across with great bunches of
+oranges, plantains, and many-coloured vegetables, hung on strings. The
+mats, beds, and pillows still lying about suggested the idea that the
+salesmen and women had passed the night amongst their wares. The gaily
+attired, good-looking, flower-decorated crowd, of some seven or eight
+hundred people, all chatting and laughing, and some staring at us--but
+not rudely--looked much more like a chorus of opera-singers, dressed
+for their parts in some grand spectacle, than ordinary market-going
+peasants. Whichever way one turned, the prospect was an animated and
+attractive one. Here, beneath the shade of large, smooth, light-green
+banana leaves, was a group of earnest bargainers for mysterious-looking
+fish, luscious fruit, and vegetables; there, sheltered by a drooping
+mango, whose rich clusters of purple and orange fruit hung in tempting
+proximity to lips and hands, another little crowd was similarly
+engaged. Orange-trees were evidently favourite _rendezvous_; and a row
+of flower-sellers had established themselves in front of a hedge of
+scarlet hibiscus and double Cape jasmine. Every vendor carried his
+stock-in-trade, however small the articles composing it might be, on a
+bamboo pole, across his shoulder, occasionally with rather ludicrous
+effect, as, for instance, when the thick but light pole supported only
+a tiny fish six inches long at one end, and two mangoes at the other.
+Everybody seemed to have brought to market just what he or she
+happened to have on hand, however small the quantity. The women would
+have one, two, or three new-laid eggs in a leaf basket, one crab or
+lobster, three or four prawns, or one little trout. Under these
+circumstances, marketing for so large a party as ours was a somewhat
+lengthy operation, and I was much amused in watching our _proveedor_,
+as he went about collecting things by ones and twos, until he had
+piled a little cart quite full, and had had it pushed off to the shady
+quay.
+
+[Illustration: Chaetodon Plagmance]
+
+We strolled about until six o'clock, at which hour the purchasers
+began to disperse, and were just preparing to depart likewise, when an
+old man, carrying half-a-dozen little fish, and followed by a small
+boy laden with vegetables and fruit, introduced himself to us as the
+brother-in-law of Queen Pomare IV. and chief of Papeete, and, after a
+short talk, invited us to visit him at his house. We consented, and,
+following him, presently reached a break in the hedge and ditch that
+ran along the side of the road, beyond which was a track, bordered by
+pineapples and dracaenas, leading to a superior sort of house, built in
+the native style, and surrounded, as usual, by bread-fruit, cocoa-nut,
+banana, mango, and guava trees. We were conducted into the one large
+room, which contained two four-post bedsteads and four mattresses,
+laid on the floor, two or three trunks, and a table in the corner, on
+which were writing materials and a few books. The chief himself spoke
+a very little English, his son an equally small amount of French; so
+the conversation languished, and after a decent interval we rose to
+depart. Our host asked if he might 'come and see my ship,' and
+procured pen, ink, and paper--not of the best quality--for me to write
+an order for him do so, 'in case lady not at home.' He also presented
+me with some pictures of soldiers, drawn by his son--a boy about
+eleven years old, of whom he seemed very proud, and expressed his
+regret that we could not prolong our stay, at the same time placing at
+our disposal the whole house and garden, including a fat sow and
+eleven little pigs.
+
+Several other visitors had arrived by this time, one of whom was on
+horseback, and, as I was rather tired, he was asked if he would kindly
+allow me to ride down to the landing place. He replied that he would
+lend the horse to a gentleman, but not to me, as the saddle was not
+suitable. I explained that this made no difference to me, and mounted,
+though I did not attempt to follow the fashion of the native ladies
+here, who ride like men. Our new friend was quite delighted at this,
+and volunteered himself to show us something of the neighbourhood.
+Accordingly, leading my--or rather his--horse, and guiding him
+carefully over all the rough places, he took us through groves and
+gardens to the grounds belonging to the royal family, in which were
+plantations of various kinds of trees, and a thick undergrowth of
+guava. After an enjoyable little expedition we returned to the yacht
+at about half-past seven, accompanied by the small boy who had been
+carrying our special purchases from the market all this time, and by a
+little tail of followers.
+
+At half-past eight we breakfasted, so as to be ready for the service
+at the native church at ten o'clock; but several visitors arrived in
+the interval, and we had rather a bustle to get off in time, after
+all. We landed close to the church, under the shade of an hibiscus,
+whose yellow and orange flowers dropped off into the sea and floated
+away amongst the coral rocks, peeping out of the water here and there.
+The building appeared to be full to overflowing. The windows and doors
+were all wide open, and many members of the congregation were seated
+on the steps, on the lawn, and on the grassy slope beyond, listening
+to a discourse in the native language. Most of the people wore the
+native costume, which, especially when made of black stuff and
+surmounted by a little sailor's hat, decorated with a bandana
+handkerchief or a wreath of flowers, was very becoming. Sailors' hats
+are universally worn, and are generally made by the natives themselves
+from plantain or palm leaves, or from the inside fibre of the
+arrowroot. Some rather elderly men and women in the front rows were
+taking notes of the sermon. I found afterwards that they belonged to
+the Bible class, and that their great pride was to meet after the
+service and repeat by heart nearly all they had heard. This seems to
+show at least a desire to profit by the minister's efforts.
+
+After the usual service there were two christenings. The babies were
+held at the font by the men, who looked extremely sheepish. One baby
+was grandly attired in a book-muslin dress, with flounces, a tail at
+least six feet long dragging on the ground, and a lace cap with
+cherry-coloured bows; the other was nearly as smart, in a white-worked
+long frock and cap, trimmed with blue bows. The christenings over,
+there was a hymn, somewhat monotonous as to time and tune, but sung
+with much fervour, followed by the administration of the sacrament, in
+which cocoa-nut milk took the place of wine, and bread-fruit that of
+bread. The proper elements were originally used, but experience proved
+that, although the bread went round pretty well, the cup was almost
+invariably emptied by the first two or three communicants, sometimes
+with unfortunate results.
+
+After service we drove through the shady avenues of the town into the
+open country, past trim little villas and sugar-cane plantations,
+until we turned off the main road, and entered an avenue of mangoes,
+whence a rough road, cut through a guava thicket, leads to the main
+gate of Faataua[9]--a regular square Indian bungalow, with thatched
+roofs, verandahs covered with creepers, windows opening to the ground,
+and steps leading to the gardens on every side, ample accommodation
+for stables, kitchens, servants, being provided in numerous
+outbuildings.
+
+[Footnote 9: 'Fuatawah' or 'Faataua,' _to make friends_.]
+
+Soon after breakfast, Mrs. Brander dressed me in one of her own native
+costumes, and we drove to the outskirts of a dense forest, through
+which a footpath leads to the waterfall and fort of Faataua. Here we
+found horses waiting for us, on which we rode, accompanied by the
+gentlemen on foot, through a thick growth of palms, orange-trees,
+guavas, and other tropical trees, some of which were overhung and
+almost choked by luxuriant creepers. Specially noticeable among the
+latter was a gorgeous purple passion-flower, with orange-coloured
+fruit as big as pumpkins, that covered everything with its vigorous
+growth. The path was always narrow and sometimes steep, and we had
+frequently almost to creep under the overhanging boughs, or to turn
+aside to avoid a more than usually dense mass of creepers. We crossed
+several small rivers, and at last reached a spot that commanded a view
+of the waterfall, on the other side of a deep ravine. Just below the
+fort that crowns the height, a river issues from a narrow cleft in the
+rock, and falls at a single bound from the edge of an almost
+perpendicular cliff, 600 feet high, into the valley beneath. First one
+sees the rush of blue water, gradually changing in its descent to a
+cloud of white spray, which in its turn is lost in a rainbow of mist.
+Imagine that from beneath the shade of feathery palms and broad-leaved
+bananas through a network of ferns and creepers you are looking upon
+the Staubbach, in Switzerland, magnified in height, and with a
+background of verdure-clad mountains, and you will have some idea of
+the fall of Faataua as we beheld it.
+
+[Illustration: Waterfall at Faataua]
+
+After resting a little while and taking some sketches, we climbed up
+to the fort itself, a place of considerable interest, where the
+natives held out to the very last against the French. On the bank
+opposite the fort, the last islander killed during the struggle for
+independence was shot while trying to escape. Situated in the centre
+of a group of mountains, with valleys branching off in all directions,
+the fort could hold communication with every part of the coast, and
+there can be little doubt that it would have held out much longer than
+it did, but for the treachery of one of the garrison, who led the
+invaders, under cover of the night, and by devious paths, to the top
+of a hill commanding the position. Now the ramparts and earthworks are
+overrun and almost hidden by roses. Originally planted, I suppose, by
+the new-comers, they have spread rapidly in all directions, till the
+hill-sides and summits are quite a-blush with the fragrant bloom.
+
+Having enjoyed some strawberries and some icy cold water from a
+spring, and heard a long account of the war from the _gardiens_, we
+found it was time to commence our return journey, as it was now
+getting late. We descended much more quickly than we had come up, but
+daylight had faded into the brief tropical twilight, and that again
+into the shades of night, ere we reached the carriage.
+
+Dinner and evening service brought the day to a conclusion, and I
+retired, not unwillingly, to bed, to dream of the charms of Tahiti.
+
+Sometimes I think that all I have seen must be only a long vision, and
+that too soon I shall awaken to the cold reality; the flowers, the
+fruit, the colours worn by every one, the whole scene and its
+surroundings, seem almost too fairylike to have an actual existence. I
+am in despair when I attempt to describe all these things. I feel that
+I cannot do anything like justice to their merits, and yet I fear all
+the time that what I say may be looked upon as an exaggeration.
+
+    Long dreamy lawns, and birds on happy wings,
+      Keeping their homes in never-rifled bowers;
+    Cool fountains filling with their murmurings
+      The sunny silence 'twixt the chiming hours.
+
+At daybreak next morning, when I went on deck, it was a dead calm. The
+sea-breeze had not yet come in, and there was not a ripple on the
+surface of the harbour. Outside, two little white trading schooners
+lay becalmed; inside, the harbour-tug was getting up steam. On shore,
+a few gaily dressed natives were hurrying home with their early market
+produce, and others were stretched lazily on the grass at the water's
+edge or on the benches under the trees. Our stores for the day, a
+picturesque-looking heap of fish, fruit, vegetables, and flowers, were
+on the steps, waiting to be brought off, and guarded in the meantime
+by natives in costumes of pink, blue, orange, and a delicate pale
+green they specially affect. The light mists rolled gradually away
+from the mountain tops, and there was every prospect of a fine day for
+a projected excursion.
+
+I went ashore to fetch some of the fresh gathered fruit, and soon we
+had a feast of luscious pineapples, juicy mangoes, bananas, and
+oranges, with the dew still upon them. The mango is certainly the king
+of fruit. Its flavour is a combination of apricot and pineapple, with
+the slightest possible suspicion of turpentine thrown in, to give a
+piquancy to the whole. I dare say it sounds a strange mixture, but I
+can only say that the result is delicious. To enjoy mangoes thoroughly
+you ought not to eat them in company, but leaning over the side of the
+ship, in the early morning, with your sleeves tucked up to your
+elbows, using no knife and fork, but tearing off the skin with your
+teeth, and sucking the abundant juice.
+
+We breakfasted at half-past six, and, at a little before eight, went
+ashore, where we were met by a sort of _char-a-bancs_, or American
+wagon, with three seats, one behind the other, all facing the horses,
+and roomy and comfortable enough for two persons. Our Transatlantic
+cousins certainly understand thoroughly, and do their best to improve
+everything connected with, the locomotion they love so well. A Chinese
+coachman and a thin but active pair of little horses completed the
+turn-out. Mabelle sat beside the coachman, and we four packed into,
+the other two seats, with all our belongings.
+
+The sun was certainly _very_ powerful when we emerged from the shady
+groves of Papeete, but there was a nice breeze, and sometimes we got
+under the shade of cocoa-nut trees. We reached Punauia at about
+half-past nine, and changed horses there. While waiting, hot and
+thirsty, under the shelter of some trees, we asked for a cocoa-nut,
+whereupon a man standing by immediately tied a withy of banana leaves
+round his feet and proceeded to climb, or rather hop, up the nearest
+tree, raising himself with his two hands and his feet alternately,
+with an exactly similar action to that of our old friend the monkey on
+the stick. People who have tasted the cocoa-nut only in England can
+have no idea what a delicious fruit it really is when nearly ripe and
+freshly plucked. The natives remove the outer husk, just leaving a
+little piece to serve as a foot for the pale brown cup to rest on.
+They then smooth off the top, and you have an elegant vase, something
+like a mounted ostrich egg in appearance, lined with the snowiest
+ivory, and containing about three pints of cool sweet water. Why it is
+called milk I cannot understand, for it is as clear as crystal, and is
+always cool and refreshing, though the nut in which it is contained
+has generally been exposed to the fiercest sun. In many of the coral
+islands, where the water is brackish, the natives drink scarcely
+anything but cocoa-nut milk; and even here, if you are thirsty and ask
+for a glass of water, you are almost always presented with a cocoa-nut
+instead.
+
+From Punauia onwards the scenery increased in beauty, and the foliage
+was, if possible, more luxuriant than ever. The road ran through
+extensive coffee, sugar-cane, Indian corn, orange, cocoa-nut, and
+cotton plantations, and vanilla, carefully trained on bamboos, growing
+in the thick shade. Near Atimaono we passed the house of a great
+cotton planter, and, shortly afterwards, the curious huts, raised on
+platforms, built by some islanders he has imported from the Kingsmill
+group to work his plantations. They are a wild, savage-looking set,
+very inferior to the Tahitians in appearance. The cotton-mills, which
+formerly belonged to a company, are now all falling to ruin; and in
+many other parts of the island we passed cotton plantations uncleaned
+and neglected, and fast running to seed and waste. So long as the
+American war lasted, a slight profit could be made upon Tahitian
+cotton, but now it is hopeless to attempt to cultivate it with any
+prospect of adequate return.
+
+The sun was now at its height, and we longed to stop and bathe in one
+of the many fresh-water streams we crossed, and afterwards to eat our
+lunch by the wayside; but our Chinese coachman always pointed onwards,
+and said, 'Eatee much presently; horses eatee too.' At last we arrived
+at a little house, shaded by cocoa-nut trees, and built in an
+enclosure near the sea-shore, with 'Restaurant' written up over the
+door. We drove in, and were met by the proprietor, with what must have
+been rather an embarrassing multiplicity of women and children about
+his heels. The cloth was not laid, but the rooms looked clean, and
+there was a heap of tempting-looking fish and fruit in a corner. We
+assured him we were starving, and begged for luncheon as soon as
+possible; and, in the meantime, went for a dip in the sea. But the
+water was shallow, and the sun made the temperature at least 90 deg., so
+that our bath was not very refreshing. On our return we found the
+table most enticingly laid out, with little scarlet crayfish, embedded
+in cool green lettuce leaves, fruit of various kinds, good wine and
+fair bread, all arranged on a clean though coarse tablecloth. There
+was also a savoury omelette, so good that Tom asked for a second;
+when, to our astonishment, there appeared a plump roast fowl, with
+most artistic gravy and fried potatoes. Then came a _biftek aux
+champignons_, and some excellent coffee to wind up with. On making the
+host our compliments, he said, 'Je fais la cuisine moi-meme, Madame.'
+In the course of our repast we again tasted the bread-fruit, but did
+not much appreciate it, though it was this time cooked in the native
+fashion--roasted underground by means of hot stones.
+
+Our coachman was becoming impatient, so we bade farewell to our host,
+and resumed our journey. We crossed innumerable streams on our way,
+generally full not only of water, but also of bathers; for the
+Tahitians are very fond of water, and always bathe once or twice a day
+in the fresh streams, even after having been in the sea.
+
+In many places along the road people were making hay from short grass,
+and in others they were weighing it preparatory to sending it into
+town. But they say the grass grown here is not at all nourishing for
+horses, and some people import it from Valparaiso.
+
+The road round the island is called the Broom Road. Convicts were
+employed in its original formation, and now it is the punishment for
+any one getting drunk in any part of the island to be set to work to
+sweep, repair, and keep in order a piece of the road in the
+neighbourhood of his dwelling. It is the one good road of Tahiti,
+encircling the larger of the two peninsulas close to the sea-shore,
+and surmounting the low mountain range in the centre of the isthmus.
+
+Before long we found ourselves close to Taravao, the narrow strip of
+land connecting the two peninsulas into which Tahiti is divided, and
+commenced to ascend the hills that form the backbone of the island. We
+climbed up and up, reaching the summit at last, to behold a
+magnificent prospect on all sides. Then a short sharp descent, a long
+drive over grass roads through a rich forest, and again a brief
+ascent, brought us to our sleeping-quarters for the night, the Hotel
+de l'Isthme, situated in a valley in the midst of a dense grove of
+cocoa-nuts and bananas, kept by two retired French sailors, who came
+out to meet us, and conducted us up a flight of steps on the side of a
+mud bank to the four rooms forming the hotel. These were two sleeping
+apartments, a _salon_, and a _salle a manger_, the walls of which
+consisted of flat pieces of wood, their own width apart, something
+like Venetian shutters, with unglazed windows and doors opening into
+the garden.
+
+We walked about four hundred yards along a grassy road to the sea,
+where Mabelle and I paddled about in shallow water and amused
+ourselves by picking up coral, shells, and _beche-de-mer_, and
+watching the blue and yellow fish darting in and out among the rocks,
+until at last we found a place in the coral which made a capital
+deep-water bath. Dressing again was not such a pleasant affair, owing
+to the mosquitoes biting us in the most provoking manner. Afterwards
+we strolled along the shore, which was covered with cocoa-nuts and
+driftwood, washed thither, I suppose, from some of the adjacent
+islands, and on our way back to the hotel we gathered a handful of
+choice exotics and graceful ferns, with which to decorate the table.
+
+The dinner itself really deserves a detailed description, if only to
+show that one may make the tour of Tahiti without necessarily having
+to rough it in the matter of food. We had crayfish and salad as a
+preliminary, and next, an excellent soup followed by delicious little
+oysters, that cling to the boughs and roots of the guava and mangrove
+trees overhanging the sea. Then came a large fish, name unknown, the
+inevitable _bouilli_ and cabbage, _cotelettes aux pommes, biftek aux
+champignons_, succeeded by crabs and other shellfish, including
+_wurrali_, a delicate-flavoured kind of lobster, an _omelette aux
+abricots_, and dessert of tropical fruits. We were also supplied with
+good wine, both red and white, and bottled beer.
+
+I ought, in truth, to add that the cockroaches were rather lively and
+plentiful, but they did not form a serious drawback to our enjoyment.
+After dinner, however, when I went to see Mabelle to bed, hundreds of
+these creatures, about three inches long, and broad in proportion,
+scuttled away as I lighted the candle; and while we were sitting
+outside we could see troops of them marching up and down in rows
+between the crevices of the walls. Then there were the mosquitoes, who
+hummed and buzzed about us, and with whom, alas! we were doomed to
+make a closer acquaintance. Our bed was fitted with the very thickest
+calico mosquito curtains, impervious to the air, but not to the
+venomous little insects, who found their way in through every tiny
+opening in spite of all our efforts to exclude them.
+
+_Tuesday, December 5th_.--The heat in the night was suffocating, and
+soon after twelve o'clock we both woke up, feeling half-stifled. There
+was a dim light shining into the room, and Tom said, 'Thank goodness,
+it's getting daylight;' but on striking my repeater we found to our
+regret that this was a mistake. In the moonlight I could see columns
+of nasty brown cockroaches ascending the bedposts, crawling along the
+top of the curtains, dropping with a thud on to the bed, and then
+descending over the side to the ground. At last I could stand it no
+longer, and opening the curtains cautiously, I seized my slippers,
+knocked half-a-dozen brown beasts out of each, wrapped myself in a
+poncho--previously well shaken--gathered my garments around me,
+surmounted a barricade I had constructed overnight to keep the pigs
+and chickens out of our doorless room, and fled to the garden. All was
+still, the only sign of life being a light in a neighbouring hut, and
+I sat out in the open air in comparative comfort, until driven indoors
+again by torrents of rain, at about half-past two o'clock.
+
+I plunged into bed again, taking several mosquitoes with me, which
+hummed and buzzed and devoured us to their hearts' content till dawn.
+Then I got up and walked down to the beach to bathe, and returned to
+breakfast at six o'clock, refreshed but still disfigured.
+
+It is now the depth of winter and the middle of the rainy season in
+Tahiti; but, luckily for us, it is nearly always fine in the daytime.
+At night, however, there is often a perfect deluge, which floods the
+houses and gardens, turns the streams into torrents, but washes and
+refreshes the vegetation, and leaves the landscape brighter and
+greener than before.
+
+At half-past seven the horses were put to, and we were just ready for
+a start, when down came the rain again, more heavily than before. It
+was some little time before it ceased enough to allow us to start,
+driving along grassy roads and through forests, but progressing rather
+slowly, owing to the soaked condition of the ground. If you can
+imagine the Kew hot-houses magnified and multiplied to an indefinite
+extent, and laid out as a gentleman's park, traversed by numerous
+grassy roads fringed with cocoa-nut palms, and commanding occasional
+glimpses of sea, and beach, and coral reefs, you will have some faint
+idea of the scene through which our road lay.
+
+Many rivers we crossed, and many we stuck in, the gentlemen having
+more than once to take off their shoes and stockings, tuck up their
+trousers, jump into the water, and literally put their shoulders to
+the wheel. Sometimes we drove out into the shallow sea, till it seemed
+doubtful when and where we should make the land again. Sometimes we
+climbed up a solid road, blasted out of the face of the black cliffs,
+or crept along the shore of the tranquil lagoon, frightening the
+land-crabs into their holes as they felt the shake of the approaching
+carriage. Palms and passiflora abounded, the latter being specially
+magnificent. It seems wonderful how their thin steins can support, at
+a height of thirty or forty feet from the ground, the masses of huge
+orange-coloured fruit which depend in strings from their summits.
+
+At the third river, not far from where it fell into the sea, we
+thought it was time to lunch; so we stopped the carriage, gave the
+horses their provender, and sat down to enjoy ourselves after our long
+drive. It was early in the afternoon before we started again, and soon
+after this we were met by fresh horses, sent out from Papenoo;[10] so
+it was not long before we found ourselves near Point Venus, where we
+once more came upon a good piece of road, down which we rattled to the
+plains outside Papeete.
+
+[Footnote 10: From 'pape,' _water_, and 'noo,' _abundance_.]
+
+We reached the quay at about seven o'clock, and, our arrival having
+been observed, several friends came to see us and to inquire how we
+had fared. Before we started on our excursion, instructions had been
+given that the 'Sunbeam' should be painted _white_, for the sake of
+coolness, and we were all very curious to see how she would look in
+her new dress; but unfortunately the wet weather has delayed the work,
+and there is still a good deal to do.
+
+_Wednesday, December 6th_.--It was raining fast at half-past four this
+morning, which was rather provoking, as I wanted to take some
+photographs from the yacht's deck before the sea-breeze sprang up. But
+the weather cleared while I was choosing my position and fixing my
+camera, and I was enabled to take what I hope may prove to be some
+successful photographs.
+
+Messrs. Brander's mail-ship, a sailing vessel of about 600 tons, was
+to leave for San Francisco at eight o'clock, and at seven Tom started
+in the 'Flash' to take our letters on board. The passage to San
+Francisco occupies twenty-five days on an average, and is performed
+with great regularity once a month each way. The vessels employed on
+this line, three in number, are well built, and have good
+accommodation for passengers, and they generally carry a full cargo.
+In the present instance it consists of fungus and tripang
+(_beche-de-mer_) for China, oranges for San Francisco, a good many
+packages of sundries, and a large consignment of pearls, entrusted to
+the captain at the last moment.
+
+So brisk is the trade carried on between Tahiti and the United States,
+that the cost of this vessel was more than covered by the freights the
+first year after she was built. In addition to these ships, there are
+those which run backwards and forwards to Valparaiso, and the little
+island trading schooners; so that the Tahitians can boast of quite a
+respectable fleet of vessels, not imposing perhaps in point of
+tonnage, but as smart and serviceable-looking as could be desired. The
+trading schooners are really beautiful little craft, and I am sure
+that, if well kept and properly manned, they would show to no
+discredit among our smart yachts at Cowes. Not a day passes without
+one or more entering or leaving the harbour, returning from or bound
+to the lonely isles with which the south-west portion of the Pacific
+is studded. They are provided with a patent log, but their captains,
+who are intelligent men, do not care much about a chronometer, as the
+distances to be run are comparatively short and are easily judged.
+
+Mr. Godeffroy gave us rather an amusing account of the manner in which
+their negotiations with the natives are conducted. The more civilised
+islanders have got beyond barter, and prefer hard cash in American
+dollars for their pearls, shells, cocoa-nuts, sandal-wood, &c. When
+they have received the money, they remain on deck for some time
+discussing their bargains among themselves. Then they peep down
+through the open skylights into the cabin below, where the most
+attractive prints and the gaudiest articles of apparel are temptingly
+displayed, alongside a few bottles of rum and brandy and a supply of
+tobacco. It is not long before the bait is swallowed; down go the
+natives, the goods are sold, and the dollars have once more found
+their way back into the captain's hands.
+
+I had a long talk with one of the natives, who arrived to-day from
+Flint Island--a most picturesque-looking individual, dressed in
+scarlet and orange-coloured flannel, and a mass of black, shiny, curly
+hair. Flint Island is a place whose existence has been disputed, it
+having been more than once searched for by ships in vain. It was,
+therefore, particularly interesting to meet some one who had actually
+visited, and had just returned from, the spot in question. That
+islands do occasionally disappear entirely in these parts there can be
+little doubt. The Tahitian schooners were formerly in the habit of
+trading with a small island close to Rarotonga, whose name I forget;
+but about four years ago, when proceeding thither with the usual
+three-monthly cargo of provisions, prints, &c., they failed to find
+the island, of which no trace has since been seen. Two missionaries
+from Rarotonga are believed to have been on it at the time of its
+disappearance, and to have shared its mysterious fate.
+
+_Thursday, December 7th_.--At eight o'clock I took Mabelle and Muriel
+for a drive in a pony-carriage which had been kindly lent me, but with
+a hint that the horse was rather _mechant_ sometimes. He behaved well
+on the present occasion, however, and we had a pleasant drive in the
+outskirts of the town for a couple of hours.
+
+Just as we returned, a gentleman came and asked me if I should like to
+see some remarkably fine pearls, and on my gladly consenting, he took
+me to his house, where I saw some pearls certainly worth going to look
+at, but too expensive for me, one pear-shaped gem alone having been
+valued at 1,000_l_. I was told they came from a neighbouring island,
+and I was given two shells containing pearls in various stages of
+formation.
+
+It was now time to go on board to receive some friends whom we had
+invited to breakfast, and who arrived at about half-past eleven.
+
+[Illustration: A Tahitian Lady.]
+
+After breakfast, and a chat, and an examination of the photograph
+books, &c., we all landed, and went to see Messrs. Brander's stores,
+where all sorts of requisites for fitting out ships and their crews
+can be procured. It is surprising to find how plentiful are the
+supplies of the necessaries and even the luxuries of civilised life in
+this far-away corner of the globe. You can even get _ice_ here, for
+the manufacture of which a retired English infantry officer has set up
+an establishment with great success. But what interested me most were
+the products of this and the neighbouring islands. There were tons of
+exquisitely tinted pearl shells, six or eight inches in diameter,
+formerly a valuable article of commerce, but now worth comparatively
+little. The pearls that came out of them had unfortunately been sent
+away to Liverpool--1,000_l_. worth by this morning's, and 5,000_l_ by
+the last mail-ship. Then there was vanilla, a most precarious crop,
+which needs to be carefully watered and shaded from the first moment
+it is planted, and which must be gathered before it is ripe, and dried
+and matured in a moist heat, between blankets and feather-beds, in
+order that the pods may not crack and allow the essence to escape. We
+saw also edible fungus, exported to San Francisco, and thence to Hong
+Kong, solely for the use of the Chinese; tripang, or _beche-de-mer_, a
+sort of sea-slug or holothuria, which, either living or dead, fresh or
+dried, looks equally untempting, but is highly esteemed by the
+Celestials; coprah, or dried cocoa-nut kernels, broken into small
+pieces in order that they may stow better, and exported to England and
+other parts, where the oil is expressed and oil-cake formed; and
+various other articles of commerce. The trade of the island is fast
+increasing, the average invoice value of the exports having risen from
+8,400_l_ in 1845 to 98,000_l_ in 1874. These totals are exclusive of
+the value of the pearls, which would increase it by at least another
+3,000_l_ or 4,000_l_.
+
+I speak from personal experience when I say that every necessary of
+life on board ship, and many luxuries, can be procured at Tahiti.
+American tinned fruits and vegetables beat English ones hollow.
+Preserved milk is uncertain--sometimes better, sometimes worse, than
+what one buys at home. Tinned salmon is much better. Australian
+mutton, New Zealand beef, and South Sea pork, leave nothing to be
+desired in the way of preserved meat. Fresh beef, mutton, and butter
+are hardly procurable, and the latter, when preserved, is uneatable. I
+can never understand why they don't take to potting and salting down
+for export the _best_ butter, at some large Irish or Devonshire farm,
+instead of reserving that process for butter which is just on the turn
+and is already almost unfit to eat; the result being that, long before
+it has reached a hot climate, it is only fit to grease carriage-wheels
+with. It could be done, and I feel sure it would pay, as good butter
+would fetch almost any price in many places. Some Devonshire butter,
+which we brought with us from England, is as good now, after ten
+thousand miles in the tropics, as it was when first put on board; but
+a considerable proportion is very bad, and was evidently not in proper
+condition in the first instance.
+
+We had intended going afterwards to the coral reef with the children
+to have a picnic there, and had accordingly given the servants leave
+to go ashore for the evening; but it came on to rain heavily, and we
+were obliged to return to the yacht instead. The servants had,
+however, already availed themselves of the permission they had
+received, and there was therefore no one on board in their department;
+so we had to unpack our basket and have our picnic on deck, under the
+awning, instead of on the reef, which I think was almost as great a
+treat to the children.
+
+We have, I am sorry to say, had a good deal of trouble with some of
+our men here. One disappeared directly we arrived, and has never been
+seen since. Another came off suffering from delirium tremens and
+epileptic fits, brought on by drink. His cries and struggles were
+horrible to hear and witness. It took four strong men to hold him, and
+the doctor was up with him all last night. Nearly all the ships that
+come here have been at sea for a long time, and the men are simply
+wild when they get ashore. Some of the people know only too well how
+to take advantage of this state of things, and the consequence is that
+it is hardly safe for a sailor to drink a glass of grog, for fear that
+it should be drugged. No doubt there are respectable places to which
+the men could resort, but it is not easy for a stranger to find them
+out, and our men seem to have been particularly unfortunate in this
+respect. Tom talks of leaving two of them behind, and shipping four
+fresh hands, as our number is already rather short.
+
+_Friday, December 8th_.--I persuaded Tom to make another excursion to
+the coral reef this morning, and at five o'clock he and Mabelle and I
+set off in the 'Flash,' just as the sun was rising. We had a
+delightful row, past the Quarantine Island[11], to the portion of the
+reef on the other side of the harbour, where we had not yet been, and
+where I think the coral plants and flowers and bushes showed to
+greater advantage than ever, as they were less crowded, and the
+occasional patches of sandy bottom enabled one to see them better. We
+were so engrossed in our examination of these marvels of the deep, and
+of the fish with which the water abounded, that we found ourselves
+aground several times, and our return to the yacht was consequently
+delayed.
+
+[Footnote 11: The native name is 'Motu-iti,' i.e. _little island_.]
+
+After breakfast I had another visit from a man with war-cloaks,
+shell-belts, _tapa_, and _reva reva_, which he brought on board for my
+inspection. It was a difficult task to make him understand what I
+meant, but at last I thought I had succeeded in impressing on his mind
+the fact that I wished to buy them, and that they would be paid for at
+the store. The sequel unfortunately proved that I was mistaken. At
+nine o'clock we set out for the shore, and after landing drove along
+the same road by which we had returned from our excursion round the
+island.[12] After seeing as much of the place as our limited time
+would allow, we drove over to Faataua, where we found the children and
+maids. The grand piano, every table, and the drawing-room floor, were
+spread with the presents we were expected to take away with us. There
+were bunches of scarlet feathers, two or three hundred in number, from
+the tail of the tropic bird, which are only allowed to be possessed
+and worn by chiefs, and which are of great value, as each bird
+produces only two feathers; pearl shells, with corals growing on them,
+red coral from the islands on the Equator, curious sponges and
+sea-weed, _tapa_ cloth and _reva-reva_ fringe, arrowroot and palm-leaf
+hats, cocoa-nut drinking vessels, fine mats plaited in many patterns,
+and other specimens of the products of the island.
+
+[Footnote 12: We paid a brief visit to Point Venus, whence Captain
+Cook observed the transit of Venus on November 9th, 1769, and we saw
+the lighthouse and tamarind tree, which now mark the spot. The latter,
+from which we brought away some seed, was undoubtedly planted by
+Captain Cook with his own hand.]
+
+[Illustration: Tropic Feathers]
+
+All the members of the royal family at present in Tahiti had been
+invited to meet us, and arrived in due course, including the
+heir-apparent and his brother and sister. All the guests were dressed
+in the native costume, with wreaths on their heads and necks, and even
+the servants--including our own, whom I hardly recognised--were
+similarly decorated. Wreaths had also been prepared for us, three of
+fragrant yellow flowers for Mabelle, Muriel, and myself, and others of
+a different kind for the gentlemen.
+
+When the feast was ready the Prince offered me his arm, and we all
+walked in a procession to a grove of bananas in the garden through two
+lines of native servants, who, at a given signal, saluted us with
+three hearty English cheers. We then continued our walk till we
+arrived at a house, built in the native style, by the side of a rocky
+stream, like a Scotch burn. The uprights of the house were banana
+trees, transplanted with their leaves on, so as to shade the roof,
+which was formed of plaited cocoa-nut palm-leaves, each about fifteen
+feet long, laid transversely across bamboo rafters. From these
+light-green supports and the dark green roof depended the yellow and
+brown leaves of the _theve_, woven into graceful garlands and elegant
+festoons. The floor was covered with the finest mats, with black and
+white borders, and the centre strewn with broad green plantain leaves,
+to form the tablecloth, on which were laid baskets and dishes, made of
+leaves sewed together, and containing all sorts of native delicacies.
+There were oysters, lobsters, wurrali, and crawfish, stewed chicken,
+boiled sucking-pig, plantains, bread-fruit, melons, bananas, oranges,
+and strawberries. Before each guest was placed a half cocoa-nut full
+of salt water, another full of chopped cocoa-nut, a third full of
+fresh water, and another full of milk, two pieces of bamboo, a basket
+of _poi_, half a bread-fruit, and a platter of green leaves, the
+latter being changed with each course. We took our seats on the ground
+round the green table. An address was first delivered in the native
+language, grace was then said, and we commenced. The first operation
+was to mix the salt water and the chopped cocoa-nut together, so as to
+make an appetising sauce, into which we were supposed to dip each
+morsel we ate, the empty salt-water bowl being filled up with fresh
+water with which to wash our fingers and lips. We were tolerably
+successful in the use of our fingers as substitutes for knives and
+forks. The only drawback was that the dinner had to be eaten amid such
+a scene of novelty and beauty, that our attention was continually
+distracted: there was so much to admire, both in the house itself and
+outside it. After we had finished, all the servants sat down to
+dinner, and from a dais at one end of the room we surveyed the bright
+and animated scene, the gentlemen--and some of the ladies
+too--meanwhile enjoying their cigarettes.
+
+When we got down to Papeete, at about half-past four, so many things
+had to be done that it seemed impossible to accomplish a start this
+evening. First of all the two Princes came on board, and were shown
+round, after which there were accounts to be paid, linen to be got on
+board; and various other preparations to be made. Presently it was
+discovered that the cloaks I had purchased--or thought I had
+purchased--this morning had not turned up, and that our saddles had
+been left at Faataua on Sunday and had been forgotten. The latter were
+immediately sent for, but although some one went on shore to look
+after the cloaks nothing could be heard of them; so I suppose I failed
+after all in making the man understand that he was to take them to the
+store and be paid for them there.
+
+[Illustration: Chaetodon Besantii]
+
+At six o'clock the pilot sent word that it was no longer safe to go
+out; but steam was already up, and Tom therefore decided to go outside
+the reef and there wait for the people and goods that were still on
+shore. At this moment the saddles appeared in one direction, and the
+rest of the party in another. They were soon on board, the anchor was
+raised, and we began to steam slowly ahead, taking a last regretful
+look at Papeete as we left the harbour. By the time we were outside it
+was dark, the pilot went ashore, and we steamed full speed ahead.
+After dinner, and indeed until we went to bed, at half-past eleven,
+the lights along the shore were clearly visible, and the form of the
+high mountains behind could be distinguished.
+
+Good-bye, lovely Tahiti! I wonder if I shall ever see you again; it
+makes me quite sad to think how small is the chance of my doing so.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XV.
+
+TAHITI TO SANDWICH ISLANDS.--KILAUEA BY DAY AND BY NIGHT.
+
+    _Methinks it should have been impossible_
+    _Not to love all things in a world so filled,_
+    _Where the breeze warbles, and the mute still air_
+    _Is music, slumbering on her instrument._
+
+
+_Saturday, December 9th_.--After leaving the harbour of Papeete we
+passed close to the island of Eimeo, on which we have gazed so often
+and with so much pleasure during the past week. It is considered the
+most beautiful island of the Georgian group, and we all regretted that
+we were unable to spare the time to visit it. From afar it is rather
+like the dolomite mountains in the Tyrol, and it is said that the
+resemblance is even more striking on a near approach. The harbour is a
+long narrow gorge between high mountains, clothed with palms, oranges,
+and plantains, and is one of the most remarkable features of the
+place. Huahine is the island of which the Earl and the Doctor speak,
+in 'South Sea Bubbles,' in terms of such enthusiasm, and Rarotonga is
+the head and centre of all the missionary efforts of the present time
+in these parts.
+
+The weather to-day was fine, though we had occasional squalls of wind
+and rain. We were close-hauled, and the motion of the vessel was
+violent and disagreeable. I was very sea-sick, and was consoled to
+find that several of the men were so too. A head sea--or nearly so--is
+quite a novel experience for us of late, and we none of us like the
+change.
+
+_Sunday, December 10th_.--Another squally day. Still close-hauled,
+and even then not on our course. We had a short service at eleven, but
+it was as much as I could do to remain on deck.
+
+_Monday, December 11th_.--Very like yesterday. We passed close to
+Flint and Vostok Islands, at the former of which I should have much
+liked to land. But it was a good deal to leeward of us; there is no
+anchorage, and the landing, which is always difficult and sometimes
+impossible, has to be effected in native surf-boats. It would have
+been interesting to see a guano island, of which this is a perfect
+specimen.
+
+We had hoped to make the Caroline Islands before dark (not the
+Caroline Islands proper, but a group of low islets, whose position is
+very uncertainly indicated in the different charts and books); but the
+wind fell light, and as we could see nothing of them at sunset,
+although the view from the masthead extended at least fifteen miles in
+every direction, it was decided at eight o'clock to put the ship
+about, to insure not running on them or any of the surrounding reefs
+in the night. The currents run very swiftly between these islands, and
+it is impossible to tell your exact position, even a few hours after
+having taken an observation.
+
+_Tuesday, December 12th_.--The wind freshened immediately after we had
+changed our course last night, and fell light directly we had put
+about again this morning, so that it was fully 9 a.m. before we had
+regained our position of yesterday evening.
+
+Our compass-cards were getting worn out, and Tom gave out new ones
+before leaving Tahiti. I was very much amused to-night, when, as
+usual, just before going to bed, I went to have a look at the compass
+and see how the yacht was lying, and asked the man at the wheel what
+course he was steering. 'North and by west, half-east, ma'am,' he
+replied. 'That's a funny course,' I said; 'tell me again.' He
+repeated his statement; whereupon I remarked that the course was quite
+a new one to me. 'Oh, yes, ma'am,' he answered, 'but them's the new
+compass-cards.' This man is one of the best helmsmen in the ship, but
+certainly seems to be an indifferent scholar.
+
+_Friday, December 15th_.--We crossed the line at half-past four this
+morning. Father Neptune was to have paid us another visit in the
+evening, but the crew were busy, and there were some difficulties
+about arranging the details of the ceremony. The children were
+obliged, therefore, to be content with their usual game of drilling
+every one that they were able to muster for soldiers, after the
+fashion of Captain Brown's 'rifle practice,' or marching up and down
+the decks to the strains of Jem Butt's fiddle playing 'Tommy make room
+for your Uncle,' accompanied by the somewhat discordant noise of their
+own drums. These amusements after sunset, and scrubbing decks and
+working at the pumps before sunrise, give us all the much-needed
+exercise it is impossible to take in the heat of the daytime.
+
+[Illustration: Tattoo in the Tropics]
+
+_Saturday, December 16th_.--At 1.30 a.m. I was awoke by the strains
+of sweet music, and could not at first imagine where I could be, or
+whence the sounds came. It proved to be the performance of some
+'waits' on board. I do not know who originated the idea, but it was a
+very good one, and was excellently carried out. Everybody assembled on
+deck by degrees, and the songsters enjoyed a glass of grog when their
+labours were finished, after which we all went to bed again.
+
+It had fallen calm yesterday evening, and the funnel was raised at
+midnight, but the breeze sprang up again to-day, and at noon the fires
+were banked and the sails were set. Of course it then fell calm again,
+and at six o'clock we were once more proceeding under steam. There was
+one squall in the night, accompanied by the most tremendous rain I
+ever saw or heard. We talk of tropical rain in England, but the real
+thing is very different. It seemed just as if the bottom of an
+enormous cistern overhead had suddenly been removed, allowing the
+contents to fall exactly on the spot where we were. The water came
+down in sheets, and was soon three or four inches deep on the deck,
+though it was pouring out of the scuppers all the time as fast as
+possible.
+
+_Sunday, December 17th_.--A showery morning. We had Communion Service
+and hymns at eleven. In the afternoon it was too rough for 'church,'
+and Tom was unable to deliver his intended address to the men.
+
+_Monday, December 18th_.--We were close-hauled, with a strong
+north-east wind, and heavy squalls and showers at intervals. We saw
+several flying-fish and a good many birds, apparently hovering over a
+shoal of whales or grampuses. It is wonderful how little life we have
+seen on this portion of our voyage.
+
+_Tuesday, December 19th_.--A fine day--wind rather more fair--sea
+still rough and disagreeable. I tried to work hard all day, but found
+it very difficult.
+
+_Thursday, December 21st_.--Wind variable and baffling--sometimes
+calm, sometimes squally, sometimes a nice breeze. Sails were hoisted
+and lowered at least a dozen times, and fires were banked more than
+once.
+
+_Friday, December 22nd_.--At 6.30 a.m. we made the island of Hawaii,
+rather too much to leeward, as we had been carried by the strong
+current at least eighteen miles out of our course. We were therefore
+obliged to beat up to windward, in the course of which operation we
+passed a large barque running before the wind--the first ship we had
+seen since leaving Tahiti--and also a fine whale, blowing, close to
+us. We could not see the high land in the centre of the island, owing
+to the mist in which it was enveloped, and there was great excitement
+and much speculation on board as to the principal points which were
+visible. At noon the observations taken proved that Tom was right in
+his opinion as to our exact position. The wind dropped as we
+approached the coast, where we could see the heavy surf dashing
+against the black lava cliffs, rushing up the little creeks, and
+throwing its spray in huge fountain-like jets high above the tall
+cocoa-nut trees far inland.
+
+We sailed along close to the shore, and by two o'clock were near the
+entrance to the Bay of Hilo. In answer to our signal for a pilot a
+boat came off with a man who said he knew the entrance to the harbour,
+but informed us that the proper pilot had gone to Honolulu on a
+pleasure trip.
+
+It was a clear afternoon. The mountains, Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa,
+could be plainly seen from top to bottom, their giant crests rising
+nearly 14,000 feet above our heads, their tree and fern clad slopes
+seamed with deep gulches or ravines, down each of which a fertilising
+river ran into the sea. Inside the reef, the white coral shore, on
+which the waves seemed too lazy to break, is fringed with a belt of
+cocoa-nut palms, amongst which, as well as on the hill-sides, the
+little white houses are prettily dotted. All are surrounded by
+gardens, so full of flowers that the bright patches of colour were
+plainly visible even from the deck of the yacht. The harbour is large,
+and is exposed only to one bad wind, which is most prevalent during
+the winter months. Still, with good ground-tackle, there is not much
+to be feared, and there is one particular spot, sheltered by the
+Blonde reef, which is almost always safe. Here, accordingly, we have
+taken up our station, though it is rather far from the town. Sometimes
+it is impossible to land at Hilo itself for days together, but there
+is fortunately a little creek behind Cocoa-nut Island which is always
+accessible.
+
+This afternoon the weather was all that could be desired, and at three
+o'clock we landed and went straight to Mr. Conway's store to make
+arrangements for going to the volcano of Kilauea to-morrow. Mr. Conway
+sent a man off at once on horseback to warn the people at the
+'Half-way House' and at 'Volcano House' to make preparations to
+receive our party--a necessary precaution, as visitors to the island
+are not numerous, and can only arrive by the monthly steamer from
+Honolulu.
+
+Having arranged this matter, we went for a stroll, among neat houses
+and pretty gardens, to the suspension-bridge over the river, followed
+by a crowd of girls, all decorated with wreaths and garlands, and
+wearing almost the same dress that we had seen at Tahiti--a coloured
+long-sleeved loose gown reaching to the feet. The natives here appear
+to affect duller colours than those we have lately been accustomed to,
+lilac, drab, brown, and other dark prints being the favourite tints.
+Whenever I stopped to look at a view, one of the girls would come
+behind me and throw a _lei_ of flowers over my head, fasten it round
+my neck, and then run away laughing, to a distance, to judge of
+effect. The consequence was that, before the end of our walk, I had
+about a dozen wreaths, of various colours and lengths, hanging round
+me, till I felt almost as if I had a fur tippet on, they made me so
+hot; and yet I did not like to take them off for fear of hurting the
+poor girls' feelings.
+
+We walked along the river bank, and crossed to the other side just
+below the rapids, jumping over the narrow channels through which the
+water hurried and rushed. Some of our attendant girls carried Muriel
+and the dogs, and, springing barefooted from rock to rock, led us
+across the stream and up the precipitous banks on the other side.
+There is a sort of hotel here, kept by a Chinaman, where everything is
+scrupulously clean, and the food good though plain. It is rather more
+like a lodging-house than an hotel, however. You hire your rooms, and
+are expected to make special arrangements for board. Before we got
+back to the yacht it had become dark, the moon had risen, and we could
+see the reflection in the sky of the fires in the crater of Kilauea. I
+do hope the volcano will be active to-morrow. It is never two days in
+the same condition, and visitors have frequently remained in the
+neighbourhood of the crater for a week without seeing an eruption.
+
+The starlit sky, the bright young moon, and the red cloud from
+Kilauea, floating far above our heads, made up a most beautiful scene
+from the deck of the 'Sunbeam.'
+
+_Saturday, December 23rd_.--The boatman who brought us off last night
+had told us that Saturday was market-day at Hilo, and that at five
+o'clock the natives would come in from the surrounding country in
+crowds to buy their Sunday and Christmas Day provisions, and to bring
+their own produce for sale. We accordingly gave orders that the boat
+should come for us at a quarter to five, shortly before which we got
+up and went on deck. We waited patiently in the dark until half-past
+five, when, no boat appearing from the shore, the dingy was manned and
+we landed. The lights in the town were all out, the day had hardly
+dawned, and there were no signs of life to be seen. At last we met two
+men, who told us we should find the market near the river, and offered
+to show us the way; but when we arrived at the spot they had indicated
+we found only a large butcher's shop, and were informed that the
+regular market for fish, fruit, and other things was held at five
+o'clock _in the afternoon_ instead of in the morning. We had thus had
+all our trouble for nothing, and the non-appearance of the boat was
+fully explained.
+
+Presently we met a friend who took us to his home. It was a pretty
+walk, by the side of the river and through numerous gardens, fresh
+with the morning dew. He gave us the latest news from the United
+States, and presented us with oranges and flowers, with which we
+returned to the yacht. We were on board again by seven, and, having
+packed up our things and sent them ashore, had an early breakfast, and
+landed, in readiness for our excursion to Kilauea. The baggage animals
+ought already to have started, but we found they had been kept back,
+in case we should happen to forget anything. Quite a crowd assembled
+to see us off, and a good deal of gossip had to be got through, so
+that it was half-past nine before we were all mounted and fairly off.
+
+The first part of our way lay along the flat ground, gay with bright
+scarlet Guernsey lilies, and shaded by cocoa-nut trees, between the
+town and the sea. Then we struck off to the right, and soon left the
+town behind us, emerging into the open country. At a distance from the
+sea, Hilo looks as green as the Emerald Isle itself; but on a closer
+inspection the grass turns out to be coarse and dry, and many of the
+trees look scrubby and half dead. Except in the 'gulches' and the deep
+holes between the hills, the island is covered with lava, in many
+places of so recent a deposit that it has not yet had time to
+decompose, and there is consequently only a thin layer of soil on its
+surface. This soil being, however, very rich, vegetation flourishes
+luxuriantly for a time; but as soon as the roots have penetrated a
+certain depth, and have come into contact with the lava, the trees
+wither up and perish, like the seed that fell on stony ground.
+
+The _ohia_ trees form a handsome feature in the landscape, with their
+thick tall stems, glossy foliage, and light crimson flowers. The fruit
+is a small pink waxy-looking apple, slightly acid, pleasant to the
+taste when you are thirsty. The candle-nut trees attain to a large
+size, and their light green foliage and white flowers have a very
+graceful appearance. Most of the foliage, however, is spoiled by a
+deposit of black dust, not unlike what one sees on the leaves in a
+London garden. I do not know whether this is caused by the fumes of
+the not far-distant volcano, or whether it is some kind of mould or
+fungus.
+
+After riding about ten miles in the blazing sun we reached a forest,
+where the vegetation was quite tropical, though not so varied in its
+beauties as that of Brazil, or of the still more lovely South Sea
+Islands. There were ferns of various descriptions in the forest, and
+many fine trees, entwined, supported, or suffocated by numerous
+climbing plants, amongst which were blue and lilac convolvulus, and
+magnificent passion-flowers. The protection from the sun afforded by
+this dense mass of foliage was extremely grateful; but the air of the
+forest was close and stifling, and at the end of five miles we were
+glad to emerge once more into the open. The rest of the way lay over
+the hard lava, through a sort of desert of scrubby vegetation,
+occasionally relieved by clumps of trees in hollows. More than once we
+had a fine view of the sea, stretching away into the far distance,
+though it was sometimes mistaken for the bright blue sky, until the
+surf could be seen breaking upon the black rocks, amid the encircling
+groves of cocoa-nut trees.
+
+The sun shone fiercely at intervals, and the rain came down several
+times in torrents. The pace was slow, the road was dull and dreary,
+and many were the inquiries made for the 'Half-way House,' long before
+we reached it. We had still two miles farther to go, in the course of
+which we were drenched by a heavy shower. At last we came to a native
+house, crowded with people, where they were making _tappa_ or
+_kapa_--the cloth made from the bark of the paper-mulberry. Here we
+stopped for a few minutes until our guide hurried us on, pointing out
+the church and the 'Half-way House' just ahead.
+
+We were indeed glad to dismount after our weary ride, and rest in the
+comfortable rocking-chairs under the verandah. It is a small white
+wooden building, overhung with orange-trees, with a pond full of ducks
+and geese outside it, and a few scattered outbuildings, including a
+cooking hut, close by. A good-looking man was busy broiling
+beef-steaks, stewing chickens, and boiling _taro_, and we had soon a
+plentiful repast set before us, with the very weakest of weak tea as a
+beverage. The woman of the house, which contained some finely worked
+mats and clean-looking beds, showed us some _tappa cloth_, together
+with the mallets and other instruments used in its manufacture, and a
+beautiful orange-coloured _lei_, or feather necklace, which she had
+made herself. The cloth and mallets were for sale, but no inducement
+would persuade her to part with the necklace. It was the first she had
+ever made, and I was afterwards told that the natives are
+superstitiously careful to preserve the first specimen of their
+handiwork, of whatever kind it may be.
+
+A woman dressed in a pink _holoku_ and a light green apron had
+followed us hither from the cottages we had first stopped at, and I
+noticed at the time that, though she was chatting and laughing with a
+female companion, she did not seem very well. Whilst we were at lunch
+a sudden increase to her family took place, and before we were ready
+to start I paid her and her infant a visit. She was then sitting up,
+apparently as well as ever, and seemed to look upon the recent event
+as a very light matter.
+
+Directly we had finished our meal--about three o'clock--the guide came
+and tried to persuade us that, as the baggage-mules had not yet
+arrived, it would be too late for us to go on to-day, and that we had
+better spend the night where we were, and start early in the morning.
+We did not, however, approve of this arrangement, so the horses were
+saddled, and, leaving word that the baggage-mules were to follow on as
+soon as possible, we mounted, and set off for the 'Volcano House.' We
+had not gone far before we were again overtaken by a shower, which
+once more drenched us to the skin.
+
+The scene was certainly one of extreme beauty. The moon was hidden by
+a cloud, and the prospect lighted only by the red glare of the
+volcano, which hovered before and above us like the Israelites' pillar
+of fire, giving us hopes of a splendid spectacle when we should at
+last reach the long-wished-for crater. Presently the moon shone forth
+again, and gleamed and glistened on the rain-drops and silver-grasses
+till they looked like fireflies and glowworms. At last, becoming
+impatient, we proceeded slowly on our way, until we met a man on
+horseback, who hailed us in a cheery voice with an unmistakable
+American accent. It was the landlord of the 'Volcano House,' Mr. Kane,
+who, fearing from the delay that we had met with some mishap, had
+started to look for us. He explained that he thought it was only his
+duty to look after and help ladies visiting the volcano, and added
+that he had intended going down as far as the 'Half-way House' in
+search of us. It was a great relief to know that we were in the right
+track, and I quite enjoyed the gallop through the dark forest, though
+there was barely sufficient light to enable me to discern the horse
+immediately in front of me. When we emerged from the wood, we found
+ourselves at the very edge of the old crater, the bed of which, three
+or four hundred feet beneath us, was surrounded by steep and in many
+places overhanging sides. It looked like an enormous cauldron, four or
+five miles in width, full of a mass of cooled pitch. In the centre was
+the still glowing stream of dark red lava, flowing slowly towards us,
+and in every direction were red-hot patches, and flames and smoke
+issuing from the ground. A bit of the 'black country' at night, with
+all the coal-heaps on fire, would give you some idea of the scene. Yet
+the first sensation is rather one of disappointment, as one expects
+greater activity on the part of the volcano; but the new crater was
+still to be seen, containing the lake of fire, with steep walls rising
+up in the midst of the sea of lava.
+
+Twenty minutes' hard riding brought us to the door of the 'Volcano
+House,' from which issued the comforting light of a large wood fire,
+reaching halfway up the chimney. Native garments replaced Mabelle's
+and my dripping habits, and we sat before the fire in luxury until the
+rest of the party arrived. After some delay supper was served, cooked
+by our host, and accompanied by excellent Bass's beer, no wine or
+spirits being procurable on the premises. Mr. Kane made many apologies
+for shortcomings, explaining that his cook had run away that morning,
+and that his wife was not able to do much to assist him, as her first
+baby was only a week old.
+
+Everything at this inn is most comfortable, though the style is rough
+and ready. The interior is just now decorated for Christmas, with
+wreaths, and evergreens, and ferns, and bunches of white plumes, not
+unlike _reva-reva_, made from the pith of the silver-grass. The beds
+and bedrooms are clean, but limited in number, there being only three
+of the latter altogether. The rooms are separated only by partitions
+of grass, seven feet high, so that there is plenty of ventilation, and
+the heat of the fire permeates the whole building. But you must not
+talk secrets in these dormitories or be too restless. I was amused to
+find, in the morning, that I had unconsciously poked my hand through
+the wall of our room during the night.
+
+The grandeur of the view in the direction of the volcano increased as
+the evening wore on. The fiery cloud above the present crater
+augmented in size and depth of colour; the extinct crater glowed red
+in thirty or forty different places; and clouds of white vapour
+issued from every crack and crevice in the ground, adding to the
+sulphurous smell with which the atmosphere was laden. Our room faced
+the volcano: there were no blinds, and I drew back the curtains and
+lay watching the splendid scene until I fell asleep.
+
+_Sunday, December 24th (Christmas Eve)_.--I was up at four o'clock, to
+gaze once more on the wondrous spectacle that lay before me. The
+molten lava still flowed in many places, the red cloud over the fiery
+lake was bright as ever, and steam was slowly ascending in every
+direction, over hill and valley, till, as the sun rose, it became
+difficult to distinguish clearly the sulphurous vapours from the
+morning mists. We walked down to the Sulphur Banks, about a quarter of
+a mile from the 'Volcano House,' and burnt our gloves and boots in our
+endeavours to procure crystals, the beauty of which generally
+disappeared after a very short exposure to the air. We succeeded,
+however, in finding a few good specimens, and, by wrapping them at
+once in paper and cotton-wool and putting them into a bottle, hope to
+bring them home uninjured.
+
+On our return we found a gentleman who had just arrived from Kau, and
+who proposed to join us in our expedition to the crater, and at three
+o'clock in the afternoon we set out, a party of eight, with two
+guides, and three porters to carry our wraps and provisions, and to
+bring back specimens. Before leaving the inn the landlord came to us
+and begged us in an earnest and confidential manner to be very
+careful, to do exactly what our guides told us, and especially to
+follow in their footsteps exactly when returning in the dark. He
+added, 'There never has been an accident happen to anybody from my
+house, and I should feel real mean if one did: but there have been a
+power of narrow escapes.'
+
+First of all we descended the precipice, 300 feet in depth, forming
+the wall of the old crater, but now thickly covered with vegetation.
+It is so steep in many places that flights of zig-zag wooden steps
+have been inserted in the face of the cliff in some places, in order
+to render the descent practicable. At the bottom we stepped straight
+on to the surface of cold boiled lava, which we had seen from above
+last night. Even here, in every crevice where a few grains of soil had
+collected, delicate little ferns might be seen struggling for life,
+and thrusting out their green fronds towards the light. It was the
+most extraordinary walk imaginable over that vast plain of lava,
+twisted and distorted into every conceivable shape and form, according
+to the temperature it had originally attained, and the rapidity with
+which it had cooled, its surface, like half-molten glass, cracking and
+breaking beneath our feet. Sometimes we came to a patch that looked
+like the contents of a pot, suddenly petrified in the act of boiling;
+sometimes the black iridescent lava had assumed the form of waves, or
+more frequently of huge masses of rope, twisted and coiled together;
+sometimes it was piled up like a collection of organ-pipes, or had
+gathered into mounds and cones of various dimensions. As we proceeded
+the lava became hotter and hotter, and from every crack arose gaseous
+fumes, affecting our noses and throats in a painful manner; till at
+last, when we had to pass to leeward of the molten stream flowing from
+the lake, the vapours almost choked us, and it was with difficulty we
+continued to advance. The lava was more glassy and transparent-looking,
+as if it had been fused at a higher temperature than usual; and the
+crystals of sulphur, alum, and other minerals, with which it abounded,
+reflected the light in bright prismatic colours. In places it was quite
+transparent, and we could see beneath it the long streaks of a stringy
+kind of lava, like brown spun glass, called 'Pele's hair.'
+
+At last we reached the foot of the present crater, and commenced the
+ascent of the outer wall. Many times the thin crust gave way beneath
+our guide, and he had to retire quickly from the hot, blinding,
+choking fumes that immediately burst forth. But we succeeded in
+reaching the top; and then what a sight presented itself to our
+astonished eyes! I could neither speak nor move at first, but could
+only stand and gaze at the horrible grandeur of the scene.
+
+We were standing on the extreme edge of a precipice, overhanging a
+lake of molten fire, a hundred feet below us, and nearly a mile
+across. Dashing against the cliffs on the opposite side, with a noise
+like the roar of a stormy ocean, waves of blood-red, fiery, liquid
+lava hurled their billows upon an iron-bound headland, and then rushed
+up the face of the cliffs to toss their gory spray high in the air.
+The restless, heaving lake boiled and bubbled, never remaining the
+same for two minutes together. Its normal colour seemed to be a dull
+dark red, covered with a thin grey scum, which every moment and in
+every part swelled and cracked, and emitted fountains, cascades, and
+whirlpools of yellow and red fire, while sometimes one big golden
+river, sometimes four or five, flowed across it. There was an island
+on one side of the lake, which the fiery waves seemed to attack
+unceasingly with relentless fury, as if bent on hurling it from its
+base. On the other side was a large cavern, into which the burning
+mass rushed with a loud roar, breaking down in its impetuous headlong
+career the gigantic stalactites that overhung the mouth of the cave,
+and flinging up the liquid material for the formation of fresh ones.
+
+It was all terribly grand, magnificently sublime; but no words could
+adequately describe such a scene. The precipice on which we were
+standing overhung the crater so much that it was impossible to see
+what was going on immediately beneath; but from the columns of smoke
+and vapour that arose, the flames and sparks that constantly drove us
+back from the edge, it was easy to imagine that there must have been
+two or three grand fiery fountains below. As the sun set, and darkness
+enveloped the scene, it became more awful than ever. We retired a
+little way from the brink, to breathe some fresh air, and to try and
+eat the food we had brought with us; but this was an impossibility.
+Every instant a fresh explosion or glare made us jump up to survey the
+stupendous scene. The violent struggles of the lava to escape from its
+fiery bed, and the loud and awful noises by which they were at times
+accompanied, suggested the idea that some imprisoned monsters were
+trying to release themselves from their bondage, with shrieks and
+groans, and cries of agony and despair, at the futility of their
+efforts.
+
+Sometimes there were at least seven spots on the borders of the lake
+where the molten lava dashed up furiously against the rocks--seven
+fire-fountains playing simultaneously. With the increasing darkness
+the colours emitted by the glowing mass became more and more
+wonderful, varying from the deepest jet black to the palest grey, from
+darkest maroon, through cherry and scarlet, to the most delicate pink,
+violet, and blue; from the richest brown, through orange and yellow,
+to the lightest straw-colour. And there was yet another shade, only
+describable by the term 'molten-lava colour.' Even the smokes and
+vapours were rendered beautiful by their borrowed lights and tints,
+and the black peaks, pinnacles, and crags, which surrounded the
+amphitheatre, formed a splendid and appropriate background. Sometimes
+great pieces broke off and tumbled with a crash into the burning lake,
+only to be remelted and thrown up anew. I had for some time been
+feeling very hot and uncomfortable, and on looking round the cause was
+at once apparent. Not two inches beneath the surface, the grey lava on
+which we were standing and sitting was red-hot. A stick thrust through
+it caught fire, a piece of paper was immediately destroyed, and the
+gentlemen found the heat from the crevices so great that they could
+not approach near enough to light their pipes.
+
+One more long last look, and then we turned our faces away from the
+scene that had enthralled us for so many hours. The whole of the lava
+we had crossed, in the extinct crater, was now aglow in many patches,
+and in all directions flames were bursting forth, fresh lava was
+flowing, and steam and smoke were issuing from the surface. It was a
+toilsome journey back again, walking as we did in single file, and
+obeying the strict injunctions of our head guide to follow him
+closely, and to tread exactly in his footsteps. On the whole it was
+easier by night than by day to distinguish the route to be taken, as
+we could now see the dangers that before we could only feel; and many
+were the fiery crevices we stepped over or jumped across. Once I
+slipped, and my foot sank through the thin crust. Sparks issued from
+the ground, and the stick on which I leant caught fire before I could
+fairly recover myself.
+
+Either from the effects of the unaccustomed exercise after our long
+voyage, or from the intense excitement of the novel scene, combined
+with the gaseous exhalations from the lava, my strength began to fail,
+and before reaching the side of the crater I felt quite exhausted. I
+struggled on at short intervals, however, collapsing several times and
+fainting away twice; but at last I had fairly to give in, and to allow
+myself to be ignominiously carried up the steep precipice to the
+'Volcano House' on a chair, which the guides went to fetch for me.
+
+It was half-past eleven when we once more found ourselves beneath Mr.
+Kane's hospitable roof; he had expected us to return at nine o'clock,
+and was beginning to feel anxious about us.
+
+_Monday, December 25th (Christmas Day)_.--Turning in last night was
+the work of a very few minutes, and this morning I awoke perfectly
+refreshed and ready to appreciate anew the wonders of the prospect
+that met my eyes. The pillar of fire was still distinctly visible when
+I looked out from my window, though it was not so bright as when I
+had last seen it; but even as I looked it began to fade, and gradually
+disappeared. At the same moment a river of glowing lava issued from
+the side of the bank we had climbed with so much difficulty yesterday,
+and slowly but surely overflowed the ground we had walked over. I woke
+Tom, and you may imagine the feelings with which we gazed upon this
+startling phenomenon, which, had it occurred a few hours earlier,
+might have caused the destruction of the whole party. If our
+expedition had been made to-day instead of yesterday, we should
+certainly have had to proceed by a different route to the crater, and
+should have looked down on the lake of fire from a different spot.
+
+I cannot hope that in my attempt to give you some idea of Kilauea as
+we beheld it, I shall be successful in conveying more than a very
+faint impression of its glories. I feel that my description is so
+utterly inadequate, that, were it not for the space, I should be
+tempted to send you in full the experiences of previous visitors, as
+narrated in Miss Bird's 'Six Months in the Sandwich Islands,' and Mr.
+Bodham Whetham's 'Pearls of the Pacific.' The account contained in the
+former work I had read before arriving here; the latter I enjoyed at
+the 'Volcano House.' Both are well worth reading by any one who feels
+an interest in the subject.
+
+It would, I think, be difficult to imagine a more interesting and
+exciting mode of spending Christmas Eve than yesterday has taught us,
+or a stranger situation in which to exchange our Christmas greetings
+than beneath the grass roof of an inn on the edge of a volcano in the
+remote Sandwich Islands. They were certainly rendered none the less
+cordial and sincere by the novelty of our position, and I think we are
+all rather glad not to have in prospect the inevitable feastings and
+ceremonies, without which it seems to be impossible to commemorate
+this season in England. If we had seen nothing but Kilauea since we
+left home, we should have been well rewarded for our long voyage.
+
+At six o'clock we were dressed and packed. Breakfast followed at
+half-past, and at seven we were prepared for a start. Our kind, active
+host, and his wife and baby, all came out to see us off. The canter
+over the dewy grass, in the fresh morning air, was most invigorating.
+It was evident that no one had passed along the road since Saturday
+night, for we picked up several waifs and strays dropped in the dark
+on our way up--a whip, a stirrup, mackintosh hood, &c.
+
+By half-past ten we had reached the 'Half-way House,' where we were
+not expected so early, and where we had ample opportunity to observe
+the native ways of living, while waiting for our midday meal--an
+uninteresting mess of stewed fowl and _taro_, washed down with weak
+tea. After it was over I made an unsuccessful attempt to induce the
+woman of the house to part with her orange-coloured _lei_. I bought
+some _tappa_ and mallets, however, with some of the markers used in
+colouring the cloth, and a few gourds and calabashes, forming part of
+the household furniture. While the horses were being saddled
+preparatory to our departure, Mabelle and I went to another cottage
+close by, to see the mother of the baby that had been born while we
+were here on Saturday. She was not at home; but we afterwards found
+her playing cards with some of her friends in a neighbouring hut.
+Quite a large party of many natives were gathered together, not the
+least cheerful of whom was the young mother whose case had interested
+me so much.
+
+The rest of the ride down to Hilo was as dull and monotonous as our
+upward journey had been, although, in order to enable us to get over
+it as quickly as possible, fresh horses had been sent to meet us. At
+last we reached the pier, where we found the usual little crowd
+waiting to see us off. The girls who had followed us when we first
+landed came forward shyly when they thought they were unobserved, and
+again encircled me with _leis_ of gay and fragrant flowers. The custom
+of decorating themselves with wreaths on every possible occasion is in
+my eyes a charming one, and I like the inhabitants of Polynesia for
+their love of flowers. They are as necessary to them as the air they
+breathe, and I think the missionaries make a mistake in endeavouring
+to repress so innocent and natural a taste.
+
+The whole town was _en fete_ to-day. Natives were riding about in
+pairs, in the cleanest of bright cotton dresses and the freshest of
+_leis_ and garlands. Our own men from the yacht contributed not a
+little to the gaiety of the scene. They were all on shore, and the
+greater part of them were galloping about on horseback, tumbling off,
+scrambling on again, laughing, flirting, joking, and enjoying
+themselves generally after a fashion peculiar to English sailors. As
+far as we know the only evil result of all this merriment was that the
+doctor received a good many applications for diachylon plaster in the
+course of the evening, to repair various 'abrasions of the cuticle,'
+as he expressed it.
+
+I think at least half the population of Hilo had been on board the
+yacht in the course of the day, as a Christmas treat. At last we took
+a boat and went off too, accompanied by Mr. Lyman. The appearance of
+the 'Sunbeam' from the shore was very gay, and as we approached it
+became more festive still. All her masts were tipped with sugar-canes
+in bloom. Her stern was adorned with flowers, and in the arms of the
+figure-head was a large bouquet. She was surrounded with boats, the
+occupants of which cheered us heartily as we rowed alongside. The
+gangway was decorated with flowers, and surmounted by a triumphal
+arch, on which were inscribed 'Welcome Home,' 'A Merry Christmas,' 'A
+Happy New Year,' and other good wishes. The whole deck was festooned
+with tropical plants and flowers, and the decorations of the cabins
+were even more beautiful and elaborate. I believe all hands had been
+hard at work ever since we left to produce this wonderful effect, and
+every garden in Hilo had furnished a contribution to please and
+surprise us on our return.
+
+The choir from Hilo came out in boats in the evening, sang all sorts
+of songs, sacred and secular, and cheered everybody till they were
+hoarse. After this, having had a cold dinner, in order to save
+trouble, and having duly drunk the health of our friends at home, we
+all adjourned to the saloon, to assist in the distribution of some
+Christmas presents, a ceremony which afforded great delight to the
+children, and which was equally pleasing to the elder people and to
+the crew, if one may judge from their behaviour on the occasion.
+
+Then we sat on deck, gazing at the cloud of fire over Kilauea, and
+wondering if the appearance of the crater could ever be grander than
+it was last night, when we were standing on its brim.
+
+So ended Christmas Day, 1876, at Hilo, in Hawaii. God grant that there
+may be many more as pleasant for us in store in the future!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVI.
+
+HAWAIIAN SPORTS.
+
+    _In wrestling nimble, and in running swift,_
+    _In shooting steady, and in swimming strong,_
+    _Well made to strike, to leap, to throw, to lift,_
+    _And all the sports that shepherds are among._
+
+
+_Tuesday, December 26th_.--We went ashore at eight o'clock, after an
+early cup of coffee, and found Mr. Lyman already waiting for us. Two
+baggage-mules were sent off with the photographic apparatus, and all
+the materials for breakfast, to the Rainbow Falls, where the children
+are looking forward with intense glee to boiling their own kettle,
+poaching eggs, and trying other cooking experiments.
+
+Before setting out for the Falls ourselves, we went to see the
+national sport of surf-swimming, for their skill in which the
+Hawaiians are so justly famed.
+
+The natives have many other games of which they are very fond, and
+which they play with great skill, including spear-throwing,
+transfixing an object with a dart, _kona_, an elaborate kind of
+draughts, and _talu_, which consists in hiding a small stone under one
+of five pieces of cloth, placed in front of the players. One hides the
+stone, and the others have to guess where it is; and it generally
+happens that, however dexterously the hider may put his arm beneath
+the cloth, and dodge about from one piece to another, a clever player
+will be able to tell, by the movement of the muscles of the upper part
+of his arm, when his fingers relax their hold of the stone. Another
+game, called _parua_, is very like the Canadian sport of 'tobogging,'
+only that it is carried on on the grass instead of on the snow. The
+performers stand bolt upright on a narrow plank, turned up in front,
+and steered with a sort of long paddle. They go to the top of a hill
+or mountain, and rush down the steep, grassy, sunburnt slopes at a
+tremendous pace, keeping their balance in a wonderful manner. There is
+also a very popular amusement, called _pahe_, requiring a specially
+prepared smooth floor, along which the javelins of the players glide
+like snakes. On the same floor they also play at another game, called
+_maita_, or _uru maita_. Two sticks, only a few inches apart, are
+stuck into the ground, and at a distance of thirty or forty yards the
+players strive to throw a stone between them. The _uru_ which they use
+for the purpose is a hard circular stone, three or four inches in
+diameter, and an inch in thickness at the edge, but thicker in the
+middle.
+
+Mr. Ellis, in his 'Polynesian Researches,' states that 'these stones
+are finely polished, highly valued, and carefully preserved, being
+always oiled or wrapped up in native cloth after having been used. The
+people are, if possible, more fond of this game than of the _pahe_,
+and the inhabitants of a district not unfrequently challenge the
+people of the whole island, or the natives of one island those of all
+the others, to bring a man who shall try his skill with some favourite
+player of their own district or island. On such occasions seven or
+eight thousand people, men and women, with their chiefs and
+chiefesses, assemble to witness the sport, which, as well as the
+_pahe_, is often continued for hours together.'
+
+With bows and arrows they are as clever as all savages, and
+wonderfully good shots, attempting many wonderful feats. They are
+swift as deer, when they choose, though somewhat lazy and indolent.
+All the kings and chiefs have been special adepts in the invigorating
+pastime of surf-swimming, and the present king's sisters are
+considered first-rate hands at it. The performers begin by swimming
+out into the bay, and diving under the huge Pacific rollers, pushing
+their surf-boards--flat pieces of wood, about four feet long by two
+wide, pointed at each end--edgewise before them. For the return
+journey they select a large wave; and then, either sitting, kneeling,
+or standing on their boards, rush in shorewards with the speed of a
+racehorse, on the curling crest of the monster, enveloped in foarn and
+spray, and holding on, as it were, by the milk-white manes of their
+furious coursers. It looked a most enjoyable amusement, and I should
+think that, to a powerful swimmer, with plenty of pluck, the feat is
+not difficult of accomplishment. The natives here are almost
+amphibious. They played all sorts of tricks in the water, some of the
+performers being quite tiny boys. Four strong rowers took a whale-boat
+out into the worst surf, and then, steering her by means of a large
+oar, brought her safely back to the shore on the top of a huge wave.
+
+After the conclusion of this novel entertainment, we all proceeded on
+horseback to the Falls, Baby going in front of Tom, and Muriel riding
+with Mr. Freer. After a couple of miles we dismounted, and had a short
+walk through grass and ferns to a pretty double waterfall, tumbling
+over a cliff, about 100 feet high, into a glassy pool of the river
+beneath. It fell in front of a fern-filled black lava cavern, over
+which a rainbow generally hangs. As it was too wet to sit on the grass
+after the rain, we took possession of the verandah of a native house,
+commanding a fine view of the bay and town of Hilo. The hot coffee and
+eggs were a great success eventually, though the smoke from the wood
+fire nearly suffocated us in the process of cooking. Excellent also
+was some grey mullet, brought to us alive, and cooked native
+fashion,--wrapped up in _ti_ leaves, and put into a hole in the
+ground.
+
+After taking a few photographs it was time to return; and we next went
+to a pretty garden, which we had seen on the night of our arrival,
+and, tying up our horses outside, walked across it to the banks of the
+river. Here we found a large party assembled, watching half the
+population of Hilo disporting themselves in, upon, and beneath the
+water. They climbed the almost perpendicular rocks on the opposite
+side of the stream, took headers, and footers, and siders from any
+height under five-and-twenty feet, dived, swam in every conceivable
+attitude, and without any apparent exertion, deep under the water, or
+upon its surface. But all this was only a preparation for the special
+sight we had come to see. Two natives were to jump from a precipice,
+100 feet high, into the river below, clearing on their way a rock
+which projected some twenty feet from the face of the cliff, at about
+the same distance from the summit. The two men, tall, strong, and
+sinewy, suddenly appeared against the sky-line, far above our heads,
+their long hair bound back by a wreath of leaves and flowers, while
+another garland encircled their waists. Having measured their distance
+with an eagle's glance, they disappeared from our sight, in order to
+take a run and acquire the necessary impetus. Every breath was held
+for a moment, till one of the men reappeared, took a bound from the
+edge of the rock, turned over in mid-air, and disappeared feet
+foremost into the pool beneath, to emerge almost immediately, and to
+climb the sunny bank as quietly as if he had done nothing very
+wonderful. His companion followed, and then the two clambered up to
+the twenty-feet projection, to clear which they had had to take such a
+run the first time, and once more plunged into the pool below. The
+feat was of course an easier one than the first; but still a leap of
+eighty feet is no light matter. A third native, who joined them in
+this exploit, gave one quite a turn as he twisted in his downward
+jump; but he also alighted in the water feet foremost, and bobbed up
+again directly, like a cork. He was quite a young man, and we
+afterwards heard that he had broken several ribs not more than a year
+ago, and had been laid up for six months in the hospital.
+
+We now moved our position a little higher up the river, to the Falls,
+over which the men, gliding down the shallow rapids above, in a
+sitting posture, allowed themselves to be carried. It looked a
+pleasant and easy feat, and was afterwards performed by many of the
+natives in all sorts of ways. Two or three of them would hold each
+other's shoulders, forming a child's train, or some would get on the
+backs of their companions, while others descended singly in a variety
+of attitudes. At last a young girl was also persuaded to attempt the
+feat. She looked very pretty as she started, in her white chemise and
+bright garland, and prettier still when she emerged from the white
+foam beneath the fall, and swam along far below the surface of the
+clear water, with her long black hair streaming out behind her.
+
+No description can give you any idea what an animated and
+extraordinary scene it was altogether. While our accounts were being
+settled, preparatory to our departure, I occupied myself in looking at
+some _kahilis_ and feather _leis._ The yellow ones, either of Oo or
+Mamo feathers, only found in this island, are always scarce, as the
+use of them is a prerogative of royalty and nobility. Just now it is
+almost impossible to obtain one, all the feathers being '_tabu_,' to
+make a royal cloak for Ruth, half-sister of Kamehameha V., and
+governess of Hawaii. Mamo feathers are generally worth a dollar a
+piece, and a good _lei_ or loose necklace costs about five hundred
+dollars. _Kahilis_ are also an emblem of rank, though many people use
+them as ornaments in their houses. They are rather like
+feather-brooms, two or three feet long, and three or four inches
+across, made of all sorts of feathers, tastefully interwoven. I bought
+one, and a couple of ordinary _leis_, which were all I could procure.
+But, alas! too soon all was over, and time for us to go on board.
+
+[Illustration: Feather Necklace]
+
+On our way off to the yacht we met one of the large double canoes
+coming in under sail from a neighbouring island. It consisted of two
+canoes lashed together, with a sort of basket dropped into the water
+between them, to enable them to carry their fish alive. They are not
+very common now, and we were therefore fortunate in meeting with one.
+Mr. Lyman made the men in charge turn her round, so as to afford us an
+opportunity of thoroughly examining her. In the time of Kamehameha
+there was a fleet of 10,000 of these canoes, and the king used to send
+them out in the roughest weather, and make them perform all sorts of
+manoeuvres.
+
+We found the yacht in the usual state of confusion incidental to a
+fresh departure, but everything was soon reduced to order, and off we
+started to steam and sail round the north end of the island, but we
+could not afford time to visit the place of Captain Cook's death and
+burial in Keelakeakua Bay. I believe there is not a great deal to see,
+however, and the spot is chiefly interesting from its associations.
+For many years a copper plate, fixed to a cocoa-nut tree, marked the
+spot where Cook fell, but this has now been replaced by a monument,
+the cost of which was defrayed by subscriptions at Honolulu. Maui is,
+I believe, a charming place, containing many fine plantations, and
+several gentlemen's estates, laid out in the English style.
+Unfortunately, time forbids our accepting some invitations we have
+received to visit the island, where a great many interesting
+excursions may be made.
+
+At Kahoolaue there does not seem much to be seen. It was purchased
+some years ago, and pays well as a sheep-run. Lauai, the next island,
+is scarcely inhabited, and its scenery is not remarkable.
+
+A sad interest attaches to the island of Molokai, which is situated
+midway between Maui and Oahu. It is the leper settlement, and to it
+all the victims of this terrible, loathsome, and incurable disease,
+unhappily so prevalent in the Hawaiian archipelago, are sent, in order
+to prevent the spread of the contagion. They are well cared for and
+looked after in every way; but their life, separated as they
+inevitably are from all they hold most dear, and with no prospect
+before them but that of a slow and cruel death, must indeed be a
+miserable one. In Molokai there are many tiny children, fatherless and
+motherless, parents without children, husbands without wives, wives
+without husbands, 'all condemned.' as Miss Bird says, 'to watch the
+repulsive steps by which each of their doomed fellows goes down to a
+loathsome death, knowing that by the same they too must pass.' A
+French priest has nobly devoted himself to the religious and secular
+instruction of the lepers, and up to the present time has enjoyed
+complete immunity from the disease; but even if he escapes this
+danger, he can _never_ return to his country and friends. When one
+thinks what that implies, and to what a death in life he has condemned
+himself for the sake of others, it seems impossible to doubt that he
+will indeed reap a rich reward hereafter.
+
+At two o'clock we saw Diamond Head, the easternmost headland of Oahu,
+rising from the sea. By four o'clock we were abreast of it, and
+steaming along the coast. The cape itself rises grandly from the midst
+of a grove of cocoa-nuts, and the shore all along, with the sharp high
+mountains of the Pali as a background, is fine and picturesque. A
+coral reef stretches far into the sea, and outside this we lay waiting
+for a pilot to take us into Honolulu Harbour.
+
+It was a long business mooring us by hawsers, from our stem and stern,
+but we were at last safely secured in a convenient place, a short
+distance from the shore, and where we should be refreshed by the sea
+breeze and the land breeze alternately. It was six o'clock, and nearly
+dark, when we reached the shore; the town seemed entirely deserted;
+all the little wooden houses were shut up, and there were no lights
+visible. The post-office was closed, but it was a terrible blow to
+hear there were no letters for us, though we still hoped that there
+might be some at the British Consulate.
+
+After a short time we returned on board the yacht in time for a late
+dinner. The first lieutenant of H.M.S. 'Fantome' came on board to pay
+us a visit during the evening, and told us all the latest English and
+American news, lending us some files of English papers--a great treat,
+but no compensation for our disappointment about the letters.
+
+_Thursday, December 28th_.--Tom and I went ashore at seven o'clock to
+make arrangements for repairing our mizen-sail. We soon found a
+sailmaker, who promised to set all hands to work and complete the job
+as quickly as possible. Being detained by a heavy shower of rain, we
+occupied the time in a gossip about Honolulu and its sayings and
+doings. When the shower was over, we walked through the town, which is
+clean and tidy, being laid out in squares, after the American style.
+The houses are all of wood, and generally have verandahs overhanging
+the street. They are seldom more than one story high, and nearly all
+have a little greenery about them.
+
+We returned to the yacht for breakfast, and, having heard that no
+sharks ever came into the long, narrow bay, were able to enjoy, in
+perfect peace of mind, the luxury of a bath overboard. It is a great
+pity that in the tropics, where bathing is such a delightful
+occupation, and where one might swim and paddle about for hours
+without fear of getting cold, it is often impossible even to enter the
+water for fear of the sharks. The natives are such expert swimmers
+that they do not seem to think much of this danger. As the shark turns
+on his back to take a bite at them, they dive underneath him, and he
+snaps his jaws on emptiness. In fact, sometimes the swimmer will take
+advantage of the opportunity to stab his enemy as he passes beneath
+him.
+
+Scarcely was breakfast over when we were inundated with visitors, who
+kindly came to see what they could do for us to make our stay
+agreeable. We lunched on shore, and afterwards went to the new
+Government buildings and museum. From thence we strolled to the
+various shops where 'curios' and photographs are to be bought, and
+collected a goodly store, returning on board the yacht to find more
+visitors.
+
+[Illustration: War Necklace[13]]
+
+[Footnote 13: The accompanying sketch is from a necklace that belonged
+to King Kamehameha I., and was given to me by one of his descendants.]
+
+We lunched on shore, and afterwards went with Mr. Chambre,
+navigating-lieutenant of the 'Fantome,' to the new Government
+buildings. There we found an excellent English library, and an
+interesting collection of books printed in English and Hawaiian, on
+alternate pages, including alphabets, grammars, the old familiar
+nursery tales, &c. There is also a good, though small museum,
+containing specimens of beautiful corals, shells, seaweeds, and
+fossils; all the ancient native weapons, such as bows, arrows, swords,
+and spears--now, alas! no longer procurable--sling-stones, and stones
+used in games, back-scratchers, hair-ornaments made of sharks' teeth,
+tortoise-shell cups and spoons, calabashes and bowls. There were some
+most interesting though somewhat horrible necklaces made of hundreds
+of braids of human hair cut from the heads of victims slain by the
+chiefs themselves; from these braids was suspended a monstrous hook
+carved from a large whale's tooth, called a Paloola, regarded by the
+natives as a sort of idol. There are models of ancient and modern
+canoes--the difference between which is not very great,--paddles,
+inlaid with mother-of-pearl, old war-masks, and dresses still in use
+in the less frequented islands, anklets of human teeth, and many other
+things far too numerous to mention. The most interesting of all were,
+perhaps, the old feather war cloaks, like the ancient _togas_ of the
+Romans. They are made of thousands of yellow, red, and black feathers,
+of the _oo, niamo,_ and _eine_, taken singly and fastened into a sort
+of network of string, so as to form a solid fabric, like the richest
+velvet or plush, that glitters like gold in the sunlight. The helmets,
+made of the same feathers, but worked on to a frame of perfect Grecian
+shape, similar to those seen in the oldest statuary or on the Elgin
+marbles, are even more artistic and elegant. Whence came the idea and
+design? Untutored savages could scarcely have evolved them out of
+their own heads. Some element of civilisation, and of highly artistic
+civilisation too, must surely have existed among them at some remote
+period of their history.
+
+[Illustration: Ancient War Masks and Costumes from the Museum at
+Honolulu]
+
+_Friday, December 29th_.--We had a bathe overboard early this morning.
+The children were ashore at half-past nine, to go and spend the day at
+a friend's, at the top of the Nuuanu Avenue, on the road to the Pali.
+
+The King's two sisters came to call on us in the morning with their
+respective husbands. We had a great many visitors all the morning,
+till it was time to go to lunch; after which we went to call on the
+Princess Likelike, who drove me to Waikiki, to see her sister, the
+Princess Kamakaeha, at her country residence, a very large native
+grass house, with an enormous verandah. Both ladies are married to
+Englishmen, and live partly in English style. Inside there is a
+spacious drawing-room, well furnished, with pictures and nick-nacks,
+where we spent a pleasant half-hour in the gloaming. The sunset, over
+Diamond Head, and the sea, which was just visible through the
+cocoa-nut trees, was splendid. Both the Princesses were as kind as
+they could be. The royal family have formed quite a little colony
+here. The King's house is next door, and that of the Prince Leleiohoku
+is not far off. They all come here in the most unpretending way
+possible, and amuse themselves by fishing and bathing.
+
+It had been quite dark for some time, when the Princess Likelike
+dropped me at the hotel at half-past seven, where I found Tom and Mr.
+Freer waiting for me. We had a quiet dinner, and then went for a
+stroll. It was a fine clear night, with an almost full moon. The
+streets were full of equestrians, riding about in pairs, for there was
+to be a great riding party up to the Pali to-night, the _rendezvous_
+for which was in Emma Square. Every lady had to select and bring with
+her an attendant cavalier.[14]
+
+[Footnote 14: The event was thus announced in the 'Hawaiian
+Gazette:'--'THE LAST CHANCE.--We are informed that a riding party will
+come off on Friday evening, when all the young ladies who desire to
+participate are expected to be on hand, each with the cavalier whom
+she may invite. As leap-year is drawing to a close it is expected that
+this opportunity will be extensively embraced. Place of rendezvous,
+Emma Square: time, seven-thirty; Luminary for the occasion, a full
+moon.']
+
+There are no side-saddles in any of these islands; all the ladies
+ride like men, and sit their horses very well. They wear long
+riding-dresses, cleverly and elegantly adapted to the exigencies of
+the situation, generally of some light material, and of _very_ bright
+colours. The effect of a large party galloping along, with wreaths and
+garlands in their hats and necks, and with their long skirts floating
+in the wind, is therefore picturesque and strange in the extreme.
+
+_Saturday, December 30th_.--Mabelle, Muriel, and I, were up early, and
+went off to the coral-reef before seven in the 'Flash.' It is very
+beautiful, but not so fine as those we have already seen at Tahiti and
+other South Sea Islands. We collected four or the distinct varieties
+of coral, and saw many marvellous creatures swimming about or sticking
+to the rocks. There were several canoes full of natives fishing, who
+appeared highly amused when we ran aground on a coral tree, as
+happened more than once. It was a pleasant way of spending the early
+morning in the bright sunshine, peering into the dark blue and light
+green depths below.
+
+Breakfast was ready by the time we returned on board, and soon
+afterwards I went on shore to pay some visits and to do some shopping.
+We went first to the fish-market, which presented a most animated
+scene, owing not only to the abundance of the dead produce of air,
+earth, and sea, which it contained, but to the large number of gaily
+attired purchasers.
+
+Saturday is a half-holiday in Oahu, and all the plantation and mill
+hands came galloping into Honolulu on horseback, chattering and
+laughing, dressed in the brightest colours, and covered with flowers.
+The latter are not so plentiful nor so beautiful as in Tahiti, but
+still, to our English eyes, they appear very choice. For fruit, too,
+we have been spoilt in the South Seas. The fish-market here, however,
+is unrivalled.
+
+Fish--raw or cooked--is the staple food of the inhabitants, and almost
+everybody we saw had half-a-dozen or more brilliant members of the
+finny tribe, wrapped up in fresh green banana leaves, ready to carry
+home. Shrimps are abundant and good. They are caught both in salt and
+fresh water, and the natives generally eat them alive, putting them
+into their mouths, ana either letting them hop down their throats, or
+crushing them between their teeth while they are still wriggling
+about. It looks a very nasty thing to do, but, after all, it is not
+much worse than our eating oysters alive.
+
+[Illustration: Chalcedon Imperator.]
+
+From the fish-market we went to the prison, a large and apparently
+admirably managed establishment, built of stone, and overlooking the
+harbour. After a pleasant drive along shady fragrant roads, we
+returned to Emma Square, to hear the excellent performance of the
+Saturday afternoon band. There was a good assemblage of people, on
+horseback, in carriages, and on foot, and crowds of children, all more
+or less white, languid, and sickly-looking. Poor mites! I suppose the
+climate is too hot for European constitutions. Still, they abound
+among the foreigners, while the natives are gradually, but surely,
+dying out. Among the whole royal family there is only one child, a
+dear little girl of rather more than a year old. Princess Kauilani
+('Sent from Heaven') she is always called, though she has a very long
+string of additional names. She is heiress-presumptive to the throne,
+and is thought a good deal of by everybody. Among twenty of the
+highest chiefs' families there is only one baby. On the other hand,
+all the foreign consuls, ministers, missionaries, and other white
+residents, appear to have an average of at least half a dozen in each
+family.
+
+After the performance was over, we walked to the Princess Likelike's
+house, where we were entertained at a _poi_ supper. The garden was
+illuminated, the band played and a choir sang alternately, while
+everybody sat out in the verandah, or strolled about the garden, or
+did what they liked best. Prince Leleiohoku took me in to supper,
+which was served in the native fashion, in calabashes and on leaves,
+laid on mats on the floor, in the same manner as the feast at Tahiti.
+The walls of the dining-room were made of palm-leaves and bananas, and
+the roof was composed of the standards of the various members of the
+royal family, gracefully draped. At one end of the long table, where
+the Prince and I sat, there was his special royal standard, as
+heir-apparent, and just behind us were stationed a couple of women,
+with two large and handsome _kahilis_, which they waved incessantly
+backwards and forwards. The viands were much the same as at
+Tahiti--raw seaweed, which was eaten with each mouthful, being
+substituted for the chopped cocoa-nut and salt-water. The carved _koa_
+bowls, which were in constant requisition as finger-glasses, were
+specially elegant and useful-looking articles. _Poi_ is generally
+eaten from a bowl placed between two people, by dipping three fingers
+into it, giving them a twirl round, and then sucking them. It sounds
+rather nasty; but, as a matter of fact, it is so glutinous a mixture
+that you really only touch the particles that stick to your fingers.
+The latter you wash after each mouthful, so that there is nothing so
+very dreadful about it after all. There was a quantity of raw fish,
+which I did not touch, but which some of our party thought most
+excellent, besides dried and cooked fish, which seemed very good,
+fried candle-nuts, baked pig, and many other delicacies. We could get
+however, nothing to drink. After supper, we returned to the house,
+where we found an abundance of champagne and other wines, cakes, and
+biscuits.
+
+About twelve o'clock we thought it was time to say good-bye, as it was
+Saturday night. Beneath a brilliant full moon the drive to the wharf
+and row off in the boat were delightful.
+
+_Sunday, December 31st_.--I was on deck at six o'clock, and saw what I
+had often heard about--a team of twenty oxen, driven by a man in a
+cart, drawing by means of a rope, about a quarter of a mile in length,
+a large ship through the opening in the reef, the man and cattle being
+upon the coral.[15]
+
+[Footnote 15: The following notice appeared in the _Hawaiian Gazette_
+recently: 'TO BE REPAIRED.--That staunch little craft the "Pele,"
+which Capt. Brown has for so long a time successfully commanded, is
+now being hauled up for the purpose of repairs. She will probably be
+laid up for six or eight weeks, and in the meantime the antique plan
+of towing vessels in and out of the harbour with teams of oxen on the
+reef will be resumed.']
+
+About half-past eight Mabelle and I were just going overboard for a
+swim, when I thought I saw the upper fin of an old familiar enemy, and
+directly afterwards the cry was echoed all over the ship, 'A shark, a
+shark!' It was a ground shark, and very nearly aground in the shallow
+water. They say this is the worst kind of all, and on making inquiry I
+was told that the safest way to enjoy a dip here is to bathe with a
+number of other people. The splashing and noise made by a whole ship's
+company frighten the sharks away. This discovery puts an end therefore
+to our hopes of enjoying an occasional peaceful bath.
+
+We went to eleven o'clock service at the cathedral. It is a pleasant
+small building, beautifully cool, and well adapted to this climate.
+The Bishop was unfortunately away, but the service was well performed.
+
+Later, Tom read the evening service to the men, and we afterwards
+landed and dined late at the hotel; so late, indeed, that we could
+hardly get anything to eat, and they began to shut up the room and put
+out the lights before we had half done. Luckily, we were a large
+party, and an indignant protest and threatened appeal to the landlord
+brought the Chinese waiters to their senses, and induced them to grant
+us half an hour's law. On our way back to the boat, the streets looked
+much more lively than they had hitherto done, being full of people
+returning from rides, drives, and excursions into the country. As a
+rule, directly after dark not a creature is to be seen about the
+streets, for every one disappears in the most mysterious manner.
+
+We went on board, and sat in the calm moonlight, thinking and talking
+over the events of the year, whose end was so swiftly approaching, and
+wondering what its successor may have in store for us. So ends, with
+all its joys and sorrows, its pleasures and pains, its hopes and
+fears, for us, the now old year, 1876.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVII.
+
+
+HONOLULU--DEPARTURE FOR JAPAN.
+
+    _Years following years, steal something every day;_
+    _At last they steal us from ourselves away._
+
+
+_Monday, January 1st, 1877_.--At midnight we were awakened by our
+ship's bell, and that of the 'Fantome,' being struck violently sixteen
+times. For the moment I could not imagine what it meant, and thought
+it must be an alarm of fire; indeed, it was not until Tom and I
+reached the deck, where we found nearly all the ship's company
+assembled at the top of the companion, and were greeted with wishes
+for 'A happy New Year, and many of them,' that we quite realised that
+nothing serious was the matter. Soon the strains of sweet music,
+proceeding from the Honolulu choirs, which had come out in boats to
+serenade us, fell upon our ears The choristers remained alongside for
+more than an hour, singing English and American sacred and secular
+hymns and songs, and then went off to the 'Fantome,' where they
+repeated the performance. The moon shone brightly; not a ripple
+disturbed the surface of the water; the cocoa-trees at Waikiki, and
+the distant mountains near the Pali, were all clearly defined against
+the dark blue sky. It was altogether a romantic and delicious scene,
+and we found it difficult to tear ourselves away from the sweet sounds
+which came floating over the sea.
+
+When I again went on deck, at half-past six, there was a large double
+canoe close to the yacht, crowded with people. It was difficult to
+make out what they were doing, for they appeared to be sitting on a
+great heap of something, piled up between the two canoes. Our sailors
+suggested that it must be 'some sort of a New Year's set out.' I
+ordered the 'Flash' to be got ready, and went with the children to
+make a closer investigation; and, as we approached, we could see that
+the pile that had puzzled us was a huge fishing-net. The tide here is
+very uncertain; but as soon as the water is low enough, they stretch
+the long net right across the narrow mouth of the harbour, and so
+secure an enormous quantity of fish of various kinds. It was a really
+good New Year's haul, and provided a hearty meal for a great many
+people.
+
+Mabelle and I went at twelve o'clock to the Queen's New Year's
+reception, held in the other wing of the palace. Having driven through
+the pretty gardens, we were received at the entrance by the Governor,
+and ushered through two reception rooms into the royal presence. The
+Queen was dressed in a European court-dress, of blue and white
+material, with the Hawaiian Order of the Garter across her breast. Two
+maids of honour were also in court-dress. Of the other ladies, some
+were in evening, some in morning dress, some with bonnets and some
+without; but their costumes were all made according to the European
+fashion, except that of her Highness Ruth, the Governess of Hawaii,
+who looked wonderfully well in a rich white silk native dress, trimmed
+with white satin. She had a necklace of orange-coloured _oo_ feathers
+round her neck, and dark yellow alamanda flowers in her hair. This
+native costume is a most becoming style of dress, especially to the
+chiefs and chiefesses, who are all remarkably tall and handsome, with
+a stately carriage and dignified manner. The Queen stood in front of
+the throne, on which were spread the royal robes, a long mantle of
+golden feathers, without speck or blemish. On each side stood two men,
+dressed in black, wearing frock-coats, and capes of red, black, and
+yellow feathers over their shoulders, and chimney-pot hats on their
+heads. In their hands they held two enormous _kahilis_ of black _oo_
+feathers, with handsome tortoise-shell and ivory handles. They were at
+least eight feet high altogether, and the feathers were about six
+inches across.
+
+The Princess presented Mabelle and me to her Majesty, and we had a
+short conversation through a lady interpreter. It is always an
+embarrassing thing to carry on a conversation in this way, especially
+when you find yourself in the midst of a square formed by a large
+crowd of ladies, who you fancy are all gazing at you, the one stranger
+present, and I was glad when fresh people arrived, and her Majesty's
+attention was claimed elsewhere.
+
+Queen Kapiolani is a nice-looking woman, with a very pleasing
+expression of countenance. She is the granddaughter of the heroic
+Princess Kapiolani, who, when the worship and fear of the goddess Pele
+were at their height, walked boldly up to the crater of Kilauea, in
+defiance of the warnings and threats of the high-priestess of the
+idolatrous rites, proclaiming her confidence in the power of her God,
+the God of the Christians, to preserve her. This act did much to
+assist in the establishment of Christianity in the Island of Hawaii,
+and to shake the belief of the native worshippers of Pele in the power
+of the fearful goddess.
+
+The Princess showed me round the room which contains the portraits of
+the kings and queens of the Sandwich Islands for many generations, the
+early ones attired in their feather capes, the later ones dressed in
+European costumes. Most of them were the work of native artists, but
+the portraits of Kamehameha II. and his queen were painted, during
+their visit to England, by a good artist. Their Majesties are depicted
+in the height of the fashion of the day, the king wearing a blue coat
+and brass buttons, with many orders on his breast, the queen having on
+a very short-waisted, tight-fitting white satin dress, a turban
+surmounted by a tremendous plume of white feathers, and a pearl
+necklace and bracelets: rather a trying costume for a handsome woman
+with a dark complexion and portly figure. They both died in England,
+and their remains were brought back here for burial, in H.M.S.
+'Blonde,' commanded by Lord Byron. There was also a portrait of
+Admiral Thomas, whose memory is highly reverenced here for the happy
+way in which he succeeded in terminating the disputes arising out of
+our claim to the island in 1843, and in restoring King Kamehameha III.
+to his own again.
+
+[Illustration: Feathered Cloak and Helmets.]
+
+The collection likewise included excellent portraits of Louis Philippe
+and Napoleon III. Curiously enough, each of these was sent off from
+France to the Sandwich Islands, by way of Cape Horn, while the
+original was in the zenith of his power and fame; and each reached its
+destination after the original had been deposed and had fled to
+England for refuge.
+
+But the most interesting object of all was still to come--the real
+feather cloak, cape, and girdle of the Kamehamehas, not generally to
+be seen, except at a coronation or christening, but which the Princess
+Kamakaeha, in her capacity of Mistress of the Robes, had kindly
+ordered to be put out for my inspection. The cloak, which is now the
+only one of the kind in existence, is about eleven feet long by five
+broad, and is composed of the purest yellow, or rather golden,
+feathers, which, in the sunlight, are perfectly gorgeous, as they have
+a peculiar kind of metallic lustre, quite independent of their
+brilliant colour.
+
+[Illustration: The Pali-Oahu]
+
+On leaving the palace I had intended to get some lunch at the hotel,
+but found that establishment was closed to the general public, and was
+in the possession of a native teetotal society; so I was obliged to
+return to the yacht. At half-past three, however, we all went ashore
+again, and set out on horseback, a large party, for an excursion to
+the Pali, the children, servants, and provisions preceding us in a
+light two-horse American wagon. We rode through the Nuuanu Avenue, and
+then up the hills, along a moderately good road, for about seven miles
+and a half. This, brought us into a narrow gorge in the midst of the
+mountains, from which we emerged on the other side of the central
+range of hills, forming the backbone of the island. The view from this
+point was beautiful, though I think that the morning would be a better
+time to enjoy it, as, with a setting sun, the landscape was all in
+shadow. The change of temperature, too, after the heat of Honolulu,
+was quite astonishing, considering the short distance we had
+come--about eight miles only. The carriage could not go quite to the
+top of the mountain, and after descending a short distance to where it
+had been left, we dismounted and spread our dinner on the ground; but
+darkness overtook us before we had finished. Matches and lamps had of
+course been forgotten; so that the business of packing up was
+performed under circumstances of great difficulty. The ride down, in
+the light of the almost full moon, was delightful.
+
+We were on board by half-past seven, and went ashore to a ball at nine
+o'clock. The dance took place in the large room of the Hawaiian Hotel,
+and was a great success. The Royal band played for us, and there was
+neither stuffiness nor crowding, nor were there any regulations as to
+dress, gentlemen and ladies coming in evening or morning dress, as it
+suited them best. The Governor and most of the English present,
+including our own party, wore evening dress, and the officers of the
+'Fantome' were in uniform. Every door and window was open, there was a
+large verandah to sit in, a garden to stroll about in between the
+dances, and an abundance of delicious iced lemonade--very different
+from the composition thus named which is generally met with in London
+assemblies--to drink. At half-past twelve, when people were beginning
+to disperse, we took our departure, Captain Long taking us off to the
+yacht in his boat.
+
+There is to be another ball on Thursday night, for which everybody is
+most anxious that we should stay, as it is to be rather a large
+affair. In order that you may see the Hawaiian fashion of sending out
+cards, I copy the form of invitation we received:--
+
+_The pleasure of the company of Mr. and Mrs.
+Thos. Brassey is requested at a Subscription Ball,
+at the Hawaiian Hotel,_
+
+      ON THURSDAY EVENING, JANUARY 4, 1877, AT 8 O'CLOCK.
+
+  _Respectfully,                        H.A. Widemann,_
+
+                                      FOR THE COMMITTEE.
+
+  _Mrs. Jas. Makee and Mrs. J.S. McGrew will kindly act as matrons
+  of the evening._
+
+
+_Tuesday, January 2nd_.--At eleven o'clock, the King, who was rather
+better, went on board the 'Fantome,' saw the men at quarters, and
+witnessed the firing of a couple of shots at a target, and shortly
+before twelve paid us a visit, accompanied by the Prince Leleiohoku
+and others. His Majesty is a tall, fine-looking man, with pleasant
+manners, and speaks English perfectly and fluently. He and the Prince
+visited and examined every corner of the yacht, and looked, I think,
+at almost every object on board. The pictures, curiosities, engines,
+and our various little contrivances for economising space, seemed to
+interest them the most. The inspection occupied at least an hour and a
+half; and when it was over, we had a long chat on deck on various
+subjects. The Prince of Wales's visit to India, and the Duke of
+Edinburgh's voyage round the world, were much discussed, I think the
+King would like to use them as a precedent, and see a little more of
+the world himself. His voyage to, and stay in America, he thoroughly
+enjoyed.
+
+It was two o'clock before our visitors left; and a quarter of an hour
+later the Queen and her sister arrived. Her Majesty and her sister
+made quite as minute an inspection of the yacht as her royal consort
+and his brother had done before them. We had arranged to be 'at home'
+to all our kind friends in Honolulu at four o'clock, at which hour
+precisely the Governor sent the Royal band on board to enliven the
+proceedings. Soon our other visitors began to arrive; but the Queen
+appeared to be so well amused that she did not leave until five
+o'clock. By-half-past six, the last of our guests (over 150 in number)
+had said farewell, and there only remained the band to be shown round
+and feasted after their labours. Tom went on board the 'Fantome' to
+dine, and to meet the British, French, German, and American
+representatives. We went to the hotel; and I must say that I never in
+my life felt more thoroughly worn out than I did that night, after
+standing about and receiving and entertaining all the day.
+
+_Wednesday, January 3rd_.--This was sure to be a disagreeable day,
+since it was to be the concluding one of our short stay in this
+pleasant place. The final preparations for a long voyage had also to
+be made; stores, water, and live stock to be got on board, bills to be
+paid, and adieux to be made to kind friends.
+
+I was on deck at six o'clock, in order to take some photographs and to
+stow away the coral, shells, curiosities, and presents of various
+kinds, that the King, Queen, Prince and Princess, as well as other
+kind friends, had sent us. Before seven the yacht was surrounded by
+boats, and the deck was quite impassable, so encumbered was it with
+all sorts of lumber, waiting to be stowed away, until the boats could
+be hoisted on board and secured for the voyage. The large mizen-sail,
+which had just been repaired and sent on board, looked enormous as it
+lay on the deck, surrounded by hen-coops, sheep, geese, sacks of coal,
+and baskets and parcels of every size and shape. One really began to
+wonder whether space could possibly be found on board for such a
+miscellaneous collection. Several visitors, who had been unable to
+come yesterday, arrived in the midst of the confusion. They must have
+carried away in their minds a different impression of the yacht from
+what they would have done had they seen her looking as trim and smart
+as she did yesterday. It could not, however, be helped; for the
+departure of a small vessel, with forty people on board, on a voyage
+of a month's duration, is a matter requiring considerable preparation.
+
+At eleven o'clock we landed and went to see the interior of the
+Queen's Hospital. It is a fine and well-kept building, containing, at
+the time of our visit, about ninety patients, the men occupying the
+lower, the women the upper story. Each ward is tastefully decorated
+with bouquets, and the name is written up in bright mauve
+bougainvillea or scarlet hibiscus, tacked on to white calico. Many of
+the convalescents wore wreaths and garlands of flowers, and even those
+in bed had a few beside them, or in some cases a single spray laid on
+the coverlet. The effect was bright and cheerful; and it seemed a kind
+and sensible idea to endeavour to gratify, instead of to repress, the
+instinctive love of flowers universally felt by the natives of these
+and of the South Sea Islands.
+
+From the hospital we went to pay farewell visits, to lunch at the
+hotel, and to settle sundry bills. At three we were to go to the Royal
+Mausoleum. This was a special privilege, and, I believe, the greatest
+compliment that has been paid to us anywhere. No foreigners are
+allowed to enter, except admirals on the station; and very few
+inhabitants of Honolulu have ever seen the interior. The King has one
+key, the Dowager Queen Emma another, and the Minister of the Interior
+the third.
+
+On our way up the hill to the Mausoleum, there was a funeral going on,
+very much after the style of an Irish wake in one of the dwellings of
+the poorer class. The house was decorated with flags, and was crowded
+with people, all dressed in black, and generally with bright yellow
+_leis_ over their heads and necks. They had evidently come from some
+distance, judging by the number of carts and wagons drawn up outside
+the door. Several people were sitting in an upper verandah. The corpse
+was laid out in the lower room, facing the road, as we could see
+through the open windows and door. It was surrounded by mourners, and
+four women were waving large _kahilis_ slowly backwards and forwards
+in front of it.
+
+The Princess herself met us at the Mausoleum, which is a small but
+handsome stone Gothic building, situated above the Nuuanu Avenue, on
+the road to the Pali. It commands a fine view over land and sea, and
+the gentle breezes waft through the open windows sweet scents from the
+many fragrant trees and flowers by which it is surrounded. There lay
+the coffins of all the kings of Hawaii, their consorts, and their
+children, for many generations past. The greater part were of polished
+_koa_ wood, though some were covered with red velvet ornamented with
+gold. Many of them appeared to be of an enormous size; for, as I have
+already observed, the chiefs of these islands have almost invariably
+been men of large and powerful frames. The bones of Kamehameha I. were
+in a square oak chest. At the foot of the coffin of Kamehameha IV.
+there were two immense _kahilis_ about twelve feet high, one of
+rose-coloured, the other of black feathers, with tortoise-shell
+handles. The remains of King Luna'ilo are not here, having been buried
+just outside the native church in the town. In the vestibule to the
+tombs of the kings rests the coffin of Mr. Wylie, described as 'the
+greatest European benefactor of the Hawaiian people.' A ship now in
+the harbour bears his name, and one constantly meets with proofs of
+the respect and reverence in which his name is held.
+
+The Princess drove us down to the wharf, where we said good-bye to her
+with feelings of the greatest regret. I cannot express the sorrow
+that we all feel at leaving the many kind friends we have met with in
+'dear Honolulu,' as Muriel calls it. But the farewells were at last
+over, the anchor was weighed, and the yacht, which was by this time
+once more in apple-pie order, began slowly to move ahead. Suddenly we
+heard shouts from the shore, and saw a boat pursuing us in hot haste.
+We stopped, and received on board a basket of beautiful ferns and
+other parcels from different friends. A second boat was then seen
+coming off to us, which contained a fine dish of delicious honey and
+some flowers. The order to go ahead again was scarcely given, before a
+third boat, in, if possible, hotter haste than the two previous ones,
+put off after us, bringing some things the laundress had forgotten.
+
+[Illustration: ZEUS CILIARIS]
+
+Now we are fairly off; and now surely the last link that binds us to
+the shore is broken. But no! there are farewell signals and hearty
+cheers yet to come from the officers and men of the 'Fantome;' and,
+still further out, on the top of the tiny lighthouse at the mouth of
+the narrow passage through the reef, stand other friends, cheering and
+waving their handkerchiefs. They had rowed out thither, being
+determined to give us really _the_ parting cheer, and till the shades
+of twilight fell we could see their white handkerchiefs fluttering,
+and hear their voices borne on the evening breeze, as we meandered
+slowly through the tortuous channels into deep water.
+
+Once outside we found there was plenty of wind and a heavy roll, which
+sent me quickly to bed.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVIII.
+
+
+HONOLULU TO YOKOHAMA.
+
+    _As slow our ship her foamy track_
+    _Against the wind was cleaving,_
+    _Her trembling pennant still look'd back_
+    _To that dear isle 'twas leaving._
+
+_Thursday, January 4th_.--It was very rough, but fortunately the wind
+came from a favourable quarter. Sorry as we all were to bid farewell
+to these charming islands, I could not help rejoicing that we had
+picked up a fresh fair wind so unexpectedly soon.
+
+While we were at Honolulu a regular epidemic of influenza prevailed in
+the place, affecting both man and beast. This is often the case during
+the prevalence of the south wind, which blew, more or less, during the
+whole of our stay. We none of us suffered from the malady at the time,
+but now nearly everybody on board is affected, and some very severely.
+
+_Friday, January 5th_.--The fresh fair breeze still continues. At noon
+we had sailed 240 knots. The head-sea we could dispense with, as it
+makes us all very uncomfortable. Muriel, Baby, the three maids, and
+several of the crew, are ill to-day with influenza, and I have a
+slight touch of it, so I suppose it will go right through the ship.
+Towards the evening the breeze increased to a gale.
+
+_Saturday, January 6th_.--The gale increased during the night, and the
+head-sea became heavier. There was a good deal of rain in the course
+of the day. The wind dropped about sunset, and was succeeded by
+intervals of calm, with occasional sharp squalls. Baby was very
+poorly all day, but seemed better at night. We have now regularly
+settled down to our sea life again, and, if only the children recover,
+I hope to get through a good deal of reading and writing between this
+and Japan. At present they occupy all my time and attention, but I
+think, like the weather, they have now taken a turn for the better.
+
+_Sunday, January 7th_.--A very rough and disagreeable day, with much
+rain. All the morning we rolled about, becalmed, in a heavy swell.
+Steam was ordered at half-past twelve, but before it was up the fair
+wind had returned, so the fires were put out. We had the Litany at
+eleven, and a short service, without a sermon, at four.
+
+Baby was _very_ ill all night. Everything was shut up on account of
+the torrents of rain, so that the heat was almost insufferable, and we
+tossed and tumbled about in the most miserable manner.
+
+_Monday, January 8th_.--All the early part of the morning we were in
+the greatest anxiety about Baby; she could hardly draw her breath, and
+lay in her cot, or on her nurse's lap, almost insensible, and quite
+blue in the face, in spite of the application of mustard, hot water,
+and every remedy we could think of. The influenza with her has taken
+the form of bronchitis and pleurisy. The other children are still
+ailing. Heavy squalls of wind and rain, and continuous rolling,
+prevailed throughout the day.
+
+_Tuesday, January 9th_.--The wind fell light, and the weather
+improved; but we tumbled about more than ever. The thermometer in the
+nursery stood at 90 deg.. The children are a shade better.
+
+_Wednesday, January 10th_.--Very hot, and a flat calm. Steam was up at
+7.30 a.m. Mabelle is convalescent; Muriel not so well; Baby certainly
+better. In the afternoon one of the boiler-tubes burst. It was
+repaired, and we went on steaming. In the evening it burst again, and
+was once more repaired, without causing a long stoppage.
+
+(_Thursday, January 11th_, had no existence for us, as, in the
+process of crossing the 180th meridian, we have lost a day.)
+
+_Friday, January 12th_.--Wednesday morning with us was Tuesday evening
+with people in England, and we were thus twelve hours in advance of
+them. To-day the order of things is reversed, and we are now twelve
+hours behind our friends at home. Having quitted one side of the map
+of the world (according to Mercator's projection), and entered upon
+the other half, we begin to feel that we are at last really 'homeward
+bound.'
+
+At four a.m. Powell woke us with the announcement that the boiler-tube
+had again burst, and that we had consequently ceased steaming. Letting
+off steam, and blowing out the boiler, made a tremendous noise, which
+aroused everybody in the ship. It was a lovely morning, but a flat
+calm, and the sun rose magnificently. The few light clouds near the
+surface of the water caught and reflected the rays of light most
+brilliantly before the sun itself appeared, and assumed all manner of
+fanciful shapes.
+
+About six o'clock a very light breeze sprang up, which increased
+during the day; but the sea remained perfectly calm. We think we must
+have got into the trade again. This weather is indeed a luxury after
+all the knocking about we have lately gone through; and I feel as if I
+could never rest enough. The constant effort to maintain one's
+balance, whether sitting, standing, or moving about, has been most
+fatiguing, and the illness of the children has made matters worse.
+Baby is, I hope, now quite out of danger.
+
+_Saturday, January 13th_.--The engineers made up their minds that we
+were in the trade winds again yesterday, and that we should not want
+the engines for some days. They therefore did not hurry on with the
+repairs as they should have done. This morning there was a calm, and
+when Tom ordered steam to be got up at once, the reply was,
+'Please, sir, the engine won't be ready till night.' This was
+annoying; but they worked extra hard all day, and by 4 p.m. steam was
+raised. At six a nice little breeze sprang up, which freshened during
+the evening, and at midnight orders were given to stop steaming.
+
+We had another bad night of it--a head wind, the sea washing over the
+decks, everything shut up, and the thermometer standing at 90 deg..
+
+_Sunday, January 14th_.--I was on deck at 4 a.m. The Southern Cross,
+the Great Bear, and the North Star, were shining with a brilliancy
+that eclipsed all the other stars.
+
+During the day the wind freshened to a squally gale. Sometimes we were
+going ten, sometimes thirteen, and sometimes fifteen knots through the
+water, knocking about a good deal all the while. Service was an
+impossibility; cooking and eating, indeed, were matters of difficulty.
+It rained heavily, and the seas came over the deck continually.
+
+Many of the sailors and servants were ill. I was hopelessly so.
+Nothing annoys me more than to find that, after having sailed tens and
+tens of thousands of miles, I cannot cure myself of sea-sickness. I
+can stand a good deal more rolling than I once could; but still, many
+are the days when nothing but the firmest determination not to think
+about it, but to find something to do, and to do it with all my might,
+keeps me on my feet at all. Fewer, happily, are the days when
+struggling is of no avail, when I am utterly and hopelessly
+incapacitated, ignominiously and literally laid flat on my back, and
+when no effort of will can enable me to do what I most wish to
+accomplish. If only some physician could invent a sovereign remedy for
+sea-sickness, he would deserve well of his country, and of mankind in
+general.
+
+_Monday, January 15th_.--I woke once or twice in the night, and felt
+exactly as if I were being pulled backwards through the water by my
+hair. We were rushing and tearing along at such a pace, against a head
+sea, that it almost took one's breath away. But at noon we were
+rewarded for all discomfort by finding that we had run 298 sea, or 343
+land miles, in 24 hours, and that between 8.14 yesterday and 8.15
+to-day we had made 302 knots, or 347 land miles--nearly 350 miles in
+the 24 hours--under very snug canvas, and through a heavy sea. The
+wind still continued fair and fresh, but the sea was much quieter, and
+we all felt comparatively comfortable. More sails were set during the
+afternoon. Some albatrosses and long-tailed tropic birds were seen
+hovering about us. The moon begins to give a good light now, and we
+found it very pleasant on deck this evening.
+
+_Wednesday, January 17th_.--It was a fine warm morning, and we got the
+children on deck for the first time for ten days.
+
+_Thursday, January 18th_.--Between breakfast and lunch we sailed over
+the spot where Tarquin Island is marked on the chart, and, between
+lunch and dinner, over a nameless reef, also marked on the chart. A
+good look-out had been kept at the masthead and in the bows, but not a
+trace could be seen of either of these objects in any direction. The
+weather kept clear and bright, and the sea was much calmer.
+
+During the last five days we have covered 1,221 sea miles.
+
+_Monday, January 22nd_.--At daylight Asuncion Island was still
+visible. It is of volcanic origin, and is in the form of a perfect
+sugar-loaf, 2,600 feet high, rising out of the sea, exactly as I had
+expected the Peak of Teneriffe to appear. I should like to have landed
+on the islands Agrigan or Tinian, so as to see the interesting remains
+left by the ancient inhabitants. Some people say that they resemble
+Aztec remains; others, that they are like those of the more modern
+Peruvians. All authorities, however, seem to agree that they are like
+those on Easter Island, the south-east extremity of Polynesia, this
+being the north-west.
+
+[Illustration: Amateur Navigation]
+
+We were close-hauled all day; the wind was strong, and the sea rough
+and disagreeable.
+
+_Tuesday, January 23rd_.--Still close-hauled, and still a heavy swell.
+I felt very ill, and could scarcely move my head for neuralgia. The
+galley boiler burst to-day, so we are now dependent on the one in the
+forecastle. During the night we passed the Euphrosyne rock. It looks
+like a ship in full sail, and abounds with turtle, fish, and
+sea-elephants.
+
+_Wednesday, January 24th_.--Very much colder, though we are only just
+outside the tropics. The wind was rather freer, and we had a beautiful
+moonlight night.
+
+_Friday, January 26th_.--During the night the breeze freshened, and in
+the morning increased to a gale. Steam was therefore let off. It has
+been a miserable day; so cold, wet, and rough, that it was impossible
+to do anything, or to sit anywhere, except on the floor.
+
+About 9 p.m. I was sitting in the deck-house, when I heard a
+tremendous crash, and, looking out, saw that the fore gig davits had
+been carried away, taking with them a piece of the rail, stanchion,
+and cavil. The gig was hanging from the after davits, one might say,
+by a thread, splashing and dashing in and out of the water, and
+crashing and splintering against the side of the yacht. All hands were
+speedily on deck; and in spite of the risk they ran, and of the
+remonstrances of their comrades, two of the gig's crew jumped into her
+with a rope, which they tried to pass round her. It was a difficult
+task in that heavy sea, and many times they failed, and we constantly
+feared that men, boat, and all were gone. Half a dozen of the crew
+caught hold of the rigging outside, put their backs against the yacht,
+and with legs outstretched tried to keep the gig off the ship's side,
+while all the loose gear was floating away out of her. At last there
+was a shout of triumph. The rope was round her, the men jumped on
+board the yacht again, whilst sailors, stewards, and passengers
+proceeded to hoist and drag the boat in, with all their might and
+main. Alas! she was only a wreck. Her sides were stove in, her planks
+were started, there was a hole in her bottom, and the moon shone
+through her many cracks.
+
+_Saturday, January 27th_.--About two o'clock this morning the yacht
+plunged so heavily into a deep sea, that the jibboom, a beautiful
+spar, broke short off, and the foretop-gallant mast and topgallant
+yard were carried away almost at the same moment, with a terrible
+noise. It took about eight hours to clear the wreck, all hands working
+all night; and a very forlorn appearance the deck presented in the
+morning, lumbered up with broken spars, ropes, &c. The jibboom fell
+right across the forefoot of the yacht, and now looks as if it had
+been cut at for weeks with some blunt tool.
+
+The weather cleared a little to-day, but there was still a heavy sea
+and nearly a head wind. The crew were busily engaged in repairing
+damages. Unfortunately, two of them are ill, and so is the carpenter,
+a specially important person at this juncture. No men could have
+behaved better than they all did after the accident. It was frightful
+to see them aloft in such weather, swinging on the ends of the broken
+spars, as the yacht rolled and pitched about. When it comes to a pinch
+they are all good men and true: not that they are perfection, any more
+than other men are.
+
+_Sunday, January 28th_.--It is finer, but bitterly cold. Several of my
+tropical birds are already dead. The little pig from Harpe Island, and
+the Hawaiian geese, look very wretched, in spite of all my
+precautions.
+
+We had the Litany at eleven, and prayer and a sermon at four; after
+which Tom addressed the men, paying them some well-deserved
+compliments on their behaviour on Friday night.
+
+The decks were very slippery, and as we kept rolling about a good deal
+there were some nasty falls among the passengers. We had a splendid
+though stormy sunset, which did not belie its promise, for the wind
+shortly afterwards became stiffer and stronger, until at last we had
+two reefs down, and were tumbling about in all directions, as we
+rushed through the water. The dining-tables tilted till they could go
+no further, and then paused to go back again; but not quickly enough,
+for the glasses began to walk uphill and go over the edge in the most
+extraordinary manner. On deck the night looked brilliant but rather
+terrible. The full moon made it as light as day, and illuminated the
+fountains of spray blown from the waves by which we were surrounded.
+Without her heavy jibboom, and with her canvas well reefed down, the
+'Sunbeam' rode through it all, dipping her head into the sea,
+shivering from stem to stern, and then giving herself a shake,
+preparatory to a fresh start, just like a playful water-bird emerging
+from a prolonged dive.
+
+At midnight a tremendous sea struck her, and for a minute you could
+not see the yacht at all, as she was completely enveloped in spray and
+foam. Tom said it was just like being behind the falls of Niagara,
+with the water coming over you from every quarter at once. It was only
+loose stuff, however, for not a green sea did she take on board the
+whole night through. Our old engineer, who has been with us so long,
+made up his mind that we had struck on a rock, and woke up all the
+servants and told them to go on deck. I never felt anything like it
+before, and the shock sent half of us out of our beds.
+
+_Monday, January 29th_.--At four o'clock I was called to go on deck to
+see the burning mountain. The wind was still blowing hard, but we were
+among the islands, and in comparatively smooth water. The full moon
+still rode high in the heavens, her light being reflected in rainbow
+hues from the spray and foam that drifted along the surface of the
+water. On every side were islands and rocks, among which the sea
+boiled, and seethed, and swirled, while the roaring breakers dashed
+against the higher cliffs, casting great columns of spray into the
+air, and falling back in heavy rollers and surf. Just before us rose
+the island of Vries, with its cone-shaped volcano, 2,600 feet high,
+emitting volumes of smoke and flame. It was overhung by a cloud of
+white vapour, on the under side of which shone the lurid glare of the
+fires of the crater. Sometimes this cloud simply floated over the top
+of the mountain, from which it was quite detached; then there would be
+a fresh eruption; and after a few moments' quiet, great tongues of
+flame would shoot up and pierce through the overhanging cloud to the
+heavens above, while the molten lava rose like a fountain for a short
+distance, and then ran down the sides of the mountain. It was
+wondrously beautiful; and, as a defence against the intense cold, we
+wrapped ourselves in furs, and stayed on deck watching the scene,
+until the sun rose glorious from the sea, and shone upon the
+snow-covered sides of Fujiyama, called by the Japanese 'the matchless
+mountain.' It is an extinct crater, of the most perfect form, rising
+abruptly from a chain of very low mountains, so that it stands in
+unrivalled magnificence. This morning covered with the fresh-fallen
+snow, there was not a spot nor a fleck to be seen upon it, from top to
+bottom. It is said to be the youngest mountain in the world, the
+enormous mass having been thrown up in the course of a few days only
+862 years B.C.
+
+We reached the entrance to the Gulf of Yeddo about nine o'clock, and
+passed between its shores through hundreds of junks and fishing boats.
+I never saw anything like it before. The water was simply covered with
+them; and at a distance it looked as though it would be impossible to
+force a passage. As it was, we could not proceed very fast, so
+constantly were the orders to 'slow,' 'stop,' 'port,' 'starboard,'
+given; and I began at last to fear that it would be impossible to
+reach Yokohama without running down at least one boat.
+
+The shores of the gulf, on each side, consist of sharp-cut little
+hills, covered with pines and cryptomerias, and dotted with temples
+and villages. Every detail of the scene exactly resembled the
+Japanese pictures one is accustomed to see in England; and it was easy
+to imagine that we were only gazing upon a slowly moving panorama,
+unrolling itself before us.
+
+It was twelve o'clock before we found ourselves among the men-of-war
+and steamers lying near the port of Yokohama, and two o'clock before
+the anchor could be dropped.
+
+[Illustration: Little Redcap.]
+
+During this interval we were surrounded by a swarm of boats, the
+occupants of which clamoured vociferously to be allowed on board, and
+in many cases they succeeded in evading the vigilance of the man at
+the gangway, by going round the other side and climbing over the rail.
+A second man was put on guard; but it was of no use, for we were
+invaded from all directions at once. We had a good many visitors also
+from the men-of-war, Japanese and English, and from the reporters of
+newspapers, full of curiosity, questions, and astonishment.
+
+Having at last managed to get some lunch, Tom went to bed to rest,
+after his two hard nights' work, and the rest of us went on shore.
+Directly we landed at the jetty we were rushed at by a crowd of
+_jinrikisha_ men, each drawing a little vehicle not unlike a Hansom
+cab, without the seat for the driver--there being no horse to drive.
+The man runs between the shafts, and is often preceded by a leader,
+harnessed on in front, tandem fashion. Each of these vehicles holds
+one person, and they go along at a tremendous pace.
+
+We went first to the Consul's, where we got a few letters, and then to
+the Post Office, where many more awaited us. We had then to go to
+various places to order stores, fresh provisions, coals, and water,
+all of which were urgently needed on board, and to give directions for
+the repair of boats, spars, &c., with as little delay as possible. All
+this business, including the inevitable search for a good laundress,
+lay in the European quarter of the town, the appearance of which was
+not remarkable. But the people we met in the streets were a study in
+themselves. The children said they looked 'like fans walking about;'
+and it was not difficult to understand their meaning. The dress of the
+lower orders has remained precisely the same for hundreds of years;
+and before I had been ashore five minutes I realised more fully than I
+had ever done before the truthfulness of the representations of native
+artists, with which the fans, screens, and vases one sees in England
+are ornamented.
+
+While we were going about, a letter was brought me, containing the sad
+news (received here by telegram) of the death of Tom's mother. It was
+a terrible shock, coming, too, just as we were rejoicing in the good
+accounts from home which our letters contained. I went on board at
+once to break the bad news to Tom. This sad intelligence realised a
+certain vague dread of something, we knew not what, which has seemed
+to haunt us both on our way hither.
+
+[Illustration: Japanese Boats.]
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIX.
+
+YOKOHAMA.
+
+    _Heavily plunged the breaking wave,_
+    _And foam flew up the lea,_
+    _Morning and evening the drifted snow_
+    _Fell into the dark grey sea._
+
+
+_Tuesday, January 30th_.--When we awoke from our slumbers this
+morning, it was very cold and dark, and we heard noises of a strange
+kind. On going on deck to ascertain the cause of this state of things,
+we discovered that the sky-lights and portholes were all covered and
+blocked up with snow, and that the water froze as it came out of the
+hose, forming a sheet of ice on the deck. Masses of snow and ice were
+falling from the rigging, and everything betokened that our welcome to
+Japan would not be a warm one.
+
+[Illustration: Fujiyama, Japan]
+
+After breakfast we had many visitors, and received letters from Sir
+Harry and Lady Parkes, inviting us to go up to Yeddo to-morrow for a
+long day, to settle our future plans.
+
+Having landed, we went with the Consul to the native town, to see the
+curio shops, which are a speciality of the place. The inhabitants are
+wonderfully clever at making all sorts of curiosities, and the
+manufactories of so-called 'antique bronzes' and 'old china' are two
+of the most wonderful sights in Yokohama. The way in which they
+scrape, crack, chip, mend, and colour the various articles, cover them
+with dust, partially clean them, and imitate the marks and signatures
+of celebrated makers, is more creditable to their ingenuity than to
+their honesty. Still, there are a good many genuine old relics from
+the temples, and from the large houses of the reduced Daimios, to be
+picked up, if you go the right way to work, though the supply is
+limited. Dealers are plentiful, and travellers, especially from
+America, are increasing in numbers. When we first made acquaintance
+with the shops we thought they seemed full of beautiful things, but
+even one day's shopping, in the company of experienced people, has
+educated our taste and taught us a great deal; though we have still
+much to learn. There are very respectable-looking lacquer cabinets
+ranging in price from 5_s_. to 20_l_. But they are only made for the
+foreign market. No such things exist in a Japanese home. A really good
+bit of old lacquer (the best is generally made into the form of a
+small box, a portable medicine-chest, or a chow-chow box) is worth
+from 20_l_. to 200_l_. We saw one box, about three inches square,
+which was valued at 45_l_.; and a collection of really good lacquer
+would be costly and difficult to procure even here. The best specimens
+I have ever seen are at Lady Alcock's; but they are all either royal
+or princely presents, not to be bought with money. The tests of good
+lacquer are its exquisite finish, its satiny, oily feel, and the
+impossibility of making any impression on it with your thumb-nail. It
+is practically indestructible, and will wear for ever. All the poor as
+well as the rich people here use it, and have used it for centuries,
+instead of china and glass, for cups, saucers, dishes, bowls, which
+would need to be often washed in the hottest of water. It is said that
+the modern Japanese have lost the art of lacquer making; and as an
+illustration I was told that many beautiful articles of lacquer, old
+and new, had been sent from this country to the Vienna Exhibition in
+1873, but the price put on them was so exorbitant that few were sold,
+and nearly all had to be sent back to Japan. Just as the ship with
+these things on board reached the Gulf of Yeddo, she struck on a rock
+and sank in shallow water. A month or two ago a successful attempt was
+made to raise her, and to recover the cargo, when it was found that
+the new lacquer had been reduced to a state of pulp, while the old was
+not in the least damaged. I tell you the tale as it was told to me.
+
+After a long day's shopping, we went to dine, in real Japanese
+fashion, at a Japanese tea-house. The establishment was kept by a very
+pleasant woman, who received us at the door, and who herself removed
+our exceedingly dirty boots before allowing us to step on to her clean
+mats. This was all very well, as far as it went; but she might as well
+have supplied us with some substitute for the objectionable articles,
+for it was a bitterly cold night, and the highly polished wood
+passages and steep staircase felt very cold to our shoeless feet. The
+apartment we were shown into was so exact a type of a room in any
+Japanese house, that I may as well describe it once for all. The
+woodwork of the roof and the framework of the screens were all made of
+a handsome dark polished wood, not unlike walnut. The exterior walls
+under the verandah, as well as the partitions between the other rooms,
+were simply wooden lattice-work screens, covered with white paper, and
+sliding in grooves; so that you could walk in or out at any part of
+the wall you chose, and it was, in like manner, impossible to say
+whence the next comer would make his appearance. Doors and windows
+are, by this arrangement, rendered unnecessary, and do not exist. You
+open a little bit of your wall if you want to look out, and a bigger
+bit if you want to step out. The floor was covered with several
+thicknesses of very fine mats, each about six feet long by three
+broad, deliciously soft to walk upon. All mats in Japan are of the
+same size, and everything connected with house-building is measured by
+this standard. Once you have prepared your foundations and woodwork of
+the dimensions of so many mats, it is the easiest thing in the world
+to go to a shop and buy a house, ready made, which you can then set up
+and furnish in the scanty Japanese fashion in a couple of days.
+
+On one side of the room was a slightly raised dais, about four inches
+from the floor. This was the seat of honour. On it had been placed a
+stool, a little bronze ornament, and a china vase, with a branch of
+cherry-blossom and a few flag-leaves gracefully arranged. On the wall
+behind hung pictures, which are changed every month, according to the
+season of the year. There was no other furniture of any sort in the
+room. Four nice-looking Japanese girls brought us thick cotton quilts
+to sit upon, and braziers full of burning charcoal, to warm ourselves
+by. In the centre of the group another brazier was placed, protected
+by a square wooden grating, and over the whole they laid a large silk
+eider-down quilt, to retain the heat. This is the way in which all the
+rooms, even bedrooms, are warmed in Japan, and the result is that
+fires are of very frequent occurrence. The brazier is kicked over by
+some restless or careless person, and in a moment the whole place is
+in a blaze.
+
+Presently the eider down and brazier were removed, and our dinner was
+brought in. A little lacquer table, about six inches high, on which
+were arranged a pair of chop-sticks, a basin of soup, a bowl for
+rice, a _saki_ cup, and a basin of hot water, was placed before each
+person, whilst the four Japanese maidens sat in our midst, with fires
+to keep the _saki_ hot, and to light the tiny pipes with which they
+were provided, and from which they wished us to take a whiff after
+each dish. _Saki_ is a sort of spirit, distilled from rice, always
+drunk hot, out of small cups. In this state it is not disagreeable,
+but we found it exceedingly nasty when cold.
+
+Everything was well cooked and served, though the ingredients of some
+of the dishes, as will be seen from the following bill of fare, were
+rather strange to our ideas. Still they were all eatable, and most of
+them really palatable.
+
+_Soup_.
+
+_Shrimps and Seaweed_.
+
+_Prawns, Egg Omelette, and Preserved Grapes_.
+
+_Fried Fish, Spinach, Young Rushes, and Young Ginger_.
+
+_Raw Fish, Mustard and Cress, Horseradish, and Soy_.
+
+_Thick Soup, of Eggs, Fish, Mushrooms, and Spinach; Grilled Fish_.
+
+_Fried Chicken, and Bamboo Shoots_.
+
+_Turnip Tops and Root Pickled_.
+
+_Rice ad libitum in a large bowl_.
+
+_Hot Saki, Pipes and Tea_.
+
+The meal concluded with an enormous lacquer box of rice, from which
+all our bowls were filled, the rice being thence conveyed to our
+mouths by means of chop-sticks. We managed very well with these
+substitutes for spoons and forks, the knack of using which, to a
+certain extent, is soon acquired. The long intervals between the
+dishes were beguiled with songs, music, and dancing, performed by
+professional singing and dancing girls. The music was somewhat harsh
+and monotonous; but the songs sounded harmonious, and the dancing was
+graceful, though it was rather posturing than dancing, great use being
+made of the fan and the long trailing skirts. The girls, who were
+pretty, wore peculiar dresses to indicate their calling, and seemed of
+an entirely different stamp from the quiet, simply dressed waitresses
+whom we found so attentive to our wants. Still they all looked cheery,
+light-hearted, simple creatures, and appeared to enjoy immensely the
+little childish games they played amongst themselves between whiles.
+
+After dinner we had some real Japanese tea, tasting exactly like a
+little hot water poured on very fragrant new-mown hay. Then, after a
+brief visit to the kitchen, which, though small, was beautifully
+clean, we received our boots, and were bowed out by our pleasant
+hostess and her attentive handmaidens.
+
+On our return we had considerable difficulty in procuring a boat, our
+own boats being all ashore under repair. It was a beautiful moonlight
+night, but bitterly cold. The harbour being so full of shipping, our
+boatmen were at first puzzled how to find the yacht, till we pointed
+to the lights in the deck-house--always a good beacon at night in a
+crowded harbour.
+
+_Wednesday, January 31st_. We left the yacht soon after eight o'clock,
+and started by the 9.34 a.m. train for the city formerly called Yeddo,
+but latterly, since the Mikado has resided there, Tokio, or eastern
+capital of Japan. The ground was covered with snow, and there were
+several degrees of frost, but the sun felt hot, and all the people
+were sunning themselves in the doorways or wide verandahs of their
+houses.
+
+Yokohama has been so completely Europeanised, that it was not until we
+had left it that we caught our first glimpse of Japanese life; and the
+whole landscape and the many villages looked very like a set of living
+fans or tea-trays, though somehow the snow did not seem to harmonise
+with it.
+
+We crossed several rivers, and reached Tokio in about an hour, when we
+at once emerged into the midst of a clattering, chattering crowd,
+amongst whom there did not seem to be a single European. The
+reverberation, under the glass roof of the station, of the hundreds of
+pairs of wooden clogs, pattering along, was something extraordinary.
+Giving up our tickets, and following the stream, we found ourselves
+surrounded by a still more animated scene, outside the station. We
+were just deliberating what to do next, when a smart little Japanese,
+with a mail-bag over his shoulder, stepped forward and said something
+about Sir Harry Parkes. He then popped us all into several double and
+treble-manned _jinrikishas_, and started off himself ahead at a
+tremendous pace, shouting and clearing the way for us.
+
+Tokio is a genuinely Japanese town. Not a single foreigner resides
+within its limits, with the exception of the foreign Ministers. There
+is no hotel nor any place of the kind to stay at; so that, unless you
+have friends at any of the Legations, you must return to Yokohama the
+same day, which makes a visit rather a fatiguing affair.[16]
+
+[Footnote 16: I have since heard that there are two hotels at Tokio,
+such as they are.]
+
+Our first halting-place was at the Temple of Shiba, not far from the
+station, where most of the Tycoons have been buried. It is a large
+enclosure, many acres in extent, in the centre of the city, with walls
+overgrown with creepers, and shadowed by evergreen trees, amid whose
+branches rooks caw, ravens croak, and pigeons coo, as undisturbedly as
+if in the midst of the deepest woodland solitude. I had no idea there
+was anything so beautiful in Japanese architecture as this temple. The
+primary idea in the architecture of Japan is evidently that of a tent
+among trees. The lines of the high, overhanging, richly decorated
+roofs, with pointed gable ends, are not straight, but delicately
+curved, like the suspended cloth of a tent. In the same way, the
+pillars have neither capital nor base, but seem to run through the
+building perpendicularly, without beginning or end. The principal
+temple was burnt down a few years ago; but there are many smaller ones
+remaining, built in exactly the same style, and all the tombs are
+perfect. Some people say the bodies are enclosed in coffins, filled
+with vermilion, but I need hardly say we had no opportunity of
+ascertaining the correctness of this statement. We entered several of
+the temples, which are perfect marvels of carving, gilding, painting,
+and lacquer work. Their style of decoration may be somewhat barbaric;
+but what a study they would form for an artist! Outside, where no
+colour is used, the overhanging roofs and the walls are carved with a
+depth and boldness, and yet a delicacy, I have seldom seen equalled;
+the doors and railings being of massive bronze, brought from the
+Corea. Within, a dim religious light illumines and harmonises a
+dazzling mass of lacquer, gold, and painting. It is the grandest
+burial-place imaginable; too good for the long line of men who have
+tyrannised over Japan and its lawful sovereigns for so many centuries
+past.
+
+The streets of Tokio were crowded with a motley throng up to the very
+gates of the citadel, where, within the first moat, stand all the
+_yashgis_, or residences of the Daimios. Each _yashgi_ is surrounded
+by a blank wall, loopholed, and with a tower at each of the four
+corners. Within this outer wall is the court of the retainers, all of
+them 'two-sworded' men; then comes a second wall, also loopholed,
+inside which dwell distant relations of the Daimio; and then again a
+third enclosure, guarding the Daimio himself, with his immediate
+belongings. After crossing the third moat we reached the Mikado's
+gardens and palace, the public offices, and the residences of the
+foreign Ministers, all of which were formerly occupied by the Tycoon,
+or Shogun, and his ministers. On the waters of the inner moat were
+thousands of wild ducks and geese. Nobody is allowed to harm them, and
+the birds seem to be perfectly aware of this fact, for they disport
+themselves with the greatest confidence.
+
+The English Embassy is a nice red brick house, built in the centre of
+a garden, so as to be as secure as possible from fire or attack. After
+a most pleasant luncheon we looked over the nucleus of a second
+collection which Lady Parkes is beginning to form. Her former
+beautiful collection was burnt a few years ago, a most disheartening
+misfortune, especially as the opportunities for obtaining really old
+and good things in Japan are diminishing day by day.
+
+A little later we started in great force, some in carriages and some
+on horseback, attended by running grooms, to see something more of the
+city. These men think nothing of running by the side of a horse and
+carriage some forty miles a day. They form a distinct class, and when
+working on their own account wear little clothing. When in the service
+of private individuals they are dressed in tight-fitting dark-blue
+garments, with short capes, fastened to their arms, and large hats.
+
+Just outside the Embassy we passed two of the finest of the still
+existing _yashgis_, the larger one being used as the Home Office, the
+other as the Foreign Office.
+
+There is always a festival going on in some part of Tokio. To-day
+there had been a great wrestling-match, and we met all the people
+coming away. Such crowds of _jinrikiskas_, full of gaily dressed and
+painted women and children, with their hair plastered into all sorts
+of inconceivable shapes, and decorated with artificial flowers and
+glittering pins! We met six of the wrestlers themselves, riding in
+_jinrikishas_--big men, prodigiously fat, and not at all, according to
+our ideas, in fighting or wrestling condition. One of their
+_jinrikisha_ men stumbled and fell, just as they passed us, and the
+wrestler shot out, head over heels, and lay, a helpless ball of fat,
+in the middle of the road, till somebody came and picked him up. He
+was not in the least hurt, and, as soon as he was set on his feet
+again, began to belabour the poor _jinrikisha_ man most unmercifully.
+After a long and delightful drive we arrived at the station just in
+time to catch the train.
+
+The return journey to Yokohama, in the omnibus-like railway carriages,
+was very cold, and the _jinrikisha_ drive to the Grand Hotel colder
+still; but a roaring fire and a capital dinner soon warmed and
+comforted us.
+
+After dinner we looked over a fine collection of photographs of
+Japanese scenery and costumes, and then returned to the yacht in the
+house-boat belonging to the hotel, which was prettily decorated with
+bright-coloured lanterns, and which afforded welcome shelter from the
+biting wind.
+
+_Thursday, February 1st_.--Careful arrangements have been made for our
+excursion to the Island of Inoshima, to see the great figure of
+Daibutz. By eight o'clock we had landed, and packed ourselves into a
+funny little shaky carriage, drawn by four horses. We drove quickly
+through the town, past the station, along the Tokaido, or imperial
+road, running from one end of the Island of Niphon to the other, and
+on which so many foreigners have been murdered even within the last
+ten years. Now, however, it is perfectly safe. The houses are one
+story high, and their walls are made of the screens I have already
+described. These screens were all thrown back, to admit the morning
+air, cold as it was. We could consequently see all that was going on
+within, in the sitting-room in front, and even in the bedrooms and
+kitchen. At the back of the house there was invariably a little garden
+to be seen, with a miniature rockery, a tree, and a lake; possibly
+also a bridge and a temple. Even in the gardens of the poorest houses
+an attempt at something of the sort had been made. The domestic
+occupations of the inhabitants being conducted in this public manner,
+a very good idea might be obtained, even at the end of a few miles'
+drive, of how the lower class of Japanese wash and dress themselves
+and their children, how very elaborate the process of hair-dressing
+is, to say nothing of a bird's-eye view of the ground-plan of the
+houses, the method of cooking food, &c.
+
+As we emerged into the open country the landscape became very pretty,
+and the numerous villages, nestling in the valleys at the foot of the
+various small hills, had a most picturesque appearance. At a
+stone-quarry that we passed, on the side of a mountain, there were
+about seventy men at work, without any clothing, though the
+thermometer was far below freezing point. The Japanese are a sensitive
+nation, and finding that foreigners were astonished and shocked at the
+habits of the people, in going about without clothes, and in bathing
+in public and at their house doors, they passed a law prohibiting
+these customs in towns. In the country, however, the more primitive
+customs are still in force, and every dwelling has its half-open
+bath-house, whilst the people do as they like in the matter of
+clothing.
+
+After stopping twice on the road, to drink the inevitable tea, we
+changed from our carriage to _jinrikishas_, each drawn and pushed by
+four strong men, bowling along at a merry pace. The sun was very warm
+in the sheltered valleys, and the abundance of evergreens of all kinds
+quite deluded one into the belief that it was summer time, especially
+as camellias grew like forest trees, covered with red and white bloom,
+amidst a dense tangle of bamboos and half-hardy palms. There were many
+strange things upside down to be seen on efther hand--horses and cows
+with bells on their tails instead of on their necks, the quadrupeds
+well clothed, their masters without a scrap of covering, tailors
+sewing from them instead of to them, a carpenter reversing the action
+of his saw and plane. It looked just as if they had originally learned
+the various processes in 'Alice's Looking-glass World' in some former
+stage of their existence.
+
+We had not long left the town before our men began to undress each
+other; for their clothes were so tight that it required no
+inconsiderable effort to remove them. Some of them were beautifully
+tattooed. My wheeler had the root of a tree depicted on one foot, from
+which sprang the trunk and branches, spreading gradually, until on his
+back and chest they bore fruit and flowers, amongst which birds were
+perched. On his other leg was a large stork, supposed, I imagine, to
+be standing under the shadow of the same tree. Another man had human
+figures tattooed all over him, in various attitudes.
+
+[Illustration: A Drag across the Sand in a Jinrikisha.]
+
+In less than an hour we reached the narrow strip of land which at low
+water connects the island or peninsula of Inoshima with the mainland.
+This isthmus was covered with natives gathering shells and seaweed,
+casting their nets, and pushing off or dragging up their boats; whilst
+an island rose fresh and green from the sea, with a background of
+snowy mountains, stretching across the bay, above which Fujiyama
+towered grandly. This name signifies 'not two, but one mountain,' the
+Japanese thinking it impossible that there can be another like it in
+the world. The lovely little island is called Inoshima, and is conical
+in shape and covered with evergreens and Buddhist temples, with a few
+small fishing villages scattered on its shores. We walked right across
+it in about an hour; so you may imagine it is not very large. The sea
+teems with curiously shaped fish and beautiful shells. The staple food
+of the inhabitants seems to be those lovely 'Venus's ears,' [17] as
+they are called--a flattish univalve, about as big as your hand, with
+a row of holes along the edge, and a lining of brilliant black
+mother-of-pearl. These were lying about in heaps mixed with white
+mother-of-pearl shells, as big as your two fists, and shaped like a
+snail-shell.
+
+[Footnote 17: Haliotis.]
+
+[Illustration: Inoshima by a Japanese Artist.]
+
+Our _jinrikisha_ men deposited us at the bottom of the main street of
+the principal village, to enter which we passed through a simple
+square arch of a temple. The street was steep and dirty, and consisted
+principally of shell-fish and seaweed shops.
+
+An old priest took us in hand, and, providing us with stout sticks,
+marched us up to the top of the hill to see various temples, and
+splendid views in many directions. The camellias and evergreens on the
+hillside made a lovely framework for each little picture, as we turned
+and twisted along the narrow path. I know not how many steps on the
+other side of the island had to be descended before the sea-beach was
+reached. Here is a cavern stretching 500 feet straight below
+high-water mark, with a shrine to Benton Sama, the Lucina of Japan;
+and having been provided with candles, we proceeded a few hundred feet
+through another cave, running at right angles to the first.
+
+As it would have been a long steep walk back, and I was very tired, we
+called to one of the numerous fishing boats near the shore, and were
+quickly conveyed round to our original starting place. Before we said
+good-bye, one of the old priests implored to be allowed to dive into
+the water for half-a-dollar. His request was complied with, and he
+caught the coin most successfully.
+
+[Illustration: A Boatman]
+
+We lunched at a tea-house, our meal consisting of fish of all kinds,
+deliciously cooked, and served, fresh from the fire, in a style worthy
+of Greenwich; and as we had taken the precaution to bring some bread
+and wine with us, we were independent of the usual rice and _saki_.
+
+[Illustration: Our Luncheon Bill.]
+
+After this we proceeded on our way towards the Daibutz, or Great
+Buddha, situated within the limits of what was once the large city of
+Kama-kura, now only a collection of small hamlets. As all Japanese
+cities are built of wood, it is not wonderful that they should in time
+entirely disappear, and leave no trace behind them. But there still
+remain some of the columns of the temple which once existed in the
+gardens surrounding the idol. Now he is quite alone; and for centuries
+has this grand old figure sat, exposed to the elements, serenely
+smiling on the varying scene beneath him. The figure is of bronze, and
+is supposed to have been cast about the year 1250 or 1260.
+
+It is some 50 ft. high, with golden eyes and a silver spiral horn on
+the forehead. It is possible to sit or stand on the thumb, and within
+the hollow body an altar is erected, at which the priests officiate.
+Sitting there, amidst a grove of enormous cryptomerias and bamboos,
+there is an air of ineffable silent strength about that solitary
+figure, which affords a clue to the tenacity with which the poorer
+classes cling to Buddhism. The very calmness of these figures must be
+more suggestive of relief and repose to the poor weary worshippers
+than the glitter of the looking-glass and crystal ball to be found in
+the Shintoo temples. The looking-glass is intended to remind believers
+that the Supreme Being can see their innermost thoughts as clearly as
+they can perceive their own reflection; while the crystal ball is an
+emblem of purity. Great store is set by the latter, especially if of
+large size and without flaw; but to my mind the imperfect ones are the
+best, as they refract the light and do not look so much like glass.
+
+In another village close by--also part of the ancient Kama-kura--there
+is a fine temple, dedicated to the God of War; but we were pressed
+for time, and hurried back to the little carriages. The homeward drive
+was long and cold; but the Tokaido looked very pretty lighted up,
+the shadows of the inmates being plainly visible on the paper
+walls, reminding one of a scene in a pantomime. On our way down a
+very steep hill we met the men carrying a _cango_. It is a most
+uncomfortable-looking basket-work contrivance, in which it is
+impossible to sit or lie with ease. These _cangoes_ used formerly to
+be the ordinary conveyance of Japan, but they are now replaced by the
+_jinrikishas_, and they are seldom met with, except in the mountains
+or in out-of-the-way places.
+
+_Friday, February 2nd_.--I was called at five o'clock, and at
+half-past six Mabelle and I started for the market. It was blowing a
+gale, and our four oarsmen found it as much as they could do to reach
+the shore. The Shanghai mail-boat was just in, and I pitied the poor
+passengers, who were in all the misery of being turned out into the
+cold of the early morning, with the spray breaking over them as they
+sat in the small boats.
+
+The market at Yokohama is one of the sights of the place. There were
+large quantities of birds and game of all kinds--pheasants with tails
+six feet long, of a rare copper-coloured variety, ducks, pigeons,
+small birds, hares, deer, rabbits. The fish-market was well supplied,
+especially with cuttle-fish. They are not inviting-looking, but are
+considered a delicacy here. A real octopus, in a basket, with its
+hideous body in the centre, and its eight arms, covered with suckers,
+arranged in the form of a star, is worth from a dollar to a dollar and
+a half, according to its size. I was not tempted, however, to make any
+purchases.
+
+From the market we went to one or two small shops in back streets, and
+thence over the bluffs, in the teeth of a bitterly cold wind, to a
+nursery garden, to examine the results of the Japanese art of dwarfing
+and distorting trees. Some of the specimens were very curious and some
+beautiful, but most were simply hideous. We saw tiny old gnarled
+fruit-trees, covered with blossom, and Scotch firs and other forest
+trees, eight inches high, besides diminutive ferns and creepers.
+
+It being now half-past nine o'clock, we went to the hotel to meet the
+rest of the party for breakfast, and at one o'clock we returned to the
+yacht. At half-past one Lady Parkes and several other friends from
+Tokio came on board to luncheon. They told of three disastrous fires
+that had taken place in Tokio yesterday, by which the Home Office--one
+of the finest old Tartar _yashgis_--and several smaller edifices had
+been destroyed.
+
+After the departure of our guests we paid another visit to the shore,
+and saw the foxhounds. They are a nice pack, and have good kennels
+outside the foreign settlement. They were out this morning at 6.30,
+but unfortunately we did not know of it. There are plenty of foxes,
+and some very fair country not far from here; so they expect to have
+good sport.
+
+We weighed anchor at 8.30 p.m. and proceeded under steam. At 11.30,
+when off Touraya-saki, we set some of the head canvas. It was a cold
+night, with sleet and snow, though it was not blowing as hard as
+during the day.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XX.
+
+KIOTO, LATE MIACO.
+
+    _Manners with fortunes, humours change with climes,_
+    _Tenets with books, and principles with times._
+
+
+_Saturday, February 3rd_.--The occasional glimpses of the coast
+scenery through the sleet and snow were very fine. We passed Rocky
+Island, Lady Inglis rocks, and Matoya. But Mabelle and I spent most of
+the day in bed; she suffering from a blow from the boom, which had
+produced slight concussion of the brain, and I having a wretched cold,
+which has been gradually getting worse the last few days, and which
+has quite taken away my voice.
+
+_Sunday, February 4th_.--It was blowing hard all day, raining,
+snowing, and sleeting. The scenery appeared to be pretty, and we
+passed through crowds of picturesque junks.
+
+At 4.25 we rounded Tomamgai Smia, and at 9 p.m. anchored off the town
+of Kobe, or Hiogo.
+
+These constant changes of names are very puzzling. Miaco and Yeddo,
+which we did know something about, are quite cut out, and replaced by
+Kioto and Tokio. Oddly enough, the same syllables, reversed, mean
+capital of the Western Empire and capital of the Eastern Empire
+respectively.
+
+_Monday, February 5th_.--By seven o'clock a boat was alongside with
+letters from the Consul and Sir Harry Parkes, who had kindly made all
+the necessary arrangements for us to see the opening of the railway
+from Kobe to Kioto, and for the presentation of the gentlemen to the
+Mikado.
+
+It certainly was a great opportunity for seeing a Japanese holiday
+crowd, all dressed in their best. Thousands and thousands of people
+were in the streets, who, though naturally anxious to see as much as
+possible, behaved in the most quiet and orderly manner. The station
+was beautifully decorated with evergreens, camellias, and red berries.
+Outside there was a most marvellous pavilion, the woodwork of which
+had been entirely covered with evergreens, and ornamented with
+life-size dragons and phoenixes (the imperial insignia of Japan), all
+made in flowers. The roof was studded with large chrysanthemums--the
+private device of the Mikado, that of the Tycoon being three hollyhock
+leaves. The sides of the pavilion were quite open, the roof being
+simply supported on pillars; so that we could see everything that went
+on, both inside and out. The floor was covered with red cloth; the
+dais with an extremely ugly Brussels carpet, with a large pattern. On
+this the Mikado's throne was placed, with a second canopy above it.
+Tom in R.N.R. uniform, the other gentlemen in evening dress,
+accompanied the Consul on to the platform to receive the Mikado; while
+the children and I went with Mrs. Annesley to seats reserved for the
+foreign representatives. There were not many Europeans present; but
+the platform was densely crowded with Japanese, sitting on their
+heels, and patiently waiting to see the extraordinary sight of their
+hitherto invisible spiritual Emperor brought to them by a steam engine
+on an iron road. The men had all had their heads fresh shaven, and
+their funny little pigtails rearranged for the occasion. The women's
+hair was elaborately and stiffly done up with light tortoiseshell
+combs and a large pin, and decorated with artificial flowers. Some of
+the children were gaily dressed in red and gold under garments, the
+prevailing colour of the costumes being dark blue, turned up with red.
+They also wore gay embroidered _obis_, or large sashes, which are put
+on in a peculiar fashion. They are of great width, and are fastened
+tightly round the waist, while an enormous bow behind reaches from
+between the shoulders to far below the hips. The garments fit tightly
+in front, while at the back they form a sort of huge bunch. On their
+high-heeled clogs the women walk with precisely the same gait as
+ladies in high-heeled boots. In fact, so exactly do the Japanese women
+(you never see Japanese _ladies_ walking about in the streets)
+caricature the present fashionable style of dress in Europe, that I
+have formed a theory of my own on the subject, and this is it.
+
+Some three or four years ago, among other proposed reforms in Japan,
+the Ministers wished the Empress and her Court to be dressed in
+European fashion. Accordingly a French milliner and dressmaker, with
+her assistants, was sent for from Paris, and in due time arrived. The
+Empress and her ladies, however, would not change their style of
+dress. They knew better what suited them, and in my opinion they were
+very sensible. This is what I hear. Now what I think is, that the
+Parisienne, being of an enterprising turn of mind, thought that she
+would not take so long a journey for nothing--that if the Japanese
+ladies would not follow European fashions, at least European ladies
+should adopt the Japanese style. On her return to Paris I am convinced
+that she promulgated this idea, and gradually gave it effect. Hence
+the fashions of the last two years.
+
+Watching the crowd occupied the time in a most interesting manner,
+till the firing of guns and the playing of bands announced the arrival
+of the imperial train. The Mikado was received on the platform, and
+after a very short delay he headed the procession along the covered
+way on to the dais.
+
+He is a young, not very good-looking man, with rather a sullen
+expression, and legs that look as though they did not belong to
+him--I suppose from using them so little, and sitting so much on his
+heels; for until the last few years the Mikado has always been
+considered far too sacred a being to be allowed to set foot on the
+earth. He was followed by his highest Minister, the foreign Ministers,
+and a crowd of Japanese dignitaries, all, with one or two exceptions,
+in European official dress, glittering with gold lace. I believe it
+was the first time that many of them had ever worn it. At any rate,
+they certainly had never learned to put it on properly. It would have
+driven to distraction the tailor who made them, to see tight-fitting
+uniforms either left unbuttoned altogether, or hooked askew from top
+to bottom, and to behold the trousers turned up and disfigured by the
+projecting tags of immense side-spring boots, generally put on the
+wrong feet. Some of the visitors had no gloves, while others wore them
+with fingers at least three inches too long. Certainly a court dresser
+as well as a court tailor ought to be appointed to the Mikado's
+establishment, before the European costume becomes generally adopted.
+
+I could not help thinking that the two or three old conservative
+Ministers who had stuck to their native dress must have congratulated
+themselves on their firmness, when they saw the effect of the
+unaccustomed garments upon their _confreres_. The old court dress of
+the Daimios is very handsome, consisting of rich silks and brocades,
+with enormously long loose trousers trailing two or three feet on the
+ground, and with sleeves, like butterfly wings, of corresponding
+dimensions. A small high-peaked black cap is worn on the head, to
+accommodate the curious little cut-off pigtail, set up like a cock's
+comb, which appears to be one of the insignia of a Daimio's rank in
+Japan.
+
+As soon as the people had arranged themselves into three sides of a
+square, Sir Harry Parkes read an address, and presented his five
+compatriots to the Mikado, who replied in inaudible but no doubt
+suitable terms. Then the Governor of Kobe had to read an address, and
+I pitied the poor man from the bottom of my heart. His knees shook,
+his hands trembled, and his whole body vibrated to such an extent,
+that his cocked hat fell and rolled on the floor of the dais, and
+finally hopped down the steps, while the address nearly followed its
+example. How thankful he must have felt when it was over!
+
+The proceedings in the pavilion being now at an end, the Mikado walked
+down the middle of the assembly, followed by all his Ministers in
+single file, on his way to the luncheon tent. After they had gone, we
+inspected the imperial railway carriage, the soldiers, guns, &c., and
+just as we were leaving the station yard, to look at the daylight
+fireworks they were letting off in honour of the occasion, a salute
+announced the departure of the Mikado for Kioto.
+
+We lunched at the Consulate, our gentlemen changed to more comfortable
+attire, and then we went to see a Buddhist temple, supposed to be
+rather a fine specimen of woodwork. It is specially curious on account
+of some monkeys and a white horse, each kept in a sort of side shrine.
+Every worshipper at the temple stopped before these shrines, and for a
+small coin bought rice or beans to feed them with, through the priest.
+Whether it was an act of worship, or simply of kindness, I could not
+discover, though I paid several visits to the spot during our stay at
+Kobe.
+
+From the temple we went to the shops in the main street of Hiogo, and
+full of interest and temptation we found them. The town itself is
+quite Japanese, and consists, as usual, of wooden houses, narrow
+streets, and quaint shops. To-day all was _en fete_, in preparation
+for the illuminations to-night.
+
+Kobe, the foreign settlement, is, on the contrary, bran-new, spick and
+span, with a handsome parade, and grass and trees, planted boulevard
+fashion, along the edge of the sea. It is all remarkably clean, but
+quite uninteresting. To-night, however, it looked very well,
+illuminated by thousands and thousands of coloured paper lanterns,
+arranged in all sorts of fanciful devices. It was dark and clear, and
+there was no wind, so that everything went off well.
+
+[Illustration: a family group]
+
+_Tuesday, February 6th_.--My cold being still bad, Mabelle by no means
+well yet, and Tom very busy, we at first thought of keeping quiet
+to-day. But our time is so short, that we could not afford to waste
+it; so half our party started early for Kioto, it being arranged that
+Tom and Mabelle should follow us by an early train to-morrow. It was a
+wet cheerless day, and the country did not look its best. Still, the
+novelty of the scenes around could not fail to make them interesting.
+The Japanese have an intense horror of rain, and it was ludicrous to
+see the peasants walking along with scarcely any clothes on except a
+pair of high clogs, a large hat, and a paper umbrella. We crossed
+several large bridges, stopped at a great many stations, where heaps
+of native travellers got in and out, and finally reached Kioto at
+half-past two o'clock. It was still raining, and all the _jinrikisha_
+men wore their large rain hats and rain cloaks, made either of reeds
+or of oiled paper. Most of the _jinrikishas_, too, had oiled paper
+hoods and aprons.
+
+The drive to our hotel, through long, narrow, crowded, picturesque
+streets, seemed long and wearisome. It was still a holiday, and
+remains of the previous night's illuminations were to be seen on all
+sides. The large paper lanterns still remained fastened to the high
+poles, with an open umbrella at the top to afford protection from the
+rain.
+
+Kioto is a thoroughly Japanese town. I do not suppose it contains a
+single European resident; so that the manners and customs of the
+natives may be seen in perfection. Its theatres and jugglers are
+famous throughout Japan. In the suburb, where the two hotels are
+situated, stand numberless tea-houses and other places of
+entertainment. Our hotel is situated half-way up the hill called
+Maruyama.
+
+After about three-quarters of an hour's ride in the _jinrikiska_, we
+were deposited at the bottom of a flight of steps, which appeared to
+lead to a temple, but by which we reached the hotel in about five
+minutes. We were received by servants, who bowed to the ground, but
+who did not speak a word which we could understand. The rooms looked
+clean and comfortable, and the dining-room boasted a table and six
+chairs, besides several screens and _hibatchis_. The bedrooms, too,
+had beds, screens, and washstands; quite an unexpected luxury. Still
+more so was a strip of glass about half-way up the screens, through
+which we could admire the fine prospect. Anything in the shape of a
+transparent window is a complete novelty in a Japanese house, where,
+in winter, you feel as if you were imprisoned. The view from the
+verandah of the hotel over the pretty fantastic garden, the temple
+grounds, the town of Kioto, and the mountains in the distance was an
+endless source of delight to me.
+
+The servants soon produced a luncheon, excellently well cooked; and'
+directly we had finished it we sallied forth again to see what we
+could before dark. First we went to the temple of Gion, a fine
+building, standing in extensive grounds, and surrounded by smaller
+temples and houses for the priests. The Dutch envoys used to stay here
+when they were brought through the country, like prisoners, to pay
+their annual tribute for being allowed to trade with Japan. They were
+subjected to all kinds of indignities, and used to be made to dance
+and sing, pretend to be drunk, and play all sorts of pranks, for the
+amusement of the whole court as well as for the Mikado and the
+empress, hidden behind a grating.
+
+From Gion we went to see other temples, and wandered about under the
+large conifers of all kinds, trying to find out the quarters of the
+British Legation for some time, until Sir Harry Parkes returned. The
+rooms at his residence were comfortable, but cold-looking, for mats
+and paper screens do not look nice in a frost. There were tables and
+chairs and paraffin lamps, but no bedsteads, only about a dozen cotton
+and silk quilts, some of which were supposed to serve as a couch,
+while others were to be used as coverings.
+
+Sir Harry has had, I fear, a great deal of trouble about the yacht.
+She is the first vessel of the kind ever seen in Japan, with the
+exception of the one sent out in 1858 as a present from the Queen to
+the then Tycoon, and now used by the Mikado. The officials, it seems,
+cannot make the 'Sunbeam' out. 'Is she a man-of-war? We know what that
+is.' 'No.' 'Is she a merchant ship?' 'No; she is a yacht.' But what
+can be the object of a vessel without guns is quite beyond their
+comprehension. At last it has been settled that, in order to be like
+other nations, the Japanese officials will not force us to enter at
+the Custom House, or to pay a fine of sixty dollars a day for not
+doing so. As a matter of precedent, it was important that the point
+should be settled, though I hardly imagine that many yachts will
+follow our example, and come out to Japan through the Straits of
+Magellan and across the Pacific.
+
+As it was now growing late, we returned to the hotel for dinner. The
+night was cold, and _hibatchis_ and lamps alike failed to warm the
+thinly walled and paper-screened room.
+
+Sir Harry Parkes came and spent the evening with us, and taught us
+more about Japan in two or three hours than we could have learned by
+much study of many books. The fact is, that in this fast-changing
+country guide-books get out of date in two or three years. Besides
+which, Sir Harry has been one of the chief actors in many of the most
+prominent events we have recently been reading about. To hear him
+describe graphically the wars of 1868, and the Christian persecutions
+in 1870, with the causes that led to the revolution, and the effect it
+has had on the country, was indeed interesting. Still more so was his
+account of his journey hither to force the newly emerged Mikado and
+his Ministers to sign the treaty, which had already received the
+assent (of course valueless) of the deposed Tycoon.
+
+_Wednesday, February 7th_.--A misty but much warmer morning succeeded
+a wet night. At 8.30 Sir Harry Parkes and two other gentlemen arrived,
+and we all started at once in jinrikishas to see what could be seen in
+the limited time at our disposal. We went first to the temple of Gion
+Chiosiu, described elaborately in books by other travellers. It is
+specially interesting to Europeans, as it was the temple assigned to
+the foreign envoys when they paid their first visit to the Mikado in
+1868. Sir Harry Parkes showed us all their apartments, and the large
+though subsidiary temple once used as a hospital, and we afterwards
+went to see the service performed in the temple. A dozen bonzes, or
+priests, were sitting round in a circle, chanting monotonously from
+ponderous volumes, with an occasional accompaniment from a gong or
+drum. Incense was being burned, vestments worn, processions formed,
+and prayers offered to Buddha to intercede with the Supreme Being. The
+accessories and surroundings were of course different, but the
+ceremonial struck me as being much the same as that in use at Roman
+Catholic places of worship. Mr. Simpson, however, thinks differently.
+He says:
+
+'I was only a month in Japan, and that is far too short a time for
+anything like serious study; but I was much struck by the temples, and
+I find I have some notes in my book comparing them with the Jewish.
+How any direct connection could possibly exist, is far beyond my
+powers of conjecture; but I will state the points of resemblance, and
+leave others to inquire further and collect additional information.
+Wood and bronze to this day furnish the material of which temples are
+constructed in Japan, with stone as a base. Such also were the
+materials of Solomon's temple. There are enclosures round each court
+or shrine, and sometimes these courts are three in number. Hills or
+groves are usually sites for a temple, the ascent to which is by a
+long flight of steps; usually two flights give access to the shrine.
+One is long, straight, and steep, for the men; the other, less steep,
+but curved, is for the women. It will be remembered that it was the
+great stairs at Solomon's temple that so impressed the Queen of Sheba.
+Small shrines or miniature temples, called Tenno Samma, or "Heaven's
+Lord," are carried on staves, like the Ark of the Covenant, at their
+religious ceremonies. The inner shrine, or Holy of Holies, is small,
+and a cube, or nearly so, in proportion. It is usually detached behind
+the other portions of the temple, the door being closed, so that it
+cannot be seen into, and it generally contains, not an image, but a
+tablet, or what the Japanese call a "Gohei," or piece of paper, cut so
+that it hangs down in folds on each side. In the early days of
+writing, a tablet was a book, a stylus the pen. The stone on which the
+law was inscribed was only a form of the book, and the Chinese
+ancestral tablet, or other tablet, in a temple, is only a variety of
+this book form. These "Goheis" are so common in Japan, and occupy so
+important a place in all their temples, that I had a great desire to
+know what they originally meant; but as on many questions of this kind
+I could get no information, the only suggestion which presented itself
+to me was, that it might be some form of the book, for the book was a
+very sacred thing in past time, and that which is yet called the
+"Ark," in a Jewish synagogue, contains now nothing but a book. There
+is a distinct priesthood who wear vestments, and they use incense,
+music, and bells. There are two religions in Japan, Buddhism and
+Shintooism; the latter being the primitive faith, and the former an
+importation from China. The forms of the two have become slightly
+mixed, both in the construction of their temples and in the
+ceremonial; but the remarks I have just made apply particularly to the
+Shintoo religion.'
+
+One of the late acts of the government has been to declare the
+Shintoo, as the old religion of the country, to be the only State
+faith. This is the disestablishment of Buddhism, but it does not imply
+its suppression. The Buddhist priests complain very much, saying that
+their temples are not now so popular, and many are being closed.
+Speculators are buying up their fine bronze bells, and sending them
+home to be coined into English pennies and halfpennies. Changes in
+faith present many strange aspects, and this is certainly a curious
+one.
+
+We strolled about the temple grounds, and ascended the hill to see the
+famous bell, which is the second biggest in Japan. The immense beam
+which strikes it was unlashed from the platform for our edification,
+and the bell sent forth a magnificent sound, pealing over the city and
+through the woods. At one of the gates there is a curious staircase,
+leading up to the top, and there, over the gate, is seated a figure of
+Buddha, surrounded by twelve disciples, all carved in wood and
+coloured. They are quite worth a scramble up to see.
+
+From Chiosiu we went right across the city to the temple of Nishni
+Hongangi. On our way we were more than once stopped and turned off the
+direct road, which was kept by soldiers for the passage of the Mikado
+to worship at the tombstone of his innumerable ancestors, real or
+imaginary. Being a spiritual Emperor, he has to be well kept up to
+his religious duties, and is always being sent off to worship at some
+shrine or another, in order to maintain his popularity with the
+people, his Ministers meanwhile managing the affairs of state. Tanjo
+and Ikawura went off in haste to-day to Tokio, as there are rumours of
+a rebellion in the south.
+
+Nishni Hongangi is one of the largest and finest temples we have yet
+seen, even in spite of a large portion having been destroyed by the
+disastrous fire of 1864. The gates are splendidly ornamented, with
+carved chrysanthemum flowers. The centre temple is very fine, and is
+surrounded by smaller rooms, all decorated by the best Japanese
+artists of about two hundred years ago. Notice had been sent that the
+English Minister was coming with a party of friends, and everything
+had accordingly been prepared for our reception. In some places they
+had even put down carpets, to obviate the necessity of our having to
+take off our boots. The Abbot was out, which I much regretted, for he
+belongs to the Montos, the most advanced sect of Buddhism, and has
+more than once remarked to English visitors that he thought their own
+principles were so enlightened that they were paving the way for a
+higher form of religion, in the shape of Christianity--rather a
+startling confession to come from the lips of a Buddhist priest.
+
+After spending a long time among the paintings, wood-carvings,
+lacquers, bronzes, and gardens, we left the temple, and crossed
+several court-yards, before the main street was reached. Then, after a
+short walk, we came to another beautiful garden, laid out like a
+miniature park, with lakes, bridges, rocks, streams, canals,
+pavilions, &c. All these surround a house built by the celebrated
+Tycoon, Tako Sama, in the fifteenth century. Here, again, everything
+was prepared for our reception. Fires were lighted, flowers arranged,
+carpets laid down, and fruit and cakes placed in readiness, with
+_hibatchis_ to warm each and all of us. We went all over the house,
+which differs little from a Japanese house of the present day, except
+that a higher style of art was employed in its construction and
+decoration.
+
+From here we went to quite another quarter of the city to see what was
+formerly the Tycoon's palace, now used as a sort of police office. It
+is built on the same plan of three enclosures as all the _yashgis_,
+though on a very different scale from the one at Tokio. There, the
+Tycoon reigns in undisturbed sovereignty. Here, he appears as a humble
+servant of his rightful master--really his prisoner. The late Tycoon,
+after the last battle, fought at this place, fled to his castle at
+Osaka, where, though he might have held out for an indefinite period,
+he preferred to surrender. Two of his Ministers came to him and
+represented that he must not only think of himself, but of the party
+who supported the Shogunate, and that as he had betrayed them by false
+hopes he had no choice but to perform Hara-kiru. This he refused to
+do, although they set him the example; and he is now living as a
+private individual on an estate in the country, not far from Tokio,
+where he amuses himself with hunting, shooting, and fishing. It is
+said that it is possible he may one day join the ministry of the
+present Mikado.
+
+From the Tycoon's palace we drove to the 'Toshio,' or court quarter of
+the town, where the Mikado and all his relatives live, in palaces,
+surrounded by large gardens, enclosed in whitewashed walls. We saw the
+whole of Tako Sama's household furniture and wearing apparel, the
+celebrated swords of Yoritiome, called the 'knee-cutter' and the
+'beard-cutter,' from their wonderful sharpness, and many other
+interesting objects.
+
+Here we said good-bye to Sir Harry Parkes, and returned across the
+town by another route to our hotel to lunch, after which we made
+another expedition to one or two more temples, and then to a
+pawnbroker's shop, in the heart of the city, which had been strongly
+recommended to us. The exterior did not look promising; the shop
+itself was small and dirty; and they had to take some very filthy
+garments out of the way before we could enter. Once inside, however,
+it was a very different story. They showed us splendid old
+embroideries, and quantities of second-hand court dresses, embroidered
+in gold, silver, and colours, with exquisite designs. The Empress has
+thirteen ladies of honour, who wear their best dresses only twice, and
+then sell them: hence the pawnbrokers abundant stock.
+
+Wherever we went a large but perfectly civil crowd followed us, and
+people ran on before to tell others to come to their doors and look at
+us, though we were under the charge of an officer and two men. It was
+now getting dark, and we were very tired; so we at last turned back,
+and once more climbed those weary steps to our hotel. To-night there
+is some _fete_ going on in this suburb, and the whole place is alive
+with lights, dancing, music, and tum-tums.
+
+After dinner all our purchases arrived, each accompanied by at least
+four or five men. Other people had heard of our visit, and had brought
+more things for us to look at; so that the room soon resembled a
+bazaar. At last we got rid of them, having settled that they should
+pack our things and take them down to Kobe, where they would be paid
+for. The Japanese shopkeepers, though difficult to deal with, are
+incorruptible when once the bargain is made. They pack most carefully,
+frequently adding boxes, bags, and baskets, not originally included in
+the purchase, in order that the articles may travel more safely. The
+smallest article is sure to be put in, and the greatest care is taken
+of everything, even if they know you do not mean to open the cases for
+months.
+
+If it were only warmer, how delightful it would all be! The cold
+spoils everything to a certain extent. At night we have to choose
+whether to be half frozen in our beds, or stifled with the fumes of
+charcoal from the _hibatchis_.
+
+_Thursday, February 8th_.--The sunrise over the city, with the river
+and mountains beyond, was superb. We breakfasted at eight; but even by
+that hour the courtyard and passage were crowded with vendors of
+curiosities of all sorts, and no doubt great bargains might have been
+picked up. But we had no time to lose, for our train started at 9.30,
+and we had a delightfully rapid drive to the station through the sunny
+streets of Kioto.
+
+Arrived at Kobe, we went first to lunch with some friends, and
+immediately after hastened on board to receive the foreign Ministers
+and other friends; and did not land again that evening.
+
+_Friday, February 9th_.--We left by ten o'clock train for Osaka, which
+has been called the Venice of Japan. It is intersected by innumerable
+rivers and canals, and boats were continually making their appearance
+at points where they were least expected, as our _jinrikisha_ men
+hurried us along the narrow and not very sweet-smelling streets. We
+went so fast that, more than once before we reached the Mint, I
+thought we should have been tipped into one of the canals, as we
+turned a sharp corner. Our men upset the baskets and stalls that
+encroached on the road, in the most unceremonious manner; but their
+proprietors did not seem to mind, many of them quietly moving their
+wares out of the way as they heard the shouts that announced our
+approach. The smell in the fish-market was disgusting, and enough to
+poison the air for miles around, but the people did not seem to mind
+it in the least.
+
+At last we left the river and town, and, climbing a slight eminence,
+crossed the first moat by a stone bridge, and reached the guard-house
+on the other side. There was some hesitation at first about admitting
+us; but it was soon overcome. This castle, the last stronghold of the
+Tycoon, is built on exactly the same plan as the _yashgis_ we had
+already visited, but much stronger, being composed of enormous blocks
+of stone. One wonders how human labour could ever have transported
+them from their quarry to this place, for some measured 40 ft. long by
+20 ft. high. We crossed the three moats and the three enclosures, now
+all full of barracks and soldiers. In the very centre, the old well
+and a little square tower are still standing, part of the Tycoon's
+original residence, which was destroyed by fire. The view from the top
+over the town and surrounding country is very fine. You can see
+countless streams coming from the mountains, and flowing into
+Odawarra, on which Osaka is situated. The course of the river itself
+could be traced to the bay; and the line of coast to Kobe, and the
+far-off mountains in the Inland Sea were plainly visible.
+
+On returning to the Mint we found luncheon awaiting us, and afterwards
+spent a pleasant time looking at a wonderful collection of curios.
+
+The Imperial Mint of Japan is a large handsome building, in great
+force just now, for the whole of the old money is being called in and
+replaced by the government. The contrast between the two moneys is
+very great. The ancient coinage consisted of long thin oval obangs and
+shobangs, worth from two dollars to eighteen pounds each, square
+silver itzeboos, and square copper pieces, with a hole in the centre;
+while that which is taking its place is similar to European coinage,
+and is marked in English characters, and ornamented with Japanese
+devices, such as the phoenix and the dragon. It did not seem worth
+while to go minutely over the Mint, as it is arranged on exactly the
+same principle as the one in London, and the processes are carried out
+in the same manner.
+
+Osaka used to be the emporium of all the inland commerce, and was
+considered the pearl of Japanese cities. After the revolution, and
+when the Mint was built, there was some intention of making it the
+capital of the empire. That idea was, however, abandoned; and the
+inconvenience of having the Mint so far away from the seat of
+government is greatly felt, all the bullion having to be sent
+backwards and forwards at great expense by sea. Commerce has now
+almost deserted Osaka, owing to the difficulty experienced by large
+ships in anchoring near the town, and the impossibility of their
+crossing the bar. The foreign consuls and representatives have all
+left the place for the newly established settlement at Kobe, where
+they feel safer, with men-of-war at anchor just under their windows.
+
+[Illustration: Wayside Travellers.]
+
+There was just time to go round some of the old streets, and to some
+of the shops, before the hour by which we were due at the station.
+Osaka is famous for its waxworks and theatres. Five of the best of
+these have, however, been burnt down within the last eighteen months,
+with terrible loss of life. We heard that a short time ago there was
+nearly being serious trouble, in consequence of one of the managers
+having produced on the stage, in a most objectionable manner, a
+representation of the cruel and unprovoked assassination of an officer
+and two men, part of a boat's crew of a French ship. The English and
+French consuls went to the governor of the town, who promised that the
+piece should be stopped, and the obnoxious placards announcing the
+performance removed at once. But his instructions were not complied
+with, for the next day the piece was again performed, and the placards
+were still there. Some French sailors, luckily accompanied by their
+officers, saw the latter and wanted to tear them down; but they were
+persuaded to wait while the consuls were telegraphed for. They came at
+once, and again saw the governor, who sent some soldiers to stop the
+play and remove the bills; and so the affair ended peaceably.
+
+We reached Kobe about seven o'clock, and went on board at once to
+dinner.
+
+_Saturday, February 10th_.--We were to have gone early this morning to
+Arrima, a village in the mountains, situated among groves of bamboos,
+where there are mineral springs and a hot-water bath, in which people
+bathe in the old style. But the weather was impossibly bad for our
+intended expedition, with showers of snow and sleet. We waited till
+half-past eleven, and then landed and talked of going to Osaka again
+by train; but finally decided that even this was not practicable, and
+that we had better stay and potter about at Kobe and Hiogo. The
+children set out to buy toys, whilst I went with a lady to pay another
+visit to the white horse and monkeys at the temple, and then walked on
+to a waterfall, prettily situated in a ravine, a little way behind the
+town. We afterwards visited several pawnbrokers' shops, at all of
+which there was something interesting to be seen. Many are perfect
+museums; but their proprietors never seem to care much to show you
+what they have, unless you are accompanied by a resident or some one
+they know. Then they invite you into the iron fire-proof 'godown' or
+store, at the back, and out of funny little boxes and bags and parcels
+produce all sorts of rare and curious things which have been sent to
+them to be sold, or which they may possibly have bought themselves. It
+is not of the slightest use to go to the large shops, full of things,
+if you want anything really good, for you will only find there
+articles specially prepared for the European and American market.
+
+I am very glad to hear that Dr. Dresser is here, collecting,
+lecturing, and trying to persuade the Japanese to adhere to their own
+forms and taste in art and decoration. It is a great pity to observe
+the decadence of native art, and at the same time to see how much
+better the old things are than the new. A true Japanese artist never
+repeats himself, and consequently never makes an exact pair of
+anything. His designs agree generally, and his vases are more or less
+alike, without being a precise match. He throws in a spray of flowers,
+a bird, or a fan, as the fancy strikes him, and the same objects are
+therefore never placed in exactly the same relative position. Modern
+articles are made precisely alike, not only in pairs, but by the dozen
+and the hundred.
+
+There are beautiful bantams to be seen in some of the shops here; but
+they cannot be bought, as they are private pets. They seem generally
+very small, and one I saw to-day had his head far behind his tail,
+which divided in the middle outwards, and fell forward on either side
+of his neck in the most extraordinary way. How he picked up his food
+and got through life, I am sure I don't know. There are plenty of
+little Japanese dogs; but they are not seen to advantage this cold
+weather, and there would be great difficulty in getting them home.
+
+I bought some fine bantams at Yokohama, and a whole cage full of
+rice-birds. They are the dearest little things, and spend most of the
+day bathing and twittering, occasionally getting all together into one
+nest, with their twenty-five heads peeping out. They are exactly like
+a magnified grain of rice, with legs and a bill. I hope I shall take
+them home alive, as they have borne the cold very well so far. We have
+also some mandarin ducks on board, and some gold and silver fish with
+two tails. Our sailors have over a hundred birds of their own, which
+never appear on deck, except on very sunny days. I don't know where
+they can keep them, unless they stow them away in their Japanese
+cabinets.
+
+We went on board about dark, and a few friends came to dinner.
+
+_Sunday, February 11th_.--About 7 a.m., two Japanese officers came on
+board with a message which nobody could understand. When we went on
+deck, we saw that all the ships were dressed, and concluded that we
+had been asked to do the same; but we thought it better to send ashore
+to ascertain positively. The next difficulty was to get a Japanese
+flag. Tom went on board the 'Thabor,' a Japanese ship, to borrow one,
+and found everything was in bustle and confusion, news having arrived
+from Kiusiu that the rebels were mustering in great force, and that
+they had seized some ships. The 'Thabor,' 'Mihu Maru,' and three
+others, are therefore to go through the Inland Sea to Nagasaki this
+afternoon.
+
+The Japanese admiral sent word early this morning that he would come
+on board at two o'clock with some of his captains, and the French
+admiral also expressed a hope that it would be convenient to receive
+him and his captains at three. Their visits occupied nearly all the
+afternoon. We afterwards landed with the French admiral, paid some
+farewell visits, and went to look at a collection of old lacquer and
+Satsuma china, before we returned to the yacht.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXI.
+
+THE INLAND SEA.
+
+    _Dipped in the lines of sunset, wreathed in zones,_
+    _The clouds are resting on their mountain thrones;_
+    _One peak alone exalts its glacier crest,_
+    _A golden paradise above the rest._
+    _Thither the day with lingering steps retires,_
+    _And in its own blue element expires._
+
+_Monday, February 12th_.--Fires were lighted at 4 a.m., and by six we
+were steaming slowly out of the beautiful bay of Kobe. It was a cold
+bright morning, with a strong head wind, increasing every moment as we
+proceeded, until, in the straits of Akashi, it became almost
+impossible to make any way against it. There was not much sea, but the
+wind impeded our progress so much, that it was at last reduced to one
+mile instead of nine an hour. The straits are very fine, and the old
+castle presents an admirable specimen of the architecture of a
+Daimio's residence.
+
+We proceeded across the Harima Nada, where we were more or less
+exposed to the open sea, and where we took more water on board than we
+had done in the gale before arriving at Yokohama. There were no big
+waves, but we rolled tremendously, and the spray came over us, though
+the mere force of the wind seemed to keep the sea down.
+
+After struggling until twelve o'clock, and having done but little good
+for the last three hours, Tom determined to run back, and in a short
+time we found ourselves once more at anchor in the harbour of Kobe. It
+was a work of considerable difficulty, owing to the strong wind and
+tide, to steer safely among the numerous vessels, and for a few
+minutes we thought we were aground, as we did not make the slightest
+progress, though the engines were working ahead full speed. The
+proveedor's boat came out to us as soon as we were perceived, and we
+landed in her; but it was as much as the six stout oarsmen could do to
+make way against the wind.
+
+We went for a walk, or rather a scramble, to the waterfall, half-way
+up to the Temple of the Moon. Much of the ground was covered with
+snow, the streams were frozen at the sides, and there were hanging
+icicles to be seen, six feet in length; and yet on either side were
+camellias and tea-trees covered with red and white blossoms,
+orange-trees, laden with fruit; gold-fish swimming about in ponds,
+overhung with maidenhair fern, besides pteris and hothouse ferns,
+shaded by bamboos, palms, and castor-oil plants. The order of
+vegetation seems to be as much reversed as everything else in this
+strange country. In England all those plants would require
+conservatories, or at least sheltered spots, and the greatest care,
+instead of being exposed to frost and snow.
+
+Getting on board again was even a more difficult business than landing
+had been; but we arrived at last without mishap.
+
+_Tuesday, February 13th_.--The wind dropped at sunset, and as it
+continued calm all night, Tom ordered fires to be lighted at 4 a.m. By
+six o'clock, however, it was blowing harder than ever, and we
+therefore decided to make an excursion to Arrima instead of attempting
+another start.
+
+We went ashore to make the necessary arrangements, and it was settled
+that we should start at ten o'clock, which we did, with the Consulate
+constable as our guide.
+
+We had three men to each _jinrikisha_, and went along at a merry pace
+through the long straggling towns of Kobe and Hiogo. The cold was
+intense, and before we started our poor _jinrikisha_ men were
+shivering until they nearly shook us out of the vehicles. Soon they
+were streaming with perspiration, and at our first halting-place they
+took off almost all their garments, though it was as much as we could
+do to keep warm in our furs and wraps. We waited while they partook
+copiously of hot tea and bowls of rice, and bought new straw shoes, or
+rather sandals, for less than a farthing a pair.
+
+To-day being the Japanese New Year's Day, all the little shrines in
+the houses and along the road were prettily decorated, and had
+offerings of rice, _saki_, and fruit deposited upon them. The spirits
+of the departed are supposed to come down and partake, not of the
+things themselves, but of the subtle invisible essence that rises from
+them. The road now became very pretty, winding through the valleys,
+climbing up and dipping down the various hills, and passing through
+picturesque villages, where all the people, leaving their meals or
+their games, came out to look at us, while some of the children
+scampered on to secure a good view of the foreigners, and others ran
+away frightened and screaming. They were all dressed in dark blue
+clothes, turned up with red, with bright embroidered _obis_ and
+flowers in their elaborately dressed hair. I have managed to get some
+dolls' wigs, which give a good idea of the various styles of
+hair-dressing.
+
+In rather more than three hours we reached Arrima, a village far more
+beautifully situated than any we had seen, in the very centre of the
+mountains, where a dozen valleys converge into one centre. On one side
+are mineral springs, on the other a river. Bamboos grow luxuriantly on
+all sides, and the inhabitants of the various valleys obtain their
+livelihood by manufacturing from them all sorts of articles: boxes for
+every conceivable purpose; baskets, fine and coarse, large and small,
+useful and ornamental, coloured and plain; brushes, pipes, battledores
+and shuttlecocks, sticks, spoons, knives and forks, sauce ladles,
+boats, lamps, cradles, &c.
+
+The first glimpse of the village is lovely; that from the bridge that
+crosses the river is still more so. We clambered up narrow streets,
+with quaint carved houses and overhanging balconies, till we reached a
+tea-house, kept by a closely shaven bonze, or priest. He seemed very
+pleased to see us, and bowed and shook hands over and over again. He
+placed his whole house at our disposal, and a very clean, pretty, and
+well-arranged house it was, with a lovely little formal garden,
+ornamented with mimic temples and bridges of ice, fashioned by the
+hard frost, with but little assistance from the hand of man. Bits of
+wood and stone, a few graceful fern-leaves and sprays of bamboo, and a
+trickling stream of water produced the most fairy-like crystalline
+effects imaginable. If only some good fairy could, with a touch of her
+wand, preserve it all intact until a few months hence, what a delight
+it would be in the hot summer weather!
+
+To-day the paper house was indeed cold; but even so slight a shelter
+from the bitter wind was acceptable, though we regretted the screens
+could not be opened to enable us to admire the prospect on all sides.
+The luncheon basket being quickly unpacked, the good priest warmed our
+food and produced a bottle of port wine, which he mulled for our
+benefit. Cheered and refreshed we proceeded on our way, leaving him
+much delighted with what seemed to us but a small recompense for his
+courtesy.
+
+Every house and shop in those narrow picturesque streets was a study
+in itself, and so were the quaint groups of people we met, and who
+gazed eagerly at us. We looked into the public baths, two oblong
+tanks, into which the mineral springs came bubbling up, thick and
+yellow, and strongly impregnated with iron, at a temperature of 112 deg..
+They are covered in, and there is a rough passage round them. Here, in
+the bathing season, people of both sexes stand in rows, packed as
+tight as herrings in a barrel, and there are just as many outside
+waiting their turn to enter. To-day there were only two bathers,
+immersed up to their chins in the steaming water. They had left all
+their clothes at home, and would shortly have to pass through the
+streets without any covering, notwithstanding the cold.
+
+[Illustration: Arrima. The Village of Bamboo Basket Work]
+
+From the baths we went to some of the best basket shops, where the
+beauty and cheapness of the articles exposed for sale offered great
+temptations. We had to disturb our _jinrikiska_ men, who were enjoying
+their frugal meal at a separate tea-house. It was beautifully served,
+and as clean and nicely cooked as possible, though consisting of
+viands which we might not have fancied, such as various kinds of fish,
+seaweed, sea-snails (_beche de mer_), and rice. Each man had his own
+little table and eight or ten separate dishes, a bottle of _saki_,
+tea-pipe, and _hibatchi_, arranged exactly as ours had been at the
+tea-house at Yokohama. How well they managed their chop-sticks, how
+quickly they shovelled the food down, and how clean they left each
+dish! Habit is everything.
+
+We were anxious to make the best of our way home, and starting at
+four, with but a short stop at the halfway tea-house, we reached the
+hotel soon after seven, having taken less than an hour to come five
+miles over a very bad road, an inch deep in mud. So much for a
+'man-power carriage,' the literal translation of the word
+_jinrikisha_.[18] Soon after an excellent dinner we returned on board,
+so as to be ready for an early start to-morrow morning.
+
+[Footnote 18: Or 'pull-man-car,' as it is sometimes called.]
+
+_Wednesday, February 14th_.--We were called at 4 a.m. Fires were
+lighted, but before steam was up the wind had risen; so our start was
+once more postponed to the afternoon. We steamed out to the buoy, from
+among the shipping, in order to be able to get away more easily at
+night. The wind generally goes down at sunset, and Tom hoped that, by
+taking our departure then, we should get through the worst part of the
+Inland Sea before the wind again rose with the sun.
+
+After breakfast we went ashore, and dispersed in different directions,
+to meet again at the hotel for luncheon. Then we all again separated,
+the children going to the circus, whilst I took a drive, with a pair
+of black and white Hakodadi ponies, to the foot of the hills behind
+the town.
+
+It was a pleasant circuit by pretty valleys, and brought us back to
+the town by a different road. I went to pick up the children at the
+circus, and found them just coming out, with delighted faces, having
+most thoroughly enjoyed themselves. They went on board to tea, but
+Mabelle and I went with the Consul in _jinrikishas_ to a Japanese
+theatre at Hiogo. The streets were crowded with holiday-makers; for
+to-day is the first of the Chinese new year, as yesterday was the
+first of the Japanese new year. The floor of the theatre was crowded
+with people, all squatting on their heels, each with his or her
+chow-chow box and _hibatchi_ or brazier of burning charcoal to keep
+themselves warm. The performance frequently goes on for ten or twelve
+hours, with short intervals and whole families come and take up their
+abode at the theatre for twelve hours at a time. The acting was not
+at all bad, and the performers were beautifully dressed.
+
+We did not stay very long at the theatre, but were soon tearing back
+again through the streets to the Consulate. These quick rides in a
+_jinrikisha_, especially at night, are very amusing. You have the
+pleasure of going at a high speed, and yet, being on a level with the
+people, you can see much more of them and of their manners than would
+be possible in a carriage.
+
+When we reached the Consulate we found the chief of the police of the
+foreign settlement waiting for the Consul, to inform him that Japanese
+soldiers were patrolling the town with fixed bayonets, alleging that
+information had been sent to the Governor that some of the rebels were
+in the hills at the back of the town, and might appear at any moment.
+The ships-of-war were to be communicated with at once for the
+protection of the inhabitants. They do not expect a general attack
+here, but seem to think the rebels' plan is to creep up by degrees to
+Osaka, where the Mikado is shortly expected to stay, and take
+possession of his person and the imperial treasure at one blow.
+
+When I got on board the 'Sunbeam' again, I found that steam was up and
+all was ready for starting; but the wind was still strong against us,
+and it was evidently necessary again to wait until four o'clock
+to-morrow morning.
+
+We were rolling a good deal, and, coming along the engine-room
+passage, my foot slipped, a door banged to, and my thumb was caught in
+the hinge and terribly crushed. Dressing it was a very painful affair,
+as the doctor had to ascertain whether the bone was broken, and I
+fainted during the operation. At last I was carried to my cabin and
+put to bed, after taking a strong dose of chloral to soothe the
+agonising pain.
+
+_Thursday, February 15th_.--I wonder if anybody who has not
+experienced it can realise the stupefying, helpless sensation of being
+roused up from a sound sleep, in the middle of the night, on board
+ship, by the cry of 'Fire!' and finding oneself enveloped in a smoke
+so dense as to render everything invisible.
+
+[Illustration: The Yacht on Fire.]
+
+At 2.30 a.m. I was awakened by a great noise and a loud cry of 'The
+ship is on fire!' followed by Mr. Bingham rushing into our cabin to
+arouse us. At first I could hardly realise where we were, or what was
+happening, as I was half stupid with chloral, pain, and smoke, which
+was issuing from each side of the staircase in dense volumes. My first
+thought was for the children, but I found they had not been forgotten.
+Rolled up in blankets, they were already in transit to the deck-house.
+In the meantime Mr. Bingham had drenched the flames with every
+available jug of water, and Tom had roused the crew, and made them
+screw the hose on to the pump. They were afraid to open the hatches,
+to discover where the fire was, until the hose and _extincteurs_ were
+ready to work, as they did not know whether or not the hold was on
+fire, and the whole ship might burst into a blaze the moment the air
+was admitted. Allen soon appeared with an _extincteur_ on his back,
+and the mate with the hose. Then the cupboard in Mr. Bingham's room
+was opened, and burning cloaks, dresses, boxes of curios,
+portmanteaus, &c., were hauled out, and, by a chain of men, sent on
+deck, where they were drenched with sea-water or thrown overboard.
+Moving these things caused the flames to increase in vigour, and the
+_extincteur_ was used freely, and with the greatest success. It is an
+invaluable invention, especially for a yacht, where there are so many
+holes and corners which it would be impossible to reach by ordinary
+means. All this time the smoke was pouring in volumes from the
+cupboard on the other side, and from under the nursery fireplace. The
+floors were pulled up, and the partitions were pulled down, until at
+last the flames were got under. The holds were next examined. No
+damage had been done there; but the cabin floor was completely burnt
+through, and the lead from the nursery fireplace was running about,
+melted by the heat.
+
+The explanation of the cause of the fire is very simple. Being a
+bitterly cold night, a roaring fire had been made up in the nursery,
+but about half-past ten the servants thought it looked rather
+dangerous and raked it out. The ashpan was not large enough, however,
+to hold the hot embers, which soon made the tiles red-hot. The
+woodwork caught fire, and had been smouldering for hours, when the
+nurse fortunately woke and discovered the state of affairs. She tried
+to rouse the other maids, but they were stupefied with the smoke, and
+so she rushed off at once to the doctor and Mr. Bingham. The former
+seized a child under each arm, wrapped them in blankets, and carried
+them off to the deck-house, Mabelle and the maids following, with more
+blankets and rugs, hastily snatched up. The children were as good as
+possible. They never cried nor made the least fuss, but composed
+themselves in the deck-house to sleep for the remainder of the night,
+as if it were all a matter of course. When I went to see them, little
+Muriel remarked: 'If the yacht is on fire, mamma, had not baby and I
+better get our ulsters, and go with Emma in the boat to the hotel, to
+be out of the way?' It is the third time in their short lives that
+they have been picked out of bed in the middle of the night and
+carried off in blankets away from a fire, so I suppose they are
+getting quite used to it.
+
+There can be no doubt that the preservation of the yacht from very
+serious damage, if not from complete destruction, was due to the
+prompt and efficient manner in which the _extincteurs_ were used. It
+was not our first experience of the value of this invention; for, not
+very long before we undertook our present expedition, a fire broke out
+in our house in London, on which occasion the _extincteurs_ we
+fortunately had at hand rendered most excellent service in subduing
+the flames.
+
+By half-past three all danger was past, and we began to settle down
+again, though it took a long time to get rid of the smoke.
+
+At four o'clock we weighed anchor, and once more made a start from
+Kobe, and passed through the Straits of Akashi. The wind was dead
+ahead, but not so strong as when we made our previous attempts. It was
+bitterly cold, the thermometer, in a sheltered place, being only one
+degree above freezing, and the breeze from the snowy mountains cutting
+like a knife.
+
+We were all disappointed with our sail to-day; perhaps because we had
+heard so much of the extreme beauty of the scenery, and this is not
+the best time of year for seeing it. The hills are all brown, instead
+of being covered with luxuriant vegetation, and all looked bleak and
+barren, though the outlines of the mountain ranges were very fine. We
+were reminded of the west coast of Scotland, the Lofoden Islands in
+the Arctic Circle, and the tamer portions of the scenery of the
+Straits of Magellan.
+
+After passing through the Straits, we crossed the Harima Nada--rather
+a wider portion of the sea--and then entered the intricate channels
+among the islands once more. There are three thousand of them
+altogether, so one may take it for granted that the navigation is by
+no means easy. The currents and tides are strong, sunken rocks are
+frequent, and the greatest care is requisite. Indeed, many people at
+Yokohama urged Tom to take a pilot.
+
+[Illustration: Yoken San or Sacred Mountain, Inland Sea]
+
+We had one lovely view in the afternoon of the island of Yoken San,
+with its snowy mountain at the back, and a pretty little village, with
+a few picturesque junks in the foreground. The yacht passed between
+Oki Sama and Le Sama, steering straight for the cone-shaped little
+island of Odutsi. Towards dusk we made the light of Nabae Sinaon Yo
+Sina, and, steering past it, had to take several sharp and awkward
+turns, to avoid two reefs off Siyako and Usi Suria. Thus we threaded
+the St. Vincent's Channel, and, avoiding the Conqueror bank by another
+sharp turn, dropped anchor at Imo Ura, in Hurusima, precisely at 8.30
+p.m. Tom had been on the look-out since 5 a.m., and we were all more
+or less worn out with the fatigue and excitement of last night.
+
+_Friday, February 16th_.--Off again at 4 a.m. The scenery was much
+finer than yesterday, and the wind not quite so bitterly cold.
+
+About 11 a.m. I heard a hurrying to and fro, and once more the cry of
+'Fire!' This time it was in the store-room that it broke out. The iron
+plates on which the saloon and galley grates are fixed had become
+red-hot, and the wooden deck below had consequently caught fire. The
+boxes on both sides, containing the stores, were in flames; but they
+were quickly removed, water was poured down, and the second and third
+fires were thus soon extinguished.
+
+[Illustration: Hurusima, Inland Sea.]
+
+_Saturday, February 17th_.--At 3.15 a.m. we began to slow; at 3.45 the
+anchor was dropped near the lighthouse of Isaki, and we waited until
+daylight before proceeding through the Straits of Simono-seki. About
+nine o'clock a fresh start was made, under steam, but before long the
+wind freshened, and as soon as the anchorage near the town was reached
+we let go once more, near two men-of-war, who had preceded us from
+Kobe, but who were now wind-bound, like ourselves.
+
+To our astonishment, we also saw a large ship from Nova Scotia at
+anchor, the 'Mary Fraser,' although this is not a free port, nor
+within treaty limits. The gig was lowered at once, and we rowed
+alongside to gain what intelligence could be learned, as well as to
+ascertain what likelihood there might be of our obtaining fresh
+supplies here. The captain was very civil and kind, and volunteered to
+go on shore with us and act as our interpreter. We landed opposite a
+large teahouse, where we were immediately surrounded by a crowd of
+Japanese, who stared at us eagerly and even touched us, only through
+curiosity. They pursued us wherever we went, and when we entered a
+tea-house or shop the whole crowd immediately stopped, and if we
+retired to the back they surged all over the front premises, and
+penetrated into the interior as far as they could. A most amusing
+scene took place at one of the tea-houses, where we went to order some
+provisions for the yacht. It was rather a tedious process, and when we
+came out of the back room we found the whole of the front of the place
+filled by a gaping, curious crowd. The proprietor suggested that they
+should retire at once, and an abrupt retreat immediately took place,
+the difficulties of which were greatly augmented by the fact that
+every one had left his high wooden shoes outside, along the front of
+the house. The street was ankle deep in mud and half-melted snow, into
+which they did not like to venture in their stockings; but how the
+owners of two or three hundred pairs of clogs, almost exactly alike,
+ever found their own property again I do not understand, though they
+managed to clear out very quickly. I believe Muriel and I were the
+chief objects of attraction. They told us that no European lady or
+child had ever been at Simono-seki before. It is not a treaty port, so
+no one is allowed to land, except from a man-of-war, without special
+permission, which is not often given; it is, besides, the key to the
+Inland Sea, and the authorities are very jealous about any one seeing
+the forts. There is only one European resident here, connected with
+the telegraph; and a dull time he must have of it. The wire crosses
+the Straits a few miles higher up.
+
+The streets appeared to be full of soldiers, patrolling singly and in
+pairs, with fixed bayonets. The temples were being used as barracks,
+and the principal buildings seemed to be strongly guarded; but
+otherwise everything appeared to go on as usual.
+
+We waded through the mud and snow to the proverbial end of all things,
+always followed by the same crowd, and stared at by all the
+inhabitants of the houses we passed. They seemed very timid, and
+inclined to run away directly we turned round. Still, their curiosity,
+especially respecting my sealskin jacket and serge dress, was
+insatiable, and I constantly felt myself being gently stroked and
+touched.
+
+We returned to the yacht, and whilst we were at lunch some officers
+came on board to say that, this not being a treaty port, we could not
+purchase any provisions, except through them, and with special
+permission. This was soon arranged, and our visitors were rewarded for
+their trouble by being shown over the yacht.
+
+_Sunday, February 18th_.--We were awakened in the night by a heavy
+gale, with snow and sleet beating furiously on the deck. In the
+morning the land was covered with snow, the water froze as it was
+pumped on deck, and the bitter wind howled and whistled through the
+rigging. In the afternoon the wind even increased in violence, the
+snowstorms became more frequent, and the sky was dark and overcast.
+
+We had service at eleven and again at four. The sun set cold and
+stormy, promising a wild night. At times the shore was quite hidden by
+the snowstorms, though only a few cables' lengths off.
+
+_Monday, February 19th_.--The wind and weather became worse than ever,
+and, as time was precious, Tom decided to retrace our steps for a
+short distance and go through the Bungo Channel, between the islands
+of Sikok and Kiusiu, instead of going out to sea through the
+Simono-seki Straits, as, in the latter case, the gale would be right
+in our teeth, and we should make but little progress. Now we shall be
+under the shelter of Kiusiu and the Linschoten and Luchu islands for
+at least two days, and so make a fair wind of it. Steering due south,
+too, we may hope to be soon out of this horrid weather. The only
+drawback to this plan is that we shall miss seeing Nagasaki, which I
+much regret. There are no great sights there, but the scenery is
+pretty, and the place is interesting owing to the fact that it was the
+first and for many years the only, port open to foreigners, and also
+the scene of the cruel murders of Christians and the site of the
+beautiful island of Pappenberg. Shanghai I do not think I regret so
+much, though Tom would have been interested to talk with the merchants
+about their commerce, and to see their houses, many of which are, I am
+told, perfect palaces. It would be very cold there, too, at this time
+of year; and I do so long to lose my cough and feel warm once more.
+
+At 8.30 p.m. we weighed and proceeded under steam. The views of the
+mountains, between the snowstorms, were lovely, with the fresh-fallen
+snow shining in an occasional gleam of sunshine. We soon passed the
+Isaki light, with wind and tide in our favour, and at sunset found
+ourselves in the open waters of the North Pacific.
+
+_Tuesday, February 20th_.--A lovely day; the thermometer already
+twenty degrees higher than it was yesterday. The wind had dropped, and
+at 10 a.m. it had become so calm that fires were lighted.
+
+It was delightful to see everybody and everything on board--people,
+children, animals, and birds, all and each sunning themselves, and
+trying to get thawed after the freezing they have had. We have
+unfortunately lost one of the Hawaiian geese, which I much regret, as
+it is irreplaceable. None have, I believe, ever been exported before.
+The pig from Harpe Island is very well. We have not seen him all the
+cold weather, as he has been buried in straw in a box, but they say
+that the cold has stopped his growth.
+
+We were continually passing islands throughout the day, sometimes six
+or seven being in sight at one time, some with active and more with
+extinct volcanoes. We saw smoke issuing from three of the cones, but
+by night we were too far off to notice the flames.
+
+_Wednesday, February 21st_.--The calm still continues. The sun is
+bright, the sky blue, and the atmosphere warm. During the night we
+passed Suwa Sima, Akuisi Sima, and Yoko Sima.
+
+In the afternoon a light breeze sprang up; we stopped steaming, and
+before nightfall were bowling along smoothly at the rate of ten knots.
+
+_Thursday, February 22nd_.--The same delightful breeze continued
+throughout the night and most of the day. By noon we had done 220
+miles. Everybody had on summer clothes, and we all felt ourselves
+gradually expanding after being shrivelled up by the cold of the last
+month.
+
+I should never recommend anybody to come to Japan in the winter. You
+do not see it at its best, I am sure, and the scanty protection
+afforded by houses and carriages makes travelling a penance rather
+than a pleasure. Travellers, however, who wish to see Japan should do
+so at once; for the country is changing every day, and in three years
+more will be so Europeanised that little will be left worth seeing; or
+a violent anti-foreign revulsion of feeling may have taken place, and
+then the ports will be closed more strictly than they were even before
+the execution of the first treaty. Nothing that we can give them do
+they really want; their exports are not large; and they have learned
+nearly all they care to know from the foreigner. We have seen many of
+the European engineers of Japanese vessels, and they all agree in
+declaring that the natives learn to imitate anything they see done
+with wonderful quickness. These men also averred that in a few years
+there will not be a single foreigner employed in Japan, as the
+Japanese will be quite in a position to dispense with such aid; and
+although the Government pay foreigners in a high position exceedingly
+well, their service offers no career to a young man. His engagement is
+for so many years, and when his subordinates have learned to do the
+work he may go where he likes. I am bound to add that I have heard the
+contrary opinion equally strongly expressed; but the facts I have
+mentioned make me lean rather to the former than to the latter side of
+the story.
+
+_Friday, February 23rd_.--Another pleasant day. The wind dropped,
+fires were lighted, and at 4.30 p.m. we proceeded under steam. Soon
+after seven, whilst we were at dinner, the table gave a sudden lurch,
+which was followed by the sound of rain on the deck above. We found
+that a breeze had sprung up all at once, and had carried away some of
+our head-sails before they could possibly be taken in. Even under
+close-reefed canvas we had a most uneasy night, racing along at from
+ten to twelve knots an hour.
+
+_Saturday, February 24th_.--We were rushing along, literally _through_
+the water all day, for there was plenty of it on deck--not really any
+great quantity, but sufficient to make everything wet and
+uncomfortable.
+
+At 1.35 we made the island of Ockseu, a capital land-fall, and very
+satisfactory in every way; for the sky was too much overcast to get an
+observation, and the currents hereabouts are strong and variable.
+During the night the wind fell light, but we maintained a speed of
+from nine to ten knots.
+
+_Sunday, February 25th_.--A much finer day. At 8 a.m. we had run 299
+knots since the same time yesterday. We met a large steamer and passed
+a brigantine; also several Chinese junks. About twelve o'clock we saw
+a flag being waved frantically from a junk not far from us. At first
+we thought something was wrong with them; but soon a small boat put
+off with three men, and we found, on its arrival alongside, that it
+contained a pilot anxious for a job. He was very disappointed that we
+would not let him come on board; but Tom always likes doing the
+pilotage himself. The boat was a rough wash-tub kind of affair, not
+much better than those used by the inhabitants of Tierra del Fuego and
+Patagonia.
+
+About two o'clock we entered the tropics; but the weather is now
+colder again, and not nearly so pleasant as it was two days ago. I
+suppose it is owing to the north-east monsoon.
+
+In the course of the afternoon we received several more offers of
+pilotage, all of which were declined; and at 7.45 we got up steam and
+lay to all night, ready to go into Hongkong harbour at daylight.
+
+_Monday, February 26th_.--At 4 a.m. we found ourselves close under the
+light on the eastern end of the island of Hongkong. We were surrounded
+by islands, and the morning was dark and thick; so we waited till
+5.30, and then steamed on through the Kowloon passage up to the city
+of Victoria, as it is really named, though it is generally called
+Hongkong. The channel is long, and in some places so narrow that it is
+like going through a mountain pass, with barren hills and rocks on
+either hand; but the combined effect of the blue waters, and red,
+brown, and yellow hills, is very fine.
+
+Off the town of Victoria the crowd of shipping is immense, and it
+became a difficult task to thread our way between the fleets of
+sampans and junks. The latter are the most extraordinary-looking craft
+I ever saw, with high, overhanging sterns and roll, or rather draw, up
+sails, sometimes actually made of silk, and puffed like a lady's net
+ball-dress. Then their decks are so crowded with lumber, live and
+dead, that you wonder how the boats can be navigated at all. But still
+they are much more picturesque than the Japanese junks, and better sea
+boats. The sampans are long boats, pointed at both ends, and provided
+with a small awning. They have deep keels; and underneath the floor
+there is one place for a cooking fire, another for an altar, and a
+third where the children are stowed to be out of the way. In these
+sampans whole families, sometimes five generations, live and move and
+have their being. I never shall forget my astonishment when, going
+ashore very early one morning in one of these strange craft, the
+proprietor lifted up what I had thought was the bottom of the boat,
+and disclosed three or four children, packed away as tight as
+herrings, while under the seats were half-a-dozen people of larger
+growth. The young mother of the small family generally rows with the
+smallest baby strapped on to her back, and the next-sized one in her
+arms, whom she is also teaching to row. The children begin to row by
+themselves when they are about two years old. The boys have a gourd,
+intended for a life-preserver, tied round their necks as soon as they
+are born. The girls are left to their fate, a Chinaman thinking it
+rather an advantage to lose a daughter or two occasionally.
+
+Many of these sampan people have never set foot on shore in their
+lives, and this water-life of China is one of the most extraordinary
+features of the country. It is what strikes all travellers, and so has
+tempted me to a digression.
+
+A lieutenant from the flag-ship came on board and piloted us into a
+snug berth, among the men-of-war, and close to the shore, where we
+were immediately surrounded by sampans, and pestered by pertinacious
+Chinese clambering on board. The donkey-engine, with well-rigged hose,
+soon, however, cleared the decks, bulwarks, and gangways, and we were
+not bothered any more.
+
+[Illustration: How we were boarded by Chinese and dispersed them.]
+
+After breakfast we landed on the Praya, a fine quay, extending the
+whole length of the town. On it are situated many of the large stores,
+offices, and markets of the city. The streets are wide and handsome,
+and the buildings in European style, with deep verandahs and arcades,
+all built of stone. The town is built on the side of a hill, with
+ferny, moss-covered banks, overhung by tropical trees, close to some
+of the principal offices. At the back are the mountains, the peak
+overhead, with the signal station on the top, always busily at work,
+making and answering signals with flags as ships and junks enter or
+leave the harbour. Soldiers and sailors abound in the streets; and if
+it were not for the sedan-chairs and palanquins, in which everybody is
+carried about by Chinese coolies with enormous hats, one might easily
+fancy oneself at dear old Gib., so much do these dependencies of the
+Crown in foreign countries resemble one another, even in such
+opposite quarters of the globe.
+
+We were very anxious to leave the yacht here and to go up to Canton;
+but we find there is no possible hotel at the latter place. This is
+rather unfortunate, as, after our long residence on board, and all the
+knocking about at sea, the yacht requires repairing and refitting. She
+looks very well painted white, and the change is a great comfort in
+hot weather; but white paint does not wear well, and in order to
+maintain her good looks she ought to receive a fresh coat at every
+port. We can only go up the Pearl River at the very top of the tide,
+for in several places there are not fourteen feet of water over the
+shoals. It will, therefore, take us two or three days to accomplish
+what the steamers do in six hours, and a great waste of time will be
+involved.
+
+To-day, for the first time, we have heard 'pidgin English' seriously
+spoken. It is very trying to one's composure to hear grave merchants,
+in their counting-houses, giving important orders to clerks and
+compradors in what sounds, until one gets accustomed to it, like the
+silliest of baby-talk. The term really means 'business English;' and
+certain it is that most Chinamen you meet understand it perfectly,
+though you might just as well talk Greek as ordinary English to them.
+'Take piecey missisy one piecey bag topside,' seems quite as difficult
+to understand as 'Take the lady's bag upstairs' would be; but it is
+easier to a Chinaman's intellect.
+
+From the Praya we went up the hill to write our names in the
+Governor's book. It was a beautiful road all the way, running between
+lovely gardens and beneath shady trees. Government House is a fine
+building, situated on a high point of land, commanding extensive views
+in every direction. After a pleasant chat we descended the hill again,
+and proceeded to the Hongkong hotel for tiffin. It does not seem a
+very desirable abode, being large, dirty, and ill-kept. At one
+o'clock a bell rang, and the visitors all rushed in and took their
+places at various little tables, and were served with a 'scrambly'
+sort of meal by Chinese boys.
+
+After this, a carriage was sent for us, and we drove to the
+race-course. This is the fourth and last day of the races, and there
+is to be a ball to-night to wind up with, to which everybody seems to
+be going. The drive was a very pleasant one, the road presenting a
+most animated appearance, with crowds of soldiers, sailors, Chinamen,
+Parsees, Jews, all hurrying along by the side of the numerous
+sedan-chairs and carriages. We were puzzled to imagine where, on this
+rocky, hilly island, there could possibly be found a piece of ground
+flat enough for a race-course. But the mystery was solved when we
+reached a lovely little valley, about two miles from the town, where
+we found a very fair course, about the size of that at Chester, but
+not so dangerous. The grand stand is a picturesque object, with its
+thatched roof, verandahs, and sun-blinds. The interior, too, looks
+comfortably arranged, and certainly contains the most luxurious
+basket-chairs one could possibly desire. There are a lawn and a
+paddock attached, and very good temporary stables, over many of which
+are private stands and tiffin-rooms.
+
+Hongkong races are a great event, and people come down from Canton,
+Shanghai, Macao, and all sorts of places for them. Everybody knows
+everybody, and it seems to be altogether a most pleasant social
+meeting. Many ladies were present. Some of the races were capital, the
+little Chinese ponies scuttling along at a great pace under their big
+riders, whose feet seemed almost to touch the ground. There was also a
+race for Australian horses. But the most amusing event of all was the
+last scramble for Chinese ponies ridden by Chinese boys, in which
+horses and riders seemed to be exactly suited to one another.
+
+The sun went down, and it grew cold and dark before all was over. The
+gentlemen walked back to the town, and I went down to the
+landing-place in solitary state, in a carriage driven by an Indian
+coachman, attended by a Chinese footman. I was immediately surrounded
+by a vociferating crowd, each individual member of which was anxious
+to extol the merits of his own sampan. The carriage having driven off,
+I was quite alone, and had some difficulty in dispersing them, and
+being allowed to enter the sampan I had selected. However, I did
+succeed at last, and making my boatmen understand that they were to
+take me to 'the white ship,' as the yacht is generally called,
+returned on board to rest.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXII.
+
+TO CANTON UP THE PEARL RIVER.
+
+    _Sails of silk and ropes of sandal_
+    _Such as gleam in ancient lore,_
+    _And the singing of the sailors,_
+    _And the answer from the shore._
+
+_Tuesday, February 27th_.--Until half-past ten we were occupied in the
+pleasant task of reading news from home--all good this time, I am
+happy to say. At 10.30 we landed and went up the hill to breakfast
+with Sir Arthur and Miss Kennedy, and heard a good deal about the
+colony. It is wonderful to think that thirty years ago it scarcely
+existed, and now it is a large and flourishing place, with splendid
+houses, institutions, roads, and gardens. We were also most agreeably
+surprised by the beauty of the scenery. It is really lovely, and,
+though the hills around are barren, wherever cultivation has been
+attempted, vegetation appears to flourish luxuriantly. The climate
+cannot be very bad, judging by the healthy look of the residents and
+troops. Typhoons seem to be the greatest drawback. They come without
+any warning, and it is impossible to guard against them and their
+disastrous effects. Thousands of lives, and millions of pounds' worth
+of property, are destroyed in a few hours. We have been shown some of
+the effects of a very severe typhoon that occurred in 1874. It seems
+almost incredible that the mere force of the wind can snap iron posts
+in two, break granite columns, and blow off heavy roofs.
+
+After breakfast the ceremony of presenting the departing Governor with
+a State umbrella took place. It was a token of respect from ten
+thousand Chinese inhabitants of Hongkong, and is the greatest
+compliment that can be paid to any official. It arrived in a large
+camphor-wood box, and the address, beautifully embroidered in gold
+thread and silk, was enclosed in a magnificent sandal-wood box about
+four feet long, covered with the richest carving. Precisely at twelve
+some forty vermilion-coloured visiting cards were handed in, with the
+name of each member of the deputation written in Chinese and English
+characters. The visitors were all received in a large drawing-room,
+whilst we ladies observed the proceedings through the doors leading
+from a smaller room. It is not considered etiquette by the Chinese for
+ladies to appear at these public ceremonies.
+
+[Illustration: Chinese Visiting Cards]
+
+After it was all over, a stroll through the town, and a look at the
+shops, filled up the rest of the time in the morning, until we went on
+board to fetch the children for an expedition up the Peak to the
+signal station. As usual many visitors came on board the yacht, and it
+was later than we had intended before we could make a start. I had to
+be carried up the steep ascent in a chair, but the children and dogs
+thoroughly enjoyed themselves scampering about. The little ones picked
+heaps of flowers and ferns. The dogs had not been allowed to land
+before, as everybody told me they would be sure to be stolen directly.
+We returned on board before sunset, and had time for a little rest
+before some friends arrived to dinner. We have shipped two Chinese
+boys here to work in the pantry and kitchen. They are excellent
+servants as a rule, but how they will get on with the others, and how
+they will like the sea-life, remains to be proved.
+
+_Wednesday, February 28th_.--I was up and off at half-past six to the
+market, and returned to a late breakfast on board; after which a large
+party of China merchants came as a deputation to invite Tom to fix a
+day to dine with them. I think they proposed to pay him what is for
+them an unusual compliment, partly because they were pleased with some
+remarks he made yesterday at Government House, and partly because they
+think so much of his enterprise in making a voyage round the world in
+a yacht with his wife and family. They examined everything on board,
+and seemed to be specially interested in Tom's Board of Trade
+certificate, which one of their number translated in full for the
+benefit of the rest.
+
+The Chinese part of the town stands quite away from the foreign
+settlement. It is dirty and crowded in spite of its wide streets, and
+the large, gaily coloured houses have the names and advertisements of
+their proprietors painted all across them. The theatre is in the
+middle of the city, and was densely crowded. A box had been reserved
+for us, for the ordinary seats are like a carpenter's bench. On the
+floor of the house men and women sat together, but in the galleries
+the men sat apart, and there were separate boxes for the women. The
+acting was rough, and accompanied by the most discordant music. The
+scenery seemed of an excessively rudimentary description, as you may
+imagine when I tell you that a steep hill up which the hero and
+heroine climbed with great difficulty was composed of five kitchen
+chairs arranged in a pyramid on the top of three kitchen tables, held
+in position by men in their ordinary dress. The fugitives were
+supposed to be a Tartar general and his wife, escaping from their
+enemies after a great battle. The fighting was renewed at intervals
+with great noise and spirit. Some of the costumes were very fine, and
+cost from 30_l_. to 40_l_. apiece.
+
+[Illustration: On the Pearl River.]
+
+From the theatre we drove to the Chinese hospital, and thence to the
+Chinese recreation ground, where we saw sundry itinerant quacks and
+vendors of all sorts of rubbish. As we were walking along, having left
+our chairs for a few minutes to look at the Chinese shops, a man
+picked my pocket of a one-dollar note. Mr. Freer and the Doctor saw,
+pursued, and caught him. He vehemently protested his innocence, but to
+no avail. They proceeded to strip him, found the note, gave him a good
+shaking, and told him to go.
+
+_Thursday, March 1st_.--A most lovely morning ushered in the new
+month, which having come in like the most peaceable of lambs, will, we
+hope, not end like a roaring lion just as we expect to be in the
+middle of the Bay of Bengal. We left the yacht at 7.30, and went on
+board the 'Kin-Shan,' which is a regular American river steamer with
+beam engines and many deck-houses, which are painted white. The lower
+deck is crowded with the most inferior class of Chinese, some eight
+hundred of them being on board. It gave us rather a turn to see them
+all padlocked in under the hatchways and iron gratings. At each
+opening is posted an armed sentinel, ready to fire among the crowd in
+case of any disturbance. In the saloon, also, is a stand of pistols,
+and rifles with fixed bayonets, ready for the European passengers to
+defend themselves with, in case of emergency. These are very necessary
+precautions, on account of the numerous pirates who occasionally ship
+in disguise among the crowd, murder the passengers and crew, and take
+possession of the steamer. Not quite two years ago a vessel belonging
+to this same company was assailed in that way. Every one on board was
+murdered, and the ship taken to Macao.[19] But this voyage was more
+prosperous, the captain was most kind and polite, and the boat clean
+and comfortable. An excellent breakfast and an elaborate tiffin were
+served at noon, all for the sum of four dollars a head, including
+wine, beer, and spirits _ad libitum_.
+
+[Footnote 19: I have since been told that only the captain and one or
+two passengers were killed, and the vessel run ashore near, not at
+Macao.]
+
+On first leaving Hankow the course lies between islands and through
+fine mountain passes. Later on the country becomes flat and
+uninteresting till the Bogue Forts are reached. Here are to be seen
+the remains of the old forts knocked down by the French and English
+guns.
+
+[Illustration: Bogue Forts.]
+
+About one o'clock we reached Whampoa, the leading port of Canton. The
+Pearl River is too shallow for large steamers to go up any higher; so
+we stopped here only a few minutes to disembark some of the Chinese
+passengers, and from this point the interesting part of the voyage
+began. The river, as well as all the little supplementary creeks, was
+alive with junks and sampans--masts and sails stuck up in every
+direction, gliding about among the flat paddy-fields. Such masts and
+sails as they are! The mandarins' boats, especially, are so
+beautifully carved, painted, and decorated, that they look more as if
+they were floating about for ornament than for use. Just about two
+o'clock our large steamer was brought up close alongside the wooden
+pier as easily as a skiff, but it must require some skill to navigate
+this crowded river without accident. On the shore was an excited,
+vociferating crowd, but no one came to meet us; and we had begun to
+wonder what was to become of us--what we should do, and whither we
+should go in a strange city, where we did not know a soul--when we
+were relieved from our embarrassment by the appearance of the
+Vice-Consul, who came on board to meet a friend. He told us that,
+owing to an expected ball, all the houses were unusually full, and
+that not one of the people who had been written to could take us in.
+This was rather bad news, but we felt sure that something would turn
+up.
+
+[Illustration: Chinese Pagoda and Boats.]
+
+We landed, and, after proceeding a short distance along the dirty
+street, came to a bridge with iron gates, which were thrown open by
+the sentry. After crossing a dirty stream we found ourselves in the
+foreign settlement--Shameen it is called--walking on nice turf, under
+the shade of fine trees. The houses of the merchants which line this
+promenade are all fine, handsome stone buildings, with deep verandahs.
+At the back there are compounds with kitchen gardens, and under the
+trees dairy cows are grazing. Every household appears to supply itself
+with garden and farm produce, and the whole scene has a most English,
+home-like appearance. We went first to the Vice-Consul, and then to
+the Jardine Hong. All the business houses retain the names of the
+firms to which they originally belonged, even when they have passed
+into entirely different hands. After a little chat we went on to the
+Deacon Hong, where we found they had just done tiffin, and where we
+met some old friends.
+
+By the kindness of various people, to whom we were introduced, we all
+found ourselves gradually installed in luxurious quarters. As for us,
+we had a large room comfortably furnished in English fashion, with a
+bath-room attached. All the houses are very much alike, and are fitted
+up in an equally comfortable style.
+
+About three o'clock we started in five chairs, with Man-look-Chin for
+our guide. Tom vigorously protested against not being allowed to use
+his own legs, but everybody assured him that it was impossible in the
+crowded streets of the city, so he had to submit to being carried. No
+Chinaman, except those employed by foreigners, is allowed to cross any
+of the bridges over the stream, which completely surrounds the foreign
+settlement, and makes the suburb of Shameen a perfect island. There
+are iron gates on each bridge, guarded by sentries. The contrast in
+the state of things presented by the two sides of the bridge is most
+marvellous. From the quiet country park, full of large villas and
+pretty gardens, you emerge into a filthy city, full of a seething,
+dirty population, and where smells and sights of the most disgusting
+description meet you at every turn. People who have seen many Chinese
+cities say that Canton is the cleanest of them all. What the dirtiest
+must be like is therefore beyond my imagination. The suburbs of the
+city, where all sorts of cheap eating-shops abound--where the butchers
+and fishmongers expose the most untempting-looking morsels for sale,
+and where there are hampers of all sorts of nasty-looking compounds,
+done up ready for the buyer of the smallest portion to take home--are
+especially revolting. The Chinese, however poor, like several courses
+to their meals, which are served in little bowls on a small table to
+each person, and eaten with chop-sticks, as in Japan. It is to gratify
+this taste that what we should think a very minute fish, or a tiny
+chicken, is cut up into half-a-dozen pieces and sold to several
+purchasers.
+
+The Chinese are very fond of fish, and are most ingenious in
+propagating, rearing, and keeping them. The dried-fish and seaweed
+shops are not at all picturesque or sweet-smelling, especially as all
+the refuse is thrown into the streets in front. Men go about the
+streets carrying pails of manure, suspended on bamboo poles across
+their shoulders, and clear away the rubbish as they go. I was very
+glad when we got through all this to the better part of the town, and
+found ourselves in a large shop, where it was cool, and dark, and
+quiet.
+
+The streets of the city are so narrow, that two chairs can scarcely
+pass one another, except at certain points. The roofs of the houses
+nearly meet across the roadway, and, in addition, the inhabitants
+frequently spread mats overhead, rendering the light below dim and
+mysterious. Every shop has a large vermilion-coloured board, with the
+name of its occupant written in Chinese characters, together with a
+list of the articles which he sells, hung out in front of it, so that
+the view down the narrow streets is very bright and peculiar. These
+highways and byways are not unlike the bazaars at Constantinople and
+Cairo, and different wares are also sold in different localities after
+the Eastern fashion. This is, in some respects, a great advantage, as,
+if you are in search of any particular article, you have almost an
+unlimited choice of whatever the town has to offer. But, on the other
+hand, if you want a variety of articles, it is an inconvenient
+arrangement, as you have to go all over the place to find them, and
+probably have to visit the most opposite quarters. We saw thousands of
+china vases, and bowls, and tea and dinner services, some very
+handsome, but many extremely poor. There were a few specially made for
+the French Exhibition next year, which were exceedingly handsome. We
+visited an ivory shop, and saw some splendid specimens of carving. One
+man had been for fifteen months employed in carving on one side of an
+enormous elephant's tusk the representation of a battle scene, and on
+the other that of a thanksgiving procession. It will take him at least
+another year to finish the job. It is for the Paris Exhibition. It
+will be quite interesting to look for our old Japanese and Chinese
+friends and their products on that occasion.
+
+From ivory carving, we went to a black-wood furniture shop, where we
+saw some very handsome things, by no means dear considering the amount
+of time and labour bestowed upon them. We finished up with the Temple
+of the Five Hundred Genii, whose five hundred carved wooden statues,
+thickly gilt, all very ugly, and all in different attitudes, stand
+round the statue of a European in sailor's costume, said to be meant
+for Marco Polo, but, whoever it may be, evidently considered an object
+at least of veneration, if not of worship.
+
+We now returned through the dirty city to Shameen, and the relief,
+after crossing the bridge into an open space where one could breathe
+freely and see the blue sky, was indescribable.
+
+_Friday, March 2nd_.--Before we had finished breakfast the other
+gentlemen strolled in from their various quarters, and the drivers and
+guides arrived from the Vice-Consul's. A long morning's work had been
+mapped out for us--thirteen sights before luncheon, then a visit to
+the French Consulate, followed by eight more objects of interest to be
+seen before we finally crossed the Pearl River to visit the Honan
+Temple. Quitting the pretty cool suburb by another bridge, we passed
+through streets quite as dirty as those of yesterday, until the heart
+of the city had been reached. We went first to the wedding-chair shop,
+where they keep sedan-chairs, of four qualities, for hire whenever a
+wedding occurs. Even the commonest are made gorgeous by silver gilding
+and lacquer, while the best are really marvels of decorative art,
+completely covered with the blue lustrous feathers of a kind of
+kingfisher. In shape they are like a square pagoda, and round each
+tier are groups of figures. The dresses are also made of expensive
+feathers, but then they last for generations. There are no windows to
+these strange conveyances, in which the bride is carried to her future
+home, closely shut up, with joss-sticks burning in front of her.
+Recently there have been two sad accidents. In one case the journey
+was long, there was no outlet for the smoke of the joss-sticks, and
+when they arrived and opened the chair, the bride was found dead from
+suffocation. The other accident occurred through the chair catching
+fire while it was passing through some narrow street under an archway.
+The bearers became frightened, put down their burden, and ran away,
+leaving the poor bride locked up inside to be burnt to death.
+
+From the chair shop we went to the embroiderers, to see them at work.
+Their productions are exquisite, and it is a pity that better
+specimens are not seen in England. The process of lacquer-making, too,
+is very interesting. We had, however, to go from house to house to
+witness it, as only one portion of the process is carried on at
+each--from the gradual coating of the roughest wood with three
+coatings of varnish, until it is finally ornamented with delicate
+designs, and polished ready for sale. In appearance, price, and length
+of wear there is a vast difference.
+
+The next thing to see was the weaving of silk, which is done in the
+most primitive manner. One man throws the shuttle, while another forms
+the pattern by jumping on the top of the loom and raising a certain
+number of threads, in order to allow the shuttle to pass beneath them.
+
+Then came a visit to the Temple of Longevity, a large Buddhist temple,
+with a monastic establishment of about ninety priests attached to it.
+It contains three shrines with large figures, but nothing specially
+interesting. There is a large pond in the midst of the garden, covered
+with duckweed, and full of beautiful gold and silver fish of many
+kinds. The Chinese certainly excel in producing gold and silver and
+red fish; they are the pets of every household, and are of all
+colours, some being striped and spotted, and boasting any number of
+tails from one to five.
+
+Outside the temple stands the Jadestone Market, where incredible
+quantities of this valuable stone change hands before ten o'clock
+every morning, both in its rough and its polished state. The stalls
+are the simplest wooden stands, and the appearance of the vendors is
+poor in the extreme. The contents of the stalls, however, are worth
+from 500_l_. to l,000_l_. (not dollars), and there are hundreds of
+these stalls, besides an entire jadestone street which we afterwards
+visited. We saw several of the shops, and asked the prices, as we
+wished to take home a small specimen; but they had no good carved
+cups, which were what we wanted, and for what they had they asked an
+enormous price. Jadestone is a material very difficult to work, and in
+many cases the result attained is not worth the labour expended upon
+it. It is more a _tour de force_ than a work of art. For a good stone,
+green as grass (as it ought to be), they ask from 2,500 to 3,000
+dollars; for a necklace of beads, 5,000 dollars; a set of mandarin's
+buttons, one large and one small, 50 to 150 dollars.
+
+After looking in at the goldbeaters at work, we next made our way to
+the temple of the Five Genii who are supposed to have founded the city
+of Canton. Being a Tartar temple, all the gods have a totally
+different cast of features, and are represented as Tartars with long
+beards. It is much frequented by women of all classes, and up and down
+the numerous flights of steps leading from one shrine to another, poor
+little women tottered and tumbled on their crippled feet, holding on
+to one another, or leaning on a stick. This temple is interesting as
+having been the head-quarters of the allied forces during their
+occupation of Canton from 1858 to 1861. The great bell in front of its
+principal shrine has been broken by a shot.
+
+We then went to see the Flowery Pagoda, built A.D. 512, but now
+deprived of many of its decorations. The Brilliant Pagoda too, so
+called from having once been covered with snow-white porcelain, is now
+only a tall brick-pointed tower nine stories high.
+
+By this time we all felt hungry, and began to wend our way towards the
+_yamun_. On the outskirts may be seen prisoners in chains, or wearing
+the _cangue_, imprisoned in a cage, or else suffering one of the
+numerous tortures inflicted in this country. I did not go to see any
+of these horrors, neither did I visit the execution ground; but some
+of the party did, and described it as a most horrible sight. Skulls
+were lying about in all directions, one of which had been quite
+recently severed from its trunk, the ground being still moist and red.
+
+Whilst luncheon was being prepared we were taken over many of the
+rooms and through several of the enclosures within the fortified gate.
+The meal was excellently served by Chinese servants in a charmingly
+picturesque Tartar room, and after it we wandered about the park,
+looked at the deer, and admired the Nagasaki bantams. Then it was time
+to start on a fresh sight-seeing expedition, armed with fresh
+directions. We set out first to the Temple of the Sleeping Buddha,
+where there is a large, fat, reclining figure; then to the Temple of
+Horrors--most rightly named, for in a suite of rooms built round three
+sides of a large yard are represented all the tortures of the Buddhist
+faith, such as boiling in oil, sawing in pieces, and other horrible
+devices. The yard itself is crowded with fortune-tellers,
+charm-sellers, deputy prayer-sayers, beggars, and all sorts of natural
+horrors, exhibiting various deformities. Altogether it is a most
+unpleasant place, but still it is one of the characteristic sights of
+Canton.
+
+We saw the hotel to-day for the first time. It certainly looks very
+hopeless. We were anxious to get in there if possible, as we were such
+a large party, but everybody assured us it was quite out of the
+question. One gentleman told me he never could fancy using his
+portmanteau again after even laying it down on the floor for a few
+minutes. The absence of a decent hotel renders Canton an inconvenient
+place to visit. The European inhabitants are so very kind, however,
+that you are sure to find somebody who knows somebody else who will
+hospitably take you in.
+
+[Illustration: The French Consulate, Canton.]
+
+From the Temple of the Sleeping Buddha we went up the height to
+breathe a little fresh air, and to see the five-storied pagoda at the
+spot where the allied forces had encamped, the Chinese groves in the
+White Cloud Mountains beyond, and to gain a general view of the
+densely crowded city beneath. It is all too flat, however, to be
+picturesque. The three _yamuns_ at our feet, with their quaint towers,
+grand old trees, flags, and the broad Pearl River on the other side of
+the city, are the only elements of positive beauty in the landscape.
+
+We soon descended the heights again, and, passing the Cantonese
+Viceroy's _yamuns_ paid our promised visit to the French Consul. His
+residence is, if possible, more quaint and beautiful than that of the
+English representative. The trees are finer, especially one grand
+avenue leading from the outer gates to the private apartments. We were
+most kindly received, and shown a wonderful collection of embroideries
+and china. It was a delightful visit, but we could not remain so long
+as we wished, for we had to see the water clock. The tower in which it
+stands is approached by a flight of steps, and was built between the
+years A.D. 624 and 907; but it has been repaired, destroyed, and
+repaired again, several times, having suffered in the bombardment of
+the town by the allied fleets in 1857.
+
+In the next street, Treasury Street (said to be the finest in Canton),
+you can buy burning-sticks measured to mark the time. They are
+extremely cheap, but perfectly accurate, and there seems little doubt
+that they have been used by the Chinese for thousands of years before
+the Christian era. Here, too, were the large spectacles so much worn;
+opium pipes, with all the paraphernalia for cleaning and smoking them;
+water pipes in pretty little shagreen cases, and many other curious
+articles in common use, of which we purchased specimens.
+
+In the Feather Street are innumerable shops containing nothing but
+feathers of all kinds for mandarins, actors, and ordinary mortals; but
+the great ambition of every Chinaman is to have a feather from the
+Emperor. They are all called peacocks' feathers, one-eyed, two-eyed,
+or three-eyed; but, in reality, many are pheasants' feathers. Some of
+these are from six to eight feet in length, beautifully marked. I
+bought two pairs over seven feet long. They are rather rare, as each
+bird has only two long feathers, and these are in perfection for but
+one month in the year. In this part of the town stands a Chinese
+restaurant where only cats' and dogs' flesh is served.
+
+We passed through innumerable streets, and at last reached the site of
+the old factories, now only occupied by a large and comfortable
+house. We were to have embarked in the Consul's boat to visit the
+Temple of Honan across the river, but it was getting late, and every
+one felt tired; so we went back through more crowded streets to rest
+awhile, before dressing to go out to dinner at eight o'clock. The
+dinner was quite English in its style, and the table looked bright
+with tea roses, heliotrope, and mignonette. The tables had been
+charmingly decorated by the Chinese servants, and even the _menu_ had
+been arranged by them. They seem to save their employer all trouble,
+even that of thinking, provided the services of really good ones can
+be secured. We have had one for only a few days, and he does
+everything for Tom and me. He appears to know exactly what we want to
+do or to wear, and to foresee all our requirements.
+
+But to return to this famous repast. It began with mandarin
+bird's-nest soup, with plover's eggs floating about in it. This is a
+most delicious and dainty dish, and is invariably given to strangers
+on their first arrival. I had no idea how expensive the nests were--54
+dollars a 'pice,' weighing something under a pound, and it takes two
+or three ounces to make enough soup for ten people. We had a very
+pleasant evening, talking over our experiences, and exchanging news as
+to our mutual friends.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIII.
+
+CANTON AND MACAO TO SINGAPORE.
+
+    _I remember the black wharves and the slips,_
+      _And the sea-tides tossing free;_
+    _And Spanish sailors with bearded lips,_
+    _And the beauty and mystery of the ship_
+      _And the magic of the sea._
+
+_Saturday, March 3rd_.--After our long day yesterday, I did not feel
+capable of acceding to our guide's proposition of being ready at
+half-past six for further explorations before breakfast; besides, I
+wanted to see Tom off by the nine o'clock boat to Hongkong, whither he
+is obliged to return in order to keep various engagements. The rest of
+our party have been persuaded to stay and see a little more of Canton
+and to go with some friends to a picnic in the White Cloud Mountains.
+A man brought home to-day some carved tortoiseshell brushes Tom has
+given me, with my name carved on them in Chinese. It was no good
+writing it down for the engraver's guidance, and after hearing it
+several times he wrote down two characters; but, as the 'r' is always
+a great difficulty with the Chinese, I much doubt whether the name is
+really spelt rightly.
+
+It was a most lovely day, and after some little delay we started about
+eleven o'clock, a party of seventeen in chairs. There were five ladies
+and twelve gentlemen--a most unusual proportion for Canton. A few
+weeks ago they wanted to get up a fancy ball, but there were only five
+available ladies to be found in the city. At present one or two more
+are staying here on a visit, and it is hoped that another ball may be
+arranged during this week, which may boast of at least ten ladies. We
+made quite a procession, with all the servants, bearers, &c., and
+excited much commotion in the narrow streets, where everybody had to
+make room and squeeze up to the side as best they could. Men ran
+before to clear the way for us, shouting, yet we were more than an
+hour going right across the city. On our way we passed through the egg
+market, saw the pork fat market, and the poulterers' and fowlers'
+shops.
+
+We managed to visit several shops for the sale of real Chinese
+furniture. It is very handsome, but curious in form, and, unless it is
+specially ordered, is made only for native use. Every Chinese
+reception-room is furnished in precisely the same manner, with very
+stiff high arm-chairs, arranged in two rows. A small four-legged
+square table stands between every two chairs, a larger table in the
+centre, and at the end an enormous sofa, big enough for six or eight
+people to lie full length across. The sofa and all the chairs have
+marble seats and backs, and the tops of the tables are also made of
+marble, or a sort of soapstone, on which may be distinguished natural
+landscapes slightly assisted by art.
+
+In the bird market I saw numbers of little birds for sale, for the
+Chinese are very fond of pets, and often take their birds out in a
+cage with them when they go for a walk, just as we should be
+accompanied by a dog. They manage to tame them thoroughly, and when
+they meet a friend they will put the cage down, let the bird out, and
+give him something to eat while they have their chat. I saw this done
+several times.
+
+Our road next led us through part of the butchers' quarter, where rats
+were hung up by their tails, and what looked very like skinned cats
+and dogs dangled beside them. Whole cages full of these animals were
+exposed for sale alive. Some travellers deny that the Chinese eat cats
+and dogs and rats, but there can be no question that they do so,
+though they may be the food only of the lower classes. Nor do 'puppy
+dogs' appear on the tables of the rich, except on one particular day
+in the year, when to eat them is supposed to bring good luck. We
+passed a restaurant where I was shown the bill of fare in Chinese of
+which this is a translation:--
+
+BILL OF FARE FOR THE DAY.
+
+One tael of black dog's flesh          eight cash.
+One tael weight of black dog's fat     three kandareems of silver.
+One large basin of black cat's flesh   one hundred cash.
+One small basin of black cat's flesh   fifty cash.
+One large bottle of common wine        thirty-two cash.
+One small bottle of common wine        sixteen cash.
+One large bottle of dark rice wine     sixty-eight cash.
+One small basin of cat's flesh         thirty-four cash.
+One large bottle of plum wine          sixty-eight cash.
+One small bottle of plum wine          thirty-four cash.
+One large basin of dog's flesh         sixty-eight cash.
+One small bottle of pear wine          thirty-four cash.
+One large bottle of timtsin wine       ninety-six cash.
+One small bottle of timtsin wine       forty-eight cash.
+One basin of congee                    three cash.
+One small plate of pickles             three cash.
+One small saucer of ketchup or vinegar three cash.
+One pair of black cat's eyes           three kandareems of silver.
+
+The fish here, as at Hongkong, are almost always kept alive in large
+tubs of water, with a fountain playing over them. They even keep some
+sea-fish alive in salt water. But it is in the north of China that
+they excel in rearing fish in large quantities. At Foo-chow cormorant
+fishing may be seen to great perfection, and it is said to be a very
+amusing sight.
+
+At last the city gates were reached, and we once more found ourselves
+outside the walls, and able to breathe again. Here a halt was made,
+and several of the party got out of their chairs and walked, and we
+were able to chat, whilst we wended our way by a narrow path through
+nursery gardens and graveyards. In fact the whole of the White Cloud
+Mountain is one vast cemetery--it is the Chinese Holy of Holies,
+whither their bodies are sent, not only from all parts of China, but
+from all parts of the world. Frequently a shipload of 1,500 or 1,600
+bodies arrives in one day. The Steamboat Company charges 40 dollars
+for the passage of a really live Chinaman, as against 160 dollars for
+the carriage of a dead celestial. The friends of the deceased often
+keep the bodies in coffins above ground for several years, until the
+priests announce that they have discovered a lucky day and a lucky
+spot for the interment. This does not generally happen until he--the
+priest--finds he can extract no more money by divination, and that no
+more funeral feasts will be given by the friends. We passed through
+what they call the city of the dead, where thousands of coffins
+waiting for interment were lying above ground. The coffins are large
+and massive, but very plain, resembling the hollowed-out trunk of a
+tree. The greatest compliment a Chinese can pay his older relatives is
+to make them a present of four handsome longevity boards for their
+coffins. Outside the city of the dead were the usual adjuncts of a
+large burying-place--coffin-makers and stone-carvers, all living in
+dirty little cottages, surrounded by pigs, ducks, and young children.
+
+Leaving the cemetery and cottages behind, a too short drive brought us
+to a lovely valley, where we were to lunch at the temple of San Chew,
+in one of its fairest gorges. The meal was spread in a large hall in a
+most luxurious manner, and as the wind changed almost immediately, and
+it came on to rain, we felt ourselves fortunate indeed in having
+reached shelter. We had plenty of wraps, and the bearers ran us down
+the hill again very quickly, so that we suffered no discomfort.
+
+By the time the city walls were reached, the rain had ceased, and a
+glorious red sunset glowed over the roofs, glinting through the holes
+in the mats, and lighting up all the vermilion boards and gold
+characters with which the houses and shops are decorated. The shadowy
+streets were now full of incense or rather joss-stick smoke, for
+every house and every shop has a large altar inside, and a small one
+without, before which joss-sticks are burnt more or less all day long.
+
+The streets seemed more crowded even than usual. Each of our bearers
+struck out a line of his own, and it was not until we reached Shameen
+that we all met again. Some of the ladies had been rather frightened
+at finding themselves alone in the dark, crowded city. We were only
+just in time to dress and go to dinner, after which we examined an
+interesting collection, chiefly of coins, in process of formation for
+the French Exhibition. They are carefully arranged, and will be most
+valuable and interesting when complete. The knife-and-fork coins are
+particularly curious and rare, some of them being worth as much as
+5,000 dollars each, as curiosities. All the coins have holes in the
+centre for convenience of carriage.
+
+_Sunday, March 4th_.--There is a fine cathedral at Shameen, in which
+the services are beautifully performed. A lady kindly lent us her
+house-boat, and after service we rowed across to Fa-ti, to see the
+gardens of Canton. They are laid out on an island a very short way up
+the river. The gardens are very wonderful, and contain plants cut into
+all sorts of shapes, such as men, birds, beasts, fishes, boats,
+houses, furniture, &c. Some are full-sized, others only in miniature.
+But almost all must have required considerable time and patience to
+reach their present growth, for their ages vary from 10 to 150 years.
+There are other plants not so elaborately trained, but the effect of
+the whole is rather too formal to be pretty. I managed to bring home
+some euphorbias, cut into the form of junks, and some banyan trees,
+one 100 and one 50 years old. I believe they are the first that have
+ever reached England alive and have flourished. Not far from Fa-ti are
+the duck-hatching establishments, and still further up the river are
+the duck-sampans, where the crowds of ducks are reared. They are sent
+out every morning to get their own living and return at night. Until
+they learn to obey their keeper's call quickly the last duck is always
+whipped. I am told it is most ridiculous to see the hurry of the last
+half-dozen birds of a flock of some thousands of ducks. I was most
+anxious to see them, but it is not the right time of year now. The
+young ducks are only just beginning to hatch, and the old ones are not
+numerous, and are mostly laying.
+
+There was no time to go and see the temple of Honan, for we were more
+anxious to avail ourselves of a chance of visiting some interesting
+places in the Chinese city. We went through a street, consisting
+entirely of fruiterers' shops, to which the name of Kwohlaorn, or
+fruit-market, is applied. In this market, which is of great extent,
+there is for sale at all seasons of the year an almost countless
+variety of fruit.
+
+A silkworm establishment was pointed out to us in the distance, but we
+did not go over it, as we had seen many before, and it is not the best
+season of the year. The silkworms are most carefully tended, the
+people who look after them being obliged to change their clothes
+before entering the rooms where they are kept, and to perform all
+sorts of superstitious ceremonies at every stage of the insect's
+growth. No one at all ailing or deformed is allowed to approach a
+building where they are kept. The worms are supposed to be very
+nervous, and are guarded from everything that can possibly frighten
+them, as well as from all changes of temperature or disturbances of
+the atmosphere. Thunder and lightning they are supposed specially to
+dread, and great pains are taken to shelter them by artificial means,
+and keep them from all knowledge of the storm.
+
+The next place we visited was a bird's-nest-soup-shop street, where we
+went into one of the best and most extensive establishments. There
+were three or four well-dressed assistants behind the counter, all
+busily occupied in sorting and packing birds' nests. Some of the best
+were as white as snow, and were worth two dollars each, while a light
+brown one was worth only one dollar, and the black dirty ones, full of
+feathers and moss, could be purchased at the rate of a quarter dollar.
+
+Certainly the Chinese seem an exception to the rule laid down by some
+writers, that no people can flourish who do not rest every seventh
+day. In many ways they are an abnormal people, one striking point in
+their condition being the state of dirt and filth in which they not
+only exist, but increase and multiply. The children look healthy and
+happy too, in spite of these apparent drawbacks, and notwithstanding
+the fact that in many cases their poor little feet must be cruelly
+tortured by the practice of bandaging them tightly to make them small.
+
+When we got back to Shameen there was time for a stroll along the
+Bund. It is very pleasant, for the river runs close under the parapet,
+and its surface is always covered with junks, sampans, and boats and
+ships, going swiftly up or down with the strong tide. The walk is
+shaded with trees, and seats stand at intervals all along it.
+
+An agreeable saunter was followed by a quiet, pleasant little dinner,
+and though we have been here only a few days we feel quite sorry that
+this is to be our last night in Canton, so kind has everybody been to
+us.
+
+[Illustration: Chinese Foot and boot.]
+
+_Monday, March 5th_.--I was awake and writing from half-past four this
+morning, but before I got up, a woman who comes here every day to work
+brought me some small ordinary shoes which I had purchased as
+curiosities, and took the opportunity of showing me her feet. It
+really made me shudder to look at them, so deformed and cramped up
+were they, and, as far as I could make out, she must have suffered
+greatly in the process of reducing them to their present diminutive
+size. She took off her own shoes and tottered about the room in those
+she had brought, and then asked me to show her one of mine. Having
+most minutely examined it, she observed, with a melancholy shake of
+the head, 'Missisy foot much more good, do much walky, walky; mine
+much bad, no good for walky.'
+
+Having said farewell to our kind hostess, we went off in the
+house-boat to the steamer. There was a great crowd on the lower
+deck--at least 900 Chinamen--to struggle through in order to reach the
+European quarters. We found other friends on board, who had come to
+see us off.
+
+A few minutes before nine o'clock the bell rang as a signal for our
+friends' departure, and we steamed ahead, among such a crowd of
+sampans and junks that it was more like moving through a town than
+along a river. No accident, however, occurred, though one junk and one
+sampan had the very narrowest escape.
+
+The voyage down took much longer than our voyage up, on account of the
+tide being against us, and in consequence we did not reach Hongkong
+until 3.30 p.m., when the gig with the children was soon alongside. We
+got off as soon as we could, for we expected some friends to afternoon
+tea on board the yacht. There was just time to dress before the first
+visitors arrived, and by half-past six at least two hundred had come.
+At one time quite a flotilla of boats lay around us, looking very
+pretty with all their flags flying. I think the people enjoyed it very
+much as something new, and we only wanted a band to enliven the
+proceedings.
+
+_Tuesday, March 6th_.--The little girls and I went ashore at 7.30, to
+collect all our purchases with the help of a friend. We glanced at the
+museum too, which contains some curious specimens of Chinese and
+Japanese arms and armour, and the various productions of the two
+countries, besides many strange things from the Philippine and other
+islands. I was specially interested in the corals and shells. There
+were splendid conch shells from Manilla, and a magnificent group of
+Venus flower-baskets, dredged from some enormous depth near Manilla.
+There were also good specimens of reptiles of all sorts, and of the
+carved birds' heads for which Canton is famous. They look very like
+amber, and are quite as transparent, being carved to a great depth. I
+believe the bird is a kind of toucan or hornbill, but the people here
+call it a crane.
+
+It was now time to say good-bye to Hongkong and to our kind friends,
+for we had to go on board the 'Flying Cloud,' which starts for Macao
+at two o'clock precisely, and our passages had been taken in her. Tom
+could not go with us, as he had fixed to-night for the dinner at which
+the Chinese gentlemen proposed to entertain him; but he came to see us
+off. We went out of the harbour by a different way, and passed along a
+different side of the island of Hongkong, but the scenery was not
+particularly interesting. Off Choolong a heavy ground-swell, called
+'Pon choughai,' made us roll about most unpleasantly. In bad weather,
+or with a top-heavy ship, this passage could not be attempted.
+Sometimes there are very heavy fogs, and always strong currents, so
+that the short voyage of forty-two miles is not absolutely free from
+danger.
+
+The town of Macao is situated on a peninsula at the end of the island
+of the same name. It was the first foreign settlement in China
+belonging to the Portuguese, and was once a fine, handsome town, with
+splendid buildings. Unfortunately Macao lies in the track of the
+typhoons, which at times sweep over it with a resistless force,
+shattering and smashing everything in their career. These constantly
+recurring storms, and the establishment of other ports, have resulted
+in driving many people away from the place, and the abolition of the
+coolie traffic has also tended to diminish the number of traders. Now
+the town has a desolate, deserted appearance, and the principal
+revenue of the government is derived from the numerous
+gambling-houses.
+
+We landed at the pier soon after five o'clock, and were carried
+across the peninsula through the town to the Praya on the other side.
+Here we found a large unoccupied mansion, situated in a garden
+overlooking the sea, and, having delivered our Chinese letters, were
+received with the greatest civility and attention by the comprador and
+the servants who had been left in charge of our friend's house. The
+rooms upstairs, to which we were at once shown, were lofty and
+spacious, opening into a big verandah. Each room had a mosquito room
+inside it, made of wire gauze and wood, like a gigantic meat-safe, and
+capable of containing, besides a large double bed, a chair and a
+table, so that its occupant is in a position to read and write in
+peace, even after dark. This was the first time we had seen one of
+these contrivances. By the direction of the comprador the house chairs
+were prepared, and coolies were provided to take us for an expedition
+round the town, while our things were being unpacked, and the
+necessary arrangements made for our comfort. Macao is a thoroughly
+Portuguese-looking town, the houses being painted blue, green, red,
+yellow, and all sorts of colours. It is well garrisoned, and one meets
+soldiers in every direction. We passed the fort, and went up to the
+lighthouse, which commands a fine view over land and sea; returning
+home by a different way through the town again, which we entered just
+as the cathedral bell and the bells of all the churches were pealing
+the Ave Maria. On our return we found a fire lighted and everything
+illuminated, and by half-past eight we had a capital impromptu dinner
+served. Chinese Tommy, who waited on us, had decorated the table most
+tastefully with flowers. Macao is a favourite resort for the European
+residents of Hongkong who are addicted to gambling. The gentlemen of
+our party went to observe the proceedings, but to-night there were
+only a few natives playing at fan-tan--a game which, though a great
+favourite with the natives, appears very stupid to a European. The
+croupier takes a handful of copper cash and throws it upon the table;
+he then with chop-sticks counts the coins by fours, the betting being
+upon the possible number of the remainder. It takes a long time to
+count a big handful, and you have only one, two, three, or four to
+back--no colours or combinations, as at _rouge-et-noir_, or
+_trente-et-quarante_.
+
+At Macao the sleep-disturbing watchmen, unlike those of Canton, come
+round every hour and beat two sharp taps on a drum at intervals of
+half a minute, compelling you to listen against your will, until the
+sound dies away in the distance for a brief interval.
+
+_Wednesday, March 7th_.--We started soon after ten o'clock on another
+exploring expedition, going first in chairs through the town, and
+across the peninsula to where we left the steamer yesterday. Here we
+embarked--chairs, bearers, and all, in a junk, evidently cleaned up
+for the occasion, for it was in beautiful order, and mats were spread
+under an awning upon deck.
+
+All along beneath the deck was a cabin, between two and three feet
+high, which contained the altar, the kitchen, and the sleeping and
+living apartments of the family. There was also a dear little baby,
+two months old, which seemed to take life very quietly, while its
+mother assisted its grandfather to row.
+
+We soon reached the island of Chock-Sing-Toon, and disembarked at a
+small pier near a village, which looked more like sampans pulled up on
+the shore than huts or cottages. The children and I rode in chairs,
+while the gentlemen walked, first over a plain covered with scrubby
+palms, then through miles of well-cultivated plots of vegetable
+ground, till we reached a temple, built at the entrance to the valley
+for which we were bound. Thence the path wound beside the stream
+flowing from the mountains above, and the vegetation became extremely
+luxuriant and beautiful. Presently we came to a spot where a stone
+bridge spanned the torrent, with a temple on one side and a
+joss-house on the other. It was apparently a particularly holy place,
+for our men had all brought quantities of joss-sticks and sacred paper
+with them to burn. There was a sort of eating-house close by, where
+they remained whilst we climbed higher up to get a view. The path was
+well made, and evidently much used, judging from the large number of
+natural temples we found adapted and decorated among the rocks. As
+usual, our descent was a comparatively quick affair, and we soon found
+ourselves on board the junk on our way back to Macao, beating across
+the harbour.
+
+Just before tiffin the yacht made her appearance, causing great
+excitement in the minds of the natives. The gig was soon lowered and
+came as close as she could. There was not water enough for her to come
+within four miles of the shore, but we went out to meet her occupants.
+Tom, who was one of them, looked so ill and miserable that I felt
+quite alarmed for a few minutes, till the doctor comforted me by
+assurances that it was only the effect of the Chinese dinner last
+night--an explanation I had no difficulty in accepting as the correct
+one after perusing the bill of fare. In their desire to do him honour,
+and to give him pleasure, his hosts had provided the rarest
+delicacies, and of course he felt obliged to taste them all. Some of
+the dishes were excellent, but many of them were rather trying to a
+European digestion, especially the fungus and lichen. One sort had
+been grown on ice in the Antarctic Sea, the whale's sinews came from
+the Arctic Ocean, the shark's fins from the South Sea Islands, and the
+birds' nests were of a quality to be found only in one particular cave
+in one particular island. To drink, they had champagne in English
+glasses, and arrack in Chinese glasses. The whole dinner was eaten
+with chop-sticks, though spoons were allowed for the soup. After
+dinner there were some good speeches, the chief host expressing his
+deep regret that their manners and customs did not permit them to ask
+ladies, as they were particularly anxious to invite me, and had only
+abandoned the idea of doing so after considerable discussion. I append
+the bill of fare:--
+
+
+_March_ 6, 1877.
+
+BILL OF FARE.
+
+4 _courses of small bowls, one to each guest, viz_.--
+
+   Bird's-nest Soup
+   Pigeon's Eggs
+   Ice Fungus (said to grow in ice)
+   Shark's Fins (chopped)
+
+8 _large bowls, viz_.--
+
+   Stewed Shark's Fins
+   Fine Shell Fish
+   Mandarin Bird's Nest
+   Canton Fish Maw
+   Fish Brain
+   Meat Balls with Rock Fungus
+   Pigeons stewed with Wai Shan (a strengthening herb)
+   Stewed Mushroom
+
+4 _dishes, viz_.--
+
+   Sliced Ham
+   Roast Mutton
+   Fowls
+   Roast Sucking Pig
+
+1 _large dish, viz_.--
+
+   Boiled Rock Fish
+
+8 _small bowls, viz_.--
+
+   Stewed Pig's Palate
+   Minced Quails
+   Stewed Fungus (another description)
+   Sinews of the Whale Fish
+   Rolled Roast Fowl
+   Sliced Teals
+   Stewed Duck's Paw
+   Peas stewed
+
+We went all round the town, and then to see the ruins of the
+cathedral, and the traces of the destruction caused by the typhoon in
+1874. Next we paid a visit to the garden of Camoens, where he wrote
+his poems in exile.[20] The garden now belongs to a most courteous old
+Portuguese, with whom I managed, by the aid of a mixture of Spanish
+and French, to hold a conversation. The place where Camoens' monument
+is erected commands, however, an extensive prospect, but we had
+already seen it, and as Tom was anxious to get clear of the islands
+before dark we were obliged to hasten away.
+
+[Footnote 20: Luiz de Camoens, a celebrated Portuguese poet, born
+about 1520; fought against the Moors, and in India; but was often in
+trouble, and was frequently banished or imprisoned. During his exile
+in Macao he wrote his great poem 'The Lusiads,' in which he celebrates
+the principal events in Portuguese history.]
+
+On reaching the yacht, after some delay in embarking, we slipped our
+anchor as quickly as possible, and soon found ourselves in a nasty
+rolling sea, which sent me to bed at once. Poor Tom, though he felt so
+ill that he could hardly hold his head up, was, however, obliged to
+remain on deck watching until nearly daylight; for rocks and islands
+abound in these seas, and no one on board could undertake the pilotage
+except himself.
+
+_Thursday, March 8th_.--When I went on deck at half-past six o'clock
+there was nothing to be seen but a leaden sky, a cold grey rolling
+sea, and two fishing junks in the far distance, nor did the weather
+improve all day.
+
+_Friday, March 9th_.--Everybody began to settle down to the usual sea
+occupations. There was a general hair-cutting all round, one of the
+sailors being a capital barber, and there is never time to attend to
+this matter when ashore. The wind was high and baffling all day. At
+night the Great Bear and the Southern Cross shone out with rivalling
+brilliancy: 'On either hand an old friend and a new.'
+
+_Saturday, March 10th_.--A fine day, with a light fair breeze. Passed
+the island of Hainan, belonging to China, situated at the entrance of
+the Gulf of Tonquin, which, though very barren-looking, supports a
+population of 150,000.
+
+Repacked the curiosities and purchases from Canton and Hongkong, and
+made up our accounts.
+
+About noon we passed a tall bamboo sticking straight up out of the
+water, and wondered if it were the topmast of some unfortunate junk
+sunk on the Paranella Shoal. There were many flying-fish about, and
+the sunset was lovely.
+
+_Sunday, March 11th_.--We feel that we are going south rapidly, for
+the heat increases day by day. The services were held on deck at
+eleven and four.
+
+About five o'clock I heard cries of 'A turtle on the starboard bow,'
+'A wreck on the starboard bow.' I rushed out to see what it was, and
+the men climbed into the rigging to obtain a better view of the
+object. It proved to be a large piece of wood, partially submerged,
+apparently about twenty or thirty feet long. The exposed part was
+covered with barnacles and seaweed, and there was a large iron ring
+attached to one end. We were sailing too fast to stop, or I should
+have liked to have sent a boat to examine this 'relic of the sea' more
+closely. These waifs and strays always set me thinking and wondering,
+and speculating as to what they were originally, whence they came, and
+all about them, till Tom declares I weave a complete legend for every
+bit of wood we meet floating about.
+
+_Tuesday, March 13th_.--About 2.30 a.m. the main peak halyards were
+carried away. Soon after we gybed, and for two or three hours knocked
+about in the most unpleasant manner. At daybreak we made the island of
+Pulu Lapata, or Shoe Island, situated on the coast of Cochin China,
+looking snowy white in the early morning light.
+
+The day was certainly warm, though we were gliding on steadily and
+pleasantly before the north-east monsoon.
+
+_Wednesday, March 14th_.--The monsoon sends us along at the rate of
+from six to seven knots an hour, without the slightest trouble or
+inconvenience. There is an unexpected current, though, which sets us
+about twenty-five miles daily to the westward, notwithstanding the
+fact that a 'southerly current' is marked on the chart.
+
+_March 16th_.--There was a general scribble going on all over the
+ship, in preparation for the post to-morrow, as we hope to make
+Singapore to-night, or very early in the morning. About noon Pulo Aor
+was seen on our starboard bow. In the afternoon, being so near the
+Straits, the funnel was raised and steam got up. At midnight we made
+the Homburgh Light, and shortly afterwards passed a large steamer
+steering north. It was a glorious night, though very hot below, and I
+spent most of it on deck with Tom, observing the land as we slowly
+steamed ahead half speed.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIV.
+
+
+SINGAPORE.
+
+    _Betwixt them lawns, or level downs, and flocks_
+    _Grazing the tender herb, were interpos'd,_
+    _Or palmy hillock, or the flow'ry lap_
+    _Of some irriguous valley spread her store,_
+    _Flowers of all hues, and without thorn the rose._
+
+_Saturday, March 17th_.--We were off Singapore during the night. At 5
+a.m. the pilot came on board and took us into Tangong Pagar to coal
+alongside the wharf. We left the ship as soon as possible, and in
+about an hour we had taken forty-three tons of coal on board and
+nearly twenty tons of water. The work was rapidly performed by
+coolies. It was a great disappointment to be told by the
+harbour-master that the Governor of the Straits Settlement and Lady
+Jervoise were to leave at eleven o'clock for Johore. We determined to
+go straight to the Government House and make a morning call at the
+unearthly hour of 8 a.m. The drive from the wharf was full of beauty,
+novelty, and interest. We had not landed so near the line before, and
+the most tropical of tropical plants, trees, flowers, and ferns, were
+here to be seen, growing by the roadside on every bank and dust-heap.
+
+The natives, Malays, are a fine-looking, copper-coloured race, wearing
+bright-coloured sarongs and turbans. There are many Indians, too, from
+Madras, almost black, and swathed in the most graceful white muslin
+garments, when they are not too hard at work to wear anything at all.
+The young women are very good-looking. They wear not only one but
+several rings, and metal ornaments in their noses, and a profusion of
+metal bangles on their arms and legs, which jingle and jangle as they
+move.
+
+The town of Singapore itself is not imposing, its streets, or rather
+roads of wooden huts and stone houses, being mixed together
+indiscriminately. Government House is on the outskirts of the city in
+the midst of a beautiful park which is kept in excellent order, the
+green turf being closely mown and dotted with tropical trees and
+bushes. The House itself is large and handsome, and contains splendid
+suites of lofty rooms, shaded by wide verandahs, full of ferns and
+palms, looking deliciously green and cool. We found the Governor and
+his family did not start until 11.30, and they kindly begged us to
+return to breakfast at half-past nine, which we did. Before finally
+leaving, Sir William Jervoise sent for the Colonial Secretary, and
+asked him to look after us in his absence. He turned out to be an old
+schoolfellow and college friend of Tom's at Rugby and Oxford; so the
+meeting was a very pleasant one. As soon as the Governor and his suite
+had set off for Johore we went down into the hot dusty town to get our
+letters, parcels, and papers, and to look at the shops. There are not
+many Malay specialities to be bought here; most of the curiosities
+come from India, China, and Japan, with the exception of birds of
+Paradise from New Guinea, and beautiful bright birds of all colours
+and sizes from the various islands in the Malay Archipelago.
+
+The north-east monsoon still blows fresh and strong, but it was
+nevertheless terribly hot in the streets, and we were very glad to
+return to the cool, shady rooms at Government House, where we
+thoroughly appreciated the delights of the punkah.
+
+There are very few European servants here, and they all have their own
+peons to wait on them, and carry an umbrella over them when they drive
+the carriage or go for a walk on their own account. Even the private
+soldier in Singapore has a punkah pulled over his bed at night. It is
+quite a sight to meet all the coolies leaving barracks at 5 a.m., when
+they have done punkah-pulling.
+
+At four o'clock Mr. Douglas called to take us for a drive. We went
+first to the Botanical Gardens, and saw sago-palms and all sorts of
+tropical produce flourishing in perfection. There were many beautiful
+birds and beasts, Argus pheasants, Lyre birds, cuckoos, doves, and
+pigeons, more like parrots than doves in the gorgeous metallic lustre
+of their plumage. The cages were large, and the enclosures in front
+full of Cape jasmine bushes (covered with buds) for the birds to peck
+at and eat.
+
+From the gardens we went for a drive through the pretty villas that
+surround Singapore in every direction. Every house outside the town is
+built on a separate little hill in order to catch every breath of
+fresh air. There is generally rather a long drive up to the houses,
+and the public roads run along the valleys between them.
+
+It was now dark, and we returned to dine at Government House.
+
+_Sunday, March 18th_.--At six o'clock this morning Mabelle and I went
+ashore with the steward and the comprador to the market. It is a nice,
+clean, octagonal building, well supplied with vegetables and curious
+fruits. The latter are mostly brought from the other islands, as this
+is the worst season of the year in Singapore for fruit. I do not quite
+understand why this should be, for, as it is only a degree above the
+line, there is very little variation in the seasons here. The sun
+always rises and sets at six o'clock all the year round; for months
+they have a north-east monsoon, and then for months together a
+south-west monsoon.
+
+We tasted many fruits new to us--delicious mangosteens, lacas, and
+other fruits whose names I could not ascertain. Lastly, we tried a
+durian, _the_ fruit of the East, as it is called by people who live
+here, and having got over the first horror of the onion-like odour we
+found it by no means bad.
+
+The fish market is the cleanest, and best arranged, and sweetest
+smelling that I ever went through. It is situated on a sort of open
+platform, under a thick thatched roof, built out over the sea, so that
+all the refuse is easily disposed of and washed away by the tide. From
+the platform on which it stands, two long jetties run some distance
+out into the sea, so that large fishing boats can come alongside and
+discharge their cargoes from the deep at the door of the market with
+scarcely any exposure to the rays of the tropical sun.
+
+The poultry market is a curious place. On account of the intense heat
+everything is brought alive to the market, and the quacking, cackling,
+gobbling, and crowing that go on are really marvellous. The whole
+street is alive with birds in baskets, cages, and coops, or tied by
+the leg and thrown down anyhow. There were curious pheasants and
+jungle-fowl from Perak, doves, pigeons, quails, besides cockatoos,
+parrots, parrakeets, and lories. They are all very tame and very
+cheap; and some of the scarlet lories, looking like a flame of fire,
+chatter in the most amusing way. I have a cage full of tiny parrots
+not bigger than bullfinches, of a dark green colour, with dark red
+throats and blue heads, yellow marks on the back, and red and yellow
+tails. Having bought these, everybody seemed to think that I wanted an
+unlimited supply of birds, and soon we were surrounded by a chattering
+crowd, all with parrots in their hands and on their shoulders. It was
+a very amusing sight, though rather noisy, and the competition reduced
+the prices very much. Parrakeets ranged from twelve to thirty cents
+apiece, talking parrots and cockatoos from one to five dollars. At
+last the vendors became so energetic that I was glad to get into the
+gharry again, and drive away to a flower shop, where we bought some
+gardenias for one penny a dozen, beautifully fresh and fragrant, but
+with painfully short stalks.
+
+Towards the end of the south-west monsoon, little native open boats
+arrive from the islands 1,500 to 3,000 miles to the southward of
+Singapore. Each has one little tripod mast. The whole family live on
+board. The sides of the boat cannot be seen for the multitudes of
+cockatoos, parrots, parrakeets, and birds of all sorts, fastened on
+little perches, with very short strings attached to them. The decks
+are covered with sandal-wood. The holds are full of spice, shells,
+feathers, and South Sea pearl shells. With this cargo they creep from
+island to island, and from creek to creek, before the monsoon, till
+they reach their destination. They stay a month or six weeks, change
+their goods for iron, nails, a certain amount of pale green or Indian
+red thread for weaving, and some pieces of Manchester cotton. They
+then go back with the north-east monsoon, selling their goods at the
+various islands on their homeward route. There are many Dutch ports
+nearer than Singapore, but they are over-regulated, and preference is
+given to the free English port, where the simple natives can do as
+they like so long as they do not transgress the laws.
+
+As we were going on board, we met the Maharajah of Johore's servant,
+just going off with invitations to dinner, lunch, and breakfast for
+the next two days for all our party, and with all sorts of kind
+propositions for shooting and other amusements.
+
+Some of our friends came off before luncheon to see the yacht, and we
+returned with them to tiffin at Government House. At four o'clock the
+carriage came round to take us to Johore. We wished good-bye to
+Singapore and all our kind friends, and started on a lovely drive
+through the tropical scenery. There is a capital road, fifteen miles
+in length, across the island, and our little ponies rattled along at a
+good pace. There was a pleasant breeze and not much dust, no sun, and
+a stream ran the whole way by the side of the road. The acacia
+flamboyante--that splendid tree which came originally from Rangoon and
+Sumatra--was planted alongside the road, and produced a most charming
+effect. It is a large tree, with large leaves of the most delicate
+green; on its topmost boughs grow gorgeous clusters of scarlet flowers
+with yellow centres, and the effect of these scarlet plumes tossing in
+the air is truly beautiful. As we were driving along we espied a
+splendid butterfly, with wings about ten inches long. Mr. Bingham
+jumped out of the carriage and knocked it down with his hat; but it
+was so like the colour of leaves in grass that in the twilight nobody
+could distinguish it, and, to our great disappointment, we could not
+find it. We were equally unsuccessful in our attempted capture of a
+water-snake a couple of feet long. We threw sticks and stones and our
+syce waded into the stream, but all to no purpose; it glided away into
+some safe little hole under the bank.
+
+We reached the sea-shore about six o'clock, and found the Maharajah's
+steam-launch waiting to convey us across the Straits to the mainland.
+These Straits used to be the old route to Singapore, and are somewhat
+intricate. Tom engaged a very good pilot to bring the yacht round, but
+at the last moment thought that he should like to bring her himself;
+the result being that he arrived rather late for dinner. The Maharajah
+and most of the party were out shooting when we arrived; but Sir
+William Jervoise met us and showed us round the place, and also
+arranged about rooms for us to dress in. Johore is a charming place;
+the Straits are so narrow and full of bends that they look more like a
+peaceful river or inland lake in the heart of a tropical forest than
+an arm of the mighty ocean. As we approached we had observed a good
+deal of smoke rising from the jungle, and, as the shades of evening
+closed over the scene, we could see the lurid glare of two extensive
+fires.
+
+We sat down thirty to dinner at eight o'clock. There were the
+Maharajah's brothers, the Prime Minister, Harkim or judge, and several
+other Malay chiefs, the Governor of the Straits Settlements, his
+family and suite, and one or two people from Singapore. The dinner was
+cooked and served in European style; the table decorated with gold and
+silver epergnes full of flowers, on velvet stands, and with heaps of
+small cut-flower glasses full of jasmine. We were waited on by the
+Malay servants of the establishment, dressed in grey and yellow, and
+by the Governor's Madras servants, in white and scarlet. The Maharajah
+and his native guests were all in English evening dress, with white
+waistcoats, bright turbans, and sarongs. The room was large and open
+on all sides, and the fresh evening breeze, in addition to the
+numerous punkahs, made it delightfully cool. The Maharajah is a strict
+Mohammedan himself, and drinks nothing but water. I spent the three
+hours during which the dinner lasted in very pleasant conversation
+with my two neighbours. We returned on board soon after eleven
+o'clock.
+
+[Illustration: Maharajah of Johore's House.]
+
+_Monday, March 19th_.--Mabelle and I went ashore at six o'clock for a
+drive. It was a glorious morning, with a delightfully cool breeze,
+and the excursion was most enjoyable. We drove first through the old
+town of Johore, once of considerable importance, and still a place of
+trade for opium, indigo, pepper, and other tropical products. Nutmeg
+and maize used to be the great articles of export, but latterly the
+growth has failed, and, instead of the groves we had expected to see,
+there were only solitary trees. After leaving the town we went along a
+good road for some distance, with cottages and clearings on either
+side, until we came to a pepper and gambir plantation. The two crops
+are cultivated together, and both are grown on the edge of the jungle,
+for the sake of the wood, which is burned in the preparation of the
+gambir. I confess that I had never heard of the latter substance
+before, but I find that it is largely exported to Europe, where it is
+occasionally employed for giving weight to silks, and for tanning
+purposes.
+
+The pepper garden we saw was many acres in extent. Some of the trees
+in the forest close by are very fine, especially the camphor-wood, and
+the great red, purple, and copper-coloured oleanders, which grow in
+clumps twenty and thirty feet in height. The orchids with which all
+the trees were covered, hanging down in long tassels of lovely
+colours, or spread out like great spotted butterflies and insects,
+were most lovely of all. By far the most abundant was the white
+phalaenopsis, with great drooping sprays of pure white waxy blossoms,
+some delicately streaked with crimson, others with yellow. It was a
+genuine jungle, and we were told that it is the resort of numerous
+tigers and elephants, and that snakes abound.
+
+On our way back through the town we stopped to see the process of
+opium making. This drug is brought from India in an almost raw state,
+rolled up in balls, about the size of billiard balls, and wrapped in
+its own leaves. Here it is boiled down, several times refined, and
+prepared for smoking. The traffic in it forms a very profitable
+monopoly, which is shared in Singapore between the English Government
+and the Maharajah of Johore.
+
+We also saw indigo growing; the dye is prepared very much in the same
+way as the gambir. That grown here is not so good as that which comes
+from India, and it is therefore not much exported, though it is used
+by the innumerable Chinese in the Malay peninsula to dye all their
+clothes, which are invariably of some deep shade of blue. We saw
+sago-palms growing, but the mill was not working, so that we could not
+see the process of manufacture; but it seems to be very similar to the
+preparation of tapioca, which we had seen in Brazil.
+
+On our passage through the town we went to look at a large gambling
+establishment; of course no one was playing so early in the morning,
+but in the evening it is always densely crowded, and is a great source
+of profit to the proprietor. I could not manage to make out exactly
+from the description what the game they play is like, but it was not
+fan-tan. We now left the carriage, and strolled to see the people, the
+shops, and the market. I bought all sorts of common curiosities,
+little articles of everyday life, some of which will be sure to amuse
+and interest my English friends. Among my purchases were a wooden
+pillow, some joss candles, a two-stringed fiddle, and a few preserved
+eggs, which they say are over a hundred years old. The eggs are
+certainly nasty enough for anything; still it seems strange that so
+thrifty a people as the Chinese should allow so much capital to lie
+dormant--literally buried in the earth.
+
+At half-past nine o'clock the Maharajah, with the Governor and all his
+guests, came on board. His Highness inspected the yacht with the
+utmost minuteness and interest, though his Mohammedan ideas about
+women were considerably troubled when he was told that I had had a
+great deal to do with the designing and arrangement of the interior.
+At half-past eleven the party left, and an hour afterwards we went to
+make our adieux to the Maharajah.
+
+On our departure the Maharajah ordered twenty coolies to accompany
+us, laden with fragrant tropical plants. He also gave me some splendid
+Malay silk sarongs, grown, made, and woven in his kingdom, a pair of
+tusks of an elephant shot within a mile of the house, besides a live
+little beast, not an alligator, and not an armadillo or a lizard; in
+fact I do not know what it is; it clings round my arm just like a
+bracelet, and it was sent as a present by the ex-Sultan of Johore.
+Having said farewell to our kind host and other friends, we pushed off
+from the shore, and embarked on board the yacht; the anchor was up,
+and by five o'clock a bend in the Straits hid hospitable and pleasant
+Johore from our view, and all we could see was the special steamer on
+her way back to Singapore with the Maharajah's guests on board. At
+Tanjore we dropped our funny little pilot, and proceeded on our course
+towards Penang. The Straits are quite lovely, and fully repaid the
+trouble and time involved in the detour made to visit them. The sun
+set and the young moon arose over as lovely a tropical scene as you
+can possibly imagine.
+
+[Illustration: The pet Manis.]
+
+_Tuesday, March 20th_.--At 5.30, when we were called, the Doctor came
+and announced that he had something very important to communicate to
+us. This proved to be that one of our men was suffering from
+small-pox, and not from rheumatic fever, as had been supposed. My
+first thought was that Muriel had been with the Doctor to see him
+yesterday evening; my next, that many men had been sleeping in the
+same part of the vessel with him; my third, that for his greater
+comfort he had been each day in our part of the ship; and my fourth,
+what was to be done now? After a short consultation, Tom decided to
+alter our course for Malacca, where we arrived at half-past nine; the
+Doctor at once went on shore in a native prahu to make the best
+arrangements he could under the circumstances. He was fortunate enough
+to find Dr. Simon, nephew of the celebrated surgeon of the same name,
+installed as head physician at the civil hospital here. He came off at
+once with the hospital boat, and, having visited the invalid, declared
+his illness to be a very mild case of small-pox. He had brought off
+some lymph with him, and recommended us all to be re-vaccinated. He
+had also brought sundry disinfectants, and gave instructions about
+fumigating and disinfecting the yacht. All the men were called upon
+the quarter-deck, and addressed by Tom, and we were surprised to find
+what a large proportion of them objected to the operation of
+vaccination. At last, however, the prejudices of all of them, except
+two, were overcome. One of the latter had promised his grandfather
+that he never would be vaccinated under any circumstances, while
+another would consent to be inoculated, but would not be vaccinated.
+We had consulted our own medical man before leaving England, and knew
+that for ourselves the operation was not necessary, but we
+nevertheless underwent it _pour encourager les autres_. While the
+Doctor was on shore we had been surrounded by boats bringing monkeys,
+birds, ratan and Malacca canes, fruit, rice, &c., to sell, and as I
+did not care to go ashore, thinking there might be some bother about
+quarantine, we made bargains over the side of the yacht with the
+traders, the result being that seven monkeys, about fifty birds of
+sorts, and innumerable bundles of canes, were added to the stock on
+board. In the meantime Dr. Simon had removed our invalid to the
+hospital.
+
+Malacca looks exceedingly pretty from the sea. It is a regular Malay
+village, consisting of huts, built on piles close to the water,
+overshadowed by cocoa palms and other forms of tropical vegetation.
+Mount Ofia rises in the distance behind; there are many green islands,
+too, in the harbour. By one o'clock we were again under way, and once
+more _en route_ for Penang.
+
+[Illustration: MALACCA]
+
+_Wednesday, March 21st_.--During the night we had heavy thunder
+storms. About 11 a.m. we passed a piece of drift-wood with a bird
+perched on the top, presenting a most curious effect. Several of the
+men on board mistook it for the back fin of a large shark. About 5
+p.m. we made the island of Penang. After sunset it became very hazy,
+and we crept slowly up, afraid of injuring the numerous stake nets
+that are set about the Straits most promiscuously, and without any
+lights to mark their position. Before midnight we had dropped our
+anchor.
+
+_Thursday, March 22nd_.--At 5 a.m., when we were called, the whole sky
+was overcast with a lurid glare, and the atmosphere was thick, as if
+with the fumes of some vast conflagration. As the sun rose in raging
+fierceness, the sky cleared, and became of a deep, clear, transparent
+blue. The island of Penang is very beautiful, especially in the early
+morning light. It was fortunate we did not try to come in last night,
+as we could now see that we must inevitably have run through some of
+the innumerable stake nets I mentioned. As we approached Georgetown,
+the capital of the province, we passed many steamers and sailing ships
+at anchor in the roads. A pilot offered his services, but Tom declined
+them with thanks, and soon afterwards skilfully brought us up close in
+shore in the crowded roadstead. The harbour-master sent off, as did
+also the mail-master, but no Board of Health officials appeared; so,
+after some delay, the Doctor went on shore to find the local medical
+man, promising shortly to return. He did not, however, reappear, and,
+after waiting a couple of hours, we landed without opposition. We
+packed off all the servants for a run on shore, and had all the fires
+put out in order to cool the ship. Our first inquiry was for an hotel
+where we could breakfast, and we were recommended to go to the Hotel
+de l'Europe.
+
+Our demands for breakfast were met at first with the reply that it was
+too late, and that we must wait till one o'clock tiffin; but a little
+persuasion induced the manager to find some cold meat, eggs, and
+lemonade. We afterwards drove out to one or two shops, but anything so
+hopeless as the stores here I never saw. Not a single curiosity could
+we find, not even a bird. We drove round the town, and out to the
+Governor's house; he was away, but we were most kindly received by
+Mrs. Anson and his daughter, and strongly recommended by them to make
+an expedition to the bungalow at the top of the hill. In about an hour
+and a half, always ascending, we reached the Governor's bungalow,
+situated in a charming spot, where the difference of 10 deg. in the
+temperature, caused by being 1,500 feet higher up, is a great boon.
+After tiffin and a rest at the hotel, a carriage came to take us to
+the foot of the hill, about four miles from the town. We went first
+to a large Jesuit establishment, where some most benevolent old
+priests were teaching a large number of Malay boys reading, writing,
+and geography. Then we went a little further, and, in a small wooden
+house, under the cocoa trees, at last found some of the little humming
+birds for which the Malay Archipelago is famous. They glisten with a
+marvellous metallic lustre all over their bodies, instead of only in
+patches, as one sees upon those in South America and the West Indies.
+The drive was intensely tropical in character, until we reached the
+waterfall, where we left the carriage and got into chairs, each
+carried by six coolies. The scenery all about the waterfall is lovely,
+and a large stream of sparkling, cool, clear water tumbling over the
+rocks was most refreshing to look at. Many people who have business in
+Penang live up here, riding up and down morning and evening, for the
+sake of the cool, refreshing night air. One of the most curious things
+in vegetation which strikes our English eyes is the extraordinary
+abundance of the sensitive plant. It is interwoven with all the grass,
+and grows thickly in all the hedgerows. In the neatly kept turf, round
+the Government bungalow, its long, creeping, prickly stems,
+acacia-like leaves, and little fluffy mauve balls of flowers are so
+numerous, that, walking up and down the croquet lawn, it appears to be
+bowing before you, for the delicate plants are sensible of even an
+approaching footstep, and shut up and hide their tiny leaves among the
+grass long before you really reach them.
+
+From the top of the hill you can see ninety miles in the clear
+atmosphere, far away across the Straits of Perak to the mainland. We
+could not stay long, and were carried down the hill backwards, as our
+bearers were afraid of our tumbling out of the chairs if we travelled
+forwards. The tropical vegetation is even more striking here, but,
+alas! it is already losing its novelty to us. Those were indeed
+pleasant days when everything was new and strange; it seems now
+almost as if years, not months, had gone past since we first entered
+these latitudes. We found the carriage waiting for us when we arrived
+at the bottom of the hill about seven o'clock, and it was not long
+before we reached the town.
+
+The glowworms and fireflies were numerous. The natives were cooking
+their evening meal on the ground beneath the tall palm-trees as we
+passed, with the glare of the fires lighting up the picturesque huts,
+their dark figures relieved by their white and scarlet turbans and
+waist-cloth. The whole scene put us very much in mind of the old
+familiar pictures of India, the lithe figures of the natives looking
+like beautiful bronze statues, the rough country carts, drawn by
+buffaloes without harness, but dragging by their hump, and driven by
+black-skinned natives armed with a long goad. We went straight to the
+jetty, and found to our surprise that in the roads there was quite a
+breeze blowing, and a very strong tide running against it, which made
+the sea almost rough.
+
+Mrs. and Miss Anson, Mr. Talbot, and other friends, dined with us. At
+eleven they landed, and we weighed anchor, and were soon gliding
+through the Straits of Malacca, shaping for Acheen Head, _en route_ to
+Galle.
+
+It seems strange that an important English settlement like Penang,
+where so many large steamers and ships are constantly calling, should
+be without lights or quarantine laws. We afterwards learned on shore
+that the local government had already surveyed and fixed a place for
+two leading lights. The reason why no health officers came off to us
+this morning was probably that, small-pox and cholera both being
+prevalent in the town, they thought that the fewer questions they
+asked, and the less they saw of incoming vessels, the better.
+
+_Friday, March 23rd_.--A broiling day, everybody panting, parrots and
+parrakeets dying. We passed a large barque with every sail set,
+although it was a flat calm, which made us rejoice in the possession
+of steam-power. Several people on board are very unwell, and the
+engineer is really ill. It is depressing to speculate what would
+become of us if anything went wrong in the engine-room department, and
+if we should be reduced to sail-power alone in this region of
+calmness. At last even I know what it is to be too hot, and am quite
+knocked up with my short experience.
+
+[Illustration: How the Journal was written]
+
+_Saturday, March 24th_.--Another flat calm. The after-forecastle,
+having been battened down and fumigated for the last seventy-two
+hours, was to-day opened, and its contents brought up on deck, some to
+be thrown overboard, and others to be washed with carbolic acid. I
+never saw such quantities of things as were turned out; they covered
+the whole deck, and it seemed as if their cubic capacity must be far
+greater than that of the place in which they had been stowed. Besides
+the beds and tables of eight men, there were forty-eight birds, four
+monkeys, two cockatoos, and a tortoise, besides Japanese cabinets and
+boxes of clothes, books, china, coral, shells, and all sorts of
+imaginable and unimaginable things. One poor tortoise had been killed
+and bleached white by the chlorine gas.
+
+_Sunday, March 25th_.--Hotter than ever. It was quite impossible to
+have service either on deck or below. We always observe Sunday by
+showing a little extra attention to dress, and, as far as the
+gentlemen are concerned, a little more care in the matter of shaving.
+On other days I fear our toilets would hardly pass muster in civilised
+society. Tom set the example of leaving off collars, coats, and
+waistcoats; so shirts and trousers are now the order of the day. The
+children wear grass-cloth pinafores and very little else, no shoes or
+stockings, Manilla or Chinese slippers being worn by those who dislike
+bare feet. I find my Tahitian and Hawaiian dresses invaluable: they
+are really cool, loose, and comfortable, and I scarcely ever wear
+anything else.
+
+We passed a large steamer about 7.30 a.m., and in the afternoon
+altered our course to speak the 'Middlesex,' of London, bound to the
+Channel for orders. We had quite a long conversation with the captain,
+and parted with mutual good wishes for a pleasant voyage. It was a
+lovely moonlight night, but very hot, though we found a delightful
+sleeping-place beneath the awning on deck.
+
+_Monday, March 26th_.--The sun appeared to rise even fiercer and
+hotter than ever this morning. I have been very anxious for the last
+few days about Baby, who has been cutting some teeth and has suffered
+from a rash. Muriel has been bitten all over by mosquitoes, and
+Mabelle has also suffered from heat-rash. Just now every little
+ailment suggests small-pox to our minds.
+
+About noon, when in latitude 6.25 North, and in longitude 88.25 East,
+we began to encounter a great deal of drift wood, many large trees,
+branches, plants, leaves, nautilus shells, back-bones of cuttlefish,
+and, in addition, large quantities of yellow spawn, evidently
+deposited by some fish of large size. The spawn appeared to be of a
+very solid, consistent character, like large yellow grapes, connected
+together in a sort of gelatinous mass. It formed a continuous wide
+yellow streak perhaps half a mile in length, and with the bits of wood
+and branches sticking up in its midst at intervals, it would not have
+required a very lively imagination to fashion it at a little distance
+into a sea serpent. Where does all this _debris_ come from? was the
+question asked by everybody. Out of the Bay of Bengal probably,
+judging from the direction of the current. We wondered if it could
+possibly be the remains of some of the trees uprooted by the last
+great cyclone.
+
+At 1.30 p.m. a man cried out from the rigging, 'Boat on the starboard
+bow!' a cry that produced great excitement immediately; our course was
+altered and telescopes and glasses brought to bear upon the object in
+question. Every one on board, except our old sailing master, said it
+was a native boat. Some even said that they could see a man on board
+waving something. Powell alone declared it to be the root of a palm
+from the Bay of Bengal, and he proved right. A very large root it was,
+with one single stem and a few leaves hanging down, which had exactly
+the appearance of broken masts, tattered sails, and torn rigging. We
+went close alongside to have a good look at it; the water was as clear
+as crystal, and beneath the surface were hundreds of beautifully
+coloured fish, greedily devouring something--I suppose small insects,
+or fish entangled among the roots.
+
+_Tuesday, March 27th_.--It requires a great effort to do anything,
+except before sunrise or after sunset, owing to the intense heat; and
+when one is not feeling well it makes exertion still more difficult.
+At night the heat below is simply unbearable; the cabins are deserted,
+and all mattresses are brought up on deck.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXV.
+
+CEYLON.
+
+    _Thus was this place
+    _A happy rural seat of various views,_
+    _Groves whose rich trees wept odorous gums and balm,_
+    _Others, whose fruit, burnish'd with golden rind,_
+    _Hung amiable, Hesperian fables true._
+
+_Wednesday, March 28th_.--At midnight the wind was slightly ahead, and
+we could distinctly smell the fragrant breezes and spicy odours of
+Ceylon. We made the eastern side of the island at daylight, and
+coasted along its palm-fringed shores all day. I had been very unwell
+for some days past, but this delightful indication of our near
+approach to the land seemed to do me good at once. If only the
+interior is as beautiful as what we can see from the deck of the
+yacht, my expectations will be fully realised, brilliant as they are.
+
+As the sun set, the beauty of the scene from the deck of the yacht
+seemed to increase. We proceeded slowly, and at about nine o'clock
+were in the roads of Galle and could see the ships at anchor. Tom did
+not like to venture further in the dark without a pilot, and
+accordingly told the signal-man to make signals for one, but being
+impatient he sent up a rocket, besides burning blue lights, a mistake
+which had the effect of bringing the first officer of the P. and O.
+steamship 'Poonah' on board, who thought perhaps we had got aground or
+were in trouble of some sort. He also informed us that pilots never
+came off after dark, and kindly offered to show us a good anchorage
+for the night.
+
+_Thursday, March 29th_.--The pilot came off early, and soon after six
+we dropped anchor in Galle harbour. The entrance is fine, and the bay
+one of the most beautiful in the world. The picturesque town, with its
+old buildings, and the white surf dashing in among the splendid
+cocoa-trees which grow down to the water's edge, combined to make up a
+charming picture. We went on board the 'Poonah' to breakfast as
+arranged, and afterwards all over the ship, which is in splendid
+order. Thence we went ashore to the Oriental Company's Hotel, a most
+comfortable building, with a large, shady verandah, which to-day was
+crowded by passengers from the 'Poonah.' At tiffin there was a great
+crowd, and we met some old friends. At three o'clock we returned to
+the yacht, to show her to the captain of the 'Poonah' and some of his
+friends, and an hour later we started in two carriages for a drive to
+Wockwalla, a hill commanding a splendid view. The drive was
+delightful, and the vegetation more beautiful than any we have seen
+since leaving Tahiti, but it would have been more enjoyable if we had
+not been so pestered by boys selling flowers and bunches of mace in
+various stages of development. It certainly is very pretty when the
+peach-like fruit is half open and shows the network of scarlet
+mace surrounding the brown nutmeg within. From Wockwalla the view
+is lovely, over paddy-fields, jungle, and virgin forest, up to
+the hills close by and to the mountains beyond. There is a small
+refreshment-room at the top of the hill, kept by a nice little mulatto
+woman and her husband. Here we drank lemonade, ate mangoes, and
+watched the sun gradually declining, but we were obliged to leave
+before it had set, as we wanted to visit the cinnamon gardens on our
+way back. The prettiest thing in the whole scene was the river running
+through the middle of the landscape, and the white-winged,
+scarlet-bodied cranes, disporting themselves along the banks among the
+dark green foliage and light green shoots of the crimson-tipped
+cinnamon-trees. We had a glorious drive home along the sea-shore
+under cocoa-nut trees, amongst which the fireflies flitted, and
+through which we could see the red and purple afterglow of the sunset.
+Ceylon is, as every one knows, celebrated for its real gems, and
+almost as much for the wonderful imitations offered for sale by the
+natives. Some are made in Birmingham and exported, but many are made
+here and in India, and are far better in appearance than ours, or even
+those of Paris. More than once in the course of our drive, half-naked
+Indians produced from their waist-cloths rubies, sapphires, and
+emeralds for which they asked from one to four thousand rupees, and
+gratefully took fourpence, after a long run with the carriage, and
+much vociferation and gesticulation. After _table-d'hote_ dinner at
+the hotel we went off to the yacht in a pilot boat; the buoys were all
+illuminated, and boats with four or five men in them, provided with
+torches, were in readiness to show us the right way out. By ten
+o'clock we were outside the harbour and on our way to Colombo.
+
+_Friday, March 30th_.--It rained heavily during the night, and we were
+obliged to sleep in the deck-house instead of on deck. At daylight all
+was again bright and beautiful, and the cocoanut-clad coast of Ceylon
+looked most fascinating in the early morning light. About ten o'clock
+we dropped our anchor in the harbour at Colombo, which was crowded
+with shipping. 175,000 coolies have been landed here within the last
+two or three months; consequently labour is very cheap this year in
+the coffee plantations.
+
+The instant we anchored we were of course surrounded by boats selling
+every possible commodity and curiosity, carved ebony, ivory,
+sandal-wood, and models of the curious boats in use here. These boats
+are very long and narrow, with an enormous outrigger and large sail,
+and when it is very rough, nearly the whole of the crew of the boat go
+out one by one, and sit on the outrigger to keep it in the water, from
+which springs the Cingalese saying, 'One man, two men, four men
+breeze.' The heat was intense, though there was a pleasant breeze
+under the awning on deck; we therefore amused ourselves by looking
+over the side and bargaining with the natives, until our letters,
+which we had sent for, arrived. About one o'clock we went ashore,
+encountering on our way some exceedingly dreadful smells, wafted from
+ships laden with guano, bones, and other odoriferous cargoes. The
+inner boat harbour is unsavoury and unwholesome to the last degree,
+and is just now crowded with many natives of various castes from the
+south of India.
+
+Colombo is rather a European-looking town, with fine buildings and
+many open green spaces, where there were actually soldiers playing
+cricket, with great energy, under the fierce rays of the midday sun.
+We went at once to an hotel and rested; loitering after tiffin in the
+verandah, which was as usual crowded with sellers of all sorts of
+Indian things. Most of the day was spent in driving about, and having
+made our arrangements for an early start to-morrow, we then walked
+down to the harbour, getting drenched on our way by a tremendous
+thunderstorm.
+
+_Saturday, March 31st_.--Up early, and after rather a scramble we went
+ashore at seven o'clock, just in time to start by the first train to
+Kandy. There was not much time to spare, and we therefore had to pay
+sovereigns for our tickets instead of changing them for rupees,
+thereby receiving only ten instead of eleven and a half, the current
+rate of exchange that day. It seemed rather sharp practice on the part
+of the railway company (_alias_ the Government) to take sovereigns in
+at the window at ten rupees, and sell them at the door for eleven and
+a half, to speculators waiting ready and eager to clutch and sell them
+again at an infinitesimally small profit.
+
+The line to Kandy is always described as one of the most beautiful
+railways in the world, and it certainly deserves the character. The
+first part of the journey is across jungle and through plains; then
+one goes climbing up and up, looking down on all the beauties of
+tropical vegetation, to distant mountains shimmering in the glare and
+haze of the burning sun. The carriages were well ventilated and
+provided with double roofs, and were really tolerably cool.
+
+About nine o'clock we reached Ambepussa, and the scenery increased in
+beauty from this point. A couple of hours later we reached Peradeniya,
+the junction for Gampola. Here most of the passengers got out, bound
+for Neuera-ellia, the sanatorium of Ceylon, 7,000 feet above the sea.
+Soon after leaving the station, we passed the Satinwood Bridge. Here
+we had a glimpse of the botanical garden at Kandy, and soon afterwards
+reached the station. We were at once rushed at by two telegraph boys,
+each with a telegram of hospitable invitation, whilst a third friend
+met us with his carriage, and asked us to go at once to his house, a
+few miles out of Kandy. We hesitated to avail ourselves of his kind
+offer, as we were such a large party; but he insisted, and at once set
+off to make things ready for us, whilst we went to breakfast and rest
+at a noisy, dirty, and uncomfortable hotel. It was too hot to do
+anything except to sit in the verandah and watch planter after planter
+come in for an iced drink at the bar. The town is quite full for
+Easter, partly for the amusements and partly for the Church services;
+for on many of the coffee estates there is no church within a
+reasonable distance.
+
+About four o'clock the carriage came round for us, and having
+despatched the luggage in a gharry, we drove round the lovely lake,
+and so out to Peradeniya, where our friend lives, close to the Botanic
+Gardens. Many of the huts and cottages by the roadside have
+'small-pox' written upon them in large letters, in three languages,
+English, Sanscrit, and Cingalese, a very sensible precaution, for the
+natives are seldom vaccinated, and this terrible disease is a real
+scourge amongst them. Having reached the charming bungalow, it was a
+real luxury to lounge in a comfortable easy chair in a deep cool
+verandah, and to inhale the fragrance of the flowers, whilst lazily
+watching the setting of the sun. Directly it dipped below the horizon,
+glowworms and fireflies came out, bright and numerous as though the
+stars had come down to tread, or rather fly, a fairy dance among the
+branches of the tall palm-trees high overhead. Our rooms were most
+comfortable, and the baths delicious. After dinner we all adjourned
+once more to the verandah to watch the dancing fireflies, the
+lightning, and the heavy thunderclouds, and enjoy the cool evening
+breeze. You in England who have never been in the tropics cannot
+appreciate the intense delight of that sensation. Then we went to bed,
+and passed a most luxurious night of cool and comfortable sleep, not
+tossing restlessly about, as we had been doing for some time past.
+
+_Sunday, April 1st_.--I awoke before daylight. Our bed faced the
+windows, which were wide open, without blinds, curtains, or shutters,
+and I lay and watched the light gradually creeping over the trees,
+landscape, and garden, and the sun rising glorious from behind the
+distant mountains, shining brightly into the garden, drawing out a
+thousand fresh fragrances from every leaf and flower.
+
+By seven o'clock we found ourselves enjoying an early tea within the
+pretty bungalow in the centre of the Botanic Gardens, and thoroughly
+appreciating delicious fresh butter and cream, the first we have
+tasted for ages. We went for the most delightful stroll afterwards,
+and saw for the first time many botanical curiosities, and several
+familiar old friends growing in greater luxuriance than our eyes are
+even yet accustomed to. The groups of palms were most beautiful. I
+never saw anything finer than the tallipot-palm, and the areca, with
+the beetle-vine climbing round it; besides splendid specimens of the
+kitool or jaggery-palm. Then there was the palmyra, which to the
+inhabitant of the North of Ceylon is what the cocoa-nut is to the
+inhabitant of the South--food, clothing, and lodging. The
+pitcher-plants and the rare scarlet amherstia looked lovely, as did
+also the great groups of yellow and green stemmed bamboos. There were
+magnolias, shaddocks, hibiscus, the almost too fragrant
+yellow-flowered champac, sacred to Hindoo mythology; nutmeg and
+cinnamon trees, tea and coffee, and every other conceivable plant and
+tree, growing in the wildest luxuriance. Through the centre of the
+gardens flows the river Ambang Ganga, and the whole 140 acres are laid
+out so like an English park that, were it not for the unfamiliar
+foliage, you might fancy yourself at home.
+
+We drove back to our host's to breakfast, and directly afterwards
+started in two carriages to go to church at Kandy. The church is a
+fine large building, lofty, and cool, and well ventilated. This being
+Easter Sunday, the building was lavishly decorated with palms and
+flowers. The service was well performed, and the singing was
+excellent. The sparrows flew in and out by the open doors and windows.
+One of the birds was building a nest in a corner, and during the
+service she added to it a marabout feather, a scrap of lace, and an
+end of pink riband. It will be a curious nest when finished, if she
+adds at this rate to her miscellaneous collection.
+
+After church we walked to the Government House. Sir William Gregory
+is, unfortunately for us, away in Australia, and will not return till
+just after our departure. The entrance to it was gay with gorgeous
+scarlet lilies, brought over by some former Governor from South
+America. It is a very fine house, but unfinished. We wandered through
+the 'banquet halls deserted,' and then sat a little while in the broad
+cool airy verandah looking into the beautiful garden and on to the
+mountain beyond.
+
+At half-past eleven it was time to leave this delightfully cool
+retired spot, and to drive to a very pleasant luncheon, served on a
+polished round walnut-wood table, without any tablecloth, a novel and
+pretty plan in so hot a climate. As soon as it became sufficiently
+cool we went on round the upper lake and to the hills above, whence we
+looked down upon Kandy, one of the most charmingly placed cities in
+the world. As we came back we stopped for a few minutes at the Court,
+a very fair specimen of florid Hindoo architecture, where the judges
+sit, and justice of all kinds is administered, and where the Prince of
+Wales held the installation of the Order of St. Michael and St. George
+during his visit. We also looked in at some of the bazaars, to examine
+the brass chatties and straw-work. Then came another delicious rest in
+the verandah among the flowers until it was time for dinner. Such
+flowers as they are! The Cape jessamines are in full beauty just now,
+and our host breaks off for us great branches laden with the fragrant
+bloom.
+
+_Monday, April 2nd_.--Before breakfast I took a stroll all round the
+place, with our host, to look at his numerous pets, which include
+spotted deer, monkeys, and all sorts of other creatures. We also went
+to the stables, and saw first the horses, and the horsekeepers with
+their pretty Indian wives and children. Then we wandered down to the
+bamboo-fringed shores of the river, which rises in the mountains here,
+and flows right through the island to Trincomalee.
+
+At eleven o'clock Tom and I said 'good-bye' to the rest of the party,
+and went by train to Gampola, to take the coach to Neuera-ellia, where
+we were to stay with an old friend. We went only a dozen miles in the
+train, and then were turned out into what is called a coach, but is
+really a very small rough wagonnette, capable of holding six people
+with tolerable comfort, but into which seven, eight, and even nine
+were crammed. By the time the vehicle was fully laden, we found there
+was positively no room for even the one box into which Tom's things
+and my own had all been packed; so we had to take out indispensable
+necessaries, and tie them up in a bundle like true sailors out for a
+holiday, leaving our box behind, in charge of the station-master,
+until our return. The first part of the drive was not very
+interesting, the road passing only through paddy-fields and endless
+tea and coffee plantations. We reached Pusillawa about two o'clock,
+where we found a rough and ready sort of breakfast awaiting us. Thence
+we had a steep climb through some of the finest coffee estates in
+Ceylon, belonging to the Rothschilds, until we reached Rangbodde. Here
+there was another delay of half an hour; but although we were anxious
+to get on, to arrive in time for dinner, it was impossible to regret
+stopping amidst this lovely scenery. The house which serves as a
+resting-place is a wretched affair, but the view from the verandah in
+front is superb. A large river falls headlong over the steep wall of
+rock, forming three splendid waterfalls, which, uniting and rushing
+under a fine one-arched bridge, complete this scene of beauty and
+grandeur.
+
+We were due at Neuera-ellia at six, but we had only one pair of horses
+to drag our heavy load up the steep mountain road, and the poor
+creatures jibbed, kicked over the traces, broke them three times, and
+more than once were so near going over the edge of the precipice that
+I jumped out, and the other passengers, all gentlemen, walked the
+whole of that stage. The next was no better, the fresh pair of horses
+jibbing and kicking worse than ever. At last one kicked himself free
+of all the harness, and fell on his back in a deep ditch. If it had
+not been so tiresome, it really would have been very laughable,
+especially as everybody was more or less afraid of the poor horse's
+heels, and did not in the least know how to extricate him.
+
+In this dilemma our hunting experiences came in usefully, for with the
+aid of a trace, instead of a stirrup leather, passed round his neck,
+half-a-dozen men managed to haul the horse on to his legs again; but
+the pitchy darkness rendered the repair of damages an exceedingly
+difficult task. The horses, moreover, even when once more in their
+proper position, declined to move, but the gentlemen pushed and the
+drivers flogged and shouted, and very slowly and with many stops we
+ultimately reached the end of that stage. Here we found a young horse,
+who had no idea at all of harness; so after a vain attempt to utilise
+his services, another was sent for, thus causing further delay.
+
+It was now nine o'clock, and we were all utterly exhausted. We managed
+to procure from a cottage some new-laid eggs and cold spring water,
+and these eaten raw, with a little brandy from a hunting-flask, seemed
+to refresh us all. There was again a difficulty in starting, but, once
+fairly under way, the road was not so steep and the horses went
+better. I was now so tired, and had grown so accustomed to hairbreadth
+escapes, that, however near we went to the edge of the precipice, I
+did not feel capable of jumping out, but sat still and watched
+listlessly, wondering whether we should really go over or not. After
+many delays we reached Head-quarter House, where the warmth of the
+welcome our old friend gave us soon made us forget how tired we were.
+They had waited dinner until half-past seven, and had then given us
+up. There were blazing wood fires both in the drawing-room and in our
+bedroom, and in five minutes a most welcome dinner was put before us.
+Afterwards we could have stayed and chatted till midnight, but we were
+promptly sent off to bed, and desired to reserve the rest of our news
+until morning.
+
+_Tuesday, April 3rd_.--A ten o'clock breakfast afforded us ample
+opportunity for a delicious rest and letter-writing beforehand.
+Afterwards we strolled round the garden, full of English flowers,
+roses, carnations, mignonette, and sweet peas. Tom and the gentlemen
+went for a walk, whilst we ladies rested and chatted and wrote
+letters.
+
+After lunch we all started--a large party--to go to the athletic
+sports on the racecourse, where an impromptu sort of grand stand had
+been erected--literally a stand, for there were no seats. There were a
+great many people, and the regimental band played very well. To us it
+appeared a warm damp day, although the weather was much cooler than
+any we have felt lately. This is _the_ week of the year, and everybody
+is here from all parts of the island. People who have been long
+resident in the tropics seem to find it very cold; for the men wore
+great-coats and ulsters, and many of the ladies velvet and sables, or
+sealskin jackets. On the way back from the sports we drove round to
+see something of the settlement; it cannot be called a town, for
+though there are a good many people and houses, no two are within half
+a mile of one another. There are two packs of hounds kept here, one to
+hunt the big elk, the other a pack of harriers. The land-leeches,
+which abound in this neighbourhood, are a great plague to horses, men,
+and hounds. It rained last night, and I was specially cautioned not to
+go on the grass or to pick flowers, as these horrid creatures fix on
+one's ankle or arm without the slightest warning. I have only seen
+one, I am thankful to say, and have escaped a bite; but everybody
+seems to dread and dislike them.
+
+After dinner we went to a very pleasant ball, given by the Jinkhana
+Club, at the barracks. The room was prettily decorated with the racing
+jackets and caps of the riders in the races, and with scarlet wreaths
+of geranium and hibiscus mingled with lycopodium ferns and
+selaginella. We did not remain very late at the ball, as we had to
+make an early start next morning; but the drive home in the moonlight
+was almost as pleasant as any part of the entertainment.
+
+_Wednesday, April 4th_.--We were called at four o'clock, and
+breakfasted at five, everybody appearing either in dressing-gowns or
+in habits to see us set off. They all tried to persuade us to stay for
+the meet of the hounds at the house to-day. Another ball to-night, and
+more races, and another ball to-morrow; but we are homeward bound, and
+must hurry on. It was a lovely morning, and we waited with great
+patience at the post-house for at least an hour and a half, and
+watched the hounds come out, meet, find, and hunt a hare up and down,
+and across the valley, with merry ringing notes that made us long to
+be on horseback.
+
+We saw all the racehorses returning from their morning gallop, and
+were enlightened by the syces as to their names and respective owners.
+There were several people, a great deal of luggage, and, though last
+not least, Her Majesty's mails, all waiting, like us, for the coach.
+About a quarter to seven a message arrived, to the effect that the
+horses would _not_ come up the hill, they had been jibbing for more
+than an hour, so would we kindly go down to the coach. A swarm of
+coolies immediately appeared from some mysterious hiding-place, and
+conveyed us all, bag and baggage, down the hill, and packed us into
+the coach. Even this concession on our part did not induce the horses
+to make up their minds to move for at least another quarter of an
+hour. Then we had to stop at the hotel to pick up somebody else; but
+at last we had fairly started, eleven people in all, some inside and
+some perched on a box behind. The horses were worse than ever, tired
+to death, poor things; and as one lady passenger was very nervous and
+insisted on walking up all the acclivities, we were obliged to make up
+our pace down the hills. The Pass looked lovely by daylight, and the
+wild flowers were splendid, especially the white datura and scarlet
+rhododendron trees, which were literally covered with bloom.
+
+By daylight, the appearance of the horses was really pitiable in the
+extreme--worn-out, half-starved wretches, covered with wounds and
+sores from collars and harness, and with traces of injuries they
+inflict on themselves in their struggles to get free. When once we had
+seen their shoulders, we no longer wondered at their reluctance to
+start; it really made one quite sick to think even of the state they
+were in.
+
+If some of the permanent officials were to devote a portion of their
+time to endeavours to introduce American coaches, and to ameliorate
+the condition of the horses on this road, they would indeed confer a
+boon on their countrymen. The coachman, who was as black as jet, and
+who wore very little clothing, was a curious specimen of his class,
+and appeared by no means skilled in his craft. He drove the whole way
+down the steep zigzag road with a loose rein; at every turn the horses
+went close to the precipice, but were turned in the very nick of time
+by a little black boy who jumped down from behind and pulled them
+round by their traces without touching the bridle. We stopped at
+Rangbodde to breakfast, and again at Pusillawa. This seemed a bad
+arrangement, for we were already late; it resulted in the poor horses
+having to be unmercifully flogged in order to enable us to catch the
+train at Gampola, failing which, the coach proprietors would have had
+to pay a very heavy penalty.
+
+From Gampola we soon arrived at Peradeniya, where we met Mr. Freer,
+who was going down to Colombo. Tom had decided previously to go
+straight on, so as to have the yacht quite ready for an early start
+to-morrow. I in the meantime went to our former hosts for one night to
+pick up Mabelle and the waifs and strays of luggage.
+
+On my way from the station to the house, going over the Satinwood
+Bridge, from which there is a lovely view of the Peacock Mountain, I
+saw an Englishman whom we had observed before, washing stones in the
+bed of the river for gems. He has obtained some rubies and sapphires,
+though only of small size, and I suppose he will go on washing for
+ever, hoping to find something larger and more valuable. On one part
+of the coast of the island near Managgan the sands on the side of one
+of the rivers are formed of rubies, sapphires, garnets, and other
+precious stones washed down by the current, but they are all ground to
+pieces in the process, not one being left as big as a pin's head. The
+effect in the sunlight, when this sand is wet with the waves, is
+something dazzling, and proves that the accounts of my favourite
+Sindbad are not so fabulous as we prosaic mortals try to make out. The
+island must be rich in gems, for they seem to be picked up with hardly
+any trouble. At Neuera-ellia it is a favourite amusement for picnic
+parties to go out gem-hunting, and frequently they meet with very
+large and valuable stones by the riverside or near deserted pits,
+large garnets, cinnamon-stone, splendid cat's-eyes, amethysts, matura
+diamonds, moonstone, aquamarine, tourmaline rubies, and sapphires.
+
+[Illustration: Peacock Mountain, Ceylon.]
+
+On my arrival at the house I found that Mabelle had just returned
+with some friends, who had kindly taken charge of her during our
+absence, and that a very old friend had arrived almost directly we
+left on Monday, and had departed early this morning to climb Adam's
+Peak, the ascent of which is a long and tedious affair, but it cannot
+be difficult, as thousands of aged and infirm pilgrims go every year
+to worship at the Buddhist or Mohammedan temples at the summit. The
+giant footprint has been reverenced alike by both religions from the
+earliest ages. Its existence is differently accounted for, however, by
+the two sects. The Buddhists say it is the footprint of Buddha, and
+that an account of its origin was written 300 or 400 years B.C. The
+Mohammedans say that it is the first step Adam took when driven out of
+Paradise. They do not quarrel about it, however, but live very happily
+close beside one another in their respective temples on the very small
+summit of the mountain. The iron chains, still used by the pilgrims
+and visitors to assist them up the last weary flight of steps, are
+said to have been placed there in the time of Alexander the Great, and
+are mentioned by successive historians.
+
+After lunch I went to rest, thoroughly tired out with the hard work of
+the last two days, whilst the gentlemen went into Kandy, to see
+Buddha's tooth and a Brahmin temple.
+
+Just before sunset we went to have a last look at those lovely
+Botanical Gardens. They were more beautiful than ever in the afternoon
+light, and I saw many things which had escaped my notice before. I
+have made acquaintance with the taste of all sorts of new fruits while
+here, more than in our former journey; but this is to be explained by
+the proximity of the Botanical Gardens. I expected to revel in fruit
+all through the tropics, but, except at Tahiti, we have not done so at
+all. There is one great merit in tropical fruit, which is, that
+however hot the sun may be, when plucked from the tree it is always
+icy cold; if left for a few minutes, however, it becomes as hot as
+the surrounding atmosphere, and the charm is gone.
+
+On my return, when I went to dress for dinner, I found on my table a
+nasty-looking black beast about six inches long. It looked very
+formidable in the half-light, like a scorpion or centipede. It turned
+out, however, to be quite harmless, and a sort of millipede, and
+rather handsome, with jet-black rings, and hundreds of orange-coloured
+legs. There are a great many venomous snakes in Ceylon, but they
+always get out of the way as fast as they can, and never bite
+Europeans. All the roofs of the thatched bungalows swarm with rats,
+and in every house is kept a rat-snake, which kills and eats these
+rats. I more than once heard a great scuffle going on over my bedroom,
+which generally ended in a little squeak, indicating that the snake
+had killed, and was about to eat, his prey. One of the snakes came out
+one day in front of my window, and hung down two or three feet from
+the roof. If I had not been previously assured that he was perfectly
+harmless, it would have been rather an alarming apparition in the
+dark, and, even as it was, I must confess that for a moment I did feel
+rather frightened as I watched him spying about, darting his forked
+tongue in and out, and looking quite ready for a spring at my face.
+
+_Thursday, April 5th_.--Another early start by the seven o'clock train
+to Colombo. We were very sorry to say good-bye to our kind host, and
+when we took our departure, we were quite laden with flowers, good
+wishes, and messages for mutual friends in England. It was rather a
+hot journey down, and the train seemed full, but the scenery was
+lovely. As we approached Colombo the heat became greater, and in the
+town itself it was almost insupportable.
+
+We breakfasted at the hotel in the fort, where we were joined by Tom.
+There is one very curious thing about the hotels here. The
+sitting-rooms are all two stories high, with pointed raftered roofs.
+The bedrooms are only screened off from each other, and from the
+central room, by partitions eight or ten feet high, so that you can
+hear everything going on from end to end of the building. I am not at
+all sure that the larger amount of ventilation secured by this plan
+compensates for the extra amount of noise and want of privacy,
+especially when, as was the case to-day, there is a crying baby who
+refuses to be pacified in one of the rooms, a poor little girl ill
+with whooping cough in another, and some very noisy people, who are
+making themselves both unhappy and cross over some lost keys, in a
+third.
+
+While we were at breakfast the crows were most amusing and
+impertinent. Every door and window was open, and they were perched on
+the top of the punkah, or on the iron crossbars supporting the roof,
+watching their opportunity to pounce down and carry off the bits left
+on our plates. They did not seem to mind the waiters a bit, and, with
+their heads cocked on one side, looked as droll and saucy as possible.
+People tell you all sorts of funny stories about them; but though they
+are very entertaining to watch, and apparently perfectly tame, it
+appears to be impossible to capture one alive.
+
+By the time breakfast was over, we found that the 'Sunbeam' was
+already under way, and steaming about the anchorage; so it was not
+long before we were once more on board. Going out of harbour we passed
+a large steamer whose passengers and crew cheered us and waved their
+handkerchiefs until we were out of sight, and with that pleasant
+homely sound ringing in our ears we bade a last farewell to Colombo,
+and started on another stage of our homeward voyage. The heat was
+intense, and there was a roll outside which at once made me feel very
+uncomfortable. There was no wind all the afternoon, and the sun sank
+into the sea, glorious and golden, as we took our last look at the
+lovely island of Ceylon, the land of spice and fragrance and beauty.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXVI.
+
+
+TO ADEN.
+
+    _Heaven speed the canvas, gallantly unfurled_
+    _To furnish and accommodate a world,_
+    _To give the Pole the produce of the sun,_
+    _And knit the unsocial climates into one._
+
+_Friday, April 6th_.--Our visit to Ceylon has been so delightful that
+I wish it could have been prolonged for a month, instead of lasting
+only a week; but in that case I should have preferred to select a
+cooler season of the year, when travelling is more practicable. A most
+interesting journey could be made through the centre of the island to
+see the ancient cities, temples, and tanks, over the road from Matelle
+to Nalandi Senadoora, to the curious rock temple at Dambool, near
+which is the fortified rock of Sigiri, and a few miles further are the
+vast ruins of Topari, or Ponamira, the mediaeval capital of Ceylon. It
+is full of wonderful ruins, some of them among the oldest in the
+world. The Ranhol Dagoba, the Jayti Wana Rama, and the Galle Wihara
+and rock temple, carved out of the living rock, are alone worth a long
+journey to see. Then think of visiting Anajapoora, the city of rubies,
+the sacred capital of the kingdom of ruins, on whose splendours even
+the Chinese travellers of the early ages used to expatiate with
+fervour. From this point it would be easy to reach the peninsula of
+Jaffna, which has been peopled with Tammils for more than two thousand
+years. It is the country _par excellence_ of gardens exquisitely kept,
+and skilfully irrigated on the old Moorish system. Here are grown all
+the ingredients for the making of curry, which are sent to all parts
+of this island and to Southern India. The most important crop of all,
+however, is tobacco, whose excellence is famed throughout India, and
+of which the Rajah of Travancore holds the monopoly.
+
+Then one might go southward from Jaffna, past Aripo, and the Gulf of
+Calpentyn, until the curious reef of Adam's Bridge was reached, which
+almost connects Ceylon with India. People say it has been separated by
+some convulsion of nature in former days, and that the passage is
+gradually deepening; but recent examinations have shown that instead
+of being a remnant of the original rock by which Ceylon is supposed to
+have been once connected with the Indian continent, it is in reality a
+comparatively recent ridge of conglomerate and ironstone, covered with
+alluvial deposits carried by the current and heaped up at this
+particular point; whilst the gradual rising of the coast has
+contributed to give the reef its present altitude.
+
+Balchus tells a most improbable story of fifteen Portuguese frigates
+escaping through the passage of Panupam, when pursued by some Dutch
+cruisers in 1557. Formerly the Straits were only thirty-five yards
+wide, with a maximum depth of six feet of water, but lately they have
+been widened and deepened by ten feet, and a little Government steamer
+frequently passes through on a tour round the island. At present a
+sailing ship going from Bombay to Madras has to make a curve of five
+thousand miles in order to weather the Maldives and Ceylon. It seems a
+long course for any vessel drawing over ten feet of water to be
+obliged to take.
+
+In the centre of the channel there is a little island where a Dutch
+establishment for horse-breeding formerly stood, the original stud
+having been imported from Arabia. The horses were all turned into
+corrals and caught by means of lassos, and then conquered by
+domidores, exactly as they are at the present day in South America.
+Now the stud is dispersed, the buildings are in ruins, and all that
+remains is the Indian pagoda, where religious ceremonies, curious
+processions, and dances of nautch-girls occasionally take place and
+are attended by great crowds. To the southward again of Adam's Bridge
+is the celebrated Gulf of Manaar, from which the best pearls come.
+
+This is an exceptionally good year for pearls, and the price of the
+shells went up many rupees per thousand in the first week. The pearl
+fishery can be reached in about eight hours by steam from Colombo, and
+it would have been delightful to have visited it, had time permitted.
+We were shown an oyster with some beautiful pearls in it, all found in
+the one shell. When a boat with pearls reaches the shore, the shells
+are divided into equal heaps, one-fourth going to the boat's crew, and
+three-fourths to the Government Inspector. They keep whichever heap he
+chooses to kick; so that, being uncertain which they will get for
+themselves, the boat's crew are sure to make a fair division. These
+heaps are then divided and sold by auction in thousands, and then
+subdivided again and again. Of course it is always a matter of
+speculation as to whether you get good pearls, bad pearls, or no
+pearls at all, though this last misfortune seldom happens.
+
+The love of gambling is inherent in every Oriental mind, and the
+merest beggar with but a few pice in his wallet to buy his daily food
+will invest them in a small number of oyster-shells, hoping to find a
+pearl of great value; and, should he fail to do so, he contents
+himself with eating the oyster and hoping for better luck next time.
+The shells are generally left on the sand in carefully guarded heaps
+till they die and open, when the pearls are extracted, and the fish
+left to decay. Some of the oysters are taken in sealed-up sacks to
+Colombo, Kandy, and other inland places, in order to enable people to
+indulge their love of gambling and speculation, without the trouble of
+a journey to Manaar. Though called oysters, they are not the proper
+oyster, but a sort of avicula (_Meleagrina margaritifera_ being the
+name given by Samarik), very different from the large mother-of-pearl
+shells in which the South Sea pearls are found.
+
+I have not been able to keep my mind from running incessantly on Sir
+Emerson Tennent's delightful book on Ceylon, which describes places we
+have not ourselves visited, but which I wanted very much to see, and I
+have been so interested reading about them that I cannot help thinking
+other people will share my feelings. It seems wonderful that so much
+which is strange, beautiful, and interesting should be so easy of
+access from England, and yet that so few English travellers know
+comparatively anything of Ceylon, except Galle and Colombo, and
+perhaps Kandy and Trincomalee.
+
+_Saturday, April 7th_.--To-day we passed close to the island of
+Minnikoy, between the groups of islands called the Laccadives and
+Maldives, some of which we saw dotting the horizon; and still further
+to the south stretches the Chagos Archipelago. It was very hot all
+day, with hardly a breath of air, and we have all returned to our
+former light and airy costumes: the gentlemen to their shirts and
+trousers, the children to their pinafores and nothing else, and I to
+my beloved Tahitian dresses.
+
+Before we left England we could not make ourselves believe what we
+were told about heat in the tropics; so we started with very few
+windsails and without any punkahs or double awnings. It was all very
+well in the Atlantic or Pacific, but between Hongkong and Singapore
+the state of things became simply unbearable. The carpenter has rigged
+up a punkah, and the men have improvised some double awnings. At
+Colombo they made some windsails, so we are now better off than on our
+last hot voyage. It has been really hotter than ever to-day, but a
+pleasant breeze sprang up in the afternoon.
+
+_Sunday, April 8th_.--A delightful fresh morning after a cool night.
+Everybody looks quite different, and we begin to hope we shall carry
+the north-east monsoon right across, which would be an exceptional
+piece of good fortune. We had service in the saloon at eleven o'clock
+and at four, and though there was an unusually full attendance it was
+cool and pleasant even without the punkah. The thermometer registers
+nearly the same as it did on Friday, when we were all dead with the
+heat. The apparently nice cool breeze that refreshes our heated bodies
+does not produce any corresponding effect on the glassy surface of the
+ocean; for we find to-day, as on previous occasions, that the
+temperature, both of the water and of the air, registered by the
+thermometer, does not by any means correspond with the effect on the
+human frame.
+
+The two Chinese servants we shipped at Hongkong are a great success,
+as every one on board agrees. Even the old sailing master is obliged
+to confess that the two 'heathen Chinee' keep the mess rooms, ships'
+officers' and servants' berths much cleaner and more comfortable than
+his own sailors ever succeeded in doing. At Galle we shipped three
+black firemen, two from Bombay and one from Mozambique, a regular
+nigger, with his black woolly hair clipped into the shape of Prince of
+Wales feathers. Their names are Mahomet, Abraham, and Tom Dollar. They
+live in a little tent we have had pitched for them on deck, cook their
+own food, and do their work in the engine-room exceedingly well. In
+the intervals they are highly amused with the children's picture
+books. The picture of the durbar at Delhi delighted them, especially
+as they recognised the figures, and learned a little English through
+them. They can say a few words already, and have told me all about
+their wives and children at Mozambique and Bombay, and have shown me
+the presents they are taking home to them. They have been nearly a
+year on board the P. and O. steamship 'Poonah,' and appear to have
+saved nearly all their earnings. I do not suppose our own men could
+have stood the fearful heat below in the engine-room for many days
+together, so it was fortunate we met with these amiable salamanders.
+
+_Monday, April, 9th_.--No wind. We passed through a large shoal of
+porpoises, and at dusk we saw the light of a distant ship. At all the
+places we have recently visited we have found excellent ice-making
+machines, and have been able to get a sufficient supply to last us
+from port to port, which has been a great comfort. The machine at
+Colombo unfortunately broke down the day before we left, so that in
+the very hottest part of our voyage we have had to do without our
+accustomed luxury; and very much we miss it, not only for cooling our
+drinks, but for keeping provisions, &c. As it is, a sheep killed
+overnight is not good for dinner next day; butter is just like oil,
+and to-day in opening a drawer my fingers touched a sticky mess; I
+looked and discovered six sticks of sealing wax running slowly about
+in a state resembling treacle.
+
+_Wednesday, April 11th_.--Hotter than ever. We could see a steamer in
+the far distance. About sunset we passed through a shoal of
+flying-fish; the night was intensely hot, and everybody slept on deck.
+
+_Friday, April 13th_.--At 6 a.m. we made the island of Sokotra, and
+about seven o'clock saw 'The Brothers,' two islands where large
+quantities of turtle and ambergris are found. Though generally
+uninhabited, they are sometimes visited by the natives for the purpose
+of collecting articles of commerce.
+
+One of our large pigs took it into his head to jump overboard to-day.
+The helm was put round as quickly as possible, but the most anxious
+spying could not discover any trace of poor piggy's whereabouts; so we
+proceeded on our original course for a few minutes, when suddenly, to
+our great astonishment, we saw him alongside, having been nearly run
+down, but still gallantly swimming along. The dingy was lowered and
+two men sent in pursuit. They had, however, no easy task before them,
+for as soon as they approached, piggy swam away faster than they could
+row, and bit and fought most furiously when they tried to get him into
+the boat. It was a good half-hour's work before he was secured, yet
+when he arrived he did not appear to be in the least exhausted by his
+long swim, but bit and barked at everybody so furiously that he was
+condemned to death, to prevent the possibility of further accidents.
+It is quite clear from the foregoing incident that some pigs can swim,
+and swim very well too, without cutting their own throats in the
+process.
+
+All the afternoon a large steamer had been gradually gaining on us. We
+exchanged signals and made out that she was the 'Calypso' (?) of
+Glasgow. About half-past five she altered her course and came
+alongside to speak us. The fore-deck was crowded with the crew. On the
+bridge were many of the officers; and sitting bolt upright on a stool,
+'looking out forward' in the most amusing manner, was the captain's
+little Skye terrier. The stern was crowded with passengers, of every
+shade of colour. To our surprise a voice from among them shouted out
+'Three cheers for Mr. Brassey!' which was responded to by ringing
+shouts from all on board, and taken up again by some of our own men.
+It was a very pleasant and unexpected greeting to hear in the middle
+of the Indian Ocean. The ship soon drew ahead again, but handkerchiefs
+and caps were waved till their owners faded away into the distance.
+Meeting and passing thousands of people as you at home do daily, you
+can hardly understand the excitement a little incident like this
+causes on board ship, where even a distant sail in these lonely oceans
+makes everybody leave his occupation and crowd to look at her. Soon
+after sunset we saw the island of Abd-al-Kuri, with its fantastic
+peaks, melting into orange, gold, and purple tints, beneath the
+gorgeous Arabian afterglow.
+
+_Saturday, April 14th_.--We made Cape Rasalhir, formerly called
+Guardafui, about nine o'clock yesterday evening, and passing it during
+the night entered the Gulf of Aden.[21] All to-day we have been going
+along the Soumali coast. There is a good deal of trade carried on in
+native boats. Passing all these strange and comparatively unknown and
+little-visited islands and coasts, from which all sorts of things in
+daily use at home are brought, one dimly realises what commerce means
+and how necessary one part of the world is to the other.
+
+[Footnote 21: We found considerable difficulty in making the light,
+and since our return there have been several wrecks, and many lives
+lost, on this dangerous point.]
+
+_Sunday, April 15th_.--Still intensely hot. The usual services were
+held on deck at eleven and four o'clock. The land, both in Arabia and
+in Africa, could be seen the whole day, with precipitous mountains. In
+the afternoon we could make out the rock of Aden, and at sunset it
+stood grandly forth, looming in purple darkness against the crimson
+and blood-red sky, which gradually faded to tenderest tints of yellow
+and green, before it finally blazed forth into a radiant afterglow. At
+half-past eight a gun from the fort at Aden summoned us to show our
+colours, or rather lights. At nine o'clock we dropped our anchor in
+the roads; a boat came off with a bag of newspapers and to ask for
+orders in the morning. It was sent by the great Parsee merchants here,
+who undertake to supply us with coals, provisions, water, and
+everything we want, and spare us all trouble. For the last three or
+four days we have had a nice little breeze astern, and if we had not
+been in a hurry to cross the Indian Ocean before the south-west
+monsoon set in, we should certainly have been contented with four or
+five knots an hour under sail instead of eight and a half under steam.
+We have averaged over 200 miles a day under steam alone, ever since we
+left Penang, and have burnt only four tons of coal for every fifty
+miles.
+
+_Monday, April 16th_.--At 1.30 a.m. I heard the signal gun fired, and
+shortly afterwards a great splash of boats and oars, and a vast
+chattering and shouting of tongues announced the arrival of a P. and
+O. steamer. She dropped her anchor just outside us, so we had the
+benefit of the noise all night. I got up at daylight and found the
+pilot just coming off. He took us to a buoy, a little closer in, and
+soon the business of coaling and watering commenced.
+
+[Illustration: Soumali Indian, Aden.]
+
+We reached the shore about 7.30, and, landing at the pier, had our
+first near view of the natives, who are most curious-looking
+creatures. They have very black complexions, and long woolly hair,
+setting out like a mop all round, and generally dyed bright red, or
+yellow by the application of lime. Mr. Cowajee had sent his own
+private carriage to meet us. It was a comfortable open barouche, with
+a pair of nice horses, and two servants in Eastern liveries, green
+vests and full trousers, and red and orange turbans. We went first to
+his store, which seemed to be an emporium for every conceivable
+article. There was carved sandal-wood, and embroidered shawls from
+China, Surat, and Gujerat, work from India, English medicines, French
+lamps, Swiss clocks, German toys, Russian caviare, Greek lace,
+Havannah cigars, American hides and canned fruits, besides many other
+things. The feathers did not look very tempting; there was a great
+deal of feather and very little stem about most of them, and only a
+few were white, the majority being a pretty sort of brown and drab.
+But this general store is only a very small part of their business,
+for about 60,000 tons of coal pass through their hands every year.
+
+We went on to the Hotel de l'Europe, which was by no means in
+first-rate order, but allowances must be made for a new house. A
+delightful breeze was blowing in through the open windows, and
+although the thermometer registered 85 deg. in the dining-room, it did not
+seem at all hot. The view over the bay is very pretty, and the scene
+on shore thoroughly Arabian, with the donkeys and camels patiently
+carrying their heavy loads, guided by the true Bedaween of the desert,
+and people of all tinges of complexion, from jet black to pale copper
+colour. A pair of tame ostriches, at least seven feet high, were
+strolling about the roadway, and a gazelle, some monkeys, parrots, and
+birds lived happily together beneath a broad verandah. After a little
+while we went for a drive to see the camp and town of Aden, which is
+four or five miles from the Point where everybody lands. On the way we
+met trains of heavily laden camels bringing in wood, water, grain, and
+fodder, for garrison consumption, and coffee and spices for
+exportation. After driving for about four miles we reached a gallery
+pierced through the rock, which admits you into the precincts of the
+fort. The entrance is very narrow, the sides precipitous, and the
+place apparently impregnable. We went all through the town, or rather
+towns, past the Arab village, the Sepoy barracks, and the European
+barracks, to the water tanks, stupendous works carved out of the solid
+rock, but until lately comparatively neglected, the residents
+depending entirely on distillation for their supply of water. There is
+a pretty little garden at the foot of the lowest tank, but the heat
+was intense in the bottom of the deep valley amongst the rocks, where
+every sun-ray seemed to be collected and reflected from the white
+glaring limestone, and every breath of air to be excluded. We saw a
+little more of the town and the market crowded with camels, the shops
+full of lion, leopard, and hyaena skins. We went to the officers'
+mess-house, visited the Protestant and Roman Catholic churches and
+the Mohammedan mosque, and then passing through two long tunnels,
+bored and blasted in the solid rock, we looked over the
+fortifications. Finally, we returned to the Point again by way of the
+Isthmus, and went to Government House, which gets a fresh breeze from
+every quarter. They say that to-day is hotter than usual, but it is
+never really very oppressive here unless there is an exceptionally hot
+wind blowing from the desert, but even that is partially cooled before
+it arrives. To us it appears delightful after our sultry voyage and
+the heat at Penang and Singapore.
+
+We are all agreeably disappointed with Aden, and find that it is by no
+means the oven we expected; it is prettier too than I thought, the
+mountains and rocks are so peaked and pointed, and although the
+general effect is one of barrenness, still, if you look closely, every
+crack and crevice is full of something green. The soil, being of
+volcanic origin, is readily fertilised by moisture, and at once
+produces some kind of vegetation. This adds of course greatly to the
+effect of colour, which in the rocks themselves is extremely
+beautiful, especially at sunrise and sunset. The sea, too, is
+delightfully blue on one side of the peninsula, and pale green on the
+other, according to the wind, and the white surf curls and breaks on
+the sandy shore beyond the crisp waves.
+
+We went back to the hotel a little before one, and found many friends
+had called during our absence. After superintending the children's
+dinner, I went with Tom to luncheon at Government House. It was very
+pleasant; General and Mrs. Schneider were more than kind, and the
+house felt deliciously cool and airy.
+
+We are told that thirty miles inland the country is sometimes very
+beautiful. There are exquisitely green valleys, with a stream running
+through them, amongst peaks, and rocky mountains, which one rarely
+sees in the desert. Here the natives cultivate their crops of
+corn--such corn as it is too, reaching six feet above a man's head!
+All sorts of useful vegetables grow abundantly, besides roses, fruits,
+and fragrant flowers, large supplies of which are brought daily into
+Aden. About ten miles from the town there are acres of the most
+fertile garden ground, which is cultivated to supply the garrison with
+vegetables. Sometimes a party of seventy or eighty men, and ten or
+twenty Arab guides, goes out for three weeks or a month at a time
+surveying. The natives are much more friendly than they used to be a
+few years ago, when people were afraid even to ride outside the town.
+Now pleasant excursions lasting a few days may be made, especially as
+there is very fair shooting to be got. After luncheon I was shown some
+lovely feathers. The contrast between these and the steamer-feathers
+is ludicrous; the price, too, is proportionately cheaper, for the
+feathers are infinitely better. Long, white, full, and curly feathers
+can be bought for much less than you give for them in England. We drove
+down to the town, finished our business transactions, and then went in
+the 'Vestal's' steam launch on board the 'Gamma,' one of the new
+Chinese gunboats on her way out to China.
+
+After afternoon tea we all adjourned to the 'Sunbeam,' where we found
+many other friends already arrived or arriving. We had only just time
+to look round before the sun set, and the short twilight was succeeded
+by the swift tropical darkness. All too soon good-bye had to be said;
+the anchor was raised, and we were actually drifting slowly along
+under our head canvas before our friends took their departure. It was
+a lovely evening, with a light fair breeze, and although there
+appeared hardly any wind, it was wonderful how swiftly we crept out of
+the harbour, and, as sail after sail was spread, how rapidly we glided
+past the land.
+
+Our visit to Aden has been short but very agreeable; it is not by any
+means such a dreadful place as we had always fancied. Most of the
+people we have seen to-day seem rather to like it; there is good
+boating, excellent sea fishing, moderate shooting, and many rides and
+excursions. A vehicle of some sort is an absolute necessity, however,
+if you want to see anything of your friends, for the three divisions
+of the settlement are at least four miles apart, and the heat is far
+too great for driving or riding in the middle of the day, except on
+business. I cannot say, however, that we ourselves found it
+intolerably hot to-day.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXVII.
+
+TO SUEZ.
+
+                               _Round the decay_
+    _Of that colossal wreck; boundless and bare_
+    _The lone and level sands stretch far away._
+
+_Tuesday, April 17th_.--The breeze still continued and freshened, and
+we sailed along pleasantly before it, finding it a great relief to be
+rid of the thud and beat of the engine. There is no vibration, but the
+noise is unpleasant. About eleven o'clock we passed the island of
+Perim, a most desolate-looking place. I do not wonder that officers so
+much dislike being quartered there. It is an important position
+though, and is shortly to be strengthened, when water-tanks will be
+built, and attempts made to cultivate the soil. At present there does
+not appear to be a blade of vegetation, and on the side we passed,
+between the island and the coast of Arabia, nothing is to be seen but
+the little white lighthouse and the path leading up to it. On the
+southern side there is a very fair harbour and a moderate town. On the
+shore all round the island turtles are caught at the season when they
+land to deposit their eggs. To pass the island of Perim we sailed
+through the Straits of Bab-el-Mandeb, or 'Gate of Tears,' thus called
+on account of the numerous wrecks which took place there in former
+years. Once through the straits, we were fairly in the Red Sea. The
+colour of the Red Sea is certainly the bluest of ultramarines. In the
+afternoon the town of Mocha Yamen, celebrated alike for its breed of
+Arab horses and its coffee, was visible from the masthead. It is a
+large white town, full of cupolas and minarets, surrounded with green
+as far as irrigation extends, and looking like a pearl set in emeralds
+on the margin of the deep blue sea against a background of red and
+yellow sand-mountains. Later in the afternoon we passed Great and
+Little Hamish, where the P. and O. boat, 'Alma,' was wrecked some
+fifteen years ago, and during the night sailed by Jebel Zibayar and
+Tukar.
+
+[Illustration: Straits of Bab-el-Mandeb.]
+
+_Wednesday, April 18th_.--In the morning, at daylight, we were off
+Jebel Teir, Mussawa Island, Annesley Bay lying 60 miles to the west.
+Our position was about 60 miles to the south-west of Mussawa Zoulia,
+where the expedition under Lord Napier of Magdala landed in 1867. At
+noon we had sailed 221 miles, a most unexpected run in the Red Sea. In
+the afternoon it fell calm, but the wind freshened again, and we went
+on sailing until after midnight.
+
+_Thursday, April 19th_.--We commenced steaming at 1 a.m., stopped,
+however, at 5 a.m., and sailed all day. Yesterday we were surrounded
+by some beautiful blue birds, who hovered about us and settled at
+intervals on the masts and yards. During the night two were caught
+napping by the men, and in the course of to-day two more, hotly
+pursued by a hawk, took refuge on board and were also captured. One
+was given to me. It appears to be a very beautiful kind of jay, with
+feathers of the most brilliant shades of blue. The men have killed
+their birds for the sake of the skins, but I mean to try and keep mine
+alive. At Colombo several birds and two curiously starred tortoises
+were added to our collection; and we took on board at Aden a gazelle,
+a black cockatoo, and a green monkey.
+
+We passed Souakim to-day, the port of Nubia. It is about 275 miles, or
+25 days' camel-journey, from thence to Berber on the Nile. The road
+passes through Korib, and among fine red granite and black basalt
+mountains, 4,000 feet high. We left one of the firemen, Tom Dollar,
+behind at Aden by mistake, and only found out yesterday that we had
+done so. It appears that he has a brother living there, whom he was
+most anxious to go and see directly the anchor was let go, in the
+morning. Unfortunately, he did not speak to us on the subject. He had
+never been in anything but a regular steamer before, and could not
+believe it possible that the 'Sunbeam' could spread her wings and be
+off without any preliminary 'fire-worshipping,' I am very sorry for
+the poor man, as he has left all his clothes and the wages he had
+earned on board the P. and O. steamer behind him. We must send them
+back from Suez, and telegraph to some one to look out for him. The
+heat is intense, and we all sleep on deck at night; the sunrises and
+sunsets are magnificent.
+
+_Friday, April 20th_.--A little hotter still; there is no wind at all,
+and we are obliged to steam. In the morning we passed to the southward
+of Jeddo, the port of Mecca. Unfortunately it was so hazy that we
+could not distinguish anything whatever of the town or country, only a
+line of mountains rearing their heads above the clouds. We had hoped
+to be at Suez early on Sunday, but now I fear we shall not arrive
+until Monday.
+
+_Saturday, April 21st_.--Hotter and still hotter every day, says the
+thermometer, and so we say also. Everybody told us these would be our
+two hottest days, and certainly the prediction has been verified. We
+did not see a single ship all day, but in the afternoon passed Zambo,
+the port of Medina. A little before midnight we made the light on the
+Daedalus shoal on the starboard bow.
+
+This being Muriel's fifth birthday, Mabelle and the doctor and the men
+have been arranging a surprise for her all day, and none of us were
+allowed to go on the port side of the deck, but after dinner we were
+taken to a hastily fitted-up theatre, very prettily decorated with
+flags and Japanese lanterns. On a throne covered with the Union Jack,
+Muriel was seated, the two pugs being on footstools on either side of
+her to represent lions _couchant_. Some of the men had blackened their
+faces, and gave us a really very excellent Christy Minstrel
+entertainment, in which undreamed-of talent came to light. It is very
+odd and interesting how one is perpetually finding out something new
+about the men. Some of the crew we thought the most unpromising when
+we started, have turned out among our best men, always ready and
+willing for everything, while others, who at first appeared the best,
+have not proved so good. Many we knew well beforehand. On the whole,
+however, we have very little cause to complain of our crew; all pull
+well together when they are kept up to their work and have plenty to
+do.
+
+_Sunday, April 22nd_.--Clouds veiled the sunrise this morning, which
+was a welcome relief; still it was too hot for service in the saloon,
+and it was therefore held on deck. A light breeze sprang up ahead
+during its performance, which cooled and refreshed us immensely. About
+twelve o'clock we passed another pair of 'Brothers,' a couple of
+odd-looking rocks or islands, like tables, rising straight out of the
+sea; there is a beacon on the northernmost one. While we were at
+lunch, the breeze freshened so much that we were all glad to add some
+wraps to our light and airy costumes. A little later, a summer gale
+was blowing ahead, making some of us feel very uncomfortable and long
+for the halcyon days of the past, even with the accompaniment of the
+inevitable heat. Such is mankind, and womankind too for that matter,
+'never blessed but always to be blessed.' The gale freshened, the
+screw was raised, the yacht pitched and rolled, and we were obliged to
+put her off her course and under sail before night fell. The spray
+came over the decks, and there was a strong wind dead ahead. We all
+felt cold and miserable, though the thermometer still registered 75 deg..
+The poor monkeys and parrots looked most wretched and unhappy, and had
+to be packed away as speedily as possible. Nine monkeys in an empty
+wine case seemed very happy and cuddled together for warmth, but the
+two larger and more aristocratic members of the party required a box
+to themselves. The gazelle had a little tent pitched for him specially
+in a sheltered corner, and the birds were all stowed away and battened
+over in the smoking fiddle. Dinner was rather a lame pretence, and it
+was not long before we all retired, and certainly no one wished to
+take his or her mattress on deck to-night. It is the first night I
+have slept in a bed on board the yacht for many weeks, and a very
+disturbed night it was, for the waves ran high, and we have lately
+been sailing so steadily over smooth seas, that we did not know what
+to make of this.
+
+_Monday, April 23rd_.--The gale blew as hard as ever, and quite as
+dead ahead. About noon we made the island of Shaduan, or isle of
+Seals, so named by the ancients, when the sea and gulf abounded with
+seals. There are still a few occasionally to be seen to the northward
+by the fishermen, and their skins are brought to Suez for sale. We are
+making tacks backwards and forwards across the narrow sea, an exciting
+amusement for a yachtsman, as it requires constant attention. The
+sailing directions say that this sea is ill surveyed, except in the
+direct channel. There are many coral reefs and sunken rocks, and on
+whichever side you may happen to be wrecked, the natives are ready to
+rob, ill-treat, and kill you, or sell you as slaves in the interior.
+It was on two projecting coral reefs from the island of Shaduan, that
+the 'Carnatic' was wrecked in 1869. She ran ashore at four o'clock in
+the morning of the 13th of September, soon after having made the light
+on Rhas Garril. We were at Suez in October of the same year, and
+everybody was then full of the sad particulars of the wreck, the
+soldiers being especially useful in bringing in the passengers'
+luggage, which had been recovered from the Arabs. One of our firemen,
+Abraham, was on board the 'Carnatic' at the time of the disaster, and
+lost all his worldly goods (not many, I should think, judging by what
+he has brought on board here).
+
+The sea was very rough and disagreeable all day. To us the temperature
+appears quite cool, indeed cold, though the thermometer still remains
+at 75 deg.. Our friends at Aden, who prophesied that I should want my
+sealskin jacket before leaving the Gulf of Suez, were not so far wrong
+in their prognostications as I imagined at the time.
+
+_Tuesday, April 24th_.--We are still beating to windward against a
+head gale, and by noon had made sixty-five miles to the good, right in
+the wind's eye--not a bad performance, considering that the gale was
+blowing with a force of nine or ten. It has the merit of novelty too,
+for I suppose that for years no sailing ships have been seen in the
+Gulf of Suez. The winds blow so steadily for months together, that for
+six months in the year you cannot get into the Red Sea, and for the
+other six months you cannot get out of it.
+
+We passed the island of Rhas Garril, and soon afterwards a steamer
+went by, altering her course a good deal to inspect us. She evidently
+thought we were a broken-down steamer, and intended to come to our
+rescue. All yesterday and to-day we have been making flannel coats for
+the monkey, and covers for birdcages, and improvising shelters and
+snug corners for our pets. At night especially the wind is quite
+crisp. If this gale continues, it will be Thursday or Friday before we
+reach Suez; but it may possibly change to-night, and it looks now as
+if it were breaking.
+
+[Illustration: Beating up the Red Sea.]
+
+_Wednesday, April 25th_.--At last the gale _has_ broken. There was not
+much wind when I went on deck at 4 a.m., and by seven o'clock it was
+so nearly calm, that the funnel could be raised and fires lighted, and
+we were soon steaming straight for our destination. We could not see
+Mount Sinai on account of the mist, but made out the place where the
+Israelites are said to have crossed the Red Sea, and by four o'clock
+the town of Suez lay right ahead. The shores are very barren, not a
+blade of grass nor a scrap of vegetation being visible. Nothing is to
+be seen save mountain peaks, rocks, stones, and sand. But even this
+barren scene has a special beauty of its own, particularly at sunrise
+and sunset. The shapes of mountain and rock are alike striking, the
+sharp shadows are lovely, and the contrast of reds, yellows, and
+browns, with the bright blue sea and crisp white waves, is very
+beautiful. Even when the sun has set, and the rich tints have faded
+away, the full moon adds another charm to the landscape.
+
+This afternoon, as we were steaming up towards Suez, I had a chat with
+Mahomet, one of our Indian firemen, who was fringing a piece of muslin
+for a turban. I asked him if it was English. 'No, Missy; no
+English--Switzerland; English no good; all gum and sticky stuff; make
+fingers dirty; all wash out; leave nothing.' In the South Sea and
+Sandwich Islands, and in the Malay Peninsula, the natives make the
+same complaints as to the Manchester cottons. At Hongkong some of the
+large shops had fifty expensive English ships' compasses on hand; they
+were all quite unsaleable owing to the liquid having gone bad, in
+consequence of its not having been properly prepared. Some American
+compasses of the same quality were in good order and not in the least
+affected by the climate. It will be a bad day when the confidence in
+England's honesty as a nation throughout the world, and consequently
+her well-earned supremacy in commerce, have passed away. The burden,
+unfortunately, will not fall on the heads of the offenders alone, but,
+as usual, the innocent will suffer with and for the guilty.
+
+After four o'clock we came near two steamers lying at anchor, and were
+shortly afterwards boarded by the captain of the port, the health
+officer, and sundry other functionaries. After a short delay we
+dropped anchor, and just as the sun was setting in 'purple and gold'
+behind the mountains of Arabia, we went ashore in the steam launch. We
+landed at the Canal Company's Office, in front of which there is a
+bust of Lieutenant Waghorn, the inaugurator of the overland route.
+
+At the office, the 'Sunbeam' was entered on the Company's books, and
+arrangements were made with the chief pilot for to-morrow, while the
+children amused themselves by riding a pony up and down, and jumping
+over the little brooks, and I strolled about admiring the enormous
+growth of the vegetation since we were here last in 1869. We next
+steamed five miles further on to the town of Suez, and landed opposite
+the big hotel, which is more uncomfortable than ever. The rooms are
+dirty, and the cooking execrable.
+
+There is nothing to see at Suez, but still we went for a ramble to see
+that nothing. We cleared our boxes and our letters, and then went on
+ankle deep in sand to the one European house, the railway station, the
+Arab quarter and the bazaars, where it is occasionally possible to
+pick up rather interesting little curiosities brought by the pilgrims
+from Mecca and Medina.
+
+_Thursday, April 26th_.--Such a sunrise as this morning's you could
+only see in Arabia or Egypt. There is a peculiarity about desert
+colouring at sunrise and sunset that can never be seen anywhere else.
+We had sundry visitors during the early morning, and before ten
+o'clock we were in the Canal and steaming on at regulation speed. As
+the sun rose the heat became intense, 96 deg. in the shade under double
+awnings. So far from there being a cool breeze to temper it, a hot
+wind blew from the desert, like the blast from a furnace. I stood on
+the bridge as long as I could bear the heat, to look at the strange
+desert view, which could be seen to great advantage in going through
+at the top of high water. Sand, sand everywhere; here a train of
+camels, there a few Arab tents, now a whole party shifting their place
+of abode; a group of women washing, or a drove of buffaloes in a small
+tributary stream. After going about eight miles we stopped at a _gare_
+(as the stopping-places are called) to allow three vessels to pass.
+One was a fine steamer belonging to the Ducal Line; the others were a
+Dutch and a German boat (one, the Friesland, has been since wrecked
+off Cape Finisterre, in December 1877). The cleanliness and general
+smartness of the former presented a great contrast to her companions,
+on which the passengers looked very hot and uncomfortable. The centre
+part of each vessel was crowded with a large number of Dutch or German
+boys, going out as soldiers to Acheen, who certainly did not appear to
+be enjoying their voyage.
+
+We passed Chaloux and reached Ismailia just at nine o'clock, not
+without considerable effort on the part of the pilot. A steam launch
+came off from the shore, and we (children and all) landed at once;
+and, after a moonlight donkey ride, dined at the excellent Hotel de
+Paris, kept by an old Frenchman. _Table-d'hote_ was over, but they
+gave us a capital little dinner by ourselves. The children and I, and
+some of the gentlemen, start to-morrow, overland _via_ Cairo, to join
+the yacht at Alexandria, in order that they may see the Pyramids. It
+was a glorious night as we rowed off to the yacht under the bright
+beams of the full moon, and the air, too, was quite fresh and cool--a
+most refreshing change from the noontide heat.
+
+The traffic on the Canal has increased during the last few years, and
+especially during the last few months; on an average four or five
+ships passed through every day. To-day they took 6,000_l_. at the Suez
+Office alone. They have an excellent plan of the Canal there, and
+little models of ships, which are arranged according to the telegrams
+constantly received, so that the chief officers at each end of the
+Canal know exactly where every ship is. Instant information is of
+course sent of any stoppage or any accident, but these occur
+comparatively seldom. Some time ago M. Lesseps bought a small canal
+partially stopped up leading from the Nile at Cairo to Ismailia. It
+has been widened and deepened, and was opened a few weeks ago with
+great ceremony and grand doings. Now any vessel not drawing more than
+fourteen feet can go direct from Suez or Port Said to Cairo. If we had
+had time, we might have done it in the yacht, and lain at anchor
+almost under the shadow of the Pyramids of Cheops. The special object
+of the new canal is to make Cairo and Ismailia Egyptian ports as well
+as Alexandria, thereby saving much land carriage and labour of
+shifting. Already several ships laden with grain, from Upper Egypt,
+have availed themselves of this new means of communication.
+
+_Friday, April 27th_.--Another glorious sunrise. The pilot was on
+board at 5 a.m., and the Dhebash with fish, strawberries, and fresh
+vegetables. This is a beautiful climate, though there is scarcely any
+rain; only one very slight shower has occurred during the last three
+years at Suez, but the soil of the desert after the Nile overflow
+brings forth tenfold.
+
+The 'Sunbeam' was to start at eight o'clock, as soon as a large vessel
+had passed up from Port Said. There are only certain places in the
+Canal where vessels can pass one another, so one ship is always
+obliged to wait for another. We landed at half-past seven. The sun was
+already blazing with a burning fury, and we found it very hot riding
+up to the hotel on donkeys. We had an excellent breakfast at the same
+comfortable hotel, paid a very moderate bill, and left by the eleven
+o'clock train for Cairo. We stopped at Zag-a-zig for an hour for
+luncheon in a nice cool dark room, and started again about three
+o'clock. The change in the face of the country since we were here
+eight years ago is something extraordinary. A vast desert of sand has
+been transformed into one large oasis of undulating fields of waving
+corn, where there used to be nothing but whirlwinds of sand. All this
+has been effected by irrigation. The wealth of Egypt ought greatly to
+increase. How the people managed to live before is a mystery. Now
+every field is full of labourers reaping and stacking the corn, women
+gleaning, and in some places the patient, ugly black buffaloes
+ploughing the stubble for fresh crops.
+
+At half-past six we reached Cairo, and were conveyed in a large
+_char-a-bancs_ to what was formerly Shepherd's Hotel, now partly
+rebuilt and much altered for the better. Even in that short drive we
+could see that the face of the capital of Egypt had altered as much
+as the country, though I am not sure that it is so greatly improved.
+After a refreshing dip in cool marble baths and a change of garments,
+we went down to the large _table-d'hote_. Then we sat in the verandah
+looking on the street until we became tired of doing nothing, after
+which we started for a stroll in the Ezkebieh gardens close by. They
+are beautifully laid out for evening promenade; but although the
+flowers are lovely, and the turf, thanks to constant waterings, is
+deliciously green, all the large trees have been cut down. There is no
+seclusion, no shade, which seems a pity in a country where the
+greatest desire of life is shelter from the noonday heat. To-night
+both Arab and French bands were playing within the enclosure, and it
+was pleasant enough listening to Offenbach's music under the beams of
+the full moonlight. Few people appeared to appreciate it, however, for
+the gardens were nearly empty; but then the season is over, and every
+one has fled before the coming heat.
+
+_Saturday, April 28th_.--We had settled to start at six o'clock this
+morning to visit the Pyramids, an excursion which had been for some
+little time eagerly looked forward to and talked about by the younger
+members of our party. The morning was cold and grey, a strong
+northerly wind was blowing, and the change from the weather which had
+prevailed but a few hours previously was altogether most striking and
+unexpected. We drove rapidly through the streets and the outskirts of
+the town, where old houses are being pulled down and new ones rapidly
+built up, and where a general air of new bricks and old rubbish
+pervades the scene. Then we crossed the Nile by a handsome iron
+bridge, and saw the Palace of Gezireh, where the Prince of Wales and
+his suite were lodged. We passed the railway extension works, and, to
+the great delight of the children, saw two elephants busily employed,
+one of which was being made to lie down to enable his mahout to
+dismount. Soon the little ones gave a shout of 'The Pyramids!' and
+there before us stood those grand monuments of a nameless founder,
+which for centuries have stood out in the sands of the desert, while
+the burning African sun and the glorious African moon have risen and
+set on their heavenward-pointing summits for countless days and
+nights. Even the earth has changed her position so much since they
+were erected that the pole star no longer sheds its light in a direct
+line through the central passages, as it did when first they were
+designed.
+
+We drove along under avenues of now leafless trees to the foot of the
+hill on which the Pyramids are situated. Here everybody was turned out
+to walk except Muriel and me, and a tremendous tug the horses had to
+drag even us two up to the real foot of the Pyramids. On arriving we
+were at once surrounded by a crowd of Arabs. They are certainly a
+fine-looking lot of men, rather clamorous for backshish, and anxious
+to sell their curiosities, real or imitation. They were, however,
+good-natured, civil, and obliging, and amused me much during the hour
+I spent alone with them while the rest of the party were ascending and
+descending the Pyramids. Many could speak several languages quite
+fluently, and almost all of them took a good deal of interest in the
+war, and the prospects of success on either side; while many had a
+fair knowledge of the geography of Europe. While all the rest were on
+the top of the one large Pyramid, a man ran down from the summit and
+up to the top of the next smaller one (which is, however, more
+difficult to ascend) in 'eight minutes for a franc' This feat was
+repeated several times by different men, but it really occupied nearer
+ten minutes.
+
+We ate some bread and wine, bought a few curiosities, and then drove
+back to the city, feeling very cold and shivery and regretting the
+wraps we had left behind. We reached the hotel just in time for twelve
+o'clock _table-d'hote_ breakfast, and, after an acceptable rest,
+sallied forth again, this time on donkeys, to see the bazaars and the
+sunset from the citadel. We went across squares and gardens and
+through wide streets, for, alas! Cairo is being rapidly Haussmannised.
+For the capitalist or resident, Cairo may be improved, but for the
+traveller, the artist, the lover of the picturesque, the quaint, and
+the beautiful, the place is ruined. Cairo as a beautiful and ancient
+oriental city has ceased to exist, and is being rapidly transformed
+into a bad imitation of modern Paris, only with bluer skies, a more
+brilliant sun, and a more serene climate than it is possible to find
+in Europe. Only a few narrow streets and old houses are still left,
+with carved wooden lattices, where you can yet dream that the 'Arabian
+Nights' are true.
+
+We went to the gold and silver bazaar, and bought some quaint silver
+jewellery from Assouan, Soudan, and Abyssinia; then through the
+Turkish bazaar, the saddlery bazaars, past mosques and old houses,
+till at length we emerged into new squares and new streets, before
+climbing the hill to the citadel, the Viceroy's palace, and the
+splendid Mosque of Mehemet Ali, built of Egyptian alabaster. The view
+from the terrace is superb, over city, desert, river, palm-trees, and
+Pyramids. The sunset this evening was a disappointment; yellow, cold,
+and watery, a strong north wind bringing up all the sand from the
+desert. We returned to the hotel for dinner, and were all glad to go
+early to bed.
+
+_Sunday, April 29th_.--The children and I went to the English church,
+a semi-Gothic building, without a single window which could open.
+Though the church was nearly empty, the air felt like that of an
+exhausted receiver, and made one gasp. In the cool of the afternoon we
+drove through Roulai, where the museum stands, in a beautiful garden
+close by the riverside, amid flowers in full bloom.
+
+After an early meal (hardly to be called dinner) we went to the
+station, just as all the people were going for a drive to Shoubrah in
+the smartest carriages and the prettiest toilets.
+
+Our journey to Alexandria in the evening was cool and pleasant. A
+huge break met us, and we drove to Abbat's Hotel--considerably
+improved since our last visit in 1869.
+
+_Monday, April 30th_.--Got up at 5 a.m. After a deliciously soft but
+very muddy bath, I went for a donkey ride before breakfast with
+Mabelle. Tom arrived from the yacht in time for twelve o'clock
+breakfast, and announced the voyage from Port Said to have been rough
+and unpleasant.
+
+We called on the Consul, the Vice-Consul, and our old friend, Consul
+Burton of Trieste, Haj Abdullah. He has just returned from a journey
+through the ancient land of Midian, undertaken at the special request
+of the Viceroy. He describes the expedition as having been most
+successful; the climate is almost perfect from September to May; the
+land is well watered by little streams flowing through fertile
+valleys, and full of fragrant flowers and luscious fruits. The corn
+reaches above the camel-men's heads, which means a height of fourteen
+or fifteen feet. But the mineral wealth of the country is its most
+extraordinary feature. He found traces of gold in the sand of the
+river-beds, in spots pointed out to him by his fellow-pilgrims on the
+way to Mecca twenty years ago, to say nothing of tin, iron, &c.
+Perhaps the most interesting part of his discovery was the remains of
+eight ruined cities with traces in the dry river-beds of
+stone-crushing and gold-seeking apparatus, which must have been used
+centuries ago. He is writing a book on the subject, which you may
+perhaps see before you read this.
+
+The Consul kindly sent a janissary with us to show us the Sultan's
+palace. It is large and bare of furniture; and the general style of
+decoration is like that of the palaces at Cherniga and Dolma Batscher.
+Thence we went to see Pompey's Pillar and Cleopatra's Needle, the
+dahabeas ready to go up the Nile, &c.; and returned to the hotel in
+time for dinner and a chat afterwards in the cool courtyard.
+
+_Tuesday, May 1st_.--I wrote from 3 a.m. to 6.30 a.m., in order to
+send letters off by the French mail, and at seven Mabelle and I
+sallied forth on donkeys to visit the market. There was not much to
+see, however, everything being so crowded and jammed up, meat, fish,
+vegetables, and fruit, all close together. The crowd was amusing, as
+all the European householders had negroes or Arabs following them,
+laden with their purchases. We found some lovely flowers in a street
+near the market, and then we went on to the big gold and silver
+bazaar, and to the Turkish and Syrian bazaars, where we saw all the
+specialities of Constantinople, and Broussa, Damascus, and Jerusalem
+laid out before us. After breakfast, the antics of two enormous apes,
+who came round on a donkey, accompanied by a showman and a boy, amused
+the children much. They were hideously ugly, but the cleverest monkeys
+I ever saw. They went through a regular little play, quarrelled with
+one another; the man and the boy rode the ape, and made him kick; at
+last the ape was hurt, and lay fainting in the man's arms, limp and
+languid, just able to sip a little water; then he died, and dropped
+down stiff, with his eyes shut. His tail was pulled, his lips and
+eyelids were forced open, but he never winked an eyelid or moved a
+hair of his whiskers. He was thrown about from side to side, remaining
+perfectly motionless till, at a sign from his master, he jumped up as
+well as ever, shouldered his gun, and mounted his ass to take his
+departure. He was promptly ordered to dismount and ask for backshish,
+which he did, cap in hand. Some of the crowd round about not
+contributing to his master's satisfaction, the ape took a nasty
+venomous-looking little snake out of a bag which he carried over his
+shoulder, and threw it among the bystanders, to their great
+consternation.
+
+At two o'clock we went to lunch with the Consul, and what a pleasant
+lunch it was, prepared by a French cook, and eaten in a cool, airy,
+and shady room free from flies, which were kept out by fine wire
+gauze placed in front of each well-shaded door and window! The table
+was one mass of the roses for which Alexandria is so famous. Everybody
+had wandered about the world more or less, everybody was in good
+spirits, and we laughed and chatted and talked sense or nonsense as
+the fancy took us, till it was time to go on board the yacht _en
+masse_, and receive some visitors at tea. A few had arrived before us,
+but the children and some others of the party were on board and had
+been doing the honours and showing them round. About 5.30 p.m. our
+last guests departed, and all was ready for a start; but, alas! we had
+to wait for an absent steward, who had gone in search of the always
+late linen, that plague of the poor yachtsman's life when he has a
+large party on board. The sun was sinking fast, the wind was blowing
+fresh and fair, and if we did not start soon it would be impossible to
+do so at all, and a night's work of more than 120 miles would be lost.
+At last the welcome boat was seen coming from the shore; we unmoored,
+and went ahead for about an hour. But the light gradually faded away;
+it became impossible to distinguish the beacon; the sand banks are
+numerous, and there are no lights. It was only endangering the ship
+and the lives of all on board to proceed; so the order was reluctantly
+given, 'Hard a-port.' Round she went in her own length almost, and
+very soon we let go the anchor just outside our old moorings, and
+spent the night, after all, in the harbour of Alexandria.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXVIII.
+
+'HOME.'
+
+    _She comes, majestic with her swelling sails,_
+    _The gallant bark along her watery way,_
+    _Homeward she drives before the favouring gales._
+    _Now flitting at their length the streamers fly,_
+    _And now they ripple with the ruffling breeze._
+
+
+_Wednesday, May 2nd_.--Steam was up at five o'clock, the wind being
+still fair but light. Soon it dropped to a calm, and then went round
+and blew with great force exactly in the opposite direction, dead
+ahead. The fires had to be put out, for it was so rough we could do no
+good steaming against the gale. The screw kept racing round and
+shaking the vessel terribly. Of course I was very ill; but the maids
+did not mind, and the children rather enjoyed the tumbling about and
+the water on deck. We continued scudding along through the water, but
+not making much progress on our course.
+
+[Illustration: HOMEWARD BOUND.]
+
+_Thursday, May 3rd_.--The wind kept on increasing, and at last blew
+quite a gale. We have gone a long way out of our course to the
+northward, ready for a favourable change, but we can scarcely make any
+way to the westward.
+
+_Friday, May 4th_.--A repetition of yesterday--,
+
+    Beating, beating all the day,
+    But never a bit ahead.
+
+_Saturday, May 5th_.--A lull at last, and we are able to have the
+fires lighted and to steam on our course. We made the Island of
+Scarpanto in the morning. All the afternoon and evening we have been
+steaming along ten miles to the southward of Crete. Its outline was
+very beautiful, surmounted by the snow-capped mountains. I was up on
+deck just in time to behold the most lovely sunset, with exquisite
+rosy, purple, and crimson tints on sea and sky.
+
+I have not quite got over my attack in Cairo yet, and for the last
+three days have been completely laid up with a various mixture of land
+illness and sea sickness. We stopped steaming late in the day, but
+fires were lighted again in the middle of the night, as the wind was
+still ahead. There was a discussion whether or not to go round the
+north side of the Island of Kandia, so as to have a glimpse of the
+British Fleet at anchor in Suda Bay, if they have already arrived
+there.
+
+_Sunday, May 6th, and Monday, May 7th_.--Early in the morning the
+snowy mountains of Crete were still in sight. Service was held as
+usual at eleven, but it was too rough in the afternoon for it to be
+repeated.
+
+Sail and steam, wind and calm, alternated with one another all day.
+Tom is anxious to sail every mile he can, and yet not to lose any
+unnecessary time, and finds it exceedingly difficult to combine these
+two objects.
+
+_Tuesday, May 8th_.--A fine morning, with a cold strong head breeze.
+At noon we rejoiced to think that Malta was not more than a few miles
+ahead, or we should assuredly have failed to reach our port before
+nightfall. About three we closed in with the land about Marsa
+Scirocco and Delamara Point, and, after one or two tacks, rounded the
+Point of Ricasole, and leaving Port St. Elmo on our right, we swiftly
+glided into the grand harbour of Valetta. We have been here so often
+that it feels quite like reaching home. We soon found ourselves in our
+old quarters in the Dockyard Creek, and had scarcely moored before one
+of the officers came on board with the usual complimentary offers of
+assistance, whilst directly afterwards came an invitation to a
+farewell ball at the Palace, given to the Duke of Edinburgh. Our old
+boatman, Bubbly Joe, took us ashore to dinner, and we found everything
+looking as bright and cheerful and steep as it always does and always
+will do; not the least bit altered or modernised. The landlord of the
+Hotel d'Angleterre was delighted to see us again, and so were his
+servants, who came flocking from all parts of the house, nearly
+pulling the children to pieces, and plying our own servants with
+questions in their anxiety to know all about us.
+
+[Illustration: Faldetta, Malta.]
+
+We had to go back on board the yacht to dress, and then return for the
+ball, by which time I was so thoroughly tired, and had so bad a
+headache, that I could not enjoy it much, pleasant as it was. Very
+soon after supper we came away and had a charming row across the
+harbour to our snug quarters on board the 'Sunbeam.' These sudden
+bursts of dissipation on shore are a delightful change after days and
+weeks at sea.
+
+_Wednesday, May 9th_.--I was up soon after sunrise and admired this
+often-abused creek as much as I always do. The stone houses, the
+carved and coloured verandahs of bright flowers, the water lapping the
+very door-steps, the gaily painted boats with their high prows at
+either end, the women in their black dresses and faldettas, and
+black-robed priests, all helped to carry the imagination over the
+Mediterranean and up the Adriatic to lovely Venice. At this hour in
+the morning there were not many English soldiers or sailors to spoil
+the illusion.
+
+Malta is essentially a border-land--African by geographical
+configuration, European politically, and assuredly Asiatic in its
+language, its buildings, and in the manners and customs of the
+natives. We gave everybody on board a holiday, and the chance of a run
+ashore to-day to stretch their legs after their long sea voyage. Tom
+went on board the 'Sultan' to see the Duke of Edinburgh and his
+splendid ship. Whilst at breakfast I received an intimation that the
+Duke of Edinburgh wished to come and examine the yacht. His Royal
+Highness arrived soon afterwards, quite unattended, in a beautiful
+ten-oared barge, and paid us a long, visit, inspecting the yacht
+minutely and looking at all the pets. He took a great interest in our
+voyage and courses, as well as in the numerous curiosities, knowing at
+once from what place each had been procured. The Duke, who had taken
+very nearly the same cruise himself in the 'Galatea' a few years ago,
+inquired very kindly after all his old friends at Tahiti, Hilo,
+Honolulu, and many other places. The Duke is very kind to everybody
+here. He is much liked by his brother officers in the squadron, and
+both H.R.H. and the Duchess seem to have made themselves most popular
+here during the winter. The officers of the 'Sultan,' several of whom
+are old friends of ours, appear to think themselves fortunate indeed
+in having such a commanding officer, whilst on shore his approaching
+departure is universally regretted. Everybody seems full of their
+Royal Highnesses' winter ball, which must have been a most brilliant
+affair.
+
+[Illustration: Armoury in the Governor's Palace, Valetta]
+
+After the Duke's departure we went ashore again, called on various
+friends before luncheon, and went over the palace and through the
+armoury. Then we took a walk down the Strada Reale, the shopping
+street of Valetta, until it was time to go on board to receive some
+friends to tea. The shops are full of coral, lace, gold and silver
+filigree work, and a new sort of lace they make in Gozo, of white
+silk, in beautiful patterns. It has been manufactured only during the
+last few years, and varies much in quality and design. Some forty or
+fifty friends came on board and amused themselves looking at our
+curiosities and photographs until long past the dinner hour. We had to
+hurry on shore to dine, and go afterwards to the Opera Manoel. The new
+Grand Opera House is not to be opened until next October. It had been
+blowing fresh and strong from the westward all day, but to-night, as
+we rowed across the harbour, the breeze had dropped to a flat calm,
+and Tom is most anxious to be off at daybreak.
+
+_Thursday, May 10th_.--I was up before sunrise. A fresh fair wind was
+blowing, and as soon as the children could be got ready we all went
+ashore to the market, which was crowded with people, and full of fish,
+meat, and all spring vegetables and fruit. We were to start at 6.30,
+so there was no time to lose, and laden with lovely bouquets of
+flowers we hastened on board; but it was nine o'clock, after all our
+haste, before we were fairly off, through some mistake about the bill
+of health.
+
+Malta is certainly the most delightful place for yachting winter
+quarters, with its fine healthy harbour, charming society, very cheap
+living, and abundance of everything good. It is in proximity to many
+pleasant places, and most interesting excursions can easily be made to
+Sicily and Italy, or the coast of Africa. To-day we glided along the
+coast, past the strongly fortified little island of Consino, standing
+boldly out in mid-channel between Malta and Gozo. The Mediterranean
+appears to us a highway after the lonely oceans and seas we have been
+sailing over. Within one hour this morning, we saw more ships than in
+the whole of our passage from Valparaiso to Tahiti and Yokohama.
+Towards the evening we could see the island of Pantellaria in the
+distance. We retain a lively remembrance of it from having been
+becalmed just off it in the 'Albatross' for three weary days and
+nights. It was after this and a long series of other vexations and
+delays that Tom and I registered a vow never to go a long voyage again
+in a yacht without at least auxiliary steam power.
+
+_Friday, May 11th_.--At 2.30 a.m. Pantellaria was abeam. At five the
+homeward-bound P. and O. steamer passed us quite close, and at six we
+met the outward-bound P. and O. steamer. At eight we passed Cape Bon
+and sailed across the mouth of the Bay of Tunis, in the centre of
+which is Goletta, the port of Tunis, the site of the ancient city of
+Carthage. Once we anchored close by that place for two or three days,
+and on that occasion I collected enough varieties of marble and mosaic
+from the old palaces to make some beautiful tables when we got home.
+In the afternoon and evening we made the Fratelli and the Sorelle
+Rocks, and still later the little Island of Galita. There were many
+steamers going in all directions, and it struck one very forcibly how
+much this little islet in mid-channel stands in need of a light.
+
+_Sunday, May 13th_.--The wind was dead ahead, and the sea of that
+remarkably confused character for which the Mediterranean is famous.
+It seemed as if the wind of yesterday, the wind of to-morrow, and the
+wind of to-day, had all met and were bent on making a night of it. We
+had service at eleven and four. The chart, now a good old friend, for
+it has been used by us on so many Mediterranean voyages, showed that
+this is the fourth noontide we have spent within a radius of thirty
+miles of this particular spot; within a radius of sixty miles we have
+spent at least three weeks of our lives at various periods. This does
+not of course include voyages in steamers which are not recorded in
+the chart.
+
+_Monday, May 14th_.--About breakfast time to-day we crossed the
+meridian of Greenwich; and this virtually completed our voyage round
+the world, our original point of departure having really been
+Rochester, which is a few minutes to the east of Greenwich. The wind
+changed in the middle of the day, and we passed through a large fleet
+of merchantmen hove-to under shelter of Cape de Gat, where they had
+collected, I suppose, from various ports in Spain and Italy.
+
+_Tuesday, May 15th_.--This was a somewhat sad day, many of our pets
+dying from the effects of the cold wind or from accidents. The
+steward's mocking-bird from Siam, which talked like a Christian and
+followed him about like a dog, died of acute bronchitis early this
+morning; and his monkey, the most weird little creature, with the
+affectionate ways of a human friend, died in the afternoon, of
+inflammation and congestion of the lungs. Two other monkeys and
+several birds also expired in the course of the day.
+
+This evening 'Beau Brummel,' the little pig I brought from Bow Island,
+in the South Pacific, died of a broken spine, as the doctor, who made
+a post-mortem examination in each case, discovered. A spar must have
+dropped upon poor piggy accidentally whilst he was running about on
+deck, though of course no one knew anything about it. I am very sorry;
+for though I must confess he was somewhat greedy and pig-like in his
+habits, he was extremely amusing in his ways. He ran about and went to
+sleep with the pugs, just like one of themselves. Besides, I do not
+think any one else in England could have boasted of a pig given to
+them by a South-Sea-Island chief. Probably 'Beau Brummel' was a lineal
+descendant of the pigs Captain Cook took out in the 'Endeavour.'
+
+The bodies were all placed together in a neat little box and committed
+to the deep at sunset, a few tears being shed over the departed pets,
+especially by the children.
+
+_Tuesday, May 15th_.--Cape de Gat was abeam early this morning. The
+wind fell light, but Tom hoped it would freshen again; otherwise, with
+steam we might easily have got into Gibraltar to-night. As it was,
+fires were not lighted until ten o'clock.
+
+_Wednesday, May 16th_.--At 3 a.m. I was called to see the light on
+Europa Point, and stayed on deck to watch the day dawn and the rising
+of the sun. It was not, however, a very agreeable morning; the
+Levanter was blowing, the signal station was enveloped in mist, the
+tops of the mountains of Africa were scarcely discernible above the
+clouds, and Ceuta and Ape's Hill were invisible. Algeciras and San
+Roque gleamed white on the opposite shore of the bay, while the dear
+old Rock itself looked fresher and cleaner than usual, exhaling a
+most delicious perfume of flowers. As the sun rose, the twitterings of
+the birds in the Alameda sounded most homelike and delightful.
+
+We had dropped our anchor inside the New Mole about 4.30, and before
+six the familiar sounds of English martial music could be heard from
+all the different barracks, as the regiments came marching down the
+hill and along the Alameda to the north front with all their baggage,
+military trains, tents, and ambulances, for a day's camping out. We
+were anxious to get on shore to see about coals, water, and
+provisions, but no health-boat came near us. About seven o'clock we
+started in despair, first to hail a policeman on shore (at a most
+respectful distance), to inquire where we could get _pratique_; then
+we procured it, and sent word back to the 'Sunbeam' that she was out
+of quarantine, and might hoist the yellow flag. We landed, went to the
+market, bought some lovely carnations stuck in a prickly-pear leaf to
+keep them fresh, and then went to the Hotel Royal--kept by the
+landlord of the old Club House Hotel, where we had so often stayed--to
+order breakfast. Our old friends the servants greeted us at every step
+from the house-door to the coffee-room, and we were taken special care
+of by a waiter who remembered us. After breakfast we went to pay some
+visits. We thought we ought to go and look at the galleries and Signal
+Station, as one or two of our party had never been here before; so we
+started, some on foot and some on donkeys. All the way up the steep
+streets to the Moorish castle, girls met us, selling lovely scarlet
+carnations and yellow roses. The galleries have not changed in the
+least since our last visit, but our soldier-guide told us they were
+daily expecting some big guns to come out, and he gave us a minute
+explanation how they were to be mounted. It was a pleasant ride,
+neither too hot nor too cold. Every crevice and interstice between the
+rocks was full of wild flowers, looking bright and pretty, though
+somewhat insignificant after the gorgeous tropical blossoms our eyes
+have been lately accustomed to. The fog had cleared off, and the view
+was beautiful; ships lay in the bay below us from all parts, including
+a Portuguese gunboat. We saw also one of the two old eagles sitting
+near her nest in the accustomed place; this year she has only one
+young one. We did not see the monkeys, on account of the Levanter, but
+their number has increased to twenty-four, so that there is no
+immediate fear of their becoming extinct.
+
+[Illustration: Tangier.]
+
+At half-past six p.m. we weighed anchor and steamed out of the
+anchorage inside the New Mole. In the straits the wind was fair, so
+the funnel was soon lowered, and the screw feathered, and we were
+racing along under sail alone. Off Tarifa we found quite a gale
+blowing, and the wind continued fresh and fair throughout the night.
+
+_Thursday, May 17th_.--The strong fair wind dropped, and then came
+dead ahead, and off Cadiz we had to get up steam. There was a strong
+wind off the mountains near Cape Sagres, and while Tom was below and
+the men were busy reefing the sails, we nearly ran ashore. Luckily I
+noticed our danger and called Tom, who came up just in time to alter
+the helm, when the yacht went round like a top, though the shore was
+too close to be pleasant. It only shows how easily an accident may
+occur. Both our fishermen-mates could not bear to be idle, and always
+considered looking out an insignificant occupation, and so neglected
+that important duty to assist with the sails.
+
+Off Cape St. Vincent it blew so hard that we were afraid we should be
+obliged to bring up in the bay of Sagres; but we found that it was
+only a land breeze, and that it was much smoother outside than we had
+expected.
+
+_Friday, May 18th_.--Fresh breeze. We met many steamers going down the
+coast with all sail set. After passing Cape Espichel the wind
+increased to a northerly gale, against which it was impossible to
+proceed. We therefore put into Lisbon. The mountains at the mouth of
+the Tagus, the tower and church of Belem, and the noble river itself
+looked even more beautiful in the sunset than my recollection led me
+to expect. We soon landed and had an excellent dinner at the Hotel
+Braganza, where we had stayed before, and where we were at once
+recognised and cordially received by the same landlord and landlady we
+remembered in 1861.
+
+After dinner we went for a walk. One of the things we saw during our
+stroll was the fine statue of Luiz de Camoens, specially interesting
+to us, as we had so recently seen the place where he passed many of
+the weary years of his exile. Rolling Motion Square was as giddy as
+ever. It was a curious fancy to pave it in such a way as to make it
+look like the waves of the sea, perpetually moving; and it must be a
+severe trial to the peripatetic powers of those who have not quite
+recovered their sea legs.
+
+_Saturday, May 19th_.--We were off early; it was a lovely day, and we
+had a pleasant drive to Cintra. On our arrival we mounted donkeys and
+went to Pena, the beautiful palace of the ex-King Ferdinand, situated
+at the top of the mountains. It is an extraordinary-looking place,
+the different parts being built in every imaginable style of
+architecture, with exquisite carving and old tiles that would delight
+the heart of a connoisseur. One of the most prominent objects near the
+Palace of Pena is the statue of Vasco da Gama, nobly placed on a
+pedestal of natural rocks, piled on the summit of a mountain peak, and
+worthy of the adventurous traveller it is erected to commemorate. The
+gardens are full of camellias, roses, bougainvillea, &c. We lunched at
+the excellent hotel, and came to the conclusion that Cintra is the
+place, not only 'to spend a happy day,' but many happy months. It is
+always pleasant to revisit places of which you have agreeable
+reminiscences, and to find your expectations surpassed instead of
+disappointed.
+
+[Illustration: Vasco da Gama]
+
+We had a hot drive back to Lisbon, and then went by tram to Belem,
+where we spent some time in the church and in wandering through its
+exquisite cloisters. The first stone was laid in 1500, and the name
+changed from Bairro de Restello to Belem or Bethlehem by Prince Henry
+of Portugal, the great promoter of maritime discovery in that century.
+It was built specially to commemorate the successful voyage of Vasco
+da Gama, who returned from the discovery of India in 1499.
+
+[Illustration: Belem Cloister Gardens]
+
+Tom met us with the yacht, and, we went on board with the intention of
+proceeding straight to sea. But after passing through the Canal del
+Norte a heavy gale obliged us to anchor in Cascaes Bay for the night,
+not far from a small schooner yacht with three ladies on board. It was
+rather rough, and we were very tired, or I think we should have
+ventured to pay them a visit, even at that late hour. It is absurd to
+stand upon ceremony when travelling; but I scarcely know what the
+strict etiquette would be on such an occasion--whether they, as first
+anchored in the bay, should call on us, or we on them, as probably the
+greater travellers and out longer at sea.
+
+_Sunday, May 20th_.--Weighed at 5 a.m. There was a dense fog off Cape
+del Roca, and the steam-whistle, foghorns, and bell were constantly
+kept going, with lugubrious effect. We had service at eleven and 4.30.
+Passed the Burlings at 1.30. Heavy swell all day.
+
+_Monday, May 21st_.--Rough and disagreeable. Off Viana at noon. Passed
+Oporto and Vigo in the course of the afternoon.
+
+_Tuesday, May 22nd_.--If yesterday was bad, to-day was worse. We hove
+to for some time under the shelter of Cape Finisterre, then went on
+again for a short distance; but at 1.30 a.m. on the 23rd we were
+obliged to put round and wait for daylight.
+
+_Wednesday, 23rd, and Thursday, 24th_.--In the course of the day the
+weather mended, though the sea still continued rough, and our course
+was really in the direction of America rather than England. In the
+evening of the 24th we were able to light fires, and, with the
+assistance of steam, to keep nearly on our proper course.
+
+_Saturday, May 26th_.--Saw the first English land, the Start, at 2.30
+a.m. Wind continued fresh and fair, but at noon dropped calm, and we
+had to steam through the Needles instead of sailing, as we had done on
+our way out. We reached Cowes about 3 p.m., and were immediately
+welcomed by several yachts, who dipped their ensigns and fired their
+guns. We landed, and were warmly greeted by many friends, and, after
+sending off telegrams and letters, re-embarked and proceeded towards
+Hastings. We were anxious to land by daylight, but this was not to be.
+So it turned out to be midnight before we reached Beachy Head and
+could discern the lights of Hastings shining in the distance. As we
+drew near to our anchorage we could see two boats coming swiftly
+towards us from the shore. The crews were members of the Royal Naval
+Artillery Volunteers, and as they came alongside they raised a shout
+of welcome. Hastings had been expecting us all the afternoon, and late
+as was the hour, 1.30 a.m., we were immediately surrounded by a fleet
+of boats, and many willing hands seized our heterogeneous cargo and
+multitudinous packages, and before daylight all had been safely landed
+on the pier. We committed ourselves to the care of the R.N.A.V., and
+landed in their boats, and at 4.30, proceeding to the Queen's Hotel,
+we had a joyous meeting with T.A.B. and Maud.
+
+[Illustration: Our Welcome back off Hastings.]
+
+How can I describe the warm greetings that met us everywhere, or the
+crowd that surrounded us, not only when we landed, but as we came out
+of church; how, along the whole ten miles from Hastings to Battle,
+people were standing by the roadside and at their cottage doors to
+welcome us; how the Battle bell-ringers never stopped ringing except
+during service time; or how the warmest of welcomes ended our
+delightful year of travel and made us feel we were home at last, with
+thankful hearts for the providential care which had watched over us
+whithersoever we roamed?
+
+    I travell'd among unknown men,
+      In lands beyond the sea,
+    Nor, England! did I know till then
+      What love I bore to thee.
+
+[Illustration: Home at Last.]
+
+
+
+
+APPENDIX.
+
+SUMMARY OF THE ENTIRE VOYAGE.
+
+COMPILED FROM THE LOG-BOOK.
+
+
+JULY 1876.
+
+--+-------------+-----+------+--------+---------+-------------------------------
+ J|             |     |      |        |         |     Since previous noon
+ u|   Remarks   |Temp | Temp |Latitude|Longitude+---------+-----------+---------
+ l|             | of  |  of  |        |         | Course  |  Distance | Wind and
+ y|             |water|  air |        |         |         |Steam |Sail|  weather
+--+-------------+-----+------+--------+---------+---------+------+----+---------
+  |             | F  deg. | F   deg. |  deg.   '  |  deg.   '   |         |      |    |
+ 6|Left Cowes,  |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |I. of W.     | ... | ...  |   ...  |   ...   | Various |  ... | ...| ...
+ 7|Arrived at   |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |Torbay at    |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |8.30 a.m.    | ... | ...  |   ...  |   ...   |     "   |  ... | 113| ...
+ 8|Left Torbay  |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |at noon      | ... | ...  |   ...  |   ...   |    "    |  ... |   8| ...
+ 9|  ...   ...  | ... | ...  | 48 45 N|  4 46 W |    "    |    8 | 107| ...
+10|  ...   ...  | ... | ...  | 46 27 N|  6 50 W |    "    |   99 |  62| ...
+11|Cape Villano,|     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |69 miles,    |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |at noon      | ... | ...  | 44 16 N|  9 10 W |SW, 3/4 deg.W|  ... | 164| ...
+12|Madeira, 513;|     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |Torbay,      |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |672 miles    | ... | ...  | 40 29 N| 11  1 W |SW by S  |  ... | 227| ...
+13|Madeira, 375 |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |miles        | ... | ...  | 38 24 N| 12 21 W |   SW    |   98 |  36|NNE 26 c.
+14|Madeira, 246 |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |miles        | ... | ...  | 36 36 N| 13 58 W |SW, 1/4 deg.W|   40 |  90|SE 2
+15|Porto Santo, |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |NNE 2.
+  |90 miles     | ... | ...  | 34 25 N| 15 35 W |S, 33 deg. W |   29 | 123|Foggy
+16|Arrived at   |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |Madeira      |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |(Funchal) at |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |noon         | ... | ...  |   ...  |    ...  |S, 31 deg. W |   79 |  57|NE 3
+19|Left Madeira |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |at 9.25 p.m. | 72  | ...  |   ...  |    ...  |   ...   |  ... | ...| ...
+20|Tenerife, 163|     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |miles        | 73  | 67   | 31 11 N| 16 45 W |S, 30 deg. E |   20 |  67|NE 3 to 5
+21|Arrived at   |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |Puerto       |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |Orotava at   |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |2.30 p.m.    | 70  | 69   | 28 38 N| 16 42 W |S, 2 deg. E  |  144 |  15| ...
+24|Left Puerto  |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |Orotava,     |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |Tenerife, at |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |noon         | ... | ...  |   ...  |    ...  |   ...   |  ... | ...| ...
+25| ...   ...   | 72  | 70   | 26 53 N| 19 11 W |   ...   |   20 | 173| ...
+26| ...   ...   | 72  | 75   | 24 45 N| 21  0 W |S, 37 deg. W |  ... | 161| ...
+27| ...   ...   | 72  | 74   | 22 27 N| 23  4 W |S, 39 deg. W |  ... | 180| ...
+28| ...   ...   | 73  | 71   | 19 48 N| 24 14 W |S, 22 deg. W |  ... | 172| ...
+29| ...   ...   | 75  | 77   | 17 26 N| 24 55 W |S, 16 deg. W |  ... | 148| ...
+30|Arrived at   |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |Tarafal Bay, |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |St. Antonio, |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |9a.m.; left  |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |6 p.m.       | 75  | 75   |   ...  |    ...  | Various |   15 |  52| ...
+31| ...   ...   | 78  | 73   | 14 45 N| 25 26 W |   ...   |  120 |  12|NE 3
+  |             |-----|------|        |         |         |      |    |
+  |Average      |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |temperature  |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |for the month|73.2 deg.|72.33 deg.|        |         |         |      |    |
+--+-------------+-----+------+--------+---------+---------+------+----+---------
+
+
+AUGUST 1876.
+
+--+-------------+-----+------+--------+---------+-------------------------------
+ A|             |     |      |        |         |     Since previous noon
+ u|   Remarks   |Temp | Temp |Latitude|Longitude+---------+-----------+---------
+ g|             | of  |  of  |        |         | Course  |  Distance | Wind and
+ .|             |water|  air |        |         |         |Steam |Sail| weather
+--+-------------+-----+------+--------+---------+---------+------+----+---------
+  |             | F  deg. | F   deg. |  deg.   '  |  deg.   '   |         |      |    |
+ 1| ...   ...   | 79  | 74   | 11 59 N| 25  9 W |S, 5 deg. E  |  159 |  13|Calm
+ 2| ...   ...   | 78  | 74   |  9 10 N| 24 46 W |S, 7 deg. E  |  163 | ...|SW by W 2
+ 3| ...   ...   | 79  | 75   |  7 42 N| 21 38 W |S, 57 deg. E |  160 |  27|SSW 7
+ 4|Sierra Leone,|     |      |        |         |         |      |    |S to SSE
+  |289 miles    | 79  | 74   |  7 16 N| 18 34 W |S, 84 deg. E |  ... | 241|6-7
+ 5| ...   ...   | 79  | 75   |  5 48 N| 20 30 W |S, 53 deg. W |  ... | 139|S4
+ 6|The warm     |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |Guinea and   |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |Equatorial   |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |currents     |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |extend to    |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |about 7 deg. N,  |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |and the      |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |latter to    |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |about 5 deg. S,  |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |of the       |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |S by E 5
+  |Equator      | 79  | 74   |  3 58 N| 22  6 W |S, 42 deg. W |  ... | 156|to 6
+ 7| ...   ...   | 74  | 71   |  1 52 N| 24  5 W |S, 43 deg. W |  ... | 179|S 4 to 5
+ 8|St. Paul's   |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |Rock, 250    |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |miles.       |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |Crossed      |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |Equator at   |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |10.30 a.m.   | 75  | 72.3 |  0 56 S| 26 34 W |S, 42 deg. W |  ... | 225|SE 6 to 7
+ 9| ...   ...   | 78  | 74   |  4 23 S| 28 42 W |S, 32 deg. W |  ... | 243|SSE,
+  |             |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |ESE 7
+10|Pernambuco,  |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |270 miles    | 78  | 73.8 |  7 35 S| 30 19 W |S, 24 deg. W |  ... | 211|SE 6
+11| ...   ...   | 77  | 71.5 | 10 11 S| 32 26 W |S, 39 deg. W |  ... | 200|SE 4 to 5
+12|Bahia, 300   |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |miles        | 74  | 71.3 | 13  1 S| 33 51 W |S, 28 deg. W |  ... | 196|SE 5
+13| ...   ...   | 74  | 71   | 15 42 S| 35 51 W |S, 37 deg. W |  ... | 202|SE by S 5
+14| ...   ...   | 74.3| 70.7 | 17 25 S| 37 31 W |S, 43 deg. W |  ... | 141|NNE 4
+15| ...   ...   | 73  | 69.5 | 19 58 S| 38  1 W |S, 11 deg. W |  ... | 155|NEly 5
+16| ...   ...   | 66  | 67   | 22 37 S| 40 39 W |S, 45 deg. W |  ... | 225|NE 5
+17|Arrived at   |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |Rio de       |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |Janeiro at   |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |WSW
+  |6.15 p.m     | 64.5| 65   | 23 53 S| 42 50 W |   ...   |   87 |  82|6 to 9
+  |             |-----|------|        |         |         |      |    |
+  |Average      |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |temperature  |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |for the month|75.3 deg.|71.94 deg.|        |         |         |      |    |
+--+-------------+-----+------+--------+---------+---------+------+----+---------
+
+
+SEPTEMBER 1876.
+
+--+-------------+-----+------+--------+---------+-------------------------------
+ S|             |     |      |        |         |     Since previous noon
+ e|   Remarks   |Temp | Temp |Latitude|Longitude+---------+-----------+---------
+ p|             | of  |  of  |        |         | Course  |  Distance | Wind and
+ t|             |water|  air |        |         |         |Steam |Sail| weather
+--+-------------+-----+------+--------+---------+---------+------+----+---------
+  |             | F  deg. | F   deg. |  deg.   '  |  deg.   '   |         |      |    |
+ 5|Left Rio de  |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |Janeiro at   |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |SSW
+  |6 a.m.       | ... | ...  |   ...  |   ...   |   ...   |   36 | ...|2 to 3
+ 6|             | 70  | 64   | 24 56 S| 45 40 W |   ...   |  120 |  32|NE 5
+ 7|             | 67  | 65   | 26 50 S| 47 34 W |   ...   |  ... | 136|NE 8
+ 8|             | 68  | 67   | 30 30 S| 49  4 W |S, 16 deg. W |  ... | 243|NE 8 to 9
+ 9|Lobos, WSW,  |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |160 miles    | 57  | 57.5 | 34 18 S| 51 43 W |S, 31 deg. W |  ... | 270|SW 4
+10|             | 57  | 58   | 31 48 S| 54 13 W |S, 72 deg. W |  119 |  31|S by E 6
+  |             |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |to 7
+11|Arrived at   |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |Monte Video  |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |at 4.30 a.m. | 60.3| 60   |   ...  |   ...   |    ...  |  115 | ...| ...
+12|Left Monte   |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |Video at     |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |6 a.m.       | ... | ...  |   ...  |   ...   |   ...   |  119 | ...|NE 2 to 3
+13|Arrived off  |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |Buenos Ayres |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |at 10 p.m.   | ... | ...  |   ...  |   ...   |    ...  |  ... | ...| ...
+27|Left Buenos  |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  | Ayres at    |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |11.30 a.m.   | 62  | 60.3 |   ...  |   ...   |    ...  |  ... | ...| ...
+28|Rescued crew |     |      |        |         |Various  |      |    |WSW to NW
+  |of           |     |      |        |         |down R.  |      |    |3, WNW 7
+  |'Monkshaven' | 53  | 57.5 | 36 57 S| 55 44 W |Plate    |  119 |  50|to 8
+29|             | 51.3| 57   | 38 50 S| 57  5 W |   ...   |   83 |  53| ...
+30|             | 52  | 51.5 | 41 00 S| 59 50 W |S, 40 deg. W |  ... | 196|NW by W 6
+  |             |-----|------|        |         |         |      |    |
+  |Average      |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |temperature  |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |for the month|59.7 deg.|59.78 deg.|        |         |         |      |    |
+--+-------------+-----+------+--------+---------+---------+------+----+---------
+
+
+OCTOBER 1876.
+
+--+-------------+-----+------+--------+---------+-------------------------------
+ O|             |     |      |        |         |     Since previous noon
+ c|   Remarks   |Temp | Temp |Latitude|Longitude+---------+-----------+---------
+ t|             | of  |  of  |        |         | Course  |  Distance | Wind and
+ .|             |water|  air |        |         |         |Steam |Sail| weather
+--+-------------+-----+------+--------+---------+---------+------+----+---------
+  |             | F  deg. | F   deg. |  deg.   '  |  deg.   '   |         |      |    |
+ 1| ...   ...   | 50.7| 53   | 43 10 S| 62 28 W |S, 45 deg. W |  103 |  64|NW by W 6
+ 2| ...   ...   | 49  | 51   | 45 33 S| 64  0 W |S, 39 deg. W |  139 |  31|SW 7 to 8
+ 3| ...   ...   | 46  | 49   | 48 31 S| 65  9 W |S, 15 deg. W |   65 | 116|W by S 6
+ 4| ...   ...   | 43.5| 42.5 | 49 25 S| 67 17 S |   ...   |  122 |  14|SE by S 6
+ 5|Off Cape     |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |Virgin at    |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |noon. Arrived|     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |at Possession|     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |Bay at       |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |7.45 p.m.    | 43.5| 44   | 52 20 S| 68 17 W |   ...   |  185 | ...|N by E4
+ 6|Left         |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |Possesion Bay|     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |at 6 a.m.    |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |Arrived at   |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |Light
+  |Sandy Point  |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |airs,
+  |at 2.30 p.m. | ... | ...  | 52 45 S| 70 20 W |    ...  |  95  | ...|SW6
+ 8|Left Sandy   |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |Point at 6   |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |a.m. Arrived |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |at Borja Bay |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |Straits of   |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |Magellan, at |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |SE and E
+  |6.30 p.m.    | 46  | 46.2 | 53 53 S| 71 17 W | Various | 105  | ...|3 to 4
+ 9|Left Borja   |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |Bay at 6.30  |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |a.m. Arrived |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |at Otter Bay |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |at 6.55 p.m. | 45.8| 45.8 | 52 22 S| 73 40 W |   "     | 105  | ...| ...
+10|Left Otter   |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |Bay at 5 a.m.|     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |Arrived at   |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |Puerto Bueno |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |at 5.30 p.m. | 49  | 48.7 | 51  0 S| 74 12 W |   "     |   95 | ...| ...
+11|Left Puerto  |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |Bueno at 5   |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |a.m. Arrived |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |at Port      |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |Grappler at  |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |7 p.m.       | 49  | 50   | 49 26 S| 74 20 W |   "     |  105 | ...| ...
+12|Left         |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |Calm and
+  |Port         |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |light
+  |Grappler at  |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |southerly
+  |5 a.m.       | 51  | 51   |  ...   |   ...   |   "     |   60 | ...|winds
+13| ...  ...    | 52  | 51.8 | 46  0 S| 76 23 W |   "     |  150 |  25|NEly
+  |             |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |5 to 3
+14| ...  ...    | 53.7| 52.8 | 44 55 S| 76 46 W |N, 14 deg. W |  ... |  67|SW 2 to 3
+15| ...  ...    | 56  | 55   | 42 47 S| 76  3 W |N, 14 deg. E |  100 |  32|Calm, S
+  |             |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |by E 1-2
+16| ...  ...    | 57.8| 57.5 | 39 52 S| 74 42 W |N, 20 deg. E |  152 |  37|S by E 2
+  |             |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |to 3
+17| ...  ...    | 59  | 58.2 | 39  0 S| 74 38 W |N, 52 deg. E |   28 |  63|NW by W
+  |             |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |4 to 5
+18|Arrived at   |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |Calm &
+  |Lota, Chilli,|     |      |        |         |         |      |    |light
+  |at 9 a.m.    | ... | ...  |   ...  |   ...   | Various |  144 | ...|airs
+19|Left Lota at |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |NW by
+  |2 p.m.       | 57  | ...  |   ...  |   ...   |  ...    |  ... | ...|W 6
+20|Valparaiso,  |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |S by W
+  |195 miles    | 60.2| 57.9 | 36  5 S| 72 59 W |  ...    |  ... |  65|5 to 6
+21|Arrived at   |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |Valparaiso   |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |at 4 p.m.    | ... | ...  | 33 18 S| 72 19 W |  ...    |  ... | 211|S by W 6
+30|Left         |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |Light
+  |Valparaiso   |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |airs
+  |at 3 p.m.    | ... | ...  |   ...  |   ...   |  ...    |  ... | ...|and calms
+31| ...   ...   | 62.1| 61   | 32 34 S| 72 58 W |N, 73 deg. W |  ... |  81|NW by N 5
+  |             |-----|------|        |         |         |      |    |
+  |Average      |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |temperature  |     |      |        |         |         |      |    |
+  |for the month|51.7 deg.| 51.5 deg.|        |         |         |      |    |
+--+-------------+-----+------+--------+---------+---------+------+----+---------
+
+
+NOVEMBER 1876.
+
+--+------------+---------+---------+-------+--------+--------------------------------
+  |            |  Temp.  |  Temp.  |       |        |
+ N|            | of water|  of air |       |        |      Since previous noon
+ o|  Remarks   +----+----+----+----+ Lat.  | Long.  +--------+----------+------------
+ v|            |Noon|6   |Noon|6   |       |        | Course | Distance | Wind and
+ .|            |    |p.m.|    |p.m.|       |        |        |Steam|Sail| weather
+--+------------+----+----+----+----+-------+--------+--------+-----+----+------------
+  |            |F   deg.|F   deg.|F   deg.|F   deg.|   deg.  ' |   deg.  '  |        |     |    |
+ 1|In S.       |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |Pacific     |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |W by N 3
+  |Ocean       |63.3|... |61.2|... |31 30 S| 72 55 W|N, 64 deg. W| ... | 112|to 4
+ 2|Ditto Ditto |65.6|... |62.3|... |30 54 S| 74  9 W|N, 61 deg. W| ... | 111|S 3
+ 3|Ditto Ditto |67.3|... |63.5|... |29 11 S| 76 15 W|N, 46 deg. W| ... | 151|SSE 6
+ 4|Ditto Ditto |68.3|68.2|64.2|64  |27 45 S| 78 55 W|N, 59 deg. W| ... | 167|SE 3
+ 5|Ditto Ditto |71.8|69.3|66  |65.3|26 54 S| 80 48 W|N, 63 deg. W| ... | 113|SE 3
+ 6|Ditto Ditto |71.5|69.7|68  |66  |25 52 S| 83 10 W|N, 64 deg. W| ... | 140|ESE 3
+ 7|Ditto Ditto |71  |70  |68.8|66.3|24 47 S| 85 51 W|N, 66 deg. W| ... | 163|NE by E 3
+ 8|Ditto Ditto |... |... |... |... |23 47 S| 86 58 W|N, 46 deg. W| ... | 107|NNW 2.
+  |            |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |Calms
+ 9|Ditto Ditto |72  |72.3|68  |68.2|21 28 S| 88 27 W|N, 31 deg. W| 144 |  18|ESE 4
+10|Ditto Ditto |72.3|72  |74  |69  |19 12 S| 89 48 W|N, 29 deg. W| ... | 166|E by S 6
+11|Ditto Ditto |73  |71.3|69.5|68.8|17 19 S| 91 42 W|N, 44 deg. W| ... | 156|ESE 6
+12|Ditto Ditto |73  |72.3|71  |70  |16 53 S| 94 43 W|S, 82 deg. W| ... | 178|ESE 4 to 6
+13|Ditto Ditto |74.3|73.2|71  |70.5|16 56 S| 98 17 W|S, 89 deg. W| ... | 215|ESE 7
+14|Ditto Ditto |73.5|73.8|71.3|71  |17  6 S|102 11 W|S, 87 deg. W| ... | 217|E 6
+15|Ditto Ditto |76  |76  |72.8|71.7|16 44 S|105 57 W|N, 86 deg. W| ... | 217|ENE 6
+16|Ditto Ditto |77  |75.8|73  |73  |17  0 S|109 16 W|S, 85 deg. W| ... | 199|ENE
+17|Ditto Ditto |77.8|77.5|76.2|75.0|17 16 S|112  0 W|S, 84 deg. W| ... | 159|E to N 5
+18|Ditto Ditto |79  |77.8|75.2|73.5|16 18 S|114 52 W|N, 70 deg. W| ... | 173|E 5
+19|Ditto Ditto |79  |78.2|78  |76  |15 38 S|117 52 W|N, 77 deg. W| ... | 180| ...
+20|Ditto Ditto |80.2|79.3|77  |76.5|15 19 S|120 17 W|N, 82 deg. W| ... | 139|ENE 3
+21|Ditto Ditto |80  |79  |78  |76.3|15 25 S|122 18 W|S, 87 deg. W| ... | 121|ENE 3 to 4
+22|Ditto Ditto |81  |79.8|78.2|77  |15 21 S|124 20 W|N, 88 deg. W| ... | 123|NE by E
+  |            |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |3 to 4
+23|Ditto Ditto |81.2|80.2|78  |77  |15  4 S|126 40 W|N, 83 deg. W| ... | 141|NE 3
+24|Ditto Ditto |81  |81  |79.2|77  |15 18 S|129 12 W|S, 85 deg. W| ... | 153|NNE 3
+25|Ditto Ditto |81  |80.2|78  |77.8|15 27 S|132 12 W|S, 86 deg. W| 160 |  21|E 2
+26|Ditto Ditto |82.2|81.5|80.7|78.3|15 47 S|135 20 W|  ...   | 142 |  35|ESE 4
+27|Ditto Ditto |81  |80.5|79  |78  |16 54 S|138  9 W|  ...   | 156 |  32| ...
+28|Stopped at  |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |Bow Island  |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |Low         |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |Archipelago,|    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |for 3 hours |81.8|81.6|80  |79.6|17 55 S|140 43 W|S, 56 deg. W|  20 | 148|ESE 4 to 5
+29| ...        |81.7|81  |79.5|77  |18 41 S|143  7 W|  ...   |  10 | 152|SE 4 to 5
+30| ...        |81.3|81  |80  |79.3|18 20 S|145 57 W|N, 79 deg. W| ... | 162|NE 4 to 5
+  |            |---------|---------|       |        |        |     |    |
+  |Average     |         |         |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |temperature |         |         |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |for the     |         |         |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |month       |  76.3 deg.  |   73.3 deg. |       |        |        |     |    |
+--+------------+---------+---------+-------+--------+--------+-----+----+------------
+
+
+DECEMBER 1876.
+
+--+------------+---------+---------+-------+--------+--------------------------------
+  |            |  Temp.  |  Temp.  |       |        |
+ D|            | of water|  of air |       |        |      Since previous noon
+ e|  Remarks   +----+----+----+----+ Lat.  | Long.  +--------+----------+------------
+ c|            |Noon|6   |Noon|6   |       |        | Course | Distance |  Wind and
+ .|            |    |p.m.|    |p.m.|       |        |        |Steam|Sail|  weather
+--+------------+----+----+----+----+-------+--------+--------+-----+----+------------
+  |            |F   deg.|F   deg.|F   deg.|F   deg.|   deg.  ' |   deg.  '  |        |     |    |
+ 1|Landed at   |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |Maitea at   |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |10 a.m.     |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |Left at     |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |3:30 p.m.   |... |... |... |... |17 53 S|147 55 W|W, 1/4 deg.N| ... | 139|NE 4 to 3
+ 2|Arrived at  |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |Tahiti      |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |NE to NW,
+  |at 8 a.m.   |... |... |... |... |  ...  |  ...   |  ...   |  17 |  98|5 to a calm
+ 8|Left        |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |Tahiti at   |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |6 p.m.      |... |... |... |... |  ...  |  ...   |  ...   | ... | ...| ...
+ 9| ...  ...   |82.3|82  |80  |79  |15 28 S|149 24 W|  ...   | 101 |  24|ENE and E 5
+10| ...  ...   |82.5|82  |80.3|79  |13 31 S|149 45 W|N, 10 deg. W| ... | 124|NE by
+  |            |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |E 3 to 7
+11| ...  ...   |83.3|82.5|81  |79.2|11  0 S|150  3 W|  ...   | ... | 155|NE and NE 5
+12| ...  ...   |83.6|81  |79.4|79  | 9 10 S|149 48 W|N,  8 deg. W| ... | 151|NE 4 to 5
+13| ...  ...   |83  |82  |80.2|78.5| 5 34 S|150 45 W|N, 15 deg. W| ... | 224|NE 5
+14|Crossed     |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |Equator at  |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |4.30 a.m.   |81.5|80  |80  |77.8| 2 12 S|152 18 W|N, 24 deg. W| ... | 221|NE 5
+15| ...  ...   |81.5|81  |80.7|79  | 1 10 N|152  3 W|N,  4 deg. E| ... | 203|NE by E 5,
+  |            |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |SE 6
+16| ...  ...   |81.2|81  |78.3|78  | 3 15 N|151 26 W|N, 17 deg. E|  22 | 109|SE 5
+17|To Hilo,    |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |885 Miles   |81.5|82.3|79.8|78.2| 5 28 N|150 16 W|N, 58 deg. E| 136 |  15|In Doldrums
+18| ...  ...   |83  |82  |79.7|78  | 7 54 N|150 36 W| , 11 deg. W|  48 | 105|NE 5 to 7
+19| ...  ...   |81  |80  |77.5|77  |10 22 N|152 37 W| , 22 deg. W| ... | 160| ...
+20| ...  ...   |79.5|79  |77.3|77  |13 43 N|152 43 W|N, 18 deg. W| ... | 212|NE 7
+21| ...  ...   |78.2|78  |74  |73.8|16 28 N|153 28 W|N,  5 deg. W|  26 | 145|Lost NE
+  |            |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |Trades in
+  |            |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |heavy
+  |            |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |showers
+22|Arrived at  |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |Hilo, Hawaii|    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |at 3.30 p.m.|77.2| ...|74.5|... |19 44 N|155  4 W|N, 25 deg. W| 202 |  38| ...
+26|Left Hilo   |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |at 5.15 p.m.|... |77.8|... |74.3|  ...  |  ...   |  ...   | ... | ...| ...
+27|Arrived at  |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |Honolulu,   |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |Oahu, at    |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |5.15 p.m.   |78  |... |76  |... |20 42 N|157 20 W|Various | 200 | ...| ...
+  |            |---------|---------|       |        |        |     |    |
+  |Average     |         |         |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |temperature |         |         |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |for         |         |         |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |the month   |  80.1 deg.  |  78.4 deg.  |       |        |        |     |    |
+--+------------+---------+---------+-------+--------+--------+-----+----+------------
+
+
+JANUARY 1877.
+
+--+------------+---------+---------+-------+--------+--------------------------------
+  |            |  Temp.  |  Temp.  |       |        |
+ J|            | of water|  of air |       |        |      Since previous noon
+ a|  Remarks   +----+----+----+----+ Lat.  | Long.  +--------+----------+------------
+ n|            |Noon|6   |Noon|6   |       |        | Course | Distance |  Wind and
+ .|            |    |p.m.|    |p.m.|       |        |        |Steam|Sail|  weather
+--+------------+----+----+----+----+-------+--------+--------+-----+----+------------
+  |            |F   deg.|F   deg.|F   deg.|F   deg.|   deg.  ' |   deg.  '  |        |     |    |
+ 3|Left        |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |Honolulu at |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |5 p.m.      |... |... |... |... |  ...  |  ...   |  ...   | ... | ...|ENE 4
+ 4| ...  ...   |78.2|77.8|78.1|76  |20 10 N|159 50 W|S, 59 deg. W|  65 |  70|E by S 6
+  |            |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |to 8
+ 5| ...  ...   |78  |77.7|76.8|76.6|20  4 N|164  5 W|W       | ... | 240|SE by S 8
+ 6| ...  ...   |79.3|78.1|78.5|77.8|20  3 N|168 53 W|W       | ... | 253|S by E 7
+  |            |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |to 9
+ 7| ...  ...   |79  |77  |74.2|74  |19 31 N|169 35 W|S, 60 deg. W| ... | 120|N 1/2, W 9
+ 8| ...  ...   |78.2|77.8|73.2|71.5|17 15 N|173  8 W|S, 59 deg. W| ... | 244|N by E 9
+ 9| ...  ...   |79.8|78  |74  |71.7|16 44 N|177 15 W|S, 82 deg. W| ... | 240|E by S 2
+10| ...  ...   |79.8|79.5|76  |74.2|17 15 N|179  6 W|N, 74 deg. W|  20 |  92|Calms
+11|180 deg.        |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |longitude   |... |... |... |... |  ...  |  ...   |  ...   | ... | ...| ...
+12| ...  ...   |80.2|80  |77.8|75.5|17 16 N|178 28 E|W       | 102 |  38|S by E 4
+13| ...  ...   |80.3|79.8|78.2|75.2|17 19 N|176 29 E|W       | ... | 115|NE 3
+14|To Yokohama,|    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |2,700 miles |80  |79.8|75.2|75  |16  1 N|173 25 E|S, 66 deg. W|  98 |  96|NNE 10
+15| ...  ...   |80.2|80  |73.8|73.5|16  2 N|168 15 E|W       | ... | 298|NE 9
+16| ...  ...   |80.1|79.7|75  |74.2|16 38 N|163 47 E|N, 82 deg. W| ... | 260|ENE 7
+17| ...  ...   |79  |78.2|76  |75  |17  3 N|159 37 E|N, 84 deg. W| ... | 240|ENE 6
+18| ...  ...   |79.8|79  |76  |75.2|17 36 N|155 40 E|N, 82 deg. W| ... | 229|ENE 4
+19| ...  ...   |79  |78.4|77  |75.2|18 16 N|153 11 E|N, 74 deg. W| ... | 148|NNE 2
+20| ...  ...   |79.2|78  |76  |75  |18 57 N|150 23 E|N, 75 deg. W| 151 |  13|N by W 3
+21| ...  ...   |78.2|77.2|73.5|72.3|19 36 N|147 19 E|N, 77 deg. W| 128 |  50|N by W to
+  |            |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |NNW 4 to 5
+22| ...  ...   |77.5|76.3|67.5|66  |20  7 N|144  5 E|N, 81 deg. W| ... | 185|NNE 8 to 7
+23| ...  ...   |71  |70  |62.5|61.5|21 52 N|141 39 E|N, 52 deg. W| ... | 172|NNE 5 to 3
+24| ...  ...   |68.5|68  |61.5|59.2|23 33 N|139 29 E|N, 50 deg. W| ... | 158|NE 7 to 6
+25| ...  ...   |68  |67.8|59  |59  |26 12 N|138 10 E|N, 24 deg. W| ... | 174|ESE 3
+26| ...  ...   |65.5|64.5|61  |59.5|29 23 N|137 33 E|N, 10 deg. W| 100 |  94|W 9 to 10
+27| ...  ...   |63.5|64.2|51.5|51  |30 59 N|137 49 E|N,  8  E| ... |  94|NWly 3 to 4
+28| ...  ...   |64  |63.2|48.2|46  |32 40 N|138 35 E|N, 21 deg. E| ... | 108|W by N 7
+29|Arrived at  |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |Yokohama at |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |3.30 p.m.   |63  |52  |... |41.2|  ...  |  ...   |Various |  60 | 121|Gale
+  |            |---------|---------|       |        |        |     |    |
+  |Average     |         |         |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |temperature |         |         |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |for the     |         |         |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |month       |  76.8 deg.  |  69.7 deg.  |       |        |        |     |    |
+--+------------+---------+---------+-------+--------+--------+-----+----+------------
+
+
+FEBRUARY 1877.
+
+--+------------+---------+---------+-------+--------+--------------------------------
+  |            |  Temp.  |  Temp.  |       |        |
+ F|            | of water|  of air |       |        |      Since previous noon
+ e|  Remarks   +----+----+----+----+ Lat.  | Long.  +--------+----------+------------
+ b|            |Noon|6   |Noon|6   |       |        | Course | Distance |  Wind and
+ .|            |    |p.m.|    |p.m.|       |        |        |Steam|Sail|  weather
+--+------------+----+----+----+----+-------+--------+--------+-----+----+------------
+  |            |F   deg.|F   deg.|F   deg.|F   deg.|   deg.  ' |   deg.  '  |        |     |    |
+ 2|Left        |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |Yokohama    |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |at 6.30     |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |p.m.        |... |... |... |... |  ...  |  ...   |Various | ... | ...| ...
+ 3| ...  ...   |53  |52  |41.2|41  |  ...  |  ...   |        | 122 | ...|NW 3
+ 4|Arrived at  |    |    |    |    |       |        |Steering|     |    |
+  |Kobe at     |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |7 p.m.      |58  |46  |40  |35.5|  ...  |  ...   |        | 178 | ...|NNE 9
+12|Left Kobe at|    |    |    |    |       |        |along   |     |    |
+  |6 a.m. and  |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |returned at |    |    |    |    |       |        |the     |     |    |
+  |2 p.m.      |... |... |... |... |  ...  |  ...   |        |  40 | ...| ...
+15|Left Kobe   |    |    |    |    |       |        |South   |     |    |
+  |at 4.30     |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  | a.m. and   |    |    |    |    |       |        |Coast   |     |    |
+  |anchored at |    |    |    |    |       |        |of      |     |    |
+  |Ino Ura at  |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |8.30 p.m.   |46.1|45  |33  |32.5|  ...  |  ...   |Japan   |  90 | ...|W 9
+16|Left Ino Ura|    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |at 5 a.m.   |49.5|50  |39  |37.5|  ...  |  ...   |        | 110 | ...| ...
+17|Anchored    |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |off Isaki   |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |lighthouse  |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |at 4 a.m.   |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |Left the    |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |anchorage   |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |at 8.30     |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |a.m. and    |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |arrived at  |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |Simoneseki  |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |at 11 a.m.  |... |... |... |... |  ...  |  ...   |  ...   |  50 | ...| ...
+19|Left        |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |Simoneseki  |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |at 8.30 a.m.|44.2|58  |34  |41.3|  ...  |  ...   |  ...   |  40 | ...| ...
+20| ...  ...   |64  |61  |51  |46.5|31 16 N|131 54 E|  ...   |  64 | 127|NW by W 9
+  |            |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |to 6
+21| ...  ...   |69  |67  |60  |59.5|29  7 N|129 49 E|SW      | 183 | ...|Calm
+22| ...  ...   |68.2|62  |67  |62  |28 13 N|125 53 E|WSW     |  13 | 208|ESE
+23| ...  ...   |67.3|65.5|65.2|64.2|27 14 N|123  3 E|S, 63 deg. W| ... | 178|SE
+24| ...  ...   |55  |55  |51.8|49  |25  0 N|119 35 E|  ...   |  34 | 183|NE 7 to 10
+25| ...  ...   |61  |... |56.5|... |22 35 N|115 38 E|  ...   | ... | 288|NE 10 to 6
+26|Arrived at  |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |Hongkong    |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |at 8 a.m.   |... |... |... |... |  ...  |  ...   |  ...   |  61 |  29| ...
+  |            |---------|---------|       |        |        |     |    |
+  |Average     |         |         |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |temperature |         |         |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |for the     |         |         |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |month       |  56.5 deg.  |  48 deg.    |       |        |        |     |    |
+--+------------+---------+---------+-------+--------+--------+-----+----+------------
+
+
+MARCH 1877.
+
+--+------------+---------+---------+-------+--------+--------------------------------
+  |            |  Temp.  |  Temp.  |       |        |
+ M|            | of water|  of air |       |        |      Since previous noon
+ a|  Remarks   +----+----+----+----+ Lat.  | Long.  +------ -+----------+------------
+ r|            |Noon|6   |Noon|6   |       |        | Course | Distance | Wind and
+ .|            |    |p.m.|    |p.m.|       |        |        |Steam|Sail| weather
+--+------------+----+----+----+----+-------+--------+--------+-----+----+------------
+  |            |F   deg.|F   deg.|F   deg.|F   deg.|   deg.  ' |   deg.  '  |        |     |    |
+ 7|Left        |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |Hongkong at |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |7 a.m.      |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |Arrived at  |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |Macao at    |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |1.30 p.m.   |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |Left at     |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |6.30 p.m.   |... |64.5|... |64.3|  ...  |   ...  |  ...   |  45 | ...| ...
+8 | ...  ...   |72.5|72.2|72.3|70  |20  5 N|113 28 E|  ...   | 136 | ...| ...
+9 | ...  ...   |73.8|72  |72  |68  |18  0 N|113  6 E|S       |  48 |  79|E 3
+10| ...  ...   |78  |76.8|73  |71.8|15 40 N|113 48 E|SSE     |  20 | 128|NE 3
+11| ...  ...   |78  |78.2|75.5|74.3|13 45 N|112  1 E|SW by  W| ... | 155|NE 4
+12| ...  ...   |79  |78  |76.4|76  |11 29 N|110 32 E|S, 35 deg. W| ... | 170|NE 4
+13| ...  ...   |77.7|77.5|78  |75.7| 9 34 N|108 33 E|S, 46 deg. W| ... | 171|NE 4
+14| ...  ...   |78  |77.7|77.6|76.3| 7 34 N|107  3 E|SW by  S| ... | 150|NE 3 to 4
+15| ...  ...   |79.5|79  |78  |77  | 4 46 N|106 16 E|S by W, | ... | 176|NE 4
+  |            |    |    |    |    |       |        |1/2 deg. W  |     |    |
+16| ...  ...   |80  |80  |78  |76.3| 2 51 N|104 43 E|SW,     | ... | 150|NE 3 to 4
+  |            |    |    |    |    |       |        |1/2 deg. S  |     |    |
+17|Arrived at  |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |Singapore   |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |at 8 a.m.   |... |... |... |... |  ...  |  ...   |  ...   |  63 |  72|NE 3 to 4
+18|Left        |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |Singapore   |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |at 3 p.m.   |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |and arrived |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |at Johore   |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |at 8 p.m.   |... |... |... |... |  ...  |  ...   |  ...   | ... | ...| ...
+19|Left Johore |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |at 4 a.m.   |... |83.2|... |79.7|  ...  |  ...   |  ...   |  36 | ...|Calms
+20|Arrived at  |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |and
+  |at Malacca  |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |at 8 a.m.;  |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |light
+  |left at     |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |airs
+  |11.30a.m.   |... |83.2|... |79.5|  ...  |  ...   |  ...   | 130 | ...|from
+21| ...  ...   |88  |... |80.5|... | 4  4 N|100 30 E|  ...   | 170 | ...|NE
+22|Arrived at  |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |Penang at   |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |8 a.m. left |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |at 10 p.m.  |... |... |... |... |  ...  |  ...   |  ...   |  99 | ...|
+23| ...  ...   |83.8|84.5|88.2|81  | 5 55 N| 98 39 E|  ...   | 109 | ...| ...
+24| ...  ...   |84.2|84  |82  |79  | 6 10 N| 95  5 E|  ...   | 212 | ...| ...
+25| ...  ...   |85  |84  |84.2|80  | 6 26 N| 91 41 E|  ...   | 208 | ...| ...
+26| ...  ...   |85.2|84  |86  |81.5| 6 25 N| 88 25 E|  ...   | 198 | ...| ...
+27| ...  ...   |86  |84.2|87  |79  | 6  4 N| 85  3 E|  ...   | 203 | ...| ...
+28| ...  ...   |85.2|... |83  |... | 5 33 N| 81 29 E|  ...   | 218 | ...| ...
+29|Arrived at  |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |Point de    |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |Galle at 7  |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |a.m. left   |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |at 9.30 p.m.|... |... |... |... |  ...  |  ...   |  ...   |  85 | ...| ...
+30|Arrived at  |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |Colombo at  |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |11 a.m.     |... |... |... |... |  ...  |  ...   |  ...   |  90 | ...| ...
+  |            |---------|---------|       |        |        |     |    |
+  |Average     |         |         |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |temperature |         |         |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |for the     |         |         |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |month       |  79.4 deg.  | 78.2 deg.   |       |        |        |     |    |
+--+------------+---------+---------+-------+--------+--------+-----+----+------------
+
+APRIL 1877.
+
+--+------------+---------+---------+-------+--------+--------------------------------
+ A|            |  Temp.  |  Temp.  |       |        |
+ p|            | of water|  of air |       |        |      Since previous noon
+ r|  Remarks   +----+----+----+----+ Lat.  | Long.  +--------+----------+------------
+ i|            |Noon|6   |Noon|6   |       |        | Course | Distance |  Wind and
+ l|            |    |p.m.|    |p.m.|       |        |        |Steam|Sail|  weather
+--+------------+----+----+----+----+-------+--------+--------+-----+----+------------
+  |            |F   deg.|F   deg.|F   deg.|F   deg.|   deg.  ' |   deg.  '  |        |     |    |
+ 5|Left Colombo|    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |Ceylon, at  |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |1.30 p.m.   |... |85.5|... |80.8|  ...  |  ...   |  ...   | ... | ...| ...
+ 6| ...  ...   |85.8|85  |83  |80.6| 7 26 N|77 10 E |N, 81 deg. W| 165 | ...|W 1
+ 7| ...  ...   |86  |85  |81  |78.3| 7 31 N|74  7 E |N, 88 deg. W| 190 | ...|N 2
+ 8| ...  ...   |85.8|84.5|81.3|79  | 8 16 N|70 31 E |W       | 216 | ...|N 4 to 3
+ 9| ...  ...   |86  |85  |79  |78  | 8 50 N|66 59 E |W by N  | 213 | ...|Calm
+10| ...  ...   |85  |83.5|81  |78.5| 9 38 N|63 32 E |N, 77 deg. W| 210 | ...|NE 1 to 2
+11| ...  ...   |83.6|82.5|83  |79  |10 27 N|60  1 E |  ...   | 214 | ...|ENE 2
+12| ...  ...   |83.8|82.6|82.2|79  |11 14 N|56 30 E |  ...   | 213 | ...|ENE 3 to 4
+13| ...  ...   |83.5|82.3|82.5|80  |11 38 N|52 57 E |N, 83 deg. W| 210 | ...| ...
+14| ...  ...   |83.2|82  |82.8|80  |12 33 N|49 43 E |  ...   | 198 | ...|E 4
+15|Arrived at  |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |Aden at     |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |10 p.m.     |82.8|82  |81  |79  |12 55 N|46 17 E |N, 84 deg. W| 203 | ...| ...
+16|Left Aden   |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |at 7 p.m.   |... |... |... |... |  ...  |  ...   |  ...   |  80 | ...| ...
+17|Off Island  |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |of Perim    |82.8|82  |83  |81.7|  ...  |  ...   |  ...   | ... | 105| ...
+18| ...  ...   |82  |82.2|83.4|81.5|16 13 N|41 27 E |  ...   | ... | 230|S 5
+19| ...  ...   |82.5|82  |84  |83  |18 13 N|40  7 E |  ...   |  29 | 116| ...
+20| ...  ...   |83.5|82  |84  |83.6|20 39 N|38 30 E |N, 33 deg. W| 149 |  22|Calms
+21| ...  ...   |86.2|82.3|83.5|82.8|23 33 N|36 50 E |N, 30 deg. W| 190 | ...| ...
+22| ...  ...   |78.3|75  |82  |76  |26 18 N|34 55 E |  ...   | 200 | ...| ...
+23| ...  ...   |75.5|74  |71.5|74.5|27 13 N|34  5 E |NNW     |  80 | ...| ...
+24| ...  ...   |71.3|70.2|71.5|74  |28 16 N|33 16 E |  ...   |  89 |  27| ...
+25|Arrived at  |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |Suez at     |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |6 p.m.      |70  |... |71.5|... |  ...  |  ...   |  ...   |  22 |  51| ...
+26|Left Suez   |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |at 9 a.m.   |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |Arrived at  |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |Ismailia at |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |7.15 p.m.   |76.5|70  |88  |83.6|  ...  |  ...   |  ...   |  50 | ...| ...
+27|Left        |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |Ismailia at |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |8 a.m.      |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |Arrived at  |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |Port Said   |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |at 5:30 p.m.|    |    |    |    |       |        |Working |     |    |
+  |5.30 p.m.   |    |    |    |    |       |        |to      |     |    |
+  |left at     |    |    |    |    |       |        |windward|     |    |
+  |9.30 p.m.   |76.7|... |90  |... |  ...  |  ...   |        |  50 | ...| ...
+28| ...  ...   |66.3|64.2|66  |64  |  ...  |  ...   |under   | 174 | ...|WNW 5
+29|Arrived at  |    |    |    |    |       |        |steam   |     |    |
+  |Alexandria  |    |    |    |    |       |        |and     |     |    |
+  |at 4.30 a.m.|... |... |... |... |  ...  |  ...   |sail    | 117 | ...|WNW 9 to 7
+  |            |---------|---------|       |        |        |     |    |
+  |Average     |         |         |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |temperature |         |         |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |for the     |         |         |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |month       |  82.3   |  78     |       |        |        |     |    |
+--+------------+---------+---------+-------+--------+--------+-----+----+------------
+
+
+MAY 1877.
+
+--+------------+---------+---------+-------+--------+--------------------------------
+  |            |  Temp.  |  Temp.  |       |        |
+ M|            | of water|  of air |       |        |      Since previous noon
+ a|  Remarks   +----+----+----+----+ Lat.  | Long.  +--------+----------+------------
+ y|            |Noon|6   |Noon|6   |       |        | Course | Distance |  Wind and
+  |            |    |p.m.|    |p.m.|       |        |        |Steam|Sail|  weather
+--+------------+----+----+----+----+-------+--------+--------+-----+----+------------
+  |            |F   deg.|F   deg.|F   deg.|F   deg.|   deg.  ' |   deg.  '  |        |     |    |
+ 2|Left        |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |Alexandria  |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |at 4.30 a.m |68  |65.2|70  |64.5|  ...  |  ...   |WNW     |  28 |   2|Calm a.m.
+ 3| ...  ...   |64  |64  |65.2|64.3|32 30 N|28 39 E |N, 30 deg. W|  32 |  80|Fresh to
+  |            |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |strong
+  |            |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |NW winds
+ 4| ...  ...   |63.8|63.5|64.2|64  |34 35 N|28 48 E |N,  3 deg. E| ... | 146|NW 7
+ 5| ...  ...   |65  |64  |66  |64.2|34 48 N|27 13 E |W, 1/2 deg.S|  63 |  61|NW 7 & calms
+ 6| ...  ...   |63  |62.2|66.2|64  |34 54 N|23 11 E |W       | 125 |  75|ESE 7
+  |            |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |& calms
+ 7| ...  ...   |63.6|63  |64.3|63.6|35 51 N|19 48 E |N, 82 deg. W|  46 | 130|ESE 2
+ 8|Arrived at  |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |Malta at    |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |6 p.m.      |64  |63  |64.5|66.2|35 57 N|15 12 E |W       | 199 |  16|N 4 to 7
+10|Left Malta  |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |at 8.15 a.m.|64  |63  |67  |66.5|  ...  |  ...   |Various |  20 |   5|S 2 to 1
+11| ...  ...   |67  |64  |70  |66  |37 20 N|10 24 E |  ...   | 186 |   7|SE & calm
+12| ...  ...   |64.5|64  |69  |68.5|37 32 N| 6 32 E |WNW     | 192 | ...| ...
+13| ...  ...   |63  |63  |67  |66  |37  7 N| 3  3 E |S, 82 deg. E| 173 | ...|SW by W 5
+  |            |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |to 6
+14| ...  ...   |64  |63.2|66.3|65  |36 50 N| 0 20 E |W, 1/2 deg.S| 163 | ...| ...
+15| ...  ...   |62  |62.3|66.2|66  |36 31 N| 3 43 W |W, 1/2 deg.N| 128 |  35|SE 5
+16|Arrived at  |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |Gibraltar   |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |at 6:30 a.m.|    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |left at     |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |7.30 p.m.   |... |... |... |... |  ...  |   ...  |  ...   |  48 |  26| ...
+17| ...  ...   |67  |67  |68.2|69  |36 27 N| 7 58 W |Various |  10 | 130|E 8; calm
+18|Arrived at  |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |Lisbon at   |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |6.30 p.m.   |64  |... |63.8|... |38 27 N| 9 26 W |  ...   | 144 |   6|NNE 5
+19|Left Lisbon |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |at 5 p.m.,  |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |and anchored|    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |off Fort St.|    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |Julien at   |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |9.15 p.m.   |... |... |... |... |  ...  |  ...   |  ...   |  40 | ...|NNE 7
+20|Left        |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |anchorage   |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |at 5 a.m.   |61.5|64  |64  |65  |39 13 N| 9 32 W |  ...   |  60 | ...|N 6
+21| ...  ...   |60.8|59  |61  |63.5|41 36 N| 9  7 W |  ...   | 145 | ...| ...
+22| ...  ...   |56.5|57  |55.5|56.3|43 13 N|10  8 W |N, 22 deg. W|  54 |  86|NE 9
+23| ...  ...   |58  |57  |57  |56  |45  5 N|11  0 W |N, 16 deg. W| ... | 120|NE 7 to 5
+24| ...  ...   |56  |55  |55  |54.3|46 40 N| 8 41 W |  ...   | 149 |   9|NE 3 to 5
+25| ...  ...   |55  |... |54  |... |48 42 N| 6  5 W |  ...   | 160 | ...|NE 3 to 4
+26|Arrived at  |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |Cowes at    |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |1 p.m.      |... |... |... |... |  ...  |  ...   |  ...   | 230 | ...| ...
+27|Hastings    |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |1.30 a.m.   |    |    |    |    |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |            |---------|---------|       |        |        |     |    |
+  |Average     |         |         |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |temperature |         |         |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |for the     |         |         |       |        |        |     |    |
+  |month       |  65 deg.    |  65.1 deg.  |       |        |        |     |    |
+--+------------+---------+---------+-------+--------+--------+-----+----+------------
+
+
+
+
+When we finally sailed from Cowes, on July 6, 1876, the list of
+persons on board the yacht was as follows:--
+
+THOMAS BRASSEY, ESQ., M.P. (Owner)
+MRS. BRASSEY
+THOMAS ALLNUTT BRASSEY
+MABELLE ANNIE BRASSEY
+MURIEL AGNES BRASSEY
+MARIE ADELAIDE BRASSEY
+HON. A.Y. BINGHAM
+F. HUBERT FREER, ESQ.
+COMMANDER JAMES BROWN, R.N.
+CAPTAIN SQUIRE T.S. LECKY, R.N.R.
+HENRY PERCY POTTER, ESQ. (Surgeon)
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+ISAIAH POWELL, Sailing Master
+HENRY KINDRED, Boatswain
+JOHN RIDGE TEMPLEMAN, Carpenter
+CHARLES COOK, Signalman and Gunner
+JAMES ALLEN, Coxswain of the Gig
+JAMES WALFORD, Captain of the Hold
+JOHN FALE, Coxswain of the Cutter
+HENRY PARKER, Second Coxswain of the Gig
+WILLIAM SEBBORN, A.B.
+WALTER SEBBORN    "
+TURNER ENNEW      "
+WILLIAM MOULTON, A.B.
+ALBERT WISEMAN,  "
+JOHN GREEN,      "
+THOMAS TAYLOR    "
+FREDERICK BUTT   "
+HENRY TICHENER   "
+THOMAS POWELL, Forecastle Cook
+WILLIAM COLE, Boy
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+ROBERT ROWBOTTOM, Engineer
+CHARLES McKECHNIE, 2nd ditto
+THOMAS KIRKHAM, Leading Fireman
+GEORGE BURREDGE, Fireman
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+GEORGE LESLIE, Steward
+WILLIAM AINSWORTH, Bedroom Steward
+FREDERICK PARSONS, Saloon Steward
+GEORGE BASSETT, 2nd ditto
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+WILLIAM PRYDE, Cook
+JOSEPH SOUTHGATE, Cook's Mate
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+EMMA ADAMS, Nurse
+HARRIET HOWE, Lady's Maid
+MARY PHILLIPS, Stewardess
+
+
+
+
+The list of those who were temporarily on board the yacht during the
+voyage comprised the following persons:--
+
+ARRIVALS.
+
+CREW OF 'MONKSHAVEN' (15) came on board the 'Sunbeam' Sept. 28.
+ARTHUR TURNER, one of the crew, remained on board the 'Sunbeam '
+  as an A.B.
+JOHN SEBBORN, from U.S. 'Ashuelot,' Hongkong.
+JOHN SHAW (Under-Cook), Hongkong.
+ISAAC AYAK, Hongkong.
+JOHN AHANG, Hongkong.
+MAHOMET. Fireman, Galle.
+ABRAHAM, Fireman. Galle.
+TOM DOLLAR, Fireman, Galle.
+MR. and MRS. WOODROFFE, Ismailia,
+(Total, 24.)
+
+DEPARTURES.
+
+T. ALLNUTT BRASSEY, Rio.
+CREW OF 'MONKSHAVEN' (14) placed on board the 'Ultimand', Oct. 5.
+CAPTAIN LECKY, Buenos Ayres.
+GEO. LESLIE, Ensenada.
+CAPTAIN BROWN, Honolulu.
+WM. PRYDE, Honolulu.
+JOHN FALE, Malacca.
+MAHOMET, Fireman, Suez.
+ABRAHAM, Fireman, Suez.
+TOM DOLLAR, Fireman, Aden.
+MR. and MRS. WOODROFFE, Port Said.
+(Total, 25.)
+
+
+
+
+Note.--Many were the preparations to be made before starting on our
+voyage; the crew had to be selected, we had to decide whether all,
+any, or none of the children should be taken, what friends we should
+invite to accompany us, what stores and provisions we should take, and
+to select from our little fleet of boats those which seemed best
+suited for the various requirements of the voyage. The whole number
+comprised
+
+     The 'Gleam,' lifeboat cutter;
+     The 'Glance,' large gig;
+     The 'Ray,' light gig;
+     The 'Trap' (to catch a sunbeam), steam launch;
+     The 'Mote,' dingy;
+     The 'Flash,' light outrigger.
+
+Of these the 'Trap' and the 'Ray' had to be left behind.
+
+
+
+
+_LETTER_
+
+(From the _Times_ of June 2, 1877).
+
+To the Editor of the 'Times.'--Sir,--Believing it possible that some
+interest may attach to the voyage completed on May 27 by the arrival
+of the 'Sunbeam' at Cowes, I venture to offer to your readers a short
+narrative of our proceedings. The expedition is in some respects
+unprecedented; a circumnavigation of 35,400 miles has never before
+been made in the short period of 46 weeks, from which must be deducted
+112 days of well-earned repose in harbour. We had, it is true, the
+advantage of steam, without which such a performance would have been
+an impossibility; but we travelled 20,517 miles under sail alone, and
+the consumption of coal has not exceeded 350 tons. The 'Sunbeam'
+sailed from Cowes on July 6, called at Torbay, Madeira, Teneriffe, and
+the Cape Verde, crossed the Line on August 8, and, carrying a
+favourable breeze in the south-east trades, without even a momentary
+lull, a distance of 2,500 miles, arrived at Rio Janeiro on August 17.
+Following the coasts of South America, we visited Montevideo, Buenos
+Ayres, and Ensenada, steamed through the Straits of Magellan and
+Smyth's Channel, and reached Valparaiso on October 21.
+
+While on the coast of Patagonia it was our privilege to rescue a crew
+of 15 hands from the bark 'Monkshaven,' laden with an inflammable
+cargo of smelting coals, which had been on fire six days when we most
+providentially descried her signals of distress.
+
+On October 30 we commenced our long and lonely voyage of 12,330 miles
+across the Pacific. We touched at Bow Island in the Low Archipelago,
+Maitea and Tahiti in the Society Islands, and Hawaii and Oahu in the
+Sandwich group. On January 21 we sighted Assumption in the Ladrones,
+and on the 29th arrived at Yokohama. While in Japan we were present at
+the opening of the railway from Osaka to Kioto by the Mikado, and
+subsequently cruised in the Inland Sea in severe winterly weather. At
+Simonoseki we found the people much agitated by the recent outbreak of
+the Satsuma clan. On February 19 we bade a reluctant farewell to
+Japan, and following the most direct route to England, visited in
+succession Hongkong, Canton, Macao, Singapore, Johore, Malacca,
+Penang, Galle, Colombo, Aden, Alexandria, Malta, Gibraltar, and
+Lisbon.
+
+Having given the principal dates, the story of the voyage will be most
+rapidly completed by entering our successive passages in a tabular
+statement:
+
+                                                      Miles
+
+                                               Steam   Sail  Total
+
+Thames and English Channel                       193    205    398
+
+Torbay to Madeira                                353    874  1,227
+
+Madeira to Orotava (Teneriffe)                   164     72    236
+
+Orotava to Tarafal Bay (San Antonio, Cape Verde)  35    886    921
+
+Tarafal Bay to Rio Janeiro                       689  2,647  3,336
+
+Rio to Monte Video and Buenos Ayres              509    712  1,221
+
+Buenos Ayres to Possession Bay
+(Straits of Magellan).                           816    524  1,340
+
+In Straits of Magellan and Smyth's Channel       565     --    565
+
+To Lota and Valparaiso                           634    500  1,134
+
+Valparaiso to Yokohama, calling at Hao in
+the Paumotu Group, Maitea and Tahiti in
+the Society Islands, and Hawaii and Oahu
+in the Sandwich Group                          2,108 10,225 12,333
+
+Yokohama to Kobe and Simonoseki, through
+the Inland Sea                                   653     --    653
+
+Simonoseki to Hongkong                           395  1,015  1,410
+
+Hongkong to Singapore                            312  1,251  1,563
+
+Singapore to Point de Galle, calling at the
+Straits Settlements                            1,668     --  1,668
+
+Galle to Colombo and Aden                      2,202     --  2,202
+
+Aden to Suez                                     807    551  1,358
+
+Suez to Alexandria                               436     --    436
+
+Alexandria to Cowes, touching at Malta,
+Gibraltar, and Lisbon                          2,440    934  3,374
+
+             Total . . . . . . . . . . . . .  14,979 20,396 35,375
+
+
+Having sketched the voyage in outline, the following details may not
+be devoid of interest to readers with nautical tastes.
+
+Every yachtsman should be a lover of sailing. In the cruise of the
+'Sunbeam,' although expedition was an essential consideration, steam
+has been used almost exclusively in calms or in narrow waters, or
+when, as it has often happened, we have sailed at sunset after a hard
+day's work on board, intending to make an offing during the night and
+set sails in the morning.
+
+Of the total distance of 15,000 knots under steam, 12,000 were
+traversed under those special circumstances which seem to justify even
+a yachtsman in availing himself of the unromantic but invaluable
+engine.
+
+The best run under steam alone was 230 knots, and the most successful
+continuous performance was on the passage from Penang to Galle, in the
+week ending April 15, when the 'Sunbeam' steamed 1,451 knots, with a
+daily consumption of 4-1/4 tons of coal.
+
+The best runs under sail from noon to noon were 298 and 299 knots
+respectively. The first was on the passage from Honolulu to Yokohama,
+sailing along the 16th parallel of north latitude, and between 163
+deg. and 168 deg. 15 min. east. The second was in the Formosa Channel.
+
+The highest speed ever attained under sail was 15 knots in a squall in
+the North Pacific.
+
+On 28 days the distance under sail alone has exceeded, and often
+considerably exceeded, 200 knots.
+
+The best consecutive runs under sail only were:--
+
+I. Week ending August 13, South Atlantic. In the south-east trades,
+wind a-beam, force 5--1,456 knots.
+
+II. Week ending November 19, South Pacific, south-east trades, wind
+aft, force 5--1,360 knots.
+
+III. Four days, January 15 to 18, North Pacific, north-east trades,
+wind on the quarter, force 5 to 9--1,027 knots. The average speed in
+this case was 107 knots an hour.
+
+The following were the average speeds of the longer passages:--
+
+                             Days     Total     Distance     Daily
+                              at     Distance     under     Average
+                              Sea                 Steam
+
+1  Cape Verde to Rio          18      3,336        689        185
+
+2  Valparaiso and Yokohama    72     12,333      2,108        171
+
+3  Simonoseki and Aden        37      6,931      4,577        187
+
+The vessel which has carried us so rapidly and safely round the globe
+claims a brief description. She was designed by Mr. St. Clare Byrne,
+of Liverpool, and may be technically defined as a composite
+three-masted topsail-yard screw schooner. The engines, by Messrs.
+Laird, are of 70 nominal or 350 indicated horse-power, and developed a
+speed of 10.13 knots on the measured mile. The bunkers contain 80 tons
+of coal. The average daily consumption is four tons, and the speed
+eight knots in fine weather. The principal dimensions of the hull
+are;--Length for tonnage, 157 ft.; beam, extreme, 27 ft. 6 in.;
+displacement tonnage, 531 tons; area of midship section, 202 square
+feet.
+
+With an addition of 20 ft. to the length, and more engine power, the
+'Sunbeam' presents a type which might be found efficient for naval
+services in distant waters, where good sailing qualities are
+essential, and large ships are not required.
+
+On looking back, and contrasting the anticipated difficulties with the
+actual experiences of the voyage, the ease and certainty with which
+every passage has been made are truly surprising. Our track has been
+for the most part within the Tropics. The storms off the Cape of Good
+Hope and Cape Horn have been avoided in the inland passages of the
+Straits of Magellan and the Suez Canal. We have encountered no
+continuous stormy weather, except during the four days preceding our
+arrival at Yokohama. We have suffered discomfort from heat and
+detention in calms, but storms have disturbed us seldom, and they have
+not lasted long.
+
+Our experience of gales include a north-east gale off Cape Finisterre,
+on the outward voyage; a northerly gale between Rio and the River
+Plate, a westerly gale off the east coast of Patagonia, short but
+severe gales on each of the four days preceding our arrival at
+Yokohama, a severe gale from the north-west in the Inland Sea, a
+north-east gale in the Formosa Channel, a northerly gale in the
+Straits of Jubal, a westerly gale off Port Said, and an easterly gale
+on the south coast of Candia. On the passage homewards from Gibraltar
+we met strong northerly winds on the coast of Portugal, and a
+north-east gale off Cape Finisterre.
+
+The navigation has presented few difficulties. All the coasts that we
+have visited have been surveyed. Lighthouses are now as numerous and
+efficient on the coasts of China and Japan as on the shores of Europe.
+Such is the perfection of the modern chronometer, that lunar
+observations, the only difficult work in ocean navigation, are no
+longer necessary; and the wind charts published by the Admiralty
+supply to the amateur navigator accumulated information and valuable
+hints for every stage of his voyage.
+
+How infinitely easy is the task of the modern circumnavigator compared
+with the hazardous explorations of Magelhaens and Captain Cook, when
+the chronometer was an instrument of rude and untrustworthy quality,
+when there were no charts, and the roaring of the breakers in the dead
+of night was the mariner's first warning that a coral reef was near!
+
+Our comprehensive and varied cruise has strengthened my former
+convictions that the disasters due to negligence bear a large
+proportion to the number of inevitable losses. Every coast is
+dangerous to the careless commander; but there are no frequented seas
+where, with the exercise of caution and reasonable skill, the dangers
+cannot be avoided. These remarks do not, of course, apply to cases of
+disaster from stress of weather. In fogs there must be delay, though
+not necessarily danger.
+
+In these days of lamentation over the degeneracy of the British
+seaman, my experience may be accepted as a contribution to the mass of
+evidence on this vexed question. I have not been surrounded by such
+smart seamen as can only be found on a man-of-war, but I have no
+ground for general or serious complaint. Many of my crew have done
+their duty most faithfully. In emergencies everybody has risen to the
+occasion, and has done best when his skill or endurance was most
+severely tried--
+
+   'My mariners,
+    Souls that have toiled and wrought and thought with me,
+    That ever with a frolic welcome took
+    The thunder and the sunshine.'
+
+It is always in stormy weather that the good qualities of the British
+seaman are displayed to the greatest advantage. The difficulty is to
+keep up his interest and energies in long intervals of fine weather,
+when nothing occurs to rouse him to an effort, and the faculties of
+the seaman before the mast, no less than those of his officer, are
+benumbed by the monotony and isolation from mankind, which are the
+gravest drawbacks of a sailor's life. It is in these dull moments that
+men are tempted to drink and quarrel, that officers become tyrannical,
+and their crews insubordinate, or even mutinous. Lest it should be
+thought that my impressions of the average sailor are derived from an
+exceptional crew or picked men, I have only to add that the manning of
+the 'Sunbeam' was a family job. The sailing master was related by
+blood or marriage to the majority of his subordinates--fishermen from
+the coast of Essex, who had received their early training among the
+banks and shoals at the mouth of the Thames.
+
+In this connection I tender my sincere tribute of praise to the
+officers of the Navy for their success in maintaining the efficiency
+and spirit of their crews through long commissions on foreign
+stations, much time being necessarily spent in harbour, in many cases
+in the most enervating climates. The discipline of the service seems
+to be admirable, and the seamen are reconciled to it by tradition, by
+early training, and perhaps by an instinctive perception of its
+necessity.
+
+I am equally bound to commend the efficiency of our consular service
+in the remotest outposts of civilisation which we have visited; and
+evidences of good colonial administration are abundantly manifest in
+Hongkong, Singapore, Penang, Ceylon, and Aden, in the prosperity and
+contentment of the people.
+
+It is scarcely necessary to observe, in conclusion, that experiences
+may be gathered in a voyage of circumnavigation which are not to be
+gleaned from Blue-books or from shorter cruises in European waters. A
+more vivid impression is formed of the sailor's daily life, of his
+privations at sea, and his temptations on shore. The services required
+of the Navy are more clearly appreciated after a visit to distant
+foreign stations.
+
+Such a voyage is, indeed, a serious effort. It demands many laborious
+days and anxious nights of watching. For my safe return to 'those
+pale, those white-faced shores,' so welcome to the homeward-bound,
+accompanied, happily, by the adventurous little family who have taken
+part in the expedition, I am truly thankful.
+
+I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
+
+THOMAS BRASSEY.
+
+COWES
+
+actual experiences of the voyage, the ease and certainty with which
+every passage has been made are truly surprising. Our track has been
+for the most part within the Tropics. The storms off the Cape of Good
+Hope and Cape Horn have been avoided in the inland passages of the
+Straits of Magellan and the Suez Canal. We have encountered no
+continuous stormy weather, except during the four days preceding our
+arrival at Yokohama. We have suffered discomfort from heat and
+detention in calms, but storms have disturbed us seldom, and they have
+not lasted long.
+
+Our experience of gales include a north-east gale off Cape Finisterre,
+on the outward voyage; a northerly gale between Rio and the River
+Plate, a westerly gale off the east coast of Patagonia, short but
+severe gales on each of the four days preceding our arrival at
+Yokohama, a severe gale from the north-west in the Inland Sea, a
+north-east gale in the Formosa Channel, a northerly gale in the
+Straits of Jubal, a westerly gale off Port Said, and an easterly gale
+on the south coast of Candia. On the passage homewards from Gibraltar
+we met strong northerly winds on the coast of Portugal, and a
+north-east gale off Cape Finisterre.
+
+The navigation has presented few difficulties. All the coasts that we
+have visited have been surveyed. Lighthouses are now as numerous and
+efficient on the coasts of China and Japan as on the shores of Europe.
+Such is the perfection of the modern chronometer, that lunar
+observations, the only difficult work in ocean navigation, are no
+longer necessary; and the wind charts published by the Admiralty
+supply to the amateur navigator accumulated information and valuable
+hints for every stage of his voyage.
+
+How infinitely easy is the task of the modern circumnavigator compared
+with the hazardous explorations of Magelhaens and Captain Cook, when
+the chronometer was an instrument of rude and untrustworthy quality,
+when there were no charts, and the roaring of the breakers in the dead
+of night was the mariner's first warning that a coral reef was near!
+
+Our comprehensive and varied cruise has strengthened my former
+convictions that the disasters due to negligence bear a large
+proportion to the number of inevitable losses. Every coast is
+dangerous to the careless commander; but there are no frequented seas
+where, with the exercise of caution and reasonable skill, the dangers
+cannot be avoided. These remarks do not, of course, apply to cases of
+disaster from stress of weather. In fogs there must be delay, though
+not necessarily danger.
+
+In these days of lamentation over the degeneracy of the British
+seaman, my experience may be accepted as a contribution to the mass of
+evidence on this vexed question. I have not been surrounded by such
+smart seamen as can only be found on a man-of-war, but I have no
+ground for general or serious complaint. Many of my crew have done
+their duty most faithfully. In emergencies everybody has risen to the
+occasion, and has done best when his skill or endurance was most
+severely tried--
+
+   'My mariners,
+    Souls that have toiled and wrought and thought with me,
+    That ever with a frolic welcome took
+    The thunder and the sunshine.'
+
+It is always in stormy weather that the good qualities of the British
+seaman are displayed to the greatest advantage. The difficulty is to
+keep up his interest and energies in long intervals of fine weather,
+when nothing occurs to rouse him to an effort, and the faculties of
+the seaman before the mast, no less than those of his officer, are
+benumbed by the monotony and isolation from mankind, which are the
+gravest drawbacks of a sailor's life. It is in these dull moments that
+men are tempted to drink and quarrel, that officers become tyrannical,
+and their crews insubordinate, or even mutinous. Lest it should be
+thought that my impressions of the average sailor are derived from an
+exceptional crew or picked men, I have only to add that the manning of
+the 'Sunbeam' was a family job. The sailing master was related by
+blood or marriage to the majority of his subordinates--fishermen from
+the coast of Essex, who had received their early training among the
+banks and shoals at the mouth of the Thames.
+
+In this connection I tender my sincere tribute of praise to the
+officers of the Navy for their success in maintaining the efficiency
+and spirit of their crews through long commissions on foreign
+stations, much time being necessarily spent in harbour, in many cases
+in the most enervating climates. The discipline of the service seems
+to be admirable, and the seamen are reconciled to it by tradition, by
+early training, and perhaps by an instinctive perception of its
+necessity.
+
+I am equally bound to commend the efficiency of our consular service
+in the remotest outposts of civilisation which we have visited; and
+evidences of good colonial administration are abundantly manifest in
+Hongkong, Singapore, Penang, Ceylon, and Aden, in the prosperity and
+contentment of the people.
+
+It is scarcely necessary to observe, in conclusion, that experiences
+may be gathered in a voyage of circumnavigation which are not to be
+gleaned from Blue-books or from shorter cruises in European waters. A
+more vivid impression is formed of the sailor's daily life, of his
+privations at sea, and his temptations on shore. The services required
+of the Navy are more clearly appreciated after a visit to distant
+foreign stations.
+
+Such a voyage is, indeed, a serious effort. It demands many laborious
+days and anxious nights of watching. For my safe return to 'those
+pale, those white-faced shores,' so welcome to the homeward-bound,
+accompanied, happily, by the adventurous little family who have taken
+part in the expedition, I am truly thankful.
+
+I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
+
+THOMAS BRASSEY.
+
+COWES
+
+
+
+***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A VOYAGE IN THE 'SUNBEAM'***
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