A Voyage in the 'Sunbeam' - Our Home on the Ocean for Eleven Months

Annie Brassey

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• Publié par: dokav
• Publié le: 08 décembre 2010
• Nombre de lectures: 44
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 9 Mo

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The Project Gutenberg eBook, A Voyage in the 'Sunbeam', by Annie Allnut Brassey

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Title: A Voyage in the 'Sunbeam'

Author: Annie Allnut Brassey

Release Date: January 31, 2005 [eBook #14836]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1

***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

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'.

Chicago: Belford, Clarke & Co., Publishers,

Page iii

Page iv

Page v

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

PREFACE.

This volume needs no elaborate preface. A general sketch of the voyage which it describes was published in the 'Times' immediate ly after our return to England. That letter is reprinted here as a conveni ent summary of the 'S unbeam's' performances. But these prefatory lines would indeed be incomplete if theytribute to the industr did not contain a well-deserved y and

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accuracy of the author. The voyage would not have b een undertaken, and assuredly it would never have been completed, without the impulse derived from her perseverance and determination. Still less would any sufficient record o f 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. T he practised skill of a professional writer cannot reasonably be expected in these simple pages, but their object will have been attained if they are th e means of enabling more home-keeping friends to share in the keen enjoyment of the scenes and adventures they describe.

CHAPTER

View full size illustration.

CONTENTS.

I.F AREWELLTO O LD E NG LAND

THOMAS BRASSEY

II.M ADEIRA , T ENERIFFE , AND C APEDE V ERDE I SLANDS

III.P ALMATO R IODE J ANEIRO

IV.R IODE J ANEIRO

V.T HE R IVER P LATE

VI.L IFEO NTHE P AMPAS

VII.M O REABO UTTHE A RG ENTINE R EPUBLIC

VIII.R IVER P LATETO S ANDY P O INT , S TRAITSO F M AG ELLAN

IX.S ANDY P O INTTO L O TA B AY

X.C HILI

XI.S ANTIAG OAND V ALPARAISO

XII.V ALPARAISOTO T AHITI

XIII.T HE S O UTH S EA I SLANDS

XIV.A T T AHITI

PAGE

1

13

33

46

67

81

97

111

134

155

177

194

211

227

Page viii

Page ix

O UR F IRST V IEWO F M ADEIRA

B O TAFO G O B AY

XXVII.V IA S UEZ C ANAL

22

13

9

v

17

5

1

39

40

31

37

Title-page

77

67

42

41

56

46

XXIII.F RO M M ACAOTO S ING APO RE

XXIV.S ING APO RE

XX.K IO TO , LATE M IACO

XXI.T HE I NLAND S EA

XXII.T O C ANTO NUPTHE P EARL R IVER

XIX.Y O KO HAMA

392

F ATHER N EPTUNE

426

489

443

456

473

408

T ARAFAL B AY , S T . A NTO NIO

333

353

275

265

316

376

291

303

XXVI.T O A DEN

XXV.C EYLO N

P RAIRIE D O G SAND O WLS

T HE S LAVE V ILLAG E , F AZENDA , S ANTA A NNA

T HE T HREE N AVIG ATO RS

V ESPERS

M ADEIRA F ISH - CARRIER

A C O ZY C O RNER

H IS D O CTO R (C RO SSINGTHE L INE )

A P ALM - TREEINA G ARDEN , O RO TAVA , T ENERIFFE

P O RTRAITO FTHE A UTHO R

N EARLY O VERBO ARD

APPENDIX

XXVIII.'H O ME '

XVI.H AWAIIAN S PO RTS

XV.T AHITITO S ANDWICH I SLANDS —K ILAUEABY D AYANDBY N IG HT

S UNSETO N S O UTHAMPTO N W ATER

XVII.H O NO LULU —D EPARTUREFO R J APAN

XVIII.H O NO LULUTO Y O KO HAMA

T HE D ERELICT 'C ARO LINA ' LADENWITH P O RT W INE

L ULUANDHER P UPPIES

WOODCUTS IN TEXT.

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

C APE B RASSEY : S MYTH ' S S O UND

P INFO RFASTENING C LO AK , M ADEFRO MA D O LLARBEATENO UT

F UEG IAN B O WAND A RRO WS

M O RNING M ASSAT S ANTIAG O

B ATHSO F C AUQ UENES

112

214

177

153

139

131

C ATCHING C APE -P IG EO NSINTHE G ULFO F P EÑAS

A F ELLO W P ASSENG ER

C HILIANSWAITINGFO RTHE T RAIN

T ATAKO TO RO AO R C LARKE I SLAND

O UR F IRST L ANDINGINTHE S O UTH P ACIFIC , H AOO R B O W I SLAND

C O NVERSATIO NAT S EA

135

132

137

87

104

84

106

H UASSOO F C HILI

H UASSO H UTS

C ACTIO FTHE C O RDILLERA

F UEG IAN B O ATAND O ARS

I NDIAN R EACH

T WO - PEAKED M O UNTAIN

T HO RNTO N P EAKS

U NFIT B AY

G LACIERS , S NO WY S O UND

221

220

220

I NSCRIPTIO NFRO M E ASTER I SLAND

C HILDRENLO O KINGUP

G O INGUPTHE M ASTINA C HAIR

M AITEA

M AITEAN B O ATMAN

M AITEA

J UVENILE S CRUBBERS

L ASSO ING H O RSES

U PTHE V ALLEYTO WARDSTHE A NDES

W HATMAKES H O RSESG OIN C HILI

F UEG IAN W EAPO NS

'M O NKSHAVEN ' O N F IRE

L A C ALERA

I NDIANSAT A ZUL

S HIPWRECKED C REWCO MINGO N B O ARD

173

209

197

D EVIL ' S H O RNS

195

208

209

181

204

145

B ARTERINGWITH F UEG IANS

115

127

144

129

147

174

176

167

171

175

164

360

357

363

364

316

235

226

315

313

227

229

232

330

329

338

328

C HÆTO DO N P LAG MANCE

251

279

253

256

283

C HÆTO DO N B ESANTII

T ATTO OINTHE T RO PICS

F EATHER N ECKLACE

295

287

294

301

A RRIMA . T HE V ILLAG EO F B AMBO O B ASKET W O RK

A F AMILY G RO UP

W AYSIDE T RAVELLERS

T HE P ALI -O AHU

L ITTLE R EDCAP

J APANESE B O ATS

T HE F RENCH C O NSULATE , C ANTO N

Y O KEN S ANO R S ACRED M O UNTAIN , I NLAND S EA

J APANESE B O ATMAN

I NO SHIMABYA J APANESE A RTIST

F ACSIMILEO FO UR L UNCHEO N B ILL

381

389

377

379

382

T HE Y ACHTO N F IRE

W ATERFALLAT F AATAUA

U NDERTHE T REES , P APEETE

Q UARANTINE I SLAND , P APEETE

A T AHITIAN L ADY

C HÆTO DO N T RICO LO R

T RO PIC F EATHERS

H O WWEWEREBO ARDEDBY C HINESEANDDISPERSEDTHEM

H URUSIMA , I NLAND S EA

P EARL R IVER

A MATEUR N AVIG ATIO N

Z EUS C ILIARIS

F EATHERED C LO AKAND H ELMETS

A NCIENT W AR M ASKSAND C O STUMESFRO MTHE M USEUMAT H O NO LULU

B O G UE F O RTS

C HINESE V ISITING C ARDS

C HINESE P AG O DAAND B O ATS

327

349

371

247

A D RAGACRO SSTHE S ANDINA J INRIKISHA

F UJIYAMA , J APAN

C HALCEDO N I MPERATO R

W AR N ECKLACE

308

284

C HINESE F O O TAND B O O T

M AHARAJAHO F J O HO RE ' S H O USE

T HE P ET M ANIS

M ALACCA

H O WTHE J O URNALWASWRITTEN

P EACO CK M O UNTAIN , C EYLO N

S O UMALI I NDIAN , A DEN

S TRAITSO F B AB - EL -M ANDEB

B EATINGUPTHE R ED S EA

H O MEWARD B O UND

F ALDETTA , M ALTA

A RMO URYINTHE G O VERNO R ' S P ALACE , V ALETTA

T ANG IER

V ASCODA G AMA

B ELEM C LO ISTER G ARDENS

O UR W ELCO MEBACKO FF H ASTING S

H O MEAT L AST

NOTE.

398

414

417

419

423

439

451

457

462

473

475

477

482

484

485

487

488

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 di mensions 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.

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Sunset on Southampton Water View full size illustration.

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 'Dun can,' 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—ava iled 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 o ut 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 pro nounced 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

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hope, however, that she might have been packed away with the new sails, which had been stowed in a great hurry the day befo re. 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 leavin g 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 exp ected 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 unti l four o'clock, brought together but a small congregation.

On the 8th we were fairly away from Old England, an d 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

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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 amusemen t 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, appear ed 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.

Nearly Overboard View full size illustration.

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, w a s 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

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