The Cruise of the 'St. George, R.Y.S. ... to see the world, 1891-92

Preface

. These letters have no pretensions to literary or scien tific merit, but only profess to give a chatty account of the Cruise of Mr. Wythes and party in his splendid yacht, the St. George, e.y.s. to see the World ; of what we saw and the people we met, with just so much of historical retrospect and allusion as seemed necessary to give interest and cohesion to the geneial matter. As they originally appeared in a Lincolnshire newspaper (hence sundry local allusions), the style was adapted for the cursory glance of the newspaper skimmer, but having been written on the spot and sent home from point to point of the 43,000 miles of sea-way we traversed, it is hoped they may be found still smelling so fresh of the sea breeze as to supply to such readers as would liked to have been with us, a pleasing mental picture of a social cruise round the globe.

George Fyfe, m.d. Wellington, Salop. October, 1893. Mnbex. Southampton to Malta . . . . . . . . . . 9 Malta to Aden . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 ,, ., ,, (Continued) .. .. .. ..27 Aden to Singapore . . . . . . . . . . 36 Singapore to Hong-Kong . . . . . . . . 50 Hong-Kong and Canton . . . . . . . . . . 61 Japan and to Vancouver.. .. .. .. ..77 ,, „ ,, ,, (Continued) . . . . 96 British Columbia and Alberta . . . . . . . . 106 San Francisco to Honolulu . . . . . . . . 129 The Sandwich Islands . . . . . . . . . . 139 From Oahu to New Zealand . . . . . . . . Ifi3 New Zealand, Tasmania and Australia .. .. .. 177 Juan Fernandez to Monte Video . . . . . . 203 Monte Video, Buenos Ayres, and Home . . . . . . JSnsi of gUlustraiions. Map . . . . . . . . . . Frontispiece, The "St. George," r.y.s. .. .. .. 9 The Fo'castle Minstrels . . . . 88 Officers and Crew . . . . . . . . 160 Mr. Wythes and Friends . . . . . . 184 Owner's Cabin . . . . . . . . . . 192 Saloon .. .. .. .. .. ..200 "§K Gfeorcje." R Y\g "ST. GEORGE," R.Y.S. TO SEE THE WORLD.

Letter I. Southampton To Malta

HERE are perhaps few people who at some period of their lives have not felt a longing " to see the world." Time and expense, however, come in the way with most of us, and with those to whom these obstacles do not apply, the great majority are probably deterred from gratifying their globe trotting inclinations by a lurking dread that travelling and voyaging in distant parts are necessarily attended with dis comforts and perils — a mistaken notion, by the way, so far as I am assured by all the best travelled people I have ever met. To such as I -"have bracketed in the above remark, it has occurred to me that an occasional summary of the brief and roughly made entries of my diary of a circumnavigation pleasure cruise may not prove unacceptable reading, and I therefore send you the first instalment, covering the 2,300 miles of sea-way, between Southampton Water and Valetta harbour.

Let me first, however, introduce you to the St. George yacht, and the ' live stock ' aboard of her who are to be under my medical care for the two years of our far sea roving pilgrimage round the globe. " ST. GEORGE," R.Y.S. 10 The St. George is a three-masted auxiliary-screw steam yacht, and next to the Royal yachts is one of the largest and finest of the Royal Yacht Squadron, of which her owner is a member. She was built at Leith, by Ramage & Ferguson, from the design and specifications of a first-class yacht archi tect (Mr. Storev) for her owner's use (E. J. Wythes, Esq.,) aud has cost about £50,000. The predominant idea in her con struction has been to combine strength and sailing qualities and special adaptation for navigation in distant seas, with elegance of yacht like symmetry, and every home like convenience and indeed luxurious comfort for the sea-farers aboard of her.

The St. George is a hundred aDd ninety-two feet long and thirty-two' feet beam, 1,000 tonnage, double bottomed of teak and steel, first-class engined, and with everything in duplicate in case of break downs where repairs could not be effected ; capable of steaming twelve knots an hour and of doing fifteen under canvas, for which she is specially rigged with arrangements for feathering her screw to favour her sailing speed ; electric lighted all over and electric search light if at any time needed. As to our cabins they are like elegantly upholstered bedrooms, ten feet high and nearly twelve feet square, with marble baths and hot and cold water arrangements. The saloon is thirty feet wide, well-lighted and ventilated, with open fireplace and overmantle, richly furnished, decorated and upholstered ; has organ, piano, and well-selected library, chiefly travel, science, and fiction ; as well as ample lounging and writing conveniences.

The reception and smoking room on the deck is in keeping with the saloon, and forms an elegant and luxurious lounge for wet days and evenings. The fact is, until we were rudely disillu sionised by the " heasy-hosy " sensations of the choppy sea of the Atlantic, that we were soon to make the acquaintance of, we could readily beguile ourselves into thinking that we were not aboard at all, but living in an elegant home on shore. As to what I have jocosely called our "live stock" there are fifty-three all told, consisting of thirty-seven a. b's and ship's officers, nine in steward's department, and seven gentlemen including the owner and myself. Our table is an exceptionally excellent one in viands, wines, beverages, &c, as well as in the no less important matters of cooking and waiting. Add to all this, that the owner is the kindest and most thoughtful of hosts, and his friends aboard excellent fellows all, and indeed no better could be found for compagnons de voyage, because of their irrepressible spirits for rollick and repartee, which not even the terrible " duster " we encountered in the Bay of Biscay could quite subdue.

With this " quasi kind of introductory " — as Daniel O'Connell used to say — to the St. George and her occupants, I will now get under weigh with my narrative. We left our moorings in Southampton Water on Monday morning, 19th January, 1891, after taking in a hundred and thirty tons of coal, and filling our water tanks, with the temperature so low that the decks became sheeted with ice in the vain attempt to wash them after the coaling ; and even the whistle steam pipe was frozen up. We had, however, a delightful run down the Channel, with a light north-easterly wind to Start Point, which we reached about 8-30 p.m. This would be Tuesday in the log book, as the nautical day begins at 12 o'clock noon. Our course was now shaped for Ushant, and we were in hopes, as a light north-east wind generally forecasts a favourable passage through the Bay of Biscay, that our first night at sea would be as comfortable as the previous day and merry evening had been enjoyable.

Towards morning, however, the wind swung round to south-west— the prevail ing wind of the Atlantic — and a strong breeze sprang up with a very nasty choppy sea. Matters got rapidly worse after passing Cape Ushant, and steering s.w. 1/2 West across the Bay of Biscay for Finisterre. During all Tuesday, Wednes day, and Thursday, the gale continued to increase in violence, scourging the sea into fury, and making mountains and valleys of the waves. The St. George had now a lively time of it, as the big Atlantic rollers made her oscillate, according to the indications of the clinometer, from thirty degrees to port to thirty-nine to starboard, and she came by a good deal of damage by the heavy seas that from time to time broke over her. I hardly need add that nearly every man-jack of us suffered more or less acutely from the gastric horrors of mal de mer, aud speaking for myself at least, by the end of my third day's antiperistaltic experiences I began to feel rather limp and woebegone, and probably, just then, sceptical ideas of the pleasures of yachting were not altogether absent from my mind.

I am afraid I must here admit that 1 have lost all faith in medicinal remedies for sea-sickness, having tried several to no purpose — such as sodiumbromide, cocaine, antipyrin, &c. Some mitigation of one's miseries, however, may be derived from lying flat on your back, aud living on dry biscuits and cold water, and probably, after the stomach " ST. GEORGE," R.Y.S. has become settled enough to retain it, a glass of champagne or brandy-and-soda water may be found useful as a pick-me-up. Our progress through the bay was slow, especially during Thursday, when the gale was at its worst, as her rate of going had to be slowed down to three knots an hour, to avoid driving her into the big seas that were unremittingly heading on to her, and to minimize the amount of damage they were inflicting upon her.

Several fine bonitos and shoals of porpoises were occasionally seen disporting themselves alongside the yacht with the natatory antics peculiar to each. The bonito is said to be very good eating, and the fishermen on the French coast come a long way out into the bay to fish for them, which they do with hooks baited with feathers or a bit of bunting. It was great fun to watch the bonitos from the bridge, rushing through the water at great speed, an d so near the surface as to bo quite visible, and spring fairly out of it and then on again in their fleet career, as if to gather fresh momentum for their next spring. When we afterwards got into the Mediterranean we were further entertained by noticing the beautiful phosphorescent tracks they made at night on the surface of the water, and the rapidity with which they swam from side to side under the ship's hull, and then darting away with the speed of an express train, until their fiery trail gradually became lost to view in the distance.

After passing Finisterre and getting into the "Portuguese Current," a considerable improvement took place in the weather. Our captain unintentionally gave the Spanish " Land's End " an extra wide berth, as, on taking the Azimuth, he found he was seventy miles off the shore instead of twenty as he had supposed. Had it so happened to have been foggy and cloudy weather, preventing observation being taken, as in h.m.s. Serpent's case, and the fifty miles of deviation been landward instead of seaward, we might have made a similarly disastrous acquaintance with the fatal Camarinas. Our sail down the Portuguese coast was thoroughly delightful, and we not only quickly forgot our miseries of the three previous days, but were inclined to credit the mal de mer with giving us an extra zest for the menu of the St. George, although that is at all times enticing by its quality and variety.

Deck games and " ragging," and rifle practice at extemporised targets drifted out from the stern, or lounging in a deck chair with a favourite author, was now the order of the day. In this very pleasant if uneventful . way, we passed the next two days— " sailing, sailing over the 'tranquil' main," and arrived at Gibraltar at 2-30 a.m. on Sunday morning. In our course southward from Finisterre we passed in succes sion the Berlings — barren rocks, surmounted by an important coast light, and formerly used by Portugal as a penal establish ment — then Capes de Roca and Espichel, on either side of the estuary of the Tagus, where we saw numbers of fishing yawls busy at work, or On their way to and from their fishing grounds, and giving a very pretty effect to the placid sea view. Cape St. Vincent next came in sight, with its lofty headland, surmounted at its highest part with a large white walled convent, which from its altitude of position can be seen a long way out at sea.

Cape St. Vincent is memorable for the exploit of Sir John Jarvis, whose family still hold the title of the " Earl of St. Vincent," that was conferred upon him in honour of his victory. Having rounded St. Vincent, we next sighted, late on Saturday evening, Trafalgar lights, at the, head of the bay of that name, where Nelson defeated the combined fleets of France and Spain, but with the loss of his own life, which the English nation valued almost as much as his victory. Having passed Cape Trafalgar, we now began to enter the Straits of Gibraltar, guided by Cape Spartel light on the African, and Tarifa light on the Spanish coast. In the grey light of midnight the dim outline of the rock of Gib raltar could now be noticed gradually coming into view, as the yacht drew nearer to Europa Point. The light on this point — the southern-most extremity of the rock, is of invalu able service for safely making the bay on a dark night, inasmuch as it has a bayward and a seaward colour — the bay ward red, and the seaward white — and by keeping the white light only in sight an approaching vessel can reckon on giving the coast between Tarifa and Algeciras a safely wide berth, by not making the turn into the bay too soon.

The St. George having entered the bay, took up a position just inside the " New Mole," and having dropped her port and starboard anchors in spread-eagle fashion, and with a shore rope from her stern, lay as steady and motionless on the water as a tower on a rock. The heavy trundling rattle of the anchor chains running out at the hause holes, is very pleasant music to hear, I assure you, after you have been at sea for the first week in your life, and I required no wooing from Morpheus, when I "tumbled in" at half-past two on Sunday morning, 25th January. As vve knew our time at " Gib." was to be short, we " ST. GEORGE," R.Y.S. 14 endeavoured to make the most of it ; and accordingly soon after breakfast, the steam launch put us ashore at the Ragged Staff Battery landing, with arrangements for bringing us back again in time for service on board, and which is always held at 6-15 p.m. in the saloon every Sunday.

The town of Gibraltar is situated along the foot of the west side of the rock, extending north and south from the " Great Gate," near the Old Mole (or "Devil's tongue," so called from the amount of fire the heavy ordnance with which it is armed could spit out from its numerous embrasures,) to near Europa Point on the South. We found the streets scrupulously clean, comfortable for walking, from being paved with wood, and well drained and free from all un sanitary odours. They are arranged for the most part at right angles, the two main streets parallel to the shore, being intersected by those running up from it. The houses are all light-coloured and flat roofed, with lattice windows, verandahs and awnings, which give a semi-oriental look to the town, while the villas of the wealthier residents and officers' quarters on the hill side sloping to Europa Point, have a very pictur esque appearance from their being embowered in gardens and shrubberies, and cosily ensconced in the sheltering embrace of projecting spurs of the rock.

We were very much struck with the number and variety of racial types of face and costume we saw, especially in the neighbourhood of the market, near the " Great Gate " at the north or com mercial end of the town. In addition to the English part of the population, civil and military — not overlooking the Scotch Highlander in his smart regimental kilt dress — we saw Spaniards, Moors, Greeks, Jews, Genoese, and French, and all seemed to get on comfortably together, following their own customs and religions without interference or restriction — Gibraltar being a free port, and under the benign guardianship of the British flag. The climate is dry and mild, and although one or two months in the summer may be a little too hot to be quite comfortable, the average of the year is enjoyable and healthy, and many English people make a per manent residence of the place solely on that account.

It is said, however, to be trying to very youug children, and that many die from convulsions. It is bright and warm here at present, and we feel it a great and pleasant contrast to the rigorous wintry weather we left behind us in England hardly a week ago. Opposite the town of Gibraltar, on the other side of its semi -circular bay (which is five miles broad and seven mileslong), is to be seen the Spanish town of Algeciras, and at its head another Spanish town, St. Roque, beyond which are oxtensive forests of cork oak. The water of the bay is remarkable for its great clearness, so much so, that a fisherman can see the fish at his baited hook over fifty feet down in the water. After taking a hurried look at the churches and public buildings, &c. in the town, we prolonged our walk round the foot of the rock on the north side, as far as the little fishing village of Catalan on the east side.

This enabled us to see to advantage the northern extremity of the rock, which is 1,450 feet high, and rises sheer out of the low lying ground forming the narrow peninsula connecting the British and Spanish territories. High upou the breast of this per pendicular cliff, you see numerous embrasures which are connected with galleries, excavated out of the solid rock. Behind these embrasures lie concealed from view, ordnance of great power and range, and having such complete command of the country all round that it would be certain destruction to any force that had the temerity to attempt an advance on that side. We were given to understand that important engineering works were at present in process of construction inside the fortress, and about which the utmost secrecy is observed, so that no one is now admitted inside, and the only parts you can see, with an order, are the Queen's and Union Galleries.

Even a photograph is not allowed to be taken of any part of the rock, as we found to our surprise ; for when one of our party had put his camera into position on the quarter-deck of the yacht in order to take a photo graphic reminiscence of the place, an official from the Mole immediately came on board and informed us that "it was contrary to orders, and that we must at once desist." As the rock of Gibraltar is the only place in Europe where the monkey lives in a wild state, we were curious to see some of them, but although we ranged the whole of the western side with our field glasses, we only succeeded in spotting a single group of three or four. I accordingly asked the orderly, who showed us over the galleries, as to their probable number, and he told me they had lately decreased very much, and that not more than twenty-five were now believed to be upon the rock.

Families of plump little monkeys were occasionally seen, but after they get to a certain size they all mysteriously disappeared. They must either die or get trapped— probably the latter. On Monday, while the yacht was replenishing her coal and " ST. GEORGE," R.Y.S. 16 water supplies, we took a drive across the so-called " neutral ground "—between the English and Spanish territory— to " Spanish Town," to see the amphitheatre where the bull fights are held. The attendant who showed us over it and all the paraphernalia used in connection with this brutal amusement, appeared to take a ghastly pleasure in drawing our special attention to the ambulance arrangements, and the cupboard of medicine and surgical appliances for the treatment of the wounded matadors. On our return to the yacht, all being now ready for leaving, we weighed anchor at 6-30 p.m., and steamed rapidly out of the bay and once more entered the Straits, with Europa light on our port-beam, and Ceuta light on our starboard.

As we shaped our course easterly for Cape de Gata, we gradually lost sight of this grand looking pile of grey rock (and which on this its southern side rises to the height of over 2000 feet), and as we gazed back at it, we were irresistibly impressed with its being, what indeed it really is, an immense natural fortress of enormous strength. The skill and art of the military engineer so lavishly expended upon it, has now made it practically impregnable, and such that it could only be re duced by the starvation of a long siege ; and as three years' provisions are always kept in store, to be successful it would have to be a very protracted one. We had the calmest ot weather for the first night of our second week at sea, and the morning broke with the loveliest of clear blue skies, reflected in the beautiful dark sapphire waters of the Mediterranean.

As we passed Cape de Gata we saw the snow-mantled and far stretching mountain range of the Sierra Nevada. We now lost sight of land for the next twenty-four hours, as we made for the African coast, passing Algiers and Bona, then between Serat and the small island of Galita, and after passing the Gulf of Tunis and Cape Bon we enter the Sicilian Sea, between the island of Pentalaria and the cost of Sicily, and arrive at Malta and come to anchor in the Senglea Creek of the Grand harbour of Valetta, at eight in the morning of Sunday, 1st February. The African coast is very uninteresting and is formed for the most part of low barren hills and sand dunes. The fine weather, glorious skies, and sea of oily smoothness that we began our second voyage with continued all the way, and deck games, &c, were again the order of the day.

The p. and o. steamer, Borne passed us on our way, and it may be worth mentioning to show the amount of travelling and mail accommodation this great steam navigation company affords to the public, that we met with two others of their fine vessels during our short stay at Gibraltar, the Kedike and the Ballarat — that is three in five days. My next letter will probably be from Aden, and as this one is already over extended, I will reserve my notes about Malta and its charming capital of Valetta to begin it with.

Letter 2. Malta To Aden

The repair of the damage which our " bonny new boat " as our captain dotingly calls the St. George had come by in her passage through the Bay of Biscay, took a much longer time to complete than was at first anticipated, so that we did not get away from Malta until the end of the fifth week of our arrival there. This prolonged detention, al though latterly becoming somewhat wearisome from tho uncertainty of its termination, had nevertheless the advantage of enabling us to enlarge our acquaintance with this charming and interesting island, or rather islands, for Malta's twin sister, Goza, has attractions of its own that well repaid us for visiting it. The climate of Malta at this time of the year is at its best, and barring an occasional " Gregale " (of which more anon) is pleasantly warm and yet refreshingly cool, es pecially in the evening.

Its moonlight nights are lovely beyond description, and many a jolly dance the sailors used to have on the fo'castle deck to the music of a Maltese string band that came out to us whenever the weather was suitable. Our days were characterized by clear skies and bright sunshine, relieved and refreshed with not too frequent showers of rain, which, however, had an inconvenient propensity to come on suddenly ; and if at times they are sharp they are always short, and such a thing as an out-and-out wet day is " ST. GEORGE," R.T.S. almost unknown in Malta. The Maltese winter is in entire contrast to that of England, for while in England vegetation is dead and dormant, Malta is clothed with the verdure of summer — the wild flowers of the way side and the cultivated crops of the fields and gardens being all at their best by the end of May.

Thereafter, however, except where artificial irri gation is in use, all this array of green entirely disappears — the subtropical heat and absence of rain scorching and withering up nearly every kind of plant life, and this state of things viewed in combination with the light brown and yellow colour of the soil and the white limestone walls to be seen thickly interlacing in all directions, give the country a look of absolute sterility for the rest of the summer. From November, however, until May, freshly gathered green peas and succulent salads, and every kind of culinary vegetables are to be had daily in abundance ; and as to the fruit, the orange and lemon groves of Verdala, Sant Antonia, Casal Lia, and other parts of the island are a sight to be remem bered, the trees being closely crowded together and yet loaded with fruit in -all stages of growth and ripeness.

It is certainly due to Malta to say that there is no more delicious tasting fruit to be found throughout all the fructiferous domains of Pomona than a fully ripe and freshly plucked Maltese blood orange. The Malta " season " extends from October to May, and is very well indicated by the monthly amounts of the offertories at the only English Church in Valetta — the Collegiate Church of St. Paul, in the Strada Ponente, — at least according to the financial statement for last year placed in the pews for the information of those attending it. Thus the offertories for January were £20, February £25, March £35, April £42, May £20, June £14, July £5, August £9, September £9, October £15, November £20, and December £23. Many of the visitors are regular Mediterranean winterers, who come to Malta because of the mildness of its temperature — snow never having been known to fall — to avoid the rigour and irregularities of the English winter.

The majority, however, consist of the families and visiting friends of the large number of officers of the Army and Navy stationed here, there being always about 7000 troops in garrison, and vari able sections of the Mediterranean Fleet in the harbour. Society at Malta moves on a pleasant footing of free and easy affability, and acquaintances being readily made, invitations follow in abundance to all sorts of social gatherings, games, and little gaieties. There are also public amusements of all kinds, a very good opera five nights a week, and the price so moderate that we only paid 25s. for a box for six ; balls, notably those given by the Army and Navy Union Club, regattas, military parades and reviews, polo matches, gym khana, game clubs, and a good free library and news room, &c, so that no one temporarily residing in Malta need suffer from ennui.

Malta has been styled Flor del Monde — the flower of the world — but although it has considerable claims to such au epithet, all of us thought that in strict propriety of definition this should only be regarded as a flower of speech excusable in Maltese patriotism. When, however, Valetta lays claim to the possession of one of the finest harbours of the world, all who have seen it will readily accredit it with this proud distinction. A good idea of the configuration of this fine harbour, and of the parts of the town that enclose it may be obtained by supposing the thumb of your right hand when turned back down with the fingers stretched well apart, to represent the position of the Quarantine harbour. The fore finger would now represent the Grand harbour, and the other three fingers respectively the three creeks that branch off from it, namely, Senglea, Arsenal, and English creeks.

On the outside of the thumb would lie the pleasant suburb of Sliema, with Fort Tigne at its northern extremity, lighting and defending the entrance into Quarantine harbour. Between the thumb and fore-finger will be Valetta, with Fort St. Elmo similarly situated, lighting and defending the entrance of the Grand harbour along with Fort Ricasoli on the opposite side of it. Between the fore and middle finger is the low hill of Corra dino, on which are the military and civil prisons. Between the middle and third finger is Senglea town, with Isola Fort at its harbour end. Between the third and fourth fingers is the town of Vittoriosa, with its famous Fort Saint Angelo looking proudly over the harbour, and from which the twelve o'clock time gun is daily fired. It was so called in honour of the gallant defence it made under Lavalette against the Turks in the year 1565.