Amy and Marion's voyage around the world

Chapter I. They Embakk

HE long summer vacation was over, and

Mr. Clinton's school for young ladies was

reopened in No. 63 street, Boston, on the

last Monday of September, 18 — . That day was

given up to the arrangement of seats and classes

for the year, and no brain-work was done except

by the gentleman who was preparing to resume

his task, his life-work, which might be compared

to the cultivation of thirty-two pieces of ground ;

some fertile and ready for the seed that should (7)

be sown, some naturally good, but choked with gaudy, useless weeds, and all different.

The weight of his responsibilities pressed so heavily upon Mr. Clinton as he reorganized his old classes, and found out how much knowledge the new pupils possessed, that when half-past eleven came he was glad to ring Ms bell and announce a half-hour recess.

The hubbub that ensued Was worse than if ten beehives had been upset all at once.

"Where have you been all summer?" "Oh! at the Shoals. I had such fun!" "Newport is ever so much nicer, don't you think so?" "Isn't it dismal to come back here and grind all winter ? " Questions and answers grew more and more emphatic, until one question seemed to prevail among a group of girls who were perched upon their desks, consuming cookies and doughnuts. "Where is Marion Gilmer? Isn't she coming back this year ? "

"Marion Gilmer is down stairs,, and says she has only come to get her books and say good-bye," said one who had come from the lower entry. A cry of disapprobation arose, and the said Marion entered in time to be complimented by it.

"Not coming here to school any more, Marion! Why not? You're not going to Miss Leighton's instead, you naughty girl ? "

"Friends, do be quiet," said the favorite Marion. "Let me announce my solemn news. No more Virgil for me ! Farewell to compositions upon the relation of the universe to the soul of man ! I am going around the world in a great ship. I start next week for Cape Horn and the Antarctic Zone."

Her bewildered hearers could only entreat for further particulars.

"Why, the whole story is this: My cousin, Amy Roslyn, has a sailor brother, captain of the 'Lyra,' who is going to take her on his next voyage, and he asked Papa to let me go also, to keep her from being homesick. Papa meditated upon the subject, and wisely concluded that I might gain from the heathen world some education that would not be found in this House of Instruction and Correction, so he consented. Gussie Knowles knows all about it, for she is Amy's friend as well as mine, but I told her not to breathe a word of it to any of you, because I wanted the fun of coming in and making you stare." And Marion drew a long breath, while her face beaming with satisfaction implied that the fun had exceeded all her hopes.

Everybody congratulated and envied her, and commented variously upon Marion's great expectations.

"A voyage round Cape Horn to San Francisco, then to China and the East Indies ! How romantic!" said Clara Hayes. "Won't you write to us, Marion? "

" Oh, dear girls ! it would keep me writing the whole time to correspond with all of you ; but Gussie Knowles will get long journal letters from us both, and she will read them to you;

but, oh ! there's the bell, and I have not taken leave of Mr. Clinton. Good-bye, dear creatures." And Marion, escaping from overwhelming hugs, shook hands with her kind teacher, and left the halls of learning behind her with no regrets, but bright anticipations of the future.

Marion Gilmer and her cousin Amy Roslyn, were well adapted for a long voyage in each other's company, for there was a "harmonious difference" of character between them that is apt to form the basis of a true friendship; each admiring and depending upon the qualities in the other lacking in herself. Their letters and journals will give a better idea of each one, perhaps, than could any formal description ; and a word sketch of Marion's round, merry face, short, solid figure, changeable gray eyes ; of Amy's slender, graceful form, and sweet, pale face lighted up by brown eyes that could sparkle brilliantly with fun, or grow soft and hazy with musing, will give the outside view of these two girls who were about to enter together upon a chapter of their lives that was to be entirely different from any preceding one.

Their delight in the prospect of a voyage to strange, eastern lands nearly turned their heads during the weeks of preparation. With the assistance of sober-minded and practical friends, however, they managed to accomplish the necessary shopping and packing, and at last came a day when these helpful ones had performed their last offices for the young travellers, and were wandering mournfully about their deserted rooms, while in the clear October weather, with hopes as gay and bright as the autumn leaves, the girls went out to sea.

Ship " Lye A," Atlantic Ocean, October 30th.

I begin to-day, dear old Gussie, my part of the joint journal-letter that Amy and I threatened to inflict upon you, for she says I shall describe the horrors of our first three days' experience in a far more graphic and touching manner than she ever could, and I do not consider it worth while to contradict her.

But first, I want you to realize how blissful we are at this present moment. Storms, Gulf Stream, and sea-sickness are things of the past ; their memory only increases our comfort, for we are sailing through smooth blue waters; my ink-bottle stands safely on the wooden skylight that serves me as a writing table, and you may judge from that how calm the "wild Atlantic" is to-day.

Amy is stretched out in a great chair under the shadow of the " mizzen mast," for we are on "the house," (the roof of our large cabin which, is sixty feet long, and the favorite resort of passengers), and every now and then she turns from her rapturous gazing at the quiet sea to take a bite of an apple, and exclaim: " Marion, this is truly bliss ! This is worth that awful Gulf Stream ! " Now I must really begin to tell you what our experience has been thus far.

The " Lyra " went out of New York harbor with a rousing breeze, and we were ready to scream with joy until we got near the Highlands of Navesink, for everything seemed perfect as possible, — our ship was such a fine one, — and the idea of our voyage grew more romantic with every mile, — or knot, for do let us be nautical in our terms.

Finally, Amy said: "Marion, I'm going down into the cabin to get another apple." "You will never come up if you do," was my solemn warning,; but the rash girl departed, and when I reluctantly went in search of her, some time after, there she was, flat on her back in her berth. The first sight of her aroused within me feelings which, as Mark Twain says, were " peculiar, but not entertaining," but I put them down with stern determination, and went to the dinner-table, where the captain received me with commendations.

"You are a brave girl, Marion, and will make a fine sailor. Have some stewed onions ? "

(advancing a spoonful of what looked like greasy seaweed). A silent shake of the head was the only answer on the part of the " brave girl and fine sailor." " Miss Gilmer looks pale," remarked Mr. Duncan, the mate, with a mischievous glance. " Nonsense ! she isn 't going to be sick. Why, Marion, my girl ! " But the heroic young female was departing with more speed than dignity, and burst into her state-room, crying to the prostrate sufferer in the lower berth: "Oh! Amy, I am sick! Oh! is n't it dreadful ! What shall I do ? " " Climb up into your berth, and lie down flat ; the motion is growing worse and worse." So all that day there were two doleful beings in those narrow quarters, trying to comfort each other. The stewardess is Irish, and of all the funny women she might take the prize. Every little while she would enter, and balancing herself against the wall would observe: "Well, young ladies! I've come to see how ye was gettin' along," and then would come some anecdote of captains' wives and daughters whom she had attended through the most unheard of experiences, until, sick as we were, we had to laugh. The captain heard us, and shouted : " Well ! I never heard seasick passengers make such cheerful sounds before. Girls, come out of that room. You are only — i making believe,' I know."

There was not much laughter in the " Lyra's " cabin on the following day, you may be assured, for we had a lively experience of the Gulf Stream under the influence of "a stiff nor'- easter " and enough queer things happened to amuse any girls not ill and half-scared as we were. I made a desperate venture, and in some ungraceful manner succeeded in reaching one of the cabin sofas (of which there are two in opposite alcoves), and clutching the mahogany ridge at the top to keep from sliding off, I lay all through that day, while the ship rolled in a way that any decent vessel would be ashamed of, except in the Gulf Stream.

Now and then a general crash enlivened me. I saw through the door that leads to the "forward cabin," our dining-room, various strange performances, such as a sugar barrel promenading the floor, and the stewardess falling down with a dish of pickles that bounced far and wide. Amy's state-room door opened, and a dishevelled" maiden looked forth, longing to gain the opposite sofa, but fearing to attempt the passage across the cabin, which slanted like Somerset street hill, first in one direction, then in the other. She made a rush at last, and was thrown violently upon the sofa, from which soon after she was forcibly impelled, and fell with a startling thump upon the cabin floor as an unusually big wave struck the ship. At the moment of Amy's fall, everything that could follow her example did so ; chairs upset, books tumbled out of the captain's shelf, and I was edified to behold Doddridge's " Rise and Progress" coasting across the cabin, pursued by an empty bottle and half-a-dozen apples from a plate on the sideboard.

T was not sick enough to want to be thrown into the sea, though I have a lurking suspicion that such was the case with poor Amy, but I felt very uncomfortably, and when a tall, shaggy-coated figure stood before me, and a cheery voice said : " Miss Gilmer, the captain says you must come on deck, for you are not sick enough to stay down here, and he won't allow it," I groaned in reply : " I can't think of such a thing."

Our first officer is a man of determination, and he at last succeeded in getting me on deck, where I sat on a wooden thing they call " the bumpkin," and held on for dear life to a " belaying pin," while I saw the great, green billows towering behind us and breaking in showers of spray; the vessel all the while prancing up and down like a rocking-horse. It was glorious, and I began to revive as the strong salt wind blew in my face, nearly taking my breath away.

Amy was longer than I in recovering, but now we are in a region of pleasant, moderate winds, where we can begin to enjoy sea-life in earnest. - She tells me I have written enough for the present, and must let her take up the pen.

November 29£A.

Dear Gussie: I thought I would not continue this narrative till I had gained a more settled experience of sea-life, and now we are as much at home on this noble vessel as if we had sailed in her for months. I wish you could look in upon us and see how comfortable we are. Marion's account of our seasick days may lead you to think that we share one state-room, but it was only so at first, because " misery loves company." The captain has fitted up a separate room for her, and has taken away the upper - berth from my room to give me plenty of light and air. The carpenter made me a set of shelves for books, and one small shelf for a kind of dressing-table is fastened to the wall under my looking-glass. I have pictures of all kinds adorning my walls, and some of the ferns that you and I gathered and pressed last summer, droop gracefully above them.

Our parlor, or " after-cabin," is quite a large, pleasant room, lighted by two windows and a skylight. Its walls are of a dark, polished mahogany ; and a cabinet-organ, marble-topped centre-table, velvet sofas, easy chairs, and a Brussels carpet (very much faded), give it a homelike aspect. There are cupboards in the wall where we keep our work and boxes of sewing materials. Spare state-rooms are places of general stowage, and the captain has a little office leading from the parlor cabin, which is furnished with a great hair-cloth sofa, a desk, and many nautical instruments.

Thus you see, dear, that we can be very comfortable at sea, and I do not believe your imagination ever pictured such a view of cosiness on board of a ship as our cabin presents on a rainy evening when the swinging lamp sheds a soft light upon the captain in his reclining chair, listening to Amy playing on the organi or to Marion reading aloud, while the pattering rain on the skylight and the dash of waves against the vessel's side, make us exclaim occasionally : " How comfortable we are ! Where are the anticipated hardships of a sea-life?" My brother smiles significantly, as he replies : " They will come in time. We are not round the Horn, or near it yet."

We seldom have to spend an evening in the cabin, for moonlight or starlight nights are far more frequent than rainy ones, and we sit upon the house hearing the sailors' songs, when, at half-past seven the order " pump ship " is given, or we watch the stars, or the phosphorescence in our wake, or promenade the deck together. I must confess, though, that our chief occupation on pleasant evenings is to converse with the first and second mates, whichever happens to be " standing his watch " on deck, and you will doubtless hear enough of these worthies before our voyage is ended, to be glad of a description of their characteristics now, before I proceed with my narration.

Alexander Duncan, the first mate, is a very tall, broad-shouldered Scotchman, with a pleasant, sun-burnt face, whose frank blue eyes make you sure he is a person to be* trusted. He is not very Scotch in his ways or accent, — rather Western, perhaps, for nearly all his life has been spent in Iowa when not at sea, and though he does not appear to have had the best educational and social advantages, he is so truly one of nature's noblemen, that a lack of external polish might be readily pardoned him.

Our second officer, Ned Fordyce, is a much more stylish individual than Mr. Duncan. He is the son of a wealthy Philadelphia merchant. Having completed his junior year at college he was obliged to give up study on account of severe headaches ; therefore, as the sea had been his passion from boyhood, he chose a sailor's life, and rapidly worked his way up from the lowest position of a seaman to that which he now occupies. He is full of fun, and so entertaining that I wish we could have him at our table instead of the graver first mate ; but it is the custom for the latter dignitary to eat with the captain, and there must always be one mate on deck to look after the ship.

Of our dear captain you need no description, for you know almost as well as I do, that no sister was ever blessed with a better brother than he has been to me, although during my childhood our intercourse was only occasional, because of his roving life. It is a great pleasure now to be with him all the time, gaining a more intimate friendship with the elder brother to whom my childish eyes used to look up as to the personification of everything noble and manly. I shall endeavor to let Marion do all the affectionate raving about him after this, for it will not sound so badly from a cousin as from his own sister.

Now the warm weather has come. We crossed the equator on the twenty-second of this month, and are in a region of pleasant breezes, which bear us gently on through the bluest water, specked here and there with foam. An awning over the deck where we sit makes a pleasant shade, and I am so lazy that to swing in a hammock and gaze at the fleecy clouds which float above the far horizon, is all that I am inclined to do a great part of the time, while my energetic cousin, whose faculties become stronger as the weather grows hotter, studies Latin with the captain, knits worsted garments for all her infant relatives (to be sent by mail from California when we arrive there), and reads to me when her eyes will allow it. The light on the water seems to affect them disagreeably, so she can not read or study long at a time ; but I read to her generally, and she manages to entertain herself with something.

There is one hour of the clay, Gnssie, when I give my mental powers some work to do, whether they like it or not, — and that is from nine to ten A.M., at which time I take my seat at the table in our dining-room, and instruct Bob, the cabin-boy, in spelling, grammar, writing, and arithmetic. You know I always had a penchant for teaching, and if I should ever find it a necessity to earn my own living, that employment would be my choice. I find much enjoyment in this occupation, therefore, except on these warm, dreamy days, when it is a little hard for me to apply myself readily to anything.

I suppose you wondered how we kept Thanksgiving-day at sea. It was a very delightful day to me, for I never had more reason for thanksgiving. After long and frequent separations from my brother, to be sailing around the world with him and dear Marion seemed more like a dream of joy than a reality.

26 Amy and MariovC* Voyage.

Our steward did himself credit by a dinner that was worthy of the day. Among the courses appeared salmon and green peas (canned), which, with the warm air, might have led us to think we were celebrating the fourth of July rather than the last Thursday in November. That evening was one of the most enchanting I ever knew. The golden and rosy clouds in the west were hardly faded when the full moon in the east threw a sheen over everything. Its light was not spectral, as we see it in our northern latitude, but something between golden and silvery, and it made the sails almost dazzling, while the intricate ropes were reflected on them with delicate tracery. We could see to read with the greatest ease. Being becalmed, there was scarcely a ripple on the sea, and we could discern a nautilus floating quietly along in the moonbeam's track, " trimming its lateen sail." All was breathless, seemingly, while the voices of the men came like the far-off sounds of a village when the day's work is ended. The

They Emharh. 27

night was what one might call intoxicating, and a wild ecstasy took possession of me, making me feel like doing almost anything extraordinary ; so, to Marion's horror, I climbed out on the " channels " and sat there looking down into the water.

I do not know if I can make yon understand what the channels are, but suffice it to say they look somewhat like shelves fastened to the outside of the ship, and to get out on them was a rash act more suited to Marion than to the quiet Amy. I took advantage of my brother being in the cabin in order to perform this great feat, but was interrupted in my pleasure by the alarmed Mr. Duncan who sprang forward, and begged " Miss Eoslyn " to let him help her out of her dangerous position.

The sailors on the main deck were indulging in various sports, such as "hunt the slipper," or trotting out an imaginary horse, — one of the men on all fours, covered with sail-cloth, and ridden by another, who belabored his sides unmercifully. The stentorian voice of the boatswain would occasionally rise above the tumult in the refrain of some good Methodist hymn, for this man, a strong, fine-looking fellow, and one of the jolliest of the crew, is much addicted to hymn-singing, and sits in his room during many of his spare hours with his feet up on his blue chest, a pipe in one hand and a Wesleyan collection of hymns in the other, making melody that sadly interferes with the slumbers of those sailors who are taking their "watch below."

On Sundays every man in the ship (except the one at the wheel and the officer who is on duty), comes into the dining-room to attend the morning service, and an interesting sight it is, that row of men and boys, some rough, hardlooking characters, some with very intelligent faces, — with scarcely an exception, giving earnest, respectful attention to their young captain as he stands before them to read and explain the Word of God. Marion and I have to start the tunes, and I wish you could hear those men join in with all the strength of twenty-five pairs of lungs ! I haye always disliked the operatic singing by quartettes in many of our churches, as a mockery of the minister's words, when he rises to say "Let us praise God by singing the one hundred fifty-second hymn;" but when our sailors burst out with " I'm glad salvation's free," as if they know it is, and are glad of it, I think it comes nearer the right kind of worship.

We have passed many vessels since we left New York, and when they come near enough their captains carry on conversation with our captain by means of signal flags which are numbered. For example, a vessel sends up six, two, two, four, and by referring to our signal-book we see that those numbers indicate, "The Sovereign of the Seas;" then we tell them the name of this ship, and a great deal of information respecting the ports to which they are bound; from what port, how many days out, with what cargo, etc., is signalled between the ocean wayfarers, sometimes ending with the numbers six, three, eight, nine, from one vessel, that is, "Wish you a pleasant voyage ; " and five, seven, eight, three, in reply, meaning " Many thanks."

Our great ensign was torn soon after we left New York, and I generously offered to devote my time and strength to its repairing, not realizing its size, for it doesn't look so monstrous when floating on the breeze far above us ; but they all laughed when they saw me on a low stool with yards of red, white and blue bunting spreading from my lap far over the cabin floor, while I toiled with needle and thimble, feeling that I had undertaken quite a serious piece of business ; and Marion, for a wonder in a lazy fit lay on the sofa watching my progress and declaring that she wouldn't take so many stitches to save every flag in the United States from ruin.

Chapter II. Off Cape Hoen

MARION'S STORY.

December 8th.

E are beginning to have cold weather now, although we still sit on deck nearly all the time, but in a few days the cabin will be our abiding place when we are engaged in our regular employments. Do you wish to hear what some of mine are ? An account of yesterday's doings will give you a fair specimen of the way in which many of my days have been spent.

Directly after breakfast I burdened myself with the first volume of Prescott's " Ferdinand and Isabella," and swallowed my daily dose of history ; then with my Latin books I went up to sit on the house and freeze my mortal

32 Amy and Marioris Voyage.

frame in the sharp wind, while my mental powers combated with Virgil and the dictionary. I hope by the time I see my native shores to know more of Latin than I did in the intelligere non possum days, — which our schoolmate rendered " the possum is not an intelligent animal" — if the "pluck" which Mr. Fordyce compliments (after seeing me pore over my books with a visage like a thunder cloud,) will only hold out.

When that labor was over, finding that Arthur and Amy had left the cabin I went down to indulge in the rare opportunity of practising on the organ without any one to be agonized by the wails my uncultivated genius draws out of that small instrument. It isn't too sweet-toned at any time, and being used by mice as a boarding-house since it left Mason & Hamlin's Organ Rooms, has not improved its natural gifts. When I begin to blow I am not at all unlikely to see a long-tailed boarder rush out from under my feet; but I am not to be deterred by mice from learning to play my favorite tune, (the one in "Hymns Ancient and Modern," set to "Jerusalem the Golden"). Cousin Arthur comes in and watches my struggles with the keys and the bellows, pats me on the shoulder with the encouraging remark: " You'll learn some time, Breezie, don't despair;" but compassion for his and Amy's musical ears soon causes me to stop.

After dinner I allow myself the relaxation of reading Cooper's "Water Witch," or we gather in the captain's office, he reading aloud to us while we sew or draw. The evenings are growing very long as we come near the Cape, for December is midsummer with the Patagonians, and in two weeks I 'm afraid it won't be dark enough for us to wish to go to bed all night long.

December 20th.

I am writing under very comical difficulties to-day, my dear, and does it not seem as if all the worst features of sea-life fall to my share in writing to you, leaving Amy only the descriptions of peaceful days and moonlight nights? The existing difficulties are that the low easy chair in which I have established myself takes an occasional promenade of about four feet from the table, which is fastened by iron staples to the floor, and has my inkstand tied upon it in a way that no one but our Captain Arthur would have thought of. There, now ! a great roll of the ship ! I hastily take a penful of ink and slide off in my chair, writing all the time ; the next roll will bring me back to the table in time to dip my pen into the ink again.

A penetrating cold and dampness prevails, and the rolling and pitching will increase I suppose, till we are safely past Cape Horn. We have the funniest little stove imaginable in our parlor ; eighteen inches in height, and eight in width, by actual measurement. There was an uproar of laughter from the passengers when the captain brought it out of obscurity to be our comfort in this cold region, and we soon found that we needn't expect much comfort from it, for it will not keep a fire alive more than ten minutes at a time, if not attended to as often as that, and the flame goes out like a flash on the slightest provocation. Now it is an impossibility for any mortal to remember every ten minutes to throw in two lumps of coal ; consequently, we have n't attempted often to keep it up, and when the after-cabin becomes very chilly, we go into the dining-room and thaw by a generous stove that gives all the heat any frigid person could want. There we girls take no end of comfort, sitting cosily by the stove with our sewing, or writing by the table. One of the officers generally comes in when we are there (the one whose turn it happens to be to take his watch below), and spends an hour in playing chess with Amy, or I read aloud from a volume of Dickens while he sews. " While he sews ! " I seem to hear you repeat in wonder. Yes ! Mr. Duncan brings an old raisin box, wherein are collected divers implements of needle-work, and sits down with the utmost gravity to darn stockings, or put in patches, looking not a bit less manly than when he stands on deck to order the sailors, though I thought I should never stop laughing when I first saw him at that employment. The mother and sisters of Mr. Fordyce have fitted him out in style with a handsome sewing-case, but he doesn't handle his needle so skilfully as Mr. Duncan does, not having been obliged for so many years to take Ms own stitches. Do you think I am hard-hearted to let these poor fellows do their own darning and patching? Well, I do sew for them sometimes, and Mr. Duncan, not being used to have girls help him in these trifles, is so grateful when I propose it that I would sew for him oftener, but the other youth is rather cool and easy in his ways, — one of the lords of creation who consider it perfectly right and natural to have us wait on them, and I don't think it is worth while to make my services too common.