The World of Waters - Mrs. David Osborne
"The Andainans--The inhabitants are probably cannibals; their
antipathy to strangers is singularly strong. They possess all the
characteristics of the negro, but scarcely know how to build a boat,
or manage a rope; however, they have acquired a little more
civilization since the foundation of an English establishment on the
Great Andaman, for the reception of criminals sent from Bengal.
"The Nicobar Isles are inhabited by a harmless inoffensive race of
people; and here, as also in Andaman, are found the edible
bird's-nests so much esteemed in China."
MR. BARRAUD. "These nests form an extensive article of commerce:
they are built by a little bird called the Jaimalani, black as jet,
and very much like a martin, but considerably smaller. The nests are
made of a slimy gelatinous substance found on the shore, of the
sea-weed called _agal-agal_, and of a soft, greenish, sizy matter,
often seen on rocks in the shade, when the water oozes from above.
The best are found in damp caves, very difficult of access. They are
sold at a high price, and considered a great luxury, consequently
only consumed by the great people of China, chiefly by the emperor
and his court."
MR. WILTON. "George looks as if he did not relish the idea of
feasting on bird's-nests. I believe the Chinese monopolize these
delicacies entirely, and they are quite welcome so to do, as they
are not esteemed elsewhere: so do not look so scornful George; the
inhabitants of the celestial empire would not offer _you_ a
bird's-nest for your supper if you paid them a visit. They cost, I
have heard, their weight in silver! Emma, can you tell me in what
sea to look for the Maldives?"
EMMA. "Yes, dear papa, Maldives and Laccadives are both in the
Arabian Sea. The first are small islands, or rocks, just above the
water. The Dutch trade with the natives for cowries, little shells
used as money on some parts of the coasts of Africa and India. Ships
from India sometimes resort thither to procure sharks' fins for
those epicures the Chinese, who consider them an excellent seasoning
for soup.
"The Laccadives are about five degrees further north, and are in
themselves larger islands, but not so numerous as the Maldives.
Bombay, which is the central point of communication between India
and Europe, is on the Arabian Sea. Have we not devoted sufficient
time to Asia, mamma?"
MRS. WILTON. "I scarcely think so, my dear; we could find subjects
for conversation which would profitably occupy the hours of many
meetings in this delightful quarter of the world. Remember here were
our first parents placed, when in innocence and happiness they were
created by Almighty God; here in the Garden of Eden they dwelt
enjoying the light of His countenance; here they fell in guilt and
misery, and were banished from the presence of their offended God;
here was the prophecy fulfilled, for here was born our Blessed
Saviour. By Him was the great and wondrous work of redemption
accomplished; He offered Himself a sacrifice for the sins of the
whole world; He gave us the Everlasting Gospel, and He has become
our mediator with God: by Him we gain access to the Father; by His
blood only can we be cleansed; by His merits only can we hope for
salvation; and only through His Grace assisting us can we perform
that which is right and well-pleasing in the eyes of our Heavenly
Father: then believing in Him, trusting in Him, rejoicing in Him,
Christ will be our All in all _here_, and All in all _hereafter_.
There are many lakes and small inland seas in Asia, memorable as
having been the scene of our Blessed Saviour's labors, trials, and
triumphs. Not the most insignificant on the list is the lake of
Genesareth, sometimes called the Sea of Galilee, or Sea of Tiberias;
for near here is situated Nazareth, the great city of Jesus Christ.
About six miles to the south stands the hill of Tabor, which a
venerable tradition assigns as the scene of Christ's
transfiguration; and on the south-west side of the Gulf of St. Jean
d'Acre is Mount Carmel, where, we are told, the prophet Elijah
proved his divine mission by the performance of many miracles.
Thousands of Christians once lived in caves of the rocks around this
mountain, which then was covered with chapels and gardens: at the
present day naught but scattered ruins remain to prove the truth of
these statements."
MR. WILTON. "A most extraordinary fact relating to this sea is, that
its waters are 300 feet below the level of the Mediterranean: and
this reminds me of the Dead Sea, situated in Palestine, which
covers from 450 to 500 square miles; for its waters are no less than
1300 feet below the Mediterranean. We are told by many who have
visited this sea, that neither fish nor shells are to be found in
it, and that its shores, frightfully barren, are never cheered by
the note of any bird. The inhabitants in its vicinity, however, are
not sensible of any noxious quality in its vapor; and the accounts
of birds falling down dead in attempting to fly over it are entirely
fabulous. The water is exceedingly nauseous, and the effluvia
arising from it unwholesome, but so buoyant, that gentlemen, who
have made the attempt from curiosity, have found it impossible to
sink. An Irishman, named Cortigan, some fifteen years ago, conveyed
a boat to the waters of the Dead Sea, and, aided by an old Maltese
sailor, rowed nearly all round. He was a week exploring, and
imagined he had made great discoveries; but no one knew what they
were, for on the eighth day he became seriously ill. He was carried
to the shore by his companion, and expired soon after in the hut of
a Bedouin Arab. We are led to believe that in this place stood the
famous cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, destroyed by the wrath of God,
and utterly buried beneath this bituminous lake."
GRANDY. "We have gone through our toils this evening with no
personal inconvenience; but that is owing to our travels being of
the mind instead of the body: for what man journeying through Arabia
but has felt the annoyances of heat, the pangs of thirst and
unutterable anguish from the horrors of a lingering death? That we
stay-at-home travellers may justly appreciate the blessings of home,
I will give you an instance of the sufferings of those who are
compelled to wander.
#The Slave Merchant.#
"The caravans which carry goods from Bagdat to Aleppo usually pass
by Anah. They pay tribute to the Arabs, who reckon themselves Lords
of the Desert, even to the east of Euphrates. They have to encounter
the dangers of the suffocating winds, the swarms of locusts, and the
failure of water, as soon as they depart from the line of the river.
A French traveller[9] tells us he witnessed one of the most
appalling scenes of this kind between Anah and Taibu. The locusts,
having devoured everything, perished in countless heaps, poisoning
with their dead bodies the ponds which usually afforded water when
no springs were near.
[Footnote 9: Maltebrun.]
"This traveller saw a Turk running down from a hillock, with despair
in his looks. 'I am,' cried he, 'the most ill-fated man in the
world. I have purchased, at an enormous rate, 200 young women, the
finest of Greece and Georgia. I brought them up with great care, and
now, when arrived at the age of marriage, I have come with them on
my way to Bagdat, thinking to dispose of them to advantage. Alas!
they are all now dying of thirst in this desert.' The traveller,
going round the hillock, beheld a sight of horror. In the midst of
twelve eunuchs and about a hundred camels, he saw all these girls,
from twelve to fifteen years old, stretched on the ground in the
agonies of a burning thirst and inevitable death. Some had already
been buried; a larger number had fallen down by the side of their
keepers, who had not sufficient strength left to bury them. On every
hand were heard the sobs of the dying; and the cries of those in
whom enough of life still remained, begging for a drop of water. The
traveller hastened to open his flask, in which a little water was
left, and was now offering it to one of these poor victims. 'You
fool!' exclaims his Arabian conductor, 'would you have _us_ also to
perish for want of water?' and with his arrow he laid the girl dead
at his feet; laid hold of the bottle, and threatened the life of any
one who dared to touch it. He advised the Turkish merchant to go on
to Taibu, where he would find water. 'No,' said the Turk, 'at Taibu
the robbers would carry off all my slaves.' The Arab forced the
traveller to accompany him. At the moment of their departure, these
unfortunates, losing the last ray of hope, uttered a piercing
shriek: the Arab was affected, he took one of the girls, poured some
drops of water on her burning lips, and placed her on his camel,
intending her as a present for his wife. The poor girl fainted
repeatedly on passing the dead bodies of her companions. The small
stock of water of the travellers was soon exhausted, when they
discovered a well of fresh clear water. Here, disconcerted by the
depth of the well, and the shortness of their rope, they tore their
clothes into strips, which they tied together, and, with this frail
cordage, contrived to take up the water in small quantities,
dreading the loss of their bucket, and the disappointment of their
hopes. Through such perils and anxieties, they at last found their
way to Syria."
MRS. WILTON. "With this we will conclude the evening's business; and
as we have been so much in the East, I have prepared a little
present for each of you, in the form of a Chinese Puzzle; and
whenever you exercise your patience on them (and I assure you they
will require it, for they are most ingenious) you will think of our
travels, and of the many little facts you learnt while visiting the
lands of other nations. Also, I wish you to endeavor to gain
knowledge, not merely for ornament and reputation, but because your
mind is a rich storehouse, by means of which you may glorify God,
and do much for the happiness of your fellow-creatures."
Mrs. Wilton then produced a beautiful Japan box, and, opening it,
displayed to the admiring gaze of the young party a number of
curious contrivances to tease and tire impatient folks, exquisitely
cut in ivory, and mother-of-pearl, and light woods. Each puzzle was
ticketed; and, highly delighted, they all sat down to partake of the
good things spread on the table, determined to vie with each other
in trials of skill and perseverance on their curious little toys. We
wish them success, and "Good night."
CHAPTER V.
There was an old and quiet man,
And by thy fire sat he:
"And now," he said, "to you I'll tell
A dismal thing which once befel
To a ship upon the sea."
"Oh, mamma, dear mamma," exclaimed Emma, bursting into the parlor
where Mrs. Wilton was sitting at work, "everything goes wrong
to-day. Look here, the postman has brought a note from Dora Leslie:
she has been to a party, caught a cold, and is obliged to remain in
the house for I know not how long. What can we do without her? I am
sure _my_ portion will not be ready; for, in the first place, I know
not how to begin with America: the number of seas, gulfs, and bays
quite puzzles me, and I have felt so miserable all day, because I
have no notes prepared for the meeting."
Mrs. Wilton continued her sewing while Emma thus gave vent to her
feelings; then quietly taking her hand, "My dear little girl," said
she, "sit down by me and listen.
"Many years ago there dwelt in a little cot on a hill's side an aged
matron and her grandchild; they were alone, but not lonely, for they
were happy in each other's society; their wants were few, and their
gratitude unbounded. There were no neighbors near them,--no gossips
to drop in upon them, and fritter away the precious moments. They
subsisted on the produce of their garden, and labored for their
daily bread in gladness of heart.
"Every morn, almost with the sun, Eva arose, fed the chickens that
fluttered around her, and went through her business merrily,--richly
rewarded by the approving smile of her aged parent, when she blessed
her darling before retiring to rest.
"But 'man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward,' and this
happy pair were not exempt from the curse. One night, the wind blew,
the rain fell in torrents, thunder and lightning rent the skies,
and, in fear and trembling, the aged woman and her fair grandchild
wept and prayed, until the glorious sun rose above the horizon, and
proclaimed the advent of another day. Then Eva stepped to the
cottage door, and gazed in speechless agony on the devastation
wrought by the fury of the elements in one single night. The
beautiful path, lately so trim and neat, which led to her garden,
was blocked up with stones borne from the mountain's side by the
violence of the torrent. Her vines were crushed and drooping; and
even the poor birds came not to her side, but remained crowded
together in a corner under the shade of the cottage roof.
"'Alas! alas!' cried she, 'where is the pretty path I used to
tread,--where are my flowers, my shrubs,--where all my joys and
happiness? Gone! gone! and left desolation and misery in their
stead. I cannot repair this damage, I shall no longer have pleasure
in my work, for _one_ storm has undone the toil of months; and now
our cottage must stand in a wilderness, our garden must be overgrown
with weeds, and my chickens must die of starvation!' then, wringing
her hands, she sank on the earth and wept.
"How long she wept I know not, but she was aroused by a gentle
pressure on her shoulder; and, raising her eyes, she beheld a
beautiful female, whose cheerful, good-natured countenance put to
shame the tears of despair which bedewed the cheeks of the fair Eva.
"'Why weepest thou?' said she; 'why not be up and doing? What _has_
been done, can in like manner be again effected. Arise, and follow
me.'
"'But I am alone,' remonstrated the weeping girl; 'and without
assistance am unable to repair these ravages.'
"'I will assist thee,' replied her beauteous visitor; 'fear not,
together we will accomplish much.' So saying, she led forth the
gentle girl, and in a few hours their voices might be heard in one
united stream of flowing harmony, filling the air with delicious
sounds, and the heart of the aged woman with rapture.
"For many days, Eva worked in company with her angelic friend,
until, at length, Desolation acknowledged her power, and
disappeared. Her garden was restored to its pristine beauty,--the
path was cleared.--her favorites flocked around her; and again
kneeling in thankfulness at her grandmother's feet, she read her
evening lesson, and praised Almighty God, who in love and mercy sent
'Peace on earth, Goodwill toward all men.' Now, my child, who
thinkest thou was Eva's helpmate?"
"I know not, dear mamma, unless it were Perseverance."
"No, my dear," replied Mrs. Wilton; "Perseverance might have
hindered instead of assisting her; she might have persevered in her
resolution to await the total destruction of her little property.
No, her heavenly companion was 'Goodwill.' Entreat her aid, Emma,
set about your task with renewed energy, and certain I am that you
will be successful."
Emma Wilton appreciated her mamma's kindness, and the result of her
labors will be seen in the following pages.
"I see one of our number missing," said Mr. Wilton, as he opened the
large Atlas. "What has become of Dora Leslie?"
"She is slightly indisposed, my dear," replied Mrs. Wilton; "but
Emma will be her substitute."
"What an industrious little girl!" exclaimed her papa; "and you are
really going to supply the meeting with information sufficient to
prevent us from feeling the loss of your friend. You are resolved we
shall not be becalmed, eh?"
"Ah! papa, you know not what has happened. I have been nearly
becalmed, but, in a lucky moment, mamma sent a gentle breeze which
filled my sails, and carried me gaily on my course, or I fear I
should have been ill prepared to supply the deficiencies to-night.
If the members approve the following plan, we will act upon it. I
propose, that we start from England, cross the North Atlantic Ocean,
enter Baffin's Bay by Davis's Straits, and following the coast, work
our way round to the other waters in America."
MR. WILTON. "I see not the slightest objection to the plan; and we
will call at all the islands which lie in our way, beginning with
Madeira. This name is a corruption of Madera[10], so called by its
first discoverers on account of the uncommon luxuriance of its
foliage. It is an exquisitely beautiful island, with every variety
of climate in various parts: the soil is volcanic, though there has
been no eruption within the memory of man. Madeira belongs to the
Portuguese, and lies north of the Canaries. Madeira is about sixty
miles long, and forty broad: its chief town is Funchal.
[Footnote 10: Madera signifies wooded.]
"The Canary Isles, formerly called Fortunate Isles, belong to Spain.
The three largest are Grand Canary, Teneriffe, and Ferro. These
islands are famous for wine, and those pretty little singing birds
called Canaries.
"Teneriffe, the second in size, is remarkable for a volcanic
mountain, called the Peak."
CHARLES. "Are we not going out of our way, sir, to look at these
islands? Baffin's Bay is much more to the north."
MR. WILTON. "You are right, Charles; but on voyages of discovery we
are permitted to wander hither and thither at will, so long as it be
for the advantage of all parties."
GEORGE. "But ships of war, papa, may not go out of the way: they are
obliged to be very orderly, are they not?"
MR. WILTON. "So long as the winds will allow them, they keep on
their course together, but adverse winds will send them far asunder
at times, as in the case of the destruction of the Spanish Armada
'He blew with His winds, and they were scattered,' was the motto
inscribed on the medal Queen Elizabeth caused to be struck in
commemoration of that great victory."
MR. BARRAUD. "England can never forget the destruction of the
Spanish Armada, for it was the immediate cause of the acquisition of
so many colonies to England. The signal success which attended Sir
Francis Drake and others, induced them again to sally forth with
sanguine hopes of extending the kingdom of their sovereign. This was
providential; at least, that is my view of it: all this was wisely
arranged that England might, by obtaining dependencies, strive to
enlighten, moralize, and spiritualize the people who acknowledged
the same temporal sovereign with herself, that in due time they
might also acknowledge the same spiritual sovereign."
GEORGE. "I should like to go on board a man-of-war, and see all the
arrangements; because so many men on board one ship must need close
packing, I should think."
MR. WILTON. "You shall be gratified, my boy. Put on your coat and
hat: we will go on board one of Her Majesty's ships before the
gentlemen have dined."
EMMA. "Papa is only joking, George; you may sit still. I can guess
what you are going to say, papa. 'Is not our voyage imaginary, and
should we not be consistent?' Am I right?"
MR. WILTON. "Very nearly, my dear. You are very sharp to-night: the
extra duty has quickened your discernment."
CHARLES. "I enjoy this imaginary travelling very much; but I must
confess, if everything connected with it is to be consistent, I
shall not be at all satisfied with my supper."
"No! no!" exclaimed the other children; "supper is to be real,
because we get really hungry."
"But, papa," added George, "can you tell me any of the ways of a
man-of-war?"
MR. WILTON. "Yes, my dear. I will fulfil my promise, and initiate
you in some of the mysteries which are enacted at dinner-time on
board of one of these wonderful vessels. As the hour of noon
approaches, the cooks of the messes may be seen coming up the fore
and main hatchways with their mess-kids in their hands, the hoops of
which are kept as bright as silver, and the woodwork as neat and as
clean as the pail of the most tidy dairymaid. The grog also is now
mixed in a large tub, under the half-deck, by the quarter-masters of
the watch below, assisted by other leading and responsible men
among the ship's company, closely superintended, of course, by the
mate of the hold, to see that no liquor is abstracted, and also by
the purser's steward, who regulates the exact quantity of spirits
and of water to be measured out. The seamen, whose next turn it is
to take the wheel, or heave the lead, or who have to mount the
mast-head to look out, as well as the marines who are to be planted
as sentries at noon, are allowed to take both their dinner and their
grog beforehand. These persons are called 'seven-bell-men,' from the
hour at which they have their allowance served to them.
"Long before twelve o'clock all these and various other minor
preparations have been so completely made, that there is generally a
remarkable stillness over the whole ship just before the important
moment of noon arrives. The boatswain stands near the break of the
forecastle, with his bright silver call or whistle in his hand,
which ever and anon he places just at the tip of his lips to blow
out any crumbs which threaten to interfere with its melody, or to
give a faint' too-weet, too-weet,' as a preparatory note to fix the
attention of the boatswain's mates, who being, like their chief,
provided with calls, station themselves at intervals along the
main-deck, ready to give due accompaniment to their leader's tune.
"The boatswain keeps his eye on the group of observers, and well
knows when the 'sun is up' by the stir which takes place amongst the
astronomers; or by noticing the master working out his latitude
with a pencil on the ebony bar of his quadrant or on the edge of the
hammock railing,--though, if he be one of your modern, neat-handed
navigators, he carries his look-book for this purpose. In one way or
other the latitude is computed as soon as the master is satisfied
the sun has reached his highest altitude in the heavens. He then
walks aft to the officer of the watch, and reports twelve o'clock,
communicating also the degrees and minutes of the latitude observed.
The lieutenant proceeds to the captain wherever he may be, and
reports that it is twelve and that so-and-so is the latitude. The
same formal round of reports is gone through, even if the captain be
on deck and has heard every word spoken by the master, or even if he
have himself assisted in making the observation.
"The captain now says to the officer of the watch, 'Make it twelve!'
The officer calls out to the mate of the watch, 'Make it twelve!'
The mate, ready primed, sings out to the quarter-master, 'Strike
eight bells.'
"And lastly, the hard-a-weather old quarter-master, stepping down
the ladder, grunts out to the sentry at the cabin door, 'Turn the
glass, and strike the bell!'
"By this time the boatswain's call has been in his mouth for several
minutes, his elbow in the air, and his finger on the stop, ready to
send forth the glad tidings of a hearty meal. Not less ready, or
less eager, are the groups of listeners seated at their snow-white
deal tables below, or the crowd surrounding the coppers, with their
mess-kids acting the part of drums to their impatient knuckles. At
the first stroke of the bell, which, at this particular hour, is
always sounded with peculiar vivacity, the officer of the watch
exclaims to the boatswain, 'Pipe to dinner!'
"These words, followed by a glorious burst of shrill sounds, 'long
drawn out,' are hailed with a murmur of delight by many a hungry tar
and many a jolly marine. The merry notes are nearly drowned the next
instant in the rattle of tubs and kettles, the voices of the ship's
cook and his mates bawling out the numbers of the messes, as well as
by the sound of feet tramping along the decks and down the ladders
with the steaming ample store of provisions, such as set up and
brace the seaman's frame, and give it vigor for any amount of
physical action.
"Then comes the 'joyous grog!' that nautical nectar, so dear to the
lips of every true-hearted sailor, with which he washes down Her
Majesty's junk, as he roughly but good-humoredly styles the
government allowance of beef; and while he quaffs off his portion,
or his whack, as he calls it, he envies no man alive, and laughs to
scorn those party philanthropists who describe his life as one of
unhappy servitude. The real truth is, there is no set of men in the
world, in their condition of life, who are better taken care of than
the sailors and marines of the navy, or who, upon the whole, are
more content and happy. There, George, what think you of all that?"
GEORGE. "Why, that they must be a merry set of fellows, and I should
like to be a 'Middy' amongst them."
EMMA. "Oh! George, do not wish to be a sailor: remember Frederic
Hamilton.--The next islands we come in sight of are Cape Yerd
Islands near Africa. They were discovered in 1446 by the Portuguese,
their present proprietors; they are remarkably fertile. St. Jago is
the largest, and is the residence of the Portuguese viceroy."