When day broke this morning everybody on the good old Tungchow, as well as (we may believe) the horses, dogs, and the ships cat breathed a sign' of relief; for the blue sea gleamed brightly under fa sun in a cloudless sky and, for a wonder, was actually smooth, The ship, reported to be some 400 miles from Shanghai, cannot reach its, destination until about to-morro\ noon, two days late; but no one disposed to make any complaint at the delay, so glad are all that the infernal rolling and pitching that has marked the voyage up to midnight last night is ended.
Tt may be confessed that there have been times when some of the Passengers, to state the facts mildly, felt none too sure of ever again seeing the pleasant muddy water of the Whangpoo or the delightfully-to-be-remembered unshakeable structures of the Shanghai Bund. From the time of leaving its berth at 'Tungku the 'Tungchow seemed to be "hoodooed." It was suggested that some Jonah was on board and that. wind and sea were doing their best,.or worst, to force his expulsion,' The theory seemed worth considering, but no one willing to assume the position of culprit could be found and, consequently or inconsequently, the ship, staggered and. tossed its way rom Tangku to Chefoo and from Weihaiwei to the middle of the Yellow Sea, where, owing to the devilish ingenuity of implacable Neptune it was compelled to turn tail and scurry back northward. Reports stated that a aad ints south directly toward:
infinitesimal spot in the sea torapled by our cordingly to steam as rapidly as the engines could be persuaded operate to the safe anchorage of Tsingtao harbour, For some hours after the change in the direction of the ship was effected grent relief was experienced by every one; the ship ploughed through the waves very comfortably, and at an agreeable speed; but the equanimity of the passengers was not of long duration, for by noon (the 26th) the wind' had shifted, und the ship, apparently refreshed by several hours of fairly smooth. sailing, with quite demoniacal gusto once again sprang to its temporarily interrupted pastime of aping a bucking bronchi, There were some passengers who seemed not only to pass unmoved through the dizzying gyrations of the too headstrong ship, but even. to glory in it all. 'The others, however, in more or less conspicuous, audible) fashion, directly or me Gixeetly made their' individual and speared contributions to the Yellow Perhaps of all-the life on board the ship the polo ponies were most to be pitied. There were 28 of them belonging to the detachment American Cavalry stationed at Peking. On the first night out of Tungku the heavy seas that swept over the vessel broke down several stalls on the lower deck and tossed the animals about badly. This together with being half-buried in water whenever the big seas came over the boat and for three days being almost continuously swept by equalls of rain must have made the ponies feel that for them the final horse-inferno had been reached.
'o-day, the 27th, the Tungchow, sailing peacefully ' through sunny' sunimer seas offers a perfect picture the ideal sea-trip, Its passengers, owing to the blessed faculty—of 'Quickly forgetting unpleasant episodes* will remember only the staunchness of the good ship, the delightful hours of the latter part of the yovage, the unfailing courtesy and helpfulness of the officers one Tiana' the' wisdom of the. genial captain, who knew how to guide the ship through stormy winds and perilous seas to certain safety.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.