Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1904 edition. Excerpt: ... Luncheon over, we sat on deck and enjoyed the sensation of real sailing as, with every available stitch of canvas spread, Aloha romped along, gently heeling to the breeze. The atmosphere was slightly hazy; small vagrant fog-banks here and there on the horizon portended thick weather before the night was over. Lazy talk, reading, backgammon and napping pleasantly occupied an uneventful afternoon, but the bracing air made us quite ready for tea and sandwiches at two bells. A "time-sight " was taken by the navigating officer during the afternoon, and, after his observations and figures had been checked by Commodore James, announcement of our longitudinal time was made, and the ship's clocks were set to conform therewith. At dinner time there was a noticeable lack of appetite on the part of Harriet and Leila, who decided that the deck-house transoms were preferable to seats at the saloon table. They both appeared very critical of our excellent cuisine, firmly declining all courses preceding meat, and not evincing much enthusiasm for that. Our new second steward, shipped at Bar Harbor, paid early tribute to Neptune, and did not appear at dinner. His preternaturally solemn countenance while waiting at luncheon was then accounted for. Upon our return to the deck after dinner, we found the moon shining brightly, but occasionally obscured by narrow strips of light fog which scudded across the sky, hardly clearing our mastheads. The wind in the meantime had almost died out and drawn dead aft, so that our yards were squared, and a considerable variableness in direction made it necessary to jibe the mainsail repeatedly. Seven bells saw us all in our cabins, and, except for a sharp shower accompanied by lightning but no squall, we passed a quiet...