nass£_534 >,-r I . , f^li-lt itT \ / / I>E3^03El.II*TIOKr CRUISE 'O @ 9t@ iR>'@ .W'WffLSW ^^ 'p-;y SOUTH-ATLANTIC BLOCKADING SQUADRON, EJVOCM G. TASI^OTT, Commander. ■ B^. L. HOWISOJV, Lieut, d ^x. Officer EHANCIS MCCARTKX, 1876. ON THE BLOCKADE. Tlie '-Augusta" had been formerly a Merclrmi St,. .. ;:■: « '-:"-- «-^- ^-^-. -<• «-'«nn„„/a:"":s:„!!:;;:; l'n«-r,.,.ocl, .nd cm-ned „ B.tto,,- of Ton (U,) i,eav>- ,„„.. •' 88 pound broadside o-u„s i 100 pound Parrott (rifled). ■2 30 1 ^0 pound Dalb-ren (rifled) and .overall l">at and shore service. louir.zei-s for The Augusta, participated in the capture of the following ve^ols: Cheshire, Island Belle, Secesh, Major Willis. Cnmhrh:; 1 nncess Eoyal. and several others. To the crew of the Augusta, was assigned the dutv of ..nking the Stone-fla.t in the cluannel of Charleston harbor. y '. ' ' ' t. k ; ' " ^.V oi'der of , ^ klQUY Admiral FRANCIS 8. DUPONT, Commanding South-Atlantic Blockading Squadron. ■i I \hk,\ i/^H I»IIEFA.CE, « ,nUoc,ucu,g this HtOe wo.i to ^y Mends and the public, do no fear criticsm, as my object has simply been to lay before them a few pleasing and interesting reminiscences of .early seven years in the V^ S. Navy, uei to 1864. lS7o to 1878 3Iy description of places and events are necessarily somewhat toel-bnti trust on that account none the less interesting, as they are confined to fac<« merely, and are derived from the best authenticated sources only. I |lo not attach any pecuniary value to this undertaking, but it has been throughout my earnest wish m these few sketches to exate a imd and sympathetic interest among my feUow voyages across the trackless ocean, and enable them by this mean, to -era some of our adventur-es to the .<01d Folks at Home " Trnstmg my endeavors to please may be crowned with success. I am your obedient servant, F. McCai-ten. ^ CRUISE OF THE AUGUSTA. IIAMPTOiV ROADS. The Augusta left New York, October 1861, for Hamptou Roads, where an expedition was fitting out under command of Brig. General T. W. Sherman. The expedition was to sail to its destination under convoy of a naval squadron, commanded by Commodore Dupont, The fleet consisted of eighteen men-of-war and thirty-eight transporta»_J3^he transports w&re_: ordered to move in three columns, in the iea#-of tlieH»- armed protectors. The sailing vessels were to be towed by the steamers. Surf boats were provided, sufficient to land three or four thousand men at once._Six hundred sailors were selected to managethe boats. ^:;^ • ^ OFF CAPE HATTERAS On Tuesday, Oct'jber 29th, the squadron put tO-sea,_none but the com- manding officers knowing wheather it was boundrWhen three days out, and off Cape llatteras, we encountered a terr^lc gaife, wnTch so utterly dispersed the fleet, that on Saturdaj' morning, from the deck of the " Augusta," the Flag-ship Wabash only was in sight. The, next da.^ the gale abated, and the ships began to reappear. As they came together, they had many disasters to report. The gun-boat Isaac Smith, to escape from foundering, was compell- ed to throw overboard a valueable battery. The transport Peerlkss, in a sinking condition, succeeded in placmg her people on board the Mohican. The steamer Govobneb went down, after the Sabine had, by heroic exert- ions, saved all on board. On Monday, Xovember the 4th, the Wabash, Augusta, and twentj'-three others, came to anchor outside the bar at Port Royal, a magnificent harbor, on the South Carolina coast, about fifty miles south of Charleston. PORT ROYAL. The rebels had removed all the buoys from the channel. The little Surveying steamer Vixen, immediately went to work and buoyed out the channel. That night all the light-draught vessels were anchored inside the bar. A few rebel steamers under Com. Tatnall, aj^pearing in sight, the gun-boats opened upon them, and chased them imdev the guns of a battery which guarded the entrance of the harbor. The mouth of the harbor called Broad River, is about two and a half miles wide. Upon the south shore which is called Hilton Head, there was a formidable battery of twenty-thrte guns. On the north shore, which is called Bay Point, there was two batteries one mounting fifteen and the other four guns. The outside bar was two miles wide, and in crossing it at high tide the keel of the Wabash would come within a foot of the bottom. The passage CRUISE OF THE AUGUSTA. of this frigate over the bar was watched with intense anxiety, and when the feat was accomplished, cheers burst from the whole fleet. The other laige ships immediately followed, and at once prepared for action. But a rising gale, and other unavoidable causes of detention, rendered it necessary to de- lay the assault, upon the forts until the next day. It was however, judged best to send out a reconnoissance of a few gun-boats, to draw the fire of the batteries, that their situation and strength might be ascertained. EECONKOITERING. Early Tuesday morning, the tug-boat Mercury ran along the ^and beach skirting Hilton Head. One or tAvo other armed vessels ^^re creeping cautiously along the suspicious shores. It was a beautiful morning, tl.e serene sky, the mirrored bay, and the soft, luxuriant outline of the land presented an aspect of rare loveliness. For an hour the sail seemed to he but a delightful pleasure excursion. But about half past seven the batteries on Hilton Head and Bay Point opened upon the adventurous explorers, and for two hours there was a fierce conflict, our object was to ascertain the position of the rebel batteries, and the number and weight of their guns. Com. Tatnall, now a rebel oflScer, but had grown gray in our service, led his fleet of rebel gun-boats, against the flag he should have defended with his life. The object of the reconnoissance having been attained, a signal from the flag-ship recalled the gnn-boats. The rebels, seeing our vessels retire, thought they were defeited, though, in reality, they had not received the slightest harm. The petty little fleet of rebel gun-boats followed them, when two or three of our gun-boats turned and hurled upon them such volleys of shot and shell, that they wheeled about and scampered back into the creeks, which excited a general burst of laughter. On Wednesday, for some unexplained reason, no attack was ordered, and though doubtless vigorous preparations were beiu g made for the great battle, the day seemed to be passed in inaction. The morning of Tluirsday dawned beautiful and clear, and as mild as the most balmy day in June. The groves, on the shore, were vocal with the songs of birds, and butterflit s were flitting about through the rigging of the ships. The scene presented as the sun rose from the wave, was one of the most charming whicli can be imagined. The placid bay, the luxuriaut shores, the distant ocean, the frowning forts, the majestic frigates and war steamtrs, scowling defiance upon the foe we were about attacking, and the fleet of defenseless transports anchored at a safe distance, upon whose deck and rigging an army of flf teen thousand men were clustered, waiting for the opening of one of the sublimest tragedies of war — all this presented a panorama of life and beauty, such as few eyes have beheld. GEUISE OF THE AUGUSTA. hlSE OF BATTLE. The plan of the battle was admirable iu its simplicity aud efficiency. The ships, forming in line steamed iu a circle very slowly, each one as it entered the mouth of the river, about two and a half miles wide, delivering incessant broadsides upon Fort Beauregard, aud the battery on Bay Point, aud as it turned and came out upon the other shore, pouring the same dead- ly volleys into Fort AValker upon Hilton Head. This circle was about two and a half miles in its longest diameter, and three-quarters of a mile in its shortest. There were fifteen ships comprising this circle, mounting in all 145 heavy guns. THE BALL OPENED. It was a beautiful sight as this fleet swept into line, so silent, soon to burst into the loudest thunders, and the most desolating storm of war. This wicked rebellion has often arrayed brother against brother, and father a'gainst son. In this case brother was arrayed against brother. At lU o'clock the action commenced, the first three shots being fired from the rebel fort upon the flag-ship which led the advance. The tremend- ous response of the Wabash consisted ot two entire broadsides from he iwo batteries of twenty-six guns each, and from her pivot gun. She steam- ed along as slowly as possible, only fast enough to give her steerage way These immense guns were loaded and fired each one every minute. Fifty- three guns a minute, for twenty minutes, was the incessant peal from that one ship alone. But the other ships following on, came gradually into range and opened their fire. The ships ran within five hundred yards of the batteries, and threw their shot and shell with a force which would make them efficient at a distance of two and a half miles. DISMOUNTING THEIR GUNS. Many of the enemies guus were large columbiads, throwing one hund- red and thirty jiound shot. In less than twenty minutes, three of these cannon were dismounted. By the plan of attack seven or eight vessels were ablH to i)Uy upon the rebel batteries at the same time, each commencino- as soon as it arrived within three-fourths of a mile of the forts, and continu- ing until thrf'e-fourths of a mile beyond. The fleet of Josiah Tatnal, had ahea.ly been treated so roughly by the few gun-boats which conducted the reconnoissance, and was so appalled by the tremendous fire of the whole fleet, that it ran away inio the distant inlets. When the whole of our fleet was in operation, fifty of the most terrible projectiles, round shot and shell fell upon each of the forts, as the ships passed every minute. As each ship held the fort for twenty minutes within its range every time the line came around, which was at very short intervals, 400 of these projectiles fell upon the fort.-. 6 (1UI8K OF THK AUGUSTA. The explosiou of oue of tlies^e t^bells in the midst of a group of men is Huful bej'ond description. The fragments are hurled in all directions, tearing perhaps a score of human bodies to pieces, and hurling the remains, ming- led with earth and guns through the air. When a 32-pound shot strikes a man but little of him ^-emains. Even the concussion of the air, when such a shot passes near, knocks one down. After a short time, while the main body of the fleet continued to move in its circle, four of the gun-boats were sent to a position where they could rake Fort Walker. The gun-boat Pocahontas, Capt. Percivl Drayton, now came in from sea, on hearing the bombardment, and took his position to sweep Fort Walker with his guns, though his brother was in command (if tliat fortificdtiou. CEASE FIRING. A little after noon the signal '• cease firing " was made from the flag- ship, and the steamers swept beyond the reach of the batteries to rest the men and give them some refreshments, before returning to their exhausting work. On board the Augusta we "spliced the main-brace" snatched a a hard-tack and returned to our quarters. The rebel fleet, and several other steamers crowded with spectators, that came down from Charleston to wit- ness the defeat of our vessels, lay silently watching the movements of our fleet, when the author of this sketch by permission of his superior ofHcer trained his gun a rifled howitzer stationed on the forecastle, and having removed the elevation screw so as to give the gun extreme elevation ftred, and after waiting for several seconds had the pleasure of seeing it drop right in the midst of the rebel fleet, which caused them to scatter in all directions amidst shouts of laughter from the whole fleet. The perfect confidence with which the rebels had commenced the fight was suddenly changed to utter consternation. The bolts of death fell upon them so mercilesslj' and incessantly, that in mortal terror, simultaneously they droped their arms and fled, leaving everything behind them— their coats which they had thrown off, their watches, their money, cosily swords — all the treasures of the camp. THE FLIGHT. The flight of the garrison was seen by the tliousands who crowded the transports, and a shout of delight arose, even louder than the voices of the artillery, Capt. Rogers, from the Wabash, was sent with a flag of truce to the shore, to ascertain if the flight were real or a feint. The fort was found entirely deserted not a living being in it. The Stars and Stripes weie immediately run up upon the ramparts, thus announcing to the fleet that the insulted Goverment, in its majesty, had again planted its foot upon the soil of rebellious South Carolina. CRL'tSE OF THE AUGUSTA. The firing ceased, cheers of almost frantic joy burst again and again from thousands of lips; the bands on the various ships pealed forth, over the still waters, the imposing strains of Yankee Doodle and the Star Spangled Banner. The action lasted five hours. LANDING THE TROOPS, * Measures were immediately adopted for landing the soldiers. The Connecticut 7th, in twenty-seven large boats, were pulled to the beach, and almost at the same instant 1.046 men .sprang upon the beach. Pickets were thrown out in all directions, a double guard set, and every precaution adopted against surprise. But the terror stricken rebels had fled, with no thought but to escape from the terrible bombardment. Their tents, outside the fort, were were filled with luxuries. One of the soldiers found $1,000 in gold and silver. In the forts and batteries there were about 1,800 men. The guns were found to be mostly 130 pound columbiads, of admirable finish, and the forts weie on the most appro ved plan of military engineering. The whole Ipnd force of the expedition was soon transferred to the shore, and the fortifications, on both sides of the river, were seized and garrisoned by our troops. An act of treachery, was here discovered. The rebel flag at Bay Point, which fort the rebels left quite deliberately when the found that Fort Walker was taken, was fixed as a snare, so that, when our men should atfenipt to haul it down, it would explode a percussion cap, which would fire the magazine. By some accident the train of powder had been broken. And though the cap exploded and fired the train, the interupted commu- nication with the magazine saved hundreds from destruction. Nearly all the rebels escaped, twenty-five only were taken prisoners, who were sick in the hospitals. Fifty large cannon, three hundred muskets, the entire camp equipage of three regiments, fell, with the forts, into our hands. Our loss was but eight killed and twenty-five wounded. The loss of the rebels 120 killed and lOO wounded. The Augusta had been during the fight a conspicuous target for the rebel guns. She was struck several times in the hull and rigging. The Wabash was struck twenty-five times. The Bienville was struck five times. The Pknguin was struck upon the steam chest and disabled, she was taken in tow by the Augusta. All the ships were more or less wound- ed. The rebels had probably no ideajhat our ships would venture up to the very muzzles of their guns, and their guns were accordingly sighted for a range of one or two miles. The most of their shot passed through the rigging. And when the bombardment commenced, and shells were rained down upon the forts nt the rate of fifty a minute, the confusion was too great to admit of careful aim. CRUISE OF THE AUGUSTA. Our ships were kept continually in motion Probably there was never an engagement of such magnitude, where a fleet was exposed to so heavy a lire, with so slight a loss. When we reflect that the immense columbiads of the rebels were in such a position, that fifty could be brought to bear upon each ship, it does seem strange that any one of the fleet could have escaped destruction. Among the incidents of the battle, a hundred and thirty pound shot? after ricochetting four times, bounded directly over the Bienville, and Ijlunged into the Augusta. William Steele, a boy fourteen years of age, served at one of the guns, as •' powder monkey," with composure whicli excited astonishment, never flinching or dodging » shot. And when tv. o men fell dead, torn to pieces at the gun, he stepped carefully over tiie bodies, and contiuued in the discharge of his duty as if nothing had happened. Thomas Jackson, coxwaiu of the Wabash, had his leg torn off, 80 that it hung only by a small portion of the muscle and skin. Deliberately lie took out his knife, and endeavoured to cut the limb off. The knife wa.> .•o dull that, though he sawed manfully, he could not sever the liujb. lie was laken below, and died in two hours, saying that he was happy to suffer for I lie " dear old flag." From our whole fleet, 3,500 shot and shell were thrown into and upon the forts. It had been carefnlly estimated that the average value of each shot delivered at the forts was eight dollars. The whole cost of the five hours' fight was about S 28,000, and the whole money cot^t to the Govermeut could not have been less than five million of dollar:?. The Army was put in possession of Port Royal, where it remained to the close of the war, in inaction, and was used as a refugee cunip, thousands of negro's flocked to this point, and was kept in idleness, at the expense of the Goverment, school teachers were sent from the New-England States, to t ducate those freed slaves. This victory created the wildest enthuiasm throughout the North. The national flag had been planted on the traitorous soil of South Carolina, never to be displaced till every stronghold of the state was in our possession. Our ill-successes on land thus far had been a cause of deep mortification, and this first great essay of the navy recalled to mind tiie halo of glory it hung around the nation during the first year of the second war with England, when successive defeats on land made the i^eople's cheeks crimson with shame. Whenever one met a naval man the eye of the latter brighten- ed, and with a proud shake of the head he would say, " I told you how it would be when the ' blue jackets' got a chance." " Ah ^e are all t-ure of the navy," was the common remark. It is said that Commodore Barron, then a prisoner in Fort Warren, when he read a descrijjton of the fight, and how gallantly his old ship, the Wabash, bore herself, forgot he was a rebel prisoner, and exclaimed, "By heavens! our navy can beat the world." CKUISE OF THE AUGUSTA. luinied lately after the capture of Port Roj-al, the Augusta was ordered to blockade the entrance to the Savannah River. While lying off this place we captured the ship Cheshire of Liverpool, while tryiug to run the blockade. TYBEE ISLAND. In the month of November, we made a reconnoissance in the direction of Tj-bee Island, at the mouth of the Savannah river, as a preliminary to the reduction of Fort Pulaski, which commands the approaches to Savannah Georgia. Savannah is one of the most beautiful of the Southern Cities, con- taining a population of about 6,000 whites and 6,000 slaves. Tybee Island, is a low, barren expanse of sand ridgee, about eight miles long and six wide. At the northern extremity of the island there is a light-house and what is called Martello Tower, supposed to one of those massive circular structures of masoniy, such as the English scattered so profusely along their coasts to guard against t id threatned invasion by Napoleon, but in reality was built of mud and tea-^helL'•. On the 25th, of November, the Augusta, Flag, and Pocahantas, got under weigh ami steamed in the direction of Tybee Island, and commenced throwing shell in the direction of the battery with- out receiving any response. Immediately Captain Pavrott, of the Augusta, hoist the signal ''arm & equip boats." The boats were lowered and manned and immediately pulled for the beach, where we were drawn up in line of battle on the shore, and the order given to " charge," up the beach we went in the direction of the fort, on arriving there we found it entirley deserted. It has often been remarked that as soon as a company of sailors land on the beach, it is pretty hard to keep them together, after the order " charge " i- given. In less time than it takes to tell it, they were scattered in all direct- ions all over the island, the woods, dwellings, light-house and every place where a rebel might be lurking were searched in vain. While one of my Companions and myself were exploring the light-house, and on reaching the top, found the tlag-staff still remained, but the halyards w:is imrove. I went immediately and procured a flag from one of our boats ami bent it on to a long pole and succeeded in placing it out of the upper window, when cheer after cheer went up from our men all over the island, in sight of Pulnski, who opened fire on us. Fort Pulaski is situated at the mouth of the river, on a siiijill island called cockspur, and perfectly commands the approaches in every direcli( n. The rebels felt that they had at least one fort, Pulaski, which whs iiniiregr- able. Our men immediately commenced throwing up intienc-lmients, and mounted one of our guns on the tower. A guard was kept on slioie night and day until the army under Geu. Gillmove, arrived from Port Royal, ai:d took possession nf the islnnd. which af evwards reduced Fort I'ula^ki. 01 CRUISE OF THE AUGUSTA. Just twelve months to a day, from the time when the rebels took possession of Sumter, Pulaski, surrendered to the Union forces under Gen. Hunter and Com. Rodgers, of the W abash. Three hundred and eighty-three prisoners. The rebel officers surrendered their swords to Major Halpine, (Private Miles O'Reilly.) The Augusta -was ordered to the blockade off Charleston, S. C, where her crew was engaged in sinking the "stone fleet" in the channel, and after taking off their crews, and saving everything that could be of any value to the Goverment; and also having on board a number of prisoners, taken from blockade runners, we proceeded to Philadelphia. After receiving some alight repairs, and an addition to our battery, we left for Hampton Road?, in the month of Feb. where an Expedition was fitting out under Gen. B. F. Butler, and the brave old warrior Farragut, in his flag-ship the Hartford -a vessel destined to assume a prominent place in this little book, and second to none in the annals of history, not even excepting the old "Constitution." The place of rendezvous was Ship Island, at which we arrived in seventeen days. The Augusta was not the class of vessel which Farragut wanted for reducing the batteries on the Mississippi, being too great a target feut. Commander Abbott was on deck giving orders to Acting Master Dwyer about recoveiing the anchor, when they saw a smoke and the faint appearance of a vessel close at hand. 1 heard them exclaim, "She has black smoke;" watch, "man the guns," "spring the rattle," " call all hands to quarters." Mr. Dwyer came to the cabin door, telling me a steamboat was close aboard. I was then in the act of getting my pea jacket, I sang out, "train your guns right on him and be ready to fire as soon as I order." 1 hailed "Steamer ahoy! Steer clear of us and heave-to. What steamer is thatP" Then ordered my men ■' Fre on him." Told him, " You will be into us. What Mteamer is that?' His CKUISE Ob' THE AUliUSTA. U answer lu first or second hail was "Hallo!" The other replies were indistinct, either by intention or from being spoken inside of his mail armor, until in the act of striking us with his prow, when he said. " This is the Confeder- ate States steam ram." I repeated the order, "Fire! Fire! " but no gun could be trained on him, as he approached on the quarter, struck us just abaft our aforemost 32-pound gun, and fired a heavy rifle through us diagonally, penetrating the starboard side through our Normandy condenser, the steam- drum of port boiler, and exploding against port side of ship, blowing a hole in its exit some four or five feet square. The vessel was instantly filled and enveloped with steam, Reports wpre brought to me, "Shot through both boilers," " fires put out by steam and water,"' "gunner and one man killed, and a number of men fatally scalded, water over fire-room floor, vessel sinking fast." " The ram has cut us through at and below the water-liue on one side, and a shell has burst at the other almost at water-edge." After the ram struck, she swung aound under our starboard counter, her prow touching, and hailed, "Surrender, or I'll sink you! Do j'ou surren- der:"' And after receiving reports, 1 answered, " 1 can make no resistance; my boiler is destroyed." " Then, do yuu surrender?" I said, "Yes;" having found my moving power destroyed, and that I could bring nothing to bear but muskets against his shot-proof ccating. He hiiled several times to send a boat, and threatned to fire again. After some delay, a boat was lowered, and Lieut. Commander Abbott asked if he should go in her, and asked for orders what to say. I told him to ask what they demanded, and to tell him the condition we were in. He proceeded on board, and, according to their demand, gave his parole on behalf of himself and all the oflScers and crew. The ram having been de- tained half an hour or more, ran out for steamer Keystone State. The firing then receded to northward and eastward, and was pretty brisk at the head of the line. THE KEYSTONE STATE. The Keystone State, commanded by Le Eoy, was also disabled, and claimed as a prize by the rebels. The details of the fight thus given by her commander: Satisfied, from the view obtained through my night glasses, that (he steamer was a ram, I ordered the starboard bow gun fired at her, which was at once responded to by a shot from the stranger, when I ordered tlie starboard battery fired as soon as the guns could be brought to bear, putting the helm aport. On heading to the northward and eastward, disc )vered a ram on either quarter. Soon after the first gun, fire was reported forward below. After extinguishing it, fire was again reported in the same place, when the ship was kept off seaward to enable us to put out the fire and get IJ CRUISE UF THE AUGUSTA. things in a condition to attack the enemy. Odered full steam, and about daylight discovered black smoke and stood for it, for the purpose of run- ning her down, exchanging shots rapidly with her, striking her repeatedly, but making no impression, while every shot from her was striking us. About 6.17 A. M., a shell, entering on the port side, forward of the forward guard, destroyed the steam chimneys, filling all the forward part of the ship with steam. The port boiler emptied of its contents, tlie ship gave a heel to star- board, nearly down to the guard, and the water from the boiler, and two shot -holes under water, led to the impression the ship was filling and sinking, a foot and a half of water being reported in hold. Owing to the steam, men were unable to get supplies of ammunition from forward. Ordered all boats ready for lowering. Signal-books thrown overboard, also some s uall arras. The ram being so near, and the ship helpless, and the men slaughtered by almost every discharge of the enemy, I ordered tlie colors to be haulee rehoisted and resume our fire from the aflor-battery. Now the enemy, either injured or to avoid the squadron approaching, sheered off towards ihe harbor. The Augusta had slipped her cable but lemained in lier position, all hands were to quarters, not even a whisper weie to be heard all through the ship. Now the haze began to clear away, and the dsiylipht fa,-l approaching, discovered black smoke and the ship ^^as headed in the directinn of the .stranger, taking her to be a blockade runner we headed for her with the intention of cutting her off Irum the channel, but on coming eh ser found her to be a ram, swung the ship amund and fired, our shots bounding off her like so many beans without doing her any in jury, while every shot she fired went clear through us, n.akiiig tlif splintert fly in all directions. One of our hundred-pound rifle shots struck her pilot-house carrying away the flpg-siatf. The other ram fired a few shots and ran in for the channel, we fnll.med as far as the depth of water would allow us. During all this time the Housatonic remained at anclmr, she being the only naval built vessel in the squadron, and would bt- like'y to give them a good brush, but did not engage them until they got in over the bar, then commenced firing at long range. Gen. Beauregard issued a pKulamalicn declaring tliR blockade destroj-- ed, and that foreign goverinpnt> .-li.iild >o n a-.wd it. Tlie iMniipoiis niiuiifes- 1o wao not regarded by Cm. Diipout, and the iilockadf was continued. The New Iron-Sides, came from Port Royal that night, and tli. rr wa,- no more rams to be seen outside nf Smnler after that. CRUISE OF THE AUGUSTA. 13 ■' ' .'-'■•jvit} , TbElRONrHGLABS, ATTACK OK SUMTEE. ' """ '""^''"''^'^ ■•,.,..,,.,_,.,.,, '■ ' 'iiii yil tfiJiuj't ;ii.f -J., i.e.! •., - . ■, ,,, .. ' ' '' '■ " ■ '-' ■ • - 'I'ff This fleet was coiaposea of nine vessels, and placed under^the command of Adiuiral Dupont. Having rendezvoused in Port Eoyal, and sailed from there on the 1st of April, 1863, to try the great experiment of, the_ century, and the next daj Arrived at Edisto. The water over Charleston bar not being of sufficient depth in ordinary times to float therp, the heavj' spring tides of April, was selected for the passage of the vessels. On Sunday morning at daybreak the fleet moved out to sea, and in a few hours lay off Charleston harbor. The next day Dupont transferred his flag to the Ironsides^ and the fleet, taking tbe Hood-tide, passed safely over the bar, and pame. to anchor inside. The wooden vessels lay outsidt- as a reserve. But just as everything was readj% a thick haze settled down over the water, obscuring the range, so that the attack had to be postponed. As tbe eye swept around that bristling harbor, it was cannon here, and there, and everywhere. In front, lay Sullivan's Islapd to the right, and Morris Island on the left, the two points curving in towards each other till they approached within a mile. Midway in the channel betwen ihem, built on an artificial island, stood Fort Sumter. Fort Moultrie, on Sullivan's Island, was opposite Sumter, while, above and below,, batteries were erected on every available point. On the left, opposite this, central fortress, stood battery Bee, on Cuminings-Point, while beyond, should the vesse's' ever get there, battery succeeded battery, clear up to the city, tlir^e miUv distan!. Stretching down towards tbe fleet were other italteriei^ on Mpi li.i Island, and among them Fort Wagner. The sight was eimugh to daunt the stoniest heart, for uncounted cannon lay shotted and aimed, ready to open on that little fleet. It was Dupont's purpose ti> ]i«s!- as quickly as possible up the channel, and get to the west and northwest of Fuvt Siiniter, which was known to be less impregnable than \he front face. , . c r r^ ^ u; ; jlii'.- At noon, the signal from the flag-sl)ii> tn moxe to tl^e attack was seen, a'iiti'tAie little fleet, looking like meie rafts on the water, steamed slowly forward. ' ''* yiuAttyii r' *' 14 CKUISE OF THE AUGUSTA. It was four miles to Fort Sumter, and the batteries of Morris Island commanded the whole distance. The Tessels had advanced but a short dis- tance before the Weehawken, leading the way with the strange machine in front, stopped, having got tangled up with the unweildy, novel thing. It took an hour to free herself, and then the fleet moved again. The fleet kept steadlj' on till opposite Fort Wagner, where they expected to meet the firet blow of the hurricane; but all its guns kept motionless and still in their places, and only curious eyes greeted the advancing vessels. Next they floated by Battery Bee, but silence like death reigned over the low works. Whit does all this mean? This silence is ominous, and shows a contidence in something yet to come that portends no good. Slill the fleet kept on; but just as the Weehawken was rounding-to to make the entrance of the harbor she came within the circle of fire from Forts Sumter and Moultrie. Then the crater opened from the top of Sumter, and down came a storm of shot and shell. Moultrie joined in, and thunder answered thunder with awful rapidity. The heavy metal fell like hailstones ou the Weehawken; but she kept steadly on towards her assigned position, followed by the whole fleet. But suddenly she stopped in the very vortex of the fire. She had run upon a hawser stretched from Sumter to Moultrie, buoyed up on casks, and strung with nets, cables, and topedoes. Her propeller, getting entangled in these, became unmanageable, and slie drifted helpless through the wild hurricane. The other vessels, as they came up, see the danger, and sheer ott' to try the channel on the other side of the fort. But here a row of piles is encountered, rising ten feet out of the water — while further up, the channel is crossed and recrossed with obstructions, backed by three iron-clads, that can hold those vessels under a fire that nothing that ever floated could sur- vive. To add to the perplexity, the Ironsides, in the heavy tide, suddenly refused to obey her rudder, and she drifted towards Fort Mt)ultrie, getting foul of the Catskiil and Nantucket in her passage. The plan of the battle was now irrecoverably gone, and Diipont signalled to the fleet to disregard his movements. It was therefore every one for himself; and then was to be seen what splendid commanders Dupont had to second hiui in this unprec- edented struggle. The gallant Rhiud, left to uct as he phased, lays the Keokuk boldly alongside of the fort as Ihough it were a ship, and with his little mouiter makes a broadside engagement of it. Close behind him comes Rodgers in the Catskiil, and, following hard after, the heroic Worden in the Montauk. A little further off lie the other vessels, all seeking to sound the full terrors of this awful abyss of fire. The gunners, at) ipped ti» their waists, and begrimed with powder and smoke, work their monstei guns with a coolness and rappidity that tells fearfully on the solid face of Sumter. CRUJSE OF THE AUGUSTA. Shot weighing four hundred and twenty pounds strike like heaven's own thunderbolts the tremblings structure, but they are nothing to the answering shots that fall faster than the forge's hammer on their sides. Nothing built with mortal hands could long live there, and in thirty minutes the Keokuk came limping out fast settling in the waters. She had only been able to fire three times during the short period he was exposed to the guns of the enemy, and was obliged to withdraw from the action to prevent his vessel from sinking, which event occurred the following morning. So unequal was the contest, which lasted less than forty minutes, that the entire fleet of iron-clads fired only one hundred and thirty-nine shots, though, during that same period, the enemy poured upon us an incessant storm of round-shot and shell, and rifle projectiles of all descriptions, and and red-hot shot. The whole affair was so palpable and complete a failure, that the Depart- ment dared not directly blane Duponi for not succeeding. Still, reluctant to acknowledge itself any way in fault, it reproached him for not saying beforehand, how impossible succeess was. The simple truth is, the Secretary of the Navy, -as well as the public generally, had come to have such a high opinon of the invulnerability of the iron-clads, that they considered Charleston as virtuallj' ours, the moment the attack commenced. But, instead of complete success, this irun-clad fleet, the first ever set afloat and tested, effected absolutely nothing. It was too mortifying to confess the fact, without puting the blame on some one, and so it was placed on the commander, Dupont. He felt this keenly, and indignantly denounced the injustice of it. In June Dupont was relieved from his command, and Admiral Foote ordered to take his place. The latter, however, was taken sick in New York, just as he was about to leave for his destination, and died. The sudden death of Admiral Foote compelled the Department to reverf-e its order of removal, and to direct Dupont to resume his command. .July fitli, The Augusta left Port Royal, for Phila. with Admiral Dupont on board, n.adp the passage in five days, nothing of interst occurring with lie exception of "'Splicing the Main-Brace" for the last time in the U. S. Vavy, having been abolished by an act of Congress, through the influence of a few Down Enst Fanatics aided by Admiral Foote. On arriving at New- Castle, Del., the home nf Dupont, we saluted and lowered his flag for ever. Diiivint was a superb man physically; of grand and imposing presence he trod the deck of his battle-ship like one of nature's noblemen. Even those arcnslonied 1o f-ee u't n of distinguhished personal appearance in various jiarts of the world, were stuck with the majesty and grandeur of his mien. ''\i j-'y^prfjA MUX 4() Mfcti'i I 16 CRUISE OF THE AUGUSTA. A gentleman of the old scheol, or rather a night of the olden time, his bear- ing was that of dignified com-tesy to all, and impressed every one that approached him with profound respect. Chivalrous in his own feelings, he he was incapable of wounding those of others, while he was keenly sensitive to any censure upon his conduct. Insensible to fear, he never shrunk from encountering' any danger, while he was too lofty and noble to rush into it to obtain rn^re notoriety. Master of his profession, he knew his duty better than the department that censured him, and experienced his greatest humiliation and suffering in performing it. Proud as he was sensit- ive, he could not brook unmerited rebuke. Irritated at his manly independ- ence, tlie ' GoVerm&f ' lost one' of its best officers by gratifying its spleen, and under the pretence of maintaining its dignity. Dupont's name however will live long after those who persecuted him are consigned to forgetfulness, or to an immortality worse than oblivion. The Augusta proceeded up the Del. to Phila, and on arriving there, found that" great excitement' 'j^revailed all through the Northern States, in consequence of threatned invasion' of Pennsylvania, by Gen. R. E. Lee, and rebel Privateers were making sad havoc among the Fishermen and Pilot bqats along the coast. The Augusta took in a supply coal and went out in search of the pirates. After an unsuccessful cruise along the eastern coast, we retuned to New York, where the ship was put out of commisston, and the crew got leave of absence for Ten days. This ended the cruise of the U. S. S. Augusta. f finimbA ban ,f>r ■ ; • .■.>:it'.-in(i'i(\ fjffj b'Hlhqriioo ■-^foi,'-! [ ..'iuuiuiuio i>id eaiii'.'rt n] tiKifjnO lo-vrrf- uwquG UniatbL (h'frr .hVuI'I ■^-^'i Jrr 'A ; noon l*-i itnt '\. rrr eniij J^jbl r..f; ."^ij.'lnr sril jl^^ymrlj . • v-^Tt^/tftciidfvivjv/Ml f.-:;; Vm;-.-. fR[ ijfjicfKt,. i brr« i 3DE:SOIl.II»TI<31\r CRUISE ir^:4*^-^ WESTERN GULF BLOCKADING SQUADRON. ,rAMES U. JOVUTT, Commander. HENRY J. SLEEPER, Ijieut. d ^x. Office?' CRUISE OF THE METACOMET. 19 The " Metacomet " was put iu Commission at tlie Brooklj-u Navy Yard January 4th, 1864^ Captain James E. Jouett, Commanding, Henry J. Sleeper, Lieut. & Ex Officer. Was a double-ender, side-wheel, and was built expressly for river service. She was fitted with very jiowerful engines, and was con- sidered to be the fastest vessel of her class in the service. Carried a battery of six IX inch broadside, one hundred pound Parrott rifle, and four Brass Howitzers. Captain Jouett, had previously commanded the R. R. Cuyler, and had his crew detained on board the Receiving ship, until the Metacomet was ready for sea, he was heard to remark that, " he was going to do some fighting, and wanted a well-drilled ships' company." On Jan. the 4, the crew was transferred on board, and by request I was permitted to be one of their number. Immediately .after going on board, nearly all the crew got forty- eight hours liberty, returned on time, and left the Navy Yard ou the 26th, steamed down to Sandy Hook to adjust our compass, and left ne.xt morning for fi.ej' West, Had beautiful weather nearly all the passage. On Feb. the 5th, at five o'clock in the morning when off Abico, in a thick fog, run into the U. S. gun-boat Tioga, carrying away the the greater part of her wheel- house and otherwise injured htr, that we liad to take her iu tow. At six 0' clock p. M. repaired some slight damages, and proceeded on our way to Kej^ West, where we arrived Feb. Gth, took in a supplj' of coal, and left for New Orleans. Experienced very heavy weather on the passage. On the night of the 17th, carried away the fore Topmast, it was h^ld aloft by the rigging and the ship rolling heavly, swung athwartships, taking full charge of both sides of the deck. The boatswain's mate passed the word, " lay for- ward the watch and clear away the wreck," no one responded to his call, and no one would venture forward, he immediately reported this to the Captain, who was on deck at the time. lie procured a lantern and was in the act of going aloft himself, when he was met in the rigging by the writer, wlio had already been aloft, and let the fragment of topmast down on deck, when he growled something about me being a Landsman, and had no business going aloft without orders. All this time the storm was increase - ing, shipping heavy seas forward which ripped up some of the planks in the forward part of the deck, and carried away part of the wheelhouse. On the morning of the 20th, the gale had abated, and the sea quite calm, went to work to send down the remainder of the broken topmast. Arrived at Soulh-we.-t Pass on the 21st, and anchored off the city of New Orleans in the afternoon, the ship was hauled alongside tiie " Levee" to undergo some :epairs. 20 CRUISE OF THE METACOMET. The boys being close to shore {»ot restless, and when nigbt came a great many of them improved their opportunity and took "French," some of them returned in a few hours, and the others determined to remain ashore all night but unfortunately eight of them fell into the hands of the Police and locked up for the night. Next morning Three of them were taken on board, the ship in the meantime, having hauled out into the stream, the boys upset the boat and gave them a ducking in the river, and came nea'ly drowning one of the policemen. On coming on board they demanded fifty dollars each for their prisoners. Capt. Jouett however, thought twenty-fiv^ dollars would pay them very well for their bath, which was accordingly paid them. Left New Orleans, March 2nd, for the blockade off Mobile, where we remained without anything of interst occurring until the 7lh. Our picket stationed in Swash Channel, discovered a steamer cominir out, they kept quiet until she pas^ed, and then fired a rocket in the direction she was going. The blockade runner saw our boat and went right out thnniah the fleet, going so close to the " Oneida" that they could throw a biscuit on hoard. The '• Richraonil " fired four shots at her with what effect is not known. Three of the gun-b(\ats chased her outside without success. March 20th, the little steamer Cowslip, created qui'e a co a u orion by reporting the rebel ram Tennessee, coming out to attack the fleet. Every- thing was put in readiness to recieve her. The fleet formed in line of battle, and some of us thought we were going to attack the fo)t>. About vpven o'clock this idea was dispelled, and we were orflt^red to our ancbnrasje April T^h, at half-past two o'clock in the morning, our picket-b at, dis- covered a large steamer coming in, about four miles from our vessel, we signalized to her, and pulled alongside, and in ten mnutes the ixiat was hoist, and then the chase commenced. The stranger bad now turned, and was stanling out to sea. It was now breaking dayligh', and we lost sight of her, this did not last long, in a short time we got sight of bpr aOiit expeiliiiuu to bum the steamer. Everything arrainged, the boats came aloiigsidu at six u'clock. Three boats from the Hartford, in charge ut' Lieut. Wataou, and oim from the Brooklyn, the whole iu command of our Capt. J. E. Jouett. About ten o'clock we started iu towards the steamer, and sent a boat to reconuoiter, Iu about half an hour the boat returned aud reported everything clear. The boats then pulled alongside the steamer and boarded her, spreading the turpen tine around the deck, and placing the powder under the Machinery set fire to her and jumpid into the boats. We had hardly got ou board when the rebels opened on us from the beach. This was the time which tested the courage of some of the young officers that accompanied this expedition. The Metacomet anchored uude;' the guns of Fort Morgan, in order to cover the boats. As soon as the match was put to the turpentine, it illuminated the whole bay, the glistening baynots of the sentinels on Fort Morgan, w»s plainly visible, aud the line of batteries en the beach, expecting ev«ry moment to be blown out the water. This was more than those young gantle- men could stand, and one of them forgot himself so far as to tell Capt- Jouett, that he ought to back out. One of the boats had not returned, and Capt. Jouett said he would not move an inch until every boat was alongside and every man safe on board. I dont think that any of those brave young gentlemen will ever care to accompany Capt. Jouett, on any more expedit- ions of this sort. The object of the expedition was to destroy the MachiEery, so that it could not replace »he old and worn out Machinery of some of the gun-loats inside the fort. In the meantime, Farragutt arrived and made a reconnoissance of the forts and batteries, and vessels commanding the entrance to Mobile, for the pupose of obtaining an accurate knowledge of their strength. Morgan aud Gaines were the chief forts barring it, aud he gives the following as the i-esults of his investigations: FARRAGUT'S REPORT TO NAVY DEPARTMENT. On the mornijig of the 20Lh I made a reconnoissance of Fort? Moigau and Gaines. The day was uncommonly fine and the air very clear. We were distant from the forts three ^3) miles, and could see everything distincly, so that it was "easy to verify the statement of the refugee Mcintosh, in respect to the number of guns visible on the bastions of the furt. I could count the guns and the men that stood by them; could see the piles that had been driven across from Fort Gaines to the channel opposite Fort Morgan — the object of "whiak is to force the ships to keep as close as possible to the latter. I am satisfied that if I had one iron-clad at this lime, 1 could destroy their whole force in ik© bay, and reduce the forts at my leisuie, by cooper atioD with our land forces — say fire thowwacl men. We must have about two thousand and five hundred men in the rwir of each fort, to make regular I'lILISK ol' T\\\: METACU-MKT. 23 a[ii)V()Ucl)es liy land, ami lo prevent the gairisou's receiviug supplies aud reinforcements; the fleet to run the batteries, and fight the flotilla in the bay. But without iron-clads, we should not be able to fight the enemy's vessels of that class with much prospects of success, as the latter would lie on the flats where our ships could not go and destroy them. Wooden vessels can do nothing with them unless by getting within one or two hundred yards, so as to ram thein or pour in a broadside. A mouth later he says: 1 fully understand and ajjpreciate my situation. The experience- I had of the fight between the Arkansas and Admiral Davis's vessels on the Miss- issippi, showed plainly how unequal the contest is between iron-clads and wooden vessels in loss of life, unless you succeed in destrojang the iron- clad. I therefore deeply regret that the Department has not been able to give us ONE of the many iron-clads that are off Charleston and on the Mississippi. I have always looked for the latter, but it appears that it takes us twice as long to build an iron-clad as any one else. It looks as if the con. tractors and the fates were against us. While the rebels are bending their whole energies to the war, our people are expecting the war to close by de- fault, and if they do not awaken to a sense of their danger soon, it will beso. Jkit be assured, sir, that the Navy will do its duty, let the issue come when it may, or I am greatly deceived, A few weeks subsequent to this he says: I ran in shore yeseerday, and took a good look at the iron-clad Tennessee. She flies the blue flag of Admiral Buchanan, She has four ports of a side, out of which she fights, I uudsrstand from the refugees, four 7- iach Brooks rifles, and two 19-iuch columbiads. She has a torpedo fiixture on the bow. Their four iron-clads and three wooden gun-boats made quite a formidable appearance. Thus the winter and spring wore away, aud mid -summer came before the preparations were completed for the contemplated attack. Farragut was at length informed that the iron-clad Tecumseh had arrived at Pensacola. there she was detained for want of coal, and had it not been for Captain Jenkins, of the Eichmoud, Craven said on his arrival, " God knows when 1 should have got here." He worked incessantly to carry out Errragut's wishes and the latter, said of him, " He carries out the spirit of one of Lord Colling- wood's best sayings. 'Not to be afraid" of doing too much; those who are, seldom do as much as they ought.' " July 19th, The Metacomet left the blockade, for New Orleans, for the purpose of convoying two Monitors from that port to Mobile. Crossed the bar at the mouth of the river at 6 30 A. m. and arrived at the foot of Canal street at 3 o'clock p. m. This was considered quick time against a five or six knot current. On the 29th, left New Orltaus for Mobile, acting as consort to the iron- clad Chickasaw. Arrived at the blockade on the 3lst, and was imiuediatley ordered to Ship Island, for the monitor Winnebago, which had been towed there by the Tennessee. In the meantime Farragut issued the following General Order: FARRAGUT'S GENERAL ORDER. " Strip yom- vessels and prepare for the conflict. Send down all your superfluous spars and rigging. Trice up or remove the whiskers. Put up the splinter-nets on the starboard side, and barricade the wheel and steers- men with sails and hammocks. Lay chains or .sand-bags on the decks over the Machinery, to resist a plunging fire, Hang the sheet-chains over the side, or make any other arrangements for security that your ingenuity may suggest. Laud your starboard boats, or lower and tow them to the port side, and lower the port boats down to the water's edge. Place a leadsman and the pilot in the port-quarter boat, or the one most convenient to the commander. The vessels will run past the forts in couples, lashed side by side, as hereinafter designated. The flag-ship will lead, and steer from Sand Islund N. by E. by compass, until abreast of Fort Morgan; then N. W. half N. until past the Middle Ground; then N. by W.; and the others, as designated in the drawing, will follow in due order, until ordered to anchor; but the bow and quarter line must be preserved, to give the chase-guns a fair range; and each vessel must be kept astern of the broadside of the next ahead. Each vessel will be kept a very little on the starboard quarter of his next ahead, and when abreast of the fort will keep directly astern, and as we pass the fort will take the same distance on the port-quarter of the next ahead, to enable the stern guns to fire clear of the next vessel astern. It will be the object of the Admiral to get as close to the fort as possible before opening fire; the ships, however, will open fire the moment the enemy opens upon us, with their chase and other guns, as fast as thej' can be brought to bear. Use short fuses for the shell and shrapnel, and as soon as within three or four hundred yards, give the grape. It is understood that heretofore we have fired too high; but with grape-shot it is necessary 'o elevate a little above the object, as grape will dribble from the muzzle of the gun. If one or more of the vessels be disabled, their partners must cany them through, if possible; but if they cannot, then the next astern must render the required assistance; but as the Admiral coDtemplates moving with the flood-tide it will only require sufiicent power to keep the crippled vessels in the channel. Vesels that can, must place guns upon the poop and topgallant fore- castle, and in the tops on the starboard side. Should the enemy fire grape, they will remove the men from the topgallant forecastle and poop to the CRUISE OF THE METACOMET. 2r> guns below, out of grapp range. The howitzers must keep up a constant fin- from the time they can reach with shrapnell until out of its range. 0. G. FARRAUT, Rear Admiral, Cominandirig W. G. B. Squadron." On tlie morning of August 2, we left the blockade for Pensacola, where we took on board a number of sand-bags, for the purpose of puting around the machinery, and making other neccessary preparations for passing tiio forts. Left Pensacola at Ten o'clock on the morning of the 4th, in company with the steamer Bienville and monitor Tecumsph. Little did the crew of the Tecumseh think that this was their last day on earth. Some of them having expressed their sympathy for us, in having to pass the forts in a wooden gun-boat, while they considered themselves perfectly safe being in ftn iron-clad vessel. We arrived at the blockade at .5 o'clock, and anchored for the nighi. Our orders were to get breakfast at 3 o'clock next morning, as this was the day we were to pass the forts, or perish in the attempt. At daylight we were up and lashed to the gal'ant old Hartford. At halt past six o'clock the advance commenced, the iron-clads taking the lead. When they had taken their positions, the wooden ships advanced in the following ord^r linked as couples would enter a ball-room: The Brooklyn. :ui(' OcturMra, T'aviforf\ and Metacomet, Richmond, and Port Royal, Lackawana, and Seminole, Monongahela, and Kennebec, Ossipee and Itasca, Oneida, and Galena, and the Admiral's steam barg torpedoes, with which they knew the channel to be lined, should be the leading vessel. They stated, moreover, that in their judgment the flag-ship, on the movements and signals of which all the other move- ments depended, i^hould not be so much exposed as she would be at the head of the line, for she might be crippled before they came up with the forts. Farragut demurred very much to this arrangement, saying that "ex- posure was one of the penalties •f rank in the navy;" besides, it did nor matter where the flag-ship was, " she would always be the main target for the enemy." The fleet, with the Brooklyn ahead, steamed slowly on, and at ft quarter to seven the Tecumseh fired the first gun. About twenty minutes liter the forts and water batteries opened a murderous firf. When about five hundred yards from Fort Morgan the Brooklyn grounded slightly and ->6 CEUISE OF THE METACOxMET. begin to back, causing the order to reverse engines to pass down through the whole fleet, and bringing it to a sudden halt, just as it was entering the tiery vortex. " What could this mean," l.ad hardly leaped to the lips of Parragut, when he heard the cry, "The Metacomet is on fire!" "The Tecumseh is going down!" Glancing his eye to the spot where she lay, he saw only the top of her turrets rapidly disapearing beneath the water. The sight at this iftoment was enough to try the stoutest heart, and it brought out, like a rtash of lightning, all the heroism in the man. What! his whole line halted — The Tecumseh, for which he had waited so long, as the only match in the tleet for the ram Tennessee, gone to the bottom with all her noble crew, and the fiery tempeot full upon him! With his usually mild face now blazing with the light of battle, and unalterable resolution written on every line- ment, he shouted out, in a voice that rung over the thunder of cannon, " Go ahead!" and both ships dashed to the head of the Hue, and hoisted the .-ignal " close action," we drove straight for the blazing fort, foUuwed by the .-ijuadron. A boat was lowered from our ship and manned, in cliarge of a gallant and courageous young officer named Neil, aud went to the rescue of the few who were fortunate enough to escape from the turret of the Tecumseh. It was a grand sight to behold that little boat pulled towaids the strugling forms in the water, with the Stars and Stripes flying to the breese, amidst the shower of shot and shell tliat was falling around them as thick as hail from both friends and enemies. They succeeded in saving ten of them, four were seen to swim ashore to the fort. All this time the battle continued, the Hartford aud Metacomet, having the lead. The rebel fleet were drawn up in line to dispute our entrance into tlie bay, and was raking us fore and aft. We could not return the fire only with one gun from the Hartford. A shell from the ram Tennessee, struck us* forward, and entered the store-room and exploded close to the magazine. Our situation looked critical. Captain Jouett, seeing how we were situated, several times asked the Admiral who was still in tlie rigging, to let us go. To this Farragut would not consent, until he was out of range of the forts. The author, from his position at the forward pivot gun, was directly iiuder the main-rigging of the Hartford, where Farrfigut was lashed, and could hear almost every order he give. He was not lashed with a hammock- lashing, nor yet a yarn whipped over one of the shrouds, as some of our historians describes him. The facts are those; he secured himself in the port main-rigging, with a piece of rattling-stuff, so as to prevent his falling between the two ships, and, was not so close to the top as to put his hand up tlirough the lubber's hole, and seize the foot of his pilot Martin Freeman, and besides he would not be able to watch the ^movements of the fleet in CRUISE OF THE META COMET. 27v this position. Wlien we pot past the fort, Pcirrajriit give the order to let go! there was no time to be lost in casting the hawser adrift that held us to the Hartford, taking the battle-axe from my belt, with a few blows cut the lines, and went flying past the Hwrtford up the bay in pursuit of the rebel gun-bi)at3 who started to run when they seen us pass the forts. The chase did not last long, in about twenty minutes we had them in range. Then the action commenced in earnest. The Morgan, and Gaines, were on our starbord side, and the Selma, on our port. This cross-fire did not last long, after pouring a few broadsides into the Gains, she made for the beach in a sinking condition. The Morgan sonn followed running under the guns of Fort Morgan. Those two obstacles removed, we turned all our guns on the SelmR, and a few minutes the shell, grape and canister, were going over and into her, at a fearful rate, causing a great loas of life. In about half an hour she struck her colors in token of surrender. We immediately sent a boat on board, when they got there a horrible sight met the eye. The dead and dj'ing were heaped up together, and mangled forms lay everywhere to be seen. Their loss in this engagement wliicli lasted only thirty minutes, was twenty-nine liilled, and fiftet-n wounded. Am)ng the former were Lieut' Comstock, who was in the act of sighting a gun, when he was hit, and his remain-i were found lying over the breacli of the gun. And among the latter Captain Murph5% severely in tlie neck and arm, Notwithstanding that Capt. Murphy was a rebel office)-, he deserves great credit, for the manner in which be fought his sliip, and had tlie otiier rebel commanders followed his example, thej'' would have made it pretty hot for us. Capt. Murphy had formerlj' been U. S. officer, and is another evidence to show what brave men our navy had been fn)merly composed of. When oui- men went on board to hoist the flag, they found the halyards were unrove, this did not detain them long, in a minute one d 9upi)orte'^, w Captain W. W. LOW, AND Captain JONATHAN YOUNG, COMMANDING. Eear Admiral William Eeynolds, Eear Admiral Thomas H. Patterson, CoraiTianding U. S. Naval Force on the Asiatic Station. 1878. tkxxksskk's "young amtirica" prkss. r> DESCRIPTION OF THE TENNESSEE. The Tennessee (formerly the Madawaska,) was built at the Brooklyn Navy Yard in 1865, and was fitted out with laherwood's patent engines. On her trial-trip in New York bay she made seventy-six (76) miles in four hours. In 1870 she made a trip to San Domingo with the Commissioners, and returned to New York in the same year, and was put out of commission, another deck was put on her, and received a pair of John Eoache's back acting compound engines. She is a frigate-built clipper, with two fighting decks, berth-deck, cock-pits, poop-deck and top-gallant forecastle. DIMENSIONS OF HULL. Lenght between j)erpendiculars .... .... 335 feet. Overall 375 " Breath of beam 45 ft. 2 in. Depth of hold 31 " Draft of watar when ready for sea (aft) .... 22 " 6 " forward .... 20 " 3 " PKINCIPAL SPARS. Lenght of fore lower-mast .... .... .... 119 feet. main " '• 123 " 4 in. mizzen .... .... .... " fore yard .... • • • • • • ■ • • . . . 87 main " 97 " cro'jack .... .... .... .... GO Height of fore royal truck above water line .... .... 185 " '.' main " '* " " 191 " " mizzen " " " ' 154 95 " 4.4 BATTERY 23 GUNS. IS IX inch on Jlaiu deck Weight ot sliot HO 11); 2 XI inch pivots on Spar deck " 1G(> " ■2 100 pdr. Parrott " " 70 " 1 (■)() pdr. Parrott nn lop-gallant forecastle. 60 " She is provided with several Dahlgren howitzers for boat and field service, a battery of Gattliug guns, small arms and pikes sufficient to arm all hands. She also carries torpedo out-riggers with permanent wires run- ning fore and aft inside the bulwarks connecting with portable batteries on llie quarter-deck by which four heavy torpedoes can be simultaneously ex- ploded under the water line fifty feet from the shii)V side; and has the necessary apparatus fur using the " Harvey " loipedo. DESCRIPTION OF TlIK TEXNESSKE. CAPACITV OF MAGAZINES. '-'38—200 pound Tanks. 21—150 34-100 (J8— 50 " CAPACITY OF SHELL-ROOM 1170 IX inch shell 180 XI " 190 100 pdr. '• 1)5 GO " 100 12 " 54 12 " . " (light) 31 XI inch shrapnel 180 IX " 50 100 pdr. 25 60 10 12 " 162 " " " (light) Capacity of provisions, four mouths for four hundred men. Capacity of water tanks 752G gallons. Maximum quanity of water that can be distilled in twenty-four hours, ICO gallons per hour. DESCRIPTION OF ENGINES. Two back acting compound engines. Maximum indicated horse power 1640. Ten (10) Cylinderical boilers of two furnaces efich. Grate surface 478 square feet. DESCRIPnON OF THE TENNESSEE. CAPACITY OF COAL-BUNKERS. 380 Tous. Coal consumed at full power 67 ton?, 1 [ r.ituniinous. at t " r.o " ] CHAIN CABLES Sc ANCHORS. Cables, 2 bower 165 fathoms, 2 sheet 150 fathoms, and 1 stream 105 fathoms. 7520 j 8150- Anchors, 2 bowers • Lbs. 2 sheet [ Lbs. 7650 \ 73.50 " 1 stream 214.3 SAIL AREA. Total area 44, 289, 22 ^ " square feet. Available at one time ' 39, 497, 07 All plain sail " 26, 807, 05 Displacement " 4220 " " square feet. Tonnas-e " 2135 " " toii.^. CRUISE OF THE "TENNESSEE, The Tennessee was put in commission at the Brooklj'n navy yard May 1st, 1875. Her crew was transfened from the U. S. Recieving ship Vermont, May -0th She cast her moorings on dock off June lOch, and steamed down ihe river and anchored off the liattery at five P. M. June 15th, hoisted and saluted the FUig of Rear Admiral William Reynolds, U. S. N., Commanding U. S. Naval Force on the Asiatic Station. "SALUTE TO THE FLAG" Unfurl to the bveese, on laud and on Sea, Our emblem of liberty, the Flag of the free. The army shall weild it as their Septra of power, The Navj' shall sheild it as the hope of the hour, While the South with the North proclaim in one Voice, The flag of our Union is the flag of our choice. June 26th, left our anchorage off the batteiy, and steamed down the bay, and came to anchor at Staten Island. OTJ.t-'\7va.r ( KiisM or Tin; ti;.\.\j-.s>j;i:- .ir((/f //tr LtJ^-fjfxr/! Oi'l. 1-1. At lU. ."0 r. M. the ijuii't and serouily ot llie ship was ilioturbed liy ono of llie look-oula en the gangway, reporliug a boat driftiug by in a lielple.es ouudition, with a man in it. The Engines were quickly stopped, a itoat was ioweied and manned, but cm reaching the ?up])osed boat and man, it wa.s discovered to be a laige tree with out-sl) etched limbs, and birds roosting thereon, whicli screamed and Hew away on the approach of our boai-, as much as to slay, we have fooled those Yankees this tiuie. Manila is situated on the island of Luzon, one of the I'hUlipine Islands. It i.>i governed by a ypauish (iuveinor, who made a visit to the Tennessee, (hiring our stay heie, also the Spanish Admiral visited the ship to pay his lespects to our Admiral. Oct. 20, On leaving Manila, we encountered a very strong head wind ■which continued increasing in force for two days, so that it was imposiblo to steam against it, we were obliged to abandon our intention of going t?) Nagasaki, tacked ship and set course for Amoy, China. A Wine SNpj)er. At 7 o'clock this evening, our Signal Q,uartermaster, Captain of the Hold, and "Jack of the Dust," gave their first Wine-Supper. Amoy is a senport town of China, in a fmall island of the same name, in tbe province of Fo-kion, on the sea-coast, is one of chief commercial emporiums of the east; and contains a population estimated at 250,000. It is divided into an outer and inner town, and has an outer and inner harbor, the entrance to the former of which, as well as the inner town itself, is strongly fortified. In 1841 it was taken by the Ciitish; by the treaty of Xan- kiug, a British consul and British subjects weie p< rmitted to reside there. The trade is now open to all natinn.^. The chief imports are rice, suger, camphor, raw cotton, cotton-twist, and British long cloths; he exports are tea, porclain, paper, grass-cloths ,\c. Sinuggliug is carried on extensively. Amov is said to be the dirtiest town in the world. WoosUXd, CfllXA. )(', ■\Voosuus is a small village at the mouth of the Yaugtze-Iviang river, !,"> miles from Shanghai, is inhabited chiefly by Chinese, with the exception of a few Europeans who have charge of the harbor, there is one hotel, and it ietenibles all the Chinese towns I had the misfortune to see in regai-d to dirt and filth. The English fiag-shi]) "Audacious," and several Chinese gun-boats were in the harbor, who managed to make the night and day hideous, by saluting 1 lie Mandarins, and other Chinese officials, who are constantly passing up and down the river. Is'ov. 2V). Lieut. H. W, Lyon, left the shijj in charge of the remains of the late AVilliam Seward, late minister to China, to jiroceed to the United States. 'jPc/ppcnherg !EocA-. At the entrance to the harbor of Nagasaki stands Pappeuberg Rock, where the lives of so many thousands native christians had been sacrificed. In the year of 1637, at Shimabara, the Christians rose by thousands in arms, seized an old castle, repaired and fortified it, and raised the flag of rebe lion. Armies from Kiushin and the Kuanto, composed mostly of veterns of Corea and Ozaka, were sent by Shogun to beseige it. Their commanders expected an easy victory, and sneered at the idea of having any difficulty in subduing these farmers and peasanls. A siege of two months, by land and water, was, however necessary to reduce the fortress, which was finally done with the aid of Dutch cannon, furnished under compulsion by the traders of Deshima. The intrepid garrison, after great slaughter, surrendered, and then the massacre of thirty-seven thousand Christians began, and was finished by the hurling of thousands more from the rock of P.qjpenberg, in Nagasaki harbor. Thousands more were banished to various provinces, or jiut to death by torture. Others escaped, and fled to the island of Foimosa, joining their hrethem alrtady there. The Edicts pichibUing the "evil sect" were now pvor.nilpa'ed and published y-crmanently all over the Empire, and new ones 17 C'EUISE OP THE TENNESSEE. ri>mmanded that, as lon^ as the sun should sbiuc, no foreigners .should euter .lapau, or natives leave it. The Dutch gained the privilege of a paltry trade and residence on the little fan-shaped island of Deshima (outer island), in front of Xagjisaki. Here under degrading restrictions and constant surveil- lance, lived a little company of less than twenty hollanders, who were allowed one ship every year to come from the Dutch East Indies and tixchange commodities of .Tapan with those of Holland. Tlii.i id ono of thn: .snugest harbors we have entered during our cruis^e so fur. It is entirely land locked, and in the summer the mountains that aurrouad the town are cjvered with grenu herbigj , making it look very beautiful. I made ray first tour in Japan j'esterday, and will say that if first impresstons are the best I will certainly like the Jajjanese, I found them e.\cessive!y polite, very obliging and honest, and their manner is so perfect- ly free from affectation, and simple, that I could not help but admire them, and of all the different nationalities I have come in contact with so far during the cruise, I much prefer the simple " Jap." OiiT CJirislmas Abroad. ■ Our first Christmas aboad was passed most pleasantly, the diny broke clear and pleasant, the sun shining brightly. The first thing on the program- me was a boat race, betvi-ceu the Tennessee's barge "Magic" (12 oars) and the U. S. S. "Kearsarge" flutter (14 oars), five (5) miles for SlOO a side. The race had been much talked of in the fleet, and among the citzeus on shore, the shipping in the harbor were crowded with spectators. At ten o'clock the boats were out pulling around the hiirbor, at 10-30 Ihe contestants came side by side, and at the signal from the officer in the umpii-e'd boat (by the firing of a pistol^ the boat? sti.-ted the " M.igic" amidst shouting and cheering by the crews of both ships, took the lead and kept it, coming in half mile ahead. 18 A Ch7'lstmas Greeiiuff TO THE CREW OF " KEARSARCE." Long, long ago, (in memoiy's span bv g. r. av It seems an age at least) When Admiral Rodger's matchless barge Was champion of the East, ITer crew, as brave and stroBg a set As e'er a cutter graced, Were wont to send a kindly word To those with whom they raced. We euvy not the Daring's fame. Nor boast her wondrous speed. But only aim to act as square Whichever crew may lead. And banish every petty care On this bright Christmas morn. We' 11 do our best, come what may Our Bard shall blow our horn, In honor of the gallant crew Who meet our craft to-day, In friendly contest on the waves Of Xagasaki Bay. Though one of us must be astern In this our maiden race When each man does his level best Defeat don't mean disgrace. Let's prove to others that the tars Wlio man Columbia's Fleet, Are generous in victory, Or manlj' in defeat. And chesr each other at the end What'er our luck may be, We only wish both boats could win. Your?, truly, " Tennessee." 19 CliUiaE (JF THE TENNESSEE. TIio next event of anj' importance was our Christmas Dinner, our tables were decorated with flags and evergreens, and loaded with all the delicacies of tiie season, Avhicli we all enjoj-ed. In the afternoon a large party of the ships' company went on shore. Thus ended our first Christmas abroad. The ''Saco'' Spaces. The race between Admiral Reynolds barge Magic, and the U. S. Saco's twelve-oared whale boat Resolute, was closely contested for the first mile and a half, then the superioi* quallities of the Magic was plainly to be seen, notwithstanding the splendid stoke of the Resolute's crew, the Magic drew gradually away from her and turned the stake boat 40 seconds ahead, but in consequence of bad management in the turn she lost her headway, then the Resolute spurted and made a splendid turn, by this time the Magic got around and was off like a race horse, and finished a minute and a half ahead of her opponent. A^e9f j'ea7'-s Saces, The first race with the Saco was hardly over when they manne 1 their gig and tossed oars under our bow by way of a challenge to a six-oared race. Our gig like the Magic was untried, although built by the same builder, some of our boys were not so confident in her, but were willing to risk a little on her, while others speculated in the Saco's boat and succeeded in wining several small bets. The race at the start was closely contested, but our boat began gradually dropping astern and came in 50 seconds behind. Having been beaten but not disheartned in this last race, our boys man- ned our dingy the smallest boat in the ship, with four of the bigest men in the navy, and tossed oars under the bow of the smallest ship in the service. The little ship won't surrender, the race to be pulled in one hour. The boats started over a zig-zag course around several men-of-war in the harbor, and ended in another victory tor the Tennessee. This race was scrarcely over, when a short low rakish looking craft (not not of Ned Bimtline's) was seen leaving the Saco, and heading right for this ship, but on closer inspection it proved to be her catamaran, propelled by shovels in the hands of four burly looking firemen, and on coming alongside demanded satisfaction their coxswain saying, " the little ship won't cave if you were as big as the Great Eastern, so get out your catamaran and if this don't turn the tables, we'll come over in a division tub." Our catamaran was speedily launched and manned by the Tennessee's Indispensables, and THE DEATH OE CHARLES L. DICKENS. 20 the race comraonced, bulk coxswains wore very long serious faces, as if the fate of the Republic deioeuded on the result, and kept continually working the body as if put together with a hinge in the back, and swinging iheir arms in all directions. There was great jockying resorted to in this race, running through propeller wells, under gangway ladders, mooring cables See. Our catamaran the ( lightning bug), came in several seconds ahead. The Saco's crew on leaving the ship was presented with a purse of Japanesee tempo's and a wreath composed of onions, potatoes, cabbage, and artificial flowers. Thus ended our New Year's sports in Nagasaki. 'DeatJi of C?ia7'2€s Z. 2)tcke7is. Jan 29th, we anchored in the mouth of the Tang-tze-kiang River, for 1 he purpose of having our quarterly target yjractice, the weather was cold and disagreable, we finished at five o'clock after two hours i^ractice. The two boats that were sent to pick up the target were unable to reach the ship in consequence of a head wind and swift current running at the time, one of the boats drifting out to sea was picked up by a pilot boat and lowed back to the ship. It was now eight o'clock, and just as we were about turning into our hammocks, when the cry was laised "man overboard," all hands rushed on deck, when it was found that Charles L. Dickens, a messenger boj', while standing in the port gangway slipped and fell over- board, all efforts to save him was in vain, boats were quickly lowered, gratings thj-own overboard, but from the time the splash was heard, nothing more was seen of him. He was a native of Fulton Falls, N, Y., 17 years of age, a bright smart lad, and was a general favorite on board. The following lines were written on his death, bj- George R. Willij!, Flag-ship "Tennessee," January 30, T 876, — 21 CEUJSE OF THE TEXXESSEE. IN MEMORIAM. The bugle's toiies ring out in martial glen. The morning gun wakes echoes far away, And, suramoned by the notes of reveile, We meet tlie cares of each succeeding day, r>at thci'e was one — the youngest of us all— Whom duty cannot wake uor care molest, Xo more he'll answer to the boatswain's call, Xor can the guns loud roar disturb his rest. For^iu the solemn watches of the night. While darknesstbaffled those who fain would save, Death, lurking 'neath the cold and angry tide, Embraced our_comrade in a watery grave. Sweet be' thy sleep, 0, Charlie, thy sad lot Decreed'to thee a sailor's common end — An ocean burial, and by all forgot Save those who knew and loved thee as a friend. But who would barter fi-iendship's honest tear For that proud woe which rank and wealth assume: Thy mom-ners, though but few, are more sincere Than those who decorate a royal tomb. Comrade farewell! thy earthly cruise was brief — AYe all must bow before thy stern decree That calls us to attend a^higher chief, And ends our voyage on life's stormy sea. The tide of time proi^ells us swiftly on To that dark gulf which you have crossed before And sailing orders reach us, one by one. To join the fleet that haunts the eternal shore. SIIAXGIIAI, CIIIXA. S?ia7i(/?iai. Shanghai is the second sea port in China of importance, is situated on the Yang-fze-kiang river, 15 miles from the sea. It is divided into four towns, the French, English, American or Ilongkew. We are lying off American town which is the first town j'ou meet on going up the river, it has not heen long laid out, consequently has not as an imposing appearance as English town, it is inhabited chiefly by Chinese, There are as yet very few American or European residences here. The American Consulate and the Astor House, are the principal houses of European architecture. You come next to English town, and you l^are at once riding along a fine macadamized road that are kept verj' clean, the buildings are large, and built mostl}^ of white stone or granite. The have one beautiful little park, in which there is erected a large monument to the memory of H. M. B. officers and soldiers tljatfell in the war of 1872. Next French town, which is smaller than English or American town, the houses are principally small and of little importance. You come next to the old original Shanghai City or China town, which is divided by a high wall, and while they do not invite visitors, ycu are free to enter during the day, but at night the gates are closed, and it is not considered safe for auj' Europeans to be found there after nightfall. S)irisw7z of Settlement. The foreign selllemcnt is divided into three quarters— the French, Ameiicau, and Englith. These designations are given them for easy identifi- cation, and do not represent them as being quarters especially set apart for tlio location of the nationals whose names they take. Foi eigne: s or Chinese can alike re.'^ide in any quarters they may elect. 23 CRUISE OF THE TEXNESSEH:. Gorer?ime?il of SJia?ig7iai. The p[ovei'niuent of Lhe place may be divided into two heads: the judical or paternal part, remaining entirely in the hands of the local foreign officials appointed by Western Governments, who deal with civil and criminal cases. The English Supreme Court is the only Imperial Court, The other Courts are Consular, with the exception of the Mixed Court. The Local Goverment, is carried on by Municipal Councils. In the extreme south settlement the French have a Council, while the Anglo-American sections are managed by one Council. The first bears the title of "Conseil de 1' Administration Municipale Francais," while the official designation of the latter is the "Council for the Foreign Commuuily of Shanghai." The French Consul, M. de Monligney, obtained in 1849 from the Chinese Government an assignment of space with which French subjects should be at liberty to acquire land und buy residences, etc. In 18G2, from an extension of the limits of the ground originally placed at the service of the French, the Consul established a seperate Council, which continued to administer its all'airs under the regulations framed jointly vpith his American and English colleagues. In 1SG8 a new code of regulations came into force, viz., the " Reglement d' Organization Municipale de la Concession Francaise," and the " Local Regulations and bye Laws," for the division of the foieign settlement north t)f the Yang-King-Pang. Both regulations have the same end in view. The po\vers to elect a committee or council to levy taxes at public meeting.-^, for lhe maintenance of the peace, good order, and governnieut of lhe settlement. The regulations for the French side, work well. In regard to those for the American districts, the Municipal Council in their Report for the year ended March Slst, 1877, says: — The affairs of the Municipality are in a prosjierous slate. The financial condition is satisfactory; the expenditure is 1.120 taels in excess of the leceipts. This was to be expected, seeing the unlooked-for burden falling upon the funds during the year just concluded. In Shanghai may be seen the essence of local self-government. Tlioy are however, laws to wdiich foreigner and native are alike amenable. The foreign councils administer the Municipal affairs. The arc elected by the community. They lax themselves, and, although Chinese do not sit; at lhe Council meetings, tlieir interests ari" largely represented and cared for CHINESE FESTIVALS AXD FEASTS. 2-t by an iiifliionlial and wealthy class of foreigners, having considerable interest in Chinese hoii;e pruperlj'. On the whole Shanghai is the best laid out city, and the most civilized one, that the "Tennessee" has visited. Chinese U olid ays. Yinig- Chi. A festival observed by all classes; it is also called Chang-shi-tsieh, or the time when the long days come, because then the suu begins to return, and the days grow longer. Officers go in state to worship the Emperor's tablet, and the peop)le adore their lares. — Eleventh moon, twenty-fifth daj'. Sie-Tsau. The Cod of the furnaco ascends to heaven to report upon the cuuduct of the Perfect August Shangti; hence people pay their adorations to that deity, sie-tsau, "thank the furnace." In some patts of China, this Shangti is regarded as the Supreme God in the Chinese pantheon, and it is supposed the other deities derive their power and position from him. This popular superstition, though not pecular to any one class, seems most closely allied to the taw sect. — Twelfth moon, twenty-fourth day. Zei-CJiunj . Festival of siiring. This daj", the period of the sun reac'.iiug the loth degree in Aquarius, one of tlie chief days of the Cliiuese calender, and is celebrated with great pomp as well bj^ the government as by the people. lu e\er3' capital city there are madt^, at this period, two clay images of a man andabuifalo. The daj' previous to the festival, tlie chief citj" magistrate, goes out ying-chin, "meet the spring," on which occ ision children are carried about ou men's shoulders, each vying wiih his neighbor in ths georgeousness and fancifulue.-s of the childreus dress. The following day, being the day of the festival, the perfect again appears as the Priest of Selling; in which capacity he is, for the day, the first man of the province. Hence the chirf officers do not move from home ou this day. After he has 25 CKUJSE OF THE TENNESSEE. struck the Buffalo with a wliip two or three times, iu token of commencing the labors of agriculture, the populace then stone the image till they break it in pieces, and manj' of them carry off pieces of the clay to put on their fields, under the impression that a better crop will thereby be obtainecl. The The festivities continue ten days in some parts of the countrj% but the ceremony attending this festival differs greatly in different parts of China, in Canton it is not attended with much display. J\^e7t> Tear New Year is the onljf universal holiday iu China. Other times and sea- sons are regarded only by a few, or bj- particular classes, but the new-year is accompanied with a general cessation from business. The merchant, and the laborer equally desist from work, and zealously engage in visitiug and feast- ing — occasionally making offerings at the temples of those deities whose pecular aid they wish to implore. Government offices are nominally closed for about ten days before, and twentj' days after, new-year; during which period none but very important business is transacted. On the last evening of the old-year, all tradesmen's bills and small debts are paid, and inability to pass this time of settlement injures a man's credit, and usually results iu insolvencj-; while, too, the custom, by compelling an annual settlement of accounts, i:)revents many failures. This is perhaps the reason why it is called shu-seih, "the evening of dismissal." First moon, first duj-. Ag7'icultmrt2 Cere?no7?y . On a fortunate day in the third moon, the great agricultural ceremonj' is performed at Peking by the Emperor aud his ministers, and in all the provinces by the head officers of the Government. The ceremony consists iu holding a plough, highly ornamented, which is ke])t for the purpose, while the bullock which drags it is led over a given s]iaco. Tiie rule is the Emperor plough three furrows; the juinces five; and the high ministers nine. The furrows aie, however, so verj' short, that tiie later monarchs of the present dynasty have altered the ancient rule laid down b}' the predecessors of confucius, ploughing four furrows, and returning again over (he ground. The ceremony finished, the Emperor and his ministers repair to the terrace for inspecting tlie agricultural hiburs, and remain till the whole field has been plouglied by husbandn:en. The Emperor often appoints a proxy. cmiNiiSE FESTIVALS. I'O Twang -Wit . Festival of dniguu Uoats. On this day many people race backwards and forwards iu long uarmw boats, which, being painted and ornamented so as to resemble dragons, are called lunch iien, dragon boats. From the narrowness •yf the boats, and the number of persons ou board, there being sometimes trom sixty to seventj' paddles, it not unfrequeuily happens that several of the boats break in two; so that the festivities seldom conclude without the loss of several lives. The magestrates endeavour to re^^ress the ardor of the people by issuing their prohibitions, but the people arc led on bj' the excitf- meiit. The races are attended by thousands. UT (IJUISE OF THE TEXNESSKi:. JJmjnre of ,rapan . Miitsuhilo, Uio present Mikado or- Emperor, succeeded to the throji*; February 10, 18G7; was crowned October 13, 18G3. Au ancient and extensive Empire, consisting of several large and many small islands, said to comprise in all 3,800, the principal of which are Xiphon, (whtch in Japan givee name to the whole Empire), Sikok, Kiusiw, aud Yezo. the latter being a colonial dependency, situated at the eastern extremity of Asia, in the N. Pacific Ocean, between 31 45 30' N. lat. and 128 40' 149 E. long. It comprises an area estimated at 155, 525 square miles with a population of 33, 110 825. Japan is said to possess a written history extending over 2,500 years, and that its sovereigns have formed an unbroken dynasty since GG B. c„ the present Emperor being the I23rd of his race. Within the last few years Japan has made unparalleled progress in civilization and the adoption of Western manners and customs. The feudal system under which the country w^s governed by numerous lords had been abolished, and the Mikado is now absolutely the sovereign of the stale. The Empire which was formerly excluded from intercourse with other countries, is now open to foreign commerce, consuls are appointed, aud are allowed to visit the interior of the country under certain; almost nominal restrictions. The islands are eminently volcanic, and several of the summits are still eruptive; the chief of these Fusi-yania, the sacred mountain of Japan, a few miles from Yedo, is 14, 177 feet high. The country in general is fertile, indented with magnificient harbors, and the soil is productive, teaming with every variety of agricultural produce. Foreign commerce is now being enc'Hiraged, and under treaties with several Europern States, the ports Nagasaki, Kanagawa, Iliogo, Ozaka^ Kiigata, Hakodate, and the city of Yedo, are thrown open to all nation?. Capital Tokio formerly called Yedo. Aspect of ,Ta2Jfffi . The geographical position of Japan would lead us to expect a flora American, Asiatic, and semi-tropical in its character. The rapid variations of temperature, heavy and continuous rains, succeeded by scorching heats aud the glare of an almost tropical sun, are accompanied and tempered by strong and constant winds. Hence we find semi-tropical vegetable forms in close contact with Northern temperate types. The aspect of nature in Japan, as in most volcanic countries, comprise a variety of gavage hideousness, appalling dr?tiuctiveues?, and almost hetvcnly beauty. From the mcuulaius £:M PI UF. ()]•' JAI'A.V. :;« Imrst volcaaic eruptions; from the laud coiue treiubliu;^'^; fioiu tho ocean vises the tidal wave; ovf r it blow the cyclone. Floods of rain in summer and autumn g;i\-e rise to inundations and land-slides. Durinfr three months of the year the inevitable, dreaded typlioon maj' be e.\:pected, as the invisible agent of hideous ruin. Alongf the coast the winds and currents are very variable, sunken and emerging rocks line the shore. All these make th<' dark side of nature to cloud the imagination of man, and to create the. nightmai-e of suja, with their numerous serrated peaks and A'alleys, which may be beautiful, though now they sleep. To the left is the village of Uraga, opposite which Commodore Peny anchored, with his whole squadron of steamers, on the 7th of July 1853. Remaining eight daj-s at this place, he was accorded what he first demanded — an interview with, and the reception of President Fillmore's letter by, an officer of high rank. After the ceremony, he gave the place the name of reception Bay, which it still retains. Now we pass Perry Island, Webster Ule, and on the opposite side. Cape Saratoga, Now we pass the buoy indicating the spot where lies the U. S. sloop-of-war Oneida, which was run into and sunk by the British mail steamer Bombay, January i'3, .870. This is sad; but the sequel is disgraceful. Down under the fathoma the Oneida has lain, thus far undisturbed, our Government having failed to L".» VKVl^K OF TilE TEXXESSEi:. trouble ilself to raise the sliip or do honor to the dead. Little did the Avriter dream wlien passing the forts at tlie entrance to Mobile Bay, on tho rnh of August 1SG4, side-by-side with the Oneida and her gallant crew, that he would ever pass over the grave of that noble little ship in Asiatic waters. The hulk was put up at auction and sold to a Japanese, for fifteen hundred dollars. This is the one sad thought that casts its shadow over the other- wise profound memories of which Yedo bay is so suggestive to Americans- From serene and ancient Fuzi yami the sacred mountain of Japan, wo ^^urn to behold the bustling up.staft metropolis of the foreigners in Japan, as it appears in full daylight. Passing Mississippi Bay and Treaty Point, wc arrive in front of what was once a little fishing village, but which is no w the citj' of Yokohama. The town itself seems compactly built of low houses, with tiled-roofs. They are nsuallj' two-storied, though many of them are, in language of the East, "Bungalows," or one-storied dwellings. The foreign settlement seems to be arranged on a plan about a mile square. The Japaneso town spreads out another mile or more to the right. Beyond the plains, is a sort of semicircle of hills, called "the Bluff." It is covered with scores of handsome villas and dweMug houses, of all sizes and varieties of architect- ure. To the left the Bluff runs abruptly in to the sea. To the right it sweep- away to the south-west. In local parlance, the various parts of Yokohama are distinguished as "Bluff," " The Settlement," and tho "native" or "Japanese", town. Along the water front of the settlement runs a tine, wid<> well paved street, called "The Bund," with a stout wall of stone masonry ou the water-side. Private dwellings, gardens, and hotels adorn it, facing the water. There are as yet no docks for the shipping, but there is tho English and the French "hatoba." The former consists of a stone break - ■water, or piers, rising twelve feet or so out of the water, inclosing a largo irregular quadrangle, with a narrow entrance at one corner. The French hatoba consists of two i^arallel pieTs of stone projecting out into the bay. The building of most imposing ugliness from the sea-view io the British Consulate, and near by it is the American. The Japanese Court house is larger than that of the Consulate buildings, and much handsomer. French and ^iif/lish Camps. At the other extremity of the settlement, toward the Bluff, was formerly the French camp, and near bj^ it the English. Three hundred French soldiers guarded as many French civilians resuleut in Japan, and three hundred English marines, who relieved the Tenth British foot — the same that served their king on Bunker Hill— were in camp in Yokohama in 1875, YOKOHAMA, JAPAN. 30 The ^o7'eign Soors. The predomioaling culture, thought, mariners, dress, and household economy in Yokohama, as in all Eastern ports, is English. Outnumbering hll the others nationalities, with the Press, the Church, the Bar, and the Eanks in their own hands; with their ever-present navy; witli their unrival- led civil service, which furnishes so many gentlemanly officials; and with most of the business under their cnotrol, the prevalence of English thought and methods is very easily accounted for. Because of the very merits and t xcellences of the genuine Englishman, the American in the East can easily forgive the intense narrowness, the arrogant conceit, and, as relates to American affairs, the ignorance and fondly believed perfection of knowledge of so many who arrogate to themselves all the insular perfections. Perhaps most of the Englishmen at the East are fair representatives of England's best fruits; but a grievously large number, removed from the higher social presure which was above them, and which kept them at their true level in England, find themselves without that social presure in the East; and obey- ing the " law of pretun s," they are apt to become vaporous in their pretentions. Thes-e persons are even surprised to find even Ameiican enterprise in the East. They are the most ladical and finical ccnceiniig every idea, custom, ceremonj', or social despotism of any kind supposed to be English, These men help to form the army ot hard-heads and civilizeil boors in Japan, to which our own country lurnish recuits. They the foreigners who believe it their solemn duty, and who make it their regular practice, to traiu up their native servant "buys" in the way they should go by systematic whippings, beatings, and applications of the "boot." Fearful of spoiling cook, boy, or " beto" (hustlerj, they spare neither fist boot nor c«ne. In this species of brutality we (believe the vulger John Bulls to be the sinners above all the foreigners in the East. 2igfit-liope }y at king. By kind permission of the officers of the U. S. Flag -ship Tenues-see, Mr. and Mrs. Verlelli gave an entertainment oii board Wednesday evening. Mr. Vertelh first peiformed on a tiapeze suspended from the main to the mizzeu masts, fiO fet-v abuve the deck, and asked if any one would volunteer to go on his back, when one of our men J. S. Peacock mounted the bridge and was carried across in tafety, after which he gave an exhibition in magic mysterj-, and ventriloquism. The men were highly jjleased with the eulei- tainment, and ga\e t^ubstamial eviileiice Lif tl.eir gratificaiiiii 1 y piesenting Iheif entertainers with a j)iiiv oars) of 11. M. S. Audacious, for the championship of the Asiatic Station, came off this afternoon. The " Magic" is a sister boat to the celebrated barge Daring, and of the two, is considered the better. She is built of oak and cypress, and was constructed by the builder of the Daring, Mr Hepenstall, at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, New York. Her length is 31 feet 4 in. and breadth not quite 8 feet, she carries a crew of 14 men; and while as buoyant on the water as a duck she is easilj' manageable. The Adacious boat Albert, was built on purpose for the Prince ..f Wales when he visited Canada, Admiral Kyder was then Captain of the Hero, the vessel whicli conveyed the Prince; and on returning to England presented Captain Ryder with the boat. She is built in three water-tight compartments, and is therefore a life-boat. Her dimenions are, length 36 feet 1 inch, breadth 8 feet 1 inch, depth 2 feet 5 inclis, weight two tons. The present race was brought about through a challenge from the xMagic and was fixed to take place at five o'clock. Much interest was evinced in the contest, both boats having raced before, though not together, and both Ijeing winners — the Magic having never been beaten. The Audacious barge was beaten tmce in Shanghai by a French boat, but carried all liefore her in Hongkong. Notwithstanding the roughness of the weather, quite a number of visitors congregated on the men-of-war, anmngst whom was a fair average of ladies, to witness the cintest. Others braved, tlvj perils of the Boat ka( j:. vd water, iu saDimns and opeu boats submhled palienJj- to be tossed up and down aud to an occasional sprinkling of salt water. As the liour approach- ed for starting, the sides of the merchant versels and all the men-of-war were lined with anxious spectator^; w hilst those who cuuld not get a satis- factory view on deck went aloft. By half-past four o'clock both boats were manned and on the water, the Magic being under the guidance of AVilli.'<, with a crew of fourteen men. The Audacious barge had a crew of sixteen men. with Basant coxswain. Two finer looking crews it would be difficult to find. All equally stout, healthy aud hardy looking fellows, it would be dfficult for a stranger to say, with any correctness, which of the two crew.s WHS the best; and as the two boats lay, tossing about on the water it was not easy to distinguish which was the winning boat. A strong north-easterly wind had been blowing all the afternoon, whicli was at its height by the time the boats were ready for starting, aud con- sequentlj' the water was very lumpy. Two boats were moored near the flag- ships between which were the starting and winning points. Finding tliat the j)reliminaries took rather longer tlian was anticipated, an effort w«.s made to get the contestants awaj^ on equal terms by means of a line drawn between two moored boats, which, however, the high winds and roughne^.s of the water rendered completly futile, and much time was lost iu the attempt. At length it was resolved to start them without the line, which was accordingly done. The starter having got them well in line, hailed the coxswains, " All ready?" " Yes," was the response. The word "Go" was then given, and the oars dipped simultaneously. A wild cheer came from liundreds of tlironts on the "Tennessee" which was echoed from the " Audacious " and other vessels. Before the shipping was well cleared, the Magic had otablished a lead of a couple of lengths, and it was there seen that she cut through the water much cleaner than her competitor, who labored heavily and shi^jped a deal of water. 'J he ciew of the Audacious started on forty-two strokes to the minute aud the Jlagic on thirty-eighi. As they neared the light-bhip, which was the turning point, makiijg the course about three miles in length, the water became rougher and broke over the starbord bows of both boats. By this time the Magic had establisli- ed a good lead; and it was plainly visible that she would give the other a bad beating. She turned Treaty Point four minutes ahead of the Audacious, aud made for home at the same speed she had been going, still rowing thirty-eight and still increasing her lead. The crew of the other still kept up their forty strokes to the minute, occasionally rowing at forty-four. The Magic now had got nearly mile and a half of a lead, won the race nearly Seven minutes in advance ^:i her competitor. Dcafnii g cheers greeted both loats as they armed. 33 CRUISE OF THE TENNESSEE. Lieutenant Goodrich, of the Audacious, acted as starter and judge; and Midshipman C. M, Winslow, of the Tennessee was Umpire for the Magic. The following is a list of the Magic's crew: Geo. K. Willis, Coxswain, Edward Langdon, William Clarke, William Sutton, John Campbell, Robert Pattison, . Patrick Doherty, Frank Smith, John E. Sullivan, Michael Sullivan, John Chapel), John Joyce, Frank W. Brown, Baptiste Charles, Charles J. Cox, The "Magic" is the barge of Rear Admiral William Reynolds, Command- ing U. S. Naval Force on the Asiatic Station. ^uji-Yaina. Karaakoura, fifteen miles from Yokohama — Letter known to foreigners from the proximity of the colossal bronze statue of Buddha than from any historical associations— is the scene of actions of half the romantic and heroic histories of the country. Huge temples, broad avenues, vast flights of steps, and stately groves of trees still mark the site of tlie ancient capital of Japan, are still relics of the days when heroism and chivalry went haud- in-hand, and when Dai-Xiphon, "Peerless Japan," as her sons still love to call her, was alone in her majesty, and unknown to the world of "outer barbarians." North of Jeddo lies Nikko, the lovely burial-place of lye Yas founder of the Tokugawa line of Shoguns— a veritable" piece of heaven dropped on earth," a cluster of fairy temples set in a frame-work of some of the finest woodland scenery of the country. Away north again are the famous shrines of Ise, to which every Japanese who can do so makes a pil- grimage at least once in his lifetime. But all the pride and reverence of the Japane'se are centred in the great mountain Fuji- Yama. The glory uf the regular, pure-white cone, rising from the plain, and towering over the petty hills scattered to the right and left, has been sung by Japanese poets from time immemorial. Well-omened the house so situated so as to commaud a view of the mountain; fortunate the man who can show among his house- hold treasures the duly signed certificate of bis having made its ascent. Scarsely a screen, or a tray, or a lacquered bowl exists on which the well- known shape of the mountain is not portrayed. Ignorant rustics can not be convinced t^at there are spots in the world from whence the cone can not be descried. To the citizens of Jeddo it is a barometer, a protective genius, a sight to amaze the foreign visitor; to the peasant it is a something so sub- lime and grand as not to be spoken of without reverence. CELEBRATIXG THE CEXTENMAI.. U The C€?ite7i7iia2 Wi ^TidV' The celebration of the Centennial 4th Julj', was worthily observed at all the open ports in China and Japan. In Shanghai, a party of Americans en- gaged the steamer "Fire Queen" and took an excursion down the river to below Woosung. In the course of the trip the U. S, Consul Mr Meyers was called upon and made an excellent speech; and many patriotic toasts were proposed and responded to. In the evening the house of the U. S. Consul- General was thrown open to visitors of all nationalities, and the multitudes who availed themselves of Mr Meyers ' hospitalities were welcomed with an open-handed heartiness. At Chefoo the celebration was as marked as so limited a community could make it. A salute of 21 guns was fired in front of the Consulate at noon. A performance under the title of a ' Grand Centennial Performance was given by the Amateur Dramatic Club (not the Centennial "Wanderers of the Tennessee) which did not break up until 2 a. m. on the 5th. In Tokio, Japan, the Americans of Yokohama and Yeddo combined together to celebrate the day. U. S. Consul-General Yan Buren, and a great number of Americans assembled at the Seyoken Hotel at Ooyeno and lias?ed a most enjoyable time; while the "Tennessee" flag-ship of the Asiatic Station, had previuosly left for Kobe, a nice quiet little sea port in Japan, about 380 miles from Yokohama, where there are verj^ few Americans, and much to the disapointment of the crew, who anticipated celebrating the 4th in a manner becoming an American flag-ship. Xo matter in what quarter of the globe one of our ships may chance to be, the " blue jackets" are always ready with their scanty purses as well as every other means in their Ijower to help any person in distress, assist widows and orphans, or celebiate a National Holiday. On this occasion we had some difficulty in obtaining funds to carry out the intended programme. For this we can only blame our Executive in not doing his part (having the money served out). It was not until the very last moment had the neccessary funds been obtained. It had been raining for several days, and after waiting patiently all the fore- noon for the weather to moderate, concluded to celebrate the day Rain or Shine. A splendid dinner had been ordered from shore, tables arranged fore and aft the lenght of the ship, decorated with flags and evergreens, and loaded down with all the delicacies of the season. Having done justice to the dinner, next came the Aquatic Sports, which presented the following programme. — 35 CRUISE OF THE TENNESSEE. ^776. ^^^msSSSifi /876. JULY 4th. Cente7i7iiat Anniversary of A77ie7'ican Indepe7tdence . THE CRKW OF THE Will chase each other around these heathen waters as follows: FIEST EACE.— 3.30 p m. Open to all Government built CUTTERS, excepting the Tennessee's Cutter- Barge "Magic." Distance, about two miles, with two turns. First Prize $20, Second Prize SIO. SECOND RACE.— 3.50 p. m. For Single-Banked WHALE-BOATS. Same Course. Prize $15. THIRD RACE.— 4.15. p. m. Tennessee's LIFE-FLOATS— Dreadnought and Dauntless, Distance, 1,000 yards. Prize &5. FOURTH RACE.— 4.30. MERRIMAN'S PATENT LIFE SUITS. Distance, 1,000 yards. Prize S5. Winding np with a Race for the Championship of all Asia, between the Tennessee's CATAMARANS Lightning Bug and Firefly. Prize Chajipiox Flag and Game Cock. Doors open at 3 p. m. Children in arms not admitted. No dogs or Jiurikshas allowed on the Course. — CELEBRATING THE CENTENNIAL. SG BeLween the acts the •' Tenuessee's " Band played Airs and Selections by the following celebrated composers. — I — ^ — • Ttiesdajy Jtity A, 7876. Star Spangled Banner. Centennial Hymn — Converse. Grand March— " Kearsarge " Murphj\ Overture — Le Cheval de Bronze Auber. AValtz — Post-Horn Eossi. Selection — La Grand Duchesse «. Offenbach. Gallop — Wings of Love Meyder. Quadrille — The American Marriott. Waltz — The Duchesse Farmer. Selection — La Fille de Madame Angot Lecocq. Solo-Mazurlca — Zikoff. Waltz— Queen of the Ecses Godfrey. Gallop — Journey for Luck Faust. J. Meyrelles, Band Master. On the following day the U. S. S. Monocacj', presented the same programme, having postponed the celebration in consequence of the rain. HAKODATE, JAPAN. JTakodate, J^cipan. Hakodate is the most northern of the open ports of Japan, situated in 41 40' N. lat. and 141 15' E. long. The town stretches threw miles alonnj the base of a lofty promontory, which juts out into the stait of T'zagar, from the southern extemity of the island of Yesso. It is connected with the main- land by a low narrow isthmus, and separated from the raouat.iiaous region to the north by a plain bordered by an amphitht^atre of liills. The adjacent .scenery is striking and picturesque, closely resembling that of Gibraltar- H. was ceded to the Tycoon by the Prince of Matsumai ia 1854. It was then a poor fishing-village, but is likely to become a place of much political and commercial importance. It is at present a small town with al)out 1000 houses of a single story, fragile wooden buildings with shingle roiif-i, which are retained in their place by coble stones. Each house has on its roof a tub tilled with water for use in c.tse of (ire. The streets are between 30 and 40 feet wide, clean, and well drained, and macadamized. Considering the latitude of 11., its climate is severe, and during its winter season the ther- mometer has been found to indicate 18 below zero. The snow disappears about the beginning of April (though it often lies on the mountains until mid-summer; and torrents of raiu, brought up from the Pacific by the south- east wind, quickly deluge the recently snow-denuded ground, Tlu' harbor is one of the finest in the world, but difficult of access. The whalemen, who find in the neighboring seas a rich field for the pursuit of their calling, here obtain, at a cheap rate, supplies of potatoes, this important esculent having been recently cultivated with great success by the natives. By article three of the Treaty of Yeddo (August l-'O, IS'iS,) II. was, together with Kauagowa, and Nagasaki, opened to foreign commerce from July Ist, 1859. In 18G9, Japan passed through a great political revolution, by which the office of Tycoon was abolished. In June, the Mikado's forces attacked Hakodate which was occupied by the rebels, and a great part of the town laid iu ashes. HAKODATE, JAPAX. .18 Hakodate Sept. 27, 1877. A boat race between the gigs of the Tennessee and the U. S. S. Alert, was rowed over a three mile course, from a stake boat anchored in the inner harbor, to the light-ship and retm-n. Previous to the race the Tennessee's boat was the favorite, having already won a repu- tatation in the East, and had never been beaten but once. While the Alerts on the other hand were -willing to go their last cent on their boat, although an almost untried boat, having had but one race before. At the start the race was quite close the Tenuessees's boat having a slight lead, on rounding the light-ship tried to hug it too close and lost her headwaj^ and before she could be got around the Alert's coxswain taking advantage of the opening between his opponent and the light-ship, shot his boat through, slightly fouling the after oars of the Tennessee's boat, who claimed a "foul," but continued the race, comming in 20 seconds behind. The race was decided in favor of the Alert. The Tennessee's protested, and offered to renew the race which offer was declined until the other stakes were given up. This brought forth a "howl" from the big ship, "when the Mexicans like dirt, was sent on board the Alert, to founder that gun-boat completely." J'a2)a7iese Alartns. Japan has been troubled by two distinct insurectionary movements, brought about by different considerations, and possessing no common source of action. The first was that the Samurai, or Shizoku: the second, that of the farmers. Fortunately for the Government, these classes have few interests, and still fewer sj'mpathies in common. Both may, as in this instance, oppose government action; but they do so "without combining. AVe might as well expect to see Thurlow Weed and Henry A. Wise stumping the states in harmony as the proud Shizoku and the humble Heimen unit- ing in opposition to their rulers. In the case of the Samurai the discontent was caused not so much by the new changes in their pensions, as was orig- inally supposed, as by hostility to the Government for encouraging foreign intercourse. The old leeling against foreigners has been dormant for some time; but it exists, and grievances are looked upon as the result of foreign influence. In the case, of the Kumamoto riots, it appears that the feeling ■was not so strongly manifested against foreigners themselves as against the Japanese officials who support them and imitate their habits. The Samurai 39 CRUISE OF THE TEXXESSEE. acknowledofe the power of the foreigners; but they cannot forgive those who imitate them. These half-educated soldiers see no reason why Japan should be so rapily Europeanized, and they consider those who support such a policy the worst enemies of their country. And as a matter of fact, much of the distress and difficulty that exist in Japan is traceable to foreign inter- course. Eice, owing in part to the exports, has in many places doubled in value, and it forms the staple article of food with the bulk of the popula- tion. Gold coin, which was so plentiful, has almost disappeared from general circulation; and this is not unjustly laid to the charge of English trade. The decreased allowance of all the old pensioners of the countrj'-, though not so clearly traceable to the same cause, is generally ascribed to it, and the result of all this is that there is in Japan a strong party who hate the new regime and despise those who are at the head of affairs. The European dress and uniform, now almost universal with officials and militarj', is to them what the red flag is to the Andalusian bull. Careless of results, and without any definite aim, these Samurai rose, fought, and died. There was something grand in this small insurrection. "Some of its episodes were very striking. In one place 190 men, inspired with a kind of fanatical patriot- ism, swore to kill an equal number of their renegade countrymen, or die in the attempt. How many of this band are now alive is unknown, but certainly most and not improbably all of them fell in the struggle or were executed afterwards, or themselves committed hara-kiri. The frenzy in some cases possessed their wives, who on the failure of the movement killed themselves. Most of those who, like the leader, Mayebara, were tried and beheaded, showed the greaest coolness and courage. They gloried in their fate, and used their last moments to upbraid their captors and deplore the fate of their country. The following is a translation of the " last dying speech " of one of the inferior rebels: — A ^ytng SpeecJi. " Glorious country of Nippon, I am about to die for thee. Friends, let my head fall, my heart still beats for my country. I have not dishonored mj' ancestors; they will not reproach me. I join them without fear. I hate not the foreigners, but I hate the traitors of Nippon who suffer them to enter our land. Powerful are the barbarians, but we wish no trade with them. They cheat us with false treaties. Let me die a patriot; I have no fear. Like the bold-hearted Mayebara, I would rather die than live in a dishonored country. I am ready, Let the bold man slay rae and I will thank him." NIXG HAT, CIIIXA. 40 The Great yfatl of China. Another world-famous structure is the Great Wall — called Wan-li-chaug ( myriad -mile-wall ) by the Chinese — which was built by the first emperor of the Tsin dynasty about 220 b. c. as a protection against the Tarter tribes. It traverses the northern boundary of China, extending from 3^ E. to 15 W. of Peking, and is carried over the highest hills, through the deepest vallej's, and across every other natural obstacle. The length of this great barrier is 1250 miles. Including a parapet of 5 feet, the total height of the wall is 20 feet; thickness of the base, 25 feet; and at the top, is 15 feet. Towers or bastions occur at intervals of about 100 yards. These are 40 feet square at the base, and thirtj^ feet at the summit, which is 37 feet, and in some instances 48 or 50 feet, from the ground. Eai-th enclosed in brick-work forms the mass of the wall; but for more than half its length it is little else than a heap of gravel and rubbish. The Tennessee visited several of the most northern ports in China, and also anchored off Ning hai, a place where the wall terminates by running into the sea. Several of our officers and crew landed for the purpose of inspecting the wall, which is said to be one of the "seven wonders" of the world, and on returning to the ship, carried back with them, bricks enough to supply all hands with a piece of the great wall. Ou the return home of the Tennessee, each man will be found to have a brick (if not in his hat) most certainly in his clothes-bag. 2'he Meathen C?miese. The population of China proper is estimated at 414, 68G, 994: the dependencies, Mantchouria, 3, 000, 000; Mongolia, 3, 000, 000; Thian-shan, 1,000,000; Thibet, 11,000,000; Corea, 9,000,(300, and Loo Choo, 500,000— a total population of 477,500,000. The Chinese belong to that variety of the human species distinguished by a mongolian conformation of the head and face, A tawny or parchment- colored skin, black hair, lank and coarse, a thin beard, oblique eyes, and high cheek-bones, are the principal characteristics of the race. The average height of the Chinaman is about equal to that of the European, though his muscular power is not so great, the women are disproportionately small, and have a broad uppe*' face, low nose, and liner eyes. Of the general char- 41 CRUISE OF THE TENNESSEE. acter of the Chinese, it is not easy to form a fair and impartial judgment; and those who have resided long in the country, and know them well, have arrived at very different conclusions. M. Hue asserts that they are 'destitute of religious feelings and beliefs,' 'sceptical and indiffirent to everything that concerns the moral side of man.' As regards valor, their annals record deeds akin to the courage ef antivuity; they have no fear of death, commit suicide as the solution of a difBculty, and endure the most cruel tortures with a passive fortitude; but neither their arms nor discipline enable them to stand before European forces. A Chinaman, has wonderful command of feature; he generally looks most-pleased when he has least reason to be so, and maintains an expression of imperturbable politeness and amiability, when he is sceretly regretting devoutly that he cannot take your life. Chinese cookery, in the use of made dishes, more nearly resemble the French than the English. Birds' nests soup, sharks fins, deer-sinews, and ducks tongues, amongst its delicacies. The wine, or weak spirit (tsew), more correctly speaking, used by the Chinese is made from rice; and from this, again, they distil a stronger spirit, the 'samshoo' of Canton. Long naiLs are fashionable. The costume of the women differs but little from that of the men, and their shoes are the most remarkable jDart of their toilet. A lady's shoe measures about B inches from the heel to the toe. The feet of the Tarter women are left as nature made them, but amongst the Chinese, all young girls of the better classes are crippled by a tyrant custom. In early infancy the feet are tightly bound, the four small toes being tucked under the sole, of which, after a time, they become a part, and aud the heel is brought forward. The process is at length complete, stumps have been substituted for the ordinarv pedal extremities, and the Chinese lady totters on her goats feet. JAPANESE THEATRE A Japanese Theah'e. I -went on shore early in the afternoon in company with my friend Perley, and took "Tiffin" at a well appointed Restam-ant on Eenten Dorie, where a pretty little Japanese girl named Kenosan waited on the table, and kept up such a lively conversation in broken English, Japanese, and Portu- guese, that we did not put in an appearance until three o'clock. In this country they adopt the plan of playing in the day-time. They often commence at 6 a. 3r. and go on until 6 p. m. The building was of wood, with a mean entrance enough. Ic was a large building, the part corresponding to our pit being unseated, as no Japanese sits cusomarily as we do on a seat, but literally on their heels. The floor was therefore simply matted with nice clean mats called tatami, made of straw and about two inches thick, so that they are soft and comfortable. The people leave their getas (wooden clogs, universally worn in the street) at the door, in charge of a proper person who gives them a ticket just like the attendants in the hat-room of our ball-rooms. They then go and take up their position on the mats quite independantly. The pit was divided into squares each capable of accommodating six. person?. The stage occupied one end, a kind of gallery running along the other three fides of the house, divided into what I dignify immenselj' if I call them boxes. The admission fee to natives was ridiculously small; but froin us they exacted a rate something more than double the highest price paid by their own countrymen, and even then it was little enough. It was onlj' two ichibus — Ichi-bu (one bu) is now as nearly as possible to a quarter of a dollar. Having paid our money and entered the building, we met with a sight that, for the moment, dispelled all our notions of Japanese cleanliness. We ascended some rough bamboo ladder-like stepp,and reached the boxes (as we will continue to call them^; and being taken to one in the verj^ best position, those who occupied it most obligingly rose to vacate it and make iccmforns. This we objected to; but they insisted, and so we were com- pelled to acquiesce; and made ourselves as comfortable as we could. There was no seats— only the matting as before described; but they brought a strcrg land oo, and placed it across the box, resting the ends on the two .cides. and en this wc felt very much like the ancient niggar — "silting on a rail." 43 CRUISE OF THE TENNESSEE. The place was full; and as the curtain was down or rather un-drawn — for it does not fall, but runs along on^Ioops from side to side— we had plenty of time to take a good look about us before the next act commenced. As the performance is so long, and by day, most people were engaged in regailing the inner man. They can take their food with them; but generally it is supplied by houses specially connected with the theatre, the proprietors of which act as agents, and take the tickets, secure the places, provide the tabe-mono (food), give a .written bill of the amount, and receipt when it is paid. The food is served in lacquered boxes in nests of four or five, the bottom of one fitting into the top of the lower ones, the uppermost having a flat cover similarly lacquered. These are beautifully made, and easily kept clean as the lacquer resists the strongest acids. There are no knives or forks every one using the chop-sticks. The majority of the audience was of the softer sex; generally very nice- ly got up, their hair beautifully arranged according to the fashion of the country, and looking so bright and cheerful, that it did one good to see them. To our astonishment we saw in a box directly opposite to ours, an old lady with an opera-glass. My friend Perley, seeing her turn it on us, rose and made her a very polite bow, after the manner of the Japanese them- selves; which so tickled her fancy, that she burst out into laughter; and directing the attention of all around her to our box. Of the actors I am inclined, to speak very highly. The seem more perfect than our own; and as they are thoroughly and exclusively trained to their profession, from their youth up, their action is wonderful. Like our own, their stage has its traditional tones, steps and gestures, and so excell- ently they do suit the action to the word, that although I knew no Japanese whatever, I could quite follow the sense of the play. Altogether we were much interested and surprised with our first visit to a Japanese theatre. IIU-VU KOXti, CHINA. 4-!: Horg Kong is one of those islands called by the Portuguse "Ladrones," or "Thieves," from the notorious habits of its old inhabitants. The colony — which is described as exceedingly beautiful, possessing one of the fines-t harbors in the world, surrounded by lofty hills rising between 1,000 and 2,000 ftet high, — was first taken possession of by Great Britain in January, 1842. Hong Kong is thought by many to be an integral part of the Chinese empire, it is realj' one of the numerous out-lying portions of the British possessions. The names of its principal street, its local government and a large part of its inhabitants are English. The history of its becoming a British possession is two well known, however, to allow me any excuse for introducing it here. The town itself is situated on an island of that name, the straits between it and the mainland being only about a quarter of a mile broad. On the right lies the mainland, the chief objects in the landscape being the walled citj- of Carloon peeping over the ridge of gray hills, lower Carloon on the water's edge, and a bran new custom house. The aspect of Ilongknug is singularly beautiful, as the position and plan of the city become clear to the arrival. Built on the steep side of a mountain known as Victoria peak, the whole place is laid out in terraces, the handsome houses, in clusters of trees and gardens of bright flowers looking like so many parterres in one large pleasure ground. The steets are splendidly kept, and, with the profusion of trees, look like a carriage drive through a forest. Further up the hill lies the park, with a stream of water from the peak running through it and winding walks traversing it like a labyrinth. The English portion of the city is quite distinct from the Chinese, and its principal street Queen's road, is a broad thoroughfare flanked on each side by imposing public buildings. In the Chinese quarter, however, cleanliness is the exception. The houses are generally large, but crammed full of people like bees in a hive. But though the nAtive and English quarters are distinct, nianj' of the wealthier and English speaking Chinese merchants have their stores on Queen's road. In place of the Japanese jinrikshas, the Chinese have a singular conveyance hhaped very much like a £cdan chair, only instead of being borne in the hands at arm's length is caried on the shoulders. These chairs are carried by 45 CRUISE OF THE TENNESSEE. two, three or four Chinamen, according to the distance or the weight of passenger. They are especially useful in a hilly city like Ilong kong, where climbing the streets is a matter of great fatigue, and where horses could scarsely be of use. The legal fare is ten cents an hour, but generarally grumble if half a dollar is tendered, especially if you are an American. All over the East there are two prices put on everything, one for the European and another for the American, the latter paying twice as much as the former. Of course everybody who visits Ilong kong makes the ascent of Victoria peak, so one afternoon, we took two chairs and started up the hill. The distance by road is two miles and a dalf and the height 1,700 feet. Agile and sure footed as the chair bearers are, they could only take us about half waj', when we had to climb the rest of the distance. At the summit is an arrangement of flag statfs on which are hoisted the signals of incoming ships. Near it a lookout house fitted with telescopes, and as soon as a speck is sighted up goes the union jack; then, as the vessel nears, her nationalit}', and then her rig, and so on. A single piece on cannon and a miserable bust of the Queen complete the ornaments of the peak, which is little else than a high, bare rock. Hong kong as in all British possessions, the inhabitants are poor, everybody is taxed from the Coolie Chair-man to the wretched boat-women that live in sanpans on the river, and subsist on the scum of the water. It is a sad sight to see one of those poor creatures with an infant tied on her back and three or four children holding un the side uf the boat, waiting for the crumbs of hard tack that fall from our schute. This is the effects of British misrule iu China. THE CENTENNIAL WANDERERS, 46 The Ce7iten7iia2 }fanderers. January 1st. 1877. The " Centennial Wanderers" ( Tennessee's Minstrel Troupe) gave an entertainment on board, which was well attended by botli officers and men belonging to the English and German men-of-war in port, the audience numbering upwards of 1,500; people, when the following programme was presented: MANAGER, MUSICAL DIRECTOR. JOHN GILL. L. MOESLEIN. PROGRAMME: Aria Finale nell' Opera Lucia T)c\r\\7.r\\.\\. TART I.— MINSTRELSY Introductory Overture Orchestra. Opening Chorus, J. S. Peacock and Company. My Love to all at home D. Bowen. Battle of the Yang-tsze-kiang, J. Gill. Ella Rhee, E. P. Wood. Little Crossing Sweeper," W. II. Frazier. Ups and Downs of the " Tennessee," J. Gill. Gallop Genevieve de Brabant Mallach. PART II.-VARIETY. Irish Character Song, J, Kane. Song and Dance, W. II. Frazier. Then comes the Important Question WHO OWNS THE CLOTHES LINE! Mr. and Mrs. O'Donovan, J. Kane. Mr. and Mrs. O'llogan, J. P. O'Donnell. il AZURKA 777 "ALICE" arr. by W. ErdmaTu^ Remarks on Intervention, Hon. E. P. Wood. Echoes from the Rhine ED. Irving. Excelsior Jig, J. P. O'Donnel!. 47 CRUISE OF THE TENNESSEE. QUADRILLE, LA SOMNAMBULA Albert. To conclude with the great moral Drama entitled, A TERRIBLE EXAMPLE! Or the mysteries of Temperance Hall. Terrence O'Malley (President) J. Kane. Petroleum Nasby, ('Secretary) H. Long. Labrador Leatherears ' (An Orator) 11. Church. Squibbs (The Terrible Example) J. Gill, Hans, f Members of the International Glee "I ED. Irvinfr. Pomp, \ Club, with Excruciating Songs, I E.P.Wood. Teddy, [ J W, H. Frazier. Landlord, D. Bowen. Mrs. Bradly, J. P. O'Donnell. ADMISSION FREE. CHILDREN UNDER 45 HALF-PRICE. Curtain rises at 7 SO p. m. Gondolas may be ordered to the main entrance at 10. 45. Long range Opera Glasses may be obtained from the Signal Quarter-master. Kefresh- ments will be furnished from a well stocked scuttle-butt in the basement. No Peanut venders allowed in the Hall. :Sa77ff-kok, Stani . The King of Siam, at the suggestion of one our naval ofiBcers, requested Mr. Chandler, at the time an American citizen residing at Bang-kok, to prepare at his expense such a display as would do justice to his kingdom at the Phiadelphia International Exhibition of 1876, and a very complete series of articles was accordingly brought together for the purpose. Owiug to some dfficulty, however, with the United States consul at Bang-kok, Mr, Chandler was arrested and imprisoned for a time, and the exhibit detained for a number of months. It has, however, reached San Francisco some time ago, and is now on its way to Philadelphia. The collection occupies 218 cases, with a bulk of nearly 1200 cubic feet. The entire exhibit has been presented by the king to the United States, and will doubtless in time occupy a conspicuous place in the National Museum at Washington. BANG-KOK, SIAM. 4» Trip to Siatn . On the 4th of January the Tennessee left Hongkong, for Bankok, Siam, and arrived at the mouth of the Menam river Gulf of Siam, on the 11th. A3 the draught of the Tennessee would not admit of crossing the bar, Admiral Reynolds trausfen-ed his flag to the U. S. S. Ashuelot. and proceeded to Bang-kok taking, Admiral Reynolds and Lady, his Slaff, and several of the officers, also the Tennessee's Band and Marine Guard. One of the most wonderful cities in the world is Bang-Kok, the Capital of Siam. On either tide of the wide, majestic stream, moored in regular streets aud alleys, extending as far as the eye can reach, are upwards of 70,000 neat little houses, each one floating on a compact raft of bamboos; and the whole intermediate space of the river is one dense mass of ships, junks, and boats of everj' conceivable shape, color and size. The vistors were cordially entertained by the Simmese authorities. In response to an invitation from Admiral Reynolds the King of Siam, visited the Tennessee on the 30th. His Majesty stean.ed down the baj"" in the Royal yacht, accompanied by a minature fleet of steamers, on coming on board was received with all the honors due to his rank. The Roj'al party remained on board several hours, during which the crew was exercised at battallion drill, great guns, and torpedo practice. Being invited to participate in the torpedo practice he seemed somewhat startled, when, on placing his finger on the filing key, an explosion followed which raised an immense column of water over the ship's mastheads, llis Majesty expressed much admiration of the excellent gunnery displaj-ed by the crew, and when the target was shot away by Patrick D.)yle, Captain of Xo. 13 gun, (11 inch pivjt on spir- deck,) his ma!esty desired to see the man, had him brought into his presencj and highly complimented him on his excellent shooting, also signified his intention of making him a handsome present. To this Admiral Reynolds would not consent, stating that, no one in our service from President Grant duwn to a messenger-boy, ^^as ever known to take a present. The yards were manned and royal salutes fired on liis arrival and departure, and on leaving the ship llis Majestj' declared himself highly pleased with the various exercises, and paid his entertainers the marked compliment of describing a circle around the ship with his entire fleet. The Tennesse left the Gulf of Siam for Singapore, sailed from the latter port on the 14th of February for Manila, having encountered strong liead winds on the passage, called at the Britisii Island of Labuan one of the Islands of Borneo, for a supply of coal. 49 CRUISE OF THE TENNESSEE. !Bor?ieo . Borneo next to Australia is the largest island in the world, is situated in the Indian Archipelago, and extends from lat. 7 4' N. to 4 10' S., and from long. 108 50' to 119l'0'E. Divided by the equatorial line into two portions, nearly equal in surface, though of ditferent shape. Its length is about 800 miles, a breath of 700, and an area estimated at 300,000 square miles. The population is variously stated, but the probable number is about 2,500,000. The coasts of Born eo, which are often lew and marshj', and' rendered dangerous to navigation by numerous islets and rocks, present no deep indentations, though they are pierced by numerous small bays and creeks. Of the interior, as yet comparatively little is known. Indeed, with the exception of certain not very e xtensive advances inland, made by Dulcli and British enterprise from the south and west and north-west, the country may be said to be wholly unexplored. Two chains of mountains run through the island in a nearly parellel direction, from south-west to north-east; the one rising in Sarawak, gradually increases in elevation until it attains in its termination in Mount Kini Balu, on the north coast, a height of 13,098 feet. Vegetation is extremely liixurient. Besides vast forests of ironwoud, teak, the gutta-percha tree, ebonj-, &c. The animal kingdom rivals the vegetable. It produces elephants, rhinoceroses, leopards, bears, tigers, buffaloes, various kind of deer, apes, amongst which the erangoutangj are verj' numerous. The population consists chiefly cf Malays, Dyaks, Fnpus, Chinese, and Bugis. The Malays, who form the principal and most civilized part of the population on the coats, are very bold, but dangerous from their rapacity and passion for revenge. The are partly Mohammedans and parti j' heathens, and live, like their countrymen at Malacca, under sultan and lajahs. The Dyak>', dwelling more inland than the Malays, are unquestionablj- thu aboriginal inhabitants of the island. They are well formed, yellowish in color, cruel and wild. They subsist by hunting, fishing, and piracy. Their poisoned weapons make them formidable enemies; but'when their favor has been won, they prove trustworthy friends. The jirincipal tribe i)f them is that 'of the Kaj%an. The Papus or Negritos are probably also aboriginal inhabitants; they live in the deepest woods and solitude.^, in caves, and upon trees, naked, uncivilised, and feperate from the re.'t cf niai.kir.d. LABUAX. 50 Tictoi'iay Zabtea?i Is an island of the Malaj^an Archipelago, situated off the north-weat coast of Borneo, comprising an area of 45 square miles, and possessing a population of 4,000 inhabitants. It was ceded to Great Britain by the sultan of Bruni, in 1847, being at that time unhabited; and a British settlement, was established in 1&48, the first Governor being the late Sir James Brooke, The island has a fine harbor, and possesses extensive coal resources; but the latter have hitherto remained undeveloped, and the annual supplj' of coal up to the present has been altogether insignificant. The trade of Labuan, consists in collecting the products of the adjacent coast of Borneo and the neighboring islands, which are sent on to Singapore for the European and China markets. On February 22nd, at Labuan, the Tennessee celebrated Washington's birthdaj'. Governor Usher, who also act as Consul Gen. for Borneo, while assisting us in the celebration, the premature discharge of a gun caused the death of a native soldier. A purse of ($222) two hundred and twenty-two dollars was subscribed by the officers and crew, and handed to Gov. Usher with the following letter from Capt. J. Young: U. S. Flagship " Tennessee," Victoria harbor, Labum, 22nd February 1877. Dear Sir: The officers and crew of this ship have heard with deep regret the accident that happened to one of your men while firing a National Salute in honor of the birthday of the Father of our Cuuatry, George Washington. We deeply sympathize with his wife in her affliction, and beg leave to ask you to take charge of a small sum of money ($222) to be applied t j the aid of the injured man, or his wife, should he die. I have &c. J. Young, Governor Usher, 51 CRUISE OP TH ETENNESSEE. " Mr. Pliinkett to Mr. Seward, May 17, 1877, with accompaniments. Washington, May 17, 1877. Sir: I have the honor to enclose a copy of a letter which the Foreign OfSce has received from the Colonial Office, containing extracts from a Despatch, from the Governor of Labuan, relative to the kindly feeling, displayed by the officers and crew of the United States ship "Tennessee" on the occasion of the occurrence of a sad accident to a private of the Labuan Police; and I have been instructed by the Earl of Derby to convey to the Government of the United States the expression of the appreciation of Her Majesty's Government, of the sympathy shown l)y the " Tenoeasee'.s company, on the occasion in question, I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, Sir, Your obedient servaut, F. R. Plunkett, The Honorable F. W. Seward, &c. Szc. &:c. " " Extract from a Despatch from Governor Usher to tlie Earl of Carnarvon, dated 23rd February 1877. I regret to report that in saluting the American fl.ig, on the occasion yesterday, of the Birthday of Washington, Private Toviss of the Labuan armed Police, while raming home a charge was, either through his own carelessness iu not jiro perly sponging his piece, or through that of the man serving the vent, blown away from the mouth of the gun, by the premature ignition of the charge the deceased recieved such injuries that he died within a few hours of the accident. I afterwards personally examiueJ the gun, and satisfied myself, that the mishap was not owing to anj' defect iu it. GOVERNOR USHER'S DESPATCH. lu conclusion it is necessary that I should report to j-our lordship the munificent conduct of the officers and ship's company of the American Flagship " Tennessee." By general subscription amongst officers and ojeu S222 were collected for the benefit of the deceased police man, and handed to me with the enclosed letter from the Flag Captain. I must scarsely observe, that this, to her, a large sum, in addition to a small amount which I propose allowing her from Government funds, should place the widow out of want, the remainder of her life, and is greatly in t xceess of what I should otherwise have considered it necessary to give her. But under the circumstances I was unable to decide to accept on her behalf, a charity so handsomely and unanimously bestowed." 53 CRUISE OF THE TENNESSEE. The F2y ^ace. While the Tennessee was lying in the harbor of Hongkong in Januarj', II. B. M. gun-boat " Fly " happened to be in port, having the reputation of having a smart boat, the Tennessee's boys in order to make a stir in the harbor, challenged them to a six-oared race with our gig. The challenge was readily accepted by the " Fly," their boat being a shell built whale-boat felt confident of an easy victory. In the meantime the Tennessee left the harbor on an elephant hunt to Bang-kok, and the race postponed until our return. The Tennessee's gig being a heavy boat it was necessary to pick out a light active crew, and as fine a set of men as ever handled an oar was accordingly selected and went into practice, every one on board felt confident that if the race was lost it would not be the fault of the crew. When the Tennessee returned to Hongkong, we found the "Flies" all ready to light on the Yanks for a few Mexicans. A few days previous to the race, to the astonishment of some of us land lubbers who are not posted in matters of this sort, the crew was changed, and instead of the crew who had been practiced for the race, and stood the best chance of winning, were substituted by a crew of the heaviest men on board, which put the boat down to the gunwales, and left no possible chance of success. All this was known previous to the race, our boat had already gained the reputation of being "Pride of the East" was allowed to be t)eaten by a Britisher, a thing that seldom happens on this, or any other station. The race at the start was all one sided, at the word "go " ihe "Fly went off like a rocket, rowing a short quick stoke. Our buys seeing themselves astern, settled down to a long swinging stroke, but were too far astern to regain what they lost at the start, and came in 3 seconds behind, amidst great cheering by the Britishers. In the evening the gig's crew were invited on board the " Fly" where they enjoyed themselves in true British style. " The British sailors rendered " Hail Columbia " to the music of a consumptive accordion while the Americans roared themselves hoarse in singing '• God Save the Queen!" Toasts were drunk to the memory of Shakespeare and General Jackson, and the orator of the evening, (our Bow Oar) drew an eloqunt picture of the Eagle and Lion, occuping the same tree, and hatching their eggs in the game nest! " * * It is realy too bad that (our bow oar's) memory could not be stretched a handful of years, when he could have drawn a different picture of those two loving birds, perched in the rigging of the steamer " Trent " watching two Secession eggs, (Mason and Slidell). Those times we ir.dulgcd in another kind of boat racing, and no banquets. Y('>KOirAMA, JArAX. 64. Julii Mh, 1877. The celebrtilion of tlie annivoisary of th"^ Declaration of In lependencQ in the jwrt of Yokolian.a by iiqiiatic contest?, proved a decided success. Thanks I0 the exertions of the crew ot the "Tennnessee," who originated the regatta, and ak-^o to'the crews of the competing l)oats. Tlie weather was all that could be desired. A light southerly breeze assisted to cool the air, without 3'aising a swell, which would have interfered with the rowing. The first race was announced to take place at 3 pm., but, owing to the non-arrival of the guests on boai-d the Tennessee, it was hiilf an hour late. The fun commenced on board with the parade of the crews of the "Light- ning Bug"' and "Firefly" catamarans, who, grotesque! jMirrayed in nondes- cript costumes, preceded by fife and dr\mi, marched around the decks, and then took tlieir posiliou in their craft alongside, where they were joined by the "Audacious" competitors, and a ciew from shore, who were observed to have a,,ctc;d contrary to the rule on tile pvogramme, in tliat 1 hey brought a donky and jinrilcsha on the course. These festive marine maskers contrib- uted largely to the amusements of the afternoon, in which they were assisteL^,b3' two Boynton dressed shimmers, who piaddled about not unlike iiugaiuly turtles. Meanwhile the guests arrived, and the boats were placed in position in a line between the Tennessee's and Ilaydamak's sterns. From thence the course lay round the P. & 0. buoy, across and round the spit biio\% and thence home to the flag-boat off the Tennessee's port quarter, a distance of one mile and three quarters. FIEST RACE— 3.34 P. AI. For Single-banked AYhale-boats. First lorize. Fifteen dollars; second prize, Ten dollars. Seven boats entered for Ibis event. Shortly after the start, tlije Russians got a slight lead, which they increased to one or two lenghts on rounding the P. & 0. buoy; and, although they were hard pushed bj- the two Tennessee boats, the Ilaydamak's crew won the race, amidst great chee- ring, by about ten lengths, the Tennessee's boat gaining second prize. Time 12 mins. SECOND RACE— 4..'). P. M. Open to all Government Cutters ami Barges, excepting the Tennessee 's cutter-barge ilagic. First prize, Twenty-five dollars; second prize. Fifteen dollars: third prize. Ten dollars. Ten boats started for this race, the Italians soon taking a decided lead, followed by the Tennessee's two cutters, going well, at a very quick stroke. At the P. ic 0. buoy the Italians were collared by the Teuuessees, who pushed them hard with but half a length disadvan- 55 CPvUISE OV TilE TEXXESSRP, tage. A foul, lioweTer, occuvrin^ between both the Tennessee's boats enabled the Russians, -who were coming up, tp cliallcnge the leading boat. Rounding the Spit buoy the Russians had a slight lead, which thej- maintained, closely pushed by the Italians and Tennessee's. A splendid race down the oi)€-n water between tho Audacious and Tennessee ensued, the Russians winning, with the Italians second, and the Tennessee's 4lh cutter third. At the finish, not wore than a length and a half lay between each boat. Time, 11 mins, SKD RACE— 4.41 P. M. 0^)611 to rU Xaval Gigs and Galleys. First prize. Fifteen dollars; 2na prize, Ten dollars. FoUl' boats entered for this race. After a good start, the- English galley, pulling eight cars to their opponents' si.\, took a decidied lead, which they increased at every stroke, and a rather run-away race en» ded in a win by any number of lengths for the English boat, the Tennessee's gig taking second prize from the Japanese. Time 11 ms. FGURTII RACE. Olien to all Xayal Four-oared Dingeys. One prize. Six dollars. Two boats etarted for this sacp, the Yigilant's and Tennessee' s. "When the men had warpaed to their work, a slight lead was taken by the Tennessee's boat, ani increased to six lengths in rounding the P. k^O. buoy, andto ten lengths rouad the Spit Buoy, whence, having the race in hand, they won easily by about fifteen lengths. Time, 14 mins. The starters for the above races were Messrs. TTixsLOw and Maiisitai,i. U. S. S. Tennessee; while Messrs. II. N. Tilastox and S. J. Elde-b officiated as judges. After the fourth race was over, a race between the life rafts Dauntless- and Dreadnought of the Tennessee took place over a course rather tortuous^ winding among the larger vegsels of the fleet. It resulted in a win for the Dauntless. Prize, five dollars. A tub race followed, of three tubs, from tho English vessels, the distan- ce being tha length of tho Tennessee. Much amusement was caused by tho efforts of their occupants to i)reveut a circular motion in these craft. The- winners received a prize of fi v'je dollars. Then came a race in Boynton swimming suits, three times round thO' Tennessee, and last but not least, the race for the Championship of all Asia between the Lightning Bug, Firefly, tvv^^ catamaran from the Audacious, the Ligitning Bug securing the prize amidst roars of laughter provoked by the antics of their crew, who were composed of tho Teuucsseo' s firemen. This brought the day' s proceedings to a close, and many of the guests, it-now being.,dusk, sought the shore, .those who remained on board were re^t g,aled a!^ a diniier given by the officers and crew on, tire occasion. YOKOHAMA. JAi'AX. ivJ The aig,lit of the "Glorious r'ourth" was as prointious tn tlio rt'vellers SB the day had been: a dark night, with but few stars ^ isible, shusved the illumination of the " Tennessee," and pyrotechnical displays to the best advantage. The ebb tide assisted in swinging the ship's liead northwest- wai'd, th^eby giving a good view to the promenaders on the Bund. By a happy mixture of red, white, and blue lanters, tastefully arrann^ed, the ship was shown in full outliae, with ports lit up, the Haydamak assistiug by illuminating her ports witli white and red tires, which had a vevj- pretty effect. At 9 o'clock the Haydamak's winning cutter filled with the men who had pulled in the races during the day, and tastefully illuminated with lanternes, pulled 8low;iJ7 round the Tennessee, and serenaded tlie officers' add crew, with some very well sung airs to a peculiar accompaniment of ^Russian instruments of music. They were received with hearty cirear-s. and invited on board, where they were entertained to iiieir ' hearts' content, a perfect feeling of brotherliood and good will existing among hosts and guests.' Many of the crews of the English, French and' Italian vessel, Avere also present and the general opinion was that they were having " a real good time." About ten o'clock the Russians took their leave amid deafening cheers and-a display of blue lights, and soon afterwards the guests sought their ships and the fehore, carrying with them a unanimous feeling of satisfaction at having enjoyed one of the pleasantest days ever spent in this port. We feel sure that all are of the opinion in according to the officers and craw of fthe Ten- nessee a hearty vote of thanks, for the kind and gracious 'manner in which (while observing our national holidaj') have provided such a treat to the commtmity, as j^esterday's "Regatta and the day's festivities proved to be. 57 CIU'ISK OF THI:: THXXESSEh:. MSseellanejus: July 28[\) IST;'). AViilter T^ee Maoliiiiist, scaltled by the bursting of a steam -pipe* Sept. I8tli,. pfreat fiwimminRTS YlSLTlCOi New York to ^iibraltar, Spain Gibraltar, to Palermo, Sicily ' Palermo to Port Said,. Egypt Port Said to Suez, Egypt i' Suez to Adeu, Arabia Aden to Bombay,. Iliadoostaa Bombay to Colombo, Ceylon Colombo to Penaug,. Malacca Penang to Singapore,. ,r ' Singapore to Manilla, Philippins Islands JIauilla to Aiaoy, China ' ' Amoy to AVoo.?ung Bar, „ AVoosuug Bar to Nagasaki, Japan Xaga.«aki to Shanghai, China Shanghai to Yokohama, Japan Yokohama to Y'okoska, and back, Japan Yokohama to Hiogo and back, „ Y'okohama to Hakodate „ „ Yokohama to Hiogo, „ lliogo to ShimiuO!, 941. • „ 21, V 2»>, 1.288, „ 30, Oct. 2, 3G4, Oct. 12, » 18, 1,389. V 21, „ 27;-. 683. Nov. 3, Nov. 6, 565. „ 24, ■ „ 26, ■i47. Jan. 'Jl, Jan. 30, ■->/ 1876 ; 187G. 459. Jfar. 30, ' April 5, 1,058. April 17, : „ 27, 37. June '), : Jalv 8, 696. July 'J^K Aug. 21, 1,078, Sept. 9, ' Sept. 11, 348. „ 11, . „ 12, 238. „ 13, i „ 14, 140. „ 19^, 1 22 688. „ 2^5, M 24, 157. „ 20, ,. 29. 145. Oct. 17, Oct. 18, 203. „ 20, ,. „-^. 891. „ 28, ., 30, .348, Dec. 17, Dec. 28. 1,680, Jan. 4, Jan. 11, 1877 1877. 1.4,50. ' „ '31, i Eeb. 4, 807. , Feb. 14, '- „ 19, 870. „ 2.3, „ 26, 750- i ;,. 28, 1 JIar. 3, 603. 1 April 3, 1 April r2. 1,680. • §ept. 23; 1 Oct. 2, 539. ; ,. 29, ' Nov. 4, 539. 1 Dec. 4, ' Dec. 6. 348. t ,, 9, „ 10, 390. ; !! i»! , 19, 390; 1 V 19, : ,', 20, \T^. '.Jan. H, 1 Jan. 6, 15. • 1878 1878.' ' „ 7, „ 20, 600. i ,. li>, „ 21, 280- 1 :^Iar. 2, Iklar. 13, 1,470. en CliUISE UF Till:: TE.WNESStE. Forts yUited by the "Tennessee," PVoodfs "William Sutton 'Frank (iillespie H. W. Seaman J. P. Van Meudonck Thomas Harvey .Tiunes Ivelly John King Oieorge W. Jones Richard Maxwell Charles Carroll James Caiu James (Jlpaf-nn Willinm ll.'^fr.n Patrick Regan 'James E. Donahoe Geoi'ge H. -iviaemer Charles IT. Nichols Frank Smith John JM'Keon Samuel Reading .Uohn Lyons Peter .Xelson W'illiam Brown ■William .iJohnsodi ^5 CEUISE OF THE TEN.NESSKE. P'f p. Fp/Z^ff', ^hfi-VP?]^W V. William Asli croft Henci^k Booland Dauiel Bowen Chaijles Reek man AVilliam Ciistello Thoiiia.s t'oleuian J, Ct. L. Castelaine Daniel Ciowley Edwanl Davi^ John Dolierty James J. Euston Christoplipv Kinsloj' John Lickfield William O'Donnell John r. O'Uonnell James S. T*eacock William T. I'roudfoot William ixasniiUS Richanl IJiley ilathew lleilley Ed\vi>rd C. Gojf J*^iigche Sullivan ^ames j\r(jluire William J>avidson Efhyavd Woods AVilliam C. Pennin^pttoi^ William T. Simoji Charles Sinclair Edwin IT. I5u8h (leorp^e Si)eckmaB Michael Sullivan J. A. Samuelson J(dm JrCarteny flifl^th y\. Ccqper Jame? TV I'ng Hugh Thrown Edward r.rennoii August Buman Ilei^ry Church Jolin Co tier John 1*>. Doyle Jeremiah DviscoU Arnold Ivilz Ai.drew J. Earrell Ciiarles L. I'^railey Bart^ett Gelanc^ John M'Lelland (iodirey I^odge p. N. Thomjisou Thomas Clarke. Lucius P. I'acon Eranz Schmidt \Villiam JJ. QorcorJ^n, James I'Jliott Arthur B. Friend »fi).seph Frank (leorge Grieves Jolin Grant J ■liii (iraliam Williaui Goodman Henry S. Heath John P. Johnson Ccdeman Flaherty Fritz Jacobs ^Eicha"! Sweeney George E. Davis Willia-ti C. Towen Frank B. AVhitinau John J. AValion James Wii.son Dauiel Lymis Samuel M'Kib'ion Thomas J- JM'Corniack William Murphy ^ohu Uauiels l''rancis P. Wrycou l"'er(Unand Sieeve Michael Duuu William If. Dobbs Timothy M'Xaraara Antonio Munoz Charles P. Phillips J(din Joyce William Hampton Albert J. Kennedy Daniel Maher Jacob 0. Thompson John Griffiu JVfartin Howley Itobert H. Hatch Charles Hubbard AV^illiam Harrison Albert Herzberger James Keeuan John J. Leary Patrick Meers AVilliaui H. Marsh Jauu s -Murphy Henry Snedicor Thomas Danvin Cliarles C'ostello Eugene D. Sullivan Nelson Homes (leorge W. White Jacob Weborg ORDINARY SEAME.X, LANDSMEN &c. «6 Frank Mnllifrnj^ Tonence .M' Sweeny Lewis (iales fieorge FliillijOiS rVaak Leslie Cliarjes SuboVJ E(lf:[av Fi-ay,i*»i* Harry Jaf^soH Axal ^'aiuuii.-^linni- riarence J. Tnblw William Edwards. Austin Davis J. B. Norwood Jessie Lippey Thomas Parker Claude Du (Juoin J. W. Cromwell William llnllinprs^orth, William Sheppard Charles Dnhertj- James Ci>nnt>r I'eter Farrell .lames !M'Cormack Solomon W. Bowdy Albert Bossing James Butler John Bates Patrick Cronin James Moore John ilooney James Roache Jose[)li Travers John B. Stephens Jeremiah Shea Christian Ohristianaen, Thomas Q. Karr Richard Bennett Patrick CirroUl James Cras>>en William IL Frazier John E. Gallagher Robert Hughes l^aniel Handly John Kane John O'Neil John Carlson John AVilsoii, John Campbell' 11. C. Ellis James Flemming- W. A. Andersoii Henry T. Carsoij J. M. Beam Thomas i|ell Owen Brennen Wjlliam U. Bennett! "Wiilliam Little '■ AVilliam F. WiatWoa Jj H. Wifvysoii Rosely T. Holt B; Muraoka "!ftosuke Mosulfia. Hudaon Phillips David i^unford James Long rm/^m William Murray Patrick Phillips Edward Quirk William Riley William Rankin William Taylor' John Tobin Frank B. Frost Thomas White Robert M'Kenzie Jiohn F.. M'Adajiif^ Edward Irving Thomas H, Simrapr^g Jiohn Sharpe Edward Toomej' Peter >felvey Williaui "\4(arwifk Williiiiu C. G; llTie^pE J[»hn F; Mjarifuil (ieorge X'aell John Wilson Julius .lenseiji Peter Hess Franci? Connolly John AYalsh Patrick M'Donnaldi Ezia L. Mea.d Miles ^^arel. 67 CRUISE OF TIIK THXXKSSK-H j^^m??- Frank Xeiderreutlier Ord. Serpit James Ray George R^nsell Frank C. Xcipiuan Conieilus AVlielton Jolin A. Casey Henry Landg^rebe James Dougliertj^ John A. Scrivener Irvine N. Wharton Henry Bender Michael Brady James B. Colt John Carl in Thomas Daniels James K. Dawson ^Maurice Desmond Francis .1. Dciseurott Henry Fisher Richard Finnegan Sergt. Corpoi;al Drummea' J''ifer Private Thomas Xiaskin riiillip Hoyle Edwai'd Ivensett, William H. Knight Thomas l^andy John Lee Robert liamar Frank Morau Patrick ^Muvfihy Thomas M'Nally Daniel :\f'CIellan Hugh Jl'Cdurt John O'Leary (■harles Jones Josei^h E. Randolph William \V. Smith Frank Sfeinhouse Frodevick Shelp Charles B. Walsh Joseph Voung Prrvat« MnpjA^p- Joakin ^loyrelles Leader William C. Fgan John Stei)hen John Fitch James (ilenny Thornhill Percival Frederick Fronfeldt AVilliam C B. Erdman John Johnson Leopold jMoseleiu Otto Peterson John iieinhartlt Augustine Audiberti Achille Jedesclve Domenico Zito Giacomo Rinaldi Errico Forti Giussippe Allessio Kugene Millo John KoUmer THE TENXF-SSKE'S rKlXTlXG ITvESS. 68 TV? mn?i^^? Tj^pFPPP/^ Wheu the Tennessee visited Ville Franclie. Reiir Admiral l-e K:iy, then Commaudius U. S. Xiival Force on the European Station, paid a visit to the "Tennessee," on, going aronnd inspecting the ^hip asked to Iw shown to the Printing Office, he said his ship the "Trenton" was fi ted out with all the modern inventions, Roache's compound treble back-acting engines, Convert- ed rifles, fired by electricity, patent gun-carriages, steam steering apparatus &c., and I'egretted to say that they were at least a Century behind the age in in a Printing Press, but had been told that the "Tennessee" had a "lightning press"' on board, and asked to see it. He was shown to the printing office where he was received bj- the. "printer's devil" whom he recognized as one of the party who went to his assistance one morning he was caught napp, ing on the blockade, when he Coninianded the ''Keystone State" off Charles- ton, S. C. on the morning of the 31st, of January 1863, when attacked by the Confederate ram "Palmetto State," and knocked into a cocked hat, when he headed sea-ward like a crab with one wheel out of water. The Admiral like all other naval officers give very little credit to the "blue-jaekets" who have stood bj^ their guns in time of need,, and elevating his eye-glass the same pair he wore when attacked b}' the rain, as was seen to be minus one of the glasses, demanded to seethe "lightning press," when the "devil" pointed to something resenibliog a Nut Cracker which stood in a dark corner on the berth-deck, he laughed heartily when shown a copy of the Cruise of the Tennessee then on the press, and immediatelyilgaiYe orders to have the whole business sent on board the •^Treiaton'^ which was accordingly done, notwithstanding the protest of the "devil" who said he intended to have the piratical act investigated. Consequently' I am compelled to bring this little book to ,{i cluijc. In consideration of :the great disadvantages in which this little work lias been printed, the reader is requesled to oY«?r-look several typograhical errors,as it has been got up merely for the purpose of breaking the monotony of this t,e.dlo,iis cruise. Very Respectfully Vours ^c, r. M'Carten. t» CRUISE OF THE TENNESSBB, 7W ph?~ mmw m??f A song to the Press, the Tennessee's Press! Of the good old-fashioned kind, Ere the giant machine, with its pulse of stesa^ Elbows it out of mind. In the days of yore Our fathers hoar By his sturdy limbs have wrought Of irorj or oaV, His teachings spoke. The language of burning thought. A song to the Press, the Tennessee's Presst As the carriage rolls merrily along, His old sides groan, as the bar pulls home,. Keeping time to the pressman's song And the crisp, wet sheet On its errand fleet By. anxious hands is sped Though oft elsewhere It may sorrow bear. It brings the printer (10 ounces) of bread. 1^. S, S. "Tennessee," July 5„ 1878. .E D 18