ACROSS THE PACIFIC. 31 



and assured future success is the fact that the steamship companies of the whole Pacific 

 make it their leading port. 



From San Francisco the traveller bent on seeing the world can proceed to New 

 Zealand and Australia, calling at Honolulu in the Hawai'an Islands, and Fiji, on the way; 

 or he can make his way to China, calling at Japan, in steamships having perhaps 

 the most roomy accommodation in the world ; or he can reach Panama and South 

 American ports, calling at Mexican ports en route, by steamships which pass over the 

 most pacific part of the Pacific Ocean; or, again, he can make delightful trips 

 northwards to Calif ornian and Oregonian and British Columbian ports; or, once again, 

 southwards to ports of Southern California. These lines are running constantly, and 

 the above list is far from complete. Whither away ? 



CHAPTER III. 



THE PACIFIC FERRY SAN FRANCISCO TO JAPAN AND CHINA. 



The American Steamships A Celestial Company Leading Cargoes Corpses and Coffins Monotony of the Voyage 

 Emotions Caused by the Sea Amusements on Board "Chalked" Cricket at Sea Balls Overboard A Six Days' 

 Walking Match Theatricals Waxworks The Officers on Board Engineer's Life The Chief Waiter" Inspection " 

 Meeting the America Excitement Her Subsequent Fate A Cyclone At Yokohama Fairy Land The Bazaars 

 Japanese Houses A Dinner Menu Music and Dancing Hongkong, the Gibraltar of China Charming Victoria 

 Busy Shanghai English Enterprise. 



A VERY ordinary trip now-a-days for those rounding the world is that from San Francisco 

 to China, calling at Japan on the way. The steamships of the Pacific Mail Company 

 are those principally employed, and a voyage on such a vessel as the China, which is one 

 of the crack vessels of the service, is one almost invariably of pleasure. The China is a 

 steamship of over 4,000 tons, and cost 800,000 dollars, or, roughly, 160,000 sterling. 

 She will often carry 2,000 tons of tea on a return voyage, to say nothing of perhaps 

 from five to fifteen hundred Chinamen. A traveller* already referred to states, that with 

 only 580 on board half a ton of rice had to be served out daily, with a modicum of meat 

 and vegetables. One of the leading cargoes on the outward trip from San Francisco 

 is corpses and coffins, few Chinamen being ever buried out of their native land. In the 

 splendid and roomy saloons of these steamers there are always Chinese waiters, who 

 are said to be most obliging, and noiseless in their motions. Negro waiters are civil 

 and assiduous enough in their attendance, but are always fussy ; in this respect " John " 

 is a great improvement on " Sambo. " 



" An additional proof/' said a leading journal " of the new vitality infused 

 into that long inert mass, the Chinese Empire, has just been supplied from San 

 Francisco," and the writer goes on to describe a new development of their mercantile 

 enterprise. It seems that there has been in existence for some time past an association 

 termed the Chinese Merchants' Steamship Company, the stockholders of which are wealthy 



* A. D. Carlisle, B.A., in " Round the World in 1870." 



