"lifOTES BY THE WxlT." 



Having been often asked why I did not collect and publisli 

 a series of letters written while on a trip around the world in 

 1816, most of which appeared in the American Grocer nnder the 

 above title, or that of " Wayside Scenes, Thoughts and Fancies," I 

 have embraced the present opportunity to do so, not because I 

 think these letters of much general interest, but being written from 

 a grocer's point of view, and touching somewhat often upon the 

 food products of the Orient, they have been received with much 

 favor by dealers in such articles, and they doubtless find an appro- 

 priate place in a work devoted to good things for the inner man. 

 I therefore begin with 



AOKOSS THE PACIFIC. 



Steamer Alaska, 

 Pacific Ocean, August 36, 1876. 



A long sea voyage is always somewhat monotonous, but a per- 

 son disposed to look at the bright side of life can generally pick 

 out some items of enjoyment to compensate for the general lack 

 of that commodity. " Life-on-tlie-ocean-wave " people will please 

 take note of this observation and the opinion of your correspond- 

 ent. Somebody has said that " Doubtless God might have made 

 a better berry than the strawberry, but doubtless God never 

 did ; " and it is possible that infinite power might create a more 

 unnatural element for the human race to exist upon than the 

 sea, but in my humble opinion infinite power never did. Tues- 

 day, August 1st, at noon, found me on board of the steamship 

 Alaska, at San Francisco, bound for Yokohama, and as the 

 lines were cast off and the huge bulk of the steamer moved 

 slowly out into the bay, the ilsual greetings were exchanged 

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