CHAPTER X 
SOME NARROW ESCAPES 
The steamer which I had ordered when in England 
in 1882, and in which two friends had taken some 
shares, arrived out at the end of 1883, but, not being 
suitable for hunting purposes, was employed on 
the China coast. She proved an unlucky craft from 
start to finish. First our agents at home failed, 
which involved us in some loss ; then the builders 
with whom we had contracted became bankrupt, and 
we had to take over the vessel and finish her our¬ 
selves, thus losing more money. By the time she 
arrived in the Far East she had cost just double the 
amount originally estimated. This did not end the 
run of ill luck, for the first two charterers, Chinese, 
got into difficulties, and we did not get all our 
charter money. Then for a time she paid expenses, 
but was finally laid up and sold at a heavy loss. 
Even in selling her we had fresh misfortunes. 
While the transfer was being arranged, it was found 
that the legal firm in London who drew up the docu¬ 
ments had made a mistake in spelling the name of 
one of the partners, and through the delay caused by 
this mistake the sale was cancelled. After all had 
been put right, which of course took some months, 
she was finally sold at a much lower figure than that 
originally agreed upon. We then purchased the 
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