Sea Scamps: Three Adventurers of the East

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Henry C. Rowland. Sea Scamps: Three Adventurers of the East

Sea Scamps: Three Adventurers of the East

Table of Contents

BACK TRACKS

IN THE CHINA SEA

II

JORDAN KNAPP, TRADER

II

OFF LUZON

THE TREASURE BOX

II

BREAK OF THE MONSOON

IN THE WHALEBOAT

AT THE LAST OF THE EBB

II

Отрывок из книги

Henry C. Rowland

Published by Good Press, 2020

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Once clear of Corregidor we struck the northeast monsoon, which blows steadily at that time of year, so we were able to make one leg of it across, and on the seventh day we sighted the southern island of Pratas that lay about 150 miles from the China coast. There we caught a slant that headed us, so we had to beat in, and it was three days later before we entered the bay, and with nothing but a forestaysail and a scrap of our mainsail set stood cautiously up toward the river mouth. I had never heard of the place before, and what I had told our patron was simply an invention, but it turned out to be about correct.

An incident had occurred on our way across that I must not forget. On the morning of the second day out McKim came on deck to relieve me at eight bells, and before I went below to get my breakfast he dipped up a bucket of water from over the side and threw off his clothes for a bath. I was watching him casually, for his quick, lithe motions always had a fascination for me, and I noticed around his neck a sort of rosary, which when I observed more closely seemed to be a diminutive imitation of those peculiar ancient rosaries that have frequently been found in use in China, Thibet, North America, and old Mexico. I believe they have also been dug up with the relics unearthed from the ancient tumuli of the mound builders.

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