The North Platte semi-weekly tribune. (North Platte, Neb.) 1895-1922, May 29, 1908, Image 3

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    1
Tf-IIE
a.
jW J. D. PAIRING
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$8
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any observing tourist who inigni
types of Bca and river craft thnt ho
would see on such n trip aro as ills
tlnctlvo as aro tlio costumes of many
of tho countries ho would travel through.
Fow Americana thero aro who aro not famil
iar with our present styles of water craft, such
as tho common rowboat and sailing yachts, but
thero nro many who, If told that theso boats set
down on somo foreign stream would exclto con
siderable curiosity, would bo greatly surprised.
Howovor, If xhoy would stop to consider that
theso boats were evolved from tho primitive
cralts of our forefathers and that tho various
conditions in different lands would mako theso
boats impracticable, tho surprlBo would bo some
what tempered.
First, let us consider tho gondola of Italy, re
.nowned in song nnd story. Tho gondola has
probably been drawn oftoncr than nny othor
boat on record. Crank and black and dismal, with
7W CfffTOS
CEYLON: THE DOOR
SILL OF INDIA
f
The Funny Things One Sees
In
Smilin Round the World
By
MARSHALL P. WILDER
I
(Copyright, by Joseph 1). Uowlvs.)
If. Jt
M fts (ft.
535
Is swuiic around, and what was the atom bo
comes tho bow. Proas aro from 10 lo 05 foot
long and six or seven feet wide, and aro Bald
to attain a speed of 20 miles an hour.
The Junk Is tho tlliitlnctlvo typo of Chlncso
marine architecture, a somewhat unprogrcsslvo
Koienco nmong tho celestials. Hvcn before- tho
Christian era, John Chinanian voyaged from
port to port in vessels of this build and rig. Tho
sails aro mado of matting and aro reefed In
much tho namo way as a Vcnotlan blind 1b
raised. Tho Junk Is built along tho lines of an
oriental slipper with tho curved keel for tho
solo and tho drop aft for tho heel. Tho com
mon rlvor boat or sampiin is on tho oven moro
familiar model of tho Inverted Hat iron. Tho
modern largo Junk Ib a good sea boat and will
rido a severe typhoon In safety.
On tho streams of India may bo seen n typo
of rowboat which somowhat rcBombles our
American craft. It Is, howovor, of clumsy con-
ifrnrtimi nml tho oars, which aro lashed to
re
5
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'"V-
THE
xROMfiNTIC
GONDOL.m
OFlENCE
...Jam
5
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"WVS OF CMIHA
tho bright Bteol beak on tho lofty prow, this
boat does not nppcal so successfully to tho nau
tical mind as It would seem to do to tho artistic
and poetical ono. Hut on tho miles of canals
In tho city of Venice this craft Is peculiarly
adaptable. Tho gondola was formerly tho only
means of getting about tho city, hut It Is now be
ing displaced in part by small launches. Tho
ordinary gondola is 30 feet long nnd four or llvo
feet wide, nnd is flat-bottomed so that tho draft
Js light. Tho bottom rises slightly abovo tho
wator at tho ends, while at tho bow and stern
slender ornamental stem nnd Btorn pieces reach
to about tho height of a man's breast. Thero Is
a covered sholter for passengers In the middlo
of tho boat which Is easily removable. In ac
cordance with mediaeval regulation gondolas aro
painted black. Tho gondolier standi orect with .
his face toward the bow and propels the boat
with a forward stroke, making his way through
tho nnrrow and often crowded canals with nn.e
Ing dnxtcrlty.
Throughout tho Islands of tho Pacific tho ca
noo is a common sight. Strictly speaking tho
ennoo Is a light boat designed to bo propelled by
a paddlo hold in the hands without any llxed
support, although In somo casos canoes mny bo
seen that havo an auxiliary Ball to bo used undor
favorablo conditions.
Tho canoes most commonly seen In tho waters
of tho Hawaiian islands nro built from a single
trco trunk hollowed out with an outrigge r as seen
In tho illustration. Wonderful sailors, too, aro tho
natives who in them often undertake long sea
voyng08,.far out of tho sight of land, anil passing
from ono Island to another.
Tho canoes of Samoa nro bu.lt of aevornl
nieces of wood of irrogula- shape futonod to
cether and cemented with gum to pirvsut tholr
leaking. Tho coasts of d o nulnln.vl of Slam,
Hurmnh nnd China also sv.atm wit!; (a noes.
Whllo tho catamaran is a typo of water araft
that may bo soon In several countries, each typo
a lUlO IlllS HO UIQWUVWTV IVMVMVM( ..v vtvt-
rmm
38
-south e51
Beauteous Ceylon! tho real and
only "gem of tho Ben" and tho tropic
sen, at that. I-rPt not Ireland claim
tho distinction of being tho emerald
set In the bosom of the ocean blue
For novor was such emerald green
ness, such ocean hluenoss Imagined
of Ireland's boiis or daughters ns
adorns nnd oncompasss this beau
teous Islo of Ceylon. The doorslll of
India! Well, If India Is not proud of
her threshold tho stop over which
ono passes to her mighty nnd Imperial
domain alio ought to ho.
Tho harbor of Colombo la plentiful
ly endowed with natural advnntngen,
but outside of those tho Ihigllsh gov
ernment haa constructed an onormous
breakwater of tremendous strength,
ub needs must be, for during tho non
son of the southwest monsoon waves
break ngalnat It, dashing aa high as
tho mnBta of vessels thnt hnvo taken
refuge behind Its protecting bulwark.
Our attention upon entering tho
harbor Is first attracted by the fleet
of nntlvo dugout cannon thnt swarm
about tho ship, the boys and men pnd
dllng thorn wildly shouting: "Have a
dive! Havo a dlvo!" and "Ono dollah!
Ono dollah!" though If only a penny
Is thrown over three or four will dlvo
hendlong from their tiny craft, their
paddlea left floating on tho water, and
In an incredibly short space or time
they will coino again to tho aurfneo,
tho successful ono proudly displaying
tho coin. They rescue their paddles
nnd leap lightly Into their canoes
without tipping them In tho least or
shipping any moro than tho usual
amount of wator that floats In tho
bottom of each. They aro bo amnll
that a certain amount Is alwaya
washed over tho sldea.
It la amusing to see ono of theso
natives, naked except for n very lim
ited loin cloth, Bitting in tho bottom
of his canoe, pnddllng with ono hand,
Imploring money with tho other nnd
kicking tho superfluous wator out of
tho canoo with ono foot.
Our coolies who pulled us to tho
Onllo Faco hotel Btopped at tho gato,
saying they were not allowed to go
Inside, but wo had heard of this trick
nnd Insisted upon being taken into
tho portico, lloro, after making In
quiry of tho door porter no to their
propor Tare, wo paid them, only to bo
mot with a storm of indlgnnnt pro
testations and refusals. Only when
tho money was thrown at tholr foot
did they pick It up and go on.
So tho hotel has built for tho
amusement of Ita guests a vory largo
nnd coinfortnlilo swimming tank, filled
with sea water, that In always fresh.
Tho hotel Iiiir every convenience, elec
tric lights and fnns, largo nlry rooms
nnd an exrellont table, when ono con
sldors their limitations. Compared
with the Hong-Kong hotol and tho
Rallies at Singapore It was perfect.
Die Oallo Faco Is further blcsued with
a splendid manager, wr. liouor, a
genial and obliging man, lato of tho
Hotel Cecil In London.
A good many of tho cTutoa wear
their distinguishing mark painted on
tho forehond, and ono day at tho tablo
I pasted a soda wator label on my
forehead and said It waB my caato
tthrth-r you doar off to the cquntor
or sink to tho bottom yes, sharks or
no sharks.
I was nhvnys a llttlo "dopy" about
tho Indian oconn. I onco knew n
young fellow ho was a French Creole,
born In tho Islo Bourbon, now down
on tho maps na tho Island of Reunion.
It Is right In tho heart of tho Indian
ocean, nnd not far from Madagascar;
and tho way that fellow could reel off
yarns In ereolo French nnd hrokon
Kugllah about his natal islo would
havo mndo Clcorgo W. Cablo, lalo ot
Now Orleans, turn groon with envy.
Ho was a handsome chap and sang
divinely, nnd 1 flrat met him in Paris,
whnro ho was Dinging small parts at
tho Ornnd opera. Then I ran ncrosa
him In Cairo, whero ho was singing In
a production if I am not mlstnkon
of "Alda." Aftorwnrd ho camo to
New York with a company thnt pro
duced 'OlrnlloGlrnfln" at tho Four
teenth street theater, nnd a very good
company it was. But, In whatovor
cllmo I mot him, his thomo was tho
samo his beautiful Islo and Ub bonu
tlful ocean. Ho would talk for hours
of tho "purple- fingers of tho dawn,
stealing un tho rosp-vormllllon Bky,"
and the hugo, anow-enpped mountain
Hint rose In tho center of tho Islnnd
and overtopped tho city of Port
Philip, which I think wna tho namo of
tho seaport town whero ho was
born.
Ho told many pretty stories of his
home nnd of Ills parents, wIiobo only
chlhl ho wna tho Benjamin of their
maran Is a favorite of tho Chlncso fisherman and
tho larger streams of that oriental country aro
well populated with these boats. They aro con
structed of two nnrrow canoes fastened together
und propelled from the stem with n long, narrow
oar. In Its original form iho catamarnnconslHtod of
three logs, tho middle ono being tho longest,
lashed together. It wns used by tho natives of
tho Coromnndel coast, particularly Madras, and
also In tho West Indies nnd on tho coast of
South Amorlca.
Tho FIJI Iblnndors developed Iho catamaran
Idea in their war canoes, which consist of. two
parallel logs Joined together with a platform on
which a mast is placed. Theso boats aro safe
and nlso vory ewlft.
Tlio flying proa, of tho Lndrone Islanders Is
another type of tho cntnmarnn mado with two
hulls of unequal Blze. Tho larger hull, which car
ries tbo rigging, Is perfectly flat on one eldo and
rounded on the other. On this aro placed bam
boo poles projecting beyond tho rounded side,
and to their ends is fastened a boat-shaped log
one-half or ono-third the size of tho larger hull.
This proventn capsizing z effectually aa tho Fiji
double canoe. Both ends of tho proa aro mado
alike, and the boat Is sailed with elthor end first;
but the outrigger Is nlwaya to windward.
Against a head of wind tbo proa Is kopt away till
tho stern approaches tho wind, when tho yard
wooden uprights fastened to tho sides of tho
boat, overlap each othor. Tho natives, howovor,
aro oxnort In tho handling of tho craft.
In southeastern India, near tho Strait Set
tlements, tin odd sailing craft may bo found.
Thin vossel Is rigged with lour anils, tho larger
ono sot slightly to tho front of tho center, whllo
two othern of still smaller design nro not ono
nt tho prow and the othor midway between tho
two. Tho sniiillest of the aalls is rigged at tho
stern and Is Intended to nld in steering tho crnft.
On tho rivers of ICngland nnd Ireland may be
seen several typos of tho whorry. which Is very
popular In theso waters. Oars aro used to aid tho
single sail In tho amnllor boats of this typo but tho
Portsmouth whorry, used In tho open sea, has a
mainsail and rejoices in a topmast and a topsail.
Tbo Turkish calquo Is a familiar object In tho
Sea pt Rluriiiora and among tho Islands of tho
Aogoilii. Slie is (iiHiingnisueu ny nor peculiar
inuliier.II, which la a combination of a foro-and-
aft sail and a square sail.
Pages of Interesting reading might bo wrltton
of the many peculiar boats which may bo found
tho world over. Whllo tho osseiitinl principle
of lioat-biilldlng must necessarily bo similar, vari
ous nations und tribes have developed tho Idea
along diffeieiit Hues until to-day the various styles
and types of wator craft can bo numbered by tho
hundreds.
1 w
hajrw
nun
Dloplnylng tho Coin,
THE BOY WAS BAPTIZED
aa
At a llttlo luncheon given on tho day before
bis departure for Furopo to Joseph Cowon, tho
English Zionist, tho subject of apostasy camo up
and ono man. to Illustrato Its provaleuco, related
that only a Tow days ago tho first child In tho
home of ono of NVw York's wealthiest .lows hail
boon baptized becauso "the parents hoped by that
moans to lomovo an obitacln In tho way of tho
boy's progress." This recalled to anothor man
at tho tablu a etory told nt Baslo by tho lato
Dr. Thcodor Herzl. At a dinner party, so wont
the ktory, given by Mr. Stockson Honda, a preco
cious child asked th father: "Do all people turn
Into Jfws when they grow old?" "No, my boy,"
answered the fallior, who had renounced Ills faith
and become a Christian before tho llttlo follow
was horn "no, my boy, why do you ask?" "Woll,
fathor, wo children are all Christinas, you nnd
mothor sro Christians, but grandfather, who Just
camo Ivoci Russia, he's an awful Jew."
mark. I qulto convulsed Joseph, but
lear tho Cingalese waiter was rather
allocked.
Tho bpach at Mount Lavlnln. seven
miles south of Colombo, Is an enchant
ing hit, over whoso golden sands tlio
yellow foam rushes and gurglea to tho
llttlo clllf set thick with a long lllo of
bending, swaying palms, somo of
wluiBO long, slim trunks bend for
ward to tho waves at an anglo of con
nldcrubly more than tfi degrees. Hero
bathing goos on at all hours and, lot
me toll you, a dip In tho Indian ocean
Id a most soul-satisfying experience
The water la not only warm; In some
places It la actually hot. Hut, oh, my!
to lie and float dreamily in that bluest
of wntors. with a duzzllng greonery of
palms lo iho right, and a panorama of
sky-line, flocked with snowy cloud
Dacca to tho loft, and to broatho tho
gentle lullaby ulr till you don't care
"Tho 8un at Midnight."
old ago, long hoped und prayed for.
So thoy named him, when ho did
conio, Deslrco' (longed far). Ho had
a atrlng of other nnnios beside, but
l'vo forgotten them. HIb dcslro wna
to boo America and tho Mississippi,
of which ho had read wonderful
things by Chatcniibrlnnd, hla favorlto
author. Fortunntoly tho opera troupo
wont na far south na Now Orleans
nnd his dcslro was gratified. Ho took
ovorythlng In Amo-lcn sorlously and
hla admiration nlinost took tho form
of nwo; ho would as soon havo
thought of ridiculing tho holy church
mul all tho (mints aa or ridiculing
anything Amorlcnn. Aa ho wnB of a
very happy disposition ho would ofton
hum llttlo oporatlc anatchcB or Croolo
melodies whllo Jogging along In tho
horse cms, and this was vory dollght
ful to mo until somo would-bo wag
nmong his Now York friends told him
that ho must novor do that on Sun
days, as tho AmorlcniiB wero vory
strict In their rollgious ldona and
would tako It ns an lnBiilt nnd prob
nbly resent It. Vory sorloiiBly ho
opened hla hnndsomo Oriental oyoa
nnd, In toncB of groat surprise, ejacu
lated, as ho had dono for tho hun
dredth time, "Wonderful pooplol"
A llttlo Incident, whllo It waa vory
amusing, allowed the romnntla side of
his nature, The troupo, whllo travel
ing, stopped nt a hotel In a southern
city, whoro a young lady guest at
traded much nttontlon by hor hair,
which was not only very thick and
heavy, but of a rich golden color. My
Creole friend, howovor, wns ono of tho
few who had not Been tho young lady
and, as It happoncd, no ono had
spoken to him of hor. But ns ho wns
about to rotlro ono ovonlng ho
stepped Into the corridor to Bny good
night to a frloud and mot tho young
lady faco to faco, followed by hor
maid, Just aa the bells of a neighbor
ing church wero chiming tho mid
night hour. Saluting the lndy with a
profound bow, as was bin foreign cus
tom, ho was about to ro-entor his
room when tho brilliant gaslight, fall
ing full upon tho Indy's form, (Un
closed tho fact that her magnificent
hair wan hanging loose about her llko
a cloak, and every atrnnd glittering
llko a thread of gold. Tho young fel
low stood rooted to tho spot; then,
clasping hla liamls, ho eald In tones of
tho most fervent admiration, "1 havo
socn the sun at midnight!"
"What the douco Is tlio matter wltli
you?" said Ills friend.
"I have said It!" replied tlio Creole
"I will return to my country and I
will tel thorn that In this woudorful
Amorlca I havo saen that marvelous
Bight tho sun at midnight!"
11 appeared that tliu young lady's
maid had boon giving her mistress
hair a bath and they had been sitting
on a roar balcony that tho warm night
breozo might dry tho wonderful
trossea before retiring to bed.
Which In why 1 tiny that I loved tho
Indian o-ljiui years before I saw It,
and whoiI did seo it brought back
these memories of my young friend
and his charming and lugouuous na
ture and bin frnnk and honest heart.
Tho sago and tlio greybeard may at
tract our mnturer mind, but youth has
Its ovnr compelling oliarnu therefore
I echo tbo poot's linos:
"Oh, youth, syoet youth, wo lovo yo!
There's naught on earth nbovo ol"