Davis and the
maid, and the trunks, spears, tents, bathtubs, carved idols, native
mats, and a live mongoos were dropped into it, and we were paddled
to the gangway.
"If that's all, we might as well get under way," said Captain
Hughes. The anchor chains creaked, from the bank the proprietor of
the Splendide waved his hand, and the long voyage to Liverpool had
begun. It was as casual as halting and starting a cable-car.
According to schedule, after leaving the Congo, we should have gone
south and touched at Loanda. But on this voyage, outward bound, the
_Nigeria_ had carried, to help build the railroad at Lobito Bay, a
deckload of camels. They had proved trying passengers, and instead
of first touching at the Congo, Captain Hughes had continued on
south and put them ashore. So we were robbed of seeing both Loanda
and the camels.
This line, until Calabar is reached, carries but few passengers,
and, except to receive cargo, the ship is not fully in commission.
During this first week she is painted, and holystoned, her carpets
are beaten, her cabins scrubbed and aired, and the passengers mess
with the officers. So, of the ship's life, we acquired an intimate
knowledge, her interests became our own, and the necessity of
feeding her gaping holds with cargo was personal and acute. On a
transatlantic steamer, when once the hatches are down, the captain
need think only of navigation; on these coasters, the hatches never
are down, and the captain, that sort of captain dear to the heart of
the owners, is the man who fills the holds.
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