he wolves, bears and wild
beasts, I did the stab of the ever ready bolo and stealthy natives,
and the prospect of fire; she endured the pangs of hunger, so did I;
and I now feel that I am worthy to be her descendant and to sit by
her side.
TRIALS OF GETTING HOME.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN.
The first stages of my return home were from Iloilo to Manila,
and thence to Nagasaki, the chief port of Japan. Upon leaving
Iloilo for Manila, my son accompanied me as far as Manila; he heard
incidentally that he was to be made a staff officer; as I procured
quick transportation as far as Nagasaki, I told him to return to
his duties and I would get along some way. Upon reaching Nagasaki,
the difficulties began. I went immediately to the various offices of
steamship lines and found there was no passage of any grade to be
had. Many were fleeing from the various ports to get away from the
plague and all steamers were crowded because of the reduced rates
to the Pan-American Fair. Thinking I might have a better chance from
Yokohama, I took passage up there on the North German Lloyd line. I
had a splendid state-room, fine service, the best of everything. I
told the purser I should like to engage that same state-room back to
Liverpool; he replied he could not take me, that I would not live to
get there. I assured him that I was a good sailor, that I was very
much emaciated with my long stay in the Philippines, that I would soon
recover with his good food and the sea air; but he refused to take
me. When I reached Yokohama, I immediately began to see if I could not
secure sailing from there; day after day went by, it was the old story,
everything taken. When the Gaelic was returning I told the captain that
I would be willing to take even third cabin at first class rates, but
even thus there were no accommodations. Within an hour of the ship's
sailing, word was brought to me that two women had given up their
cabin and that I might have it; it was two miles out to the ship,
with no sampan--small boat--of any kind to get my baggage out, so I
tearfully saw this ship sail away. I then decided to return to Nagasaki
to try again from that port. The voyage back was by the Empress line of
steamers flying between Vancouver and Yokohama. Upon reaching Nagasaki
again I appealed to the quarter-master to secure transportation; he
said I could not get anything at all. Officers whom I had met in the
Philippines proposed to take me and my baggag
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