t night and we were going smoothly, consequently I was
not ill, and Captain Totten proposed that we should sing the song.
Everybody was on deck enjoying the delightful evening. Everything was
still; only the puffing of the smokestack and the plash of the wheel
were heard. We all clustered around mother and began our song.

"Home again, home again from a foreign shore,
And O! it fills my soul with joy to meet my friends once more.
Here we dropped the parting tear to cross the ocean's foam,
But now we're once again with those who kindly greet me home.
Home again, home again," etc.

Mother, Emma and Sarah sang the soprano; Mary, Margaret and Lauretta
sang the alto. Mary's voice being a deep contralto, she improvised the
third part. The plaintive song, with the sentiment of home
surroundings, touched the hearts of all the passengers and turned
their thoughts homewards, and many an eye glistened with tears.

After the first night of song there never was an evening that there
was not singing of some kind. Sister found some good voices among the
men and we formed a chorus. In a short time we were without an
audience, for everybody gradually found he had a note or two to use,
and whenever it was good sailing we sang. We had two severe storms
when I, for one, was not visible on any occasion. I must confess the
sea and I are not at all friends. We had one storm passing the bay of
Tehuantepec. The steamer rolled and the sea dashed high for two days,
but the boat was faithful to her trust and we safely steamed into the
beautiful bay at Acapulco the last of the week. I had been ill all the
way, going without food, and when we arrived Captain Totten said I
should have one fine dinner. After the passengers had gone ashore we
were taken off in the captain's boat and had our dinner at the hotel
where the captain had ordered it in advance. We remained on shore all
day visiting this Spanish town while the steamer was loading food and
coal. We visited some Spanish homes where the captain had friends, and
we were entertained by these Castilian ladies, who sang their songs to
us. In return we sang for them and they appreciated our music. About
three o'clock we said good-bye and they gave us beautiful mementos of
shell flowers, nuts and fruits and accompanied us to the boat with
their servants to carry our gifts for us. Such a beautiful day of
happenings and surprises for us who had never seen people of this kind
b