From all appearances, it soon
will be, for even now marine superintendents of big lines are
sometimes engineers, and in their hands lie the duty of engaging
the officers. It would really seem as if the ship of the near
future would be governed by the chief engineer, under whose
direction a pilot or sailing-master would do the necessary
navigation, without power to interfere in any matter of the
ship's economy. Changes as great have taken place in other
professions; seafaring cannot hope to be the sole exception.
So, edging comfortably along, we gradually neared the Sandwich
Islands without having seen a single spout worth watching since
the tragedy. At last the lofty summits of the island mountains
hove in sight, and presently we came to an anchor in that
paradise of whalers, missionaries, and amateur statesmen--
Honolulu. As it is as well known to most reading people as our
own ports--better perhaps--I shall not attempt to describe it, or
pit myself against the able writers who have made it so familiar.
Yet to me it was a new world. All things were so strange, so
delightful, especially the lovable, lazy, fascinating Kanakas,
who could be so limply happy over a dish of poe, or a green
cocoa-nut, or even a lounge in the sun, that it seemed an outrage
to expect them to work.
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