THE 1887 VOYAGE OF JOHN JOSEPH LACE
Our new wrinkle has crept into our society through the influence of a man named Jones of Shropshire, England, and that is the selling of fools on the daily sailing distance. This man Jones is one of three who go under the Fakir men. Their business is buying old coin, old furniture, old relics and rare specimens generally. Some call them the antique men from their business. Jones is, as I have described him before, one who try to force themselves on public attention and thereby make themselves look ridiculous.
Mason is a large portly man with a large mustache, dressed in black and looks the most discreet of the three. He is evidently a man who knows his business, and considers well before he makes a move. Moulton of Lynn is a large tall old man with gray grisly looking whiskers, and shows considerable cunning beneath his ancient appearance.
Taking these three men all in all, there is an unmistakable air of speculation in their looks, and they seem as if they
were all the time looking for flats. Mason is insinuating and polished about it. While Jones manner would rather indicate
that he would be at home running a dime show.
Another gentleman aboard this vessel is a Mr. C. F. Sivan of Boston, who with his wife and two daughters are on a trip
to Europe. In him you can see the businessman of the world; one who is accustomed to dealing with men in a polished and polite manner, to keep their good will and their customs. He is a cashier to some Boston bank and certainly by nature must be well adapted to his business. He is tall, slim, gray and active with a pleasing face and manner and is one of those who puts forth his best effort to please. We begin to see vessels all the time now. There is not an hour in the day but that
you can see one.
Saturday July 2,1887
Last night was another of those pleasant moonlight ones, and some of us remained on deck until a late hour. Our man Dowling got beastly drunk last night and had to be taken to his room and this morning he is dosing seidlite powders. This morning many vessels of different rig are in view all the time. More than 20 leave in sight before breakfast.
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