THE 1887 VOYAGE OF JOHN JOSEPH LACE
Soon after nine o'clock it cleared away in a measure and meeting the City of Chicago of the Inman Line I had good view of her.
The dampness and rain have made things a little monotonous today but as the day advances, it is brightening up. Towards evening
it became quite pleasant only a little hazy. Several Barks
were in sight during the day. And toward evening we went through a shoal of porpoises, the largest we have seen so far.
During the evening my roommate George had an argument on
the upper deck with a Mr. Caval ley a Boston grammar school
teacher upon the Interstate Commerce Bill. George for, and Cavalley against it. It ended however in Cavalley going off
mad because he was getting the worse of the argument. Certainly taking it all together it was a rich piece of sharing. I enjoyed it so much that I would not object to having it repeated. Mr. Cavalley is like most school teachers and ministers. They have been accustomed to have their own ipse dixit taken without question then have any person oppose throws them into a passion. Self opinionated people are very ridiculous in the eyes of
persons of more liberal minds.
Tuesday June 28, 1887
Was up betimes this morning and paced the deck a long time before anyone put in an appearance. Had the pleasure of seeing
a large whale spouting and again disappearing. It is said to
be of whale is called fin-backed kind. It looks very much like
a large boat coming bottom up. The large Fakir Englishman Jones put in an appearance this morning in a brand new rig of white duck, ironed without a wrinkle, with a light flat cap on his
head and a cotton shirt without a necktie or neckerchief. In
fact he appeared in complete negilge " ".
If it was not
for the evident effort to appear smart - which betokens this
weak mind - he would appear to better advantage. If all this
was the result of naturalness no person would mind it, but being a studied effort he is plain to the most obtuse mind. In comparing him with a Mr. Blaine on board, who is really an English gentleman of means, education and good breeding, the contrast is very striking.
Mr. Blaine is a member of Parliament from Balto, but on account of ill health he has been traveling for 15 months, going around the world and is accompanied by his wife and young daughter.
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