1880 Facts about Port and Madeira by Henry Vizetelly

Tlis Vintaging of Bucellas.

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"warriors. He "was accompauied by the heir to some African throne,an intelligentlad oftwelve or thii-teen years of age,whom he was bringing to Europe to secui-e foV him the advantages of aParisian education. The merchant was of course a cabin pas senger, but not so his sable highness, as the captain of the steamer flatly refused to ship a negro,even were he a king,as the occupant of a fij-st-class berth on board his vessel. The dusky prince,therefore, had his quarters in the forecastle among the sailors, who not only cruelly tormented him,but stole his ■cap and jacket to boot. A young Spanishnaval oflicer, who aj)peared tobe onintimate terms with the French merchant, formed another of our pas sengers. He was i-eturning home from Fernando Po on sick leave, and being a born gambler, like the majority of his counti'ymen, had indulged in high play at the club of Santa Cruz, where he got cleaned out of his last dollar, and was only ^ble to quit the island on his friendfrom the Slave Coast comiug to the rescue.. The first night we remained on deck with several of the pas sengers enjoying the cool refreshing breeze, but the commander •of the steamer, with the naval oflhcer from Fernando Po, and other kindred spirits, retired to the saloon, where gambling went on until daybreak. Owing to contrary winds we were nearly four days making the voyage, which was marked by nothing more exciting than a series of gorgeous and varied sunsets which filled the entireheavens oneach succeedingevening with their golden splendour. On reaching Cadiz the steamer was at once boarded by the customary tribe of Andalusian loafers, bent upon conveying the passengers and their luggage ■on shore at the rate of a dollar per head per minute for the ten minutes which this proceeding occupied. Arrived at the Custom house, the French merchant explained to the individual who had brought his portmanteau that the latter contained a quantity of tobacco on which he wished to pay duty, but the man resolutely opposed his doing so, and hurriedly re-locking the portmanteau, .swung it upon his shoulders and stalked unobserved out of the