the work was done satisfactorily, and we went on our way with partly a
new negro crew, some of the old crew having left. We made very good
progress and were nearly off New York when we got into a violent
snowstorm, which greatly amused the negro sailors, who had never seen
"white rain" before, but unfortunately for three of them, they got
frostbitten and lost their legs. We got into New York at last on the
25th of January, 1865, eight months from Hongkong!

Although the voyage was so long, I believe the venture turned out to be
a good one financially. Gold was at a very high premium, - about two
dollars and eighty cents at this time, - and our cotton sold for one
dollar and fifty cents per pound. The "Neimen" went into dock, and
people came in hundreds to see the strange sight. She was covered with
shells like a rook. Some of these shells were sent out to China, and
Messrs. Russell & Co. (the owners) had them mounted in silver as
inkstands.

28th June, 1898.



[*] To land and store cargo should never be done by a shipmaster without
authority from the owners.



A Voyage of Misfortune.