292                    THE OLD MERCHAJVTS
 

CHAPTER XXIX.

The race of magnificent old East India merchant:?
of the early part of this century, and a later period, are
passing away — in fact, have nearly all gone. There
is something grand In the title of an East India mer¬
chant. It conveys the Idea of large ships, long voy¬
ages occupying a year and more to the distant Orient¬
al climes, whose commerce Is still a mystery. East In¬
dia merchant! — we at once think of "India's coral
strand," " the golden Ind," " palmy plains," " the
breezes of the Spice Islands," and a thousand other
things that Columbus started to discover when he blun¬
dered upon this great continent.

We are all accustomed to accord the highest mark of
mercantile greatness to the merchant wdio owns his own
ship, loads her with silver, ginseng, lead, and sterling
bUls, and starts her off on a voyage of a year, with or
without a gentlemanly supercargo, and to come back a
wooden Island of spicy perfumes, equal to any from
Araby the blessed, as she lies at anchor in the North or
East river, loaded with teas of all classes, with silks,
nankeens, cassia, and a thousand other things that
come from China. To us, the real East India mer¬
chant is the one who sends his ships to China. We do
not have as much trade with British IndiS, and the Oal-