Chapter 1 The terrible news
Chapter 1 The terrible news
It " was " a " night " in " July " on " the " East " China " Sea," dimly " lit " by " the " moon," which " was " in " its " last " quarter " and " already " close " to " setting." On " that " quiet," black " sea " a " ship " with " its " six " upper " decks " completely " illuminated," clearly " visible " from " a " considerable " distance " was " sailing." It " was " the " Silver ' Star," a " U. S." Blagged " cruise " ship.
It " wasn ' t " a " huge " ship," not " one " of " those " bloated " and " towering " above " the " sea " that " carry " more " than " 4000 " passengers " besides " the " crew." It " was " a " smaller," but " no " less " charming " and " impressive " type " than " the " other " ones " or " with " fewer " amenities " and " attractions " to " cheer " passengers " up," especially " when " the " ship " was " sailing " on " a " route " that " wouldn’ t " dock " in " a " port " every " day." The " general " characteristics " of " the " ship " stated " that " the " Silver ' Star " had " a " tonnage " of " more " than " thirty " thousand " tons," was " 180 " meters " long " and " could " carry " 700 " passengers " and " 400 " members " of " the " crew.
The " ship " had " recently " left " Keelung " Harbor," the " international " port " of " Taipei " in " the " north " of " the " island " of " Taiwan," once " known " as " Formosa." Taipei " also " has " another " smaller " harbour " in " the " south " of " the " Tamshui " River " estuary," facing " west " over " the " Straits " of " Taiwan." Keelung " Harbor " is " located " 34 " nautical " miles " to " the " East," and " from " Taipei " it " can " be " reached " in " about " 35 " minutes," in " normal " trafBic " conditions." Keelung " Harbor " moors " large " vessels," including " cruise " liners.
Two " days " earlier," the " Silver ' Star " had " set " sail " from " Hong " Kong " to " arrive " at " its " Binal " destination," Osaka " in " Japan." Being " a " cruise " ship," its " passage " was " fairly " slow;" its " stages " and " stops " following " a " detailed " travel " plan," called " passage ' planning " or " voyage ' planning." The " travel " plan " of " the " Silver ' Star " was," after " the " stop " in " Taiwan," planned " to " get " in " Shanghai," then " in " Cheju " or " JejuZdo," the " beautiful " volcanic " island " located " to " the " South " of " the " Korean " peninsula " with " its " breath " taking " coastline," high " cliffs " and " spectacular " waterfalls." The " trip " would " continue " to " Pusan," the " largest " port " city " of " South " Korea," from " which," on " a " longer " route," would " reach " the " city " of " Osaka " in " Japan," then " return " to " Hong " Kong " after " a " stop " to " enjoy " a " stay " in " Wakayama," which," according " to " the " guide " references," is " a " city " that " exudes " an " atmosphere " of " timeless " romanticism.
This " was " the " great " journey " that " 684 " tourists " on " board " were " going " to " make ";" but " now," since " it " was " late " at " night," many " of " them " were " in " their " cabins " resting," some "