Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1817-12-03
From the Pittsburs Gazette.

TIOW Hte tttoUHiS ee~essS'
ATTRACTS FROM THE JOURNAL OF A
VOYAGE TO THE MEDITERRANEAN.
CHAPTER VI.
18th and Goth. The weather was
wet and squally, as it had been every
day since we had been out, and we be-
gan almost to forget what it was to
have serene sky and pleasant at
mosphere. This was particularly ag-
cravating, as sea voyage, to make
the best of it. affords but few pleasures
For a time, it is true.curiosity may be
gratifed, but its food is scanty and
soon exhausted. Each day presents
the same prospect, and the same avo-
cations and the only change is that
affordedsby the aspect Of the Heavens.
Not so the traveller, whose devious
path leads over variety of soil, and
through many climates whose adj
yenturous feet now cline the rugged
precipice, and are now scorched by
the burning sands of the wilderness !;
whose eye is ROW gladd"ned with the
taste and cpulence Of crowded cities.
ana now is charmed with the native
luxsriance of rural scenes ; and who
alternately pauses on the brow of the
lofty mountains, or calmly sinks to
repose in the bosom of the secluded
vale. Every change in the atmos-
pherc exhibits nature in a different
garb. or shews him some new trait in
the character of man. Wherever he
turns his eye, h" finds food for specu.
lation, and although his path is rug
gcd, and his body worn with fatigue,
its exertions are amply rewarded by
the pleasures and the knowledge that
pour in upon tire mind.
2lst. This is the first fine day
we have had, and the wind was fresh
aud fair. As I strolled about the
deck, enjoying the genial influence Of
the morning sun, observed that our
lire Stock-who no doubt had left their
oaken couches for the same purpose
exhibited the most unequivocal symp-
tons of satisfaction. Whether they
really expected to participate in the
glorysof the expedition, and hailed
the breeze that waited us towards our
destined object, or whether they were
delighted at being delivered from their
approximations Of sore throats, colds
and consumptions, / could not at first
determine. They certainly appear
ed to be greatly elated, and capered
about and snutfied the air with much
apparent gaiety. was soon however
informed, that l had mistaken for in
nocent festivity, the representations
of disaster and that when a pig
danced at sea, it was certain sign of
an approaching storm. That these mo-
dest and unasSuming animals should
"play such fantastic tricks before
high heaven" was certainly out of
character, and it was extremely in
decorous in them TO be cutting their
capers on the quarter deck Of a vessel
Of war, where such liberties are not
allowed even to the officers. But
that they had any sinister design, !
am not inclined to believe-for if
they wished to invoke the gcnii of
the air to hurl destruction around us,
they would have gone more quietly a.
bout it. But this is giving them a
degree of power which | do not be-
lieye they POSSESSION have learn
ed by very hard experience, that to
raise the 1cind is no easy natter
Nay, l even go so far in scepticism as
to doubt their foreknowledge on this
subiect-had they been Scotch pigs,
and gifted with second sight, then in
deed-but yankee swine have surely
no claim of that kind, and as have
read of the wind, that {" no man
knows whence it cometh, or whittier
it goeth," l have no idea of allowing
these quadrupeds to soar so far above
Us, as not only to know So whence it
cometh," but even 1rhen it is coming.
These were my ideas at the time
but when I ventured to express them,
/ found they were all wrong; for l
was assured, that years Of naval expe-
rience had tested the fact, that pig
never was merry except just before
a storm. Hamlet says, =" there are
things in Heaven and earth. Horatio,
that are not dreamt of in your philo-
sophy''-this must be one of them