Vandalia Whig and Illinois intelligencer. [volume] (Vandalia, Ill.) 1832-183?, 1833-08-21
From the Western Monthly Magazine.
THIRTY DAYS in NJ BERTH.

Calcutta, seven times blackened.
We set sail from New York, soon after
The great northeast snow storm that de
stroyed so many eggs, in January, '3l;
and most niPping and eager air it was,
that waited us from New Amsterdam.-
1t reduced the captains whiskers one-half.
and made the old bottle-nosed storm-sten,-
mer look like a frost bitten cabbage; and
the gray-headed pilot too though he had
drifted, 'twixt sea and shore in his cock
shell for half IA century, stamped about,
like first chop tragedian, with his arms
knee-deep, as they say in Hibernia, in
the bags of his monkey jacket. As for
my own self, being a new hand in salt
water matters, and feeling an instructive
antipathy to a cabin, where every thing
was or the full swing, kept on deck too ;
and looked up at the sails, and down at
the sea, and forward where the bows were
beginning to rise and fall on the long
swell; and thrashed my arms and legs a.
bout, and tried to keep warm and feel
wonderful contented; but it would not do;
and when the pilot get into his little Wa
ter-Witch, came within an ace of strad-
ding the bulwark with him; but then !
remembered my trunk and sweetmeats.
and holding fast to rope, breathed u
pom the tip of my nose, to keep the life in,
and became sentimental
'Adieu, adieu! my native shore
Fades DER the waters blue;
j he night winds sigh, the breakers roar,
And shrieks the wild sea-mew.'
The last trace of America disappeared;
the ship rolled more, and more. and more ;
the steward called me to tea. stagger-
ed into the close, hot, mahogany cabin
took a seat to windward, and took cur
OF that nondescripi, called by sailors tea !;
but when ! went further, and put this
same compound of tar and hot water to
my mouth, my stomach gave groan, and
threw itself upon its reserved rights; and
as there was 10 denying that this same
tar-tea was opposed to the constitution OF
my federal system, and fearing that the
complainant might nullify at an improper
moment, made a dive for my stateroom
door. amid the congratulations of the
captain, who was renovating his counte
nance with bottle of porter. and cui
of cold roast beef, supported by fried po-
tatoes.
Preached my room, pulled off my coat
and cravat, kicked my shoes under the
berth, and stepped into the solitary chair
for the purpose of gaining my bed; when
sudden lurch of the ship capsized the
chair, and sent me headloremost into the
cabin, where landed safe on my back I'M
der the captains stool. Good God!
said he, dropping large slice of fried
potatoes intomy face, whats the matter?
] had but little breath to spare, and so
the steward dragged me out by the legs,
and slowed me safe under the counter
pane, breeches and all; while his superior
looked on and inquired through his
mouthful Of beef. if would not take a
little porter after my fall. Bah!
For the next forty-eight hours was in
sensible; once OF twice they brought me
near enough 10 the land of the living, TO
make me swallow little cold water, but,
otherwise, | was collapsed. On the third
day, my mind opened its eyes again. 1t
was beautiful, warm forenoon they told
me, and so the steward took me up fore
and aft, carried me on deck, and slowed
me away in the long boat, among some
old sails. Here | found one of my two
fellow passengers, and more forlorn fig
nre never crossed my vision.
Mr.. Bibb was Montreal merchant; he
had boy five feet five inches high, and
that might weigh, feet and all, eighty
pounds; and a mind nearly halt as large
as its dwelling house. He was enveloped
in white surtout, and COW hide boots \
from above the collar of his surtout sprou,-
ed fungus-like head, defended from the
winds AMI rains of heaven by twenty-five
or thirty long, coloress hairs, seemingly
made of aspider's web; to assist which.
he had called the aid of an immense OF |
ter skin cap, calculated for the wear of
some Canadian hunter, across the mouth
Of which had been rugged up sort of net
work Of red and green Irvine, such as we
tie up quilts with, to prevent this formida
BILE friend from slipping down and exlin-
gushing him. His eyes were undoubt-