American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1845-03-10
From the Knickerbocker for march,
A RACE ON THE BAHAMA BANKS
ny MD RENTLIEE.

BY MID BUETLIEE.
Fancy yourself, reader, cloud-borne over
boundless forest Of thick-growing, broad branch
ed trees, each leaf, bud, flower and bough be-
ing formed fPurplish golden light, which, like
diamonds in clear starlight, glitters and
'parkles in the dark blue of the night. Fancy
.our mist-ormed chariot to be gliding along
Trough these tree tops of light, like waving
keeze; and as it moves ripphngly along, gen
t. swell precedes it, breaking buds and flowers
finn the thin boughs. Look at each little gem
light sinking from your touch, and fancy if
yu can that you hear low, sweet music, as
ofmany water drops beating upon thin pearl
shls, while the growing red branched coral
ints island makiags crackles merry casta-
nehcconpaniment: Can you paint these wild
tantes upon your minds canvass If so, you
caniully appreciate night-sail on the Bahia
malslands.
0me, and seat yourself with me out upon
our rching bowsprit, and glance over the gill
ded mow oimy swift gliding craft out upon the
flashing waters The sea over which we are
sailin is about six tathoms i'll depth, and on the
ocea, bottom you will perceive perfect forest
Of sa fans, purple branched, and interlaced
witheach other; meadow of pinken coral,
will here and there interspersed dark, chest
nut colored sponge, on which the mermaids
seat themselves when they gather shells, pearls
and wreck-gems with which to deck their ietty
locks and contrast their peerless charms. Our
vessel, built like dolphin, seems to float in the
arms of the blue ocean as the dark pupil of a
gay woman's azure eye floats in the soft iris
which surrounds 1t. Alott, from the thin peaks
of our bending spars, our banner floats looking
like reflection of the azure starlit sky, tinged
with pink and white above it. Around, the
horizon is measured by our eyesight, and not
even speck is there to destroy its curvllinear
grace. Above, beneath, around, all is as God
has made it; beauttul-unpaintably beautiful
Another fancy, reader. Do you see yonder
stream of slow moving silvery light, u few IA
thoms in advance of our bows? 1t looks like a
heightened reflection Of dim fire flame cast up
on the drifting current. 1t is a light which
would flash fearfully quick and bright were
you or to topple from our seat down into the
cleaning waters 1t is shark! His rapid mo-
ton agltates the waters, which are filled with
phosphorlc nimalculg, causing his wake to look
like stream of silvery light. Tie shark keeps
on, ever near us: he is hungry, and waits for Il
victim.
Now look within the spray gemmed circle
OF our bows Do you see here and there, like
the quick, bright Hastings of cheat lightning"
before summer nights shower, fast-moving
rays of brightness? Behold the hues-hoS
changeable! Now palsh blue, now gold and
green and now pinken as the reflected smiles of
sunset Ills the merry dol phin, sporting in
our path.
Far out upon our larboard bow, do you not
hear a sound like an arrows rushing flight
through the air2 Observe the slender thread
of flashing water rising between you and the
blue, thread-like horizon, even as draught-
ray of the sun, linking sky and sea. 1t rises
like fountain jet, and then dissolving into
thin, smoke-like mist. 1t is the porpoise, gam
boiling in his awkward way; for all things leap
with joy upon the Blanks" in bright cum
mer's night
In the fall of 1889 | took my cruise upon
the bahama Banks" | hope it may not be
the last, ior as sick infant yearns for its mo-
theirs smile, as it longs for her gentle rock,ngs
as it pines to hear her low, love toned voice of
kindness, so does my land-bound heart sicken
for the flashing face of old Ocean, its lofty
heavngs, and IFS wild converse! Oh God! save
Inc from dying on the land
have strange, wild, yet think pleasant
theory; one which never before have uttered,
although in many fevered hour at sea have
cherished it rs young lover cherishes hopes of
future bliss. When sailor dies he is enwrap-
ped in many snowy fold, and if he be one of
Lberty's sons, he is entwined in her own star
spangled drapery. Then, with heavy weights
he is balasted deep and well; Gods holy bless
ing is invoked, and he is given to the ocean Sc
Pulchre. The waters open, bubble for mo-
ment, and with gurgling echo fall asleep a.
gain, The body sinks far down; down beyond
the dominion of sharks, or whales, or living
things; down where the liquid mass becomes
too dense to permit of decay or decomposition;
too dense for it to sink farther below, and the
weight alone is too great to permit it ever to
Use. There, in the blue depths of the sea, will
it remain enVeloped in All impershabIe shroud,