American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1846-12-15

announcement that it would not be the last.
A. HEARER.
Correspondence OF the Baltimore Clipperl
DEsCRIPTION OF TIE TRIP OF
THE RINGGOLD COMMITTEE.
Departure from .Nl,o OrIeGns-THs Gulf in
''.N1riher, "-TOo BaiiinOreanS SnUng their
Onions Bra=os-Rio Grande -yuatamoras-
Fort Brown- The Battle FeId-POint BG-
beL-Ringgold and COehrane's Exclamation.
BRAzos SAN JAeo, Nov. rs, l646.
AS the old iron tongue Of that venerable and
once Spanish Cathedral, at Orleans, was strik
ing the hour of 10 O'Clock, on the night of the
18th inst, our boat, the steamer McKim, might
be seen unshipping her mornings, and gently
taking the stream downwards, Before, howe
yer, we had gone far, the fog, SO prevalent on
these rivers, compelled US to drop our anchor.
BY fortunes favor, we cleared the mouth Of
the river about O'Clock next evening, with a
fair and stiff breeze, and flattering prospects of
happy and speedy passage across the Mexican
waters.
We kept on oar course, with everything bright
and cheering, until the fifth day of our voy-
age, when we were suddenly struck, by what
is here called ga Norther." 1t was one Of the
most terrific, as we were afterwards informed,
by the old sea-dogs, that have been felt in these
regions for years. Our passengers were tossed
abont, like bags of chaff-sometimes on their
heads, aud sometimes with no point to stand
on, but floating, as it were, in md-air-not be-
tween Heaven and earth, but between single
plank and etsrnity Men a moment before
boasting of their own strength, had now become
worse than babes AS the night approached,
the storm increased. The terrors ofnight add
ed TO the fearful ragings Of the storm, and our
anxietes grew apace. Many, nay, most ofu',
had given up all for lost and the very few ca
pable of'moving, were sngularly helpless, Fear
had taken deep root in our souls, and yet, do
not smile at us for want Of courage, for | am
satisfied there were amongst us, many of I'M
doubted valor, but yet untried by the powerful
arm Of God. One poor fellow was seen dou-
bled up in corner, with tears streaming down
his pale cheeks, trembling for his life, and
awaiting, with awful forebodings, the great
teacher-Death. "Why do you cry 500" said
an inquirer, whose experience Of sea perls
gave him an apparent excess of confidence
"Suppose, )" said he, "you had been IN the street
fight at Monterey, what would you have done
them" "Why," answered the sufferer, with
the tone of a man, ''that was nothing;-there
you might escape from the aim of man, but
iiOlC HilSSi Va SOo 10 POlhAOo az uo1 oNN '-S
will be done"
The midnight bell tolled that solemn hour,
as if warning us to prepare for the land OF
spirits. And some were preparing, with rather
a dangerous earnestness, for moving about.
fell in with two Batlmoreans on the weather
stern of our ship, who were locked in eacn
others hands. They had exchanged vow
a vow Of fidelity upon leaving, (falsely, how
ever,) that the machinery of our ship was out
of order. They had pledged themselves, in
the event of the ships wrecking, to take pos
session Of the two chicken coops, with knives
drawn ready to cut down any one attempting
to cling on to save himself from watery
grave. Sober second thought soon satisfied
one of them, (rather an old traveller, by the
way,) that ifour ship could not transport him
safely, chicken coop would be but poor SUBJ
stitute. With feelings of awe, we awaited the
dawn of morn Many prayers were offered
up, that our good God would bid the storm
cease; and believe our prayers were heard
At 8 o'clock next morning, after laying to
for twenty hours, the gale was broken. Our
passengers were now busi!y engaged in disco
vering, not each other, bat themselves deny
ing each other from the simple fact of their
having given way to exhausted nature in va
rious parts of the ship. All aow had become
mirth and congratulation. Every 1ne moving
about to see his particular friend, and among
the many was busy exchanging congratulations,
and accidentally fell in with our two heroes Of
the chicken coops, who, having just aroused
themselves from heavy slumber, were in the
act, (and much hurried too,) of discharging
their cargo of Onions, which they had taken
aboard of their frail craft for their intended
chicken-coop voyage; mean, they had filled
their pockets with that delicious vegetable
which would have supported them for at least
three weeks, God sparing their lives could
not but admire their precautlon, however pue
rifle in itself, and am satisfied, although mon
vary in hope as they do in mind, that the an.
Choir Of their hope had taken all lastenings Oh
the outward boundaries of Heaven.
At o'clock, P. NJ, we made the Brazos
and came to anchor some two miles outside o
the bar about O'Clock, where we remained
until mid day of the 2lst, when small steam
er came for the passengers and the mail. The
bar is very difficult to cross, having some three
to six feet ofwater only, and always in YER
disturbed, dangerous state Inside, there are