The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1847-03-24

Vhouses; one, on Mobile point, to the lar
board; the other on Sandy Island 10 the
starboard: TINT is, the first to the East, the
other to the West Of us. On the Point, we
saw the guns of Fort Morgan" looking
out significantly towards US. They had
no voice for us. But. il mistook not
their appearance, their enemy would zee,
another reception. ~
This is not the kind of an occasion for a
man, strictly Of the land, to attempt nm ex-
pose of his feelings in looking on, upon
the waters, reachoning in every direction
beyond the field Of Ills vision Suffice it
to say. that. early in The morning, on bonrd
the ship, the melowing rays Of the sun fall
ling on the ripping waters, their bosom
expanding before us, the land rcceding be-
hind us, the prospect Of a ten days home
on "the rolling deep" and then landing on
an inhospitabe shore; these were the To-
pics of reflection.
One thing in the first days experience
and observation, | must no, pass in ST.
lcnre. cannot now recall 10 mind any
mention Of what am about to describe, in
have read. After leaving land some dis.
lance behind us. there was out to seq, ahead
ofus, en- apparent rise in the waters. This
apparent elevation extended to the horizon
from right 10 left. On a nearer approach,
we found the elevation only imaginary; but
there avas something scarcely less remark
able, a most perfectly defined line Of par,-
ton between the whitish waters Of the bay
and the blue waters nfihr Gulf. So we'll
do these waters apparently understand
their bounds. that you might place your
finger on the verge Of The blue and Of the
muddy. The men were all struck with the
thing as curiosity, and appropriately
termed "the meeting of the walcrs," the
Fence. AS far MS the eye could reach,
the edge Of the waters was skirtcd with u
foam; drift wood had here found resting
place, and its zigzag appearance gave il de-
cidedly family likeness TO worm fence
Al meridian The next day we crossed anoti-
er fence. or a second Ruicon, more mark
cd, if anything, than was The first. There
was in this part Of the Gulf an immense
deal "f drift wood from the Mississippi; the
mouths Of which were many miles distant.
The waters were green, before we came to
the second boundary; afterwards, .iicv hr.
came truly 'thc dar& blue" The sailors
call the green waters sonndings, from III.
fact that there, bottom may be found. on
the soundings, that is, in the blue water,
no bottom can he fuun1.
After The Pilot left us, The sealed orders
were openel and read ty our Commander.
lie gave out that we were ordered To Tnm-
pico. But this morning. We were APP
prnaching The latitude Of that place and sill
Keeping to sea. il became necessary to let
the truth he known. Our destination is
the Island o! L"bns, snmc $50 miles above
Vera Cruz. The English IF il is, "lhc
Island Of WoIvcs"! Whether we or the
10y Il :, -.
decide. Why the Government keeps these
things so profoundly secret from those, 10
whom. in other respects, she shews the
greatest consideration. l do not exactly
appreciate. But so il is. We were ten
days on the water, before we learned our
destination.
|, requires not the ken Of prophecy to
tell that our Government cnnlcmplatcs an
attack on Vera Cruz by sea and land; ard
that The forces now assembled and Assem-.
bling at"is!a Dc Lnbos" are The forces in
tended for the land ap7rnnch. This will
require march of some two hundred
miles. The island iIsr;f is about six FIVE
edilorially remark thar il is ten or twelve,
miles (aS our correspondent stated in his
letter IN the last numbcr,) from the mnin
land. In ii future communication, [ will
attempt I" give you "A description Of it,
This was done in The letter in our lAstN No.)
There are on board The Orrguu two hun.
dred and forty odd officers and priva,cs.
Births for the prtvatcs were fitted up be.
tween decks; and there they arc a II together. |
Their accommodations are nnt The best
they all sigh for land. We have on board
ahrce months provisions; and ra,ions arc
daily distributed. But cooking is the diff |
cult operation. Will, bread they have no
trouble; they eat hard bread; but Coffee.
Bacon and Rice. for the whole, arc prcpar,
ed at their small fires on the deck. IL is
amusing to see men, al home possessing II
superab"ndancc. here daily receiving their
pound of crackers. three quarters of
pound of bacon. thmble. spoonful Of
coffee, and rice, cooking for themselves,
and then eating it with their fingers from
the frying pan.
The government kindly engaged a cabin
passage for the officers, and seat at the
captains table, on paying one dollar per
day.
The health Of Company a." c.The
Sumlers.") has greatly improved. There
hos been no fatality amongst them, since
they left home, nor is any likely to occur,
judging from present Appearances In The
Torrid ZONE, where we now are, the mumps
are very lenienL The Lancaster Gonna.
ny is now much afflicted with them; bnl
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