Daily Richmond times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1849-1850, 1849-07-16
FROM THE GtEtVMoRE
letter from a Richmond Passenger.
SUR GLENMnRE. Nav 06 lS1,

SHIP GLENMoRE, May 26, l849.
My Dear Friend-Agreeable 10 promise, take
the first opportunity of addressing you short epis-
tie relative to matters and things which have &C.
Cured on board the Glenmore since | shook your
warm and generous hand at Rockets
Language cannot express my gloom and despair
as the last glimpse Of Church Hill faded in the dis
lance. Thoughts such as then occupied my mind
could not long dwell upon and remain rational
being must seek solace in the crowd or else be-
come raVlng maniac. Consequently, [ mixed
freely with the crowd After partaking of breakfast
we reached City Point, (say at 10, A. NJ where
we found all our company, save about five members
We remained on shore the remainder of the day
and night Sunday morning, at o'clock, we We're
all summoned on board, weighed anchor, and were
lowed down to Hampton Roads, within four miles
of Old Point. The next day (AIonday) the Captain
said ne wished to put the ship in trim, and many
as thought proper might go ashore-those remaining
on board would be quito work. Consequently only
few remained on board. Our pilot being still aboard,
10 take the ship to the Capes politely offered us the
use OF his boat to take ashore and back again.
We accepted the offer. and landed at Old Point,
where we met some friends who were to Join us on
our voyage Alter taking survey Of the Fort and
listening to the delightful performances of the Old
Point Brass Band, we dispersed, each person to
spend the day In the way most congenia to his feel
ings. Gin company with fifteen others.) walked
over to Hampton, where l met an old friend, and
spent most agreeable day at his house At S
O'clock we took the Pilot boat for the ship and at
sunset, found ourselves more aboard, our ship
In nice trim and ready for sea. AT o'clock that
night slight breeze sprung up; we weighed anch-
or, hoisted sail, and were off. The wind being at
our head, we had to TACK and did not make much
progress till late Sunday evening, when we cleared
the Capes, and babe adeu to our Pilot The broad
Atlantic lay before us, with not sail in view save
only that of the little Antelope, as the Pilot boat was
called which conveyed the Pilot back to the happy
| land we were leaving, perhaps forever.
But, will not dwell on thoughts of home. I
shall proceed to give you, in as brief manner as
possible, the events of our voyage thus far.
When the Capes had entirely disappeared, the
wind changed from due East to one point in our
favour, and had increased considerably carrying us
nine knots an hour, causing yard arms frequent
ly to dip in the water. You may Judge large ma
jority of us now thought our stme had come The
rapdity of the vessel caused most of us to become
sea SICK and your humble servant suffered from this
cause most awfully for three days. Several men,
beers escaped, however, entirely-amongst them Dr.
Hodges, and you may depend upon it he rallied us
not title. tie would come to me whilst was
suffering, and taking me by the arnn insist on my
going with him on the poop deck, to take look at
the subimity of the sea. | was in no hunour for
sightseeing, and told him the only sublime SIGHT
WiSiiOu W ooC was I'LL Oiu grown up III May
grassland if he would place me in that field even
with an old broken down horse attached toa plough
with no point to it, | would bind myself to work
there and with such materials, the balance of nv
days have no doubt he will write you all sad
account of our condition during the sea sickness
spell,
We made have no question, the quickest voy-
age on record, from the Capes of Virginia to within
100 miles of the Equator There we were be-
calnond hoUrnvnr and did tha linz III
Sd of May, since which time continuation of i'll
luck has followed us. Anderson poor fellow, about
that time, was taken worse. He had been quite low
from sea sickness, but we all thought him conva-
descent at enc time. But he complained of u vio-
lent affection of the head and despite every effort of
DR.. Guy, (who watched over him nobly,) he breath
ed his last on the morning of the 9th of June at
o'clock. Everything was done for him that kind.
ness and medical skill could suggest. Poor fellow.
he died totally unconscious OF his situation. His
mind appeared to have deserted him several DAVIS
before he died. and if he suffered pain in his last
moments he was totally unconscious of it. He
died without struggle, after having wasted away
to mere skeleton. Two days prior to his DEATH
we had spoken and passed the baruue Susan from
milar to our own--only they had regularly or
dained chaplain on board. She still lay in sight and
II being day of perfect cam our small boat was
launched and sent to invite the chaplain to visit our
ship and perform the last sad ceremonies over the
remains of our much lamented friend. He accept
ed the invitation, and brought with him twelve of
| the New York company He belonged to the Epis-
copal persuasion, and performed the ceremony with
much solemnity. The body shrouded in the
usual manner, and then completely enveoped in
strong canvass, with a small bag of cannon balls
tied securely the feet The corpse was then con-
veyed from the cabin to the poop-deck, resting on
the side OF the ship on wide plank; and, at the
end of the funeral ceremonies, signal was given to
raise the plank at the head, which caused the body
of our deceased comrade gently to slide, feet fore
most, into the vast deep The Captain thought the
dead weight sufficiently heavy to sink the body be-
yond the reach of sharks other monsters of the
deep, as tley go to certain DEPTH and no further
On leaving Richmond, we had intended not to put
intoany port till we reachedV paraso and had weno
encountered Gains in and about the Equator should
have reached that port by the LIST June, AS it is,
we are necessarily compelled to put into Rio de
Janeiro, which place we hope to reach sometime to-
night. l will continue my letter after we reach
Rio, from which place we are only distant 80 miles
Rio DE JANE1Ro May 9th, A. NJ
We reached here last night at IL o'clock, and
never before have Witnessed more splendid scene
than was presented on our entrance into the bay
Imagine to yourself the most beautiful valley in the
mountains ofVirginia, lying between two ridges of
lofty mountains, for the distance of miles, with
nay In 1ront containing ID lannon's OF water, Inter-
spersed with small islands frock, ofthe vari-
able formations, and even then your imagination
will fall far short of realizing the beautiful bay of
Rio de Janeiro. thought | had seen beautiful
mountains, but confess that nothing | have seen or
read of compares with the beauty Of this place.
As the city broke upon our view last night, the
moon had just sank behind one of the highest peaks
of the mountain, and shed silvery halo over the
city. AS we neared the first fortress, about three
miles from the city, were hailed with the usual
questions, after answering which, innumerable sig
nails were made to the city and returned in like
spectacle | ever beheld. About mile farther in,
we reached another FORT where we had TO stop, url
sail and cast anchor This was the quarantine
ground, where he had to remain till the Health Off
Ger, as well as the officer of Customs, granted us
permission to 60 on Shore We retired about one
o'clock and rose aoain at DAYLIGHT next morning