Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1850-04-03

"NoTEs ON CALIFORNIA AND THE PLA-
GERS" s."-This is the title of a new work,
from which the following humorous extrac,
lis taken:
"The second day out, the weather was
better, and continued to improve. The
decks were getting clear; and with view
of expeling 'bitter' from the scud of f1ncy'
which had been given me to 'chew'; as
we'll as to get on my sea legs, | went aloft
and made my way forward. The true sail
or, whether ashore or aAoat, in all his va
sletles, is an interesting study and when
ever opportunities offer, never fail to lis
ten .to'cast1e dialogues, which are often
spiced with nautical humor. As ! was going
forward towards one Of the crew, who, from
every indication of garb and manner, from
his larpaulin hat to the hi,ching of his waist
band, ] knew TO be regular 'saN,' | hap
pened to notice d tall sandy haired passen-
ger, with doleful countenance, making his
way, (tack and half tack, as Jack would
express it,) as if with intent TO accost the
sailor had observed. If were to surmise
the place of the nativity Of this individual,
| should locate it east of Lake Champlain.
and something south Of the latitude of 450;
as he appeared verdant specimen of the
races Of the green hills, and probably by a
trip down the lake and the river, Gotham
had been, until now, the uHima thule of his
voyages by water. AS he approached, !
stopped sufficiently near to be within hear
ing of the expected confab.
"'Good morning, Capling;' said The pas
senger.
"'Thankee kindly, Judge;' was the re-
ply. You are Judge, take it, he con-
linued.
"'WeIl, no, aint; Gran',her is; and
dad may be, one of these days; but Lord
knows whether shall ever ge! back to be
anything again. But now,' he continued,
what kind Of place is this Chaggurs we
are going to? Comfortable to live in take
1T? if we shouldn't get chance to 90 over
right away:
go yes!' said Jack; comfortable enough,
while you do live but a short life and a
merry one, is the word there
"'Du tell y replied the Vermon,er; SIS it
SO sickly? What may the dis,emper be p
"'Why, yellow fever always said the
tar. But just now, the 'nigger fever'is bad !;
which, if j! takes hold smartly, carries u
fellow off in the smoking Of two cigars !;
and if he weatheHs it all, he turns as bIack K
as the inside Of the DEVILS coal-scullle.-
Look a. that chap he contlued, pointing to
a Lascar sailor, of delicate features and dou-
BILE ebony skin, who stood nigh 'lhe last
trip he was as fair as lady's waiting
maid. See what twenty four hours did for
him.
so, Moses what horrid disease y
said the passenger. "A man mought bet
ter die, than be turned to a nigger. Is
there nothing fellow can take 10 keen ii
OFF,
"'Well,' replied Jack with wink at me;
'lhe doctor o: the C9ns'lulion, when was
aboard Of her, used to say, that good
drench Of sea water was the best medicine
he knew Of But, messma,e,' continued
Jack, ',f you do get out Of Chagres alive,
you will have hard chance Of it on the
river. The Orus can't ge. half wav to CRU
ces and the rest of the way you Will have
to 60 in canoes; and the alIigalors make
nothing of taking out passenger or two,
by way Of toll and whitest skinned chaps
generally fare hardest. And sometimes they
cspsze the canoe, and make mutton of the
whole together"
"Couldn', fellow GO through the woods
by land?' asked the green one.
"'You might, if you knew the way >
answered Jack; unless you met with the
luck Of Dick Fid, the bo'sen Of Old Iron
sides, when he was down the coast. He
started to join the Ohio on the other side,
and was not heard of for two months and
then he came up coastwise from Maracaybo,
forty miles down South
"'Iow came he TO lose his way?' inquir-
: ed the passenger, who, with all his terror,
was yet inquisilive,
"WeII,' replied Jack, "Dick sometimes
used TO spin devilish tough yarns, and may
be the story aint true; but the way he log
ged it was this. Getting pretty we'll tired,
after splicing the main brace, he laid HIM
self down on laundering big log to sleep,
and didn't remember anything that happen
ed until he walked up abou. sunrise, and
found himself going a: the rate Of fifteen
knots, on the top of a big snake, which he
had taken for a tree; and lashed fast by a
small chap about as big as your arm, to
keep him from falling overheard. And, he
said, he had just time to get out his jack
knife, and cut himself loose, when s"uce
they all went together into the lake. SO be
swan off TO a craft at anchor, and worked
his passage home'
so, merciful man = cried the Vermonter,
'why. how big do the critlurs grow?'
"'Why, down about Demerary,' said
Jack, ',hey do say, that they get to be as
large as sugar hogshead, bu! never saw
one much bigger than water butt"
lie who is not attentive to the daily re-
curing duties Of his station, in vain claims
The reputation of virtue or piety by splen-