Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1850-05-31

the tories, the battle of that morning was
called by them, "McDoNALp's RES CUE"
Selling n VersnOnfer.
i The true sailor, whether ashore or a.
float, in all its varieties, is an interesting
study, and whenever opportunities offer,
never fail TO listen to fo' castle dialogues,
which are often spiced with nautical hu-
NOR. AS | was going forward towards
one of the crew, who, from every indi-
cation of garb and manner, from his tar
paulin hat To the hitching ofhis waist
band, | knew to be regular ssait,' |
happened TO notice tall, sandy haired
passenger, with a doleful coun.enance,
making his way, tack and half tack, as
Jack would express ny as if intent to
coast the sailor | had observed. If |
!, were to surmise the place of the nativity
of this individual, | should locate 1t east
of Lake Champlain, and something
south of the lat. Of As deg, as he ap-
peared verdant specimen of the races
of the green mountains, and probably
j by trip down the lake and the river,
Gotham had been, until now, the ultima
thule OF his voyages by water. As he
app' cached, ! stopped sufficiently near
TO be within hearing of the expected
confab.
Good morning Gaping said the
passenger.
! 'Thankee kindly, Jndge;' was the re-
! ply. You are Judge | take it, he
i continued.
! well, no, aint; Gran'ther is; and
dad may be, one Of these days: but Lard
knows whether shall ever get back to
be anything again. But now,' he con-
timed, 'what kind of place in this
Chaggurs we are going to! Comfortable
to live in, l take it! if we shoulder I get
a chance to 60 over the right way!'
% yes!' said Jack; comfortable en-
ough while you do lire! but short life
and merry one is the word there
sDu tell' replied the Vermonter; is il
] so sickly! What may the distemper be!
s, why yellow fever Always said the
tar. But just now, the snigger fever is
bad, which, if it takes hold smartly car
J ries fellow off in the smoking of two
cigars; and if he weathers it all, he turns
as black as the indide of the devil's coal
scuttle. Look al that chap he contin-
!, ued, pointing to Lascar sailor, of deli
cate features and double ebony skin, who
stood nigh; the last trip he was as fair as
a lady's waiting maid. See what twenty
! four hours did for him.
30, Moses. what horrid disease said
the passenger. "A man lnoui better die,
than be turned to a niger. Is there
nothing fellow can take to keep it Off
WELL replied Jack, with wink al
me '.he doctor of the Constitution, when
. | was aboard Of her; used to say, that a
good drench Of sea-water was tire best
; medicine he knew Of. But messmate, :
continued Jack. 'if you do get ou. oil
Chagres alive you will have hard
chance of it on the river. The Orus
! cant get half way to Cruces; aud the
rest OF the way you will hare to go in
, canoes; and the alligators make nothing
: of taking out a passenger or two, by
: way of toll; and whitest skinned chaps
! generally fare hardest. And sometimes
J they capsize the canoe, and make mutton
I, of the whole together
.Couldn't fellow go through the
woods by landg asked the green one.
i You might, if you knew the way an,
3 swered Jack, unless you meet with the
! luck Of Dick Fid, the bo'sen of Old
: Ironsides, when he was down the coast
3 He started to join the Ohio on the other
r side, and was not heard of for two months
0 and then came up coastwise from Mara.
3 caybo, 40 miles down south.
!, sHow came he to lose his way!' in,
f quired the passenger, who, with all hi.
9 terror was yet inquisitive.
b .Well, replied Jack, sDick sometime.
: used 10 spin devilish tough yarns. ant
may be the story ainl true; but the wa,
q he logged it was this: Getting pretty
g well tired, after splicing the main brace
Il he laid himself down ON a thunderin!
9 big log TO sleep, and didn't remembe
8 anything that happened until he waken
!. ed up about sunrise, and found himsel
Il going at the rate of fifteen knots. on th'
! top Of big snake, which he had tax el
n for tree; and lashed fast by small
d chap about as big as your arm. to keeI
n him from falling overload. And h,
!. said he had just time TO get out his jack
d knife, and cuthimself loose, when sous,
n they all went together into the lake. 81
o The SWAN off TO craft at anchor, ant
6 worked his passage home.
n %. merciful manr cried the Vermont
: er, why, how big do the critters grow.