Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1853-03-02
scr,bbl,ngs by the way. No. O.
From our Correspondent.
SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE, Aug.

SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE, Aug 25, 52.
MEssas For about two days after crossing
the equator, we had that peculiar sort of wealth
err the sailors call the " Doldrums." A success
of Gains and light, battling winds, with now and
and then sudden dash of rain. These tropical
rain storms are queer things. They are every
where present, like King Philips Indians, and
pounce upon you like troop of Cromwelrs
cavalry You are surrounded and taken prison.
err before you know it, You are drenched to
the skin before you can beat retreat, much less
accomplish it. can not call them shoaoers, for
they seem not to come in drops, nor in streams.
They are not even sheets Of water, but perfect
aualanches. They food your deck in about one
third ofno time, and with all your scuppers open
you are ankle deep in water. But then it is as
quick over. Old King Sol, seems here in the
metropolis OF his kingdom to be especially ca
ger to bestow the radiant light of his counte-
nance upon the frequenters of his court. He
seldom suffers cloud to come over the face of
his benignity, or if it comes, to remain long
Yet if the truth must be confessed, with all the
ardency Of his affections for his subjects, he is
very tickle in showing it.
Aug. 26. We are now heading about S. S.
w. and have had stiff breeze for the last twen-
ty-four hours, little aft the beam. In that time
we have run nearly three hundred and fifty
miles-a rate which will soon take us to Rio, if
it continues. How easy it would be for man
to get rich, if he could only be constantly ia
king in dollars and never pay them out. His
Golfers would soon be full. BY the way, | do
not see what objection the ancients could have
to the east wind. They seemed to think it
the essence of vanity, and blasting, and drought.
But it is a good friend of ours, and drives us on
our course with rapid speed.
Aug. %. "Sai no !" said the man at the
main-top this morning soon after daylight
Where away?" Con our larboard bow, hull
down, as yet, SIR" We slackened sail some
what, and hauled up little to speak her. We
soon saw that she had squared away for US
She proved to be the Storm Spirit, East India.
man, homeward bound. We lay TO some time,
and every pen aboard was in requistion to
write, if but few lines to the friends far
away" asked myself whether would be
willing to shift quarters, and return to New
York. The heart said yes, but the might of a
strong will overruled. ! am not ready to return
yet. Though entire strangers, they seemed
like dear friends. The time soon passed,
And soon, all soon we part with pan
To sail DER silent seas again"
Aug. 90, Sabbath. How calm and beaut-
full the morn" arose. Capt. Chandler is chris
tian in the best sense of that term, and we have
so far had religious exercises on board every
Sabbath. The Captain himself ofhciaies.-
There is nothing obtrusive about his manner
He never steps out of his character as sailor,
to affec: that of a clergyman. He seems to re-
gard himself simply as layman ntrusted with
the care of immortal minds, and responsible to
God for his influence over them. There has
not seemed the least reluctance on the part Of
any of the crew or passengers to assemble and
join in the exercises. On the whole the servi-
ces are conducted with more decorum and digni-
ty, and have more influence than | would sup
pose in the absence of clergyman. have
scarcely heard an oath board the ship.
Aug. 30. The South. East trades are doing
a fine business for us, and at this rate we shall
soon see South America. To-day we met a
shoal of porpoises. 1t was amusing to see them
play, almost filling the water in every direction.
The number must have been very great, as they
continued about us for long time.
Yours, Ii. II. r.