Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1856-07-31
The Sea-Captain's Adventure.

IHO Cea'OaPtaiuo AutCutuIC.
On my last voyage to Bristol, tn
owners of the ship took passage witt
me. The whole cargo belonged t,
them, and they not only wished tt
do some business in England, but they
also had a desire to travel some. Be
sides the three owners, I had foul
passengers in the cabin. The passage
from New York to England on thai
occasion waa the most stormy and Sc
we're I ever made, / have expert.
enced heavier storms, but never such
continued hard weather. The old
ship was on a strain the whole Of the
time, and though | run her into the
Avon without losing a life or an i'm
portant spar, yet she had received
much damage. Her main-mast was
sprung, her timbers strained, and for
the last week the pumps had to be
kept going all the time, owners, pas
sengers, officers and all doing their
share of work at the brakes.
/ As soon as we could get the cargo
out. the ship was edinto the dock
for repairs, and we found, upon exam
ination, that it would be week be-
fore she could be fit for sea, and if
she had all the repairs which she alb
solutely needed, it would take her
near two weeks. A 3 contract was
made for the job, and one of the own
ers agreed to stay by and superintend
the work. This left, me at liberty,
and 1 began to look around for some
place to visit. / had heard much of
Salisbury Plain. The famous Stone
henge was there, and SO we're other
relics of Roman and British antiqui-
ty. Accordingly to Salisbury Plain
! resolved to 60. When / went on
board the ship to make; arrangements
with the owner who had remained
there, I found one of the passengers
just leaving. His name was Nathan
Leeman. He was a young man, not
more than thirty years of age, and /
supposed him from his features and
idiom, to be an Englishman. told
him I was going to Salisbury, and be
informed me he was going the same
way.
Leeman had been intending to take
the stage to Devices, and thence take
some of the cross coaches; but had
resolved to take horse and travel
where, and how, and when pleased,
and be liked the plan SO well that be
went Immediately and bought him a
good horse and saddle. 45 $
1t was about the middle of the fore
noon when we set out, and l found
that Leeman intended to visit the Gu
riosities with me, and then keep on
towards London, by the way of An
dover and Chertsey, he having sent
his baggage on ahead to Salisbury by
the great mail route, which ran many
miles out of the way. | found my
companion excellent company, and on
the way he told me some passages
from his own life. He was born in
England, but this was the first time
he had been in the Kingdom since he
was fourteen years Of age, and | was
led to infer that at that time he ran
away from bis parents. During the
last six years of his residence in the
United States he had been engaged
in Western land speculations, and he
was now independently rich.
We took dinner at Bradford, a large
manufacturing town, six miles south
east of Bath, and as soon as our horses
were rested, we set out again. To
wards the middle ofthe aftern oon the
sky began to grow overcast, and we
had promise of storm. BY five
o'clock the, great black clouds We're
piled up in heavy masses, and it
began to thunder At Warminster
we had taken the direct road for AL
bany, a distance of fourteen miles,
and when this storm had closed upon
US we were about half way between the
two places. ] was in no particular
hurry, and as / had no desire, to get
wet, proposed that we should stay at
the first place we came to. In a few
more we came to point
where a small cross. road turned off to-
the right, and where a guideboard
said it was five miles to Debtford
Inn. g 8g baas io sfFi2s V51 TO .
/ proposed that we should turn into
this by-Eay and make for Debtford
Inn as fast as possible, and my COM
panion readily consented. We had
gone a mile when the great drops OF