Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1858-08-12

they should find bit of meat, or anything
large enough to divide, do it without holding it
in their fingers, while the teeth perform the
carving in the usual style. There and thus they
lived, and although was not sea-sick, manya
time came near being made sick by the foul
odorS arising from these steerago quarters
But | promised to tell you something for
your own comfort, should you wish to try the
voyage. Pardon my digressions.
In the first place then, secure you a good
state-room in such part of the vessel as, from
its build, will be the least likely to suffer from
the ships motion, and if you wish any COM
forts of life in the shape of drinks, fruits, or
fancy pastry, or any kind of provisions other
than those named in bill fare, be sure and
take them with you, as you will need the
mines of California to buy anything on board
Thus much for the inner man; for the outer
there is quite as much need | know not of
other times, but during my voyage there was
necessity enough for caution. Immediately
upon getting to sea it began to grow cold, and
50 cold was it that only with my thick winter
wardrobe could keep comfortable, and many
times on deck had to walk with a vengeance to
keep my feet in any degree of warmth--and
this in midsummer. / heard it remarked by
those on board, who crossed last December,
that it was not then so cold as now-July.
certainly have not suffered so much with the
cold since midswinter. Take warning, then,
and although The thermometer may run high,
do not sail without good supply of winter
clothing at hand.
Sea-sickness would like to describe to you
in all its beauty, but not having had the pain,
! cannot share the pleasure in its full. From
the effects seen on Others however, perhaps
can give you slight account of its workings.
One hardly knows when it is going to begin,
and so uncertain is it that have seen people
sit down to meal, and when they had partly
finished, Qeelng perfectly well,) sudden
lurch of the ship would ask them to honor a
sight draft, for small bill of provisions, and
sometimes with a plenty on the table, they i'm
mediatcly apply to their stomachs for that just
taken, to ell the order, hardly having time to
leave the table; and either they are really sick,
or 50 perfectly disguised with the performance,
that they are not seen again for many day, and
in many instances for the whole voyage. There
is no telling who, when, Or where, the disease
is going to take. Old seamen on board were
very sick green ones, like myself, well, and
uice rersa but the most curious feature is the
sickness itself, as described by those who have
had it. have been told that they were so
very sick they would rather die than live, and
persons on board, when they arrived IN port,
said they would not cross again for all Europe.
Yet while they are thus sick, their friends and
companions would be using all kinds of sports
and nonsencical ridicule, knowing as they do
that the disease is not disease, and that few
hours, or days, at most, is all that is required
to bring them to rights again and thus in
reality is a sea sick person, in as near as may
be, perfect pandemonium.
Again you ask me for the sights Well,
saw a mighty sight of water, and that is about
all, save once in while ship; and of the
vastness of this water no one can judge until
they shall pass over it Thousands on thou
sands OF sails whiten our seas, and yet on the
much travelled route we were upon, for two
whole days we did not see a sail, having tray
eled nearly six hundred miles,
Do you ask me if there were no sights on
board, no rows, no plays, &C.? Rows we could
not have for this man would be fighting Ital
ian, that Spanish, and the rest German or
French and as the Paddy would say, " it
would be 50 much of row, it would be no
row indade, indade." The most frequently
played game is what they call sup and down.
and one in which all hands join, old and young,
minister and people, all up, now down soon,
and suit the word to the action. A few play
| chess, draughts and cards. at times, but the
gusto with which all join in this up and down
, game would please you. To say when it COM
mences, or when it leaves off are facts of small
account; but you will find the game played
l most pleasantly while the passengers are in
Q their berths, for there it is two down and one
: up, instead of down and up, for when in berth
r with motion of fifteen to twenty-five feet, in
r the width of the ship, you get-if six feet tall
l something like one and half to two feet
, from head to foot, and so goes the game, some
e times high and sometimes low, two down and
s one up, and two up and one down, from night
: till morning; and to be sure you don't lose
(your equilibrium) you must play the game
0 well by thoroughly bracing yourself head and
+, feet.
; In speaking of the wonders of the ocean
s need say they are to me unknown? and of
the beauties of it can say but little, for saw
e but little of them; and here let me remark,
e that in common weather or Gains the sea pos
it whole voyage was one continued gloomy, bad
k time, on the whole of which we had only one
It clear sunset and one clear sunrise, (and thai
n the morning we landed,) still the beauties Of
e old ocean did not appear for only two days
y during our whole voyage for two days in
: succession it did storm, and for these two days
the oceau was beautiful, majestic, grand. lis
70 when the waters that usually run from three tc
,, six feet high, lashed into fury by tremen-
It dous storm, they rise from twenty-five to forty
is feet high, and each wave forms for itself white
Al e., Ia, ;oJo ,c.l
d then and only then can | discover beauty in the
II dark blue wave but when they thus formed
$, as it were, mountain after mountain in endless
A perspective, then they reminded me most torc