The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1860-11-14

~ Il EIN
RON.
When the royal British squadron lay at
anchor In cur harbor, not only our own cit
izen- but hundreds fron the interior towns
o; Our county went Gu board to examine
the rare 81 ght to them Of frst-class ship
oi-war. with her heavy armament, and crew
Of nearl y nine hundred persons. including
officers
/ One day as a resident of one of the inte.
f!or towns in this county, about twelve
miles from Portland, was looking about be-
low decks, and seeing here sailor stretched
on. on the hard plank sleeping as soundly
as if his bed We're Of sOftest down. there
another coiled up on gun with the harder
iron for a pillow, while others were read
ing by the dim light Of lamp, or busy
in the unsex.like act of plying the needle,
as our rural friend. looking around, saw all
these strange sights, he was surprised to
see one Of her Majesty's sailors step out
from his muss, hold out his hand "for a
shake, and cali him by name He, Of
course, returned the recognition, but utter
J. at = lp.s 70 know how sailor down be.
tween the decks Of British man-of. f.war
should know him and the town where he
resided. Walking Il little aside, the sailor
soon told his story, which, in brief, was
this: Some fourteen years since or more
he became possessed with desire to " see
the world" and left the old homestead
which was not great distance from that
Of the visitor and in the same town. He
shipped on board a vessel, and after seve-
raj voyages arrived in England. Here as
usual, Jack bad to live ashore, and one
night joined his companions " in spree"
The oblivion of liquor threw its spell over
his brain, and when be awoke to sobriety
and consciousness, he found himself on
beard British man-of-war. He claimed
to be an American, but this plea only led
them to set a closer watch upon him.
For twelve long and varied years be had
served on board of various ships. of.war,
and now, when within twelve or fifteen
miles of his boyhood's home, the love of its
Old hearthstone, its familiar trees and we'll.
known hillsides. all conspired to give him
courage to make the effort to revisit them,
which he bad often resolved to carry out,
but never had found fitting opportunity.
A few hours after this interview, there
might have been seen down below the or.
lop deck OF that ship, two persons, one Of
whom appeared to be in the act of divest-
ing himself of his clothes, but seemed most
fortunately to have an extra suit on under
bis external covering Near him was
sailor, who, in less time than We can tell it,
was stripped Of his man-of-war rig, and
stood forth from his dark hole, in down
east suit Of frock coat and g land-lubber ;"
pants. Pulling a pair of Yankee shoes
from one pocket, and Kossuth hat some.
what jamed from the other, her Majesty's
sailor walked up the gangway genuine
Yankee in dress as well as blood
To pass the marine guard at the ships
gangway, with the crowd similarly attired,
was all easy task for the two townsmen !;
and once on shore. they made direct for
their homes-the wanderer of many years
content tn remain among his own native
hills. in one of the quiet but beautiful
towns in Cumberland county, thoroughly
cured of his love of wandering to see the
world.