The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1860-11-14
From the S. c., Son of Temperance.
Sketches of the Palmetto Regiment.
BY A. MEMBER.

honddN Fed. l.-Wind blowing al
uost gale this morning, with 4 rough
sea, and wafer breaking over the deck
we were enabled 20 make about nine
knots an hour, by running with the wind
The storm increased towards evening
aud we had TO take in sail and check ou,
speed. The waves are running noun
tain high, and the whole surface Of the
sea looks as white as a snow bank. We
passed vesse! about sun down some
miles to the leeward-not near enough
10 speak her-took her for a merchant
man.
The wind is still growing stronger. and
'he Captain finding himself in rather q
dangerous proximity to the Mcxicar
shore, tackled and took an eastery direc
ton, which We kept during the night
lhe Captain reports us about 200 miles
from the Island Of Lobos, the point OF
our destination. The climate in this lati
tude is delightful, when the winds and
waves are at rest the breezes are bra.
eng and bamy for mid winter. sat on
deck with my coat off, and amused my
sell by watching the motions OF the fly
ing fish. They are very beautiful, and fly
about four feet above the surface Of the
water. Their motion is exceedingly rap.
! III, darung along sometimes 10 the dis
tance OF fifty or n hundred yards, aud
then touch the water Just to wet their
wings and are off again. They are quite
small, and shine in the sun like silver
They sometimes fall on deck and are IA
ken by the crew.
Another curiosity incident 20 the Gulf
which | noticed, was what the sailors call
'PorIugesd man o: war They are a
kind Of fish, aud float upon the surface
like an inflated bubble, invested with the
co!ors OF the rainbow. They are about
the size Of an Ordinary hens egg, with
kind OF fin or sail on the back by which
they "Hcct their course, and on the s;des
Is green sIimv substance, which when
touched with the hand stings it, and i.
extremely painful. 1t is said TO partake
OF two natures, the fish and the vegetable.
| saw sailor in much agony, with his
hand and arm greatly swollen, by at.
tempting to take one one Of them in his
hands.
saw one Of our company, G. b, eat.
ing mess pork and crackers, both hands
being full, AT the same time swearing like
trooper that he would starve, while
SERGEANT o. B., with red topped boot.
over bis pants, with Sundry patriotic in.
scriplions upon them, such as Ham
mond Guard "Ever Ready" &e., was
cursing the incidents attending his pleas
ure trip across the Gulf, and praying that
the ship might sink, as drowning would
he preferable to starvation. In the mean.
time had been prompted to the high
and respectable Office Of second assistant
cook, and during the acting Of the above
tragedy, | was quietly standing over a
pot Of rice ] was cooking, and trying to
keep the salt water out Of it, which was
occasionally breaking over the sides of
the vessel.
Twesday, FEB. 2.-Winds fsi but not
brisk sails tapped a lit,e-made about
five knots an hour. The day is warm and
sunny, and the men are lying about over
the deck asleep in the sun. At night q
fresh breeze sprang up, which increased
to quite gale by 8 O'clock. The ship
rocked SO could not sleep, but lay a.
wake all night in my berth, and listened
to the waves breaking in wild fury a
gainst the sides of the vessel and the
winds bowling and wailiug through the
rigging. found it quite difficult TO keep
from being pitched from my berth. whle
some half dozen empty casks were anus
ing themselves At game Of hide and seek,
and cutting all sorts Of wild antics about
the lower deck. And knew that if
was among them they would not respect
me or my new office either, but ust
pitch into my accounts sans cerenonte
We had regular coliIlion party on
deck this afternoon. We paraded id
der in the person JAS. Poag, of compa
ny g., who shock n lively bow, and hus
ting up some dozen or so jovial fellows
who had not forgotten the steps they
had taken at home, we we're soon "trip
ping the light fantastic toe" 10 something
in the shape of a regular "break down"
}. 7. Hardy, young man from Ash.
vile. N. c., headed the co,il'ion, aud my,
self personSting a lady, acted as his part
ner.
The wind is higher to night and the
sea rougher than at any other time since
we left Mobile. IL is what a iandsman
would call regular gale. We took in
sail, but still made nine knots an hour,
our vessel rides the waves most nobIv.
retired to my berth at quite an early
hour, aud tried TO sleep, but could not
The storm seemed to me to be sufficient
TO have walked the dead. Finding it i'm
possible to sleep / left my berth about
ten o'clock and ascended to the upper
deck, where | bad specimen Of the aw,
iul sublime. The foam capped waves
seen by starlight in the distance, was
fearful indeed, yet beautiful.
This was altogether rather squally
night, and well calculated TO upset the
nerves Of land lubber. saw that the
storm king was out in his fury, spurring
the "sightless couriers Of the air." and
armed with heavens wrath, was riding
on to victory. And | knew not how soon