Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1861-12-28
A ToUCH OF sIETIHEET.


As the expedition left Port Royal, he writer
gives
4 TOUCH OF sEETIHEET.
A shade Of pathss, however, cast . subdu-
ing tint over this charming picture. Who
could help feeling melancholy at the reAec-
ton that the poor old vessels, which had
trs Teled % many thousands Of miles of ocean,
safely carrying human beings amid Pacific
calms and Arctic colds through long years Of
dreary, tedious whaling voyages, Weee to Re
relentlesslY destroyed2 How YensIable the
doomed things now appeared Short, broad,
sterned, bluh-bowed-Figged as ships
and barks-yet not one of them larger than
the ordinary schooners Of the present day
Spar strangely tall and tApering like whip
handles. Sides weather-stained, and painted
In imitation OF poFTs, some Of them sheAthed
with pine planks to prevent leakage which
could not be prevented by csulkins, because
Of the rotisnnesg of the original wood Queer
old tubs, with queer fittings up, and quaint
names get N elaborate beds of carved work.
Yet many Of these fossil vessels were cslebrss
ted in their time. The fortunes of the Tss
ber5, the H0Wlands, the Sims, SRifts, Collins,
Stsrhucks', and many other New England
families have been crested from their Voys-
Res. Some of them have been known as
" lucky ships" and as such, old Whalemen
have cherished them, patching and repairing
the hulls until scarce q plank CT timber Of
the original vessel remained. Each Of them
has history, and thousand of reasons suggest
themselves why the worn-out hnlks, still ac-
counted ssaWorthy enough to voyage hither
from New Bedford, New London, Providence
and Nantucket should be saved tbs fate in
store for them.
REACHING CHARLEgTOE.
Nothing specially interesting marked the
trip up. The CahAWba was the hrst vessel
to sight Charleston light, and the vessels of
the blockading feet. The gunhoats were
with us, and the Philadelphia, with her tow,
few miles behind. Weanehored at the edge
of the bar about O'Clock, and for the AFst
time my eyes looked upon Fort Sumter,
whose massive outlines seemed ragnised in
definitely by the hazy atmosphere.
On Wednesday night soundings were taken
by Mr.. Bradbury, assisted by NJ. John W.
Godfrey, one of the Government pilots at Port
Royal, who is familiar with every sand knoll
and bar in these waters, for the purpose Of
ascertaining the precise locations in which 10
sink the vessels. 1t was then discovered that
the rebels had shifted the channel buoys,
probably undar the apprehension of naval
attack.
LIsHT HOUsR BLOWN %.
On Thursday morning, the Light House,
which had loomed vastly through the haze
the evening before, was not to bs seen; but
3 look through our glasses showed us its ruins
on the ground. The fact explained loud
explosion which had been heard in shore soon
after dark.
Supposing that our v halers were srst-class
rigates come 10 lombard the city, the rebels
he'd blown the light house up, that the bear
ings Of the channel might be lost. The trick
hurt nobody except themselves, but after all,
light houses hencefOrth will be useless estab-
lishments at Charleston.
LINKING THE HULKE
At o'clock on Thursday afternoon, the
channel had been buoysd, and Che old Ten
sdOus was soon afterwards toWed to her final |
The position chosen for her was
" the northeastern edge Of the passage, and |
he greRnded where there Is eighteen feet Of |
water at high tide. Probably she Is an
,hored aS firmly as her island nauesake of the |
Egean sea. The LeoRidss ives next sunk, |
n the sane depth of water, an eighth Of 4 |
nile distant from the other. Thase two YES.
els iormed the right and LEFT hank Of the /
,arEacadlng column, snd the remAing four.
cen settled comfortably down betWesa them.
The vessels are not arranged in 8 straight
inc across the channel. That eFraDgsmsnt /
night prove an effective blockade for time,
1ut not permanently. The theory Of Capt
)evis zas, tbsL the inland waters about
charleston must have channel to the sea,
nd If the usual ole were srtifciAlly closed, |
mother would naturally form. Ets sclsn-
lac mind devised another plan. The hulkS
re plaeeS ip three lines, cheekeFvise. This
net only does not prevent the
'asSags Of the water, but forms q ssries ef
hoals, around which the tide will vhirl and
'ddy, making an intrioats labyrinth which no
'essel can navigate.
rELuAuHATIoE
After everything that could be saved vaa
alren from the Robin Hood, her Fiopin9 vas
at and Wrapped" or secured to f6e masts.
U order to make ah ilupinEtion or pVr6' !
ecbnls display worthy Of the sueeesaaal iSona
{ tie expedition. She was fired Easily IN ~
VehspRs and her burning afforded novel
nd beautiful sight 70 most Of those who wit
esed e. The blockading squadron was es-
seially entertsinsl. Their lives are such 3
ali and tedious round Of HouotonY that
3 less magnificent spectacle wonld have
dorded them 9 topic Of conversation for
lOnth. III