Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-10-13

song. Viewed simply as musical effort the
"piping blast may sing merrily," bat We
don't want it piping any of its blasted songs
in our ears, as literal fact. Nary. We
know that mingled with Its ringing melody
there is chant Of shipwreck, and an under
tone which is the dirge Of dead men down
among the fishes, or floating among the tan
gled seaweed. Ugel It is very pretty to
call the ship " thing Of life" bat we can
imagine occasions when it is altogether too
lively.
We have had some recent experience in
sailing, which strengthened our antipathy to
the life of rover upon the seas. We were
weather bo1nd in eravelly Bay-But we
anticipate. On Thursday evening last we
took passage, at Detroit, on board the steam
er May Queen, Capt. Mckay, bound for
Cleveland. We received the kindest atten-
ton from the officers of the boat-and the
best room. The weather looked favorable
and We retired with Companion, anticipa-
ting safe and speedy trip. How vain are
human expectations, for, at Gravelly Bay
we are anticipating again. When We awOke
daylight had clomb the eastern steep, which
is pretty steep generally, and quiet reigned,
or rather, it rained quietly. Companion
looked out Of the window and said he thought
we were al in" We raised our massive head
from the pillow, looked out and felt aston
ished at seeing 50 many vessels in the vicini-
ty of Cleveland. Companion counted some
four hundred. We arose to go ashore, and
discovered that instead of being sin - we
we're in for it." It was blowing great
guns, besides several pocket revOlvers out
side, and the boat was at anchor in Gravelly
Bay, near Point au PeIee, on the Canada
shore, awaiting the subsistence of the gale.
There we're about fifty vessels at anchor
in the Bay, seeking shelter, and as our boat
swung around by her anchor, my numerical
friend had counted them over about four
times, supposing we were sailing BY them
into port. Our anchorage was safe and plea
SAINT for q time, the gale blowing from the
north east, but it soon chopped around to the
northwest, and rendered it necessary for US
to put for another anchorage, which we did
about P. Y. We put for Putin Bay and
we're very glad to get there, for the waves
rolled with terrific power. 1t isn't pleasant
to stand conversing with a friend and be un-
able to catch his eye-tO be looking at bis
boots one moment, and without aYeTting
your gaze, to have the visual line strike sew
eraI feet above the top Of his hat. That's
" how it was with Companion and ourself
while making that tempestuous passage from
Point au Pelee to Put-in-Bay. We made the
very shallow, and utterly transparent pre-
tense of conversing with easy Indifference on
unimportant subjects, while Companion look
white and We jsh oery pale. We reached the
quiet harbor Of the Bay in safety, and tied
up to the dock for the night
There were about fifty passengers on
board, a gOOdly portion of them being Ia
dies. There was at first disposition to fret
at the delay, but the passengers very soon
accommodated themselves to what seemed
unavoidable, and endeavored to pass away
the time as agreeably as possible. Strangers
grew chatty with each other, and person
who had never met before conversed as sooia-
bly, though they had been friends from
youth. In the evening the "young folks"
got up charadss and tableaux, which were
highly successful. A commercial traveller
spiced the performance with ventrilloquism !;
drew extravagant corks from imaginary bot
ties, and caught the impslpable humble-bee.
There was schoolmaster from rural dis
trict, who gave US Yankee recitation, which
is sometimes encountered at country
" speakin' school," but nowhere else. He
was master Of ceremonies. he got
acquainted easily, and showed very plainly
that he had been accustomed to "bOarding
around"
One Of the passengers played the piano,
and another the flute, and a eotillon band
was improvised, to which music the eight
fantastic toe" received the accustomed
amount Of tripping.
1t blew all night, and in the morning
the gale had not absted. Many of the pas
sengers visited the cave on the island. The
schoolmAster carved his initials on tree al
the mouth Of the cave, and brought in some
bits of limestone as memorials Of the spot.
A "Put-iner" came to the boat with a onS
horse wagon load of Catawba wine, in bottles,
which he sold for fifty cents each. Compan.
ion tasted of it and said the manufactures
lived too near the lake to mako good wine
he thought, however, that he could taste q
grape. We couldn't. A young lady from
the country, who tasted it, said she preferred
the grapes 'raw."
There is grocery on the Island kept by
''V. DOller," as his sign reads. Companion
couldn't see how fee dollar house could bt
sustained on the Island. It was gross puE
on the grocer.
Our boat left for Cleveland about noon
The wind had gono down and the sea WI,
rapidly following its example, yet suffci sn
remained to save the boat tho expense 0
several dinners. We heard burly sailor as
sure sea sick passenger, who was barrel,
able to hold his head up on deck, that moth
ing did the system so much good as sea sick
ness. Tbs poor fellow looked as though b
conldn't see it. It was the sohoolmaster
Companion cruelty asked him to give US hi
Yankee recitation. Cleveland is visibl,
long before the boat reaches it. As soon n
port was announced to be in sight the school
master smiled family, drew out his watch an
turning to the Captain, said" That
Cleveland, is it7" "Yes'7 "Well (trium
PhantIy) its only o'clock, and you said "
wouldn't be in before half-past three. W
are an hoxr and half ahead of time" Il
found he wasn't in port by long shot.
We were glad to get home safely from OF
involuntary excursion to the Canada shor