New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-12-29

I
personnet Of our expedition, shall pass to other
and perhaps less interesting subjects.
EVERYBODY has heard, read OIL or experienced tha
early dscoiniorts OF sea voyage. Then everything
Is confusion; minds, stomachs, and tempers arc
equally eXacerbated shore-bred humanity betray-
ing capacity for suffering, complaint, and general
unreasonabieness equally lamenta5le and ludicrous
to contemplate That "those who 90 down 10 the
sea in ships and whose business lies upon the deep
waters" are tolerant, nay amable toward their
species under these circumstances is credit to our
common nature. Whatever may be their latent
convctlons-probably expressed In the sentiment Of
Punchs channel waiter:
"a mans q hass IS goes to sea;
At him do deride;
But womsn il tender flower.
And delicate inside -
However justified by the provocation, or even be-
sought TO, they never do throw sea-slck passenger
overheard, no more than badgered head steward
or his unfortunate assistants at dnnertable where
everybody wants to be helped first and at once, ever
revenge themselves by putting srsenic in the soup
reflection pertinent TO my first days experience on
board the North Star. Being incapable of sea-sck-
ness myself, l naturally felt proportionate moral
elevation over my fellow creatures Frustrated by
that calamity. Ii was Charles Lamb who avowed
with beautiful candor that be hated sick people,"
Well, can't say l detested my sea.sick feow-pas.
sengers; L only knew was immensely superior 10
theuso much so, indeed, that felt constrained 10
help them, OF course taking it out III approbative-
ness
For tie first day and a half things on board the
North Star may be briefly described as chaotic.
The Massachusetts 4lst sea-sck, bodily, in the
fore part Of the vessel while the stomachs OF officers
and civilians did "suiler sea.cbange" aft While
efieciing staggering promenade along the drenched
and gusy deck, ia measure protected from the
driving spray by the canvas guards, one heard dire
ful sounds proceeding from the innermost recesses
Of state-rooms anu cabios; walters tottsied hther
and tDther bearing the suggestive but necessary
bucket and mop the grateful cup OF halt-spllod tea,
the equivocal glass OF brandy. COnverslng with u
friend, you not surprised at bis sudden and un-
planned rushing away from you, al hls ghastIy
temperance after interval OF more or less
length, with the palest Of faces the widest Of hair,
and q look of such blended horror and reproach at
your cigar as might have beseemed ghost haunt
ing its murderer. You found between decks not at
all savory or attractive Meals occurred rreguary,
being, too, rather of the hap-and-scramble order.
There was mild contention as TO seats; rights and
localities seemed indefinite. The ominous boxes on
deck grimy suggestive OF shot, SHE'LL and cartridges.
had not yet been slowed away And beaming
through all, with counteDance Of the cheerlest
good humor and patience, reducing order 10 disor.
der, appealed TO on every occasion by everybody
went Capt. Mcclure, Assis,ant-t luartermaster. L
believe he was very sck HIMSELF but am sure that
he did the work of male man, and that In such an
admirable sprit that the fact deserves recognition.
AS we had no convoy as the North Star Is not q
ship OF war, and our tumble OF l2-pould brass
howitzers, field pieces and guns for boat service
amidsbips, would be useless as means OF defense,
in case OF attack, Of course mild epidemic broke
GU. on board of talk about the Alabama. What ID
the famous, or infamous, $50" bore down upon
u.s. with the "stars and bars flying or the praticaA
death's head and cross bones displayed, compelling
us to strike, not belligerently, but at discretonf
-Four live United States generals, one OF them q
prominent SOLDIER another sworn foe of rebellion,
and future Governor OF Texas, these, with the
larger portion of entire Yankee regiment, and ALI
sorts OF munitions and appurtenances, would be
prize indeed that Capt. Semmes might be proud OF
not TO mention the contingent Illustration OF tho
great Southern expedition. Accordingly, we rabted
up our knowledge Of the pictorial represen-
tations Of the notorious priyateer, aud when-
ever q distant steamer appeared upon tho
horizon, began to discover an alarming resem-
blsnce 10 il. Some Oh our weaker brethren
accused the Government Of criminal reckessness ia
risking our valuable safety, by not providing US
with beligerent escort; others sagely observed
that 10 doubt Mr. Welles knew what ne was about,
and did he 80 choose, could accurately specify tho
precise locality Of the dreaded Rebel craft any DAY
OF the week; while third, Brtlsher, was sereaeiy
confident in the fact that Com. Milne had received
instru.t.CS from his Government to take the siials
in hand, which must inevitably iesolt ia the eai
appearance Of his vessel al the port Of New-fofk
with the body OF the eX.captan OF the Sumter sus-
pended at the yard-arm. lie furthermore added SUI
perIuOusly and objeetIonably that that would prob
ably reconcile the North and South, and unite them
N u wal hgdlHst Eu5ldLu. DF tlusc tuat Wo
were three days out. however, our talk Of the Ala.
bama had become thing OF the past.
Our first day, have already iDtlmated was chill.
" and rainy, our second gave promise OF moderate
Ing belied by the extreme cold OF the third. SUB.
sea uenily we have experienced delightful weather,
growing warmer and warmer every. On the morn
Ing of the eighth Issued from my cabin to behold
spectacle worthy OF "a better Rhythmic description
than the following which nserI because l made
It, and because it ID tolerably accurate:
The western wind blows fresh and free,
The il the east shines siorious!y
Over the tunoing, restless sea,
Which, from the neag horizons line
10 vessels edge Is ali ashne
With paly gold. save where the brine,
l. marAed by shadows from Oh high,
From tie faint clouds lingering IN the sky;
While everywhere else around Is seen,
" White wave tops aud tie ocean green
Tie afternoon of that day proved absolutely sui
try and from thencefOrth sunlight, heat and tlae
water have predomi; "a, ID. We are here III De
her. but il might be The latter end OF No heru
May Tor anything to tie contrary. The air stpe,
balIny ana delicate, ara comnends Itself sweety 10
our senses. | do no, think our surroundings could
be more delightful Only this morning "a nave
written myself into two days later than my date
saw shoal after shoal c. Il, ng-tish eXultiDg IN the
brightness and beauty G. the day, even as did.
Our daily routine aboard is monotOnous but agree.
able: We rise about = loaf chat, smoke and break
fast; smoke, chat, LOAF and dine; chat smoke, loaf
and sup These, with good deal OF novel reading,
checkers cards, chess and do.nlno-payiDg AID gea-
eral determination fiji up the time not devoted 10
sleep and the contemplation OF tie ocean. General
Banks aud staff pIecede in the matter Of meals, as
beseems their POSITION the officers Of The llst 1ass.
aud we civilians being accommodated bat twice u
day at second tables. Altogether we get on pretty
satisfactorily. l have Heard Cornelius Nanierbiis
deplscisfeG aud his iatn0tism aud pfoyeucer ques-
tiVul. over or GIn'r table, tut TIE gentleman VINO
did It was evidently ,lUu, and physically demoral-
iled yy eea-si,kuc... | mink might possibly 80
urtLer aud i-le - ore aud may have to do 20 te.ore
me emu OF our expedition.
We hive. beside the band on board, q glee club,