The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1863-03-13

PoeSou o'ci IL, Scelutu W sulUOtl Out IKE q
immense flat-iron. In the course of the al
ternoon, We saw the Passaic in tow of tn
State of Georgia, like white speck, far il
advance of US.
AS We gradually passed out to sea, tn
wind freshened somewhat; but the sun wen
down in glorious clouds of purple and Grim
son, and the night was fair and calm abov
US, though in the interior of our little yes
sci the air had alrady begun to lose it fresh
ness. We suffered more or less from it
closeness through the night, and woke in tn
morning to find it heavy with impurity from
the breaths of some sixty persons, composin.
the officers and crew. Sunrise found US OF
deck, enjoying pure air, and watching tn,
East.
Where yonder dancing pillows dip,
Far off to Oceans misty verge,
Ploughs Morning, like a full sailed ship,
The Orient's cloudy surge.
With spray of scarlet fire. before
The rufied gold that round her dies,
She sails above the sleeping shore.
Across the waking skies
( During the night we had passed Cape
Henry, and now, at dawn, found ourselves or
the ocean,-the land only blue line in the
distance. A few more hours, and that had
vanished. No sails were visible, and the
Passaic, which We had noticed the evening
before, was now out of sight. The morning
and afternoon passed quietly; We spent most
our time on deck, on account of the confined
air below, and, being on level with the sea-
with the spray dashing over US occasionally
amused ourselves with noting its shifting
bues and forms, from tie deep green of the
first long roll to the foam-crest and prismatie
tints Of the falling wave
AS the afternoon advanced, the freshenine
wind, the thickening clouds, and the increas,
ing roll of the sea gave those most accustom-
ed to ordinary ship-life some new experiences
The little vessel plunged through the rising
waves, instead of riding them, and, as they
increased in violence, lay, as it were, under
their crests, which washed over her continu.
ally, so that, even when We considered our
selves safe, the appearance was that of YES.
sci sinking.
81 d rather go to sea in diving bell =
said one, as the waves dashed over the rilot-
house, and the little craft seemed buried in
water
"Glve me an oyster-scow !" cried another
-" anything only let it be wood and
something that will float over instead of un.
Ter the water"
Still she plunged on, and about six thirty
P. NJ. We made Cape Hatteras; in half an
hour We had rounded the point, and many
on board expressed regret that the Monitor
should not have been before the Passaic in
doing so. Our spy-g glasses were in constant
use we saw several vessels in the distance.
and about seven p. NJ discovered the Pas
sale four or five miles aste,m to the north Of
US, in tow OF the steamer State of Georgia.
\ general hurrah went up" Hurrah for
the first iron-clad that ever rounded Cape
Hatteras. Hurrah for the little boat that is
first in everything.' The distance between
ourselves and the Passaic widened, and we
gradually lost sight of her.
At half-past seven heavy shower fell.
lasting about twenty minutes. At this time
the gale increased black, heavy clouds cov-
cred the sky, through which the moon glim-
mered titfully. allowing US to see in the dis
tance long line of white, plurging foam,
rushing towards us,-sure indication. to a
sailors eye, of stormy time.
A gloom oserhung everything; the banks
of cloud seemed to settle around US; the
moan of the ocean grew louder and more
fearful. Still our little boat pushed logged
ly on: victorious through ALL We thought
that here, too, she would conquer, though the
beating waves sent shudders through her
whole frame. Bearing still the marks of one
of the tiercest battles of the war, we had
grown to think her invulnerable to anv as
saut of man or element. and as she breasted
these huge waves, plunging through one only
to meet another more mighty, We thought
She is stanch. she will weather itr'
An hour passed the air below, which had
all day been increasing in closeness, was now
almost sitting, but our men lost no courage
Some sang as they worked, and the cadence
of the voices, mingling with tie roar of Wa
ters, sounded like defiance to Ocean.
Some stationed themselves on top of the
turret, and general enthusiasm filled all
breasts, as huge waves, twenty feet high, rose
up on all sides, hung suspending for mo.
ment like jaws open to devour, and then
breaking, gnaSled over in foam from side to
side. Those of US new to the sea, and no,
appreciating our eril hurrahed for the larg.
est wave; but the captain and one or two
others, old sailors, knowing its power, grew
momentarily more and more anxious, feel
ing, with dread instructive to the sailor
that, in case of extremity, no wreck We,
known to ocean could be SO hopeless as this
Solid iron from keelson to turret-top, cling
ing to anything for safety, if the Monitor
should go down, would only insure share in
her fate No mast no SDar M Aoatino
thing, tc meet the outstretched hand in ths
last moment.
The sea, like the old-world giant, gathered
force from each attack. Thick and fast cam,
! the blows on the iron mail of the Monitor
and still the brave little vessel held her own
until, at half-past eight, the engineer, Wa