The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1866-08-23

.deur of the mountains, the mingled
beauty sm4variety of the vegetation,
aud the deep and sombre forests, were
all new to me- Then the strange con-
volutions of the clouds, which, pressed |
by the wind against the opposite side
of the sierra, came rolling and tumb-
ling over the mountains, now conceal
ing and now disclosing some OF the |
most romantic spots in nature, excited |
in me such lively and rapturous inter |
est as could not be easily forgotten.
Massa no get to Paradise dis day, |
If him = top, looking at de mountains |
all de manning, said my little guide.
Admonished by this, I again started
[ had not proceeded much further
when / perceived that Old Judy prog
nostics weresnotlwithout their signifi-
canoe, for brilliant though ominous
scene presented itself to my view. A
tremendous bank of black clouds had
risen up as it were, out of the bosom
of the ocean, and hung almost sta
tionary on the distant horizon. l was
looking at this, when all at once it
seemed moved as by mighty wind
mass after mass of murky vapor rolled
up, and spread themselves athwart the
heavens.
Hurricane do come, massa, now for
true! cried my little Cupid. Ole
Judy always right and massa no make
haste the rain catch we. 81. t7rsoL.
I did not heed what the boy said,
for it was a strange and magnificent
sight upon which we were gazing
One-half the heavens was as black as
night, and the other bright and radi-
ant, the sky without cloud Never,
perhaps, did the eye of man rest upon
greater contrast, never was scene
of greater loveliness mingled with one
of more appalling magnifcence. The
contrast reached it's climax, when sud
denly from out the dark pail fash
after flash of lightning descended into
the sea, and the thunder after growl-
ing hoarsely in the distance, was ech-
oed back by the mountains, reyer-
berating from cliff to cliff, and from
rock to rock. 1t was Peace and War
personifed; but, alas! the blue sky,
the emblem of peace, was being fast
swallowed up by the rolling-war cloud,
which, in all the majesty of angry ma
ture, was Fastening to blot out all that
| remained of tranquility and beauty
At last / turned to go. Both my
horse and my. guide seemed impressed
with the necessity of exertion, and [
found myself as it were racing with
the storm; but before / could reach.
my friends plantation, the clouds
were flying over my head, and the
wind was bowling aloft as though
| gale was Tbfowing9 though, below,
there was not breath of air, not
| leaf stirred, and not ripple ruff1ed
! the placid sea- &3EE sssk 81 EHE
| Paradise now appeared in view; and
\ it well deserved its name, for more
beautiful situated place 4 had never
seen. By the time Preached the house,
it began to rain, and leaping from my
horse, ! dashed up the steps into the
4 hall. / was warmly greeted by Mr.
/ Gordon and his two daughters, for
though Mary was not quite so demon
4 strative as Grace, the glace of her eye
4 and the rose upon her cheek told me
iat any rate that was not unwelcome.
II Very glad you are come, said Mr..
i Gordon: though we did not expect
you, But how is it the colonel is not
with you?'
! He would not come because Old
Judy prophesied we were going to
have hurricane. [ laughed at her
at the time, but / fancy I made mis-
i take a6i tr,9 .,
| mo doubt of. it. The old woman
is always right: the glass has gone
down like a lump of lead; so let us
getgour. breakfast at once, or we shall
be done out of it, Here's Mrs. Seuter
and her girls; think you know them.
Mrs Seuter was the widow of a
a Scotch planter, very fat and very fus-
sy; but with the remainder of the
party my story has nothing to do.
During breakfast, the wind increased
4 in violence, and by the time it was
Il over, the hurricane had commenced
{ Fin good earnest Mr.. Gordon, seeing
i this, Immediately set about making
preparations to withstand it, Win
dows and doors were hastily but
!. strongly barricaded and the most port
liable articles of value, together with a
: quantity of provisions, were conveyed
/, down a rtrap-do into a cellar, built
on purpose for safety during hurri-
canes.
This was scarcely accomplished.
ylwhen the feld-hands and the whole
population of the village came hurry
]. ing up to seek for. shelter, and com
: partnership with their master and his
!. family. kgTIlIl 4o
u Meantime the whole sky had be-
| come as black as night, the clouds as
, they advanced descending almost to
, the surface of the sea. which was now
, dashed into the widest fury by the
:, gale. Every now and then, flashes Of
/, the most vivid lightning burst from
| the clouds, and, descending, were in
stantly engulfed in the sea; the next
2 moment they reappeared from beneath
i the white foam, and apparently as
cending toward the sky, were met by