The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1866-01-11
AN INTERESTING LETTER
Humorous and Entertaining account
of Voyage from New York to San
Fanoisco-Sea siekness-AsPinwull-- :
Panama, Paciac Coast, So., DO. ~.

Tho following entertaining account
Idt q voyage from New York to San
Francisco We copy, by permission,
from q letter written by Licut. Chas,
d. Clarke to his parents. 1t is very
humorous and readable. 4
Carson CRY, Dec. Sd. 1866.
s X * y *3
believe I've bccn promising to
write you a history of my trip, I
made some imperfect notes while
aboard the ship which l will copy for
your benefit. i was sick. the greater
part Of the time and didn't feel much
like writing.
Saturday, Sept. 16tA-At 2 o'clock in
the afternoon the "Ocean Queen"
frcighted with about five hundred pas
,,sengers-and me-loosed her moofings
and steamed out in the harbor, grad
ually swinging her nose around into
the face of breeze which was
doubtedly fresh, although it came di-
rectly off tho SALT water. When we
backed out from our pier at tho foot Of
Canal street it seemed to me that the
ugly old boat was standing perfectly
still, and that New York City, having
become disgusted with our company,
was quietly moving away from us.
Then as wc got fairly started and the
hugo paddle wheels began to fly round,
and we went skimmiDg past the piers
and streets, it seemed to me that we
were yet still, and that the shipping
and piers and streets, together with
the lesser steeples Of the city, were
waltzing around old Trinity, 1t was
not long, however, ill New York got
out of slght--and I got sick. 80
Sunday, 17th.-Gotup in the morn
ing Still sick. Went on deck and
took birds-eye view Of the "nasty
deop"-could'nt sec that the sight was
pleasing to the eye or settling to the
stomach. Went down TO breakfast
bah tho very smell Of that " fuel for
the inward fire" made me sicker yet,
The wind was getting highcr--rhy
spirits wasn't! Went to bed soliloqui.
zing --'Hthis is the Ocean Queen -
she's high old gal, but ! cant say ]
am much cnamored OF her "royal
highness. Wonder whether she is
queen consort of hataqueous old po-
tcntate, "Neptunc King of the Sea- y
After which | fell into one of those
sweet slumbers of the truly virtuous
which was not disturbed, except that
I,got up to vomit overy twenty min.
utcs.. ~
Monday, 1sth,-Soa pretty heavy
my head is pretty light-can.t eat.
Tuesday, 10Th Ditto, ditto, ditto,
Wednesday, 20th.-Thoroughly dis.
gusted with tho occan--have but two
wishes. lst. To be sot ashore imme
diatcly, Internationally, forthwith
I'd. Want to live long enough to whil
tho man that wrote CA life on thl
ocean wavo." ~ ~. .
| Thursday olst--Wcnt on deck thil
morning laboring under tho delightful
hallucination that II felt bully '--at,
o little breakfast, and Immediately con
cluded / didn't Went to my room
made a few gutteral sounds like this
| Now York;, New York;. Having
| taken off my boots | was immensely
gratified toknow that had mt thrown
up my socks. About noon we passed
one of the Bahama Islands. 1t ID
called Maraguenna." II has a rough
rocky coast, and | could see some
pretty high hills. 1t is covered with
trees and grass, and looks inhabited
but l did not SEQ a house or any living
creature; was told that it isinhabited
1 Friday, 22d--Waked up early in tho
morning and found that We were pass
ing tho Island of Cuba. There are
some very high looking mountains in
sight of this coast, but tho general ap
pcaranco of the island is not as rich ir
vegetation and picturesque in scenery
as / had expected, In the oyoning We
passed a point Of Hayti The coast is
very similar to that of Cuba.
! Saturday. 23d--Nix, nix, nothing
i Sunday, oath do do do.
| Monday, 25th do do. do.
Tuesday, 26th--Wrote aletter tc
mother and mailed it aboard the boat
About ten o'clock we came in sight o
tho high mountains on tho 18th
mus. The harbor being shallow anC
at best n bad ono, we werc com
PEELED to mako long circuit befor,
we could land; but at about 4 o'clocl
2. M, we finally effected q landing a
ASpinwaM + l''a "' ~ Hg.' e
On arriving at this place tho frs
thing that attracted my attention wa
/, tho fact that around tho whole line o
tho wharf at which we were to land
there was complete wall Of tho ma
; hogany colored natives, dancing an
grinniug with delight at the arriva
of q ship with five hundred passenger
, and the prospective jingling of 4
pocket full Of dimes which they ear
! by carrying passengers baggage an
selling the fruits which abound On tn
lsthmus. Stephen A, Douglas used t