The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1867-02-09
GRACE BRADFORD.
sssH Oh,
Heart History by Sea and Land.

/ was just sixteen when / said farewell to
the home circle, and went to sea the first
time. 1s San 5
Some mouths passed away before all pre-
liminary steps had been taken, and the time
for leaving home arrived. Ny parents were
dead My guardian, Mfr. Bradford, had pro
cured berth Tor me on board q fast sailing
ship In the China trade. Our voyage was to
occupy two or three wears. as we were to pass
quite round the globe, trading at various
ports, and exchanging cargoes several times
So that / was leaving home for a long period
and might safely calculate on many changes
not the least OF which would be in myself
If L survived to see my native land again
AS to what might occur at home dared moi
think of it, for felt that it would not be
manly to cry, and the thought of finding any
gap in that dear circle on my return, almost
oyerpowered me whenever it rose before me.
We received due notice of the day appoin-
ted for sailing. Ny outfit, which was ex
ceedingly ample, was packed, and, accom-
pe-safnd by my esrpa-4,ne, hfa doug i4tcr, Ora
who was year younger than myself, and my
sister Clara, proceeded from my home near
the Mohawk, to New ! ork. whence / was to
sail. These dear ones were determined not
TO lose sight of me until | sailed down the
bay; although / fancy that it is not often that
sallor-boys are so accompanied.s
1t would have been difficult for me to have
said, at that period which of these two girls
(ny sister and Grace Bradford | loved best
| had been reared in the closest intimacy
with Grace. She was nearer nav age than
my sister, and two circumstances had served
to rivet the chains of our regard more closely
than a lifetime Of ordinary intercourse could
have done. One, was the death Of her only
brother, William, my dear friend and play
mate, about three years before the period at
which my story opens. The other was, that
since nv fathers death Mr.. Bradford had
come to the farm to reside, and Grace had
been all inmate Of the same house with Clara
and myself for more than two years, and On
the footing precisely Of a sister.
/ called her my sister, in fact. and looked
upon her as such, though | remember that
more than once, as / lay awake, IN my cot at
night, and heard the ocean waves tapping
mournfuly against the sides of the ship,
while my thoughts wandered off across sea
and land toward the dear home, / wondered
why the visage of Grace always rose first to
my mind, and almost reproached myself that
in parting from her had been so much more
sad and reluctant than in leaving my sister.
The girls had never before visited the city,
and my guardian had given us time to see
the sights together before ] sailed, and we
improved our privileges to the utmost, tho
/ fancy the dread of parting sadly married
the Joy of each one of US. But we all bore
up bravely until the last.
I went on board at night, for we were to
drop down the BAY soon as the tide served
in the morning. The vessel lay In the stream,
and the crew, many of them recovering from
and some still under the effects of their long
debauch on shore, were being brought On
board. My heart sunk as | saw my compan-
ions of three years cruise, for they were
for the most part, pitiable-looking wretches
but / had vet to learn that sailor on shore
and sailor ON board a ship out of sight OF
land, are two very different objects. These
two phases of their existence are as wide
apart as two separate lives. | confess, was
glad that my sister and Grace should not see
the men among whom / was to live.
My parting was over. 1t had been a pref
ty severe one, for it was the first, and / am
sure that if my incipient manlness had not
been at stake | should have turned nv face
homework in their company, and shave re-
neunced the delights Of the sea untasted.-
But it was over and [ had no expectation oil
seeing them again.
Grace had given me the little bible from
which had so often seen her read, and she
anu oilra Hau Drdlde0 me q cham OF their
own hair to which was suspended a locket
containing a sunny tress of her own, mingled
with one of Clara's brown, and of nv own
raven locks-a precious memento to be worn
next my heart. - 49, -s~& ~s>
By morning, what with the strangeness of
the scenes around me, and the hustle and ex-
element of preparing for the voyage, | had
fairly gotlover the sorrow of. parting, but the
sight of the two girls and Mr., Bradford
standing upon the Battery, and waving their
handkerchiefs, as the ship swung slowly
past ere she gathered Roadway and went off
before brisk breeze down the bay, almost
unnamed me- If I had not had orders to
obey, i believe should have sat down upon
the deck, IN spite of myself and INDUCED in
agood cry How often l thought of the two
pretty creatures and my guardian. as tbey
stood there in the early morning and waved
their last to the wanderer
But delay too long over the outset of NV
career. - ~
The earlier part Of our voyage was ,ros-
porous. We touched at several of the south
american ports rounded Cape Horn. anf,
then, taking a northward course, traded far
furs along the northwest coast. Some months
were spent thus, when we laid our course for
the Sandwich Islands, and after a brief sta
n Fl afo ~,