Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1874-04-17
Letter from Florida.
U S. S. CONGRESS, /
Key West, Fla, April 4th, 1874. (

Oh, they who've felt it know how sweet
Some sunny morn a sail TO meet
Sparkling at once in every eye,
Ship, ahoy ship, ahoy I the joyful cry;
Then sails are backed, we nearer come,
Kind words are said OF friends and home,
And soon, too soon, we part with pain,
To sail Ger silent seas again.
In this letter propose to treat Of the social
relations and moral influences of sea life. We
have received new officers and partially new
crew preparatory for our European cruise. The
crew have been collected from various parts OF
the world and much The greater part of them
have no acquaintance on board. Each one
has separated from home, relations, associates,
friends--from every object of his affections on
earth. The dcsolation of his affections appears
complete; but
''Hope, the charmer, fingers still behind"
and gilds, somew hat, the future. Some OF the
seamen may have met previously, but the
whole business Of forming friendships and an
tpathies, and selecting companions is, for the
most part, among entire strangers, to be ac-
complished with scarcely any previous knowl-
edge of each other. We wonder that human
nature is capable of this This breaking up
old social relations and the establishment of
new is accomplished under forced intimacy
which lie far from being pleasant to person OF
any refinement of feeling. The first Few days
with some degree of constrant, but we con-
verse, we form social circles we are no longer
strangers. The associations thus hastily form
ed have not always that congeniality of tastes
| IL c,;a ,IeI;p n
PARTIES which render friendly social relations
| impossible. There is, hence, some variation
from time to time in the various circles, but
soon something like social order grows up.
A great deal has been said by our good
brethren on shore relative TO the bad habits Of
sailors, which are doubtless those in reference
to which King Lemuel's mother admonished
him. The sailor is not altogether bad. If
we expose his faults which, indeed, are appa-
rent enough, let US consider the circumstances
of bis life, which have deprived him in some
degree of the habit of self-control, and give
him credit for such virtue as he actually pos
sesses. His life is life of contrasts. His in
temperance is partly the consequence of long
periods of enforced abstinence His life OF pri-
walton seems 10 relieve him so much of self
control that be loses all power TO resist temp
taton. After long periods of monotonous and
unsavory food, he finds suddenly spread be-
fore him profuse feast. There is SO little
pleasure in his way that he denies himself no
indulgence. His life brings all the passions
into vivid contrast; hope Immediately sue
I'm 10 ,i,l.oa
sadness to joy. His impious swearing conceals
q religious sentiment not far removed from SUI
perstition. He is unstable rs the sea- He is
the creature ofimpulse and habiually of gen
| erous impulses.
Upon Tuesday next we weigh anchor and
sail for Madeira, then for the West Coast of
Africa 10 remain until August ist, and thence
up the Mediterranean. In parting. what shall
! say of Key West, particularly the ladies
| We all know the women Of our country ex-
ercise most controlling influence in. shaping
its destiny, and they certainly WELD the scep-
tire of their power. Their greatest protection
is their gentleness, their most potent arms, the
love and admiration which they inspire.
1t being the Sabbath determined 10 spend
portion of the day in stroll through the
island Not finding it convenient to attend
religious worship, this course naturally sug-
gested itself, as being somewhat akin to the
spirit Of religious alteration, and by no means
a very Indifferent substitute for ritual ceremo-
MES. ] felt, with how much truth l know
not, that it would be no sacrilege of the day
| leisurely to contemplate scenes that | might
never again have an opportunity of witness
ing. Ny first course was TO the postoiiice,
where, with longing heart, hoped to find
letters from home. Intelligence from absent
friends, and dear ones, is among the sweetest
joys of life. But when the eudeared notes are
conveyed in the tender missive, freshly breath
ing the holy incense of the hearts purest affec-
ton, the JOY is greatly Heightened. Nor is the
delight less when the recipient is traveller
separated from the world of his hearts affec-
lions by many miles of the dreary, painless
ocean, and the human beings by whom he is
| surrounded can claim no relation to his SYM
pathies. Letters from home to the sailor are
the golden chain which binds him to what of
| life is most dear. They keep vivid the flame
upon the hearts altar, and quicken the sus-
capabilities for the enjoyment of the beautiful
around. Their power is tri-fold-frst, he
glows in fond anticipation; then he devours
| the sentences which unseal the fouutaiu-spring
of affection; afterwards he lives upon the sea
of placid memories GLAUCUS.