Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1874-08-19
"Lifc on the Ocean Wave"
STEAMSHIP SPAIN, NATIONAL LINE,

INV
Tonight at eight O'Clock We will be ten days
out from Liverpool The first day across the
channel to Queenstown, was rs pleasant rs
could be desired The weather fair, the water
smooth, the sailing delightful, the passengers
all in fine spirits and nothing on the ocean
could be more agreeable But after rounding
Cape Clear, and getting fairly out upon the
deep, we soon found that we had fercer Gle.
ments to contend with. Before the night bad
passed the boat became very unsteady, and
when the morning dawned, and the passengers
attempted to rise from their beds, nearly all
found themselves like the ship, very unsteady.
Keeping one's feet was nearly out Of the ques-
ton Many generous contributions TO old Nep-
tune on that, and the two following days were
made, and very few passengers were able TO be
about. We have had a rough time 50 far
Strong head.wind great and powerful waves
beating against our bow, clouds and ruin and
fog, almost uninterrupted rolling and punging
of the ship, have been our daily experience,
and until to-day there have been no signs Of
improvement This morning the sun arose
clear, the wind moderated and came round
slightly in our favor. the atmosphere was
balmy, and We have bad a delightful day
We have on board one hundred aud five cabin,
and three hundred and sixty stcorugo passon-
gers Our steamer is the largest and best boat
Of the line. She is four hundred aud thirty.
seven feet in length, and adapted to curry one
hundred and .xteonca cabin, and eleven or twelve
hundred Storage passengers The accommoda-
tons and comforts are very good for The number
we have on board but a. compared with those
of the Caledonia, Of the Anchor line, in which
| went over, they are inferior The table fare
| is not SO good the attendants less the state
rooms here are designed for four persons each
on that the same sized rooms were designed for
two, and thus far our sailing average has been
no faster than on that For another passage |
should prefer that line to this, from what ac-
quaiutnnce with the two have had
Our time varies from twenty to twenty I've
minutes each day, according To our rate Of
sailing. Going west it grows slower going
east, faster L. is obtained daily, at noon, by
the use OF the sextant which is 50 arranged
with colorcd glass that the sun can be looked
at through il, and at twelve O'Clock, noon, il
so reflects the sun as to bring it down exactly
to the horizon. At about that hour the cap
tain takes his glass and makes bis observation,
watching the moment when the sun is in the
proper position, and then sets his clock. The
ships time is struck every half hour, night
and day, upon bell By one Of the crew.
Their time is divided into six watches, for the
convenience Of the changes that are made
among the men. Beginning say at twelve
: O'Clock, at half past twelve one stroke is struck
on each bell On the ship, Our ship has three
bells. At one o'cock, two strokes are struck (,
at halfpast one, three strokes at two, four
strokes at hall-pasi two, five strokes, and so
on, in the same order, till four O'Clock, when
eight strokes are struck. Then the same or.
der is observed from four 10 eight O'Clock ,
then from eight to twelve.
Our rate of speed is asccriaincd by tie use
of the log, or long line, which is thrown from
the stern Of the ship every hour. will at-
tempt a description Of il A small, three
corncred canvass bog is attached to a cord that
is wound on a reel designed to be held hori.
z5ntaly, and to run very easily when held by
a man at each end The small and closed end
, of the bag is attached to the end Of the line
that hangs off the reel From the large and
open end piece Of cord extends with wooden
pin at the end Of IT,, and this is designed to be
brought forward and entered into a socket, and
held in position, 80 that the open end Of the
bag will hang towards the reel, or the long part
of the line. On this line, at some distance
from the bag loop or knot is made and
then, at equal spaces from this, there are other
knots, which, one after another, represent the
miles Of speed per hour. When the log is
about to be thrown, two sailors take the reel
and hold it at each end By handle, on which
it turns very easily. Another takes the end u
the line, fastcns the pn 10 the socket, winds
of a quantity Of the cord till he comes to the
first knot This is designed TO be sufficient 10
run out in tue water, and clear the wake Of the
ship, Another man stands with a sand glass
in hand that will run exactly fourteen seconds.
When all things ore ready the word is given,
the line is thrown into the sea, and stretches
itself out in the rear Of the ship. Now as the
open end Of the bag is toward the ship, it ellis
with water, holds itself stationary, and draws
ont the line o. fast as the ship moves forward
3 The instant the first knot leaves the ship the
, glass is set running The reel whirls swiftly,
u and pays out the line as fast as the ship moves,
till the sand in the glass is empticd The
word ia given, and the line caught instantly
and stopped from running out. Now the sud
den check Of the line will force the pin out Of
the socket, the bag is reversed and emptied,
and the line drawn in. Then the knots between
the point Of catching and the last knot on the
line are counted, and that determines the num-
Der Of miles per hour that the ship make.
q There are always, by day, a number Of inter
ested witnesses to see the log thrown, as all
want to know how fast they are speeding
to port.
The wise man says, " Much study is weari
ness to the flesh" | think if he had been on
shipboard in these days, he might also have
4 said, Much eating is WEAKNESS to the
flesh for we have here breakfast at halfpast
/ eight-lunch, consisting Of soup, meats, and
other things sufficient for good neal at
twelve, dinner at four and tea at seven. 1t
: is quite a coveted honor among the poor sea-
I sick passengers 10 be able to say that they do
iuA MISS uituls TUT my bMu Phlli ullN0 pue
or two daily from choice, for | am surleited
g with eating. The swells have been so great,
, and the plunging and rolling Of the boat so
Z bad, we have been obliged to have racks upon
the table most Of the time, to keep the dishes
/ in place.
( Divine service was held on board last Sab
r bath morning, and on invitation from the cap
tain, preached to those who were well enough
to be in attendance. The boat was 50 un-
steady | was obliged to hold myself fast with
both hands in order to stand, while ! was Off
ciating. One man showed his littleness and
bigotry very decidedly. am happy to say he was
not an American, lie took seat not far from
my stand, and remained quietly till after the
prayer, when he broke out quite abruptly,
Don't you mean to have Church of England
service ?" replied, "No." Well" said
he, you ought to on board Of this boat, and
, hastily seized his hat and left the room
+ pitied the poor man more than blamed him,
and approved Of what the captain and others
said, that he hurt himself more than any one
= else.
A ~ Z IL .