Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1876-06-01
A VOYAGE ON AN ICE-CAKE.

lou UoNS IudSuDc tHat gong 10 sea
is n very nice thing. You sit with youi
legs dangling Of the wharf warm after
moons and smell the pine-apples and or.
anges, and watch the vessels coming NJ
the harbor with sails spread, and tbinl
there is no life like sailors. It..
natural enough, too. ] used to Lay,
;he same feelings. | fancicd when
was a boy that when vessels left tb,
Larbor they went where they liked
sailing along the coast and among tn,
islands, and that the sailors could &c
ashore when they pleased, and wer,
happy as happy could lie. Boys hav,
queer notions. They never think oi
the danger and sufferings and cruclt,
ON board Of ship. Of which any sailor
If be- chooses, can tell them. | can re-.
member just how things used to lool
to me in those days. The water seemed
so smooth and pleasant; just rs if il
was made to sail on. used to rla,
around the wharvcs and get into tn,
boats and imagine myself quite n sail
or. I've had my day since then OF
ship board, and could tell Won st orics that
would cure YOU of wanting to go to sea
if boys could ever be cured hy stories
But they can't, and perhaps, the best
way, after all, is to let rybody learn
by experience.
I've never told YOU about my first
voyage. 1t was Il short one and came
very near being my last. was only
twelve years old then, and it is nigh
forty years ago, but | remember it as
we'll as if it was this forenoon.
1t was in the spring of the year, ant
Yarmouth Harbor had been frozen over
for the winter had been colder thar
usual. There had been week of warn
weather, with a slight rain, and the ic,
had got considerably broken. Ever,
tide great cakes were carried down th.
channel and out to sea. One Afternoon
your father, who WAS two Years Young
er, started with me to see the break u,
in the upper harhor. On the way W,
went past the widow Wilson's ant
little Benny was PLAYING i'll the var,
with his sled When he found out
where we were going he was wild to Z,
with us He didn't have to ask leave
as his mother was away; so he followed
us along in great glec, dragging his sled
with him. although the ground was
nearly bare. When we got 10 the head
Of the harhor the tide was just begin
ming to cbb, and the ice was in motion
We stood on one of the wharyes for i
long time watching the great blocks
heaving and crushing and sailing slow.
" along toward the channel, and Sc
to rain, and the wind came up. II was
a long distance home round the bend
Of the harbor. though our house was in
plain view. Ii it had only been clear
water, and we had had our boat, il
would have taken but a short time Ia
reach our wharf.
We might get on the ice said YOUR
father.
The idea had never struck me. 7
noticed that every block struck the
shore lust below our house. and then
eddied off into the channel again. II
would be capital We could have such
a nic. ride. and have il 10 tell nf after.
ward. There was ladder reaching
down to the side Of the wharf. and We
climbed down and stood on tinb.,
waiting for big piece. Pretty soon
one came. The end Just touched the
wharf and swung around sideways
where We were, just as if it had bee,
done on purpose, and we jumped on
/. vas about twenty feet long, and 4
little more than half as wide. and jus,
in the middle was stout pole. stand