The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1877-01-18
written for the News
SOUTHERN PRISON-PENS.
Experience of an Anderson
Vile Prisoner in Dixie.
NO. xxx.

ing out to sea. We were leaving
the land far behind. The Georgia
shore looked like blue cloud just
rising above the horizon.
During the night we passed around
Cape Rstteras. We encountered q
storm off the Cape, and our vessel
rolled backward and forward. Every
thing was in motion, rolling with the
motion of the steamer. II required
about six feet Of space to every man,
to osciliiste on.
Merning dawned, and the sun
rose mp out of the middle, of the sea-
To the eyes of an old mariner, 1
suppose it seemed to be in the
east, but to a "horse marine like
myself, it was as easy to locate it in
any other part of the horizon
The sky. was clear towards sun
rise, but off to our left was low,
dark cloud, skimming along, appar-
emily on top of the water. 1t looked
to be about two miles off.
Our trip around the Cape only
caused two cases of sea sickness out
of 1,400 men aboard-something
remarkable, as only one in a hun
dred escape, as a general thing. The
only way to account for the circum-
stance is, that the men had been ''diet-
ing themselves" about year, prepar
atory to the trip Ia hint that it
would be well enough for people to
remember who are going on voy-
age. Let them diet themselves a
viii, e before hand, and will insure
them to enjoy trip without a spell
of sea sickness. - -
The day was beautiful, and On in
quiry of the old sailors, we were told
that we were 200 miles from land
The vessel was heading north, and
every stroke of the paddle-wheels
was bearing us nearer home.
The time was passed by the men
in trying to see something. A couple
of porpoises followed us all day.
They were apparently about 10 feet
long. They kept in the wake OF the
steamer, or just back of the middle
of the vessel, one on each side The
sailors said that somebody would
die before the trip was ended-that
when they followed it was sure
sign ola deg th; but from the best
authority could get, they followed
all vessels, and their object was to
get the little bits of salt junk and
scraps thrown overheard from the
cooks pantry. They would some
times follow ship 500 miles for the
chance of a meal Two of our men
died on the TIP, and the sailors said,
Il told you so" It satisfied the
sailors superstition
The sun sank to rest in the wa
ter, and we wrapped our blankets
mound rs, selected as comfortable
place as we could find, and did like
wise. Morning found our noble
steamer headed almost due west.
The sails were unfurled, and sharp
Dreeze was blowing.
About 10 A. NJ the man on the
ook out cried out, "Sailho y and af-
.er looking all around the horizon, a
7essel was discovered off to our left
It looked to be a toy ship, about
,hree miles distant. We questioned
,ur sailor friends, and were surprised
% learn that the toy was large ship,
md was about 25 miles off. The
pen all rushed to one side of the
steamer to see, and their weight
made her careen to one side.
The Captain called our attention
o the danger of a steamship being
orced to one side, and thus raising
he paddles out of the water on the
opposite side, all of which was heard,
,ut not needed, as curiosity over
anne all other considerations The
ailors rolled barrels of ballast to the
opposite side, and about the time
he vessel righted herself, some
me on the starboard cried out, ''a
whale whale r and a grand rush
vas made for that side of the steam
II. The sailors sprang to the star
,oard side and began to roll the
,arrels back to the larboard.
The Captain soon saw that it
would be impossible to keep the men
rom Investigating everything that
vas new to them, and placed about
. dozen sailors on deck to balance
he men with the sand barrels, and
ct them see all they could.
The alarm proved to be caused by
large sea monster about zoe yeards
rom the vessel. The sailors said 1t
vas a whale, but others said that =
whales were never seen in that part
# the Atlantic. Any way, the mon
ter that I saw must have been a
-ery large one. 1t seemed to be IN
rouble, and lifted its tail out Of the
water about Is feet high, threshing
he water into foam. After few
ashes. with his tail, he sunk out OF
;ight-
To be continued
r.rzEzzszsszE-1EEzu
Sometimes it doesn't pay to deed
L e,