Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1878-04-05

one of the front WINDOWS, Dut Just peloTe No
had time to do that, to tip up on the othe
end, and. send you flying out of the bdcI
: door, and you will form good idea Ia httl
exaggerated, perhaps, but not much), o
what it is to be upon the ocean when the SET
is rough. The tables at which We eat, AMI
the chairs on which we SIT have to be lashet
down to the deck to keep them from running
away from US, and the plates and dishes hav'
to be secured by cleats ofwood nailed arount
them, or in some other manner. We hav'
to eat with one hand, and hold on to some
thing that is firm with the other. Even will
these precautions we are not safe, and al
almost every meal is heard the music o.
breaking crockery. and OF tinware rolling
about the deck. To drink a cup of coffee
requires great care AID Judgment, and tc
manage a plate of soup, one needs TO be as
dex.erous as circus performer. In walking
about the decks. it is necessary to keep hold
of hfe-lines in order to keep upon our feet.
Our executive officer has been ice injured
because he did not keep hold of the hfe- lines.
Once, he was thrown across the deck, and
his spectacles smashed. some of tse broken
glass getting into his eyes and the second
time he received two severe cuts on his head.
The only comfortable place We can get, is
the swinging cots or hammock at night.
The weather is very cold, at least it so
seems to us, Just out of the Tropics. In about
two weeks the weather has changed from tor
nd to frigid. --
Sunday. Dec. 23- Cape Horn is. this after
l,noon, in sight and in few moments We will
he in the Atlantic Ocean. The Cape is some
miles distant, and only its dim outline IS Wis
lbie through the mist and fog. Several other
small Islands are also in sight. (Of course
You know that Cape Horn is on one of the
many islands to the southwark of Terra del
Fuego.) We are now what sailors call
rounding Cape Hora, along with five or
| six other large vessels, which are under full
sail, in plain sight, ard look magnificent
| The weather is cold and drizzly. and during
| the last twenty-four hours there have been
several severe hail-storms We signalled to
the vessel nearest to us during the forenoon,
and she replied ''37 days from New Zealand
and bound for Liverpool"
We have now been 60 days at sea, and only
about one-half of our journey is performed
There nre several things to be seen in this
part of the globe which cannot be seen in
the Northern Hemisphere.
First, there is the albatross, a bird Us large,
if not larger, than the eagle. and one of the
most graceful and untiring of birds, when on
the wing. This bird is never seen north of
the Equator. They are easily caught. and
many attempts have been made to transport
them north, but the hot weather on the line
invariably kills them. We have caught two.
but, after keeping them on board short
time. let them so again. They are caught
by putting piece of pork on hook and
line and letting it float on the surface water.
They swoop down upon it. the hook sticks in
their bill. and they are hauled on board.
Many sea birds can be caught in this man.
ner. 1t is curious fact, that sea birds
when caught and placed on the deck Of a
vessel, become very sea-sick from the motion
of the ship, and vomit Just Us a man would
in the same circumstances. The Cape pigeon
is also peculiar to this latitude. This bird
somewhat resembles the sea-gull, but is
larger. and has n pret.ier plumage, and gen.
orally fly in focks. Hundreds are to be
seen about the ship on some mornings
The Southern Cross and the Magellan
clouds you have probably read about. The
former is four stars, in the form of a cross,
which can be seen in the southern sky, when
south of the equator, and, | believe, at GER
tain seasons of the year is also visible for a
few degrees north the equator. The Alagel-
Ian clouds can only be seen on very clear
nights, and appear like small white clouds, |
standing directly over the Straits of Magellna.
They are always to be seen in the same place, |
and suppose are stationary in the heavens. |
believe astronomers say that they are dense |
clusters Of stars (simiar to the Milky Way). |
At this season of the year the days are |
very long here. Last night the sun set at |
about 8. .45 p. m, it continued twilight until |
after II o'clock day commenced to break be- |
tween l and . a. IN. and the sun rose about |
3a. m, SO that We had only about two and |
one-half hours of darkness out of the whole |
twenty four hours 1t seemed strange to 60 |
to bed while the sun was shining brightly.
December 25.-"Wish you a merry Christ
mas"
hope that next year will be permitted
to spend q civilized Christmas in New Eng
land. During the past six years l have
spent four Christmases at sea-one in Pana-
ma, and on in San Francisco. Here | am to-
day trying to pass away the time by writing.
reading San Francisco newspapers more than
two months old. and other similar antique
wondering if the Russians have
whipped the Turks. or vice versa thinking
of home and trying to keep warm.
This morning was ushered in, as usual, by
practical jokes. On getting up, saw one of
my stockings hanging up on hook. fearful
ly Gistended, as though its contents had been
pu; in by hydraulic pressure Upon exami-
nation, found it to contain one large pota-
to. two onions. piece of pie Smashed be-
yond all recognition). and quantity of hard
bread, together with pieces OF rags, ropes,
ETC., etc. As nearly every one was served the
same, of course it was no use to get mad.
The principal feature of the day was the
dinner. In making such long voyages Az
this, it is impossible to have fresh provisions
Ill of the time. To be sure, we brought
sheep. pigs. turkeys and chickens from San
Francisco but many died from the effects of
he hot weather in the Tropics, and the rest
lave been eaten long since. l except one
turkey and two chickens belonging TO the
officers. which have been fed and
ended with fostering care. that the breath of
lie might be kept in them until Christmas
when they were destined to adorn the ward
oom table. They have staggered about the
leck, in horribly emaciated condition, for
he last month, but to-day they were killed,
md have fulfilled their destiny.
The great support of sea-faring men. on
ong voyages, nowadays, is canned meats
md vegetables. Many blessings follow the
nan who invented this preserving process.
md thousands have been saved from death
md sickness by it / will give you our bill
II fare for dinner to-day, and you will see
low largely these canned edibles composed
BILL or YARK-( APPOINTED OFFICERS hEss.)
Christnas ls77-og Cape Horn.
Oyster stew (made from canned OYSTERS.
Ham and Bacon, Corned Beef.
Potatoes, Onions, String Beans Canned Toma-
oes (cannedl, Green Corn, Canned. Parsnips |
canned) Sardines, Canned.
Puddings, pie,, Cake, Jelly canned, Crackers.
'ea and Coffee.
OF course the crew are not able to buy
hese canned provisions and have TO eat the
ALT provisions furnished by the government,
nd already the doctors have had to issue to
very man some medicine to counteract the
ffaatl of IA e.