Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-01-10
4 STUDENTS SEA STORY.


BY HARRIET BEEcHER STOWE.
Among the pleasantest of my recollectious
of old Bowdoin is the salt-air flavor of its sea
experiences The site of Brunswick is IA
sandy plain on which the college buildings
seemed to have been dropped for the good
old Yankee economic reason of using land for
public buildings that could not be used for
anything else. The soil was fathomless
pth of dry, sharp, barren sand, out of
Whose bosom nothing but pitch pines and
burberry bushes emerged, or ever could
emerge without supcrhuman efforts of cult
walton. But these sandy plains, these pine
forests, were neighbors to the great, lively,
musical blue ocean whose life-giving presence
made itself seen. heard. and felt every hour Of
tho day and night. The beautiful pecuiari-
ty of the Maine coast where the inter
penctratcs the land in picturesque fords and
lakes, brought constant romantic element
into the landscape Whte-winged ships
from India or China came gliding into the
lonely solitude of forest recesses bringing
news from strange lands and tidings of wild
adventure into secluded farm-houses that for
the most part seemed to be dreaming III
woodland solitude. In the early days of my
college life the shipping interest Of Maine
gave it an outlook into all the countries Of
the earth Ships and ship-building and ship
launching were the drift Of the popular
thought, and the very minds of the people
by this commerce had apparently
-"suTereda sea change
Into something rare and strange
There was quantness, shrewdness, and vi
vacity about these men, half skipper half
farmer, that was piquant and enlivening.
1t was the auspicious period of approach
ing Thanksgiving that my chum and re-
solved to antcdate for few days our vaca-
a,,l Sab %,
Brilliant, that lay courtesying and teetering
on the bright waters of Maquoit bay, loading
up to make her Thanksgiving trip to Boston.
1t was bright Indian summer afternoon
that saw US all on board the little craft. She
was laden deep with dainties and rarities for
the festal appetites of Boston nabobs loads
of those mealy potatoes for which the fields
of Maine were justly famed barrels of ruby
crunberries boxes of solid golden butter,
ventures of II thrifty house mother emulous
to gather kindred gold in the Boston market
Then there were dressed chickens turkeys
and geese all going the same way, on the
same rrand and there were sides and sad
dies of that choice mutton for which the sea
islands of Maine were as famous as the South
Downs of England.
Everything in such a stOwage was sugges-
tive Of good cheer. The little craft itself had
u sociablc, friendly, domestic air. The cap
tain and mate were cousins the men were
all neighbors, sons of families who had grown
up together; there was kindly home flavor
in the very stOwage of the cargo. Here were
MelisSa's cranberries, and by many u joke
aud wink we were apprised that the mate had
Il tender interest in that venture ; there was
Widder Toothacre's butter, concerning which
there were various comments and specula-
tions, but which WAS handled and cared for
with the consideration the Maine sailor boy
always gives to the "widder;" there WAS a
private keg of very choice eggs, over which
the name of Lucindy Ann was breathed by
bright-eyed, lively youngster, who had prom
sed to bring her back the change, and as to
the precise particulars of this change many
witticism was expended.
Our mode of living on the Brilliant was of
the simplest and most primitive kind. On
each side the staircase that led down to the
cabin, hOoped strongly to the partition, was
a barrel, which on the one side contained salt
beef and on the other salt pork. A piece
out Of each barrel, delivered to the
cook, formed the foundation of our daily
meals and sea-biscuit and potatoes, with the
sauce of sea water appetites made this feast
for king. | make no mention here of gin
gerbrcad aud doughnuts, and such like orna-
mental accessories, which were not wanting,
nor of nuts and sweet cider which were TO be
had for the asking. At meal times a swing
shelf, which at other times hung fiat against
the wall, was propped mp, and our meals
were eaten thereon in joyous satisfaction
A Joyous, rollicking set we were, and the
whole expedition was a frolc of the first wa
ter. One of the drollest features of these lit
tie impromptu voyages often was the Woe
begone aspect of some unsuspectng land
lubber, who had been beguled into thinking
that he would like a trip to Boston by seeing
the pretty Brilliant courtesying in the smooth
waters of Maquoit and so had embarked in
innocent ignorance of the physiological re-
suits of such enterprises.
/ remember the first morning out. As we
were driving ahead under a stiff breeze, l
came on deck, and found the respectable
Deacon Muggins, who in his Sunday coat had
serenely embarked the day before now desc
lately clinging to the railing, very white
about the gills, and contemplating the sea
with a most suggestive expression of disgust
and horror.
"Why, deacon, good morning! How are
you? Splendid morning !" said /, malicious
ly.
He drew a deep breath, surveyed me with
mixture of indignation and despair, and
then gave vent to his feelings: TEL ye