The Portland daily press., 1881-11-14
Across the Atlantic by Sail.
a Pleasing Picture of Life on shipboard.
[Corr. San Francisco Bulletin


ed and monotonous method of travel some of
the landsmen may think To you, rushing
man Of business to whom every minute Of
time represents money rather than health; to
you, luxurious traveller, whose life motto is
personal Ease" to your uses are specially
adarted the ocean palaces that steam from one
side of the Atlantic to the other. Withal, you
cannot experience the genuine comfort, the
exhilaration to life and spirits that results from
the keen enjoyment of ocean life while soothed
by the slower motion Of the canvass-winged
ship. There is almost rejuvenation in the
bracing sea air, combined with the temperate
life on a sailing ship. For just at that mo-
ment when the last stretch of land passes from
view, all burdens of care leave with it, sue
cceded by feeling of infinite rest. AT the
mercy of the wind and tide, the exacting feel
ing of being on time passes away, the wearing
idea of deiniteness of action or thought yields
to delightful sense Of underlined existence.
There is a charming indefniteness even re-
gardipg the questions as to how, whom or
where the burden of life may again be resumed
and an agreeable accompanying don't carea-
tiveness" There is no rush nor hurry now, no
appointed task to accomplish in given time.
AS there is no morning paper we may not
trouble our minds with the affairs OF the world
we have so willingly left behind. There are
none of those little daily disbursements, often
so annoying. The non-arrival Of the daily mil
precludes all possibilities of sympathizing with
the Joys and misfortunes of friends. Here is
rest, rest and peace. In this dolce far niente
we live with nature and keep her command
ments Does life so pictured seem monoto-
nous?
True, there is only sky above and sea below.
But when does the face of the waters ever ap-
pear the same? On leaving the city, the mud
dy waters of the river changed to the greenish
waters of the bay, then darkened into the blue
waters of the ocean. The CLASSY placidness OF
the watea in calm, with little breeze breaks
into frolicking waves, saueily tipped with
flashing white caps, then with increasing wind
rolls into surges that break sullenly and threat
eningly In the sky above there is an endless
variety of clouds of innumerable tints and inf
mite FORMS especially at sunrise and sunset
So wonderfully varied seem the clouds that
living on deck watching the sky, the fanclfui
mind easily resumes the once favored but Tor
gotten pastime of childhood, and again PIC
lures in the moving cloud-shapes, warriors
with lances advancing, squadrons OF soldiers,
armored knights and bits of landscape. There
is motion, motion everywhere. IL Is tnls soir-
If of motion that hauntS the brain OF the sea-
sick person like some phantom oil wlekedness
creating internal motion and emotion.
The ship and its company constitute In
themselves q little world, having even lam
guage and a geography peculiarly It's own.
Can the geography be doubted? Then locate
the msin-top-gallants sail? Where Is the mlI-
zen lower top sail? Find the main-topsail hal
liards 1t is a geography learned by expert
ence rather than By textbook. Every tiny Dit
of cordage, as well as every strap and Dar,
seems to have a name, the length OF winch IN
creases as the size CT the object diminishes.
The language here spoken, though by some.
termed a nautical vocabulary, is to the inexpe-
rienced traveller nothing less than a new
tongue. If not unriddle, if you may, these puz-
zles: LET her luffi" Hard lee!" Fore DOW
linep' "Beay weather -bracesl'
An absolute onarchy is our form OF gov
ernment; the captain Is the supreme ruler.
Like the ruler of any realm, life and property
are in his care, and the burden IS heaVy one.
With admirable executive ability he regulates
the affairs of ship rather than state. Nothing
escapes his ever-vigilant eye as he studies every
cloud, marks sharply the rise and iall oil tne
glass, and constantly, during the dreary hours
of the night, ulwearyingly watches over our
safety The social relations OF our little world
are clearly defined There is the aristocrscy
of the cabin and the working class OF the fore
castle Not in the circles of the old world Is the
line of caste distinction drawn with more ex-
actness than in the little society here. The 20
feet of main deck separate most perfectly the
class in authority from the class that serve ana
obev No common ground exists save IN ter
rible gale when imminent danger awakens all
to the fact that life only may ba saved. Then,
in the equal chances OF escape one man counts
as the other What exact discipline our ship
notentates demand and keep. Every man is
assigned post that he is expected to Mi to the
best of his ability, and is peremptorlly enforced
to do so in case of refusal. Our little world has
a prison cell of its own, dark cell In the hoid
Of the shin. and iron bracelets that lock rebel
lions hands behind the offenders back When
necessity demands punishment falls so quick
ly on the offending head as TO put TO shame tne
laxity suffered to exist among the keepers OF
civil peace in the world oehlnd u.s. w I'm aula1- anna
ing prompttude every seaman itnds his place
when the word OF command goes forth-eVery
man works with alacrity and to his full bent.
At sea any object awakening meditation or
reflection calls forth flood OF stories OF the
sea. Immediately the sight OF the buoy awak-
ened tales of floating wrecks, and among all
that were told, this story, told oy one Oh tne
officers seemed the most touching:
Several years ago, when crossing the ATTAIN
tic in about this same latitude, we experienced
stormy weather. The wind blew sharp gsei
the air was bitter cold; the decks soicy that we
could move about only with great difficulty.
We were running against heavy nesd sea
that every now aud then dashed coldly and
unpityingly over the deck. Suddenly, IN the
distance we all saw sail. Closer scrutiny
showed the reverse ensign tluttering IN the
breeze, announcing a ship in distress. The I'M
merciful sea dashed continuously over her. we
could come near enouhb to see that men were
lashed in her rigging; could even count them;
reach them Our boats could not live IN SUCH
a sea. In the heavy gale OF wind we could not
get alongside. Two days and two nights we
stood by, loath to leave the poor. wet, hall-
nl ff thn riU and
ing DEATH The third day the gale increased,
the sea rode higher and powerless to control
the forces OF nature, we were driven by the
breaking wreck in the very sight OF the dying
victims we had bravely sought for two days 10
save.
There are certain hours as well as sights and
stories at sea, that impress themselves inensc-
ably upon the mind. Especially lmay one calm
moonlight evening be recalled. The wlnds
and waves softly slept. In the intense moon
light tho sails cleaned almost spectrally over
head The wondrously intricate lacing OF rope
and cord, as it stood delicately traced before
the silver of the moon, seemed the magic work
of supern atural hands. Now and then 1alnt
puff of air sent dismal wall along the sails
and shrouds which, with the ceaseless lapping
of the water seemed to spirit us away to land
of dreams Suddenly the voices of the sailors
while at their work broke into weird Ca
dence. The voice of the boatswaiD, sweeter
and louder than the rest now and then rang
ont alone but was Joined in the chorus by all
others. Wearsome work it would have been
did they not forgst some OF the heavy strains
in the keen delight Of hearing their voices in
harmony and time. As the voices of the sea-
men ross higher and clearer the words at first
inaudibe rang forth distinctly. "Sallie Brown
1 am going for to marry" II will spend my
money on Sally Brown" The charm was
broken, the words awakened the slumberlng
train of worldly thoughts, a smile was ire
pressibls and all went below for the night.
So at sea happy hours glide into days, days
into weeks. Every day brings some new OBJ
iect of interest. There are precious hours for
uninterrupted reading, that are reluctantly re-
signed as the end of the journey approaches.
"Yet lend things must t5as the thought when
we were told that one night more in the En-
glish channel would end the voyage.
Contemporary English Poetry.