The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1885-07-30
Written for the Floridian.l


All aboard " exclaimed Captain Y. AZ he
hauled up the sail OF his little soop, fastened the
jib, and unlOOsed from his moOrings on The "
Marks wharf
The train consisting Of one car had lust ar.
rived from the Floral City, and was starting of
again laden with fish and sponges. A group Of
dyspeptic looking darkics were gathered
on the platform of n dilapidated structure which
served the ubiquitous purpose of stallion. proc-
efy-stOre, psetoff1ce, and warehouse
Boxes, hides, peddlers wares and punches of
nsh were piled ndescriminately on thu platform
dead calm prevailed and a semi-tropical sup
poured forth its midday caloric with mercile,s
effect. The tide was still running up the river
and some of the ebony loungers jeered the can
tain on trying TO get out 10 sea- without either
wind or Tide to help him. But he poled AWAY
expecting soon 10 have both wind and wave in
his favor. We, his passengers, had hoped for
Snssers steamer, but the latter craft had de.
parted for Apalachicola, on an expedition from
which ii was soon to return. So we three 1.-The
Ex-Governor, the Chaplain, and the Doctor) be-
came the volunteer crew Of Capt Y in his ef
lorls 10 navigate the 10 ton soop around the
Cape.
Ii was not long before our nautical services
were needed, and our seamen- like qualities pu,
to the test The tide turned and the sea breeze
began 10 reshen, score OF sW ift-sailing "spOng.
ers y with their white sails cleaning in the sun
light passed us on their way to ST Marks As
the wind was dead ahead, we tackled and re.
tackled down the river At last the open bay
was reached, and the lighthouse left behind
Many sand-bars were around u.s. but We dOdged
them and tackled toward the mouth of the Ock.
lOeknee river.
Here night overlook Us, and We were still five
miles from the Cape The tide had turned
against US, and it would be necessary to put well
out 10 sea, and give the shallow cape wide
berth. The wind Gained at sunset and then
freshened TO gale, keeping stubbornly dead
ahead" The captain looked anxiousy aa
black cloud that was evidently preparing to
shake the wind out Of itself behind us, and Of 40
Ominouslooking squall that was awaiting Us
just ahead. Vivid flashes of lightning occasion
ally lii up the western horizon, and the white
crested waves broke near US into brilliant sheets
Of phOsphOresence. But these occasional ilumi
nations only made the darkness seem The deep
er.l There was no lighthouse on the Cape nor
any visible beacon To guide u.s. save the distant
glimmer OF the north star. There was no sound
save the Whistling Of the wind, the surgiDg Of
the waves, and the distant mutteriDg Of thun-
der.
While we sped along in a souIherly course
seward, the captain went below and soon
appeared with pot of hot coffee. The doctor
handled the liller and main sheet; the chaplain
lcfl HE flying jib and opened a formidable look
ing bundle that proved ~ be lunch tied up in
lot OF FLoRIDIANs," where sandwiches cold
Chicken and jelly cakes were indescriminatey
mixed with constitutional amendments and dem
ocl attic discussions y the Governor presided at The
feast, and the top of the cabin served as slip
perry table.
The weather-beaten crew ale their biscuits and
slipped their coffee, while the Governor cheered
their dropping spirits by betting The Captain be
wouldn't round the cape and reach his port by
o'clock in the morning The Captain took
the bet, and then faced the storm with deter
minatiOn that awed his crew into silence.
AT least, about midnight, the north star slow
ly moved over our starboard gunwale, and lhe
waves broke over our port bow, showing thai
the cape had been reached and rounded even
though no land was visible
And now, the waves had ii all their own way!
Our ten ton craft was nothing more than chip
on the bosom Of An angry sea. Still the sea was
only about it's ordinary business and kept
moving, aud we tried TO do the same. All We
wanted now was land. Only an acre or two
would have suited u.s. if we could but plant our
feet on Il a few moments We wouldn't have
been at ali particular about its quality. Or w.
ter We had experienced enough for one night
The life on the ocean wave was und0uoedg
poetical but just then We were too tired sbd
sleepy to enjoy it. A spell of ominous silence
again seized US. The Governor sat on the poop
delberating pensively on the past, present and
future. Political questions waned before the
autocratic power Of old Neptune, whose scep!rss
now held full sway. The Chaplain struggles
manfully with the flying jib, and each new nc.
caught the unruly sheet which more than oDS
threatened to jerk him overheard into the ooli'
ing sea- II required all the energy OF ST. PeIa
to stand or walk in such boistious tempest
and pautical matters were now of far greala
moment than the much -mOoted theme OF apos
tollc succession.
The Doctor sat at the stern feeling the pusa,
tions of each wave as it struck the iron-Dounu
rudder. He thought the Sea- King must have
been seized with an epileptic fit. but concl1aeo
a change for the better would soon take pisc,e'
and it did. The salt spray soon came ABOARD !.
more moderate homeopathic doses, aud sn'
Doctor quit leaning like a patient on the ZAP
taip's brawny arm. Soon land appeared 10 eu'
right. lonely lantern CLEANED in the dlslHS03
and at o'clock precisely we touched the wn.i'
of "Sr TEREsA