New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-04-19
ON THE WAY TO THE ISTHMUS.
HOW THE UNITED STATES MARINES MADE
THE VOYAGE.
lFRoM SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE.
ABOARD THE s. s. ACAPULCO, AT SEA. I
April 10, 1855.

United States should have one or more transports
for use In cases like the present. This good ship
Acapulco. built and Intended In all respects for
merchant vessel is necessarily ill-adaped for the
transportation troops and only the great efforts Of
the Pacific Mail Steamship Company in fitting her up
at short notice. have rendered 1T possible to carry
the men with proper attention to their comfort
and sanitary condition Had the ship belonged to
some line less we'll disposed the troops never
would reach the Isthmus in fighting condition. Az
it is everything has been done that could 6e dones
and though there was q little confusion at first.
affairs have now settled down into q satisfactory
condition. The men are well fed-meat three times
day and an abundance of vegetables and bread.
With the exception of q few laborers who arc
going down to rebuild the wharves at Colon tho
members Of the expedition occupy the ship and We
have settled down to regular man-ofwar discipline.
There is officer Of the deck and marine officer
of the day. The drums beat to quarters every
morning. and sailors and marines drilled fore
noon and afternoon on the hurricane deck. Our
skipper" Captain Stackford, himself an old naval
officer is delighted to the dogs of war let slip
on the decks of his peaceful merckant-ship, and
rubs his hands geefully as he pictures the com
sternAton of the "dagOs" when these splendid
troops march through the streets of Colon. The
only disgusted man aboard ship Is the steward.
"Why p said he yesterday, on the last trip we
had only twelve cabin passengers, and sold moro
wine aud beer in day than have the whole time
this trip, with the saloon full of officers The fact
is temperance and the st ictest kind OF discipline
are the order of the day. The men are treated with
every possible consideration and yet held nth the
tghtest reins. saw an officer accidentally Jostis
against a sailor and turn and say. / beg your
pardon" and heard captain say to marine
! orderly "Would you kindly close that portP
But saw another sailor try to get up little mutiny
Of his own, aud he was put in double irons with
sabre cut across his hand that will be reminder to
him for the rest Of his lie. He was wonderfully
penitent the next morning Solitude aud a reduced
system of diet are very soothing in such cases.
| Wednesday night we had a gale. The Acapulco
kicked her heels in the air like frsky colt pitch
| ing and rolling until it was almost impossible to
keep in ones bunk. Oh, the sea-sickness and the
misery! Officers and men alike were affected, for
| the NAL de Is no respecter OF persons. Ihere
we're some serious accidents too, caused by officers
and men being thrown from their hunks or falling
| on deck Lieutenant Colwell, who was officer OF
| the deck was thrown across an iron stanchon and
| narrowly escaped breaking his leg AS IT was, he
was laid up for day by his injuries. The elegans
young lieutenant of marines who was officer OF the
day was sent flying into the lee scuppers, where he
| became so tangled up with his sword and rubber
coat among the iron supports OF the tulwarks thas
II took three marines to unwind him and put him on
his feet The shock to his dignity was terrible, ous
| in other respects he was uninjured Captain Nc
Gala is busy from morning to night looking out foe
| the welfare of the men and attending TO tns
mnutest details Of their equipment and drill. The
| only fault that his subordinate officers find with
| him is that he does everything himself.
Today we struck the northeast trades and sailed
| into the summer of the world. Tomorrow there
may be q chance to send home letters by the Colon,
| which vessel we shall pass. Meantime we wonder
| what is going on in the world and long for the
morning papers. There are captains galore on
| board There is the master Of the ship. Captain
| Stackford, the commander of the expedition Zap
| tain McCalla and six captains of marines. The
ships barber started out TO call every officer by MS
official title, but soon became bewildered by this
dazzling array of captains, aud calls every
one Cap'unn who Is connected with the expedi-
ton This barber is q character He once shaved
General Custer and takes great glory TO himself
therefor. He charges 80 cents to cut mans hair,
% cents to shave him and 10 cents to black his
boots and if the victim objects he oyerawes him
with stories of the General He has lemons for sale
and his fagorite amusement is making seasiek
marine stand for fifteen minutes before his door bes
fore he will sell him lemon. The laws OF supply
and demand are thoroughly understood by him and
he SAYS: Dare amt many emns aboard, soils in
been to sea before, and their terror and surprise
when they first felt sea sickness were extremely
ludcrous One tall, stalwart fellow came to the
doctor and said Oh, doctor, am afraid ana
very bad"
"What's the matter with your
9I don't know but never felt so like dying be.
fore. think here the guileless young marine"
rushed to the side and found out what was the
matter with him.
A cork fender was towed astern yesterday after
noon and the marines enjoyed some target practce'
Then Dr. Whiting the surgeon OF the expedition
gave the men o short lecture on doing up WOUNDS
and applying tourniquets. and dissertation on tho
proper mode of living in the tropics Tomorrow
the ammunition for the batteries will be " broke
OUT (which is the proper naval expression fof
got In readiness y and when we reach Colon We
shall come
With the rolling Of the stirring drum,
And the trumpet that sings OF Iame.
Last night the officers gathered in the smoking.
room after dinner. Through the open doors and
win dows we saw the star-lit tropic sky and the
dark heavIng tropic Far of along tho eastern
horizon the lightning played upon bank OF
clouds Then sung The Yankee man o war.
- Cruising down." and all those stirring ballads
which. since the Stars and Stripes first flew over
the billows have filled the hearts Of American
sailors with patriotism and valor. Suddenly there
came pause and some said. quoting Bayaro
Taylor:
They sang of love and not OF fame;
Forgot Britaln's glory;
Each heart recalled q different name,
But all sang Annie Laurie.
Then. while the great ship plunged on through the
phosphorescent sea toward the glittering Southern
Cross and the isles Of spice. they all sang Annie
Laurie and thought of Northern homes.