The Meridional. (Abbeville, La.) 1856-1906, 1888-03-03
A Treat to q Laudlubber.
Editor AbbeYille Meridional:

Monday, the 18th inst, was given
to the students Of Tulane High
School as a holiday because the fac.
ulty, taking kindly into considera-
ton that we had been kept so busy
the previous week with our examin.
atoms, concluded that we needed
more rest from our books than Or
dinarilg.
Such being the case, I decided to
Join, as Interpreter, a party of young
folks who had appointed that day
for a visit to the French man.of.war
MinerTe. then lying at anchor out in
the middle Of the river. Leaving
home about 10 An, after a pleas.
ant thirty mluute ride, We reached
Canal street where Our little party
of FIVE was increased to six, and
thence We proceeded to the river,
all eager to board the ship.
We found at the river quite a
number of skifs and two little stean
launches, ready to take persons over
the water; but az the ships officers
would not allow any visitors aboard
till 1890 m, we were obliged to
wait, and to kill time strolled up
and down the levee until becoming
tired Of this we went on one Of the
fine steamers lying in port to &c. a
better view of the river.
Having become interested with
the sights seen from the boat it was
but g short time to us before we saw
the little s,eam launches tearing
back aud forth through the water
from the man.ocwar to the shore.
we left the steamer St. Louis, and
on our way from her to the wharf,
where the skifs and launches landed,
the question, How shall we 60, in
the launch or in a skif:?" arose.
A majority were 10 favor Of the
launch; but after considerable per.
suasion the young ladies agreed to
60 in a skif.
We were obliged to row along
the shore several hundred yards
above the ship to make allowance
for the strong current, to keep from
drifting below it. The waves, in the
middle of the river, were just high
enough to toss US gently up and
down. and the only danger was that
of tie stiff' breeze blowing our hats
of into the water. As we approached
the ship We could see throngh the
open portsholes the 'frowaing dogs
of war" snd,I soon heard the piping
of the boatman's whistle, of which /
had often read but never heard. For
a moment l. was in a tremor, fully
expecting to see the black flag hoist
I'd, and two boats filled with men
armed to teeth make towards US
from the other side Of the ship; but
looking around / did not see the
dorsal flo or cleaning teeth of the
man.eater, or Jack Harkaway stand
ing on the very top of the mizzen.
mast ready to jump into enc of the
boats and, sink it aud its cowardly
crew, nor could I'distinguish Peck's
great friend, Dick, GA shore, eager
to take q long running jump into
the other and serve it likewise, aud
then with the aid Of Jack rescue US
from the treacherous fellow who was
about to betray US into the hands of
the pirates, SOL concluded that there
was pet no cause to fear. dear
friends, do not censure me for allow.
ing such thoughts to fash through
my mind, nor consider my ideas Of
jacks, or his friends abilities, ex,
travagant, for such things have hap
pened, and such actions on the part
of Jack are mere triaes compared
to things he has ,done). The girls
were -deIigted with the ride, and the
idea of going aboard the man-of.war
Twas the only thing that induced them
to leave the skE.
Everything on the ship was in
perfect order. Thousands of feet OF
rope we're coiled up ready for use.
ion the gun deck the guns. etc, were
in such perfect order that, imagine.
three or four minutes would have
been sufficient time to prepare for a
battle. One Of the ;gunners showed
US how the guns were handled and
let one of the young ladies fire a
couple of capped cartridges. He