Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1891-11-10

Iparues.
years of service on tho lakes, and thirty of
them in sailing vessels, had made him skillfnl,
but they had not morally hardened him. He
had never seen tho ocean. and the only salt
water he had ever smellcd was In a pork bar
rel. He was bronEed. but clear-ayed, aud his
Language was free from epithets, profane or
proper. All strong language was left 20 tho
nrst mate, who atoaed for any shortcomings
OF the Captain by providing the crew with
samples of the most diseopraging aud vivid
anathemas ever Included in a seaman's Yocab-
uiary. When the ships company sat down to
cat the Captain said grace. Having an ex-
alted notion of the accomplishments of the
average Congressman, he ventnred, at the Sec
ond dinner on board, to politely intimate to
the slim Congressman that he would be glad
to yield to him the opportunity to ask the us
ual blessing. he regretted his courtesy, be-
yond doubt, after he had listened to a con-
fused mumbling Of words. out of which the
only intelIglble expression was something that
sounded amazingly like .9aesopotania," aud
which did not seem'to be any thing particularly
to the purpose. He did not again call upon
his guests to say grace.
/ About noon of tho second day out the unsea-
worthy pssseugeFs were called TO the aide of
the ship to see sight. on to the south,
half mile distant, sometimes visible aud at oth-
er times lost in the rising aud falling OF tue
waves, was vessel, looking like well-trimmed
and enormous log, rounded up at the ends
and painted Rll over In tue iron rust color
that finds such general favor with the vessel
owners of the lakes. Perehed up on .he log
at one end was a sort OF cabin, with a smoke-
stack rising through It. Between the cabin
and the log-like vessel there were open spaces,
and the passengers on the Gladstone could see
that the swells that swept along occasionally
rolled through these openings, just as they
d4shed over the forward end of the low and
unprotected deck. "One of the pigs." ex-
plaincd the mate, rs he watched the curious
craft wallowing along. As the vessels drew
nearer, in passing, 1t was seen that the hawse
holes at the rounded bow gave tho suggestion
of the name. The whistle OF the Gladstone
blew, and there was q responsive grunt from
the whaleback. She went by comfortably,
having the advantage of running before tho
wind, but still offering como chance to the
swell that swept down from the northeast of
the Canadian shore, hundred miles away.
The Glndstone's tossed company Of fat and
lean Congressman recovered spirits and cour-
age In the return passage through the " 500 -
lock, and took serious and studious view of
the difficulties of navigation in the st. Mary
River and tho wide reaches OF Lake ST. George
with its trcachcrously narrow channel and uu.
comfortable opportunities for running aground.
Balmy and comfortable was the mir as thew
passed the end Of Sugar Island aud were able
to look again on the dredges at work opening
tho Hay Lake Channel, that win provo 80 pro-
digious boon 10 lake navigation when II is
completed, and everything was auspicious uu-
til the Detour Passage had been left behind
and the clear water OF Lake Huron was ahead.
Then, when It was too late to 20 ashore aud
take the railroad back, the storm that they had
left on Lake Superior overlook them. The
abominable swell, rising higher aud higher as
the vast expanse of water between Saginaw
Bay aud Georgian Bay was entered. rocked
the Gladstone and her cargo of orc with long
and steady swings from port to atarBoard aud
back again. Down came the rain. too, in
sheets, so that the rigging and roofs were all
dripping. Itlwas great strain upon Con-
gressional stability, and that part OF Congress
that camc from Virginia to be instructed about
lake navigation phiiosophically took It's lesson
on Its back.
at midday, when dinner was announced,
three passengers appeared to keep the Cap
sain company. One Of the number was tho
Trooper, feeling less secure than his appear
hnce at table would have justified anybody in
supposing. He could not help grasping tho
edge of the table as his side dipped down un-
comfortable low, and making an involuntary
motion TO restrain it from coming further. It
was altogether inconAldcrRtc on the part ofthe
stewards assistant, a red-headed and very
green small boy, to come 10 the conclusion,
10 ,ffG a..
to control his emotions Ind just then been ex-
hausted by the perpetual motion Of the chip,
| and for him to announce his conviction by q
hurried and boisterous confession in On adjoin-
ing closet And Just while endeayorlnR to ap-
pcar unconscious of tho very palpabie and
painful effort of the boy TO turn himself inside
out, the ship gave lurch TO stGrboard that
was excessively prolonged. The Trooper did
his duty. He tried TO stop It. ,Bnt he waa
only partly successful The cabin cams 80
near to standing on ifs lover fight-haId edge
that the soup plate slid on with q clntter npon
the hoor, and the castors, the dishes on the
port side, plates OF apple Sauce, and knives
and forkS, salt cellars, aud spoons, toboggancd
down 70 ptarboard aud crashed together about
the Troopers feet.
That WAS too much for the Trooper from
West Virginia. With boots sIneared with n us
tsEd, and lap redolent Of the dinner bill of
fare, he gave feeble ahoat and elambered out
over the PROSTATE cabin boy, who had mutiny
and deseTtion in his iDHAmed eyes a. be lay
upon the floor. Dinner was abandoned. snp-
per was left out, and It was not until the night
hsd been spentih silent pFotSStation that sgas
Intellectual, and tha morning had come with
clear skies and the smoky lines OF the harboE
At Port Hsron in eight, that the greenhorns
were again 1t ease. When Detroit was reached
and the obliging Captain tWung the Gladstone
aiongside coal dock, the nntinouS and weary
cabin boy alid down q line and made OF with :
bundle Of . duds" under his arm. He was
called back BY the Captain and his pay for the
voyage was passed over the side to him. He
would mot come on board 70 receive st. For 4
time his dream Of sailor life was spoiled. The
Icongressmen, fat aud slirn, and the Trooper
waived their hats and handkerchiefs at the de-
parting Gladstone With . couTtesy that was
only made more profound by the feeling Of
gratitude and appreciation with which they as
eertained that the charming coal dock con-
tnued to Keep an even keel. The Trooper
shook bis head with 3 tlankfulness that he
4 seemed incompetent to express in words. An-.
other munbilug about .'MeaOpotamlas dropped
uneonsciously from the lips OF the slIm Com
gressman, as he grasped bis Gripsaek ard
headed for Q convenient street car, and the