The National tribune., 1901-06-13
A TRIP TO CUBA.
Experiences of a Landsman OIL
the Old Transport Buford.
BY S. D. BURGER, FIRST SERGEANT
co. L, 9TH N. Y. H. A. l.

1t is not necessary, neither would it be
l., interesting to the general reader, for me
t to relate the circur' stances leading up tC
my appointment as a petty officer on the
! U. ). A. transport Buford, at that time
: plying between New York and certain
f West Indian ports. Let it suffice to say
that it was procured through an old army
comrade who was connected with the ship
IN an official and responsible capacity, and
who sought by friendly act to show and
help Keep alive the spirit of cOmradeShip
born and nurtured on the march, in camp
and on many Il battlefield in the old war
time of the rebellion.
The Butord was scheduled to sail on
the Friday following at 2:30 p. m, and
puHctually at the time named the gang
plank was hauled in, the lines cast off and
the ship, towed by two Government tugs,
moved slowly out from the slip into the
stream, while friends who had come to
wish us bon voyage stood on the pier wav-
ing their last adieus.
OUT OF NEW YORK HARBoR.
When off the Battery her PROV was
pointed down the NarrOws, the tugs cast
of, the engines were put in motion, and
the voyage had begun Rapidly leaving
behind all the familiar scenes of New
| York Harbor-GOvernor's Island, the
forts, Staten and COney Islands, ROcka-
way Beach, Sandy Hook and the light
| ship, the great white ship sped onward
| on her course and out upon the bllOwy
bosom of the broad Atlantic. To the east
and south spread an apparently intermn-
able vista of sky and water; to the west
| and southwest the highlands of Navesink
| and the long line of Jersey coast stretch
| ing far away, dim and blue, in the dig
| tance; and back over the stern a broad,
| straight path of white sea foam reaching
I nDlr l1y,,u
| hued water OF old ocean, marked the way
we had come. Standing by the starboard
rail l watched the great day star" slow
ly sinking behind those distant western
hills, the daylight gradually dying out and
the gray shadows of approaching night
silently creeping over the face of the
mighty deep. | watched the stars come
out, one by one, until the expanse above
was one great dome of glittering light re-
Eected in every little wave that tumbled
about us. Orion, the Mighty Hunter, fol-
lowed by the eyer-faithful sirens well over
to the southwest-Arcturus, Spica, Dene
bOla, Regulus, Aldebaran-each in turn
taking his own appointed place in the
armament above, while far in the north
those great circum-poIar considerations,
ever swinging in immense circles around
staid old POlaris-the mariners never
failing guide-presented a picture to my
mind grander than any ever conceived by
man.
BY noon next day we were in the Gulf |
Stream, that wonderful river in the |
ocean, whose waters are the most |
beautiful indigo blue that one can
imagine. The line of demarcatiOn |
between it and the light green |
seas through which it flows is sharply de-
1ned and its temperature many degrees .
warmer than the surrounding ocean. One
seems never to tire looking down into |
those blue depths and wondering what /
beautiful things or what hideous things
are hidden beneath. 1t began to rain
about O'Clock Sunday morning, and con
tInued until just before the sun went
down. About midnight we passed the
much-dreaded Cape Hatteras. The wealth
or was delightful, and remained 50 all
day Monday, a pleasant breeze just ruff
fling the bosom of the ocean, with not
Il whiteeap to be seen. Here were en-
countered large patches of gulf-weed, the
presence of which is a sure indication of
the Gulf Stream, by which it is borne
Iorthward and eastward hundreds of
miles, the long yellow fields forming in
the direction of the wind and in such
quantities as often to seriously impede
the progress of ships. 1t has numerous
grape-like bulbs, or air-vesses, which pre-
vent its sinking, and was first known to
Columbus, who discovered it on his first
voyage, in 1882.
One Of the most curious and interesting
things of this region is to watch the flight
OF the hundreds of tiny flying-fish, start
ing suddenly from the crest of dark
blue wave and skimming along over the
surface of the water a hundred yards or
more before dropping again into their nat
ural element. They have long, slender
bodies, with enlarged, wiDg-like pectoral
fins, divided in two parts, which enable
them, used as parachutes, to sustain
themselves considerable time in the air,
which they reach by vigorous movements
Of the stout tail and caudal fin. They
in their flight rise to the hight
OF ~ feet or more, and have been known
to fall on ships deck; but this is doubt
less caused by the action of the wind, as
they are never known to do this when
the sea is calm.
Toward evening the sky became partly
obscured by clouds, although the sun went
down clear, sinking into the ocean in a
blaze of light. | remained on deck until !
about ~ O'Clock. In the meantime the
night had become dark and squally, the
winds whistled and moaned gloomily
through the rigging, and as | went down
the companionway a vivid flash of light I
ming for moment lit up the darkness
and the rumble of distant thunder broke :
rough night, / thought; but i turned in" !
and was soon sleeping too s0undIy for
even the warning elements to disturb nv |
SlUmbers.
THE FLORIDA COAST. +
The Florida coast, somewhere about the
vicinity of Cape Canayeral, | should
think, early the next morning came in
view. Our ship ran pretty well in, in or a
Ter to avoid, as much as possible, the I
adverse current of the Gulf Stream, .
which flows nOrthward at the rate Of from !
wo to four miles an hour The day was q
perfect, the wind just strong enough to \
provoke the sea into myriadS of white {
:aps through which the big ship moved Z
rs serenely as though sailing up Long :
sland Sound. And what "a glorious pam I
,rama was passing before our eyesl h
What beautiful picture of beach and n
sunny slopes and hill-sides Y
Jedecked in Summer verdure 7
Places OF interest, too. Old Jupiter. d
he lighthouse at Jupiter Inlet, standing +
ike sentinel guarding the place where, d
N May "A, 1898, the magnificent war
hip, Oregon, Capt. Charles ID. Clark. ar II
'ived, after having made the remarkable h
un from Puget Sound, a distance of y
4, 800 miles, in less than 50 days. +
Palm Beach, with all its beautiful en- r
'ironments, its large hotels its villas 4
title lakes and white walks and drives SO /
,rettily laid out! And so all along its r
~ miles of Atlantic coast-"a peninsula Il
lothed in Natures most royal garb"-its n
beauty and attractiveness enhanced. If "
hat were possible, by the artistic work q
Il man. a
Toward evening the sky to the south o.
assumed q most threatening an n
,pa praot paacC op |