The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-07-30

For on the second day out we ran into
a school of porpoises and they follow
ed us several miles, often jumping
many feet out of the water. We saw
many Portuguese men of war"
so called on account of the
ship like appearance of the
little animal. They look Just like
a ship under full sail and are only
about a foot long and half as high.
Sharks were in abundance, often fol-
lowing the ship many miles. The most
peculiar thing was the number of
birds which followed our boat. They
would fly in a circle behind the boat
and eat all the scraps from the kitchen
thrown overheard. We would often
throw our bread over to see them get
it. Made no difference how small the
piece. the birds would see it. They
followed us about six hundred miles
and then left, taking another boat
back. Two of them, however, follow
ed over a thousand miles.
During the voyage we passed four
ships: one sail boat and three ocean
liners. With our glasses we could see
the passengers on board. 1t is a pretty
SIGHT to see Il large ocean liner steam
by a mile away and it also makes one
feel good to see something besides
water for thirteen days, for we were
out that long.
A peculiar thing about the trip was
that the boat was thirteen years old,
we sailed on the thirteenth day of the
month and were thirteen days on the
water. Whether this had anything 10
do with the storm we struck | don't
know, but nevertheless, we had a Sc
we're one. On Tuesday, 18th the wind
began to blow and increased rapidly
until a gale was blowing. The waves
ran high and at six o'clock larger
one dashed over the upper deck and
flooded the cattle below. We were
steering directly against the storm and
only a few waves passed over the deck
but they were often as high as the
smoke stack One minute the ship
would be high on top of a wave and
then seem to fall to great depth,
huge masses of water on either side.
We were not frightened as the ship
was well loaded and large one.
The strange thing about it was that
none of us were seasick from the
storm: the ship rocked and tossed like
a chip, and we dared not go upon deck
for fear of being blown or washed
overheard. The storm passed over the
next day and the sunset was simply
grand.
At 12.45 D. m. on Saturday the 18th
day out, which was the Gath, we sight
ed land. the southern coast of Ireland.
Three lofty mountain peaks are the
first to loom up. They are
called from their appearance, the Bull,
the Cow and the Calf. The sight of
land made us all feel fine for we had
seen nothing but water for twelve days.
As we passed down the coast large
rocks came into view, seeming to rise
up out of the water. They had the zap
pearance of large masses of salt. Soon
they were lost and nothing but water
and fed the cows for the last time as
we would land the'next day.
Sunday morning twas as bright and
clear as could be and the water was as
smooth as glass. "A large number of
seagulls which followed the boat now
and then glided gently into the water
and the few ripples made sparkled in
the sulight like diamonds. In the
afternoon we were ready to unload the
cattle and feed unused which we did
After this was done we were taken
from the boat by a tug, carried to
Liverpool side and landed. The GUS
tom house officers soon found that we
were not goods requiring duty nd we
were free So ended our trip across
the Atlantic and we were none the
worse after the voyage, save by the
loss of a few pounds of weight by the
addition of a quantity of dirt and lots
of priceless experience.
RORERT p NOBLE.