The Republican journal., 1907-04-25
SAILING SOUTH.
STORMY SEAS AND sULLEN SKIES.

STORMY SEAS AND SULLEN SKIES.
Two tourists who returned from Bel
fast, Ireland, few years ago, left Bel
fast, Maine, on the 1890 p. m. train
April 5tb, for the Sunny South. AT
least, they supposed that to be their des-
tination; but the sunny part was not in
evidence. 1t was a dismal day with a
pouring rain when the train pulled out
of the Belfast station, but the rain did
not extend beyond Portland and when
Boston was reached about s p. M, it
was clear and cold Saturday morning
it was still colder, with fierce north
west wind blowing. A visit was made
to the Common and the Public Garden,
but the ponds were dry and no buds or
blossoms were visible. Apparently the
season was as backward here as in
Maine The steamship Kershaw of the
Merchant & Miners Transportation Co.
was to sail at 3 p. m. from Battery
wharf for Norfolk and Baltimore, and
before that hour the tourists were on
board and had their belongings slowed
in the stateroom assigned them. 1t was
4 O'Clock before the lines were cast off,
freight having been rushed aboard until
the last minute. 1t seemed to consist
mostly of packages for the Massachu
sets exhibit at jamestown, but includ-
ed shoes, step-ladders, bicycles, camp
stools, etc. When the steamer left the
dock her deck was crowded, but there
was slim representation at supper.
The course of the steamer from Boston
to Gay Head describes very nearly three
sides of a square. On leaving Boston
the course is straight out to sea until
clear of Cape Cod, then nearly at right
angles down the cape; and then, off
Monomoy, another sharp turn, and then
from Gay Head it is almost a direct
course to- Cape Charles at the entrance
to Chesapeake bay. In going over the
shoals the searchlight was in constant
use lighting up the passing craft. When
an hour out from Boston we overhauled
and passed the steamship Chattahoo-
chic of the same line bound for Savan-
nah, and which had left port an hour
before us.
Here | will digress little to say
something of the Merchant & Miners
Transportation Go. The Boston and
Baltimore line was established in 1854,
nd fh1 ret of I
of the sidewheel type, two masted and
square-r rugged forward Sails were used
when the winds favored. Later, pro-
pellers of 1,400 tons, of the same rig,
were used. These were wooden boats
The present steamers are steel propel-
lers with two pole maStS and spread no
canvass. They are built for a-going
and have weathered many severe gale.
In September, 1874 the writer made the
trip from Baltimore to Boston in the
William Lawrence of this line, and said
of it at the time: ''The Lawrence is
fine, staunch, we'll appointed and well
differed ship, on board which one need
not fear to tempt the rude Atlantic in
its toughest moods. The experienced
eye will not fail to note the staunch life
boats, ready equipped for an emergency,
the fire apparatus, the general complete
ness of the outfit, and the strength and
solidity everywhere. Moreover the
table is excellent, the staterooms neat
ly kept, and the berths the most COM
Portable | ever slept in. | write this
with receipt in my pocket for fifteen
dollars passage money, SO that l cannot
be justly accused of writing puff in
consideration OF favors received 1t
may be stated here that the fare today,
which includes meals and stateroom,
is only ten dollars. In May, 1875, l
made q second trip on this line, from
Norfolk to Boston on the George APP
pold, and it confirmed the good i'm
pressions formed on the formervo
To return to the voyage south. We
had anticipated after rounding Cape
. COD smooth seas and d balmy atmos-
phere and looked forward to lolling all
day Sunday on deck in comfortable
steamer chairs. These expectations
were not realized. Before we were clear
of Cape Cod the great majority of the
passengers had sought the seclusion of
their staterooms. The wind was in such
a quarter that there was no lee any
where on deck, and the atmosphere
grew colder and the sea rougher as we
advanced. We had the shore in sight
as long as the daylight lasted; first,
Long Island, and then the Jersey coast,
the scene of so many wrecks. Only
eight, including three ladies, responded
to the meal calls. One young man,
whose wife was confined to her state
room by the prevailing malady. was not
sick himself but was badly frightened
and remained in the smoking room all
day. The writer has had quite an ex-
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