The daily sentinel., 1909-02-26
shipman. Miss, Feb. 10.

NlAcSsF r 6bs L y
TEe Daily Sentinel.
1 left New Orleans on warm sui
try morning. taking the steamer
Manteo for Mobile. We left at Fri
day noon, and should have made the
trip in "a hours.
sat on deck. enjoying the scenery,
until was driven inside by hard
shower which lasted an hour; then
| went out again.
The country is very fiat. Govern
ment boats, with crews of men, were
at work making new or strengthen
ing the old leyees with small shovels,
and the large steam ones protecting
the cane plantations. Embow-
cred in groves of magnolia or live
oak, with festoons of gray moss, were
fine old southern mansions. some OF
them weather-worn and neglected,
others fresh with white paint and
having prosperous air. Then we
saw many a settlement of houses and
a small cane sugar mill, and miles of
sugar cane.
Late in the afternoon l saw a great
funnel-shaped black cloud, extending
TO the ground ahead of us. 1 asked
one of the officers if 1t was a torna-
do. He said he thought it was a
marsh fire, and so it proved to be.
AS we came nearer it was magnifi-
cent sight. The fire was about 2
miles long. and the flames blazed up
as high as tall trees. l watched it
for many miles, until it had disap-
peared behind n bend of the river.
l retired early and had not slept
long when l was awakened by the
blowing of the whistle and the sharp
and quick ringing of a bell. The
rtA CT n
stopped again. | ran out into the
cabin and then on deck, but could
not see a soul. but could hear voices.
/ came to the conclusion that some
thing had happened. and | determ-
ined to find out what it was. At last
| found one of the crew, leaning over
the rail very composed. | asked him
what was the matter, Was there an
accident? No, he said, we were in
a heavy fog and might have TO lay
there all night.
There were many boats and YES
sells of different kinds anchored near.
We were then IL miles from the gulf.
I could see the light from a light
house. The fog was SO dense that
the lights of the other vessels could
not be seen, but / could hear the
sharp ringing of bells and the whis-
ties in all directions and from our
steamer. and the deep-toned tolling
of a bell that seemed to come from
far across the water. | heard them
all at intervals all night.
The next morning at O'Clock we
were still in the same place; but soon
we were under way again.
saw the Eads ietties, built out
almost into the gulf. Work is still
in operation upon them. Large nat
boats, loaded with boughs to be used
for the work, were to be seen.
lust before entering the gulf and
on either side was great eXpanse
of fiat marshes and water as lar as
the eye could reach, and Hooks OF
sea gulls flying, circling and dipping
into the water. Not a sound coulu
he heard but the splashing OF water
and the clanking of the machinery OF
our boat. 1t was most uesoi"' 'e
scene.
After we had entered the gulf the
waves began to roll gently; ana then
as we got out of the sight OF lahu'
they were not so gentle. ! began 10
feel rather queer. but determined
that | would stay outside ana see an
that was to be seen. The water was
very blue-so was l.
| did not enjoy the scene as mucll
as 7 thought | would, and retired to
INV SIuIeTOODI anu btAN
We did not reach Mobile upti, u
Sunday morning-nearly as hours III
making the trip, instead OF "a.
We ran into several dense toss
during the day. Sometimes the boa,
would stop at anchor; then II woui9
move slowly. blowing its whistle anu
ringing bells in warning. was
scared stiff. - .1rc
were many lights from vessels anu
brilliant lights from four lighthouses
far apart. There was pilot ooat
ablaze with lights. the captain Vi
our vessel talked through mega,
nhone to the pilot boat, asking II
there had been much fog.
AS I looked out OF my window we
passed what appeared to me to be
an immense top as large as hogs
head. bobbing up and down in the
water, ringing and changing nke
harsh-toned bell. Our searchiigh'
was turned on It, 1t was something
I had never seen before-a buoy