Year: 1877

ed on board around q most excellent
late dinner At this moment an ugly
squall struck us and created some con-
sternatiOn, but did no damage. The
vessel rocked and pitched 30 as to rem.
der lOcomotion except on ell f0urs next
to an impossibllity. One or two efforts
we're made to go about In the usual
manner but they resulted in the parties
plunging head foremost into the dinner
things and disarranging them in the
most unceremonious manner The sky
In the West becoming quite angry and
threatening 1t was decided best to
weigh anchor and hurry into q better
harbor. Where we laid, the beach was
long one with shallow water its en-
tire length, with the wind blowing on
shore where If Q hard blow came
up we would have been beaten
and banged about and had but
little rest for the night, with
chance of dragging anchor and be-
ing beached before morning. So gulp-
ing down the rest of our dinner and
hustling away the paraphernalis, we
put out for Deer Island, which we
reached about the time 1t grew COM
paratively calm, and nearly all signs
of a storm had disappeared. Lying at
anchor an hour or so, we again hauled
in, and concluded we would run dur
ing the night and try at least to get
into open sea. So once more began
the tedious tacking. Sometime after
midnight genuine gale sprung up,
and for three hours we floundered and
pitched about In The most uncomforta-
BILE manner, sl on deck trying to
sleep, except the crew, who had their
hands full. Three OF US lay across the
center matches under the toresail with
the boom so low that every time
tack was made II nearly raked our
noses, and as the vessel was put about
we had to put about also to avoid the
unpleasant position of attempting to
sleep with our heels at an angle Of
some thirty degrees above our heads.
The spray dashed across deck every
now and then in great sheets,
and literally drenched those lying near
est the bow, driving them down in the
hot cabin 10 sweat il out the balance OF
the night. One or two came near
tumbling overheard in trying 10 navi.
gate on foot. On the whole 1t was such
a shaking up as many OF US have been
wishing and such one as we will not
be averse TO avoiding from this out.


After season OF rough tumbling,
and when we were still inside of Ship
Island, and as far from our land OF
dreams as ever, with the sea growing
worse every moment, the vessel was
suddenly faced about and once more
headed for Deer Island, around the
eastern point OF which we sailed and
cast anchor with the Island between us
and the wind as the sun came up ma
jestically in the east. Here we laid
fishing, bathing, seiniug and growing
over our bad luck until near sun.down,
when we ran over here and passed the
night, some going ashore while others
remained on board and fought mos
quitoes till they were absolutely torn
away from us by the force Of the wind,
which sprang up about ten o'clock and
continued, to our supreme delight,
during the night.


1t is doubtful when we will leave
here. We are waiting for fair wind.
1t may come In an hour or 1t may de-
lay SO long as 10 wear US out and IN.
duce US to give up our pet point and
drift away anywhere with the wind
/ perhaps TO Mobile. Were il not that
we had ordered our letters and papers
to Pass Christian and Bay 81. Louis,
we would at once put out eastward and
| 90 down on the Florida coast. Ten to
one after we have tackled, aud tackled,
aud tackled and got as far west as we
want to go. and desire q west wind, we
will then have a dose from the east 10
keep up the hub.bub and worry the
life ont Of US.


We make ourselves comfortable on
deck. We are never in want of q
breeze from some point, and with our
awnings up we can be as lazy and
sleep as much aud as soundly as we de.
sire. We have not laid. anywhere but
that we could catch some kinds OF fish
from deck as fast as we want. But 80
far we have been annoyed by sharks
and catfish, they constituting our man
catch. We have done land.ofllce
business In crabs, and they have en-
tered largely into our die. Yesterday
we flushed full peck Of crab gumbo.


B. Il. 7.