I can truly say I never beheld a scene so fearful, and at the same time so sublime. Next morning we found ourselves on the banks of Newfoundland, and in the region of floating icebergs, which we have been trying to avoid for three days past. During the day we saw three icebergs, the nearest being about three miles off. It is truly a grand sight to see these immense fields of ice drifting on the bosom of the mighty deep, while the rays of the burning sun reflect a dazzling light on the waters round about. From these crystal plains rise, sometimes lated, sometimes in groups, elevations of thirty feet or more in height. In the spring, these fields begin to drift along in solemn procession to the southward, in which direction they hold their steady course, whether in calm or in spite of adverse winds. In my next you shall have a description of our voyage to our journey's end. LETTER TWO. IRISH CHANNEL, below Liverpool. Journalizing-Better Prospects ahead-Speaking a ship-Interesting Jury Trial at SeaAmusements-Irish News-Uproar on board-Sea Fowls-White Rat-Cabin Passenger lashed to the shrouds by the Sailors-Sunset at Sea-Cape Clear by moonlight-Bursting of Champagne Corks-Incidents in the Irish Channel. THERE is no established mode of journalizing at sea, as every person has his own peculiar way of seeing and noting incidents en route. In looking over my little journal, I find many things worthy of comment, but must omit them in this sheet, in order that I may give prominence to the more interesting features of the voyage, and relieve you from the tedium of perusal. In my last, written some fifteen days since, from the Banks of Newfoundland, I mentioned our ill luck in meeting unfavorable winds, which seemed to impede our progress in spite of our anxiety to proceed and our experience in nautical matters; but fortunately, while we were feeling something as Jonah did when the whale swallowed him, (rather down in the mouth,) a spanking breeze sprung up and carried us at a fine rate for several days. But this good luck was not of long duration; we had scarcely got through congratulating the captain, when adverse winds began to blow, and continued for several days, driving us a great way out of our course, towards the north of Ireland. The day after we left the Banks we spoke the Belona, a ship bound for New-York from Liverpool. No day has elapsed since our departure without being in sight of a sail; this was the first vessel' that came near enough to pass the usual compliments-such as the hoisting of flags and interchange of longitude. This ship came near enough to hear the shouts of the emigrants which crowded her decks. As an American citizen, my heart exulted with pride and admiration as I heard the shouts that filled the air when we hoisted from the spanker jib the stars and stripes of our free and happy country, to whose shores they were going like the Israelites of old to the promised land. During a long voyage passengers are compelled to resort to all sorts of ways to kill time and make the monotony tolerable. Amusements of every description are brought into repute, and each one's ingenuity is taxed to diversify and render them interesting. After we had exhausted our patience in playing the various games, such as whist, chess, backgammon, shuffleboard, etc., etc., we resorted to trials by jury and publication of newspapers, both of which furnished an infinite deal of amusement. Cases of assault and battery, libel, and breach of promise were tried regularly. One of our legal friends officiated as judge, Mr. L. as clerk, an Englishman as sheriff, and your humble servant, together with a gentleman from Philadelphia, were the counsellors. The cases were all decided by the court against the defendants; and the verdicts were champagne for the crowd at Cape Clear. Our judge was exceedingly punctilious about maintaining the dignity of the court, and having the causes conducted in order. He fined several gentlemen two or three bottles of champagne for contempt of court. Among the sufferers was your old friend, who was fined two bottles for taking a seat beside his honor on the bench. Nothing has created so much amusement during our passage as the newspapers, which are read out every day at table. We are indebted to one of our party who is known at home as the knight of the gray goose quill, for the publication of the first paper, called the called Waterloo Budget, which created great merriment. Some of the gentlemen, thinking rivalry the road to success, started another paper the Stormy Petrel, which also created considerable merriment, and caused a deal of laughter and comment. These papers were kept up until good taste suggested their discontinuance. To give you an inkling of the contents of these papers, I will make a few extracts, selecting those that were received with most applause : EXTRACTS From the Waterloo Budget and the Stormy Petrel, published on board the Waterloo, at Sea. WATERLOO BUDGET.—Alarming Incident.-As the Waterloo was on her late passage from New-York to Liverpool, the officer on watch and all in the vicinity were greatly startled and alarmed towards what Burns termed the "sma' hours," by a grating or jarring sound which appeared as if it proceeded from the ship's bottom. Some thought it might be caused by that natural phenomenon, a sub-marine earthquake. Others thought the ship's keel had dragged over some rocks. But "great effects proceed from little causes;" it finally turned out to be no more nor less than the voices of sun. dry gentlemen, in full chorus over that classical ditty "Uncle Ned." The participants at last accounts were doing as well as could be expected. Lusus Naturæ.-Cases are given by travellers of districts of country in Arkansas and Texas, where the ague is so violent as to cause chickens to shake all their feathers off. We have recently had brought under our notice something quite as strange, viz., a rat which on a voyage to Europe became perfectly white, the result, doubtless, of paleness and disgust caused by seasickness. The poor fellow was on his way to the World's Fair. Squalls.-The next debate by that enlightened body, the Latitudinarians, will be on the question, "What are the causes of squalls, as well when the mercury is up in the barometer, as when it is down?" Bachelors are expected to participate in the discussion. Ladies' Fashions.-Joseys and sacks for promenading, with a very pretty style of cottage bonnets, something on the coal scuttle order. Hair, à la Grecque, when a reef occasionally gets shaken out of it. Prices Current.-Whiskey Punch-The stiffest article, quick sale and the demand steady. Porter-Pretty good demand for the best. LemonadeFlat. Whiskers and Moustaches-Black in good demand, much sought af ter and but little in market; red and foxy, a perfect drug, the market being largely overstocked; gray scarce, and no call for them. Would be exchanged.-A pair of "sea-legs" for any thing that could toddle about on the solid earth-shape or length immaterial, as the advertiser is desperate. Wanted, by an individual, (not a doctor,) any amount of patience; application to be made at the weather side of the quarter deck, the first rainy day, when the wind is from the north-east. STORMY PETREL.-Singular Incident.-Our peaceful community was very much startled from its propriety on Sunday last by a great outcry, and the rumor that something as yet unclassified in natural history had been discovered in the rigging of the vessel. All hands rushed upon deck, and beheld an object at some elevation in the rigging. Some supposed it to be a bird, while others thought it was a novel species of turtle that had crept out of the ocean. The bird theory was principally advocated by a gentleman from Brummagem, who unhesitatingly declared his conviction that it was only a lark; some of the more timid passengers were considerably alarmed, but were re-assured by the chivalrous Johnson, who informed them "it was all right." On further investigation, it appeared that the object in question was a gentleman from Tennessee, who having ventured up the rigging, in violation. of well established maritime law, was seized by the sailors and lashed fast, as an example to all land lubbers. He was not allowed to come down from his bad elevation, until he had engaged to come down with a modicum of grog for his captors. -the sea-I'm on the sea, The sea-the sea I'm where I don't want to be; With the sky above and the sea below, And nought but salt water wherever we go. Many other pieces were read which would bear insertion, but as postage is heavy, and patience rare, I will not insert them. During our passage we were followed by sea fowls of various descriptions far away from land. It is really surprising to watch their movements. The gull, which is the largest and most common, will follow a vessel for days without even resting on the waters, except occasionally when they dart down to catch a fish, or a crumb from the ship. A few evenings since, one of our passengers was disturbed in his berth by a strange visitor in the shape of a rat, but being of a different hue from rats generally, it was doubted for a time whether the gentleman was correct in his supposition about its being a white rat. The following day the mysterious visitor again appeared, and was seen by several-all of which the mate confirmed, stating that he saw it come on board in New-York, from a China ship. I have often heard persons expatiate on the beauties of a sun-set at sea, and expected to find it far more beautiful than any thing we landsmen are blessed with; but I was sadly disappointed, as we were not favored with a clear evening sky during the passage, and in the absence of the many hues created on land by reflection, it failed to present to my mind the beauties I anticipated. On the evening of the twenty-second day, while we were all out on the quarter-deck, hoping to be soon in sight of land, we were aroused by the voice of a female in the steerage crying, "A duck, a duck, a fish-duck!" which immediately put us on the look-out. After gazing and straining our eyes in fruitless attempts for some time, one of the sailors descried Mizen Head from the mast-head, which verified the woman's duck story. In a short time after this joyous news, the captain pointed out to us the highlands of Cape Clear, which appeared to me in the distance like a small cloud on the horizon; but as we drew nearer and nearer, the land became more distinct, and was visible to the naked eye. After we were fully satisfied that Cape Clear was really in view, it was suggested by one of the party that we might as well call out that champagne imposed by the Honorable Court. All acquiesced, and the wine circulated freely, making us feel happy and disposed to witticism and merriment. The following day we were blessed with another calm, and stood |