Petals Plucked from Sunny ClimesBrooks, A. M. (Abbie M.)
History
Petals Plucked from Sunny Climes
Brooks, A. M. (Abbie M.)
Cuba -- Description and travel; Florida -- Description and travel; Florida -- History
Does any one know what a sailing-voyage, in a coasting-vessel, from
Tampa to Key West--a distance of two hundred and fifty miles--implies?
Some may suppose it to be a kind of flying motion through the air, or
skimming swiftly over the waters, like a sea-gull in rough weather; but
those who have tried the experiment find it quite the reverse. It means
a little good sailing, an occasional fine breeze thrown in, with many
disagreeable things to be encountered and forgotten as soon as possible.
For instance, the first night after leaving, under favorable
appearances, the wind dies out, the mainsail hangs flabby as a beggar's
rags in a thunder-shower; the sailors lower the canvas, put out the
anchor, and all retire. Numerous drum-fish select the hull of the vessel
as their camping-ground, where they serenade us all night with a
peculiar drumming noise, while the loon from the shore catches the
refrain, and utters its unearthly screams, which disturb our repose,
mingling with dreams of hideous mien. The mattress is hard as Pharaoh's
heart. Bilge-water keeps the cabin supplied with an odor resembling
sulphur-spring surroundings. Fleas enter the list of perplexities, to
draw rations from our perishable nature, run races, and practice
acrobatic movements on our bodies, with astonishing facility. Roaches as
long as your little finger look at us as if meditating a fierce attack,
which, if executed, must result in our annihilation. Three small
children lying close by are screaming alternately, from interrupted
slumbers, caused by advances from the insect tribe. Their father, who is
a Methodist preacher, applies hand-plasters, which silence the batteries
temporarily. This will be found a charming place for the exercise of
patience, without the fortitude of Job to endure trials. Day dawns, and
with it comes breakfast. Strong coffee, seasoned with highly-colored
sugar, the mixture stirred with a table-knife, and drunk from a tin cup,
together with well-salted meat, fried eggs, and hard-tack, furnish the
repast. Unpalatable as this food appears to an epicurean taste, the
sailors devour it with a relish, as it gives them strength to endure
many hardships. The morning wind is fair, although light, and we are
sailing again toward Terrasilla Bay, which is a portion of Tampa,
bearing another name. The sugar-crop is waiting for shipment to Key
West, and our invoice not being full, we stop for freight. Numerous bars
line this bay, where oysters of a delicious flavor, and clams of immense
size--some of them weighing three pounds, with the shell--are obtained
at low tide without dredging.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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