Part 24

As the morning advanced, each ship hoisted the colours of her nation: several schooners came down near us, tugged along by a powerful steamer; the Mexican and Brazilian flags were amongst them.

I find, too, that even this just redeemed soil is tenanted; here are eyes that find in it the charms of home. A couple of natives came alongside, with a boat-load of fine oysters; viewing them as samples, I should imagine the air not over salubrious at the Balize, for they were miserable-looking, blighted beings, "but half made up," and shook like aspen-leaves in the sharp air of morning.

About two P.M. the pet steamers of the bar, the Pilot and the Grampus, ran down to us, and made fast to the ship's sides: away we went for a dash at the pass, the object being to force a ship drawing nearly fifteen feet over a bar having upon its ridge just twelve feet.

We soon grounded, as was anticipated; when, after a couple of hours' tugging, we were left by our steamers, although one of their skippers had sworn stoutly in the morning that he never had quitted a ship on the bar, and never would. Three vessels that had got under weigh in company with the Shakspeare were set fast about a hundred yards farther over than ourselves, and now lay right a-beam of the Coromandel drawing seventeen feet: when she will forge over is past all calculation; our own chance of a speedy move does not appear to me very bright.

All day set firm, a little movement perceptible at night: contemplate returning to New Orleans if a boat goes up to morrow.

Mem.--Never go by sea if in any haste, however tempting the prospect: just one week lost to-day, in addition to much vexation of spirit.

To complete the discomfort of our condition, the weather is raw and cold; clouds above, mud and misery below and about.

Tuesday, 24th.--Ship forging ahead slowly. At meridian the Spanish ship got away, and, in an hour after her, over slid the bark, leaving us gazing after them with longing eyes.

About six P.M. the Shakspeare took a long slide, just clearing the bowsprit of the Coromandel. Breeze getting up from S.S.E. a little sea coming in. Our pilot, it seems, does not know when the tide is at its highest, but thinking we might slide over suddenly in the night, this efficient person now quitted us, taking to our larger neighbour, whose chance, I am sorry to say, does not seem great of a hasty removal. She lies nearly on her beam-ends, with very little motion, thirteen feet water under her bowsprit end.

After amusing myself all day taking different bearings, and calculating each inch we made, got disgusted at last, and about midnight crept into bed, praying Heaven henceforward to be kept clear of all bars, from this of the Balize to the bar of the Old Bailey; although I do think, if I had a choice, I should prefer being arraigned for highway-robbery, or any other gentlemanlike felony, at the latter, to the being kept for a month weltering in mud upon the former.

Wednesday, 25th.--Prospect a little brighter, a swell setting in from the eastward; the ship evidently working over, as we now have sixteen feet water within half our length ahead: day mild and clear, with a south-easterly breeze: all the passengers busy noting our snail-like progress: the poor Coromandel, which is fixed as a rock, affords us an excellent land-mark; we have slipped by her inch by inch. At three o'clock P.M. the ship's bow is all alive, the heel alone hangs on the ridge: a French brig is just taking the bar, and rapidly nears us. At four P.M., just as the Frenchman came abreast of us, and her crew raised a cheer, the Shakspeare launched forward, as though just sent from the stocks; and, as all hands of us were on deck, with the poop and forecastle both well manned, we gave forth an involuntary hurrah, in which the crew of the Coromandel, who were all forward watching the result, heartily joined: the cheer of the dashing little Frenchman was in this way fairly drowned.

Our captain seems a smart hand; he had his sails trimmed, and the Shakspeare heading seaward, in less than no time: nor was it long before we reached the boundary line of the great river. At some six or seven miles from the bar a well-defined line is observable, stretching away north and south, with a regular curve outward. On all sides within this arch the water is thick and muddy, and immediately without this is the clear deep blue of the gulf; yet the influence of the current of the Mississippi is sensibly felt full seventy miles to the southward, its strength being found to set in that direction.

Our breeze freshened gradually all the evening, until by midnight it blew a rattler; but, thank Heaven, we are clear of the mud; no more lead-lines bandying about the decks.

Friday, 27th.--How time flies! and yet how same has been my existence since this day week,--five days of expectation, with but two of action; yet the fifty-secondth part of the year is away scarce marked! One is here actually compelled to turn back to the date of one's last mem. and look what day one has fallen on, so hard is it to keep note of time without occupation, or the remembrancers that surround us in our daily affairs on shore. I do not wonder at Crusoe notching his stick; the wonder is, that he should have been able to decide whether or no to-day was yesterday.

All is calm and fixed above, with a long easterly swell rolling under our foot, which does not seem likely to subside, although, as our captain informs me, unusual at this time of year. Large logs of blackened timber drift about, reminding us of the great river within whose influence we yet unhappily remain, although but twenty hours of fair wind would lead us round the Tortugas, within the influence of the gulf-stream. Employed all my morning shooting at bottles as empty as myself; this, with eating, drinking, and ecarte, forms the amusement and occupation of the day. I have heard of people who could read and write on ship-board; but, for myself, protest I never could do either with the least possible satisfaction.

Last night the Connecticut steamer passed close by us, bound for Havannah; I could not help wishing she had been compelled to give Billy Shakspeare a pull.

Whilst at whist in the night, a passenger was reported dead of cholera. "Well," said our chief, "if he's dead, we must bury him, that's all." It was an old man, whose only daughter, with her husband and child, were on board; and the report is, that he has been grossly neglected by this pair, having been very well when received.

Saturday, 28th.--Seven A.M.; went upon deck, and was delighted to find stun-sails on both sides, a clear blue sky above, reflected on a sea of the same colour, only crested with wreaths of snowy whiteness: wind about west by north. What an instantaneous elasticity does the spirit gather up from a change like this! I had quitted my room despondingly, having slept sound and hearing no indications of a breeze; the dull heavy creak of the bulk-heads alone spoke of motion; when, on gaining the poop-deck, a fair, free breeze, and an atmosphere filled with life and vigour, awaited to be hailed.

Our dead passenger was uppermost in my mind, and I made inquiry of the officer of the watch respecting the hour appointed for committing the corpse to the sea, until that time when Judgment might claim its own from the deep caves of ocean. I found, however, that the old man was in no way prepared to avail himself of this day's sunshine for his dark journey, being, on the contrary, alive if not merry.

It appears that, whilst busied about the last offices offered by the living to the dead, signs of life had been discovered by his attendants, and the expiring flame gently reinvigorated by judicious friction and brandy and water, the old man's ancient bane, and now his antidote. I hastened to see this dead-alive, and found him perfectly conscious of his restoration to "this breathing world;" but I imagine the respite can only be for a very limited period. Captain Collins had the jolly-boat fitted up for him on the main-deck, and, when placed in it on a clean comfortable bed, his pulse was barely perceptible; his eye was glazed and dim, and his frame emaciated to a degree that was painful to contemplate. The daughter is a fair-haired devil of two-and-twenty, tall and hearty, but exhibits a callous want of feeling and a disregard of opinion, seldom met with in the most ruffianly of our sex, and truly shocking in a woman.

The father, I learn, is from the state of New Jersey, where he possesses a good farm, and flocks and herds, to which this Goneril will succeed on his demise; hence it is that she looks upon his nurses with no love or gratitude. The poor old man, in hopes of augmenting her store, had quitted his pleasant possessions in Jersey, to seek wealth amongst the swamps of the Mississippi. How long, I wonder, will the fluttering soul, evidently plumed and eager for its flight, be held within the frail, worn-out prison-house? Its flight!--but whither and to what? "Ay, there's the rub!" the riddle, which this poor wretch will probably solve before the wisest living philosopher could build a single conjecture towards it.

Last night it appears the calf got loose in the stall, and joyfully helped itself to the food supplied by nature to the mother for its sustenance; in consequence, we, for this morning, are minus milk for breakfast. With a decision prompt and unanimous, this act was voted a robbery, the calf a felon, and the award death without delay. No counsel was called for the hungry youngster, nor a voice heard in Nature's behalf; the absence of the customary supply of milk was considered evidence conclusive and damnatory; the hearts of judge and jurors were superseded by their appetites, and doubtless the criminal calf must die the death.

All day our fine wind follows us; the sun is hot; we have an awning spread over the whole of the noble poop-deck, and within its shade we lounge or lie about in the most perfect luxury of idleness, whilst the Shakspeare majestically moves forward on her course, with just motion enough to be pleasant.

Sunday, 29th.--This morning we found our table abundantly supplied with milk; which, together with a burnt-offering of the inconsiderate calf's liver, bore undoubted evidence of the steward's prompt execution of the court's decree. Thinking it a pity such an example of strict justice should be lost to the world, I have, as far as this record goes, done my utmost to preserve it. Wind still abaft the beam, blowing a steady, constant sort of blow; sun cheerful, and sea all alive. About meridian a shore-bird, rather like a woodcock, but considerably larger, came fluttering round the ship, evidently wearied by long flight, yet fearing to confide in our hospitality; and not without reason, faith! for one of our passengers gave me notice of the stranger, and gravely requested me to shoot it. I said nothing; but the ship and cargo could not have bribed me to raise a barrel against that timid, storm-worn, home-sick bird: no, if he would trust in me, he should have rest and food, and so fly back to his lone mistress rejoicing.

Our old man breathes still, but shows little disposition to make an effectual rally against the foe: for the rest, crew and passengers, all are well. A number of Irish lads occupy the between-decks: they have a fiddle amongst them, and "welt the flure" on the forecastle, every night, with a perseverance that is most amusing.

Thursday, April 2nd.--Since the 28th ult., light west and south-westerly winds, with warm balmy days. This morning we lost one of our crew overboard, an exceedingly pretty parroquet I had purchased at New Orleans: it was an amusing, active little creature, and on several occasions had crept through the bars of its cage, and slily gone up the rigging, whence it had, after a time, descended of itself, or had been brought down by one of the boys: but frequent peril incurred with impunity breeds presumption, and towering ambition knows no safe halting-place; so my poor, pretty Poll, on each new climb, gained a more giddy and more dangerous elevation, until on this day, attracted by her usual scream of exultation, I cast my eyes upwards in search of her, and quickly made her out, strutting to the weather-end of the royal yard-arm, the loftiest perch in the ship.

I augured ill of the attempt, and was watching her movements, when, either impelled by an innate love of liberty, or lured by some fragrant odour borne on the air from the distant woods of Florida, she made a bold flight in the direction of the land, and fell into the sea a little distance a-head of the ship.

Poll was a favourite, and Captain Collins a kind-hearted man: the Shakspeare was brought by the wind, and various efforts made to near the silly bird; but all in vain: we went rapidly past her, and left her to the fate her presumption had courted. The efforts the little creature made to approach the vessel were incessant, and almost painful to regard: from the instant she touched the waves, her head was kept to the ship, which she strove to regain by flapping along the surface with her maimed short-clipped pinions. I felt that I could have saved her; and only for shame, and the great trouble it would have necessarily caused, I should assuredly have slipped over the side after the miserable little fool.