A Sojourn in Cuba 



water, and in a few hours all of Florida van- 

 ished. 



This excursion on the sea, the first one after 

 twenty years in the woods, was of course ex- 

 ceedingly interesting, and I was full of hope, 

 glad to be once more on my journey to the 

 South. Boreas increased in power and the Is- 

 land Belle appeared to glory in her speed and 

 managed her full-spread wings as gracefully 

 as a sea-bird. In less than a day our norther 

 increased in strength to the storm point. 

 Deeper and wider became the valleys, and yet 

 higher the hills of the round plain of water. 

 The flying jib and gaff topsails were lowered 

 and mainsails close-reefed, and our deck was 

 white with broken wave-tops. 



** You had better go below," said the captain. 

 "The Gulf Stream, opposed by this wind, is 

 raising a heavy sea and you will be sick. No 

 landsman can stand this long." I replied that 

 I hoped the storm would be as violent as his 

 ship could bear, that I enjoyed the scenery of 

 such a sea so much that it was impossible to be 

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