THE BATTALION.
7
vessel. During-clear weather, this trip would have lasted
an hour, but owing- to the stormy weather, it took us about
four hours to reach the ship. When we arrived on board of
the ship, the weather had calmed down a little, and the sun
was shining again.
At half past eleven the signal for departure was given.
I stood out on"'the deck of our'veseel as it sailed along the
German coast, until the latter was lost from view, and I was
not sorry to see it disappear.
At about eight o’clock that evening, we reached the
mouth of the English channel. The sea being here rather
rough, it took us several hours to get through the entrance as
it was very narrow. The next day was the Glorious Fourth
when we entered the English channel at Southampton, situ
ated in the English channel. I saw two American men-of
war covered with flags celebrating independence day by tiring
salutes, which were answered from time to time by the Eng
lish ports and other foreign battleships which were in the
harbor.
We remained about half an hour in Southampton, and
then sailed to Cherbourg, France, across the channel. Ow
ing to repairs which our ship had to undergo, we were de
tained in this port for two days, during which time I went on
land. We left Cherbourg on the sixth, and passed the first
four days of our voyage without any incidents, but on the
morning of the fifth day, a storm was raging, which tossed
our ship about as if it were not heavier than a nutshell.
This was naturallv very unpleasant, for the passengers