Describes leaving Mackinac Island on the Pacific. Transcription: on the point of fisty cuffs with him [Alfred Waud], out of sheer desolation of it. Tis the lowest thing in the world for a man to pride himself on, the possession of brute, animal courage. I have no drop of cowardly blood in my body I believe, but hold such threats of blows as utterly revolting to good taste, and almost cowardly. / The row however blew over, we all dined, and then the bell of the Pacific was heard. A brief good bye to [William] Barths gentle-faced wife [Maria Bartha], (whom I ?ve half learned to think of as a si
Describes leaving Mackinac Island on the Pacific. Transcription: on the point of fisty cuffs with him [Alfred Waud], out of sheer desolation of it. Tis the lowest thing in the world for a man to pride himself on, the possession of brute, animal courage. I have no drop of cowardly blood in my body I believe, but hold such threats of blows as utterly revolting to good taste, and almost cowardly. / The row however blew over, we all dined, and then the bell of the Pacific was heard. A brief good bye to [William] Barths gentle-faced wife [Maria Bartha], (whom I ?ve half learned to think of as a sister,) a call in at the Gardiners, and then I bolt down the steep stairway to the little town & wharf, Barth, Waud & Hayes accompanying to see me off. Heartily sorry was I to say farewell to Barth, ? whatever may have been his past escapades, of him it may be said he ?ǣhas loved much, ? and has a rich, human, friendly heart. Very near to me has he drawn during the last four weeks. Much could I write, much shall I think of him, ever with liking & honor. / The rain had ceased, but the fog hung low over Mackinac, as off we start, I in converse with Frank Noble. Through all the rainy afternoon following, and a terribly beautiful storm at night. All the horizon closing in behind us was a vast indigo mass of cloud, in one part strangely ending in a sort of squared arch, beyond which was a pale lurid glare. From the dense parts of the sky momentarily would quiver and danze a huge lightning pyre, spasmodically columner. For hours this continued, the dread thunder rolling and crashing above, and the rain falling like heaven ?s wrath. The vessel rolled and pitched, and when I turned in to my berth, (the snuggest of state-cabins) still the storm was at its heighth, and continued raging all the night! Title: Thomas Butler Gunn Diaries: Volume 6, page 111, September 18, 1853 . 18 September 1853. Gunn, Thomas Butler, 1826-1903
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