was always teaching our noble ship the 'push along, keep moving system,' was the same Curtis* whom Fanny has immortalized-the hero who shook her roughly by the arm, to awake her to the glories of New-York harbor by sunrise. And we had, too, a well-assorted variety of passengers, including a young couple, going forth on a bridal tour—and all inclined to be merry and sociable. And like the rich man in the parable, we fared sumptuously every day. Truly it was a pleasant time we had. I almost concluded that the terrors of a sea voyage were fabulous; for we could scarcely have been more comfortable, even, at our best hotels. You well know how famous are our packet ships, particularly those of the Liverpool line, for beauty, fast sailing, and elegant accommodations; and the ' Eng. land' is second to none.† 'She walks the water like a thing of life.' You may perhaps be interested in the few mems made during the passage, but as to "story, bless me! I have none to tell, sir!" March 16th, (first day): steamer left us at 3 1.2 P. M. Before dark, the last faint glimmering of land had disappeared, and we were alone on the vast expanse of ocean, with the heavens for our canopy. At dinner, the worthy captain, the despotic sovereign of our little world for the time-being, introduces its inhabitants to each other, with some occasional bon-mots, 'taking wine' with each at the *Then of the Pacific.' + I was gratified to find that the New-York packets are visited among other lions at Liverpool, as models and curiosities in naval architecture. Voyage to Liverpool. 75 table in succession, and doing the honors' with both dignity and good-humor. 17th. Awakened by the lowing of the cow, crowing of chanticleer, and gabbling of the ducks,-strange sounds for a morning at sea. We e go 'ten knots;' sea begins to swell. **** 18th. I must acknowledge a queer feeling, a little anti-salubrious, for a couple of hours, but now I am well as ever, though the ship rolls, and pitches, and thumps me and the moveables about most unmercifully. Saw for the first time what the sailors would call a 'heavy sea;' which tosses our huge vessel like an egg-shell, and but for the nonchalance of the captain, and the coolness of the sailors standing on the ropes and yards a hundred feet above, and projecting over the dark abyss, a landman might think there was danger in't. You know my propensity for quotations :-did you ever appreciate Byron's apostrophe to the Ocean ? "Thou glorious mirror, where the Almighty's form Calm or convulsed-in breeze, or gale, or storm, Icing the pole, or in the torrid clime Dark heaving;-boundless, endless, and sublime— The image of Eternity-the throne Of the Invisible; even from out thy slime The monsters of the deep are made: each zone Obeys thee; thou goest forth dread, fathomless, alone.” And then how accurate are the lines : "O'er the glad waters of the dark blue sea, Our thoughts as boundless, and our souls as free." The water is literally of this color, and looks very different from that near the shore. But the sublime, the awful commotion; the dark waters lashed into snow-white foam, rising into vast hills and forming fearful chasms between ; and yet our gallant bark rides proudly over them and goes on her way 'rejoicing as a strong man to run a race.' Splendid sunset-it looked for all the world' like a pillar of fire, resting on the water. We have sailed five de. grees in twenty-four hours. 19th. N. W. snow, rain, and hail storm-cold and dreary. Sea looks magnificently. Helped the captain assort the ship's letters; there are 6,159! and yet there is a packet from New-York to Great Britain seven times a month. While the men were discussing whiskey.punch for the health of sweethearts and wives,' (as usual on Saturday evenings at sea) I was ungallant enough to be revising the London catalogue of books,' and heard a whisper of one of the carousers :— "A 'chiels' amang us takin' notes, 22d. By the captain's "observation" we are in long. 54 deg. or 1000 miles from New-York. Ladies still under the weather.' After dinner, a concert of 'sweet songs' from Zip Coon to Barney Brallaghan, and the captain's Old England's on our lee, my boys.' 25th. We do not lack diversion, and to-day we had fun extraordinary. Mr., a good-natured soul, not overstocked in his upper deck' was formally indicted for divers misdemeanors, and brought before a regular court in Voyage to Liverpool. 77 the ladies' cabin, with a jury of four, and the captain in suitable robes, perched on the bench as my lord the judge.' The district attorney, Mr. opened the prosecution with five counts'-charging the prisoner with entering the ladies' cabin without permission-riding a broom-stick on deck, etc., thereby putting said ladies in great bodily fear, etc., etc. Witnesses were called and cross-questioned, the case for the people' was ably argued, and I, as counsel for the prisoner, made out the defence, closing by a hint to his worship and the gentlemen of the jury, that "The quality of mercy is not strained, It droppeth as the gentle dew from heaven Upon the place beneath." etc. The judge'summed up' and charged,' the jury retired, and brought in a verdict of guilty—his lordship put on his black cap, and pronounced sentence "that said shall not speak to said ladies for the space of twenty-four hours!"-It was all done with grave and legal form, and though you may think such child's play very silly, perhaps you would readily join in it to relieve the monotony of being day after day cooped up even in a floating palace like this. Long. 38 deg., or half-way to Liverpool; clapping of hands. Sunday, 27th. Episcopal service in the cabin, and sermon by Rev. Mr. J.-We all joined in an appropriate hymn to the tune of Old Hundred. 28th. Dancing, games, singing, and recitations on deck. Had a gale last night, which swept us along at the rate of 14 miles per hour. Breeze still fresh and fair. 31st. The sea has changed to deep green, so we must be near land.-P. M. We are now sailing along the coast of Ireland; at three o'clock we first saw land distinctly, just fifteen days after bidding adieu to our own shores. The passage seems like a dream. It has averaged 233 miles per day. Sundry speeches and toasts at dinner, complimentary to the gallant seamen who had thus, as it were, 'annihilated time and space!' April 1st. As if in keeping with the day, we are cheated of our brilliant prospects by a storm and head wind. This Irish channel is the worst part of the voyage*—the motion of the vessel is much more disagreeable than in the sea,' the open sea'-'the blue, the fresh, the ever free!' Saw two steamboats-one bound from Bristol to Waterford; also, a ship seemingly just dismasted, on the Welch coast. Eve.; passed the 'Columbus,' bound out, and signalized' ourselves by two rockets. 6 **** 4th. Well, not to be too prosy, I will only 'sum up' the voyage with a 'curtailed abbreviation' of our 'making' Holyhead, the rocky point guarding like a sentinel, the entrance to Liverpool Bay; and how we unkindly deserted our noble ship, which had borne us so gently and safely over the great deep, and stepped on board a pigmy steamer for the sake of landing a few hours sooner; and how beautiful the dear old England looked as we thus left her in * Vessels after crossing the Atlantic in 15 days, have been detained 17 more, by foggy storms in this channel. |