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Trip Across The Atlantic

Trip Across The Atlantic image
Parent Issue
Day
29
Month
October
Year
1875
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

i oí re pondence of the ÁJgus. O.v Board tuis Bolivia, Akohoe Line, Uct. 1, 187S. S My Düak Editors - It is not always easy to write legibly on ship board aud yet I feel conscious that unless I begin my nieuiorauda of travel before landing I Tday not be able to give you, and those who inay perchance wish to hear from US, anv early uotice of our transit across " the Deep." We carne aboard the steanier at New York about 12 o'cloek Saturday the 'J5th ult., accompauied by kind friends to see us off, and two hours passed awiftly by, in the conversation natural to the occasion and the circuinstances surrounding us. The ringing beli and 110tice of the fact that in five minutes the steanier would leave the dock caused a sudden exchange of hand-shakings, kisaes, and kindly wishes, and the separaron was partly eft'ected. But it is ever a most intoresting sight to see the crowd of friendly up-turned faces on the wharf, and to hear the pleasant interchange of choerful jest duiing the few brief inonieuts ere yet the vessol glides silently away amid the flutter of kerchiefs from deck and shore. As long as the eye can distinguish the crowd the white signáis of friendship are waviug till at last we turn reluctantly, almost sadly, away, and wo are uuder way. Americans leaving Xew York for foreign lands have the proud satisfaction of beholding, as it recodes in the distance, the most iaagnificent bay and harbor conibined in the woild. Others may be as beautiful by nature, soine muy be as busy, and a few niay claim the vicinity of even as large a city, but New York and its surroundiugs combines all these features in an unusual degree. Iu the first day there was little to disturb the soniewhat sober feelings induced by these farewells to friends and native land ; though after nightfall we 'ortunately feil in with the Ethiopia, a sister steauier of the Anchor line, which aad met with an accident to her machinery in uiid ocean, and instead of reaching New York in ten or eleven days had been urawling at a suail's jace, with the aid of sails, for 21 days. Jur steamer answered her signáis for resh provisions, and stood by her back to Sandy Hook, and there with parting rockets and two guus bade her good-by. Chis friendly act causei the los of five ïours time to us, but must have been very cheeiing to the many passenger ïnprisoned on the Ethiopia. With the above exception scarcely aught has occurred to vary the usual routine of an ocean voyage, but fortunately we have a very agreeable lot of passengers in ,he cabin, 36 in all, of whoin six only are ladie. Of the 100 in the steerage we scarcely see anything. We have more of Scotch aud Euglish than of all otherB together. Fifteen of the total are a party who have together made a a tour froru (ilasgow to New York, Washington, Philadelphia, the oil regions, Niágara, Toronto, Montreal, ioston, and New York again, at a charge per ticket oí' L50, including all expense oí passage and of hotels and railroad fares, occupying fourteen days on land. The trip was very brief, yet they were all business men, and coinparatively young, and at a small expense have added much to their stock of experience. They seem well pleased with their trip, but all still prefer thoir own misty land of perenuial fogs and rains. One young Miss is returning alone from California to her home at Stockholm, Sweden. A young wife and child ure returning trom a visit to her home, Chicago, to Glasgow, her adopted home. Two gentlemen from Illinois are goingto France to purchase blooded horses in Norinandy. Au old Scotchman of 62 has been to 8t. Louis to assist his oidor bachelor brother of 73 to close up a successful Business of forty years duration, and is returniug with the latter, now quite feeble, to his " native lieath " to die. One man of perhaps 45, born in Sootland, has for many years had his home in the States, but within a year has placed anonlydaughter, and soou after the wifeof his bosom, beneath the cold clods of our great valley, and is now seeking rest and hope íbr a broken heart among the loved highlands of his youth : may it not be in vain, We have lawyers, doctors, morchants, students, idlers and mere tra veléis in our uumber, and it is this variety brought into a ten days intimate fellowship which assists so much to enliven the time. Playing at shoveboard and quoits on deck, and cards, draughts, and othar gamos within, reading, singing, writing, and conversation, promenading on the mam and hurricitne decks, watching the posphorescent soa and filling up our diaries are intermingled according to iuclination, and these with eating and sleeping rapidly consume the hours, so that there is no tediousness incurred. Here is our eating programma : At 7 a: m. a píate of porridge is served at our state-rooms ; at 8 1-2, breakfast with a great variety of dishes ; at 12 lunch with cold meat and sweet potatoes baked ; at 4 v. il., regular dinnor, and at 8 supper. Very little wine is drunk on this line or at least on this steamer, nor, I should perhups say, is Scotch whisky substitutod. Our progress has been very good indeed, from 285 to Ü06 miles per day, and we are to see land to-morrow morning, and reach Glasgow Tuesday night. OCT. ö. - Sure enough, land was seen early this morning, Tory island off the northwest corner of Ireland. Soon afterward the mainland, with the Donegal mouutuiu8 in the backgiound, began to come into view, and presented bold, rocky headlauds quite barren for the most part, with oecasional geutier slopes dotted here and there, with small cottages and pasture lands, until the fine old ruins oí Greencastle carne in sight, with the really beautiful panorama of highway and hedge, farm land and oottages stretching far upward and back from the shore, extending southward as we proeeeded into Loch Foyle to land passengers and bagguge at the neat little bathiug resort of Moville. By our entrance into this Loch we fortunately oscaped the only real squall of wind that has shown itself during the voyage - the weather having been uniform and stoady for the most part, with a, good breeze and not too cold, with the exception of one day. After parting with Mr. Day, an Irish gentleman from Sligo, who had becorne an universal iavorite by bis genial humor and easy affability, we ruturned to the ooean world again, and rounding the point opposite Greencustle in about an hour afterward, passed in fair view ot' the Giaut's Causeway at a distance of about two miles ur less. The basaltic oolumnar structure could be easily seen, and oecasionally isolated portions niade its peculiar formation still more distiuct, but on the whole the view waa not quite what we had anticipated. The headland formed by the Causeway is so uniformly abrupt and solid - the top so level, unbroken, and extensive, that our general and Komewhat distant view was doubtless less satisfactory than a closer inspection would have given. But to-day it would have been quite iunpossible to have passed along their front in the small boats used tor the purposH, or to have penetrated any oJ the caverus - so we got the bast view the occasion adinitted and are content The daahing surf and spray along the " rock bound ooast " was really magnifieent, and as we near our first port we teel tliat for a really enjoyable trip aoross the Atlantic we have the utmost reason for thankfulness. As we prooeed, paasing Kathlin Island and Ballyoastle, we enter the North Channel and our courae is aouthward, rounding the Moll of Cantire on the Scottish side, we go northward into and up the Firth of Clyde, pasaing Ainsly Crag, 1,000 feet high, and rapidly near Glasgow. Hut tuis must aufrlce for a first report, and it uiay be several days before I can resume the tale. We do not intend now to atop at Glasgow, but may remain at Kdinburgh until Saturday, and then on again, to Copenhagen and Hamburg : and now to you and your readers, our friends, a Hhort good-bye.

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Subjects
Old News
Michigan Argus