Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1838-05-18
aESa,sINEAN2i@gs

LOG OF THE GREAT WEsrERS.-Ihe reader is refer.
red To The foregoing columns f"r a regular journal Of thr
voyage of the Great Western 10 the land after which
she vas Acknowledgment nv = passenger. /, is
lively and Interesting, else we should not have copied it
from the National Gazette. We did not exPectt 10 read
it through when we began it-bCt We were ag!ceably
begui!ed 10 its close.
A JOURNAL OF THE FIRST VOYAGE OF THE
STEAM SHIP GREAT WESTERN.
LIEUT.. JAMES HosRISs, ROYAL Navy, COMMANDER.
From Bristol to .Ncuo IVSk.-By a Pnssesger.
SATURDAY, 7h April-Our departure from Bristol
was al the appointed time of sailing. Having got on
board a small! steauaeT. n %,wRGG!!ng !Itllr thing. |c lrit
the foot Of the Cumberland, or outer basin, at 4 few mi.
nu,es past = ?. NJ 10 join the Great Western, at the
mouth of the river, the Avon.-n", Shakespeare -a ri.
butary 10 the Severn, ard upon which, at some ten or
twelve miles from its confluence with The parent stream,
Bristol is situated. .
The day was an unpropi,inus one. 4 strong breeze,
almost a gale, blew dead against US; the clouds lowered,
and a cutting rain alterna,ed with a ftiul sunshine -
Had our lot been cas-, n those good old times, when ma.
ture. in her freaks, revealed TO grandamcs the Mysteries
of bu,,crmilk aud unmatched eggs, We had surely deemed
ii oninous, for the elements seemed to fret and iume
over the commencement Of our voyage. Thanks to the
darkness OF these latter days, however, the wind TO US
was but wind, and the rain but rain 80 wrapping our
cloaks still closer about Us TO exclude both, our d~uckl!ng
of n steamer was permitted 10 paddle on.
The scenery in the vicinity Of Bristol is perhaps the
finest of its character in England, and passing down the
Avon ii is seen in scne Of It's NEST enchanting features
For some miles helow The city, the shore on either side
is a continuity Of siupcndous granite rock, somciirnrs
attaining the height of three hundred feet above The VA
ter mark. Starting from the stream, with but n narrow
road or tow path al the base occasionally to relieve the
abrup'ness, they rise. piing mass on mass and vein on
vein, frowning in naked crags, the impraclicsbIe prcci.
pice-Or yielding their severity, gently rccedc, %grudging
their rude cliffs 10 the mountain Idrch.
AT one point on The river, the heights Of Clifton were
visible, with their graceful crescents i.'eIing above liSe
the creations of a fairy land. Near to these We passed
the site of the contemplated suspension bridge over The
Avon. The workmPn are as yet engaged only on the abut.
ments-enormous structures. wrought upon the hill side,
resembling rather the gigantic efforts Of giant race QIIe
ENGRAVING of rock on rock than The work of common
men. An iron bar, seven hundred and cighty-fve feet
in length, stretched from summit TO summit on either
side, at an elevation Of one hundred aud seventy two
feet from low water mark, shnws the precise spot, height
and length of the intended bridge.
AT another point our attention was attracted by mcn
procuring q particular sort of stone. 1t was at a little
distance from the river, but a, one of the most precip;.
tous and highest points of rock. They seemed to use
nothing but crowbars in the work, the part 10 which their
attention was given being soft. They stood upon small
cliffs almost at The top of the prrcipice, with ropes about
their waists and passed over the summit, 10 assist them
in ascending and defending, as well as 10 guard against
any unhappy slips, and prying the stone from its bed. it
came down in huge masses, railing and reboundinc as
itstruck with the noise almost Of distant thunder.
Beyond this rocky section the shore breaks into fneIy
sloped hills, Astounding in wood, hedge and lawn. Foil.
age had not yet burst: still had the plough and harrow
been busy, contrasting delightfully."- the warm and mellow
earth with Tie YeTuure OIL the SwarG, already In the rich
hue of spring
The rise and fall Of the tide in The Severn is thirty
feet, and having the food against US, our passage was
prolonged.
We reached the Great Western al about 5 P. NJ. and
strange it seemed. So strongly had curiosity been ex.
cited by this vessel, that we who had now come 10 take
our departure by her were obliged 10 wait while q small
steamer, throngpd with eager visiIants, left her side to
make room for us.
We Joined her. and as ever is the case on s~hipboard.
al the appointed moment Of sailing, every thing was
pell nell. 1t seems little short OF professional, or in
conformity with some quirk in n sailors creed. that il
should be so-and had not experience given me a hint
of his fact, would really have been dismayed-spars,
boards, boxes, barrels, sails, ~cordage, seemingly without
number, stirred well together-coals for the ground
work-baggage TO in6nly-C Captain s~co!ding, mates
bawling, men growing, and passengers in the midst of
all, in the way of every thing and every body is n pretty
good description of the state of a ships deck generally,
when about to get under weigh.
1t happens mostly that a very little time is sufficient
10 put matters in tolerable order, and off they 20, rely.
ing upon the sea TO do the rest, in shaking persons rs
we'll as things into their proper places. With us, how
ever, the arrangement was a little beyond this, and the
breeze having now increased to a gale, it was determined
BIZ Captain Hosken To lie b. unit! the morning; So each
Installing hims. If in his little castle, found enough 10 do
in the arrangement of it TO amuse him for the evening,
and all, | believe, found all early bad made welcome by
a day of fatigue.