The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-07-01
COPYRIGHT SKCURED.
GREENWOOD LEAVES FROM OVER THK SEA.
ADELPHI HOTEL, LIVERPOOL.


DEAR DR. BAILEY: remember that at part
ing. promised you letter from ON shipboard,
written in all the freshness of my first salt
water experience-that my first Leaves"
should come to you wet with spray and slight
Nv GLORIOUS of tar But alas! the voyager pro-
nosas and the sea dispOses. Good intentions
are as often thrown up as anything else, on
board ship. III.
Tho Gallant steamer Atlantic. ON which
oo,ne ont passenger. sailed from New York on
Saturday the 29th Of May. sunny and quiet
dav As Jenny Goldschmidt and her husband
were ON board an immense concourse OF people
we're assembled at the landing on the docks
and vessels near by, to see them OH. They
stood ON the wheel-house with Captain West,
Lowing. smiling, and waving their grateful
farewell As with parting gun we bounded
from the shore the heart gave one last, wild,
agonized throb for friends and home, then sunk
into depths of dread unknown before. Yet
that thronced and beautiful city, that magniti-
cent barbor. white with countless sails, plough
ed and oyerswept with busy life, was glorious
sight, seen even through tears
As we approached Sandy Hook, the atmo-
sphere grew hazy, and before we were out at
sea we were enyeloped in a dense fog, and
obliged to come to anchor, where We remained
some fifteen hours. We passed this time very
pleasantly, in exploring the ship, chatting wri-
ting letters to send back by the pilot, eating
and sleeping. | awoke late the next morning,
and found we were at sea in earnest. ] re-
member very little more of that morning, ex-
cept it be the incident Of my finding out, as by
instinct the use of queer little utensil of paint
ed tin, sort of elongated spittoon, which stood
by my washstand. | performed my toilet as
orr IA nd
hurried on deck, where soon found myself
quite we'll The day was delicious beyond
what words may tell The air was fresh, yet
the sea tranquil, and the sunshine rich and
warm There seemed a sort of strife of beau
ty. a rvalship of brightness, between the heaven
above and the waters below, and the soul of
the gazer now went floating off on the green
undulations of the waves, to where they seemed
to break against the sky-or dreamed itself
away into the fathomless blue, in a sort of
quiet wordcss ecstacy-" the still luxury of
delight Then came on the Right-Our first
night at sea- The wind had freshened, the
sails were set the ship shot through the gleam-
ing waves, scattering the diamond spray from
her Prov, and the moon was over all. AS 1t
went up the sky its course was marked by a
long reach of tremulOus radiance on the deep.
1t seemed to me like the love of the dear ones
had left. stretching out towards me. But
there came yet higher thought-that such a
path of brightness must have shone under the
feet of Jesus when he walked on the water
toward the perilled ship.
Two pleasant days and nights followed, dur
ing which many agreeable acquaintance were
formed among the passengers. My seat at
table was on the left of Captain West and OPP
poslte the Goldschmidts. Otto Goldsmthdt
husband of Jenny Lind impressed me, not only
as a man of genius but of rare refinement
and nobility of character. He is small and
decately formed. but his head is remarkably
fine one his face beautiful in the best sense OF
the term. He is fair, with hair Of dark
golden hue, soft brown eyes, thoughtful, even
to sadness | have never seen brow more
pure and spiritual than his. Yet for all its
softness and youthfulness, Mr. Goldschmidt'>
face is by no means wanting in dignity and
manlnoss of expression. There is a maturity
of thought a calm strength of character, a
self poise about him, which impress you more
and more.
The pure aud graceful Greek column makes
no stOlid or defiant show of strength like the
unchiselled stone, or the jagged rock yet it
may be as strong in its beauty and perfect pro-
portions and were decidedly pleasanter to lean
against. ! believe that Jenny Lind in her
marriage followed not alone the impulses of
her woman's heart but obeyed the higher in
stincts of her poetic and artistic nature.
For the first few days of our voyage, she
seemed singnlarly shy and reserved. ! have
seen her sit hour after hour by herself in some
untrequcnted part of the vessel, looking out
over the sea. often wondered if her thoughts
were then busy with the memories of her glo-
rious career-ii she were living over her past
triumphs, the countless times when the cold
quiet Of the highest heaven Of fashion broke
INTO thunders OF reclamation above her. and
came down in a rain of flowers at her feet
Was it of those pcrishable wreaths placed on
her brow amid the glare and tumult of the
great world, she mused-or of that later crown
my OF her womanhood, when softly and silently
her brow received from Gods own hand the
chrlsm OF holy and enduring love Was it
the happy loving wife, or the great, world-re-
nowned artste who dreamed there alone, look
ing out over the sea-
Very little reading seemed to he done by any
one during those first sunny. lazy days Mr.
Goldschmidt was however. much absorbed in
ire Scarlet Letter, and, on finishing it. was
warm IN his expressions Of admiration II,
also spoke IN high terms of Uncle Tom
td6'n and on this his wife's enthusiasm wa,
unbounded. soon saw that the hearts O
the'e TWO beat with an equal warmth for free
d'm ana that their sympathies for the op
pressed were generous and deep
on Wednesday,, our last really bright day
espIed spent butterfly flutteripg its bril-
naht wings on one Of the ships spars. 1t haC
peeh blown all that distance, the Captain said
could hardly have been more surprised if til,
spar on which it had lit had blossomed befor,
my eyes. This day and the one following. man,
OF the gentlemen and some Of the ladie,
amused themselves with the game of shuttle
board" We had among the passengers thre,
right reverend bishops, one OF whom Joined
heartily in this play. | was amused by tn,
style OF address used toward him occasionally
Now, Bishop it's your turn" $50 ahead
think were scarcely possible for a shiy
TO take out finer set of passengers than W,
mad Intelligent, agreeable, kindly, all seemed
striving tor the general enjoyment; and haC
the elements continued propitious the entr,
voyage would have seemed like pleasant so
Ga' party long drawn out" Among tn,
English passengers ! was NO fortunate as I,
meet an old acquaintance This friend intro
duced to me Mr.. Frank Marryatt son of In,
noyellst-a handsome manipulating person
ana possessed Of fine literary talent
, on Thursday, woes the day we were of
' ur,i banks Of Newfoundland fogs becam,
c cnu, and heavy, and towards night the sei
eni, " rough. The next morning found j
LII impossible for me to remain ON deck, ever
VIVA cc'er'hoes, blankets, and shawls The
vern noin the region of SHOWS cut to onei
nc;n ZONES IL instantly brought to my mine
i'''es Of seals crawling from iceberg 10 ice
selyso. nnd Of young polar hears amusing them
.,s NY sliding down ice precipices three hun
, uIed leet high. ! sought the saloon in despair
where, as wind and sea rose, and the sbinlurcbcr
and rolled, ] all too soon grew ready 10 adm,
our friend Horace Grooi.s, a. " SUM