The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-12-23

obliged TO take passage by her. az a friend of
Miss C would be awaiting MS at Ciyita
Vecchis, to accompany us TO Rome. And here
| must give you some little account of this
night on the Mediterranean, for il stands alone
in my experience, and is probably unparalleled
in yours. The first hours Of the VOYAGE flew
lightly enough-the night was mild and beau
tiful-we met some American fellow -passengors
among whom was Col Marshall, of Kentucky
u. 5. Minister to China, and had a pleasant
chatty time on deck-where indeed ] was
disposed TO spend the entire night, but was
Overruled by my friends who thought me I'M
prudent to the last degree in wishing to brave
such exposure. So, about midnight, wo descend
cd into the dining-cabin, whore mattresses
had been spread for us upon the floor. Alas,
not for us alone-the place was already crowd
ed with forlom ravellers-English, Americans,
Germans, French, Italians-priosts, soldiers,
artists, ladies, children, couricrs and ladies
maids. After an immense amount of talk and
laughter, we all got settled in our places,
| which were as comfortable as circumstances
would allow. My companions soon fell asleep,
overcome by the WEAKNESS Of the day--but |
was kept wide and wild awake by tho close
| ness IF the all, incipioAt eea-sckness, and tho
! atmosphere grew heavier and hotter such u
chorus of snoring was set up Ms was never be-
fore heard. 1t was absolutely maddenng
Near me lay "a stout gentleman, who assounded
| even moro than he enragod me, by the power
| and compass Of his nasal organ. By his side
lay his wife, looking pale and haggard, as from
innumerable sleeplesS nights. raised myself
on my elbow, and contemplated her weary
face, her sad, sleepless, wandering eyes, mar
yelling at her long endurance and feeling an
| insane temptation to whisper to her, that,
should she at any tinic strangle the unfeelng
monster as he lay, making night hidoous
with his unearthly snore, no intelligent jury
would bring in a worse verdict than "justifiable
homicide" On my other side lay lad, in
that unregenerato state which Mrs. Pipchin
refers to when she solemnly declares that "boys
that snfie never get to heaven" At length !
grew almost frantic, and, seizing all could
carry-lny carpet-bag cloak, blanket and pill
lows rushed upon deck. At the foot Of the
stairs | stumbled over man-for what fell
purpose he was lurking there did not then
divine AS soon rs | could muster sufficient
strength and courage, after deposting my
wraps on deck, | returned for my Mattress
returned to find the stranger Of the stairway
stretched out upon it, and sleeping or feigning
to sleep profoundly. There was no help for it,
and in a sullen rago staggered again to the
deck--when behold my blanket and pillows
had been seized upon by some villanous ma
rauder--ovon my soc de mat had gone to some
| bourne whence no travelling bag returns My
case WAS now desperate, and going up to
brigandish-looking Frenchman, who was
| stretched upon bench near by, luxuriating i'll
a suspicious superabundance Of blankets and
pillows, and laying my hand on the outermost
covering | said in M stern and relentless a
tono as could command, Monsieur, c'cd q
uioi ~ The guilty man rclinquished it at once
with a g Pardon, madame" + then made a
requisition for the pillows but could only re.
cover ono, which by the way was not mine, but
a hard little thing, wet with night-dew, about
as pleasant to rest ones head upon rs would be
| brick folded in a cabbagc-leaf; yet | made
the hest Of it--wrapped myself stocaly in my
| blanket, stretched myself ON the deck, and fell
a-star-gazing. The vault above me was glori
ously beautifui--the stars were surprisingly
brilliant, and the sky of a deep, delicious, soul
bewildering blue--heaven's canopy OF stat,
over the queenliest lovelines of earth. The
clouds were light and silvery and assumed
thousand fair and fantastic shapes. One re
member, took distinctly the form of graceful
woman, in the flowing Greek costume in on,
hand she held star, and seemed bending for
ward, as though trying to blow il out Blu
the star was too much for her, and she final
blew herself away in vain attempts at extin
gushing it
| But this heavenly contemplation becomes
! i--:I-l ,,vro, wnen compulsory anu protracted
was getting very chill and weary, when
French lad, with whom had slight acquant
ance, having been driven by cold from thu
long boat where he had gone to sleep, happen
ing to pass near recognised mo, and, Mortified
at my bedless condition, courageously plunged
into the depths of the cabin, on marauding
expedition for my benefit. In about five min
| utes he returned, laden with spoil, in the shape
OF mattress and large pillow. He laughed
very merrily, while arranging these for me, in
| telling how adroitly he bad obtained them
He had found stout gentleman, for whom two
mattresses had been spread, sleeping on the
cabin floor, and had actually succeeded in
rolling him off one, which he took possession
OF, with pillow, ere the poor man was sulfi-
GENTLY reused to resist or demonstrate.
II IL singular, that though had felt a right
e0us indignation at tho heinous robberes be-
fore committed ON me, did not protest against
this little confiscaton, but enjoyed the joke
immensely and my bed rs we'll sleeping
soundly on it for several hours | was awaken
ed by the RAIN but a. tho sea had roughened
and ] was decidedly sick, did not go below,
but wrapped myself moro closely in my blanket,
and " endured unto the endn Fortunately, tho
shower soon passed and took not tho slight
est cold
About sunrise, Colonel Marshall came on
deck, and naturally expecting sympathy from
q countrywoman, he had no sooner cast his
eyes on me, than he began to pour into my
ears the story Of his own peculiar bardshps
and wrongs Some audacious brigand, he said,
had actually stolen half Of his bed and his best
pillow from under him, ~ he lay in the deep
Inconsistencies of innocent suDibcr. do
clare to you, that in the dull gray of the early
morning, the chilliness of the late shower, the
torIor Of subsiding sea sickness--amid all the
unspeakablo forlornities Of my state, laughed
till the tears raincd down my f,ce.
As soon as we reached Civita Vocchia, Mr.
W, Miss C--'s kind friend, came on
board, with special permission from the po
lice for us to land Immediately. After going
through the mere form of brcakfastng at
dirty inn, we ret forth for Rome, in imposing
state, in On enormous diligence, with six horses
and three Positions. This road runs through
bare embarrassing, and desolate country.
More than ten miles from the Eternal City, we
caught view of ST. Peters, looming up like
small mountain, and every heart stood still ut
the sight II WAS dark ere we entered Rome,
yet We recognised several grand landmarks
ere we reached our pleasant house in the
Corso from whence greet you, and bid you
adieu GRACE GREENWOOD.