The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-11-10
For the National Era.
BELL SMITH ABR0AD-AT SEA.

For the National Era.
BELL SMITH ABROAD-AT SEA.
No H.
DEAR DocToR make Cooks voyage of
my Atlantic experiences Well, it was strange
enough to me; but, as ones success in story
telling is not in what is seen, so much as in the
manner of its relation, do not hesitate for the
purpose of asking is this new or old We 60
through the world with the same pair of eyes,
and loking at the same things; but, back of
those eyes, what various brain and widely-dif-
fering experiences IL | cannot interest you in
the passage across, | will drop my pen in de-
spair; for the fault is not in the great Atlantic,
but the pen-holder. realized this with Mrs.
I. Gathered round her, under the shadow OF
the wheel house-when the fog permitted us
to have that luxury-she delighted large
circle with the graphic description of things
we should have seen thousand times in our
own land. ! stopped, in my usual way, to ana
lyze my happiness, and found its cause in the
pleasant way in which she presented old, ia
miliar things. am smitten with an ambition
to do the same thing so, no searching for I'M
trodden paths, or even unfamiliar things.
The lady, Mrs T., somewhat shocked me in
the beginning of our acquaintance. My first
view was not the pleasantest, as it startled all
the old associations which surround me- On
the second day out found her, after dinner,
walking the deck, in boots with most decided
heels, travelling dress of sombre hue and
stoutest material, a bonnet with brim broad
enough to be of service, and pair of buckskin
gloves with gauntlets of sufficient length to
cover one-third the arm. These, upon rather
a stout woman of thirty-fye or forty, with a
handsome face, made up of prominent chin,
aquiline nose, and large hazel eyes, were SEN
sible, and not unbecoming but there she was,
walking alone, in a very quiet, dignitied man.
ner, with her hands behind her, and smoking
cigarito | had heard of such things but
here it was under the broad daylight, and in
public Well, we'll, custom makes wide diff
ference and | learned to love Mrs T., but
under protest when smoking
She has, You know, u restless temperament,
and is forever travelling. This is accomplished
alone, and undsturbed, she says But once,
and once only, we were informed one day, was
she ever ,molested This occurred while riding
alone through some woodland in England. A
man of v0ry unprepossessing appearance sud
denly sprang from the side of the road aud seized
the horse by the rein, making demand at the
same time while Furnishing a very ugly stick
Pretending to search for her purse, she quietly
opened in her pocket asnuff box and suddenly
threw the contents-the best Scotch--in both
eyes of her new acquaintance. In paroxysn
of blind rage and pain, he released the bride
rein, and struck at her with the club. The
blow fell upon the horse, and only made hin
gallop away the quicker. Looking back, sh,
saw her late friend performing high dance
far more remarkable for activity than grace
The best use ! ever knew tobacco put to.
When to Mrs TBS striking traits of charac
ter and peculiar habits you add rare accom-
plishments-which enable her to converse flu
emily in five languages, paint like an artist and
gives a facility to her pen which only requires
use to make her famous-you will notswondeI
at my fascination would not like to see my
female friends making her a model. These
things, which appear passable, and even pleas
ing, in her, would be sadly misplaced in 9th
ers. After ALL limitations Of any sort are
abominable Let us live up to such traits a
nature has given us, if any, and rest assured
we cannot do better. IL ] were to venture upor
very profound observation, should say tina
this spirit of imitation is our national charac
teristic But no; will not venture upon
profound observation-especia in reference t
national peculiarities until | have seen som'
other people than our own.
Speaking of national peculiarities our little
Frenchman seems to think, from the expert
ences be gave, that we had abundance. He
had tried his intellect at specializing in lands
He began by purchasing on paper, ten thou
sand acres in Illinois, and, furnished with q
portable saw-mill, and armed with his title
deeds, a little army of clerks, clergyman, and
servants, be set out in search of his domain.
"Ma fol, cannot find him | look tree, five,
ten day all say dis no your land. Yer mad
dat look but find him; | make Won grand
discovery. Dey all be vat you call squattair
dam squattair, dey lie oil 20 time. get my
papier, say you Won dam squattair, brigand,
pig-you go Sacre, he takes de rifle vat shoot
Won leetle squirrel more IAN Won mile, and
go-go ever so fass. nevare stop till arrive
at Cincinnati. see Won JUICE, two JUICE, all re
JUICE; dey say yer sorry, yer sorry but vot
care for re sorry? | am mad, broke man
broke all into leetlc pieces of despair. con-
slider re grand Republique Won grand hombug.
But Won juge say You see Monsieur -, un
brave homme-he will get you out of all care.
Well, so he did, in grand viotorie-grand tri-
umphe."
HOW ! " we asked, anxl0usly
ooh! dis Monsieur be Won gran advocat
He know more trick zan all dis country He
say, your title it is good your land it is good.
All! but re dam squattair, Fay Nevare mind
re squattair, he say your title it il good, your
land it is good we will sell him. 30 delight,
jump ever so high like Won buck Monsieur
re advocat make Won, vat you call, map Of 10
subdivision Of all re color of &c rainbow it
have 70 church 70 mill 70 courthouse but
it have no squattair; and we sell-we sell ever
30 fass 20 lots 20 like re hot cake and gets
my money and gets nine, ten thousand dol
lair more"
On our expressing some doubt as to tho mo-
rality of this proceeding, he added, hastily:
No, no YER morale, yer good Ze man as
buy, 60 viz rife, too and &c dam squattair run
like re debbl. 1t is watts you call re diamond
cut diamond"
The pleasure OF passage across the Allan
tic to Europe is much marred by the heavy
fogs, which hang over US two-thirds OF the
way sometimes 40 dense we could not see
from one end of the vessel to the other, and
falling round like rain. Then the bell, with its
warning clang, is dismal beyond description,
especially in an evening when night comes
without its glory of q parting sunset but the
cold gray seems gathering up in fog from the
rolling water, as il the ocean were throwing
out the night from its blacker depths. What
a time to lean over the rails, and think Of great
ships having gone down into unfathomable
caverns, dropping like plummets out of the
minds imaginings--of tossing hunger, thirst,
and despair, In open boats, over which day and
night flow like grim, unfeeling phantoms |
was one afternoon looking out into the dense,
chilling fog, and realizing, as gave way to my
fancy, the terrible fascination Of the great deep,
when the sound Of a horn smote on my ear. 1t
was such as have heard, over and often, come
ringing, winding, soft and long over the pra-
res OF the West--a dinner horn, common, IN
unsuitable dinner horn; and 10 hear it there,
far out to sea- where one looked for icebcrgs and
whales had upon me the most startling effect.
At first, | thought it delusion, and had scarce
ly time 10 ask the meaning when sailing ves-
sci flashed past US 80 near ii seemed 10 touch.