Union County star and Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1859-1864, 1859-11-11

From a Student in EurOpe-NO. 9.

FROM 4 SluGtnl iii EurOpe-N0. =
FRANKFoRr-oN-M MAIN, Oct, 1859.
LONDON TO BEgLIN, via HAMBURG.
On Wednesday morning, Sept. %,
found myself, with quite a number oil
other passengers, on board the steamer
"John Bull" bound for Hamburg. AT
eleven CLOCK, We started down the Thames,
in company with several steamers bound
for different ports, and soon had left the
busy piers of London behind, and the tow
ering dome of St. Paui's, with its gilded
cross, was lost in smoke and distance.
Notwithstanding the age and unprcpos-
sessiDg appearance Of our vessel, she prov
ed good sailor, and, long before any Of
the companions with which she started out,
she had passed the More, and was stand
ing out into the German Ocean. Here,
as we turned from the "beaten track" TO-
wards the northeast, we could learn some
thing of the immense trade carried on be-
tween London and the rest Of the world.
A dense line Of ships, bearing the flags Of
various nations, and extending as far as
the eye could reach, were making for or
leaving the mouth of the Thames. a
grauder spectacle, or one better calculated
to impress mankind with true idea Of
the blessedness Of peace, l believe have
never witnessed.
Before night had wholly closed upon
us, the low outline of tue English shore
had sunk below the horizon, and We were
moving through the "waste Of waters"
Early next morning, we came in view Of
the islands which line the Dutch coast,
along which We ran all day, passing the
mouth of the Huyder Zee about eleven o.
clock, and sometimes coming so near to
land that We could distinguish churches
and villages without the aid of the glass.
An hour or two before midnight, pilot
came on board, and under his guidance We
entered the mouth of the Elbe expecting
to reach Hamburg carly in the morning.
But before we had proceeded far up the
river, it became SO dark that the pilot
judged it unsafe to advance further on ac-
count Of the scarcity of light-ships. and,
The captain coinciding in his opinion, the
anchor was dropped. A little later, the
sky became clearer, and we proceeded on
our way. There was little of interest to
be seen in going up the Elbe, for the great
er part of the distance, the banks being
low and flat, and presenting monotonous
succession of awkward wind-miils, hay
stacks, and one-storey peasant houses. At
the Stade, our anchor was again dropped
this time, only few yards from the
steamer "Hammonia," of the Hamburg
line, just arrived from New York. The
Stade is little village, on the Hanover
bank, where the tolls for the use of the riU-
er are paid, and where there is a ridicu-
lous show of little cannon which could
scarcely stop an oyster-scow. While here,
the captain told story Of Gen. Cass and
his daughters, who, he said, made the trip
with him from Hamburg to London, ma
ny years ago, on their return from Russia,
where the young ladies had had the felic-
ity of seeing and kissing live emperor.
The anchor being dropped for the purpose
of settling the toll, the young ladies,
pointing to the Stade, inquired, "What
country is that?" "That," said the old
Michigander, "is the place where they
make kings for England"
About two o'clock, the tide became high
enough to allow US to proceed, and We
moved up towards the city, along the left
shore, which was high, and covered with
a wealth of beautiful country seats, church
es, and shrubbery, that made it seem a
perfect Paradise. At half past three, We
were amongst the shipping of Hamburg,
and surrounded by feet Of little boats,
each propelled by a single rover, ready to
take ourselves and luggage ashore. Here
the passengers parted, having spent two
or three days very pleasantly together, and
enjoyed one of the finest passages that the
~ ohm Bulr' had ever made. Contrary
to what have heard Of it before, the
North Sea was SO calm that there was not
a severe case of sea.sickness on board our
vessel during the whole trip. Among the
chief cabin passengers, was Carl Peterson,
tho had Just returned with Capt. MChn-