The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-08-06
The Great Eastern.

reach we felt no curiosity TO see them. AS
soon as we ascertained that to catch a glimpse
of them was no longer possible, our desire to
do so became intense. Not that we suppose
even now that we missed seeing what was
worth the trouble or obtaining light; but
we felt sorry that we had it not in our power TO
say hereafter we had seen them. We felt the
same way with regard 20 the Great Eastern'-
We did not aprrehend that the sight OF her
would create a new sensation or impar' ne"
sdea. Every thing we ever had seen =" o"'
sives after having read and hearo in"0. Va ~
had disappointed us. The ocean Aeii snoi vi
,,,r ax,,,ntat,or the annular eclipse looked to
Ms very like "A humhug. and we regarded Nj
,raraas a faflnre We expected 1T would be
INNS with the treat Eastern. Nevertheless
N-e determined 10 see IT, So, in company
with prodigious crowd of sight
zeers, we took passage for Old Point
last Friday evening, ben, upon taking
a squint At LevIathan. The trip down was
'yithou; Incident. The officers and attendants
of the Roanoke for on board of that old IA
Nortte our lot was cast-were as polite and
attentive as they could possibly have been
T hey did everything they could 10 make our
time, and that of our fellow passengers, pass
agreeably, and, in fact, considering the num-
ber and the means of accommodation, their
success was quite marvellous. SO much for
knowing ones business, as the functionaries
OF that vessel, 10 their great praise be it said
understand theirs. We profess ourselves I'M
der special obligations to our old friend. the
Purser Of the vessel, Mr.. WOODSTOCK, whom
not TO mention by name would be piece of
downright ingrattude. He laid violent hands
upon us fran the first-would make us his
own particular guest-and went so far as to
turn ont of his own berth. and turn us into it,
whether we would or not. Only those who
have been passengers in ship so crowded as
the Roanoke was, can appreciate the value
OF such kindness
The sun was fairly up, on Saturday morn
Ing and the waters around Old Point were in
a blaze Of unclouded glory, when, in the very
centre of the light, we frs caught sight of the
Il reat Eastern. She formed the apex of an equi-
lateral triangle made by two other vessels, one
of them ship of war, and herself, the two
vessels in question lying about two hundred
yards apart nearer to us than she was and the
distance between them constituting the base
OF the triangle. We were so far off at this
moment, that the masts, sails, spars and hulls
of the three seemed mingled together, in very
symmet riGal onfusion, if we may use such a
term. The cordage looked like a brilliant
web, the threads not observable, but the
whole mingled together and presenting a mos t
delicate tissue of gossamer. 1t was in fact
AXE web OF sunbeams. The separate ropes
OF the cOrdage were too far off to be distinct
ly visible; but the whole, commingled by the
distance into Il haze, interposed between us
aud the clear view beyond. As we gradually
approached. The three vessels became more dis
tnctlE Defined and each assumed its separate
position in the picture. We passed close by
che Great Eastern She disappointed every
Lody at first, for there was no vessel lying
sufficiently near TO serve as an object of COM
parison by which to estimate the giants size.
We steamed up to the landing at Old Point,
and there We heard tale which was enough
to make ones hair stand on end and believ the
hair of every man did stand on end, except
that of one individual, who we afterwards
learned Wore a wig. Let it be understood, we
had all been mp for several hours, enjoying the
fresh breeze from the sea, and were as hungry
as pack Of wolves
We learned that there had been such an in
4iux of strangers upon the Point, that it had
been impossible 10 accommodate the half of
fhem. Half u dozen tents were still standing
ON the green across the road from the hotel,
which had sheltered, each, about as many in
mates. Every mattress, sheet, blanket, cloak,
counterpane, quilt, &c, had been put in
quisition, and every spot about the hotel, the
porches, dining room, ballroom, &c. had
been covered with sleepers or persons who
We're in quest of sleep. Many had passed the
night on the green grass, with no covering but
7he sky. Many had not pretended to sleep,
but had gone about all night, like roaring lions,
seeking not whom they might devour, but
whom they might keep awake. The larder of
mime host tremble to its very foundation.
A famine was threatened at Old Point Com
fort, of a most uncomfortable nature. We
were told that breakfast was in progress-fiTst
come first served-that the unaccommoda
of the previous days arrival We're still
sufficiently numerous to occupy number
of tables. A sensation of horror ran like
an electric spark throughout the assemblage.
We thought of all the stories we had ever
read relating to the effects of famine-of the
5 iege of Jerusalem, of Ugo limo, of the ship
wreck in Don Juan of the Feegees, of every
fearful narrative in which man, the devourer,
figured as man the deyonred. We looked upon
each other with CLASSY and menaeing eyes, as
though none of us knew what might happen.
We thought we had especial cause to fear, from
The peculiarly good case in which our flesh
happened TO be. We noticed one long cadav-
erous looking fellow, with teeth as white as
ivory. and as sharp as the molars of a Bengal
tiger, cycling US with what we thought
most significant expression of ccuntenance.
Luckily, at that moment, we met with an old
frend-Mr. MAssENBERG, formerly of the CO.
umbian-who, without knowing the nervous
trepidation of which we We're the subject,
~. 4, +ta
whispered to us that he knew where some
thing was to be gotten to eat, and he got
it for us, outside of the hotel. We felt
like a new man. We fixed our hat firmly
on our head, and strutted about as who should
say, "who cares about being hungry" We
even had the courage to go about and look at
the "lions," instead of sitting crouched up in
a corner, as though we expected to be- food for
one We went TO the fort and saw the drill
then went down to the beach and saw the big
gun. We saw several men, weighing from one
hundred and fifty to one hundred and thirty
thrust their head and shoulders into it, We
tried the experiment. We got in our head.
but could not squeeze in our shoulders. They
are fixing pivot for her. and the hollow shot.
for her accommodation, are piled around her.
We suspect she will make noise in the world
some of these days.
We do not know what hour it was when we
went on board the Great Eastern. Ii was
however, within baif I'm hour after she had
been opened for exhibition. AS we stood ON
the beach, large Bay Boat came and lay along
side of her, her bows, and those Of the Great
Eastern being ona line. The gigantic proper
lion OF the monster Immediately appeared by
contrast. The stern of the Bay boat just reach
ed her paddle box. 1t would have taken three
secn TO reach from one end Of her TO the other.
we went 10 her Ia sail boat. As we looked
up from the boat, persons on her deck, of or