New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-06-29


And You certainly are not going to start for New
YORK in The Great Eastern ?! said friend Of mine tc
me AZ nv cosy room in London, as he saw me packing
ur for q start in the big ship
al certainly am was my snswer, as showed the |
al, pers which had been faithful inmates Of that cham
her for three months, into the top Of my trunk.
"Tben, heaven have mercy on yonF' was my
friends reply, shall never expect to see you alive
again
The tone and manner Of my friend expressed deep
copcern and his eyes followed me about the room as
gathered my apparel piece by piece, with the mournfu
look Of one who observes the sad prehminaries Of
comrades execution.
But the hacking went regularly on and after while
he remarked again in half musing, melancholy tone,
"wen you're very reckless, foolish man"
"why sop
sYoull never get acrossp
"Why mott"
Because you WON'T"
aCsn YOU not give me better reason than that to
prevent my startiDgp
"She's an unlucky ship"
"I want better reason STILL said /, the only way
in which ever recognize luck is in the form Of hope
and my reliance is very strong that the Great Eastern
il the safest ship that rode the sea- She cannot
well be burned up for she is built Of iron, and as for
her strength, buoyancy, and sailing qualities do not
believe there is water enough in the Atlantic Ocean to
drcwnher.
sBut she Is an unlucky ship Accident has attended
her at every step of her may almost say that
every period of her progress has been marked by blood
and death. A number Of men were killed when she
was launched terrible explosion took place on board
of her on the occasion of her first trial trip which
slaughtered several more and her chosen captain the
gsllant Harrison the pride Of his profession, was
drowned in the Southampton water, along with two
others while making for the shore in one OF her boatr
paused with lot of linen in my hand, which
was about depositing in the upper portion Of my trunk
Really my friend" said |, your superstition about
this matter discreoits your intelligence. AS fo' the
death of Capt Harrison, it Involves no relation with
tho vessel at all and might well have happened in
the Red Sea. Besides, you, like all others who are
prsjudiced against the ship the Of previous
accidents never seem to take in mind the fact that she
represents at least twelve ships together and that the
mishaps which would appear uncomfortable if duly
divided among such feet as that are all piled omi
nously against her single name" N
All very plausible, all very fne" said my friend,
5oggedly but don't you 90 in that ship, that's all I've
got TO say. And he shook bis head seriously as if he
would like to shake better argument out of it, but it
betokened that his Judgment was mmovable
At this moment knock was heard at my door, and
The servant followed the rap, bearing 10 his hand
large chicken-coop of open wcker-work, containing
within 1t majestic chantcleer, and three pheasantke
hens that covered under his broad FURNISHED breast
Touching his hat the man set 1t down before me with
the compliments Of Baron Rothschd, and the Barons
hope that would find them TO my liking. The man
added for himself that he believed they good
as anything in England.
NV friend, who was q great fancier of game fowls,
got down upon the carpet to examine the character of
the lot, which had thus procured for California
producer of fancy stock and at once burst forth in
raptures at the majestic points and proportions of the
cock.
"Thats the finest bird ever saw" said he; "bes
toe fine 10 risk in battle and If were now in the way
ofbreeding fowls, would cheerully give ftypound
note for that fellow for stock purposes. 1t is too bad
he should 60 by the Great Eastern, too bad' And
here my friend who had half resigned himself TO give
me up entered an appeal for the fowl and begged me
10 let him forward the chickens by another steamers
"for it's really too bad" concluded he, in bis new
sorrow, "that 50 fine a bird should be lost 10 the
United States p
,"Cock, hens, and all take our chances together,
and what is MORE" said /, Eve win all go safe; and
sherry"
NV friend whoee conversation have Just detailed,
was only one of twenty who wrestled with my pur-
pose in like manner, and have related what he said
in FORM because have found it TO be fair example
Of the earnest preliminary protests which were made
TO every one of my fenow-passengers with whom
have had opportunity 10 compare notes. The Great
Eastern, though the pride of every man. woman, and
child in England and the subject of their frequent
boasts was under dark vail of prejudice and uni
yersal superstition condemned her as San uniucky
shin" and predicted a sad fate for all who went
with her TO sea. The best evidence of this general
Soreboding was, that with her vast and princely
oommodations superadded to the eclat that would nat
uraly attach to her first voyage across the Atlantic,
but forty persons could be found TO book themselves
upon her passenger-is WHILE at the same date, two
third class steamers started for NewYork compare
lively full.
At length my preparations were all finished, the cab
was at the door, the landlord and principal servants,
who had arranged themselves in the hall, bsde me
adieu with looks heavy with commisseration; and
an quite sure, as drove gayly of, with my fowls
cackDg on the roof, they regarded the whole lot as
being inevitably bound TO Davy Jones's locker
The morning was fine, but the gathering at South
ampton 70 behold the start was very meager. There
could not have been two hundred people in all upon
the quay and those instead of showing that hustle
and gayety which nsualy attends the starting Of WELL
provided company Of travellers, was rather marked
by silence and somber thought The only party that
seemed to be utterly reckless of the scene was my
gsme-cock, who, catching sight of pair of burly
tn ha his eQfu