The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-08-07
COMMUNICATED.
THE GREAT EASTERN IN THE CHESA
pEdRE

fHE UhEA EASIEHN IN IHE CHESA-
PEARE.
When your correspondent ventured TO break to
a fair friend, who feels an interest in him,
the news, that the thought of going out to meet the
Great Eastern upon her intrusion into our private
and peculiar bay of the Chesapeake had oc
Cured to him, her looks sufficiently testified
that she fully appreciated the gravity of the stu.
alton. She had read in the New York papers the
history of the voyage from Manhattan to Cape
May, in that monster, so it was impossible that
she could shut her eyes to the dangers which your
and her correspondent (yours "truly," and hers
"affectonately,") was about to dare. Rejecting,
however, that British ships had been boarded by
gallant Americans in times past, with results alike
favorable to "America, Commerce aud Freedom"
and the private and personal puaton of the in
dividuas concerned she did not offer serious oppo-
sition She called to mind our Truxtons
and Perrys, and Hulls-men Of renown, with others
not few, and resolved unanimously, in the Ian
guage of the mortally wounded andimmortal Law
renee that your correspondent, and hers as afore-
said, should not give up This purpose of visitug)
the ship" She, however, had the feelings of
a woman as well as an American matron, and be-
thought herself of reducing your correspondents
risk to the lowest possible average. In addition to
ample provision OF shirts and chokers, she put
up double quantity ofsoap and towels. A bottle of
claret and package ofsandwiches were suggested
alleviate apprehended drought and internal vacui-
ty for the day of trial by which time she trusted your
correspondent, would at least be in sight of the
State House, which in consideration of the associa-
tious of good cheer connected Herewith, would re-
vive his spirits until he should be rescued by the
steamer, which pledged there to meet him and
others in similar situation. In addition to the soap
and towels she wished to put into the carpet-bag a
portable shower bath, a bucket of water and re,
volver, but upon inspection and measurement it
was ascertained that all these articles could not
possibly be slowed away. As in almost every other
| Of tTa ,ton had H..
with the difficulties of the situation and she was
obliged to do only the best she could. Your cor
respondent does not feel bound to furnish list of
all the articles which did go into the bag; but
the shower bath and bucket of water, and
that he had to regret that
he did not.
ON BOARD THE LOUISIANA.
At four and half o'clock p NJ, or sooner AN ordi-
nary correspondent might say, she found HIMSELF on
board Of the good steamer louisiana" &c. Your
especial in this instance, however, will use no
phraseology indicating that he had been ''lost,"
and accidentally, as it were, brought up at the
lower end of Union Dock on the contrary all his
proceedings were duly weighed and the conse-
quences calculated, and himself and carpet bag
were on hand little before the time set forth by
the advertisement in the EXCHANGE, because he was
aware that, if he came little after he would have
& found himself" left behind. All the agitating
between a steamboat and her wharf may better be
imagined than described. This daily divorce this
sunderng ofstrong attachments, castng OFF, of
les, is one of the tragedies which people have
learned to look upon with little emotion as the
| play of Hamlet performed by a stock company. A
truce therefore, to sad reflections upon the empty
space so lately filled by the fair proportions of the
! Louisiana, by the side of the now desoate pier
That steamer is now half wav to North Point-her
"slack" has long been hauled in-why should your
correspondent not initiate her example.
"CRowDs."
"The worst ills of life those that never hap
! pen.' If a crowd be considered amonp the
| those of excursion, it happened on this
occasion, only in terrible anticipation Several
gentlemen who had wives and little ones, and who
| would not have left them behind on any account,
forced to do SO by the dread of a "crowd" into
which they could not think of thrusting these dear
ones. They came by themselves, therefore in such
disconsolate condition that they were not seen to
"smile" until some minutes after leaving the
| GLOVER end of Union Dock" After that they
bore their sorrows with much cheerful firmness.
| When, however, it is said there no crowd on
| board, your correspondent merely means to ndi-
| cate that the masses were not present in numbers
| at all affecting a due circulation of air, tests
and "smiles." Speaking in the more confined
| and technical sense, which allows you to call your
| hall dozen companions your "crowd," there were
''crowds on board, more than one. There were many
little social groups of crones, formed beforehand,
or soon sprlnglDg up spontaneously from the good
soil on board. Friends who had not met for years,
and friends who never met before, now met again,
or encountered each other for the first time. 1t is
| one of the peculiarities of crowd of any kind,
| that it can never be reproduced. You may coax
the same people into juxtapositon again perhaps,
but you can never recall the same crowd This re-
tection is thrown out to those who may here
after be thrown into a crowd to treat it with all
the observation and consideration which is due to
phenomena never to be again witnessed.
! 1.. HOW THE "CRowDs' GOT ON.
In the "crowds" on board the Louisiana on this
| occasion, the ''female element was decidedly
nainuS-it might almost be said nil-it having been
explained that many gentlemen reluctantly left their
at consideration
| them, but your correspondent is of opinion that
the presence of that feminine shirt of maiP'-
! a steel skirt-even if it should be hang
| ing from peg, would not be without an esthetic
WfIs eM in any i'm But there
/ propriately displayed than in such "dependent
situation, which gave their agreeable tone to
the course of affairs. The weather NAV have been
warm-on land it is said to have been hot-but the
Louisiana, unless she has fifteen knot breeze
right after her, can always ''rase the wind" for
herself, and on this occasion there was brisk
blow right her teeth which caused lively demand
for hat strings, to prevent those who were covered
! with straw from having their ''humble sheds"
! unroofed. Upon the forward part of the steamer
! whose bow is as sharp as the implement wherewith
prominent presidential candidate cleaved his path
4 to fame and his present prospects of Office the
| "crowds'' did mostly congregate Fragrant
| weeds were now set aglow, pungent fumes arose,
and talk and jest and gossip equally pungent went
round. Your correspondent observed "crowd"
alter "crowd disappear, and after slight intervals
| re-appear down and up hatchway in that quarter
of the vessel, and, in duty bound, made inquiry
| about the cause, not venturing down himself. He
| got no direct response, but if the "crowds" did
| below, what they did on deck when he addressed
them his respectful question, they did nothing but
''smile" Having been early trained to most pune
tua habit of retiring early to bed your correspon-
dent, after a supper, which was a good guaranty
against couple of days ofstarvaton retired to his
slumbers. He understood however, subsequently,
that many of the "crowds' divided and subdiyided
themselves into parties of four, and whed away
the hours till the approach of twelve, in jolly
games of euehre, &c. When the disposable tables
were all occupied, one party adopted life pre-
server, and others took trunk or dry-goods box
instead. He heard of gentleman, who was
uch strong player, to be able on one occasion
to discard' the cleft bower' and still beat his
adyersares. AS your correspondent does not speak
from personal knowledge, he will not vouch for
this rather improbable story. The playing, it
] should be understood, all in sport, and there
was no betting. E1 G.es 4I7ss.,T -a40.-. {
.. .r MOONLIGHT ON THE WATER .-
Your correspondent having gone ''early to bed,"
was able "early to rise," but did not get mp. SO
soon, but the moon before him. and about 31l in
the morning was cup and dressed" in slight and
fitting drapery of clouds gazing at herself in the
broad mirror of the Chesapeake. She was appar-
emily not satisfied with her appearance or it NAV
have been the changeful coquetry for which she is
SO famous, but in few moments she cast aside even
her nebulous garments and shone upon the sleeping
world and your wakeful correspondent with un-
clouded splendor. The watch Of the steamer was
only thoughtful and considerate to strike the gong,
at thateweet hour, and bring out from the "dumb
forgetfulness of their berths, the passengers who
were missing glorious scene. The word was
passed around that Old Point light was in sight
and that the Big Ship might momentarily be seem
ana before the nose-compelling implement of the
Celestial Empire had wholly ceased to vibrate, the
sleeping denizens of our little world had sprung
from their DillOWs and hv ny,o rhf <b