Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-08-10
QQtmtester Daily Spp.
Written for the Worcester Daily Spy.
THE GREAT EASTERN.

curslon, you are at liberty to publish this note.
The steamer was advertised to sail at
O'Clock P. M, on Monday, the 30th ult., al.
though she did not get under way until two
hours later, The earlier time was probably
designated in order to give all who wished to
80, time to get on board before she started
which was as soon as she could safely have
passed the bar, it not being high tide until
ABOUT SIX O'Clock P. NJ, that day. And the
time designated was none too early, since all
were scarcely on board when it was time to
sail, Notwithstanding two small steamers and
other smaller craft were constantly plying be-
tween the dock and the Great Eastern, which
lay out in the stream halfmile or more, dur
ing the whole intervening time, to transport
passengers to the ship
But no finer sight can be imagined than
greeted the eye, when she did sail 1 can find
no words to describe it fully Several steam
ers, so covered with passengers as to resemble
gigantic, living, floating monster, more than
any thing else, accompanied her down the
bay, which was almost covered with sailing
craft of different kinds, under full sail, stand
ing out and in almost every direction.
The great hight of the Great Eastern affords
view like that seen from amountain. Thus
We had one of the most splendid views of the
North river, far up on its way among the high
lands that | have ever seen-although have
often been up and down that river, on some
of the noble steamers which sail between New
= York and Albany. Yet far to the north as
the eye could discern objects, might be seen
J,I.
see the Great Eastern move down the bay.
On both sides the bay, the mass of human
beings which lined the shores, seen from the
ship, appeared to me like nothing SO much as
| imagine wall would look, built of the beau
tful, highly polished, and brilliantly eololed
stones, named by the Reveator. The heav.
ems, too, as if to harmonic with the scene be-
low, threw veil of light, graceful clouds over
the suns face, which towards the horizon lay
piled up grand majestic, cloud masses; as if
to compete with the monster which moved so
gracefully upon the smooth surface of the wa.
tiers. Such scene must be seen to be real
lied lis useless to try to describe it.
so indeed must that eighth wonder of the
world, the Great Eastern, be seen to be real
lied Yea, more--t is not enough to see her.
One may read of her immense tonnage, of her
vast dimensions, of her stupendOus height he
may even stand near and look upon them-but
that is not enough
To realize her only in part, he must 90 down
her vast depths; he must climb her dizzy
heights; he must walk up and down her spa
cious deck. Look into these May depths
lis like looking down from some AL
pine brink into the fearful chasm below And
yet those are no fearful monsters that you see
moving about down there. Is it not admira-
ble wonderful, that mighty machinery NOV
ing SO quietly, perfectly and harmessy And
liz.
force of Etna But how readily and willingly
it yields to those sooty CycopS, moving down
there among its grim and heated depths.
Climb up her sides. ! know you will have
to pass up two or three flights Of stairs, from
this small steamers deck, to her more lofty
gangway. But do not trembe. AT each
landing are some gentlemanly officers, sub
jects of her most Christian majesty, who will
kindly assist you in your ascent There you
are safely landed Now go with me directly
to the top Of the paddle box. Now look
down. What, giddy, at only sixty feet above
the water You will never do Tor wife tor
one Of these fine looking officers. You say it
looks just as it does to stand on Trinity church
tower or the Boston state house, and look at
the people in the streets. So it does.
But let us go down upon deck, tor see, there
come the pilot and one of the ships officers,
to stand upon the box to take observations
quarter deck, who transmit it to the officer at
the helm, who is but a mouth piece TO those
six or eight men at the wheels, which move
the ponderous helm. Hank "Starboard :"
port, Delay" See their hercuean strength
The helm turns to right or left and behold
this leviathan obeys as the well trained courser
yields to the bit.
Now for while we will promenade the
deck. Been four times round Well. we
bav a a mi Nnt viii Lolc
to the grand saloon. You need not express
any surprise know it is nothing so splen-
didly finished as the Liverpool, or Hamburg,
or even the North River steamers But do
you not see how massive and how nicely pro-
portoned and arranged it is, to harmonic
with the rest of the vessel Fit it up like a
Hamburg steamers Pshaw! it would look
like trucking out warrior all armed for battle
in some pretty lady's finery Why, even
these Jack tars would see The improperly of
the thing at once.
No; everything about the Great Eastern is
in perfect harmony. Decks, masts, saloons,
state-rooms, all-all, is one perfect whole. if it
is proper to call any work of art perfect
Sitting aft, and looking at her ponderous
and complicated, yet neat and trim rigging,
against a clear evening sky one cannot, it
seems to me, devise anything more graceful
The picture is beautiful. But everything
about the Great Eastern is majesticaly, grand.
ly beautiful. Even its roll, so gradual and
gentle, is pleasing and soothing. As heard
gentleman say, 1.-The very thought of it pro.
voked sleep"
We were outside of the hook and safely
over the bar, before dark. Then the vessel
like proud queenly bird, as if conscious of
her own merits went almost silently on her
way, leaving watery galaxy in her wake,
scarcely rivaled by the stellar one above
Early enough in the morninp to nnobIa nc To