Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1862-11-19
Letters OF a Traveller.
To IIie Democrat * Sentinel
No.. D.

/ The next morning we all got up cheer
ful and hearty and after our ablutions ami
/ a promenade of about a mile on deck we
we sat down To breakfast at 81 O'Clock.
/ This day was passed In political argu-
mcnts, discussion on the war question.
/ PRAYER meetings. music of band; indeed
/ we had two bands. one brass. belonging
I To the ship. and the other a dancing band
/ made up of scientific amateurs. The per
( tormance of The day was closed bv "a
Scotchman singing .'Annic Laurie = with
! great sweetness and paiho>. We were.
/ from the pilot left uS. going at the rate OF
/ j54 miles per day, this would take Us 10
/ Liverpool in s days and about Q hours. a.
/ the distance Is 3OS4 miles. but the sail
/ ing master kept good deal TO the south
/ for fear of icebeTgS. and "a we could not
| keep a reckoning our SpeculationS a. to
| time were somewhat various. The next
| day was tOggy but passed pleasantly, the
| prayer meetings became frequent, and
1 seemed TO tire the grOSS band OF the IN
godly, and To counteract this. the band
always raised Il dance nj the time OF
/ prayer meeting: this drove both parties
into a kind OF compromise. and both nav
! ing relaxed something of their ariour mat
tiers were amicably adjusted between them.
/ | may a. well here give an account Of
how the time was generally spent on board
/ by the various persons composing the
/ passengers. Young America smokes ci-
| garS. and discusses the speed of horses
! ships and locomotives. and the athletic
| powers of Heenan and Savers. old travel
! lers read, observe and ask questions in
! the most unmOved manner. noyices tramp
mp and down always in hurry. The
old military and naval people talk over
! battles and victories, and the healthy
| English play at skittles To beguile the time
till dinner or supper is ready. Many
read and write all day. there l. always
somebody looking over the extreme bow.
a knot of people is discussing the events
of the war, and warmly contending for
north OF south. Some are continually or
the look out for vessels with their glasses
slung over their shoulders. Gvmnastic
exercise, foot races. and all sorts of pur-
suits from uproarious hilarity to solemn
contemplation are to be seen on deck
While below some occupy their berths,
some playing eucre, some at whist. some
at old siedge for the porter and some ri
poker for the pewter. These things are
repeated daily and tho it becomes some
what monotonous, still the universal good
feelings that prevail and the many ac-
| qu;iutanccs made. cause It TO be an inter
esting epoch in lif- This day was foggv
/ again and the routine OF occupation "a
/ heretofore. \ full rugged ship apparently
/ bound for the United ScatcS appears IN
view, but not in speaking distance
. Mother Carcy's chickens were around u
in vast abundance and seemed to be busilv
/ employed. There Were great speculation
| among the passengers. as To how these
chickens got home. if home they had on
shore, we came TO the conclusion that
they could not 90 home ut night and be
back 50 early in the morning, as they
were at least one thousand or fifteen hun
dred miles from lahl The truth Is they
eat aud sleep on the ocean. and 90 home
at certain periods To hatch. This day
was stormy and we could not 60 on deck
during the day, a good many of the fe-
male and some of the male passengers were
/ sea sick. Although this vessel does not
! pitch like a small vessel in a storm which
always occasions sea sickness with some.
still she rocks very considerably In the
evening we had a lecture on Inward
/ light " by quaker from Canada. which
clashed with the doctrine of our prcsbv-
terrain friends and elected a sharp discuss
ion. The quaker was ably assisted by
scotch intidel and some others came TO
his assistance but they were opposed by
two or three preachers who after some
time got the voice of the crowd with them:
80 the inward light man was driven into
the shade where he had to luxerate during
the rest of the voyage. and his inward
light was never shed on more than one at "A
time afterwar Is. Next davthe storm some
what abating. Tie ship under fine head
way though the wind Is against her This
day still a little boisterous but pleasant on
deck, groups of passengers at their usual
discussions and occuaptions. and the ship
moving gallantly along. Sunday AGAIN
beautiful day. episcopal service read by
the Captain. Mr.. Northup of BROOKLYN
called the boy preacher. preached in the
forenoon and evening. He was going out
to assist the celebrated Spurgeon of Lon
don, and Is said TO be fully as good If not
better than Spurgeon. The next dav was
fine and continued so, we this dav held a
meeting complimenting the Captain and
officers of the ship for their uniform kind
n~ss and attention "a IL Tho ,,,,.,,,,l,r