New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-09-20
rlrty Years IN The new world.
NUMBER EIGHT.

can only say that life was so buoyant with u.
at the age of fifteen, when first we left the
i paternal roof and embarked under the guard
, anship of strangers, that we never inquired
i about what might be our fate in far away
elimes, among foreign people, and distant
from home, family, friends and relations
f Such We're our feelings to see with our own
eyes the wonders and marYels of which we had
), read In books and recita1s of travellers and
navigators; Robinson Crusoe, Christopher Co
lumbus, Cook, the great circumnayigator Of
our globe, Leyaillant, the adventurous traveller
of the interior of Africa-all these had left an
unquenchable desire in our youthful mind to
travel and see foreign countries, but more es-
pecially the American States, or what then
were universally called the New World, in con-
tradistinction of the old continent comprising
Europe, Asia and Africa, as historically known.
Hence, when we found ourselves after long
preparations, which had lasted indeed from
the preceding month of November, 1915, to
the month of May, 1916, fairly launched upon
the ocean, we then began to realize our posi-
ton, and to actually enjoy our flight as bird
into unknown regions and climates. AS long
as we had preserved land in sight, it seemed
to us that we might still be recalled to the
long known confines of our native place, and
our irresistible longing was for the unlimited
horizon which we found only when at sea and
not spec Of land could any longer be dis
cerned.
Now, as we said before, perhaps the same
sentiment may not be felt by other youths
/ generally, but we cordially confess that the
idea Of leaving brothers, sisters, father,
mother. and 50 many other cherished friends
and kindred, did not weighin the balance one
moment, nor with regard to the consideration
/ thatwe would have to stay, perhaps whole
/ lengths Of years, in foreign lands, far away
i from our accustomed playing grounds and
familiar pleasure surroundings. 1t was then
4 this ardent desire which animates SO many
! individuals to seek in the travels of foreign
/ countries a satisfaction or means to aceumu-
late their stock of scientific experience, their
actual knowledge of mankind and nations
which brought us to the shore of the Missis-
sippi, where now we are drawing these
4 sketches and impressions, in order to trans
nit to others our youthful and primitive SEN
sations experienced some fifty years ago.
The mere changes in so many modern i'm
| provements since that period, it seems to us,
| alone ought to impart some interest to these
long past "reminiscences, for in this respect,
they must perform nearly the Office Of voice
that would come back, as it were, after such
a long lapse of time-that is half a secu1um-
waited from over the rolling of the great At
| lantic oceans waves, and we shall therefore |
continue our course Of desultory narrative |
When leaving the mouth of the river Elbe, |
which is quite considerable stream at its
ef1ux into the North Sea or German Ocean, |
You find yourself Immediately in one of the
most agitated parts Of the great northern ex-
panse of waters. True, the seasis not very
deep, and in the vicinity of the low lands of
north Germany, or what was formerly
called Friesland, and further on, the Dutch or
Holland islands dyked in, and thus rendered
productable for the inhabitants, the pilots or
navigators can always ascertain their where
abouts by merely casting the lead and examin-
ing the ground brought up from the bottom,
for according as this is either gravel, sand,
shells, etc, the maps and charts will indicate
your position; but as for the native pilots and :
fishermen in these seas they need no maps,
and know by mere inspection Of the up p
lrawn lead their exact situation. But Ila
although this arm Of the Northern Ocean, g
which stretches indeed as far north as the ~ ~
ape north of Norway, is near the German q
nd Dutch shores of no considerable depth, :,
till are the waves often dashed into the
reatest fury after succession of northerly R
+ westerly winds, so that We have been wit ~ ~
esses of some of the subli1nest spectacles in CT
lie world, with regard to these wild scenes Of
tossing ocean, being as it were like a mad
liant in a fury, and dashing and shaking "
very thing around and upon its surface. =
These scenes Of sublime oceanic Juror have ~
ften been represented upon canvass; but to 81
njoy, for that is the word, these hardly con til
elyap4e images, one must have been in the F.
litst of their very tossing rage and fury. fl,
'ow again, it depends, no doubt, upon the 10
ltterent temperanents to look upon these 81,
igantic spectacles of nature in different M
gifts; but if we have to form an idea of what 71
eally constitutes the attraction of a naviea-
ors OF sailors life, it is this ever present
pectacle OF the superior natural forces or th
overs SO very conspicuous; whilst our mo- ex
otonous or routine course of business life on F,
lore offers no such an ever present admoni- di
on. Indeed, compare the life of dweller M
one Of our great cities to that of sea-faring an
an, and you will perceive that the first is le.
lrounded every day by the works of handi- of
aft, by the incessant toll of the crowds of f..
en-, the edifces, manufactures, and multi no
rious occupations of mankind; in fact, he D,
es almost nothing but what has issued, or
zen fashioned or created by the hand Of his
llow-man; hence, he concludes that man, its
I'd the works Of man or society, are alone an
lportant and govern the world. Not SO with is
e men that so to the deep waters. True, vii
ey contide themselves to the water-craft of
Their astaUnch sailing ship or some ocean thi
works Of skillful artizans-but i'm
hen they come to lose sight of land they T.
en- know that other powers than those -, :
man govern the ocean, the waters, the vast So'
panse below and above With all our modern col
fence and experience, the seafaring man is OF
reed to acknowledge a dependence 1lnon Juf