North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1869-09-29
"Aromd the World by Steam.o

should awaken to hear the reports of
travellers who continually run up and
down and around the world, he could
not only think that this was another
creation from that which the pilot knew
in ancient classic times, but he would
not recognize the waters where his slow
galley once crept cautiously along. but
which arc now ploughed by the sharp
prows of hundreds of steamships, the
blue waves of historic seass churncd by
the swift wheels of Clyde-built iron
steamers. And in the sleepy old lands
where the Aryan races had their birth,
steam and, other improved machinery of
modern travel have found their way, SO
that the ambitious tourist may now pass
around the world by steam. This mar
vel does not readily become familiar to
the mind; it cannot quickly grow old.
The drowsy pilot Of Eneas, awakened
to modern life and civilization, would be
no greater object of wonder than is tie
great change which a few years have
wrought in the mysterious and venerable
countries of the East, of which our chief
associations are derived from the Arab
ian Nights Entertainments and the
equally fascinating pages of the earliest
chroniclers. That railroads run in sight
of the Egyptian Sphynx, and skirt the
bases of the Himalayas is marvellous
and while we boast of the great iron
highway across the American continent,
we ought equally to admire the fact that
the ancient cities of Allahabad, Umbala,
Benarcs and Delhi, the home of historic
kings and races, now know what a rail-
road is, and their profound silence is
broken blythe sound of the steam wills
tie v
Leaving New York now, the traveller
reaches San Francisco in seven DAYS by
railroad. ,.fHe must travel westward,
with thcTsun, if he desires to see the
world Alright and reach each country at
its proper season. Going eastward is
against the sun and against nature. }
Here he takes the splendid ocean steam
line form San Francisco to China, reach
ing Yokohama in twenty-onc days. Six
days more may bring him to any of the
southern ports of China, and fourteen
days-forty- eight days from the time he
left New York-he may be in the heart
of the ancient empire of Burmah But
his object is not SO much to get around
the globe by steam in the shortest pos
sible space of time, as to see the world /;
if he is running race with the sun. he
may make the trip in seventy-eight days
But he will linger in Japan, see China,
and, leaving these countries under his
lee, take the steamer to Singapore,
thence to Bangkok in Siam, and then
across the Isthmus to the Bay of Ben
gal, and taking the railroad to Calcutta,
cross to Bombay, Or what is more likely,
he will strike northwest from Calcutta
to Northern India, and SO through all
its great cities, across the head waters
Of the tabled Indus into the borders of
Cashmere-into Turkistan and across to
the waters of the Caspian sea. And from
this point swift steamers bring him into
close connection with every European
city. Nearly all of this route can be
Ifraversed in first class steam convey
tAnces, and all of it is possible for regular
travel. BY steam the tourist may di.
verge from this line and reach Cairo
and so the rest of the world from Bonn
bay, 20
| The completion ofthe Pacific railroad
has made all this practicable. The
greatest link in the chain of land travel
by steam has placed within the possibil
tiles Of few months steam voyage
around the globe. And American ira.
velers, famous for their enterprise, are
already availing themselves Of these
novel facilities. With the GOODNESS and
self-collection Of the average American
they are planning trips to the wilds O!
Tartary, excursions to Bokhara. and
summers in Cashmere. Many such par
ties have already passed through San
Francisco bound over the new way
round the world. Others are preparing
and soon, among our excitement loving
people, the trip OF circumnavigation vii
be the favorite feature of foreign travel
AT San Francisco they will cast adrifi
from Western civilization, and through
the Golden Gate pass out into the rich
domain of the ancient Orient.