The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1869-07-15

on the ocean sailing, ana are Just
over the eastern edge of the Grand
Rank off the southern coast OF New
fonndland We have had very little
Wind M to this time, and consequently
had TO depend almost entirely on
steam. The sea, thus far, has been
remarkably calm, considering always
.h,tit i an ocean whose waters are
never still. Unless we shall be favor
"a with a breeze to accelerate our
,rograss II will take us about seven
lP,ors 1svs tn reach Londonderry, our
80 ~ destination. | shall not
49, tbis letter for some days yet,
tbns reserying the opportunity to
chronicle whatever Of Importance that
may transplre.
wbo are accustomed to visit New
York anv remarks on the route to
that point would necessarily be I'M
interesting, but 20 those who are not |
thus accustomed, few ObseTvatiOrs |
may not be amiss. From lndlanapo-
rs we travelled over the Crestline and
the Pennsylvania Central Railroad
The principal objects worthy OF men
.iOn. such as are not seen on all rant
road routes, are the beautiful moun-
tain scenery and be tunnels. Along
the banks of the Ohio River from
Rochester to- Pittsburg, the scenery
- very 6ne. and must command the
sdmir3tion of all travellers The Ohio
River between these points is about
the size of the Wabash River be
tween New Harmony and the Ohio
River.
Plttsburg is quite a city. 1t does
heavy manufacturing and mining
business, and has many costly edl-
fees. The buildings are all black
ened with the dense cloud of smoke
which hangs over the place, arising
from consuming carbon. After
house is erected In that city
the first thing in order seems
to be to smoke it well,
and then it is ready for use. The
buildings present the appearance OF
age without decay. Passing Pitts
burg we meet with nothing Of general
interest until we commence the ascent
of the Western slope of the Ale
gheDy mountains, when we are met by
a succession of mountain scenery that
is really grand. On both the Western
and Eastern slopes of the Alleghe-
MES, the eye Of the traveller is de-
lighted with many objects of noun
tain scenery which would afford the
artist subjects for some magnificent
landscape paintings. One of the
most remarkable objects of interest
along this route is the GelletzOB tun-
mel, whichWa constructed, at a heavy
cost, under the highest ridge Of the
mountains, aud Is even-eighths of q
mile in length. la ascending the
Eastern slope we pass through another
tnnel called HprGce- Creek tunnel
which is about One-third of mile IL
length.
Arriving at New York we met tn
fifth member of our party, which wa
then complete; consisting of Prot
Richard Owen, Of Indiana University
Bloomington, Indiana, Jane.
Hughes, jr., Of the same town, A
III. Fretageat, New Harmony
Indiana; VIM. Woods, of Tamaroa
Illinois, and your humble writer
New Y Ork, to use common phrase, Il
a right sharp tOloa." Our company
having to complete our preparation:
for the sea voyage, which occupied al
of our time before the departure o.
the vessel, it is sufficient for me L
say that we did not see New York
Having obtained our passports, anC
secured our tickets, we went on board
the steamship Britannia at IL } O'Clock
AN. on Saturday the 18th day Of
June, 1869 At II O'Clock the steam
err lOosed frsm her mOorings, anC
proudly steamed her course down the
Hudson or North River. The pas
seDgers we're mostly Scotch and Irish
and the parting secene between then
and the friends who had accompanied
them to the vessel, was deeply affect
ing. Many and rich were the bless
ings invoked upon each other
The pier was crowded witt
spectators and warm hearted friends
who had come TO bid adieu to thei
loved ones, perhaps for the last time
l was entire stranger to all Of them
and consequently no one said :" fare
91eu to me. We passed Castle Gar
den and Governors Island on thu
left, and Staten Island, Bedloe's anC
some other islands on the right Of us
passing out through the Narrows. be
tween Sandy Hook and Long Island
we launched out into the great ocean
In a few hours we were out of sight o
land, aud our vessel was committe,
to the wind and the waves. The shi
pitched considerably on accoun
of the roughness of the sea, at tn
same time keeping up constant roll
ing motion. The rolling of the vesse
is her rocking from one side {
the other IN the water. TIL
pitching motion is caused b
heavy waves or sWells of the ocean
coming under the ship at right angle
to II, or nearly so. As the ship ap
prOaehes one of these pillows orswell
she pluuges into it, sometimes bury
ing her prov in the tide, and scatter
ing the spray upon the deck of tn
vessel. The bowsprit is then raise
high Ia the air, as the swell passes IN
der the centre; but asst rolls swift
back 1t sends the stern of the vesse
high up, and plunges the bow agail
In the fOamlng tide of the next sue
eeeding billow. Although was nj
accustomed to be out of sight and on
of reach of land, yet stood it yer
well as long as it was day; but whe
the shades of night had settled aroun
us, and naught was heard but tn
working of the engines of the vesst
and the bowling Of the relentles
deep answering to deep, and
went down into the cabin {
consign the mortal body fc
the night to that narrow berti
tho feet By sac, which was tossin
up and down full ten feet ever
half minute, / acknowledge to fee
ing not altogether akin to that of tn
most heartfelt composure. At ever
descent the loud waves came dashin
against the vessel, which seemed. fc
the rnoment RI hava Lost bar baIapc