The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1871-11-04
letter from over the Sea.
QUEENSTOWN, IRELAND. Oct. Is,

QUEENSTOWN, IRELAND Oct. Is, 1871.
DEAR MAC-Here am, alive and well, after
my voyage across the big pond" ON the
evening OF the ;5Jh September we steamed ont
OF New ork, and in q few hours after found
ourselves on the broad bosom OF the Ceeu "
lantlc. None, unless those who have expert
enced 1T, can have any idea of the sensation one
reefs as he stands on deck and catches the last
glimpse of the receding land, while the good
ship ploughs with giant strides through the
tempestuous pillows before land is siThted
again. The evening we left aii-were in good
more discussing the probable number that
would be esea-sick-others again arguing, almost
DeItlhg, as TO the length of the voyage. But,
sir, the third day saw two-thirds of the passen,
gers Frustrated with sea-sickness Never hay-
ing experienced what it is like, I can say much
ABOUT TINS disease, but judging from the ieath-
IKE Iike Paleness visible on every face, / should
think IT must be dreadful. While it lasts | am
told II Is the seyerest of sickness, but when if
Is over people feel better than they did before
splightly as ever. Judging from the ccIeTitv
OF knives, forks and mouths of those that we're
fG f 1 Gerealn!y f must say they lost nothing in
We had on board the shrewd calculating f.
nancier, the professional prating politician
the sanctimonious, methodicaL White-ch0lser'
ed little parson-in fact we had the extremes of
religlous and political opinion pretty well re-
~ On the sixth day we saw some of Mother
carey chickens" the sure forerunners of a
storm. The same night dark ominous clouds
hung over US, the sea looked angry, the captain
gave orders TO his men to trim the ship and
TO take in all the sails. The order was not
given TOO soon, for hurricanc-Iike a syyeepiu0
s. 10
bury us in the awful deep, Fear was depicted
OF every countenance. Those whose lips per
prayer, now in the hour of danger appealed to
heaven for aid. 1t was trying time, for there
W e ~ mere, re- nG!nareds OF mics away from land,
az tHe InercleS OF wind and waves, not knowing.
the moment we would keel over. The next
morning mo- daWned with the storm little abated,
nut SUN the SKY wore the same scOw ling.
threatening, defiant aspect. \ look through
In bide .t9 meow showed US the wild raging god
ne stfoue tne sea IN all his awful, majestic, fu-
rlouS grandeur. The mountain pillows, as they
sursGd SUR f ana loaned and dashed like mighty
Warehouses against the very clouds, and then
again came rolling and tumbiing back like
huge avelaGches, beariag destruction in their
PAIN. were a slght SO terrIfyIngly grand~that
one forgot the danger in the stupendous gran
deur of the scene. Some time during the af-
ierhoon the elements Gained considerably, and
Dy night our good ship was under full sail
again, cutting through the now settled sea
Inc eighth day found US all chatting about the
late storm and congratulating ourselves on not
being by this time swallowed up in the sharks
mighty NAV.
On the ninth day every face wore an anxious
look, every eye was strained looking for some
distant object, every tongue was busy discuss
ing the probable time in which that long wished
for object. LAND, would appear in view.
me weary, dying traveller the great Sa-
hara desert longs and signs for a drop of water
TO cool his parched lips-the lover looks for
happy momeEJ when he shall meet the absent
OBJECT of his atfectiOn-the weary, Scared sol
der of a hundEed battles longs for the peaco
that viii bring f7im rest-but, Sir, the feelings
OF ali put together are only as the flicker of q
gas jet to the noon-tiay sun COMPARED with the
feelings of person on ship-board when he
catches, after perilous voyage of ten days,
the first sight of-land.
On the morning OF the tenth day we could
see something in the dim distance which we were
tOld were the Kerry Heads. As the mornings
mist cleared away and the sun shone out, we
could see distinctly the green hills of dear Old
ireland Nearer and nearer we came, till at
last we found ourselves entering Queenstown
After the usual examination of personal
property" all those who had been booked for
ireland came ashore. Need L say that your
correspondent was one of them. When found
I myself once more on terra fY9nd | felt as if /
could 4iy, for here l was, after an absence of
many years, coming TO visit the dear land of
my blrth-tO see again the mountains and hills,
the streamlets and riis with which all my joy
Gus hoyhood recollcctions are so pIeasingly as
soclated; for though an American 10y adoption,
still am none the less a Irishman.
For the present / viii not attempt a dcscrip-
ton OF Queenstown. In my next | will essay
the task. During my stay in the country will
send you an occasional letter descriptive of the
different places of interest propose to visit.
My next, expect, will be from historic LINER
ick Kind regards to all the JohnstOwn folks.
Yours, dear Mae, truly, ERIONACH.
Headquarters of the Clothing Trade-W. 6
BIS Oak Hail. 9th & Market.