Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1871-01-13
Letter From california.
NEW YORK TO AspINwALL,.
PLEAsAsTos, Cal, Dec. 2sth, 1870.

trip from New York to San Francisco,
by sea. Arriving in New York, by rail
the latter part of November, we COM
plete the few purchases necessary for
our voyage. Next morning we send our
trunks aboard the Pacific Mail Steam
ship Co.'s steamer, Henry Chauncey,
Captain, A. G.. Gray, commanding. As
we stroll leisurly down to where the
steamer is moored, we encounter teams
loaded with baggage and express boxes
hurrying to the pier. On the pier, all
the available space is filled with peanut
and apple stands, whose OWNERS are cry
ing "Please buy for your stomachs
sake" Elbowing our way through to
the freight room, we find the din to be
deafening and an unusual activity mani
tested. Stevedores slowing away in the
steamer all that is brought them, every
one taxing his strength to the utmost, as
though all depended on his individual
self. Now all is confusion; passengers
are arriving and hurrying aboard with
friends Hundreds are crowding around,
each doing his or her best to be heard,
all adding to the uproar. The time now
approaches for leave taking. 1t is a soul
stirring sight: farewells are broken by
tears and sobs on every side. With
many no greetings will take place on
earth again.
The order comes "All friends ashorev
A hurried tread and the gangways are
speedily removed, the cables are losed
and the signal for departure is given
The steamer begins to move slowly of,
when the air is rent at first with faint
sorrowful cry which swells into mix
ed volume of hurrahs, shouts, and the
waving of handkerchief from the mass
es thatcove every spot. We pass smooth
ly along down the bay leaving behind
the snow storm that begun at the time
Of our embarkation. AS we are passing
at slow rate of speed through the Mar
rows chain is formed across the saloon
by the ships crew and the purser stands
at its connection and examines each one
concerning his or her ticket. Those
who are proclaimed "all right" pass
through. As we near the Hook the
steamer stops, and the pilots services be-
ing ended he leaves us with few "pen-
niless skulkers," the result of the afore-
said pursorial examination. The shore
begins to fade away and the sea rough
ems with stiff breeze, and night closes
around us. The next day finds us in the
Gulf Stream. We are now sailing in an
exceedingly rough sea which produces
mighty ejectments from our stomachs,
much to the delight of old Neptune
Soon recovering from our introduction
to the sea king we resumed our places at
the table with renewed zest.
From the deck nothing is seen but wa
ter. The voyager upon the ocean does
not realize its extent from the fact that
he is out of sight Of land, for the body
of water in view is small. Itseems won
derful that so simple piece of mech
anism as piece of steel poised upon a
pivot is sufficient to guide the mariner
over the seas. Our meditations were
broken by the fire alarm being sounded.
A fire at sea is the most dreadful of all
disasters that can befall vessel For
tunately in our case the alarm proved
false and all anxiety ceased. Since leav-
ing New York the temperature has been
increasing so that all winter clothing
is thrown aside. During the day we
saw in the distance several islands the
most conspicuous of which were Wat
ling's and Crooked Isles. Lat in the
evening the coast of Cuba was indicat-
ed by a lighthouse at the extreme wes-
tern part. The time passes pleasantly
all fraternize as though ther had known
each other years instead of days. The
piano attracts many, and some excel
lent talent is called forth. Many ol
those dear old pieces we loved so well al
home we're sung and played with great
effect.
| We stop at Castle Island to leave a
few papers. This island has lighthouse
situated on low sandy point. A light
house being located here makes it safer
in this latitude for the navigator than il
formerly was. The next day Navazs
Island came in view. As we near thi.
Island grand sight is presented by thu
dashing of the waves high up agains
this rock-bound coast Navaza is GU
ano island and belongs to the United
States. We exchange papers here Pas
sing by several vessels at anchor in q
bay formed by sort of indeptation o.
the islanGs,I a salute 81 fred in our honor
from the U. S. Fort, and we pursue oul
course. The distant mountains of Hayti
a1-seen looming up in the distance grid