Wilmington daily commercial., 1873-07-18
FIRST EDITION.
THE EXCURSION TO EUROPE.

Sixth Month oath, 1873.
A thousand years ago, think was a wander
err like you, upon the face of the solid earth ;
now am only buoy life.preserver, may be,
or a chip-snythng that floats, without thought
or yotion we are out on the ocean sailing
"rockad in the cradle OF tho Deep" " a thous-
and miles from land arc We" sailing over
summer sea-" aud a hundred other like things
that have now something more of significance
than they used to have, when had only read
and heard of them, but had mover seen.
We are on the edge OF the fogs OF the New
| Foundland Banks. The light blue waters Of the
| Gulf Stream surround u.s. not the heavy-lued
| currents of the North. shallow bank OF fog
| lies along the whole horizon but the sun shines
| clear in the heavens, and has shone ever since
| We started, in unmitigable and undismayed
| splendor The ocean il sea Of glass, over
which flash thousand mimic suus, in momen-
taIy but constantly recurring spendor
Phantom sails and sometimes full.rgged ships
silently appear and disappear, but the great level
| boundary stretches and on, and out
aud out and our ship spreads her dirty sails
| aud gallantly and boldly ceaves into the blue
| mystery. Talk about a ship being " speck up
| OH the waters" and we mere waits and atoms
| It may be 30 to the great whole, but to our
SELVES and in itself, zee are the masters of the
world, aud it the crowning effort OF mans inge-
| nuity.
A ship SpoCk IL IL tne WOtll IL Is 1Ul IeeL
long and carries freight of 400 human lives. and
| 5000 tons OF dead burden. IL ID long prome-
made 1t is a city of many houses and streets, and
| of many and various inhabitants differing ia ma
tionaty, appearance, taste and education, as
much an the inhabitants of any city In tho saloon
there s the Chicago belle in blonde frlzetes, ,and
the fair young m itron in French cap and hOw-
ing ribbons. with music aud flowers and luxuri-
ons seats Ga the quarterback the sensible
seekers of health and pleasure sit aul talk or
Taad xVrapneI N the a in comfort aDlp
clothing, and inhaling the lnvfSOrating salt
breeze which never chis, provided you have
enough wraps of which it is indeed true, take
| as many as you will you always need ono more" "
| Tho strong young athetos play at quoits, ring
toss. and various active games, while steady
going voyagerz bring out the chess-board aud
Sixth Month 2jth.
To-day We are on the Banks of New Foundland
| aud have been all night, 30 Capt. MunrCe says,
| and there are French fishing -smacks with small
| boats ont quite near us, and all had fresh cod
| for breakfast 50 we must believe it though,
mind, We arc not stranded we are sailing-no
'.making"-l3 knots an hour in nautical phrase
| and have been doing so almost ever since we
| started. Now, that makes 13 times 5 miles for
nearly 80 hours, or somewhe not far from 1900
miles that we are from port Gas you say in our
| ship language) and yet we are close along the
North American coast. We shall bo of LELAND
| suppose before We have entirely bilden fare
we'll to our native land.
All! that farewell tho one We took in New
| New York. Dear friends, you should have been
''there to &c.," IL was equal to the launhcing Of
| the New Ironsdes that some Of you remember.
| Talk about the " emptiness " Of Friendship it
| was full of 2eal and heat that day. Hundreds of
| patient martyrs to that sentiment stood glowing
| with il, burning with it-Or the sun-fOr eighty
three tardy minutes, on boxes GU bales. Gu tim
| ber piles, cruw1lng the pier to its dangerous
| edge, waving haudkerchefs, kissing hands,
| shouting the last happy thought" till at last
I al. ...N. NI.r.1
bor Looking back aud looking back, &" each
| thought OF the woman who loved him tho
| best" and then wont to lunch on crackers and
cheese with mustard pickles and red eyes.
New York Battery needs washing with rain,
| and Staten Island shores would present better
! appearance if cultivated. They arc hot with
I bare rcd saud in too many places. Forts Hamil-
ton and lafayette do not look at all ferocious
| or formidable, as they sit blinking at you ON the
| haZy blue bay. Long Islaud hills and trees nod
graceful good bye as we GO below stars to
| start housekeeping, aud make up by nap for
the last nights loss Of sleep in the cars.
Dinner at five finds us quite unprepared for
| the serious demGnd5 which at least ten course L
Of meat, (all or nearly all with onions) aud all
| the pastries, nuts and fruits you can think of,
make upon the appetite and digestion.
We are all surprised at our sea worthness,
| and talk largely about tho "roll of the vessel
| not affecting us, just as IL she could roll yet.
We make acquaintance with the chief quarter
master. A real sailor with blue jacket, stream
ing ribbons to his cap. rolling gait and honest
broad face Ist like Allrich's bal Boys" 6 lod
captain He epeaks with strong Scotch accent
MS indeed do all the officers and crew on the
steamer.
"a perfect picture We say, and our interest
and admiration, tho not gate understood, are
| fully appreciated and are rewarded by permis-
zion to sit inside the wheel house. while the Hat
terng attention OF asking for his picture secures
10 us an explanation OF the compass AMI log, a
| sight of all the different signal iags, with the
| book OF Illustrations and instructions, and
great deal OF general iurormltion on ship m IT.
ters in general The officer in charge coming
in, We politely, but with some couti lence, hope
we are not intrudng but he lauShingly asks il
we can read and takes down aud shows us the
printed card on which is ''visitors not admit
ted" "Oh yes, but that is Scotch We presume
ne arc Americans"
Well, I've done my duty, and IL you cannot
read you are not responsible" SO We stay, and
watch the irregular starts aud jerks OF tho en-
| gine there, and ind that the motion il commun
cated by shafts from the bridge-house, away a
the other end Of the boat, where another quarter
| master Lteers so our visit ends and we go for
ward and climb the bridge, to find just the
joliiest ibest-natured willing Captain
that ever took out curious company OF ques
, ti0ners. and you may be sure we are that.
Promenading il fashionable at all hours AM
so delightful, before meal to give an appetite
; and after one to settle it and wish good success
Lovers actual aud prospective pursue it diliGent
ly, and l presume with as good success as tn
| dlgestlOn-Seeker5.
: We certainly needed something as an assistant
when we had six meals day of all earthly com
binatious and cOucOctions aud now when 1.-The
| arc reduced to three, what with the soups, an
: | the Toasts ana the sauces mysterious, aud th'
! desserts of elaborate preparation it require
: vigorous measures TO keep up the eqni.i Jrium Q
| action.
Everything is good on ship.board, but tn
tea aud coiIee," says one another, Iii we onl
: had bread could do" bat with the hard oat
' cato which betTays the Scottish proc!lyities o
Masters and stewards, and the fresh ard cri-
brown crackers Of Glasgow. in addition to tn
/, ample variety Of meats, 1t is certainly not onl
I easy but very agreeable living
o Overhead a beautiful hanging flower-gardel
!. flourishes in the skylight Of the saloon. Under
u meath are the seats of our party.
Geranums, fuchsias, heliotropes bloom II
% garden-like sweetness and beauty. Paneliing
y of rose and satin-wOod alternate in the wal
o scoting of the low walls, while soft cushions c
), maroon leather receive us at table, and prayer'
! a and on any other occasion when we wish to b
there for conversation, for singing for listenin
. to tho improyised quartettes aud trios that al
u made mp from Iowa, Illinois, Ohio and Kentucky
N and il the time and the harmony arc a little {
fault sometimes. the imperfections are gooC
naturedly overlooked, and we certainly lind th
music as good as the widely-separated element
at would give us promise Of But these deliciou
10 days and long twilight nights are spent mostl
st on deck. We drink in delight from every ave
b. nue. sea- air, sky and social enjoyment; an
har nh