The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1876-09-14
Correspondence of the News.
Letters from Europe-No. {.

Mr.. EDITOR Letters from 'iforeign parts"
possess, generally, some interest for the intelli-
gent newspaper reader; and as doubtless you
have many intelligent readers, perhaps some in
struction and amusement may be afforded to such
an important class of the community by an humble
individual who viii attempt to occupy some of
your valuable space"
Although have passed come years in foreign
countries, know read with great interest letters
written from any country-eyen when they con-
Germ places with which am perfectly familiar. In
the latter case correct or confirm my previous
conclusions and convictions.
Letters of travel are photographs, and may bear
considerable study. trip to Europe is such
common affair that certainly no one can claim to
have attempted or accomplished much, who simply
gets over the ocean in vessel that Is exceedingly
safe, and is at the same time supplied with all the
conveniences that contribute to make the sight
seer comfortable. 1t is all very well to cross a
stormy ocean in the best ships. Your only real
anxiety viii be to what strain your stomach will
hear-f you are well, to dispose of the four meals
sisssd with Epnctuality, or If you are not well,
to ascertain depth of misery you are capable of
bearing, though what has been appropriately called
''cascading."
There is really no other cause for uneasiness.
For Columbus my respect and admiration in
creases every time 1 cross the ''great deep" He
sailed out, as it were, towards eternty-but with
confidence that partook of the sublime, and bor-
dered on the supernatural. His 'tfrail bark" was
not a particularly safe place to live in-very far
from land. We cross the Atlantic in vessels that
are next to perfection in their construction, and
when we land on solid ground we think we are a
trihe better than the people who have not done as
much. But that grand hero Columbus faced not
only the dangers of an unknown ocean, but the
greater danger of treachery from his companions
and future humiliation at home.
After monotOnously pleasant voyage, 1 saw the
coast of Ireland for the fourth time. Having seen
only water, a few ships, some porpoises, some
whales and some sea gulls, for more than nine
days. the sight of the barren rocky coast of south
ern Ireland produced feeling of satisfaction even
in the breast OF the most hardened traveller say
hardened" traveller, because meet with men who
have crossed the Atlantic forty fifty times, and
they not sailors by profession. To them,
crossing the Atlantic is no more than crossing
ferry.
Speaking of the ocean, mighty orator once said
to me, '"The drawback to an accident at sea is
there is no back door to get out Of" When you
come in sight of land you feel the back door is not
far off.
Speaking of sea-siekness, am reminded of a
little story told me by the late Archbishop Hughes
of New York-a charming man in conversation.
During very rough passage the Atlantic, the
cabin adjoining the Archbishop was occupied by a
Frenchman, who suffered horribly and long from
sea-sickness. One day the steward returned with
the Frenchman's trowsers, which he had brushed
and folded. On seeing them the exhausted French
Eian gasped, 'oh, take zem avayI zall never
wants zem any more !" That certainly was dec
laration in ertrenis.
After landing, some persons are afflicted with
sort of secondary sickness, which manifests itself
in imaginary movements of pavements and house,
tops, accompanied by the throbbing of steam
engine. In acquiring your "land legs" there is
much relief.
In crossing England 1 enjoyed the company of a
friend, who was visiting that country for the first
time. 1t was interesting to hear his exclamations
of surprise and delight at what he saw. He well
described the appearance OF the country by saying
''the whole country looks like Clifton-p Clifton
is suburb of Cincinnati, remarkable for It's fine
residences and carefully tended grounds.
OF course it has taken centuries of care to make
the entire country look like garden. Land being
cheap with us, we don't appreciate
its possession, and frequently we are guilty of a
shameful neglect of it. Neatness in ones farm, as
in ones person, does not cost much, but it often
speaks volumes to the superficial observer. The |
pride the 'Britisher' feels in the mere possession
Of tract Of land, can hardly be appreciated by
hose of us who have seen large tracts, even in the
older settled parts of the country, neglected, or
going totally 10 waste.
A sail of hour and half in a light little
steamer, takes you over the Channel and into an
Entirely different country. 1 have crossed the
Channel some twenty-five times, and it has become
more matter of course than crossing from Gin
nnati to Covington, yet generally pay tribute to
Neptune. Considering the insuficiency of the
teamer accommodations on the great route from
london TO Paris, one is very much inclined to in
ulge in decidedly eurse-ory observations. The
teamers are so small that the slightest disturb
nee in the water is sure to set them to rolling or
itching, and you know, if you don't feel it your
elf, that some poor wretches are passing through
he agonies of sea-sickness. The English and
french authorities are now making sOundings for a
unnel, which all the world hopes may be success.
Don't consider me pedanttc when remark that
he word nGus in Greek means ship, whence we
ave nGu-sea-literally, ship-sickness.
Perhaps in another letter NAV talk to YOU about
olitics, social matters and foreign customs The
hief topic of conversation now is the intense heat
nd want of rain. So we in America do not have
Il the misery to ourselves. NADIA GYRO.