River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1876-06-15
CROSSING THE ATLANTIC

Mrs Swisshelm's Experience on the Trip
Correspondence OF The Chicago nibune
To one whose best idea of an ocean
has been gained by looking on an Hi.
nols prairie, voyage across the At.
lantic might well be a subject of dread,
and all my life il has been one of the
few things of which | have been
afraid. All accounts Of shipwrecks
and disasters at sea, have been TO me
especially horrible, and years ago
was so impressed by visions of the
sinking of the Arctic that | became
alarmed for my own reason. So il was
not strange that, when had concluded
to come to Europe, the way should
have been one of anxious cOnsidera-
ton. And first. resolved never to
cross in any but an English vessel.
The eountrymen of Sir Francis Drake
ought to be the best sailors in the
world, and if they are not, it is simply
disgraceful. Then thought | should
come in sailing.vessel, because il has
only the risks of wind, wave, rock and
iceberg, while steamer has all these
with the danger of steam and machine
Ty added but the Plmsoll revelations
show that it Is rather uncertain, when
an English merchantman goes to sea,
whether the owners intend her to
reach her ostensible dest,nation or the
bottom of the ocean. She and her
cargo, with the folks ON board, may
have been sold to an Insurance Com
pany and fell back upon the line
steamers.
On the Cunard, one would, of course,
be more secure from drowning than on
Plymouth Rock but the staterooms
were reported to me as below the sa-
loon, and very lhsufiiciently supplied
with fresh air; ana in a choice of
death from salt water or caMbonic.acid
gas, should choose the former. Next
in point of safety came the National,
on which two of the ships-the Egypt
| and Spain-were recommended as I'M
usually well-ventilated, and well.man-
aged, and we took passage on the
Egypt. which left New York April LIST.
Captain Grogan impressed me as Pc
culiarly fitted for this place, and the
ship as a marvel Of strength and Of
that beauty expressed in perfect util-
ity. They inspired me with conf.
dence, and passed two days of sea.
sickness in the comfortable assurance
that we We're quite safe and making a
! splendid run, a favorable wind and
plenty of steam.
On Monday began to get about and
look into odd corners, and went by
| mistake into dressing.room opening
ont of a small vestibule which opened
into the saloon. Here was surprised
| TO seee common, two-gallon, tin oil
can sitting on the wooden rack which
covered the floor. There was no pre-.
caution 10 p event its overturning,
and, as everything else on board was
made fast | wondered at this excep-
ton but II sat beside what seemed TO
be an oil-tank. supposed il had been
brought there 70 be filled, and resisted
to call attention 10 IL but, during the
afternoon, on deck, ! could not help
thinking Of that oil-can.
Daring our 5 O'Clock dinner, the ship
made q sudden lurcl, and heard that
can rattle around in that room, but
was near the lower end of the table,
while the surgeon of the ship. sat in
the stern end. within six feet OF the
room with the oil.can, and ! concluded
It must be all right OF he would have
attended 10 il. After dinner the
waves began 10 sweep over the deck.
so that we hid 20 take refuge below.
and tho vessel rolled so that il was no
easy matter to get there, for the wind
was sideways and she in the trough Of
the waves. We al retired early, and
after haitian hour OF hard work. one
ot ON party succeeded IN changing
her clothes and got into her berth,
while SIT facing the saloon aud hold
ing on, irving 90 get my shoes on. II
WAS halfld,, ., and everyone had left
the saloon except a girl and two Young
men who lt talking near the hall door
leading ~ cw room, when we We're
electrified by her cry, "Fuc, fire.
Tive SHIN u IRE More human
agony Wa never compressed iuto as
many v0tAe and simultaneously with
the Crv there flashed down the saloon
avid luil light We could see ~ an
instant through the tico.verk and II
WAS gone did not think or the OH.
au then, tnr Il was AZ the stern 81
the ship and our room quite forward,
IS near Che center "a we could get.
There Wa e steam.plpe running around
the saloon close % the Aoor ami the
Partition l.tWeen 4 and The state.
rooms.