Litchfield enquirer., 1877-01-04
HAMPTON, VA, Dec. IS, 1876.
M. l.. ".

MIR. EDTToR.-l had almost forgotten my promise to let you know something of my surroundings, but will now make amends. sIn the first place. will speak of my journey. which was not altogether a pleasant one:.
 Leaving Litchfeld on the morning of Nov. 23d, down the line of the winding Shepaug. I arrived in New York on time, and proceeded to pier 37. North Riv. CT. to take passage on a steamer of the Old Dominion line for Norfolk. The boat was there and we hurried to get our tick cts and got on board, when we learned that owing to an excess of freight it was not unloaded. and instead of starting at 3 o'clock p. m. (the advertised time,) it would not be able to start till p. m. So we had to content ourselves with looking about the lower part of the city for while, and with going on and off the boat at intervals. Seven clock came, but the boat was not unloaded, and the men with trucks were just as busy as ever. At 10 concluded to go to my state-room and' rest awhile. While I slept the boat started. and I was conscious of pecu- liar sensation-something like rolling down the side of steep hill-and I awoke. But my feelings were past de- scription-suffocation, dizziness and ev- erything else mingled together. At. first I thought the boat must have sunk, and we were all being slowly but surely suffo- cated. l opened my state-room door, very cautiously, half expecting the cold, briny waves to rush in and swallow us. But the waves were in their proper places so I went out and reeled about the deck for fifteen or twenty minutes when I felt 'braced up," for the air was bracing indeed! I inquired what time the boat had started and learned it was at twenty minutes of III the morning. After that went back to my stateroom and qui- etly slept till o'clock. when Fagain paced the deck.
 The morning dawned calm and beauti full, with nothing to gaze at but the sky, | the turbulent sea, and innumerable sea- gulls that followed in our wake. As the day advanced the wind arose and we had rather rough sea. l went "below" again, about noon, and what sight met our eyes in the beautiful saloon. Ladies and gentlemen were sitting around hold ing their hands to their foreheads, with look of abiect misery on their faces. I pitled them from my heart but l re- l trained from giving voice to my sympa- thetic feelings for it was no time for l words. It was sad scene, but I was ! lucky enough not to take the epidemic and although the table was very thinly populated towards the latter part of the journey. I never lost meal.
 In the afternoon we sighted land-the Maryland Shore-and passed hundreds of schouners going in the opposite direction, looking like large birds with snowy wings skimming over the green surface.
 At in the morning we arrived at Nor folk, the dlrtiest place ever saw, and there changed steamers for Old Point Comfort, where we arrived at about g a. n. From there had the pleasure of riding over to the Hampton Institute in a donkey cart, that being the only convey ance at hand. I was much surpassed at the general appearance of Hampton, for had entertained very elevated idea of it's beauty, having read the book edtitled Hampton and it's Students, '' which describes it as a place of ''eternal 1 beauty" The water scenery is the only thing of beauty I have yet seen, which. taken in pleasant day. or by moonlight, is rare sight.
 Hampton is situated on Hampton Roads near the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, and two miles and half from Fortress Monroe. The main street runs nearly east and west, minor streets running par allel with t,with number of cross streets.
 The. streets are narrow and dirty, and there are so many dilapldated old build-
 ings in tic town as to give it very deso-
 late appearance. A very amusing feat l ure of the place is the large number oi