The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1878-05-04
BROADBRIM'S FOREIGN LETTER.

LAND, ADIEU.-MY FELLoW-PASSENGER:
THE GREAT OCEAN sTEAMER--A LIFE
ON THE OCEAN WAvE-ARRIvAL AT HAL
BIoN's HILE.
% Carriage at the door, sir!'' roared Betty
from the foot Of the stairs, as the hack
rolled up to my house on the Both day Of
March, which was to convey me to the
steamship city Of Berlin, on which l haG
taken passage for Liverpool. At the las,
moment, of course, everything was in con
fusion. IS Don't lose your shirts" cried
my wife, from the second story window, as
she disconsolately wiped her eyes. "Youl
handkerchiefs are in the bottom of youl
trunk, " said Susan, standing in the kitchen
door, while big tear rolled Off the end OF
her nose. Don't forget my sealskin sack, .
said one; " Lavender kids, five and three,
quarteIs,' said another; 20 \ cameis hail
shawl for mother" shrleked my youngest
daus hter, "and two silk dresses for me-
Old shoes, as harbingers of luck were
shcwered after me by friendly and weeping
neghbors. y crack of the whip, the horses
leaped forward, and in minnie | had lief,
my happy home behind, with all its loves,
It's hopes, and its tender memories, whose
portals | should cross no more for eight
long months, or, perhaps, for ever
Reaching the steamship, found an army
of friends awaiting nee, all of them bear
ing gifts of love, the grateful memory o.
which will be mine as long as life remains
While ! write, before me hang two baskets
of beautiful flowers, which l have brought
three thousand miles over the sea, the faded
| rose leaves of which have still a sweet fra.
GRANGE which reminds me of my distant
home and ever present loves and absent
friends. God speeds. kind wishes, bless
ings, hand shakings, kilograms, and letters
poured in upon me, till at last | heard the
shrlli cry Of CAN ashoren There was !
Sudden rush, the gangway was hruied in,
The hawsers were cast off, and the noble
steamship s'wrng slowly off into the stream.
For moment it seemed as if the ties that
had bound me to home, country, friends,
and all that makes life worth having, had
suddenly snapped asunder, a feeling of
utter loneliness and desolation crept over
me. | felt choking sensation in the
throat, and sudden mistiness clouded my
| eyes, while cheer after cheer went up from
those we had left behind and whose faces
faded from my view as we rapidly steamed
cut of sight.
hat T - II,
ocean trip were dispelled as soon as had
collected myself sufficiently to take look
al the noble vessel on uhich had embark
ed, and at the officers who had her in
charge. The City Of Berlin is one of the
largest and finest steamships in the world,
being 525 feet long, nearly 5000 tons bur-
! den, and having within her mighty hull
ample acconm odation for 9, 900 passengers.
Even those who travel frequently by sea
have but limited idea of what a wonder
tui thing an ocean steamship is. Walking
her deck, looking up at her towering masts,
or examining her hull, | never realized it.
1t was not unit! under the guidance OF her
chief engineer, Mr.. Campbell, had visited
the engine room, and, twenty five feet be-
low the level of the sea, had walked along
the whole length of the mighty shaft which
drives the Giant propeller, that began to
estimate this grandest modern triumph of
| human genius, as she rolled securely on the
storm lashed ocean, breasting the bowling
tempest, she seemed to realize the ancient
| "a of Iafp ;rb4 8 ~,
gods.
"Step this way" said Mr.. Campbell, the
engineer. 'Look out, sir; here, take this
bit Of cotton in your hands. Now, mind
where you put down your foot" Down,
down, down we went, till at last We stood
near the keel, the huge shaft 200 feet long,
WAS revolving in its bearings as smoothly
aud as noisolessly as the spindle of a lady's
sewing machine. From that passed into
the fire room; thirty six monster fires were
blazing like mad under twelve immense
boilers, which generated power Of steam
equal to the labor of 5000 horses. Dark
and swarthy the fire demons moved busily
TO and fro, constantly feeding the Unsuitable
monster, night and day, whose cry was
still for more, moe, mole. Into those red
hungry jaws went a hundred tons of GOA
each day; the mere food OF this ocean LIE.
Vlathan representing more tonnage than
the entire measurment Of the largest ships
! OF forty years ago. Tremendous pistons
| Titanic arms of steel rose aud fell like
feathers but with the terrible certainty Of
fate, seeming to say to old Ocean, " Resist
me ii you dare, - as the iron PROV tore the
resisting waves apart, and the great steamer
swept on like a sea gull in its flight.
AS we steamed down the beautiful bay,
salutes and cheers came to us from all the
passing vessels. Captain Kennedy stood
upon the bridge, quietly surveying the
scene, for while the pilot was ia command
he was absolved from all responsibility
The face of the Captain was hard and
bronzed, the deep lines telling Of years o.
struggle with ocean waves and ocean storms
He seems to ill the idea of the perfect
sailor. The features were clean cut, the
eye bright and clear, the mouth strong ant
firm, the port erect, and looking in hi
frank face, you said to yourself, "There i.
a man to trust in life Or death" Neal
him stood his chief officer, Mr.. Ccndron, {
man fit to stand by Cesar aud give direc
ton; and anxiously fitting about the ship
with gay bouquet in his button hole, was
the handsome purser, Mr.. Bridge, the EN-
bodiment of politeness and urbauity.
The first night at sea is always trouble
some one. and although old ocean was a
smooth as a mill pond, the ladies as gen
eral thing retired early to their state-roo
to give the unstable nature of their foot
ing their private and distinguished consid
eration. Next day, Sunday, the solemn
tolling of the bell announced the call 70
prayer. The crew, got up in their Sunda.
rig, marched into the main saloon. Tn
passengers generally assembled, except her
,n6 ,bara q haathan ont side tho rala IF tb