, 1878-10-31
NOTES or TRAVEL

The following, taken from the private
diary OF traveller on a voyage from New
York to san Francisco, will be OF interest
to many; especially to those who may
contemplate taking trip over the route /;
Lett New York saturday, Dee. 10Th, at
1880 p. NJ, on the Steamer Crescent CITY,
Wind fair blowing good breeze but the
weather very cold,
Sunday the 18th. Wind continued fair
but the ship rolls very badly and most of
the passengers are sea sick.
Monday the 18th. The weather cloudy
aud wind ahead with plenty OF squalls
Past Cape llattcras last night and are
crossing the Gulf Stream to-day. Most of
the passengers continue to be sick.
Tuesday the 18th. Was on deck at /
A. NJ. Saw the sun rise out of the sea
The wind fair and all sails set. At II NJ.
to-day have been at sen 1Ol, hours. Whole
distnce run from New York, 1872 miles.
saw sail today, the first | have seen
since the first day out. Weather very
warm and pleasant
Wednesday, Dec. Goth, On deck again
at4A.M. The ship is surrounded by very
black clouds; showers are frequent the
weather is warm as summer; the wind is
fair and sails set; distance run from noon
yesterday till noon to-day, 2l9 miles. |
staid OH deck till past midnight.
Thursday the 2lst. Met the steamer
Acapulco about A. NJ, She belongs to
the same line as the Crescent City and is
from Aspmwall bound to New York. The
ships exchanged signals bat did not come
within speaking distance. We are now
sailing among the Bahama Islands. Passed
Castle Island about s A. NJ. We see large
schools of Flying fish very frequently.
Sailed along the coast of Turks Island this
forenoon, and about II P. NJ, passed the
east end of the Island OF Cuba.
Friday. Dec. 22d. Was on deck very
early this A. NJ. Saw the sun rise over the
Island OF Haty or ST. Domingo. 1t was a
beautiful sight. The land is very high on
tile west-sidc Of this island. For num-
Der OF hours we were sailing along the
coast Of this island. The next island we
came TO is Nevassa, y small guano island
belonging to the United States. There
were three ships theIe loading, we passed
them about noon. This island is $50 miles
from Aspinwall and is the last of the is
lands We shall see. We are now in the
Caribbean sea. The wind has been ahead
all day.
Saturday the 23d. Sailing along again
with fair wind, with prospecto of reach
ing Aspnwall tomorrow night. A Fly
ing fish was picked up on deck this A. NJ.
1t was very thoroughly examined by most
ri the passengers as but few of us had ever
seen one before. Saw this A. NJ. the Con-
stellation of the Southern Cross. 1t is not
visible north of latitude Is. am on deck
every morning about A. NJ. to see the
sun rise, and the stars.
Sunday, Dec. 24th. This Is the second
Sunday OF the voyage. Nothing to re-
mind one Of the day except the calender.
Have had numberoi showers to-day and
frequently thunder and lightning. The
coast is hidden by thick black clouds or we
should probably see land, as the officers of
the ship think it IL not more than 25 miles
distant AT sunset we are waiting for the
clouds to lift, as it is dangerous to ap-
pioaclI nearer the coast without having
seen 1t. About 10 p. NJ. it cleared up SO
that we got a sight OF the land, and at
midnight are running very close to it. Il
spent nearly the whole night on deck, as
we expect to go into Aspinwall early in
the morning.
Monday, Dec. 25th. Christmas day. At
sunrise the Crescent City is going into AS
pinwall harbor and at 7:30 A. NJ. the ship
IS iast along side OF the dock and we are
ashore. We have three Or four hours here
before the train leaves tor Panama. and
the passengers generally improved the
time In looking around. Everything here
Is new and strange to person who has
never been in tropical climate before. 1t
Is only s days since | left New York,
with everything covered with snow or
frozen, while here to-day. everything is
green. as 1t is ever, in the summer time at
the North. On first landing we walked
beneath row Of Cocoanuts Palms, and
there were large punches of cocoanuts
growing on them. There were also figs,
lemons and oranges growing IN the same
garden. The foliage is of the deepest
green and all nature is clothed with beauty.
Aspinwall is dirty, dingy town. The
name OF 1t originally was Colon, and the
only real nice thing [ saw I'm the whole