The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1878-05-08
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BROADBRIM'S FIRST LET.
TER FROM FOREIGN
PARTS.
Parting from Eome---Adieu, my Native Land
Ad1eu my Fellow-passengers--The Great
Ocean Steamer---A Life on the Ocean
Wave---Arrival at Halbion's Hile.

Adleu my Fellow w-passengers--The Great
Ocean Steamer---A Life on the Ocean
Wave--Arrival at Halbion'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 30th day of March, which was
to convey me to the steamship
"City of Berlin" on which I had
taken passage for Liverpool. At
the last moment, Of course, every
thing was in confusions Don't
lose your shirts" cried my wife,
from the second story window, as
she disconso!ately wiped her eyes.
"Your handkerchiefs are in the bot
tom Of your trunk" said Susan,
standing in the kitchen door, while
a big tear rolled off the end of her
nose. ':Don't forget my sealskin
sacque," said one ; Lavender kids,
five and three-quarters," said ano-
ther; ga camels'- hair shawl for
MOTHER" shrieked my youngest
daughter, ''and two silk dresses for
me-" Old shoes, as harbingers Of
luck, were showered after me by
friendly and weeping neighbors.
A crack of the whip, the horses
leaped forward, and in minute I
had left my happy home behind,
with all it's loves, it's hopes, and its
tender memories, whose portals I
should CROSS no more for eight long
months, or, perhaps, for ever.
Reaching the steamship, I found
an army Of friends awaiting me, all
of them bearing gifts Of love, the
grateful memory of which will be
mine as long as life remains. While
7 write, before me hang two baskets
of beautiful flowers, which I have
brought three thousand miles over
the sea, the faded rose-leaves of
which have still a sweet fragrance
which reminds me of my distant
home and ever-present loves and
absent friends. God-speeds, bless
ings, kind wishes, hand-shakings,
kilograms, and letters poured in
upon me, till at last I heard the
shrill cry of Call ashore !" There
was a sudden rush, the gangway
was hauled in, the hawsers were
cast of, and the noble steamship,
"City of Berlin swung 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 hav-
ing, had suddenly snapped asunder,
.afeeling Of utter loneliness and desc
lation crept over me. I felt a cho-
king 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 out Of
sight.
Whatever misgivings I had about
my ocean trip we're dispelled as
soon as I had collected myself sufi-
ciently to take a look at the
noble vessel on which I had en-
barked, and at the officers who had
her in charge: The ::city of Ber-
lin" is one of the largest and finest
steamships in the world, being 525
feet long, nearly 5000 tons burthen,
and having within her mighty
hull ample accommodation for 1900
passengers. Even those who travel
frequently by sea have but a limit
cd idea Of what a wonderful thing
an ocean, steamship is; walking her
deck, looking up at her towering
masts, or examining her hull, I
never realized it. It was not until
under the guidance of her chief en-
gineer, Mr.. Campbell, I had visited
the engine room, and, twenty-five
feet below the level Of the sea, had
walked along the whole length Of
the mighty shaft which drives the
Giant propeller, thatI began to esti
mate this grandest modern triumphs
of human genius, as she rolled Sc
c,1rely on the storm-lashed ocean,
breasting the bowling tempest she
seemed t2 realize The ancient fable
of Ajax defying the lightning of the
Gods.
s'step this way" said Mr.. Camp
bell, the engineer: :4ook out, sir;
here take this bit Of cotton in your
hands. Now mind where you put
down yourfoot.' Down, down down,
we went till at last we stood near
the keel. the huge shaft, 200 feet