, 1878-02-15
From the Brooklyn Bridge.

Before we set off across the river, stop
for little quiet enjoyment Of the marvel
Gus picture spread out beneath our view
this pleasant summer afternoon. If you
have ever doubted the correctness of the
bird's-eye views of cities and the like,
so common in the print-shOps, here at
least is an assurance that such things are
possible. Brooklyn lies displayed at our
feet, with its fringe of warehouses, docks
and ships, perpendicularly under us,
How different is the comparative new
ness and regularity Of the sister city, and
how marked contrast offered by its
bushy greenery marking out the streets
like colored lines on plan, as compared
with the densely- packed, dark, imposing
mass of architecture over the river The
bay, sparkling lsilver and golden in the
sunlight and dotted with its many islands,
is visible clear beyond the Narrows and
down to Sandy Hook. Far eastward we
can almost pick out the sand hills of
Rockaway and C,ney Island, with the
blue sea-line beyond, and to the west,
under the sinking sun, the picture is
framed in with the purple haze of the
Highlands, Nevisink, and the Jersey
hills. Look at that ferry boat just start
ing from the Fulton street slip, packed
with heads Gall we can see), and notice
the odd effect of the dots of white faces
turned up to watch us, interesting as we
are, not by our individuality, but by ouI
position. We can fancy them repeating
Popes lines on the fly in amber:
"Not that the thing itself is rich or rare
The wonder is how the ID it got there.
AS for ourselves, proud of our momentary
elevation, and drunk with the keen, sweet,
salt air, and the gorgeous prospect, one
is reminded of the man who, on the lad
der ready to be hanged, when mad bull
caused dire confusion in the crowd below,
said in thoughtless exultation to his com-
panion rogue, "How lucky it is we're up
here ~
And now down the steep slope of the
river-span, digging our heels well into
the Stats, and checking our momentum by
the side-ropes till we stand where few
years ago no mortal probably ever expect
ed to stand-two hundred feet over the
channel of the East river, with all
its varied traffic flowing beneath us.
Hurry just here | want to get plumb
over the Bristol as she sails majestiCally
upstream, and enjoy the small vanity of
doing what no one but the ship-builders
ever did before-look squarely down her
smoke-stack into her tire-box. Notice
her exquisite, fish-like lines seen thus in
plan, and the way in which the narrow
hull is marked off from the guards by
the timber work of the cabin. Phew !!
what racket Bristol, Massachusetts,,
Stontngton boats, al! as they pass under
the bridge salute us with a whistle, while
ferry boats, tugs, and all the small,fry
salute them, till the whole air is vocal
with one great treble of demoniac howl
and screech, set off by the deep bass hum
of toll and traffic, the grand diapason OF
labor supplied by the two great cities.
As the noble steamers pass on up the
river, notice the beautiful divergent lines
of wave from their paddles like the
double-tail of a comet You remember
the same effect, only more distant, feath-
cry and fairy-Iike, as we looked down in
the early morning from the Rhigi-top on
the dark polished surface of the Lake OF
the four Cantons. -Appletons' Journal.