Mexico weekly ledger., 1878-07-18
which we did in the most approved

LHOuS hOlHdn CdtnOlic SdIHeuTdi, IHc
citadel, the Armory, the Navy Yard,
and the British ironclad "Bellera-
phan," which is the flagship of the
North Atlantic squadrons. Wherever
we went, we were received with cour-
tesy and hospitality; our only pass
port was that of being citizens of the
United States, but that was enough
to insure us a friendly reception.
Some Of us visited the Colonial Asy-
lum for the Insane, which is situated
at Dartmouth, just opposite Halifax
on the other side of the harbor, and
is Of about the same size, and man.
aged very much like the Government
Lunatic Asylum (no joke on the
Capitol!) at Washington.
Leaving Halifax at noon on Tues
day, we arrived at st. Johns New
foundland, the following Thursday
afternoon, and remained there about
two hours and half. The entrance
to the harbor of St. Johns is one of
the finest in the world; immense
cliffs rise almost perpendicularly from
the water to height of six hundred
feet, leaving a narrow pass or EN-
trance just wide enough for two ships
to pass each other. The scenery is
grand and wild in the town itself
there is not much to see except dried
Goldfish and newfoundland dogs. A
fine .pup, genuine breed, can oe
bought for about dollar and half,
and it might pay an enterprising yam
kee to come up here and buy up a
cargo of them on speculation. Whole
sale they can doubtless be bought
cheaper!
The run of seven days from st.
Johns to Liverpool was attended by
the finest weather it has ever been
my good fortune to witness on the
broad Atlantic. Seasickness was a
legend of the past, and porridge was
nowhere The passengers became
fastidious and INDUCED in nothing
less than sardInes, and ox-tail soup,
squads on toast, land sich" at
meals, and in the evenings we had
mock trials, musical performances
and private theatricals ON board.
Among our passengers from Halifax
for England was the Lord Bishop of
Nova Scotia with his wife and two
daughters, and on our last Sabbath
at sea We had an excellent service on
board, after the church of England
Ritual, which was held by his Lord
ship in the spacious saloon, and to
which all the steerage passengers
(among whom there were many cred
coats" or British soldiers) and sail
ors we're invited.
The outlying rocks off Cape Clear,
on the south coast of Ireland, were
sighted about noon on ednesday
the 10Th of June, and about eleven
O'Clock the same evening we arrived
at Queenstown, where we landed some
passengers and the mails. Early
yesterday morning (the 2Oth,) we
passed the wreck of the steamer
"Idaho of the Williams and Guion
line, which went ashore (without loss
of life, fortunately on the Irish
coast, on her way from New York to
Liverpool, short time ago. About
ten feet of her masts could be seen
above water, that was all. Farther
up We passed the place where, some
twenty years ago, the "Royal Char
ter" was lost on her homeward voy-
age from Australia on the WEIGH
coast, on the other side of Holyhead
coming up the channel. A tall pill
lar, close to highwater mark, marks
the grave off the three hundred peo-
pie who perished here!
Next came the smoke of Liverpool
hanging like black cloud in the
We passed the villages of
and Waterloo, on the Mer-
sey; shot by the picturesque old fort
at the former place, and soon were in
full sight of the enormous docks and
tall chimneys of this, the second lar
gest city in the United Kingdom.
With the exception of the first two or
three days out from Baltimore, our
voyage had been one of unalloyed
pleasure, thanks to the fine weather,
the excellent sea-going qualities of
the "Allan" boats, and the efforts of
our gallant captain; and the stoppa-
ges at Halifax and st. Johns had the
happy effect of breaking the monoto-
ny of the voyage, besides introduc-
ing the traveller to new and interest
ing scenes, privilege which can be
enjoyed by no other line. AS the
tender came alongside the "Hlberni-
an" to take off the passengers and
baggage, three times three hearty
cheers testified to the popularity of
Captain Richardson and the other
officers Of the ship; and then our
troupe, standing on the
paddle-box of the small steamer,
performed the song: "And he is
Jolly good fellow! &C." (meaning
Captain R.), your correspondent
keeping time with an umbrella.
And thus ended our trip across the
Atlantic. My next letter will be