Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1886-07-16
LETTER FROM GERMANY.

Especial correspondence of the HERALD.)
Berlin, Germany, June, 1886.
On Saturday last, the good Dutch
ship Leerdam delivered over to the
Custom House officials at Rotterdam
a curious, anxious throng, among
whom might be found representa-
tives of many nations and castles.
Many Germans, with pocketbooks
that compared we'll with their per-
sons, were returning to enjoy few
months at their old homes. There
were Frenchmen impatient to dance
at Paris, and an examination of the
steerage had revealed few unfor-
Inmates who had discovered to their
sorrow that the streets of America
were not paved with gold and pre-
cious stones, and they now returned
to live and die in the old land.
[ will not be so presumptuous as
to attempt to describe or philoso.
phize over the sea voyage. Many
have made the attempt, and, as /
believe, as many have failed to pre-
sent complete picture. Irving has
viewed it from the standpoint of a
dreamer and idealist; Dickens from
that of satirist. By combining the
two we obtain the most complete eff
feet. If the reader of the HERALD
would learn of the poetic and beau
tiful side of sea voyage, let him in
a quiet moment, when inclined to
day dreams, read that most beautiful
sketch of Irving's, "The Voyage"
and it will not be difficult to imagine
himself at sea where sun and moon,
clouds and water unite in fascinating
and at times in forcing, even the
most restless, into spirit of reverie.
If my friend would learn of the mis-
cries of voyage, let him read from
"American Notes" Dickens graphic
description of his own woes. Still
these are the descriptions of extrem-
lists. We cannot all sit IDLY on deck
and dream away ten days of our life,
neither can we be sick for that length
of time.
shall never forget my second day
at sea. Oh how miserable we were!
The grief was silent but deep. At
frequent moments thoughts of
"Home and Native Land" seemed
to surge into our minds, to be fol-
lowed, Immediately, by rush to the
stern; then, as we gazed fondly into
the deep there seemed to be danger
of reversing the normal structure of
man. AT length, fresh air and five
meals day banished care and then
came the crucial test, "What shall
we do ?" The answers were. various.
Scarcely would all become settled at
their novels, whist, or chess, when
the sight of sail would attract all
to the rail to witness the curious
methods of communication by means
of flags. One contented master of a
slow sailing vessel announced in adj.
dition to the usual news that his
wife was on board. SO the days
passed; pleasant days because of the
very dullness, yet at the same time
all were glad to return to life or
shore. At last we again stepped or
solid land, and at "Nouvel's Hote
DIES Bains" we fell asleep free from
all expectation of being suddenly
hurled from our couches.
Rotterdam, the second city OF
Holland in commercial Importance
is situated on the right banl
of the river Mas, about
four miles from the coast of thu
North Sea. It's style is peculiarly
Dutch. Away from the principl,
streets the houses are small and thu
streets narrow, while canals pene
trate in all directions through tn,
city. The sidewalks seem to hav,
fallen into "innocuous desuetude,
for peasant, priest, and banker walk
in the middle of the. streets, paying
but slight attention to the numerous
light carts drawn by man and dog
"a combination quite effective, al
though somewhat homogeneous.