Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-09-12
OFF THE BANKS,
4 Springfield Party on the Way Across
the Big Pond.

To the Editor of the GInBE-RFPrRLrC: |
orr NEwFnUxDLANDl |
August Il. 1855.
20, give me a wet sheet and flowing sea,
And 4 wind that follows fast
We have it: but the sheet is a little too
wet; and the wind follows little too fast;
and the temperature reminds one of Labra-
dor. Our desire to see storm at sea is
gratified. We have safety. Twenty-fi five
foot waves our good vessel. City of Chicago,
of 5000 tons burthen and ), 900 tons freight,
is riding over. when they do not ride over
her. Grenching the few who have brayed
seat on the upper deck TO better behold the
majesty of ocean quickened into fury by the
twin giants. Gentlemen's linen and ladies'
hats and dresses got their first
acquaintance with salt water.
The aforesaid ll.OOO tons is rock
ed in the cradle of the deep, as were our
fathers and mothers in the old oaken cradle
in the days of ''auld lang syne." Apart
ments are fenced of on our tables to secure
the dishes, and yet our laps become recip
ents of tea and coffee. and the floor of
KNIVES, lbThs anu spoons. ana the utStIut-
tion OF crOckery is Il caution.
We have not learned the ant of the fly in
walking on the wall. which would seem rs
sential in walking on the floor, alternately
to the right and left at an angle of A. de
grees. One dev"ut passenger is praying IT,
be- preserved from the dangers OF the SEA.
another wishes she was in New York. while
still another is oi-ing for place to land.
The children tumble from their berths un-
less boarded in, As well As some of the older
passengers. A passing ship with scant
sails, makes ObeiSancs until the maStS touch
the water. ard then shows us her ke 4.
oar good Captain Watkins walks the bridge
sercnely. and by his calm b''aIing seems to
say to anxious passengers-Why this is an
everyday occurrence. My good ship has
ribs Of steel and sides of iron; every TIM
Der. and staUnchiOn. and rod, and bolt. and
ring Is tried and made To stand ten times
the strain she now endureS. My Ircn are
tried. This zephyr" is favorable. and
adds twenty-five miles a day to the ships
log. Few of the passengers are al the
table today. They are not sick. but have a
violent headache" The merry Joke, the
conundrum. readings from Mark Twain,
Nasty in Exile" OF ''Old ST." keep up the
spirits of the little cOterie assembled in the
saloon, while Yale quartette, with glees,
add to the entertainment. Barnum'S Chi
nese giant is among our passengers, and eX-
hbits eight feet of SeaSicknesS. 1t required
the partitions removed from four state
rooms to enable him to stretch himself in.
The Springfield passengers have not missed
a meal. and look with great deal of com
placency upon those who have a head
ache" The men who prefer their heels
higher than their heads have no difficulty
in enjoying that atttude-half of the time.
A storm at sea is grand sight; a nice
thing to talk about when ON land. One ex-
perience generally satisfies one who is with
ont much physical courage. He naturally
thinks there is but one foot of wood OF iron
between him and two miles depth of water.
A collision with an iceberg or passing
steamer or other mishap, who can tell the
consequences? But the loss of life by
ocean travel in the modern steamship being
hardly one in a million gives confidence.
and an ocean trip is hardly more thought of
than a railroad journey from New York to
Chicago It's nothing when you get use to it.
August 20th.-Our ship has made an av-
erage of S25 miles day, and sunshine has
succeeded rain. and calm succeeded wind,
and we are rapidly approaching land. Our
passenger list is made up of the grave and
gay, the social and the reticent the abste-
miouS and the free drinkers. Numerous ac-
quaintances are made, and friendships are
formed. The sick have the sympathy of
the well. and ministering angels find the
way to the sick room, with beef tea or
strengthening cordial. The benevolent OF
selfish nature reveals itself in ocean travel
as elsewhere. Md-ocean is place of
fOrgetfulneSs. One hardly remembers that
he has left home. or friends, or business
A dreamy listlessneSs comes over one seated
in steamer chair. watching the waves. a
work of fiction hardly fixes the attention.
or keeps one from dropping into dreamy
sleep. An attempt to write a letter
soon cOnvinces the writer that his brain
is in confusion, and that it is impossible TO
collect his thoughts. Impressions of yes
terday are gone today. Names. places, in
cidents can not be recalled when an effort
is made to refer to them. This is a common
experience, and for this reason an ocean
voyage is especially helpful TO Oyer-bur-
dened bodies and minds, who here learn TO
forget, until mountains of responsibility be
come mere hills. WI y those who can make
the journey without sea-sicknesS are the
most benefit ID is question. They GER
tainly have more enjoyment. OF the hOr-
rOrs Of sea-sckness | can write nothing
from experience. A little incident is related
OF one who was SO distressingly sea-sick
that fears were entertained of his diSsolu- |
ton unless some shock aroused him. A
sympathizing friend went TO him eXcitedly |
with the message, Your son has fallen |
overheard and is drowned" The only ef- |
feet was rolling over in his berth and the |
Happy boy"