The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-06-30
ANTWERP ON SUNDAY.
1t is nat so Quiet as in Portland;
and Good People There do Queer
Things.
BRUSSELS, June 10.


And so we were approaching the harbor of
Antwerp. After the first Sunday the days
had settled down into a monotony only
broken by slight roughness of the sea and
sea sickness of many on board. The tables
for time were but scantily filled and de-
lection was the chief characteristic of all.
The saloon was deserted and the deck lined
with inert figures. But after a few days the
reaction which always takes place as land
is approached began to be apparent. FIRE.
quent sails were seen and many steamers
signalled. People began to shake off their
lethargy and think of their plans. at this
juncture of the voyage it is very hard to be
obliged to face the coming necessity for ac-
ton, the mind has SO long rested In DOR
mant condition. But now the saloon at
evening commences to be gay, they collect in
squads to play games. singing is in vogue, all
the musical talent on board is brought out.
People who have become acquainted during
the voyage retire to converse, husbands even
nold tete.a-tetes with their wives whom they
have hardly see med to see, Cney-Uvo play
games together and children hunt up and
recognize their parents. Life is organizing
once more. the world Of action is about to
commence.
At this time l saw the most picturesque of
objects in the distance. brig from some
foreign port, full rugged, 1t looked Aegyplian
in its quaint dark outlines. 1t plunged and
dipped and seemed heavy laden. Its jbs
looked like the wings of some mighty eagle
and it so photographed itself on my mind
that, were l a painter / could even now
SnrQq6 n n m
teur In photography. ship like the phantom
ship Of old, the "Flying Dutchman" of Long
fellow would now grace my portfolio.
And now expectancy gives place to the
the distance aud on nearer view form them
selves into craggy cliffs. Right here we
come near and seem almost to touch dis
mantled wreck. sunk so deep that only its
spars appear. These lights on the Scilly Is
lands are always beacons to warn mariners
from this perilous coast 1t is here shat in
coming vessels are first sighted and the same
night the New York journals report their
arrival, as well as the papers Of London land
Paris. The next morning Lands End and
we enter the North Sea ali is beauty and
loneliness. The long slanting southern
coast of England fast by the Isle of Wight,
has the most beauteous landscapes In pass
ing through the English Channel, we almost
touch the cliffs of Dover and see on their
top the far famed Dover Castle, and then we
pass from all this warmth and sunshine into
the stormy clustering North Sea, chilly with
the ocean currents from northern ATTITUDES.
we get out our wraps already. put away and
land, until the Belgium coast appears and
the dykes Of Holland come in sight. These
dykes are very picturesque and make the
land seem like terraced gardens, especially
as we enter the Schelde, for In its windings
it makes Serpentine like that of Hyde
lfOn60n- almost 10
lands beyond from which the dykes shut out
the sea. Flushing at the mouth of the
Schelde is a city of eleven thousand in
habitants, although it seems little more than
dant terraces. The channel of the river is
narrow and deep though the river itself
seems wide, being three miles from shore to
shore. Here again we saw the skeleton of a
dismasted vessel. These wrecks are the
first l have ever seen In all my voyaging.
The sight of them fills the mind with ali the
appalling. contingencies. which must attend
the first knowledge, and the final catastro-
phe of such an event.
But the arrival at the docks of Antwerp
and the getting to q hotel at eleven O'Clock
on Sunday night fills up the full capacity OF
the mind, and dissipates for time all the
impressions of the voyage both pleasant ana
gloomy. Nothing can describe to one who
has not been in it, the tumult Of such land
ing, at such an hour-the encounter with
tuC Nuouou lIUuSo UluClhlS, tu6 RtLtluB Lut
luggage together, examined and out of the
way. There is nothing but turbulence, glare
rush and confusion. every one for his own
my friend" is the motto of all. But lin
twenty minutes 1t is all over and the hun
dreds OF cabin passengers are scattered to
meet no more. The trunks are closed, the
docks are cleared, the cabs, after treading
upon one anothers heels are all gone, the
oaths and denunciations of the cabmen have
ceased, and one is whisked away In his own
particular cab, which cost him so much
pluster, to his own particular destination,
having hardly time to count his luggage to
see II II Is all there. In all this great tumult
OF tne custom House examination, :dienstmen
Juggling trunks, cabmen swearing, the boxes
Tying on every Side, on mems shoulders, on
mems neads, with everybody wanting pay,
Thought of the great calmness of the SIM.
day afternoon at home, now the quiet hour
of tea, the services of the day over tt6ose of
the evening about to commence.
l had hardly done thinking Of the sacred
serenity in which my friends were then rest
| ing, as we emerged into the brilliant streets
OF Antwerp, and saw the gay. good people,
and not by any means the wicked throng
busy in their Sunday nights amusements.
The cafes and restaurants were everywhere
filled with people, and all of the places OF
amusement were open; the merry dance ID
the evening air was going on and in bril-
| liantly lighted halls. All the good church
goerS oil the morning were out with theiI
families, either prOmenading the streets OF
refreshing themselves in these public places
In manner hardly to be spoken of by our
good people at home. The scene was one ]
had been familiar with for many years, and
yet the impression was very new and pecu.
liar to one on whose mind the observances OF
our New England Sabbath were still so fresh
| and so sacred. And as we drove along the
chimes OF the cathedral for the first time fell
| upon our ears with solemn sweetness. even
amidst so much gaiety. These are among
the most famous chimes in Europe; they
| consist of ninety-nine bells, which each half
hour play some choice music from the best
musical authors. The smallest of the bells
| is fifteen inches in diameter, the largest
weighs eighteen. Our hotel proved to be