Morning journal and courier., 1892-08-24
THEN AND NOW.
On Board of the City OF Pa

On Board of the City OF Paris.
The following readable little article pub
lished in the "On Board Ship" paper on
the steamer City of Paris on one of her re-
cent outward trips across the Atlantic was
from the pen of our townsman, Hugh J.
Reynolds, who was passenger:
It occurs to the writer that brief mar
rative of the experience of al emigrant
boy crossing the Atlantic in the steerage
of a sailing ship, thirty-five years ago, as
contrasted with the luxurious appoint
ments of the fast sailing steamer "City of
Paris" may not be devoid of interest to
readers of the Gazette. This Is my first
sea experience since I left, thus, am
forcibly struck with the great change for
have wrought in shortening the time and
ameliorating the discomforts of ocean
travel The uniformly courteous treat
ment of the passengers by the attaches of
this ship is noticeable, but the Impressions
of my former voyage have not the same
roseate hue. I saw passengers then treated
in most brutal manner by the officers.
The voyage in 1857, besides being at
tended with great hardships. was full of
striking incidents, the most remarkable of
which, the death by disease, of the ships
captain at sea, was thefrst OF a series of mis-
haps which had a depressing effect upon
the 900 emigrant passengers, which culmi-
mated in serious riot. After the death of
the captain (who, by the way, was a very
kind hearted man), several other persons
died. The superstitious passengers were
now imbued with the belief that the ship
was destined to be lost. Excitement ran
high on account of those unfortunate CO.
currences, and, as if to add terror
to fear, violent storm set in. occu-
pied one of eleven berths which went
down with q crush on the poor fellows
below, shall not attempt to describe the
scenes which ensued. The same lurch of
the ship broke the moorings of the boxes
and barrels, which contained the passen-
gers cooking utensils. All sorts of tins
Wed with each other racing across the
deck. Lights were out of the question.
Voices could be heard in the darkness in
dulging in pious exercises and others in
exercises not pious. I was too young to
Fortunately I found barrel tied to q
post, the only one which held it's place
that night, perched on it fondly Rugged
the post till morning.
Immediately following this storm two
persons were drowned. The body of the
deceased captain having been kept on
board, the superstitious passengers thought
that to this fact-always deemed OF Ill
omen-af of the ships misfortunes were
attributable and to add fuel to the fame,
heartless wag started story that he had
seen shark following the ship. The
steersge passengers were now becoming
desperate. Another declared he saw q
whale in pursuit. This proved the last
straw. The passengers rushed on deck
determined to throw the dead captain
overheard. Officers and crew, with the
carpenter and cooks, armed themselves
with such firearms as they had, also with
carving knives, carpenters tools and Delay
ing pins. Thus armed, they formed 80 i'd
phalanx between the infuriated passengers
and the coffin; at this juncture the first
mate, then in command, mounted tenn
porary rostrum and addressing the excited
people assured them that land would be
sighted within three days, and If not that
be would then let them throw the captain
overheard. He proved . true prophet ~
we'll as an able seaman. In less. than three
days land was IN sight. Many, like the
prisoner Of Chillon, had lssrned to love
despair, yet saw some shed tear on leav.
Ing the ship on board Of whieh they had
suffered 70 uush. Huaz ], RzyHeSpG