Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1895-08-29

agile porpoises disporting themselves IN
the waves. The mention of any one OF
all these things in sight is almost sure
to bring the whole crowd from gray
haired professional men to the idle pro-
fessional tourist or matrimonial tourist
(of whom there are many)-at once to
the deck rails.
Alright. the beautiful display of phos-
phorescent forms in the chafed waters
about the keel afford interesting diver
sion. firing of this, there is a subdued
delight in reclining comfortably in "a
deck chair musing in unison with the
never ceasing music of the waves as
with varying notes they break and wash
about the keel 1t is music softer and
sweeter than the roar Of dam in the
distance, or the patter of rain upon the
roof. If the sky be clear, this charm is
| increased. For then, one looks far, far
away into the starry realms, as mingled
with the moonlight their sheen lends an
incompatible beauty TO the surface OF
waters. and wonders if their soft light
| is also shed on the friends who are far
away. When the usual hour for retir-
| ing has come, with no ''carking cares >
in mind, and prepared by the soporitic
effect of abundant food and fresh salt
breeZes. he seeks his berth assured of all
the inauguration and rest that whole
some sleep can bring.
Our voyage was unusually eventful.
| About one o'clock the first night out,
while wrapped in dense fog, Schoon-
err collided with our ship and left part
of her bowsprit on our deck. Having
signalled to her, the "Noordland" LAY
by for return signal. When none came,
we were left only to hope that she was
not seriously damaged The "NoOrd-
| land" came off with some scratched
paint. a dent in the starbOard side of the
prov. and some smashed timberS with
i'm. The shock of the collision and sud
den stopping Of the engines awoke most
| of the passengers. and there was for "A
time considerable excitement. Next
day it was reported that many persons
had put on life preserverS and that sew
eral women had tainted. The dense fogS
which subsequently for parts of several
days and nights enveloped the ship had
| increased terrors for the nervous folks,
while the unearthly noise of the hoarse
whistle sounding at such times every
few minutes quite completed their dis
comfort. For one whole day il was
scarcely possible to see the water from
the deck-so thick was the fog-and
during it no passengers were allowed on
the forward deck.
In the very middle Of the ocean, the
dark shadow Of death came stalking
over the deep and claimed German
passenger of the second cabin. In the
advanced stages of consumption, he had
| left his residence in Michigan, it was
said and was iourneying to Wiesbaden
going, perhaps, to his boyhood home
to die. One day after his death, the
body was placed in rude, weighted
coffin. Appropriate rites were performed
under the charge of Rev. DR.. Falkner,
of Philadelphia. Then, with only the
passengers as witnesses, and the great
| deep for the tomb, we left him there
buried in the midst Of the wide waste of
waters. while friends on this side doubt
less anxiously awaited the arrival of the
dear one who will come not. Truly the
most Solemnly impressive of all cere-
| monies is burial at sea.
During the voyage there was the great
est variety of weather. There were fogs,
rain and sunshine, a thunderstorm at
night when the lightning flashes seemed
to play over the waters and to go down
in the sea; much calm, beautiful wealth
er with Just clouds enough to absorb the
| hot rays of the sun and leave one TO en-
Joy with immunity the fresh air on the
| forward deck. The last day out was one
| of bright sunshine which added splendOr
to the scenery along the coasts of ''mer-
RE England. Those white chalk coasts
with the varied, verdant landscape in
the background would be beautiful at
any time. But for us, who had not seen
land for ten long days which seemed
| like beautiful dream covering years /,
they possessed an extraordinary charm.
| There were the little fields green and
! golden, enclosed by even hedges, attrac-
! tive farm houses and little villages nest
ling among green trees. By the water S
edge, the irregular chalk coast present
ed the appearance of numerous white
geometric figures projected there and
| guarded here and there by the white
towers of numerous lighthouses. In
close, plain view lay the Isle of Wight,
around which were last years interna-
tional yacht races by the Nigilant
and the Brittania-one might almost
have thrown a stone to the spot where
both were run on the rocks. Almost by
the waters edge, nesting among beau
tiful bowers of trees, is Ventnor, the
widely known English watering place
There were pointed out the castle of
Gladstone. the dukes of York and West
minister, and, near by, the castle in
which the Empress of Austria spent one
summer. Just over the hill out of view
is also the summer castle Of Queen Vic
toria.
OF the beauty of Sunday service in
midocean, of the enjoyment of the con-
cert, given near the end of the voyage
in the interests of shipwrecked sailors,
widows and children, of the games in
dulged in. of the many interesting per
sons and pleasant acquaintance, and of
many other features of a long sea voyage,
all of which have peculiar interest due
to the surrounding conditions, there is
not here room to speak. Nor will it do
| to add any observations on the unique
appearance of Holland, the land Of dykes
and canals, as it is beheld by the voya-
ger from the deck of a magnificent ocean
steamer ascending the River Scheldt.