The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-05-14
SKETCHES or AN OCEAN VOYAGE.

My first trip across the ocean was
one which | shall never forget. 1t was
beautiful morning in the month of
May, | bade my friends goodbye. on
the crowded pier at Liverpool, and got
aboard the British Prince. | had often
been on an ocean steamship, but only
when anchored az the Liverpool docks
1t was an entirely different sensation
had when we sailed down the English
channel with about two thousand pas
sengers aboard, ali nations being repre-
sented. all classes and creeds. After a
feW hours sailing We reached Queens
town, Wnere we stopped to take on such
mails, and passengers, most of whom
were rosy-Cheeked Iiish girls: their
sweethearts and families. coming on
board to bid them goodbye. These
farewells were very sad, as no other
nationality thinks so much of it's ma
tive land as do the Irish. Some women
came on board selling fruit to the pas
sengers. They We're quantity dressed
in their native costume, which consisted
of linsey Woolsey dresses, plaid shawls
and snowy caps on their heads, one
friendly old lady going about, bestow-
ing her blessing on every one she came
in contact with. / was very sorry when
we left Queenstown, as we very soon
took our parting look at land. the last
we SHtulu see Itr SOME lltlle. w q Idu
Il most beautiful sunset at sea, on our
second day on the wafer, and we saw
some very queer looking fishes. the
strangest I saw being jelly fish.
About four days after sailing there
came a great storm. 1t lasted three
daVs. We Were not allowed on deck
during this time SO great was danger of
being blown overheard. The scenes
We're terrible to witness during the
storm, some prayed, some blasphemed,
some sang. The nights were spent the
same as the days. no sleep for any of
the passengers, each one with IL life
preserver, ready at moments notice
to meet his fate. At the end of three
days the wind grew calm. and we found
on coming on deck, that we had lost
almost all our life boats, only one be-
ing left our maStS were damaged. but
not any serious damage was done to
the ship or it's passengers, with the eX-
ception OF one of the stcerage passeng-
ers who became insane during the
storm. The physician was obliged to
have her placed in a cell under the care
of n nurse. | so well remember on the
day after the storm | went on deck,
and, being worn out for want OF rest,
] fell asleep in my chair When |
awoke | found it almost time for din
ner, | hurried down the gangway to
my room, some one | passed. pushed me
rather roughly, / thought, but / did not
take any notice of the incident. until
| had reached my room, | found on
putting my hand In my pocket, my
purse. containing all the money l pos
sessed. and q railroad ticket to my des-
tination. had been stolen. and an old
purse with twenty-five cents in put in
it's place. Evidently the thief did not
want to leave me pennilesS. ! was very
! much worried about my loss, as | knew
it meant to me to be landed on a
strange land, stranger without
| money. told the captain about my loss,
but he said he could not do anything
until we reached Philadelphia. We
| reached there after voyage of thir-
| teen days and fourteen hours. The
| captain took me to the money exchange
| office as soon as we arrived, l sat where
| could see the passengers exchange
! their money for American coin, but we
| could not get any trace of the missing
! purse or money. we thought perhaps
| that the thief might exchange or try to
use the missing ticket, but he evidently
| knew that would throw suspicion on
him. Through the kindness of the cap
| tain was cared for by his friends until
| he applied to the railroad company fol
| Il pass to take me to my destination
which they very readily gave, and after
| q twelve hours ride on the train,
reached my friends, not any the worse
except in pocket, for my experiences in
crossing the ocean.
SARAH A. II. BELL.