12

COMMENCEMENT OF THE VOYAGE.

ing very cheerful. The first day went off quietly, for the wind had fallen, and everything was still and snug. The next day was Sunday. The weather was lovely, and after prayers, (which were read by a clergyman on board,) every one went on the hurricane deck. I never saw anything in nature look so vividly green as the Irish coast, close to which we were passing; bright as the first gem of the say' ought to be, her verdant hills stood out in bold relief against the clear autumn sky, and made us dearly love the last look of the land we were leaving.

On we sped, and during that first and last, and only calm day, every one ate and drank and enjoyed themselves. Breakfast at eight, not the usual miserable steamboat fare, horrid tea, limp toast, stale bread, and salt butter, but broiled fowls, kidneys, beefsteaks, cold ham, dried herrings, and eggs in profusion. Every two hours throughout the day, was the business of eating renewed, in some shape or other, and scarcely were the remains of one meal cleared away, when the stewards again entered in a body, laden with piles of plates, which they dashed into their respective places with a force and velocity which never failed to excite my wonder and admiration.

Monday the 4th of October, was ushered in with foul high wind, which blew till the sea was gradually lashed to mountain height, and the ship

GALES OF WIND.

13

rocked, and rose, and plunged, causing all the ladies, with but one exception, to quit the scene of action, and to bury themselves and their apprehensions in the solitudes of their respective berths. Sad, and weary to them, must have been the days of our watery pilgrimage! But there was no dulness or tedium for those in health. Up, and on deck at seven, time enough often to see the sun

Brought forth in purple, cradled in vermilion,

Baptized in molten gold, and swathed in dun;

And to remain all day and half the night in the saloon, watching the ever-changing sea, and amused at the strange variety of human life on board. Some played at chess, and others whist, for hours together, and all in perfect silence, wrapped up in their game, though often obliged to hold on with all their might to their seats, when the lurches of the ship rendered them anything but secure. The Americans kept up their national character for liquoring, and were, I must say, by far the most cheerful portion of the society. Their custom of an afternoon,' was to prepare and drink a favourite compound, which went by the name of brandycocktail.' The avowed object was to stimulate their appetites for dinner, (though for this there appeared no absolute necessity,) and as it seemed to have the desired effect, I may as well add, for the benefit of other weak and delicate individuals, that brandy-cocktail is composed of equal quan

6

14

GALES OF WIND.

tities of Stoughton bitters' and Cognac. Under the benign influence of this pleasant compound, the Americans on board, though often somewhat noisy, were never offensively so, and when subjected to unavoidable sea-going annoyances, such as receiving the contents of their soup plates in their laps, or the candles against their noses, they only laughed the more, while some of our military countrymen looked on and frowned, in all the double distilled dulness of English exclusiveness.

The cheerful Americans, meanwhile, were nowise affected by their solemnity, and seemed perfectly contented to have all the fun and all the 'cocktail' to themselves.

The nights, I confess, were extremely tedious. It was what is called a badish passage, with dead lights almost always in, and head winds; while seas, heavy ones too, falling on the deck, and an incessant and tremendous noise the mingled roaring of winds and waves, effectually drove away sleep. One of the paddles was almost always taking its ease out of the water, leaving the other to do all the work, which did not hasten our movements, and helped to cause the disappointment in the reckoning which always awaited us at noon. I shall not attempt to describe what little I saw of the public discomfort below. It was what it must always be, when close quarters, irritability, foolish fears, sickness, and hysterics combine together for

PASSENGERS' ALARM.

15

the general misfortune of the society assembled. But there was one stout, heavy, dark-eyed lady, (she was, I fancy, a West Indian, and had boasted high things of herself before the great leveller, seasickness, laid her low,) whose terrors took the strangest and most burlesque form it is possible to conceive. Among her sundry possessions was an unfortunate son of some eight years old, who shared her narrow cot, and was the unwilling victim of her fears. Her nights were usually spent in rushing desperately about the various passages, dragging along her sleepy and half-dressed child, and imploring aid and information from all she met with. On one occasion, after one of these nocturnal rambles, she returned to the ladies' cabin, where I happened to be, and fell breathless on the sofa, moaning piteously. It was two o'clock in the morning, and, to use a sailor's expression, blowing great guns;' a bitter wind came whistling and roaring down the companion, while the only human sound which reached our ears, was the voice of the captain, every now and then giving orders amidst the clamour. The poor shivering exotic, who, in the shape of a white-faced, blackeyed boy, stood stupidly amongst us, would in all probability have slept the careless heavy sleep of childhood throughout the storm; but this the anxious heart of the mother forbade. She protested that nothing should separate her from her

16

PASSENGERS' ALARM.

darling, and that he should sink into his watery grave in her arms! So we wrapped the wretched child in a blanket, in anticipation of this melancholy event, while his loving parent reiterated her frantic cries for the captain, and her insane assurances that the boats were being lowered, and that, whatever happened, she should claim a comfortable place in the safest among them. The stewardess, who was a perfect pattern of a cheerful, courageous little woman, had enough to do to pacify the fears and modify the screams which (as the gale increased) came thick and fast from the lips of some of the ladies in her charge; but at last, finding all her efforts unsuccessful, she sent a message to the captain to the effect that, as she "could do nothing" with some of the ladies, she begged he would come below for a moment. And down he came, and if he had actually possessed the power of stilling the waves, he could scarcely have received a warmer welcome. In the twinkling of an eye he was surrounded by female forms, heedless of curl-papers, and utterly regardless of the unbecomingness of a nightcap. 'Oh, captain,' was the universal query, is there any fear?' Plenty!' said the good-natured man, borrowing a standard joke for the occasion-' plenty, but not the slightest danger, I assure you.' But, captain,' persevered the stout lady, 'I know I heard them lowering the boats.' The captain laughed so cheerfully at the