Atlantic States -- Description and travel; Kemble, Fanny, 1809-1893; United States -- Social life and customs -- 1783-1865
bird, but, after resting itself awhile, it took flight again and left
us. We were talking to-day to one of our steerage passengers, a
Huddersfield manufacturer, going out in quest of a living, with five
children of his own to take care of, and two nephews. The father of the
latter, said our Yorkshireman, having married a second time, and these
poor children being as it were "_thristen_ (thrust) out into the world
loike--whoy oi jist took care of them." Verily, verily, he will have his
reward--these tender mercies of the poor to one another are beautiful,
and most touching.
_Monday, September 3d._
I had desired the mate to call me by sunrise, and accordingly, in the
midst of a very sound and satisfactory sleep, Mr. Curtis shook me
roughly by the arm, informing me that the sun was just about to rise.
The glorious god was quicker at his toilet than I at mine; for though I
did but put on a dressing-gown and cloak, I found him come out of his
eastern chamber, arrayed like a bridegroom, without a single beam
missing. I called H----, and we remained on deck watching the clouds
like visions of brightness and beauty, enchanted creations of some
strange spell-land--at every moment assuming more fantastic shapes and
gorgeous tints. Dark rocks seemed to rise, with dazzling summits of
light pale lakes of purest blue spread here and there between--the sun
now shining through a white wreath of floating silver, now firing, with
a splendour that the eye shrank from, the edges of some black cloudy
mass. Oh, it was surpassing!--We were becalmed, however, which rather
damped all our spirits, and half made the captain swear. Towards mid-day
we had to thank Heaven for an incident. A brig had been standing aft
against the horizon for some hours past, and we presently descried a
boat rowing from her towards us. The distance was some five miles, the
sun broiling; we telescoped and stood on tiptoe; they rowed stoutly, and
in due time boarded us. She was an English brig from Bristol, had been
out eleven weeks, distressed by contrary winds, and was in want of
provisions. The boat's crew was presently surrounded, grog was given the
men, porter to the captain and his companion. Our dear captain supplied
them with every thing they wanted, and our poor steerage passengers sent
their mite to the distressed crew in the shape of a sack of potatoes;
they remained half an hour on board, we clustering round them,
questioning and answering might and main. As H---- said, they were new
faces at least, and, though two of the most ill-favoured physiognomies I
ever set eyes on, there was something refreshing even in their ugly
novelty. After this the whole day was one of continual excitement,
nearing the various points of land, greeting vessels passing us, and
watching those bound on the same course. At about four o'clock a
schooner came alongside with a news-collector; he was half devoured with
queries; news of the cholera, reports of the tariff and bank questions,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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