Each day however, were our hopes disappointed, until the evening of the 24th, when the wind proving favorable, we moved from our station with as much pleasure as would animate the garrison of a besieged fortress, marching out after the departure of the besiegers. Our probation of nine days was succeeded by weather as bright as that had been gloomy. The sky was unclouded-- "The sails were filled, and fair the light winds blew." The pilot left us; and it was not until this last link which bound us to terra firma was separated, that I could realize to myself, that I was upon the pathless deep; of which I had heard, and read, and dreamed; but never had it entered my dreams, that I was one day to "wend my way" over its billows. The coast of America, rapidly receded from the view; and when I laid my head upon my pillow, I bade "My native land good night!" with a heaviness of heart, which I presume there is no one who has not felt, who sees fading from his sight, the land of his birth--the land which contains all for which he cares to live. There is something indescribable in the feeling of being thus separated as it were, from the rest of the world. It seems as though our ship is of itself, {4} a distinct and independent world, on which we wing our way, with "All heaven above, all ocean around us;" not knowing any, and unknown to all. Empires may fall--states be dissolved--whole nations swept from the earth; yet we pursue our course as profoundly ignorant of aught that has occurred, as are the inhabitants of another planet, of what is done upon our own. After getting fairly upon the ocean, and being satisfied, that we were making the best of our way to our place of destination, I began to direct my attention to those with whom my lot had been cast, and with whom I was daily to associate, whether willing or otherwise. And surely, since the days of Noah, never was a more heterogeneous congregation deposited within the compass of a ship. Imprimis, there were three ladies--two of them French and one American. There were three Frenchmen, two Germans, one Italian, one Spaniard, one Austrian Baron, one Dutch Naval Officer, one Portuguese--two natives of Massachusetts, two Rhode Islanders, two Pennsylvanians, two Virginians and one Mississippian.