"it seemed sae still and quiet." I found a couple of days afterward that my Scotch friend was a Presbyterian minister from Quebec, pastor of the established church there, and a very pleasant and agreeable man ; but I have not yet been able to learn his name.

Just as the hour of one arrived, the " Europa" moved from her moorings, and having been saluted by the Collins steamer lying at the foot of Canal street, on the city side, with two heavy guns, as she rounded into the stream and set her face towards the ocean, two thundering cannon boomed forth from her bow, and the detonations were repeated in course of a few minutes. I thought of home; and a thousand swelling reminiscences came rushing up as I began fairly, for the first time, to realize the fact, that I was on my way from my native land and destined to be a wanderer for months to come! My reverie was interrupted by the remark of Mr. W. at my side, "well, Doctor, it is too late to change our minds, even if we wished it;" and so on my waking up, I soon realized the truth of this remark. The numerous towns and villages that stud the shore of the noble bay of New York, spread themselves before our view. The day was bright, the clouds of the morning had dispersed; the sun shone propitiously; all surrounding nature seemed to teem with fresh life and gladness, and I stood and gazed with wonder on the scene, as our steady vessel moved majestically forward on her way to the ocean. No less than nine noble ships, and one from China passed us by, ere we reached the further end of Coney Island. Soon after, the bustling movements on the quarter deck indicated the preparation for the departure of the pilot. A small boat approached the steamer; the captain gave command to the engineer to stop; and in a few moments the pilot retreated over the side of our vessel into his own little skiff, within a short distance of his cruising vessel. And as the steward took leave of him, he clapped into his hand a bottle of wine, or perhaps some stronger stuff, and the last link that bound us to our native shores seemed then to have been severed, and we were, in good earnest, on our way across the mighty deep.

The rolling waves soon began to tell upon the motions of the vessel; but unexpectedly I was not disturbed, and partook of an excellent and hearty dinner and subsequently of a cup of tea. Mr. W. had to take his berth forthwith; and one after another of the ladies and other passengers disappeared, and yielded themselves to the distressing sensations of sea-sickness. That night I slept but little, my mind was too busy to admit of the entrance or entertainment of sleep. It would have been better for me however had I been able to have refreshed my nervous system with repose. The next morning, I was ready for

OCEAN LIFE,-PASSENGERS.

breakfast, and supposed I should escape marvellously, when about ten o'clock I found it needful to retire to my berth. Soon after I found the bile stirred up rather copiously within me; but by keeping quiet and eating nothing throngh the day, on the next morning I felt relieved, and ready for breakfast; and have since been in no wise disturbed by sea-sickness, but on the contrary, surprised to find how wonderfully my system has adapted itself to its new condition, and how totally the threatenings of disease against which I had to guard myself so carefully, before leaving New York, by medicines and other means, have disappeared. Even that unpleasant affection of my head and throat, from which I have suffered so much for months, seems to have suddenly left. The Ocean air is cool-the sultry heat of New York is gone, and I could not have believed, how quickly the transit can be made, from oppressive sweltering heat, to a fine bracing and delightful atmosphere. It has been but a succession of agreeable changes since we started. Our motion has been quickened by fair winds, since the first day, and we are now nearly half way across the Atlantic. With the exception of seeing occasionally a vessel or two in the distance, some fishing smacks off Sable Island, the steamer Canada on her way to Boston, and occasionally a school of porpoises or a spouting whale, there has been but little outside the ship to hold the attention for any time. Within, we have all the comforts and luxuries that could be desired. Our passengers are sufficient in number to give abundant society, and not too many to make it disagreeable. They are from different nations and parts of the world, Germans, Spaniards, Cubans, English, Scotch, Brazilian, Swede, and Russian, with half a dozen Americans. At our section of the table, the variety is nearly as great as in the whole assortment. A sketch of their characters may be of interest to you. Our table in the main cabin is to the left of the door as you enter; on the other side a longer table stretches half the extent of the cabin, at the head of which the Captain, a very gentlemanly unobtrusive man presides. At the head of ours is seated a regular clever John Bull, an elderly gentleman with white hair, called the "Admiralty Agent," and ranking as lieutenant in the British Navy. He has charge of the mail and immediately on his arrival at Liverpool will proceed with it to London and take his turn (three weeks thereafter) in conducting another mail on some subsequent steamer then to leave Liverpool. He is a very agreeable and companionable man to whom I have taken quite a liking; he is also Chaplain of the vessel. It is his duty every Sabbath, as he informs me, to assemble all of the passengers and crew that are willing to attend, and read to them the English service, which on the last Sabbath he did with all becoming

reverence, and even greater propriety than I have sometimes heard the Liturgy read. I found him decidedly an evangelical man, Calvinistic in his views, and an experienced christian,quite well read in Theology and a thorough millenarian. He is reading Cumming's on the Revelation, and says he will hand it to me in a day or so, desiring very much that I also should read it. "I am in no ways bigoted," said he to the Scotch minister, on asking him to preach, "but it is made my duty to read the service, otherwise I should be pleased if you would conduct all the exercises in your own way."

On the left of the Lieutenant is seated at the table a Swedish Captain, who for three years past has been sailing from California to Peru and Chili, and is now returning from San Francisco to his own country. He is about from thirty to thirty-five years years of age, speaks the English and Spanish languages, and is as modest, simple-hearted, humble and consitent a christian as I ever met. It is delightful to witness his modesty, and feel the influence of his simple unaffected piety. Next to him is the late Brazilian Consul, resident at New York, a Roman Catholic, going with his family to Europe, who also is a very intelligent and agreeable companion. Immediately opposite is a Spaniard, who occasionally makes an effort to pronounce a word or two in English, and beside him a Scotchman, for some years a resident of Cuba, who has become Spaniard all over; and having drawn a prize of $100,000 in a lottery, is likewise on his way to his native land with his family to visit it after sixteen years absence. Next to him is a regular Cockney, who has not yet opened his mouth to speak, but abundantly and regularly to consume the viands, soups, fruits, &c., and especially the wines, which he is supplied with by the waiters. On the right of our Lieutenant is seated a Louisianian from New Orleans, a pleasant old bachelor who seems to love and live wholly for good eating and drinking and plenty of both. Mr. W. and myself occupy the intermediate space, and the other end of the table is surmounted by a Russian, who speaks our language very well, and has much less of affection for, and studied effort to secure abundance of the good things around, is much more pleasant and good natured, but devotes himself as regularly and as deeply to the wine, as the one immediately opposite him. It is really very surprising to hear the constant call for Claret, Madeira, Sherry, Brown Stout, Ale, Cider and Brandy around us. How much they drink! Yet without any appearance of intoxication. The Swede, Mr. W. and myself are the only representatives of temperance principles at the table, yet withal the conversation is often instructing and always pleasant.

I am perfectly surprised at the table arrangements on board. Five

LUXURIES, INCREASING SPEED.

11

Breakfast at half-past

times a day the passengers assemble to eat. eight, lunch at twelve, dinner at four, tea at half-past seven, supper at ten. Three ordinary meals and occasionally a piece of cheese or a plate of soup suffice Mr. W. and myself. The dinner ranges through an hour and a half to accomplish its courses. Soup, Fish, Roast Meats and Fowls of land and water, and various French dishes, abundance of all sorts of vegetables, salads, lobsters, oysters, fruits of different kinds, and all paraded on plated dishes in a style, and all equal to the studied entertainments of gentlemen of fortune. I had no idea of the abundance of comforts, and the excessive attentions paid to multiply them, which are to be had on these steamers. Indeed it seems as if the whole time of the waiters was occupied in ministering not only to the wants, but the whims and caprices of those who find their only enjoyment in eating and drinking; but they too often forget the goodness of God, who throws around the protecting wing of His providence and dispenses so richly of His bounties.

AUGUST 17.-Our motion through the water increases every day in rapidity as, by thirty tons per diem of coal consumed, we lighten the burden of the vessel. The last 24 hours, we made 295 miles, the preceding 289, the preceding 278, and have already accomplished full one-half of the distance of our voyage. Our Latitude at 12 A. M. this day, was 51 11 min. North, and Longtitude 40 27 min. West. Our 12 o'clock comes more than two hours earlier than yours. The wind continues strong. Our vessel rocks more than for several days; clouds are thickening, indications of rain approaching, and the spray dashes occasionally over the vessel's sides. The wind is cool and damp, but none are complaining yet of sea-sickness. Our vesssl affords a fine extent for walking, and the distance from bow to stern and back ten times, exceeds a mile, which for exercise I accomplish twice or thrice a day.

August 21. Cape Clear is in view, and the sight of land gladdens every passenger. He that "holds the winds in his fist," has kept their rage allayed, and given them just the direction and force appropriate to render our voyage one uninterrupted, rapid and direct flight across the mighty ocean. A north wind prevailed for nearly seven out of the ten days, varying but little occasionally to the east or west, as we have sailed over an extent of two thousand miles,* our mighty ves. sel pursuing her way, with ceaseless impulse from both wind and steam. Except when the pilot left her off Sandy Hook, her paddle wheels

*I perceived after reaching London, that an æronaut, who had ascended from that city some days before my arrival, said, after his descent, that he had encountered a southern wind in the higher regions of the atmosphere over London, and added that its prevalence must have been very extensive.

have never intermitted a single stroke. A more pleasant and prosperous voyage thus far across the ocean, the captain informs his passengers, his ship Europa has never made during a period of eight years, and but one only in a few hours less time. By twelve o'clock we were abreast of Torey Island, a rugged cluster of rocky cliffs rising in the Irish channel, which, according to the ancient Irish tales, were once the favorite resort of a wild and predatory tribe, who bore the name which, in modern times, has been used to designate those in English politics who loved violence and oppression, treachery and blood, and In our country, the party during our revolutionary struggle whose name and memory every patriot must ever abhor.

The Europa is one of the Cunard steamers, and though not equal in sailing speed to "the Collins" vessels, is remarkably strong and firmly built. Her length is two hundred and ninety-two feet, and her bow twenty-five in thickness, a heavy, solid mass of wood. Before she sails the admiralty authority regulates the amount of steam pressure she shall have to propel her, and locks up the weight imposed; so that beyond it neither engineer nor captain can have access to it, to give her more force. From ten and a half to twelve and a half miles per hour, night and day, she has pressed her way; and for three days successively, when the wind was directly on her beam and blowing strong, she varied but one mile during twenty-four hours in the distances she run, although the ocean rolled its mighty waves with sufficient force and height to make us feel, that she is but a feeble thing compared with His Omnipotence who holds its waters in the hollow of His hand.

As she approached the coast and pursued her way up "by the North end," "the giant's causeway" appeared in sight. We passed so near as to afford us a perfect view of that wondrous basaltic mass of headland; and leaving Rathlin Island on the left, as she rounded into the channel between "the Emerald Isle" and the "mulls" of Islay and of Cantyre-headlands on the coast of Scotland,-it seemed as if the wind varied to maintain its position on our beam as the noble vessel changed her course.

During the voyage I have obtained daily the latitude and longitude, which were determined at twelve o'clock. The captain politely asked me into his office to inspect his charts, and understand the coast as we came round Ireland. We made our voyage as follows: