Victor Appleton - "Tom Swift and His Electric Rifle"

John Ruskin - "The Storm Cloud of the Nineteenth Century"

Sir James George Frazer - "The Belief in Immortality and the Worship of the Dead, Volume I (of 3)"

Baron Trenck - "The Life and Adventures of Baron Trenck Volume 2"

Editorial
This paper argues that discourses of love in Ghanaian market literature for youth offer a view into complex negotiations of agency and empowerment. Drawing on Deborah Durham's notion of youth as "social `shifters'" and Francis Nyamnjoh's conception of the "interconnectedness" of agency, I take Ghanaian market literature as one specific case of how African literature for youth foregrounds questions of continuity and change as African societies enter into increasingly complex global relations. In this literature for youth, received notions of love, often constructed out of impressions from American pop and hip hop music, carry new notions of agency that compete with existing "domesticated" forms. Authors like Ike Tandoh and Evelyn Tay employ discourses of love to offer youth alternative avenues for empowerment in a context of socio-economic disenfranchizement. In a creative process of "straddling", this writing both reveals and reproduces the contradictions that obtain in youth configurations of agency.

Young Americans Abroad

V >> Various >> Young Americans Abroad



[Illustration: Cathedral Church of St. Gudule, Brussels]




YOUNG AMERICANS ABROAD;

OR,

VACATION IN EUROPE:

TRAVELS

IN ENGLAND, FRANCE, HOLLAND, BELGIUM, PRUSSIA
AND SWITZERLAND.

With Illustrations.

BOSTON:
GOULD AND LINCOLN,

89 WASHINGTON STREET.
1852.




Entered according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1851, by

GOULD AND LINCOLN,

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court
of the District of Massachusetts.




STEREOTYPED AT THE
BOSTON STEREOTYPE FOUNDRY




TO

GEORGE SUMNER, ESQ.,

AS A

SLIGHT TRIBUTE OF GRATITUDE

FOR HIS KIND ATTENTIONS IN PARIS,

AND IN

ADMIRATION OF TALENTS DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF

FREEDOM,

THESE LETTERS ARE RESPECTFULLY

DEDICATED,

BY HIS OBLIGED FRIENDS,

THE AUTHORS.




LIST

OF

ILLUSTRATIONS.

* * * * *

I. FRONTISPIECE--CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF ST.
GUDULE, BRUSSELS.

II. ICEBERGS SEEN FROM STEAMSHIP "ARCTIC,"
APRIL 6, 1851, 24

III. PORTRAIT OF THOMAS CHATTERTON, 56

IV. PORTRAIT OF ROBERT SOUTHEY, 61

V. PORTRAIT OF SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE, 88

VI. VIEW OF ST. PAUL'S CATHEDRAL, LONDON, 148

VII. A FULL-LENGTH PORTRAIT OF DR. SAMUEL
JOHNSON, 150

VIII. VIEW OF THE POET'S CORNER, WESTMINSTER
ABBEY, 185

IX. VIEW OF THE COLONNE DE JUILLET, 196

X. VINTAGE OF THE RHINE, 275

XI. VIEW OF A SWISS COTTAGE, 305

XII. NAPOLEON'S SARCOPHAGUS, 324




INTRODUCTION


One evening last winter a few private pupils were sitting in the study
of their instructor, when he stated his intention to pass the spring
vacation in Europe, and his wish to have two or three of his young
friends as his travelling companions. An earnest and joyous desire was
expressed by each lad to enjoy the gratification, and in the course of a
short period the arrangements were made which afforded him the pleasure
to assure three boys that they should accompany him. The ages of the
young travelers were twelve, fourteen, and sixteen. Their attention was
immediately directed to a course of reading adapted to prepare them for
the beneficial use of the proposed tour; and during its progress each
boy kept a journal, which was useful as a reference in the
correspondence kept up with friends and families at home. A companion in
study, left behind, and prevented by duty from joining the party, wished
to have constant advices of the movements of his friends; and the
letters of the young travellers to a lad of sixteen are, at the advice
of many friends, now submitted to the perusal of those at that age. No
similar work is known to the authors of these letters; and at the
forthcoming gift season it is hoped that the young of our country may be
amused and gratified by these reminiscences of other lands.

J.O. CHOULES.

NEWPORT, R.I., Nov. 25, 1851.




CONTENTS.


INTRODUCTION.


LETTER I.

Arrival at New York.


LETTER II.

Going on board Steamer.--Arctic.--Weather.--Passengers.--Loss of Life
and Burial at Sea.--Icebergs.--Sabbath at Sea.--Land.--Excellence of
Collins Line.--Adelphi Hotel.


LETTER III.

Liverpool; Its Public Buildings, Docks, &c.


LETTER IV.

Birmingham.--Arrival in London.--Strand.--Temple Bar.--Fleet
Street.--London Exchange.--London Coffee House.--Omnibuses.


LETTER V.

United States Minister in London.--His kind Attentions.--Crystal
Palace.--London of other Days.--Monument.--The Bridges.


LETTER VI.

Villages.--Camberwel.--Accidents and Murders in England as common as in
America.--Greenwich Fair.--Gypsies.


LETTER VII.

Great Western Railroad.--Swindon.--Bristol.--Scenes of early
Life.--Ancient City.--Clifton and Hot Wells.--Redcliffe
Church.--Chatterton.


LETTER VIII.

Bristol Cathedral.--Monuments and
Inscriptions.--Butler.--Mason.--Southey.--Cloisters.--Mayor's
Chapel.--Dundry.--Vine Prospect.--School attended in Boyhood.


LETTER IX.

Clifton.--Avon.--Hot Wells.--Vincent's Rocks.--Robert Hall.--Sublime
Scenery.--Leigh Court Picture Gallery.

LETTER X

Bath.--Royal Crescent.--Queen Square.--Cathedral.--Hot
Baths.--Bradford.--Trowbridge.--Devizes.--Cricket.


LETTER XI.

Tower of London; its History.--Horse Armory.--Antiquities and
Curiosities.--Executions.--Regalia, &c.


LETTER XII.

Thames Tunnel.--New Houses of Parliament.--House of Lords
described.--Fresco Paintings.--St. Stephen's Hall.--House of
Commons.--Westminster Hall; its Associations, festive and criminal.


LETTER XIII.

British Museum; its fine Galleries, Pictures, Library, Autographs, and
MSS.--The Place to study.--Lord Campbell.--Servant who resorted to it.


LETTER XIV.

Woolwich.--Naval Arsenal and Dock Yard.--Ships of War.--Yard.--Twenty
Thousand Cannon.--Greenwich.--Blackheath.--Lee Grove.--Golden Cross and
its Host.--Mr. Lawrence's Soiree.--Duke of Wellington.


LETTER XV.

Exhibition.--Season Tickets.--Wet Weather.--One May fine.--City
Streets.--Throng around Palace.--Arrival of the Queen.--Opening
Scenes.--Procession, &c.


LETTER XVI.

Fine Equipages.--Appearance of the Palace.--Walk through the
Exhibition.--American Contributions.--Greek Slave, &c.--Mediaeval
Court.--Kohinoor Glass Window.--Austrian Furniture.--Amazon of
Kiss.--Crusaders.--Galleries.--Transept.--Glass Fountain.--
Sculpture.--Veiled Vesta.--Machinery.--Models.--Model of
Liverpool.--Plate Glass.--Taunton Cabinet--Steam Power, &c.


LETTER XVII.

Royal Polytechnic Institution.--Lectures.--Egyptian Hall.--Panorama of
Overland Route to California.--Exeter Hall Sermons.--Wyld's great
Globe.--Zooelogical Gardens.--Christ's Church Hospital; its Boys.


LETTER XVIII.

Windsor Castle; its History.--Interior of the Palace.--
Pictures.--Waterloo Chamber.--St. George's Chanel.--Royal
Tombs.--Edward IV.--Henry VIII.--Charles I., Discovery of his Body in
1813, Account of the Appearance, &c.--Terraces of the Castle.--Eton
College.--Datchett.--Great Park.--Long Walk.--Celebrated
Trees.--Virginia Water.--Cumberland Lodge.--Frogmore.


LETTER XIX.

Sir John Soane's Museum, House, Antiquities, Pictures.--Hogarth's
"Rake's Progress," and the "Election."--Wonderful Economy of Room,
&c.--Greenwich; Hospital, Chapel, Paintings, and Statuary.--Queen's
Stables; Horses, Harness Room, State Carriage.--Soyer's Symposium;
Description of its Rooms.--Dinner there.


LETTER XX.

The Temple Church and its historical Associations.--Steamboat on
Thames.--View of St. Paul's from River.--St. Paul's Cathedral; its
Dome.--Statues: Johnson, Howard, Reynolds, Heber, West, Nelson.--Ascent
of the Dome and Cross.--View of London.


LETTER XXI.

Westminster Abbey.--Early History.--Associations.--Poet's
Corner.--Chapels.--Monuments and Effigies.--Coronation Chairs.--Stone
of Scone Statuary.--Sermon in Abbey by Lord John Thynne.


LETTER XXII.

Hyde Park.--St. James's and Green Park.--Regent's Park.--Squares of
London.--Northumberland House.--Sion House.--St Margaret's Church.--St.
Martin's in-the-Fields.


LETTER XXIII.

Mission House.--Lord Mayor's Day.--Royal Exchange.--Bank of
England.--London Docks.--Covent Garden Market.


LETTER XXIV.

Rev. Dr. Murray.--Dover Castle.--Passage across the Channel.--
Calais.--St. Omer.--Douai.--Arras.--Amiens.--Clermont.--Paris.--
Hotel Windsor.--A Mistake, and Loss of a Dinner.


LETTER XXV.

Gardens and Promenades.--Gayety.--Flowers.--Wrong Drawing-room.--Notre
Dame.--Interior.--Sacristy.--Robes and Relics.--Hotel de Ville.--Louvre
shut.--Paris by Moonlight.


LETTER XXVI.

Palais Royal.--Garden.--Gay Scene.--Passage d'Orleans.--House opposite
to which Henry IV. was assassinated by Ravaillac.--Moliere.--Marat and
Charlotte Corday.--Palace of the Luxembourg.--Paintings.--Gardens.--
Statuary.--Chapel.


LETTER XXVII

Hotel de Cluny; History, Associations, Interior, wonderful
Contents.--Julian's Palace of the Baths.--Mr. George Sumner.--Church
of St. Sulpice.--Statuary.--Ecclesiastical Fountain.--Bibliotheque St.
Genevieve.--Church of St. Etienne du Mont.--History.--Monuments of
Racine and Pascal.--Christening an Infant.--Church of St. Germain des
Pres, (oldest in Paris); its Restoration going on.--Tombs of Descartes,
Mabillon, Montfaucon, &c.


LETTER XXVIII.

Jardin des Plantes; Situation, History.--Cedar of Lebanon and
Palm-trees.--Menagerie.--Cuvier.--Museum of Comparative Anatomy,
&c.--Paris owes much to Henry IV., Louis XIV., Napoleon, and Louis
Philippe.--Pont Neuf.--St. Bartholomew's Massacre.--Bastile.--Column.


LETTER XXIX.

An amusing Fellow-countryman.--Pere la Chaise.--Monuments.--Abattoir.
--Consul's Office; his numerous Calls.


LETTER XXX.

Cirque.--Amusements.--Champs Elysees.--Hippodrome.--Arabs.--Sabbath
kept in Parlor.


LETTER XXXI.

Pleasant Company.--Railroad to Brussels.--Jemappes.--Mons.--Brussels;
History.--Hotel de Ville.--Cathedral Church of St. Gudule; its
Monuments.--First Communion.--Park.--Palace.--Hon. Mr. Bayard.


LETTER XXXII.

Lacework.--Money Matters.--An uncivil Banker.--Museum.--Paintings.
--Burgundian Library.--Manekin.--Botanical Garden.


LETTER XXXIII.

Excursion to Waterloo.--Hongomont.--Relics.--Belgian Mound and
Lion.--Ivy from Waterloo for Mr. J.P. Hall.--Church.--King Leopold.


LETTER XXXIV.

Laeken.--Vilvorde.--Mechlin, or Mallnes.--Antwerp; History.--Place
Verte.--Statue of Rubens.--Cathedral of Notre Dame.--Interior
Pulpit.--Pictures by Rubens.--Tower of the Church.--Quentin Matsys's
fine old Houses.


LETTER XXXV.

St. James's Church.--Tomb of Rubens.--Paintings by Rubens and
Jordaens.--Vandyke.--Mount Calvary.--Monk of La Trappe.--Museum.--Chair
of Rubens; his Pictures.--Other great Works of Art.--St. Andrew's
Church.--Bourse.--Mr. Vesey, U.S. Consul.


LETTER XXXVI.

Dock Yards at Antwerp.--Steamboat Passage on the Scheldt.--Dort.--Lost
Villages.--Bergen op Zoom.--Van Speyk.--Rotterdam.--Erasmus.--Delft.
--Hague.--Hon. George Folsom; his Kindness.--Scheveningen.--Museum.
--Japanese Curiosities.--Historical Curiosities.--Gallery of Pictures.
--Rembrandt, Paul Potter, Gerard Dow, &c.--King's Palace.--Brimenhoff.
--De Witt.--Bosch.--John Adams's House.


LETTER XXXVII.

Dunes.--Leyden; History.--Harlem.--Church of St. Bavon;
Organ.--Coster.--Flower Gardens.--Palace of late King.--Picture
Gallery.--Exhibition of Pictures by living Artists.--Amsterdam.


LETTER XXXVIII.

Mr. J.G. Schwartze.--Stadhuis.--Churches.--Jews.--Picture
Gallery.--Dutch School.--Columbus before the Council.--Artists' Club.


LETTER XXXIX.

Utrecht.--Lobith.--Ruhrort.--Meet with Americans on Return from the
East.--Cologne; History.--Cathedral.--Three Kings.--Relics.--St. Peter's
Church.--Crucifixion of Peter, by Rubens.--Champagne for America.


LETTER XL.

The
Rhine.--Bonn.--Drachenfels.--Godesberg.--Rolandseck.--Oberwinter.
--Okenfels.--Castle Reineck.--Neuwied.--A Raft.--Castle of
Sain.--Ehrenbreitstein.--Coblentz.


LETTER XLI.

Coblentz.--The Moselle.--Excursion to Stolzenfels.--Curiosities.--Fine
View.--Boat up to Mayence.--The Brothers.--Rheinfels.--Lurley
Rock.--Seven Sisters.--Pfalz.--The Rheingau.--Falkenberg.--Rheinstein.
--Assmanshausen.--Ehrenfels.--Mausetherm.--Bingen.--Geisenheim.
--Johannisberg.--Erbach.--Biberich.--Mayence.--John Guttemberg's
Statue--Austrian Troops.--An English Nobleman.


LETTER XLII.

Frankfort.--The Roemer; its Portraits of the Emperors.--Mr. Bethman's
Gallery of Statuary.--Ariadne.--Jews' Quarters.--Darmstadt.--The
Bergstrasse.--Heidelberg.--Castle.--Baden.--Kehl.--Strasburg.


LETTER XLIII.

Cathedral; Its History; Interior Clock.--St. Thomas's Church.--Kleber's
Tomb.


LETTER XLIV.

Vosges Mountains.--Vineyards.--Colmar.--Muehlhausen.--Basle.--Black
Forest.--United States Consul, Mr. Burchardt.--Cathedral.--Tomb of
Erasmus.--Chapter House.--Holbein Gallery.--University.--Library.
--MSS.--St. Jacob.--Tea Party.


LETTER XLV.

Moutiers Valley.--Sublime Scenery.--Domach.--Arch.--Roman
Antiquities.--Berne.--Mechanical Clock.--Cathedral; Organ, Choir,
Bears.--Lausanne.


LETTER XLVI.

Mountain Scenery.--Hotel Gibbon.--Episcopal Church.--Signal.--Hotel de
Ville, and its kind Inhabitants.--Cathedral; its History.--Steamboat
to Vevay.--Castle of Chillon.--St. Martin's Church and the
Regicides.--Geneva.--Cathedral.--Museum.--Calvin's
MBS.--D'Aubigne.--Gaussen--Malan.--Evangelical Association; its
Anniversary.--Count George.--Soiree.--Mr. Delorme.--The
Saleve.--Savoy.--Rousseau's Island.


LETTER XLVII.

Diligence for Dijon.--Fine Scenery.--Dijon; History.--Railroad to
Paris.--Sens.--Cathedral.--Fontainebleau.


LETTER XLVIII.

Methodist Chapel.--Madeline.--Pantheon.--Louvre, open.--Statuary and
Paintings.--Versailles.--Statuary.--Series of National
Paintings.--Portraits of distinguished Men.--Apartments.--Gardens and
Fountains.--Grand and Petit Trianon.--Passy.--St. Cloud.


LETTER XLIX.

Glass Depot--American Friends.--Good Intentions.--Hospital des
Invalides.--Garden of the Tulleries; its Scenery.--Triumphal
Arch.--Chapel of St. Ferdinand.--National Library.--A Tradesman's
Memory.


LETTER L.

Calais; its Recollections.--Rough Passage of the Channel.--Dover.--Mr.
Peabody's Entertainment on the Fourth of July described.--Company.--A
patriotic Act.


LETTER LI.

Entertainment at the Belgian Minister's.--Young Nobility.--A noble
Boy.--Craven Chapel.--Slavery.--Exhibition.--Pauper Labor.--Need of a
Tariff.


LETTER LII.

Kind Friends at Bristol,--Weston Super Mare.--Museum of Baptist
College.--Highbury Chapel.--Old Houses of Bristol.--Fine Churches.


LETTER LIII.

River Avon.--Wye.--Chepstow.--St. Aryan's.--Wynd Cliff.--Glorious
Scenery.--Tintern Abbey; its History.--Ragland Castle;
Appearance.--Marquis of Worcester.--Chopstow Castle.--Henry
Marten.--Defence of the Parliamentary Party.--Severn River.--Old
Passage.--Henbury.--Blaize Castle.--Birthday Lines.


LETTER LIV.

Leave Bristol.--Berkeley.--Cheltenham.--Birmingham; Manufactories.--Rev.
John Angell James.--Mr. Vanwart.--Liverpool.--Chester; its
Antiquity.--Cathedral.--Rows and Pillars.--Englishmen and Americans have
much in Common.--Royal Agricultural Exhibition at Windsor.


LETTER LV.

Passage Home in the Steamer Atlantic.--Claims of the Collins
Line.--Lessons taught by Travel in other Lands.--Our
Comforts.--Excellent Character of many of the English Nobility.--Queen
Victoria and Prince Albert.--Prospect of Affairs in Europe.--Popery as
seen in her proper Territories.




Young Americans Abroad.




Letter 1.


ASTOR HOUSE, NEW YORK, April 1, 1851.

DEAR CHARLEY:--

I have just arrived at this place, and have found my companions on hand,
all ready for the commencement of the long-anticipated voyage. We regret
the circumstances which render it your duty to remain, and we all feel
very sorry for the disappointment of your wishes and our hopes. You
will, however, feel happy in the thought that you are clearly in the
path of duty; and you have already learnt that that path is a safe one,
and that it always leads to happiness. You have begged us all to write
to you as frequently as we can, and we have concluded to send you our
joint contributions, drawing largely upon our journals as we move from
place to place; and, as we have for so many years had pleasant
intercourse in the family circle, we wish to maintain it by
correspondence abroad. Our letters will, of course, be very different
in their character and interest, because you will bear in mind that out
ages are different; and we shall write you from a variety of points,
some having a deeper interest than others. I trust that this series of
letters will give you a general view of our movements, and contribute to
your gratification, if not to your instruction. The weather is
delightful, and we are anticipating a fine day for leaving port. It is
to all of us a source of pain that we are deprived of your sunny smile;
and while we are wandering far away in other lands, we shall often, in
fancy, listen to your merry laugh; and I assure you, my dear fellow,
that, wherever we rove, it will be amongst our pleasantest thoughts of
home when we anticipate the renewal of personal intercourse with one who
has secured so warm a place in our affections.

Yours truly,

J.O.C.




Letter 2.


ADELPHI HOTEL, LIVERPOOL, April 14.

DEAR CHARLEY:--

It is but twelve days since we parted, and yet we are actually in the
old world, and the things which we have so often talked over on the
rock-bound shore are really before me. Yes, we are on the soil of Old
England, and are soon to see its glories and greatness, and, I fear, its
miseries, for a bird's eye view has already satisfied me that there is
enough of poverty. You know we left New York in a soaking rain, and the
wind blowing fresh from the north-east. We all felt disappointed, as we
had hoped to pass down the bay, so celebrated for its beauty, with the
bright sunshine to cheer our way; but we had to take comfort from the
old proverb, that "a bad beginning makes a good ending." James, George,
and I had made up our minds to a regular time of sea-sickness, and so we
hastened to put our state room into order and have all our conveniences
fixed for the voyage. As soon as we had made matters comfortable, we
returned to the deck, and found a most formidable crowd. Every passenger
seemed to have, on the occasion, a troop of friends, and all parts of
the immense steamer were thronged. The warning voice of _"all on shore"_
soon caused a secession, and at twelve o'clock we had the great agent at
work by which we hoped to make headway against wind and wave. The
cheering of the crowd upon the wharf was hearty as we dropped into the
river, and its return from our passengers was not lacking in spirit. The
Arctic, you know, is one of the Collins line of steamers, and I was not
a little surprised at her vast size and splendid accommodations, because
I had only seen the Cunard boats in Boston, which are very inferior, in
size and comfort, to this palace and tower of the ocean.

We all anticipated a hard time of it, from the severe storm which raged
all the morning, and I, in common with all the passengers, was delighted
to find it any thing but rough water outside the Hook. We kept steaming
away till we lost sight of land with the loss of daylight, and yet the
sea was in less commotion than it frequently exhibits in Newport Harbor.
The next morning, at breakfast, we had quite a fair representation at
table, and I think more than two thirds presented themselves for duty.
We boys were all on hand, and passed for "able-bodied men." The routine
of life on board was as follows: We breakfasted at eight, lunched at
twelve, dined at four, took tea at half past six, and from nine till
eleven gentlemen had any article for supper they saw fit to order. This
is quite enough of time for taking care of the outer man, and any one
careful of his health will be sure to intermit one or two of these
seasons. All the meals were excellent, and the supplies liberal. The
tables present a similar appearance to those of a first-class hotel. In
regard to our passengers, I think I can say, with confidence, that a
more agreeable set of persons could not well have been gathered
together. It really was a nicely-assorted cargo. We numbered one
hundred and thirty, and the various parts of our country were all
represented. Philadelphia sent the largest delegation; from that city we
had more than twenty. I liked the looks of the passengers at the first
glance, and every day's intercourse heightened my estimate of their
worth and pleasantness. Amongst the company we had Professor Haddock, of
Dartmouth College, going out to Portugal as _charge d'affaires_. He was
accompanied by his lady and son. Then, too, we had the world-renowned
Peter Parley, with his accomplished family circle. Mr. Goodrich, after a
long life of labor for the youth of his country, for whose reading and
instruction he has done so much, has been honored by the government of
the United States with an appointment as consul at Paris. Mr. Goodrich
resided there for two or three years, and was in Paris during the
revolution of 1848. He seems fond of the company of young people, and we
spent a great deal of time on board with him, listening to his stories,
some made up for the occasion, and narrations of the events in February
at Paris, and some capital anecdotes about the last war with England,
during which he served his country in the army. The Hon. George Wright,
of California, and her first representative in Congress, was also one of
our party; and his glowing descriptions of the auriferous regions kept
groups of audience for many an hour. The Rev. Arthur Cleveland Cox, of
Hartford, favorably known as the author of some pleasant rhymes and
sonnets, Mr. Cunningham, a southern editor, and several retired sea
captains, all contributed to enhance the agreeableness of the voyage. I
am sorry to tell you that, three days out, we had a sad occurrence in
our little world. Just as we were sitting down to lunch at eight bells,
the machinery stopped for a moment, and we were informed that William
Irwin, one of the assistant engineers, was crushed to death. He
accidentally slipped from his position, and was killed instantaneously.
In less than half an hour he was sewed up in canvas, and all hands
called to attend his funeral services! The poor fellow was laid upon a
plank covered with the American flag, and placed at the wheel-house. The
service was performed by Mr. Cox, in full canonicals; and I can assure
you that the white-robed priest, as he issued from the cabin and
ascended the wheel-house, really looked impressively. At the close, he
was committed to the deep. What food for thought was here! A man in
health and at life's daily task,--alive,--dead,--and buried,--all these
conditions of his state crowded into thirty minutes! The poor man had a
mother who was dependent upon him. Dr. Choules drew up a subscription
paper for her benefit, and nearly five hundred dollars were at once
raised for her relief. This unhappy event, of course, gave a sad
damper to the joyous feelings which existed on board, and which were
excited by our fine weather and rapid headway. On Sunday we had two
sermons in the cabin to large congregations, all the passengers
attending, with the officers and many of the crew. The morning service
was by Dr. Choules, and the evening one by Mr. Cox.

[Illustration: Four Positions of an Iceberg, seen 6th of April.
Estimated Height, 300 feet. Lat. 43.04; long. 53.11; at Noon.]

[Illustration: Icebergs seen from the Steamship "Arctic," on the Voyage
from New York to Liverpool, April 6, 1851.]

In the afternoon, April 6, we had the gratification to see a magnificent
iceberg. We were in lat. 43 deg. 4', lon. 53 deg. 11' at twelve o'clock, and at
three the ice appeared at about ten miles' distance. The estimated
height was about three hundred feet. One if the passengers took a
sketch. I also made one, and have laid it aside for your inspection.

The berg had much the appearance of the gable end of a large house, and
at some little distance there was another, of tower-like aspect, and
much resembling a light-house. The effect of the sun upon it, as we saw
it in various positions, was exceedingly fine. On Monday, the 7th, we
saw a much larger one, with several small ones as neighbors. This was
probably one mile in length, and about two hundred feet high.

We saw several whales frolicking at the distance of a mile, and
distinctly saw them spout at short intervals.

After having had all reason to hope for a ten-day passage, we were
annoyed for four or five days with head winds, materially retarding our
headway. The evenings of the voyage were generally spent on deck, where
we had charming concerts. Seldom have I heard better singing than we
were favored with by eight or ten ladies and gentlemen. One universal
favorite was the beautiful piece, "Far, far at sea." On Sunday, the
13th, just after morning service, conducted by Mr. Cox, we made Mizzen
Head, and obtained a magnificent view of the north coast of Ireland,
which was far more beautiful than we had expected. The coast is very
bold, and the cliffs precipitous, in many places strongly reminding us
of the high lands of the Hudson. A more exquisite treat than that which
we enjoyed all the afternoon in looking on the Irish coast I can hardly
imagine. At night we had a closing service, and Dr. Choules preached.
Every one seemed to feel that we had cause for thankfulness that we had
been brought in safety across the ocean, and under so many circumstances
of enjoyment We have made acquaintances that are truly valuable, and
some of them I hope to cultivate in future life. One of the great
advantages of travel, Charles, seems to be, that it enables us to
compare men of other places than those we live in with our former
acquaintances. It brings us into intercourse with those who have had a
different training and education than our own; and I think a man or boy
must be pretty thoroughly conceited who does not often find out his own
inferiority to many with whom he chances to meet. On board our ship are
several young men of fine attainments, who, engaged in mechanical
business, are going out to obtain improvement and instruction by a
careful study of the great exhibition. A number of gentlemen with us are
young merchants, who represent houses in our great cities, and go to
England and France twice and three times every year. Some of these are
thoroughly accomplished men, and, wherever they go, will reflect credit
upon their country. In no country, perhaps, do young men assume
important trusts in commercial life at so early a period as in America.
I have heard one or two Englishmen on board express their surprise at
finding large business operations intrusted to young men of twenty and
twenty-one; and yet there are some such with us who are making their
second and third trips to Manchester, Leeds, Paisley, and Paris, for the
selection of goods.

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