BU sary for me to take pass age on the U. S. M. steam ship Illinois for a trip to the Isthmus of Panama. The vessel was adver- steamer. Passengers, probably to the number of five hundred, were already on board. Friends of passengers (determined to take the very last possible embrace), at least as many more. Threading my way down through the cabin to my state room, some- From this point of view such another denselypacked, writhing, surging mass of human beings was rarely seen before. Scores of "runners" stood on the outskirting timbers of the wharf shouting their brazen adieus to many a well-fleeced passenger. Red-eyed "Biddies" struggled up, flushed and flurried with eager efforts to swing a tear-stained handkerchief or fling a farewell orange to departing "Patricks." A stout, gray-haired old gentleman, with a face like a peony, vigorously flaunted his red bandana, with only an occasional pause to wipe the great beads of sweat that oozed from his venerable forehead, in ineffectual attempts to attract the attention of, mayhap, his "Benjamin" on board, never for an instant withdrawing his helpless and despairing gaze, though repeatedly advanced, retreated, and otherwise interfered with by the swaying crowd. Farther on stood a little group of women and children, from whose fluttering signals and motions of delight it was evident that they had succeeded in establishing their telegraph. In the midst of the crowd an Emerald female, in the convulsive stage of excitement, was pushing along with a young O'Flaherty on one arm and a bundle of bedding in the other, while sundry little O'Flahertys clung trembling to her skirts, some of the by-standers (to their shame be it recorded) making boisterous merriment over the poor creature's tribulation. Behind all these, and yet in full sight, was the more genteel and quieter part of the crowd, occasionally waving a handkerchief or kissing a hand as some friendly recognition took place, and patiently awaiting the departure of the ship. Her ponderous wheels begin to turn and dash the foam from her sides; still the vessel is bound by immense cables to the wharf; her time is not yet. The shipping-master has work to do. Upon him falls the labor of relieving the ship from her numerous visitors, to wind up or break off the lingering farewells; and now, high above the roaring of the 'scape-pipe, above the rushing of the wheels, his stentorian call is heard-"ALL ASHORE!" Full strong must be the nerves that can resist the stampeding influence of that voice: now and then one may be bold enough, but even he is borne along by the retreating multitude, never stopping until he is well placed upon the wharf. Then (as if that voice were not enough) a gong gives forth its nerve-splitting tones until not a friend remains on board. PURSER'S WINDOW. The ship still waits; the doors of the wharfentrance fly open, and down comes a wagon at full speed bearing the last express and mails. They can not mean to drive upon the mass; yet on it comes, not slackening a second's speed. The crowd opens, shrinks into an almost impossible compass, and the car dashes on through the quivering multitude. Then follows a moment of painful stillness, as if to hear some one to cry out the number of killed and wounded. What a miracle, nobody hurt! The express and mails are thrown on board; the Captain, for whom the ship has been especially waiting, comes hurrying down, stopping for a moment to receive from the confidential agent of the Company his last official communication; he rushes up the gangway; in an instant he is on the wheel-house; the lines are loosed; the engineer strikes the bell; the wheels move; and amidst the waving of handkerchiefs, and the resounding huzzas from a thousand throats, the steamship glides slowly out into the stream. At a signal from the Captain the ponderous engines put their whole force to the work, and with a speed of eleven or twelve knots an hour, we leave the hurrahing multitude on the wharf. In a few moments we find ourselves plowing along past the Battery, Governor's and Bedloe's Islands, occasionally receiving a salute or dipping an ensign as we pass some anchored man-of-war or in-bound steamship, now down the bay. Every thing looks bright and beautiful as we skirt the villa-dotted shores of Staten Island; but every body is not prepared to appreciate fully the beauties of the passing landscape. Many, overcome by the excitement of leavetaking, or in anticipation of a certain disagreeable unsettlement that old Neptune usually demands from novitiates, have retired to the cabin. Still it is a lively scene on the deck of the Illinois. Many a bright eye, dimmed with tears but a few moments since, is bright as ever now, and the merry laugh ringing out at times gives evidence of the elasticity of the human heart. As we speed on a little commotion, far aft on the quarter-deck, betokens something unusual in progress. The Purser is collecting his tickets. A line of men, with joined hands, is formed across the deck, who walk slowly forward. Each passenger must pass through this locomotive sieve, leave his passage ticket, and receive a check instead. Above, below, fore and aft, this process is carried on, until every one on board has demonstrated his right to a pas By six o'clock on the following morning, at the clanging of a gong, I awakened, and making a hasty toilet, ascended to the deck. The fresh, clear morning air, as I inhaled it, was like a delicious invigorating draught. We were out of sight of land, and the "blue below" was so placid and serene that each shroud and sail was mirrored distinctly upon the glassy surface of the water as we sped along. The business of the voyage had commenced; for the gong that awakened me was the signal for the first sage, or, in default thereof, has been seized | something he can't get; waiters are plied with and placed in temporary custody on the "hurri- mysterious questions, and sent on impracticable cane-deck." Several seedy-looking individuals errands. Everybody wants and nobody gets, were found stowed away in the forward part until Everybody, tired and sleepy, takes out his of the ship without the necessary documents. chart, and, with the assistance of a few waiters, Among them was a buxom-looking female, navigates into his six-feet-by-three, and forgets who acknowledged her intention to steal a pas- his cares. sage; but, determined to go to California, and without money, what else could she do? So she stowed herself on board, and now begged for mercy. Appealing in vain to the sympathies of the Purser, she threw herself on the charity of numerous passengers who had crowded around to enjoy the incident. Their bowels of compassion were not moved, however, and the female "stow-away," with a defiant toss of the head, took her place upon the deck apparcntly determined to make the best of it. Several poor unfortunates, who had been un-breakfast. About a hundred were feeding—yes, wise enough to buy their tickets at spurious offices, found out too late that "forward cabin" meant "steerage," and, instead of being entitled to the places they had bargained for, were obliged to take up their quarters with the lowest class. This seemed rather hard, and I took an opportunity of suggesting as much to the Purser, who assured me that the only remedy lay in warning passengers against procuring tickets for any price except at the regular office-that these tickets were originally bought by "runners," and sold to second hands with specious misrepresentations, for which the Company, after having widely advertised, could not be held responsible. I left him with enlarged ideas of the depravity of human nature. feeding is the word. I looked down into the This confusion and attendant discomfort was soon to be remedied. A notice upon the mainmast gave information that table-tickets would be dispensed at ten o'clock. At ten precisely the little window of the purser's office was thrown open to an eager crowd, arranged in post-office order, and reaching back as far as the quarterdeck. Each one, in turn, received a check, bearing the number of table and seat thus secured over all other claimants. Now the formalities are all accomplished, and there is nothing more but to eat, sleep, and be borne along. Hardly had the sifting process been completed when Sandy Hook was abeam. Ahead, and to the eastward perhaps half a mile, bearing down for us with a smacking breeze, was a graceful little craft, having painted upon her mainsail, in huge characters, "No. 18." It was the pilot's boat. The last link which holds the "outward bound" was now to be severed. Gallantly she dashed on until almost ahead, At twelve o'clock the gong strikes for "chilwhen she swung up into the wind's eye, and, dren's dinner"-children about a hundred. with sails fluttering, like a bird impatient for Mammas and nurses hover around the tables; flight, she awaited our approach. As we came an occasional squall springs up to diversify the near our engines were stopped, a little boat put clatter of the forks and dishes; affectionate out from "No. 18," and came alongside. Stow-nurse bears down with the "main spanker" set, aways were hustled down the gangway, and rather unceremoniously transferred to the boat. A waiter, bearing a bottle or two of eau de vie and a sirloin, stepped cautiously down, and deposited the pilot's perquisite in the skiff. The pilot and the shipping-master, laden with last letters and positively last words, stepped down -off they went with their load of disconsolate "dead-heads." and all's right again. At one o'clock comes the first table of the regular dinner, at two off goes the gong again, and at three comes the dinner of the first-class passengers - decidedly in contrast, however, with the performances of the morning; for every one, now, has his own rightful place beside his friend or acquaintance, if he has had the foresight to request it of the purser when his check was procured. Each class of passengers is placed together at the tables, so that, their habits being probably much the same, few are annoyed or offended by mal-apropos neighbors. It would be difficult to find a more unsettled The dinners pass off pleasantly; though many set of mortals than the passengers of a crowded a vacant seat proclaims the triumphs of Nepship on the first day out. Everybody is look-tune, and many an abrupt departure gives token ing for a place which he can't find, and for of his influence. Again the engines moved, and, as a faint "Good-by" was heard from the rapidly departing pilot-boat, I realized that we were fairly upon the "broad blue sea." The frequently-repeated sounding of the gong excited a curiosity in my mind to know how and where the food was prepared for such a mighty host; so I made an exploratory survey, and found a little place, about amidships, not fifteen feet square, ycleped "the galley." ("Pandemonium," a clerical friend at my elbow facetiously, and not inaptly, termed it; "for," said he, "don't you see the pan-demons flourishing around?") This galley was a snug PANDEMONIUM. machine, composed of cooks, ovens, and ranges | hundred people were congregated together with-each cook fitting like a cog into his place, in the limits of a few hundred feet, distinctions. turning dishes in a certain stage over to anoth- of caste would be obliterated in a great degree; er, who put his mark upon it, he passing it on to but I soon found that such was far from being another, and so on-the ovens and ranges com- the case. Scarcely had the first twenty-four ing in at their proper places, and all working with hours passed by before it became evident that neian alacrity and exactness that was wonderful. ther the close contact in which all parties were Perfect system and habit produced here, within thrown, the mutual interest of a common destithe compass of an ordinary pantry, the where- nation, nor the democratic influence of homewithal to satisfy, three times a day, the craving lessness, could mingle the water and oil of soappetites of five hundred people; and as great cial distinction. Almost by instinct the sepaa variety of food was prepared as would be ration seemed to take place. On one side of found at any first-class hotel. the quarter-deck the awning-sheltered parties of aristocrats, luxuriating in private easy-chairs, It might be supposed that, where five or six Ten o'clock comes; the state-room lights are extinguished. Poor unfortunates, who have been heedless of the premonitory warning, must needs disrobe by the solitary lamp that burns throughout the night in the saloon. or lolling on the rail, discussing the discomforts genial sunshine and placid waters are someand annoyances of the voyage, or amusing times even there-so we will hope that our voythemselves with criticisms on the commonalty age is in a favored time. gathered on the other side of the deck. These, in defiance of custom or the sneering notice of the aristocrats, were lying in each other's arms on the seats, or prone upon the deck, while sidelong glances and hissing whispers gave assurance that the attention of the opposite party was Now naught is heard save the watchman reciprocated. Troops of uneasy individuals, making his half-hourly round, and the smothwhom the ship's movements had failed to un-ered rushing of the waters as we cleave our onsettle, promenaded up and down through the ward way. Yet there are vigilant eyes and entire domain, alternately pausing at either end busy hands that neither stay nor sleep. The ento watch the ponderous cylinders as they oscil-gineer, who guides the immense steam monster lated to and fro, or straining their eyes along the creamy wake of the vessel, that extended far back until lost in the distant changing wa ters. on whom our lives depend, is watchful, tireless; grim, sooty-faced firemen are ever and anon plunging their long iron rakes into the glowing bowels of the furnace, and heaping fresh supplies upon the fiercely-burning anthracite. The restless cylinders, responding to the impulse, sway to and fro, seemingly conscious of the strength that drives the mighty wheels. Above, standing on the verge of each wheel-house, a sentinel peers anxiously forward into the night, ahead. In the pilot-house two helmsmen turn the guiding wheel under their ready hands, obedient to the trembling little needle that points our course. We are surely well cared for. At about five o'clock I discovered, far ahead, a rippling line extended athwart our course which shone like burnished silver. Here, separated from the surrounding waters by a sharp and unmistakable outline, was the northern edge of the Gulf Stream. I passed to the forward deck for a better view of this singular riv-ready on the instant to give warning of danger er, and saw a sailor casting overboard a little canvas bucket with a long hand-line attached. As it was drawn on board I observed a thermometer rapidly plunged therein. This process was repeated every four or five minutes, in order to ascertain the precise moment when the vessel entered the Stream; for there exists, on its northern edge, a difference of temperature between the waters of the Gulf and the surrounding ocean of some twenty degrees Farenheit, and often within a distance of as many yards. At this time the meeting of the waters was so palpable to the eye that no actual need existed for testing the temperature; but it formed a part of the routine of the ship, and could not be neglected. By the evening of this the second day, affairs had assumed a quiet that was refreshing. Somewhat accustomed now to their diminutive accommodation, and made to realize that mutual sacrifice and forbearance was necessary to any degree of comfort-our multitude, finding out the extent of their prospective comforts and discomforts, had in most cases arrived at a peaceful and contented frame of mind. The saloon was lighted up, and card-parties were formed. The social "whist" or the merry "old maid" might be seen going on at one table, while the quieter chess and draughts were being enjoyed in other parts of the saloon. Little groups were gathered here and there, discussing that mighty bugbear of all southron voyagers, "Cape Hatteras;" for during the night we shall probably pass that renowned point of land which has been for so many years looked upon as the nest of storms and "gusty gales." Even an old sailor ditty hath it respectfully noticed: "If the Bermudas let you pass, Then look out for Cape Hatt'ras." But it is not always stormy off Cape Hatteras; I slept, but the imprint of waking thoughts did not vanish in my slumber. We were passing "the Cape;" the storm howled fiercely around our stout vessel; hoarse, stern voices, and the heavy tramp of sailors overhead, gave token of the gale. The ship just then gave a sudden and tremendous lurch, as if bound for the regions below, when I awakened to find myself upright in the berth, with both hands firmly clenched on a brace of life-preservers that ornamented the roof of my dormitory. The lurch was no dream. THE CAPTAIN. I hurriedly threw on my clothes and rushed above to ascertain the worst, and found the 10 |