People's Pilot, Volume 3, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 September 1893 — ACROSS THE DEEP. [ARTICLE]

ACROSS THE DEEP.

|An Interesting lieiier from Our Ctmnii} Correspondent. Jbsa, OKiiSAxy. j Editor Pilot —Traveling ig one of the most egotistic as well !as the nidat altruistic hieans of culture. Altruistic, io that it tends to sound the person by a liberal contact with a strange and ever changing world of social wonders and cautions him to forget the seif amid the phenomina of a broader humanity. Traveling is likewise egotistic in that every man. must be the “hero of his own story” and must record things, however careful, through the impulse of his own prejudices, and in hi 3 attempt to measure their value there is a constant struggle between,tne ways he has been accustomed to look at things and the way they should. be looked at as the result of a certain environment and a long series of resultant changes. ludicrous to the visitor of strange places arises from the fact that the things which he sees are so vastly different from his accustomed ways that they charm him in pleasing contemplation of the reason of their “wherefores,” while on the other hand much that you meet is little different. I hope this may serve as a basis for a partial explanation of what I have to say in any of these lines may be a warning that I attach to them no finality. I had thought, so long as it pleased the editors of the Pilot to give some record of the things which impressed me as being of interest to the readers of that paper. So I will follow my wanderings and musings as they came to me in order of my visits to the several places. To one who has been confined, for eight days within the narrow limits of a ship, however large it may bo, floating on a weary expanse of ocean wave—the sight of land fills the mind with anticipation of delight and joy which the pen fails to record and the imagination fails to warm into tangible thoughts. As I have said before Ireland arose from the mists like the dream of the poet—like some phantom land fashioned by -the artist’s touch. Its green, rounded hills, crowned with spreading forests; its quiet, sleeping vales, where nestled in their bosom little villages; down the hillsides dropped silvery brooklets into the sea; on craggy, rocky steepes, bewildering flocks of birds and imagination would*almost .bring to view the egg gatherers hanging over the rocks on slender .ropes—the recollecticm, of early readings, the small, irregular “crazy quilt,” farming with the varied, small patches of grain and potatoes, wound themselves into artistic disorder like unto a huge mosaic; now stole a narrow, white line in many waving curves up the gentle slopes of the hillside into the distance of vale and hill beyond; a pointed spire reminds one that the Irish are a worshiping people; the emblem of romance and chivalry is not yet—yea, the cry of a castle is heard and for the first time your eye rests on the venerable ruin of the past, with its walls protected and refreshed by the “ivy green.” In vain you look for the magnificence and grandeur that once filled its hails and for the beauty and chivalry that once vied there in healthy emulation. But all this time the ship is rounding dangefious crags for which this coast is noted. Let me say once more that the first impression of Ireland is indeed pleasing and the contrast in landscape is very striking to one who has been accustomed to the environs of a new country. It is only to be hoped, if occasion ever presents itself, for a closer examination of the Emerald Isle, these pleasing recollections will be enhanced and verified. But in due respect to this pleasant remembrance of Ireland I would like to say that a great deal of such recollections are doubtless due to the fact that after one has been feasted on English breakfast tea and various concoctions which are not at all calculated to sustain a strong appetite, the seafarer is ready to enjoy almost anything in the way of land. But the first view of the land of Irin, of the Blarney Stone, of the land opposed to frogs and snakes—will have an abiding place in my memory as a refreshing dream to a weary wanderer. At Londonderry we made a stop to discharge the Irish section which was no small part of the passengers and by this transfer we lost a number of pretty Irish maidens much to the regret of my traveling com-

panions. Prom here we passed in the waters which lead to the Clyde and as We sailed on with unfGlaxed speed, passing and saluting vessels going to sea—j now a large ocean steamer and | now a sailer in full sail. Here [one Could hot help -but contrast | the difference in speed and the (great economic saving due to I the improvement in rapid ocean traffic. This, however, would seem a rash statement in the j face of the monstrous fact that an ocean steamer on the average burns about 300 .tons of coai j every 24 hours. The swiftest vessel afloat eousumes 500 toqs, and ag&iti in the expensive construction of the steamers in com parison to the sailing vessel—the expensive engine, etc., and i all this because one of the problems of the age is rapid transit. But ere this we have passed many crafts and are well on our way up the Clyde. At ten o’clock the boat comes to a final stop ana all hands are busy in making arrangements for a final discharge of passengers. Deep down in the caverns o? the ship are brought forth surprisingly large quantities of baggage. A tender, friskingly and putfingly, is alongside the vessel for the reception of baggage and passengers, which are finally landed safely on dock. After landing I stepped for the first time upon the soil of a foreign land and one of the dreams of my boyhood passed into reality. We were ushered into a large room aud awaited the pleasure of the custom officers. Like-all foreigners I have found their pleasure was plenty of time. As a matter of fact policemen were in profusion and they were a noticeable help in protecting the travelers from any of the uncivil clamor that you see around an American station or dock. The custom officers we found civil, accommodating officials—so much so that I did not have to open my pack. The top of the trunk was only slightly disordered by him. The principal thing they are in search of is whiskey, cigars and the like and if I should have been around with such implements it is not at all -likely that they would have seen shore on account of my numerous Irish and Scotch friends. In the meantime I was cautiously gazing around in search of new conquests and a way out. In spite of the imprecations of the policemen venturesome tattered boys would desire to carry your luggage to the station a short, distance up an incline. It was with considerable difficulty that I understood a genuine Scotchman, and the first serious but amusing “break” that I made was to call for a ticket office. Utter bewilderment was pictured on the face of the policeman and he seemed in a dilemma as to whether my wants were 'serious or not. I asked about the ticket and he said the “booking” office was over the way. The train was in waiting and as we had some time it was in perfect order to see what kind of conveyances we had to accommodate ourselves to. The British have no cars, but theii’ carriages,” as they are called, resemble our stage coach in size and appearance more than our railway coaches. By law the passenger traffic is divided into three classes. The third is fully as good as any smoking car on' an American line'without the smoke. Each carriage is divided into compartments, providing seating capacity for ten persons in the third class, six in the second and four in the first. *We will have occasion to describe* more fully the system of railway traffic in Eugland as well as Germany. A few minutes ride throughi many delightful surprises of« dale and vale, by quiet farm 5 houses, country seats and villas, and we were landed in a magnificently proportioned depot in one t of the best governed cities in the; world. 1 S. E. Sparling, i _