the soil of America or Australia, so that their domi-
nant passion finds solace. Thus the conglomerate
and cosmopolitan character of the passengers give us
a foresight of what we may expect on reaching our
destination.
As the hour for departure approaches the confusion increases. Loaded carriages drive hastily up to the gang way, discharge their contents, and drive away, The mails come down in heavy wagons and are taken on board. Excited passengers rush hither and thither, knocking against one another, looking after lost baggage, hunting missing friends and searching for their rooms. The wharves and shipping are crowded to see us off. The cries of seamen and porters mingle with the hoarse roar of steam; the gong sounds for visitors to go ashore, hasty "good- byes" and "God bless you" rise from full hearts and fall from quivering lips; the captain mounts the paddle-box, the gang-plank is drawn ashore, orders to "cast off the hawser" and "turn ahead" are given, the ponderous walking-beam moves, the paddle-wheels turn, and promptly at twelve o clock, midst the cheers of the gathered nmltitude, the waving of hats and handkerchiefs, and the flashing of fun and fancy and sentiment from upturned laughing and liquid faces, the ship creeps from her berth, turns her back upon the land hallowed by all the ties of birth and educa- tion, and with her gun booming the last parting, glides down the stream, winds through the forest of shipping, past islands and grassy slopes beaming with happy homes, and- shoots out into the ocean toward that future of mystery and trembling expectation which assumes shapes so fantastic in the minds of those on board.
On our way down the bay, tickets were examined in order to detect stowaways; three aspiring but impecunious unfortunates were taken in custody and shoved into the boat with the pilot when
