Beginning of Atlantic Ferry 53 



loaded, and then she was admittedly a 

 slower and much less powerful vessel. 



Although there was no cable or wire- 

 less, the news of their coming had been 

 sent to America by sailing ship, and our 

 cousins across the water had reckoned up 

 the speed of the vessels to gauge the day 

 of their arrival. On this day thousands 

 were congregated on the highest land. 

 Day after day went by, and the Jeremiahs 

 went round with long faces, saying 

 ' What did we tell you? You cannot fly 

 in the face of the laws of Providence! 

 The ships are either blown up or con- 

 sumed with their own fire." And so on 

 you know the kind of people. 



Of course, these watchers could not 

 know that, right across, the seas had been 

 stormy and that both vessels had to battle 

 against adverse conditions generally; the 

 engines were new and the men aboard 

 were not familiar with their working. All 

 these things reduced speed. 



At last one day a shout went up from 



