FROM EAST PRUSSIA TO THE 

 GOLDEN GATE 



LETTER NO. I 



Berlin, April 28, 1851. 

 My Dear Parents: You will know by this time that 

 my first voyage terminated as expected. Hardly a breath 

 of air curled the surface of the Baltic Sea, which 

 stretched before us like a mirror when we set sail on our 

 long voyage, about six o'clock in the morning, on board 

 the steamer ' ' Konigsberg, " Capt. Eybe. The air was 

 not clear enough yet, to distinguish any attractions of 

 the coast from Pillau to Bruesterort, which place we 

 lost sight of by eleven o'clock. Slowly but surely the 

 outlines of our native coast disappeared from our view, 

 until even the last visible strip of the continent, the high- 

 land near Elbing had sunk below our horizon like a faint, 

 blue cloud. I realized that we were on the high sea. 

 Softly rocking the ''Konigsberg" went on her way, while 

 the long drawn and slowly departing clouds of smoke 

 carried with them my last greetings toward home! It 

 was a strange, indescribable feeling which took hold of 

 me, when, for the first time in my life, I saw nothing 

 around me but sky and water. Yet, I felt so well, my 

 heart felt so at ease, and at that very moment, it seemed 

 as if the following words were clearly written upon my 

 soul: "Thy resolution was well taken, thou hast done 

 the proper thing." And, perhaps for the first time in my 

 life, I felt happy and contented. About half-past twelve, 

 the lighthouse of Stela came in sight. We overtook a 

 whole fleet of ships coming from Pillau, and as they were 



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