i 



West Bound 



dropping alongside the stage. She seems to 

 have some passengers who have gone on board 

 at the dock, but the gangways will soon be run 

 on board for us, and we had better get on 

 as soon as we can, though there is no need to 

 crowd and push." 



Needless is it to dwell on the departure, voyage, 

 and arrival, a trying, and to some even a terrible 

 experience ; to many a time of mingled joy and 

 sorrow; yet to others, especially old voyagers, 

 such times are full of delights which never seem 

 to grow stale by repetition. 



The intense bustle of embarkation, the crowds 

 of visitors, the rattle of the steam winches as 

 they hoist tons and tons of baggage on board, 

 followed by the bellow of the siren and the note 

 of bugle or gong warning all visitors to go ashore ; 

 the last fareiwells, and then, as the throngs 

 who line the rails and bulwarks look down on 

 the crowded landing-stage or quay, the few 

 minutes of quiet and almost silence, very impres- 

 sive compared with the preceding noisy activity, 

 are incidents of never-failing interest. A wave 

 of a hand from the captain or pilot, and one by 

 one the hawsers are let go, the tugs are slowly 

 breasting the great ship off the stage ; there is 

 a great waving of handkerchiefs, the bridge tele- 

 graph-bell tinkles in the engine-room, the pro- 



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