CHAPTEE II. 



FROM LONDON DOCKS TO DARTMOUTH. 



Berths booked Scenes at Parting Bustle at the Docks Brusque John Bull 

 and polite Frenchman Our Vessel British and French Sailors Good- 

 byes at Gravesend Down Channel Dutch Galliots French Luggers 

 Johnny Crapaud A Fruiterer Opposition Sailing on the Mississippi 

 Beauty of Dartmouth. 



THE two days which. Morris and I passed in London 

 together soon flew away ; and no wonder, for we 

 appeared not to know what a moment's rest was. 

 There are so many little things absolutely necessary 

 to comfort, that are so unpretending or trifling appa- 

 rently, that you are safe not to think of them till the 

 last moment, if you do not forget them altogether. 



At length all was settled, passages taken, and the 

 time noon on a Thursday fixed for our ship sailing. 

 As the kind-hearted owner, Mr. Donald Currie, had 

 promised to see that good berths were detailed 

 for us, and as we had a receipt from the purser, 

 proving that all our things had been safely stowed 

 on board, we deferred our embarkation till 11 a.m. ; 

 for the bustle and confusion on a large passenger- 

 steamship, where wife is bidding a tearful adieu to 

 husband, mother to son her darling possibly going 

 forth to fight the battle of life are trying scenes to 

 witness unmoved. How many journeys have I made, 

 how many thousand miles of ocean have I traversed, 



