A Knight Templar abroad; or, Reminiscences of travel beyond the sea

Front matter

A KNIGHT TEMPLAR ABROAD; OR, REMINISCENCES OF TRAVEL BEYOND THE SEA. BY W. HARLAN CORD, Author of "Waterloo," (a translation from the French of M. Erckmann-Chatrian.) " A little peaceful home Bounds all my wants and wishes; add to this My book and friendt and this is happiness." — Francesco di Rioja. ST. LOUIS: JOHN BURNS PUBLISHING CO. 717 and 719 Olive Street. 1885. Copyrighted, iSSs, By W. HARLAN CORD. in Hemortmn. To the memory of my beloved aunt, Miss Eliza A. Dupuy, the Authoress, to whose fostering care and life-long affection the author is indebted far beyond all expression, and whose social and domestic qualities were only equaled by the lustre of her talents, this unassuming volume is affectionately dedicated by her nephew — the author. " Green grow the turf above thee. Friend of my better days ! None knew thee but to love thee, None named thee but to praise."

Preface

. tHE following desultory pages are the unstudied and cursory record of the fruition of years of desire and anticipation — "a vague unrest and a name less longing" — which has, perhaps, pervaded the minds of many into whose hands they may chance to fall — a tour of Europe. The writer had the rare privilege of accompanying the Apollo Commandery of Knights Templars of the city of Chicago, on their noted pilgrimage of Europe in the summer of 1883, and as no other knight of the quill has essayed to chronicle that extremely pleasant tour of some of the most interesting portions of the Old World, and as he has thought (perhaps with a pardonable pride) that such a notable event in the annals of Freemasonry should not pass into oblivion altogether, this circumstance chiefly, and not alone a mere vulgar cacoethes scribendi, has induced him to add — inadequately, though it may be — another to the almost countless volumes of travel with which the reading public are, perhaps, surfeited.

However, the Masonic feature of the work (which is, by the way, mainly confined to the second and seventh chapters), it is hoped, will recommend it to the

PREFACE.

. kindly consideration of the Fraternity, while it is not prominent enough, it is believed, to repel the general reading public, as the entire volume, from beginning to end, is both descriptive and historical, and the author accordingly asks for the book the partial and kindly consideration of the reading public in general, in the hope that its perusal may not be wholly devoid of interest or of profit, even to those who have visited the same places so famed in song and story, and who, it is hoped, may embrace this opportunity to revisit them in fancy, at least, with the writer. It is also believed that the book may be of some service to those who expect some day to "go down to the sea in ships," as well as to those stay-at-homes, who have neither the desire nor the time to "go abroad ; " and with these prefatory remarks the book is respectfully and hopefully submitted to the public by The Author. CONTENTS.

Chapter I

Oft for Europe — Parade in Chicago — Decorations of the "Special" — Scenes in the Suburbs — Fun on Board—Recep tion in New York at the Grand Union Hotel — " Marching Down Broadway" — Life on the Ocean Wave — A Sabbath at Sea — Land, Ho! — Queenstown — Liverpool — Railway Traveling in England — English Landscapes 13-38

Chapter II

Arrival at York, and Reception by the Craft — The Old Roman Wall — Historical Sketch of the Ancient Capital of the North — St. Mary's Abbey — St. Leonard's Hospital — York Minster — York and its Relations to Freemasonry Considered — Abstract of the Address on Freemasonry of Rev. Sir S. W. Young — M. de Lamartine on Freemasonry — Pope Leo XIII.'s Opinion of the Order — Notice from the York Herald — Abstracts of Valu able Addresses on Freemasonry of Bros. Todd, Young aud Bell on the Institution of Freemasonry Delivered at Various Periods — The Grand Masonic Banquet at York . . .38-62

Chapter III

Visit to Cambridge — Historical Sketch of the University — How it is at Present Conducted — Cambridge Under-graduates, and how they Live at the University — Trinity College — Ma caulay and Sir Isaac Newton — Other Distinguished Graduates — Arrival in the World's Greatest Metropolis — On a Bus for Hyde Park — Sights on London Streets — Hyde Park and Rot ten Row — The Princess of Wales and the Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone — " Mrs. Jarley's Wax Works " at Madam Tussauds' Museum — Charles Dickens — Napoleon the Great — The Tower of London — The Crown Jewels — Tower Green — The Waiter's Gate — Tower Hill — St. Peter's Chapel G2-90 CONTENTS.

Chapter IV

St. Paul's Cathedral — Naval and Military Heroes — The Whispering Gallery — Up into the Ball — Down into the Crypts — Lord Wellington's Funeral Car — Some Stunning Statistics — Westminster Abbey — The National Walhalla, or Temple of Fame — Tombs of King, Warriors, and Statesmen — The Poets' Corner — Gay's Epitaph — Shakespeare's Pall-bearer — Old Pan's Tomb— The Savory Theater, and Miss Fortescue, Lord Garmoyle's fiancee — Biggest Breach of Promise Verdict on Record — The "Complete Letter Writer" — The Lord Chancellor of England . 91-119 CHAPTER ' V. Off for the Continent and La Vie Parisienne — Hardships of English "Drivers" and "Stokers" — Crossing the Channel — American Boarding School patois and Parisian French Com pared — Tom Hood's Wholesome Advice to all Tourists who do not Parlez vous Francais — Captain O'Shea's Trouble with the "Lingo" — Boulogne and Bonaparte's "Army of En gland" — England's Imminent Danger at that Period — First Impressions of Paris — Paris by Night — A French Dejeuner — Excursion to Versailles — Site of the Execution of Jacques de Molay — French Gamins — "All the Glories of France" — The Rooms of the Crusades — Gallery of the Empire — Gallery of Battles — The Grand Fountain at Versailles — Grand Trianon — Petit Trianon — The Gallery of Glass — Saint Cloud — The Arch of Triumph — Eden Theater — The Madeleine — Notre Dame — The Wonders of the Louvre 120-151

Chapter VI

The Champs Elysees, a wonderful Cosmorama — Beautiful Paris hard to Conceive as the Scene of the Reign of Terror — The Place de la Concorde — The Site of the Guillotine — Terri ble Catastrophe in Connection with the Celebration of the Nuptials of Louis XVI. and Marie Antoinette — The Eight CONTENTS. Statues of the Place de la Concorde — The Tomb of the Emperor Napoleon the Great — The Hotel des Invalides — Napoleon's Old Veterans — The Column of July on the Site of the Bastile — The Cemetery of Pere la Chaise — Wreaths of Immortelles — Some Distinguished Dead — Marshal Ney — The Pantheon — Rousseau and Voltaire — Mirabeau and Marat — The Morgue — Pen Picture of the Temple — The Ancient Strong hold of the Knights Templars of France — Some of its Distinguished Inmates in Modern Times 152-178

Chapter VII

The Fall of Jerusalem — Its Possession by the Moslems — William de Beau-Jeu Grand Master of the Templars at the Siege of Acre and Death of William de Beau-Jeu — The Siege of Acre — Valiant and Almost Unparalleled Bravery of the Knights of the Red Cross and Knights Templars During the Siege — The Temple House of Acre — William de Beau-Jeu Killed and Suc ceeded by Gaudini — Fall of Acre, and Flight to Cyprus of the handful of Surviving Christian Knights Under the Grand Master Gaudini — Death of Gaudini in 1295 and the Election of the Illustrious Jacques de Molay as his Successor — Cyprus the Stronghold of the Order — Character of James de Molay — Alliance with Cazan Khan Emperor of Persia Against the Moslems — Alliance, however, Produces no Great Results — Conspiracy Against the Templars — James de Molay Betrayed Into the Hands of Philip the Fair, King. of France — Simul taneous Seizure of all the Strongholds of the Order in France by Treachery — Cruel Imprisonment, and Torture of the Temp lars — Death at the Stake — End of James de Molay — Retribu tion — How the Order of the Templars was Preserved from Extinction 178-212 CHsrlPTER VIII.

The Vendome Column — The Grand Opera House — L'Afri caine — Goody-by to Paris — Fontainebleau — The Valley of the Rhone — Arrival at Geneva — The Lake of Geneva — Geneva the CONTENTS. Early Beloved of Protestantism — The Birthplace of Rousseau, and the Scene of John Calvin's Labors — Calvin's House — Geneva Historically Considered — Various Sights of the City — Residence of Many Persons noted in the History of Europe — Cathedral of Saint Pierre — Calvin the "Protestant Pope"— Some of his Sumptuary Laws — Calvin in the role of a Man- Milliner — Scenes on the Lake — Visit to the Castle of .Chillon — Sketch of the Famous Prisoner, Bonnivard — How Byron Came to Write the Poem — Lausanne, where Gibbon Finished the " Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire " . . . .212-246

Chapter IX

Freigberg — Berne — The Lake of Thun — Interlaken, the Saratoga of Switzerland — The Jungs rau — Swiss Carvings — The Casino — Le Chevallier — Visit to the Mer de Glace at Grin den waid — Scenes Along the Valley of the Lutschine — The Yodlyn — The Ranz des Vaches — Climbing the Glacier — Senator Sawyer Affects a Sedan Chair — The Awful Silence of the Alpine Peaks — The Avalanche — The Dangers of the Grinden wald Glacier — A Sabbath in Switzerland — Reunion of the Pil grims — The Lake of Brienz — The Geissbach Falls — A Beautiful Valley — The Brunig Pass — Lake Lungern — The Sarner See — Bonaparte's Timber Glide 247-272

Chapter X

The Lake of Lucerne — View of the City of Lucerne from the Lake — Rigi-Kulm and Mount Pilatus — The Scene of Tell's Famous Exploits — The Lion of Lucerne — The Hofkirche of Lucerne — Sketch of the Organization of the Swiss Confedera tion—The Death of the Gessler — Visit to Tell's Chapel— The Spot where Gessler was Shot — Was Tell only a Myth— The Tomb of Erasmus of Rotterdam at Bale, with some Remarks on Luther and Erasmus — Strasbourg and its Great Cathedral with its Wonderful Clock — Its Marvelous Fortifications, and its Strength as a Strategic Point — Gutenburg, the Inventor of Printing 273-304 CONTENTS. 11

Chapter XI

Heidelberg — Historical Sketch of the Palatinate — The Castle — Michael Angelo's facade — View from the Parapet — The Valley of the Neckar — The Big Tun — The Blown-up Tower — The University — Worms, Immortalized by Martin Luther — Parallel Between Luther and Erasmus in Regard to the Part Each Played in Forwarding the Reformation — Die Watcht am Bhein — Mayence — The Bridge of Boats — Bingen on the Rhine — The Legend of Bishop Hattloand the Mouse- Tower — The Legend of the two Brothers, and the Beautiful Hildegarde — Legend of the Sirens — The Fortress of Ehren breitstein — Rhine Scenery — Byron's Beautiful Farewell to the Rhine 304-345

Chapter XII

Cologne, and its Wondrous Cathedral — Matchless View from the Graceful Spire — German Soldiers as Compared with the Followers of the Marseillaise — The Church of Saint Ursula, and the Legend of the Eleven Thousand Virgins — Panorama of the Battle of Gravelotte — Aix-la-Chapelle, and the Tomb of Charle magne, the Great Emperor of the West, who was the Model Exemplar of Napoleon the Great — Brussels — Picture Galleries — Church of St. Gudolf — Brussels Lace — The Wiertz Museum — The Hotel de Ville — The Mannikin — The Duchess of Rich mond's Ball — Visit to Waterloo — Sketch of the Battle — The Duke of Wellington's Unfavorable Opinion of Napoleon, Whom he Called "Jonathan Wild the Great " — One of the Napoleon's Veterans Contra — Wellington Likened to Brutus, and Bonaparte to Cassius, in Shakespeare's Julius Cæsar .... 345—387

Chapter XIII

The City of Antwerp — Cathedral Spire — Rubens' Master piece — The Descent from the Cross — The Ascent of the Cross — Quenten Matsys — The Blacksmith Painter — Rubens — Van Dyke — Picture Galleries — Birthday of Henri Flamande, the Flemish Poet — Panorama of Waterloo — Back Across the CONTENTS. North Sea to London — The " Lingo " Intelligible once More — The British Museum — Visit to Hampton Court — Trip to Windsor Castle 387-426

Chapter XIV

John Bunyan's Tomb — John Wesley's House — The House of Commons — G. Otto Trevelyan — Lord Macaulay's Nephew Under Secretary for Ireland — Chas.Parnell, the Irish Agitator and Leader in the House of Commons — Sir William McArthur, Ex-Lord Mayor of London — Sir Henry Brand, Speaker of the House of Commons — The London Newspapers — The Tower and the Abbey Once More — A Ride on the Thames — The Underground Railway — The South Kensington Museum — John Soone's Museum — " Down to Scotland " — Edinboro — View from Arthur's Seat — Edinboro termed the "Modern Athens" — Reflections on Mary Queen of Scots — Edinboro Castle 427-458

Chapter XV

Historic Streets — The House where Robert Burns was made a Mason and Poet Laureate of the Lodge — Holyrood Palace — John Knox's House — Jeanie Deans — Sir Walter Scott's House and Monument — Monument to Prince Albert — Monument to the Duke of Wellington 458-496

Chapter XVI

The National Gallery — Some Notable Pictures — Extract from the Address of Prince Albert on the Fine Arts — Off for the Scenes made Famous by the Wizard of the North — Loch Katrine, and the Lady of the Lake — Loch Lamond — Tobias Smol lett's Landed Estate, and Sketch of his Life — Pumbarton Castle, and the Sword of Sir William Wallace — Glasgow — The Necropolis — John Knox's Monument — The Cockburn Hotel — The Jersey Lily — Mrs. Langtry As Rosalind in "As You Like It " at the Princess Theater — Homeward Bound . . 496-549

Chapter I. From Chicago To New York

§N Thursday, July 12th, 1883, in compliance with arrangements previously made by Eminent Com mander Norman T. Gassette, of Apollo Commandery, No. 1. Knights Templar, of Chicago, with Sir E. M. Jenkins, of New York, a goodly number of Apollo, with those intending Pilgrims, so courteously invited to " participate," from other cities and States, " quorum pars parva fui," the writer of this " abstract and brief chronicle " of one of the most noted Masonic Pilgrim ages in the annals of American Freemasonry, met at the elegant and spacious headquarters of Apollo Com mandery, which has a membership of over 700, making her the largest commandery in the world, preparatory to "forming lines" to march to the Michigan Central Depot, on our way to New York, and thence to Europe. The procession was made up of probably 150 Sir Knights, preceded by the Oriental Consistory, of Chicago, to the number of about 50, and a fine band of music, and paraded through several of the principal streets of the city.

There was a large crowd at the depot to see the departure of the pilgrims, and the train, which was a " special," pulled out amidst vast enthusiasm. The engine was handsomely decorated, having in front the coat of arms of Apollo, and was decked out all over with the Maltese cross, banners in the greatest profusion, and the inscription on either side of the locomotive, " Apollo Commandery of Chicago." The train was composed of six elegant Wagner sleep ers, two baggage cars, and a smoker, and the coaches were all comfortably filled. Throughout the ten or fifteen miles from the depot along the lake shore, and through the suburbs of the city, the passage of the Templar train evoked the most intense enthusiasm from hundreds of people who had gathered along the route to see the" Templars pass," and there was tremendous cheering, waving of handkerchiefs, Maltese banners, etc.

The conductor of the train, all the way to New York, was a Templar, and at Saint Thomas, Canada, where we took breakfast, our engine was changed for the second time, and we were put in charge of a Templar engineer and a Templar conductor, they being members of" Saint Thomas Preceptory," as the commanderies of Canada are called. Our friend, the engineer, and FROM CHICAGO TO NEW YORK. 15 the division master, also a Templar, had evidently spread themselves in the decoration of the engine and tender, as they were decked out as handsomely as the engine which pulled us out of Chicago. The tender had an inscription on either side, con sisting of the following words, " The Michigan Central and Canada Southern Railroad, wishes you a pleasant voyage and a safe return," and in the center of the tender on either side was a large horse shoe inclosing a Maltese cross.

Our party felt so highly flattered by the pains taken by our friends, that we almost involun tarily gave three cheers for the beautiful engine, and the Masonic brethren who had so kindly decorated it. The manager of our excursion, Sir E. M. Jenkins (who, we regret to say, has since died), arrived in Chicago on July 10th, in order to personally conduct our party to New York, and had, as he thought, arranged to issue our tickets, etc., at 101 Clark Street, where he had formerly had an office ; but when the peo ple of that office (the Erie Railroad) found out that our party had tickets over a rival road, they were so dis courteous to him that he found himself compelled to remove to the business place of E. C. Norman T. Gassette, who had special command of the party on the entire trip, and right well did he discharge his trust.

Here, of course all was bustle and confusion, there being quite an influx of tourists to see Sir Jenkins ; some to pay the balance due on their tour, some to exchange American money for British gold, some to obtain letters of credit, to get their tickets for the trip, etc. Excepting our steamer tickets, the remainder of the coupons for the tour were bound in an elegant little morocco book, having the Maltese cross on one side and on the other the words : — .Apollo Coiumandert, Chicago. Pilgrimage to Europe. 1883. We will now say something more about our train Four of the sleepers had each a placard which read altogether as follows : " Pilgrimage of Apollo Com mandery,No. 1, K. T., Chicago to Europe, via Canada Southern, New York Central and Hudson River Rail road, and steamship City of Rome."

The next morning after we left Chicago, I noticed one of the placards was missing, having been taken off, I suppose by some mischievous urchin, at some station through which we had passed during the night. Everybody on board of the train was in the best of humor, despite the dangers of the " vasty deep " which we were so soon to encounter, many of us for the first time, and the fun grew fast and furious, and in the coach occupied by about thirty of the Apollo Com mandery, who were known as the "escort," as they were to go with us only as far as New York, there was an especially good time to be had. Eveiybody seemed FROM CHICAGO TO NEW YORK. to be possessed of the chief requisite for a successful traveler — imperturbable good humor — and an intention to make the best of everything, and all were jolly and sociable to the utmost.

The pleasure of the trip was considerably enhanced by the " Big Four " of Apollo, who were among the "escort" and who sang exquisitely. Soon after leaving Chicago, "The Big Four," along with the "boys," went through the train, and gave the occupants of each coach a rousing song, and then they would sing on the platform at all the prominent stations, and always elicited immense applause, especially at Syra cuse. We stopped at this point for supper, and they sang, among others, their famous "cat song," which provoked immense enthusiasm. A very comical thing happened in the escort coach, and it was this: Several Knights had seized on an unsuspecting frater, tied one of the sheets of the sleeper around his neck, and then proceeded to lather and shave the struggling Knight, nolens volens; and what do you think the barbarous fellows used in lieu of razors?

Well, they actually used a hand saw and an ax, aud they rubbed them over his face so roughly, that we were all afraid that the motion of the train might cause them to injure him seriously. However, he escaped apparently all right, and we afterwards saw the victim throw a glass of ice water down the neck of the chief inquisitor, we supposed, as the only means he had of getting even. Nothing more of special interest transpired until we reached Albany, where, although at the unseemly hour of 1:30 a. m., Sir John H. Quinby, E.C ., Temple Commandery No. 2, with a party of Sir Knights, met the train, and showed the boys around a little, " set 'em up," shot off fire-works, etc., and had a good time generally. Our train arrived at the Grand Central Depot in New York City, at 7 o'clock a. m. on Satur day, July 14th, and our party were met and heartily welcomed by a large deputation of Sir Knights, headed by Eminent Commander Empson, of Palestine Com mandery No. 18, of New York, and by them we were conducted to the Grand Union Hotel, adjacent to the depot, where Eminent Commander Empson greeted us most cordially in a neat speech, wishing us Godspeed on our pilgrimage, which was most happily responded to by Eminent Commander Norman T. Gassette, of Apollo, after which, we pledged each other's health in sparkling champagne at the expense of Palestine No. 18.

Then, our party partook of a sumptuous break fast, and the next thing in order was to make our arrangements for the grand parade to the steamer City of Rome. At about 10 a. m. we formed lines, having as our escort a large delegation from Palestine No. 18, which is to New York City Freemasonry what the aristocratic and high-toned Seventh Regiment is to New York society. The escort numbered probably 150 Sir Knights, all fine looking, almost without exception, in full Templar regalia, and wearing white duck pants like the West Point Cadets, who were preceded by a fine band of music aud a large drum corps. The ladies of our party, who were quite numerous and accomplished, FROM CHICAGO TO NEW YORK. had already been sent down to our steamer, and the line of march, which had been prepared for us by Palestine No. 18, covered a distance of perhaps three or four miles, including portions of Fifth Avenue, Broadway, and other leading thoroughfares of New York, and occupied not less than an hour and a half; and as it was a very hot July morning, we were com pelled to rest once or twice during our route, as the hot rays of the sun poured down upon our devoted heads.

However, although the march was rather long, yet the novelty of parading through the crowded streets of New York, to embark on an Atlantic steamer for a pilgrimage of Europe, many of us for the first time, made us forget our weariness. When we arrived at the pier, and got our first glimpse of the colossal steamer, City of Rome, which was to be our ark of refuge on the wild waste of waters for the next eight or nine days probably, I was at once impressed by her unusual proportions, and in stead of a feeling of uneasiness and repugnance at going on board of her, on the contrary, I was all im patience to see what an ocean steamer was like ; for, although previous to that time, I had often seen them lying at the piers of the great metropolis, I had never, until that hour, trodden the deck of one.

No doubt the exhilarating music of our superb band which, when our pilgrims marched on board two abreast, was play ing the liveliest and gayest melodies, had something to do with my feelings on that occasion; and then the bustle and haste of preparation for departure, the constant ringing of the steamer's bell, the quick hurrying to and fro of friends bidding each other tender and affectionate farewells, some of them, perhaps, for ever, and the entire novelty of the surroundings, presented to the " raw tourist " a scene something like the constant shifting of a kaleidoscope. Although I saw a number of people shedding tears at parting with their friends, I knew neither chick nor child upon the pier to tell me a sad good-bye, and thus I escaped an ordeal which might, perchance, have turned my thoughts into a chan nel equally sad.

When the gallant ship swung around in the North River, and straightened herself out for another wrestle with Father Neptune, there was a per fect crush of humanity upon the pier, waving their hats and handkerchiefs, and shouting their last farewells. Some of that vast crowd, no doubt, parted with some of us on board with tender and tearful anxiety, but the greater portion were, doubtless, drawn thither by idle curiosity, in order to see the " valiant and magnanimous Templars," whose departure had been heralded for several days previous by the leading papers of New York. When the great propeller began to revolve, and I could see that our steamer had really started on her journey across the vast expanse of waters, my sensa tions were rather pleasurable than otherwise, but I was nevertheless reminded of an incident that I had somewhere read in regard to the celebrated explorer of Africa, Dr. Livingstone.

After several years spent in the interior of Africa, and making the most important discoveries, Livingstone arrived at an African coast town for the purpose of embarking for England, and giving to the world the fruits of his superhuman re searches, made under circumstances most remarkable, and amidst dangers most appalling. He brought with him a faithful native, who had been to him " another Friday," and who had followed his .perilous fortunes for several years past, and whom he had finally per suaded after much entreaty, to go on board the ship to sail with him for England ; the poor black man, however, was ill at ease, and his terror was so great at the unusual spectacle, that, when the smoke began to pour out of the steamer's funnel, and the great wheels to revolve, the whole affair was too much for him, and with a shriek, he sprang over the steamer's side, and was seen no more.

I did not feel like that, but what my further sensations were I leave for my reader to experience for himself, when he, too, for the first time in his life, becomes an ocean voyager. I must not forget to add that our escort from Chi cago, of whom I have spoken above, and the Palestine Commandery, of New York, had chartered a steamer, the John C. Moore, and accompanied us down through the Narrows, and here we waved each other adieu, amid the shrieking of both steamers' whistles, the waving of handkerchiefs, the hurrahs time and again repeated, and one of the Chicago Templars, in his en thusiasm, took off his uniform coat and waved it fran tically aloft in the air as a Godspeed to us. As we sailed majestically down the North River, and passed its junction with the East River, I obtained my first glimpse of the grand new bridge which now spans that crowded stream, as the connecting link between the two great cities of New York and Brook lyn ; and as it hung there, suspended in mid air, like a colossal spider-web seen in the distance, with its multifold meshes of wire, I said to myself, " this is indeed a glorious monument of engineering skill."

At this point, perhaps, a few statistics concerning our steamer, the City of Rome, which is the largest vessel in the world engaged in the ocean traffic, and which is second only in size to the famous Great Eastern, may be of interest to those who have never made an ocean voyage. The May Flower, which brought the Pilgrim Fathers to America, was of but one hundred and eighty tons burden, while this leviathan of the sea is of the monster tonage of 8,800 tons, or more than forty times the burden of May Flower. Such is the march of progress, since the days of our ancestors on this noble continent. The City of Rome carries a crew of 276 officers and men, burns 275 tons of coal per day, and carries usually out of port 2,800 tons of coal. Her propellor is 24 feet in diameter, makes 60 revolutions per minute; her engines are equal to 15,000 horsepower; she has three engines, and three mon ster funnels or smoke stacks.

Her veteran commander, Captain Monroe, has seen forty years of service, and has been a Captain since he was twenty-four, and in all that time has had but one shipwreck, which, he told me, occurred off the coast of Ireland in 1868, and in which seventy persons out of about one hundred and forty were lost, and he himself was at sea thirteen days in an open boat before help came. In compli ment to the Pilgrims of Apollo, the printed lists of the steamer's passengers had on the back a Templar of the Middle Ages, mounted and equipped for the battle with the Saracen. As to the amusements on shipboard, they are more varied than one may imagine. For the first few days, the merely being on board the steamer on your way to see the glories and antiquities of a foreign land, fur nishes the traveler sufficient food for thought if he does not happen to be sea sick, and, of course, most of them are more or less affected that way ; but after the first two or three days, as a rule, all that is past and gone ; you have become pretty well accustomed to the motion of the ship, and the constant throb of its ponderous machinery, and then you promenade the capa cious decks with an enjoyment and exhilaration to be felt in no other place iu the world.