To America and back: a holiday run

Front matter

i TO AMERICA AND BACK % loltbag |lmr. UT M. JACKSON, FELLOW OF THE EOYAL METEOBOLOGICAL SOCIETY ; PRINCIPAL OF THE VALE ACADEMY, RAMSGATE. LONDON: McCORQUODALE & CO., LIMITED, CABDINUTON STEEET, N.W. SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, & CO., STATIONEBS' HALL COUET, E.C. 1886. LONDON : McCoeotodale & Co., Limited, Cardisotom Stbeet, Hampstead Eoad, N.W CONTENTS. CHAPTER PAGE I. Introduction 5 II. London — Liverpool — Queenstown ... ... ... 7 III. Crossing the Atlantic 18 IV. New York— Brooklyn 43 V. The Hudson — Saratoga ... ... Gl VI. Montreal — Knowlton 7G VII. Quebec — Sorel — St. Lawrence 93 VIII. British Association — Ottawa 108 IX. Niagara — Toronto — Lake Ontario 121 X. Philadelphia 138 XI. American Association — Pennsy Iranian Coalfields ... 149 XII. Around Philadelphia 174 XIII. Washington 191 XIV. Baltimore 212 XV. Homeward Way 219 Sketch of Sea Route Facing Title Page TO AMERICA AND BACK A HOLIDAY RUN.

Introduction

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When Montreal was first fixed on as the meeting place of the British Association for 1884, the possibility of visiting the American continent, under very pleasant circumstances, immediately presented itself to my mind. And afterwards, when such inducements were offered to the members by the Canadian Government, the citizens of Montreal, and the various shipping companies, I at once determined to embrace the opportunity of crossing the Atlantic and of treading a soil I had often heard of but had never hoped to see. Before starting I formed a resolution, that most travellers will deem foolish and absurd, of having nothing to do with guide books or accounts of people who had visited the New World before me, but to acquire any knowledge I might, in the same way I originally acquired it of the world in which I was born, by making a use of my senses, especially of my eyes and ears.

By this means I thought that my knowledge, if less extensive and accurate, would be at least more vivid and portable, and perhaps also more permanent and useful, because more truly my own. I am well aware that my account hereby runs the risk of being puerile and trifling ; most boyish things are, and it was in the spirit and aspiration of a boy above all that I undertook the journey. The following pages are some of the results. I have written them, first of all for my own benefit and amusement, and if any others think worth while to read them I shall be very glad if they afford any benefit or amusement to them. Throughout I make it a point to omit names, and hold it to be the first duty of a traveller, and especially of one seeking to benefit himself, to adhere strictly to truth. I have, therefore, scrupulously avoided invention, or any attempt to embellish my narrative by drawing on my imagination.

All that I have written as fact is what I have actually seen or heard. I may have fallen into errors —who does not ? — but I have not intentionally departed a hair's-breadth from the truth. LONDON— LIVERPOOL— QUEENSTO WN.

Chapter II

LONDON— LIVERPOOL— QUEENSTOWN. After due consideration of the most eligible route, I decided to go from Liverpool by the " Arizona," belonging to the Guion line of steamers. This vessel had a great reputation, was of 6,000 tons register, and with engines of 6,000 horse-power; her length, 450 feet. She had performed some ofthe fastest passages on record between Liverj)ool and New York, and was esteemed a very good boat in stormy weather. This character she well sustained during the two voyages I made in her, as will appear in the sequel. Having fixed on my ship and made the necessary preparations, taking special care to have my whole impedimenta in one receptacle — a P. and 0. Trunk — I started from Rams gate by the two o'clock cheap fast train of the South Eastern Railway, on the 8th of August, under a temperature of 79° in the shade, a heat that tried all the enterprising travellers.

In overdue time we reached London, and it was found that there were twenty minutes left between the arrival of the train at Cannon Street and the departure of an express from Euston. For the service of the whole train there appeared to be only two porters— all others may have been disabled by the heat — and, with a heroism truly admirable under the circumstances, these two chose to attend first to those who had much luggage rather than to me with my solitary package. So, five precious minutes of the twenty were lost before I could start in my hansom, and all hope of catching the 5 p.m. express had to be abandoned. There was no train before 6.30, so I had to start for Liverpool at that late hour. The passengers in my compartment were a priest, a soldier, a loquacious Irishman, a newspaper-reading Englishman, a comedienne and two girls along with her — to all three the Irishman made himself agreeable, and kept up a running fire and exchange of jokes and glances.

The train being for Holyhead, I had to leave it at Crewe and wait for one to Liverpool. While doing so, I was struck by the unusually numerous and heavy trains for the North. The cholera in the south of France was turning the travelling public — English, American, and Australian — from the Straits of Dover to the banks of the Tweed, Clyde, and Forth. Towards midnight we started again for Liverpool — the carriage full of silent L OND ON— LI VERPO OL— Q UEENSTO WN. 9 men, the hour not favourable to talk. Some of them were on their way to America, like myself, as I discovered next day on board. On arriving at Lime Street, towards the wee short hour, I was informed by the night policeman that the Station Hotel was " full up ;" no hope of lodging there, and little anywhere else, as it was Friday night, when so many were in Liverpool ready to start next day for America and elsewhere.

Besides, the assizes were being held, which had also brought many people into the town. Getting into a cab, I told the driver to take me to some hotel. He took me to the Alexandra, in Dale Street. There the night porter, the only mortal stirring, said he had just one bedroom left. That, said I, was enough for me. The hall was everywhere encumbered with luggage ready addressed and labelled, and the walls adorned with pictures of the favourite ocean steamers, steam up and in sailing trim. As the heat at Liverpool was as great as at London, among the purchases I made next morning was a very light coat to wear on board, though I soon found that that was unnecessary there. Our ship, going at seventeen knots an hour — or nearly twenty English miles — gave the feeling of a considerable wind even in a perfect calm, and with a moderate wind ahead, a veritable gale ; so that great-coats came to be more in vogue to keep out the cold and rain.

The "Arizona" was to start at noon. I took care to be at the Princes' landing-stage among the first. Cab after cab drove up with loads of luggage outside. It was easy to see, without looking at the lettering and outlandish names, that the owners of this luggage were chiefly Americans. The huge ironbound Saratoga trunks, like dog-kennels, told sufficiently well the nationality, without the speech and beards. The hurrying on board increases as the hour of embarkation approaches. The luggage is being heaped on the fore-part of the tender, also a great number of folding sea-chairs, that the more provident have secured with a view to comfort. A warning is given to steerage passengers not to venture on board this tender. Newspaper sellers are endeavouring to vend their papers at double price. Punctually at the minute we go off to the "Arizona," standing in mid-stream, sending forth clouds of black smoke from her two funnels, and brooks of yellow-white water from her broadside.

In a few minutes we are alongside, the gangway is thrown across, and the passengers are soon on board the floating palace. The luggage and chairs take more time. Some hundreds of steerage pas- L OND ON—L I VERPO OL— Q UEENSTO WN. 11 sengers are already on board, and a good many first class, all eagerly watching the embarkation. Imme diately on entering I was saluted by an old member of the British Association by the words, " Holloa ! my friend, I know where you are going." He had got on board before, and was greatly vexed because he had not been able to go with the " Oregon " — the vessel that had, up to that time, made the quickest passage on record. He had taken the precaution to bespeak a berth on her in March, but since then she had left the Guion line, to which her performance had given celebrity, and become the property of the Cunard Company.

So my friend had now to go by the ship that had only at one time been the quickest on the Atlantic, but was so no longer. I endeavoured to console him with the thought that the few hours or minutes by which the " Oregon " might beat the " Arizona " would not make much difference in the end, but I am afraid my words had not much effect on his uneasy mind. There is something very fascinating in races, and at present a great emulation among the various shipping companies on the Atlantic as to who shall make the quickest passage. There seems to be now a perfect rage for speed. When the Atlantic was first crossed by a steamer in three weeks or a month, it was considered a marvel in marine locomotion. But that time was gradually reduced to nine or ten days. The " Arizona " first further reduced it to seven days and a few hours and minutes.

The " Oregon " reduced it still more, and her performance in turn has been out done by the " America," which is said to have accom plished the distance between Sandy Hook and Queenstown in six days and twenty hours. But her pre-eminence, it appears, is to be short-lived, for the " Umbria," that has been lately launched, is confidently expected to accomplish the voyage in less than six days. But engineers affirm that a ship can be built that will do it in five, and perhaps even that may not be the ultimatum. Speed is only a question of engine power, but cost is the limiting factor. I remember, when passing from Holyhead to Dublin many years ago, the captain of the packet that ran at fourteen knots an hour telling me that any higher speed would be dangerous at sea, and that the fear of collisions would ever prevent vessels running at a speed comparable to that of railways.

This may be true in a narrow crowded channel, such as he was navigating, but on the desert ocean, in clear weather, there would be no such danger, as, on certain tracks, a vessel is not seen for days. It is expense that will put the limit L OND ON— LI VERPO OL— Q UEENSTO WN 13 to speed. The "Oregon," during her swift passage, was said to consume 300 tons of coal per day. As soon as passengers get on board they make a descent to find their berths, or state rooms, as they are called, in which they deposit their light luggage, and the stewards by-and-by the heavier, labelled "wanted." The larger luggage, " not wanted," is speedily lowered into the hold. Punctually at the time advertised the screw is set in motion, a slight tremor is felt, the water begins to run past, and we are off down the Mersey.

The tender takes the opposite direction, with many friends who had come to see the last of friends. There ensues a mutual waving of handkerchiefs, tears are seen in many eyes and looks of sadness on many faces, that continue after the retreating tokens of affection have become invisible. Of some it might be said, " Such partings break the heart they fondly hope to heal." But soon a bell, with a peremptory sound, rings for lunch. A new turn is given to the feelings, sad musings are interrupted, pocket handkerchiefs — now useless as flags — dry the cheeks, and a descent is made into the saloon. Four tables run parallel the whole length of the saloon, comfortable chairs, on both sides, fastened to the floor but turning half round to receive and let go their occupants. An excellent lunch is served by attentive stewards — that a printed notice forbids passengers to call waiters.

The fare on board I found excellent. Since my return from America, I noticed a correspondence, in the Times, complain ing of the fare of the Atlantic steamers, and that they were not regular restaurants where people with rebellious stomachs could eat when and what they liked. Such complaints I consider very unreasonable ; though reason should not be greatly looked for from people at sea, with appetite gone and liver out of order. What I wish to say is, that those who could not manage to live pretty well on the fare we found on the "Arizona" are too hard to please. Breakfast at 8.0 and 9.0, in two batches, consisted of fish, flesh, fowl, eggs (boiled, poached, fried) alone or with bacon, omelettes, butter, bread of various kinds and materials (wheat, oats, maize, buckwheat), in various shapes and with strange names ; tea, coffee, chocolate, cocoa ; apples, oranges, grapes, canta loupes,* and water melons, &c. Lunch at 12.0 and 1.0. — Soup or broth, cold meats, beef, mutton, chicken, duck, goose, turkey, ham, tongue, potatoes (roast and boiled), butter, cheese, fruit, and coffee. * A small, delicate-flavoured musk melon, very common in America.

L OND ON— LI VERPO OL— Q UEENSTO WN 15 Dinner at 5.0 and 6.0.— Soups, hot meats (roast and boiled), fowls, game, entrees, ice creams, jellies, butter, cheese, fruits of all sorts (as at breakfast), coffee, &c. At 9.0 p.m. any one who chose might have tea. Such was the daily fare, and it would be a wonder if anyone a tolerable sailor could not live pretty com fortably on it. A sea voyage, with its fresh air, freedom from business, letters, and telegrams, has a wonderfully stimulating effect on the appetite. Ac cording to the confession of many on board, they ate about three times as much as they were able to do, of similar fare, at home. I have given the above bill of fare, not for the tempting of gourmands, but to show how liberal these ships are in the matter of diet, and to advise those who are not subject to sea-sickness to try a trip across the Atlantic when they find their appetite beginning to fail.

On board, it was a pleasing sign of the times that very little alcoholic drinks were used at meals. It is no longer an article of general faith that such stimulants are necessary to give relish to food or health to the body. We steamed down the Mersey, in order to cross the bar before the receding tide rendered that impossible. The existence of bars, both at Liverpool and New York, is to be regretted ; these obstructions seriously interfere with the passages of the larger vessels. At both places they occasioned us loss of time. Once over the bar, we had to stop till after 3 o'clock, when the tender came, bringing some more passengers and their friends. These passengers on board, we resumed our course down the Channel — a smooth sea, beautiful weather, and a pleasant breath of air made by the motion of the vessel.

On our left is seen the Welsh coast, Anglesea, and Holyhead. When darkness came on, people retired to their berths, where the heat was again severely felt. Nearly all berths have two occupants, one above Vhe other, and are very small. One gentleman, next morning, said the heat was so great in his upper berth, over a stout friend below, that he feared all night a stroke of apoplexy, and, by negotiation with the purser and an additional five pounds, he got somewhere a berth to himself. I had the lower berth, and as my neighbour in the upper did not come in till I was asleep at night, and did not rise till I was out in the morning, it was four or five days before we had an opportunity of seeing one another. Next morning we were coasting the Irish shore, with its tame, weather-beaten cliffs and projecting headlands.

The white buildings at the entrance of Queenstown harbour are seen from a considerable distance —glasses LONDON— Ll VERPOOL—QUEENSTO WN. 17 are levelled in all directions ; a large mansion — said by an Irish priest on board to belong to Lord Fermoy — received much inspection, and not a little adverse criticism, most thinking it was very ugly and the situation very bleak in rough wintry weather. Some, however, thought the place very snug, and the prospect magnificent. The want of rain seemed also to be felt here, patches of corn becoming yellow, and the pastures brown — not suggestive of the " Green Isle." At the mouth of Queenstown harbour we halted for the tender, which soon came out with a few cabin and a good many steerage passengers. Mothers from Ireland found again their children from England, and embraced them with ardour.

On board the tender, also, though it was Sunday, came vociferous women and boys, selling walking-sticks and ornaments of bog oak, also needle work, one piece of which was held up and offered again and again for four shillings, with the oft-repeated declaration that there was " a week's work on it." ■J

Chapter III. Crossing The Atlantic

After leaving Queenstown, the course was continued along the Irish coast towards the Atlantic, the weather still fine, health and spirits excellent. As things had not yet got into proper order there was no religious service in the saloon. The ship had now received its full complement of passengers ; it contained a population equal to that of a good-sized village. The following is an official list of the crew : — Seamen, 42 ; engineers and firemen, 66 ; employes in food and pas senger department, 73 ; making a total of 181. There were 156 first-cabin passengers, a good many second class, and several hundreds of steerage passengers. The whole number of souls on board, as I was told, approached 800. Under the combined influence of fine weather and a good breakfast the passengers began to talk with each other and form acquaintances.

It is strange to see how soon groups and coteries are formed at sea as on land. They keep distinct from each other. Friendships are thus formed which often long outlast the occasion. Fastnet Light,* standing on the sea beaten rock as the ultimate sentinel of the British Isles, is passed, the land has disappeared, and we now face the lonely ocean. Thoughts are now directed to the land on the other side, which it is said we shall reach next Sunday morning. At 12 o'clock noon, the ship's clock is set to correspond with the longitude, and watches now appear too fast. As our course is away from the sun about ten degrees a day, from noon till noon next day is found not 24 hours but over 24^. If people leave their watches alone, as I did mine they will find on reaching New York that they are five hours too fast.

On going west, the solar day being 24^ hours, the average distance accomplished between noon and noon, as may be seen from the chart, was * " With this rock communication, by means of a submarine electric telegraph cable, will be almost immediately established, weather permitting. Even as far back as 1854, when this sea-mark was lighted as a substitute for Cape Clear — which was four miles further to the east and north and more liable to be obscured by fog — the want of effective means of signalling to Crookhaven, the relieving station on the shore, was occasionally felt for ordinary purposes in connection with the service, as owing to the distance, about eight miles, signal flags and lights could only be seen in very clear weather. Lloyd's recently, looking to the advantages of the site as a means of obtaining intelligence of the movements of shipping, established, by permission, an ordinary signal station at the rock in connection with the adjacent promontory of Browhead." — Times, January 8th, 1885. miles ; whereas on the eastern voyage homewards, the day from noon to noon being only 23^ hours, the average daily distance was 371 miles.

And yet the homeward voyage was done in absolutely less time than the outward. The length of the outward passage was 2,768 nautical, or about 3,206 English miles, and was accomplished in 7 days 6 hours 14 minutes. The length of the homeward passage was 2,779 nautical, or 3,219 English miles, and was accomplished in 7 days 5 hours and 38 minutes. It raises one's idea of the perfection of modern navigation to find that voyages over the trackless ocean of more than three thousand miles in extent can be made so as to differ only a few miles in length in spite of weather, winds, and currents. But I am anticipating. In the evening of the day we left Queenstown, a little before sunset, a strange phenomenon appeared in the west — banks of cloud on the horizon assuming fantastic shapes of land, cornfields growing and cut, lawns, forests, and fairy-like bridges.

The knowing ones predicted a storm ahead, though all was still so calm. The predicted wind was met in the night, and grew stronger and stronger next day. Passengers are in general confined to their berths — discomfort is painted on the faces of the few who remain visible. At a distance a whale was seen and pointed out to me by an experienced Atlantic traveller. I was much interested in observing it heaving along among the heaving waves. It was the first time I had seen a living whale, and I made a careful note of the sight. But immediately afterwards it was shown that my interest and trouble were in vain, for one of the ship's officers came by and asked if we had observed the floating wreck that we had just passed. Thus my fond whale illusion was dispelled. What we had seen was only "very like a whale;'" but it gave rise to the story of one of the passengers about a whale that he had seen cut through, by the " Arizona," the previous voyage.

A whale was observed, right in front of the ship, motionless on the surface. As the vessel approached, the creature was seen slowly to move out of the way ; but before it had cleared, the " Arizona " was on it with her sharp beak, and the whale was cut in two. The blood was seen to cover the ocean for two miles. The shock was so considerable that those who were below at breakfast had the tea spilled out of their cups, and the captain hasted upstairs and inquired what was the matter. On learning the cause he merely said, " Only a whale." To my question, how was it known that the whale was cut in two ? the gentleman answered that it was supposed it had been, as the heavy vessel was going so fast, and so much blood was seen floating on the water. On my return voyage I mentioned this story to a gentleman on board, a friend of the captain, and to ascertain its truth he asked him about it.

The captain said it was true, but, like most stories, had grown by telling. The facts were, they had run into a whale ; as he was going upstairs he had felt the shock, and thought they had struck against some wreck. The blood was seen on the water, and no doubt the creature had been severely injured, but it was impossible for a ship to cut a whale in two. He added, if the whale knew its strength it could knock a hole in the strongest ship that sails the sea, except an ironclad — a statement that was received with general incredulity. The strong head wind continued for two days ; sea sickness was general, as was too plainly perceived both by sight and smell. Ofthe 156 cabin passengers only 25 had put in an appearance the second day at dinner, and some of these did little more than smell the dinner, take a mouthful of the iced water, and quickly retire.

The sea broke over the ship continually, and swept her with spray from stem to stern. Walking on the deck was often out of the question. Those who were not disabled by sea-sickness passed the time, not unpleasantly, watching the ever-varying surface of the tossing sea. The petrels kept flying alongside the ship, skimming the waves with ease and delight. Shoals of porpoises were now and then seen racing and leaping out of the water, as if trying who should get first into the wake of the ship and find the dainties that might be thrown over from the stewards' tables. Shipboard is a noted place for stories. As I was now becoming acquainted with some of my fellow passengers, I gleaned from them information sometimes interesting, sometimes amusing. Much, of course, was very common-place ; not a little, nonsensical.

There was one gentleman — a Scotchman — very intelligent and shrewd, on his way to New Mexico, to which he had already made several journeys, to purchase large blocks of land for various syndicates. I had much conversation with this gentleman about Texas and New Mexico, and the pursuits and life of men there. He had bought, at one purchase, as much as 700,000 acres in one great block. The plan was, to select land with a good river frontage and to buy it to a certain depth. As water is essential in these grazing regions, when once the land abutting on the river is secured all the tract behind, up to the watershed, can be had for a nominal sum. He told me about the troops of wild horses that frequent these desert lands, their habits, battles, and capture ; also of the cattle ranches. The cattle are allowed to wander at will and to pick up such a living as they can, summer and winter, getting nothing but what they themselves can gather.

Great mortality sometimes overtakes them, and especially the calves in the cold of spring. But yet the cattle trade there is a very profitable one. The present price of a bullock, three years old, at Chicago or St. Louis, is about £6. His keep and tending have not cost above a dollar a year. The finest of the beef is sent for consumption in the various cities, or exported ; the inferior sorts are tinned. The land in general is naturally so rugged that it will never be of any use but for cattle runs. Human life in these parts is also of a very rough description, not without attraction to a certain class of reckless, daring, spirits. When riding on these desolate prairies this gentleman came to a chalet or herdsman's lodge. As a matter of course, this is entered and claimed as a lodging-place for wanderers.

He was the first to arrive and take up his quarters for the night. By-and-by, one after another came in until there were eight guests in all. On sitting down to supper each of the other seven first of all put his hand into his pocket, brought out his revolver and placed it on the table before him, as knives and forks generally lie. Astonishment was felt, not at this array of fire arms, but at my friend travelling in such parts without any. Still more were they astonished by his remark that he felt himself safer without a revolver than with it. "Harm watch, harm catch," was not in their list of proverbs. Under the guidance of this gentleman were two young fellows, of about twenty, going to push their fortunes at the cattle ranches. Fortunes were made there more rapidly at one time than now, as competition is sure to dog the footsteps of success.

But the butchers of Chicago are still realizing rapid and great fortunes. There was another passenger, very unlike the pre ceding. He was a big-bodied, tall man, with a high pitched voice, of which he made a pitiless use. He wore a fur skull-cap, and a long-tailed coat that reached his knees. According to his story he was a German doctor, long settled in the United States, which he preferred to any place in this world or the next. He was returning from a voyage round the world, which voyage he had made several times before. Early in the voyage he had attracted my attention by standing on the lower deck, alternately vociferating to a youthful fellow-passenger and eating, with great movement of mouth, a bunch of raisins that he held in one hand while gesticulating vigorously with the other. In his many voyages he had seen strange things.

On one occasion he counted 300 sharks around the ship. He showed me a " Californian slug," a heavy, angular coin of virgin gold, worth fifty dollars. He had had eighty of them when he set out on his voyage. " There is also," said he, " in California a ' double slug,' worth a hundred dollars.'' California was a wonderful place. At 'Frisco was the largest hotel in the world and the best ; had some thousands of bedrooms, and, on a great festive occasion, 8,000 people had dined in it on one day. " 'Frisco," said I, " where is that ? " " Why, don't you know where 'Frisco is ? Perhaps you would know it by the name of San Francisco — San Fran-cis-co," length ening out the word syllable by syllable. " Who would call it San Francisco ? We in America have not time for that ; we call it 'Frisco." He did not like hotel life in England ; had paid £4 a-day for a bedroom and sitting room at the Grand Hotel, in Northumberland Avenue, London, and had not even gas in his bedroom ; nothing but little insignificant bougies.