Holiday rambles

Front matter

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Preface

It is in response to the wishes of many friends that I have ventured to reprint these ephemera.

Since my return from the United States I have had many applications for copies of the two descriptive letters which I wrote on the voyage out. Their appearance in the Manchester City News constrained me to continue a record of my movements, and led me, without premeditation, to write the letters from America.

During the process of revision I have been pleasantly reminded of other journeyingsin foreign parts, as well as of pedestrian excursions over mountain and moorland, in the days that are no more. And I have thought that it would not be an unsuitable occasion to insert one or two more of my earlier sketches, out of a rather numerous selection, as companion pictures, and to give variety.

I have not gone back beyond twenty years, although so long ago as 1844 I found myself writing accounts of travel in Scotland, and since then Ireland has on several occasions attracted me to her mountains and to her magnificent lonely rock-bound Western coast. In the few weeks of annual rest from the labour and care of business, I have had much enjoyment in tramping over the mountains of the Lake Country and of the Principality. But my chief delight has been to ramble through the length and breadth of Old England ; so rich in quaint market towns, in villages and churches, in crosses, in Gothic Cathedrals, in ancient monasteries and Norman castles ; in short, in innumerable memorials of a thousand years of history ; attracted by the everlasting beauty of her cultivated fertile valleys and green pastures, rich in flocks and herds, or glowing with golden grain ; by her hills and dales, her rivers and lakes, by her white cliffs, and by the all-encircling sea that laps her shores.

It is not, therefore, for lack of material for descriptions of our grand old country that I have not inserted in this volume an English tour, but rather because I thought my impressions of other lands might have more freshness for, and be more attractive to, many friends, who may not have become so accustomed to the pleasures of the home circuit, so to speak, as myself. The letters from Norway originally appeared in the Manchester Examiner and Times, and the description of the Passion Play in the Springfield Republican, Springfield, Mass., U.S.

I am exceedingly indebted to my friend Mr. George Crozier, to whom I here tender my hearty thanks, for the illustrations which he has drawn to accompany the letters from Norway, visited by him in 1873.

To my brother I owe many thanks for the care he has bestowed in bringing out the volume.

T. R. WILKINSON.

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I. LIVERPOOL TO QUEENSTOWN.

T 1-45 p.m. on Saturday, the 1 ith of September, 1880, the steamship Scythia moved from her anchorage, on her voyage across the Atlantic. One of her passengers at least had looked forward to such a voyage for certainly more than twenty years, and (as the unexpected always happens) he had found himself, with only forty-eight hours' notice, on the way to realising a long-cherished idea. At the same moment that our good ship moved, another vast steamship, the Baltic, steamed out of the Mersey on the same voyage.

What magnificent works these ocean steamers are ! There is no single achievement which so specially characterises the progress of modern times as the ocean steamer. It has bound together with enduring ties the continents of Europe and America, and made the mighty waste of waters truly the highway of the nations. We have on board some two hundred and seventy first-class passengers, besides the captain, officers, and crew. There is a large cargo, no doubt, in the hold. Besides this, each man will have two or three packages, each woman three or four at least. Let us say a thousand boxes or packages.

We sit down to breakfast at 8-30. We have luncheon ; we dine at six. There is a congregating at night about nine for further refreshment of some sort. Fish, flesh, fowl, vegetables, fruits, drinks — we shall consume a small Smithfield or Covent Garden Market on the voyage. Then there are the vast furnaces deep down in the ship, with the incessant consumption of coal, and the ponderous but exquisitely-

A MONTH IN AMERICA.

constructed machinery for pushing us over the three thousand miles of ocean. This is surely something we may reasonably consider as a conquest over difficulties, and an evidence at all events of material advancement. But with this, I think, has come advancement in other directions. The world of man has been brought nearer together ; distinctions have been softened ; the Christian idea of the strong helping the weak, the spirit of human sympathy, which received such an impetus in consequence of the Puritan emigration to the Western continent, has been carried round the earth, and steam and electricity are helping greatly to bring about

" The parliament of peoples, The federation of the world."

Well, we parted from our friends truly with an undercurrent of sadness, but with pleasant mirth upon our lips. With a hearty cheer the tender slipped behind, and we were actually making for the Western World.

Along the Mersey, on whose banks, fringed with rich foliage, is the familiar shore or sand of New Brighton, quite gay with a crowd of holiday-makers ; then we pass the old Formby light-ship ; now we are running at full speed along the Welsh coast (quite near our neighbour ship still), the mountains looking their best this glorious, sunny, breezy afternoon. And what a range for grand solid mass and sweeping outline is the Snowdon group. There is Carnedd Lewellyn and Carnedd Dafydd, up whose ancient summits our children were climbing the other day, and there the long and yellow sands of Penmaenmawr and Llanfairfechan and Aber, and the sweetly quiet old Beaumaris, with new Llandudno, queen of the Welsh sea resorts. There, too, is Puffin Island, whilst nearer stand out the sullen rocks of Anglesey. It is a day of uncommon beauty. The sky towards the west is pure clear blue, with a vast over-arching curtain of light clouds above. The mountain sides and the green valleys shine in the sunlight. Over all blows the delicious south-west wind.

Day at last dies away, and with the dusk come out the everlasting stars and a pale moon. As darkness overspreads us the ship's track is visible by the white foam and flashes of phosphorescence seen in our wake, which are very beautiful to look upon. And then from the

LIVERPOOL TO QUEENSTOWN.

heavenly constellations our eyes descend, and those careful watch-lights, like friendly stars, flash frequently in sight. How much of forethought there is on every jutting headland and on many dangerous reefs round these sea-dashed islands ! Every night a thousand lights flash around our coast to warn from danger, and to guide the path of the departing or returning mariner. How little we know or think, who live our lives in great cities, what a world of experience has been crystallised into life-saving appliances like the South Stack and Eddystone lighthouses ! It was with such thoughts as these that I went down into my comfortable cabin to rest and refreshing sleep. The south-west wind brought on its wings rain clouds that cooled the night air, and in the morning (Sunday), when I awoke about seven, we were running through unusually heavy rain.

At eight the clouds had broken, the sky dappled blue and white, a fresh breeze was blowing, and we sailed into the magnificent harbour of Oueenstown, where the mightiest navy in the world might safely ride at anchor. The long line of sweeping hills, many crowned with dense wood, and all dotted with white-looking houses, make a beautiful picture — Oueenstown crowning the picture like Constantinople in the centre of the Golden Horn.

The air is laden with sweet odours from the land. The bay is peopled with many ships and small craft at anchor or gliding across its almost unruffled surface. Seagulls in thousands float and fly and flutter around. Small boats laden with fresh vegetables and fruits come near. The sun shines, and every man, woman, and child on board the ship is delighted and happy. The passengers' letters arrive — they are from New York — what a rush of those who are going home ! Many anxieties are hushed and some brought to light by this arrival. I see in some eyes tears of gratitude, and in others sadness at news of sudden care and trouble.

A MONTH IN AMERICA.

II. ACROSS THE ATLANTIC.

BOUT three o'clock in the afternoon, our tender came alongside, bringing the English mail and more passengers, as well as those who had gone ashore for the morning. What a mass of correspondence there is in those bags — quite a deckfull of huge bags of letters ! These are the threads, which carried by the steam shuttle of an ocean steamer, are perpetually weaving between the two English-speaking countries, bonds that can never be broken. The last packages at length are brought on board, the great anchor is lifted up, and we move out of the harbour towards the Atlantic, our tender going in company a short way, and then we are alone. The last light, Fastnet, fades in the dim distance as the moon rises and the stars appear in a clear, cold, grey sky : the wind is freshening, and the white rolling waves are gathering force, as if for a trial of strength with our floating home. As we had passed away from the shelving coast of Old Ireland, green and fresh with the spray of the unresting Atlantic wave, shoals of porpoises disported themselves alongside, and actually crossed the path of the ship. Later in the evening we were all delighted by the sight of a true lunar rainbow which spanned the heavens. With night came rough winds and the discomfort of the sea. The next morning there were many sickly faces and not a large gathering at breakfast ; for the sea was sullen and the sky without sun. As the day advanced, it might be truly said of the merriest man of the previous night, " he had a subdued air." Such is the effect of a troubled sea.

Monday we ran 258 miles ; Sunday 252. But there was little incident to record. All nature was somewhat leaden in colour. Tuesday morning was brighter and brought evidence of improvement on all sides. Sunshine, less rush and whirl of water alongside, more disposition to talk and be cheerful : glass rising. But no festive board for more than a select and seasoned few ; the rest of our company may

ACROSS THE ATLANTIC.

be found in quiet nooks and corners huddled under wraps on chairs and such like, hugging their private griefs, each in his or her own peculiar way. And so the second day out of Oueenstown passed.

Wednesday brought us lighter air, smooth seas, brilliant sky, exuberant spirits. What a wonderful change ! The grand ship herself seemed nerved with a new force and pushed forward with added majesty and grace. Little festivities go forward on board. Games unseen before are played on deck. Cards and a variety of games appear. Singing, tale-telling, good humour, merry laughter of girls, and all that speaks of joyous feeling pervades the numerous company. Places yesterday vacant at table are now occupied at breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and a murmur of congratulations makes musical the saloon. And so the day goes on ; the sunshine fades, the stars and moon sail into the quiet heavens, and in the stillness of the sea and air, the only sound is the throbbing of that great iron heart, the pulsations of which push us on our watery way.

Thursday morning dawns grey and misty ; a thin film hangs over the vast expanse of ocean, and our fog-horn is sounded each minute. Now those who bid high for the high figures last night at the auction of distances run by the ship during the twenty-fours, ending at twelve noon to-day, are somewhat disheartened, and those who held by the lower figures are equally elated. I must explain. On certain evenings a number of figures, say 305 to 335 (that is thirty numbers), are offered by auction — that figure, say 331 or 317, which represents the actual run of the ship, taking the result of the auction. The thing is very amusing to witness ; but as the man said who had never seen loo played before, " It's very like gambling." Our run was announced to have been 336 miles.

Friday morning opened brilliantly ; a soft south-west wind brought a delicious coolness, needed to mitigate the sun's heat. A cloudless sky overarched the vast expanse of deep blue sea. On either bow of the vessel, at some distance, three ships in full sail glided along, whilst far away the masts of a large receding vessel barred the horizon. My sea-going friends told me that this was an unusual sight in mid-ocean, and I had been surprised that we had seen so few vessels since leaving Queenstown.

A MONTH IN AMERICA.

We are a varied company. Almost all the nationalities of Europe are represented ; many ladies, some beautiful and accomplished and young, who favour us with music and sing ; others, like too many in the world, prosaic and prudish to an extent not pleasant. Of men there are only two or three who may be called disagreeable, whilst there are some who possess and practise all the Christian virtues ; and on board ship there is great scope for such experience. My friend of sea experiences again tells me that he has never, during his many voyages, been in so delightful a ship's company, so that I feel I am enjoying a sail of more than ordinary attractiveness. At all events I can say truly that the last four days have been among the happiest days of my life. With congenial human society, under sunny skies upon the untroubled ocean, —

" What more felicity can fall to creature, Than to enjoy delight with liberty ? : ' And the deep undercurrent of feeling, the diapason to all this melodious life, which runs homeward to those we hold most dear, is never absent, as well as the lighter and hopeful thoughts of what pleasant meetings of welcome are in store for us in the West.

In crossing the Atlantic in this grand ship, so abundantly provided with all the conveniences and comforts — nay, even luxuries of life, one cannot help looking back to the early days of our great seamen, the days of Frobisher, Drake, and Raleigh, and wondering at their doings in their insignificant boats. Truly they were men of heroic hearts, who went forth hungering for adventure and discovery, wrestling with difficulties and dangers such as are not easily realized by the modern mind. Out of the strong will and endeavour of those earlier days have grown the marvels of our own times. The epic of steel and steam has, however, yet to be written.

We are in the Gulf Stream, and the air is deliciously balmy ; like moths, we are all brought on deck by the glitter of the sunlight, and there is a general feeling throughout the company that they would like it to be always afternoon. We are quite a company of Lotos eaters, and feel like work no more. With evening came rain, driving us to the saloon and smoke-room for our amusements, and succeeding the rain came winds to help us on our way as well as to send many to

ACROSS THE ATLANTIC.

bed. Saturday brought more rain and a heavy atmosphere, which caused us all to look " sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought," and a general dulness supervened. Under these circumstances most people go down to write letters home, which may account for a variety of things.

The evening of Saturday, 18th September, when we had been a week at sea, was beautiful. The sun went down behind a bank of cloud in yellow radiance, leaving a cold, clear sky, into which presently sailed the full-orbed moon, golden in colour, and large, the harvest moon of England, followed shortly by Jupiter, brilliant amongst the starry host. We sat on deck watching the wonders of the night until the moon had reached high in the heavens, and only the midnight hour and the now chilly air sent us to bed. Sunday opened fittingly after a superb night ; the sky a silver grey, such as is never seen in England ; the sea deep blue, the horizon sharply defined ; a delicious breeze sweeping over all ; all our little colony full of cheerfulness and happy faces at breakfast, and afterwards walking on the spacious deck, which is one of the chief advantages a Cunard boat has over those of the other lines. At 10.30 we went down to the saloon, where a Church of England service was held — the captain reading prayers, an American clergyman preaching, a few ladies and gentlemen acting as choir, with a piano accompaniment. It is a beautiful and touching sight to witness out here in the North Atlantic Ocean a household, for we may call ourselves one, gathering together and lifting up their hearts and voices to the Infinite Father, and pouring forth, each in its own way, some feeling of gratitude for the many enjoyments of sight and sound which had followed us daily. The captain, like the father of the family, was our mouthpiece, and prayed from the heart ; manliness and simplicity are in him richly combined. The soul-penetrating hymn, " Nearer, my God, to Thee," lifted all of us into a region at one with the sea, and sunlight, and the illimitable vault of heaven. As the day advanced, so grew the wonderful beauty of the sea and sky. The immense vault of blue seemed lifted immeasurably higher, and the circling sea took colour more intense. As evening came and the sun disappeared beyond the sea, rich orange hues overspread the western sky, and, as on the previous night, the golden moon sailed grandly into sight, followed by many stars.

These descriptions, no doubt, are very much alike day by day, but, remember, our only companions are the sea and sky, and some of us are seeing these majestic wonders almost for the first time. Let not those who live in cities imagine they know the boundless wealth of beauty and grandeur which the heavens disclose unless they have been across the great deep. I never before so fully realised as during this voyage the meaning of Wordsworth, when he says : —

"And I have felt A presence that disturbs me with the joy Of elevated thoughts ; a sense sublime Of something far more deeply interfused, Whose dwelling is the light of setting suns, And the round ocean, and the living air, And the blue sky, and in the mind of man : A motion and a spirit that impels All thinking things, all objects of all thought, And rolls through all things."

Grand as have been the days and nights through which we have passed, a fresh and great delight was experienced this morning, when, at six o'clock, I went on deck and saw the sun rise out of the sea, filling the sky with splendour beyond speech or pen. Crimson and gold and blue in the east, pale delicate colours with a fading moon in the west. All that the poets have sung of the Golden Gates of day was revealed in this transcendent transfiguring sunrise. The happy hours flew past ; ships with their white wings spread moved along the horizon ; butterflies came fluttering about the ship, a bird alighted on the mast, but seeing a white-sailed vessel at no great distance flew there. There is a busy movement of passengers suddenly. What is happening ? The man on the look-out cries out, and the word " Pilot " is in every mouth. Presently we see a small four-oared boat like a speck ahead; it has put off from a lugger standing off a mile or so. Now we approach the boat, the boatmen ply their oars vigorously, the great engines are stopped, a rope is thrown and a ropeladder let down the ship's side. The pilot seizes the thrown rope and swings himself dextrously and with skill on to the ladder and in a trice is on board. The boat is cast off, the huge engines turn, we are again on our way, but a new feeling pervades the vessel. We have,

ARRIVAL AT NEW YORK.

although four hundred miles and more away from land, grasped hands with the American Continent. As evening comes on we run into fog and rain. But indoors we are having "high jinks," for the young people have got up an entertainment, and music, singing, and recitations, in which our good captain joins, are carried on until a late hour.

III. ARRIVAL AT NEW YORK.

OTHING could be more delightful than the fresh morning, the last of our voyage, on which we approached Sandy Hook. For several hours everybody was on the look-out upon deck with happy faces ; towards evening, as we looked upon the wood-crowned heights of New Jersey, a deep crimson overspread the sky, and the sun went down in unwonted splendour. Slowly we steamed by the great forts, which guard the entrance at the " narrows," to the inner bay of New York, now fringed with many lights. The bay of New York is large and beautiful, capable of harbouring the fleets of the world. Shortly after six o'clock we dropped anchor, not being allowed to pass the quarantine ground after sundown, as the Americans say. It was a lovely scene — the glow of the setting sun had not faded before the moon rose over Brooklyn, the numerous ships hung out their lights, and the encircling shore sparkled like an illumination.

It is difficult to describe our feelings at a time of excitement such as is experienced upon reaching port after a voyage — people are all happy, and are not afraid to show it. My American friends, especially the ladies, were eager to know of course how I liked their country — at first sight — before I had set foot upon it, and I could answer readily and with truth, that the first near look at the continent made me realise vividly that I was entering a New World.

It was late that night before the company could settle down to rest, and it certainly seemed hard that after crossing the Atlantic and touching the shore as it were, we must be kept from landing until to-morrow. Such, however, is Custom House fate. It was a moving sight next morning as we neared the dock side, to see the crowd of friends looking out for those who had been across the sea, and the respective recognitions as face caught sight of face from ship to shore. Generally we see more rejoicing however than sadness, for here parents meet children, brothers their sisters, husbands their wives ; " there is dear grandmother," says one little fellow ; "here is father," says another.

At last we say farewell to the good ship Scythia, to her excellent captain, and to the friends who have been our companions during the voyage ; and set foot upon the continent of America.

We are in New York, the greatest port of the United States, and one of the capitals of the world — comparatively a place of yesterday, and yet how vast a growth ! No place I have seen reminds me of Paris so much as New York. It is a mixture of English, Dutch, and French seaports, the French element predominating. Land having become valuable, the buildings stretch towards heaven. We went to the top of one of these high towers— the Equitable Life Offices in Broadway — whence there is a bird's-eye view of New York, New Jersey, Brooklyn, the Hudson and East rivers, the wooded country inland, and the bay, with Staten Island and the Atlantic beyond. It is a wonderfully beautiful sight.

I am not going to undertake a description of New York, but I must mention a few points which to me were striking. For instance, nothing in my experience can be worse than the paving of the streets of this o-reat city. It is simply execrable, and renders quick movement in a carriage impossible. But to some extent there is compensation in the net work of trams which are everywhere. There is also the elevated railway, which runs above the sidewalks ; and there are the stages, as they call the shabby London omnibuses. The names over shop doors are curious and new ; few old English names, many German, some Dutch, and numerous Jewish.

The Post-office is an admirable institution, and I could not help feelino- strongly how slow we are at home to take new ways, and how readily an American adopts the best method. For instance, in the sorting of letters and in the matter of private boxes for firms at the Post-office. Here each firm or individual has a small box, the inside of which he can see. In case there are letters for him he unlocks the

ARRIVAL AT NEW YORK. 11

box and takes them. There are many thousands of these boxes. With us in " practical" Manchester we have our boxes into which are sorted the letters of our firms, but a staff of clerks has to be kept to hand out the letters, taking up time and space unnecessarily.

Central Park is a grand lung to New York, containing 1,500 acres, laid out on the English landscape style, and is a pleasure ground for rich and poor, who resort to it in thousands. Dotted over the city are many squares, called parks, and on the side walks of numerous streets are planted trees.

Theatres abound. We went to the opera-house, and saw our country woman Ada Cavendish in a play called The Soul of an Actress, which made one wonder that a woman with genius should spend her strength on such poor stuff. The audience was large and such as would certainly not be seen in any theatre in England, probably not in any theatre in Europe. There were no " gods," but the whole house was occupied by respectably-dressed, well-mannered people. We were played out as one is after service at church by the orchestra, a novel and pleasing feature. I afterwards looked in for an hour at a music saloon — large, well filled, elegantly decorated, lighted with the electric light, first-class music well given, and perfectly respectable. Afterwards we had an oyster supper at a crowded place in Broadway ; the same good conduct and respectable people everywhere. Such places in our own country would all have in them a leaven of loud vulgarity and snobbishness to say the least. Here at all events democracy vindicates itself. There is, I admit, at least visible, less of what we should call high culture, but, on the other hand, there is a vastly greater number of instructed and happy people. Such were my feelings on this night, and subsequent similar experiences have confirmed my early impressions. In the streets, in the horse-cars, in the railways, at the theatres, at church, in all places where people meet together, there is a more serious air than is found in similar gatherings at home. I have just returned from a visit to Coney Island, Manhattan Beach ; a new seaside watering place, about an hour distant by ferry and rail from New York. It is a series of stupendous hotels upon the seashore, beginning at one end with a select sort of Fifth Avenue style of place and graded down to most popular requirements. You may walk several miles along the beach, and a very large portion of the sea terrace is laid down in grassy turf, richly ornamented with beds of flowers. To Manchester people, Belle Vue will give some idea of what preparations are necessary for feeding a large crowd, but Belle Vue never had two hundred thousand visitors in one day as was the case here, 4th July, 1S80. Forty thousand people could not get back, and had to remain out encamped as well as they could for the whole summer night. All manner of amusements are provided, and there are extraordinary facilities for feeding these summer crowds. But the grand charm of the place, beyond the fine music morning and afternoon, is the long line of shore, upon which the rollers of the Atlantic beat and break.

IV. NEW ENGLAND.

LEFT New York one afternoon at five o'clock for Providence, Rhode Island, in a steamer which I believe surpasses all of its kind. There are only two others on American waters comparable to the Massachusetts; one being her sister boat, the other one of the Hudson river boats to Albany. Her engines are of 2,800-horse power. There is accommodation on board for 500 people ; to-night we are taking over 300. Each stateroom, as it is called, is conveniently furnished, provided with a comfortable bed or beds, and is lighted with gas. The dining-room and saloons are spacious, richly decorated and appointed, and lighted with the electric light. It is the most luxurious travelling in the world. I dined at the captain's table ; the bill of fare was choice but not elaborate, there were only fourteen kinds of vegetable, and the wine the best I drank in the States. These boats are much used. I was introduced to one gentleman who had been going between Providence and New York weekly for years, and he had not once slept in New York, but after finishing his business in the afternoon dined and slept on board the boat, awaking fresh for his work in good time the next morning.