Had not Burns contemplated emigration, I
scarce believe he would have found that note.
All Sunday the weather remained wild and cloudy; many were prostrated
by sickness; only five sat down to tea in the second cabin, and two
of these departed abruptly ere the meal was at an end. The Sabbath
was observed strictly by the majority of the emigrants. I heard an
old woman express her surprise that 'the ship didna gae doon,' as she
saw some one pass her with a chess-board on the holy day. Some sang
Scottish psalms. Many went to service, and in true Scottish fashion
came back ill pleased with their divine. 'I didna think he was an
experienced preacher,' said one girl to me.
Is was a bleak, uncomfortable day; but at night, by six bells,
although the wind had not yet moderated, the clouds were all wrecked
and blown away behind the rim of the horizon, and the stars came out
thickly overhead. I saw Venus burning as steadily and sweetly across
this hurly-burly of the winds and waters as ever at home upon the
summer woods. The engine pounded, the screw tossed out of the water
with a roar, and shook the ship from end to end; the bows battled
with loud reports against the billows: and as I stood in the lee-
scuppers and looked up to where the funnel leaned out, over my head,
vomiting smoke, and the black and monstrous top-sails blotted, at
each lurch, a different crop of stars, it seemed as if all this
trouble were a thing of small account, and that just above the mast
reigned peace unbroken and eternal.
Pages:
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45