Page:California Inter Pocula.djvu/145



freight on  distant  shores,  fresh  crowds  awaited  fresh departures.

There is  always  something  sad,  and  much  that  is solemn,  and  to  an  unconcerned  eye-witness  no  little of the  grotesque,  in  the  embarkation  of  passengers for a  long  voyage. It is  next  to  dying  or  being  mar- ried ; the  future  of  it  is  all  uncertain. Friends linger over the  farewell  as  though  it  were  the  last,  as  indeed it is  to  some. Mother and  child,  sister  and  brother, husband and  wife  cling  to  each  other  in  yet  more frantic embrace,  as  if  their  heart-strings  would  snap, and all  unconscious  thus  offer  themselves  as  a  -spec- tacle for the  amusement  of  the  heartless  and  indiffer- ent, to say  nothing  of  turning  their  pockets  an  easy prey to  wicked  professionals.

Midst the  turmoil  of  passengers,  the  jostlings  of porters  with  trunks,  baskets,  and  boxes  which  they deposit by  stateroom  doors,  the  bundles  of  clothing, mining utensils,  perhaps  a  new  gold-washing  ma- chine or a  forcing-pump  scattered  about  the  deck; the rushing  hither  and  thither  of  seamen  makino; ready for  a  start,  and  the  general  confusion  attending embarking, the  deck  of  a  steamer  an  hour  before  she sails IS  the  best  place  in  the  world  wherein  to  study human nature,  as  mdeed  is  the  whole  trip. Especially if you  are  a  passenger  and  alone,  with  a  philosophic turn of  mind,  you  may  look  upon  the  polyglot  assem- blage and noisy  medley  as  in  it  but  not  of  it. Glanc- ing from one  to  another  you  attempt  to  read  the character and  purpose  of  each ;  involuntarily  you  find yourself speculating  as  to  their  several  relations,  who goes and  who  remains,  and  the  relations  of  one  to another.

There is  a  melancholy  young  man,  married  but  a week ;  and  there  another  who  pales  the  mute  agony of the  first,  for  he  has  been  married  but  a  day,  and their wives  do  not  accompany  them. Poor fellows! There is  a  conscious  bride  blushing  her  secret