Page:California Inter Pocula.djvu/148



the soil  of  America  or  Australia,  so  that  their  domi- nant passion finds  solace. Thus the  conglomerate and cosmopolitan  character  of  the  passengers  give  us a  foresight  of  what  we  may  expect  on  reaching  our destination.

As the  hour  for  departure  approaches  the  confusion increases. Loaded carriages  drive  hastily  up  to  the gang way,  discharge  their  contents,  and  drive  away, The mails  come  down  in  heavy  wagons  and  are  taken on board. Excited passengers  rush  hither  and thither, knocking  against  one  another,  looking  after lost baggage,  hunting  missing  friends  and  searching for their  rooms. The wharves  and  shipping  are crowded to  see  us  off. The cries  of  seamen  and porters mingle  with  the  hoarse  roar  of  steam;  the gong sounds  for  visitors  to  go  ashore,  hasty  "good- byes" and  "God  bless  you"  rise  from  full  hearts  and fall from  quivering  lips;  the  captain  mounts  the paddle-box, the  gang-plank  is  drawn  ashore,  orders  to "cast  off  the  hawser"  and  "turn  ahead"  are  given,  the ponderous walking-beam  moves,  the  paddle-wheels turn, and  promptly  at  twelve  o  clock,  midst  the  cheers of the  gathered  nmltitude,  the  waving  of  hats  and handkerchiefs, and  the  flashing  of  fun  and  fancy  and sentiment from  upturned  laughing  and  liquid  faces, the ship  creeps  from  her  berth,  turns  her  back  upon the land  hallowed  by  all  the  ties  of  birth  and  educa- tion, and with  her  gun  booming  the  last  parting, glides down  the  stream,  winds  through  the  forest  of shipping,  past  islands  and  grassy  slopes  beaming  with happy homes,  and-  shoots  out  into  the  ocean  toward that future  of  mystery  and  trembling  expectation which assumes  shapes  so  fantastic  in  the  minds  of those  on  board.

On our  way  down  the  bay,  tickets  were  examined in order  to  detect  stowaways;  three  aspiring  but impecunious unfortunates  were  taken  in  custody  and shoved into  the  boat  with  the  pilot  when