The Weather Was Showery, But Occasional Gleams Of Sunshine Encouraged
Us To Hope That It Might Clear Up, And Permit Us To Keep The Deck
During The Greater Part Of The Voyage, Which We Expected To Perform In
Eighteen Hours.
To the majority of readers, in these days of universal
travelling, it will be superfluous to describe a steam-boat; but there
may possibly be some quiet people who are still ignorant of the sort
of accommodation which it affords, and to whom the description will
not be unacceptable.
The Phenix is a fine vessel of its class, five hundred tons burthen,
and 160-horse power. It was handsomely fitted up, and the vases of
flowers upon the chimney-piece in the principal saloon, and other
ornaments scattered about, gave to the whole a gay appearance, as if
the party assembled had been wholly bent upon pleasure. The ladies'
cabin was divided by a staircase; but there were what, in a sort of
mockery, are called "state-cabins" opening into that appropriated to
the general use, around which were sofas, and bed-places upon a sort
of shelf above, for the accommodation of the gentlemen. This apartment
was handsomely carpeted, and otherwise well furnished; the steward
and his assistant having the appearance of the better class of waiters
belonging to a well-frequented hotel: all the servants were English,
and the whole afforded a most delightful contrast to the sort of
packets which many of the party on board were quite old enough to
remember.
The passengers were numerous, and apparently inclined to make
themselves agreeable to each other; one, an American, objected to the
sight of a footman, who came upon the quarter-deck for a few minutes,
observing that such a thing would not be permitted in his country.
As soon as the vessel got under weigh, preparations were made for
breakfast, which was served, a la fourchette, in very excellent
style, the cookery being a happy combination of the French and English
modes. At the conclusion of the repast, we repaired to the deck, all
being anxious to see the British Queen, which was getting her steam
up, at Gravesend. We were alongside this superb vessel for a few
minutes, putting some persons on board who had come down the river
in the Phenix for the purpose of paying it a visit; and taking
advantage of a favourable breeze, we hoisted a sail, and went along at
a rate which gave us hope of a speedy arrival at Havre.
After passing the Nore, however, our progress was impeded; and at
length, when off Margate, we were obliged to lie-to, in order to wait
for the turn of the tide: the wind blowing so strongly as to render
it questionable whether we could get round the Foreland. The sun
was shining on the buildings at Margate, and the bells knolling for
evening service; affording a home-scene of comfort and tranquillity
which it was agreeable to carry abroad as one of the last
reminiscences of England.
In about three hours, we got the steam up again, and saw the
British Queen in the distance, still lying to, and apparently,
notwithstanding her prodigious power, unable to get down the Channel.
Dinner was served while the Phenix lay off Margate; but it was
thinly attended, the motion of the vessel having sent many persons to
their cabins, while others were totally deprived of all appetite. An
elderly gentleman, who sate upon my left hand, complained exceedingly
of his inability to partake of the good things before him; and one or
two left the table in despair. Again we sought the deck, and saw the
sun sink behind an ominous mass of clouds; the sky, however, cleared,
and the stars came out, reviving our spirits with hopes of a fine
night. Unfortunately, soon after nine o'clock, a heavy squall
obliged us to go below, and one of my female friends and myself took
possession of a state cabin, and prepared to seek repose.
It was my first voyage on board a steamer, and though the tremulous
motion and the stamping of the engine are anything but agreeable, I
prefer it to the violent rolling and pitching of a sailing vessel. We
were certainly not nearly so much knocked about; the vases of flowers
were taken off the mantel-piece, and placed upon the floor, but beyond
this there were no precautions taken to prevent the movables from
getting adrift; every thing remained quiet upon the tables, a
circumstance which could not have happened in so heavy a sea in any
vessel not steadied by the apparatus carried by a steamer.
The Phenix laboured heavily through the water; a torrent of rain
soon cleared the deck of all the passengers, and the melancholy voices
calling for the steward showed the miserable plight to which the male
portion of the party was reduced. Daylight appeared without giving
hope of better weather; and it was not until the vessel had reached
the pier at Havre, which it did not make until after three o'clock
P.M. on Monday, that the passengers were able to re-assemble. Many
had not tasted food since their embarkation, and none had been able to
take breakfast on the morning of their arrival.
And here, for the benefit of future travellers, it may not be amiss
to say, that a small medicine-chest, which had been packed in a
carpet-bag, was detained at the custom-house; and that the following
day we experienced some difficulty in getting it passed, being told
that it was contraband; indeed, but for an idea that the whole party
were going on to Bombay, and would require the drugs for their own
consumption, we should not have succeeded in rescuing it from the
hands of the Philistines. The day was too far advanced to admit of
our getting the remainder of the baggage examined, a mischance which
detained us a day at Havre, the steamer to Rouen starting at four
o'clock in the morning.
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