The Steam-Packet: A Tale of the River and the Ocean — page 390: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE STEAM PACKET, - 303 after a long and deliberate look in the direction intimated by his steers- man, he calmly assented to the truth of the exclamation. ‘‘ Which way is she going, captain ?’’ cried one Luminary. ‘¢ Will she soon be up with us?” demanded a second. ‘«¢ Are you sure she is coming towards us?”’ said a third. ‘¢ How long before we can tell?” ejaculated a fourth. These were but a few of the multitude of questions proposed by the excited company, while none waited for an answer to his first query but instantly put a second. ge The people on board the two boats were soon able to discern with distinctness a large bark-rigged ship approaching them. She was evidently homeward bound, and beating up the channel with wind and tide in her favour. She was apparently about four hundred tons bur- den ; and the perfect symmetry of her proportions, the beautiful ap- pearance of her spars as they tapered upwards to a great height, the graceful rounding of her bow, and the apparent ease with which she rode on the waves, struck the eye of even those who were least adapted to the admiration of nautical objects. In a short time the welcome ship, who observed the signals made by the sailors on board the two sea- tossed boats, altered her course a little, so as to approach them as nearly as possible; and then, backing her main-topsail, she lay to. Presently the crew of the stranger could be plainly seen, as they passed from one part of the vessel to another ; and every movement on board was watched with almost breathless anxiety on the part of the poor Lumina- ries, who actually entertained some vague and indefinite fear that the ship might still pursue her course and leave them to their fate. As yet no flag had been displayed by the stranger; but as the boats ap- proached its lofty sides, a slight bustle could be observed on board ;— a moment’s delay occurred, and then a bright standard, glittering with stars and lined with stripes, fluttered gaily in the wind—a beautiful emblem of the Republic of the United States of North America! — A few strokes more, and the boats were alongside. The American captain received the passengers and crew with kindness ; and the, Lu- minaries felt their spirits revive with the good fare that was liberally placed before them. The noble ship pursued its way, and ina few hours entered the Thames. Gomicbooks (E(0)