CHAPTER I.

THE WANDERINGS AND FORTUNES

OF SOME GERMAN EMIGRANTS.

BY FREDERICK GERSTÆCKER.

TRANSLATED

BY DAVID BLACK.

LONDON:

DAVID BOGUE, FLEET STREET.

MDCCCXLVIII.

_Now Ready, in post octavo, 6s. cloth,_

From the "Athenæum."

The substance of this entertaining book--which relates the fortunes of a

company of German adventurers bound for the land of promise, with the

design of forming a colony there--is evidently no fiction. It is

impossible to read many pages without perceiving that the author is

telling what he must himself have seen, known, and suffered--so minute

and circumstantial is the narrative: and as he is gifted with

considerable powers of observing and describing, the reality of his work

renders it extremely life-like and engaging.

Any true account--and such, in the main, this undoubtedly is--of what

befals the exiles from Europe in their attempts to settle in the New

World, will always have a certain interest for those who remain behind.

To English readers, especially, it is something new to learn how it

fared with a party of German emigrants in North America. Of the fortunes

of many of our own countrymen who have gone thither on the same errand

we have perhaps sufficiently heard. But we are little acquainted with

what the crowds that have for many years past been leaving Germany for

the United States may have to say of their experience. We are glad,

therefore, to meet with a writer who is evidently no stranger to this

little known history; and who has not only had a personal share in the

emigrant's lot and a close acquaintance with many features of that New

World to which hope allures him, but a quick eye, as well, to read the

characters of men and things, and a ready masculine pen to record his

observations.

Herr Gerstæcker seems to be a genial observer of the humours and ways of

men, as well as apt in the business of daily life--with some readiness

in portraying both in a simple, dramatic fashion. The tempers and

oddities of the motley crew of pilgrims from Bremen are drawn with a

freshness, and a truth to the special dialects and features of the

different provinces and trades from which they were collected, that it

would not be easy to reproduce in an English translation. The smith--the

bold, burly brewer--the little tailor, half sly, half sheepish,--the

flourishing man of law--the rough, simple Oldenburgher boor--and the

meek, but somewhat too child-like pastor, are each and all kept in

consistent life-likeness throughout the whole course of the adventure;

and in many of their mishaps, and experiences, and dialogues, present

themselves with that mixture of good-natured rusticity and awkward

humour that seems to be native to the ordinary German mind. The book, in

short, is full of pleasant reading, as well as of sagacious remark--and

must take a useful place in any series of works written for the people

of a country that almost vies with our own in the number of exiles whom

it annually sends across the Atlantic.

D. BOGUE, 86, FLEET STREET.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

THE SEA VOYAGE.

The embarkation--First taste of salt water--Sea-sickness--Intestine

dissensions--The passengers--Alsatians--The Oldenburghers and their

wooden shoes--A calm--Fate of the wooden shoes--A child

overboard--Capture of a shark--A storm--Effects of the storm--Death of a

passenger--The storm abates--Complaints against the committee--The

remonstrance--The committee's vindication--Indolence of the

Oldenburghers--A stratagem--Approach to the American coast--"Ashore!

Ashore!"--Negro robbers--Termination of the voyage p. 1-43

CHAPTER II.

A WEEK IN NEW YORK.

The "Switzer's home"--Wonders of New York--"Five hundred journeymen

wanted!"--A civil countryman--The future settlement--An adventure on the

Quay--"The Switzer's home"--A night's "rest"--The "striped pig"--A

natural curiosity maker--The "striped pig" explained--Yankee dodges--Mr.

Becher's address--The promised land--The purchase completed--A Methodist

ranter--The tailor's adventure--Letters of introduction--Suspicions

against Dr. Normann--Dr. Normann's "smartness"--The separation 44-83

CHAPTER III.

THE PILGRIMAGE TO THE SETTLEMENT.

Scenery of the Hudson--The haunted island--A night on the

Hudson--Utica--A "railway hotel" repast--The Erie canal--A name for the

future town--The canal bridges--The first death--The Falls of

Niagara--American fences--Abandonment of luggage--Difficulties in the

treasury--The subscription--Cincinnati--Adventures in Cincinnati--An old

settler--The Negro barber--German-American politics--Political

spouting--Daybreak on the Ohio--Normann's love suit--The Cincinnati

"Museum"--First impressions of the Mississippi--Arrival at the Big

Halchee--The home in the wilderness 84-133

CHAPTER IV.

THE SETTLEMENT.

A night in a shanty--The watchman's horn--The woodsman's hut--Death in

the woods--The forest burial-place--A clearing on the Mississippi--A

desolate scene--The "river" and the "town"--The floods of the

Mississippi--A journey in the woods--Unpleasant forebodings--A town in

the backwoods--A "camp out"--The "dead clearing"--The "lot"

identified--The disappointment--Forest lodgings--Use of the

axe--Deer-stalking--Perils of hunting in the backwoods--Progress of

settlement--A plot and a counter-plot 131-174

CHAPTER V.

EXCURSIONS HITHER AND THITHER.

Plans for the future--How to "get along" in America--Philadelphia--The

Quaker City--Points of the compass--Letters of

introduction--Steam-voyage to New Orleans--Approach to the city--"Yellow

Jack"--A New Orleans school--American school-system--Pleasant

anticipations 175-194

CHAPTER VI.

THE SETTLEMENT--AN UNEXPECTED VISIT.

A "herd" of wild turkeys--Turkey-buzzards--A startling apparition--Dr.

Normann--The doctor's accomplice--The reconciliation--Sinister

speculations--Plans for abduction--"Bear-tracking" 195-210

CHAPTER VII.

THE FLIGHT.

Purchase of horses and cattle--Backwoods hospitality--The wolf and the

sheep--"Salting" cattle--Elbow-room in the woods--"Westward

Ho!"--Farming in the Backwoods--"Chicken fixings"--Rail-fence

making--Mutual secrets--The deer-calf--Success of the ruse--The arrival

of the cattle--Treachery discovered--Bertha's fears--The Mulatto's

sudden appearance--The abduction completed--The Serpentine

water-course--Narrow escape from discovery--The pursuers at fault--The

last gleam of hope 211-249

CHAPTER VIII.

THE MOUTH OF THE BIG HALCHEE.

The shores of the Mississippi--Girdling--Settlers' errors--New mode of

banking--Settlements by communities--Schwarz's plans--Wood-carrying on

the "go-ahead" principle--A backwoods "river"--A Mississippi steamer

captain--American hospitality--The landing--An unexpected discovery

250-268

CHAPTER IX.

TREACHERY WITHIN TREACHERY.

Normann's suspicions awakened--The Yankee's escape--The pursuit--The

deliverance--Suspense--Bertha restored to her father--An unpleasant

recognition--The mulatto's escape--Death struggle on the

Mississippi--The return to the settlement 269-290

CHAPTER X.

THE MIGRATION.

A new home--The old bachelor--A ride through the woods--The deserted

pastor--The break up of the colony--The pastor's removal--Bringing home

the bride--Two households arranged--The fortunes of some of the

colonists--Conclusion 291-310

THE

WANDERINGS AND FORTUNES

OF SOME

GERMAN EMIGRANTS.

CHAPTER I.

THE SEA VOYAGE.

The majority of the intending passengers by the new and smart bark, the

"Hoffnung," Commander Wellbach, bound for New York, were assembled at

Meier's, the host of the Hull Arms Tavern, in the ancient Hanse-town of

Bremen, prior to their departure, to hear the laws read, which had been

drawn up by a committee chosen by themselves, from among their leading

men, and to subscribe these laws. They related not only to the voyage

across the ocean, but also to the proceedings of the Emigrants on their

arrival in their new home, and were intended, as the preamble expressed

it, "to unite firmly the Emigrants in a band of friendship for the

attainment of _one_ great object."

The committee consisted of six members--namely, the Lutheran clergyman,

or, as he is styled, the Pastor Hehrmann; Becher, an advocate; a Mr. Von

Schwanthal; two brothers, merchants, named Siebert; and a gentleman

named Herbold, formerly a landed proprietor. They were zealous for the

general welfare, and had, by these laws, reserved equal rights and

assigned equal duties to each, so far at least as was compatible with

the foregone determination of buying a block of land somewhere in the

United States, immediately on their arrival in New York, of occupying

it, of tilling it, and of harvesting it in common; and such of the party

as had never handled a plough or a spade, were as pleased as children

with the thought of working hard in the New World--in the primeval

forest--and pictured to themselves how well they should relish the bread

to be raised by the toil of their own hands.

The requisite funds for the voyage, as well as a small surplus for a

beginning, had been previously handed over by each of the little

community to the elder Siebert, as treasurer, who had accordingly

bargained with the broker and paid for the passage; and when all the

passengers had signed the laws there no longer appeared to be any

obstacle to their future happiness, or, at all events, none to their

future concord and good-fellowship.

Scarcely had this been concluded before a clerk of the shipbroker

entered the room, and announced that one Peter, the master of a river

craft, would start on the following morning at seven, with the

passengers and lighter part of the baggage, such as they might want to

get at during the voyage, for the "Hoffnung," a new copper-fastened and

fast-sailing ship, then moored at Bremerhafen, waiting for them.

There remained, therefore, but one night more in their native land; even

the most callous among them felt their spirits droop at the thought, and

several wrung their hands in silence.

"How shall we feel, then," said Pastor Hehrmann, who noticed this

movement, "when the last grey strip of land disappears in the distance,

when the great desert of waters surrounds us, and our native land, which

is still ours, torn from us, perhaps for ever? 'Tis a serious step we

are taking, and let us all recollect how necessary it is for us to hold

together with heart and soul. We are to face these dangers together, we

must therefore act together for the common good, and not only unite our

interests, but sincerely love each other as brothers."

Pastor Hehrmann was a worthy man, and meant what he said, and those who

were acquainted with him knew it and honoured him. A long pause

followed; at length, the elder Siebert, not without reason, reminded the

Emigrants of their approaching departure, and that, no doubt, there must

be many little matters to buy and to provide. This string once more

touched, soon caused a universal movement and bustle; the feelings were

forgotten, and the body, particularly the stomach, for which they had to

provide, asserted its just claims.

Two large boats received the Emigrants at the hour fixed on the ensuing

morning, and all of them--including the committee and a few others of

the travellers who had preferred passing the thirty-eight miles, which

separated them from the ship, in the steamer which started five hours

later, but was so much faster--were before long under way for the ship

to which they were about to confide their property and their lives, for

an uncertain and perhaps a dangerous voyage.

They were a motley company these two boat-loads of human beings--men,

women, children, girls, and young men, all mixed together: and, as a

sharp although light wind began to curl the waves, and rocked the boats

a little, many a one felt a strange sinking at the heart, and some even

inquired of the watermen whether sea-sickness was ever known to break

out on the Weser-boats; however, they reached unscathed the large ship

which lay in the offing near Bremerhafen, whither she had been already

towed out; there, all climbed on board in confused haste, the luggage

followed, and a new world surrounded them.

But there was not much time left for reflection; the sun had nearly run

his course, and every one had yet to make arrangements for passing the

night, which seemed no easy task in the narrow space which was pointed

out to them.

A mason, who had quitted home with a wife and three little children,

asked the mate, with downcast spirit, whether they were _all_ to find

quarters in that hole; the answer was, "Yes." Nor was this all; chest

after chest, trunk upon trunk, were let down into a hold of about eleven

yards in length by but a few yards in breadth, for the sleeping berths

on either side almost filled it up, so that it appeared a puzzle to most

of the travellers how the captain was to stow his living freight, if he

had no more "rooms" for the purpose than this.

Their surveys and conjectures were cut short for awhile, by a signal

from the ship's cook, explained by the mate to mean "feeding time,"

which called all of them to a small kitchen, painted green, and fastened

to the deck by plaited ropes and iron hooks, there to "catch hold," as

the cook expressed it, of their tea and biscuit. Now, although doubtless

hands were given us to "catch hold" with, yet it did not appear how they

were to be applied for that purpose to the tea, all their vessels and

earthenware being carefully packed up in their chests and boxes.

The consequence was, that most of them had to go without tea for that

evening. There was a tanner, however, on board with a large family, who

quietly expressed his opinion that those who would go to America must

know how to help themselves, and taking hold of a large bucket, whereon

a capital "H" was painted, he got the cook, who laughingly did as he

wished, to pour the tea for his whole family into the bucket.

"I say, that's too strong for the children," quoth his wife, as she

stared into the bucket; "you had better pour some more water into it."

"But I've got none hot," pleaded the husband, who would not understand

the tea's being too strong.

"Well, then, take some cold," replied his better half; "why, the tea is

boiling hot."

The tanner with a sigh obeyed, and asked a sailor who was just hauling

up a bucketful for some of it, which request the latter, so soon as he

had been told what it was for, willingly granted, and with the most

obliging countenance in the world, he diluted the tea for them which had

been pronounced too strong.

The sailor remained standing beside them.

The tanner's wife, after merely touching the mixture with her lips, to

see that it was not too hot, poured a spoonful down the throat of her

youngest child; no sooner was it partly down, however, than he sung out

lustily, struck about him with hands and feet, and spluttered out that

which he had just taken in great haste. Frightened to death, the woman

took a gulp of the beverage herself, fearing lest she had scalded the

child; it was cool enough, but it produced nearly the same symptoms in

her as it had in the child--the tea was completely--pickled.

The sailor went back to his work, chuckling inwardly, first whispering

to the husband, "Now, do you see, you're on salt water."

Fortunately there was plenty of tea left for that evening, and the cook

gave them a second allowance.

But the time had now arrived for them to look after their sleeping

places before it was quite dark, and all crept with their mattresses and

blankets into one or other of the "berths," as the square boxes, fixed

two and two, one over another, are called, in order to have some place

to lay their heads for this night at all events, if not for the whole

voyage.

It was a scene of disorder and confusion; chests, boxes, umbrellas,

hat-cases, blankets, mattresses, and cooking apparatus, and even here

and there human beings stretched out upon them, laid about

higgledy-piggledy, in the thickening twilight, and looked like some

shapeless chaos.

The water, fortunately, remained quiet, so that no danger was to be

feared from the motion of the ship; but as the rays of the following

morning's sun lighted up the steerage, they gave the unfortunate

occupants some notion of the miseries of a sea voyage.

For, some sailors letting themselves suddenly down the two hatchways, as

though they had descended from the clouds, soon disturbed the

tranquillity which, notwithstanding the confusion, seemed to reign

below; indeed some had passed the night in such break-neck positions

that they hardly dared to move when the dawn discovered their relations

to external objects.

However, compelled by necessity, most of them clambered on deck, and

left the luggage to the sailors, who chocked and made it all fast to the

uprights, with ropes and cords, so that it might not be thrown about by

a rough sea.

The committee, who had arrived about two hours earlier than the two

boats, had taken up their quarters in the cabin, where they had arranged

themselves tolerably comfortably, with the exception of the Pastor

Hehrmann, who, remaining true to the resolution, "that we all are

equal," would have no preference over the poorer class, and had taken

possession of one of the berths close under the after hatchway, as being

one of the most airy and healthy parts of the steerage.

Everything was arranged on this day; each person had a permanent berth

allotted to him, as also a certain allowance of butter for the week, and

of beef or salt pork for the day; that done, Pastor Hehrmann read a

short prayer, and as soon as supper was over, most of the passengers

went to rest wearied with the exertions of the day.

Towards morning a light wind arose; sufficient to determine the captain

to get under weigh. The heavy anchor was weighed, and the majestic

vessel slowly stretched out towards the mouth of the river.

When they arrived there the breeze died away altogether, and the slack

sails hung about the mast; but at ten o'clock, when the greater part of

the emigrants were assembled on deck, some little black clouds arose in

the south-east, spreading themselves out and covering the whole sky; the

wind, with extraordinary rapidity, howled over the excited waters

towards the ship, filled the sails and laid her quite on one side, and

passed on over the as yet slightly curled waves.

At this stage most of the travellers who were below, more particularly

the female part of them, rushed out of the cabin, calling for the

Captain, "for," said they, "the ship is falling over." In vain did the

mate and some of the crew assure them to the contrary. "No, they had the

evidence of their senses that the ship lay all on one side, and of

course it must fall over, whether it would or no;" and then, alas! the

consequences which they painted were so dreadful, that they filled them

afresh with horror, and crying and sobbing, and no longer able to stand,

they held on by the water-casks which were fastened to the deck.

But a mightier soother than mate or captain either, now trod upon the

scene, one that not only pacified their spirits, but within a few hours

made them all as indifferent to storms and waves as though they were

reposing on their respectable stable mother-earth--this was

sea-sickness. Excited by the winds, the waves raised their crests higher

and higher, and the ship rose and fell with them; but, the higher the

waves rose the more were the hearts of the poor emigrants dejected, and

they lay about the deck with chalk-coloured faces, regardless of the

sprays which washed over them and wet them to the skin.

Pastor Hehrmann and another, a young doctor, named Werner, who, to

escape from the water which flooded the deck, had climbed into the lower

cross-trees, and taken up his quarters there, were the only persons who

were spared by the ruthless sea-tyrant; they kept in the open air and

did not feel the least inconvenience.

Things were not much better in the cabin than in the steerage; Mr.

Herbold seemed to bear it better than the rest, but even he appeared

pale and ill. The others were in a pitiable state, and the elder

Siebert, who lay in one of the lower berths, two and two having a little

cabin to themselves, at length dare not venture his head out at all; so

exactly did his brother, who rested, or rather tortured himself above,

seem to lie in wait for the opportunity of having a fresh attack of this

dreadful and not to be suppressed sickness.

Mr. Becher accounted himself as one doomed to death, and M. Von

Schwanthal affirmed that as for him he existed only in his stomach.

Fortunately this state of things was not of long continuance, for

already on the following day the wind abated, and also the waves,

although the ship continued to dance up and down merrily, and as yet but

few of the sick had completely recovered.

A general demand now arose for herrings and such like things, for those

who began to recover and to get back their appetites could not make up

their minds to the hard ship's biscuit and the salt beef and pickled

pork, and lamented for something comfortable to the stomach.

Here again, Pastor Hehrmann, who, more by accident than from any hope of

their utility, had brought a small barrel of herrings with him, was at

hand to assist them, and he divided the herrings willingly and gladly

among the convalescent.

The wind remained moderate, and everything promised a prosperous voyage.

On the fourth day they came in sight of the French town of Calais, and

the town of Dover, on the opposite English coast; sailed on the

following morning past the Isle of Wight--and on the evening of the

sixth day they entered the Atlantic Ocean.

Scarcely recovered from sea-sickness, the little community in the

steerage had by no means adapted itself with contented mind to the

novelty and inconvenience of its situation; on the contrary, they

already lived in discord and hatred among themselves, and their minds

were becoming more and more embittered.

Pastor Hehrmann, indeed, did all he could to restore peace, and was

partially successful; but fresh outbreaks were constantly occurring, and

the committee thought themselves called upon to interfere.

A cabinet-maker, who had travelled in Russia and Poland, in Denmark and

Sweden, in Prussia and Austria, as he had related a hundred times to his

patient hearers, got into a quarrel with a stout brewer--had called the

latter by some opprobrious epithet, and was knocked down in consequence

by the brewer, who had a mind to put an end to the matter at once. The

cabinet-maker was quieted, it is true, but the brewer had a harder

combat before him, for nearly all the women took part with the

vanquished, and such a storming and scolding as now arose had never

before been heard on board the Hoffnung.

Meanwhile the committee had determined to interfere, and its members

betook themselves to the hatchway of the steerage, whence a confused

murmur of voices met them.

M. Von Schwanthal, a good, amiable man, but not of the cleverest,

volunteered to allay the ferment by a short speech, and although Mr.

Becher opposed this, the rest were content. M. Von Schwanthal,

therefore, descended backwards a few steps of the stairs, little better

than a ladder, which led below, till he thought he had got far enough to

overlook the interior, and then turned round and addressed the assembly

below politely, with--"Gentlemen," (Ladies would have been more

appropriate,) when unfortunately his feet slipped forward, and he

arrived at the feet of the breakers of the peace more speedily than he

had purposed.

"Good morning, M. Von Schwanthal," said the brewer, quietly, who,

notwithstanding the noise and disturbance around him, sat very

comfortably on his large round-topped chest, filling a pipe of tobacco.

"But, my good people," cried M. Von Schwanthal, jumping quickly upon his

feet--the rest of his address was unheard, a roar of laughter drowned

his words, and mortified, and swearing inwardly, M. Von Schwanthal

regained the deck.

However, he had attained his object--peace was restored for the moment

at all events, for the people now only laughed at the mishaps of their

committee-man. But new squabbles arose daily, and the ill feeling

extended towards the committee-men whom they had themselves elected, and

who, it was suggested behind their backs, might have taken their passage

in the steerage like the rest, "for in America all men are equal."

Some Alsatian peasants were particularly warm in support of these

opinions. Their words sounded like thunder. They swore that they would

no longer be ridden over roughshod by the gentry, as they had been, but

intended to give them a bit of their mind at the earliest opportunity.

On the other hand, a little troop of Oldenburghers, consisting of twelve

stout young fellows, lived contentedly enough; they troubled themselves

about nothing, came upon deck regularly three times a day to receive

their meat and drink, and laid themselves quietly down again on their

mattresses in their berths to rest themselves, as they called it.

The whole of these worthies wore large wooden shoes, to the great

vexation of their fellow passengers; and when they lay in bed, as they

did during the greater portion of the day, they placed these shoes in

front of their berths, so that people had often tumbled over them in the

narrow dark passage through which they had to wind their way. The

Oldenburghers, notwithstanding the threats and remonstrances of the

others, would not remedy the grievance, contending that they were as

good as the rest, that in America all people were equal, and that nobody

had any right to forbid them from placing their wooden shoes where they

thought proper.

Some of the women felt their position amidst these constant bickerings

and squabbles to be a very unpleasant one, and amongst others, the wife

and daughters of the Pastor Hehrmann, who, surrounded in the steerage by

clamour, scarcely liked to leave the deck, when evening closed over

them, to venture down again into the dark hold.

The Captain, it is true, several times good naturedly offered them the

cabin for their abode, but Pastor Hehrmann would not accept it,

dreading, not without cause, lest he should thereby excite more

discontent amongst his restless countrymen, already ill enough disposed

towards their "genteel" committee-men.

Pastor Hehrmann's daughters were respectively seventeen and nineteen

years of age, and two more tender and amiable creatures never traversed

the Atlantic to accompany their parents in search of a home beyond it.

They were slim and well grown, and in their almost black hair and dark

glowing eyes one could scarcely recognise daughters of the North. They

tended their delicate mother, who had suffered seriously from sea

sickness, with care and love, and did all in their power to smoothe her

disagreeable position.

The Hoffnung had in this manner left about a hundred German miles

(nearly five hundred English miles) behind her, when one morning the

wind suddenly ceased, the sea became as smooth as glass, the ship stood

immovable, and the sun shone down clearly and cheerfully from the pure

unclouded sky.

It was such a day at sea as restores sick persons to balmy health, and

causes healthy persons to forget that they are floating on a few boards

over an almost bottomless abyss cut off from all human aid. The day

passed in rejoicing, in singing and dancing, and it was nigh midnight

before the last of the travellers betook themselves to rest, leaving the

deck to the sailors of the watch.

All was still, when a dark figure cautiously and noiselessly emerged

from the steerage; it carried something under its arms and in its hands,

approached the bulwarks and threw it over; it fell on the water with a

splash; all was silent once more, and the figure disappeared through the

hatchway.

Two sailors sitting in the bows had been spectators of this proceeding,

and endeavoured to make out what it was which the unknown person had

confided to the deep; but it was too dark, and they leaned back into

their former attitudes of repose to resume the yarn which one of them

had been spinning, when again the same figure appeared, and again, cast

something, whatever it might be, overboard.

"I say, Jack," whispered one of them to the other, "what can it be that

yon fellow is throwing overboard? it splashes so in the water; let us

see what it is."

"Oh, never mind," answered his messmate; "whatever it may be, it's

nothing belonging to us, for he fetched it out of the steerage; but I

think I see something floating on the water."

"By Jove, and so do I," replied the other; "come along; I should like to

know what it can be."

The two sailors advanced, but the figure had already withdrawn itself;

they could, however, distinctly make out some light objects upon the

smooth sea, and were still speculating upon what it could be, when the

mysterious one re-appeared for the third time, loaded as before; he

paused a moment on perceiving the two sailors, but his irresolution did

not last long, for stepping gently forward, he looked cautiously round

for a moment, and then laughingly showed the curious spectators several

pairs of wooden shoes, which he launched into the Atlantic, like the

rest.

"Well," said he, when the last consignment had been duly forwarded,

"we're rid of them, anyhow, but don't say a word, for God's sake," he

continued, seizing by the arms the two sailors, who were just about to

roar out. "Hush! I beg of you. If those bumpkins were to know that it is

I who played them this trick, they would be the death of me. But one of

them trod so heavily on my poor corns the other day with his wooden

machines, that I vowed to do it; but not a word--you promise that?"

The sailors laughingly gave their word not to betray the least hint, and

the little mischievous journeyman tailor, who, as a South German, had a

native hatred to the Low Germans, slipped down unobserved to his rest,

perfectly satisfied.

Who shall describe the noise, the abuse, and the threats on the one

side, or the rejoicing on the other, the following morning, when the

Oldenburghers, wanting to get up to breakfast, were unable to find their

wooden shoes in their accustomed places, but in lieu thereof discovered

them floating round the vessel at a distance of some hundred yards.

They cursed and threatened loudly, and requested the Captain, who was

just coming up the companion stairs, with his hands in his pockets, and

could hardly conceal his amazement, that he would let a boat be put out

to fish up the lost sheep. But he replied gravely, that the weather

looked much too suspicious; that a squall might spring up at a moment's

notice, and therefore he could not venture to leave the ship in a small

boat.

"But, Captain," said one of the much-injured lads, "where is the squall

to come from? The sky is all blue!"

"Do you see that black cloud, down yonder, near the horizon, in the

west?" asked the Captain, pointing at the same time towards that

quarter.

"No!" was the unanimous answer of the Oldenburghers.

"You don't see it? Well, it's all one--_I_ see it! Besides, you can't

tell sky from sea yet! But the cloud looks suspicious--and I wouldn't

lose a boat and four hands for all the wooden shoes that were ever

made!"

With these words he turned upon his heel, and walked down the companion

stairs again.

The Oldenburghers now applied to the committee, and demanded that they

should recover their property for them. But Mr. Becher, with a shrug of

the shoulders, gave it as his opinion that the jurisdiction of the

committee extended, it is true, to the whole of the vessel, but not for

an indefinite number of yards round her into the sea; therefore, that

the gentlemen must either make themselves comfortable--or else, fetch

the shoes themselves.

One of them was in the act of proposing, as the sea was so still, to

jump in, and to collect the fugitives by swimming; while the rest were

uttering maledictions on the head of the author of their troubles, and

announcing how they would all thrash him, if they could but catch him,

when suddenly the cry, "A shark! a shark!" was heard from the

cross-trees. It was young Werner, above alluded to, who had chosen that

elevated place as his favourite resort, and to whom all eyes were now

turned, to learn the direction in which the sea monster was to be found.

Werner pointed to the streak of light formed by the sun upon the water,

and all the voyagers distinctly perceived from the deck the dorsal fin

of the shark, standing six or seven inches out of the water.

Although several of these voracious creatures had been already round the

ship, still probably few of the travellers had seen one of them, and all

pressed to the ship's side to view the fish, as it came nearer and

nearer to the ship and the surrounding wooden shoes.

"Well, I should like to know whether he eats wooden shoes!" said the

Brewer, rubbing his hands complacently, and watching every movement of

the creature.

His wish seemed on the point of being fulfilled, for the fish,

approaching the first sabot, described a circle round it, and all

expected the immediate disappearance of the same, when a fearful

cry--such a cry as can only issue from the breast of a terrified

mother--was heard from the midst of the crowd which had pressed, full of

curiosity, to the bulwarks, and in the same moment, a heavy body fell on

the smooth surface of the waters, and sank beneath it.

"My child! my child!" cried the woman, in the very act of throwing

herself after the helpless being, which now re-appeared on the surface,

struggling and gurgling. But those who surrounded her held her back, and

gazed, in apprehension of the worst, at the swiftly-approaching shark,

which now shot forward like an arrow, its attention being aroused by the

splash of the object in the water.

Both the daughters of Pastor Hehrmann had witnessed the child's fall;

and the eldest of them, in a voice almost choked by terror, cried,

"Help! help! for God's sake!" "Launch the boat!" cried the Captain. But

there was some delay. A few seconds more must decide the fate of the

child--for the shark was scarcely ten yards distant from him, and

already seemed to scent its prey. It was then that the young man in the

cross-trees glided down a rope with the activity of a sailor, and before

any one could guess his purpose, or hinder him, sprang into the crystal

flood beneath, right before the very jaws of the fish, and coming to the

surface again, seized the child, which had just reappeared for the third

time.

A cry of admiration at this desperate boldness arose from sailors as

well as passengers; but the shark, frightened by the loud dash, and

rendered uneasy by the cries and noise on board the ship, drew back from

the booty he had almost reached, and careered around the brave swimmer

in narrow circles.

"Strike with your hands--splash--kick--make as much noise as you can!"

cried the seamen with one accord. But the Captain had caught up a rope,

and threw it to the young man, who, holding the child in his left arm,

seized the rope with the right one, and held himself afloat by it, while

he kicked out with all his force, and splashed the water far around

him.

"Sling the rope round your elbow," called the Captain, "and we can haul

you up." The young man did so; but all his bold and generous sacrifice

seemed in vain, for the shark, who by this time had found that there was

no danger to be apprehended from this quarter, shot forward once more.

The sailors, indeed, hauled the rope with their utmost strength and

goodwill, but their help seemed to come too late; for the monster was

but a few feet off from him, and was just about to turn on its back, to

snap at the body of the unhappy man, when--in that very moment--when

every one in breathless and fearful dread awaited to see the worst--a

heavy piece of meat fell into the sea, close to the open fangs of the

shark, and was swallowed by him as quick as lightning.

It is true, that this mouthful only seemed to have whetted his appetite

for more, for he turned again, and made a second movement to seize the

body of the bold swimmer, who was already half drawn up from his watery

grave; but, suddenly the shark began to lash the water with his tail,

started back several feet, and dived down.

Nobody troubled himself at the moment as to the cause of this almost

inexplicable salvation, for all that had hands hauled away to get the

poor fellow, who was almost terrified to death, on board; and he had

scarcely handed the living child to its mother, before he fell back

senseless in the arms of those around him.

But there was not a woman on board who would not now have pressed

forward to call back the fainted one into life; and the mother of the

saved child threw herself on her knees, and audibly besought the

Almighty not to rob her so soon of the saviour of her only joy.

Meanwhile, the attention of the travellers was distracted from the

patient, whom, besides, they knew to be in good hands, towards the sea,

whence a great splashing and noise resounded anew.

It was the shark, which, caught by the hook which the cook had fastened

in the lump of meat, and thrown to him in the nick of time, was striking

and tearing in the vain endeavour to regain his lost freedom. All hands

laid hold of the rope, and after a time the immense fish (for he was

about fourteen feet long) floundered on the deck, striking it till the

planks shook again.

But he did not live long--passengers as well as sailors caught hold of

whatever came to hand, and the creature, with its head shattered, soon

writhed in its own blood.

While the men, on the one hand, were thus busied with the destruction of

the life of their adversary, the women, on the other, were tending their

charge with tender care, and watching anxiously every symptom which

might announce returning consciousness.

There was no surgeon on board--as, indeed, there hardly ever is on board

of ships destined for emigrants--but the Captain had abandoned his

medicine-chest to them, and Hoffman's drops, sal volatile, and several

other powerful remedies were applied to bring the colour back to the

pale cheeks, and open the closed eyelids.

At last a deep sigh escaped from the breast of the unconscious one; the

women uttered cries of joy, and Hehrmann's elder daughter clasped her

sister's hand fervently, and called her a _good, dear_ girl, while a

tear glistened in her own eye.

Young Werner recovered, though but slowly; and it was touching to see

the woman, with the rescued child on her arm, fall down on her knees

before him, and kiss his hand, so that he could hardly prevent her. Even

the hardy sailors felt their hearts warm and soften at the sight.

All squabbles and disputes were put an end to by this occurrence, at

least for a time, and even the Oldenburghers tried to forget their

wooden shoes, particularly as, towards evening, a light East wind sprang

up and filled the slack sails, and removed the ship more and more from

them.

About midnight, however, a fresh favourable South-easter sprang up,

that sent the Hoffnung pretty fast on her destination; the sails were

filled, and the white spray splashed from her bows; the wind did not

increase for some days, so that the sea was not much agitated, the

motion of the ship gentle, and the travellers, who by degrees became

accustomed to the rocking to and fro, suffered little from sea-sickness;

even Mrs. Hehrmann, who had dropped the title of "pastoress" at Bremen,

began to recover, and was often on deck.

Young Werner, who by his boldness had made himself the favourite of the

whole ship, attached himself more especially to the family of the

Hehrmanns, and in particular was attentive to the women in contriving

and executing a number of little comforts to better or smoothe their

situation, which was by no means one of the pleasantest. Many a kind

look from the elder daughter, Bertha, was his reward, and on these

occasions he felt that a new and glad world opened itself before him, as

though he had already, on the desert seas, found a home, which he had

hoped to find in foreign distant climes.

It was late one evening; the moon, that but shortly before had poured

her friendly light upon the slightly curled sea, hid her disk, which was

nearly at the full, behind thin clouds, that floated past her quicker

and quicker, that covered her closer and closer, till at last a faint

glimmer announced the spot where she tried in vain to break a passage,

and to dispel the closing shadows.

Werner, wrapped in his cloak, had been relating the tale of his life, a

simple one, to old Hehrmann; how he had, yonder, lost all that was dear

to him; how he was bound, with the rest of his fortune, to that strange

country which is the hope and the silent longing of thousands, either to

found a new home among strangers, or else, at all events, not to be

daily reminded that he had once possessed such, and now was banished

from the threshold of his paternal house, tenanted by strange people.

The two girls, wrapped closely in their mantles, and leaning against

their father, had listened with breathless attention, when the loud

orders of the Captain, who issued his commands quickly through a

speaking-trumpet, disturbed the confidential conversation, and called

the attention of the friends to what was passing around them.

An ominous rustling and whispering from the sea greeted the ear, and the

dark waves, sprinkled as it seemed with millions of glistening stars,

rolled and tumbled together more uneasily.

The Captain's voice sounded louder and shorter, and the sailors climbed

like cats up the shrouds, ran along the yards, and fastened the loosened

and fluttering sails to them. Scarce was this dangerous work over before

a distant howling was heard. With fearful rapidity it hurried nearer,

and in a few minutes more the ship flew, with her jib and foresail only

set, like an arrow through the heaving waves.

The passengers, warned by the Captain, forsook the deck, and Pastor

Hehrmann and Werner were the only ones who defied the weather, for the

waves looked terrifically beautiful in their dark grandeur, when the

white and glowing looking foam shot past on their crests, and dissolved

itself in a thousand little sparks. At last, however, they were obliged

to quit the deck, for heavy drops fell from the clouds that towered

themselves closer and closer. They descended, not without casting many

an inquiring and fearful look towards the threatening sky, with some

reluctance into the dark between decks, whence a suffocating vapour

waved against them, and where they required some minutes before they got

used to the close and vitiated air, and ventured to breathe it freely.

A hollow sea was running; the waves struck heavily against the sides of

the ship, which quivered at each blow. Still the wind had not had time

to raise the sea much, and the good ship, heeling over to leeward, which

gives a vessel a more secure, and even a more quiet position than when

the sea is right abaft, and the lofty structure rolls from side to side,

shot forward rapidly through the dark flood, dashing the white foam

before her, so that most of the travellers sank into the arms of sleep,

quietly and heedlessly.

And Werner, too, crept into his berth, and listened for a long time,

with his ear pressed close to the ship's side, to the surging and

dashing and thundering of the waves without, until his eyes also were

weighed down by weariness, and he found in his dreams the happiness that

he was now driving through storms and waves to seek.

A wild and confused cry, the lumbering and crashing of heavy objects,

and an almost stupifying acute pain in the head, awoke him. He opened

his eyes in terror and wonder; but although pitchy darkness surrounded

him, he could distinguish that the ship must have changed her course,

and therefore now leaned over on the side he was on, for his head laid

low down, while his feet were elevated. He quickly changed his position.

But the fearful noise between decks continued, and, creeping out of his

berth, he soon became aware of the shocking condition in which he, as

well as all his fellow-passengers, was placed.

In the space which separates the two rows of sleeping places, there

stand beams or pillars, ten feet apart from each other, destined as well

for the support of the deck, which rests upon them, as for the security

of the luggage within, and to these the chests and boxes, the trunks and

packages, which are to be used, or their contents consumed, by the

travellers on the passage, and therefore cannot be put into the hold,

are lashed with ropes; and this is always done by the sailors, in order

that, in the event of a sudden squall, or of continued stormy weather,

the heavy baggage may not be hurled hither and thither in the narrow

space, and endanger the limbs or lives even of its closely-packed

tenants.

This had been, and properly, done on board the Hoffnung, and that in

such wise that most of the lids and covers could be opened, and so

permit the free use of their provision and clothes' stores; but one of

the countrymen, not comprehending the evil consequences of its omission,

had unfastened one of the ropes--notwithstanding the cautions of several

of his fellow-passengers--to enable him to take something out of his

chest more conveniently.

The little tailor, who lay in the berth over his, probably had some

indistinct vision of chests and boxes dancing about, for he tried to

fasten the rope again, but not being initiated in the mystery of tying

such knots, he was only partially successful. When, therefore, the ship

began to rise and jerk about, when the whole weight of the luggage swung

over, first to this side and then to the other, the knot was loosened,

and first the little packages and boxes came tumbling down from their

elevations, and at last the heavy artillery, the immense storehouses of

the emigrants, followed.

It is true that, with praiseworthy zeal, several of these latter jumped

out of their berths so soon as they observed the danger, but such was

the mad motion of the ship that they could hardly keep on their legs,

much less govern these heavy bodies, and a sudden movement of the ship

throwing every thing towards them, compelled them hastily to retreat to

their berths, which were protected by stout planks, in order to avoid

being injured or crushed by the approaching chests.

Their position was a fearful one, and was rendered more so by the cries

of a young lad who had been trying to reach the opening towards the

deck, and had been seriously hurt by one of the chests which rolled

against him; while on all sides the shrieks of women, the cries of

children, and the groans and retching of the sea-sick, resounded from

the berths. It was a scene of dreadful confusion, and in vain did they

all call for the sailors to help them; none of them could have been of

any use in the darkness, had they had leisure to attend to the unhappy

passengers.

It was then, when every one believed that the terror had reached its

height, and could not be increased, that a cry of dread and agony

pierced through the noise and tumult, and even the children and the sick

stopped their lamentations to listen to that sound, and to the momentary

complete silence which succeeded the tumult; but it was only for a

moment that cry of fear; "A corpse, a corpse!" echoed from berth to

berth, from mouth to mouth.

Among the passengers on board the Hoffnung there was an old woman, a

widow, and her only daughter, who had gone out at the request of her

son, a cabinet-maker in New York. He, being in tolerably easy

circumstances, wished to have his poor old mother, who fared poorly

enough in Germany, beside him; and had sent home the means to enable her

and his sister to make the voyage over, to come and live with him.

The poor old woman, however, who was ailing when she came on board, and

had been much shaken by the sea sickness, no doubt in the confusion and

terror of that night considered the destruction of the ship inevitable,

and fear hastened the catastrophe for which bodily weakness and illness

had prepared the way.

She died, pressed to the heart of her daughter, who convulsively

embraced her; and it was the latter, feeling her mother's body at her

breast grow cold, who had uttered the shriek of terror and agony.

But all their prayers for help were vain; the poor young girl was alone

obliged to preserve the corpse from the rolling of the ship, and there

she lay for some hours with her dead mother in her arms.

Day, which had been so ardently and fearfully longed for, broke at last,

and with it came help in their really shocking need.

Eight sailors and the second mate came below to the unfortunate people,

and in danger of their lives, and not without several severe bruises,

made fast the chests and boxes once more, while the ship heaved yet more

madly, and rolled from side to side.

The first thing to be done was to remove the corpse from between decks;

but in vain did the second mate beg of the girl to part with her

mother's body to him; she only clasped it more tightly and declared that

she would only part with her in death. In vain did Pastor Hehrmann

endeavour to persuade the poor creature, and to induce her to give way

to the reasonable and pressing request of the seaman; she would not, and

her wild and incoherent words led to fears of the worst for herself; it

was only when, exhausted by the exertions and the horrors of the night,

she fell back in a swoon, that the sailors succeeded in taking from her

the stiffened corpse, which was quickly, then and there, sewed in a

large piece of sail cloth for more convenient transport on deck, and in

order thence to be committed to the deep.

The Captain, meanwhile, had made room in the cabin for Pastor Hehrmann's

family, and had the women at least, and their beds, removed thither.

Mrs. Hehrmann, indeed, was more dead than alive, and she scarcely could

have got through such another night of terror. The Pastor himself no

longer opposed this removal, for he could not help seeing that his

family, although not brought up in luxury, yet never had been exposed to

similar sufferings, and could hardly have borne a life surrounded by

such scenes--but he himself would not forsake the steerage.

There the scene was a shocking one, and pen or pencil would be too weak

to attempt its description.

The corpse was carried by the sailors towards the hatchway, and there

handed to those above, who laid it on a plank and bore it to the lee

side of the vessel.

In spite of the rolling of the ship, in spite of the constant washing

of the waves across the deck, although none other of the passengers, no,

not even the committee, came to his side, the worthy Pastor Hehrmann,

amidst the howling of the storm and the dashing of the waves, spoke a

brief service for the dead over the body of the poor old woman, for whom

the wild waves, instead of the arms of an affectionate son, now waited.

The corpse was then lifted on the edge of the bulwarks, which were

gliding, with an arrow's speed, through the foaming waters, and scarcely

two feet elevated above them, (so inclined was the ship,) and in the

next minute the sea engulfed its victim.

But where, in this time of need and sorrow, was the committee, who had

pledged themselves to provide during the voyage for the well-being and

comfort of the travellers who had confided themselves to their care?

Where was this committee, when all were calling for them, and wished for

their help, or at all events their sympathy? Alas, the poor committee

itself lay in the most pitiable condition, sea sick to a fearful degree,

up and down about the cabin. The Captain could not be blamed if he swore

a little, and declared that in whatever part of his cabin he got to, he

could not help treading upon some member of this "extensive" committee,

who, deaf to everything beside, only sighed and groaned, and called on

death to relieve him from his misery.

When the Captain told them of the case of death in the steerage, M. Von

Schwanthal, raising himself a little by a leg of a camp stool, dolefully

exclaimed, "Alas, who could the old woman be!" and sank back again

exhausted, whilst the other members said nothing, but merely shook their

heads gently and significantly.

Mid-day approached, and the cook's call to dinner was heard, but few

followed this call; and again, scarce a third of these few executed

their bold resolve, under such circumstances, of eating, as well as

fetching, their dinners. The Brewer got as far as the hatchway ladder,

where he remained lying, and was only aroused by a dishful of rice,

which, with its bearer, a journeyman tailor, came flying down on the top

of him. But he bore no malice. Misfortune had made all equal; they

remained lying near each other; and one of the sailors remarked, that

"that was the fattest piece of beef he had ever met with in the

rice-soup."

The sea was majestic to behold--the gigantic waves which were excited,

rolled and lifted up themselves, shaking off, when at their greatest

height, the white foam from their crests, and then plunging down again,

and with their powerful shoulders pressing forward another, often a yet

more gigantic mass of foaming ocean.

Whole companies of large porpoises, rolled and tumbled about in the

angry element, allowed themselves to be lifted up to the very summit of

the waves, and then leapt, as in play, from the descending wave out into

the dark blue flood, streaked and marbled with veins of white foam,

constantly repeating their play anew till they disappeared behind the

watery mountains, and were only visible again for a moment when the ship

was raised on some gigantic wave, and could survey, as from a tower, the

whole excited foaming and boiling desert of water.

The storm lasted during three days; the ship with her jib only set, for

they had been obliged to take in the foresail, drove to leeward, the

rudder was lashed, and the sailors upon duty on deck were obliged to

secure themselves by ropes from being washed overboard by the sea, which

struck over the ship with fearful violence. At last, on the fourth day,

the storm seemed inclined to abate. It is true that the sea ran as high

as before, for the monster could not pacify itself at once; but a hope

was now revived at least of more peaceable times, and that partially

allayed the despair of the passengers; but it was not until the sixth

day, when the sea had almost entirely abated, and the ship flew through

it, leaning on one side, but no longer rocking backwards and forwards

as before, when the sails could be set and the rudder managed, that the

sea-sick recovered, and even some individual members of the committee

made their appearance on deck, pale, and with sunken cheeks and

lack-lustre eyes.

Mrs. Hehrmann improved rapidly in health during the last few days: the

sickness seemed to have exhausted its virulence upon her, and to have

yielded to a stronger nature. Her improvement was almost visible; and

she passed nearly the whole day upon deck, where, attended by her

daughters, and strengthened by the more generous diet of the cabin, she

appeared to absorb new life-juices from the pure sea air.

The poor girl, from whom, when in an unconscious state, they had taken

the dead mother, did not fare so well. Her reason had, it is true,

returned; but she lay in her berth in a high fever. In the stillness of

the night, her mind often wandered to her mother, and in her delirium

she spoke words of comfort to her, and assured her that she would soon,

very soon, see her son again.

The women took the poor creature under their care, and nursed her as

well as they could.

But now the old grudge, which festered in the hearts of the steerage

passengers towards the committee, began to ferment afresh: How much had

not the committee promised, and how little, how very little had it

performed! Were _they_ to bear it quietly, and without grumbling? Were

they to look on, while they were neglected, and, perhaps, even laughed

at behind their backs? Were they to let these fellows carry themselves

so high, while _they_ suffered tortures which they had not before

thought possible? No, they would argue the matter at least; no one could

forbid that; for as to _acting_, unfortunately they had themselves

parted with their weapons for the purpose. For, before leaving Bremen,

where the separate articles of agreement were drawn up, all had by

mutual contract, and by the deposit of a small fund in the hands of the

treasurer, M. Siebert, sen., who was chosen by acclamation, obliged

themselves, upon their arrival in their adopted country, to buy a

certain number of acres of land, as many as their means would permit, in

a district to be chosen by the committee, and, as already stated, to

clear it and to cultivate it in common. For this purpose, there were not

only agriculturists for the tillage itself, but they had also a smith, a

wheelwright, brewer, tailor, shoemaker, glazier, cabinet-maker, weaver,

and almost all other necessary artisans, so that, as observed by the

committee, they were assured against accident, and dependent upon

nobody.

They had even provided themselves with tools; and although the Captain,

before starting, warned them against carrying over German utensils and

tools, and indeed in general, as he expressed it, "from carrying over

German customs, and German iron, and little German silver," yet neither

the committee nor the rest could be brought to see it in this light, and

some seventy hundredweight of agricultural and other implements--such as

axes, hatchets, saws, chains, ploughs, scythes, and even carts and

waggons, had been got on board and brought across. The freight on board

ship, it is true, was not very high, and although the captain here again

called their attention to the expensive carriage to their place of

settlement in America, yet all the members of the committee, with the

exception of the Pastor Hehrmann, who was inclined to believe in the

reasoning of the old seaman, had read too much about America, and the

manners and usages there, not to be aware that tools were very dear in

the interior, and even that in certain places they were not to be had;

it is true that they did not exactly know whether they should alight

upon these certain places; but they thought that they ought to provide

for the worst, since it was possible that they might. The great mass

cordially approved of this; indeed, most of the emigrants could not

imagine how they could work with tools of a different construction from

those to which they had been accustomed from infancy upwards, and in

this particular were well satisfied with their committee.

The expense of the passage and of the land journey to their ultimate

destination was to be defrayed out of the deposited money, and then the

residue was to be applied, so far as it would extend, in the purchase of

land, and the committee undertook to subscribe such funds as might be

required for any further needful expenses themselves. But the committee

were especially to see that a healthy and good tract of land was

selected, and that it should be conveyed and assured to them in due form

as their sole property; for there was not one of the party but had heard

of the frequent occurrence of frauds there, and who did not fear them;

that, then, everything should be divided and allotted, according to

right and justice, as well labour as property; and it was one of the

chief conditions--and indeed one that was of course--that the committee

were, generally, not only in their adopted country, but on the voyage

out, to keep in view the interests of the members who had confided in

them, to protect and to provide for them.

Mr. Becher for this purpose had made an extraordinary address to the

meeting, at the Hull Arms, in Bremen, with which all were particularly

pleased, if for no other cause, because he addressed them invariably as

"Citizens;" one expressed his opinion, before they went on board, that

never before had any one made such a speech to them. They confided

implicitly in the committee; but this concord received a severe shock

from the complete neglect with which the poorer portion of the emigrants

were treated even on board ship; sea-sickness, it is true, quieted their

minds for a time; but the storm which had left the ocean, passed into

the hearts of the steerage passengers, and they would not admit the

propriety of the committee eating their pudding while they got only

bacon and split pease.

It might be borne, the Brewer considered, if they did not carry the

savoury dishes from under their very noses, but that it was just as if

they did it on purpose to make game of them. The steward, or cabin

attendant, namely, was obliged to pass through amongst them, every time

that he carried the dinner into the cabin, and the smell of the roast

meat and pastry had contributed not a little to raise their bile against

the committee.

It happened, one morning, when Pastor Hehrmann (who otherwise always

quieted the dissatisfied by his reasonable representations--remedied

that which he himself considered wrong--and kept the disturbers of the

peace in order,) was seated beside his family, near the wheel, and was

gazing at the broad and sunny expanse, dotted here and there with a

distant sail, that the revolt grew apace, and the good people did, as

most others in their place would have done--they _resolved_ to revolt,

if they did not actually do it.

But, in order to bring their grievances before those who were to blame,

they agreed to send deputies to the committee to represent to the latter

the irregularity of their proceedings; to request a change; and to get

the promise, which they had formerly made, renewed by them, or otherwise

to demand the return of the deposits, so that each of them might again

do as they liked.

This last point, in particular, found many supporters, and so far all

was well; but the little circumstance remained--who was to say all this

to the committee?

Unquestionably the tailor had the best tongue, but he was only a

journeyman. One of them--it was the brewer--therefore proposed Werner,

and all immediately concurred in the choice.

As he was not present, they sent everywhere in search of him, to fetch

him, and to communicate the resolution to him.

But he was sitting up aloft, gazing dreamily, not at the wide rolling

sea, not at the distant ships that steered past with their sunny sails,

not at the sea-mews or the Mother Carey's chickens, that were wantoning

about the Hoffnung, sometimes skimming over the surface of the splashing

waters, as if the top of each wave must reach the bold creatures and

drag them down--sometimes diving with the quickness of lightning into

the flood, as bright as crystal, and coming to the surface again loaded

with their booty; no, he gazed at the steerer, who, wheel in hand, was

looking earnestly, first at the compass, then at the top-gallant sails,

to see that they caught the wind fully.

And who was this helmsman?--some rough strong figure, in a coarse blue

jacket and Scotch bonnet--some bearded physiognomy, with dark brows and

sunburnt features? No; he wore a gay-coloured light dress, a light-blue

silk handkerchief, loosely slung round the white neck, dark curls,

lifted by the soft south wind and fluttering round the dear rosy

face--in short, it was Pastor Hehrmann's elder little daughter,

Bertha--who was here learning to steer the ship from the chief mate, and

indeed showed herself so teachable, that the grave man let her hold the

helm herself and stood looking on, and smiling when the ship would not

immediately answer the rudder, and she leaned with all her strength on

the spokes; and then, when she saw her come round and follow the

prescribed track, merrily shook the long flowing curls from her face;

perhaps, also, at the same time, she stole a shy, pleased glance

upwards--of course merely to observe the sails.

Thrice already had a sailor, dispatched by the brewer, been into the

top, and pressingly requested Werner to come below, before he obeyed the

call; and then, discontented and grumbling at being obliged to quit his

perch, slid down a rope. Hardly had he arrived in the steerage before

all thronged round him, and twenty at once tried to make him comprehend

a story which he could not understand from any of them--at last, he

found out what was passing, and what was wanted of him. However, he

briefly declined the honourable offer, as he called it, giving as his

sole reason for so doing, that he did not belong to the association

formed in Bremen, and consequently had no right to act as its

mouthpiece; that he could not interfere with what the committee might

commit or omit; and that if he were to do so, they would merely have to

ask him what business it was of his, and he should be silenced. He

thanked them in brief and friendly words for their confidence, and

quickly climbed aloft again. Now good counsel was scarce, and they

really knew not whom to choose.

"Well, then," said one of the peasants at last, "I'll go myself; what

need is there for fine speeches? I'll tell them my mind, and what we

have agreed upon."

"That's right, Schmidt," all the others echoed. "You go; you know what

you're about, and you'll tell them what they ought to be told."

No sooner said than done. Schmidt, accompanied by the brewer and the

shoemaker, took his departure with prompt and firm step; had himself

announced to the Captain by a sailor. He came to them immediately; but

on hearing what they wanted, referred them to the cabin, where the whole

of the committee, with the exception of Pastor Hehrmann, were quietly

playing at whist.

The cabin of the Hoffnung was very prettily arranged; everything was of

mahogany, the tables of lighter coloured wood, and the sides surmounted

by a brass edging; the little windows were hung with pink curtains, and

two large massive mirrors were let into the sides, below which were soft

red-coloured sofas.

Poor Schmidt felt quite nervous on entering this splendid cabin, and he

began to stammer a part of his speech, when the elder Siebert, who

observed his embarrassment, and perhaps had some guess of what brought

the people there, with a patronizing air spoke to him, and called him,

"My good man."

This brought old Schmidt round directly; his bile was raised, and he

delivered all that he had got to say in a straightforward manner;

pointed out to the several members their promises, and required their

performance, or else the return of the money which was in their hands.

Pastor Hehrmann, who had followed them below, endeavoured to speak to

him in a friendly spirit, but Schmidt turned sulkily away, and said,

"Oh, I know very well that you mean well, but still the others do as

they like."

"My dear Mr. Schmidt," Mr. Becher now began, "you will pardon me if I

call your attention to one or two little errors in your ideas. You

reproach us with being careless of your welfare; that we are luxuriating

here while you are suffering; that we have every convenience in the

world, as you were pleased to express yourself, while you laid in the

steerage; that we looked down upon you, and intended to tread you and

your honoured friends--allow me, if you please--under foot. But tell me,

my dear Mr. Schmidt, how have we deserved these accusations? What have

we done to arouse your anger?--let me conclude, I beg. We have taken up

our abode here in the cabin, instead of in the steerage with you; but

was not that for your good rather than for our own? Are there not quite

people enough already in that narrow space, without us? and don't we pay

_our own_ hard cash for those conveniences which we enjoy here?

"You reproach us with neglecting you! you must blame the Captain for

that. The rules of the ship are strict; the steerage passengers are not

allowed in the cabin, and as little are the cabin passengers allowed in

the steerage! Do you require greater equality? You say that we feast

here while you starve. Have you not a supply of good healthy food in the

steerage?--meat every day, and plenty of vegetables? coffee in the

morning, tea in the evening, good butter and ship's bread, even a

pudding on Sundays, with plums and syrup? Do you call that starving? or

is the diet bad, eh?"

The three deputies shook their heads with one accord.

"Well, what more have we," the orator continued, "except what we pay

dearly for? We want to tread you under foot! My dear Mr. Schmidt, _how_

have we deserved this accusation? What has happened that could make you

believe such a thing? No; we respect your rights, we feel that we are

all only men; men, the work of the same Creator, and made after his

image, and that we are bound for one adopted country on a single and

mutual object. Gentlemen, I feel myself honoured, in being your equal,

to stand as an equal to such worthy men, and I believe that I may pledge

myself for all my fellow committee-men to these sentiments."

A low murmur of assent was the reply. Pastor Hehrmann had placed himself

at the window, and was looking out at the waves.

"I see," continued Mr. Becher, following up his advantage, "you feel the

truth of what I have just said; but if you consider us selfish, bad

men--if you think that we are capable of deceiving or taking advantage

of you--if you believe that our intentions are not pure and good--well,

there stands Mr. Siebert--he will cheerfully repay the sums which are in

his hands, but at the same time with deep regret that you, my worthy

countrymen, should have entertained distrust towards him and us."

Mr. Becher ceased, and looked down in a melancholy manner. Honest

Schmidt, however, who had expected pride and haughtiness, and was ready

to meet them, had been by no means prepared to be spoken to and received

with so much civility; and being himself an honest upright man, not

readily suspicious of others, he gave Mr. Becher good-heartedly his

hand, which that gentleman pressed and shook warmly, and Schmidt assured

the committee that they must not take it amiss; that he was a little

unpolished and rough, but meant well; and that as he and his friends saw

that the committee were not proud, and intended to perform what they had

promised, there existed no longer any reason why they should ask for a

return of their money, and he would therefore go and tell the rest in

the steerage that everything was settled, and that they had nothing to

fear.

The three deputies then retired, amidst mutual assurances of friendship.

Mr. Becher followed them with his eye until they passed up stairs, and

had disappeared above; he then turned round, and, embracing his friend

Siebert, assured him, with affected tone, (imitating Schmidt's voice,)

that they were all free and equal as the Almighty had created them, and

that they would hold together through trouble and in death.

Mr. Von Schwanthal, meanwhile, with a very long face, shuffled the cards

again and again, and assured these two, who laughed heartily, that it

was no joking matter; that the people were in earnest, and were not

altogether wrong; that for his own part, however, he did not exactly see

_how_ they were to arrange matters in America; for, after all, such a

perfect equality was not easily adopted.

"And _why_ not?" Pastor Hehrmann interrupted him. "If we are all

animated by strong and public-spirited feelings; if we all resolve only

to act in such a manner that the whole may prosper; if we lay aside all

petty, personal objects; if we----"

"But, my dear Mr. Pastor, we want to play whist," young Siebert

interrupted him, laughing. "Let us first get to this land of promise,

and all that will follow as of course."

"Well, I'm content," said Mr. Von Schwanthal, sighing, and handing the

cards to be cut; "I shall be very pleased if all goes well."

Pastor Hehrmann returned upon deck to his family, whilst Becher, Von

Schwanthal, and the two Sieberts continued their game. But Herbold

walked up and down the cabin, with his hands crossed behind him, and

wearing a very thoughtful countenance; and he whistled so loud that at

last Becher begged him, for Heaven's sake, to leave off.

In the steerage, meanwhile, all seemed to be pacified again; the fact

that Mr. Becher had offered to return them their money left no doubt as

to his sincerity: and as to the other points, they were content to

assent to them; all they wanted was, to have their equality

acknowledged, and that the committee should see that they would not "put

up" with anything.

The wind blew pretty favourably from the south-southwest, and the ship

flew along bravely, with all sails set, through the slightly ruffled

waves. They were now off the so-called Bank of Newfoundland, and were

approaching nearer and nearer to the American continent: the captain

even had the lead sounded, but without as yet finding bottom. A glowing

heat lay upon the water, and the burning sun shone almost

perpendicularly down upon the travellers, who felt more and more the

continued monotony of the voyage.

Although squabbles occurred daily in the steerage, yet, in general,

peace was easily restored; the spirits were at rest--almost too much at

rest; for a portion of the Emigrants, especially the Oldenburghers, lay

so immoveably in their berths all day, that there was no getting any

fresh, healthy air below. Werner remained the whole day through upon

deck, for he could not, as he declared, endure the stifling atmosphere

below; and almost all the women complained bitterly of the want of pure

air in their sleeping places. Pastor Hehrmann first tried to rouse these

"immoveables," but in vain; then came Becher, who put to them a number

of cases, showing the evil consequences of so much rest, as he called

it. It was in vain. Even Siebert tried his luck, with the same want of

success. The good folks lay still, and asserted quietly, "That _they_

were quite comfortable--and that those who were not so, might go above;

that they compelled no one to remain below, and could not understand why

they should be compelled to go on deck." In fact, they remained where

they were; and the Committee, at their wits' end, turned at last to the

Captain--he promised a remedy.

At last, one fine morning, when the sun was shining warmly and

refreshingly on deck, he had the idlers asked once more to come upon

deck, and as the summons was unheeded, the word of command was given

down both hatchways, "All on deck!--all on deck!"

This, too, was unavailing; it had been tried several times already. But,

when all the well-disposed had obeyed, and women and children had left

the between-decks, several sailors simultaneously descended the two

hatchways, four of them, provided with pots of tar and red hot irons,

and two with pans of sulphur. When the latter had ignited their

brimstone, the others dipped their irons in the tar, and such a vapour

immediately filled the hold, that the sailors, familiar as they were

with climbing up and down, could scarce find their way into the open

air, where they were received with hurrahs by the Emigrants.

Meanwhile, it fared very ill with the poor "immoveables," who tried in

vain to find their way to the hatchways; they could neither find them

nor their way back to their berths, but were obliged to wrap their

jackets round their heads, and throw themselves on the ground, there,

half suffocated, to await the drawing off of the dreadful smoke. But the

remedy was effectual--for on the following morning, when the voices of

the two sailors were heard at the hatchways, not one passenger was

missing from on deck.

All had now recovered--even the poor girl had got better under the

careful nursing of the women, assisted by some medicines ordered by

Werner, and she met with every assistance and sympathy which she could

expect, under such circumstances and in such a position.

But the longed-for coast now drew nearer and nearer, and the passengers,

by this time grown impatient, expected daily to see the wished-for shore

rise out of the blue distance; the lead had been twice successfully

cast, and the depth found announced the neighbourhood of the coast.

One morning, the glad cry of "Land! land!" resounded in their ears, and

before the eyes of those who were half awake could distinguish the low

blue stripe, almost fading in the horizon, and stretching out towards

the north-west, a charming little cutter shot towards them, with the

speed of an arrow, through the waves; the flag of the United States, the

stars and stripes, fluttered at the mast, and in a few minutes more the

pilot, a tall, haggard-looking man, in a black dress coat, dazzling

white linen, and a large gold watch-chain, sprang, with a bound, up the

ship's side.

With wonder, bordering upon awe, the steerage passengers gazed at the

pilot, who was no sooner on board than he took upon himself the complete

command of the ship, and ordered the sailors about as though he had made

the whole voyage out with them. He was the first actual living American

whom they had seen, and spoke real English.

There remained, however, but short time for astonishment, for the wind

was favourable, and the Captain announced that they should cast anchor

that very evening. Hereupon every one had a variety of little matters to

look after and get in order, and most of them scarcely cast another

glance upon either the pilot or the land.

The magnificent coast stood out more clearly and distinctly every

minute; at first, the mere outline of the hills was discernible, and

certain hollows and promontories--then darker and lighter spots could be

distinguished--the eye was able to separate field from woodland. There a

house started up--is it, perhaps, some farm, inhabited by Germans? Over

yonder, there stand some single trees, and farther to the

right--yes--something moves: it is a flock, there are living creatures

on the shore, and the searching gaze might soon detect men--human

beings--who moved backwards and forwards, and it soon even became a

question of indescribable interest whether that man yonder, to the right

of the projecting tree, and to the left of the red roof, wore--a hat or

a cap! Every trifle was narrowly examined, and it was only when they

came nearer and nearer, and new objects were constantly crowding forward

into notice, that they turned their attention to the grandeur of the

whole scenery.

It was a delightful view. That beautiful bay, with its meadows and its

woods, fields and buildings, its forts and its many ships, bathed in the

magic of a new, unknown, and long-desired country. None of the Emigrants

knew yet the many cares and privations which, perhaps, awaited them

there. None saw in the splendid landscape spread out before them, all

the want, all the sorrow, that reign among the indwellers of this, as of

every other country; they saw only the beautiful sparkling shell, and

concluded that the kernel must of course be good.

Towards evening, the heavy anchor rolled into the deep, and a little

boat, bearing several medical men, and with a yellow flag flying, came

up to them. The doctors examined the state of health of the passengers,

and pronounced it satisfactory.

Still, the "Hoffnung" remained this night without further communication

with the shore, and it was not until the following morning that a little

coasting vessel, with two schooner sails, came alongside, and took the

steerage passengers on board, to conduct them to the Quarantine

Buildings, where their luggage was to be examined, and they themselves

were to remain for twenty-four hours longer.

Here, again, their concord was near being disturbed; for the committee

remained on board. Werner, however, pacified them, by the assurance that

it could not be helped, for that they dared not even go on shore with

them--that such was the regulation; but they would now shortly set foot

on land, and every distinction would cease.

This consoled the people; they assisted to carry over their things to

the Quarantine House, and were soon busily engaged studying the

thousands of names which former emigrants had written in pencil upon the

rough-hewn timbers of which the building was composed. Many a one found

there the name of some old acquaintance, and hastened to incorporate his

own in the general register. Pencils were in demand.

But how many elegant verses, gnawed by the tooth of Time, passed into

decay here in retirement! how many effusions of a pure poetical frenzy,

seizing on the poor exile torn from his home to this foreign, friendless

shore, disappeared, without a trace, among the mass of names! Werner

copied some of them into his pocket book--

"Now we'll all sing Hallelujah,

For we are in America."

Another--

"For all that we've suffered I don't care one button,

Now that we've plenty of fresh beef and mutton!"

Although the Quarantine House was distant a few hundred yards only from

the shore, (it was built like an island in the water,) yet the Emigrants

had hitherto in vain asked for permission to go across. At last some

boats came over, and the cheerful cry, "Ashore! ashore!" resounded from

lip to lip.

All, however, did not avail themselves of the permission; some would not

leave their things, which stood there unprotected; others considered the

fare demanded higher than suited their views; in short, there might be

about fifteen, who, jumping joyously into the boat, were rowed ashore to

their adopted country, whose soil they were now about to set foot on for

the first time.

And now, no doubt, they fell down and kissed the longed-for land, hugged

the trees, shook the Americans as their new brothers heartily by the

hand, embraced them, and in their turn were received by these latter

equally cordially and affectionately, and as newly acquired brethren and

fellow citizens, who had just been endowed with sacred Liberty!

No; they inquired for the nearest tavern, where some fresh bread,

cheese, and beer, were to be had, and were laughed at by the Americans

on account of their speech and their costume. But they found what they

were looking for, and without bestowing a single glance at the town,

which they said they should see enough of by and by, they stormed into

the public room of the inn with joyful haste, "in order to get the salt

taste out of their mouths," as the brewer expressed it.

Their entrance was characteristic. The brewer stepped up to the bar, and

in a deep, sonorous voice pronounced the single word "Beer," but with

such emphasis, with such feeling, with such infinite longing, that one

could see at a glance what the man had suffered since he had been

deprived of its enjoyment. He knew besides that the same word signified

beer in English as in his own language, and, indeed, had already

intimated, on board ship, his conviction that in all languages it must

be called "Beer," for that it could not be expressed otherwise.

Several of the passengers had zealously studied English aboard ship; the

tailor had been particularly industrious in this respect, and he now

determined to make a trial of his acquirements, as he naturally supposed

himself to be surrounded by Englishmen, or rather by persons who spoke

nothing but English. With a face of great importance, therefore, he

walked up to the bar, and asked loudly, and, as he supposed, distinctly,

for a "A porschen hemm," (a portion or plateful of ham.)

He was taken aback very much by the simple answer of the hostess, who,

in broad German, smacking a good deal of the Swabian twang, asked him,

for Heaven's sake, to speak German, for she understood that much better

than his English.

The passengers were not a little pleased to meet with a countrywoman,

who was already in America, and the evening passed with incredible

swiftness, amidst full bowls, and good, strengthening, and long-missed

food.

Werner had remained but a short time beside them, and had gone and

seated himself on the beach, gazing dreamily out upon the wide sea that

had borne him thither. Long and steadfastly did his eye rest upon the

proud ship whose red-and-white chequered flag fluttered in the fresh

wind, resting upon the waters with sails taken in, like some wearied

bird, and only slightly rocked by the gently heaving waves. Yonder

structure contained all to which his heart was attached, and he felt

almost impelled to swim across and climb up its side in infinite

longing.

He still sat there when deep night had sunk upon the misty expanse of

waters, and the hull of the ship and the water on which it rested

disappeared in the dull darkness; the sharp line of the masts alone

stood out in relief against the lighter horizon, in which many a

friendly star glanced through the driving clouds, when he thought that

he heard something move in the bushes behind him--he looked round, he

listened--all was quiet--only the lights shone from out the not distant

houses, and human voices sounded from them over towards him.

He arose; it began to grow cool; the night air was damp; he cast but

another glance towards the peaceful ship, from whose cabin also a light

now shone out, and turned towards the neighbouring inn, when two dark

figures rushed upon him, and at the same instant a blow from a stick,

narrowly missing his temples, at which it was aimed, descended upon him.

"Help!" cried he, seizing one of his aggressors, who he now saw were

negroes, by the throat; but a second better directed blow descended with

fearful force upon his forehead, protected only by a thin cap; his

senses left him, and he sank down unconscious.

How long he might have lain there he knew not; when he came to himself

again he found himself in the midst of his travelling companions in the

Quarantine-house, and the poor girl whom he had healed, and the woman

whose child he had saved, supporting his head and bathing his wounds.

He gazed around in astonishment, for in fact he did not at once

discover where he was, and although awake, he thought he must be

dreaming, when, looking up, he saw the room in which he was, from the

roof of which, consisting of rough-hewn beams, a lantern was suspended,

throwing a dim, indistinct light around--and he heard the words and the

murmur of voices around him. But the women had observed his waking, and

their cheerful call immediately brought all the emigrants round the

couch of the sufferer.

A hundred questions were directed to him simultaneously, and in vain did

he ask himself for an explanation of what had taken place. It was some

time before the tumult was allayed, and he learnt that his cry for

assistance had fortunately been heard, and, as such attacks had

occasionally been made in that quarter before, it had been attended to.

The scoundrels, disturbed by the men who hurried towards them, had

robbed him of nothing besides his purse. His pocket-book, which he

carried in a coat-pocket behind, and which contained the whole of his

little stock of money, had, fortunately, thanks to their speedy

assistance, escaped.

With his purse, he might have lost, according to his statement, some

five or six dollars. But all attempts to overtake the robbers had proved

vain; under cover of the night they had reached the neighbouring woods,

and were secured by them from further pursuit.

Werner soon recovered, and--with a cool bandage round the wound received

from the bludgeon--slept throughout the night softly and tranquilly.

On the following morning a little boat carried him and two other

steerage passengers to the steamboat, which was at hand, and merrily

getting the steam up to start from Staaten Island for New York; but

scarcely had he put foot upon its deck, before he met the eyes of

Bertha, who, standing by her sister's side, had not noticed his arrival,

until she caught sight of his pale face and the white handkerchief tied

round his head.

The blood left her cheeks, as she asked him, in a tremulous voice, what

had happened; but, before he could reply, he felt the hand of Pastor

Hehrmann on his shoulder, who heartily welcomed him, it is true, but

also started back on seeing his pale face. Werner had to relate what had

occurred, and Bertha listened with palpitating heart and half-opened

lips.

The remaining members of the committee now joined them, and pitied young

Werner, heartily. Becher was of opinion that he had received a

"striking" proof of the evil disposition of the negroes.

At last, after the expiration of about half an hour, the steamer,

passing rapidly through a number of small craft and vessels, went on its

course towards the immense city of New York, which, with its mass of

houses, surrounded by a forest of masts, spread itself out before them.

The elder Siebert, who had formerly lived four years in the United

States, undertook the care of their luggage, and gave directions to some

carters, whose numbers he took, and then passed on, leading the way,

with his travelling companions, through the, to him, familiar streets,

towards Hudson-street, where they had obtained the address of a good

French boarding-house; for, as Siebert assured them, there were few good

German inns at New York, although their number extended to several

hundreds.

Their sea voyage was thus happily accomplished, and they now only

awaited the arrival of the rest of their fellow passengers, which was to

take place on the following day, in order to discuss and execute their

plans for the further journey, as all were agreed that too long a stay

in New York was to be avoided--first, on account of the loss of time,

and, secondly, of the considerable expense.

Mr. Siebert promised to make inquiries forthwith as to the most

advantageous neighbourhood for a settlement, and to communicate the

information to the committee.