One woman wandering; or, Europe on limited means
V^^^/>^ ^^ ^^?W?** /X %^K*^ ^^ % %'--^**/ V^> %'^^./ % • fc • - < "av'3^ i^^'^ ^09 ,40, \'W^y V^V V^*/ \ ,0" •, Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2011 with funding from The Library of Congress http://www.archive.org/details/onewomanwanderinOOharm ONE WOMAN- WANDERING. OR EUKOPE ON LIMITED MEANS. BY • MARION FLOWER HICKS HARMON. oinoinnati The Editor Publishing Company 1899 TWO COPIES HECSIVEO. Library cf CCKgp&esi» JAM ^9 1900 Register of Copyrfghtfe 5419? Copyright The Editor Publishing Company ^C\'.*^ SECOND COPY, TO THE LONE ONES IN THE LAND, ESPECIALLY TO THE SOLITARY SISTERS, IS THIS VOLUME CORDIALLY DEDICATED. CONTENTS. Chapter I. Going Abroad. . .1 How one lone woman decided to go abroad. — Foreign exchange and letters of credit.— The steamer moves. Chapter II. On the Ocean. . . ]4 A means of preventing sea-sickness; — Suitable outfit for voyage. — Claiming and exchange of luggage. Chapter III. At Le Havre. . . 28 First impressions on landing.— Hotel Frascati.— ^i«e de Paris. — Place Gambetta. Chapter IV. Characteristics op France. 33 Features of the country. — The Seine. — Rouen.— Within the walls of Paris. Chapter V. At Paris. ... 41 The Hotel St. Lazare. — Prices at liotels and restaurants. — Desirability of knowledge of foreign currencies.— Friendly suggestions to the "lone sister". Chapter VI. A New Home. . . 50 Chapel St. Ferdinand. — Features of my chamber. Chapter VII. Exploring Paris. . . 57 Strange customs, garbs and persons.— Military pomp. — Reflections at St. Cloud, St. Germain and Versailles. ii CONTENTS. Chapter VIII. The Carnival. . . 67 Festive streets and people. — Comparison with New Orleans carnival.— The Parisian Sunday. Chapter IX. Funerals. . . 73 Sombre display at the Madeleine. —Jewish Cemetery. — Distinguished dead. Chapter X. Sights and Scenes. . 86 Quaint old localities.— The antique Hotel de Cluny.— The Savonnerle. Chapter XI. Change of Quarters. . 100 Inner court of ''No. 70."— Paris of to-day, and its tumultuous past. Chapter XII. Leaving Paris. . . 107 A French second-class compartment. — The Belgian frontier. — Arrival at Cologne. Chapter XIII. German Folk. . . 119 My room in Cologne.— T/ie Domhild. — The Ringstrassen. — An evening stroll. Chapter XIV. To Duesseldorp. . 134 Country grows picturesque. — More about the trainmen. Chapter XV. Hanover. . . . 146 A language lesson.— Some special Amer- ican errors. Chapter XVI. About Hanover. . 158 The Royal Palace. — Royal Theater.— Kestner Museum.— Soldiers' Monument. Chapter XVII. Hanover Relics. . 158 Old graveyards. — Goethe's Lotta. — Strange police regulatioas. CONTENTS. iij Chapter XVIII. Hildersham. . . 165 Its antiquity and importance.— Ctiarm- ing old towi). Chapter XIX. Wandering On. . 176 Picturesque little towns. — Region of myth and mystery. Chapter XX. To the Brocken. . 184 The witches' altar and the devil's pulpit. — Return to Blank enburg. Chapter XXI. The Bode. . . 188 Pastoral landscape. — Modern customs and conveniences. Chapter XXII. Berlin. . . . 192 Its situation and importance. — Art col- lections.— Intramural transportation. Chapter XXIII. To Potsdam. . . 206 Location and prominence of Potsdam. — Famous Tombs. Chapter XXIV. Dresden, . . 212 Pitiable condition of the women. — Points of interest. — National music. — Dresden China. Chapter XXV. Saxon Switzerland. 221 Crossing the Elbe in a row-boat. — The quaint village of Wehlen. Chapter XXVI. Leipsic. . . . 229 Its book trade. — Relics of the battles of Leipsic— Monuments. Chapter XXVII. To Frankfort. . 237 Old castles. — Valley of the Fulda. — Early origin of Frankfort. — Frankfort's fortunes. iv CONTENTS. Chaptee XXVIII. Heidelbeijg. . 24G The castle and its history. — Keidelberg University. — The view at mooiirise. Chapter XXIX. To Lucerne. . . 2r;l A wonderful country. — Queer old paint- ings.—The Ijion of Lucerne.— The (Hacier Garden. Chapter XXX. The Alps. . . 261 Locale of Wilhelm Tell.— Schiller's me- morial. —Wonderful highways. Chapter XXXI. The Rigi. , . 200 Troublesome luggage regulations. — An Alpine garden. — '-Through nature to na- ture's God." Chapter XXXII. Goleau. . . 280 A tremendous Landslip. — The Lake Dwellers.— Hans Waldman's fate. Chapter XXXIII. Mainz. . . 2S7 General features. — Eaths and cures.— Le- garding German goods. Chapter XXXIV. A Rhine Journey. 298 Renewed warning to the "lone one''.— The most interesting river in the world. Chapter XXXV. Holland . . 318 The dyke-defended land.— Dutch money. — A Dutch dog fight. Chapter XXXVI Vlissingen. . . 325 Wandering in earnest.- A trip to Middle- bourg.— Forward to England Chapter XXXVII. Finis. . . . 8:52 ONE WOMAN WANDERING CHAPTER I. Not because I was especially fitted either by- nature , education or habit, to paddle my own canoe, not because I had no desire for, or any objection to, a compagnon du voyage, did I sud- denly determine last year to venture forth alone into the rushing tide of foreign travel that has of late periods set so strongly toward the Old World. But like many another woman I had been bereft of all that life and love hold dear, and at a mature age was left stranded solitary, with a slender though assured provision for that future which now stretched blankly before me. What could so completely occupy my attention and employ my energies as a trip abroad? But was this among the possibilities? No ties had I to bind me here or elsewhere ; no household to maintain in my absence ; no reason why the modest sum necessary for my personal expenses should not be expended abroad instead of in my native land. Would this be sufficient? I began to investigate. My first step was to write to various Tourist Agencies, whose name is legion, requesting such information as each could furnish concerning routes, rates, outfits, and the like. I may say in passing that I ever received most courteous attention to my inquiries. I thus accumulated 2 ONE WOMAN WANDERING a mass of material much of which was valuable, and my vague design began to take form and substance before me. My little fund would take me across, provide for my return in case of emer- gency, and keep me in unpretending comfort until I could receive supplies from home. But — I must go alone ; I could pay no companion or guide. True, there were several excursions ad- vertised to which my available cash would ad- mit me as a member, but these were of but two or three months' duration and seemed to consist of one grand scramble from beginning to end, in making trains and taking wildly hurried glimpses of a few noted scenes and masterpieces. So I came to the conclusion that one could see and learn most by traveling independently, thus being hampered by no contracts or limits as to time and place. Could I do this all by myself, in a foreign land amid a foreign tongue, I who had lived all my life in the seclusion and pro- tection of the home-circle? But the dear home- circle was forever vanished. Life was ended along that line. Wherever I might be I was alone and must live inexpensively, I was al- ready fairly familiar with my own land. In Europe even commonplace environments would be new and interesting to me. I would go. I did go and for many months wandered alone but safely through storied scenes and classic shades of varied beauty and interest, returning at last with a host of delightful recollections to be- guile many an otherwise weary day, and with the resolve to promulgate as far as possible among the "lone sisters' "in my own country, such prac- tical knowledge of ways and means as I ac- quired myself in my journeyings, so that any one of them, finding through untoward events that the "days are dark and dreary," might ONE WOMAN WANDEEING 3 feel it possible to take ter courage in her hands and go and do likewise. And so I begin my record. In almost any town of a few thousand inhab- itants one may purchase a through ticket of the principal Steamship Companies, to almost any point abroad, I, however, took my ticket from one of the Tourist Agencies in order tliat I might feel at liberty to call upon the local office wherever I might be, for protection or advice, have the benefit of its banking facilities, bureaus of information and the like. This idea proved all right in the main, but at first, as I shall ex- plain later, I had reason to believe that all my provisions in these respects were as unsubstantial as the baseless fabric of a dream. I did not take a passport as there are few European countries where they are essential, but in the light of my later experience, I should take one if going again, on account of the convenience as a means of identification when such becomes nec- essary. The cost, I believe is two dollars. The Agency of which I finally bought my tickets, as an inducement for me to do so, promised to have a man meet me in Chicago to give me all necessary aid in transfer, — my start- ing point was about seven hours distant, — and another man at the New York terminus to take charge of myself and luggage, and to see that it and I were safely placed on board the steam- ship in good order and at no extra charge unless in the way of monetary exchange. These prom- ises gave me great satisfaction, and it was well that they did, for it was all I had ; inasmuch as, so far as attendance was concerned, this Agency, — I will not, as I might, take so cruel a revenge upon it as to publish its name abroad, — almost entirely failed to make good its engagements. 4 ONE WOMAN WANDERING I descended from the train in Chicago, bag in hand, refusing offered attendance as I supposed I was provided for; but, trudging along over the long platform to the transfer 'buses, no sign of a tourist agent did I see. Inquiries right and left were of no avail. There was only one hour and three quarters between trains, but, though my ticket included transfer through Chicago I could not go directly on, because my money had not yet been converted into foreign funds, and I had still much promised instruction to receive. After a moment of indecision I took a 'bus to the Agency. Perhaps my inexperienced countrywoman would like to learn that in Chicago all authorized trans- ference facilities are in the hands of one organi- zation, the Parmelee Line. In purchasing tickets that necessitate a change in Chicago, one should stipulate for a transfer coupon. Then, on pre- senting the same to any of Parmelee's men, who are always on hand, one has no ditficulty in find- ing one's proper conveyance. On my doing this and stating that I wished to interview my tourist agent before going to the other station, the at- tendant kindly informed me that he would drop me at the right place en route. This he did, but by stopping I was of course obliged to lose the benefit of my coupon, besides having all the bother and uncertainty of looking up the agent. But I found and sternly confronted him with my demand for advice and exchange. The of- ficial had the grace to seem surprised at my appearing there alone, and tried to explain that a man had been sent to meet me but "probably had got a little behind time." Minutes were precious and I wasted none in reproaches but proceeded to business. The agent ONE WOMAN WANDERING 5 recommended putting the most of my funds in circular notes of English money, as available to be cashed in any foreign currency on presenting a letter of identificition which he also gave me, at any place where I should be likely to go. Reserving enough of the balance to provide for my expenditures to and in New York City, he put the remainder into French money as I was sailing on a French ship to a French port. At this date, an American, or rather, a United States' dollar was worth a little more than five French francs, four German tnarken, or four English shillings. Here let me warn my unso- phisticated sister against ever confusing the Eng- lish shilling with the value recognized under that name in the United States. The United States shilling is simply unheard of and un- known abroad, (as it ought to be at home for it does not exist in our money table ) and where- ever the term shilling is used it always, without exception, signifies the English shilling of twelve pence or twenty-four United States cents. I mention this because I saw so many cases where unfortunate Americans were hope- lessly confused on account of persisting in using the term shilling to represent twelve and a half cents, to the great mystification of their foreign hearers. Regarding exchange and letters of credit, any banker would do the service quite as well as a Tourist Agency, and in many cases it might be preferable to have it done at home by one's ac- quaintances ;but,going alone as I was, I deemed it better, as I mentioned before, to have as much claim as possible on the attention of some well- known corporation as easily accessible abroad as at home. But all this is a matter of expe- diency. 6 ONE WOMAN WANDERING I made particular inquiries of the agent, as to how to escape in New York the difficulties that had presented themselves in Chicago, as in New York I should be more helpless, never having embarked for a foreign tour and not knowing- just what to do, nor even whether a woman alone would be capable of doing everything. But I was assured there was no possibility of my missing their man there, that the Company had men in uniform with the name of the Agency in large letters, to meet all trains, that I could not fail to see them, that everybody knew the agency-men, and moreover they had been advised to look out for me, and so on. So I departed comforted, with a man, — in this in- stance a nice, friendly lad, — detailed to put me on the New York train, see to my sleeper and so forth, all of which he did politely and efficient- ly, and I was soon rolling away toward New York. The hours went on ; night came and went and the darkness of the second evening closed in upon us, for not until eight P. M., were we within the confines of "the great city." A bag- gage-man appeared — as on all through trains nearing a terminus, to whom one may give one's checks with perfect safety, receiving a claim- ticket in return — and soon my luggage would be on its way to the steamer-docks where I would find it in the morning. At eight forty-five, we stopped in the Grand Central Station of New York City. I walked out confidently expecting to be accosted at once by my promised messenger but, alas, he did not materialize. I looked about here and there, back- ward and forward, right and left, in fact in every direction except heavenward, — which last, in con- sideration of the nature of my past experiences, ONE WOMAN WANDEEING 7 seemed futile to do, — but no one did I see who had apparently the least concern as to my wel- fare. No uniformed men except the trainmen and the red-capped porters, all of whom declared total ignorance concerning the agency-men, did not even know their uniform ; such also was the result of my inquiries in the waiting rooms and at the Bureau of Information. The fact was that I had simply been allowed to arrive with no attention provided whatever. I dwell upon this point because the Agency had been so lavish in its proffers and promises both verbal and written, that I had had no anxiet}'^ whatever on leaving home, and had I not been warned by my experience in Chicago, should have relied on them implicitly. And I feel moved to declare that I consider the Agency's course as a culpa- ble breach of confidence, from which the conse- quences in the case of an unaccustomed traveler, a lady, arriving alone at night in this great, modern Babel, might have been deplorable in ner- vous strain if nothing more. I will say that, some months later, I received a most polite letter of regret and apology from the Agency, but this, though gratifying, hardly served to atone for the neglect. Fortunately for me, I was in a measure familiar with the place, so I picked up my satchel and went across the street to a well- known hotel where I obtained a comfortable room on the parlor floor at one dollar a day without meals. In the restaurant attached, one may consider one's purse in ordering from the menu. At the hotel I tried to telephone the Tourist Agency. "Office closed for the night," was the report, so I betook me to my couch thinking I should certainly get word in the morning- Of course city offices are rarely open before nine, A. M,, but as the next was a '-sailing morning" the hotel manager thought I would find the agency men on hand early. So I tried at seven, A. M. "Closed." The steamer was to sail at ten and I was I knew not how far away. At any rate all the way from Forty-second street zigzaggedly across the city to Morton's Pier. No use to go personally to the office as it was closed. The hotel manager was kind and inter- ested and gave me as good advice as he pos- sessed, but of course he could not speak with authority. Finally, partly because time was slipping away and partly because, in classic phrase, "my spunk was up," I decided that if worst had come to worst, I was equal to the emergency of getting off for Europe alone, or anywhere else, and that no effete tourist agent should, by his indifference or inefficiency, com- pel me to lose my passage, nor entail upon me unneccessary additional expense. So, as econ- omy was the order of the day, I did not even call a cab bub boarded a Fourth Avenue car. I knew my way pretty well and was burdened only with my handbag. At Fourteenth Street I took a transfer to the pier. When I presented my ticket to the trans- fer-man he vociferated violently and offensively, as if 1 were offering him a personal insult, "That hain't no good ! Yer gotto pay another fare !" I was not at all appalled at his demeanor nor did ONE WOMAN WONDERING 9 I "lose my head" or temper, though it certainly was not my fault that I had a wrong transfer nor had I objected to paying a second fare though entitled to transfer. I do not under- stand why these street-car employes are so ready to deem that a gentlewoman in appearance and speech deserves brow beating and crushing when she is merely trying to follow the routine of the road so far as she comprehends it; but such is too frequently the case and I only mention it here and my reception of the same, as a possible aid to the "solitary sister" when she "will a- wan- dering go." I let the fellow expend his rude- ness without remonstrance and when he had quite ceased speaking I civilly asked him to kindly show me which car to take; he had evi- dently keyed himself up to receive a torrent of expostulation on my part, and when none came he seemed dazed for a moment, then acceded to my request in a manner comparatively calm, and I went on slowly but surely toward Morton Pier. I was the sole passenger when the car reached the end of the route and here it was my good fortune to encounter so kind and gentlemanly a young man, albeit in the guise of a conductor, that I almost felt like forgiving the before-men- tioned surly brute in consideration of his being a co-employe of this young man. Of course he could not leave his car but he pointed out where I must go and told me just what to do and was so interesting and painstaking that if we had been, as I was la'er, in a foreign land, I should have "tipped" him well for his civility; as it was, I would not insult his manhood by offering to pay him for being polite to a woman. It was now nine o'clock. Steamer to sail at ten. I rushed across the tracks, before and be- hind cars, carts and quadrupeds, ignoring the 10 ONE WOMAN WANDERING surprised glances of everybody at seeing a wan- dering woman dashing about utterly unattended in that busy and hubbubby place. I felt a sort of unholy glee in getting on so independently of that faithless agency man, who was probably at this moment reading his morning paper and toasting his toes at ease before his fire, imagin- ing that I must await his pleasure. I made my way into the great building placarded, Com- pagnie General Atlantique, where my smattering of French enabled me to read the signs and labels about, and I was able with few questions to get my luggage, send it aboard by means of three men whom I paid twenty-five cents each, (which payment I afterward learned was entirely unex- pected and unnecessary,) and finally I walked up the gang-plank myself and stood apon the deck of La Cha^njiagne. I have thus detailed these trivial incidents, not because of their interest but to give the "inexperienced sister" some idea of transporta- tion at small expense. I rather enjoyed it on the whole, but if the "sister" is timid or ner- vous, she would better take a cab for the pier, at her hotel door. Rates are high and though the hotel manager will procure for one a trusty driver, it is quite necessary to have an explicit understanding as to terms, before one starts. I will not deny that emotions of new and varied sorts filled my breast as I looked down from the deck upon the swaying crowds, the infinite diversity of faces and figures, the cabs coming and going, the incessant stream of ladies, gentlemen, porters, seamen, children, dogs and so forth, passing and repassing up and down the plank, and heard the continually repeated screeching of whistles and jangling of bells mingled with shouts and cries, with the rush ONE WOMAN WANDERING 11 and roll of carriage and cart, of barrel and cask, the dumping and th'ud of box and bale and chest and all the innumerable stock and store of a ship's cargo, and reflected that I had suc- ceeded in "getting there" all on my own re- sponsibility. And I began to felicitate myself that I alone had attended to everything and still had plenty of time. Then I noticed a party coming up with bags and bundles and steamer chairs. Scissors and teapots ! I had forgotten my steamer- chair ! A glance at my watch, — nine tw.enty-five, — steamer sails at ten ! Back again down the plank — a mad rush for the bureau — a wild demand in impossible French for the de- sired article. Rent, a United States "dollaire" for the round trip, No money but French — oflFer a five /rcmc piece supposing it an equivalent — rejected as not enough — nothing else but gold — frantically hold out a handful, whereupon the commissionaire takes pity on me and pushes it back, accepting my silver piece and kindly say- ing in broken English: "Teez owanlee troah sonts, navaire mynde." Whereby I learn that the current value of a five franc piece at the Bureau Transatlantique, IB ninety-seven cents; though if you offer a dollar for something valued at five francs, you get no change in return. I hurriedly gave the man my name and sped back. Again looked at my watch ; nine fifty. Plenty of time and everything really ready at last. Later on I find myself transformed by the label on my chair, into "Madame Heexheimer." I may as well say here that this expense of a chair was in my case entirely unnecessary. It being winter, there was no especial temptation to sit on deck, as if one wished to be outside it was much pleasanter to move about. Moreover 12 ONE WOMAN WANDERING there were plenty of benches on deck if one chose to sit. I used my chair but twice, and then only because I thought it the regulation thing to do. As I had not decided to return by this line, I lost the benefit of my round trip pay- ment and by engaging a chair I became liable to the deck-steward for a fee, whether service were rendered or not. In summer, when there are many passengers and the weather is fine, a chair may be most de- sirable, but in this instance I might have made a clear savirg of at least two dollars had I been familiar with the situation. I may note here also that since my outward bound passage, there has been a change in the method of renting these chairs and one now must pay a dollar a voyage instead of for round trip, as before. All of which I commend to the consideration of my imaginary "lone woman." And now it is ten o'clock and the great steamer begins to quiver. We all know the ccuplet : "She moves, she stirs, phe seems to feel A thrill of life along her keel !" and a dozen other lines as apropos will spring to mind. The little tug was noisily doing its duty. The pier was a sea of upturned faces and wav- ing handkerchiefs. "Good-bye!" ''Adieu!'' ''LehewohlP' "Good luck to you!" '■'■Boil voyage f "■Glueckliche Reise!'''' Some were laughing, some were in tears, all were excited, and a responsive throng on deck gave back farewell, smile and tear. ONE WOMAN WANDERING 13 I stood apart. I was alone. The good-byes and good wishes were not for me. No one there knew of me. It was rather a melancholy thought ; and yet there was a bright gleam of satisfaction in the reflection that, being there thus alone and by my own unaided efforts, I was under no sort of an obligation to waft even the most formal of farewells to that inert and ever elusive tourist agent. CHAPTER II. At last we were abroad upon the mighty deep. Gradually we had made our way out from the slips, piers and docks and from the crowds of shipping of every description and nationality. Out away from the marvelous span of Brooklyn Bridge and from the majestic statue towering above the busy harbor and forever lifting toward high heaven the deathless torch of liberty. Out away between shores wharf-lined and covered as far as eye could reach with street on street of structure, lofty and low, proud and plebeian, rich and wretched, and permeated everywhere by seemingly the same restless, rushing, hurry- ing throng, until by and by the fields and hedge- rows began to appear, pervaded even now with a faint, subtile shade of green ; soon we passed the various isles that dot the harbor, the old fort on Staten Island standing out phenomenally distinct, and then suddenly the fog closes in and shuts out all the world. Reluctantly we aban- don our posts of outlook and pass inside to make acquaintance with that interior where we shall eat, drink and sleep for so many days. Surprising indeed is the spectacle we behold. All is bewilderment and confusion. Everybody seems to be in every other body's way. The poor people in the steerage, of whom we get occasional glimpses in our present futile at- tempts to find out "where we are at," are hud- dled together amid their forlorn "bits of things, ' ' like a flock of frightened sheep and look sad and pitiable. The second-cabiners are as yet un- 14 ONE WOMAN WANDERING 15 separated from the first; everyone is more or less unsettled, even the old stagers, — or should I say "shippers?" — to whom a sea voyage is but the veriest episode. Shouts and commands in a foreign tongue and the inability of the ship's company to understand our American French, add to the general distraction. We find later that most of the crew speak good English, but this fact has not as yet dawned upon our per- turbed brains. Bags and bundles of all sorts are heaped in apparently inextricable disorder, laying traps for unwary feet. Dogs and chil- dren are trotting about astray and lifting their several voices in howls in various keys and of varying intensity. Birds, large and small, are shrieking in dismay from divers and sundry cages, and amid all is heard the thud, thud of the steamer's machinery as it steadily beats out the revolutions that, God guiding, shall pause not nor delay till we reach the strange shores so far distant. As a temporary diversion the cabin passengers are very soon summoned to an informal luncheon while the ship's force indefatigably toils to bring order out of chaos. And here may I cau- tion my unsophisticated "solitary sister," as a possible preventive of sea-sickness, to partake sparingly through the first day at least, of the abundant and tempting fare provided on the great ocean-liners? The striking of "deep water" is usually the crucial test of one's powers as a "good sailor, " and one who escapes this ordeal will probably pass along almost unaffected to the other side. The work goes untiringly on ; wandering mor- tals find their cabins ; weeping women are con- soled and irate men pacified; timid passengers are encouraged, while stray children and pets 16 ONE WOMAN WANDERING reach their proper owners, and at last, by the time the electric lights leap forth and we are bidden to our evening meal, a semblance at least of order and regularity reigns in the bril- liant dining-room, or salle-d-manyer, as we are taught to consider it. The western continent has dropped below the horizon and we begin really and truly to be rocked in the cradle of the deep. The first day out, as customary, we were each assigned a seat at table, and given a sail- ing list. Here I found I had undergone another transformation and was now figuring as *'Mr. Hanson." Others, however, had similar surprises and it was like solving a puzzle to find out which name belonged to whom, and what it really should be instead of what it was. Differ- ent ships have different methods of arrang- ing the sittings at table. On La Champagne, a very polite steward called at each stateroom door and asked if the occupants thereof had any choice as to seats ; if so, they were gratified if possible, and to each person was handed a card with a number corresponding to that on his chair at table. At my table are a Ji"Z/e.H.,of New York City, whose name is not on the list at all, a Mr. and Mrs. M.,of Berkeley, California, and a Senor U., of Le Havre. Mile. H. and Mr. M. speak both French and English; Mrs. M., only English; Senor U., Spanish and French, so when we are all there we manage to keep up quite a continu- ous conversation, the learned ones interpreting for the less so. Scarcely anyone on a French steamer appears before c/eyeM»er( pronounced "deh-zhoon-eh," with no accent, )a sort of heavy luncheon about eleven o'clock. The first repast is truly a "break-fast," being but a roll ONE WOMAN WANDERING 17 without butter, and a cup of "coffee with milk," served usually in one's cabin before one rises. There is, I understand, a meal called the ' 'Amer- ican breakfast, " provided for such incorrigible natives as are unable to fall into foreign ways, but this is alien to the general atmosphere; in- dividually, I took very kindly to the custom of keeping my berth until the first warning bell sounded half an hour before dejeumer. It so chanced that Senor U. and myself usu- ally appeared first at our table and frequently finished our meal before any of our table-mates came in. As he spoke neither English nor Ger- man and I had no Spanish and but a smattering of French, and as the politeness of his nation- ality, I suppose, would not permit him to sit in a lady's presence with no effort to entertain her, many desperate attempts were made by us to evolve some method of communication ; but it all resolved mainly into an assiduous offering of each to the other of whatever was within our reach, accompanied by a series of "nods and becks and wreathed smiles" whenever one caught the other's eyes. I shall always remem- ber him as a most painfully courteous man, and I dare sa}- he will long recollect his arduous en- deavors in my behalf. The table was excellent, served carefully in French table d' hote style, that is, only one thing at a time, which I do not like, as I prefer my meat with my vegetables. Also I like butter on my bread and cream in my tea and coffee, which preferences astonish the French caterer. If he serves you with butter at all it is unsalted and given you upon a plate the size of the ordi- nary dinner-plate. If you insist on cream with your coffee, he brings you a concoction which he calls '■'■cafe-au-laW'' wherein the milk which 18 ONE WOMAN WANDERING does duty as cream, is boiled with the coffee, and with it he brings a tablespoon; I verily believe the French consider it a sort of soup. And as to tea, the drinking of it at all seems to be con- ceived as springing from a mild aberration of the English and the American mind, and one is looked upon Math surprise, not to say suspicion, if one declines the cognac that is always brought oil with it and the tiny cup of "black 2 )ffee" served at the close of dinner. Then again, I do not like wine of any sort as a beverage, especially the thin, sour vin ordinaire that is so universal and tastes very like poor vinegar. Nor am I es- pecially fond of the cheeses and sauces which are served so abundantly, but of course all this soon becomes a matter of custom. It seemed odd to have knife, fork and plate removed with each article of food. 1 will not deny having been accustomed to the ordinary changes between courses, but the fashion of having as many plates, knives and forks as there are articles on the bill of fare, was new to me. Nor did I ever before see ice-cream made into a large roll, like butter, and passed about on a platter, each person helping himself and being provided with a desert spoon for consuming it. I do not remember ever before having seen snails on a 7nemi, sol thought I would try some. The gaiyjon brought me a plateful apparently aunat- urel in their shells and looking "quite too aw- fully" snaily. He brought with them an imple- ment suggestive of Hamlet's bare bodkin, with which oue is supposed to manipulate the shells to get at their contents. I made one or two at- tempts, then finally begged the waiter to pre- pare them for me, which he deftly did, bringing them back sans shells and looking exactly like a tiny "mess o' greens." I tasted them and ONE WOMAN WANDERING 19 found them delicious! in spite of preconceived prejudices. Our dinners are qu ite long in course and served about seven in the evening. Lights are gener- ally extinguished in the salon about eleven; in our staterooms we have the privilege, not always granted on ship-board, of turning the electricity off and on to suit our convenience, but a plac- ard most politely vs^orded requests us to use our illumination as sparingly as possible. So hour after hour goes on monotonously enough, and day after day finds us, our little com- munit}'' of some four or five hundred souls, strug- gling onward in this wide waste of waters where for days and nights we are encompassed by the same unchanging, impenetrable, white mist. The great fog horn sounds at intervals of one min- ute, night and day. Once forth from out the darkness comes a response, but where away in that vast, outstretching region of cloud and mist there rides another vessel, we have no means of knowing. Strong head-winds that yet have no perceptible effect on the density of the fog, make our progress difficult and slow. The huge waves roar ana rave and thunder around, below and above us and beat at our ship's sides, but she is staunch and they do not enter. At last, one night we hear an unusual shock, the vessel shakes and shivers, settles herself again, then quivers laterally and from end to end. I feel sure that we have run down something and, lying there in my snug cabin, I try to picture the scene without on the dark, toss^ing oee iti. But though there is some in- crease of hoarse commands and heavy, hurried footsteps above, 1 hear no alarm and address myself a^ain to sleep. In the morning we learn that we have lost a part of our screw and from 20 ONE WOMAN WANDERING that time on, we have a sort of compound wiggle and jiggle and jerk added to the ordinary roll and tumble of a steamer in difficult seas, which is rather too much for the equanimity of many of our company. Our ship labors bravely on how- ever and all is well save the inevitable cases of mal-de-mer which one, of course, expects. Our salle-d-manger is mostly deserted, by the ladies especially, Personally I escape all illness, which is a mat- ter of surprise and congratulation. Even while the steamer rises to meet the oncoming wave, or pitches downward into the trough of the bil- lows, or rolls from side to side, am I able to stand either above on deck or below at the port- holtrs which are continually first plunged into the depths and then lifted dizzily aloft, and to gaze out on the "multitudinous seas" as they swell and sweep and wrestle and leap and break into feathery spray far heavenward, and to en- joy the spectacle and marvel over its beauty. At length one evening we note that the "dead-lights" are down and at dinner the ta- bles are a network of racks and bars to keep the dishes in place, which all betokens heavier weather. We make inquiries and find we are about to enter the "Devil's Hole," which is al- ways, as they term it, "a nasty place." All this time we have scarcely seen the sun. Ever the same white, cottony fog, with the green waves breaking through to grin at us. I begin to realize what it must have been when the "earth was without form and void." We are told that the voyage is always tiresome and dif- ficult at this time of the year until we get away from the"Banks of Newfoundland," — not mean- ing the shores of that country but certain areas of the ocean, — after which we shall probably ONE WOMAN WANDERING 21 have smoother seas and fairer skies: and if we can only escape the clutches of His Satanic Ma- jesty while invading his "Hole" to night, to-morrow we may hope for better things. So we go on and on and on. Day comes again and we find we have left the Devil behind us and by the next day the fog lifts and the sun appears. Not long does he bless us, however, for it comes on to rain, and thus almost continually under cloud and storm do we make our passage. We see a steamer on a distant track and exchange salutes. We learn many days later that shortly after leaving us she encountered a waterspout which we barely escaped. We have no excitement. We see no whales nor icebergs. There is little or nothing to distinguish one point of time from another except the daily posting of the ship's progress in the main companion-way, and the setting for- ward of our watches forty minutes each noontide. Very strange it seemed day after day to see only the same persons, to do only the same things and to move about only in the same places. La Champagne is a very comfortable, somewhat luxurious, but not very modern vessel. To my surprise there is neither reading-room nor library. I am told there is none on any of the French liners though a little cupboard on La Chamj)agne, containing perhaps fifty volumes of French and English novels which one may pur- chase at fifty cents each, is dignified by that name. We are, of course, cut off from newspa- pers and it reaily becomes a matter of chaticy in one possessed of any sort of literature, to circu- late it among his or her needy neighbors. 