Historical Romance of the American Negro

by Charles Henry Fowler

"Indeed, we would all have quite forgotten that there was any such thing as prejudice in any part of the world had we not been reminded of it on board by the presence of a few Americans. But even they, on board a British ship, were obliged to keep their personal feelings well covered up; and here I may say, when we are abroad and traveling the wide, wide world, you meet with nobody who objects to the color of your skin, but somebody from some port of the United States! But even American prejudice must die out, for all wickedness is subject to change, and God Himself alone changeth never.

FRED'K DOUGLASS, ROCHESTER, N. Y.

"In glorious May weather, and in the presence of a tremendous concourse of people, who had come down to the water's edge to see us off, we backed out into the North river at New York. The immense mixed multitude standing on the pier had sent up one tremendous cheer after another, waved their hats and handkerchiefs, and gave us a general grand hurrahing time. We replied in like manner as we came slowly away at first, accompanied by two or three tug-boats, that ventured out some distance to grace our departure. No doubt the passengers on board of them had friends and relatives on the Sarmatian.

"We settled down at once, and made ourselves at home in good earnest. We were quite at home in our sweet, cozy little cabins, and the officers and attendants were all that could be desired. We walked about the deck, sat down to read or talk, and became acquainted with some of the most delightful people on the face of the earth—most of them on errands of pleasure, like ourselves. All were in high spirits, and anxious to visit different parts of Europe—the British Isles, Germany, etc.

"We carried on much the same at sea as we do home on shore. I spent most of my own time in conversation with our own party and other passengers, with reading new books, and with watching the play of the wild waves of the deep. Some slept a great deal of the voyage away, and others were busy courting, and that continually. I am informed that an immense number of marriages result from crossing the ocean every year. They get acquainted on shipboard, and marry after they come to land. The very seamen seem to be smitten by Cupid with a great love for the fair sex. 'Jack Tar' finds many a fair sweetheart on shipboard. Here at Liverpool you can soon see 10,000 of them walking about. A stranger in this mighty 'Modern Tyre' would be led to fancy that there was nothing in the world but sailors, ships and shipping. And who need wonder at it in the first port of the whole world, with that 'Great Landing Stage' at the entrance to the Mersey—upwards of twenty miles of dock along the right bank of the river, and ten thousand masts (10,000) hailing from every continent, and all the islands of the Ocean!

"When you come to sea blessed with splendid health, and strength, and vigorous life, with high-beating hope, and all things before your imagination of the seven colors of the rainbow; when 'all hearts are light, all eyes are bright, and nature's face is gay'—then, indeed, you are going to have a first-class time upon the rolling deep in the merry month of May. Life on the ocean wave has really ten times more charms than I am able to define. You must come to sea yourself to experience it, for it is indeed far too much for my pen.

"The sea! the sea! The broad, blue sea! What a glorious thing it is to look away as far as ever the eye can reach, and behold nothing but the big, blue waves of the North Atlantic heaving up and down, while our bold and plucky steamboat rushes fearlessly over those watery hills, and the bright and beautiful sun pours his warm rays down upon the rolling deep, and a fascinating and bewitching feeling floods upon your own heart, and there begets a feeling of enthusiasm that no language can describe!

"The porpoise is a lively fish, often seen from the deck of an Atlantic steamboat, and we saw plenty of them rushing through the waves like winged lightning. It was indeed a fine sight; but the best companions we had all the way to the British Isles were the bold, brave sea-gulls, that left the coast of America with us, and came all the way to Liverpool. The sea-gull acts more like a human being than anything else to which I can describe him; cavorting about all over the main, and then coming down almost to the deck itself, to let you know that he is there, and trying to make you feel at home on the ocean.

"There seemed to be no end of sweet, peaceful enjoyment; the weather continued so fine all the way across the sea, our health was so good, and we had such pleasant companions on all sides around, and nothing happened to the ship to mar the general joy. It was, indeed, a downright holiday, most thoroughly enjoyed by us all.