The Lübecker’s American wife, the only woman on board, had in the mean time had many a dispute with her husband, whom she shamefully tormented; yet he bore it all with inconceivable patience. She struck him, bit him, hid his things, or threw them overboard, abused him, and in short, behaved in a manner that would have exposed her to the roughest treatment from many others; but her good man bore it all with a “What can I do?” This was his answer to the advice of everybody on board, all wishing that she should meet the reward of her infamous conduct; but it was always, “What can I do? I cannot strike her.” His better half happened to hear the word strike (schlagen), and although she did not understand German, she knew what that meant; so springing on him like a fury, and holding her fist in his face, she told him in unmistakable terms that if he once attempted to raise his hand to her, she would plunge a knife between his ribs, and scratch out his eyes. She was a little frightened by one of the party telling her that if she did not treat her husband better, he had the right in Germany of selling her to anybody who would buy her—a statement which I confirmed: this startled her; but if she had had any reflection, she must easily have known that no one would buy such a termagant.
She behaved better during the time we were in quarantine, perhaps feeling that she was alone among foreigners, and would be quite helpless without her husband.
Ten days passed away, and we only saw the boat when she brought the letters or provisions; at length one of the party wrote a request to the principal authorities in Bremerhafen, that the passengers at least, who had nothing to do with the cargo, might be permitted to land. Contrary to expectation, the answer was favorable, and next morning a barge, of blessed memory, came alongside, “in which the passengers and baggage”—so ran the order—“were to be thoroughly smoked.”
All our baggage was removed to the barge; the contents were unpacked and spread out, the hatches laid on, a dark powder thrown in, and then something liquid, and the hold was instantaneously filled with a thick smoke. As soon as all the goods’ were smoked, the passengers were required to undergo the same process; and we walked about in this dreadful smoke for about a quarter of an hour: my lungs did not get rid of the effects of it for three days after. This ordeal past, we repacked our clothes, and prepared, after our long absence, to tread once more on German ground. We waved a last adieu to our good captain, his officers, and crew, whose conduct could not be too highly praised; and in a few minutes, with light and joyful hearts, we stepped on the soil of our native land.
THE END.
| Typographical errors corrected by the etext transcriber: |
|---|
| A Racoon=> A Raccoon {pg viii} |
| unsteady zizgag flight=> unsteady zigzag flight {pg 247} |
| for the mouutains=> for the mountains {pg 285} |
| I was indtfferent to=> I was indifferent to {pg 354} |
| sparng up from=> sprang up from {pg 392} |