The Project Gutenberg EBook of Travellers' Tales, by Eliza Lee Follen

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Title: Travellers' Tales

Author: Eliza Lee Follen

Posting Date: June 7, 2009 [EBook #4030]
Release Date: May, 2003
First Posted: October 14, 2001

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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TRAVELLERS' STORIES

BY

MRS. FOLLEN

Illustrated with Engravings.

TRAVELLERS' STORIES

It is the pleasant twilight hour, and Frank and Harry Chilton are in
their accustomed seat by their mother's side in the old sofa, that same
comfortable old sofa, which might have listened to many pleasant and
interesting stories that will never be told.

Mother, said Frank, you have often promised us that some time you would
tell us about your travels in Europe. This is a good stormy evening,
and no one will come in to interrupt you; so please, dear Mother, tell
us all you can remember.

It is now, boys, five years since my return from Europe. Much that I
did and saw while there I forget. However, as I have been lately
looking over my hasty journal, I will see what I can remember.

On the first of August I set sail in the steamer Caledonia for England.
At four o'clock in the afternoon, we were out of sight of land; one by
one, we had taken leave of every object which could be seen from the
departing vessel; and now nothing was visible to us but the sky, the
ocean meeting it in its wide, unbroken circle the sun gradually sinking
in the west, and our small but only house, the ship. How strange, how
sublime the scene was! so lonely, so magnificent, so solemn! At last
the sun set, gilding the clouds, and looking, to my tearful eyes, as if
that too said farewell! Then the moon appeared; and the long,
indefinite line of light from where her rays first touched the waters
to our ship, and the dancing of the waves as they crossed it, catching
the light as they passed, were so beautiful that I was unwilling to
leave the deck when the hour for rest arrived.

The wind was against us, and we did not get on