First Impressions of the New World | Page 8

lived, and where
he wrote his "Minute Philosopher" being still pointed out, as well as the
spot on the beach where he used to sit and meditate. The most striking
buildings, however, are the hotels, one of which, the "Ocean House," is
the largest building of the kind we have ever seen. It has very much the
appearance of the huge convents one sees in Italy, and, standing on the
top of the cliffs, it has a most remarkable effect. There are some very
good streets, but the greatest part of the town consists of detached
houses standing in gardens. There are very few stone buildings of any
kind. The hotel we are in is not the largest, but is considered the best,
and in the height of the season the place must be very gay.
The next, perhaps the greatest, feature here is the bathing. There are
three beaches formed round a succession of points, the whole forming a
lovely drive on dry hard sand; and such a sun as we gazed upon
yesterday setting over these distant sands passes description. On the
first of these beaches are ranged more than a hundred bathing machines
at about a hundred yards above high-water mark, looking like sentry
boxes on a large scale, with fine dry sand between them and the sea.
We went down on Saturday to see the bathing, which is here quite a
public affair; and having fixed our eyes on a machine about a dozen
yards off, we saw two damsels enter it, while a young gentleman, who
accompanied them went into an adjoining one. In a few minutes he
came out attired in his bathing dress and knocked at the ladies' door. As
the damsels were apparently not ready, he went into the water to wait
their coming, and in due time they sallied forth dressed in thick red
baize trowsers and a short dress of the same colour and material, drawn
in at the waist by a girdle. The gentleman's toilet was coloured trowsers
and a tight flannel jacket without sleeves. He wore no hat, but the
ladies had on very piquante straw hats trimmed with velvet, very like
the Nice ones, to preserve them from a coup de soleil. They joined each
other in the water, where they amused themselves together for a long
time; a gentleman friend's presence on these occasions is essential,

from the Atlantic surf being sometimes very heavy; but the young
gentleman in question did not enact the part of Mr. Jacob, of Cromer,
not being professional. The number of bathers is generally very great,
though now the season being nearly over there are not many, but there
were still enough to let us judge of the fun that is said to go on.
There are few guests in this house now. A "hop" was attempted on
Friday evening in the entrance hall, but the unhappy musicians exerted
themselves in playing the Lancers' Quadrilles and all sorts of ugly
jerking polkas without success, although an attempt at one quadrille,
we were told, was made after we had retired for the night. The table
d'hôte toilettes here now are much quieter than they were at Westpoint,
there being but two short sleevers yesterday at our two o'clock dinner.
There is a large and handsome public drawing-room, where we can
rock in rocking chairs (even the bed-rooms have them), or pass an hour
in the evening. We are waited on at dinner by twelve darkies, as the
niggers are called, marshalled by a head waiter as tall as papa and as
black as his hat. A black thumb on your plate, as he hands it to you, is
not pleasant. The housemaids are also niggeresses, and usually go
about in coloured cotton sun bonnets. I now leave off, as we start for
Boston in an hour.
Boston, 14th September, 1858.--We reached this yesterday, and were
looking for William all the evening, but were disappointed at his
non-appearance. He arrived here, however, at three this morning by the
steamer, and is now recounting his adventures; he enjoyed himself very
much, and looks all the better for his trip.
I ought to tell you of a few Yankee expressions, but I believe the most
racy of them are used by the young men whom we do not come across:
"I guess" is as common as "I think" in England. In directing you on any
road or street, they tell you always to go "right away." If you do not
feel very well, and think you are headachy, and that perhaps the
weather is the cause, you are told you are "under the weather this
morning." An excellent expression we think; so truly describing the
state papa is often in when in dear old England. Then