Excerpt from The Big American Caravan in Europe

I one, my daughter, and I are the only ones from Mississippi.

Only two Southern States are represented, there being two ladies from Nashville, Tennessee, and one gentleman from Flor ida. Of the 186 here, 108 are ladies, showing quite a prepon derance of the fair sex. And thus you have an analysis of the handsome little pamphlet liberally distributed to the passengers and their friends before the departure of the ship. I may add, as an item of interest to bachelors, that much over one-half of the ladies are single.

By a previous arrangement most of the party met at the St. Nicholas hotel in New York prior to sailing. On Saturday morning early the hotel coach began the no small task of carry ing down passengers and baggage. I went down with the last load and found the ship crowded with people and everything in a jam and confusion. Hundreds had come on board to bid friends and acquaintances goodbye, and groups were standing about here and there in earnest converse. It never occurred that any familiar face would meet us', but we had that pleasure, nevertheless, 'for nearly an hour before starting we were joined by that most genial gentleman, John Bell, of Commodore Pari sot's fleet; and when, an hour later, all visitors had gone upon the pier and our vessel was pushing out for the sea, the last we saw of his pleasant face was while he was waving his handker chief. With hundreds ofothers, and bidding us God speed and a pleasant voyage. He is the only home friend we have seen since leaving Cincinnati. We were to have been accompanied by a charming young lady of Vicksburg, but the trivial circum stance of contemplated matrimony prevented her coming, and we have been out of humor with Cupid ever since.

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