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| MAIL STEAMER IN REGALIA, KINGSTOWN. -The mail steamers that play between Kingstown and Hollyhead are the finest vessels of their class in Great Britain and Ireland, and their coming and going always create excitement among the emotional residents of "Old Dunleary." The sketch shows one of the packets, gaily decorated with bunting, lying in the fine harbor on a gala day. The boat looks tranquil enough in the picture, but she does not always present that appearance. The arrival of the mail train and departure of the steamer are thus graphically described by a British writer: "The great vessel lies behind the pier uttering low growth of impatience at being detained so long. Her sailors all wait clustered on the pier, looking toward the mouth of a tunnel a few hundred yards away. Suddenly is heard a shrill whistling and shrieking and out emerges a passenger train and comes sweeping down alongside.* * * Now the bell begins to clang out and a fresh screaming is heard. A miniature train of one carriage and two 'vans' comes gliding up. The captain and officers appear on deck. The sailors go vigorously to work and hurry on board, bending under their sacks, like nautical miller's men. The bell rings for the last time and away steams the great ship, slowly and grandly." |
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