Page:Floating City (1904).djvu/221

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A FLOATING CITY.
165

low line of the great city stretching between the Hudson and East river.

In another hour, after having ranged opposite the New York quays, the "Great Eastern" was moored in the Hudson, and the anchors became entangled in the submarine cable, which must necessarily be broken on her departure.

Then began the disembarkation of all my fellow-voyagers whom I should never see again: Californians, Southerners, Mormonites, and the young lovers. I was waiting for Fabian and Corsican.

I had been obliged to inform Captain Anderson of the incidents relating to the duel which had taken place on board. The doctors made their report, and nothing whatever having been found wrong in the death of Harry Drake, orders were given that the last duties might be rendered to him on land.

At this moment Cockburn, the statician, who had not spoken to me the whole of the voyage, came up and said,—

"Do you know, sir, how many turns the wheels have made during our passage?"

"I do not, sir."

"One hundred thousand, seven hundred and twenty-three."

"Ah! really sir, and the screw?"

"Six hundred and eight thousand, one hundred and thirty."