Passengers could indulge themselves in suites of rooms and live sumptuously.

As the man leaning on the rail looked on, he saw messengers bearing baskets and boxes of fruit and flowers with cards and notes attached, hurrying up the gangway to deliver them to waiting stewards.

These were the farewell offerings to be placed in staterooms, or to await their owners on the saloon tables.

Salter--the second-class passenger's name was Salter--had seen a few such offerings before on the first crossing.

But there had not been such lavishness at Liverpool.