The loading was soon completed, and they moved away into the river.
Then came another transfer--passengers, trunks, mail-bags all poured on to the 'India's' deck.

Last farewells were said--friends parted, some for a few weeks, some for ever--the great paddles began to move, and the voyage was begun.
As they went down the river, snow began to fall.

It filled the air and covered the deck with wet, slowly moving flakes, and the water which swallowed it up all round the ship looked duller and darker by contrast.
Everybody went below, most people occupied themselves with arranging their possessions so as to be most comfortable during the voyage; Maurice, who had few possessions to arrange, took out that morning's _Times_, and sat down to read.
The first two or three days of a voyage are generally nearly a blank to landsmen.

Maurice was no exception to the rule.

Even Lucia commanded only a moderate share of his thoughts till England and Ireland were fairly out of sight, and the 'India' making her steady course over the open ocean.