On Blue Water

On Blue Water gives an account of a voyage from Genoa to Buenos Aires in the Galileo, a steamer carrying emigrants - this and nothing more. The narrative begins at the wharf at Genoa, and ends when the tug leaves the ship's side in the harbor of Montevideo. The ship does not even touch at Gibraltar. The interest in the story, and it is not small, lies entirely in the study of the types of humanity on board. The writer's observant eye has singled out, his lively imagination has characterized, and his ready pen as described at least twenty different groups and characters taken from both ends of the vessel, all dramatic, saying and doing in every case just what such persons would say and do. Nothing is exaggerated; nothing is improbable. And these personalities are kept quite separate and distinct without the mention of a single name.
Edmondo de Amicis (1846-1908) established a reputation as a writer in various genres after his experience as a soldier.