There are two principal settings in Across America on an Emigrant Train: one on a ship crossing the Atlantic Ocean and the other in the railroad cars in which Stevenson travels. On board the ship, he is somewhat separated from the poorest travelers by having a small cabin; he can hear the people in steerage, and he mingles with them on deck during the day, but he can retreat to his cabin if he wishes. Murphy provides a good description of what shipboard life was like for the poor, while quoting Stevenson's impressions of the people he met.
Stevenson found his compatriots to be intelligent, knowledgeable people; those with musical talent were much appreciated for the entertainment they provided. He contrasts the steerage passengers with the superior behavior of the wealthier passengers, who had no.....
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