The World of Waters, Or, A Peaceful Progress O'er the Unpathed Sea (2024)

Contents

CHAPTER I.

The Wilton Family.—Story of FredericHamilton

CHAPTER II.

The Wiltons.—Dora Leslie.—CharlesDorning.—TheMediterranean.—Corsica.—Candia.—Rhodes.—Malta.—Valetta.—TheCaledonia.—A Story by Krummacher.—Adriatic Sea.—Venice.—TurkishRowers.—Elgin Marbles.—Isle of Wight.—ThunderStorm.—Jersey.—Romaine's Journal.—Slave Ship.—HorribleCruelty.—Slave Trade.—Wreck of the Royal George.—EddystoneLighthouse

CHAPTER III.

The Wiltons.—A great NavalVictory.—Monster Fish.—The Downs.—St.Augustine.—Yarmouth.—Brock the Swimmer and Yarmouth Boatman.—TheNorth Sea.—The Bell Rock.—Mr. Barraud.—Jock of Jedburgh.—Wreckof the Forfarshire.—Remarkable Providence.—Denmark.—TheBaltic.—Journey to the Gulf of Finland.—Reindeer andSledge.—Reval.—Superstitions.—Strange Fashions.—UngernSternberg.—Gulf of Bothnia.—Islands of theBaltic.—Lapland.—Aurora Borealis.—Russia.—Odessa.—Reflections

CHAPTER IV.

Stanzas by Mrs. Howitt.—CaspianSea.—Astracan.—DrollLegend.—Yellow Sea.—The Japanese.—Monsoons.—TradeWinds.—Description of a Monsoon.—Asia.—The Red Sea.—Isthmus ofSuez.—An Interesting Locality.—The Arabs.—Sea of Aral.—ChineseIslands.—Fishing for Mice.—The Typhon.—Fishing Birds.—CinnamonForests.—Eating Birds' Nests.—Bible Lands.—The Sea ofGalilee.—The Dead Sea.—The Slave Merchant.—A Japan Puzzle

CHAPTER V.

Story of Era.—Assistance ofGoodwill.—Madeira.—Man-of-War.—Dinner on Ship-board.—ComputingLatitude.—Pipe to Dinner.—The Azores.—Newfoundland.—NewfoundlandDogs.—Greenland.—Whale Fishing.—Flying Fish.—A Ship In the PolarRegions.—An Awful Sight.—TheGeysers.—Icelanders.—Spitzbergen.—The FerroeIslands.—Maelstrom.—The Norwegian Mouse.—Hudson's Bay.—Hudson'sStraits.—Nova Scotia.—Henry May.—The AncientMariner.—Cuba.—Jamaica.—Beauty of Jamaica.—AHurricane.—Devastation.—Ruins of Yucatan.—Indians of Mexico.—TheAmerican Lakes.—Niagara.—The Caribbean Sea.—Panama.—GalaDays.—Diving for Pearls.—The Sea-Boy's Grave.—The Funeral.—Gulfof Trieste.—Guiana.—Brazil.—Rio deJaneiro.—Montevideo.—Patagonia.—Cape Horn.—Depth of the Atlantic

CHAPTER VI.

The Separation.—Deception Isle.—The Gulfof Penas.—Island ofChiloe.—Juan Fernandez.—Alexander Selkirk.—The Ladies ofLima.—The Peruvians.—Columbia.—Catching Wild Fowl.—The TwoOceans.—A Singular Funeral.—Magellan.—Guatemala.—LadiesSmoking.—Christian Indians.—California.—San Francisco.—NootkaSound.—Story of Boone and the Bear.—Cleaveland and theInfant.—United States'Navy.—Cannibals.—Kamschatka.—Polynesia.—The SandwichIslands.—Captain Cook.—Contest.—Adventure of Kapiolani.—ADelightful Anecdote.—Spanish Missionaries.—PhilippineIslands.—The Pelew Islands.—Birds of Paradise.—The FriendlyIslands.—Otaheite.—The Society Islanders.—Pitcairn'sIslands.—Shocking Barbarity.—Nobb's Letter.—Marquesas.—The LowIslands.—New Caledonia.—New Zealand.—The Bay of Islands.—CaptainCook's Story.—A Curious Idea.—Aranghie.—Cannibalism.—NewHolland.—Story of Mr. Meredith.—Australian Barbarism.—AustralianLakes.—Van Diemen's Land.—Coral Reefs.—Story of Kemba

CHAPTER VII.

Packing up.—Letter from Mr. Stanley.—Mr.Stanley.—Celebes.—Dressof the Alfoors.—Curious Hospitality.—Java.—WhimsicalSuperstition.—Productions of Java.—Sumatra.—Water Spouts.—BurmanDespotism.—The White Elephant.—Sir James Brooke.—Borneo.—Isle ofBourbon.—Isle of France.—Madagascar.—The Four Spirits.—TheMissionaries.—Horrible Custom.—The Pirates' Retreat.—MalagassyFable.—Kerguelen's Land.—Isle of Desolation.—Story of aSailor.—Morocco.—A MoorishBeauty.—Algiers.—Egypt.—Abyssinia.—AbyssinianCustoms.—Religion.—African Coast.—SeychelleIsles.—Mozambique.—Smoking the Hubble-Bubble.—Caffraria.—Storyof the Little Caffre.—Algoa Bay.—Graham's Town.—Cape of GoodHope.—Cape Town.—Constantia.—The Boschmen.—ATransformation.—Dressing in Skins.—The Slave Trade.—FishBay.—St. Helena.—Kabenda.—Black Jews.—Ferdinand Po.—The Ape andthe Oven.—The Slave-Coast.—Dahomey.—Ashantee.—King Opocco.—ASingular Belief.—The Ashantee Wife.—Liberia.—A BowcheeMother.—Sierra Leone.—The Lakes of Africa.—Bornou.—The Sultan ofBornou.—African Wedding.—The Deluge.—The Telescope.—The End

MY DEAR YOUNG FRIENDS,

It is not my purpose to detain you with a long preface, because I amaware that long prefaces are seldom read; but I wish to inform youthat I have written this book, in the humble hope of being useful tothose in whom I am so anxiously interested. I am myself happy inacknowledging the endearing appellation of "Mother," and I loveall children, and regard them as priceless treasures, entrustedtothe care and guidance of parents and teachers; with whom it rests ina great measure to render them blessings to their fellow-creatures,and happy themselves, or contrariwise.

Should the perusal of this little volume imbue you with a taste forthe beautiful and ennobling science of Geography, my object will begained; and that such may be the result of these humble endeavors isthe sincere wish of

Your affectionateFriend,

FANNY OSBORNE.

LONDON.

CHAPTER I.

Oh ye seas and floods,
Bless ye the Lord:
Praise him, and magnify him forever.

"Oh! what beautiful weather," exclaimed George Wilton, as he drewhis chair nearer the fire. "This sort of evenings is so suitable forstory-telling, that I regret more than ever the disagreeablenecessity which has taken Mr. Stanley to foreign countries, andbroken up our delightful parties. But yet, there are enough of usremaining at home to form a society; we might manage withouthim.Do not you remember, papa, you said, when Julia Manvers was with uslast summer, we were to examine into the particulars respecting theseas and oceans of the world; and not once was the subject mentionedwhile we were at Herne Bay, although the sea was continually beforeus to remind us of it. Are we ever to have any more of thoseconversations? I liked them amazingly, and I am sure I learned agreat deal more geography by them than I ever did out of Goldsmith,or any other dry lesson-book, which compels one to learn by rule. Iwish, dear papa, you would settle to have these meetings again; wewould write down all the particulars, and enclose them in a letterto Mr. Stanley: I am sure he would be quite pleased."

"I think he would, George," replied Mr. Wilton, "and I also thinkthat we have been rather careless in this matter; but, at the sametime, you must remember that the fault does not rest solely with us,for when we appointed certain times during our sojourn at Herne Bayfor these same geographical discussions, on every occasion somethingoccurred to prevent the meeting, and all our arrangements fell tothe ground. Since then, the illness of your sister,—which, thankGod, has terminated so happily,—the departure of Mr. Stanley, andthe removal to our present abode; all these circ*mstances conspiredto render ineffectual any attempt at regularity, and precluded thepossibility of an occasional quiet chat on this really importantsubject. The past, present, and future, in the history of man, areso connected with the positions of the great seas of the globe, andthe navigation of them, that I do regard the study of geographyasone of the most important branches of a Christian education;and,now that all impediments are removed, I think we may venture topropose the re-establishment of our little society; and as we aredeprived of the valuable services of Mr. Stanley, we must endeavorto supply his place by procuring the aid of another learnedfriend, who will not consider it derogatory to assist in ouredifying amusem*nt. And, in order to render these meetings moreextensively beneficial and interesting, I further propose that weincrease our number by admitting two new members, to be selected byyou, my dear children, from amongst your juvenile acquaintances; butwe must not admit any except on the original terms, which were,'that each member add his or her mite of information to the generalfund.' What says mamma about it? Suppose we put it to the vote?"

"Oh! dear papa," exclaimed Emma, "I am quite sure that willbeunnecessary. Grandy has often talked of the meetings held last year,and regretted that there seemed no disposition to renew them;therefore, we are sure of her vote. Mamma was so useful with herdescriptions, that she is not likely to object. Then you know,dear papa, how very much I enjoyed these conversations; and, asfar as any one else is concerned, I am convinced that mycandidatewill be glad to prepare a portion of the subject as her admissionfee, and will be as much interested in the welfare of the society aswe old members are, who have already felt the advantages arisingfrom it. May we decide now, papa?"

All hands were raised in reply, and the resolution carriedunanimously.

"I have a question to ask," said George. "May we have the meetingstwice during the month, instead of once, as before? It will induceus to be more industrious, as we shall be obliged to work to get upthe information. I can share the labor with Emma now, because I canwrite easily, and quickly; besides, it will be such pleasantemployment for the half-holidays."

"Very well, my dear," said Mr. Wilton; "then once a fortnight itshall be; and take care, as the time will be short, that you arethoroughly prepared: do not reckon on me, for I cannot assist you asMr. Stanley did, so you must be, in a great measure, dependent uponyour own resources. My library is at your disposal, and I hope youwill have sufficient perseverance to investigate each pointcarefully, before you come to a decision. Should you requireassistance in the preparation of any particular part of the subject,of course, I shall have no objections to render it; but remember, Ido not promise to be an active member, as I wish you to exertyourselves, and be in some degree independent. It will thus be moreadvantageous to you: it will not only impress all you learneffectually on your mind, but improve your reasoning faculties, andenable you to understand much that the most careful explanationmight fail to render intelligible."

"And when shall we begin, papa?" asked Emma.

MR. WILTON. "My engagements until the 7th of February are sonumerous as to preclude the possibility of my presence at a meetingbefore that time; but after the 7th inst. I shall be more atliberty, and we will, if you please, commence our voyage, and (windand weather permitting) travel on regularly and perseveringly untilwe have circumnavigated the globe."

"Agreed! agreed!" merrily shouted the children.

"I know which of my friends I shall ask," said George; "and I fancyI can guess who will be Emma's new member."

"I fancy you cannot," returned Emma: "I do not intend to tell anyone, either, until I hear whether or not she can come; thereforecheck your inquisitiveness, Master George, and wait patiently, foryou will not know before the 7th, when I will introduce my friend."

"Now," said Grandy, "having settled the most important part of thebusiness, I have a few words to say. You must all be aware, that inthe accounts of seas and oceans, there cannot possibly be so muchtime disposed of in descriptive facts as there was in our formerconversations concerning the rivers of the world, which are sonumerous, and require so many minute particulars in tracing theircourses, that they positively (although occupying a smaller portionof the globe,) take more time to sail over in our ship 'TheResearch,' than the boundless ocean, which occupies two thirds ofour world; it will, under these circ*mstances, be advisable toillustrate our subject largely, and to lose no opportunity ofextending it for our benefit. We need not fear to exhaust the topic;for do not the vast waters encompass the globe; and can wecontemplate these great works of our Creator, without having ourhearts filled with wonder and admiration? This, my children, willlead us to the right source; to the Author of all the wonderscontained in 'heaven and earth, and in the waters under the earth;'and, if we possess any gratitude, our hearts will be raised inthankfulness to Him who 'hath done all things well;' and we shallbless him for giving us powers of discernment and reasoningfaculties, which not only enable us to see and appreciate thegoodness of God, but also, by his grace assisting us, to turn ourknowledge to advantage for our temporal and eternal good."

"We may now," said Mr. Wilton, "leave these resolutions to be actedupon at a proper time; and, as we have two hours' leisure beforesupper, if you, dear mother, will tell us one of your sweet storiesof real life, it will be both a pleasant and profitable way ofpassing the evening. We have all employment for our fingers, and canwork while we listen; George and I with our pencils, and you ladieswith your sewing and knitting."

GRANDY. "Well, what must it be? Something nautical, I suppose; foras we are about to set sail in a few days, it will be appropriate,will it not?"

GEORGE. "Oh yes! dear Grandy, a nautical story, if you please."

Story of Frederic Hamilton

"The first time I saw Frederic Hamilton was on board the 'Neptune,'outward bound for Jamaica: he was then a lad of twelve or fourteenyears: I cannot be sure which; but I remember he was tall for hisage, and extremely good looking.

"There were so many circ*mstances during the voyage, which broughtme in contact with this boy, and so many occasions to arouse mysympathies in his behalf, (for he was evidently in delicate health,and unfit for laborious work.) that in a short time I became deeplyinterested concerning him, and I determined as soon as I hadrecovered from sea-sickness, to watch for an opportunity ofinquiring into the particulars of his earlier history.

"I must first tell you, before proceeding with the story of my hero,that the captain of the 'Neptune' was a very harsh, cruel man, andmade every one on board his vessel as uncomfortable as he could byhis violent temper, and ungentlemanly conduct. I was the onlylady-passenger; and had it not been for the kindness of myfellow-travellers, I scarcely think I could have survived all theterrors of that dreadful voyage. The sailors, without onedissentient voice, declared they had never sailed with such amaster, and wished they had known a trifle of the rough side of hischaracter before they engaged with him, and then he would have hadto seek long enough to make up a crew, for not one of them wouldhave shipped with him.' They even went so far as to say, that if atany time they could escape from the vessel, they would not hesitatea moment, but would get away, and leave the captain to work the shipby himself. I could not take part with the captain, because I sawtoo much of his tyranny to entertain a particle of respect for him,and I confess I was not in the least surprised at the language ofthe ill-used sailors. He had no good feature in his character that Icould discover; for he was mean, vulgar, discontented, and brutal.He never encouraged the men in the performance of their duty, bykind expressions; on the contrary, he never addressed them on themost simple matter without oaths and imprecations, and oftentimesenforced his commands with a rope's end or his fist.

"We had yet other causes of discomfort besides these continualuproars. Contrary winds, constant gales, and violent storms, madeour hearts fail from fear. We knew the captain could not expectHis blessing, whose laws he openly set at defiance; indeed, byhislife and conversation, he proved that he 'cared for none of thesethings.'

"I believe he was a clever seaman: he had certainly had muchexperience, having been upwards of fifty times across the Atlantic:so that we felt at ease with regard to the management of theship.But we did not put our trust in the skill of the captain alone; forof what avail would that be if the Lord withheld his hand, and leftus to perish? No! my dears, we saw that the captain never prayed,and we felt there was a greater necessity for us to be diligent inthe duty; and daily, nay hourly, we entreated the forbearance andassistance of Almighty God to conduct us in safety to land.

"After a time, the men became very unmanageable; for they hated thecaptain: he treated them like slaves, and imposed upon them on everyoccasion; so that at length, goaded to desperation by his cruelty,they positively refused to handle a rope until he agreed to theterms they intended to propose.

"The captain, fierce as he was, felt it would be useless to contendwith twenty angry men, and he knew the passengers would not befriendhim: he therefore deemed it expedient to endeavor to conciliate themby promises he never intended to perform, and, after a few hours'confusion, all was again comparatively quiet.

"I could tell you much more about the quarrels and disturbances ofwhich we unfortunate passengers had to be the passive witnesses, andwhich, accustomed as we were to them in the day-time, filled me withgreater horror than I can describe, breaking upon the stillness ofthe night, when all was quiet but the troubled ocean, whose murmurs,instead of arousing, served to lull us into a deeper repose. Yes,often, when no other sound but the low splashing of the wavesagainst the side of the ship was to be heard, and we were all eithersleeping quietly, or thinking deeply of home and friends, loud criesand shouts would reach us, and, in an instant, we would all begathered together to inquire into the cause of the disturbance. Itwas always the captain and some of the men fighting; and on oneoccasion, the battle was so close to us, actually in the cabin,between the captain and the steward, that I screamed aloud, and donot remember ever to have been so much alarmed.

"But as my principal object is to make you acquainted with FredericHamilton, and not with my adventures, I will say no more aboutCaptain Simmons, and his ship, than is necessary in the course of mytale.

"I was just getting over the unpleasant sensations of sea-sickness,when, one morning as I was dressing in my berth, a noise ofscuffling on the quarter-deck, over my head, interrupted myoperations. I laid my brush on the table, and listened. At first Icould distinguish nothing, and, thinking it was the captain and asailor disputing, I continued my toilet; when, suddenly, a piercingcry reached me, and I knew the voice to be Frederic's. At the sametime the sound of heavy blows fell on my ear, and again I recognizedhis voice: he called out so loudly, that I heard him distinctly say,'Oh, sir! have mercy. Pray, pray do not kill me! Oh, sir! think ofmy mother, and have pity upon me. I will try to please you,sir;indeed, indeed, I will. Oh, mercy! mercy!' His cries became fainterand fainter, while the blows continued, accompanied occasionally bythe gruff voice of the captain, until, my soul shrinking withhorror, I could endure it no longer. I rushed out of my cabin, andthere on the poop beheld a sight I can never forget. Poor Fredericwas lashed to the shrouds with his hands above his head, which wasthen drooping on his shoulder; his back bare and bleeding. Thebrutal captain was standing by with a thick rope in his grasp,which, by the crimson stains upon it, sufficiently proved the vilepurpose for which its services had just been required.

"I called out hastily and angrily to the captain to cease beatingthe boy, and declared I would fetch out the gentlemen to interfereif he did not stop his unmanly behavior. He glared on me with thefiercest expression imaginable (for he was in a towering rage,) andtold me I had better not meddle with him in the performance ofhisduty, for he would do as he liked; he was master of the shipandnobody else, and he would like to see anybody else try to be. Thenhe made use of such fearful language, that I dreaded to approachhim; but my fear lest he should again attack the boy, overcame myfear for him in his anger; and I ascended the ladder. He desired,nay commanded, me to retire to my cabin; but I said, 'No,captain,I will not stir hence until you release Frederic, and if you strikehim again I will be a witness of your cowardly behavior towards apoor boy whose only fault is want of strength to do the workassigned him. I am quite sure, whatever you may say on board-ship,you will not be able to justify your conduct on shore.'

"He did not again address me; but, muttering curses loud and deep,he untied the fainting boy, and, giving him a savage push, laid himprostrate on the deck: he then walked forward, and began to shoutaloud his orders to the men on the main-deck.

"The man at the helm, pitying the poor boy, called to the boatswain,who was standing on the forecastle, and begged him to send somewater to throw over the lad, and some dressing for his wounded back.I stayed by him for a short time, and when he was somewhatrecovered, I went below.

"I fancied, when I met the captain at the dinner-table, that helooked rather ashamed; for I had related the whole affair to theother passengers, and he could perceive, by their indifferencetowards him, that they despised him for his cowardice. He tried tobe jocular, but could not succeed in exciting our risibility: we didnot even encourage his jokes by the shadow of a smile, and he seemeduneasy during the remainder of the time we sat at table.

"I now felt more than ever interested in the fate of FredericHamilton and was not sorry I had said so much in the morning.Prudence might have dictated milder language certainly; but myindignation was aroused; and when I found that my remonstrance hadthe desired effect, I did not repent of my impetuosity.

"About a week after this unhappy occurrence, as I was leaning overthe rail on the quarter-deck, watching the shoals of porpoises (forwe were then in a warm latitude) playing in the bright blue sea atthe vessel's side, the boatswain, who was a fine specimen of asea-faring man, came up and, seating himself on a fowl-coop near me,commenced sorting rope-yarns for the men to spin. Presently Fredericwalked up the ladder with a bucket of water to pour into the troughsfor the thirsty poultry, who were stretching their necks through thebars and opening their bills, longing for the refreshing draught:the heat was overpowering, and the poor things were closely packedin their miserable coops.

"I remarked to Williams how pale the boy looked, and how thin, andsaid, I feared he was not only badly treated, but had not propernourishment.

"'Why, ma'am,' said he, 'to say the truth, the lad's not been usedto this kind of living, and it was the worst thing as ever happenedto him to be brought on board the "Neptune," with our skipper for amaster. You see, madam,' he continued, 'his father was a parson; buthe is dead, and the mother tried hard to persuade the lad (for,poor thing, he is her only boy,) to turn parson too, when his fatherdied. But no. The boy had set his mind on going to sea; and as hehad no friends who could help him to go to school or college, andhis godfather, Captain Hartly, offered to pay the apprenticeshipfees if his mother would let him learn navigation, she at last,though much against her will, consented that he should be boundapprentice to our skipper here. But it pretty nigh broke her heartto part with the child; and she begged the captain to use him gentlyand bear with him a little, for he was not so hardy as many boys ofhis age; and, moreover, had been accustomed to kindness and delicatetreatment. The lad is a fine noble-hearted lad, but he is notstrong; and it is my opinion that the master wants to get rid of himto have the fee for nothing, and he's trying what hard living, hardwork, and hard usage will do towards making him go the faster. Buthe had better mind what he is about. There's many a man on boardthat can speak a good word for Frederic when he gets ashore; and, ifall comes out, it will go hard with the master. The poor lad crieshimself to sleep every night, and when he is asleep he has no rest,for in his dreams he talks of his mother and sister, and often sobsloud enough to wake the men whose hammocks swing near him. I am verysorry to see all this, for he is a fine boy, as I said before, andwe are all fond of him; but he's not fit for this kind of work,leastwise not yet. I am glad you have taken notice of him, madam;for, though you cannot do any good while we're at sea, may be whenyou come ashore you won't forget poor Frederic Hamilton.'

"When the boatswain left me, I walked up and down the deck ponderingon these things, and contriving all sorts of schemes for the reliefof my young friend, and wondering how I could manage to have someconversation with him on the subject; when a circ*mstance occurred,which at once enabled me not only to learn all I was anxious toknow, but also in a great measure to improve his condition on boardthe 'Neptune.'

"I knew that Frederic must have been trained up in the fear of theLord, for his daily conduct testified that he not only knew what wasright, but tried to perform it also; and notwithstanding the severetrials he had to undergo, while with us on the voyage to Jamaica,yet I never heard a harsh or disrespectful expression fall from hislips; but he would attribute all the captain's unkind treatment ofhim to something wrong in himself, and he every day tried beyond hisstrength to obtain a look of approbation from his stern master. But,alas! he knew not to whom he looked; although he was cuffed andkicked about whenever he tried to be brisk in the task allotted tohim, he was always the same patient, melancholy little fellow,throughout the voyage.

"Sometimes during the night watch, I have caught the musical tonesof his voice, as he walked the quarter-deck; when, the captain beingin his berth fast asleep, the boy was comparatively happy; and asthe ship sailed quietly along in the pale moonlight, his thoughtswould wander back to the home of his beloved mother and sister, and,the buoyancy of youthful spirits gaining the ascendency over moremelancholy musings, he would for a while forget his present sorrows,and almost involuntarily break out in singing some of the sweethymns in which he had been accustomed to join when the little familyassembled for devotional exercises.

"It was then I used to open my cabin window, and breathlessly listento the clear voice of my gentle protégé; and notunfrequently couldeven distinguish the words he sang; now loud—now soft, as heapproached or retreated. One hymn in particular seemed to be aspecial favorite, and was so applicable to his situation, that Ihave remembered several of the verses.

"'Jesus, I my cross havetaken,
All to leave and follow thee:
Destitute, despised, forsaken,
Thou from hence my all shall be.
Perish every fond ambition,
All I've sought, and hoped, and known;
Yet how rich is my condition,—
God and heaven are still my own!

"'Man may trouble and distress me;
'Twill but drive me to thy breast.
Life with trials hard may press me;
Heaven will bring me sweeter rest.
Oh! 'tis not in grief to harm me,
While thy love is left to me!
Oh! 'twere not in joy to charm me,
Were that joy unmixed with Thee.

"'Take, my soul, thy full salvation;
Rise o'er sin, and fear, and care;
Joy to find in every station
Something still to do or bear!
Think what Spirit dwells within thee;
What a Father's smile is thine;
What thy Saviour did to win thee,—
Child of Heav'n, should'st thourepine?

"'Haste then on from grace to glory,
Armed by faith, and winged byprayer;
Heaven's eternal day's before thee;
Heaven's own hand shall guide theethere.
Soon shall close thy earthly mission;
Swift shall pass thy pilgrim days;
Hope soon change to glad fruition,
Faith to sight, and prayer topraise.'"

EMMA. "What a beautiful hymn, grandmamma. I should like to learnthose words. But I want to hear how you got Frederic away from thathorrid man, and what became of him afterwards, because I cannotunderstand why you are telling us this story. I know you nevertell us anything for amusem*nt only."

GRANDY. "No, my dear child; this story is not solely for youramusem*nt. This morning I observed a strangeness in George'sbehavior, when he was requested to put up his microscope, and assistin laying the cloth, because John was out, and he was aware thatHannah had sprained her foot, and could not walk up and down stairs.He said such extraordinary things about being ill-used, and workedhard, and never having an hour to amuse himself, that I am desirousof convincing him that it is quite possible (with God's assistance)not only to bear all this, without thinking it a shame, as Georgetermed it, but even to praise God for the troubles and trials whichmay fall to your lot; and I also wish to inform him, that thereare some boys more patient and grateful than himself. But I see,by the color mounting to his cheeks, that my boy is sorry for hispast behavior; nevertheless, I will continue my story. And now forthe incident, as I presume you will call it, Emma.

"We were about a week's voyage from Jamaica. The wind was favorable,but light, the sky clear, the sun directly overhead;—we were allbeginning to feel the effects of a warm climate; the sailors wereloosely clad in canvass trousers, striped shirts, and straw hats,and went lazily about their work;—the ship moved as lazily throughthe rippling waves;—the man at the helm drew his hat over his eyes,to shade them from the glare of the sun, and lounged listlessly uponthe wheel;—the captain was below taking a nap, to the great reliefof men and boys;—some of the passengers were sitting on the poop,under an awning, drowsily perusing a book or old newspaper; someleaning on the taffrail, watching the many-colored dolphin, andthose beautiful, but spiteful, little creatures, the Portuguesem*n-of-war, which look so splendid as they sail gently on the smoothsurface of the blue ocean, every little ripple causing a change ofcolor in their transparent sails. I was admiring these curiousnavigators, as I stood with two or three friends, who, like myself,felt idle, and cared only to dispose of the time in the mostagreeable manner attainable in such a ship, with such a commander;and I said, rather thoughtlessly, considering Frederic was at myside, 'How I should like to possess one of those little creatures; Isuppose they can be caught?'

"Frederic moved from me, and an instant after he was on theforecastle; presently, I heard a splash in the water, and, leaningover the rail, I saw him swimming after a fine specimen, which shonein all the bright and varied colors of the rainbow, as it floatedproudly by. He had no sooner reached the treasure, and made a graspat it, than he gave a loud scream, for the creature had encircledthe poor boy's body with its long fibrous legs, or, as they areproperly called, 'tentacula'. He struggled violently, for he was ingreat agony; at length he escaped, and was helped on deck by one ofthe men, who said, he wished, 'he had known what the youngster hadin his head, and he would have prevented him attempting to catchsuch a thing,' for he was aware of the extraordinarypeculiaritiesof these singular little creatures. When he came on deck, he lookedexactly as if he had been rolled in a bed of nettles, and thesteward had to rub him with oil, and give him medicine to reducethe fever caused by the pain of the sting.

"You may be sure, that directly the captain heard of this affair, hewas more disposed to chastise, than to pity, our friend Frederic;but I interfered, and begged he would leave him to me, as I had beenthe cause of the disaster, and must now make amends by attendinghim, until he was well enough to return to his duty. The captain wasvery much displeased, and I regretted extremely that a foolish wishof mine should have caused so much annoyance, and felt it my duty toendeavor to alleviate the boy's sufferings as much as possible. PoorFrederic! he was laid up three or four days, and had experiencedenough to caution him against ever again attempting to capturea'Portuguese man-of-war.'[1]

"I used to sit by his hammock for hours talking and reading to him;when one day, as I closed my book to leave him, he said with a sigh,while tears filled his eyes, 'I am very grateful to you, madam, foryour kindness to me: you have been a friend when I most needed one;how my dear mother would love you if she knew what you had done forher boy. But I do not deserve that any one should love me; Ihavebeen wilful and disobedient, and my sorrows are not half so greatas, in justice for my wickedness, they ought to be; but every dayproves to me that God is long-suffering and merciful, and doeth usgood continually. I have thanked him often and often for making youlove me, and I feel so happy that in the midst of my trials, God hasraised me up a friend to cheer me in the path of duty; to teach mehow to correct my faults; and to sympathize with me in my dailysorrows. God will bless you for it, madam,' he continued: 'he willbless you for befriending the orphan in his loneliness; and mymother will bless you, and pray God to shower his mercies thick andplenteous on you all the days of your life.' He paused, and, buryinghis face in the scanty covering of his bed, he wept unrestrainedly.I was hastening away, for my heart was full, and the effort to checkmy tears almost choked me; when he raised his head, and, stretchinghis hand towards me, said, 'I want to tell you something more,madam, if you will not think me bold; but my heart reproaches meevery time I see your kind face; I feel as if I were imposing uponyou, and fancy that, did you know more about me, you would deem meunworthy of your interest and attention. May I relate to you all Ican remember of myself before I came here? It will be such a comfortto have some person near me, who will allow me to talk of those Ilove, without ridiculing me, and calling me "home-sick."'

"This was the very point at which I had been for some time aiming,as I did not wish to ask him for the particulars, not knowingwhether the question might wound his feelings; but now that heoffered to tell me, I was delighted, and readily answered hisappeal, assuring him nothing would give me greater pleasure than tohear an account of himself from his own lips: 'But,' I added, 'Icannot wait now, for they are striking "eight bells:" I must go into dinner: after dinner I will come to you again, and listen to allyou have to say; so farewell for the present, my dear boy, in anhour's time I will be with you.'

"As soon as dinner was over, I returned to Frederic: he looked sopleased, I shall never forget the glow that overspread his fairface, as I entered the berth, for he was really handsome; his eyeswere bright hazel, his hair auburn, and waving over his head in themost graceful curls, while his complexion was the clearest and mostbeautiful I had ever seen. I found a seat on a chest near hishammock, and, telling him I was ready to attend to his narrative, hebegan:—

"'The first impression I have of home was when I was about fiveyears old, and was surrounded by a little troop of brothers andsisters, for I can remember when there was seven healthy, happychildren in my "boyhood's home." We lived at Feltham, Middlesex, inthe pretty parsonage-house. It was situated at the end of a longavenue of elm-trees whose arching boughs, meeting over our heads,sheltered us from the mid-day glare. Here in the winter we used totrundle our hoops; and in the summer stroll about to gather brightberries from the hedges to make chains for the adornment of ourbowers. But death came to our happy home, and made sad the hearts ofour good parents: the whooping-cough was very prevalent in thevillage, and a child of one of the villagers, who occasionally cameto my father for relief, brought the contagion amongst us, and in ashort time we were all seized with it. Two sisters died in one day,and the morning they were laid in the grave, sweet baby breathed hislast. Then my mother fell sick, and she was very ill indeed; mybrother and I were placed in a cot by her bedside, and when pain hasprevented me sleeping, I have been comforted by hearing this dear,kind mother beseeching God to spare her boys. She seemed regardlessof her own sufferings, and only repined when she thought how usefulshe might have been to us, had she too not been laid on a bedofsickness. But fever and delirium came on, and we were removed fromher chamber. The next day poor Frank died, and was buried by theside of Clara and Lucy. The funeral service was read by my dearfather, who was enabled to stand under all these trials of hisfaith, for God sustained him; and, having trained us up in the fearand admonition of the Lord, he did not grieve as one without hope,when his darlings were taken from him, for he knew they were gone toa better world, and were happy in the bosom of their heavenlyFather. His greatest trial was the illness of my mother; but beforewe were all quite well, she was able to leave her chamber, and onceagain kneel with us at our family altar, to return thanks to God forhis many mercies. There were only three of her seven children leftto her, and when my father blessed God that they were not renderedchildless, my mother's feelings overpowered her, and she was bornefainting from the room.

"'But I fear I am tiring you with these melancholy accounts, madam.You know not how deeply I enjoy the recollection of those days, forthrough this wilderness of sorrow there was a narrow stream ofhappiness placidly gliding, to which we could turn amidst thetroubles of the world, and refresh our fainting souls; and, thoughwe grieved at the remembrance of the loved ones now gone from us,yet we would not have recalled them to these scenes of woe, to sharefuture troubles with us. Oh no! my dear father was a faithfulfollower of Christ; he used to show us so many causes forthankfulness in our late afflictions, which he said were "blessingsin disguise," that happiness and tranquillity were soon restored toour home.

"'Two or three years glided by, and when I was eleven years old, myfather, one day, called me into his study, and, looking seriously atme, said, "Frederic, my child, God has been very good to you; he hasspared your life through many dangers; you, of all my sons, onlyremain to me, and may your days be many and prosperous! Now, whatcan you render unto the Lord for all his mercies towards you; oughtnot the life God has so graciously spared be in gratitudeconsecrated to his service? Tell me what you think in this matter. Ispeak thus early, my dear Frederic, because I wish you to considerwell, before you are sent from home, what are to be your futureplans; for as life is uncertain, and none of us know the day nor thehour in which the summons may arrive, I should feel more happy, wereI assured that you would tread in my footsteps when I am gone; thatyou, my only boy," and he clasped me in his arms as he spoke, "thatyou would be a comfort to your mother and sisters, when my laborsare ended, and would carry on the work which I have begun in thisportion of the Lord's vineyard, and His blessing and the blessing ofa fond father will ever attend your steps."

"'I raised my eyes to my father's face, and, for the first time,noticed how pale and haggard he looked; all the bright and joyousexpression of his countenance when in health had given place to amild and melancholy shade of sadness, which affected me painfully;for the thought struck me that my father was soon to be called away.

"'I evaded answering his question, and when he found I did notreply, he said, "My son, let us ask the direction of Almighty God inthis great work." I knelt with him, and was lost in admiration. Icould not remove my eyes from his face during the prayer; his wholesoul seemed absorbed in communion with God, and as I gazed, Iwondered what the glorious angels must be like, when the face of mybeloved father, while here on earth, looked so exquisitely lovely,glowing in the beauty of holiness.

"'For several days, the conversation in the study was continually inmy mind; I could think of nothing else. I did not like theprofession well enough to have chosen it myself, for I dislikedretirement; but after an inward struggle, betwixt my inclination andmy duty, I resolved, that, to please my father, I would study forthe church. One day, my godfather, Captain Hartly, came to see us,and he took great notice of me. He asked me if I should like to goto sea? Then he told me such fine things about life in the navy, andon board ship, that my wavering mind fired at his descriptions, andI determined to be a sailor, for such a life would be more congenialto my feelings than the quiet life of a country clergyman. I did notmention this to my father, for he was ill, and I feared to grievehim; nevertheless, had he asked me, I should certainly have openedmy heart to him without dissimulation. I often fretted when Ithought how sorry he would be to hear that I did not care to beengaged in the service of his Master; when one morning, as Iwaslying in bed, a servant came into my room, and desired me to hastento my father's chamber, to receive his blessing, for he was dying.

"'I did hasten. I know not how I got there. I rushed into his arms,I threw myself on his neck, and felt as if I too must die. He wastoo much exhausted to speak; but he placed his hand on my head, and,slightly moving his lips, the expression of his features told, inplain language, that his heart was engaged in prayer. He waspraying, and for me,—me, his unworthy son, and when I consideredthat I could not comply with his wishes without being a hypocrite, Ithought my heart would burst. For several minutes, was my dearfather thus occupied; then, turning to my weeping mother, who waskneeling by the bedside, he softly uttered her name. Alas! it waswith his parting breath, for gently, as an infant falls asleep onthe bosom of its nurse, did my revered parent fall asleep in thearms of that Saviour who had been his guide and comforter throughlife, and who accompanied him through the dark valley, and by hispresence made bright the narrow path which leads to the abode of theredeemed.

"'The only earthly friend we had to look to, in our bereavement, wasCaptain Hartly; and he could only promise to assist me if I wouldenter the navy, or go on board a merchant-ship. My poor motherobjected to this, and I remained at home another twelvemonth, andagain mourned the loss of a dear relative. My sister Bertha fell avictim to consumption, exactly nine months after the death of mylamented father. It was cruel to leave my mother under suchcirc*mstances, particularly as she remonstrated with me so earnestlyon my project of going to sea, and offered to make any sacrifice, ifI would consent to go to college, and follow out my father's plans.But my heart was fixed; and every visit from my godfather tended toinflame me still more with a longing for a sea-faring life; and, atlength, I told him I was willing to be bound apprentice to a captainof a merchant-ship, rather than lose the chance of going to sea. Heeagerly embraced the offer, and in a few weeks the affair wassettled satisfactorily for all parties but my dear mother andsister. Marian wept bitterly when the letter came which concludedthe arrangements, and informed me what day to be on board. My motherwent to see the captain, and entreated him to be kind to me. But sheknew not the disposition of the man to whose care I was entrusted,or I am sure nothing would have induced her to consent to my plans.I dare say it is all for the best. I shall, perhaps, learn my dutybetter with Captain Simmons than I should have done with a kindermaster. It is well my mother knows nothing of this; for, evenbelieving I should be treated with the utmost kindness, theseparation was almost more than she had fortitude to bear, and shebade me farewell nearly heart-broken. I have never ceased to regretthat I preferred my own will to the authority of my parents; Ideserve all I suffer, and much more, for my rebellion against them.This, madam, is all I have to tell you. I hope you will not cast meoff, because I have been so self-willed; for here I have nofriendto aid me, and I still feel the same desire for my present mode oflife. I am quite sure I am not suited for a clergyman; but I do notthink I could live long with this captain. If I could getshippedin another vessel, with a master not quite so severe, in a littletime I should be able to work for money, and assist my dear mother;and if she saw me occasionally, and knew I was well and happy, shewould be content and thankful.'

"Such was Frederic's simple account of himself. In five days we camein sight of Port Royal, and anchored off there during the night: thenext day we went ashore, and my brother Herbert, who was a merchantin Kingston, was ready to receive me, and welcome me to his house.

"I took the earliest opportunity of speaking to him concerningFrederic: he promised to make some arrangement for the boy'sadvantage, and he fulfilled his promise. He got him transferred tothe 'Albatross,' Captain Hill, a kind, gentlemanly man. ThereFrederic remained for several years, and gained such approbation byhis exemplary conduct, that, at length, he became first mate, andafterwards (on the death of Captain Hill) master.

"A few years back, Captain Hartly died; leaving him considerableproperty. He made it his first business to settle his mothercomfortably, and she is now residing with Marian (who married asurgeon,) in St. John's Wood. He next purchased a ship, and hasalready made six voyages in her to the West Indies; so that you seeall things have prospered with Frederic Hamilton, because 'he fearedthe Lord always.' I hear from him after every voyage, and have seenhim several times since he became a great man and a ship-owner; buthe is not altered in one respect, for he is still the samegrateful, affectionate creature as when I first met him on board the'Neptune.' His story proves the truth of the text, 'I have neverseen the righteous forsaken, nor his children begging their bread.'"

Mr. and Mrs. Wilton were as much pleased as the children with thislittle story of Grandy's reminiscences. "And now, George," said Mr.Wilton, "carry my drawings into the study, for I hear John comingup-stairs with the supper."

George collected his papa's pencils and paper. Emma folded up thecotton frock she had been making for one of her young pupils in theSunday-school, locked her work-box, cleared the table of all signsof their recent occupation, and took her seat by the side of herbrother.

The children were not allowed except on particular occasions to situp after ten o'clock; but as it was Mr. Wilton's wish that theyshould be present night and morning at family prayers he always hadsupper about nine o'clock, to give them time for their devotionsbefore retiring to rest.

Supper over, the domestics were summoned, and, having humblypetitioned for pardon and grace, they besought the protection ofAlmighty God during the night season; then, with hearts filled withlove to God, and good-will towards all men, they retired to theirseveral apartments, and silence reigned throughout the house.

CHAPTER II.

Beautiful, sublime andglorious;
Mild, majestic, foaming, free;—
Over time itself victorious,
Image of eternity.

Every day throughout the following week the young folks were busilyengaged. It is needless to specify the nature of their occupations,or the reason of their untiring industry: it will be sufficient fortheir credit to mention that they did not work with the foolishdesire of ostentatiously displaying a larger portion of informationthan the rest of the party, but really because they were fond ofstudy; and as they advanced in knowledge, they became more sensibleof their own comparative ignorance, and more anxious to learn. Theymade no parade of their own abilities; were equally gratified at themeetings, whether they were required to speak, or be silent; and noevil passions disturbed their repose, when they heard other membersmore praised than themselves. To prove this, the young lady to whomEmma had decidedly given the preference amongst her companions, wasthree years her senior, had nearly completed her education, and wasa clever intelligent girl; consequently, it was very probable thatshe would far surpass her in knowledge, and be in fact moreserviceable to the society than Emma ever had been, or could hope tobe, for some time to come. But Emma's heart was a stranger to thewicked feeling of jealousy; it was overflowing with kindness; andshe was delighted that she knew a person so agreeable, and soefficient to introduce, and thought how admirably they would travel"o'er the glad waters of the bright blue sea," if all the newmembers were as well qualified as Dora Leslie.

Day after day passed, and every day added to their stores, for theydevoted at least two hours of their recreation to the pleasant andprofitable occupation of making discoveries in the great oceans andsmaller seas; and when they closed their books, it was with a sigh,that they were obliged to leave this interesting study to attend toother business of equal importance.

On the evening of the 7th instant the large round table in the frontdrawing-room presented a formidably learned appearance, covered withmaps, papers, and books, and surrounded with chairs placed atconvenient distances for the accommodation of the members of theGeographical Society.

They were to take tea in another apartment that evening, to givethem an opportunity of arranging the requisite documents before theparty assembled, and thereby prevent much trouble and confusion.

George's blue eyes sparkled with joy, as he carefully folded hislarge paper of notes, and placed it in an Atlas; and then, for thefirst time, he confessed that he felt very curious to see the "newmembers."

They had scarcely concluded their arrangements, when there was aknocking at the hall-door, and, seizing his sister's hand, Georgehurried down stairs.

The arrivals were shortly announced; for strange to say, the twoyoung friends arrived at the same instant. John opened the parlordoor, and ushered in "Miss Dora Leslie,"—"Master Charles Dorning."

These young people never having previously met at Mr. Wilton'shouse, as members of his Geographical Society, it seemed necessarythat there should be a formal introduction,—at least, so thoughtGeorge; and as he proposed it, they required him to perform theceremony, which he did in a most facetious way, affixing theinitials M.G.S. after every name.

They were all seated around the cheerful fire, laughing heartily,when again John threw open the door, and announced "Mr. Barraud."Immediately their mirth was checked, for to the younger folks thisgentleman was a total stranger. Mr. Wilton advanced to greet hisfriend, and Mrs. Wilton and Grandy both appeared delighted to seehim: they conversed together some time, until tea was ready, whenthe conversation became more general, and our little friends wereoccasionally required to give an opinion.

Before I proceed any farther, I should like to make you acquaintedwith Charles Dorning and Dora Leslie. Perhaps if I give you a slightsketch of their personal appearance, you could contrive to form atolerably correct estimate of their characters from theconversations in which they both figured to such advantage at theevening meetings held in the drawing-room of Mr. Wilton's hospitablemansion.

Charles Dorning—No! We ought to describe the lady first. DoraLeslie was fourteen years of age; a gentle, quiet girl, with a meekyet intelligent countenance, which spoke of sorrow far beyond heryears; and a decided expression of placidity, which none but thepeople of God wear, was stamped upon her delicate features andglowing in her mild blue eye. She had been in early childhoodencompassed by the heavy clouds of worldly sorrow: she had wept overthe tomb of both her parents; but now that she could think calmly ofher afflictions, she could kiss the rod which chastened her, andpraise God for thus testifying his exceeding love towards a sinfulchild. Her trials had indeed been sanctified to her; they hadchanged, but not saddened, her heart; for she was at the time of hervisit to the Wiltons a cheerful, happy girl, delighting in theinnocent amusem*nts suitable to her age, though ever ready to turnall events to the advantage of her fellow-creatures, and the gloryof her God. But I am telling you more than I intended. I was only todescribe her person, and here I am giving a full, true, andparticular account of the beauties of her mind also. Well, I trustyou will excuse me; for the mind and the body are so nearlyconnected, that it is impossible to give a just idea of the gracesof one without in some degree touching upon the merits of the other.I will now turn to Charles Dorning, as I think I have said enoughof Dora Leslie to induce you to regard her with friendliness.

Charles Dorning was a fine romping boy of eleven years; he had nobright flaxen curls like our friend George, but straight dark hair,which, however, was so glossy and neat that no person thought itunbecoming. His eyes were the blackest I ever saw, and so sparklingwhen animated with merriment, that it was impossible to resist theirinfluence, and maintain a serious deportment if he were inclined toexcite your risibility. Charles was a merry boy, but so innocent inhis mirth, that Mr. Wilton was always pleased to have him for hisson's companion, knowing by observation that his mirth was devoid ofmischief, and that he possessed a most inquiring mind, which urgedGeorge on to the attainment of much solid knowledge that would begreatly serviceable to him in after years.

I flatter myself you will, from this slight sketch, be able to formsome idea of the "new members," and regard them as oldacquaintances, as you already do Emma and George.

While they were drinking tea, there was an animated conversation,which still continued when the meal was over, until the tray haddisappeared, and John had brushed the crumbs from the table; whenMrs. Wilton said, "Suppose we adjourn into the next room, andcommence business"

There was a general move, and in a few moments the table wassurrounded, and each person preparing to enjoy the evening'soccupation. Miss Leslie seated George next to her, because she couldassist him considerably in finding places on the maps; and CharlesDorning was gallant enough to offer to point out the localities forEmma. Thus they were arranged. Grandy only was away from the table:she was in her customary seat by the fire, with the puss* at herfeet, and her fingers nimbly engaged on a par à tête,which shewas knitting with extraordinary facility considering her age andimpaired vision.

"Who is to commence?" inquired Mr. Wilton. "Emma, what have youprepared?"

EMMA. "Dora is to begin, papa, and my paper will be requiredpresently."

MR. WILTON. "Very well. We are all ready, Dora, and most attentive.I think, as we have hitherto commenced with our own quarter of theworld, it would be more systematic to do so now. Are you preparedfor the seas of Europe?"

DORA. "I will readily impart all I have prepared, sir, andbethankful to listen to the rest.

"Europe is bounded on the north by the frozen ocean, south by theMediterranean sea, east by Asia, and west by the Atlantic ocean.Seas being smaller collections of water than oceans, I have selectedthem for our first consideration, and, thinking the Mediterraneanthe most important of Europe, I have placed it at the head of mylist. This sea separates Europe from Africa, and is the largestinland sea in the world. It contains some beautiful islands, andwashes the shores of many countries planted with the myrtle, thepalm, and the olive, and famous both in history and geography asscenes of remarkable adventures, warfares, and discoveries.Numerous rivers from Italy, Turkey, Spain, and France empty theirwaters into this great sea. Africa sends a contribution from themighty Nile, that valuable river which is of such inestimablebenefit to the Egyptians.

"The principal islands in the Mediterranean are Sicily, Sardinia,Corsica, Candia, Cyprus, Rhodes, Majorca, Minorca, and Iviza. Thereare scores of smaller isles, such as Malta, Zante, Cephalonia (thetwo latter are included in the Ionian isles); but it would beendless work to particularize each spot of earth fertile orotherwise, inhabited or uninhabited in every sea, unless there besomething positively interesting connected with them, or somethingimportant to be known concerning them. I believe Mrs. Wiltonundertakes to supply the particulars of which we are in need withrespect to the various islands already specified. Therefore I closemy paper for the present"

MRS. WILTON. "Sicily, formerly called Trinacria, from its triangularshape, is separated from Italy by the Straits of Messina, which areseven miles across. In these straits were the ancient Scylla andCharybdis, long regarded as objects of terror; but now, owing to theimproved state of navigation, they are of little consequence, andhave ceased to excite fears in the hearts of the poor mariners. Thechief towns of Sicily are Messina, Palermo, and Syracuse. In themiddle of this island stands the famous burning mountain Etna.

"Of Sardinia, the chief town is Cagliari.

"Corsica is a beautifully wooded country: its capital is Bastia. Thegreat Napoleon Bonaparte was borne at Ajaccio, a sea port in thisisland."

MR. BARRAUD. "There are two interesting associations with Napoleonto be seen in the Mediterranean off Toulon. One is an old dismantledfrigate, which is moored just within the watergates of the basin,and carefully roofed over and painted. She is the 'Muiron,' with aninscription in large characters on the stern, as follows:—'Cettefrégate prise à Venise est celle qui ramena Napoleon d'Egypte.'Every boat which passes from the men of war to the town must goimmediately under the stern of the Muiron. The hold of the Muiron isat present used as a dungeon for the forçats or galley-slaveswhomisbehave.

"The next association with the Emperor is a stately frigate in deepmourning, painted entirely black, which claims the distinction ofhaving brought the remains of Napoleon to France. 'La belle Poule'is the pride of French frigates."[2]

MRS. WILTON. "Candia is the ancient Crete: it is a fine fertileisland, about 160 miles Jong, and 30 broad. The famous mount Ida ofheathen mythology (now only a broken rock) stands here, with manyother remains of antiquity; and through nearly the whole length ofthis island runs the chain of White Mountains, so called on accountof their snow coverings. The island abounds with cattle, sheep,swine, poultry, and game, all excellent; and the wine made there isbalmy and delicious. The people of Candia were formerly celebratedfor their want of veracity; St. Paul alludes to their evil habits inthe first chapter of his epistle to Titus, where he says, 'TheCretians are always liars.' There are some remarkably ugly dogs inCandia, which seem to be a race between the wolf and the fox.

"Cyprus contains the renowned Paphos: it is not quite so long anisland as Candia, but it is ten miles broader.

"Rhodes is fifty miles long, and twenty-five broad. At the north ofthe harbor stood the celebrated colossus of brass, once reckoned oneof the wonders of the world. It was placed with a foot on eitherside of the harbor, so that ships in full sail passed between itslegs. This enormous statue was 130 feet high; it was thrown down byan earthquake, and afterwards destroyed, and taken to pieces in theyear A.D. 653.

"Of Majorca I have little to say: its chief town is Majorca.

"Port Mahon is the capital of Minorca; and Iviza is the principaltown in the island of that name.

"Malta—"

GEORGE. "Excuse me for interrupting you, dear mamma; but I wishGrandy to tell me if Malta is the same island as the Melitamentioned in the 28th chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, where St.Paul was shipwrecked?"

GRANDY. "Yes, my dear; it is commonly supposed to be the same. It isa very rocky island, inhabited by a people whom most moderntravellers describe as very selfish, very insincere, and verysuperstitious. The population amounts to upwards of 63,000. In thedays of St. Paul, the inhabitants were, without doubt, anuncivilized race, for he calls them a barbarous people! 'And thebarbarous people showed us no little kindness: for they kindled afire, and received us every one, because of the present rain, andbecause of the cold.' Here it was that from the circ*mstance of St.Paul experiencing no evil effects from the viper clinging to hishand, that the people concluded him to be a god; here too he wasallowed to perform many mighty works, such as healing the sick,&c.,which caused him to be 'honored with many honors;' and 'when theydeparted, they were laden with the bounty of the people.' Can anyone of you young folks tell me the name of the chief town in thislittle island?"

"Yes, madam," replied Charles, "I know it; it is Valetta, so namedfrom the noble Provençal Valette, who, after vainly endeavoringtodefend the holy sepulchre from the defilements of the infidels, wasby them driven with his faithful Christian army from island toisland, until he ultimately planted the standard of the cross onthis sea-girt rock, and bravely and successfully withstood theattacks of his enemies. Malta was given to the Knights of St. Johnof Jerusalem in 1530 by the Emperor Charles V., when the Turks drovethem out of Rhodes. They have since been called 'Knights of Malta.'The island is in possession of the English."

DORA. "And so are the Ionian Islands, which include Zante,Cephalonia, and St. Maura: they are all pretty spots near the coastof Greece."

MR. WILTON. "In the Mediterranean Sea lays the largest ship in theworld, the 'Mahmoud:' it is floating off Beyrout."

"I can tell you, papa," said George, "the size of the largest shipin the time of Henry VIII.; it was called the 'Henri Grace àDieu,'and was of 1000 tons burthen; it required 349 soldiers, 301 sailors,and 50 gunners to man her."

MR. WILTON. "That was the first double-decked ship built in England;it cost £14,000, and was completed in 1509. Before this,twenty-fourgun-ships were the largest in our navy; and these had no port-holes,the guns being on the upper decks only. Port-holes were invented byDescharges, a French builder at Brest, in the year 1500."

CHARLES. "That was a useful and simple invention enough: it musthave been very inconvenient to have all the guns on the upper decks;besides, there could not be space for so many as the vessels of warcarry now. Pray what is the size of a first-rate man-of-war, and howmany guns does she carry?"

MR. BARRAUD. "The 'Caledonia,' built at Plymouth in 1808, is 2616tons burthen, carries 120 guns, and requires 875 men withoutofficers. You can imagine the size of a vessel that could contain somany men. But all are not so large: that is a first-rate: there aresome sixth-rate, which only carry twenty guns, are not more than 400tons burthen, and their complement of men is only 155. Theintermediate ships, 2d, 3d, 4th, and 5th rate, vary in every respectaccording to their size, and are classed according to their forceand burthen. Only first and second-rate men-of-war have three decks.Ships of the line include all vessels up to the highest rate, andnot lower than the frigate."

GEORGE. "How I should like to have a fleet of ships. Will you buy memore, dear papa, when I have rigged the 'Stanley?' I am getting onvery fast with her; Emma has stitched all the sails, and only threelittle men remain to be dressed; while I have cut the blocks, andset the ropes in order. It will look very handsome when it is quitefinished; but a miniature fleet would be beautiful to launch on thelake at Horbury next summer. If I rig this vessel properly, may Ihave some others of different sizes, with port-holes to put cannonin? The 'Stanley,' you know, is a merchantman; but now I wantsomemen-of-war."

MR. WILTON. "My dear, when your friend sent you the 'Stanley,' doyou remember how delighted you were, and the remark you made at thetime? I have not forgotten your exclamation—'Now I am aship-owner! I should be quite satisfied if I were a man to possessone vessel to cross the great ocean, and bring all sorts ofcuriosities from foreign lands. I should not care to have half adozen, because they would be a great deal of trouble to me, andwould make me anxious and unhappy.' How quickly you have changedyour opinion. I fear that if you had a little fleet, your desireswould not be checked, for you would, after a while, be wishing forlarge ships, and real men, and, instead of being a contentedship-owner, would not be satisfied with any station short of theLord High Admiral. I do not think it would be wise in me to gratifyyour desires in this matter, for then I should be like the foolishfather of whom Krummacher relates a story."

"Oh! what is it, papa," inquired George: "will you tell us?"

MR. WILTON. "A father returned from the sea-coast to his own home,and brought with him, for his son, some beautiful shells, which hehad picked up on the shore. The delight of the boy was great. Hetook them, and sorted them, and counted them over. He called all hisplayfellows, to show them his treasures; and they could talk ofnothing but the beautiful shells. He daily found new beauties, andgave each of them a name. But in a few months, the boy's father saidto himself, 'I will now give him a still higher pleasure; I willtake him to the coast of the sea itself; there he will see thousandsmore of beautiful shells, and may choose for himself.' When theycame to the beach, the boy was amazed at the multitude of shellsthat lay around, and he went to and fro and picked them up. But oneseemed still more beautiful than another, and he kept alwayschanging those he had gathered for fresh shells. In this manner hewent about changing, vexed, and out of humor with himself. Atlength, tired of stooping and comparing, and selecting, he threwaway all he had picked up, and, returning home weary of shells, hegave away all those which had afforded him so much pleasure. Thenhis father was sorry, and said, 'I have acted unwisely; the boy washappy in his small pleasures, and I have robbed him of hissimplicity, and both of us of a gratification.' Now, my boy, doesnot this advise you to be content with such things as you have? KingSolomon says, 'Better is a little with the fear of the Lord, thangreat treasure and trouble therewith;' and surely your trouble wouldbe largely increased were you to have a whole fleet of ships to rigand fit up against next summer; and I rather think Emma would bebringing forward various objections, as her time would be requiredto prepare the sails and dress the sailors."

"Indeed, dear papa," said Emma, "I have had quite enough troublewith his 'merchantman,' for George is so very particular. I am sureI could not dress the marines for a man-of-war: they require animmense deal of care in fitting their clothes: loose trousers andcheck shirts are easy to make, but tight jackets and trousers, withall the other et ceteras required to dress a marine, would bemorethan I should like to undertake, as I feel convinced I could not doit to the admiral's satisfaction."

CHARLES. "George, shall I give you the dictionary definition of anadmiral?"

GEORGE. "I know what an admiral is. He is an officer of the firstrank; but I do not know what the dictionary says."

CHARLES. "Then I will tell you how to distinguish him: according toFalconer, an admiral may be distinguished by a flag displayed athis main-top-gallant-mast-head."

This caused a burst of merriment, when Emma exclaimed, "That soundsvery droll, Charles, but I understand it: it refers to the admiral'sship, does it not, papa?"

MR. WILTON. "Yes, my dear. The Sicilians were the first by whom thetitle was adopted in 1244: they took it from the Eastern nations,who often visited them. Well, George, do not you think you hadbetter be content with your merchant-ship, because, then, you canreckon on Emma's services?"

GEORGE. "I will try, papa, to exercise my patience on the 'Stanley,'and be satisfied to read of the men-of-war. Now, dear papa, Iwantto know if the Mediterranean has ever been frozen over like theThames?"

MR. WILTON. "Not exactly like the Thames, but it has beenfrozen.In the year 1823, the Mediterranean was one sheet of ice; the peopleof the south never experienced so severe a winter, or, if they did,there is no mention made of it in history."

EMMA. "Ought not Venice, being nearly or totally surrounded bywater, to be included in the islands of the Mediterranean?"

MRS. WILTON. "It is not in the Mediterranean, my dear, but situatedto the north of the Adriatic Sea, which sea is undoubtedly connectedwith the Mediterranean, as are many other seas and gulfs; forinstance, we may include the Archipelago or Egean Sea, the Sea ofMarmora, the Gulf of Tarento, and the first-mentioned, the AdriaticSea, or Gulf of Venice, the mouth of which is also called theIonian Sea; and I cannot tell you how many smaller gulfs, or, moreproperly speaking, bays, beside; for in the Archipelago alone thereare no fewer than eleven. However, while we are so near, it may beof some advantage to take a peep at Venice, 'the dream-like city ofa hundred isles:' that expression is a poetical exaggeration, forVenice is built upon seventy-two small islands. Over the severalcanals, are laid nearly five hundred bridges, most of them built ofstone. The Rialto was once considered the largest single-archedbridge in the world, and is well known to English readers from thework of our greatest dramatist, Shakspeare,—the 'Merchant ofVenice,' and from 'Venice Preserved,' written by the unhappy poetOtway, who died of starvation. Although no longer the brilliant andprosperous city, from whose stories Shakspeare selected suchabundant subjects for his pen, there is yet much to admire andwonder at. On the great canal, which has a winding course betweenthe two principal parts of the city, are situated the mostmagnificent of the great houses, or palaces as they are termed; someof them of a beautiful style of architecture, with fronts of Istrianmarble, and containing valuable collections of pictures. The canalspenetrate to every part of the town, so that almost every house hasa communication by a landing-stair, leading directly into the houseby one way, and on to the water by another. The place of coaches issupplied by gondolas, which are light skiffs with cabins, in whichfour or five persons can sit, covered and furnished with a door andglass windows like a carriage. They are propelled by one manstanding near the stern, with a single oar, which he pushes, movingthe boat in the same direction as he looks. Those persons who arenot rich enough to possess a gondola of their own, hire them, as wedo cabs, when they require to go abroad. The Venetian territoriesare as fruitful as any in Italy, abounding with vineyards, andmulberry plantations. Its chief towns are Venice (which I havedescribed), Padua, Verona, Milan, Cremona, Lodi, and Mantua. Venicewas once at the head of the European naval powers; 'her merchantswere princes, and her traffickers the honorable of the earth,' butnow—

"'Her pageants on thesunny waves aregone,
Her glory lives in memory's pagealone.'

"In a beautiful poem written by the lamented Miss Landon, there aresome very appropriate lines:—

"'But her glory isdeparted,
And her pleasure is no more,
Like a pale queen broken-hearted,
Left lonely on the shore.
No more thy waves are cumbered
With her galleys bold and free;
For her days of pride are numbered,
And she rules no more the sea.
Her sword has left her keeping,
Her prows forget the tide,
And the Adriatic, weeping,
Wails round his mourning bride.'

"'In those straits isdesolation,
And darkness and dismay—
Venice, no more a nation,
Has owned the stranger's sway.'"

CHARLES. "I have some scraps belonging to the 'tideless sea,' whichwill come in here very well. The first is the account of theBosphorus, now called the Canal of Constantinople, situated betweenthe Euxine and the Sea of Marmora. The whole length of it is aboutseventeen miles, and most delightful excursions are made on it inpretty vessels called 'Caiques.' They rest so lightly on the water,that you are never certain of being 'safely stowed.' The rowers aresplendid-looking fellows from two to four in number, each man withtwo light sculls, and they sit lightly on thwarts on the same levelwith the gunwale of the caique. Their costume is beautiful; the headcovered with the crimson tarbouche, and the long silk tasseldangling over the shoulders; a loose vest of striped silk andcotton, fine as gauze, with wide open collar, and loose flowingsleeves; a brilliant-colored shawl envelops the waist, and hugefolds of Turkish trousers extend to the knee; the leg is bare, and ayellow slipper finishes the fanciful costume. In the aft part ofthis caique is the space allotted for the 'fare,' acrimson-cushioned little divan[3] in the bottom of the boat, inwhich two persons can lounge comfortably. The finish of the caiqueis often extraordinary—finest fret-work and moulding, carved andmodelled as for Cleopatra. The caiques of the Sultan are the richestboats in the world, and probably the most rapid and easy. They aremanned by twenty or thirty oarsmen, and the embellishment, andconceits of ornament are superb. Nothing can exceed the delightfulsensation of the motion; and the skill of the rowers in swiftlyturning, and avoiding contact with the myriads of caiques isastonishing. My next scrap is about the Hellespont,[4] situatedbetween the Sea of Marmora and the Archipelago: it is broader at themouth than at any other part; about half-way up, the width is notmore than a mile, and the effect is more like a superb river than astrait; its length of forty-three miles should also give it a betterclaim to the title of a river. In the year 1810, on the 10th of May,Lord Byron accompanied by a friend, a lieutenant on board the'Salsette,' swam across the Hellespont, from Abydos to Sestos, adistance of four miles; but this was more than the breadth of thestream, and caused principally by the rapidity of the current, whichcontinually carried them out of the way, the stream at thisparticular place being only a mile in width. It was here also thatLeander is reported to have swam every night in the depth of winter,to meet his beloved Hero; and, alas! for both, swam once too often."

MR. WILTON. "Before we sail out of the Mediterranean, I wish tomention the singular loss of the 'Mentor,' a vessel belonging toLord Elgin, the collector of the Athenian marbles, now called by hisname, and to be seen in the British Museum. The vessel was cast awayoff Cerigo, with no other cargo on board but the sculptures: theywere, however, too valuable to be given up for lost, because theyhad gone to the bottom of the sea. A plan was adopted for recoveringthem, and it occupied a number of divers three years, before theoperations were completed, for the Mentor was sunk in ten fathomswater, and the cases of marble were so heavy as to require amazingskill and good management to be ultimately successful. The caseswere all finally recovered, and none of the contents in the leastdamaged, when they were forwarded to England. The whole cost ofthese marbles, all expenses included, in the collecting, weighingup, and conveying, is estimated at the enormous sum of 36,000l."

CHARLES. "When was this valuable collection made, sir?"

MR. WILTON. "It was many years in hand. I believe about the year1799 investigations commenced; but the 'Mentor' was lost in 1802,and the marbles did not all arrive in England until the end of theyear 1812; since then an immense number of valuable medals have beenadded to the collection."

DORA. "May we now sail through the straits of Gibraltar into theAtlantic?"

MR. WILTON. "We must necessarily pass through the straits ofGibraltar to get out of the Mediterranean; but as we proposed toexamine into the different situations of the lesser divisions ofwater, first, we will merely sail through a portion oftheAtlantic, and have a little information concerning the Bay ofBiscay."

DORA. "The Bay of Biscay washes the shores of France and Spain; butthe sea is so very rough there, that I think, were our voyage realinstead of imaginary, we should all be anxious to leave thisBayas quickly as possible: and the next name on the list is the BritishChannel."

EMMA. "I have that. The British Channel is the southern boundary ofGreat Britain, and extends to the coast of France. The islands inthis channel are the Isle of Wight—capital Newport,—Guernsey,Jersey, Alderney and Sark."

MRS. WILTON. "The Isle of Wight has, from time immemorial, beeneulogized for its beautiful scenery. It is about twenty-three milesfrom east to west, and twelve from north to south. You have allheard of the Needles, which obtained their name from a lofty pointedrock on the western coast, bearing a resemblance to that littleimplement; and which, with other pieces of rock, had been disjointedfrom the mainland by the force of the waves. This rock was 120 feethigh. About seventy years ago, it fell, and totally disappeared inthe sea. The height of the cliffs now standing, is in some places600 feet, and, when viewed from a distance, they are magnificent inthe extreme. In this island her majesty Queen Victoria has adelightful residence.

"Guernsey is the most westerly of the Channel Islands: it is eightmiles one way, and six miles the other, very fertile, with a mildand healthy climate. A striking object presents itself onapproaching Guernsey, called Castle Cornet, situated on a rocksomewhat less than half a mile from the shore, entirely surroundedby water, supposed to have been built by the Romans, and formerlythe residence of the governors."

MR. BARRAUD. "I have read a curious description of a most remarkablethunder storm, which visited this place in December, 1672. It is asfollows:—

"On Sunday night, about 12 o'clock, the magazine of the castle wasblown up with the powder in it by the lightning. The night was verystormy and tempestuous, and the wind blew hard. In an instant oftime, not only the whole magazine containing the powder was blown upin the air, but also the houses and lodgings of the castle,particularly some fair and beautiful buildings, that had just beforebeen erected at great expense, under the care and direction of LordViscount Hatton (then governor.) who was at the same time within thebuildings of the castle, all which buildings were with many others,reduced to a confused heap of stones, and several persons buried inthe ruins. In the upper part of the castle, at a place called theNew Buildings, was killed by the accident the dowager Lady Hatton,by the fall of the ceiling of her chamber, which fell in fourpieces, one of them upon her breast, and killed her on the spot. TheLady Hatton, wife to the governor, was likewise destroyed in thefollowing manner:—Her ladyship, being greatly terrified at thethunder and lightning, insisted (before the magazine blew up,) uponbeing removed from the chamber she was in to the nursery; where,having caused her woman to come also to be with her, in order tohave joined in prayer, in a few minutes after, that noble lady andher woman fell a sacrifice, by one corner of the nursery-roomfalling in upon them, and were the next morning both found dead. Inthe same room was also killed a nurse, who was found dead, having mylord's second daughter fast in her arms, holding a small silver cupin her hands, which she usually played with, and which was allrimpled and bruised. Yet the young lady did not receive the leasthurt. The nurse had likewise one of her hands fixed upon the cradle,in which lay my lord's youngest daughter, and the cradle was almostfilled with rubbish: yet the child received no sort of prejudice. Aconsiderable number of other persons were all destroyed by the sameaccident."[5]

MRS. WILTON. "What a very remarkable preservation of those littlechildren. Who could deny the finger of God, with such wonderfulinstances of his Omnipotence before their eyes? Surely such eventsmust shake the tottering foundations of infidelity, and cause themost disbelieving to confess 'The Lord He is God.' Jersey is thenext island for consideration; but I know so little of it, that Imust refer you to some person better acquainted with the subject."

CHARLES. "I have been to Jersey, madam, and shall be happy to affordyou the trifling information I have gained respecting itspeculiarities. Jersey, the largest of the Channel Islands, issituated in a deep bay of the French coast, from which it is distanttwenty miles. Its extreme length from east to west is twelve miles,its breadth six. The island is fertile and beautiful, it enjoys amild and salubrious climate; the coast is studded with graniterocks, and indented by small bays, which add greatly to the beautyof the scenery. The chief town is St. Helier's,—its principal tradeis with Newfoundland: ship-building is carried on extensively. Thenatives are kind, but thrifty and parsimonious."

MRS. WILTON. "Thank you, Charles; your description is short, andvery much to the purpose. The Channel Islands, I believe, wereattached to England, as the private property of William theConqueror: the French have made several unsuccessful attempts togain possession of them. The natives are Norman, and the languageNorman-French. These islands enjoy a political constitution of theirown; exemption from all duties, and various privileges granted themby Royal Charter; they are much attached to the English government,but entirely averse to the French. We will now pass over the otherislands, and, 'putting our ship about,' we will stop to view theEddystone lighthouse."

MR. WILTON. "Before we quit the shores of France, I wish to read youan extract from Leigh Ritchie's Travelling Sketches. You remember inour conversations on the Rivers last winter, that we mentioned thestain that would ever remain on Havre from the prominent part takenby the inhabitants in the dreadful traffic in slaves. The extract Iam about to read is from the journal of a youth named Romaine, onboard the 'Rodeur,' a vessel of 200 tons, which cleared out of Havrefor Guadaloupe, on the 15th January, 1819. The boy writes to hismother, while the vessel lay at Bony in the river Calabar, on thecoast of Africa:—'Since we have been at this place, I have becomemore accustomed to the howling of these negroes. At first it alarmedme, and I could not sleep. The captain says if they behave well theywill be much better off at Guadaloupe; and I am sure I wish theignorant creatures would come quietly, and have it over. To-day, oneof the blacks, whom they were forcing into the hold, suddenlyknocked down a sailor, and attempted to leap overboard. He wascaught, however, by the leg, by another of the crew; and the sailor,rising in a passion, hamstrung him with his cutlass. The captain,seeing this, knocked the butcher flat upon the deck with ahandspike. "I will teach you to keep your temper," said he; "he wasthe best slave of the lot!"' The boy then runs to the chains, andsees the slave who was found to be 'useless,' dropped into the sea,where he continued to swim after he had sunk under the water, makinga red track, which broke, widened, faded, and was seen no more. Atlast they got fairly to sea. The captain is described as being inthe best temper in the world; walking the deck, rubbing his hands,humming a tune, and rejoicing that he had six dozen slaves on board;men, women, and children; and all in 'prime marketable condition.'The boy says, their cries were so terrible, that he dare not go andlook into the hold; that at first he could not close his eyes, thesound so froze his blood; and that one night he jumped up, and inhorror ran to the captain's room; he was sleeping profoundly withthe lamp shining upon his face, calm as marble. The boy did not liketo disturb him. The next day, two of the slaves were found dead inthe hold, suffocated by the foulness of the atmosphere. The captainis informed of this, and orders them in gangs to the forecastle totake the fresh air. The boy runs up on deck to see them; he did notfind them so very unwell, but adds, 'that blacks are so much alikethat one can hardly tell.' On reaching the ship's side, first one,then another, then a third, of the slaves leaped into the sea,before the eyes of the astonished sailors. Others made the attempt,but were knocked flat on the deck, and the crew kept watch over themwith handspikes and cutlasses, until they should receive orders fromthe captain. The negroes who had escaped, kept gambolling upon thewaves, yelling what appeared like a song of triumph, in the burdenof which some on deck joined. The ship soon left the 'ignorantcreatures' behind, and their voices were heard more and more faint;the black head of one, and then another, disappearing, until thesea was without a spot and the air without a sound. The captain,having finished his breakfast, came on deck, and was informed of therevolt. He grew pale with rage, and, in dread of losing all hiscargo, determined to make an example. He selects six from those whohad joined in the chorus, has three hanged, and three shot beforetheir companions. That night the boy could not sleep. The negroes,in consequence of the revolt, are kept closer than ever. As aconsequence, ophthalmia makes its appearance among them. The captainis compelled to have them between decks, and the surgeon attendsthem 'just as if they were white men.' All the slaves, then thecrew, save one, the captain, surgeon, and mate, the boy, and at lastthe solitary one of the crew, are stone blind. 'Mother,' says theboy, 'your son was blind for ten days.'

"Some of the crew were swearing from morning till night, somesinging abominable songs, some kissing the crucifix and making vowsto the saints. The ship in the meanwhile helmless, but with sailsset, driving on like the phantom vessel, is assailed by a storm, andthe canvass bursts with loud reports, the masts strain and crack,she carrying on her course down the abyss of billows, and being castforth like a log on the heights of the waters. The storm dies away,when the crew are startled with a sound which proves to be a hailfrom another vessel. They ask for hands, and are answered with ademand for like assistance. The one crew is too few to spare them,and the other is too blind to go. 'At the commencement of thishorrible coincidence,' continues the boy, 'there was a silence amongus for some moments, like that of death. It was broken by a fit oflaughter in which I joined myself; and before our awfulmerrimentwas over, we could hear, by the sound of the curses which theSpaniard shouted against us, that the St. Leo had drifted away.'

"The captain, crew, and some of the slaves gradually recover; somepartially, with the loss of an eye, others entirely. The conclusionof the journal must be told in the boy's own words:—

"'This morning the captain called all hands on deck, negroes andall. The shores of Guadaloupe were in sight. I thought he was goingto return God thanks publicly for our miraculous escape. "Are youquite certain," said the mate, "that the cargo is insured?" "I am,"replied the captain: "every slave that is lost must be made good bythe underwriters. Besides, would you have me turn my ship intoahospital for the support of blind negroes? They have cost us enoughalready; do your duty." The mate picked out the thirty-nine negroeswho were completely blind, and, with the assistance of the rest ofthe crew, tied a piece of ballast to the legs of each. The miserablewretches were then thrown into the sea!'"

Tears glistened in the eyes of the children during the perusal ofthis melancholy account, and Emma, covering her face with her hands,wept aloud.

"Poor, poor people!" exclaimed George; "oh! how glad I am that theEnglish have no slaves; those wicked captains and sailors deserveto be hanged for treating them so cruelly."

GRANDY. "'Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord.' These wicked men willone day be called to an awful account for the cruelties exercised ontheir hapless brethren; and not they alone, but also thepurchasers of these wretched slaves, who, when possessed of them,still caused them to groan in bondage and misery; without onceconsidering that negroes also are the work of God's hands, and aremade immortal equally with themselves, notwithstanding theirdifferent complexion; for 'God is no respecter of persons,' and Hetakes as much interest in the soul of a poor negro as in that of thegreatest white potentate on the earth."

MR. BARRAUD. "The glory of one of our celebrated navigators istarnished, by not merely a participation in, but by being actuallythe originator of, the slave-trade in the English dominions. SirJohn Hawkins was the first Englishman who engaged in theslave-trade; and he acquired such reputation for his skill andsuccess on a voyage to Guinea made in 1564, that, on his returnhome, Queen Elizabeth granted him by patent, for his crest, ademi-moor, in his proper color, bound with a cord. It was inthosedays considered an honorable employment, and was common in mostother civilized countries of the world: it was the vice of the age:therefore we must not condemn Sir John Hawkins individually, for itis probable that he merely regarded it as a lucrative branch oftrade, and, like the rest of the world at that period, did noconsider it as in the slightest degree repugnant to justice orChristianity. I presume our next halting-place will be Portsmouth?"

DORA. "Yes, sir; we are to anchor in Portsmouth harbor, becauseCharles has an excellent account of the wreck of the 'Royal George,'which, being so immediately connected with this naval town, will bemore appropriate here than elsewhere. Will you read it, Charles?"

The Wreck of the Royal George.

"'The "Royal George" was a ship of one hundred guns. In August,1782, she came to Spithead in a very complete state, so that therewas no occasion for the pumps to be touched oftener than once inevery three or four days. By the 29th of August she had got sixmonths' provisions on board and also many tons of shot. The ship hadher top gallant-yards up, the blue flag of Admiral Kempenfeldt wasflying at the mizen, and the ensign was hoisted on theensign-staff,—and she was to have sailed in about two days, to jointhe grand fleet in the Mediterranean. It was ascertained that thewater-co*ck must be taken out, and a new one put in. The water-co*ckis something like a tap of a barrel; it is in the hold of a ship onthe starboard side, and at that part of the ship called the well.By turning a handle which is inside the ship, the sea-water is letinto a cistern in the hold, and it is from that pumped up to washthe decks. In some ships, the water is drawn up the side in buckets,and there is no water-co*ck. To get out the old water-co*ck, it wasnecessary to make the ship heel so much on her larboard side as toraise the outside of this apparatus above water. This was done atabout eight o'clock, on the morning of the 27th August. To do it,the whole of the guns on the larboard side were run out as far asthey would go, quite to the breasts of the guns, and the starboardguns drawn in amidships and secured by tackles, two to every gun,one on each side. This brought the water-nearly on a level with theport-holes of the larboard side of the lower gun-deck. The men wereworking at the water-co*ck on the outside of the ship for near anhour, the ship remaining all on one side, as I have stated.

"'At about nine o'clock, A.M., or rather before, we had justfinished our breakfast, and the last lighter, with rum on board, hadcome alongside: this vessel was a sloop of about fifty tons, andbelonged to three brothers, who used to carry things on board theman-of-war. She was lashed to the larboard side of the "RoyalGeorge," and we were piped to clear the lighter, and get the rum outof her, and stow it in the hold of the "Royal George." I was in thewaist of our ship, on the larboard side, bearing the rum-casks over,as some of our men were aboard the sloop to sling them.

"'At first no danger was apprehended from the ship being on oneside, although the water kept dashing in at the port-holes at everywave; and there being mice in the lower part of the ship, which weredisturbed by the water which dashed in, they were hunted in thewater by the men, and there had been a rare game going on. However,by nine o'clock the additional quantity of rum aboard the ship, andalso the quantity of sea-water which had dashed in through theport-holes, brought the larboard port-holes of the lower gun-decknearly level with the sea.

"As soon as that was the case, the carpenter went on thequarter-deck to the lieutenant of the watch, to ask him to giveorders to "right ship," as the ship could not bear it. However, thelieutenant made him a very short answer, and the carpenter then wentbelow. This officer was the third lieutenant; he had not joined uslong: his name I do not recollect; he was a good-sized man, betweenthirty and forty years of age. The men called him "Jiband-stay-sail-Jack;" for if he had the watch in the night, hewould be always bothering the men to alter the sails, and it was "upjib" and "down jib," and "up foresail" and "down foresail," everyminute. However, the men considered him more of a troublesomeofficer than a good one; and, from a habit he had of moving hisfingers about when walking the quarter-deck, the men said he was anorgan-player from London: but I have no reason to know this was thecase. The captain's name was Waghorn. He was on board, but where hewas I do not know: however, captains, if anything is to be donewhen the ship is in harbor, seldom interfere, but leave it all tothe officer of the watch. The Admiral was, either in his cabin, orin the steerage (I do not know which); and the barber, who had beento shave him, had just left. The Admiral was a man upwards ofseventy years of age; he was a thin tall man, and stooped a gooddeal.

"'As I have already stated, the carpenter left the quarter-deck andwent below. In a very short time he came up again, and asked thelieutenant of the watch to "right ship," and said again that theship could not bear it. Myself and a good many more were at thewaist of the ship and at the gangways, and heard what passed, as weknew the danger, and began to feel aggrieved; for there were somecapital seamen aboard, who knew what they were about quite as wellor better than the officers.

"'In a very short time, in a minute or two, I should think,Lieutenant (now Admiral Sir P.H.) Durham ordered the drummer to becalled to beat to "right ship." The drummer was called in a moment,and the ship was then just beginning to sink. I jumped off thegangway as soon as the drummer was called. There was no time for himto beat his drum, and I do not know that he had even had time to getit. I ran down to my station, and, by the time I had got there, themen were tumbling down the hatchways one over another, to get totheir stations as quick as possible to "right ship." My station wasat the third gun from the head of the ship, on the starboard side ofthe lower gun-deck close by where the cable passes. I said to thesecond captain of our gun whose name was Carrell, (for every gun hasa first and second captain, though they are only sailors,) "Let ustry to bouse our gun out, without waiting for the drum, as it willhelp to 'right ship.'" We pushed the gun, but it ran back upon us,and we could not start him. The water then rushed in at nearly allthe port-holes of the larboard side of the lower gun-deck, and Idirectly said to Carrell, "Ned, lay hold of the ring-bolt, and jumpout of the port-hole; the ship is sinking, and we shall all bedrowned." He laid hold of the ring-bolt, and jumped out at theport-hole into the sea: I believe he was drowned, for I never sawhim afterwards. I immediately got out at the same port-hole, whichwas the third from the head of the ship on the starboard side of thelower gun-deck, and when I had done so, I saw the port-hole as fullof heads as it could cram, all trying to get out.

"'I caught hold of the best bower-anchor, which was just above me,to prevent falling back again into the port-hole, and seized hold ofa woman who was trying to get out of the same place. I dragged herout. The ship was full of Jews, women, and people, selling all sortsof things. I threw the woman from me, and saw all the heads dropback again in at the port-hole, for the ship had got so much on herlarboard side, that the starboard port-holes were as much upright asif the men had tried to get out of the top of a chimney, withnothing for their legs and feet to act upon. I threw the woman fromme, and just after that moment, the air that was between decks,drafted out at the port-holes very swiftly. It was quite a huff ofwind, and it blew my hat off. The ship then sunk in a moment. Itried to swim, but I could not, although I plunged as hard as Icould, both hands and feet. The sinking of the ship drew me down so:indeed, I think I must have gone down within a yard as low as theship did. When the ship touched the bottom, the water boiled up agreat deal, and then I felt that I could swim, and began to rise.

"'When I was about half-way up to the top of the water, I put myright hand on the head of a man who was nearly exhausted. He worelong hair, as did many of the men at that time; he tried to grappleme, and he put his four fingers into my right shoe, alongside theouter edge of my foot. I succeeded in kicking my shoe off, and,putting my hand on his shoulder, I shoved him away: I then rose tothe surface of the water.

"'At the time the ship was sinking, there was a barrel of tar on thestarboard side of her deck, and that had rolled to the larboard, andstaved as the ship went down, and when I rose to the top of thewater, the tar was floating like fat on the top of a boiler. I gotthe tar about my hair and face: but I struck it away as well as Icould, and when my head came above water, I heard the cannon ashorefiring for distress. I looked about me, and at the distance of eightor ten yards from me, I saw the main topsail halyard block abovewater: the water was about thirteen fathoms deep, and at that timethe tide was coming in. I swam to the main topsail halyard block,got on it, and sat upon it, and then I rode. The fore, main, andmizen tops were all above water, as were a part of the bow-sprit,and part of the ensign-staff, with the ensign upon it.

"'In going down, the mainyard of the "Royal George" caught the boomof the rum-lighter, and sunk her; and there is no doubt that thismade the "Royal George" more upright in the water, when sunk, thanshe otherwise would have been, as she did not lie much more on herbeam-ends than small vessels often do, when left dry on a bank ofmud.

"'When I got on the main topsail halyard block, I saw the admiral'sbaker in the shrouds of the mizen-top-mast, and directly after that,the woman, whom I had pulled out of the port-hole, came rolling by:I said to the baker, who was an Irishman, named Robert Cleary, "Bob,reach out your hand, and catch hold of that woman; that is a woman Ipulled out of the port-hole: I dare say she is not dead." He said,"I dare say she is dead enough; it is of no use to catch hold ofher." I replied, "I dare say she is not dead." He caught hold of thewoman, and hung her head over one of the ratlines of the mizenshrouds, and there she hung by the chin, which was hitched over theratline; but a surf came and knocked her backwards, and away she wentrolling over and over. A captain of a frigate which was lying atSpithead came up in a boat as fast as he could. I dashed out my lefthand in a direction towards the woman as a sign to him. He saw it,and saw the woman. His men left off rowing, and they pulled thewoman aboard their boat, and laid her on one of the thwarts. Thecaptain of the frigate called out to me, "My man, I must take careof those who are in more danger than you." I said, "I am safelymoored, now, sir." There was a seaman named Hibbs, hanging by histwo hands from the main-stay, and as he hung, the sea washed overhim every now and then, as much as a yard deep over his head; andwhen he saw it coming, he roared out: however, he was but a fool forthat; for if he had kept himself quiet, he would not have wasted hisstrength, and he would have been able to take the chance of holdingon so much the longer. The captain of the frigate had his boat rowedto the main-stay; but they got the stay over part of the head of theboat, and were in great danger, before they got Hibbs on board. Thecaptain of the frigate then got all the men that were in thedifferent parts of the rigging, including myself and the baker, intohis boat, and took us on board the "Victory;" where the doctorsrecovered the woman, but she was very ill for three or four days. Onboard the "Victory," I saw the body of the carpenter lying on thehearth before the galley fire: some women were trying to recoverhim, but he was quite dead.

"'The captain of the "Royal George," who could not swim, was pickedup and saved by one of the seamen. The lieutenant of the watch, Ibelieve, was drowned. The number of persons who lost their lives, Icannot state with any degree of accuracy, because of there being somany Jews, women, and other persons on board who did not belong tothe ship. The complement of the ship was nominally 1000 men, but shewas not full. Some were ashore; sixty marines had gone ashore thatmorning.

"'The Government allowed 5l. each to the seamen who were onboard,and not drowned, for the loss of their things. I saw the list, andthere were only seventy-five. A vast number of the best men were inthe hold stowing-away the rum-casks: they must all have perished,and so must many of the men who were slinging the casks in thesloop. Two of the three brothers belonging to the sloop perished,and the other was saved. I have no doubt that the men caught hold ofeach other, forty or fifty together, and drowned one another; thosewho could not swim catching hold of those who could; and there isalso little doubt that as many got into the launch as could craminto her, hoping to save themselves in that way, and went down inher altogether.

"'In a few days after the "Royal George" sunk, bodies would come upthirty or forty nearly at a time. A body would rise, and come up sosuddenly as to frighten any one. The watermen, there is no doubt,made a good thing of it: they took from the bodies of the men theirbuckles, money, and watches, and then made fast a rope to theirheels, and towed them to land.'

CHARLES. "That is all I have copied, as the remaining part of thenarrative is too full of nautical terms for us to understand; and,as it only relates to the state of the weather, the condition ofthe vessel, and the perverseness of the lieutenant, it is of noparticular advantage to us in the explanation of the wreck, for wealready know the why and wherefore of the disastrous event. But Mr.Ingram does not precisely state the number of persons lost. Was itnot ascertained soon after?"

MR. WILTON. "Yes; I believe the number of persons who perished onthis sadly memorable occasion was upwards of 800, out of whom 200were women."

GEORGE. "And was the taking out the water-co*ck the original cause ofthe sinking of the 'Royal George'?"

MR. WILTON. "No doubt it was, because, to effect this, the vesselwas hove on one side, and while in that situation, a sudden squallthrew her broadside into the water, and the lower deck ports nothaving been lashed down, she filled, and sunk in about threeminutes."

DORA. "Dear me! how very sudden; what an awful scene it must havebeen, so many poor creatures hurried, with scarcely a moment'swarning or time to cry for mercy, into the presence of theirCreator! Were the bodies all washed ashore? Oh! what a mourning andlamentation there must have been at Spithead, when the fatal truthwas borne to their sorrowing friends."

MR. WILTON. "They were not all washed ashore, Dora, for thegoodold Admiral Kempenfeldt was never found. Vast portions of the wreckhave been recovered, and many of her stores; but they arecomparatively worthless when we think of the widows and orphans leftto pine in poverty and wretchedness."

EMMA. "Cowper has written some touching-lines on this awfulcalamity, with which we shall wind up the subject:—

"'Toll for the brave!
The brave that are no more!
All sunk beneath the wave,
Fast by their native shore!

"'Eight hundred of the brave,
Whose courage well was tried,
Had made the vessel heel,
And laid her on her side.

"'A land breeze shook the shrouds,
And she was overset;
Down went the Royal George,
With all her crew complete.

"'Toll for the brave!
Brave Kempenfeldt is gone;
His last sea-fight is fought:
His work of glory done.

"'It was not in the battle;
No tempest gave the shock;
She sprang no fatal leak;
She ran upon no rock.

"'His sword was in its sheath
His fingers held the pen,
When Kempenfeldt went down,
With twice four hundred men!

"'Weigh the vessel up,
Once dreaded by our foes!
And mingle with our cup
The tear that England owes.

"'Her timbers yet are sound,
And she may float again,
Full charged with England's thunder,
And plough the distant main.

"'But Kempenfeldt is gone,
His victories are o'er;
And he and his eight hundred
Shall plough the main no more!"

MRS. WILTON. "I fear we are prolonging this evening's discussionbeyond the customary bounds; but I should not be satisfied to quitthe Channel without a peep at rocky Eddystone."

GEORGE. "Mamma is very anxious to see the Lighthouse, and so am I.It appears to me a most wonderful building, standing as it does,surrounded by foaming waves, and in constant danger from winds andstorms. Who knows anything about it?"

EMMA. "I do! the Eddystone Lighthouse is built on a rock in theChannel, about fifteen miles south-south-west from the citadel ofPlymouth. It is, as George remarked, exposed to winds and waves, forthe heavy swells from the Bay of Biscay and the Atlantic Ocean sendthe waves breaking over the rock with prodigious fury. The firstLighthouse erected on these rocks was the work of a gentleman namedWinstanley; it stood four years, when he was so confident of itsstability that he determined to encounter a storm in the buildinghimself. He paid for his temerity with his life, and found how vainit was to build houses of brick and stone to resist the mightywaters, which can only be controlled by the power of the most highGod. Three years afterwards another Lighthouse was built whichsustained the attacks of the sea for the space of forty-six years,but, strangely enough, was destroyed by fire in August, 1755. Thefire broke out in the lantern, and burning downwards, drove the men,who in vain attempted to extinguish it, from chamber to chamber;until at last, to avoid the falling of the timber, and the red hotbolts, they took refuge in a cave on the east side of the rock,where they were found at low water in a state little short ofstupefaction, and conveyed to Plymouth. The present Lighthouse waserected by Mr. Smeaton on an improved plan: no expense was spared torender it durable and ornamental; the last stone was placed on the25th of August, 1759, and the first night the light was exhibited avery great storm happened, which actually shook the building; but itstood,—and it still stands,—a glorious monument of humanenterprise, perseverance, and skill."

GRANDY. "We have done so much to-night, and have been so muchinterested, that I may venture to offer an apology for not havingprepared my portion. It is now time for supper; and I think youhave heard as much to-night as you can well remember. Shall I ringthe bell, my dear?" Mrs. Wilton replied in the affirmative, and Johnquickly appeared with the tray. Some nice baked apples soon smokedon the table, with cakes of Grandy's own making, intended expresslyfor the children, and which gave universal satisfaction. The meetingdispersed about half-past ten, and all felt the wiser for theirevening's amusem*nt.

CHAPTER III.

There lives and works
A soul in all things,—and that soulis God!

For a few minutes we will quit the "Research," and take a peep intoMr. Wilton's drawing-room. There is a bright, blazing fire; thecrimson curtains are closely drawn; puss* is curled up in a circleon the soft rug; and Grandy, with her perpetual knitting, is stillin the old leather chair.

"But where are all the others?" I fancy I hear my readers'inquiries. Look again. Who sits at the table writing so busily, andevery instant turning over the leaves of a large book? It is George.Emma has gone with her papa and mamma to the Colosseum; but Georgewas obliged to remain a prisoner at home, having been muchinconvenienced by a severe cold. He is now working diligently tocreate a surprise for his sister on her return; and anxiety toplease her gives such impetus to his exertions, that he accomplishesmore than he even ventured to anticipate.

Grandy perseveres in her knitting: she silently commends her darlingfor his thoughtful affection, and occasionally pauses to cast aglance of deep earnest love, not unmixed with a degree of pride, onthe beaming countenance of her favorite grandchild.

George completes his task, and causes his working apparatus tovanish before ten o'clock; then, twining his arms around the belovedgrandmother's neck, he quietly whispers all the secret in her ear,and awaits her approval.

She suggests that he preserve it until the next evening, and thenastonish the assembly by reading his extensive notes, the result ofthe last two hours' labor.

George is delighted, and amuses himself with imagining Emma'sastonishment when he makes his grand display; and, with his mindvigorously engaged in picturing the pleasures of the surprise, heretires to rest.

Our young friends, Emma and George, were too sensible of the valueof time to waste it in idleness or trifling pursuits; consequently,whenever you called at Mr. Wilton's, you might be sure to find themoccupied with some work, profitable either to themselves or theirfellow-creatures; and Mrs. Wilton in her daily instructions had socombined practice with theory, that her pupils almost unconsciouslyimitated her in the paths of industry and perseverance, no longerfeeling (as heretofore) the sad effects of procrastination; but"whatsoever their hands found to do, they did it with their might."

Continually engaged, with no cares to harass, no troubles todistress them, their hours and days flew on the wings ofhope,—laden only with fond recollections of the past, glowing withthe bright realities of the present, and wafting the perfume of aglorious future crowned with the everlasting garlands of love, joy,and peace.

There was not much time lost in arranging their books and papers onthe evening of this meeting; but they were obliged to commencewithout waiting Mr. Barraud's arrival, for the clock had struckseven, and their business admitted of no delay.

They were soon seated. "Which way are we to get out of the BritishChannel?" was the first question.

MR. WILTON. "There are two convenient ways for us to sail out of theChannel: the one through the Straits of Dover into the German Ocean;the other past Land's End, Cornwall, into the wide waters of theNorth Atlantic. We will take the former direction, and anchor offYarmouth while we examine into the wonders connected with thisdivision of the mighty sea."

CHARLES. "The German Ocean is the eastern boundary of England, andmany of our most beautiful streams fall into its waters. I am notaware of the existence of any islands in this ocean; and the onlyfact I have to state concerning it is, that here the Frenchfirsttried their strength with the English by sea. This happened in thereign of King John, in the year 1213, and the account is asfollows:—'The French had previously obtained possession ofNormandy, and thereby become a maritime power, which qualified them,as they thought, to contend with the English: they intended,therefore, to seize the first opportunity of trying their skill;but the English were too sharp for them, and came upon them whenthey were least expected. Five hundred sail were despatched by Johnto the relief of the Earl of Flanders; and on approaching the portof Daunne, in Flanders, they saw it crowded with an immense forestof masts; upon which they sent out some light shallops toreconnoitre, and bring tidings of the enemy's condition. The reportwas, that the ships had not hands to defend them, both soldiers andsailors having gone on shore for plunder. Upon this the Englishpressed forward and captured the large ships without difficulty,while the smaller ones they burnt after the crews had escaped.Having thus mastered the ships outside the harbor, the Englishadvanced to attack those within it; and here the full rage of battlecommenced. The port was so narrow, that numbers and skill wereunavailing, while the dispersed French, perceiving the tokens ofconflict, came running from every quarter to assist their party. TheEnglish upon this, after grappling with the nearest ships, threw anumber of their forces on land; these arranging themselves on bothsides of the harbor, a furious battle commenced on land and water atthe same instant. In this desperate mêlée theEnglish werevictorious: three hundred prizes, laden with corn, wine, oil andother provisions were sent to England: one hundred other ships, thatcould not be carried off, were destroyed; and the French king,Philip II. (surnamed Augustus), during the temporary retreat of theEnglish, perceiving the impossibility of saving the rest of hisfleet in the event of a fresh attack, set it on fire, that it mightnot fall into the enemy's hands. Thus the first great navalvictory of the English destroyed the first fleet that had beenpossessed by France."

GRANDY. "My opinions are no doubt at variance with the world; but itdoes seem to me, that many of these warfares by sea and land are themost unjust, wanton sacrifice of life and property, recorded in theannals of history. I know that there are times and occasions when itis necessary to do battle with foreign powers in self-defence, or torelieve the oppressed and defenceless of other nations; such was theglorious object of the battle of the Nile: but many, many battlesare fought with ambition for their guiding star, and high hopes ofhonor and reward in this life to urge on the combatants, while theirzeal in the performance of the work of destruction is dignified withthe title of 'Patriotism.'

"We read continually of great victories; that, related byCharles,is designated a 'great naval victory,' and throughout, itbreathesnothing but cruelty and unwarranted oppression. It does not appearthat the stratagems used to win a battle are ever taken intoconsideration: it is evidently of no consequence how it is won,solong as it is won; and battles are more frequently decided byresorting to means which are dishonorable, to say the least of them,than by fair and open trials of strength. The discomfiture of theFrench, in this instance, was most assuredly owing to the cunningexercised by their enemies, and not, as stated, to theirsuperiority of skill or power: they were not permitted to tryeither, but were attacked when unprepared, mercilessly robbed, andslaughtered. And this was a victory. A victory over people whowere not allowed the chance of defending themselves. 'Tis true theFrench had been tyrannizing over the people of Normandy; but a badexample ought to be avoided, not imitated, as in this case.Retaliation is no part of a Christian's duty, and was not requiredat the hands of the English. What right has any nation,deliberately, and for no other purpose than gain, to invade theterritories of another, to burn their houses, to destroy theirinhabitants, and to plunder them of all their possessions? Is this afulfilling of the law? Is this our duty to our neighbor? Surely not;and yet such are the principal features in a great victory,fromwhich the conquerors return to be honored of all men—for whichbonfires blaze, guns are fired, cities are illuminated, and everyvoice is raised to shout victory! victory! Such victories, my dearchildren, are abominations in the sight of God. He bid us live inlove and charity with all men. His Son says, 'By this I know that yeare my disciples, because ye have love one toward another;' and St.Paul further desires us to 'love one another with pure hearts,fervently;' adding, 'for love is the fulfilling of the law.' Muchmore might be said on this subject; but I will detain the meeting nolonger than merely to repeat a few verses from a poem of Southey's,written on the battle of Blenheim; which, as they coincide with myopinions, afford me much satisfaction, because they testify that Ido not differ in sentiment from all mankind:—

"'With fire and sword thecountryround
Was wasted far and wide,
And many a childling mother then,
And new-born infant died.
But things like these, you know,mustbe
At every famous victory!

"'They say it was a shocking sight
After the field was won,
For many thousand bodies here,
Lay rotting in the sun.
But things like that, you know,mustbe
At every famous victory!'

"'Great praise the Duke of Marlbro'won,
And our good Prince Eugene."
"Why, 'twas a very wicked thing!"
Said little Wilhelmine.
"Nay, nay, my little girl," quothhe,
"It was a famous victory!"

"'And everybody praised the Duke,
Who such a fight did win."
"But what good came of it at last?"
Quoth Little Wilhelmine.
"Why that I cannot tell," said he,
"But 'twas a famous victory!"'"

GEORGE. "If I were an admiral, I would never fight for gain, and Iwould not allow any of the men under my command to be cruel to thepoor people in their power."

"If you had the opportunity, my son," said Mr. Wilton, "I fearthat, like many others, you would be unable to resist the temptationto show your authority over the vanquished; for great and wise menhave often found themselves unequal to the task of schooling theirhearts, to listen to the dictates of humanity, when surrounded bythe turmoil and excitement of a battle. But now, Charles. I must setyou right with respect to the islands, and inform you that there aretwo well known islands in the German Ocean,—the Isle of Thanet andSheppey Isle. I refer you to Mrs. Wilton for their description."

MRS. WILTON. "The Isle of Thanet forms the north-east angle of thecounty of Kent: from north to south it is five miles, and rathermore than ten from east to west. It contains many beautiful wateringplaces,—Margate, Ramsgate, and Broadstairs on the sea; St.Lawrence, Birchington, and St. Peter's, inland. The whole of thedistrict is in a very high state of cultivation, and remarkable forits fertility; the first market-garden in England was planted in theIsle of Thanet There is a little place called Fishness, not far fromBroadstairs, which derived its name from the followingcirc*mstance:—On the 9th of July, 1574, a monstrous fish shothimself on shore, where, for want of water, he died the next day;before which time, his roaring was heard above a mile: his lengthwas twenty-two yards, the nether jaw opening twelve feet; one of hiseyes was more than a cart and six horses could draw; a man stoodupright in the place from whence his eye was taken; his tongue wasfifteen feet long; his liver two cart-loads; and a man might creepinto his nostrils.' All this, and a great deal more, is asserted byKilburne, in his 'Survey of Kent;' and Stowe, in his Annals, underthe same date, in addition to the above, informs us, that this'whale of the sea' came on shore under the cliff, at six o'clock atnight, 'where, for want of water beating himself on the sands, itdied about the same hour next morning.'"

CHARLES. "The size and other particulars seem probable enough, withthe exception of the eye, which certainly must be an exaggeration;one such an eye would be large enough for any animal, were he asmonstrous as the wonderful Mammoth of antediluvian days. Do not youthink, madam, that the account is a little preposterous?"

MRS. WILTON. "I think it is very likely, my dear, because there wereso few persons to write descriptions of these wonderful creatures,that those who undertook the task were seldom content with the baretruth, no matter how extraordinary, but generally increased theastonishment of their readers by almost incredible accounts, whichthey were quite aware would never be contradicted. We live in a moreinquiring age, and do not so readily give credence to all we hear,without ascertaining the probabilities of such descriptions; andexaggerated accounts are now merely regarded as 'travellers'wonders,' and only partially believed.

"About seven miles south of the Isle of Thanet lies Deal, andimmediately opposite Deal is that part of the sea called the'Downs,' which has long been a place of rendezvous for shipping,where as many as 400 sail have been anchored at one time. Thesouthern boundary of the Downs is formed by the Goodwin Sands, sooften fatal to mariners. They were, originally, an island belongingto Earl Goodwin, when a sudden and mighty inundation of the seaoverwhelmed with light sand, 'where-with,' as an old writer hath it,'it not only remayneth covered ever since, but is become withall amost dreadful gulfe and shippe swallower.'

"We will now bestow a little consideration on Sheppey Isle."

GRANDY. "I should like you to be aware, before quitting thisluxuriant Isle of Thanet, that it was here the precious truths ofthe Gospel were first set forth in England: it is supposed, on veryjust grounds too, that the apostle Paul was the preacher, who, inthe middle of the first century, spread the doctrines ofChristianity far and wide; and, from Rome, travelled to the isles ofthe far west, in which is included this lovely little spot, where hewas received by the noble of the land. Instead of being persecutedas at Rome, he was eagerly followed, and the peaceful precepts heendeavored to inculcate were willingly obeyed.

"After St. Paul, came Augustine, who, in 597, landed in the Isle ofThanet, was welcomed by the king of Kent, Ethelbert, then holdinghis court at Canterbury. He, the second apostle, came to convert thepeople who were again sunk into barbarism and idolatry; he came inthe name of the Most High, and his mission was successful. Ethelbertat once appointed St. Augustine a suitable residence at Canterbury,and gave him every facility of effecting his object, by permittinghim to hold free converse with his subjects. Thus you see Canterburythence became the 'nursing mother' of religion throughout the land.The greatest ornament in the Isle of Thanet is its church atMinster, built on the site of a convent founded by the princessDomneva, granddaughter of Ethelbald, king of Kent. Now we willtravel on to Sheppey."

MRS. WILTON. "We shall not be detained there long with mydescription. It is a little island lying north of Chatham, andseparated from the Isle of Grain by the river Medway. Both theseisles may be considered as situated at the mouth of the Thames. Theprincipal place in Sheppey is Sheerness."

GEORGE. "Now, dear mamma, I suppose we have done with the GermanOcean?"

MRS. WILTON. "So far as I am concerned, my dear; but I have a notionthat you are in possession of some wonderful story which willastonish us all. Is it so, my boy? Those sparkling eyes and flushedcheeks betray your secret. I am not deceived. Permit me then torequest, in the name of the assembled members, that you will favorus with the contents of the paper in your hand."

"Nay, dear mamma," said George; "your expectations are raised toohigh. My paper only contains an account of a Yarmouth boatman; butit interested me: and Yarmouth being a seaport on the shores of theGerman Ocean, I thought it would be an agreeable termination tothis part of our voyage, and I took the trouble to put it into amoderate compass for the occasion." George then unfolded two orthree sheets of closely written paper, while he enjoyed the amazedlooks of his sister; and so pleased was he at her expressions ofastonishment, that he was unable to resist the impulse of throwinghis arms around her neck, and kissing her affectionately. "You aresurprised, dear Emma," said he; "I only cared to please youwhen Iwrote it, but now I will try to please all" He then, in a cleardistinct tone of voice read the following:—

Narrative of Brock the Swimmer andYarmouth Boatman.

"Amongst the sons of labor, there are none more deserving of theirhard earnings than that class of persons, denominated Beachmen, onthe shores of this kingdom. To those unacquainted with maritimeaffairs, it may be as well to observe, that these men are bred tothe sea from their earliest infancy, are employed in the summermonths very frequently as regular sailors or fishermen, and duringthe autumn, winter, and spring, when gales are most frequent on ourcoast, in going off in boats to vessels in distress in all weathers,to the imminent risk of their lives; fishing up lost anchors andcables, and looking out for waifs (i.e. anything abandoned orwrecked), which the winds and waves may have cast in their way. Inour seaports these persons are usually divided into companies,between whom the greatest rivalry exists in regard to the beauty andswiftness of their boats, and their dexterity in managing them: thistoo often leads to feats of the greatest daring, which the widow andthe orphan have long to deplore. To one of these companies, known bythe name of 'Laytons,' whose rendezvous and 'look-out' were close toYarmouth jetty, Brock belonged; and in pursuit of his calling, thefollowing event is recorded by an acquaintance of Brock's.

"About 1 P.M. on the 6th of October, 1835, a vessel was observed atsea from this station with a signal flying for a pilot, bearing eastdistant about twelve miles: in a space of time incredible to thosewho have not witnessed the launching of a large boat on a likeoccasion, the yawl, 'Increase,' eighteen tons burden, belonging toLaytons' gang, with ten men and a London Branch pilot, was underweigh, steering for the object of their enterprise. About 4 o'clockshe came up with the vessel, which proved to be a Spanish brig,Paquette de Bilboa, laden with a general cargo, and bound fromHamburg to Cadiz, leaky, and both pumps at work. After a great dealof chaffering in regard to the amount of salvage, and some littlealtercation with part of the boat's crew as to which of them shouldstay with the vessel, J. Layton, J. Woolsey, and George Darling,boatmen, were finally chosen to assist in pumping and piloting herinto Yarmouth harbor: the remainder of the crew of the yawl werethen sent away. The brig at this time was about five miles to theeastward of the Newarp Floating Light, off Winterton on the Norfolkcoast, the weather looking squally. On passing the light in theirhomeward course, a signal was made for them to go alongside, andthey were requested to take on shore a sick man; and the poor fellowbeing comfortably placed upon some jackets and spare coats, theyagain shoved off, and set all sail: they had a fresh breeze from theW.S.W. 'There was little better,' said Brock, 'than a pint of liquorin the boat, which the Spaniard had given us, and the bottle hadpassed once round, each man taking a mouthful, till about half of itwas consumed: we all had a bit of biscuit each, and while we weremaking our light meal, we talked of our earnings, and calculatedthat by 10 o'clock we should be at Yarmouth.

"'Without the slightest notice of its approach a terrific squallfrom the northward took the yawl's sails flat aback, and the ballastwhich we had trained to windward, being thus suddenly changed toleeward, she was upset in an instant.

"'Our crew and passenger were nine men—'twas terrible to listen tothe cries of the poor fellows, some of whom could swim, and otherswho could not. Mixed with the hissing of the water and the howlingsof the storm, I heard shrieks for mercy, and some that had nomeaning but what arose from fear. I struck out to get clear of thecrowd, and in a few minutes there was no noise, for most of the menhad sunk; and, on turning round, I saw the boat still kept fromgoing down by the wind having got under the sails. I then swam backto her, and assisted an old man to get hold of one of her spars.The boat's side was about three feet under water, and for a fewminutes I stood upon her, but I found she was gradually settlingdown, and when up to my chest I again left her and swam away; andnow, for the first time, began to think of my own awful condition.My companions were all drowned, at least I supposed so. How long itwas up to this period from the boat's capsizing I cannot exactlysay; in such cases, there is no time; but now I reflected thatitwas half-past six P.M. just before the accident occurred; that thenearest land at the time was six miles distant; and that it was deadlow water, and the flood tide setting off the shore, making tothesouthward; therefore, should I ever reach the land, it would take meat least fifteen miles setting up with the flood, before the ebbwould assist me.'

"While Brock was making these calculations, a rush horse collarcovered with old netting floated close to him; he laid hold of it,and getting his knife out, he stripped off the net-work, and puttinghis left arm through, was supported until he had cut the waist bandof his petticoat trousers which then fell off: his stripedfrock,waistcoat and neckcloth, were also similarly got rid of, but hedared not try to free himself of his oiled trousers, drawers, orshirt, fearing that his legs might become entangled in the attempt;he therefore returned his knife into the pocket of his trousers, andput the collar over his head, which, although it assisted in keepinghim above water, retarded his swimming; and after a few moments'thinking what was best to be done, he determined to abandon it. Henow, to his great surprise, perceived one of his messmates swimmingahead of him; but he did not hail him. The roaring of the hurricanewas past; the cries of drowning men were no longer heard; themoonbeams were casting their silvery light over the smooth surfaceof the deep, calm and silent as the grave over which he floated, andinto which he saw this last of his companions descend without astruggle or a cry, as he approached within twenty yards of him. Yes,he beheld the last of his brave crew die beside him; and now he wasalone in the cold silence of night, more awful than the strife ofthe elements which had preceded. Perhaps at this time somethingmight warn him that he too would soon be mingled with the dead; butif such thoughts did intrude, they were but for a moment; and againhis mental energies, joined with his lion heart and bodily prowess,cast away all fear, and he reckoned the remotest possible chances ofdeliverance, applying the means,

"'Courage and Hope both teaching him the practice.'

"Up to this time, Winterton Light had served instead of a land-markto direct his course; but the tide had now carried him out of sightof it, and in its stead 'a bright star stood over where' his hopesof safety rested. With his eyes steadfastly fixed upon it, hecontinued swimming on, calculating the time when the tide wouldturn. But his trials were not yet past. As if to prove the strengthof human fortitude, the sky became suddenly overclouded, and'darkness was upon the face of the deep.' He no longer knew hiscourse, and he confessed, that for a moment he was afraid; yet hefelt, that 'fear is but the betraying of the succors which reasonoffereth,' and that which roused him to further exertion, wouldhave sealed the fate of almost any other human being. A sudden shortcracking peal of thunder burst in stunning loudness just over hishead, and the forked and flashing lightning at brief intervals threwits vivid fires around him. This, too, in its turn passed away, andleft the sea once more calm and unruffled: the moon (nearly full)again threw a more brilliant light upon the waters, which the stormhad gone over without waking from their slumbers. His next effortwas to free himself from his heavy laced boots, which greatlyencumbered him, and in which he succeeded by the aid of his knife.He now saw Lowestoft's high Lighthouse, and could occasionallydiscern the tops of the cliffs beyond Garlestone on the Suffolkcoast. The swell of the sea drove him over the Cross Sand Ridge, andhe then got sight of a buoy, which, although it told him his exactposition, 'took him rather aback,' as he had hoped he was nearer theshore. It proved to be the chequered buoy, St. Nicholas' Gate, offYarmouth, and opposite his own door, but distant from the landfour miles. And now again he held counsel with himself, and theenergies of his mind seem almost superhuman; he had been five hoursin the water, and here was something to hold on by; he could haveeven got upon the buoy, and some vessel might come near to pickhim up, and the question was, could he yet hold out four miles?'But,' said he, 'I knew the night air would soon finish me, and hadI stayed but a few minutes upon it, and then altered my mind,howdid I know that my limbs would again resume their office?' He foundthe tide was broke; it did not run so strong; so he abandoned thebuoy, and steered for the land, towards which, with the wind fromthe eastward, he found he was now fast approaching. The last trialof his fortitude was now at hand, for which he was totallyunprepared, and which he considered (having the superstition of asailor) the most difficult of any he had to combat. Soon after heleft the buoy, he heard just above his head a sort of whiffingsound, which his imagination conjured into the prelude to the'rushing of a mighty wind,' and close to his ear there followed asmart splash in the water, and a sudden shriek that went throughhim,—such as is heard

"'When the lone sea-bird wakes its wildest cry.'

"The fact was, a large gray gull, mistaking him for a corpse, hadmade a dash at him, and its loud discordant scream in a momentbrought a countless number of these formidable birds together, allprepared to contest for a share of the spoil. These large andpowerful foes he had now to scare from their intended prey, and, byshouting and splashing with his hands and feet, in a few minutesthey disappeared.

"He now caught sight of a vessel at anchor, but a great way off,and to get within hail of her he must swim over Carton Sands (thegrave of thousands), the breakers at this time showing their angrywhite crests. As he approached, the wind suddenly changed; theconsequence of which was that the swell of the sea met him. Here ishis own description:—'I got a great deal of water down my throat,which greatly weakened me, and I felt certain, that, should thiscontinue, it would soon be all over, and I prayed that the windmight change, or that God would take away my senses before I feltwhat it was to drown. In less time than I am telling you, I haddriven over the sands into smooth water; the wind and swell cameagain from the eastward, and my strength returned to me as fresh asin the beginning.'

"He now felt certain that he could reach the shore; but heconsidered it would be better to get within hail of the brig, somedistance to the southward of him, and the most difficult task of thetwo, as the ebb tide was now running, which, although it carried himtowards the land, set to the northward; and to gain the object ofhis choice would require much greater exertion. Here, again, areBrock's reflections:—'If I gained the shore, could I get out of thesurf, which at this time was heavy on the beach? And, supposing Isucceeded in this point, should I be able to walk, climb the cliffs,and get to a house? if not, there was little chance of liferemaining long in me: but if I could make myself heard on board thebrig, then I should secure immediate assistance. I got within twohundred yards of her, the nearest possible approach, and, summoningall my strength, I sung out as bravely as if I had been on shore.'

"'The seaman's cry was heard along the deep.'

"He was answered from the deck; a boat was instantly lowered; and athalf-past 1 A.M., having swam seven hours in an October night,hewas safe on board the brig Betsey of Sunderland, coal laden, atanchor in Corton Roads, fourteen miles from the spot where the boatwas capsized. The captain's name was CHRISTIAN!

"Once safe on board, 'nature cried enough:' he fainted, andcontinued insensible for some time. All that humanity could suggestwas done for him by Christian and his crew: they had no spirits onboard, but they had bottled ale, which they made warm, and byplacing Brock before a good fire, rubbing him dry, and putting himin hot blankets, he was at length, with great difficulty, enabled toget a little of the ale down his throat; but it caused excruciatingpain, as his throat was in a state of high inflammation frombreathing (as a swimmer does) so long the saline particles of seaand air, and it was now swollen very much, and, as he says, hefeared he should be suffocated. He, however, after a little time,fell into a sleep, which refreshed and strengthened him, but heawoke to intense bodily suffering. Round his neck and chest he wasperfectly flayed; the soles of his feet, hands, and other parts werealso equally excoriated. In this state, at about 9 A.M., the briggetting under weigh with the tide, he was put on shore at Lowestoftin Suffolk, and immediately despatched a messenger to Yarmouth, withthe sad tidings of the fate of the yawl and the rest of her crew.Being safely housed under the roof of a relative, with good nursingand medical assistance, in five days from the time of the accident,with a firm step he walked back to Yarmouth, to confirm thewonderful rumors circulated respecting him, and to receive thecongratulations of his friends. The knife, which he considers as thegreat means of his being saved, is preserved with great care, and inall probability will be shown a century hence by the descendants ofthis man. It is a common horn-handle knife, having one blade aboutfive inches long. A piece of silver is now riveted on, and coversone side, on which is the following inscription:—

"' BROWN, EMERSON,SMITH, BRAY,BUDDS, FENN, RUSHMERE,
BOULT:—BROCK, aided by this knife,was saved after being 7-1/2
hours in the sea. October6.1835.'

"'It was a curious thing,' observed Brock when relating his story,'that I had been without a knife for some time, and only purchasedthis two days before it became so useful to me; and having had tomake some boat's tholes, it was as sharp as a razor. I ought to be agood-living chap,' continued he, 'for three times I have been savedby swimming. What I did on this night, I know I could not have doneof myself, but God strengthened me. I never asked for anything butit was given me.'

"This man had great faith, and he had also other good traits in hischaracter. A large subscription was made for the widows and childrenof Brock's unfortunate companions; and a fund being established fortheir relief, the surplus was offered to him. This was his answer:'I am much obliged to you, gentlemen, but, thank God! I can stillget my own living as well as ever, and I could not spend the moneythat was given to the fatherless and widow.' In contemplating thefeat of this extraordinary man, it must appear to every one, thathis bodily prowess, gigantic as it is, appears as dust in thebalance compared with the powers of his mind. To think and to judgerightly under some of the most appalling circ*mstances that eversurrounded mortal man, to reject the delusive for the arduous, toresolve and to execute, form such a combination of the best andrarest attributes of our nature, that where are we to look for themin the same man? Brock at the time of this disastrous affair wasthirty-one years of age, a fine, stout, athletic man, and as uprightin his life and conversation as he was in his very handsome person."

George read all this so clearly and distinctly, that he reallymerited the praise bestowed upon him: even Grandy, generally toopartial, did not award him more than he deserved, for it was a greatwork for a boy of his age.

"My dear boy." said Mr. Wilton, "I am quite delighted to find youhave been so industrious, as it proves most satisfactorily that youare resolved to overcome all obstacles of weariness or difficulty inorder to accomplish the great end—the attainment of usefulknowledge. I am much, very much, pleased with you, my dear boy."

The color mounted to the cheeks of the happy child, and in those fewmoments of heartfelt joy he was amply repaid for the previousevening's toil.

"Where sail we next?" inquired Mrs. Wilton.

EMMA. "The North Sea is the track, dear mamma. I am sorry Mr.Barraud has not come, as he, having been to Scotland, might havehelped us considerably. However, Dora is prepared with someparticulars, and we need not be idling because of the absence of onemember."

"No, indeed!" exclaimed Mr. Wilton, "for I have a few words to sayon that subject; so sail on, Dora, and 'I'll give thee a wind.'"

"And I another," added Charles; "for I have actually been along thecoasts that are washed by the blue waves of the North Sea, and cansay a few words after our honored member in the chair."

DORA. "The North Sea washes the shores of Scotland, Denmark, andNorway. There are a great many islands in this sea, many more than Ican enumerate. Near Scotland there are several little unimportantplaces of trifling interest, of which I should be glad to gain someinformation, as at present I know nothing more than that they arethere, are inhabited, and tolerably fertile."

CHARLES. "I believe I can enlighten you to a certain extent, Dora,at least so far that you may acknowledge that there are interestingplaces in the North Sea near Scotland. Ten leagues, or thirtygeographical miles, north of the ancient castle of Dunglass (oncethe head-quarters of Oliver Cromwell) lies the Bell Rock: you cansee it in the map, just off the mouth of the Tay, and close to thenorthern side of the great estuary called the Firth of Forth. Up tothe commencement of the present century, this rock was justlyconsidered one of the most formidable dangers that the navigators ofthe North Sea had to encounter. Its head, merged under the surfaceduring greater part of the tide, at no time made much show above thewater. There was nothing for it, therefore, but to keep well clearof the mischief, or, as seamen express themselves, to give the rocka wide berth. Ships, accordingly, bound for the Forth, in theirconstant terror of this ugly reef, not content with giving it ten oreven twenty miles of elbow room, must needs edge off a little moreto the south, so as to hug the shore in such a way, that when thewind chopped round to the northward, as it often did, theseover-cautious navigators became embayed in a deep bight to thewestward of Fast Castle. If the breeze freshened before they hadtime to work out, they paid dearly for their apprehensions of theBell Rock, by driving upon ledges fully as sharp and far moreextensive and inevitable. The consequence was that from three tofour vessels, or sometimes half a dozen, used to be wrecked eachwinter. Captain Basil Hall in speaking of this place says, 'Perhapsthere are few more exciting spectacles than a vessel stranded on alee-shore, and especially such a shore, which is fringed with reefsextending far out and offering no spot for shelter. The haplessship lies dismasted, bilged, and beat about by the waves, with thedespairing crew clinging to the wreck, or to the shrouds, anduttering cries totally inaudible in the roar of the sea; while ateach successive dash of the breakers the number of the survivors isthinned, till at length they all disappear. The gallant bark thengoes to pieces, and the coast for a league on either side is strewedwith broken planks, masts, boxes, and ruined portions of the goodlycargo, with which, a few hours before, she was securely freighted,and dancing merrily over the waters.' I am happy to add, inconclusion, that this fatal Bell Rock, the direct and indirect causeof so many losses, has been converted into one of the greatestsources of security that navigation is capable of receiving. Bymeans of scientific skill, aided by well-managed perseverance, withthe example of the Eddystone to copy from, a lighthouse, one hundredand twenty feet high, has been raised upon this formidable reef, byMr. Robert Stevenson, the skilful engineer of the 'Northern Lights;'so that the mariner, instead of doing all he can to avoid the spotonce so much dreaded, now eagerly runs for it, and counts himselfhappy when he gets sight of the revolving star on the top, which,from its being variously colored he can distinguish from any otherlight in that quarter. He is then enabled to steer directly for hisport in perfect security, though the night be never so dark."

Mr. Wilton remarked how much one man, by the right use of thetalents he possessed, might benefit his fellow-creatures, when hewas interrupted by the entrance of Mr. Barraud.

A welcome rose to every lip, and Mr. Barraud apologized for being solate, adding that he had been detained by a friend who was about tostart for Scotland, and wished to have an hour's conversation withhim before his departure.

"How singular!" exclaimed Mr. Wilton; "we have been regretting yourabsence particularly this evening, because we are navigating theNorth Sea, where you have been so often tossed to and fro, and wethought it quite possible you might have met with some amusing orinstructive incidents in your travels along the coast, which wouldagreeably relieve the tedium of our voyage. Now I see no reason whyyou should not accompany your friend to Scotland, and charm us witha soul-stirring narrative of real life."

"Oh! I perceive the state of affairs clearly," said Mr. Barraud;"the young folks are getting weary of the monotony of a sea voyage,and desire to step ashore again."

"No! no! we are not tired," anxiously exclaimed the little group.

"But," said Charles, "it makes a voyage so much more pleasant whenwe drop anchor now and then, to look around on the beauties of otherlands; and more profitable also, if we learn something of thecustoms, laws, and peculiarities of the inhabitants of those lands."

MR. BARRAUD. "Very true, Charles; and to gratify you I will relate astory written by Colonel Maxwell, the well-known author of manypleasing and instructive works, which will serve the purpose betterthan any other I can think of just now—besides, to heighten itsinterest, it is all true."

JOCK OF JEDBURGH

"During a tedious passage to the North, I remarked among thesteerage passengers a man who seemed to keep himself apart from therest. He wore the uniform of the foot artillery, and sported acorporal's stripes. In the course of the afternoon, I stepped beforethe funnel, and entered into conversation with him; learned that hehad been invalided and sent home from Canada, had passed the Boardin London, obtained a pension of a shilling a-day, and was returningto a border village, where he had been born, to ascertain whetherany of his family were living, from whom he had been separatednineteen years. He casually admitted, that during this long intervalhe had held no communication with his relations; and I set him downaccordingly as some wild scapegrace, who had stolen from a homewhose happiness his follies had compromised too often. He showed mehis discharge—the character was excellent,—but it only went toprove how much men's conduct will depend upon the circ*mstancesunder which they act. He had been nineteen years a soldier—a man'under authority,'—one obedient to another's will, subservient tostrict discipline, with scarcely a free agency himself, and yet,during that long probation, he had been a useful member of the bodypolitic, sustained a fair reputation, and as he admitted himself,been a contented and happy man. He returned home his own master, andolder by twenty years. Alas! it was a fatal free agency for him, fortime had not brought wisdom. The steward told me that he had ranriot while his means allowed it, had missed his passage twice, andhad on the preceding evening come on board, when not a shillingremained to waste in drunken dissipation. I desired that the poorman should be supplied with some little comforts during the voyage;and when we landed at Berwick, I gave him a trifling sum to assisthim to reach his native village, where he had obtained vagueintelligence that some aged members of his family might still befound.

"A few evenings afterwards, I was sitting in the parlor of one ofthe many little inns I visited while rambling on the banks of theTweed, when the waitress informed me that 'a sodger is speerin'after the colonel.' He was directed to attend the presence, and myfellow-voyager, the artilleryman, entered the chamber, and made hismilitary salaam.

"'I thought you were now at Jedburgh,' I observed.

"'I went there, sir,' he replied, 'but there has not been any of myfamily for many a year residing in the place. I met an old packmanon the road, and he tells me there are some persons in this villageof my name. I came here to make inquiries, and hearing that yourhonor was in the house I made bold enough to ask for you.'

"'Have you walked over?' I inquired.

"'Yes, sir,' he replied.

"''Tis a long walk,' said I; 'go down and get some supper before youcommence inquiries.'

"The soldier bowed and left the room, and presently the host enteredto give me directions for a route among the Cheviots, which Icontemplated taking the following day. I mentioned the soldier'serrand.

"'Sure enough,' returned the host, 'there are an auld decent coupleof the name here. What is the soldier called?'

"'William,' I replied, for by that name his discharge and pensionbill were filled up.

"'I'll slip across the street to the auld folk,' said Boniface, 'andask them a few questions.'

"The episode of humble life that followed was afterwards thusdescribed to me by mine host.

"He found the ancient couple seated at the fire; the old man readinga chapter in the Bible, as was his custom always before he and hisaged partner retired for the night to rest. The landlord explainedthe object of the soldier's visit, and inquired if any of theirchildren answered the description of the wanderer.

"'It is our Jock!' exclaimed the old woman passionately, 'and thepuir neer-do-weel has cam hame at last to close his mither's eyes.'

"'Na,' said the landlord; 'the man's name is Wolly.'

"'Then he's nae our bairn,' returned the old man with a heavy sigh.

"'Weel, weel—His will be done!' said his help-mate, turning herblue and faded eyes to heaven; 'I thought the prayer I sae oftenmade wad yet be granted, and Jock wad come hame and get my blessin'ere I died.'

"'He has! he has!' exclaimed a broken voice; and the soldier, whohad followed the landlord unperceived, and listened at the cottagedoor, rushed into the room, and dropped kneeling at his mother'sfeet. For a moment she turned her eyes with a fixed and glassy stareupon the returned wanderer. Her hand was laid upon his head—herlips parted as if about to pronounce the promised blessing—but nosounds issued, and she slowly leaned forward on the bosom of thelong-lost prodigal, who clasped her in his arms.

"'Mither! mither! speak and bless me!' cried he in agony.

"Alas! the power of speech was gone forever. Joy, like grief, isoften fatal to a worn-out frame. The spirit had calmly passed; theparent had lived to see and bless her lost one; and expire in thearms of him, who, with all his faults, appeared to have been herearthly favorite."

DORA. "What an affecting story! How sorry Jock must have felt thathe came so suddenly into his mother's presence; but his father wasyet alive for him to comfort and cheer in his declining age. I hopehe was kind and affectionate to him all his days, to compensate forthe loss of the poor old woman?"

MR. BARRAUD. "I trust he was, but our historian saith no more."

Wreck of the Forfarshire.

"It appears, that shortly after she left the Humber her boilersbegan to leak, but not to such an extent as to excite anyapprehensions; and she continued on her voyage. The weather,however, became very tempestuous; and on the morning of the fatalday, she passed the Farnes on her way northwards, in a very highsea, which rendered it necessary for the crew to keep the pumpsconstantly at work. At this time they became aware that the boilerswere becoming more and more leaky as they proceeded. At length, whenshe had advanced as far as St. Abb's Head, the wind havingincreased to a hurricane from N.N.E., the engineer reported theappalling fact that the machinery would work no longer. Dismayseized all on board; nothing now remained but to set the sails foreand aft, and let her drift before the wind. Under thesecirc*mstances, she was carried southwards, till about a quarter tofour o'clock on Friday morning, when the foam became distinctlyvisible breaking upon the fearful rock ahead. Captain Humble vainlyattempted to avert the appalling catastrophe, by running her betweenthe islands and the mainland; she would not answer her helm, and wasimpelled to and fro by a furious sea. In a few minutes more, shestruck with her bows foremost on the rock. The scene on board becameheart-rending. A moment after the first shock, another tremendouswave struck her on the quarter, by which she was buoyed for a momenthigh off the rock. Falling as this wave receded, she came down uponthe sharp edge with a force so tremendous as to break her fairly intwo pieces, about 'midships; when, dreadful to relate, the whole ofthe after part of the ship, containing the principal cabin, filledwith passengers, sinking backwards, was swept into the deep sea, andthus was every soul on that part of the vessel instantaneouslyengulfed in one vast and terrible grave of waters. Happily theportion of the wreck which had settled on the rock remained firmlyfixed, and afforded a place of refuge to the unfortunate survivors.At daylight they were discovered from the Longstone; and GraceDarling and her father launched a boat, and succeeded, amidst thedash of waters and fearful cries of the perishing people, inremoving the few remaining sufferers from their perilous position tothe lighthouse. The heroism of this brave girl, who unhesitatinglyrisked her own life to save others, was justly appreciated andrewarded. A large sum of money was collected for her, and manyvaluable presents were despatched to the 'lonely isle;' amongothers, a gold watch and chain, which she always after wore,although homely in her general attire. Poor Grace Darling! she didnot long enjoy the praises and rewards which she so richly meritedfor her courage and humanity: a rapid consumption brought her to thegrave; and her remains rest in a churchyard upon the mainland, insight of that wild rock, on which she earned so great celebrity. Abeautiful and elegant monument is erected to her memory, which willtrumpet forth her praises to many yet unborn."

GRANDY. "A curious circ*mstance occurred on these shores some yearsago, and was related to my dear husband by an old man at Aberdeen,on whose veracity he could rely:—

"Three or four boys, one of them the son of a goldsmith in Dundee,went out in a boat towards the mouth of the Tay, but rowing fartherthan was prudent, they were carried out to sea. Their friendsfinding they did not return, made every search for them, and were atlength compelled with sorrowful hearts to conclude that they hadperished.

"One night a farmer (father of the old man who related the story)was very much disturbed by a dream; he awoke his wife, and told herhe had dreamed that a boat with some boys had landed in a littlecove a few miles from his house, and the poor boys were in a stateof extreme exhaustion. His wife said it was but a dream, and advisedhim to go asleep; he did so, but again awoke, having had the samedream. He could rest no longer, but resolved to go down to theshore. His wife now began to think there was a Providence in it. Thefarmer dressed himself, went down to the cove, and there, trueenough, to his horror and amazement, he found the boat with fourboys in it; two were dead already, and the others so exhausted thatthey could not move. The farmer got some assistance, and had themconveyed to his own home, when he nourished the survivors until theywere quite recovered. From them he learned that they had beencarried out to sea, and, notwithstanding their utmost exertions, thecontrary winds had prevented them returning, and they were driftedalong the coast, until the boat grounded at the place where theywere found. They had been out four days, without provisions of anykind, except some sugar-candy which one boy had in his pocket; thisthey shared amongst them while it had lasted; but two sank on thethird day, and probably a few hours might have terminated theexistence of the remaining two, had they not been providentiallydiscovered by the farmer. As soon as they were in a condition to beremoved they were taken to Dundee, about fifty miles from the placewhere they were found; and the grateful parents earnestly besoughtthe generous farmer to accept a reward, but he magnanimouslyrefused. The goldsmith, however, whose son was saved had a silverboat made, with the names of the parties and a Latin inscriptionengraved thereon recording the event. This was presented to thefarmer, and is still in the possession of his descendants, and nodoubt will be long preserved as an heir-loom in the family of thekind-hearted Scotchman."

DORA. "I had no idea there were so many interesting storiesconcerning the shores of Scotland, and in my ignorance I should havetravelled to the colder regions of Norway for information andamusem*nt.

"Ay," said Charles; "but we have said nothing of Denmark yet, and,to get into the Baltic Sea, we must sail for many miles along theshores of that curious country. It consists of the peninsula ofJutland, formerly called Cimbria, and several islands in the Baltic.The boundaries of Denmark are, the Skagerac Sea on the North; thekingdom of Hanover on the South; the Baltic, with part of Sweden, tothe East, and the North Sea on the West. I here wish to know if theNorth Sea and the German Ocean are names used to designate all thatportion of the ocean which lies to the east of the British Isles,for I have seen the different names placed in different maps tosignify the same waters, and have been a little puzzled to ascertaintheir boundaries?"

"I am glad you have asked that question, Charles," said Mr. Wilton;"because I now remember that for the convenience of ourillustrations we made a division, but in reality the North Sea andthe German Ocean are the same, and ought perhaps to have beenmentioned thus—German Ocean or North Sea."

CHARLES. "Jutland, including Holstein, is about 280 miles long and80 miles broad; the islands, of various dimensions, are Zealand,Funen, Langland, Laland, Falster, Mona, Femeren, Alsen, &c.Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, is a large, rich, andwell-fortified town, situated on the island of Zealand; thepopulation about 100,000."

MR. BARRAUD. "Near Copenhagen stands the little isle of Hawen, nowbelonging to Sweden, where Tycho Brahe took most of his astronomicalobservations. There are many academies and public schools inDenmark, which reflect great honor on the Danish government. Thereare fine woods and forests in Denmark; indeed the whole country maybe regarded as a forest, which supplies England with masts and otherlarge timber. It is for the most part a flat country."

MR. WILTON. "The islands west of Jutland which you observe, viz.:Nordstrand, Fera, Sylt, Rom, Fanoe, and others, suffer greatly fromthe fury of the ocean. Towards the north of Jutland is an extensivecreek of the sea, Lymfiord, which penetrates from the Cattegat,within two or three miles of the German Ocean; it is navigable, fullof fish, and contains many islands."

MRS. WILTON. "To get into the Baltic, we must go through the Sleeveor Skagerac; through the Cattegat, passing on our way the littleisles of Hertzholm, Lassoe, Anholt, and Haselov; then, taking careto keep Kullen's Lighthouse in view, enter the sound near Elsinore,sail on past Rugen Isle, and anchor at Carlscrona, in the Baltic."

GEORGE. "The Baltic! the Baltic! I am so anxious to hear all aboutthat sea. All I know is that there are three very large gulfsconnected with it, the Gulf of Bothnia, the Gulf of Finland, and theGulf of Riga."

MR. WILTON. "The two latter wash the shores of a part of Russia, notgenerally much noticed in geographical works; I mean the twodivisions of the Russian territories, known by the names of Reveland Livonia. The waters of the Gulf of Finland also extend to thegreatest town in this country of ice and snow, St. Petersburgh,founded by Peter the Great in 1703, and seated on an island in themiddle of the river Neva, near the bottom of the gulf, and which,from the singularity in its buildings, streets, people, and customs,is well worth a visit. The inconveniences caused by travelling insuch an extreme climate doubtless prevent this part of Europe frombeing better known to other nations."

GEORGE. "Is it so very, very cold, then, papa?"

MR. WILTON. "When our thermometer stands at 20° we all exclaim,howbitterly cold! everything around is frozen hard, and unless we takeviolent exercise, and are well wrapped up, we feel extremelyuncomfortable. Now in this part of Russia, the thermometer is oftenbelow zero many degrees; and travellers, be they never so wellclothed, are frequently found frozen in their carriages."

GEORGE. "Their dresses are rather clumsy-looking garments, are theynot, and principally made of fur?"

MRS. WILTON. "I have an amusing description of the preparation for ajourney in the immediate neighborhood of the Gulf of Finland, whichwill satisfy your inquiring mind, and afford us all pleasinginformation. 'On the evening of the 20th of February, all thejuvenile portion of the family were consigned to rest at an earlierhour than usual; and by six o'clock the next morning, little eyeswere wide awake, and little limbs in full motion, by the flickeringcandle's light; in everybody's way as long as they were not wanted,and nowhere to be found when they were. At length the little flockwere all assembled; and having been well lined inside by a migratorykind of breakfast, the outer process began. This is conductedsomewhat on the same principle as the building of a house, thefoundation being filled with rather rubbishy materials, over which afirm structure is reared. First came a large cotton handkerchief,then a pelisse three years too short, then a faded comfortable ofpapa's, and then an old cashmere of mamma's, which latter was withdifficulty forced under the vanishing arms, and tied firmly behind.Now each tiny hand was carefully sealed with as many pairs of glovesas could be gathered together for the occasion; one hand (for thenursemaids are not very particular) being not seldom more richlyendowed in this respect than its fellow. The same process is appliedto the little feet, which swell to misshapen stumps beneath anaccumulation of under-socks and over-socks, under-shoes andover-shoes, and are finally swallowed up in huge worsted stockings,which embrace all the drawers, short petticoats, ends ofhandkerchiefs, comfortables, and shawls they can reach, and aregenerally gartered in some incomprehensible fashion round the waist.But mark! this is only the foundation. Now comes thethickly-wadded winter pelisse of silk or merino, with bands orligatures, which instantly bury themselves in the depths of thesurrounding hillocks, till within the case of clothes before you,which stands like a roll-pudding tied up ready for the boiler, noone would suspect the slender skipping sprite that your littlefinger can lift. Lastly, all this is enveloped in the little jauntysilk cloak, which fastens readily enough round the neck on ordinaryoccasions, but now refuses to meet by the breadth of a hand, and ismade secure by a worsted boa of every bright color. Is this all?No,—wait,—I have forgotten the pretty clustering locked head androsy dimpled face; and, in truth, they were so lost in the mountainsof wool and wadding around as to be fairly overlooked. Here ahandkerchief is bound round the forehead, and another down eachcheek, just skirting the nose, and allowing a small triangular spacefor sight and respiration; talking had better not be attempted;while the head is roofed in by a wadded hat, a misshapen machinewith soft crown and bangled peak, which cannot be hurt, and neverlooks in order, over which is suspended as many veils, green, white,and black, as mamma's cast-off stores can furnish, through which thebrightest little pair of eyes in the world faintly twinkle likestars through a mist. And now one touch upsets the whole mass, and aman servant coolly lifts it up in his arms like a bale of goods, andcarries it off to the sledge.

"'These are the preparations. Now for the journey.—It was a lovelymorning as we started with our little monstrosities; ourselves in acommodious covered sledge, various satellites of the family in asecond, followed up by rougher vehicles covered with bright worstedrugs, and driven by the different grades of servants, wherein satthe muffled and closely-draped lady's maids and housemaids of theestablishment; not to forget the seigneur himself, who, wrapped tothe ears, sat in solitude, driving a high-mettled animal upon asledge so small as to be entirely concealed by his person, so that,to all appearance, he seemed to be gliding away only attached to thehorse by the reins in his well-guarded hands. The way led throughnoble woods of Scotch and Spruce fir, sometimes catching sight of alofty mansion of stone, or passing a low thatched building of woodwith numberless little sash windows, where some of the nobles stillreside, and which are the remnants of more simple times. And now"the sun rose clear o'er trackless fields of snow," and our solitaryprocession jingled merrily on, while, yielding to the lullingsounds of the bells, our little breathing bundles sank motionlessand warm into our laps and retrieved in happy slumbers the earlyescapades of the day. There is no such a warming-pan on a coldwinter's journey as a lovely soft child. After driving thirtywersts, we stopped at the half-way house of an acquaintance, forhere the willing hospitality of some brother-noble is oftensubstituted for the miserable road-side accommodations. This was oneof the wooden houses so common in this part of Russia, andinfinitely more pleasing within than without; divided withpartitions like the tray of a work-box, fitted up with everyaccommodation on a small scale; a retreat which some unambitiouspair might prefer to the palace we had quitted. After a few hours'rest we started again with the same horses, which here performjourneys of sixty wersts in the day with the utmost ease; and whenevening was far advanced, our little travellers pushed aside theirmany-colored veils, and peeped at the lamps with astonished eyes, aswe clattered up the steep hill which led to our residence in thetown of Reval.'"

EMMA. "Well, George, what think you of that? You are so partial tocold weather, and are so desirous to travel in a sledge, do not youthink you would like to dwell in Russia, and go about always like aroll-pudding?"

GEORGE. "To travel in a sledge I should certainly like, but I wouldprefer my sledge in Lapland, where the beautiful reindeer, fleet asthe wind, scamper over snow and ice, and convey you to your friendsalmost as expeditiously as a railroad; but the wrapping up would notsuit me at all, for I like to have the free use of my limbs, moreparticularly in cold weather; and for these various reasons I do notwish to dwell in Russia, but should be delighted to visit it, andshould not even object to remain there a season. How much is awerst, papa?"

MR. WILTON. "A Russian werst is nearly two thirds of an Englishmile."

MR. BARRAUD. "There are people of almost every nation living in thegovernment of Reval, the chief town of which is a port on the Gulfof Finland, of the same name. Within the last few years, theinhabitants of this place have been making a growing acquaintancewith the Finlanders on the opposite shores, at a place calledHelsingforst, which is only approachable between a number of rockyislands. The town of Helsingforst is clean and handsome, with goodshops, containing cheap commodities, which are a source of greatattraction to the Esthonians (or natives of Reval) and others whor*side in Reval; consequently, in the fine weather, parties are madeabout once a fortnight for a trip to Helsingforst: these trips areboth pleasurable and profitable. The voyage occupies six hours in alittle steamboat; and, when landed, the voyagers procure everyrequisite at a magnificent hotel in the town for moderate charges.They then go shopping, buying umbrellas, India-rubber galoshes, andall descriptions of wearing apparel, which they contrive to smuggleover, notwithstanding the vigilance of the custom-house officers atReval."

GRANDY. "I have read that the fishermen on the shores of the Balticare remarkably superstitious, and careful not to desecrate any oftheir saints' days. They never use their nets between All Saints'and St. Martin's, as they would be certain not to take any fishthroughout the year. On Ash Wednesday the women neither sew norknit, for fear of bringing misfortune upon the cattle. They contriveso as not to use fire on St. Lawrence's day: by taking thisprecaution, they think themselves secure against fire for the restof the year. The Esthonians do not hunt on St. Mark's or St.Catherine's day, on penalty of being unsuccessful all the rest ofthe year. It is reckoned a good sign to sneeze on Christmas day.Most of them are so prejudiced against Friday, that they neversettle any important business or conclude a bargain on this day; insome places they do not even dress their children. They object tovisit on Thursdays, for it is a sign they will have troublesomeguests all the week. Thus they are slaves to superstition, and must,consequently, be a complaining, unhappy people. Now Dora, my dear,proceed."

DORA. "In the Baltic, north of the Gulf of Riga, lies the Isle ofDagen, belonging to Russia, and containing some fine estates of theEsthonian nobility. The dress of the female peasantry in this islandis so remarkable that they deserve a passing notice. The head-dressis a circular plait of hair, braided with a red cloth roll, whichfastens behind, and hangs down in long ends tipped with fringe. Thedress is merely a linen shift, high to the throat, half-way down theleg, crimped from top to bottom, the linen being soaked in waterwith as much strong starch as it can hold, crimped with long lathsof wood, and then put into the oven to dry, whence it issues stiffand hard as a board. The belt is the chief curiosity, being made ofbroad black leather, studded with massive brass heads, with a fringeof brass chains. High-heeled shoes and red stockings complete theattire, and altogether make a fanciful picture of a pretty maidenbandit."

EMMA. "But such garments must surely be very cold?"

DORA. "The dress I have described is worn in the summer, for theyhave a warm season for a short period during the year; of course,when the cold sets in, they hide their faces and figures in furs, inthe same fashion as their neighbors."

GEORGE. "How very uncomfortable to be dressed so stiffly in warmweather; and then they can surely never sit in such garments, for torumple them would spoil them, I suppose?"

MRS. WILTON. "It is the fashion in Dagen, my dear; andthere, aselsewhere, many inconveniences are submitted to, from an anxiety tovie with other folks in the style of dress, and from a fear of beingconsidered old-fashioned. I am sure we English must notfindfault with the dress of other countries, for some of ourfashionsare truly ridiculous."

"Yes, mamma," said Emma; "but they do not strike us as beingridiculous, because we are accustomed to them; and this must be thecase with other nations: they are used to their peculiar dresses,and have no idea of the astonishment of strangers when viewing thenovel attire, which to the wearers possesses nothing remarkable toastonish or attract."

MR. BARRAUD. "Near Dagen the navigation of the Baltic is verydangerous; and many years ago the island was principally occupied bymen who wickedly subsisted on the misfortunes of others. A slightsketch of one will sufficiently inform you of the general characterof these men. 'Baron Ungern Sternberg, whose house was situated on ahigh part of the island, became notorious for his long course ofiniquity. He lived in undisputed authority, never missing anopportunity of displaying his false lights to mislead the poormariners. No notice was taken of these cruel practices for sometime, for Sternberg was powerful in wealth and influence; until thedisappearance of a ship's captain, who was found dead in his room,the existence of an immense quantity of goods under his house, andother concurring circ*mstances, led to his apprehension. He wastried, condemned to Siberia, and his name struck off the roll of thenobility. His family, however, stands as high now as it ever did;for his descendants were not disgraced; and they still possess allthe daring, courage, enterprise, and sparkling wit of their pirateancestor, although it is but just to say they have not inherited hiscrimes. The sensation caused by the dread of this man reached evento the shores of England, and the streets of London were placarded,"Beware of Ungern Sternberg, the Sea Robber!" as a warning tosailors. This of course was before his seizure, for when he wastaken his accomplices could not longer continue their vileoccupation.'"

CHARLES. "I am anxious to know if it is from the shores of theBaltic the Turks procure the golden-colored amber of which they makethe mouth-pieces for their pipes?"

MR. WILTON. "Yes, Charles; the amber-gathering is carried onextensively there, and is the wealth of half the inhabitants. Theamber is sent to Turkey and Greece, and there manufactured intothose splendid mouth-pieces, which it is the pride of thesesmoke-loving people to possess. Some of these are excessivelygorgeous and proportionably valuable. I have heard of one beingworth the enormous sum of 100l!"

GEORGE. "Parts of Sweden are entirely separated by the Gulf ofBothnia. What sort of ships have they, papa, to cross the water inthat cold country?"

MR. WILTON. "They do not often cross the water in ships, buttransact nearly all their business with the opposite shores, duringthe four months when the waters of this sea, which has no tides, isfirmly frozen, and when they can travel across in sledges,comfortably defended from the inclemency of the weather. The Balticbeing full of low coasts and shoals, galleys of a flat constructionare found more serviceable than ships of war, and great attention ispaid to their equipment by Sweden as well as Russia. We haveneglected to mention the Islands of the Baltic. There is the isle ofOesal, remarkable for its quarries of beautiful marble; itsinhabitants like those of Dagen Isle, are chiefly Esthonians:Gothland and Oeland are both fertile and productive. In the Gulf ofBothnia are the Aland Isles, which derive their names from thelargest, forty miles in length and fifteen in breadth, containingabout 9000 inhabitants, who speak the Swedish language. These islesform almost a barrier of real granite rocks stretching to theopposite shores. In the Gulf of Finland lies the Isle of Cronstadt,formerly called Retusavi; it has an excellent haven, stronglyfortified, which is the chief station of the Russian fleet."

CHARLES. "Is not the chief fleet of Russia that of the Baltic?"

MR. WILTON. "Yes; it consists of about thirty-six ships of the line;but the maritime power of Russia is trifling."

MRS. WILTON. "As in leaving the Baltic we quit the shores of Sweden,we shall have no other opportunity to view Stockholm, the capital.It occupies a singular situation between a creek or inlet of theBaltic Sea and the Lake Maeler. It stands on seven small rockyislands, and the scenery is truly singular and romantic. This citywas founded by Earl Birger, regent of the kingdom, about the middleof the thirteenth century; and in the seventeenth century the royalresidence was transferred hither from Upsal. Sweden was formerlyunder the Danish yoke, but Gustavus Yasa delivered it when heintroduced the reformed religion in 1527. His reign of thirty-sevenyears was great and glorious in the annals of Sweden. We will nowproceed on our course: shall we go still further north, into theWhite Sea, or are you tired of the cold, and prefer journeying tothe south, and embarking on the Black Sea?"

CHARLES. "Oh! the White Sea first, for the distance is much less,and we shall sooner get there; but it must be an overland journey."

MR. WILTON. "Yes; for the Bielse More, or White Sea, is reckoned,with the Mediterranean and the Baltic, as one of Europe's principalinland seas. The largest gulfs connected with this sea are the Gulfof Archangel and the Gulf of Candalax; the waters of the latter washthe shores of Lapland, and are filled with numerous small islands.Archangel is a port on the White Sea; and here the Russians buildmost of their men-of-war: before the reign of Peter the Great, itwas the only port from which Russia communicated with othercountries of Europe."

MRS. WILTON. "With a few remarks on Lapland, we will quit this partof our quarter of the globe. Lapland can boast of but few towns. Thepeople lead wandering lives, and reside greater part of the year inhuts buried in the snow; occasionally they have warm weather, thatis, for the space of three or four weeks in the year, when the sunhas immense power; so that a clergyman residing at Enontekisinformed Dr. Clarke that he was able to light his pipe at midnightwith a common burning-glass, and that from his church the sun wasvisible above the horizon at midnight during the few weeks ofsummer. But the delights of this long day scarcely compensate forthe almost uninterrupted night which overshadows them with its darkmantle for the remainder of the year; one continual winter, whenscarcely for three hours during the day can the inhabitants dispensewith the use of candles. The climate, although so extremely frigid,is nevertheless wholesome, and the people are a hardy race. InLapland the Aurora Borealis is seen to perfection; the appearance itexhibits at times is beyond description magnificent: it serves toilluminate their dark skies in the long night of winter; and,although they cannot benefit by it so continually as the inhabitantsof Greenland and Iceland, yet they never behold the arch of theglorious Northern Lights spread abroad in the starry heavens butthey bless God for the phenomenon which they cannot comprehend, butknow full well how to appreciate. Here in this wintry region Georgemight enjoy himself agreeably to his wishes, for the Laplanderstravel in sledges drawn by the swift reindeer; but I fear he wouldfind it difficult to keep his seat, as the sledge is but of narrowdimensions and easily upset, while the animal requires a great dealof management to guide him properly. What think you, George? Wouldyou not be like Frank Berkeley or Paul Preston, who fancied it mustbe so easy and delightful to ride in a pulk or sledge, and foundinstead, that, from inexperience, their journey was one continuedchapter of accidents?"

GEORGE. "I dare say I should fare as badly at first, but I would notbe discouraged by one failure."

MR. WILTON. "That is right, my boy! Perseverance and determinationare an extra pair of legs to a traveller in his journey throughlife."

CHARLES. "There appears to be no islands in the White Sea."

MRS. WILTON. "There are islands, but they are mostly barrenuninhabited rocks. Archangel, a port on this sea, is famous for themanufacture of linen sheeting. Now quit we these dreary regions forthe bright and enlivening southern climes; and, if all parties areagreeable, we will cast our anchor where we may behold the heightsof Caucasus, and picture to ourselves the situation of still moreinteresting elevations; viz. Ararat, Lebanon, and Hermon; mountainsmentioned in the Sacred Writings, and certainly great points ofattraction to Christian travellers in Asiatic Turkey."

CHARLES. "There are several gulfs; but I do not know of any islands,in the Black Sea. There is a peninsula attached to Russia, whichcontains the towns of Kafa, Aknetchet, Sevastopol, and Eupatoria: itlies between the Sea of Asof and the Gulf of Perecop. The principalgulfs are the Gulf of Baba, the Gulf of Samson, the Gulf of Varna,and the Gulf of Foros."

MR. BARRAUD. "The peninsula you mention, Charles, is the Crimea,which possesses a most delicious climate, although lying contiguousto the Putrid Sea, which bounds it on the north. There is an islandin the Euxine,—the Island Leuce, or Isle of Achilles, also calledthe Isle of Serpents. It is asserted by the ancients to have beenpresented to Achilles by his mother Thetis. In the Gulf of Perecopthere is also another island, called Taman, which contains springsof naphtha."

MR. WILTON. "The principal port on the Black Sea is Odessa. It ranksnext in Russia after the two capitals of the empire, but is not adesirable residence, being subject to hurricanes and other evils, ofwhich dust is undoubtedly the greatest. A learned French writer[6]says: 'Dust here is a real calamity, a fiend-like persecutor thatallows you not a moment's rest. It spreads out in seas and billowsthat rise with the least breath of wind, and envelop you withincreasing fury, until you are stifled and blinded, and incapable ofa single movement.' The same writer describes a curious phenomenonhe witnessed in Odessa: 'After a very hot day in 1840, the airgradually darkened about four in the afternoon, until it wasimpossible to see twenty paces before one. The oppressive feel ofthe atmosphere, the dead calm, and the portentous color of the sky,filled every one with deep consternation, and seemed to betoken somefearful catastrophe. The thermometer attained the height of 104°Fahrenheit. The obscurity was then complete. Presently the mostfurious tempest imagination can conceive burst forth; and when thedarkness cleared off, there was seen over the sea what looked likea waterspout of prodigious depth and breadth, suspended at a heightof several feet above the water, and moving slowly away until itdispersed at last at a distance of many miles from the shore. Theeclipse and the waterspout were nothing else than dust; andthatday Odessa was swept cleaner than it will probably ever be again.'"

MRS. WILTON. "Such a description is quite sufficient to drive theweary traveller to seek shelter; and I think we have had enough ofother places for to-night. Let us take our own at the supper-table,and refresh ourselves after the voyage, for we have reason tocongratulate each other on the success of our plan; hitherto, therehas been no halting for lack of a finger-post, and I hope we shallbe as well prepared at future meetings, and be enabled to accomplishas much as we have this evening."

GRANDY. "I have been silent for the last hour, principally because Ido not feel very well this evening; but I cannot refrain fromspeaking a word or two before we disperse. A good and wise mansays—

'Full often, too,
Our wayward intellect, the more welearn
Of nature, overlooks her Authormore.'

My dear children, let not this be said of you; but look upward tothe Source of light and life, and pray that all knowledge may leadyou on to seek Him who is the author and giver of all good things;then will wisdom, heavenly wisdom, illumine your minds; then willpeace, the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, fill yourhearts, and

'Reveal truths undiscerned but by that holy light.'"

CHAPTER IV.

O'er the stormy, wide,and billowydeep,
Where the whale, the shark, and thesword-fish sleep;
And amidst the plashing andfeatheryfoam,
Where the stormy-petrel finds ahome.

"George is to open this meeting, by reciting some lines written byMrs. Howitt, which are very clever, and will most appropriatelyintroduce our subject." So saying, Mrs. Wilton proceeded to arrangethe members in their various places; and, seating herself, sheturned to her son, who by virtue of his office was allowed to remainnear Grandy's chair until the great work was accomplished. Georgewas hesitating, but an encouraging smile from this kind motherinspired him with confidence, and he commenced without furtherceremony:—

"'The earth is large,'said one oftwain;
'The earth is large and wide;
But it is filled with misery
And death on every side!'
Said the other, 'Deep as it is wide
Is the sea within all climes,
And it is fuller of misery
And of death, a thousand times!
The land has peaceful flocks andherds,
And sweet birds singing round;

But a myriad monstrous,hideous things
Within the sea are found—
Things all misshapen, slimy, cold,
Writhing, and strong, and thin,
And waterspouts, and whirlpoolswild,
That draw the fair ship in.
I've heard of the diver to thedepths
Of the ocean forced to go,
To bring up the pearl and thetwistedshell
From the fathomless caves below;
I've heard of the things in thosedismal gulfs,
Like fiends that hemm'd him round—
I would not lead a diver's life
For every pearl that's found.
And I've heard how the sea-snake,huge and dark,
In the arctic flood doth roll;
He hath coil'd his tail, like acablestrong,
All round and round the pole:
And they say, when he stirs in thesea below,
The ice-rocks split asunder—
The mountains huge of the ribbedice—
With a deafening crack like thunder.
There's many an isle man wots notof,
Where the air is heavy with groans;
And the bottom o' th' sea, thewisestsay,
Is covered with dead men's bones.
I'll tell thee what: there's many aship
In the wild North Ocean frore,
That has lain in the ice a thousandyears,
And will lie a thousand more;
And the men—each one is frozen there
In the place where he did stand;
The oar he pull'd, the rope hethrew,
Is frozen in his hand.
The sun shines there, but it warmsthem not;
Their bodies are wintry cold:
They are wrapp'd in ice that growsand grows,
Solid, and white, and old!
And there's many a haunted desertrock,
Where seldom ship doth go—
Where unburied men, with fleshlesslimbs,
Are moving to and fro:
They people the cliffs, they peoplethe caves,—
A ghastly company!—
never sail'd there in a ship myself,
But I know that such there be.
And oh! the hot and horrid track
Of the Ocean of the Line!
There are millions of the negro men
Under that burning brine.
The ocean sea doth moan and moan,
Like an uneasy sprite;
And the waves are white with afiendish fire
That burneth all the night.
'Tis a frightful thing to sailalong,
Though a pleasant wind may blow,
When we think what a host of misery
Lies down in the sea below!
Didst ever hear of a little boat,
And in her there were three;
They had nothing to eat, andnothingto drink,
Adrift on the desert sea.
For seven days they bore their pain;
Then two men on the other
Did fix their longing, hungry eyes,—
And that one was their brother!
And him they killed, and ate, anddrank—
Oh me! 'twas a horrid thing!
For the dead should lie in achurchyard green,
Where the pleasant flowers do spring.
And think'st thou but for mortal sin
Such frightful things would be?
In the land of the New Jerusalem
There will be no more sea!'"

MR. WILTON. "Well done! George; very nicely repeated indeed: you area most promising member of our little society; and we will drinkyour health in some of Grandy's elder-wine to-night at supper, andnot forget the honors to be added thereto. Now, is it determined howwe are to proceed; whether we take the seas of Asia, or enter on thebroad waves of the various oceans which wash many of the shores ofEurope?"

CHARLES. "The seas first, sir. I have the list of those forconsideration belonging to this most interesting division of theglobe: the Caspian, between Turkey, Persia, and Tartary; theWhang-hai, or Yellow Sea, in China; the Sea of Japan; the Sea ofOchotsh or Lama; the Chinese Sea; the Bay of Bengal; the PersianGulf; and the Arabian Gulf or Red Sea: these are the largest; butthere are numbers of small seas, some of them so entirely inlandthat they should more properly be called lakes; of these, thelargest is the Sea of Aral. The bays and gulfs around Asia are sonumerous that you would be tired of hearing their names. North, arethe Bays of Carskoe and Obskaia: south, Tonquin, Siam, Cambay, andCutch; east, Macao and Petchelee; west, Balkan, Kindelnisk, andKrasnai Vodi; the latter in the Caspian."

GEORGE. "Are those all, Charles? why, from your preface, I thoughtyou would be at least ten minutes enumerating the Bays of Asia."

CHARLES. "Were I to name all, I could do it in less timethan tenminutes; but I should incur too great a liability for my trouble,as I should be expected to describe the situations of all, and thatwould be beyond my capability."

DORA. "The Caspian falls to my share: it is usually called by thePersians, 'Derrieh Hustakhan' (Sea of Astrachan). It is likewisecalled the 'Derrieh Khizzar.' The absence of all shipping, save nowand then a solitary Russian craft; the scarcity of sea-weed, and thewant of the refreshing salt scent of the ocean, together with thegeneral appearance of the coast, suggest the idea of an immenselake. Numbers of that large fish called 'sturgeon' are taken fromthe waters of the Caspian; and there is quite a colony of fishermenengaged in this occupation on the Persian coast; and during theseason they catch thousands of these useful fish. No part of asturgeon is wasted: the roe is taken out, salted, and stowed away incasks; this is known by the name of 'caviare,' and is esteemed agreat luxury. From the sound or air-bladder isinglass is made,simply by being hung in the sun for a time; and the fish itself isdried, and exported to various parts of the world. Astracan is thechief seat of Caspian commerce."

MR. WILTON. "And here the traveller finds collected into a focus allthe picturesque items that have struck him elsewhere. Alongside of aTartar dwelling stretches a great building blackened by time, and byits architecture and carvings carrying you back to the middle ages.A European shop displays its fashionable haberdashery opposite acaravanserai; the magnificent cathedral overshadows a pretty mosquewith its fountain; a Moorish balcony contains a group of youngEuropean ladies, who set you thinking of Paris; whilst a gracefulwhite shadow glides mysteriously under the gallery of an old palace.All contrasts are here met together; and so it happens, that inpassing from one quarter to another you think you have made but ashort promenade, and you have picked up a stock of observation andreminiscences belonging to all times and places. The Russians oughtto be proud of this town; for, unlike others in this country, it isnot of yesterday's formation, and is the only place throughout theempire where the traveller is not plagued with the cold monotonousregularity which meets him at every other city in Russia. TheCaspian Sea covers an extent of 120,000 square miles, and is thelargest salt lake known."

MR. BARRAUD. "Near a place called Semnoon, not many miles fromAsterabad, there formerly stood a city of Guebres, named Dzedjin,with which a droll legend is connected:—

"'When Semnoon was built, the water with which it was suppliedflowed from the city of the Guebres, who one day turned the stream,and cut off the supplies. Sin and Lam (two prophets), seeing thetown about to perish for want of water, repaired to Dzedjin, andentreated the chiefs of that place to allow the stream to return toits old channel. This they at first refused, but finally made anagreement, that on the payment of a sum equal to a thousand tomauns,or 500l., the water should be allowed to flow into the city aslong as life remained in the head of a fly, which was to be cut offand thrown into a basin of water. This was done; but, to the greatastonishment of the Guebres, the head retained life during thirteendays, which so exasperated them against Sin and Lam, whom theyperceived to be men of God that they sent an armed party to Semnoonto make them prisoners.

"'Meanwhile Sin and Lam had received intelligence of their designs,and fled. The first village they halted at was called Shadderron,where, having rested awhile, they continued their flight, strictlyenjoining the inhabitants not to tell their pursuers the directionwhich they had taken. Shortly afterwards the Guebres arrived, andinquired where they had gone. The villagers did not mention thedirection in words, but treacherously indicated it by turning theirheads over their right shoulders, in which position they becameimmovably fixed; and since then all their descendants have been bornwith a twist in the neck towards the right shoulder.'"

Here the boys had some difficulty in repressing their laughter; forCharles placed his head in the position of the faithlessShadderrons, and looked so mischievously at George, that he wasobliged to cover his eyes, or he would have stopped the story by aboisterous shout of merriment.

MR. BARRAUD continued: "'The fugitives next arrived at a placecalled Giorvenon, on quitting which they left the same injunctionsas before. On the arrival of the pursuers, however, the peoplepointed out the direction of their flight by stretching their chinsstraightforward. An awful peal of thunder marked the divinedispleasure; and the inhabitants of Giorvenon now found themselvesunable to bring their heads back to their proper position; and thecurse likewise descended to their posterity, who have since beenremarkable for long projecting chins. After a long chase, theGuebres overtook the prophets at the foot of a steep hill, up whichthey galloped into a small plain, where, to the astonishment anddisappointment of their pursuers, the earth opened and closed overthem. It was now evening; and the Guebres, placing a small heap ofstones over the spot where Sin and Lam had disappeared, retired forthe night. Early the next morning the Guebres repaired thither withthe intention of digging out the prophets; but, to their confusion,they found the whole plain covered with similar heaps of stones, sothat all their endeavors to find the original pile were completelybaffled, and they returned to Dzedjin disappointed. There is now asmall mosque, said to cover the exact spot where Sin and Lam sankinto the ground, which is called Seracheh, to which people resort topray, and make vows; and close by is an almost perpendicular rock,whence (the inhabitants aver) may be seen the marks of the feet ofthe horses ridden by the Guebres!'"

This story amused the children much, and they would gladly havelistened to Mr. Barraud while he related some other extraordinarytradition, but his reply to their request silenced these wishes.

"Every place," said he, "throughout this wild country has a legend:were I to tell you all, there would be no time for business. Imerely selected this because it is concerning a town situated on theshores of the Caspian Sea, and gives you a tolerable idea of thesuperstition of its inhabitants."

MR. WILTON. "The Caspian extends about 700 miles in length, and 200in breadth. The northern shores of this sea are low and swampy,often overgrown with reeds; but in many other parts the coasts areprecipitous, with such deep water that a line of 450 fathoms willnot reach the bottom. The best haven in the Caspian is that of Baku;that of Derbent is rocky, and that of Sensili not commodious, thoughone of the chief ports of trade."

DORA. "The Whang-hai, or Yellow Sea, on the coast of China, containsseveral islands,—Tebu-sou, Lowang, Tsougming, Vun-taichan, Fouma,and Stanton's Island. By the Straits of Corea we can enter the Seaof Japan, sail along by the great Japan Islands, the principal ofwhich are Niphon, Kinsin, and Sikokf, and, passing the Jesso Isles,go through the Channel of Tartary, and enter the Sea of Ochotsk orLama."

MRS. WILTON. "A very good route, Dora, but rather too expeditious tobe advantageous. These islands and seas are connected with manyinteresting facts. And why pass the Island of Sagalien without aglance? I am sure, could you have seen one of the people, yourattention would have been sufficiently arrested to stay your rapidflight o'er land and sea. The Sagaliens are similar in manyrespects to the Tartar tribes. Their dress is a loose robe ofskins, or quilted nankeen, with a girdle. They tattoo their upperlip blue. Their huts or cabins of timber are thatched with grass,with a fire-place in the centre. The native name of this largeisland is Tehoka.

"Between Japan and Mantchooria is the great peninsula of Corea,remarkable for the coldness of its climate, although in the latitudeof Italy. We are told that in the northern parts snow falls in solarge quantities as to render it necessary to dig passages under itin order to go from one house to another. It is supposed that thesurface of this country being so extremely mountainous is the causeof this curious climate. There are numbers of ponies here not morethan three feet high!"

GEORGE. "Oh what sweet creatures! how very much I would like to haveone; actually not larger than a dog: how very pretty they must be."

EMMA. "Around the three great islands of Japan, I observe countlessnumbers of little ones,—are they in any way connected with Japan?"

MR. WILTON. "Yes, my dear; they all belong to the kingdom of Japan."

EMMA. "And what sort of people are the Japanese?"

MR. WILTON. "Very similar in appearance to their neighbors, theChinese, with a yellow complexion and small oblique eyes: there isthis difference, however; their hair is thick and bushy, while thehair of the Chinese is cultivated in a long tail. A Japanese iscertainly rather ludicrous, in both manners and appearance. Hishead half-shaved; the hair which is left accumulated on the crown ofhis head; his body wrapped (when travelling) in an enormous coveringof oiled paper, and a large fan in his hand, he presents anextraordinary figure. These people are very particular concerningpoints of etiquette, and have many books written on the proper modeof taking a draught of water, how to give and receive presents, andall the other minutiae of behavior."

GRANDY. "The Japanese have curious notions with regard to the lifeeternal. They believe that the souls of the virtuous have a placeassigned to them immediately under heaven, while those of the wickedwander in the air until they expiate their offences."

CHARLES. "I am very glad that is not my creed, for I shouldnot atall enjoy life with the continual idea of wicked spirits hovering inthe air around me. They might as reasonably believe in ghosts."

MRS. WILTON. "In the Indian and China Seas, and in many other partsof the great tropical belt, the periodical winds called 'monsoons'are found. The south-west monsoon prevails from April to October,between the equator and the tropic of Cancer: and it reaches fromthe east coast of Africa to the coasts of India, China, and thePhilippine Islands. Its influence extends sometimes into the PacificOcean, as far as the Marcian Isles, or to longitude about 145ºeast;and it reaches as far north as the Japan Islands. The north-eastmonsoon prevails from October to May, throughout nearly the samespace, that the south-west monsoon prevails in during the formerseason. But the monsoons are subject to great obstructions by land;and in contracted places, such as Malacca Straits, they are changedinto variable winds. Their limits are not everywhere the same; nordo they always shift exactly at the same period, but they aregenerally calculated upon about the times I have mentioned."

EMMA. "Mamma, are not trade-winds something like monsoons?"

MRS. WILTON. "So far similar that they are confined to a certainregion, and are tolerably regular in their operations. Thetrade-winds blow, more or less, from the eastern half of the compassto the western. Their chief region lies between the tropics from23-1/2º north to 23-1/2º south latitude, although in someparts ofthe world they extend farther; but it is only in the open parts ofthe Pacific and Atlantic Oceans that the true trade-winds blow.These winds shift many degrees of latitude in the course of theyear; but skilful navigators usually know where to catch them, andmake them serviceable in helping to blow their richly laden vessels'o'er the glad waters of the bright blue sea.'"

GEORGE. "Do you know the cause of these regular winds, papa? You saylearned men try to discover why such things are so, andgenerallyfind out causes from their effects."

MR. WILTON. "Exactly so, my boy; and learned women do thesame: asan instance, I will quote the learned Mrs. Somerville on this verysubject, and give you an excellent reply to your question.

"'The heat of the sun occasions the trade-winds, by rarefying theair at the equator, which causes the cooler and more dense part ofthe atmosphere to rush along the surface of the earth to theequator, while that which is heated is carried along the higherstrata to the poles, forming two currents in the direction of themeridian. But the rotatory velocity of the air corresponding to itsgeographical situation, decreases towards the poles; in approachingthe equator it must therefore revolve more slowly than thecorresponding parts of the earth, and the bodies of the surface ofthe earth must strike against it with the excess of their velocity,and by its reaction they will meet with a resistance contrary totheir motion of rotation; so that the wind will appear, to a personsupposing himself to be at rest, to blow in a contrary direction tothe earth's rotation, or from east to west, which is the directionof the trade-winds.'"

GEORGE. "May I read that to-morrow, papa? I do not quite understandit; and if you have the book, I could read it over and over until Ifound out the meaning."

MR. WILTON. "You will find it in Mrs. Somerville's 'Mechanism of theHeavens.' If you come to my study to-morrow morning before I leavehome, I will assist you in the solution of the difficulties."

MR. BARRAUD. "In an account of Cabul I have read a fine descriptionof the commencement of a monsoon:—'The approach is announced byvast masses of clouds that rise from the Indian Ocean, advancingtowards the north-east, gathering and thickening as they approachthe land. After some threatening days, the sky assumes a troubledappearance in the evening, and the monsoon sets in generally duringthe night. It is attended by such a violent thunder-storm as canscarcely be imagined by those who have only witnessed the phenomenonin a temperate climate. It generally begins with violent blasts ofwind, which are succeeded by floods of rain. For some hourslightning is seen without intermission: sometimes it onlyilluminates the sky, and shows the clouds near the horizon; atothers, it discovers the distant hills, and again leaves all indarkness; when, in an instant, it reappears in vivid and successiveflashes, and exhibits the nearest objects in all the brightness ofday. During all this time the distant thunder never ceases to roll,and is only silenced by some nearer peal, which bursts on the earwith such a sudden and tremendous crash, as can scarcely fail tostrike the most insensible heart with awe. At length the thunderceases, and nothing is heard but the continued pouring of the rainand the rushing of the rising streams.'"

CHARLES. "I would much rather live in our temperate climate thanbetween the tropics; for everything connected with the elements isso outrageously violent, that I should be continually in a state ofalarm, and in constant dread of a hurricane, a tornado, anearthquake, or some such awful visitation.'"

GRANDY. "Why should you fear, my dear boy? Who, or what, can harmyou if you follow that which is good? Is not the arm of the Lordmighty to save? and is it not stretched forth all the day long todefend his own children? Has he not promised to be a strongholdwhereunto the faithful may always resort, and to be a house ofdefence for his people? Cast thy fear from thee, Charles; rely onGod's gracious promises, and pray for faith to believe in hisomnipotence."

DORA. "The Sea of Ochotsk. This sea is nearly land-locked, being inthis respect, as well as in size and general situation, not unlikeHudson's Bay. The waters are shallow, not exceeding (about fiftymiles from land) fifty fathoms, and rarely giving, even in thecentre, above four times the depth just mentioned. There are threegulfs belonging to this sea, the Gulf of Penjinsk, the Gulf ofGijiginsk, and the Gulf of Tanish; but not many islands ofconsideration."

MR. WILTON. "Although Asia cannot vie with Europe in the advantagesof inland seas, yet, in addition to a share of the Mediterranean, itpossesses the Red Sea and Gulf of Persia, the Bays of Bengal andNankin, and other gulfs already mentioned, which diversify thecoasts much more than those of either Africa or America, and havedoubtless contributed greatly to the early civilization of thiscelebrated division of the globe. I wish each of you young folks todescribe the following seas as I mention their names. Dora, tell meall you have learnt respecting the Red Sea."

DORA. "The Red Sea, or Arabian Gulf of antiquity, constitutes thegrand natural division between Asia and Africa; but its advantageshave been chiefly felt by the latter, which is entirely destitute ofinland seas. Egypt and Abyssinia, two of the most civilizedcountries in that division, have derived great benefits from thatcelebrated sea, which, from the Straits of Babelmandel to Suez,extends about 21°, or 1470 British miles, terminating not in twoequal branches, as delineated in old maps, but in an extensivewestern branch; while the eastern ascends little beyond the parallelof Mount Sinai."

GRANDY. "The Gulf of Suez was the scene of the most stupendousmiracle recorded in Exodus—the Passage of the Israelites,—when Godclave in sunder the waters of the sea, and caused them to riseperpendicularly, so as to form a wall unto the Israelites, on theirright hand, and on their left. This is not to be readfiguratively, but literally; for in Exodus xv. 8, it issaidthey 'stood as an heap,' and were 'congealed,' orsuspended, asthough turned into ice:—'And with the blast of thy nostrils, thewaters were gathered together: the floods stood upright as anheap; the depths were congealed in the heart of thesea.'"

MR. WILTON. "Emma, I call upon you for the account of thePersianGulf; but you seem so intent on the book before you, that I feel alittle curious to know the subject of your meditations."

EMMA. "You shall hear, papa, although perhaps you may laugh at meafterwards. I was thinking that it seemed rather absurd for peoplewho are constantly voyaging to the East Indies to go such an immenseway round Africa, when by cutting a passage through the Isthmus ofSuez they could arrive at the desired haven in half the time. Whatis the width of the isthmus, papa? Would such a thing bepracticable, or am I very foolish?"

MR. WILTON. "Not at all, my dear, as I will readily prove. The widthis about seventy-five miles; and there has been a communicationbetween the Mediterranean and the Red Sea. Strabo, the historian,asserts that a canal was built by Sesostris, king of Egypt; and inFebruary, 1799, Napoleon, then General of the French Republic,accompanied by some gentlemen skilled in such matters, proceededfrom Cairo to Suez with the view of discovering the vestiges of thisancient canal. They were successful: they found traces of it forseveral leagues, together with portions of the old great wall ofSesostris, which guarded the eastern frontiers of Egypt, andprotected the canal from the sands of the desert. It was a shorttime since in contemplation to renew this communication by the samemeans as those used by Sesostris; viz., by forming a canal for theadvantage of commerce, &c.; which advantage is well explained byMr.Edward Clarkson, in an article on Steam Navigation, thus: 'Thedistance from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea by the Suez navigablecanal would be from eighty to ninety miles. The time consumed by asteamboat in this transit might be averaged at five hours. What isthe time now consumed in the transit through Egypt by the voyagerfrom England to Bombay? and what is the nature of the transit?Passengers, packages, and letters, after being landed at Alexandria,are now conveyed by the Mahmoudie Canal forty miles to Atfeh, on theNile. This consumes twelve hours, and is performed by a track-boat,attended by numerous inconveniences. The passengers, goods, andletters are landed at Atfeh; they are there reshipped, and carriedby steamboat from Atfeh up the Nile to Boulac, a distance of 120miles. This water transit consumes eighteen hours. At Boulac, whichis the port of Cairo, the passengers, goods, and letters are againunshipped, and have a land transit of two miles before they arriveat Cairo. At that capital a stoppage of twelve hours, which isconsidered indispensable to travellers, occurs. A fourth transitthen takes place to Suez from Cairo, across the Desert. This isperformed by vans with two and four horses, donkey-chairs (twodonkeys carrying a species of litter between them for ladies andchildren,) and is often attended, owing to the scarcity of goodhorses, with great inconveniences. The distance of this land transitis eighty-four miles, and consumes thirty-six hours. The wholedistance by the present line is thus 246 miles; by the projectedline it is 80: the transit by the present line consumes four days;the transit by the proposed line would not consume more than fivehours!'.

"'Instead of a land, and river, and desert transit, with all theobstructions and inconveniences of track-boats, native steamers,donkey-chairs, and vans, shipping and unshipping, there will be noland transit, and the whole passage may be made by sea fromLondonto Bombay without stoppage. Instead of four days being consumed inthe Egyptian transit, five hours will only be requisite. Moreover,the 2l. 12s. expense caused by the present transit in Egypt, andcharged to each person, will in future be saved by everypassenger.'"

MR. BARRAUD. "I propose a vote of thanks to Emma for introducing thesubject, as by so doing we have gained a great deal of information."

MR. WILTON. "There you see, Emma, you are not laughed at, but we allthank you, for revealing your thoughts. Now to the Persian Gulf, ifyou have any particulars."

EMMA. "The Persian Gulf is another noted inland sea, about half thelength of the Red Sea, and is the grand receptacle of thosecelebrated rivers, the Euphrates and the Tigris. The small bayswithin this gulf are Katiff Bay, Assilla Bay, Erzoog Bay. There arevarious islands and large pearl banks here; and on the Euphrates,not many miles from these shores, stands Chaldaea. The inhabitantsare the Beni Khaled Arabs, descendants of the founders of the 'GreatBabylon.'"

GEORGE. "Oh, papa, I have a discovery: here is an island nobody hasnoticed—its name is Dahalac."

MRS. WILTON. "That was certainly an omission, for Dahalac is a largeisland, sixty miles in circumference. It contains goats which havelong silky hair, and furnishes gum-lac, the produce of a particularkind of shrub. To this island vessels repair for fresh water, which,however, is very bad, being kept in 370 dirty cisterns!"

MR. BARRAUD. "This district is especially interesting to Christians,for here are situated the mounts celebrated in Scripture. In thecentre of Armenia you may observe Mount Ararat, a detached elevationwith two summits; the highest covered with perpetual snow. On thismountain rested the Ark, when God sent his vengeance over all theearth, and destroyed every living thing. Mount Lebanon is in Syria;and not far distant stands Mount Sinai, an enormous mass of graniterocks, with a Greek convent at its base, called the convent of St.Catharine: here was the law delivered to Moses, inscribed on twotables of stone by the Most High God."

MR. WILTON. "The whole coast of Oman, in South Arabia, which on thenorth is washed by the waters of the Persian Gulf, and on the southby the Sea of Oman, abounds with fish; and, as the natives have butfew canoes, they generally substitute a single inflated skin, orsometimes two, across which they place a flat board. On thiscontrivance the fisherman seats himself, and either casts his smallhand-net, or plays his hook and line. Some capital sport must ariseoccasionally, when the sharks, which are here very numerous andlarge, gorge the bait; for, whenever this occurs, unless the anglercuts his line, (and that, as the shark is more valued by them thanany other fish, he is often unwilling to do,) nothing can preventhis rude machine from following their track; and the fisherman issometimes, in consequence, carried out a great distance to sea. Itrequires considerable dexterity to secure these monsters; for whenthey are hauled up near to the skins, they struggle a good deal, andif they happen to jerk the fisherman from his seat, the infuriatemonster dashes at once at him. Many accidents arise in this manner;but if they succeed in getting him quickly alongside, they soondespatch him by a few blows on the snout."[7]

MRS. WILTON. "There are many little circ*mstances of interestconnected with the Persian Gulf. In several parts fresh springs risein the middle of the salt water, particularly near the Islands ofBaharein. The whole shore of this gulf is lined with islands; andon its shores are several independent Arabs, who almost all livein the same manner. They subsist by maritime trade, and by the periland other fisheries. Their food consists of dates, fish, and dhourabread. Their arms are muskets, with matchlocks, sabres, andbucklers. These tribes, among whom the Houles are the most powerful,all speak the Arabic language, and are enemies to the Persians, withwhom they form no alliances. Their houses are so wretched, that anenemy would think it lost labor to destroy them. As they generallyhave but little to lose on land, if a Persian army approaches, allthe inhabitants of the towns and villages go on board their littlevessels, and take refuge in some island in the Persian Gulf untilthe enemy retires."

EMMA. "Where are the Baharein Isles, mamma?"

MRS. WILTON. "Near the Arabian shore. They are remarkable for thepearl fishery, which is carried on in their neighborhood during themonths of June, July, and August; a fishery which, in the sixteenthcentury, was estimated at 500,000 ducats.[8] The name Bahareinsignifies two seas."

MR. WILTON. "Well, Charles; what can you tell us about the littleSea of Aral?"

CHARLES. "Not much I am afraid, sir. The Sea of Aral, or Eagles, issituated about 100 miles east of the Caspian, and is nearly 200miles in length and 70 in breadth; it is surrounded with sandydeserts, and has been little explored; its waters are not so salt asthe Caspian, but there are many small saline lakes in its vicinity.There is a remarkable detached sea in Siberia, or Asiatic Russia,which we have not noticed, called Baikal Sea; it extends from the51° to the 55° of north latitude. This sea is 350 miles inlengthand only 50 in breadth. The water is fresh and transparent, yet of agreen or sea tinge, commonly frozen in the latter end of December,and clear of ice in May. At particular periods it is subject toviolent and unaccountable storms, whence, as terror is the parent ofsuperstition, probably springs the Russian name of Svetoie Morè,orthe Holy Sea. There are many seals here, and abundance of fish,particularly a kind of herring called omuli."

MR. WILTON. "Very good, Charles. Now, my son, try your best memoryon the Eastern Sea."

GEORGE. "I am glad you have given me that sea to describe, for Ihave been much amused with the curious names of the islands printedon the map in these waters. A little group not far from 'Tchusan' iscalled 'the Bear and Cubs;' another 'Lowang,' or 'Buffalo's Nose;'another 'Chutta-than,' or 'Shovel-nosed Shark.' Near the Japan Islesthere is a little cluster called 'Asses' Ears.' This sea is calledby the Chinese Tong-hai; and in it are the large islands Formosa andLoo-choo; but I know nothing of them."

MRS. WILTON. "I will aid you there, George, because you have donewell to remember all those difficult names. Formosa is a finefertile island, belonging to the Chinese, where oxen are used forequestrian purposes for want of horses or asses. The Loo-chooIslands constitute a little civilized kingdom, tributary to China.There are thirty-six of them. The capital is Kinching. These isleswere discovered by the Chinese many hundred years ago. Theirproducts are sulphur, copper, tin, shells, and mother-of-pearl. Theinhabitants vie with the Japanese in the manufacture of lacqueredware. Loo-choo itself is one of the most delightful places in theworld, with a temperate climate and great fertility. All animalcreation here is of a diminutive size, but all excellent in theirkind. The people are amiable and virtuous, though, unhappily,worshippers of Confucius."

MR. WILTON. "The China Sea falls to Dora's share: are you prepared,my dear?"

DORA. "I think so, sir. It lies south-west of China, and connectedwith it are the Gulfs of Siam and Tonquin. In the former are theIslands Hastings and Tantalem: the latter washes the coast of CochinChina; a coast that suffers more from the encroachment of the seathan any other known: in five years the sea gained 190 feet fromeast to west. The low country is exposed to an uncomfortable degreeof heat during part of the year, and the rains are so plentiful,that boats are navigable over the fields and hedges, and thechildren go out in small barks to fish for the mice which cling tothe branches of the trees."

EMMA. "Poor little mice! I dare say they would rather be playthingsfor children than be drowned."

CHARLES. "They need no fishing-tackle for their sport; I supposethey catch them in their hands. Do you know, Dora?"

DORA. "I believe they do.—Now what comes next? Oh! Hainan. It liesin the China Sea; its capital is Kiang-tchou. In the southern partthis island is mountainous, but towards the north it is more level,and productive of rice; in the centre there are mines of gold; andon the shores are found small blue fish, which the Chinese valuemore than we do those known as gold and silver fish. The blue fishwill not survive long after they are caught, and two days'confinement to a glass bowl suffices to end their lives."

MR. BARRAUD. "The Gulf of Tonquin and the adjacent seas areremarkable for dreadful whirlwinds, called 'typhons.' After calmweather they are announced by a small black cloud in the north-eastpart of the horizon, which gradually brightens until it becomeswhite and brilliant. This alarming appearance often precedes thehurricane twelve hours."

CHARLES. "Pray what is the cause of this dreadful 'typhon?'"

MR. BARRAUD. "They seem to arise from the mutual opposition of thenorth-wind coming down from the mountains of the continent and thesouth-wind proceeding from the ocean. Nothing can exceed their fury.They are accompanied by dreadful thunder, lightning, and heavy rain.After five or six hours a calm succeeds; but the hurricane soonreturns in the opposite direction with additional fury, andcontinues for an equal interval."

GEORGE. "Papa, there are seas of all colors, for I have actuallyfound a Blue Sea. Here it is, between Loo-choo and China. What drollpeople the Chinese are! they have such odd names for their places."

MR. WILTON. "Yes; they call China Tchou-Koo, or the 'Centre of theWorld;' for in their overweening pride, they consider othercountries as mere strips surrounding their territory; and theirnames and titles are very grand. At a distance of six hundred pacesfrom the shore of the 'Yang-tse-Kiang' is the wonderful Island ofChin-shan, or 'Golden Mountain.' This island is covered withgardens and pleasure-houses. Art and nature have united theirefforts to give it the most enchanting aspect. It is in the fieldsof this isle that the shrub grows producing the cotton of which thearticle known by the name of Nankeen is made. The fibre is not whitelike other cotton, but of a delicate orange color, which itpreserves after it is spun and woven."

MR. BARRAUD. "There are many noble lakes in China, particularly inthe province of Howquang, which name signifies 'Country of Lakes;'and I remember reading of a traveller who often observed on one nearthe Imperial Canal, thousands of small boats and rafts, constructedfor a singular species of fishery. 'On each boat or raft are ten ora dozen birds, which, at a signal from the owner, plunge into thewater; and it is astonishing to see the enormous size of the fishwith which they return grasped within their bills.' They appeared tobe so well trained, that it did not require either ring or cordabout their throats to prevent them from swallowing any portion oftheir prey, except what the master was pleased to return to them forencouragement and food. The boat used by these fishermen is of aremarkably light make, and is often carried to the lake, togetherwith the fishing-birds, by the fishermen themselves."

CHARLES. "What preposterous things people do in other countries! Howstrange to train birds to catch fish!"

"Why, Charles, we have fishing-birds in England," exclaimed George."The only difference between them is, that our birds fish forthemselves, while the Chinese birds fish for their masters. I haveoften seen the kingfishers pounce upon their prey, and I have heardof herons and storks living on fish caught by themselves."

MR. WILTON. "Quite true, George; and this proves that many'traveller's wonders' cease to be wonderful when we examine into thecirc*mstances and particulars, or compare their relations with thecommonplace occurrences of everyday life. Now for the Bay of Bengal,which contains the fine islands of Andaman, Nicobar, and Ceylon; forthe particulars of these islands I beg to refer the members to Mrs.Wilton."

MRS. WILTON. "We will describe them according to their merits; andby so doing, the last will be first. Ceylon is considered the finestand richest island in the world: we read that the stones are rubiesand sapphires, that amonium scents the marshes, and cinnamon theforests, and that the most common plants furnish precious perfumes.Its length is about 250 miles, its breadth 150. Its principalproductions are gold, silver, and other metals; excellent fruits ofall kinds; delicious spices; ivory, cotton, silk, musk, and manyvarieties of precious stones. The chief town is Candy, situated on amountain in the middle of the island. Trincomalé and Columbo areitsother great towns. I forgot to tell you that elephants of the mosthandsome and valuable kind run here in herds, as the wild boars doin the forests of Europe; while the brilliant peaco*ck and bird ofparadise occupy the places of our rooks and swallows.

"The Andainans—The inhabitants are probably cannibals; theirantipathy to strangers is singularly strong. They possess all thecharacteristics of the negro, but scarcely know how to build a boat,or manage a rope; however, they have acquired a little morecivilization since the foundation of an English establishment on theGreat Andaman, for the reception of criminals sent from Bengal.

"The Nicobar Isles are inhabited by a harmless inoffensive race ofpeople; and here, as also in Andaman, are found the ediblebird's-nests so much esteemed in China."

MR. BARRAUD. "These nests form an extensive article of commerce:they are built by a little bird called the Jaimalani, black as jet,and very much like a martin, but considerably smaller. The nests aremade of a slimy gelatinous substance found on the shore, of thesea-weed called agal-agal, and of a soft, greenish, sizymatter,often seen on rocks in the shade, when the water oozes from above.The best are found in damp caves, very difficult of access. They aresold at a high price, and considered a great luxury, consequentlyonly consumed by the great people of China, chiefly by the emperorand his court."

MR. WILTON. "George looks as if he did not relish the idea offeasting on bird's-nests. I believe the Chinese monopolize thesedelicacies entirely, and they are quite welcome so to do, as theyare not esteemed elsewhere: so do not look so scornful George; theinhabitants of the celestial empire would not offer you abird's-nest for your supper if you paid them a visit. They cost, Ihave heard, their weight in silver! Emma, can you tell me in whatsea to look for the Maldives?"

EMMA. "Yes, dear papa, Maldives and Laccadives are both in theArabian Sea. The first are small islands, or rocks, just above thewater. The Dutch trade with the natives for cowries, little shellsused as money on some parts of the coasts of Africa and India. Shipsfrom India sometimes resort thither to procure sharks' fins forthose epicures the Chinese, who consider them an excellent seasoningfor soup.

"The Laccadives are about five degrees further north, and are inthemselves larger islands, but not so numerous as the Maldives.Bombay, which is the central point of communication between Indiaand Europe, is on the Arabian Sea. Have we not devoted sufficienttime to Asia, mamma?"

MRS. WILTON. "I scarcely think so, my dear; we could find subjectsfor conversation which would profitably occupy the hours of manymeetings in this delightful quarter of the world. Remember here wereour first parents placed, when in innocence and happiness they werecreated by Almighty God; here in the Garden of Eden they dweltenjoying the light of His countenance; here they fell in guilt andmisery, and were banished from the presence of their offended God;here was the prophecy fulfilled, for here was born our BlessedSaviour. By Him was the great and wondrous work of redemptionaccomplished; He offered Himself a sacrifice for the sins of thewhole world; He gave us the Everlasting Gospel, and He has becomeour mediator with God: by Him we gain access to the Father; by Hisblood only can we be cleansed; by His merits only can we hope forsalvation; and only through His Grace assisting us can we performthat which is right and well-pleasing in the eyes of our HeavenlyFather: then believing in Him, trusting in Him, rejoicing in Him,Christ will be our All in all here, and All in all hereafter.There are many lakes and small inland seas in Asia, memorable ashaving been the scene of our Blessed Saviour's labors, trials, andtriumphs. Not the most insignificant on the list is the lake ofGenesareth, sometimes called the Sea of Galilee, or Sea of Tiberias;for near here is situated Nazareth, the great city of Jesus Christ.About six miles to the south stands the hill of Tabor, which avenerable tradition assigns as the scene of Christ'stransfiguration; and on the south-west side of the Gulf of St. Jeand'Acre is Mount Carmel, where, we are told, the prophet Elijahproved his divine mission by the performance of many miracles.Thousands of Christians once lived in caves of the rocks around thismountain, which then was covered with chapels and gardens: at thepresent day naught but scattered ruins remain to prove the truth ofthese statements."

MR. WILTON. "A most extraordinary fact relating to this sea is, thatit* waters are 300 feet below the level of the Mediterranean: andthis reminds me of the Dead Sea, situated in Palestine, whichcovers from 450 to 500 square miles; for its waters are no less than1300 feet below the Mediterranean. We are told by many who havevisited this sea, that neither fish nor shells are to be found init, and that its shores, frightfully barren, are never cheered bythe note of any bird. The inhabitants in its vicinity, however, arenot sensible of any noxious quality in its vapor; and the accountsof birds falling down dead in attempting to fly over it are entirelyfabulous. The water is exceedingly nauseous, and the effluviaarising from it unwholesome, but so buoyant, that gentlemen, whohave made the attempt from curiosity, have found it impossible tosink. An Irishman, named Cortigan, some fifteen years ago, conveyeda boat to the waters of the Dead Sea, and, aided by an old Maltesesailor, rowed nearly all round. He was a week exploring, andimagined he had made great discoveries; but no one knew what theywere, for on the eighth day he became seriously ill. He was carriedto the shore by his companion, and expired soon after in the hut ofa Bedouin Arab. We are led to believe that in this place stood thefamous cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, destroyed by the wrath of God,and utterly buried beneath this bituminous lake."

GRANDY. "We have gone through our toils this evening with nopersonal inconvenience; but that is owing to our travels being ofthe mind instead of the body: for what man journeying through Arabiabut has felt the annoyances of heat, the pangs of thirst andunutterable anguish from the horrors of a lingering death? That westay-at-home travellers may justly appreciate the blessings of home,I will give you an instance of the sufferings of those who arecompelled to wander.

The Slave Merchant.

"The caravans which carry goods from Bagdat to Aleppo usually passby Anah. They pay tribute to the Arabs, who reckon themselves Lordsof the Desert, even to the east of Euphrates. They have to encounterthe dangers of the suffocating winds, the swarms of locusts, and thefailure of water, as soon as they depart from the line of the river.A French traveller[9]tells us he witnessed one of the mostappalling scenes of this kind between Anah and Taïbu. The locusts,having devoured everything, perished in countless heaps, poisoningwith their dead bodies the ponds which usually afforded water whenno springs were near.

"This traveller saw a Turk running down from a hillock, with despairin his looks. 'I am,' cried he, 'the most ill-fated man in theworld. I have purchased, at an enormous rate, 200 young women, thefinest of Greece and Georgia. I brought them up with great care, andnow, when arrived at the age of marriage, I have come with them onmy way to Bagdat, thinking to dispose of them to advantage. Alas!they are all now dying of thirst in this desert.' The traveller,going round the hillock, beheld a sight of horror. In the midst oftwelve eunuchs and about a hundred camels, he saw all these girls,from twelve to fifteen years old, stretched on the ground in theagonies of a burning thirst and inevitable death. Some had alreadybeen buried; a larger number had fallen down by the side of theirkeepers, who had not sufficient strength left to bury them. On everyhand were heard the sobs of the dying; and the cries of those inwhom enough of life still remained, begging for a drop of water. Thetraveller hastened to open his flask, in which a little water wasleft, and was now offering it to one of these poor victims. 'Youfool!' exclaims his Arabian conductor, 'would you have us alsotoperish for want of water?' and with his arrow he laid the girl deadat his feet; laid hold of the bottle, and threatened the life of anyone who dared to touch it. He advised the Turkish merchant to go onto Taïbu, where he would find water. 'No,' said the Turk, 'atTaïbuthe robbers would carry off all my slaves.' The Arab forced thetraveller to accompany him. At the moment of their departure, theseunfortunates, losing the last ray of hope, uttered a piercingshriek: the Arab was affected, he took one of the girls, poured somedrops of water on her burning lips, and placed her on his camel,intending her as a present for his wife. The poor girl faintedrepeatedly on passing the dead bodies of her companions. The smallstock of water of the travellers was soon exhausted, when theydiscovered a well of fresh clear water. Here, disconcerted by thedepth of the well, and the shortness of their rope, they tore theirclothes into strips, which they tied together, and, with this frailcordage, contrived to take up the water in small quantities,dreading the loss of their bucket, and the disappointment of theirhopes. Through such perils and anxieties, they at last found theirway to Syria."

MRS. WILTON. "With this we will conclude the evening's business; andas we have been so much in the East, I have prepared a littlepresent for each of you, in the form of a Chinese Puzzle; andwhenever you exercise your patience on them (and I assure you theywill require it, for they are most ingenious) you will think of ourtravels, and of the many little facts you learnt while visiting thelands of other nations. Also, I wish you to endeavor to gainknowledge, not merely for ornament and reputation, but because yourmind is a rich storehouse, by means of which you may glorify God,and do much for the happiness of your fellow-creatures."

Mrs. Wilton then produced a beautiful Japan box, and, opening it,displayed to the admiring gaze of the young party a number ofcurious contrivances to tease and tire impatient folks, exquisitelycut in ivory, and mother-of-pearl, and light woods. Each puzzle wasticketed; and, highly delighted, they all sat down to partake of thegood things spread on the table, determined to vie with each otherin trials of skill and perseverance on their curious little toys. Wewish them success, and "Good night."

CHAPTER V.

There was an old andquiet man,
And by thy fire sat he:
"And now," he said, "to you I'lltell
A dismal thing which once befel
To a ship upon the sea."

"Oh, mamma, dear mamma," exclaimed Emma, bursting into the parlorwhere Mrs. Wilton was sitting at work, "everything goes wrongto-day. Look here, the postman has brought a note from Dora Leslie:she has been to a party, caught a cold, and is obliged to remain inthe house for I know not how long. What can we do without her? I amsure my portion will not be ready; for, in the first place, Iknownot how to begin with America: the number of seas, gulfs, and baysquite puzzles me, and I have felt so miserable all day, because Ihave no notes prepared for the meeting."

Mrs. Wilton continued her sewing while Emma thus gave vent to herfeelings; then quietly taking her hand, "My dear little girl," saidshe, "sit down by me and listen.

"Many years ago there dwelt in a little cot on a hill's side an agedmatron and her grandchild; they were alone, but not lonely, for theywere happy in each other's society; their wants were few, and theirgratitude unbounded. There were no neighbors near them,—no gossipsto drop in upon them, and fritter away the precious moments. Theysubsisted on the produce of their garden, and labored for theirdaily bread in gladness of heart.

"Every morn, almost with the sun, Eva arose, fed the chickens thatfluttered around her, and went through her business merrily,—richlyrewarded by the approving smile of her aged parent, when she blessedher darling before retiring to rest.

"But 'man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward,' and thishappy pair were not exempt from the curse. One night, the wind blew,the rain fell in torrents, thunder and lightning rent the skies,and, in fear and trembling, the aged woman and her fair grandchildwept and prayed, until the glorious sun rose above the horizon, andproclaimed the advent of another day. Then Eva stepped to thecottage door, and gazed in speechless agony on the devastationwrought by the fury of the elements in one single night. Thebeautiful path, lately so trim and neat, which led to her garden,was blocked up with stones borne from the mountain's side by theviolence of the torrent. Her vines were crushed and drooping; andeven the poor birds came not to her side, but remained crowdedtogether in a corner under the shade of the cottage roof.

"'Alas! alas!' cried she, 'where is the pretty path I used totread,—where are my flowers, my shrubs,—where all my joys andhappiness? Gone! gone! and left desolation and misery in theirstead. I cannot repair this damage, I shall no longer have pleasurein my work, for one storm has undone the toil of months; andnowour cottage must stand in a wilderness, our garden must be overgrownwith weeds, and my chickens must die of starvation!' then, wringingher hands, she sank on the earth and wept.

"How long she wept I know not, but she was aroused by a gentlepressure on her shoulder; and, raising her eyes, she beheld abeautiful female, whose cheerful, good-natured countenance put toshame the tears of despair which bedewed the cheeks of the fair Eva.

'Why weepest thou?' said she; 'why not be up and doing? What hasbeen done, can in like manner be again effected. Arise, and followme.'

"'But I am alone,' remonstrated the weeping girl; 'and withoutassistance am unable to repair these ravages.'

"'I will assist thee,' replied her beauteous visitor; 'fear not,together we will accomplish much.' So saying, she led forth thegentle girl, and in a few hours their voices might be heard in oneunited stream of flowing harmony, filling the air with delicioussounds, and the heart of the aged woman with rapture.

"For many days, Eva worked in company with her angelic friend,until, at length, Desolation acknowledged her power, anddisappeared. Her garden was restored to its pristine beauty,—thepath was cleared.—her favorites flocked around her; and againkneeling in thankfulness at her grandmother's feet, she read herevening lesson, and praised Almighty God, who in love and mercy sent'Peace on earth, Goodwill toward all men.' Now, my child, whothinkest thou was Eva's helpmate?"

"I know not, dear mamma, unless it were Perseverance."

"No, my dear," replied Mrs. Wilton; "Perseverance might havehindered instead of assisting her; she might have persevered in herresolution to await the total destruction of her little property.No, her heavenly companion was 'Goodwill.' Entreat her aid, Emma,set about your task with renewed energy, and certain I am that youwill be successful."

Emma Wilton appreciated her mamma's kindness, and the result of herlabors will be seen in the following pages.

"I see one of our number missing," said Mr. Wilton, as he opened thelarge Atlas. "What has become of Dora Leslie?"

"She is slightly indisposed, my dear," replied Mrs. Wilton; "butEmma will be her substitute."

"What an industrious little girl!" exclaimed her papa; "and you arereally going to supply the meeting with information sufficient toprevent us from feeling the loss of your friend. You are resolved weshall not be becalmed, eh?"

"Ah! papa, you know not what has happened. I have been nearlybecalmed, but, in a lucky moment, mamma sent a gentle breeze whichfilled my sails, and carried me gaily on my course, or I fear Ishould have been ill prepared to supply the deficiencies to-night.If the members approve the following plan, we will act upon it. Ipropose, that we start from England, cross the North Atlantic Ocean,enter Baffin's Bay by Davis's Straits, and following the coast, workour way round to the other waters in America."

MR. WILTON. "I see not the slightest objection to the plan; and wewill call at all the islands which lie in our way, beginning withMadeira. This name is a corruption of Madera[10], so called by itsfirst discoverers on account of the uncommon luxuriance of itsfoliage. It is an exquisitely beautiful island, with every varietyof climate in various parts: the soil is volcanic, though there hasbeen no eruption within the memory of man. Madeira belongs to thePortuguese, and lies north of the Canaries. Madeira is about sixtymiles long, and forty broad: its chief town is Funchal.

"The Canary Isles, formerly called Fortunate Isles, belong to Spain.The three largest are Grand Canary, Teneriffe, and Ferro. Theseislands are famous for wine, and those pretty little singing birdscalled Canaries.

"Teneriffe, the second in size, is remarkable for a volcanicmountain, called the Peak."

CHARLES. "Are we not going out of our way, sir, to look at theseislands? Baffin's Bay is much more to the north."

MR. WILTON. "You are right, Charles; but on voyages of discovery weare permitted to wander hither and thither at will, so long as it befor the advantage of all parties."

GEORGE. "But ships of war, papa, may not go out of the way: they areobliged to be very orderly, are they not?"

MR. WILTON. "So long as the winds will allow them, they keep ontheir course together, but adverse winds will send them far asunderat times, as in the case of the destruction of the Spanish Armada'He blew with His winds, and they were scattered,' was the mottoinscribed on the medal Queen Elizabeth caused to be struck incommemoration of that great victory."

MR. BARRAUD. "England can never forget the destruction of theSpanish Armada, for it was the immediate cause of the acquisition ofso many colonies to England. The signal success which attended SirFrancis Drake and others, induced them again to sally forth withsanguine hopes of extending the kingdom of their sovereign. This wasprovidential; at least, that is my view of it: all this was wiselyarranged that England might, by obtaining dependencies, strive toenlighten, moralize, and spiritualize the people who acknowledgedthe same temporal sovereign with herself, that in due time theymight also acknowledge the same spiritual sovereign."

GEORGE. "I should like to go on board a man-of-war, and see all thearrangements; because so many men on board one ship must need closepacking, I should think."

MR. WILTON. "You shall be gratified, my boy. Put on your coat andhat: we will go on board one of Her Majesty's ships before thegentlemen have dined."

EMMA. "Papa is only joking, George; you may sit still. I can guesswhat you are going to say, papa. 'Is not our voyage imaginary, andshould we not be consistent?' Am I right?"

MR. WILTON. "Very nearly, my dear. You are very sharp to-night: theextra duty has quickened your discernment."

CHARLES. "I enjoy this imaginary travelling very much; but I mustconfess, if everything connected with it is to be consistent, Ishall not be at all satisfied with my supper."

"No! no!" exclaimed the other children; "supper is to be real,because we get really hungry."

"But, papa," added George, "can you tell me any of the ways of aman-of-war?"

MR. WILTON. "Yes, my dear. I will fulfil my promise, and initiateyou in some of the mysteries which are enacted at dinner-time onboard of one of these wonderful vessels. As the hour of noonapproaches, the cooks of the messes may be seen coming up the foreand main hatchways with their mess-kids in their hands, the hoops ofwhich are kept as bright as silver, and the woodwork as neat and asclean as the pail of the most tidy dairymaid. The grog also is nowmixed in a large tub, under the half-deck, by the quarter-masters ofthe watch below, assisted by other leading and responsible menamong the ship's company, closely superintended, of course, by themate of the hold, to see that no liquor is abstracted, and also bythe purser's steward, who regulates the exact quantity of spiritsand of water to be measured out. The seamen, whose next turn it isto take the wheel, or heave the lead, or who have to mount themast-head to look out, as well as the marines who are to be plantedas sentries at noon, are allowed to take both their dinner and theirgrog beforehand. These persons are called 'seven-bell-men,' from thehour at which they have their allowance served to them.

"Long before twelve o'clock all these and various other minorpreparations have been so completely made, that there is generally aremarkable stillness over the whole ship just before the importantmoment of noon arrives. The boatswain stands near the break of theforecastle, with his bright silver call or whistle in his hand,which ever and anon he places just at the tip of his lips to blowout any crumbs which threaten to interfere with its melody, or togive a faint' too-weet, too-weet,' as a preparatory note to fix theattention of the boatswain's mates, who being, like their chief,provided with calls, station themselves at intervals along themain-deck, ready to give due accompaniment to their leader's tune.

"The boatswain keeps his eye on the group of observers, and wellknows when the 'sun is up' by the stir which takes place amongst theastronomers; or by noticing the master working out his latitudewith a pencil on the ebony bar of his quadrant or on the edge of thehammock railing,—though, if he be one of your modern, neat-handednavigators, he carries his look-book for this purpose. In one way orother the latitude is computed as soon as the master is satisfiedthe sun has reached his highest altitude in the heavens. He thenwalks aft to the officer of the watch, and reports twelve o'clock,communicating also the degrees and minutes of the latitude observed.The lieutenant proceeds to the captain wherever he may be, andreports that it is twelve and that so-and-so is the latitude. Thesame formal round of reports is gone through, even if the captain beon deck and has heard every word spoken by the master, or even if hehave himself assisted in making the observation.

"The captain now says to the officer of the watch, 'Make it twelve!'The officer calls out to the mate of the watch, 'Make it twelve!'The mate, ready primed, sings out to the quarter-master, 'Strikeeight bells.'

"And lastly, the hard-a-weather old quarter-master, stepping downthe ladder, grunts out to the sentry at the cabin door, 'Turn theglass, and strike the bell!'

"By this time the boatswain's call has been in his mouth for severalminutes, his elbow in the air, and his finger on the stop, ready tosend forth the glad tidings of a hearty meal. Not less ready, orless eager, are the groups of listeners seated at their snow-whitedeal tables below, or the crowd surrounding the coppers, with theirmess-kids acting the part of drums to their impatient knuckles. Atthe first stroke of the bell, which, at this particular hour, isalways sounded with peculiar vivacity, the officer of the watchexclaims to the boatswain, 'Pipe to dinner!'

"These words, followed by a glorious burst of shrill sounds, 'longdrawn out,' are hailed with a murmur of delight by many a hungry tarand many a jolly marine. The merry notes are nearly drowned the nextinstant in the rattle of tubs and kettles, the voices of the ship'scook and his mates bawling out the numbers of the messes, as well asby the sound of feet tramping along the decks and down the ladderswith the steaming ample store of provisions, such as set up andbrace the seaman's frame, and give it vigor for any amount ofphysical action.

"Then comes the 'joyous grog!' that nautical nectar, so dear to thelips of every true-hearted sailor, with which he washes down HerMajesty's junk, as he roughly but good-humoredly styles thegovernment allowance of beef; and while he quaffs off his portion,or his whack, as he calls it, he envies no man alive, and laughs toscorn those party philanthropists who describe his life as one ofunhappy servitude. The real truth is, there is no set of men in theworld, in their condition of life, who are better taken care of thanthe sailors and marines of the navy, or who, upon the whole, aremore content and happy. There, George, what think you of all that?"

GEORGE. "Why, that they must be a merry set of fellows, and I shouldlike to be a 'Middy' amongst them."

EMMA. "Oh! George, do not wish to be a sailor: remember FredericHamilton.—The next islands we come in sight of are Cape VerdIslands near Africa. They were discovered in 1446 by the Portuguese,their present proprietors; they are remarkably fertile. St. Jago isthe largest, and is the residence of the Portuguese viceroy."

CHARLES. "May we now steer north, and call at the Azores or WesternIsles? We shall then be half-way between Europe and America."

MR. WILTON. "We shall be very willing to accompany you, if you willentertain us when there."

CHARLES. "That might be done at a moderate expense, for they aredelightful islands, with a fine climate, a spacious harbor, goodanchorage, and all essentials,—but they are subject to earthquakes;therefore it is not advisable to prolong our visit One remarkablecirc*mstance I had almost forgotten is, that no noxious animal canexist, or is ever to be found on these islands."

MRS. WILTON. "The Azores are also called the Land of Falcons,because when discovered there were so many of these birds found tameon the islands. They are 800 miles from the shores of Portugal, andbelong to that kingdom. Nature appears everywhere smiling; theplains wave with golden harvests, delicious fruits adorn the sidesof the hills, and the towering summits are covered with evergreens.But, as Charles observes, they are volcanic; and many new islandshave been raised from the bottom of the sea by volcanic action. Inthe year 1720 one of these phenomena took place, on approachingwhich next day an English captain observes:—'We made an island offire and smoke. The ashes fell on our deck like hail and snow, thefire and smoke roared like thunder.' The inhabitants of the Azoresare an innocent, honest race, who prefer peace to conquest, anddistinction in industry rather than in arms."

EMMA. "My course is now tolerably plain; but while we are so nearNewfoundland, we may as well look in upon the people. This largeisland shuts up the northern entrance into the Gulf of St. Lawrence;is for the most part barren and unfruitful, and covered withperpetual fogs."

MR. BARRAUD. "These fogs are, no doubt, produced by the currentsthat flow from the Antilles, and remain for a time between the greatbank and the coast before they escape into the Atlantic Ocean."

CHARLES. "Sir, I do not understand how the currents can cause afog."

MR. BARRAUD. "It is because these streams, coming from tropicalregions, are warmer than the water surrounding the banks ofNewfoundland, and necessarily warmer than the atmosphere,consequently they cause a vapor to arise which obscures the islandwith a moist and dense air. Newfoundland was for a long timeconsidered the inhospitable residence of fishermen; but of late ithas doubled its population and industry, and the activity of theBritish nation has added another fine colony to the civilizedworld."

MRS. WILTON. "Newfoundland is the nearest to Great Britain of any ofour North American possessions. It is rather larger than England andWales. Its chief town is St. John's. It was discovered in 1497 byJohn Cabot. The fisheries here are the chief wealth of the island,and consist principally of codfish, herrings, and salmon. The greatBank of Newfoundland, which appears to be a solid rock, is 600 mileslong, and in some places 200 broad."

CHARLES. "Newfoundland is famous for dogs; but I find the mostnumerous there are not like those we call Newfoundland dogs, whichare large handsome animals, for they are comparatively rare.Themost abundant are creatures with lank bodies, thin legs and tail,and a thin tapering snout. They are very intelligent though, andwould beat the Chinese birds in catching fish; for Mr. Jukes, agentleman who has been to Newfoundland, says of one of thesedogs:—'He sat on a projecting rock beneath a fish-flake, or stage,where the fish are laid to dry, watching the water, which had adepth of six or eight feet, and the bottom of which was white withfish-bones. On throwing a piece of cod-fish into the water, three orfour heavy, clumsy-looking fish, called in Newfoundland "sculpins,"with great heads and mouths, and many spines about them, generallyabout a foot long, would swim in to catch it. These he would watchattentively, and the moment one turned his broadside to him, hedarted down like a fish-hawk, and seldom came up without the fish inhis mouth. As he caught them, he carried them regularly to a place afew yards off, where he laid them down; and his owner told us thatin the summer he would sometimes make a pile of fifty or sixty aday, just at that place. He never attempted to eat them, but seemedto be fishing purely for his own amusem*nt. I watched him for abouttwo hours; and when the fish did not come, I observed he once ortwice put his right foot in the water, and paddled it about. Thisfoot was white, and my friend said he did it to "toll" or entice thefish.' Cunning dog was he not, George?"

GEORGE. "Yes; he would make his master's fortune if the fish hecaught were worth selling."

EMMA. "To get into Baffin's Bay, we must go through Davis's Straits,so called from their discoverer, John Davis, who sailed through themin 1585; and following the coast on the north side, we shall passSouth-east Bay and Coburg Bay. In 1818 Captain Ross completed thecircumnavigation of this oblong bay. The middle of it seemseverywhere occupied with impenetrable ice, between which and theland is the only passage for ships."

MRS. WILTON. "That portion of the bay you have just described washesthe shores of Greenland and the Arctic Regions. Greenland isconsidered as a peninsula attached to America, wretchedly barren,for no trees grow there. But God, who made man of the dust, alsopromised to supply his wants, and most wonderfully is thisexemplified with regard to Greenland. To provide the inhabitantswith the means of warming and nourishing their bodies, God causesthe sea to drive vast quantities of wood from distant shores, andwith thankfulness the poor Greenlanders regularly gather theseprovidential supplies from their own coasts. Some parts of Greenlandare nothing more than huge masses of rocks, intermingled withimmense blocks of ice, thus forming at once the image of chaos andwinter."

GEORGE. "Is it not near Greenland the ships go to catch whales?"

MR. BARRAUD. "Yes; and, as you have mentioned the subject, we may aswell stop and inquire into the particulars of this fishing."

GEORGE. "I remember reading that there are three sorts ofwhales—the finback, the right whale, and the sperm whale; but Ishould like to hear how they are caught."

MR. BARRAUD. "A man is stationed at the mast-head to look out, andas soon as he perceives a whale, he shouts, 'There she blows!'Immediately all hands are on the move to prepare the boats: thistakes but a short time, and the chase commences. I will now give youan American account of such a chase.

"'The moment of intense excitement now arrived. We pulled as if forlife or death. Not a word was spoken, and scarcely a sound was heardfrom our oars. One of the men sprang to his feet, and grasped aharpoon. A few more strokes of the oar, and we were hard upon thewhale. The harpooner, with unerring aim, let fly his irons, andburied them to the sockets in his huge carcass. "Stern all!"thundered the mate. "Stern all!" echoed the crew, but it was toolate. Our bows were high and dry on the whale's head! Infuriatedwith the pain produced by the harpoons, and, doubtless, muchastonished to find his head so roughly used, he rolled half over,lashing the sea with his flukes (tail), and in his struggles dashingin two of the upper planks. "Boat stove! boat stove!" was thegeneral cry. "Silence," thundered the mate as he sprang to the bow,and exchanged places with the harpooner; "all safe, my hearties!stern hard! stern! stern! before he gets his flukes to bear uponus." "Stern all!" shouted we, and in a moment more we were out ofdanger. The whale now "turned flukes," and dashed off to windwardwith the speed of a locomotive, towing us after him at a tremendousrate. We occasionally slacked line in order to give him plenty ofplay. A stiff breeze had sprung up, causing a rough, chopping sea;and we leaked badly in the bow-planks; but, notwithstanding theroughness of the sea, we went with incredible swiftness. "Hoorah!"burst from every lip. We exultingly took off our hats, and gavethree hearty cheers; but while we were skimming along so gallantly,the whale suddenly turned, and pitched the boat on her beam-ends.Every one who could grasp a thwart hung on to it, and we were allfortunate enough to keep our seats. For as much as a ship's lengththe boat flew through the water on her gunwale, foaming and whizzingas she dashed onward. It was a matter of doubt as to which sidewould turn uppermost, until we slacked out the line, when sherighted. To have a boat, with all her iron, lances, gear, and oars,piled on one's head in such a sea, was rather a startling prospectto the best swimmer. Meantime, the whale rose to the surface tospout. The change in his course enabled another boat to come up, andwe lay on our oars, in order that Mr. D----, (the other mate) mightlance him.—He struck him in a vital part the first dart, as wasevident from the whale's furious dying struggles; but in order tomake sure, we hauled up and lanced the back of his head. Foaming andbreaching, he plunged from wave to wave, flinging high in the airtorrents of blood and spray. The sea around was literally a sea ofblood. At one moment his head was poised in the air; the next, heburied himself in the gory sea, carrying down, in his vast wake, awhirlpool of foam and slime. But this respite was short; he roseagain, rushing furiously upon his enemies; but a slight prick of alance drove him back with mingled fury and terror. Whichever way heturned, the barbed irons goaded him to desperation. Now and againintensity of agony would cause him to lash the waters with his hugeflukes, till the very ocean appeared to heave and tremble at hispower. Tossing, struggling, dashing over and over in his agony, hespouted up the last of his heart's blood. Half an hour before, hewas free as the wave, sporting in all the pride of gigantic strengthand unrivalled power. He now lay a lifeless mass; his head towardsthe sun, his tremendous body heaving to the swell, and hisdestroyers proudly cheering over their victory.'"

EMMA. "It seems very cruel to catch these poor creatures."

MRS. WILTON. "They are tortured as little as possible; but they areso strong, that it requires immense skill and bravery to contendwith them. Their usefulness justifies the act, for I know not whatwe should do without some of the comforts produced from thesemonsters of the deep."

EMMA. "What part does the oil come from?"

MR. BARRAUD. "First, from the blubber which is the outer covering,or, as whalers call it, the 'blanket-piece;' this is stripped off bymeans of an ingenious contrivance, cut into pieces, and the oilboiled out. Secondly, from the head, which is called the 'case,' andsometimes contains from ten to fifteen barrels of oil andspermaceti. A sperm whale frequently yields as much as 120 barrelsof oil. Forty-five barrels is considered a medium size."

GEORGE. "I hope, when we go to Jamaica, we shall see some whales."

MR. WILTON. "No doubt we shall. I have often seen them rolling andspouting in the wide Atlantic: and you will also see the flying fishskimming in the hollows of the waves: they are very pretty."

GRANDY. "Yes, they are, poor unfortunates! for, though possessingthe qualifications of a bird as well as a fish, they are sopersecuted by enemies in both elements, that, whether taking theirtemporary flight through the air, or gliding through the waters,their double faculty proves insufficient to defend or secure themfrom pursuit."

CHARLES. "What creatures war against these innocent fish, madam?"

GRANDY. "While in the air the man-of-war bird pounces upon them; andthey are chased in the water by the bonito and albacore: thusconstantly persecuted, they do not become very numerous."

CHARLES. "Icy Peak, in Greenland, is an enormous mass of ice nearthe mouth of a river: it diffuses such a brilliancy through the air,that it is distinctly perceived at a distance of more than tenleagues. Icicles, and an immense vault, give this edifice of crystala most magic appearance."

EMMA. "Shall we now continue our voyage through Lancaster Sound?"

MRS. WILTON. "I have been considering whether it would not be betterto finish with these northern latitudes before we proceed on ourvoyage. In that case we will test the hospitality of the people ofSpitzbergen, Iceland, Nova Zembla, Ferroe Isles, and sundry othersin this part of the Atlantic and Frozen Ocean, and then descend towarmer climates."

MR. WILTON. "A very good plan, if we do not get blocked up by theice in these dreadful seas. By-the-by, there is an account of such acalamity happening to a vessel some years ago.—In the year 1775,Captain Warrens, master of the 'Greenland,' a whale-ship, wascruising about in the Frozen Ocean, when at a little distance heobserved a vessel. Captain Warrens was struck with the strangemanner in which her sails were disposed, and with the dismantledaspect of her rigging. He leaped into his boat with several seamen,and rowed towards her. On approaching, he observed that her hull wasmiserably weather-beaten, and not a soul appeared on deck, which wascovered with snow to a considerable depth. He then hailed her crew,but no answer was returned. Previous to stepping on board, an openport-hole near the main-chains caught his eye; and, on looking intoit, he perceived a man reclining back in a chair, with writingmaterials on a table before him; but the feebleness of the lightmade everything very indistinct. The party went upon deck, and,having removed the hatchway, descended to the cabin. They first cameto the apartment which Captain Warrens viewed through the port-hole.A terror seized him as he entered it: its inmate retained his formerposition, and seemed to be insensible to strangers. He was found tobe a corpse! and a green damp mould had covered his cheeks andforehead, and veiled his open eyeballs. He had a pen in his hand,and a log-book lay before him. The last sentence in its unfinishedpage ran thus:—

"'Nov. 14th, 1762.

"'We have now been enclosed in the ice seventeen days. The fire wentout yesterday, and our master has been trying ever since to kindleit again without success. His wife died this morning. There is norelief!'

"Captain Warrens and his seamen hurried from the spot withoututtering a word. On entering the principal cabin, the first objectthat attracted their attention was the dead body of a female,reclining on a bed in an attitude of deep interest and attention.Her countenance retained the freshness of life: but a contraction ofthe limbs showed that her form was inanimate. Seated on the floorwas the corpse of an apparently young man, holding a steel in onehand and a flint in the other, as if in the act of striking fireupon some tinder which lay beside him. In the fore-part of thevessel several sailors were found lying dead in their berths, andthe body of a boy crouched at the bottom of the gangway stairs.Neither provisions nor fuel could be discovered anywhere; butCaptain Warrens was prevented by the superstitious prejudices of hisseamen from examining the vessel as minutely as he wished to havedone. He, therefore, carried away the log-book, and immediatelysteered to the southward, impressed with the awful example he hadjust witnessed of the danger of navigating the Polar Seas in highnorthern latitudes. On returning to England, and inquiring andcomparing accounts, he found that this vessel had been blocked up bythe ice for upwards of thirteen years!!! Yes!—

"'There lay the vessel ina realm offrost,
Not wrecked, nor stranded, yetforever lost;
Her keel embedded in the solid mass;
Her glistening sails appear'dexpanded glass.'"

GRANDY. "A most awful situation to be placed in, surrounded onall sides by impenetrable ice, which closeth up the water as with abreast-plate."

MRS. WILTON. "Iceland is first in point of distance. It is situatedsouth east of Greenland, in the North Atlantic Ocean, and consideredan appendage to America; although it was known seven centuriesbefore the time of Columbus. It is truly, a land of prodigies: wherethe subterranean fires of the abyss burst through a frozen soil;where boiling springs shoot up their fountains, amidst eternalsnows; and where the powerful genius of liberty and the no lesspowerful genius of poetry have given brilliant proofs of theenergies of the human mind at the farthest confines of animatednature."

CHARLES. "There are twelve volcanoes in Iceland; the most celebratedof which is Mount Hecla, situated in the southern part of theisland: its elevation is about 4800 feet above the level of thesea."

GEORGE. "And there are hot springs, too, in this island; but theyhave not all the same degree of heat. Mamma, do you know anything ofthem?"

MRS. WILTON. "Those springs, whose tepid waters issue as gently asan ordinary spring, are called Langers, or baths; others that throwup boiling water with great noise, are denominated Caldrons, inIcelandic 'Hverer.' The most remarkable is the Geyser, which isfound near Skalholdt, in the middle of a plain, where there areabout forty springs of a smaller size. It rises from an aperturenineteen feet in diameter, springing at intervals to the height offifty or even ninety feet. In these hot springs, which formerlyserved to baptize their Pagan ancestors, the Icelanders boil theirvegetables, meat, eggs, and other articles of food; but it isnecessary to cover the pot suspended in these steaming waters, inorder to prevent the volcanic odor from imparting a taste to theircontents. Iceland is not so barren as you might imagine from itsextreme cold, for gardening is cultivated throughout the island: butthere are no large trees."

MR. WILTON. "The present houses of the Icelanders differ little fromthose used by their ancestors, who first colonized the island, andare, no doubt, the best fitted for the climate. They are only onestory high; the stone walls have all the interstices stuffed withmoss, and are about six feet in thickness. In the better sort ofhouses, the windows are glazed, in the others, secured by a thinskin stretched over the frames. They have no chimney or grates; thesmoke escapes through a hole in the roof. The beds are merely openframes filled with feathers or down, over which they throw theirblankets, and cover themselves with a counterpane of divers colors.Their seats are, in general, the bones of a whale or a horse'sskull. But much is said and done in these rude huts which wouldastonish you."

EMMA. "Are the Icelanders civilized people: I mean, at all refined?"

MRS. WILTON. "Every Icelander knows how to read, write, andcalculate, which is more than we can say of the English. They are agrave, honest, benevolent people, but not remarkable for theirindustry. Their favorite amusem*nts, when assembled together,consist in reading history or poetry, in singing, or playing atchess, in which game they take great delight, priding themselves ontheir skill. They are refined enough to admire poetry and music: Ithink I need say no more. We will now visit Spitzbergen."

EMMA. "Spitzbergen is a group of three large islands, and a numberof lesser ones near the North Pole. The mountains crowned withperpetual snow, and flanked with glaciers, reflect to a considerabledistance a light equal to that of a full moon. The Icy Sea washesits shores, and abounds with whales, who love to roll their enormousbodies among the marine forests of the sea. In the vicinity is foundthe polar bear, which pursues everything animated with life, devoursevery animal he encounters, and then, roaring with delight, seatshimself enthroned on the victorious trophy of mutilated carcassesand bones."

CHARLES. "The only tree growing in Spitzbergen is the dwarf willow,which rises to the vast height of two inches! towering with greatpride above the mosses, lichens, and a few other cumbent plants."

GEORGE. "What a ridiculous little shrub! We might just as welldignify mustard and cress with the title of trees. To whom does thisvery fertile island belong?"

MRS. WILTON. "To the Russians; and it certainly is not an enviablepossession, for the climate is most wretched. From the 30th ofOctober, until the 10th of February, the sun is invisible; it is asone long dreary night, and bitterly cold. The inhabitants sit bydull fires during this season, immersed in furs, and endeavor todoze through the tedious gloom. They are chiefly of Russianextraction, and many of them natives of Archangel."

MR. WILTON. "Other animals are found in these regions besides thebear and whale: for we read of foxes, reindeer, walruses, and sealsbeing occasionally caught by the people; and many islands about here(for the Frozen Sea is full of islands, principally composed of turfhills,) are the dreary abodes of bears and reindeer."

EMMA. "The Ferroe Isles, belonging to Denmark, are seventeen innumber; they produce agate, jasper, and beautiful zeolites, andexport feathers, eider-down, caps, stockings, tallow, and saltedmutton."

CHARLES. "I do not think that can be very nice: I wonder who buysit?"

EMMA. "It always finds purchasers: therefore some folks are not sofastidious as Mr. Charles Dorning."

GEORGE. "Mamma, let us go back past Norway, and see what are allthese little islands on the coast."

MRS. WILTON. "As you please, George; but most of the islands arebarren, uninhabited spots. Those worthy of notice are Karen, Bommel,Sartar, Hittern, at the entrance of the Gulf of Drontheim; theVicten or Victor Isles, and the Luffoden Isles: the latter are themost numerous and extensive, and noted for the whirlpool Maelstrom,which has drawn so many fine ships into its abyss, and from whicheven the bellowing struggles of the great whale will not suffice toredeem him if once he gets within the vortex."

GEORGE. "What causes this whirlpool?"

MR. BARRAUD. "When two currents of a more or less contrary directionand of equal force meet in a narrow passage, they both turn, as itwere, upon a centre, until they unite, or one of the two escapes.This is what is termed a whirlpool or eddy. There are threecelebrated whirlpools noticed in geography—the Maelstrom, theEuripus, near the island of Eubaea, and Charybdis, in the Straits ofSicily."

CHARLES. "Bergen, one of the principal towns of Norway, stands onthe North Sea: it is seated in the centre of a valley, forming asemicircle round a small gulf of the sea. On the land side it isdefended by mountains; and on the other, by several fortifications.This city is chiefly constructed of wood, and has been many timesdestroyed by fire. So dreadful was the last conflagration, in 1771,that it is said the flames were visible in the Isles of Shetland, orat least the red lurid glare of them in the sky."

MR. WILTON. "There are silver mines in Norway; but the iron minesare the most profitable. We have to thank Norway for the magnet, ofsuch inestimable value to the navigator."

GEORGE. "Papa, who found out the use of the magnet?"

MR. WILTON. "Flavio Gioia was the author of the great discovery ofthe property of the magnet, about the year 1302. He was a citizen ofAmalfi, a town in Naples."

EMMA. "Is there not a destructive little animal, native of Norway,called a lemming?"

MR. BARRAUD. "It is called the lemming, or Norwegian mouse; it comesfrom the ridge of Kolen; and sometimes spreads desolation, like thelocust. These animals appear in vast numbers, proceeding from themountain towards the sea, devouring every product of the soil, and,after consuming everything eatable in their course, they at lastdevour each other. These singular creatures are of a reddish color,and about five inches in length."

EMMA. "We may now return to our station in Lancaster Sound, passCroker's Bay, and enter Barrow's Straits which wash the shores ofNorth Devon."

GEORGE. "In the New Archipelago, north of Barrow's Straits, are theGeorgian Isles. They are numerous, and the principal are Cornwallis,Bathurst, and Melville. The latter is the largest, being 240 mileslong, and 100 miles in breadth."

MR. BARRAUD. "Here is another dreary land where no tree or shrubrefreshes the eye. The climate is too cold for any person to livethere; and, from its vicinity to the magnetic meridian, the compassbecomes useless, remaining in whatever position it is placed by thehand."

EMMA. "Prince Regent's Inlet will lead us into Bothnia Gulf, thencethrough Fury and Hecla Straits,[11] which are between thepeninsulaof Melville and co*ckburn Island, we can enter Foxes Channel, passthrough Frozen Straits, and launch on the great waters of Hudson'sBay."

MRS. WILTON. "We enter Hudson's Bay on the north, close bySouthampton, a large island inhabited chiefly by Esquimaux. Nothingcan exceed the frightful aspect of the environs of this bay. Towhichsoever side we direct our view, we perceive nothing but landincapable of receiving any sort of cultivation, and precipitousrocks that rise to the very clouds, and yawn into deep ravines andnarrow valleys into which the sun never penetrates, and which arerendered inaccessible by masses of ice and snow that seem never tomelt. The sea in this bay is open only from the commencement of Julyto the end of September, and even then the navigator very oftenencounters icebergs, which expose him to considerable embarrassment.At the very time he imagines himself at a distance from thesefloating rocks a sudden squall, or a tide, or current, strong enoughto carry away the vessel, and render it unmanageable, all at oncehurries him amongst an infinite number of masses of ice, whichappear to cover the whole bay."

MR. WILTON. "Sixty years after the intrepid navigator Hudson hadfirst penetrated the gulf that bears his name, the BritishGovernment assigned to a company of traders to those parts (by thetitle of the Hudson's Bay Company) the chartered possession ofextensive tracts south, and east of Hudson's Bay, to export theproductions of the surrounding country."

GEORGE. "Are there any whales in Hudson's Bay?"

MRS. WILTON. "No, all attempts at the whale fishery have beenunsuccessful: indeed, there are very few fish of any sort here; butin the lakes around there are plenty, such as pike, sturgeon, andtrout, and their banks are inhabited by aquatic birds, among whichare observed several species of swans, geese, and ducks."

EMMA. "James's Bay is directly in the south of Hudson's Bay, andextends a hundred leagues within the country. I believe it is nearhere that the Company's most important establishments are situated,such as Fort Albany, Fort Moose, and the factory of East Main. Thisbay contains many islands."

MRS. WILTON. "What bays must we pass to get to Hudson's Straits?"

EMMA. "Mosquito Bay is the only one I can perceive; but there isMansfield Isle, and Cape Diggs to make before we reach the straits;and in the straits there are several bays, the principal of whichare North Bay and Ungava or South Bay."

MRS. WILTON. "Quite correct, Emma. The straits were discovered byHudson, in his voyage of 1610. The eastern coast of Hudson's Bayforms part of the peninsula of Labrador. Will any member vouchsafesome information concerning this country?"

CHARLES. "All that we know of Labrador is, that it is a mass ofmountains and rocks, intersected with numerous lakes and rivers, andinhabited by Esquimaux."

MRS. WILTON. "Once more in the Atlantic, the great highway andthoroughfare of civilized nations. Where sail we next?"

EMMA. "Through the Straits of Belle-isle into the Gulf of St.Lawrence."

MR. BARRAUD. "This gulf abounds with fish in a remarkable degree.The bears here combine together in numerous herds, to catch thesalmon near the cataracts in the rivers, where great numbers arestopped in their ascent, and are exceedingly relished by thatanimal. Some of them plunge into the water, and pursue their prey,while others more idle watch them from the banks. There are only twoislands of note in this gulf,—the island of Anticosti, 90 mileslong and 20 broad, covered with rocks, and wanting the convenienceof a harbor; and Prince Edward's Islands, pleasant fertile spots.The Gulf of St. Lawrence washes the shores of Nova Scotia and CapeBreton Island."

MR. WILTON. "Nova Scotia is about 350 miles long, and 250 broad: itschief town is Halifax. This island, with regard to fishing, isscarcely inferior to Newfoundland, which place is connected with thegovernment of Nova Scotia."

MRS. WILTON. "Cape Breton, or Sydney Isle, lies north-east of NovaScotia, from which it is separated by a strait only a mile broad.Its length is 100 miles, its breadth 60. A remarkable bed of coalruns horizontally, at from 6 to 8 feet only, below the surfacethrough a large portion of the island: a fire was once accidentallykindled in one of the pits, which is now continually burning.CapeBreton has been termed the Key to Canada and is the principalprotection, through the fine harbor of Louisburg, of all thefisheries in the neighborhood."

EMMA. "The next important bays in our southward course are Bay ofFundy, Delaware Bay, and Chesapeake Bay: then we come in sight ofthe Bahamas."

MRS. WILTON. "Which islands must stand aside while we examine theBermudas, which are half-way between Nova Scotia and the Antilles.They were so called by Juan Bermudas, who discovered them in theyear 1557, but did not land upon them: they are of various sizes,the largest being about twelve miles. The cedar-trees grown thereform the chief riches of the inhabitants, and they estimate a man'sincome by the number of trees he possesses. St. George is thecapital, and the islands belong to the English. They are sometimescalled 'Somers Isles,' from the circ*mstance of Sir John Somersbeing shipwrecked on the rocks by which they are surrounded.Previous to this occurrence Henry May, an Englishman, was castashore on one of the largest, and as the islands abound with cedar,he contrived, with the assistance of the materials he obtained fromthe wreck, to build a small vessel, in which he returned to England,and was the first person who gave any account of the group."

GEORGE. "Now for the Bahamas. They are 300 in number! but onlytwelve are large. Nassau is the capital They were the first landdiscovered by Columbus in the year 1492."

MR. WILTON. "And were once a nest of pirates, but the Englishexpelled them, and established a colony in 1720."

MR. BARRAUD. "Speaking of pirates, have you ever heard the planadopted by the Portuguese for the suppression of piracy?"

No one had heard it, and Mr. Barraud proceeded.

"The Portuguese, in their early intercourse with the Indians, had asummary punishment, and accompanied it with a terrible example todeter others from the commission of the crime. Whenever they took apirate ship they instantly hanged every man, carried away the sails,rudder, and everything that was valuable in the ship, and left herto be buffeted about by the winds and waves, with the carcasses ofthe criminals dangling from the yards, a horrid object of terror toall who might chance to fall in with her."

CHARLES. "Almost as dreadful a vessel to fall in with as the PhantomShip in Coleridge's 'Ancient Mariner,' I always feel uncomfortablewhen I read that poem, and yet I admire it very much."

MRS. WILTON. "It is replete with such truthful descriptions, thatyou are involuntarily borne on the wings of imagination until allseems reality, and you identify yourself with the Ancient Mariner."

MR. WILTON. "I anticipate we shall all be ancient mariners before weconclude our voyage, but we must not be idle ones. Lead on, Emma,we will follow."

EMMA. "I have no more bays yet, and it is mamma's province todescribe the islands."

MRS. WILTON. "Well and good: here are the Antilles. I shall nothasten over them, for they are our isles, whither wehopeshortly to sail in reality; therefore it is highly necessary that weshould be well informed concerning their locality. They form an archbetween the two continents of America, and extend from the Gulf ofFlorida to that of Venezuela. They are divided into the greater andthe less; Cuba, Jamaica, St. Domingo, and Porto Rico are called theGreat Antilles, all the others the less Antilles.

"Cuba is the largest and most important: it commands the windwardpassage, as well as the entrance into the gulfs of Mexico andFlorida, and is for that reason sometimes called the Key of the WestIndies. It is more than 700 miles in length, and its medium breadth70 miles. Havannah is the capital.

"Jamaica is a delightful island, endeared to me by many fondrecollections; it is mountainous, extremely fertile, and aboundingwith springs (as its name signifies) of delicious water, a greatluxury in a warm climate. The top of the highest mountain, BlueMountain Peak, is 7800 feet above the level of the sea. Kingston isthe chief place for trade. The island is 150 miles from east towest, and its breadth is 60 miles in its widest part.

"St. Domingo, capital same name, is a pleasant fertile country. Thefirst town founded by Europeans in America was St. Domingo. Thebones of Christopher Columbus and his brother Lewis are deposited intwo leaden coffins in the cathedral of this city.

"Porto Rico is 100 miles long and 40 broad. It is beautifullydiversified with woods, valleys, and plains, and extremely fertile."

GRANDY. "The Antilles are lovely islands, and some of the happiestmoments of my life have been passed in admiring the wonderful worksof our Creator, as shown to such advantage in the bright lands ofthe West. Beautiful are the mornings in Jamaica, when the sun,appearing through a cloudless and serene atmosphere, illumines withhis rays the summits of the mountains, and gilds the leaves of theplantain and orange-trees. The plants are spread over with gossamerof fine and transparent silk, or gemmed with dew-drops, and thevivid hues of industrious insects, reflecting unnumbered tints fromthe rays of the sun. The aspect of the richly cultivated valleys isdifferent, but not less pleasing; the whole of nature teems with themost varied productions. The views around are splendid; the loftymountains adorned with thick foliage; the hills, from their summitsto their very borders, fringed with plants of never fading verdure.The appearance of the valleys is remarkable: to form an imperfectidea of it, we must group together the stately palm-tree, thecocoa-nut, and tamarind trees, the clustering mango andorange-trees, the waving plumes of the feathery bamboo, and manyothers, too numerous to mention. On these plains, too, you willfind the bushy oleander, many varieties of Jerusalem thorn andAfrican rose, the bright scarlet of the cordium, bowers ofjessamine, vines of grenadilla, and the silver and silky leaves ofthe portlandia. Fields of sugar-cane, houses of the planters, hutsof the negroes almost hidden by the patches of cultivated groundattached to them, and the distant coast with ships, add to thebeauty of the West Indian landscape."

MR. WILTON. "That is the bright side of the scene, my dear mother;and lest we should form wrong impressions, we will let the youngfolks hear how all this beauty is sometimes marred by hurricanes andearthquakes. One specimen will be sufficient; and I will describe ahurricane, in order that you may have some slight notion of the manydelights attendant on a residence in the West Indies.—Ahurricaneis generally preceded by an awful stillness of the elements, the airbecomes close and heavy, the sun is red, and the stars at night seemunusually large. Frequent changes take place in the thermometer,which rises sometimes from 80° to 90°. Darkness extends overtheearth; the higher regions gleam with lightning. The impending stormis first observed on the sea; foaming mountains rise suddenly fromits clear and motionless surface. The wind rages with unrestrainedfury; its noise may be compared to distant thunder. The raindescends in torrents; shrubs and lofty trees are borne down by themountain stream; the rivers overflow their banks, and submerge theplains. Terror and consternation seem to pervade the whole ofanimated nature: land birds are driven into the ocean; and thosewhose element is the sea, seek for refuge in the woods. The frightedbeasts of the field herd together, or roam in vain for a place ofshelter. All the elements are thrown into confusion, and natureappears to be hastening to her ancient chaos. Scenes of desolationare disclosed by the next morning's sun; uprooted trees, branchesshivered from their trunks; and even the ruins of houses scatteredover the land. The planter has sometimes been scarcely able todistinguish the place of his former possessions. By these dreadfulhurricanes, fertile valleys may in a few hours be changed intodreary wastes, covered with the remains of domestic animals and thefowls of heaven."

CHARLES. "I do not envy you the prospect of an abode in theAntilles, friend George; but I shall be heartily glad to see yousafe back again."

GRANDY. "Every country has an evil; 'tis right it should be so, orwe should like this fair world and its enjoyments so well, that weshould not care to 'go up higher.' There are many evils 'tis true,but there is also so much good to counter-balance the evil, that weshould raise our hearts with thankfulness, and open our lips withpraises to sing the goodness of our God.

"Emma, my child, where roam we next?"

EMMA. "We cannot quit the Gulf of Mexico yet, dear Grandy, until wehave examined its environs. We entered it through the Gulf ofFlorida, which is situated between Florida and Cuba. The Gulf ofMexico almost intersects the two continents; and is, in fact, anextensive sea. It washes the shores of Mexico and Yucatan, andcontains many comparatively small bays."

MR. BARRAUD. "This gulf may be considered as a Mediterranean Sea,which opens a maritime commerce with all the fertile countries bywhich it is encircled. The islands scattered in it are inferior onlyto those in the Indian Archipelago in number, in magnitude, and invalue."

MRS. WILTON. "Mexico is a very rich city; the shops literallyoverflowing with gold, silver, and jewels. The cathedral, in somerespects, surpasses all the churches in the world. The balustradewhich surrounds the altar is composed of massive silver. A lamp, ofthe same metal, is of so vast a size that three men go into it whenit has to be cleaned; and it is enriched with lion's heads and otherornaments of pure gold. The statues of the Virgin and the saints,are made of solid silver, richly gilded and ornamented with preciousstones.

"Yucatan is celebrated for beautiful ruins, adorned with the moststriking, imposing, and elegant decorations, but who were thearchitects, or when built, is at present a mystery; for whendiscovered by the Spaniards in the fifteenth century, it wasinhabited by a fierce tribe of Indians, who were perfectly ignorantof arts and sciences; therefore, these magnificent erections musthave been the work of civilized men, before Yucatan was possessed bythe Indians. Many attempts were made by the Spaniards to obtain afooting in this country, but to no purpose. At length they hit uponthe expedient of sending priests among the people. Five were foundwilling to go: they were introduced as men of peace by the Mexicans,were amicably received, and allowed to settle in the country. Theirconduct soon gained them the love and esteem of the fierce Indians,and they brought their children to be taught, and were baptized withtheir whole families. Every day strengthened their attachment to thePadres: they built them houses to live in, and a temple for worship;and at last, without any compulsion, the chiefs acknowledged theauthority of the King of Castile. But this allegiance was of shortduration. Some Spanish soldiers went over, and carried fire andsword into the heart of their country, and soon obliterated theimpression made by the good Padres. The Indians again waged war withcivilized man, and the priests fled for their lives. Many yearsafter the Spaniards were the conquerors, and succeeded in plantingtheir standard in Yucatan, in the year 1537. It is now inhabited bySpaniards and Indians: there is an appearance of civilizationsurrounding many of these desolated places. Villages and towns havebeen formed, and lands cultivated in every direction."

EMMA. "Through the Bay of Honduras we enter the Caribbean Sea, andit is the last sea on this side of the equator."

MR. BARRAUD. "The Caribbean Sea is, generally speaking, still andquiet, and in fine weather the water is so transparent, that themariner can discern fish and coral at fifty fathoms below thesurface. The ship seems to float in the air, and the spectator isoften seized with vertigo, while he beholds through the crystallinefluid, submarine groves and beautiful shells glittering among tuftsof fucus and sea-weed. Fresh-water springs issue from the sea onboth sides of the Channel between Yucatan and Cuba. They rush withso much violence out of the deep, that it is dangerous for smallvessels to approach them; boats have been dashed to pieces by theforce of the surge. Ships on the coast sail here sometimes for asupply of fresh water, which the seamen draw from the bottom of theOcean!"

EMMA. "What extraordinary things we meet with in our travels! Maywe, before crossing the equator, visit the lakes, mamma?"

MRS. WILTON. "I am quite agreeable. Who wishes to go to the lakes?"

CHARLES. "I do, and will start directly I have prepared thenecessary documents. Oh! here they are; Lakes Superior, Michigan,and Huron, are considered as forming one large inland sea, dividingthe United States from Canada. There are several islands in theselakes, particularly in Lake Superior, which islands the savagesbelieve to be the residence of the Great Spirit. It is strange thatthese lakes are never frozen over, although the entrances arefrequently obstructed with ice."

EMMA. "Lake Superior is more than 500 leagues in circumference; itsclear waters, fed by forty rivers, are contained in extensivestrata of rocks, and their surges nearly equal those of the AtlanticOcean. Lake Huron is connected with Superior, by the Straits of St.Mary. Lake Michigan communicates with Huron by a long strait, andthe country around its banks belongs exclusively to the UnitedStates."

CHARLES. "Lake Erie is my favorite, because it communicates with theriver Niagara, and with those celebrated cataracts of which so muchhas been written."

GEORGE. "For the same reason then, you should patronize LakeOntario. It is 170 miles long, and 60 miles broad, at its widestpart, and empties itself through the romantic 'Lake of a thousandIsles,' into the St. Lawrence."

EMMA. "Lake Winnipeg is the next nearest; it is more than sixtyleagues in length, by thirty or forty broad. Its banks are shaded bythe sugar-maple and poplar, and it is surrounded by fertile plains,which produce the rice of Canada.

"The Great Slave Lake is quite north, and the last of anyconsequence. It is more than a hundred leagues in length, andsprinkled with islands, covered with trees resembling the mulberry.Mackenzie found them loaded with ice in the middle of June."

MRS. WILTON. "There is nothing in other parts of the globe whichresembles the prodigious chain of lakes in North America. They mayproperly be termed inland seas of fresh water; and even those ofsecond and third class in magnitude, are of larger circuit than thegreatest lake in the old continent. They all unite to form oneuninterrupted current of water, extending above 600 leagues inlength. The country around is intersected with rivers, lakes, andmarshes to a greater extent than any other part of the world: butfew mountains rise above this savage icy plain. One is tempted toinquire, why do such superb streams waste their fertilizing watersupon these frozen deserts? We only know they manifest the Power, andwe must not doubt the Wisdom of their Creator."

MR. WILTON. "Now, Emma, return to our former situation in the Bay ofHonduras. What of that bay?"

EMMA. "Only this, papa, that it washes the shores of Yucatan, whichhas already been described, and runs into the Caribbean Sea. Mammawill help me here."

MRS. WILTON. "The coast of Honduras was discovered by Columbus, inhis last voyage, but its verdant beauties (for it is a lovelyplace.) could not win him to the shore. Without landing, hecontinued on to the Isthmus of Darien, in search of that passage toIndia which was the aim of all his hopes, but which it was destinedhe should never see."

EMMA. "The Caribbean Sea contains the Caribbee Islands, which arealso distinguished by the names of Windward and Leeward Isles. Theonly one we should have to pass near in sailing out of this sea, isTobago."

MR. WILTON. "But, Emma, are you going to leave this coast without avisit to Panama?"

EMMA. "My only reason for so doing, dear papa, is because I knownothing about it, except that it is situated close to the Isthmus ofDarien, and its chief town is Porto Bello."

MR. WILTON. "Panama is itself an isthmus, and is most luxuriant invegetable productions, and could challenge competition with any partof the world, in the vigor and variety of its woods. There are knownto be growing there, no less than ninety-seven different qualitiesof wood. It is famed, as most woody places are, for snakes andpoisonous reptiles: the country people will scarcely move abroadafter nightfall for fear of them, and always carry a charm abouttheir person to prevent injury from their bite. This charm is analligator's tooth, stuffed with herbs, compounded and muttered overby some old woman."

MR. BARRAUD. "I have heard that toads at Porto Bello are sonumerous, that it is the popular prejudice that the drops of rainare changed into toads; and even the more learned maintain that theeggs of this animal are raised with the vapors from the adjoiningswamps, and being conveyed to the city by the succeeding rains, arethere hatched. They are large and frightful, many of them six inchesin breadth; and after a night of rain, the streets are almostcovered, so that it is impossible to walk any distance withoutcrushing dozens of them. The city is so badly situated, and theclimate so unhealthy, that few persons can exist there, and it isjustly termed by the Spaniards 'La Sepultura de los Europeanos.'"

CHARLES. "The people of Porto Bello are not particularly dainty. Iam sure I should starve there, for I could not consent to eat theirfood. What do you think of shovel-nosed sharks being sold in themarkets, and guanas—which you know are lizards—being considered aspecial treat? and then, worse than all, the country folks mostlyfeed upon monkeys. How should you fare amongst them, George? Couldyou make a dinner off a roasted monkey?"

GEORGE. "I do not think I should enjoy it, but if I were veryhungry, I might not be particular: however, I must own I should eventhen prefer beef or mutton to lizards and monkeys."

MR. WILTON. "Panama is, notwithstanding their want of taste, a richcountry; rich in gold, silver, and other mines. Commerce is gainingground there, and in the present day the people are more anxious tomake their fortunes than to display their magnificence. Formerly, nofamily in Panama ate off anything but plate, almost every domesticutensil was of the same material, and the women wore a profusion ofchains, pearls, and other ornaments. But times are altered there aselsewhere; most of the gold has passed through the melting-pot tothe Old World."

MR. BARRAUD. "True; but they have still enough left to make verygrand displays on gala days; and, on these occasions, the dresses ofthe women are peculiarly splendid. A loose chemise of beautifulcambric, with innumerable and immense frills richly worked withlace, is, with a petticoat of the same, fastened at the waist byseveral massive chased-gold buttons. Round the neck are several goldchains, with pearl rosettes, crosses, and rows of pearls; theear-rings are of the shape of a telegraph, and reach nearly to theshoulders; the fingers are covered with rings: and various combs,studded with rows of pearl cased in gold, are placed together with amassive gold bodkin, to great advantage in beautiful hair, plaitedin two tails down the back. The feet are barely introduced into alittle slipper, turned up very much at the toes, and also richlyornamented. The whole appearance is elegant and becoming."

MR. WILTON. "The pearls thus tastefully disposed around the personof a fair Panamenian, are procured among the islands of the coast bydiving. The occupation is very laborious, and success mostuncertain; but the pursuit is a favorite one, and the divers arevery expert. They generally proceed in companies of several canoestogether, each containing six or seven men, who dive in succession,armed with a sharp knife, rather for the purpose of detaching theoysters from the rocks to which they adhere, than for defenceagainst danger. Before descending, they repeatedly cross themselves,(for you must understand, nearly all Central America is inhabited byRoman Catholics,) and generally bring up four oysters, one undereach arm, and two in the hand. The usual time of stopping underwater is from fifty seconds to two and a half minutes. Much hasbeen said of the danger of these fisheries, both from the shark, andanother enemy called the 'Manta.' which crushes its victim. But theshark is ever a coward, and no match for an expert diver with aknife; and accidents rarely occur."

EMMA. "Oh! how much information I should have lost, had I gonesailing on by myself. I think I had better resign my station at thewheel to some member who is better able to steer. Who will have it?"

MR. BARRAUD. "Keep it, Emma, unless you are weary, and we willdirect your course occasionally. I am sure you have proved yourselfso indefatigable on all occasions, that our vessel cannot be inbetter hands."

EMMA. "Before proceeding any further, I wish to read the enclosedaccount. I received it with two or three other papers, from ourfriend Dora, a few minutes before we assembled. She knew we shouldbe explaining the Atlantic to-night, and begged I would introducethis at the meeting.

The Seaboy's Grave.

"'There was a poor little middy on board, so delicate and fragile,that the sea was clearly no fit profession for him; but he or hisfriends thought otherwise; and as he had a spirit for which hisframe was no match, he soon gave token of decay. This boy was agreat favorite with everybody; the sailors smiled whenever hepassed, as they would have done to a child; the officers pattedhim, and coddled him up with all sorts of good things; and hismessmates, in a style which did not altogether please him, but whichhe could not well resist, as it was meant most kindly, nicknamedhim, "Dolly." Poor fellow! he was long remembered afterwards. Iforget what his particular complaint was, but he gradually sank, andat last went out just as a taper might have done, exposed to suchgusts of wind as blew in that tempestuous region. He died in themorning, but it was not until the evening that he was prepared for aseaman's grave.

"'I remember in the course of the day, going to the side of theboy's hammock; and, on laying my hand upon his breast, beingastonished to find it still warm; so much so, that I almost imaginedI could feel the heart beat. This, of course, was a vain fancy; butI was greatly attached to my little companion, being then not muchtaller myself, and I was soothed and gratified, in a childish way,by discovering that my friend, though many hours dead, had not yetacquired the usual revolting chilliness.

"'Something occurred during the day to prevent the funeral takingplace at the usual hour; and the ceremony was deferred until longafter sunset. The evening was extremely dark, and it was blowing atreble-reefed topsail breeze. We had just sent down the top-gallantyards, and had made all snug for a boisterous winter's night. As itbecame necessary to have lights to see what was done, several signallanterns were placed on the break of the quarter-deck, and othersalong the hammock railing on the lee-gangway. The whole ship'scompany and officers were assembled; some on the booms, others inthe boats; while the main-rigging was crowded half-way up to thecat-harpings. Overhead the mainsail, illuminated as high as the yardby the lamps, was bulging forwards under the gale, which was risingevery minute, and straining so violently at the main-sheet, thatthere was some doubt whether it might not be necessary to interruptthe funeral in order to take sail off the ship. The lower-deck portslay completely under water, and several times the muzzles of themain-deck guns were plunged into the sea; so that the ends of thegrating on which the remains of poor "Dolly" were laid, once ortwice nearly touched the tops of the waves, as they foamed andhissed past. The rain fell fast on the bare heads of the crew,dropping also on the officers during all the ceremony, from the footof the mainsail, and wetting the leaves of the prayer-book. The windsighed over us amongst the wet shrouds, with a note so mournful,that there could not have been a more appropriate dirge.

"'The ship pitching violently, strained and cracked from end to end;so that, what with the noise of the sea, the rattling of the ropes,and the whistling of the wind, hardly one word of the service couldbe distinguished. The men, however, understood by a motion of thecaptain's hand, when the time came, and the body of our dear littlebrother was committed to the deep.

"'So violent a squall was sweeping past the ship at this moment thatno sound was heard of the usual splash, which made the sailors(naturally superstitious) allege, that their young favorite nevertouched the water at all, but was at once carried off in the gale tohis final resting-place!'"

GEORGE. "Oh! how very melancholy. It seems much more dismal to beburied in the sea than on the land:

"'For the dead should liein thechurchyard green,
Where the pleasant flowers dospring.'"

EMMA. "I shall be grateful to Captain Hall if his patheticdescription of the funeral of 'Dolly' checks your desire to become asailor, George; for I cannot bear to think of it. We are now to sailalong the coast of South America, and the first gulfs in the northof this coast are the gulfs of Maracaybo, Coro, Trieste, and Paria,by the island of Trinidad, where----"

CHARLES. "Stop! stop! Emma. Out of four gulfs there must besomething to be had worth fishing for, is there not?"

MR. BARRAUD. "You may fish for melancholy in the Gulf of Trieste,Charles, if you are so disposed, for it is a dreadful place. Here,in the midst of furious waves, enormous rocks raise their isolatedheads, and scarcely, even with a fair wind, can ships overcome thestrength of the stream."

CHARLES. "We will not angle in that gulf; but I have fishedup anisland in Maracaybo, or Venezuela Gulf. It is called Curacoa, and isarid and sterile. There is very little water, and only one well inthe island, and the water is sold at a high price. Its capital isWilliamstadt, one of the neatest cities in the West Indies."

MRS. WILTON. "The entrance to the Gulf of Paria on the north side iscalled Dragon's Mouth, on the south, Serpent's Mouth. This gulfseparates Trinidad from South America. Trinidad is about 70 milesfrom east to west, and nearly 50 from north to south. The mostremarkable phenomenon there is a bituminous lake, situated on thewestern coast, near the village of La Brea. It is nearly three milesin extent, of a circular form, and about 80 feet above the level ofthe sea. Small islands, covered with plants and shrubs, areoccasionally observed on this lake, but it is subject to frequentchanges, and the verdant isles often disappear. Trinidad isimportant on account of its fertility, its extent, and itsposition."

EMMA. "The next bay in our course is the Bay of Oyapok."

MRS. WILTON. "And the next country in our course is Guiana, washedby the Atlantic. This country is subject to annual inundations. Allthe rivers overflow their banks; forests, trees, shrubs, andparasitical plants seem to float on the water, and the sea tingedwith yellow clay, adds its billows to the fresh-water streams.Quadrupeds are forced to take refuge on the highest trees: largelizards, agoutis, and pecaries[12] quit their waterydens andremainon the branches. Aquatic birds spring upon the trees to avoid thecayman[13]and serpents that infest the temporary lakes. The fishforsake their ordinary food, and live on the fruits and berries ofthe shrubs through which they swim,—the crab is found upon trees,and the oyster multiplies in the forest. The Indian, who surveysfrom his canoe this new chaos, this confusion of earth and sea,suspends his hammock on an elevated branch, and sleeps without fearin the midst of so great danger."

GRANDY. "Emma will have more than she can accomplish to-night, ifshe wishes to enter all the bays around South America, for nocountry in the world is so famous for its enormous gulfs."

MR. WILTON. "Yes; we must make a division for another meeting.To-night we will sail down to Cape Horn, and sojourn there until the21st of this month. We could not choose a more favorable time thanMarch for our visit."

EMMA. "Very well, then, we will merely mention some of these bays,viz.:—Pinzon, Maripani, Gurupy, Turiassu, Cuma, Paraiba, AllSaints, Camanu, and St. Salvador Bay, near Rio de Janeiro."

MR. WILTON. "Well, Emma, you have certainly manoeuvred well to bringus over the equator without the usual visitation of Neptune andAmphitrite, and we must all thank you for landing us, without aducking, in the principal town of Brazil. So now we will walk aboutand see the lions."

GEORGE. "We can go and fill our pockets, papa; for it is said thatthrough the whole of this country, at the depth of twenty-four feetfrom the surface, there is a thin vein of gold, the particles ofwhich are carried by the springs and heavy rains into theneighboring rivers, from the sands of which they are gathered bynegroes employed for that purpose. There, too, we might happen tofind some diamonds"

CHARLES. "You would find it not so easy to collect gold and diamondsas you imagine, and I expect you would come back poorer than youwent."

MRS. WILTON. "Rio de Janeiro possesses one of the finest harborsknown, having at its entrance a bar, at the extremes of which risetwo rocks. This bay is twenty-four leagues in length, and eight inwidth, and has in it many islands; some are cultivated and possesssugar-works. The most celebrated of them is named De Cobra, offwhich island ships cast anchor. On the opposite side of this city, anatural wall of rocks, called Los Organos, extends itself as far asthe sea, and forms a perfect line of defence independently of theneighboring fortresses."

EMMA. "Paraguay is the adjacent coast, and derives its name from thePayaguas, a treacherous and deceitful people, who subsist byfishing. It is a fertile district, and produces a species ofilex,[14]which makes the tea so much used in South America. Thelaborers, who esteem it vastly more than we do our Chinese tea,will refuse to work if deprived of it. The twigs are steeped withthe leaves, and the tea is taken through a silver or glass tube. Thegulfs along here are not very important. I have no account of them."

MRS. WILTON. "Monte Video is the next coast, and derives its namefrom a mountain near the city; it is completely enclosed withfortifications. The inhabitants are humane and well disposed. Theladies in general affable and polite, and extremely fond of dress,and very neat and cleanly in their persons. They adopt the Englishcostume at home, but go abroad usually in black, and always coveredwith a large veil or mantle. Provisions here are very cheap; andsuch is the profusion of flesh-meat, that the vicinity for two milesround, and even the purlieus of the town itself, present filthyspectacles of bones and raw flesh at every step, which feed immenseflocks of sea-gulls, and, in summer, breed myriads of flies, to thegreat annoyance of the inhabitants, who are obliged, at table, tohave a servant or two continually employed in fanning the disheswith feathers to drive away these troublesome intruders."

EMMA. "Between Monte Video and Buenos Ayres are many bays: FalseBay, Brightman Bay, and Union Bay are the principal."

MRS. WILTON. "Buenos Ayres was founded in 1535 by Don Pedro deMendoza, who gave it that name on account of the salubrity of itsclimate. This town is in many respects the most considerable of allthe commercial towns in South America. Bread is by no means thestaff of life here, for meat and the great variety of roots andgrain with which the country abounds, afford to the poor inhabitantsan equally healthy and even more nutritious substance."

EMMA."—South of Buenos Ayres are Antonio Bay, Nuevo Gulf, ErganoBay, Gulf of Vera, and Gulf of St. George, which last runs into thecountry of the gigantic Patagonians."

MR. BARRAUD. "The bays here afford good anchorage for ships; butthere are neither inhabitants, wood, nor fresh water in the adjacentcountry: a few aquatic birds and sea-wolves remain unmolested onthese dismal shores."

MR. WILTON. "Patagonia is inhabited by wandering tribes of Indians.From their extraordinary size they have given rise to manyremarkable tales. Fernandez de Magalhanes says, that one day, whenthe fleet was anchored at Port San Julian, a person of giganticstature appeared on the shore. He sang, he danced, and sprinkleddust on his forehead: a sailor was sent to land, with orders toimitate his gestures, which were considered signals of peace. Theseaman performed his part so well, that the giant accompanied him tothe commander's vessel. He pointed to the sky, wishing to inquire ifthe Spaniards had descended from heaven. His size was such that thesailors' heads did not come up to his waist."

GEORGE. "But are they really giants, papa?"

MR. WILTON. "Not exactly giants, my dear; not men who couldtravelin seven league boots: but they are really large people; many ofthem seven feet high; and such men seen through a traveller'smicroscope, would be magnified to huge giants!"

CHARLES. "Now, here we are in the land of Fires! and yet it is verycold. Emma, you are surely not going to name all these little bays?"

EMMA. "Do not be alarmed, Charles: I will not so far tax yourpatience; but we must see Terra del Fuego. It is divided into threelarge islands,—South Desolation, Clarence Island, and KingCharles's Southland; besides which there are hundreds of smallerisles, habited and uninhabited."

MRS. WILTON. "Having reached the southern extremity of the Americancontinent, we may take an excursion to some of the neighboringislands; for although they are not all subject to America, stillthey are nearer to it than to any other country. To the south ofPatagonia there is a number of cold, barren, and mountainousislands; volcanoes which cannot melt, brighten and illumine theperpetual snow in these dismal regions. Here it was that the sailorsobserved fires on the southern shores of the strait, for whichreason the land on that side was called Terra del Fuego."

GEORGE. "Mamma, I wish to know why March is a favorable month forvisiting Cape Horn?"

MRS. WILTON. "Because midsummer takes place in February, and is thebest time of the year. July is the worst month, for then the sundoes not rise until nine o'clock, and it sets at three, givingeighteen hours night; and then, also, snow and rain, gales and highwinds are in abundance. Charles, will you favor us with some accountof the islands?"

CHARLES. "Staten is a detached island, which may be considered asforming part of the archipelago of Terra del Fuego. It wasdiscovered by Lemaire.

"The Falklands are two large islands, separated from each other by abroad channel of the same name. We are now nearly out of theAtlantic."

MR. WILTON. "Yes; we had now better clear the decks, and pipe tosupper."

GEORGE. "One question more, dear papa. Can any one tell the depth ofthe Atlantic?"

MR. WILTON. "The depth is extremely various, and in many placeswholly beyond the power of man to fathom. The greatest depth thathas ever been reached, was effected by Captain Scoresby in the seanear Greenland, in the year 1817, and was 7,200 feet. Many parts ofthe Atlantic are thought to be three times this depth. How much isthat, my boy?"

GEORGE. "21,600 feet, papa."

MR. WILTON. "Well done! Now go and discuss mamma's realities,andtry and remember as much as possible of our imaginary wanderings,that they may prove of real utility to you in your journeythroughlife."

CHAPTER VI.

The water of the vastocean,
When it has raged with all itsfury,becalms itself again;
This is the course of theworld;—andlikewise still to forget.
Kalmuck Song.

There were no disappointments on the twenty-first; but there wasevidently some cause of uneasiness, for there was a great deal ofwhispering between George and his sister, and a great manysignificant glances at papa, which plainly indicated that someimportant disclosure was about to be made. But muffins and teaappeared, and disappeared, and still not a word. George fidgeted,and Emma looked uneasy, which Mr. Wilton observing, he said: "Iapprehend there will be no business done to-night, unless I setthese anxious little folks at rest, by informing the present companyof the events which have transpired since our last meeting. Ibelieve you were aware that it was my intention shortly to visitJamaica. During the past week I have been bringing affairs to acrisis, and it is now finally arranged, that, should nothingintervene to the prevention of our plans, we sail for that island onor about the thirtieth of next month. This, of course, will precludethe possibility of meeting many more times; but I think we maypromise ourselves one farewell debate. I regret our separationprincipally on account of our little society, for it has been themeans of passing our evenings, not only agreeably, but profitably.Should our lives be spared, I trust we shall again assemble underthe same roof and again enjoy the advantages of each other'sresearches."

This news spread a gloom over the little party, for they could notcontemplate a separation from their kind friends without feelings ofdeep regret, and there were more tears than smiles in their usuallybright eyes.

Grandy looked from one young face to another: all wore the sameexpression. Thoughtful, sorrowful, and silent, they sat around thetable where they had enjoyed so many happy hours; and she, too, feltthat, although it is delightful to possess the affection of friends,yet too often that affection is the cause of much anxiety and deependuring sorrow.

A separation of 5000 miles was not a trifling cause of grief; but itwas a pity to tinge the next month of their existence withunavailing melancholy: it had been better that it had remained asecret, than to have caused such unhappiness to cloud their sereneand cheerful days; and Mrs. Wilton endeavored to make them view thematter in a brighter light. "At all events," she said, "we must notrender each other miserable, because we are called upon to exercisethis self-denial. It is wrong to waste in unavailing regrets thetime we have still to be together, and be gloomy and sad for a wholemonth. No! that cannot possibly improve our affairs, and will onlyunfit us for the performance of our duty, and increase our misery.Come, wipe away those glistening tears, my children, or they willfreeze on your cheeks; for, if I mistake not, we are supposed to besomewhere about the sixtieth parallel of south latitude, and thethermometer somewhat below Zero. Come, see who will find thesituation first. George, try what you can do."

The children commenced their search, and before George exclaimed"South Shetland, dear mamma!" every eye, although still dimmed withtears, was eagerly in quest of the desired parallel.

MRS. WILTON. "Right, George! I fear it will not be prudent toventure any further south, as we may encounter some ice-islands, forthere are several in this vicinity; but I should like to hear, ifany of you can tell me why Deception Isle (one of the South Shetlandgroup) is so called?"

DORA. "It is so called from its very exact resemblance to a ship infull sail, and has deceived many navigators. This island isinhabited only by penguins, sea-leopards, pintadors, and variouskinds of petrels. It is volcanic, apparently composed of alternatelayers of ashes and ice, as if the snow of each winter, during aseries of years, had been prevented from melting in the followingsummer by the ejection of cinders and ashes from some part wherevolcanic action is still in progress; and that such is the caseseems probable, from the fact of there being at least one hundredand fifty holes from which steam issues with a loud hissing noise,and which are, or were, visible from the top of one of the hillsimmediately above the small cone where Lieutenant Kendall's ship wassecured, to whom I am indebted for this information."

MRS. WILTON. "The only habitable islands near here are the SandwichIsles (not Captain Cook's) and Georgia; but they are neither large,numerous, nor important: we will, therefore, round the Cape andenter the Pacific Ocean."

DORA "According to Emma's chart we are to follow the coast, callingat as many of the islands as are worthy of notice; but, previously,here are the bays to be enumerated, and such a number of them! Icould scarcely have imagined it possible for any shores to be soindented."

EMMA. "I need not read all the names, as with your maps you can eachread for yourself; but the following are the largest: Gulf ofTrinidad. Gulf of Penas, Gulf of Ancud by the Island of Chiloe, andConception Bay on the coast of Chili."

MRS. WILTON. "Here is a part for me to play, I perceive. The nativesof the coast of the Gulf of Penas are descendants of theAraucanians, a warlike people, who, observing the great advantagesthe Europeans possessed from the use of gunpowder, tried in vain tolearn its composition. They saw negroes among the Spaniards, andbecause their color was supposed to resemble that of gunpowder, theyimagined they had discovered the long-wished-for secret. A poornegro was caught by them and burnt alive, in the full belief thatgunpowder would be obtained from his ashes."

GEORGE. "Poor man! what ignorant people they must be. Are we to stopat the Island of Chiloe?"

MR. BARRAUD. "Most certainly, as you will agree when you hear what Ihave to say. It lies near the south coast of Chili: its length is120 miles, average breadth 40 miles. It is mountainous and coveredwith cedar, which is exported in great quantities to Peru and Chili.The climate is healthy, but damp, as it rains ten months out of theyear. Money is here almost unknown, and traffic is conducted bybarter, or payment in indigo, tea, salt, or Cayenne pepper. Allthese articles are much valued, particularly the indigo for dyeingwoollens, for the weaving of which there is a loom in every house.According to Captain Blankley, the golden age would seem to berevived in this part of the world. 'Murders,' says he, 'robbery, orpersons being in debt, are never heard of: drunkenness is only knownor seen when European vessels are in port: not a private dwelling inthe towns or country has a lock on the doors, and the prison is indisuse.' The inhabitants are cheerful, and passionately fond ofmusic and dancing."

EMMA. "I think we had better remain at Chiloe: it must be adelightful place to live in, where all the inhabitants are soupright and honest."

MRS. WILTON. "Yes, my dear; but business must be attended to beforepleasure, and we are bound for Chili.

"Chili is an independent State, and includes the country of thosesame ignorant Araucanians; who, notwithstanding their attributedignorance, have proved themselves equal in some respects toEuropeans; for they have tried in vain to subdue this warlikeraceof men. The shores of Chili are mostly high, steep, and rocky. Thewhole country is extremely rich in metals: silver is there foundnearer the surface than in any other country. Nearly all the riverswash down gold and there are copper, lead, and even coal mines.The Chilians are good potters, and make light, strong, earthenwarejars, which ring like metal. Chili is specially subject toearthquakes; shocks are felt in some parts almost daily, and thecountry is continually desolated by them."

MR. WILTON. "The little island of Mocha on this coast was oncecelebrated as a resort of buccaneers, and thickly peopled; but itwas found deserted by Captain Strong in 1690; and appears to haveremained uninhabited since."

EMMA. "The most memorable island near our course is Juan Fernandez,110 miles from the coast. I ought rather to have said islands, forthere are two. The largest was discovered by a Spaniard in 1563, andhas been so much praised by early navigators, that it has beenthought an earthly paradise. Its chief advantages arises from itsbeing a good resting-place for ships. This island is calledMas-a-terra, because nearest the continent. There are many Spanishsettlers there, who have erected a battery, and built a town. Thesmaller island is generally called Mas-a-fuero, because further fromthe continent."

MR. WILTON. "Juan Fernandez has lately been taken on lease from theChilian Government, by an enterprising American, who has takenthither about 150 families of Tahitians, with the intention ofcultivating the land, rearing cattle, and so improving the port ofCumberland Bay, that it may become the resort of whalers, and othervessels navigating the Pacific Ocean."

CHARLES. "Oh! for the imagination of Daniel de Foe to conjure up thedelightful pictures of his Robinson Crusoe. The poet Cowper has donemuch towards handing the event down to posterity, in his touchingaccount of the feelings of the poor outcast when he found himself onthe desolate shore."

GEORGE. "Oh! you mean Alexander Selkirk's soliloquy. I think I canremember some of the verses:—

"' I am out of humanity'sreach,
I must finish my journey alone,
Never hear the sweet music ofspeech,
I start at the sound of my own.
The beasts that roam over the plain
My form with indifference bee;
They're so unaccustomed to man,
Their tameness is shocking to me.'

"'Religion I what treasure untold
Resides in that heavenly word!
More precious than silver or gold,
Or all that this earth can afford;
But the sound of the church-goingbell,
These valleys and rocks never heard,
Ne'er sigh'd at the sound of aknell,
Or smil'd when a sabbath appear'd."

"'Ye winds, that have made me yoursport,
Convey to this desolate shore,
Some cordial, endearing report
Of a land I shall visit no more.
My friends—do they now and then send
A wish or a thought after me?
Oh! tell me I yet have a friend,
Though a friend I am never to see!'"

EMMA. "A life of solitude must be very dreadful: we cannot conceivesuch an existence while surrounded by our dear friends, and all theluxuries of civilized life. How long was Alexander Selkirk on theisland?"

CHARLES. "Four years and four months, I believe."

DORA. "In sailing along the coast of Peru we must pass close toLima, its capital, which is a magnificent city. Like other Spanishcities of America it is laid out in quadras or squares of houses,and through the centre of nearly all the streets runs a stream ofwater three feet wide, which carries away a good portion of therefuse of the city."

MR. BARRAUD. "The ladies of Lima are celebrated for beauty andfineness of figure. They wear a very remarkable walking dress,peculiar to this city and Truxillo. It consists of two parts, onecalled the saya, the other the manto. The first is anelasticdress, fitting close to the figure down to the ankles; the other isan entire envelope, disclosing scarcely more than one eye to themost scrutinizing observer. A rich colored handkerchief or a silkband and tassel are frequently tied around the waist, and hangnearly to the ground in front."

MRS. WILTON. "The population of Peru consists principally ofIndians, Spaniards and Negroes. The first are represented bytravellers as in the lowest stage of civilization, without anydesire for the comforts of civilized life, immersed in sloth andapathy, from which they can rarely be roused, except when they havean opportunity of indulging to excess in ardent spirits, of whichthey are excessively fond. They are dirty in the extreme, seldomtaking off their clothes even to sleep, and still more rarely usingwater. Their habitations are miserable hovels, destitute of everyconvenience and disgustingly filthy."

MR. WILTON. "The Peruvians had at one time a curious contrivance forcrossing their rivers. They did not know how to make a bridge ofwood or stone; but necessity, the parent of invention, supplied thatdefect. They formed cables of great strength, by twisting togethersome of the pliable withes or osiers with which their countryabounds; six of these cables they stretched across the streamparallel to one another, and made them fast on each side; these theybound firmly together, by inter-weaving smaller ropes so close as toform a compact piece of net-work, which being covered with branchesof trees and earth, they passed along it with tolerable security.Proper persons were appointed to attend to each bridge, to keep itin repair, and to assist passengers."

GEORGE. "Almost as clever a contrivance as the bridge of the presentday, although neither so strong nor durable. They were a perseveringpeople."

EMMA. "The Gulf of Guayaquil is so called from a river of this namewhich is famous for its shifting sand-banks, on which as the waterrecedes alligators are left in great numbers. The Bay of Choco is onthe same coast (Columbia), and is the scene of continual storms. Thegreatest riches in washed gold are deposited in the provinces ofChoco. The largest piece found there weighed twenty-five pounds; butthis country, so rich in gold, is at the same time scourged withcontinual famine."

GRANDY. "Proving that gold is only valuable as the means ofprocuring the necessaries of life, and enabling its possessor tobenefit his fellow-creatures. 'Whoso seeth his brother have need,and shutteth up his compassion, how dwelleth the love of God inhim?' The people here value not the gold, for it is unable to buythem freedom from the awful scourge."

DORA. "Emma, the Bay of Choco is on the coast of Granada, which,although it is a district of Columbia, is large enough to beregarded with some attention, particularly as it is actually one ofthe three great divisions of Columbia."

CHARLES. "Nearly in the same latitude, just over the equator, arethe Galapagos. They are pretty islands: the cactus and aloe coverthe sides of the rocks, flamingoes and turtle-doves fill the air,and the beach is covered with enormous turtle. But no trace whateverindicates the residence of man, and I believe no man has ever landedon these lonely shores."

MRS. WILTON. "Columbia abounds in stupendous natural wonders;amongst the rest are the natural bridges of Iconongo, not far fromBogota; the fall of Tequendama, the loftiest cataract; and the Sillade Caracas, the loftiest cliff yet discovered. The climate is hotand unhealthy, and the country subject to earthquakes. It isinhabited by Indians, Spaniards, and Negroes. The Caribs are theruling Indian tribe; they are tall, of a reddish copper-color, withdark intelligent eyes, and a grave expression of features. Theyraise the flesh of their legs and thighs in long stripes, and shavemost of the hair from their heads, but do not flatten the forehead,as is customary with the other tribes along the Orinoco. Columbia isa country of great natural riches, but suffered to lie for the mostpart waste, for the people are naturally indolent; and Captain Hallremarks, that the Columbian who can eat beef and plantains, andsmoke cigars as he swings in his hammock, is possessed of almosteverything his habits qualify him to enjoy, or which his ambitionprompts him to attain."

MR. BARRAUD. "Along this coast many of the inhabitants subsist asfishermen; and the Indians of Cartago have a singular method ofcatching wild-fowl, which may here be noticed:—They leavecalabashes continually floating on the water that the birds may beaccustomed to the sight of them. When they wish to catch any ofthese wild-fowl, they go into the water with their heads coveredeach with a calabash, in which they make two holes for seeingthrough; they then swim towards the birds, throwing a handful ofmaize on the water from time to time, the grains of which scatteron the surface. The birds approach to feed on the maize, and at themoment the swimmer seizes them by the feet, pulls them under water,and wrings their necks before they can make the least movement, or,by their noise, spread an alarm among the flock. Many families aresupported in this way by disposing of the birds thus caught at a lowprice in the markets."

EMMA. "The next bay is Panama, in which are the Gulf of St. Michaeland Gulf of Parita. There are several islands here, but the largestis Rey Isle. The Gulf of Dolce runs into Costa Rica, and so does theGulf of Nicoya: and the little bays about here must not detain us."

MRS. WILTON. "San José is the capital of Costa Rica. Thereare nofine buildings in this city, and the churches are inferior to manyerected by the Spaniards in the smallest villages. Nevertheless, thewhole place exhibits a business like appearance, much more so thanmost cities in this lethargic part of the world. In Costa Rica is avolcanic mountain, Cartago (now quiet), from the top of which thetraveller can view the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans at one glance. Ina right line over the tops of the mountains, neither is more thantwenty miles distant, and from the great height from which they areseen they appear to be almost at the traveller's feet. It is theonly point in the world which commands a view of the two Oceans."

GRANDY. "I remember a touching description of a funeral in SanJosé, which will not be out of place here:—

"'While Mr. Stephens (the author of several delightful books) wasstanding in a corridor of his friend's house, a man passed with achild in his arms. He was its father, and with a smile on his facewas carrying it to its grave. He was followed by two boys playing onviolins, and others were laughing around. The child was dressed inwhite, with a wreath of roses around its head; and as it lay in itsfather's arms, it did not seem dead but sleeping. The grave was notquite ready, and the boys sat on the heap of dirt thrown out, andplayed their violins until it was finished. The father then laid thechild carefully in its final resting-place, with its head to therising sun, folded its little hands across its breast, and closedits fingers around a small wooden crucifix; and it seemed, as theythought it was, happy at escaping the troubles of an uncertainworld. There were no tears shed; on the contrary, all were cheerful;and though it appeared heartless, it was not because the father didnot love his child, but because he and all his friends had beentaught to believe, and were firm in the conviction, that, taken awayso young, it was transferred immediately to a better world. Thefather sprinkled a handful of dirt over its face; the grave-diggertook his shovel; in a few moments the little grave was filled up,and, preceded by the boys playing on their violins, they departed.'"

MRS. WILTON. "There is a spirit of thankfulness evinced in thatfather's conduct which requires great faith. I fear none of uswould be found to possess as much under such a trial, for the spiritis, unhappily, at most times under the dominion of the flesh."

GEORGE. "Is not Papagayo Bay close to the Lake of Nicaragua?"

EMMA. "It is only divided from the Ocean by a portion of thedistrict of Nicaragua. It is a great lake, ninety five miles long,and thirty broad, and is navigable for ships of the largest class."

DORA. "It is covered with beautiful and populous islands, and two ofthem—viz. Isola and Madeira—contain burning mountains. The largestvolcano—Omotepeque—always continues burning, and reminds one ofMount Etna rising from the water's edge, a smooth unbroken cone tothe height of nearly 1000 feet. The waters of this lake descend bythe river St. John towards the Atlantic; but there is no outlet intothe Pacific Ocean."

GEORGE. "I should like to know why the Pacific is so called?"

CHARLES. "I can tell you, George. In the year 1520, when Magellanwas on his way to the Spice Islands (the Moluccas, you know), he andthe crew suffered dreadful privations: they were nearly four monthsat sea without discovering land. Their stock of provisions wasalmost exhausted, the water became putrid, and in consequence thepoor men were attacked with that horrible disease the scurvy. Theonly source of consolation, under these troubles, was theuninterrupted fair weather they enjoyed, and the favorable windswhich wafted them gently onward; so that Magellan was induced tocall the Ocean Pacific: hence the origin of its name."

GEORGE. "Thank you, Charles. How pleasant it is to get all theinformation we require, without the trouble of searching in greatdusty books. Now, Emma, will it please you to travel onward?"

EMMA. "What, George! Have you, too, caught the mania, that you arein such a hurry to get to California?"

GEORGE. "Not to go gold-hunting, indeed; but the Rocky Mountains areup in the north, and I have a story about them."

EMMA. "Well, to oblige you and ourselves too, we will proceed. TheGulfs of Fonseca and Conchagua are deep indentations, about themiddle of the coast of Guatemala, to which country Costa Ricabelongs."

MRS. WILTON. "The city of Guatemala was founded in 1776. It issituated on table-land, 5000 feet above the sea and enjoys adelicious climate,—literally, a perpetual spring. Beautifulchurches and buildings adorn this city; but the houses are builtonly one story high, in order more effectually to resist the actionof earthquakes; for you must know this city has close to it twoburning mountains—Fuego and Agua, which prove the volcanic natureof the earth. Among all the phenomena of nature few appear to beattended with such horrible consequences as earthquakes. Thousands,who in one moment are full of busy life, are, the next, swallowed upas if they had never existed, or crushed to death by fragments offalling buildings. In six minutes, by the great earthquake ofLisbon, in 1755, sixty thousand souls were launched into eternity;and though none in this city have equalled in destructiveness thegreat one at Lisbon, yet Guatemala has been several times nearlydestroyed by earthquakes, combined with the eruptions of theneighboring volcanoes."

MR. BARRAUD. "The inhabitants are mostly of Spanish origin;consequently, mostly Roman Catholics; and a recent traveller saysthat from the moment of his arrival, he was struck with the devoutappearance of the city of Guatemala. At matins and vespers, thechurches were all open, and the people, particularly the women, wentregularly to prayers. Every house had its figure of the Virgin, theSaviour, or some tutelary saint, and on the door were billets ofpaper with prayers. You will be surprised to hear that nearly allthe ladies in Central America smoke. The married ladies smokepuros, or all tobacco; the unmarried ladies smoke cigars,ortobacco wrapped in paper or straw."

DORA. "What an odd indulgence for a lady! In England, ladies neversmoke; although I must say I have often seen poor women with pipesin their mouths, and thought what a dirty habit it was."

MRS. WILTON. "It is the custom of the country, and were you aSpanish lady, Dora, I have no doubt you would enjoy a cigar as muchas any of the señoritas. We shall next see the shore of Mexico.Whatgulfs must we pass to accomplish this?"

EMMA. "Only the Gulf of Tehuantepec which is worth noticing."

MRS. WILTON. "Mexico has been travelled over already; so we willpass on to the Gulf of California."

GEORGE. "But is there not a place called New Mexico?"

DORA. "Yes, but not near the coast: however, I will tell you all Iknow about it. It is mostly inhabited by Christian Indians, of whomthere are no fewer than thirty villages. They are of various tribes,but all trained to industrial habits, and are in every respect aworthy set of people. Their clothing is the skin of wild goats;their women wear mantles of cotton or wool. Their mode of travellingis on horseback, and the only access to their huts, which aresquare, with open galleries on the top, is by a ladder, which isremoved during the night."

CHARLES. "Robinson Crusoe fashion, I presume?"

DORA. "Exactly. 'Now we are in front of the entrance to SanFrancisco Bay. The mountains on the northern side are 3000 feet inheight, and come boldly down to the sea As the view opens throughthe splendid strait, three or four miles in width, the island rockof Alcatraz appears, gleaming white in the distance. At last we arethrough the Golden Gate—fit name for such a magnificent portal tothe commerce of the Pacific. The Bay is crowded with the shipping ofthe world, and the flags of all nations are fluttering in thebreeze.'[15]Before us lies the grand emporium of the GoldRegion—a city which has well nigh realized the extravagance of theArabian Nights Entertainments. As if by the touch of a magic wand,what was five years ago a little Indian village is now a large andflourishing city, which is increasing at a prodigious rate. Fromevery nation and people and clime, emigrants have been pressing toit in pursuit of the precious metal. The golden sands of California,with their brilliant glitter, have attracted thousands uponthousands from every land—and there is now arising on the fardistant shores of the Pacific a great Empire destined to exert amighty influence in the affairs of the world. The glowing prospectwhich the success of the first adventurers had created, soon drew toher shores the energy and enterprise of the nations of both Europeand America. 'Around the curving shore of the Bay and upon the sidesof three hills, which rise steeply from the water, the middle onereceding so as to form a bold amphitheatre, the town is planted andseems scarcely yet to have taken root, for tents, canvass, plank,mud and adobe houses are mingled together with the least apparentattempt at order and durability.' However, the appearance of thecity is fast improving—for churches and schools and publicbuildings are springing up on every side, and substantial edificesare fast taking the place of the more temporary erections. Thesudden rush or so many people to one point, and many of them poorlyprovided, combined with the abundance of the gold, caused provision,rents, and labor to rise to enormous prices. A tent for instance,called Eldorado, fifteen by twenty feet, occupied mostly by gamblersbrought the enormous yearly rent of $40,000. 'Miners' Bank,' used byWright & Co., brokers, about half the size of a fire-engine house,was held at a rent of $75,000. A gentleman who wished to find a lawoffice, was shown a cellar in the earth, about twelve feet squareand six feet deep, which he could have at $250 per month. Oneofthe common soldiers at the battle of San Pasquale was reputed to beamong the millionaires of the place, and had an income of fiftythousand dollars monthly.

"The prices paid for labor were in proportion to everything else.The carman of Mellus Howard & Co., had a salary of $6000 a year,andmany others made from fifteen to twenty dollars daily. Servants werepaid from a hundred to two hundred dollars a month. This state ofthings, as might have been expected, did not long continue, for allthings soon find their level, and the rapid importation of produce,materials and laborers, had soon the effect of lowering the pricesto a fair and ordinary scale.

"California territory belongs to the United States of North America,and will, doubtless, in a short time, form several distinct statesin that already powerful confederacy."

MR. WILTON. "Now, George, we have arrived at the Gulf ofGeorgia;—you will not have very far to travel to the RockyMountains."

CHARLES. "The Gulf of Georgia is very considerable: it dividesQuadra or Vancouver's Island from the continent, and communicateswith the Pacific to the south by Claaset's Straits, and to the northby Queen Charlotte's Sound. Quadra is a large island, and I thinkbetter known by the name of Nootka Sound, which is at the south endof the island, and contains an English establishment."

MRS. WILTON. "The natives of Nootka Sound are not an interestingpeople, and are greatly inferior to the other tribes inhabiting thecontinent. They are short, plain-looking people, not unlike theEsquimaux. Their ordinary dress consists of a mantle edged with furat the top, and fringed at the bottom, which is made out of the barkof the pine, beaten into fibres. Their food is mostly drawn from thesea. Large stores of fish are dried and smoked, and the roes,prepared like caviare, form their winter bread. They drink fish-oil,and mix it with their food. The women go fishing occasionally, andare as skilful as the men; but their usual occupation is withindoors, preparing the fabric of which their garments are composed.Captain Cook, in speaking of their houses, says: 'They are as filthyas hog-sties,—everything in and about them stinking of fish,train-oil, and smoke.'"

GEORGE. "I shall have to travel upwards of 600 miles to tell mystory; but, as truth is worth seeking, I do not mind the trouble: sohere it is:—

Story of Boone and the Bear.

"A young man named Boone, son of the mighty American hunter, made asettling amongst the Rocky Mountains, and when his hut was erectedhe used to leave it for days, out on hunting expeditions. One night,after returning from one of these enterprises, he retired to rest onhis solitary pallet. The heat was intense, and, as usual in thesecountries during summer, he had left his door wide open. It wasabout midnight, when he was awakened by the noise of somethingtumbling in the room: he rose in a moment, and hearing a short andheavy breathing, he asked who it was, for the darkness was such thathe could not see two yards before him. No answer being given, excepta kind of half smothered grunt, he advanced,—and, putting out hishand, he seized the shaggy coat of a BEAR! Surprise rendered himmotionless; and the animal, giving him a blow on the chest with histerrible paw, threw him down outside the door. Boone could haveescaped, but, maddened with the pain of his fall, he only thought ofvengeance,—and, seizing his knife and tomahawk, which werefortunately within his reach, he darted furiously at the beast,dealing blows at random. Great as was his strength, his tomahawkcould not penetrate through the thick coat of the animal, which,having encircled the body of his assailant with his paws, waspressing him in one of those deadly embraces which could only havebeen resisted by a giant like Boone (who was six feet nine inchesin height and proportionably strong). Fortunately, the Black bear,unlike the Grizzly, very seldom uses his claws and teeth infighting, contenting himself with smothering his victim. Boonedisentangled his left arm, and with his knife dealt a furious blowupon the snout of the animal, which, smarting with pain, releasedhis hold. The snout is the only vulnerable part in an old blackbear. Even at forty yards, the ball of a rifle will flatten againsthis skull, and if in any other part of the body it will scarcelyproduce any serious effect. Boone, aware of this, and not daring torisk another hug, darted away from the cabin. The bear, now quiteangry, followed and overtook him near the fence. Fortunately, theclouds were clearing away, and the moon threw light sufficient toenable the hunter to strike with a more certain aim: he found alsoon the ground one of the rails, made of the blue ash, very heavy,and ten feet in length; he dropped his knife and tomahawk, and,seizing the rail, he renewed the fight with caution, for it had nowbecome a struggle for life or death.

"Had it been a bull or a panther, they would have had their bonesshivered to pieces by the tremendous blows which Boone dealt uponhis adversary with all the strength of despair; but Bruin is bynature an admirable fencer, and, in spite of his unwieldy shape,there is not in the world an animal whose motions are more rapid ina close encounter. Once or twice he was knocked down by the force ofthe blows, but generally he would parry them with a wonderfulagility. At last he succeeded in seizing the other end of the rail,and dragged it towards him with irresistible force. Both man andbeast fell, Boone rolling to the place where he had dropped hisarms, while the bear advanced upon him. The moment was a criticalone; but Boone was accustomed to look at and brave death under everyshape,—and, with a steady hand, he buried the tomahawk in the snoutof his enemy, and, turning round, he rushed to his cabin, believinghe would have time to secure the door. He closed the latch, andapplied his shoulders to it; but it was of no avail: the terriblebrute dashed in head foremost, and tumbled into the room, with Booneand the fragments of the door. The two foes rose and stared at eachother. Boone had nothing left but his knife; but Bruin was totteringand unsteady, and Boone felt that the match was more equal. Oncemore they closed.

"A few hours after sunrise a friend called at the hut,—and, to hishorror, found Boone apparently lifeless on the floor, and alongsideof him the body of the bear. Boone soon recovered, and found thatthe timely blow which had saved him from being crushed to death hadburied the whole blade of his knife through the left eye, in thevery brain of the huge animal."

CHARLES. "That is a spirited story, and very well told, George. Ishould not like to have been Mr. Boone in such a situation, althoughhe was a 'mighty hunter;' a bear is an ugly animal to embrace."

DORA. "Yes; and, lest we should meet with any, we will leave theRocky Mountains and go on to the north of Quadra, where are situatedKing George's Archipelago and the Admiralty Isles. The inhabitantsof the former bear some resemblance to the Esquimaux. The women wearan extraordinary kind of ornament, which gives them the appearanceof having two mouths: it consists of a small piece of wood, whichthey force into the flesh below the under lip."

MR. BARRAUD. "Those are Norfolk Sound people; but they are a kindlyrace, notwithstanding their outrageous customs; and, to show you howreadily they are affected for good or evil, I will relate acirc*mstance which happened when Captain Cleveland was trading withthem. A canoe containing eleven persons went alongside his vessel,and raised the screens at the port-holes, to look in on the deck.Before the captain had time to speak to them, the cook (either byaccident or design) threw a ladleful of hot water over them, whichcausing an involuntary and sudden motion of their bodies to theother side of the boat, immediately upset, and all were immersed inthe water. The confusion was then very great,—as those who at thetime were under the stern, engaged in traffic, fearing sometreachery, made haste to paddle away, without regarding the distressof their comrades. All of these, however, appeared to be capable oftaking care of themselves; excepting an infant of about a year old,whose struggles being observed by one of the mates, he jumpedoverboard and saved it. The weather was very raw and chilly: thecaptain had the child dried and warmed by the fire, then wrapped itin a blanket, gave it a piece of sugar, and returned it to itsparents, who were exceedingly pleased and grateful; and, as soon asall had recovered from the effects of their immersion, theirbusiness (which was trading for skins of various kinds) wasconducted throughout the day to the mutual satisfaction of allparties."

MR. WILTON. "As these islands are near the coast of Columbia, I wishto inform you that here there is an excellent harbor and a navyyard, to which ships of the largest tonnage may ascend. The yardcovers a space of thirty-seven acres, and in it are made nearly allthe anchors, cables, and blocks required for the service of theUnited States' Navy, which, although inconsiderable in point ofnumerical strength, is perhaps the best organized and most effectivein the world. The unexpected success of their frigates in contestswith British vessels of the same class has established thereputation of the American navy for skill and prowess in the eyes ofEurope; and the United States, with comparatively few ships, alreadyrank high as a naval power."

EMMA. "We now pass Admiralty Bay, go through Cook's Inlet, out bythe Straits of Chilogoff, round by the Aleutian Isles into BristolBay."

MRS. WILTON. "The Aleutian Isles are very numerous, principallyvolcanic: the three largest are Bhering's, Attoo, and Onolaska. Thenatives are of a dark brown complexion, and the women disfigurethemselves by cutting an aperture in the under lip, to which varioustrinkets are suspended. Their subsistence is principally obtained byhunting and fishing. The seal is particularly valuable to them,affording a constant supply of food and clothing. Their dwellingsare spacious excavations in the earth, roofed over with turf, asmany as 150 individuals sometimes residing in the differentdivisions."

GEORGE. "Must we go through Bhering's Straits: they will take usinto such very cold regions?"

EMMA. "We must not mind the cold if we can learn anything by going;but, as you are afraid of venturing so far, we will leave you atPoint Hope, while we make our way to Point Barrow."

CHARLES. "Appear not at Point Hope. George; for if you do, you mustnever hope to see us again. Do you know that the Indians who live inthe mountains not far from the Point are cannibals, and would seizeyou for a delicious morsel? They are not at all particular folks;and when there is a scarcity of food among them, they cast lots forvictims, and eat their relations without the slightest remorse."

MR. BARRAUD. "The fierce and savage propensities of these mountainIndians have been circ*mstantially described by an old man, who,while yet a stripling, fled from the tribe, and joined himself toanother tribe called Dog Ribs, in consequence of his finding hismother, on his return from a successful day's hunting, employed inroasting the body of her own child, his youngest brother!"

MRS. WILTON. "Oh! horrible! Let us quit this savage Point, and seewhat Point Barrow resembles."

Mr. WILTON. "It is a long spit of land composed of sand and gravel.When Captain Simpson was on an exploring expedition in the PolarSeas, he landed there, and one of the first objects that presenteditself was an immense cemetery. There, the miserable remnants ofhumanity lay on the ground, in the seal-skin dresses worn whenalive. A few were covered with an old sledge, or some pieces ofwood, but far the greater number were exposed to the voracity ofdogs and wild animals. The inhabitants of this Point are Esquimaux."

EMMA. "Bhering's Straits divide the Old from the New Continent, andthe water to the south beyond the Gulf of Anadir is called Bhering'sor Kamtschatka Sea, and washes the shores of Kamtschatka."

MRS. WILTON. "Kamtschatka is a portion of Asia, about the same sizeas Great Britain. It is a cold, foggy country, and subject to suddenstorms of snow and sleet, which the natives call 'poorgas,' andwhen overtaken by one they do not attempt to travel through it, butsuffer the snow to bury them and their dogs, and as soon as it isover, they extricate themselves as well as they can. The nativescomprising the two tribes of the Kamtschatdales and Koriaks differprincipally in their mode of life. They are all of low stature, andnot remarkable for their beauty. They are shy, averse to strangers,but honest, and extremely hospitable. They dwell in fixedhabitations, although hunters and fishers; but their dwellings arelow, comfortless, and filthy, sunk in the ground in the wintermonths, and raised on posts during summer to facilitate the curingof fish, which are hung up on lines to dry. In travelling, they usedogs harnessed to a sledge instead of horses."

DORA. "We are now to leave the coasts, and sail about in search ofthe islands in the Pacific Ocean; and, as we happen to be above theequator, we can more conveniently see those of the North Pacific. Wehave each selected our favorite isles for description, and Charlesis at the head of the catalogue."

MRS. WILTON. "To make our remarks better understood, we will, likescientific geographers, class all these islands under the head ofPolynesia, for the term is applied to the numerous groups, bothabove and below the equator, in the Pacific Ocean. The equatorforming a dividing line between North and South Polynesia. SirFrancis Drake was the first English captain to whom appertained thehonor of sailing on the Pacific Ocean.

"'The fair breeze blew,the whitefoam flew,
The furrow followed free;
He was the first that ever burst
Into that silent sea.'"[16]

CHARLES. "The Sandwich Islands appear to me one of the mostinteresting groups, although the most isolated of all in NorthPolynesia. They are ten in number,—eight inhabited,—and were namedby their discoverer, Captain Cook, in honor of the Earl of Sandwich,a minister who had warmly promoted his labors. The island of Owyhee,or more properly Hawaii, is the largest, being 415 miles incircumference. It obtained a celebrity, as the scene of CaptainCook's death, who was killed by the natives on the 14th of February,1779. A celebrity of a different kind now awaits it, as the focus ofcivilization in Polynesia. The inhabitants have, with the assistanceof the English and Americans, built twenty merchant-ships, withwhich they perform voyages to the north-west coast of America, andeven visit Canton. They used to sacrifice human victims, but werenever cannibals; they tattoo their bodies, and the women tattoo thetips of their tongues. Hawaii contains a tremendous volcano, the topof which is 16,000 feet above the level of the sea. The wholeisland, indeed, is one complete mass of lava. Christianity wasintroduced by the American missionaries in 1820, and is now thereligion of the state. Schools have been established, and churchesbuilt. Honoruru, in the Island of Cahu, is the capital of the group.Some of the houses are built of stone; but the natives still preferliving in their huts, so that the town is grotesquely irregular. Theprincipal public building is the English school, where children ofboth sexes are taught to read and write. The place is altogether ina flourishing condition, and so advanced in the refinements of life,that the news-paper, lately established in the town, sets forth thefollowing articles for sale:—'Ladies' shoes from Paris, Ices, andEau de Cologne.'"

GRANDY. "It is a great cause for thankfulness, that religion isspreading her benign influence over these volcanic isles. The womenwho, truly speaking, were the most callous and obdurate, haveexhibited bright and numerous proofs of that change of heart, whichis the single end and aim of pure Christianity. Kekupuhe, who inCook's days was one of the wives of the king of Hawaii, evinced thesincerity of her conversion, which took place in 1828, by learningto read when she was more than eighty years of age, and by inditinghymns in honor of the God of her old age."

GEORGE. "I cannot understand why they killed Captain Cook; and Ihave never read the account of his first visit to the SandwichIslands: have you, Charles?"

CHARLES. "Yes, and a very interesting account it is. On the firstappearance of the English ships, the chiefs and priests, taking themfor floating islands, imagined that their long-expected guardianspirit, 'Etuah Orono,' was arrived. Hence Captain Cook was receivedwith honor approaching to adoration, as they imagined him to betheir 'Orono.' The king was absent at the time of his arrival; butthe chief priest and his son received the captain. Scarcely were theships anchored, when a priest went on board, and decorating Cookwith a red cloth, such as adorned their deities, offered him a pigin the manner of a sacrifice, and pronounced a long harangue. Theychanted hymns before him, and priests, bearing wands, preceded himon his landing, while the in habitants prostrated themselves on theground, as he walked from the beach to the village."

GEORGE. "But if they held him in such reverence, how was it theykilled him?"

MR. WILTON. "His own imprudence brought about his melancholy end.Some time after his arrival, it appears, that one of his smallerboats was stolen by some of the natives, for the sake of the nailsin her, and was broken up the very night it was stolen. CaptainCook, angry at losing his boat, attempted to get the king on boardhis ship, to confine him there, until the boat should be restored.This caused a tumult, and in the tumult, Captain Cook was slain.There certainly was no malice in the case,—not the slightestintention of injuring him; and his body was treated in the samemanner as those of their own chiefs, the bones being assigned todifferent Eries (chiefs), who, either from affection, or from anidea of good luck attending them, desired to preserve them. Longafter Captain Cook's death, the natives believed he would re-appear,and perhaps punish them for their breach of hospitality."

MR. BARRAUD. "They are a most interesting people; and, to prove toyou how they have advanced in civilization, I will give you twoinstances of their mode of living and taking their meals. Fortyyears ago, the Rev. Mr. Stewart, being then on a mission, visited achief, and, when he entered the apartment, one of his queens wasseated on the ground à la Turc, with a large wooden trayin herlap. Upon this a monstrous cuttle-fish had just been placed, freshfrom the sea, and in all its life and vigor. The queen had taken itup with both hands, and brought its body to her mouth, and, by asingle application of her teeth, the black blood with which it wasfilled gushed over her face and neck, while the long sucking arms ofthe fish, in the convulsive paroxysm of the operation, were twistingand writhing about her head, like the snaky hairs of a Medusa.Occupied as both hands were, she could only give her visitor a nod.Mr. Stewart remarks, 'It was the first time I had seen her Majesty,and I soon took my departure, leaving her, as I found her, in thefull enjoyment of her luxurious luncheon.' Now,—observe thecontrast. In 1841, Sir George Simpson and friends visited a chief.They were received in an immense apartment: several white personswere there to meet them: all the rules of etiquette were observed ongoing to table. The chiefs were all handsomely attired, theirclothes fitting to a hair's breadth, for they had imported a tailorfrom England to make them. The dining-room was handsomely furnished,and lighted with elegant lamps. The dinner was excellent, with finepastry and preserves from every country, and the glass and plate onthe table would have been admired even in a London mansion. Thechiefs, especially the host, were men of excellent address, and,adds Sir George Simpson, 'we soon forgot that we were sipping ourcoffee in a country which is deemed uncivilized, and amongindividuals who are classed with savages. There were but fewincongruities in the course of the evening's entertainment, such ascould at all mar the effect, excepting that one of the chiefsfrequently inquired, with much solicitude, whether or not we thoughthis whiskers handsome.' In conclusion, he says, 'After chatting agood deal, and smoking a few cigars, we took our leave, highlygratified with the hospitality and courtesy of the governor and hisfriends'."

DORA. "It must have been a work of time to convert these people; fortheir belief in the power of their idols was so strong, and had beenpreserved through so many generations."

GRANDY. "The work was of God, my dear, and he made it to prosper.Civilization once introduced, the way to Christianity was paved; andthe chiefs with their wives setting the example, the mission wassoon full of hopes for the future. The great women of the islands,when converted themselves, endeavored to propagate the truths of theGospel; and amongst them, one of the most justly celebratedChristians was Kapiolani. She wished to undeceive the nativesconcerning their false gods; and knowing in what veneration Peli,the goddess of the volcano, was held, she determined to climb themountain, descend into the crater, and by thus braving the volcanicdeities in their very homes, convince the inhabitants that God isGod alone, and that the false and subordinate deities existed onlyin the fancies of their ignorant adorers. Thus determined, andaccompanied by a missionary, she, with part of her family, and anumber of followers, both of her own vassals, and those of otherchiefs, ascended Peli. At the edge of the first precipice thatbounds the sunken plain, many of her followers and companions lostcourage and turned back: at the second, the rest earnestly entreatedher to desist from her dangerous enterprise, and forbear to temptthe powerful gods of the fires. But she proceeded; and, on the veryverge of the crater, caused a hut to be constructed for herself andpeople. Here she was assailed anew by their entreaties to returnhome; and their assurances, that, if she persisted in violating thedwellings of the goddess, she would draw on herself, and those withher, certain destruction. Her answer was noble:—'I will descendinto the crater,' said she; 'and if I do not return safe, thencontinue you to worship Peli; but, if I come back unhurt, you mustlearn to adore the God who created Peli.' She accordingly went downthe steep and difficult side of the crater, accompanied by amissionary, and by some whom love or duty induced to follow her.Arrived at the bottom, she thrust a stick into the liquid lava, andstirred the ashes of the burning lake. The charm of superstition wasat that moment broken. Those who had expected to see the goddess,armed with flames and sulphurous smoke, burst forth and destroy thedaring heroine who thus braved her, in her very sanctuary, wereawe-struck when they saw the fire remain innocuous, and the flamesroll harmless, as though none were present. They acknowledged thegreatness of the God of Kapiolani; and from that time few indeedhave been the offerings, and little the reverence paid to the firesof Peli."

CHARLES. "What delightful anecdotes concerning my island! but I haveone reserved for the conclusion, which illustrates the truth of theassertion, that the women of the Sandwich Islands are superior tothe men in many exercises requiring skill, and also in their powersof endurance. The latter quality may, I believe, be fairly adjudgedto the women of all countries. 'A man and his wife, both Christians,were passengers in a schooner, which foundered at a considerabledistance from the land. All the natives on board promptly tookrefuge in the sea; and the man in question, who had just celebrateddivine service in the ill-fated vessel, called his fellows (some ofthem being converts as well as himself) around him, to offer upanother tribute of praise and supplication from the deep; exhortingthem, with a combination of courage and humility rarely equalled, toworship God in that universal temple, under whose restless pavementhe and most of his hearers were destined to find their graves. Itwas done: they called on God from the midst of the waves, and theneach struggled to save the life they valued. The man and his wifehad each succeeded in procuring the support of a covered bucket byway of a buoy; and away they struck with the rest for Kahoolawe,finding themselves next morning alone in the ocean, after a wholeafternoon and night of privation and toil. To aggravate theirmisfortunes, the wife's bucket went to pieces soon after daylight,so that she had to make the best of her way without assistance orrelief; and, in the course of the second afternoon, the man becametoo weak to proceed; till his wife, to a certain extent, restoredhis strength by shampooning him in the water. They had now Kahoolawein full view after having been about four-and-twenty hours on theirdreary voyage. In spite, however, of the cheering sight, the managain fell into such a state of exhaustion, that the woman took hisbucket for herself, giving him at the same time the hair of her headas a towing-line; and, when even this exertion proved too much forhim, the faithful creature, after trying in vain to rouse him toprayer, took his arms round her neck, holding them together with onehand, and making with the other for the shore When a very triflingdistance remained to be accomplished, she discovered that he wasdead, and dropping his corpse she reached the land before night,having swam upwards of twenty-five miles during an exposure ofthirty hours! The only means of resting from her fatigue being byfloating on the top of the water."

MR. WILTON. "Very good, Charles; but if our notes of all the otherislands in Polynesia be as extensive as those of the Sandwich Isles,I fear we shall not cross the equator before midnight."

EMMA. "I can soon quiet your fears, dear papa; for the descriptionof the remaining isles in North Polynesia rests with the eldermembers, and of course they are at liberty to abridge them if theyplease."

MR. WILTON. "In that case I will undertake to run over the Ladrones,sometimes called the Marianne Isles. There are twenty of them; butonly five are inhabited, and they lie in the south extremity of thecluster. They are so close together, and so broken and irregular intheir form and position, as to appear like fragments disjointed fromeach other, at remote periods, by some sudden convulsion of nature.The coasts consist for the most part of dark brown rocks,honey-combed in many places by the action of the waves. The islandsare fertile, abounding in hogs, cattle, horses, mules, and manyother agreeable things; while in order that, like other countries inthis sublunary world, they may lay claim to a portion ofdisagreeables, they are infested with mosquitoes and endlessvarieties of loathsome insects; and the fish that are found aroundthe coasts are not fit for food. So much for the country—now forthe natives:—They are tall, robust, and active; the men wearscarcely any covering, and the women only a petticoat of matting.Both sexes stain their teeth black, and many of them tattoo theirbodies. The Ladrone Islands were originally discovered by Magellan,who called them 'las Islas de las Ladrones' or the islands ofthieves; because the Indians stole everything made of iron withintheir reach. At the latter end of the seventeenth century, theyobtained the name of Marianne from the Queen of Spain, who sentmissionaries thither to propagate the Christian religion. Guajan isthe largest island of the group. Near the Ladrones lies the famouspyramidal rock called 'Lot's wife.' A sea neither broken norinterrupted for an immense space in all directions, here dashes withsublime violence on the solid mass which rises almostperpendicularly to a height of 350 feet. On the south-east side is adeep cavern, where the waves resound with a prodigious noise."

MR. BARRAUD. "The Philippine Isles fall to my share. They are,correctly speaking, in the Eastern Archipelago. Luzon, the mostnortherly, is the largest: it is a long narrow island, and, like allthe others, abounding in volcanoes. Gold, iron, and copper have beenfound in the mountains, and rock salt is so abundant in some partsas to be an article of export. These islands are exceedinglymountainous and fertile, but from the large swamps are veryunhealthy. There are no beasts of prey, but numerous herds ofcattle; the inhabitants, however, are too indolent to profit bythese gifts of nature; they are actually too idle to make theircow's milk into butter, and throughout the islands use hog's lardinstead, because they will not be at the trouble of keeping andmilking the cows. Rice is the chief support of the population.Sugar, coffee, and many other delightful things grow here, andcotton shrubs thrive well. Manilla is the only port of trade in thePhilippines: it is a fortified city inhabited by people from allparts of the world. This city is entered by six gates. The streetshave carriage ways and footpaths, and are lighted at night. Thehouses are solidly constructed, but, on account of earthquakes,seldom more than one story above the ground floor. Most of thehouses are furnished with balconies and verandahs; the place ofglass in the windows is supplied by thin semi transparent pieces ofshell, which though more opaque repel heat better. In the year 1762Manilla was taken by the English; but ransomed by Spain for 1,000000l. sterling. There! who can compete with my islands in value?"

MRS. WILTON. "Quantity must compensate for the loss of quality. Hereare the Caroline or New Philippines,—forty-six groups of them,comprising several hundred islands. A few of them are high, risingin peaks, but by far the greater number are merely volcanicformations. They were discovered in 1686, by a Spaniard, who namedthem after Charles II. of Spain. There are no hogs on these islands,and the inhabitants subsist chiefly on fish. They are reputed to bethe most expert sailors and fishermen in Polynesia; and,notwithstanding the tremendous sea by which they are surrounded,they have a considerable trading intercourse with the Ladrone andmany other islands."

GEORGE. "Papa, it is your turn again.—Pelew Isles."

MR. WILTON. "They are chiefly known from the accounts of CaptainWilson, who was wrecked on them in 1783. He describes theinhabitants as hospitable, friendly, and humane; and they are a gayand comparatively innocent people; but they do not appear to haveany form of religion, although they conceive that the soul survivesthe body. These islands are covered with close woods. Ebony growsin the forests. Bread-fruit and cocoa-nut trees are in abundance.Cattle, goats, poultry, &c., have been sent there and thrive well.The Pelews have a considerable trade with China.

"Now it seems to me that we had better cross the equator with allexpedition, for there are so many islands up here, we cannotpossibly go to all, and I think we have noticed the most important."

DORA. "South Polynesia then. Papua or New Guinea is my portion, andit happens to lie near the Pelew Isles. It is supposed to be thefirst part of Australia discovered by Europeans, and is the favoriteresidence of the superb and singular birds of paradise, of whichthere are ten or twelve kinds. There are three kinds reckoned themost gorgeous: viz., the King, which has two detached feathersparallel to the tail, ending in an elegant curl with a tuft: theMagnificent, which has also two detached feathers of the same lengthwith the body, very slender, and ending in a tuft: the GoldenThroat, which has three long and straight feathers proceeding fromeach side of the head. These birds are considered the best, but theyare all arrayed in brilliant colors, and all superbly magnificent.They are caught chiefly in the Aroo Isles, either by means ofbird-lime, or shot with blunted arrows. After being dried with smokeand sulphur, they are sold for nuts or pieces of iron and carried toBunda."

EMMA. "The New Hebrides are in my course, but the Friendly Isles areallotted to me."

MRS. WILTON. "Nevertheless, the New Hebrides claim a few words.They were discovered in 1506, and so named by Captain Cook. They areconsiderably hilly, and well clothed with timber. The valleys areextremely abundant, producing figs, nutmegs, and oranges, besidesthe fruits common to the rest of Polynesia. The inhabitants presentthe most ugly specimen extant of the Papuan race; the men wear nocovering, and the women, who are used as mere beasts of burden; wearonly a petticoat, made from the plantain leaf. Their canoes are morerudely constructed than in most of the other islands; and, on thewhole, these people seem to be among the most degraded of theislanders of the Pacific."

EMMA. "I should not like to live with such people; therefore we willpass on to my Friendly Islands. They are low and encircled bydangerous coral reefs; the soil is almost throughout exceedinglyrich, producing with very little care, the banana, bread-fruit, andyam. The population may amount to about 90,000; but the natives,though favorably mentioned by Captain Cook, appear to be astreacherous, savage, and superstitious as any in the worst parts ofPolynesia. The Wesleyan Missionaries established themselves in theseislands in 1821, and are reported to have met with considerablesuccess. The leading island is that which is called Tongataboo, orthe 'consecrated island.' The name is properly two words 'TongaTaboo,' signifying 'Sacred Island,' the reason of which appellativewill appear, when I tell you that the priest of this island, whosename was Diatonga, was reverenced and resorted to by all thesurrounding islands. Earthquakes are very frequent here; but theislands display a spectacle of the most abundant fertility. Thefoundations of this group are coral rocks, and there is scarcely anyother kind of stone to be found. Tongataboo has a large andexcellent harbor, which admits of being well fortified."

GRANDY. "You wisely passed the Feejees, Emma; and I will explain whyI say wisely. They have the reputation of being cannibals; butthey are industrious, and at times kindly; and their islands aretolerably fertile. A missionary ship was nearly lost here, in broaddaylight and calm weather, by coming in contact with a reef, ofwhich no previous warning was presented. George, my child, you arenext; what have you selected for your display?"

GEORGE. "The Society Islands, Grandy. They consist of six large andseveral smaller islands. The principal is called Otaheite, or moreproperly, Tahiti; which is often styled the 'Queen of the Pacific.'The whole circumference of this royal isle is 180 miles; on allsides, rivers are seen descending in beautiful cascades, and theentire land is clothed, from the water's edge to its topmost heightswith continual verdure, which for luxuriance and picturesque effect,is certainly unparalleled."

CHARLES. "Excuse me interrupting you, George; but how do youcontrive to remember all those long words?"

MR. WILTON. "I have heard of honorable members being taken to taskfor ignorance, but never for possessing superior abilities, and Isuggest that the learned member be allowed to proceed with hisaccount, without further interruption."

GEORGE. "There, Charles, you are called to 'order,' and I hope youwill not commit yourself again, by trying to break the thread of mynarrative."

CHARLES. "I am full of contrition; pray proceed, and I trust youwill find no great difficulty in joining your thread again. Ifyouare disposed to retaliate, I give you free permission to criticizeme to any extent when my turn comes."

GEORGE. "Never fear but I will watch for an opportunity. The SocietyIslanders are light-hearted, merry, and fond of social enjoyment,but, at the same time, indolent, deceitful, thievish, and addictedto the excessive use of ardent spirits. The highest ambition of anOtaheitan is to have a splendid 'morai,' or family tomb. Thefunerals, especially those of the chiefs, have a solemn andaffecting character. Songs are sung; the mourners, with sharks'teeth, draw blood from their bodies, which, as it flows, mingleswith their tears. An apron, or maro of red feathers, is thebadgeof royal dignity, and great deference is paid to the chiefs. Thesepeople manufacture handsome cloths and mats; but the commerceconsisting of pearl-shells, sugar, cocoa-nut oil, and arrow-root, inexchange for European manufactures, is carried on chiefly byforeigners, as the natives have no vessels larger than their doublecanoes. Otaheite is a fine place, but not so important a commercialstation as Oahu, in the Sandwich Islands. There, Charles, I am atthe end of my thread."

GRANDY. "And very well you have spun it, George; but as you have notinformed us on the subject of the religion of these islanders, Ipresume it is unknown to you. They believe in a sort of deity, thathe resides in the palace of heaven, with a number of otherdivinities, who are all designated 'children of the night.' Theforms of Christian worship are enforced here as rigidly as in theSandwich Islands; but civilization is considerably less advanced;although I am happy to add, in conclusion, that the people areundergoing a remarkable change, and Christianity is certainlygaining ground; for the idols are being destroyed, and the labors ofthe zealous missionaries are now sanctioned by the highestauthorities. We will make no more remarks on the Society Islands;for they have formed the subject of more writings, perhaps, thanmany a kingdom of Europe, and the Otaheitans are positively betterknown to us than the inhabitants of Sardinia or Corsica."

GEORGE. "Thanks, dear Grandy, for winding up my subject sobeautifully. Now, friend Charles, perhaps you will spin youryarn?"

CHARLES. "Most willingly; but it will be a short one, as I have verylittle material. Pitcairn's Island stands alone near the easternextremity of Polynesia. It is chiefly interesting on account of itshaving been the refuge of the mutinous crew of Captain Bligh's ship,the 'Bounty.' The mutineers, after having turned their captain and afew of the crew out in an open boat, tried to make a settlement inthe Society Islands; but failing, they, accompanied by someOtaheitans, fixed themselves in this isolated spot. They landed herein 1790, fifteen men, and twelve women. Nine of the men weremutineers; all the others were Otaheitans. Captain Beachey visitedthe island in 1825, and found about sixty persons on it, thedescendants of Captain Bligh's men. Pitcairn's Isle is a little spotnot more than seven miles in circumference, with an abrupt rockycoast. I believe the reason there are so few persons on the island,is accounted for by the dismal fate of the original settlers. Thesailors had married Otaheitan women, whose brothers in one nightmurdered them, only one escaping, whose name was Adams. On thefollowing night, the Otaheitan widows of the English inflicteddreadful vengeance, by murdering all their brothers who hadcommitted the first frightful deed. Their children grew up under thefostering care of Adams, who officiated as a sort of patriarch. Thepresent population comprises about eighty individuals, who form aninteresting link between the European and Polynesian races."

MR. WILTON. "In a Bermuda paper of August, 1848, there is aninteresting letter from a school-master named Nobbs, which is soreplete with information, that I will read it all to you, as it isnot so remarkable for its length as its interest:—

"More than twenty years ago, I left England for the express purposeof visiting Pitcairn's Island, and to remain there if I could rendermy talents available to the inhabitants. The proprietor of a smallvessel of but eighteen tons' burthen, hearing me express my anxietyto obtain a passage to Pitcairn's Island, remarked, it was a spot hehad long desired to visit, and if I would assist him in fitting outhis vessel, he would go with me. I accepted his proposal advancedhim what money I could command, and embarked from Callao de Lima,with no other person than the owner of the little cutter; and in sixweeks arrived here (Pitcairn's Island) in safety.

"'Five months after my arrival, John Adams departed this life. Afterhis decease, the superintendence of the spiritual affairs of theisland, and the education of the children, devolved on me chiefly;and from that time to the present (with the exception of ten months,during which period I was banished from the island by brute force,and recalled by letters of penitential apology), I have been withthem, and have lived to see the labor of my hands prosper; for thereis not a person on the island, between the ages of six years andtwenty-five, who has not received, or is not receiving, a tolerableeducation.

"'There is one untoward but prominent object on the horizon ofpaternal affection, and which, though imperceptibly, yet rapidlyapproaches our increasing colony, and that is the imperiousnecessity of a separation; for so very limited are the availableportions of the island, that some families who number ten or twelvepersons, have not five acres of arable land to divide among them.

"'Animal food is a luxury obtained with difficulty once or twice inthe week; and though we have, by dint of very hard labor, beenenabled to obtain cloth and other indispensable necessaries fromwhale-ships, in exchange for potatoes, yet this resource isbeginning to fail us; not from scarcity of visitors, but frominability on our part to supply them.

"'This is the exact state of affairs at present: how much it will beaggravated ten years from this, may be imagined, but cannot be fullyrealized even by ourselves. Whether the British Government willagain interest itself in our behalf, is doubtful; if it does not,despite the most assiduous industry, a scanty allowance of potatoesand salt must be the result, and the "Tibuta" and "Maro," will bethe unchanging food and raiment of the rising generation.'"

GEORGE. "What a pity the coral insects have not been at work there,and enlarged these poor peoples' island; then they could have allremained together, and brought up their families. As it is, somemust migrate. Charles, you are very ingenious; cannot youcontrivea plan for overcoming these difficulties."

CHARLES. "Much as I should glory in benefiting mankind, I could notby any effort or sacrifice ameliorate the condition of these poorpeople, although I would willingly do anything in my power totestify my sorrow for their wretched destitution."

DORA. "I fear none of us can accord them more than our sympathy; sowe must needs journey on to the Marquesas, which were discovered bythe Spaniards in 1595. There are thirteen. The largest, Nukahiva, isabout seventy miles in circumference, and is the only one generallyfrequented by shipping. The coast scenery is neither picturesque norinviting; its principal features being black, naked cliffs, orbarren hills; but in the interior are grassy plains and forestsfilled with birds of elegant plumage. The inhabitants, with regardto personal beauty, are superior to most of the Polynesian tribes,some of the women being almost as fair as a European; incivilization, however, they are far behind the Sandwich Islanders.They have steadily resisted all attempts to convert them toChristianity, and have practised cannibalism within a very recentperiod. The tattooing of the Marquesans is remarkable for itsregularity and good taste."

CHARLES. "You call them Marquesans, Dora? I thought they wereKannaks."

DORA. "So they denominate themselves: but I have more to tell youyet. They are all excellent swimmers; men, women, and children. Theythrow themselves fearlessly into the water several times a day, and,although in a state of perspiration, they suffer no harm. They arealso dexterous climbers of trees; making the ascent like monkeys,with the hands and feet only. But their treatment of their sick is,in the highest degree, cruel and unnatural. Instead of givingassistance, every one shuns the invalid; and if he is thought to beat all in the way, he is taken to some distant spot, whither it isthought sufficient to carry him food at intervals. It is also theircustom to prepare the dying man's coffin before his eyes; and whatis still more incredible, when they see him about to render up hislast sigh, they place a bit of moistened 'tapa'[17] in his mouth,whilst the fingers of some friend are employed in closing thelipsand nostrils!"

GRANDY. "All this appears very unfeeling to us my dear; but crueltyis not the intention of the poor Kannaks. They believe that the soulescapes with the parting breath, and their desire is to secure thespirit within the body until the body wastes; when, according totheir doctrine, it animates another body, which, during the processof decomposition in the old one, has been created in a far distantisland, where all the good things of this life are found inabundance, and the soul flies thither as soon as its old habitationis destroyed."

EMMA. "Poor people! What a lamentable state of ignorance! How I pitythem. Are there any more miserable people to be visited here?"

CHARLES. "Well, here are the Low Islands to the south of theMarquesans; but I have not the pleasure of an acquaintance with thepeople, therefore I cannot say if they be happy or miserable.Gambia, Crescent, and Clermont Isles are the principal. Gambiacontains upwards of a thousand inhabitants. Crescent Isle is notvery fertile, and occupied by a few natives, who have erected littlehuts their, and procure a scanty subsistence."

MR. BARRAUD. "Those islands were discovered by the ship 'Duff,' whenon a missionary voyage in the year 1797. We shall have to retraceour steps to come to the large islands in our chart; but EasterIsland is so near, it may be as well to call; although we may gainnothing by the visit, for it is a sterile spot inhabited bydemi-savages, who worship small wooden deities. They tattoothemselves so as to have the appearance of wearing breeches. Most ofthem go naked; some few wear a maro which is made either offineIndian cloth of a reddish color, of a wild kind of parsley, or of aspecies of sea-weed."

GEORGE. "There are more small islands before we go to New Zealand orAustralia, and I have an account of one,—viz., New Caledonia, lyingsouth-west of the New Hebrides. It is rather a large island, rockyfor the most part; and there not being much food for animals, veryfew are found there. One, however, must be mentioned. It is a spidercalled a 'nookee,' which spins a thread so strong, as to offer asensible resistance before breaking. This animal (for I havediscovered that a spider is not an insect) constitutes part of thepeople's food. The inhabitants are cannibals from taste. Theyeatwith an air of luxurious pleasure the muscular parts of the humanbody, and a slice of a child is esteemed a great dainty. Horriblewretches! They wear no clothes; the women just have a girdle offibrous bark, and the men sometimes encircle their heads with afillet of sewed net-work or leaves, and the hair of the vampirebat. Their houses are in the form of beehives, and the door-postsare of carved planks."

DORA. "New Zealand, almost the antipodes of England, lies in theSouth Pacific, and consists of two large islands, the extreme pointsof which are called North and South Cape. Near North Cape is NorfolkIsland, where the English, at one time, had a flourishing colony,now removed to Van Diemen's Land. We must all help to work our shipround these larger islands, for no individual can be responsible forthe entire management."

MRS. WILTON. "I will set the example. New Zealand was discovered byTasman in 1642; but its extent and character were ascertained byCook in his voyage of 1774. It is now a regularly established colonybelonging to the British crown. There is a bishop, several clergymenof the Church of England, and many other missionaries residentthere. It is a fertile group, but contains several active volcanoes.In the north island, or New Ulster, are various cavities, whichappear to be extinct craters; and in their vicinity numerous hotsprings are to be met with; some of them, as they rise to boilingpoint, the natives use for cooking."

GRANDY. "The New Zealanders belong to the Malay family: they are afine handsome race, and possess fewer of the vices of the savagethan almost any other savage people. The Missionaries have beeneminently successful in the conversion of the natives toChristianity. The first establishment formed there, was commenced inthe Bay of Islands, at a village called Rangiona, in 1814. Thepersons were sent out by the Church Missionary Society, and havenever relaxed in their endeavors to promote the laudable work ofconverting the heathen natives from the error of theirsuperstitions, although they have had numerous difficulties toovercome. They went out, in the strength of the Lord, resolved to donothing in strife or vain-glory, but all in lowliness of mind,esteeming others better than themselves: and they succeedednotwithstanding the numerous hindrances; for the work was of God,and He gave them power to do all things without murmuring, in orderto attain the salvation of the souls of their fellow-creatures."

MR. BARRAUD. "The Bay of Islands is quite in the north, and has beenfor the last thirty years the favorite resort of whale-ships.Upwards of thirty vessels have been anchored there at the same time;and at this bay the chief intercourse between European vessels andNew Zealand has principally taken place. Numerous islands aresprinkled over the space, and several creeks or entrances of riverspenetrate the surrounding country. It is on the north and west sidesof this bay that the principal territories of Shunghee, the NewZealand chief who visited this country, are situated; and in thesespots the horrid rites of this superior race of savages have alsobeen witnessed."

MR. WILTON. "It is remarkable that when New Zealand was firstdiscovered, there were no animals whatever on the islands except afew species of lizards, which quadrupeds the inhabitants held ingreat veneration and terror. Even the rat and dog were introducedby Europeans; and the rat is at present the principal species ofgame. A good many parrots, parroquets, wild ducks, pigeons oflarge size and fine flavor, inhabit the forests; and poultry arefound to thrive very well, though not yet reared to any greatextent. Indeed, if we except their prisoners of war, (for the NewZealanders were cannibals,) almost the only animal foodhithertoused by them has been fish, which abounds around their coasts."

GEORGE. "They must be right glad that Europeans have visited them."

CHARLES. "I understand that when pigs were first introduced into NewZealand, the natives, not knowing what animals they were, nor whatwere their uses, mounted two, and forthwith rode them to death! Theyhad seen some horses on board Captain Cook's vessel, and supposedthe pigs to be for the same purpose."

MRS. WILTON. "The New Zealanders are a fine race, but not exemptfrom vice. They do not regard lying or stealing as crimes, and areremarkable for their propensities to make use of thesequalifications on every available occasion. Captain Cook relates aninstance which will give you a tolerable idea of the nativecharacter:—He had been purchasing a great quantity of fish from thenatives. He says, 'While we were on the traffic, they showed a greatinclination to pick my pockets; and to take away the fish with onehand which they had just given me with the other. This evil, one ofthe chiefs undertook to remove, and with fury in his eyes made ashow of keeping the people at a proper distance. I applauded hisconduct, but at the same time kept so good a look-out as to detecthim picking my pocket of a handkerchief, which I suffered him toput in his bosom, before I seemed to know anything of the matter,and then told him what I had lost. He seemed quite ignorant andinnocent, until I took it from him; then he put it off with a laugh,acting his part with so much address, that it was hardly possible tobe angry with him; so we remained good friends, and he accompaniedme on board to dinner.'"

EMMA. "But they are better now, are they not?"

MRS. WILTON. "Very slightly in these points, my dear; and still lessso as regards their superstitions. Generations to come may be freefrom these vices; but at present they are too deeply rooted to bediscarded altogether. They have some curious and simple notionspeculiar to themselves, and some extraordinary legends concerningnatural objects of earth, sea, and sky. They account for theappearance of the face in the moon thus:—They say, 'A native girl,named Rona, went with a calabash to fetch water. The moon hid herpale beams behind dark and sweeping clouds. The maid, vexed at thisuncourteous behavior, pronounced a curse on the celestial orb; butas a punishment, for so doing, she stumbled and fell. The moondescended—raised the maid from the ground, and took her to resideon high, in her realms of silvery light.'"

MR. BARRAUD. "A curious idea: they have many such. I remember ananecdote of a chief who lost a son for whom he grieved greatly; butone day a European met him, and observed he was very merry: heaccosted him, and inquired the cause of so sudden a discontinuanceof his grief. The chief replied, he had passed a bush some few dayspreviously, when his late son, who had inserted himself into thebody of a little Tikan bird, whistled to him, and bade him dry uphis tears, as he felt perfectly satisfied with the quarters he thenoccupied. 'Shall I grieve at his happiness?' added the old man."

DORA. "There is a sweet simplicity about that little story whichprepossesses me in favor of these New Zealanders, although they wereonce such horrible cannibals. Do they not tattoo very much?"

MR. WILTON. "The art of tattooing has been brought to suchperfection here, that it actually excites admiration. It is lookedupon as answering the same purposes as clothes. When a chief throwsoff his mats, he seems as proud of displaying the beautifulornaments figured on his skin, as a civilized dandy does of hisfashionable attire. Mr. Earle speaks of a man named Aranghie, aprofessor of the art of tattooing, thus:—'He was considered by hiscountrymen a perfect master in the art, and men of the highest rankand importance were in the habit of travelling long journeys, inorder to put their skins under his skilful hands. Indeed, so highlywere his works esteemed, that I have seen many of his drawingsexhibited even after death. A neighbor of mine very lately killed achief who had been tattooed by Aranghie, and appreciating theartist's work so highly, he skinned the chieftain's thighs, andcovered his cartouch box with it!—I was astonished to see with whatboldness and precision Aranghie drew his designs upon the skin, andwhat beautiful ornaments he produced: no rule and compasses could bemore exact than the lines and circles he formed. So unrivalled is hein his profession, that a highly finished face of a chief from thehands of this artist, is as greatly prized in New Zealand as a headfrom the pencil of Sir Thomas Lawrence is amongst us. Such respectwas paid to this man by the natives, that Mr. Earle expresses thegratification he felt, on seeing the fine arts held in suchestimation by the savages."

MR. BARRAUD. "I do not doubt but the New Zealanders are stillcannibals in heart; for, so late as 1832, when Mr. Earle was there,he unfortunately had ocular proof of the fact. He had been residingwith them some months, when a chief claimed one of his (Mr. Earle's)servants, stating she was a runaway slave. He tied her to a tree andshot her through the heart, and his men prepared an oven and cookedher. Mr. Earle heard of it, and hastened to the spot. He caught themin the act of preparing some of the poor girl's flesh, andendeavored, in vain, to prevent the horrible feast; but to nopurpose; for they assembled at night and devoured every morselexcept the head, which he saw a hungry dog run off with to thewoods. The poor girl was only sixteen years of age, pretty andwell-behaved, and her murderer was one of the aristocracy of NewZealand, and, as Mr. Earle observes, a remarkably polite savage."

CHARLES. "We must bid adieu to these interesting savages, and passon to the last, but certainly not the least, of the Pacificislands.—viz. Australia."

MR. WILTON. "As all land is surrounded by water, and continentsdiffer from islands merely in point of size, and as Australia or NewHolland is in extent as large as Europe, and ten times larger thaneither Borneo or New Guinea, it is certainly more proportionate withcontinents than with islands; and it seems reasonable to classAustralia with the former rather than with the latter."

MRS. WILTON. "With Australia we close our investigations. To use anautical expression, it is, compared with Europe and Asia, almost aniron-bound coast. It possesses only two large indentations,—theGulf of Carpentaria on the north, and Spencer's Gulf on the south.Shark's Bay, on the west, and Hervey's Bay, on the east, are thenext in size."

MR. WILTON. "New Holland was discovered by Paulmyer de Gonville.That navigator sailed from Honfleur for the East Indies about themiddle of 1503, and experienced a violent storm off the Cape of GoodHope, during which he lost his reckoning, and was driven into anunknown sea. After sailing for some time, he observed birds flyingfrom the south, and, directing his course towards that quarter, hesoon fell in with land. This was thought to have been New Holland orAustralia."

MR. BARRAUD. "It is remarkable how extremely ignorant theAustralians are: they are certainly the lowest in intellect of thehuman creation. The tribes on the western shores of Spencer's Bayare positively ignorant of any method of obtaining fire: they saythat it originally came down from the north. Like the vestalvirgins, the women keep it constantly lighted, and carry it aboutwith them in firesticks when they travel: should it happen to goout, they procure a fresh supply from a neighboring encampment. Thentheir manners are so atrociously savage. Their mode of courtship isone which I fancy would not become popular among English ladies. Ifa chief, or any other individual, be in love, with a damsel of adifferent tribe, he endeavors to waylay her; and if she be surprisedin any quiet place, the ambushed lover rushes upon her, beats herabout the head with his 'waddie' till she becomes senseless, when hedrags her in triumph to his hut, and thenceforth she is his lawfulwife!"

GRANDY. "After that, you will readily credit the story I am going totell you. A Mr. Meredith went over with his goods to KangarooIsland, whence he journeyed across the bay to Yankalilly, where hebuilt a hut, placed in it a glass window or two, and made it looksnug. As he was a young man of about twenty-one or twenty-two, hiswarm, generous spirit had led him into difficulties; and, thefriends of his brief sunshine flying from him in his distress, hecontracted a disgust for the world. He lived some time amongst thesepeople, acquired their language, and seemed to be beloved by themall. But volumes might be filled with accounts of their treachery,and the sequel will sufficiently prove the malignity of thesewretched people. He had adopted one of their sons, and wasendeavoring to instruct him in a few points of education. He hadalso taken a native woman to assist him in household matters. Oneday he went out in his boat, and his favorite boy went with him.When in the boat, the boy complained of hunger, and Mr. Meredithgave him a biscuit. The boy commenced eating it, when Mr. Meredith(who was a religious man) observed that he had not thanked the GreatGod for the food,—a practice which he invariably endeavored toinculcate. The boy appeared unwilling to do so: Mr. Meredithinsisted, and on his refusal, he boxed his ears. The boy thereuponleaped out of the boat, and swam ashore, saying, he should repentit.

"In the evening, Mr. Meredith put his boat ashore, and went to hishut, had his supper, and was preparing for bed; and taking up aprayer-book, as was his custom, was reading the prayers before thefire, with his back to the door, when some natives looked throughthe window, saw their advantage, and opened the door silently. Thewoman, his attendant, then entered with an axe belonging to him inher hand, and several men followed her. She approached theunsuspecting youth, and, while his soul was devoutly engaged inprayer, she raised the fatal axe, and, with one blow, severed hisskull, and the men with their clubs beat his body into a shapelessmass."

EMMA. "Poor Mr. Meredith! What a frightful murder!"

MRS. WILTON. "The Australians thought nothing of it, for they gloryin the most atrocious deeds. I fear it will be long before they willbe civilized. But let us look at their country, of which, in somerespects, but little can be said; for it is not remarkable for itsfertility, and in many parts exceedingly barren. But few animalsrange there, and in the south-west the natives subsist during thewinter chiefly on opossums, kangaroos, and bandicoots, in the summerupon roots, with occasionally a few fish."

DORA. "Port Adelaide appears to be a neat town. Its harbor is a deepcreek or inlet of the sea, running out of Gulf St. Vincent: itcontains two spacious wharfs, alongside of which, vessels from GreatBritain, Singapore, Manilla, China, Mauritius, Sydney, Hobart Town,and New Zealand, are continually discharging their cargoes."

MRS. WILTON. "There are many lakes in Australia, but none of themvery large. Lake Alexandria is the largest, but it is very shallow;and Lake St. George, the second in size, which, in 1828, was a sheetof water 17 miles long by 7 broad, was said by an old native femaleto have been a forest within her memory, and in 1836 it was dried upto a grassy plain."

EMMA. "Does not Van Diemen's Land belong to New Holland, mamma?"

MRS. WILTON. "Yes, my dear; and the part nearest to it is New SouthWales, from which it is separated by Bass's Straits, which are 100miles broad, and contain a great many small islands. Van Diemen'sLand was discovered by Tasman, in 1644, and named by him in honor ofthe Dutch Governor-General of the East Indies: but it is now moreappropriately called Tasmania. This island contains severalmountains of considerable elevation. The highest is ascertained tobe 3964 feet in height. Hobart Town is the capital. The populationof Tasmania has of late years much increased, for, owing to itseligibility, the tide of emigration has been strong. For many years,three or four vessels have annually sailed from Great Britain, ladenwith emigrants possessed of more or less capital, and they have, inmost cases, prospered equal to their expectations."

GEORGE. "Are there not more coral reefs about Australia than in anyother part of the Ocean?"

MR. WILTON. "It is generally supposed so; but, in asking thatquestion, do you know what coral reefs are?"

GEORGE. "Yes, papa; they are the work of insects, who build them fortheir habitations; but it is very wonderful."

GRANDY. "It is wonderful, my dear; and there are many othermarvellous productions of the Most High God, so infinitely beyondthe power of man to produce, that, in meditating on them, the mindis lost in wonder and surprise. 'The most powerful, acutest, andholiest mind,' says a learned divine, 'will eternally be unablefully to find out God, or perfectly to comprehend Him.' May thesewonders then increase our reverence, and humble us before the mightyCreator of all things."

MR. WILTON. "Captain Hall examined some coral reefs during thedifferent stages of one tide, and gives the following description asthe result:—'When the tide has left it for some time, it becomesdry, and appears to be a compact rock, exceedingly hard and rugged;but as the tide rises, and the waves begin to wash over it, thecoral worms protrude themselves from holes that were beforeinvisible. These animals are of a great variety of shapes and sizes,and, in such prodigious numbers, that, in a short time, the wholesurface of the rock appears to be alive and in motion. The mostcommon worm is in the form of a star, with arms from four to sixinches long, which are moved about with a rapid motion, in alldirections, probably to catch food. Others are so sluggish, thatthey may be mistaken for pieces of rock; and are generally of a darkcolor, from four to five inches long, and two or three round. Whenthe coral is broken about high-water mark, it is a solid hard stone;but if any part of it be detached at a spot where the tide reachesevery day, it is found to be full of worms of different lengths andcolors, some being as fine as a thread and several feet long, of abright yellow, and sometimes of a blue color; others resemblesnails, and some are not unlike lobsters in shape, but soft, andnot above two inches long.'"

DORA. "We must be content to see these in imagination. But sometimesI feel disposed to regret that we are not really afloat in the'Research;' and at other times I congratulate myself that the voyageis only imaginary; for in Polynesia particularly, we have met withso many ignorant, savage people, it is well for us that we can, ifwe choose, steer clear of them. I suppose it would not be possiblein all Europe to find a country where such unreasonable things weredone from religious superstition?"

GRANDY. "My dear Dora, you are very much mistaken. Europe has been,and still is in many parts, a slave to superstition; and, althoughnot savages, there are many vices and iniquitous deeds committed incivilized Europe, which no temptation would induce the savages ofPolynesia to commit. But, to assure your mind that horrible crimeswere perpetrated from zeal in the doctrines of their religion, Iwill give you an instance connected with Sweden in olden time. Thestory is told by a slave girl named Kumba, thus:—'My mother wasamongst the slaves of Queen Gunnild: she was the most faithful ofher servants. Poor and heavy was her lot, yet did she wish to live.My father was a free-born person, who thought little of forsakingthe woman who loved him, and the child she had nursed for him. Iremember a night—that night has stretched itself over my wholelife. Flames arose from a pile: they ascended high into heaven. Itwas the corpse of the Queen which was burned. My mother was amongstthose who tended the pile: she with many others was cast alive intothe flames. The Queen, it was said, needed her attendance in anotherworld. I stood amongst the people, still a child, and heard mymother's cry, and saw her burn! Fatherless and motherless, I wentthence into the world alone, and wandered in the woods withoutknowing whither. There came people who seized me, and carried meback to the Court of King Atle. They said that I wished to run away,and I was conducted to the presence of the king. I answeredhaughtily to his questions, and he caused me to be whipped till theblood came: in punishment, as he said, of my disobedience.' Is notthat barbarous enough for a savage land, Dora?"

DORA. "Oh yes, madam, that is very shocking. Poor, unhappy Kumba!What a life of wretchedness was hers."

MR. WILTON. "Grandy's story must conclude our conversation to-night.At the next meeting we will endeavor to explore the coast of Africa,and visit the islands of the Indian Ocean. Carry away the books,boys: I am sure you must all be hungry, and tired too, for we havebeen over an immense space of water.

"Right gaily our bark'sglided overthe ocean,
Bright nature we've viewed inmajesticarray;
But our own native shores we greetwith emotion,
For the heart of a Briton exults inhersway."

CHAPTER VII.

They journeyed at night
In the pale moonlight,
'Mid sunshine and storm on theysail'd;
Baffling winds and still calms
Caused our friends no alarms,
For Faith ever fearless prevail'd.

"It is of no use, Emma: I cannot do it. Girls are certainly a mostpersevering race of beings, and you deserve to be at the top of theclass; for, if you determine to accomplish anything, I believe noteven Mr. Stanley's knock at the door, or, what would be more to you,Dora Leslie's loving kiss, would make you swerve from your purpose.Ah well! You are quite welcome to the work; and if you are nottired, I know I am, and these very important articlesmay remainunpacked for the trouble I shall take. I wonder you are soparticular about them: what signifies how they are put in, if youcan but shut the box? It can be of no consequence; and yet you havebeen on your knees for the last two hours, arranging and placing,until I am positively weary with watching you."

"George! George! Where is your boasted patience? Your fellowtraveller in your anticipated voyage? Only see what a triflingexertion makes you weary and complaining. Now, suppose I actaccording to your sage proposition, and merely fill the trunk; wecan then both jump on the lid, and make it shut—what think youwould be the effect?"

GEORGE. "Well, my most patient sister, I think it very probable thatmy microscope would be smashed to atoms, and all your little knickknacks reduced to a similar condition. But surely there is nonecessity for such violent means to secure the lid: let me see, Ihave no doubt it will shut quite easily."

"There, you see it will not shut," said Emma, as George in vainendeavored, by moderate pressure, to bring the lid to its properplace. "Now the things must be arranged differently; and, ifyouwill only help me this once, we shall have done before Dora or Mr.Stanley or any one else knocks at the door: come, be my own goodbrother, and lay all these parcels carefully on the floor while Ifind places for them."

Emma looked so irresistibly kind and coaxing, that George once moregood humoredly set to work; and presently the carpet was strewedwith packages, apparently sufficient to fill three such trunks, butwhich Emma was determined should be snugly packed into one.

The articles might almost be arranged alphabetically, there was sucha miscellaneous collection; but the variety in their size and shaperendered it actually a puzzle to dispose them so as to allow spacefor all, without the hazard of any portion being crushed.

"Perseverance overcomes difficulties," said Emma, as she carefullydeposited the last paper, and turned the key in the lock.

"Hurrah!" shouted George. "Now we have done it. Well, really, I didnot think it possible: only imagine the number of parcels in thatone trunk, Emma! What a treat it will be when we get to Jamaica tounpack it all again. Oh dear! how I wish we were there!"

"Miss Emma, you are wanted," said Hannah, entering the room;"Mistress cannot find the books that came to-day, and she wants topack them up."

"Ah! it is nothing but pack up now all day, and every roomis inconfusion," said George, wearily. "Well, I am glad our share is atan end for this day, for I am heartily tired of the business,andshall be thoroughly glad when there is nothing more left to packup."

"Oh! master George, how impatient you are," exclaimed Hannah. "Butcome, you have no time to be grumbling now. Only look at your dirtyfingers, and dinner will be ready in five minutes: why, you willscarcely be washed before the bell rings;" and the anxious maidbustled out of the room with her weary charge.

The mention of Mr. Stanley's name requires an explanation. On theprevious evening, when Mr. Wilton returned from his office, hebrought with him a letter, which he put into George's hand aftertea, desiring him to read it aloud. It was from Mr. Stanley, andGeorge almost shouted for joy, when he read that his dear, dearfriend was then at Liverpool, and hoped to be with them the nextday to dinner.

"What a grand muster we shall have to-night, George," said Mr.Wilton, while they were waiting the arrival of their expected guest."Why, we shall not find sufficient subject for so many speakers,shall we?"

"Oh yes! papa. Emma and I have been too busy, packing up, toprepare much. Besides, Mr. Stanley is sure to have a great deal totell: he has been away so long, and seeing strange countries all thewhile. But there he is! I saw him pass the window;" and away ranGeorge to embrace his beloved friend.

"What bright eyes and rosy cheeks!" exclaimed Mr. Stanley, kissinghis pet. "My boy has indeed grown since I was here: why you willsoon reach my shoulder. I suppose, when next I come, I must inquirefor Mr. Wilton, junior. But where is sister Emma, and mamma andpapa, and dear, kind Grandy?"

"Oh! they are all in the dining-room," replied George: "we were onlywaiting for you, sir."

Into the dining-room they went accordingly; and the welcome guestwas soon engaged, equally with the rest of the party, in discussinga hearty meal, and the various events that had taken place duringhis absence.

The hours flew like moments; and the arrival of the other membersquite astonished George, who had no idea it was so near seveno'clock. He was in high glee, as he assisted Charles in placing thechairs and books. But when Mr. Stanley, taking his hand, requestedpermission to sit by his side, the proud and happy boy lookeddoubtingly into his face, not thoroughly comprehending the drift ofthe request.

"I am anxious to have the services of an experienced pilot throughthe stormy seas," said Mr. Stanley; "and if you are by my side,George, to direct me, I think I can manage to steer clear ofdifficulties."

"Now, you are joking," returned George: "why, you have positivelybeen to these very countries, and yet apply to me fordirections!But I understand the reason. You intend to make observations onsubjects not geographical, and I expect you will be keeping asharp look-out on my observations, to discover what progress Ihave made lately."

MR. STANLEY. "I perceive already that there is a decidedimprovement, my boy; and I candidly aver that I expect to be edifiedby these juvenile discoveries. Now to business—weigh anchor andstart. Who is pilot?"

CHARLES. "I have charge of the 'Research' for the present; but I amnot an experienced navigator, and if I happen to run you on a shoal,I hope all hands will help to get the vessel clear off?"

MR. BARRAUD. "We will make due allowance for your youth andinexperience, Charles. Now give your orders."

CHARLES. "The first voyage, we are to navigate the Indian Ocean,calling on as many Robinson Crusoes as we can find in the variouslittle islands: our second voyage is to explore the whole coast ofAfrica.

"Our ship was last at anchor off the coast of New Holland, and ournext stoppage will be at the Moluccas. The name signifies 'RoyalIslands,' and was given by the Arabs in the days of their maritimeprosperity. The principal are Celebes, Gililo, and Ceram. Dora,Emma, and George have patronized those isles, and will set forththeir various qualifications."

DORA. "Celebes is the largest of the Moluccas, and is a ragged,irregular-looking island, in shape similar to a star-fish. Theinhabitants are rendered active, industrious, and robust by anaustere education. At all hours of the day, the mothers rub theirchildren with oil or water, and thus assist nature in forming theirconstitutions. At the age of five or six, the male children ofpersons of rank are put in charge of a friend, that their couragemay not be weakened by the caresses of relatives, and habits ofreciprocal tenderness. They do not return to their families untilthey attain the age at which the law declares them fit to marry.Celebes was first discovered by the Portuguese in 1512; but theDutch expelled them in 1660, and it now belongs to them. Unlike mostof the other islands, it abounds in extensive grassy plains, freefrom forests, which are looked upon as the common property of thetribes who dwell thereon, and are carefully guarded from theintrusion of aliens. The people are Mohammedans."

GEORGE. "Gililo is Celebes in miniature, being of the same singularshape, and producing similar fruits. I have little more of itsadvantages to set forth. But near here is a portion of the Oceancalled Molucca Sea, which possesses a strange peculiarity. It is theperiodical appearance of a current of opaque white water, like milk,which, from June to August or September, covers the surface of thebasin in which the Banda Islands are situated. During the night itis somewhat luminous, which makes the spectator confound it with thehorizon. It is dangerous for vessels, for the sea seems to undergoan inward boiling agitation wherever it passes. During itsprevalence the fish disappear. This white water is supposed to comefrom the shores of New Guinea and the Gulf of Carpentaria."

MR. STANLEY. "You are slightly wrong, George, in stating thiscurious sea to be near Gililo. Gililo is on, the equator, andtheMolucca Sea is at least 5° below the equator, and directlysouthof Ceram."

EMMA. "Ceram produces quantities of sago, and contains large forestsof those trees: they are extremely profitable, for one tree willsometimes yield as much as five or six hundred pounds of sago! Theoriginal inhabitants were called Alfoors, and, as some of the racestill exist, I will introduce them. The only dress of the men is agirdle encircling the loins. They fix bunches of palm leaves totheir heads, shoulders, and knees, and wear square bucklers, whichthey ornament with considerable taste. The eyesight of these peopleis uncommonly acute; and their swiftness is such as to enable themto chase the wild hog with success. Rats and serpents form part oftheir food. This island is equally fertile with the other Moluccas,and produces spices of all kinds, but particularly cloves andnutmegs. There are, happily, more Christians now to be found inCeram than there were a few years since: nevertheless the majorityare still Mohammedans, and barbarous in their habits."

MR. BARRAUD. "Yes. Very little improvement has taken place in themanners of the Alfoors. The young men, even to this day, adhere tothe savage practice of propitiating their intended wives, bypresenting them with the heads of five or six of their enemies. Inorder to seize their victims by surprise, they lie in ambush in thewoods, cover themselves with moss, and hold branches of trees intheir hands, which they shake in a manner so natural, that they havethe appearance of real trees: they then allow the enemy to pass,assassinate him by coming up behind him, and, cutting off his head,carry it away as a trophy. These murderers are received by thepeople of the village with all the honors of a barbarous triumph."

MR. STANLEY. "These identical Alfoors have a singular method ofevincing their respect for friends or visitors: as an instance: Oneof the kings (for the nation has three to share the government)invited a Dutch missionary to an entertainment. When Mr. Montarnesarrived, he was received with great demonstrations of joy, andtreated by the king with the most splendid repast that theresources of the country could afford. When the meal was over, theking ordered a number of men armed with swords to step forward. Theyperformed a war-dance, and, after a few feats of this sort,commenced a serious fight: their swords clashed, blood flowed, andsome of their bodies were laid dead on the ground. The peacefulminister of religion, shocked at the horrid spectacle, entreated theking to put a stop to it. 'It is nothing,' was the reply: 'they aremy slaves! it is only the death of a few dogs! Happy shall I be ifthis mark of my high respect convinces you of my eager desire toplease you!'"

GRANDY. "Astonishing! that people with any belief in a superiorpower, should hold life in such low estimation; and, simply foramusem*nt, deprive a fellow-creature of that which their utmoststretch of power cannot restore. Oh! may God, in his mercy, soonenlighten these wretched Alfoors, and write in plain characters onthe tables of their hearts—'Thou shalt do no murder.'"

CHARLES. "We now come to Java, one of the finest and mostflourishing colonies in the world. It is about 600 miles in length,and 90 miles average breadth; almost entirely volcanic; therefore,metals and precious stones are not to be expected. Iron is not to befound in Java; indeed, it is extremely rare in the wholeArchipelago; consequently it bears a high price, and the art of theblacksmith is held in a sort of reverence. The term for a son of theanvil signifies 'learned.' The inhabitants of this island tracetheir origin to a monkey, which they call 'woo-woo.' They are, forthe most part, Mohammedans, but not strict, as they will nothesitate to drink wine at the religious festivals."

MRS. WILTON. "The Javanese are remarkable for their veracity andlove of music: their ear is so delicate, that they readily learn toplay the most difficult and complex airs on any instrument. They areremarkable also for their superstition, and people their forests,caves, and mountains with numerous invisible beings of their owncreation. I will quote two instances of whimsical superstition,which took place in Java about thirty years ago. The skull of abuffalo was conducted from one end of the island to the other; thisskull was to be kept in constant motion, for a dreadful fate was toawait the individual who detained it in his possession, or allowedit to rest. After travelling many hundred miles, it reachedSamarang, where the Dutch governor caused it to be thrown into thesea. No person could tell how this originated; but no person refusedto obey while the skull was on terra firma. Again, in 1814, asmooth road, fifty or sixty miles long, and twenty feet broad,leading to the top of an inland mountain, called Sumbong, wassuddenly formed, crossing no rivers, but passing in an undeviatingline through private property of all descriptions. The population ofwhole districts was employed in the labor, and all because an oldwoman dreamed that a divine personage was to descend on themountain!"

"Oh! how very ridiculous!" exclaimed Charles. "Such silly peopledeserve to be imposed upon, for not using the faculties theypossess, to greater advantage."

GRANDY. "When once superstition usurps the throne of reason,Charles, it is a difficult task to displace her. There are so manypleasing fallacies connected with her sway over the naturallyindolent mind of man, that reason is altogether banished, andsuperstition's authority knows no bounds."

MR. STANLEY. "Java produces, in great abundance, the Hirundoesculenta, a species of swallow, whose nests are used as an articleof luxurious food among the Chinese. This nest has the shape of acommon swallow's nest, and the appearance of ill-connectedisinglass. The bird always builds in the caves of the rocks, at adistance from any human dwelling. Along the sea-shore, these nestsare particularly abundant, the caverns there being more frequent.The finest are those obtained before the nest has been contaminatedby young birds. Some of the caverns are very difficult of access,and dangerous to climb; so that none can collect the nests butpersons accustomed to the trade from their youth."

GEORGE. "Oh, yes! I remember all the particulars of that business;we were told at one of our meetings; but I do not care to tastethem: it is both nasty and cruel to eat bird's-nests."

CHARLES. "Sumatra is, next to Borneo, the largest island in theEastern seas. It is situated in the midst of the torrid zone, isupwards of 1000 miles long, nearly 200 in breadth, and is dividedfrom Java by the Straits of Sunda.

"The Sumatrans are a well-made people, with yellow complexions,sometimes inclining to white. They have some of the customs of theSouth Sea Islanders; amongst others, those barbarous practices offlattening the noses, and compressing the heads of childrennewly-born, whilst the skull is yet soft or cartilaginous. Theylikewise pull out the ears of infants to make them stand at an anglefrom the head. They file, blacken, and otherwise disfigure theteeth; and the great men sometimes set theirs in gold, by casing theunder row with a plate of that metal."

GEORGE. "Is Sumatra a gold country?"

"Why," said Mr. Wilton, smiling, "have you never heard of the goldof Mount Ophir? Well, that is the name of the highest mountain inSumatra."

GEORGE. "Then there is gold in Sumatra, and I suppose it is washeddown by the rivers. Is there any other metal there?"

MR. WILTON. "Gold is the most abundant; but saltpetre and naphthaare among the products. Quantities of rice are grown here, and asingular method is adopted for separating the grain from the ear.The bunches of paddy are spread on mats, and the Sumatrans rub outthe grain under their feet, supporting themselves, for the more easyperformance of this labor, by holding with their hands a bambooplaced horizontally over their heads."

CHARLES. "I should hope they wash the rice after this process:although, as rice is so dry, they doubtless consider it unnecessary:I find Sumatra is a foggy island, and contains only one importantkingdom.—viz., Acheen."

MR. BARRAUD. "Fogs are not its worst calamities: thunder-storms andwater-spouts off the coasts are very frequent."

GEORGE. "What produces water-spouts?"

MR. BARRAUD. "Dr. Franklin supposed that water-spouts and whirlwindsproceed from the same cause. A fluid moving from all partshorizontally towards a centre, must at that centre either mount ordescend. If a hole be opened in the bottom of a tub filled withwater, the water will flow from all sides to the centre, and theredescend in a whirl; but air flowing in or near the surface of landor water, from all sides towards a centre, must at that centreascend, because the land or water will hinder its descent."

MR. WILTON. "As Charles states, Acheen, with regard to businesstransactions, is the only place of note in the island of Sumatra.The inhabitants have no coin, but make their payments in gold dust,which they keep in divided parcels, contained in pieces of bladder,and these are weighed by the person who takes them in payment. Theyhave some odd forms about them; for instance, in marriage andburial. The bride is bargained for with the parents, and ifsettled satisfactorily, the young couple partake together of twodifferent sorts of rice, and the ceremony is concluded by the fatherof the lady throwing a piece of cloth over them.

"When a man of rank dies, his body is kept in a coffin for severalmonths; the soft parts dissolving during that interval are conveyedin a fluid state by a bamboo tube, from the bottom of the coffininto the earth."

EMMA. "How very disgusting! and how very unwholesome for therelatives of the deceased, in such a hot country too. I wonder theinhabitants do not all die from infection."

MR. STANLEY. "These practices do vastly increase the mortality; butold customs are not easily abolished. Do you sail as far north asthe Bay of Bengal, Charles?"

CHARLES. "No, sir, all that portion of the ocean has been navigated:our next island is Borneo."

MR. STANLEY. "But I suppose there would be no objection to myputting in a word on the Burman Empire, which probably you are notmuch acquainted with. Parts of it are in the same longitude asthenorth of Sumatra; and I merely wish to mention some peculiaritiesconnected with the Burmese. The government is entirely despotic, andthe sovereign almost deified. When anything belonging to him ismentioned, the epithet 'golden' is invariably attached to it. Whenhe is said to have heard anything, 'it has reached the golden ears:'the perfume of roses is described as grateful to the 'golden nose.'The sovereign is sole proprietor of all the elephants in hisdominions; and the privilege to keep or ride on one is only grantedto men of the first rank. No honors here are hereditary. Allofficers and dignities depend on the crown. The 'tsaloë,' orchain,is the badge of nobility, and superiority of rank is signified bythe number of cords or divisions."

GEORGE. "Is it true that they are a proud, consequential people?"

MR. STANLEY. "Yes, quite true. Men of rank have their barges tuggedby war-boats, common watermen not being admitted into the same boatwith them.

"A singularly absurd custom takes place in this country, in certainforms of political homage shown to a white elephant,—apreternatural animal kept for the purpose,—superbly lodged near theroyal palace, sumptuously dressed and fed, provided withfunctionaries like a second sovereign, held next in rank to theking, and superior to the queen, and made the recipient of presents,and other tokens of respect from foreign ambassadors."

CHARLES. "Well, that is an odd superstition. I am muchobliged toyou for going out of the track to tell us these strange 'sayings anddoings' of the Burmese. Are we now to resume our station?"

MR. WILTON. "You are pilot. Charles; we rely on your guidance! Gowhere you please: we are not to control your movements."

CHARLES. "Then, like Sir James Brooke, I will go to Borneo; but I donot expect to be made a rajah for my trouble: indeed I scarcely knowif I should like to live there, although it is the largest island inthe world, and is very fertile, and contains diamond mines and vastquantities of gold."

MR. STANLEY. "By-the-by, that reminds me of the fact that the pettyprince of Mattan, in Borneo, is in possession of one of the largestdiamonds in the world. It was obtained a hundred years ago from themines of Landak, and is worth 269,378l."

EMMA. "Which are the other large diamonds?"

MR. WILTON. "The Great Russian diamond, which is valued at304,200l.; and the Great Pitt diamond, valued at 149,605l.Butwe are departing from our subject. Borneo is, next to New Holland,the largest island in the world. It is 900 miles long, and 700broad."

DORA. "When did Sir James Brooke go to Borneo, and what was hisobject in going?"

MR. WILTON. "In August, 1839, he anchored off Borneo; and his objectwas purely philanthropic. He went to spread abroad the glorioustruths of Christianity—to arouse the slumbering energies of theseinteresting people—to increase trade—to suppress piracy,—and togain information for the profit of his own native land. Such werehis principal motives. Particulars of his success, of the benefitshe has conferred on thousands of his fellow-creatures, and of histravels and adventures, may be seen in his own published journal, tomore advantage than I can possibly set them before you."

MR. BARRAUD. "Since Sir James Brooke's visit, the Dido and severalother vessels of war have cruised in the Asiatic Archipelago, alltending to suppress piracy, and encourage native trade and commerce.The island of Labuan, off the north-west of Borneo, has been cededto England, and Sir James Brooke appointed agent for the BritishGovernment,—an appointment which confers on him additional powerand influence; besides which, the Sultan has nominated him Rajah ofSarawak. Thus in the course of a few years has a complete revolutionbeen worked in one of the finest portions of our globe, and a newand better system of things been established, all through theenlightened and philanthropic energy of a single individual."

CHARLES. "Borneo is the chief of the Sunda group, is extremelyfertile, producing all sorts of tropical fruits, and various spicesand drugs. Much of the interior is covered by immense forests,inhabited by wild animals, and aboriginal tribes of human beingsalmost as wild. It is in Borneo that the largest of the monkeytribe, the ponga, equalling the human race in stature, is to befound; also the ourang-outang, or Simia Satyrus, which comes nearerto man in his looks, manners, and gait. Some writers assert thatthese animals light fires, at which they broil their fish and rice;but these accounts are not verified by recent observers. Wild beesare so numerous here, that their wax forms a very extensive articleof export."

MRS. WILTON. "Borneo is called, by the natives, Pulo Kalamantan.Borneo was the name of a city, the residence of a powerful prince in1520, when Magellan went there: hence the Spaniards concluded thatthe whole island belonged to this prince, and they called it allBorneo. There are a great many tribes of Indians in this largeisland, and the sea-coasts are inhabited by Malayans, of whom SirJames Brooke speaks in the higher terms, as regards honesty,cleanliness, &c. They understand the art of cutting, polishing, andsetting their diamonds. Gold and silver filigree works they excelin; and they are otherwise ingenious, but can scarcely be consideredindustrious."

DORA. "South-west of Sumatra, in latitude 12° south, longitude97°east, are the Cocos or Keeling Islands, which are entirely corallinein their formation; very fertile, with a salubrious climate. In1830, Captain Ross and Alexander Hare, Esq., undertook to cultivatethese islands, and render them productive. They succeeded, and theynow form a fine settlement."

CHARLES. "I shall feel greatly obliged if Mr. Stanley will take thehelm, and steer us across the Indian Ocean; for there are suchhundreds, I might almost say thousands, of islands, that I feelconvinced I shall run you all ashore, where none of you are disposedto go."

MR. STANLEY. "Come, then, I will relieve you for a while, because itwould be most unpleasantly awkward for the ladies to be cast ashoreon a desert island; and equally so on an inhabited one, if theypossessed no letters of introduction to the natives.

"In crossing the Indian Ocean, we must sail by a great many islands;but I do not think it will be prudent to go ashore until we arriveat the Isle of Bourbon, and there we can pass a few days verycomfortably before we sail for Madagascar."

EMMA. "Oh, yes! Bourbon is quite a civilized island. It belongs tothe French, does it not, mamma?"

MRS. WILTON. "Yes, my dear; but the discovery was not theirs.Mascarenhas, a Portuguese navigator, claims the credit. Hediscovered it in 1545, and it bore his name until the French tookpossession of it in the next century. When they first occupied it,the sides of the mountains were covered with forests, which reachedeven to the shores. The whole of the lower lands have since beencleared; but the centre of this island is still covered with itsprimitive vegetation, which affords forty-one different species ofwoods serviceable for arts and manufactures. The coasts abound withfish and large turtles, and furnish also coral and ambergris.Bourbon contains a college, and numerous schools, sixteen churches,two hospitals, two establishments for the relief of the poor, andtwo prisons."

MR. BARRAUD. "Why are we to take no notice of the fine colony ofMauritius, or Isle of France? It is quite as large as Bourbon:moreover it is a British possession."

MR. STANLEY. "I see no just cause or impediment why we should notland there. Let us see, what is its size?"

CHARLES. "Its circumference is about 140 miles. Port Louis is itsprincipal town, and is said to contain 30,000 inhabitants; it has anexcellent harbor, capable of containing 50 large vessels; and it iswell protected by nature from the violence of the weather, and fromthe attacks of enemies, by strong fortifications."

GEORGE. "Now to Madagascar. I am longing to go there; for I knownothing about either country or people."

MRS. WILTON. "Madagascar is a large and beautiful island, withmountains, valleys, lakes and streams, diversifying its wholeextent. It is between 800 and 900 miles long, and between 200 and300 broad. The metals dug here, are gold, silver, copper, steel, andiron; and a great variety of precious stones are found in the riversand brooks of Madagascar. Civet is plentiful, and is taken from thecivet cat; and the natives obtain musk from the crocodile, and callit tartave. Tananarievo, the capital, stands on the summit of alofty hill, and commands an extensive prospect of the surroundingcountry. The principal houses are of wood, and the palace of theking is about the centre of the town, enclosed in a high palisadingof strong poles."

GEORGE. "If the palace be so homely, what can the poor folks' housesbe like?"

MR. WILTON. "Oh! they are of wood too, but mere huts; they have nochimneys, and the door and window affording the only means of escapefor the smoke arising from the fires, which are kindled on the floorof the house, the soot collects on the inner side of the roofs oftheir dwellings, where it is never disturbed by the people, whoconsider it a badge of honorable ancestry to have large quantitiesof soot hanging in long black shreds from the roof of theirdwelling."

EMMA. "What a dirty badge! Are they dirty people?"

MR. STANLEY. "They are not exactly dirty, but very slothful; andwhen not compelled to exert themselves in husbandry or war, theypass their time in sleep. They have little thought for the morrow;and, in fact, seem to be a thoroughly contented happy race; and sothey ought to be, in one sense, for they are surrounded by everycomfort, and even luxury, which the hand of nature can produce.Their characteristic feature is simplicity; and they regard theexample of their forefathers as authority for every action."

DORA. "They are Christians, I believe?"

MRS. WILTON. "I wish I could say they are, my dear Dora. SomeChristians there certainly are in Madagascar; but the majority areruled by superstition. They acknowledge one only true God, theCreator of heaven and earth, and the Supreme Ruler of the universe,and they call him 'Ungharry,' or 'Zanhare,' which signify the'Highest God,' or 'God above.' They believe him to possess infinitepower; but they consider him too great a being to condescend toattend to the concerns of mortals: they therefore suppose that fourinferior spirits are appointed, to whom are delegated the affairs ofthe world. These are denominated the Lords of the North, South,East, and West. The East is supposed to be the dispenser of plaguesand miseries to mankind, by the command of the Great God. The otherthree are employed in the dispensation of benefits. Besides this,they have faith in a world of spirits, and believe that everyfamily has its guardian angel, which is generally supposed to bethe soul of a particular ancestor; and, strangely enough, althoughthey believe in the immortality of the soul, they deny that therecan be a future punishment, or that the soul can suffer evil afterits separation from the body; but they assert that bad men will bepunished in this world by a complication of misfortunes, and thatthe good will be rewarded by health, constancy of friends, increaseof fortune, and obedience of children."

GRANDY. "There was at one period great hopes concerning Madagascar.Missionaries went out, and were cordially welcomed by theauthorities, although the people, from ignorance, were hostile. But,poor creatures! white men had never visited their shores but tocarry away their children and friends to sell them for slaves indifferent parts of the world; and, of course, they were verysuspicious; so much so, that when the missionaries first endeavoredto establish schools in Madagascar, the parents refused to allowtheir children to attend, alleging that the white men wanted themfor no other purpose than to eat them; for they attributed all theirsorrows to the cannibalism of the white people, believing that theslaves they captured were caught, as wild animals would be, only forfood. They carried their antipathy so far, that, rather than permittheir little ones to enter the schools, they hid them in rice holes,where they were often suffocated. King Radama reigned at that time,and, being a convert himself, he naturally desired the conversion ofhis people. He reasoned with them, and prohibited the secretion ofthe unfortunate children, and after a time, by God's blessing, thepeople became aware of the advantage of the schools and many wereconverted from the error of their ways, and died rejoicing in Godtheir Saviour. But Radama died also; and there arose a sovereign whoknew not God; enemies crept into the fold, and endeavored to destroythe good work of the pious missionaries. They partially succeeded;and in 1837 these worthy men were obliged to quit Madagascar, andhave never since been able to revisit it with any prospect ofsuccess. We cannot understand why this great work should be allowedto fall to the ground; but God in His wisdom appears to havewithheld his blessing for a season, and we must in patience awaitthe issue."

GEORGE. "The Malagasses were never cannibals, were they?"

MR. WILTON. "No. Their ordinary food consists of the natural produceof the soil; principally rice, dressed in the simplest manner, andseasoned with pepper; and they usually drink hot water or broth fromthe boiled meats; wines, of which they make several kinds, arereserved for the entertainments of their friends on occasions offestivity or ceremony. Their usual dinner hour is ten in themorning, and that of supper four in the afternoon."

MR. STANLEY. "Although not cannibals, their superstition promptsthem to many acts of cruelty; for instance, one half of the infantpopulation is murdered by the misfortune of being born on an unluckyday; and, to prove the truth of the dogma, they are deliberatelykilled. One mode of perpetrating this unnatural deed, is by takingthe infant to a retired spot in the neighborhood of the village,digging a grave sufficiently large to receive it pouring in aquantity of water slightly warmed, putting a piece of cloth upon theinfant's mouth, placing it in the grave, filling this up with earth,and leaving the helpless child, thus buried alive, a memorial oftheir own affecting degradation, and the relentless barbarism oftheir gloomy superstition, and a painful illustration of the truthof God's word, which declares that 'the dark places of the earth arefull of the habitations of cruelty.'"

MR. WILTON. "We cannot enlighten these people without help from onhigh; and their circ*mstances are too melancholy to dwell on. Let uscontinue our voyage, and pray for their conversion. Who can informme how many bays there are around this great island?"

GEORGE. "I can, papa. There are fourteen on my map; and the Bay ofAntongil, up in the north-east, is the largest"

MR. WILTON. "So it is, George; and near it lies the Island of St.Mary, which once formed the principal retreat of the pirates who, inthe 17th century, infested the Indian Ocean. It is a delightfulisland, abounding in every necessary of life. Now, I have a drollstory to tell you, and that will conclude our remarks onMadagascar.

Translation of a Malagassy Fable,accounting for the enmitybetweenthe Crocodile and the Dog.

"A serpent and a young crocodile dwelt in the same part of thecountry. The serpent fixed itself in a tree by the water-side; andunderneath the same tree the young crocodile watched for prey. Aftera time a dog came to drink; the crocodile pursued him; down came theserpent to stop the crocodile. "What have you to do with me?" saidthe crocodile.—"Why, you are seeking to eat everybody that passesthis way," replied the serpent—"Be quiet,"—said the crocodile,"lest I give you a blow with my tail, and cut you in two."—"Andpray what are you?" asked the serpent: "I suppose you are thinkingthat, because I have neither hands nor feet, I can do nothing; but,perhaps, you have not looked at my tail, how sharp itis."—"Ceaseyour noise," replied the crocodile, "or I'll just break you in two."The serpent, then becoming excessively angry, struck the crocodilewith his tail, and wounded his loins, so as nearly to break hisbody. All the fish were astonished; and, addressing the crocodile,said, "How is this,—you that can conquer people and cattle, howeverlarge, and anything else?" The crocodile, ashamed, dived out ofsight; while the serpent resumed his place on the tree. Thecrocodile, however, hoping to repay him, kept watching for prey.After a time, there came a goose to the water. The crocodilepursued, and got hold of him; when down came the serpent, to stophim, as before. "Where are you going?" cried the crocodile.—"Letthat goose alone," said the serpent, "lest I kill you." Thecrocodile replied contemptuously, and the serpent, enraged,exclaimed, "Well, this time, see if you are not the worse for it;"and then he struck the crocodile, and wounded him on the face, andmade him scream again. So he was conquered that, time, and thegoose got off. Then all the little fish came again, and said to thecrocodile, "How is it that you are beaten by that foolish serpent?You are wise and powerful, and that little fellow conies and beatsyou." Completely ashamed, again the crocodile hid himself in thewater, and began to think by what means he might conquer thisserpent upon the tree. After thinking a long time, the crocodiledetermined on boring a hole through the root of the tree; and for awhole week he kept on boring. Presently, a dog came to drink;afterwards a goose; also a man; but, the crocodile keeping at hiswork, the serpent exulted in having intimidated his adversary, andsaid, 'There's nothing so strong, then, as I am." The crocodileheard him, and labored with all his might to finish boring at theroot, one branch of which remained to cut. The crocodile thenwatched at the water-side a good while, when down came the dog todrink: the crocodile pursued him; the serpent, as before, came tooppose him, calling out, "Let that dog alone there, lest you get theworst of it."—"You," said the crocodile, "do not fear God. Yonderdogs deceive us, and that's the reason I pursue them: as to people,I never touch them, unless they are guilty of witchcraft. I onlyeat the small things,—so just let me alone." When the serpentheard that, he replied, "There is no God; for if there were, Ishould have had both hands and feet: there is no God at all. But Iwill have your carcass to-day." Then the dog and the serpenttogether made an attack on the crocodile; the crocodile got weaker,and dived in the water; when all the little fish came again, andexpressed their astonishment, as before, that he should be conqueredby that little serpent, "Wait a little," said the crocodile, "andyou will see I am not conquered by him." The serpent got up the treeas usual; the crocodile watched,—bored the hole completely,—thenlooked up, and saw the serpent sound asleep on a branch overhangingthe water; then, cutting what remained of the root, the tree brokeand fell into the water, the serpent falling with it. Then all thefishes acknowledged that the crocodile was superior, for he had gotthe serpent into the water, and made him dive in it, and kept himunder water half-an-hour. The serpent, however, survived it, andrepented of what he had done. "Oh! that I had never opposed you;only let me go, and I will never attack you again."—"Ah!" said thecrocodile; "but as often as I pursued the dog, I was pursued by you;so you must suffer in your turn." Thus the crocodile made himheartily repent before he let him go. "Then," said the serpent, "ifever I touch you again, may I be conquered." After that, thecrocodile let him go. He was glad to get off; but he had beenbeaten, and took an oath not to renew the attack when the crocodilewent to look out for prey. The crocodile, however, owed the dog agrudge, because he had attacked him, and so laid all his familyunder a curse to devour the dog whenever opportunity offered."Unless you do that," said he, "may you die without posterity; foryonder dog took part with the serpent against me."

MR. STANLEY. "Well, George, are you like the serpent? Have you hadenough of the water?"

GEORGE. "Oh! no! I shall be very sorry when the voyages are over."

MR. STANLEY. "You have been on the ocean a weary while. Have you,like Sir James Ross, reached either of the Poles?"

GEORGE. "No, sir; but we have been very near the North Pole; have wenot, Charles?"

CHARLES. "Yes; in the Arctic Ocean we have been as high as 80°parallel of north latitude to Spitzbergen; and in the Antarctic ashigh as the 66° parallel of south latitude, to the New SouthShetland Isles."

MR. STANLEY. "Well done! You will not then start any objections onthe score of cold, to accompany me to Kerguelan's Land?"

"Oh dear, no!" exclaimed the boys. "We do not mind the cold."

MR. STANLEY. "Kerguelan's land was discovered in 1772 by Monsieur deKerguelan, a French navigator, who took it for a continent, and soreported it to his government. He was sent back the following yearto make critical examination. Three years after this, Captain Cookfell in with the island, and, not finding it of any importance,called it Isle of Desolation. But, despite its name, it is not a badplace by any means. It is a safe and commodious harbor, andabundance of fresh water. However, considering its latitude, it isexceedingly bare of vegetation; and there is only one plant whichclaims attention, that is the famous cabbage discovered by CaptainCook. For 130 days his crew enjoyed the luxury of fresh vegetables,which were served out with their salt beef and pork, and preventedsickness among them."

GEORGE. "Are there any animals on the island?"

MR. BARRAUD. "Numbers of birds; penguins, albatrosses, gulls, ducks,cormorants, &c.; and the island is the resort of seals andsea-elephants."

CHARLES. "It cannot be a very pretty place?"

MR. STANLEY. "Here is an idea of it. The whole island appears to bedeeply indented by bays and inlets, the surface intersected bynumerous small lakes and water-courses. These becoming swollen bythe heavy rains, which alternate with the frost and snow,accompanied by violent gusts of wind, rush down the sides of themountains and along the ravines in countless impetuous torrents,forming in many places beautiful foaming cascades, wearing away therocks, and strewing the valleys below with vast fragments."

CHARLES. "That is grand, but decidedly not comfortable."

GRANDY. "Sailors need great powers of endurance to undergo suchhardships as they must continually encounter on these voyages ofdiscovery. How grateful we ought to feel towards the brave men whohazard life, property, everything to extend our knowledge! for howmany happy hours are we indebted to their researches! how often havewe perused with delight, the voyages, the discoveries, the excitingdescriptions of enterprising sailors! and all, perhaps, withoutreflecting that the very adventures which have so much amused us,may have been the ruin of all their hopes, and the destroyer of alltheir happiness in this world. While you are sipping your wine,preparatory to our last voyage, I will tell you a true

Story of a Sailor as related byhimself.

"Four years ago I left the port of Boston, the master of a fine shipbound for China. I was worth ten thousand dollars, and was thehusband of a young and handsome wife, whom I married but six monthsbefore. When I left her, I promised to return to her in less than atwelvemonth. I took all my money with me, save enough to support mywife in my absence, for the purpose of trading when in China, on myown account. For a long time we were favored with prosperous winds;but when in the China seas a terrible storm came upon us, so that ina short time I saw the vessel must be lost, for we were drifting onthe rocks of an unknown shore. I ordered the men to provide each forhimself in the best possible manner, and forget the ship, as it wasan impossibility to save her. We struck: a sea laid me upon therocks senseless; and the next would have carried me back to a waterygrave, had not one of the sailors dragged me further up the rocks.There were only four of us alive; and when morning came, we foundthat we were on a small uninhabited island, with nothing to eat butthe wild fruit common to that portion of the earth; and there weremained sixty days before we could make ourselves known to anyship. We were at length taken to Canton; and there I had to beg, formy money was at the bottom of the sea, and I had not taken theprecaution to have it insured. It was nearly a year before I had anopportunity of coming home; and then I, a captain, was obligedtoship as a common sailor. It was two years from the time I leftAmerica that I landed in Boston. I was walking in a hurried mannerup one of its streets, when I met my brother-in-law. He could notspeak nor move, but he grasped my hand, and tears gushed from hiseyes. 'Is my wife alive?' I asked. He said nothing. Then I wishedthat I had perished with my ship, for I thought my wife was dead;but he very soon said, 'She is alive.' Then it was my turn to cryfor joy. He clung to me and said, 'Your funeral sermon has beenpreached, for we have thought you dead for a long time.' He saidthat my wife was living in our little cottage in the interior of thestate. It was then three o'clock in the afternoon, and I took atrain of cars that would carry me within twenty-five miles of mywife. Upon leaving the cars I hired a boy, though it was night, todrive me home. It was about two o'clock in the morning when thatsweet little cottage of mine appeared in sight. It was a warmmoonlight night, and I remember how like a heaven it looked to me. Igot out of the carriage and went to the window of the room where theservant girl slept, and gently knocked. She opened the window andasked, 'Who is there?' 'Sarah, do you not know me?' said I. Shescreamed with fright, for she thought me a ghost; but I told her tounfasten the door and let me in, for I wished to see my wife. Shelet me in and gave me a light, and I went up stairs to my wife'sroom. She lay sleeping quietly. Upon her bosom lay her child, whom Ihad never seen. She was as beautiful as when I left her; but I couldsee a mournful expression upon her face. Perhaps she was dreaming ofme. I gazed for a long time; I did not make any noise, for I darednot wake her. At length I imprinted a soft kiss upon the cheek of mylittle child. While doing it a tear dropped from my eye and fellupon her cheek. Her eyes opened as clearly as though she had notbeen sleeping. I saw that she began to be frightened, and I said,'Mary, it is your husband!' and she clasped me about my neck, andfainted. But I will not describe that scene. She is now the happywife of a poor man. I am endeavoring to accumulate a littleproperty, and then I will leave the sea forever."

MR. WILTON. "A vote of thanks for Grandy. That little narrative hasagreeably refreshed our minds, while the wine and cake has had thelike effect on our bodies. Now, voyage the last!"

GEORGE. "Oh, papa! that sounds so strangely. I cannot bear the lastof anything; and now particularly, it reminds us how soon our happyevening meetings will be at an end, and naught left but the barerecollection of them."

MRS. WILTON. "Well, my dear, I will not distress you by repeatingthe obnoxious word. We will start anew, and sail round the coast ofAfrica. We are a goodly party, and I dare venture to say, shall notlack for amusem*nt during the voyage."

MR. STANLEY. "Then we are not to go so far south as Victoria Land,and see all the wonderful things Sir James Ross saw?"

MR. WILTON. "No: we have been in the cold long enough, and I amrejoiced that we have no more enormous icebergs to encounter—nomore still ice-fields stretching away in every direction, orclashing and grinding under the influence of mighty storms—no moremountains cased in eternal ice; but we have really bid adieu to thewintry desolation of those frozen regions that

'Lie dark and wild, beat with perpetual storms.'"

MR. STANLEY. "I am glad to get into a more genial climate, and Iperceive our next voyage commences in the Mediterranean; that is, ifit be the intention of our young discoverers to call at the bays onthe north of Africa."

DORA. "It is our intention, sir; and the first gulf, calledMalillih, is on the coast of Morocco. Mrs. Wilton has kindlyundertaken the land survey."

MRS. WILTON. "Morocco is now only the remains of a state, althoughat one period, when the Moors were in the zenith of their power, itwas a splendid country. Still, however, the inhabitants entertainthe loftiest ideas of themselves and their native land, andhalf-naked creatures as they are, they style the Europeans 'agein,'or barbarians, and hold them in contempt."

GRANDY. "But the Moors, although Mohammedans, are not destitute ofvirtues; and, as a peculiarly good trait in their character, a Moornever abandons himself to despair; neither sufferings nor losses canextort from him a single murmur; to every event he submits asdecreed by the will of God, and habitually hopes for better times.We might learn something even from the Moors."

MR. STANLEY. "Ay! but we must keep at a distance if we wish theladies of our party to learn; for the Moors would altogether objectto teach them, as women are there regarded merely astools—creatures without souls. They would not admire our ladieseither, for their idea of female loveliness is most singular. Beautyand corpulence are synonymous. A perfect Moorish beauty is a loadfor a camel; and a woman of moderate pretensions to beauty requiresa slave on each side to support her. In consequence of this depravedtaste for unwieldy bulk, the Moorish ladies take great pains toacquire it early in life; and for this purpose, the young girls arecompelled by their mothers to devour a great quantity of kous-kousand to drink a large portion of camel's milk every morning. It is nomatter whether the girl has an appetite or not, the kous-kous andmilk must be swallowed, and obedience is frequently enforced byblows."

DORA. "How very disagreeable! I scarcely know which is the worststage of the affair, the cause or the effect."

EMMA. "I should say the cause; for the fat comes by degrees,andcannot inconvenience them so much as swallowing quantities of foodand drink when they require it not."

MR. WILTON. "They have other quaint notions. Among the points ofetiquette which prevail at the court of Morocco, the following ismentioned:—The word death is never uttered in presence of theSultan. When it is unavoidable to mention the death of any person,it is expressed by such words as, 'He has fulfilled his destiny;' onwhich the monarch gravely remarks, 'God be merciful to him!' Anotherpoint of whimsical superstition is, that the numbers five andfifteen must not be mentioned in presence of the sovereign."

GEORGE. "I should be continually saying forbidden words if I werethere; so we will go on, if you please, pilot."

EMMA. "I have the bays. They are Boujanyah, and Storah, on the coastof Algiers. This state is inferior to Morocco, both in extent andfertility; but the city has a grand harbor, is itself very populous,and contains some splendid ruins."

DORA. "I have the gulfs. They are Tunis, Hammamet, and Khabs, onthe coast of Tunis, which was once the seat of Carthaginian power,but like the other states, is now reduced to a tithe of its formergreatness, although it is still one of the finest cities in Africa.It has a good harbor and fortifications. The manufactures are silks,velvets, cloth, and red bonnets, which are worn by the people."

MR. WILTON. "There is yet another Barbary state to pass: who has aword for Tripoli?"

CHARLES. "I have, madam. Tripoli is the most easterly, and the mostwretched of the Barbary states. It extends straggling along a greatextent of coast, where may be seen the enormous Gulf of Sidra orSert, called by the natives 'Djou al Kabit,' or Gulf of Sulphur, andthe Gulf of Bombah. Tripoli received its name from once containingthree cities of considerable importance, which are now little elsethan ruins."

MRS. WILTON. "The 'Research' has not tarried long on that coast, atany rate. We must now suppose ourselves authors instead oftravellers; and without thinking of impossibilities, straightwaycarry our ship overland, across the Isthmus of Suez, and launchquietly on the waters of the Red Sea."

MR. BARRAUD. "It is scarcely fair to pass Egypt without arecognition: the Egyptians would sympathize with us in ourpartiality for the ancient element. They are special lovers oftwothings—gardens and water. Even stagnant water, if sweet, theyconsider a luxury; running water, however dirty, they hold to beextremely luxurious; when during the inundation, the canal of Cairois full, all the houses on its banks are occupied by persons, whosit in their leisure hours, smoking by its muddy waters; but theheight of their enjoyment consists in sitting by a fountain—thisthey esteem equal to paradise."

MRS. WILTON. "In the Red Sea there are eleven gulfs of moderatedimensions, and some small bays: we will not wait to examine them,as they are not important; but how are we to sail out of this sea?George, will you undertake to pilot us?"

GEORGE. "I know no other way out than through the Straits ofBabelmandeb, by Abyssinia, of which country I should like to have adescription."

MRS. WILTON. "The country consists of a succession of hills andvalleys, the former for the most part well-wooded, and the latterfertile; with the climate mild upon the whole for so tropical alatitude. For the people and customs I must refer you to some othermore intelligent member."

MR. STANLEY. "The present Bishop of Jerusalem[18] went to Abyssiniasome years ago; and he has sketched a few interesting particularsconcerning the people. 'As soon as a child is born, it isimmediately taught to drink lukewarm butter, with a little honey.After the age of six or seven years, the children are consideredservants. The boys are shepherds, till the age of fourteen orfifteen, and reside with their parents; but if their parents arepoor, they leave them, by their own choice at the age of eight ornine years, in order to get their livelihood by keeping cattleelsewhere. The girls are occupied in managing the little affairs ofthe house; and begin to fetch water, which is always at a distance,as soon as they can walk steadily. At the age of eight or nine yearsthey begin to fetch wood from the mountains. There are some fatherswho send their children into convents to have them instructed; butthere are many who will not do this, lest their children shouldbecome monks: on this account many boys desert their parents, inorder to seek instruction for themselves. Some enter the house of apriest as servants during the day, and they receive instruction atnight. Others go, after the lessons are over, to get food bybegging. There are also many persons in easy circ*mstances whosupport those children who seek for instruction without the help oftheir parents. Nearly all the great men send their children intoconvents to learn reading, and to repeat the psalms from memory;this is all the instruction they receive. The daughters of thehigher class learn nothing but spinning and managing the affairs ofthe house; there are, however, a few ladies who can read.'"

MR. BARRAUD. "They seem early accustomed to habits of industry; butin other respects, the training of the children is not very rigid:almost the only crime they punish them for, is stealing. Mr.Stanley's author, Bishop Gobat, says, he saw a mother, usually of avery meek temper, and who would not see a man cause suffering to thesmallest reptile, burn the skin off both the hands and lips of herdaughter, only nine years of age, for having dipped her finger intoa jar of honey!"

EMMA. "Oh! how extremely cruel! they surely are not Christians."

GRANDY. "They are—and differ very little from the Roman Catholicsof more civilized countries. Some of the points of variation intheir doctrine are as follow:—They believe in no separatepurgatory; but that almost all men go to hell at their death, andthat from time to time, the Archangel Michael descends into thatplace of torment, in order to deliver men's souls, and to introducethem to paradise, sometimes for the sake of the prayers andmeritorious works of their relatives and their priests. They have agreat number of tales in support of this doctrine; the one they mostfrequently make use of, is the story of a man who had done nothingbut evil when on earth, except that he had always observed thefast on Wednesday and Friday. When he died, he descended intohell, to a dark place; but had always two lights surrounding him, bythe assistance of which he could go to the gate which separated hellfrom paradise. The Archangel Michael then went to receive him;saying, that the two lamps which had saved him, were the fastswhich he had observed on Wednesdays and Fridays."

MR. STANLEY. "That is one of the fallacies of the Romish Church. ButI am not surprised that popery acquires such power over theignorant; for it assails the mind through every sense; through thesight by its pageantry, the hearing by its splendid music, thesmell by the delicious odor of the incense, and thus gratifies andsoothes its votaries by the application of forms destitute of power.But enough of this; if we venture on such a subject, we arecontinually reminded, that to speak evil of other sects ismalicious, and that we cannot disapprove of a man's doctrine withouthaving an uncharitable feeling towards the individual. I moststrenuously deny the truth of that assertion; for I reckon manyamongst my dearest connections, whose friendship I value extremely,but whose religious tenets I utterly repudiate. But I fear this isincomprehensible to the youngsters; we will return to business.

"The coast of Africa, from the Red Sea to the River Juba, which isas far as the equator, is inhabited by a tribe called Somauli, whoare reckoned to be descendants from the aborigines of the country,and were early subjected to the laws of the Koran, by the Arabmerchants trading with them. They are a mild people, of pastoralhabits, and confined entirely to the coast; the whole of theinterior of this portion being occupied by an untamable tribe ofsavages, called Galla, perhaps the most uncultivated and ferociouspeople in existence."

EMMA. "We shall cross the equator before we enter another bay; then,in the parallel of 3° south, lies the Bay of Formosa, on the coastof Zanguebar; and 4° nearer south, is the little island ofZanzibar.I am a stranger here."

MRS. WILTON. "Zanzibar is a most valuable possession of the Imaunof Muscat, on account of its abundant produce of grain and sugar.The climate is particularly fatal to Europeans, so that the crews ofvessels trading there are never allowed to sleep on shore. But thereis perhaps no place, where refreshments are so cheap as in thisisland: fowls may be had for two shillings the dozen, sugartwopence, and rice one penny a pound; and a large bullock is soldfor one sovereign."

CHARLES. "No great advantage to get food cheap in a country sounhealthy that you lack the appetite to eat it."

MR. BARRAUD. "No; we will not go there to victual our ship.Hereare the Seychelle Isles almost in the latitude of Formosa Bay;suppose we ''bout ship' and look in upon them. There appear to befifteen, and navigators say they are composed of granite rocks.Their chief inhabitants are French Roman Catholics, who have verylittle of either religion or morality, but spend the greater portionof their time in dancing and gambling. All the blacks resident onthese isles are unhappy slaves, although their owners live inluxurious indolence."

GEORGE. "They are such small islands, and some of them so closethat, if I lived there, I would build bridges to go from one islandto another."

MR. BARRAUD. "The inhabitants do that without a bridge. They havenumerous canoes, built and fitted with much skill and neatness. Inthese they pay their visits, and at the close of a party a strangerwould be surprised at hearing the announcement—'Madame le Jeune'scanoe is waiting!' instead of Madame le Jeune's carriagestopsthe way.' But that is the fashion in the Seychelle Isles. Torchesare at hand; the ladies and gentlemen are lighted to the water,where some stout negroes almost in a state of nudity, await totransport them to their own island."

DORA. "That may be very delightful when you are accustomed to it,but I should prefer a carriage.

"There are no more indentations until we enter Mozambique Channel,where we shall find Pemba Bay and Sofala Bay."

MRS. WILTON. "Pemba Bay is on the coast of Mozambique, which belongsto the Portuguese. The harbor of Mozambique is formed by a deepinlet of the sea. At the entrance are three small islets, which,together with reefs and shoals, render the anchorage perfectly safein the worst weather. The city stands on an island of the same name,formed of coral, very low and narrow, and scarcely one mile and ahalf in length. The streets in the city are narrow, although thehouses are mostly lofty and well constructed; but the place initself is fast sinking into insignificance, and its finest buildingsfalling rapidly into decay. Mozambique, like many other cities ofthe world, is now reduced from its ancient wealth and vice-regalsplendor, to the almost forgotten seat of desolation and poverty."

MR. WILTON. "Between this island and Sofala Bay is the slave townQuillimane. It is in a commodious situation and one of the finestcountries in the world; but is continually in a state of turmoil,from the different tribes striving by mutual conflict to obtainprisoners for sale to the Portuguese, who wickedly excite the warsand fatten and grow wealthy on the blood and wretchedness theyproduce."

GRANDY. "The port of Sofala, its castle, its town; in shorteverything relating to it, is most interesting; for in olden timethis was the Ophir of King Solomon, whence his fleets returned ladenwith gold, algum-trees, and precious stones."

GEORGE. "Then the Ophir of Sumatra is not the real Ophir, but onlynamed after the place in Africa, because it was rich in gold?"

MR. WILTON. "Exactly so, George. I did not then explain it, as Iwish you to feel sufficient interest in the subject to inquire intothe truth yourself."

DORA. "Delagoa Bay. This coast is a continued tract of land andsand-hills from fifty to five or six hundred feet high, with a fewstraggling black rocks."

MR. WILTON. "The inhabitants of this coast are a harmless race, buthave their own little peculiarities; and one of the greatestluxuries in life in the opinion of a Delagoan is smoking the'hubble-bubble.' A long hollow reed, or cane, ending in two branchesthe lower one immersed in a horn of water, and the upper one cappedby a piece of earthenware, forming a bowl, is held in the hand; theycover its top, with the exception of a small aperture, throughwhich by a peculiar action of the mouth, they draw the smoke throughthe water below; they fill the mouth, and after having kept it theresome time, they eject it with violence from the ears and nostrils.It makes them giddy, half stifles them, and produces a violentcoughing, accompanied by profuse perspiration, and yet these peopleconsider it highly strengthening and beneficial."

CHARLES. "Is not Caffraria near here?"

MR. STANLEY. "Yes: but you must go a few miles inland to see them;for the Caffres have an extraordinary dislike to water, and willnever trust themselves on it, but from extreme necessity."

MR. BARRAUD. "The Caffres (Kaffirs) are worth looking at, for theyare a fine, handsome race of men, nearly black, with very good andpleasing features. Their dress, male and female, is composedprincipally of softened hides; but the women are so fond ofornaments as often to wear fifty necklaces at one time. Their hutsare constructed in the form of a beehive, and are perfectlywater-tight and warm. In times of peace the men tend the cattle, thewomen cultivate the land. The elephant, rhinoceros, buffalo,hippopotamus, lion, and various others are hunted in Caffraria withgreat spirit by the natives. Of a Divine Being whom they call'Uhlanger,' or 'Supreme,' they have some idea; but as to a state offuture rewards or punishments they are altogether in ignorance.Sorcery and witchcraft in various forms most extensively prevail,and are the causes of much cruelty."

GRANDY. "To hundreds of the Caffres, however, the preaching of theeverlasting Gospel has been productive of much temporal and eternalbenefit; and an interesting illustration of this occurs in some ofthe missionary records, which also exemplifies the character of theunconverted Caffre.

Story of the little Caffre.

"A little girl about eight years of age, was reclining on theground, in the cool of the day, when four wolves rushed upon theplace. One of them seized the child by the head, a second by theshoulder, and the other two by her legs. The people of the kraalwith all possible speed flew to her help, and succeeded in releasingher, but apparently too late. They tried for a few days to help herwith their medicines; but finding all hope fail, and as from theheat and flies she had now become loathsome, they gave her herchoice, either to be put to death by the youths of the place, or goto the woods to die or be farther devoured as might happen. Thelittle girl chose the woods. In this forlorn condition shedetermined to cast herself on the mercy of the missionaries; andalthough she had never been at the station, she believed from whatshe had heard, that could she reach the place, she should receivethat protection and help which her unnatural relatives refused togive. With this resolution she set out; and although she had totravel several miles through deep glens, she succeeded in reachingthe station, an awful picture of deformity and suffering, all butin a state of nudity, covered with large wounds to the number offourteen, among the most ghastly of which was that of the head andface, where the wolf having endeavored to grasp the whole head, hadtorn the mouth open to the ear, stripping the head of the upper partof its covering and making a ghastly wound of eight inches. Throughthe mercy of God she recovered, and was scarcely at all deformed;but she refused ever to return to the cruel people who forced herinto the woods to die. She became a Christian, and the Rev. Mr.Shaw, who relates the incident, says, that one day, as he waswalking a little distance from his house, he heard some one engagedin fervent prayer; he listened, it was the voice of a child; andgoing towards the place, he beheld in a secluded spot among theweeds, the young Caffre girl who had been rescued from the jaws ofdeath, earnestly pouring out her soul to the God of her mercies,when she thought no eye saw, and no ear heard her, but God."

MRS. WILTON. "How encouraging for the missionaries to find that theseed had been sown on good ground, and was brought to bear the fruitof righteousness through the blessing of the Almighty God!"

DORA. "Algoa Bay is on the coast of that portion of Cape Colony,known by the name of Albany. It was discovered by Bartholomew Dias.His sailors becoming discontented with their long voyage, hesitatedto proceed any further, and he, to satisfy their scruples, landedwith the chief officers and several seamen, on an island in thisbay, hoping by the touching solemnities of religion to soften adecision so discouraging to his adventurous hopes. He caused thesacrament to be administered at the foot of a cross which he thenplanted with his own hands, and which has given the name of SantaCruz to the island. There, upon this rugged spot, at present onlyvisited by a few fishermen, and where European foot had never beforetrodden, were the symbols of Christianity first displayed in theSouthern Ocean."

MRS. WILTON. "Graham's Town is the emporium of these easternfrontier districts of Cape Colony, and its main streets present ascene of incessant commercial activity; while almost every articlewhether of utility or of ornament, may be as readily obtained as inmost of the provincial towns of the mother country. There areseveral good inns, where visitors may command and receive everyreasonable comfort and attention. Religious services are wellattended, and numerous schools established, in which the childrenare making encouraging progress. The flowers and fruits of mostparts of Europe flourish here, and the climate is unexceptionable.There are a great many missionaries in Graham's Town; and on thewhole it may be safely averred, that the general intelligence of theinhabitants is not a whit inferior to that of the middle and lowerclasses of any country in the United Kingdom."

EMMA. "Camtoos or St. Francis Bay, is a few miles further along thecoast, and Plestenburg, Mossel, Vaccas, and St. Sebastian's Bay,are among those in the south of Cape Colony.

"Cow Bay, or Bahia das Vaccas, is in latitude 34° south,longitude22° east, and is so called on account of the vast number ofsea-cowswhich used to frequent it in former times. The chief value of theseanimals is in their ivory tusks, which, being harder than those ofthe elephant, and not so liable to turn yellow, are much moreesteemed by dentists. Their hides are also valuable for harnessleathers; and the skins of the young ones make handsome coveringsfor trunks.

"St. Sebastian's Bay is at the mouth of Breede River, and is said topossess good holding ground. It is seldom visited, except by vesselsintending to enter the river; and, as that is not our intention, wewill pass it, and go on until we come to False Bay, near the Cape ofGood Hope."

MR. WILTON. "False Bay is rather a sound than a bay.It containswithin its capacious bosom several fine and safe inlets, among whichSimon's Bay is the most important, for there is the naval arsenaland dépôt: but the proximity of the metropolis,and its moreconvenient bay, distant only twenty-one miles, diverts the whole ofthe trade from this excellent and perfectly land-locked harbor."

MRS. WILTON. "The Cape of Good Hope is a crown colony. Its affairsare administered by a governor and a lieutenant-governor. The firsthas his residence at Cape Town; the second, at Graham's Town. Withmuch truth we may describe the inhabitants of Cape Colony at large,as a serious and religious people. In the towns and villages thestrictest attention is paid to a close and regular attendance onpublic worship; and in the country districts, where churches are'few and far between,' and the opportunities difficult, the privatealtar is every morning and evening duly served by the head of eachfamily. The Lord's Supper is administered four times a year at everytown and village, when the greater part of the population make apoint of resorting thither with all the members of their families,though the distance to be traversed for the purpose often exceeds200 miles."

MR. BARRAUD. "Cape Town is situated on the shores of Table Bay,which is the chief harbor of the Cape of Good Hope, and isexceedingly commodious; and close by rises a mountain of the samename, to the height of 3582 feet, by a declivity so gradual, that ithas been ascended on horseback. I do not wish to detract from thegeneral goodness of the inhabitants of Cape Town, but I must saythey are an eager money-getting race. On the arrival of a ship fromEngland an auction is generally held, and the various articlesexhibited, damaged and sound, under the shade of some tree in thecentre of the town; where an Englishman would be amused to see oneof the first merchants shuffling round with a handful of tea, andtelling the audience that it is just upon the rise, and recommendingthat he be allowed to send home a pound or two."

MR. STANLEY. "When I was there a few months since, I was muchstruck with the appearance of the streets. They are broad andhandsome; but a wide ditch, which the townsfolk dignify withthename of a canal, runs through the centre. There is generally butlittle water in this ditch, but millions of restless mosquitoes,which populate the whole town, and (I speak from experience) are aperfect torture. The houses being mostly plastered, have astone-like and cleanly appearance, with their green Venetian blinds,and plantations of acacias and other Eastern trees, wavinggracefully in front of them. The climate is salubrious, andprovisions of all kinds abundant and cheap. I was within a very fewmiles of Constantia, so famous for its wines. Unfortunately I had notime to visit it, but a description given by a gentleman,[19] whowas there much about the same time, will, perhaps, answer ourpurpose better than my account. He says:—'The approach toConstantia is as romantic and beautiful as it is possible toconceive, from the mixture of the English shrubs and flowers withthose of Southern Africa. Here we passed by a long hedge of monthlyroses, all in full flower. Over our heads waved the fine foliage ofthe banana and plantain. There was a long vineyard loaded withgrapes, and the African negroes employed therein. Now we pass anavenue of English oaks; and this brings us to a fine large octagonalbuilding in the Dutch style, which is the residence of theproprietor of Lower Constantia.' Mr. Leigh next describes theinterior of the wine vaults as 'a long building, 100 yards or more;on either side enormous butts, with polished oak ribs, kept in thecleanest style.' As I cannot offer you a glass of wine from thesecelebrated butts, I will not detain the party any longer."

CHARLES. "The finest bay in the world falls to my share. It isSaldana Bay, which is capable of containing at safe anchorage thewhole British fleet, during all seasons of the year."

MR. WILTON. "But dame Nature, always capricious in her favors, hasdenied fertility to the adjacent soil; and the supply of water islimited, in consequence of which it is seldom resorted to, except byforeign whalers fishing on the coast. Almost the same may be said ofSt. Helena Bay, and for the same reasons. How many more bays in CapeColony?"

EMMA. "Only one, papa, and that is Donkin's Bay. We must then sailalong the Hottentot coast until we arrive at Walwisch Bay."

GEORGE. "Papa, are not the Boschmen dwelling somewhere near here?"

MR. WILTON. "Why, they are a wandering people, and can scarcely besaid to hold any definite territory of their own; but they are to befound north of Cape Colony, and are thus designated from the placeof their residence, which is in the bushes or woods. They are adirty, wild, savage people, and make a boast of the most inhumanactions, to get glory from their companions. They neither cultivatethe ground, nor tend cattle, but are dependent on the chase foranimal food."

MR. STANLEY. "Many superstitions and traditions are entertained bythese rude people; among them there is one related by Sir J.E.Alexander as follows:—

A Transformation.

"It is believed in the land that some of the Bosch people can changethemselves into wolves and lions when they like. Once on a time, acertain Namaqua was travelling in company with a Bosch womancarrying a child on her back. They had proceeded some distance onthe journey, when a troop of wild horses appeared; and the man saidto the woman, 'I am hungry, and I know you can turn yourself into alion: do so now, and catch us a wild horse, that we may eat.'

"The woman answered, 'You'll be afraid.'

"'No, no,' said the man; 'I am afraid of dying of hunger, but I amnot afraid of you.'

"Whilst he was yet speaking, hair began to appear at the back of thewoman's neck, her nails began to assume the appearance of claws, andher features altered. She set down the child.

"The man, alarmed at the change, climbed a tree close by. The womanglared at him fearfully, and, going to one side, she threw off herskin petticoat, when a perfect lion rushed out into the plain. Itbounded and crept among the bushes, towards the wild horses; andspringing on one of them, it fell, and the lion lapped its blood.The lion then came back to where the child was crying, and the mancalled from the tree, 'Enough, enough! do not hurt me! Put off yourlion's shape. I will never ask to see you thus again.'

"The lion looked at him and growled. 'I will remain here till Idie,' said the man, 'if you do not become a woman again.'

"The mane and tail then began to disappear; the lion went towardsthe bush where the skin petticoat lay; it was slipped on, and thewoman, again in her proper shape, took up the child. The mandescended, partook of the horse's flesh, but never again asked thewoman to catch game for him."

GEORGE. "This is very droll: but I think they must be very ignorantpeople to believe such absurdities."

EMMA. "I have Walwisch Bay. There is a broad sandy beach around it,and sand-hills heaped up in various forms inland, and the generalaspect of things here is very wild and Arabian-like. The climate ishealthy and good. It is hot in the beginning of the year; but fromMay until August it is cool and pleasant."

MRS. WILTON. "About three miles from Walwisch Bay, or Bay of Whales,is a Hottentot village, containing nearly 300 inhabitants, who are afriendly, harmless people, but very indolent and filthy. Both sexesdress alike, in the skins of animals sewed together with the sinewsof the same animals, in the form of a blanket, which they throw overtheir shoulders, with the hair-side next to their bodies. The womenare only distinguished by the profusion of their ornaments. Theseconsist of shells, bones, and minerals of different kinds, and areworn about the neck and wrists. They are all expert hunters andfishers. They devour their fish raw, and the small ones without evendivesting them of their entrails; what they cannot eat they picklewith salt procured at the head of the bay."

GEORGE. "What nasty disgusting people, to eat raw fish!"

MR. WILTON. "In appeasing the cravings of hunger they are, in fact,horribly disgusting, being actually more fond of the entrails ofcattle and sheep than of any other part; and when an animal iskilled, these people positively devour its entrails raw, even beforethey are cold, while they will refuse to partake of the carcass,cooked or otherwise."

DORA. "Now we pass on to Great and Little Fish Bays, which are onthe coast of that wretched slave country, Benguela."

GRANDY. "Ah! poor Africa is cursed with evils, unknown to the restof the human race in any section of the globe—reptiles of the mostdeadly venom, beasts of unparalleled ferocity, deserts of sand, andmoral deserts a thousand times more appalling. But her greatestcurse of all is the white man's cupidity, tearing asunder thetenderest ties of human nature, and plunging villages and familiesinto mourning and despair. The hyena, the tiger, the crocodile, arecreatures existing by the will of God; the man-stealer is asin-created monster! The depredations of the former are the effectsof hunger; those of the latter avarice—the meanest passion that canenter the human breast."

MR. WILTON. "It is now sixty years since Great Britain commencedoffensive warfare against the African slave-trade; but grieved am Ito say that little good has resulted from it; for the slave-trade isstill carried on as extensively as ever. Our ships, which arecontinually on the look-out to recapture the slave-vessels, scarcelyever take more than fifteen in the course of twelve months; and thecost of maintaining this force to our country is 600,000l.annually. This money, in my humble opinion, might be moreadvantageously laid out—mean in reference to this degraded anddemoralized quarter of the world, Africa. It might be expended inplanting industry, knowledge, and security; in fact, in civilizingthe wretched people; and surely that would more effectually checkthe slave-trade than the occasional capture of one or two cargoes.For the African slave-trade is not the cause, but the effect,ofAfrican ignorance, as any wretched creature there will seize andsell his more wretched neighbor for the paltry sum of a dollar."

MRS. WILTON. "This civilization will take years to effect; fordeep-rooted evils cannot be destroyed in a day, among an ignorantand prejudiced people."

EMMA. "We are at Fish Bay. Dora, will you continue."

DORA. "Yes: Fish Bay is one of the finest places in the world forfishing with a 'seine,' by which thousands of barrels of excellentfish are caught in the course of the year."

GEORGE. "What sort of a town is Benguela?"

DORA. "Small: it consists of not more than 200 houses, mostly onestory high. Everything good to eat can be procured here; but thereis no good water, except in the rainy season."

MR. STANLEY. "Then we had better make all sail, and get away, for itwould be sad work to be becalmed with—

'Water, water everywhere, and not a drop to drink.'

While we are in these latitudes, we may as well visit the twoislands, which look so tempting after a long voyage on the greatAtlantic. Come boys: St. Helena for Charles—Ascension for George."

CHARLES. "St. Helena was discovered by those pioneers of navigation,the Portuguese, on Saint Helen's day, the 21st of May, 1501. It is1200 miles from the continent, in latitude 5° south, longitude15°west. It is a beautiful island, inhabited by about 300 Englishfamilies, whose ancestors took possession of it in 1600. ThePortuguese stocked it well with cattle and fruit, and the Englishnow benefit by their forethought. 'St. Helena,' says a cleverwriter,[20]'is the dark monument of the most conspicuous man thathas arisen within the period of certain history.' Of course thatmeans Napoleon Bonaparte. I have done."

GEORGE. "Ascension Isle lies between Africa and Brazil: it wasdiscovered in 1508. It is about 39 miles in circumference, and ofnearly a circular form. It has water only in one spot, called theGreen Mountain, from the rich verdure with which it is covered. Thenatural productions are not numerous. Guinea-fowl have beenintroduced, and are now quite wild. Ten head of cattle were likewiseimported, which have also taken to the woods, and are hunted by thegarrison as required. This island was at one period overrun withenormous rats, to destroy which somebody with good intent imported acargo of cats, which are now become as great a plague as theirpredecessors, keeping the sportsmen constantly on the alert todestroy them."

MR. STANLEY. "Well done, George! I am glad to hear you not onlyremember the information, but try to retain the phraseology of thegeographers. That is the right method to improve your memory; do nothalt at the trouble it cost you, for you will be abundantly repaidin the end."

DORA. "We have only one more bay on this side of the equator tonotice. Among the numerous bays on the western coast of Africa,first in rank stands Kabenda Bay, near Congo. It is a very fineharbor, and is so agreeable a situation that it is denominated the'Paradise of the Coast.' The sea is always smooth, and debarkationeasy. The town of Kabenda stands amidst delightful scenery, composedof lofty cliffs, verdant hills, and deep luxuriant vales; it isresorted to principally by slavers, who trade thither for slaves,ivory, and wood. The poor inhabitants, strange to say,notwithstanding their oppression, have a great respect for whitemen, and believe that they know everything, or, in their dialect,'sabe ebery ting.'"

MR. BARRAUD. "There is a fact worthy the attention of travellersconnected with the kingdom of Loango, which you will perceive liesimmediately north of Congo. It contains amongst its inhabitantsnumbers of black Jews scattered throughout the country. They aredespised by the negroes, who do not even deign to eat with them.They are occupied in trade, and keep the sabbath so strictly thatthey do not even converse on that day; they have a separateburying-ground, very far from any habitation. The tombs areconstructed with masonry, and ornamented with Hebrew inscriptions,the singularity of which excites the laughter of the negroes, whodiscern in these hieroglyphics only serpents, lizards, and otherreptiles."

MRS. WILTON. "Crossing the line is no longer a novelty to suchexperienced voyagers as we are, and I think Dora may carry us on toour next station without further remark."

DORA. "The Gulf of Guinea."

MR. WILTON. "Plenty of sea-room there, Dora; but I hope weare tokeep along the coast, for with the exception of Fernando Po and St.Thomas's, I know of no place where I should feel disposed to goashore."

MRS. WILTON. "We are on a coasting expedition, although, for thefurtherance of science, we occasionally sail out of the directtrack; and as, in this instance, the mention of your inclination tovisit these two islands implies some knowledge of their situation,we expect you will furnish the meeting with the requisiteinformation."

MR. WILTON. "Your mamma is very sharp upon me, George. Take warningby my case, and do not interfere with the pilot."

GEORGE. "Ha, capital! Now, papa, Ferdinand Po!"

MR. WILTON. "Our sojourn there will be very brief; not because theisland is deficient in fertility, but simply because the society ofthe natives would be intolerable to civilized noses. They are thefilthiest people in the whole world. Words cannot convey an idea oftheir disgusting nature. They have long hair matted together withred clay and palm oil. This composition has a most outrageous smell,and with it they smear their faces and bodies. They are, generallyspeaking, a stout, athletic, well made race of people, andparticularly harmless in their dispositions, though from theirappearance you would not imagine that to be the case, as eachindividual is always armed with a spear about eight feet in length,made of hard wood, and barbed at each end; which, added to theirfierce color and smell, would daunt the courage of a moreenlightened savage.

"St. Thomas's should have been first, as it is nearer the equator.It is one of the four Guinea Islands; Prince's Island and Anaboawill make up the number. I know very little of it, except that ithelps to furnish the Portuguese shipping with provisions and freshwater. Now I have satisfied the demands of the meeting, and willpromise not to interfere again."

CHARLES. "I shall be rejoiced at your interference, sir, if italways have the effect of bringing out your stores; and, now I ampilot for a short time, I beg to state that I shall not require anyapology, should you interrupt me in the discharge of my duty,butbe thankful for the same.

"Fernando Po. It is in the Bight of Biafra, the coast of which bightis thus described by Dr. Bayle:—'This coast is forbidding in itsaspect, dangerous to approach, repulsive when examined, anddisgusting when known.' There: that is not a very inviting account:had we not better sail on? Who cries forward?"

"Forward all," exclaimed Mr. Stanley; and Charles was about toproceed, when George interrupted him to inquire if the chimpanzeewere not a native of these parts.

MR. STANLEY. "Yes, my boy; it is found not very far from theequator."

GEORGE. "Is it not the largest ape in Guinea?"

MR. STANLEY. "Right again. I will tell you all I know about thegentleman. Its height is four feet, and there is no appearance of atail. Monsieur de Grandpié gives an account of one which he hadtheopportunity of observing during a voyage. This animal had learned toheat the oven, and was particularly careful that no coals shouldescape to set fire to the vessel. It perfectly understood when theoven was sufficiently heated, and never failed to apprise the bakerof the circ*mstance; while he in his turn so entirely confided init, that he hastened with his bread as soon as the animal went tofetch him, and was never once led into an error. When they turnedthe capstan, it endeavored to assist with all its power, like asailor. When the sails were loosened, it mounted the yards of itsown accord. It belaced the shrouds as well as any sailor; andobserving how the end of the rope was fastened to prevent itshanging, it did the same to the rope of which it had possession. Itwas as clever as many of the men, and much more nimble, and wastreated by the sailors as one of their own crew. This animal died onthe passage, owing to the brutal treatment of the second mate. Itbore his cruel usage with the greatest resignation, raising itshands in a suppliant manner to implore a remission of the stripes heinflicted. From that moment it refused to eat, and died of hungerand suffering on the fifth day, almost as much regretted as one ofthe crew would have been. The chimpanzee generally walks upright,supported by the branch of a tree, after the manner of awalking-stick. The negroes dread it, and with much reason; for it ispowerful, and uses its power with great harshness whenever theymeet. I believe you may see a chimpanzee in the Zoological Gardensin the Regent's Park. We will go some day on speculation, George.Now, Charles, 'forward!'"

CHARLES. "The Bight of Benin washes the coast of Dahomey and othercountries, known also by the name of the Slave Coast. Dahomey,including the subjugated districts, extends at least 150 miles intothe interior. The principal town is Abomey, lying about threedegrees east longitude."

MRS. WILTON. "Whidah on this coast must be noticed, as it is soconnected with Dahomey. It was once an independent kingdom; but inthe year 1727 was conquered by Guadja Irudo, King of Dahomey. Itscapital contains about 20,000 inhabitants. In Whidah the religion ispagan; but for some unaccountable reason they worship their divinityunder the form of a particular species of snake, called daboa,which is not sufficiently large to be terrible to man, and isotherwise tamable and inoffensive. These daboas are taken careofin the most pious manner, and well fed on rats, mice, or birds intheir fetish houses or temples, where the people assemble topaytheir adoration, and where those also who are sick or lame apply forassistance."

GRANDY. "Their creed is an odd mixture. They believe in two beings,equal in power; the one doing good, the other evil; and they pray tothe demon to allow them to remain unmolested by the magicians, whoare constantly endeavoring to injure them."

MR. STANLEY. "In Dahomey the tiger is an object of religious regard;but the people wisely deem it the safest mode of worship to performtheir acts of devotion to his skin only, and it is stuffed for thatpurpose. The government of this country is entirely despotic. Thesovereign may cut off as many heads as he likes, and dispose of hissubjects' property as he thinks fit, without being accountable toany earthly tribunal. He has from three to four thousand wives, aproportion of whom, trained to arms under female officers,constitute his body-guard."

CHARLES. "What a royal regiment! all queens; why the sight of themwould strike terror into an English army. I should throw down myweapons directly."

MR. STANLEY. "But their enemies are not so gallant, and hesitate notto fight this female army, who very often gain the advantage bybeing so well disciplined."

MR. BARRAUD. "In Dahomey, at a particular period of the year, agrand annual festival is held; and, amidst feastings and rejoicings,deeds are done from which the civilized mind recoils with horror.Numbers of human victims are sacrificed in solemn form.

"They are generally prisoners of war set aside for the purpose; butas seventy is the required number, should there not be so manyprisoners, the king makes it up from his own subjects. Their bodiesare thrown to wild beasts, while their heads are used to decoratethe walls of the royal palace! Still more barbarous is the notion ofenjoying the gratification of trampling on the heads of theirenemies; and, in order to do this, the King of Dahomey has thepassage leading to his bedchamber paved with the skulls of hisenemies!"

EMMA. "O cruel murderous people! Sail on, Charles, and leave themfar behind. Is not the next coast Ashantee?"

CHARLES. "Yes; Ashantee is at present the most powerful state in allWestern Africa, and, in fact, rules over a considerable portion ofit. The natives are remarkable for oratory, and will discoursefluently on a given subject for hours. A taste for music is alsoextensively cultivated, and their taste is evidenced by the nativeband at Cape Coast Castle, which plays admirably by ear several ofthe most popular English tunes. The Ashantees, and the natives ofthe countries contiguous to this coast, build their houses of mudand sticks, which composition they call 'swish.'"

MR. WILTON. "They are a more civilized set than the people ofDahomey; and the Danes have furnished us with a portrait of one oftheir kings, whose name was Opocco. Here is the account:—'Themonarch was seated on a throne of massive gold, under the shade ofan artificial tree with golden leaves. His body, extremely lean, andinordinately tall, was smeared over with tallow mixed up with golddust. A European hat, bound with broad gold lace, covered his head;his loins were encircled with a sash of golden cloth. From his neckdown to his feet cornelians, agates, lazulites, were crowded in theform of bracelets and chains, and his feet rested on a golden basin.The grandees of the realm lay prostrate on the ground, with theirheads covered with dust. A hundred complainers and accused personswere in a similar posture; behind them twenty executioners, withdrawn sabres in their hands waited the royal signal, which generallyterminated each cause, by the decapitation of one or other of theparties.'

"The Danish envoy was introduced; and passing a number of bloodyheads, recently separated from the bodies, approached the throne.The magnificent flaming prince addressed him with the followingmost gracious questions:—'I would willingly detain thee for somemonths in my dominions, to give thee an idea of my greatness. Hastthou ever seen anything to be compared with it? 'No! lord and king,'replied the obsequious envoy, 'thou hast no equal in the world!''Thou art right,' said Opocco, 'God in heaven does not much surpassme!' The king drank some English beer from a bottle, and then handedit to the Dane; the latter took a little, and excused himself bysaying that the liquor would intoxicate him. 'It is not the beerthat confounds thee,' said Opocco; 'it is the brightness of mycountenance which throws the universe into a state of inebriety!'This same king conquered the brave prince Oorsoock, chief of theAkims, who slew himself. He caused the head of the vanquished princeto be brought to him, decked it with golden bracelets, and inpresence of his generals directed to him the followingspeech:—'Behold him laid in the dust, this great monarch, who hadno equal in the universe, except God and me! He was certainly thethird. Oh! my brother Oorsoock, why wouldst thou not acknowledgethyself my inferior? But thou hopedst to find an opportunity ofkilling me; thou thoughtest that there ought not to be more thanone great man in the world. Thy sentiment was not to be blamed;itis one in which all mighty kings ought to participate.'"

GRANDY. "What fearful arrogance and presumption! It sufficientlytestifies their direful state of ignorance, which ignorance, Itrust to hear, will soon be effectually removed; for there are nowmissionary establishments on this coast, which, since the year 1834,have been progressing. At first, the ministers were much dispirited,owing to the evil effects of the climate on the Europeanconstitution, for after a year or two they were cut off by death;and, in order to continue the mission, other pious men and theirwives were obliged to be sent out. Again, these died; but yet thework prospered; and now, blessed be God! the few whose lives havebeen spared, are enabled to report that many natives have turnedunto the Lord their God. Every Sabbath morning, public worship iscelebrated in the chapel at Cape Coast Town, when the beautifulliturgy of our Church is read; and the decorum which is observed bythe natives, who read the responses, appears in striking oppositionto the wild irrational service which they formerly offered at thetemple of their fetish."

MRS. WILTON. "The unconverted believe in a Supreme Being; but theyhave a curious tradition respecting the creation, which hasprevailed among them from the earliest period of their history. Theybelieve that, in the beginning of the world, God, having createdthree white and three black men, with an equal number of women ofeach color, resolved, in order that they might be left without causeof complaint, to allow them to fix their own destiny, by giving themthe choice of good and evil. A large box or calabash was placed uponthe ground, together with a sealed paper or letter. The black menhad the first choice, and took the calabash, expecting that itcontained all that was desirable; but, upon opening it, they foundonly a piece of gold, some iron, and several other metals of whichthey did not know the use. The white men opened the paper, and ittold them everything. All this is supposed to have happened inAfrica, in which country it is believed God left the blacks, withthe choice which their avarice had prompted them to make, under thecare of inferior or subordinate deities; but conducted the whites tothe water-side, where he communicated with them every night, andtaught them to build a small vessel, which carried them to anothercountry, from whence, after a long period, they returned withvarious kinds of merchandise to barter with the blacks, whoseperverse choice of gold in preference to the knowledge of lettershad doomed them to inferiority."

MR. STANLEY. "Affairs would have been better ordered for the blacks,had they allowed the ladies to have a voice in the selection; butthey never had a good opinion of the fair sex, and they are no wiserat the present day as many of their customs sufficiently testify.—Apeculiar provision is made in Ashantee with reference to the femalesex. One of the king's sisters is constituted the governess of theempire, or queen over the females, and all are said to be placedunder her control and direction: but whatever may be the nature andobject of the training to which she subjects them, it is certainthat it is not intended to make the wife the rational companion andconfidential friend of her husband; for if an Ashantee wife isdetected in listening to a conversation of her husband, hercuriosity is sure to cost her an ear; and if she betray a secretwith which she has by any means become acquainted, her incensedhusband punishes her by cutting off her upper lip. The sight ofwomen who have suffered such inflictions, is common even in thepresent day.'"

MR. BARRAUD. "These are the cruelties of a barbarous people, butthey are not horrified at deeds of blood; indeed, such is the unionof barbarism and magnificence in this African country, that on acourt day there is invariably in immediate attendance upon the kingthe royal chief executioner, a man of gigantic size, bearing amassive gold hatchet, and having exhibited before him the executionstool, clotted with human blood and partly covered with a caul offat!"

MRS. WILTON. "That is done, no doubt, from policy, to inure hiscourtiers to scenes of horror, in hopes of rendering them callous tohuman suffering and courageous in the field of battle. Ah, well! wehave heard enough of them: let us now visit some other country."

DORA. "Liberia is the next station and much more desirable; for theclimate is better than most other parts of the coast, the soilfruitful, and the inland population quiet and inoffensive, and moreinclined to industry than their neighbors."

GRANDY. "There is a thriving missionary establishment at Liberia,which I hope will before long exert its benign influence over theBowchee people, who are located some few miles distant. They are amiserable race, entirely devoid of feeling; the gentle appeals ofnature are unknown to them; parental tenderness dwells not in theirbosoms, for they will sell their children as slaves to the greateststrangers in the world, with no more remorse of conscience than ifthey had been common articles of merchandise. I will tell you astory of a Bowchee mother:—'A travelling slave-dealer passingthrough the place had purchased several of their children of bothsexes, from the inhabitants, and amongst others an old woman had anonly daughter, whom she parted with for a necklace of beads. Theunhappy girl, who was about thirteen or fourteen years of age, onbeing dragged away from the threshold of her parent's hut, clungdistractedly around the knees of her unfeeling mother, and lookingup wistfully in her face burst into a flood of tears, exclaimingwith passionate vehemence:—"O mother! do not sell me; what willbecome of me? what will become of yourself in your old age if yousend me from you? who will fetch you corn and milk? who will pityyou when you die? Have I been unkind to you? O mother! do not sellyour only daughter. I will take you in my arms when you are feebleand carry you under the shade of trees. I will repay the kindnessyou showed me in my infant years. When you are weary, I will fan youto sleep; and whilst you are sleeping, I will drive away flies fromyou. I will attend on you when you are in pain; and when you die, Iwill shed rivers of sorrow over your grave. O mother! dear mother!do not push me away from you; do not sell your only daughter to bethe slave of a stranger!" Her tears were useless—her remonstrancesvain. The unnatural parent, shaking the beads in the face of heronly child, thrust her from her embraces; and the slave-dealer drovethe agonized girl from the place of her nativity.'"

EMMA. "Oh! how very shocking! Poor girl! how dreadful to have suchcruel, relentless parents. Oh dear! I hope the work of themissionaries will be blessed, and that God will soften the hardhearts of those savage and mercenary people."

CHARLES. "Between Liberia and Sierra Leone are Sherboro' Bay andYawry Bay. Sierra Leone, or 'Mountains of the Lioness,' is sounhealthy that we should not live long if we went there."

MRS. WILTON. "You are right, Charles. It was established as a colonyin 1787, for the express purpose of laboring to civilize theAfricans. All the cargoes of the recaptured slavers are taken there,and every comfort and convenience afforded to the unfortunatenegroes. But it is so extremely unhealthy that Europeans canscarcely carry out their plans, and death mows them down in themidst of their usefulness."

CHARLES. "Then I may conclude that all members are desirous ofproceeding. Between Sierra Leone and Cape Verd the bays areimmaterial; but from Cape Verd, sailing north, we pass fourtolerable-sized indentations—Tindal, Greyhound, Cintra, and GarnetBays. Then a brisk wind will speedily waft us to the point fromwhence we started, viz. the Straits of Gibraltar."

MR. WILTON. "We have nearly come to a conclusion then, and withoutany of the misfortunes incidental to travellers. We have gone overthe vast extent of waters which encompass our globe, and been forsome months engaged in examining the wonders of the ocean, withoutmeeting any of the monsters of the deep, such as krakens,sea-serpents, &c.; nevertheless, I am not so skeptical as todisbelieve all I have not the opportunity of viewing with my ownbodily eyes. I do think that the sea contains monsters such as Mrs.Howitt describes:—

'Things all misshapen, slimy, cold,
Writhing, and strong, and thin,'

which it would be dangerous to observe too near; and I shall feel wehave gained an advantage by these little meetings if they lead youyoung folks to reflect on the probabilities of different travellers'assertions, before you either receive or reject them."

MRS. WILTON. "We have sailed all round the coast of Africa, butwould there be any danger in going to the lakes of Africa?"

MR. WILTON. "None that I am aware of; and as there are only three ofany magnitude there, we shall not be long on the excursion. I willvisit two myself, and report discoveries.

"Lake Ludea is in Tunis, and is scarcely worth the expense of ajourney thither. Lake Maravi is in the south, near Mozambique, andis rather larger, but not an agreeable situation. Mr. Stanley, willyou be good enough to conduct the ladies to the banks of LakeTchad?"

MR. STANLEY. "I should be sorry to take the ladies to such acountry; but I will venture alone and, like you, collect thenecessary information, if that will suit the purpose?"

EMMA. "Oh! yes, sir, that will do quite as well."

MR. STANLEY. "Lake Tchad is the largest inland sea in Africa, itscircumference about 300 miles, its situation in the country ofBornou. It contains sweet, fresh, and still water; is surrounded bymany lakes, both fresh and salt; and has several rivers running intoit, although it has no outlet, which is the cause of itsoccasionally overflowing the surrounding country. Bornou is not apleasant place, it swarms with innumerable creeping horrors, andsavage animals; the latter often enter the villages, and carry offthe unfortunate slaves while at work. Simplicity, good-nature, andugliness are the peculiar characteristics of the people; andalthough the men are not warriors, nor the women favored by nature,they are certainly a kind, inoffensive race. Angornou is the largestand most populous town of Bornou; it is situated a few miles fromLake Tchad, and contains 30,000 inhabitants. Major Denham gives avery good account of an interview with the Sultan of Bornou. Hewrites:—'The Sultan received us in an open space in front of theroyal residence: we were kept at a considerable distance, while hispeople approached to within about 100 yards, passing first onhorseback; and after dismounting and prostrating themselves beforehim, they took their places on the ground in front, but with theirbacks to the royal person, which is the custom of the country. TheSultan was seated in a sort of cage, of cane or wood, near the doorof his garden, on a seat which, at the distance, appeared to becovered with silk or satin, and through the railing looked upon theassembly before him, who formed a semicircle in front of him.Nothing could be more absurd and grotesque than the figures whoformed this court. Large stomachs and large heads are indispensablefor those who serve the court of Bornou, and those who unfortunatelypossess not the former by nature, make up the deficiency withwadding. A little to our left, or nearly in front of the Sultan, wasan extempore declaimer, shouting forth praises of his master, withhis pedigree; and near him one who bore the long wooden "frum-frum,"on which he ever and anon blew a blast, loud and unmusical,' Themajor says, the appearance of these courtiers was ridiculous in theextreme, squatting down in their places, or tottering under theweight and magnitude of their turbans and their stomachs, whiletheir thin legs, that appeared underneath, but ill accorded with thebulk of the other parts. I see George laughing at the picture I havedrawn of these curious little men, but you would not dare to laughin the presence of the mighty Sultan of Bornou; he would immediatelyexclaim, 'Off with his head!' if you so far outraged the rules ofBornouan etiquette. I will now give you a description of a weddingin this African country, and we will then bid the people a longfarewell. The bridegroom's friends, to the number of 200 or 300,sally forth, dressed in their best clothes, to meet the bride.Behold her! mounted on a bullock whose back is covered with blue andwhite cloths. She is followed by four female slaves, laden withstraw baskets, wooden bowls, and earthen pots; after them appear twoother bullocks carrying the remainder of the fair bride'sdowry.She is attended by her mother, and five or six young ladies, who actas bridesmaids. According to their mode of salutation, we mustgallop up to them repeatedly. See! the ladies cover their faces, andscream their thanks; and as it is extremely indelicate to gaze uponthe bride, we must cast our eyes on the ground, wheel our horsesround, and gallop back again. You will ask, 'Is that all; and whereis the bridegroom?' Ah! poor fellow! he has been parading thestreets all the day, with a crowd after him, dressed in all thefinery he could buy or borrow, while the people blew horns, beatdrums, and cried, 'May you live forever!' 'God prosper you!' 'Grayhairs to you!' There is no further ceremony. The bride is handedover to her husband in the evening by her mother, and henceforththey are man and wife."

GEORGE. "Oh! what very odd things are done in strange lands! I am sosorry our examinations are over, and I wish we could begin them allagain. What religion are the people of Bornou?"

MR. STANLEY. "They are Mohammedans; and very superstitious, trustinggreatly to their medicine men."

GRANDY. "I have really enjoyed these meetings as much as the youngfolks, for I think there is no study more delightful, nor moreuseful, than that which makes us acquainted with the world and itsinhabitants. As our business has been mostly on the waters, Iconsider that we ought not to close the subject without calling tomind the period when 'the waters prevailed exceedingly upon theearth,' and 'all that was in the dry land died.' Beware, my dearchildren, that you forget not the awful catastrophe from which thefamily of faithful Noah alone escaped; nor that the cause of it wasthe iniquity of men!"

GEORGE. "I never see a rainbow, but I think of the Deluge, becauseyou taught me the texts concerning God's covenant, dear Grandy, andthe promise that the earth should no more be destroyed by a flood:but I have often wondered what could be the size of the ark tocontain so many living creatures."

MR. WILTON. "I believe I can inform you somewhat on that head. Ascriptural cubit measures twenty-one inches, and it has beencalculated according to the dimensions given in the 6th chapter ofGenesis, that the ark must have been of the enormous burden of19,530 tons!"

CHARLES. "Enormous! why our first-rate men-of-war are scarcely 3000tons, and yet how large they look. How long was it in building?"

MRS. WILTON. "Many authors agree in stating it to have been onehundred and twenty years in building."

MR. STANLEY. "There is now no alternative—our discussion mustcome to an end. The last voyage has been highly interesting,although, perhaps, not in the most delightful portion of the globe;but I cannot help expressing a sincere wish, that your realvoyageto the West Indies may afford you as much enjoyment and edification;and its termination be as happy and well-ordered, as thisimaginary voyage, which has not only proved us all tolerablesailors and respectable navigators, but also testified that the goodship 'Research' has truly merited her name, and earned many laurelsfor herself and owners."

Mr. Stanley then presented George with a beautiful telescope, as areward for his perseverance in the acquirement of geographicalknowledge. He charged him to make a profitable use of it, for thebenefit of the captain on their voyage to Jamaica; and, added he, ashe placed the valuable gift in the hands of the delighted boy: "Keepa sharp look-out, George; and mind that you are the first to shout asail! a sail! Then you will see how the faces of the weather-beatensailors will brighten as they run to have a look at her. Thenwillthe captain call for his speaking trumpet, and some such questionsas these will be put to the stranger. Where are you bound?Wheredo you come from? Are you all hearty on board? The boatswain willthen hang out the black board, with the latitude and longitudemarked on it; the stranger will do the same. If they agree, all welland good, they each sail on their separate courses, wishing for fairwinds and a prosperous voyage; such as I sincerely hope may fall tothe share of the members of our little Society."

We must now leave our young friends, as we cannot accompany themacross the Atlantic for want of a vessel. The "Research" havingbehaved so well in their late expeditions, she is still to behonored with their company; and being a merchant ship, she cannotaccommodate many passengers.

Should my readers be anxious to hear of the safe arrival of theiryoung friends in the "Land of Springs," I must beg to refer them toLloyd's for particulars of "Research," A. 1. 400 tons burden,Commander Frederic Hamilton.

THE END.

NOTES:

[1]

The ancients are said to have derived the art ofnavigation from these animals, which, in calm weather, are seenfloating on the surface of the water, with some of their tentaculaextended at their sides, while two arms that are furnished withmembranaceous appendages serve the office of sails. These animalsraise themselves to the surface of the sea, by ejecting thesea-water from their shells; and on the approach of danger, theydraw their arms, and with them a quantity of water, which occasionsthem to sink immediately. By possessing this power, they are butrarely taken perfect, as the instant they are disturbed theydisappear. They are more frequently caught in the nets of fishermenthan any other way, or found left dry on rocks.

[2]

Vide Sketches of Travel by Francis Schroeder.

[3]

More properly written "diwaun."

[4]

Thus named from Helle, who, according to poeticaltradition, perished in these waters, and from Pontus, the Greek wordfor sea.

[5]

Vide History of Guernsey, by Dicey.

[6]

Xavier Hommaire de Hell.

[7]

Vide Lieutenant Wellsted's Travels in Arabia.

[8]

A ducat is of the value of nine shillings andthreepence sterling.

[9]

Maltebrun.

[10]

Madera signifies wooded.

[11]

So named because these two vessels were here frozen upfrom October 20th, 1822, to August 8th, 1823.

[12]

Animals similar to the wild boar of Europe, but verysmall.

[13]

Cayman: a species of alligator.

[14]

Ilex: a species of oak.

[15]

J. Bayard Taylor's 'Eldorado.'

[16]

Coleridge

[17]

Tapa is a species of stuff made from the inner bark ofthe mulberry-tree.

[18]

Right Rev. Samuel Gobat.

[19]

Mr. Leigh, surgeon of the Australian Company's ship"South Australia."

[20]

Captain Morrell