CHAPTER IX.THE SEASHORE.
My mother Celeste once took me down to Ramsgate, thinking, as she said, that I needed sea-bathing. She packed her clothes and mine, and ordered my house (the baby-house) to be carried behind her. The next morning my mother rode in her carriage, which was made expressly for herself and me, to the water-side, where we went into a little house, and putting on our bathing clothes, jumped into the water. My mother had fastened me by a string to her waist, and so could swim without being troubled by me. She then showed me how to keep myself above water and how to swim, for she said thatsoon she was going to let me bathe alone. I enjoyed the water very much, and thought what a great loss it must be to some dolls, who cannot go into the water because their complexion will not allow them to be washed in any thing but sweet oil or butter. I thought how sticky it must feel during the process, and how uncomfortable it must be afterwards. We went into the little house again, after bathing, and put on our skirts and dresses. All day it was very hot, and we remained in the house reading, until evening, when we went to bathe again. While bathing, I saw several large birds fly over the water, and several times dip down into the waves. I asked my mother what they were, and she said they were sea-gulls.
The next morning, when we were in the midst of bathing, there was the cry of "A shark! a shark!" As soon as thiswas said, every one started for the shore, and all got there safely, except one little girl, about nine years of age, who was so frightened that she could not swim. The shark was nearing to her every moment. At last a strong and brave man jumped into the water, and swimming up to the shark, killed him with a long knife which he carried in his belt. After a couple of weeks spent in this manner, we went home.