"During a tedious passage to the North, I remarked among the steerage passengers a man who seemed to keep himself apart from the rest. He wore the uniform of the foot artillery, and sported a corporal's stripes. In the course of the afternoon, I stepped before the funnel, and entered into conversation with him; learned that he had been invalided and sent home from Canada, had passed the Board in London, obtained a pension of a shilling a-day, and was returning to a border village, where he had been born, to ascertain whether any of his family were living, from whom he had been separated nineteen years. He casually admitted, that during this long interval he had held no communication with his relations; and I set him down accordingly as some wild scapegrace, who had stolen from a home whose happiness his follies had compromised too often. He showed me his discharge—the character was excellent,—but it only went to prove how much men's conduct will depend upon the circumstances under which they act. He had been nineteen years a soldier—a man 'under authority,'—one obedient to another's will, subservient to strict discipline, with scarcely a free agency himself, and yet, during that long probation, he had been a useful member of the body politic, sustained a fair reputation, and as he admitted himself, been a contented and happy man. He returned home his own master, and older by twenty years. Alas! it was a fatal free agency for him, for time had not brought wisdom. The steward told me that he had ran riot while his means allowed it, had missed his passage twice, and had on the preceding evening come on board, when not a shilling remained to waste in drunken dissipation. I desired that the poor man should be supplied with some little comforts during the voyage; and when we landed at Berwick, I gave him a trifling sum to assist him to reach his native village, where he had obtained vague intelligence that some aged members of his family might still be found.
"A few evenings afterwards, I was sitting in the parlor of one of the many little inns I visited while rambling on the banks of the Tweed, when the waitress informed me that 'a sodger is speerin' after the colonel.' He was directed to attend the presence, and my fellow-voyager, the artilleryman, entered the chamber, and made his military salaam.
"'I thought you were now at Jedburgh,' I observed.
"'I went there, sir,' he replied, 'but there has not been any of my family for many a year residing in the place. I met an old packman on the road, and he tells me there are some persons in this village of my name. I came here to make inquiries, and hearing that your honor 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 you commence inquiries.'
"The soldier bowed and left the room, and presently the host entered to give me directions for a route among the Cheviots, which I contemplated taking the following day. I mentioned the soldier's errand.
"'Sure enough,' returned the host, 'there are an auld decent couple of the name here. What is the soldier called?'
"'William,' I replied, for by that name his discharge and pension bill were filled up.
"'I'll slip across the street to the auld folk,' said Boniface, 'and ask them a few questions.'
"The episode of humble life that followed was afterwards thus described to me by mine host.
"He found the ancient couple seated at the fire; the old man reading a chapter in the Bible, as was his custom always before he and his aged partner retired for the night to rest. The landlord explained the object of the soldier's visit, and inquired if any of their children answered the description of the wanderer.
"'It is our Jock!' exclaimed the old woman passionately, 'and the puir 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 her blue and faded eyes to heaven; 'I thought the prayer I sae often made 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, who had followed the landlord unperceived, and listened at the cottage door, rushed into the room, and dropped kneeling at his mother's feet. For a moment she turned her eyes with a fixed and glassy stare upon the returned wanderer. Her hand was laid upon his head—her lips parted as if about to pronounce the promised blessing—but no sounds issued, and she slowly leaned forward on the bosom of the long-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, is often fatal to a worn-out frame. The spirit had calmly passed; the parent had lived to see and bless her lost one; and expire in the arms of him, who, with all his faults, appeared to have been her earthly favorite."
DORA. "What an affecting story! How sorry Jock must have felt that he came so suddenly into his mother's presence; but his father was yet alive for him to comfort and cheer in his declining age. I hope he was kind and affectionate to him all his days, to compensate for the loss of the poor old woman?"
MR. BARRAUD. "I trust he was, but our historian saith no more."
MR. WILTON. "There is a little cluster of islands between Alnwick and Berwick called the Farne islands, on one of which was situated the lighthouse where the heroine Grace Darling spent her dreary days. These rocky islands have for centuries been respected as holy ground, because St. Cuthbert built an oratory on one of them, and died there. At one time there were two chapels on these rocks; one dedicated to St. Cuthbert, the other to the Virgin Mary: they are now ruins; and a square building, erected for the religieux stationed on these isles, has been put to better use, and converted into a lighthouse. Off these islands occurred that dreadful calamity, the wreck of the Forfarshire steamer, of which I will give you a brief account:—
"It appears, that shortly after she left the Humber her boilers began to leak, but not to such an extent as to excite any apprehensions; and she continued on her voyage. The weather, however, became very tempestuous; and on the morning of the fatal day, she passed the Farnes on her way northwards, in a very high sea, which rendered it necessary for the crew to keep the pumps constantly at work. At this time they became aware that the boilers were becoming more and more leaky as they proceeded. At length, when she had advanced as far as St. Abb's Head, the wind having increased to a hurricane from N.N.E., the engineer reported the appalling fact that the machinery would work no longer. Dismay seized all on board; nothing now remained but to set the sails fore and aft, and let her drift before the wind. Under these circumstances, she was carried southwards, till about a quarter to four o'clock on Friday morning, when the foam became distinctly visible breaking upon the fearful rock ahead. Captain Humble vainly attempted to avert the appalling catastrophe, by running her between the islands and the mainland; she would not answer her helm, and was impelled to and fro by a furious sea. In a few minutes more, she struck with her bows foremost on the rock. The scene on board became heart-rending. A moment after the first shock, another tremendous wave struck her on the quarter, by which she was buoyed for a moment high off the rock. Falling as this wave receded, she came down upon the sharp edge with a force so tremendous as to break her fairly in two pieces, about 'midships; when, dreadful to relate, the whole of the after part of the ship, containing the principal cabin, filled with passengers, sinking backwards, was swept into the deep sea, and thus was every soul on that part of the vessel instantaneously engulfed in one vast and terrible grave of waters. Happily the portion of the wreck which had settled on the rock remained firmly fixed, and afforded a place of refuge to the unfortunate survivors. At daylight they were discovered from the Longstone; and Grace Darling and her father launched a boat, and succeeded, amidst the dash of waters and fearful cries of the perishing people, in removing the few remaining sufferers from their perilous position to the lighthouse. The heroism of this brave girl, who unhesitatingly risked her own life to save others, was justly appreciated and rewarded. A large sum of money was collected for her, and many valuable presents were despatched to the 'lonely isle;' among others, a gold watch and chain, which she always after wore, although homely in her general attire. Poor Grace Darling! she did not long enjoy the praises and rewards which she so richly merited for her courage and humanity: a rapid consumption brought her to the grave; and her remains rest in a churchyard upon the mainland, in sight of that wild rock, on which she earned so great celebrity. A beautiful and elegant monument is erected to her memory, which will trumpet forth her praises to many yet unborn."
GRANDY. "A curious circumstance occurred on these shores some years ago, 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 farther than was prudent, they were carried out to sea. Their friends finding they did not return, made every search for them, and were at length compelled with sorrowful hearts to conclude that they had perished.
"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 her he had dreamed that a boat with some boys had landed in a little cove a few miles from his house, and the poor boys were in a state of extreme exhaustion. His wife said it was but a dream, and advised him to go asleep; he did so, but again awoke, having had the same dream. He could rest no longer, but resolved to go down to the shore. His wife now began to think there was a Providence in it. The farmer dressed himself, went down to the cove, and there, true enough, to his horror and amazement, he found the boat with four boys in it; two were dead already, and the others so exhausted that they could not move. The farmer got some assistance, and had them conveyed to his own home, when he nourished the survivors until they were quite recovered. From them he learned that they had been carried out to sea, and, notwithstanding their utmost exertions, the contrary winds had prevented them returning, and they were drifted along the coast, until the boat grounded at the place where they were found. They had been out four days, without provisions of any kind, except some sugar-candy which one boy had in his pocket; this they shared amongst them while it had lasted; but two sank on the third day, and probably a few hours might have terminated the existence of the remaining two, had they not been providentially discovered by the farmer. As soon as they were in a condition to be removed they were taken to Dundee, about fifty miles from the place where they were found; and the grateful parents earnestly besought the generous farmer to accept a reward, but he magnanimously refused. The goldsmith, however, whose son was saved had a silver boat made, with the names of the parties and a Latin inscription engraved thereon recording the event. This was presented to the farmer, and is still in the possession of his descendants, and no doubt will be long preserved as an heir-loom in the family of the kind-hearted Scotchman."
DORA. "I had no idea there were so many interesting stories concerning the shores of Scotland, and in my ignorance I should have travelled to the colder regions of Norway for information and amusement.
"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 the shores of that curious country. It consists of the peninsula of Jutland, formerly called Cimbria, and several islands in the Baltic. The boundaries of Denmark are, the Skagerac Sea on the North; the kingdom of Hanover on the South; the Baltic, with part of Sweden, to the East, and the North Sea on the West. I here wish to know if the North Sea and the German Ocean are names used to designate all that portion of the ocean which lies to the east of the British Isles, for I have seen the different names placed in different maps to signify the same waters, and have been a little puzzled to ascertain their boundaries?"
"I am glad you have asked that question, Charles," said Mr. Wilton; "because I now remember that for the convenience of our illustrations we made a division, but in reality the North Sea and the German Ocean are the same, and ought perhaps to have been mentioned thus—German OceanorNorth Sea."
CHARLES. "Jutland, including Holstein, is about 280 miles long and 80 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, and well-fortified town, situated on the island of Zealand; the population about 100,000."
MR. BARRAUD. "Near Copenhagen stands the little isle of Hawen, now belonging to Sweden, where Tycho Brahe took most of his astronomical observations. There are many academies and public schools in Denmark, which reflect great honor on the Danish government. There are fine woods and forests in Denmark; indeed the whole country may be regarded as a forest, which supplies England with masts and other large 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 from the fury of the ocean. Towards the north of Jutland is an extensive creek of the sea, Lymfiord, which penetrates from the Cattegat, within two or three miles of the German Ocean; it is navigable, full of fish, and contains many islands."
MRS. WILTON. "To get into the Baltic, we must go through the Sleeve or Skagerac; through the Cattegat, passing on our way the little isles of Hertzholm, Lassoe, Anholt, and Haselov; then, taking care to 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 about that sea. AllIknow is that there are three very large gulfs connected with it, the Gulf of Bothnia, the Gulf of Finland, and the Gulf of Riga."
MR. WILTON. "The two latter wash the shores of a part of Russia, not generally much noticed in geographical works; I mean the two divisions of the Russian territories, known by the names of Revel and Livonia. The waters of the Gulf of Finland also extend to the greatest town in this country of ice and snow, St. Petersburgh, founded by Peter the Great in 1703, and seated on an island in the middle 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 in such an extreme climate doubtless prevent this part of Europe from being 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, how bitterly cold! everything around is frozen hard, and unless we take violent exercise, and are well wrapped up, we feel extremely uncomfortable. Now in this part of Russia, the thermometer is oftenbelowzero many degrees; and travellers, be they never so well clothed, are frequently found frozen in their carriages."
GEORGE. "Their dresses are rather clumsy-looking garments, are they not, and principally made of fur?"
MRS. WILTON. "I have an amusing description of the preparation for a journey in the immediate neighborhood of the Gulf of Finland, which will satisfy your inquiring mind, and afford us all pleasing information. 'On the evening of the 20th of February, all the juvenile portion of the family were consigned to rest at an earlier hour than usual; and by six o'clock the next morning, little eyes were wide awake, and little limbs in full motion, by the flickering candle'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 flock were all assembled; and having been well lined inside by a migratory kind of breakfast, the outer process began. This is conducted somewhat on the same principle as the building of a house, the foundation being filled with rather rubbishy materials, over which a firm structure is reared. First came a large cotton handkerchief, then a pelisse three years too short, then a faded comfortable of papa's, and then an old cashmere of mamma's, which latter was with difficulty forced under the vanishing arms, and tied firmly behind. Now each tiny hand was carefully sealed with as many pairs of gloves as could be gathered together for the occasion; one hand (for the nursemaids are not very particular) being not seldom more richly endowed in this respect than its fellow. The same process is applied to the little feet, which swell to misshapen stumps beneath an accumulation of under-socks and over-socks, under-shoes and over-shoes, and are finally swallowed up in huge worsted stockings, which embrace all the drawers, short petticoats, ends of handkerchiefs, comfortables, and shawls they can reach, and are generally gartered in some incomprehensible fashion round the waist. But mark! this is only thefoundation. Now comes the thickly-wadded winter pelisse of silk or merino, with bands or ligatures, which instantly bury themselves in the depths of the surrounding hillocks, till within the case of clothes before you, which stands like a roll-pudding tied up ready for the boiler, no one would suspect the slender skipping sprite that your little finger can lift. Lastly, all this is enveloped in the little jaunty silk cloak, which fastens readily enough round the neck on ordinary occasions, but now refuses to meet by the breadth of a hand, and is made secure by a worsted boa of every bright color. Is this all? No,—wait,—I have forgotten the pretty clustering locked head and rosy dimpled face; and, in truth, they were so lost in the mountains of wool and wadding around as to be fairly overlooked. Here a handkerchief is bound round the forehead, and another down each cheek, just skirting the nose, and allowing a small triangular space for sight and respiration; talking had better not be attempted; while the head is roofed in by a wadded hat, a misshapen machine with soft crown and bangled peak, which cannot be hurt, and never looks in order, over which is suspended as many veils, green, white, and black, as mamma's cast-off stores can furnish, through which the brightest little pair of eyes in the world faintly twinkle like stars through a mist. And now one touch upsets the whole mass, and a man servant coolly lifts it up in his arms like a bale of goods, and carries it off to the sledge.
"'These are the preparations. Now for the journey.—It was a lovely morning as we started with our little monstrosities; ourselves in a commodious covered sledge, various satellites of the family in a second, followed up by rougher vehicles covered with bright worsted rugs, and driven by the different grades of servants, wherein sat the muffled and closely-draped lady's maids and housemaids of the establishment; not to forget the seigneur himself, who, wrapped to the ears, sat in solitude, driving a high-mettled animal upon a sledge so small as to be entirely concealed by his person, so that, to all appearance, he seemed to be gliding away only attached to the horse by the reins in his well-guarded hands. The way led through noble woods of Scotch and Spruce fir, sometimes catching sight of a lofty mansion of stone, or passing a low thatched building of wood with numberless little sash windows, where some of the nobles still reside, and which are the remnants of more simple times. And now "the sun rose clear o'er trackless fields of snow," and our solitary procession jingled merrily on, while, yielding to the lulling sounds of the bells, our little breathing bundles sank motionless and warm into our laps and retrieved in happy slumbers the earlyescapadesof the day. There is no such a warming-pan on a cold winter's journey as a lovely soft child. After driving thirty wersts, we stopped at the half-way house of an acquaintance, for here the willing hospitality of some brother-noble is often substituted for the miserable road-side accommodations. This was one of the wooden houses so common in this part of Russia, and infinitely more pleasing within than without; divided with partitions like the tray of a work-box, fitted up with every accommodation on a small scale; a retreat which some unambitious pair might prefer to the palace we had quitted. After a few hours' rest we started again with the same horses, which here perform journeys of sixty wersts in the day with the utmost ease; and when evening was far advanced, our little travellers pushed aside their many-colored veils, and peeped at the lamps with astonished eyes, as we clattered up the steep hill which led to our residence in the town of Reval.'"
EMMA. "Well, George, what think you of that? You are so partial to cold weather, and are so desirous to travel in a sledge, do not you think you would like to dwell in Russia, and go about always like a roll-pudding?"
GEORGE. "To travel in a sledge I should certainly like, but I would prefer my sledge in Lapland, where the beautiful reindeer, fleet as the wind, scamper over snow and ice, and convey you to your friends almost as expeditiously as a railroad; but the wrapping up would not suit me at all, for I like to have the free use of my limbs, more particularly in cold weather; and for these various reasons I do not wish to dwell in Russia, but should be delighted to visit it, and should not even object to remain there a season. How much is a werst, papa?"
MR. WILTON. "A Russian werst is nearly two thirds of an English mile."
MR. BARRAUD. "There are people of almost every nation living in the government of Reval, the chief town of which is a port on the Gulf of Finland, of the same name. Within the last few years, the inhabitants of this place have been making a growing acquaintance with the Finlanders on the opposite shores, at a place called Helsingforst, which is only approachable between a number of rocky islands. The town of Helsingforst is clean and handsome, with good shops, containing cheap commodities, which are a source of great attraction to the Esthonians (or natives of Reval) and others who reside in Reval; consequently, in the fine weather, parties are made about once a fortnight for a trip to Helsingforst: these trips are both pleasurable and profitable. The voyage occupies six hours in a little steamboat; and, when landed, the voyagers procure every requisite at a magnificent hotel in the town for moderate charges. They then go shopping, buying umbrellas, India-rubber galoshes, and all descriptions of wearing apparel, which they contrive to smuggle over, notwithstanding the vigilance of the custom-house officers at Reval."
GRANDY. "I have read that the fishermen on the shores of the Baltic are remarkably superstitious, and careful not to desecrate any of their saints' days. They never use their nets between All Saints' and St. Martin's, as they would be certain not to take any fish throughout the year. On Ash Wednesday the women neither sew nor knit, for fear of bringing misfortune upon the cattle. They contrive so as not to use fire on St. Lawrence's day: by taking this precaution, they think themselves secure against fire for the rest of the year. The Esthonians do not hunt on St. Mark's or St. Catherine's day, on penalty of being unsuccessful all the rest of the year. It is reckoned a good sign to sneeze on Christmas day. Most of them are so prejudiced against Friday, that they never settle any important business or conclude a bargain on this day; in some places they do not even dress their children. They object to visit on Thursdays, for it is a sign they will have troublesome guests 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 of Dagen, belonging to Russia, and containing some fine estates of the Esthonian nobility. The dress of the female peasantry in this island is so remarkable that they deserve a passing notice. The head-dress is a circular plait of hair, braided with a red cloth roll, which fastens behind, and hangs down in long ends tipped with fringe. The dress is merely a linen shift, high to the throat, half-way down the leg, crimped from top to bottom, the linen being soaked in water with as much strong starch as it can hold, crimped with long laths of wood, and then put into the oven to dry, whence it issues stiff and hard as a board. The belt is the chief curiosity, being made of broad black leather, studded with massive brass heads, with a fringe of brass chains. High-heeled shoes and red stockings complete the attire, and altogether make a fanciful picture of a pretty maiden bandit."
EMMA. "But such garments must surely be very cold?"
DORA. "The dress I have described is worn in the summer, for they have 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, in the same fashion as their neighbors."
GEORGE. "How very uncomfortable to be dressed so stiffly in warm weather; and then they can surely never sit in such garments, for to rumple them would spoil them, I suppose?"
MRS. WILTON. "It isthe fashionin Dagen, my dear; and there, as elsewhere, many inconveniences are submitted to, from an anxiety to vie with other folks in the style of dress, and from a fear of being consideredold-fashioned. I am sureweEnglish must not find fault with the dress of other countries, for some ofourfashions are truly ridiculous."
"Yes, mamma," said Emma; "but they do not strike us as being ridiculous, because we are accustomed to them; and this must be the case with other nations: they are used to their peculiar dresses, and have no idea of the astonishment of strangers when viewing the novel attire, which to the wearers possesses nothing remarkable to astonish or attract."
MR. BARRAUD. "Near Dagen the navigation of the Baltic is very dangerous; and many years ago the island was principally occupied by men who wickedly subsisted on the misfortunes of others. A slight sketch of one will sufficiently inform you of the general character of these men. 'Baron Ungern Sternberg, whose house was situated on a high part of the island, became notorious for his long course of iniquity. He lived in undisputed authority, never missing an opportunity of displaying his false lights to mislead the poor mariners. No notice was taken of these cruel practices for some time, for Sternberg was powerful in wealth and influence; until the disappearance of a ship's captain, who was found dead in his room, the existence of an immense quantity of goods under his house, and other concurring circumstances, led to his apprehension. He was tried, condemned to Siberia, and his name struck off the roll of the nobility. His family, however, stands as high now as it ever did; for his descendants were not disgraced; and they still possess all the daring, courage, enterprise, and sparkling wit of their pirate ancestor, although it is but just to say they have not inherited his crimes. The sensation caused by the dread of this man reached even to the shores of England, and the streets of London were placarded, "Beware of Ungern Sternberg, the Sea Robber!" as a warning to sailors. This of course was before his seizure, for when he was taken his accomplices could not longer continue their vile occupation.'"
CHARLES. "I am anxious to know if it is from the shores of the Baltic the Turks procure the golden-colored amber of which they make the mouth-pieces for their pipes?"
MR. WILTON. "Yes, Charles; the amber-gathering is carried on extensively there, and is the wealth of half the inhabitants. The amber is sent to Turkey and Greece, and there manufactured into those splendid mouth-pieces, which it is the pride of these smoke-loving people to possess. Some of these are excessively gorgeous and proportionably valuable. I have heard ofonebeing worth the enormous sum of 100l!"
GEORGE. "Parts of Sweden are entirely separated by the Gulf of Bothnia. What sort of ships have they, papa, to cross the water in that cold country?"
MR. WILTON. "They do not often cross the water in ships, but transact nearly all their business with the opposite shores, during the four months when the waters of this sea, which has no tides, is firmly frozen, and when they can travel across in sledges, comfortably defended from the inclemency of the weather. The Baltic being full of low coasts and shoals, galleys of a flat construction are found more serviceable than ships of war, and great attention is paid to their equipment by Sweden as well as Russia. We have neglected to mention the Islands of the Baltic. There is the isle of Oesal, remarkable for its quarries of beautiful marble; its inhabitants like those of Dagen Isle, are chiefly Esthonians: Gothland and Oeland are both fertile and productive. In the Gulf of Bothnia are the Aland Isles, which derive their names from the largest, forty miles in length and fifteen in breadth, containing about 9000 inhabitants, who speak the Swedish language. These isles form almost a barrier of real granite rocks stretching to the opposite shores. In the Gulf of Finland lies the Isle of Cronstadt, formerly called Retusavi; it has an excellent haven, strongly fortified, 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 the Baltic Sea and the Lake Maeler. It stands on seven small rocky islands, and the scenery is truly singular and romantic. This city was founded by Earl Birger, regent of the kingdom, about the middle of the thirteenth century; and in the seventeenth century the royal residence was transferred hither from Upsal. Sweden was formerly under the Danish yoke, but Gustavus Yasa delivered it when he introduced the reformed religion in 1527. His reign of thirty-seven years was great and glorious in the annals of Sweden. We will now proceed on our course: shall we go still further north, into the White Sea, or are you tired of the cold, and prefer journeying to the 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 principal inland seas. The largest gulfs connected with this sea are the Gulf of Archangel and the Gulf of Candalax; the waters of the latter wash the shores of Lapland, and are filled with numerous small islands. Archangel is a port on the White Sea; and here the Russians build most of their men-of-war: before the reign of Peter the Great, it was the only port from which Russia communicated with other countries of Europe."
MRS. WILTON. "With a few remarks on Lapland, we will quit this part of our quarter of the globe. Lapland can boast of but few towns. The people lead wandering lives, and reside greater part of the year in huts buried in the snow; occasionally they have warm weather, that is, for the space of three or four weeks in the year, when the sun has immense power; so that a clergyman residing at Enontekis informed Dr. Clarke that he was able to light his pipe at midnight with a common burning-glass, and that from his church the sun was visible above the horizon at midnight during the few weeks of summer. But the delights of this long day scarcely compensate for the almost uninterrupted night which overshadows them with its dark mantle for the remainder of the year; one continual winter, when scarcely for three hours during the day can the inhabitants dispense with the use of candles. The climate, although so extremely frigid, is nevertheless wholesome, and the people are a hardy race. In Lapland the Aurora Borealis is seen to perfection; the appearance it exhibits at times is beyond description magnificent: it serves to illuminate their dark skies in the long night of winter; and, although they cannot benefit by it so continually as the inhabitants of Greenland and Iceland, yet they never behold the arch of the glorious Northern Lights spread abroad in the starry heavens but they bless God for the phenomenon which they cannot comprehend, but know full well how to appreciate. Here in this wintry region George might enjoy himself agreeably to his wishes, for the Laplanders travel in sledges drawn by the swift reindeer; but I fear he would find it difficult to keep his seat, as the sledge is but of narrow dimensions and easily upset, while the animal requires a great deal of management to guide him properly. What think you, George? Would you not be like Frank Berkeley or Paul Preston, who fancied it must be so easy and delightful to ride in a pulk or sledge, and found instead, that, from inexperience, their journey was one continued chapter of accidents?"
GEORGE. "I dare say I should fare as badly at first, but I would not be discouraged byonefailure."
MR. WILTON. "That is right, my boy! Perseverance and determination are an extra pair of legs to a traveller in his journey through life."
CHARLES. "There appears to be no islands in the White Sea."
MRS. WILTON. "There are islands, but they are mostly barren uninhabited rocks. Archangel, a port on this sea, is famous for the manufacture of linen sheeting. Now quit we these dreary regions for the bright and enlivening southern climes; and, if all parties are agreeable, we will cast our anchor where we may behold the heights of Caucasus, and picture to ourselves the situation of still more interesting elevations; viz. Ararat, Lebanon, and Hermon; mountains mentioned in the Sacred Writings, and certainly great points of attraction 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, which contains the towns of Kafa, Aknetchet, Sevastopol, and Eupatoria: it lies between the Sea of Asof and the Gulf of Perecop. The principal gulfs 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 contiguous to the Putrid Sea, which bounds it on the north. There is an island in the Euxine,—the Island Leuce, or Isle of Achilles, also called the Isle of Serpents. It is asserted by the ancients to have been presented to Achilles by his mother Thetis. In the Gulf of Perecop there is also another island, called Taman, which contains springs of naphtha."
MR. WILTON. "The principal port on the Black Sea is Odessa. It ranks next in Russia after the two capitals of the empire, but is not a desirable residence, being subject to hurricanes and other evils, of whichdustis undoubtedly the greatest. A learned French writer[6]says: 'Dust here is a real calamity, a fiend-like persecutor that allows you not a moment's rest. It spreads out in seas and billows that rise with the least breath of wind, and envelop you with increasing fury, until you are stifled and blinded, and incapable of a single movement.' The same writer describes a curious phenomenon he witnessed in Odessa: 'After a very hot day in 1840, the air gradually darkened about four in the afternoon, until it was impossible to see twenty paces before one. The oppressive feel of the atmosphere, the dead calm, and the portentous color of the sky, filled every one with deep consternation, and seemed to betoken some fearful catastrophe. The thermometer attained the height of 104° Fahrenheit. The obscurity was then complete. Presently the most furious tempest imagination can conceive burst forth; and when the darkness cleared off, there was seen over the sea what looked like a waterspout of prodigious depth and breadth, suspended at a height of several feet above the water, and moving slowly away until it dispersed at last at a distance of many miles from the shore. The eclipse and the waterspout were nothing else thandust; and that day Odessa was swept cleaner than it will probably ever be again.'"
MRS. WILTON. "Such a description is quite sufficient to drive the weary traveller to seek shelter; and I think we have had enough of other places for to-night. Let us take our own at the supper-table, and refresh ourselves after the voyage, for we have reason to congratulate each other on the success of our plan; hitherto, there has been no halting for lack of a finger-post, and I hope we shall be as well prepared at future meetings, and be enabled to accomplish as much as we have this evening."
GRANDY. "I have been silent for the last hour, principally because I do not feel very well this evening; but I cannot refrain from speaking a word or two before we disperse. A good and wise man says—
'Full often, too,Our wayward intellect, the more we learnOf nature, overlooks her Author more.'
My dear children, let not this be said of you; but look upward to the Source of light and life, and pray that all knowledge may lead you on to seek Him who is the author and giver of all good things; then will wisdom, heavenly wisdom, illumine your minds; then will peace, the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, fill your hearts, and
'Reveal truths undiscerned but by that holy light.'"
O'er the stormy, wide, and billowy deep,Where the whale, the shark, and the sword-fish sleep;And amidst the plashing and feathery foam,Where the stormy-petrel finds a home.
"George is to open this meeting, by reciting some lines written by Mrs. Howitt, which are very clever, and will most appropriately introduce our subject." So saying, Mrs. Wilton proceeded to arrange the members in their various places; and, seating herself, she turned to her son, who by virtue of his office was allowed to remain near Grandy's chair until the great work was accomplished. George was hesitating, but an encouraging smile from this kind mother inspired him with confidence, and he commenced without further ceremony:—
"'The earth is large,' said one of twain;'The earth is large and wide;But it is filled with miseryAnd death on every side!'Said the other, 'Deep as it is wideIs the sea within all climes,And it is fuller of miseryAnd of death, a thousand times!The land has peaceful flocks and herds,And sweet birds singing round;
ICEBERGS
But a myriad monstrous, hideous thingsWithin the sea are found—Things all misshapen, slimy, cold,Writhing, and strong, and thin,And waterspouts, and whirlpools wild,That draw the fair ship in.I've heard of the diver to the depthsOf the ocean forced to go,To bring up the pearl and the twisted shellFrom the fathomless caves below;I've heard of the things in those dismal gulfs,Like fiends that hemm'd him round—I would not lead a diver's lifeFor 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 a cable strong,All round and round the pole:And they say, when he stirs in the sea below,The ice-rocks split asunder—The mountains huge of the ribbed ice—With a deafening crack like thunder.There's many an isle man wots not of,Where the air is heavy with groans;And the bottom o' th' sea, the wisest say,Is covered with dead men's bones.I'll tell thee what: there's many a shipIn the wild North Ocean frore,That has lain in the ice a thousand years,And will lie a thousand more;And the men—each one is frozen thereIn the place where he did stand;The oar he pull'd, the rope he threw,Is frozen in his hand.The sun shines there, but it warms them not;Their bodies are wintry cold:They are wrapp'd in ice that grows and grows,Solid, and white, and old!And there's many a haunted desert rock,Where seldom ship doth go—Where unburied men, with fleshless limbs,Are moving to and fro:They people the cliffs, they people the 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 trackOf the Ocean of the Line!There are millions of the negro menUnder that burning brine.The ocean sea doth moan and moan,Like an uneasy sprite;And the waves are white with a fiendish fireThat burneth all the night.'Tis a frightful thing to sail along,Though a pleasant wind may blow,When we think what a host of miseryLies down in the sea below!Didst ever hear of a little boat,And in her there were three;They had nothing to eat, and nothing to drink,Adrift on the desert sea.For seven days they bore their pain;Then two men on the otherDid fix their longing, hungry eyes,—And that one was their brother!And him they killed, and ate, and drank—Oh me! 'twas a horrid thing!For the dead should lie in a churchyard green,Where the pleasant flowers do spring.And think'st thou but for mortal sinSuch frightful things would be?In the land of the New JerusalemThere will be no more sea!'"
MR. WILTON. "Well done! George; very nicely repeated indeed: you are a most promising member of our little society; and we will drink your health in some of Grandy's elder-wine to-night at supper, and not forget the honors to be added thereto. Now, is it determined how we are to proceed; whether we take the seas of Asia, or enter on the broad waves of the various oceans which wash many of the shores of Europe?"
CHARLES. "The seas first, sir. I have the list of those for consideration belonging to this most interesting division of the globe: the Caspian, between Turkey, Persia, and Tartary; the Whang-hai, or Yellow Sea, in China; the Sea of Japan; the Sea of Ochotsh or Lama; the Chinese Sea; the Bay of Bengal; the Persian Gulf; and the Arabian Gulf or Red Sea: these are the largest; but there are numbers of small seas, some of them so entirely inland that they should more properly be called lakes; of these, the largest is the Sea of Aral. The bays and gulfs around Asia are so numerous that you would be tired of hearing their names. North, are the Bays of Carskoe and Obskaia: south, Tonquin, Siam, Cambay, and Cutch; east, Macao and Petchelee; west, Balkan, Kindelnisk, and Krasnai Vodi; the latter in the Caspian."
GEORGE. "Are those all, Charles? why, from your preface, I thought you would be at least ten minutes enumerating the Bays of Asia."
CHARLES. "Were I to nameall, I could do it in less time than ten minutes; but I should incur too great a liability for my trouble, as I should be expected to describe the situations of all, and that would be beyond my capability."
DORA. "The Caspian falls to my share: it is usually called by the Persians, 'Derrieh Hustakhan' (Sea of Astrachan). It is likewise called the 'Derrieh Khizzar.' The absence of all shipping, save now and then a solitary Russian craft; the scarcity of sea-weed, and the want of the refreshing salt scent of the ocean, together with the general appearance of the coast, suggest the idea of an immense lake. Numbers of that large fish called 'sturgeon' are taken from the waters of the Caspian; and there is quite a colony of fishermen engaged in this occupation on the Persian coast; and during the season they catch thousands of these useful fish. No part of a sturgeon is wasted: the roe is taken out, salted, and stowed away in casks; this is known by the name of 'caviare,' and is esteemed a great luxury. From the sound or air-bladder isinglass is made, simply by being hung in the sun for a time; and the fish itself is dried, and exported to various parts of the world. Astracan is the chief seat of Caspian commerce."
MR. WILTON. "And here the traveller finds collected into a focus all the picturesque items that have struck him elsewhere. Alongside of a Tartar dwelling stretches a great building blackened by time, and by its architecture and carvings carrying you back to the middle ages. A European shop displays its fashionable haberdashery opposite a caravanserai; the magnificent cathedral overshadows a pretty mosque with its fountain; a Moorish balcony contains a group of young European ladies, who set you thinking of Paris; whilst a graceful white shadow glides mysteriously under the gallery of an old palace. All contrasts are here met together; and so it happens, that in passing from one quarter to another you think you have made but a short promenade, and you have picked up a stock of observation and reminiscences belonging to all times and places. The Russians ought to be proud of this town; for, unlike others in this country, it is not of yesterday's formation, and is the only place throughout the empire where the traveller is not plagued with the cold monotonous regularity which meets him at every other city in Russia. The Caspian Sea covers an extent of 120,000 square miles, and is the largest salt lake known."
MR. BARRAUD. "Near a place called Semnoon, not many miles from Asterabad, 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 supplied flowed from the city of the Guebres, who one day turned the stream, and cut off the supplies. Sin and Lam (two prophets), seeing the town about to perish for want of water, repaired to Dzedjin, and entreated the chiefs of that place to allow the stream to return to its old channel. This they at first refused, but finally made an agreement, that on the payment of a sum equal to a thousand tomauns, or 500l., the water should be allowed to flow into the city as long as life remained in the head of a fly, which was to be cut off and thrown into a basin of water. This was done; but, to the great astonishment of the Guebres, the head retained life during thirteen days, which so exasperated them against Sin and Lam, whom they perceived to be men of God that they sent an armed party to Semnoon to 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, strictly enjoining the inhabitants not to tell their pursuers the direction which they had taken. Shortly afterwards the Guebres arrived, and inquired where they had gone. The villagers did not mention the direction in words, but treacherously indicated it by turning their heads over their right shoulders, in which position they became immovably fixed; and since then all their descendants have been born with a twist in the neck towards the right shoulder.'"
Here the boys had some difficulty in repressing their laughter; for Charles placed his head in the position of the faithless Shadderrons, and looked so mischievously at George, that he was obliged to cover his eyes, or he would have stopped the story by a boisterous shout of merriment.
MR. BARRAUD continued: "'The fugitives next arrived at a place called Giorvenon, on quitting which they left the same injunctions as before. On the arrival of the pursuers, however, the people pointed out the direction of their flight by stretching their chins straightforward. An awful peal of thunder marked the divine displeasure; and the inhabitants of Giorvenon now found themselves unable to bring their heads back to their proper position; and the curse likewise descended to their posterity, who have since been remarkable for long projecting chins. After a long chase, the Guebres overtook the prophets at the foot of a steep hill, up which they galloped into a small plain, where, to the astonishment and disappointment of their pursuers, the earth opened and closed over them. It was now evening; and the Guebres, placing a small heap of stones over the spot where Sin and Lam had disappeared, retired for the night. Early the next morning the Guebres repaired thither with the intention of digging out the prophets; but, to their confusion, they found the whole plain covered with similar heaps of stones, so that all their endeavors to find the original pile were completely baffled, and they returned to Dzedjin disappointed. There is now a small mosque, said to cover the exact spot where Sin and Lam sank into the ground, which is called Seracheh, to which people resort to pray, and make vows; and close by is an almost perpendicular rock, whence (the inhabitants aver) may be seen the marks of the feet of the horses ridden by the Guebres!'"
This story amused the children much, and they would gladly have listened to Mr. Barraud while he related some other extraordinary tradition, but his reply to their request silenced these wishes.
"Every place," said he, "throughout this wild country has a legend: were I to tell youall, there would be no time for business. I merely selected this because it is concerning a town situated on the shores of the Caspian Sea, and gives you a tolerable idea of the superstition of its inhabitants."
MR. WILTON. "The Caspian extends about 700 miles in length, and 200 in breadth. The northern shores of this sea are low and swampy, often overgrown with reeds; but in many other parts the coasts are precipitous, with such deep water that a line of 450 fathoms will not reach the bottom. The best haven in the Caspian is that of Baku; that of Derbent is rocky, and that of Sensili not commodious, though one of the chief ports of trade."
DORA. "The Whang-hai, or Yellow Sea, on the coast of China, contains several islands,—Tebu-sou, Lowang, Tsougming, Vun-taichan, Fouma, and Stanton's Island. By the Straits of Corea we can enter the Sea of Japan, sail along by the great Japan Islands, the principal of which are Niphon, Kinsin, and Sikokf, and, passing the Jesso Isles, go through the Channel of Tartary, and enter the Sea of Ochotsk or Lama."
MRS. WILTON. "A very good route, Dora, but rather too expeditious to be advantageous. These islands and seas are connected with many interesting facts. And why pass the Island of Sagalien without a glance? I am sure, could you have seen one of the people, your attention would have been sufficiently arrested to stay your rapid flight o'er land and sea. The Sagaliens are similar in many respects to the Tartar tribes. Their dress is a loose robe of skins, or quilted nankeen, with a girdle. They tattoo their upper lip blue. Their huts or cabins of timber are thatched with grass, with a fire-place in the centre. The native name of this large island is Tehoka.
"Between Japan and Mantchooria is the great peninsula of Corea, remarkable for the coldness of its climate, although in the latitude of Italy. We are told that in the northern parts snow falls in so large quantities as to render it necessary to dig passages under it in order to go from one house to another. It is supposed that the surface of this country being so extremely mountainous is the cause of this curious climate. There are numbers of ponies here not more than three feet high!"
GEORGE. "Oh what sweet creatures! how very much I would like to have one; actually not larger than a dog: how very pretty they must be."
EMMA. "Around the three great islands of Japan, I observe countless numbers 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, the Chinese, with a yellow complexion and small oblique eyes: there is this difference, however; their hair is thick and bushy, while the hair of the Chinese is cultivated in a long tail. A Japanese is certainly rather ludicrous, in both manners and appearance. His head half-shaved; the hair which is left accumulated on the crown of his head; his body wrapped (when travelling) in an enormous covering of oiled paper, and a large fan in his hand, he presents an extraordinary figure. These people are very particular concerning points of etiquette, and have many books written on the proper mode of taking a draught of water, how to give and receive presents, and all the other minutiae of behavior."
GRANDY. "The Japanese have curious notions with regard to the life eternal. They believe that the souls of the virtuous have a place assigned to them immediately under heaven, while those of the wicked wander in the air until they expiate their offences."
CHARLES. "I am very gladthatis not my creed, for I should not at all enjoy life with the continual idea of wicked spirits hovering in the air around me. They might as reasonably believe in ghosts."
MRS. WILTON. "In the Indian and China Seas, and in many other parts of 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 from the east coast of Africa to the coasts of India, China, and the Philippine Islands. Its influence extends sometimes into the Pacific Ocean, as far as the Marcian Isles, or to longitude about 145º east; and it reaches as far north as the Japan Islands. The north-east monsoon prevails from October to May, throughout nearly the same space, that the south-west monsoon prevails in during the former season. But the monsoons are subject to great obstructions by land; and in contracted places, such as Malacca Straits, they are changed into variable winds. Their limits are not everywhere the same; nor do they always shift exactly at the same period, but they are generally 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 certain region, and are tolerably regular in their operations. The trade-winds blow, more or less, from the eastern half of the compass to the western. Their chief region lies between the tropics from 23-1/2º north to 23-1/2º south latitude, although in some parts of the world they extend farther; but it is only in the open parts of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans that the true trade-winds blow. These winds shift many degrees of latitude in the course of the year; but skilful navigators usually know where to catch them, and make 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 say learned men try to discoverwhysuch things are so, and generally find outcausesfrom their effects."
MR. WILTON. "Exactly so, my boy; and learnedwomendo the same: as an instance, I will quote the learned Mrs. Somerville on this very subject, and give you an excellent reply to your question.
"'The heat of the sun occasions the trade-winds, by rarefying the air at the equator, which causes the cooler and more dense part of the atmosphere to rush along the surface of the earth to the equator, while that which is heated is carried along the higher strata to the poles, forming two currents in the direction of the meridian. But the rotatory velocity of the air corresponding to its geographical situation, decreases towards the poles; in approaching the equator it must therefore revolve more slowly than the corresponding parts of the earth, and the bodies of the surface of the earth must strike against it with the excess of their velocity, and by its reaction they will meet with a resistance contrary to their motion of rotation; so that the wind will appear, to a person supposing himself to be at rest, to blow in a contrary direction to the earth's rotation, or from east to west, which is the direction of the trade-winds.'"
GEORGE. "May I read that to-morrow, papa? I do not quite understand it; and if you have the book, I could read it over and over until I found out the meaning."
MR. WILTON. "You will find it in Mrs. Somerville's 'Mechanism of the Heavens.' If you come to my study to-morrow morning before I leave home, I will assist you in the solution of the difficulties."
MR. BARRAUD. "In an account of Cabul I have read a fine description of the commencement of a monsoon:—'The approach is announced by vast masses of clouds that rise from the Indian Ocean, advancing towards the north-east, gathering and thickening as they approach the land. After some threatening days, the sky assumes a troubled appearance in the evening, and the monsoon sets in generally during the night. It is attended by such a violent thunder-storm as can scarcely be imagined by those who have only witnessed the phenomenon in a temperate climate. It generally begins with violent blasts of wind, which are succeeded by floods of rain. For some hours lightning is seen without intermission: sometimes it only illuminates the sky, and shows the clouds near the horizon; at others, it discovers the distant hills, and again leaves all in darkness; when, in an instant, it reappears in vivid and successive flashes, and exhibits the nearest objects in all the brightness of day. During all this time the distant thunder never ceases to roll, and is only silenced by some nearer peal, which bursts on the ear with such a sudden and tremendous crash, as can scarcely fail to strike the most insensible heart with awe. At length the thunder ceases, and nothing is heard but the continued pouring of the rain and the rushing of the rising streams.'"
CHARLES. "I would much rather live in our temperate climate than between the tropics; for everything connected with the elements is so outrageously violent, that I should be continually in a state of alarm, and in constant dread of a hurricane, a tornado, an earthquake, or some such awful visitation.'"
GRANDY. "Why should you fear, my dear boy? Who, or what, can harm you if you follow that which is good? Is not the arm of the Lord mighty to save? and is it not stretched forth all the day long to defend his own children? Has he not promised to be a stronghold whereunto the faithful may always resort, and to be a house of defence for his people? Cast thy fear from thee, Charles; rely on God's gracious promises, and pray for faith to believe in his omnipotence."
DORA. "The Sea of Ochotsk. This sea is nearly land-locked, being in this respect, as well as in size and general situation, not unlike Hudson's Bay. The waters are shallow, not exceeding (about fifty miles from land) fifty fathoms, and rarely giving, even in the centre, above four times the depth just mentioned. There are three gulfs belonging to this sea, the Gulf of Penjinsk, the Gulf of Gijiginsk, and the Gulf of Tanish; but not many islands of consideration."
MR. WILTON. "Although Asia cannot vie with Europe in the advantages of inland seas, yet, in addition to a share of the Mediterranean, it possesses the Red Sea and Gulf of Persia, the Bays of Bengal and Nankin, and other gulfs already mentioned, which diversify the coasts much more than those of either Africa or America, and have doubtless contributed greatly to the early civilization of this celebrated division of the globe. I wish each of you young folks to describe the following seas as I mention their names. Dora, tell me all you have learnt respecting the Red Sea."
DORA. "The Red Sea, or Arabian Gulf of antiquity, constitutes the grand natural division between Asia and Africa; but its advantages have been chiefly felt by the latter, which is entirely destitute of inland seas. Egypt and Abyssinia, two of the most civilized countries in that division, have derived great benefits from that celebrated sea, which, from the Straits of Babelmandel to Suez, extends about 21°, or 1470 British miles, terminating not in two equal branches, as delineated in old maps, but in an extensive western branch; while the eastern ascends little beyond the parallel of Mount Sinai."
GRANDY. "The Gulf of Suez was the scene of the most stupendous miracle recorded in Exodus—the Passage of the Israelites,—when God clave in sunder the waters of the sea, and caused them to rise perpendicularly, so as to form a wall unto the Israelites, on their right hand, and on their left. This is not to be readfiguratively, butliterally; for in Exodus xv. 8, it is said they 'stood as an heap,' and were 'congealed,' or suspended, as though turned into ice:—'And with the blast of thy nostrils, the waters were gathered together: the floods stoodupright as an heap; thedepthswerecongealedin the heart of the sea.'"
MR. WILTON. "Emma, I call uponyoufor the account of the Persian Gulf; but you seem so intent on the book before you, that I feel a little curious to know the subject of your meditations."
EMMA. "You shall hear, papa, although perhaps you may laugh at me afterwards. I was thinking that it seemed rather absurd for people who are constantly voyaging to the East Indies to go such an immense way round Africa, when by cutting a passage through the Isthmus of Suez they could arrive at the desired haven in half the time. What is the width of the isthmus, papa? Would such a thing be practicable, or am I very foolish?"
MR. WILTON. "Not at all, my dear, as I will readily prove. The width is about seventy-five miles; and therehasbeen a communication between the Mediterranean and the Red Sea. Strabo, the historian, asserts that a canal was built by Sesostris, king of Egypt; and in February, 1799, Napoleon, then General of the French Republic, accompanied by some gentlemen skilled in such matters, proceeded from Cairo to Suez with the view of discovering the vestiges of this ancient canal. They were successful: they found traces of it for several leagues, together with portions of the old great wall of Sesostris, which guarded the eastern frontiers of Egypt, and protected the canal from the sands of the desert. It was a short time since in contemplation to renew this communication by the same means as those used by Sesostris; viz., by forming a canal for the advantage of commerce, &c.; which advantage is well explained by Mr. Edward Clarkson, in an article on Steam Navigation, thus: 'The distance from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea by the Suez navigable canal would be from eighty to ninety miles. The time consumed by a steamboat in this transit might be averaged at five hours. What is the time now consumed in the transit through Egypt by the voyager from 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 the Nile. This consumes twelve hours, and is performed by a track-boat, attended by numerous inconveniences. The passengers, goods, and letters are landed at Atfeh; they are there reshipped, and carried by steamboat from Atfeh up the Nile to Boulac, a distance of 120 miles. This water transit consumes eighteen hours. At Boulac, which is the port of Cairo, the passengers, goods, and letters are again unshipped, and have a land transit of two miles before they arrive at Cairo. At that capital a stoppage of twelve hours, which is considered indispensable to travellers, occurs. A fourth transit then takes place to Suez from Cairo, across the Desert. This is performed by vans with two and four horses, donkey-chairs (two donkeys carrying a species of litter between them for ladies and children,) and is often attended, owing to the scarcity of good horses, with great inconveniences. The distance of this land transit is eighty-four miles, and consumes thirty-six hours. The whole distance by the present line is thus 246 miles; by the projected line it is 80: the transit by the present line consumesfour days; the transit by the proposed line would not consume more thanfive hours!'.
"'Instead of a land, and river, and desert transit, with all the obstructions 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 from London to Bombay without stoppage. Instead of four days being consumed in the Egyptian transit, five hours will only be requisite. Moreover, the 2l. 12s. expense caused by the present transit in Egypt, and charged to each person, will in future be saved by every passenger.'"
MR. BARRAUD. "I propose a vote of thanks to Emma for introducing the subject, 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 all thank you, for revealing your thoughts. Now to the Persian Gulf, if you have any particulars."
EMMA. "The Persian Gulf is another noted inland sea, about half the length of the Red Sea, and is the grand receptacle of those celebrated rivers, the Euphrates and the Tigris. The small bays within this gulf are Katiff Bay, Assilla Bay, Erzoog Bay. There are various islands and large pearl banks here; and on the Euphrates, not many miles from these shores, stands Chaldaea. The inhabitants are the Beni Khaled Arabs, descendants of the founders of the 'Great Babylon.'"
GEORGE. "Oh, papa, I have a discovery: here is an island nobody has noticed—its name is Dahalac."
MRS. WILTON. "That was certainly an omission, for Dahalac is a large island, sixty miles in circumference. It contains goats which have long silky hair, and furnishes gum-lac, the produce of a particular kind 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 the centre of Armenia you may observe Mount Ararat, a detached elevation with two summits; the highest covered with perpetual snow. On this mountain rested the Ark, when God sent his vengeance over all the earth, and destroyed every living thing. Mount Lebanon is in Syria; and not far distant stands Mount Sinai, an enormous mass of granite rocks, with a Greek convent at its base, called the convent of St. Catharine: here was the law delivered to Moses, inscribed on two tables of stone by the Most High God."
MR. WILTON. "The whole coast of Oman, in South Arabia, which on the north is washed by the waters of the Persian Gulf, and on the south by the Sea of Oman, abounds with fish; and, as the natives have but few canoes, they generally substitute a single inflated skin, or sometimes two, across which they place a flat board. On this contrivance the fisherman seats himself, and either casts his small hand-net, or plays his hook and line. Some capital sport must arise occasionally, when the sharks, which are here very numerous and large, gorge the bait; for, whenever this occurs, unless the angler cuts his line, (and that, as the shark is more valued by them than any other fish, he is often unwilling to do,) nothing can prevent his rude machine from following their track; and the fisherman is sometimes, in consequence, carried out a great distance to sea. It requires considerable dexterity to secure these monsters; for when they are hauled up near to the skins, they struggle a good deal, and if they happen to jerk the fisherman from his seat, the infuriate monster dashes at once at him. Many accidents arise in this manner; but if they succeed in getting him quickly alongside, they soon despatch him by a few blows on the snout."[7]
MRS. WILTON. "There are many little circumstances of interest connected with the Persian Gulf. In several parts fresh springs rise in the middle of the salt water, particularly near the Islands of Baharein. The whole shore of this gulf is lined with islands; andonits shores are several independent Arabs, who almost all live in the same manner. They subsist by maritime trade, and by the peril and other fisheries. Their food consists of dates, fish, and dhoura bread. Their arms are muskets, with matchlocks, sabres, and bucklers. These tribes, among whom the Houles are the most powerful, all speak the Arabic language, and are enemies to the Persians, with whom they form no alliances. Their houses are so wretched, that an enemy would think it lost labor to destroy them. As they generally have but little to lose on land, if a Persian army approaches, all the inhabitants of the towns and villages go on board their little vessels, and take refuge in some island in the Persian Gulf until the enemy retires."