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author: www-data <www-data@mail.pglaf.org> 2025-11-17 07:59:19 -0800
committer: www-data <www-data@mail.pglaf.org> 2025-11-17 07:59:19 -0800
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+    <title>
+      The Florence Stories | Project Gutenberg
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+<body>
+<div style='text-align:center'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 77259 ***</div>
+
+<div class="transnote">
+Transcriber’s notes
+
+<p>Changes made are noted at the <a href="#end_note" title="Go to the End Note">end of the book.</a></p>
+</div>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_2">[2]</span></p>
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<div class="figcenter width541 x-ebookmaker-drop" id="small">
+<img src="images/small.jpg" alt="">
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class="p4"></p>
+<div class="chapter">
+<div class="figcenter" id="i_frontis">
+<img src="images/i_frontis.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="435">
+<p class="caption center">LANDING AT BEN NEVIS.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_3">[3]</span></p>
+
+<p class="p4"></p>
+<div class="figcenter" id="i_title">
+<img src="images/i_title.jpg" alt="" width="416" height="700">
+</div>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_5">[5]</span></p>
+
+
+
+<div class="title-page">
+<h1>    THE<br>
+
+FLORENCE STORIES,</h1>
+
+<p class="center p80">    BY JACOB ABBOTT.</p>
+
+<p class="center p80">    EXCURSION TO THE ORKNEY ISLANDS.</p>
+
+<p class="center p80">    NEW YORK:<br>
+    SHELDON &amp; COMPANY,<br>
+    115 NASSAU STREET.</p>
+<p class="center p80">    1861.
+</p>
+</div>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_6">[6]</span></p>
+
+<p class="p4"></p>
+<div class="chapter">
+<div class="blockquot">Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1860, by
+SHELDON &amp; COMPANY,
+In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the United States for the
+Southern District of New York.
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class="p2"></p>
+<p class="center allsmcap">STEREOTYPED BY Smith &amp; McDougal. 82 &amp; 84 Beekman-st.</p>
+
+<p class="center allsmcap">PRINTED BY C. A. Alvord. 15 Vandewater-st.</p>
+
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop">
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_7">[7]</span></p>
+
+
+<p class="p2"></p>
+<div class="chapter">
+<h2 class="nobreak" id="ENGRAVINGS.">ENGRAVINGS.</h2>
+</div>
+
+<table>
+<tr>
+  <td class="chn">I.</td>
+  <td class="cht"><span class="smcap">Landing at Ben Nevis</span></td>
+  <td class="pag"><a href="#i_frontis"><em>Frontispiece</em></a></td>
+</tr><tr>
+  <td class="chn">II.</td>
+  <td class="cht"><span class="smcap">Choosing the State Rooms</span></td>
+  <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_23">23</a></td>
+</tr><tr>
+  <td class="chn">III.</td>
+  <td class="cht"><span class="smcap">Visit to the Orkney Islands</span></td>
+  <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_97">97</a></td>
+</tr><tr>
+  <td class="chn">IV.</td>
+  <td class="cht"><span class="smcap">On Board the Iona</span></td>
+  <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_127">127</a></td>
+</tr><tr>
+  <td class="chn">V.</td>
+  <td class="cht"><span class="smcap">Crossing the Mickle Ferry</span></td>
+  <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_195">195</a></td>
+</tr><tr>
+  <td class="chn">VI.</td>
+  <td class="cht"><span class="smcap">The Black Craigs</span></td>
+  <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_225">225</a></td>
+</tr>
+</table>
+
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop">
+
+<p class="p4"></p>
+<div class="chapter">
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_9">[9]</span></p>
+
+<h2 class="nobreak" id="CONTENTS">CONTENTS.</h2>
+</div>
+
+<table><tr>
+<th class="chap"><span class="allsmcap">CHAPTER</span></th>
+<th class="chn"></th>
+<th class="pag"><small><small>PAGE</small></small></th>
+</tr><tr>
+<td class="chn">I.</td>
+<td class="cht"><span class="smcap">Letter from Singapore  </span></td>
+<td class="pag"><a href="#Page_11">11</a></td>
+</tr><tr>
+<td class="chn">II.</td>
+<td class="cht"><span class="smcap">Taking Passage </span></td>
+<td class="pag"><a href="#Page_15">15</a></td>
+</tr><tr>
+<td class="chn">III.</td>
+<td class="cht"><span class="smcap">Preparations </span></td>
+<td class="pag"><a href="#Page_21">21</a></td>
+</tr><tr>
+<td class="chn">IV.</td>
+<td class="cht"><span class="smcap">The Letter of Credit</span></td>
+<td class="pag"><a href="#Page_36">36</a></td>
+</tr><tr>
+<td class="chn">V.</td>
+<td class="cht"><span class="smcap">The Embarkation</span></td>
+<td class="pag"><a href="#Page_51">51</a></td>
+</tr><tr>
+<td class="chn">VI.</td>
+<td class="cht"><span class="smcap">Life on board Ship</span></td>
+<td class="pag"><a href="#Page_61">61</a></td>
+</tr><tr>
+<td class="chn">VII.</td>
+<td class="cht"><span class="smcap">Morning in Liverpool</span></td>
+<td class="pag"><a href="#Page_80">80</a></td>
+</tr><tr>
+<td class="chn">VIII.</td>
+<td class="cht"><span class="smcap">Plans Formed</span></td>
+<td class="pag"><a href="#Page_87">87</a></td>
+</tr><tr>
+<td class="chn">IX.</td>
+<td class="cht"><span class="smcap">The Railway Ride</span></td>
+<td class="pag"><a href="#Page_107">107</a></td>
+</tr><tr>
+<td class="chn">X.</td>
+<td class="cht"><span class="smcap">The Highland Glens</span></td>
+<td class="pag"><a href="#Page_122">122</a></td>
+</tr><tr>
+<td class="chn">XI.</td>
+<td class="cht"><span class="smcap">Ben Nevis </span></td>
+<td class="pag"><a href="#Page_135">135</a></td>
+</tr><tr>
+<td class="chn">XII.</td>
+<td class="cht"><span class="smcap">The Caledonian Canal</span></td>
+<td class="pag"><a href="#Page_153">153</a></td>
+</tr><tr>
+<td class="chn">XIII.</td>
+<td class="cht"><span class="smcap">The Vitrified Fort</span></td>
+<td class="pag"><a href="#Page_172">172</a></td>
+</tr><tr>
+<td class="chn">XIV.</td>
+<td class="cht"><span class="smcap">Night Ride by Daylight</span></td>
+<td class="pag"><a href="#Page_188">188</a></td>
+</tr><tr>
+<td class="chn">XV.</td>
+<td class="cht"><span class="smcap">The Prince Consort</span></td>
+<td class="pag"><a href="#Page_200">200</a></td>
+</tr><tr>
+<td class="chn">XVI.</td>
+<td class="cht"><span class="smcap">Kirkwall</span></td>
+<td class="pag"><a href="#Page_212">212</a></td>
+</tr><tr>
+<td class="chn">XVII.</td>
+<td class="cht"><span class="smcap">The Stones of Stennis</span></td>
+<td class="pag"><a href="#Page_222">222</a></td>
+</tr><tr>
+<td class="chn">XVIII.</td>
+<td class="cht"><span class="smcap">The Embarkation</span></td>
+<td class="pag"><a href="#Page_234">234</a></td>
+</tr><tr>
+<td class="chn">XIX.</td>
+<td class="cht"><span class="smcap">Conclusion</span></td>
+<td class="pag"><a href="#Page_249">249</a></td>
+</tr>
+</table>
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_11">[11]</span></p>
+
+
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop">
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<h2 class="nobreak" id="THE_ORKNEY_ISLANDS">THE ORKNEY ISLANDS.</h2>
+</div>
+
+
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop">
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I.</h2>
+</div>
+
+<p class="center">LETTER FROM SINGAPORE.</p>
+
+
+<p>On one occasion, when Mrs. Morelle went
+down to New York with Grimkie and her two
+children Florence and John, while her husband
+was in the East Indies, she heard that a letter
+had arrived from him that very day, and that it
+had just been sent to the post-office in order to
+be conveyed to her at her house up the North
+River. The letter, she was told, came from
+Singapore.</p>
+
+<p>Singapore is a large English port situated just
+about half way round the world from America,
+on the way to the East Indies. It is a sort of
+center and rendezvous for all ships navigating
+those seas, and letters go and come to and from
+it in all directions.</p>
+
+<p>It is often visited, moreover, by ships of war,
+cruising in those seas.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_12">[12]</span></p>
+
+<p>Grimkie went down to New York with his
+aunt and cousins, on this occasion, because it
+was holiday at his school at the Chateau. Every
+Saturday was holiday at the Chateau.</p>
+
+<p>His aunt and also his cousins were always
+very glad to have him go to New York with
+them when they went, but he never left his
+school to go on such excursions, except upon
+the regular holidays.</p>
+
+<p>Mrs. Morelle would have been very impatient
+to reach home if she had supposed that her husband’s
+letter would arrive there before she did.
+But she knew very well that the mail from New
+York did not get in till about eight o’clock, and
+that the letter would not be brought up to the
+Octagon until about half-past eight. She was,
+therefore, not in any special haste to reach the
+end of the voyage, but amused herself talking
+with the children very quietly and contentedly
+all the way.</p>
+
+<p>The steamboat arrived between four and five.
+Grimkie obtained a carriage at the pier, and,
+after assisting Mrs. Morelle and the children to
+get into it, he bade them good-by, and turned
+his own steps toward the Chateau.</p>
+
+<p>At half-past eight o’clock the letter came.
+Mrs. Morelle, who had been watching for the
+coming of the boy who brought the mail, took<span class="pagenum" id="Page_13">[13]</span>
+the letter from him at the door, and went at
+once into her little room to read it. It was as
+follows:</p>
+
+<div class="blockquot">
+<p>
+Singapore, August 16.<br>
+<br>
+“My very dear wife:<br>
+</p>
+
+<p>“I have just arrived at this port from Calcutta,
+on my way to Canton, and in consequence
+of letters which I have received here I find that
+next summer I shall have occasion to go to London.
+I hope to reach there about the first of
+September.</p>
+
+<p>“Now I have a plan to propose to you, though
+I do not know what you will think of it. It is
+no less than this—that you should take the children
+and come out to England and meet me. I
+shall be able to spend four or five weeks in England,
+and then I must return to Canton again.
+I might come to America in that time to see you,
+instead of asking you to cross the Atlantic to see
+me, but if I were to do so, the voyage would occupy
+nearly all the time that I should have to
+spare, and thus leave me only a very few days to
+spend in your company; whereas, if you come to
+London, I can enjoy the pleasure of being with
+you and the children a whole month.</p>
+
+<p>“Besides, I think it might perhaps be agreeable
+to you, and also improving to the children,
+to make a little tour in England and France.</p>
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_14">[14]</span></p>
+<p>The facilities for travelling are such now that I
+think you will have no difficulty in coming out
+alone. If you approve of this plan, I would
+recommend to you to cross early in June, and
+spend a little time in rambling about England
+before I come. By sending your address to my
+bankers from time to time, I could come to you
+immediately on my arrival. Let me know what
+you think of this plan.</p>
+
+<p>“The overland mail is just closing, so I can
+not write any more at this time, I shall, however,
+write you again very soon, and in the meantime
+I am your very affectionate husband.”</p>
+
+<p>
+James Morelle.<br>
+</p>
+</div>
+
+<p>The children came into the room just as their
+mother had finished reading her letter, and so she
+read it aloud to them. They were very much
+excited at the idea of making a voyage to England,
+and they asked their mother if she thought
+she would go.</p>
+
+<p>“Yes,” said Mrs. Morelle. “I <em>rather</em> think
+I shall.”</p>
+
+<p>The children clapped their hands with delight
+at hearing this answer.</p>
+
+<p>“I wish that Grimkie could go with us,” said
+Florence.</p>
+
+<p>“So do I,” said John.</p>
+
+<p>“Ah!” responded Mrs. Morelle, shaking her
+head, “I am afraid that will be impossible.”</p>
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop">
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_15">[15]</span></p>
+
+<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II.</h2>
+</div>
+
+<p class="center">TAKING PASSAGE.</p>
+
+
+<p>While Mrs. Morelle was reflecting upon the
+arrangements which she should make for her
+intended voyage, she thought a great deal of the
+suggestion which Florence had made, namely,
+that she should take Grimkie with her.</p>
+
+<p>“I wish I <em>could</em> take him with me,” said she.
+“He would be a great help to me, and a great
+reliance. He is so capable, and at the same time
+so considerate; besides, he would be a great deal
+of company for the children, and would make
+the tour not only doubly pleasant, but doubly
+profitable for them.”</p>
+
+<p>But then there was the difficulty of his studies.
+He was fitting for college; and Mrs. Morelle
+knew very well that his father was always extremely
+unwilling to allow any thing to interfere
+with his studies in school.</p>
+
+<p>At first, Mrs. Morelle thought that this difficulty
+was insurmountable, and that it was
+wholly out of the question that Grimkie should
+accompany them on the proposed tour. But on<span class="pagenum" id="Page_16">[16]</span>
+reflecting more fully upon the subject, she recollected
+that it was not usually considered well
+for a boy to enter college until he was about sixteen
+years of age, whereas Grimkie was not yet
+fourteen. She knew also that he was already
+pretty nearly fitted for college, and she thought
+it possible that his father might think that he
+could now spare a year from his studies as well
+as not. It would undoubtedly be greatly promotive
+of his health, she thought, and of the
+strength of his constitution, to spend a year in
+travelling, and thus enable him to enter upon
+his college course with more vigor and energy.
+He might travel with her and the children a
+year, she thought, and still leave a year for
+school, to complete his preparations for the college
+examination, before it would be time for
+him to be offered.</p>
+
+<p>So she determined to propose the plan to
+Grimkie’s father, though she did it with great
+doubt and hesitation.</p>
+
+<p>“It will be exactly what I want for him,”
+said Mr. Jay, when he heard the proposal. “I
+have been quite at a loss to decide what to do
+with him for the two coming years. I thought
+seriously of sending him to some farmer for a
+year. A boy ought not to be kept at his studies
+all the time, while he is growing.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_17">[17]</span></p>
+
+<p>“But it seems to me, sister,” he added, after a
+moment’s pause, “that you show a great deal of
+courage in undertaking the charge of three such
+children, in making the tour of Europe. I
+should think your own two children would be
+charge enough for you.”</p>
+
+<p>“That is just it,” said Mrs. Morelle. “They
+are too much of a charge, and so I want Grimkie
+to go with us to help me take care of them.”</p>
+
+<p>Mr. Jay made no further objection, and so it
+was arranged that Grimkie should go.</p>
+
+<p>Mr. Jay made it a condition, however, that
+Grimkie should have all the charge of the baggage
+and of the accounts during the tour, so as
+to learn to do such business properly.</p>
+
+<p>Grimkie was, of course, greatly pleased when
+he heard of the plan which had thus been formed
+for him, and it was determined that the very
+next Saturday the whole party should go to
+New York and take passage in the Cunard line
+of steamers. It was necessary for Grimkie to
+go, for this was a part of the business which he
+was bound to attend to, according to the arrangement.
+Grimkie wished that Mrs. Morelle
+should go, in order that she might choose the
+staterooms which the party were to occupy, and
+Florence and John must go for the pleasure of
+being of the party.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_18">[18]</span></p>
+
+<p>“Besides,” said Florence, “we want to go on
+board the ship and see the staterooms.”</p>
+
+<p>“Ah! but we are not going on board the
+ship,” replied Grimkie: “we are only going to
+the office.”</p>
+
+<p>“Then how is mother going to choose the
+staterooms that we are to have,” said Florence,
+“if she does not see them.”</p>
+
+<p>“She will see a plan of them,” said Grimkie.
+“They have plans of all the ships at the office,
+with the plans and shapes of all the staterooms
+laid down upon them.”</p>
+
+<p>“Ho!” said John, in a tone of disappointment;
+“I don’t care any thing about seeing a
+plan. Nevertheless,” he added, after a moment’s
+pause, “I should like to go.”</p>
+
+<p>So it was agreed that they should all go together.</p>
+
+<p>It was necessary to go immediately, too; for
+the berths and staterooms in the Atlantic steamers
+are usually engaged long beforehand. Mrs.
+Morelle asked Grimkie to inquire which was the
+best steamer in the Cunard line; for as the precise
+time of their sailing was not material, they
+could go a little sooner or later, for the sake of
+having one of the best ships.</p>
+
+<p>Grimkie accordingly inquired, and he learned
+that the <em>Persia</em> was the largest of the ships,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_19">[19]</span>
+though in other respects they were all nearly
+equally good. Mrs. Morelle accordingly determined
+to take passage in the <em>Persia</em>, provided
+she found that that ship was going at any time
+near the first of June.</p>
+
+<p>Accordingly, on the first Saturday morning
+after it was concluded that Grimkie should go,
+the whole party set out together to go to New
+York to engage the passages. They went down
+by the railroad, and arrived at the Chambers-street
+station about ten o’clock.</p>
+
+<p>“This is just right,” said Grimkie. “The
+office opens at ten, I suppose.”</p>
+
+<p>So Grimkie selected a nice looking carriage
+from among those that were standing at the station,
+and after assisting his aunt and his cousins
+to enter it, and also getting in himself, he directed
+the coachman to drive to the office of the
+Cunard Company. The office was situated at
+the foot of Broadway, opposite the lower end of
+the Bowling Green.</p>
+
+<p>They all descended from the carriage, and
+went up the steps which led to the office. On
+entering it they found a large room, in the front
+part of which was a counter with a desk at one
+end of it, and on the counter were lying one or
+two immense books containing plans. The books
+were about a yard long, and perhaps two feet<span class="pagenum" id="Page_20">[20]</span>
+wide, and each leaf contained a plan. The
+leaves were very stiff, as if the plans had been
+pasted upon sheets of pasteboard, in order that
+they might be turned over easily, and also to
+protect them from injury by constant handling.</p>
+
+<p>In the back part of the room were other desks,
+where several clerks were engaged in writing.</p>
+
+<p>Grimkie accosted the clerk who stood at the
+desk near the counter, saying,</p>
+
+<p>“We came, sir, to engage passages in one of
+your ships.”</p>
+
+<p>The clerk bowed politely to Mrs. Morelle, and
+after some conversation in respect to the time
+when she wished to sail, and the steamer which
+she preferred, he looked into his books, and
+found that the <em>Persia</em> would be coming to America,
+instead of going to Europe, about the first
+of June; also that the ship which would sail
+from New York nearest to that time, namely,
+on the 23d of May, was full. All the staterooms
+were engaged. There were, however,
+some excellent staterooms at liberty in the Boston
+steamer, which sailed on the following week,
+namely, the 30th of May.</p>
+
+<p>And here, perhaps, it is necessary to explain
+that there are two branches to the Cunard line
+of steamers, one of which connects Liverpool
+with Boston, and the other with New York. A<span class="pagenum" id="Page_21">[21]</span>
+ship of each line sails alternately from Boston
+and New York—one week from Boston, and the
+next from New York.</p>
+
+<p>As soon as Grimkie heard that there were
+good staterooms disengaged in the Boston steamer
+of the 30th of May, his eye brightened up at
+once, and he proposed that they should go that
+way.</p>
+
+<p>“But that will make us an extra journey
+from here to Boston,” said Mrs. Morelle.</p>
+
+<p>“Yes, Auntie,” said Grimkie, “that is just
+the thing. We shall have the journey to Boston
+into the bargain, and without paying anything
+for it, for the price is less from Boston,
+and a good deal more than enough less to pay
+the expenses of going.”</p>
+
+<p>“Yes, mother,” said Florence, “let us go that
+way.”</p>
+
+<p>“Besides,” said Grimkie, “the Boston steamers
+touch at Halifax, into the bargain.”</p>
+
+<p>“Is that so?” said Mrs. Morelle, turning to
+the clerk.</p>
+
+<p>“Yes, madam,” said the clerk, smiling; “but
+I think the passengers do not usually consider
+the touching at Halifax any special advantage
+in favor of the Boston line.”</p>
+
+<p>“Why? Does not the ship stop long enough
+for them to go on shore?” asked Mrs. Morelle.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_22">[22]</span></p>
+
+<p>“She stops usually two or three hours,” replied
+the clerk; “and the passengers can go
+ashore, if they please.”</p>
+
+<p>“Then let us go that way, mother,” said
+Florence.</p>
+
+<p>“We <em>must</em> go that way for aught I see,” said
+Mrs. Morelle, “if there are no staterooms for us
+in the New York steamers.”</p>
+
+<p>The clerk looked into his books again, and
+said that there were no two continuous staterooms
+disengaged in the New York steamers
+until after the middle of June. He, however,
+then opened one of the big books, and showed
+Mrs. Morelle the plan of the <em>Europa</em>, which was
+the Boston steamer that was to sail on the 30th,
+and pointed out upon the plan two staterooms
+lying contiguous to each other, which were disengaged.</p>
+
+<p>One of them was what was called the family
+stateroom, being nearly square in form, with
+two berths, one over the other, at the end, and a
+settee along the side, upon which a third person
+might sleep, if necessary.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_23">[23]</span></p>
+
+<p>“<em>I</em> could sleep on the sofa, mother,” said
+John, “just as well as not.”</p>
+
+<p>“Then what should we do with Grimkie,”
+asked Mrs. Morelle.</p>
+
+<p class="p2"></p>
+<div class="chapter">
+<div class="figcenter" id="i_023a">
+<img src="images/i_023a.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="429">
+<p class="caption center">CHOOSING THE STATE ROOMS.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+<p class="p2"></p>
+
+<p>“We might give the young gentleman a separate<span class="pagenum" id="Page_25">[25]</span>
+berth in another stateroom,” said the
+clerk; “and then you would have only three
+passages to pay for. But in that case,” added
+the clerk, “you might find it more convenient
+to let the young lady sleep upon the sofa, as the
+upper berth is pretty high, and her brother
+could climb up to it perhaps more easily than
+she could.”</p>
+
+<p>“<em>I</em> can climb,” said John, eagerly. “I can
+climb up to the upper berth, just as well as
+not.”</p>
+
+<p>Mrs. Morelle found, on further conversation
+with the clerk, that if she took only a single
+berth in the second stateroom, the other berth
+would be occupied by some stranger, who might
+or might not be very agreeable company for
+Grimkie. So she concluded to take two staterooms
+herself, with a view of letting Grimkie
+and John occupy one of them, while she and
+Florence occupied the other. The clerk accordingly
+put down her name for two staterooms
+contiguous to each other, one of the large ones
+for herself and Florence, and a smaller one, next
+to it, for Grimkie and John. Mrs. Morelle paid
+the money and took a receipt, and then the
+whole party left the office and returned to the
+carriage.</p>
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop">
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_26">[26]</span></p>
+
+<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III.</h2>
+</div>
+
+<p class="center">PREPARATIONS.</p>
+
+
+<p>Many weeks intervened between the time
+when Mrs. Morelle took her passage and the
+day appointed for sailing. During this interval
+all parties were very much occupied with making
+the various preparations necessary for such a
+tour. Mrs. Morelle bought three trunks all
+alike and of medium size. One of these trunks
+was for herself, one for Florence and John, and
+one for Grimkie.</p>
+
+<p>These trunks were all of a medium size, that
+is, about as large as could be conveniently
+handled when full, by one man. Mrs. Morelle
+had learned by former experience in travelling in
+Europe, that occasions would often occur when
+it was very inconvenient to have a trunk which
+it required two men to lift and carry away.</p>
+
+<p>Besides these trunks Mrs. Morelle bought a
+sort of valise as large as she thought Grimkie
+could conveniently carry in his hand, which contained
+a set of night dresses and certain toilet<span class="pagenum" id="Page_27">[27]</span>
+conveniences for the whole party. This she called
+the night valise.</p>
+
+<p>“Because you see,” she said in explaining the
+arrangement to Florence, “we are liable sometimes
+to be separated from our trunks for a night,
+but this valise we can keep with us at all times.
+Besides we shall sometimes wish to make a little
+excursion off from our main route, to be gone
+only a single night, and then we shall not wish
+to take our trunks with us. In such cases as
+this the night valise will be very convenient.
+Then it will be just the thing for me to use as a
+stool to put my feet upon in the railway carriages.”</p>
+
+<p>“I don’t see how we can ever get separated
+from our trunks,” said Florence. “They will
+always go with us in the same train.”</p>
+
+<p>“But accidents happen,” said her mother.
+“In travelling, we have not only to make arrangements
+for the ordinary course of things, but
+we must also provide for accidents.”</p>
+
+<p>“What kind of accidents?” asked Florence.</p>
+
+<p>“Every kind that you can imagine,” said Mrs.
+Morelle.</p>
+
+<p>“But tell me of one kind, mother,” said
+Florence.</p>
+
+<p>“At one time,” replied Mrs. Morelle, “your
+father and I arrived in Liverpool late in the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_28">[28]</span>
+evening. It was eleven o’clock before we got
+through the custom-house. The ship could not
+go into dock because the tide was so low. So we
+were obliged to go ashore in a tender, which is a
+small steamer somewhat like a Brooklyn ferry-boat,
+but not half so large. It was dark and
+rainy, and the wind was blowing a heavy gale.
+We had to go down a long black ladder from the
+steamer to the tender. One of the officers of the
+ship held a lantern at the top, and a sailor held
+one below. We wished to take our trunks with
+us, but they said we could not do that. We
+must say what hotel we were going to, and they
+would send them there.</p>
+
+<p>“So we told them that we were going to the
+Waterloo Hotel, and they marked all our trunks
+with a big W in chalk.</p>
+
+<p>“Then we went down the ladder to the tender,
+and were sent on shore. When we landed we
+took a cab, and drove to the Waterloo Hotel.
+But we found that we could not have rooms
+there, for the hotel was full. So we were obliged
+to go to another and another. We went to three
+before we could get in.</p>
+
+<p>“It was now about midnight, and we were
+very tired, and we would have liked very much
+to go to bed. If we had had night dresses with
+us we might have gone to bed at once, and let<span class="pagenum" id="Page_29">[29]</span>
+our trunks remain at the Waterloo until morning.
+But we had nothing of the kind, and so your
+father had to take a cab and go back to the
+Waterloo and wait there till the trunks came,
+and he did not get to our hotel so that we could
+undress and go to bed till nearly two o’clock.”</p>
+
+<p>“That was curious,” said John, who had been
+standing by all the time, listening to the conversation.
+“But I don’t understand very well
+what you mean about not getting into the docks.”</p>
+
+<p>“Ah, you’ll find out all about that,” said his
+mother, “when you get to Liverpool.”</p>
+
+<p>“Tell us some more accidents, then, mother,”
+said John.</p>
+
+<p>“No,” said his mother. “I can not tell you
+of any more, but you will experience plenty of
+them, you may depend, if we travel about much
+in Europe, before we meet father.”</p>
+
+<hr class="tb">
+
+<p>One of the most important things to be arranged
+in making a tour in Europe is the question
+of funds. We can not take American
+money with us, for American money is not
+known, and does not circulate in foreign countries.
+We must have for each country which
+we wish to travel through, the kind of money
+that belongs to that country, except that in
+some cases we can use the money of a neighboring<span class="pagenum" id="Page_30">[30]</span>
+country, when it happens to be well known.
+We can use the principal gold coins of England
+and France, namely, the sovereign and the
+Napoleon, almost all over Europe, for they are
+almost universally known. With the exception
+of these, we require always the money of the
+country which we are travelling in.</p>
+
+<p>Besides this, even if American money would
+circulate in foreign countries, it would be very
+inconvenient to take a sufficient quantity of it
+for a long tour, on account of the weight of it.
+I speak now, of course, of real money, that is,
+of gold or silver coin. Bank bills, as doubtless
+most of the readers of this book are aware, are
+not in fact money, but only the promises of
+banks to pay money. They pass as money in
+the country where the bank issuing them is
+situated, because every one knows that he can
+go with them to the bank and get the coin—that
+is, if he thinks the bank is good, and that it will
+keep its promises. But in foreign countries,
+where of course the banks issuing the bills are
+beyond the reach of the holders, the bills would
+be good for nothing except to sell at a loss to
+somebody who could send them across the Atlantic,
+and make arrangements for having the
+coin sent back to him.</p>
+
+<p>The arrangements for furnishing travellers<span class="pagenum" id="Page_31">[31]</span>
+with the money they require, are made by the
+great banking houses. The <em>banking houses</em>
+must not be confounded with the banks. They
+are private establishments, conducted by men
+of great wealth. They have branches of their
+establishments in all the great cities and towns
+in Europe and America, and large supplies of
+money at all of them. At each branch they
+have money of the country where the branch
+is situated. An American traveller going to
+Europe, can go accordingly to one of these banking
+houses in New York, and make arrangements
+there to be furnished with any amount of money
+at any of the great towns in Europe, and of such
+kinds as they require, on condition of repaying
+the value of it in American money in New York,
+as soon as the news of its having been paid can
+come over.</p>
+
+<p>The document which the banker in New York
+gives to the traveller, instructing the branches in
+Europe to pay him the money he may require, is
+called a letter of credit. A letter of credit may
+be given for any sum of money, and continue in
+force for any period of time.</p>
+
+<p>There are several precautions and conditions
+to be attended to in making arrangements for a
+letter of credit. In the first place, the banker
+requires some security that the money which is<span class="pagenum" id="Page_32">[32]</span>
+advanced to the traveller in foreign lands, will be
+promptly repaid to him in America, as soon as
+notice arrives in this country of his having received
+it. This security is given in various ways.
+Sometimes the traveller knows some responsible
+merchant in New York, who will guarantee that
+the money will be paid. When he does not
+know any such person, or does not wish to ask
+any person to become surety for him, he can deposit
+bank stock, or railway stock, or bonds, or
+any other sure and good titles to property which
+he happens to have, and give the banker authority
+to sell them, and pay himself with the proceeds,
+in case the traveller fails to make other
+provision for the repayment of the money advanced
+to him.</p>
+
+<p>Another precaution which it is necessary to
+take, is one to prevent any other person than the
+traveller himself from getting any money with
+the letter of credit, in case he should steal it, or
+in any other way get it into his possession.
+Otherwise, in case the letter should be lost, and
+any dishonest person should find it, or in case it
+should be stolen, the wrongful holder of it might
+go with it to one of the bankers in foreign countries
+and ask for some money, and thus either
+the banker or the traveller would be robbed.</p>
+
+<p>To prevent this, it is customary for the banker<span class="pagenum" id="Page_33">[33]</span>
+to send specimens of the traveller’s hand-writing
+to all the branches in Europe where the traveller
+thinks he shall wish to draw money. The
+traveller writes his name on several slips of
+paper, and the banker in New York sends one
+of the slips to each of the branches in Europe,
+where the traveller thinks he may wish to procure
+money. The clerks at these branches, when
+they receive these slips, which are sent to them
+by mail, paste them into a big book with a great
+many other slips of the same kind received before.
+Then, when the traveller arrives and calls
+for his money, they write a paper for him to
+sign, directing the person in New York who is
+to do the business for him there, to pay the
+amount to the banker in New York as soon as
+the paper reaches him. This paper is called a
+draft. When the traveller has signed the draft,
+the clerk at the branch in Europe takes it to the
+big book, and compares the signature with the
+one upon the slip of paper which he had received
+by mail. If he finds the hand-writing is the
+same, then he knows that all is right, and he
+pays the money. If it is not the same, then he
+knows that the person who has called with the
+letter of credit is not the person he pretends to
+be, and so he sends out at once for a police
+officer, and has him taken into custody.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_34">[34]</span></p>
+
+<p>In respect to the security to be lodged with
+the banker for the letter of credit, Grimkie had
+nothing to do, the merchants who had charge of
+Mrs. Morelle’s funds having made arrangements
+for it; but Mr. Jay wished that Grimkie should
+attend to the business of procuring the letter
+himself, in order that he might learn how to do
+business at a banker’s, and he recommended that
+Mrs. Morelle should go with him, so as to see
+how the business was done, and also to give
+specimens of her signature.</p>
+
+<p>“You might write the specimens at home,”
+he said, “and send them to the banker’s; but I
+think it is a little better for you to go to the
+office. I could go with you just as well as not,
+but if you go alone you will see how easily the
+business is done, and you will have more confidence
+and self-possession in going to the banking
+houses in Europe. So I think I had better not
+go with you, but leave you altogether to Grimkie’s
+care.”</p>
+
+<p>Mrs. Morelle entirely approved this arrangement;
+and, accordingly, on the morning of the
+day before she was to set out for Boston, she
+went with Grimkie and obtained the letter. It
+was on Monday that she did this. She had left
+her home on the North River the Saturday before,
+with a view of spending Sunday in New<span class="pagenum" id="Page_35">[35]</span>
+York, and then, after attending to this and some
+other business in New York on Monday, of proceeding
+to Boston on Tuesday, so as to be ready
+to sail in the steamer on Wednesday, that being
+the appointed day.</p>
+
+<p>How Grimkie succeeded in doing the business
+at the banker’s, will appear in the next chapter.</p>
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop">
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_36">[36]</span></p>
+
+<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV.</h2>
+</div>
+
+<p class="center">THE LETTER OF CREDIT.</p>
+
+
+<p>Persons who are not much accustomed to
+travelling, or to doing business for themselves in
+strange places, sometimes feel a good deal of
+solicitude when called upon to act in such cases,
+from not knowing beforehand exactly what they
+are to do. But there is never any occasion for
+such solicitude. It is not at all necessary when
+you have occasion to go to a bank, or to an office
+of any kind, or to a railway-station where a great
+many different trains are coming and going, that
+you should know beforehand what you are to do
+when you get there. All that is necessary is that
+you should simply know <em>what you want</em>, and
+that you should be able to state it intelligibly.
+It is the business of the clerks, or of the persons
+in charge of the establishment, whatever it may
+be, to show you how the business is to be done,
+when you once tell them what it is.</p>
+
+<p>It was about eleven o’clock on Monday morning
+that Grimkie was to set out with Mrs.
+Morelle to go and get the letter of credit.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_37">[37]</span>
+Florence and John were to go too, as they did
+not wish to be left at the hotel, but they were to
+remain in the carriage while Grimkie and his
+aunt went into the office.</p>
+
+<p>Grimkie’s father was at the hotel at the time
+that they set out.</p>
+
+<p>“Now, Grimkie,” said he, while Mrs. Morelle
+was putting on her bonnet and shawl, “do you
+know where you are going?”</p>
+
+<p>“Yes, sir,” said Grimkie, “you gave me the
+address of the banker, and I have got it in my
+pocket.”</p>
+
+<p>“Very good,” said his father.</p>
+
+<p>“And now do you know how to do the business
+when you get there?”</p>
+
+<p>“No, sir,” said Grimkie.</p>
+
+<p>“Very good again,” said his father. “It is
+not necessary that you should know how to do
+the business. It is not your duty to know. It
+is the duty of the clerks there to do the business
+for you. But do you know what the business is
+that you wish to have done?”</p>
+
+<p>“Yes, sir,” said Grimkie. “To get a letter
+of credit.”</p>
+
+<p>“In whose name?” asked his father.</p>
+
+<p>“Mrs. Jane Morelle’s,” said Grimkie.</p>
+
+<p>“For how much?” asked his father.</p>
+
+<p>“For five hundred pounds,” said Grimkie.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_38">[38]</span></p>
+
+<p>“How long to run?” asked his father.</p>
+
+<p>“For one year,” said Grimkie.</p>
+
+<p>“Very good,” said his father. “That is all
+you want to know. And remember, in all your
+travels, that if you have any business to do of
+any kind, in any strange place, all that is necessary
+for you is to know distinctly what you want,
+and to be able to state it intelligibly. The people
+of the establishment will attend to all the
+rest.”</p>
+
+<p>“Yes, sir,” said Grimkie. “I will remember
+it.”</p>
+
+<p>Mrs. Morelle, who had been standing before
+the glass putting on her bonnet and shawl during
+this conversation, listened to it with much interest,
+and she felt great satisfaction and relief in
+hearing it. She had very naturally felt some
+uneasiness and apprehension in setting out upon
+such a tour, at the thought of being called upon
+often, as she knew she must be, at railway stations,
+and public offices of various kinds, to
+transact business without knowing at all how
+the business was to be done.</p>
+
+<p>But if all that is necessary in such places, she
+said to herself, is that I should know what I
+want, and be able to state it intelligibly, I think
+I shall get along very well.</p>
+
+<p>In fact, Grimkie’s father meant what he said<span class="pagenum" id="Page_39">[39]</span>
+much more for Mrs. Morelle than for Grimkie.
+He knew very well that boys of Grimkie’s age
+were not usually very diffident, or distrustful of
+themselves, in regard to the transaction of business
+of any kind, and that they did not usually
+stand in need of any special encouragement.</p>
+
+<p>When Grimkie entered the banking-house
+where he was to procure the letter, he was at
+first somewhat abashed by the scene which presented
+itself to view. He saw a very large room
+with doors opening in various directions into
+other rooms, all full of desks, and clerks, and
+people going and coming. There was a long
+counter with high desks, surmounted by little
+balustrades rising above it, and open spaces here
+and there, where people were receiving money, or
+delivering papers, or transacting other business.
+Grimkie was for a moment quite bewildered, but
+after a moment’s hesitation he recalled to mind
+the instructions which he had received, and he
+went boldly up to the clerk who was nearest to
+him and said,</p>
+
+<p>“I came to see about a letter of credit.”</p>
+
+<p>“Second desk to the right,” said the clerk,
+pointing with his pen, but without raising his
+eyes from his work.</p>
+
+<p>Grimkie, followed by Mrs. Morelle, went in
+the direction indicated. The desk was a very<span class="pagenum" id="Page_40">[40]</span>
+large and handsome one, and an elderly gentleman
+of very respectable appearance was sitting
+at it writing a letter. He went on with his work,
+but in a moment, glancing his eye at Grimkie,
+he said,</p>
+
+<p>“Well, my son?”</p>
+
+<p>“I came to see about a letter of credit,” said
+Grimkie.</p>
+
+<p>“What name?” asked the gentleman.</p>
+
+<p>“Mrs. Jane Morelle,” replied Grimkie.</p>
+
+<p>“Ah!” said the gentleman, and looking up
+from his work his eye fell upon Mrs. Morelle,
+whom he now for the first time saw. He immediately
+rose from his seat and offered Mrs. Morelle
+a chair.</p>
+
+<p>“It is all arranged about your letter of credit,”
+said he, as he resumed his seat, “except to take
+your signatures. You will only wish to draw in
+London and Paris, I understand?”</p>
+
+<p>“Yes, sir,” said Mrs. Morelle. “Mr. Jay
+thought that that would be all that we should
+require.”</p>
+
+<p>The gentleman then called to a handsome-looking
+young clerk who was writing at a desk
+near by, and asked him if he would be kind
+enough to take Mrs. Morelle’s signature. So the
+clerk conducted her to a table at a little distance,
+near a window, where there were writing<span class="pagenum" id="Page_41">[41]</span>
+materials, and asked her to write her name
+three or four times, at some little distance apart,
+upon a sheet of paper which he gave her. Grimkie
+followed his aunt to the table, and the clerk,
+after having given the directions, went away and
+left Mrs. Morelle to write at her leisure.</p>
+
+<p>“I’m all in a trepidation,” said Mrs. Morelle,
+taking the pen, “and it won’t be written well.”</p>
+
+<p>“That will be just right, then, Auntie,” said
+Grimkie, “for you will be all in a trepidation
+when you go to draw the money in the foreign
+cities, and so the writing will be the same.”</p>
+
+<p>Mrs. Morelle smiled, and then proceeded to
+write her name four times, in a column on the
+left hand side of the paper, each signature being
+at the distance of two inches from the other.</p>
+
+<p>By the time that she had finished writing, the
+clerk came and took the paper. He then said to
+her that if she would remain seated a few minutes,
+he would bring the letter of credit to her.</p>
+
+<p>Accordingly, in a few minutes he returned,
+bringing with him a letter folded and enclosed
+in a very strong envelope. Mrs. Morelle took
+the envelope, and then bowing to the clerk, and
+also to the gentleman at the desk, she and Grimkie
+retired.</p>
+
+<p>As soon as they had returned to the hotel,
+Grimkie was curious to open the letter of credit<span class="pagenum" id="Page_42">[42]</span>
+and read it. He found that it was a handsomely
+printed form, covering one side of a sheet of letter
+paper, with the blanks filled up by a pen.
+It was as follows:</p>
+
+<div class="blockquot">
+<p>
+“New York, <em>May 28, 1860</em>.<br>
+<br>
+“<em>Messrs. de Rothschild Brothers, Paris.</em><br>
+<br>
+“<em>Messrs. N. M. Rothschild and Son, London.</em><br>
+<br>
+“<em>Gentlemen</em>:<br>
+</p>
+
+<p>“This letter will be presented to you
+by <em>Mrs. Jane Morelle</em>, in whose favor we beg to
+open a credit with you collectively, for the sum
+of £500—<em>say Five Hundred Pounds</em>, to which
+extent be pleased to furnish payments in sums
+as required, without deduction, and against receipts,
+inscribing the amounts paid on the reverse
+of this letter, and reimbursing yourselves
+in accordance with our letter of advice, transmitting
+receipts at the same time.</p>
+
+<p>“(Signed) Yours, most respectfully,</p>
+
+<p>
+“<em>August Belmont and Co.</em>”<br>
+</p>
+
+<p>“This credit is in favor for <em>two years from
+date</em>.”</p>
+</div>
+
+<p>The parts of the letter which are printed in
+Italics, were in manuscript in the original. The
+rest was the printed form. You will observe
+that the parts which were in manuscript comprise<span class="pagenum" id="Page_43">[43]</span>
+all those portions of the letter which would
+require to be varied for different travellers applying
+for letters, while the printed portion consists
+of what would be the same for all.</p>
+
+<p>Besides the letter of credit, Grimkie’s father
+recommended to Mrs. Morelle to take a considerable
+supply of English gold with her—as much
+as she could conveniently carry—to use when
+she first landed; for she might desire, he said,
+to travel about England for a while before going
+to London, which was the first place where her
+letter of credit could be made available.</p>
+
+<p>“Besides,” said he, “it is a little cheaper for
+you to carry gold. The gold which you buy
+here and take with you, does not cost quite so
+much as that which you obtain there, through
+your letter of credit; for, besides being repaid
+for the actual value of the gold, the bankers require
+something for themselves, as their profit
+on the transaction.”</p>
+
+<p>“That’s fair,” said Grimkie. “But then
+why can’t we take it <em>all</em> in gold, and so get it
+all cheaper?”</p>
+
+<p>“Because then you lose in interest money
+more than you save,” said his father. “Suppose,
+for example, a person is going to spend
+three thousand dollars in a year, in travelling in
+Europe—fifteen hundred dollars the first six<span class="pagenum" id="Page_44">[44]</span>
+months, and fifteen hundred in the second. Now
+the last fifteen hundred, if he leaves it at home,
+well invested, will bring in, during the first half
+of the year, say forty or fifty dollars, which will
+much more than pay the banker’s commission.
+So it is better for him to leave it invested, and
+take it from the banker’s when the time comes
+for using it. And then, besides, the danger of
+being robbed is very much greater in taking a
+very large sum in gold with you. It is best,
+therefore, for you to rely upon your letter of
+credit, except for what you require at the outset,
+and that it is well to take with you in gold.”</p>
+
+<p>So it was arranged that Grimkie should go
+with Mrs. Morelle to a money broker’s in Wall-street,
+whose address his father gave him, to get
+some sovereigns.</p>
+
+<p>A money-broker is a man who keeps the different
+kinds of money of all the different foreign
+nations for sale. Merchants, shipmasters, travellers
+and other persons coming home from foreign
+parts, are always bringing home certain
+quantities of this money. As it will not pass
+current in this country, they usually take it to a
+money-broker’s and sell it. He pays them for it
+a little less than its intrinsic value. In this way
+he keeps a supply of all kinds of foreign money
+constantly on hand, and in passing by his office<span class="pagenum" id="Page_45">[45]</span>
+you often see these coins in the window for sale,
+just as you see books in the window of a bookstore,
+or toys in that of a toy-shop, and travellers
+who wish to visit any foreign countries, or
+persons who wish to send money there for any
+purpose, go to these brokers and buy the kind
+of money which they require—though, of course,
+they have to pay for it a little <em>more</em> than its
+intrinsic value, just as those who brought it into
+the country were obliged to sell it for a little
+less. The difference is the broker’s profit.</p>
+
+<p>The coin which Mrs. Morelle wished to buy
+was sovereigns. The value of the sovereign is a
+pound. It is divided into twenty shillings,
+which are represented by silver coins of nearly
+the size of an American quarter of a dollar.</p>
+
+<p>The sovereign is a gold coin, nearly as large as
+an American five dollar piece. There is gold
+enough in a new sovereign fresh from the mint,
+to come to four dollars and eighty-six cents, as
+determined by the assaying officers of the United
+States. The average amount of gold in the sovereigns
+in circulation is, however, only four dollars
+and eighty-four cents. That is, the new
+ones have two cents worth of gold in them more
+than the average of those in circulation.</p>
+
+<p>How much you have to pay for sovereigns
+when you go to buy them at a broker’s depends<span class="pagenum" id="Page_46">[46]</span>
+upon how many he has in hand, or expects soon
+to receive, and upon the demand for them.
+When a great many sovereigns are wanted and
+the supply is not large, of course the price rises,
+and in a reverse of circumstances it falls. Grimkie’s
+father told him that probably he would
+have to pay four ninety, or four ninety-one for
+them on the day when he went with Mrs.
+Morelle to purchase them.</p>
+
+<p>If, instead of purchasing sovereigns at the
+broker’s, the traveller obtains them of the banker’s
+through a letter of credit, they cost him, on
+account of commissions and charges, nearly five
+dollars apiece. American travellers, therefore,
+generally reckon the sovereigns which they expend
+in Europe in their travels, and in the purchases
+which they make, as so many times five
+dollars.</p>
+
+<p>On entering the broker’s office, Mrs. Morelle
+and Grimkie at once heard a great chinking of
+coin, as people were counting it out, either paying
+or receiving it. There was a long counter on
+one side of the room, with clerks behind it, and
+beyond the clerks, against the wall, were shelves,
+with boxes of coin, and little heaps of coin, some
+in piles, and some in rolls, enveloped in paper.
+A man, who looked like a seafaring man, was
+standing at the counter in one place, with a bag<span class="pagenum" id="Page_47">[47]</span>
+of gold which he had just opened, and he was
+now pouring out the coin from it. It was a bag
+of doubloons which he had brought from some
+Spanish country. Near by was a young man,
+who was just counting and putting into a bag a
+quantity of sovereigns which he had been purchasing.
+There were various others at different
+places along the counter engaged in similar
+transactions.</p>
+
+<p>Mrs. Morelle had concluded to reserve about
+seventy-five dollars, for her expenses in going to
+Boston, and to invest all the rest of the money
+which she had with her in sovereigns. But
+Grimkie, who seemed to want to get hold of as
+many sovereigns as possible, said to her as they
+were coming in the carriage toward the office
+that he thought that seventy-five dollars was
+more than would be necessary to take them to
+Boston. But she said that possibly some accident
+might happen which would lead to extra
+expense, and it was always best to have enough.</p>
+
+<p>“And then if I have anything left over,” said
+she, “we can purchase sovereigns with it in
+Boston, the morning before we sail.”</p>
+
+<p>Accordingly Grimkie, holding in his hands
+eight bills of a hundred dollars each, went with
+Mrs. Morelle to a vacant place at the counter,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_48">[48]</span>
+and said that he wished to buy some sovereigns,
+and asked the price.</p>
+
+<p>“How many will you want?” asked the clerk.</p>
+
+<p>“About a hundred and sixty,” said Grimkie.
+He had previously made a calculation that he
+could have rather more than a hundred and sixty
+for the eight hundred dollars.</p>
+
+<p>“I have got eight hundred dollars here,” said
+Grimkie, “which I wish to change into sovereigns.”</p>
+
+<p>“We can let you have them for four ninety,”
+said the clerk.</p>
+
+<p>Then taking a little slip of paper and a pencil
+he made a calculation, and presently said,</p>
+
+<p>“You can have a hundred and sixty-three
+sovereigns, and a little over, for the eight hundred
+dollars.”</p>
+
+<p>“How much will one hundred and sixty-five
+cost?” asked Mrs. Morelle.</p>
+
+<p>The clerk, after figuring a little more on his
+paper, said that they would come to eight
+hundred and eight dollars and fifty cents exactly.</p>
+
+<p>“Then let us take a hundred and sixty-five,”
+said Mrs. Morelle, “and I will pay the eight
+dollars fifty.”</p>
+
+<p>So Mrs. Morelle took eight dollars and fifty
+cents from her purse, and put it with the eight<span class="pagenum" id="Page_49">[49]</span>
+hundred dollars, and Grimkie gave the whole to
+the clerk. He counted it and put it away, and
+then proceeded to count out the sovereigns, laying
+them in piles, as he counted them, of fifty
+each.</p>
+
+<p>“Would you like a bag to put them in?”
+asked the clerk.</p>
+
+<p>Grimkie said he would like one very much.</p>
+
+<p>So the clerk gave him a small, brown linen
+bag, large enough to contain the coin. While
+Grimkie was putting the money into the bag, it
+occurred to him that perhaps it would be well to
+have a little English silver.</p>
+
+<p>“We shall also have need of a little change,
+Auntie,” said he, “when we first land, for the
+porters or the cabmen.”</p>
+
+<p>“I can give you silver for one of the sovereigns,”
+said the clerk, “if you wish.”</p>
+
+<p>So Grimkie gave back one of the sovereigns to
+the clerk, and the clerk in lieu of it counted out
+twenty silver coins not quite so large as a quarter
+of a dollar. He left them on the counter for
+Grimkie to count over after him, and began to
+attend to another customer.</p>
+
+<p>“That’s right, Auntie,” said Grimkie: “twenty
+is right. Twelve pence make a shilling; twenty
+shillings make a pound.”</p>
+
+<p>Grimkie wrapped up the twenty shillings in a<span class="pagenum" id="Page_50">[50]</span>
+piece of paper, and put them into the mouth of
+his bag, and then putting the bag in his pocket,
+he assisted Mrs. Morelle into the carriage, and
+after getting in himself, he ordered the coachman
+to drive to the hotel.</p>
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop">
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_51">[51]</span></p>
+
+<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V.</h2>
+</div>
+
+<p class="center">THE EMBARKATION.</p>
+
+
+<p>On Tuesday morning, when Mrs. Morelle and
+her party arrived at Boston, they learned from
+an advertisement in the newspaper that they
+must be on board the next morning at eight
+o’clock, as the steamer was to sail at nine.</p>
+
+<p>“I am glad of that,” said Grimkie; “for now
+the sooner we are off the better. Only,” he
+added, after a moment’s pause, “we shall not
+have a chance to change the rest of our money.”</p>
+
+<p>“True,” said Mrs. Morelle; “and I think I
+shall have nearly forty dollars over, after I have
+paid the bill at the hotel.”</p>
+
+<p>“That would get us eight sovereigns more,”
+said Grimkie.</p>
+
+<p>“I don’t know what I shall do with that
+money,” said Mrs. Morelle. “It is in bank bills,
+which will be of no use in England, and it will
+make me considerable trouble to carry them with
+me all the time of my tour.”</p>
+
+<p>“Perhaps we might get five-dollar gold pieces
+with the money here at the hotel,” said Grimkie,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_52">[52]</span>
+“and that would be much better than to carry
+the bills, for we can sell the gold pieces in Liverpool
+to the brokers there, for nearly as much
+as they are worth.”</p>
+
+<p>“That will be the best thing that we can do,”
+said Mrs. Morelle.</p>
+
+<p>So Grimkie took the money and went to the
+bar of the hotel, and the barkeeper said he could
+change it into gold just as well as not. He
+accordingly gave Grimkie eight half-eagles, and
+Grimkie, after wrapping them up carefully in a
+paper by themselves, put them into the top of
+his money bag, with the rest of the coin, and
+then put the whole carefully away in his aunt’s
+trunk.</p>
+
+<p>The next morning, at half-past seven, a coach
+which Grimkie had ordered the night before,
+came to the private door of the Tremont House,
+in Tremont Place, and took the whole party in,
+with their luggage, and conveyed them to East
+Boston, where the steamer was lying.</p>
+
+<p>As soon as they arrived upon the pier, they
+found themselves in the midst of a scene of great
+bustle and excitement.</p>
+
+<p>Carriages were arriving in rapid succession,
+bringing passengers to the ship. Piles of trunks
+and carpet-bags were lying upon the pier, and a
+line of sailorlike-looking men were engaged in<span class="pagenum" id="Page_53">[53]</span>
+taking them on board. As soon as Grimkie’s baggage—for
+from this time he called it all his, since
+he had now the exclusive charge of it—was set
+down, Grimkie paid the fare, and the coachman,
+mounting upon the box, wheeled his carriage
+round, and drove away. Very soon one of the
+porters from the ship came and took up one of
+the trunks to carry it on board.</p>
+
+<p>“Johnnie,” said Grimkie, “you go with Aunt
+and Florence on board, after this man, and see
+where he puts this trunk, and then come back
+here. I’ll stay in the meantime, and watch the
+rest.”</p>
+
+<p>So John led the way in following the porter
+over the plank, while his mother and Florence
+followed <em>him</em>. As soon as he got on board, he
+saw the porter put down the trunk in a sort of
+open space in the middle of the deck, with a
+great many others, and in a moment afterward
+several more were piled up upon it and around
+it, so that it rapidly disappeared from view.</p>
+
+<p>John found a place near by where Mrs. Morelle
+could stand, a little out of the way of the
+crowd, and then immediately hastened back over
+the plank to where he had left Grimkie on the
+pier.</p>
+
+<p>“Grimkie,” said he, “they have covered our<span class="pagenum" id="Page_54">[54]</span>
+trunk all up with fifty others, and I don’t see
+how we shall ever get it again.”</p>
+
+<p>“Never mind,” said Grimkie; “we’ll wait
+and see how the other passengers get theirs.”</p>
+
+<p>Just at this moment some porters came and
+took up the two remaining trunks, and heaving
+them up upon their shoulders, began to walk
+with them on board. Grimkie and John followed,
+bringing with them the valise and several
+other similar things. When they arrived on
+board they saw the two trunks deposited with
+the other baggage, and where they soon began
+rapidly to disappear from view.</p>
+
+<p>“Now,” said Grimkie, “we will go down and
+put the valise in our state-room.”</p>
+
+<p>The deck and all the passages leading below,
+were crowded with people going and coming.
+A large proportion of these people were friends
+of the passengers, who had come to accompany
+them on board, in order to see the ship and the
+staterooms which their friends were to occupy.
+Grimkie led the way through this crowd, working
+forward slowly, as well as he could, and followed
+by the rest of his party. Indeed there
+were two lines of people moving in contrary
+directions, and Grimkie supposed that by following
+the one that was going on, he should sooner
+or later find his way below.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_55">[55]</span></p>
+
+<p>He was right in this calculation. He was
+soon conducted to a door which led into a narrow
+but very elegant passage-way. In the middle
+of this passage-way was a door to the right,
+leading into a magnificent saloon, with a walk
+up and down the middle of it, and rows of long
+tables on each side. The aspect of this room
+was very brilliant, but Grimkie had only time to
+glance at it, for opposite to it, on the other side
+of the passage-way were three other openings,
+the center one opening into a most spacious and
+elegant china closet, and each of the two side
+ones leading down a flight of winding stairs,
+with very bright brass hand-rails on the sides to
+take hold of in descending.</p>
+
+<p>On reaching the foot of the stair-case, the
+party entered a bewildering mass of passages
+and open spaces, all elegantly finished, with
+highly polished woods, and handsomely carpeted,
+and lighted moreover with strangely placed sky-lights
+and panes of glass placed in rows near the
+ceiling. Grimkie thought that he knew from
+the plan exactly where to look for his aunt’s
+state-room, but he found himself completely
+bewildered and lost. There were various state-room
+doors opening all around him. He went
+into one or two of them and looked at the numbers<span class="pagenum" id="Page_56">[56]</span>
+inscribed upon the berths, but they were
+not the right ones.</p>
+
+<p>At length he met a very respectable middle
+aged woman, who seemed to belong on board.
+She was in fact the stewardess. Grimkie asked
+her if she would show him state-room number
+twenty-three and twenty-four.</p>
+
+<p>“Ah yes,” said she, “with a great deal of
+pleasure. This is it. It is one of the three best
+staterooms in the ship.”</p>
+
+<p>Grimkie stood back and allowed his aunt to
+go into the state-room first, and then the other
+children and finally he himself, followed.</p>
+
+<p>The state-room was in size like what in a
+house on land would be called a large closet,
+being about seven feet wide and eight feet long.
+Across the end of it, and against the side of the
+ship, were two berths one above another, with
+pretty curtains before them, and a space underneath
+the lowermost berth, where trunks might
+be placed. Along one of the sides there extended
+a wide settee, covered with a haircloth
+cushion, and on the other side two wash-stands
+in the two corners, with a short and narrow seat,
+also covered with a haircloth cushion, between
+them. There was a looking-glass over the settee,
+and various little shelves, with ledges upon
+the outer edge of them, to prevent the things<span class="pagenum" id="Page_57">[57]</span>
+from rolling off in a heavy sea. There were also
+sundry large brass pins for hanging cloaks and
+dresses upon, and brass rings projecting from the
+walls in the corners to put tumblers into.</p>
+
+<p>Opening into the upper berth was a small,
+round window, deep set in the thickness of the
+ship’s side, and there was also a very thick piece
+of glass, of prismatic shape, set in the deck
+above, making a sort of window there, six inches
+by three. Over the door, too, and extending
+along the whole of that side of the state-room,
+was a row of panes of glass, which admitted
+light from the passage-way, and from other
+panes set in mysterious recesses above.</p>
+
+<p>Mrs. Morelle as soon as she had entered the
+state-room, drew back the curtain of the lower
+berth, and laid her shawl and her parasol upon
+the bed, while Grimkie placed the valise under
+the little seat between the two wash-stands.</p>
+
+<p>Mrs. Morelle then sat down upon the settee
+and looked around to take a survey of the place,
+and then at the sky-light above. At the same
+time she drew a long breath and said,</p>
+
+<p>“Ah me! This is rather a small cell to be
+shut up in as a prisoner fur two weeks.”</p>
+
+<p>“Oh mother!” exclaimed Florence, “we shall
+not be shut up here. We can go about all over
+the ship.”</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_58">[58]</span></p>
+
+<p>“You children will do that,” said Mrs.
+Morelle, “but I shall be shut up here. I shall
+be sick.”</p>
+
+<p>“But mother you will not be sick all the
+voyage,” said Florence.</p>
+
+<p>“Perhaps not,” said she. “I am sure I shall
+not be very sick, all the voyage. After a day or
+two I shall be only comfortably sick, and you
+will all be perfectly well I am quite sure, and
+can run about wherever you please.”</p>
+
+<p>Then rising from her seat she said,</p>
+
+<p>“But I need not begin my imprisonment yet.
+Let us go up on deck and see the people come on
+board.”</p>
+
+<p>So they all left the state-room, and making
+their way through the crowd as well as they
+could, they went up to the upper deck, where
+they found a great number of ladies and gentlemen
+assembled in various groups—some standing
+and others sitting upon settees and camp-stools,
+while the pier, which was here in full
+view, was crowded with other parties coming
+and going, and with porters bringing more
+trunks and baggage on board.</p>
+
+<p>Grimkie found seats for his party, and they
+all sat down. They remained in these places an
+hour, amusing themselves with the extraordinary
+spectacle which was exhibiting itself around them.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_59">[59]</span>
+As the time drew nigh for the sailing of the
+ship, the excitement of the scene was increased
+by the steam which having now been raised in
+the boilers to its full tension, and not yet being
+allowed to expend its energies in turning the
+paddles, made its escape through the waste-pipe
+with a thundering roar which made it almost
+impossible for the friends who were taking leave
+of each other to hear the parting word. From
+time to time the bell was rung, loud and rapidly,
+to warn those who were only on board as visitors
+to go on shore. A long and crowded procession
+of these visitors poured over the bridge to the
+pier, and when all were gone the bridge itself
+was raised, and hoisted to the shore, by a vast
+tackle and fall. The noise of the steam now
+suddenly ceased. The hawsers at the bow and
+at the stern were cast off, the paddle-wheels commenced
+their motion, and the ship began slowly
+to move away from the pier. A moment afterward
+two guns were fired one after another from
+the bows of the ship, with a deafening sound.
+The passengers standing along the hand-railing
+of the upper deck waved their hats and handkerchiefs
+to their friends who thronged the pier,
+and who waved their hats and handkerchiefs in
+return. Many of them were in tears. Mrs.
+Morelle herself might have experienced some<span class="pagenum" id="Page_60">[60]</span>
+misgivings and have felt a little homesick and
+sad, at parting thus from her native land, and
+setting out upon so long a voyage with only
+three children, as it were, for her companions,—but
+she was going to meet her husband; and
+when a wife is going to meet a husband that she
+loves, or a mother to her son, she rarely experiences
+any misgiving. Her heart reposes with so
+much confidence and hope, upon the end of her
+journey, that she seldom shrinks very much
+from any thing to be encountered on the way.</p>
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop">
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_61">[61]</span></p>
+
+<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI.</h2>
+</div>
+
+<p class="center">LIFE ON BOARD SHIP.</p>
+
+
+<p>The party enjoyed a very excellent opportunity,
+as the ship sailed down the harbor, of
+viewing the scenery of the shores, and of seeing
+the other ships, steamers and sail-boats, that
+were going in various directions to and fro.
+While Mrs. Morelle remained at this seat, Grimkie
+and John went to take a walk about the
+ship to see what they could see. There was no
+difficulty now in going where they pleased, for
+since the visitors had left the ship and none but
+the regular passengers remained, there was ample
+room for all.</p>
+
+<p>Accordingly, Grimkie and John took a long
+ramble all about the ship. They looked down
+into the engine-room, and there, at a vast depth
+below the deck, they saw half-naked stokers
+shoveling coal into the furnace. They walked
+along by the ranges of offices which extended on
+each side of the main deck through the whole
+middle portion of the ship, like two little streets
+of shops in a town. They saw the cow—a monstrous<span class="pagenum" id="Page_62">[62]</span>
+one—shut up in a pen, with the sides of it
+covered with carpeting and well padded, like the
+back of a sofa, to prevent the cow from being
+hurt when thrown against them by the rolling
+of the ship in a storm. They went into the
+saloon and were much struck with the brilliancy
+and magnificence of it. There was one arrangement
+which particularly attracted their attention.
+This was a row of hanging shelves extending
+up and down the room over the tables.
+These shelves were made of some highly polished
+wood and were so ornamented with brass mountings
+that they made quite an elegant appearance.
+They were all loaded, too, with cut-glass
+and silver-ware—such as decanters, tumblers,
+wine-glasses of different colors, castors, and silver
+spoons,—which added greatly to the brilliance
+of the effect. The shelves were double,
+or, as one might say, two stories high, the upper
+story of each having holes and openings in it of
+various forms, suited to the various articles
+which they were to contain. In these openings
+of the upper board the various vessels were
+placed, while the bottoms of them rested on the
+lower board. Each one had thus its own little
+nest, where it could rest in safety, no matter
+how much the ship might pitch or roll.</p>
+
+<p>Grimkie found that cards were pinned along<span class="pagenum" id="Page_63">[63]</span>
+the sides of the table to mark the places where
+the different passengers were to sit, and there
+were also in the saloon two or three gentlemen
+who had cards in their hands, and were looking
+out for vacant places to put them.</p>
+
+<p>“Ah, yes!” said Grimkie, “we must choose
+our places at the tables. Father told me about
+this and I have got the cards in my pocket all
+ready. I came very near forgetting it.”</p>
+
+<p>So he took out the cards and one of the stewards
+who was there, helped him to choose good
+places. After he had pinned the cards to the
+table-cloth, opposite the seats which they were
+intended to secure, he and John went up to the
+upper deck again to where Mrs. Morelle and
+Florence were sitting. Mrs. Morelle asked John
+how he liked the ship.</p>
+
+<p>He liked it very well he said. Every thing
+was complete and secure. The chairs and tables
+were all screwed down to the floor, and there
+were nests for all the tumblers, and a sofa for the
+cow.</p>
+
+<p>The ship was now gradually getting out of the
+harbor, and coming upon the open sea where she
+met with a gentle swell over which she rose and
+fell in a manner very graceful and charming to
+the eye, but very bewildering and dizzying in its
+effects upon the brain. Mrs. Morelle and Florence<span class="pagenum" id="Page_64">[64]</span>
+soon went below, where, with the help of
+Mrs. McGregor, the stewardess, who was extremely
+kind and attentive to them, they undressed
+themselves and went to bed. Mrs.
+Morelle got into the lower berth, but as Florence
+felt a little afraid to climb up into the upper one,
+Mrs. McGregor made a bed for her upon the settee,
+where she could lie very comfortably.</p>
+
+<p>Grimkie and John remained up and about the
+decks all that day. At times they felt sick and
+uncomfortable, but they were so much excited by
+the new and strange scenes which continually
+attracted their attention that they were extremely
+unwilling to go to their state-room. From time
+to time they paid Mrs. Morelle and Florence a
+visit, but they found them lying silent and motionless,
+and very little inclined to talk. At
+twelve o’clock there was a grand luncheon in the
+dining saloon, with nearly all the passengers at
+the tables. At four a still grander dinner, though
+the places of the ladies were generally vacant.</p>
+
+<p>The ship’s bells tolled the hours regularly
+through the afternoon and evening watches, and
+at eight o’clock both Grimkie and John were
+very ready to go to bed. Grimkie allowed John
+to have the lower berth because it was so much
+easier to get into. There was no real difficulty
+however in respect to the upper berth, for Mrs.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_65">[65]</span>
+McGregor, when the boys were ready to go to bed,
+brought in a very nice step-ladder with iron
+hooks at the upper end of it to hook into the
+edge of the berth. She hooked the ladder on the
+berth and planted the lower end of it upon the
+floor, and then went away, saying that the ladder
+could remain there all night.</p>
+
+<p>“It is a very nice ladder,” said John, “and it
+must be easy going up. But I never saw a ladder
+with hooks in it before. A ladder will stand
+steady enough without hooks.”</p>
+
+<p>“On <em>land</em> it would,” said Grimkie. “But at
+sea, when the ship is rolling heavily in a gale of
+wind, the ladder must have claws to hold on by.”</p>
+
+<p>“I hope we shall have a good gale of wind,”
+said John, after a brief pause. “I want to see
+if I can go up that ladder in it.”</p>
+
+<p>John was however evidently not much inclined
+to talk. He undressed himself in silence and
+crept into his berth. Grimkie also mounted the
+ladder and climbed over from the top of it into
+his. After covering himself up with the bed
+clothes and getting as well settled as was possible
+in so hard and narrow a bed, he extended his head
+over the edge of his berth so as to look down
+toward John’s berth below, and said,</p>
+
+<p>“Johnnie, are you comfortable?”</p>
+
+<p>“Yes,” said John.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_66">[66]</span></p>
+
+<p>“Are you sleepy?” said Grimkie.</p>
+
+<p>“No,” said John, “but I am sick.”</p>
+
+<p>“Never mind,” said Grimkie. “Say your
+prayers to yourself, and then shut up your eyes
+and go to sleep, and forget all about it.”</p>
+
+<p>For several days after this time the condition
+of our party of travelers was quite forlorn.
+Grimkie himself, in fulfillment of a positive resolution
+which he had made, clambered down from
+his berth, and went up to the saloon to all his
+meals, though frequently without being able to
+eat any thing when he got there. On these occasions
+he always went into Mrs. Morelle’s state-room,
+to see how his aunt and Florence were.
+He found them generally lying in their beds, Mrs.
+Morelle in the berth, and Florence upon the settee,
+silent and motionless, and not at all inclined
+to conversation. His aunt opened her eyes and
+smiled faintly when he came in and usually asked
+him some questions about the progress of the
+ship. The weather was cold, rainy and foggy,
+and although the air was in itself tolerably calm,
+the motion of the ship through the water produced
+a raw and chilly wind across the decks,
+which made it impossible to remain there long
+without extreme discomfort.</p>
+
+<p>On the second night out, about eight o’clock,
+the engine stopped. Grimkie, who was always<span class="pagenum" id="Page_67">[67]</span>
+ready at a moment’s notice to go into his aunt’s
+stateroom whenever she knocked upon the partition
+to call him, or there was any other occasion
+for going in to see her, and who for this purpose
+undressed very little during all the first part of
+the voyage, immediately climbed down from his
+berth, and slipping on a great coat which he kept
+always at hand, in lieu of a dressing gown, he
+opened his aunt’s door.</p>
+
+<p>The moment that he opened it, Mrs. Morelle
+raised her head suddenly, and asked him in a tone
+of alarm, what was the matter.</p>
+
+<p>“I don’t think any thing at all is the matter,
+Auntie,” said he. “They are always stopping
+the engine on these voyages—to tighten up a
+screw or something or other.”</p>
+
+<p>“But Grimkie,” said she, “I wish you would
+go and see if you can not find out what is the
+matter. I am afraid that something has happened.”</p>
+
+<p>There was, indeed, something almost awful in
+the solemn stillness which reigned throughout the
+ship, now that the engine had ceased its motion,
+and the ship lay rocking upon the waves as if
+powerless and helpless. Grimkie immediately left
+the stateroom in order to go upon deck, and Mrs.
+Morelle’s alarm was very much increased a moment
+after he had gone, by a burst of steam from<span class="pagenum" id="Page_68">[68]</span>
+the steam-pipe, which suddenly began to be
+heard, occasioned by the letting off of the surplus
+steam, which, as it could now no longer be
+employed in driving the paddle-wheels, it was
+necessary to allow to escape into the atmosphere.</p>
+
+<p>A moment after this sound began to be heard
+however, Mrs. McGregor came into the cabin, to
+say to Mrs. Morelle, that she must not be alarmed
+at the stopping of the engine, for there was
+nothing the matter.</p>
+
+<p>“They have only stopped to sound,” said she.
+“You see we are drawing nigh to Halifax, and it
+is very thick and dark, and they can not see the
+land. So they have to sound and go on cautiously.
+We shall go on again presently.”</p>
+
+<p>So saying Mrs. McGregor went away in order
+to convey the same relief and reassurance to the
+ladies in the other staterooms.</p>
+
+<p>Grimkie went up on deck, but he could see
+nothing. The night was dark, and a heavy mist
+mingled with rain, was driving along the decks.
+He could hear the voices of some of the sailors
+occasionally, talking in ordinary tunes, in the forward
+part of the vessel, and now and then a command
+given by an officer, but otherwise all was
+still.</p>
+
+<p>Grimkie returned to the stateroom, and there
+found how much his aunt had been relieved by<span class="pagenum" id="Page_69">[69]</span>
+having learned that they had stopped the ship to
+sound.</p>
+
+<p>“I was sure there could not be anything the
+matter,” said Grimkie. “So you must shut
+your eyes, Auntie, and go to sleep, and not pay
+any attention after this to any thing you hear.
+There are ever so many things going on in such
+a ship, and when any thing unusual happens we
+must not mind it. Whenever there is any danger—or
+at least whenever there is any thing for
+us to do, Mrs. McGregor will be sure to come and
+tell us.”</p>
+
+<p>“That is true,” said Mrs. Morelle, “and I will
+try not to be afraid again.”</p>
+
+<p>“But if you <em>should be</em> afraid at any time,
+Auntie,” continued Grimkie, “just knock at the
+head of your berth and I shall hear.”</p>
+
+<p>So saying Grimkie bade his aunt good night
+and went back to his stateroom. As for John
+he heard nothing of all this, having slept soundly
+through the whole.</p>
+
+<p>The steamer was soon put in motion again, but
+in the course of an hour she stopped anew.
+Grimkie was asleep, but the stopping wakened
+him. He knew it was not midnight by the
+stateroom light which was still burning. There
+was a little three-cornered box partitioned off in
+a corner between the two staterooms, with a door<span class="pagenum" id="Page_70">[70]</span>
+opening into the passage-way, and ground glass
+sides toward the staterooms. Into this box a
+lighted candle was placed by a steward standing
+in the passage-way, every evening, as soon as it
+was dark, and this gave a dim and indistinct
+light in the two staterooms adjoining it, through
+the ground glass panes. This was all the light
+for the staterooms that was allowed.</p>
+
+<p>Moreover, as this light was put out at midnight,
+it afforded the passengers the means of
+knowing, when they awoke in the night, whether
+it was before or after midnight, by observing
+whether their light had gone out or was still
+burning.</p>
+
+<p>Grimkie was awakened from his sleep by the
+stopping of the engine the second time, and he
+remained awake long enough to observe that his
+light was still burning. He, however, soon fell
+asleep again.</p>
+
+<p>He awoke after this several times during the
+night and found the ship sometimes at rest, and
+sometimes in motion. On one of these occasions
+he heard a great sound of trampling upon the
+deck, as of persons going to and fro, and a sort
+of thumping, such as would be occasioned by the
+moving heavy boxes about upon deck. He determined
+to go up and see what was the matter.</p>
+
+<p>So he climbed down from his berth, put on his<span class="pagenum" id="Page_71">[71]</span>
+great coat, his overshoes, and his cap, and went
+up to the deck. He saw lights, and the dim
+forms of many men were going to and fro forward
+and on the side of the ship a long range of black
+masses which looked so strange that they quite
+bewildered him. The wind blew, and the mist
+and rain were driven into his face so as almost to
+blind him. As he stood at the head of the
+stairs looking out, a passenger came by to go in.</p>
+
+<p>“What is it?” asked Grimkie.</p>
+
+<p>“Halifax,” said the passenger. “I’m thankful
+that we have got in at last. We lost five
+hours beating about outside in the fog before we
+could get in.”</p>
+
+<p>Grimkie was determined to see Halifax, so he
+went out upon the main deck and thence along
+to the foot of a narrow winding stair which led
+up to the upper deck, and thence forward to the
+great funnel where he thought he could find a
+little shelter. He saw some lights glancing
+about upon the pier, and the dark and indistinct
+forms of men moving to and fro, and a range of
+black spectral looking roofs extending along the
+shore. But it was so cold, and the mist and
+rain were driven so furiously into his face by the
+wind, that he was glad to go below, saying to
+himself as he went,</p>
+
+<p>“We may have better luck perhaps when we<span class="pagenum" id="Page_72">[72]</span>
+come back, and get to Halifax in the day
+time.”</p>
+
+<p>When he awoke the next time he knew by the
+jar, and by the rocking motion of the ship, that
+they were not only on their way again, but were
+once more out upon the open sea.</p>
+
+<p>Everything went on much in this way for a
+day or two longer. It was cold and wet upon
+the decks, and dreary and silent below. The
+horizon in every direction was obscured by fogs
+and mists, and the decks were kept always wet
+by driving rains which were continually sweeping
+over the sea. Grimkie went up regularly to
+his meals, but he was glad to come back again
+as soon as possible to his berth, and the rest of
+the party kept their berths all the time. Mrs.
+McGregor brought them soup, and porridge,
+and tea and toast, and other things, at regular
+intervals, but often they were taken away again,
+scarcely touched, and during the intervals of
+these visits Mrs. Morelle and Florence remained
+in their berths, sometimes hour after hour without
+speaking a word.</p>
+
+<p>The only amusement which they had was to
+listen for the sound of the ship’s bells as they
+tolled the slow progress of the hours, and to
+hear the news which Grimkie brought in to them<span class="pagenum" id="Page_73">[73]</span>
+from time to time, in respect to the progress of
+the voyage.</p>
+
+<p>During a great portion of this time Mrs.
+Morelle was kept in a constant state of uneasiness,
+by the blowing of a monstrous steam trumpet
+which was attached to the engine, and which
+was sounded every two or three minutes, when
+the fog was too thick ahead to allow them to
+see whether any vessels were in the way. The
+intention in blowing this trumpet is, that if
+there should be any such vessels in the line of
+the steamer’s advance, they may hear the sound
+and blow horns or fire guns in response, and
+then the steamer might be turned to one side to
+avoid them.</p>
+
+<p>This blowing of the steam trumpet in a fog,
+is an example of the extreme caution and care
+which marks the whole management of the
+Cunard steamers, and which inspires the public
+with so great a degree of confidence in them.
+Many steamers in such cases push boldly on,
+without making any signals, trusting to the
+chance of not meeting anything by the way. I
+once heard the captain of a steamer say, when
+we were going on through a dense fog, on the
+Atlantic, without taking any of these precautions,
+that there was about as little chance of a
+steamer’s coming into collision with another vessel<span class="pagenum" id="Page_74">[74]</span>
+when pursuing her way upon the ocean, as
+there would be of hitting a bird by firing a gun
+at random into the air.</p>
+
+<p>There is, however, something rather trying to
+the nerves of timid lady passengers, in hearing
+the unearthly scream of this awful trumpet
+sound its note of alarm, at regular intervals at
+midnight, while they lie sick, miserable and
+helpless in their berths. When for a time the
+sound ceases, indicating that the horizon has
+become so cleared ahead that the lookout-men
+can see, their hearts revive within them, only to
+sink again however when a few minutes later
+perhaps, or perhaps a few hours, the frightful
+sound is heard again, sending its screaming note
+of alarm far and wide over the sea.</p>
+
+<p>In a day or two after leaving Halifax, the ship
+came upon the banks of Newfoundland, a vast
+area of foggy and stormy sea, the darkest,
+dreariest and most dangerous portion of the
+Atlantic. Indeed upon these banks almost all
+conceivable dangers of the sea seem to congregate.
+The water is shallow upon the banks and
+that brings fish, and the fish bring fishermen in
+immense numbers, and the steamers in dark and
+foggy nights and days are in constant danger of
+running foul of them. The gulf stream brings
+a vast quantity of comparatively warm water<span class="pagenum" id="Page_75">[75]</span>
+here from the Gulf of Mexico and the tropics,
+while at the same time the winds and currents
+from Baffin’s bay float down immense fields and
+mountains of ice, which chill the air and produce
+fogs, mists, rains and driving storms.</p>
+
+<p>The steamer was two or three days in crossing
+the banks, and during almost all this time she
+was enveloped in thick misty rains, which kept
+the decks continually wet, and covered the surface
+of the sea in every direction, concealing the
+fishing vessels, and the icebergs, and all other
+dangers entirely from view. The trumpet was
+kept continually blowing, by which means it was
+probable that fishermen might be warned,—but
+the greatest danger was from icebergs, for which,
+of course, no warning could be of any avail.</p>
+
+<p>At length, on Monday evening, Mrs. McGregor
+comforted all the ladies, by saying, that the next
+morning the ship would be off the banks, and
+that then in all probability they would find good
+weather. This proved to be the case. Grimkie
+went up to the deck before breakfast, and he
+found instead of thick mists and rain covering
+the whole surface of the water, only a stratum
+of clouds in the sky, while the horizon was open
+and clear in every direction around. Mrs. Morelle
+and Florence too, had now become somewhat
+accustomed to the motion of the ship, and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_76">[76]</span>
+their appetites began to return. And when at
+length, about the middle of the forenoon, a sun-beam
+made its appearance in the little prismatic
+piece of glass which was set in the ceiling of the
+stateroom, overhead, they began to feel quite
+cheerful and happy. The same effect was produced
+in many other staterooms, occupied by
+ladies. They began to feel as if they could get
+up and dress themselves, so as to eat their dinners
+in a somewhat civilized manner.</p>
+
+<p>Things improved after this every day. The
+ladies of the different staterooms began to become
+somewhat acquainted with each other
+through Mrs. McGregor, who informed them of
+each other’s condition, and conveyed messages
+of politeness and good will to and fro. There
+were a number of children too, who played in the
+passages, and thus became acquainted with each
+other, and were brought in by each other to visit
+their mothers still lying perhaps upon their settees
+or in their berths.</p>
+
+<p>Mrs. Morelle became so well acquainted with
+one of her neighbors who occupied the stateroom
+opposite to hers, across the passage-way, one
+which was quite small and confined, that she
+often invited her to come and dine with her.
+Sometimes Florence was of the party too, but
+generally from this time Florence preferred to go<span class="pagenum" id="Page_77">[77]</span>
+up to the great saloon, and take dinner there with
+Grimkie and John. In such cases she would
+come after leaving the table and look in at her
+mother’s stateroom, where she usually found her
+mother and her visitor enjoying themselves very
+well indeed, with nice beef-steaks, fried potatoes,
+and tumblers of iced lemonade.</p>
+
+<p>After this time every thing went on smoothly
+and prosperously till the end of the voyage.
+After leaving the banks there are no special dangers
+to be apprehended by a Cunard ship, in
+crossing the Atlantic, and every body on board
+was now in good spirits, looking forward with
+great pleasure to the approaching termination of
+the voyage.</p>
+
+<p>At length, on Saturday afternoon, about four
+o’clock, news came down to the ladies in the
+staterooms that land was in sight. The land
+first seen consisted of certain high mountains in
+the vicinity of the town of Killarney, in the
+southwestern part of Ireland. A few hours later
+the ship passed Cape Clear, which is the southernmost
+point of Ireland, and then bearing a
+little to the northward followed the coast toward
+the Cove of Cork, where she was to touch in order
+to land passengers and mails.</p>
+
+<p>She reached this place between eight and nine
+o’clock. A tender came off from Queenstown,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_78">[78]</span>
+which is a town situated at the mouth of the
+harbor, to take the mails and the passengers that
+were to be landed here. The other passengers,
+who were to go on with the ship to Liverpool,
+and who were now all in excellent spirits as they
+considered their voyage substantially over, established
+themselves upon camp-stools and settees
+upon the upper deck, watching the operation of
+putting the mails on board the tender, or looking
+upon the green shores of Ireland, which as the
+sun had but just gone down, were brightly illuminated
+by the golden radiance of the western
+sky.</p>
+
+<p>The passengers all seemed to feel a peculiar
+pleasure in thus approaching the land again;
+and they watched the shores, until, as it grew
+dark, one after another they went below for the
+night. Grimkie and John remained some time
+after Mrs. Morelle and Florence had retired.</p>
+
+<p>The next day being Sunday, divine service was
+held in the saloon, and though the ship was out
+of sight of land for a large part of the day, the
+ladies were nearly all well enough, not only to
+attend service in the saloon, but also to sit upon
+the upper deck nearly all the afternoon, to watch
+for the reappearance of the land, and to talk
+about what they were to do after their arrival.
+As for Mrs. Morelle she had concluded to postpone<span class="pagenum" id="Page_79">[79]</span>
+forming any definite plan in respect to her
+tour, until she was safe on shore.</p>
+
+<p>The children, who had become acquainted on
+the voyage, finding they were so soon to bid
+good-by to their new friends, made various projects
+of excursions together, in case they should
+meet each other in the course of their travels.</p>
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop">
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_80">[80]</span></p>
+
+<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII.</h2>
+</div>
+
+<p class="center">MORNING IN LIVERPOOL.</p>
+
+
+<p>Most heartily glad were Mrs. Morelle and
+Florence to set foot once more upon dry land.
+Grimkie and John, though on the whole well
+pleased to arrive at the end of the voyage, had,
+nevertheless, found so much to amuse them, and
+to occupy their minds, on board the ship, especially
+during the last few days, that they had
+not been at all impatient to reach the shore.
+Immediately on landing they all got into a cab
+and drove to the Waterloo Hotel, where rooms
+had been ordered for them beforehand by Mr.
+Jay, who had written to Liverpool for that purpose,
+the week before the <em>Europa</em> sailed.</p>
+
+<p>They found the rooms all ready for them,—a
+parlor and two bed-rooms. The parlor was on
+the front of the house, and looked out upon the
+street. The bed-rooms were in the rear. One
+of the bed-rooms was for Mrs. Morelle and
+Florence, and the other for Grimkie and John.</p>
+
+<p>Of course they all went to bed early. They
+found it inexpressibly delightful to have a good<span class="pagenum" id="Page_81">[81]</span>
+wide and soft bed to get into, and to go to sleep
+without being rocked, though Mrs. Morelle and
+Florence still continued to feel the rocking motion
+of the ship whenever they shut their eyes.</p>
+
+<p>In an English hotel the usages are entirely
+different from those which prevail in America.
+There are no stated hours for meals, and no public
+room except one for gentlemen. In an American
+hotel there is no objection to a little bustle
+and life. Indeed one of the charms of traveling
+in America is the pleasure of witnessing the
+bustle and life of the hotels. In England, on
+the other hand, the hotels are kept as still and
+quiet as possible. The idea is, especially when
+a lady arrives at one, to make it as much as
+possible like her own private house. Often the
+landlord, the landlady, the porter, the waiter
+and the chambermaid, meet her at the door
+when she comes, and receive her just as if they
+were her own private servants, and the house
+was her own private house. The porter receives
+and takes care of the baggage, the landlady conducts
+the guests to their parlor, and from the
+parlor the chambermaid presently shows the way
+to her chambers. The lady establishes herself
+in these rooms just as if she were at home. She
+has all her meals with her own party, in her
+own room, ordering just what she likes, and fixing<span class="pagenum" id="Page_82">[82]</span>
+the hours to suit her own convenience. The
+fact that there may be other parties in the hotel,
+living in the same way, is kept as much as possible
+out of view. Thus it happens that a lady is
+sometimes several days at a hotel, and one of her
+best friends is there too all the time, living in
+another wing or in rooms approached by some
+other passage-way, while she knows nothing
+about it.</p>
+
+<p>Of course there was a great deal to be done
+that evening before the members of our party
+were ready to go to bed, but when finally bed-time
+arrived, Mrs. Morelle said that she should
+not wish to have breakfast very early the next
+morning, but the children might get up, she
+added, as early as they pleased, and if they
+wished, go out and take a walk.</p>
+
+<p>“Only you must be back by a quarter to
+nine,” said she, “for I intend to have breakfast
+at nine. And Florence,” she added, “if you
+are up in time, I should like to have you order
+it.”</p>
+
+<p>“How shall I order it, mother?” asked
+Florence.</p>
+
+<p>“When you go out into the parlor you will
+find the table already set. The waiters always
+set all the tables in the different parlors early in
+the morning, when they arrange the rooms.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_83">[83]</span>
+You must then ring the bell and the waiter will
+come. Tell him that your mother will have
+breakfast at nine o’clock, and also tell him what
+you will have.”</p>
+
+<p>“And what shall we have mother?” asked
+Florence.</p>
+
+<p>“You may have whatever you please,” said
+Mrs. Morelle, “only I should like a fried sole
+for one thing.”</p>
+
+<p>The sole is a remarkably fine fish, in some
+sense peculiar to England. It is particularly
+nice when fried, and the Americans generally
+count a great deal upon having one for breakfast
+on the morning after they arrive in Liverpool
+from a voyage across the Atlantic.</p>
+
+<p>Liverpool lies so far to the north, that the
+sun, in the middle of June, rises very early,—between
+three and four o’clock—and it is quite
+light at half past two. Grimkie was deceived
+by this very early dawn, and he got up about
+three o’clock on the following morning, and
+began to dress himself, but happening to look
+at his watch he saw how early it was, and so he
+went to bed again.</p>
+
+<p>When he next awoke, it was half past six.
+So he determined to get up. John got up too.
+They both dressed themselves and went out into<span class="pagenum" id="Page_84">[84]</span>
+the parlor, but they found that the shutters
+were not open.</p>
+
+<p>“John,” said Grimkie, “the waiters are all
+asleep. We will go out and take a walk and
+come back again by and by.”</p>
+
+<p>So the two boys passed down stairs and went
+out into the streets. There were milk carts and
+other such things going about, but the shops
+were all shut, and there were no signs of opening
+them.</p>
+
+<p>“John,” said Grimkie, “the shopmen are all
+asleep too, and there is nothing to see here—but
+let us go down to the landing. We shall find
+somebody awake there you may depend.”</p>
+
+<p>Now there is something very curious at Liverpool
+in respect to the arrangements made for the
+shipping, something that is especially well calculated
+to interest such boys as Grimkie and John,
+and that is the system of docks and landings.
+The tide rises and falls so much that the ordinary
+system of fixed piers for vessels to lie at,
+and rise and fall with the tide, will not answer.
+Accordingly there have been built a range of immense
+docks, extending along the shore for many
+miles. The ships go into these docks through
+vast gates which are opened at high tide, when
+of course the river and the docks are both full.
+Then the gates are shut to keep the water in, and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_85">[85]</span>
+thus although the tide in the river may go down
+very low, the ships within the docks, are kept
+afloat all the time—the water there being kept
+up by the resistance of the gates, which are made
+of immense size and strength, in order to enable
+them to sustain the pressure.</p>
+
+<p>Thus in sailing up the river opposite to Liverpool
+the voyager sees nothing for miles along the
+shore but a lofty wall, of prodigious size interrupted
+here and there by towers, gateways, and
+other curious structures—and beyond it a forest
+of masts and steamboat funnels, rising above it,
+in countless thousands. The wall is the outer
+line of the docks, and the masts and funnels seen
+beyond belong to the ships and steamers which
+are lying within.</p>
+
+<p>Grimkie and John went down to the shore and
+rambled about for an hour or more among these
+docks. They saw immense numbers of ships
+floating in the basins—which were full of water,
+although it was low tide in the river outside—and
+the draw-bridge and gates connecting one
+lock with another, and vessels loading and unloading,
+and men hoisting boilers and machinery
+into steamers by means of prodigious iron cranes,
+and other such spectacles.</p>
+
+<p>They also saw the landing-stage, which is one
+of the wonders of Liverpool. It is an immense<span class="pagenum" id="Page_86">[86]</span>
+floating wharf which rises and falls with the tide
+so as always to preserve the same level in respect
+to the water. Here all the ferry boats, and tug
+boats, and tenders, and other small steamers land,
+as well as row boats and sail boats innumerable,
+the coming and going of which make the great
+landing-stage one of the busiest places in the
+world.</p>
+
+<p>The boys were so much interested in what they
+saw, that instead of getting back to the hotel at
+eight o’clock as they had intended, it was a quarter
+of nine when they arrived. They found that
+Florence had ordered breakfast, and that the
+table was set. There was also a pleasant little
+coal fire burning in the grate, for the morning
+was cool. In a short time Mrs. Morelle appeared,
+and soon afterward the whole party sat down to
+breakfast.</p>
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop">
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_87">[87]</span></p>
+
+<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII.</h2>
+</div>
+
+<p class="center">PLANS FORMED.</p>
+
+
+<p>“Now children,” said Mrs. Morelle, while she
+and the children were at breakfast, “since we
+are safe on shore, we can begin to talk about our
+plans. It is now about the middle of June.
+Mr. Morelle will not arrive in London until September.
+So that we have two months and a half
+to spend in rambling about. And the question
+is where we shall go.”</p>
+
+<p>“<em>You</em> must decide that mother,” said Florence.</p>
+
+<p>“Yes,” replied Mrs. Morelle, “I will decide it,
+but first I wish to hear what you all have to say
+about it. You may all propose the plans which
+you would prefer, and then I will take the subject
+into consideration and decide.”</p>
+
+<p>The children then all began to talk about
+the different tours which they had heard the
+passengers speak of on board the ship, toward
+the end of the voyage, when they had become
+well enough to take out their maps and
+guide-books, and to consult together about the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_88">[88]</span>
+tours which they were to make. Florence said
+that there was a beautiful region called the lake
+country, full of mountains and lakes, which lay
+to the north of Liverpool, in the counties of
+Cumberland and Westmoreland. The Isle of
+Wight was proposed too, which is a very charming
+island lying off the southern coast of England,
+and a great place of resort for parties travelling
+for health or pleasure.</p>
+
+<p>John said that for his part he would like to go
+directly to Paris. His motive for this was partly
+the long and rapid journey by railway and steamboat
+which it would require, but chiefly because
+he wished to see the performances at the Hippodrome,
+a famous place in Paris for equestrian
+shows, of which he had heard very glowing accounts
+before he left America.</p>
+
+<p>When it came to Grimkie’s turn to propose a
+plan, he said that what he should like best, if he
+thought that his aunt and Florence would like it,
+would be to go to the Orkney Islands.</p>
+
+<p>“To the Orkney Islands!” exclaimed Mrs.
+Morelle in a tone of surprise; “why they are beyond
+the very northern extremity of Scotland.”</p>
+
+<p>“Yes, Auntie, I know they are,” said Grimkie;
+“that is the reason why I want to go and see
+them.”</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_89">[89]</span></p>
+
+<p>Mrs. Morelle paused a moment, and seemed to
+be thinking.</p>
+
+<p>“Florence,” said she, at length, “go into our
+bedroom and get my little atlas. You will find
+it on the table there. I took it out of the trunk
+this morning.”</p>
+
+<p>Mrs. Morelle always carried a small atlas with
+her, especially when travelling with the children,
+for she found that occasions were continually
+arising in which it was necessary, or at least
+very desirable, to refer to the map.</p>
+
+<p>Florence went out, and in a few minutes returned
+bringing the atlas with her.</p>
+
+<p>Mrs. Morelle took the atlas and opened it at
+the map of Scotland. After examining the map
+attentively, she turned to the map of North
+America.</p>
+
+<p>“The Orkney Islands extend as far up as latitude
+fifty-nine and a half,” said she, “and the
+lower point of Greenland is only sixty. So that
+you would take us to within half a degree of the
+latitude of Greenland.”</p>
+
+<p>“Yes, Auntie,” said Grimkie, “that is just
+it. To think that we can go so far north as
+that and have good roads and good comfortable
+inns all the way.”</p>
+
+<p>“But we should have to go a part of the
+way by sea,” said Mrs. Morelle. “The Orkneys<span class="pagenum" id="Page_90">[90]</span>
+are islands at some distance from the main
+land.”</p>
+
+<p>“Only six miles, Auntie,” said Grimkie. “It
+is only across the Pentland Firth, and that is
+only six miles wide.”</p>
+
+<p>“But are not the seas in that region very
+stormy?”</p>
+
+<p>“Yes, Auntie,” said Grimkie, “they are the
+stormiest seas in the world. Those are the
+seas that the old Norsemen used to navigate,
+between the coasts of Norway and Scotland, and
+the Orkney and Shetland Islands and Iceland.
+The Norsemen were the greatest sailors in the
+world. They lived almost always on the water,
+and the harder it blew the better they liked it.
+I want to go and see where they used to sail.”</p>
+
+<p>Grimkie had recently been studying history at
+the Chateau, and it was there that he had learned
+about the wonderful exploits which those old sea
+kings, as they were sometimes called, used to
+perform in the ships in which they navigated
+these stormy northern seas. They were very
+rude and violent men, and they seemed to consider
+that they had a right to everything that
+they could find, no matter where, provided they
+were strong enough to take it. The richest or
+the most daring among them, who found means
+to build or buy one or more vessels, would enlist<span class="pagenum" id="Page_91">[91]</span>
+a party of followers, and with this horde make
+descents upon any of the coasts in all those regions,
+and plunder the people of their cattle, or
+seize their little town. Sometimes they would
+take possession of certain places on the coast
+and make agreements with the people living
+there, that if they would give them a certain
+portion of their cattle every year, they would
+protect them from any other marauders who
+might come to rob them. This the people
+would consent to do, and thus the foundation
+was laid for territorial governments, on the different
+coasts adjoining these northern seas.</p>
+
+<p>In process of time the Norsemen and their
+descendants extended their incursions not only
+to the islands north of Scotland and to Scotland
+itself, but also to the coasts of England and Ireland,
+and at last even of France, where they
+settled a country, which, from their occupancy
+of it, received the name of Normandy, which
+name it retains to the present day.</p>
+
+<p>It was among these rude men, and in these
+boisterous and terrible seas, where a dismal twilight
+reigns almost supreme for half the year,
+and winds and fogs and ice, and sweeping and impetuous
+tides, have almost continual possession
+of the sea, that the progenitors of the present
+race of British and American seamen had their<span class="pagenum" id="Page_92">[92]</span>
+origin. The case is often referred to in history,
+as affording a conspicuous illustration of the
+effect which the encountering of difficulty and
+danger produces, in stimulating the exertions of
+men, and developing the highest capacities of
+their nature.</p>
+
+<p>“There is another reason,” said Grimkie,
+“why I should like to go <em>now</em> to the Orkney
+Islands, and that is because it is so near the
+summer solstice. I have a great desire to get as
+far north as I can in the time of the summer
+solstice. Even here the sun rises now between
+three and four, and it is quite light at two. In
+the Orkneys there can scarcely be any night at
+all.”</p>
+
+<p>Grimkie it seems had been studying astronomy
+as well as history, at the Chateau, and so he
+was quite learned about the summer solstice and
+other such things. It may be well, however, for
+me to explain, for the sake of the younger portion
+of my readers, that the phrase summer solstice
+refers, for the northern hemisphere, to that
+portion of the year, when the sun, in his apparent
+motion, comes farthest to the north, as the
+winter solstice relates to that portion of the year
+when the sun declines farthest to the south.</p>
+
+<p>The summer solstice occurs on the twenty-first
+or twenty-second of June, and the winter solstice<span class="pagenum" id="Page_93">[93]</span>
+on the twenty-first or twenty-second of
+December.</p>
+
+<p>In the summer solstice the days are longest
+and the nights shortest. In the winter solstice
+the days are shortest and the nights longest—that
+is, to all people living in northern latitudes.</p>
+
+<p>Now it is a very curious circumstance, the
+cause of which it would be somewhat difficult to
+explain without showing it by means of a globe,
+that the difference in length between the days
+and the nights increases greatly the farther
+north we go. On or near the equator the difference
+is very little, at any part of the year. The
+days throughout the whole year are very nearly
+twelve hours long, and the nights too. At the
+pole, however, if it were possible for any one to
+reach the pole, the day would continue during
+the whole twenty-four hours for six months in
+the year, and then the night would continue
+through the whole twenty-four hours during the
+remaining six months. In the latitude of the
+southern part of Greenland, the days, at the
+time of the summer solstice, are more than
+eighteen hours long, and the nights not quite six.</p>
+
+<p>There is another remarkable phenomenon too,
+to be observed in high northern latitudes, in the
+time of the summer solstice, which Grimkie was
+very desirous of verifying by his own observation,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_94">[94]</span>
+and that is the long continuance of the twilight,
+and the very early appearance of the dawn. The
+reason of this is that the path of the sun is so
+oblique to the horizon, or in other words the sun
+goes down in so slanting a direction, that it is a
+long time after sunset before he gets low enough
+to withdraw his light entirely from view.</p>
+
+<p>“I should think,” said Grimkie, “that in the
+Orkney Islands it would be light nearly all night.
+The sun does not set there now till after nine
+o’clock, and it rises again before three, and so
+I should think the twilight would not be over
+before the dawn would begin. And I want to
+go and see if it really is so.”</p>
+
+<p>“It would be very curious indeed,” said Florence,
+“to have it light all night, and no moon.
+I should like to see it myself, if it really is so.</p>
+
+<p>“But then,” she added, after a pause, “we
+should have to sit up all night to see it.”</p>
+
+<p>“No,” said Grimkie. “We might get up from
+time to time, and look out the window. Or perhaps
+we might be travelling all night somewhere,
+and then we should see it.”</p>
+
+<p>After some farther conversation, Mrs. Morelle
+said that she would not decide at once in respect
+to Grimkie’s plan, but would wait until she had
+obtained some farther information.</p>
+
+<p>“Or rather,” she said, “until <em>you</em> have obtained<span class="pagenum" id="Page_95">[95]</span>
+some farther information for me. After
+breakfast you may go to a bookstore and buy a
+good travelling map of Scotland, and also a railway
+guide. Florence and John may go with you,
+if they please. Then some time during the day
+you may study out the different ways of going,
+and see which you think is the best way. You
+must find out where the steamer sails from too,
+to take us across the six miles of water. Then
+at dinner to-day you can tell me what you have
+found out, and show me by the map, exactly
+which way we shall have to go, and what sort of
+conveyances we shall have for the different portions
+of the journey. Then when I have all the
+facts before me I can decide.”</p>
+
+<p>Grimkie accordingly bought the map and the
+guide book, and he spent more than two hours
+that day in studying them so as to make himself
+as thoroughly acquainted as possible with every
+thing pertaining to the route. Mrs. Morelle did
+not assist him in these researches. In fact she
+was out shopping during most of the time while
+Grimkie was making them. Besides she thought
+it best to leave him to investigate the case as well
+as he could himself, in the first instance, without
+any aid.</p>
+
+<p>Accordingly, when the party were assembled
+for dinner that day, and just before the waiter<span class="pagenum" id="Page_96">[96]</span>
+brought the dinner in, Mrs. Morelle asked Grimkie
+what sort of report he had to make about
+the way of reaching the Orkney Islands.</p>
+
+<p>“I have some bad news for you, in the first
+place,” said Grimkie. “We shall have a great
+deal more than six miles to go in a steamer.”</p>
+
+<p>“How is that?” asked Mrs. Morelle.</p>
+
+<p>“Because there is no steamer that goes across
+in the shortest place,” said Grimkie. “There is
+a sail boat that goes that way, to take the mails,
+but we could not go in the sail boat very well.
+The only large steamer is one that goes from Edinburgh.
+The only places where it stops are Aberdeen
+and Wick. Wick is the last place it
+touches at. And from Wick to Kirkwall, which
+is the town where we land in the Orkneys, it is
+about sixty miles. So that we should have a
+steamer voyage of five or six hours to take.”<span class="pagenum" id="Page_97">[97]</span></p>
+
+<p>“That is bad news indeed,” said Mrs. Morelle.</p>
+
+<p>“But then there is one thing favorable about
+it,” continued Grimkie, “and that is that there
+is only six miles of the voyage that is in an open
+sea. We should be sheltered by the land on one
+side all the way, excepting for about six miles.
+We might at any rate go as far as Wick, and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_98">[98]</span>
+then see how the weather is. If the sea is smooth
+and calm, then we might go on board the steamer.
+If not we might wait for the next steamer or give<span class="pagenum" id="Page_99">[99]</span>
+it up altogether. All the way from here to Wick
+there will be no difficulty. It will be a very
+pleasant journey.”</p>
+
+<p class="p2"></p>
+<div class="chapter">
+<div class="figcenter" id="i_097a">
+<img src="images/i_097a.jpg" alt="" width="428" height="700">
+<p class="caption center">Visit to the Orkney Islands</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+<p class="p2"></p>
+
+<p>Grimkie then unfolded his map in order to explain
+to his aunt the general features of the
+country so far as they affected the different modes
+of travelling to the north of Scotland.</p>
+
+<p>“Here is Wick,” said Grimkie, pointing to the
+situation of that town on the northwest coast of
+Scotland. It lies as the reader will see by the
+map, north of a great bay formed by the union
+of Murray and Dornock Firths. Grimkie pointed
+out the situation of Wick and also that of Inverness,
+which lies in the bottom of the bay, at the
+head of Murray Firth.</p>
+
+<p>“The steamer,” he says, “sails from Edinburgh
+once a week. She touches at Aberdeen,
+for that is directly in her way, on the eastern
+coast.”</p>
+
+<p>Here Grimkie pointed out the situation of
+Aberdeen.</p>
+
+<p>“But she does not go to Inverness,” continued
+Grimkie, “although that is a very large and important
+town, because that would take her too
+much out of her way. So she steers right across
+the mouth of the bay, where she must be in the
+open sea for some time, and makes for Wick.
+There she takes in freight and passengers, and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_100">[100]</span>
+then sails again north along the coast to the
+Orkney Islands. The town where she stops in
+the Orkneys is Kirkwall. After that she sails
+on and goes to the Shetland Islands, fifty or
+sixty miles farther over the open sea.”</p>
+
+<p>“But Grimkie,” said Mrs. Morelle, “why did
+not you propose to go to the Shetland Islands
+instead of the Orkneys, while you were about
+it? You would be still more among the Norsemen’s
+seas there, and the nights would be still
+shorter.”</p>
+
+<p>“Ah!” said Grimkie, “that was my discretion,
+Auntie. I should like very much to go on
+to the end of the route, and to see the Shetland
+ponies, but I knew that you and Florence would
+not like so long a voyage, and so I only proposed
+going to the Orkneys.”</p>
+
+<p>“That <em>was</em> discretion indeed,” said Mrs.
+Morelle. “But tell us the rest of the plan.
+How about getting to Wick?”</p>
+
+<p>“The next stage this side of Wick,” said
+Grimkie, “is Inverness. From Inverness to
+Wick we should go by stage-coach. That we
+should all like. You said the other day, on
+board ship, that you would like one more good
+ride in an English stage-coach, and here is an
+excellent chance. The road winds in and out to
+pass round the lochs and firths, and then coasts<span class="pagenum" id="Page_101">[101]</span>
+along the sea delightfully. At least so my
+guide book says. There is one splendid pass
+which it goes through, equal to Switzerland.”</p>
+
+<p>“I should like that very much,” said Mrs.
+Morelle. “And now how about getting to
+Inverness?”</p>
+
+<p>“There are three ways,” said Grimkie. “We
+can go by the railroads on the eastern side of
+the island, or by coaches and posting up through
+the center, or by inland steam navigation on the
+western side.”</p>
+
+<p>Grimkie then went on to explain what he had
+learned by long study of the maps and guide
+books during the day. The information which
+he communicated was substantially as follows:</p>
+
+<p>The western part of Scotland north of Glasgow
+is so mountainous, and so intersected in
+every direction with long and narrow bays setting
+in from the sea, and also with inland lakes,
+that no railroad can well be made there. By
+connecting these lakes, however, and by cutting
+across one or two narrow necks of land, and
+making canals and locks along the sides of some
+rapid rivers, a channel of inland navigation has
+been opened, by which steamers can pass all the
+way from Glasgow to Inverness, through the
+very heart of the country. The route of the
+steamers in taking this voyage, for some portion<span class="pagenum" id="Page_102">[102]</span>
+of the way, lies along the shore of the sea, but it
+is in places where the water is so sheltered by
+islands and by lofty promontories and headlands,
+that the ocean swell has very little access to it
+in any part of the way.</p>
+
+<p>On the eastern coast, on the other hand, the
+country is comparatively smooth and well cultivated,
+and a line of railroad extends on this
+side all the way from Edinburgh to Inverness.
+Thus the party might, as Grimkie explained the
+case to them, either go, up to Inverness from
+Edinburgh by railroad, on the eastern side,
+through a smooth and beautiful country filled
+with green and fruitful fields, and with thriving
+villages and towns,—or by steamboat from Glasgow
+on the western side, among dark mountains
+and frowning precipices, and wild but beautiful
+solitudes. Florence voted at once and very
+eagerly in favor of the mountains.</p>
+
+<p>“Then there is a third course still that we can
+take,” said Grimkie; “we can go up through
+the center of the island.”</p>
+
+<p>“And how shall we travel in that case?”
+asked Mrs. Morelle.</p>
+
+<p>“There is no railroad yet through the center,”
+said Grimkie, “and no steamboat route.
+So we should have to go by coach, or else by a
+hired carriage.”</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_103">[103]</span></p>
+
+<p>“And what sort of a country is it?” asked
+Florence.</p>
+
+<p>“Some parts of it are very beautiful,” said
+Grimkie, “and some parts are very wild. We
+should go through the estates of some of the
+grandest noblemen in Great Britain. The guide
+book says that one duke that lives there planted
+about twenty-five millions of trees on his grounds,
+but I don’t believe it.”</p>
+
+<p>“It <em>may</em> be so,” said Mrs. Morelle.</p>
+
+<p>“Twenty-five millions is a great many,” said
+Grimkie.</p>
+
+<p>“I don’t see where he could get so many
+trees,” said John.</p>
+
+<p>“Probably he raised them from seed in his
+own nurseries,” said Mrs. Morelle.</p>
+
+<p>“He could not have nurseries big enough to
+raise so many,” said John.</p>
+
+<p>“Let us see,” said Grimkie. “Suppose he
+had a nursery a mile square and the little trees
+grew in it a foot apart. We will call a mile five
+thousand feet. It is really more than five thousand
+feet, but we will call it that for easy reckoning.
+That would give us five thousand rows
+and five thousand trees in a row—five thousand
+times five thousand.”</p>
+
+<p>Grimkie took out his pencil and figured with it<span class="pagenum" id="Page_104">[104]</span>
+for a moment, on the margin of a newspaper, and
+then said,</p>
+
+<p>“It makes exactly twenty-five millions. So
+that if he had a nursery a mile square, and
+planted the trees a foot apart, he would have just
+enough.”</p>
+
+<p>“Never mind the Duke of Athol’s trees,” said
+Mrs. Morelle. “Let us finish planning our journey.”</p>
+
+<p>But here the door opened and two waiters came
+in bringing the dinner. So the whole party took
+their seats at the table. Afterward, while they
+were sitting at the table, Mrs. Morelle asked
+Grimkie what he had concluded upon as the best
+way for them to take of all the three which
+he had described, in case they should decide to
+go to the Orkney Islands.</p>
+
+<p>“You see, Auntie,” said he, “we shall of course
+go by railway from here to Glasgow, and it will
+make a pleasant change to take the steamboat
+there. It is a beautiful steamboat and excellently
+well managed. It is used almost altogether for
+pleasure travelling, and every thing is as nice in it
+as a pin. Then it must be very curious to see the
+green glens and the sheep pastures, and the highland
+shepherds on the mountains, as we are sailing
+along. Then when we got to Inverness we
+shall change again into the stage-coach, to go to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_105">[105]</span>
+Wick, and at Wick we shall take the deep sea
+steamer. So we shall have a series of pleasant
+changes all the way.”</p>
+
+<p>“I am not sure how pleasant the last one will
+be,” said Mrs. Morelle.</p>
+
+<p>“If we have pleasant weather and a smooth
+sea, I think it will be very pleasant indeed,” said
+Grimkie. “It will be amusing to think how far
+we are going away, and also to see what kind of
+people there will be going to the Orkney and
+Shetland Islands.”</p>
+
+<p>“But suppose it should not be pleasant weather
+and a smooth sea.”</p>
+
+<p>“Then we will not go,” said Grimkie. “We
+will stop at Wick and come back again, if we do
+not wish to wait for the next steamer. It will
+be a very curious and interesting journey to Wick,
+even if we do not go any farther at all.”</p>
+
+<p>Mrs. Morelle said that she would consider the
+subject, and give her decision the next morning.</p>
+
+<p>The next morning she told the children that
+she had concluded to go, and to follow the plan
+which Grimkie had marked out for the journey.</p>
+
+<p>“But there is one thing that we must not
+overlook,” said she. “We must be sure that we
+have got money enough. So you must make a
+calculation how long it will take us to go, and
+how much it will cost. Of course you can not<span class="pagenum" id="Page_106">[106]</span>
+calculate exactly, but you can come near enough
+for our purpose. When you have made the calculation,
+put down the items on paper and show
+it to me.”</p>
+
+<p>Grimkie made the calculation as his aunt had
+requested. He did not attempt to estimate the
+expense of each day precisely. That would have
+been impossible. He reckoned in general the
+hotel expenses, all the way, at so much a day,
+from the number of days which it would require,
+and then from the railway guide and other books
+he found what the fares would be for the travelling
+part of the work. He also made a liberal
+allowance for porterage, coach hire, and other
+such things. When he had made out his account
+he gave it to Mrs. Morelle, and she showed it to
+the keeper of the hotel, and asked him if he
+thought that was a just estimate. Mr. Lynn,
+after examining it carefully, said that he thought
+it was a very good estimate indeed, and that the
+allowances were all liberal; and as the total came
+entirely within the amount which Mrs. Morelle
+had with her in sovereigns, she concluded that it
+would be safe to proceed.</p>
+
+<p>The party accordingly went to the station that
+very afternoon and took passage for Carlisle, a
+town near the frontier of Scotland, and on the
+way to Glasgow.</p>
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop">
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_107">[107]</span></p>
+
+<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX.</h2>
+</div>
+
+<p class="center">THE RAILWAY RIDE.</p>
+
+
+<p>“Now, Florence,” said Grimkie, when the cab
+arrived at the station, and stopped for the party
+to get out, “now we shall see which is the best—an
+English railroad ride, or an American one.”</p>
+
+<p>A man in a peculiar velveteen dress of a bronze
+green color, and with a badge upon his arm to
+mark his official character, came with a barrow,
+and in a very respectful manner asked where the
+party were going.</p>
+
+<p>“To Carlisle,” said Grimkie.</p>
+
+<p>“Very well,” said the man. “If you will follow
+me to the platform I will show you where to
+get the tickets.”</p>
+
+<p>So saying the porter put the trunks and all the
+parcels carefully upon his barrow, and led the
+way through an arched passage into the interior
+of the station. Grimkie paid the cabman, and
+then, with the rest of the party, followed the
+porter.</p>
+
+<p>When they entered the station, a remarkable
+scene presented itself to view. Florence looked<span class="pagenum" id="Page_108">[108]</span>
+about with great surprise and admiration. She
+saw an immense space covered with a glass roof,
+with platforms flagged with stone along the sides,
+and great numbers of trains on the different
+tracks in the center. Great hissing locomotives
+were moving to and fro, on these tracks, and parties
+of travellers, with porters wheeling their
+trunks and parcels on their barrows, were moving
+in various directions along the platforms.
+There were doors opening into pretty rooms, with
+signs over them, marked, First Class Waiting
+Rooms, and Second Class Waiting Rooms, and
+First Class Refreshment Rooms, and the like.
+One of the objects which most strongly attracted
+Florence’s attention, was a very elegant little
+book stall, with a great variety of entertaining
+books displayed on the shelves of it, together
+with prints, newspapers and periodicals, all neatly
+arranged on open shelves, or behind glass sashes.</p>
+
+<p>But there was not time to stop and look at
+these things, for the porter went on, and it
+seemed necessary to follow him. He took the
+barrow near to one of the trains which was
+standing upon the track, and stopping there, he
+said to Grimkie,</p>
+
+<p>“You have plenty of time, sir. The train
+does not go for twenty minutes. Your luggage
+will be quite safe here, and if you will come<span class="pagenum" id="Page_109">[109]</span>
+with me I will show you the waiting-room, and
+then I will come and tell you when it is time to
+get the tickets.”</p>
+
+<p>“Can’t I get the tickets now?” asked Grimkie.</p>
+
+<p>“Not quite yet, sir,” said the porter. “The
+ticket office for this train will be open in about
+ten minutes.”</p>
+
+<p>So saying, the porter led the way to the first
+class waiting room, and the whole party went in.
+They found a spacious and handsomely furnished
+room, with a great table in the center, and very
+comfortable-looking sofas and arm-chairs against
+the walls. On one side was a door opening into
+the refreshment room, where they saw a large
+table elegantly set, as if for a sumptuous dinner.
+Beyond was a counter loaded with decanters,
+plates of fruits, tarts, pies, and all sorts of delicacies,
+and with one or two very tidy-looking
+girls behind it, ready to wait upon customers.</p>
+
+<p>“What nice rooms!” said Florence.</p>
+
+<p>“Yes,” said Grimkie. “These are for the
+first class passengers.”</p>
+
+<p>“How did the porter know that we were going
+first class?” asked Florence.</p>
+
+<p>“He knew by our looks,” said Grimkie;
+“besides, he knew by our being Americans.
+Americans always take the first class. They
+don’t go for marking themselves publicly as<span class="pagenum" id="Page_110">[110]</span>
+second rate people, and so whether they are rich
+or poor, they all rush into the first class carriages.”</p>
+
+<p>“Who told you that?” asked Florence.
+Florence knew very well that Grimkie was
+quoting what somebody else had said, for the
+language did not sound at all as if it were original
+with him.</p>
+
+<p>“A gentleman on board the steamer,” said
+Grimkie, coolly.</p>
+
+<p>“Mother,” said Florence, turning to Mrs.
+Morelle, who had seated herself comfortably
+upon one of the sofas, “let us go out on the
+platform again. It is a great deal more amusing
+there than here.”</p>
+
+<p>“I think so, too,” said Mrs. Morelle. So saying,
+she rose from her seat, and they all went
+together out upon the platform, and began to
+walk up and down, amusing themselves with
+observing what was going on. Grimkie and
+John began to read the placards and notices
+which were posted up along the walls. Some
+of them were adorned with pictures printed in
+colored inks, and were mounted in handsome
+frames.</p>
+
+<p>While they were looking at these things, the
+porter came again and told Grimkie that the
+ticket office was now open, and he proceeded to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_111">[111]</span>
+show him the way to it. Grimkie bought the
+tickets, and then the porter led the way toward
+the night train. Mrs. Morelle and John went
+on together after him, and Grimkie and Florence
+followed.</p>
+
+<p>“This is very nice,” said Florence, “to have
+a man wait upon us in this way, and show us
+exactly what we are to do.”</p>
+
+<p>“Yes,” said Grimkie, “but then we have to
+pay for it.”</p>
+
+<p>“No,” replied Florence, “for I saw a notice
+posted up that the men were not allowed to receive
+anything whatever from the passengers.
+If they do take anything they are to be dismissed.”</p>
+
+<p>“I don’t mean that we have to pay the
+<em>men</em>,” said Grimkie, “but the <em>company</em>. The
+fares are a great deal higher in England than in
+America. Here they have plenty of servants to
+wait upon us at the stations, and they charge
+accordingly. In America every man takes care
+of himself and saves his money.”</p>
+
+<p>“Not all of it,” said Florence.</p>
+
+<p>“No, not all of it,” replied Grimkie, “but all
+that part which the company would require to
+employ servants at all the stations to take care
+of him. Besides, this porter will expect a sixpence
+from me, and I have got one all ready to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_112">[112]</span>
+give to him. You will see how he will manage
+to get it slily. The gentleman on board the
+steamer told me all about it.”</p>
+
+<p>By this time the porter had come to the train.
+The train was not composed, as in America, of a
+few long cars, but of a larger number of carriages,
+each of which contained three separate
+compartments, with doors at the sides. The
+porter went to one of these carriages, marked
+First Class, and opened the door. Grimkie
+put in some of the small parcels of the luggage,
+and the porter put the trunks upon the top.
+He kept one bag in his hands and told Grimkie
+that he would hand it to him after he got in.
+So Grimkie got into the carriage and took his
+seat, and the porter, after he had put up the
+trunks upon the top, within the railing which
+had been made there to keep them from falling
+off, and had covered them with a tarpaulin, took
+the bag and put it into the carriage, contriving
+at the sane time, when he shut the door, to hold
+his hand inside of it a moment, in such a way
+that Grimkie could give him the sixpence.</p>
+
+<p>“You will not change carriages, sir,” said he
+to Grimkie, “until you get to Carlisle, and then
+you will find your luggage on the top quite safe.”</p>
+
+<p>“Grimkie,” said Florence, as soon as the man
+had gone. “You ought not to have given that<span class="pagenum" id="Page_113">[113]</span>
+man a sixpence. He is liable to lose his place
+for taking it.”</p>
+
+<p>“Yes,” said Grimkie. “Provided any body
+saw him take it.”</p>
+
+<p>“That makes no difference,” said Florence,
+“whether any body saw him take it or not. It
+makes not the least difference in the world. You
+have broken the law.”</p>
+
+<p>“No,” said Grimkie. “<em>I</em> have not broken any
+law. There is no law against the traveller’s giving
+the sixpence, but only against the porter’s
+taking it. <em>He</em> may have broken a law, but I
+have not.”</p>
+
+<p>“Oh Grimkie!” said Florence.</p>
+
+<p>Florence was no match for Grimkie in the logical
+management of an argument, and she did
+not know exactly how to reply to his reasoning
+in this instance, though she felt very confident
+that he was wrong. Her thoughts were, however,
+for the present, at once diverted from the subject,
+for the train began to move, and in a very few
+minutes it appeared that it was entering a dark
+tunnel. The interior of the carriage, however,
+did not become dark, for in proportion as the day-light
+faded away the illumination which it had
+produced was replaced by a lamp-light which
+gradually began to appear. Where this lamp-light
+could come from was at first a mystery,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_114">[114]</span>
+but, on looking up, the children saw a lamp burning
+brightly in a glass which was set into the top
+of the carriage over their heads, with a reflector
+above it which threw the light down. This light
+made it very cheerful and pleasant within the
+car while the train was passing the tunnel.</p>
+
+<p>On emerging from the tunnel at the other end
+a marvelous picture of verdure and beauty met
+the view of the travellers, and filled them with
+delight. Florence particularly was charmed with
+the aspect of the scene. She looked out first at
+one window and then the other, scarcely knowing
+which way to turn in her fear that something
+would escape her. The rich and deep green of
+the fields, the hawthorn hedges, in full flower,
+the gardens, the beautiful villas, the charming
+cottages, half covered with eglantine and ivy,
+the little railway stations, which the train passed
+from time to time, built substantially of stone,
+in very picturesque and endlessly varied forms,
+and with the prettiest ornamental gardens which
+can be imagined surrounding them, or extending
+from them each way along the sloping banks
+which bordered the track—these and a hundred
+other objects which came into view in the most
+rapid and ever changing succession, kept her in a
+continual state of excitement.</p>
+
+<p>It was about one o’clock when the train left<span class="pagenum" id="Page_115">[115]</span>
+Liverpool, and it reached Carlisle about half past
+five. The distance was about a hundred and
+thirty miles. The time passed, however, very
+rapidly. A short time before the train arrived,
+Mrs. Morelle asked Grimkie what he was going
+to do about a hotel.</p>
+
+<p>“You know,” said she, “that the agreement
+is that you are to take the whole care of the
+party, just as if you were my courier.”</p>
+
+<p>A courier is a travelling servant, who is employed
+by a gentleman travelling, or by a lady,
+or a family, to conduct them wherever they wish
+to go on their journey. He takes care of all the
+luggage, knows which are the good hotels, makes
+bargains with the keepers of them, and settles
+the bills, makes arrangements for horses and carriages
+when travelling, and in a word relieves his
+employers of all trouble and care, and enables
+them to make their journey with as much ease
+and quiet of mind as if they were merely taking
+a morning’s drive on their own grounds at home.</p>
+
+<p>That is to say, this is the case when the employer
+of the courier understands how to manage
+properly. It is with travelling couriers as with
+all other servants; every thing depends upon the
+principles of management adopted by the master
+or mistress. A courier is a means of great
+convenience and comfort in travelling, or a source<span class="pagenum" id="Page_116">[116]</span>
+of continual vexation and trouble, according to
+the tact or want of tact displayed by the traveller
+himself, in employing and directing him.</p>
+
+<p>Grimkie looked a little at a loss when his aunt
+asked him what hotel he was going to. He said
+he had intended to have asked some gentleman
+in the cars, supposing that the cars would be
+large, as in America, and that there would be a
+great many people in them. But in fact there
+had been no one in their compartment of the carriage
+all the way. He had looked into his guide
+book, and the guide book gave the names of two
+or three of the hotels in Carlisle, but did not say
+which was the best.</p>
+
+<p>“Read us the names, Grimkie,” said Florence.
+“We can judge something by the sound of
+them.”</p>
+
+<p>So Grimkie opened the book and began to read.</p>
+
+<p>“There’s the Royal Hotel,” said he.</p>
+
+<p>“We won’t go there,” said John, “at any
+rate. We are republicans.”</p>
+
+<p>“And there’s a hotel called the County
+Hotel,” continued Grimkie. “It is in the station.”</p>
+
+<p>“In the station?” repeated Florence; “let
+us go there. It will seem very funny to be at a
+hotel that is in the station. May we go to any
+hotel that we choose, mother?”</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_117">[117]</span></p>
+
+<p>“You may go to any one that Grimkie
+chooses,” replied Mrs. Morelle. “He is responsible
+for finding us comfortable quarters for the
+night.”</p>
+
+<p>“I’ll see how the station hotel looks when we
+get there,” said Grimkie to Florence, “and if
+it looks pleasant we will stop there.”</p>
+
+<p>This plan for deciding the question in respect
+to the Station Hotel seemed to be in theory a
+very good one, but it proved unfortunately impracticable,
+for when the train stopped, and
+Grimkie had helped his party out from the carriage
+to the platform, he found no signs of the
+hotel to be seen, except two or three porters who
+wore the badges of the hotel upon their caps,
+and one of whom stood ready at once to take
+charge of Grimkie’s luggage and to show the
+way to the hotel. Grimkie, who had no time
+for reflection, decided at once to accept the offer,
+and as soon as the trunks were handed down
+and put upon the hotel porter’s barrow, he followed
+with Mrs. Morelle and the children where
+the porter led.</p>
+
+<p>They went for some distance along the platform,
+and then turned to a side door which led
+to a long passage gently ascending. At the end
+of this passage they ascended some steps and
+entered a door, and there turning to the left they<span class="pagenum" id="Page_118">[118]</span>
+came into another long passage which looked
+like the entry of the hotel. Apartments of
+various kinds opened from it on each side, and
+waiters were seen carrying dinners and suppers
+to the different rooms. At the end of this passage
+was a sort of office, and turning round the
+corner an elegant stair-case came into view, leading
+to the stories above. A pretty looking
+young woman met the party at the office door.
+Grimkie said they wanted a sitting-room and
+two bed-rooms. The young woman led the way
+up stairs to show the rooms.</p>
+
+<p>In about half an hour after this time the
+whole party were sitting down, in excellent
+spirits, and with great appetites, to a very nice
+dinner, in an elegant little room, with windows
+looking out upon a great area filled with omnibuses
+and cabs that were waiting for the arrival
+of the next train, and upon a street which
+passed by a spacious castle-like building that
+seemed to stand at the entrance to the town.</p>
+
+<p>After dinner they all went out to take a walk,
+On entering the town they found themselves in
+a narrow street with very ancient but very solid
+and substantial looking buildings on either side
+of it, the whole entirely unlike any thing which
+they had ever seen in America. They passed
+by several inns which were so quaint and curious<span class="pagenum" id="Page_119">[119]</span>
+in their structure, and looked so snug and so
+neat, and so much like the representations of
+English inns which they had seen in pictures
+and drawing-books, that Florence began to be
+sorry that they had stopped at the Station Hotel,
+which was modern and new, and the rooms in
+which were very much like those of a nice hotel
+in America.</p>
+
+<p>“Grimkie,” said she, “we made a mistake.
+We ought to have come to one of these little
+old fashioned inns here in the town. See what
+nice curtains at the chamber windows. If we
+had only known about these.”</p>
+
+<p>“Ah yes,” said Grimkie. “If we could only
+manage when we are coming into a strange town,
+to have a chance to see all the hotels and inns
+beforehand, we could choose a great deal better.”</p>
+
+<p>“You made a great mistake this time,” said
+Florence.</p>
+
+<p>“Next time then <em>you</em> shall choose,” said
+Grimkie.</p>
+
+<p>Florence was prepared for some sort of tart
+reply from Grimkie, to her finding fault with
+him, but when she heard so kind and polite a
+reply, it produced a reaction in her own feelings.
+After a moment’s pause she said,</p>
+
+<p>“Grimkie, it was <em>I</em> that chose this time.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_120">[120]</span>
+Going to the Station Hotel was my plan, after
+all.”</p>
+
+<p>“Was it?” said Grimkie; “well you shall
+choose the next time too, if you like.”</p>
+
+<p>The principal object of the walk which our
+party were taking at this time, was to visit the
+Cathedral of Carlisle. It was the first cathedral
+which the children had had an opportunity of
+seeing. They found a very ancient and venerable
+pile, with ruins around it, and several little
+streets, and open spaces, with pretty houses
+fronting them, all of which seemed to belong to
+the cathedral, for they were enclosed with it in a
+wall which separated the whole precinct from
+the rest of the town. This precinct is called
+the cathedral close. It pertains exclusively to
+the cathedral, and is under ecclesiastical jurisdiction,
+in a measure, and contains the dwellings of
+the various clergymen and laymen that are attached
+to the cathedral service.</p>
+
+<p>There was a certain air of solemn stillness and
+repose reigning about the precincts of the cathedral,
+when our party entered the close, which was
+very impressive. The venerable walls of the
+cathedral itself crumbling with age, the old inscriptions
+and sculptured images, now in some
+cases almost wholly effaced by the decay of the
+stone,—the masses of ruined walls, the remains<span class="pagenum" id="Page_121">[121]</span>
+of ancient cloisters or chapels which were seen
+here and there rising from the patches of greensward,—the
+smooth and solitary walks—and
+above all the mournful chirping of the rooks and
+swallows and daws that were flying about among
+the turrets and parapets far above, or in the tops
+of the ancient trees—combined to impart a peculiar
+expression of solemn and melancholy
+grandeur to the scene, which was wholly indescribable.</p>
+
+<p>After rambling about the town and the environs
+till after ten o’clock, the party returned
+to the Station Hotel, where they all went to bed
+without candles, for it was not yet dark.</p>
+
+<p>The next morning, soon after breakfast, Grimkie
+paid the bill, and they all went down to the
+platform to take the train which was to leave
+about half-past eight o’clock for Glasgow. They
+were soon all comfortably seated in the carriage,
+and five minutes afterward the train was in motion.
+They had a delightful journey to Glasgow,
+where they arrived safely a little after
+noon.</p>
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop">
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_122">[122]</span></p>
+
+<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X.</h2>
+</div>
+
+<p class="center">THE HIGHLAND GLENS.</p>
+
+
+<p>“Now,” said Grimkie, when the party arrived
+at the hotel in Glasgow, “we have come to
+the end of the first stage of our journey, that is
+the railway stage of it. The next is the steamboat
+stage.”</p>
+
+<p>“I am glad of that,” said Florence. “The
+railway ride was very pleasant, but I am ready
+for a change.”</p>
+
+<p>Grimkie had learned in the course of the conversations
+which he had held with his fellow-passengers
+on board the ship at sea, that it was
+best, in travelling in Scotland, especially among
+the Highlands, to take as little baggage as possible.</p>
+
+<p>“On whichever side of Scotland you go up,”
+said one of these gentlemen, “you will be likely
+to come down on the other side, so that your
+journey will either begin at Glasgow and end at
+Edinburgh, or it will begin at Edinburgh and
+end at Glasgow. You will find it better therefore,
+when you are ready to set out from either<span class="pagenum" id="Page_123">[123]</span>
+of those towns, to put all that you will want for
+the journey in one trunk, and send all the rest of
+your baggage across to some hotel in the other
+town, to wait there for you till you come back.”</p>
+
+<p>Grimkie explained all this to his aunt, at the
+breakfast table at their hotel in Glasgow. Mrs.
+Morelle looked at her travelling map of Scotland,
+and she saw that Edinburgh and Glasgow were
+in fact situated as is represented above.</p>
+
+<p>“We shall probably come down from the Orkneys
+on that side of the island,” said she, “and
+I think it would be convenient to have our
+trunks go there, all except one—but then, Grimkie,
+we don’t know how to send them there. I
+suppose there is some kind of express, if we only
+knew where the office was.”</p>
+
+<p>“Ah, but you remember, Auntie, that father
+told us that all we had to do was to be able to
+tell distinctly what we wanted, and the people
+here would find out how it was to be done.”</p>
+
+<p>“That was in the public offices,” said Mrs.
+Morelle.</p>
+
+<p>“It will do just as well in the hotels I expect,
+Auntie,” said Grimkie. “May I ring the bell
+and try?”</p>
+
+<p>Mrs. Morelle gave the required permission, and
+Grimkie rang the bell. Very soon the waiter appeared.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_124">[124]</span></p>
+
+<p>“I want to see about sending some baggage to
+Edinburgh,” said Grimkie.</p>
+
+<p>“Yes, sir,” said the waiter. “I’ll send up
+Boots directly.”</p>
+
+<p>Boots is the familiar name by which the porter
+is designated in the English inns. In these
+inns moreover every servant has his own definite
+duties to perform, and these are never on any account
+intermingled. It is the porter’s duty to
+know about railway trains, and conveyances of
+all kinds, and about baggage, and sending letters
+and parcels, and all such things. The waiter’s
+duty, on the other hand, is confined entirely to
+the service of the table, and to acts of personal
+attendance upon the guests within the hotel. If
+any question arises pertaining to transportation
+or conveyance of any kind, he has but one answer—“Yes,
+sir, I’ll send Boots.”</p>
+
+<p>In a few minutes the porter appeared, cap in
+hand.</p>
+
+<p>“We want to inquire about sending some of
+our luggage to Edinburgh,” said Grimkie. “We
+are going to make a tour in the north of Scotland,
+and we thought it would be best to send
+most of our luggage to Edinburgh to wait there
+till we come.”</p>
+
+<p>“Yes, sir,” said the porter, “that will be much
+the best way for you.”</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_125">[125]</span></p>
+
+<p>“And how shall we manage it?” asked Grimkie.
+“What have I to do?”</p>
+
+<p>“You have nothing at all to do,” said the porter,
+“except to tell me the name of the hotel
+where you will go—or put it upon your luggage,
+and leave it in your room here when you go
+away. I will attend to it all, and you will find
+it quite safe at the hotel when you arrive there.”</p>
+
+<p>“And how about paying?” asked Grimkie.
+“Shall we pay you?”</p>
+
+<p>“No, sir,” said the porter, “you will have
+nothing to pay here. It will not be much, and
+they will pay at the hotel in Edinburgh and put
+it in your bill.”</p>
+
+<p>“That will be exactly the thing, Auntie,” said
+Grimkie. “Only,” he added, “we do not know
+what hotel we shall go to.”</p>
+
+<p>On being asked by Mrs. Morelle, the porter
+gave them the address of a good hotel in Edinburgh,
+which he said was in a pleasant situation,
+and a well kept house. He also brought Grimkie
+a package of gum labels, such as are used in
+England for labelling baggage. Grimkie wrote
+Mrs. Morelle’s name on several of these labels,
+and also the name of the hotel which the porter
+had given him, and then, after his aunt had selected
+from all the trunks what she thought
+would be required for the whole party during the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_126">[126]</span>
+tour in Scotland, and had put them in the one
+which she was to take, Grimkie with the assistance
+of the porter locked and strapped the others,
+and put the labels upon them.</p>
+
+<p>The party spent the rest of the day in rambling
+about Glasgow, and in amusing themselves with
+the various objects of interest which met their
+view in the streets and in the environs, and the
+next morning before breakfast, they went on
+board the steamer Iona, which was to take them
+to Inverness.</p>
+
+<p>They enjoyed the voyage exceedingly although
+at first Florence was somewhat disappointed in
+respect to the steamer, which she had expected
+would be as much superior, in respect to its size,
+and its decorations, to those plying upon the
+North River, as Europe is generally considered
+superior to America. Instead of this, the Iona
+was comparatively quite small, but it was very
+neatly arranged, and there was a small, but
+richly furnished cabin below, which looked exceedingly
+snug and comfortable.</p>
+
+<p>After rambling about the steamer until they
+had explored it in every part, the children went
+with Mrs. Morelle and chose a place upon the
+deck at a corner near the companion-way, where
+they could enjoy the views on every side, and
+at the same time, could be comfortably seated all<span class="pagenum" id="Page_127">[127]</span>
+the time, if they chose, on camp-stools and
+benches.</p>
+
+<p class="p2"></p>
+<div class="chapter">
+<div class="figcenter" id="i_127a">
+<img src="images/i_127a.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="429">
+<p class="caption center">ON BOARD THE IONA.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+<p class="p2"></p>
+
+<p>Here they remained for several hours enjoying
+the most charming succession of views of mountain
+scenery that can be imagined. Grimkie, by<span class="pagenum" id="Page_129">[129]</span>
+means of the maps and guide books, followed the
+course of the steamer, and found out the names
+of all the villages, and castles, and country seats,
+which came successively into view, and pointed
+them out to his aunt and Florence who examined
+them attentively, especially the old castles,
+by means of the opera glass.</p>
+
+<p>The course of the steamer lay through a succession
+of channels, lakes and sounds, most of
+which were connected with the sea, but they
+were so hemmed in by the promontories and
+islands which bordered them, as to make it seem
+to the party as if they were navigating inland
+waters altogether. The channels of water were
+so narrow too, in most cases, that the land was
+very near. It was generally more like sailing
+upon a river, than upon an arm of the sea. The
+land was everywhere very mountainous too, and
+seemed to rise very abruptly from the water’s
+edge, though often it was bordered near the margin
+of the water, by villages and towns, and elegant
+country seats with green fields and beautiful
+gardens adjoining them, and parks and pleasure<span class="pagenum" id="Page_130">[130]</span>
+grounds, all of which presented a succession
+of most charming pictures to the view.</p>
+
+<p>In other places the shores of the <em>loch</em>, as the
+Scotch call such sheets of water as these, were
+wild and solitary,—immense sheep pastures extending
+up the mountain sides to a great height,
+with flocks of sheep, and dogs, and Highland
+shepherds seen here and there, standing motionless
+to gaze upon the steamer as it glided swiftly
+by.</p>
+
+<p>As this line of steamers was intended almost
+exclusively for the accommodation of tourists,
+journeying for health or pleasure, the arrangements
+on board were all made with reference
+to rendering the voyage as comfortable and as
+agreeable as possible. One of the arrangements
+made with this view was to stop at night, half
+way between Glasgow and Inverness, at a place
+situated in the midst of some of the grandest
+and most romantic scenery, in order to give the
+passengers a quiet night’s sleep, at a spacious
+and elegant hotel, built there expressly for the
+purpose. The steamer was to touch too at a
+great many different places along the route,
+wherever there was a pretty village on the margin
+of the water, or any grand or picturesque
+scenery at a little distance in the interior.
+When Mrs. Morelle and her party came on<span class="pagenum" id="Page_131">[131]</span>
+board, they had not determined whether to proceed
+directly to Inverness, or to stop at Rothsay,
+or Oban, or Fort William, or at some other interesting
+point, with a view of continuing their
+journey on a subsequent day.</p>
+
+<p>“We will not decide,” said Mrs. Morelle,
+“until we get on board the steamer, and see
+how we like it, and what the weather is.”</p>
+
+<p>When, however, the party had embarked and
+the voyage was begun, they were all for the first
+hour so much interested in the wonderful beauty
+and grandeur of the scenery which everywhere
+met their view, that they did not think of the
+question how far they should go, until Grimkie
+saw the man coming round among the passengers
+to receive their money, and give them
+tickets. Before he had time to say anything
+about it, the man came to where Mrs. Morelle
+was sitting and said he would take the fare.</p>
+
+<p>“How much is it, sir?” asked Grimkie.</p>
+
+<p>The man replied by asking how far they were
+going. Grimkie looked to his aunt, not knowing
+himself exactly what to say.</p>
+
+<p>“We are going to Inverness,” said she, “but
+we had not fully decided whether to go directly
+through, or to stop somewhere, for a day.”</p>
+
+<p>“You can pay through, madam,” said the
+man, “and take a ticket, and then you can<span class="pagenum" id="Page_132">[132]</span>
+break the journey where you please. The tickets
+are good for a month.”</p>
+
+<p>“Ah,” said Grimkie, “that will be just the
+thing for us.” So he took out his purse and
+counted out the number of sovereigns which the
+man required, and received the tickets.</p>
+
+<p>The tickets were made in a very curious manner.
+They were printed upon thin paper, and
+lined upon the back with green morocco, and
+were then folded in three, that is, the upper part
+was folded down, and the lower part up, and in
+this condition they looked like so many little
+green wallets. Florence and John were very much
+interested in examining their tickets, and they
+wished to have the custody of them themselves.
+But Grimkie said no. He was responsible for all
+the payments, and he must take charge of the
+tickets himself—but they might have them to
+look at as often as they pleased.</p>
+
+<p>John was very much taken with the ticket man’s
+phrase “break the journey,” and he began to be
+quite desirous that <em>their</em> journey should be
+broken at some point or other along the route.
+His mother said that she had no objection to
+that. So she commissioned Grimkie to look over
+the map and the guide books, and read the descriptions
+of the different places along the route,
+and of the objects of interest to be seen in the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_133">[133]</span>
+vicinity of them, and so select a place where in
+his opinion it would be best to stop.</p>
+
+<p>Grimkie immediately set himself to this work,
+and after a good deal of patient investigation and
+research, he came to the conclusion to recommend
+that they should stop at Ben Nevis. Ben Nevis,
+he found, lay close upon their course.</p>
+
+<p>Ben Nevis has usually been considered as the
+highest mountain in Scotland. It is any rate altogether
+the most celebrated. There is a little
+village at the base of it, named Fort William,
+where travellers land who wish to ascend the
+mountain. This village is at the head of a loch,
+and all the environs of it are romantic and beautiful.
+Grimkie found a picture of Fort William
+in one of the guide books, and showed it to his
+aunt, and to Florence and John. He also read
+what the guide book said about the place, and
+the environs of it, and the mode of ascending
+the mountain.</p>
+
+<p>“I have only one objection to stopping there,”
+said Mrs. Morelle, “and that is that I do not like
+climbing mountains very well.”</p>
+
+<p>“But, Auntie,” said Grimkie, “we need not
+go up the mountain unless we choose to do it.”</p>
+
+<p>“True,” said Mrs. Morelle, “but I am pretty
+sure you children will want to go up, and I shall
+not like to have you go, unless I go too.”</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_134">[134]</span></p>
+
+<p>“Then, Auntie, how would you like to stop at
+Oban?”</p>
+
+<p>“What is there remarkable at Oban?” asked
+Mrs. Morelle.</p>
+
+<p>“It is a pretty little town on the western
+coast, built along the curve of a bay, under high
+hills,” said Grimkie, half reading from his guide
+book. “It is a sort of central point and rendezvous
+for travellers in the western Highlands, being
+the place of departure for many excursions.”</p>
+
+<p>“What sort of excursions?” asked Mrs. Morelle.</p>
+
+<p>“The principal are steamboat excursions
+among the outlying islands,” said Grimkie,
+“such as to Fingal’s cave on the island of Staffa,
+and the old monastery in Iona.”</p>
+
+<p>“Should we be exposed to the swell of the sea
+in going to those islands?” asked Mrs. Morelle.</p>
+
+<p>“I think from the map that we should,” said
+Grimkie.</p>
+
+<p>“Then,” said Mrs. Morelle, laughing, “I
+would rather stop at Ben Nevis. I would
+rather take the mountain than the sea.”</p>
+
+<p>“I thought so, Auntie,” said Grimkie.</p>
+
+<p>And so it was decided that the party should
+land at Fort William, at the base of Ben Nevis.</p>
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop">
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_135">[135]</span></p>
+
+<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XI">CHAPTER XI.</h2>
+</div>
+
+<p class="center">BEN NEVIS.</p>
+
+
+<p>Mrs. Morelle was charmed with the appearance
+of Ben Nevis and its environs when the
+steamer drew near. The slopes of the mountain
+seemed to commence almost at the margin of the
+water, and they rose in solemn grandeur to a
+vast height, the portions near the summit being
+covered with great patches of snow. Lower
+down, the mountain sides were rounded and
+smooth, and covered with rich green and brown
+vegetation, which glowed in the setting sun and
+seemed as soft as the richest velvet. Along the
+margin of the water were extended the buildings
+of the town, with vessels of various size lying at
+anchor near.</p>
+
+<p>The steamer stopped at some distance from the
+shore, just as Grimkie and John, who had been
+forward to see about getting out the trunk, came
+back to see if Mrs. Morelle and Florence were
+ready. Mrs. Morelle looked alarmed.</p>
+
+<p>“Why, Grimkie!” said she, “are they going<span class="pagenum" id="Page_136">[136]</span>
+to land us in a boat. I thought they would go
+up to the pier. I am afraid to land in a boat.”</p>
+
+<p>“Then we can go on,” said Grimkie, “to the
+end of the sail. It is not a great deal farther.”</p>
+
+<p>“But I should like to stop and see Ben Nevis,
+too,” said Mrs. Morelle hesitating—“if it were
+not for landing in a boat—going down such a
+steep and narrow ladder.”</p>
+
+<p>“There can’t be any real danger, Auntie,”
+said Grimkie, “but still we will go on if you
+prefer. They land by boats at half the places
+where we stop.”</p>
+
+<p>This was very true, and Mrs. Morelle had
+taken great interest in watching the progress of
+such landings, several times during the day. It
+was very curious to see the boat in such cases
+come out from the land, and lie upon its oars on
+the water in the track of the steamer, until the
+steamer came up, and the paddle-wheels were
+backed. Then the man standing on the guard
+would throw a rope to the boat, which would be
+caught by a man at the bows of it, and immediately
+made fast, by which means the boat would
+be drawn on through the water, by the steamer
+which was not yet entirely at rest.</p>
+
+<p>The boat was soon pulled in under the little
+step-ladder leading from the deck, which had
+previously been let down, and then the passengers<span class="pagenum" id="Page_137">[137]</span>
+who were to land would descend, guarded
+carefully, by strong boatmen reaching up from
+the boat to the outer side of the ladder, to prevent
+the possibility of their falling into the
+water, in case of any misstep.</p>
+
+<p>As fast as the passengers reached the boat,
+they stepped over the thwarts and took their
+seats in the stern. Then the trunks and other
+parcels of baggage were passed down. Then
+the boatmen would take the oars again, the rope
+was cast off, the boat was pushed away, the paddle-wheels
+recommenced their motion, and the
+steamer went on, leaving the boat behind to
+struggle with the waves as best it could, and
+make its slow way to the shore.</p>
+
+<p>All this had been very interesting to see, as it
+appeared to the passengers who stood leaning
+over the bulwarks and looking down upon it
+from the deck above, but Mrs. Morelle thought
+that it would not be very agreeable to go through.
+She was afraid, in the first place, to go down such
+a steep and narrow ladder, especially when the
+resting place was so unstable and insecure at the
+bottom. Then she was still more afraid of the
+pitching and tossing of the boat, in the surges
+made by the paddle-wheels when the steamer
+moved away.</p>
+
+<p>She did not, however, hesitate long, for a moment’s<span class="pagenum" id="Page_138">[138]</span>
+reflection convinced her that these fears
+were imaginary. There could not possibly be
+any real danger in the mode of landing adopted,
+as the ordinary and usual method for such a
+class of travellers as those on board this steamer.
+So she banished her fears, and rising from her
+seat, said that she would go.</p>
+
+<p>By this time the boat had made fast along
+side the steamer, and the passengers who were
+to go on shore were going down the ladder.
+Mrs. Morelle found no difficulty in following
+them, Florence and John followed her. Grimkie
+remained at the head of the ladder to the
+last. When all had descended that were going,
+the trunks were put down, and then the boat
+pushed off, and the steamer resumed her voyage.<a id="FNanchor_1" href="#footnote_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a></p>
+
+<div class="footnote">
+
+<p><a id="footnote_1" href="#FNanchor_1" class="label">[1]</a> See Frontispiece.</p>
+
+</div>
+
+<p>The next morning, while at breakfast at the
+inn at Fort William, Grimkie proposed to his
+aunt that they should all make an excursion up
+the mountain.</p>
+
+<p>“Not to the top of it, Auntie,” said he, “but
+only so far as you find you will like to go. We
+will get a guide and set off together. We will
+ride to the foot of the mountain. Then we will
+begin to walk up. You shall go first and we
+will follow you, and we will not ask to go any
+farther than you like. We will go as slowly,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_139">[139]</span>
+and stop to rest as often, as you please; and
+then when we get high enough for a good view,
+we can turn about and come back again.”</p>
+
+<p>There could of course be no objection to so
+exceedingly reasonable a proposal as this, and
+Mrs. Morelle said at once that she should like
+to make an excursion up the mountain, on those
+conditions, very much indeed.</p>
+
+<p>“If I walk slowly,” said she, “I can walk two
+hours.”</p>
+
+<p>“That will take us up pretty high,” said
+Grimkie. “It only takes two hours and a half
+to get to the top. So you and Florence may get
+ready Auntie, and John and I will go down and
+see about a carriage and a guide.”</p>
+
+<p>The usual mode would have been for Grimkie
+to have rung the bell and called for Boots, and
+so have made the arrangement for the carriage
+and the guide through him. But there were
+some preparations that he wished to make
+secretly, and so he left his aunt and Florence,
+and went down to the coffee-room of the hotel.
+He took his seat there at one of the tables, near
+a window, and asked the waiter to send Boots
+in to him.</p>
+
+<p>When Boots came, Grimkie told him that
+they were going a little way up the mountain,
+and made an arrangement with him to have a<span class="pagenum" id="Page_140">[140]</span>
+dog-cart got ready immediately, to take them as
+far as they could go in a carriage, and also to
+engage a guide, and to send the guide in to the
+coffee-room to see him. In a few minutes the
+guide came.</p>
+
+<p>He was a nice tidy-looking young man, with
+a frank and good-humored countenance, and a
+broad Scotch accent in his speech. Grimkie
+explained the case to him.</p>
+
+<p>“We are going up the mountain a little way,”
+said Grimkie. “We want to go as far as we
+can, but my aunt is not used to climbing mountains
+much, and so we must go very slowly.”</p>
+
+<p>“Oh, aye,” said the guide, “the slower ye
+gang, the higher oop y’ell get.”</p>
+
+<p>The guide had had great experience with travelling
+parties attempting to ascend the mountain,
+and he had known many ladies to become tired
+and discouraged before reaching the top, just because
+they could not be contented to go slowly
+enough at the beginning.</p>
+
+<p>After some further discussion and consultation,
+the plan for the excursion was matured in all its
+details. The guide was to go forward on foot,
+carrying with him a supply of provisions which
+Grimkie was to have made ready, and to wait at
+the end of the carriage road until the party in
+the carriage should come up. The provisions—which<span class="pagenum" id="Page_141">[141]</span>
+the waiter at the coffee-room subsequently
+made ready under Grimkie’s directions—consisted
+of a bottle of coffee, another of milk, a cold
+roast chicken, some sandwiches, two buttered
+rolls, a little paper of salt, one plate, one knife,
+four forks, and a tumbler. All these the waiter
+packed carefully in two round wooden boxes, and
+put the boxes in a bag. That was the way he
+said that the guides liked to have their burdens
+packed.</p>
+
+<p>The bag thus arranged was to be put into the
+dog-cart, to be carried in that way as far the cart
+could go, with a view of being taken by the
+guide there, and carried by him over his shoulder
+for the rest of the ascent.</p>
+
+<p>When Grimkie had completed these arrangements
+he went up to his aunt’s room again, and
+there he found John who had gone up a moment
+before him, remonstrating in a somewhat urgent
+manner with Florence against a plan which she
+entertained of carrying a large guide book up the
+mountain, to press flowers in.</p>
+
+<p>“You can’t carry such a big book as that,”
+said John. “It’s ridiculous. We must have
+every thing as light as possible, in going up a
+mountain, Grimkie says so.”</p>
+
+<p>“But this is the only book I have got,” said
+Florence, “and I must take some book. It is<span class="pagenum" id="Page_142">[142]</span>
+very important for me to get some specimens
+from Ben Nevis, to carry home for souvenirs.”</p>
+
+<p>“Then you must bring them down in your
+hand,” said John. “We can’t possibly take such
+a big book as that; can we Grimkie?”</p>
+
+<p>“I will see about that presently,” said Grimkie.
+“Come with me, John. I want you to go
+somewhere.”</p>
+
+<p>So John laid down the big book and followed
+Grimkie down stairs. Grimkie led the way into
+the street.</p>
+
+<p>“Where are you going, Grimkie?” asked John.</p>
+
+<p>“I am going to see if I can find a bookseller,”
+said Grimkie. “But you should not contradict
+a young lady in that short way. That’s boyish.”</p>
+
+<p>“How boyish?” said John.</p>
+
+<p>“Why boys fly in their sisters’ faces in that
+way sometimes, but no gentleman ever does.”</p>
+
+<p>“But Grimkie,” said John, “it is perfectly
+ridiculous to think of carrying such a big book
+as that up a high mountain.”</p>
+
+<p>“That’s the very reason why you ought to be
+more gentle in setting her right,” replied Grimkie.
+“Do you think a lady likes to have it made
+to appear to her face that any thing she says or
+does is ridiculous?”</p>
+
+<p>“Then what shall I do?” asked John.</p>
+
+<p>“You must be more gentle,” said Grimkie.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_143">[143]</span>
+“A lady is like a steamboat; you can’t turn her
+short about, by a sudden twitch, when she is
+going wrong. You must bring her round by a
+sweep—in a grand circle—gently and gracefully.
+I’ll show you how.”</p>
+
+<p>By this time the boys arrived at the door of a
+small bookstore, and Grimkie immediately went
+in. John followed him. Grimkie asked a young
+woman who stood behind the counter if she had
+any blotting paper. She immediately produced
+half a quire, and Grimkie bought six sheets of
+it. These sheets he cut in two with a paper
+knife, and then after folding them, cut them
+again. He then folded them again, thus bringing
+them into a snug compass for carrying, that
+is, as the bookbinders would say, into an <em>octavo</em>
+form. The paper as it was when he bought it,
+was in a folio form. After he had cut and folded
+it the first time, it was in a quarto form, and
+now after a second folding, by which means each
+sheet formed eight leaves, it was put into the octavo
+form. Another folding still, which would
+have made sixteen leaves to the sheet, would have
+produced what is called the sixteenmo form.</p>
+
+<p>Grimkie and John immediately returned to the
+hotel, carrying the paper with them. As soon as
+they arrived, Grimkie went to his room and took
+a small portfolio off his table. This portfolio was<span class="pagenum" id="Page_144">[144]</span>
+simply the cover of a blank book Grimkie had
+used at the Chateau for some of his exercises.
+When it was full and he had no further occasion
+to use it, he had cut out the inside neatly, in order
+to save the cover, which was quite a pretty
+one, being made of green morocco. He thought
+it would make a nice portfolio. He had accordingly
+stocked it with small note papers and envelopes,
+and had made it serve the purpose of a
+stationery case, for his travels.</p>
+
+<p>He now took out the note paper and his envelopes
+from it, and then compared the blotting-paper
+in its octavo form with the size of the
+cover. He found that by folding it once more,
+that is into the sixteenmo form, it would fit the
+cover very well. So he cut it open at the octavo
+folding, and then after folding it again he slipped
+it into the cover and went to find Florence.</p>
+
+<p>“Florence,” said he, “how do you think this
+will do to put your little flowers in up the mountain?
+It is made of blotting paper, and that
+is much better than the paper of books to press
+plants in, for it absorbs the moisture, and so
+dries the plants quicker, and that makes them
+preserve their colors better.”</p>
+
+<p>“That will be excellent,” said Florence, taking
+the book and looking at it with great interest.
+“But how did you know about that?”</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_145">[145]</span></p>
+
+<p>“Our professor of botany at the Chateau,”
+said Grimkie, “told us that it is better to have
+a book made of blotting paper. Only this book
+is not sewed. Could you sew it?”</p>
+
+<p>“I can sew it in a moment,” said Florence.</p>
+
+<p>“Then it will do nicely,” said Grimkie. “If
+you can sew the leaves together so as to make a
+book of them, then we can slip them into the
+book cover, and that will be all we shall want.
+I can carry it in my pocket. You see you don’t
+want large specimens. The smaller and more
+delicate they are the better. Our professor told
+us that.”</p>
+
+<p>“Your professor?” repeated Florence.</p>
+
+<p>“Yes,” replied Grimkie; “he lectured us
+about it. ‘Young gentlemen,’ said he, ‘the mode
+of procedure is very different both in the selection
+of flowers and in the method of preserving them,
+according to the object you have in view, whether
+to procure botanical specimens for purposes
+of science, or souvenirs and tokens for purposes
+of sentiment and love.’”</p>
+
+<p>Grimkie repeated these words in a tone and
+manner imitative of a lecturer making a discourse
+before an audience, producing thus a very
+comical effect, so that both John and Florence
+laughed outright.</p>
+
+<p>“Oh, Grimkie!” exclaimed Florence.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_146">[146]</span></p>
+
+<p>“I don’t believe he said any such things,”
+added John.</p>
+
+<p>“We verily did,” replied Grimkie. “‘Young
+gentlemen,’ said he, ‘when you have advanced
+a little farther along the verdant and flowery
+path of life, you will sometimes have occasion,
+in your various wanderings, to prepare plants
+and flowers as tokens of remembrance, or of
+other sentiments, or as souvenirs of travel. In
+such cases, gentlemen, select small and delicate
+specimens—of graceful forms and pretty colors.
+Press them till they are dry between leaves of
+blotting paper. If necessary, separate the leaves
+and stems so as to press and preserve them
+separately. You can recompose your flower
+afterward. Examine the specimens from time
+to time while they are drying, and see that the
+stems lie in natural and graceful curves, and
+that the leaves and petals are smooth, and fully
+extended. Then when they are thoroughly dry,
+arrange the parts anew, and gum them delicately
+upon a small piece of white paper, with a
+suitable inscription beneath, and enclose the
+paper in a tinted envelope of the right size to
+contain it,—and then when you present it to
+the Mary, or the Lucy, or the Ellen, for whom
+it is intended, she will perceive that you are a<span class="pagenum" id="Page_147">[147]</span>
+young gentleman of taste and skill, as well as
+of science.’”</p>
+
+<p>Grimkie finished this recitation of a portion
+of the professor’s lecture with such an air of
+mock gravity, that Florence and John both
+laughed louder than ever.</p>
+
+<p>“Oh, Grimkie!” said John, “did the professor
+really say that?”</p>
+
+<p>“Yes,” said Grimkie, “and we all clapped
+him.”</p>
+
+<p>“It seems to me you have pretty funny doings
+at the Chateau, Grimkie,” said Florence.</p>
+
+<p>“We do sometimes,” said Grimkie. “But
+hark!” he added, “I thought I heard wheels
+coming. No they are not coming yet, but we
+must not waste any more time. We must get
+ready. The dog-cart will be here very soon.”</p>
+
+<p>“Good!” said John, at the same time cutting
+a caper, to express his joy.</p>
+
+<p>“But what kind of dogs will they be?” he
+added, turning to Grimkie. “Will they be
+Esquimaux dogs?”</p>
+
+<p>“There they come,” said Grimkie; “run to
+the window and see.”</p>
+
+<p>John supposed that a dog-cart was a cart
+made to be <em>drawn</em> by dogs. In this idea he
+was greatly mistaken, a dog-cart being made to
+<em>carry</em> dogs, and not to be drawn by them. It is<span class="pagenum" id="Page_148">[148]</span>
+quite a curious vehicle, having its origin in the
+wish of sportsmen to provide some means of
+transporting their dogs, as well as themselves
+and their guns, when going into the field, so that
+the dogs may be fresh and in good condition for
+their work, when they arrive there.</p>
+
+<p>It is a very handsomely made vehicle, in the
+form of a cart. The seat is double, there being
+places for two persons to sit on the front part,
+facing the horse, and two directly behind them,
+with their backs against those of the first two.
+Underneath this double seat is a box or recess,
+for the dogs. The lid which shuts this box, is
+behind, and is made to open down in such a
+manner that when it is opened it is sustained by
+a support which holds it in nearly a horizontal
+position, where it forms a foot-board for the two
+persons riding behind to rest their feet upon.</p>
+
+<p>The children were all very much interested in
+examining the form and construction of the dog-cart
+when they went down to the door. The
+coachman took the right hand front seat. Mrs.
+Morelle took the other front seat. John and
+Florence and Grimkie took the seat behind,
+where they were so much crowded at first, that
+John said he had a great mind to play that he
+was a pointer or a setter, and crawl into the box
+below.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_149">[149]</span></p>
+
+<p>After having been shaken together a little
+while by the jolting of the carriage—for a dog-cart
+moves, even upon a smooth road, with a
+very jerking and jolting motion—they found
+themselves quite comfortable, and they had a
+very amusing ride.</p>
+
+<p>When they reached the end of the carriage-road,
+they found a guide there ready for them.
+He took the bag containing the provisions, from
+the fore part of the dog-cart where the coachman
+had put it, and threw it over his shoulder,
+in such a manner that one of the boxes hung
+down before him, and the other behind. The
+coachman then took the dog-cart to a farmer’s
+near by, to put up the horse, to wait until the
+party returned, while the guide, followed by his
+party, commenced his ascent of the mountain.</p>
+
+<p>The path was very good, although rather rugged
+and steep, but the country was open, there
+being in general no trees, but only furze, broom,
+whinbushes, and other such shrubs as grow upon
+the Scottish Highlands. Grimkie wished very
+much that his aunt should ascend to the top of
+the mountain, but he knew very well that the
+only hope of her being able to do so, must
+depend upon their going very slowly at first.
+John and Florence who both felt very fresh and
+agile, were eager to press forward, but Grimkie<span class="pagenum" id="Page_150">[150]</span>
+kept them back, stopping continually to gather
+flowers, and to look back at the prospect.
+Whenever he found a flat stone with a smooth
+and clear surface, he persuaded his aunt to sit
+down, and when she was once seated, he detained
+her as long as possible, by talking with
+her, and amusing her mind with the objects
+around her. Then he would point to the next
+elevation above, and ask his aunt if she thought
+she could go up to it; and she would say, “Oh,
+yes! I am not tired at all yet.”</p>
+
+<p>In this way the party sauntered along for
+more than three hours, advancing all the time,
+but in a slow and unconcerned manner, without
+thought or care, as if they were out for a walk,
+without any definite plan in respect to the end
+of the excursion. At last, however, about noon,
+Mrs. Morelle took out her watch, and expressed
+surprise to find how late it was, and said that it
+was time for her to begin to think about going
+home.</p>
+
+<p>“Look up there, Auntie,” said Grimkie,
+“where that shepherd is standing with his dog.
+There must be a grand lookout from there. Let
+us go up as high as that, and there we will have
+our luncheon, and then, if you please, we will set
+out for home.”</p>
+
+<p>Mrs. Morelle made no objection to going up<span class="pagenum" id="Page_151">[151]</span>
+to the point which Grimkie had indicated, and
+they soon attained it. Here they found a spring
+of water coming out from under a great rock.
+Grimkie brought some flat stones and made seats
+for the party in a shady and sheltered place, and
+then the guide opened the bag and took out the
+provisions. Mrs. Morelle was quite surprised to
+see so abundant a supply of provisions coming
+to view.</p>
+
+<p>“I did not know that we were going to have
+even a luncheon on the mountain,” said she,
+“and here you have got enough, almost, for a
+dinner.”</p>
+
+<p>The party remained at the spring for more
+than half an hour, and then Mrs. Morelle found
+herself so much refreshed by the chicken and
+the sandwiches, and especially by the tumbler of
+cold coffee which Grimkie mixed for her, that
+she said she was almost inclined to go on farther;
+and when the guide told her that an hour
+more of easy walking would bring her to the
+very top, she said she had half a mind to try to
+go there.</p>
+
+<p>“Do you think I could do it, Grimkie?” said
+she.</p>
+
+<p>Grimkie said it was a great thing for a lady
+to get to the top of Ben Nevis, but if she felt
+strong enough to try it, he should like it very<span class="pagenum" id="Page_152">[152]</span>
+much indeed. She might go on for half an hour
+more at any rate, and then if she felt tired she
+could turn.</p>
+
+<p>Mrs. Morelle determined to follow this suggestion,
+and the result was, that she persevered
+until she reached the top.</p>
+
+<p>The wind blew very fresh and cool upon the
+summit, and the party could not remain there
+long. While they did remain, however, they
+were filled with wonder and delight at the extent
+and sublime magnificence of the view. The
+mountains lay all around them, clothed with a
+velvet-like covering of the softest green, and
+between them lay an endless number and variety
+of lakes and rivers—all sleeping apparently in
+the sun—and green fields, and pretty villages,
+and charming glens, in endless variety.</p>
+
+<p>After remaining upon the mountain for about
+fifteen minutes, they all set out upon their return.
+They of course came down the path very
+easily, and getting into the dog-cart, when they
+reached the foot of the descent, they were driven
+very rapidly back to the inn.</p>
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop">
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_153">[153]</span></p>
+
+<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XII">CHAPTER XII.</h2>
+</div>
+
+<p class="center">THE CALEDONIAN CANAL.</p>
+
+
+<p>The route of the steamer from the foot of
+Ben Nevis to Inverness, lies along a remarkable
+chain of lakes, that occupy a long and narrow
+valley extending through the very heart of Scotland,
+in a direction from southwest to northeast,
+and reaching from the base of Ben Nevis to Inverness.
+The line of these lakes is easily to be
+seen upon the map. In a state of nature the
+lakes were connected by rapid streams flowing
+from the center lake, which is the highest, down
+through the others each way to the sea. But
+though the lakes themselves were navigable, the
+streams were not. Many years ago, however, as
+has already been intimated, deep channels were
+cut along these streams, and locks made whereever
+there was an ascent or descent, so as to
+form a navigable communication through the
+whole distance, which received the name of the
+Caledonian canal.</p>
+
+<p>Mrs. Morelle and her party, remained a day or
+two at the foot of Ben Nevis, taking little excursions<span class="pagenum" id="Page_154">[154]</span>
+in the environs, and exploring for a few
+miles, in various directions, the glens which open
+around the mountain. On the morning of the
+third day, they took the steamer again, at a
+place called Banavie, where there was a large
+and beautiful hotel, standing almost by itself
+in a wild and beautiful place, and surrounded by
+gardens and ornamental grounds. A great many
+of the best inns and hotels in Scotland, stand
+thus in secluded places, entirely apart from the
+towns, being intended altogether for the accommodation
+of tourists journeying for pleasure,
+and being placed accordingly in the localities
+where it is supposed to be most convenient or
+most agreeable for such travellers to stop.</p>
+
+<p>By having rested from the steamer two days,
+the children were well prepared to return to it
+again, and they had a delightful passage along
+the canal. Sometimes they found themselves
+sailing in a very narrow channel which had been
+excavated artificially, to connect one lake with
+another. Next they would come to a chain of
+locks, by means of which the steamer was to be
+raised up, or let down, from one level to another;
+and while the lockmen were engaged in
+this operation, which always required some time,
+the passengers would step out upon the embankment,
+and ramble about the neighborhood, or<span class="pagenum" id="Page_155">[155]</span>
+walk on to the next lock, with a view of getting
+on board again when the steamer came to it.
+Then at length, suddenly the steamer would
+emerge from the narrow and artificial channel
+into one of the lakes, and would glide swiftly on
+from one end of it to the other, between the
+lofty ranges of mountains which bordered it on
+either hand.</p>
+
+<p>In all cases, the course of the steamer was so
+near to the shore, that all the features of the
+scenery could be very distinctly seen, and it was
+an endless source of amusement to the children
+to watch the changes which were continually
+taking place, and to explore every hidden recess
+of the landscape, and examine every detail with
+the glass. They saw the sheep feeding on the
+mountain sides, watched by the shepherd and
+his dog, and the cottages, with Highland children,
+dressed in the kilt, playing at the doors,
+and now and then an elegant travelling carriage
+moving along the road at the margin of the
+water.</p>
+
+<p>There were a great many mists and clouds
+floating over the mountain tops, and these increased
+toward the middle of the day. For a
+time the effect of these clouds was only to add
+an additional feature of grandeur to the scenery,
+by the magnificent forms which the stupendous<span class="pagenum" id="Page_156">[156]</span>
+masses of vapor assumed on the summits of the
+mountain chains, and the mysterious and solemn
+gloom which they seemed to impart to the deep
+valleys, by hanging over them in heavy folds, like
+those of a curtain, and diffusing through the recesses
+which they half concealed, a dark and impenetrable
+gloom. Florence said that she could
+not decide whether she liked the mountains best
+when full in view, or when half covered with
+clouds.</p>
+
+<p>“Nor I,” said Grimkie. “Only it is raining
+from some of those clouds. All I am afraid of
+is, that one of them may come and rain upon
+us.”</p>
+
+<p>Grimkie’s fears were destined to be realized.
+In a short time it began to rain upon the deck
+of the steamer. Some of the passengers, especially
+the ladies, hastily gathering up their maps,
+and guide books, and travelling bags, went
+below. Others drew themselves into as compact
+a mass as possible, and spreading an umbrella
+over their heads, kept their seats. Some gentlemen
+put on India rubber coats, which they
+seemed to have ready at hand, and went on
+walking up and down the deck just as before.
+One of the men belonging on board the steamer
+came up from below, and took up all the cushions
+which were not in use, and carried them<span class="pagenum" id="Page_157">[157]</span>
+down. He also gathered together all books,
+bags, shawls and other such things as any of the
+passengers had left exposed, and putting them
+upon the end of a seat he covered them with a
+tarpaulin. He also gathered together all the
+camp-stools which were not in use, and put
+them under cover.</p>
+
+<p>Mrs. Morelle went below as soon as the first
+drops of the shower began to fall, leaving the
+children to remain if they chose. Grimkie found
+a place which was in a good degree sheltered
+from the wind and rain, and there, placing
+Florence upon one camp-stool in the middle, and
+John upon another at the side of her, while he
+took his place upon the other side, and then
+after spreading a large travelling shawl, or rug
+as the English call it, over their knees, and tucking
+it in well all around, he opened his umbrella,
+which was very large, and looking out from under
+it at the shower, he said,</p>
+
+<p>“Now let it rain.”</p>
+
+<p>For some time the children seemed to enjoy
+the scene and the novelty of their situation, but
+before long they began to get tired, and at length
+they determined to avail themselves of the first
+opportunity, when the rain should slacken a little,
+to go below.</p>
+
+<p>“I have got something for us to do there,”<span class="pagenum" id="Page_158">[158]</span>
+said Grimkie. “We shall get the benefit of
+Mr. Twig’s advice.”</p>
+
+<p>“Who is Mr. Twig?” asked Florence.</p>
+
+<p>“He is the gentleman on board the steamer,”
+replied Grimkie, “that told me about travelling
+in Scotland. He said that one of the most important
+things, was to provide plenty of employment
+for rainy days. It rained, he said, in
+Scotland about half the time.”</p>
+
+<p>“Oh, Grimkie!” exclaimed John.</p>
+
+<p>“Among the Highlands, he meant,” said
+Grimkie. “He said that the Gulf of Mexico,
+the Atlantic Ocean, and the Highlands and islands
+of Scotland formed one great distilling apparatus.
+The Gulf of Mexico was the boiler, and
+the mountains in Scotland the condenser.</p>
+
+<p>“But come,” added Grimkie, interrupting
+himself, “it does not rain much just this moment.
+Let us go below.”</p>
+
+<p>So they rose from their seats, and taking every
+thing with them they hurried along the deck to
+the companion-way and went below.</p>
+
+<p>They found a very pretty cabin, handsomely
+carpeted, with four long tables in it, two on each
+side, and cushioned seats behind them. There
+was also a row of small windows, with sliding
+sashes, above, from which they could look out
+over the water. Groups of passengers were sitting<span class="pagenum" id="Page_159">[159]</span>
+here and there at the tables. Some were
+looking over their maps and guide books, and
+others were lounging on the seats with a listless
+air, as if they had had no one to forewarn them,
+as Mr. Twig had done for Grimkie, of the necessity
+of providing work for rainy days.</p>
+
+<p>Grimkie found seats for his party at one of
+the tables. He placed his aunt and Florence at
+the back side of it, upon one of the cushioned
+seats, and set camp-stools for himself and John
+in front. He then went for his knapsack.</p>
+
+<p>This knapsack Grimkie always kept with him
+in travelling. He bought it in Liverpool. It
+was made of morocco, of a bronze-green color,
+and was provided with a strap which was arranged
+in such a way that the knapsack could
+be suspended from the shoulder, or carried in
+the hand like a bag. In it Grimkie carried his
+portfolio, his writing apparatus, Mrs. Morelle’s
+opera-glass, the map, the guide book, and other
+such things as it was necessary to have always
+at hand.</p>
+
+<p>When he had brought the knapsack he laid it
+down upon the table, and as soon as he had
+taken his seat, he opened it and took out his
+portfolio, containing Florence’s flowers.</p>
+
+<p>“Ah!” said Florence, “here are my flowers.”</p>
+
+<p>Grimkie had collected a large number of delicate<span class="pagenum" id="Page_160">[160]</span>
+Alpine flowers, for Florence, during their
+ascent of Ben Nevis, and had put them all carefully
+between the leaves of the blotting paper
+book, which he had made for her. On the evening
+of the same day, on his return from the
+mountain, he had looked over all these flowers and
+rearranged them. In doing this, he cut off with
+the point of a pair of scissors, all the superfluous
+parts, smoothed out the little leaves, bent the
+stems into graceful forms, and put them into
+fresh places between the leaves. When he had
+done all this, he placed the book under a small
+piece of board which he found in the yard of the
+hotel, and put the whole beneath one of the legs
+of the bedstead in his room, which of course
+subjected the book, and the plants between the
+leaves of it, to a heavy pressure.</p>
+
+<p>The next morning, when the party were about
+to leave the hotel, Grimkie took out the book,
+and after winding a long tape round it a great
+many times, and tying the ends, he crowded
+some wedges in on both sides, between the tape
+and book covers. This produced a pressure
+upon the plants which, though not so great as
+before, was sufficient at this stage of the process.</p>
+
+<p>It was this book, thus tied up and wedged,
+that Grimkie now took out from his knapsack.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_161">[161]</span></p>
+
+<p>“That’s a nice way to press the flowers,” said
+Florence.</p>
+
+<p>“Yes,” replied Grimkie, “only the sides of
+the book are not stiff enough to wedge against. I
+ought to have two thin pieces of board, just the
+size of the book covers, to put upon them, one
+on each side.”</p>
+
+<p>Grimkie opened the book and looked at the
+flowers. They were pressed very nicely, and the
+colors of the flowers were well preserved. He
+also took out from his knapsack some sheets of
+white note paper, which he proceeded to fold
+into quarters and then to cut them open at the
+foldings with a knife, so as to make a number
+of little sheets of paper of about the size and
+shape of visiting cards, each one, however, having,
+like the original sheet of note paper, two
+leaves. He gave these to Florence as fast as he
+made them, that she might trim the edges with
+her scissors. These sheets were to gum the little
+flowers upon.</p>
+
+<p>He also took from his knapsack, a small bottle
+of gum arabic. This bottle was very small,
+being not much bigger than a large thimble, and
+it was very strong, so as not to be in any danger
+of breaking, by being carried in a knapsack.</p>
+
+<p>Grimkie took out the cork from this bottle,
+and then proceeded to select from his stock of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_162">[162]</span>
+flowers, two or three of different kinds, such as
+could be arranged together prettily in the form
+of a bouquet. These he proceeded to gum upon
+one of his little sheets of paper. He would
+take out a very small quantity of the dissolved
+gum arabic,—which was very thick,—being of
+about the consistence of honey, and then touch
+a very little of it, delicately at different points
+on the under side of the flower. Then he would
+lay down the flower upon the inside page of one
+of his little sheets of note paper, taking care to
+place it in exactly the position in which he meant
+it to lie.</p>
+
+<p>Presently Florence and John after seeing how
+Grimkie managed the work, undertook it themselves,
+each selecting flowers from among those
+which had been pressed, and gumming them upon
+the paper. In this manner, in the course of half
+an hour, quite a number of very pretty specimens
+were prepared.</p>
+
+<p>The flowers were in all cases gummed upon
+what may be called the third page of the little
+sheet of note paper: that is, upon the right hand
+page of the second leaf, on the inside. The first
+leaf then, when laid down, covered and protected
+the flower.</p>
+
+<p>“When we stop at the next hotel,” said Grimkie,
+“we will write upon these little sheets what<span class="pagenum" id="Page_163">[163]</span>
+the flowers are, and where they come from, and
+then put them all up for you Florence in a package,
+and so when you get back to America you
+can distribute them among your friends.”</p>
+
+<p>Just at this time the attention of the whole
+party was suddenly attracted to a gleam of sunshine,
+which came in through one of the windows
+and fell upon the floor. John immediately abandoned
+every thing and hurried away to go on
+deck. Grimkie after putting all his apparatus
+carefully away in his knapsack, followed him,
+saying to his aunt and Florence that he would
+come back in a moment and tell them whether it
+was dry enough for them to come up too.</p>
+
+<p>In a few minutes Grimkie came down and said
+that the steamer was going to stop pretty soon in
+a certain place on the border of the lake, in order
+to allow the passengers to go on shore to see
+a waterfall.</p>
+
+<p>“To see a waterfall!” exclaimed Mrs. Morelle.
+“I never heard of such a thing as a steamer’s
+stopping for the passengers to see a waterfall.
+You don’t mean that she is going to wait for us.”</p>
+
+<p>“Yes, Auntie,” said Grimkie. “That is it.
+She is going to wait here while we go up and see
+it, and then come back. It is only a little way.”</p>
+
+<p>“Let us go, then, by all means,” said Mrs. Morelle.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_164">[164]</span></p>
+
+<p>Mrs. Morelle decided to go at once, without
+stopping to make any inquiries. Cases of this
+kind often occur in which an experienced traveller
+is safe in taking things upon trust, without
+making inquiries. Mrs. Morelle saw at a glance
+that a steamer would not stop for such a purpose
+unless the fall was really remarkable, and well
+worthy the attention of the tourists on board,
+nor without having proper arrangements made,
+in respect to guides, paths, and all other necessary
+facilities for going to and from the place.
+So when, on ascending to the deck, she found the
+ladies and gentlemen generally preparing to go
+on shore, she determined at once to join them,
+especially as it was plain that there was no time
+for obtaining any information, as the steamer was
+now close to the pier.</p>
+
+<p>It was a small pier, projecting out a little way
+from the shore, in a very wild and solitary place.</p>
+
+<p>The mountain-side rose quite abruptly from
+the surface of the water, half covered with forests,
+and there was no town, nor even any house
+in sight. There was nothing but a small building
+at the end of the pier near which a kind of
+cab, or short omnibus without any covering over
+it, was standing.</p>
+
+<p>The steamer was soon made fast and the passengers
+went on shore. Most of them began at<span class="pagenum" id="Page_165">[165]</span>
+once to walk up a road which was seen ascending
+in a diagonal manner through the trees. Some
+of the ladies were getting into the cab.</p>
+
+<p>“Auntie,” said Grimkie. “They are going to
+ride up. You had better ride too.”</p>
+
+<p>“How far is it?” asked Mrs. Morelle.</p>
+
+<p>“I don’t know at all,” said Grimkie. “Only
+it must be far enough to ride, or else they would
+not have a carriage.”</p>
+
+<p>This reasoning seemed very conclusive, but
+Mrs. Morelle turned to a gentleman who was
+walking near her with a lady upon his arm, and
+asked him if he knew how far it was to the fall.</p>
+
+<p>“No madam,” said he with a smile, “we don’t
+know any thing about it. We are only following
+the multitude.”</p>
+
+<p>Mrs. Morelle might perhaps have asked half
+or two thirds of the whole company without receiving
+any other answer than this.</p>
+
+<p>“I think you had better ride, Auntie,” said
+Grimkie. “That will be the safest way.”</p>
+
+<p>Mrs. Morelle acceded to this proposal and
+Grimkie helped her into the cab, and then he
+followed Florence and John up the road.</p>
+
+<p>The road was a most excellent one. It was
+not very wide, but it was perfectly made, and the
+borders of it on each side were finished as nicely
+as if it had been a walk in a gentleman’s private<span class="pagenum" id="Page_166">[166]</span>
+grounds. The land was very steep, both above
+and below it, and the slopes were covered with
+forest trees. The road ascended in a zigzag
+direction, in long reaches, though the children
+soon came to places where there were short cuts
+by a foot-path from one angle of the road to another,
+which they found that most of the people
+who were walking took, and so they took them too.</p>
+
+<p>They went on in this way for nearly half an
+hour, ascending all the time, and at length they
+seemed to have left the carriage road altogether.
+At last, however, they came out into it again at
+a place where they could hear the roar of the
+waterfall in a deep ravine below them. The
+tourists seemed to find out by some sort of instinct
+that this was the place where the carriage
+was to come, and so those who had ladies in the
+carriage stopped here, to wait for the carriage to
+come up, while the others began to go down a
+steep zigzag path which led into the ravine.</p>
+
+<p>“We will wait here,” said Grimkie, “until
+Auntie comes.”</p>
+
+<p>It was not long before the carriage came, and
+all the ladies who had rode up in it got out.
+They then all began to go down the zigzag path
+into the ravine. The scenery in the chasm was
+grand beyond description. The path, as it
+changed its direction at the different turns,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_167">[167]</span>
+brought continually new portions of the vast
+chasm into view, and revealed awful depths
+which it made one dizzy to look down into. At
+the same time the thundering of the cataract,
+reverberating from the rocky precipices which
+formed the sides of the chasm filled the air with
+a deafening sound.</p>
+
+<p>At length the path came to an end on a pinnacle
+of rock, where there was room for only
+one or two to stand at a time, and where the
+fall itself was in full view. It was an immense
+torrent coming down through a vast fissure in
+the rocks above, and falling with the noise of
+thunder, eighty or ninety feet, into an awful
+abyss below.</p>
+
+<p>It was fearful to stand upon the dizzy pinnacle
+where the path terminated, and attempt to
+look down into the gulf half hidden by mist
+and spray into which the cataract descended.
+Only one or two could stand there at a time,
+and the visitors were consequently obliged to
+take turns. Mrs. Morelle allowed the children
+to go, one at a time, while she held them nervously
+to prevent their falling, and right glad
+she was when they all had seen it and she could
+go away.</p>
+
+<p>The company lingered a little while at the
+different turns of the path to look down into<span class="pagenum" id="Page_168">[168]</span>
+the chasm. It was of a very irregular form,
+and it presented new and striking aspects at
+every new point of view. It was very impressive
+to survey the precipitous rocks, the trees clinging
+to the crevices on the sides, and the foaming
+torrents forcing their way furiously through the
+devious and rocky channels at an immense depth
+below.</p>
+
+<p>After a time all the passengers had ascended
+to the place where the carriage had been left.
+The ladies who had rode up took their places in
+it again, and began to descend the hill by the
+road, while the rest of the party went down
+more rapidly by the short cuts which the foot-path
+followed.</p>
+
+<p>Grimkie waited at the bottom until the carriage
+came down, and then, after helping his
+aunt to descend, and paying the driver of the
+carriage the shilling fare, they all went together
+again on board the steamer.</p>
+
+<p>The name of this cataract is the Fall of
+Foyers. It is on the shore of Loch Ness, the last
+of the lakes which lie on the line of the Caledonian
+canal; and not many hours from the time of resuming
+the voyage, after visiting the fall, the
+steamer arrived at its destination at Inverness.</p>
+
+<p>As the party went into the town from the
+place of debarkation, they all gazed about them<span class="pagenum" id="Page_169">[169]</span>
+with great curiosity and interest. They saw
+the river Ness flowing rapidly along between
+green and beautiful banks, and a long and massive
+stone bridge leading across it, and a grand
+looking castle on the brow of a hill bordering
+the town overlooking the river, and a compact
+mass of grey stone houses, ancient and venerable
+in appearance, but snug, tidy, and all in
+excellent order. Nothing was imperfect or unfinished.
+There was no building going on, nor
+any improvements of any kind in progress.
+Florence said it looked as if the town had been
+completed fifty years before, and that thenceforth
+nothing had been done, and nothing was ever
+to be done but to keep everything in it in the
+nicest order.</p>
+
+<p>There were the neatest and prettiest little
+graveled roads extending along the banks of the
+river on either side, which promised to be charming
+walks, and ornamented grounds here and
+there which seemed to be open to the public,
+and high craggy summits of hills seen in the
+environs that Grimkie said he must ascend. On
+the whole the aspect of the town and of its environs
+was charming. But the party could only
+get occasional glimpses of the view, for they
+were driven along rapidly in their carriage, and
+at length stopped in the middle of a street, at<span class="pagenum" id="Page_170">[170]</span>
+the door of a very snug, compact, and quiet-looking
+hotel, called the Union Hotel. Grimkie
+had chosen it from its name, partly on account
+of the American associations connected with that
+word, and partly for the sake of variety. The
+other principal hotel in the town was the Caledonian;
+and as it was the Caledonian canal on
+which they had been travelling all day, Grimkie
+said it would make an agreeable change, he
+thought, to take some other name for the hotel.</p>
+
+<p>After the party became settled at the hotel,
+John, on reflecting upon the name, wondered at
+first that one of so peculiarly American a meaning
+should be given to an inn in so remote a part
+of Scotland. He concluded that it must have
+been given out of compliment to the Americans,
+in hopes of attracting their custom; just as he
+had seen “New York Hotel” at Glasgow. He
+at length ventured to ask a respectable looking
+gentleman who was standing at the door what
+the name denoted. The gentleman answered
+him as follows, in broad Scotch:</p>
+
+<p>“It is joost to commemorate the union of
+the two kingdoms of England and Scotland,”
+said he. “Ye ken that in former days they
+were separate altogether, but at length by marriages
+and intermarriages atween the twa royal
+hooses, they baith descended to the same heir,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_171">[171]</span>
+who was James Sixth of Scotland and First of
+England. But still the twa kingdoms were
+separate, each with its own parliament and its
+own laws, although they were ruled over by one
+and the same king. This was found in the end
+not to be convenient, and so finally an act of
+union was passed by which the twa realms themselves
+were moulded and merged into ane, with
+ane only parliament at London to make laws for
+the whole. This was the famous union, and ye
+will larn all aboot it, when ye get a little older
+and study Scottish history.”</p>
+
+<p>On hearing this, John went in and told Grimkie
+that he had missed it in coming to that
+hotel, for the union of it was not the American
+Union at all.</p>
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop">
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_172">[172]</span></p>
+
+<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XIII">CHAPTER XIII.</h2>
+</div>
+
+<p class="center">THE VITRIFIED FORT.</p>
+
+
+<p>The party arrived at the hotel about the
+middle of the afternoon. After getting somewhat
+settled in their rooms, Grimkie ordered dinner
+at five o’clock, and then, while Mrs. Morelle
+and Florence were occupied in their chamber, he
+and John went out to take a walk.</p>
+
+<p>They spent their time during their walk in
+rambling along the principal streets of the town,
+occupying themselves with looking at the curious
+dresses of the people, hearing the little children
+talk broad Scotch in their play, and examining
+the objects displayed in the shop windows.
+Many of these objects were very curious, especially
+the bracelets, and pins, and brooches,
+made of Scotch pebbles, many of which were of
+the most singular forms, being made after the
+fashion of the different clans of Highlanders, as
+they wore them in ancient times.</p>
+
+<p>“You may depend upon it my mother will
+buy some of these pins,” said John.</p>
+
+<p>There were also a number of curious articles<span class="pagenum" id="Page_173">[173]</span>
+made of wood painted in tartan, according to
+the fashion of the different clans, such as boxes,
+card-cases, needle-books, pen-holders, paper-folders,
+and many other such things.</p>
+
+<p>When the time drew near which had been
+appointed for dinner, the boys went home, and
+very soon after they arrived the dinner was
+brought in. While they were at table, Grimkie
+asked his aunt, whether she was not glad, so far,
+that she had come.</p>
+
+<p>“Yes,” said she, “very glad indeed. We
+have had a delightful voyage among the mountains
+and lakes, but I feel tired and I have a
+great idea of going into lodgings here for a week
+to rest and recruit.”</p>
+
+<p>“Oh, mother!” exclaimed Florence, “we have
+not had anything to tire us. We have had
+nothing to do but to sit quietly on the deck of
+the steamer, and look at the scenery.”</p>
+
+<p>“It is not my body that is tired,” said Mrs.
+Morelle, “but my mind. I have been continually
+wondering and admiring for four or five
+days, and I am tired of wondering and admiring.
+I want to be quiet a little while, to rest my mind,
+and get ready to begin again. And the best
+way to do that is to go into lodgings. I see
+lodgings to let on several of the houses along
+the street.”</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_174">[174]</span></p>
+
+<p>The English system in respect to accommodations
+for strangers at private houses, as well as
+that of the hotels, is entirely different from the
+usage which prevails in America. Instead of
+boarding houses, they have what is called lodging
+houses. In one of these houses, the party
+travelling, if they wish to remain some days in
+any place, and to spend the time in a more quiet
+and domestic way than by remaining at a hotel,
+take apartments and keep house, precisely as if
+they were in their own home. After looking at
+the different rooms, and hearing the prices of
+each, they select as many as they require, and
+take possession of them, paying so much a day
+for them. The price which they pay for the
+rooms, includes the necessary service, and the
+<em>cooking</em> of the food, but not the purchase of it.
+The lodger may either purchase the food for
+himself, going to the market for it every day,
+just as if he were keeping house at home, or he
+may request the landlady to purchase it for him.
+In case he adopts the latter plan, the landlady
+keeps an account of what she expends, and
+brings him in the bill every morning.</p>
+
+<p>In a word, at an English lodging house a lady
+stopping to rest for a week, finds herself keeping
+house, just as if she were at home, with an experienced,
+capable, and motherly woman to act as<span class="pagenum" id="Page_175">[175]</span>
+her housekeeper, and to do every thing that she
+requires. She can arrange the expenses too just
+as she pleases, for every thing except the price of
+the rooms, which is agreed upon beforehand, is
+under her immediate control.</p>
+
+<p>English ladies when they take lodgings in this
+way, usually go out themselves to the grocers and
+to the markets, to purchase their provisions and
+supplies—but American ladies, not being so well
+acquainted with English marketing, usually give
+the landlady a memorandum in the morning of
+what they would like during the day, and the
+landlady then makes the purchases.</p>
+
+<p>In addition to the domestic quiet and repose
+which the traveller obtains by taking lodgings,
+when he wishes to remain in any town for several
+days, there is a great advantage in the arrangement,
+in point of economy. The expense is only
+from one-third to one-half, for the same rooms
+and style of living, at the lodging-houses of what
+it costs at the hotels.</p>
+
+<p>Mrs. Morelle had often experienced the advantage
+of stopping occasionally for a week, and
+going into lodgings, when she had been travelling
+in Europe before. But the children knew nothing
+about the system. They were, however, always
+ready for any new plan which was proposed,
+and in coming into Inverness they had seen so<span class="pagenum" id="Page_176">[176]</span>
+much to attract their attention that they were
+perfectly willing to remain there a week. So it
+was determined that they should remain at the
+hotel that night, and the next morning go and
+look out for lodgings.</p>
+
+<p>But the next morning Mrs. Morelle found herself
+so well rested, by a good night’s sleep that
+she began to feel inclined to go on.</p>
+
+<p>“The next portion of our journey is by the
+stage-coach, Grimkie, is it not?” said she.</p>
+
+<p>Grimkie said that it was. They were to go by
+a circuitous route, following the indentations of
+the shore to Wick, and there to wait for the
+Edinburgh steamer.</p>
+
+<p>“And I believe,” said Grimkie, “that the
+steamer only goes once a week, and it touches at
+Wick every Friday night, at midnight.”</p>
+
+<p>“At midnight,” repeated Mrs. Morelle.</p>
+
+<p>“Yes, Auntie,” said Grimkie, “but that will
+not make any difference. It will be as light as
+day.”</p>
+
+<p>“That will be funny,” said John.</p>
+
+<p>“Let us send for Boots,” said Mrs. Morelle,
+“and ascertain exactly how it is.”</p>
+
+<p>So Grimkie rang the bell and asked the waiter
+to send up Boots, and when he came they obtained
+from him all the necessary information.
+He said that the coach left Inverness every evening<span class="pagenum" id="Page_177">[177]</span>
+at eight o’clock—that it travelled all night—that
+about two o’clock it crossed a wide ferry
+called the Mickle Ferry—a mile wide—that it
+arrived at Wick about ten o’clock on the following
+day, and that the steamer would arrive from
+Edinburgh in the course of Friday night, and
+they would have to go on board early on Saturday
+morning.</p>
+
+<p>The children were all very much pleased to
+learn that they were to ride in the stage-coach
+all night, and even Mrs. Morelle did not object
+to it on the whole. She concluded, however,
+not to remain at Inverness, as she had at first intended,
+but to go directly on as far as Wick. It
+was on Wednesday, when the party arrived at
+Inverness, and in order to be in time for the
+steamer of that week, it would be necessary to
+leave that very evening, and this she determined
+to do.</p>
+
+<p>“And then,” said she, “when we arrive at
+Wick, in case the weather is favorable we will
+go on board the steamer and accomplish our
+voyage. If it is not favorable then we can go
+into lodgings and spend our week there.”</p>
+
+<p>“Yes, Auntie,” said Grimkie, “John and I
+will like that very much, for then we can see the
+fishing boats go out and come in. Wick is the
+greatest place in the world for the herring fishery.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_178">[178]</span>
+The guide book says there are fifteen hundred
+large fishing boats that belong there.”</p>
+
+<p>The plan being thus arranged, Grimkie and
+John went to the coach to “book” as they
+called it, for Wick. They were very desirous,
+of taking outside seats for themselves, and inside
+seats, which are much dearer, for the two
+ladies; but Mrs. Morelle was afraid to have the
+boys sit outside all night, for fear that they
+might get asleep and fall off. So she requested
+them to take the four inside seats for the party,
+promising that if there was room outside, and
+the coachman had no objection, they should ride
+there a part of the time.</p>
+
+<p>Accordingly, Grimkie went to the coach office,
+and took all the four inside seats and paid the
+fare. The clerk said that the travellers must be
+at the office, with their luggage at a quarter
+before eight.</p>
+
+<p>When the two boys returned to the hotel,
+they found a large open carriage before the door,
+and Mrs. Morelle and Florence preparing to take
+a drive around the environs of Inverness to see
+the scenery. Mrs. Morelle invited the two boys
+to join the party, which invitation they were of
+course very ready to accept. Grimkie proposed,
+too that, in the course of the ride the carriage
+should stop at the foot of Craig Phadric, and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_179">[179]</span>
+that they should all go up and see the remains
+of a vitrified fort that he said existed there.</p>
+
+<p>In furtherance of this suggestion, he opened
+one of his books and read an account of the vitrified
+forts.</p>
+
+<p>These forts are objects of great curiosity to
+tourists and antiquarians. They exist in various
+parts of the country, and are so ancient that
+not only all records, but even all traditions of
+their origin is lost. They are referred to in the
+very earliest accounts of the country that exist,
+as ruins and remains exhibiting the same appearance
+then as they now present, and enveloped in
+the same mystery in respect to their origin.</p>
+
+<p>There are a great many of these old forts in
+different parts of the country, and the thing
+which chiefly characterizes them, and the one
+from which they derive their name, is that the
+stones of which the walls are composed instead
+of being cemented together by mortar, are fused,
+or vitrified, as if by the action of great heat,
+into one continuous mass. It is not possible to
+ascertain the exact nature of this vitrification,
+for the walls of these forts have nearly disappeared,
+leaving only long ridges of ruins, covered
+in the main with earth, and turfed over; and in
+many cases immense trees are growing upon them.
+Portions of the old walls, however, appear here<span class="pagenum" id="Page_180">[180]</span>
+and there above the ground, and by a little digging
+they may be uncovered at any point along
+the line, when the stones, melted together, are
+brought to view.</p>
+
+<p>A great many different suppositions have been
+advanced by antiquarians to account for the
+origin of these works. Some suppose that they
+were erected in times before the use of cement
+was known, and that the people of those days
+resorted to this mode of consolidating their masonry,
+not knowing any other. They think that
+they laid up the wall first in the usual way,
+selecting such stones as would vitrify by heat,
+and then built immense fires against them, and
+kept up the heat by replenishing the fires continually
+until the effect was produced.</p>
+
+<p>It has been supposed that in order to concentrate
+the heat, and economize fuel, the builders
+were accustomed to build a second wall outside
+the first, and very near it, leaving only interval
+enough for the fuel to be laid in.</p>
+
+<p>It must be confessed, however, that some persons
+who have examined these remains, have suggested
+that perhaps the vitrification was not
+produced purposely at all, but was an accidental
+effect, resulting from the building of great beacon
+fires on the hills where the forts stand, perhaps
+long after the forts themselves fell to ruin.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_181">[181]</span>
+It is a fact that the vitrified forts are generally
+situated on commanding elevations. It is also
+a well-known fact that in ancient times it was
+the universal custom, in all this region, to extend
+the alarm through the country in case of
+war, by immense beacon fires built upon the
+hills; and it has been suggested accordingly,
+that it might have been in some accidental way
+like this, and not by any special design and process
+of art, that the vitrification was produced.</p>
+
+<p>Grimkie had read accounts of these forts in
+the different books that he had consulted, and
+was very desirous of visiting one of them. He
+was influenced in this desire, not only by a wish
+to see the fort, but he also wished to procure a
+specimen of the stones fused together to carry
+home, and add to the museum at the Chateau.
+And thus it was that he proposed to his aunt,
+when they were getting into the carriage to go
+and take their ride, that they should drive first
+to the foot of Craig Phadric, and so go up and
+see the fort.</p>
+
+<p>“How high is Craig Phadric?” asked Mrs.
+Morelle. “Is it as high as Ben Nevis?”</p>
+
+<p>“Oh no, Auntie,” replied Grimkie. “It is
+only two or three hundred feet high.”</p>
+
+<p>“Because I don’t feel quite able to undertake
+a second Ben Nevis just yet,” said Mrs. Morelle.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_182">[182]</span></p>
+
+<p>“It will be nothing like Ben Nevis, Auntie,”
+said Grimkie. “They never would make a fortification
+on such a mountain as that. Besides
+you will not be obliged to go any farther than
+you like. If we find it too steep, or too high,
+we can turn back again at any time.”</p>
+
+<p>“Ah!” replied Mrs. Morelle, laughing, “that
+is the way you got me up to the top of Ben
+Nevis, by pretending that I could turn about
+whenever I pleased.”</p>
+
+<p>“Oh no, Auntie! I did not <em>pretend</em>,” said
+Grimkie. “You really <em>could</em> turn about whenever
+you pleased. I think I was very honest
+about it. Though I confess I hoped all the
+time that you would get to the top.”</p>
+
+<p>“Yes,” said Mrs. Morelle, “you were honest,
+and I am very glad that you managed as you
+did, and that it ended in my going to the top of
+the mountain. And we will go to Craig Phadric
+now. I won’t promise to go up, but on the
+way you shall tell us about the vitrified fort, as
+you call it, that we are to see there.”</p>
+
+<p>So they all got into the carriage, and directed
+the coachman to drive to the foot of the Craig
+Phadric.</p>
+
+<p>On the way Grimkie gave his aunt an account
+of the particulars in respect to vitrified forts,
+which have been stated above. His aunt was<span class="pagenum" id="Page_183">[183]</span>
+very much interested in what he said, having
+never heard of the vitrified forts before. She
+became still more interested in the idea of making
+the ascent, when she came to see the hill
+itself, which was in full view as the carriage
+crossed the bridge. It was a high hill, well
+wooded except upon one side, where the rocks
+were exposed to view, naked and precipitous.</p>
+
+<p>After ascending by a winding road for some
+time, the coachman stopped the horses near a
+small farm house, close under the hill, and on
+getting down from the carriage the party saw a
+small path leading through the woods up the
+ascent. They took this path and after following
+it for about ten minutes through various meanderings
+and windings they found themselves
+upon the summit.</p>
+
+<p>Here the remains of the fort lay before them,
+though they were all somewhat disappointed in
+the appearance of them. They had expected to
+see some solid walls with the outside surface of
+them fused into a black and glass-like slag. Instead
+of this, however, there were only long embankments
+of earth, forming an immense parallelogram
+which occupied the whole top of the
+hill. These embankments as well as various
+detached mounds which were connected with
+them in various places in the form of outworks,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_184">[184]</span>
+were almost entirely grassed over, and from the
+firm and compact turf which enveloped them,
+immense trees were growing everywhere. Indeed,
+the whole of the ground occupied by the
+fort was covered with a forest of ancient and
+venerable-looking trees, the effect of which was
+to impart an air of strange solitude and solemnity
+to the scene, which made it extremely impressive.
+Mrs. Morelle said that though she
+was a little disappointed in what she saw, she
+was far more than repaid by what she <em>felt</em>, in
+walking over the ruins, or rather the remains,
+and that she would not on any account have
+failed of visiting the spot.</p>
+
+<p>After rambling about for some time, Grimkie
+at length found several places where portions of
+the old wall were exposed to view, and though
+they were mere shapeless masses of stones that
+he thus found, they appeared to be fused together
+by heat. After pounding among them for
+a while he succeeded in obtaining several good
+specimens of the curious conglomerate, to carry
+with him to America. He selected also a very
+pretty specimen, the smallest that he could find,
+for Florence, and others similar to it for Mrs.
+Morelle and John.</p>
+
+<p>After satisfying themselves with an examination
+of the fort, Grimkie led the way out of the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_185">[185]</span>
+wood toward the brow of the precipice, which
+formed the side of the hill next the town. Here
+they enjoyed a magnificent prospect of the whole
+valley, with the river Ness flowing through the
+center of it, the bridge over it, leading into the
+town, the town itself, and the castle by its side.
+Florence thought that this view was far more
+worth seeing than the fort.</p>
+
+<p>“So do I,” said John. “In fact I don’t think
+much of the fort. I’ve seen just such banks as
+those on the Heights of Dorchester once, when
+I was in Boston.”</p>
+
+<p>“True,” said his mother, “only those were
+not a hundred years old, and these are probably
+two thousand.”</p>
+
+<p>“That does not make any difference in the
+looks of them,” replied John.</p>
+
+<p>“No,” said his mother, “but it makes some
+difference in the <em>feelings</em> with which we regard
+them.”</p>
+
+<p>“It does not make much difference in mine,”
+said John.</p>
+
+<p>Just then John saw something alive running
+off through the woods.</p>
+
+<p>“It is a rabbit,” said he, and he darted off
+at full speed, taking aim at the same time with
+his specimen of the vitrification. Grimkie called
+him to come back, but before he had time to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_186">[186]</span>
+obey the stone flew from his hand through the
+air, and at last struck the trunk of a tree very
+near where the rabbit had disappeared, and rebounded
+from it with great force.</p>
+
+<p>“Johnnie!” said Grimkie, speaking in a very
+stern voice. “It is very lucky for you that you
+did not hit that rabbit.”</p>
+
+<p>“Why so?” asked John.</p>
+
+<p>“If you had hit him and killed him, you
+would have been a poacher. Any body that
+kills any kind of game in this country, unless
+the owner of the land gives him leave, is a
+poacher. Did not you ever read the story of
+Black Giles the Poacher?”</p>
+
+<p>“Yes,” said John; “but he did things a
+great deal worse than killing rabbits out in the
+woods. I tell you these rabbits don’t belong to
+any body. I don’t believe the <em>land</em> here belongs
+to any body. It is <em>wild</em> land.”</p>
+
+<p>“We should find that it belonged to some
+body,” replied Grimkie, “if people should catch
+us killing rabbits here.”</p>
+
+<p>John had a sort of instinctive feeling that
+Grimkie was right, but he consoled himself for
+his discomfiture in the argument by saying
+that at any rate he came within one of hitting
+the rabbit.</p>
+
+<p>The subject here dropped, as the reporters in<span class="pagenum" id="Page_187">[187]</span>
+Parliament say, and the whole party returned
+down the hill.</p>
+
+<p>“Now, Auntie,” said Grimkie, as they rode
+back to the hotel, “the clerk said we must be at
+the stage office at a quarter before eight. Would
+you like to ride there?”</p>
+
+<p>“If it is not far,” said his aunt, “we can
+walk just as well, and so we shall see more of
+the town.”</p>
+
+<p>“Yes,” said Grimkie, “I should like that, and
+Mr. Boots will carry our luggage for us.”</p>
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop">
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_188">[188]</span></p>
+
+<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XIV">CHAPTER XIV.</h2>
+</div>
+
+<p class="center">NIGHT RIDE BY DAYLIGHT.</p>
+
+
+<p>A little before eight o’clock that evening,
+the whole party proceeded on foot from the hotel
+to the stage office. The porter of the hotel
+went with them, taking the trunk and some
+smaller parcels. The coach soon came out in
+front of the office, the trunk and the parcels
+were put upon the roof. Mrs. Morelle and
+Florence took their places inside, while Grimkie
+and John mounted to the top, and established
+themselves upon a long cushioned seat, which
+extended from one side of the coach to the other,
+directly behind the coachman.</p>
+
+<p>Instead of a rack behind, as in American
+stage-coaches, there was a sort of box, with a
+door opening into it, for the mail bags, and seats
+above, over the back part of the coach. One of
+these seats is occupied by the man who has care
+of the mails, and who is called the guard. The
+other seats are for such passengers as choose to
+ride there. Grimkie and John, however, chose<span class="pagenum" id="Page_189">[189]</span>
+to ride on the forward seat, so that they could
+see before them as they rode along.</p>
+
+<p>The coach drove first through the village and
+stopped at the post-office to take the mails, where
+quite a little crowd of men and boys assembled
+to witness the setting off. The horses were soon
+in motion again, the coachman cracking his whip
+with a very smart air, as the wheels ran rapidly
+over the pavement. From their elevated seat,
+Grimkie and John could look down with great
+advantage upon every thing around them. They
+soon came to the end of the pavement, and then
+the horses trotted and cantered swiftly along
+over a hard and smooth road, across the canal
+by a beautiful bridge, and then on among green
+fields, through turnpike gates, and along the
+walls of gardens, and parks, and pleasure-grounds,
+while pretty cottages, and porters’
+lodges, and green hedges, and milestones, and
+peasant girls, going or returning from milking,
+and a thousand other such objects as mark the
+rural scenery of Scotland in a summer evening,
+glided by them in rapid succession.</p>
+
+<p>In the distance all around them lofty mountains
+were seen, the summits of some of them
+covered with snow, and the sun still high in the
+sky in the northwest, though half concealed by<span class="pagenum" id="Page_190">[190]</span>
+golden clouds, promised to accompany and cheer
+them on their journey for a long time.</p>
+
+<p>“It is after eight o’clock,” said Grimkie, “and
+see how high the sun is!”</p>
+
+<p>“Very high,” said John. “I don’t believe
+the sun will set before ten o’clock.”</p>
+
+<p>“Yes, the sun sets here a little after nine,”
+said Grimkie.</p>
+
+<p>“How do you know?” asked John.</p>
+
+<p>“I looked in a Glasgow almanac,” replied
+Grimkie. “The sun sets in Glasgow one or two
+minutes after nine to night, and here it must be
+some minutes later, for we are two or three degrees
+farther north.”</p>
+
+<p>“I don’t see why that is any reason,” said John.</p>
+
+<p>“Oh that is very plain,” rejoined Grimkie.
+“Don’t you see that we are going round over the
+curvature of the earth toward the north?”</p>
+
+<p>As he said this, Grimkie made a gesture with
+his hand, pushing it out before him in a manner
+to denote a motion in advance over the curved
+surface of a ball.</p>
+
+<p>“Yes,” said John.</p>
+
+<p>“And don’t you see that the sun is going down
+over the roundness of the earth in the same direction?”</p>
+
+<p>“Yes,” said John, “almost in the north—in
+the north<em>west</em>.”</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_191">[191]</span></p>
+
+<p>“Then don’t you perceive,” added Grimkie,
+“that the farther we go, on the same course that
+he is going, the longer we can see him?”</p>
+
+<p>“Ah yes,” said John. “And that is the reason
+why we shall see the sun longer here to-night
+than they will in Glasgow.”</p>
+
+<p>“Exactly,” said Grimkie.</p>
+
+<p>In the meantime the horses, having been now
+trotting and galloping for about an hour over the
+hard and smooth road, were brought up by the
+coachman somewhat suddenly at the door of an
+inn in a small village, in order to be changed.
+The coachman descended from his seat, the post-boys
+led out the fresh horses from the stable of
+the inn, and the guard took the mail bags which
+were to be left at that place out of his box, and
+threw them down into the road.</p>
+
+<p>Grimkie availed himself of this opportunity to
+inquire after the welfare of his aunt and cousin.
+He leaned over as far as he could on one side,
+toward the coach window below, and called out:</p>
+
+<p>“Auntie, are you getting along pretty well?”</p>
+
+<p>Immediately Florence’s head appeared at the
+window.</p>
+
+<p>“Grimkie,” said she, “where are we?”</p>
+
+<p>“We have stopped to change horses,” said
+Grimkie.</p>
+
+<p>“Already?” said Florence.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_192">[192]</span></p>
+
+<p>“Yes,” said Grimkie. “When the horses go
+so fast they have to be changed very often. Have
+you got a good seat?”</p>
+
+<p>“An excellent seat,” said Florence. “I have
+got a window all to myself.”</p>
+
+<p>“And can you see the country?” asked Grimkie.</p>
+
+<p>“Oh, yes!” said Florence, “I can see it
+beautifully, I have got one window and mother
+has got the other.”</p>
+
+<p>“And mother says,” she added, after turning
+her head a moment, “that you and Johnnie
+must be careful not to fall off.”</p>
+
+<p>“There is no danger, tell her,” replied Grimkie.
+“We have good safe seats, with an iron
+railing at the two ends to keep us in.”</p>
+
+<p>By this time the fresh horses were put in, and
+the coachman having mounted to his place again,
+the coach was soon rolling on along the road,
+faster even than before.</p>
+
+<p>Soon after this the sun went down, but the
+clouds which he left behind him in the western
+sky, were for a time almost as bright as he himself
+had been, so that at half past nine there
+seemed to be no sensible diminution of the light
+of day. The track of the sun too, in going down,
+was so oblique to the horizon, that even at half-past
+ten his distance below it was very small,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_193">[193]</span>
+and Grimkie and John could see the country
+all about them, and the time by their watches,
+and the places through which they were passing,
+just as well almost as ever.</p>
+
+<p>From half-past ten to eleven there was still
+very little change. The children were all playing
+in the streets of the villages that they passed,
+and groups of men and boys had collected at the
+doors of the inns where they stopped, as they
+would have done at half-past seven or eight
+o’clock in a summer evening in America. Even
+the hens did not seem to know that it was night,
+for they were rambling about, and scratching at
+every unusual appearance on the grounds, as
+briskly as in any part of the day.</p>
+
+<p>“I don’t see how the children know when to
+go to bed,” said John.</p>
+
+<p>“Or the hens either,” said Grimkie. “A
+Connecticut rooster I should think would be
+greatly mystified here. He would not lead his
+hens off to roost until he saw it growing dark,—and
+then if he began to crow again as soon as he
+saw any light, he would not give them any time
+to sleep at all.”</p>
+
+<p>After eleven o’clock the boys found that at
+each succeeding village or hamlet that they came
+to fewer and fewer people appeared, until at
+length at twelve, and between twelve and one,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_194">[194]</span>
+the country seemed deserted, and yet the light
+continued. It was a strange thing, the boys
+thought, to drive into a village in broad day-light,
+and to find the streets silent and solitary,
+and without a person being visible at any door
+or window; and still more sometimes, when
+they stopped to change horses, to see that the
+coachman was obliged to knock upon the stable-door
+to wake the ostlers up, while by the aspect
+of the whole scene around, there was nothing
+that betokened night.</p>
+
+<p>It was not much after midnight when the
+coach arrived at the Mickle Ferry. The Mickle
+Ferry means the <em>great</em> ferry. It is so called to
+distinguish it from another smaller one in the
+neighborhood called the Little Ferry. The
+Mickle Ferry passes across a narrow part of the
+Dornoch Firth, as may be seen by the map.
+The firth is a mile or two wide, at the ferry, and
+is crossed in a large flat-bottomed sail-boat, sufficient
+to convey the passengers and their luggage
+in perfect safety,——but not large enough for
+the coach.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_195">[195]</span></p>
+
+<p>The coach was accordingly to be left on the
+hither side of the ferry, another being provided
+on the farther side, to receive the passengers at
+the landing and take them on.</p>
+
+<p class="p2"></p>
+<div class="chapter">
+<div class="figcenter" id="i_195a">
+<img src="images/i_195a.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="432">
+<p class="caption center">CROSSING THE MICKLE FERRY.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+<p class="p2"></p>
+
+<p>The company in the coach, accordingly, on<span class="pagenum" id="Page_197">[197]</span>
+arriving at the margin of the water, descended
+from the coach and walked down the sloping
+pier to the boat, and went on board. Mrs.
+Morelle had felt some apprehension at the idea
+of crossing a wide ferry in an open boat at midnight,
+but she found, on arriving at the spot,
+that there was no occasion for alarm. The boat
+was very wide, and appeared very steady; and
+as to midnight,—it might as well have been eight
+o’clock of a bright summer evening at home. It
+is true that the sun was entirely below the horizon,
+but the whole northern sky was brightly
+illuminated by his beams, and so light was it
+upon the water, that Grimkie said that if he
+had a newspaper, he would amuse them during
+the passage by reading the news.</p>
+
+<p>The boat was wafted very rapidly, but yet
+with a very smooth and gentle motion, across
+the water. The passengers landed on the farther
+side, and the luggage was taken out, and in a
+few minutes the new coach was seen coming
+rapidly down the road toward the landing place
+in order to receive the travellers and convey
+them onward.</p>
+
+<p>Mrs. Morelle now proposed that the two boys
+should get inside, but they were extremely
+desirous to continue upon the top, and as the
+coachman assured Mrs. Morelle that the seat<span class="pagenum" id="Page_198">[198]</span>
+was perfectly safe for them, even if they should
+fall asleep, she consented that they should
+remain. Besides it was now after one o’clock,
+and it was growing lighter quite fast. In a little
+more than an hour, as Grimkie calculated, it
+would be nearly sunrise.</p>
+
+<p>The country now became very picturesque
+and wild, the sea being brought continually into
+full view as the horses trotted swiftly round the
+curves of the road, following the undulations of
+the coast. At one place it descended by a winding
+and zigzag way into an immense ravine a
+mile or two across. The sides of the ravine
+were covered with forest, and there was a river
+and a village at the bottom of it.</p>
+
+<p>After traversing this ravine, the road followed
+the line of the coast, passing by many great castles,
+and presenting here and there magnificent
+views of the sea. Mrs. Morelle and Florence
+lost some of these views, for they fell asleep;
+and even John, upon the top, nodded several
+times, though he insisted, whenever Grimkie
+asked him about it, that he was not in the least
+sleepy.</p>
+
+<p>At length, toward noon of Friday, the coach
+arrived safely at Wick.</p>
+
+<p>The passengers were all very glad to reach the
+termination of their ride, for though it was a<span class="pagenum" id="Page_199">[199]</span>
+very delightful one, it was long, and the fact
+that the night was not dark made it seem longer
+even than it was. At least, so John thought.
+He said it seemed like two long days together,
+without any night between.</p>
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop">
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_200">[200]</span></p>
+
+<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XV">CHAPTER XV.</h2>
+</div>
+
+<p class="center">THE PRINCE CONSORT.</p>
+
+
+<p>Grimkie and John had both been very curious
+to see how Wick would look, and they watched
+for the first appearance of it with great interest.
+It proved to be a small and ancient looking
+town, built very compactly of gray stone, and
+situated at the bottom of a small bay which
+here sets in from the sea. In front of it was a
+little port formed by two piers built out into the
+water, and curved in such a manner as to enclose
+a considerable space of smooth water, with a
+small opening between the two ends of them, to
+allow the fishing boats to pass in and out. As
+usual in such cases there was a light-house on
+the end of one of these piers.</p>
+
+<p>“The very first thing we will do, Grimkie,”
+said John, “will be to go down to the piers and
+see the fishing boats.”</p>
+
+<p>“After breakfast,” said Grimkie.</p>
+
+<p>It was now nearly noon and the party had had
+no breakfast, excepting some cakes and oranges<span class="pagenum" id="Page_201">[201]</span>
+which Grimkie had brought in his knapsack,
+and which they ate very early in the morning.</p>
+
+<p>The coach drove rapidly into the town, and
+stopped at the door of a snug and neat-looking
+inn, where Grimkie soon engaged rooms and
+ordered breakfast. The weather was cool, too,
+and Mrs. Morelle requested the waiter to have a
+good fire made in their sitting-room. In half
+an hour the breakfast was ready, and about the
+same time all the members of the party, having
+in the meanwhile been occupied, in their several
+rooms, in making their toilet, were ready to eat
+it. Of course their appetites were very eager,
+and as the breakfast was an excellent one, consisting
+of fresh herring nicely fried, beef-steaks,
+eggs, hot rolls, toast, coffee with plenty of hot
+milk and cream, fresh butter, and other such
+niceties, they all enjoyed the repast exceedingly.</p>
+
+<p>“What a nice thing a really good breakfast
+is,” said Florence, “when we have waited long
+enough for it to get completely hungry.”</p>
+
+<p>Pretty soon after breakfast they all went out
+to take a walk to see the town, and the pier.
+They first walked along through the principal
+street, looking into the shops to see if there was
+anything new or curious in them which it would
+be well to buy as souvenirs. Then they went
+down to the water, in order to see the pier. It<span class="pagenum" id="Page_202">[202]</span>
+was rather to please the two boys that they did
+this, but still Mrs. Morelle was very willing to
+go, for she was curious to see what the accommodations
+were for going on board the steamer
+in case she should conclude to embark the next
+morning.</p>
+
+<p>They found that the piers were each very wide.
+On the inside of the enclosure formed by them
+was a range of vessels and fishing boats, which were
+moored to rings, and massive piles, on the margin
+of the pier, and near them were cranes and other
+such fixtures used for discharging cargoes. Then
+came a broad space to land goods upon, and beyond
+a road for carts and wagons. All this was
+upon the top of the pier, and on the outside was a
+high parapet wall to protect the platform and road-way,
+above described, from the wind and the sea.</p>
+
+<p>Thus in walking along the road-way upon the
+piers, one could see the fishing boats and vessels
+within the port, and witness all the operations
+going on there, but the view seaward was intercepted
+by the parapet wall.</p>
+
+<p>Mrs. Morelle was well satisfied with the appearance
+of the port, and with the probable facilities
+for going on board the steamer, which she
+supposed would come inside, so as to allow the
+passengers to go on board by means of a broad
+plank.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_203">[203]</span></p>
+
+<p>The weather, too, was very fine, and she presumed
+that the sea was smooth. She had an
+opportunity soon of ascertaining this point, for
+on arriving at the end of one of the piers there
+were steps leading up to a lookout upon the
+top of the parapet wall, and she asked Grimkie
+to go up there and look out to sea, and make a
+report of the appearance of things.</p>
+
+<p>Grimkie did so and reported that the surface of
+the water was smooth as glass, as far as he could
+see.</p>
+
+<p>“Then,” said she, “if there is no change
+before night we will go.”</p>
+
+<p>Mrs. Morelle and Florence soon returned to
+the hotel, but the boys spent most of the afternoon
+in rambling about the pier, examining the
+fishing boats, talking with the fishermen, and
+watching the various operations which were
+going on in the port. When they went home to
+tea, Grimkie asked what time the steamer would
+come the next morning, and the porter informed
+him that she was due about two o’clock, but
+that there was some uncertainty in respect to
+the time of her arrival. He said, however, that
+she would remain some hours at Wick, and that
+he would call them an hour before it would be
+time for them to go on board.</p>
+
+<p>The whole party went to bed in good season,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_204">[204]</span>
+both because they had so little sleep the night
+before, and also because they were to be called
+up so early the following morning.</p>
+
+<p>It was about half-past one when the porter
+knocked at their doors to waken them. It was
+light enough to dress without candles, and they
+were all soon ready. When they came down to
+the door they found the porter there with a barrow.
+The baggage was put upon the barrow,
+and the porter set forward, followed by the party
+of travellers on foot. It was a bright and pleasant
+morning, and the air was calm. Mrs. Morelle
+was greatly pleased by the prospect before
+her.</p>
+
+<p>After walking through several streets, they
+came to the pier but Mrs. Morelle looked in vain
+for the steamer.</p>
+
+<p>“Why, Grimkie!” she exclaimed in surprise,
+“where is the steamer?”</p>
+
+<p>“She must be out <em>there</em>,” said Grimkie, pointing
+as he spoke to a column of smoke which was
+seen rising into the air over and beyond the parapet
+wall.</p>
+
+<p>“And how are we going to get on board?”
+asked Mrs. Morelle.</p>
+
+<p>“It must be that we are going in a boat,”
+said Grimkie, “but you won’t mind that,
+Auntie.”</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_205">[205]</span></p>
+
+<p>Mrs. Morelle saw at a glance that it was too
+late now to retreat, and she had the good sense
+to go forward boldly, acting upon the excellent
+principle, that when there is anything disagreeable
+before us which must be done, it is just as
+well to do it with a good grace.</p>
+
+<p>Mrs. Morelle found, moreover, as we often do
+in such cases, that the difficulties which she anticipated
+disappeared as she approached them.
+At a certain part of the pier, not far from the
+entrance, there was a flight of stone steps leading
+down to the water. The boat which was to
+take the passengers to the steamer lay at the
+bottom of these steps. There was a small party
+of passengers immediately preceding Mrs. Morelle
+and her company. Seeing them go down
+at once, Mrs. Morelle followed, and all were soon
+safe on board the boat, seated in the stern. The
+trunks and other packages were then handed
+down and placed in the bows.</p>
+
+<p>After waiting some little time for other passengers
+who were seen coming along the pier,
+the boat put off and was rowed easily out
+through the opening, and there the steamer
+came into full view. They were soon alongside
+of it, and without any difficulty ascended to the
+deck.</p>
+
+<p>It was now nearly sunrise, but everything was<span class="pagenum" id="Page_206">[206]</span>
+very quiet on board the steamer. The children
+seemed quite inclined to remain on deck to see
+what would take place, but Mrs. Morelle wished
+first to go below and find her berth or her stateroom.
+So they all went down.</p>
+
+<p>They descended a short and winding stair-way,
+and at the bottom of it entered the cabin. On
+each side of the cabin, near the entrance to it,
+there was a row of three or four staterooms
+partitioned off, which made the cabin itself in
+this part, comparatively narrow. It was wide
+enough, however, for two long tables which
+stood here, with comfortable cushioned seats on
+each side of them.</p>
+
+<p>Beyond the staterooms the cabin widened to
+the whole breadth of the ship, and was terminated
+toward the stern in a great semicircular
+sweep, with two tiers of wide and soft sofas,
+covered with crimson plush. The two tiers
+were parallel to each other, one above and back
+of the first, like the seats of an amphitheatre,
+and almost all the sofas were occupied by passengers,
+more or less covered with blankets and
+fast asleep. There were also some sleepers lying
+upon the sofas near the tables in the narrow
+part of the cabin, The sleepers seemed all to
+be men, except that there were one or two whose
+faces had a feminine expression, and Grimkie<span class="pagenum" id="Page_207">[207]</span>
+could not tell whether they were young women,
+or very pretty boys.</p>
+
+<p>“Where is the ladies’ cabin?” asked Mrs.
+Morelle, turning to the stewardess, who had
+met the party at the foot of the stairs and followed
+them into the cabin.</p>
+
+<p>“Here it is, madam,” said the stewardess.
+“But it is pretty full.”</p>
+
+<p>So saying, the stewardess led the way to a
+passage behind the stairs, and there, pulling
+aside a certain screen before a door, she disclosed
+a room in the sides of which were berths, and
+on the floor sofas, cots, and beds made of
+cushions, all of which were filled with female
+sleepers lying in all imaginable attitudes. Mrs.
+Morelle and Florence turned back immediately.
+It was evident that there was very little room
+for them there.</p>
+
+<p>“Is not there any stateroom for us?” asked
+Mrs. Morelle.</p>
+
+<p>“Oh yes,” said the stewardess. And she at
+once led the way back to the main cabin, and
+there, opening one of the doors on the side, not
+far from the entrance, she ushered Mrs. Morelle
+and Florence into a very nice and bright-looking
+stateroom.</p>
+
+<p>“Ah!” exclaimed Mrs. Morelle, the moment
+that she saw the interior of it, speaking in a<span class="pagenum" id="Page_208">[208]</span>
+tone of great satisfaction. “This is exactly
+what we want. Here is a berth for you and one
+for me. It is <em>exactly</em> what we want.”</p>
+
+<p>“I suppose there is something extra for the
+stateroom,” she added, turning to the stewardess.</p>
+
+<p>“Four shillings each,” said the stewardess.</p>
+
+<p>“We will take it,” said Mrs. Morelle. “And
+as for you, boys, you must find places to sleep on
+the sofas in the cabin. We can’t afford a stateroom
+for you.”</p>
+
+<p>“We don’t <em>want</em> any stateroom, mother,”
+said John. “I would a great deal rather sleep
+in the cabin.”</p>
+
+<p>So the boys went to the cabin, and all four of
+the party were soon in their several berths or
+upon their sofas sound asleep. The steamer was
+quiet and still, except the slight jarring sensation
+produced by the paddles after she began to
+move through the water, and the passengers all
+continued to sleep after this for several hours,
+for although it was near sunrise when Mrs. Morelle
+and her party came on board, still, in respect
+to the time for sleeping, it was not much
+past the middle of the night.</p>
+
+<p>There began to be a movement for getting up
+in the gentleman’s cabin about seven o’clock,
+and soon after this time Grimkie and John rose
+and went on deck. There they took out their<span class="pagenum" id="Page_209">[209]</span>
+maps and endeavored by calculation of the distance
+which they had run, and the bearing of
+the land which was in sight, to find out where
+they were.</p>
+
+<p>One of the passengers who saw what they
+were doing, came and informed them that a certain
+large island which they were passing was
+Ronaldsay, one of the Orkneys, and that the
+land beyond it which extended in both directions
+as far as they could see, was another of the
+islands, and that the steamer would arrive at
+Kirkwall in about two hours. They found out
+the name of the steamer too,—the <em>Prince Consort</em>.
+She was named thus in honor of Prince
+Albert, the consort of the queen.</p>
+
+<p>The boys remained on deck watching the land
+as cape after cape and headland after headland
+came into view, for an hour more, and then
+Grimkie sent John down to knock at his mother’s
+stateroom door, and tell her that they
+were drawing near to Kirkwall.</p>
+
+<p>In about half an hour after receiving this
+summons, Mrs. Morelle and Florence came upon
+deck.</p>
+
+<p>The steamer had turned in now among the
+islands, where the water was sheltered and
+smooth as in a river, and the views on every side
+were enchanting. The principal islands were so<span class="pagenum" id="Page_210">[210]</span>
+large that they looked like portions of the main
+land, and they presented an appearance of verdure
+and beauty impossible to describe. Great
+fields of the richest green, separated from each
+other by hedges neatly trimmed, or by substantial
+walls, extended in every direction as far as
+the eye could reach, while elegant villas, and
+spacious farm-houses, and rows of cottages appearing
+here and there, diversified the scene.
+The fields in many cases sloped down smoothly
+and beautifully to the water’s edge. In other
+places the line of the coast was formed of rocky
+cliffs with the surf of the sea rolling in at the
+base of them, and far in the interior lofty mountains
+were seen marking their dim blue outline
+upon the sky.</p>
+
+<p>“Well, Grimkie,” said Mrs. Morelle, “what
+do you think of the Orkneys?”</p>
+
+<p>“I don’t think much of them,” said Grimkie,
+with an air of disappointment. “The sea is as
+smooth, and the country is as beautiful, as any
+where in England. I don’t believe the Norsemen
+had very hard times after all.”</p>
+
+<p>“Ah!” said Mrs. Morelle, “you ought to be
+here in January, when there is as little day as
+there is night now.”</p>
+
+<p>The cabin and the deck of the steamer was
+soon all in a bustle in consequence of the preparations<span class="pagenum" id="Page_211">[211]</span>
+which were made by the Orkney passengers
+to land. The steamer turned in more and
+more among the islands, until at last she approached
+Kirkwall, which was situated, like
+Wick, at the bottom of a small bay, and had a
+port formed of two piers for the protection of
+fishing boats and other small vessels. The
+steamer came to anchor outside this port. Boats
+came out to receive the passengers and their luggage.
+In these boats they were all conveyed
+within the port, and landed at a small pier sloping
+down to the water’s edge.</p>
+
+<p>Here a number of porters were assembled to
+take the luggage of the passengers into the town.
+There were no carriages. A group of islands is
+not the region in which carriages are likely to be
+multiplied. Grimkie selected from among the
+porters one who had an honest face, and giving
+him the trunk asked him to lead the way to the
+hotel. The porter went on into a very narrow
+street—the width of it being barely sufficient for
+a single carriage—between ancient stone buildings
+which had more the appearance of prisons
+than houses—so few were the windows, and so
+deep were they sunk into the massive walls—and
+thus they arrived at the hotel.</p>
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop">
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_212">[212]</span></p>
+
+<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XVI">CHAPTER XVI.</h2>
+</div>
+
+<p class="center">KIRKWALL.</p>
+
+
+<p>The hotel at Kirkwall, when it first came into
+view, presented a very unpromising appearance.
+It was built upon a little paved court, the front,
+containing the entrance being at the back side
+of the court, and two wings one on each side
+extending forward to the street. A low wall,
+with two gateways through it, extended along
+the line of the street from one of these wings to
+the other.</p>
+
+<p>The building itself, like all the buildings in
+the town, was formed of very thick and massive
+walls of stone, with windows set in so far back
+in the wall, that the sashes scarcely appeared in
+view. Indeed in looking along the street the
+windows of the houses appeared only as openings
+in the wall, as if the buildings were so many
+stone barns.</p>
+
+<p>On entering the hotel, however, the scene was
+entirely changed. The waiter conducted the
+party up to the second story, and ushered them
+at once into a large and handsomely furnished<span class="pagenum" id="Page_213">[213]</span>
+room. There was a bright fire blazing in the
+grate, and a polished mahogany dining-table in
+the middle of the floor, and arm-chairs, and
+sofas, and carpets, and curtains to the windows,
+and tables in the corners covered with books,
+and stands of flower-pots with flowers in full
+bloom, and many other nameless conveniences
+and elegancies which are comprised in the idea
+of a comfortable parlor in an English inn.</p>
+
+<p>“Ah, Florence!” exclaimed Mrs. Morelle.
+“This is just the place for us. How glad I am
+to see the fire. I did not know I was so cold.”</p>
+
+<p>The chambermaid came soon to show the
+ladies their chamber, and Mrs. Morelle when she
+went into hers, asked Grimkie to order the best
+breakfast that he could get for them. In half
+an hour the breakfast was ready, and very soon
+after breakfast the whole party set out to take a
+walk and see the town.</p>
+
+<p>They found that the town consisted chiefly of
+a very long and narrow street, which followed
+the curvature of the shore. It was very narrow,
+and seemed intended almost exclusively for foot-passengers.
+There was only a narrow track in
+the center of it—about two feet wide, that is,
+just wide enough for one horse—that was paved
+like a street. The rest of the space on each side<span class="pagenum" id="Page_214">[214]</span>
+was covered with flag stones for foot-passengers.
+Thus the street was almost all sidewalk.</p>
+
+<p>“We may know by the narrowness of the
+streets and by the looks of the houses that they
+have dreadful gales of wind and storms here in
+the winter,” said Grimkie. “See what thick
+walls, and what little windows and how few!
+See how deep the windows are set in the walls,
+so that the gales may not get at them to burst
+them in!”</p>
+
+<p>The party walked on for some time, following
+the windings of the street, and looking in at the
+shop windows to see what sort of things there
+were to sell. At one place they saw some views
+in the Orkneys, hanging at the window of a
+print shop. There was a view of some of the
+coast scenery, with lofty mountains rising abruptly
+out of the sea, and tremendous precipices.
+There was a view also of the town of Kirkwall,
+and one of Stromness, a place upon the opposite
+side of the island. But the picture which most
+attracted the attention of Mrs. Morelle and
+Florence, was one of the Stones of Stennis.
+It was a view of an open plain in a wild and
+desolate country, with a range of gigantic stones,
+like immense tombstones, set up in the ground.</p>
+
+<p>“What is this?” asked Mrs. Morelle; “what
+are the stones of Stennis?”</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_215">[215]</span></p>
+
+<p>“Ah, that is something very curious,” replied
+Grimkie. “I read an account of them. They
+are on the road to Stromness. We must go to
+see them.”</p>
+
+<p>“They look like the pictures I have seen of
+Stonehenge,” said Florence.</p>
+
+<p>“They are like Stonehenge,” said Grimkie.</p>
+
+<p>After going along a little farther, the party
+came to a sort of open space in which there was
+an immense cathedral, old and ruinous, though it
+bore marks of having been recently repaired.
+Mrs. Morelle was much surprised to see this edifice.
+She wondered how there could ever have
+been any occasion for a structure of such magnitude
+in so remote a region, and still more how it
+could ever have been built. But the truth is that
+the earls of Orkney, who formerly ruled over the
+islands like sovereign princes, were at one time
+very wealthy and powerful, and there was a time
+moreover, during the period in which the Catholic
+religion was in the ascendency in these countries,
+when the cathedrals and abbeys, and monasteries
+which were built in the north of Scotland,
+and in the islands adjacent, were of the
+grandest and most gorgeous description.</p>
+
+<p>“Would you like to go in and see the cathedral,
+Auntie?” asked Grimkie.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_216">[216]</span></p>
+
+<p>“Do they have service in it on Sunday?” rejoined
+Mrs. Morelle.</p>
+
+<p>“In one end of it,” said Grimkie. “One end
+is finished off for a church. The rest of it is
+empty.”</p>
+
+<p>“Then we shall see it to-morrow when we go
+to church,” replied Mrs. Morelle, “and that will
+be better. I like to see such places better when
+the people are in them.”</p>
+
+<p>The stones with which the cathedral had been
+repaired were of a red color, which gave them the
+appearance of monstrous bricks. They were
+really of sandstone, though of a bright color.
+John said that he read in a guide book that they
+were obtained from a quarry in a cliff which was
+named Red Head.</p>
+
+<p>Near the cathedral were the ruins of two ancient
+palaces, the bishop’s and the earl’s. These
+ruins were very ancient and venerable, and Mrs.
+Morelle and Florence were greatly interested in
+walking about them, and looking up to the ivy
+covered battlements and towers. It was melancholy
+to look upon these utterly abandoned ruins.
+The air of desolation and solitude which reigned
+around them was greater than Mrs. Morelle had
+ever observed in any ruins before. In England
+there are many remains of ancient edifices, but
+they are all objects of great interest to tourists,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_217">[217]</span>
+and are visited by great numbers of people, for
+whose benefit the grounds are kept in order, and
+a certain degree of life is imparted to the scene.
+But these old palaces seemed not only to have
+outlived their possessors and occupants, but to
+have been utterly forsaken and forgotten by all
+the world, and an air of solitude and desolation
+reigned around them that it would be impossible
+to describe.</p>
+
+<p>After passing by the ruins of the palaces, Mrs.
+Morelle and the children found themselves coming
+out into the country at a place where the
+road ascended a hill. They concluded to continue
+their walk until they reached the summit,
+in order to take a survey of the situation of
+Kirkwall, and of the surrounding country. So
+they walked slowly on, stopping occasionally
+to look at objects of interest, or to talk with
+the peasant women whom they met in the road,
+or found standing at their cottage doors.</p>
+
+<p>They asked one of these women about their
+mode of life in the winter. Among other questions
+they asked her if the days were not very
+short at that season of the year.</p>
+
+<p>“Yes,” said she, “very short. In fact there
+is not much of any day in the winter, and it is
+always snowing, or blowing, or raining, or something
+else, so that there is not much chance to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_218">[218]</span>
+work upon the land. So the men stay in the
+barns a great deal, and thrash the grain, and do
+other such things, by the light of lanterns.”</p>
+
+<p>“But I should think the ground would be
+frozen up in the winter,” said Grimkie, “and
+that that would prevent working on the land.”</p>
+
+<p>“No,” said the woman. “The ground does
+not freeze much. We can always work on the
+land when it is good weather.”</p>
+
+<p>“That’s very strange,” said Grimkie, “so far
+north as this.”</p>
+
+<p>“And is not the ground covered with snow?”
+asked Mrs. Morelle.</p>
+
+<p>“Not much,” said the woman. “It snows
+very often, but the snow does not lie on the
+ground much.”</p>
+
+<p>“And don’t you travel in sleighs here in the
+winter then?” asked John.</p>
+
+<p>“Sleighs?” repeated the woman, looking puzzled,
+“what are they?”</p>
+
+<p>“Sledges perhaps you call them,” suggested
+Mrs. Morelle.</p>
+
+<p>“No,” replied the woman. “We never use
+sledges. But they do in some countries I’ve
+heard tell.”</p>
+
+<p>After reaching the top of the hill, the party
+stopped to take a survey of the country around,
+and a very magnificent spectacle presented itself<span class="pagenum" id="Page_219">[219]</span>
+to view. The land extended in every direction
+farther than they could see, but it was
+divided and separated into so many portions by
+bays, straits, inlets, and channels formed by the
+sea, that the view exhibited as charming a combination
+of land and water as could possibly be
+imagined. The islands which were near were
+formed of green and fertile slopes of land, of
+marvelous beauty, with pretty dells and vales
+opening here and there among them, and hamlets
+and villages, and farm-houses, and gentlemen’s
+seats, dotting the country in every direction.
+Toward the west ranges of lofty mountains
+were seen. Grimkie took out his map and
+a little pocket compass which he had, and endeavored
+to ascertain the names of some of the
+highest peaks, by the bearings and distances of
+them. He pointed out in what direction they
+would go in their ride to Stromness, and where
+the Stones of Stennis were,—though the spot
+was not actually in view, being concealed by an
+intervening mountain.</p>
+
+<p>They saw great numbers of cattle and sheep
+feeding on the hill sides in every direction. Indeed
+cattle and sheep are the staple productions
+of the Orkney Islands. The climate is so wet
+that the grass grows luxuriantly, and notwithstanding
+the high latitude the air is so tempered<span class="pagenum" id="Page_220">[220]</span>
+by the influence of the surrounding seas that it
+continues green nearly all the year.</p>
+
+<p>To the west and south, lofty mountains were
+seen, in the distance. Grimkie and John were
+greatly taken with the view of these mountains.
+They concluded that they must lie at the south
+of Stromness.</p>
+
+<p>“When we go to Stromness we will go up to
+the top of them, Johnnie,” said Grimkie.</p>
+
+<p>John very readily assented to this proposal,
+and Florence said that they must take her too.</p>
+
+<p>After remaining upon the top of the hill until
+they were satisfied with studying the localities
+which were in sight, and with admiring the different
+views, they all descended again, and returned
+to the hotel. Instead, however, of going
+back through the main street, they took another
+course which led them along the margin of the
+water. Here they saw the piers which formed
+the little port, and the fishing boats lying inside
+of them, and many other curious things. Among
+other objects that arrested their attention was a
+small hut near the shore, the roof of which was
+made of an old boat turned upside down. The
+boat was supported by walls of stone which
+formed the sides of the hut, and there was a
+door in front to go in by. John was so much
+pleased with this curious hut that he took paper<span class="pagenum" id="Page_221">[221]</span>
+and a pencil out of his pocket in order to draw
+it, and he remained behind, to make his sketch,
+while the rest of the party went on; so that he
+did not return to the hotel until some time after
+the others arrived.</p>
+
+<p>He had, however, made a very pretty drawing—so
+pretty that Florence asked him to copy it
+in ink in her journal book, which John readily
+promised to do.</p>
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop">
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_222">[222]</span></p>
+
+<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XVII">CHAPTER XVII.</h2>
+</div>
+
+<p class="center">THE STONES OF STENNIS.</p>
+
+
+<p>Mrs. Morelle and her party remained many
+days at the Orkney Islands, and during this
+time they made a number of excursions, some
+in a carriage and some on foot. The only carriage,
+however, which they could obtain was a
+dog-cart, which was anything but a comfortable
+vehicle for ladies going out upon an excursion
+for pleasure. Indeed Florence expressed the
+opinion, that however well adapted it might be
+for the conveyance of dogs, it was the worst contrived
+vehicle for human beings that she ever
+saw. The only redeeming quality which it possessed
+was that in case it rained one umbrella
+would cover the whole company—after a fashion.</p>
+
+<p>In this dog-cart they went to visit the Stones
+of Stennis. The road was most excellent all
+the way, being macadamized in a most perfect
+manner, so that it was as smooth as a gravel
+walk in a gentleman’s park. The country, however,
+through which it passed, after a few miles
+from Kirkwall, was an almost boundless expanse<span class="pagenum" id="Page_223">[223]</span>
+of moorland, wild and desolate. After going on
+for some miles through this dreary country, the
+carriage left the main road and passed by a sort
+of cart track through the fields and over a long
+causeway between two lakes, till it came to the
+place where the stones were situated.</p>
+
+<p>The stones could be seen for a distance of
+many miles, standing like so many gigantic posts
+on a vast plain. When the party came to the
+spot, they found that each stone was from twelve
+to twenty feet high, and about five feet wide and
+one thick. They were of a somewhat irregular
+form, being evidently slabs taken from the natural
+strata in the neighborhood, and set up just
+as they came from the quarry. They were arranged
+in an immense circle with the remains of
+an embankment and ditch all around the circumference.
+The circle was not complete, the stones
+being wanting in many places. In some cases
+they had fallen and still remained upon the
+ground. In other places where it would seem
+stones must have stood, the fragments had been
+taken away, it was supposed, after they had
+fallen, to be used for buildings or walls, by generations
+that lived in ages subsequent to that in
+which the stones were set up, but which have
+still in their turn long since passed away.</p>
+
+<p>A great many conjectures have been made in<span class="pagenum" id="Page_224">[224]</span>
+respect to these stones, and to the nature of the
+structure of which they formed a part, but all is
+uncertainty in respect to them. At the very
+earliest periods of which there is any account of
+the country, they stood as they stand now, solitary and in
+ruin—an inexplicable wonder to all
+who saw them.</p>
+
+<p>The party went also to Stromness, a town at
+the western side of the island on which Kirkwall
+stands, and here, while Mrs. Morelle and
+Florence remained at the inn, Grimkie and
+John engaged a sail boat and a man to manage
+it, and made a cruise of four or five hours along
+the neighboring shores. There they saw some
+stupendous cliffs, called the Black Craigs, and
+great numbers of birds flying about them, and
+among other birds they saw an eagle perched
+upon a lofty summit, where he stood silent and
+solitary, looking far and wide over the sea.
+Grimkie and John had an excellent view of him
+through their opera glass.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_225">[225]</span></p>
+
+<p class="p2"></p>
+<div class="chapter">
+<div class="figcenter" id="i_225a">
+<img src="images/i_225a.jpg" alt="" width="385" height="650">
+<p class="caption center">THE BLACK CRAIGS.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+<p class="p2"></p>
+
+<p>At one time while the party remained at
+Kirkwall, they were imprisoned nearly a whole
+day by a pouring rain. Mrs. Morelle, when she
+found, as she did after breakfast, that there was
+no prospect that any of them could go out,
+asked the waiter if they had any books in the
+hotel relating to the Orkney Islands. The<span class="pagenum" id="Page_227">[227]</span>
+waiter said he would inquire, and pretty soon he
+came in bringing a number of books of different
+sizes, some old and some new; some with pictures
+in them and some without. Mrs. Morelle
+directed that a good fire should be made, and
+the table cleared, and then placed these books
+upon the table and said that she was going to
+have a school.</p>
+
+<p>“We will begin at ten o’clock,” said she.
+“You can take your seats at the table, or at the
+windows, or where you please, and for two hours
+we will all look over these books and see how
+much we can learn about the Orkneys. Then
+we will have a luncheon. After luncheon we
+will each of us take a sheet of paper and a pen
+and ink and write down the most interesting
+thing that we have learned.”</p>
+
+<p>This plan was entered into by all the children
+very cordially. They spent two hours in studying
+the books and looking at the pictures. Then
+came the luncheon which consisted of some slices
+of cold roast mutton very tender and nice, with
+some flat rolls of bread, sweet fresh butter,
+strawberry preserves and cold coffee.</p>
+
+<p>After the luncheon all spent an hour in writing,
+and by that time it had stopped raining.
+So it was concluded to postpone reading the
+compositions until the evening.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_228">[228]</span></p>
+
+<p>In the evening they were read. Florence’s
+was as follows:</p>
+
+
+<p class="center">“THE POISONED SHIRT.”</p>
+
+<div class="blockquot">
+
+<p>“In former times there was an earl of Orkney,
+named Hacon. He married a wife and had
+a son named Paul. After this his wife died, and
+then he married a princess of Caithness, named
+Helga.</p>
+
+<p>“Caithness is the northern part of Scotland.
+It was a kingdom in those days, now it is a
+county.</p>
+
+<p>“After his second marriage Hacon had another
+son named Harold.</p>
+
+<p>“Harold and his mother hated Paul because
+he was the oldest son, and was entitled to the
+succession, and they did all in their power to
+supplant him in his father’s affections. They
+succeeded so far that the old king finally agreed
+that Paul should not have the whole kingdom,
+but should share it with Harold. Accordingly,
+when the old king died the two sons were joined
+in the government of the islands.</p>
+
+<p>“But they did not agree together at all.
+Helga was continually maneuvering with her
+son Harold to gain for him more than his share
+of the power. At length the two brothers came
+<span class="pagenum" id="Page_229">[229]</span>to open war, and the whole country was desolated
+by their dreadful fights.</p>
+
+<p>“At last, after becoming weary of this, they
+agreed to make a treaty, and become reconciled,
+and as a pledge of the reconciliation, it
+was agreed that after the ratification of the
+treaty, each brother should invite the other to a
+grand feast, about the time of Christmas.</p>
+
+<p>“When it came to Paul’s turn to be invited
+to Harold’s feast, Helga, the mother, determined
+to poison him. Her plan was to make a beautiful
+embroidered garment for him, as a present, in
+token of her entire reconciliation to him, and
+then before giving him the garment to poison it,
+so that it should kill him when he put it on.
+She kept this plan a profound secret from all
+but a sister who was living with her, named
+Franquart, to whom she confided her design.
+Franquart aided her in embroidering the garment,
+and in applying the poison.</p>
+
+<p>“At length, on the morning of the feast, Harold,
+happening to come into his mother’s room,
+saw the beautiful garment lying there, all ready
+to be given to Paul when he should arrive, and
+asked what it was. His mother told him that
+it was a present that she and Franquart had
+been making for Paul. Harold was much enraged
+to hear this, and said that he would not
+<span class="pagenum" id="Page_230">[230]</span>allow of their offering Paul handsomer presents
+than they made for him. So he seized the garment
+and declared that he would keep it for
+himself. His mother and Franquart were dreadfully
+alarmed. They begged and implored him
+to put the garment down. But they could not
+tell him that it was poisoned without betraying
+their own guilt. In the end Harold went away
+with the garment, leaving his mother and Franquart,
+in the utmost distress and terror.</p>
+
+<p>“Harold immediately put on the garment,
+and he died that very night in great agony.</p>
+
+<p>“The consequence was that Paul regained his
+whole kingdom, and when he discovered the
+treachery which Helga and Franquart had attempted
+to practice upon him, he drove them
+out of the islands.”</p>
+</div>
+
+<p>Grimkie’s composition was as follows:</p>
+
+
+<p class="center">“THE EAGLE AND THE BABY.”</p>
+
+<div class="blockquot">
+
+<p>“In one of the Orkney Islands named Hoy,
+where there are a great many high mountains
+and lofty precipices near the sea, there lived a
+fisherman named Halco. He had a small hut
+on the rocks, and a boat. There was a little
+green spot near his hut where he used to dry his
+nets, and where his little child, whose name was
+<span class="pagenum" id="Page_231">[231]</span>Halco too, used to lie sometimes, and roll in the
+grass, and play.</p>
+
+<p>“There are a great many eagles among the
+rocks of Hoy, and they often carried off the
+farmers’ lambs, but as Halco had no sheep or
+lambs he did not pay much attention to the
+eagles.</p>
+
+<p>“One day when Halco was coming home in
+his boat, just before he reached the shore he saw
+a monstrous eagle hovering over his hut, and
+after wheeling round and round several times in
+the air, he made a fell swoop toward the ground,
+and disappeared behind the hut. A moment
+afterward Halco saw him come up again, and to
+his amazement and horror he saw that he had
+little Halco in his claws.</p>
+
+<p>“The eagle rose slowly with the child, and
+passing directly over Halco’s head soared to a
+great height, and then sailed away to his nest on
+the summit of a cliff.</p>
+
+<p>“Halco was almost stupefied by the terrible
+shock which he had received. He pulled like a
+madman to get to the shore. When he entered
+his hut he found his wife in a swoon. He paid
+no attention to her but seized his gun and rushed
+out of the hut. He climbed up the mountain
+side, and after great labor he came near enough
+to the nest to see the eagle perched upon the
+<span class="pagenum" id="Page_232">[232]</span>edge of it. He crept up a little nearer, and
+then took aim and fired. The eagle, after balancing
+and tottering a moment on his perch, fell
+heavily over, down the face of the cliff, and disappeared.
+Halco climbed out to the place of
+the nest, and there he found his little child, safe
+and sound, and playing with the young eagles.”</p>
+</div>
+
+<p>“Why, Grimkie!” said John, as soon as
+Grimkie had finished reading his narrative, “I
+found a story a little like that, about an eagle
+carrying off a child, but there was not half as
+much in it as you have told.”</p>
+
+<p>“I thought I would embellish it a little,” said
+Grimkie. “I presume it is just as true after I
+embellished it, as it was before.”</p>
+
+<hr class="tb">
+
+<p>John’s composition was very short. It was as
+follows:</p>
+
+
+<p class="center">“THE HOLE IN THE STONE.”</p>
+
+<div class="blockquot">
+
+<p>“In one of the stones of Stennis, is a round
+hole passing directly through the stone, not far
+from the edge. Nobody knows what this hole
+was made for by the people who set up the stone,
+but for a great many ages past it has been considered
+sacred for engagements. Whenever two
+persons wish to make any solemn agreement
+<span class="pagenum" id="Page_233">[233]</span>they go to Stennis and put their hands through
+this hole, and clasp them together in the center
+of it and then make the promise. If they do
+this they consider themselves solemnly bound.</p>
+
+<p>“Lovers used to do this when they engaged
+themselves to each other. And it is said they
+do so now sometimes. Grimkie and I wanted
+to try it, but we could not think of anything to
+promise each other.”</p>
+</div>
+
+<p>Instead of a composition Mrs. Morelle wrote a
+letter to America, giving an account of the journey
+and voyage to the Orkney Islands. She
+read this letter to the children after they had
+finished reading their compositions, and then,
+though it was yet very light, they all went to
+bed.</p>
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop">
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_234">[234]</span></p>
+
+<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XVIII">CHAPTER XVIII.</h2>
+</div>
+
+<p class="center">THE EMBARKATION.</p>
+
+
+<p>After remaining for some time in the islands,
+and making many excursions, sometimes by land
+and sometimes by water, in one of which Grimkie
+and John went out in one of the fishing
+boats, and had an excellent time fishing, the
+party began to look forward with some interest to
+the time for setting out on their return. The
+question arose <em>how</em> they should return. John
+was very eager to go by the mail boat across the
+Pentland Firth, instead of returning by the
+steamer, as they came.</p>
+
+<p>The steamer made the trip only once a week.
+It started from Edinburgh, touched at Aberdeen
+and at Wick, then, after going to Kirkwall in
+the Orkneys, proceeded to the Shetland Islands,
+sixty miles or more farther north. Then returning
+by the same way, she went back to Edinburgh.
+This voyage, with the necessary detentions
+at the different ports, occupied six days, so
+that there was no opportunity of returning to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_235">[235]</span>
+Scotland by the <em>Prince Consort</em>, except once a
+week.</p>
+
+<p>It was necessary to send the mail to the Orkneys,
+however, every day, and John had found
+out that a special service had been organized for
+this purpose over the islands toward the south
+by some sort of mail-cart, and thence across the
+Pentland Firth, at the narrowest place, to the
+coast of Scotland, in a sail boat. Thence by
+coach or mail-cart to Wick, and so south toward
+England.</p>
+
+<p>There were three reasons why John wished to
+go by this route. First, he wished to see what
+sort of travelling riding in a mail cart would be.
+Next he had a great desire to see the Pentland
+Firth, and to cross it in a sail boat. He had
+heard wonderful accounts of this famous channel—of
+the furious tides and currents that swept
+through it, producing whirlpools, and boiling
+surges, and roaring breakers of the most wonderful
+character, and he was very curious to see
+them. Then, lastly, by this route he had hoped
+to go and see John O’Groat’s house.</p>
+
+<p>John O’Groat’s house, the name of which has
+become so famous all the world over, stands, or
+rather stood, upon the very extremity of Scotland,
+toward the northeast, and as the opposite
+corner of the island toward the southwest, is<span class="pagenum" id="Page_236">[236]</span>
+called Land’s End, there arose the expression
+from the Land’s End to John O’Groat’s, to
+denote the whole territory of Great Britain.</p>
+
+<p>But inasmuch as the British territory extended
+to the southwest to several islands the most
+remote of which in that direction is Jersey, and
+as it also includes on the north the Shetland
+Islands, the most northern point of which is
+called Ska, the expression would more fully comprehend
+all that is intended, if instead of being
+“from Land’s End to John O’Groat’s,” it was
+“from Jersey to Ska.”</p>
+
+<p>The story of John O’Groat is, that he had six
+relatives or friends who when they came to see
+him quarreled in respect to which should take
+precedence in going out at the door, and in
+order to settle the question, he built a six-sided
+house, with a door in each side, and made a six-sided
+table within, with a side toward each door,
+so that each of his guests might have a seat of
+honor, and seem to be first in going out when
+the feast was over.</p>
+
+<p>John O’Groat’s house is now nothing but a
+name, as all traces of the building—if any such
+ever existed—have long since disappeared. Nothing
+marks the spot but a little green mound,
+which tradition says is the one which the building
+formerly occupied.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_237">[237]</span></p>
+
+<p>It was found on inquiry, that John’s plan for
+returning to Scotland, was wholly impracticable.
+It was very inconvenient and very expensive, for
+a single individual to go by the mail route, over
+the islands and across the firth, but for a party
+as large as Mrs. Morelle’s, it was impossible.
+There was no alternative but to take the
+steamer.</p>
+
+<p>“We must take the steamer, too, whatever
+the weather is,” said Mrs. Morelle, “unless we
+are willing to remain here another whole week,
+with the chance of finding worse weather still at
+the end of it.”</p>
+
+<p>In fact, however, when the morning arrived
+for expecting the <em>Prince Consort</em> on her return
+from Shetland, the weather proved to be very
+fine. The steamer was expected to come into
+port at eight o’clock, and to remain there several
+hours.</p>
+
+<p>“So that you need be in no hurry,” said the
+porter, who gave Grimkie this information.
+“You can take your breakfast quietly, and then
+go on board at your leisure. The steamer will
+not sail before eleven or twelve.”</p>
+
+<p>“Why does she remain here so long?” asked
+Grimkie.</p>
+
+<p>“It takes some time to get the cattle on
+board,” said the porter. “You see they have to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_238">[238]</span>
+take them all out in boats, and then get them
+on board.”</p>
+
+<p>“Cattle!” exclaimed John. “Do the cattle
+go a sailing in the steamboat?”</p>
+
+<p>“Oh yes,” said the porter, smiling, “great
+numbers of them. There’s no other way to get
+the cattle, and sheep, and other animals, that are
+raised on these islands to market. They can’t
+get to England by land, and so the steamer takes
+them. That is the main business of the steamer
+in fact.”</p>
+
+<p>As soon as Grimkie and John heard this they
+were both eager to go on board the steamer as
+soon as possible after she came into port, as they
+were extremely desirous of witnessing the operation
+of getting cattle and horses up to her deck
+from a boat out in the middle of the harbor.</p>
+
+<p>“In the first place,” said John, “I don’t see
+how they’ll get them into the boats—and then
+when they get the boats to the side of the
+steamer, I can’t imagine how they are going to
+make them go up such a steep and narrow ladder.”</p>
+
+<p>John had seen no other mode of ascending and
+descending to the deck of the steamer, from boats
+alongside, but by the step-ladder used by the passengers,
+and he did not think of there being any
+other mode.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_239">[239]</span></p>
+
+<p>Grimkie, with Mrs. Morelle’s consent, ordered
+breakfast at half past seven, and he told the porter
+that they should wish to go on board as soon
+as the steamer came in. Mrs. Morelle had no objection
+to this, for they knew that the steamer being
+in harbor, would be at rest, and though they expected
+to have to wait on board for several hours
+they thought that they should be likely to find
+more to amuse them there during that time than
+at the hotel, where they had become entirely
+familiar with every thing that was to be seen.</p>
+
+<p>Grimkie and John also took pains to have
+every thing packed and ready before the breakfast
+came upon the table, so that they might be
+all prepared to go on board immediately after
+breakfast, in case the steamer should arrive so
+soon. It was not, however, till about nine
+o’clock that the porter came to call them.</p>
+
+<p>There are no cabs or hackney coaches of any
+kind in the Orkneys, and so every body walks to
+the landing when they are going on board the
+steamer. When the time arrived the porter
+came for the trunk, and steadying the trunk on
+his shoulder with one hand, and carrying the
+night valise in the other, he led the way out
+through the court of the hotel. As soon as they
+entered the street, Mrs. Morelle and Florence
+were both alarmed at the sight of a monstrous<span class="pagenum" id="Page_240">[240]</span>
+bull, which a man was leading before them, and
+which was followed by a troop of men and boys.</p>
+
+<p>“Let us go slowly,” said she, “till that bull
+gets out of the way.”</p>
+
+<p>“I verily believe he is going on board the
+steamer,” said Grimkie.</p>
+
+<p>“No,” said John; “It can’t be. They might
+possibly get him into a boat and row him out
+there, but if they think that they can get such
+a fellow as that up that little narrow black step-ladder,
+they will find themselves very much mistaken
+I can tell them. <em>I</em> know more about
+bulls than that, myself.”</p>
+
+<p>Mrs. Morelle did not gain much advantage by
+keeping back and walking slowly, for when at
+length she reached the landing place, she found
+the bull standing there surrounded by people.
+There were also some curious-looking boxes
+there, of the form of stalls for cattle, but Mrs.
+Morelle did not stop to look at them, being in
+haste to go past the bull and get into the boat.
+She effected this object safely. A number of
+other passengers went on board the boat at the
+same time. Their luggage was also put in, and
+then the boatmen pushed off, and rowed out to
+the steamer.</p>
+
+<p>Mrs. Morelle and Florence, who were beginning
+to be somewhat accustomed to going on<span class="pagenum" id="Page_241">[241]</span>
+board a steamer from a boat, found no difficulty
+in going up the step-ladder, however difficult
+such a feat might be expected to prove for a bull.
+As for the boys, they liked much better embarking
+in this way than to walk over a plank from
+a pier. As soon as they were all on board they
+went below to choose a stateroom for the two
+ladies. Mrs. Morelle offered also to take a stateroom
+for the boys, but they preferred to be in
+the cabin they said, so as to see and hear what
+was going on.</p>
+
+<p>As soon as the stateroom was chosen they all
+went up to the deck again, and after Grimkie
+and John had found seats for Mrs. Morelle and
+Florence, where they could see all around, and
+especially on the side toward the little port,
+where sail boats and fishing boats were continually
+coming and going, John took the opera
+glass, and began to watch the boats as they came
+in succession out from the opening between the
+two piers, which formed the entrance to the
+port, in order to see when the bull came, if he
+could.</p>
+
+<p>After scrutinizing a number of boats, which
+proved to be only fishing boats going out to sea,
+or passage boats belonging to private individuals
+going away to some of the other islands, John
+saw a very broad and heavy boat coming propelled<span class="pagenum" id="Page_242">[242]</span>
+by oars. After gazing at it a moment
+with great attention through his glass, he exclaimed,
+in a very excited manner,</p>
+
+<p>“Yes, Grimkie! he is coming! Here he is!
+I can see his horns!”</p>
+
+<p>Then after a moment’s pause he added,</p>
+
+<p>“There are a great many of them,—bulls and
+oxen, or something. I can see a great many
+horns. Look! Grimkie. Look!”</p>
+
+<p>So saying, he gave Grimkie the glass, and by
+the time Grimkie had got the boat into the field
+of view it had come so much nearer that he
+could see very plainly that it was very large and
+that it had a sort of floor in the bottom of it
+which was completely filled with oxen and cows.
+The animals stood together as close as they could
+be packed, and Grimkie could just see their
+heads and necks above the gunwales of the
+boat.</p>
+
+<p>“I don’t understand how they got them into
+that boat,” said John, “and we will see pretty
+soon how they make out in driving them up this
+little stair.”</p>
+
+<p>“They won’t drive them up there,” said
+Grimkie. “That is the gangway for the passengers.
+They won’t take them into this part
+of the steamer at all.”</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_243">[243]</span></p>
+
+<p>“Where will they take them in then?” asked
+John.</p>
+
+<p>“Forward,” said Grimkie.</p>
+
+<p>“Then let us go forward and see,” said John.</p>
+
+<p>“Very well,” said Grimkie. “This is the
+way.”</p>
+
+<p>There was a broad bridge extending across
+from one paddle-wheel to the other, at some distance
+above the main deck, and a walk, with
+railings on each side, extending fore and aft from
+this bridge to the quarter deck where Mrs. Morelle
+and Florence were sitting. The boys went
+along the walk to the bridge, and there, as they
+looked down upon the forward deck, an extraordinary
+spectacle met their view. The space
+was divided into pens,—made by small iron
+posts set up in the deck, and strong bars connecting
+them—and these pens were filled with
+animals of all kinds, cows, sheep, horses, ponies,
+oxen, and even pigs. These animals had all been
+taken on board at Shetland,—the produce of the
+farms there, which the farmers were sending to
+market.</p>
+
+<p>Among all these animals those which most
+attracted the attention of the boys, were the
+Shetland ponies. They stood together in a pen
+by themselves. They were of various sizes, and
+although they all had the general form and appearance<span class="pagenum" id="Page_244">[244]</span>
+of the horse, some of them were very
+small. There was one that John said would be
+<em>too</em> small even for <em>him</em>.</p>
+
+<p>These ponies were going to England to be sold
+there to gentlemen who were willing to buy
+them for their boys, to ride about upon over
+the smooth gravel roads made in their parks and
+pleasure-grounds. Such ponies are used too by
+ladies to drive over the same kind of roads in a
+small and light open chaise, called a pony-chaise.</p>
+
+<p>Before the boys had satisfied themselves with
+looking at the ponies, their attention was suddenly
+called away by the arrival of the boatload
+of cows, which now came up alongside of
+the steamer at a place where an opening had
+been made in the bulwarks for the purpose of
+taking them in. They immediately went over
+to that side of the steamer, and looked down
+from their elevated position upon the bridge, to
+watch the mode of proceeding for getting the
+cattle on board.</p>
+
+<p>Just beneath them was an iron crane with a
+small steam engine attached to it, by which it
+was worked. The whole was upon a small round
+iron platform, which moved upon a pivot in the
+deck, in such a manner that the platform could
+turn in any direction, carrying with it crane,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_245">[245]</span>
+engine, and all. There was a boy upon this
+platform who governed its motions by two
+polished iron handles which were connected with
+the different steam pipes. The boy received his
+orders from the men who had the management
+of the cattle, pulling and pushing his handles in
+different ways, according as they called out,
+<em>Lower! Hoist! Stop! Turn!</em></p>
+
+<p>There were two men in the boat with the cattle,
+crowding their way about among them,
+without paying the least attention either to their
+horns or their heels. The people from the deck
+threw down two broad bands, made of canvas
+or sail cloth, to these men. The men took one
+of the bands and passed it under one the cows,
+between her fore legs and her hind legs, and
+then brought the edges together over her back.
+In the meantime the boy had been called upon
+to “lower,” and he turned his handles in such a
+way as to swing the top of the crane out over
+the boat and to lower the chain, which had a
+hook in the end of it, until the men in the boat
+could reach it and hook it into certain rings in
+the upper edges of the canvas over the cow’s
+back.</p>
+
+<p>The order was then given to the boy to
+“hoist,” and immediately afterward the little
+steam engine began rapidly to wind up the chain<span class="pagenum" id="Page_246">[246]</span>
+whereupon the poor cow found herself suddenly
+lifted off from her feet, and rising rapidly into
+the air, her legs hanging down in the most awkward
+and helpless condition imaginable. As
+soon as she was raised fairly above the level of
+the deck, the men waiting there seized her by
+the head and horns and swung her in on board,
+and then the boy lowered her until her feet
+touched the planks, when she immediately
+began to spring and scramble to get away. At
+the same time instant the broad belt by which
+she had been lifted was dropped, and fell upon
+the deck and the cow was free. The men led
+her away by means of a short cord fastened to
+one of her horns, and put her in a pen with the
+other cattle.</p>
+
+<p>By this process the cows were all hoisted out
+of the boat and landed upon the steamer, in a
+rapid and unceremonious manner. While one
+cow was coming up, the men in the boat were
+placing the second band under another one, so
+as to be ready to hook the chain to her, the
+moment it came down, and thus not a moment
+was lost. The words Lower, Hoist, Stop, Turn,
+followed each other in very rapid succession, and
+the little piston-rod of the engine plied its
+strokes in the nimblest possible manner, as cow<span class="pagenum" id="Page_247">[247]</span>
+after cow came up, until at length the boat was
+wholly cleared.</p>
+
+<p>By the time that the first boat was empty another
+one came. This second one contained the
+bull, but instead of being free as the cows had
+been, he was secured fast in one of the moveable
+stalls which Mrs. Morelle had seen at the landing.
+The stall was a narrow box, just wide enough for
+the bull to stand in it. It had a floor, two sides,
+two ends, but no top. Instead of a top, there
+were two irons passing over from one side to the
+other, above, giving the box the appearance of a
+monstrous oblong pail with two bails to it.
+When the chain was lowered the hooks were attached
+to these two bails, and the box, bull and
+all, was run up rapidly to the deck, and placed
+there in a secure position among the piers.</p>
+
+<p>As fast as the remaining cattle were brought
+up, new pens were made upon the deck, and when
+at length the pens were all full, the hatches were
+opened, and a great many cows, after being
+hoisted up from the boat and swung round over
+the hatchways, were lowered down into the hold,
+to some dark and dismal region there, which the
+boys could not see.</p>
+
+<p>Besides the cows and a load of oxen, there was
+a boat full of sheep that came on board, and also
+one of pigs. The pigs were hoisted two at a<span class="pagenum" id="Page_248">[248]</span>
+time—each of them having a band passed round
+him, and the hook taking hold of the rings of
+each band. The pigs made a frightful outcry at
+being hoisted in this manner.</p>
+
+<p>There were a great many boxes containing fish,
+and packages of wool, and bags of grain, and
+other such things, the produce of the islands,
+that were also taken on board. The work of getting
+all the cargo in, and on board, occupied several
+hours, and it was near noon before the
+steamer was ready to sail.</p>
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop">
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_249">[249]</span></p>
+
+<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XIX">CHAPTER XIX.</h2>
+</div>
+
+<p class="center">CONCLUSION.</p>
+
+
+<p>The sea was very smooth, and the air calm, on
+the day that Mrs. Morelle and her party made
+the voyage back from the Orkneys to what may
+be called in relation to them, the main land.
+Mrs. Morelle and Florence having some misgivings
+in respect to the effect which the sea might
+produce upon them, thought it best to remain
+below, at least until the steamer should arrive at
+Wick, because they could lie down while they
+were below, and a horizontal position is found
+to be the best means, both for guarding against
+the approach of sea-sickness, and for alleviating
+the sufferings produced by it when it comes.</p>
+
+<p>“But we will not go into our stateroom, Grimkie,”
+said Mrs. Morelle. “We will lie down
+upon the sofas in the great cabin, and then if we
+can not read we can amuse ourselves with observing
+what is going on.”</p>
+
+<p>Grimkie accordingly accompanied his aunt and
+cousin below, and found nice sofas for them there.
+He put two or three soft cushions at the head of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_250">[250]</span>
+each sofa, and when Mrs. Morelle and Florence
+had come down, he spread shawls over their feet,
+and gave them their books. Then leaving them
+to themselves he went upon deck again to join
+John.</p>
+
+<p>Grimkie and John remained upon the deck all
+the afternoon, except that from time to time
+they went below to see if the ladies were doing
+well in the cabin. They watched the different
+islands as the steamer passed along their shores
+on her way to the southward, identifying them
+one after another by means of the map. When
+at length they came opposite to the Pentland
+Firth, John looked in that direction long and
+earnestly to see if he could discern any signs of
+the whirlpools, or foaming breakers that he read
+accounts of in the books,—but excepting a white
+line of surf which often appeared along the
+rocky shores at the margin of the water, nothing
+was to be seen.</p>
+
+<p>In the meantime the coast of Caithness, the
+northern part of Scotland, had come fully into
+view, and presently the steamer, drawing nearer
+and nearer to the coast began to follow the line
+of it, at a little distance in the offing, toward
+Wick.</p>
+
+<p>The steamer remained several hours at Wick,
+and the boys were at first very anxious to go on<span class="pagenum" id="Page_251">[251]</span>
+shore during the interval, but Mrs. Morelle
+thought it not prudent for them to do so. They
+afterward concluded, however, that they liked
+quite as well to remain on board, for a great
+many boat loads of cattle, sheep, and other animals
+were brought out and hoisted on board,
+and they were very much entertained in watching
+the operations.</p>
+
+<p>At length, about nine o’clock in the evening,
+the steamer sailed again, and now her course led
+her out quite into the open sea, as will appear
+by an inspection of the map, which shows a
+great bay entering into the land between Wick
+and Aberdeen, across the mouth of which the
+track of the steamer lay. Mrs. Morelle and
+Florence determined to go into their stateroom
+at once, and go to bed, hoping to sleep during
+the whole time of passing across this bay.
+Grimkie and John remained on deck till eleven
+o’clock, and then, though it was still very light,
+they went below and took their places on the
+couches or sofas where Mrs. Morelle and Florence
+had lain during the afternoon, and were both
+soon sound asleep. They slept without any intermission
+until morning.</p>
+
+<p>After this brief and prosperous voyage the
+whole party landed safely in Scotland, which
+seemed to them like a continent in comparison<span class="pagenum" id="Page_252">[252]</span>
+with the smaller islands that they had been to
+visit. There was a railway station very near the
+quay, and after spending a few hours at the hotel
+to take breakfast, and to rest a little from the
+voyage, they took places in the train for Perth
+and Edinburgh, and set out upon their journey
+about ten o’clock, They met with a great many
+entertaining adventures on the way toward London,
+but they can not be related in this volume.</p>
+
+
+<p>THE END.</p>
+
+
+
+<div class="transnote"></div>
+
+<h3 class="nobreak" title="" id="end_note">Transcriber’s Notes</h3>
+<p class="left"><a href="#Page_78" title="" >Page 78</a>—changed Morell to <b>Morelle</b></p>
+<p class="left"><a href="#Page_80" title="" >Page 80</a>—changed CHAPTER VI to <b>CHAPTER VII</b></p>
+<p class="left"><a href="#Page_100" title="" >Page 100</a>—changed locks to <b>lochs</b></p>
+<p class="left"><a href="#Page_158" title="" >Page 158</a>—changed appartus to <b>apparatus</b></p>
+<p class="left"><a href="#Page_175" title="" >Page 175</a>—changed househeeper to <b>housekeeper</b></p>
+<p class="left"><a href="#Page_186" title="" >Page 186</a>—changed discomforture to <b>discomfiture</b></p>
+
+<div style='text-align:center'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 77259 ***</div>
+</body>
+</html>
author	www-data <www-data@mail.pglaf.org>	2025-11-17 07:59:19 -0800
committer	www-data <www-data@mail.pglaf.org>	2025-11-17 07:59:19 -0800
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