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font-size: x-large; margin: .75em auto; + page-break-before: always; } + .double {border-style: double;border-width: 4px; padding: 1em; clear: both; } + .x-ebookmaker p.dropcap:first-letter { float: left; } + </style> + </head> + <body> +<div style='text-align:center'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 78193 ***</div> + +<div class='tnotes covernote'> + +<p class='c000'><strong>Transcriber’s Note:</strong></p> + +<p class='c000'>New original cover art included with this eBook is granted to the public domain.</p> + +</div> + +<div class='titlepage double'> + +<div class='nf-center-c0'> +<div class='nf-center c001'> + <div>“<i>Familiar in their Mouths as HOUSEHOLD WORDS.</i>”—<span class='sc'>Shakespeare.</span></div> + </div> +</div> + +<div> + <span class='pageno' id='Page_529'>529</span> + <h1 class='c002'>HOUSEHOLD WORDS.<br> <span class='xlarge'>A WEEKLY JOURNAL.</span></h1> +</div> + +<div class='nf-center-c0'> +<div class='nf-center c001'> + <div><span class='large'>CONDUCTED BY CHARLES DICKENS.</span></div> + <div class='c001'>N<sup>o.</sup> 23.]      SATURDAY, AUGUST 31, 1850.      [<span class='sc'>Price</span> 2<i>d.</i></div> + </div> +</div> + +</div> + +<div class='chapter'> + <h2 class='c003'>A PAPER-MILL.</h2> +</div> + +<p class='c004'>Down at Dartford in Kent, on a fine bright +day, I strolled through the pleasant green +lanes, on my way to a Paper-Mill. Accustomed, +mainly, to associate Dartford with +Gunpowder Mills, and formidable tin canisters, +illustrated in copper-plate, with the outpourings +of a generous cornucopia of dead +game, I found it pleasant to think, on a +summer morning when all living creatures +were enjoying life, that it was only paper in +my mind—not powder.</p> + +<p class='c005'>If sturdy Wat Tyler, of this very town of +Dartford in Kent (Deptford had the honour of +him once, but that was a mistake) could only +have anticipated and reversed the precept of +the pious Orange-Lodges; if he could only +have put his trust in Providence, and kept his +paper damp—for printing—he need never +have marched to London, the captain of a +hundred thousand men, and summarily beheaded +the archbishop of Canterbury as a +bad adviser of the young king, Richard. Then, +would William Walworth, Lord Mayor of +London (and an obsequious courtier enough, +may be) never have struck him from his +charger, unawares. Then, might the “general +enfranchisement of all bondmen”—the bold +smith’s demand—have come, a long time +sooner than it did. Then, might working-men +have maintained the decency and honour of +their daughters, through many a hazy score of +troubled and oppressive years, when they were +yet as the clods of the valley, broken by the +ploughshare, worried by the harrow. But, in +those days, paper and printing for the people +were not; so, Wat lay low in Smithfield, and +Heaven knows what became of his daughter, +and the old ferocious wheel went driving +round, some centuries longer.</p> + +<p class='c005'>The wild flowers were blowing in these +Dartford hedges, all those many summertimes; +the larks were singing, high in air; the +trees were rustling as they rustle to-day; the +bees went humming by; the light clouds cast +their shadows on the verdant fields. The pleasant +little river Darent ran the same course; +sparkled in the same sun; had, then as now, +its tiny circles made by insects; and its plumps +and plashes, made by fish. But, the river has +changed, since Wat the Blacksmith, bending +over with his bucket, saw his grimy face, impatient +of unjust and grievous tribute, making +remonstrance with him for his long endurance. +Now, there are indeed books in the running +brooks—for they go to feed the Paper-Mill.</p> + +<p class='c005'>Time was, in the old Saxon days, when +there stood a Mill here, “held in ferm by a +Reve,” but <i>that</i> was not a Paper-Mill. Then, +came a Nunnery, with kings’ fair daughters in +it; then, a Palace; then, Queen Elizabeth, in +her sixteenth year, to sojourn at the Palace +two days; then, in that reign, a Paper-Mill. +In the church yonder, hidden behind the +trees, with many rooks discoursing in their +lofty houses between me and it, is the tomb +of Sir John Spielman, jeweller to the Queen +when she had grown to be a dame of a +shrewd temper, aged fifty or so: who “built +a Paper-Mill for the making of writing-paper,” +and to whom his Royal Mistress was pleased +to grant a license “for the sole gathering for +ten years of all rags, &c., necessary for the +making of such paper.” There is a legend +that the same Sir John, in coming here from +Germany, to build his Mill, did bring with +him two young lime-trees—then unknown in +England—which he set before his Dartford +dwelling-house, and which did flourish exceedingly; +so, that they fanned him with their +shadows, when he lay asleep in the upper story, +an ancient gentleman. Now, God rest the +soul of Sir John Spielman, for the love of all +the sweet-smelling lime-trees that have ever +greeted me in the land, and all the writing-paper +I have ever blotted!</p> + +<p class='c005'>But, as I turn down by the hawthorn +hedge into the valley, a sound comes in my +ears—like the murmuring and throbbing of a +mighty giant, labouring hard—that would have +unbraced all the Saxon bows, and shaken all +the heads off Temple Bar and London Bridge, +ever lifted to those heights from the always +butchering, always craving, never sufficiently-to-be-regretted, +brave old English Block. It +is the noise of the Steam Engine. And now, +before me, white and clean without, and +radiant in the sun, with the sweet clear river +tumbling merrily down to kiss it, and help in +the work it does, is the Paper-Mill I have +come to see!</p> + +<p class='c005'>It is like the Mill of the child’s story, that +ground old people young. Paper! White, +pure, spick and span new paper, with that +fresh smell which takes us back to school and +<span class='pageno' id='Page_530'>530</span>school-books; can it ever come from rags like +these? Is it from such bales of dusty rags, +native and foreign, of every colour and of +every kind, as now environ us, shutting out +the summer air and putting cotton into our +summer ears, that virgin paper, to be written +on, and printed on, proceeds? We shall see +presently. Enough to consider, at present, +what a grave of dress this rag-store is; what a +lesson of vanity it preaches. The coarse blouse +of the Flemish labourer, and the fine cambric +of the Parisian lady, the court dress of the +Austrian jailer, and the miserable garb of the +Italian peasant; the woollen petticoat of +the Bavarian girl, the linen head-dress of the +Neapolitan woman, the priest’s vestment, +the player’s robe, the Cardinal’s hat, and the +ploughman’s nightcap; all dwindle down to +this, and bring their littleness or greatness in +fractional portions here. As it is with the worn, +it shall be with the wearers; but there shall +be no dust in our eyes then, though there is +plenty now. Not all the great ones of the +earth will raise a grain of it, and nothing but +the Truth will be.</p> + +<p class='c005'>My conductor leads the way into another +room. I am to go, as the rags go, regularly +and systematically through the Mill. I am +to suppose myself a bale of rags. I <i>am</i> rags.</p> + +<p class='c005'>Here, in another room, are some three-score +women at little tables, each with an awful +scythe-shaped knife standing erect upon it, +and looking like the veritable tooth of time. +I am distributed among these women, and +worried into smaller shreds—torn cross-wise +at the knives. Already I begin to lose something +of my grosser nature. The room is +filled with my finest dust, and, as gratings of +me drop from the knives, they fall through the +perforated surface of the tables into receptacles +beneath. When I am small enough, I am +bundled up, carried away in baskets, and +stowed in immense bins, until they want me +in the Boiling-Room.</p> + +<p class='c005'>The Boiling-Room has enormous cauldrons +in it, each with its own big lid, hanging to +the beams of the roof, and put on by machinery +when it is full. It is a very clean place, +“coddled” by much boiling, like a washer-woman’s +fingers, and looks as if the kitchen of +the Parish Union had gone into partnership +with the Church Belfry. Here, I am pressed, +and squeezed, and jammed, a dozen feet deep, I +should think, into my own particular cauldron; +where I simmer, boil, and stew, a long, long +time. Then, I am a dense, tight mass, cut out +in pieces like so much clay—very clean—faint +as to my colour—greatly purified—and gradually +becoming quite ethereal.</p> + +<p class='c005'>In this improved condition, I am taken to +the Cutting-Room. I am very grateful to +the clear fresh water, for the good it has +done me; and I am glad to be put into +some more of it, and subjected to the action +of large rollers filled with transverse knives, +revolving by steam power upon iron beds, +which favour me with no fewer than two +million cuts per minute, though, within the +memory of man, the functions of this machine +were performed by an ordinary pestle and +mortar. Such a drumming and rattling, such +a battering and clattering, such a delight in +cutting and slashing, not even the Austrian +part of me ever witnessed before. This continues, +to my great satisfaction, until I look +like shaving lather; when I am run off into +chambers underneath, to have my friend the +water, from whom I am unwilling to be separated, +drained out of me.</p> + +<p class='c005'>At this time, my colour is a light blue, if I +have indigo in me, or a pale fawn, if I am rags +from which the dyes have been expelled. As +it is necessary to bleach the fawn-coloured +pulp (the blue being used for paper of that +tint), and as I <i>am</i> fawn-coloured pulp, I am +placed in certain stone chambers, like catacombs, +hermetically sealed, excepting the first +compartment, which communicates with a +gasometer containing manganese, vitriol, and +salt. From these ingredients, a strong gas +(not agreeable, I must say, to the sense of +smell) is generated, and forced through all +the chambers, each of which communicates +with the other. These continue closed, if I +remember right, some four-and-twenty hours, +when a man opens them and takes to his +heels immediately, to avoid the offensive gas +that rushes out. After I have been aired a +little, I am again conveyed (quite white now, +and very spiritual indeed) to some more +obliging rollers upstairs.</p> + +<p class='c005'>At it these grinders go, “Munch, munch, +munch!” like the sailor’s wife in <span class='sc'>Macbeth</span>, +who had chesnuts in her lap. I look, at first, as +if I were the most delicious curds and whey; +presently, I find that I am changed to gruel—not +thin oatmeal gruel, but rich, creamy, +tempting, exalted gruel! As if I had been +made from pearls, which some voluptuous +Mr. Emden had converted into groats!</p> + +<p class='c005'>And now, I am ready to undergo my last +astounding transformation, and be made into +paper by the machine. Oh what can I say +of the wonderful machine, which receives me, +at one end of a long room, gruel, and dismisses +me at the other, paper!</p> + +<p class='c005'>Where is the subtle mind of this Leviathan +lodged? It must be somewhere—in a cylinder, +a pipe, a wheel—or how could it ever do +with me the miracles it does! How could it +receive me on a sheet of wire-gauze, in my +gruel-form, and slide me on, gradually assuming +consistency—gently becoming a little +paper-like, a little more, a little more still, +very paper-like, indeed—clinging to wet +blankets, holding tight by other surfaces, +smoothly ascending Witney hills, lightly +coming down into a woolly open country, +easily rolling over and under a planetary system +of heated cylinders, large and small, and +ever growing, as I proceed, stronger and +more paper-like! How does the power that +fights the wintry waves on the Atlantic, and +cuts and drills adamantine slabs of metal like +<span class='pageno' id='Page_531'>531</span>cheese, how does it draw me out, when I +am frailest and most liable to tear, so tenderly +and delicately, that a woman’s hand—no, +even though I were a man, very ill and helpless, +and she may nurse who loved me—could +never touch me with so light a touch, or with +a movement so unerring! How can I believe, +even on experience, that, being of itself insensible, +and only informed with intellect at +second hand, it changes me, in less time than +I take to tell it, into any sort of paper that +is wanted, dries me, cuts me into lengths, +becomes charged, just before dismissing me, +with electricity, and gathers up the hair of +the attendant-watcher, as if with horror at +the mischiefs and desertions from the right, in +which I may be instrumental! Above all, +how can I reconcile its being mere machinery, +with its leaving off when it has cut me into +sheets, and <span class='fss'>NOT</span> conveying me to the Exciseman +in the next room, whom it plainly thinks +a most unnatural conclusion!</p> + +<p class='c005'>I am carried thither on trucks. I am examined, +and my defective portions thrown +out, for the Mill, again; I am made up into +quires and reams; I am weighed and excised +by the hundredweight; and I am ready for +my work. Of my being made the subject of +nonsensical defences of Excise duty, in the +House of Commons, I need say nothing. All +the world knows that when the Right Honourable +the Chancellor of the Exchequer, for the +time being, says I am only the worse by a +duty of fifteen shillings per hundredweight, +he is a Wrong Honourable, and either don’t +know, or don’t care, anything about me. +For, he leaves out of consideration all the +vexatious, depressing, and preventing influences +of Excise Duty on any trade, and all +the extra cost and charge of packing and +unpacking, carrying and re-carrying, imposed +upon the manufacturer, and of course upon +the public. But we must have it, in future, +even with Right Honourables as with birds. +The Chancellor of the Exchequer that can +sing, and won’t sing, must be made to sing—small.</p> + +<p class='c005'>My metempsychosis ends with the manufacture. +I am rags no more, but a visitor +to the Paper-Mill. I am a pleased visitor +to see the Mill in such beautiful order, and +the workpeople so thriving; and I think that +my good friend the owner has reason for +saying with an agreeable smile, as we come +out upon the sparkling stream again, that he +is never so contented, as when he is in rags.</p> + +<p class='c005'>Shining up in the blue sky, far above the +Paper-Mill, a mere speck in the distance, is +a Paper Kite. It is an appropriate thing at +the moment—not to swear by (we have enough +of that already) but to hope by, with a devout +heart. May all the Paper that I sport with, +soar as innocently upward as the paper +kite, and be as harmless to the holder as the +kite is to the boy! May it bring, to some few +minds, such fresh associations; and to me no +worse remembrances than the kite that once +plucked at my own hand like an airy friend. +May I always recollect that paper has a +mighty Duty, set forth in no Schedule of +Excise, and that its names are love, forbearance, +mercy, progress, scorn of the Hydra +Cant with all its million heads!</p> + +<p class='c005'>So, back by the green lanes, and the old +Priory—a farm now, and none the worse +for that—and away among the lime-trees, +thinking of Sir John.</p> + +<div class='chapter'> + <h2 class='c003'>CHEERFUL ARITHMETIC.</h2> +</div> + +<p class='c004'>“Competition is fast crushing us!” the +tradesman exclaims as he drives you out to +his elegant villa behind his seventy-guinea +gelding. “Wheat at forty shillings a quarter is +ruin!” groans the farmer, while dallying with +his champagne glass. “<i>We</i> are all going to +the workhouse.”—“A diamond necklace, my +dear?” replies the mill-owner to a lovely +Lancashire witch, whose smile is on other +occasions law—“What? two hundred pounds +for a bauble, while calico is only three farthings +a yard, and cotton-spinning on the brink of +bankruptcy. Impossible!” Should these +gentlemen ever meet it is ten to one that on +comparing notes they resolve unanimously +that the whole country is going to the dogs; +but it is also ten to one that this resolution is +passed at a public dinner to which they have +each cheerfully contributed one-pound-one: +besides another guinea to the occasion of +the feast:—some plethoric, bloated, routine +charity.</p> + +<p class='c005'>Considering their patriotic despondency in +regard to the utterly hopeless condition of the +nation, it is wonderful to observe the contented +complacency with which these gentlemen +eat their filberts and sip their claret. +Neither is this stoic philosophy confined to +them alone. All sorts of predicted want and +impending misery are borne with exemplary +fortitude by all sorts of Englishmen. The +skilful artisan seldom allows a week to pass +without deploring the inadequacy of wages; +but, although he manages to get a good Sunday’s +dinner some fifty times a year, and once +or twice in the twelvemonth indulges his +family with a healthful pleasure trip in the +country, he is able to scrape up a few pounds +in the savings’ bank. Yet if you ask him +touching the state of things in his particular +line, he will tell you that “Times never were +so bad.” So universally is the propensity to +depreciate things as they are, that if a commission +were appointed to inquire into the state +of the nation, their report, if derived solely +from the evidence of well-to-do witnesses, +would be lugubrious in the extreme. It is +only the very poor who gaze cheerfully into +the future; for their existence is a condition +of hope. They apprehend nothing, for they +have nothing to lose; whatever change fortune +may bring, must be, they believe, for the +better.</p> + +<p class='c005'>Happily, better testimony, to the real condition +<span class='pageno' id='Page_532'>532</span>of the industrious classes is producible +than that dark cloud of witnesses who speak +out of the fulness of an Englishman’s privilege—grumbling. +That testimony has been +lucidly sifted, and was adduced by Mr. G. R. +Porter at the recent meeting of the British +Association in Edinburgh. It consisted—in +proof of the well-being and continued progress +of our country—of a comparison between +the income tax returns in respect of incomes +derived from trades and professions in 1812, +and the like returns in 1848, excluding from +the former period the incomes below one +hundred and fifty pounds; which, under the +existing law, are allowed to pass untaxed. +The total amount thus assessed, after deducting +exemptions, was, in 1812, about twenty-one +millions and a quarter; while, in 1848, +the amount was nearly fifty-seven millions; +showing an increase, in thirty-six years, of +about thirty-five millions and three-quarters, +or one hundred and sixty-eight per cent.; +being at the rate of upwards of four and a half +per cent., yearly:—an increase very nearly +three-fold greater than the increase during the +same period of the population of Great Britain; +where, alone, the income tax flourishes in full +bloom.</p> + +<p class='c005'>But how has this three-fold prosperity been +distributed? Have the rich grown richer, +and the poor, poorer; or has Fortune taken +off her bandage and rewarded honest industry, +with a discriminating hand? Have +the bulk of the people shared in the productive +wealth which thirty-six years have +accumulated? In order to answer these +questions, Mr. Porter entered into a series of +elaborate and interesting calculations, which +prove the pleasing fact that the great progressive +wealth <i>has</i> been shared among the +middle and working classes.</p> + +<p class='c005'>He found that the returns of 1812 as well +as those of 1848 gave the sums assessed to +Income Tax in various classes; and, for the purpose +of his examination, he distinguished the +incomes thus given:—those between one hundred +and fifty pounds and five hundred pounds; +those between five hundred pounds and one +thousand pounds; incomes between one thousand +pounds and two thousand pounds; incomes +between two thousand pounds and five +thousand pounds; and those above five thousand +pounds. Adhering strictly to these distinctions, +Mr. Porter perceived, in 1848, a positive +increase in incomes between one hundred and +fifty and five hundred pounds per annum, of +thirteen millions seven hundred thousand +pounds, over the incomes assessed in 1812. +Between five hundred pounds and one thousand +pounds per annum, the increase since +1812 has been five millions. On incomes between +one thousand pounds and two thousand +pounds, and incomes between two thousand +pounds and five thousand pounds, there is an +increase of upwards of four millions respectively; +while in the highest class, which +includes all incomes above five thousand +pounds per annum, the increase is found to +be no more than eight millions and three-quarters. +Comparing the highest with the +lowest class, the increase has been greater +in the lowest by nearly five millions—or fifty-six +per cent.</p> + +<p class='c005'>This improvement in circumstances, however, +descends to no lower a class of society +than persons in the receipt of at least one +hundred and fifty pounds per annum. It was +necessary to dig a little lower in the strata of +private circumstances, in order to show the +progress of wealth among the working classes; +and Mr. Porter had recourse to the returns +from savings’ banks; these being chiefly used +by the humbler orders. From data thus derived +it was ascertained, that, while the deposits in +England, Wales, and Ireland, proportioned to +the whole population, amounted in 1831 to +twelve shillings and eightpence per head; in +1848 they had risen to twenty shillings and +eleven-pence per individual. The largest +amount of these savings occurred in 1846; +when they reached, in England alone, to more +than twenty-six millions and three-quarters, +and in the three Kingdoms, to more than +thirty-one millions seven hundred thousand +pounds, being equal to twenty-four shillings +per head on the population of England, Wales, +and Ireland, and ten shillings and one penny +per head on that of Scotland.<a id='r1'></a><a href='#f1' class='c006'><sup>[1]</sup></a></p> + +<div class='footnote' id='f1'> +<p class='c005'><a href='#r1'>1</a>. The comparative smallness of the deposits in Scotland +arises from two causes: first, the system of allowing interest +upon very small sums deposited in private and joint-stock +banks; and, secondly, the more recent connexion of savings’ +banks with the Government in that division of the kingdom. +Hence, there is no reason for supposing that the +labouring-classes of Scotland are less saving than those of +England or Ireland.</p> +</div> + +<p class='c005'>The exceeding moderation of this estimate +will be observed when we mention another +description of savings’ banks which Mr. +Porter has taken no account of—we mean +Friendly Societies. Of these, there are fourteen +thousand in Great Britain, regularly +enrolled according to Act of Parliament, consisting +of one million six hundred thousand +members, with a gross annual revenue of two +millions eight hundred thousand, and accumulated +capital amounting to six millions four +hundred thousand pounds sterling. To this +must be added the capital belonging to unenrolled +benefit societies (exclusive of those in +Ireland), which has been estimated at a +greater amount than those which exist “as +the Act directs;” namely, at nine millions +sterling, belonging to two millions and a half +of members. It is indeed a most gratifying +proof of the prudential, and therefore moral, +as well as pecuniary advance which this +country has made during the past thirty +years, that half our labouring male population +belong to Friendly Societies. The operative +classes of Great Britain alone possess, at +this moment, capital in savings’ banks and +friendly societies, the total of which reaches +the enormous sum of forty-two millions of +money. How very like national ruin <i>this</i> looks!</p> + +<p class='c005'><span class='pageno' id='Page_533'>533</span>In further proof of the greater distribution +of means among the humbler than the higher +orders, we can turn once more to Mr. Porter, +who assures us that in proportion as the +savings of the industrious poor have augmented, +the dividends received at the Bank +by the “comfortable” and the rich have +decreased.</p> + +<p class='c005'>The test of the dividend-books of the Bank +of England, to which Mr. Porter next brought +his calculations, varies essentially from that +afforded by the progress of savings’ banks; +inasmuch as it excludes all evidence of actual +saving or accumulation, while it offers a +strictly comparative view of such saving as +between different classes of the community. +The accounts furnished to Parliament by the +Bank of the number of persons entitled to +dividends upon portions of the public debt, +divide the fund-holders into ten classes, according +to the amount of which they are so +entitled. Mr. Porter contrasted the numbers +in each class as they stood on the 5th of April +and 5th of July of the years 1831 and 1848, +respectively. He then went on to show, that +there has been a very large addition between +1831 and 1848 to the number of persons +receiving under five pounds at each payment +of dividends, and a small increase upon +the number receiving between five pounds +and ten pounds, while, with the exception of +the largest holders—those whose dividends +exceed two thousand pounds at each payment, +and of whom there has been an increase of +five—every other class has experienced a considerable +decrease in its numbers. There +has been a diminution of more than Eight +per cent. in the numbers receiving between +three hundred pounds and five hundred +pounds; of Twelve and a half per cent. of +those receiving between five hundred pounds +and one thousand pounds; and of more than +Twenty per cent. among holders of stock +yielding dividends between one thousand +pounds and two thousand pounds; this would +seem conclusively to prove that, at least as +respects this mode of disposing of accumulations, +there is not any reason to believe +that the already rich are acquiring greater +wealth at the expense of the rest of the +community.</p> + +<p class='c005'>All evidence proves, then, that the great +accession of wealth which has been accumulated +in this country during the past thirty +years, has been most distributed amongst +the middle classes. The natural effect of a +change from agricultural to manufacturing +industry—a change which has come over this +country during the roll of a single century—is +to increase the wealth of the manufacturing +and trading elements of the community, +in proportion as these are called into activity. +The “great fortunes” of the old time were +nobles and land-holders; the millionaires of +to-day are merchants, bankers, and mill-owners. +Forty years ago a rich retail tradesman +was a rarity; his dealings with the +wholesale trade were chiefly carried on by +means of bills at long dates, in which large +sums were included for risk and interest; +charges which decreased his profits, and +increased the price of all articles to the consumer. +Now the more frequent rule amongst +retailers is prompt payment, discounts in their +own favour, and affluence. In our “nation +of shopkeepers,” it is industry which has +prospered and had its reward.</p> + +<p class='c005'>Turning from the British Association to the +Poor-Law Board—from Mr. Porter to Mr. +Baines—we shall see that in the scramble for +wealth, pauperism itself has benefited; that, +in fact, the highest grades in the scale of +society have benefited as little as the very +lowest. It is true that in the progress of +accumulation by manufactures, the necessity +of bringing large masses of operatives into +confined <i>foci</i>, and of providing work for them +at all times and seasons, has caused temporary +spasms of poverty, that have occasionally +almost defied relief; but despite the rapid +increase of the population, the ranks of what +may be called permanent pauperism have not +been augmented. Consequently the increased +wealth of the country has descended even to the +lowest ranks of the people. In the year 1813, +when the population of England and Wales +was only ten millions, the sum expended +for the relief of the poor amounted to six +millions and a half sterling. From the +return of the Poor-Law Board, now before +us, it appears that during the year which +ended on Lady Day, 1849, and with a population +in England and Wales of one-third +more—or nearly fifteen millions—the exactions +for poors’-rates amounted to no more +than five millions, seven hundred and ninety-two +thousand, nine hundred and sixty-three +pounds—three-quarters of a million less +than was drawn for the pauperism of 1813. +The poor have ceased to regard the rich, as a +class, as their natural enemies. We hear no +more, now, of a “grinding oligarchy.”</p> + +<p class='c005'>Besides the decrease of poor rates, other taxes +have diminished. Let the three grumblers +with whom we started be pleased to remember +that, no longer ago than 1815, when war had +done its worst on the lives and fortunes of +our fathers, they were taxed at the enormous +rate of five pounds four shillings and ten pence +a head to each individual of the population, +from the centegenarian to the latest born +baby; while we, in this day and generation +of “ruin,” pay per head, only fifty shillings +and eleven-pence, or scarcely one-half.</p> + +<p class='c005'>It is the strength and safeguard of the +English nation, that its most prominent elements +are industry and commerce; for, tending +as they do, to the general dissemination, as +well as to the general accumulation of wealth, +they effect a fusion of interests—a union of +classes, and a dependence of each upon the +others—which is true national power. At +the moment at which we write, we learn +from local sources of information, the accuracy +<span class='pageno' id='Page_534'>534</span>of which we have never had occasion to question, +that skilled labour of nearly every kind +is in demand in the manufacturing districts; +and that all sorts of capable “hands” can +have work. Everything indicates improvement. +If, indeed, our friends the Croakers +will only look their phantom “Ruin” boldly +in the face, his gaunt form will soon assume +the smiling semblance of Prosperity.</p> + +<div class='chapter'> + <h2 class='c003'>AN EMIGRANT AFLOAT.</h2> +</div> + +<p class='c004'>I knew very little of the sea when I determined +to emigrate. Like most emigrants, +I thought beforehand more of the dangers +than of the disagreeables of this voyage; but +found, when actually at sea, that its disagreeables +seemed more formidable than its +dangers. I shall describe the voyage, in +order that those who follow me may know +precisely what it is that they have to encounter, +satisfied as I am, that nothing will +tend more to conduce to the comforts of the +emigrant at sea, than his being able to take a +full and accurate measure of its disagreeable +as well as its agreeable accompaniments, +before stepping on board.</p> + +<p class='c005'>It was late in the afternoon of a bright +May day, when the Seagull, 480 tons register, +and bound for Quebec, spread her wings to +the wind, after having been towed out of the +harbour of Greenock. A gentle breeze +carried her smoothly by the point of Gourock, +the Holy Loch, Dunoon, and other places +familiar to the tourist on the noble Frith of +Clyde. We were off the neat little town of +Largs, when the shadows of evening thickened +around us. I was one of more than a hundred +steerage passengers, most of whom soon afterwards +went below for the night, many with +heavy hearts, thinking that they had seen the +last glimpses of their native land.</p> + +<p class='c005'>I remained long enough on deck to perceive +the approach of a marked change in the +weather. We were still landlocked, when the +wind veered round to the west, directly ahead +of us. It increased so rapidly in violence, +that by the time we were off Brodick, in the +Island of Arran, it was blowing more than +half a gale. As we tacked to and fro to +gain the open sea, the vessel laboured heavily, +and I soon felt sufficiently squeamish to +descend and seek refuge in my berth. Here a +scene awaited me for which I was but little +prepared. With very few exceptions, all +below were far advanced in sea-sickness. +Some were groaning in their berths; others +were lying upon the floor, in a semi-torpid +state; and others, again, were retching incessantly. +What a contrast was the Seagull +then, to the neat, tempting picture she presented +when lying quietly in dock, and when, +as I paced her white, dry, warm, sunny decks, +visions filled my mind of the pleasant days at +sea before me, when, reclining on the cordage, +beneath the shelter of the bulwarks, I could +read the live-long day, whilst the stout ship +sped merrily on her voyage. Delightful +anticipations! Let no one be extravagant in +forming them, unless he has a preference for +disappointment. My faith in the romance of +the sea was greatly shaken by my first night’s +experiences on board, and it soon received a +fatal blow from the commotion which was +being gradually engendered within my own +frame, and which, at length, resulted in a +catastrophe. I could not sleep, for as the +gale increased, so did the noises within and +without. I could hear the heavy wind +whistling mournfully through the damp, +tight-drawn cordage, and the waves breaking +in successive showers on the deck overhead. +It made my flesh creep, too, to hear the water +trickling by my very ear, as it rushed along +outside the two-inch plank which (pleasing +thought) was all that separated me from +destruction. As the storm gained upon us, +the ship laboured more and more heavily, +until, at length, with each lurch which she +made, everything moveable in the steerage +rolled about from side to side on the floor. +Pots and pans, trunks, boxes, and pieces of +crockery kept up a most noisy dance for the +entire night, their respective owners being so +ill as to be utterly indifferent to the fate of +their property. In the midst of the horrid +din, I could distinguish the distressing groan +of the strong man prostrated by sea-sickness, +the long-drawn sigh and scarcely audible +complaint of the woman, and the sickly wail +of the neglected child; and, that nothing +might be wanting to heighten the horrors of +the scene, we were all this time in perfect +darkness, every light on board having been +extinguished for hours.</p> + +<p class='c005'>Morning was far advanced as I fell into a +fitful and feverish sleep. On awaking, I found +all as still as before leaving port. My fellow-passengers +were all on deck; and I hurried +up after them to ascertain the cause of the +change. It was soon explained. The gale +had, at length, become so violent, that the +ship had put back for shelter, and was now +lying quietly at anchor in the beautiful bay +of Rothesay.</p> + +<p class='c005'>But what a change had, in the meantime, +taken place in the appearance of my fellow-passengers. +The buoyant air of yesterday +had disappeared; and those who were then +in ruddy health, now looked pale and woebegone. +Such was the effect of our night’s +prostration.</p> + +<p class='c005'>For my own part, I began to feel that I +had already had enough of the sea, and +heartily wished myself safe ashore on the +banks of the St. Lawrence. I had formerly +experienced a sort of enthusiasm in listening +to such songs, as “The sea, the sea, the open +sea!” “A life on the ocean wave!” &c., &c. +But had anyone on board now struck up +either of them, I should assuredly have set him +down for a maniac. We remained for two +days in Rothesay Bay, waiting for a change +of wind, during which time we recruited +<span class='pageno' id='Page_535'>535</span>our spirits—and water, a fresh stock of which +we shipped. It was not, therefore, without +some of the lightness of heart, which had +characterised our first start, that, on the morning +of the third day, we made way again for +the New World. But it seemed as if we were +never to get rid of the coast, for we were +overtaken by a dead calm off Ailsa, causing +delay for ten days more sweltering under a +hot sun, within half a mile of that lonely and +stupendous rock. On the evening of the +second day a gentle breeze from the northeast +carried us out of the Channel, and next +morning found us with all sail set, speeding +westward, with the Irish coast on our lee.</p> + +<p class='c005'>We were a very mixed company in the +steerage. Some had been farmers, and were +going out to try their hands at agriculture in +the wilds of Canada. Others had been servants, +predial and domestic, and were on their +way in search of better fortunes in the New +World, although they had not yet made up their +minds as to the precise manner in which they +were to woo the fickle dame. We had a brace +of wives on board who were proceeding to +join their husbands in Canada, who had prudently +preceded their families, and prepared +for their advent, by constructing a home for +them in the woods. There was an old man +with a slender capital, who was emigrating at +an advanced period of life, that he might +make a better provision for his grandson, a +lusty youth of about seventeen, of whom he +seemed doatingly fond. We had also amongst +us a large family from Edinburgh, of that +class of people who have “seen better days,” +who were hurrying across the Atlantic in the +hope of at least catching a glimpse of them +again. Besides the father and mother, there +were several sons and two daughters, the +eldest son having duly qualified himself for +the honour of writing W. S. after his name—a +nominal appendage which he would find of +far less value to him than a good axe in the +woods. We had a clergyman, too, of the +poorer class, in worldly circumstances, who +had been accredited as a missionary to the +Canadian wilds. I must not overlook four or +five infants, the precise ownership of which +I never thoroughly traced, they were so +tumbled about from one to another; and +which generally of nights favoured us with +prolonged choruses of the most enlivening +description.</p> + +<p class='c005'>Thus mixed and assorted, the first few days +passed off agreeably enough to such as were +proof against a relapse of sea-sickness. When +it was not blowing too strong, the deck was +a pleasant place for exercise, which is necessary +to comfort, as it is generally cold and +disagreeable at sea, except when calm, and +then one is annoyed, whilst being broiled, at +the thought of making no progress. The chief +occupation on board, seemed to be that of +cooking and eating. The cooking apparatus +for the steerage was on deck; each family, and +each individual who had no family, was continually +cooking for themselves. As the accommodation +for cooking was not very ample for +upwards of a hundred passengers, there was +scarcely an hour of the day between sunrise +and sunset, that was not witness to the progress +of some culinary operations—men, women, +and children were constantly appearing and +disappearing at the hatchways with pots, +saucepans, kettles, and other utensils; and +it was not long ere some began to fear, +having made but little account of the voracity +of appetite engendered by convalescence +after sea-sickness, that their stock of +provisions would prove rather scanty for the +voyage.</p> + +<p class='c005'>Perhaps the greatest privation to which the +poor steerage passenger is subjected, is in connection +with the water which he uses for +drinking and in some of his cooking processes. +As the voyage may be protracted beyond +reasonable calculation, an extra supply of +fresh water is or should be laid in to meet +such an emergency. To preserve this extra +stock from becoming impure, different devices +are resorted to,—such as impregnating it with +lime, large quantities of which are thrown +into each cask. Were this the case only with +the extra stock, the comfort of the passenger +might, for a time at least, be unimpaired in +this respect; but the misfortune is, that all the +water for steerage consumption, immediate +and contingent, is treated in the same way; +so that the emigrant is scarcely out of harbour, +when he finds the water of which he +makes use not only extremely unpalatable to +drink, but in such a state as to spoil every +decoction into which it enters. Fancy a cup +of tea without cream, but with sugar and +coarse lime, in about equal proportions, to +flavour it. The most unquestionable sloe +leaves might, under such circumstances, pass +for young hyson, and the worst of chicory +for the best of coffee. This sorely discomfited +the more elderly of the females on board, +whose cup of life was poisoned by very thin +mortar.</p> + +<p class='c005'>On the fifth day out, after gaining the open +sea, we were overtaken by a tremendous gale, +which did us considerable damage. I was +standing near the forecastle, when a heavy +block dropped from aloft with terrific force at +my feet. I had scarcely recovered from my +fright, when crash after crash over head, +making me run under the jolly boat in terror. +For a moment afterwards all was still, and then +arose a tremendous uproar on board, officers +giving all sorts of directions at once, and sailors +running about, and jumping over each other to +obey them. When I ventured to peep out from +my place of safety, a sad spectacle of wreck and +ruin presented itself to me. On our lee, masts, +ropes, spars, and sails were floating alongside +on the uneasy waters. Our fore-top-mast +had given way, and in falling overboard, +had dragged the maintop-gallant mast and +the greater part of our bowsprit along +with it. Sails and rigging went of course +<span class='pageno' id='Page_536'>536</span>with the wreck, which was provoking, as the +wind was a-beam and so far favourable. +We soon hauled the wreck on board, however, +and in the course of two or three days, +with the aid of the carpenter, the dismantled +ship was re-rigged in a very creditable +manner.</p> + +<p class='c005'>We had scarcely yet put to rights, when a +vessel made up to us bound westward like ourselves. +What a sight to the lonely wanderers +on the ocean is a ship at sea!—it seems like a +herald coming to you from the world, from +which you are seemingly cut off for ever. It is +a sight which must be seen to be appreciated. +She was labouring heavily on our lee, and +every now and then her whole keel became +visible to us. To this, one of the passengers +very innocently directed attention, much to +the horror of the second mate, who smartly +rebuked the offender; it being, he said, not +only indelicate, but perilous to own having +seen the keel of any ship under canvas. We +all, of course, admitted the reasonableness of +this caution, and strictly observed it.</p> + +<p class='c005'>The ship was no sooner repaired, than the +wind, which had abated a little, seemed to +redouble its fury. We were now in the +midst of a terrible storm, and great was the +commotion in the steerage. Some moaned +in pain—others screamed occasionally in +terror—whilst one old lady was constantly +inquiring in a most piteous voice, if there was +not one good man on board, for whose sake +the rest might be saved. On making the +inquiry of a rough, but good-natured tar, he +rebuked her scepticism, and referred her to +the minister. We had two sailors on board, +named Peter. One was an ordinary looking +mortal, from whom the other was distinguished +by the appellation of Peter the Leerer, a name +having reference to the extraordinary facial +phenomena which he exhibited. On the point +of his nose was an enormous wart, the counterpart +of which had taken possession of his +chin. He had likewise one, but of smaller +dimensions, on either cheek, only wanting one +on his forehead, to complete the diagram; a +want, which, for most of the voyage, was providentially +made up by a large pimple, which +underlay his bump of benevolence. Add to +this an enormous quantity of wiry red hair, +and a portentous squint, and you may form +some conception of the goblin in question. +He was the terror of all the children on +board, and came regularly into the steerage +in the morning, begging a “toothful” from +the passengers. We never saw his tooth, +but it must have been very large, as what +he meant by the term was a glass of raw +spirits, to the strength of which he was +stoically indifferent, so that it was above +proof. It appeared that he now thought +that the time had come for making some sort +of return for sundry gifts of this nature. He +appeared amongst us, as the storm was at its +height, and confidentially informed us that, +unless some of the “canvas” were immediately +taken down, the ship “had not another +hour’s life in her.” To describe the confusion +and dismay occasioned by this announcement +is impossible. Nobody questioned Peter’s judgment, +who stood looking at us as if he thought +that one good turn deserved another. But +every one was too much frightened to think +of rewarding him for his kindness. Some ran +at once upon deck to take immediate advantage +of the boats—the women all screamed +together—and we had a pretty tolerable taste +of the horrors to be witnessed on the eve of +a shipwreck. The hubbub at length ended +in the appointment of a deputation to wait +upon the captain, and solicit him to shorten +sail. The deputation went upon its mission, +but soon afterwards returned from the cabin +to their constituents with the report that +they had been politely requested by the +functionary in question to mind their own +business. The storm, however, gradually +abated, and things and persons resumed their +ordinary aspect.</p> + +<p class='c005'>Great was the anxiety evinced every time +the log was thrown, to ascertain our rate of +sailing, and at noon of each day, to know our +daily run, and our precise locality on the +terraqueous globe. It is difficult for an +emigrant to reconcile himself to less than +eight or nine knots an hour. He may put up +with seven, or even six, provided the ship is +in her direct course, but he regards everything +below that as a justifiable ground of +murmuring and complaint. Sometimes it is +the ship that is wrong, and sometimes the +captain, sometimes the rigging, and at other +times, all is wrong together. But to do the +emigrant justice, if he is in the surly mood +when he is making but little progress, he +makes amends for his ill-humour when the +vessel is making a good run. We, one day, +made but about twenty miles, and I apprehended +a mutiny. On another we made two +hundred, and nothing could exceed the hilarity +and good-humour of those on board. At one +time, the Seagull was the merest tub, a disgrace +to her owners, and to the mercantile navy +of the kingdom. At another, she was one of the +best vessels afloat; the captain one of the best +sailors on the sea; and the crew the cleverest +set of fellows in the world. But all this time +it was the same ship, the same captain, and +the same crew. The diversity of opinion was +the result of extraneous circumstances which +caused us at different times to take different +points of view. If the weather was favourable, +and we made good way, the ship, captain, +and crew, got all the honour and glory; if it +was adverse and our progress was retarded, +the ship, captain, and crew, had to bear all +our sinister glances and ill humours. One +morning, after we had been about ten days +out, our minds were all made up that we +were pretty near the banks of Newfoundland, +when a fellow-passenger, evidently not very +deeply versed in human nature, had the hardihood +to inform us that he had, but the day +<span class='pageno' id='Page_537'>537</span>before, seen the mate’s log book, from which +it appeared that we were as yet but five +hundred miles to the westward of the Irish +coast. I can scarcely understand to this day, +how it was that he escaped being thrown +overboard.</p> + +<p class='c005'>We had two men on board, the very antipodes +of each other. The one was a colossal +bachelor, who was never ill; the other a +diminutive member of a large family, who +was never well. They resembled each other +only in one point—that they both ate prodigiously. +The only account the bachelor could +give of himself was that he was going out to +Canada to saw the big trees. He had, in fact, +been engaged as a sawyer to proceed to the +banks of the Ottawa, there to prosecute his +avocation in connection with some of the +large timber establishments, which are situated +far up that noble river. He was so +powerful a fellow, that a Yankee passenger +declared “he would have only to look at a tree +to bring it down.” He lived, whilst on board, +on nothing but oatmeal porridge, a large goblet-full +of which, after first making it himself, +he devoured regularly on deck four times a +day. As to the little man, he lived, as regularly, +on mashed potatoes, enriched with +butter and melted cheese; and his meals were +invariably followed by fits of sea-sickness +which he considered quite unaccountable. +His habits became at length such a scandal to +all on board, that the doctor was compelled, +by the force of public opinion, to order him +to eat less. He had remained below from our +time of starting, until the day we made land, +when he appeared on deck for the first time, +and was for the first time seen without his +nightcap.</p> + +<p class='c005'>When we had been about three weeks at +sea an incident occurred which appalled us +all, and elicited the sympathies of everyone +for one of the unfortunate sufferers. I have +already alluded to the old man, who was emigrating +with his only grandson, whom he +wished to see comfortably settled in life, ere +his eyes were sealed in death. The youth was +one of several on board who were fond, after +having been a few days at sea, of climbing the +rigging, and exposing themselves to a variety +of unnecessary risks. He had been frequently +warned, with the rest, against the consequences +which might ensue, but disregarded the +advice. One day, whilst out upon the bowsprit, +he missed his hold and dropped into the water. +The alarm of “man overboard” was instantly +raised, and, to save him, the ship was immediately +hove to; but he had disappeared, and +although we remained for an hour upon the +spot, we never caught a glimpse of him again. +One of the men near him at the time said +that, on reaching the water, he was struck on +the head by the cut-water of the ship, which +was then running about eight knots an hour. +The blow stunned him, and he sank like a +stone. The poor old man was inconsolable, +and gradually sank into a state of vacant +imbecility; and, on landing, found a home in +the Lunatic Asylum at Quebec.</p> + +<p class='c005'>Let no one dream that the sea, particularly +on board an emigrant ship, is the place for +reading or study. It is either too cold, when +there is the slightest breeze, or too hot when +it is calm: it is too noisy at all times. Happy +is he who, under such circumstances, has a +resource against <i>ennui</i> in his own reflections. +Having a clergyman on board, we had divine +service regularly on the Sundays. When it +was rough, the assemblage took place between +decks in the steerage; but when fine we were +convened upon deck. Sailors have a dread, not +exactly of clergymen in the abstract, but of +clergymen on board. A blackbird on the rigging +as the ship is about to start, or a clergyman +on board, is equally, in their estimation, +a token of ill luck; and some of the crew +pitied us for anticipating anything else, under +the circumstances.</p> + +<p class='c005'>If there is one thing more disagreeable than +a storm at sea, it is a calm. It is all very +well for a steamer, which can then make her +way nobly over the waters; but, the annoyance +and tedium on board a sailing vessel +are indescribable. In all our calms we were +surrounded by sea-gulls and other marine +birds. Some of them ventured so close as to +be shot; others we endeavoured to catch by +means of baited hooks tied to a stick, which +was attached to a long cord; but they were +too wary for us, for, after closely examining it, +they fought shy of the temptation.</p> + +<p class='c005'>On nearing the banks of Newfoundland we +were constantly immersed in fogs. One +morning, whilst thus situated, the temperature +of the sea suddenly lowered, which the +captain interpreted into an indication of icebergs +not being far off, and a sharp look out +was ordered to be kept. It was scarcely +noon ere we were in imminent peril of running +at full speed against one. We owed our +escape to a passenger, who was on the lookout, +and who called the attention of one of +the sailors to something ahead of us. “Starboard—starboard +hard!”—cried he at once +to the man at the wheel. The helm was +scarcely turned ere we glided rapidly by the +frozen mass, which gleamed like a huge +emerald in the faint and struggling sunlight. +We passed so close to it that I could have +leaped upon it with ease. We might as well +have run against a whinstone rock as encountered +this floating peril, at the rate at +which we were then gliding through the water.</p> + +<p class='c005'>Whilst crossing the banks the ship was +frequently hove to for soundings. We took +advantage of such occasions to fish for cod; +nor were we unsuccessful, for we, altogether, +hauled on board several dozen fish of a large +size. The delight with which we feasted +upon our prey, after some weeks’ experience +of nothing but salt meat, I leave the reader +to imagine. It was during one of our angling +attempts that an incident occurred, which +would have seemed as incredible to me as it +<span class='pageno' id='Page_538'>538</span>may now do the reader, had I not been an +eye-witness of it. One of the crew, whilst +fishing for a few minutes, with a line belonging +to a passenger, hooked a very large fish, +which dropped into the water in the act of +being hauled on board. The man, determined +on securing his prize, without a moment’s +hesitation, leaped overboard after it; and, +seizing the half insensible fish in his arms, +held it there until he was hauled on board, +with his extraordinary booty. In explanation +of this, it should be known that the gills of a +cod-fish, when out of the water, swell considerably, +so as to prevent it from properly performing +their functions when restored, even +alive, to its native element. It was whilst the +fish in question was in the act of thus “coming +to” that the man seized and secured it.</p> + +<p class='c005'>On the banks, when the night was clear, +we witnessed magnificent exhibitions of the +aurora-borealis. It was generally between +midnight and ten in the morning that the +phenomenon attained the greatest splendour. +When the whole northern sky was enveloped +in a trellis-work of flashing wavy light, of a +mingled golden, silvery pink, and blood-red +hue.</p> + +<p class='c005'>The first land we made, was Cape Breton, +an island off the northern extremity of Nova +Scotia; and between which and Newfoundland, +is the entrance to the Gulf of St. Lawrence. +The bold shore of the island was +more picturesque than inviting; but for the +live-long day every passenger strained his eyes +upon this, the first positive revelation of the +New World to him. The delight imparted by +the first sight of land, can only be appreciated +by those who have been for weeks at sea, with +nothing to meet the eye, day after day, but +the same monotonous and dreary circle of +waters, in the midst of which the ship seems +to rest immoveable. From Cape Breton we +stood up the Gulf, and being favoured by +the wind, soon made the Island of Anticosti, +not far from the mouth of the St. Lawrence. +It looked like a mass of petrified guano; an +illusion which was not disturbed by the +myriads of water-fowl which hovered about its +precipices.</p> + +<p class='c005'>The Gulf of St. Lawrence has not been inaptly +designated, the “vilest of seas.” It was +our lot to have ample experience of its capricious +humours. When almost at the mouth +of the river, which expands into a magnificent +estuary of from seventy to ninety miles in +width, we were becalmed for two whole +days. Between us and the rocky shore on +our left, to which we were very close, lay a +vessel from Belfast, crowded with emigrants. +There was music and dancing on board; and +so near were we to each other, that we, too, +sometimes danced to the sound of her solitary +violin. On the evening of the second day, +we were suddenly overtaken by a furious +squall, which descending the river, came +upon us so unprepared, that much of our +canvas was cut to pieces ere it could be +taken in. In about half an hour all was +comparatively tranquil again, but on looking +for our comrade, not a vestige of her was to +be seen. It was not for three weeks afterwards, +when we heard of her total loss, with +upwards of three hundred and fifty souls on +board, that our dreadful suspicions respecting +her, were confirmed. Next morning it blew +very fresh; and although it was the 3rd of +June, we had several heavy falls of snow.</p> + +<p class='c005'>After beating about for two days longer in +the mouth of the river, we were boarded by a +pilot, and made way for Quebec, about four +hundred miles up. The ascent of the stream +is sometimes exceedingly tedious; as, when +the wind is adverse, it is necessary to come to +anchor at every turn of the tide. Thus as +much time is sometimes consumed in ascending +the river, as in crossing the Atlantic. We +were more fortunate, for we made the quarantine +ground, thirty miles below the city, in +ten days. Under such circumstances, the +sail up the river is interesting and agreeable. +For the first hundred miles or so, it is so wide, +that land on either side is but dimly visible. +But, as the estuary narrows, objects on either +side become more distinct. The northern +shore, which is bold and mountainous, is replete +with scenes of the most romantic grandeur. +The southern bank being much tamer in +its character, and more adapted for human +habitations. The channel too, some distance +up, is occasionally studded with islands, which +add greatly to the interest of the sail.</p> + +<p class='c005'>The quarantine ground of Canada is Gros +Isle, between which and Quebec stretches the +long Island of Orleans. We had scarcely +dropped anchor when we were boarded by +an officer of the Board of Health. Whilst +ascending the river, the ship had been +thoroughly cleaned, and the berths in the +steerage white-washed. We were all passed +in review before the functionary in question, +and could have been at once permitted to proceed +to our destination, but for one old lady, +who was not exactly ill, but ailing; on her +account we were detained until every piece of +clothing on board had undergone a thorough +ablution. We landed immediately in boats, +and, after having been for about six weeks at +sea, it was with inexpressible joy that I sprang +ashore, for the first time, in the New World.</p> + +<p class='c005'>Gros Isle! With what melancholy associations +have the events of 1847 encircled the +name of the Canadian lazaretto! On our +arrival, in a year when the tide of emigration +was not strong, there was a little fleet anchored +along side of it. Some of the vessels (they +were all from Ireland), with their overloaded +cargoes of human beings, had been already +there for a month, nor was there any prospect +of their being relieved for some weeks to +come. There was an hospital for the sick; +the accommodation ashore for such as were +well, consisted of several large open sheds, +tolerably well covered and floored. In these, +meals were taken during the day, and beds +<span class='pageno' id='Page_539'>539</span>were made for the night. Outside, the scene +presented was picturesque, and even gay; +there were nearly three thousand people +ashore, and a universal washing of clothes +of all kinds was going on; the water being +heated by hundreds of wood fires, which were +blazing and smoking amongst the rocks in the +open air. When there were families, the +families belonging to them washed for them; +such as were alone had to hire the services +of professional washerwomen. The appliances +of washing are rather peculiar. Between +high and low water-mark the island was very +rocky, and the action of the water had here +and there scooped out bowls of various sizes +from the rock. Into them, for the most part, +the hot water was poured, and in them, +between tides, the clothes were washed. +They were then spread upon the rocks, or +hung upon the trees to dry, which gave the +island a holiday look. It was anything, however, +but a holiday time for hundreds, who +were forced to tenant it.</p> + +<p class='c005'>To our great satisfaction, we were permitted, +after but one day’s detention, to resume our +course. With wind and tide in our favour, we +soon dropped up to the city. It was a clear and +brilliant morning in June when we left Gros +Isle, and as we made our way up the narrow +channel between the Island of Orleans and the +southern bank of the river, nothing could +exceed the beauty of the scene, the great +basin, into which the city juts, being visible +in the distance, directly ahead of us, whilst +the precipitous bank on either side, particularly +that on our left, was covered with the +most luxuriant vegetation, in the shade of +which we could, every here and there, discover +foaming torrents, dashing headlong from +the country above into the river, like those +which, after heavy rains, rush with such fury +down the western bank of Loch Ness. On +opening one of the points of the Isle Orleans, +the cataract of Montmorency burst suddenly +upon our view, looking in the distance like a +long streak of snow amid the rich green foliage +which imbedded it. Considerably higher up, +Point Levy still projected between us and the +city, but long before we turned it, we could +see over it the British flag floating in the distance +from the lofty battlements of Cape +Diamond. On turning the point, the change +of scene was as sudden and complete as any +ever effected by the scenic contrivances of the +stage. The city was at once disclosed to view, +skirting the fort and crowning the summit of +the bold rocky promontory on which it stands, +its tinned roofs and steeples gleaming in the +sunlight, as if they were cased in silver. Very +few vessels were at the wharves, but abreast +of the city hundreds were anchored in the +middle of the stream, some getting rid of their +ballast, and others surrounded by islands of +timber, with which they were being loaded. +The clearness of the air, the brightness of the +sky, the merry tumble of the water, slightly +ruffled by a fresh easterly breeze, the singular +position and quaint appearance of the town, +with its massive battlements, its glistening +turrets, and its break-neck looking streets, zigzagging +up the precipice, with the rich greenery +of the Heights of Abraham beyond, and +that of Point Levy right opposite, and with +hundreds of vessels lying quietly at anchor +on the broad expanse of the river, whilst the +echoes reverberated to the merry choruses of +their busy crews,—all conspired to form a +picture calculated to make an impression upon +the imagination too deep to be ever effaced.</p> + +<p class='c005'>The anchor had scarcely dropped, terminating +our long and weary voyage, when we +were boarded by a Custom-House officer, and +by an officer of the Board of Health. After +another inspection, we were permitted to land; +and it was not without many anxious reflections +upon the novelty of my situation, that I +found myself retiring that night to rest within +a stone’s throw of the monument raised to +the joint memories of Wolf and Montcalm.</p> + +<p class='c005'>Such were the incidents of my voyage. I +have set them down simply, and exactly as +they occurred, for the purpose of presenting +a true picture of the emigrant’s life afloat. I +have since learned that, in all respects, ours +was an average journey across the wide waste. +Intending emigrants, therefore, who picture +to themselves in bright colours the glories of +a sea voyage, will, by reading these pages, +have their dreams modified by some touches of +reality and truth, if not entirely dispelled. If, +however, they are adapted for success in the +other hemisphere, they will not be daunted +by the trials and inconveniences I have +pictured.</p> + +<div class='chapter'> + <h2 class='c003'>THE SISTER’S FAREWELL.</h2> +</div> + +<div class='lg-container-b c007'> + <div class='linegroup'> + <div class='group'> + <div class='line'>Dear Sister, sit beside my bed,</div> + <div class='line in2'>And let me see your gentle smile,</div> + <div class='line'>And let me lay my aching head</div> + <div class='line in2'>Upon your kindly arm awhile;</div> + <div class='line'>I shall not long be with you now,</div> + <div class='line in2'>My time is drawing to an end:</div> + <div class='line'>May we our spirits meekly bow,</div> + <div class='line in2'>And He release from suffering send.</div> + </div> + <div class='group'> + <div class='line'>The longed-for summer’s drawing near;</div> + <div class='line in2'>The wind is softer, and the sun</div> + <div class='line'>Streams down so brightly on me here,</div> + <div class='line in2'>It almost seems already come.</div> + <div class='line'>But now—I never more shall see</div> + <div class='line in2'>The fields and lanes, all gay with flowers,</div> + <div class='line'>Nor hear the murmur of the bee,</div> + <div class='line in2'>Nor song of birds among the bowers.</div> + </div> + <div class='group'> + <div class='line'>For here, no beauteous change we see</div> + <div class='line in2'>In nature, as the year rolls on;</div> + <div class='line'>No green bursts forth on bush and tree</div> + <div class='line in2'>When winter’s chilling frosts are gone.</div> + <div class='line'>No gentle flowers or odours sweet,</div> + <div class='line in2'>In summer cheer us as we go;</div> + <div class='line'>Nought see we but th’ unchanging street,</div> + <div class='line in2'>And weary passing to and fro.</div> + </div> + <div class='group'> + <div class='line'>The summer, though ’tis summer still,</div> + <div class='line in2'>Seems not the same while we are here.</div> + <div class='line'>How sweet the thought of that clear rill,</div> + <div class='line in2'>That trembled from the hillock near</div> + <div class='line'><span class='pageno' id='Page_540'>540</span>To our old house! I sometimes think,</div> + <div class='line in2'>With my eyes closed, and half-asleep,</div> + <div class='line'>That I am lying on the brink</div> + <div class='line in2'>Of the old fish-pond, still, and deep.</div> + </div> + <div class='group'> + <div class='line'>Methinks in one of those sweet nooks,</div> + <div class='line in2'>Beneath the hanging willow-trees,</div> + <div class='line'>I listen to the cawing rooks</div> + <div class='line in2'>And busy humming of the bees.</div> + <div class='line'>And, moodily, I watch the trout</div> + <div class='line in2'>Make circles in the tranquil pool;</div> + <div class='line'>And watch the swallows skim about,</div> + <div class='line in2'>And feel the breeze so fresh and cool.</div> + </div> + <div class='group'> + <div class='line'>Let me awake—the dream was brief—</div> + <div class='line in2'>Be thankful for my sufferings here;</div> + <div class='line'>Be thankful, too, for Heaven’s relief,</div> + <div class='line in2'>E’en though I leave thee, sister dear.</div> + <div class='line'>Yet let me once more see you smile;</div> + <div class='line in2'>A Vision opens on me bright!</div> + <div class='line'>Lay your hand by me for a while—</div> + <div class='line in2'>And now, God bless you, love—Good Night!</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<div class='chapter'> + <h2 class='c003'>THE HOME OF WOODRUFFE THE GARDENER.</h2> +</div> + +<h3 class='c008'>IN EIGHT CHAPTERS.—CHAPTER IV.</h3> + +<p class='c009'>Fleming did what he could to find fair play +for his father-in-law. He spoke to one and +another—to the officers of the railway, and to +the owners of neighbouring plots of ground, +about the bad drainage, which was injuring +everybody; but he could not learn that anything +was likely to be done. The ditch—the +great evil of all—had always been there, he +was told, and people never used to complain +of it. When Fleming pointed out that it +was at first a comparatively deep ditch, and +that it grew shallower every year, from the +accumulations formed by its uneven bottom, +there were some who admitted that it might +be as well to clean it out; yet nobody set +about it. And it was truly a more difficult +affair now than it would have been at an +earlier time. If the ditch was shallower, it +was much wider. It had once been twelve +feet wide, and it was now eighteen. When +any drain had been flowing into it, or after a +rainy day, the contents spread through and +over the soil on each side, and softened it, +and then the next time any horse or cow +came to drink, the whole bank was made a +perfect bog; for the poor animals, however +thirsty, tried twenty places to find water that +they could drink, before going away in +despair. Such was the bar in the way of +poor Woodruffe’s success with his ground. +Before the end of summer, his patience was +nearly worn out. During a showery and +gleamy May and a pleasant June, he had +gone on as prosperously as he could expect +under the circumstances; and he confidently +anticipated that a seasonable July and +August would quite set him up. But he had +had no previous experience of the peculiarities +of ill-drained land; and the hot July and +August from which he hoped so much did +him terrible mischief. The drought which +would have merely dried and pulverised a +well-drained soil, leaving it free to profit +much by small waterings, baked the overcharged +soil of Woodruffe’s garden into hard +hot masses of clay, amidst which his produce +died off faster and faster every day, even +though he and all his family wore out their +strength with constant watering. He did +hope, he said, that he should have been +spared drought at least; but it seemed as if +he was to have every plague in turn; and +the drought seemed, at the time, to be the +worst of all.</p> + +<p class='c005'>One day, Fleming saw a welcome face in +one of the carriages; Mr. Nelson, a Director +of the railway, who was looking along the +line to see how matters went. Though Mr. +Nelson was not exactly the one, of all the +Directors, whom Fleming would have chosen +to appeal to, he saw that the opportunity +must not be lost; and he entreated him to +alight, and stay for the next train.</p> + +<p class='c005'>“Eh! what?” said Mr. Nelson; “what +can you want with us here? A station like +this! Why, one has to put on spectacles +to see it!”</p> + +<p class='c005'>“If you would come down, Sir, I should be +glad to show you....”</p> + +<p class='c005'>“Well: I suppose I must.”</p> + +<p class='c005'>As they were standing on the little platform, +and the train was growing smaller in +the distance, Fleming proceeded to business. +He told of the serious complaints +that were made for a distance of a few miles +on either hand, of the clay pits, left by the +railway brickmakers, to fill with stagnant +waters.</p> + +<p class='c005'>“Pho! pho! Is that what you want to +say?” replied Mr. Nelson. “You need not +have stopped me just to tell me that. We +hear of those pits all along the line. We are +sick of hearing of them.”</p> + +<p class='c005'>“That does not mend the matter in this +place,” observed Fleming. “I speak freely, +Sir, but I think it my duty to say that something +must be done. I heard, a few days +ago, more than the people hereabouts know,—much +more than I shall tell them—of the +fever that has settled on particular points +of our line; and I now assure you, Sir, that +if the fever once gets a hold in this place, I +believe it may carry us all off, before anything +can be done. Sir, there is not one of +us, within half a mile of the Station, that has +a wholesome dwelling.”</p> + +<p class='c005'>“Pho! pho! you are a croaker,” declared +Mr. Nelson. “Never saw such a dismal +fellow! Why, you will die of fright, if ever +you die of anything.”</p> + +<p class='c005'>“Then, Sir, will you have the goodness to +walk round with me, and see for yourself +what you think of things. It is not only for +myself and my family that I speak. In an +evil day, I induced my wife’s family to settle +here, and....”</p> + +<p class='c005'>“Ay! that is a nice garden,” observed Mr. +Nelson, as Fleming pointed to Woodruffe’s +land. “You are a croaker, Fleming. I declare +I think the place is much improved +<span class='pageno' id='Page_541'>541</span>since I saw it last. People would not come +and settle here if the place was like what you +say.”</p> + +<p class='c005'>Instead of arguing the matter, Fleming led +the way down the long flight of steps. He +was aware that leading the gentleman among +bad smells and over shoes in a foul bog +would have more effect than any argument +was ever known to have on his contradictious +spirit.</p> + +<p class='c005'>“You should have seen worse things than +these, and then you would not be so discontented,” +observed Mr. Nelson, striking his +stick upon the hard-baked soil, all intersected +with cracks. “I have seen such a soil as this +in Spain, some days after a battle, when there +were scores of fingers and toes sticking up +out of the cracks. What would you say to +that?—eh?”</p> + +<p class='c005'>“We may have a chance of seeing that +here,” replied Fleming; “if the plague comes,—and +comes too fast for the coffin-makers,—a +thing which has happened more than once +in England, I believe.”</p> + +<p class='c005'>Mr. Nelson stopped to laugh; but he certainly +attended more to business as he went +on; and Fleming, who knew something of +his ways, had hopes that if he could only +keep his own temper, this visit of the Director +might not be without good results.</p> + +<p class='c005'>In passing through Woodruffe’s garden, +very nice management was necessary. Woodruffe +was at work there, charged with ire +against railway directors and landed proprietors, +whom, amidst the pangs of his +rheumatism, he regarded as the poisoners +of his land and the bane of his fortunes; +while, on the other hand, Mr. Nelson, who +had certainly never been a market-gardener, +criticised and ridiculed everything that met +his eye. What was the use of such a toolhouse +as that?—big enough for a house for +them all. What was the use of such low +fences?—of such high screens?—of making the +walks so wide?—sheer waste!—of making the +beds so long one way, and so narrow another?—of +planting or sowing this and that?—things +that nobody wanted. Woodruffe had pushed +back his hat, in preparation for a defiant +reply, when Fleming caught his eye, and, by +a good-tempered smile, conveyed to him that +they had an oddity to deal with. Allan, who +had begun by listening reverently, was now +looking from one to another, in great perplexity.</p> + +<p class='c005'>“What is that boy here for, staring like a +dunce? Why don’t you send him to school? +You neglect a parent’s duty if you don’t send +him to school.”</p> + +<p class='c005'>Woodruffe answered by a smile of contempt, +walked away, and went to work at a +distance.</p> + +<p class='c005'>“That boy is very well taught,” Fleming +said, quietly. “He is a great reader, and will +soon be fit to keep his father’s accounts.”</p> + +<p class='c005'>“What does he stare in that manner for, +then? I took him for a dunce.”</p> + +<p class='c005'>“He is not accustomed to hear his father +called in question, either as a gardener or a +parent.”</p> + +<p class='c005'>“Pho! pho! I might as well have waited, +though, till he was out of hearing. Well, is +this all you have to show me? I think you +make a great fuss about nothing.”</p> + +<p class='c005'>“Will you walk this way?” said Fleming, +turning down towards the osier beds, without +any compassion for the gentleman’s boots or +olfactory nerves. For a long while Mr. Nelson +affected to admire the reeds, and water-flags, +and marsh-blossoms, declared the decayed +vegetation to be peat soil, very fine peat, which +the ladies would be glad of for their heaths in +the flower-garden,—and thought there must +be good fowling here in winter. Fleming +quietly turned over the so-called peat with a +stick, letting it be seen that it was a mere +dung-heap of decayed rushes, and wished Mr. +Nelson would come in the fowling season, and +see what the place was like.</p> + +<p class='c005'>“The children are merry enough, however,” +observed the gentleman. “They can laugh +here, much as in other places. I advise you +to take a lesson from them, Fleming. Now, +don’t you teach them to croak.”</p> + +<p class='c005'>The laughter sounded from the direction of +the old brick-ground; and thither they now +turned. Two little boys were on the brink of +a pit, so intent on watching a rat in the +water and on pelting it with stones, that they +did not see that anybody was coming to +disturb them. In answer to Mr. Nelson’s +question, whether they were vagrants, and +why vagrants were permitted there, Fleming +answered that the younger one—the pale-faced +one—was his little brother-in-law; the +other—</p> + +<p class='c005'>“Ay, now, you will be telling me next that +the pale face is the fault of this place.”</p> + +<p class='c005'>“It certainly is,” said Fleming. “That child +was chubby enough when he came.”</p> + +<p class='c005'>“Pho, pho! a puny little wretch as ever I +saw—puny from its birth, I have no doubt of +it. And who is the other—a gipsy?”</p> + +<p class='c005'>“He looks like it,” replied Fleming. On +being questioned, Moss told that the boy +lived near, and he had often played with him +lately. Yes, he lived near, just beyond those +trees; not in a house, only a sort of house +the people had made for themselves. Mr. +Nelson liked to lecture vagrants, even more +than other people; so Moss was required to +show the way, and his dark-skinned playfellow +was not allowed to skulk behind.</p> + +<p class='c005'>Moss led his party on, over the tufty hay-coloured +grass, skipping from bunch to bunch +of rushes, round the osier beds, and at last +straight through a clump of alders, behind +whose screen now appeared the house, as +Moss had called it, which the gipsies had +made for themselves. It was the tilt of a +waggon, serving as a tent. Nobody was +visible but a woman, crouching under the +shadow of the tent, to screen from the sun +that which was lying across her lap.</p> + +<p class='c005'><span class='pageno' id='Page_542'>542</span>“What is that that she’s nursing? Lord +bless me! Can that be a child?” exclaimed +Mr. Nelson.</p> + +<p class='c005'>“A child in the fever,” replied Fleming.</p> + +<p class='c005'>“Lord bless me!—to see legs and arms hang +down like that!” exclaimed the gentleman: +and he forthwith gave the woman a lecture +on her method of nursing—scolded her for +letting the child get a fever—for not putting +it to bed—for not getting a doctor to it—for +being a gipsy, and living under an alder +clump. He then proceeded to inquire whether +she had anybody else in the tent, where her +husband was, whether he lived by thieving, +how they would all like being transported, +whether she did not think her children would +all be hanged, and so on. At first, the woman +tried a facetious and wheedling tone, then a +whimpering one, and, finally, a scolding one. +The last answered well. Mr. Nelson found +that a man, to say nothing of a gentleman, +has no chance with a woman with a sore +heart in her breast, and a sick child in her +lap, when once he has driven her to her +weapon of the tongue. He said afterwards, +that he had once gone to Billingsgate, on purpose +to set two fishwomen quarrelling, that +he might see what it was like. The scene +had fulfilled all his expectations; but he now +declared that it could not compare with this +exhibition behind the alders. He stood a long +while, first trying to overpower the woman’s +voice; and, when that seemed hopeless, poking +about among the rushes with his stick, and +finally, staring in the woman’s face, in a mood +between consternation and amusement:—thus +he stood, waiting till the torrent should +intermit; but there was no sign of intermission; +and when the sick child began to move +and rouse itself, and look at the strangers, as +if braced by the vigour of its mother’s tongue, +the prospect of an end seemed further off than +ever. Mr. Nelson shrugged his shoulders, +signed to his companions, and walked away +through the alders. The woman was not +silent because they were out of sight. Her +voice waxed shriller as it followed them, and +died away only in the distance. Moss was +grasping Fleming’s hand with all his might +when Mr. Nelson spoke to him, and shook his +stick at him, asking him how he came to play +with such people, and saying that if ever he +heard him learning to scold like that woman, +he would beat him with that stick: so Moss +vowed he never would.</p> + +<p class='c005'>“When the train was in sight by which Mr. +Nelson was to depart, he turned to Fleming, +with the most careless air imaginable, saying,</p> + +<p class='c005'>“Have you any medicine in your house?—any +bark?”</p> + +<p class='c005'>“Not any. But I will send for some.”</p> + +<p class='c005'>“Ay, do. Or,—no—I will send you some. +See if you can’t get these people housed somewhere, +so that they may not sleep in the +swamp. I don’t mean in any of your houses, +but in a barn, or some such place. If the +physic comes before the doctor, get somebody +to dose the child. And don’t fancy you are +all going to die of the fever. That is the way +to make yourselves ill: and it is all nonsense, +too, I dare say.”</p> + +<p class='c005'>“Do you like that gentleman?” asked Moss, +sapiently, when the train was whirling Mr. +Nelson out of sight. “Because I don’t—not +at all.”</p> + +<p class='c005'>“I believe he is kinder than he seems, Moss. +He need not be so rough: but I know he +does kind things sometimes.”</p> + +<p class='c005'>“But, do you like him?”</p> + +<p class='c005'>“No, I can’t say I do.”</p> + +<p class='c005'>Before many hours were over, Fleming was +sorry that he had admitted this, even to himself; +and for many days after he was occasionally +heard telling Moss what a good +gentleman Mr. Nelson was, for all his roughness +of manners. With the utmost speed, +before it would have been thought possible, +arrived a surgeon from the next town, with +medicines, and the news that he was to come +every day while there was any fear of fever. +The gipsies were to have been cared for; but +they were gone. The marks of their fire and +a few stray feathers which showed that a +fowl had been plucked, alone told where they +had encamped. A neighbour, who loved her +poultry yard, was heard to say that the sick +child would not die for want of chicken broth, +she would be bound; and the nearest farmer +asked if they had left any potato-peels and +turnip tops for his pig. He thought that was +the least they could do after making their +famous gipsy stew (a capital dish, it was said,) +from his vegetables. They were gone; and if +they had not left fever behind, they might be +forgiven, for the sake of the benefit of taking +themselves off. After the search for the +gipsies was over, there was still an unusual +stir about the place. One and another +stranger appeared and examined the low +grounds, and sent for one and another of the +neighbouring proprietors, whether farmer, or +builder, or gardener, or labourer; for every +one who owned or rented a yard of land on +the borders of the great ditch, or anywhere +near the clay pits or osier beds. It was the +opinion of the few residents near the Station +that something would be done to improve the +place before another year; and everybody +said that it must be Mr. Nelson’s doings, and +that it was a thousand pities that he did not +come earlier, before the fever had crept thus +far along the line.</p> + +<div class='chapter'> + <h2 class='c003'>CHAPTER THE FIFTH.</h2> +</div> + +<p class='c004'>For some months past, Becky had believed +without a doubt, that the day of her return +home would be the very happiest day of her +life. She was too young to know yet that it +is not for us to settle which of our days shall +be happy ones, nor what events shall yield us +joy. The promise had not been kept that she +should return when her father and mother +removed into the new cottage. She had been +told that there really was not, even now +<span class='pageno' id='Page_543'>543</span>decent room for them all; and that they +must at least wait till the hot weather was +completely over before they crowded the +chamber, as they had hitherto done. And +then, when autumn came on, and the creeping +mists from the low grounds hung round the +place from sunset till after breakfast the next +day, the mother delayed sending for her +daughter, unwilling that she should lose the +look of health which she alone now, of all the +family, exhibited. Fleming and his wife and +babe prospered better than the others. The +young man’s business lay on the high ground, +at the top of the embankment. He was +there all day while Mr. Woodruffe and Allan +were below, among the ditches and the late +and early fogs. Mrs. Fleming was young and +strong, full of spirit and happiness; and so +far fortified against the attacks of disease, as +a merry heart strengthens nerve and bone and +muscle, and invigorates all the vital powers. +In regard to her family, her father’s hopeful +spirit seemed to have passed into her. While +he was becoming permanently discouraged, +she was always assured that everything would +come right next year. The time had arrived +for her power of hope to be tested to the +utmost. One day this autumn, she admitted +that Becky must be sent for. She did not +forget, however, to charge Allan to be cheerful, +and make the best of things, and not +frighten Becky by the way.</p> + +<p class='c005'>It was now the end of October. Some of +the days were balmy elsewhere—the afternoons +ruddy; the leaves crisp beneath the +tread; the squirrel busy after the nuts in the +wood; the pheasants splendid among the dry +ferns in the brake, the sportsman warm and +thirsty in his exploring among the stubble. +In the evenings the dwellers in country +houses called one another out upon the grass, +to see how bright the stars were, and how +softly the moonlight slept upon the woods. +While it was thus in one place, in another, +and not far off, all was dank, dim, dreary and +unwholesome; with but little sun, and no +moon or stars; all chill, and no glow; no +stray perfumes, the last of the year, but +sickly scents coming on the steam from +below. Thus it was about Fleming’s house, +this latter end of October, when he saw but +little of his wife, because she was nursing her +mother in the fever, and when he tried to +amuse himself with his young baby at mealtimes +(awkward nurse as he was) to relieve +his wife of the charge for the little time he +could be at home. When the baby cried, and +when he saw his Abby look wearied, he did +wish, now and then, that Becky was at home: +but he was patient, and helpful, and as cheerful +as he could, till the day which settled the +matter. On that morning he felt strangely +weak, barely able to mount the steps to the +station. During the morning, several people +told him he looked ill; and one person did +more. The porter sent a message to the next +large Station that somebody must be sent +immediately to fill Fleming’s place, in case of +his being too ill to work. Somebody came; +and before that, Fleming was in bed—certainly +down in the fever. His wife was now +wanted at home; and Becky must come to +her mother.</p> + +<p class='c005'>Though Becky asked questions all the way +home, and Allan answered them as truthfully +as he knew how, she was not prepared for +what she found—her father aged and bent, +always in pain, more or less, and far less +furnished with plans and hopes than she had +ever known him; Moss, fretful and sickly, +and her mother unable to turn herself in her +bed. Nobody mentioned death. The surgeon +who came daily, and told Becky exactly what +to do, said nothing of anybody dying of the +fever, while Woodruffe was continually talking +of things that were to be done when his wife +got well again. It was sad, and sometimes +alarming, to hear the strange things that +Mrs. Woodruffe said in the evenings when she +was delirious; but if Abby stepped in at such +times, she did not think much of it, did not +look upon it as any sign of danger; and was +only thankful that her husband had no delirium. +His head was always clear, she said, +though he was very weak. Becky never +doubted, after this, that her mother was the +most severely ill of the two; and she was +thunderstruck when she heard one morning +the surgeon’s answers to her father’s questions +about Fleming. He certainly considered +it a bad case; he would not say that he could +not get through; but he must say it was +contrary to his expectation. When Becky +saw her father’s face as he turned away and +went out, she believed his heart was broken.</p> + +<p class='c005'>“But I thought,” said she to the surgeon, +“I thought my mother was most ill of the two.”</p> + +<p class='c005'>“I don’t know that,” was the reply, “but she +is very ill. We are doing the best we can.—You +are, I am sure,” he said, kindly; “and we +must hope on, and do our best till a change +comes. The wisest of us do not know what +changes may come. But I could not keep +your father in ignorance of what may happen +in the other house.”</p> + +<p class='c005'>No appearances alarmed Abby. Because +there was no delirium, she apprehended no +danger. Even when the fatal twitchings came, +the arm twitching as it lay upon the coverlid, +she did not know it was a symptom of anything. +As she nursed her husband perfectly +well, and could not have been made more +prudent and watchful by any warning, she +had no warning. Her cheerfulness was encouraged, +for her infant’s sake, as well as for +her husband’s and her own. Some thought +that her husband knew his own case. A word +or two,—now a gesture, and now a look,—persuaded +the surgeon and Woodruffe that he +was aware that he was going. His small +affairs were always kept settled; he had probably +no directions to give; and his tenderness +for his wife showed itself in his enjoying her +cheerfulness to the last. When, as soon as it +<span class='pageno' id='Page_544'>544</span>was light, one December morning, Moss was +sent to ask if Abby could possibly come for a +few minutes, because mother was worse, he +found his sister alone, looking at the floor, +her hands on her lap, though the baby was +fidgetting in its cradle. Fleming’s face was +covered, and he lay so still that Moss, who +had never seen death, felt sure that all was +over. The boy hardly knew what to do; and +his sister seemed not to hear what he said. +The thought of his mother,—that Abby’s +going might help or save her,—moved him to +act. He kissed Abby, and said she must +please go to mother; and he took the baby +out of the cradle, and wrapped it up, and put +it into its mother’s arms; and fetched Abby’s +bonnet, and took her cloak down from its peg, +and opened the door for her, saying, that he +would stay and take care of everything. His +sister went without a word; and, as soon as +he had closed the door behind her, Moss sank +down on his knees before the chair where she +had been sitting, and hid his face there till +some one came for him,—to see his mother +once more before she died.</p> + +<p class='c005'>As the two coffins were carried out, to be +conveyed to the churchyard together, Mr. +Nelson, who had often been backward and +forward during the last six weeks, observed +to the surgeon that the death of such a man +as Fleming was a dreadful loss.</p> + +<p class='c005'>“It is that sort of men that the fever cuts +off,” said the surgeon. “The strong man, in +the prime of life, at his best period, one may +say, for himself and for society, is taken away,—leaving +wife and child helpless and forlorn. +That is the ravage that the fever makes.”</p> + +<p class='c005'>“Well: would not people tell you that it is +our duty to submit?” asked Mr. Nelson, who +could not help showing some emotion by voice +and countenance.</p> + +<p class='c005'>“Submit!” said the surgeon. “That depends +on what the people mean who use the +word. If you or I were ill of the fever, we +must resign ourselves, as cheerfully as we +could. But if you ask me whether we should +submit to see more of our neighbours cut off +by fever as these have been, I can only ask +in return, whose doing it is that they are +living in a swamp, and whether that is to go +on? Who dug the clay pits? Who let that +ditch run abroad, and make a filthy bog? Are +you going to charge that upon Providence, +and talk of submitting to the consequences? +If so, that is not my religion.”</p> + +<p class='c005'>“No, no. There is no religion in that,” +replied Mr. Nelson, for once agreeing in what +was said to him. “It must be looked to.”</p> + +<p class='c005'>“It must,” said the surgeon, as decidedly as +if he had been a railway director, or king and +parliament in one.</p> + +<div class='chapter'> + <h2 class='c003'>CHAPTER THE SIXTH.</h2> +</div> + +<p class='c004'>“I wonder whether there is a more forlorn +family in England than we are now,” said +Woodruffe, as he sat among his children, a +few hours after the funeral.</p> + +<p class='c005'>His children were glad to hear him speak, +however gloomy might be his tone. His +silence had been so terrible that nothing that +he could say could so weigh upon their hearts. +His words, however, brought out his widowed +daughter’s tears again. She was sewing—her +infant lying in her lap. As her tears fell +upon its face, it moved and cried. Becky +came and took it up, and spoke cheerfully to +it. The cheerfulness seemed to be the worst +of all. Poor Abby laid her forehead to the +back of her chair, and sobbed as if her heart +would break.</p> + +<p class='c005'>“Ay, Abby,” said her father, “your heart is +breaking, and mine too. You and I can go to +our rest, like those that have gone before us: +but I have to think what will become of these +young things.”</p> + +<p class='c005'>“Yes, father,” said Becky gently, but with a +tone of remonstrance, “you must endeavour to +live, and not make up your mind to dying, +because life has grown heavy and sad.”</p> + +<p class='c005'>“My dear, I am ill—very ill. It is not +merely that life is grown intolerable to me. +I am sure I could not live long in such misery +of mind: but I am breaking up fast.”</p> + +<p class='c005'>The young people looked at each other in +dismay. There was something worse than +the grief conveyed by their father’s words in +the hopeless daring—the despair—of his tone +when he ventured to say that life was unendurable.</p> + +<p class='c005'>Becky had the child on one arm; with the +other hand she took down her father’s plaid +from its peg, and put it round his rheumatic +shoulders, whispering in his ear a few words +about desiring that God’s will should be +done.</p> + +<p class='c005'>“My dear,” he replied, “it was I who taught +you that lesson when you were a child on my +knee, and it would be strange if I forgot it +when I want so much any comfort that I can +get. But I don’t believe (and if you ask the +clergyman, he will tell you that he does not +believe), that it is God’s will that we, or any +other people, should be thrust into a swamp +like this, scarcely fit for the rats and the frogs +to live in. It is man’s doing, not God’s, that +the fever makes such havoc as it has made +with us. The fever does not lay waste healthy +places.”</p> + +<p class='c005'>“Then why are we here?” Allan ventured +to say. “Father, let us go.”</p> + +<p class='c005'>“Go! I wonder how or where! I can’t go, +or let any of you go. I have not a pound in +the world to spend in moving, or in finding +new employment. And if I had, who would +employ me? Who would not laugh at a +crippled old man asking for work and +wages?”</p> + +<p class='c005'>“Then, father, we must see what we can do +here, and you must not forbid us to say +‘God’s will be done!’ If we cannot go +away, it must be His will that we should stay, +and have as much hope and courage as we +can.”</p> + +<p class='c005'>Woodruffe threw himself back in his chair. +<span class='pageno' id='Page_545'>545</span>It was too much to expect that he would +immediately rally; but he let the young +people confer, and plan, and cheer each +other.</p> + +<p class='c005'>The first thing to be done, they agreed, was +to move hither, whenever the dismal rain +would permit it, all Abby’s furniture that +could not be disposed of to her husband’s +successors. It would fit up the lower room. +And Allan and Becky settled how the things +could stand so as to make it at once a bedroom +and sitting-room. If, as Abby had said, +she meant to try to get some scholars, and +keep a little school, room must be left to seat +the children.</p> + +<p class='c005'>“Keep a school?” exclaimed Woodruffe, +looking round at Abby.</p> + +<p class='c005'>“Yes, father,” said Abby, raising her head. +“That seems to be a thing that I can do: and +it will be good for me to have something to +do. Becky is the stoutest of us all, and....”</p> + +<p class='c005'>“I wonder how long that will last,” groaned +the father.</p> + +<p class='c005'>“I am quite stout now,” said Becky; “and +I am the one to help Allan with the garden. +Allan and I will work under your direction, +father, while your rheumatism lasts; and....”</p> + +<p class='c005'>“And what am I to do?” asked Moss, +pushing himself in.</p> + +<p class='c005'>“You shall fetch and carry the tools,” said +Becky; “that is, when the weather is fine, +and when your chilblains are not very bad. +And you shall be bird-boy when the sowing +season comes on.”</p> + +<p class='c005'>“And we are going to put up a pent-house +for you, in one corner, you know, Moss,” said +his brother. “And we will make it so that +there shall be room for a fire in it, where +father and you may warm yourselves, and +always have dry shoes ready.”</p> + +<p class='c005'>“I wonder what our shoe leather will have +cost us by the time the spring comes,” observed +Woodruffe. “There is not a place where +we ever have to take the cart or the barrow +that is not all mire and ruts: not a path in +the whole garden that I call a decent one. +Our shoes are all pulled to pieces; while the +frost, or the fog, or something or other, prevents +our getting any real work done. The +waste is dreadful. Nothing should have +made me take a garden where none but +summer crops are to be had, if I could have +foreseen such a thing. I never saw such a +thing before,—never—as market-gardening +without winter and spring crops. Never +heard of such a thing!”</p> + +<p class='c005'>Becky glanced towards Allan, to see if he +had nothing to propose. If they could neither +mend the place nor leave it, it did seem a +hard case. Allan was looking into the fire, +musing. When Moss announced that the +rain was over, Allan started, and said he +must be fetching some of Abby’s things +down, if it was fair. Becky really meant +to help him: but she also wanted opportunity +for consultation, as to whether it could really +be God’s will that they should neither be able +to mend their condition nor to escape from it. +As they mounted the long flight of steps, +they saw Mr. Nelson issue from the Station, +looking about him to ascertain if the rain was +over, and take his stand on the embankment, +followed by a gentleman who had a roll of +paper in his hand. As they stood, the one +was seen to point with his stick, and the +other with his roll of paper, this way and +that. Allan set off in that direction, saying +to his sister, as he went,</p> + +<p class='c005'>“Don’t you come. That gentleman is so +rude, he will make you cry. Yes, I must go; +and I won’t get angry; I won’t indeed. He +may find as much fault as he pleases; I must +show him how the water is standing in our +furrows.”</p> + +<p class='c005'>“Hallo! what do you want here?” was Mr. +Nelson’s greeting, when, after a minute or +two, he saw Allan looking and listening. +“What business have you here, hearkening +to what we are saying?”</p> + +<p class='c005'>“I wanted to know whether anything is +going to be done below there. I thought, if +you wished it, I could tell you something +about it.”</p> + +<p class='c005'>“You! what, a dainty little fellow like you?—a +fellow that wears his Sunday clothes on a +Tuesday, and a rainy Tuesday too! You +must get working clothes and work.”</p> + +<p class='c005'>“I shall work to-morrow, Sir. My mother +and my brother-in-law were buried to-day.”</p> + +<p class='c005'>“Lord bless me! You should have told +me that. How should I know that unless +you told me?” He proceeded in a much +gentler tone, however, merely remonstrating +with Allan for letting the wet stand in the +furrows, in such a way as would spoil any +garden. Allan had a good ally, all the while, +in the stranger, who seemed to understand +everything before it was explained. The +gentleman was, in fact, an agricultural surveyor—one +who could tell, when looking +abroad from a height, what was swamp and +what meadow; where there was a clean +drain, and where an uneven ditch; where +the soil was likely to be watered, and where +flooded by the winter rains; where genially +warmed, and where fatally baked by the +summer’s sun. He had seen, before Allan +pointed it out, how the great ditch cut across +between the cultivated grounds and the little +river into which those grounds should be +drained: but he could not know, till told by +Allan, who were the proprietors and occupiers +of the parcels of land lying on either side the +ditch. Mr. Nelson knew little or nothing +under this head, though he contradicted the +lad every minute; was sure such an one did +not live here, nor another there: told him he +was confusing Mr. Smith and Mr. Brown: did +not believe a word of Mr. Taylor having +bought yonder meadow, or Mrs. Scott now +renting that field. All the while, the surveyor +went on setting down the names as Allan told +them; and then observed that they were not +so many but that they might combine, if they +<span class='pageno' id='Page_546'>546</span>would, to drain their properties, if they could +be relieved of the obstruction of the ditch—if +the surveyor of highways would see that the +ditch were taken in hand. Mr. Nelson pronounced +that there should be no difficulty +about the ditch, if the rest could be managed: +and then, after a few whispered words between +the gentlemen, Allan was asked first, whether +he was sure that he knew where every +person lived whose name was down in the +surveyor’s book; and next, whether he would +act as guide to-morrow. For a moment he +thought he should be wanted to move Abby’s +things: but, remembering the vast importance +of the plan which seemed now to be +fairly growing under his eye, he replied that +he would go: he should be happy to make it +his day’s work to help, ever so little, towards +what he wished above everything in the +world.</p> + +<p class='c005'>“What makes you in such a hurry to suppose +we want to get a day’s work out of you +for nothing?” asked Mr. Nelson. He thrust +half-a-crown into the lad’s waistcoat pocket, +saying that he must give it back again, if he +led the gentleman wrong. The gentleman +had no time to go running about the country +on a fool’s errand; Allan must mind that. +As Allan touched his hat, and ran down the +steps, Mr. Nelson observed that boys with +good hearts did not fly about in that way, as +if they were merry, on the day of their +mother’s funeral.</p> + +<p class='c005'>“Perhaps he is rather thinking of saving +his father,” observed the surveyor.</p> + +<p class='c005'>“Well; save as many of them as you can. +They seem all going to pot as it is.”</p> + +<p class='c005'>When Allan burst in, carrying nothing of +Abby’s, but having a little colour in his +cheeks for once, his father sat up in his chair, +the baby suddenly stopped crying, and Moss +asked where he had been. At first, his father +disappointed him by being listless—first refusing +to believe anything good, and then +saying that any good that could happen now +was too late; and Abby could not help crying +all the more because this was not thought +about a year sooner. It was her poor +husband that had made the stir; and now +they were going to take his advice the very +day that he was laid in his grave. They all +tried to comfort her, and said how natural it +was that she should feel it so; yet, amidst all +their sympathy, they could not help being +cheered that something was to be done at +last.</p> + +<p class='c005'>By degrees, and not slow degrees, Woodruffe +became animated. It was surprising +how many things he desired Allan to be sure +not to forget to point out to the surveyor, and +to urge upon those he was to visit. At last +he said he would go himself. It was a very +serious business, and he ought to make an +effort to have it done properly. It was a +great effort, but he would make it. Not +rheumatism, nor anything else, should keep +him at home. Allan was glad at heart to see +such signs of energy in his father, though he +might feel some natural disappointment at +being left at home, and some perplexity as to +what, in that case, he ought to do about the +half-crown, if Mr. Nelson should be gone +home. The morning settled this, however. +The surveyor was in his gig. If Allan could +hang on, or keep up with it, it would be very +well, as he would be wanted to open the +gates, and to lead the way in places too wet +for his father, who was not worth such a pair +of patent waterproof tall boots as the surveyor +had on.</p> + +<p class='c005'>The circuit was not a very wide one; yet +it was dark before they got home. There are +always difficulties in arrangements which +require combined action. Here there were +different levels in the land, and different +tempers and views among the occupiers. Mr. +Brown had heard nothing about the matter, +and could not be hurried till he saw occasion. +Mr. Taylor liked his field best, wet—would +not have it drier on any account, for fear of +the summer sun. When assured that drought +took no hold on well-dried land in comparison +with wet land, he shook with laughter, and +asked if they expected him to believe that. +Mrs. Scott, whose combination with two +others was essential to the drainage of three +portions, would wait another year. They +must go on without her; and after another +year, she would see what she would do. +Another had drained his land in his own way +long ago, and did not expect that anybody +would ask him to put his spade into another +man’s land, or to let any other man put his +spade into his. These were all the obstructions. +Everybody else was willing, or at +least, not obstructive. By clever management, +it was thought that the parties concerned +could make an island of Mrs. Scott and her +field, and win over Mr. Brown by the time he +was wanted, and show Mr. Taylor that, as his +field could no longer be as wet as it had been, +he might as well try the opposite condition—they +promising to flood his field as often and +as thoroughly as he pleased, if he found it the +worse for being drained. They could not +obtain all they wished, where every body was +not as wise as could be wished; but so much +was agreed upon as made the experienced surveyor +think that the rest would follow; +enough, already, to set more labourers to +work than the place could furnish. Two or +three stout men were sent from a distance; +and when they had once cut a clear descent +from the ditch to the river, and had sunk the +ditch to seven feet deep, and made the bottom +even, and narrowed it to three feet, it was a +curious thing to see how ready the neighbours +became to unite their drains with it. It used +to be said, that here—however it might be +elsewhere—the winter was no time for digging: +but that must have meant that no +winter-digging would bring a spring crop; +and that therefore it was useless. Now, the +sound of the spade never ceased for the rest +<span class='pageno' id='Page_547'>547</span>of the winter; and the labourers thought it +the best winter they had ever known for +constant work. Those who employed the +labour hoped it would answer—found it expensive—must +trust it was all right, and +would yield a profit by and by. As for the +Woodruffes, they were too poor to employ +labourers. But some little hope had entered +their hearts again, and brought strength, not +only to their hearts, but to their very limbs. +They worked like people beginning the world. +As poor Abby could keep the house and +sew, while attending to her little school, +Becky did the lighter parts (and some which +were far from light) of the garden work, +finding easy tasks for Moss; and Allan +worked like a man at the drains. They had +been called good drains before; but now, +there was an outfall for deeper ones; and +deeper they must be made. Moreover, a +strong rivalry arose among the neighbours +about their respective portions of the combined +drainage; and under the stimulus of +ambition, Woodruffe recovered his spirits and +the use of his limbs wonderfully. He suffered +cruelly from his rheumatism; and in the +evenings felt as if he could never more lift a +spade; yet, not the less was he at work again +in the morning, and so sanguine as to the +improvement of his ground, that it was +necessary to remind him, when calculating +his gains, that it would take two years, at +least, to prove the effects of his present +labours.</p> + +<div class='chapter'> + <h2 class='c003'>LINES TO A DEAD LINNET.</h2> +</div> + +<div class='nf-center-c0'> +<div class='nf-center c001'> + <div>BY A SOLITARY STUDENT.</div> + </div> +</div> + +<div class='lg-container-b c007'> + <div class='linegroup'> + <div class='group'> + <div class='line'>Sweet little friend in hours of lonely thought,</div> + <div class='line'>And studious toil thro’ the unresting day,</div> + <div class='line'>Why hast thou left me to the sullen hours,</div> + <div class='line'>So dull and changeless now? Thy light-heart song,</div> + <div class='line'>And fluttering plume of joy, beguile no more</div> + <div class='line'>My weary mind, happy when so estranged,</div> + <div class='line'>From books, which are the bane of all repose.</div> + </div> + <div class='group'> + <div class='line in2'>The secret bustle of thy frequent meal,</div> + <div class='line'>Like elfin working mischief, all unseen</div> + <div class='line'>At bottom of thy cage; thy dipping bill,</div> + <div class='line'>Oft splashing sportive o’er the learned tome,</div> + <div class='line'>And rousing my ’rapt soul to homelier themes;</div> + <div class='line'>The tuning twitter, snatch’d and interrupt—</div> + <div class='line'>The timorous essay, low and querulous—</div> + <div class='line'>The strain symphonious—and the full burst of song,</div> + <div class='line'>That made my study-walls re-echo sweet,</div> + <div class='line'>The harmonious peal, while all its tatter’d maps</div> + <div class='line'>And prints unframed, responsive tremblings gave;—</div> + <div class='line'>All these are past, and joy takes wing with thee.</div> + </div> + <div class='group'> + <div class='line in2'>Nor less, when in the dreary night, far spent,</div> + <div class='line'>Still was I pondering o’er the murky page,</div> + <div class='line'>Hast thou attracted notice by thy bill</div> + <div class='line'>Battling along the wires; and in the twinkle—</div> + <div class='line'>The clos’d—and then, bright little eye, half-oped.</div> + <div class='line'>Well have I read thy meaning, and full soon,</div> + <div class='line'>Thus warned of needful slumber, borne away</div> + <div class='line'>The wasted lamp, and sought my lonely couch.</div> + </div> + <div class='group'> + <div class='line in2'>Thy empty cage now hangs against the wall!</div> + <div class='line'>No one inhabits it—nothing is there—</div> + <div class='line'>Thy seed-box is half full of dust and film;</div> + <div class='line'>A spider weaves within thy water-glass:</div> + <div class='line'>The wretchedness of silence—no response</div> + <div class='line'>To calls and questionings of the heart—the mind—</div> + <div class='line'>All show me thou art dead—for ever gone!</div> + <div class='line'>I stand and gaze on thy perplexing cage—</div> + <div class='line'>Like a friend’s house—deserted!—one we have loved—</div> + <div class='line'>And before which, returning after years,</div> + <div class='line'>We pause, and think of hours enjoyed within;</div> + <div class='line'>And gaze upon the dusty shutters—closed!</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<div class='chapter'> + <h2 class='c003'>THE GOOD GOVERNOR.</h2> +</div> + +<p class='c004'>In a region where favourable latitude and +tempering sea-breezes combine to produce +perpetual summer, lie “the still vexed Bermoothes,” +the Bermuda of modern navigators, +where one-half of the year is the fitting seedtime +for plants of the tropical, and the other +half of the temperate zones. These islands, +discovered to us by a shipwreck, with one +exception, our oldest colony, offer a miniature +copy of the institutions of the parent state.</p> + +<p class='c005'>About twenty square miles of surface, consisting +of one island thirty miles long by two +broad, and a half-dozen <i>aide-de-camp</i> sort of +islets, support a population rather less numerous, +and considerably less wealthy, than +that of the City of Canterbury; and enjoy +the dignity of a capital, with two thousand +inhabitants; of a Governor and Commander-in-Chief, +who takes his seat on “the throne” +when opening the Bermoothean Parliament; +of a Council, or miniature House of Lords, +and a Representative Assembly of thirty-six +members, forming a miniature House of +Commons. They had formerly an Archdeacon, +but, by one of those extraordinary +decisions that occasionally originate in high +quarters, the Archdeacon has been metamorphosed +into a Bishop of Newfoundland, whom +the Bermudians never see, although they still +have the honour of paying the salary of +the late Archdeacon.</p> + +<p class='c005'>Formerly Bermuda, like Virginia, from +which it was an offshoot, was a slave colony, +and grew tobacco. But tobacco would not +pay, and every Bermudian, being born within +a mile of the water, was bred amphibious. +Capital cedar for ship-building grows on the +hills, and harbours are all around to receive +the craft when built. So it came to pass, that +the “‘Mudian” clippers became plentiful all +over the neighbouring seas, and took a large +share of the carrying trade between our +American colonies and the West Indies. +Even when a large slice of these said colonies +had struggled into the Republic of the United +States, the ’Mudians continued to do a good +stroke of sea-faring business.</p> + +<p class='c005'>Then whales abounded in the neighbouring +seas, and every ’Mudian took to handling the +oar, the lance, or the harpoon, at a time of +life when other children were driving hoops, +or riding rocking-horses.</p> + +<p class='c005'><span class='pageno' id='Page_548'>548</span>It was the natural result of these handy +occupations in so limited a space, that the +whole population, with the exception of that +supported by the expenditure of the garrison, +was occupied in building, or rigging, or manning, +or loading, vessels of some kind, if not +whaling or fishing. White or black, they +were all sailors and sea-faring to a man, almost +to a woman. The real mermaid still lingers +round Bermuda’s coast. Breechless babies +swaggered along with a mixture of long and +short steps in true jack-tar style. Bermudian +young ladies directed their maids to let out +a reef in a petticoat, and officers driving +tandem were bid “put yer helm down,” by +native guides.</p> + +<p class='c005'>There are no records to show when first in +Bermuda sea-faring arts began to devour all +others; certain it is that just as the manufacture +of glass and porcelain, purple dye, +and other signal utilities and ornaments have +been more than once discovered, lost, and +re-discovered, so were agriculture and horticulture +in the year 1839 of the islands of +perpetual spring, among the lost arts. If in +that year some convulsion had for ever +separated them from external communications, +the process of food-growing among a British +race would have been left as rude in theory, +more imperfect in practice, than among the +New Zealanders or South Sea Islanders.</p> + +<p class='c005'>There were in that year two persons in the +islands who could plough, but they did not. +Haymaking and mowing was a theory learned +in books, just as curious inquirers in Lancashire +may have read of cotton cultivation. As +for the state of gardening, it was about parallel +with British gardening in the time of Queen +Bess, who used to send to Holland for a +salad.</p> + +<p class='c005'>So there was neither corn nor hay, and very +little fruit, of the worst quality. A sort of +bitter orange-tree abounded through the +islands. Inquisitive strangers asked “Why +not graft or bud sweet oranges on these luxuriant +stocks, or why not sow sweet seeds?” +But the natives were positive that buds would +not take, and seeds would not grow.</p> + +<p class='c005'>Such was Bermuda in 1839; somewhat +depressed in its fishing, whaling, ship-building, +sea-carrying commerce, by the competition +of New Brunswick and the United +States. Although less affected than the +sugar-growing islands by negro emancipation, +still whites, who had lived easily although +barely by hiring out a few black artisans, +were reduced to sore straits.</p> + +<p class='c005'>It was in this year there arrived a new +Governor. He travelled the length and +breadth of his islands, and found all green +and all barren; a light, but fertile soil, +bearing fine timber, and luxuriant weeds. +Round the government house was a waste +of eight acres, within sight a great swamp. +According to popular opinion, Colonial Governors +are gentlemen of broken fortunes, +and strong political connections, who endure +temporary evils for the sake of future ease +and dignity.</p> + +<p class='c005'>At any rate, among military martinet +Governors; naval bashaw Governors; didactic +despatch-writing Governors; Governors +landing with crotchets all ready-cut and dry; +Governors who support the Royal Prerogative +by quarrelling with all their subjects, +and Governors whose whole soul is in +quiet and domestic economy, the popular +Governor, the wise, conciliating Governor, is +indeed a rare bird. According to stereotyped +precedent, our Bermoothean Governor ought +to have first sat down and written a flaming despatch +home, painting the misery of the island, +detailing his plans, and asking for money. +Next he should have filled up a scheme on a +scale large enough to satisfy the ideas of a +Paxton in horticulture, or a Smith of Deanston +in agriculture, and applied to his little parliament +for a vote, in order to make a garden +for himself, and a model farm for his own +amusement and the benefit of the islanders.</p> + +<p class='c005'>But it happened that our “good” Governor +as he was afterwards called with good reason, +was not a stereotyped Governor, so that the +people he was sent to rule became happy and +prosperous. He cared not to become either +rich or famous. Therefore, all his proceedings +were on a humble, commonplace scale. Seeing +that the climate was admirably adapted +for oranges; which, if of good quality, would +afford a valuable export, he sent for slips and +seeds of the best kinds.</p> + +<p class='c005'>In front of Government House stands a +bitter citron-tree: on this, with his own hands, +he budded a sweet orange. The bud, contrary +to all Bermudian opinions, sprouted, and grew, +and flourished. After the living example of +the Governor’s tree, it became a fashion—a +rage—to bud sweet oranges; so by this simple +and short cut an horticultural revolution was +effected. Still working out the maxim that +example is better than precept, our good +Governor beat up for gardener recruits, accepting +those who knew a little as well as +those who knew nothing, but were willing to +learn. With their aid, and at his own expense, +the eight acres of waste round his residence, +Mount Langton, were converted into +a pleasure-ground, adorned with plants and +shrubs of the tropical and temperate zones, +which he threw open freely to the inhabitants +without distinction of colour.</p> + +<p class='c005'>The next step was to drain the great marsh, +the Langton Marsh, and grow hay upon it, so +as to give the Bermudians a hint on the oddness +of importing hay, while fine grass land +lay waste. Two men who could plough were +discovered, and pupils put under their hands; +at the same time ploughs were imported. +Having, out of his own pocket, offered prizes +for garden flowers and vegetables, for corn +and hay, for the best ploughman, and the best +scytheman, the performances of these two +being as wonderful to the islanders as skating +to an Indian prince, or wine-making to a Yorkshireman, +<span class='pageno' id='Page_549'>549</span>the Local Parliament willingly voted +other prizes for the same purpose.</p> + +<p class='c005'>It would take up too much time to detail +all the good Governor’s efforts—by example, +by instruction, by rewards, by distribution of +books, and by the promotion of industrial +schools, to educate the rising generation of +Bermuda in useful, civilising arts.</p> + +<p class='c005'>A grand holiday, held in May, 1846, showed +that these efforts had not been without pleasant +and practical results.</p> + +<p class='c005'>Mount Langton and all the pleasure-grounds +created under the personal inspection and at +the expense of the good Governor, were +crowded with a noisy happy population, of all +ranks, all ages, and all colours, black, white, +and brown, assembled to enjoy and celebrate +the taking stock of the revived Industry of the +islands. Not equal in variety to the great +Parisian Exposition, or in quality to the +Royal Agricultural Shows, it was still an era +in the history of the colony.</p> + +<p class='c005'>The Queen’s representative did not grudge +to give up for the occasion his private domain, +as that was the best site in the Island. Amid +the luxuriant shrubs and gorgeous tropical +flowers, the gay groups wandered; sweetly +the sounds of the regimental band intermingled +with the shouts and whip-crackings +of the contending ploughmen as they turned +up the brown furrows of long neglected soil, +and with the switching of twenty-five scythe-men +exhibiting their newly acquired skill on +the drained pasture of Langton Marsh. Below +lay the shipping in harbour, and far beyond +the golden purple ocean was dotted over with +the cloud-like canvas of the famous ’Mudian +craft. Almost at once—one glance—it was +possible to take in a view of the pursuits of +old and young Bermuda. Government House +was closed;—to have entertained the thousands +who had assembled (beyond the needful +supply of cold water found in huge jars and +tubs in every shady place, a provision so +grateful under a tropical sun,) was impossible; +to have entertained a part—an exclusive few—on +such an occasion, would have been contrary +to the Governor’s principles; so for +that day all personal attendants were enabled +to share in the universal holiday.</p> + +<p class='c005'>In due time after the ploughing and mowing +matches, came the competition in turnips, +strawberries, potatoes, dahlias, barley, potherbs, +flax, and cabbages, and the parading and +comparison of horse-colts, ass-colts, calves, +heifers, bulls, sows, and boars.</p> + +<p class='c005'>Now, before the advent of this reforming +Governor, the Bermudians had been accustomed +to no other competition than that of +sailing or cricket matches or steeple-chases; to +no other exhibitions than military reviews; +all excellent in their way, but now usefully +varied by a kind of competition that brought +new comforts to every cottager.</p> + +<p class='c005'>Years have elapsed since the day of this well-remembered +<i>fête</i>. But the good Governor is +still affectionately remembered. The Bermudians +love to show passing strangers the +sweet orange-tree on Mount Langton which +still blooms a green and golden monument of +plain, practical, kind-hearted common sense. +And this sketch of a remote and insignificant +dependency has been thought worth +telling for the benefit, not only of colonial +Governors, but of well-meaning reformers in +all parts of the world. If we would do good +we must not be content with mere talk; we +must not disdain to commence at our own doors +by budding—a sweet orange on a bitter citron.</p> + +<div class='chapter'> + <h2 class='c003'>LONDON PAUPER CHILDREN.</h2> +</div> + +<p class='c004'>High and dry upon a pleasant breezy hilltop +about seven miles south of London stands +a house worthy of a visit. Far enough away +to be quite free from the cloud of smoke, yet +near enough for easy access from London; it +is a large house in the country, in and out of +which a large family of essentially London +tenants are perpetually going. Walk round +the hill it stands upon, and a succession of +charming views present themselves for admiration. +A far distant horizon bounds a +country made up of purple woods, rich golden +brown stripes of corn-fields, and bright green +meadows. Here young plantations; there +stately single timber trees; with villas nestling +under fringes of woods on pleasant slopes, +whilst in the valley below runs the Croydon Railway, +linking this charming, quiet country round +Norwood, to the smoky, busy, useful London.</p> + +<p class='c005'>The place we speak of is the Pauper-School +at Norwood, which may be called a factory +for making harmless, if not useful subjects, +of the very worst of human material—a place +for converting those who would otherwise +certainly be miserable, and most likely vicious, +into rational, reasonable, and often very useful +members of society;—in short, a house for +training a large and wretched class in habits +of decency, regularity, and order, and leading a +pitiable section of the great two-million-strong +family of London from the road to crime into +that of honest industry and self-respect.</p> + +<p class='c005'>The exterior of the building has no trace +of the architectural display that won for the +school near Manchester the title of a Pauper +Palace. The exterior of the Norwood house +is as dingy and ugly as a small brewhouse. +In shape it reminds one of the old cities, +built upon no definite plan, but enlarged from +time to time as the population found it most +convenient. It is neither square, nor round, +nor triangular; but then, when we go over it, +we shall find that the lack of straight lines and +right angles does not prevent the presence of +much good, and of a fair amount of comfort +and happiness within its confines.</p> + +<p class='c005'>The irregularity of its construction is explained +by the fact that the place was established +twenty-seven years ago, not by a public +body, but by a private individual, Mr. Aubin, +the present superintendant. The commencement +of such a place was an epoch in the +<span class='pageno' id='Page_550'>550</span>history of pauperism in this country. Before +the time of the benevolent Jonas Hanway, no +regard was paid to the destitute children of +the poor, and those young children, whose +ill-fate it was to be born of pauper parents, in +town, were condemned to a life that began in +the gutters of back lanes, and usually ended +in the gaol, by fever, or more suddenly, on +the gallows. Hanway secured the passing of +a law empowering the parishes to collect the +juvenile paupers and send them into the +country for nurture and maintenance. It was +a step in advance to get the children away +from the dens in which they had previously +been confined, but the nurture was of a very +unsatisfactory kind. When an old woman +applied for parish relief, she had two or three +children given to her to keep, and out of their +allowance she was to help to keep herself. She +usually set them to collect firewood for her; +or to watch sheep, or to scare crows; and, in +their search for fuel, they were often taught +to rob hedges, or fences, or trespass on plantations. +At seven years’ old they were sent +back to finish their education in the workhouses, +and frequently remained there for +six or seven years without even learning +their letters. Indeed, to teach them at all +was regarded as a kind of small treason. +“Teach paupers to read! What next?” +was a common exclamation. Reading was, +by a great many people, considered to be +a mere premium for laziness—whilst writing +was thought to be a temptation to forgery, +and its then certain result—the gallows. To +collect the pauper children, and “farm them +out” to persons who would teach as well as +feed them, was the next step in advance. The +fruit of this plan was the growth of various +places where large numbers of the pauper +rising generation were gathered together in +houses, the proprietors of which often realised +large profits upon the moneys allowed for +maintaining this class of the population.</p> + +<p class='c005'>Taking advantage of the generally and +loudly expressed public opinion, that “something +must be done,” the Poor-Law Board +succeeded in establishing some school districts +near the metropolis. The first step taken +was to purchase Mr. Aubin’s place at Norwood, +and thus take it into their own hands. +This school had long been regarded as the +best of its class, and as one where many steps +of great practical value had been taken for +the improved treatment of youthful paupers. +The purchase-money of this school is said to +have been about eleven thousand pounds, and +the authorities wisely retained the aid of the +man who had originated it, to carry out still +further into effect their improved plans. This +step was soon followed by others. In the +publication of the Poor-Law Board, just issued—the +promoters of our present poor-law +system long ago saw the mischiefs of this plan, +and after some years’ consideration, and many +difficulties, succeeded in procuring an Act of +Parliament for the establishment of district +pauper Industrial Schools. But though the +law was made, it was found impossible to +overcome the objections raised by parish +authorities, and it was not carried out to any +extent, until the terrible calamity of Tooting +startled all England with the spectacle of +hundreds of deaths by cholera, in an establishment +where the little unfortunates were +“farmed out.”</p> + +<p class='c005'>In the Second Annual Report of the Poor-Law +Board, Mr. Baines, its President, says, +that three very important school districts +have, within the year, been formed in and +near the metropolis. These are:—</p> + +<p class='c010'>“1st. The Central London School District, +comprising the City of London Union, the East +London Union, and the St. Saviour’s Union. The +Board of Management of this district have completed +all their arrangements and hold their +regular meetings. They have purchased of Mr. +Aubin his premises at Norwood for the district +school, retaining him in the capacity of steward +or superintendant of the establishment, and have +appointed an efficient staff of teachers in every +department. The school is now in full activity, +upon an improved footing, and nearly eight +hundred children (nine hundred) are maintained +and educated in it.</p> + +<p class='c010'>“2nd. The South Metropolitan School District +comprised, as originally formed, the Union of St. +Olave’s, and the large parishes, not in Union, of +Bermondsey, Camberwell, and Rotherhithe.</p> + +<p class='c010'>“3rd. The North Surrey School District includes +the Unions of Wandsworth and Clapham, +Kingston, Croydon, Richmond, and Lewisham. +The managers have purchased fifty acres of land +near Norwood, and have commenced the erection +of a building capable of accommodating six +hundred children.</p> + +<p class='c010'>“It will thus be seen that provision has been +made in and around London for the proper education +and training of more than two thousand poor +children. We have, moreover, sanctioned arrangements +whereby, when completed, the state of the +children of other metropolitan parishes will be +very materially improved.”</p> + +<p class='c005'>About nine hundred children are congregated +at Norwood, and out of the whole number there +is not perhaps a dozen the offspring of decent +parents. Many are foundlings, picked up at +the corners of streets, or at the doors of parish +officers. The names of some of them suggest +an idea of how they began life. Thus, one +owned the name of Olive Jewry, whilst +another was called Alfred City. Others have +lost both parents by death, and been left +puling living legacies to the parish, but the +majority are the children of parents living in +workhouses. When able-bodied paupers +claim relief, they are “offered the house.” +They are received into the Union, and their +children are sent up to this out-of-town school, +that fresh air, cleanliness, good food and the +schoolmaster, may try what can be done to lift +them up from the slough of pauperism. Let us +examine the process through which they go.</p> + +<p class='c005'>The children, on their first appearance at +this Norwood School, are usually in the most +<span class='pageno' id='Page_551'>551</span>lamentable plight. Ignorance and dirt, rags +and vermin, laziness and ill health, diseased +scalps, and skins tortured by itch, are their +characteristics. They are the very dregs of +the population of the largest city in the world—the +human waifs and strays of the modern +Babylon; the children of poverty, and misery, +and crime; in very many cases labouring +under physical defects, such as bad sight or +hearing; almost always stunted in their +growth, and bearing the stamp of ugliness +and suffering on their features. Generally +born in dark alleys and back courts, their +playground has been the streets, where the +wits of many have been prematurely sharpened +at the expense of any morals they might have. +With minds and bodies destitute of proper +nutriment, they are caught, as it were, by the +parish officers, like half-wild creatures, roaming +poverty-stricken amidst the wealth of our +greatest city; and half-starved in a land +where the law says no one shall be destitute +of food and shelter. When their lucky fate +sends them to Norwood, they are generally +little personifications of genuine poverty—compounds, +as somebody says, of ignorance, +gin, and sprats.</p> + +<p class='c005'>A number of pauper children having been +owned as chargeable upon the Central London +District, to whom the Norwood School now +belongs, and the requisite papers having been +filled up, they are sent to Weston Hill. +Arrived there, and their clothes having been +steamed, if worth preservation, or burned +if mere rags,—the new comers are well +washed, have their hair cut, and are newly +clad in clean and wholesome, but homely, +garments. According to their ages, they are +then drafted into a class; those between two +and six years pass to the infant school; those +of greater age are enrolled on the industrial +side of the establishment. Now the training +begins. They are all sent before the doctor, +who usually finds them sallow and sickly; but +by aid of Nature’s physic,—fresh air,—and +Nature’s rule of exercise and regularity, +assisted by extra diet, and with the occasional +aid of some good London beef and porter, +very few drugs are wanted, and their looks +change for the better. Early in August, this +year,—the period of our visit,—there were but +two children confined to bed out of more than +nine hundred; and those two were poor little +scrofulous shadows of humanity, such as +may be found in the top wards of hospitals, +labouring under disease of the hip and spine,—paying +the penalty of sins committed by +their parents before them. There had recently +been an epidemic of measles in the place, +when that disease destroyed eight of the +sickliest out of ninety cases. But for this, +the mortality would not have gone beyond +one in a hundred through the year. The +summer is their healthiest season; for winter +brings chilblains, a disease of poor blood, and +ophthalmia, to which pauper children seem to +be especially liable.</p> + +<p class='c005'>After their introduction to the doctor, the +bath, the wardrobe, and the pantry, they are +handed over to the schoolmaster or mistress, +as the case may be. On the day of our visit, +two hundred and forty boys were receiving +instruction in one large new school-room; +two hundred (infants between two and six +years old) were being taught in another room; +two hundred girls were reading, writing, and +sewing in a third apartment; the rest of the +occupants being at work, or at drill, or at +play, in other parts of the establishment. +The boys are kept four days a week at school, +and two days at work in shops which we +shall presently see and describe: the girls +have three days’ schooling and three days’ +training in household occupations,—such as +cleaning the house, washing, ironing, mangling, +and needlework. The way these portions of +the establishment are arranged may possibly +furnish materials for a future paper.</p> + +<p class='c005'>The school for the eldest boys is a long +room newly built, with an enormous dormitory +above it. The ventilation has been provided +for in a way that seems very satisfactory. +By day the boys are divided into six classes, +ranged on forms with desks before them, each +class being separated from the others by a +curtain which hangs from the ceiling, and is +sufficiently wide to separate the sections of +scholars from each other, and to deaden the +sounds of so large a seminary, but yet not +wide enough to prevent the master as he +stands on the side opposite his pupils, from +getting a view of the entire school. Black +boards and large slates are amongst the tools +employed for conveying instruction, but the +more advanced pupils are supplied with paper +copy-books for writing lessons. The school +is under the charge of a chief-master, far more +competent than those usually found in schools +beyond the pale of Government inspection. +He is a B.A. of the University of London, is +author of a small English grammar; and +enjoys, as he deserves, a liberal salary. Under +his hands the pupils appear to make excellent +progress. The upper classes write well to +dictation, are ready at figures, and are practised +in the grammatical construction of +English words and sentences. Twelve of the +boys are in training as teachers, and six of +these are now what is called “pupil-teachers,” +and are entitled to an allowance of money by +way of reward from the Privy Council. This +allowance is set aside for them till they display, +on examination, a sufficient proficiency +to entitle them to admission to the training-school +at Knellar Hall or Battersea. Whilst +in these higher schools they receive the +money set aside for them in the earlier stages +of their school progress, and when, by successive +examinations, their efficiency is sufficiently +tested, they pass from the grade of +pupil to that of master: the boys from +Knellar Hall being appointed schoolmasters +to Workhouses; the boys from Battersea to +be masters of National Schools in various +<span class='pageno' id='Page_552'>552</span>parts of the country. A boy gets this promotion +in life by his own merits. For instance, +at the Norwood Pauper-School, the most apt +pupil becomes, as elsewhere, the monitor of +his form or class. When the day of examination +arrives, he distinguishes himself +before the Government Inspector of Schools. +This official is empowered thereupon to select +him as a “pupil-teacher,” &c.; he becomes an +apprentice to the art of instruction. To +encourage the chief-master of the school to +help on his boys to this reward, an allowance +of three pounds a year is made to the master +for each boy who thus distinguishes himself, +and thus gains promotion. Thus, there being +twelve boys at Norwood so in training, Mr. +Imeson, their instructor, gains thirty-six +pounds a year for his success in bringing +forward that number of his scholars.</p> + +<p class='c005'>In appearance, the boys have little to recommend +them, and it is tolerably evident, +that if not raised a little in the social scale—if +not taught to do something and know something—they +would inevitably belong to the +class of incurable paupers, who burden poor’s-rates +and hang about workhouses all their +lives. Society must educate such boys, if +only in self-defence. Some of them are at +first most turbulent, but by patient management +they gradually subside into the orderly +arrangements of the place, and often those at +first most unruly become the quickest boys in +the school. The energy that would make +them nuisances, when rightly directed makes +them most useful.</p> + +<p class='c005'>When the hours of teaching are over, the +boys are assembled in one of the large open +yards belonging to the establishment, and are +there exercised by the drill-master. This +official is an ex-non-commissioned officer of +Guards, who in a short time makes the metamorphosis +seen on parade. The ungainly, +slouching, slow lout, is taught to march, wheel +right or left, in concert with others, punctually +and accurately. They answer the command, +“left wheel,” “right form, four deep,” and so +on, like little soldiers, and seem to like the fun. +This gives them at once exercise in the fresh +air, notions of regularity and prompt attention, +and a habit of obedience to discipline.</p> + +<p class='c005'>There is also a naval class. Behind the +school is a playground, two acres in extent, +and in the centre of this stands a ship. +True, its deck is of earth, but there are +bulwarks, real bulwarks all round, and +rising up above are genuine lofty masts, +with rigging complete. Up these ropes the +boys swarm with great delight. At a given +signal they “man the yards,” give three +miniature cheers, and then, all in chorus, sing +God save the Queen. They evidently like +the fun, pride themselves, boy-like, upon +their feline power of climbing, and one or two +of them show their expertness and bravery +by disdaining the rope-ladder—pardon us, +the shrouds—and slide down the main-stay +from the top of the foremast to the bowsprit. +All these things are evident sources of enjoyment; +for running, and climbing, and shouting +in the open air, are natural to the human +animal in a normal state of existence. Of +the climbing, there is a story told which +illustrates the character of a very worthy +man now passed away. Dr. Stanley, the late +Bishop of Norwich, paid many visits to this +school, and always looked on with evident +pleasure whilst the lads were enjoying themselves +with their ship. One day the good-natured +dignitary was looking on, when he +began to rub his hands together, and presently +turning to an officer of the place who stood +by, said in a genial, half confidential tone, +“If I were not a bishop I’d join in and +climb that pole myself!”</p> + +<p class='c005'>Besides this drill, or parade, and this exercise +aloft, the boys, on two days of the week, +are employed in the Industrial training of the +place. The smaller boys, in classes of about +thirty-five, are ranged on benches round a +large tailor’s shop. Patterns decorate the +walls, and “corduroys” in all stages, from the +huge bale to the perfect breeches, are seen all +round the room. The boys stitch and sew, +and make and mend, under the instruction of +a master tailor, a large part of the clothes +worn in the place. When each boy grows +bigger he is drafted into a neighbouring shop, +where, also, under a competent master, he +learns the craft of St. Crispin. It is curious +to see thirty or forty little cobblers, all +in rows, waxing and stitching, and hammering +on lap-stones, and entering <i><span lang="fr">con amore</span></i> +into the mysteries of sole and upper leathers, +brads, pegs, and sparrowbills. When they +have learned all these things, some of the lads +pass into a third shop, where they are made +acquainted with the forge, and anvil, and sledge +hammer, and where they help to shoe horses, +construct iron bedsteads, and make and mend +all the iron-work (and there is a great deal of +it) required by this family party of nearly a +thousand souls—pauper children, masters, and +servants, together. After going through all +these stages of training, with the incidental +knowledge picked up in the stables with the +horses, in the playground with the dogs, when +helping to feed the pigs, and whilst aiding +the operation of milking the twenty-five cows +which supply milk for the house, the boys have +acquired a great amount of useful knowledge. +The place is indeed a little colony in itself, +and if its inmates had not often to pass from it +back to the sinkholes of London, they might +leave Norwood almost with the certainty of +becoming good and prosperous citizens.</p> + +<hr class='c011'> + +<div class='nf-center-c0'> + <div class='nf-center'> + <div>Monthly Supplement of “HOUSEHOLD WORDS,”</div> + <div>Conducted by <span class='sc'>Charles Dickens</span>.</div> + <div class='c001'><i>Price 2d., Stamped, 3d.</i>,</div> + <div class='c012'><span class='large'>THE HOUSEHOLD NARRATIVE</span></div> + <div>OF</div> + <div>CURRENT EVENTS.</div> + <div class='c001'><span class='small'><i>The Number, containing a history of the past month, was issued with the Magazines.</i></span></div> + </div> +</div> + +<div class='pbb'> + <hr class='pb c012'> +</div> +<div class='tnotes x-ebookmaker'> + +<div class='chapter ph2'> + +<div class='nf-center-c0'> +<div class='nf-center c013'> + <div>TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES</div> + </div> +</div> + +</div> + + <ul class='ul_1 c001'> + <li>Fixed typos; non-standard spelling and dialect retained. + + </li> + <li>Renumbered footnotes. + </li> + </ul> + +</div> + +<div style='text-align:center'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 78193 ***</div> + </body> + <!-- created with ppgen.py 3.57i (with regex) on 2026-02-07 07:19:34 GMT --> +</html> diff --git a/78193-h/images/cover.jpg b/78193-h/images/cover.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..ad04f73 --- /dev/null +++ b/78193-h/images/cover.jpg |
