YALE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY Gift of WALTER L. MITCHELL -T' crr^^ — MS. Tadlock, Clara Moyse A.L.S, to Donald Grant Mitchell. Knoxville, Tenn. Mar, 26, 1894, has been removed from this volume and sent to Rare Book Room Historical MSS. BOHEillAN DAYS BY OLAEA MOYSE TADLOCK WITH ILLUSTRATIONS NEW YORK JOHN B. ALDEN, PUBLISHEK 1889 Copyright, 1889, BY nr.AB.A MOYSE TADLOCK. w**- *»» wA 8^T J s ARGYLE PRE £S Printing AND BOOKDI NDl NO, B4 .& ac \ vooc TER ST, J N- Y. PEEFACE. It is difficult to swing around a circle swiftly without at some time or point flying off at a tangent like earth from a revolving wheel (we all are of the earth earthy), and the writer is no exceptioD to the rule, for where there was snch a multiplicity of novelties to fill the mind the great trouble was to control " tongue and pen," and keep them within centripetal limits ; hence many descriptive scenes of interest were shorn of a portion of their embellishment to bring this nari-ative of our adventures within reasonable bounds. No great moral or mental lesson was had in view, but a hope was felt that in perusing the experiences of a couple of travelers in their year's trip around the world a few hours might be pleasantly spent, especially by the invalid, or those whose home ties may prevent their taking such a journey themselves. Many an hour did I spend " lang syne " in following the footsteps of various travelers through lands which I never even hoped to visit (yet have seen), and have to thank them, not only for those hours of pleas ure and profit, but for the taste for research, an enlarged hori zon, and a better knowledge and understanding of what I should see. This work makes no pretension to "being " exhaustive " — may it not prove so to the reader. And now it but remains for me to say, like Tiny Tim, " God bless us all," and au revovr. The Authoe. DEDICATION. To one whom no word of mine can make sweeter or bet ter, whose loving eyes followed iny baby footsteps, whose sympathy upheld in time of trouble, whose tender thought followed me o'er land and sea — ray mother — this book is dedicated. CONTENTS. CHAPTEE L Introductory, CHAPTEE IL At Sea, - CHAPTEE IIL Land, 11 CHAPTEE IV. Queenstown, Cork and Blarney, - - 16 CHAPTEE V. Bantry, GlengarifiE and Killarney, 23 CHAPTEE VL Waterford. — Woodstown. — Traraore. — Dunbrody Abbey, 36 CHAPTEE VIL Through Wioklow to Dublin. — Dublin, 43 CHAPTEE Y^IIL Belfast and the Giant's Causeway, - ^ - - 51 CHAPTEE IX. Glasgow, Loch Katrine and Ben Lomond, 63 CHAPTEE X The Clyde. — The Kyles of Bute-Oban. — Caledonian Canal. — In verness, - 75 CHAPTEE XL Aberdeen.— British Assnci.ition,— Balmoral. 89 CONTENTS. CHAPTEE XIL Edinboro'. — Gray-Friar's Bobby. — Holyrood.— The Castle. — Ar thur's Seat, 93 CHAPTEE XIIL Melrose. — Abbotsf ord. — New castle. — York , 111 CHAPTEE XIV. Loudon. — Its Edifices and Streets, 120 CHAPTEE XV. Bristol.— The Musical Festival.— The Forest. 134 CILAPTEE XVI. Stratford.— Oxford.— The Channel, - 144 CHAPTEE XVII. Calais. — Brussels. — "Tlie Land of the Wooden Shoon.'" — Palais de Justice. — Hotel de Ville. — "Marriages Civil," 1.52 CHAPTEE XVIIL Paris. — Our Pension in the Rue de Clichy. — The Louvre. — Morgue. — Versailles. — Trianon, 169 CHAPTEE XIX. We Dine. — Trocadero Palace. — Notre Dame — Bois de Bou logne. — Pere la Chaise, 178 CHAPTEE XX. St. Germaine.— Malmaison.— Fontainebleau, 187 CHAPTEE XXI. Shadows and Sunshine.— Vines and Wines.— Macon.— Mountains versus Hills. — The Alps, J93 CHAPTEE XXII. Geneva. — Calvin's Home,— Lausanne, 203 CHAPTEE xxm. From Switzerland to Southern France.— Lyons.— Marseilles. Toulon. — Salins d'Hyt-res, _ 208 CHAPTEE XXIV. Lovely Hyeres. — Monte Carlo. — Nice, _ 317 CHAPTEE XXV. Cliristmas at San Remo.— Genoa'la Superba, 32g CONTENTS. CHAPTEE XXVL Pisa. — Its Four Wonders. — Floi-ence, - 336 CHAPTEE XXVII. Rome on Her Seven Hills. — (Jolosseum. — Forum. — Art, 245 CHAPTEE XXVIII. The Tiber. — Castle St. Angelo. — St. Peter's and other Churches. — • Protestant Cemetery. — The Pincian Hill. — Capucini Con vent, 253 CHAPTEE XXIX. Naples and the Neapolitans. — " Vedi Napolie Poi Mori." — Castle St. Elmo. — Convent San Martino, , - 268 CHAPTEE XXX. Vesuvius. — It Ex-upts. — Pompeii. — Almost a Catastrophe, 376 CHAPTEE XXXL Vale Veseuve ! — Bari. — Brindisi. — Corfu. — Corinth, 288 CHAPTEE XXXII. Athens. — War Threatenings. — Politics. — The Piraeus. — Gulf of Smyrna, - - 395 CHAPTEE XXXIII. Smyrna. — Isles of the .lEgean Sea , 3O5 CHAPTEE XXXIV. Rhodes. — Cyprus. — Beirut, - •. - 316 CHAPTEE XXXV. Lebanon. — Anti-Lebanon. — Damascus, - 325 CHAPTEE XXXVI. Haifa. — Landing at Jaffa, - 334 CHAPTEE X3XVII. Jaffa. — The Story of a Colony. — Jonah's Bay. — To Jerusalem, 340 CHAPTEE XXXVIII. Sabbath Morning in Jerusalem. — An American Colony. — Via Dolorosa, etc., 35I CHAPTEE XXXIX. Tombs of the Kings. — St. Stephen's Church.— A Walk around Jerusalem. — Jews' Wailing Place, etc., - 363 CONTENTS. CHAPTEE XL. Bethlehem. — Visit to a Turkish Home. — Mount of Olives. — Dead Sea and Jordan, 375 CLIAPTER XLL Jaffa to Port Said. — Ismailia. — Acros-s a Desert, uSO CHAPTEE XLII. Cairo. — The Pyramids and Sphinx. — Citadel and Mosques. — The Nile. — Suez. — A Night Ride on Troubled Waters, 397 CHAPTEE XLIII. The Red Sea.— Aden.— The Indian Ocean, - 410 CHAPTEE XLIV. Ceylon. — Penang, i2i CHAPTEE XLV. Singapore. — China Sea. — Hong Kong, 432 CHAPTEE XL VI. Trip to Canton. — Temples. — Missionaries. — An Unpleasant Inci dent, - 441 CHAPTEE XLVII. Nagasaki. — The Inland Sea. — Kobe, - - 45 1 CHAPTEE XLVIII. Yokohama. — Tokio. — The Pacific, - 471 CHAPTEE XLIX. California. — San Francisco. — Monterey, 480 CHAPTEE L. To the Yosemite. — Chinese Camp. — " Priests." — Big Oak Flats. — "Crocket's."— A Gold Mine, 484 CHAPTEE LI. Yosemite the Grand.— Bridal Veil, Yosemite and Vernal Falls.— Mirror Lake.— A " Trail" Experience, 496 CHAPTEE LII. A Funny Chapter, 595 CHAPTEE LITI. Eastward Bo !— The Rockies.— Salt Lake.— Maiiitou— Kansas City — Tennessee, 511 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. The Cork Hackman, Frontispiece "That Naughty Dog," 44 Flying Along on an Irish Jaunting Car, 44 "Expatiating," 76 " Naught Scotch but the Plaid," 76 " Lady or Gentleman ? " 76 Balmoral from the River, 86 Inverness Castle, 86 Glasgow Cathedral, 86 Edinburgh Castle and Scott Memorial, 96 Monument on the Field of Culloden, 98 Holyrood Palace, 98 Stirling Castle, 112 Abbotsford, 113 York Minster 140 St. Briavel's Castle on the Border of Wales, 140 Racing through the Louvre, ........ 174 Place de la Concorde, 184 French Sketches, 196 Castle St. Angelo, 348 The Colosseum 248 St. Peter's, Rome, 254 Albanian Mts., Gulf of Corinth, 298 Mt. Lycabetlus and King's Palace, Athens, 398 Mt. Olympus^ Limasol — Cyprus, 318 Landing at Haifa 334 Church of the Holy Sepulchre, , ' 364 Gethsemane, 364 Absalom's Memorial, 364 Japanese Village, 463 Japanese Jinrickisha, 462 Japanese Woman and Child, 464 Japanese Children Winding Silk, 464 A Bath in Salt Lake, 514 A Squaw and Pappoose, .... .... 514 A Colored Street Arab of Knoxville, 514 BOHEMIAN DAYS. CHAPTER L INTRODUCTORY. I HAVE lately seen the inquiry, " What is a Bohemian ? " answered according to the idea of varied minds — some times absurdly. One says they are " always beery and dirty," which is so invidious a definition that it needs but to be mentioned to be refuted. A Bohemian is a happy wanderer, not troubled by over much society etiquette or appearances, taking real enjoy ment out of life, besides seeing and learning as much as may be of countries and peoples. A cohiet touching occa sionally the social system of which he is a part, yet having - his own wide, independent, eccentric orbit. Bohemia in this case was the world at large, over a por tion of which we " wandered at our own sweet will," not tied by time, tide, or conventionality as a general thing ; nor by tourist or limited tickets, to vex our souls with the thought that we could not rest here or run away elsewhere because of an expiring piece of paper. Of course we made no pretense of having seen every thing, and there are few places to which we could not return with both pleasure and profit. A journey is a very good thing for one, especially in layiag up a store of honeyed thoughts for future delectation, yet a bee-line should be avoided, for the wandering hither and thither where interest or fancy dictates, visiting whatever scene looks most attrac tive at the moment, is one of the great charms in a trip of this kind. There are pleasures in after-thought which the reality lacks. It is admirable to behold the erected building, and not have the noise and the dust, and the hurried voices of (I) 2 BOHEMIAN DA YS. the toilers in our ears as we gaze upon it. There are little incidents of travel unpleasant to any one, and if there be no philosophy or mirth in our composition the journey is any thing but an unmixed blessing — ditto the traveler. It was a source of amusement, sometimes, to see persons worrying and fretting over every conceivable thing, finding fault with the country, the people, the diet, the climate ; ordering, scolding. How much more comfortable to them would have been a journey by proxy, a gaslight trip to other lands in soft slippers, by a bright home fire. It is rather a pit}- that some of our good and amiable but mistaken people do not found a few more Orphanages, or Old People's Homes, before they start, instead of burdening themselves with overmuch baggage. Trunks are a " fraud and a snare." The amount of mis chief and malevolence in an average-sized Saratoga is past one's comprehension. It seems to take special delight in going to some other destination than the owner's, is " called for but not there " oftener than could be thought possible, yet frequently very much in the way when found. Then what an unruly state of mind it communicates to the long- enduring porter or hackman, causing him to sin, and the owner to blush or frown. It is conducive neither to seren ity of mind nor religious thought. " Not take a trunk ? " said I piteously. " I wish we coidd do without," said Maxentius, rising and continuing to rise. What good could words do under such circumstances ? " Well, think about it," said he, disappearing from the door-way. So down before the trunk I pondered, and then com menced distributing the contents into various piles. "These — I cannot do without. — These — perhaps," doubt fully ; "and here are some things," with great satisfaction, " which may be sent back," So the work went on, and when Maxentius returned it was to see me in what seemed to him a perfect chaos. Men are so dull — poor things — yet wise in their generation, too. He disappeared, seeing that the leaven was at work ; like a good housewife, he would not let a breath disturb it. Two large valises, a shawl -strap, and a band-basket— that AT SEA. 3 was the way it turned out — everywhere we went these ac companied us. Dear old black valise ! how capacious yet how convenient you were. We endeavored by purchasing (towards the end of the trip) three trunks at various places to leave you by the way, yet here you are, a memento of varied existence. To try renovating you would be cruelty, for you would require new cover, new lining, new handles, and new lock. The sea has embraced thee; the clouds have shed fresh, tender tears upon thy black but once comely face ; porters have eagerly seized thee by the handles, and as quickly shoved thee away into some convenient nook as the pennies rattled into their palms. That reminds me ! — It is very necessary to have an abundance of small change, the three-penny-bits are light and useful. The porter — and his name is legion — -is well pleased at a few pence reward for his small labor, and if you give a quarter at every turn the dollars disappear with needless rapidity, and by it the donees are more spoilt and other travelers positively injured. There are haps and mishaps — but are there not at home ? We laugh at them and note the far over-balancing pleasures. I wish you could enjoy the trip as much as we did — but don't forget a good warm rug. CHAPTER II. AT SEA. '¦ And like an eagle free Our good ship flies away and leaves Columbia on our lee." Midsummer sunshine over the great American metropo lis waking to its Saturday toil, gilding palaces and tene ments, parks and sea-girt isles, shipping from athousand ports, and great Brooklyn Bridge, beyond which began to arise the Goddess of Liberty — noble token of international friend ship, presented to Columbia by her Sister Republic la belle France, who before had given her La Fayette. The docks swarmed with tourists and returning emigrants, the last of the cargo was placed on board our good steamer the City of 4 BOHEMIAN DAYS. Richmond, the last of her passengers embarked, the steam which at intervals had been allowed to noisily escape, was turned onto the powerful propeller, causing the great Levi athan to vibrate as if with life; the hawsers were cast off, gang-planks drawn in, we moved out from the pier. Ah 1 here came running along the dock a rusty-looking man with a great bundle — just too late ! There was a cruel cheer, and laugh of derision, but wild with anxiety, and full of determina tion. " Help ! " he shouted, with his shaking hands tearing up a plank,' which strong arms ran out near to the ship's side — he sprang along it, and in a moment was in the arms of his happy wife, and sitting down upon the huge bundle which was hurled after him, looked wonderingly around to learn the cause of the hearty cheer which rent the air. — a tribute to successful pluck. The City of Richmond was a wide comfortable steamer, and as we sat upon the deck that first day of August, or walked around to look at the beauties of Staten Island and other interesting points, life seemed very bright and desirable. A few faces had been bathed in tears at the hour of parting, and even now the line of sorrow shaded eager e}-es watch ing the disappearing shores. "Well, I'm glad we are off," said the portly, elderly banker, who was going for "rest," and consequent better health — "There comes the Etruria — we took passage on her, but I was uneasy — seemed to me she was so narrow." The good son-in-law brought a rug, and wrapped him up. "A little cooler, father," he said pleasantly. "Yes, yes," rather impatiently, "it'll be apt to blow up a storm before we are through with it." "What a lovely day!" cried a gay young lady, effus ively, as she passed (her escort looked as if he thought her equally so), "I do love the sea!" Serenity was paramount. There were only exceptions enough to this to prove the rule. In the confusion of embarking I had noticed a )'oung woman respectably dressed in deep mourning, who looked sad, but not overcome, with the parting from shore-friends.' She was fair, with light hair and full blue eyes, whith filled AT SEA. 5 with tears as she walked about, leading by a small rope a very homely little dog, which was constantly getting into every one's way, and being faithfully rescued by its mis tress from the intricacies of baggage and feet, becoming quite unpopular, but not understanding the situation, tried to make friends with those who decidedly declined its acquaintance. At first the passengers appeared slightly mixed, but grad ually the different " classes '' found their right places. I had spoken to the young woman, for she seemed to be alone and friendless, and she gratefully responded : "O yes, I am alone," moving nearer to me on the wooden deck-seat, " It's only two weeks since that my hus band died," pressing the black-bordered handkerchief to her eyes. I quietly waited until she felt able to speak again, hoping that the tears, and the sympathy, and the telling of her woes would relieve her. " We came — it was from Scotland we came — if I was but there! . . . O, ma'am, it's a sore thing to lose your only friend in a land of strangers ! . . . but — they were kind — they helped me to watch him night and day. He — he lingered, but the sad, sad night came. . . he was dying — ah, weeU . he was deid i' the morn.'" Should I tell her (as some would me when bereaved) "he is better off" — "your loss is his gain?" No! death is not common-place, nor is true heart-felt sorrow. Tears rose to my eyes. She heard my sigh, and took my hand within her own, and so we sat silent for a few moments, when the unfortunate Gyp again drew her attention. "O, ay, indeed she is a trouble, an' I've no' loved her much before, but — you Gyp — come here ! — she's no' bonnie ma'am — the wee bit doggie, but — he loved her." The time came when the sheep went into the first cabin, or promenaded the upper deck, and the goats (the wicked ones who sinned in that they had little money) descended into the steerage, while those midway, thought little of by either, were to be on this large deck, and in the second cabin below. To some persons it might seem absurd for a second- class passenger to be timid or nervous, but Margaret (as she begged me to call her) greatly dreaded going down to 6 BOHEMIAN DAYS. her cabin alone. Why should I not accompany her ? I had nothing else to do. We had begun the steep descent when she suddenly stopped, "Perhaps they will not let you," she said in a low tone ; but my ignorance caused me to very cheerfully respond with a laugh that quite reas sured her, and we soon arrived at her scrupulously clean state-room, where I left her arranging her belongings, and settling in quite cheerfully. Class ! It was very forcibly brought to my mind next day as I was about to step out onto Margaret's deck to make enquiry for her. " You cannot go there ! " said a harsh voice, and turning quickly I saw one of the minor officers in all the glory of a new, bright-buttoned, dark-blue uniform ; I saw too that his face was red, and his eye unsteady, and decided that he was not a man to argue with. " We never allow passengers of one class to mix with those of another," said he, grandly. I temporized, fearing that Margaret was ill, not having seen anything more of her, and told him a little of her story, but he evidently thought me very foolish, and only, like a great automaton, ground out the .same remark. I felt a little foolish. Wliat should I do ? evidently I could not pass a boundary guarded by such a Cerberus. Looking at him for an idea, and not finding one suitable, I felt somewhere in my inner consciousness the unfolding of a distinct dislike for him, while he looked at me more blandl}-, realizing that he was master of the situation. I quietly walked down-stairs — there is no use arguing when it will have no good effect, even on your own feehngs. Absence is better. The kinder stewardess brought me word that Margaret "had been ill, but was better," whereupon I went on deck and found the sun shining as brightly as ever, the sea light-waved and calm, with sea-gulls just touching its surface as they darted hither and thither uttering shrill cries, and pursuing any fortunate bird who secured one of the pieces of cracker a passenger was throw ing for their (and our) amusement. The Banker was wondering aloud as to how the people at home would manage without him, and could scarcely be- AT SEA. 7 lieve that they would " Do perfectly well," as his compan ion said. Some saw a fish, which beguiled almost every one into looking over the side to no purpose however. The captain passed, bowing and smiling. These sea captains are generally genial, whole-souled, open-hearted men, full of much learning in their own line, and good humor which has stood the test of much provoca tion. They love music, and a song of home brings a tear to the eye which has looked fearlessly into the face of Disaster and Death. There were pleasant acquaintanceships forming, some the more quickly from joining in various simple games. A merry company stood watching a young man who threw, or tried to throw, a dozen rope-rings over an upright stick some fifteen feet away. How they laughed as the rings went every way but that desired, so that he became quite excited at the last and threw recklessly. " Three I only three ! " " See if you can do any better," he smilingly replied. " Whose turn next?" " Better luck next time,'' quoted his lively girl companion, with a look of compassion. "Let me! let me! " cried the dark-eyed little girl with the scarlet fez on her head. " No, me!'' said a boy too young to be gallant when out of reach of the mother-eye. The middle-aged, gray-haired gentleman who had taken off his coat, and now pushed the cuffs back from his hands had apparently heard none of these remarks, for he t'nrew quietly and accurately. It was strange, as he remarked, that they struck the mark but all rebounded or rolled away, in stead of encircling the stick as intended. Putting a half ex tinguished cigar between his lips he'sauntered off, disgusted. It looked very easy. We most of us thought we could do it — until we tried. Such very small things amuse us on shipboard. We be came quite interested in the affairs of one young couple, pas sively so, just enough to view them with complacency as they passed us in blissful ignorance that anyone was within a thou sand miles of them ; and when the unhappy time came that they had an estrangement caused by a difference of opinion 8 BOHEMIAN DAYS. as to how fast the ship was sailing, or the color of the western sky, and concluded to walk on different sides of the deck for awhile, we were all more or less agitated, except some of the dull ones who would have to be struck to know any one was there, and felt almost jubilant at the very visible reconcilia tion next day — a proof that we were not sea-sick. It was all a good deal like charades, we sitting as specta tors guessing at the different characters and lives. The parrot belonging to a very agreeable Spanish family was a great source of pleasure, and two little children who played around on the deck found many friends. In marked contrast to the contentment and liveliness of most of the passengers was the woe-begone visage of a 'thin, elderly gentleman, who took no part in any recreation, and most of the time sat apart looking with clouded eyes away off to sea. He had a book, but did not read, and spoke to no one. I looked at him several times when we were enjoying ourselves, and it seemed really cruel to in dulge in merriment in the face of so much sorrow. I grew uneasy, and forgetting that Max had said " Where's the use? you can't make the world over," and one day hearing him sigh heavily near me I ventured a remark about the weather, the brightness of the sea around us, with its rip pling, snowy foam dancing over the deep blue as the steamer plowed her way through. He agreed very lugubriously that the weather was fine. My imagination ran back to his home. I saw plainly graves on a hill-side and a bereft mourner — But he was speaking. " Been sick," (sigh) " dyspepsy," (another,) " Doctor said if I'd get right sea-sick I might be better, but I don't see any chance of that," looking sadly at the deep-blue sky with snowy flecks of clouds like tiqy boats sailing over a tranquil sea — he looked, and sighed again. The idea of any one longing for an inter\iew with the mal de mer struck me at first as amazingly funny. I sus pected him of a joke, but one glance at the smileless face showed this to be impossible. I do not think as a general thing jokes and dyspepsia are on very frieudh- terms. Laughter has other good effects besides shaking the " cob webs out of the brain," it is an excellent tonic. AT SEA. 9 I looked at my dyspeptic friend and realized that there were losses indeed which he had to mourn — dead energies of mind and body, dead youth and elasticity — dead appe tite. At that time I felt well and bright, and the bountifully supplied table was a source of gratification. I was happy enough to be able to sympathize freely with his discomfort, and moralize on it, without entering so fully into its sadness as to be a disagreeable companion when Max and I took a constitutional shortly after. This latter person did not grieve perceptibly on learning of this sad case, and quite refused to "be " taught to feel another's woes." He laughed so, indeed, that it was impossible not to join in. Poor fellow ! he soon had woes enough of his own ! Whether the sea got to laughing too, or the dyspeptic wished so heartily for an " ill-wind," that it came blowing " nobody any good '' but himself, it became a painful fact that locomotion ceased to be agreeable, and a majority took refuge in their state-rooms. Small " rooms " at best, and bad " state," and the few remaining on deck did not look happy. No smiles and badinage there I A young doctor walked around a little, but was busily engaged in eating soda-mint drops, and had few words to say — which was a blessing, for no one wanted to hear anything, unless it might be a remedy for the prevailing ailment. I have heard some description of this terrible affliction: even now the remembrance sends a thrill, not of joy, o'er all my frame. Description ? what use when those who have never experienced it cannot imagine its horrors, while those who have can never forget it ? There was a public meeting in the Cabin to express re gret at the death of General Grant. There were enough to "resolve," but if numbers prove pp.triotism we were sadly lacking. Who ever heard of a sea-sick man caring much about any one else, dead or alive ? How could a commu nity meet for patriotic expression, or any other, with such expressions as were then paramount? But they " resolved " — that was the main thing; and I admired their resolution, although not possessed of sufficient strength of mind, or body, to " do likewise." How could one resolve to do any thing with no appre- 10 BOHEMIAN DAYS. hension of having a bone about them, and every muscle in a strike ? It was a universal strike sometimes, w hen the steamer gave one of l:er tremendous lurches. O how light we felt on one of the mountain waves, (light headed but not light hearted) as we seemed to leap off into space, and plunge head-downwards to stir up the dregs of the Atlantic. It would have been exciting if we had not been too much engaged in other matters. Saturday, Sunday, Monday morning, all are as a troubled dream. There had been talk of a public concert, but it seemed to have been forgotten. The cooks were happy, but the waiters glum, excepting those engaged in state-rooms, where gratitude kept their spirits up — gratitude as we define it modernly, " a lively sense of favors to come." Three days and nights of stormy winds and raging waters lashing themselves into fury, torn rigging, and the fearful warnings of the fog-horn through it all, drawing ever nearer to our destination, but too much depressed to realize it. I thought of the man who was so ill that at first he feared he would die, but afterwards was so much worse that he feared he would not. How many people had told me that ! It was one of the regular anecdotes when a rough sea was spoken of Was it true? decidedly not! However, I did not feel very decided about anything except lying as still as was possible under the circumstances, in which some large pillows wedged in alongside gave great assistance. No, I should never go to sea again — if only I were not landing on the wrong side of the water. Occasionally a large, weak hand came wandering down from the upper berth to inquire as to how I fared, and the thought that any one really cared about me (or any thing else) at such a time, affected me almost to tears, but that luxury, like many others, was postponed. The stewardess meant well, but how could she ask me to have canned salmon! — she looked like a nice woman, too ; I should not have believed it of her. LAND. 1 1 CHAPTER III. LAND. What was that sound ? — " Land ? " " I must see ! '' — But — ah— the situation was unchanged, and when my head and the little shelves came in contact, and the fragments of camphor and cologne bottles fell around me I was not comforted by the strong aroma, (slightly mixed) nor by the liquids dripping down my face and into my eyes. We never are satisfied anyhow. To one looking back a situation seems amusing that did not partake of that character at the time. Could that have been I who crept weeping into that narrow bed ? I rather think it was, ha ! ha ! , I have respected Maxentius more highly ever since that day. Any one who could struggle out from all that weight of difficulties, and inertia, and in a comparatively short time reach the life and brightness above shows remarkable strength of will power. It was a struggle, a desperate one. Being stirred by his noble example I attempted to follow suit, but the sea ruthlessly cast me back from the httle sofa into bed, where I concluded to remain. My Man-of-war, however, came to the rescue, and after some necessary preliminaries towed his battered «-consort into the harbor of her deck-chair, which had been tightly lashed to some centrally located iron rod. This progress was made at intervals as circumstances permitted. A run — a sudden stop — a catching hold of any article possessing staying power ; another dash — almost a wreck ! — rescue from peril by strong hands, then rest ! the first for — only three days ? can that be possible ? Well, this counting by time is delusive, we live by our emotions, and reckon not by the years, or days, so much as by their incidents and accidents. Until somewhat accustomed to the alternate view of sky or sea as the vessel laid me on my back, or caused me to cling desperately to the arms of the chair to prevent going head-foremost into those damp looking billows, I had but Jittle time for admiration of the scene around me, but pres- 12 BOHEMIAN DAYS. ently became conscious of a goodly number engaged in the same interesting occupation, and wondered if I- looked as mild as they did. None of us cared for style; even the little French lady who had worn so many airs and graces, and looked so charmingly coquettish, had the wilted appearance of some of her own made-up flowers after a shower, while the but terfly engagee had reversed Nature's order, and become a chrysalis, quite invisible in her rug and shawl. Land ! what a joy to see it ! The rugged hill and mount ain-sides — were not so very green — ^but this was la7id, and we feasted our eyes upon it longing to be nearer. Then appeared more productive places, farms' with arable fields, grazing cattle, and houses cosily hiding among fruit orchards, while upon an eminence a little parish church, half hidden among weeping-willows, guarded the sacred en closure — God's half-acre. Were these people happy? What had their lives been ? How far away from us they seemed ; we should never know even the name of one of them ; between us what huge billows rolled — grand indeed, but so cruel looking, so hungry. A light-house upon a rock. Then a Signal Station from which alread)'^ had flashed the news, '' The Richmond is afloat," and many a warm heart at home would beat the more restfully and gladly. Each rocky promontory as it gradually stood out from the wild coast, enlarged, came into the foreground, and then slowly receded into the brown coast line growing blue in the distance. There was a pleasant stir on board, and, one by one, ap peared many faces unseen for days, pale, but resolute. Down in the steerage, and on the lower decks, were sig nals of approaching flight. Great acti\ity pre\ailed among menials, for tips grow large by proximit}-. There was no trouble in getting your boots blacked over two or three times if you wished. What a noise the little tug made as it came up to us, running wildly around from side to side, like a little dog whose master had returned home, then stood puffing and blowing as if over-fatigued. LAND. 13 Stopping at the entrance to Queenstown Harbor is not as agreeable as might be imagined. An occasional roll brought back forcibly what Max called " an unpleasant gastric remi niscence.'' " Do you disembark here ? " said a friend in surprise. " I thought you took passage for Liverpool ? " He be longed to the Navy, and was very jovial ; an explanation of the " true inwardness " of the affair would be superfluous. " We have never seen the Lakes of Killarney." " Oh, to be sure! Wish I had time to take a run around there with you — charming place to begin your tour. Not tired of the sea at all ? ha ! ha ! — been a pretty stiff breeze for two or three days and nights." " Very ! " with emphasis. " Ha ! ha ! ought to have been out in some of the storms I've seen ! — things generally gone by the board — poor fel lows too, some of them. A wreck is a bad thing — not much use to try swimming when you're a t;housand miles from land." The idea made us shudder. We did not long to see his internal consciousness, or remembrances. I thought of the Constancia, a ship that belonged to my grandfather, which had foundered on this terrible coast, of which my Uncle Robert was captain, but on account of an accident which maimed him for life, the next officer was in command as away they sailed for the West, and knew not that the "good-byes'' were for ever. Upon some of these great cruel rocks she broke to pieces, and but one man was saved and the little cabin-boy, who was lashed to a spar. " Perhaps those rocks over there," I began in melancholy mood, but Max broke into my musings with some wine and crackers, which was probably more wholesome. There was ample time to think of many tfSngs, besides making all preparations for disembarking, before the call came, " Pas sengers for Queenstown 1 " for when the steamer " hove to" at the entrance to the harbor the day was quite past, a star less night above us and a troubled sea below. There were leave-takings of pleasant friends, and as we waited on the cen tral deck the Scotch widow, gentle Margaret, came to wish us well, and at the moment of parting with a murmured bless ing raised my hand to her lips, and turning away was lost 14 BOHEMIAN DAYS. in the crowd. What had I done? only the commonest act of kindness. I felt embarrassed at the surplus repay ment. Passengers of various grades stood ready as the hour came, those from the steerage holding great bundles and baskets, crowding heavily against the dividing rope, even after the officers shouted, "Keep back there!" while the little steamer rolled from side to side with every puff from her engine, the enclosed gang-plank reaching from its upper deck to ours going up and down like a see-saw; sharp and short came orders to seamen ; there was a sound of creak ing cordage and of feet upon the deck, and the shrill plaint of a child, frightened and sleepy. Excepting the space upon which the ship-lights gleamed we were enshrouded in darkness, and I looked aghast as Max led me forwards, and "We can never cross on that ! " I exclaimed with a shudder as the plank freed itself from the sailor's hands, and seemed meditating a downward plunge. "I'm afraid you will have to," said Maxentius, moodily, "or go on to Liverpool." That settled it. In about two seconds I had passed the Rubicon, and was awaiting upon the hurricane deck of the little dancing steamer the safe arrival of the larger half of the family ; after whom a porter brought the valises down to a lower deck while other people were waiting and worry ing over their trunks — I smiled to think how much wiser I had been — by proxy. The friends I had left behind me were only less affec tionate than old Ocean, who, at parting, just as our little tug gave an extra bow and scrape, suddenly embraced me. "A new way of waving good-bye," said Max. ¦'' Strikingly cool," I shivered. Those harbor lights on island and shipping, and others in semi-circles from the shore away up to the summit of rocky Queenstown, how beautiful they looked ! W'e saw the time on an illuminated clock-face — ten minutes to ten o'clock. What a change from the still night-ride, as we endeavored to disentangle ourselves from a medley of peo ple and baggage, of crying children and noisy porters, at our landing place, where in the small custom office we were crowded like sheep, and found that even our comparatively LAND. 1 5 small amount of movables was very much in the way. Some articles disappeared, and we were almost in a fever until we found them — about to accompany someone else to parts unknown. Even valises are not always worthy of confi dence, and must be watched. The officer watched closely enough. I fancy that he scented dynamite somewhere. " Ah I " Yes ? — what was it ? " Only my revolver," said Max, turning away carelessly, but not looking happy. " I shall have to keep this," in a severely magisterial tone, " they are not allowed to be used in this Counthry." We watched in silence his further depredations. He gave up when everything had been reduced to chaos, pushing the articles back as one would crowd rags into an already overflowing rag-bag, and turned to other victims. We were indignant but helpless, a very uncomfortable state to be in. Maxentius looked wrathfully down on the small man clothed in a little brief authority — and the Queen's livery — and that person felt it through his eyehds, or perhaps the bald spot on his head. " If you want that article," he said, more respectfully, "you may perhaps get it to-morra by applying at the Cus tom House, and preshenting to them an arther from the Justice of the P'ace, with a statement from you that — well, you'll see to-morra," and he turned away. We thanked him, but felt doubtful, and as he was deep in some one's trunk, and did not know we were there, we " silently stole away." So did a soldier, who followed after and took note of us — several of them indeed — notes I mean, in a book he carried. Delightful ! we were suspected of an attempt to anarch- ize the country no doubt. We felt like " blowing them up." " Oh! where is my basket?" I cried, as we stepped into the "Queen's Hotel." "Everything's on the hand-dray," answered Max, "here they are now. Guess I'll pay the man a quarter — a shilling, I mean, though it was only a few steps — here's a shilling, my man," holding out his hand. i6 BO-HEMIAN DAYS. The man refused, it was not enough. " What ? " Max spoke in Italics. " Sure and it's sax-pince apace they are, yer 'anner, an' ther's foor av 'em — ye can say that same — it's two shillin' it is," so he kept on and on, the clerk assisting, until finally Max paid and got rid of him, utterly refusing, how ever, another " saxpince for a drink." I was sorry the Emerald Isle should have found us so much of the same color. "The fact is they are a set of harpies who would pick our very bones as well as our pockets. Did you see that boot-black on board ? I was sure he was the same one, but he made so much fuss I had to pay him over again — he said I had paid the wrong man — Confound them all ! " Max very forcibly exclaimed. "I fancied I heard some one say, 'that's an old trick' — was it about that ? " I sleepily inquired. "Oh, it might be — or some of the other fleecing concerns — I never saw " But I never heard. • If this is to be the way I shall wish- I half woke, but couldn't stay . . I was at Boston talk ing to some friends, and then in a moment by a Florida lake, walking beside my mother. CHAPTER IV. QUEENSTOWN, CORK AND BLARXEV. Delightful awakening ! no earthquakes or sea-quakes to disturb our peace of mind, or body. After all, much of our happiness is of a negative kind, the absence of positi\-e discomfort. Soon came to our consciousness the joy of the sunshine, green fields, gardens full of flowers, beautiful homes, people of all nationalties from the ships in port, and natives still more interesting. How we enjoyed the ramble all over the town and up on the heights, with its fine view of harbor, islands and shipping, where we stopped to see St. Coleman's Cathedral. By the wall, looking off to sea, was QUEENSTOWN, CORK AND BLARNEY. 17 an old man who informed us that the building had been mostly paid for by Americans, the total cost so far having been about ;^6oo,ooo, but to complete it would take $100,000 more. It is made principally of Portland stone, shipped from England, cut out from the quarry while soft and easily worked, and when hardened by time is almost indestructible; with pillars and ornamentations of Kilkenny marble, and a fine glistening, reddish-brown stone from Dublin. The unfinished interior showed a noble elevation to the arches of wood arranged as in King Edward's Chapel, Westmin ister (but not so richly carved) resting upon great stone pil lars. On the outside were turrets and pinnacles, niches occupied by statues of saints and a gilded figure of the Vir gin, and flying buttresses which carried one back to the Middle Ages — the sculpture was mostly Gothic. This Cathedral and the great incomplete Dock had been over sixteen years in building, and would require one or two more, unless greater haste was used. Perhaps money was lacking. Our old man gave us some other useful information, being a bundle of statistics prepared for such occasions. Queenstown is situated on an island 20 miles in circum ference, and claims 14,000 inhabitants. There are several other islands in sight, on one of which are large government buildings, and on another opposite the town, the Naval Station. Out in the harbor lay at anchor a number of steamers and ships, and around them, and almost every where else, a myriad of row-boats, large and small, while two or three tugs went puffing here and there, making a fuss in inverse ratio to their size as ships were loading or discharging cargo. The Custom boats were busy — which reminded us of the revolver, so to seek for it we left the hawthorn and yellow-gorse hedges, the ivy-draped walls, the green lawns dotted with daisy stars, the cottage homes so pleasantly shaded, and embowered with roses or jessa mine, the clematis or the woodbine, and in a few moments were descending a steep street among carts of vegetables conducted by frowsy, bareheaded women, and generally drawn by a donkey, and lively, dirty, half-clad, laughing children playing games on the side-walk — or where it ought to be. 1 8 BOHEMIAN DAYS. There were few men, unless we counted the finely dressed soldiers and lively marines from the frigates in the offing, many of whom were patronizing the very frequent dram shops. But that revolver ! From place to place we went until we had enough red tape to tie up a balloon, and finally walked off triumphant, but weary— of several things and people. By the Hotels stood many cars and cabs. Some one at the door beckoned, then what a race ! two cars reached the place nearly at the same moment, and there was war. But the gentleman said a few haughty words, engaging one, dismissing the other, and the defeated candidates again formed into line ready for future fares. There are many of these people in various countries, evi dently very anxious for work, and I felt sympathy for them until finding out by experience how tricky they were, vex ing us by their lack of veracity even while we could not but be amused at their oddities and ingenuity. The incessant " tips " began to weary Maxentius even in Queenstown : how would it be as we penetrated into less verdant lands ? and even now the beggars swarmed around us as thick as blackberries in the fence corners of a Tennes see harvest field in July, thinking us w ell repaid by the worn-out "blessings" they heaped upon our heads if suc cessful — not with half the zest that the crisp hard curses rattled out, soiling the pure air, if disappointed. Of course they were of no account, either, but I would give a penny any time rather than hear them, so laid in a supply of the heavy, awkward coppers for such use, and had the satisfac tion of knowing that my preaching and practicing were exact contraries. We enjoy and value things by contrast. A friend just across from England thought everything looking " so dull," while to us after the voyage, the country seemed an Eden as we roamed about happy as the long summer's day, pick ing wild-flowers, lunching at a funny little out-of-the-w a\- restaurant, and laughing at jokes that would not look on paper so exceedingly amusing as we found them in our lightness of heart — some others will remember a like ex perience, perhaps. Walking along an old street closely built with unpreten- QUEENSTOWN, CORK AND BLARNEY. 19 tious houses a small hotel or inn drew our attention by its quiet and cleanly appearance ; and entering. Max enquired for the landlady. " Will you go up the stairs av ye plaize, sirr," said a lively, rosy-cheeked damsel in purple-calico dress and white apron, " we've a good room there — sure and it's more privit loike ye'd be." " Do we want another lunch ? " I whispered doubtfully to Max — of course I had followed him. " Well, hardly," he returned, looking very good-natured. " I thought we might learn the price of board, or perhaps lodging." "This way, sirr," said a hearty voice as we climbed the stair, and reaching the upper landing beheld a splendid ad vertisement of the good living to be found there if plump ness was a test, and a more comely good-humored face was an impossibility. So there we stayed chatting and drink ing lemonade long after learning her very moderate terms, and Max promised to call again, as we left. Well — per haps he will. " How was it those friends of yours traveled on so little ? " said he as we drew near to our hotel. " I don't see but what it costs more here than in America." " They did not always patronize these large hotels, I sup pose, for they were people of moderate means, yet traveled all over the world, nearly. You can enjoy yourself just as well, and be more independent going where you please instead of where the people choose to take you." " That sounds reasonable, but after all it's not so much one large bill as the constant sliding away of the shillings and sixpences that gets away with the dollars." " Do we travel for to benefit the public, sir ? " I innocently enquired. " Certainly — ^to some extent — but not intentionally, they are incidentals." " While we are accidentals ? " Ah, Bohemia, you may not always be very proper, but you are nevertheless charming, and when we have once known you it is hard to give you up. Half the pleasure is lost to those who are so overburdened with money that they never can forget the weight of it, and scatter it here 20 BOHEMIAN DAYS. and there without need or desire to think, plan or enter into the lives of the .people about them ; running in a groove, without special interest, or individuality, instead of mapping out and following their own pleasant orbit. The ride, a few mornings after, on the small steamer bound for Cork, would have been delightful if the rain had not been so persistent, accompanied by a playful breeze which fairly laughed at us, and turning our umbrellas wrong side out, sprinkled our faces, and set Max running along the deck after his hat. Rather a strange reception for so genial and warm-hearted a country. On the way out to " Blarney Castle that was once so anrient, Is now Iri ruins and all crushed and bare" we had five showers, but the " covered carr" kept most of the rain out, and when a lull came the curtains were raised giving a view of the avenues of fine trees, the farms, and after an hour or so the ruins of the old castle in a grove beyond rich fields of golden grain waiting for the harvester. In those ofd days four hundred years ago, or more, when this Castle was erected by an Irish king, solidity was con sidered a chief necessity, so the walls were made fourteen feet in thickness, and it seemed a wonder that two hundred years later it could have been thus defaced, and almost de stroyed. We climbed up one hundred and eight steps in a small circular tower, and came out upon a walk-way, narrow in some places where the wall had broken awaj-, and entirely unprotected, and I being first, walked around to the front and leaned down the hollow on the inside of the parapet to touch the "Blarney Stone." Max called to me in horror, thinking that I was about to reach the ground by the near way, and no persuasion could make him see the necessity for him to perform the osculatory process considered a regular thing and most important part of the expedition. It did look somewhat hazardous, for as )-ou lean over 3-ou see the Castle grounds on the outside a hundred feet below, and if you should start backward a few feet the walk being but a small portion of the thickness of the wall, )ou would fall down on the inside almost as great a depth onto a pile of debris. QUEENSTOWN, CORK AND BLARNEY. 21 There is a curious old cave below the castle, which had a passage connected with the dining hall, and a still narrower way almost filled with earth in another direction, for though these men of the olden time were good fighters, they were wise enough to believe in the utility of a means of assisting themselves to "fight another day." Several persons have asked, " What is the Blarney Stone, and what is the good of kissing it ? " It is a dark-grey stone, broken in three and held together by iron clasps, and with iron bands held into its place in the centre of the para pet in front. I have seen as nice looking rocks in America, not speaking of marble, but we have no " Father Prout " in these days to communicate to it such virtues by his bless ing that whoever should touch lips to it would be endowed with the gift of eloquence — some call it " blarney " — ever since allowed, by other less favored nations, to be the natural and pre-empted right, as well as attribute, of the Emerald Islander. The present owner of this estate has a fine residence a short distance from the Castle, surrounded by large gardens and shrubbery, through which we walked ere betaking our selves to the gate at which waited the portress with a sad face, and pitiful story of hardships endured in caring for her eight small children. Probably they tell over these stories so often that they finally believe them themselves. We had not yet become hardened, so contributed to keep it up, but afterwards thought of her comfortable garden and pretty cottage, and the many gratuities received, besides being under the eye of a kindly Proprietor who would not let her want for any of the necessities of life, and decided that she was not an object for charity. There were some nice buildings on wide streets in Cork, but the rain and mud made everything look so dreary that v/e did not wonder to hear an acquaintance exclaim, " Well, I don't think there's much to admire to Cork, anyhow !" It is well always to have a lot of sunshine to order. The Cork hackman is not very charming — not danger ously so, though he has the beauty of " variety " certainly. At first I thought him rather picturesque in his battered hat, and general disreputability of appearance, and was glad to lend him some money to buy material to fill up that 22 BOHEMIAN DAYS. meagre-looking Bucephalus he kept encouraging by saying bad words to, aud patting with a stick — not always love- taps either, unless his love was very vigorous ; but Max thought the poor animal would be lonesome without this frequent reminder that some one was around, being so accustomed to such attentions — a hilarious idea. How urbane that old driver seemed — until we reached the station, but I knew that there was trouble ahead when his savage face appeared at the door and he took from my hand without a word of thanks a package of cakes and sandwiches just bought. In compliance with advice we had decided always to make a bargain before any ser\ice was rendered, this being the only way to progress satisfactoril)', for if postponed until afterwards the servitor can demand w hat he pleases, and, unless there is some fixed price for the work, you may rue and scold as much as you please, but you pay all the same. A constant risk of falling into a rage would be very wearing, besides the danger of blindness. This man had offered his services for a certain price, eagerly outbidding several others, and on being accepted showed the greatest pleasure, and alacrity in seating us and setting out. " Now that is all? — there are no other fees ? " said Max earnestly. " Iss ! iss yer Honor ! — niver-a-bit moor !" he rejoined. But lo-and-behold, on our return this I-don't-know what- to-call-him demanded a large advance on the stipulated price, and blustering, and fuming followed us into the w ait- ing-room. I should have been glad, just then, if Max had not made it a matter of principle to pay him no more on account of his duplicity. " Fasten this door directly I go outside — he'll follow me no doubt," he said, with an en couraging little nod. So out they went, the old rascal tearing passion to tatters in a very blood-curdling way. The police ought to have had him, but they really wink at these things. After all, he had the worst of it, being left to himself— the ' very poorest of company, without a cent extra for all his theatrical invective. He did not know Max, or he w^ould have introduced him to "tin shmall childer ahl hilphss," or something equally effective. BANTRY, GLENGAR/EF AND KILLARNEY. 23 CHAPTER V. BANTRY, GLENGARIFF AND KILLARNEY. " No WONDER the Prince of Wales chose this glorious route to Killarney ! I admire his taste," said Max, heartily, as he gazed at mountains beautiful as the Alps, little lakes hidden deep in clefts of the hills and mountains, which sent silver greetings flashing to the sea, tracts of bog-land with peat stacked up like bricks, and green undergrowth from which the startled moor-hen darted away with a cry. A neat cottage was pointed out where a poet dwelt in seclusion, sending out occasional bright messages to the world of thought. Our driver was a treasure in his way — here is one of his anecdotes. In an almost inaccessible place near what is called the Eagle's Nest, lived a Princess of Bantry of the olden time, whose Prince had been defeated and driven away by the English, the flocks and herds and growing crops destroyed, or carried away as spoil, so that the faithful servitor, to whose care were confided the poor homeless Princess and her children, knew not how to support them. Building a little hut of rock and sod, close against the mountain's side, he and his little son Shamus sought sustenance for them on land and in the water, until finally as the times were still perilous and no more food accessible, the little boy was let down by a grass rope from the precipitous rock above into the eagles' nest, and day after day the children ate the fish, rabbits, and other prey brought by the eagles for their young. Through all that terrible time, and until the happy restoration of the family to their rebuilt home and bountiful estate, these faithful retainers riskedjifc and limb for their preservation, and thought, in their simplicity and unselfish love, but lightly of the service. And when the war was over and peace reigned supreme — they all lived happily for ever after. So it turned out just like a fairy story, but I wish that I could have given it in his own rich brogue. The rain fell almost continuously, but could not cool the ardor of our admiration, though we looked from under um brellas on our open coach. The elderly lady sitting behind 24 BOHEMIAN DA YS. me did not at first look very enthusiastic, but her husband and her son made merry, and drew her into the laugh in spite of herself, after which she felt better ; while the bride on the front seat had spells of thinking more of her apparel than the scenery and agreeable company combined, pouting just as if she were at home when the rain leaked onto her new bonnet, but the next minute was enjoying herself with the rest. I really sympathized with her — a little — it was not as if my new head-regalia were on the point of destruction, of course, that could not be expected of any one less than an angel, but I felt amiable with myself to think that I did not enjoy her discomfort and appreciated the sunny good-humor so quickly following. That's right ! when you're out for enjoyment look at everything through a rose-colored medium if possible. A rent in a garment is so much more easily mended than a raveled-out temper. Rattling over the rough, stony street the driver cracked his whip, and in fine style we drew up before the entrance of a small inn, w here there was a hasty undoing of trace- chains, the quick outward trot of six other strong steeds, then, " Ready ! " and away they galloped over hill and dale. Evening shadows were gathering as the coach swept around the curves of ever-changing, lovely Bantry Bay, with the fertile fields, great forest trees, and beautiful lawns and gardens surrounding the home-like mansion of " happy Lord Bantry," as some one styled him as they looked abroad over his desirable heritage. •' Yis," said the driver in answer to interrogatories, " 'tis Lard Banthry's risi- dince, but niver-a-bit is he there at-all-at-all." " Why, bless my soul ! " cried the excitable old gentle man, knocking off his son's hat with his umbrella in his sur prise, " not live there ? dear me ! why not ? " subsidinginto a fit of coughing, but half-laughing, as if it were only a joke. " Now Father ! " exclaimed the younger man, recovering his hat without detriment to it or his temper. "Taking cold, my dear?" inquired the w'ife solicitously at which he laughed more than ever, but accepted her BANTRY, GLENGARIFF AND KILLARNEY. 25 advice, as to another wrap, and some candy, and repeated the inquiry, " Why not ? " " Lard Banthry's in Austhralia sure, an' it's himself can niver live there " — with a shake of the head. " ' Whoy ' is it, sirr? Becase he'd dole, yer honor — ' Hit's the cloimate' the docthers say, but sure and don't we all know hit's the disaise ? — coughin' him away intoirely?" " There must have been a fine display at the Naval Re view," said I. " When the Prince of Wales was here?" Max inquired, as he turned" round suddenly, impaling my hat on a corner of his dripping umbrella, for the moment rendering us oblivious to outside affairs. "Ah, begorra' it wor a show indade ! with the foirin' of the cannon and the flags a-floyin', a foine wan indade — an' nobody kilt at-all-at-all — an' so much the betther afther all." Peacefully the bay spread out before us, shimmering in the light, dark and mysterious in the shadow of cliffs and beautifully-wooded islands. — What a place to rest and dream ! And soon, looking down from an eminence as we wound through a grove of century oaks, we saw Glengariff and " Eccles's," as the driver said. We stopped before a pleasant-looking hotel on the hill, where waiters stood with step-ladders for guests to dismount from their perches, but all were bound for " Eccles's," near the water-side, where presently we found ourselves at a bright door-way. embowered in flowers and shrubbery, where a lively, energetic matron bade all welcome, and as soon as possible assigned rooms. From the hill back of this hotel was one of the finest views in the world — the whole of Glengariff Harbor, its winding coast and many green islands, the ever ^changing shores of Bantry Bay, verdant mejkls, and hills of varied shade, some mottled with green on a light soil, some rocky and forbidding on the shore, while far away in the distance the mountains and clouds mingled. There are many places of interest within reach by driv ing, not the least so being the lake Gougane-Barra, the source of the river Lee, where reflected, as in a mirror, the shores of the historic little island on which long since St. 26 BOHEMIAN DAYS. Finn-Barr dwelt in solitude, followed by a race of hermits, the last of whom had sepulture near the loved spot more than a century ago. I lately saw a quotation from a poem written by Mr. Callanan of Cork, which was such a pleas ant description of this, his birth-place, that I have copied it. "There is a green island in lone Gougane-Barra, Where AUua of song rushes forth as an arrow. In deep-vallied Desmond a thousand wild fountains Come down to that lake from their home in the mountains. There grows the wild ash, and a time-stricken willow Looks chidingly down on the mirth of the billow. As, like some gay child, that sad monitor scorning. It lightly laughs back to the laugh of the morning ; And its zone of dark hills — oh ! to see them all brightening When the tempest flings out its red banner of lightning, • And the waters rush down 'mid the thunder's deep rattle. Like the clans from their hills at the voice of the battle, And brightly the fire-crested billows are gleaming, And wildly from Mullagh the eagles are screaming. Oh ! where is the dwelling in valley or high-land So meet for a bard as this loiie little island?" And yet with all this gentle bard's appreciation of Nature's beatitudes, his own dwelling is in a city. How exhilarated we felt ! — some one unkindly suggests "wine!" — but our principal beverage was some delicious coffee — perhaps it was the fumes of the numerous open bottles, as that, or something else, made some faces in our vicinity very rosy, and mild-looking, rather dull people lively and loquacious. Perhaps it was that iniipitable " lamb and green peas," or the silver dishes — silver does have quite an effect on some people — or the seductive tones of the assidu ous, elderly waiters cast a glamour over everything as they moved noiselessly about in full evening dress — dress affects us too. Max informed me that it was the "ozone" in the atmosphere, whose effect had not evaporated when the early sun came gilding our eastern windows, and going down-stairs I found every one in an equally good humor, ready with a smile and pleasant word. The world was beautiful. This was a good time and place for the lace-maker to dis pose of her wares, of which she took due advantage. I have no idea she would have received half so many sovereigns in November. BANTRY, GLENGARIFF AND KILLARNEY. 27 The old minister and his wife came smiling out upon the lawn together — without exchanging a dozen words, I" loved them. Some of the care-wrinkles were already being erased from their faces, as their hearts grew younger. The son, a rather old young man of medium size and no special color (you could see a hundred like him in London any day) I imagined to be a bank-clerk out for a holiday. I wish they all could take a run and brighten up as he did. Still I was most interested in the elders, who after many days were re visiting the scene of their youth's happy love-idyl, and now, as they wandered away down the water-side together, we could hear their gentle laughter at some old-time reminis cence. Oh ! the bright August morning, with a million diamonds sparkling on the mossy carpet, the ferns, every grass-blade, with the full-tide lapping the shore and gently raising the moored boats; with the sunshine gilding the mountains and turning the sea into a dazzling mirror, while the birds were singing among the scented bowers, and great hedges of blooming fuchsia — what a scene resplendent full of hfe and beauty ! "Good-bye! good-bye!" Out from the fragrance, the fresnness, the beauty of Glen gariff, ere long, we darted away behind the swift horses. Who would not feel regret ? Was it but a sweet dream after all — a vision of Peace ? — So ! "off with the old love, and on with the new ! " A day of blissful enjoyment followed, which not even regiments of the most persistent beggars Earth ever saw could spoil, among the grand mountains with summits in the clouds. Here and there were tiny homes with one field at least devoted to the inevitable jtotato, — and how the things did grow wherever they had any encouragement ! I wondered why so much land was left untilled ; it was very full of stones, but if one field is cleared and produces so well, why not more ? certainly it would be easier than cut ting down the forests of Canada, at which many emigrants set to work with good heart. "Ah, but then isn't it their own, sure ? " said the driver, smiling. 28 BOHEMIAN DAYS. The houses were so few and far between that it was a matter of astonishment where the numberless httle ragged urchins came from who seemed lying in wait for us behind every large rock, and flew around the coach on the wings of beggary and possible want, tho' dining on tourists every day— better off than the Floridians who have but the one season's gain from them. A native of that Flowery State being enquired of by a stranger, " how they lived on so poor a soil," rephed, " We live in summer on oranges, and in winter on sick Yankees." But here the poor denizens had no oranges, so have to take " quail " all the year. For miles the little creatures followed us, sometimes cry ing, " Gimme-money-to-buy-a-book ! " so often and so fast, that you could scarcely understand a word, then suddenly disappeared to pop up a mile further on from under the coach where they had been riding, with the same cry, as the vehicle slowly wound up the steep mountain road. A red-coated, laughing Irish soldier threw them some coppers, and then, as they came on again with renewed zeal donated them some good advice, gratis, spiced with sev eral words not in the prayer-book, but apparently with no ill intent. "A book ? — to buy a book ?" said Max, suddenly rousing to the emergency, " why, certainly their laudable thirst for learning must be satisfied," throwing back a tourists' illus trated pamphlet ; whereupon the little bundles of rags and tatters stopped as if shot, and the last glimpse we caught of them as the coach turned the hill they still were standing in the road, with their bushy, uncombed heads close together over the treasure. "You see it was desire for learning, Dolly," said Max. "For pictures!" I replied, laughing. "Look at this pretty little bouquet of heather, j'ellow gorse and fox-glove — here are your pennies, little girl," for a dozen of the bright-eyed creatures \vere dancing and bounding from stone to stone on every side, by look, tone and gesture win ning our money away. A party of young English tourists climbed a rocky height with long alpen stocks, both ladies and gentlemen clad in stout grey tweed, strong shoes and shade-hats, and half a BAN7RY, GLENGARIFF AND K/LLARNEY. 29 mile away we still heard their snatches of song and merry laughter. Higher and higher we wound around the steep mountain side, until we too were on the heights, among the herds of goats and parti-colored cattle feeding upon the sparse herb age, and to our left saw a beautiful little lake, with a brook like a white ribbon winding downward, here gathering into a knot in a hollow, there rushing noisily over stones, and be coming quite fringed out. " What is this ? " Max enquired, as a grimy-looking nonentity tried to thrust a still dirtier old book into his un willing hand. " No, thanks." The driver went so slowly here that all the beggars in Christendom might have pursued and robbed us. " Drive on ! " cried the soldier, angril)^. " No ! no ! no ! Kape yer dherty ould book yersilf ! Niver-a-bit-av-it Oi'll hev of the same — ye hear me ? '' We ah did, and the driver whipped up his horses with a laugh. " Faith, and it's a beggar the auld spalpeen wants to appare, and isn't it a thousand goats he has all over the hills ? Indade, and it is that same. An' there's Biddy her- silf wid the goat- milk for yez," and the jolly driver laughed again, as he pointed with his whip towards a clean looking woman, who stood in the road with a cup and pitcher. " Milk ! milk ! " she cried, in a cracked voice, " sure, an' ye'll hev the clean goats' milk ? — May-the-blessin'-o'-God- an'-the-Vargin presarve ye ivermore " — but we declined the milk, ditto the hill, and to judge from her expressions of rage and disappointment, the heart was not as snowy white as the cap and kerchief I stopped my ears for a few mo ments, having a positive objection to being afflicted unnec essarily with what is painful to me, 'bodily and mentally. Besides there are some kinds of knowledge that I am averse to imbibing, and we unconsciously absorb many* things which only appear in our after growth, even lessons from the simple-hearted mountaineer. It is easy to moralize, I've heard many people say so, but I think it is still easier to de moralize. " There's his house," pointing to a miserable-looking hut of rough stones, with a division through the center — at 30 BOHEMIAN DA YS. least we supposed there was one, at any rate the goats occu pied the one nearest the road. We made directly for the side of Esk mountain, the highest point of our journey, ris ing nearly 1,400 feet above sea level, which showed no pass- way unless that dark spot. Yes, from a narrow, rocky gorge we passed into a tunnel, hewn through the solid rock for two hundred yards, and there were some exclamations as we passed through a mild shower-bath, where the -water dripped through the rock — pity those will not utilize it who would be benefited, but they might catch cold, living so much nearer the air. From the tunnel we emerged into the Kingdom of Kerry, and were treated to a magnificent view of rugged mountain scenery. On our right at first was a great wall of solid rock, to our left a high precipice, but present!}' we came to pleasant farm houses, very different to the hovels we had left — here was one of stone with slate roof, and a barn as near to it as would be necessaiy in the midst of a Dakota blizzard. I cannot say that the economy of having door- yard and barn-yard in one would quite please me, but "each one to his taste." Some little Kerry cows, beautiful crea tures, almost as nimble as deer, stood quietly at the door ways, while geese and ducks fluttered in and out of a dirty little pond. Now, theoretically, I like pigs and geese, but I never cared for too much intimacy, as having ''the gintle- men what pays the rint " come into my apartments, as he does in Ireland. " It takes all kinds of people to make a world," said Max philosophically. I have known others philosophical on non-personal questions. Near Raleagh Bridge on a hill was a small Catholic chapel, and off to the right pretty Dromanassig Fall. " This is Kenmare Sound," said the driver, " we cross here on the Landsdowne Suspension Bridge." And pres ently we entered Kenmare, a pretty tow n of 1 300 inhabit ants, amid embowering trees, slate roofs and an ambitious spire showing above them, and be\'ond, a convent where many children are instructed, and the traveler can buy beau tiful hand-made lace — where lived the gentle, }-ct actively benevolent " Nun of Kenmare." We rattled up in style before the small hotel, descended BANTRY, GLENGARIFF AND KILLARNEY. 31 the step-ladder, discussed some excellent salmon and other subjects, saw what we could of the town, then off for the Lakes, and enjoyed every minute of the journey. The crowds of beggars were left behind as we crossed the Saha- leen bridge and entered a beautiful green valley with the Killarney Mountains and their famous "Gap of Dunloe" beyond, and quiet and placid as if part of a picture, Loos- cannagh Lough lying among the sedges, its surface dotted with water-lilies. Another mountain climb, and then came in sight what an author calls " the finest scenic panorama in all Ireland, from the Giant's Causeway to Baltimore — from the thick glens of Wicklow to the rugged islands of Connemara," and our charioteer, reining in his steeds, slowly, and impressively declaimed — " Ladies and gentlemen. The Lakes of Killar ney ! " The scene greeting our earnest outlook was very beauti ful, as the approaching sunset flooded with its splendor the brightly gleaming lakes, the emerald verdure, the great MagiUicuddy Reeks to the left reyealing their rocky sum mits and deep glens ; Tore, Tomies and Mangerton in a purple glory, the Black Valley, and the crags above the Gap of Dunloe shining white amid the green forest. " What was that sigh for ? " Max inquired, turning round. " O — nothing ! only — if our trip is all to be as grand, and lovely, and beautiful, and picturesque, and so on as this, where in the world shall we get adjectives enough to de scribe it? " " Coin them." " Haven't the material." " Moind your heads, ladies and gintlemen ! " I suppose the foliage was part of the beauty, but some times there was a little too much of it — one's eye could not conveniently hold a whole branch. The driver was busy with his horses as we wound around the swiftly changing forest road, when a battlemented edifice appeared : "A Mountain Hotel, ladies and gintlemen — free table d'hote ! " It was a Police Station. One of the English passengers, who had been taking note of everything in a business-like way, amused himself with thinking that the Americans could 32 BOHEMIAN DAYS. not understand what the driver's little joke meant, and gave us a lucid explanation. Max humored him, and appeared to be densely dull, at which I could not help laughing, but feared, too, that our neighbor might see the joke, and be wounded. We saw the Queen's pretty cottage on the shore of Glena Bay, and soon after stopped to listen to a ver>' sweet echo, as an old man blew a few notes on a bugle, and away over hill and dale went the reverberated music, dying away in the distance like "the faint wind-harp's" monody. This is one of the industries, as in Switzerland. Through a dense forest, past the lakes, an old cross near Castlelough Bay, and into the village of Killarney, with its pretty suburbs where, as we paused, old women and children came buzzing around, with various things for sale, and run ners for different hotels pressed the merits of their various headquarters. Max became magnanimous. " Let us patronize Royalty ! " said he. The Royal Victoria was a delightful hotel, spacious in everyway. The landlord — but no! he was nothing in com parison to the head-waiter in spaciousness ; the dining-room was comfort itself, no touching of elbows there, and the menu was immense — yet after the nine courses Max had the assurance to say he was hungry ! " I don't like dinner in little bits," said he ; " I don't feel as if I'd had my dinner ! — and did you ever see people drink wine to such an extent ? why, the fellow next to me had two pint bottles — drank it too! I never !" the expression of his feelings was beyond him. " Come, let's take a walk." We wandered until the grass was heavy with dew, and I longed to remain for a week, the lake and the surroundings were so lovely, but that dinner had too well satisfied ni}- partner. " I've seen all /want to — suppose we go in the morning to Waterford and soc those dear cousins," said he. " Our trip down the lake was veiy comprehensive." Now one may discourse all day on the pleasures to be found in traveling among strangers, but what is more de lightful than meeting and associating with congenial kins folk ? well, tastes differ — so do the relatives. Max settled up over night, and came in with a face as long as the bill, which was saying a good deal, but it was worth BANTRY, GLENGARIFF AND KILLARNEY. 33 a good round sum to have such a rest after fatigue. It was as if the slumbers of the Seven Sleepers and old Rip Van Winkle had been combined and reduced down to that one night. At the station next morning a score of relatives were weeping over a young woman whose bright tearless eyes were fixed on the Eldorado, America ; it is so much harder for those left behind. The stations were pretty stone cottages bright with flowers. Some of the country through which we passed was well- tilled and fertile, but much was rough and stony, rising into hills to the North. " Lismore ! " cried the guard. Our guide here was a lame old man, but managed to get over the ground at a pace that was a mystery to us. The station was at one side of the little town, the Castle at the other, and being in a grove of lofty forest trees we saw nothing of it until in immediate proximity. A fine avenue, a curious old two-story gateway, then a large quad rangular court with the great stone building all around it, evidently constructed at different eras; that more modern, occasionally occupied by its owner, the Duke of Devon shire, is more pretentious, having a fine entrance, and ele gantly fitted up apartments, with paneled ceilings painted in various devices. Curious relics are preserved in glass cases. From the summit of King John's tower there is a beau tiful view of the surrounding country and forest. On the lower side of the castle flows the Blackwater, but looking down from a large window some forty feet we scarcely could see the stream for the mass of foliage between, though we heard it flowing far below. At tttis window it was that King Charles started back, crying "Treason!" for the moment believing it the purpose of the attending lords to eject him. I was permitted by the stately housekeeper to take an ivy leaf from outside the window, as a memento. A thousand years ago to a Monastery occupying this same site came the little Saxon Prince known afterwards as Alfred the Great, to receive instruction from the learned 34 BOHEMIAN DA YS. monks. The Castle is a well preserved relic of the Feudal Ages, as well as of the Restoration, well worth a visit, as also part of an old Cathedral with tombs and inscriptions dating many centuries back. In the gardens were pretty lawns and shrubbery, arbors, an abundance of beautiful and odorous flowers, and a weir or place for salmon- fishing in the Blackwater (which de serves its name) but we learned that no one was allowed to fish without a permit, and if one snared a rabbit, he would not, as a few years ago, receive the death penalty, or trans portation, but fine and imprisonment, which seems hard enough. Our old man told me some wonderful stories of the im mense salmon caught here — " fraquintly fifty pounds," but I did not believe him thoroughly. The Agent as usual is not beloved, but the people seem attached to the Duke and his family, who are very kind to the people — he had recently sent a thousand pounds to assist in completing the fine new Cathedral in process of erection, which is of light stone, and large enough for a city congregation. The guide shook his head and sighed at mention of the killing of the young lord in Phoenix Park, Dubhn, and said the Duke would come no more to see them now the people had killed his son. From the public well a number of people, old and young, were carrying water in jars, pitchers and buckets. A pretty, hearty-looking lass, with bright grey eyes, dark hair and rosy cheeks, set down her water-jar as a comely youth in work-day dress appeared below in the lane. " Sure an' is it this way ye go, Dennie ? " " It is indade, me darhn'." " Arrah sure then will ye carry the wather for me — an' it's prayin' for yes Oi'll be till I die." They both laughed merrily, he picking up tho \'essel, and with it the hand of the owner, saying a love-word that increased her blushes. Lismore is a pretty place enough, but we could not live by feasting our eyes, so entering the clean, but narrow and crooked streets, we found a little shop where various com forts were dispensed, BANTRY, GLENGARIFF AND KILLARNEY. 35 Time's up! A rush for the station. On the way I paused to look at some pretty vases and scent bottles in a shop window, and on turning around again found myself minus a partner — hastened to the next corner — no Max, no Max was there ! A faded, but bright-eyed, kindly-faced woman, in white cap and short brown dress, came to the rescue. " And was that yer husbin', darlint, that big man that went up the sthrate ? " " It was," I cried, " which way did he go ? " " Up this way, dear — the Lord presarve ye ! ¦ — an' have yez come back to see the ould sod again ? " "Sure an' I have that same," said I, humoring the joke, as I hastened onward. We both laughed, and a hearty " good-bye !" came after me as I disappeared. There is something delightful in the kindly good-fellowship of our more lowly fellow-creatures, a sympathy and true-hearted loyalty not always found among the rich or eminent of the world, a something refreshing in a thirsty land. "What has that girl got at the car window?" I enquired at Dungarvan where was a beautiful Bay, and short-skirted, bare-footed, rough-headed women with baskets, swarming around. "Cockles! cockles! — some cockles, me lady?" I procured some (Max chose walnuts) and with a knife proceeded to open a shell which was ajar, but to my surprise the occupant closed his door with great determi nation. "O dear! it's alive! I would not eat those!" and they were in a moment lying in confusion on the platform. I concluded that walnuts were better anyhow-^though boiled cockles are delightful. " Here is Mount Congreve— we are nearly there! " I said with animation. Only a few miles along the banks of the Suir River — and we arrived at a small station half a mile from the city, and in a few moments were gaily chatting with cousin Walter as we bowled along over one of the smooth roads of which Ireland is justly proud. A wide "American-built " bridge spanned the river, and below it were visible numerous steamers, ships and smaller craft, receiving and discharging their cargo, keeping actively 36 BOHEMIAN DA YS. engaged a small army of men on ship and shore. A drove of fat cattle, and hundreds of boxes containing butter and honey, bound for England; fruit from the Mediterranean, tallow from the Baltic, and fertilizers from the Isles of the Sea being carried ashore. Back of the wide solid-stone Quay stood blocks of stone or painted-brick buildings, mostly hotels and stores. We turned to the right, and passing several regular squares, wound up a hill and stopped before a high stone wall, above which were visible the second story windows of a brick house, trees, and the top of a vine-covered arch. The green door in the wall opened before the bell rang, and we were in a beautiful garden. Well might " Salve " have been upon the door step, as in ancient times, from the welcome we received to Oak Villa. CHAPTER \SI. WATERFORD WOODSTOWN TRAMORE DUNBRODY ABBEY. "Where shall we go to-day, Maggie?" Cousin Walter enquired, as we drove rapidly from the gate a couple of mornings after. " To Woodstown, I think — it will be a grand day for a dip." " Very true — Woodstown it is ! — There comes Boson. Maggie, I fear we shall have trouble," as the great New foundland dog bounded away before us. " Waterford is quite a city," Max remarked. " What is the population ? " "About 30,000 all told," Walter replied, gently moving the reins as a hint for greater speed. "A pretty place— well laid out. This quay is a busy shipping-point? " " England is a fine market for all our products ; — the bees tell you what is in those barrels " " No wonder there is a demand for your honey, if it is all like what was on the table this morning," with a laugh Max is as fond of honey as any bee or bear. WATERFORD— WOODSTOWN, ETC. 37 " What gives it that delicious flavor ? " I enquired, trying to turn round, which is not so easy as one might imagine, as we went flying along, back to back. "Ah, that is the heather." " That is a curious rock on the other side of the river," pointing for a moment with his rough, bog-oak stick. " Cromwell's Rock it is called. Doctor, though some per sons doubt if he ever was there at all " — " Some people would doubt anything ! " said I indig nantly. " Of course he was there, Walter. Did not Nurse Ellen tell us in our infancy that the ball there in the upper part of Reginald's Tower came from his cannon? See it. Max ? — it is there ! " seeing a look of incredulity. " This is a delightfully historic city ; here in this very building Eva the Princess was held captive, and married her captor, Strongbow the English earl." " The Cathedral there is spoken of as being old — and the French Tower," Walter added. " Maggie ! there is the confectioner's where our mothers bought those delicious buns — don't you remember ? I wonder what became of that little ragamuffin that jerked mine away, and ran down street." " Getting ready to be an alderman in New York, proba bly,'' very quietly, but with a laugh in her blue eyes. All these cousins are of Saxon type. " Hospitals ? yes, several of them," Walter was remarking to Max as he descended to the road to lessen the load, at the foot of a steep hill, rapidly followed by us all, where Maggie and I gathered foxglove, daisies and violets, growing on the road-side by the hawthorn hedge. "What was that, Maggie, about a Leper Hospital ? " I enquired. "A gentleman, years ago, came*to Waterford who had that terrible disease, which developed after his arrival ; so he secluded himself — the only pleasure he had was the build ing of the Hospital. They use it for fever patients, as there has never been another case.'' " How fresh the air is now we are on top of the hill." "All aboard ! " called Maxentius, so like one of our old train-conductors that it almost brought the tears to my eyes, while I laughed. (Not homesick already !) On we went 38 BOHEMIAN DA YS. merrily, past farms, cottages and an occasional insulated, isolated mansion shut in by ivy-grown walls, and groves of oak, elm and beech ; and then came the cheery, green haw thorn hedges by large fields, and green banks dotted with the dainty hare-bell. "That ground looks rich enough," said Max, looking at a brown field. " Very highly fertilized," Walter replied in his quick way. " You grow fine crops in some localities, I see, but those light-colored hills near the sea " — " Are almost worthless." " Ah, Walter ! see that naughty dog !* — here, Boson ! Boson ! Boson ! — there's that woman will be after him with her broom " — and Maggie, highly excited, descended from the carriage, but after all paused to see the result. All were intensely interested, but none became so frantic as the woman whose dingy-white cap fluttered off in the chase. The house stood against a bank of earth that reached to the low roof at the back, and onto this dashed Mistress Cat, the cause of Boson's raid, after whom he followed in close pursuit. To the top of the chimney she flew, and spitting with fury, and almost twice her natural size, boldly defied him, yet glanced down the chimney as a last resort. Up went the broom — and down came Boson by the back way, trotting along just fast enough to keep out of the w'oman's way, on which he kept posted by an occasional glance over his shoulder. He really looked as if laughing, as he came up to us wagging his bushy tail, and did not mind his scolding at all. O that happy day ! climbing down the steep, green hill at Woodstovvn, over stone fences — " the more the merrier " — then following a narrow path along rough rocks down to the beach, where the gentlemen became intensely interested in fishing for shrimps with a small net on a pole, and the ladies, finding a secluded spot, donned bathing-habits and stepped into the co-old water — it makes me shudder now to think of it ! " Dip under and you will not mind the cold ! " called my cousins, who were swimming around gracefully while I * See Illustration WATERFORD—WOODSTOWN, ETC. 39 " stood shivering on the brink," only remarking dolefully, "Oh, I can't! I can't!" '' Do not go out ! you'll not mind presently,'' and Maggie kindly led me forward. I felt very miserable, not being " equal to the occasion," and my teeth did all the chattering of which I was capable. I pitied the fishes, but myself most. What a fortunate thing that resolution sometimes comes iu unexpectedly ! I surprised myself and my conductors by suddenly diving under water. My foot slipping might have had something to do with it. The metaphoric Rubicon was thus crossed, and I waded in boldly, not metaphorically, or slangily speaking — I learned to swim. Not in a moment, however, for my head had a bad habit of dipping under just when I thought my self doing excellently welt, and in the same proportion my " light fantastic toe " would not stay under the water. I tried to tell Cousin Emma that the trouble was in my brain being too weighty, but a mouthful of salt water is not a good assistant to expressions of that kind, so I swallowed the joke, and some of the water too, and was silent. Such appetites as we had after our swim, and a run on the beach to promote circulation ; anything has more flavor interspersed with sea-air and breezy conversation. The smallest jokes seemed admissible, and were hailed with a chorus of laughter. There was danger enough in climbing over the rocks to make that an exciting and delightful after- lunch pastime, and shells (tiny cowries) to pick up, and crabs to assist into the water, besides the shrimping, which we also essayed. We were part of a pretty picture with blue sky and sea, varying in tint, the green grass, light rocks, darkened by seaweed, the cream yellow sand, E(nd snowy sails in the offing. A song, a swift drive, a welcome in the twilight; that very important item — dinner ! followed by music and cheery conversation — not at the same time as occasionally is the case — and the " cup which cheers but not inebriates." Then — " good-night ! " This was not " Bohemia," but it was delightful. 40 BOHEMIAN DA YS. A morning's walk around the town gave us a view of sev eral points of interest. " We will go to the Cathedral," said Cousin Maggie. " It is '¦ Loaves and Fishes' day." It was a quaint old building, partly modernized, but show ing some ancient carving and curious tombs. One in a good light, near a window, represented a lady on her knees in great distress, a large medallion portrait, and an aged angel with a scythe. The sexton came up to explain. "The angel's Toime ye persave be his wings — ' Toime floys ' ; ye see the lock of hair ? — ' take Toime be the fore lock'; the shartness of it is injicated be the hourglass; he is a reaper — ye see the soythe." Another, covered with sculpture, had the unsightly figure of a dead man on the top, and Maggie told me a little of his history. " What a curious idea ! " I said ; " did they take the man up as his will commanded ? " '' Yes, indeed. It was a year to the day. That figure lying cut in stone represents the sight, they say. One arm is off, you see" — " What is that ?¦ — a frog on his stomach !" " It was there. These figures carved around the sides are the twelve apostles." A pleasant-faced gentleman came out from the main church into the large vestibule where we were examining the tombs and tablets, and handing his robes to the sexton com menced the distribution of a loaf apiece to about forty applicants, and a small piece of money to represent the fish, which they could buy for themselves if desired. " That is Mr. Fisher,'' Maggie whispered, " and a ver)' good man he is, beloved by rich and poor." " He donates this food ? " " Oh, no ! — it was a bequest from somebody — a Bishop I think, and the money has to be used in this way. The poor people come and listen to a sermon about the loaves and the fishes and then receive them. There used to be more people." "These do not all look very poor." " I think it is not easy to find enough Protestant poor to take the loaves. We have many charities, ' Homes ' for old people and children— that large building across from the WATERFORD— JVOODSTOWN, ETC. 41 church is for families of deceased clergymen ; and there are ' Blue-coat ' schools which provide clothing, food and in struction for quite a number of girls and boys, and a certain amount is given them when they go out into the world.'' "And do the 'Blue-coat' boys marry the ' Blue -coat ' giris ? " " Not always, indeed, but if they do, something extra is given to them to help in housekeeping. It seemed to the old bishop and the good lady who founded the girls' school that by these various arrangements Protestantism would be promoted." " When I was a very little girl on a visit here, I remem ber going to a hall where ladies were cutting out and dis tributing garments to poor women." " Yes, and at bad times there is a soup-kitchen, besides the various societies, in church and out, for visiting and car ing for the poor.'' " Where was Emma going ? I saw her ready for the street." " It is her day to read for some old women who are sick or blind, or too ignorant to read for themselves." " And Martha ? " " Some people in the cottages are sick, nothing very bad, but we see to the families of our employees, of course." " This makes me feel very idle, wandering around enjoy ing myself," said I, soberly. Maggie smiled. " Here is the Dean's garden," she said, as a decrepit old man opened the gate into a charming shady spot, with an immense fig-tree, a pretty fountain, and beds of flowers neatly kept, from which a very old, low, ornamented door way opened into a dark stairway of rough stone, worn and irregular, by which we reached a large cellar-like room with- rounded ceiling, covered with cement on rushes, or willow withes. This opened into another, from which steps had led up into the church, and a hollow filled up with earth and stones showed that the steps had gone downward also, and it was thought there had been a long underground passage to the other side of the river. This great cellar had been a place of refuge in times of danger for many people, but only ne- , 42 BOHEMIAN DA YS. cessity could make any one willing to remain long in such a dismal dungeon. "This fig-tree," said Maggie, as we emerged again, "is many hundred years old, said to have been originally brought from the Holy Land." So I carried away a leaf as a relic. In the town-hall we saw some interesting pictures of re spectable age, then walked through the small, but pretty park, did some shopping, looked at the half-ruined old French Tower, and finally had a brisk walk back to Oak Villa. Two weeks full of such busy, pleasant days sped away all too swiftly. One day we drove ten miles to Dunmore, one of the most interesting places in the vicinity, whose huge cliffs act as a sea-wall, with here and there sheltered coves. In a little park on the summit we took our lunch, and as a steamer had landed a large excursion party we had plenty of company, as well as music. Some of these people be came rather noisy, and there was much trouble in getting them all on board again. One man fell into the water, but was fished out; the screams, followed by a dead silence of anxiety, soon being changed into laughter and shouting. We visited the pier and light-house, Meriin's Cave and a very cold spring, not forgetting the back parlor of the little hotel, where tea, and other commodities, were served by a buxom girl. Dunbrody Abbey too is well worth a visit, being the finest ruin in that part of Ireland. It is situated three miles from Passage and about ten from Waterford, has a massive square tower with wings, the remains of the beautiful West window and wall of which most has fallen, and by a spiral stairway, a walk along the top of a wall, and another ascending stair, you may reach the upper galleiy- and the pinnacles. This Abbey was founded in 1182 by Hervev de Mont- marisco, one of the first Norman invaders, whose tomb is still visible. A mass of \\y covers much of the old ruin. There are walks and dri\es in abundance about the city. From Mt. Misery and several other hills \ou have a fine view, and Mt. Congreve, five miles up the river, is a lovely place— a gentleman's residence, gardens and park, the latter THROUGH WICKLOW TO DUBLIN^DUBLIX. 43 open to the public, where, down in a secluded spot on the river, many picnic parties enjoy themselves. I have not yet spoken of Tramore with its fine sands, facilities for bathing, and delightful summer residences. The cousins there, also, had something to do with those sunny reminiscences — for every sweet reality must soon pass into a memory. To some of us it was indeed a parting, for life has wid ened into immortality with more than one, and the murmur of the sea to which we listened together seems a sigh for their parting. Osea! O boundless sea! Upon thy shore 1 stand. Once life was all to be. But now upon thy strand As time parts hand from hand I hve in memory. CHAPTER VII. THROUGH WICKLOW TO DUBLIN DUBLIN. Waterford seemed quite oblivious of what a bad im pression a foggy, drizzly, breezy day would have on us at our departure. The cabin of the diminutive steamer on which we de scended the Suir and ascended the Barrow was in pro portion, and decidedly stuffy, so the deck was our only place of comfort and safety, where we disputed with the stout breeze as to who should have our umbrellas, and various articles of apparel. The Barrow is not so picturesque \s the Suir, but we were interested in the high hills, many of them looking poor and bare ; an occasional stone cot, fields, and some fine wood land, and rocks. Before we reached New Ross the skies were almost clear, and the sun near the horizon gave us a parting smile, but a few moments later patter, patter, came a fine little shower, in which New Ross looked very old. We were not off the steamer when the calls began, 44 BOHEMIAN DA YS. "Car, Sor?" "Car, Sor?" "Sure an' Oi spoke till the gintleman furrst, now ! with a push. " Oi'll take yez fur tin shillin, sor," returning the com pliment. "How far ? " Max calmly enquired amidst the racket of tongues and wheels, the bustle of unloading, and trouble of valises trying to run off with another owner. "A matther o' siven moile, Sor. Oi'll take yez as chape as iny av the b'ys — eight shillin', Sor ! " A bargain was struck, and amid much bustle and fuss, hard words and some few blows, the cavalcade started for the Railway Station, five or six miles away, and made it in thirty-five minutes. I pitied the horses — when I was not pitying myself, or endeavoring to keep on the car.* Some times I furtively looked at the beautiful prospect, the river, the mountains and hills, a fine forest, and rich farms, but the car generally took that opportunity to swirl around a corner, and the tendency was fearful to fly off on a tjmgent to the valley below. The Irish car has its peculiarities, and only the initiated sit firmly and with ease. The driver's seat is near, yet above the horses, which he leans down to beat, while down the centre is a flat space on which you place small bag gage, if you want to, and lean against its sides, for the occupants are back to back, riding sidewise to the horse with feet resting on a narrow board, which frequently jumps about. Sometimes a quick start of the horse will deposit the passenger in the mud. It is an excellent school for teach ing eternal vigilance. I learned that by doubling the lower end of the cushion under (the car slopes down from the driver's seat) and sitting well back against the division, one in time might ride with comparative comfort. The two large wheels, only, conduce to lightness and speed. Gallop ! gallop ! gallop ! Jerk ! jerk ! How funny we did look fl}Mng along, one car after another, the bare-boned steeds in all kinds of contortions and paces to get over the ground. ? Ul. 2. "" '¦''TnAT NAFGHTY DOG.'" (See page 38 Jr FI>YTNG ALONG ON AN IRISH JAUNTING CAR. (See page 44.> THROUGH WICKLOW TO DUBLIN— DUBLIN. 45 It seems to me I have shrunk from dangers enough to appear two sizes smaller, but am not after all. So much laughing counteracts the effect I suppose. Never mind the mud. It will rub off when dry, we must not fall behind the others. " Crack ! crack ! crack ! " fell the stick on the poor old bones, and away we galloped, the others setting off again as we came up, and here was the Station at last. "Are we in time ? — where is the train ? " A tourist [in long stockings, blouse, knee-breeches and Scotch cap came panting in, and pushed in front of every one. His ticket must be had if all the other people were left. " First — for Dublin ! — How long to wait ? "' He, and indeed all of us were supplied with tickets, and sat and rested awhile, and walked and rested another while, before the hour of waiting was overpast. Every minute seems like ten after being in such haste. But "puff! puff! — "there came the small engine with its comfortable compartment cars, and all was reckless haste for a few moments. Then we waited again. The officials walking about with an air of being at home and having plenty of time. I had been longing to see the scenes so sweetly sung by the poet Moore in the " Sweet Vale of Avoca," and fearing the darkness would shut us in from it, but we glided through in the gloaming, and plainly saw " The Meeting of the waters," and the fine " Wooden Bridge." The scenery is beautiful all through Wicklow, and many persons come over from England to visit the Powerscourt Waterfall, Lough Bray, The Devil's Glen, and Poul-a- Phuca. Darkness shut us in, and we became students of interior. Five priests entered in their sombre black garb, and wide hats, and engaged in very lively, pleasant conversation. Then two more, who, however, held bibles each with a fore finger used as bookmark. They looked a moment at the others, then sinking into a corner as distant as convenient, engaged, the one with earnest pained expression in prayer, and the other in a fixed study of his book. Entered two young American students, the dark one 46 BOHEMIAN DA YS. carelessly, yet willingly, accepting the evident admiration and adulation of the somewhat pensive " fair complected " youth beside him, who exclaimed, " If I could — but then I never could, you see. Very few carry the honors away as you have ! I haven't the mind — no indeed ! you don't have to grub into things as I do, and then, when I think I've got it all right, when the time comes it isn't there. Now you ! " — a note of admiration elongated, and an en circling arm. The Dark One looked just a little bored, he had heard it so often, no doubt. He spoke lazily a few words in a tone inaudible to us, as he turned to strain his vision in the endeavor to see something outside. We stopped for a few moments at a station. "Arrah, ye'll not forget me, darlint," a loud masculine whisper just outside the door. There was a muffled voice, a resounding kiss, and a tear ful but smiling, rosy-faced girl came in, who cast eager glances from her dark blue eyes out at window as the train moved away. Under the large red turban on her head the dark hair had become disheveled, and " she stooped to conquer," even at that early stage of parting, sufficiently to give a look at her surroundings as she calmly drew the coils of hair into place. The students became interested. One of the priests called her by name, and she respectfully answered his questions in her rich brogue. But here we were at the Queen City of the Emerald Isle, and in a few minutes enjoying our coffee, and anything else we could get, in a pleasant Hotel. "Almost the last of August, and Scotland still in the future ! we must hasten our steps ! " quoth Max. One day, only, riding and walking, to see Dublin, that interesting and handsome city, with its fine public buildings, numerous churches, educational institutions and parks. St. Patrick's Cathedral is ancient, built in 1190 on the site of a still older church said to have been erected by Saint Patrick in the fifth century. The fine spire 220 feet above the building is imposing, as also the architecture of the interior, THROUGH WICKLOW TO DUBLIN— DUBLIN. 47 Near this church lived Dean Swift, the sometimes witty, and always satirical writer. In the vicinity of the castle stands Christ Church Cathe dral, erected 1 50 years earlier than St. Patrick's, by a Danish king. It seems a little strange that these two handsome and imposing edifices should have been " restored " by beer and whiskey. The restorers, however (one of them a baro net) are called " the eminent brewer," and " the eminent distiller," which does not sound half so bad. In the tower of the second edifice are thirteen bells which play twenty-eight tunes automatically. In the interior is the black marble tomb of Strongbow, of whom we have heard before, and a much smaller figure in memory of the Princess Eva. "A conundrum ! " said Max earnestly. Now as he is not constitutionally fond of this class of amusements I awaited developments with some suspicion. " Well ? " " How is Dublin unlike a lady ? " I repeated the question aloud thoughtfully, doubtfully. " That," said Maxentius, with dignity, " is not unlike a lady, but improper all the same." " Well I haven't an idea. It's a beautifid place, but that would not be unlike " — " Oh ! — there ! don't poke that poor little man's eyes out with your parasol. Don't deny it, it's really too warm for argument. Can't guess yet? Because," with emphasis, " she's proud of her age ! " " How very ridiculous ! — and besides, it's not true ! I've known ladies proud of their age," — "When they're very old," Max admitted. " Is it not the same with Dublin? she's very old too!' " Here is Trinity College ! " in surprise. " Whose statues are those pedestalated in front ? " " Burke is one, and that is Goldsmith — familiar faces both." " These are Corinthian columns, are they ? We'll pass through. It must be their vacation. — Yes," to a guide who wanted to show us the place, " Yes, I want to see the Museum and anything else you have on view." "Indian relics ! " I whispered. " We've seen one or two 48 BOHEMIAN DAYS. before ? " A few moments' examination was sufficient, but we were more interested in the Library, where a fine collec tion of over 150,000 volumes is to be seen, some very old and rare, also busts of famous men, and some treasured curiosities. The dining-hall, with its portraits, and the chapel were well worth seeing. All these buildings open on a large quadrangle, beyond which is another Museum, and the college park or cricket ground. Some of the stuffed animals in this Museum were very large, and had histories. It has been called " the cemetery of the Zoologi cal Gardens," so many of their deceased pets have been sent here to be preserved. Trinity College was founded, on the site of a suppressed Monastery, by Queen Elizabeth nearly three centuries ago. The Bank of Ireland, formerly the House of Parliament, is one of the most imposing and interesting buildings in Dublin. Here the famous orators, whose names even now make the blood of the Irishman tingle, poured forth in eloquent and impassioned words the plea for liberty. Curran, Plunkett, Grattan and many another woke to en thusiasm the warm hearts and aspirations of their auditors by their own fire and pathos. It seems, and we often hear, that the Irish are not able to form a stable government for themselves, or to maintain one ; but if this be true, does not a portion of the blame rest upon the shoulders of those who would play the oak to their ivy, the wall to their peach tree, and never allow it to realize its strength and gain strength by learning how to stand. Leaning engenders weakness when not posi tively necessary. It is a sad fact that in some parts of the country the popu lation in the last decades has been constantly diminishing, 3,000,000 in 40 years, it is said, caused in a measure by the large emigration to America, which again is due to lack of home privileges, and ability to exist in a land becoming poorer, and with no encouragement given to manufactures. All the Irish are not cruel landlords and evicted tenants by any means. There is a large class of educated, well- meaning, peaceable, law-abiding people who desire the THROUGH WICKLOW TO DUBLIN-DUBLIN. 49 prosperity of their country by industry and thrift:, good government, and determined carrying in force of the law. We remember having read that the Irish became Chris tians some centuries before their Saxon neighbors, and now although among some classes that first simple religion may have run somewhat into superstition, there are no people more devoted or loyal to their faith. Irish missionaries carried the Gospel into adjacent lands. At their schools were instructed kings, and nobles from all parts of Europe. They had wise and good laws in early days, though the Danes subverted them. They have been ruled by their enemies, and that not wisely or well. Many a politician has imagined himself the physician who could heal his Country's wounds, and yet has passed away to his long sleep with the prescription unfilled. Still Ireland groans, and is by fits and starts turbulently resentful. The Irish are good fighters. They used to enjoy a rough and tumble shelalah fight when tribe met tribe in the olden time, and could use the claymore too on occasion. How our thoughts do wander to other years as we walk around looking at scenes which have been dearer than life to many a warm patriotic Irish heart. In the old House of Lords the furniture and ancient tapestry remain, as in 1802, when the English Parliament brought out its act of Union which removed, or extin guished, this Parliament. On the pediments of the long colonnade rest many statues such as Justice, Liberty, Com merce. The Lord-Lieutenant resides at Dublin Castle on Cork Hill, a fine building mostly new. Some state apartments may be seen. The Chapel-Royal has a castellated round tower, lancet-shaped pinnacles, and Gothic windows, in which is beautiful stained glass. It is * not very old, only one real relic remains, the Wardrobe Tower. The National Gallery is a plain building containing some fine pictures. Phoenix Park is a great resort. It was there the Duke of Devonshire's son and his friend were cruelly murdered by some of the worst of Ireland's enemies. Poor Ireland! she has to bear her deadliest wounds from the hands of her pretended friends. 4 50 BOHEMIAN DAYS. Stephen's Green is a pretty little park. We were walk ing by the stream which meanders in a pleasing way among its beds of flowers, green lawns, and rustic arbors when our attention was attracted to the sanguinary battle of two large geese who seemed determined that the world should no longer hold them both. A beautiful snow-white swan came sailing gracefully and swiftly on a mission of peace, pushed one, and then the other, and passed slowly between, but in an instant they re newed hostilities behind him. He looked surprised, but coming back evidently said, " if they want war they shall have it!" and shaking and nib bling them alternately he drove one down stream in about a second, and the other onto the land. " A summary proceeding. " "Rather cool, too — wintry," said Max. Some friends of ours had a disagreeable experience in Dublin. They roomed at a small, neat " Temperance Hotel " to which they had been reccommended. All was serene until one morning, the lady being in feeble health, and much fatigued, her husband, who was a physician, pre scribed a certain amount of porter, w-hich he procured. Both were very temperate, and the lady had been rather active in the temperance work which made the outcome more absurd. They were talking quietly in their room, the lady reclin ing, when a servant appeared with a piece of paper on a silver waiter. To their astonishment it was their bill with the legend below it, " You have violated the rules of the house in bringing into it an intoxicant! " " What do they mean ?" said the lady. "We are to leave!" said the Doctor in a decidedly wrathy tone. — " So much for your temperance people. " The lady was weak, and became hysterical for a time, but as soon as possible they changed to a good hotel where there was no fear of insult. Temperance may well cry, as do others, " Save me from my friends!" when they injure her by over-service and bluster. BELFAST AND THE GIANT'S CAUSEWAY. 51 CHAPTER VIII. BELFAST AND THE GIANT's CAUSEWAY. In a few hours the lively, well-paved streets were left be hind, and the train passed swiftly through a pretty, change ful country to the busy Northern city, Belfast. The mana gers of the cosy Royal Hotel were two pleasant ladies of the name of Doyle, who made our stay so homelike that we left them two days after with regret. The difference in both the country and people on enter ing the Northern part of Ireland is very striking ; industry and thrift were visible everywhere, and dark eyes wide open for a bargain — or a friend ; mentally Scotch charac teristics seemed the rule. There was the smoke of many factories, and great fields of bleaching linen, and of flax which would shortly come into the same hands. The air was spring-like, the trees a bright green, the wheat-harvest just commenced, and blackberries in blos som ; though the pleasant prospect was constantly being hidden as we passed along on the train by high banks, be tween which we ran to let people ride over our heads on their frequent bridges. The question of Sunday Excursions having been dis cussed, with allusions to "the Needs and Rights of the Peo ple," some difference of opinion was elicited, but it was finally agreed that all should attend the " Grand Excursion to the Giant's Causeway" — to be, for the time, with the peo ple, and of the people. Some of us nearly had a toothache, or some other ache equally unpleasant, on setting out, feeling that we were do ing abroad that which we should not dream of doing at home, but anything grows easier as one becomes accustomed to it — even the conscience — and, besides, what should we do ? pose as martyrs, and make others uncomfortable ? — Little excuse for that when out on the frolic ourselves. There was quite a crowd present when the jaunting-cars arrived at the depot, all intent on enjoying a day of pleas ure, laughing and talking as they promenaded the long 52 BOHEMIAN DAYS. platform, besieging the ticket-offices with questions, and for tickets, and carrying on lively conversation between whiles. Presently we went out to the train. " What class ? surely you are not intending to be aristo cratic and seclusive and exclusive and so on when you are of the people, by the people and for the people." " No, indeed ! who cares for class ?" "Here is a fine new 'third,' — let's take possession ; I see a dozen eager eyes cast on it now." We climbed into a compartment, and made ourselves comfortably at home, with shawls and rugs. Most of the people took lunch baskets and many child ren also to look after them — and into them. Just before starting a pleasant couple of middle-class tradespeople came hastily in, congratulating themselves on being in time and having seats. For distinction I will call them Mr. and Mrs. Banny. In some ways they were agreeable companions, having a fund of varied information, and we were always "wanting to know." We steamed swiftly along, almost on the sea shore, green fields sprinkled with yellow rag-weed to our left, and beyond them nice houses, and above the Gay-Fell Mountain with its numerous caves. We passed a ruin in a forest near the shore, which we were told was the White Abbey. Many goats and donkeys were quietly keeping Sunday in their green pastures. "Goat's milk — that is very good if you are ill," whispered Mrs. Banny to me, "I've been here on a farm jmd drank it. The goats eat herbs that cure people." "Ah ! " her husband was saying, " ye didn't stop atCole- raine? a place for whiskey that ! — 'the Battle o' the Boyne?' 'twas three miles from Drogheda that was fought. Now we'll go over a road like a V, and in a corner is Carrick- Fergus, — only we don't go there at all. ' That old Castle?' — a history it has to be sure." "Is it inhabited now?" " Only a few rooms of it, by the soldiers at that. Ye see Carrick is an old town, not like Belfast at all. It was here the parints of your Andrew Jackson were born — but you knew that ! " " No indeed, I didn't," said I promptly. BELFAST AND THE GIANT' S CAUSEWAY. 53 Max looked at me a moment as if gauging my depth of ignorance, but I didn't see him — at least, as the little girl said, " not much." " Andre' himself," went on the narrator as he saw he had our undivided attention, "was born on the ocean before they got to Ameriky." "O pshaw ! not an American citizen ! " " Sure they said the wather belonged to Ameriky, and that did as well, " said a pleasant Irish voice. " I remember they had a fuss about it," said Max. " The town and Castle of Carrick-fergus was taken by the French in 1760, under, an Irish-Frenchman named Durot," continued Mr. Banny, who enjoyed the role of narrator full as much as we of hsteners. " There was many French killed in taking the castle — there ye see part is ruin." " Why don't they pull down these old ruins ?" said Maxen tius, who believes in utility. Mr. Banny requested a repe tition of the remark, not believing his ears at first. In these old countries great care is taken of the ruins, which bring in a revenue to the owners from the purses of tourists, be sides which they are considered an honor to a country, like ancestry to the modern soil and buildings, which is conducive to respectability. There is really a charm too in these vestiges of the olden time — to some people, though not to those of the New World, who are absorbed in modern scientific researches, and the every- day side of life, nor to those who believe only what they see, thinking even William Tell a myth, and the Bible a fable. — This does not apply to any one in particular ; I am only "moralizing," as it were. (Readers will understand that I would not desire on any account that family discord should ensue.) Mr. Banny agreed that new, strong biuldings were better after all than tumble-down ones, which were damp and might injure some one sooner or later, also absorbing money that could be better spent. He agreed to all this after some little argument, which I will not give for fear others might agree more fully too, and I am on the oppo site side. I love old ruins. I could wander for hours alone in their gloomy depths and think of the hands which had fashioned, of the brains 54 BOHEMIAN DAYS. which had planned ; of the life and the death of body, or of hope ; of the crumbling walls held by the loving ivy which beautifies the waste places ; and of the tender home ties sundered — yet with a link beyond. For me the old rooms are again peopled, as I live an hour in the olden time. I see the gay cavalier riding away from the gate while his lady-love from the high tower waves the sweet " good bye," and prays for him "God speed." I see the burly baron and his retainers gathering around the board loaded with joints and drinking horns. There are some things which certainly have greatly im proved since those days. But while I had "dwelt in marble halls," castles, abbeys and ruins of various degrees, Mr. Banny had been sympa thizing with his wife concerning a little cough she seemed suddenly to have found some where, and insisted on her taking ''just a drop" of the contents of a small silver flask, which opportunely was found in his pocket. She declined, but so mildly that he only insisted the more, and — to encourage her no doubt — took some himself and coughed as if he was quite unused to it, wiped his mouth with a gay silk handkerchief, and lifting his glossy beaver (as he had done a dozen times) to cool his brow, once more turned to ruins, (which I began to fear he might literally,) and suddenly declared in favor of " a new order of things, Sir, a new country and new houses ! " with great animation. " What became of those Frenchmen ? " I enquired. " Not many of 'em were left, ma'am, when they got the Castle, and before the provisions they sent to Belfast for had come to them, an English Man-o'-W^ar come sailing around the point there, and they all were prisoners, and were hung. There's some little story they tell of them." By this time we were inland among the fields. " Near there is Lock Neagh," said Mrs. Banny animatedly, " I've been sailing on it, a pretty place it is. The forest is large " — she subsided, and dozed gently. Her husband touched her with his elbow, accidentally it seemed, and her eyes flew open. " It was when they were fighting," said he, " and the bul- BELFAST AND THE GIANT'S CAUSEWAY. 55 lets flew around like hail, a little child wandered out of a house into the street. A French soldier stopped in his run after a man, and takin' the wee thing up in his arms (per haps he had one at home, ma'am,) put it in at a door out of harm's way. It did seem a pity that a bullet came and killed him as he did the good deed." " O, how sad ! " " He'd have been dead now, anyhow," said Max, feeling that sympathy was wasted — his own, too, I knew. And one of the company thought aloud. " And yet if was taking him at his best. Perhaps his soul entered the fairer into Shadowland." " One thing funny happened," said Mr. Banny after a minute's reflection. " They were great thieves, you must know, sir, and took from house or person what they could. A soldier entered a house where a woman had a fine rosary and cross on her neck covered by a nice handkerchief He snatched the kerchief away. — She offered him imme- jitly the beads, too, — on the principle of the cloak and the coat in the Bible, I suppose. The man knew a little Eng lish, and as he shook his head, smiling, sez he, ' No ! no ! that good fo' you soul, this good fo' my body ! ' Pretty good, wasn't it? ha! ha! ha!" Meanwhile we were looking out of the windows at the green fields and forests, gardens by low stone cottages or larger irregular farm-houses, ripe wheat, and then a small but well laid out town which we suddenly entered and heard the order, " Transfer onto the Electric-tram." This was Port-rush, and it seemed to have been named from the manner in which the passengers made the ex change. There was an old clock -tower, and a comfortable looking hotel, and on the outskirts rows of small houses peculiarly ornamented with shells around the windows. Our attention was particularly drawn to a fine monument erected to the memory of Dr. Adam Clarke, who labored among the people in this part of Ireland with unflagging earnestness and zeal for over 30 years. Just before starting, a call was made for tickets, when it was found that the conductor on the other train had not given us transfer tickets, as was his duty, and despite some 56 BOHEMIAN DA YS. rather lively remonstrances (for the return tickets showed that we had paid " to the Causeway") the second payment had to be made. There was great curiosity to see the sparks flying from the metal bands on which the car axle rested when the frequently broken electrical current was reunited, as we went rushing along without engine or other apparent motor. Jaunting cars again — a pleasant change, as the day was fine as could be, though the air came fresh from the sea. The fine old ruin of Dunluce Castle built_ almost on the precipice's edge brought out a story of cruel feuds which had desolated many a home, ending in the massacre of helpless women and children on the island a couple of miles out to sea to which they had fled for refuge. The bridge, Carrick-a-rede, looked too frail for us to have any desire for crossing it. Mile after mile we dashed along, peeping down to the left into one bay after another, with its snowy-edged blue waves and light sand, caverns dark, and gloomy recesses into which the sea of stormy nights dashes headlong as if the whole rocky coast would be broken asunder ; an im promptu bridge, and masses of fallen rock; while on the right were green hedges enclosing fields of grain ormeadow- land. "Good beef here in Ireland," said one of our company. " Indeed, yes ! " replied Mr. Banny, who was a decided believer in the merits of his own country. " It has a differ ent flavor— the eggs too. It is because of the salt air mak ing the grass so sweet." "Don't need to salt cattle? " inquired Max. " Not so much as in America. Why it stands to reason, — the salt mist settles on the ground, and the cattle and all get that, besides what the grass took up before." " I think we have good beef" — Max began. "O it's all very well of course," with a graceful hand--wave, " but It doesn't bring the price of ours ; that tells it." "Ah, here's our destination, no doubt. " "A plea.sant little hotel this looks to be." " It 'u'd not be at night I'd like to come here, then ! " said Mrs. Banny. "A murder there was, not so lone aeo either." ^ ^ BELFAST AND THE GIANT'S CAUSEWAY. 57 "Acshidentswill happen, mother," said her husband dep recatingly, " people dies every day.'' " Not that way, Mr. B."— " Sh — ! here's himself," meaning the proprietor. In a few seconds we all had alighted and were within the hotel dining-hall satisfying the craviags of an ample ap petite, after which we sallied out, passed through a gateway, and looked down onto one of the World's wonders — as we all agreed. The freshening wind precluded any tendency towards taking the boat-ride numerous guides urged on us. This was our first experience of one of the worries of travel — the continuous, determined, way-stopping genus, the in sistent, the noisy beings whose rightful prey you seem to be, who annoy you at every turn and speak insultingly if refused. Being struck by the face I saw in a bold head-land, I stood looking at it. " Shure an Oi'll show yez " — I turned. A rough, slouchy, ragged fellow stood beside me. I moved away with quick step. " I'll show "— " No — I do not want you," looking at and hastening towards my friends. " Here ! — down here's the boat. Ma'am. Oi'll take ye ahll around, sure we'll show ye iverything " — It was the same man that Max had peremptorily refused on our entrance. I could not get away from him. I stumbled in my haste just as Max happened to turn around. The man did shortly after. In fact Max looked so big and wrathy as he strode back that the fellow literally ran away though he said some bad words, and stooped down for a stone. Max was up in a cooler atmosphere and took no notice of his demonstrations. The Giant's Causeway is a very grand sight indeed, sur rounded by its great, wild, rugged cliffs, so strangely formed. It is more broken than any coast we have ever seen. Some persons think the curious, many-sided pillared rocks are of lava formation, but Max and some of the others spoke 58 BOHEMIAN DAYS. learnedly of " Ferric properties causing the wide-spread crystallization." They are dark brownish gray, from a half foot to two feet or more in diameter, so regularly set side by side, and ad mirably fitted together that it looks as if made by mechani cal ingenuity. One rock called the " Keystone " has but three sides, a few five, but mostly six, seven and eight. They stand per pendicularly, but all divided into segments of a couple of feet all the way down as far as visible, looking something like immense sugar-cane, but separated segments showed that everywhere the top of the lower rock was convex, exactly matching the concavity of the one above. The wide space covered with these irregular blocks looked like steps in all directions. — The " Wishing Chair " is merely where one block is out between three others which form the back and sides of this noted resting place, which we all took turns in occupying and making extravagant wishes. The old woman declared that they would all come true — if we did not tell them, which, of course, we were very careful not to do. I remem ber the three wishes I made, now, but am still afraid to tell them, for only one has yet come to pass. So I wait. The " organ " is of undivided pillars standing against a high cliff We climbed about over the irregular rocks and looked out sea-wards to where the waves covered them, and wondered how far out the same formation extended. Prob ably to Staffa, which .also has the perpendicular columns. Several old women, one of them fearfully deaf, wanted to guide us, and sell us some photographs. They looked very miserable in their dirty rags, but no doubt pity for them was thrown away, as they pick the bones of many tourists, at least they worry them enough to make them glad to hand over a few pence to be let alone, and allowed a few quiet moments for viewing what is worth hours of study. I would like to have brought home one of those rocks, but they were rather heavy. I have seen a block of three or four of them in a museum in America. The gentleman who made the gift: informed the authorities that he procured them at the risk of his life. He had some men to accompany him in a boat in the dead BELFAST AND THE GIANT'S CAUSEWAY. 59 of night, and they managed to lift the mass in and row away without being discovered. I imagine that the men who persuaded him of the great danger made a good thing of it in the way of fees. The pirates and wreckers who made things so lively here a few years ago may all be dead, (or fattening in American office), but their descendants remain in force. If you doubt it, take a boat around to see what you can see — in a lonely kind of way — and if you do not have to pay something extra before you get on shore again, you will be in better fortune than some persons I have heard of An old woman who would not be shaken off, and for whom Max expressed sympathy, besides buying an album, led us on the way back through what she called the " Gateway,'' which was a narrow place, made narrower by stones piled up into pillars. We filed through, and — lo ! a couple of surly women encountered us and insisted on each of us paying for the privilege of peaceable exit. Max laughed at the trap we were caught in, and, making a merit of necessity, bestowed a few pence with a grand air, said some complimentary things to the horrid-looking old creatures, who would, I have no doubt, have been happy to sell his remains to the boneyard, and away we hastened through the cold sea-breeze, which whispered of night's approach, back to our hotel. Cold, cold ! our lips were blue before we reached the warm fire in the parlor, but there was no time to spare, for most of the excursionists had left for the train, and in a few minutes we also were on our homeward way. Opposite to me in the train sat a happy young couple eating sea- weed from a basket. Both looked dingy and hard-worked, not a garment on either would have made one of our street-arabs envious, but as they sat oblivious of everyone, he holding fast one of her hands, with now and then a word or eloquent glance, and munching long rib bons of sea-weed, this plain third class car was pleasant as an Eden-bower to them. Finally (it was cruel, but how could I help it ? I could not have Max demoralized for half a hundred love-scenes !) the youth concluded he would steal a kiss, which was faintly opposed. Was it envy or propriety that made me interfere ? I was embarrassed for 6o BOHEMIAN DA YS. them at least — courting in a crowd — and then, as I said, I had to think of Max. " Is that sea-weed you are eating? " I innocently inquired, leaning towards the girl. They were as much startled as a pastor might be did one of his sheep "speak out in meetin'," the individual is so much more real to U^ than the impersonal multitude. Presently the girl showed herself pleased to talk with me, and gently and prettily, though in language the plainest, told me of their happy day on the shore, and handed me some of her sea-weed, which was not disagreeable, having only a smack of the sea-salt. The boy looked sulky for awhile, but both gave me a kind " good-bye." How glad we were to be back at our comfortable hotel, where the Misses Doyle had a good dinner ready for us. "After all, " said one of the party, "eating is half of my living! " The question of the " Expediency of Sunday Excursions for the Working People " seemed to have lost interest, or have been forgotten. "To-morrow will be the 1st day of September !" said Max as he came into the room with a business air, and some other things. "What about the Scotch lakes? You're packing up your traps, I see all right ! Ready ? Then we'll go out and see what we can of Belfast. Our boat leaves — let me see— two or three o'clock, I think." By this time we were on the street, and took a good walk through the crowded thoroughfares, visiting a number of the best stores. Laces were quite reasonable, and nice linen handkerchiefs fabulously cheap. For a dollar I bought a pretty hand-basket which became my constant companion, for in it reposed a multiplicity of articles often needed, and one for which Max thought there could be no use — my little black-beaded bonnet, and considered my black silk dress a superfluity, but I had cousins whose kindly at tentions made these simple articles a necessity, and the ability to look a little more dressed whenever the notion or needs arise was not a matter of slight moment to any of us. This, and the one good traveling suit, was sufficient for all ordinary trips, but as ours was to be more extended BELFAST AND THE GIANT S CAUSEWAY. 6i I had a dark, bronze-green serge suit, simply trimmed with velvet of the same color, made in Waterford, and found the ability to change very useful on wet days, tho' shielded by waterproof, rubbers and umbrella. From the top of the street cars we had a fine view of Belfast as we took trips on different lines. The seats were good, and there was no difficulty in going up the enclosed stairways on the " ladies' trams, " as they were called. These were a great convenience in many cities, and gave us a good idea of a new place in a short time. " I like Belfast, " said Max, warmly, " it is such a busi ness place. More good buildings, and building going on, too, than in the South. The people look in earnest — differ ent type altogether. They tell me there are plenty of good, industrious farmers up here who have no trouble with their landlords. But — drink! that's the trouble of it. Our saloons are nowhere. " Belfast, a well-built, brick city of a half million inhabi tants, is the New York of Ireland, and far beyond Dublin in business activity. The arts may not be so well culti vated as religious opinions, but the people are industrious, and we failed to see the black streak along the houses (spo ken of by N. P. Willis, I think), where idle loungers had left their mark, while beggars seemed few compared with Southern Ireland. On the bay were steamers and ships being loaded from the great warehouses lining the quay. The stores were numerously patronized by well, but not over-dressed ladies, and in the streets were many vehicles hastening on errands of business, or pleasure. Besides large public and private buildings, churches and manufactories, we saw many rows of comfortable, small cottages for ^the workers in the suburbs. It is on the workers in all capacities a country's welfare depends. The busy people are the happy people. 62 BOHEMIAN DA YS. CHAPTER IX. GLASGOW, LOCH KATRINE AND BEN LOMOND. A HASTY lunch, a quick drive, and we embarked for Glasgow by way of Ardrossan. We dreaded the waves as a " burned child the fire," but as the sea was as smooth all the way as if there had been " oil upon the troubled waters," we concluded that mere imagination should not produce mal de mer, and enjoyed the trip very much. As usual, our fellow-passengers won our attention, until the, to us, new land came in sight. The women with several " bairns " apiece had a lively time of it, for no two seemed to wish to remain in the same place five minutes. A lively young woman struck up an acquaintance with Max, gave him an animated description of her work as a trained nurse somewhere, and telling him also she was re turning with loads of good things — (turkeys and geese among the rest) to her brother's wedding, she extended to him a cordial invitation to visit her, and attend the same. Two Irish ladies suddenly found that they were affinities, and became gushingly intimate. An elderly gentleman (from " Glahsga '' he told me) was coughing himself away, and had given up the hope which led him to try the change of climate far from home and loved ones. He was return ing with the prospect of a speedy departure for the milder atmosphere of the Hesperides. Gentle tender-hearted old man ! I seemed to see the waiting faces paling at his ap proach, for the seal of death was upon him. "Ailsa Craig!" cried Max's lively companion. "The first Scottish land. Oh, I'm sae glad to see hame." It looked like a light, crusty, round loaf of bread on a blue-grey cloth. It is sandstone, and almost bare, and no one living on it but the keeper of the light-house. It looked a dreary place even in such fine weather, for mist was ris ing like a smoke wreath around its base. The evening shades were falling as we passed the Holy Isle, with Goat Fell Mountain rising beyond it on the coast of Arran. GLASGOW, LOCH KATRINE AND BEN LOMOND. 63 Ardrossan I know simply as a dock up which we has tened to the train awaiting our arrival. We passed the lights of villages, and made a pause at Paisley, where were stacks of great chimneys emitting a dense smoke, and re flecting a fiery salutation. Every one likes a Paisley shawl. Much cloth is made here, and there are enough bleaching and dyeing establishments to occupy thousands of people. " St. Enoch's Station ! "— " Glasgow ! " Down the long depot we passed, and through double doors into the hall-way of a hotel of the same name as the station. "A room ? " — mused the clerk, addressed by the waiter on our behalf " Well, there's one unoccupied, but it is en gaged for to-morrow noon " — " That will do," said Max, " we can arrange about things to-morrow." " We are very full," apologetically. The room was a delightful one, and the whole hotel ad mirable in every particular — frescoing, lofty ceilings, oblig ing waiters, and general high tone of the guests. In the morning, rainy and dark though it was, we began the search for " lodgings," which introduced us to so many people, and taught us various things in the Bohemian line, useful and amusing. Some of the houses were oddly built, many with an arched stone passage through to the back, where stone stairs led to each story. One particular section of town drew our attention as being a desirable locality, very cen tral, on high ground and quiet. "Why, it looks to me," said Max, " that nearly the whole town is ' to let,' — look at all these notices." "A good many of them are ' to let alone,' as far as we are concerned. What a very untidy wornan that last one was ! and did she think we wanted an attic ? " I enquired. " I suppose so," he replied absently; " shall we try this one ? " It turned out to be a pleasant and reasonable place, with bed-room and parlor for fifteen shillings a week, " every thing included," which meant that if we wanted meals in the house they would be cooked and served, whatever provision was procured, and they would "wait," and have everything 64 BOHEMIAN DAYS. necessary furnished for rooms and table.— House-keeping on a small scale without any of its cares — charming as well as Bohemian. Looking up fresh dainties was almost as amusing as seeing the sights, but there were restaurants of varied capacity where dinner for two did not exceed a dol lar, and some less, that were frequently still more convenient — but not those with " mutton pies " as a specialty ! Max having a medical turn visited Hospitals and Colleges, and one night after long absence informed me that he had been with the City Physician, Dr. Wilson Bruce, to the Police Court, and such a number of drunken and beaten-up people he had never seen before. Dr. Bruce and his amiable wife showed us many kind attentions, inviting us to tea, the latter, while Max was away with the Doctor, taking me to the studio of Mr. C. T. Lauder the water-color artist, where a number of fine paint ings were on view ; and to the great Turkish Baths, an in corporate institution for the use of stockholders, their fami lies and invited guests, furnished with parlors, reading-room and all imaginable facilities for bathing, including a large plunge-bath with spring-boards and gymnastic apparatus. As it was " ladies' day " I saw the exploits of some w^ell- trained swimmers and divers. Glasgow is a busy, well-built, interesting city of half a million inhabitants, with many large manufactories, and good schools. Much of the town on both sides of the Clyde is low, but it rises at one place to 2 50 feet, and at several others is sufficiently elevated to give a good view of the city and surrounding country, Tinto Mountain and Lennox Hills — many pretty open squares and crescents diversifying some regions, while in others the heavy smoke of the factories almost made twilight in the da}--time. To interest the tourist there were the Museums, Picture Galleries, and a large Botanic Garden, besides the University Cathedral and other churches, but many tourists do not care for Glasgow, disliking the business activitj^ which had a charm for us after the monotonous quietude of some places we had seen. A beaut)- ma>- afford to merely exist languidly and be admired, but there is a possibility of satiety in too much invariability of expression. In George Square, a busy central place, arc several mon- GLASGOW, LOCH KATRINE AND BEN LOMOND. 65 uments. To the memory of Sir Walter Scott rises an 80 foot column, bearing his colossal statue. This stands in the centre, while around it are a bronze equestrian statue of Queen Victoria, one of the Prince Consort, and eight other persons of note, among them Burns, Watt, Livingstone and Campbell. To me it seems much nobler to have done some thing noteworthy than merely to be accidentally born to the purple. O untoward skies ! — what does your gloom portend? May we not see " Ellen's Isle " and Ben Lomond, the Trossachs and the Heights of Ben Venue gilded in the sun shine which the poet loved ? We locked up our belongings, after a hasty breakfast, (our breakfasts were generally hasty, which we made up by lingering, pleasant, social, late dinners), briskly walked to the Buchanan St. Station, and at a little after seven A.M. were passing under the tunneled, rocky ramparts, and away into the broken country among the rocks, and the oat-fields, herds of sheep, and heathered hill-sides, slate roofed stone houses, white- washed cottages, and rough stone walls in stead of hedges. Evidently we were in a " rock-ribbed " country. Among various things which surprised me in these Brit ish Isles was the small space in which such a great amount of history was enacted. Things do not seem to correspond. I was preparing to be greatly impressed by the fact that the field of Bannockburn was somewhere in the vicinity when I learned that I was gliding swiftly over the site, almost an oversight to me, indeed. "What is that ragged ruin off to the right? " I inquired of a kindly-disposed neighbor. " That is Wallace's Memorial." It was built to represent a ruined^tower, on the summit of Abbey Craig. As I looked at it the days of old threw their glamour around it, and these hills seemed peopled with the Scottish Chiefs in martial array. About a mile south is a real ruin, Cambuskenneth Abbey, (where rest James III. and his Queen) erected by David I. over seven hundred years ago. Stirling Castle,"' where many a Scottish king and knight * Illustration 66 B OH EM I A N DA YS. in olden time held revelry, looked calmly down from its al most impregnable heights like one who had seen the battles of life, and could quietly rest in the eventide. Those were lovely, golden days — to read about, but ours are better to live in. We crossed the bridge of Allan, near which is a great resort for invalids and pleasure seekers, Airthrey wells, and Airthrey Castle. Just where we crossed once was the old Roman town of Alauna. Dunblane, of which heretofore I had known little save the pretty song of Tannahill, "Jessie the Flower o' Dunblane," exhibited the remains of an old Cathedral of the 13th century, and thirteen miles from Stirling we saw the old Roman camp of Ardoch, thought- by some to have been the scene of the battle of " Mons Grampus." At Doune is an old castle built at various times, spoken of in " Waverly," and many others are hereabouts, among them Blair Drummond, Lanrickand Cambusmore. — The lat ter was a pleasant home for Sir Walter Scott for some time while he wrote up the " Lady of the Lake." Hardly a name but what reminded us of some scene in the great Poet's writings. But here we rushed into Callander, and in a gradually in creasing rain climbed to our places on an open coach. "Loch Katrine and the Trossachs ! " What an every-day sound the announcement had from the burly, heavily-coated driver. At least fifty people crept up the ladders onto the three coaches. " What most struck you on the trip ? " a friend inquired, and I truthfully answered : "The sharp elbow of that old gentleman who sat behind me on the coach ! " There is prose as well as poetry on these excursions, but it is better to cultivate the former. I really admired the thorough good-humor of the crowded, damp tourists, who philosophically removed a dripping umbrella from the back of their necks, and sat looking smilingly at beautiful, storied prospects with the rain running down their noses, and clouds, and other tourists obstructing the \-iew. There was laughter, and there were poetical quotations. I was a wonderfully favored person, having the seat GLASGOW, LOCH KATRINE AND BEN LOMOND. 67 beside the driver. I would advise all tourists to sit beside the driver, he has such a fund of information which he dis penses just at the right moment. By the Vennachoir River are the woods of Carchonzie, where two clans had one of their sanguinary differences, while on the other side is Bocastle Ridge, on which are re mains of an ancient fort. " Coilantogle Ford ! " cried the driver. "What place?" "What did the driver say ?" came a chorus from behind us. " What was done here ? " asked an obtuse traveler. "Oh — Lady of Lake — Roderick Dhu — you know all about it!" grumbled a disturbed poet, with pencil "tap ping" the air irritably. " Not much chance to forget," cried his Brighter Half merrily. " This was where fierce Roderick Dhu showered his blows like wintry rain on James Fitz-James," murmured he. " Pretty severe if it was like this," laughed she. "That mountain? Benledi — 238^1 feet 'bove sea level. Mean ? — ' The Hill of God ' — ought to have been ' god's ' — used to worship them — heathens," said the driver. " Here Vennachar in silver flows ; There, ridge on ridge, Benledi rose," quoted the poet. Loch Vannachoir, a pretty sheet of water some five miles in length has a rocky isle in it called EUan-a-Vroin, " the island of lamentation." I did not learn why, but suppose it had something to do with one of the frequent affrays in which Scotland spent her superfluous energy a few centuries ago. She seeme^ to have a continued fever, and in those days blood-letting was the remedy. From an eminence just beyond Loch Vennachoir we had a splendid view of lake, valley and pountains. Near this is Dumcraggan, the first stage of the " Fiery Cross " which called the clans to combat. Then came Glenfinlas, the great hunting ground of the Scotch Kings, and the "Bridge," or as the driver saidthe "Brig o' Turk" of which Scott spoke in describing the stag-hunt of Fitz-James. 68 BOHEMIAN DA YS. Skirting around near the base of the heights some fifty feet above Loch Achray we came to a pleasant, picturesque hotel which marked the beginning of the noted " Tros sachs." One place on Loch Achray the driver pointed out with great interest, which communicated itself to most of the passengers. " 'Twas there the Queen remained four weeks, greatly charmed with the scenery." It was indeed a place any one might admire, with the placid sheet of water, towering mountains verdant, or purple with heather, groves of forest trees, and the ground a green velvet sprinkled with flowers and ferns. In the Trossachs we looked at the forest of oak and birch, the various ferns, the blue-bells and the heather, and above on the mountain side the pine, the cedar and the juniper, over mossy rocks. " All in the Trossachs glen was still ; Noontide was sleeping on the hill." Soon we came td Loch Katrine, but seeing no skiff con taining the fair Ellen " With locks flung back and lips apart Like monument of Grecian art," we walked slowly through a rustic arbor, and embarked in a small steamer, the " Rob Roy," at the foot of Rob Roy's Lookout. What a beautiful thing is enthusiasm ! we stood in the pouring rain looking at " Ellen's Isle," which is rocky and covered with low trees and underbrush, and tried to recall the Poet's musical description. Some ladies went down into the little cabin, and the gentlemen seemed very friendly, and wanted to chat with a young man in a little cupboard of a place, and he seemed very willing and interested, and smilingly asked them to have a drink of water, and then they shook hands and came away. It seemed to brighten them up to have a talk with this young man. The mist almcst enshrouding the whole prospect had the GLASGOW, LOCH KATRINE AND BEN LOMOND. 69 effect of "distance," or twilight, and we all professed to be " enchanted." What were we out on this excursion for ? Probably we might never have exactly a like occasion. We tried to pierce the fog— -cloud I should say, with opera-glasses as well as sharp eyes, but were unsuccessful. By this time a number of prosaic people in the cabin declared that " the rain spoiled everything ! " and persisted in being damply miserable, but they were in a minority. It was unreasonable, when, unlike some entertainments, more was given than was on the programme, but some people never are satisfied, (as I elsewhere remarked) and one even complained of rheumatism — the idea of having rhcinnatism on such classic ground! — perhaps Roderic Dhu suffered from it too — who knows ? Then came the landing and mounting to another damp coach, and away on the gallop for Inversnaid through scenery reminding us of that on the French Broad in the North Carolina mountains, though not on so grand a scale. There was a pretty waterfall near the hotel where we lunched, at which quite a group of tourists were gazing from the bridge, when one gentleman, recognizing another at his side as an American, innocently enquired, " Is Niagara as big a fall as this ? " " I should smile ! " was the sarcastic retort ; " why, Niagara's one of the Wonders of the World ! " turning towards the questioner, but seeing an over-pleasant ex pression he recognized the drift. As the skies had cleared, and the sun shone brightly on mountain, lake and islets we were struck by the peaceful beauty of the changing scene as we steamed down Loch Lomond, and wished for the artist touch that couldpreserve it forever. Many fine country-seats and deer-parks sur rounded the lake, and occupied the wpoded islands. Ben Lomond persisted in wearing a veil over his brow, but just before our departure lifted it in a kind farewell. The train passed the noted, rocky stronghold, Dumbar ton Castle, which is supposed to have been once held by the Romans — and probably Ossian's Balclutha. The rock rises straight-sided from the plain, is a mile in circumfer ence, and 260 feet high, divided at the summit into two parts. There are on it a rampart wall, governor's house, bar- 70 BOHEMIAN DA YS. racks, and smal' town, and ^the old prison of Sir William Wallace. The smoky towns seemed prosy after the poetical sur roundings of the day, as we ran swiftly along the Clyde and into the great depot, from which we appeared to have been absent at least a week. On Sabbath the 6th, after a good sermon on "Charitable judgment of others," by a noted divine, Rev. Fergus Fer guson, we took a long walk and sat down in a small park to rest — where a problem presented itself A dozen little, ragged urchins came slyly creeping in, despite the prohibi tory notices, slid under the chain fence and disported them selves very happily on the rich green turf They knew that they ought not to be there, they were naughty little waifs who enjoyed this breaking of rules as much as any boy stealing apples. (But who that reads this will be able to appreciate the comparison? rather let me say — water melons!) They gloried in it! they laughed, and rolled, and pulled handfuls of grass and daisies — until a tall policeman clutched them — poor little naughty things ! I was sorry when I saw the tears mingling with the mud on their wan faces as they were buffeted and hustled out. It seemed as if this verdure and the pure air of heaven, of which they in haled so litde, should be theirs equally with the children of the wealthy who passed unmolested. From what dens of misery had they crept out into God's sunlight! how dark and dingy all would be to them on their return! One thing struck me very forcibly through the city, the number of bow-legged children among the poor, and the reason was said to be that the water in use came from Loch Katrine, which has no lime; but another informant de clared it to be due to the fact that the poor little unfortu nates are bred on any sloppy food, flavored with whiskey or gin, and also the habits of the mothers, imbibing these degenerating stimulants. Might not other cities suffer were this the only cause? We wended our way past the old Cathedral to the Ne cropolis, wishing to have a nearer view of this well-peopled city of the dead, and noticed a subdued excitement and an unusual number of people among the tombs, which stood almost as close together as the vaults in the cemeteries of GLASGO W, LOCH K A TRINE AND BEN LOMOND. 71 New Orleans. A grand funeral procession came slowly between the great iron gates, that of "Bailie Jackson," a man greatly respected, and the citizens of all classes had turned out en masse to do him honor. So here we saw an English funeral at its best. The hearse was a black, cumbrous, solid-looking affair, carved all over, and with spires and bas-reliefs like an an cient bishop's tonib on exhibition at the Crystal Palace. A postilion un one of the foremost of the six black horses was the liveliest looking person in the procession. Like all the rest he was finely dressed, and looked proudly here and there in the procession to see if his best girl was there in the form of a note of admiration. The mourning coaches proper were covered with crepe. Before them marched with long strides the hired mourners, looking like tall footmen, with bands of crepe on their hats, and streamers of the same floating back on the breeze. Many carriages drawn by black horses, champing their bits as they were held in check, were occupied by the City Fa thers and other officials, and as the Bailie had been a Cap tain of Police, also, there was a large squad marching, be sides those on each side of the carriages. It was indeed a grand affair. A neatly-dressed, elderly woman came to my side, her handkerchief in constant requisition. "O what a day for his mother — if she had lived to see it ! she's not been dead long, either, " in a tone of regret. I thought of the sorrow which that mother-heart would have experienced. Here was a kindly soul who sympa thized in even the imaginary and impossible woes of an other. This was indeed friendship, of which there is not too much. There were tears in my eyes as I leaned a little nearer to her. " He was such a good son ? " I inquired. "O — ye-es," — hesitatingly, — " A proud day it wad hae been to herr.^-AU that he was she made him," triumph antly. "A good man." "Ow — he was a varra fir-rum mahn! — we're nane o' us guid, ye ken ! — but he was a varra firrum mahn ! " evidently a strong virtue in her eyes, which alas ! did not look firm at all, for though I doubted not her kindness of heart and 72 BOHEMIAN DA YS. attachment to friends, the effect was slightly marred by the strong odor of some kind of strong spirits wafted on her sigh. No doubt she needed something to keep her up. Probably she felt in-firrum. The funeral cortege had meanwhile passed by, and I dis appeared, as it were, from her side, rejoining Max, who v/zs patiently waiting in the road below. A new experience awaited me. As we approached the closed iron gates we were rather struck -with the situation. A policeman stood guard on the inside, a motley crowd on the outside, each watching the other. Several persons de sired egress, and this medley from the slums were ready to dash in if they had opportunity. Some people passed out, then Max followed making way for me, but I hesitated a moment — the crowd looked so vicious, and according to the proverb I was almost lost, for as I, gaining courage again, advanced, the gate was shut behind me, and at the same moment the two parted segments of the crowd surged together like angry waves, and I almost felt my bones breaking, so great was the pressure. _ It was unbear able ! I cried out in my fear and pain. Max, turning hastily, reached over and caught my arm ; — pushing some back, he dragged me half over others — and I was free, but bruised and trembling. I smoothed my ruffled plumes and devoutly hoped to have " no more of that." There is such a thing as too great familiarity — too much nearness, as it were, to the Great Unwashed. Yet here I had been longing to become acquainted with the lower orders, sympathizing in their lack of home com forts, and anxiously enquiring into their poor diet (of oatmeal principally, it seemed) and desiring to learn (not by experience) how they could exist on such a few pennies a day. Now, when in such close proximity, I stopped not to ask a single question. If I had been alone ! One of our last visits was to the Glasgow Cathedral. * From the torrents of rain which were falling, persons unused to the climate might suppose that the clouds had been carefully storing away all extra moisture for months. The inhabitants knew better. We began to know better. » Ul. GLASGO Jr, LOCH KATRINE AND BEN LOMOND. 73 We were learning by painful and damp degrees, that, al though the sky might be clear on starting to any given point, a cloud was quite capable of riding up on some wandering breeze, and coming down when least expected in a dashing torrent, or a lively " mist," as they call it, that whirls every way at once, turns your umbrella wrong side out, laughs in your face, trickles down your nose, and makes things generally interesting. Through a combina tion of these we looked across at the cathedral. The Goths were rough. I heard some one say the other day that "the only good Indian was a dead Indian." He preferred the remains. I was just thinking of the Goths in the same way. We waded through the mud and water of the streets, and entered at the iron gateway. Over the parti-colored pave ment we hastened, not thinking that beneath almost every stone reposed some one who not so very long ago was as active, as eager, as joyous as ourselves. Within the "nar row cell " they sleep, unrecked of and unknown. The cathedral founded by Bishop Joceline in 1 181 stands near the summit of the " Bell o' the Brae," overlooking a ravine through which flows the little burn, Molendinar, and beyond this on a high, steep hill, approached by the "Bridge of Sighs," is the Necropolis, where John Knox, Dr. Dick, and many other noted divines and teachers lie buried under imposing monuments or have memorials. We entered the noble Gothic edifice, and walked slowly up the long nave in the "dim religious light" which came through the richly colored trifoliate windows. These, with their fine mullions and delicate tracery, are beautiful specimens of art, while the stained glass is said to be superior to any in Great Britain. Our first feeling was of vastness and quietude — so loftly the ceiling with its clustered supporting columns, so deep the silence which softly woke at the echoing step of the stranger. Our attention was attracted to a number of battle-flags recently sent from Egypt and the Soudan, trophies or re membrances of the brave Highlanders who had been on many a bloody field ; whose flags, torn and faded, bore witness to their prowess and determination. Near them were some curious old tombs and tablets. 74 BOHEMIAN DA YS. The transepts do not project as in most other cathe drals, but are in line with the side walls of the aisles. Passing the beautifully carved organ-screen, we found ourselves within the choir, whose large space is the only part now in use. Here again we saw the stately columns with richly sculptured capitals, and a large painted window. Adjoining this we found the beautiful Lady Chapel, with groined roof, lancet windows, rich carvings, and mosaic marble floor. We were charmed, and seating ourselves in the curious old wooden, high -backed benches along the wall, proceeded to expatiate on our surroundings, and then read the texts inlaid in the floor. The whole cathedral is beautiful, yet with no attempt at ultra ornamentation. It reminded me of a lady friend, who in her rich black velvet robe, with but a single jewel con fining the point lace at her throat, and soft gray hair waving on a fair brow, was to me very charming as she stood in dignified simplicity. There are three crypts. The largest one is under the choir and Lady Chapel. It is very handsomely finished, having finer stained-glass windows than many of our churches, and was consecrated as a burial place for the lordly magnates of the church. I have no wish to be a deceased magnate ; I am not envious. I looked around and thought many things. The being incased in all this marble with every pomp and ceremony of queenly magnifi cence seemed to me not so desirable as quietly, by loving hands, to be laid to my last repose beneath the myrtle and daisies. More sweet the thought that a true friend shall shed a tear of affectionate remembrance in placing a flower on the new sod above me, than to know that m)' name should be inscribed upon a grand mausoleum, whose heavy marble or granite blocks would but seem to shut me in from the loving eye and sunshine smile of heaven. THE CLYDE— THE KYLES OF BUTE-OBAN, ETC. 75 CHAPTER X. THE CLYDE — THE KYLES OF BUTE-OBAN CALEDONIAN CANAL INVERNESS. Early on the morning of September 7th we stood on the deck of the " Columba," looking back at the City of Glas gow and forward down the Clyde, at the ships about to de part, and those upon trestles having their ribs hammered into place; at the green shores, and beautiful suburban resi dences, at the workman on shore, and fishermen sailing out to sea. As we passed little villages, boats lying in wait received the morning papers and darted back again to shore, swift almost as the gulls which hovered around us. The Clyde is neither wide nor clear, but deep enough to carry immense steamers. By the time we passed Renfrew, where a perfect battery of hammers was making morn hid eous, and Blytheswood, home of Sir Archibald Campbell, Bart., with a fine park, the air had turned so much colder that heavy overcoats were in order. The steamer Columba is the finest on the line, and makes good speed. Glasgow people are proud of her, and think this trip something extra and memorable. The river be came wider as we approached the debouchment of the Forth-and Clyde Canal, above which appeared the Kilpat- rick Hills, the boundary between East and West Scotland. The ships and steamers we passed did not acquire the in tense interest of a month ago when on the " trackless sea' ' — by the way that is a misnomer, for each craft has its path, as nearly as it can compass it ; it is wonderful how they can travel those vast distanees so accurately. I watched great steamers gradually approaching one another yet keeping the relative distance apart, and pursuing evenly "the tenor of their way," and it always charmed me, as also the flag signals by which they communicate intelligibly, though miles of raging billows intervene. Having passed a small light-house, we saw on a point of land to our right some old ruins, vine-clad and verdant, in whose midst stood a monument to Bell, the originator of 76 BOHEMIAN DA YS. steam navigation. Dumbuck Hill came next, covered with a thin forest and having a flag-staff on the summit. Then Dumbarton Castle, where the ancient Scotch thistle is found. Apropos of this, a few years ago a ship-load of Scotch Colonists emigrated to Australia and took with them a number of rabbits, and being very patriotic (which a Scotchman always is), a supply of Scotch thistles. Both these commodities have taken so kindly to their new home that much labor has been expended in the endeavor to ex tirpate them, so far with no marked success. At Greenock (Pop. 6o,ooo), a lively shipping port, also busily engaged in sugar-refining and engineering, a num ber of tourists came on board who disliked early rising however healthy, or being wealthy, were also wise enough to patronize the eight o'clock train from Glasgow. Roseneath, one of the seats of the Duke of Argyle — it seems as though one might be enough for him when so many are homeless ; a parting glance of Ben Lomond through the smoky vista, and we passed the " Clock Light house," 80 feet high, visible, at night, twelve miles away. Dunoon and Kirn are favorite watering-places on the Clyde: the former has the remains of a 15th Century three- towered Castle, where were massacred thirty-six gentlemen of the clan Lamont something over a century ago. The castle which aforetime occupied the site was many times taken and retaken by the English and Scotch, and centu ries before that stood a stronghold or fortalice of the Dal- riadans and Norsemen. Among The Kyles of Bute, a seventeen-mile channel north of Bute, more like a river than an arm of the sea — the scenery probably turned this last word into an adjective by making it of two syllables — we saw Rothesay, which is built around a crescent bay under the overshadowing Barone Hill, opposite to the Highland glen of Loch Striven. The very mild climate on this sheltered coast makes it a resort for invalids. Rothesay Castle, founded by Magnus Barefoot of Norway in 1098, stands at the upper side of the town, a favorite place with stop-over tourists — which we were not. As usual in this delightful climate, the rain at intervals " iiXI-ATIATINQ." NOnSHT SCOTCH BUT THE PUID. LADY OR GENTLEMAN (See page TT.) THE CLYDE— THE KYLES OF BUTE-OBAN, ETC. 77 came as earnestly down as if it had a contract to fill the air and the sea in a given space of time, but the pilgrims remained faithful, standing, gazing at everything to be seen, from under umbrellas that wept at every corner, and ex patiated.* Indeed some gentlemen seemed heedless of everything but the scenery, looking, in their dark little caps and long coats, like reversed exclamation points. " Call this solid comfort? " said Max laughing. We all laughed more or less, being out for a good time, and were as lively as Mark Tapley could have been. In some places the Channel grew so narrow and winding that it reminded us of a Southern river where it seemed you could advance no further, ("but how different in foli age! " I thought, as we passed some bare and rocky hills, " from the overhanging live oaks with their misty veils of gray moss ") but, like our lives, each moment came a change of scene, a slight variation, an opening into the be fore unknown. " One thing that puzzles me," said Max quietly, " is this endless enthusiasm over whatever comes. Of course that's what's expected of us, but it's very fatiguing, especially when it's all got up from nothing much. Why, there are fellows expatiating over those bare hills, and every old house that's tumbling down is some kind of a wonder. Some of those wine-bibbers over there may well admire, for they're swiftly going on the same read. There is one — nought Scotch but the plaid." f "Is that a lady or gentle man behind the box ? " said I. % " Ah — they differ very much ! " said a voice. " The Marquis is not so fond of horse-racing and that, but his tenants have whole roofs above their heads. — To be sure ! to be sure ! " testily, " I know he is a Catholic, but to my mind there is more religion. Sir, in making your dependents comfortable and happy, than in being a selfish Protestant given up to your own pleasures. — Very true ! many are called this and that, but are nothing at all," and the two elderly gentlemen moved on. Little " Eilan Greg " with its one tree marks the entrance to Loch Ridden, and the tourists eagerly watched for the * HI. 3, t HI- 2, J III. 1, 78 , BOHEMIAN DA YS. two rocks which looked " like maidens seated on the hill side," which required some imagination. Here the Earl of Argyll's expedition came to such a dis astrous end two hundred years ago. After passing the pretty little town of Tignabruaich, and Kames the powder-mill factory, we came to Inchmarnock and the holy Isle, and saw again in the distance Arran with its three thousand foot mountain Goatfell. A " plash-plash " of oars at the side heralded the coming of a boat-load of people from Blind Man's Bay, when there was a hasty transfer of passengers, during which the deck hands climbed up and down the side perilously, but with the utmost nonchalance — not so the ladies ! Tarbert has an old castle built by the Bruce on an em inence above it. " What place is this ? have to leave the Columba for that little steamer ? " " Yes, the Linnet may fly where a Dove could not. This is Ardrishaig on the entrance to the Crinan Canal." There were nine locks in the Canal, so that we were sev eral hours in passing the nine miles, but were so well amused that it seemed but a short time. At the locks many of the gentlemen stepped on shore and some walked on to the next stopping places, while children came running to us with little bouquets of heather, and cans of milk. "Only a penny ! only a penny ! " "Tuppince a glass ! " It was a curious feature of humanity to note that the pretty little girls received more money than the other children — with one exception. A little, lame girl limped near the boat on her crutches, and, though she spoke no word, her afiliction and plaintive eyes appealed to the hearts of many, and the pale face was lighted by a happy smile as she stood looking after us with her hands full of pennies. Through the open gates of another lock we passed, and were closed in far below the landing place, but gradually rose as the water poured in from some hidden reservoir, un til we stood high, looking cheerfully on the villages, the people, the farms and the encircling hills. It had seemed rather dull twenty feet below. This Crinan Canal shortens a distance to Oban by many THE CLYDE— THE KYl.ES OF BUTE-OBAN, ETC. 79 miles, and prevents the very probable .discomfort of the tourists by the rough western waves. It cost ;^255,ooo, or a little over one and a quarter million dollars. I have sometimes noticed that contiguity is all that is necessary to produce friendliness and cordiality in a com pany, and that probably was the reason that no sooner were we on the smaller boat than we became acquainted with some very pleasant people, who made the Scotch circuit with us, and are now remembered with very kindly feelings. I saw Max conversing with an American gentleman, with an air of at-home-ness which he had sometimes lacked, and presently they were joined by a lady in a navy blue flannel suit (including a Tam O'Shanter cap) whose lovely gray hair, and pleasant smile greatly attracted me. The three approached, and in a few minutes we seemed like old friends. Then came a party of four, a gentleman from Bristol, England, with his amiable wife (of whom he took great care) and their two daughters. We found out many times during our trip that the world was so small that every now and then we came in contact with acquaintances, or our friends' friends. This was a case in point, Mr. Bennet and family being intimate friends of some of my English relatives. Whatever English people undertake to do is generally thoroughly done. None can be more agreeable — and vice versa. These new acquaintances made an already pleasant trip simply perfect. We again exchanged steamers, the little Linnet not being an ocean boat. The scenery grew more wild and pictur esque as we drew near to Oban (where we were to remain over for the night), while the approaching sunset brightened its beauty. Up on a rocky point was a small houSe almost enveloped in foliage. " The residence of the writer, Prof Blackie," said Mr. Bennet. " Have you seen that lively little verse of his, about this pretty town : — For Oban is a dainty place; In distant or in nigh lands. No town delights the tourist race Like Oban in the Highlands.' 8o BOHEMIAN DA YS. He prefers this spot to all the world beside." " It is beautiful, but—" Mrs. Bennet paused, " have you traveled in Devonshire ? " We had not, but knew by hearsay of its attractions. " I think we shall go on to Fort William — all our party — you stop here ? Well, good-bye till morning ; you will pick us up on your way." I afterwards found that their practice (a very wise one) was to look ahead for some pleasant place where they could rest comfortably and not be disturbed too early in the morning, thus avoiding much worry and fatigue. We af terwards adopted the same plan, and had the early morn ing to see the sights if well rested. Another thing. When we reached a station where we wished merely to remain over night, our large valises were left at the baggage room, and frequently we walked up into the town, suiting our selves much better in a stopping-place than relying on por ters and omnibuses. We learned these things gradually, sometimes by dear experience, though much indebted to kindly travelers for many useful hints, directions to good hotels which would not be extortionate in rates, and pensions, which answer so much better on the Continent, if desiring to remain some time in a place. Pensions are simply boarding-houses of various grades where you make arrange ments to remain by the day, week, or month, always having every item beforehand, finishing with, " It is so much then, everytldng included ? " But we were at Oban on the quay — a bad place to re main so long with porters and hotel-runners determined to take possession of us. Our evident indecision as to where we had better go made them rally around us all the strong er, for it does not do to look undecided whatever your feel ings may be. If you seem determined to walk over the whole concern to some special point they will not trouble you long — it took Max to do that however, I could not even see over — but was good to follow in his wake. A tidy little girl came bashfully up to us in the crowd. " Would ye like a private lodgin' ? " she whispered. We agreed to accompany her and see the prospects for a comfortable bed and tea, and were in no wise disap pointed, though it was not palatial, except when compared THE CLYDE— THE KYLES OF BUTE-OBAN. ETC. 8i with some of our North Carolina Mountain experiences. So leaving orders for our " meat-tea " we set out on an explor ing expedition to Dunollie Castle, on a steep hill near the sea, where we watched the sun setting like a golden ball behind a hilly island on which stood out against the sky the marble shaft erected to the steam-navigator. Bell, who was considered a public benefactor, and whose memory is still revered throughout the country. This old castle, now a dangerous ruin, was once the strong hold of the Lords of Lome (the whole country is dotted with these relics of departed feudal power), and not far from it was a large modern residence where dwelt the family now owning the Manor. In the field below was the " Dog- stone," a large rough rock standing alone, said to have been used by the giant Fingal, after he crossed on his Causeway from Ireland, to hold the chain of his dog, Bran ; as we were looking at and talking about it in a very enjoy able manner, a servant in passing called out roughly, " Keep off the grass, please! " "Thank you ! " Max exclaimed, as if a great favor had been rendered him, much to the man's surprise, though a dark look, instead of a pleasant light passed over his face. Beyond the castle were some dangerous cliffs, and all per sons were warned to be off the grounds before dark as sev eral accidents had occurred. Dunstaffnage Castle on the other side of the town and farther away is in a still more ruinous condition. Oban is a lively little city of 4,000 inhabitants, but be sides these many thousand tourists constantly come and go during the summer months, filling the many hotels and lodg ing-houses, and bringing money into the country — which it needs. The landlady had seven children, she said, the youngest being twins of nine months, and while their father was away in the Highlands acting as game-keeper to some gentleman for the season, she made what she could by letting lodg ings, and in the winter the family was together again, as he had a good trade. The anecdotes of her lodgers made me wonder how I might figure at the end of the season when we were all reckoned up in family conclave. No 6 82 BOHEMIAN DAYS. doubt these people see much of the shady side of life — and lodgers. The Gulf Stream touching this coast modifies the climate to such a degree that though in winter the snow may fall it never lies on the ground, so that it is a health resort, and there are " Water-cures " all over the country, patronized for rest and recreation as well as health- seeking. The next day was cloudy and cool, with occasional showers to remind us where we were. " Only a little after five o'clock," said Max, looking at his watch as we crossed the wharf to the steamer, " I hope they'll give us some breakfast pretty soon." Which they did immediately on leaving the shore, though I hardly felt as if there was time to spare for the process, for we might miss I knew not what of loveliness. When on deck again there were the Islands and Highlands of Dark Mull and Morvern, old castles and small villages, Ballachulish, from which tourists start to the Pass of Glencoe, noted in history for its terrible massacre ; and then, entering Nether Loch aber, to the right were entrances to great slate-quarries worked for hundreds of years, and under the shadow of the Shrouded Giant, Ben Nevis, pretty Fort William with its new villas, the old Fort built by Gen. Monk, and remains of the square, round-towered Inverlochy Castle, where once dwelt King Achaius, and spoken of in Scott's " Le gend of Montrose." A young clergyman gave a spirited description of some of his experiences in the Highlands. " What would you think," said he, "of a rich man coming from foreign parts, one who knew or cared little for this people, renting a great estate just as a shooting park, and be ginning forthwith to do away with the poor cottars' little priv ileges ? I know of one case, among many ; the man was humble, peaceful and industrious, but very poor, and his little lamb, even, was not allowed a pasture, and was finally shot for trespassing. I knew the poor fellow, and heard his lamentations, and prayers for the return of his old Laird. " It is hard," said Mr. Bennet. " I trust there are not many cases of the kind." THE CLYDE— THE KYLES OF BUTE-OBAN, ETC. 83 " Is there as much whisky used in hospitality as ever? " our American friend inquired of him. "I should judge so by what I have seen. I was at a house of mourning, not long since, when the host for the occasion came in, and smiling at our solemn faces, said he ' feared we were not enjoying ourselves as much as we should,' and desired all to partake more freely of the whisky and other fare." He also told of a funeral gathering which was about to proceed to the cemetery with the dead master of the house, when a heavy rain came on. The next relative came for ward and said that "the deceased would have desired them all to be comfortable, therefore he postponed the funeral until the next day." Which was thoughtful and kind. Tourists are forever wanting to see something new, and let the attention of one be fixed on any object for a min ute a small crowd gathers ; the general desire for informa tion is really touching and very contagious. It was abso lute pain, the possibility that one of the lions should unheeded pass us by. " I shall never have the opportunity to see it again ! " was a stimulus to the most weary muscle. But here was a hasty change of locomotion. For a mile we rode in or on omnibuses through a wild, grand gorge, with towering mountains on all sides, Ben Nevis (Ben, mountain; Nevis, snow) the chief, 4406 ft. in height, look ing so frowningly dark that I felt afraid. We thus missed several locks which bear the name of Neptune's Staircase. The Caledonian Canal is a water-way made by connect ing the beautiful series of lakes by small canals, from Loch aber to Moray Firth, a distance of sixty -two miles, twenty- four of canal, thirty-eight of the three lakes, Lochy, Oich and Ness, the last so deep that on it no ice ever forms. When the sun came forth the beautiful lochs shone upon the heart of Scotland like a sparkling necklace of sapphires set in emeralds and gold. At intervals w^re visible old baro nial castles, manor-houses, or modern Italian villas, sur rounded by fine parks, and an occasional small well-kept village, for the country is sparsely settled, the cottars poor but thrifty. There is no discontent or turbulence as in Ireland, for several reasons ; one being that the proprietors are generally Scotch, and receive willing service from those. 84 BOHEMIAN DA YS. accustomed to obey their Clan Chief from generation to generation, for he is not habitually a non-resident. Then the character of the people is very different, naturally, and their idiosyncracies have not been warped and exaggerated by adverse influences. If the Queen had made a favorite residence of Ireland as of Scotland, I believe the warm hearted Irish would have been just as serene under her yoke, and if manufactures, commerce and agriculture had been encouraged, instead of being repressed, to-day be as prosperous as they are in other lands. Here came in sight Old Tor Castle, where dwelt Allan of the Forays, who built seven churches to condone his sins; again Ben Nevis with its snowy crown, never quite rem.oved, and Achnacarry Castle, near which is the dark avenue and cave where was hidden Prince Charlie on his way from darker CoUoden. A curious monument crowned with seven heads is by Loch Oich, showing Highland jus tice on seven kinsmen who murdered two boys of whom they were the joint guardians, to possess themselves of their estates. The Chief of the Clan, Lord McDonnell, had them removed without trial by jury. In the locks of Fort Augustus the boat remained long enough for us to walk the half mile to the Benedictine Monastery and College. The Marquis of Bute has given largely to the great stone building, which opened its gates to us on payment of a shilling apiece. Some Brothers guided us in parties through the college and chapel, and in the latter called our attention to a fine old painting over the altar. Aboard again, we went the length of the most beautiful of these lakes, Loch Ness, though the scenery is not of such a rugged character, and from it had a grand climb to the Falls of Fo)'ers, of which Professor Wilson speaks enthusiastically, calling it " the most magnificent in Brit ain," and others besides the poet Burns have sung its eulogy. * An occasional sprinkle of rain prevented monotony, and there was much chatter and merriment. Beautiful residences appeared amidst the trees, and then a hill-side cemetery, whose size and adornment showed that we were near a city. This great mound or hill, Tomnahu- THE CLYDE— THE KYLES OF BUTE-OBAN, ETC. 85 rich, rising from the level plain, and now covered with for est, is thought to have been made in memory of the re nowned and beloved Poet-bard, Thomas-of-Ercildoune. A noble mausoleum, truly. The little boat steamed up to a stone pier — we were de barked at Inverness, holding on to our umbrellas as our best friends, for the rain came down on the hotel-runners and porters, the hackman, the traveler and his other friends, who are willing and ready to take him in at any time, regardless of weather, regardless of everything indeed, but the absurd ity of impecuniosity. Almost the whole boat-load concluded for some reason to go to the Railroad Hotel, and were packed and squeezed into a couple of top-heavy omnibuses, while the others went away empty — a picture of life — starvation and repletion, lords and paupers. It turned out that we had made an immense mistake, for we had any amount of style, and a big bill to pay, but were far less comfortable than in some establishments of less pretension. Max was fond of taking a stroll in the early morning, and returning for me in an hour or so with a fund of informa tion, and a definite route selected for our peregrinations, which he followed on this occasion, and we took a cup of coffee and a roll, at a little restaurant, on our way to Castle Hill, a fine place from which to view the beautiful country and town. Inverness, a city of 18,000 inhabitants, is built principally of gray limestone and red sandstone. A pretty fountain stands in front of the town-hall, under which a valuable old lozenge-shaped stone has been laid, which has a history. It has the name Claeh-na-Cuddin, or "Stone of the Tubs," and is considered the guardian of the city's welfare. The town-hall is a commodious, well-built structure, with fine windows and some valuable old paintings. " Where is the residence Malcolm Canmore?" Max en quired. " You ought to be received into the Halls of your ancestors — what use are they anyhow ? " " It ought to be here on this hill — " " Probably even this great stone building would not re ceive you without an order of Court — it's a jail,you see. I 86 BOHEMIAN DAYS. expect Malcolm's Castle filled the same office, more or less. No, I don't blame you for having ancestors, you couldn't well help it," apologetically. " I'm not specially proud of them, Maxentius," said I ; " but it does make these old places more interesting to me." " But there were so many of them," he remonstrated, "you'll be worn out by interest before we get through." "We'll take it gradually. A splendid view from here; there's the old Jail steeple, 1 30 feet high, quite ornamental, and a number of large buildings. How clean and pretty Inverness looks stretching down both sides of the river Ness — it must be a mile — and a background of Mount — " " Look here ! — no idea of it ! — train starts in a half hour" — in a startled tone. But we were not left behind. Through the influence of our new friends we had changed our programme and were now hastening to Aberdeen to attend the "British Association for the Advancement of Science." We were so fortunate part of the time as to share our compartment with several scientists, among them a Scotch physician of reverend aspect, accompanied by a lady in black, his daughter, like himself a student in the geologi cal and archaeological world which finds so much of inter est in Northern Scotland, and considered it a great privilege to have such an intelligent company point out the remains of vitrified forts on hills we passed, different strata, and re mains of old Castles and Abbeys. The whole country is full of points of historic interest. Drummassie Moor, the scene of the battle of Colloden, is two miles south-east of Colloden House by the station of the same name. A cairn stands in the field in commemoration of the battle. Dalcross Castle is where the royal troops were mustered. Fort George, on a peninsula in Moray Firth, was built after the battle. Kil- ravock Castle was visited by Charles P'dward shortly before this event, which has impressed itself on so many places in the North. The Scotch held well to the Stewarts. Nairn-town is a pretty, watering-place. Tourists visit Cawdor Castle four miles away from that point, but one BAIiMORAL FROM THE RIVER, (See page 93.) INVERNESS CASTLE. (See page H5.) (JLASaOW CATHEDRAI. (See page 64.) THE CLYDE— THE KYLES OF BUTE-OBAN, ETC. 87 author speaks of the association of the tragedy of Macbeth with Cawdor Castle as "a gross anachronism." Two miles from Nairn is the scene of Montrose's victory over the covenanters in 1645. It has two monuments in memory of the slain. Then came Darnaway Castle, a fine seat of the earl of Moray ; Forres (the Roman Varis), a good sized town with a number of hotels, churches, a market, a monument, and Sweno's Stone, a sculptured obelisk twenty-three feet in height — like the wind, no one knows whence it came. Near Kinloss and Alves are remains of Cistercian Abbeys, and fine ruins at Elgin of an old Cathedral thought to be next in beauty to Melrose. Abernethy Braes, spurs of the Cairngorm Mountains, cov ered by a pine forest ; fine fields of grain yellow as the sun shine, or emerald with growing crops of turnips or pota toes — a harvest for the crows, who seemed to be laying in a supply against a necessitous future. Several of the most interesting ruins were too far away for us to see, but the whole country is beautiful as can be, and the weather was fair as an Italian June day. We have seen several towers to the memory of Lord Nelson. Wherever we go we are sure to meet some Americans. On this train were a Boston gentleman and his wife, the latter originally from Scotland. Opposite to them sat a Scotch gentleman, to whom the American was extolling his free land with much enthusiasm, and some figures of speech. The Scot preferred the in stitutions of his own country, but not its state of trade and finance. The lady agreed warmly with the latter, at which her husband was evidently disturbed, and shuffled uneasily on the seat. " Yes, trade is vara dool, nothing we have for sale brings the price it did." " Over-production ! — it is the same with us." " Ye-es, that is what is always said. Sirr, the mills are shuttin' doon for want o' buyers. Some want to solve the difificoolty by havin' the people amigrate and farm, and buy the spare implements that have been made." "You consider your Queen as head of the nation," said Mr. Boston, after a "rejoinder often minutes." 88 B OH EM I A N DAYS. "Ye-es — the Queen is the foondation one may say — or the heed o' it." "Ah ! " with triumphant emphasis, " we can do without the head!" " I hae a brither in Amaraca, and he tells me that the Prasident, governor, or what-not, enriches his own people with offices and so on." Then, "harking back," "Free trade is ruining the people here, prices hae sae fallen. Your Amaracan wheat has ruined us, sirr." "It seems to me," said the lady, "that one acre of land here is worth twenty in America." " No — no ! " replied her husband quickly. " There are often good crops here — but, look at the fertilizers ! every thing has to be fertilized. Now, out West we have no need for anything of the kind — there are fine crops ! " "Ah," said the Scotchman, shaking his head, " it takes ower muckle — a great deal, to make a crop here. Against all is paid, rent, fertilizing, draining perhaps, the care and tillage- — what is left for profit? Naething at a'." " What bush is that with red berries?" "Ye ken the gowan?" "Mountain-ash," said the Doctor, "and there is Duni- deer Castle. It is but a poor old ruin after Kinloss. The Castle was erected on one of the vitrified forts we were talk ing about just now — like that on 'Tap o' North's' conical hill." " That hill we just passed reminded me of the old song, ' The Bank o' Bennihe,' with the Gaudy running below." In cheerful company the time sped away, and we soon found ourselves beside the river Dee, and, crossing a bridge, hurried as if belated into the large station shed of Aberdeen, where we met our American and Englifh friends again, and all hastened to Marischal College, the place of assembly for "The British Association." Yes, the fact remains, that we Bohemians had rushed through this beautiful and storied land instead of lingering interestedly among the ruins, for the purpose of becoming for the time being a part of the modern, progressive, scientific world ! To bask as it were for a few gorgeous moments in the high-lights of civilization, tempered here and there by soft mediaeval and archaeological shadows, and tints of ABERDEEN— BRITISH ASSO CIA TION. 89 retrospection, it is true, blended with rosy feasts of reason (and other things), yet primarily founded on bones and stones. Realizing that we were thorough-bred scientists, or Appreciative Students in the Courts of the Learned, which amounted to about the same thing, made us very happy and comfortable. We wondered at the numbers of busy- looking people who were going in the wrong direction, and seemed fluttering against the stream to gain some point of no consequence. What was the one thing worth living for? Science! CHAPTER XI. ABERDEEN. BRITISH ASSOCIATION. BALMORAL. " This is pleasant ! " said I next morning (loth Sept.) as we sat at breakfast in our little parlor. "How cosy it all is! A jewel of a landlady — " "A jeweler of a landlord," interposed Max, " not by pro fession, but we don't care what people profess so that they are the right kind." " Our large valises came ? " " Yes, indeed, no trouble ; our landlord took the checks, and in an hour or two here they were.'' "I wish we could do this way at home. Tlieir servant keeps all in good order, and is ready to carry away the remnants of the fea.st the minute I ring — " " Not the moment ? " " Well, that would suggest her too near proximity — eyes and key-hole, and all that. No, I allpw her a minute. What a grand address that was from Sir Lyon Playfair last night ! I did enjoy it so." " You noticed his quotations from Washington, on edu cation ? He would spur his own country nearer to the mark by making contrasts. I had no idea they had no Minister of Education in England. His statistics were unanswerable (another cup of coffee, please). What I most admired was his open manner of stating things, no matter who they go BOHEMIAN DA YS. might strike. Not much like the Fourth of July remarks of that gentleman on the cars yesterday." "I have read of such people, but did not believe in them. You were bad enough. I blushed two or three times when you were bragging to our Irish Cousins, but I declare I was proud of you when Mr. Boston waved his flag in such a very conspicuous manner! There! you are going to compli ment me, but — " Enter the landlord to assist us in our plans, as to time and locality. There were many interesting lectures ; we should have liked to listen to at least three at once, which not being feasible we had to make choice, and once or twice were sure the others must have been the best, from the quotations of our enthusiastic acquaintances. O, a literary atmosphere is delightful ; but the high pres sure would scarcely do to live in as a continuance. In the morning we exchanged greetings with many friends in the Hall of Marischal College, and, like them, sent mis sives to distant loved ones. Here we found ourselves in close proximity with a great variety of human nature, gen erally of a high order. Aberdeen, the Granite City, is a charming place on the left side of the Dee, with many fine buildings — modern. It is built of granite, as its pseudonym implies, and streets paved with the same hard and durable material, which made walking wearisome, and I found by painful experience that thin shoes and bruises are relatives. In a narrow street we saw the house where Byron lived, now a second-class inn, and in another place a curious old building once occupied by some high government official. The windows had tiny panes of glass ; and standing out, built into the wall, beginning some feet from the ground, was a curious little tower. The arched entrance to Maris chal College showed some old carving. Outside of these the buildings we saw were mostly modern, and so not specially interesting to antiquarian scientists. Aberdeen opened her doors royally to her scientific visi tors. A grand collection and collation awaited them at their reception in the museum building ; there were invita tions enough to include the thousands present at the homes ABERDEEN— BRITISH ASSOCIATION. 91 of nobility and gentry, which were drawn by lot; there were "Fish Dinners," and a wonderful collection of " the products of the sea ; " there were garden parties and a reception by the Lord Provost. One of our invitations was to visit the beautiful home of W. Cunliffe Brooks, Esq., M. P., and the Marquis of Huntly at Glentana, and Aboyne Castle, respectively. After an hour by train the party drove in carriages to Glentana where they saw many curiosities in armor and of the chase, and in the beautifully decorated timber-roofed Music-room partook of an abundant, and artistically ar ranged lunch. Some visited the kennels, some walked in the forest, others were most interested in Mr. Brooks's suc cessful salmon culture. All lunched. A drive to Aboyne Castle, where* the party were enter tained by the Marquis of Huntly and his amiable countess, the tower climbed for a view of the surrounding country, a delightful tea, and the guests took leave, feeling well con tent with a day happily spent in spite of the rain. The Castle itself has an interesting history of several centuries, being the property of loyal noblemen who died for their enthusiastic support of the Unsuccessful, and there are rem nants of a secret stair by which the besieged escaped. Near the Castle is an ogham, or Runic inscription at the burial-place of some Pictish King, and in a wood a short distance away are a Druid's temple, and a large cross of stone. There were delightful things I expected to do. I thought about them as I sat in one chair with a lame foot on another. The day before, when I suffered untold agony while ad miring Mrs. McDonald's choice collection of paintings, and apparently delectating at the toothsome dainties prepared for the receptees, I tried to prove the pbssibility of elevat ing mind above matter ; the out-come was not a decided success, but a few hours of rest worked wonders. One garden-party we drove to with Mr. and Mrs. Wilson was exceptionally pleasant, as the music was good, the gar dens well worth seeing, with large marquees under which were tables loaded with every dainty of field, garden, con fectioners — and cellar. The 17th of September came, when after elaborate 92 BOHEMIAN DA YS. speeches, and votes of thanks, and congratulatory remarks we left the halls of learning. — Behold, are not the lectures and other proceedings in the Blue Book of the Society ? Last of all was the trip out to Balmoral — a beautiful one, like the day, for we followed the pretty river Dee through a changeful Highland country of glen and scaur, of shadowy grove and heathered mountain-side. "There are the Grampian Hills," quoth Max, "whereon the father of Norval fed his flocks ; and a gentleman tells me that the enclosure of rough stones and trees on the bare hill yonder was where Macbeth was buried. What do they call this part of the country ? oh, Braemar, and here are the conveyances waiting at Ballater Station to take us to Balmoral.'' After a breezy ride -of eight miles through a forest, still beside the little river, the great "Scottish baronial castle"* erected by the Prince Consort thirty years ago came into view. It was built of granite with a tower one hundred feet high, and around it are beautiful lawns and pleasure- grounds, through which we drove. One part of the com pany met the Queen on her return drive — a lady stately, but gracious, said to be very kind to her dependents. The Queen's physician accompanied us, showing the beauties of the domain, and regretted to Max that we could not meet Her Majesty, whom all seemed to love greatly, as well as revere. We climbed a high hill, took bannocks and milk in a shepherd's bothie, looked at Balmoral Castle from various points of view, visited the little chapel in which the Queen worships, drove back to Ballater and had a lunch for which we paid exorbitantly, and, returning to Aberdeen, felt that the play was over, and the lights turned down. Really, for Bohemians, we had enjoyed a remarkable ex perience, met many noted people, and had the privilege of hearing much wisdom. The receptions were \'eiy fine af fairs, though in the e\'ening entertainments Max could never become reconciled to the amount of costume re quisite. '• Full-drQss\" he said, with nasal appendage unnecessa rily elevated, "I should call it ;/;/dress. If you". but I never learned what my doom would be in such an extreme * 111. ' EDINBORO' .—GRAY-FRIARS BOBBY, ETC. 93 case. — And to think what pains I have taken in his educa tion ! CHAPTER XII. edinboro'. GRAY-FRIARS BOBBY. HOLYROOD. THE CASTLE. — Arthur's seat. Early on the morning of the i8th we had scarcely com pleted our early breakfast when the hack drove up to the door. There were hasty leave-takings of our friendly en tertainers, who kindly wished us a pleasant journey, and hoped some day to see us again ; a quick drive through the " Granite City," and we were steaming southward towards Edinboro'. ^ Our friends, Mr. and Mrs. Wilson, had preceded us a day, and were to leave immediately for Norway. We passed Stonehaven with its great viaduct, saw Dun- nottar Castle standing on a high, rugged rock on the coast, which brought to mind Sir Walter Scott's " Old Mortality," whom he met there in the church-yard. The Castle is his torically interesting, having been a state prison of the Covenanters, a hiding place of the Scottish regalia, and a stronghold of the royalists for many generations of Earls Marischal. Several places of note may be visited from the different stations we passed — Monboddo House, and Drum- touchty and Kincardine Castles. At the latter John Baliol gave the Kingdom of which he was so unworthy into the hands of the English King, Edward I. The country was constantly changing and interesting, and scarcely a station but had been historically noted. At the Bridge of Dun lived Sir John Erskine, the Reformer. Stretching into a lake near Forfar is a peninsula on which when it was an island once dwelt Queen Margaret, the wife of Malcolm Canmore. Several centuries since it acquired quite a reputation from the zealousness of the people in ex terminating witches. " What do those people mean by ' semi-fabulous ?' " I 94 BOHEMIAN DAYS. enquired with interest of my walking dictionary. " They are talking about King Arthur. He either was, or he wasn't." " He seems somewhat mythical — " " Do I look mythical? " " Not particularly so," laughing. " I shall be so in a couple of hundred years — " " Shouldn't wonder." " But really it's dreadful to doubt everything ! Where's the fun of going to see all these places and then hear that there never were such people ? Now I say there was a King Arthur, and this place they are talking about, Meigle, where those curious carved stones are, is the tomb of Guinevar, or Vanora, or whatever they like to call his w ife. I have not heard anyone doubting her having lived. What Castle did you say near here was associated with Macbeth ?" " There are two, I think." " Yes," said a gentleman, " Belmont Castle and Glammis Castle, about a mile east of Station Glammis. It was there that Malcolm II. was murdered." The scenery became more picturesque as we crossed the Islay, and soon we came in sight of Dunsinnane Hill, which is a round solitary spur of the Sidlaw mountains, where Macbeth had a fortification. High broken hills on all sides surrounded us as we came down the river Tay to Perth, with fertile valleys highly cultivated. The site of the city where dwelt the "Fair Maid of Perth," is low and level. One of the first things we noticed was the fine park in which many persons were enjoying themselves, and across the Tay we saw a second park, and were told they were the " North and South Inch." I was tempted to perpetrate a joke as to the length of the Scotch mile, but forebore. The combat Sir Weaker Scott speaks of in the book aforementioned, was in the North Inch, which now contains a race-course. The city is attractive in appearance, being well laid out, and having many churches, public edifices, and statues of great men, and if the " Fair Maid " should return she would feel lost indeed before reaching Glover's Lane in the old part of the city. On Moncricff Hill, south of Perth, are Sir Walter's " Wicks of Baiglie," ncit in sight of town. To one EDINBORO'.— GRA Y-FRIARS BOBBY, ETC. 95 who had time to remain a day Scone Palace, two and one- half miles north of Perth, would prove attractive. " Would you like to remain here awhile ? " " If it were not for the letters waiting in Edinboro' — Oh, no ! let us go on." Here my attention was attracted by a rather noisy and peculiar family, who felt quite at home and made things lively, and the hills and hollows, scaurs, and what not were forgotten till suddenly we ran into a tunnel, wound around the base of a great rocky hill crowned with a castle, and Icnew that we were in EDINBORO', which we had longed to see since Scott led our child-feet into the pleasant paths of story and history. I rested for a few minutes in the ladies' parlor while Max walked up the long flight of stone steps which led into the very heart of the Metropolis, and saw how the town lay, and then we left our heavier articles and went on an explor ing expedition, the Post Office, a large, light-stone build ing, being the first attraction. How hilly the town seemed, and how strange. We had decided to take a lodging, if one suitable offered ; so while I rested a few minutes in a confectioner's, where we had refreshed ourselves, Max found a very satisfactory place, into which we settled as home during our stay, thinking a dollar a day was really very reasonable for the elegant suite of rooms on the " first floor" and customary attentions. Sometimes we had our meals at home — always of a Sun day, for on that day in this Sabbath-loving country all res taurants and coffee-parlors are closed. i Should I notice every spot in detail which interested us in " Auld Reekie " (Old Smoky, I suppose), these pages would grow ad infinitum, for memory lingers lovingly among its many Monuments of the Past. There are several heights, as Castle Rock and Calton Hill, within the city, and just beyond and overhanging Holyrood Palace and Abbey are Arthur's Seat and Salisbury Crag ; the latter a rough, precipitous rock from which, while we were there, a young girl was thrown and killed 96 BOHEMIAN DA YS. one darlv night, by wicked men, who, some months later, paid the penalty of their crime. The city is built all over hills of varied size, the material being a light silicious sand-stone which bears well the orna mentation so frequently adopted. Princes Street is the principal thoroughfare, but many finely built-up streets please the eye, in the new part of town. At the right of Princes Street as you go to the Post Office are the Princes Gardens, below Castle Rock, and in this, on a level with the street, stand a number of fine statues of celebrated men, and occupying the central position among them is the Scott memorial, the finest monument I have ever seen. Beneath the lofty Gothic spire, as if in his own room, is seated the noted poet and novelist, the pride of every Scotch heart, and by his side his faithful " Maida."' At the north end of Waverly Bridge is the Aquarium, and the Statue Gallery and Antiquarian Museum are not far distant on Princes Street. To one not already surfeited, the National Gallery, and Museum of Science and Art will be an agreeable recreation. Several of my pleasant hours were spent there. The last mentioned, on Chambers Street, in the old part of the city, contains some curious things from India. The plaster cast of the Eastern Gateway of the Buddhist Tope at Sanchi was a study, also a true copy in bronze of the Gates of the Baptistry at Florence, cabinets, and carved wood, ivory fine as lace-work, and a chair that once belonged to a Doge of Venice, of which I took an im perfect sketch. In the National Gallery I saw pictures by Murillo, Velas quez, Van Dyck, Rubens, and others of the great masters. I think some of the Young Masters far surpass some of the more ancient in conception, execution, and finish; but there is much bright-tinted trash, a kind of shodd\' -which looks well for the moment, but will not wear. , About some of the old pictures there is a charming simplicity that can not fail to please the eye of the lover of Nature, but I do not enjoy the heroic-sized animals, human or brute, engaged in sanguinary conflict. Some beautiful water-color paint ings by a Mr. Williams were enjoyable, not being a jumble of colors, thrown together indiscriminately. His " Plain of EDIKBURGH CASTLE AND SCOTT MEMORIAL. (See page 96.) EDINBORO'.— GRAY-FRIARS BOBBY, ETC. 97 Marathon and distant view of Euboea," and " View of Florence " seemed to me particularly good. Max being off with some of his Doctors, I wandered into the Phrenological Museum, but skulls without brains are a wearine.ss, they take so much imagination to fit them up. Besides, the ideas they suggest are not always pleasing. Some noted persons were there represented. Some indeed had a wish to be so remembered. I had not. We had before this time visited old Gray-friars Church and Graveyard, but I wanted to go there alone and take a sketch or two. Did you ever hear of Gray-friar's Bobby ? I had not until the man in the Observatory who was showing us all the lions in a kind of bird's-eye fashion, pointed out the spot, while relating an incident which was profoundly touch ing to me. I thought of it while standing by the drinking-fountain given by the Baroness Burdett-Coutts, on the top of which rests a little, bronze terrier, a copy of Bobby himself Some little boys came for a drink, and finding that they had not heard it I related to them the story of gray-friar's BOBBY. About twenty years ago a poor man lived in this vicinity whose only friend seemed to be a little shaggy dog who fol lowed him everywhere. Povertyand misfortune sat athisfire- side, but Bobby took the remnant of the crust with a thank ful heart, and clung the closer to his master. The poor man sickened, and died. Here in old Gray- friars they laid him, in as soft a bed of.earth as might lie a king, though but one real mourner followed the common coffin. Ah, how the little heart ached as even that was covered from his sight, and as the sexton repeatedly called him away, drooping and crushed he went slowly over the accustomed way to the poor lodging. The next morning the sexton was surprised to see the little fellow lying on the new-made grave, and drove him away, but on finding him there every morning, even when, wet and cold, he lay there half-starved, the Angel of Pity 1 98 BOHEMIAN DAYS. touched his heart for the forlorn creature, and he warmed and fed him. A restaurant-keeper near by, hearing of him, won the dog's- confidence, but never his allegiance, for every day he went to the door for food, yet could not in any way be coaxed to stay long, but after a hasty meal he would trot back to the cemetery with expectant eyes. " My Master may have awakened while I've been gone ! " thought he. And so the years went on. At one time a question arose as to who should pay the dog-tax, and the Lord Provost, learning of his fidelity, de clared him free of the city, and presented him a collar en graved with his name. Faithful Bobby ! who of us could do more than bear in remembrance for twelve long years (a life-time to him) ever so dear a friend. Who says Bobby had no soul? One morning after the dog had grown feeble he did not appear at the door for his morning meal, nor was he in the shelter made for him. His friends went over into the wet graveyard, and there on the poor man's grave lay the shaggy little form. The tender, loving heart no more would ache with hope deferred, for faithful, patient little Gray- friar's Bobby -was dead. "Until death!" — I hope they met again. In the lower part of the old cemetery, once for five months the prison of 1200 Covenanters, against the wall op posite the Magdalene Chapel stands a monument to the memory of the Martyrs executed in the Grassmarket, a short distance away. In this old Church of Gra\-friars the Cove nant of 1638 was signed. Both churches have been much injured by fire, but restored. They occupy the site of a great Monastery, of which the cemetery was the old garden. The Grassmarket is a large, open, pa\'ed square, having near the upper end a circle of stones with a cross in it (even with the rest) whose centre stone used to be rcnio\-ed for the in sertion of the stake to which victims were bound for mar tyrdom. Some very narrow streets, where the tall houses are only a few feet apart, have the descriptive name of " close," and giving the soft sound to the s, would describe the view at MONUMENT ON THE FIELD OF CULLODEN. (See page 99.) HOLYROOD PALACE. (See page 99.) EDINBORO'.— GRAY-FRIARS BOBBY, ETC. 99 many an upper window in these eight or ten-story tene ments. "Well," said Max Saturday morning, folding up his newspaper as he rose from the breakfast table, " it's Holy- rood to-day, is it? — time we were off — have an engagement at the Hospital for two o'clock." It was a breezy morning, and the mile and a half walk was stimulating and refreshing. On High Street we saw John Knox's house, which is kept much as he left it, as a show place for visitors ; in ancient times it was the city residence of the Abbot of Dunfermline. Here in the Neth- erbow was born the poet Falconer, and the timber-fronted shop and house of the poet Allan Ramsay is a little further on. Carubber's Close near by was often visited by Burns, while in Elphinstone and Mint Courts, reached by South Gray's Close, were fashionable mansions of a few centuries ago where the nobility dwelt and received the lofty in mind as well as estate. Several are associated with the name of Scott. Then came the Canongate, named for the Canons of Holyrood Abbey. On this street is Moray House with or namented front, and curious pointed gate-posts ; it was oc cupied at one time by Cromwell, but is now a Normal School. We entered a small cemetery and saw the graves of some noted men, the artist David Allan, the poet Ferguson, and historian of the same name, and Professors Dugald Stewart and Adam Smith. They might well say (lying by this noisy thoroughfare), "In the midst of life we are in death." — But Max was disap pearing down street. Our characteristics seem to be settling into a Longing- lingering-look, and a Dissolving-view. * An open space with a highly ornamented Gothic fount ain in the centre, and opposite, Holyrood* with its pointed towers. As a number of visitors were entering, we followed through the front gateway, and turning to the left and mounting a flight of stairs soon found ourselves in a great hall in the second story of the palace erected by Charles II. It is one hundred and fifty feet long, and on the walls we saw portraits of one hundred of Scotland's kings, from Fer- »iii. loo BOHEMIAN DAYS. gus I. down. I fear the imagination of the Fleming, De Witt, must have been heavily taxed, although the Gov ernment supplied the '' Originalls." " Not much resemblance," said Max, looking critically from the picture to me. This hall was used by the Pretender as a ball-room, when Scotland's beauty and chivalry welcomed him as their rightful sovereign, many, soon thereafter, sealing their faith with their heart's blood at Culloden. From the stairway we entered the old part of the palace, that occupied by the unfortunate Mary, Queen of Scots. We do not know how much she sinned. We knew that she was cruelly treated and unhappy. One thing that struck us in most of these apartments of the past illustrious was their diminutive size, and these especially so. Max looked crowded. The rooms of Lord Darnley came first, the Audience Chamber with its curious ancient tapestry and some paint ings ; then a room in Charles the Second's addition with like adornment. Darnley's bed room had some old chairs, an inlaid, very old cabinet, and a screen which once was the property of Charles I. From this room opened a tiny turret dressing-room. Ascending to the floor above we entered, with interest increasing. Queen Mary's Audience-chamber, which is twenty-four by twenty-two feet. The tapestry was much more faded in this and the bed-room and dressing-room ad joining, aud the hangings of the bed, once bright green and crimson damask with green silk fringe snd tassels, now moldy and decaying, quietly falling to pieces with extreme old age. Some of the chairs have been rejuvenated, but in spite of showy amber satin caps are evidently in their do tage. The dressing-room, about ten feet square, is also en cased in this sad-looking tapestry that might have come from a tomb. In the supper-room stands a table which seemed small even for a family, but it matches the room. Some pieces of the silk hangings are preserved in frames on the w all. Just outside the door of this room is another, which opened on the secret stairway by which Ruth\en and the other friends of Darnley entered on their murderous errand, EDINBORO'.— GRAY-FRIARS BOBBY, ETC. loi while near the door of the audience-chamber where poor Riccio died, long after the blood stains remained on the floor of the ante-room, in which he lay all night. Indeed I was told it was still visible, and imagined I saw the out line. How strange it seemed that among these very articles of household use had moved the great, the good, the weak, the wicked of other days, and that as we strangers came and passed away, so should others come and go when we are dust. "Sic transit gloria mundi," I happened to remark aloud, very unintentionally. I was in thought at Holyrood, though actually in the body at our lodgings on George Street. Max was seated at table, apparently buried in a book. "That's stale," he remarked quietly. This did not strike me as complimentary, but if it meant " old " it might be applicable in the case recorded. Ah — the world seemed stale to Solomon ! I should not be surprised if Rehoboam said it to his father when hearing some of his wise sayings — he acted that way. " I enjoyed the Abbey," said I. " Four ruined wahs open to the sky. Mold above, dust beneath. Those stones you were walking over all covered human ashes. Who cares now ? I'd rather be a live lion — I mean" — "Than a dead dog? so would I. I don't blame you." "Besides,'' he continued, returning to first principles, "it is only a Chapel, the transepts and choir are minus. It is a tomb, principally — the door-way is fine." " Early English." " It may be Early French for what I know. What was that inscription over the door ? " * "I copied it: here it is in my valuable note-book. ' He shall build ane house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.' And if that is not a strangely inappropriate watch-wore} 1 02 B O HEM I A N DA YS. for the one who had it placed there I do not know what is. ' Who ? ' Charies the First, who not only lost his kingdom, but his head.'' "This city is exceptionally weh hospitaled, and the sur geons are both skilful and careful. Saw some interesting operations to-day. Where did you go when I left you at the restaurant on High Street ? Did you affiliate with that pleasant-faced woman who spoke to you at table ? " " I went to the-Castle." " Alone ? " in surprise, for Max knows I am a httle afraid of people. " That Mrs. Smith you saw at table knew all about the Castle — had lived there ! Her husband w^as a non-commis sioned officer — was it not fortunate ? " " She told you about it," said Max, putting his feet up on a footstool near the fire, and closing his book on one of his fingers. " Indeed, no ! She was one of the most amiable of women, gave up some affairs which she was going to attend to, and devoted herself to showing me that particular lion with which she was so familiar. She looked more comely to me every minute, not so robust and rubicund, you know ; but she was sometimes just a little too — well — jolly. It was her nature, though, and it is nice to be with a real person once in a while" — "Oh!"" Hearty and all that, you know, even if they are a httle, a very little — boisterous." But Max only laughed. " 'We went into that large gravelled space we saw near the Observatory, that is, the Esplanade. That high cross is in memory of some of the 78th Highlanders, who were killed in India. The bronze statue is the Duke of York. We crossed a draw-bridge over the moat past ever so many guards, through a gateway with batteries on each side, up a walled-in lane, and through a vaulted archwa}- where a portcullis once stood guard as well as other gates. Cer tainly it would be hard to get in there if they did not want you." " Why should you want to get in? " EDINBORO'.— GRAY-FRIARS BOBBY, ETC. 103 " I shouldn't, unless I had that mediaeval tendency to fight my way in if I was shut out." " Mediaeval ? ha ! ha ! ha ! well, that's good. How about Eve?" " Eve didn't fight," severely. " But about the Castle ! Over the archway some great people, I forget who, were kept a long time imprisoned. We passed large barracks and batteries, and the Governor's House, on the road up to the Citadel, passed through a gateway and wound up to the summit, where we entered a large flagged quadrangle called Palace Yard, with the old Parliament Hall (now a Hos pital), and barracks on two sides, and on the other two the Royal Palace. We entered at an open doorway with several other persons, and were ushered into the apartments of Queen Mary. Her bed-room is nearly nine feet long, the queerest irregular-sided place. From a window we looked down the dizzy precipice where, in a basket, the Queen by a long rope let down her eight-days-old infant (afterwards James I. of England) to waiting friends below. This is possible, but it looked like a fearful risk. In the ad jacent room we saw a beautiful portrait of her." " You saw the Crown Room, and the jewels ? " " Yes, but Mrs. Smith quite exclaimed at sight of them, said there were not over half as many as there used to be, but accounted for it by saying she had heard that some of the jewels had been given to the Queen ; her conversation at this moment led me to doubt her extreme loyalty. That ' Mons Meg ' sent back from London a few years ago is a large gun. Mrs. Smith said it was like the dearest friend coming home, the people were so rejoiced, meeting it with banners and music. A large Highlander regiment is sta tioned there now, and red coats brighten the sombre walls." " I thought there was an old Chapel." "St. Margaret's Chapel is there just behind the King's Bastion, the oldest building in Edinburgh. It is very small. A woman was selling photographs inside — here is one. You see it is divided by a curious old archway into two rooms." I did not tell him how deeply impressed I had been by the thought of this saintly woman, and contrasted my own selfish existence and worldliness with her humility and e 104 BOHEMIAN DAYS. beautiful self-devotion. Could she see me, I thought, her child so many generations away, what would her feelings be ? Where was the trusting faith of my childhood ? There was a false gloss which faded away and I cried, " My life ! my life ! what have I done with thee ?" for it stood so un finished and imperfect before me. " Whom have I assisted to a nobler existence? " " Perhaps you have tried," a soft voice seemed to sigh. " You, gentle Margaret, though a Queen, on bended knee did wash the feet of paupers." " Love is better than sacrifice." " But I"— " Yes — that is always the way with you," cried Margaret, or Conscience, or Common Sense,'' looking back at your own uneven footprints instead of the ones you've been bid den to walk in. Forget the /'if you can.' " " These photographs is sixpence," said the woman at th chapel door to the new-comers who flooded the tiny place with questions, and rustling garments, and laughter. — I sud denly descended the eight hundred years, and quietly van ished from the chapel. Max was reading aloud all this time, the sound and not the sense reaching me very soothingly. " A good article on the tariff, wasn't it ? " he suddenly enquired. The fish wives of Leith interested me, though loud voiced and short skirted ; and wash-women who, by efforts of hands or feet, rendered garments of a good color ; as well as the girls, who were many of them pretty and fair — the restaurants and shops were full of them. I think there must be a surplus of girls. In service they recei\'e much lower wages than with us, but the gift system obtains, and makes them the more willing to render service to guests. Max made quite a study of the Gaelic words which dropped among their English cousins in an accidental way that spoke of the mixed blood of the people. The Scotch are thrifty and industrious, and though not as swift to make as some others, they save well. They are great walkers as well as the English, and this reminds me to say that those who EDINBORO'.— GRAY-FRIARS BOBBY, ETC. , 105 cannot follow them in this particular, miss a great deal of pleasure. We would not have missed the climb to Arthur's Seat and over Salisbury Crags for a year's ride in state. Friday morning came in cool and cloudy, with one of the keen breezes that make the East Coast of Scotland so much less genial than the West, but the weather-wise not pre dicting an immediate down-pour we went by carriage out the Queen's Drive by Holyrood up to Dunsappie Loch, and in spite of the wind which almost tore us off the mountain side, and the long, dry, satiny grass which treacherously let us slide back, and tripped us down, we climbed up to Arthur's Seat, 822 feet above the sea level, a rocky emi nence almost flat at the top, with still a few upstanding rocks where cyclonish breezes threatened to make a clean sweep of the whole affair. Some blue-faced women in short dresses and old shawls, heavy blue stockings and high laced shoes, were ready with much useful information, and lemon ade and so on. We were assured by them that we were highly favored, as the clouds parted in all directions, the sun shone, and we were in the midst of a magnificent pano rama with all the hghts in order. Such a thing had not been for " six weeks or more.'' Away to the East were the " Isles of May," thirty-three miles out to sea : thirty miles to the North-west old Ben Lomond, that I had never expected to see again, was plainly visible. Between them and below us Edinboro' lay like a birds-eye map with its port, I^eith, the Firth of Forth, and sun-lit mountains beyond. We turned around and looked down into " The Heart of, Midlothian," and — " There," said the woman, getting rather mixed, " is the Bride of Lammer- moor besides it, and over here the cot q/'Jeanie Deans." " Hoo-e ! such a wind," quoth Max, with a shiver ; " I'm going to get out of this. Can't see how those women stand it." Over rocks, and along the edges of dangerous precipices, we climbed, and finally half ran, half slid down the slippery, grassy mountain-side to the neighborhood of Sahsbury Crags, where we had another climb. I gould not but think, as I imintentionally took a roll of io6 BOHEMIAN DA YS. thirty feet or so, what a lovely place it would be for the small boy. As I involuntarily exclaimed, and looked for help to wards where Max had been, I missed him, and was slightly amused to see him some distance below in not just the po sition he would have chosen for entering a drawing-room, but evidently feeling relieved that he had got there all at once instead of piecemeal. Near the foot was an ancient hermitage, whose grass-grown ruins, among which the wind sighed dolefully, made us think for a moment of the toiling hands long centuries at rest, of the fives of pious, if mis taken devotion, and the holy sounds of prayer and praise from lips lowly it might be in a worldly sense, but rich to wards God. I drank from the fountain, and thought of the Water of Life. What a blissful sensation they miss w ho are never thor oughly corporeally weary. I did not think of this as I walked along the Queen's drive, or up a particularly rough cobble- stoned street with uneven sidewalk. I did not think so in sighing as I looked at some curious high old buildings which seemed singularly well populated, or the noble educational institutions of which Edinboro' is justly proud. j\Iax was so kind as to arrange some chairs like a settee in the ladies' room of a restaurant, and while with closed eyes trying not even to think, a feeling of the blessedness of rest stole over me. Not a murmur at the half hoUr of waiting escaped me — I was fast asleep. So, it seemed to me, one all aweary with life borne, and the hardness of the parting with it, would wish to rest even on the portals of Heaven. Max must have been tired, although he would not own to it ; it made me close my eyes again to think of an\' one having to progress two hundred pounds over a mountain like that. It was a seven mile walk. I rested a couple of days. Max hospitaled, but not as a patient. He also partook of a fine bachelor dinner in his honor, aud a tea or two. Strolling leisurely through a Museum, I saw a gentle, pleasant face which seemed familiar. The peculiar move ment of the brows which enlarged the blue e)'cs could not be mistaken ; here was one of my dear old teachers of the days of later (not second) childiiood. She looked not a day plder, but was the same placid lady who had seemed quite EDINBORO'.— GRAY-FRIARS BOBBY, ETC. 107 advanced in years, and for whom we felt a tender sympathy as we pondered on the disappointment in love we were quite sure had given her that gentle resignation. We all seemed to realize it, and took words of discipline from her more easily than any other instructress in the school. She turned fully facing me as I was smilingly recalling those old days when she was so good a friend to me, and recognition lighted her kind blue eyes. We both were very glad indeed. We can never really forget those whom we have once loved, or if they be worthy, cease to feel a thrill of pleasure, and gratitude for a renewed blessing, as we meet again. One breezy morning we walked to Calton Hill to see the various memorial columns— -to Bums, to Nelson, and that erected by the citizens to " The Martj^rs," which is an in complete ruin. The view of city and sea is a fine one. Here we saw a pale, sunken-cheeked artist waiting pa tiently for the sun to shine out that he might photograph the tall Nelson monument, from which some blown-about ladies were emerging. He was in ill-health, he said, having taken quite a cold. The wind wrestled with him for the possession of some thing he had wrapped around his neck, and would not let him rest a moment, though he groaned and coughed pitiably. I never enjoy misery I cannot alleviate, and what good could sympathy do in such a case? Besides I was busy keeping some of my own clothing on, and trying to hold up a small umbrella, for a fleecy shower came on — I beg its pardon — a Scotch mist. It was a frequent sur prise to me how far away Max could get in a short time, and how long it took to catch up. Poor fellow ! he had often to groan over -what seemed to him my irrelevance, or side-track tendency as it were. » On the side hill, looking like an ancient baronial castle, is the great prison which receives a portion of the dregs which pollute this bright city but lie too low for the notice of the casual visitant. It made me think of some children I had met in going down from the Castle into the Grass Market, so dirty, so vicious-looking and sullen — as might wild animals whose lair was intruded on. How much better is it to reform the young than build costly cages to hold them when grown, and support them at the State's ex- loS B OH EM I AN DA YS. pense ; how much cheaper, besides the worth of the citizen, which is quite an item in the financial status of a burg or country. " We've passed this large church below the castle several times," said I; " suppose we go in — there is a man opening the door.'' We entered. "This is the Assembly Church," said the obhging, but low-spirited sexton. The hall had a pretty ceiling of wood and plaster, finely arched, and with some good carving in the wooden groining. "What a beautiful chair!" "The throne of the Earl of Aberdeen when he's Moder ator, Ma'am. There is the library. It is locked, but there's many a book they ministers study here. Here are the Committee Rooms down below, and above there, beyond ,tlie chair, are others." In one of these latter I rested myself in the chair which once had the honor of pertaining to John Knox, on the bars of which his name is carved. Looking at the dingy covers of the cushions made me think of some parlors I had known, for beneath these was the rich, bright company dress of Assembly days, when they shone out like new. I felt rather guilty in listening to the glib chatter of our conductor, it seemed so like hear ing family secrets. It made me think of some other churches I had heard of It appeared that the Minister in charge had not been as fortunate as Elisha, the former incumbent having taken his mantle with him. Some, however, ascribed the gradual freezing out of the congregation to the coolness of the Pre siding Elder in appointing a person to do the preaching without thinking it necessary to go through the form of a congregational vote. Unfortunately the salar}' depended upon spontaneous contributions. It must be rather trying for a minister to have to preach his hearers up to the point of perpetual benevolence. " It's little he gets sometimes — or the sexton, and I've quite a family to support, and not strong," a sigh finishing the doleful sentence. And this w as the goal to which for EDINBORO'.— GRAY-FRIARS BOBBY, ETC. 109 this quarter of an hour he had been leading up. I felt as if our shillings ought to have been doubled. — I think from the expression on his countenance that he shared in the feeling, but the look he cast into his hand hardened us in stead of producing the desired effect. Near St. Giles Cathedral (a handsome edifice with fine windows and crown steeple) you see in the paved street the form of a heart with a cross in it, marking the place where the old " Tolbooth " Prison and Parliament house stood. About halfway between the burial tablet of Murray the Regent (on the outer part of St. Giles facing the Parliament Buildings) and the sidewalk is a small square of brass bear ing two letters. Many pass over and around it without a thought of this plain J. K. marking the burial-place of the famous John Knox. This is simplicity itself All this part was the grave-yard for the old Church, but has long been paved over. The dead sleep not less well that over their dust the traffic of business and the carriage of the pleasure- seeker sweep like the wave of time, ever changing never re turning the same when the tide again rolls in. In the Parliament Building is a beautiful hall with a ceiling of carved wood and gilding, floor of varnished blocks in patterns, and around the three cheerful fires where the people hasten to warm themselves on entering, richly carved mantle-pieces. Many portraits are on the walls, and several large statues of noted men attract more than a passing notice by the beautiful white marble and well-cut features. We entered for a few moments a court-room where a trial was in progress, the first time I had ever seen a court-room alive, and I was interested, amused, and slightly indignant as the learned, long-wigged counsel tried to make the witnesses trip in their statements, and throw a bewildering haze over plain facts. The last day closed in cold and windy. "Yes," said Max, " at the Infirmary this afternoon. Saw three or four considerable operations. A great place, this Edinboro', for studying up surgery. You have been busy ? " " Delightfully ! spent a few hours in that lovely dentist's chair." " Lovely dentist! " "No — indeed! — a dwarf," in a whisper of horror. 1 10 BOHEMIAN DAYS. " Why did you go there ? " " Was recommended, of course. What did I know of anyone ? I was so surprised when he came to the door and looked at me that I walked in when he told me to " — "Ridiculous ! " laughing, but disgusted. " Well, that's a good job done." " He filled my teeth with paste. I thought of course he would put gold in unless I told him not." I spoke quite deprecatingly, for Max looked in a state of collapse past words. "And you paid him ! ' he murmured. " Of course, and how long will it last ? " more severely. " He said it would do for a year. I paid five dollars for the two teeth. He was some time pecking away at them with various instruments, but only about five minutes put ting in each filling — if only it would last ! " " Which it will not. But there's no use borrowing trouble. — What was the name of that suburb we visited this morn ing?" " Morningside. What a splendid drive it was ! I do love this place. I would like to live here —if it were not for the cold." " We shall have no winter, I'm going where the warm weather is if I have to fly to Africa for it. No need to pro vide winter clothing." " This cold wind seems very wintry," I replied. " I am chilly half the time, and this is only September. This great coal fire is comfortable." How homelike and pleasant the room looked in the fight of fire and chandeliers, with familiar books, and a few little article's of home bric-a-brac around us, with pictures upon the walls, and softly falling lace shutting out the cold world, with Sleepy-hollow easy-chairs and a foot-stool apiece, and with muscles aqd brains sufficiently exercised to make this rest, this easy do-nothingness well appreciated. We were at home with our sorroundings and each other, and could speak or be silent. I sat looking at the pictures in the fire until the reality faded into dream-land, and memor}- showed me the smiling faces of the loved of long ago in the sweet Home-land. MELROSE— ABB O TSFORD— NEWCASTLE. 1 1 1 CHAPTER XIII. MELROSE — ABBOTSFORD — NEWCASTLE — YORK. The morning of the 28th, in great haste (as usual) we visited the Post Office and two or three stores, after packing and breakfasting, and reached the depot by a few minutes after 9 o'clock — the time we broke our fast the day previous. As on divers and several occasions, we had plenty of time to recover our breath before the train left Waverly station. On the way were several ruins, and we passed through a beautiful country, reaching Melrose station at about noon, where we alighted in a misty rain and proceeded to search for the lions. A number of carriages stood at the door, in one of which we soon were driving along a smooth road between hedges with grain fields or pleasant homes on either hand, until we reached Abbotsford, the home of the noted novelist, when we alighted and walked down a shady pathway towards the house, at first invisible, being built below the road, and facing the river. We met several par ties leaving the place, and when we had passed through the little gateway, down a steep path between the wall and shrubbery, then steps as if into a cellar or vault (being di rected by a pointing hand) we came to a low portal lead ing into the plainly-appointed waiting-room, where we rested until a sufficient number had arrived to make up a party. A gateway opposite gave a vista of lovely blossoms, statues, and ivy-banked walls in the garden beyond, from which the public is rigidly excluded. "Now, if you please." The grave, solid, almost surly-lookjjig guide stepped into an entry, and we followed him up the circular stone stair-case in a tower, and found ourselves in the author's study — a study in itself The first thing I noticed was the large desk standing out in the floor, on which was a small writing desk made from a fragment of a vessel belonging to the Spanish Armada, and back of it, a little to one side, as if the owner had just risen from it. Sir Walter's chair. Over the mantel hung a fine engraving entitled, " Pil grimage to Canterbury," and Sir Walter's barometer and 112 BOHEMIAN DAYS. purse, while on it was a china fruit-dish, a model of the Duke of Wellington's statue at Dublin, and other small articles. The wralls are literally lined with books, and next the outside is a little gate to the stairs, leading to a small railed-in gallery around the room, from which the poet could reach conveniently the upper tiers of books. At the further extremity we saw the small door leading into his private sleeping apartments. Books ! books ! a land of books ! — a world of water and not a drop to drink, even by the thirstiest, for the guide is suspicious of the general public of which we are units, and hastens us on. Units are not always mathematically correct, sometimes get out of place ; he has had experience with them. Occasionally we scatter a little and have to be added up ag^in. How strange, how unnatural it seems, for us — for any strangers to be thus gazing upon his treasures and articles of home use (even his clothing) while the Master is away. Will he not enter? does he not know? It is akin to sacrilege. Here he worked away in silence while his clock ticked away the minutes, the hours of his busy life. He rose to consult some authority, and Maida followed him — to lie again at his feet as with satisfied smile he returned to his task. A friend enters, and with half preoccupied face, but kindly greeting. Sir Walter takes him within this tiny reception-room adjoining, for a few minutes' confi dential talk, then returns to exhibit some new treasure of historic interest, and the friend looks around at the twenty thousand volumes, the great unwieldy but handsome oaken desk which had to be put together in the room, the beauti ful ceiling, the chairs from Rome, or those worked by the Poet's daughters, and the many pictures and encased curi osities, and he thinks what a happy man is this, so sur rounded not only by the halo of fame, but by beauty and happiness. He is gone, and alone the writer sits working busily, and on his brow are care and anxiety, for he is haunted by the spectre of debt. But we must "move on," there is not time to dream among the armor, the pictures, the relics, and looking through the dining-room window we see the fig- STIRLIMG CASTLE, SOOTIAND. (See page 65.) ABBOTSFORD. (See page 113.) MEL R OSE—ABBO TSFORD— NE WCASTLE. 1 1 3 ure in stone of the faithful Maida, over the spot where she lies buried. The daughter of Sir Walter lives in a part of the mansion not open to sight-seers. From the opposite side of the Tweed there is a beautiful view of Abbotsford; this fine stone residence built by the Poet in imitation of Melrose Abbey, Roslin Chapel, Edin burgh Old Tolbooth, Linlithgow Palace and Holyrood, and the interesting surroundings which are so well de picted in some of his novels, especially " The Monastery." There are two other points of great interest in the neigh borhood — Dryburgh Abbey, three and a half miles south of Abbotsford, where rest the remains of the Poet, in Saint Mary's Aisle, a beautiful remnant of the ancient structure; and " fair Melrose," which, unfortunately, we could not "view aright," having no "pale moonlight," but a very weakly, watery daylight that made it seem sad, but not so sentimentally lovely. As we stood within the storied pile looking at the great columns and arches, at window tra ceries, and softly curtaining ivy, at the grave of " Michael Scott" the Magician, and recalled historic and poetic legends — a voice (not from the dead) came suddenly upon mine ear — " Buy some photographs?" We bought some, and then viewed the ruins from vari ous points as enthusiastically as any one well could — damply, and interruptedly. The old and the new, poetry and prose, how they go hand in hand ; beautiful ruins, and very much otherwise cab-drivers — which shall hold possession of the tourist's mind, soul and attention? The men make so much more noise that they monopolize you more or less for the time, but with an effort you exercise them every time, and, with a sigh of determination, quietly march forward to your destination. After all, they are merely unpleasant episodes. Upon the memory is imprinted, often in colors more highly tinted by the imagination, pictures of beauty which through life — it may be in eternity — shall rise as visions of delight to please a retrospective hour. Through a rolling, rather uninteresting country we hastened past a Roman station where archsologists were 114 BOHEMIAN DAYS. excavating among pottery, and various other remains, and on to the Coal Capital — Newcastle. Entering the smoky city we passed the great Armstrong Gun factory which seemed to extend half a mile along the track, and crossed a river, but it was too dark to see much. "A beautiful river — the Tyne," said a gentleman. "New castle has some large establishments besides Armstrong's — Stephenson's great Locomotive Works, for instance. Our population? 165,000, they say." " Balmy sleep " (in a particularly pleasant hotel, cen trally located) prepared us for a matutinal promenade be fore breakfast, when we spent a few minutes in the very old Cathedral with ancient tombs and painted windows, curious pulpit and reading desk. " How cold it is," said Max, shivering, " damp like a cellar," and he put on his hat. In a few moments a grave and pompous sexton stepped up. " Please to remove your hat ! " in a loud whisper, with a wave upward. "Too cold here," Max remarked to me, " come!" Not far away we found the old castle in good pres ervation, some houses very antiquated, and narrow paved courts and passways. Then we walked along the wide modern streets with large buihdings having great plate-glass windows. Rather a contrast. The poor old lame man in his rags, picking his way along the narrow alley, and the weak-eyed child playing in the gutter by its low-browed, squalid mother, did not seem to be of the same race as the round-faced florid banker who stepped proudly into his carriage. We had not much time for Political Economy (though we had use for some other kinds), but pondered the thought whether any of Henry George's ideas were simmering in sonrie of the smile-less-faced denizens traveling from highway to byway with a load that death only should hft from their shoulders, of poverty, grinding poverty. From coaly Newcastle we steamed past river, burn, and ¦ great meadows roamed over by fine, sleek cattle, or snowy sheep; by old villages of clustered cottages with red-tile MELROSE— ABBOTSFORD— NEWCASTLE. 1 1 5 roofs around a central spire ; by wooded hills covered by the oak, willow, birch and ash ; by coal-pits, and slow-mov ing heavy-loaded trains; then a lowland grazing country with blue hills in the distance. After perhaps an hour we saw to our left two sharp hills, the one crowned with the Castle, the other by the beautiful Cathedral, of Durham. How we regretted to pass without a nearer view, but we were bound for the warm zone, and must not tarry too long by the way and a little beyond was York with its re nowned Minster. "York ! " . . . "York ! " . . . "York ! " called the guard, looking into the several carriages, and we alighted in a large depot, and leaving our baggage in check hastened out to feast our eyes on that of which we had been dream ing. If one cannot ask questions he is not much of a Bo hemian, and will waste a great deal of time. We occa sionally did — both. Time is a splendid thing. So is sys tem — but not too much of it. How could one systemati cally wander? he would soon become a mere mathematical figure — or cipher. After a few notes of admiration on the noble Gothic Minster we entered by a door which seemed dispropor tionately small, and in another moment were gradually ab sorbing a feeling of the sublime as we gazed upward from pillar to arch, at magnificent painted windows of varied de sign and date, at choir and transept. " The east window is very fine — seventy-five by thirty-two feet," said a gruff voice. " We go now if you are ready — party made up for crypt and chapter." We paid our shillings, were ushered through the great iron gates, and locked in. I I have an unreasonable, unreasoning feeling against being locked in. Being locked out makes me feel rebel lious, but to be locked in suggests a troup of hideous unformed horrors; probably the effect of some ancestor having languished in chains at an epoch unknown. Entering the Chapter House we were amused at the curious little gargoyles, so many faces carved in wood, and no two alike. A great carved chest contained the priests'. 1 1 6 B OH EM I AN DA YS. robes. The Crypt was chiefly interesting from the remains of architecture of three eras plainly distinct, that of the Saxon in the seventh century, the foundation, looking like crossed sticks, the next the Decorated Gothic, when the Minster was erected, principally (in ii 71) and third the Perpendicular Gothic of three centuries later, when it was completed. "How high is the roof? " Max inquired, on our return. " One hundred feet, and five hundred feet long," was the reply, "and the Lantern tower is two hundred and thirty- five." Several persons appeared from a small door in the wall and others, who had been waiting, advanced towards it. " Shall we take the climb ? " Max said, dubiously. " I sup pose it will not be very difficult." " We should have a good view of the city." We climbed. We continued climbing. " This is as bad as a Turkish bath ! " Max puffed out, a few feet below me, " I must rest." I was sitting on a step at the time. " Will you please go on ? " came a voice from the lower regions, " we are all waiting." An open doorway and a walk along a covered passage on the leads, where we let the hasteful ones pass us, in at another door, then up and up again, and when at last we came out on an open roof Max could hardly breathe, and sank onto a projection, his face a purplish scarlet. He shared my alarm, I could see. " Pulse — 140," he gasped out, " 269 steps." For a while I forgot that we had come to see the view, then became interested, only to find it mostly obscured by a fine drizzling rain. Still we could see something of St. Mary's Abbey, and Museum, the former very old and with remains of Roman, Saxon and Norman building; the Museum, a fifty year old Doric structure, said to contain many interestirg fossils; and the city walls, and country. Of York Castle we had a nearer view after lunching in the parlor of a small restaurant on a narrow street. I was amused in reading of these streets a remark of a York citizen of a century or two ago. MELROSE— ABBO TSFORD— NEWCASTLE. 1x7 " Why, sir," said a visitor, " your streets are the nar rowest in Europe ; there is not actually room for two car riages to pass." "Not room !" was the indignant reply; "there's plenty of room, sir, and above an inch and a half to spare !" And many streets are as wide now. The Castle is only used as a prison. Clifford's Tower stands on a high hill or mound, the only one about the city, undismantled by the Citizen Army of 1644. The Multangular Tower has a Roman foundation and up for some distance on it are ashlar stones, and large Roman tiles. It is supposed to have been built by Severus. We saw Micklegate and Bootham Bars (great gateways) and took a walk on the wall, coming down at the depot just in good time for our train, and Max handing a good- natured guard a sixpence, we were given a compartment to ourselves on "the Parliamentary," a fast train which stops at none of the minor stations. We passed through a flat country, with fields of turnips, grain in shock, or meadows where, on the rich green grass, were grazing great numbers of horses, cows and sheep, and houses of red brick, with still brighter red-tile roofs, which formed quite a contrast to the green foliage of trees and grass, and yellow straw-stacks. Men in white smocks were plowing with strong, broad-chested horses beyond the green hedges whose red gates were ready to give them exit, for the work-day was about over. 'We passed Doncaster, famous for its horse-racing, where is conspicuous a Cathedral ; then a large windmill, a shal low, sluggish stream where water-lilies grew in profusion, and over its small stone bridge an old couple driving a cow, all three stopping to look curiously at us. Then came Scrooby, whence the Pilgrims of Plymouth started on their fateful search for a peaceful home in the New World; Retford, smoky from many manufactories, and Newark with its Cathedral, and Castle, where the unfortu nate misguided John surrendered up his poor life ; where also Cardinal 'Wolsey held Court. Just as we reached Grantham I was shocked to see a man near me pull at his throat, and with his eyes fixed upon me as I turned, give a ghastly grin, and grit his teeth. 1 1 8 B OH EM I AN DA YS. I was really frightened; even Max was uneasy. " Let's get out here — shall we ? — run up to London by daylight — in the morning ? " to which I gladly agreed, and grasped our belongings, helter-skelter, for it was a new idea, and hats and cloaks were off. Down went a book on the stones, the train was moving — no matter. A guard, though evidently surprised at our sudden advent, assisted in picking up our various properties, we put on our hats and coats, and ceased to be objects of special interest, except to omnibus and hackmen, who left us with regret. " Ha ! ha !' we laughed, " are we going to have our lit tle amusements and meanderings spoiled by conventional methods and people ? " We thought not. " But our valises ? " I suggested. "Oh, they'll take care of them when they reach London — lock 'em up somewhere — they'll be all right. Never saw so much care taken of baggage; no checks either." " What a high spire on that pretty church !" " Authorities say 273 feet. But, look here, moon is shining, it's getting night; where shall we put up? This is the principal street, I should say, though narrow and ill- lighted." " See that walking party," I whispered, touching his arm ; " they got off the train when we did — let's see where they go." The four ladies and one gentleman, with small carpet bags or shawl-straps, wandered along irregularly, asking questions from passers-by, and in stores. " I'll ask about a good place in this drug store," as we reached a window with bright colored lights. " The ' Angel Hotel ' " — he said, coming out. " O no ! " I said, " don't say a hotel ! — I want so to go to one of those delightful little inns we read about — a real old-fashioned English inn, you know." " Well then, the 'Red Lion ' is good and comfortable I am told." We were walking up street in the dusk. " There is the ' Angel ' over on the opposite side. What a pretty mediaeval sort of place, overhanging ivied win dows." " You are tempted? " MELROSE— ABBOTSFORD— NEW VASTLE. 119 " No indeed ! it looks too gorgeous. Simplicity, my child, is what I seek, and a ' Red Lion,' and there it is." We were not disappointed either in hostess or rooms. In a little parlor our meals were cosily arranged, and of the very best, and the bed-room with its snowy linen and bed of down led to speedy forgetfulness even of the crazy man I had left on the train. We took an evening walk, and one also in the morning, buying delicious fruit, and experience, and looking at the other lions. Grantham has a good townhall, a small public garden, and a statue of Newton, who here received his early educa tion. We heard of things they used to have — monks and lepe/s and Romans, an old cross and fortifications and so on, but as all had been done away long ago, we could as easily read of them at home ; however, the Angel Hotel was interesting as having been the Preceptory of the Knights Templar in the palmy Middle Ages. I wonder what the ancient Egyptians considered as middle-age. The morning of the 30th of September opened but one eye, and that was weeping in consequence of a cold eastwind, but as we had set out to have a good time, such a small item could not discourage us. Indeed, it would have seemed strange not to have rain or fog, we had become so accustomed to these atmospheric condi tions, in this fruitful and a vegetable-full land whose bloom ing gardens we enjoyed, as we hastened towards London on the " Flying Scotsman." Three fair young sisters occupied a part of our compart ment, busily crocheting, with heads bent forward, and eyes fixed. " This work helps to pass the time, does it not. Sister ? " said one, with a languid smile. " I have been several times over the road," another re marked with an air of its being quite an*old thing now, and nothing worth looking at outside. A kitten in a basket under the seat created a diversion by insisting on coming out, and loudly complained of ill-usage. Finally, like a noisy politician, it gained the ear of the public, and its sphere was enlarged, much to the delight of a little crippled child whose pale and sickly face wore a wan smile as her hand wandered over the silky coat of the Persian pet. 120 BOHEMIAN DAYS. Was this the mother on whose arm she leaned? the eyes were kind, but no mother-love was in them. An aunt ? I sat studying on the case, when the woman, quite a lady-like person, noticing my interest, volunteered the information that she was a "professional nurse engaged to take the child up to London. No, the mother is not dead, but has other children." It seemed as a matter of course to the quiet, grey-eyed nurse that the little one should come with a stranger to un dergo some painful operation at a surgeon's hands. I remembered an article I had read, and disbelieved, on the lack of parental love in England compared with America, the early sending away of little children to board ing-schools being cited as both instance and cause. They " became accustomed to doing without their children, felt them rather in the way when at home, and saw them leave for foreign lands as colonists with little regret." This was overdrawn, I knew. " Cromwell's birthplace," said a voice; then after a time — "An old encampment of the Romans," and again, "The Battle-ground of Birnett " — all classic ground here. At Hornsey the poet Rogers lies buried. "What great building is that?" Max enquired, as we crossed the Viaduct. " Alexandra Palace, rebuilt in 1 874. The poet Moore used to live near there. — That's Colney-Hatch Asylum to the left." CHAPTER XIV. LONDON WESTMINSTER ABBEY ST. PAUL's NATIONAL GAL LERY^ — MUSEUMS TEMPLE CHURCH LONDON STREETS — THE INVENTIONS. From a tunnel the train rushed into King's Cross Sta tion. " Yes," the baggage was in the baggage-room, so there it was left until headquarters could be determined upon. After various vicissitudes in the incessant rain, among them an exploration of the British Museum, with a LONDON: ITS EDIFICES AND STREETS. 121 faint hope of brighter skies when we should emerge — des tined to be disappointed, we went to Russel Square, where a friend was boarding, but the room necessary was not there, so Max left me to have a talk with my dear old Teacher, whom I had seen in Edinboro', coming back in an hour, triumphant; — our lodging was ready! What a fine thing it is to be a man, and have "faculty" too. Here was he a stranger in the great City, in an incredibly short time mastering the ins and outs of streets and squares — well, we did make some wrong turns to be sure, but found our way all right, ultimately, — he first leading the way to some inferior lodgings, to make those he had en gaged seem the most desirable ! and soon it was almost like home, with books, sweets and reminiscences before the bright fire — after (lining at a restaurant a half-square distant, on Tottenham-Court-Road^ — we spenta very enjoy able evening laughing at the little inconveniences experi enced, and planning future campaigns. " How about your London friends ? " quoth Max, turn ing his book face downward on the table, and possessing himself of a piece of " barley sugar " — a very innocent kind of candy I had enjoyed in babyhood and wished to partake of once more. " I have already sent three announcements of our august arrival." " In what way ? '' " By post." " You'll see some of them, perhaps, in a few days." To which he received no verbal answer, and a grimace goes for nothing. I would advise any one troubled with sleeplessness to try a trip like ours ; if blessed with a good conscience (!) there is little doubt of his being a possessor of infantile slumber in a short time, far better than the blood of the poppy or grape, or a hop pillow — or even a two-hours monotonously- read doctrinal sermon ; and when awake how very wide awake, ready for any new brain sensation, whether of eye or ear. Hastily, at odd times, I scratched down a few lines of " Sir Godfrey," or wrote a short letter to the absent — Sir Godfrey will take his own time when not too unwelcome. 122 B OHEMIAN DA YS. " Breakfast at home ? " said Max that first morning, " you laid in a supply last night." " Yes, and isn't it convenient ? The milk people keep so many other things, and there are all kind of shops around the corner — bakeries that will cook chickens or any thing you wish ; and the landlady does the ordering of the servants, and scolding — isn't it splendid ? " "Very," Max replied, rather dryly, '* especially the scold- mg. The servant entered. " Beg pardon, ma'am — shall I take things away, please, 'm ? — and do you please to lunch at home ? " " I am going out directly," Max said to me — " shall not be back till night, probably. It is raining — I suppose you will not be going out ? " " We shall be out," I said to the girl. " Yes, ma'am — thank'y, ma'am." This looks lively enough on paper, because you cannot see the air of resigned dejection which accompanied it all. Her very hair, of no special color, hung dejectedand weak behind her ears ; the nose, tip-tilted, seemed entering a fee ble protest, but a greater amount of meekness and resigna tion I never saw in any eyelid. The door-bell rang. " Well, I must be going," said Max, laying aside his morning paper. " To call on your medical brethren ? " "Some of them, and a Hospital or two, I hope. Perhaps some of your " — Rap ! rap ! " Beg pardon — some one to see you, ma'am, please — a gentleman, ma'am." She disappeared with a little courtesy, and — in walked my uncle, who had wasted no time, indeed, after learning of our arrival. A few hours after came one of the dearest of elderly cousins from Kingston, and on entering the house afl:er a second stroll among the carefully gathered treasures of the British Museum I found cards from yet others. " Didn't I say you'd hear from them in a few hours?" quoth Max that evening, as with a sigh of satisfaction he LONDON: ITS EDIFICES AND STREETS. 123 sat down to our late dinner. " Such a day! " he continued, not waiting for an answer, while a slow smile curled the ends of his gray mustache. " When it wasn't drizzling, it was raining, a quiet kind of dampness that slowly seeped through your clothing where the waterproof wasn't present. Is this the kind of climate they have all the time ? ' Pleasant people ? ' Yes, I met several to-day. Talk about the Eng lish being stuck-up and hard to get at ! It's all nonsense, I never met more genial, hearty people than these London physicians." " Perhaps your having introductions might make some difference." " Everything makes a difference, of course ; it's hard to draw the line anywhere. For instance, to know just how glad B. would appear to make my acquaintance if A. (who happens to be a good friend of his) had not introduced us ; and if he did not seem glad to see me — after all, the sad cast of his countenance might be entirely owing to an at tack of indigestion. Fancy what might have been a warm friendship nipped in the bud by a toothache ! " We laughed. I am sorry for people who cannot laugh. " I think I've walked about ten miles. Saw the Parlia ment Houses and Westminister Abbey, St. Paul's and — what is that tall monument for ? " " It shows where the great fire of London was stopped in 1665 — or 6, I've forgotten which ; after the plague, you know." " Around St. Paul's I went into a number of old streets and courts — saw such old-fashioned houses with small win dows with minute panes of glass set in lead — some had been fine in their day, but run down now — tenements, I suppose. Passed an old court house down town where men were going in and out with white wigs on, arid long black-silk gowns that trailed along behind them as they hurried along attended by some satellites holding bags. Some one was kind enough to tell me they were noted barristers — Q. C.'s, and that they were higher in the scale than attorneys, who only work up a case, and have the barrister to conduct it." "And you ' tipped ' the man for his information ? " " I hardly knew what to do at first, he looked so respect able, but in moving my hand towards my pocket his hand 124 BOHEMIAN DAYS. ' came into such convenient proximity that I put therein a sixpence. It seemed to go kind of accidentally into his own pocket, but I heard a repetition of the everlasting ' Thank you ' as he turned away. I tell you this constant ' tip ' is like a leak, the money runs away, if but a little at a time ; it's a nuisance besides." " 'Which cannot be abated." " To think that in these streets so many of the noted people of whom we have read, who now rest in Westminis ter and other places, have dwelt or passed back and forth in their daily interests ! — Johnson, Addison, Shakespeare — we might fill a book with their names." Three pleasant weeks I spent in the dear old smoky, foggy, occasionally sunshiny and altogether charming city. One day we for hours walked through the low cloisters and beneath the lofty arches of Westminister Abbey, ad miring its architecture, reading historic names, visiting the Chapter to see curious old tapestry, musing in the Poet's Corner, where are the silent mementoes of so many gifted ones and rare, who still live in the noble thoughts which they have left to us, and through all the grand building the beautiful words of Coleridge echoed my own thought; " I am filled with devotion and awe ! I am lost to the actuali ties that surround me, and my whole being expands into the infinite — earth, air, nature, and art, all swell up into eternity ! " Who does not feel something of this in the sublime silence ? Yet there was truth in Max's idea of its looking over-crowded in some parts, one tomb hiding an other from view. . Very different were the hours spent in that happy prison of semi-domesticated animals from every clime — the Zoo logical Gardens ; the bears in their round den rolling around and climbing the pole begging for " biscuits " — or one or two of those fat little babies the nurse-girls hold over so temptingly — I understand they have occasionally had one; the large-throated pelicans, one of whom took a pretty little duck into his pouch as I was looking at him, but was made quickly to disgorge by an alarmed attendant, when the small creature waddled about smoothing its ruffled plumes, quacked a time or two, and jumped into the pond for a good bath, seeming none the worse for its late adventure. The LONDON: ITS EDIFICES AND STREETS. 125 eagles and lions tore their food to pieces quite as if picnick ing in their native wilds ; legions of monkeys and parrots chattered, snakes smiled forked lightning, elephants with their trunks on their heads traveled around the grounds, with camels, carrying loads of the rising generation, — and we still were youthful enough to enjoy the whole pano rama, as well as Madame Tussaud's wax-works, after wards. The Tower of London is a place of such great historic interest that I fain would have visited it again, but the dyna miter had been there and caused such damage and ill-feel ing that visitors were not for the time received, but Max afterward saw it all, and was full of the subject — the White Tower, the steps where Queen Elizabeth, then only Prin cess, sat down and refused to go further, when sent as a prisoner by her sister. Queen Mary ; the room in which Sir Walter Raleigh was so long imprisoned, and the axe and block used in his execution, and that of Queen Anne Boleyn and Lady Jane Grey, also their rooms with speci mens of their own hand-writing on the wall. Not less in teresting to him was the fine array of curiously arranged arms, and the Prince of Wales' wedding cake made of swords, depending from the ceiling of the armory. The old-fashioned dress of the " Beef-eaters " seemed to him ridiculous, but some admire the appearance of these guards of the Tower. The Crystal Palace has its own distinctive features. Then there are the museums — the South Kensington, the British, and others. We have at home fine collections, such as the Smithsonian at Washington, still the latter has no sculptured friezes from the Parthenon, and many other grand things which must always draw the scholar's attention. It is said that Greek art ma^ be studied better at the British Museum than in Greece, and one could spend a life-time there and still be learning. " The National Gallery to-day ? " said Max one Saturday morning. "Yes, on our way to Stoke Newington. Will it rain?" " The sun is shining ! " in a tone of ridicule. " Remember our Scotch experiences " — 1 26 B OHEMIAN DA YS. "0 Dolly! Dolly! this is not Scotland. Come along, don't bother with extras- — it's as clear as a bell." So forth we sallied lightly. " No, I cannot stay," he said at the great portal, "I'm due now," pulling out his watch, "at London Hospital, but I'll be back in an hour and a half" The time passed swiftly in appreciative admiration, and some disenchantment. I have not very good taste some times, and failed to go into raptures over some of the old and rare works. Perhaps it is well that our tastes differ. When I was in London several years ago I saw Holman Hunt's " Shadow of the Cross" and did not like it at all (not that it is old), while not one of Gustave Dore's failed to delight, and I could study for hours with i.nfinite pleas ure his "Christ descending from the Praetorium," but if the " Slaughter of the Innocents" had been painted by a master a thousand years " old " I should abhor it. I find that Max shows equal uncultivation, which is a comfort. So I wandered, heedless of passing hours, and was look ing at a landscape of Turner, bright but not of very decided outline, when I became conscious of the tones of a mildly- sad, middle-aged voice close to me, and a bright, laughing, youthful one making light of Sundry trials and vexations they had been experiencing. They were in from the coun try to see the Inventions Exhibition, and unaccustomed to noise and the not very cleanly appointments of the city second-class lodging, besides which the poor little widow in rusty mourning had not long been without the support of the strong arm on which she had leaned, and felt her self in constant danger of being lost. The daughter, on the contrary, was fresh and rosy, and felt quite equal to any emergency, but the ivy had not yet become accustomed to this young oak. " But Florence, dear, we shall certainly be late, and no doubt the omnibus will have been gone too ! — what shcdl we do then?" fumbling in her pocket for her handkerchief, — " and my spectacles, too — I have lost them ! Ah, my dear, your poor papa would not have laughed." Florence was sober in a moment. " I'm awfully sorry, mamma dear — I didn't mean to, but your spectacles ! — don't you know you have them on? " LONDON: ITS EDIFICES AND STREETS. 127 " Dear ! dear ! so they are," a little confused. " Look in your other pocket for the handkerchief, mamma. Don't, don't worry, we shall do grandly. Here, lean on me going down-stairs, you're tired." "Is that rain ? — and my galoshes at home ! of course I shall catch cold. Your poor, dear papa" — And I lost them in the crowd. The last item had disturbed my serenity. My " galoshes " also, and " rain-cloak " and umbrella were at home, and the rain coming in a deluge. There had been such an abun dance of rain it did not seem that much could be left, but here it was coming down as cheerfully and earnestly as if its one mission were to render the whole island a soaked sponge. I found Max in the stone portico, where groups of damp and unhappy people in various stages were waiting. But here came our omnibus just when it was wanted, and in an hour or two, my damp clothing replaced, and all necessary appurtenances on hand, or foot, I met Max at the American Exchange, and we started for a couple of days' visit to Blank House. This was a vicissitudal day, and our exper ience culminated in being so severely lost that we could hardly find ourselves, or get any one else to perform that office for us. The " Road " to which we had been directed had a namesake, and we took infinite pains to find the latter — and then were not happy. It puzzled several individuals, a policeman, a grocer, a kind woman, who paused, bottle in hand, on the way to a gin house (though she would impress it on us that she needed " winegar,") a few errand boys, and a tinner, to know how the retracing of our steps should be begun, while we stood looking. blankly at the gathering orowd and listened to the various opinions. What would they think of us at Blank House ? It was almost dinner time, and we were miles away. " If 'e tarn the nex' corner, an' " — "Taint the best way, John, an' 'ow'll 'e knaw the tarns ? " " Some one — here — you ! " cried Max to the tinner, "I'll pay you to show us the way." "Woy not take the trani-car tbeer?" said the sensible tinner, 128 BOHEMIAN DAYS. And it turned out that the "yeller" cars passing and re passing us continually would convey us to the "Angel," from which we had diverged an hour before, so untidy and very much behind time at last Max rang the gate-bell at Blank House. " We should have had a carriage," we both agreed as we stood waiting. On entering, distant sounds conveyed to us that the long waiting dinner had begun, and that there were many other guests, and our sackcloth became rougher, but kindly wel comes, merry laughter over Max's description of our tribu lations, a hasty toilet, and we were a part of a goodly com pany discussing dinner and other topics. Then followed a lively evening, of charades and other aids to enjoyment. It is a good thing, and a wise, this putting away the cares of the day with the day. John Bull's good digestion approves it, and his hearty home enjoyment, and good humor. One game amused us much : In the centre of a circle sat a person who had thought of a certain article, which the rest had to find out by judicious questioning. It did not seem possible, but beginning " Fire, air, earth or water ? " — " Is it a metal ? " — " Is it in this country ? " — " Is it in Japan ? " — and so on ad infinitum, it was found at last to be the bell on some building in Indianapolis. At another time it was the next to the last meal taken by the Emperor of China. There was music and the reading of a few choice ex tracts; there was wit and wisdom, and mirth enough to set us laughing at thought of it in days long after, which were not so joyous. The Sabbath came with its graver pleasures, the church- going in pleasant company, the evening fireside hymns. And over all and blessing all, the gentle presence of a true home-mother. Cheerfulness reigned, and yet there was an under-current of deeper feeling, for they were burdened by the weight of a dense, unhappy population, being members of various societies who were anxiously devising ways and means for elevating and healing the wounds, of body and soul, of that terrible majority — the London poor. There were consultations on the bread and blankets to be distributed, of lectures and tea-meetings, of an " old LONDON: ITS EDIFICES AND STREETS. 129 woman's " and " mother's club," where poor women who had little to pay received clothing at half price, they sup plementing her mite with their own — a means of pre serving or cultivating self-respect ; of" Orphan Asylums " and " Homes for the aged and destitute," of the " Creche " where mothers leave their little ones in good hands while they go out to labor, of " Ragged Schools " and " Reform atories." A noble work truly, and the more hopeful if we remember that these whole-souled laborers were but a type of many thousands who, while aiding others, are by every means advancing themselves in religious, intellectual, moral and physical development. Some were graduates of the London University, others interested in art and science. What wonder so many women in the British Isles remain unmarried? It does seem a pity, though, for some poor bachelors to miss having such fair home-makers. There are several " Women's Clubs " in London, — the " Alexandria," very fashionable and exclusive, the initi ation and dues amounting to two guineas, and one of more use but not so elegant — the " Summerville," where every week are given excellent lectures on a variety of subjects, which has a thousand members and is doing substantial good. One Sabbath we partially spent in Spurgeon's Taber nacle, and Max liked the services very much. Another, after wandering along the Thames Embankments and rest ing in a public garden where I fed the birds which came around my feet, we went through a gateway into the re gions of King's College. By an antiquated chapel shut in on all sides was a small garden, where around a fountain were a few flowers and a little shrubbery, the tall houses looking stonily down without even a sign of life. Where were all the people ? Meanwhile Max had passed through an ancient arch way into a narrow street, but a kind policeman (who in the first place viewed me suspiciously from a distance with remembrances of dynamite troubles freshly in his mind) was good enough to direct the way to the Temple Church, where we seemed suddenly to have stepped into times mediaeval, surrounded by stone figures of knights in armor reposing upon tombs almost evjen with the marble floor, 9 I30 BOHEMIAN DAYS. the small-paned, painted windows, and the beautiful Gothic architecture. The service was about to begin, but learning from a lady standing near that no one could take a seat without a ticket, we slowly withdrew, feeling a real regret — some of those tombs contained the ashes of my ancestors, and I would have lingered, and Max read it in my " speaking countenance," perhaps, for he shook his head half smil ing on reaching the outer air. " So many ! " he sighed, and that was all. My nice policeman showed us the way up Fleet Street, where Dr. Samuel Johnson and Isaac Walton once lived, to St. Paul's noble Cathedral, where a good sermon was delivered by some learned Canon, and the sweet singing of little, surpliced choir-boys and grand organ peal rose towards the great dome above, with its whispering gal lery, and scriptural paintings. The tower with fine library, whose wooden mosaic floor was laid without sound of hammer, and the great bell at its summ.it which announces the passing of life from royalty, we saw another day. After service there were many memorials in marble and brass of the lives and deaths of English warriors, states men and benefactors to see, and old battle-flags that had been borne through the fire of many a terrible conflict, and a tablet containing a Nation's regret, and at the same time condemning an act of gross carelessness, by which a great ship went down — silently sinking by its own dread weight, bearing near a thousand men to a watery grave. " A mis take," doubtless. The day we climbed the many steps, and came out on top of the Cathedral, turned out, like many another, too foggy to allow us an extended \iew of the city. We greatly enjoyed a lecture by the Re\'. George Mac- donald on Shakespeare's " Merchant of X'enice ; " the man ner and the matter were alike agreeable. He seemed older than I had expected, and was evidently not strong ; his long gray beard adding to the appearance of age, which lessened as the kindly light eyes, and strong but thin feat ures warmed into eloquence with his own rich thought and noble theme. At Albert Hall we heard some good concerts. LONDON: ITS EDIFICES AND STREETS. 131 From our Kingston Cousins (after a delightful visit) we went to HamJDton Court Palace, with its Maze, and great grape vine, its halls full of painting and old armor, and dining-hall containing fine old tapestry and painted win dows (alas poor Woolsey !) ; passed through Bushy Park where are thousands of tame deer and rows of great chest nut trees, and taking the train soon found ourselves at Kew Gardens, where the richness of every zone is represented in vegetable products, growing by fountains and in great glass buildings. At Kew are many residences turned into minute tea-houses, in one of which we took refreshment. The London streets are among its most interesting feat ures. They are said to be seven thousand miles long, and quite irregular. " Shall we ride in Rotten Row on horse back, or by car riage in Hyde Park ? " said Max, as we stood near Prince Albert's Memorial. " Neither, thank you, our time is too precious. How weary the people look riding around and around in their fine carriages ! " said I. " Our lives are so full of interest." I was reminded of the fact that " it was the correct thing not to appear interested in anything." The day at the Inventories was a pleasant but wearying one. We went out by omnibus. At the entrance was a crowd of people, for although the exhibition had continued for five months, interest seemed unabated, many persons attending for weeks day after day. There was much to see, and "Old London Streets," the concerts and illumi nations were especially good, holding us captive many hours. We first entered an ornamental hall, with tropical plants in groups, and then a second from which doorways opened in various directions. After our walk and ride the sight of a restaurant won us to enter, and for a shilling apiece a comfortable dinner was set before us in Duval's model dining-room, in the Exhibition Building, where the waiters were all pretty young girls in a regulation dress of black, with white apron, sleeves, collar and cap, "with a number on each silver collar pin. Max paid the waiter extra, of course, that being not only a privilege but a duty in hotels or anywhere else, no matter if charged in the bill, the very 132 BOHEMIAN DA YS. polite waiters, porters, chambermaids or boots standing ready with their blessing, waiting for yours. Many persons, rather than fall visibly in their estimation, will give what ever comes to hand. I have seen Max give double the expected donation, and I have closed my eyes from be holding the disgusted surprise of the army of bowing hangers-on when they had provoked him by determined and persistent demands and received nothing. But here (in the street once more) were little boys in uniform hastening in various directions. " Telegraph boys," said Max ; " but who are those in blue gowns, with bare heads? How queer those knee-breeches and yellow stockings look !" " They must be the Christ-Church boys — Blue-coat school, you know. See their little white ties, and standing collars, and low shoes, buckled? They look as if they en joyed life." "Belong to the 'neither poverty nor riches' class." " Thackeray was one of them, I think, and many others who grew up good citizens and honored." " Look tough. Why on earth should they dress in that fashion? — because their grandfathers did?" " Yes, two or three hundred years ago." "More uniforms — 'shine?' oh, these are veritable boot blacks. Not any just now, my boy. Why do you wear a scarlet coat and cap ? you're not a soldier." " Beg pardon — No, sir. Please, sir, we all does — got ter." " How much for a shine ? " " A penny. Sir." " Well, here's your penny anyhow." "Thank 'e, sir," and he hastened after another job. " ' Beg pardon ! ' I've heard that a thousand times since we landed," Max soliloquized — "nonsense!" There was a stoppage of vehicles, a perfect mass of them blocking the street, but in a few moments three or four policemen took hold of bridles, quietly gave orders which none dare disobey, the chaos was reduced to order, and the streams flowed on as before. These policemen are fine, tall fellows and strong, and generally polite and obliging. The "newsboys," of whom there are seven thousand, are frequently ragged little noisy fellows, disabled men, or poor LONDON: ITS EDIFICES AND STREETS. 133 women, who attract one's attention as much by their ap pearance of necessity as by their vociferousness. A tidy, but badly crippled soldier was my favorite. The ragged little girls do not impress one as being very picturesque on their street crossings, working away with stubby brooms. I have heard that Italy is the only coun try where real vagrancy of appearance is charming, yet does this " real " ever appear on canvas ? The made-up beggar is quite a different thing, I understand. " Do boys ever play here ? " Max inquired, rather irrel evantly it seemed to me, as a family group approached. " Who could ever imagine a boy running and jumping with one of those tall silk hats on ? See that one ! he has a world of dignity in his neck, but I bet it's only the hat. Only one person near here looks stiffer — the footman by that carriage." "More dignified and consequential than his master, but I suppose he can do as he pleases more, knowing that this fine creature will support the family honor. As for the boys, they play at home with common hats or caps on, no doubt, or none at all, just as you used to. There's a cos- termonger with his vegetables, down that side street, and a 'cats'-meat-man,' and see this Italian with his great tray of images. That young 'old-man — or old young-man who just passed is a bank clerk — there's the banker in his car riage" — " How do you know?" quoth Max. " What is life without imagination ? " " Prose, perhaps, but it is certainly time for dinner, and here comes the rain-^like the poor, it is always with us — jump into this omnibus." We were on the Strand amid a perfect swarm of ve hicles, then came to Charring Cross and the National Gallery, silent enough now, and as the rain poured down our 'bus became thoroughly filled with damp people, so that we were very glad to cross Oxford Street and go rattling up Tottenham-Court- Road. It is strange what a feeling of home one has after staying in a place for a short time. "But to-morrow!" said Max. It had been arranged that five of us cousins in London should go to the house of another (or a half dozen others) 134 BOHEMIAN DAYS. in Bristol, for a visit, and to attend the great Musical Fes tival, while Max remained with his doctors and hospitals, seeming therewith more than content, tho' I had an intrud ing, troublesome little fear that he would not be taken good care of, and these large men are seldom able to take care of themselves. CHAPTER XV. BRISTOL. — THE MUSICAL FESTIVAL. — THE FOREST. The morning of the 19th of October dawned mistily, but who thinks of putting off a journey because of the weather? — now if it were going to church ! that is quite a different affair. So here we were dashing, splashing through the sloppy streets (at least the carriage was) gaily welcoming our friends in the compartment we had reserved, and hurry ing Express to the West. Only one thing specially inter ested me by the way, the curious, large white horse on the hillside, of which Thomas Hughes, Esq., gives such a good description in his introduction to " Rugby." The turf is kept cut away from the light, rocky soil, and the figure can be seen for a long distance. On reaching the station at Bristol we found the entrance blocked by great numbers of vehicles, for \'isitors were flocking from all directions to the Festival, but that of our kind entertainers was soon at hand, and another engaged, for our transfer. Such a welcome, and such entertainment, was enough to make a Bohemian weep at the thought of again going out into the cold, every-day world. We had the pleasure of hearing some of the finest singers of the day, such as Albani, Santly, Joseph Maas, Lloyd, Madam Patey, most of them in an oratorio, of which I am very fond, " Elijah." One or two cousins pronounced Albani's trilling " horri ble " (I fear one said " beastly "). It lasted so long, indeed that I found myself becoming breathless in the endeavor to assist her, but I was flying on the wings of high art, and enjoyed it all exceedingly. There was something inspirit- LONDON: ITS EDIFICES AND STREETS. 135 ing — inspiring — in the very atmosphere. I wanted to pour out my own soul in song, but several things were against this, such as time and place, and the unpourableness of the unknown quantity just mentioned. People cry out against the lengthy, English late dinners, but they do not seem to appreciably shorten the average citizen's life, and are, when not too ceremonious, very agree able, as well as grand affairs. There is so much wit and real good fellowship — conviviality if you will, for good food improves a hungry man's (or woman's) brain as well as bodily nature, and is a stimulant to both, and brilliant thoughts of others as they scintillate draw forth our own latent brightness. One cousin was a capital story-teller and also propounded some wonderful riddles, which all could try to guess, and recall more of the same kind, and many a witty saying, story, and repartee enlivened the hour. There is much said of the great use of intoxicants or stim ulants in England. In the private houses where I visited they could be had by any one desiring, to be sure, but were not generally used. I think that public sentiment is chang ing in this regard, although we were certainly shocked when at hotels by the amount consumed. So we dined, and drove around town, visited other cousins and dined with them, and were filled with music, and loving kindness and feasting, and at the week's end (October 24), left the fair twin cities, Bristol and Clifton, the great suspension bridge, old St. Mary Red-Cliffe Church, and pleasant friends, and were whirled away over the Severn and up the Wye to a town in a most wonderful and interesting region. The Forest of Dean was in the days of Edward the Con fessor (1042), a Royal Forest, and is mentioned in Dooms day Book as furnishing iron to the Crown. The people, called Free Foresters, were peculiar in many respects, had their own laws, elected representatives who met at " The Speec^^ House," and their rights all were bound to respect. It was a little Republic within a Kingdom. The idea that it is a vast forest with occasional clearings, and perhaps a village or two, is a great mistake, for most of it is under cultivation, and many miles are almost bare of trees, with an occasional young plantation carefully guarded, 136 BOHEMIAN DAYS. Here and there are chimneys of the collieries, and near them the iron mines, and as the evening draws on you meet groups of men, women and children deep colored in skin and clothing, black or red, wending their weary way home after the hard day's work. They live mostly in villages, as do the agricultural laborers, and their tiny cottages are bright with flowers and vines. There are fine residences, and gardens, neatly hedged fields, where graze fine cattle and sheep, and a dozen noble old abbeys and castles, ivy- crowned, half hidden in parks, kept up by their owners for the revenue received from strangers. Towns are growing up where once the Romans camped, and had their serfs to weld iron for their implements. One of their splendidly built roads remains, and great banks of cinders, and a dyke running to the North. The country is beautifully diversified, with great cliffs of rock overhanging the River Wye, with gently sloping hills, deep forest shades, and curious gorges where the sun sel dom enters. We passed a halfdozen prosperous villages with churches and stores, but, alas ! so many dram shops. I find that in hiring workers of either sex it is "so much and beer" as a regular thing, and fighting and wife-beating are not uncom mon, as may be supposed where the workman's evening is generally spent in the bar-room. Among the higher classes there are delightful homes, and all comforts imaginable. I do not think that in any country "home" means quite so much. The Englishman loves his fireside — when peace and plenty preside. Meanwhile I was steaming over the great Severn bridge into this once mysterious region to the little new depot at Coleford, where I alighted and, looking around, found myself outside the town, within a newly walled-in space, resembling with its half-worn grass an antiquated Brussels carpet, but the railroad furnishing was evidently new, and on a small scale. A coachman in livery stepped forward with head bare, smiling as he bowed respectfully. " Is this Ballinger?" I inquired. The real pleasure visible on his face, as well as a vague remembrance of his features seen years ago, assured me of |;he fact. LONDON: ITS EDIFICES AND STREETS. 137 . " The carriage is waiting, Ma'am," he said in a low tone. " Mistress will be so glad to see you. Ma'am." My darling Auntie ! was I so near her ? Ballinger was a little surprised, but more gratified, that I shook his hand. " We all are glad. Ma'am," he said simply and earnestly. This was the beginning of what seemed a home-coming, indeed. As we drove rapidly through the streets, and then up the hill, kindly faces appeared, with respectful recognition. How well I remember this hill when the double-gorse hedge above the wall was a mass of golden blossoms, the laurels beyond, and the tall forest trees which so carefully hid the beautiful lawns, serpentine walks, and flower gar dens^ of " The Coombs." We turned with the rounding wall, passed inside the great iron gate, which clanged be hind us, and up the wide, winding gravel drive. Ah, nearer, nearer to the sweet mother-heart waiting not far away — how long every moment seemed ! The house was a light-stone Italian villa with stone pil lared portico, and four-storied tower. I entered the wide stone hall — there up on the second-story wall was the fa miliar coat of arms. Should I mount the stone stairs ? — The breakfast-parlor door opened and — I was at home ! Those days of sweet communion are sacred, for one of those who made them bright and joyous is now an angel. In the early morning I visited the horses, one of whom, Marquis, a great bay, showed recognition and pleasure ; wandered down the " serpentine walk " to the " forest corner," where stood great trees, and ferns and wild flowers freely grew ; then past the semicircular end of the drawing-room, near which was a profusion of varied moss-^oses, and passed the great dining-room and my favorite tree-rose the "gloire- de Dijon." How bright and velvety the large lawn, near the centre of which stood the lofty deodar like a huge green fountain. Here I looked around me, at the hills opposite where the land sloped gently, the cottages, and farms, and a few villas near the town, to my right a field or lawn, on which were browsing a few fine cows, back of that a line of high oaks and elms, and to the left the conserva tories and a line of variegated laurels, 138 BOHEMIAN DAYS. The winding path led me out of sight from the house,, and I soon was within a circle of rare evergreens. This was the rose-garden, my favorite haunt of old. In the centre, which sloped a little from all directions, lay the pond, whereon were lily pads, and various foreign water- plants growing over and between the rocks; and around this, separated by gravel paths, row upon row of exquisite roses, while next the shrubbery grew various foliage plants, feathery Pampas-grass and groups of the modest, graceful little lily-of-the-valley. I heard the plash of water, and following a labyrinthine path through the encircling trees came out upon still another garden, with water falling into a bronze basin surrounded by a mass of scarlet and white geraniums. There were other walks, and hidden paths, and seats in unexpected nooks, where one might rest and dream. Sometimes in the breakfast- parlor, sometimes in the boudoir up-stairs, I wrote, and mused, and, forgetting the busy world far away, within this shadow of peace the three weeks passed all too swiftly. " We must go," said Max's letter, and I awoke and found half of November gone. Poor fellow, he was so obscured by London fogs that he mistook day for night, and slept the hours away that he should have spent in seeing some delightful " operation." But what would be the use of perambulating the streets with a lantern ? In Gloucestershire there had been a few showers, but generally the atmosphere was clear, and sky a bright blue. Quite a contrast. We could not have had those lovely drives to the Wynd Cliff, to Newland Church, and into the Forest if shut in by fog. Almost as soon as his letter Max came for me, but was made so welcome that we tarried yet a few days. The morning of November 16 was clear and frosty, the grass and weeds shining like diamonds, the particles of ice crisply crushing under our feet as we climbed the steep hill on the old Roman road which led us to the " Speech House." We had left the little train which so eagerly puffed, and pulled us around almost impossible angles, and along on the edge of dangerous-looking gorges, backed up tg LONDON : ITS EDIFICES AND STREETS 139 small towns with fancy names, such as Milkwall and Park- end, and finally left us at the aforesaid road. We were excurting. " There is a large coal mine," said I. " See the great boxes they draw up. Let us go into the mine." "A thousand feet down perhaps ? No, thank you ! — You may if you like," generously. Of course this was unworthy a reply. " How old do you suppose these great chestnut trees are ? " I asked, almost out of breath, for the air was keen. " O, about a thousand years, I guess. — Not old enough for the Romans, if that is what you are thinking about." " Perhaps William the Conqueror was just here, between these trees, when he had his bad news — " But Max drew ahead in the climb, calling back, " There is the Speech House, I suppose." There was no sign of other habitation in the neighbor hood, so the idea seemed reasonable, but (on the side we approached) it had been so modernized that if the Free Forester from that old tomb in Newland Churchyard should return to-day, the probability is that he would not recognize it as the same. The house was enlivened by large, modern glass win dows, and we found within all the comforts of a first-class hotel, but the old Hall in which the Foresters met remains much the same as in King Charles' time, and the old slippers found under a floor would indicate that beauty as well as chivalry had here congregated to trip away the " wee sma' hours " in the days " lang syne." The perfect quietude was very delightful. " I should like to stay a week ! " said I, leaning back in a comfortable chair. " Such a lovely view, so few guests now." " Yet to-morrow is set for our leaving the country. I wonder how we can get across to that castle — what's-its- name?" "St. Briavels?" (Brevels.) "Yes, and then toTintern Abbey — anywhere el.se?" Here the proprietor came in, gave us all the necessary information, and ordered out a two-horse open carriage, in which we embarked and had a fine view of a picturesquely 140 BOHEMIAN DA YS. broken country when not trying to shield ourselves from the piercing wind, followed by a heavy shower, which caught us shortly before reaching St. Briavels. This curious old castle is in a village which we drove through quickly, for our time was short. We did not see the old building until directed, then came suddenly on it round a corner. Max jumped out and asked admittance, and took a glance around, thinking at first that the ruins were hardly safe ; then hastened back, calling for me to run, as the rain was descending in a continuous stream. Crossing a stone bridge over the moat, we entered at a broken wooden door. On each side of the stone-paved entrance were doors into the towers, and beyond this an open court, half-filled with rubbish, and steps leading up into a ruined chapel and dining-hall, which owed their very existence to " restora tion." Coming down these steps again we entered a room with an irregular floor of large stones, occupied by an old woman who used several rooms in the twin towers, which were still in pretty good preservation. This first one was the old kitchen with a large fire-place nine feet wide, whose iron plate bore the arms of Queen Elizabeth, and hanging high up on the wall was the old dog-wheel in which the little "turn-spit" was wont to run when assisting at the cooking of the family roasts. This castle, built by the Earl of Hereford early in the 1 2th century, is near the summit of a high hill from which there is a grand view. It is of old red sandstone, and the walls, nine feet thick, were expected to assist in protecting the inhabitants against the incursions of the Welsh. For cen turies the Miners' Court was held here, and debtors impris oned only a half century ago. The old custodian was very pleasant and loquacious, and we might have heard some interesting stories of the past, but the voice of the driver was heard, " Nearly train time." The two miles, drive down the hill to Bigswear station was a swift one, with occasional pull-ups. We were between hawthorn hedges, and the thrush, robin, and finches sang gaily in the trees as we passed. Before us and below lay the beautiful Wye Valley, with the stream winding back and forth, with here a bridge, aad Y1RK MTNSTrR (S( p pngP 11 ) ST BRI VM 1 s CASTI E ON THE BORDER OP -WALES, (See page 140.) LONDON: ITS EDIFICES AND STREETS. 141 there a hamlet, while beyond the green meadows were hills as high as the one we were descending, at whose feet, along the even roads, were many fine residences. Fortunately the train delayed a little its arrival at Big- swear station, it being the last we could take and return to Coleford the same night. Tintern station is three-fourths of a mile from the Abbey, but having been so long in a cramped position we set off for a lively walk. Max was hungry — so was I — hotels were abundant — altogether a happy state of affairs. We had a good lunch at the Royal George and walked on to the noted ruin. As we drew near there was little to arouse either enthu siasm or reverence, for small common buildings obscured our view of the Abbey, several of them tea-houses, et al., but on passing the low wall and entering the portal every one must be impressed by the magnificent proportions of the beautiful Gothic edifice, the long nave with high clus tered columns supporting grand arches, the rich tracery of the windows, and the height of the walls, around which shone the bright green ivy, while above was the canopy of the blue heavens, and beneath the damp turf which covers the dust of the departed monks. There was a solemn silence, which could almost be felt, a shadow of the dead years and of pulseless hearts. Max does not deal in shadows (which is a good thing for me), but he seemed more than usually pleased, and we thoroughly enjoyed our tour of investigation, climbed the circular tower to the top of the wall, entered the hospjtium and refectory, searched among the debris for some minute remnant, and viewed the encaustic tiles in the South'-aisle, where a strong iron railing prevented intrjisive hands from surreptitiously appropriating a single relic. We were told by the custodian that all things found must be left with her. This present building was erected by Roger de Bigod, Earl of Norfolk, in eighteen years, commencing in 1269. The cloisters were hardly completed when the Abbey was dissolved in 1537. On the high hill above Tintern is a small church built before the Abbey, before which, we were told, the old 142 B OHEMIAN DA YS. monks used to sit, watching the erection of their lordly dwelling. From some of the old tombs around it the letter ing was entirely obliterated, on others were curious epi taphs, one of which I transcribed : " This 'World's a City full of busy streets, Death is the Market Place where all men meets. If hfe -were merchandise that all must buy, The rich would always live, the poor must die." There is much truth in this. The woman who acted as cicerone informed us that this tablet was in memory of her great-grandmother. Her manner was impressive. Others had been impressed, no doubt, before us. The name inscribed was Benjamin Jones. On the altar within the pretty little church was a rich crimson cloth with various devices, as a cross, a lamb, etc. The woman leaned close to us and in a loud whisper said, " I dunno how you be, but we be vary hoigh." (High church.) Her wild eyes rolled around as she shook her faded head. We said we were " not high at all." "I knowd it!" she cried joyfully. Then in the doleful whisper, "We be vary hoigh. I dunno where we be goin' to. We be goin' so vary hoigh I be afeared we'll go clean off." Then pointing to the ancient receptacle for holy water she expressed her fear that they would soon use it again, and showed us a banner the minister sometimes carried around the church. A shower on the already damp grass drove us away, but we descended the steep hill in the sunshine, after all. I paused to look at the beautiful picture of river, valley and hills, and above all the noble ruin glorified in the sun- hght, a picture painted upon my memory in unfading col ors; I thought too of the Roman urn which had been found containing charred bones and light ashes, and immediately re-interred, and wondered — I was still wondering when on turning around I found myself alone. Quietly like the dew Max had disappeared, and left " nor trace nor track behind." Silence pervaded, and invaded, I did not care enough for the view to LONDON: IIS EDIFICES AND STREETS. 143 remain longer, but quickly descended, accompanying my self with a small song, as I had no other company. Between the hedges and walls, down the rough, rocky way I has tened, but when the foot was reached still no Max was visible, and I was rapidly drawing near again to the Abbey when the delinquent came in sight, leisurely approaching. After all I found I was in the wrong for remaining so long, and then taking the left hand path. Talk of womanly independence ! I was only too glad to find him, even if I did get scolded, after passing those rough drovers, and cows with cruel looking horns. 'We rode swiftly from the Royal George to the depot, on the way receiving from the driver some information. He said that from the pretty and picturesque Tintern Church (which we were passing) a tunnel used to exist under the river Wye to the Abbey. The high hill above it was called " White Lie," but he had forgotten why, though he frowned almost enough to frighten up any idea. "Now 'haste thee — haste!'" the lady cried, for the engine came puffing by before the station was reached. How happy this being unencumbered by baggage ! we were in a compartment and away in a few moments, not appreciably injured by our double-quick movement. Up the beautiful valley we swiftly passed to where we climbed a hill to look at Troy House, but had no time to enter, then over the Monnow by the old stone bridge with its central gateway, tower, and castle close by, built imme diately after the conquest; through the narrow streets, past St. Mary's with its ancient tower, the Grammar School, and what well pleased me, " Geoffrey's Study," of which I pur chased a photograph. " Geoffrey who ? " said Max, as we walked against time. " Geoffrey of Monmouth, the Chronicler," I answered, hoping he would ask no more, as that was all I knew about it. " I wish we had time to visit Raglan Castle." " You have already seen it," said Max, in a surprised tone. " But such a fine old castle ! — and only about half an hour away from Monmouth, with dungeons, a lovely ruined Keep, and quite a number of rooms, one with a pretty window that was shattered when the old Earl of Worces- 144 BOHEMIAN DAYS. ter (I think it was) was struck by a ball. He showed no fear, tho' the Castle seemed to be coming down about his ears. — There are so many things you have not time to see, if " " We must go to-morrow. — Here's the station at last. Well, what things can I not see ? " We were seated in the train. " Well, one day we drove to Ross, a curious old place with streets so narrow that the wheels almost grazed the houses on each side, and I did not see how Ballinger could make the turns, and there is an old market-house, and near it a house with the golden legend on it, " The Man of Ross." " Who was he ?" said Max, elevating his feet. "A very good man who helped the people, fed the hun gry, and taught them all how to live well. He built the church, up on an eminence overlooking the Wye, and is buried in it. It is said that a tree has grown from his grave — grows up in the church ever so high.'' " Well, what else ? " "At Lydbrook is ' Offa's Dyke ; ' we saw it that same day. It is I lOO years old." "Offa sounds Saxon." " He was a Saxon king, you know, and by that set a boundary between the Saxons and Welsh, and if one passed it armed he lost his right hand. You did not see the Buckstone, nor Flaxley Abbey, — nor even Newland with its fine church and old monuments, and the old, old oak, nor Symonds Yat, nor the Wynd Cliff " "And never shall! Here we are at Coleford — and there is Ballinger." CHAPTER XVI. STRATFORD OXFORD THE CHANNEL. On the morning of Nov. 17th in the cold frosty air once more afloat. Various colors prevailed. The ground was white, our faces blue but not as "deeply, darkly" as the sky. STRATFORD— OXFORD— THE CHANNEL. 145 "A fine healthy morning !" cried a lusty workman, but train men and travelers looked pinched and uncomfortable without fire, for which there was no accommodation. The Severn was so cool that even the mud was in " goose-skin.'' A large vessel was gliding majestically along a canal near the river, while others lay at anchor. "How beautiful ! how I do love them!" " Just because of your early impressions, or else it is in the blood," said Max. My paternal associations had been nautical. Two miles above Lidney, on the river, lived some three centuries ago two men, noted in very different spheres, and yet with somewhat similar tastes — Sir Walter Raleigh and Sir Francis Drake. In passing through Gloucester, Cheltenham and Worces ter, we admired their noble Cathedrals, the first with taper ing spire, the last a square tower with pinnacles. Before reaching Gloucester we saw huntsmen in scarlet coats with a pack of about fifty hounds. A middle-aged lady of middle-class turned to me. "That is the meet ! " she said with sparkling eyes; " is it not fine ? " but presently added with a shake of her head, that some of the farmers did not think it very grand when these aristocratic riders trod down their growing crops. " Why surely they would not ride through a field of grain ? " She laughed. " They go along rushing Hke a whirlwind ! who is to stop them ? If the farmers cry out and take to court they re ceive allowance, but their landlords would make it pretty warm for them, and no mistake." I remarked that in America they would not be allowed to trespass in such a way. " They are free from that trouble." " Yes ! " she said, growing as glowing from chin to gray hair as if she had been a turkey, and I shaking a red rag at her, "America is free — a good deal too free in some ways ! " — A pause, but surprise had silenced me, I only looked at her. " I don't believe in all being free and on an equality! " " You mean social equality. Madam ? with us there is an aristocracy of money, brain and education." It did look a 146 BOHEMIAN DA YS. little too bad to put money first, but I heard that occasion ally it paved the way to " good society," even of a few not specially fitted for it. "Ah ? " she said, " well, I know nothing of the country but what I have read." "And people who write books must make them interest ing, even if ultra critical. It is unfair to go visiting into a family or a country and write spitefully about it, on a very superficial knowledge, too, as some do. Every person and every nation has its good traits as well as bad. There are individuals who can see nothing abroad but through the wrong end of the telescope.'' Even after all this we parted amicably. " You're an American ? " Max inquired of me as if just making my acquaintance. "Decidedly — when I meej such people." " I've heard expressions that led me to think you were English — on the other side." " Yes, I'm generally on the other side." " On the other side of the water, I was about to say when I was interrupted," with a sigh. " The noisy minority," he con tinued, musingly, " assists in preventing stagnation, and so is very useful — well, here we change cars again." We passed through a pretty, rolling country with many plowmen turning the rich brown soil, the horses being three tandem. Not much forest. Comfortable farm-houses with smaller barns than we have, generally, the hay and straw being put up in high, conical ricks. Then came a wide, fer tile valley with high hills on either side, great fields of green turnips, and others with cattle feeding, and many sheep. Then market-gardens near the town of Evesham, where the country is flat. Next the sweetly named Honeybourne. But what place is this with so many red-brick houses and — "Stratford!" called a guard. A sudden stop in a large depot, a hasty depositing of baggage, and in a {^\w moments we were out on the street leading to the sometime home of the great Shakespeare. Some call him a copyist, and one person I heard declaring a doubt of his ever having existed, but these doubts detract from one's enjoyment iu viewing places of interest. STRATFORD— OXFORD— THE CHANNEL. 147 " You would not be so credulous as to believe all the old fables you hear?" said Max. " Yes, indeed, as far as possible. Common sense will as sist judgment a little, but this sifting and doubting takes up too much time, and life is too short for it. — Bring out your lions, I will admire, and wonder at them all, and not be too critical as to the stuffing.'' " Here is the house, I suppose. I knock — who comes ? " An ancient dame, with cap and apron white, whose tongue doth run as if it were oiled, has bowed us in, and straight doth with the wonders of the place make us acquaint. We see the school-bench, all hacked by pocket knives, the chair so many times re-seated, for the visitor doth ever try to fill the place he occupied, and straight a-rhyming goes. Here are his cups and jugs, of which the dame persuades us he was overfond, and here his many pictures as divers and sundry imagined him, for every nation gave him tint of its own features or complexion. Here in a book-case are copies of the various editions of his works. The stairs we have ascended are not those he mounted to his room, for the house has been changed somewhat by after-owners who did not realize that this would ever be a place of note, and by the present possessors for the convenience of visitors and their own emolument. We left the poet's birthplace, and in a few moments were leaning on an ivied, iron fence surrounding the spot where he died. The house has disappeared, only a memory re mains. Then on a few squares further we passed into a " God's half acre " thickly sown with white tombstones shadowed by noble trees, and evergreens, around beautiful Trinity Church. From the hurry and bustle of life we stepped with awed and tender feeling within the sacred prgcincts. The sexton, who was polite and intelligent, led us to the choir, and as we looked down upon the plain stone slabs covering the poet and his family, and read his very forcible request that his bones might rest in peace (a printed copy of which lay on his grave). The sexton told us of the desire of a London doctor to disinter the remains, and how after con sultation it had been peremptorily forbidden, as " it could not be proved that any good purpose would thereby be served." 148 BOHEMIAN DAYS. The painted bust of Shakespeare seems looking upon the tomb of his friend near by. It is the best likeness as far as we could judge, certainly the most agreeable. Near the graves and overshadowing them is the old tomb of some high church dignitary whose name even I do not remem ber. A few minutes of rest and contemplation, and we were again trying to keep up with time and trains, through the garden land, to that seat of learning — Oxford, and the " Mitre Inn," well spoken of in the days of old. All around us as we walked in the waning day were great edifices renowned in story. We first explored High street, and especially admired St. Mary's Church, and Queen and Magdalen Colleges. The gate of St. Mary's was one point at which the riots between " town and gown " used to begin, where many a " Fifth of November " was celebrated in broken heads and bruised limbs, not a few losing their fives. An illustration in " Verdant Green " is said to give a good idea of the melee, the real fight with injurious intent being turned into a good-natured wrestling and boxing match, but with enough earnest to make things lively. The " Virgin Porch " of this church is a beautiful gateway erected in 1637, but the figures and crucifix make one think it not very Protestant. The motto " Domimis est illuminatio mea " is above the portal. It was in this church that Cranmer disappointed his enemies on the morning of his martyrdom by pro claiming instead of abjuring his faith. Dr. Radcliffe, found er of an infirmary, an observatory and a library bearing his name, is here interred. This last building and the noble Bodleian Library and Picture Gallery are north and north west of St. Mary's, with noted Brazenose College between the last two. Magdalen College is outside of where the old wall used to be, a part of which can be seen back of St. Edmund's Hall, near Long Wall street. We crossed Magdalen Bridge, from which the square tower of Magdalen showed to advantage, but a number of rough people were following a band of music, and some boys calling and hollowini^, so we looked down at the dark water of the Cherwell ancl bent our steps in a different direction. Opposite Magdalen to our left were STRATFORD— OXFORD— THE CHANNEL. 149 the Botanic Gardens, and to the right, back of the college a grove and Addison's Walk. Queen's College was founded in honor of Queen Philippa in 1340. Henry V. and the Black Prince were there edu cated. The Corinthian Chapel has illuminated windows, by Van Ligne, and on the ceiling is a representation of " The Ascension" by Thornhill. The altar-piece "La Notte," a copy of Correggio, and the Norman oak screen are consid ered very good. The libraries connected with this college contain seventy thousand volumes. The two "Ladies' Halls," (Somerville and Lady Margaret) founded in 1879 for the higher education of women, are ac knowledged a success even by the most conservative, and my lady friends attending them were well pleased. Both are near the ancient church of St. Giles. Some distance south on St. Giles street is the Martyrs' memorial, seventy-three feet high, erected in 1841 in mem ory of Ridley, Latimer and Cranmer, who were burned there. They were confined in a prison tower, now mostly destroyed, called the " Bishop's Hole." Cranmer saw the burning of the other two in 1555, and half ayear later imi tated their faith and martyrdom. From "Shrimpton's Guide " I copied a curious bill of costs. £ s. d. "For three loads of wood fagots to burn Ridley and Latimer o 12 o " Item one load of furze fagots - 034 "For the carriage of these four loads - - - 020 " Item, a post - ---014 " Item, two chains - - - - 034 "Item, two staples ... ....q 06 " Item, four laborers o 28 I s 2 » St. Michael's Church, a short distance south, is nearly a thousand years old, it is said, but has had much restoration. Two more squares, and we were again in High street at a point called Carfax. This also was a favorite place of con flict between school and town men: in 1354 sixty -three students were killed. On one corner is another of the Sax on King Edward's churches, called St. Martin's. The air became more than chill, and we welcomed the 1 50 B OHEMIAN DA YS. blazing fire in our room, and enjoyed the dinner well served at a private table. They know how to treat their guests a la prince, and the Mitre Hotel with its glow of hght, and the sound slumber. of health and weariness, amid every appHance of comfort, comes as a pleasant reminiscence. An early rising on the cool, rainy 18th, a hasty breakfast, an exploring and enquiring expedition ending at the depot, and we left this seat of elegant learing, and elegant seat of learning, in company with a varied assortment of people, flew up to London, and in a few hours had left by the fast mail for Dover. As we were bound for the continent, we incontinently gave rein to our imaginations as to what we should there enjoy, and tried to forget the short passage across the Strait, but as usual the ghost we tried to lay was ever com ing up uncalled. A pale young lady looked to us " as if she had been sea-sick," an extra tilt of the car made us feel weak — It is my belief that the mal de mer is half imagination, and might be produced in a rocking chair by a vivid day dream. Leaving London Bridge we found ourselves in the midst of many trains running in all directions, but soon reached the suburb of New Cross with its pretty gardens and shady streets, and in a hilly country, Chislehurst, one of the most beautiful and picturesque spots in England, where resides the unfortunate French ex-Empress, Eugenie. After this came a broken country, sometimes rather flat, but almost mountainous at Dunton Green. At Sevenoaks is a long tunnel through a mountain of solid rock, two miles long. This town has seven large oaks standing in its main stieet, and around on the encircling hills a beautiful forest. We ran through Knoll Park, and crossing the Medway found ourselves in the fashionable resort of Tumbridge Wells, where so many invalids who can take but a short outing find health. We had not time, or should greatly have liked to take the other railroad here and visit Hastings and its famous battle ground, where in 1066 Harold was slain, and the Norman William adopted the country. The Medway valley is a great hop-garden. Level country from Paddock-wood, with the South Down Hills in the distance. We ran in a semicircle to the sea at STRATFORD— OXFORD— THE CHANNEL. 151 South Foreland, through fine farms of tilled or pasture land, rolling and green, with thousands of sheep dotting the slopes, and " lowing herds " winding " slowly o'er the lea," through villages in a flat country, then the pretty town of Ashford (15,000 inhabitants) with its ivied Castle owned by Thomas Kennett, esq., and sloping hillsides, earlier in the Autumn a green bank of hops, now like the feet of " Maud Muller," bare and brown. Fourteen miles from Ashford is Canterbury with its noted Cathedral. Through a flat country until we came to Shorn- cliffe, where on the hills was a Military Camp, and passing over the brick viaduct to Folkstone, loo'Ked down on the harbor and shipping in the channel, and in a few minutes more shadowy cliffs rose high above us as we glided out of a tunnel into the town of Dover. When we awoke in the morning great waves were dashing spray in the sun-light, and clouds were coming up behind the Castle on the rocky heights. After a quick walk through the town and among the shipping in the dock we lightly breakfasted — at least I did. " Are eggs good ? " I hesitatingly enquired of Max as he cracked the shell of his t'nird. " I hope so, they look fresh." I thoughtfully proceeded with my modicum of dry toast. " I'm not going to think about that ! " he said energeti cally (I did not ask what). " This ham is nice — so is the fish. The passage across is so very short it can't make much difference anyhow. An hour and a half ? — two hours ? why, one could shut their eyes and take a nap and be there before they knew it — ^not out of sight of land, even ! " We had made no inquiries before our arrival as to a stop ping place in Dover, but a passenger highfy recommended a small family hotel called " The Harp," where one could have all home comforts, civility and attention ; which we found quite true, and the charges moderate. " I'm glad," said Max as we stood on the great stone pier, " I'm glad we did not stop at this hotel by the water. I shouldn't have slept a wink, hearing these waves." " Is that our steamer ? How small it looks ! " " Lively enough though — here, take your little basket, I have the shawl-strap — the porter has the valises all right. 152 B OHEMIAN DA YS. Now, step on board. Where will you sit ? there seems to be plenty of room, very few passengers." " How beautifully clean the deck is. See the sailors with little red caps, and short blue jackets, — they are French. Now we are moving out from shore, how finely we can see the " White Cliffs of Dover " that tempted Caesar across." But soon, ah ! soon I did not care to converse on any subject whatever. I opened my eyes for a moment when the young lady in brown murmured " Oh. . . ! " and leaned against her escort, who tremblingly supported her to look at the fishes at the vessel's side. Max — oh, well ! it's no use talking about Max after that! The deck was not large enough for him, he took the cabin, and lay upon the floor with several stewards doctoring him, and recommending things — at least so I heard. How picturesque and pleasant those gaily dressed sailors had looked as we first went dancing out of port ! They did not have in the least that appearance to me an hour after as they merrily went about the deck singing snatches of song. Their health and general Ughtness were oppressive, as the steamer endeavored to turn wrong side up, and took great leaps upon nothing, shivering even while she enjoyed her own temerity. CHAPTER XVII. CALAIS BRUSSELS " THE LAND OF THE WOODEN SHOON " PALAIS DE JUSTICE — HOTEL DE VILLE — '' MARRIAGES CIVIL." To the crowd of noisy, eager birds of prey who came pushing among us as the boat touched the old Calais land ing we must have looked like fever patients just out from hospital, so they took advantage of our weakness, and be came fearfull)' vociferous. " No ! no ! no ! " cried Max, holding on to his baggage, but his voice was so weakly uncertain that it but stimulated them. " Hotel de Londre ? " he appealed to me, " shall we tiy it ? " " THE LAND OF THE WOODEN SHOON." 153 French idioms flew thick and fast around us, but I feared to speak lest they should not understand, having heard of learned Americans being nonplussed in a foreign land, and obliged to re-learn the language. Meanwhile the " Hotel de Londre " man put us within a two-horse carriage, mounted the box with the driver, and whirled us away " over the stones,'' past old buildings, through an open square, finally stopping at the door of an inconspicuous building in a nar row street. Forth came the proprietor and several under lings with a warm welcome, divided up bag and baggage and acted as escorts through passages here, around turns there, into a central court, up a crooked stair-way and into a cool, clean room with high ceiling, which at first seemed very bare and chill, and the tiny beds canopied in diaphon- ous white very comfortless, but it was carpeted, and a roaring fire soon brightened and gave to it a more cheerful air. " The floor is uneven," I remarked, " O dear ! — shall have to lie down! " suiting the action to the word, for my head was whirling. I would rather have the mal de mer than the mal de terre, and that after others are beginning to come out as good as new — like Max. While he explored the narrow streets for objects of interest, and bought arti cles merely for the fun of trying his French — or lack of it — I was in a state of collapse, but in a few hours we were out'together, enjoying ourselves and amusing the natives as much with our verdancy as the home-folks enjoy our rural population at circus-time. We did not go along swinging hands and eating ginger-cakes, nor taking bite about from the same apple, neither did Max throw a nickel down, with " a lordly air, upon the counter to treat me to a couple of cents' worth of ribbon, and there may *have been other slight differences ; but we were just as happy, and no more afraid to laugh at what amused us, or appear interested in that which was new, for there still were a few things we did not know, making life worth so much the more. The morning of that 19th of November was cloudy, but we were not, wandering about within a fine old church near the square, but the light through its beautiful windows being too dim for us to fully appreciate some really good old paintings, and wood carving, we walked through a poor 1 54 BOHEMIAN DA YS. leafless park, inspected a large edifice on which a great number ol workmen were busily employed, and some cur ious old castellated buildings in the old town. The new town has some very handsome churches and business houses, but does not possess the historic interest of the old. The population is 13,000, but doubles when sets in the tide of travel. The story of the Siege of Calais was one of the bright spots of childhood's reading hours, with its noble self-sac rificing men, and the eloquent plea of the gentle Queen Phillippa, which moved the stern heart of her husband to spare their lives. No doubt King Edward was really grate ful to her for so nicely getting him out of a dilemma, and only pretended to regret her presence to increase the value oi his clemency, for such a scene must have touched his heart with compassion. We left Calais for Brussels about noon, after replenishing the pockets of the establishment — chambermaids, waiters, porters, and everyone else who looked " pour-boire " at us, including the " commissionaire " who had taken us to the hotel. Travelers are scarce in November, and people must live. Some beggar boys dogged us from street to street until Max at last gave them small coins just to be rid of them, which was all they wanted. If nature " abhors straight lines," she must be very un happy in the low, flat country we viewed from the car win dows, where the green edged ditches which divide the fields, rows of low-pruned willows, and high elms or poplars, farms, fields and houses, all looked as if set by rule. These houses were prettily bonneted with red tiles of much lighter make than those used in the British Isles. Here and there were Don Quixote's enemies, the windmills, turning leisurely, and on the humpbacked willows were great bunches of young shoots, of various colors, which are used in basket making. We paused at St. Omer, a thriving city with beautiful gardens, and some highly ornamented houses having niches at the sides in which were marble statues, which made a bare brick block look less inviting. Then came vast fields, with great Norman horses drawing harrows, after men who were sowing wheat; small red-brick houses heavily thatched ¦¦ THE LAND OF THE WOODEN SHOON" 155 with straw, in which dwelt the laborers, and a village of such varied hues, red, blue, green, as might delight a soul esthetic to the last degree. Next came a whole suburb with houses dressed in white and red in alternate bands — -very clean and very staring. The peasants were clothed much alike, especially the men, who wore blue blouses like sailors, dark nether garments, caps of blue on the dark hair, and heavy-looking shoes, sometimes of wood. A few of the women had rather large white caps, and long white aprons over blue or brown dresses, but no bonnet, and most were bare-headed. The floors of the railroad cars were up much higher from the track than in America, with a platform like an extended step, running along each side into which the doors all opened, and on this the guard walked, while the train was in motion, to see the tickets. I was quite startled when one filled the window at my side, obstructing my circle of vision enormously — gigantically ; it seemed as if the fine horse I was looking at had come bodily against the train. The guard quietly apologized with upraised cap, and thanked us as he returned the tick ets. A gentleman in our compartment read aloud some time for the amusement of two ladies in his charge ; his voice sounding like the continuous yet broken " tick-tick " of an electric battery. A large manufacturing town with tall chimneys, long rows of small brick houses with tiny gardens attached, and a few elegant vilas surrounded by shrubbery and flow ery pleasure grounds, and the guard cried, '' Lille ! " Great cumbrous wagons that reminded us of Western " arks " or " prairie schooners," or the long, covered North Carolina wagons — only more so — were coming in from the country, the driver and his friends walking beside his weary horses. Women in black dresses and light-blue aprons came chatter ing towards us with almost as much gesturing as if deaf and dumb ; the dresses of the " common sense " kind — not too long for easy walking. As yet we had not reached a place where fires would be unacceptable, but in the trains we had no heating arrange ments save a long, flat, oval copper or zinc vessel of hot water for our feet to rest upon. The many divisions in each car would probably make heating impracticable. The 1 55 BOHEMIAN DA YS. money changing and computation of distance were a con stant snare to us, albeit amusing ; the latter, as in England, is generally by time. A pleasant gentleman stepped into our compartment at Lille, looking so urbane, indeed, that I concluded to allow him the pleasure of assisting in my edu cation, and spoke to him in French, or something meant for " that same " — which I have no idea of writing. " How far is it to Tournai ? " I inquired, after a few pre liminary remarks. " Half an hour," he promptly replied. " But — the distance " — I hesitated. " Eh bien ! je ne le sais pas, Madame." And there was a looking at guide-books, and counting of meters and kilometers, Max assisting in nebulizing the af fair by attempted explanations fully half English, at which our friend smiled gravely, and suavely bow-ed, but did not appear greatly enlightened. At the frontiers of Belgium the customs official made his bow, in this case being of a mild type and giving no extra trouble ; indeed he showed unofficial delight on learning that we possessed no trunks. This flat country was by no means " stale and unprofit able," but every foot under severe culture, the fields smaller, divided by ditches full of water, and few horses at work, whole fields being laid up into market-garden ridges by the many workers. In one garden an old man with drab vest over a blue blouse toiled beside a woman in short blue skirt, grey waist and shawl, while both wore heavy wooden shoes. The soil was a rich brown, but the road of light-colored sand showed by contrast the power of enrichment from gen eration to generation, perhaps irrigation also. East of Tournay with its numerous one-story white, red-tile roofed houses, and more pretentious ones with many windows, the ground is rolling, and hedges, instead of ditches, formed the farm divisions. At every cross-road a little company stood waiting for the train to pass ; workmen with their carts and horses, bare-headed children in long dresses and wooden shoes, market-women in spruce caps with large baskets on their arms, and everywhere men or women guards, flag-signal in hand, beside the white turnpike bars, which stood across the " THE LAND OF THE WOODEN SHOON." 157 road to prevent accidents, — impressing us with the idea that in European countries human life was regarded as of value to the State. A preponderance of field workers now seen were women, whose status in Germany and some neighboring states is low, socially, when compared with the countries in which we had been travelling ; but here, certainly, the work was thoroughly done, for the fields were as clean as if swept, al beit the toilers did not know a logarithm from a spectrum, had never heard of " Women's Rights " or the Darwinian theory of the Descent of Man, and the little furrows looked as if laid by line. The plows and harness are very heavy, and cumbrous affairs. " Leuze " with its central, large red church, surrounded by many high sloping roofs amid shade trees, smaller houses in the suburbs, and a grave-yard with its few monuments, quite a contrast to the French one at Calais, so full of stone and wooden crosses decked with flowers, and near it a fine three- story house, with the second tier of windows semi-circular. The wagons and all thereto appertaining were amusing to us, with their one pair of wheels near the center and small ones in front, to which the long pole or rope was attached connecting team and vehicle, and an extra driver with long whip, which would be needed, if while in the wagon he de sired to touch the horse six feet ahead ; but mere noise seemed to be the object, as no one appeared to be in a hurry. I had just been pondering as to the amount of life and live liness in different countries, but having no statistics (prob ably I never shall have) the difficulty of the computation appalled me. There seemed to be less here than anywhere I had been, yet perhaps it is latent; it iflay take an enor mous amount to overbalance the inertia and set things going. France seems to be all life, yet the weight is so slight that the people do not anchor well, at least some of them, and have not even the word " home," so dear in other lands. But I was in Belgium, where I am informed the country is becoming French as fast as possible. It is certainly con venient for travelers that the same language is generally spoken. The people we have seen in France and Belgium are small. 15^ ' BOHEMIAN DAYS. many of them of dark complexion and not heavy-set, and healthy-looking, like the English, but we have come into a country where much more clothing is worn, especially by the country people, who put suit above suit until, in cold weather, they look padded all over. We had not time to call at Enghien. As night came on, we saw before us the many lights of a great city. "C'est Bruxelles ! " cried our French friend, and in a few moments, with a bow and kind " bon jour ! '' he dropped out of our foreground. Certainly the French are very polite — the continentals I should say, for most I have met are the same. The porter bows with uplifted cap as he asks if he shall take the bag gage, and again with thanks, when receiving his few sous, while in their manner, each to the other, is almost an excess of kindness and deference. " A hotel near the depot ? oh, yes ! we could be directed. —Here boy ! — take this gentleman — nay, I am going that way myself, /will direct you. Monsieur and Madame." And the official accompanied us to the Hotel de Calais, a lodging house with restaurant attached, where we soon were installed in a comfortable room, and well served " on the European plan," at a not exorbitant rate. Our experience at Calais had made Max more wide-awake as to prices beforehand. He was not sea-sick now, and quite au fait as to those ter rible extras which count more than the terms you arrange at first, so we held a lengthy conversation with our would- be entertainers ere an understanding was reached. " Quel est le prix ? " opened the ball generally. A few French words from the proprietor. " What does he say ? '' (Max aside to me.) " Ten francs a day.'' "Aha-a! — trop ! trop ! — (what is it? — tell him it's too much altogether — is it for everything ?") And a lot more on the subject of foreign imposition which it might be as well I could not by any means translate. Max used gestures, too, but not French ones, and in a foreign language spoke much louder than in his mother tongue — the more they would not understand the louder he spoke, until the impos- " THE LAND OF THE WOODEN SHOON." 159 sibility of the whole thing struck him silent. We soon learned to add " tout compris " (all included) to such bar gains. I am not animadverting on Brussels. We were there treated altogether lovelily, and where this is not the case^ — surely the tourist who travels for the laudable purpose of saying he " has been " here and there, and thinks it " the thing " to be lavish with his money, makes it a little more uncomfortable for those who cannot afford to be wasteful, or conscientiously think it wrong. As you leave it is well to look through every bill, for not infrequently the same thing is two or three times charged. The unpleasantness of dis puting a bill the landlord well knows, but if the traveler is so careful of his cash as to note and point out mistakes. Mine Host, with profuse apologies for " somebody's " care lessness, corrects the errors and bows him out with " bon voyage ! " and various other good wishes, and though he may love him less, honors his good sense the more. Brus sels, beautiful Brussels ! nowhere in our travels have we seen so well-built a city. There are no steep hills of magnitude to weary one, though the noble " Palais de Justice " is on a fine elevation, but you can traverse the wide boulevards for miles with but shght fatigue, and almost everywhere are street cars or other modes of conveyance. How much the weather has to do with our impressions of places ! We shall always think of Brussels as we saw it, gilded with sunlight under the deep blue canopy of heaven, or with the silvery moonlight casting a magic softness over the sleeping city. It was thus enwrapped in the silence of peaceful night we looked entranced upon the " Palais de Justice," and I really felt what came enthusiastically from my lips, " It is a joy to live to see such beauty ! " We had been walking for half an houf or so, but without any definite idea of destination, when the special question started itself as to what we wanted to see. We didn't know, had not read up, for our coming to Brussels instead of going direct to Paris was such a sudden idea, that our order of sequence was quite broken. I wanted to see Waterloo (not at night, however), but Max had seen so many battle-fields at home that this one had not for him the slightest attraction. He did not care for lace either, his education in that particu- i6o BOHEMIAN DA YS. lar having been neglected to my lasting regret. Talking on fl variety of topics we wandered along for a while on a silent gas-lighted boulevard. " Let us go in another direction," said Max, which we did — several of them, and then lost the points of the compass. A gentleman half paused in passing, evidently with the kindly purpose of rendering assistance, and politely recom mended us to see the Palais de Justice, to which he accom panied us — at least two miles — and pointed out the beauti fully sculptured figures. How white and pure it looked! "The architect, M. Joseph Poelaert, is dead," said our conductor, " but his memory lives without the tablet inside. Yes, c'est magnifique!" enjoying our evident admiration. " You should also see the Hotel de Ville." After he left us we walked a short distance further, then came back for an other look, and passing down the steps arrived at last at our hotel somewhat deviously, and weary enough to have slept upon a curbstone beside a boiler manufactory. " Oh, for a two-nights' sleep in one!" said I that mid night, yet next morning no lark arose more fresh and joy ous. "The Hotel de Ville," said Max at breakfast, "a very fine hotel I suppose." " He seemed so enthusiastic." " French are all enthusiastic (will you pour me another cup of coffee? there! that's enough) we'll go and see it, directly." Along well-paved boulevards, with the bu.stle of early morning life around, and the bluest of skies overhead, we took our course as directed, losing our way divers times and oft, but quickly set right. Many things amused and interested us, especially the carts drawn by dogs. A dark painted box on two light wheels had a large black dog half underneath, and the bak- er's-boy pushing at the back as he ran whistling merril)' down street, Bruno cantered cheerfull}- along in equally good spirits. At a side-walk sat a disconsolate, weary-looking mongrel loosely attached to a low milk-wagon, whose mis tress had gone around the close-wallcd house. On seeing Bruno he pricked up his ears, and evidently thinking of a fight which had been wanning up overnight, and forgetting " THE LAND OF THE WOODEN SHOON." i6i his charge, came galloping along, helter-skelter : the milk cans rattling and bobbing back and forth, threatening with instant destruction the rich lacteal fluid. We could not await the conclusion of the catastrophe, but left just as the woman, with up-lifted hands and whip, appeared upon the scene. I should pity that dog when she caught him. Near- ing the great square a sad sight moved me. A heavy box, containing a yard square of lime, had in front of it, pull ing as if for life, a large white dog — and a woman ! She was old. A little tattered clothing clung around her wasted limbs, while over her weather-beaten face floated the wind blown hair she ever and anon threw back from her eyes with one bony, wrinkled hand, then holding again to the heavy cord around her chest and shoulders leaned forwards against it and pressed hopelessly on. What was she to the old man, who, whip in hand, drove that team ? Who did that whip strike ? O, the cruelty of it all ! We passed a large house in course of erection, with three men at work upon it ; the mortar-mixer was an active, middle- aged woman, who seemed quite at home in the business — doing a man's work with half his wages. We saw some idle men, but not a woman unemployed. If labor is right, certainly in some of those countries women have their rights. Down a declivity came a gay little dog out for a holiday, though between the shafts of a tiny cart in which was a lit tle boy trying to hold his hat on with one hand as he rolled about, and with the other chubby fist plastering dust and tears over his face. The dog looked as if laughing, and gal loped to the music of the wailing, as his bark and he went sailing — and so they, too, went from our sight in a very un finished vvay, but it was impossible to follow up the side shows and ever reach our destination. " How funny it would be," said I, laughing at the idea, " if we followed whatever for the moment interested us — just until another sensation arose, and then should take that up.'' " You would never get any where," said Max, disapprov ingly. "But don't you think it possible," I persevered, "that we might travel fast and far, sometimes, and see some curious episodes ? " i62 BOHEMIAN DA YS. " O, very so ! " he rejoined, imitating a late companion in travel. " Ah— ha ! what do you call that instrument?'' pointing in at a shop window, " I must see about that ;" and he disappeared in a music store, soon returning with an oca rina (a curious-looking small fife like a knotty stick made of pottery) which, rather to my discomfiture, he proceeded to " toot" when outside again " to know if the thing wouldgo " — some of the passers-by also wanted to know. The Hotel de Ville, or City Hall, is a magnificent old building ornamented with any number of statues, and with a very high tower or spire likewise covered with elaborate carving. A brigade of policemen were standing guard, all in spot less blue uniforms, including white gloves. It was a surprise to us, the very few people we met who could speak English — we had thought that where such numbers of Enghsh cir culated around there could be little need of any other lan guage. Before leaving home Max saw no necessity for studying French. "Wait till we get to Paris," said he, "I'll study it up on its native heath in a little while — be sure to get the right pronunciation and all that. You remember Dr. Dane had to study it all over again, the natives could not understand him, though he'd taken a course of it at College." We were looking at a great door up a double flight of stone steps, and a stone archway beyond, in a state of in decision, when a polite guard came to the rescue and di rected us in Belgic French accent through the archway to the portiere's rooms on the opposite side of the large cen tral square, from which accompanied by a guide we passed through various elegant rooms and halls, finally coming onto the great stone steps in the front of the 'building, which led to the Audience Hall of the Mayor. Here we became part of a curious machine, and moving up along with the crowd seated ourselves among them on one of the plain painted-wood benches. On the walls were numerous paintings, and on a dais at the upper end of the hall a long table at which six people sat with their backs to us, and two at each end. Behind the table, in a richly covered mediaeval chair, sat the Mayor, while two clerks in LAND OF THE WOODEN SHOON. 163 elaborate evening costume stood beside him holding books or papers. The Mayor read quickly some sentences to which his "vis-a-vis" made reply, supplemented by others in the cir cle. A quick word, the soldiers in grey regimentals sta tioned around the hall, presented arms, the group arose, received a word of congratulation and polite bow from the Mayor — and a clerk led the two principals to a corner table to give their signatures. " Click " ! went the firearms into rest again — one couple had been turned out by the marrying machine — for this was the regular day for the " Marriage civil.'' Another name was called, another group arose from the benches, went forward looking very conscious, the bride nervous and pale — how much it was to her ! — only part of the show to the on-lookers. Up the steps they passed, and into the seats, with their backs to us; amid silence the code was read, and in a few moments they also came bravely down again, the groom proudly supporting his chosen bride. What a variety in face and style ! from the poor who made but a lame pretence of hiding their poverty under a few gay ribbons and flowers, to the elegantly appareled children of fortune who drove up to the great entrance in fine carriages, and rustled up the aisle in silk and velvet. Costly laces crushed against light worsted and calico, but these fashionable beauties looked no happier than the sim ple maiden who shyly laughed as her companions pressed around at her departure wishing her joy. That was an hour long to be remembered, not only by the writer, but doubtless the eleven couples also, whose destinies were in that time united. Some of them looked to me very illy matched, but it was no concern of mine if those three large women had accepted the hand and heart of such undersized specimens of humanity, nor that spring and winter combined. It was curious to see the interest taken by all persons in the room as the variously assorted pairs went forward, a little too much some of the officials thought when a round of applause and laughter greeted a comfortably-dressed couple who came sheepishly down from the platform, and. 1 64 BOHEMIAN DA YS. almost prevented their exit by closing on them from both sides. Why should they laugh ? gray hairs are honorable, and if the groom's pate was bald perhaps his peace would last the longer. A man in a house is a great protection even if he has passed his proper biblical age, and, on the other side, how comfortless a house where no home-angel presides. A few tart words there may be, but how richly made up in pastry and a cheerful well-swept hearth. Go on, good couple ! — roll not your head with embarrassment as you descend into our midst, old man, — smooth your apron but look not so nonplussed down, good woman — brown, fat and sixty, you have my blessing ! I think you have done wisely. What was the matter now ? the Mayor spoke angrily to a young man who had repented at the eleven-and-a-half-th hour. Quite right ! put him down ! The whole circle, after a short debate, lively enough, re-seated themselves and in two minutes he was fast tied. As they came down he seemed careless enough, but was probably glad not to have escaped. We 'retired in the wake of a grand party, and saw them drive away to church, there to be re-mar ried by the ritual, but this " marriage civil " has to be gone through for legality, by all classes, the other is according to taste or religion. The street was crowded with people as if it was a Fete day, and they laughed and took note of the beauty of the ladies, the devoirs of the gentlemen, the rich costumes and bridal favors, and prophesied their futures, receiving an oc- sional donation from from full-pocketed and happy grooms — and so " the sun he do move " towards noon. Going up street, the " clatter of the wooden shoon " of the little, long-dressed schoolgirls returning for dinner reminded us that we must buy a few as relics. The shoe maker looked quietly at us, and slowly rose from his wooden stool, the wife in a short, blue woolen petticoat, calico sack, and white cap, came forward with a smile, knitting busily all the time, as do the industrious French people. It was funny the number of shoes I vainly tried for a fit, but where the inside hollow in the wood (all one piece) was long enough, there was a space of at least an inch at LAND OF THE WOODEN SHOON. 165 the side, and the strap came flat down, giving one a curious idea of a Flemish foot. With friendly " bon jour" to the good-natured people, we departed, carrying an infan tile specimen of " sabots." "The smaller the better," said Max; " lighter, take less room : you don't want to wear them, do you ?" I thought not. A happy idea struck Max. "Suppose we look for some lodgings I" " But do we want any ? " " We might possibly, and then think of the experience, and opportunity for making acquaintance with the people." We had an amusing time in our house-to-house visita tion, and did not finally agree with some writers in pro nouncing them a heavy, dull people, but some few were dense enough except when bargaining. How busy they all were! how bright the black eyes, and what fine heads of hair ; the fair ones were perhaps of some other national ity- The people love their good King, who lives in a large, pleasant palace, facing the gates of the Park, now in its winter desolation. In this part of the town are the great hotels and principal public buildings. Much lace is made in Belgium, but you can buy it quite as cheap at the Bon Marche in Paris. "And carpets?" I enquired. "Wait until we come back," said the Great Mogul. I waited. I am waiting still — very still. "Are you ready to return to the Hotel? — declare I'm tired myself Hi-i!" cried Max, flourishing his arm at a street car driver — ¦" come on — he won't wait — what does he mean ? he must have seen me !" Of course he did, for he was not blind and deaf, but gave no more sign than would a statue on the Hotel de Ville. Afterwards we learned that there are certain " sta tions" for stopping, and you can by no means enter or alight elsewhere. There was no special "sound of revelry by night" that I heard in passing the great hotels, nor did I meet " Becky Sharp" to recognize her, but the Professor we saw walk ing with quick Step along Boulevard Royal, and modes^. i66 BOHEMIAN DA YS. shrinking Lucy Stone met us as we entered a photogra pher's little shop opposite the Hotel de Ville. We were happy in Brussels, The traveling pilblic wait not for wind or weather, and amid the early morning fog a goodly company assembled to take the train for Paris. The large station was full of business activity, in a mild way, the few English (including Ameri cans) who were among the happy floating population, had some explanations and vociferations to go through with, while the free artisans, and rurals taking a day's outing, were in a state of unalloyed, expectant bliss. " ' Class? ' " said I, " oh, third, by all means ! How else shall we see the people ? The mass of them are certainly not ' first class,' however nice they may be, and the really low will be in the fourth." Max looked slightly doubtful, but amiably acquiesced (I will add ' as usual,' for no doubt he will be looking over my shoulder presently) but I felt almost smothered a few minutes thereafter when wreaths of tobacco smoke grew into clouds. At the next convenient stopping place my partner conveyed me into a small compartment near, but just as the last article was arranged to his satisfaction, a guard informed us that this apartment was only for ladies. Max tried to explain, but the dull fellow would not and could not understand that the fact of having charge of a lady should give a gentleman a place in a "ladies' car." He was evidently surprised and disgusted, but actively as sisted in the return of our movables to their former quarters. This was amusing, though we did not laugh much for awhile. The cars were crowded, but the people, genial and polite, made all due allowances for one another, and per formed many kind offices of pleasant service. My parcels were taken from my hands with a bow and smile, and room made where a seat seemed already full, with a kind word from each peasant neighbor ; and when they left us — grad ually dropping out at each station, it was with like cour tesy and a wish for us, " a pleasant journey." I think it must be their own fault, generally, if travelers encounter many disagreeable people. Perhaps it would hold good, the more lowly the more true and genuine. Our window view was at first of a flat, highly-cultivated LAND OF THE WOODEN SHOON. 167 garden, chiefly vegetable, and small hamlets around their several aspiring parish churches, with fields where both men and women in coarse clothing and wooden shoes slowly but constantly labored. Then we passed large towns where was smoke from tall chimneys, wide streets and nar row where the old and the new came in contact, fine car riages and houses, poor dwellings and bowed forms of the toilers. One city is but a repetition of another, differing a little in form, but peopled by the same graded humanity. The sight of a beautiful forest gave us real pleasure after a country so denuded. At Mons we third-class people changed cars. I think the others went through — but perhaps it was but a natural idea of " my class " that the " upper ten" were being fa vored. It certainly appeared that some one was in the wrong when we were put out on that long wooden platform in a torrent of rain, where our principal idea was to make a rush for a small waiting-room hardly large enough for a good-sizedfamily, but all, being in grand good humor, needed less space. A very fat boy showed a kindly interest in us, and a frouzly woman gave me a pleasant smile. The only unhappy person I saw — no, not the woman with the little girl and two babies, nor the ragged man with such thin features, nor half a dozen others whom it " might have been," but a young lady who felt herself out of place in her surroundings, whose dress was rich and in good taste, but with a face of discontent which would have done for a stage representation. We had our baggage unmercifully dealt with at the fron tiers, and it looked almost as out of place and melancholy as the (not very) young lady just mentioned, when we returned to the train. Having alighted, we^entered a room in Belgium, and a long passage led us into France, through the Custom House, where we board the same car. A desolate, rough, uncultivated country now made its pano ramic appearance, with small stunted trees, and dead ferns on the sometime grassy knolls ; then " Haut-monte," with substantial brick houses surrounded by pretty gardens, far enough from the tall manufactories to be unmolested by smoke and noise ; a large field with hop-poles gathered into wigwams, and then a pretty beech wood, with green 1 68 B OHEMIAN DA YS. plants growing, and cattle browsing the rich grass. " Le Cateau " was a well-grown town in a rolling country, noted for its stone ware works, and " Busigny," a crossing place for a number of railroads, which would be a scene of inex tricable confusion but for a company of guards, who were continually straightening out the bewildered people and finding lost children and baggage. " What a place for a person fond of bestowing gratuitous information ! " said Max. " I have known at least a dozen who would be perfectly happy here." Just then a weak-voiced trumpet announced our incom ing train, and the guards hurriedly pushed and pulled at the square rod of struggling humanity, calling to this one, dragging that one away who was determined to board the wrong train, and chaos melted like an untimely frost. A lady entered our compartment with bow and smile, wearing a small neat cap and plain black dress, with narrow white collar and cuffs. Her complexion, like the majority, was olive, her hair black. Beside her sat a pretty coquet tish French girl, who chatted to her heavy German com panion, and posed for the benefit of society in general. She had "bangs" very much, and a high hat trimmed with broad orange-colored ribbon, the said hair dark brown and skin not fair, so that when she turned the contrast of light blue eyes was not altogether pleasing. At "Fresnoy-le Grand " — which did not look so from the station — were great carloads of delicious-looking ripe apples. Enter a soldier in gay uniform of red and blue touched up with yellow, a great, noisy, bluff fellow, yet hearty and good- natured, anci ready to make acquaintance, to which many responded, the military being in high favor. In carry ing on a flirtation with the lively girl he unconsciously passed his station — rose impetuously, surrounded by a half dozen sympathizers, who assisted in a junior Babel. The train slowed — a jerk of bag and sacks, a flash of red and blue, and he had departed to brighten some other sphere. Two or three men seemed to be ready for a pitched bat tle, words ran so high, but in two minutes they were con versing amicably, laughing at some joke. " They are so volatile !" Max said, watching them, " like a shallow sea easily disturbed, and as quickly subsiding," PARIS. 169 Compeigne and Griel had beautiful hills on either side of a wide fertile valley — we cross a high viaduct which spans a deep depression, then as the shades of evening were fall ing we beheld great buildings, and beyond them the lights of Paris. CHAPTER XVIII. PARIS OUR PENSION IN THE RUE DE CLICHY THE LOUVRE MORGUE VERSAILLES — TRIANON. Paris is the most luxurious city in the world, the rich ness of all nations and their delicacies here having focus. The wealthy inhabitant, fresh from the milk or wine bath , rolls softly in his chariot over the wide boulevards and through the beautiful parks, dines delicately on costly viands prepared by the world's best cuisiniers, and is amused and entertained by operas and bal masques until in the early matin hours his valet assists him to a pillow not even roughened by a crumpled rose-leaf Such is theory at least. All that is needed is plenty of money until the very per fection and plentitude of creature enjoyment palls. I can understand how one coming from all this, wearied and en- nuied, might be happier even amid the hardships of a breezy buffalo ranch, feeling like a prisoner set free. There are persons in Paris who do not roll in the lap of affluence. I saw several of them, and did not much won der that people groaned over the unequal distribution of property. There are between these several grades of noble and useful people. A recent prominent writer tells us that the schools are lacking in thoroughness, the pupils being too much ground out like machines on the same model, some even escaping with the barest gloss of educa tion (which is never the case with us !) but there are edu cators in all the arts and sciences who would be an honor to any land. French surgeons have never been surpassed. Paris possesses an Academy of Music which graduates §ome of the world's finest composers, where many of our 170 BOHEMIAN DAYS. American youths study, as well as in the schools of Sculp ture and Painting. " The Paris shop-keepers are all sharks ready to devour the unwary stranger," said one friend, while another con sidered them " models of probity," assuring me that their word might be relied on implicitly as to the grade of goods offered. I had imbibed an idea that the lower orders were city- born Anarchists, but was informed that there were far more Provincials of this type, though they form but a noisy minority of little force in legislation. The Parisian is peaceable and industrious, especially the Bourgeoise class who toil to earn a little competency, then gladly retire, on what some other people would think wholly inadequate means, and in the afternoon of life cultivate home joys, and a delightful little garden. When Napoleon demolished great rows and blocks of tenements, driving from their unhealthy, close-built habita tions into the environs thousands of the poor and perhaps vicious denizens who harbored there, it was thought a cruel thing, but though his strongest motive may have been the enlargement and beautifying of the now magnifi cent city with elegant driving parks, and boulevards flanked by massive masonry, it had the effect of removing a por tion of the crowded people into a purer atmosphere, leav ing wider breathing space for the remainder. Most great undertakings bring hardships to some one, it was hard for these people to leave old home associations,- — but behold what a city for the Nation to be proud of and enjoy. As the tide of life in the great city began its daily roll on the sands of to-day, the Hotel Violet quietly awakened and, not at all in haste, served up the early breakfast. Strolling along the wide, well paved boulevard, we passed many persons of varied grade and nationality, enjoying their morning cup outside the restaurants, remarking to each other on the constantly passing throng, or greeting friends and acquaintances. " Here is the American Exchange," said Max, after an infi nite amount of patience in dragging me away from some shop windows. " That large building opposite is the Grand Hotel," and passing through a low deep arch, across a PARIS 171 small courtyard and up a flight of rather narrow stairs, we found ourselves in a delightful suite of rooms where Ameri cans can obtain all information possible, their letters, guide books, or papers, and rest or meet acquaintances and friends. It is a kind of entrepot — or a general adviser giving you its service at ,$2.00 per month. " Two things it is essential to do in Paris," said a kindly, bright-faced, plainly dressed lady, as we rocked in the cosy parlor of the Exchange. " One is to go to the Grand Opera House, at least once, to see the beauties of the mag nificent building; the other to dine at the Grand Hotel," which is grand indeed, the waiters, the viands, the music — everything in such perfect taste. It is well also to take tickets, for three or four days, say, of regular sight-seeing, with one of the agencies, where everything is arranged for the convenience of the tourist. They know the days, proper fees and everything, and you lose no time in going from place to place. If you see anything you like enough to want to visit it again, you will know where to find it." One of the pleasant things about people abroad is their willingness to communicate whatever points they have picked up. Of course there are occasional bears. The entrance to our temporary home in the Rue de Clichy, like most continental pensions and palaces, was on a square central court, reached from the street through an arched passage guarded by heavy double doors. At the ringing of the bell the concierge, feminine in white cap and apron, quickly appeared from her dark little den at the left, and her husband, the concierge proper and porter of the establishment, took active possession of our movables. They were as polite as gentlefolk, and then and ever after ready with bow, smile and " bon jour ! " But little daylight, or, one would think, air, could reach them, yet they were embodied sunlight in themselves, and whether the guests came early or late, in good weather or bad, their faces, though sometimes weary, were never mo rose. Taking a few steps, we emerged into a large stone-paved court surrounded by five-story stone buildings, whose many windows seemed like a myriad of eyes watching us and the two or three sad looking trees, and a few flowers, which 172 B OHEMIAN DA YS. tried to give the place a cheerful air, but were not a de cided success in those " ember " days. Several entrances were visible — half-glass doors lightly curtained, to which a half dozen stone steps gave access. The porter rang, the door quickly opened, and we were politely received by the French proprietress, a small, attractive brunette widow, and soon found a room that suited very well at a reasonable price. The only trouble was that the one vacant room was on the fourth floor (counting the basement) to us objectionable on account of climbing so many stairs, as well as the dread of fire. Soon after our domiciliation came a man bearing a paper on which were to be set down the answers to a formidable array of questions, such as, " name, age, former employ ment, from whence, &c." "And what is all this for ? " Max inquired, looking up at the intruder without his usual angelic smile from the map of Paris which he had been studying intently. I translated in my immaculate French. Now the whole French nation is so polite that the last one would undergo the bastinado rather than permit a fugitive smile to appear at a stranger's mistake, and that helps us to plume ourselves on the very fine accent we have acquired. Surely their kindly compliments, though often so far beyond the truth, will be easily forgiven because of the good intention. But Max was looking formidably at the shrinking little Frenchman, who bowed deprecatingly. " For the police ! " he explained, " at all places they must give an account of every one who comes and goes, monsieur knows," — Max thereupon answered the ques tions. The Frenchman does not move around freely as we at home ; he is warded and guarded and looked after as a child, or a package to be delivered at its destination, which seems to agree very well with him, but this eternal vigilance is something w^earisome to the new-comer. It was rather amusing, the way that guide took posses sion of us down by the Palace of the Louvre. We were quite unsuspicious of any spider being near, and buzzed PARIS. 173 along happily, like summer flies in the sunshine — though it rained. " Mr. Giles thought it would be our best plan to have a guide,'' I made remark. " O, I don't think " "Will you have some one for guide?" came a clear voice in French, by Max's shoulder. " There ! " I murmured, with a start. Max turned to me, saying out loud: " It would be no use to have him, he can't speak Eng hsh ! " " Yes, sir, I can, I have been showing parties over the Louvre for many years," spoken in our mother tongue. There was a momentary silence. We were captured, I knew it directly from Max's mild tone, and enquiries as to how much of the needful would have to be forthcoming. This I must say, the guide was better than his word, b;ing thoroughly posted, and equally obliging, well earn ing his 10 francs ($2.00) a day. He took good care of us, too, handing us safely into a cab in the pouring rain when any vehicle was very hard to be got — and we were as tired as any one could desire to be after a hard day's work. The Louvre, of course, is a magnificent art collection, you can read of it in any guide-book, but oh! it was a joy to loo'ic on the original works of the great masters, ancient and modern, and no description can give the coloring, the life, that makes them as all beautiful things " a joy forever," Michael Angelo, Leonardi da Vinci, Titian, Rubens, Cor- regio, Raphael, Murillo, Paul Veronese; and of the more modern, Boucher, David, Grenzi, Prudhon and Paul de la Roche — but how can one particularize among so many ex cellent artists, each so great in his own line! One small piece of sculpture pleased me very much, "The little boy who has lost his bird," by Pigalle. It was so sweet, so natural, the little fingers holding the cage seemed almost moving— -but among the more noted are " the Venus de Milo " and " Fighting Gladiator." The painting of the "Death of Queen Elizabeth" was very fine. Under the care of our competent guide we for a few days made a regular business— a " rushing " business — of sight 174 BOHEMIAN DAYS. seeing on the true American plan, taking as our centre the Place de la Concorde, and at the end of the time had ani mated discussions as to where the divers articles, places and people were located. There was a time when I thought it preposterous that witnesses should so vary in testimony on scenes which had passed before the eyes of all, but I no longer wonder, for Max (and others) did jumble up some things immensely. Oh, what weary eyes ! we raced* along miles of pictures and statues in the Louvre and other galleries of art, viewed the priceless relics at the old Palace de Cluny, the " Inva- lides " and several other Museums, and made ourselves bad dreams by gazing through the " Morgue " windows at the fearful sight within. Palaces — palaces ! how did they ever get so many pal aces? They are said to be convenient residences for the heads of Departments, for when a new Port-folio is made up, with it is handed over a palace for a dwelling. Churches ! we rested our wearied frames — (especially eyes) within the " dim religious light" of the Madeleine, and listened to our guide as he gave the history of Sainte Chapelle and some of the kings of old France who had there worshiped ; admired the magnificent richly painted windows and ancient tombs of Notre Dame, and the many Doric columns and beautiful west facade of St. Sulpice. Within little Chapelle Expiatore, where for twenty-one years rested the bodies of Louis XVI. and Marie Antoin ette, we saw two exquisite pieces of statuary. But — "Carriage!" called our guide to a passing hackman. " We must hasten to see the ' Gobelins ' — they close at three." He was full of enthusiasm, as well as information, and evidently gratified that I did not feel it a duty to re press my delight at the wonderful tapestry pictures, worked stitch by stitch, slowly and carefully by the middle-aged men who glanced often at their models. This work costs an immense price and finds its way to few places but pal aces, where other articles richly accord. One beautiful piece called " The God-child of the Witches," which is to be preserved in the Museum of the Gobelins, the guide told us, he had been watching for eight years, in its grad- *iii. RACING THROUGH THE UJUVBE. (See page 174.) PARIS. 175 ual growth, and the completion will take as much longer — almost a life-time of the workers, who do not even see its growing beauty, as they work from behind. I thought it like our lives, yet how few at the end shall find as evenly wrought and beautiful a picture ! The carpets are made from the front, over a kind of mesh, firmly fastened, and cut. One picture is copied from Champeigne's " The Christ," and will go to the National Library, and there are several allegorical pictures for the Buffet of the new Grand Opera House. On the steps of the Pantheon still rested some of the wreaths which had been several feet deep at the obsequies of the beloved "man of the people," Victor Hugo, who lies within. The building is in the form of a Greek cross ; the facade, a large porch with twenty-two Corinthian columns, supports a richly sculptured pediment, and we read, " Aux Gra?ids Homines La Fatrie Reconnaissante, " for in the vaults below many of the great statesmen and a few lit- erateurs have their resting-place. I was told that Victor Hugo was the only one so honored since Mirabeau. From the Lantern at the summit of the great dome, be ing one of the highest altitudes in Paris, there is a very ex tended vista; several things about it reminded us of Saint Paul's in London. We looked at the frescoes, which are becoming damaged from dampness of the walls, and listened for a few moments to the echo, which in some curious way reminded us that we had not dined. Of course we saw the Palais de Justice and in a great stone corridor were shown the mark of Madame Somebody's bullet, who not long since found that in this way only could she repay the insults of a coarse, but prominent statesman. We saw a little of many things, indeed. " Versailles to-day rain or shine," said Max. It was the former, but not an aggravated case in the early morning. A walk to the station, and ride after our arrival at the small town, then a half hour's wandering about the magnificent grounds of the palace in company with a half dozen Amer ican ladies who appreciated everything. T r6 BOHEMIAN DA YS. Max groaned a little when something less than a bucket ful of rain went inside his coat-collar as we passed from one building to another, but remained enthusiastic as to fount ains in the park, statues, and a fine, roofless colonnade and grotto. The "Gallery of Battles" representing the triumphs of Napoleon he thought uncivilizing ; murder and blood so abounded on the canvas. We went by the hidden door-way into the private apart ments of Queen Marie Antoinette, saw the stairs down which she escaped while her brave Swiss guards gave up their lives in her defense, and the rich, amber-toned salon where was a recess lined on all sides with mirrors which by their multiform reflection gave to the room an appearance of much greater size. Our conductor stood me in one par ticular spot, from whence I had the new and not specially agreeable sensation of seeing my own body minus a head, and signified that this had been a foresight of a terrible fact to Marie Antoinette. He did not seem to realize that the cause was the same in our case, and the effect not at all desirable. That very glass may be productive of in creased emigration. It seemed almost indelicate to be view ing the articles of daily use and comfort of these past-aways. I had a feeling that I must hasten, for they might be just at the door. The whole building shows the ravages of time, but there are many grand salons, for no expense was spared by Louis XIV., who spent on the palace and grounds a milliard, (^200,000,000) and Mansard the builder, Charles Lebun, the painter, and Leuotre, the landscape gardener, made of it a grand success. I am glad I do not own it, and to have to live in it — well, one has to be born to that kind of thing, I suppose. It is said that from the roof of the palace Louis XVI., having very little else to do, passed many pleasant hours in viewing the people of Versailles with his telescope, and in his workshop played the part of blacksmith, while his Queen, Marie Antoinette, held delightful receptions and en gaged herself in many litde household cares ; the saintly Madame Elizabeth, (whose beautiful statue we saw in the Chapelle Expiatoire) meanwhile devoting herself to prayer unceasing, in memory of her father, Louis XV., who not VERSAILLES. 177 iong before had died of small-pox. What a lesson we re ceive in the lives of these monarchs! This Louis, beloved, rich, powerful, being struck by a dread disease, is deserted by the courtiers who have fawned for his favor, and at his hands, now powerless, received princely gifts ; and in this grand palace he lies, as might the poorest of his subjects, breathes out his life in agony, and receives the last sad of fices at the hands of a few humble dependants. Without pomp or ceremony, in a common vehicle, with but a few followers, he is carelessly deposited in the tomb of his fathers at Saint Denis. From Versailles we went to Trianon and saw many beautifully decorated apartments, and the ornate, uncom fortable old state carriages. In the little Trianon we wan dered among the pretty gardens, groves and temples, and thought not only of Josephine, who loved the place, but of the scenes here enacted before the terrible hour when the peo ple took the might, if not the law, into their own hands, and crushed the gentle scions of Royalty, who suffered in the biblical way for the faults of their fore-parents — and per haps a little for their own weakness. How pleasant when the summer-time came, their rural sojourn by the lake, in the Swiss Village, of which the old King was Patriarch, while each of the family held some minor title, Marie her self having in charge the well-appointed but minute dairy, and often with deft fingers producing delicate fancy articles for the table. How rudely was this idyllic dream, with their idea of the "majesty which doth hedge a king," broken, as from the elegant home at Versailles they were rudely torn by the furious mob to danger and to death. After visiting the Theatre Royal we dsove back to the station in the pouring rain, where on alighting Max put the correct fare (and a small addition, on account of the bad weather) into my hand, because I " could understand what the man said," and started on up the long flight of stairs leading to the waiting-room. I handed the money to the hackman, but he had caught sight of some gold within my porte-monie, and with rage on every feature demanded " more ! " I essayed to pass, when he struck my arm sharply with his elbow, at which I cried aloud for Max, 178 B ONE MI A N DA YS. who did not hear, but without turning round, walked lei surely through the door-way and disappeared. A soldier standing guard shook his head, and turned away when appealed to — being with the majority — two noisy women having joined my enemy. What should I do ? My foreign tongue had deserted me when terrorized ; should I empty my purse ? That would be easiest. They saw my weak condition, and closed in. I do not know where my courage had been all this time, but at any rate it suddenly returned as the danger grew more imminent — making a quick flank movement, darting under an upraised arm, in a second I was running up the stairs, and at liberty. How enraged they were ! the man shouting — "Madam! Madam ! " like a fierce pirate. " What is the matter? " said Max, raising his brows as I came palpitating into the re ception-room with very little breath to spare. I tried to explain. " You should have come right on after me," he said calmly. Ah, me ! how many of us ought to do things we can't — but there is no use talking about it. CHAPTER XIX. WE DINE — TROCADERO PALACE — NOTRE DAME — BOIS DE BOULOGNE PERE LA CHAISE. We were seated at the table d'hote — after the toils and vicissitudes of the day we were socially dining. " Paris is France ! " said, in French, an acquaintance of a few hours (I have no intention of wounding the sensibilities of the long- suffering general reader by putting in black and white my attempts at the same language) : " what is there of beauty not here represented? of art? of science?" "I could not live anywhere else," exclaimed an American lady who was having a pretty daughter " finished " by Parisian masters, whereupon another half-whispered to me, with eyebrows arched, " Yes! ladies like it ! You know it is a saying that ' Paris is heaven for the ladies, purgatory for the men and — a warmer place for the horses ! ' have you noticed the poor horses ? " NOTRE DAME. 179 " I was almost run over by one to-day whose bones you might count, and it did not seem to have more than three legs to go upon ; how cruelly they do beat them ! The driver whistled for me to get out of the way, and almost made the air blue with maledictions — all in a moment." " O dear ! that won't do, you know ! foot-passengers have no rights which drivers m^ bound to respect. You have no right to be poor, either, and if you are not riding — you ought to be ! If you are run over you will be prosecuted for standing in the way. A young man the other day was run over, and instead of obtaining damages for his broken leg, although cabby was shown to have been in fault, he was ordered to pay a fine fqr obstructing the street ! " Other voices made themselves heard on all sides and in various tongues, but American in the majority. " Ah, the Louvre ! you have been there to-day ? there is art if you will ! — and the Luxembourg" — " The Tuilleries is older " — " French politics ? " (a heavy masculine tone) " ah, you will see a change ! — too much money spent, sir ! the Gov ernment costs the country 463,000 francs an hour — largest public debt in the world " — " Been to the Bon Marche, Mrs. Graffenburg? " " Ye-as, Madame, all dere ees vary goot, an' I dink it sheep doo," the large, pleasant German lady answered ; " efery yare I gomes here to buy dings, an' der Bon Marche ees done by me so well — de glerks has indrest^in der sale doo, und Madame Boncicaut has so rooms for dem, und deachers." " True ! and she takes care of any of her employees who fall sick, and pays the bills, which helps, by their having no anxiety about money matters, to cure them." " Und bensions doo ven dey been no longer dare — after fifteen work years " — " General B. a patriot ? " "As much so as some of your own" — "Ah-h ! — well said ! yes, just ' as much as some of your own,' sir ! He thinks he is a ' little tin god on wheels ' and will roll over all obstacles into the Presidency some day, I'll bet you a hat on that ! but" — "The Black Cat! what is that?" 1 80 B OH EM I A N DA YS. " Oh, do you not know ? the quaintest kind ofa little restau rant — has been a gathering-place for literary men for cen turies, I should think, and Royalty has patronized it. It is an old brick, dormer- windowed house with an immense black cat on the wall, and colored lanterns hanging out as in the good old days of yore. The guests are served by waiters in grand Louis XIV. costumes — knee breeches, powdered hair, buckled shoes and all that, you know. It's quite one of the lions — but there are so many ! " " We were in a restaurant yesterday with tiled floor and plain wooden tables — said it had been a great gathering- place of the ' Reds ' in Revolutionary days." "Oh, this is Thursday evening, isn't it ? — a musicale to night ? The young ladies of Madame La Grange's class to sing ? how charming ! — you are one. Miss Blanche, is it not so ? Madame renders each Thursday evening agree able, with a petit souper to complete all. How sublunary are we! — yes, even pleasure is fatiguing and we need change of recreation. A dance also to-night ? " The ladies adjourned to the salon adjoining the dining- room, and most of the gentlemen went to enjoy their cigars or cigarettes. It is patriotic to use a little tobacco, as the Government revenue is thereby increased, but pipes or " chewing " are in no favor ; simply, in general, a mild cigar ette. Wine is the regular beverage, except the matutinal cafe- au-lait, coffee with almost as much boiled milk. Some travelers take coffee or tea at all meals, being afraid of the frequently impure water, but being strongly advised by some old voyageurs that it was best for health to use the regular food and drink of whatever country we visited, we tried it and with success. The wines are light and have little effect on the natives, but Americans appeared more ele vated, the result of habit, no doubt. " Paris has a wonderful night life of its own ; it is the real day of half the people," said an old resident. "Ah, yes, the rich — at balls and theatres," answered a }oung sculp tor, with animation. "The poor, at rag-^icVmg, par example — ' chiffoniersl they are called. There are brigades of them. Then there are rat-catchers — 200,000 skins of these animals have been NOTRE DAME. iSi lately manufactured into kid gloves for our American ladies, and hosts are employed in the theatres, who, after the play is over, have their own amusements — and waiters without number. Even your poor portiere naps with a rope in his hand, fearful that if he did not hear the bell it would soon be around his neck. What time have they " — but another voice became more distinct. " Many of these people are not natives, they are only debris floated into the city by the tide of circumstance," a French politician was saying. " Their very looseness makes them the more dangerous. They feel that no change could greatly harm them." " What queer ways you have here — stopping one at the city gates and searching your satchel " — laughed a young lady, half provoked. " For dutiable goods, Mademoiselle " — " Having ' stations ' for street cars is disagreeable. — " "But very safe" " Oh, yes ! — safe " — as if that was of no amount. "Lamartine?" my French neighbor was saying to his vis-a-vis ; " ah, that good Lamartine ! a fine brain — is it not ? and a heart of gold. ' The wife ? ' an English lady, as his right hand to him. Was it not romantic, that affair ? She already loved, before seeing the author, from his works, and when in Geneve they met she him adored, the more that he was poor, so that she made offer to him by letter of half her fortune. On his part, he found so high talent and education that he greatly was pleased with her, and love it was at the last made for them the match." " And they were happy ever after ? " the lady inquired. " Ever after, Madame," with emphasis, " her love his story became, as her noble appreciation cyF his work gave stimulant to renewed effort." The evening passed in music and conversation, supper and dancing, and just before the latter we retired from the scene, but could hear the merry voices long after. One Sabbath, in company with a New England minister and his bride, (quite an acquisition to our pension society) we attended service at the American church, although the weather was very uncertain, producing the same feeling in us. 1 8 2 B OH EM I A N DA YS. On arriving at the station where the tickets were to be procured, lines of waiting people stood outside the door, reminding us of " mail time " at home, while vehicles rat tled away in both directions, and others clattered up in haste, discharged crowds of passengers, and our Ameri cans, supposing that " first come, first served " held good here as elsewhere, hastened to ascend with us into the first vacancies. The conductor puffed and vociferated until his face was scarlet, but Max indignantly demanded admit tance, as the " boos " was rapidly filling. "We shall be late if we miss this one," said our D.D. in earnest tones. " What does the fellow mean, anyhow ? " Max inquired, " the others are getting in." The torrent of French which had been flowing over my head suddenly meant something — we had numbers on our tickets, and first number, not ^rst person, was to be served, as the space was wholly inadequate for the people's accom modation. We finally walked to the next station, and by the time we had ridden through a half dozen streets, and walked a square or two along the beautiful Champs Elysee, we were in quite a lovely church-going frame of mind, and were rewarded by hearing an excellent sermon. " How few Protestant churches there seem in proportion to the Catholics, yet there were Protestants here before Luther's time. Doctor," said I. "Ah," he replied, "but they were legislated out; now there are only about 700,000, while the Catholics number close on thirty million — twenty- nine, at least." "And nearly as many nothing at all," Max remarked. " Not so bad as that ; nearly eight million, according to statistics, but no doubt great numbers have the name of be longing to the old church without caring anything about religion." " Some like that in all churches. One thing encouraging here is the great earnestness of the Protestants themselves. They have some excellent workers, but they need more," said Max. " This McAll Mission does a splendid work. Then the school of Batignolles is struggling to assist in sending out pastors. As in the Olden Time, ' The laborers are few' in THE BOIS DE BOULOGNE. 183 proportion to the grand harvest in view here. I know of no more promising outlook in any country, only the funds are sometimes at low water mark." Monday morning threatened rain, as usual, but in spite of that our little party set out on a round of sight seeing. First we drove to the Trocadero Palace, with its semi circular wings and high square towers, looked into the great concert-hall, which seats 5,300 people, (as it was not Sunday, nothing was going on) and viewed the collection of very old sculpture. A great elevator would have taken us to the summit of one of the towers, but our heads felt light — even in looking at its swift descent. Down through the garden with statuary and fountains, into the grotto- aquarium we hastened through the rain, and mounted into our chariots again for the Museum at the " Invalides," and the beautiful domed chapel within which repose the re mains of Napoleon I. in a great marble sarcophagus. We again visited Notre Dame, the old, and St. Sulpice with its great tridacna shells for holy water, and two " panoramas," one of " The Taking of the Bastile," the other " The Battle of Champigny ; " saw the Column of July, commemorative of the fall of the Bastile, and several other columns, prisons and palaces. The clouds, minus a silver lining, gradually drawing to gether, we had a continuous downpour, the citizens crowded as hurriedly as they were allowed by the authorities into the public conveyances, and all carriages near were called into requisition, but not half of the people were supplied ; finally the rain drove us home, but the next day, equally damp, we rode to St. Denis to see the tombs of the French Kings, and afterwards to the Bois de Boulogne, a fine park of 500 acres, with pleasant walks and drives thrc^ugh the forest and shrubbery, by lakes and crystal waterfalls. Here were many elegant equipages and finely dressed people, while Swiss nurses in white caps with long streamers of bright ribbon carried or led their little charges along the sidewalks when the rain ceased. Coming back we passed the splendid Arc de Triomphe (or de VEtoile) which is almost covered by groups of fig ures and various scenes in bas-relief commemorative of the victories of Napoleon I. It is 152 feet in height and 138 1 84 B OHEMIAN DA YS. wide, with one arch of 90, and two of 57 feet high, and on the summit rests a noble group in full relief. " Strange it has never been completed," said the Doctor : " those are only wooden horses, you know." " How lovely the Bois must be in Spring," said his wife. " These parks, Boulogne and Vincennes, and the forty open squares, must make Paris more healthy." " How far apart the interesting places are," said Max. " Talk about Washington being the ' City of Magnificent Distances ! ' it cannot hold a light to Paris in that regard. This Place de la Concorde * is a noble paved space, and gives a good view of many public buildings." " Paris is so much larger — two and a quarter million peo ple here, you know, — and of all the mixed congregations this, takes the — palm ! " exclaimed the Doctor, " Types, types everywhere." " Those Abattoirs ! " said Max. " I've been interested in seeing how animals are slaughtered in the various coun tries, but I never want to see any more horses killed." "Horrible! — too horrible to think of !" and the doctor shuddered. " Did you notice those ladies with tumblers waiting for the warm blood?" " Ladies ! " said my friend. " Certainly, ladies," laughed he, "and very weakly-look ing ones, too. One of them told me that at first she had almost, died at the idea, but now gave only a little shudder ; consumptives, you know, taking it under the orders of a , physician." " Have you been to any horse-meat restaurants. Doc tor ? " said Max. " If I have ever eaten a particle of that uncivilized kind of flesh, sir, I do not know it ! — but covered with all these wonderful sauces, who knows what he may be eating ? Their frogs are rather nice — like young chicken." " I draw the line at snails ! " laughed Max. " I want to drive in a cart through the sewers, and go down to see the Catacombs," changing the subject with a smile. " So do we ! " said I eagerly. " You ? oh, no ! it's too dark, and damp and disagreea- »iii. PLACE DE LA CONCORDE. (See page 184.) PilRE LA CHAISE. 185 ble for ladies," Max pronounced. " We'll go together, Doctor, and see the horrors." Which they did. My dear little sunny-haired bride has had a trial to pass through. The foot she sprained became so painful that much locomotion was out of the question, so the Doctor went alone on his Swiss and Italian tour. The night he left she did not appear at the parlor entertainment, and I found her busily packing (of course): was she not going back to London the following day ? Could that kind hus band have seen the sweet blue eyes brimming with tears (which I was not supposed to see), I think his heart would have failed him. There are some places which have a tendency toward producing peaceful contemplation and a feeling of rest and content. I have felt it in some houses of worship, but as much in the labyrinthine paths of nature unmarked by axe of civilization or sound of bustling life. Not such our feeling on alighting from the imperial of a street car at the gate of Pere La Chaise cemetery, for we had been laughing heartily at the crowds of people around the street show of mummers and sword-swallowers, dancers, hideous mon strosities and curiously-dressed maskers. But having left behind the noise of the highway, and shops full of em blems for decorating tombs, we walked the quiet streets of this city of the dead, noticing here and there names well known to us — Casimir Perier, Rachel, Racine, Moliere, Lafontaine, and many more, read their epitaphs, and grad ually the reality came more and more to us that there re posed the hearts which but a few brief years ago beat high with life and hope, and eyes that looked abroad, as ours now, on the living and the dead. Beneath the sculptured roof of a small temple were the recumbent figures of a priest and nun — it was the noted tomb of Heloise and Abelard, whose story has been poet ically beautified. It was unholy love at the best : the pas sion which cloaks itself under the higher name is not sacred, and in thinking it over since, I know that it was a false sentiment which led me to gather a leaf at their tomb, and give a sigh for their sorrows. — My sentimentality was of short duration. The iron gate having been left open by i86 BOHEMIAN DA YS. a couple of workmen, I entered for my leaf, and was quietly studying the tomb when a rough voice came to me, and I saw the blouses coming also on the double quick — " Sortez ! Madame ! — Sortez I " I suppose it was against the rules for any one to enter those sacred precincts, and it is probable that some tourist might have taken Abelard's nose for a souvenir if weary for a relic — but not I ! However, blouses do not wait to study physiognomy — neither did I, — I sortez-cd immedi ately, rather frightened and decidedly " ruffled," at the short words and dirty hand put out for my assistance (which however I did not accept), but memory treated me shabbily and refused to bring forward any expression suitable to the occasion, so, no doubt, they thought me very tractable, whereas I did not at all feel so. Such is life. Again we walked among the tiny chapels, about four by eight feet, looking within whose open-work iron doors we could see prie-dieu chairs, vases, flowers, pictures and fig ures of saints, the Christ, or the Virgin and Child. I sup pose the family lay buried below, or around it, but few were now interred here or in the other two large city cem eteries, Montmartre and Montparnasse, as the new burial grounds outside Paris were preferred. Some graves were covered with solid stone, others had crosses or columns, but at most, especially late ones, there was such a superabund ance of great funereal wreaths as to wholly cover the graves, as well as high wire frames erected to support these gifts of remembrance — an artificial wilderness. We prefer the natural flowers, sweet-scented and beautiful, but soon fad ing ; theirs are immortelles, or made of china or other strong material to stand the storms of winter — ^yet wanton hands had broken many of them. On fete-days the people assemble at the graves of their kindred, not merely to weep, but to enjoy themselves on the hallowed spot in a quiet way, conversing, praying in the little chapels, and placing fresh flowers before the patron saint; and to be laid there to rest does not seem so terrible a thing to them, for so shall their friends come and speak lovingly and regretfully — they will not be forgotten. ST. GERMAINE. 187 CHAPTER XX. ST. GERMAINE — MALMAISON — FONTAINEBLEAU. " Well," said Max, early next morning, " to-morrow we start for Switzerland — Dr. Johnson says Vevey is the right place for me — nice and warm." " And to-day ? — I want so to visit Malmaison." " I am due at the Hotel-Dieu at ten o'clock," he re plied, " to meet some medical friends — shall be away all day. Some one in the house may like to go." But no one cared for an expedition such a cloudy day. What about going alone? some terrible hackman like him of Versailles might be met. An elder resident who " would have accompanied me gladly had she not been tied by home duties," gave explicit directions as to time and place, so I took heart of grace and my waterproof, walked the few squares to St. Lazare station — into a wrong " divis ion " of course, and was directed back by the ticket-man, who thought me wholly unjustifiable in making the mistake — were there not directions on the route ? I supposed there were, but being in haste did not wait to find them. A few kind porters made my further going astray impossible. " To what station ? " I ruminated a moment, and read the list. Why not go all the way to St. Germaine, and returning stop at Reuel for Malmaison? I found on inquiry that with no untoward circumstance I could do so, and a few moments after we were steaming away toward St. Cloud. I felt a little un certain, but a pleasant lady and some children made me forget, and in less than an hour we were at Saint Germaine. To my left as I went up out of the ivied station, upon a wide street, I saw the old stone castle or chateau built by Charles V., restored by Francis I., and, much more recently. Napoleon III., who used it as a museum for antiquities. At the door of this building I was informed that it would not be open to the public for an hour. The portier was very polite and asked if I would not like to walk on a short distance to see the inn, which was part of it built by Henry IV. for Gabrielle d'Estrdes. There Thiers died, and in a 1 88 BOHEMIAN DAYS. conspicuous place in the town stands his statue, but the name of the once powerful statesman I did not hear men tioned in France. The short day seemed waning so rapidly that I dared not after all stay to see the Museum's curios, so hastened down the long steps just in time to be whirled away towards Paris. In my compartment sat a pleasant-faced bourgeoise woman, and a small elderly gentleman with pink face, watery eyes and smooth, shining hairless pate. In Conti nental fashion we soon were in conversation, and the gen tleman was curious to learn my nationality and the cause of my wandering about alone in a strange country, and though I spoke bravely he showed the utmost anxiety as to my safely reaching my destination and on leaving earnestly gave charge to the kindly woman to see that I got off at the right place (where she also alighted) and give further directions there. As he disappeared bowing and shaking his head, I knew he thought me too adventurous, and doubted how I might get out of the scrape, but the woman's reassuring smile, a little common sense I still retained, and the knowledge that Max considered me equal to any emergency, raised my spirits again, and at the station for Reuel I stepped out into the drizzling rain quite cheerfully. To the left, under the railway bridge, picking my way through the too friendly mud, I came to a tram-station, some carriages, and a build ing used as an inn and shop generally. " Yes," said the factotum respectfully, " there was the station, but madame could see that no train was there, it had but lately gone. No — there would be no other for some hours. Would madam enter ? would she take some thing, as it was breakfast time ? " (Noon). He was too considerate to say " because she looks weak and discomposed." After a glass of wine and some crack ers matters looked brighter, though the rain continued. The landlord called for a carriage, and two coming hur riedly forward I looked earnestly at the drivers. " Which shall I take ? " " Both are good, madam," not wishing to offend either. One was a heavy-set fellow with one eye studying the land- MALMAISON. 189 scape while the other focused me, and a red overbearing face making efforts to look amiable ; the other looked like an average American of good habits. Who would hesitate a moment ? in a few moments I was splashing through the mud with the latter, while coachman number one drew off with an outrageous expression of anger, uttering threats and beating his poor horses cruelly. O for a Paris boule vard here — or a little dry weather and McAdam ! but after laborious rolling and jolting we came in course of time to scattered houses, and into a street where was the old stone church of Renel. Every door was locked, but the coach man soon retured from a small house a square distant, fol lowed by a very fat old woman who led me from the noisy street into the cool silence and sacred calm of the old edi fice, where beneath a beautiful tomb of white marble, erected by her children, lay the ashes of the loving Josephine. On the opposite side of the chancel a similar one bore the name of Hortense. On these tombs, by the kneeling fig ures, were bouquets of fresh flowers — for, though admired by the great, Josephine lived in the hearts of the people, whose true friend she was and gentle benefactress ; whose tears and prayers followed her as a benediction, when weary of sorrow and trials her beautiful eyes had closed for the long, last sleep. For some reason Queen Hortense had not been en tombed in the upper church, and with an air of mystery my conductress with an impressive whisper lighting a can dle led me down a flight of stone stairs into the crypt, and setting light to several tapers in sconces depending from the ceiling, showed the plain stone tomb. She evidently expected something of me, as she turned about, and I was sorry to disappoint her, but was not in the habit of kneel ing at such places, and had no tribute to bffer, so what -was to be done ? — We quietly walked up-stairs again. A quick drive of over a mile, and looking through the the light rain — there were the high iron gates, but locked of course, and the portress from home ! Again my coach man to the rescue, and by dint of bell and searching chil dren, a large, rather ragged woman came upon the scene, who first had to go through her family with noisy admon itions, then looking wonderingly to see who would care T oo B OHEMIAN DA YS. to visit the old place so unpropitious a day, she with some difficulty unlocked the complaining bolt and we entered. A fading green lawn, with a long straight path through it bordered with chrysanthemums of varied hue, led to the door of Malmaison. Never had I seen a more dilapidated place, as we passed from room to room amid fading and broken frescoes, dim paint, splintered and moldering wains coting and partitions ; the floors creaking under our feet, part of the stairs fallen, and within, as without, the rain " drip-dripped " monotonously. There still was the ante room " of light-green bordered with lilacs," and the pri vate cabinet of light blue, wherein "flowers were to be ever blooming" — now how changed ! From all the rooms the furniture had been removed, and even the shell was falling to decay. In full view of the win dows were the extensive pleasure grounds where, in those happy early days of love and confidence, even the ambitious Napoleon did not disdain a game of "Prisoner," and the angel of peace seemed to have folded her wings within a -oerfect home. Here among these trees Hortense played merry pranks on the poor valet and passed her days of sunshiny youth. How different the tone of her after life ! An unhappy, un loving, unloved wife, dissatisfaction ending in a grievous separation ; the death of Louis, friendless and alone, in a foreign land, and for Hortense the misery of solitary exist ence amid the mountains of Switzerland until she, too, passed into the great unknown. The remorseless enemies who pursued with injurious falsehoods the beautiful and fascinating queen even after death, have also passed away - — as soon will these mementoes. I love the character of Josephine, so wise in the height of unlooked-for power and splendor, so great in adversity, so good at all times. "There is Napoleon's tree, where he loved to sit," said the woman. " This is the salon — that the dining-hall." From the debris I picked up a small piece of fresco, and i walked onto the terrace where Napoleon declared his be lief in God the Creator, pointing to the brilliant stars above him, exclaiming, "Who made all that? " and soon after made an edict for the opening of the churches for worship. Napoleon was ambitious and perhaps vindictive, he hadj FONTAINEBLEAU. 191 many faults, but certainly some redeeming traits, and at Malmaison he was at his best. The woman followed me along the path, and the little children hastened to pluck a handful of flowers. I looked back as we drove away, and through the mist and rain saw my last of the storied relic, and nearer to me the little children waving their hands in adieu. As the dark November evening closed in I entered my room in the Rue de Clichy, weary but content. And so our visit to Paris was ended, and we bade adieu to our genial hostess, Madame Glatz, my kind instructress in music, Countess La Grange, Madame Giles, and all the other pleasant pension acquaintances who wished us " au revoir." "Beautiful Paris! I should love to see it in May. Where shall we find such elegant boulevards and palaces again ? " " That remains to be seen," said Max. December 5 th was cloudy, but we were thankful not to have a repetition of the pouring rain, as we set out from Paris on the 36 mile journey to Fountainebleau, en route to Switzerland, hoping to run from under the wintry clouds ; for this penetrating dampness, though not so cold as England, seemed to set our little world, native and for eign, to coughing. A well-dressed couple occupied part of the compartment, lively and socially inclined, but with a strong aroma of the bar-room. " See that train-load of large white cattle," said Max, pointing from the window, "how fat and gentle they look. They'll go but a little way toward feeding the two-and-a- quarter million people of Paris." After passing along the great Valley of the Seine for several hours, among rich market gardens, and low, some times over-flowed fields, houses up on piles to be out of harm's way, and httle fisher- cottages with seines hanging on frames to dry, we entered a more broken and wooded country, a pretty little village surrounded by pleasure grounds, and soon after Lieusant with its large manufactor ies, curious buildings, and tall chimney. Next came a land flat as a plate, with fine avenues, and humpbacked willows dividing great fields of wheat, leaning 192 BOHEMIAN DAYS. weakly over on the wet ground in which drainage-tiles were being laid. Near Casson we saw great piles of cord-wood by a small forest, which seemed ill able to bear such depletion. France burns some coal, more wood, most coke, the peasants sav ing the tiniest branches, and binding them in bundles called fagotin, for kindling. Pretty Melun passed, in a few moments we were in Fontainbleau, and driving swiftly past highly ornamented houses and grounds, past shops and hotels, rattled up to the externally plain and fortress-like, but internally magnif icent Palace of Fontainbleau. Around were many soldiers for several regiments ; foot, cavalry and artillery were sta tioned here, and there is a large military school. A hun dred raw recruits were coming up from the station, young fellows slouchy and boyish, who had just left their Norman homes, and looked shyly around on the people in holiday attire, and most of all the old soldiers, who viewed them with a rather supercilious eye, muttering " garcons ! " It must be painful sometimes to be a boy. Entering a great stone paved courtyard half surrounded by the high buildings, we awaited the arrival of enough visitors to make up a party, then followed the conductor, a middle-aged soldier of fine bearing, and pressed as close as possible to hear the words which set on everj' object its seal of value. At each door he waited until all had entered, and noted carefully the position of the hands of his guests. The rooms are of different dates, the several buildings having been added to the original plan, the oldest being of the time of Saint Louis, who was fond of perpetuating himself in mortar and stone. Those of Francis I. are richly decorated with paintings, fresco and gilding, while the more modern, those of Na- poleon.Marie Antoinette, Louis Philippe and others are very ornate, and the rich furniture left intact is in wonderfully good preservation. We saw the table on which Napoleon signed his abdication, and feeling enraged dashed his knife into the wood, leaving a mark still plainly visible. Prob ably he felt more like burying it in his own heart. Was it FONTAINEBLEAU. 193 weakness or bravery to will to continue living such a life o'ershadowed? We flocked after our guide with eyes feasting on art treasures — especially the beautiful paneled ceilings, which led me to think that the owners must have reclined on these easy couches to view them comfortably, for an incip ient " crick " in my neck gave warning of an unhealthy position, and several of the company made the subject a matter of manual labor. I could not follow the example of the happy bride of the party — lean on the shoulder masculine, unless I had procured a six inch stool, which might have proved inconvenient in removals — and fancy Max! The lady having in charge three lively children had little time for anything else, and the conductor looked sorely tempted to administer a rebuke to them, all and severally. One room of Marie Antoinette had a glass recess like one at Versailles, reflecting infinitely every article brought into focus, making the one room appear a succession of bright salons. Much of the upholstering was in yellow or amber satin. Here a young woman who had strayed was reprimanded and brought knife in hand from a window-sill into line, trembling and flushing, while the old soldier guard frowned like a thunder-cloud, his eyes emitting flashes of lightning. Poor relic-hunter ! — but she was very much in the wrong : — mutilating valuable articles, of interest to all nations and eras, is unworthy any enlightened or civilized person ; the custodians do right in being severe. The guide particularly called our attention to some of Napoleon's exquisite Sevres porcelain, richly hand- painted, finely carved walnut doors, at the entrance to a large hall, and mosaic tables ivoith a fabftlous sum, of rare marble finely polished. "Ah — that Napoleon!" cried an excitable lady, " had he not grown fat fortune would not have deserted him ! How can one soHdify thought when troubled by superabundant andipose tissue ? he is sluggish in mind and body." The speaker was of the Sara-Bernhardt figure. "With the loss of his good counselor and friend, Napo leon's star set," her friend replied. 13 194 B OHEMIAN DA YS. Last came the picture gallery, but the guide was in too much haste to remain long, and most of the party cared little for it, so we were soon in the carriage for a drive in the great Forest of Fontainebleau, beautiful no doubt when the Spring clothed the trees and russet ground with verd ure, but leaving much room for imagination. At one spot was a circle with seven avenues radiating from it like a star, or the boulevards from the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. The Palace and town are two miles from the station, but a straggling line of houses endeavors lazily to fill the gap, and nearly succeeds. Many houses through out France have few windows on the street because of the tax on all external windows. Max concluded that a hotel near the railroad would be desirable, as we should make an early start next morning and our driver was enthusiastic as to the accommodations of one known to him there — and a curious place we found it, with many compartments in a small space, odd stairs in unexpected places, and little halls in different directions, though outwardly a plain brick edifice you would not suppose capable of developing any peculiar idiosyncracy. I lost myself once or twice in almost no space at all. Our room looked cosy with a bright fire on the hearth, but it took the ministrations of several sprightly servants to settle us in, amid vociferous commands from a large, rosy, capable-looking landlady, who passed busily back and forth, yet accomplished little — without separate and distinct orders from us. To pro cure our fire, for instance, I told my wish to a servant, who sent another to the mistress, who ordered a third to make it, and then coming in held up her hands in horror over the terrible chimney that would smoke; but we found that a larger blaze remedied the difficulty — using up material so quickly that twice again that evening the formula of pro curing it had to be gone through, as about three sticks was a load. The cafe-au-lait was delicious, but the eatables would have suited Greenlanders, being unspeakably — or rather, uneatably — greasy. Max opened his eyes at the bill next morning. " Double first-class rates for third-rate board ! does that pay ? " VINES AND WINES. 195 He did at any rate, and inability to inform people as to your opinion of them is almost as good as philosophy — re quires a good deal of it anyhow, and then one is so seques tered. " Tell them" — Max began, but where was the use? they had to be paid. Let one allow himself to be troubled by the daily worries of life, they will probably, like disturbed hornets, sting him to death. Laugh rather at the dozen "extra" items, and pay like a little man, knowing that it will surely happen again. CHAPTER XXI. SHADOWS AND SUNSHINE— VINES AND WINES MACON MOUN TAINS VERSUS HILLS THE ALPS. When you have placed yourself, bag and baggage, in a compartment, and some minor official (the minor-er the worse they are) comes, and with a flood of volubility, which simply stuns you, and drowns your faculties, flow ing over your head instead of into your ears, insists on taking you out in the rain and putting you into the next compartment, the only way is to sigh (or whatever else occurs to you in a private w/ky) and quietly submit. " He is only a part of the corporation," you say, "corporations have no souls — therefore, he has no soul." And you place your feet on the hot-water can, tuck your rug comfortably around your knees, look out on the crowd of anxious peo ple struggling with similar difficulties, unruly umbrellas, and piles of trunks {you having none) and become quite reconciled and happy. When your hackman insists that you have been over the hour and must pay double, besides his pour-boire, and by his violent gesticulations attracts a crowd, pay him quietly, if you can, or take him before the police. It is of no use to argue; he can talk all around you and leave you in the wrong every time. But by the time this conclusion was reached we were steaming away from our betes noirs, had passed Sens, and were in a beautiful hilly country with the farms like parti- 196 BOHEMIAN DA YS. colored ribbons upon the steep hill slopes. The Seine was very full of water, and the whole valley a rich green. There is much replanting of trees in France, and along every water course they were growing freely. A pleasant old couple entered, with whom we "scraped up" an acquaintance. The old woman wore a close white cap, plaid shawl, dark blue dress and long white apron ; below this (for the dress was short walking-length) were visible plaid stockings and low wooden-soled shoes, and in her hand she carefully held a basket of eggs covered by a white cloth. The old man, in blue cap and blouse, with a bright kerchief knotted around his throat, looked around pleasantly, as sure of finding friends. They were off on a visit to their daugh ter, lately married to a mechanic, who had been abroad for years, but was now settled in Joigny. In France very inferior work is done in every depart ment of mechanism : even the doors and windows fit badly, and tiny hollow-hearted fire-places are expected to warm large rooms. I hoped the " abroad ''-er might have learned better things, but what satisfies the purchaser is not apt to be improved upon greatly by the artisan. Just before reaching Joigny we passed a stone signal-tower, seeing which our old people rose in eager anticipation, and in a few moments with hearty farewells departed. At this, as at every station, there was an immense amount of talking, and some of the new recruits, of whom we were conveying sev-' eral car-loads, were noisy, and had to be forced to return to the train by the officers in charge.. "Hear their loud laughter!" said Max, leaning out of the car window. " They have been drowning their woes in absinthe, I suppose, poor fellows." "Why do you pity them? they seem very merry." " They are drafted, and taken away from home, whether willing or not." "They look young. — See that cloud of little birds ! — how they sing in that plantation of moss-covered trees — this re gion has been flooded." "This is poor soil at St. Florentin, yet look at these great fields of wheat. The people seem to be gregarious, — dwell in villages instead of on separate farms. Well, that system has its advantages, " 1 * J- FEENOII SKETCHES. i. HOUSE ON PILES. 2. TOWER AT MONTBARD. 3. RUINS OF AN OLD CASTLE, 4. AN OLD PEASANT COUPLE. 5. IVY-EMBOWERED WELL. 6. SIGNAL TOWER. 7. HOUSE AND WALL OF COBBLESTONES. 8. ONE OF THE SMOKERS. CSee pages 196 and 197..> VINES AND WINES. 197 " I suppose they retain the habits of the olden time when they really needed protection from marauders. Through great vineyards the train reached Tonnerre with its old castle and lively town, separated from the depot by a large marsh, making dampness and mist every where ; trees in the great avenue being green with mistle toe and moss. Reeds and rushes were in the stream, wil lows on its banks, hills environing the valley, with narrow fields separated only by a deep furrow, carefully cultivated up and down their steep sides, the light-brown plowed land richly contrasting with the dark vines and vegetables beside them. " The rain this morning seems damp," Max remarked, with surprised conviction, as of a valuable fact newly dis covered, but being suddenly extinguished in a tunnel, he subsided. And here, as we emerged, was " Ancy-la- France " — and sunshine! we had left the cloud to toil over the mountain while we went through it, and came out ahead. The high barren summits reminded us of western Ireland, but these / precipitous sides showed great quarries of the light stone conspicuous in both houses and dividing field-walls. Red, brown, and orange-colored willows grew along a stream a little further on, and on the slope above were stone houses with old, mossy slate roofs much larger than themselves, and an ivy-embowered well near the ruins of an old castle between Nuits and Mont-bard, and a tower and church steeple showing above a grove of green trees, of which I endeavored to make a sketch in spite of the train's ague like movement. On the hawthorn hedges was a peach- glow as if budding, and leafless bushes were trimmed with bunches of scarlet berries — a Christmas store for the birds after a sweetening frost. 1 Beside a stream bordered with high poplars, in a narrow valley, then Blaisy-Bas, a sleepy-looking old place in a sleepy hollow, from which the train rushed into a four-and- a-half-minute tunnel, and down hill again as if the Spirit of the Mountain were at its heels, stopping to pant and rest in a clean, cream-colored village with a fortification looking down from a mountain above it, plenty of fruit trees, and miles of small grapevines. , 1 98 B OHEMIAN DA YS. Many people of similar physique and attire were enter ing and leaving the train at every station in this region, the men usually habited in English morning costume — with a few variations, such as a blue smock over the suit, and heavy wooden-soled boots. They looked strong and hearty, of medium size and good color, though not fair. They took me to be French — until I spoke. 1 Abundance of blooming roses, the first we had seen for weeks growing out of doors, short tunnels and narrow val leys alternating in the rockiest country we ever had seen, Beyond Dijon, the centre of the great wine-making dis trict, the country was of an entirely different character 1 should not wish to flatter it, in fact, it could not be flatter. We had left the Cote D'or mountains to the west, and were in the region where is produced the best Burgundy in the world — the Clos-Vougeot, whose small vineyard near Beaune is the wonder of many in its delicious vintages, and amount of gold brought in exchange. At one time it was all kept for the Pope and the Duke of Burgundy, or those he delighted to honor, but now it is sold to the wealthy wine-lover, for due consideration. It is said that the owners never add other wine in time of scarcity: it is held pure and must always bring its price. Other wines, as Nuits and Chambertin, are by some persons preferred ; Po- mard and Richeburg, Preaux and Auxerne all have their devotees. What power there is in the sunshine, the soil or the peculiar care of the precious juice I know not, but these wines had peculiar richness and body, and the nine teen communes of the Arondissement of Beaune have a name belonging to no other spot. The vines were cut low, about six inches of wood with two to four sprouts, a foot and a half apart, in rows a yard wide. There were squares of green, watery low-land sur rounded by poplars before we reached Chagny with its cream-colored stone dwellings, trimmed with a variety of tints. At the station was a charming dark -robed lady tak ing tearful " adieu " of her two boys in naval costume. The French are very fond of their children, who fully requite their affection. " Not so much smoking here as further north," I re marked. MACON. 199 " But snuff-taking, which is far worse," returned Max, in a tone of disgust. " Look at that watery-eyed old gentle man — quite an air to him, too, as he offers the box to others. Ha ! ha ! that's a joke ! — does as well as an onion — snuff does — poor old lady thinks her departure causes those tears — ha ! ha ! — all snuff." The train moved out. " You do not realize, Mr. Max, how embarrassing it would be to fall below some one's expectations in an affair of the heart. French are so chivalrous, too." "An affair of the eyes." "And no doubt she feels the happier, thinking he cares. I have a theory " " Theories don't count," with a quizzical look. " He was trying to amuse the people about him to draw their attention away — he was trembling with grief " A sound from Max, indicative of non-agreement. " Purely imaginary — no proof whatever ; " in a matter-of- fact tone. " Here is Chalon St. Come — and sunset." " What stacks of barrels ! " "A great place for manufacturing wine, they say. See that overflowed land — good for malaria.'' " It looks like a series of beautiful lakes, but the trees half submerged speak of a high tide. How few animals we have seen — have you noticed ? even the birds have disap peared." " There is a three-cornered pond ! — never saw a three-cor nered pond before," laughed Max. " Probably the farmer is fond of angling." At which Max eyed me sadly for a few moments, then shook his head ; " It's the malaria ! " he sighed. Night at Macon. A porter guided us to the Hotel de Londre, where we received the greatest attention and kind ness. After a late dinner we walked through an open square, a small park, by a few large buildings and many dingy houses on narrow streets, where our olfactories warned that the place was in an unsanitary condition, arriving at last at the Post Office, a plain two-story building back from the street, shut in by high iron fence and gates. A shabby- looking individual dogged our steps for several squares, slip- 200 B OHEMIAN DA YS. ping into door- ways if we glanced around, until Max be coming weary turned suddenly on him as we were going along quickly, when he incontinently fled away, and we saw him no more. But I was quite willing to return to the hotel, as the streets were dimly lighted, and a shower began to fall. We dared not satisfy our thirst with water, it being so im^ pure, probably one reason so much wine is used, but this is the pure juice of the grape, to which water is added for drinking, making a mild beverage and not deleterious. December 8th was alternately sunshine and clouds after a lively morning shower. At Bonsani we waited a half hour, the tickets being by Nantua, then gradually wound up the steep sides of the Mountain Cozeriat, among vineyards, and flat, red-tile roofed houses. These, however, soon changed in appearance, the roofs were long and steep, and the large buildings part stone, part stucco, were many of them used as barn as -well as dwelling, hay appearing in openings above the house door, and stable doors beside them, under the same roof From a tunnel we emerged into a rocky pass, then a val ley with stony fields, while above were mountains purple with heather. The people who entered were bright-eyed, intelligent and wide awake. A well-informed woman seated herself beside me and pro ceeded to enlighten me on various subjects in a clear, crisp voice that I imagined would render no uncertain sound in a case of personal or political moment. She had opinions of her own, whereas many of ours are only borrowed from our neighbors, and float on the surface of our minds until like a bubble they break in collision with another. At Vallere-Versure the soil is poor and the snow around and above it makes it seem but a winter-land, yet many happy people dwell in mountain homes, living contentedly on little, for their wants are few. Near the track, just after we had passed the remains of the " Chateau d'Haut-Cour," was a cosy home-place, several buildings enclosed within a high wall, all of light-grey stone, with very bright-red roofs on every building and wall. On the east side of the mountains were houses with MOUNTAINS VERSUS HILLS. 201 one or two archways closed by great doors to exclude the wind and other intruders. Another tunnel passed, and a high bridge, below which dashed among the rocks the foaming, rapid river Surrenne, bright green and white commingling. The great mountain opposite showed vegetation, in some places, on the rock it self but at others they rose light and bald, like great for tifications high into the blue ether, while a miniature ava lanche of snow came sweeping down, breaking into feathery spray upon a thousand jagged rocks, and falling in a fine shower upon many a tiny cot. The pine, the cedar and the heather climbed nearly to the summit, and closer clung to Nature's heart the more the cold wind blew. On leaving a long tunnel I looked hastily out to greet the sunlight — and my mountains, and behold ! we were in a wide flat valley, not very fertile, but with interesting vil- ages and villagers. Here my neighbor set me right on a very important point, and, being of a candid, open, sincere disposition, I herewith informed my friends. These grand elevations we had been admiring were-not mountains at all ! — still in the far beyond were they, and so high that these would seem like puny hills. Then came a valley with sev eral beautiful lakes, bright blue in color, with evergreens above on the moun — I mean on the hillsides, and verdure all around them, embowering the little village and cottage homes in every glen. At Charis-Lalleyriat my communicative companion and her friend (who carried her wardrobe in a bundle) de parted, for they lived beside the Lac de Silence — I was glad its name did not apply to them. I do not wonder that mountaineers are never thoroughly contented elsewhere, for there is grand company in such vast solitudes. The men who entered with fur caps and under-coats of dyed sheep-skins looked arctic as well as rustic, but more comfortable than the light-clad girls herding goats on the heights, where some of the animals being playfully inclined skipped from rock to rock on no perceptible footing, hun dreds of feet above the dashing torrent. As I was indulg ing in somewhat of rhapsody to Max we suddenly were eclipsed in a tunnel. " It is always d (oh, another tunnel 1 ) dampening to 202 BOHEMIAN DA YS. one's ardor. Max, to have a sentence broken in the middle." Rapture dies when held in (a tunnel ! ) abeyance, or called to order. Like a certain kind of unreal courage, it evapo rates at the finger ends. Altitude may have something to do with elevation of the divine afflatus. I doubt if one in a hundred amid the sub lime scenery of the Alps does not feel stirring to life thoughts which he longs to evolve in poetic harmony ; the heart burns within him, but the inspired words will not express them selves. There is a music which swells like an organ-peal within the soul, while the still lips give no sign, but it may be the echo is heard in Heaven. " Perhaps it is," said Max, doubtfully — he was looking earnestly out of the window—" If I had my gun I'd kill that wild duck ! " Far below, but on a line with us, the lovely little Valser- ine went skipping and dancing over the rocks. The air was sweet and pure, and no heavy cloud of smoke floated back from the engine, for coke instead of coal was the fuel — much to our comfort. Poigny-Chancy, on the line between France and Switzer land — in a wild hilly region. Here I noticed that the pe culiar French dress had quite disappeared, but fortunately that language remained. And now, leaving France, I thought somewhat on the character of her people. I like the French, their cheerful ness, versatility and industry, and, among many good traits, their deep and tender reverence for the mother, and I think that in their superficial writings many authors do their own people great injustice, or foreigners would not consider them so low in morals. In some countries the upper stratum, oc cupying a conspicuous position, is supposed to exemplih' the material of the whole structure ; it is forgotten that Eng land is compared to her ale — froth at the top, dregs at the bottom, with a sound, rich body between ; and that the froth everywhere floats, often hiding or obscuring depths of worth or beauty below. The French peasantry is not to be compared to " dregs " however ; it is one of the glories of la belle France ; indus trious, thrifty, economical, they live comfortably, though' frugally, on what in America would be tiwown to waste, and GENEVA. 203 besides buying, gradually, many a productive acre, have in vested their savings in bonds, and with modest yet joyous zeal assisted in paying off the enormous war debt. " There are fine wheat-fields," said Max, " and that grass land ought to keep plenty of stock in good condition. The trees in that pretty grove hold their brown leaves on a long time." " These frame houses look home-like — only the red-tiled roofs." " Look ! look at that pretty little animal, white as snow — there ! up in that great vineyard on the hillside, — what is it ? " Max inquired of a gentleman near. " That is a weazel. In summer its coat is a reddish brown. There are many among the wilds in this vast mountain region, and some other wild animals which prowl for whatever can be caught at night." Mountains snow-crested. " The Alps ! '' the gentleman announced. Soft, purple tinted in the setting sun, stood beautiful Mont Blanc, for in spite of Napoleon's prohibition the Alps still grandly rose to heaven. In a few minutes we were comfortably ensconsed in a Genevese hotel. CHAPTER XXII. GENEVA, CALVIN'S HOME, LAUSANNE. In the early morning, crisp and cool, we took a refresh ing walk through the pretty square where among shrubbery stands the elaborate monument of the Duke of Brunswick, and several of less dimensions ,¦* then past large buildings on a wide boulevard facing lovely Lac Leman, as the Genevese called it, over the fine bridge of Mont Blanc, and through the winding paths of a park beautiful with evergreens and late flowers, where we admired a monument representing the reception of Geneva into the Swiss Con federacy, and one to the memory of the noble and brave General Dufour, erected by the Swiss nation. We were looking, from th-e bridge of Mont Blanc, at- a 204 BOHEMIAN DAYS. statue of Rousseau sitting in an attitude of deep contem plation under the shadow of a group of trees on an islet in the River Rhone, when all around us the air was white, and our ears were filled by the cries of a thousand sea-gulls which perched upon the bridge, floated on the wave, or cir cled between, and we soon discerned the cause. From an immense basket of bread which a man trundled along on wheels a young woman selected a loaf, and commenced a generous distribution among the birds, who had come to breakfast. I was one of several who immediately as sisted. The coincidence of the bread-man and the birds' arrival did not at first strike me, but the fact was he had stationed himself there for the purpose of selling his bread to people who enjoyed this species of amusement. I had thought him casually passing — he looked casual — so did the girl. How the wind did blow ! The waters of the lake, blue as the cloudless sky, were raised into snow-capped billows as we entered a boat house to inquire about what time their steamer left on its trip around the lake, but no steamer would venture out, so we sought other amusements — the first in order being breakfast. Our visit to the great watch manufactory resulted in climbing many steps and inspecting quantities of httle wheels and polishing apparatus, and screws, and people needing spectacles, but did my life depend upon it I could not put a watch together even now. The city hall is a curious building of the i6th century with two open towers on the central square adorned with growing plants on the balustrades of every stoiy. One had a circular staircase of easy ascent, the other a steep incline paved with small cobblestones, with here a heart and there a cross or a circle. Up this path it is said John Calvin rode on his donkey. After climbing two or three steep streets and making many inquiries, we found the old house of this same noted divine — a three-story light-colored stone building, now used as a medical clinic for the treatment of paupers, none of whom being present we were shown through the rooms he occupied three hundred years ago, dining hall, study, and the bed-room where he died — lofty, well lighted, and opening upon the stone paved court. Some curious old CAL VIN'S HOME. 205 pictures were on the walls, allegorical representations of the seasons, and one of a saint looked sufficiently ancient for the time of Calvin. Part of the town on each side of the Rhone is very old, the houses in some narrow streets so nearly touching from the second story up that the inhabitants might almost shake hands across, and many were in a sad state of dilapidation, but much of the city is beautifully laid out and substan tially built into squares, with spaces left here and there for parks and gardens. Geneva, sometimes called " Little Paris," claims 68,000 inhabitants, and points with pride to the record of illus trious names of former citizens. It has something less than a dozen Museums, several colleges, handsome churches of various sects and nations, and fine Public Halls. The tidy Market and market-people interested us greatly. " Nice people here," said Max, " and everything so cheap that it would cost very little to live, — suppose we become Genevese? " and we entered warmly into the discussion of the several values of market-produce in different countries. " There is no doubt," said I, " that many people come here to retrench in times of adversity, — but do we particu larly want to retrench ? " " There could be no harm in it — how much did she say for these pears ? — yes, two pounds of them. Cheap ? " as we walked on, " why I never saw the beat. And the but ter! — did you notice the yellow rolls ? " But after all we did not conclude to live in Geneva, charming, healthful, " reasonable " as it was. Soon after our arrival in the city Max called on our Consul. " It is but right," said he pleasantly, " that we should see our representative, and anyhow it is refreshing to meet a thoroughbred American. Not that we want anything specially, but he will initiate us into the ins and outs and tell us what is really worth seeing. " So we went to the Consulate. We did not, however, re main long, for, with pen in hand, the cultured gentleman, learned in international law and social science, coolly in quired our business — probably thin'King that we should ask for money (as he afterwards informed us was frequently the 2o6 BOHEMIAN DAYS. case), and the pen waved under his bending head as if he really couldn't be. detained a moment. Poor Max at first looked perplexed — he had been so sure of a welcome, while I moved quietly towards the door not wishing to intrude. Then Mr. Consul woke up a little, rose half apologetically, recommended one or two places of interest — But we ourselves were quite ready to leave and in a few moments were walking briskly along the street. Max com fortably airing his opinion of that kind of a consul in words forcible if not beautiful. The natives we found obliging and kindly, ready to im part information, cheerful and industrious, but not over-fond of innovations. I heard of a firm of watchmakers who had imported a type-writer with which they were very much pleased. Shortly afterwards an American friend calling on them inquired if they "liked the type-writer," for he had noted its absence. " Yes — it is very good," they said. " But you do not seem so enthusiastic." "Well, we do not use it, you see," hesitated the Switzer; " it did the work of quite a number of our young men — but then, you know, there was nothing left for them to do. We did not want to turn them away, nor to leave them idle, so we set them to writing again." Labor-saving was not an object. Switzerland has pro gressed in some ways, of which the newspapers are proof, having increased in number in yo years from eighteen to four hundred. We enjoyed our stay in this clean, bright city very much except for one thing — with the icy winds from snow-capped mountains and glaciers, Max's cough, the cure of which was one of our principal incentives to travel, though quieter for a day or two, had now returned more vigorously tlian ever, and day after day he returned to the hotel chilled to the heart, and spent the night in coughing, almost incessantly. We must " move on." " Dr. Johnson said I must go to Vevpy," he repeated; so, after lunch we boarded the train for Lausanne and the longed- for haven, and I rejoiced that we soon should see the Castle of Chillon, if not its noted prisoner. Looking out from the train-window the picture of the lake and the snow-capped CALVIN'S HOME. 207 mountains beyond was beautiful. We frequentlv passed pretty villages, Chambesy with its chateau Pregny, or Roths child. Coppet, where we saw the chateau built for Madame de Stael by her fond and wealthy father, Necker the banker, her beautiful home for so many years, and Nyon, where at the chateau Prangins (near one much older) lived Jerome Bonaparte. The station houses were pretty little wooden cottages with projecting roofs, narrow porches and outside stairs, much like the Swiss chalets which we used to amuse ourselves taking to pieces in the sunny days of childhood, but not quite so picturesque. " Do you feel warmer ? " Max enquired. " It is certainly time to begin. I feel chillier. Johnson ! Johnson ! — I wish he was here now that I might ask him about this warm temperature.'' At frequent intervals along the road were guards, and every crossing had its watchful woman with red flag furled, showing that telegraphic signals had announced the track clear. While the men labor the women thus fill their places, and it gave us a feeling of security to know that we were in the care of such watchful guardians. From the blue faces, and close-drawn shawls we opined that the thermometer was in a decline, and felt colder, but were unprepared for the great change of temperature when the doors were thrown open at Lausanne, where we were to change cars. See ing no one near we hastened across to the station to make inquiries in spite of the terrible wind which almost took us off our feet. I tried to speak to a guard, but facial muscles refused to obey my will ; my blue lips vainly tried to form words, while Max almost lost his breath in a strangling cough. The guards muttering " La bise ! " hurried us into a stove -heated room where we rapidly thawed and be gan to live again. " Call this warm ? " Max exclaimed as soon as he had breath to spare, looking out at the hilly streets clad in white. " But perhaps Vevey is different," said I. " They need not tell me that place could be warm when Lausanne, only a few miles distant, is like this \ No indeed ! we'll start south in the morning." So having concluded to remain at Lausanne over night, we left our larger baggage 2g8 BOHEMIAN DAYS. under check at the station, and walking up a steep, well- beaten snowpath into the city, found a hotel on a private street facing the mountains and lake, and regretted that we could not remain a month. That evening and next morn ing we took short rambles through the snowy streets, and found Lausanne a most picturesque city, built upon several hills so steep that from the steps you are climbing you may look upon the roofs of houses on the street next below. A large company of school children were as merrily enjoying the snow as those of our city, where it is so infrequent, and the hasty rolling up of a snow man, cries of welcome and showers of snow-balls to newcomers, a dropping of satchels and strapped books for eager warfare, and the whole street was full of flying snow and laughing children. Upon the summit of one of the pointed hills is the old Cathedral of Lausanne, a venerable Gothic pile, and below it, on a street of the same name, is the church of St. Fran cois ; a large viaduct unites two hills. There are good schools, and the people are highly cultured, patriotic and enlightened. The dress of the women in the country is very picturesque, with white cap, short, bright skirt and pretty bodice, but differs very much in the various Cantons; some men wore caps, short jackets and knee-breeches, but most of them had on modern garments. A sumptuous lunch, a long last look from our windows at the lake and mountain, then away towards the summer and the sunshine. CHAPTER XXIII. FROM SWITZERLAND TO SOUTHERN FRANCE LYONS MAR SEILLES TOULON SALINS D'HYERES. " It is very, very cold," said Max shivering as he stepped from the snow into the Lausanne depot. " V\'^e will travel first-class, so as to be as warm and comfortable as we can." The Swiss car was thoroughly heated and in its plush-lined seats and large windows all one could ask of comfort, but alas ! we had to go beyond the frontiers, and the French L YONS— MARSEILLES— TOULON— HYkRES. 2oy cars were very different. We did not take a sleeper for two or three reasons ; the first and best being that there was none when we started, secondly, the European sleeper is a very different affair to ours, with very httle comfort or ac commodation about it, and thirdly, we expected to arrive at Lyons early in the evening. Soon we were amidst great mountains shining coldly though sunlit, and capped by crimson clouds, with a river dashing over the rocks far below, and upon these mountain sides homesteads, bright in the warm summer days, but now in their cold covering of snowy whiteness a picture of desolation, with no men at work, no children at play. The night, a cold night, shut us in, as over the windows a crust of ice congealed, but the Customs people were as lively as ever, and marched us out through wind and snow, but, real izing our trunkless condition, quickly passed us with scarce animation enough remaining to notice the crowd shivering around, awaiting in turn their various Saratogas. " Why don't those fellows put fresh hot water-cans here ? — hi ! '' called Max to a man, but he only laughed and sup plied the second-class cars until well "tipped." We indulged in retrospection to pass the time. "A few days ago," said Max, "we were in the French capital doing our duty as sight-seers ; before that wander ing around in Ireland, Scotland and England, taking in the Giant's Causeway, Ben Lomond, and historic Edinburgh from the rocky summit of Arthur's Seat." " In the hushed silence and holy light of many an old cathedral" — -in dramatic tone. " Go on," he murmured dreamily from his wrapping of contemplation and rugs, " be hvely if you can, Dolly." "At Abbotsford and Melrose paused in reverent remem brance of the Master to whom their light* and shadows were so dear" — " Dear at any price, if it's as cold as this,"with a sigh. '' By the resting-place of the Master of Poesy " — "And who might that be, madam ? — in your opinion." " The ' Bard of Avon ' has that name, sir, who held a mirror to expose the faults and frailties of the world to its own eyes." " Bet he never looked in it himself," turning over. 14 2IO BOHEMIAN DA YS. " So we have had before us in this old world the lesson of mortality — I should say mmortality, for who could believe that the great soul which inhabited the ashes over which we sigh can have passed to nothingness ? " "And what about Bacon ? " quite cheerfully for a freezing man. '' Bacon ? " I rather feebly made reply, not understanding his drift. " Lord Bacon — not breakfast bacon, Dolly — the genuine author of your Shakespeare's plays. Shakespeare had very little education, while many of these Plays show a depth of learning as well as the insight into human nature acquired by a man of the world just such as was Bacon. Some of the plays came out years after Shakespeare was dead and buried.'' " It does not seem likely that the world in general would have been so long deceived; besides, as to his lack of early education was he not a true genius who is a law unto him self? That is better than any education." " Question ! " " How much restoring there is ! I doubt if Shakespeare would recognize his own house — though perhaps his ideas would be restored too." " Undoubtedly," in rather a sleepy tone. " Well, we have seen the Crown Jewels, and the British Nobility on its own native heath ; have looked on great dynamited buildings, and heard the most celestial of earthly music ; enjoyed the hospitalities of stately mansions, and been rocked in the cradle-bed of the English Channel — " But Max sighed in his slumbers, so I tucked the rug around him and left him in peace. " Let me see that bill again," Max said wrathfully, as we .slowly left the depot of Lyons next morning, bound for Marseilles, after a quick walk among the silks and velvets for which the city is famous, churches and large public buildings. " Was it not the first-class car that made the trouble ? " I enquired, " Those porters would not have been hopping along opposite the windows of the car had they not imagined a good ' fare ' within." L YONS— MARSEILLES— TV ULON— HYkRES, 211 " Hm — hm — hum," murmured Max scanning the lengthy bill, " how many times is ' service ' charged ? " " Only three or four, and you remember that we were re ceived by the whole establishment, at least six attendants con veyed us to our room. Did you make your usual tout compris engagement there ? " " N — no. You see it was only for a night — " " Yes, they knew they would have but one nibble at your purse." " Unconscionable rascals ! " " Perhaps that class of traveling had demoralized us a lit tle. We took everything (^n grand seigneur, as one of your friends expressed it the other day.'' The balance of the family temper must be maintained — so I smiled. "And the idea.' almost forced us to ride in their old ' boos' for the half-square — that's your Hotel Bordeaux!" " Not mine," I softly murmured. " And those two-foot wax candles — why they were not burning the half hour, it was ten when we arrived — it's all of a piece, but we'll look out and not be fooled so in Marseilles, I bet ! " Plans of campaign were cheerfully discussed. "And we are to stay where the snow will be only poetic ally referred to — merely hinted at by orange blooms and lilies?" " Exactly so — or on to Africa. These things we've been experiencing seem small, Dolly, but after all life is made up of little things. It is not that one cares so overly for a few dollars and cents, but to have one's pocket picked ! " We agreed perfectly in sentiment on this occasion, except ing a small unexpressed doubt which would haunt me about the future. I was not so sure that the breakers were passed. From Lyon to Vienne through a narrow valley, with great rocks to our left, and the river on the right hand ; the soil poor, but even on the steep hill-sides a marvel of cultiva tion; and some patches but a few feet square, at any angle, or segment of a circle, upheld in terraces by stone walls one above another, looked like a puzzle, the pieces being of varied color according to the crop cultivated. " Land must be scarce around here," Max remarked laughing, as he threw away the core of a pear he had been 212 B OHEMIAN DA YS. enjoying. " Fancy them terracing the Rockies in that style ! It would take some of our Western Prairies to spread over them in the first place. That patch must be at least three feet by eight — where it's anything. The little garden below it is almost as steep as a church steeple, isn't it?" " Yes — and see those cobble-stone houses and walls, and this a regular concrete, but with only one window. These light-brown buildings look dull if you compare them to the picturesque homes of Switzerland." " That hill appears to be covered with brown, green and yellow ribbons— I count fifteen long terraces. See the stalactites in this cavernous rock ! — are they not beautiful ? like tiny waterfalls congealed — there are Moorish houses in that little village." We came into the town of Valence, and sat in a noisy depot for half an hour, and saw above a wall, just outside, part of a pretty, little decorated chapel with a beautiful entrance door, and above it a figure of the Virgin with three human heads beneath her feet. A grove of willows and Lombardy poplars appeared in the distance. Gradually we approached a grandly rugged range of mountains cov ered with snow, which caused the air to grow much colder; an old ruined castle, desolate and deserted, stood at the foot, with a bleak and bare country around it. At Montelimar was a house with windows up against the eaves, others had no facings — and then came a large one with windows varying as to size and situation, evidentiy planned from the inside. " Well now, here," I fancy I hear the lady of the house saying " I want a large, low window, for in this room I shall be sewing and writing, and must have plenty of light; and in this large closet will be needed a small window — too much light would spoil my fruit.'' While the gentlemsn on the other side of the hall is ex claiming, " None of your big windows for me, Builder. Put two medium-sized ones here so that my writing-table will have light from both directions — put them up high so that I shall not be annoyed by passers-by looking in — A little window for you ? " to his small daughter who has come in with her doll. "Why, of course! — a small window down near the floor in that corner, Mr. Builder. Sit down my dear httle one, and show us just where you would have it." L YONS-MARSEILLES— TOULON— HYLrE.^. 213 On returning from a summer's trip to the North the fam ily come: elated around to their dwelling and, as they see it, in chorus cry, " Oh ! " but after all add, " That Builder ! " he being the only convenient scape-goat. Meanwhile we had been continuing our journey, and when I glanced out were in a rocky gorge, with dark caverns and heights above resembling ruined castles. In a wide valley upon high hills appeared castellated walls with watch-towers, surrounding small towns, as in feudal days. Avignon had the most perfectly preserved walls, square towers, and gate ways we ever had seen. Through the now wintry land were numerous haystacks held down by large stones, which indicated prairie-winds, but few trees, and in the open common great flocks of sheep nib bled the scanty herbage, their care-taker, a woman in coarse, dingy clothing, knitting as she walked among them. A delicate pink house with white trimmings looked very cool on a hill above the river Durance, which we crossed on a high bridge before reaching Tarascon, with its golden goddess inside a beautiful gateway. We watched the reflected moonlight in the Rhone, were eclipsed in several tunnels, then suddenly heard a call for "tickets " at a little station, where a swift rush of cold sea air set us shivering. In a few minutes, in the darkness, we made our exit from the station at Marseilles, into the city, in spite of the determined resistance and insistence of the noisiest set of hack drivers in the world and a variety of commissionaires who considered the appropriation of trav elers their exclusive right, crowding after us with calls and cries, even catching Max by the coat-sleeve. How dark it was ! only a gray misty light showed us the semi-circle of vehicles, open gateway and outside street we were approaching. "Which way?" said Max hurriedly, as for a moment we were left alone. " The carriages turned to the left." " Here is a small hotel close by — here they come again,'' as the eager voices of a dozen interpreters, guides and por ters again overwhelmed us. One voice in clear English addressed my companion, and in the dusk I could distin guish a tall form beside him which turned as he turned, and 214 BOHEMIAN DA YS. would not be gainsaid, until gradually the other leeches feh off " Will you have a hotel in the town ? " he demanded eagerly, " or — yes ! here is one close by, as you say — I will take you there." It is pleasant to a foreigner to hear his native tongue, and, this overcoming his repugnance, Max answered some general inquiries — giving himself up. The man rang the bell imperiously, and, when a large woman appeared, effusively informed her that he had brought her some customers, and turning called for us to follow him up-stairs. Being near the landlady I began speaking to her as to arrangements and accommodation, but the man eagerly interrupted. "Do not give yourself the trouble. Madam," he cried, leaning patronizingly towards me, "/will speak for you, / will see to everything.'' " Monsieur, je parle Francais.'' " Oh ! you speak the French!" he regretfully murmured, and wilting down the stairs disappeared from the scene bodily — but appeared spiritually in a large figure in the bill a few days later. Max looked eloquently at me after inspecting the guest chamber — a small room with minute beds in recesses, a tiled floor one-fourth covered by an old red rug, a window war ranted to modify the sunlight, and general air of dinginess — but what better could be done at such a time of night? So we concluded to view the arrangements through the rosy-hued spectacles of the landlady, who, smilingly, with eager gestures and words set forth the good points of her habitation, which indeed grew more endurable in the light of a bright wood-fire on the hearth, and tea-table neatly set by a shock-headed young woman who was almost reduced to tears by the frequent calls down stairs — very unreason able, truly, for a factotum who should be in a half dozen places at once. There was much to see in this ancient city which, as Massilia, founded colonies, was a rival of Carthage, and valuable ally of Rome until wedded by Caesar to the Empire. Out from the harbor is the old Chateau d'lf on a fortified Z YONS— MARSEILLES— TOULON— HYkRES. 215 isle of the same name, long a prison for political offenders, among them Mirabeau ; and within the city large public buildings, as the Mint, Arsenal, asylums and technical schools, theatres and churches, such as the Cathedral and old St. Victor on its rocky heights. In the Jardm des Plantes Max thought " there seemed to be more animals than plants, though there were some .pretty flowers around the fountains." Most attractive to us was the Prado, a wide promenade or Quay around harbor and docks full of shipping, where people of all nationalities, shown by speech and dress, were busily employed, or walking about, enjoying the sea-breeze and sunshine ; entering cafes, buying fruit from the many vendors, or, hastening on board great steamers or ships ready for departure. There were many wide boulevards lined with elegant stone buildings in the new town ; while in the old, divided from it by a wide avenue which runs the length of the city, were the narrowest, dirtiest streets we ever had seen. "No wonder they had cholera here,'' said Max, "but it shows very bad taste to stay in such a place. They must have been slowly dying in such an atmosphere, so the thin ning out and other sanitary measures taken made life more secure for the remainder." " But it is not so very desirable, now." " Not very I Getting another bed ready for the coming germs. Those who won't learn have to suffer." "This boulevard is very pleasant for driving," I said, as we rolled smoothly along, " If it were not for this fine light dust which permeates everything," Max rejoined, "the dust of somebody's ances tors as likely as not ; but I don't like this touch of snow on the mountains, ice around the fountains, and cold winds. We must move on ! " Which we did the third day there after. That last morning we took a brisk walk on the Prado, bought some pretty articles of remembrance, and had nearly reached our simple abode when Max found that all spare time had expired. " Go right up to the station if you are ready — finished packing ? all right. The porter will carry everything — no need of any more French than I have, seconded by Mine 2 1 6 B OHEMIAN DA YS. Host's English — no fear of imposition — we understand each other nicely." So I walked up the wide approach to the station from the city side, taking my time for it, and had waited but a very short time when in came Max and his porter, and hastening out we stepped with our belongings into the train just as it started. There was an ominous silence in our compartment. Max with a preoccupied air arranged and disarranged our small baggage, and seeing him so unconscious of the out ward I dropped a scarce begun remark, closing my eyes quietly as we were extinguished in tunnels. Max said sev eral short sentences followed by exclamation points, then silence reigned again, while I looked at the beautiful scen ery of valley, rock and sea ; but this presently became op pressive to my companion, who broke out into a glowing diatribe and description of the last scene at his hotel, the egregious assurance and gestures, the insistence and French volubility (so lost on him) over a magnificently built bill. " They must have sat up all night to fix it!" he exclaimed in conclusion. It was indeed enormous, but they cared nothing for his remonstrances, so he paid and hastened away minus double the charge of a first-class hotel, but in a fine rage which no doubt assisted toward recovery by improving his circulation. He may perhaps deny this but the truth must be main tained. The scenery was changeful and beautiful enough to attract anyone away from even hea\'ier woes than being " taken in," and long before we passed Toulon on our way to Hyeres we were happy as larks on a dewy summer's morning. Our tickets were for Salins d'Hyeres, as we had been strongly advised when in Paris to go over to the pleasant Island beyond, where summer reigned all the j'ear, and we dreamed of no difficulties as we passed the lovely town of Hyeres, and rounding the coast came in a half hour to a sandy, flat place with a station and one other house, blue water, an island beyond it, a pleasant contemplative mule, and about 200 naval sailors just arrived from tlieir ships an chored out in the Bay. They made things very lively in deed, and I took refuge in the station, not liking to be the cynosure of so many eyes, and talked with a sensible guard on the prospects, who assured me that " no steamer was at that HYkRES— MONTE CARLO— NICE. 217 time running over to the Island — we might try a small boat — ^here was a boy — but the sea was pretty rough." CHAPTER XXIV. LOVELY HYERES — MONTE CARLO — NICE. In a few minutes the departing train bore us back to Hyeres, a beautiful place with the mountains, " Rock ribbed and ancient as the sun" standing around like giant sentinels ; with the palm trees waving in the gentle sea-breeze from the gleaming bay, and the blue Mediterranean beyond ; with gardens golden with ripening oranges, and orchards of olives which the peasants were busily engaged in harvesting. There were long walks to old fortifications and churches, and drives over smooth roads for the pleasure-seeker or invalid, and a wealth of re* storing sunshine for all in this summer-land where the birds sang, and the flowers bloomed all the year. "Could the Promised Land have been fairer?" I said to Max as we wandered quietly, just basking, as it were, and enjoying our existence. "No, nor Eden!" he enthusiastically replied. "We will get rooms and remain indefinitely, if you say so.'' I said so, but the suitable rooms were not forthcoming at anything like reasonable figures. Looking around at the places for rent was amusing, only that if we spoke but a word the people became so eager and insisted so strongly on immediate answers in the affirmative that; we_ concluded to wait awhile, and took board for a week at the very agree able " Hotel des Hesperides " where a pleasant but not large party was already domiciled. There were three American ladies, from Boston I think, a young French Count and his mother, two college Professors, and some others with whom we did not become much ac quainted, but who served very well to fill up vacant places in a game, excursion — or at table. With some of these friends we climbed the steep hill, on 2 1 8 B OHEMIAN DA YS. the lower part of which the town is built, to the old ruined Castle on the summit, visited the Jardin des Plantes andPal- miere, where a very pleasant, elderly doctor from Paris with whom we were acquainted, introduced us to the special cur iosities in animal and vegetable life ; made excursions in all directions, and of an evening after late dinner — table d'hote — gathered in the large, well furnished salon, where, other friends joining us, the time passed in various amusements. There were no roaring lions to attract us, so we took quiet enjoyment in rambling around, making acquaintance with the olive-gathering peasants in the environs, where a smiling woman informed _ me that she earned a franc (19 cents) a day, which appeared to her good wages, and her children received as much as two cents a basket for all they picked up. Here they were winnowing the fruit, men threw shovelsful of it against a canvas screen several yards dis tant, the wind meanwhile carrying away all leaves and such like superfluities. "A new way," I remarked to Max. ' "Antediluvian," he replied laughing, "we are the new part of the show." We found our way into an olive-oil mill, where a huge stone wheel revolved in a circular stone trough, crushing the olives, which passed on in a dark mass from tank to tank, being mixed with water by the way, and floating oil skimmed off, ran into a large smoking boiler, and thence slowly flowed into the presses. The man-power on the long levers turning each screw made it appear very hard warm work — muscles at strong tension, and we heard many a hard drawn breath, and saw not much of the dolce far niente around there, which we considered a part of a Southern pro gramme. Max gave our conductor a franc as we were departing, and immediately every workman around the mill seemed to have a holiday, their attentions becoming decidedly embar rassing. One man insisted upon writing his name in Max's guide-book as a souvenir, or relic, I suppose, and noting the small bottle of yellow oil we had bought in the mill, in formed him eagerly that the Italian oil was lighter and of much finer quality, especially that which was made earUer in the year. HYkRES. 219 Max, having thanked him for his kind offices, walked away, and I still seem to see his longing lingering look after us as we disappeared in the distance. Walking along a suburban street an impatient expression drew our attention to the fact that we were suspected of an intention to intrude on the walkway of a rope-maker, whose boy busily turned a wheel while he, often dipping a rag which he held into water, arranged the twisting hemp which ran from a coil of the loose material around his waist. His surly look reminded me of an angry spider whose web has been invaded by a wasp, but finding us partially civilized he mellowed a little and informed us that he was making the smaller part of the rigging for a ship now in the har bor, but I do not think that he ever would make a fortune at this business. In a large gutter near him, where was a continuous flow of unsavory smelling water, a woman was busily engaged doing the family washing — for some one else's family probably, whose eyes would have been widely opened if they had seen that gutter. We passed on — we frequently passed on — and in going up a hilly street met a pleasant-faced countrywoman who smiled as I picked up a fallen leaf of peculiar form and bright Autumn tint, saying in French, " That is the Calazon ! a little piece made tea of cures the fever." It was the Eucalyptus Globulus. No one need tell us, as several had done, " The men do nothing," for we saw many of them plowing and digging laboriously with what looked like sprouting hoes ; the artisans and bakers were men, the carriers and the vendors of produce in the streets ; and where the great blue wheels were turning at the cistern for irrigation, men drove the donkey or mule, or acted as the motive power themselves. Poor women, too, worked in the fields and assisted in road-making by carrying baskets of broken rock on their heads, but the lot of the French woman, in general, is far superior to and happier than that in most European na tions. The first thing I heard in the morning was the call of the bread man, whose diminutive donkey often came in as chorus as he drevv the small wagon with its great basketful of tiny loaves up to the terrace in front, stopping for distri bution at every door. There was the sweep's cry too, the 220 BOHEMIAN DA YS. incisive voice of the old fish-woman, the seller of vegeta bles, the newsman and the buyer of rags — but Jack could drown them all. If seemed unnatural that people should die in such a lovely place, for death is generally unlovely, and shocks our sensibilities, but thatthe " debt of nature " was here paid the gathering mounds within the cemeteries attested. Hearing an unusual noise, the sound of many feet, I looked from my window upon a funeral procession, and the plumes being a mixture of white and black I supposed the silent form within the black hearse to have been a woman, but no carriage followed, no woman was in the large but irregular procession which, for the length ofa square, filled the street. On the back of the hearse was a tall candle whose flame, scarce seen in the sunlight, flickered and flared in the wind as it jolted along. Near the church the pro cession was met by a dozen priests, one of whom bore a flag, while a band of little choristers came two and two and surrounded the hearse ; one priest sprinkled the coffin with holy water, and another, setting light to a censer, waved it smoking above the coffin, then amidst the perfume of the incense, with the rich robed priests following, monotonously intoning a prayer, the procession moved solemnly into the sacred building where was to be held a mass for the repose of the soul departed, ere the last sad rites were paid. In Hyeres, though some looked shabby, we saw no ragged beggars, for as the cooler weather came they were warmly clad ; the women, even the poorest that we saw, wore clean white caps indoors and out, and over short skirts of black, blue or red, white aprons equally long and of unstinted width. Many faces of the poor had to a stranger a stolid look, but when spoken to a smile of interest changed the visage entirely. English guests were as yet scarce in Hyeres, for John Bull loves his own fireside at Christmas-tide, but here it was little made of except as a season of extra church services. The cholera of former seasons also deterred many from visiting Southern cities, but it was said no cases had originated in Hyeres, though a number of refugees died. The city is blessed with an abundance of plire water brought in pipes from an artesian well some miles distant, which HYkRES 221 with the fresh sea breezes makes it very healthy, albeit some close parts of the old town were in a very unsanitary condition. Not yet being accustomed, we found the tiled floors decid edly cool even under carpets, and the houses would be too open for a northern clime. My sympathies had been drawn towards the Count and his mother, who were our agreeable neighbors, for he ap peared to be gradually dying of consumption, — his hands were almost transparent, yet he kept heart of cheer and affected not to see the danger so apparent to the tender mother, whose cares were never ceasing. On bright days, into the pretty little park invalids were rolled in their chairs or slowly moved about, some of them on crutches, attended by friends or nurses, and enjoyed the sunshine and the balmy air, while the band played lively strains from favorite operas, and well dressed pleasure- seekers promenaded the wide terrace, or wandered in the shaded paths of the park below. What a lovely Sabbath was that 30th of December ! when after attending service in the little English church and partaking of lunch we sauntered out for a quiet walk, rested for a time by a plashing fountain surrounded by palm trees and odorous flowers, and then set out for the Crusader's Church upon a hill two miles distant from the hotel. On the way we passed many little shrines by the road-side, within whose wire-netting flowers had been placed by devotees near to the figure of the Virgin ; and fine villas in their own grounds, shut in by a thorny hedge of variegated cacti and evergreens beyond, while opposite was an open garden with roses blooming richly to the very roadside, fearless of trespassers and unharmed, and behind them to the cisterns and wheels for irrigating. Through a wood of great trees, past a large hotel and by a winding road we ascended a steep hill and reached the flat space partially occupied by the old stone church, battered and worn by the storms of centuries, where the veritable old Crusaders themselves had congre gated and humbly knelt for blessing and absolution when setting out on pilgrimage. On the brow of the hill a hun dred feet away was a stone platform with seats, from which 2 22 B OHEMIAN DA YS. we had a magnificent view of harbor, sea and islands, of the mountains with their castellated summits, and within the basin, sloping from the hills, the pretty little city of Hyeres, all bathed in sunset glories of gold and crimson. We sat entranced, but presently I awoke with a sigh, my lungs needing the air, which pre-occupation had denied. " Let us remain here always ! " " But it will soon be dark," Max remonstrated. " Here in this beautiful land — " " Ma'nifeeque ! tres jolly ! and so on. But we have not tried it in summer, when the hot siroccos come across from Africa to meet the cholera — " " Uh ! — what a chill ran over me ! we are out after all at the sunset hour, when all manner of ills are supposed to attack tourists — after being so often warned of the danger, too ! " "That may be all imaginary; it does become chilly at sundown for a couple of hours, but is soon again salub rious. — Wrap that veil around your throat." Still we lingered, unable to tear ourselves away, and then, after inspecting a portion of the Gothic building, we has tened down a steep, rocky pathway almost lost amid the shadows. "Ah-h-h-h ! — he-e-e-m ! " was Max's first observation next morning, followed by a severe fit of coughing. " How cold it is ! — where is that garcon ? " One servant made a good fire of wood and very large pine cones, and by the time the room was warm another brought in breakfast. I was tired, very tired and cold. " Can't you eat your breakfast ? " said Max, anxiously ; " here, drink your coffee. — A pretty fix we are in with you chilling ! Take this quinine and lie down." I was quite willing, and slept off some hours of fever. " In the morning, if you are able, we leave this place!" And so from what had been Eden a few hours before we fled with scarce a sigh. From Hyeres to La Pauline we rode in the "boos" ('bus) as a variation, and there had a little amusement with the baggage, which a porter insisted on putting into the , " van." Max would have me speak to the man decidedly,, NICE. 223 which quite warmed me up, though otherwise without ef fect. I then appealed to one of his superiors, occupying a box in the station, but while Mr. Porter was colloquializing with him Max picked up the large valises and I the small affairs and we walked off to the train, leaving a surprised looking porter in the doorway, sadly thinking of the fee departing. We steamed through wide valleys of olive orchards, oc casionally varied by lines of cultivated land between the rows of trees, and by fields of wheat or French artichokes, and vineyards. All around were high mountains, for the vicinity of Des Arcs is a rough, rocky region. " Why don't the inhabitants move into this rich valley beyond?" Max wanted to know; "there's surely room enough. What is this place with columns standing like those of Palmyra — oh! Frejus — an abbey, is it? here is another Arc de Triomphe. I suppose some maraud ers came up from this blue bay close by, and blew their enemies all higher than a kite — -O those pleasant days of old ! " " That Arch is certainly Roman," said I. San Raphael, with delightful homes in the outskirts, a pine forest, great quarries to our left, and out seaward an irregular promontory, crowned by the fair light-house of Agay, — a rough, picturesque place with breakers dashing over great, red rocks. The railroad must have been heavy to make, so much of it was cut through solid stone. Beyond and between the tunnels we were reminded of the wild north coast of Ireland. Beautiful Nice, on her crescent bay, looked gloomily conservative to us as we drove splashing through the mud, in the pelting rain, with a sharp wind blowing, but after a good dinner, as we sat with our friends, Mr. and Mrs. Wil son, in a warm, cosy room, talking over our Scotch remi niscences together, life seemed a very desirable thing. — Here also would I "rest." The morrow's sunshine lighted and delighted us in our rambles along the sea-shore (where were innumerable washerwomen) on wide boulevards, in the market, through the park and over the Heights of Cimiej. 224 BOHEMIAN DA YS. Nice is a fashionable English resort, many residing here permanently, in beautiful homes surrounded by every lux ury. We loved its sunshine, and the house on the Boule vard des Anglais, the garden of beautiful flowers and ripe oranges, the sea view and cuisine, all were excellent; but when the clouds came, and a mist enclosed us, and the chill sea breeze blew at the sunset hour again went forth the fiat, " We go to-morrow ! " My greatest regret was leaving our new-found friends, and not being able to see some cousins who lived in Nice. After a delightful ride along the crescent Ri vidra, shel tered by the mountains and warmed by African breezes, we came to Monaco on its rock, shining in the sun, and crossing a bridge, were in Monte Carlo, the beautiful, the wicked. The hotel porters here were wonderfully lively, and in spite of our endeavors to take care of our baggage, part of it was carried off to a hotel, from which the railroad authorities had it returned before our departure. For a time I wandered through the beautiful gardens, while Max interested himself in a pigeon-shooting, for which amusement my taste had never been cultivated, and then we betook ourselves to one of the fine hotels which there abound, for lunch. The little Principality of Monaco is ruled by a blind prince, who has leased to a company the " Foreigners' Club," this terribly fascinating Monte, which they have rendered to the outward eye a perfect Eden. The Prince is proud to reckon back his lineage of rulers to the ninth cen tury, and it is really wonderful that this smallest of indepen dent countries has held its own through so many stormy days. Part of these ill-gotten revenues he devotes to relig ious purposes, having built or assisted in building a fine cathedral in Monaco, and a church in Monte Carlo, but his son and heir is said to be opposed to gaming, and will do away with it in his small realm when the mantle falls upon his shoulders. He is very scientific, and greatly interested in " Ocean-currents." The air was strangely quiet without and within the great Casino — for as the hour of one sounded we entered with the rest those portals of sin, MONTE CARLO. Ill To the left of the entrance-hall we passed into a small room, where, behind a counter, sat several men, to one of whom Max gave our card with address, — they also en quired, " from whence, and whither bound ; " no one could enter the great salons without their card of admission, and no citizen of Monaco, or minor, is allowed entrance under any circumstance. We passed through the cloak-room, leaving umbrellas, etc., and several doors which silently closed behind us, and found ourselves within a dimly- lighted, soft-carpeted room, and as our eyes lost the dazzle of the sunshine which here was completely excluded, the rich frescoes and gilding, elegant chandeliers and tropical plants became more visible ; but the great interest attached to the centre of the room, where we became as much ab sorbed in the players as they in the play. Sometimes there was a slight buzz of conversation, but generally all was silence save for the low word of the croupier, the rat tle of the little ivory ball which held so many fates and fortunes in the balance, while around large baize-covered roulette tables, on which shaded lamps cast a bright light, sat a mixed and eager company, and leaning between and over them as many more, depositing money on marked spaces. A few moments' pause — the money placed — the ball flew — stopped — the successful number was called, and the banker raked in the gold or silver pieces, or pushed it over to the winners. Again ! — it was a continual round — the croupiers, dark, saturnine men, intent on business, car ing nothing for the people who won or lost, saw them come and go, with their faces radiant or downcast, but no expression on their own, more than on a mask. We approached and watched the faces around the table. A woman past middle-life, with white hair, and fingers tremulous guiding a pencil down a row of figures in her note-book, marking here and there a winning number, turned to place a five-franc piece on a line between two numbers, ¦ then sat with terribly eager, wide-open eyes watching the ball. By her side stood a fine young English boy, biting his nails, forgetting all but the game, with drawn brows study ing combinations, his hand, like his eyes, wavering be tween two places, at last placing coins on both. An old 15 226 BOHEMIAN DA YS. man, bald and shaking with the palsy, a pretty young girl who frequently turned to consult her mother in the back ground; a consumptive with head sunk between his shoul ders, smothering a cough and quivering at every breath ; a woman playing for a gentleman on shares, who thought she had a lucky number, and stepping forward, poured a handful of silver on a red space ; three young men after a whispered consultation made a hascy deposit — Click ! the croupier had thrown the tiny ivory ball, the red-and-black dial plate revolved, and in less time than I have been writ ing this the fortunate number was called, the banker raked up the coins into a pile at his side, all but the few on " manque," which two or three eagerly divided with croups and took possession of Oh, what a scene ! I looked around at my companion with a fear that the madness might seize him next, and henceforth watched him with one eye while noting the players with the other. I even feared for myself, for did not a tempting voice say, " What harm for once ? " " No ! no ! no! I will not!' I would fly away, but Max was too much interested, and no consideration would take me many feet away from him. I almost took a chill as his hand went to his pocket — for a handkerchief only ! A young man, a clergyman apparently, stood on the op posite side ofa table, and near me was a very nicely dressed lady of about twenty-five, each eagerly watching the game, and as they stepped forward, leaned over to deposit some money androseerectagain, their eyes met. Both looked em barrassed, laughed, then stood breathlessly watching the re volving wheel. She won — he lost, but smiled at her look of triumph, and coming to her side took her hand, asking if she was not ready to leave. She remonstrated, he in sisted, until, with an ill grace, she at last accompanied him almost the door — then, in a moment, with sw ift steps re turned, and put down a sovereign, her husband gravely and slowly following her. I was glad that she lost her money, for with an expression of petulant disgust on her beautiful face and another embarrassed look at her companion she immediately quitted the hall. There was danger for her. Some persons have wonderful "luck"' for a time. I no ticed a well-dressed lady at the trente-et-quarante table, MONTE CARLO. 227 where cards were played, winning handful after handful of gold, which she quietly pocketed and walked away. — The daughter of a peer of England wintering at a town not far distant, came every Thursday to hear the concert and try her fortune, which was always proverbially good, some thought because she " knew when to stop," which gamblers seldom do, but go on staking some favorite number or color, until they lose all. The gambler's idea of luck is a curious thing, and the numbers on which the stakes are laid are chosen from the veriest trifles or accidents — so many birds seen flying through the air, or the number of buttons on a dress, or people dining together, perhaps even a num ber heard mentioned, or minutes after a certain hour — all come at times as the keynote. They believe too in certain persons being specially fortunate or otherwise, and hand their money to be placed by the former if feeling uncertain of themselves, or make a kind of schedule showing, when certain numbers by right may be expected to have the ascendant. A cancerous disease is gambling, which gradually eafs out the heart with hope deferred and destroys the better faculties. The managers of the Casino are very careful what visitors they admit, desiring to avoid casualties and difficulties of all kinds. Occasionally a poor young fellow will blow out his brains when fortune has forsaken him; but such things are speedily hushed up and glossed over, for they give to any place a bad notoriety. If a man be left penniless the company advances him sufficient money for his fare home wherever that may be, which serves the purpose of remov ing inconvenient people, and keeping things pleasant. Through great double doors we passed into the finest concert hall I had ever seen, but here as in the outside dec orations were mocking faces, though not so hideous. The music was grand, as they secure fine talent for their Classic concerts, and anywhere else we should have enjoyed the dehghtful strains of Mendelssohn," Prelude de Parsifal " of Wagner — "Minuet" of Handel, and other selections, but here it seemed out of place. I felt out of place also. Men passed constantly in and out with uneasy expression and uncertain steps. A fine looking young man caane wandering 228 BOHEMIAN DAYS. in as if unconscious, his hands in his pockets,and hat awry, to whom an attendant indicated a seat, where he stood va cantly staring for a minute, dropped carelessly into the chair with elbows stuck out and hat still on, then suddenly came to himself with a start, and rising hastily left the room. Had he lost his all ? In some far land was there a fond mother on her knees for him ? The uneasy air of the at tendants who were watching him made me fear a coming tragedy. I should soon be ready for one myself, I think, did such "enjoyment" fall to my lot every day. A spell was on me. It was like a fearful nightmare where shadowy figures move about silently to the rhythm of distant music — only here it was wonderfully forceful and distinct. We seemed to be trembling upon the verge of a place not to be mentioned in polite society, (and indeed not thor oughly believed in by some of the very high-toned while in sound health) and liable to slip off at any moment. — Flies dancing on the rim of a boiler. Gnats trying to skate on an electric moonbeam. If an earthquake had shaken us all up into an indistinguishable mass I should have been awe-struck, but not surprised. Welcome the pure daylight and sunshine ! Farewell, Monte Carlo — with its great tarantula among the roses. CHAPTER XXV. CHRISTMAS AT SAN REMO — GENOVA LA SUPERBA. Christmas ! Not the snowy Christmas when after a j oy ful Church service, with closed doors the Anglo-Saxon and his descendants gather about the roast beef and plum pudding (or Northern American the well-stuffed turkey and mince- pie) with appetite sharpened by cold breezes from contigu ous icebergs. Still, at San Remo a morning blaze was comfortable, and we had no lack of appetite to complain of when after our long afternoon's wandering in the sweet mild air and sunshine among olive orchards, about the old town, visiting CHRISTMAS A T SAN REMO. 229 shops and churches, and in the park listening to the music of a particularly lively and energetic brass band ; studying the promenaders, especially the natives, and admiring bay and mountain, villas upon the rocky hillsides and gardens full of bright flowers and singing birds, we returned for the grand Christmas dinner of fourteen courses at the Hotel de Londres. Morning came ere I knew that I had been asleep, and I was not half ready for street parade when Max came rushing in, accompanied by a cool morning breeze that he had almost outstripped. " Didn't wake us early enough ! " he gasped, " ten min utes — cars'll be gone ! " Ask a question ? no indeed ! A rush, a scramble as if the house was on fire, then veil and gloves in hand — like wise a few articles apt to be forgotten, (of which I have left specimens in divers places) I followed my leader down stairs, accomplished swiftly the short eighth of a mile,with the porter — a treasure for speed — carrying those heavy va lises. We sped along — so did the train — the race was ex citing to others besides ourselves. The authorities per mitted our porter to pass through the station instead of trans ferring to the army of waiting station-porters (for which he received their blessing) — a quick deposit — a parting donceur, and we were borne swiftly away. " Wasn't that well done ? a nice set they are ! I thought we should stay whether or no ! Why, if we'd been left I'd have gone to some other hotel after that trick." " The house was turned topsy-turvy for Christmas. I suppose they over-slept. They danced till near morning. Did you notice the landlord and his brothers leading out each female domestic in turn? A great holi-night for them. I suppose one ought not to be hungry for a day or two after such a marvelous dinner? " doubtfully. " But you are ! " said Max. " I am — but where's the use ? " looking out of window. " Well," quite briskly, " let's see what we have on hand." Whereupon we breakfasted sumptuously on three crack ers and a pear — and could have eaten even more, 230 BOHEMIAN DA VS. " How perfectly lovely these bays are ! " I presently exclaimed. " And the eclipsing tunnels how surprising ! life without surprises — " " Would be a mere desert. It would take a long time to semicircle around each of these rock promontories." " San Remo's a quiet half-awake little town," said , Max. " I should be satisfied to stay there all winter, but what could one do ? " " Just bask and vegetate. I do love San Remo." " You admired Paris." " Certainly, but admiration and love are distinct motives. Paris is distractingly gay and interesting — some say she is also very wicked, and not ashamed of it either: of that I don't know, and do not want to — " " What are you doing ? " " Trying an impossibility ! — to reproduce that bay." Max laughed as he saw the uneven lines, and mixed colors ; " Wait for a quieter place," said he. " But then I cannot see it." " Any of these small towns, Oneglia, Diana Marina, Sa- vona, would make a good picture if you could take it on the ' spur of the moment. ' " " The whole Reviera is beautiful as a dream of Paradise," said I with a sigh of pleasure. Arriving at the border between France and Italy, we found that the friends who had assured us that a knowledge of any language but French was superfluous, had made a grand mistake. As the car doors flew open we were evi dently desired to do something, but knew not what until noticing all the people, baggage in hand disappear within a doorway. We took the hint, called a porter and followed into the Custom House, where several addressed us in this almost unknown tongue — Italian. At a reply in French or Enghsh, where their gestures had explained their meaning, heads were gravely shaken. "We shall have to learn Italian, now," said Max, rue fully,—" what did I tell you ? " "A many things," deprecatingly said I, " but if you ex pect to learn any language in a few minutes I fear you will be mistaken." GENOA. 231 " I will begin your education right away. Come and study these pictured ads. on the wall." Two or three passengers became interested in the stran gers so desirous of acquiring information in their oldening days, and acted as a committee of assistance until the time came for our ordeal ; but the Inspector was a sen sible and agreeable man, for when I called his attention to the relative size of our baggage, trip, and Max, he imme diately ordered his satellites to replace what had been dis turbed, and sent us forth in a good humor — a blessing in deed ! I was sure he felt happier, he looked so. If only all the officials would try it. " I shall outstrip you in the Italian, anyhow," said Max, as we entered the new car, " for your French will always be coming in your way. Where is that little book we got in Marseilles ? — oh, here it is in my pocket," and he be came absorbed. ',' Besides," he suddenly broke forth again, " my Latin helps me ever so much." " I am rusty in that." "You will have to be like old Mr. Turveydrop and ' polish, polish ' — that will take the rust off and keep you out of mischief Let's see — ' lo ho' — what comes next? 'oh, 'tu, — no, you don't need thou. Here's a sentence you will want, and may be practicing: ' Dove la Posta,' which means ' where is the Post office ? " " Dove-la-posta — dove-la-posta ! " I whispered aloud, studiously beating my closed hand against the second but ton of my coat, as in school days long past. Max pre tended to be quite absorbed, but the ends of his mustache curled up amiably. But externals claimed much of our attention, as the hours sped. " I wonder if those people watch every train that passes," said Max — " another tunnel ! what dark complexions and flashing black eyes." " See these tall houses with dozens of men, women and children leaning out of windows — for it is now noon. The family flags at many an opening proclaim it washday." "Another eclipse," said Max, "when will this thing end ? " Even as he spoke dawned on us a beautiful wide bay — or rather gulf, with many ships lashed together, and others 232 B OHEMIAN DA YS. out on the rolling waves, little boats darting hither and thither like white-winged birds, and a city of palaces lay fair before us, for we had at last reached the birthplace of Columbus — Genova la Superba I After lunch we drove from our hotel to see a number of palaces now used as Museums, Art Galleries and Public Offices. In one is the veritable handwriting of the Great Discoverer, whose statue first greets our eyes on arriving, which writing Mark Twain, or his friend, did not think would be creditable for the American small boy of imma ture years. Here also was the violin of the sweet musician, Paganini ; no hand can wake the chords of tenderness and power, but perchance the echo may be heard in Heaven. Some of these palaces' are noted for their beautiful frescoes, especially that of the Liberator, Andrea Doria, which was the work of the artist Perino del Vaga. The Cathedral of St. Lawrence is the finest of the eighty churches of Genoa (we did not visit all, that afternoon); the wood-carving, statues, windows and several fine paint ings are by distinguished artists of three or four centuries ago. One chapel may only be entered by the weaker sex one day in the year, the patron saint being John the Baptist, who lost his life through the machinations ofa woman. The Ducal Palace is a great building on the Piazza Nuova, past which we drove to one of the eastern gates in the outer wall (there have been three), the Porta Romano, for our destination was the Campo Santo, the city of the Holy Dead. Passing swiftly over a good valley road, in a half hour, by an iron gateway, we entered stone portals and found ourselves in a long, close corridor having the sides and floor inscribed with names of noble families ; passed through into another with columns on the side to wards a square garden adorned with flowers and various emblems of remembrance and hope, and opposite high mar ble steps led up into a series of beautiful chapels and fun ereal halls. I have never seen statuary which pleased me more than that within these sacred walls. There was about it an ex quisite beauty, something so chaste and refined, so true to nature, so elevated in its rich simplicity. Need any one sigh over decadence of art when in our own century and GENOA. 233 almost within calling distance were artists, some of them Americans indeed, whose hands could fashion almost the living, breathing forms from out the insensate marble ? " Come ! " I heard the call. "Come," in the distance now, and taking a last look around the beautiful spot, I swiftly followed the retreating footfalls. . Dismissing our carriage in the middle of the old town, we penetrated streets so narrow that it seemed twilight ; climbed a steep hill, ending in a couple of hundred steps, to an old church, where we heard the sweet voices of little children singing a Christmas anthem ; looked through sculptured archways into great inner courts and gardens, and at beautifully decorated mansions of various colors in fresco, and lastly, after darkness had enveloped the city, lost ourselves completely. Coming presently into a great open square, very dark excepting one side where were many booths lighted by torches, we mingled with the crowd who lingered in delight over the Eastern trinkets, and Max bought me a little vinaigrette as a memento of our advent ures. Up to this time our lost condition had been amusing as well as exciting, but it seemed suddenly to dawn on us that we were ready to drop with fatigue, and things looked very uncertain. Several persons directed us kindly, and we made starts on two or three streets quite cheerfully, but when we again came marching into the same square with its flaring lights and contrasting darkness we felt slightly consternated. " I would not mind it if I was alone," Max remarked, but I could not echo the sentiment. Suddenly we turned into another open square, well lighted, in whose immediate vicinity we had for an hour been wandering, stepped into one of the many street cars which appeared and disappeared like a dissolving view, lost in the dark streets, and in a few minutes were in our hotel, a mile away from the scene of our discomfiture. " Like being lost in your neighbor's cornfield," Max thought. There are in Genoa a number of noble charities, hos pitals centuries old for citizens of high or low degree, and " Homes " for the poor and friendless. From time to time the great Albergo del Povero had received additions, 234 BOHEMIAN DA YS. as the public need increased, until it looked as though it might almost accommodate a city within its strong walls. From early times Genoa made her mark as a maritime port, sending her sailors all over the world, receiving a rich harvest from many nations, and becoming wealthy and powerful believed herself Queen of the Mediterranean ; but after a time, being enervated by luxury and weak ened by internal dissensions, quarrels with her neighbors, and the burden of Sybarite tyrants, her prestige was lost, many of her sailors turned pirates, and she sank into a sec ond-rate position. Now, however, she is greatly improv ing in her merchant-marine, for we saw great steamships from American, English, French and other ports, and vessels heavily laden from the Indies, China and the South Sea Islands, and judged that Genoa, with her population of 138,000, has a bright future before her, the more surely that she has awakened to the necessity ofa higher education for her people. There are memorials of a still earlier day, for outside the wall to the N. E. are remains of a great Roman Aqueduct, and parts of the oldest wall are visible which enclosed the primal city. The narrow streets, which were necessitated by the confined limits of the small-walled, battlemented town, have now given place in some parts to wide thoroughfares, and Genoa bids fair to keep step with her sister cities in the march of progress. There must be something peculiarly buoyant yet soft in the air of Italy to give those exquisite tints to sky, sea and mountain, and as we left Genoa in the freshness and sweetness of the early morning we were charmed by the quiet beauty of our sur roundings, and the picturesque and swiftly changing scenes. There was a Sabbath stillness, but so much alike were those days of wandering that it was not until a good Eng lish couple entered the train, prayerbook in hand, on their way to attend service at a town some miles further down the coast, that I was aware of the fact that it was Sunday. Christmas, and every day since, had been holiday with our Italian friends, the principal stores closed for some hours and the people parading the streets in gala costume. In a little over forty miles we passed ninety-two tunnels, one of them two miles in length. The English gentleman in our compartment told us of GENOA. 235 his slate quarries, and great improvements in machinery for cutting and polishing. ' "We are the only English people living here," said his wife, "and it is so lonely, far from our friends, but we have a pleasant home — that large house on the hill — the two lower stories; and our landlady has the upper — a kind, good body she is." " How about cows ? " inquired Max, who is fond of milk. "There are only two in the place: you see there is not much grazing}' pointing to the steep, rocky hill-side ; " but milk is cheap, — only three ha'pence a pint." " Such beautifully frescoed houses," — I suggested. "All on the outside ! Inside the rooms are lofty and paved with marble in mosaic — beautiful, but so cold, and unhomelike. Even the upper chambers have marble floors," said the lady. " Have you had frost ? " Max inquired. " Several days we had ice, about a month ago. You see the most tender flowers have perished, but it did not injure the oranges. In a couple of weeks there will be fresh blos soms among the yellow fruit." "You spoke of laborers," said Max, addressing the gen tleman; " how much do they get per day?" " Three francs (60 cents) at the most, and they work well!' " Provisions must be cheap to enable a man to support a family on .that." "Ah ! but the women work too ! they rise early and work continuously." " Such loads as the women carry on their heads," said his wife. " You would be horrified ! " to me. " They have a cushion, and on it they carry over 100 lbs. — a great slate rock longer than this railway carriage is wide. They bal ance it perfectly, and walk straight along down quite an incline to the boat. The poorest women wash down by the sea, and spread their clothes on the pebbles to dry." "And the children ? — I suppose there are children ? " " There you see a host of them playing in the water — poor man's blessings. They work as soon as they can, at whatever comes to hand ; some of them take care of the 236 BOHEMIAN DA YS. babies ; they all go bare-foot except in very cold weather. — Ah ! here is St. Marguerita ! — Is it not a beautiful little town? look at the tall houses, eight or ten stories high. See the boats floating upon the blue bay, with full white sails puffed out by the breeze. We lived here some time. ' Board ? ' it is very reasonable — seven francs a day, I think. Will you not stop to church ? " I looked longingly at Max, who shook his head. " We should lose our tickets," he said. With friendly " good-byes " we parted, and they were only a pleasant, nameless memory. Several persons came into our orbit and gave us scraps of information, one with groans and head-shakes when his Italian was not understood. I did my very best, but ^<32//i!/«'/, and felt very stupid. Suddenly brain-light dawned as we were looking at the beautiful snow-capped mountains of Carrara, and close to us were works for cutting the marble, — ^he was explaining about the shipment of the marble, and, now seeing interest and understanding in my before vacant countenance, he became joyous and excited. So, after all, the sun of our acquaintance set in a halo of glory — bows and smiles. Wild, wild scenery we came through until we reached Spezzia, noted as a great sea-port and ship-building place, where also the large guns are made for the Italian service. CHAPTER XXVL PISA ITS FOUR WONDERS FLORENCE. As we alighted, late in the afternoon, at Pisa, a well built city of 26,000 inhabitants, in a flat region on the river Arno, a cold wind struck us, but by night it had fallen, and we walked along the Lung 'Arno, admiring the illuminated river, boulevards and marble bridges, and found our way into some little bric-a-brac shops, where were mul titudes of charming little articles in marble and alabaster. In the bright, cool morning we walked something over a mile to see the four great sights of Pisa, which are in PISA. 237 close proximity. It was our own fault that we walked, and alone, for hack drivers, guides and porters could not be persuaded to take " no " for an answer, but followed along some distance, looking like a funeral. One man still kept in tow after the others had departed, trotting along after us, catching up now and then, chattering and demanding, until to get rid of him Max turned out at a side street. " Not ^Aa!^ way — it is this way!" he screamed after us almost in tears; then at last he seemed convinced of his in ability to hold the situation, and ran back hurriedly. The Leaning Tower we climbed by a narrow stone stair way of 294 steps, to its summit, under the bells, and had quite a view of the city. We did not follow the example of great numbers of our predecessors — write our names on the wall, nor break pieces out of the steps, as some Vandal had done not long before. I picked up a piece that had been broken off, but a thousand hammers would not have tempted me to deface it. On our way up, seeing a con veniently open doorway onto the corridor outside, I made my way thither, but had a very curious sensation of being almost dragged off. It was on the lower side of the Tower, which seemed falling over, as I looked at the ground, so great was the slope. I could not possibly have slipped off, for Max, happening to look out, with an expression of unmitigated horror at my rashness took violent hold of a large portion of my apparel. I explained that I wanted " that little dandelion for my album," and managed to secure it in spite of difficulties, returning trembling but trium phant. There are accounts of persons having jumped down from the Tower with suicidal intent, but to me it seemed probable that in some of these cases gravity may have attracted them from these sloping corridors against their will and intention. The Tower is indeed a great curiosity, about which we had a lively discussion (like many of our contemporaries) as to the probabilities of its having been intentionally erected in this leaning position, but decided in the nega tive, as the ground seems to have sunk several feet, — more, no doubt, on that one side, where a pool of water was 238 BOHEMIAN DA YS. Standing — on going in we had to descend several steps to reach the entrance door. The Cathedral close by has some fine old paintings by Andrea del Sarto, and wood-carving, beautiful bronze doors and mosaic glass. More interesting to me than any of these, however, was the great iron chandelier, still hanging intact, from which Galileo learned the principle of the pendulum. The Baptistery, so beautiful externally, but with plain interior, has a curious echo to which we listened while feasting our eyes on the wonderfully sculptured pulpit. The Campo Santo had no such exquisite statuary as that of Genoa and was much smaller, but there were some cur ious old frescoes on the internal walls, now much impaired by time and rough weather. On the wall hung a part of the great, old, rusty chain with which, centuries ago, the Pisans had endeavored to exclude enemies from their port. The Genoese broke it apart, and carried away two pieces ; one they kept as a trophy during the maritime war between these rival cities ; Florence, to whom the second had been donated by the captors, restored it to Pisa long ago, and in i860 the Genoese returned the other amid general congrat ulations and rejoicing. The forty ship loads of earth within the Campo Santo was brought from Jerusalem, and by the Catholics are deemed most holy ground. Of all these places so much is written that I give but a few of the points which most drew our attention. Calling a carriage, we reached the Hotel Minerve, and the depot, just in time to catch the departing train for Florence, or Firenzi, as the Italians call it. — I wonder why we should give it a different name ? We passed for many miles through a flat though pro ductive country, but nearer Florence gradually ascended among pines and cedars, orchards and vineyards to a city well built upon both sides of the Arno, half hidden in green foliage. At one station large baskets full of bottles of wine cov ered with straw were brought for sale at eight cents apiece — wonderfully cheap even for the sour contents. Here an old man shaking with the palsy was assisted into our com- FLORENCE. 239 partment, and I wondered what could take him traveling in such a fearfully weak condition, but after passing fields where were many rows of mulberry trees for silk culture, and a tract of arable land, we stopped at another station, when a cry of joy caused me to look around at my poor, old sick man who was struggling to his feet and out at the door. "Papa! papa!" cried a sweet voice. He was in his daughter's arms, around him were clinging the dear little grandchildren, even the baby in its nurse's arms crowing and clapping its chubby hands in delight. The impressi ble passengers looked on the scene with appreciating sym pathy, and not a few eyes were dim. The first Italian sentence I learned in the city of Flor ence was one daily needed, accendari il fuoco, which means " light the fire," for the air was decidedly frosty. We had a delightful landlady, small, neat and ladylike, and a pleas ant room into which the winter's sun shone for several hours every clear day, a necessity for the promotion and contin uance of good health, and consequent cheerful disposi tion. Our finding the house, or it finding us, was certainly a special providence. We left our baggage at the depot, dropping a few " grazias" and head shakes indiscriminately among the commissionaires, and wandered into the western part of town, coming out in a wide boulevard near a park, which we afterwards found was the Jardin des Plantes ; thence we strolled along the Lung Arno, looking at that river with its four fine stone bridges, one like a street with little jeweler's shops on both sides, and a gallery above, a real curiosity, and another adorned with marble statues. It seemed to be the hour for the fashionajale promenade, for from the tall houses of light stone, on both sides of the river, came forth well dressed people, who entered carriages, or sauntered along the boulevard. "There is the number, Mr. Max, to which we were recommended — ^just across to the left, but I doubt that being the place." " Walk on slowly," he replied, " and I will enquire." A short distance before me, looking pensively into the 240 BOHEMIAN DA YS. river, was a portly lady in widows' weeds, who turned as I approached, and with dignity, but great kindness, ad dressed me. "Are you not Americans?" I owned to the soft impeachment. " You are looking for lodgings. Madam ? I am in quite a pleasant place, perhaps it might suit you, also — pleasant and homelike, still there is not a great deal of style." "There is sunshine?" "O yes! — that is a desideratum, is it not? You can call there if you like, this is the number,'' writing on an envelope. " I think it is exactly what we want," said I, introducing to her attention my tall cavalier, now returned from his unsuccessful expedition. "Do you speak enough Italian to make abargain — 'no?' then I will negotiate for you. The gentleman is in a bank all day — he is a very nice and obliging man — Swiss." We were conducted by this new-found friend through the intricacies of making a bargain, and received at her hands much kindness during our short stay in Florence. We walked and drove together, had afternoon tea, and many a story she related to me of days long past w hen she accompanied her gallant captain in campaign, and of her noble diplomatic relatives. Our residence was a flat on the third floor, reached by a winding stairway of stone, and quite shut in to itself, con sisting probably of twenty rooms, in a long line front and back opening onto a hall, and a capacious L, where were the family and dining-rooms, and kitchen. Our host, being well read and fluent of speech, made very interesting various topics of public moment, such as the burdensome taxes, the great military contingent now under call, and government monopolies, while the immediate neighbor on my left at table, a small, lively, elderly French gentleman, showed decided talent in poetical description, when enlarg ing on '• southern health resorts," and the " glories of Rome," his favorite Italian city. Opposite to us were two young ladies, very bright and engaging, but greatly ab sorbed in their congenial studies, painting and music. The graceful and gentle hostess fluttered like a bird from theme to theme as one or another addressed her in her own Ian- FLORENCE. 241 guage, but essayed not English, except a soft " good- mawnin'," spoken hesitatingly at our first daily meeting. There were others who came and went like comets, and were forgotten, not taking their regular place in our pleas ant family. I have come to the conclusion that Max was never in tended for a high art connoisseur, for after spending many hours in those great galleries, the Uffizi, the Pitti, and others, nearly sacrificing our lives to art, indeed, for they were very cold — after these faithful if hasty explorations, he still loved not the old masters. From the summit of the hill at Fiesole we had a mag nificent view of Florence and its environs. We there vis ited the Monastery, saw the straw work, here a great indus try, and Museum of Antiquities, the remains of a Roman Amphitheatre, and an old Etruscan wall. On returning to the omnibus stand we learned that the last 'bus had de parted, but a carriage was at our disposal for about three dol lars — making us no mention of the street cars a little further down the hill, which we found for ourselves — accidentally. While walking along the line instead of quietly waiting, we were overtaken by a brisk young English lady, on her return from a twelve mile ramble, and finally walked with her the three miles down-hill into the city. Another day we crossed the Arno near a large open square on which a body of cavalry were manoeuvring, and viewed, but did not ascend, the stairs, to rooms above a tempting old Roman Arch, in the walls of which were rents you could almost see through. " I am on principle opposed to high rents," said Max, "but here are plenty of steps to climb, if that's what you want. This must be the Piazzale Michel Ange. Hard work this — if we had it to do." " There is Papi's copy of Michael Angelo's great statue of David, and the four statues, symbolic of Day and Night, Twilight and Dawn." From these heights we surveyed the beautiful Val d'Arno and the Apennines which sur round it. Still higher up the hill we came to the Basilica of St. Miniato, with its beautiful facade, and within, a fine pulpit enclosure, mosaics, paintings and transparent marble windows. 16 242 BOHEMIAN DAYS. " This must be the Villa d'Arcetri, where Galileo died," said Max a half hour later, as we stood upon the hillside looking at a small cupola-ed house. " There is an old castle near it." " Galileo's observatory, but we have not the time to en ter. See ! there are some of the regiments complained of by our host : how young the men look, — among those just called out, I expect." We came to a wide avenue bordered with large trees, which led us to the Poggio Imperiale, a Medicean Villa, on which we read " Institute for Young Ladies." The rooms were large and lofty, but the objects of art which once beautified them have been removed. Our wanderings were erratic, but very enjoyable, and certainly after our short visit to the Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens with their grotto, colossal statue and amphithe atre, and the walk of a mile back to our pension, we had earned our rest. On New Year's Day, clear, cold, and with several inches of snow on the ground, we visited several churches, all em bellished by the sculpture and paintings of artists whose names are household words. San Lorenzo has several chapels, the finest of which, beautifully decorated with a collection of polished marble and precious stones, is the Medicean Chapel, not yet com pleted. It was intended to receive the Holy Sepulchre, but failing in this became the resting place of the Medicis themselves. The Duomo, or Cathedral, has the largest dome in the world, and is covered with a mosaic of black, green, and white marble, while beside it stands the Camp anile, or square bell-tower, designed by Giotto, with its numerous pictures and figures in bas-relief, and the Bap tistery with frescoed wall, mosaic floor and ceiling, and the noted " Bronze Doors " by Ghiberti, declared by Michael Angelo "worthy to be the Gate of Paradise." In Santa Croce we saw monuments in memory of Michael Angelo, Galileo, Dante and other old friends, among which was a particularly fine statue of Alfieri, the poet, by Canova. "And what do you remember of all that you've seen?" FLORENCE. 243 Max enquired as we steamed away on our journey to Rome a few days after. " More than I could tell in a day. — I know the popula tion for instance — three times as great as Pisa (160,000), and no grass growing in the streets. "By count? you saw them all — " "There are some /^zt^ things," severely, " that must be taken on faith ! " " Well, what else ? " For a few moments I remained wrapped in a mantle of contemplation, until Max repeated his question. "I was thinking of those very different characters, Michael Angelo and Savonarola, both prominent in Flor entine history, both teaching the truth — the one with his chisel and brush, the other with grand and noble words, but while Michael was almost worshiped living, and his home preserved as he left it, they burnt Savonarola and scattered his ashes to the winds and waves. " " He was beyond his generation — too good for it. You did not see the ashes, however." " I saw thousands of paintings in the Pitti — " " What a pity ! — excuse me ! go on." " The Palace Vechio I thought very interesting with its great frescoed and painted hall, where Savonarola called his council, and the treasure-room, and that guarda-roba with so many maps on the doors, and the Clock-Room where stands the bust of Dante, surrounded by the flags of the cities that took part in his Centennial." 'And his house in that dark street, I suppose. No won der he wrote such melancholy and terrible things, shut in with small iron-barred windows." " He was almost inspired — don't you think ?" But Max loved sunlight and brightness tbo well to agree to this. "And what in the world is the use of the miles and miles of pictures gathered in these cities? They are a weariness to the eyes, and for all the lisping over the chiaroscuro and what not, how many know a copy from an original ? and for that matter very likely the copy may be better. — It ought to be after these years." " Florence is a beautiful place," quoth I. 244 B OHEMIAN DA YS. " It is, and quite a home for English aristocrats, — Irish non-residents too, I expect." " Living seems cheap. Those young girls who left the pension have two small but neatly-furnished rooms in a third story, and are well served, cooking done too, for sixty- five francs a month — about forty-three cents a day for the two, and articles of food are quite reasonable. Really we might have done worse than follow their example — and anchored there." "Too o cold ! " shivered Max ; " stay in all that snow ?" He evidently thought not. " What a beautiful lake ! — and a castle on a promontory. How everything is reflected in the still water — the shore, the forest — " " Lake Trasimene." " The scene is changed since was heard the heavy tramp of many legions of armed men — " " Rather so," Max interpolated. "And cries of conflict and victory as the Roman and Carthaginian hosts came rushing together like two mighty whirlwinds, when the shores were red with the blood of 1 5 ,000 Romans, and the brook flowed in a crimson tide. There was a sound of death-cries and clashing of swords, followed by a deadly silence as a moonless night came shutting in the sanguinary field." (A deep groan from the opposite corner where my companion had collapsed with closed eyes.) " I see (with my mind's eye) companies in these defiles of the mountains, where rest the Carthagin ians of Hannibal, preparing to march on Rome." " This tunnel would have been a convenience," said Max, looking out, wide awake. " I think I prefer the scene as it is. As for war and blood, the whole earth has been red with it at some time or other.'' " There is a pig-herdess with her knitting. I should not think that little out-door fire would warm her very much, but her dress is made from a blanket." "A man tickling the ground with a stick for a plow, ha! ha ! — and there a great flock of sheep" — So all day we traveled through a changeful country, past walled cities, and forest groves, through mountains and the valley of the Tiber, and though the clouds came ROME. 45 grimly down towards evening, we had sunshine enough within doors — and a good lunch, which makes more differ ence than those who have not tried may imagine. Old castles, fine art, and even beautiful scenery, though delight ful in their way, cannot fully satisfy a hungry man. It was sunset when we came in sight of the Eternal City, and a last gleam lighted up the dome of St. Peter's, as if giving us a wave of welcome. CHAPTER XXVII. ROME ON HER SEVEN HILLS COLOSSEUM FORUM ART. Storied Rome! Glorious old city! did not our hearts swell at thought of being near the Colosseum, St. Peter's, and a host of other places we had longed to see? — To a certain extent this was the case, but when one alights in the pouring rain, and has baggage to be attended to, such exalted objects invariably take a back seat. Diocle- sian's Baths were, near the station — but a shower-bath from skyward was more imminent and real at the mo ment. As we splash-splashed through the sloppy streets to the Pension on the Piazza Colonna, recommended by our French neighbor at Florence, Max spoke of the pleas ant answer received from the landlord, and the assurance of a "very good room on the second floor," awaiting our arrival, whenever that might be. As they had not been advised of the time, no one was in attendance at the portal of the five-story stone building, but the old concierge, who took charge of our baggage, and slowly followed up the stone stairs. , " Well, here we are, I suppose. What names are these on the doors? — attorneys and other official characters! We must have made a mistake," with a dazed look around. "Perhaps it is in the upper regions," I suggested. " It cannot be among these offices." "No bell to ring ! ah, here comes our Ancient." If we had understood Italian " as she is spoke," we 246 BOHEMIAN DA YS. should not have needed the poor old porter's vigorous up ward gestures, for which all the baggage had to be floored ; happily our sign language was not so homeo pathic. " 'Toil on, toil on, ye ephemeral train,' " sighed Max. " Ladies don't wear them when traveling, sir." " Don't fatigue yourself more than is necessary," he remonstrated. " Here we are then — no? — he still points upward ! Ye gods and little fishes ! but isn't this some ? — There's still another story, I believe; however, we'll try this, as it has a habitable look. — Stone age — walls, floor, ceiling; at least it can't burn up, that's a comfort." First came an office and reception-room, then a large dining-room, from which opened several doors, one into a well furnished parlor, another into a narrow hall. From this inner hall a door to the left was opened by a servant, while the landlord and porter, and one or two others, fol lowed promiscuously. High ceiling, bright carpet, two little white beds, looked pretty well, but the tiles under the carpet struck a chill to the feet — Max did not look cool — he was interviewing "mine host" on a topic or two, and finally came to the theme nearest his heart. "You wrote me that our room was on the second story ! " with virtuous indignation in his tone. Monsieur, or signor, was very polite, but also very much surprised. " Eet ees ze zecongd ! " he averred, warmly. "The second! it's the fourth, I should say !" sarcastic. "Ah, Monsieur! — did 'e not zee? eet ees ze 'zecongnd f'om ze top!" with outstretched hands, and eyebrows almost up to the well curled hair. Max's eyebrows also rose. His look toward me was elo quent, but he only remarked, " oh ! " which did not amount to much. The landlord, " on hospitable cares intent," rushed the servants here and there, and among other things had a small circular, sheet-iron stove set up by the window, under which a two inch stove-pipe sought the outer air. Then came a man with a smaller, circular iron vessel full of burning charcoal, which being arranged within and all closed up, proceeded to make the room a ROME. 247 little warmer, but quite uninhabitably full of carbonic gas. They did not seem surprised when ordered to remove the whole concern ; probably they were accustomed to the order from each successive inhabitant, but their zeal and good nature in a useless office were really beautiful. It seemed more possible that we should remain after our sumptuous dinner, when warmly ensconced in the parlor with a very pleasant company of about twenty, mostly English maiden ladies and widows, several partnerships of three having been formed on starting from home, for sociability and mutual protection. This is much nicer for them than sitting out the winter amid the snow and ice of that Northern latitude. With one each out of three of these trios I became on terms of intimacy — affinities, I suppose. Miss Kirk, large, strong, amiable, and so very capable, as well as being acquainted with the city, was the most delightful of pilots ; dear, gentle Miss Ray, ivy-like and sweet, well-read and lively, made a pleasant evening com panion, while Mrs. Martin, an American widow lady, quiet, and forming few acquaintances, was ready with much information on the Roman world. There were others in the back-ground pleasant and useful in making up a party, and an occasional eccentric body who somewhat disturbed the other more tranquil orbits ; a German lady, for instance, who was always determined to lead or have nothing to do with a party (probably she had inherited the "rule or ruin " idea) ; who one day accompanying us for a drive out the Appian Way, took it into her head to return at a cer tain point, and being in the front carriage, also having the advantage of speaking Italian, ordered the man to take an other route immediately back to the city. To our surprise they turned suddenly short to the left and our coachman followed in spite of lively remonstrances, -Hjithout our see ing the site of the Three Taverns of which St Paul wrote. It was not less exasperating when we were halted a halt hour later before a public house and a waiter came to us with wine ordered by this occupant of the first carriage. — Germany was in a minority just then, though by no means speechless. " 0 dear ! " said she, " why did not you speak den ? A place beyond dere you would see? ach ! I fought you 248 BOkEMIAN DAYS. would be wantin' some wine at your ' T'ree Taverns' you call about — and here is wine ! " Was it ignorance ? She shivered and added " ach ! it was calt dere ! " and there was a smile on her half-hidden face as she turned away and the carriages dashed off towards home. We affiliated no more. It had been a delightful drive except for the mud, the rough road, and cold wind, for we had seen several land marks besides the mounds of the Horatii and Curiatii and circular tomb of Cecelia Metella; a fine gateway, church, and that for which we had especially come out, the Cata combs of St. Calyxtus. The place was deserted above ground and below. For the half hour we awaited the gnome who was to take us to the lower regions we were in a state of incertitude. " Would it be dangerous ? " — " Damp ? " — " Could any one be lost ? " Then, candle in hand, we descended the winding, irregu lar stair in single file, and being warned to keep close to gether, and not try going on exploring expeditions with out a guide, we followed along a narrow, rough way with many bifurcations, which smelt very earthy, — but " where were the bones ? " Those left from piratical invasion of heretical hands had been taken as sacred relics to various churches. There was not a bone left for any of us ! — Biit really this was not the spirit in which we viewed the rest ing-places of the saints, and the portrayed thoughts of the living in word or painting on the cold wall whichhad echoed to many a sigh of distress, and many a hymn and prayer of faith and adoration. This was not our first excursion, however. The morning of the 5 th of January was not cold like the Florence weather, but the rain came in almost continuous showers. But — " Rome ! " what a charm even in the name . " Eome ! Rome ! thou art no more As thou hast been ! " sang the sweet poetess, Mrs. Hemans. Rome has been many things. She has been the Empress of the world sit ting enthroned on her seven hills; again, scarce worthy a name. In some parts there is still much to see of the re mains of some ancient buildings, while in others, as the CASTLE ST. ANGELO, (See page 254.) THE COLOSSEUM. (See page ^9.) ROME. 249 Palaces of the Csesars, but a few blocks of stone trace the boundaries of the once mighty dwellings of the world's rulers, and near them, stronger than any, stands a part of that first great wall of Romulus. A few ruined columns stand on the site of the temples to many gods, and the Forum is but a hollow space with here and there a broken wall, piece of a column or statue to indicate the varied buildings which were to hold proud names forever. Best preserved are the Colosseum* and Pantheon, and the great Arches of Constantine, Titus, Severus and others, with stories told graphically in the sculptured stone. There are 360 churches, each boasting something beautiful or won derful in art. The city is surrounded by a wall of twelve miles' circuit, and has sixteen gates, twelve of them in use. I remember hearing in my early childhood that " Rome was not built in a day " (which was encouraging even at that distance of time and space) ; neither can it be seen in a day by the most enterprising of tourists. But many of these things had not dawned on my consciousness that rainy morning when first I awoke in Rome. "What shall we see first?" inquired my amiable consort as he arranged his collar before the looking-glass. " The Colosseum, of course!^'' rousing to a consciousness of my wonderful surroundings. "Before St. Peter's?" "It was before — a long time before, wasn't it? " " Oh, if that's the way, we shall have to go to the bed rock!" " Or the bed of the Tiber — but if that is not wider than this lounge, or whatever it is, I should not want to stay long." " I don't think I'd stay there then. In half an hour I shall be back to breakfast, — ^off for a walk," and he dis appeared. A day of rambling followed. Up the wide steps to the Capitol, past the shaded den of a descendant of Romulus' and Remus' foster-mother ; through the museums on either side of the square, and to the left entered the Church of Ara Coeli to see in its satin-lined box, closely guarded, the little Bambino, an image of the Infant Christ, by many people de- * m. . 250 BOHEMIAN DA YS. voutly worshiped, and found a pretty doll blazing with jewels that a prince might envy, whose value would keep a thousand poor people in comfort all their lives. To it many miracles are ascribed, especially in healing the sick. Once it was taken possession of by a great lady, but be hold ! when the sorrowing monks went to look upon its empty cradle, there lay the holy image, though none knew how or whence it had come ! Once a year the Bambino is found somewhere in the city and a grand pro cession escorts it back to its own church. This will probably be discontinued, as the church itself is to be pulled down. But we were at the Capitol — from whence is seen a grand panorama of City,Campagna, and purple hills beyond. Here I made a mistake — I do sometimes make mistakes. I have at times envied those wise people who never fall into error, and yet it must seem rather uncomfortable to be chronically horrified at those who do — a little lonesome too. Back of the Ara Cceli and Museum a building appeared on the verge of the Capitoline Hill, protected by an iron fence and gateway, the latter wide open. Up the steps I went into a frescoed portico and was looking into a room also richly adorned, when suddenly I forgot what it all was about, and have never since re'hiembered, for some soldiers hastily advanced with questioning scrutiny. Happily on the instant an officer appeared who informed me cour teously, with bared head, that I was in the Guard-house ! I descended the steps without my accustomed serenity, met Max in the act of following in my footsteps (like a pru dent man) and was sorely tempted to let him try it him self, but the angelic spirit of self-sacrifice (and my desire to continue our journey) led to better thoughts. Down many steps we found two small churches, and into the left hand one, San Guiseppe d'Falegnami, we entered, went down, down a fearfully close stairway into the Mammertine Prison, a very unwholesome, musty place, rendered worse by the opening of the lower room into a drain connected with the Cloaca Maxima. In this place there is a stone to which St. Peter was fastened when the angel released him, and a hollow in the wall made by his head when struck by THE COLOSSEUM. 251 a jailor. The ceiling is so low that Max could have pushed the grating up and walked out into the upper prison. Here it was Jugurtha, King of Numidia, died of starvation within sound of his enemy Marius' triumphant chariot wheels rolling up to the Capitol. A few moments we spent in the church nearly opposite, admiring the encasement of St. Martini's sarcophagated bones in a beautiful crypt, and then wandered along the base of the hill, studying the ruins of three temples — of Con cord, of Vespasian, and of Saturn, at the latter of which are eight Ionic columns. Back of these once stood the Record Office. The view before us of the Forum Romanum was a strik ing one, from the association each name, each stone brought to mind. We were guided by a little map of the place, which showed the site of the ancient buildings. Leaving the Arch of Severus, we walked along the street to the left of it, looking down perhaps fifteen feet on pillar and wall until we came to a turning point, the street again leading to the left. This we followed, passing frequent objects of interest, ancient little shops and untidy people, modern, then making a turn to the right came in sight of the won derful Colosseum, to which we descended a muddy hill. Walking around the lofty building of many arches until opposite the Arch of Constantine, we entered, and apply ing to the care-taker were admitted by an iron gate to a stairway, climbed up and up until coming out near the summit we looked down upon the great amphitheatre, and seated ourselves for rest and contemplation. " I have read somewhere," said Max, " that ten thousand captive Jews were compelled to build this structure." " How large is it? " " Large enough for eighty-seven thousand people to be seated — third of a mile around. It is oval, you see, 627 feet long, the book says, and 527 feet wide. It must have been a grand sight when in its glory, with the bright curtain above and the thousands of spectators 'in gay attire below." " And the arena dyed in Christian blood ! " I added, thinking of a beautiful picture I had seen in London, Gustave Dore's " Christian Martyrs," with the scene below 252 BOHEMIAN DAYS. in shadow, but above, rising gloriously beautiful toward Heaven, the ethereal spirits of the faithful unto Death. We lingered for several hours in various parts of the building, among other things looking outwards at a large body of troops evoluting past the Arch of Constantine, then descending we bought some breastpins of Roman mosaic, walked through the Arches and over to the Palatine Hill, followed by a number of boys endeavoring to dispose of photographs and books, whom Max used as an assistance in his study of Italians and their language. An hour's rest, dinner, and in spite of my idea that I could locomote no more I accepted Miss Kirk's arm for a sight of the Piazza Navona during a festival night, but Max felt too tired. A half dozen of us threaded our way through crooked streets poorly lighted, but suddenly came into the great open space ablaze with light from illuminated booths all around, each shining with a variety of wares — among them hundreds of tin horns, and bushels of cheap trinkets. "This is the ' Festival of the Horns,' " said Miss Kirk. " What for ? " I enquired. " To insure a good harvest," said she. " In thanks for a good harvest," corrected Mrs. Martin. " Christmas festivities," another suggested. " Announcement of the coming Christ — for old Christ mas, you know," said Miss Ray. So opinions differed, but it was really twelve days after Christmas, and Twelfth-night used to be kept as a fes tival. Presently a few horns were blown, then a hundred fol lowed suit, and young students and mischievous boys ran after any one retreating, and " tooted " and dinned into their very ears unmercifully. We had our share as we pro gressed all around the square; our ears were almost deaf for hours after. It was amusing, very ! — when the case was not our own — the contortions of the victims and struggles for escape, thie masks of some of the crowd, the gay dresses and booths, the general mirth and hilarity everywhere visi ble, made a striking picture by torchlight. Our best map of Rome was a colored bird's-eye view hav- THE TIBER. 253 ing each building pictured in its proper position, and with this we found our way nicely all over the city. Of an evening in the parlor, besides the conversation and music, groups of friends eagerly studied out objects of in terest and plans for the morrow, and in the morning would sally forth well waterproofed, for during our stay in Rome we had only one or two fine days. It seems almost a dream that I have wandered through the Palaces of the Csesars, and passed over the Mosaic of the once wonderful Baths of Caracalla, seen the matchless ceiling in the Rospigliosi Palace — Guido's " Aurora," and i:i the Barberini, Guido Reni's " Beatrice Cenci," or within the soft and holy light of the Pantheon visited the tomb of Victor Emmanuel the day of his Requiem Mass — and gave the tribute of a sigh and tender thought to the altar oppo site, where rests the dust of the immortal Raphael. Having no company one morning, I set out alone to find the church of San Pietro in Vinculis to see Michael An gelo's noted statue of Moses, which I greatly admired, but appreciated the criticism I had heard on his curious locks of hair. A monk kindly showed me the chain by which St. Peter had been bound when in prison ; of course it must have been the same, as he said so; it certainly looked old. In returning, instead of continuing on the wide boulevard to the Corso, I ran down the steps to the Forum Trajanum and came face to face with a party of my London cousins, to our mutual surprise and pleasure. CHAPTER XXVIII. THE TIBER CASTLE ST. ANGELO — ST. PETER'S AND OTHER CHURCHES PROTESTANT CEMETERY*— THE PIN CIAN HILL CAPUCINI CONVENT. " Old father Tiber looks muddy to-day," I remarked as a party of us rode over the Ponte St. Angelo — the ^lian Bridge of Ancient Rome. "That is his general complexion, I think," said Max; "al most anyone would look dull in such a continuity of rain as this — even the bastioned and battlemented Castle of St. 2 54 B O HEM I A N DA YS Angelo* in front of us. I would like tu be able to read all its history on its face — the Castle 1 mean — and expatiate on the wonderful and varied scenes it'has looked upon during these many centuries. What a panorama that would be ! Let's see — when was it built?" "The latter part of the second century, by Hadrian, you know, for his mausoleum. These pedestal saints on the Bridge are perhaps better than the pagan deities and heroes they replaced, but 1 doubt it." "These ancient circular tombs look like immense cheeses,'' said Max. "Of a snowy day," rephed Miss Kirk, "they make me think of mammoth wedding cakes with high frosting and ornamentation." " Here popes have lived and died — here emperors have feasted and fallen! Here has been heard the voice of mer riment and joy, and again the plaint of the captive, and the cry of the tortured," said Miss Ray, with feeling. " Yes, and their writing on the wall is still visible, \^'hat a pity that the great blocks of Parian marble which faced it, and had each a history, should have been removed. The great statue, too, of Hadrian in his car drawn by four horses — the building surely cannot be the same, or the immense group could not have stood on it. John of Antioch says that a full-grown man might pass through one of the horses' eyes, and that they were up so high they looked small," said Miss Kirk as we alighted. "The marble and the bronze doors are spoken of as pres ent in the thirteenth century, and the horses and gilded peacocks and other grand objects, but the beautiful porphyry sepulchre containing the bones of innocent II. was taken to the Lateran, according to Pope Leo," I remarked ; "I read about it a few days ago." "Several of the churches seem to have been so enriched, but how greatly authorities differ on these subjects. Some say there were no peacocks at the tomb." " Why should there be. Miss Kirk ? What do they sym bolize?" " The apotheoses of the empresses, as eagles of the em perors, they say." •111. ST, Peter's, rome. (See page 355.) ST. PETER'S. 255 "Symbols of vanity ? " Max inquired, gaily. "''Vanity of vanities'! " quoth Miss Ray. " It must have greatly resembled its prototype, the Tomb of Mausolus," Miss Kirk rejoined. " What a pity that the statues and columns ha\'e been destroyed ! From some of the fragments in the Vatican, busts of Hadrian and of Pallas for instance, one may judge of the grand workmanship of the whole. The base you see is square. It was built of brick and peperino-stone, wonderfully strong." Said Max, "Its having stood the centuries' storms of bat tle is proof of that." " With what pomp of gilded vestments was the dead Hadrian brought here amid the flaming torches of his fol lowers, and ceremonies of pagan priests ! and what a mock ery it all would seem when one glanced at the silent form on its ivory couch" — "Ah, Miss Ray, but authorities (those terrible critics!) differ as to whether the few ounces of ashes that once were Hadrian ever reposed here," said Max. "He died a weary, sad old man, anxious only to get away from mortality. How different to his successor Antoninus Pius." " Being a pagan, why did Hadrian make his central room there in the form of a Greek cross?" said I, as we again came out on the river bank. "Next!" said Max. " Everybody knows a little of everything," Miss Ray re marked musingly, "and just a little more of something.'' " But really not much of anything," added Miss Kirk, laughing. " We are all specialists," said Max; "every one has a hob by, and a tinge of the maniac when he mounts it. Now this love of power, this ambition, which carried into such excesses the historical occupants of the old Fortress' we have left — the popes for instance, and that terrible Theodora and her descendants; this carelessness of human life, and trampling on the bodies and rights of our neighbors, shows the danger of the over-development of any one faculty." "There is an over-development of mud on these streets," quoth I, — "but see! here is St. Peter's."* The approach was disappointing, being so built up, and * IU. • 256 BOHEMIAN DAYS. the grand edifice, itself, beyond the great semi-circular stone colonnades, did not, at first, give a true idea of its great height, still it was imposing, and when we had passed the great stone court with its fountains, mounted the wide steps and crossed the vestibule, we entered into the hushed silence, and gazed with delighted awe on the beautiful in terior. At first it did not appear so extensive, but as our eyes became familiar with the details in the foreground, it seemed to stretch away above and around us into the most magnificent hall upon which we had ever gazed. Around us were devotees whose pilgrimage hither had condoned their every sin, and who looked upon it all with a feeling impossible to me. This holy water, for instance, was full of efficacy to them, while within the box-like cells were seated men whose least word and prayer could even remove the beloved dead from Purgatory. Ah — if it were true ! I could but envy the ignorant faith of these good (or bad) people, who so reverently press with trembling hps the badly worn toe of bronze St. Peter, and go away satisfied. — " 'According to thy faith' — I wonder how far that will go?" I said. But Max was more interested in the exquisite groups of statuary and rare marble, and made no rejoinder. As we came back to the entrance, Miss Kirk called my attention to the two beautiful cherubs a few feet from the tessellated pavement. " How high should you think those were ? " she inquired. "When I first came I thought they were about — say three or four feet high, but when I learned that they were twelve it seemed to wonderfully enlarge the whole building. — Is not that a beautiful font ?" "What a grand artist was Michael Angelo !" said Miss Ray. "What statuary and paintings he has left behind him, and this great edifice " — " Which he made a great mistake in." " Oh, not he. Miss Kirk, surely, but those who came after. — Well, here we are at the Vatican." We gave in our tickets at the iron gate and separated to wander around in the departments most interesting to our ST. PETER'S. 257 several tastes. At the Etruscan Museum we met a party of our pension acquaintances. "Is it not grand? "said one, warmly. " We should be here for weeks instead of but a few hours. The mosaic pave ments, the fine statuary — especially the Apollo Belvidere, the Wrestlers, The Dying Gladiator, The Marble Faun, The Discobolus and the Venus — be sure not to miss them — " " Some of those are at the Capitol Museum," laughed Miss Kirk. " Remember Raphael's Transfiguration.'' "Above all,'' cried another, " the Sistine Chapel ! — indeed there are a world of things here to delight the antiquary and artist." And we parted. " I think cremating a horrible thing," said Miss Ray, in a disgusted tone, as we looked at an old Roman urn. "Any more so than being put under the ground ? " I in quired. " It does not matter to me where my body is laid after I have done with it,'' said Max. " So I think about the cremating. Of course, I hope to be dead — thoroughly dead first." '"Dust to dust,'" quoted Miss Kirk, solemnly. "For my part, I think the 'earth to earth ' burial very sensible." "It is mud to mud at present," said Max; " let us leave the street some of it, if possible. How would you wish to be buried. Miss Ray ? — while we are on that cheerful subject, — I'll try to see your wishes complied with," his voice kind ness itself " I do not wish to be buried at all," she replied, plain tively. "This is a very grave turn to our subject," said Miss Kirk, smiling and nodding to me. " For my part," cried the advocate of Cremation, "I think it bad enough to be a trouble to humanity while living. Let that be the end." '' The advanced .advocates entirely prevent what you spoke of fearing so greatly. Miss Ray — " " Oh ! being buried alive? " with interest. " Yes, they make very sure that life is extinct." "How is that managed ?" "A room in the Crematory especially fitted with appli- 17 258 B OHEMIAN DA YS. ances for resuscitation by such a degree of heat as will raise the animal heat, quickening the process of nature. If no life is present this will be quickly made known in a major ity of cases. But this is sufficient on such a gloomy sub ject.'' " Very interesting, I think," Miss Kirk said, "but here is Santa Maria della Pace." "Another church ! " sighed Max. " Here are Raphael's Sibyls, so much talked of," — she never wearied; — " I do not care greatly for them." "I like Raphael better than any artist," said I. "Are they not beautiful?" "Very nice,'' "charming!" came a chorus of voices. " One more," said Miss Kirk as we emerged ; "you will want to see St. Andrea della Vale because it occupies the site of the Theatre of Pompey, where Csesar met his fate." The next day Max, Mrs. Martin and I went for a ramble in the Ghetto, the Jews' Quarter. Through many dark and dingy streets lined with tall houses, most of which displayed clothing, second-hand articles and jewelry in the lower story, we sought for the Via della Strengari. " It is strange,'' Max remarked in a low tone, " but dirty and malodorous as these streets are, I am told that the in habitants suffer less than in any Quarter of Rome from con tagious diseases." " There is the house — Number 2, is it not ? " said Mrs. Martin ; "yes, here it is." The little group playing moro by the doorway rose at our approach, and we ascended the stairs into what for two years had been the " hired house " of St Paul. In the room we first entered the family were disposing of their mid-day repast strongly flavored with garlic, but a woman hastily rose to open a door into the private apartment of the rXpostle, which contained an old bed and rickety chair, not old enough to be historical, but covered with something less than a centennial dust. Everything, as without, was dingy and close and unwashed, still these places carr}- with them a feeling of solemnity — and disappointment. You cannot realize the truth of past ages any the better — more sacredly — by seeing these things. It is like \isiting a gra\'e. Max had preferred the outside view, and we soon de. OLD ROME. 259 scended to find him trying to understand the game, and making friends with the boys. "There used to be finely chiseled stone posts at this door way," said Mrs. Martin, " but they were gradually chipped off by relic seekers." We walked through a lively market to the Theatre of Marcellus, and a curious old gateway and moat by which the Jews kept at bay their un-Christian enemies, surrounded by streets so narrow that the high houses almost touched at the second story, which was built out beyond the first. "What a place for anyone to call home," I exclaimed. " Probably these people could not be persuaded to live elsewhere, Dolly." " Indeed they are wonderfully attached to these dismal alleys," said Mrs. Martin. "We were shown the palace of the Borgias, those cruel rulers; it is now a large, almost ruinous, building, but near the river, outside the close precinct, is the beautifully frescoed Spada Palace, the most interesting point of which was the eleven-foot statue of Pompey, " at the foot of which great Caesar died" — actually on the edge of its pedestal. ''Like us,'' said Max; "not beautiful, but interesting.'' We went on down the Tiber until we reached the House of Rienzi with its sculptured front, the little Temple of Vesta , a small circular building surrounded by columns near the oldest Roman temple, that of Fortuna Virilis, now one of the many "Santa Maria" churches. Here we passed a large body of workmen improving the street, and the bridge called Ponte Rotto, from which we could see the remains of the Pons Sublicius, which was defended by Horatius against Porsena. Macaulay in one of his " Lays of Ancient Rome " has eloquently described • "How well Horatio held the bridge In the brave days of old." I think it was in the portico of Santa Maria in Cosmedin, close by, that we saw a curious old relic, a horrible owl-like face -several feet in diameter, whose open mouth had, in the olden time, been used to wrest the truth from offenders, 26o B OHEMIAN DA YS. whose fingers being therein introduced would be imprisoned (so it was said) if they spoke falsely. Mrs. Martin, being unused to walking, was now very weary, and returned home on a car, while Max and I, taking another along the left bank of the Tiber below the Aventine vineyards, rode out a mile beyond the Porta San Paolo to a large church of plain exterior, but which we greatly admired as soon as we crossed the threshold. It was the Basilica of St. Paul, in which we counted over a dozen kinds of marble and precious stones polished like a mirror, and a magnificent altar of malachite with pillars of alabaster. A mile or two further is the church of the Three Fountains, where St. Paul was martyred. On returning we left the car inside the city Gate of St. Paul near the Pyramid-tomb of Cestius to visit the Protestant Cemetery, where we read names honored of America and England, of sculptors and authors, of painters and philan thropists. Just after passing through the small covered bridge of entrance, we paused to see w hat so greatly inter ested an American who stood gazing at a tomb, note-boo'ic in hand. Within the iron railing were two graves with plain headstones, on one of which we read the sad words : " This grave contains all that was mortal of a young English Poet who on his death bed, in the bitterness of his heart at the malicious power of his enemies, desired these words to be engraven on his tombstone. Here lies one 'Whose name was writ in water." How differently Buchanan Read has sung of him, — "And dehcate as from a silver censer Floats the sweet dream of Keats." The grave at his side contains the dust of his devoted friend Joseph Severn, and on the gateway near is the poet's bust and a few lines of tender eulogy. As if we had met at the grave of a mutual friend, the gentleman copying the inscription quietly handed me a leaf from the tomb, and then led the way to a plain slab under THE PINCIAN HILL. 261 the shadow of the old Roman wall where lay the heart of Shelley. " Nothing of him that doth fade. But suffers a sea-change Into something rich and strange." Above him were floating leaves of the amaranth. In the early Sabbath morning, January 17th, Miss Kirk and I walked to the Piazza di 'Spagna and climbed the many steps to " La Trinita '' to hear the White Nuns sing the early Mass. We could not see them, as they were hidr den behind a screen, but their voices in chorus were very sweet. The front of the church near the altar was railed off, and on seats within sat the girls of a convent school in blue dresses, grey cloaks, and thin white veils, while near the altar knelt a figure in snow-white silk, white veil and orange blossoms, whom I supposed to have just taken vows as a nun. She looked as if she had been weeping while the others sang, and sat with drooping head, trembling like a snow-drop in a storm, as they filed out past her, and a fear grew in me that before us had been given the vows of an unwilling bride. How sweet seemed the little burst of sunshine and the fresh air on the Pincian Hill, as we walked about after leav ing those close walls. We rode some distance to attend service in a Waldensian church, where we listened to a ser mon in Italian — -not much to my edification — and then re turned to lunch. " Who will go with me to see the blessing of the ani mals ? " asked Miss Kirk. " It is raining — but then it gen erally is." There was a small affirmative chorus of delighted sight seers, and dividing up into couples. Mi* Kirk and I oc cupying one carriage, we hastened to the place designated — but here the people knew nothing about it ! " Surely they can tell us where it is at the Forum — that learned Professor gives a lecture there to-day, you know." We drove there, and heard a fine lecture so distinctly and slowly spoken that even such an ignoramus in the language as myself could follow him (mentally as well as phpicalM 262 BOHEMIAN DA YS. as we went from ruin to ruin. The clothing present also had a tendency towards ruin from the almost incessant rain. As a last resort we promenaded in the mud along the foot of the Palatine Hill, and — oh, joy ! there was a church all decorated, and from its belfry came merry peals of music, people were continually going in and out — we had found the beneficent church at last. On the steps stood an elderly priest, reading from a book as fast as his tongue could move, and at his side stood a young acolyte holding a ves sel of water and a brazen sprinkler. This young man seemed very much amused, and many of the people looked as if it was all a good joke, when several horses were led up and the priest sprinkled a little water towards them, again mumbling over the short service. A boy on an old sad-looking white horse, and a man near him, probably the owner, insisted eagerly that this animal had not received the blessing, as a fine span of dark horses had been in the foreground and intercepted it, which could not be reasoned away satisfactorily, and with a frown and a vexed sigh the weary priest rattled the words off again, and so well did he sprinkle the beneficiaries this time that some was expended on. the spectators, myself included. The old horse seemed the least affected of anybody — having had too many beatings (like all its fellows) to expect any good thing from life. One man had a little dog standing up be side him, and another peeping out of his pocket, and atone time there were several fine cows. To each person was given a paper with an account of the institution of the rite, and a little cross. The next day would be the " Ceremony of the Chair " at St. Peter's, but as the Pope was invisible we did not defer our departure. It is very uncomfortable to have to part with pleasant friends, who have accompanied us to museums and churches, parks and palaces, searched out stores where mosaic tables and other articles of art were made, learned the mysteries of Roman Pearls and best photographers, and around the table and by the fireside been as one family. But the hour of change had come. We all would wish to be pleasantly remembered, so that last evening we were more lively than usual, as if, did a ROME. 263 minute's pause occur, something disagreeable would come to mind. "'What delightful days!" " In spite of the weather. Miss Kirk," said Max, — " Rome — with all thy mud I love thee still ! " " It is never still until after midnight," — she rejoined. "A very quiet place, I think," said Miss Ray, looking up from her knitting with a smile. " How the ancients would stare if they could see these electric lights, tram-cars, Parisian Boulevards — and modern tourists," cried Miss Kirk, laughing. " I wonder how long Cicero was coming from Brundusium over the Appian Way." " O, it was doubtless a good road then," Max replied, " made of those great volcanic rocks, and it must have been a beautiful ride when the tombs were undefaced, and the rich people's villas and gardens brightened the prospect on either hand, with the purple -tinted Albanian mountains be yond them, while before him as he came were the grand buildings of the noble city." " Do you think the people are religious in this city of priests?" inquired a new arrival of Max. " Not very. It seems half a joke with them when they kiss St. Peter's toe." " Yet they crowd the churches." " The soldiers in Florence were stationed in a monastery, where they defaced some beautiful frescoed walls — putting pipes in the mouths of saints, and sticking small weapons into their bodies: I doubt if they would care more here." " Services are kept up well, though gradually some old churches are being discontinued. You have noticed those little shrines here and there among the poor shops are kept alight at night." " What great 'ouildings are going up now, especially on the Esquiline , " said Mrs. Martin. " I have been there, and among the works on the Quir- inal," said Max, with great interest, "and down many feet below the surface I saw richly frescoed arches. The men were throwing into the street beautiful pieces of stone highly polished ; some looked rounded as if parts of statues." " We went to an open, hollow, grassy space," I contin- 264 F OHEMIAN DA YS. ued, "and around it on three sides were high arches, in some of which people were living. Above them were great houses four or five stories high. It looked fearfully precip itous ! But our greatest interest was in the remains of a beautiful fountain, and a serpentine stone channel for a brook leading into a small fish-pond of the same.'^ "Where was it?" " Oh, I must see it ! " etc. (chorus.) Max gave the best description he could of the route. " I think it must be in the garden of Sallust," said he, "but they are digging at it, — it will not be anybody's gar den long." "Ruins on top of ruins!" said a gentleman. "I think they must be about five deep.'' "Did you visit the Capucini Convent and Church?'' " Yes, indeed ! one of the strangest sights I ever saw. At first I thought we should not succeed in obtaining entrance, for, on ringing, a cross old monk said ' No ! ' very curtly, and shut the door. A kindly tradesman who had just ac complished his errand came to apologize for the old ' Father,' and said he thought we should have to return an other day, as the hour was past. We 'paused to reflect ' a moment, then, ' Come on,' said Max, ' I guess it's no use.' " " But we got in and saw it all,'' said he, and as he went on describing the scene I was thinking of the monk who had come walking as if w eary up the rough stone street, and then up step by step towards us as we stood high above him. He was dressed in the rough brown garb of his order, his feet were bare, and the cowl turned back from a high, furrowed brow showed a face kind, calm, intelligent, past middle age, over which the storms had passed and left their trace when he dwelt in the lowlands, but now he was above them, and from his mountain top, on which the sun of Heaven was shining, looked down on the toiling, groan ing multitude with brotherly compassion. This was a face a child would trust, though in the keen gray eye and the head erect, and in the grand self-poise of the whole noble figure, was commanding self-respect. Here was a natural ruler of men. He stood in gentle courtesy, expectant, as I turned to THE CAPUCINI CHURCH. 265 him and told of our disappointment; then walking with firm, yet elastic step, to the door. ' The Church shall be opened,' he said, in a pleasant, quiet voice, and bowing, disappeared within the Convent's stone portal, whose closing seemed so much like death. In a few moments the doors of the Church fell apart, a half- smiling monk invited us in, and after we had passed him stooped to pat his great tabby cat, which trotted like a dog beside us. " You were more fortunate than we were," said Miss Kirk, in a lively tone; ,"we had to return another day." "And I wish we had not done so,'' said her cousin, lan guidly, " I dreamt of those horrible bones." " Yo\x saw St. Crispin — the Shoemaker's patron ? " "After looking at that beautiful painting of St. Michael, I asked the old monk to show me St. Crispin also, but he seemed suddenly to have grown very aged, so slowly did he move in that direction. He looked at me several times as if sounding my depth, then suddenly concluding that I was shallow enough, he started off briskly and undoing certain fastenings under an altar, disclosed to view the form of an old man lying as if asleep with a book in his hands." "St. Crispin himself — nicely done up with wax!" laughed Miss Kirk. " Yes ? well, he did look waxy," said Mrs. Martin, " but I had not thought of it — you see through everything, Miss Kirk." " You entered the crypt, did you not? " " Yes, we went down the front steps and around almost the length of the church to a side basement door." "That other lady looked wild when she got among the bones piled like cord-wood," said Max, " but really the walls and ceilings are very prettily decorated ; the flowers, various geometrical figures and scripture illustrations were well made of small bones, while the large ones piled up seven feet high, leaving grottos or archways, and an old monk standing under each one in his accustomed dress looked quite artistic and — " " Horrible ! " said Miss Kirk'.s cousin. "Unutterably so!" she herself added, "but have not some of those old fellows curious expressions ! " 266 . BOHEMIAN DAYS. " Expression on a skull !" (Laughter.) " They are not all skull, and really the different contour is quite a study. One looked as if laughing." "Anatomically." (Referring to ' study.') " No, Dr. Max, physiognomically — dear, what a word, I did not know when I started how long it was." "Did you notice the little cedars growing in the sacred soil of those rooms ? under each is planted a monk, but they are the last that will be allowed such treatment — honor, they think it — for the Government has decided that it is not the correct thing to be treating bones in that fashion, and have given orders to have it discontinued." " Oh, did you see the king yesterday in the Borghese Gardens ? " Mrs. Martin enquired, eagerly. "We did, and were honored with a bow. I thought. Miss Ray, he looked rather careworn, did not you? how plain his dress was compared to that of his attending officer.'' " His life is no easier than that of other monarchs," she replied, "indeed he has had to take special precaution since that crank shot at him. No one knows just the route he will take, nor the time of his drives, and his turnout is not as conspicuous as those of many of his subjects." "The Queen — lovely Queen Margarita! — makes up for him in splendor, and the Quirinal Palace has hundreds of rooms, it seemed to me, beautifully furnished. Did you notice her men in livery? scarlet — and so has the Prince. I should think they would like to ride together." " Court etiquette, a very terrible thing, does not allow of much familiarity in public. It is the correct thing to have these separate establishments," said Miss Ray. "But, Miss Kirk, you would not like it?" ''Not I! but then I am not royally inclined." "The Queen is very popular," said I. "Everybody loves her, and most people feel kindly towards King Humbert, I think, and the young Prince of Naples." But the parting hour had struck. "Good-bye! " "You will return," Miss Kirk called after me, "for you have drunk of the fountain Treve! It is not adieu, but au revoir! " FAREWELL TO ROME. 267 The trains are very convenient for the belated, they so seldom start on time; this article, time, not being so scarce in Europe as in America. Before daylight we prepared for our journey, but as we waited a little for breakfast and waited a little more on a conveyance, we finally drove away quite despondent over being too late after all ; so it was a pleasing surprise to find the train still in the depot, and the ten minutes it continued resting enabled us to comfortably embark, the ticket agent proceeding with his work as if he had a week's leisure on hand. Do we regret leaving a place? we regret still more having to remain after the "good-byes'' have been spoken. From the city walls, and ruined arches of the great aque duct, we passed through many cuts in the lava, by Castle Gandolfo on a wooded hill, two towns with a connecting viaduct, the monastery on Monte Cavo, and Velletri, where Coriolanus resisted the Roman power. From the beautiful olive groves, vineyards and farms, we came into a broken country surrounded by high mountains where were walled towns, in one of which (Anagni) Pope Boniface was held prisoner. One might linger many days with interest, for the country is full of historic ruins and curiosities. A wide valley with large flocks of sheep, and, on heights beyond, villages perched upon precipitous hills and cliffs, the snow-crowned summits of the Apennines rising above them, and in the level plain below fertile fields in which many peasants in light apparel were busily working — a blue umbrella over one man's coat and dinner, by a grove, shield ing them from the rain, while he labored hard by. There were clusters of houses, a study in gray, some of rough stone, others stucco, the roofs a darker shade, and a strong castle to the left, said to be the birth-place fef St, Thomas Aquinas. Near Monte Casino Monastery, on a mountain of the same name, Juvenal was born. In this region are the remains of Roman villas and some large buildings, a theatre, amphitheatre, and churches. Passing several more villages we came into a beautiful, wild mountainous region, and saw ruins of a large castle at Teano, on a hill, great walls broken down, and a cathedral, and here we first saw a volcano, Roccamonfina, which seemed quietly sleeping. Does its 268 B OHEMIAN DA YS. warmth add to the sweetness of the " Falernian wine ? " At Capua modern, in a bend of the river Volturno, Ceasar Borgia treacherously slew 5000 of his opposers during an armistice. Ancient Capua, once prosperous Volturnum, now Santa Maria Maggiore, was a walled city with seven gate's ; it has ruins of a great amphitheatre, but when the Goths and other northern hordes overran Italy, this place was sacked, and afterwards, when the Saracens came, the people, leaving their homes, flocked to the modern town. At Caserta we saw the large and attractive Royal Palace, park and gardens. The wide valley seemed to be very fertile, beautiful vines embowering the long rows of trees, and wherever not cultivated the land was covered with verdure. "Here is a corn field! '' Max delightedly exclaimed, "the first we have seen since we left New York ! — every old yel low stalk looks homelike and pleasant." "There is Vesuvius! haVdly visible through the clouds, but sending up smoke which the wind carries in a hea-vy line eastward." "There is one of your old castles on the hill-top." "St. Elmo — and — Naples!" CHAPTER XXIX. NAPLES AND THE NEAPOLITANS "VEDI NAPOLIE POI MORl" - — CASTLE ST. ELMO CONVENT SAN MARTINO. " Rome for sight-seeing — Naples for rest ! " said I, look ing down into the park and boulevards gay with fine equi pages, the beautiful Bay to the left, the promontory of Posilipo, the weil-built modern town, and behind it ter raced streets and hotels upon the hillside, crowned with the Castle of St. Elmo and the Convent of San Martino. It was a beautiful scene, and from my eyrie in the fifth story of the stone palazzo Manfredi, close to the sea, I looked abroad and was glad. " The Hotel Nobile was was very pleasant," I added, " but ^ere we enjoy the privacy of home, and perfect freedom NAPLES. 269 from conventionality — and everything else disagreeable." My companion and neighbor, Mrs. Bell, a lady somewhat my superior in age, kind, amiable, fair, pretty and cheerful, laughed a little at my enthusiasm. ' "And yet where can one find perfection ? " said she. "This way they have of building houses with painted canvas ceil ing, frescoed wall, and tile floor is rather cool, isn't it ? — Does your stove do well ? I see you have no fire." " The trouble seems to be that the smoke in some mys terious way crept into the eyes of the people down-stairs, who complained about it, so I gave it up. It is hardly cool enough for a fire, either." " And too chilly and damp to do without. We shall have to procure some of those little crockery baskets full of live coals the women carry about to keep their fingers warm, or a brazier for charcoal. You did not dine at the Restaurant Vermuth yesterday." " No, we were interested at the National Museum, espe cially the Pompeian part, and patronized a neighboring res taurant. There is much to see. Those ancient people were not far behind the moderns in art or science, one would think; the kitchen utensils were such as we have now, and various articles for use or decoration were quite as fine as ours, besides a nicely woven shawl, rings, breast-pins, couches, musical instruments, armor. — What surprised Mr. Max the most was the array of surgical appliances." "Very naturally; every man to his profession. After staying at home all the morning I went to the Vermuth with Randall" (herson, an ex-military officer studying vocal music). " I was so amused at our waiter ! Just after Ran dall had ordered the dinner he looked out of our bay-win dow at the mountain, and remarked that ' Everything seemed to be very quiet over there.' Tl]^e waiter sighed and with gravely shaken head replied that ' Vesuvius was not doing what was expected of it this year ! " They have a regular harvest when it does erupt ; one photographer made quite a fortune in 1872 from the tourists who flocked here. The people say it was ' good times,' though their houses rocked as if they would tumble to pieces. Would you like to ride out to Posilipo this afternoon ? " " What should we see ? " 2^0 BOHEMIAN DAYS. " There is Virgil's tomb on the hillside." " But I have been told that no vestige of the Poet re mains there." "True,no bones are there now, nor even a cinerary urn, but it is something to see the place they occupied so many years. It is a room about 1 5 feet square, with a Latin in scription on the wall, and little hollows at each side for placing the urns of the departed. We will walk through the Grotto of Posilipo; it is a kind of tunnel cut through the rock for over seven hnndred yards, which the Itahans of mediaeval times believed to have been formed in some magical way by Virgil himself Bagnoli's a lovely place with baths and mineral springs." " Pozzuoli is in the same direction, is it not? " "Yes — Puteoli it was in ancient times — one of the most interesting relics I ever saw is there — the Serapeon, which was partially submerged by an earthquake. You can see parts of two floors, for one of marble was set higher when that of mosaic sank below the water. Several forty-foot columns are standing — oh, it is quite a study for archaeolo gists." " Did not some land rise at the same time ? " " Monte Nuovo came into existence in the i6th Century about the same time. The Serapeon rose again, but is now gradually subsiding." " I should not like to reside in that neighborhood, for fear it should subside altogether." " But it is very charming. The Mineral Springs work wonders, and there is an amphitheatre, and that mole said by the people to have been built by the tyrant Caligula — half of it is washed away. Penteoli is where St. Paul landed—" " And a spot beloved of earthquakes," said Max, who had just entered in a very damp condition. " It is raining ! — no Bagnoli to-day," Mrs. Bell pro nounced. — " Well, Randall, you are damp too ; come and take off that wet coat. Let us go shopping, Mrs. Max." "And dine together at the Vermuth at fi\e," said Max. To which all assented. Naples is the place to buy kid gloves and silk umbrel las, so we supplied ourselves, watching meanwhile the pro- NAPLES. 771 cess of manufacture, especially the cutting and sewing of the gloves by a bevy of pretty Neapolitan girls — mostly by hand. From the large, low bay-window of the Vermuth, in which our table stood, we looked out onto the great Bay with steamships, sailing-vessels, and numerous pleasure- boats passing to and fro, or in groups at the landings ; to the right the Castel del Ovo, and the closely-built old city to the left, while opposite in full view was the smoke- breathing Vesuvius. — But here came the first course — a clear soup (I have never liked soup so well as on the Con tinent) ; followed by roast beef and vegetables, and maca roni cooked in gravy with tomato sauce, something quite distinct from any we ever ate outside of Italy. The des sert of lemon custard, ice cream, cake, oranges and nuts completed what we pronounced a good dinner. This partially answers the frequent question, "What did they give you to eat over there ?" The wine was Posilipo, a pleasant light claret, diluted according "to ta.ste, and the bread was of two kinds, a long loaf about four inches through, cut about the same length, and what Max called "pipe-stems," a half mile long if you wished, but only a half inch or less in thickness, baked quite brown and crisp, a handful about half a yard long being broken off and placed on a table in a light basket for you to snap off what pleases you. This crusty little bread was particularly nice with our Vermuth macaroni. To see this macaroni in course of construction by the unwashed looking people, or hanging almost in the gutter over dry ing frames, lining some of the dirtiest streets in old Naples, was not incentive to an appetite for the same, but fortu nately we so soon forget. Persons looking on the lovely picture of modern Naples with its blue sky, light-stone sea-wall, wide boulevards and palatial residences, would have little idea of the old city's narrow, dark, and often dirty streets, in some places a suc cession of steps where a donkey and his driver serve the inhabitants with wood and vegetables, crying their wares from door to door, driving many a hardly-contested bar gain by the way. Where the copper-worker and um- 2 72 B OHEMIAN DA YS. brella-mender, women with household utensils, sewing, knitting or braiding cane into old chair seats, come out side their dingy shops to have light on their work, and the children and dogs contest a forgotten crust. Where, in the more level places, you must step into a doorway to let a carriage pass, and the poor (who are always with us) make woeful plaint at sight of an open pocket-book ; where, too, the tinkle of a bell warns us to make way for some cows and goats who consider the town their own and act accord ingly. Milk here is not diluted as at home. The cow stops at a door, her attendant rings the bell at her neck, and here come trooping women and children with pans, cups or tumblers, and into these receptacles descends the pure lacteal fluid, minus water — or strainer. — Or would they prefer the cheaper goat's milk? here it is at hand, indeed. " What is that ' tinkle, tinkle,' I hear in the hall so early? " I inquired of Max one morning. He looked out, and returned laughing. " Only a goat come to be milked," said. he. " Nonsense ! up five flights of stairs? " " I do not know any other way. The cow is down in the courtyard roped to a window-shutter. The bread-man has come with his yards and cords of bread — tell you I'm awful tired of it ! could we have some hot biscuit?" I was sorry it was impossible. This is a land of violent contrasts and constant sur prises. They are called superficial — this warm-hearted peo ple — yet in so judging of them many instances of depth of purpose and of affection may show that you are mistaken. They are very fond of their children, yet in babyhood have them bound so tightly in swaddling clothes as to render motion of hand or foot impossible, and the poor little crea tures might well envy the Indian papoose on its board. They are kind to you, yet many would take advantage and cheat you out of your last cent — and give it to a beggar ! Of wild passions — they at times show wonderful forbear ance, yet on another occasion will, at a word, plunge the deadly poinard in the back of a brother. Terrible horse- beaters — in the coachee's pocket is a tiny dog, or other pet, who fears not the master's voice. The people fuss a good THE NEAPOLITANS. 273 deal, yet there is little real quarreling ; they drink much wine, but I did not in Italy see a drunkard. Boys beg of you most pitifully, and on your refusal run away humming or whistling an operatic air, and the next thing you see them buying oranges of the man at the corner stall, or con tentedly smoking the stump of a cast-off cigar. Constantly on bright days, of which there have been a few since our arrival, numbers of people congregate on the streets who appear to have nothing to do but lounge about, laugh at each other's jokes or any little street show, play moro, and ask an alms of strangers. They wear very little clothing, live on simple and often scanty diet, yet seem well content. Cabriolets, or " voitures," of which the city is full, rush among and through them, but like waves of the sea they return again. — So passes their day, and at night, if the weather be not too unpropitious, the sidewalk is their bed, and their pillow a stone, for some, while others hide away in little dark rooms in the crowded purlieus of poverty. In certain places artists' model lazaroni sit, or lounge about, waiting for an engagement, but these contrast vividly with the real article, the latter being the plainest of prose. Among the lower orders not infrequently the women wear upon the olive cheek a disfiguring scar, and enquiry brought to light a curious and savage custom. Should there be a falling out between lovers, and the girl willingly accept attention from another, Number One watches his opportunity, and with a razor so held in his hand as to leave a sharp corner, slips up behind his beloved and gives her a cruel gash in the face. Not seldom there are several of these cases at the hospital awaiting the healing of their wounds, and generally the lady repays this lively, and well marked proof of affection by marrying the jealous lover. " No one else would have her after that," said my inform ant, " she is marked as his own." Probably 'ho greater ret ribution could be found ! The physicians of Naples, a learned and honorable, as well as conscientious and hospitable portion of the Med ical Fraternity, were pleased to show to Max marked at tention, and after introducing to him their hospitals, col leges. Anatomical Museums and other points of interest, several of them came to spend a social evening, and pre- 18 274 BOHEMIAN DAYS. sent copies of their own writings, which were very highly appreciated. One elderly gentleman (M. D.) extolled (through an in terpreter) the beauties and glories of his native land, and delighting in this kind of enthusiasm, I listened in smil ing acquiescence until he spoke in rapture of the climate. This was little too much even for me. "Bat the rain! — the cold winds we are having!" I remonstrated. "Ah, madam, but one day of sunshine is so beautiful that we forget all those of shadow ! " with unction. After that Vesuvius was our topic, of which Neapolitans are as proud and fond as of a favorite child, and the gen tleman who acted as interpreter seemed amused at some thing he was desired to communicate. His enunciation of English was scarcely as perfect as the above sentence would lead one to suppose, and the following was shghtly out of the line of " learned by heart" phrases. " 'E say that w'en the mount'in have snow, the people, they say, Veseuve 'e got 'is w'ite shirt on." Some others were amused also. Then the subject of earthquakes shook us a little. " The earthquake — O it is terrible ! Dr. S. say, ' w'en 'e get married 'e live in a high story of the great Palazzo like to this Manfredi, an' the great earthquake 'e come and 'is mother she 'fraid very much,' 'e say, an' 'is mothers wife she say ' come down ! ' " But on this Dr. S. concluded to speak to me in French, for he saw that there had been a mistake somewhere. Altogether we had a very lively and enjoyable evening. The expression quoted, Vedi Napoli c poi mori, which means, "See Naples and die," was said to have been brought into existence by an enthusiast on looking down from the Convent of San Martino upon the beautiful scene — the western sun lighting up the city on its blue bay, the grand mountains sentineled around, the fair islands, and bright Italian sky. Just as we reached the Belvidere of San Martino to enjoy all this grandeur, after having studied its very interesting museum, we were startled by a tre mendous down-pour of rain, accompanied by such sharp SAN MARTINO— ST. ELMO. 275 flashes of lightning and volleys of artillery-like thunder that almost anywhere else would have seemed more desir able. Was the proverb about to be literally fulfilled ? Within the old Monastery were many deserted rooms, for the religious part had by the State been discontinued, as is the case in all parts of Italy, and no new recruits be ing allowed admittance, only a few monks still wandered through the echoing corridors of the Cloister, looking upon the old well and garden of its central square, and the graves of the beloved " majority " with whom they soon would be numbered. There is a richly decorated church with many chapels connected with it, possessing fine fres coes and a wonderful amount of gilding. The Castle of St. Elmo on the summit above is now a military prison. On coming down from this high hill onto the Corso we looked all about us for a carriage, but learned that the hackmen were on a strike. They had often been a decided nuisance, insisting on our riding whether we wanted to or not, and following with cracking whips, whistles and calls until life seemed a burden (their life), but now we found their absence a great inconvenience ; they being a kind of " necessary evil," as the man said of his wife when he " neither knew what to do with her, nor how to do without her." The horses looked odd with wide brass pieces over the nose instead of having a bit in the mouth : the bridle fast ened to the ends of this gave power and frequently made the nose tender, I suppose, for under it were placed pieces of leather tanned with the hair on. The long drays, reach ing in front far over the animals' backs, sometimes had rather a curious motive power. You might any day see a donkey, a mule and a horse hitched together, or sometimes an ox formed part of the team. The women generally were bare-headed, as in other Italian cities, though some had Spanish lace mantles thrown over the dark hair when they went riding, a favor ite pastime even of the poor, as hack hire is very cheap, the regular fare for a "course " being only fifteen cents, though it should be quite across the city. We have been frequently warned to be on our guard against those who would cheat us, but strangers cannot 276 B OHEMIAN DA YS. easily judge as to the value of an article offered for sale, and it is disagreeable to have always to bargain, and watch people as if they were rascals, which some certainly are not. CHAPTER XXX. VESUVIUS IT ERUPTS POMPEII ALMOST A CATASTROPHE. Such a trip as we had to Vesuvius ! the morning was clear, cool and delightful, as we took our early walk to a restaurant by the Palais Royal and rode on the street car to Torre del Greco, a port on the bay noted for its coral. Here on alighting Max and Mr. Bell on inquiry found that we had come one station too far. It is astonishing how quickly a crowd can gather; their incertitude did not last five minutes before a multitude of people surrounded us, eagerly questioning and offering assistance — for a consid eration ; especially the hackmen, who followed as we ladies started to walk back towards Resina (Herculaneun), until finally an agreement was made of twenty francs for two carriages, and quickly entering them we passed through the narrow, dirty streets among the most squalid, miserable- looking people that we had seen in Italy, who had to be constantly warned to get out of the way of the horses' feet, especially the swarms of children begging as they ran. It was a relief to ascend from these noisome alleys into the fresh air of the hilly country, among fruitful vineyards and gardens, or even the rough wild ridges where the great raised billows of dark lava had been turned as they flowed in circling, rolling streams — on tempest-tossed waves — into solid rocks, which stood as marks of a terrible devas tating power half slumbering within the fire-breathing mountain which rose towering above us. This was the roughest place yet seen, desolate and wild, yet over the pet rified chaos, like ivy on a ruin, were unfolding buds and blossoms, wild vines and low shrubs, within which the birds were singing. But there came a change in the midst of this pleasant contemplation. Several horsemen had passed VESUVIUS. 277 and repassed us in rather a curious manner, one who seemed the leader addressing a word in Italian to the coachman ; thereafter, being startled, I watched their move ments more closely, until finally, under the shadow of a hill, as we approached a large gateway, they came quickly down the road and halting the first carriage informed Mr. Bell in fluent and forcible Italian, which he well under stood, that we could go no further until five dollars apiece had been paid. " Drive on ! " cried Mr. Bell to the hackman. " I dare not," the man replied, " if this man orders me to halt!" Mr. Bell was a gentleman of nerve, and had not been a soldier among the Indians for nothing. " Come mother," said he, quietly taking her hand, as he stepped into the road, — " we will walk up," and putting her hand through his arm, with head erect as if no enemy was there, they set off up the hill. This was all dumb show to us, hearing no word, but the purport was plain, and we followed suit. "Oh, no!" the hackmen pleaded in the greatest excitement, fearing to lose their fare, " get in again, we pray you ! — we will go on." So after a season we all re-mounted, while the dark-faced, low-browed brigands, with muttered impreca tions and fierce though baffled glances cast back upon our party, laid whip to their poor unoffending steeds and dashed down the mountain side. One reason, no doubt, for their sudden change of tone was the calm and determined ap pearance of our cavaliers, from which they drew inference that they were well armed — possibly as strong a one was the rapid approach of a party from below. We shortly passed the Observatory, where during the last great eruption some gentlemen perforce remained, being cut off from escape by two great rivers of motten lava which passing around the little hill met below it, leaving them on a tiny island in a sea of fire. Being well provisioned, they did not suffer, excepting in mind, and showed nerve and will-power that anyone might envy, continuing their usual routine, taking observations of atmospheric phenomena, as well as noting minutely the varied aspect of the Ves- 278 BOHElvlIAN DA YS. uvian deluge. As is well-known, these brave scientists lived to tell the story themselves. At the foot of the Funicular Railway, in an enclosed space, were several buildings, among them a hotel, where for a few minutes we rested before passing up the fearful incline of over half a mile, which occupies only seven minutes, but seems indefinitely long — a terrible strain on the nerves. " O this is fearful ! " I heard Mrs. Bell murmur as we seemed to shoot upward, and looking around saw that she was very pale. " Now, mother, don't faint!" cried Mr. Bell, holding her firmly by the hands, "you should not have looked down, — we shall be up directly." I too had .glanced downward and felt rather pale, and even the gentlemen had not that appearance of happy security habitual to them, so that it was quite a relief to all when we stepped out of the car. It is said to be only 300 feet from this point to the crater, but that I think depends somewhat on the kind of shoes you have on, and the hold you get upon the cindery path, which keeps slipping out from under you, performing for you a back-step which reminded me of the back-stitch in sewing, and had the effect of decidedly prolonging the journey. We wound among rocks, half stifled at times by the sulphurous smoke, gaily but fearfully crunched the hot coals and ashes beneath our shoes (alas for Mr. Bell's new stylish slippers !), crossed a tiny bridge of lava and ashes, which seemed sinking beneath our feet, while from the hol lows at its sides, almost filled with loose sulphur-dyed frag ments, came puffing the hot smoke as if to envelope us ; we stood over the old crater and awaited in dead silence the often recurring eruption — the hollow rumbling below us as ofa thousand almost empty boilers over a petroleum fire, a fierce shake of the angry giant, a rushing sound of steam escaping from a mile-wide pipe, then for many hundred feet above the new crater shot up the mingled steam, smoke, stones and lava. In a moment more all was again intensely silent, except the pattering fall of the pieces of lava around us — and the troublesome queries, and obstinately pressed attentions of the " guides," the men who insist on drag ging you upward with a rope, or carrying you on a chair, VESUVIUS. 279 or taking a penny from you to push within a piece of the melted lava, returning it on a stick with a demand of one or two francs as pay for their trouble. Then Max arose in his wrath, and making a raid on the whole fraternity threat ened dire calamity on the next one who should invade our peace. Just at that moment the huge monster, on which we were standing, seemed on the point of general disruption, while the ground beneath our feet bent as if about to give way. How thin and frail the crust felt ! Mr. Bell had ascended the little cone with another party, some of whom, however, turned back when part of the way up, as the lava and stones fell thick about them. Max would not hear of our attempting what seemed to him so difficult and dangerous a feat, and on 'the occasion of the shake recorded above started quickly back with a forcible exclamation on his and our folly in ever having come to such a place ! We had no special adventures on the return journey, but many a time thereafter lived o'er our "hair-breadth 'scapes " in merry fashion. One night Max attended a reception, from which a heavy shower excused me, and had just returned, at about ten o'clock, when a messenger followed in hot haste to request us both to come out on the quay to witness the sudden eruption of Vesuvius, and on reaching the point designated we found the doctor and his wife with opera-glasses studying the mountain, whose rounded cone had split down the side away from the sea, the red-hot, flaming lava pouring (or rolling) in a heavy stream down the mountain-side, grad ually slackening its speed as it cooled or met with ob stacles, when a new, more liquid outflow seemed to double over it. The movements of the molten mass werrf plainly visible, and all felt glad that its force was expended on the side least inhabited, a region almost bare and desolate, with no villages to be submerged and destroyed. "It might have broken open while we were there just as easily," Max remarked ; " I thought it was preparing for an outburst — and we up 4000 feet ! " " Four hundred would have answered you just as well, Doctor," said his friend facetiously. 28o BOHEMIAN DAYS. There are comparatively few accidents at Vesuvius, but a party of students were all lost in the eruption of 1872, and I was told of one which happened not long before our visit. A young physician, out with a small pleasure party, being of an enquiring turn of mind, and studious withal, separated a short distance from the rest of the party, and seeming interested in learning the depth of the crust, and of the hollows which appeared in it, was pushing down the cinders with his stick as he leaned over the edge of an opening, when suddenly he lost his balance, the cinders broke away beneath and around him — a vain struggle for a moment, and the great gulf had swallowed him ! Down ! down ! through the hot sulphurous gases, the smoke, the steam, into the boiling heart of the burning mountain ! What wonder that helpless, despairing, his companions rushed away from a scene so terrible, past all forgetting ? We took away with us from Vesuvius a very common souvenir — each of us had a first-class cold, for which we showed our fondness by assiduous nursing the following day, only going for a quick walk in the park. The 27th of January awoke with a cloud upon its brow, but in spite of such a drawback Max and I went by tram an-d rail to Torre del Annunciata around the beautiful Bay, on the way having a fine view of Castellamare and mount ains beyond crowned with snow. On walking out of the station we had the usual animated discussion with the hackmen and their noisy abettors, with whom a policeman coadjuted instead of upholding the weaker side, whereupon I held out to him the guide-book, and pointing to the figures quoted for this service drew on my small stock of Italian until bankrupt. It was a good thing and pleasant (for me) that most of these people showed respect for ladies. As I spoke appeal- ingly to him he immediately changed sides, brought the hackmen " right about face," as one might say — much to their astonishment — dismissed the disputing crowd, through which he quickly made a path, kindly assisted me into a ve hicle, motioned to the driver, and in another minute we were spinning away down the rough street at imminent risk of be ing upset whenever the reckless driver touched his young POMPEIL 281 horses with the whip. After leaving the irregular streets of the little town the smooth, wide road crossed the plain for a couple of miles to the outer gate of admittance into the long-buried, half-resurrected, but lifeless city of Pom peii, where we paid our four francs, and followed the blue- coated, white-gloved guide within the silent portals. Near the city's entrance, just within the Porta della Marino, is the Museum, where are many curiosities and some horrible things; the most so being the forms of sev eral unfortunates who were entombed alive, of whom the plaster casts taken by running liquid plaster-of- Paris into the cavities formed in the scoriae by the bodies themselves give an exact representation even of the garments, the feat ures, the despairing gestures and contortions in their hope less struggle with death. One perhaps had returned for valuables from her house, for in her hand they were tightly clutched even when dead. A mother and daughter were found close together, and on this woman's hand was an iron ring showing them to have been poor, while the one first mentioned, by her dress, gold and jewels, was evidently of a higher caste; the children of wealth and poverty were overcome by the same hand of desolation. So per ished at least two thousand people. We walked along the silent streets, so many centuries forgotten, where a little over eighteen hundred years ago was heard the rumble of chariot wheels (whose marks were plainly visible in the streets), while up and down the side walks went busy merchants, seafaring men, groups of idle pleasure-lovers engaged in the search for new amuse ment, while laborers passed to their daily toil, women to the market, provision and wine shops, followed by their slaves, or servants. "This is the Forum," announced our ^uide; "to it the six principal streets led. You see the Doric columns ? it is 530 feet by 112," and we marched on through the Temple of Jupiter, with fluted Corinthian columns, the Prison with low, dark cells, and a space which "once was a Granary," we were informed, into the Temple of Augustus, or Pantheon, with twelve pedestals around the altar, in a court paved with a kind of concrete. This had copies of the statues of Livia and Drusus, of which we saw the 282 B OHEMIAN DA YS. ^ originals in the Museum at Naples, and walls elegantly painted which still retained several well preserved pictures. Another temple, undecided as to name, came next in order, in which was a white marble altar ; then a basilica thought to have been an exchange or market, to which the inscrip tion of the founder, who " dedicated it to Concord and Piety," would among a people so indifferent to the most noble motives of life seem rather inappropriate. To the west stood a large Basilica containing the Praetor's Tribunal, with an inscription on the wall dated the year of the eruption, 79 A. D., according to our computa tion. We passed down Theatre street from the " Street of Abundance " to the Triangular Forum, from which we entered the Great Theatre and saw below the twenty-nine tiers or circles of stone seats so curiously notched and fitted together, the long stage and recessed doors, while above were the women's gallery, and outer wall pierced for rapid egress, by many door- ways — from which it were well some modern theatre-builders should take example. The smaller theatre or Odeonwas in better preservation, and we seated ourselves for a moment to rest, as well as to think of the poets and dramatists, historians and philosophers, who had upon its stage recited odes, gone through their parts of mimic life, or told wondrous tales of far distant lands whose very existence seemed fabulous. Our guide cared little for these things save as a matter of business, and occasion ally signified his willingness to continue the journey. " On the wall of this Temple of Isisare m.arks,asyou can see, of the efforts of one of the priests to escape by chop ping his way out. Many skeletons were here. — There is the sacred well." " People turn religious," said Max, " when Death stares them in the face." We visited a number ofbeautiful dwellings with decorated walls, gardens and fountains, those of Pansa, Lucretius, and Holconius, that of the Grand Duke of Tuscany with its mosaic fountain, and the Tragic Poet so well described in the " Last Days of Pompeii " as the residence of " Glaucus," where at the entrance the guide scraped away the protecting sand for us to see the mosaic dog and its motto Cave Cancni; also the house of the QuKstor, where were many fine paint- POMPEIL 283 ings ; of Sallust, and many others on different streets. The Baths, by the Temple of Fortune, were divided into several chambers, a kind of waiting-room, the Frigidarium, or cold bath, where the bathers sat upon marble steps or lounged in the three-feet-deep basin while with mild interest discuss ing the latest private or public news; the Tepidarium, or warm bath, " a chamber heated by air pipes and a brazier of bronze," made more attractive by reliefs in stucco ; fourthly, the Calidarium, where the inmates were enclosed within a cloud of hot air or steam constantly passing through the porous walls and floor. The Stabian Thermae were much more highly orna mented, with painted walls, Doric columns, a wide court for gymnastic exercises, a number of single bathing and dress ing-rooms, and in the Tepidarium a beautiful fountain. We saw the furnaces by which the rooms were heated through hollow walls. The process of bathing resembled that of the Turks, with the addition of anointing with perfumed oils. In the Baker's shop were mills for grinding corn, and we looked into ovens where, on excavating, some years before, bread was found in form exactly like some modern Neapol itan loaves; and saw in the back room of the soap-shop large soap-vats standing as left by the owner ; and in the House of the Faun, where dwelt a wine merchant, numbers of amphorae or wine jars empty. — A wonderful thing and sad was it to be thus looking on the homes so suddenly bereft of their occupants, on t'ne articles of daily use in this now silent city. Almost I could hear the rumble of the chariot-wheels in the deep ruts as they touched against the high stone-crossing in the narrow street outside. From the " Gate of Herculaneum " we climbed the steps to the double wall and sitting upon brokeh stones looked over and into the roofless, ruined homes, then finished our excursion (as one generally does in life) with the " Street of Tombs." " It is a disappointing place — this," said Max with a sigh, " it looks so small when you first see it, but I declare it takes a wonderful amount of walking to get through it ; I never tried such a house-to-house visitation before." On our return journey by train we noticed more particu- 284 BOHEMIAN DA YS. larly the deep cuts through lava. Torre del Grecco, al though several times destroyed by Vesuvian outbursts of ashes or lava, is a lively place of 24,000 people, who live in houses built of lava on a lava foundation, and seem to take no thought of what has been or may be — like Pompeii her self Herculaneum was a place I desired to see, but learning of its darkness and dampness, and that most of the town had been a second time ruined by the excavators, I con cluded to go down the hundred feet by proxy. Not even the desire (like Mr. Fox's son) to " say I had been there " enticed us. Max does not like caves, even when holding out the inducement that was potent in juvenile years — to go wading. The funereal arrangements of Naples are peculiar and variable. For the rich there is pomp enough, and a beau tiful cemetery with shrubbery and statuary. As for the poor, some are buried by societies who attend their obse quies in curious costume, one set in blue and red with a kind of white mask, another black and white, the body in some cases being carried on a velvet- covered bier, dressed as in life, with face uncovered. In the public Campo Santo are 365 pits, one of which is opened to receive the dead of each day who are gradually gathered, and at night shunted into it in a way prayerless and careless, often, it is said, quite divested of clothing; lime is thrown down, the heavy stone replaced and cemented to remain until its turn again comes around, to be made ready for the annual har vest. " Such a trip as we have had ! " said Miss Brown, a lively American friend, whom we met in a curio store. " You know we decided to go on the round trip by Capri and ^orrento and all ! Well, it was raining, but Cook does not provide fine weather, or allow for the bad when it comes, we should have lost our tickets, so we went anyhow. — We were ever so sorry not to have you with us." " Very well as it turned out," laughed Mrs. Bell. " Capri is so delightfully suburban, so — Oriental ! and yet the wildest country imaginable. The people are charming — if only it had been fine ! but we've been there, thats something; everybody ought to see Capri, — and ride CAPRI AND SORRENTO. 285 on those little donkeys. Augustus and Tiberius lived there, you know, and had any number of palaces ; the ruins are there — and such views ! ' The Blue Grotto ? ' oh, yes indeed, we floated into it in boats, but had to lie flat down — it was so funny! but inside! it was gleaming and glowing like a great sapphire grotto — sparkled like diamonds ! — one's hand in the water looked like silver, and the oars made ripples of exquisite blue-tinted frosting. A man jumped into the water and became straightway an Adonis in the most splendid antique armor. ' The Green Grotto ? ' yes, but that is not half so lovely." " I had a friend," said Mrs. Bell, " who went into the Grotto, and the boatmen would not bring him out until he paid them quite an amount." " C^h, we had no trouble like that, but quite an adventure nevertheless, and a fright, though it did not turn out so very serious after all, fortunately — But don't tell Mrs. Mil ler I said anything." " Mrs. Miller — the lady from Boston we called on at the Hotel Bristol, you remember," said Mrs. Bell aside to me, — " why, what happened to her. Miss Brown ? " "One place where we landed was too shallow for the boats to touch, so men waded into the water, and as a pas senger jumped out, he or she was caught in their arms, and carried to terra firma — only the terror came in the first part, and we wished our bearers had been firmer, — poor Mrs. Miller did, you may be sure ! You know how fleshy she is, though not tall ; she dreaded the trial so much that she hung back to the last, then jumped — oh, dear ! — ha ! ha! ha ! I never shall forget it — though it was terrible — not a sign of anything for a minute but her veil floating — her weight was more than they had expected, you know, the men lost footing, and all went promiscuously under ! — it won't do to say a word to her " — " How terribly mortifying! — and dangerous too — colds and so on." "Yes, Mrs. Bell, but if you had seen how mad and yet despairing she was ! we all tried to assist her when she was landed, a fire was made in a cave, and in our va lises we found enough to clothe her comfortably — we all had prepared for our twelve days' trip — but think of dres- 286 BOHEMIAN DA YS. sing in a cave ! Some of us got pretty damp, too, from the almost constant rain, and were very glad to be back at Naples — but I wouldn't have missed seeing it all — Sorrento is lovely ! " Just before leaving Naples, as Max was still busy with his Medicos, I took a carriage to the Duomo, which was a couple of miles away in the old town, where I remained for an hour or two in the care of several assiduous guides. The marble in the chapel beneath the altar and back of it is beautifully carved ; here were shown some relics accounted of great worth and efficacy, the chiefbeing a gold bust of St. Januarius and some of his blood in a small phial. These are kept fastened in golden cases, but once a year the blood liquifies — I happened to be there just at the right time, I suppose, for I saw it flowing around in the bottle. , The third chapel on the right of the entrance is a very grand one with much gilding, and several fine paintings by Dom- enchino. It was built and dedicated to San Gennaro by Neapolitans, in fulfillment of a vow made during the plague of 1527. This one chapel has fourteen altars, at two of which priests were conducting service, each sur rounded by a httle congregation, -while out in the church proper were at least two separate bodies, and it was so large that one did not interfere with the other at all. Many of the priests were fine-looking men and had not the appearance of deceivers of an ignorant down-trodden people. Some were seated in dark walnut boxes listening to penitents who knelt outside and confessed through a small aperture. One who was unoccupied looked benevolently upon me as I passed, and wondered why I did not bring in a shekel — or perhaps a franc or two — and tell the grief that was weighing me down, and relieve my aching conscience, but the trouble was headz.(^& and I preferred another physician. The fact was we were both becoming full of malaria — I was in church, however. A door at the left side of the Duomo leads into a very old Basilica with a curious mosaic picture behind an altar, and bas-reliefs of Bible scenes, and the life of St. Gennaro. An old Baptistery with more early mosaics and paintings opens out of it. On my way home I visited about half a dozen other churches, each with fine paintings or other admirable adornments. FAREWELL TO NAPLES. 287 Rain 1 rain ! rain ! In the midst of almost a deluge Mr. and Mrs. Bell and I went to the Vermuth, leaving word, as Max had been away since morning, where we might be found, but on our return in a wet and blown-about condition what was my astonishment to find Max in the act of stufling a valise with the last of my belongings ! We intended going the next day, but he had decided that it was best to remain over night at the hotel close to the depot as the train left at an early hour — and so ! " There ! — all about packed ! " said he triumphantly. To which in a very faint voice I echoed, "packed!" Where was the dress I was about to put on ? somewhere in that chaos. "No time for changes now," decisively; "we'll be at the hotel directly. Get on your hat — carriage is at the door." Dear Mrs. Bell ! she seemed like an old friend, for we had been for weeks next-door neighbors, and often her kind, bright face would appear at the early breakfast hour with a whispered question as to whether we had "quite enough" of this or that necessary commodity, of which she had laid in a supply, while often something fragrant or otherwise pleasing found its way surreptitiously into my apartment. But it had to be " Good-bye! " and probably forever. The rain fell in torrents all the way to the depot, where Max thought best to leave the baggage, and then go across street to the hotel, but we speedily found ourselves in a regular muddle, and were tied up with red tape until Max becoming weary declared that he would go straight on by the next train, but on enquiry it appeared that there would be a long detention, so he concluded the hotel would be best for the night. No, we could not get any of our bag gage then, and, oh, dear ! it was too ridiculous how the half-interpreters, and officials, and guide-books, and every body else had each a separate story, and worried us more every moment. At last a kind official told me in French how it all was, and I endeavored to explain it to Max, but he had heard so many stories that he could not believe any thing. 288 BOHEMIAN DAYS. " Here is your train," this official hastened in to inform me, but where was Max ? ah ! there at the further end of the station — not quite a quarter of a mile distant, and the Friend-in-need sent a messenger to recall him. With hur ried step he came, all our belongings were swept together, a porter carried out the valises (for which two minutes after he demanded an unconscionable sum), and through the night, and the darkness, and a deluge of rain we left the charming city. CHAPTER XXXI. VALE VESEUVE ! BARI— BRINDISI CORFU CORINTH. " See how the red lava stream shows on this side of Vesu vius," Max exclaimed ; " that cone has only been a half century gradually building up by the dropping showers of lava and stone, and the cooling of slight overflows. Here, you are chilly, let me wrap this rug around you. Well, we've had a happy time in Naples, haven't we ? in spite of the rain and wind." There was much fruitful land, great vineyards, and pleasant homes between Naples and Brindisi, but most of them hidden from our eyes by the darkness until approach ing Foggia, where were multitudes of sheep which had been brought down from mountainous regions to winter in the low-lands. At Bari, a town of 50,000 inhabitants, as the train was to remain a couple of hours, there was time for a pleasant walk in a park beside the sea, from which many ships in port were visible. "There is an old church," I began. "Church!" groaned Max, lifting up a deprecating hand, " I don't want to see another church, or picture, for the next two years." Between Bari and Brindisi the country is beautiful and said to be the most fertile in Italy, with great olive-orchards and vineyards, fields of wheat or beans, while the almond's white blossom made us think of May, To the left was the BRINDISI 289 blue Adriatic, to the right farms with curious stone houses, looking as if they had been erected by Robinson Crusoe, amid olive trees of apparently a thousand winters, so rug ged and twisted, so gnarled and fantastic, that Max said, "They must have been embraced by a whirlwind Titanic, when very young." Beyond these were a large " Ospedale" (hospital) of light stone, and several painted houses with flat roofs and high chimneys, shut in by a stone wall. Brindisi was reached as the darkness shadowed the fine harbor, with its many boats and steamships, but did not hide the fifty-foot marble column on the quay with its sculp tured gods or heroes. Brindisi, the old Brundusium, the southern terminus of the Appian Way, was a town of considerable importance in Roman times, being the Adriatic station of the fleet; whence also, as now, departed travelers for Egypt and the East. It was the birthplace of the poet Pacovius, and there Virgil died returning from Greece. Within its walls Pompey was besieged. Cicero, Horace, Maecenas and others historic ally remembered rode from Brundusium to Rome over the Appian Way. After supper and baggage had been attended to, in a light shower gradually increasing we stepped into a small boat which rocked fearfully until Max was seated, and were rowed out to the Leviathan, placidly sleeping with keel in the deep water untroubled by its surface waves. It was a quiet shadowy scene looked upon from the steamer's deck, with here and there a darker silhouette where vessels were at anchor, for on shore and ships the lights faintly beamed, but could not penetrate the misty darkness. Our state-room was comfortable, and passengers had every at tention. , About noon of the 1 2th of February we ran into the midst of the Ionian Isles, one recently fortified with men moving about on it, but most of them barren and uninvit ing, and soon cast anchor in the harbor of Corfu, with an Oriental tinge on houses and people. Landing from a small boat in care of a good German guide we walked up through a market, the people, of varied dress and features, calling our attention to a great variety of tropical fruits 19 290 BOHEMIAN DA YS. temptingly displayed; then visited stores full of silver jew elry (a principal industry), lace, and fancy ornaments; and shops where they were making shoes of bright red or yel low Morocco. Some men were habited in white suits with dark skirts, and jackets having loose sleeves slashed up the back and hanging from the shoulder, apparently to con trast the colors, the costumes being very brightly com pleted by scarlet caps and shoes with tassels of blue silk. Others wore light leggins, low black shoes, white full- pleated skirts called "fustanellas," short cloaks of blue or scarlet thrown back over the arm, and black tasseled red caps. Further up in the town were the hotels and other good sized structures on a large open square in which a company of soldiers were drilling. Winding up a steep hill, we passed within the entrance to a large fort, not long since evacuated by the British, and now occupied by the Greeks, to whom the Ionian Isles were ceded. Climbing the rocky heights to an Observa tory, there was spread out before us a birds'-eye view of sea, islands, shipping, city and green fields beyond it, and just below us the hospital and gardens, to which we soon descended, and my German was plucking for me some beautiful flowers, when a loud whistle of recall from the steamer caused sudden stampede, and transfer of trinkets, melons, oranges and a few other things from shore to ship. By the time the Gulf of Corinth was entered the weather had again changed, and all that seemed desirable, as land was out of reach, was to lie as still as circumstances would allow. The wind howled dismally in the rigging, the waves dashed heavily against the steamer's side ; and in the morning she rolled so that we could scarceh' reach the deck, but managed it somehow in spite of pouring rain, and the salt spray revived us. The sky brightened, and though the waves dashed on the same, we " held the fort" and enjoyed the beautiful, wild Albanian Mountains,* a light-house on its rocky ledge beaten by foaming surf, and the deep blue sky reflected in the calmer growing waves. Corinth was a small town with many flat roofs, a Greek •111. CORFU— CORINTH. 291 church or two, a wild looking camp of soldiers, and (we were told) a couple of thousand untrustworthy people. The rain seemed ready to drown us as we crossed the deck, for the water was flowing like a shallow river, clear as crys tal; but, stepping quickly down into the little boat, in a few minutes we were standing on a shaky old wooden pier. Such a carriage! I could not but think of "The One- horse Shay," so nearly it approached a perfect wreck, but it conveyed us safely, the three squares to the — " hotel ! " The site of old Corinth is shown by Aero Corinthus, the Acropolis of Corinth, a mount of 1886 feet, on which stand only a few broken pillars where once were temples to many gods. The small town below is about two miles from the port village where we — no, we did not sleep, the reasons being many and lively. We took a long walk in this interesting region, so desolated by earthquakes, and saw many Greek soldiers, and entered a plain Greek church with white interior ornamented with some pictures and gild ing, where service was being performed by an aged minister in curious bright garments and high cap. Most of these priests are good pastors, but have great power and are not a little superstitious ; are usually married men, and guide by example as well as precept. The ride on the train from Corinth to Athens was de lightful, taking but a few hours instead of days as in the time of the Apostles. There was much poor land, with a sparse growth of pitch pine, through which was being dug a canal to connect the waters of the Saronic Gulf and Gulf of Corinth, but nevertheless the Isthmus was beautiful with its mountains of limestone. 'Tis probably twenty miles across. Our Greek fellow-travelers were very courteous. A sea-captain whose ship was waiting at a little town on the Saronic, who had lived long in other countries but came to spend his last years in or nfcar his native land, was a great pan-Hellene, and thought all the countries which were peopled by Greeks and had belonged to Greece should be united into one empire. Many others were equally enthusiastic, and hopeful of a bright and glorious fu ture near at hand. He told me of some recent discoveries but ten days before by the Athens Geological Society agents at the Acropolis, statues which had been buried 2000 years , 292 BOHEMIAN DA YS. ago by the Greeks to preserve them from their Persian enemies, and which showed no deterioration, but were as brightly colored as when they stood upon their pedestals within the temples on the Acropolis in the palmy days of Greece. " Dr. Schliemann is busy," said the Captain, " at his exca vations in Mycens, the old capital of Agamemnon's king dom, and is almost constantly making new discoveries." ""The modern Greek is very different to the classical language ?" said Max enquiringly. " It is, and still it keeps modifying in one way or another. But, sir, a language changing shows that it lives." We passed for many miles along the northern shore of the Saronic, but a couple of hundred feet above it, and looked out on a picture enchanting. "You remember the Battle of Salamis? There is the island where in 480 B. C, while Xerxes sat looking on in state, Themistocles and his little navy defeated the Persian hordes." " 'It was a glorious victory,'" quoted Max. Then came more fertile land, fields of wheat, and small houses with gardens and fruit trees, and occasional sta tions. Many of the people were dark, but I noticed men with blonde hair and mustache and regular features, look ing gay in their fustanellas, red shoes and caps, and em broidered cloaks of red or blue. Some ladies waiting at a station were finely dressed in white with trimmings of black or red embroidery, bright scarfs and jeweled head ornaments, but the common women we saw working were very dingy ; several old shepherdesses with great flocks of sheep or goats were clothed in what appeared to be rem nants of old blankets. A rough, mountainous, wild-looking region, then a valley of vines and olive-orchards and — Athens. After Greece had declared herself free in 1821 andfriendly hands which had been for a time supporting her were with drawn, she looked around to see of what material was her new kingdom to be, and wherein its strength and its weakness consisted. The small territory had been lying waste or but poorly cultivated by the slaves of despotism, who, discouraged, or C ORFU— CORINTH. 293 goaded to desperation by cruel masters, had sullenly sub mitted to poorly accomplish their tasks, or become the con federates of the rapacious pirates of the Mediterranean. Serfdom is not a good school for improving mind or morals, but with the rising of the star of hope upon their long dark ened horizons and the watchwords "liberty," "country," the hearts of the Hellenes warmed to the work of regenera tion. Long absent refugees returned with overflowing coffers, and poured their wealth into her treasury, waste lands were reclaimed, schools flourished, the arts began to awake from their long sleep. The nations looked on. In 1864 the Ionian Isles were ceded to Greece by Eng land, and this greatly improved her prospects and her people, new channels being opened for legitimate trade, and the pirates thrown out of employment made good sailors as commerce increased. The outcome of the war of 1878 was a great disappoint ment to Greece, who did not obtain what had been promised although she had refrained from seizing and holding Thessaly and Epirus, which are naturally a part of Greece, and had awaited the pleasure of some of the nations of Western Europe who after the conflict was over, and other foes were hors de combat, coolly left the little kingdom minus her dot and ready to be harassed by the Turks upon her border. The Powers did not need her any longer. Greece found she was forgotten, and as the days went on concluded to try a reminder somewhat in a Biblical way. She did not send flaming foxes into her neighbor's field . of grain, but a nice little band of soldiers to make a noise and show what she might do if aroused by too harsh treatment. This reminds me of a small anecdote : Mr. Smith was sitting in a brown study. Enter Mrs. Smith. » "O!" she exclaimed, putting her arms around him very unexpectedly, and making him jump, "you're thinking something sweet about me ! " "No, I'm not !" smoothing his ruffled plumes and mov ing out of reach. "Something bad ^ioQMt me?" in a doleful tone. 294 BOHEMIAN DAYS. " No, ma'am, I wasn't thinking anything about you,'' forcibly. " O Mr. Smith ! " bursting into tears. " What's the matter noivf " turning with a worried look. "I'd ra-rather you'd th-think bad-of-me than not to th- think of me at all ! " Exit. Mr. Smith's dinner that day was somewhat meager, and lifting his brows as he walked down to his office he pon dered, " What could have been the matter with Sallie?" " He really did care," said Mrs. Smith, trying on the new bonnet which soon arrived ; smiling at her reflection in the glass she added, " he only needed a little reminder." Greece felt neglected, and the Powers had a little re minder, and immediately were aroused to a sense that " something " must be done. A change in the French Ministry made the situation more difficult, for the new Minister of Foreign Affairs gave himself up to an obstruction policy which necessitated de lays Sindpour-parlers, but on fresh demonstrations from the active little kingdom about half the amount specified was given, a territory containing three instead of five hundred thousand people. Yet Greece grows wonderfully, keeping pace with any country, and distancing some which have not had her diffi culties and embarrassments. Indeed it would seem an in stance of the principle that the overcoming of obstacles gives strength. The population of Greece is over two millions. Athens has nearly one hundred thousand people, and is a great centre of education, with its fine, richly-endowed Univer sity, the four principal departments of which. Medicine, Theology, Philosophy and Law, have thirty professors, sev eral museums and large library; a Grammar School called the Varvakion (from the founder, Barbakes, b softening into V in the Greek); the Girls' School, called in the same way the Arsakion, and many others numerously and en thusiastically attended. Foreign-dwelling Greeks have largely endowed various institutions, as the Observatory and Academy of Sciences. Great factories employ thou sands of operatives, mines and quarries as many more. Two million hectares of land are under cultivation, and the A THENS— THE PIR.EUS—GULF OF SMYRNA. 295 vineyards produce ;^i2,ooo,ooo of grapes annually. There are five lines of railway, and others projected, and nearly four thousand miles of land and sub-marine telegraphs ; one hundred steamers and thirty times as many vessels promote commerce in all seas, while the canal through the Isthmus of Corinth will open a direct channel for com merce to the Adriatic and western Europe. Government receipts are nearly doubled, and though Greece has a debt of ,^72,000,000, which seems great for so small a country, three-fourths of the interest is paid into the hands of her own people. CHAPTER XXXII. ATHENS — WAR THREATENING POLITICS THE PIR^US GULF OF SMYRNA. Modern Athens, with its wide boulevards and paved side-walks, shade trees, beautiful buildings of light stone or marble, its many squares of pleasant homes, mostly three- story, white houses, with blinds and well shaded, its de lightful climate, fruits and flowers, is charming indeed. It is a marvelous combination of the old with the new, and as we steamed into the storied plain our hearts were stirred within us as on noble elevations which every moment seemed greater, we recognized the ruins of the grand struc tures of historic times, ruins that we had longed yet scarce dared hope to see, and our enthusiasm hourly increased. The Acropolis ! from my hotel windows (near the Palais Royal) I could see and study it while Max went on his preparatory exploring expedition. We wandered together along the narrow streets of the old town, at the foot of the almost perpendicular Acropolis, among coffee- drinkers on the side-walk, a conglomeration of children and animals, donkeys or men carrying jars or cans of milk or wine, fuel or vegetables, then streets lined with little work -shops — bazars indeed, where every kind of industry seemed in progress — shoemaking for man and beast, sewing, making tin, iron or copper vessels — a ter- 296 BOHEMIAN DA YS. rible din in some places ; but as we went througn mud and noise past some very rough-looking people no one molested us, but several times gave cordial greeting, and courteously informed us of our best route. We had passed the " Lantern of Demosthenes," as the people called it, which possesses the actual title of " The Choragic Monument of Lysicrates" — small for such a large name, but has capitals, entablature and roof richly sculptured. It has lost from the triangular capital that crowns it, the tripod or three-legged stool which Lysicrates received when victor in a musical contest. Next we saw the small Tower of the Winds, a pretty oc tagonal building with a life-sized flying figure on each side, some of which would have done as well to represent the seasons, or the points of the compass — Boreas in his heavy cloak for the North, or winter, for instance. It was arranged to act as a sun-dial, a water-clock, and weather-cock. Near the Gate of the Market was the Stoa of Hadrian, with fluted Corinthian columns, the only example of this order in Athens among ancient buildings. We climbed steps in a rocky hill west of the Acropolis, indeed a part of it, where had walked with weary feet the great Teacher of the Gentiles, the wise Apostle who was "all things to all men,'' who knew well how to win "by the foolishness of preaching," as he termed it, using to each class, each nationality, the words most appropriate, — for this was Mars Hill and the Areopagus. We read no legend, "To the Unknown God,'' but lie saw it, and pro claimed himself the follower of this Being they in igno rance worshiped, with free forgiveness for the past and promises for the future from the Father — "As certain also of your own Poets have said, ' For we also are His off spring.' " How "wise as a serpent" was he, yet to all righteousness. I wandered about the hill, plucking the tiny blue flowers and thinking of those days lang syne, the people gradually gathering to hear this new doctrine, the eager faces and brightening eyes of some who saw a gleam of light in the darkness, while others mocked; the earnest face of him who bore the message, and the words themselves — as appli cable to our own generation as to that of 1 8oo years ago, ATHENS— THE PIR^US—GULF OF SMYRNA. 297 At last we stood before the Propyl aea of the Acropolis. The wings, which are closed on the outer side, face each other, opening onto the broad flight of marble steps which led to the portico, fifty eight feet wide, supported by six massive Doric columns. There were five entrances, and to the centre led a paved marble road grooved for chariot wheels. In this middle space we stood looking on what is termed " Byron's View," as the sun drew near to its rest behind Fames — where Socrates saw goddesses in every fleecy cloud. " ' Slow sinks, more lovely ere his race be run. Along Morea's hills the setting sun ' " said a masculine voice near us. " This would make any one feel poetical, Charlie, though he has to use another man's words to express it. There was much good about Byron, you may depend, or he could not have said so many beau tiful things. Look to the south where stands yEgina's Panhellenic temple, and west of it the mountains of Sal- amis and Megara, and still further the purpling hills of the Peloponnesus with their Aero corinthus, and the azure and crimson waters of the Saronic Gulf — " But Max was climbing (so I must follow) upward to the Parthenon, said to have been the most symmetrical and beautiful building of ancient times ; a model of classic ele gance, the beautiful curve of the great columns, its massive grandeur even in ruin won our profound admiration. We sat down by a great fluted pillar and looked around the space — 243 by 108 ft. " No straight lines there ! " said Max, pointing to the gradual rounding slope of the column opposite, " no break ing of the line of beauty, no hint of slender inability that would make one weary in trying to assist in bearing the heavy roof pediment and entablature. I wonder how a Greek endures to see his best sculpture in the British Museum ! — More people see it and learn of Greece, and perhaps how to develop their own brains architecturally — " " To Greece it belongs of right ! " I fervently exclaimed. " No doubt of that, Dolly. What building is that to the left ? " moving off in that direction, " ' Medea's sun ' will 298 BOHEMIAN DA YS. soon leave us in darkness in a strange land, but we will see as much as possible in the time. Oh, this is the ' Erech- theum,' with its uncomfortable-looking caryatides support ing the small portico," — the larger had Ionic columns. After looking at the little temple of Wingless Victory, and walking around by the wall to see the city we descended on the eastern side of the hill to see the Theatre of Di- onysius, and the Odeon of Herod Atticus, which has a wall in front. Both art semicircles on the hill-side, with tiers of stone seats, and above them is seen the marble ruins of the Temple of Esculapius. On reaching the great open square and garden, the large, plain palace of the good King George was brilliantly lighted. At the hotel were a doctor and his wife from California, having come by the Western route, and their experiences were of use to us, besides being interesting and amus ing. The next day being clear and pleasant we climbed the 900 foot elevation of Mount Lycabetti^, and if there was a rougher, rockier path up the " Hill Difficulty " I wonder thatthe Pilgrims ever won the summit.- On the lower slope was a large and flourishing American school, well worth a visit. All over the mountain-side were growing flowers new to me, so it was no wonder poor Max sat down far above me " like patience on a monument," waiting to be of some as sistance across dangerous places in what we concluded must be a goat path. At the highest point was a small chapel, and before it a parapetted space to which one of the good resident monks brought chairs, remaining to point out the historic spots in the great plain far below, — after all but some eight miles wide by twice the length. Ten miles to the north rose the Pentelic Mountains 3000 feet, from which was obtained the white marble of which many temples were built, and farther eastward the mountains hiding from sight the noted Plain of Marathon where the Persians were defeated by Miltiades 490 B. C, and in the Pass of Thermopylae ten years later Leonidas with his devoted 300 died bravely for their country. " They were not to be pitied," I thought, " but admired, and emulated. They died at their post, with har- <-?<_ Lb- ' l|l!l ALBANIAN- MTS., GULF OF CORINTH. (See page 2D0.) MT. LYCABETTUS AND KINO'S PALACE, ATHENS. (See page 298.) ATHENS— THE PIR.EUS-GULF OF SMYRNA. 299 ness on — even like the brave soldiers of Pompeii, though with a still nobler motive — but it would be easier to fight to the death than to stand helpless, and watch its approach — awaiting, without a struggle, inevitable bodily annihila tion—" " Hymettus," said Max, drawing my attendion to the east, " where that delicious honey comes from.'' We turned about. "The Acropolis," said our instructor, pointing to it, "is 400 feet in height, and nearly a mile around ; beyond it is the Monument of Philopappus — the Piraeus — the Saronic Gulf — iEgina. Look westward — you see Salamis, and further still the Peloponnesus. Old Corinth you may see — it is 48 miles from here. West — Mount .^galeos and Mount Parnes." " What little streams flow through the plain?" " Ilissus on the left — to the right Cephissus." " That is the Hill of the Nymphs ? " " Yes, with- the Observatory. The Pnyx is more distant — to the left. There beyond the King's Palace is the Temple of Jupiter Olympus which was begun by Pisistratus and finished by Hadrian 665 years later — 13^ A. D. Ha drian's Arch is near, and on the other side of the Ilissus the Stadium." At first it was one broad vision of light and freshness and beauty, but gradually before me opened out the scene, perfect in its component parts, the sea, the rivers and the mountains, the far-famed remnants of architectural great ness, and the wide plain lively with regiments of soldiers drilling. A few moments in the quiet little chapel and we de scended to the King's Garden, which is shady and pleasant, then walked a mile out to the Stadium of Hadrian the great Roman Olympium, if I may be allowed tj?e term, where, on Grecian soil, the national games were carried on with Romans in the lead. It is now a grass-grown oval hollow in a hill, open in front with a gradual rise of perhaps fifty feet on the lengthened semicircle where once on tiers of marble seats 100,000 people enjoyed the spectacle not only of games, but terrible conflicts of gladiators and wild beasts. At one side a tunnel through the hill admitted the con testants. How different now from that bloody arena — 30O BO HEM I A N DA } S. cattle quietly feeding beside small fish-ponds where chil dren improvise a fish-hook from a bent pin, and ladies quietly walking about, spectacles on nose, and book in hand, reading of the " has been.' The Temple of Jupiter must have been a magnificent building, from the noble columns of which fifteen only out of one hundred and twenty remain standing, and some lie broken. Another visit to the Acropolis and its Museum, then south to the Hill of the Muses, where we picked up sea shells filled with earth which may have been there thou sands of years. South of the Hill of the Nymphs, coming to ajumping- off place, the solid rock cut down like a wall some ten feet deep, we descended onto a platform at the centre, with steps cut in the solid stone. From this rostrum we viewed the semicircular space which had once been filled with admir ing listeners as Demosthenes and kindred orators won re nown by their eloquence — for this was the Pnyx. On a small elevation north-east of the Observatory is the noble Temple of Theseus, the best preserved of any ancient Athe nian building, whose care-taker showed real pleasure and pride as he drew our attention to the fine metope repre senting the exploits of Hercules and Theseus, the cella, peristyle, beautiful Doric columns, and perfect proportion of the whole building, said to have been built by Cimon B. C. 470 and dedicated to Theseus in gratitude for the preservation of Athens. Two-thirds of the population are members of the Greek Church. We visited two of their churches, but they pre sented none of the grandeur and vast impressiveness of the Gothic Cathedrals of more Western Europe. We drove along the boulevards, and went shopping as one might in London or at home; all was active life; we called on a Consul, who received us very politely, yet, being a new comer, was disappointed and surprised that we had no grievance. Some persons expressed surprise that we walked about freely alone through highways and byways, but we experienced no difficult)-, on the contrary much kindness and consideration. A traveler said he thought ATHENS— THE PIR.EUS—GULF OF SMYRNA. 301 some of the stories must be made up by persons interested in taking care of the dear Public. The King is beloved and trusted by his people high and low. Some highly elevated individuals make the nation live for them, but King George lives for his people and the glory of Greece. He was a Prince of Denmark. The Queen is a talented and attractive lady, devoted to her five interesting children — an exceptionally happy Royal Family, whether in the city, where they walk about unguarded, knowing that they have nothing to fear, the love of each good subject being their surest safe-guard; or among the rural pleasures of their more simple summer home in the country. I suppose no European prince gives greater promise of future personal nobility or usefulness than the Crown-Prince of Greece. The train from Athens to the Piraeus ran the five miles in a few minutes through a valley rich in olive-orchards and vineyards. A lady on the way told me she liked Piraeus very well, it was a very business place with 40,000 people, and constantly starting new enterprises, but not to be compared with Athens, where she had been visiting her parents and shopping, — and ended by a cordial invitation to visit her. We looked back upon the Plain of Attica and on beauti ful Athens shining in the red sunset glow as we steamed out from the Piraeus into the Saronic Gulf, with admira tion and a longing to return, but not that heart-breaking anxiety felt by Themistocles and his compatriots as with regret, with hope, with fear, they gazed back at their already injured home, the monuments of the glories of their coun try, the pillar-encircled Parthenon and, brightly gleaming above all, the golden helmet and spear of their goddess, Athenae. Should they ever again beholcJ it? All know how they returned to their capital joyful and victorious. At the time of our visit the spirit of war was troubling the nations, and the Greeks being a very excitable people, a spark might at any moment kindle a great conflagration ; yet the Powers stood in a menacing attitude saying, " Fire a shot to break the peace of Europe and we will bombard Athens," so the Government found itself uncomfortably 302 BOHEMIAN DA YS. perched between the horns of a dilemma. The Greeks who were our fellow passengers spoke in glowing terms of a great future for their country when they should have re gained all the territory which had been alienated. Said an Austrian to a Greek gentleman as they walked the deck, " You forget that you are so small! Little boys shouldn't talk so big. Why there's only 80,000 soldiers in all that you have," with a little slighting laugh, "what are they to the millions in Europe?" "There are 200,000!" cried the Greek, his dark eyes flashing, "and if we should war other nations would help us — they are only waiting until we begin." " Not a bit of it ! you make war and you are whipped — you are destroyed in five days." "We have a future — " " Not if you fight ! " Both were somewhat heated, but at this point, becoming conscious of speaking rather more loudly than was polite, the Austrian turned away with an apology, while the Greek came to ease his mind a little by airing a few ideas. "These Austrians," he said, "they hate us! they do not want to see us a great people, they would like to get some of our country for themselves ! " " You think there will be war ? " " We will have to fight ! too much has been spent, and what is to show for it ? Some soldiers marching about in stead of cultivating the idle fields — it is ruin!" "But will the Powers allow war? " I enquired. " We are independent of them! " " They do not want the peace of Europe broken." " Peace broken ! Ah, Madame, what have Servia and Roumania done ? It is already broken." "You have a wonderful country," said I, desirous of giving his thoughts an impulse in a different direction. "As a child I heard with interest of the early struggle for freedom. The sons and nephew ofa patriot, Mr. Mavra- gordata I think was the name, were at school with my father in England." Here Max came for a promenade on the deck, but soon all were being rocked to sleep by a troubled sea. Off the Isle of Chios in the early morning, with the wind blowing N7HENS—7HE PIRAlUS—GULF OF SMYRNA. 303 half a gale, and the white-caps dancing. The little boats hastening out to us were wildly tossed about, with their variously dressed occupants, turbaned Turks, a Roman Catholic dignitary in long black habit and "shovel " hat, a Smyrnian Greek with red fez caring for his two blooming, dark-skinned daughters, who screamed very much as American girls would when the boat danced a polka at the ship-steps. There was a Turkish woman who had hard work to keep the veil properly over her face, and hesitated whether to risk letting it go or fall into the water, and her contemplative-looking husband, who was accidentally and promiscuously spilled into the boat, coming down as awk wardly and swiftly as the bundle which followed him, but with more danger of breaking; and here, appearing well put together after the night's rest under a sail on deck, came a whole family, looking as if their place was in the first cabin. I wondered how they lived at home. They were Turks, the boys and girls dressed alike in a garment of dark blue, as long as a dress, but apparently run together at the bottom, with just enough space at the outside to push the feet through, and drawn up near the knee, looking like a curious ungainly bag, a good deal in their way. Men were habited in the same manner. Little red sacks bright ened the children, but the girl of about 1 1 had already an ugly variegated handkerchief tied over her head, forehead and chin, and looked very funny. Near the landing place were the remains of an old fort, which fell in the earthquake at the beginning of 1880, bury ing many persons, who had made it their habitation. On the hillsides above and beyond the town were several vil lages, and the ruins of three others — mere piles of stone and rubbish, surrounded by rich orchards of almond trees in bloom, and green fields ; nearer the sea wenp eight or ten windmills, with sails moving more swiftly than their wont in the sharp breeze, and as a background, mountains with caps light and misty-looking as the clouds which hastened over the blue sky. It was a pretty picture and worthy the brush of an artist. We had the cold north-wind, Boreas, which sometimes blows for many days together, making the atmosphere chilly, but giving invigoration to the enervated children of 304 BOHEMIAN DA YS. the sunny south; we shivered, but preferred the coldtothe close air of the cabin, though occasionally descending for a change. And now the noon was past and I sat up on deck with my old Greek lady beside me. We knew not a word ot each other's language, but she well understood my glance of sympathy when she had been left by her children a stranger and alone to journey to Mitylene, and crept to my side (as I have seen wounded animals do) and laid her hand on mine. I accepted the gentle confidence and we had since been separated only when asleep. I got up on a piece of timber to look at a boat outside and foundimmedi- ately that she was beside me, so that the incident had (as do many things the most pathetic) its ludicrous side. The waves had quieted so that the little white caps seemed at play as we passed the entrance to Chesme Bay, a fine bathing place, already famous as a naval battle ground between the Russians and Turks. On these hill sides are cultivated raisins enough for the world,- — little seedless "sultaninas." For a long time, on this side of the mountain, scarcely anything was grown because the pirates came destroying or carrying away everything but the soil. Above Cape Carabouno (Black-nose), at the entrance to the Gulf of Smyrna, and along on the' hills at intervals, are small, round, stone watch-towers once Used by the guards, who gave warning in case of incursion. Farms became more frequent, and on exposed hill-summits, merry little windmills turned their checkered sails. The bald-look ing mountains, which reminded us of some in the west of Ireland, were carpeted with small shrubs, looking hke tufted mats. As we approached Smyrna the waters of the Meander changed the color of the Gulf from a deep blue to a light green, while beyond that again it was bright violet, with the sun gleaming and glinting as if it wore upon its bosom a thousand diamonds. To our right, in front, were the twin mountain peaks called the Two Brothers. A gentleman pointed to the left shore. " It was there," he said, " that the contest occurred between Marsyas and Apollo, when the latter having won the laurels, as more sweetly perform- SMYRNA— ISLES OF THE .EGEAN SEA. 305 ing on the guitar (or cythera) than Marsyas on his lute, had the privilege of skinning his rival — which he did with pleasure." Beautiful boats with sunny sails were flitting around us like bright-plumaged birds, while snowy sea-gulls still fol lowed, asking for refreshments, sometimes catching pieces of bread or biscuit in the air, at others circling around with bright eyes turned eagerly downward — then a sudden curving swoop, a flapping for a moment of white wings on the wave-crest, and with the prize they quickly re joined their comrades — frequently to fly away more swiftly followed by a dozen eager robbers. They never seemed satisfied, but like Oliver Twist were always ready for " more." CHAPTER XXXIII. SMYRNA ISLES OF THE ^GEAN SEA. We were no longer in Europe, having become for the nonce inhabitants of Asia — we were at Smyrna (Ismir), the birth-place of Homer, the land of figs, of dates, of sweet meats, of mosques and minarets ; the greatest commercial port of Asiatic Turkey, with its mountains sloping to the water's edge; cypress-shaded, turban-crowned tombs; pretty rural kiosks, embowered in shrubbery, where ladies of the harem amused themselves ; and guarded upper windows, from which bright eyes were watching us ! From the Fort floated the red flag of Turkey. Here along the quay, among the sailors of all nations in their varied garb, came a train of loaded camels like large beads on a loose string, a rope fastening the head of each to the saddle of the preced ing, with a heavy negro on a donkey in the lead. The creatures were very docile and at a word knelt to receive their burdens. Two straps encircled them and their load, and as they passed on the bell above the high saddle music ally tinkled at every movement. The Graeco-American gentleman who had been so pleas ant a companion on the voyage was now of great service, 20 3o6 BOHEMIAN DA YS. being familiar with the habits of the people and speaking Turkish among various other languages, kindly acting as cicerone in our excursions. We went for a drive, which answered very well on the smooth boulevard facing the sea, but on attempting to go further inland we were tremen dously shaken up, nearly overset, and in despair commanded our Jehu to return to first principles. Our dinner at asm.all hotel (said to be the best) was passably good, but only Mr. Mormoris saved us from severe extortion. This gentleman was connected with prominent families of the Greek Isle of Cythera, his father having been a Deputy to the Parliament at Athens, which place his uncle now fills ; his interest in grave questions then agitating the people of his native land was so great as to draw him back from America, for several years his home. We walked into the bazaar and saw vari ous characters familiar to me from early childhood in the pages of the Arabian Nights, from the young Aladdin and his reverend uncle, the Magician, to Ali Baba the merchant. Within their little stalls and shops sat the mild-eyed Turks, quietly waiting for custom, while around them was dis played a varied assortment of goods of one kind, different quarters monopolizing each a certain class of trade. In one place were many tailors sitting cross-legged and busily at work, in another shoemakers, with strings of shoes of gaudj^ colors swinging at the doorways, while at a little restau rant, on low seats, Abdallah and Hassan sat smoking their narghilehs, with tiny cups of coffee on the little table be tween them. Veiled women, followed by a dark turbaned negro, went chattering into a shop where were displayed bright jackets and polonaises, and amid a lively discussion came the words "catch," and "choke" and "O ! shellaby!'' which means "beautiful." On the opposite side were elegant Persian carpets, and we saw not far away some stores, evidently owned by merchants from the \\'est, offer ing for sale almost any article of English manufacture. Smyrna has a slave market owned by Jews, where negrOes, men, women and children, are put up for sale, and generally branded on the forehead. From a stall Max bought some shells and found the fish within them better than oysters or clams, but I preferred the " helva,'' a candy made of sesame, honey and sugar. We passed through a mosque SMYRNA— ISLES OF THE .EGEAN SEA. 307 with lofty, white, unadorned interior, then through the Greek and Armenian quarters, where we saw some very pretty girls with dark hair and large fawn-like eyes; and having supplied ourselves with a packet of delicious figs went for a lono- walk. First to the Meles River, over which there is a Roman arch called the Caravan Bridge, where were great plane trees and a cypress grove within whose shades were many tombs, near which we lunched within a vine-covered cafe, principally on the national beverage — a thick, sweet, coffee — sweetmeats and cakes. From this point, procuring a guide who was also a guard, we made a detour, and on its eastern side climbed to the summit of Mt. Pagus, the back-ground of Smyrna, from which we looked down and out upon the magnificent har bor, gulf, mountains and city. There was an old castle with battered Venetian towers, and back of the mount a fine aqueduct across the deep valley, and ruins of a second in the distance. Our old Turk, who was very valuable save in the matter of giving information, merely said that these relics were "ancient," and seemed surprised that any one should wish to know more — it was of no special interest to him. He earnestly assured us that spears would have to be run through his body ere harm should befall those under his care — when asked if there was danger — and glanced about, as we proceeded, in a very watchful manner. In ascending, we had at first been among wheat-fields, gardens, and vineyards with small cuttings from which would grow the next season's crop, but then came into a rough, rocky region of sparse vegetation. As we neared the old fort some Turkish ladies leaning on the wall covered their faces with gauze veils and commenced singing a love ditty in soft and monotonous tones ; as I ap proached they descended and the leader made me a pretty little speech of welcome, translated by Mr. Mormoris when I endeavored to reciprocate. Within the fort or " castle " a group of young Turks were practicing athletic games, whose long leaps showed that all their time had not been spent in smoking and lounging about. All were dark, some fine- looking fellows, while the positive ugliness of a few made one's flesh creep, but all were polite. When down in one of the great dungeons below I saw some dark figures creep- 3o8 BOHEMIAN DA YS. ing along in the shadows of the stone pillars, while the rest less, watchful glances of our guide brought to mind stories we had heard of dangerous characters in the suburbs, so a very few moments sufficed to carry us forth again into the daylight. One of the stories related to us was of a physician, who disbelieved the tales of brigands molesting those who at tended to their own affairs, and in spite of warnings went driving about the country unattended ; but one evening he was taken and hidden in some mountain fastness and the pleasant word sent that his ears would follow this message if ransom were not immediately forthcoming, and then his head ; when, not being able to cope with them, the govern ment paid a great sum and he was free, but did not care much about general practice there for a while. Descending the steep hill, the lower part of which is a closely-built suburb, we passed a black woman with a basket of parched peas for sale, who was talking to another diggi'ng in a stony field. Then came a Turkish cemetery where a small procession headed by a little girl bearing a green flag cir cled quickly round a stone vault, " keeping an anniversary '' of some one who lay within, while leaning against a tree near by was a veiled woman weeping. Scarcely a stone's throw below in a house yard was a great crowd of women, some of whom were constantly passing in and out of the gate. "A funeral ? " said I. " No ! " laughed Mr. Mormoris, " it is a wedding." These people have odd customs, all the gentlemen friends of the groom accompany him to the house of the bride with great drums beating, and after a little time of merri ment they pu.sh him into the bride's apartment head fore most, though he feels backward, never having seen the lady, and having locked him in — or rather out of the rooms they desire to occupy — they " eat, drink and are merry " for a week, drumming and dancing to their heart's content. They did look so funny sitting tailor-fashion in circles on the ground with two or three wandering around inside keeping step slowly to a dirge-like monotonous song, while the drums made a continuous " tum-tum ! " An extremely fat old Turkish negress, mistress of ceremonies, evidently led SMYRNA— ISLES OF THE .EGEAN SEA. 309 this dance, when not ordering the others about, and to see her wabbling from one foot to the other with preternatural gravity and importance, shaking flabbily, like an immense turned-out mold of jelly — oh, it was too funny ! — My smile amidst the general solemnity was also miicli too funny, I found out when Candace's attention was attracted to the new " looker on " in Smyrna, for with a frighful scowl at me she ordered the door shut immediately. Even this did not dis turb my serenity — how different had 1 been shut in ! To have stood there without my funereal expression was no doubt impolite, but the general avoirdupois-ness of that lady of color had thrown my gravity outside the base. Mr. Mormoris said that I had done well to escape without injury, as those people have the habit of beating severely those whom they dislike. Had the people known that a Greek was in their midst, the war feeling was at such fever- heat that his life might have paid the penalty. We paused in the shadow of the cypresses, with the quiet of the restful clime according our feelings with the low monotone of sound about us, the whispering breeze of even ing 'in the trees, the distant washing of the waves, the song of the water-carrier, and, as the soft chiming of the bells on a train of camels grew dim in the distance, came the voice of the Muezzin in his lofty tower in a high tenor "Allah hu Akbar ! " — God is great ! On land, on sea, the prayers of the devout were ascending to the one God. On the deck of the " Ettore " a few passengers stood watching the receding shores of Srnyrna. "An ancient city," said the Reverend Mr. Claxton, " and yet nothing great or attractive commemorates the centuries so full of eventful change, of the Roman Sophists, Christian Martyrs, or Saracen invaders, but we do know that this was one of the Seven Churches of Asia mentioned in Holy Writ, and here Polycarp was martyred." " We saw his tomb under a cypress tree back of the city," Max rejoined. That old castle is said to have been erected on the hal lowed spot where the Christians were slain for their faith. Nearly half of the 200,000 inhabitants are Christians now — schools and all missions flourish." 310 B OHEMIAN DA 1 S. " One-third of the city is Greek," remarked Mr. Mor moris. " Never saw more beautiful women — Jewesses and Le vantines especially — and don't they know it, Mr. Brown?" " ' Fine feathers make fine birds,' Doctor," replied the gentleman addressed — an American bound for Alexandria. Shortly before our departure a rough, bold-looking, black- bearded man hastened excitedly into the cabin enquiring for one of the Greek passengers, but in a few minutes emerged with a dissatisfied air, and dropping himself into a boat pulled with speed for the shore. The gentleman in terviewed by him came to me on the deck, and as we prom enaded explained that this man was the captain of a large body of Greeks who, desirous of returning to fight for their native land, had that morning embarked on a steamer, in small companies, to avoid the suspicion of Turkish officials, but, being betrayed, all were sent back under surveillance. Would not this friend of whose presence he had learned come and be their leader against these very Turks ? His men were ripe for any hazardous undertaking. " You will not ! " I cried, trembling «ith apprehension — how near were we to war and bloodshed — here in our very midst ! " I refused absolutely and strongly advised their keeping quiet until certain as to the policy of Greece. They might seriously embarrass the cause they desire to assist. He is a good fellow, the Captain — full of enthusiasm, but hot-headed and violent on provocation.'' " Greece may well cry, 'Save us from our friends,'" I volunteered as we rejoined the circle, who had been re-in- forced by Mr. Smith, a Londoner, a Turkish Effendi who could say little, but was suave and polite as he tried to join in the conversation of two agreeable Germans. "Ah, Ephesus!" Mr. Smith was saying, "but you could not see it in a day. It takes time to study these things. Now when I was in Rome I took two months to the Appian Way alone — didn't pretend to study anything else, don't-ye- know — had books and guides — " " Yes, yes," interrupted Mr. Claxton, who had vainly waited for a pause that did not occur, " one can spend years SMYRNA— ISLES OF THE MGEAN SEA 311 over a book, my dear sir, or in a superficial but earnest glance of an hour take in its salient points." "Did an Enghsh company build the Aidin Railway by Ephesus, Mr. Smith ? " " You might know that by its starting on time, Mr. Brown. I'd forgotten, though, and was almost left — those old storks amused me, sitting on the remnants." " The Church of St. John, or Sultan Selim's Mosque," continued Mr. Claxton, " has had an interesting history. I should judge that when those Church Councils of 431 and 449 were held the town, probably, extended not only over those two hills by the sea, but the mile-wide plain too, past the mound where Mr. Hood has found the old temple ol Diana, one of the world's Seven Wonders." " I suppose, Mr. Claxton, there was a grove around the Temple, don't you ? I never saw more beautiful fragments, and what a space it covered — 150 by 300 feet at least." " Fragments of fragments, seven times destroyed," Mr. Brown soliloquized. — "But look your last on Smyrna,'' for it was almost invisible. "St. John and the Virgin Mary, Mary Magdalene and St. Timothy, the first Bishop, all died in Ephesus." " A lively time the Church had when the leaders fought with weapons carnal and spiritual — anathemas and swords.'' "True enough, Mr. Brown. I think I'd have been turn ing to the more peaceable old gods, Diana and Apollo, who were natives of the place," laughed Max. "Oh, no ! " Mr. Claxton said earnestly, " the God of our Fathers was not to blame for the un-Christian warfare of those following at too great a distance to feel His benign influence." "The place was as quiet as a cemetery," said Mr. Brown. " It is a cemetery," rejoined Mr. Claxton, with anima tion. "Besides the Street of Tombs up on the hill, the whole place is the grave of dead hopes, dead pur poses — '' " The Seven Sleepers ? " laughed Mr. Brown in answer to a question. "No, they didn't come out of their cave as I saw. It is a right ordinary place, I think— the whole thing 312 B OHEMIAN DA YS. — not a building worth looking at in the country, just old broken rocks. O yes, a great place for the ' has been,' I reckon, pieces of amphitheatres and all the rest." "I thought," continued Mr. Claxton, "of the city in its grandeur, when Cicero and his cpn-freres were feted in its lialls, when the great amphitheatre rang to the cry of victory — '' " Or 'The Christians to the hons!' perhaps," from Mr. Brown, in a low voice. " Of the great schools of poetry and of painting, where men like Apelles drew inspiration, where Lysander, Hannibal — yes — greater than any of them, though not caring for such things probably — where St. Paul — ah — preached and suf fered, was imprisoned, but left a prosperous — ah — congrega tion — one of the Seven Churches." "What has become of your old Greek lady?" Max in quired of me; "the last I saw other she was weeping and wailing over you as if you were her last and only." " She went off on the steamer for Mitylene." Mr. Claxton caught this last word. " Or Lesbos," he added, " where the cruel Irene, the ambitious intriguante, spun for her daily food after making her palace at Constan tinople a den of cruelty." "Let's take a walk," said Max, — "but there's the bell." I fell asleep to the murmur of the waves, and the wind sighing in the rigging. Alas ! some one was more than sighing in the berth above when 1 awakened, for the steamer rolled and pitched in a heavy sea ; and from a cabin in the vicinity came the plaintive wailing of sick children ; a mother's tearful voice, a father's stern commands for silence — which had not the desired effect, but assisted in the gen eral pandemonium — a regular sea party it was, with squalls without and within. In the early morning I had hardly looked upon my mild, half-dressed fellow-passenger when he vanished again into his upper berth, and I found on trying it myself that the odds were in favor ofa recumbent position, the steamer her self seeming to slide out from under me. I concluded that the bed was better than the floor after all and crept in again, sighing thusly — ISLES OF THE ^GEAN SEA. 313 " I didn't feel this way, In the golden morn of childhood. When the hours of hfe were young, And the thrushes in the wildwood Only hope and gladness sung ; When did e'er a cloud of sadness Rise to mar the sunny day, 'Twas an April shower, and gladness Chased with flowers the gloom away." Where did that verse come from, anyhow ? had I read it somewhere ? No, I couldn't remember that I had. Then I must indeed be very ill for it to have that effect. Suddenly down came Max again. " I'm going on deck," he announced. How I did envy him as, dragging on a coat, hat in hand, he disappeared. "Islands all around us !" there he was again !" come ! I'll help you.'' And away we staggered to the deck. It was very funny the way we " heaved two " in odd places, but we had no inclination to laugh at that time, it was more amusing to look back on. "Oh!" I drew in deep inspirations of the cool, salty air and gazed at the islands with rich valley fields in grain, scantily clothed mountains and hills, the intensely blue sky and sea, and sunshine beautifying everything. We had passed Chios, another reputed " birthplace of Homer," where they produce the Chian wine; more noted however for its earthquakes, and the terrible massacre of its Greek population by the Turks in the early part of the century, when 25,000 people were slain, and 45,000 taken captive and suld as slaves. " There is Phourni," said Mr. Mormoris, coming up. "See the furnaces on the summit of that mountain, and lime gleaming white in the sunlight. That is Melos, where they quarry great numbers of mill-stones. Here we come to Leros with its little city on a beautiful plain. See the six white stone windmills on that ridge? That green field is barley. The soil would produce well if it was cared for properly, but what can a people do ground down by the heel of the Turk?" What, indeed! "Venice in her day was still worse," rejoined Max. "It is hard to realize that these barren-looking islands ever sup- 314 BOHEMIAN DA YS. ported a large population and were built up with great pal aces and rich villas." " Yet here they easily grow the vine — look at that hill side ! and all fruits flourish — the olive, the orange, melons — ah ! — there is Samos." " The birthplace of Pythagoras,'' cried Max with in terest. " And of ' Samian wine ' the Poet sings about," said Mr. Smith. "And where Anthony and Cleopatra held their gorgeous court," quoth I. " You are familiar with this coast, Mr. Mormoris ? " " From childhood, madame, I ha-ve passed and repassed many times. That is Icaria, where the son of Daedalus came to grief and yonder on the main-land is Miletus, once such a controlling power in the Ionic Federation, now but a ruin, except the little modern town of poor houses. Through most of this sea the people live much by fishing and sponge-gathering. Many of these islands are said to be of volcanic origin, the sharp mountains indicate it, but how numerous they are ! to one high above all, it would look like a. flock of light-brown sheep in a deep blue meadow." " I should like to see Paros with its white marble." " Too far away, but there. Doctor, is a low fertile plain, with fortress square and of the middle ages, and little town and round stone windmills, which will interest you when you hear the name — Cos." " The birthplace of Hippocrates ! " " And there is the famous plane tree under which the noted physician not only mused and read, but practised his pro fession, it is said." " Appelles also," said Mr. Claxton, who had just come up. "What is on the shore opposite? — Asia Minor itself ?" Max inquired. " Hahcarnassus, on the main land.'' " Ah, yes — Herodotus, Dionysius, Tomb of Mausolus — old Caria," said Mr. Claxton. So sped the day among the beautiful islands — more lovely as they turned to purplish-gray hues in the distance, hke the most noted of all — Patmos. This is not a bare rock, though it S.U]'RN.-i— ISLES OF THE .EGEAN SEA. 315 has very little fertile land. On its summit is the Monastery in memory of the Disciple well-beloved who saw such won drous visions. Cnidus, on a 90-miles long peninsula, and mountainous Nisyros rich in vineyards, Chalce and Syme, the sponge-fishers' and coral-divers' home, and hundreds more we passed, changing position to us like irregular rows of booths at a fair. " What a pity that the people are so inferior to the country ! " " How so, Mr. Mormoris ? " Max inquired. "They are all brigands. It would not be safe to go any distance away from the towns, and woe to the shipwrecked ! Even at Smyrna, last year, two Englishmen were shot, up in the Castle on that hill bac'K of the city." "And we were there two days ago ! " I said with a quick drawn breath. "Things are better there now, I am told." "The men we have seen do not look like pirates, and how beautiful those women are who embarked a little while ago — regular Grecian features, fair, and a lovely color." " 'Chacun a son goiit,' as the French say. Madam, each one to his taste," with a French shoulder-shrug. " For me — I care not for such long, sharp noses myself," said a Ger man, laughing. ''They nose too much, in fact — ha! ha!" laughed Mr. Smith. " Look at those pretty Jewesses, there by the ancient rabbi in his long gown; that is a contrast at least — magnifi cent dark eyes.'' " Much better at a distance. Madam," quoth Mr. Brown. " You should have seen them creeping out from their sail- nest this morning. By the way. Doctor,'' in an aside to Max, " have you seen any of Mark Twain's ' chamois ' on board ? ' yes ? ' of course you have, but I never saw the like of them when the Jews and Americans, Moslems and Russians — Arabs and Egyptians for what I know, got to stirring around and shaking their excuses for beds this morning! — O, no ! not any nearer view for me, thank you ! They needed airing — there could be no doubt of that. Those Turks are the best, I take it. Now, this old Effendi is a real gentleman, and so is that one over there by his 3 1 6 B OHEMIAN DA YS. deck harem — his chief wife is in the cabin, by the way. It must be lonesome to sit doing nothing all day long like those poor things. Madam." Bat I had seen them looking very well satisfied indeed, lolling back on their cushions, eating sweetmeats, and occa sionally smoking a cigarette. They made quite a picture, too, in their bright colored silk nether garments, and em broidered jackets, with rich shawls and scarfs draped around them. Some, as they saw me, dropped their veils, or yash maks, and smiled in a friendly way. Most I saw were rather coarse and voluptuous. The Russian women, of the lower class generally, were occupied with house-keeping cares in a very small space, and a not infrequent infant. Poor things, huddled together, how could they be anything but dirty ? still it kept me also from wishing for a nearer ac quaintance. You may be interested in various objects that you would not wish to have in close contact — I remember thinking so in the Zoological Gardens. CHAPTER XXXIV. RHODES CYPRUS BEIrGt. Rhodes is a picturesque and pretty town, with a great stone wall built into the sea. The waves were dashing high outside the little harbor, but within its shelter all was quiet. This place, so long headquarters of the Knights of St. John, still has the buildings they inhabited with blazoned arms and carved doorways, but all more or less defaced, in which dwell Moslem and Jew, unthinking of the days of chivalry. The Church of St. John, in which the Knights worshiped, used as a Mosque, then ruined by an earth quake, broken walls, idle people, all speak of a state of decadence. On the quay at the entrance to the street of the Knights is a Gothic gateway, and further down, where show the yellow sands against the deep blue sea, an old mosque and tombs. We stood on the deck looking back at the stone towers and battlements, domes and minarets, encircling wall, palm trees and slow windmill-sails upon the hill beyond. RHODES. 317 "But where is the Colossus? " said Max. "The Turks picked up the pieces, probably. It only stood a little over fifty )'ears. Doctor,'' replied Mr. Mormoris. " I don't believe it ever stood across that harbor and had ships sailing under it ; why, it was only 105 feet high alto gether, they say." " Their ships were small in those days. Well, the earth quake finished it over two hundred years before our era." ''Out from here sadly sailed the Knights," quoth Mr. Claxton, " all their prowess and determination were in vain, but they waged a goodly warfare three and a half centuries ago, and no doubt assisted in checking the Moslem Tidal wave which set so strongly westward. These great stones may stand a thousand years, but whose will they be then? '' No one seemed to know. " Hm ! — old city two thousand years ago, a city of pal aces, a home of art — " " But youthful when compared to Egypt, Mr. Claxton," said Max. "Empires grow old, and hoary, and feeble as do human beings. Doctor. The ruling power here, it is evident to me — you see it in Constantinople and all the dependencies — is in its dotage. Some day Greece will arise from her ashes, like a phoenix, and rule these masters who kept her people cruelly in bondage so long." "Ah, yes," exclaimed a Greek, "and soon! " " I think it not!" a German remarked emphatically; "too many countries in that question have interest." " Such a climate, such a soil, should make a good home for many people," said Mr. Mormoris ; '' it is a large island — 45 miles in length, with hills, valleys — " "And earthquakes," concluded Mr. Brown quietly. '¦ I don't reckon a colony's houses would stapd it very long. The folks there don't appear to have anything especial to do — look like morphine-eaters, but maybe they're waiting for the next quake." A cold fog drove us below. Long before day there was a commotion on board, and our neighbors' children, gradually followed by many others aroused by the noise, to endeavor through the darkness to descry the Island of Cyprus. We could sleep no more, so 3i8 BOHEMIAN DAYS. as day dawned we also looked at Limasol, opposite which we were lying at anchor, about a mile from shore. Then we saw the cause of the noise — a herd of Russian cattle being raised by a derrick from the hold, swung over the side and dropped into the sea, where after a struggle their heads were raised above the water by a halter quickly lashed to the side of a boat ; so, with about six cattle fast on each side, away rowed the boatmen for shore, and the poor struggling creat ures had to swim alongside. I felt miserable, and )'et could not keep from watching. Under the salt water their heads would dip, and how they choked and some cried out ; one pretty black-and-white cow, long-horned like all the rest, turned as she rose to the surface and looking up to us gave a pitiful " moo " for help. How long they were getting to land — " Surely they will be drowned ! " said I. What a relief it was at last to see them draw themselves slowly up onto the sandy shore, then walk to a green spot, where in a few minutes they were capering about like lambs free after long imprisonment. I have felt a certain amount of — well, not exactly envy — the mere shadow of it, perhaps, when artists sit quietly down en tirely unconscious of a gradually increasing crowd, and paint, or draw as if no one was within a mile. I have tried it myself, indeed I concluded that pretty Limasol, with its light sand, blue sea, red-roofed dwellings and background of light hills and shadowy mountains, would be just the thing to en lighten one of the pages of my note book. I tried the un conscious- part, too, but found it minus, and the consequence was a lovely indigo mountain (Olympus too !) on which I in vain tried to form a snowy crown. It was not for lack of advice, either, but the different eyes saw things in different lights, or shades. I tried one or two colors before one finally refused to be changed, so there it is, a thing of beauty. The people who rose a little after midnight seemed not to care so much for the view after all, as we remained for several hours; the gentlemen played games, some sn-ioked, others I think concluded to have a siesta. Men came on board with a great variety of little boxes made of native wood inlaid with mother of pearl, and a Cypriote gentleman kindly asked my acceptance of one shaped like an egg, as a CYPRUS. 319 souvenir of the beautiful island. He was now returning after several years' absence, having graduated in a Parisian law school, and spoke French fluently. Our Turkish friend came on deck, and having carefully studied it up I remarked, to his surprise and gratification, "Sa-ba-hlar hair alsoun !'' which is Turkish for "good- morning." To which he immediately responded, lowly bowing. " Keif-fin-is aimee ? " (are you well? ) I added. Where upon he concluded that I had been suddenly endowed with the gift of tongues, and immediately lost me in a maze of strange words, whence Mr. Mormoris extricated me, and in terpreted a few civil remarks back and forth. Too much learning is a dangerous thing. A lovely four-hours' sail to Larnaka on a calm sea with the mildest of pleasant breezes. We passed a high mount ain with its Monastery of the Holy Cross. Larnaka looked like a fair still-life Oriental picture. Between the line of white houses and the blue sea were the stone sea-wall, wooden wharf and light-colored pebbly strand; above them cypress and palm trees, church tower and minarets, with a background of mountains over 7000 feet in height. Many boats came out to convey passengers to the shore, and among them we landed on the long wooden pier, against which the waves washed hungrily. On the sandy open square stood the Government Building, over which waved the British flag — for this Oriental island is a dependency of that one so strongly contrasting. We walked along the narrow dirty .streets, sometimes lined with stalls, at others with high mud or stone walls crowned with grass and wild flowers, but wherever we halted for a mo ment, in the bazaar, at fruit-stall or restaurant, among shoes or silks, a knot of idlers, dealers in old coins and various rubbish, and importunate beggars, gathered closely around us, listen ing with eagerness. and biding their time, but the walk on solid ground was delightful. In the suburbs were a large. Mosque, a Roman Catholic school and Franciscan Con vent. General Cesnola, the founder of the Collection in New York, proved Larnaka to have been ancient Citium, and Bibliologists say that it is the Chittim of Old Testament 320 B OHEMIAN DA 1 S. times, inhabited by Phoenicians, learned and luxurious, three and a half milleniums ago. At Curium were found in underground repositories great numbers of vessels of gold and silver, bronze and terra-cotta, one cup with " Et- evander, King of Paphos','' name upon it. General Cesnola has added much to scientific and historic knowledge by his untiring energy. Cyprus is a large island, 150 by 50 miles, with the Olym pian range 7,000 feet high along near the centre, which gives a great variety of climate and of products : no wonder that each Power as it arose sought to possess so lovely, productive and rich a dependency — Egypt, Assyria, Persia, and the Macedonian Alexander, Rome, Greece, Venice, Turkey — and now England — for how long? Near Paphos which we passed shortly before reaching Limasol was the scene of Venus Aphrodite's rising from her bil lowy cradle, where still an annual fete is kept up, the young people darting hither and thither in their flower-wreathed boats, but the ceremony of dipping a pretty girl beneath the waves has been modified to a generous sprinkling of the salt water, which no doubt answers just as well. It may be remembered as the place where the sorcerer Elymas, " full of subtilty," was struck blind for perverting " the right ways of the Lord," and the honest Deputy became a believer. When on board again, the pleasant Captain, on learning that I had never seen Cyprus wine, sent me a glass of it, rich and delicious, the finest I think I ever tasted, a bright deep amber color, and almost like syrup. A rough night set in, and after many hours of sleep lessness I " dreamed dreams," but was suddenly awakened by a loud voice out in the cabin. " Yes, Beiriit is in sight — but far off yet — two hours at least." "Ah! " said I to myself, quietly, and went off for another vision — a very short one, for Max also had heard, so we soon were on deck, and amid all the din and dashing produced by the heavy sea we held on to whatever we could and looked on the beautiful terraced city, its sloping plain with lofty snow-crowned Lebanon behind it, groves of olive and orange trees, and vine-embowered vilbs on the rocky bluffs BEIRUT. 321 washed by the waves of St. George's bay, and though hun dreds of years ago the great palaces and porticoes of Agrip- pa, and the colleges which drew the youth of many nations there, had been destroyed by earthquakes, we found the city built upon their ruins bright and attractive. The steamer rolled and tossed fearfully until we were within the harbor and had dropped the great four-pronged anchor, by which time we were on deck the second time and beset by a high tide of boatmen, noisy and insistent, before whom I again retreated to the cabin, leaving my compagnon du voyage to be their prey. A sudden rush down the companion-way, and in a mo ment a half dozen tall Arabs had my various packages and would have had me on the wild waves in another moment, but an officer came to the rescue, and commanded their immediate absence. Max and I then went on deck and took a good look at the roaring billows, and the boats rising and falling, and almost capsizing every minute or two — but they got no less. " Cook's " boat was so much larger than the rest that I chose going in that, but as I was about to step in I paused, not without some show of reason, as it had suddenly sunk about six feet on a receding wave and washed away from the ship's side. The boatmen rowed, and said things to each other in a disagreeable tone of voice, boats knocked heads and sides, the waves rushed, rolled, hissed and foamed around, and occasionally over them — what a place to descend into! "What must be done had best be done quickly," said Paddy Flynn, when he swallowed the finger-bowl-ful of water at Mr. Beamish's dinner-party; and so when the boat came again within reach, we both descended in haste and nearly capsized. "I'm glad we do not have to go tliere!" said I, pointing to a reef of dark rocks near the shore, covered with the spray of dashing waves, "What a dangeroih place ! " After rounding the point to the regular landing-steps, a dozen or more boats were seen there, being filled with a motley assortment of Turkish irregular soldiers — very ir regular, fierce and wild they looked, in ragged clothing of all hues, some with scarcely a whole garment, but all armed with pistols, muskets, wicked-looking knives, cimeters, daggers or swords; and there was a fearful noise and war 21 322 BOHEMIAN DA YS. of tongues as the boatmen and soldiers quarreled as to precedence in conveyance of passengers, officers shouting their orders while the boats jarred and crashed together, rising and falling with the waves. The landing-place seemed overflowing with them, and still they came, and not a boat would give place to us. Where now? — ^it could not be — yes, it was! — to the very rocks where I had deemed a landing impossible ! The boat rose upon a sixteen-foot wave and for a moment touched a rock only occasionally under water, and Mr. Smith sprang out, while Max, who was about to step to the rock, lost his balance at the wave's quick recession, and sat down suddenly — ?«side the boat fortunately. The boatmen rowed vigorously up onto the crest of an other wave which rushed joyously in from this lovely Med iterranean of which I had so often sweetly dreamed, and a boatman giving me the sign, with a quick jump I reached the rock and ran so fast up the rude water-worn steps cut in the rock that I knew not when to stop, but the wonder as to how the balance of the family progressed sent me running back full as quickly. A distracting sight met my eyes — Max on his knees on the rock, rising out of a watery, damp wave, one hand which had been bruised held at right angles to the wrist, the other — oh ! ! the water was pouring like a shower-bath from the hand-basket wherein reposed that little bonnet, plush satchel and various things besides my valuable note book and pocket-handi^erchief — I couldn't even weep with out that ; instead of which I laughed hysterically at seeing the expression of Max's face. If I had been dropped into the sea the next moment for it, I could not have helped it. He did not laugh, and that I was guilty of such enormity he will only learn when perusing this "ower true tale," for in the minute and a half in which his head was gradually revolving on its axis towards me I had becpme solemn and sympathetic. Of course I was sorry, and I reduced myself to order by thinking diligently on the dark side of it. I was sorry for my bonnet — and Max too. How all those beggars realized our helplessness from afar, and came thronging in, I cannot imagine. I did not try to then, being wholly taken up in delivering my basket, shawl-strap, um- beirOt 323 brella, water-proof, and every other article loose or half- loose from invading hands, which indeed made a prize of, and would have borne^ me away had I not strongly objected and been seconded by' the masculine element of the party. We were led into a little pen for the customs-officer to pre tend to examine our baggage, but really to donate him some baksheesh, when he passed our things back with a smile, and we merrily but damply tripped away — especially Max. A little above the landing was the beautiful Oriental Hotel with great glass windows and wide verandahs, by which we passed, following our guides. On the boat, just before landing, the Agent obtained our passport, and presuming still further on his assumed rights over his new charges designated our (or his) hotel beyond the other spoken of, but as they gave their rates, on being desired on entering, as one-third more than had been agreed on, we immediately returned to the far more agreeable Oriental, whose proprietor, a tall, handsome Moslem in navy-blue cloth suit — full trousers, jacket and cap — met us at the door and soon settled us into a pleasant opening into a great marble hall on the second story. At no hotel were we entertained better in every way than in this, where master, servants and guests were of the highest order and prices reasonable. Nothing but praise was heard of the whole establishment by the many travelers who there were entertained. At this hotel we met our newly appointed Consul, Mr. Bissinger, a kind and agreeable gentleman, who rescued our passport from the police, to whom the Agent had sent it in retaliation. A book in which I had been interested described the city of Beiriit as minus water except that from wells, dark at night, and without carriage transportation, but ere our arrival some foreign companies had illuminated it with gas, and brought a fine supply of water from the Dog River, which flows like a fountain from a mountain-cave six miles distant. Immediately after lunch a carriage conveyed us a couple of miles out, to the residence of Dr. Post, whose father, a distinguished physician of New York City, was a friend of 324 ¦ B OHEMIAN DA YS. Max, and then on to see Dr. and Mrs. Bliss, of the fine Syrian Protestant College, whose large buildings stand near their delightful home on a wide terrace a couple of hundred feet above the water of St. George's Bay, the stone house almost hidden in beautiful shrubbery and flowers. While Max accompanied the Doctor through the literary and medical departments, Mrs. Bliss described to me some of the trials of early missionary life, which was very different to this later time of peace and fruition. Her daughter had become the wife of a minister on Mt. Leb anon, near Storer, a gentleman who fifteen years before had been attacked by the people in that vicinity, who destroyed his goods; but nine years later public sentiment had so changed by his good life and constant kindness that on his marriage six hundred people met them and brought many little gifts of provision and fruit, showing in all ways possible their love and good will. We also visited Miss Everett's Girls' School, where everything was carried on in beautiful order. The school had been somewhat injured, it was thought, by large Catho lic Institutions lately erected, but had 125 pupils, who looked happy and contented. There were nine teachers in the house, and three more gave lessons in Arabic, music and writing. In a room in this building Drs. Smith and Vandyke translated the Bible into Arabic. Here we met Miss Thompson, daughter of the mission ary author of "The Land and the Book," and good Dr. Eddy, for thirty years a laborer in this vineyard. Near the school were the substantial little church, the Cemetery and Printing House. At the latter we again met Dr. Bliss, who looked anxious over late tidings of Ottoman legislation. No more books or papers were to be sent out until supervised by some bureau in Constantinople, to see that nothing injurious was disseminated, and what might such judges not consider in this light? The sentiments of all were decidedly non-Mohammedan. Nine schools had been ordered discontinued. The public mind was in an irritable condition. At an institution some distance below Beirut a telephone had connected different buildings on the same lot, but was ordered removed by the authorities, as telegraphs were a government monopoly. Explanations LEBANON. 325 were made of the difference in the articles, and also the fact that it did not extend outside their own walls, but it had not been settled when we left, and the Consul's assistance became necessary. Quite a class of converts among the students was being in structed preparatory to admittance into the Church, and be sides this there is a great work, a civilizing influence con stantly improving the degraded and mistaken peoples of of this country, making home worthier of the name, and gradually raising the standard of moral excellence, and the condition of woman. There are in Syria excellent mission aries of other nationalities and different churches doing good work for the regeneration of Palestine. The retiring consul, Mr. Robeson, and his wife, who were soon to leave for Venice, showed us many kind at tentions, gave us a letter to Mr. Rolla Floyd of Jaffa, the best Conductor in Palestine, and said if we could get board there it would seem like home, as they were Americans, and most hospitable and kind. Beirut has eighty to a hundred thousand inhabitants, (sixty years ago but five thousand) and spreads far outside the old wall. The bazars were lively and bright, especi ally in the jewelry quarter, where were veiled women, many of them followed by slaves, for it would be degrading for one of the harem's beauties to carry even the tiniest parcel. — But wait a few years ! what a contrast when she is com paratively old, and takes the lower place, while new beauties rule in her stead, especially if she have no son. " The threshold weeps when a daughter is born." But I must not linger, many have written far better books than could I in years. I give but a little of what we saw and learned in our flight so fast and far. CHAPTER XXXV. • LEBANON — ^ANTI-LEBANON DAMASCUS. At three o'clock in the morning in the pouring rain we entered a carriage and were swiftly driven to the French diligence station. One of our company wrote the following verses, which may be amusing. ^ 326 BOHEMIAN DA YS. FROM BEIROt to DAMASCUS. We hasten to the Office that we may not be too late. There — with a lot of scalawags — not patiently we wait. A rascally Official searches through our portmanteau. And will not give it up until he has received a dot. A cry outlandish calls us out, we gladly climb to place. But 'ere we start an arm comes in, and a wild brigandish face. How dark it is ! — I am afraid ! — A stronger voice than mine In most decided Saxon giving " baksheesh" doth dechne. rhen starts the rumbling diligence, that penitential car. Fierce blows the rain upon the pane — then shines the morning star. When from the East the welcome Dawn comes smiling on the World A stone adown three thousand feet might easily be hurled. : O Lebanon ! great Lebanon ! how fair a Mount art thou With the olives clustered at thy feet, and the snow upon thy brow ; The orange and the roses, and the fields of emerald green, The fig, and trailing grapevine, in their beauty lie between. We climb upon thy terraced sides 'mid vine and cyclamen ; We see the snowy weazel and the fox fly to his den. While little children from the flat stone huts come peeping out As wild as fawns, yet wondering what " Sittee " is about. Now in a whirling snowstorm wrapped, with heavy whips, and cries, Our six brave horses scarce can move, and soon we realize That around us dangers wait unseen, for the strongest Arab there Is covered from the piercing cold as he hved in Iceland air. O we shiver and we quiver as we dread this foe to face, Though we've hardly room to shake in, cramped in such a narrow space. The dihgence, undihgent, with omnibus-like air, Whose three compartments all are filled by people in despair, Rolls slowly on in dignity. The Doctor — gay is he Within the small small " Imperial " on the top, where only three Can possibly an entrance find ; two Turkish officers Fill up the space like large sardines, so neither of them stirs. The three with heads against the roof, and knees pressed to the pane. Wedged fast hke mummies, patient sit — 'twere no use to complain. " Parlez Francais? " at last a Turk in gutteral accent cries. "Ah — petit — tres !" with friendly wai-n-ith the Doctor quick replies. Then smiles that Officer — and why ? but pointing to the snow "C'est froid," says he, "bonvcm.'i" then laughs and munnurs soft and low. The Doctor tries again. " Dies pulcherissimus," says he. "Si?" "Non comprend." " Italien ! " — how things commingled be! " O — parlez Arabic, Monsieur ? parlez-vous Tourk ? " they smile — " Nix — comeraus," is all they hear — and pause a little while. LEBANON. 327 Some shepherds move with weary step leading their snowy flock. Which silent, wavering, follow them into a house of rock. Another comes, within his arms pressed close unto his breast, Warmed at his heart, a tiny lamb finds refuge and a rest. Within my heart a memory, a sweet thought, doth awake Of a s'ory that my Mother told of a Shepherd who doth take His little ones aweary and fainting by the way, And bear them to their Happy Fold at the closing of the day. Within a valley far below we see the sheltered spot Where dwelt the author Lamertine in retirement half-forgot, Upon the shadowy mountain-side in peace his heart could rest While in the holy, silent eve the stars to him confessed. How brave they work, these earnest men, amid the ice and snow! Wild blows the blast, they labor on, nor thought of respite know. With quivering flanks the good steeds draw the grinding wheels along, ¦yet prance and curvet to escape the swift-descending thong. The rain and hail and snow combine — a picture desolate " There have been travelers here o'erwhelmed I " far be from us the fate! Then downward swift our course is turned, we quickly pass the line — 'Tis like a dream of want and cold, for here are the corn and vine, O Bukah, thou'rt a 'Valley fair, and smihng in content — The mountain-tops are wondrous grand, but by distance charm is lent. We lunch within a cabin by a well, then mount again, And away fresh horses gallop ten miles across the plain To aged Anti-Lebanon, fresh faced, with hoary hair. And a breath which chills us to the heart till we see Damascus fair. Among the lofty poplar trees which fringe the Abana's side. We pass a pleasant country home above the valley wide, And downward gaze on Eden-land — 'tis true, for there's the soil From which Poor Father Adam came, on which he had to toil. So to the dust from which he sprung (assisted by his wife No doubt) he did return (with spade and hoe) ere rendering up his hfe. There raised they Cain, but often wished some other plant had grown: His brother Abel was to die, and fell on yonder stone. With snapping whip o'er stones we slip along the muddy street And dash within great open gates. — Right pleasamt 'tis to meet One face that we have seen before among this gaping crowd — Our German friend, who heartily proclaims our names aloud. Then haste we to " Victoria," that hostel all complete. Where o'er the festive board we soon adventures gay repeat. Day dawns o'er many a sacred mosque and lofty minaret; Soft comes the clear muezzin's call that bids us not forget All sacred things amid the joys and brooding cares of life, But peaceful rest by Allah blest, nor reck of worldly strife. 328 BOHEMIAN DA YS. Here in a city of the dead where each grave's covered o'er That not a drop of rain may touch, we find an open door, And sofdy taking off our shoes (as bidden) enter in To see the tombs where long repose the bones which once had been The " Holy Prophet's " favored wives. A lamp doth ever burn Within the sacred precincts as o'er a treasured urn. Around a lofty mosque we look, and grave of Saladin, Which stands beside bazaars all gay with hvely bargaining. Within the Cousul's pleasant home we rest, and on the roof His handsome wife comes in, unveiled, with cares in our behoof. The tiny cups of cafe-noir, and fruit so rich and ripe We all enjoy, but must dechne the hubble-bubble pipe. What costly furnishing we see, beautiful inlaid doors, Wide marble courts, with palms and flowers, and fine mosaic floors. But haste we all away to view the house upon the wall. Whence, in a basket, kindly hands let down th' Apostle Paul ; And near it the stone-covered tomb where good St. George doth rest, Who died from eating apricots — the fruit he liked the best — Swallowing all the stones, — e'en Saints (how comforting to us! ) May have some flaw of character and yet be righteous. "And was this,'' Max inquired, as he peered under the tomb at the little lamp ready for lighting — " was this the famous Saint George who slew the dragon and threw him into a well there in Beiriit ? " "I dunno," said the German guide dubiously, "I dink so. Dis one been great to St Paul, took 'im down from der wall dere, when Ananias the basket let down. This gate it is Kisan, and dere ist der straight road to Yerusa- lem. Here ist der Greek cemetery mit three pits, one dey opens each dime, an' bush der gufiin in — or many dimes der ist no goffin, like der boor in Idaly, also. Ofer here's der liddle shurch where die der Ghristians herein by der mazzager in i860. Der Druse dey kill, der Durk he care nodings, and tousands dey peen kilt, an' greep away do die, schlecht und gruel — niclit zvahr? " "And what was done by those Nations whose people were slain ? " I indignantly inquired. "Nodings," with a shrug of his broad shoulders. Slowly we drove along the narrow street called " Straight," which to us appeared crooked and rough — until our arrival in another. " Straight" keeps a varying but direct course, DAM.4SCUS. • 329 the only thoro'fare quite across the city. Francois pointed out the large stone building from the front of which the signal was given for the massacre. I afterwards learned that the French made so strong a demonstration soon after that some of the Druses were suddenly " removed," (at least their heads were,) and others fled the country never to return, but many still dwell in the mountains, continually quarreling with the Maronites, some of whom are not much better. Damascus, a city of 150,000 people, is said to have been founded by a grandson of Shem, hence it was several hun dred years old when visited by Abraham on his way to Egypt, then governed by one of the Shepherd Kings, more than forty centuries ago. "Why should it have remained while almost all other cities of the ancient world have long been in ruins ? " I wondered. The great Mosque has beautiful minarets, on one of which -he Savior is expected to alight at His second coming con tains the Tomb of John the Baptist, shows different eras of architecture and some undefaced carving, but wearing with time. From it four entrances open into the bazaars, whence come troops of devotees when the minaret door above them opens and the muezzin calls to prayers. Dam ascus has many gardens in which the people wander around or rest by the canals after obtaining refreshment of sweets, coffee, or the unceasing narghileh. The city is amply irrigated by these canals on different levels, which bring water from the rivers Abana and Pharpar, keeping things rather damp for comfort, we thought. The gentlemen enjoyed the fine baths, where on tessel lated marble floors by flowing fountains they were par boiled, and then rested slumbrously upon sumptuous couches in a perfumed atmosphere. Wealthy Turks spend many hours in tlie heated atmos phere of their private baths. Women are said to talk politics, and intrigue at their public baths, which seems possible where they have so little of interest or amusement, but rather fatiguing for lymphatic temperaments. In the bazaars, which extend for miles under cover, are wonderful collections of what were to us curiosities — ancient arms and armor, jewels, clothing, paint for darkening the 330 BOHkMIAN DA YS. eyes, as in Egyptian pictures; brass bowls, fancy boxes, musical instruments, and pipes by the thousand. Here we paused by the stand of a money changer, and there a letter- writer busily engaged with his reed pen at the dictation of a man standing beside him, while near by stood his long pipe unsmoked and pointed slippers down on the ground in front. How many a letter had he written, with a few scratches of his pen making or marring family fortunes, but the calm face beneath the turban gave no sign. A door opened into a school-room, whence proceeded a great noise, for how else should the master know that the children were studying? I looked within and saw about thirty little fellows of various ages, seated on the floor, swaying their bodies as they buzzed away, but not being able to make myself understood by the Moslem gentleman, who was evidently willing to dispense with my company, I went on to where the children were weaving silk and woolen bands, balls and saddle-girths; jewelers making beautiful silver ornaments ; turners spinning their lathes with a kind of whip; men hammering patterns into brass bowls and trays; shoemakers and tailors busily stitching, but not so absorbed that they could not see everything going on outside; stalls where all kinds of sweets, just manufactured on the spot, and delicious fruits or cakes were for sale, across whose entrance the trustful owners simply drew a string or netting if absent, and yet missed nothing on his return ("they talk of this people being dishonest! " said Max), and lastly we entered a great Kahn, where off the galleries in the second story were numerous tiny rooms with wonderful stores of rich fabrics of silk, some of them run with threads of gold and silver. What a tempting display ! the tall, silk-robed, elderly Armenian gentleman who at last gained our exclu sive attention with great dignity laid out for in.spection and admiration such a gorgeous array of beautiful things that we were fairly dazzled, and knew not which to choose. The prices also were rather grand, but when at last we tore ourselves away he declared with a very downcast face that he was quite ruined, but Max only laughed. " He wants us to think that we have a great bargain, so that we will return," said he. " One could easily spend a small fortune in such a place." DAMASCUS. 331 Just outside the cotton bazaar is the tomb of Saladin, the chivalrous, whose character I could not help, as a child, admiring a little more than the Christian Crusaders, even with the glamour of Sir Walter Scott's history of Richard the Lion-Hearted. Over the sarcophagus in which his ashes rest hangs a green pall, whereon the Faithful may look through iron bars to which are tied many little strings and rags, said by our guide to be prayers. We took a long drive around the suburbs and from a hill had a good view of the shaded town, in form like a big-bowled spoon ("a pipe," Max said) in its eighteen miles wide plain, the houses, generally low, with domes, and sometimes carefully- tended little gardens on the flat roofs. The concrete walls, six or eight feet high, surrounding all the houses, completely shut us in when driving through the narrow streets. In going to the Moslem cemetery the carriage went up and down over large rocks, and churned up the foot-and-a-half deep mud, sending it flying in all directions ; still it was something to get through at all. I could not but think of the millions of small children who might here be accommodated with material for mud-pies, but not a juvenile was in sight — I hardly think that they have been educated up to that point in Syria. On reach ing the old, broken fence we found several inches of thin, greasy mud on the narrow earthen sidewalk, but a couple of boards assisted us in reaching the gateway of the deso late-looking place with its white-washed m.ud-concrete mounds, in a few of which, in little hollows made for the purpose, were sprigs of myrtle, or small bunches of flowers. Near the large tomb of Mohammed's three wives and grandchild Fatima, are the graves of men of letters and war, founders of dynasties, cruel persecutors, and worthy believers — ^just as at home, but the legends engraved upon the marble head-stones (some prettily carved) were illegible to us, which was to be regretted, as learning of the vir tuous and noble lives of the great departed truly recorded — -as of course would be the case on such a grave subject — is calculated to arouse virtuous emulation. I made the mistake of not wearing a heavy veil, of which fact I was 332 BOHEMIAN DA YS. reminded as we stood looking at the Memorial Mosque of the Holy Seventy, by a shower of stones, and looking hastily round saw a formidable crowd of boys, ready for an other onset, and was alarmed, but Francois quickly put them to flight and me into the carriage before they had time to return. He then gave me a history, the founding of the Mosque — to this effect. When Mohammed arrived at the gates of Damascus, thinking to enter without let or hindrance, he found it on the defensive, receiving word in answer to his request that so large a force could not be admitted, 'but " seventy only." Of course he was expected to lead the band, but felt back ward (though not wishing to travel that way, which would be rendered necessary if he " faced the music ") and learn ing that probabilities were strongly against a happy return, he was immediately instructed (by a convenient vision which he carried about with him) that none might go on this expedition who had a sin on their conscience, so he groaned out an accusation against himself which would preclude the possibility of his joining in the glorious enter prise — probably left undone the killing of somebody who would be better out of the way. So the seventy pure, gen tle cut-throats walkedinproudlyand joyfully to their doom, and their Prophet and friend rushed away to provide him self material for carrying out a first-class massacre which Damascus has occasionally, like a fair or a fever in some other places, and finished up by building this fine tomb for his " holy " satellites who had been so smoothly entrapped, and high above on the mountain summit his own Me morial, now broken and disfigured. On this hillside is the light chocolate-colored earth from which Adam was formed — we seldom see descendants bleach out as we have done. The Arabs are more like parched coffee. On this holy spot is a cemetery, although in the clefts of the rock jackalls, foxes and larger animals abound, and the hyena and wolf in the solitude of night seek what they may devour. On the large open square before the Hotel Victoria was the Governor's parti-colored palace, with a number of soldiers in blue standing guard, while women enveloped in their striped shawls and figured veils trotted along on high, DA.UASCUS. 333 wooden pattens set with mother-of-pearl ; men in Arab, Turkish, European and other costumes ; poor beggars in scarcely any costume at all ; officers in resplendent regi mentals — blue, red and gold, on magnificent horses — what a picture they all made ! Beside the house, but not in sight from the entrance, a woman and two children sat down to lunch, but sprang up directly, uttering dismayed cries, and made good their re treat just as sixteen snarling dogs sprang onto the pave ment. The city is full of them ; you have to step over them as they lie sleeping in the sun, but are apt to turn out if they wake, and such poor starved looking creatures that you could almost hear the bones rattle as they walked, yet often fierce. Max went one night for a stroll and saw a gigantic negro "playing a bag-pipe "that looked like a pig, whose mouth would open and show its teeth, and emit a fearful squeak ing and squealing, which greatly delighted the gaping crowd, who, as Max approached, made signals to the man, who immediately advanced towards him with out stretched hand, but he turned away refusing "backsheesh " — then back, feigning to pour a handful, and had the people roaring with laughter, finally giving a small coin, with which the darkey was highly pleased, and brought out a fine exhibition of his powers, including a marvelous dance. The American Vice- Consul at Damascus is a member of a distinguished Syrian family, several of whom were edu cated at the Beiriit College. A dais occupied one end of each large elegant parlor, which was furnished not only with cushions for the convenience of guests who preferred the Eastern mode of sitting, but also an abundance of rocking-chairs, sofas and other appliances for the comfort of Europeans, while before the dais stood a large brazier or stove, surmounted by a golden crescent — emblematic of their religion. The lady of the house, like the wife of the proprietor ofthe Hotel Victoria, was a large and handsome Syrian, the proud mother of two boys, an honor and joy in all Oriental countries. Max did not like Damascus. He reminded me ofa 334 BOHEMIAN DA YS. gentleman who desired to represent his State in Con gress, who replied, when questioned as to his qualifications, that he " could object." " We must return immediately to Beiriit/' he said as we re-entered the hotel. " I'm informed that at this season it is not unusual for Lebanon to have such a snowfall that this valley is completely isolated for weeks, and that won't do; besides I'm tired of this mud and the general damp con dition of the whole place. They say it is more agreeable later in the season, but we can't wait for that — I wish we were in Egypt now." CHAPTER XXXVI. HAIFA LANDING AT JAFFA. We diligenced the 78 miles in 13 hours of the next day, through alternate spring and winter, catching a view of Mount Hermon by the way, and from snowy Lebanon descended into a summer land full of beauty and delight. The next day as I looked out from a window of the Hotel d'Orient upon the tossing billows, my three American lady friends agreed that the prospects were dark indeed for a pleasant voyage, even if we reached in safety our steamer, which stood nearly a mile away in the offing. " And where is the use?'' they said. "If the sea is rough }'ou cannot land at Jaffa; we were brought past there a week ago." But our arrangements all having been made, from that same dark, sea-washed rock, our kind Proprietor dropped nie into a boat as it rose for an instant on a seething billow, then sank backward almost beneath the wave, rising however upon it with a bound it touched the step, and Max coming heavily down sent us into the trough of the sea and himself into the bottotn of the boat, but a\\a}- we rowed, while anx ious, kindly friends watched from the shore. A stormy night, as usual, but a bright morning as we entered the Bay of Haifa, a little Arab town, w ith a long reach of j-ellowish sand rounding in a beautiful curNc to the fortified, \\-alled town of Acre (or Akka) ten miles distant across the bright LANDiNo AT HAIFA. (See page 335.) HAIFA. 335 blue bay. Palm trees were by the way and trains of bur dened camels, the river Kishon, a pretty little stream ; and below Haifa the beautiful homes of a German Colony, while to the right, back of it, rose the sacred heights of Mt. Carmel. I involuntarily became a central figure in an effective "tableau vivant" — decidedly vivant ! As the boat rose on an ambitious wave, quick as a flash a tall Arab, standing upon a" seat, with one arm swept me from the step, and as half o'erturned the. boat lay on a billow some thirty feet away that Arab and I stood as if about to waltz, looking down into the green hollow that might have been our grave. Once I glanced at Max — still — very still, on the ladder, with an expression of horror freezing on his face, — I didn't want to pain him, even for such a picture, and dropped down into the boat. I think that Arab must have been crazy. Near- ing the shore, our boat was driven swiftly forward, nearly capsized by each snow-capped wave, which however only sprinkled us, and rolled back to meet the on-coming sea. The probability of boat-wreck had drawn quite a crowd of natives to the shore to pick up the pieces. Max, more grave than gay, inquired of me, " Why did we come, any how ? " but I was too earnestly occupied with contingencies to reply, and presently, the boat having anchored itself in the sand, we sailed out gracefully on the backs or shoulders of the Arabs. At first I did not realize that it could be done, and Max was half-way to the shore — I looking help lessly after him — when a tall fellow up to his waist in water turned his shoulders towards me with a " Come along ! " so I came. " If I only had your picture," Max afterwards remarked "riding out on that Arab's shoulder, holding onto his wool, the proceeds would pay our way half roi^d the world,'' and he cruelly laughed. Our walk of about two miles through the irregular little town and up the side of Mt. Carmel we greatly enjoyed : the voyage makes Mother Earth seem doubly dear, especially in the dewy morning, among lovely flowers, o'ershadowing trees, trailing, vines and the sweet song of birds — a Spring Idyl of this Holy Land. Within the high walls enclosing the Carmelite Convent 336 BOHEMIAN DAYS. our first sensations were not the most agreeable, for several large dogs seemed to show an extraordinary number of teeth when coming hurriedly forward to make our acquaint ance. Simultaneously with our hurried entrance into a doorway the good fathers, in brown habits, hastened bare headed out to our rescue, and with kindly protestations made us welcome to the fortress-like abode. After visiting the chapel and the " Grotto of Elijah '' below, descending about twenty steps with the white rock all around us, we were rested in their reception-room, in which I was left in charge of a polite French monk, very kind but evidently afraid, who showed me the apartments reserved for strangers and various relics, while the gentlemen perambulated the private rooms and sanctuaries of the secluded ones, without how ever being greatly tempted to follow their example, or per haps their indifference was assumed in deference to my dis appointment. My nice monk gave me a medal as a sou venir of my visit, " scapularies that had been blessed," a flower he had piessed, and a small paper containing some of the powdered rock of St. Elijah's aforetime habitation. Our kind entertainers would have us partake of a collation in their refectory, after which we donated our douceurs, gathered flowers from a large boulder in the bare court-yard, took a last look from the rocky height far over sea and land, said " adieu," and were again in the free mountain air, infi nitely preferable to the space within cool, damp walls. The spot where the great sacrifice and destruction of the prophets of Baal occurred was beyond our sight on the Esdraelon side of the mountain, and Nazareth, but twenty miles away, where dwells holy Bishop Niphon, was equally out of reach if we would return in time to continue our journey in the " Ettore." In the pretty German town with stone houses and wide, shady streets we were shown the residence of Lawrence Oliphant, and greatly regretted his recent bereavement, and the consequent impropriety of calling on him. Growing on some rocks was a sweet little cream-colored blossom with scent like the flavor of the delicious honey of Palestine. " Let me hold it for you,'' said Mr. Brown, kindly, " it will be so in your way going to the boat." He may be LANDING A T JAFFA. 337 holding it alongside Pompey's Pillar in Alexandria now, for what I know — I never saw it again. In Haifa bay are found Murex shells, whose inhabitants furnished from a sack in their throats the dye so highly prized by the Ancients — Tyrian purple. The sixty miles down the coast to Jaffa was run in the night, and next morning, reaching the deck with difficulty, for the waves were very restless, the town of flat-roofed houses built on terraces over a conical hill 153 feet high drew our attention almost as much as the Rocks of Andro meda — remains of aij ancient breakwater extending from a point to the south, forming a small but safe harbor, but over which huge waves were dashing in spray full thirty feet high. About the centre of these dark rocks (from which Persetjs had delivered his beloved from the jaws of the huge sea- monster) was an opening twenty feet wide, through which boats had to pass or go around the north end, where there was danger for a longer time but not so imminent. Beyond this was a wide reach of sandy shore called Jonah's Bay. Very frequently steamers pass by without landing their passengers, and no wonder, to one watching the waves roll ing and dashing the boats about; as for me I gazed with fas cination for a time. " I cannot," was my trembling ejacula tion. "Very well," Max calmly replied, "then we will go straight on to Egypt." Should I destroy that good man's placid content by brac ing up my faltering resolution ? Not see Jerusalem ? Towards this very point, through many days of wandering, had not my pilgrim eyes been turned ? sooner than miss it I would take my chance of floating ashore on a raft ! " In a few minutes it is no one can go,**' said one of our Austrian officers. " The sunrise hour is good, perhaps," doubtfully; " soon no one can land.'' A young man stepped briskly up to Max. " I am a Tourist Agent — also American Vice-Consul, you will need our protection," he said in a positive voice, hand ing his card ; " I will take you ashore immediately, and ar range for your going on to Jerusalem." 22 338 BOHEMIAN DAYS. " Thanks," Max replied, returning his card, " I had so much ' protection ' at BeirCit I think I can get along with out it here," and turned to Howard's boatmen whom he had engaged, while the youth turned in passing down the side to call back insolently : " Then I will not see about your going on to-day to Jerusalem in our carriages ! " and disappeared from our horizon. " Ha ! ha ! ha ! I don't think he will," laughed Max— " Take care how you go down these shaking steps. Now — quick ! — step in — oh, what waves ! " They fairly took our breath away. Max had several times remarked that he "thought we took a heap of trouble to enjoy ourselves," and he re peated it now as we rocked in a deep trough of the sea, and then rose on a hill of water from which we had a good view of the world in general, but the bosom of the " s?asty deep " seemed quivering with strong emotion, in which we shared. As we neared the rocks the danger became more immi nent. " Hold onto the side," Max whispered hoarsely, with ashen face — " let your basket go — unfasten your cloak." Which I did as quickly as my trembling fingers would allow. The leader had been singing a monotonous chant, while the crew responded at stated intervals "Allah! " but now the tones became broken — and ceased. One man at his mas ter's command laid down his oar and stepping back sat down near me — I knew in a moment they were preparing for wreck, he being detailed to endeavor to save me. He viewed me with the eye of an expert, to judge how bast to "grab" me when the trjnng moment came, — as a dog might on a rabbit — a cat on a mouse, but with no such fell intent. The men were looking eagerly over our shoulders, speak ing hurriedly one to another. I also glanced back and saw a terrible, awe-inspiring, yet grand sight — had one the time to spare for admiration, — a great wave six or eight feet high, and constantly increasing in volume and intensity, dashing after us like a line of huge race-horses a mile long. LANDING A T JAFFA. 339 roaring, raging, rushing upon us like wild beasts after prey. Upward it reared, the rich green curve crowned with a tossing wreath or mane, snowy and quivering in the sun light. Absolute terror seized me as I turned from this huge sea- monster to the great black rocks before us with only that one passage through, toward which our men were rowing as those will whose lives are in the balance, and I looked into the white face of my companion — there was no time for speech, even could I have been heard in the tempestuous din, or my cold lips not refused their office. In a moment more we were dashed hither and thither like a toy of the wild waves, the heavy spray covered us from sight, the noise of roaring water and resounding rocks deafened us, we al most overset one side and then the other, while above and around the waters whirled and foamed and raged. When apparently submerged and on the point of destruction, we rose on the surface of an immense wave, or stream, right in the channel between the great dark rocks, which after all had saved us by bearing the weight of the shock of the powerful in-flowing wave, and from the wild rush of conflict we were in a moment transported into a quiet little harbor, where the men slowly rowed to shore. From death to life, from terror and conflict to such peace that the remnants of emotion still vibrating within us seemed out of place. " I never want to be in such a close place again," Max remarked, gathering the belongings together which had been of small moment not long before. When lifted out onto the rough, water-worn steps among a crowd of Arabs carrying bags of wheat, boxes of oranges and other commodities, I was surprised to find myself un able to stand, but on resting quietly a few moments Nature infused into us with the land air a draught pf her elixirvitse, awakening also an ever increasing interest as we walked the dirty little streets among stacks of merchandise, loading camels who turned occasionally with a complaining cry as they felt themselves overweighted or took articles off with their teeth ; donkeys with great loads of loose brush, or cans of water, little arched bazars where bargains were being made in all kinds of wares, and before them a constant tide of turbaned Turks, Arabs in loose robe and head-shawl, and 340 BOHEMIAN DA YS. tourists and pilgrims, in fez and fur, bound for Jerusalem. Many Russians belonging to the Greek Church (which is much like the Catholic) are assisted by their Government to go on pilgrimage by ship-transportation from points on the Black Sea, and consular care and protection, and their Church authorities in Jerusalem provide habitations where two thousand can be lodged at one time in a great hospice. CHAPTER XXXVII. JAFFA THE STORY OF A COLONY — JONAH's BAY — TO JERUSA LEM. Jaffa, once a large, walled town, has passed through great vicissitudes on account of its being the best landing and shipping point in the south-west Mediterranean. It now contains some 5,000 inhabitants in its light stone, flat- roofed dwellings, has several mosques, small bazars, a small porticoed public square, and a covered fountain, one of the few remnants of Saracenic art. We passed through the old city gate, and a fruit market where melons were very abundant, then over a sandy road near half a mile to Howard's Hotel, a two-story stone building with wide hall, and garden laid out in shell walks, with an abundance of tropical plants, a summer-house and h'ly-padded pond ofthe noisiest Egyptian' frogs — I " guessed." From a front verandah in the second story I looked into a Moslem cemetery where sad funereal rites were taking place over a little child— a boy of course, whose weeping mother could not be comforted. A dozen blind mourners chanted as they followed the bier, while others filled every pause with wailing and lamentation. A partly closed tent was over the grave, within which, the mother's clinging arms being removed from her dead, the little coffin was covered quickly from sight, upon the new made grave were laid fresh sprigs of myrtle, and the mourners, save two kneeling women, slowly dispersed, many to other graves where they sat down, showing in various ways regret and respect for their own departed — or having blind mourners JAFFA. 341 to wail for them and recite passages from the Koran, while they chatted comfortably together and ate fruit and sweet meats, had a pleasant little picnic, as it were, while the reg ular business and duty of mouring was carried on by proxy with due earnestness and zeal, occasionally assisted by a word of admonition, or a kind of weeping and wailing parenthesis, from which they turned comfortably again to the pleasant neighborly gossip — or perhaps their conversa tion was wholly ofthe virtues ofthe departed. This was how it appeared to a kindly- inclined onlooker. The silken or cotton-clad Orientals threw aside their veils for the time, as no men were present but the blind, who did not count; but few faces were beautiful or intellec tual, but many lighted by genuine kindliness or emotion. Max had sent word to Mr. Floyd, or we should have re mained with Mr. Howard, a Europeanized Syrian of good address, who showed us every attention ; the meals were good, rooms clean and pleasant. Soon after reaching his hotel I remembered that my watch was reposing under my pillow on the steamer, and felt " as if I had let a bird go," as Max says, but Mr. How ard immediately dispatched a trusty Arab who soon re turned with it intact — ^also carrying Max's overcoat, left in our hasty debarkation. Was I not sorry that coat had been left? On our way to Mr. Floyd's on a rise half-amile further, were sitting in the sand and dust the closely-enveloped, motionless forms of three poor lepers, the first we had seen, and we heard their shrill cries for assistance: " Sittee ! baksheesh ! " It would take a hardened heart, it seemed to me, to refuse such unfortunates, hideous, hopeless, gradu ally dying of an affliction irremediable, a horror to others and to themselves — how welcome must l^e death! Within a high stone wall on a slight elevation was a group of houses, mostly frame, surrounded by gardens rich in foliage, fruit and flowers, and among them we found the cosy httle home of Mr. and Mrs. Rolla Floyd, Americans, but long resident in this Jaffa Colony. Those parties who secure Mr. Floyd's services are fortunate, for he isjustly considered the best conductor and guide in Palestine, and we thanked Mr. Robeson again as we enjoyed the peace, 342 BOHEMIAN DA YS. rest and plenty beneath this hospitable roof, where we re mained for nearly a week to recruit after our fatiguing journey to Jerusalem. Their story was an interesting one, told upon the scene of its occurrence. Some twenty years before, a ship set sail from New England, having as passengers two hundred and fifty colonists led by a Second Advent preacher named Adams, whose doctrines they believed, being persuaded that the coming of the Lord was nigh at hand and it be hooved His people to await Him in His own land well be loved. When they arrived, weary and sick from their long sea voyage and rough landing, behold ! instead of the lovely and fruitful homes promised by a resident consul who had received their money to buy land, this wicked and cruel man represented to them that the natives were angry at their coming into the country and would kill them all did any leave the beach, where he drew a cordon around their miserable huts and tents. The season was inclement, and many died from various causes, among them intemperance, for, to fill the cup of his iniquity, this agent had placed a bar within the camp for the sale of alcoholic stimulants, and sickness, fear, idleness, despair, led many to imbibe. The whole place became a hospital, and still the vampire kept up his earnest warnings and appeals for patience. At last one man, frenzied at the deathly illness of his only child, rushed into the town, declaring that he might better die fighting than with tied hands see those he loved destroyed — it was death either way, and to his surprise on every side were kindly sympathizing friends instead of enemies; they had been wantonly deceived and " evil-entreated." The Government at Washington being informed of their trou bles and destitution sent a ship for their return home, but a few brave and determined ones remained, and after a time a German colony joined them, part ofthe Hoffmanites,asthey are called, who coming from Germany to the Holy Land divided into companies and went to Jerusalem and Haifa as well as Jaffa, where they maintained themselves frugally in quiet, industrious content. There was restful peace in the very air of Jaffa. " This is not life, it is mere existence," said Max, "but what a drawback this people would be if as deceitful and A COLONY. 343 untrustworthy as they are represented. Was there not a banker murdered not very long since near the road to Jeru salem, Mr. Floyd ? " "Yes, but that was an exceptional case, a private feud. There are criminals all over the world. Doctor, and I do not believe the Arabs are more treacherous than the Greeks, revengeful than Italians, or hot-headed than the Irish, and in every country one has to take care of his own.'' " True enough. Does farming pay here ? " "Ten percent, right along if proper care is used. We have to irrigate, but this is easily done with the wheel and buckets turned by ox or donkey power, for there is a cop ious supply of water a short distance below the surface. But few countries equal us in fruit, and we export a large amount of wheat and barley annually." " I never saw or tasted oranges quite so delicious as those given us in the Austrian Consul's orchard yesterday," said I. "The rind is thick, but the great size allows for that." "We have abundance of other fruits, such as the pome granate, banana, lemon, apricot, quince and plum — you can notice the scent of the blossoms now." "The water-wheels are like some in Italy and Southern France,'' said Max. ''Some may be, but the na'ura I suppose to be indige nous — I never saw ropes made of branches before." " I sec that you use fertilizers." "Yes, sir, it is necessary for a good crop." "Are there other industrio ? — do the successors of Simon the Tanner remain to this day ? " "There are tanneries, soap-factories, potteries, where the thin Arabian jars are made — a little silk too." "Such a rough landing-place must be against com merce," I remarked. , "Yet if the best on this coast, Madame; so from an early era it has been an important place. I think at the little creek there may have been a canal opening to the lowland lear the Austrian Cor.sul's. It is said that all Solomon's timber for the Temple and his palace was landed here, and probably it was floated directly into a small lake there." "It was here that Napoleon had four thousand prisoners shot," said Max. "A cruel deed ! " 344 BOHEMIAN DA YS. " Some of his cannon stood by the old building at the Austrian Consul's, when I came," said Mr. Floyd. "I was told that below there the massacre occurred. Jaffa has had quite a history, so many times destroyed, and at last de serted because of the numerous pirates who came on pilfer ing expeditions. This town is not much over a hundred years old. You spoke of danger, Madame, but not nearly so many lives are lost as formerly, because of our expert swimmers who know every foot of the coast. You had a pretty rough time. Doctor ? " " I thought so," said Max, taking another orange. "An hour earlier would have been better. Yes, many have been drowned there." " I was down on the beach a while ago, and saw a felucca capsized and broken to pieces on those rocks, while its cargo of boxes started in on their own account and were split into kindling wood directly. The rocks and waves played ball with the oranges, which then set in with the tide to the beach near me. I tell you there was a race of about a hundred Arabs large and small to that particular spot, where they rushed into the waves after the prize. I noticed, Mr. Floyd, that though the yellow piles were not far apart on the sand, and numbers of children ran to and fro among them, they remained intact- — not an orange was taken, which didn't tend to illustrate the stories we have heard of their dishonesty." " I think they are generally honest among themselves, but some of them deem a stranger lawful prize. There are many good people among themi." "I do not think so, Mr. Floyd," said a lady emphatically. " Strangers meet with so many who belong to a floating population, eager to make what they can," he replied dep recatingly; "in traveling at home or on the Continent you know one is not always thrown into the highest-toned so ciety of a country unless by accident. Your natives there on Jonah's Bay, Doctor, were not on exhibition at all, but you happened to see them in a truer light than if they had noticed your presence. Before an audience we are all actors more or less." " Jonah ! it was here he set sail, was it ? Where was JONAH'S BAY. 345 Tarshish ? — ' no one knows ' ? It was strange the great fish should have returned him to the starting-point." "Are there whales in the Mediterranean now, Mr. Floyd?" I enquired, as we rose from table. " It is thought not, but in those early days the ships were comparatively few, you know, and whale-fishing not what it has been since. At various times great sea-mon sters have been seen." " Pliny or Josephus, I forget which, speaks of the bones of an animal being sent from Joppa to Rome, perhaps it was Jonah's leviathan ; it was forty feet long, and as high as an elephant; but they believed then that Jonah had been taken by the fish into the Euxine Sea." " Let us hold to our earlier tradition. Max," said I. "We have been familiarly acquainted with Jonah since early childhood — a very long time — for my part I feel it a privi lege, not to be lightly cast aside, to visit the scene of his exciting adventures. Probably he washed ashore like your oranges on the fine beach of sand and shells. Doubt is discouraging, you know, especially as we have but just landed in this country famous for its traditions." So we agreed not to encourage doubt, nor to follow up a story too closely to its source. Early the next morning, Saturday the 5th of March, we " took up our carriages for Jerusalem," that is to say we started in a light rain and rather heavy covered light wagon, (much like our mountain-resort hacks), but our spirits were brighter than the day, and to our lips came happy songs — psalms perhaps — for were we not bound for " the hill country of Judea," and the Holy City? The occasion was unique. " If I could only realize it !" I said to myself as we gaily trotted over the wide Plain of Sharon, past great orange groves protected by hedges of gigantic prickly pear, fields of green wheat and barley growing luxuriantly, and untilled land covered with a vari egated carpet of lovely wild flowers, scarlet poppies and anemones, yellow buttercups, white daisies, marsh mallows, marigolds and many others quite strange to me which " our courier " handed in at every pause we made. " I not know hits name in English," said he, as a 346 BOHEMIAN DA YS. flower with many light lilac-tinged stars upon a long stem came into my lap; " in Arabic iss Bas-shik." We met many Arabs, and saw enough of the degrada tion of the weaker sex to shake my tranquil mood. One feels like taking hold with a strong hand and bringing these elevated tyrants to reason — but what a thankless task ! We have only to look upon the country and remember the many noble lives devoted to this work to realize that good results are a slow harvest. " Blessings on the work ers ! " I say — and pass on. — " I may not 'desert Mr. Mi- cawber.' " We met a lordly fellow stepping along proudly, clad in snow-white embroidered garments, with soft white hands folded over the handsome scarf jauntily folded around him, while a few paces behind walked one of his wives — slaves I should say — carrying a bundle in her bare arms, and on her head a sack — grain probably, her one old gar ment of heavy blue cotton thrown back from her throat, as she, staggering with overweight and exertion, pantingly hastened by. Poor creature ! poor sister in bondage ! here indeed was need for Woman's Rights and a story of woman's wrongs. She knew not even that she had a soul, — but the expression on that scarred face and in those angry hunted eyes told that she had a temper, and I strongly suspected (and hoped) that that old heathen did not always step in so lordly a style within his own close domi cile. A fat important-looking little Arab came trotting along on a small white donkey equally in good order, from whose sides his bare brown legs stood funnily out. He was also clad in white, the round brown face crowned by an immense white turban. A woman closebehind also had to trot to keep up, holding a sack on her bare head with one hand while the other clasped a babe to her bosom. How weary and despondent she looked, as, turning half around, she spoke to an aged woman, wrinkled and hag gard, who struggled to keep up, yet gradually fell behind with an expression sullen and miserable. " I wonder they can endure so !" "What can they do ?" Max enquired. TO JERUSALEM. 347 " I think a few hundreds of our feminine fellow-citizens would set things a little straighter — or perish." "Each county has its customs," he replied indifferently. Some of the women when young and married to wealthy men are mere dolls and wrapped up mind and body in jewels and beautiful raiment, but when older are poor drudges. The hardest worked is the one wife of the poor man, but she is not so rigidly secluded, and frequently wears no veil. Twelve miles quickly but roughly passed, and we drove into Ramleh (the old Arimathea, whence came the good Joseph) with its mosques, great underground ruins, and White Tower. This town has a history, buried, like its ruins, in mystery, and one religion has superseded another, as the Christian churches with a few Saracenic touches be came mosques. These heathen showed wisdom in their generation by changing instead of destroying, adopting as it were by adding a new name. The White or Saracen Tower of Gothic make is crowned with a Moslem round tower and balcony, and many believe it to have originally been the campanile or bell towerofagreat Christian church of early times — perhaps of the flrst Crusades. It is a weather-worn structure of light stone, twenty-five feet square at the base, diminishing at each story upwards. On climbing the 126 steps you have a magnificent view of the wide Plain of Sharon with white villages dotting the level land and hill-sides; the neighboring convent and hotel, mosques, minarets and flat-roofed dwellings. The chief mosque was once the Church of St. John. While waiting alone in the carriage for a few moments a disturbing ele ment intruded itself— horribly deformed lepers who coarsely exhibited their decaying members, following as I looked from side to side, but when I hastily took out my note book and commenced writing, they fell aWay from me like last year's leaves in a storm — probably fearful of some ca balistic charm. There now was a more rolling country with frightful roads, which we were informed were " Roman " boulders, but even the " antique" idea could not charm us into con tent, as our Jehu "drove furiously" down every especially rough hill, evidently enjoying himself hugely as he re- 348 BOHEMIAN DAYS. bounded from the seat, or sat all over it, with arms akimbo holding fast to the reins, while his frayed and faded fez tassel bobbed wildly to and fro. I should have enjoyed it out of sympathy had it not been too impossible. Each time we had an idea of remonstrating when breath again came to us, but then the necessity had passed. We saw the country in its beautiful season of spring tide and looked with delight at the verdure and brightness around us, the red soil, green grass and grain, meadows dotted with a thousand flowers, trees of many kinds unseen at home — the carob, a kind of large-podded honey-locust on which John the Baptist is said to have lived, as well as the Prodigal Son when feeding the swine, the sycamore, which on its wide branches bears figs instead of seed-balls or " buttons," the tomb-loving cypress, the tamarisk, olive and acacia. Around us flew birds of song, and in the damp fields were storks and quails. A small cloud of crows de scended on a hillock near us, many of which had gray mingled with the black. " It is the little boy cawk,"said Ibrahim Shadide,our guide. I had not before known that the young crows differed from the old in plumage. At " Howard's Hotel " we lunched, and looked into some old tombs, and as we drove away over hill and dale gradu ally rose before us the Mountains of Judea, pale purple in the distance, upon which the sunshine lingered lovingly, while above was the soft blue sky where the gray and white clouds had rifted apart. Down one very steep hill we wound back and forth to rise in the same way on the opposite side a few moments later, but it really seemed as if our Arab had an idea of taking the short cut, so dizzily we swung around the cor ners. From the rocky side of Bab-el- Wad, after passing Job's Well, Ibrah'im brought lovely rose-tinted cyclamens, which he called " dweg-geb-al ; " then Max and he climbed briskly upward and met us from a by-path, among stones and bushes, far above. At the entrance to a rocky pass were remains of an old Roman fortress, and one where the Crusaders kept guard, at the boundary between Judah and Benjamin. " Birs — place de Pen'tent T'ief : " a few houses on a stony TO JERUSALEM. 349 hill-side beyond the Valley of Ajalon and Gibeon's Hill, where the sun stood motionless at command of Joshua; then the spot was shown, "Zorah," where Samson was born, — all in a wide country encompassed by rock-ribbed mountains cut or worn into terraces. A group of barefeet, unveiled women, poorly clad, yet with coins dangling on hair and neck, passed down the hill bearing heavy loads of brushwood they had gathered, and seemed lively enough despite their hard lot. " A poor country for farming," said Max to Ibrahim. " De baileys — way out from road so green — oh, beauti ful!" he replied; "beeg crop dere — but Turk!" with a gesture of despair, " He take all. You maybe have olive tree ? if no olive grow — pay all same, so poor Arab he lose cow and cut off de tree to not pay tax." So Turkey's myrmidons kill her " goose with a golden egg," and the sad-faced, emaciated people drag out a hard existence. Could the steep mountain-sides be irrigated, the vine and olive would thrive there, for so rich is the soil that in every little cleft of the rock plants bud and blossom. Descending another hill, we saw to the right the dark and frowning fortress- dwelling ofthe noted robber, Abu Ghosh. "Him kill many people — long time dis road not safe. Abu him dead — chil'en mebbe fraid, no hurt more," said Ibrahim. This was the remains of old Kirjath-Jearim, where the ark so long rested. " Je'miah live here long time 'go ;" it was a dismal hollow that Max thought " sufficient to account for his low spirits." But not far beyond was the cheerful little village on a green, terraced hill-side, half-hidden in an olive grove — "Ain Karim" — the Fountain, birthplace of John the Bap tist; and driving swiftly around a sharp curve we paused before the inn at Kuloniyeh, in whose doorway stood a descendant of Abu, I judged, by his ogre-ish appear ance. As usual the three horses, which were driven abreast, were detached and fed at a httle wooden trough at one side, where the driver limbered their ears by giving each a twisting pull to which they made no objection, and Max and Ibrahim went to see what was to be seen in all direc- 350 B OHEMIAN DA YS. tions. The passers were an interesting study (they ap peared to think the same of me), Arabs with flowing abas (or robes), and kuffias (head shawls) of various colors bound round the head by a dark cord, or rope ; a Turkish of ficer in his bright uniform, women with flowing white veils, and robes not hiding bright little slippers, or bare ankles, as they rode astride on wide, flat saddles ; men on donkeys alighting to sit on or lean against the wall by the bridge, exchanging a careless word of greeting with each new comer — and here came a company of dark stalwart fellows, with nondescript linen garments reaching a little below the knee, ragged sack-coats of blue, lined with sheep- skin, and dirty-white, red-crowned turbans. I began to feel very much alone, but Max opportunely appeared from beneath the stone bridge, looking earnestly at some pebbles in his hand. " That is the brook from which David selected his peb bles for killing Goliath," said he, panting, for the bank was steep, "perhaps he used that very one — see the blood on it?" showing a red one. But I could not agree to that, though it is believed to be the scene of the giant's defeat, and the bright little stream dashing over its rocky bed flows into the Valley of Elah. "We thought the road rocky going overland into North Carohna, but this beats it all hollow," said Max, looking at the small fields upheld and divided by walls of rough stone; ¦¦ enough limestone to supply the world." I alighted to climb with Max a steep path from which we came into the old road upon a rock plateau, worn by forty centuries of travel and traffic, armies and caravans, by the laborers of Solomon with the great cedars of Lebanon, by the carriages of the Apostles, and in later centuries the grand forces of Paynim and Crusader. Here I gathered for myself a handful of cyclamens. Night was approaching as we passed scattered hamlets and a German school, but not yet Jerusalem, for which we strained our eyes on attaining each new elevation. A great field full of rounded rocks like petrified waves of the sea — a small square tower and wall — large light-stone buildings. JERUSALEM. 351 " Russian chu'ch and convent," said Ibrahim, " big dome — and dere — Yerusalem ! " Before us was the high wall and Jaffa Gate, a large square tower, with the Citadel of Saladin, and David's Tower close inside, and the summits of two or three domes beyond them. Not very imposing save in the light of past events, but friends had told us that we should be disap pointed, so we were prepared not to be, but felt a strong desire to penetrate at once into the hallowed and myster ious precincts. "This is the Hotel Feil, I suppose," said Max, as we turned abruptly to the left onto a grassy bank and stopped before a two-story quadrangular stone building; "purer air, they told me, than inside the walls." Our small room in the second story, with snowy beds and tiny stove, had French windows opening onto a balcony towards the city, from which I looked out while Max went for a walk. How strange it seemed ! Could this be the Jerusalem of the Bible ? CHAPTER XXXVIII. SABBATH MORNING IN JERUSALEM — AN AMERICAN COLONY VIA DOLOROSA — CHURCH OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE — AYES- HA'S HOME. The sound of Sabbath bells was in my ears as I awoke, and bright sunshine everywhere as I peeped out of the win dow to be certain that it was not all a dream. It was nearly half-past ten when we started to church, but the clerk stepped out to inform us that service always began punctually at ten, so after looking down the valley, over at the hills beyond and the wall to the left, we walked down the broad street — the Jaffa Road, looking at the hucksters on both sides with their various wares, little coffee stands, light-costumed women with jars of water, wine or milk, venders of fruit, rehcs and curios by the dozen, and beggars innumerable who beset every stranger with cries of lamentation. Hundreds of pilgrims from the Rus-' 352 BOHEMIAN DAYS. sian Hospice were passing in at the Gate, their short- waisted, fur-trimmed coats and high hats contrasting with the loose Oriental dress around them, while some of the women wore coarse coats and men's boots, in -which, being short-limbed, and bound to keep up, they strode or waddled along in serious, blissful unconsciousness, realizing that after months of pilgrimage they had at last arrived at the glorious consummation, and in a few moments their eyes would be fixed upon the Sepulchre, their vows paid and every sin forgiven. Happy people ! To our right lay the deep narrow Valley of Hinnom, with its Lower Pool of Gihon, as we walked down the road where King Solomon passed in state after his coronation — so we were informed by the German Professor of the Eng lish Mission School near, who conducted us into the pretty garden and the cemetery beyond connected with his Insti tution, where rest noted laborers in this Mission field. Here was also a stone stairway cut down through solid toc'k, but now filled with debris, and a large spring to which it led. Across the valley was Aceldama, or " Potter's-field,'' and just above us the site of Solomon's great palace, rich in cedar-wood, silver, ivory and gold, of which not a vestige remains. We climbed the steep, rough side of Mt. Zion, and en tered the Christian burying-ground, where two men were digging a grave, throwing out piecemeal its three former inhabitants, and while Max interviewed them in a gesture language of his own .manufacture (patent not }et applied for), I crossed the space full of green mounds to look at the Mosque which covers the vault in which repose the ashes of King David, and at a group of weeping people who knelt and kissed the rough stone wall — pilgrims adoring " a holy spot." They took small stones with a little wax at the side, for cibly pressed them until they adhered firmly and became integral parts of the wall itself, then pocketed them with great unction as relics, then followed their conductor to some other sacred place. Poor simple-hearted people ! they go as directed by their priests, kissing every relic, stone or picture ; gixing money, if they have it, at every shrine; buying their burial robes JERUSALEM. 353 covered with sacred emblems, and depart loaded down with flowers, crosses and beads, plants and water from the Jordan, crowns of thorns — a thousand devices of a moneymaking people who trade on their credulity — all " blessed " by the priests to give them double sanctity. On Zion's Hill is " Caiaphas House,'' where are shown a wonderfully impossible group, such as " the place where Jesus stood," where " Peter stood," the csenaculum and tomb, and the marble pillar on which rested the cock whose crowing aroused Peter to his duty. There is also a vault called the Tomb of David, with the " Chamber of the Pass over " above it — on the authority of " inspiration," forgetful that Titus destroyed the city, and locations even were lost. Near Zion Gate we passed the huts of many lepers ; went down a rocky path to a lower entrance — the Mogrebin Gate, I think, by which we entered a narrow, dirty by-lane between cactus hedges, and then passed through still dirtier paved alleys, called streets, through bazars much smaller than those of Damascus, where bargaining was quite lively ; then by streets somewhat wider to the old Tower of David with its great stones, where in company with a crowd of pilgrims, horses, donkeys, camels and beggars we passed the well-guarded Jaffa Gate (entering at the east and going out north) and soon reached our hotel by the wide boule vard (made for the Empress Eugenie, I was told) and enjoyed the fresh air and open country once more. At lunch Mr. Arbelee, the newly appointed American Consul, spoke to us of an interesting American Colony led by Mr. and Mrs. Spafford of Chicago, who had been cruelly mahgned by some individuals, but were excellent people, believers in the speedy coming of the Savior to His people, and awaiting His advent in the Holy City, doing meanwhile many deeds of kindness, in fact "living Christ "—minister ing unto his poor, nursing the sick, receiving the homeless, and welcoming the stranger within their gates, winning the unfeigned respect alike of wandering Arabs and cultured Moslems. Within their walls the Bedouin spread his mat and rested secure, while young Turks came by the dozen to hear their sweet voices in sacred song, or converse with those from whom they could learn so much, while happier still was their influence towards ameliorating the condition of 23 354 BOHEMIAN DA YS. . women, who received more respect, and fathers began to think it not unmanly to caress their little daughters. The wife of a roving sheik beyond the Jordan came to see them and implore assistance — her husband had put her away and taken a yoQnger and fairer woman into his tent. "We can only pray God to touch his heart," was their reply. A few weeks after this sheik sent them an invitation to .visit the tribe, as they had entertained many of his people, and horses to convey them ; and despite warnings of many who said they would never return from the " robbers," they went over into the Mountains of Moab, where in a great silk tent they were welcomed and feasted, and even had pillows and counterpanes of satin. On their arrival their former visitor met them with a joyful countenance — "He has taken me back ! " she said. Did one appear at the tent door, a cushion was laid for her, and some delicious cooling drink, or plate of sweet meats brought immediately. During their visit the tribe moved into summer quarters — one man holding each pole of the great tent, so that in a few minutes it was packed away on the camels; young or weak animals carried on donkeys, the stronger driven before the horses of the tribe to the higher land where they would sojourn. The whole tribe showed respect to the strangers, and bade them God speed at their departure. This gave me some idea of the habits ofthe Bedouins. A small company of German Spiritualists having seen a vision came to take possession of the chief house belong ing to the Colony, as it would be " the spot on which Christ would alight," and some lingered in poverty outside, not willing to be assisted by them, but finally were kindly cared for until they could be sent to a hospital. A remnant ofthe Tribe of Dan dwelling at Yemen were robbed and driven away, so came back to their old Land of Promise, but their fellow Israelites in the City afforded them no substantial assistance. A young Turk, seeing them lying sick and destitute out side the Damascus Gate, brought word to the Americans who provided them food and shelter and helped them to jirpcure employment. JERUSALEM. ' 355 Hearing so much good ofthem,we were naturally desirous to make their acquaintance, and that very afternoon Max, Mr. Abelee and I walked down the rough road near the north ern wall to the noble Damascus Gate, and entering, turned up a narrow cobble-stoned street to the left and soon came to the entrance ofa two-story dwelling with large windows about eight feet above our heads. Pulling a long bell-rope, a bright-faced, cheery brother admitted us through a little hall into a sunny stone court from which we ascended by stone steps to a narrow gallery onto which several rooms opened. In the large, airy, comfortably-furnished parlor we were made acquainted with some of the most pleasant and re fined people we ever met. They were about to have their service of song, after which we ascended to the roof — the highest point in the city — and had a descriptive bird's eye view of the city and environs. To the south-east, within the walls was the Harem, or space once occupied by Solomon's Temple, and beyond it on the verge of the hill, Ophel ; to the south-west Zion and all the upper city, with the Tyropean Valley between, and nearly west the dome of the Church ofthe Holy Sepul chre. Outside, to the east was the Mount of Olives, with Gethsemane at its feet, and north of it the curious knoll resembling a skull, in whose side facing us was Jeremiah's Cave, thirty feet high by one hundred deep, where the old Prophet lamented over the sins of his people and their coming destruction. A still greater interest attaches to this hill, for many believe it to be the true Golgotha. This had for ages (as spoken of in the Talmud and other author ities) been the execution ground, criminals being thrown from the fifty foot precipice and then stoned by the wit nesses, which led to its name of " haunted place " and con sequent avoidance. A tomb has been found in the rock covered for centuries by the debris of one of King Herod's palaces, and some suppose it to be the true Sepulchre. It consists of three rooms cut in the rock, with a place for se curing a stone door whfich would be "rolled from the mouth " of the tomb. Gen. Gordon was a strong promoter of this idea, and in 356 • BOHEMIAN DA YS. addition brought out a curious theory — that all parts ofthe city were conformable to a being human or divine, which he argued was " the Bride " spoken of in Scripture. " There are few," said a Brother, who having studied the subject thoroughly, believe that the present 'Sepulchre ' was ever 'without the wall,' as spoken of place ofthe Lord's suffering. A large French hotel is being erected this side of it, and digging for the foundation they came onto stones ofthe ancient wall, settling /"/za/ question pretty conclusively." After a climbing walk along on the wall and over Herod's Gate, now walled up, picking the yellow hyssop flowers from little interstices, as a souvenir, we were invited in to join the family circle in tea and even-song, and this latter being prolonged, were escorted home by lantern -light. The next morning, cloudy and cool, under guidance of a party of our new friends we passed through by-streets to St. Stephen's Gate, on the east,and followed the Via Doloroso, venerated by so many millions as the way along which the cruelly-treated Savior and his sorrowing disciples, accom panied by a mocking crowd, went to Mount Calvary. The faith of many generations adds interest to this narrow, irreg ular, roughly-paved street, over which annually pass thous- sands of pilgrims, who pause devoutly at the " Stations of the Cross" — where Jesus fell, rested or received kindness at the hands of friends. We visited on our way several other interesting points, as the Church of St. Anne in a large paved court, and the grotto below — " birthplace of the Virgin ;" and Pilate's Judgment Hall, now a part ofthe chapel attached to the convent of St. Anne, in which stands a rock about eight feet above the floor designated as the spot on which Christ stood when Pilate called to the Jews, "Behold the man! " Across the street stretched the Ecce Homo Arch, touching at the other side a great building with wide hall ornamented with Saracenic carving. Above this arch in a tiny room for a long time dwelt a Moslem hermit — perhaps the " saint" for whom just by a lamp burns in a little enclosure every night, on the spot where stood the steps from which St. Paul addressed the people. The church of the Latin Patriarch contained a fine pulpit CHURCH OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE. 357 given by the unfortunate Maximilian of Austria, an altar from Louis Napoleon with much malachite, and an admir able painting — " Peter and John at the Beautiful Gate ofthe Temple." But those cherubim with six wings unfortu nately brought to mind a ridiculous picture in one of Mark Twain's books, in which the artist had been so undecided as to the best position for a young lady's arms that he had represented them at three different angles, and being sud denly interrupted by the death of the model, had business in another part ofthe country, and left the absurdity for the confusion of future generations. Rather should I have thought of the Angels of the Revelation. We deviated from our route to visit the Muristan, a few years ago onlya field some twenty feet above the street, on which cattle and donkeys browsed, but becoming by gift the property of the Crown Prince of Prussia, excavations were made, bringing to light the ruins of the Palace, Church and Hospice ofthe Knights of St. John — the purest order of the Middle Ages — fine Gothic windows and arches, the apse ofthe noble church, and fifty feet b.elow the floor great vaults, arched and pillared, into which we looked in awe while talking o'er the days of chivalry, of Knights and Pilgrims, the great-hearted Saladin, and Omar, in whose memory a small mosque had been here erected. In a few minutes we stood in the small square court in front of the "Church of the Holy Sepulchre," which oft its other sides is completely hemmed in by high buildings. Max thought it " much like some of the old churches we saw in Italy." " Turkish soldiers ? " said I, looking at the guards within the door. " Yes," replied Mrs. Gould, " Turks to guard the Christian Sanctuary." " Here," said Mr. Spafford, indicating a long flat stone on which candles were burning, "is the 'Stone of Unction,' on which they claim the Savior's body lay for the anoint ing. This is one of thirty-seven holy places pointed out within this great building." " A conglomeration of chapels under one roof," said a Brother. Entering the lofty rotunda, we saw directly beneath the 358 B OHEMIAN DA YS. center of the great dome the small stone chapel containing the Sepulchre, now receiving various golden ornaments in preparation for the great Easter ceremonials. I asked the use of two blackened holes at the side, and learned that through this the " holy fire" issued at which the people at Easter lighted their candles, when there was a terrible struggle for precedence, those who received it first being specially blessed, but often the Turkish guards had to rush in among them to prevent bloodshed, in spite of which a number had been killed. Internally the chapel -consists of two small rooms; in the first, dimly lighted, is the stone rolled by the Angel from the door of the sepulchre; the inner and most holy, brilliantly lighted with silver lamps, is about six by seven feet, and contains a white marble sarcophagus filling the space to our right as we bent almost double to enter the low doorway. A tomb in the rock beneath, more prob ably the true one, is unknown to most of these people who come creeping in on their knees, with reverential and loving tears kissing and embracing the insensate marble. We did not remain long, for but few could enter at one time, and many upon aching knees were waiting outside, to whom it had deeper significance, for the more I saw ofthe hallowed spots covered by the wonderful fabric of inven tion the more my faith became bewildered. " They worship a dead Christ," said Mrs. Gould. "But what strong faith ! " I replied, envying their cre dulity. " What assurance of Divine favor ! if such works could effect purification we ourselves v/ould climb bare footed and kneeling to the highest mountain in Christen dom." "We should indeed," she answered. " I wonder what it effects for them," said I, musingly. "If it purifies their hearts and lives to feel these things it must after all be to a good purpose." "But it does not," another sadly rephed. "There are great complaints of the lack of morals among this people even on the return journey, covered with relics and bless ings." " Poor people, they are so ignorant." CHURCH OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE. 359 "A living Christ is better," she truly said. In the central part of the church is the Greek chapel with tessellated pavement and highly ornamented walls, where a priest in rich robes was reading to a large congre gation, many of whom, however, seemed more engaged in kissing the stones than listening to his words, making be tween each prostration and osculation the sign of the cross. In the centre was a marble urn within a marble circle which they have found out to be the centre of the globe. After visiting the much smaller Latin chapel, also opening out of the rotunda, and the tiny chapel of the Copts, who never having let the lamp of Christianity burn out in their Egyptian fastnesses have their place in the west end of the sepulchre chapel, we descended many foot-worn steps into the damp and gloomy chapel of St. Helena, mother of the Emperor Constantine; and again another long flight led us into the cellar-like room where on excavation, being led by inspiration, this Empress found the True Cross of our Lord, and that ofthe Penitent Thief, the former demonstrating its miraculous power by healing an injured workman. On the spot where they were found is a stone with a cross in the centre. There are many other chapels : that of the Syrians with a grotto or cave at the back, containing the old tombs of Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea; the chapel of the Apparition (some hundreds of years old) where the Savior appeared to Mary Magdalene after His resurrection; also stones on which the crosses were resting when found, and part of the porphyry column to which He was bound when scourged; also the Prison before execution, chapel of the Centurian who pierced His side, and stone on which they parted His garments; the Tomb of Melchizedek in the chapel of Adam — Golgotha itself on a rock, besides the rents in the earth and rock made by the earthquake when the Lord surrendered His spirit; and other spots of less sig nificance. Even the parables were taken as realities and illustrated and illusioned in the same way. Without the church were legions of dealers in rosaries and ornaments of olive wood, ivory and mother of pearl, who bid against each other with many interjections, while within sat the stolid Turk who, like Gallio, " cared for none 36o BOHEMIAN DAYS. of those things." It is a strange and sad commentary on the love of Christians for each other that at the Easter Celebration when holy fire (?) issues from the chapel ofthe Sepulchre by a round hole, well smoked, at which the elect all desire to be first in lighting their candles and thus re ceiving assurance of forgiveness of sin and heirship of Heaven, there is such a rush, struggle, even straight-out fighting, that the Moslem guards have to rush into their midst to restore peace, and preserve life, as many have been crushed in the wild melee. It is a well known fact that very few Turks forsake their religion, and one reason for this may be the style of so- called Christians which has developed before them. They mark selfishness and avarice, hatred toward other sects, spiritual or church pride, the " doing evil that good may come" to their own. Not all Christian workers are of this kind by any means, for some ofthe noblest of missionaries are in this field, but one like the above stands with the stranger as a type of his class, as to the North American Indian "a white man," had wrought him an injury, and the same must suffer for it though perfectly innocent. Said a venerable and gentlemanly Effendi, on being questioned: "I look on the Christians. The Greeks, the Latins, the Armenians — all hate one the other. Mussel- men not so. They love one the other and live in peace. Why be a Christian ? " and the would-be converter of a heathen turned away sorrowfully. In company with some of the American ladies I visited the harem of a wealthy Moslem, where we were kindly en tertained, in compliance with my request, in their family sitting-room, with their every-day work in hand. Two ladies were sewing as they sat on the cushions covering a low platform or divan around the room, which, as usual, opened from the stone court. These divans are their sleep ing places at night, a closet holding the covers by day. The lady who acted as interpreter was kept busy, as they had many enquiries to make and complimentary words to utter as well as ourselves. The hostess, a very agreeable lady of perhaps twenty five, was the only wife; the first — the mother ofa son and daughter now married and living in apartments opening onto this same court^ — having died CHURCH OF THE HOL Y SEPULCHRE. 361 many years before. Neither of these grown children pos sessing children of their own, the pretty little dark-eyed three years-old girl, Ayesha, was a great pet with them all, the father and brother having notably modified their opin ions as to the value ofthe feminine article since the incom ing of so many foreigners with their families, especially the Americans, who have already proved themselves a blessing to the women of Jerusalem. Still the boys are the greatest treasures, and being badly spoiled make return by running roughshod over the whole family. A visitor had one of these unruly ones with her, who occasionally made a raid, overturning the chairs which had been brought in for us, (though we preferred the low cushions), pulling little Ayesha's hair, and uttering piercing screams when remon strated with. We did not prefer boys just then. The three ladies were dressed in wide trousers — really skirts confined at the ankles, and falling over, looking not unlike our own clothing. An elderly cousin had come over from Jaffa to congratulate the family on the birth of an heir now over a month old, remaining (with her half-grown daughter) for a visit of a few weeks. Her complexion was a dark, bright brown, and braids of magnificent black hair coiled around a good head, covered with a thin net such as was worn in America a few years ago. Her ornaments of gold were many and various, her dress a skirt of some dark material nearly covering the baggy trousers, feet bare, while in contrast she wore a long sack of the richest royal- purple silk-velvet. The lady of the house apologized for wearing a heavy quilted wrapper (as did the tiny baby) ; they were both to go to the bath in a few days for purification, as the forty days of waiting and care would then be accomplished. She was quite good-looking, and her face beamed with happi ness over her treasure, doubly precious to her fiom the fact that having no son to live she had greatly feared that her husband would take another wife, for much as the Mor mons talk of the happy families where several wives "di vide the care and labor," the Turkish women have a very different opinion, and mourn as only women can who feel that the kingdom all their own, the heart of a loving hus- 362 BOHEMIAN DA YS. band, has been invaded, and the sunlight of life grown dim. After a time the elder lady, who had been seated on a chair, asked that we would excuse her taking her seat on the floor, she "was old" she said, "and the chair wea'ried" her. A lady of thirty-five would not be considered of great age in America, but they often marry at nine or ten years in these countries. Narghilehs and cigarettes were handed around, but not strongly patronized, and soon thereafter a small table about a foot and a half high was placed in our midst and covered with plates of candy, candied fruits and nuts, sugar-coated parched peas looking like pills, and square pieces of a half solid candy called " Turk's delight" which was delicious. Our fingers were in every dish, and sociability increased, but I wondered that the coffee was so long in making its appear ance until learning that on drinking it immediate depart ure was customary, and they would not seem to hasten us. The Arabs have no dining-room, but food is brought to them in any department they may occupy, or on the house tops. At last with many mutual compliments, and good wishes, we took leave, hoping to return, and hastened to the Da mascus Gate, where we found our patient escorts waiting with lanterns and candles for our suburban ramble into Solomon's Quarry by the entrance a few rods further east. For an hour we climbed up and down great excava tions, where we could plainly see upon the rock marks of different tools of the masons, and lamp smoke in the niches cut in the walls. The largest room we entered was seven hundred and fifty by one hundred feet, and thirty feet high, and there were several of smaller dimensions. In many places pillars were left as a support, the hollow place being so great, and in others the water dripping through formed both stalactites and stalagmites, 'f he stone is mostly a soft, light-colored limestone that hardens by exposure, and in this retired spot was "sawed with saws" and prepared in every way for the beautiful Temple of Solomon. Even great blocks still remain as left ready for removal, one not yet detached from the parent rock. There was also used a much harder rock of a deep cre^m color streaked witlj A WALK IN AND AROUND JERUSALEM. 363 orange. Upon the wall were marks and symbols used by those ancient workers, as well as those of the Crusaders two thousand years later. Some believe this to have been the hiding place of a large body of Jews when Titus took the city. At one of the steep, dangerous hollows we could hear the sound of water falling far below. The entrance is quite low and contracted, the surface very uneven, the earth loose, and the air throughout not very pure, and much as we had been interested we found more agreeable the after- walk in the sunshine and fresh outside atmosphere. CHAPTER XXXIX. TOMBS OF THE KINGS ST. STEPHEN'S CHURCH A WALK AROUND JERUSALEM JEWS' WAILING PLACE DOME OF THE ROCK. About a mile north of the Damascus Gate was an en closure to the right, whose old wooden doors being opened by an Arab on payment of a small fee, dis closed to our view a long, wide fiight of steps cut in the solid rock which rose in smooth walls around it. In de scending it was noticeable that these steps were so sloped that the rain would flow through channels at the right side down into two shallow, square cisterns, one being at the side, one facing, as we stood on the lower platform, and containing steps, which indicated this to be a place where the dead were prepared for burial. At the left was a high doorway leading into a large, quadrangular space surrounded with the same solid walls, at whose west siWe appeared a highly ornamented, though defaced vestibule, but no trace of a door. Ascending the steps, we almost slipped into a round hollow, like a large bowl, at whose side were steps leading down to a low, small opening or doorway, the en trance into the " Tombs of the Kings," whose heavy stone door, standing in a groove to the left, could by a touch be replaced over the orifice, as it slid into place by its own weight. A fine prison that would be, where no human 364 BOHEMIAN DA YS. power could stir the door from within. The room we first entered had a platform step at the side, slabs for holding bodies before final deposit, and little shelves for lamps or urns. From this room small doorways admitted us to a perfect net-work of tiny rooms with shelves that looked very narrow as well as short, seeming to indicate that the people of that era were smaller than the present. We en tered probably twenty or more and yet they extended in definitely — tombs within tombs, in all directions and on dif ferent levels. At one place the way A\as barred by the fall ing of a mass of crumbling stone which we took as a hint that more might be expected, and lost interest in further exploration, soon finding ourselves on the outside, where again we examined the rolling stone (on which there was no moss) the worn groove, the steps and four-foot bowl, and a curious little passage cut like a small quarter circle round through the rock to the back of the stone door. "This tomb, instead of belonging to the Kings, is said to have been made at the order of Queen Helena, a Jewish convert of the first century,'' said one of our companions. " Here were to rest her ashes and those of her descendants from generation to generation.'' "And where are they now ? " Max inquired, " not a bone or mummy is in sight." " Who knows ? the tide of armies has swept over the whole land. Centuries ago the tombs were rifled." We walked back some little distance, then turned to the left, and were soon looking down into the excavation where the remnant of old St. Stephen's Church was found, where the French intend building a new church of large dimensions. We climbed down a few feet and were rewarded by seeing some beautiful architectural remains, pillars, part of a fine mosaic floor, an altar place, alid cisterns. Even the site of the building seemed to have been quite forgotten at the time a poor workman managed to purchase a little plot of ground, and dug down for a firm foundation on which to erect his modest dwelling of stone and mud. What was his surprise to behold a tessellated pavement (though he did not call it that), of which he spoke to his fellow-workmen, who told it to others, until in course of time it reached the ears of the Learned, who straightway J., 2, 3. CHURCH OP THE HOLT SEPULCHRE — DOME, FACADE AND INTERIOR (page 357). 4, GETHSEMANE (page 382). 5. DOME OF THE ROCK. 6. ABSALOM'S MEMORIAL (page 365.) A WALK AROUND JERUSALEM. 365 came out to see for themselves, and finally it was bought for a thousand napoleons, or about four thousand dollars, — to the poor man a fabulous fortune. The sun was setting- as we wandered homeward. Near the gate an old woman and younger man were having a vio lent quarrel. He lifted his hand to strike her, and she with flashing eyes dared him to do it. "Surely," said I, "he would be punished if he struck her ? " " O no !" was the reply, "he can do as he pleases; she is only his mother." Day after day we spent in exploration, never wearying ex cept in body, always finding scenes of fresh interest. • One afternoon was employed in the walk around Jerusa lem, with which our friends were as familiar as with the streets of their home towns in America. Leaving the hotel Feil, at the north-west corner of the city, and walking down Mount Scopus, which had been an Assyrian as well as a Roman camp, we met our five conductors at the Damascus Gate, passed around the north-west corner of the wall, de- scendingtheValleyofJehoshaphat with the Moslem cemetery to our right, crossed a bridge and passed the entrance to the Virgin's Tomb with its many steps and altars, left St. Stephen's Gate to our right, and the Garden of Gethsemane to the left, so skirting the foot of the Mount of Olives. The slope had been gentle, but now the hill-sides, became more precipitous above us as we followed the little Brook Kedron, and then ascending to the left examined Absalom's Memorial, a tiny temple filled to the surhmit by great rocks, at which every Jew pauses to cast a stone in passing, in remembrance of that young man's filial impiety. It was the second in a row of tombs, among which we entered that of St. James — a cavern in the hill-sitle, now used as a sheep stable, and passed around the square building said to have been the tomb of Zecharias, but found no entrance, then turning we ran down the steep hill to the Brook, not caring to visit the caves or dens which go by the name of the Village of Siloam, where very rough, bad people live in what were once repositories for the dead. On the east side of the valley is the Jewish Cemetery, on the west, close under the city wall, that of the Turks. We climbed up the 366 BOHEMIAN DA YS. hill to Ophel, the city of David, and just south of it came to the " "Virgin's Fountain,'' near which were a couple of dozen Turkish soldiers washing their blue clothes, which were hung to dry on the other side of Kedron. They seemed a good-natured set, laughing and chatting quietly among themselves as they busily pursued their task. 1 de scended the twenty-six steps and bathed my hands in the clear water of the rock-cut fountain. It has for thousands of years been considered a test of the virtuous woman, and received its present name from having been drank by the Virgin in presence of her accusers. Passing up and down the steps were barefooted women and girls, one of whom carried water in the skin of a large kid, the half-length legs tied with leather strings sticking out in various directions. The water in this cave is intermittent but not periodic in its flow, which has led some persons to believe it the real Pool of Bethesda. Late archaeologists think they have at last truly located it under an inner court near the Church of St. Anne. Several explorers risked their lives to discover the channel connecting this with the Pool of Siloam, which they crawled through for 1750 yards, and saw a Hebrew inscrip tion on the wall of the rock-cut tunnel, and the place which it described, where the workmen cutting from each end could hear the sound of the hammers of their fellows and found that they would not meet true, hence made a turn and a slight angle which is quite perceptible. By the Pool of Siloam we met some of the gentle Danites, who greeted our friends with great affection. Just be}ond the rather muddy Pool I saw an opening in the rock, and one of the ladies accompanied me to the top of a steep, uneven, stone stairway (Max did " not care for any more caves ") and there awaited my return. About half way down on a little platform an Arab was performing his devotions in a very absorbed manner, while some women filled their water-jars in the stream below, at whose side I paused in thought for a moment ere seeking again the upper air, and my ever "forward "-minded Max. "What a strange rough stairway it is — worn by many feet — how cool the air — like a well — it ts like coming down into a well. — In Solomon's time this was used as now — how strange it all seems — how unreal!" A HALK AROUND JERUSALEM. 367 I began quickly to ascend — " Poor women! do they realize how little of life's brightness " — "Backsheesh! backsheesh!" cried that naughty Moslem, suddenly turning from his absorbing devotions — why ! he'd tumbled on his head but a moment before ! but now, like a brown and white flash, put out an arm, loudly demanding money. I looked a moment at the handsome, wicked face — the flashing, unscrupulous eyes, then like a good, brave soldier hoping to fight another day (not to-day — oh, no !) I ran away — up the remaining steps, and darted forward flushed and panting into the group of unconscious friends, who simply — wondered ! — I did too, a little; I wondered if that creature could have stolen my money, or thrown me down into the Pool — or both, if I had not emulated Maud S. — but where was the use of thinking of such horrible things ? I was out in the bright sunshine, where fear seemed ridiculous. So I laughed with the rest. We passed the terraces of the gardens of David, now limited in culture and extent, where the Valleys of Jehosha- phat and Hinnom came together, and a half mile below the Pool saw Jacob's Well, by some called En Rogel, one hun dred and twenty-five feet deep, and strongly walled, the water drawn, as of old, with bucket and rope. Lower in the valley, where the water came to the surface, were green patches, and an olive grove, and over to the east the " Mount of Offense," where to please his idolatrous wives Solomon built high places and altars to many strange gods ; while a little below was Tophet, where his descendants sacrificed to Moloch — a large brazen image of a man with the head of an ox, heated red-hot by internal fire, within whose glowing arms they placed their little chtldren, while great drums drowned their cries. — Talk of the Aztecs I — climbing the rough, rocky hill of Aceldama, west of the Vale of Hin nom, where were many old rock tombs, we remembered reading of this being one of the principal haunts of the lepers, and did not seek to enter the open doors. I am ex tremely sorry for the poor lepers, and think the good peo ple who have a Hospital for them in Jerusalem, and devote their lives to caring for them, body and soul, are among the saints Many consider the disease non-communicable, many do not ; the Bible seems to point out the necessity of 368 BOHEMIAN DAYS. entire isolation, and to rush on such horrors unnecessarily I believe a crime ; for what good could a theory do a man should the one fatal dry scale come upon his hand ? he then would know to a certainty, and might serve as a warning to others — that is all. " No, no ! no tombs for me this time." A large old stone building we passed was called " Black Gehenna," where into a pit within great numbers of dead used to be thrown without burial, trusting to the salts of the earth both for decomposition of the dead, and disinfec tion. Above the " Potter's Field " was the Hill of Evil Counsel, where the Jews consulted together how they might destroy Jesus. Along the bluffs among the stones, green grass grew sparsely and many bright little flowers, while higher on the hill a flock of long-eared goats were following the goat-herd into one ofthe many caverns, for the. sun was disappearing behind the western hills. On the opposite side of the valley a jackall ran swiftly to his den in the rocks. The scene was wild and desolate. We turned down the hill towards the Lower Pool of Gihon (which is six hundred by two hundred and sixty feet, and forty feet deep), passing on our left the Jewish Hospital and Almshouse built by Sir Moses Montifiore of London, then the Greek Convent and dwelling ofthe Archiman drite ; left the Jaffa Gate and Mission Buildings to our right, passed beggars and booths, water carriers and pilgrims, soldiers and tourists, and arrived at our starting point, now grown familiar and home-like. One author gives the wall-circuit as two and a half miles, another only tw-o, but it stems much greater, except when looking down on it from the Mount of Olives. " The circuit we have made is at least five miles," said Max ; " the city is certainly over three miles by wall measure.'' " A small place with a large history. — No, not over three miles, I think," said a Brother. The present wall, twelve to fifteen feet thick and thirty to seventy feet high, was built by Sultan Suleiman three cen turies ago on the old foundations of massive masonry, and by some thought almost impregnable, while the opinion of A WALK AROUND JERUSALEM. 369 another author is that it might easily be battered down by modern war projectiles. Five of its ten gates are closed. The city is divided into Quarters, of which the Christian, to the north-west, includes within its limits the Church of the Holy Sepulchre ; the Armenian, a curiously irregular mass ofhabitatlons, and large church where sonorous boards are used as bells, to the south-west, on the Hill of Zion ; the Moslem, in which several Christian Consulates and res idences have place, in the north-east, while .the very close and untidy Jews' Quarter is between the Armenian and the Harem enclosure, on the south. On Friday we visited the Jews' Wailing Place, a narrow, paved space by the old wall inside which stood the Temple, where were gathered a company of Jews of all ages and nationalities, rich and poor, dark and fair, some reading their scriptures in a droning tone, some weeping and kiss ing the great rough stones which had stood there since the proud days of Israel's glory, when all the world sought unto her. This is the spot nearest to the sacred enclosure to which a Jew is ever allowed access. Some tourists looked much amused at their contortions of agony, which would be ridiculous if put on, but to me it seemed only too real, quite tragical indeed. There were Polish Jews with fur-trimmed mantles, some from Spain in long rich robes and others with knee breeches and short cloaks ; there were rabbis, and little children who knew not what it all meant, but raised their puny voices in sympathy with their weeping friends or looked wonderingly at the cur ious strangers. Some of the readers rolled their heads side- wise as they leant on each foot alternately, others bobbed back and forward at short intervals, "bowing their heads like bulrushes," a lady near me remarked. Of course there were beggars, as everywhere, even in the green-domed Synagogue which we afterwards visited, passing through dirty little alleys to reach it; where the principal room looked dreary enough, with its uninviting wooden benches by a window, a wooden platform for speakers or readers in the centre, and at one side a railed-in gallery for the women. Dirty towels hung near the door for incomers to use after abluting a little — a very little, one would think by the appearance of the people, who walked about in a satisfied frame of mind, quite 24 370 BOHEMIAN DA YS. unconscious of any need for betterment. Several of the Jews we saw were not of the swarthy hue generally considered their characteristic complexion, but fair and light-haired, and it is said that the dark regular-featured ones are the descendants of the Assyrians who took the Is raelites captive, and finally in many cases adopted their re ligion. The Jews in Jerusalem are many of them poor, and although much money has been sent to be distributed among them it is not always wisely expended, for they are not lavish in giving to their needy brethren. As you look at them they do not appear a noble people, yet many are hoping for the return of the Jews to their old Land of Promise, and see great encouragement as they seem more interested in agriculture, and begin to build homes for them selves outside the city, fulfilling before their eyes the words of prophecy. The Porte watches with jealous e) e the in coming of foreigners, more especially those who desire to make their home in or near Jerusalem, and some find un expected obstacles in the way, but Jew or Christian is pro tected by his own government in this strange land, even Russia caring for her wandering Israelites, while contemning those at home. It is a strange medley, this question of the destiny of the Holy City, for most nations are gradually growing to possess a foothold, and a land-hold within it, or close beside the walls, while the Sick Man (Turkey) occa sionally wakes to grumble a little, then sinks into his nat ural lassitude again. Some have asked me if the people were not all very lazy, to which I answered, " No, but they are ground down and discouraged by servitude and taxation.'' "But those haughty Turks who would not move out of the way of a falling wall because they are such fatalists ? '' " I saw them engaged in various a\-ocations, busy and contented, and as for the fatalism, I think it is more their perfect trust in God. They count the Christ as one of the greatest of their prophets, and are general!)-, as far as I have seen, as truthful, honest, charitable in purse, thought, and word, as Americans, — in fact I did not meet any of those dreadful Turks we read about. Perhaps some of them emigrated to our Rocky Mountains in gold-fever times." A WALK AROUND JERUSALEM. 371 " There are Bedouin tribes who will kill travelers to pos sess themselves of their belongings?'' " Yes — like those Texas stage-robbers." " Some of them have ever so many wives." " Like the Mormons?" " Ye-es — but that seems different, doesn't it ? " " Decidedly, for the Mormons sin against light and rea son, while the Turk merely follows the old law of the nation, which has held for centuries. Still many will have but the one wife for the sake of peace and happiness in the family, not thinking it unlawful, but inexpedient, to have more." " They think women have no souls ! " "The Koran teaches that there is a heaven for women under certain conditions.'' — I am not upholding that religion above Christian enlightenment, nor making light of very grave errors, especially the treatment of many of the women, but other countries I could be cited in Christendom where woman has to labor like a slave in the fields, even to drawing loads in a wagon on the high-road with some beast of burden beside her. There are wife-beaters in other lands, there are un happy homes, and many in some respects desirable, where rough weary hands scarce cease their labor until crossed meekly upon the silent breast to rest forever. Among the excavations for the purpose of locating the various sites noted in Bible history, not the least important was that of Dr. Robinson in the Tyropean Valley near the Jews' Wailing Place, where once was Solomon's great arch (over wide steps) whose spring we could plainly see round ing out from the old wall of the Harem enclosure. They dug down nearly one hundred feet into the debris and found a six-foot square flat rock covering the mouth of a large sewer, through which city drainage flowed to the lower val ley. I saw the printed statement that "Jerusalem has no sewerage.'' On various points authors vary not only in opinion, but regular statistics — despite the proverbial George Washingtonian truthfulness of figures. Some spoke in a figure perhaps. At the Hotel Feil was a very agreeable company of guests, among them a lively American family occupying 372 BOHEMIAN DA YS. places at Max's right, and two gentlemen who accompanied us in several noteworthy excursions, the one a French Baron resident in Italy, the other a Russian noble, both of dis tinguished attainments and perfect courtesy. A party of nine visited the Harem (Holy or Sacred Spot) under charge of some gorgeous attaches of the American Legation, threading the narrow streets until we reached the wide Saracenic gateway Bab-el-Katanin, or Gate of the Cot ton Merchants, through which we passed from dirt and squalor into a wide, green space 1500 by 900 feet, with trees and fountains, small pavilions and columned colon nades, and looked from the shining marble of the Temple platform to the ever-changing hues of the mosaic covered Dome of the Rock with ever-increasing pleasure. Within Bab-el-Silseleh, or Gate of the Chain, we looked at fine twisted columns and carving, then after a promenade on the wide platform entered a pavilion to exchange our shoes for soft slippers to enter the holy places. The Dome of the Rock, near the centre of the enclos ure, is supposed by some to have been erected by the Em peror Constantine or his mother in the fourth century, but modified by the Saracens, while others say that Caliph Omar was the builder. It is a beautiful octagonal building about one hundred and seventy feet in width and the same in height, the lower part covered with colored tiles, the up per a rich mosaic of glass and much gilding, with dome and spire of shining copper and crescent of bronze. In a little pavilion we exchanged our shoes for soft slippers, and noiselessly entered the holy edifice, whose soft light came down through sixteen pointed windows of painted glass near the dome, and fifty-six below, all richly tinted, and bearing above them sculptured sentences from the Koran. The varied colors exquisitely harmonized. Two corridors with pillars of colored marble and porphyr\- columns with gilt capitals encircled the richly decorated walls, while over the Sacred Rock, which was enclosed within a high gilded railing, floated a beautiful silk awning. The Sacred Rock has a wonderful histor\-, and is revered and held sacred by the followers of three very different re ligions. To the Jews it is the altar on which their Father Abraham was about to offer up his son Isaac, fulfilling the A WALK AROUND JERmALEM. 373 law of obedience, giving the highest proof possible of his faith and devotion; it was also the pillow used by his grand son Jacob when appeared to him the vision of angels. David on it saw an angel, and in subsequent years it became an altar in the Temple of Solomon. By the Chri.stian all these interests are inherited in Christ, and some hold a tradition that on it His body rested after the Crucifixion, but this is hardly authentic. The Moslem holds all these as great prophets in different dispensations, adding to the record the name of Mohammed as still the greatest of all. Whoso offers prayer in Kubbet es-Sukhrah is almost as near to the ear of Allah as in Mecca itself. The Stone is a great, rough boulder about fifty by sixty feet, and some five to seven feet above the pavement, and quite secluded from unholy hands by the seven-foot railing. It is very irregular, and has marks and cuts in its limestone body, some made probably since Mohammed came to it on el-Burak. The Moslems firmly believe that it has no sup port but air, though when we descended the steps into No ble Cave beneath it the walls, on all sides of stone, white washed, loo'Ked quite able to uphold it without assistance superhuman. The cave is a fifteen-foot square room in whose ceiling the sacred rock itself is a round hole through which the Prophet passed when ascending to Para dise: there is also shown the hollow where his head first struck ; four altars to the prophets are in this room, and Solomon's richly carved chest. No one may enquire per sonally into the passage below, for it leads into Hades, or the Well of Souls. On the upper side of the Rock are the imprints of Mohammed's foot, and the fingers of the Arch angel who grasped the rock to prevent its accompanying the Prophet to Paradise. We were shown beautiful screens, and many old copies of the Koran, one very large, which we might not open; also two hairs of Mohammed, and near the door of exit a small square stone with thir teen holes in it, once full of nails but now containing but four. " When comes out the last, it is then the end of the World," said one of the guides solemnly. " That beautiful dome ! " exclaimed a lady, looking back 374 BOHEMIAN DA YS. at it as we walked away; " the airy lightness of it I never saw equalled." " It is called ' The Most Beautiful,' madam," said her courier. The Mosque El Aksa, which stands near the south-west corner of the Temple enclosure, is a large domed building changed from a cross to a parallelogram, believed to have been originally a Christian church, and is 280 by 183 feet, of mixed architectural design, having been altered by its several possessors according to their ideal of beauty. In the corridor two columns standing but a few inches apart are considered a test of one's fitness for Paradise, — few but anchorites could squeeze between, tliough he might not have steadiness enough to walk straight enough to touch blind-fold the black stone in the porch wall. From the small " Mosque of Jesus " a long flight of wide stone steps led us into what is called Solomon's Stables, where stand the great foundation pillars of the Temple en closure, constructed on the side of Mt. Moriah. '' What is that ? '' Max enquired, touching a six-foot stone trough, and looking incredulous as the guide replied : " It is the cradle of the Infant Jesus.'' The fifteen rows of square, beveled pillars forty feet high, connected by arches, were all of the same light stone we saw in the Great Quarry, and evidently more for service than appearance, being of unequal size and distance apart. Further in the hill are great cisterns made to suppl)- the Temple, and hidden galleries into which no one may pene trate. In the large Mosque El Aksa were shown " the Print of Christ's foot," and the usual Mecca niche, and pulpit hidden by a green curtain. Pausing a few moments by the "Well of the Leaf," we learned that many years ago a good Mussulman here lost his bucket, and climbing down for it found an open door into a beautiful garden in which he wandered for many days, but bethinking him of the friends he had left behind, and the camel he was about to water when he left the upper world, he hastily plucked a leaf and returned. It was hard to con vince his friends of the truth of his story, as none of them could find the door, until finally the Caliph remembered a BETHLEHEM. 375 saying of the Prophet that one of his friends should, living, visit Paradise, and as the leaf .showed no symptom of with ering it was decided that the " dreamer" was a saint. Through a north window in the wall was seen a muddy pool in a hollow to which the guide gave the name ''Bethesda," bat I did not believe it. On the east was the " Golden Gate,'' like a castellated house, which is kept fast locked and barred lest the enemies of Moslem should possess themselves of the sacred city. Near it was shown the spot on which Mohammed is to re appear, from which we looked over at the Mount of Olives, and back at the lovely Temple grounds, then passed through a gateway and were in a few minutes speeding in an easy carriage southward on a good road towards Bethlehem. CHAPTER XL. BETHLEHEM — VISIT TO A TURKISH HOME — MOUNT OF OLIVES -DEAD SEA AND JORDAN. Our way being on high ground, almost a ridge, gave a good view of a partially-cultivated, stony country, sheep- pastures and plowed fields separated by low walls, of terraced hill-sides and poor habitations, of convents and distant mountains. On the left a house was pointed out in which a new tenant found the cellar full of skeletons, which he coolly turned out into the field for fertilizers. Many poor pilgrims rich in faith and relics trudged along the dusty highway, making a great display with their crosses of olive-wood and mother-of-pearl, beads, trinkets and flowers, looking very happy. "Who lives the best he can- lives 'well," said I to Max as we looked at them from the same window. "Axiomatic," he replied, "but I tell you some lives are thoroughly bad — never seemed to have the chance of betterment." " But did their best ?" " Who knows ? no one hves continually at high pres sure." 376 B OHEMIAN DA YS. "What is pretty well for one is excellent for another — a cup can't hold the contents of a bushel measure." " Well — hardly," he allowed. " So a little mite of goodness fills a shallow nature, while with it a rich, large soul would feel quite empty." "And here is Rachel's Tomb, I suppose," said one of the gentlemen, •' unpretentious, and not four milleniums old." " Moslem," said our French friend, as we alighted. The Turkish cemetery was close by and contained a few mourners quietly seated by the mounds — indeed I never heard them make much noise save in school. The first of the two compartments was partially open at the sides, and we entered it by stone steps like a stile, and saw a plain Moslem tomb and naught else. " Everything defaced by time and the tourist," said Max regretfully, pointing to " chips " and other scars. I was picking a bouquet of the beautiful scarlet anem ones and smaller flowers, when a swarm of Russians, as wholly given to the business of the moment as so many bees — and as forgetful ofthe presence of bystanders, covered all the available space and we fled, and finding a new supply of jolty McAdam on the road to Bethlehem walked along on a side path, making some excursions by the way. We entered one of a cluster of houses to the left, where were rooms full of workers fashioning with sharp instruments very pretty flowers, crosses and Biblical pictures from mother-of-pearl shells brought from the Red Sea. From a slight elevation by an old well we looked across the valley, having a fine view ofthe Village ofthe Nativity on its rocky hill, large churches and Latin Monastery on the verge ofthe bluff overlooking the fertile valley where gleaned the Moabitess, Ruth, while beyond were the hills where the young David cared for his father's flocks. How century seemed to cover century in this eventful little country, like the ruins of its central city. From win dows and roofs as we passed came a chorus from barking dogs, who fiercely followed along until we were out of their beat. The Bethlehemites are very industrious, and great bar- BETHLEHEM. 377 gainers, determined to sell what they make to their legiti mate prey, rushing forward to thrust their curios in at the carriage windows before it stopped — long robed men, small boys in picturesque rags, and rather pretty women wearing white head-dresses glittering with coins. What a change from the noisy street to this silence within the great basilica the Empress Helena built in 327 A. D., with its grand Corinthian columns from Solomon's Temple. On the walls were some remains of mosaic, but like pave ment and roof in bad condition, as no sect owns or feels re sponsible for it — a noble edifice to be thus allowed to fall into decay. To our right was the Latin church, the left Armenian, the Greek occupying the centre. By a small doorway we passed into the Latin church, and down a staircase into the Grotto ofthe Nativity, a brilliantly illuminated room thirty- eight by eleven feet, with the altar at one end bare to allow each sect to use its own paraphernalia — beneath which shone a radiant silver star, set in white marble, encircled with this legend : ''Hie de Virgine Maria Jesus Christus natus est." The walls of the grotto were visible, and in spite of Romish solemnities, I seemed nearer to the heart truth ; surely He had been here, the tender Babe, the Teacher, the Friend, the Savior of us all. I stood worship ing the Living Christ, my heart swelling with emotion, tears filling my eyes — I longed to kneel at that altar — but what a puny thing may turn the current of the deepest feeling ; Max had just entered the hall beyond, w hen a dark-browed priest caught up a censer and gave the room a vigorous fumigation, as if its sacredness had been polluted by our heretical breath. I departed. Our pleasant guide led us through subterranean passages and apartments, by many tombs and shrines, and into the cell of the learned and good Jerome, who for many years dwelt secluded in the vaulted chamber, twenty feet square and nine in height, lighted only by a window as if into a deep-walled cellar. Among the many who resorted to him for instruction and counsel was the noble Roman matron Paula, whose tomb is near that of her revered teacher. A rest and a glass of excellent wine in the salle a manger, '378 BOHEMIAN DA YS. and we re-entered the street of traders, who grew each moment more vociferous, but quickly entering a curio shop stored with a wonderful amount of bric-a-brac, were at once left in peace. The old Bethlehemite spo'KC English very well, and while quietly exhibiting his wares gave us a glow ing description of his trip to the New Orleans Exposition, where he had disposed of a large cargo of curiosities. His manner was so subdued, that the bartering seemed inci dental rather than a matter of the greatest moment, and as he informed Max that he " reminded him so strongly of their Patron Saint, Jerome," Max himself was evidently more anxious to buy than the dealer to sell, until we all finally emerged as well laden with mementoes as the other pilgrims. The " Milk Grotto," where the Virgin sojourned for a few weeks with her Infant, still retains such wondrous effi cacy that quantities ofthe powder made into cakes is sent into foreign countries for mothers lacking nutriment for their babes. Two women who did the honors ofthe chalk cave were eager to sell their cakes or receive gifts for the altars. Beyond this Grotto a place was pointed out where the shepherds "watched their flocks by night" when the "glad tidings" came to them. David's Well, near the entrance to the town, still has pure, refreshing water, as when he sighed for it and received it from his mighty men of valor, who had penetrated the camp of King Saul. On our way to Bethlehem we had visited a conventbuilt at the fountain where the Holy Family had stopped for a drink, and finding no water Mary commanded that none should flow thereafter, causing it to be dry unto this day. On our return (after the crosses and various emblems of our friends had been " blessed" in the Church ofthe Na tivity) we called at the Greek Convent of Mar Elias, with no special internal interest to me but the space where devoted pilgrims had deposited their gifts — coins, handkerchiefs, jewels, relics, and flowers by those who had no money. The convent itself was a Mediaeval fortress with heavy walls and low strong entrance door, and here had oc curred many a sanguinary affray, and not always vie A TURKISH HOME. 379 tory pertained to the banners of the valiant, knightly priests. "A pleasant drive," we all pronounced it, as we alighted at the hotel, ready for rest and dinner after an all-day's fast. One must dine even in Jerusalem. As we wandered through the bazars seeking in a desult ory way what might be worth bargaining for, a familiar face appeared in one little shop, and at the same time a a cordial greeting from some one overtaking us. They were two young Moslem brothers, gentle, kind, sim.ple- hearted, whom we had met at Mr. Spafford's pleasant home. The first was Hafez Effendi Rasas, about twenty-one years of age, dark, and of small stature ; the second, Sulei man, two or three years younger, taller, lighter, and with very earnest, expressive face. They were grandsons of a Pacha and wrote to their names Effendi. In front ofthe stall of Hafez sat his father — calm and kindly, dressed in Turkish trousers, loose long coat and fez, who set aside his pipe to acknowledge the introduction by his sons, who evi dently felt for him great respect. Suleiman ran to get me a chair from his shop, a few kindly words passed, and my attention was called from some of the bright things I was examining to the mother and sister, who came completely covered from sight by the long striped brown and yellow envelopes they wore, and large-figured brown lawn veils over their faces, which gave not an idea of any feature, save an occasional flash from the dark eyes. I found it difficult to converse through my interpreter with these ladies, who could study me at their leisure, feeling de cidedly at a disadvantage, but they soon hastened away, on housekeeping cares intent. Max meanwhile was buying some " antiques " from Suleiman, and I bought a fez for him from Hafez, and a fancy little beaded bag made by a girl in one of their Mohammedan sctfools of Jerusalem. Hafez wrote his name in Arabic and English for me. " I like you come see ma wahfe," said he. " I should be very glad to do so," I truly replied. " When you come ? — to-day ?" It was so arranged, and that afternoon three ofthe Ameri can ladies accompanied me through narrow, intricate streets ; a low hall, with small, dark rooms at each side. 38o BOHEMIAN DA YS. leading into an interior stone court, as usual ; up flights of outside stairs to the third story, where from a somewhat dingy and gloomy exterior we were suddenly transferred to a room bright with Oriental luxury, — a heavy Persian carpet covering the floor, divans, mirrors, vases of flowers, and, withal, the modern innovation of centre-table and chairs. A vision of brightness and rich color, if not positive beauty, occupied the foreground — the wife of Hafez Effendi Rasas in her bridal attire of rose-colored silk, hair decked with flowers, arms and neck with gold ornaments — a decided brunette with fine dark eyes, radiant with pride and happi ness — this child of eleven, about four and a half feet in height, who had been married a year. Hafez soon entered, and greeting us kindly looked around with the air ofa well satisfied proprietor. " I haf a ver' good wahfe," he gravely remarked, going on to describe her fine housekeeping qualities ; how she was learning to cook, and already kept everything so neat in their house, was good-natured and industrious ; turning then to her he repeated it all in Arabic, bringing a glow of gratitude to her expressive features, and some few words, evidently of thanks. She showed me some of her clothes, and gave me a veil as a souvenir, our young lady interpreter doing active service. " You think so much of learning, have you also taught your wife to read, Hafez ?" I enquired presently, but the look of entire disapprobation darkening his face answered me before his words. " No ! no ! it is not good for her," shaking his head. " But it is a pleasure — we read, you know." To which he replied that it was very well for us who were used to it, but would not do at all for their women, who would waste their time and not get their work done. The mother, a sweet-faced, middle-aged lady, came in ac companied by her daughter of ten, already betrothed, and a pretty little boy, three years old, who danced for us as she clapped her hands to keep time. Then followed a dis cussion of the " evil-eye," in which this people are strong believers, unwilling to have some people even look at their children. They gave several instances where disaster A TURKISH HOME. 381 or death had followed the glance of an evil-minded person. One ofthe American ladies, when a stranger in Jerusalem, frequently had doors hastily shut as she passed, because of her grey eyes. If a boy dies unexpectedly, or wastes away, the friends look around for the enemy who has be witched him, to retaliate. In adoption of their American friends' custom, tea was brought in good-sized china cups with saucers, and one of the eatables was undoubtedly bread from American yeast. May all the habits or customs they adopt be as harmless ! The mother of Hafez and Suleiman was the only wife, and the family singularly happy and content. Peace is a part of their religion, and not apathy alone gives the look of tranquillity, nor yet lack of feeling; it is in the training which has been on that line for many generations. The Turk loves a tranquil home, and the harem, or sacred apartments of the house, have all there is of beauty, and among the very wealthy are filled with the luxuries dear to their hearts, while the gardens are full of bright flowers and sparkling fountains. In its more confined but comfortable residence this pleasant family dwelt in peace and contentment. All are not so happy, however, and a little incident led to our hearing of a casein point. One day not long after Hafez had brought home his child-wife she was missing, when in a great fright he searched the premises, but after all were aroused to believe something dreadful really had happened, he found her quietly sleeping under a sofa. The reason of his terror was this. Shortly before, a man in their neighborhood, already a husband and father, had brought home a little girl of nine years as second wife, who, being very badly treated by the first, sent for her par ents, and with tears and lamentations im'plored them to take her home with them, and on their hesitation, and final re fusal (for such a thing is considei^ed a disgrace), declared that if she was left she would throw herself into the well in the yard. No one gave any heed to this — they had heard such things too often said before — but when next morning she was missing some one ran to the well and there lay the poor little, broken-hearted creature beneath the water, quite dead. 382 BOHEMIAN DA YS. Should we visit the Dead Sea? family opinion was di vided on this point. Some acquaintances had just returned who exhibited no enthusiasm, being merely glad that so much had been " done," — while an elderly lady who had traveled in a kind of chair and been pretty thoroughly shaken up did not wish to hear the subject mentioned, as she lay wearily upon a sofa. " You should go ! " another said earnestly. "Weary ? yes indeed, but it was delightful to see the Dead Sea and the Jordan, of which we have heard so much. We nearly roasted by the Sea, but think of coming so far and not be holding the Jordan ! We saw Santa Saba, that curious old convent, but the monks would not let any of us ladies in — never do — afraid like the Chinese that some woman will ' take the fort,' I guess." "The convent is up on a rock in the wildest place — " " Yes, and hangS over it so funnily — doesn't it, Mary ? we heard all about it from the gentlemen. There is a chapel in the middle, and a room where they keep the old monks' bones — horrid, isn't it ? " " Like the Capucines in Rome ? " I suggested. " Only worse, because they are close to you all the time." " Jericho is not a den of thieves now, they are building it up finely — have a Hospice and lots of cottages. We stopped at one over night and left our things there until our return. We seemed to take so little, yet any quantity more than we needed. Of course you'll go-" " But it really is more pleasant to think about afterwards," added her elder sister. Climbing the Mount of Olives was indeed like treading in the footsteps of the Savior, plucking " flowers of the field " such as those upon which His eyes had rested as He "spake in parables" to His disciples. With us werefriends who loved Jesus and delighted to dwell on His perfections as a Man and as a God ; to quote His words and point out, as far as possible, scenes made sacred by His pres ence. There are three enclosures bearing the name Gethsemane, probably all were included in one at the Christian MOUNT OF OIIVES. 383 era. Entering the Latin division we walked around between the railing which shuts in the flower-gar den, and the high outer wall, and saw at regular intervals the "Stations" for worshiping pilgrims, as in the Via Doloroso, but when an old monk invited me to follow him in among the flowers, and I put my hand upon the gnarled trunks of the old olive trees he believed had stood two thousand years, the gloss and varnish of wearisome su perstition faded away — it was once more the garden of the Lord. I carried away with me a box of growing violets the good old priest had given me. We climbed the Mount by the road taken by David when fleeing from his rebellious son Absalom, and were resting near the summit, where roadside and field were bright with tiny flowers of every hue, and no ticing too the pretty stones beneath our feet, as well as the fine view of city and surroundings, when a " Cook's Party" overtook us, among them several elderly ladies who rode uneasily over the rough roads, shaken from side to side — and in some other directions when the horses stum bled. " How much pleasanter our walking trip," said I. " You know those parties wherever you see them," said a Brother ; "they go through the same regular routine like an educational machine. They are even dressed almost alike, with those flapping or tied down hats and white streamers." " It is a great thing for people to see these places under any circumstances," said another. " All cannot be inde pendent." "This Mount has changed somewhat since Biblical times ? " " In some degree, yes. Doctor," Mr. Spafford replied. " The land, I should say, is now drier — less cultivated, but how fruitful it is when cared for, you see by this wheat." " It is growing finely." "We will walk through — a path being left as of old when ' He and His disciples went through the corn.' There is the Chapel of the Ascension — nothing authentic, how- 384 BOHEMIAN DAYS. " Cook's party is up on the Convent tower, but we prefer the view from the new bell-tower now building for this Greek church before us. It is not finished, you see, but the board ladders with cleats which the workmen use answer the purpose of a stairway very well." This rise in the world created some amusement for us, as well as exertion, for it must have been one hundred feet high, but after all we could not see the Jordan or the Dead Sea because of a hazy state of the atmosphere (though the Holy City was perfectly visible), which was a disappoint ment. , " There is the great bronze bell for which the tower is being built," said Mr. Spafford when we had descended. " It weighs about eight tons." " How was it brought from Jaffa ? " ¦' There had been no way provided, but when the Russian pilgrims heard of its arrival they managed to put it onto a low, very strong wagon, and dragged it over rocks and mountains. Sometimes they seemed wholly exhausted, but after a stirring hymn their enthusiasm instilled into them fresh strength, courage and fortitude, and finally amid great rejoicing it reached this place." In the small church beyond the tower we saw part of a beautiful mosaic pavement, well preserved though probably a couple of thousand years old, which charmed me by its lifelike representation of birds and animals ; a golden pheas ant, a lamb with long, heavy tail like those still to be seen on Judean hills, a duck, a fish, and bunches of grapes with leaves, while around them was a well executed geometric ' pattern. The coloring was perfect — as if laid but a day. There was a striking painting on a wooden cross — the form of the Savior so perfect that it appeared in relief Be sides these works of art was a cabinet filled with curiosities worth study, and in a room not far away a number of verj- ancient sarcophagi. We crossed fences and fields to Bethphage and Bethany, on the way seeing debris of various kinds, scraps of pottery among it, and several cisterns near no house, each covered by its thick, heavy stone with a hole in the centre worn by the stout cord which long years ago had assisted in supply ing many families and perhaps flocks and herds, or irri- BETHANY. 385 gated farms with the life-giving water. Where rock sur rounded them for some distance little trenches were cut in it to carry the rain into the cisterns, thus saving labor. The country beyond Bethany looked dry and undesira ble, with few trees, and many yellow hills or "tells; " the place itself was a succession of ruined dwellings, from some of which came lightly-clad, dirty-looking people, following us closely with outstretched hands and the incessant cry of " backsheesh ! " The house of Lazarus was too dingy, too ruined and too much occupied for us to wish to enter; it looked as if about to fall down again, but that adds to the appearance of age, which is of money value. A green gate in a gray wall being opened we followed a dark and lively young woman, and one or two older ones, who all endeavored to explain and "guide," to a house patched up from stones of different eras, said to be the res idence of Mary Magdalene, while Simon the leper had oc cupied the one next door. At one side of the enclosure were pieces of sculptured marble, evidently from some im posing building, and undoubtedly the ruins are ancient, but of course the exact spots shown are not auth^entic, though just as valuable as show-places, like so many in and around Jerusalem. Down more than twenty steps was a tomb said to be that of Lazarus — but by the time this came in view the people had became so numerous and clamored so for "backsheesh" — increasing every moment — that we were anxious and glad to escape, I myself believed them genuine robbers who would as soon steal as accept a gift, and felt much frightened — nice custodians these for sacred places ! On a hill a mile or two nearer the Jordan, a village was pointed out where in a cluster of low, ffat-roofed dwellings lived in peace an old Arab sheik, his family and follow ers. The next night his enemy, a rival sheik from the desert, came suddenly upon them — two or three men were killed, and several women and children carried away cap tive on their fleet horses. As we hastened from the sordid strangers in Bethany we approached Jerusalem around the side of the Mount of Olives by the " Way of the Triumphal Entry " as it is called, 25 386 B OH EM I A N DA YS. where Mr. Spafford and others spoke ofthe day when the people had hailed their King, spreading their garments and branches in the way, crying " Hosanna," in this very road — we were indeed on holy ground. The longer we remained, the better could we learn to distinguish and prize that which was true, and therefore our last days were the most enjoyable, but a year might be well and interestingly spent in and around Jerusalem, even by one not deeply versed in archaeology. The afternoon before we took our departure, Max kindly accompanied me again to the summit of the Greek Tower on the Mount of Olives, where I sat on top ofthe wall, and looked about me to my heart's content. The air being re markably clear, not only did the city show finely, but to my great gratification we had a perfect panoramic view of the Valley of the Jordan and its winding stream, the Dead Sea, blue and sparkling in the sunlight, and purple-tinted Mountains of Moab beyond, and — could that be Hermon far to the north ? In between our foreground and the river was a succession of rough, rocky hills or "tells " with little vegetation and few trees, but the whole beautiful scene reminded me of Christian's view of the "Delectable Mountains" and the "Land ofBeulah." One hour — two went by, when the sunset glories warned us to descend to earth again, and I did so with a truly thankful and satisfied heart, — I had seen the fair and beau tiful part of the expedition without its diflRculties and dangers. CHAPTER XLL JAFFA TO PORT SAID — ISMAILIA — ACROSS A DESERT. Saturday morning, as we stepped into our conveyance for Jaffa, we realized that the chill mist had culminated in a steady down-pour, but in an hour thereafter the sun shone out, and but for the fearful jolting our ride was a very enjoyable one. JAFFA. 387 If one cannot rest in Jaffa, he certainly needs to renew his hop-pillow, or borrow a bed of poppies, for the air is soft, warm and balmy, and even the languor of the people is suggestive of repose. Perhaps in summer the heat may be excessive, but in that case Mrs. Floyd told me they go for a time to Jerusalem, which being twenty-five hundred feet higher is quite cool enough ; but at the time of our so journ the climate was perfection. For nearly a week we made a regular business of do ing nothing, and did it thoroughly, for with the exception of an occasional stroll upon the Beach, or in the Russian Noble's garden next door, eating oranges (and a few other things less ethereal ! ) and reading a diminutive amount of weak literature — we dozed. The sea was in favorable condition for this rest, as the steamers on which we might have taken passage sailed by at a safe distance from shore without attempting to land any passengers, excepting one from Egypt which brought to our pleasant haven and home (not fire-side) a very agreeable company of ladies and gentlemen, with whom we revisited the house of Simon the Tanner, by this time felt to be our own particular lion when strangers came, and we did not incline to agree with one over-particular tourist, when he proceeded to demonstrate that " Simon's house or tannery could not have been here, for all the tanneries would of course be outside the town, for sanitary reasons, as well as the comfort of the inhabitants." " Yet all the tanneries are not outside — and there is the well." "Yes — ugh ! — the water is bad enough in all conscience for any tannery!" cried a gentleman who for curios ity took a draught — perhaps more to be able to say that he had done so. ^ We took leaves of remembrance from an overhanging fig tree, and, walking back and forth on the parapeted roof, looked off to sea, as no doubt Peter often had done ere he received the command to be no " respecter of persons," and around us at the neighboring roofs guarded by half open work parapets made of small hollow tiles, within which the Arabs, in long striped abbas, could smoke and sleep while their wives felt sufficiently secluded to bring to them the 388 BOHEMIAN DA YS. evening meal cooked at a scanty fire, or taken from some of the jars which hung over the wall on the cool side, and the children played around without fear of accident in this open room, more used than any, after sunset in the dry season. Descending the rude outside stone steps,we passed the well with its odd, old-fashioned spoked windlass with one end in the wall, and the tiny mosque with ever-burning lamp, then wound about through crooked, little, dirty streets, and up and down stone steps, until entering a wider street we found within a large, airy, comfortable house of inviting ex terior. Miss Arnott, surrounded by her mission scholars. They sang for us a number of songs and hymns, some with words in the Syrian language set to our own familiar airs, which fell strangely on my unaccustomed ear. At last they gave us very prettily " Home, sweet home ! " which made us "long to be there,"' — one lady, indeed, hastening into an adjoining room to hide her tears as she thought of her little ones on the opposite side of the wide ocean. Miss Arnott, with her fair, gentle face paling in the eventide cf life, sat half-smiling on the children — fruit of her loving labors, and her mild blue eyes were moist as memory pic tured the far-away home of other years. This school of little girls, happy and joyous, some really beautiful, seemed to be the very poetry of mission-work, but the amount of real labor and care which had been expended who could tell? We also visited a Boy's School, kept by a Virginia ladj-, Mrs. Hayes, where the instruction was by native teachers, and chiefly literature and mathematics of their own people, though some spoke and read English pretty well. I felt a lively interest in one of her scholars, a blind boy brought there when eight years old, now eighteen, who was very anxious to perfect himself in music as a means of support, about whom I wrote to an American " Institution for the blind," but received no answer — probably the letter missed its destination, or they had as many as they could care for at home. There are many blind from accident or disease, but more intentionally mutilated by the mothers to prevent army service. The French gentleman who had been such an agreeable JAFFA TO PORT SAID. 389 acquaintance in Jerusalem also stranded in Jaffa, preceding us by a day, at last, the steamer for Constantinople waiting a mile out for any passenger who would adventure the trip. At last our turn arrived, and Mr. Floyd being absent, his wife (it seemed as if I had known her for years) saw us from the landing. The little boat danced and jumped about on the white-capped waves hke a thing of life; knocked its head against the steamer steps, and ran backwards again as I was about to disembark, and terrified me. Were we happy when comparatively in safety on board ? Not at all. As the ship gently rolled, lifting one side and then the other between us and that sandy shore from which at last we had been quite willing to part, we earnestly wished our selves back upon solid ground. There were but few cabin passengers on the Khedive (we had chosen an Egyptian steamer as the correct thing in entering an Egyptian port), but this was " made up for by the heavy cargo of Arabs, sheep and cattle," Max in formed me after an exploring expedition, the latter animals occupying the fore-deck and some unknown regions below, while the human freight, " packed like sardines," were under a canopy over the cabin. The Mediterranean being in its usual perturbed state, we were very quiet and peaceable, caring but little for any thing but the " let me alone" policy. To the individual who remarked in surprise, "Why, I should think you'd get used to it ! " Max replied that he'd " better try it himself " It is said that the camel finally "got used to living on a straw a day," but unfortunately for the experiment, at that critical period he died. Happily for our longevity the "balmy restorer" took us in hand until about ten o'clock next morning, when I was fully aroused by the exclamation from my companion — " Why, just look at the rocks ! — we rftust be near land." It was a pier, or breakwater, and in another moment we saw the great body of an ocean steamer close alongside ; then slowly passing a second, with slackening speed, we turned half round and anchored in safe harbor of Port Said, at the entrance to the Suez Canal. We were at last in Egypt — "Black Land" of mystery. "Making haste slowly" to the deck, for we felt the sum- 390 BOHEMIAN DA YS. mer heat, though but the 20th of March, for a couple of hours we rested beneath the awning, watching the dark, noisy boatmen in light apparel, with red fez or white tur ban, floating abba or cotton "Garibaldis" showing the brown legs and arms ; a sailor with a pair of green parrots ; the swift departure of the brightened-up deck-passengers, and the unloading of silent sheep onto flat-boats, by means of derricks, until the steamer gave signs of weighing an chor for her trip to Alexandria, when Max called to a boat man, and in about ten minutes we were in a hotel on shore, having passed the little strip of salt water, and the wide stone quay, on which most of the large buildings centered. After an excursion through the native town, which is sep arated from the more modern by a strip of low-lying land, a call at the German Consulate, a number of Steamer Of fices, and Post Office, we had as the evening came on a de lightful stroll along the wide North beach, .enjoying the fresh evening breeze, and picking up the shells and sea weed wa.shed to our feet by the incoming tide. From the water a couple of feet deep on the gradually sloping sands fishers gathered handfuls of small purple-tinted bivalves; while down near a long row of ships at anchor were several Italian ladies whose little children were digging in the still damp sand for white-shelled mussels for their tea, a half dozen of which they gave me as a specimen. A boat came swiftly to the shore, and a small, dark gentleman was wel comed with " Papa ! papa ! " and the group hastened home ward. A few years ago the place now occupied by Port Said was a swamp, on which M. de Lesseps had the sand and mud taken from the Canal deposited, and on this made land, now firm and solid, quite a town is growing, with many good residences back of the business houses along the water-front, but the native town has a crowded popula tion, and little stores and shops like all Oriental places. Midnight found us on the stone pier waiting in the moonlight to embark on the tiny Canal steamer, as the large ones would not touch at Ismailia, from which we were to go by train to Cairo, but evidently were not expected on time, as the ticket office was not open, so Max deposited me on the diminutive deck, even with the pier, to see if PORT SAID. 391 any more red tape would be necessary. No sooner did his shadow grow less than an immense white dog rose from his before inconspicuous recum'oency, and with con siderable animation proceeded to demonstrate that there was not sufficient space on that six by ten deck for two, so not wishing to make trouble over a small matter I with drew to the shore with some celerity, and then fearing to remain alone, or worse than alone, there, precipitately de scended the stairs into the omnibus-like first-cabin, with windows all along the sides, and seats, which had to act as beds also, nicely cushioned. The second cabin I under stood to be all around the engine, the third may have been in the basement, or on the roof where that white dog pro ceeded plaintively to "bay the moon." With a rustling of silken garments, and eager but suppressed voices, a Greek family appeared in close attend ance on a veiled lady, a daughter of the gray-haired man who seemed greatly distressed as they surrounded her with words of leavetaking and love, embraces, and tearful kisses. One large boy by mistake was about to include the little African, but as her arms were upraised, and great red lips protruding, he turned away, and rushed up-stairs, calling back that the steamer was about to start, which caused a sudden evanishment of the party, to the relief of the re mainder. Five minutes of quiet contemplation, during which my Turkish lady settled herself and many belong ings into place, smoothed with white jeweled hands her white apron whose long bib came up to her eyes, meeting on the temples a veil of gossamer black silk, like the dress and fastened in full with it to the belt at the back ; then she dropped this face covering and I saw a pretty white cap over her auburn hair and fair brow — she looked across and smiled. But the boat still lingered, and down came the family again, and continued about every five minutes going through the harrowing, soul-stirring scene, like a painful eruption that breaks forth periodically, until finally, the tears having run dry, somewhat more of calmness prevailed, tinctured with a degree of uncertainty as to whether these exhaust ing efforts of friendship would not have to be automatically maintained until morning. After all the family was taken 392 BOHEMIAN DA YS. off its guard, for going up to make enquiries in a quiet way they found that the rope was cast off, and rushed frantically on shore, instead of accompanying the expedition, which was imminent. Max had been more interested in a curious cavalcade which rapidly approached at the moment of de parture, rushing vehemently along, with immense bustle and importance, heedless of any, and receiving deference as its due, for it was official. To a short, heavy wagon with wheels small in diameter, but wide and solid — strong enough to bear a load of Car rara marble, or for logging in the pine woods of Georgia — were harnessed in pairs, by strong ropes, four brawny negroes, clad in loin-cloths, who ran panting and open- mouthed down the rough, paved wharf, with two dark- costumed guards at each side, the commander bringing up the rear. With all the impressment the eclat, the air of business and importance of a stage arriving at a mountain resort, they drew up and turned close to the boat, the chief and an assistant unfastened a compartment, drew out a flat bag the size of a lady's satchel, and with due decorum de livered it to the care of an officer on the boat — for this lux urious, well-guarded establishment was the "van" ofthe Port Said Post Office. At one o'clock, under a resplendent moon, the little boat in great haste departed. One of our fellow-passengers was an Austrian physician adopted by the Porte, sent by that government to learn the condition of the Pilgrims from Mecca, a report having reached them that they were infecting all the towns with cholera along their route. A dark, homogeneous kind of man, a wanderer in many lands, whom I will call Mr. Green, not quite a gentleman but inclined to be jovial, and agreeable with all, began talking to him in French, and made some injudicious remarks about the Turkish lady, who, after a moment of hesitating confusion, with a blush to the lace-cap border, turned, and informing them that she understood French, administered a cutting rebuke in a softly modulated voice, then asked me if I understood. The men had the grace to be abashed for a moment, but soon recovered. Mr. Green coming over to Max, who had not taken in the meaning of the scene, began animatedly to ISMAILIA. 393 discourse on Egypt, speaking in English, and they were soon deep in personal reminiscences of various lands where both had traveled, and in which Mr. Green seemed to have been familiar with many noted people. From the windows I looked out at the banks of yellow sand, with here and there acacia or willow trees, which strengthen and preserve them from breaking ; a boat whose oars made ripples of flashing diamonds in the moonlight, which seemed brighter than I had ever seen it before ; I heard a watch-dog barking, a boatman's call — and within, the musical slumber-notes ofthe passengers, who had made beds of piled up cushions, shawls and rugs, their graceful forms and expression heightened by the wavering light of the oil lamps. I was about to smile, when all such vanities were banished by the sudden incursion of an army of immense roaches, who not only sat and gazed at me fearlessly from every cranny and corner, feeling thoroughly at home, and recog nizing a stranger at sight, but rushed all over me, and awoke the others, by tickling their noses — a secondary matter to me ; however, they disappeared as mysteriously and instantaneously as they came, and very soon after, peeping out at the spot where the Holy Family had crossed on their flight into Egypt, I became oblivious to the out ward on the bed of cushions Max had arranged for me. " Yes," said a loud voice, " nearly to Ismailia — after eight o'clock," and in a moment we were all busily prepar ing for debarking. Looking from the window, I saw a beautiful grove, and half-hidden in its shades the stone palace occupied by Ismail Pacha while overlooking the work on the Stiez Canal. The construction ofa canal through thfe isthmus, began by Seti I., father of Rameses the Great (both of whose mum mies are now on view at the Boulak Museum, Cairo), was continued by the son of King Psametik until warned by an oracle that he was " working for the barbarian," when he abandoned his purpose. Life was little considered, and population dense in those days, so that thousands of the toilers perished from heat and overwork, and as at Panama the road is said to have been " laid on the bones of Irish- 394 BOHEMIAN DAYS. men," so in Egypt even the rulers were startled by the necessity for fresh levies of workers who returned no more from their desert toil, and deemed the effort ac cursed. In more modern days, too, the oracle was remembered, and guard kept on this " Gate to the Indies," but now, as we " barbarians " came within, it seemed to us that other Northern invaders possessed many places of honor and profit while the lords of the soil proper were but hewers of wood and drawers of water — submitting quietly, it is true, but not happily — but what can they do ? The Suez Canal, opened in 1869, is nearly 100 miles in length by 100 feet wide in the narrowest part, and 26 feet deep, and belongs to several nations, England owning a fifth share. At least one large steamer paying ^4,000 toll passes through every day, and many smaller craft, easily meeting the interest, and saving much time. The Canal had only to be dug through some twenty-six miles to unite a series of lakes — probably a regular channel in the world's early day ; opposite Ismailia was one of these lakes, four miles long, into which entered a fresh-water canal brought from the Nile. As we walked up one of the fine avenues which focus in the centre ofthe European part of Ismailia, well-shaded and adorned by park and gardens full of tropical flowers, past the pretty, vine-embowered cottage of M. de Lesseps, the Turkish lady passed us on her way to one ofthe dingy little two-story houses in the the desert-surrounded, close- built native town. She had told me she was on her way home to Suez after visiting her parents, whom she had not seen for years, but I do not think the harem life was congenial to her, for in the night I saw her when others were sleeping press the hand kerchief repeatedly to moist eyes. "Ah," said Mr. Green, who was in close attendance on Max, "here we come to a hotel ; I shall have breakfast, and strongly advise you to follow suit — but as you please, of course." And we entered the long one-story building, deeply shaded, a very attractive contrast to the intense re flected heat and light of wharf and street ; laved our warm faces and strolled into the park, where we sat beside a ACROSS A DESERT. 395 fountain for an hour and compared experiences. Max spoke of troublesome porters, and how the day before he was about to pay the boatman — and put the money into another hand, whose owner immediately slipped out ofthe door, while the first man, assisted by the clerk, insisted on having his pay ; but Max caught the rogue and made him disgorge, to the confusion of the intriguers all, and his own amusement. We agreed that it was pleasant to meet kind friends in a strange land — apropos of Mr. Green. "The Italian landlord, here, couldn't understand about the lunch," Max remarked, as we walked through the hot streets of the Arab town to see the palace ; " he spoke of three' and 'fine wine,' but Green explained and brought it out to our satisfaction." "Who would or could live in such an oven as this !" I exclaimed, shielding my face with umbrella and fan; "it is fearful." "The Arabs seem to endure it very well." They were lounging within their open doors, however, and the amount of energy in the whole town would not have run a tricycle. At the hotel before lunch Max concluded that we might as well rest awhile before going further ; after that meal I was hastily shipped with other movables to the station, without even waiting for the lumber-wagon which carried our valises. The bill had been our only luxury, but that would have satisfied almost any one ; Mr. Green, who turned out to be a "Cook's Agent," had absorbed the cham pagne, and the landlord could not be made to understand why Max should not pay the expenses of his " courier," as he gave himself out to be. Thus a promising friendship was nipped in the bud. Vale, Green! you were not alone in*verdancy, and this you must have realized when pressing me to partake of the wine, for " it would make no difference." The 130 miles' ride from Ismailia to Cairo which took us until late afternoon to accomplish, was partly desert, but much along a fertile, narrow valley in which ran the fresh water canal, on both sides of which was visible the inter minable light- colored sand, kept back by fences of reeds. There were well-irrigated fields in wide oases, grain and 396 BOHEMIAN DA YS. meadow-land, on which fed fat cattle and sheep, donkeys and camels, or rested beneath palm trees ; while sometimes afar in the desert appeared a single palm on a tiny oasis covered with dry-looking, weedy grass. Irrigation works wonders, in spite of the Khamsin's enveloping clouds of sand. We passed several villages of one-story, flat-roofed houses made of mud or sun-dried brick, where Arabs in white robes and turbans were talking together in such high-pitched, angry voices that a fight seemed imminent, but it was only one of their peculiarities of manner, for the apparent storm-cloud turned out to be only a dissolv ing mist which blew away in a moment. Great numbers of small birds flew in and out ofthe stations, perhaps build ing nests, at any rate acting as aerial hunters whose busi ness it was to play havoc among the roaches and flies, to whom the Moslem's religion forbids his doing injury. The Arabs, tall, well-formed children of nature, stalked about with quite an air, some of them unconscious of the difference apparent between the fine scarf 'and a once snowy aba, or long gown, now of a dingy yellowish hue. The women were some of them veiled, the face-cover of thin black coming to the eyes, where one on the head almost met it, connected at the nose by an ugly brass cylinder two and a half inches in length and a half inch in diameter, whose rough ridges looked the picture of discomfort ; their brown feet and ankles were bare, a garment of coarse blue or black cotton cloth reaching a few inches below the knee. One woman better dressed brought a basket of oranges to the train, her liege-lord standing some little distance away, and to her hurried, fearful glance towards him returning a scornful and angry wave of his hand for her to go to the other cars. How closely she held her veil — perhaps she was beautiful and he jealous — no, her \'eil is blown aside and the features are coarse and forbidding, the mouth large and the nose set awry. Between the \'eils shone out many bright, dark eyes, but I saw no beauties among them. "El-Mah-ya," cried a little girl, offering her water-jar and brass saucer, while a little boy running along the plat form with a basket of "goobers" or peanuts, continu ously called out " El pood," the pod probably. CAIRO. 397 Tel-el-Kebir is a beautiful oasis, with many date palms and fertile fields, a native village, and, most conspicuous, a pretty cemetery, with many white headstones contrasting with the green. A ruddy-faced British officer gazing earn estly at it from the window stealthily pressed a handker chief to his eyes, and afterwards spoke to a comrade of their regiment, which had been almost annihilated in this last great battle of the Egytian campaign, and their many old friends who lay sleeping beneath these mounds. Along the rich valley towards Cairo were many water wheels and other apparatus for irrigation, which is an essential, and moderately busy people, but they are so ground down by taxation that it is a wonder they labor at all. The Pyramids came within our circle of vision only to be eclipsed in a fearful cloud of light, fine dust, which set us weeping and coughing before we thought of breathing through handkerchiefs, but in a few minutes we had forgot ten all about it in the crowded station at Cairo, and drive of a couple of miles to the Hotel Royal through wide boule vards replete with new sights and sounds. CHAPTER XLII. CAIRO^-THE pyramids and sphinx CITADEL AND MO.SQUES — THE NILE SUEZ — A NIGHT RIDE ON TROUBLED WATERS. Cairo (called by its founder, Johar, Kahireh the Victor- ous), the Capital of Egypt (Must), has nearly 400,000 in habitants, three-fourths of whom are Mohammedans. In Fostat, the old part of the city, the poor natives congregate in one-story habitations built of mud qr sun-dried brick, but the better class of houses are two and three stories with no windows in the first, which is used for kitchens, cellars and offices, narrow passages leading into interior courts on which they open. The streets are narrow, crooked and dingy, and so far from clean that a heavy rain produces sick ness not only from saturating the porous houses, but decom posing neglected garbage. The modern town is a great 398 BOHEMIAN DA YS. contrast to this, reminding us of Paris with its wide star- focused streets, fine buildings, well-dressed people and finely appointed equipages, air of luxury, yet business and military activity. We were struck by mixed nationalities repre sented, Turks, Copts, Armenians and Greeks, Arabs and Americans, English, Italian and French, for the war in Sou dan was still in progress, in which the world took interest. At our hotel were many English officers, some on their way to the seat of war, to whom one on sick leave, and another recovering from a painful sabre wound, were giving many interesting and blood-curdling details of charge, repulse and rally ; of friends cut down before their eyes by creeping foes, of men waylaid, and garrisons massacred — a pleasant and exciting introduction to the perils so soon to encom pass them. Coming out from the Post Office, we took a delightful walk, passing through a fine large public square called the Esbekiah, with fountains, flowers and tropical trees, among them a banian, with wide-spreading branches fastened to the earth ; the banana, india-rubber, and a variety of palms. In the streets were numbers of little donkeys variously deco rated, accompanied by noisy young Arab drivers whose ev olutions amused me — so did Max when he mounted a little cream-and-chocolate colored animal with scarlet saddle cloth, and bridle ornamented with shells, and trotted away with bent knees (Max's, not the donkey's), for I certainly think he could have walked had he stood straight up ; as it was he turned his toes up for fear of striking them against the ground, and at last, feeling himself so much the larger, concluded to disport himself in some other way. One of our first cares was the endeavor to penetrate into the mysteries of the many coins native and foreign; we found a sure way of learning was to lose by change and ex change, counting and being unable to account correctly, which we tried pretty thoroughly, and began to see through it all about the time we left, " This Egypt is a large place," said Max the next morn ing, "with its 200,000 square miles,andbut four million people — not much more than London. I don't see why the Gov ernment doesn't set to work irrigating on a large scale: th-s valley is certainly narrower than it used to be when the old CAIRO. 399 Ptolemies put up their great buildings — only one-twelfth fit . [ox cultivation ; there's a mistake somewhere. If they'd make canals from this great Nile and plant numbers of trees it would be another country directly. Well, are you ready ? Achmed, "our special courier for the occasion," waits with out; with a single eye — except probably at fee-time, when they like to see double." As we passed along the wide verandah I looked down into the large stone court-yard with its trees and flowers, and the red blooming vine up to the eaves, and thought of sev eral comforts which some travelers had stated to be an impos sibility here — chambermaids and servants speaking two or three languages, breakfast at any hour with " sweets,'! eggs, flesh or fowl, besides the regulation " coffee or tea, bread and butter," an excellent lunch of three or four courses, an elaborate dinner well served — French cookery every where. Achmed was almost startlingly unbeautiful, but intelligent, zealous, delighted to exhibit his favorite Mosques and his own information, and to bargain for us in the Bazaars, which were much like those at Damascus, and divided into sec tions according to the trades — besides which he -was a his torical treasure, giving us much information never heard be fore — or since. After a general ride around some pleasant parts of the city we alighted, and through narrow, dirty streets reached the grand entrance to the Mosque of Sultan Hassan, with honey-combed porch, high arch, large roofless court, and deeply-arched square recesses on each side, that on the east, distinguished by its kibleh or Mecca niche and mimbar or pulpit, and suspended vases of Syrian glass. Back of this was the dome-covered mausoleum of Sultan Hassan. " Mosques many," said Achmed, " I t'ink fo' hunded. Dis one much old — five hund'ed year old. Dis Sooltahn Hassan he berry good man — you see blood on flo' ? he kill him Vizier one day — him berry bad man — tell lies ! " A large unfinished mosque stands opposite the entrance : it was begun by Ismail Pacha, and in it his daughter Zeinab was interred ; it is quite thrown into the shade by the close vicinity of Sultan Hassan's, which is old and elegantly proportioned. 400 BOHEMIAN DA YS. Around the Citadel, which is built on a spur of the Mok- katam Mountains, 250 feet above the plain, were many- guards, while platoons of soldiers were drilling in open spaces below. "Your Khedive, Prince Tewfik, is he married ? " " Berry much, lady ; but one lady him the Princess, all many more in big hareems. Big officer — he do much fight — Khedive give one for wife. Mebbe him glad — nebber see till him been marry — mebbe him got blind eye — mebbe him not white like Princess — all same he got him." We passed through the gate, and Achmed held up delighted hands with a smile. " Mosque Mehemet Ali ! — alabaster! '' Placing the red-cloth slippers over our shoes, we entered the great colonnaded court of cream and amber-colored al- baster, in which was a lavatory for the feet, then passed into the dome-covered hall with many pendant glass globe lamps hung in fines by brass chains, and stone floor half covered by praying mats, on which worshipers were kneeling, who took no notice of our entrance. After looking at the tomb of the founder, grandfather of the present Khedive, we were shown the magnificent view of the city and .surroundings from the Citadel's rocky platform, the three square miles of buildings surrounded by Saladin's stone wall, wherein rise toward heaven a thousand domes and minarets without gardens and palaces, and be yond these, towards the setting sun, the desert waste with its rock temples and ten Pyramids. There were visible many canals for irrigating the rich fields and gardens, where grew in abundance wheat, rice, millet, vegetables and fruits, long staple cotton, hemp papyrus, and almost anything else one could desire for use or ornament, including a pro fusion of flowering trees, shrubs and plants. In Fostat was the large granary in which, tradition sa\s, Joseph stored grain against the time of famine — still used for the same purpose ; Boolak, another suburb, wherein is the Museum containing many curious things besides its mummies, and the great River Nile, the life of Egypt, winding through the green valley like a bright shining " serpent in a gar den ; " there was the small Island of Rhoda, where Phara oh's daughter found among the rushes the infant Moses, and CAIRO. 401 near it an old church, on the site of the lowly home in which the Holy Family had dwelt during their sojourn in Egypt. " I show- you Joseph's Well," said Achmed, leading the way to a wooden plank door, whose key at first was missing, and then preceding us down a sharp circular incline some six feet wide, whose dust and sliding pebbles made the de scent anything but an unmixed joy. "How long's this kind of thing going to last ? " Max en quired wearily, but with some life too ; " how deep is the well? are we going all the way to the bottom ? " with sar castic intention. " Yes — road all the way down " — cheerfully. " How far? — look here,'' to me, "how are you going to get up again ? — hoo — ee ! — What a dust !" ¦' The Well of Joseph is two hund'ed an' eighty feet — two 'partments — one part b'low have water — not good water for drink — raise him up into th'other some-way — carry up to Citadel up there — see there ! " pointing in through an aperture. "And there is a well again below that ? " said Max; "don't look likely, does it? Joseph ! I wouldn't go down there and climb up again for any Joseph — who was Joseph any how ? '' " Oh, you know him brothers sell him — put him here in deep well to keep — berry bad men — " and so on, but we afterwards found out that it was made by the great Saladin, who was also called Joseph, for use in the Citadel which he built, but which was altered and improved by Mehemet Ali, a powerful and somewhat ruthless ruler of a half century ago. We were shown the place where the Mameluke Emin Bey leaped his noble steed over the ramparts when 470 chiefs had been beguiled into the Citadel by Mehemet, and the Albanian Guards by his order shot them down; only Emin escaped, rising unhurt from his fall, though the horse was dead. The Mamelukes were a great body of finely drilled sol diers, taken at first from among Mongol captives by Sultan Malek-el-Adel II. five centuries ago, and trained to be his body-guard, but the slaves, soon becoming masters, ruled the country in a few years, electing sultans from their own ranks, and deposing those who displeased them. Mehemet Ali, 26 402 B OH EM I A N DA YS. wearied of their demands and insurrections, not only slew their leaders, but had a general massacre of them through out the country, and the remnant who fled away to Nubia are now extinct. The Citadel contains the palace of the Khedive, the Mint, barracks and some government offices. The Mosque of Amer or Omar, which we next visited, is distinguished as being the oldest in Cairo, having two col umns very near together, as in the mosque of Omar in Jeru salem, but the Moslems think the virtue has departed with its use for religious purposes, though possessing a column carved by Mohammed himself. Around the large open quadrangle in which beside the lavatory stood a lone palm tree was a corridor with five rows of pillars, but all is fall ing into desuetude. Other mosques have institutions at tached, schools, or hospitals; that of El-Azhar is a Univer sity where gather twelve thousand students of the Moslem world to be instructed in its literature, sitting around the great halls, taking notes from the Professors, who walk among them, or sit cross-legged in low chairs. Many come from a great distance, and being poor sleep on the same mats which are their seats during their hours of imbibing wisdom in mathematics, law, philosophy or divinity, as did their forefathers or predecessors centuries ago, for nothing is more to be avoided, according to their code, than innovation. El-Azhar has its own Governor or Sheik, as has each of the eight quarters of the city, who is responsible for the people under his jurisdiction. The Mosque of Tulun is " Gothic ; " perhaps after all this st)'le was imported into Europe. The Copts, descendants of the ancient Egyptians who kept the sayings of St. Mark from generation to generation, do not seem in their lives to be superior to their Moslem neighbors. They believe that one devout ejaculation cleanses the soul from ten acts of sin, and immediatel}- after the sin it will not be recorded against them. Their churches, presided over by priests in long black robes and red turbans, are hidden among other buildings and approached through devious well-guarded passages. Miss \'\'liately has a Mis sion School for them, where in separate buildings several hundred children are instructed, and there are many other CAIRO. 403 missions and charitable institutions in Cairo under different managements. One writer expressed surprise that though " the muezzins call, few Moslems resort to the mosques," but perhaps they realize that the ear of God is open to them whereever they may be, for when the "muezzin's call is heard they are " instant in prayer," whether in market or on the housetop, be it their Sabbath (Friday) or a week day. Friday is their favorite marriage-day, and not infrequently may be seen a procession headed by lively rustics jesting and boxing, and white-robed maidens surrounding a bundle of shawls and jewels, supposed to have the bride in the in terior, covered in a red veil and under a canopy. As they pass along the Mooskee, a fashionable street, water is offered free to the passers-by, and all receive a sprinkling of odorous rose-water. As we returned from the Mosques, we saw one of these groups, accompanied by the music of shrill fifes and some other instruments, enter a large house richly decorated in honor of the event. In the old town were some handsome old Moorish buildings, fountains whose projecting roofs were beautifully carved in arabesque, and an aqueduct on three hundred arches carrying water from the Nile to the Citadel, a distance of two miles. So we rested and lunched, and then had a delightful drive along the Shoobra road, seeing many elegant people in fine carriages. The aristocracy is fair, owing to the fact that so many mothers are Circassians ; many of them, the Khedive for one, dress in European style, and the ladies are lightly veiled. We visited the Ghizereh Palace, all gilding, mosaic, marble, mirrors and fountains, rich furniture and glittering pendant chandeliers, and the gardens glowing with beautiful flowers. Within a grotto which had been curiously formed of rock and coral were seats whose centre was made of tiny stone mosaic set into a stone which resembled petrified wood. The extreme poverty of the natives probably ac counted for the insistance of the servants in the matter of backsheesh, which was a slight drawback even though ac companied by a grand donation of flowers. One of the finest drives is the ten miles to Heliopolis, but the sphynxes which lined the avenue of approach to the old Temple of the Sun have long since been broken or removed, as well as one of the red granite obelisks which stood at its entrance 404 BOHEMIAN DA YS. covered by a hieroghyphic hymn of praise. On the way is. a large old sycamore called the " Virgin's Tree," under whose shade had rested the Mother and Child. "Pyramids to-day," cried Max; "only a few minutes for our early breakfast — Mr. Alston's family go with us, you know, — lunch is put up ready — carriages be here in ten minutes." So away we rode in the freshness of the early morning through wide streets — though in one place we had to turn back and take a short detour, a square being roped in and covered with straw, owing to the illness of some high offi cial dwelling there; then leaving Ezbekieh we crossed on a long iron bridge the wide light-green tinted Nile with its many boats propelled by oar or sail, dahabiehs, and larger steamers, while around us were men and women taking in produce to the market, while others, finely formed and vig orous, walked erect with large water-jars upon their heads ; some ladies on donkeys nervously afraid of falling off in spite of careful attendants, and one lady on a silent-stepping camel looking very uncomfortable as she swayed back and forth at its every movement, calling out in a querulous tone, " Get up ! '' and trying to use a stick as it wavered uncer tainly on meeting the crowd. Palms and bright verdure, the sweet scent of flowers and song of birds, along a smooth, wide avenue of acacias whose branches met above us. "See those men and women watering the road with jars or skins of water they carry up from that green field — that's something new, anyhow," said Max; " it would hardly pay if labor was worth anything. All handwork here, no water power for anything, unless irrigation." "Those ditches are useful as dividing lines, I suppose, as well as irrigation — there are no fences or hedges. — But — Max ! — where is your cough? " " My cough — hm ! hm ! — I had not missed it, but I have quit coughing since I came — don't know when. Well, that's worth coming for." " This is a lovely ten miles' drive. The p)-ramids, now we are almost close, do not look so ver)- large — perhaps it is the great expanse of desert around that lessens them." "See the Bedouins: wc shall be taken possession of di- THE PYRAMIDS. 405 rectly. A fine muscular set of fellows, and a chief, or sheik, with a grand air in his flowing white robes — me climb that great rock-pile ? " as we alighted. " No, indeed ! there go our companions — ha ! ha ! " Up they went, with about three Arabs to each, pushing and dragging as if for a wager. I did not care to go merely for the say-so, but with the assistance of a very genial guide climbed up some distance and looked around over the country, and then down the steep incline leading into the warm interior, by a crooked, difficult passage through which you are almost dragged up into a rock chamber to see the old sarcophagus of Cheops. I did not go all the way, for Max would not, and considered me very foolish even to think of it, none the less when our fellow-travelers emerged weary and melting as if from a Turkish bath — but then for all their future years they would have the pleasure of refer ring to it as a kind of time-mark — "It happened so many days after we ascended the Pyramids, you know." I doubt the view being finer than that from the Citadel. " Come and see some tombs," said Max, " our particular Arab is a very intelligent man — has been assistant to several late explorers in the vicinity. This Pyramid of Cheops, he says, is 460 feet high, 746 square at the base, and like all of them built on a rock platform. There are seventy of them of various sizes only a few miles apart from Aboo Roash to Maydoom.'' "What does he say they were made for ? " "For tombs; their word for them, ' abumer,' means 'a great tomb,' which seems to settle it, though some students think this one at least meant to demonstrate their great mathematical and astronomical knowledge in that early day — probably four or five thousand years ago. — Here he de scends into a small cavity — a tomb, will you follow ? the sand covers everything ! I'll go first — now, — al^ sand inside. Yes, 1 see the marks on the wall. No, I don't care about creep ing on my hands and knees through that dark passage. You want to ? well, I'll see you on the outside," and he disap peared. " Come, lady, the Arab will take care of you," which hedid very well, as there was not a particle of danger, he creeping in first and striking matches, by which I saw pictures on the 4o6 BOHEMIAN DA YS. wall — a funeral procession, I think. Then we gained the outer air, and finding Max at the second pyramid, walked down a steep grade a quarter of a mile to the Sphinx, which resembles an enormous lion with a human face thirty feet long, having an expression of thoughtful repose, but is much marred by time and the elements. I had imagined it as looking from an elevation out upon the vast wastes ofthe Sahara, but it is much below the pyramids, and looking to wards the Nile. The constantly encroaching sand in which it has been almost submerged was being removed by hun dreds of women and children, who cari-y it in baskets on their heads — a hopeless task, for every breeze brings in a new supply. We looked into an under-sand temple built of beautiful marble blocks sixteen feet long, and a large tomb thirtyfeet deep, with a shaft like a well near the side, and communi cating with it at the bottom, where are some curious carv ings, then drove away after feeing our conductor amid an " anvil chorus " of " backsheesh ! '' perfectly unsatisfiable — ¦ men and boys running after us and between the wheels, gasping, threatening, demanding, beseeching — at which Max at first laughed, but soon called to the driver, who purposely lingered, to whip up his horses. " Well, I think we've seen about all of it," quoth Max with a sigh as we again reached the suburbs. " These fair ladies out for an airing do not much resemble the Ancient Egyptians, do they? " said I, as a carriage with two fair women passed. " I imagine not. I wish that one on a painted donkey, with a slave leading it, would take off that ugly black veil — see it swell up like a balloon in the breeze! 'This climate is delightful, but if we are going on around the world — " " You do not think of it. Max, do you ? '' in surprise; " I did not suppose you were in earnest." " We will ' count the cost ' to life, limb and pocket, and then decide," said he. The result was that on the morning of the 25th of March we drove over to the depot — two seiyis or running footmen occasionally crying " Ya walad ! " to clear the way, easily keeping before us, though the horses were almost on the gallop. SUEZ. 407 We had no intention of putting on so much style, but these people, almost starving, are eager for anything by which they make a few cents. Many sleep upon the pave ment, and are rather in the way of pedestrians for they (like the whole city) retire early. I had enquired with interest about the Khamsin, the fifty days hot wind which blows the sand in from the desert, filling the air with minute particles, producing ophthalmia, from which about one-fifth of the population are sufferers. I had learned much of it — nothing to induce me to desire a near acquaintance, but shortly after leaving Cairo it came hastily after us, bringing the tears to . our eyes like the attentions of a cross step-mother, until it seemed that we never should have a free breath again. We passed over the same road to Ismailia, seeing noth ing new but the " Paddy-birds," then turning southward had a delightful ride down the west bank of the Suez Canal fifty miles to the town of Suez, or Soweis as the Arabs call it, which is on the Gulf of the same name, the head of the Red Sea. There had been quite a storm of rain and hail just before our arrival at nightfall, and walking even a few steps upon the soaked ground was difficult, but we were highly favored, for it had greatly lowered the temperature. A mosque, a palace of the Khedive and a couple of ho tels, ware-houses and small residences, mostly composed the town, whose population of 15,000 consists of Arabs, foreign merchants, traders, and soldiers, British and Egyptian. The crowd we saw on alighting were not by any means prepossessing in appearance. Tradition says that here the Israelites crossed the Red Sea, and a few miles inland is the tamarisk and palm-shaded oasis, where amid rich verdure and fragrance of a thousand flowers, beside the Spring still known as " Moses' Well," the Egyptian Moslem puffs calmly at his cherry-stemmed chi bouk, and drinks from his small china cup the best coffee in the world. I bought in the Cairo bazars a small copper coffee-pot like a baby's rubber rattle minus one end, and learned that the coffee was made by grinding as fine as flour a large teaspoonful, adding as much sugar and a couple of table- spoonfuls of boiling water, holding thrice over the fire until it boiled, cooling between times, when it becomes rather 4o8 B OHEMIAN DA YS. thick but rich, dark, frothy-topped and altogether de licious. After supper we embarked in a sail-boat for our steamer five miles below, as the train did not leave until after mid night, but I trembled at the idea of trusting to the uneasy and treacherous waves which already were tossing the boat to and fro. It was an hour of perilous pleasure, the air clear and cool, stars shining brilliantly, waves darkly rolling, with here and there a flash of light. Our chief boatman (a very pronounced Ethiopian) looked at the almost useless sail as he paddled with a great oar, then arose, and leaning towards the western shore began to whistle, and chatter away like a magpie. " Nice wind, little soft wind " (whistle) "no muchvimd — no ! — nice little wind," and a soft whistling chorus, followed by a few dozen jabbered words to the Arab behind me, who sat silently at the tiller, and now quickly changed the direc tion of the large pointed sail. " What is your name ? " I enquired of the African. In the dusky light the dark face framed in white turned towards me, the work ceasing while the tongue rattled away, emitting many odd sounds besides the w-ords. ''My name? my name it Mr. Meggidge — C«/tin Meg- gidge, leddy — 'is name Mohammed Ka-\i\ — dat gen-elman — d' odder gen-elman dere by you. Dis my boat — Capt'in! — got nudder boat, too," his tone all importance, followed again by the soft whistling and a look up at the stars. " You whistle for the wind ? " said Max laughing. " Yes'ir — yes'em — me wissel fo' de wind — not big wind, des' nice lillel wind — like dis ! — wa't I tell you, leddy ? I wissel an' 'e came — ha-a ! — like dis — you see?" as a soft breeze filled the sail. The captain laughed exultingly — " Me wissel — 'e come ! " he repeated, with some native words like an incantation. Over the waves we glided, faster than the rippling tide, sometimes in silence, at others with scraps of song or so liloquy from Captain Meggidge, interspersed with anecdotes and items of general interest, for his resources were varied and capacity great. Mohammed sat silent, and I felt rather uneasy at having this unknown quantity in such close proximity. SUEZ. 409 Very soon the " nice little wind " became a sharp breeze which threatened to dash the snow-capped waves into the boat as -we flew along — how easily might we have been cap sized there in the wild billows, and the darkness render as sistance impossible. I caught a new, yet not unexpected tone in Captain Meggidge's remarks as turning our course we aimed for the ship-lights in the distance, when, having passed the French Dock, we ran to the west on the Gulf of Suez. " W'en me put you on board me puts all ze sings— all de v'lise, an' basket, an' all safe on ship — me say gen-elmen — me say ' good-boy gen-elmen,' an' me walks off jes' so — '' "How much do you get of what I paid for the boat?" Max enquired, for the price had been " fancy." " W'at me get? — oh — me pore man," a deep sigh, " gits berry lillel — hab' to pay Mohammed — hab' pay Harbor- Master — pore Cap'n Meggidge git berry lillel," with a groan in moving the oar, echoed by his assistant as he pulled the rope attached to the sail. Still among beggars, as we perhaps at the mercy of rob bers in this rising sea, splashing over the side as the wind increased and we spun along. " Not want too much wind," said the captain — " Khalil !" then a lot of Arabic, " Gen-elmen, w'en me puts 'em on board — see all right — sings safe — me say ' Good boy ' — " "Those are the lights of the Khedive, are they?" said I quickly ; " we shall soon be there ; " but ere our arrival the men had ceased "beating about the bush" and urgently asked what extra they should have, yet made no threats, and spoke civilly, but we felt exceedingly relieved on reach ing the vessel's deck. We had assigned to us a very comfortable state-room, and every one in and out of authority 'proved kind and agreeable on a first acquaintance, so without any special anxiety for the moment, we slumbered peacefully until about two o'clock, when aroused by the arrival of other passen gers, and the starting of the great ocean-steamer — our voy age upon the seas equatorial was begun. 4IO BOHEMIAN DAYS. CHAPTER XLIII. THE RED SEA ADEN THE INDIAN OCEAN. " I PITY you — passing through the Red Sea so late, you will be burned up by the hot air from the desert," said a friend. But on the contrary,we greatly enjoyed gliding along on the calm sea, for it was enchantingly beautiful, the deep blue water contrasting with the light, dry hills of the des ert's ever changing hue as the sand shifted, and purple tinted hills in the distance, while over the coral reefs near the shore the sea was a brilliant green. " I thought," exclaimed a lady beside me, as we stood on deck looking over into Arabia, " that the water here would be red; why else should it be called so? " Mr. Mees, a young French gentleman of prepossessing appearance and genial manner, made answer, " It is, then, perhaps the hills, Madame." " They are a light red, indeed." " But the air it is pleasant, Madame not insalubrious you t'ink. I been fear great heat. On dit que — you speak mayhap the French ? — no ? I not spik ver' good Englis' — not like Monsieur Gabriel my German ami." " Oh, Mistare Mees ! I too make mistake sometimes," answered the short, pleasant-faced Berliner, " you are too good — you also do well." " When I came this way before several ladies had to have ice on their heads, and sit up on the bridge," said dark, brilliant Mrs. Williams, who was returning to India w-ith her husband, an officer of many years' service. " One lady, indeed, lost her mind for the time and did not seem quite right when she left the steamer. ' " I feel warmer already," said I. " You need not ! " she laughed, " for the storm of hail so modified the air that the oldest mariner has never seen so favorable a trip. There comes Mrs. Doanes with her mite of a baby ; she must have been a wonderful mother from the number of fearful illnesses she has brought her eight children through. We all have been enlightened since we left England, indeed I think even Mr. Mees could bring up THE RED SEA. 411 a few orphans successfully if he followed her prescrip tions." " O ze 'ittle totsy-wotsy ! muzzer's 'ittle pet — so s'e was ! " " Mr. Mees — oh, thanks ! you're halways so obligin'. 'es, sit in ze 'ittle box so her tant fall out nor nossing ! — ha! ha! ha !" Mrs. Doanes had really fine teeth and also knew bow to use her blue eyes effectively; "you are al ways so amusing — interesting I mean, Mr. McDonald." A rather sarcastic, dark-eyed young English lady turned disgustedly away. " She would flirt with a broomstick if you but hung a coat on it," said she, — " if she were old as —Methuselah." "Let me see that paper, Bessie," said Mrs. Williams. " Oh, not to-day. See, there is end of the Sinaitic pe ninsula, and on it the Oil Mountain — Gebel-el-Zeit. There are petroleum wells from which the oil runs constantly into the sea." " I should think it would be made use of" 'Attempts have been made — unsuccessfully as yet." " What ruins are those. Colonel Williams — over on the Egyptian side? " said Max. " You seem posted on all these places, having been through so many times." " Berenice, I think, Kasseir it is now. There's a desert route from it past the great quarries which furnished build ing stone for the Thebaide, and a few days' march inland leads to the famous emerald mines so prized under various dynasties and nations." So passed day after day, each with its own interests, per sonal, social, historic. The five-months-old Miss Jones be came somewhat ofa pet to an enlarging circle, though she seemed to become smaller and more like alabaster. Mr. Gabriel and Mr. Mees endeavored to improve one another in English — and had other assistance ; Mrs. Jones and McDonald the Scotchman strengthened a feud which had begun ere our arrival on the scene ; there was music, and the singing of birds, there were games on deck, and even the five meals a day assisted in passing the time away agreeably. We looked upon Mt. Sinai of Mosaic memory, and at another time, Djeddah, sixty-five miles distant from the 412 B OH EM I A N DA YS. Moslem's sacred Mecca, toward which some of our crew and passengers bowed devoutly. Djeddah has bazaars and exports rich fabrics, mother-of-pearl, balsams, coral and horses, beside which the Arabs claim as their peculiar treasure the Grave of Mother Eve — a great mound outside the walls. We were passing several islets one day, some bare, one covered with a thick forest, when Col. Williams, draw ing a deep breath, turned from his silent contemplation of the scene. " There is a terrible fascination here to me — a memory of a time which tried our souls.'' " How so ?" said Max with interest, again looking through his opera-glass. "'When I first came this way some years ago accom panied by my wife — my first wife — and two children, we were wrecked on one of those islands, — the ship struck a rock and almost immediately sank — all but a little of the fore castle, on which I stood holding my eldest child, while my wife clasping the other as the ship lurched sank down, down out of my frantic grasp, till by a desperate effort I regained her hand, and drawing her to the surface swam with her to a rock close by, after which I bore the little ones there also from the rigging in the forecastle." " And they lived ? " said Mr. Mees with intense interest. "I should think you would have starved ! " said Max. " Or burned up on the rock," Mrs. Doanes added quickly. " We suffered more for water, but by and by some debris came floating past, and I caught a small keg and swam across to another island — we were on a niere rock — there it is now — darker than the others." " How sorry I am it is too dusk to see distinctly." " Nothing to see but sand or rock," said McDonald with a shrug. " There were deer among the trees, which came to learn who was interfering with their choice fountain, but I'd no means of killing them, or fire to roast the meat." " How long were you on the rock ? " said Max. " Only a few days, yet it seemed almost a lifetime. My wife was quite prostrated, one of the children ailing." THE RED SEA. 413 "And yet you came to sea again ! " said Max, musingly, " I don't think if I'd met up with such a mishap I'd have tried it any more. No, Sir I " " It reminds me," said another, " of a lady I met who ac companied her husband, a sea-captain, on a cruise in the Northern Ocean just after they were married. All went well for a month or two, when suddenly they woke one one night to find the ship crushing to pieces like an egg shell between two great icebergs, and only a few escaped in a boat before she sank." " The lady sank ? " said Mrs. Williams. " The ship — the lady was in the boat, in which they floated around for days suffering from cold, hunger and in tolerable thirst. One man becoming crazed jumped over board and was drowned, but the poor young woman lay wrapped in her husband's coat in merciful insensibility. Sunset and sunrise were not far apart, and their eyes be came bleared so that they saw what had no real existence, and often were disappointed in believing help was near, but at last there really was a ship in sight, and no one could describe their mingled hope and fear until at last she des cried their wildly waving signal — a small thing on the great ocean. They were kindly cared for, fed little by little until able to bear full rations, and in a few months returned to their native land." "And she went again to sea? " said Mr. Mees, elevating his hands. " I should think he'd had enough of it," said Max. " It was his profession, you know. When I met her she was on her way to rejoin her husband for a long voyage." " 'Ow absurd ! " cried Mrs. Doanes volubly, after listen ing to some one else's voice much longer than usual, ¦' really it's growing dark — thank you, Mr. Mees, yes, I will have my chair moved back a little.'' " I thought her reply very sweet," said the raconteur. "When I expressed surprise she said, ' I am a sailor's wife, you know,' the tender blue eyes filling with love-light and with tears, ' is it not so — that whoever loves must suffer ? '" " Fortunately we can forget our trials," said Mrs. Wil liams. 414 BOHEMIAN DAYS. "Time heals all wounds,'' the Colonel replied, "but the ¦jcars are there." Then changing tone, " down below here near ' The Gates ' there were about a dozen wrecks last time I passed, and you will see a good house or two they liave erected for shipwrecked strangers — they used to have great hardships, and be in danger from pirates, too—" " Ha ! ha ! ha ! you are so amusing, Mr. Gabriel,'' lightly touching his arm, " no ! no ! no ! never mind, I will get it, I am going this moment to see my little precious — you will carry my basket? — oh, thanks! you are too kind — " and the voice fell away into a merry chatter in the distance. McDonald walked the other way with a snort of disgust. " Let me see that paper, Bessie," said Mr^. Williams. " It is too dark — it is quite unfinished — has neither be- pjinning nor end — " but she surrendered it nevertheless, and her friend opened it in her state-room, whither she had bidden me to a little private feast, and held it before my eyes. Bessie was not a poet, but she rhymed for her own amusement, and sometimes that of others — as now. MRS. DOANES. Calm I say in resignation: I am but a lazy-bones, 'When I see the truly inde — Fati-gable Mrs. Doanes. 'No! oh, nol' she's never sea-sick. Feels as well as when on shore, Sings— laughs — talks — sews — knits till human Nature can bear nothing more. Yet she's very ' inte<^sting,' 'Well describes their last typhoon, 'When the rain in floods descended And the wind — (I think in June) From their roots the tall palmyras Rent as they were only reeds. And the prickly-cactus hedges Scattered like a strau of beads. THE RED SEA. 415 Every village was a desert Covered deep in wild debris. With the deadly serpents hissing All along the roaring sea. After that were many crosses Standing where the people died. Who had perished from the poison Or the typhoon's woeful tide. " O my word ! — but it was dreadful ! Thought we all had met our doom — Sitting under um-ber-ellas. Trembling in our darkest room. ' Some discomforts here in India ?' You should see a hinsect night! — Just before a rain 'tis, always. When our bungalow is light. Did you ever see a winged-ant ? — In they come ! — a milhon score ! — Just unhook their wings and travel Comfortably on the floor. But those wings ! the table's covered Inches deep — the dishes piled Make one groan, the dinner-wagons — When I saw them first I smiled , 'Twas so far beyond believing — You could scarce believe it now, How we swept them up by bushels. — ' Not a wrinkle on my brow ? ' Oh, I never wear a wrinkle ! — Here is baby — tome along — See! you are the greatest joker She has ever hit upon! " " Did some one knock ? — would she not have made a fine Galla woman — not in appearance — she's rather pretty indeed ; but I thought of it when she was tapping her fingers on her knee keeping time to the music, and there is such an amount of persistence.'' " What about the Gallas? " " If one becomes passee — in danger of being an old maid, she watches her opportunity to slip ' over the garden 4i6 BOHEMIAN DA YS. wall' of some bachelor she fancies, during his absence, and makes havoc of the turf and her own finger-nails, beating on the ground until he makes his appearance." " Which I should not do ! " " By custom she is then his wife — " " Tap I tap ! " on the door. " Come and see the waves on fire ! " — it was Max's voice outside, and hastening on deck, the usual abiding-place during waking hours, a beautiful sight met our eyes^the bright phosphorescent light on the deep indigo-blue water, flashing and glancing as porpoises tumbled and rolled from wave to wave, and little flying-fish, which at first I thought a flight of small white birds, leaving a trail of light like woven braid in all directions. As we stood looking sea ward the eight o'clock bell rang, and the voice of the white- robed Lascar on duty rang cheerily forth, answered by a similar call of " All's well" from the bow, and through all the watches of the night came the assuring sound ; we might sleep secure, for the watchmen stood guard with out. The Red Sea is over one hundred miles wide in some places, but we could always see land one side or the other, and sometimes both, for there were mountain peaks several thousand feet in height. As we progressed southward the mercury rose, and the tar between the planks of the deck melted out even under the thick awning, before we reached Suakin, a couple of hundred miles below Djeddah, a place of io,ooo inhabitants, of great interest since the beginning of the Soudan war ; built in a crescent on a coral island, and noted for extreme heat. There were five German Catholic Missionaries on board bound for China to serve for the rest of their lives, who spent much time studying Chinese in preparation for their life-work, to which they seemed wholly devoted, though one spoke to me of his mother and sisters whom he should see no more, and his voice trembled, and the kindly blue eyes filled with tears. They were even taking "pig-tails," one of the passengers said, to appear as nearly as possible like genuine Chinese, and their once shaven heads were now well covered with fresh grown hair. ADEN. 417 Great interest was manifested as we neared " The Gates " or strait of Bab-el-Mandeb with its green islands and treacherous rocks : not a moment would the Captain leave his place of lookout on the bridge, for this is the most dangerous part of the whole trip, a place of frequent wreck, and cruel wreckers. A flag station has been established on the Isle of Perim, and on the opposite shore we saw the large house of which Col. Williams had spoken, with shrubbery and vines to make it look homelike to stranded mariners. " Not so very long ago," said the Colonel, " an English officer dining at the house of a compatriot at Aden met several captains and other officers of the French Navy. 'What are you going into the Red Sea for? ' he enquired as they were making their adieus. ' To plant the French flag on the Island of Perim,' was the plain-spoken reply. Our Englishman thereupon had an errand with his host which prevented his immediate departure, and the next day when the French fleet sailed up to plant its Fleur-de-lis banner on Perim, behold, from a tall pole on its heights floated the Union Jack — and they had business elsewhere." We reached Aden at nightfall of the 30th, after a five days run of 1,300 miles on a smooth sea. With the sunlight came a myriad of small boats paddled by shock-headed, spare-made brown natives, whose idea of beauty was to dye the mass of wooly hair a brick red; the dime boy ready in spite of sharks to plunge to the bottom after the smallest piece of money tossed out by a passenger in answer to the cry " dime ? throw a dime ? " which he brought up in his mouth, toes or fingers ; also the ostrich- feather dealers, some of whom the crew treated to an im promptu hose-bath for their exorbitancy and pertinacity, they said, but I saw a sailor running away with some beautiful snowy plumes half-hidden under his jacket. Aden was a great rocky peninsula with not even a blade of grass, those said who went ashore ; but it has a population of 23,000, including the English garrison, and ruins of a large Arab town are still visible. An ancient Arab geographer describes it as a city large 27 • 4 1 8 B O HEM I A N DA YS. but without seed, water or trees, — little wonder when rain falls but once in three years, on the rock and the two thousand white-washed houses built of mud and stone. In the year 342 A. D. a Christian church was erected, but since that Aden has changed hands and religions many times, being conquered by Abyssinians, Persians, Moham medans and different European nations, and now while England holds it complacently, France and other Powers perched around on the rocky isles wait with the faith and patience of Micawber for "something to turn up." Berbera is on a deep bay on the African coast nearly opposite. Again we steamed out upon a wide waste of waters, look ing back upon the sun-lit rocky peninsula of Aden with its watch-towes and light-house, bleak indeed in the early morning freshness, and bare enough, but land, of which we should see nothing for a full week. Then followed our usual routine, though amusements grew very mild as the warm days lengthened. One evening the conversation turned on the natives of India, some contending that they might be ruled by kind ness, but most of the officers who had seen service there, declared the impossibility of keeping them in subjection save by force. " You must knock them down at a word," said one, " teach them who is master and they will obey and respect you." " It is the only way," chimed in his wife's soft voice. " But surely they will seek revenge," said Max. " They dare not ! " a significant touch to a side pocket. " Kindness they think an evidence of weakness — you would buy them up, that's their view of it," Col. Williams observed. Max entered a demurrer — " They seem a gentle people — " " Treacherous as a cat. Sir ! would as soon trust a lighted match in a magazine — " "Light literature already" — murmured Captain Towns. " In a pozvder magazine, as the fidelity of nine-tenths of these swarthy rascals, who are just as ready to offer us up at the word as in '56." " But you tell me there are 240,000,000 of them. Colonel, ADEN— INDIAN OCEAN. 419 and but 50,000 English troops? — that looks like a powerful majority. Even the 180,000 native soldiers if massed would seem to me a formidable force." " Ah, but they are not massed, they are scattered all over the Empire on police duty. Besides this there are so many tribes and castes that they cannot unite, and they have not much strength or endurance — live on a weak diet almost wholly vegetable." " I saw the crew dining on some very poor-looking rice," said Max, " which they ate with a relish of fish, I think. I envied the appetites but not the food." " Yesterday we looked at them cleaning the boilers — it was too funny ! One danced and sung a line while the work ers joined in a monotonous refrain, anything but musical — 'Ma mo-nah ' loudly, — 'I die away' evenly. This did very well as they worked busily during intervals, until about the thousandth time, when it became monotonous and the amused audience gradually dispersed, but the danc er's antics were as funny as ever to the workers below." " Civilization induces early satiety, madam," responded the Colonel. " And you are returning from the quiet pleasures of English life to the dangers and hardships of the frontier, and possibility of active service for your husband ? " I said to Mrs. Williams as we walked the deck after dinner. "After a life of excitement, and freedom from conven tional restraint he could not be satisfied. He loves hunt ing, and gallops over the free hills — you can live so much better in India on a moderate income, and have all these pleasures. Soldiers who have served for thirty years can not enter another profession, nor yet enjoy a life of inac tivity — it is impossible. We have seen some terrible things, and heard of many more — but so you do in England. Then the officers are so jolly, and we have balls and all kinds of entertainments, and ladies receive so much atten tion. You are not going up into India ? oh, what a pity ! but it is getting too warm for the unacclimated there. — The Taj Mahal though !— the most beautiful building in the world — at Agra you know, all of the loveliest white marble, and inlaid precious stones — it is the true ' Pearl of the Orient.' Inside it is the same, in panels, surpassing 420 BOHEMIAN DA YS. what any one could dream who has not seen it. Then there is Delhi with its grand mosques — and such shawls ! " " Camel's hair," I said, laughing at the transition. " Goats hair, but marvelously fine, taking years and years to make in the small pieces which are joined afterwards. A lady may weai the life-time labors of several people, in the vale of Cashmere. — But here is that Scotchman telling some of his big stories — listen ! " We stood beside Col. Williams, just as he took up the thread of discourse and described a wonderful hunt where they had killed an in credible amount of game. "Ah, yes, I remember,'' sighed Captain Towns, " that was awfully jolly, but the tigah nearly got away with me, Williams, only presence of mind saved me. — I was on the ground, you see," turning to Max, "bad form, too, in being introduced to royality in the capacity of a Bengal tigah, and when he jumped my Bucephalus swerved — I nevah liked swerves so I alighted, rather quickly too, and this left the tigah in the unpleasant predicament of not knowing which to swallow as he stood between us. It was too bad weally — but the moment he hesitated I occupied in the gweat effort of my life — (wahm this evening, isnt it?)" turning languidly away, " well-ah " under pressure, " yes, I gave one steady look " (" Fancy him ever still ! " laughed his sister), " at his back, placed a foot upon it, and sprang into the saddle. I nevah saw a cweature look so disgusted — felt weally ashamed of me, dwopped 'is 'ead and rushed away into the forwest — did, pon honah," resuming his cigar. '¦ O Charlie ! " cried his sister, "how can you ! " "Ha! ha!" laughed McDonald, " that reminds me of Allen's story when his brother officers had been running on. One said he was running a race, when they came to a place too high and wide for his horse to get along, so he picked him up and jumped over, then mounted again and rode on." " Seen just those kind of horses," interpolated the Cap tain. Another said he had a lot of elephants in Africa, and two of them he thought a great deal of were lost. 'V\'ell, one day a friend of his called him to look at some enor mous beans that were growing spontaneously in his garden, ADEN— INDIAN OCEAN. 421 when what should he see but one of his elephants inside each flower feeding away quite naturally. " Ah," says Allen, " it makes me think of when I was in London and visited St. Paul's with some ladies." " Done it myself! " sighed the incorrigible Captain, al most inaudibly. " We were looking around from the summit of the dome when one lady asked me if I could jump down from there. You know I never take a dare," says Allen, " more especially from a lady, so I instantly said I could, and down I jumped, but just before reaching the ground, perceiving that L should step on some broken bottles, I turned and jumped up again." Some of the foreign gentlemen endeavored to find out the true inwardness of these anecdotes, but could not be made to see the genuine amusement of the sport called " drawing the long bow," though they were politely inter ested, and laughed quite unnaturally. " Let us take one more turn," said Mrs. Williams. " Oh, here comes the sailors from the boat-practice, — what a good thing that is ! keeping all in readiness for a time of danger. They work almost like machinery. It seems quite incredible how soon the boats touch the water." Then we had a short conversation with the gunner, who cheerfully gave us a harrowing description ofa storm in this latitude, and same month ofthe year previous, when terrific waves swept the Khedive from stem to stern, tearing away all her boats, and pointed out spars which had been shat tered, painting in glowing colors the scenes among the dis mayed passengers, who were frightened almost to death. — After which we sought our customary oblivious slumbers, but found them not, and even the next day "Typhoons" afforded a strong topic to relieve the porpoise, shark and flying- fish from over-attention — and we .watched the hori zon for a coming cloud. Several passengers became feverish from the continued excessive heat, among them our genial German Consular Secretary, and ice, even in the form of cream, was not un acceptable to a few others. Two of the forms of diversion, singularly inappropriate, had not a strong following, fortunately ; one, the over-in- 422 B OHEMIAN DA YS. dulgence in stimulants, causing a few to be stupid or irascible ; the other, religious controversy, for which cer tainly there was ample time, but it rendered the debaters almost as warm as the first class, and more set than ever in their opinions. However, all disagreements vanished at the coast-line's visibility, and when the shades of night enshrouded it, sud denly flashed the warning and welcome from the three light-houses, and a shout of joy went up. After a slow and frequently interrupted progress among the shipping we anchored within the safe harbor of Columbo, in Ceylon, heard sound of life upon the shore, and were refreshed by the balmly breezes laden with the sweet odor of a thousand flowers CHAPTER XLIV. CEYLON PENANG. " We are in Ceylon ! " cried Max to me in the early morning, "the whole boat is astir — unloading, washing decks, and trying to keep in check the venders of jewelry and lace — " " Oh ! " and hasty preparation of the secondary member ofthe firm for removal to deck quarters. "Beautrful rings, me lady!" "fine laces!" "sapheer or ruby for my lady ! " " shell ! "¦ — "gold ! " — here they were in a swarm, pushing one another aside, and rendering our promenade impossible, so we descended to the deck ofthe httle steam-launch and in ten minutes -were on shore, but they followed in their boats, and pursued us as we came from the hotel after "tiffin," running after the carriage as we drove about the town. Beyond its limits we were surrounded by cinnamon groves, and plantations of lemon, or the primeval forest with its varied jungle flowers, fragrant and reveling in mag nificent color, cocoanut palms, mangoes, the jack-tree with its curious fruit growing from any place on the stem, and around the commodious bungalows a wilderness of flowers CEY ION— PENANG. 423 and tropical plants, and bright green lawns — for rain is fre quent in Ceylon. Our native guide was an amusement as well as assistance in ridding us of importunate dealers in boxes, tooth-picks and funny little articles made of palm- leaf, of which I bought a few. Their excuse is grmding poverty. At one place our man jumped down and ran to a little stall, returning with a green leaf within which was a mixture of the betel-nut and three other articles, which he eagerly thrust into his mouth. " Me have that, — no want eat two day," he said, which did not strike me as a good recommendation, nor as economic as he fondly dreamed. The drive along the beach was delightful, and through the groves to the Museum, a two-story stone building in large grounds, whose cool stone floors and airy rooms filled with things curious or beautiful seemed more desirable than the light-reflecting, pale earth without. Again through jungle depths, then a little bridge where our man suddenly jumped down and announced "It one shilling and ha'f pay here." There was a parley and a payment, the white-robed priest who followed us explaining that it was a Government tax which had to be paid by every party visit ing the Temple of Buddha which we were now approach ing. On driving up to the gate we were surrounded by children, each with a lotus flower, sweet scented and of a lovely rose-color, which they were eager to dispose of We walked into a large open space with a few trees, and entered the end of a brick portico at the side of the temple, where in a pillar stood a representation of a priest of their order, while in a long narrow hall was a gigantic painting of " Buddha as he was," reclining, with half-closed, dreamy eyes. There were many other figures of him ; near one in the room within, which had been brought from Burmah, were many offerings of flowers. The whole side of one narrow room represented the god under'a tree with all the passions (which he severally conquered) attacking him in the semblance of wild animals. Opposite were poorly exe cuted paintings of his wife and son. On coming out they tried to make the gentlemen pay again, though unsuccess fully, but before this I had thought it no harm to place a small fee in the hands of the gentle- faced priest, as to any custodian, not for the propagation of his doctrine. Like 424 B OH EM I A N DA YS. many of his people he had a good forehead, bright, large, dark eyes and regular features, with skin the color of a well-parched coffee-berry, and looked intellectual, ideally, but not practical, lacking force for any great effort, or strength to withstand hardship. They are of such gentle disposition as not to make good soldiers. Opinions differ as to their probity and other characteristics. Possibly individuals vary in Ceylon as in other countries. The coolies are a sturdy set with fine muscles, and very little clothing, who subsist well on a salary of from eight to sixteen cents a day when times are good, and are among the greatest sufferers in days of scarcity. They love the sun, and live a contented and often merry life, eating rice and drinking cocoanut milk or possibly a stronger beverage from the same source. The palm-tree is as useful to the Singhalese as the bamboo to the natives of Japan, grow ing without any cultivation and ready at all times to afford sustenance, and a dozen articles of convenience or necessity. "You eat cocoanuts?" Max enquired of our dusky guide. " Yes," smiling enough to show the red of the betel-nut on lips and teeth, " eat, drink good milk — toddy an' arrack made from it too — cut tree, water run out, make much good drink, — break the shell — good nut, shell for hold rice to eat. See rope on tree ? it cocoanut-palm rope — make bed — make top for house — make fence." "Are there any snakes here ? " I asked, looking into the jungle. "Oh! much many snake," shaking his head regretfully, "much kill; cobra, tic polonga — oh, bad! snake on tree, in house. Me hab Mem Sahib (mistress) been much 'fraid scorpion, big, big spider, but when she say 'kill' — me no kill ! " shaking his head again, " no, no ! — ^been man, maybe." "Have you elephants in the woods? " "In mountain. Sahib, no here; much monkey — leopar', jackal, maybe." "Know anything of Adam's .Peak ? " " Me been walk there. Sahib,— me Buddhist, take long time, much big mountain (one more big — Pedrotalla- galla) CEYLON— PENANG. 425 — on top in by wall see Buddha-foot where he been step" — "I thought that was said about Adam." "Buddha! — much big. You go to Kandy? me go too — see mountain, lake — train go up, up — round so — see temple, Buddha-tooth." His eyes assumed a glassy look, but his tongue rattled on almost unceasingly, he and the driver using the word " pice," pence, very frequently in their private communications, and never at a loss for a word. We learned that the sap was obtained from the high palm trees for arrack by passing two ropes from tree to tree, one a few feet above the other, some ninety feet from the ground. A man ties his ankles together, puts his arms around the tree and clinging closely to it slowly draws his feet up as far as possible, then raises himself to his height, climbs caterpillar- fashion to the top, cuts a hole with the large knife at his girdle, and walks along one rope, holding to the other, around the circuit of trees. The sap is caught in gourds or " chatties," which a man gathers into a large one as he circulates in the same manner, not a difficult thing for them, as they are very lithe, and not overbur dened with flesh. The cinnamon gives out little fragrance except when broken in sheds where the bark is stripped from the small branches. Nutmegs look very pretty when the husks open, showing the scarlet mace. Mangoes are liked by many, but to us the fruit had a sickly-sweet taste like the paw paw, but they looked like nice, extra-long, yellow plums. Little lizards run around the ceiling catching flies and mosquitoes, and numbers of larger ones of brilliant colors infest the forest. The sensitive plant grows freely in Cey lon, — as we walked through a bed of it a path was left, edged with curled-up leaves, and lines in different direc tions told where some small animal had passed. Many leeches are in the grass near the rivers, and there are five kinds of snakes whose bites would cause death within two hours, but many of the large ones are rat-snakes, quite harmless and useful for the destruction of vermin. Small buffaloes with humps are used to draw loads of goods in carts. Near Columbo Arabi Pacha lives in simple, contented 426 BOHEMIAN DA YS. retirement, quite a contrast to his life of turmoil as an in surgent leader in Egypt. Ceylon is an oval island 266 miles in length, averaging 100 in width, low and sandy at the north. The south (where is Adam's Peak), quite mountainous, has several small rivers and larger lagoons, and having much rain as well as sunshine is very productive, growing most fruits and cereals, and with fine forests to the water's edge abounding in precious woods. In the west are the pearl-fisheries. Precious stones are abundant, but many bits of glass are sold under a finer name. We saw beautiful rubies and sapphires, but those set by the native dealers were not well cut, and the gold filagree work was generally very rough. They eagerly sought to exchange their goods or native rupees for gold, which they delight to manufacture. The religion of the country is Buddhism, but there are many Roman Catholics and a few thousand Protestants. There are many schools, and they have railways and telegraphs. Colombo, the capital of Ceylon, is on the western side of the island. It is a city of 100,000 people, guarded by forts on a rocky peninsula, which have a moat and drawbridges as in feudal days. Here many of the Europeans reside, while Dutch and Portuguese descendants of former owners live to themselves in an open town, and the Singhalese bring up the rear. Within the fortified city are churches, light houses, hospitals, schools, hotels and barracks, while other large buildings face the harbor to the west. At Colombo the steamers of several great trans-oceanic lines meet and exchange passengers. " The chmate is not considered to be so healthy as at Singapore," a pale, slender clerk in a dry-goods store in formed us. " The thermometer rises several degrees higher there, but the heat and moisture here — a perfect steam — just kills one. Yes, I'm going home soon, might as well starve as roast to death." A row of native stores like a large-roomed bazaar at tracted us, being full of beautiful things, but Max objected to lengthy admiration among these persuasive natives, and further on were the fruit, and bird stores, where I fell in love with two beautiful parrots — almost losing him in con sequence. Among articles to be exported we saw great CEYLON— PENANG. 427 sacks of fine coffee grown inland, rice and pepper ; they also send away much cotton, tobacco and various spices, especially cinnamon, which grows wild in the forest. The people dress much in white, owing to the heat, but gener ally a rich shawl or piece of cloth is wound around the lower limbs, being rolled over and fastened at the waist. Much jewelry is worn, not only bracelets and ear-rings, but nose ornaments and anklets. After our wandering researches by means of carriage and boat and afoot, four of us entered a native restaurant, received bill of fare and prices, and partook of a limited amount of refreshments liberally iced — principally lemonade and fruit. Max had noticed hurried consultations among the waiters before we rose to leave, and asked me to walk on ahead a little before they settled with the proprietor, and I was not much surprised when they came out to see two or three dark-visaged natives following vociferously. They had paid the price agreed on, which had not half satisfied the bill finally thrust forward — or the eager wait ers for whose benefit Max jingled his pocket and laughed as he sauntered up street followed closely by the pack — but never a cent more did they get for their half mile walk and exhausting conversation. I should certainly have done the cause of Truth and Probity the injury of paying them off had I not been strictly forbidden. No doubt many a one had before me, proving it a profitable business, but Max was inexorable, the more so, I think, that he had been un believing of the stories against them ; as far as he was con cerned they should be honest, in spite of themselves. We had a similar experience, slightly varied, with two sets of boatmen, who told falsehoods with the most edify ing appearance of truth and sincerity, even to declaring that one passenger had not paid, and, when found out, say ing innocently that they " thought thaf was a gift " — all which shook our faith somewhat in the guileless native with his plaintive dark eyes, and " tongue loose at both ends." " Good bye ! " cried Mrs. Williams with many kind ex pressions. " See here, is a fan of straw for you, made by the children at Lucknow, and this Point de Galle lace, and little silver bracelets the Indians make. How I wish you 428 BOHEMIAN DA YS. were going to Calcutta — the ' City of Palaces ' ! — you'll not forget me ? " " Good bye," they called as our steamer drew out past them just at sun-set, and from the dim distance we could still distinguish the waving of white handkerchiefs. Yes, " good-bye" it was forever. Around us were many fishing boats, and long, narrow "catamarans" with what they call an "out-rigger," two curved poles fastened to a log out from one side, to which the sails were fastened. They look very frail flying along over the water before a lively breeze. The scene was beautiful beyond description, for sunset itself, a magnificent intermingling of the most gorgeous and delicate colors imaginable, all harmonizing with the varied green ofthe Island, the gray stone mole and lighthouses, and the azure sea reflecting the glories above it. Gradu ally we lost sight of our friends, the steamer, the last light house, the mountains, and the Island itself, for the gray of night shut us in as we passed out onto the world of waters. The beautiful dream it had vanished, aUd only a shadow remained. I thought ofthe pleasant faces I should see no more and of friends far, far away — " Here alone in the dark ? " came Max's lively voice, "come upon deck for a quick walk for ten minutes. The wind is rising — here, take my hand — now! isn't it dark ? hold on to my arm more firmly, the ship begins to roll." An hour after we were rocked to sleep, but shortly came a knock on the door, and a voice, "Please let me close the port-hole — no, not a storm, but squalls, come up suddenly — might get wet." Proof of which was given just as the port was closing. Only a kind of introductory sprinkle, however, showing possibilities. After so much fresh air the state-room seemed insuffer ably close though the door was open some inches, shielded by a portiere. After such smooth sailing we trembled at this rough beginning of our fourteen days' trip to Hong Kong, China, not doubting but the Gunner's typhoon would catch us somewhere on the route. Several times there was very heavy rain, but when we passed the coast of Sumatra on the 12th it was beautifully fine. The Captain of the Pekin was exceptionally kind CEYLON— PENANG. 429 and obliging, willing to impart information when not engaged in active oversight — and I was very careful not to make myself undesirable by getting in the way of the workers. He pointed out a 12,000 foot high, green cone as " Gold Mountain," and Achean, where the Dutch resorted to arms three or four years ago. After four days out at sea any land looked desirable, but when, the next day, we went steaming up among wooded islands in all the rich verdure of Spring, to Penang, no words could express our sense of the loveliness of it all. We just gazed and were satisfied, for it was an earthly Paradise. It was in the sweet freshness of the early morning that we landed, and soon were in a carriage speeding along a wide avenue, then a winding road up and down gentle hills to a wide cleared space with a pleasant residence, and gar dens with winding walks, in process of growing into a de sirable country home, and walking up a steep rocky hill, entered a mountain gorge, and soon, among rocks and dense foliage, reached the foot of The Lady's Waterfall, a beautiful cascade of probably two hundred feet descent. This was a charmingly wild place with flowers and plants of which I knew nothing growing in profusion, but Max said " Snakes ! " which rather spoiled it. We crossed the rush ing stream on a little bridge to a small raised mound or platform on which stood a small temple with a shrine be fore it, and looking through a window saw a brass box like a stove, and many scraps of paper with some characters on, but the scent precluded further investigation, so plucking a flower of remembrance from the little garden and a spray from the solitary tree, we sat down on stones beside the pool at the foot of the Fall and bathed our heated faces in the delightfully cool water. Then down into the sunshine again along the dusty road, past bungalows with wide verandahs, bright green lawns, abundant evergreens and flowering trees and shrubs. We met two Chinese funerals, one with a band making discord on a dozen instruments, and a long procession following the boxed relative borne on poles; the other wrapped in gaudy silks swung in a netting, while many carriages drove along filled with bare- 430 BOHEMIAN DA YS. headed, well-shaven Chinese clothed in the usual white mourning robes. Here we first saw jinrickshas, but as they soon would be our most frequent means of locomotion, Max preferred the curious little square vehicle, black, with blinds at the win dows, like a small omnibus, and drawn by one stout pony, while the driver perched on the shafts or ran alongside. The sun was so torrid that we quickly decided that a resi dence in this tropical Eden would not be desirable, and sat on the grass under a wide-spreading oak in a church-yard talking of China-town, just passed through, its pagoda like a piece of dark-red highly-ornamented china, and the bam boo houses surrounded by palm-trees, without a blade of grass or a flower as far as we could see — differing no doubt from the enclosed gardens of the higher class. While walking down street to a boat a native came hur riedly after us, trying to explain something in his broken English to Max about an article he had bought, but my companion shook his head decidedly. "Not give any more ! " he said, turning away. " Too much ! too much givee, Sahib," he earnestly cried, and catching up his unwilling hand thrust into it a small coin and hastened away down street. "Well I declare! talk about dishonest natives!" said Max, turning from a thoughtful gaze after the man — "they are always a surprise, anyhow, one way or the other." The delightful day was over, and at four o'clock we steamed past a verdant island, on which were well-shaded buildings — Leper Island, to which anyone found infected with this dread disease is banished never to return. As I thought of the family ties sundered irrevocably, the weary hearts with no hope but death, the beautiful prospect for me lost all its brightness and fascination. There is in all that region much leprosy, and in the low, swampy lands always small-pox and fevers. I made a little sketch of our pilot, a fine, hale-looking man, for a time quite the most important person on board, as he stood, binocular glass in hand, watching every rock and eddy. His dress was a white jacket and "Turkish trou sers, white stockings and brown slippers, the cap on his CEYLON— PENANG. 431 bald head like a round box of .some dark red material. Then I found Max trying to read, with the wind fluttering the leaves of his book in a provoking way, so I sketched him a little and showed him the work of art to put him in a good humor. Then the man at the wheel kindly told me the temperature. But I soon paid up for all this levity. It may have been those delicious bananas of which Max brought on board such a fine bunch, or the excessive heat, that gave me such a pain in my head, while my throat became very sore. Max slept calmly on his little bed, so I hastily slipped on a wrapper and crept out into the cabin, but no one was there, so I went on to the door of the physician. Oh, how miserably I felt ! while I stood undecided, unwill ing to disturb anyone I saw a steward lying asleep, and though I knew he was very poorly, was unfeeling enough to awake him, when he willingly but hesitatingly opened the door ofthe dispensary and procured me some soda. The next day I found out that " discipline must be main tained " on these Leviathans, even in the most trivial cases, and consequently my poor sickly steward v/as in trouble about having procured medicine for me without previous application to the medical gentleman in charge ; so I con cluded to try how it would feel to be magnanimous for once, (as I was in fault— they couldn't hurt me dreadfully any how with Max so near !), so in a George-Washington-the- cherry-tree frame of mind I sought out the " power behind the throne " in this case, and informed him that " I was the only one to blame — the poor man could do no less than obey me, and I had told him not to wake the Doctor.'' "But there might have been a mistake!" said he sternly — and alas ! truly. " There could not in this case," I remonstrated (the only thing in such an affair is to be firm). — " I knew what I wanted. Doctor — I am a physician's wife." " Then why did he not come ? " uncompromisingly. " He was asleep," weakly, " and, Doctor," more cheer fully, " I knew how much physicians have to be disturbed, and how unpleasant it must be — I did not want you to be broken of your rest. — " " But it was his duty, madam — the steward's — " but I could see that this kind doctor was mildening (he was 432 BOHEMIAN DAYS. really nice, and not having such an abundance of jewelry as the last one had more time to devote to his patients), "he should have — " " But, Doctor, he may have thought it was the witch of Endor, — in my disheveled, dark despair, and witches have to be obeyed — and really the poor man is quite sick — " At which he unfeelingly laughed, but in bowing himself away assured me that "The offense should this, time be condoned," which was all I had asked or hoped. The hilly Peninsula of Malacca and many other islands covered with luxuriant vegetation looked very attractive, but there tigers and snakes abound. In one place was a great forest fire, roaring and crackling as if a terrific battle were in progress. CHAPTER XLV. SINGAPORE CHINA SEA — HONG KONG. Early on the morning of the 15th we approached Sin gapore among beautiful islands, with Sumatra a grey ridge on the southern horizon, and Malacca's green hills and fields, and a high yellow bluff to our left. The passengers were all on deck enjoying the scene, and watching the fish and enormous turtles frequently rising to the surface. " Is Singapore an island ? " Max enquired, " it looks like a continuation of the peninsula.'' "It is an island," said the steamer's ph)-sician ; "a strait forty miles wide separates it from the main-land." " Yet tigers swim across — average one Chinaman a day,'' the Captain remarked in passing. "The glimate is goot. Doctor?" enquired a German. "Very — hot enough for all purposes — yet not so sultry after aU as many places further north. Along the shore the land is low and marshy, but there are fine hills back a litde. 'Size? ' oh, about twenty-five miles long — twice the size of Penang — or Prince of Wales Island — both belong to Eng land, you know, and have about the same Indian currency. SINGAPORE— CHINA SEA— HONG KONG. 433 'Population?' Singapore has 120,000 I should say, but over a third of it Chinese — Penang scarcely 100,000." "A lovely place," said I. " But not so pleasant a residence after all as Singapore, madam, though Chinese are there too. There are such shoals of them, I'm fearful they will possess the world by mere force of numbers." " A horrible people ! " said a dark gentlemen putting down his opera-glass, " they are thieves and rogues — a crafty, lying set to the last man — I know them ! " "A sweeping denunciation," said Max quietly. "And a true one,'' he replied, " have I not had dealings with them ? Dicker and barter as much as you please, they'll always be a little ahead of you. They'll smile benignly on you, domestics I mean, as they leave with your spoons in their pockets. What place do they make better by their idols and opium-dens, and superstition?" "They seem like reptiles to me, with their immovable faces," a lady said laughing, "but certainly they are in dustrious." "And frugal to a degree," chimed in another, warmly. '' I have always understood that their larger merchants are probity itself — they are not all bad." " Exceptions prove the rule," returned the gentlemen coolly, bowing and moving away. " It seems strange," said the Doctor, " that here the mas culine element so greatly predominates — three to one — but Chinese immigration, I think, accounts for it. Ah, Mr. Ga briel, you leave us here ? " " I am afraid I cannot stay ; it will be so hot." Max pointed to a high flag-staff at the summit of a green- terraced hill. " That is where they hang unruly Gernjans," said he. " Now Doctor, that is very unkint ! " " We shall miss you, Mr. Gabriel," I said truly, for he had been lively, good-natured and full of resources to pass away the sometimes weary hours of the long voyage. " Ah, you remind me of my sister that I left in Ger many," said he with a smile and sigh, " When shall I see her again ? it is very far away — Berlin — nicht 2vahr ? Perhaps, I think, I will die far from home here." 28 434 BOHEMIAN DAYS. " No indeed ! you have been ill, but here you will see many new sights and people, and the time will quickly pass until your happy return to those loved ones.'' And the cloud passed from his face. A little cove with native houses of bamboo or wood on the low land around it, then several long wharves, and we landed at the " P & O " pier, stepping directly from the steamer onto the boards, and drove rapidly up through shady avenues the three miles tc) the town of Singapore. After tiffin at the Hotel de I'Europe, a large well-shaded structure of grey stone, which was to be Mr. Gabriel's pleastant home, we drove out to the Botanical Gardens, noted for their finely kept lawns, forest, aviary, and above all a magnificent fernery. The gardens • were a mass of splendid color, everything in this climate growing luxu riantly, but my face soon rivalled them in hue, and even un der the banian tree near a small lake the drops — not of grief — fell from our eyebrows and nose-tips. We -ivere gradually cooling, the sun being under a light cloud, when an incursion of a few thousand ants, midges and flies, and an unnameable something with innumerable twinkling feet and a movable head frightened us away, especially as Max thought he saw a snake among the lovely lilies and ferns under the tree by a pond where for a moment I paused. Over the dusty roa'd trotted the Chinese with nests of baskets suspended by cords from the ends of a pole each carried across his shoulders, like English milkmen, but in these baskets or boxes what a variety — vegetables, fruit, chickens, even small pigs — or an assortment of cooked food, — a portable restaurant, I afterwards saw some of them cooking, as they pushed along a kind of bamboo cart in many divisions, from which as they paused at different doors the coolies and others came to purchase choice morsels to flavor their bowls of rice. Some oxen with curious long horns and sides tat tooed in different colors drew carts full of stone or market produce towards the town. The fine bungalows with lawns, fountains and exuberant vegetation were quite a contrast to the native bamboo huts, or houses of plaster, painted blue, among the palm trees. A noisy Chinese funeral cortege carried with them a SINGAPORE— CHINA SEA— HONG KONG. 435 grand feast for the dead, a roast pig, oranges and rice borne along before the mourners, who did not look very mournful, whether from their natural sang froid, ox early cultivation of the repression of feeling. Singapore has large stone buildings erected on separate hills, conspicuous among them the Government Buildings, a large Institute for the study of Eastern languages, with museums and library, and the fortress on Pearl Hill. The market was filled with luscious fruits, and shops with bright- plumaged birds, shells, sponges, canes, ivory boxes and precious wood richly carved and inlaid. Max bought a round covered basket of heavy cane, large enough to carry me in he said, but filled it instead with shells and coral from small boats floating by the steamer, full of lovely things brought by natives of the South Sea Islands, among them little green and red parrots, which stood on crooked sticks, and ate boiled rice from a wooden cup. A lady bought one which fed from her fingers and seemed quite tame, but in a {tw hours woke from its opium stupor, bit her terribly and proved entirely unmanageable. The shells were cheap unless you should count the ship ping and extra freight for a few thousand miles; I had wondered why the men and boys kept dipping them into the water, but did not wonder when they were quite dry and much of the lustre gone. The steamer was completely covered by the coal dust, as they took in a large load, but in a little while was scoured up clean and bright again, the gang-planks were hauled in, and the trip of 1 500 miles to Hong Kong, China, was be gun. Until night closed in we all looked with delight at the coast and islands of the Straits, at whose entrance into the China Sea stands on a rock the large light-house named for the noted engineer and navigator who mapped out all the region, but we could at that time bnly distinguish a stationary light, and two smaller ones moving steadily away from it. What a change when I looked through the cap tain's binocular glass ! — there on a great irregular rock stood the light-house, and silently gliding over the waves a large Chinese junk with heavy hulls and sails of matting — a shadowy ship upon a shadowy ocean, a magic scene whose lights were but a mellowed shade of darkness, save the three 436 BOHEMIAN DA YS. stars, as they seemed, one high upon its tower, and two slowly changing place as the night breeze filled the sails, giv ing a small area of radiance around each mast head. I thought of the Tale of the Ancient Mariner as it silently floated by, for no word, no sign, gave token of the teeming life within, if indeed it were not a veritable phantom ship. There were five small islands in a line, almost like a reef, the outer one just above water, on which the Captain said he saw a great steamer stranded, and though the people all escaped with their lives (and little else) the new ship was a wreck on its first trip, and the captain, despite all his care and anxiety, by the mistake of a few feet lost his opportunity of making a fine career. We had before noticed the noted constellation of the " Southern Cross," but were quite disappointed, the stars being irregular, and we thought it not as bright and attract ive as mau}^ groups in our Northern hemisphere. Singapore furnished us with delicious fruits — pine-apples and bananas, and a kind new to me, called mangosteens, about the size of an unshelled walnut, which being broken open by even pressure around the centre disclosed a half-inch chocolate-colored uneatable rind, with a centre looking like a round spoonful of ice-cream. It was slighth- tart, but wholly delicious, though indescribable in flavor. That night was memorable by my fright at feeling a rat walking over me. However, a steward to whom I spoke of it next day exhibited no surprise, but said it liad startled Inm a little, when first they ran over his face, as their feet w-ere cold, but the ship was full of them and they ran in at our open doors to search for food. Max made acquaintance with an agreeable Indian gentle man whose home was in Bombay, where he had a wife and two children, but his business being in Hong Kong he had bid them good-bye for another four )-ears' absence, after staying in Bombay two years, and as changing families around was inconvenient he had married again in China, of which he spoke quite as a matter of course. On the fore-deck were a couple of hundred Chinese, en camped, carrying on their usual avocations, cooking, eating, gambling, smoking opium under litde matting tents, occasionally engaged in \'iolent quarrels, for whatever SINGAPORE— CHINA SEA— HONG KOAG. 437 John does he enters into with his whole mind and soul. Several of the ship's crew concluded to throw dice with them, but some of the minor officers went down and forced them to desist; but one man took quite a beating be fore he would give it up. John loves his opium, and sev eral poor creatures looked to be in the last stage of consumption from its continual use. As the day passed on the once clean-shaven polls and neat clothing united in a painful dinginess, and with the sickening opium vapor they seemed very undesirable, but among them, kindly, lovingly, went our five good Catholic missionaries with cheerful faces and friendly words, at which the heathen seemed to wonder, but enjoyed; and whether studying on deck as they walked, or tirelessly ministering to the sick, it was evident that their lives at least were truly consecrated. See ing them and hearing of their prospective work made me more interested to learn of the introduction of their relig ion into this future field of usefulness, and its prosperity. In China there are six hundred and fourteen Catholic mis sionaries, and a half million converts. In the 13th and again in the i6th centuries they got foot-hold in the coun try, but became weakened by divisions among themselves and were expelled. In 1642 they were admitted once more through the device of Father Ricci, who took with him a wonderful Genevan clock which greatly pleased the Viceroy, who gave him a residence near his own, but dying soon after. Father Ricci sought permission from the Emperor to re main. The jealous courtiers prevented him from approach ing the throne, fearing his influence, for they had been ap prised of his learning and piety, but in spite of their efforts a whisper reached the royal ear of the wonderful clock which had been on its way to him at Pekin, and he forth with astounded the court by demanding its immediate pres entation before him, or the extirpation of its enemies. On seeing and hearing it his delight knew no bounds, and the missionary .was well cared for and his religion tolerated for its sake, while the servile courtiers were as anxious to retain as they had been to exclude him, lest by ill-luck something should happen to the treasure, and their heads fall into the basket. On the 1 8th the stopping of the steamer drew every one's 438 BOHEMIAN DA YS. attention in a moment, and many eyes glanced within and without to enquire what had happened. A pretty bark lay at anchor, while over her side a man was being assisted into one of our boats. It was the " Bowfell " from Manilla bound for Liverpool, whose mate, a Mr. Whistler, was very ill with pneumonia and no doctor on board. He was much better by the time we reached port. The days passed in reading, watching the flying-fish and small species of whale, mild deck games when not too torrid, and general drowsiness in deck chairs, until the 20th, when the sun turned into a glowing red ball, hiding some times among smoky clouds as if eclipsed, and by night we were rolling in a heavy sea, ports closed, and storm}- wind roaring in the rigging. The next day found us among islands but dimly outlined in a heav}- fog, and the sultry air changed to damp chilliness which seemed to pierce us through. The fog lifting disclosed rocky hills whose ver dure had none of the deep tropical green to which w-e were accustomed, but as at the sunset hour we entered the mag nificent bay of Hong Kong, all was life and brightness, be fore us a pretty town on the lower slope of Victoria Peak (1825ft.), with fine large buildings and quay. Around us were a multitude of steamers, junks and the first sampans we had seen, laden with Chinese, who climbed up to the decks by any rope or chain left loose, looking as they came in a line with cable between like an army of rats, but they were ordered off, pushed off, knocked down into their boats again by the crew, who declared that not a string even could be left within their reach and ever found again. Just before this I had a loss but found a valuable friend. It was in this wise. At Colombo I bought a delightful cork hat, gray without and lined with green, idealy light, which was on my head as I began the ascent to the upper deck, our best outlook, but the next second wildlj^ careered through the air and landed in the waves behind the steamer. Looking sadly after it for a few moments (never should I possess its like again ! ), but not wishing to lose the view also, I rushed for another head-protector and fastening it more se curely was in a minimum of seconds in the desired haven. An American gentleman of mature and thoughtful butagreea- SINGAPORE— CHINA SEA— HONG KONG. 439 ble physiognomy, large in mind and person, had been an eye-witness to this sad accident, and being much impressed, no doubt, by my not dissolving into tears on the spot, pro ceeded in a stately way to make my acquaintance. There are no happen sos ; it was a real "providence" that my hat gyrated away, for this gentleman was owner of the boats to Canton, gave us an introduction to the Captain, and in various ways made things more agreeable. Kindness in a strange land is better than gold (though one needs some of that too), and though the name may pass from memory the kind act never will. It was growing dusk as we first set foot in China, and re fusing the services of a dozen coolies with their " rickshas'' proceeded for a mile walk upon the dear, solid ground. Ride ? no, indeed ! how could one realize the earth was there ? or look into those shops, or stop to see the sampans on which whole families lived, rowing about over the waves, calling one to another, taking what passengers they might ; and many an item which recalled to us that though on soil belonging to Great Britain, we were in a very new and strange land. Walking comfortably along. Max a little ahead at the moment, I became conscious of being looked through, and glancing up met the " burnt-holes-in-a-blanket " eyes of a superb young Chinaman clothed in silk, with a very long queue down his back, who without the slightest change of countenance rasped out " Foreign Devil ! " and passed quietly on as if we had exchanged the compliments of the season. Not what we might consider a flattering reception to the Celestial Empire. Hong Kong has a population of 160,000, over half Chi nese, who are the shop-keepers, with great stores of beauti ful things from the whole world, but mostly of their native silk, crape, porcelain and china elegantly^ painted by hand, ivory and carved wood, lacquer and cloisonne ware. In their workshops we saw them making camphor-wood trunks and cabinets. A painter at his easel invited us to " chow " (eat) with him, but we had engaged dinner at a Chinese restaurant, where we had excellent fare at a moderate price. I ought to have chowed with my painter, but he had intro duced me to his three wives and their very untidy progeny, and remembrances came to me of sharks' fins, puppy-stew 440 B OHEHflA N DA YS. and what not ridiculous stories of travelers, and also the unholy scent of a Chinese grocery store I had passed and I could not. There are several good streets, but Queen's Road is the finest, with large hotels and stores; a Govern ment House, and esplanade, museums and colleges, churches and cathedrals. East Indian soldiers stand guard as police. The city is not very healthy, and the beautiful cemetery out in the Happy 'Valley, to which we rode in jinrickishas, was rapidly filling with strangers, many of whom died of fever in the ill-drained town. " HAPPY VALLEY " OF HONG KONG. Out from the noise of the City, Far from the care and the striving. Far from the spectre called pleasure Mocking our sighs on the morrow, There is a beautiful garden. Where, 'mid the fragrant exotics, ¦Under the pine and the myrtle Strangers l^y tender hands, gently. To rest have been laid. By their couches The fern and the Avild-flowers whisper A story of Life's Resurrection. Silence encloses them sweetly Save for the splash of the fountain Sparkling like gems in the sunlight ; ¦Winning the wild bird whose bright wings Flutter a moment ere darting Home to his nest in the fir tree. O Happy "Valley of Hong Hong Thou hast heard many a sad heart Pouring its 'plaint, whilst thy hill-side Tender in sympathy echoed. Yet there are hearts that come wailing Far o'er the land and the billow ; Thoughts of regret fly, like white doves Mourning round desolate roof-trees. Long past the noontide we wander. Muse in the stillness of even. List to the drip ofthe fountain. Hear the wild bird in its covert. Breathe air all scented -with roses. Azaleas, heliotrope, woodbine. Whose fragrance brings back to our mem'ry Each flower its own story. The \\'est-wind Bears sound of the waves in the distance, TRIP TO CANTON. 441 As restless they toss on the sand beach The sea-moss from fingers all snowy. The pine-trees take up the same story Of constant transition in Nature. The moments glide by on soft pinion. The gray of the shadow of even Casts, sombre, a veil o'er the spirit. And hides from our sight the day-gladness. Above us the bright stars are shining — We know they shine on in the daytime — Like the love of the Father Immortal Which ever surrounds us with blessing ;- But, Cometh a night-tide of sorrow. Or care which eclipseth the world-hght, The darker the background and woeful The brighter his starlight of promise. O ye, who have well done your life-work. Or pure in fair infancy slumber — Rest well ! for the angels are watching. And Peace guards the Shadowy Portal. On the hill-side above the city were many good resi dences and a large, handsome park. The place abounded in fine fruit and flowers, and, being such a commercial centre, business was very lively, especially along the wharf and among the shipping, where were many English-speaking Hindoo-police with blue coats and scarlet turbans. The let tering in large Chinese characters made the houses look as if painted in different colors. CHAPTER XLVI. TRIP TO CANTON — TEMPLES — MISSIONARIES — AN UNPLEASANT INCIDENT. It was a delightful May morning that we stood on the deck of the Pearl River steamer on our way up to Canton, a very distinctively Chinese city one hundred miles from Hong Kong. We had thought of visiting Shanghai, 800 miles up the coast, but it does not differ much from any mixed city of the country, is on very low land and of no special interest; 442 BOHEMIAN DA YS. and as for penetrating into the interior it was quite out of the question for travelers without a mission, as the people were much stirred up over the bad treatment received by their countrymen in America. There was no atmosphere of haste to vex the spirit of tranquillity that bright spring morning, even the sea-gulls flapped their wings lazily, and the men carrying on freight, the passengers arriving at the last moment in " rickshas," market people with bamboo pole and baskets full of live stock or vegetables, boats and barges taking a morning bath — all seemed to feel that time was no object, and the day was before them. The second cabin was pretty well filled by Chinese, some ladies trotting along on tiny mis shapen feet dressed in suits of silk trousers to the ankles, loose and square, and brilliant blue sacks, above which showed heads familiar to us by pictures on china — faces enameled white and rose color, hair stiff and black, with ornaments stuck in the back. All were bare-headed. During the trip Max said the air of that cabin was brown with opium smoke, but this did not trouble us at all. Half the time we were seated on the small deck in front, looking at the muddy amber-colored -water, islands, huge rocks, Whampoa, a town at the entrance to Pearl River, about half way, hills crowned with many-story pagodas with bushes lik-e evergreens growing on them to their summits, temples and tombs, great fields of rice, which numbers of the natives were transplanting, standing to their knees in mud and water ; men fishing from boats with a cast net, others with dip-nets on poles let down from the banks, and men and boys catching small fish by putting down a large basket open top and bottom, into which they thrust their hands to secure the finny treasures. Around and meeting us were many heavy sailing junks and small boats, and as we reached the low wharf at Canton the captain and crew made all possible exertion to keep from running them dow-n. It was a gala day, and the forts on islands in the river and on the high banks saluted as we passed, while from every available spot around and on them flags were flying, the centre one looking very pretty with its green terraces and arbors ; and now as w-e came in view of Canton the people were in grand procession after a goddess who had not been TRIP TO CANTON. 443 out for an airing in sixty years, and whose priests had made a great effort to have a magnificent display to win back to their temples the people whose zeal had waned. Of buildings little was visible from the river — the two tall spires of the new Catholic Cathedral, a distant temple, dark- gray roofs and walls, an old wooden shed for a passenger depot — but the people ! — thick as ants who have concluded to migrate. To our ears among the voices of a multitude came the sharp sounds of musical instruments, and the beating of tom-toms. A high-colored (painted) woman dressed in black silk came towards us with a voluble message in her Chinese language, which I tried vainly to understand — she spoke with such assurance of my knowing all about it that I was forgetful of the impossibility. W^e looked helplessly at each otlier, she smiling and bowing \o\v enough to show the or naments in her little twist of black hair waxed smoothly down. Then came that other kind Captain to the rescue : " You wish to see Dr. Kerr, the missionary, do you not ? This woman is quite reliable, she'll take you in her sampan. " How much ? " turning to her. " ' Ten cents apiece ? ' — that's about right. Pay when you get there. There is no hotel for you here in Canton, so come back to-night — the ladies' cabin is at your service." We followed the woman to the lower deck, and climbed down some rough steps, landing safely on the front of her boat, then stepped within the bamboo and matting-covered cabin about five feet square, the board carpet-covered seat around being even with the open deck and half-covered space at the back, where another woman stood to scull with the great oar at the back of the ^boat. Sometimes there are two women thus working. There also were the kitchen utensils and several children who could not, like the bedding, be stuffed under the low deck, also some ducks in a small coop, and hanging basket. A man stepped on board holding in his hand a long pole with one end pointed, a hook at the other, and as we passed along through the mass of boats (in Canton 200,000 people live on them) he pushed one away and pulled on another continually, not without some dreadful quarrels, while the sculling woman 444 BOHEMIAN DA YS. stepped back and forth, pushing and pulling the great creaking motive power, and the sleeping baby on her back never whimpered as its head rolled nearly off at each mo tion. She looked weary but uncomplaining, clad in a loose, coarse wrapper, short-sleeved and open at the throat, barefoot, yet with neat hair — the mere sight of her was a sermon on contentment. But here we were, drawing into a little cove lined with not more than a dozen boats, and beyond the wall two large stone houses and shade trees. On knocking at the gate of the yamen or enclosure we found our selves in a pretty garden, and before us a pleasant home with large French windows in both stories opening onto wide porches. To our disappointment Dr. Kerr was in North China, but no one could have been kinder than those in charge of his home and hospital — Miss Niles, M. D., and Dr. and Mrs. Swan, with whom we remained over night, and who accompanied us to points of interest. The hospital under their charge was in a prosperous condition, the patients making good recovery and led in many cases to believe that those who could cure the body would know best how to heal the soul. The large building beside Dr. Kerr's was an excellent school for girls,. with nearly a hundred scholars in charge of Misses Noyes, Lewis and Butler, whose pupils and meth ods greatly interested me. The scholars read, and sang in high-pitched, not generally euphonious voices some of our Sunday-school hymns rendered into Chinese, which sounded very strange. They were evidently well contented in their cheerful home, where they live in great simplicity, with the bowls and chop-sticks and matting bed in their usual style, but everything is beautifully neat and clean. One little girl I noticed sobbing, her poor little eyes red and swelled with continued weeping, and learned that she suffered greatly with her feet, having arrived at five years, the age they put on the terrible bandages. " Could nothing be done about it ? " I asked, but the answer was that if they spoke of it to the parents the child would betaken from the school entirely, and they thought it best that she should receive what good she could. These ladies showed us kind atten- TRIP TO CANTON— TEMPLES. 445 tion, going with us td the bazaars. Catholic Cathedral, and most of the way around the wall next day. Can I ever forget Canton? Sometimes when half dream ing my mind alights on Canton and is immediately as wide awake as had a shower-bath descended on me. I see the narrow ill-lighted streets, crowds of people passing and re passing, and hear words shouted of which I asked the mean ing as they became familiar. " It means ' to kill ' or ' make dead,' — but I am not afraid of them," said Dr. Niles reassuringly. But I was not so brave, and shuddered at each repetition, though no one committed any overt act. There, too, dimly lighted by his lantern, stands the watchman, well wrapped up against the night air, ringing his bell to warn all thieves of his vicinity. We enter a walled garden in the beautiful suburb of Shameen — we have seen it by day light before — and in a moment are among kind friends of whom we have read though not seen before, missionaries who truly have taken their lives in their hand, I feel, as during the prayer-meeting the Chinese gather outside with their fifes and drums, and everything else available for noise- making, including their own voices, and try to drown us out, so well succeeding that sometimes we could not dis tinguish a word. Afterwards one lady told me that often her husband was away for days in his ministry, and she never could know what news she might hear from him, but of late years her faith had increased and she could trust him and herself to the Caretaker. I was much struck by the cheerful, happy peaceful spirit of the whole party at a time when clouds were thickly rising upon their horizon. Among them were Dr. and Mrs. White, at whose house we met. Dr. and Mrs. Noyes, who, besides other duties, carry 00 a large school for boys, the daughters of Dr. Happer, one of whom has writ ten and translated several books, and a number of other noble workers. Now, as before, it was strongly impressed on my mind that the most successful missions are those for educating young children, and those medical, embrac ing hospitals, and dispensaries. During the fifty year.-,' work of the medical missionaries in China no less than one million cases have been treated, many of them surgically 446 B OH EM I A N DA YS. in the hospitals. I was interested "in the details of this work, especially the female wards, to which the women bring their bamboo-mat beds and comforts and a blanket, and little apparatus for boiling rice, stay until well or much improved, then give place to others. As Dr. Niles accom panied me I could note their eyes raised to greet her with love and gratitude, and well may it be so, for their need is great. Many come from great distances, and carry back news of their wondrous healing, and the words of hope and cheer for soul as well. In China seventy-nine Protestant physicians or helpers are devoting themselves to this good work (twenty-seven of them women) and with marked success, and though there have been some cases of mob-violence, those in au thority exercise their power for its suppression, pointing out good results from the teachings of peace, and them selves employing enlightened physicians. Well might the names "Parker" and "Kerr" be en graved on tablets of brass. In the afternoon we went by boat to Shameen, the park like European Quarter, which a few years ago was a low sandbank, given by request to the French Legation, who immediately filled it in with stones and earth, made a strong wall to protect it from the waters on all sides, planted trees, built homes, and welcomed in other foreigners, who did likewise. Thence to the Ho-Nam Temple, landing in a densely-populated, ill-smelling place, under wide-spreading trees to a large, unpainted wooden building with tent-like roof jutting over on all sides, and going up the shaky old steps applied for admittance. No one appearing, a wooden platform led us to another, and then a third, whose presiding genius brought a great bunch of keys and let us enter (but not amiably) and showed a beautiful marble statue, the goddess of Mercy; there were four different faces, each an attribute of this divinity, but we were con siderably startled five minutes after by the priest locking us up in the second temple, out of which we could in no wise come until a certain bonus was paid, in spite of the commands, entreaties and ridicule of our companions, who talked vigorous Chinee. On the outside a crowd of boys and men gathered to look through the open work door. TRIP TO CANTON— TEMPLES. 447 where the priest stood patiently waiting, knowing well that we should weary of the game, so there being no help for it the money was paid and the prisoners free. I should ad vise parties hereafter to have one guard sit in the doorway. On emerging the boys became our close body-guard until the first and largest temple was reached, where, after looking at the many ornaments of gold and lacquer, seats were given for the vesper service, which reminded us ofthe Catholic, but the music was sharp and the great drum beaten by a man on a step-ladder made the place resound as the priests entered and walked around the side aisles in robes of yellow silk, with bare feet and shaven heads, burn ing tapers in hands and chanting in time to the beating of small wooden instruments they carried. The boys again beset us and no small donation satisfied them. Their last salutation was a shower of stones in the boat as it pushed out into the stream. After a good night's refreshing sleep the travelers rose invigorated to an eventful day — in chairs to the bazaars to expatiate over silks, pearls, jewelry made of kingfishers' feathers, above all beautiful jadestone, precious and unique. Volumes might be written on Canton with its two million people, walls of stone thirty feet high by twenty in thick ness, its narrow tortuous streets, small two-story houses, bright signboards, opium dens and restaurants where you eat rice and chicken or fish with chop-sticks and drink weak tea minus the trimmings ; the Five-Hundred-God Temple and Flowery Pagoda, old prisons, palaces and bar racks. We all took turns riding in sedan-chairs, and walking around on the wall on a platform a few feet from its sum mit, looking within onto lead-colored city roofs, and mov ing population, and without on the well-cultivated farms, green meadows, small groves, scattered houses, cemeteries on hill-sides, and stone bridges over small streams through rice fields, and from the wall picked, to us, rare ferns and flowers. The five- story Pagoda on the wall, in the upper story of which are four hideous fierce-looking idols, was a unique place for taking tea, and we were having a good time, when such numbers of the native^i crowded cwripusly and closely 448 B OH EM I A N DAYS. around that a descent to the next story was deemed advis able, where many clattered down the steep wooden stairs and stood about the bench we occupied, laughing and call ing each other's attention to how these foreign barbarians " chowed,'' but did not show any disposition towards in sult or abuse. This, like other temples, was constructed of great unpainted, wooden beams, looking unfinished though very old, and before the heavy portal were large stone lions. A kind of National College was pointed out, a plain two-story building, with others around it of but one story, partitioned off into many cells, where young and old men gather for hard study and competitive examina tions, and receive diplomas which entitle them and their children to certain privileges and offices (Civil Service). The examinations are difficult, and many return home dis appointed, to give it up or try for the prize another time ; one man was spoken of who had just passed at quite an advanced age after having been several times unsuccessful, and another so wrapped up in his studies that he would not take proper time for rest or refreshment, and not mak ing his appearance as usual, and search being made, was found lying dead in his little cell, book in hand. Here, after giving instructions to the bearers, our friends returned home, while we were to continue the circuit of the wall, but hardly had they got out of sight than my men, being ahead, stopped, exchanged a few words and grunts, and lifting the chair again turned down some steps, through a gateway and into a narrow street, while Max being so much heavier, though having three coolies instead of two, w-as left far be hind. Meeting us was a fierce-looking fellow w-ith swords and other arms swung to his heavy belt ; and though he only laid his hand upon but did not draw the weapons as he shouted "to kill" in a blood-curdling tone, leaning so as to look into the chair, his teeth gnashing like those of an infuriated animal, I was terrified, and tried to look hastily around if perchance help might be at hand, but Max was lost to me ; no one was in sight but a few- careless Chinese looking carelessly from their doorways. There was a curious tight feeling in my chest and throat — a sound as of many waters in my ears, and everything became dim before me. TRIP TO CANTON— TEMPLES. 449 The men, with a grunt which might mean anything, set off on a lively run, continuing for perhaps a square (only they have no "squares" there — nor cross streets either), when some men called out something in a loud tone, at which the coolies took umbrage, suddenly dumped the chair and were involved in a loud altercation and fierce gesticulation — just as quickly running back with angry grunts, jerked up the chair again, and with frequent "huh ! hubs ! " we skurried down street as if a tiger was after us, nearly knocking people down and not waiting to apologize, stepping over a fallen child — making a kind of stampede like one of our Texas cattle when it comes to town, and in a few minutes were within Dr. Kerr's yamen, wondering how it was with Max, who entered soon after minus any adventure. I think I could have enjoyed that half hour as well at home, but what is a Bohemienne ; doth she not see the sights ? Dangerous incidents are like sauce piquant, which sharpens the appetite, if not too strong, yet one would not care to live exclusively on sauces. They are not wholesome as a diet, and rather expensive. We regretfully parted from our kind friends, and sped down the river again, passing numbers of the house-boats which interested us greatly. At Canton we had a pretty little Tankadere, (or boat girl) named " Loo-loo," with thick dark hair worn in full smooth bangs on the forehead, and a large plait behind reaching below her belt, tied with a bow of red ribbon. Her large, dark eyes had little ofthe "almond" tendency, were bright and well-opened, and dusky cheeks tinged with the same bright color as the changeful lips, which now parted, revealing teeth which any belle might envy, and anon were compressed while with wrinkled brow her hands grasped the pole for some new effort — for Loo-loo was an orphan, and at twelve years old mistress of her father's boat, felt powerful as a queen upon her own ground, and pattered, back and forth with her small but uncompressed bare feet, giving orders which were immediately obeyed. As we passed a jostling, noisy crew she turned around and said a few words in a grave, encouraging tone, which being translated were, " Do not be afraid — I will take care of you ! " I am glad that she was so full of her own good faith and kindness that not a suspicion 29 4 so B OH EM I A N DA YS. crossed her mind that the laugh which followed concerned her in any way. Seeing her in her boat made the life of these people more real, as we looked at the floating homes, some twelve, some over twenty feet, and even two story, with many ornaments, baskets and boxes of growing flow ers, colored windows, pictures, and everywhere such mul titudes of children. Many ofthe little ones had pieces of turned wood strapped to their backs as life-preservers in case of their falling overboard, and babies were tethered by cords to keep them from the edge. The land dwellers are considered of higher status, and when a boat family has saved money enough to buy a house ashore and retire from trade, it takes three generations to bring them on a par, and fit for inter-marriage, casting even some of our social dis tinctions into the shade. The blindness of many of the boat people is said to be caused by the fearful rage they fall into when their dwellings become entangled. "Good-bye, Canton!" said Max. " We can still see the spires ofthe French Cathedral. They say that when the first spire was put up the people headed by the priests made a great fuss about the spirits of the air being interrupted, and bad influences descending on the town, but when they found nothing could be done, and the second was erected, it was decided in council that the second elevation neutral ized the evil influences ofthe first. The land it occupies was once the site of the Governor's residence and parted with very unwillingly — I don't blame them ! how should we like tliem to come and take possession in our country ? Did you notice in looking along the roofs no two are ex actly on a level ? It looks queer, but then it obstructs and inconveniences some of the evil spirits, who get mad and leave, so it may well be put up with. Those large, isolated buildings we noticed are water-proof and fire-proof ware houses for storing valuables, where people can leave furniture or other articles, knowing it will be taken good care of — quite a convenience I think." A very pleasant Indian Colonel and his wife (English of course) with whom we had become slightly acquainted on our way up the river were again our companions, and gave lively descriptions of what they had seen. Mrs. Mitford had felt quite horrified on entering the little three-cornered TRIP TO CANTON— TEMPLES. 451 execution ground to see in various degrees of ghastliness eight heads of malefactors, which had just been severed, and said she had to make herself believe that it was only a fear ful picture and no reality, or she could not have endured it at all. Very soon arose a great wind, and we had a stormy pas sage by night back to Hong Kong, our river boat being like a plaything of the great waves when we came out onto the sea. The next day, our last in China, we rode and walked about the city, were half drowned in a heavy rain which came down in a deluge, running an inch deep over the pavements, and turning umbrellas into sprinklers; bought a supply of little Mandarin oranges and keepsakes, and rowed out to our new steamer, the Thibet, near which was anchored the old Miami, now used as a hospital, and re minding me ofa Noah's Ark. China was a remarkable country to us in many particu lars ; vast in area — in round numbers four and one-fifth mil lion square miles, containing one-fourth the inhabitants of the globe, under an Emperor who is rather a High Priest, the executive being in the hands of six Cabinet Ministers and fifty Public Censors. In religion the poorer orders are mostly Buddhists, but the educated are followers of Con fucius, whom they are taught to reverence, and whose works are studied in their schools as the principal part of their education. Their dress and manners, every detail of life, is regulated by a Code of three thousand precepts, or ceremonial laws. There are many Taoists or Rationalists, who, however, fly to the gods of their fathers in any adversity. Since the founding of the Chinese Empire, 2800 B. C, there have been over twenty dynasties, the Tartars coming in as conquerors in the 17th Century and founding the one now paramount. They have the oldest library extant, es tabUshed at Kwotoze-Kien in 1 122 B. C, and the largest garden in the world, called the Garden of China, fifty thou sand square miles around Shanghai, a meadow land from which, yearly, three crops are gathered. In many things they are our antipodes, as well as in eat ing, in which they they begin with what we should consider 452 BOHEMIAN DA YS. dessert. A short coat is put on over a longer one, the shoes are whitened, and sleeves very long and flowing ; their finger nails are carefully preserved from breaking until several inches long, the gentlemen carry fans, while many ladies wear garments we consider the exclusive property of the stronger sex. A Chinaman stands some distance from you, shakes his hands up and down, and bows low and re peatedly, with many flowery words of self-depreciation and laudation of his friend — and the same expressions if writing. The face is clean shaven, except that the grand fathers may wear a mustache, while one over eighty is also allowed to wear yellow, the imperial color, as a special dis tinction — such reverence do they pay to age. The worship of ancestors is universal with all sects, for which a special room in large houses is set aside, adorned and used at all times of festival, of rejoicing or mourning- Death has no terrors for them, and a coffin is one of the most acceptable presents which can be given a friend, who even uses it as atableinhishouse,andifthe time of needing it be long postponed retrims and adorns it to his own liking. Their care and respect for the aged is certainly a good trait, and there is a simplicity of life, satisfaction and con tent on very little, which is worthy of emulation. One writer says he does not think there are many of them " to tally degraded," but considers them sadly lacking in mor ality. In some places women are openly sold; they have no law against plurality of wives, and sometimes the hus bands sell them when weary or desiring others, or in debt, which causes a note of warning to some few American girls who make the mistake of marrying Chinese who have come to the country when grown, almost all of whom have left wives behind them, and as they only leave home for a time, desert the foreigner and her children, or take her back to a life of slavery under her predecessors. They live much in patriarchal style, each large family in a yamen to itself, their children when married having a new habitation assigned them in the enclosed space, gradually forming a large colony or clan whose members wear upon their apparel som.e distinguishing mark. Mistakes in inter marriage do not occur, as the affair is arranged by the rela tives ofthe two most interested, who frequently have never TRIP TO CANTON— TEMPLES. 453 met until the evening when with music and rejoicing the weeping bride is borne in a close carriage or chair from the parental habitation to the house where her mother-in-law holds sway. She is brought by her maidens in gala array into a room where stands the bridegroom, who gravely bows, or takes no notice of her ; they are bound together by long ribbons, green and red, she holding one, he the other ; then glasses of wine are given them, which they sip, the ribbon wound about the hand gradually drawing them nearer until quite close. They have before bowed to one an other and their pictorial ancestors, and repeat it frequently, and when at last declared married they are taken into a larger room, where the lady is unveiled and the man con gratulated or sympathized with, the guests all expressing themselves with remarkable freedom ; then he escapes, and she, not having slept or eaten for twenty-four hours, is taken to her mother-in-law, who in accordance with cus tom scarcely deigns to see her, and she may well weep in earnest as well as according to formula, for she is an alien from her mother's house and often unhappy in the new home. Yet divorces do not obtain as in this country, and much of the seeming coldness of the people has been incul cated from rigid rules of childhood in school, where from day dawn to dark they are under the eye of a strict master who has quite forgotten that he ever was a boy. In the school in Canton I was quite struck with the fine voice of one of the girls, EUene, who had a strong, clear tone of great register. It was her wish to remain single and teach in the school, but her friends insisted that she should marry. Since that time came a pleasant photograph of Ellene and her husband, who look happy enough. Their houses are cool compared with ours, and having no stoves or fire-places they put on extra clothing to keep themselves warm — one suit above anfither. A widow is honored, but by marrying again forfeits the right of ever passing through the arches erected by the Emperor as a memorial to women who have been notable for fidelity. There is a Chinese proverb, " To get true happiness on earth you should live in Canton and die at Lai-Choo," the places severally noted for luxurious living and well-made coffins. 4 54 F OHEMIAN DA YS. The Chinese think it very strange to see foreigners rise to the saddle from the left side, and ride astride, and that they choose a shaded cemetery and bury friends deep in the earth; also why should we pay a physician during sickness ? it is health that we want. We think it odd to see old men flying kites, and appreciate not weak tea without milk and sugar, or a dainty block of wood as a pillow. The fifty thousand letters or characters seem to us an obstacle in the acquisition of their language ; we prefer the pen to a paint brush for writing, and generally a man kills his enemy and not himself if a deadly feud arise. They sell everything by weight, fire crackers to frighten evil spirits away, and ring or pound their bells on the outside. It is all a matter of taste, and as for China we must say that although she has long hung back in the march of progress, she is awaking to her own interest, and with the railway and telegraph, her anxiety to learn all the best modern methods, forwhich many of her citizens have been sent abroad to other coun tries, to colleges and workshops, there is opening up a new era of wonderful prosperity, for though slow in start ing she will be equally difficult to check or debar, and the world may hear from her in the near future. Those who adopt Christianity put many of us "more enlightened " believers to the blush in their earnest ness, faith and liberality in the cause of missions. The people are generally honest among themselves, and have the wise habit of cancelling every debt at the end of each year. They have not good taste, or judgment per haps I should say, placing incongruous articles in contigu ity, preferring small windows — though that may be owing to the dearth of fires ; while even houses of the wealthy, though full of ornaments, and possessing gardens with rockeries, lakes and lovely flowers, still lack the home com forts we think essential. Once implant an idea in a Chinaman's head and you can not uproot it without some difficulty ; they are also great imitators and very literal. An officer of the navy told me of ordering a dozen pair of nankeen pants, handing the man an old pair as a model, whereupon an exact reproduction was returned, including a patch on one knee. A lady said that one of her china plates being accident- TRIP TO CANTON— TEMPLES. 455 ally chipped she sent it to have a new one made at the fac tory, and a beautifully painted fac-simile came to her care fully chipped like the original, and a crack she had over looked, made so as to give the platter the same tone when rung. But the time had come for fresh seas and islands new — 1 240 miles of rough waves — a terrible time to me as I lay speechless with an inflamed throat. My thoughts dwelt on many places I had seen, but especially " Happy Valley," so I wrote " a few lines " about it. CHAPTER XLVII. NAGASAKI THE INLAND SEA KOBE. Be.\utiful Japan ! how I love to think of it with the sunshine and verdure that greeted me as still speechless I crept upon deck that fair Spring morning that we entered the land-locked harbor of Nagasaki. " This is like one of the minor Fiords of Norway," said Colonel. Mitford. " Look at the natives," Max exclaimed, half-laughing. They had come alongside with barges full of coal, and were now handing it from one to another in baijiboo baskets, like a fire-brigade the buckets of water, the barges being lashed together and to the steamer. They were of browner tint than the Chinese and had very heavy black hair, and wore very little clothing; many seemed to have but the one garment of coarse blue cotton coming half-way to the knee. Max and the other passengers went' ashore to see the temples and tea-houses surrounded by pretty groves, that of Osuwa with hundreds of evergreen camphor trees, and gardens full of brilliant flowers ; ornamental cemeteries, houses covered with tiles or heavy thatch, and shops over- iflowing with bric-a-brac — of which I received glowing ac- 'counts on their return with great bouquets and boxes of .'lapanesc cand^, One kind of this was made simply of the 456 BOHEMIAN DAYS. native sugar, but what I liked best had the addition of sea weed — different in color and flavor. It was a blessing not to be deaf as well as dumb, to be able to see the green hills and bay, and boats skimming the water on business or pleasure bent. What a change after the storm and darkness ! could any place be lovelier ? Some Japanese came on board, the ladies, pleasant and modest in demeanor, habited in silken dressing gowns tied about the waist with broad sashes, the gentleman in Euro pean costume ; very polite and altogether a contrast to the Chinese. Several missionaries bound for Kobe made an hour pass swiftly by their description of the country and people, as we slowly steamed out from the bay, but the weather had already changed, and rain came pattering down before I could retreat to the cabin. Nagasaki is a treaty port and seemed lively, but they said it had lost much of its prestige, being eclipsed by Kobe and Yokohama, yet it still had some manufactories, one being for the construction of locomotives, the people showing great ingenuity, as they had never seen one when they began. For some centuries only the Dutch were allowed to live here, and they were not in the city, but had a small settle ment to themselves called Decima, but some thirty years ago ports were opened and treaties made with other Powers. " There is Takabobo, or Pappenberg, the Martyrs' Island," said a lady, pointing to a steep, rocky island near the entrance to the bay. '' It is sacred to Japanese Christians who were brought here in great numbers after many fiery trials and tortures, and bidden to take choice between tramp ling on the cross or being hurled from those rocks. Not one accepted life under such terms of debasement. Pappen- bergs means ' The Crag of the Fathers.' • Many islands ? ' " looking on my tablet, " there are said to be 3800 in all, but the four large ones are really Japan — or Nippon. — Zipangu as they say. Great Nippon is 900 miles long and lOO wide. Then they have the Loo Choo and Kurile Islands as col onies. It is a most interesting country, the people are so anxious to learn, and so quick to catch an idea. The country is ruled by the Mikado, who now has exclu- THE INLAND SEA. 457 sive power, whereas before their Revolution ended ten years ago the executive power was in the hands of the military chief or Prime Minister called Tycoon, and a number of princes from whose order he was chosen. It was a very good change for the country, which had been troubled by incessant feuds, but now is grov/ing so as to be a wonder to the nations. Schools flourish, they have railroads, gas, street-cars, telegraphs and letter-carriers in the cities. — Yes, there seems a tendency towards infidelity, but I think it is merely the running into the other extreme from the blind idolatry they practiced. They are the most cleanly people in the world, and not licentious — oh, I know some people say they are, but their simplicity exhibits what faults they may have when perhaps by others they would be hidden. They love change, and are ever wanting to learn some new thing — eager as children, and much will depend on their teachers — it is a very great responsibility. The education of women is much improved ; they are being surely elevated, which is a good sign too. Count Ito, the Prime Minister, is greatly interested in the movement, and Mrs. Leavitt, of the W.C. T. U. — -her influence and efforts will do good. " The Inland Sea is the most beautiful in the world," said Max, coming down from the deck next morning, " you have been peeping out of your window, have you? " (I nodded.) " Well, we must try to get you on deck for a little while. We shall be at Kobe to-night." And I sat for hours looking at the lovely islands with ter raced hills like green cascades, the blue sky and sea, while a cool breeze refreshed me, but then down I had to go, and only take a look now and then from the window. So the 400 miles were past, and we drew up beside a long wooden pier in front of the beautiful little town of Kobe, with Hiogo, a large native city, to the left, green hills and a for est-covered mountain as a background. " But I cannot go on shore," I thought, and closed my eyes. ' The beautiful land ! — how was it all at home ? Not even the sob in my throat could vibrate the swollen chords, or give token of the tears quick flowing — quick repressed, for here came Max from shore after a brief absence. " Come ! '' he cried cheerily, " we must make ready and 458 B OHEMIAN DA YS. go on shore. I've found a pleasant, retired, airy room. for you in a French hotel, with a lively French lady you can talk tl?when you get able." I sadly shook my head. "But we Jtave to go ! " he said earnestly, " you are very weak, I know, — but the fact is they are not wifii"g to take us on further — sick as you are — think you'd be better on shore. The physician thinks if you were sea-sick — and we go on the open sea to Yokoham-a, you know — it might be fatal to you." They have to pay a fine in case of casualties, I afterwards learned. I winced a little at the statement, which was no doubt true, but seemed of a little different significance to me than to any one else. As Max carried me on deck several of the offi cers came to shake my hand, never expecting to see me again ; he put me into a 'ricksha and went on ahead and a new experience befell. The wharf was of strips of wood cross wise with an inch or two of space between and when my coolie set off on a trot in the darkness I was almost shaken to pieces. Of course he thought it all right as I did not complain, — perhaps after all it did me good ; certainly after that night's rest in the sweet, homelike room, clean as could be, ornamented tastefully, with snowy curtains around the French windows and bed, and ample dressing room, and a delicately-served breakfast in my room, at which the kind hostess herself presided, I looked on life as more possible, and was amused and greatly interested by the scenes from my window. Max was in a dozen places at once, it seemed to me, so often did he come in with descriptions of temples and curio-stores, and pretty little articles for me bulging out his pockets. Dozens of travelers flew by in 'rickshas, merrily talking and laughing as they sped over the w-ide street smooth as a floor, and next came the apparatus which made it so even, a very wide, heavy stone roller about six feet in diameter by ten in length, drawn by eight oxen in pairs, cared for by seven or eight men, who loose them all when the roller frame is to be turned, causing a general flurry, as each ox wanders off as his own inclination dictates, one to the gutter for a drink, another cropping grass at the sidewalk, while others have an idea that it must be meal-time and start for their stable, and " there is racing and chasing " before the KOBE. 459 company of men and oxen appear again in their pristine condition and the roller goes gently down the street. It amused me to observe this same occurrence with variations at each period of transition, but finally it became too un reasonable ; I might have rushed out (had I not been dumb) and given them some good advice, but — ah, what a shower ! and the people flying in all directions, on foot, horseback, 'rickshas full and carts with merchandise, the coolies in tight blue cotton pants, jacket and cap, and straw slippers with a string or thong coming up between the great and second toes, fastening them to the ankle. Two in front of a dray- load of sacks of wheat and one pushing behind go on the full trot. These coolies who can run from five to ten miles an hour with jinrickishas for six or eight hours a day, look stalwart and healthy, with wonderfully developed muscles in the lower limbs, but they do not live Very long as heart dis ease is common among them, also rheumatism from being out in the wet, and quickly cooling after excessive exer tion. I never saw such willing people, so cheerful and in dustrious. Next morning, the 3d of May, Max took me to the two largest temples. First was the Ik.sta or Temple of the White Horse, which we approached through what had been great gateways, but only the posts were standing. A square, green lawn with the wooden building a mere shed on posts, within which were two smiling idols, in the centre a few large shade trees and an evergreen grove at the back, and at the sides a row of small tumbledown buildings, in the first of which stood a glassy-eyed white horse, looking mildly yet hopefully out at us, to whom we gave a few beans from a stall kept by an old priest, who sold them at about a •• cash " (one-fifth of a cent) per dozen. Some one said there were some monkeys there, but we did not see them. Before the temple was a great wooden money-box, and a heavy bell-rope with which donors called the attention of the god, ringing the bell before depositing their small offerings, clapping their hands, then as they muttered a prayer with closed eyes they swayed back and forth and bowed repeatedly. Such earnestness and faith was to be respected, though the belief might differ from our home teaching. 46o BOHEMIAN DA YS. Nango Temple was much the same, but had great painted wooden arches of approach, a paved space with many booths for the sale of toys, curios and sweets on each side, and a fine pond of turtles, and flower garden with lovely sweet-scented lilies in full bloom beyond. On an open space were tea houses, and jugglers with great crowds of curious people around them, one of whom was making a needle-cushion of his arm, and eating a packet of the same weapons as if a rare dainty. He had a little boy on top of a twelve-foot bamboo pole going through monkey-like antics, but the moment he spied us he slid down like lightning, and parting the crowd came bowing and begging. The people were by no means ill-natured, but there was no satisfaction in trying to look at the articles on the stalls, for instantly we were wedged in by a crowd curious to see us and our purchases. The two weeks parsed delightfully, for even on cloudy days we found things of interest; on one visit in Hiogo, the adjoining town — a high-banked canal, bridged over, being the only division line, where was atemple called Kiomoris in front of which sat an image of Buddha with a " glory " around its head, and crossing a clean graveled space w-e saw within the building a fine copper-gilt canopy and chandelier, and leaves and flowers of the lotus looking like solid gold, all beautifully wrought. Around the god were many orna ments, while on the altar a light was kept continually burn ing. One building has bas-reliefs, and at the great closed gateway was a goddess with six arms in various positions ( — again Mark Twain — or an archangel). We walked through the large cemetery full of tombs, whose hmited space for burial indicated mcineration, but though this may sometimes be the case, at others the Japanese bury in a sit ting posture, frequently in large costly jars into which it is very difficult to introduce the body in any position. On the other side of the street on a slight elevation was the high rudely-carved stone memorial of the Daimios, or old go\'- ernors. We next went through a large rice mill, then the bazaars again, which were an unfailing amusement. There are some manufactories in the town, and all through it, in the little shops, you see them making feather flowers and ornaments, baskets of bamboo, straw-co\ered boxes of var ied color, beautiful carved cabinets, and articles of daily KOBE. 461 need among themselves. They are great bargainers and ask much more than they expect to receive, especially high prices being demanded from foreigners. One of my inter ests while recuperating was the day-house of a number of coolies, who sleeping elsewhere spent here any leisure time (just below my side window) and took their meals, which consisted mostly of rice in bowls, assisted, when the man with a portable kitchen arrived, by various greasy delicacies fresh from the hissing frying-pan, and sometimes a dessert of little sweet cakes fried quite brown, also an occasional pot of tea over their own fire. These coolies were dressed in close-fitting undergarments and loose, blue jackets, leg gings of white and straw sandals, some with white socks with the great toe isolated as in a mitten. People in the street wear the kirimon or open dressing-gown, the men with a belt, the women the bright wide sashes tied in great bows behind. All have a perfect horror of getting wet, but not of showing their ankles as they skurry away when the rain suddenly pours down, often on high wooden pattens, and over the bare head an oil-paper water-proof umbrella, the same as is frequently used over the jin-rick-i-shas like a buggy-top and lap robe, though sometimes they have leather or water-proof cloth. The children look like little grown-up people, being dressed the same. The poor are very kind to each other, good-natured, po lite, gentle, and not given at all to absorbing stimulants, which makes the duty of the civil and obliging police much easier, and most troubles are arranged and " qualified " by moral suasion. It may be, as a friend told me, that they are not remarkable for veracity or honesty, but I was not so impressed. Sometimes a Chinaman sauntered by looking very com fortable and at home, and superior (in imagination) to his surroundings. But along came Max in his* 'ricksha, looking up at the window, and I forget the rest. The eighth of May -was dedicated to athletic sports in the park, but I was more interested in the Japs, who were shut off to themselves, than either the athletes, or the well-dressed Europeans. On the next day we went to a pretty cascade east of the town, riding most of the way, then climbing quite a hill. Went into a tea-garden with plants about two 462 BOHEMIAN DA YS. and a half feet high, much like box-wood at a little distance. My "Jin," as I called the coolie who drew my jinrickisha, brought a great handful of glowing azalea blossoms, bright red, pink and orange, very sweet-scented, and some lovely ferns. A rustle among the leaves as I put my hand down to a flower — "snake!" cried Jin in a horrified tone. Sitting on a stone, waiting for Max to come down from a further ex cursion, I looked upon a beautiful picture ; the Bay of Kobe, and islands beyond, fields of wheat and bright green tea plants ; to the right, beyond the arm of forest-covered mountain, a portion of the town of Kobe, to the left a sharp hill with a grove on its summit, — a peaceful, lovely scene. The laughter and prattle of some children broke the silence, and occasionally from a distance came the muffled sound of a temple bell, while the trees softly rustled as a light western breeze woke them from Sabbath reverie. Jin concluded to wake something else and began throwing stones down into the valley, then ran down a side-hill and came back w ith a rose-bush, which -he declared he should plant by his city residence. Several days were dull and rainy, but the nth was fair as could be desired, as in our jinrickishas (a kind of open- fronted baby-carriage on two grown-up wheels, drawn by a blue-clothed coolie holding the shafts or pushing against the piece of wood joining the ends) we hastened to the depot for Kioto and beyond. The farms in Japan are generally small, sometimes but an acre, but so excellently tilled as to produce three or four crops in the year. We passed many little towns, for the people are gregarious, bamboo groves with feathery foliage much like the willow at a little distance, tea-gardens with people clipping the leaves off into baskets, and small rice fields overflowed, separated by mud banks often grass cov ered, while other fields were of various colors contrasting beautifully — the dark-red Japanese clover, jellow flowered mustard, white of turnips, dark-green of the wheat. Men were plowing with a single water-buffalo in harness, who stopped at the end of each row to nibble some grass. To our right, part of the wa>-, was the beautiful sea, to the left the hills and mountains, We pa.ssed great cities, but continued JAPANESE VILLAGE. JAPANESE JINRICKISHA. (See page 403.) KOBE. 463 up to Lake Biwa — the " Sweet Lake " with its encircling mountains, pretty villages, and many pleasure boats, where the people of Otsu, an old town on its shore, were much in terested as we passed along the streets, and a rather exten sive crowd kept offering their services as "guide," though not understanding a word of English, and at any question stopping to hold a small consultation, while others trailed along after with 'rickshas, as if there might be a danger of our falling to pieces and needing a dozen conveyances. From their open, booth-like shops men and women watched us and laughed, but finally Max wearied of so much attention, and calling to one ofthe brightest-looking, pointed to his mouth. Laughs and nods ensued, and a Babel of in formation, but we quietly entered two of the best convey ances, took a tour of the town, and entering a gateway were shown up-stairs into the cosiest kind of a little restaurant with large glass-filled frames on two sides, which we could slide open at any place desired. Everything was very clean and good — an excellent lunch of beefsteak and vegetables, two or three kinds of dessert, coffee and some saki — a na tive wine made from rice, which I liked very much, but Max not at all. From the high hill ascended by 235 stone steps we had a magnificent view, and within the temple saw a canopy of gold fret-work, beautiful lilies, and curious pic tures. Many people were walking about, looking pictur esque in holiday attire, especially the women in bright obis or sashes wound around the gown waist twice, and dark hair plastered or waxed into little wings, and ornamented with flowers and golden bells, the married ones invariably with lips apart showing their blackened teeth, while some were even minus eye-brows, in groups among the green shrubbery, enjoying the lovely day's summer warmth, and giving the touch of color necessary to perfect the scene ; the moosmais or young girls smiling, and prettily meeting, while elderly acquaintances were more ceremonious. Good-fellowship reigned, though but little conversation was carried on, and that low-toned and simple. Down in the valleys were peas ants at hard labor — -quite a contrast to this picture of quiet enjoyment. And yet these gentle, simple people seem con tent, whether standing all day knee-deep in mud and water in their rice-fields, or running full-speed with their 'rickshas 464 BOHEMIAN DAYS for many hours, wiping off the perspiration trickling into their eyes, throwing off their straw-shoes as they are worn through, panting like hunted deer — they never complain. Dragging heavy loads like horses along the dusty or muddy streets, they hasten that they may still get more work to do, and in winter the porter wraps his ears with a cotton cloth, puts on an overcoat of straw and poor shoes, and trudges through snow and ice. Women with the univer sal baby strapped to the back bear loads also on head and hands, and go on, smiling. From the rising to the setting of the sun, with slight intermission they lean over great kettles, heated from beneath, stirring tea with their hands. Ah, they are warm, they are weary, but there are little ones at home. And there, as they returned from work, are the children meeting them, and the babes are taken weeping to the weary arms and warm hearts, while many little creat ures from four years old up drop themselves upon the ground to rest after the living burden has been taken from their backs, — yet they make no complaint. A few cents only for the day's work, but it suffices to buy the rice the family will need, and upon their mats on the floor after the light meal is over they sleep the sleep of peace and weariness, and early rise rested and refreshed to the duties of the morrow. They have their faults ; they have their virtues too, these poor people. Above them are educated or partially educated Japanese, in some ways improved by civilization. There is now a fine school system, and at Tokio a University which bids fair to supply the country with all the educators, physicians and mechanicians neces sary, without foreign assistance. They have a good Postal Service, a mint making the handsomest money in the w odd, a growing navy, and system of light-houses, and if they used machinery instead of slow hand-work they could compete with other nations in their ow-n markets, for they possess ingenuity and patience in a remarkable degree, and labor is cheap. The Japanese Empire is very old, having a history of 3600 years, and has passed the forty-ninth centennial, according to somewhat misty tradition. The Emperor, Mut Suhito, a iew years over thirty, is of enlightened mind, and greatly desirous for the improvement of his people and country. JAPANESE WOMAN AND CHILD. JAPANESE CHILDREN -WINDING SILK. CSee page 465.) KOBE. 465 He is much beloved and respected, as also his Empress, or '' Princess '' Haruko, who possesses taste, education and amiability. 'The whole nation is suave and polite, etiquette, reverence and obedience being among their earliest lessons ; indeed there seems an excess of this running into formality. The older citizens begin bowing almost double when a square apart, and keep it up until they meet, occasionally drawing in the breath with a curious hissing sound, and uttering " Ohayo," or "good-morning,'' and very careful to use "are" — the verb " to be,'' in its correct form, as be comes the station of the person addressed — are, arimas, gozarimas, and to one quite exalted gozarimassuru. The arrangement in clans continues, the centre being oc cupied by the higher orders, tradesmen next around, and peasants on the outskirts. The house roofs are flat, and most walls made in sections — a mere set of frames covered with oil-paper sometimes, set up in a few hours, comforta ble for warm weather; stairs mere ladders, or highly pol ished wood, on which no shoe intrudes, all being left at the entrance. The children, (who are much petted and very happy in Japan) reminded us of little Belgians as they clat tered along on their wooden shoes dropping from the heel at every step — Japanese wear nothing tight on the feet, often indeed using them in their mechanical work. A pun ishment for children seems rather cruel — a small piece of paper is set a light to on the hand, which is held until it burns, only a little burn, but calculated to remind, the child of its sins for some time. Lake Biwa is about 100 miles from Kobe, and train-time having come we left it with regret, returning as far as Kioto, the ancient capital, a beautiful city with many curious tem ples, an interesting exhibition showing elegant silk and crape pictures, fine articles in lacquer and»ivory, porcelain and carving, where many were at work in various depart ments, among them little children winding silk. There are also palaces and artificial lakes with storks and other birds around them. One temple had a great bell five inches thick and ten feet diameter at the base, claimed by them to be the largest in the worid, hung in a framework of large beams, while at one side, suspended by two chains in a horizontal position, 30 466 BOHEMIAN DA YS. was a log of wood twelve feet long by eight inches through, which being drawn back and let go struck the bell and al most deafened us. On the platform below the bell were little tea-stalls, or for a few cents a dainty cup of saki was "presented by one of the smiling, dark-eyed girls. In a small structure beyond was a twenty-foot idol no one ' seemed to be noticing. The Sanwindo is a much larger temple, where we counted over looo bronze images in warlike array, with dozens of hands apiece, and in the centre a large " Bram," our guide said, surrounded by thirty fierce "guards." As we descended from another — from which we had viewed a magnificent sun set — we met an anchorite or saint, who would in nowise lift his eyes from the ground. Max fancied him "fonder ofthe earth than water" by his appearance. The most interesting was the Abbot's Palace with a Shinto Temple adjoining, where being shown into a recep tion-room, a man entered, bowed and requested cards, which were sent, and a tall, mild, quiet-faced priest in white and yellow vestments came in and after a simple greeting said in good English, " You would like to see the paintings ? " and led us through about tw-enty rooms so beautifully dec orated on walls and paneled ceiling that we were filled with admiration. There were birds of brilliant plumage in all their natural tints, and animals that seemed ready to jump down upon us, and everywhere was the rich beaten gold, all laid on, it is said, in little plates. A covered way led into the garden with a pond full of gold-fi.sh, and walks among the shrubbery where the monks meditate, and the kind priest handed me a spray of bloom ing japonica, calling it " tabaki." The last rooms were very large, and on one wall of the Mikado's reception hall was a painting of the " Emperor receiving homage," vei-y finely executed. From the court-yard steps led to the side-entrance to the temple, and as we were ascending them the priest turned to me gravely yet kindly saying, " This is God's house — the One God!" To which I bowed and crept up as soft!)- and solemnly as I could with a pair of No. ten glass slippers over my shoes — slippers indeed, and a continual snare. Men and women were kneeling on the mats in quiet devotion. KOBE. 467 and there was a holy silence in the place more impressive than the beauty of the altar of finely-polished lacquer, can dlesticks, vases of exquisite flowers, and golden chancel screen and pillars. In the large stone court was a fountain and wide-spreading sacred tree two thousand years old, grown from a slip broken from Gaumata's favorite shade- tree — the 'ricksha men called it "ek-ko" — under whose shadow stood men with babes in their arms — for the good influence probably. I never saw such a multitude of the rising generation as in these empires, and such a thoughtful expression — the youngest, in arms, making a remark to its parent, evidently understood, — -fortunately they get younger as they grow older. I delighted several parents there by taking the chubby little hands (all the children are chubby and comfortable looking) and saying " Columo ! " which means baby: the small, black-eyed nonentities signified a willingness to accompany me, but I had not the time then to start an orphan-asylum. We passed through one of the three great carved and painted and wooden gateways, which look so much more beautiful on china, went up some won derfully steep streets, saw lovely things that it was very hard not to buy, and still finer ones at night in the delight ful Ya-ami hotel, where after a well prepared and served meal the dealers came in with their bronze and lacquer, china, ivory and pictures. What a sweet night's rest up on the high hill among sighing trees ! Again a. ride along the wide highways of the newer town, and little irregular streets of the old, back to the depot, where our men stood bowing and bowing as they took what seemed a small amount in repayment for the labor of such panting, over heated workers. Soon came in sight a pretty pagoda, and some rather peculiar houses, but it was only twenty-seven miles to Osaka, where we had a couple of hours' ride, though rather afraid of the cholera, which was beginning its work there — the most general and fatal epidemic of cholera that ever visited Japan ; 65 per cent, died of those stricken, a total loss of 40,000, as much as the whole population of Nagasaki. We were told that there were one and a half million people in Kioto and the even million in Osaka, but afterwards learned there were not over half the number. 468 BOHEMIAN DA YS. First on the round came a great fortress in the river, where the Shogun had lived, massively built of very large stones, with moat and bridge, then the Mint 230 feet long, also of stone ; the barracks, ship-yards, hospitals, temples, stores full of curios and others of elegant silk garments ; then crossing the canal again by one of the many steep bridges, we had lunch in a native restaurant, and in another hour or two were resting and talking it over in our home like hotel at Kobe with our exceptionally capable, agree able and vivacious landlady, Madame Boudon. Next morning awoke cloudy, but before noon sunshine w as resplendent. " Have you decided what we shah do to-day ? " I enr quired as Max came in. " Yes, indeed ! in twenty minutes, sharp, the jinricks '11 be here to take us to the foot of the Moon Mountain — that is if you feel able — I'm going — Captain Sims goes a piece to start us right." It sounded like quite an undertaking — "to the Moon Temple on top of the Moon Mountain," and a three-mile climb made us realize it. The valuable guide was all along the way very anxious to receive, as well as impart, information, causing much amusement. Such lovely ferns and flowers ! the azaleas filled the air with fragrance, while the large pines and firs increased in size and number as we ascended — they were giants of a thousand winters. At one place we stopped at a farm-house, very bare but scrupulously clean, for a cup of tea, where they handed us tiny oranges or " kumquots," about an inch and a half long, shaped like elongated Lilliputian peas of a bright yellow. We amused ourselves and others, by air ing a few words just learned from the guide, addressing chance wayfarers, much to their delight and our edification, remembering "ohayo," or " good-morning," from its simi larity in sound to one of our States. Higher and higher we climbed, thinking that each fresh- sighted peak must be the last, but about noon, with the mountain still high above, we sat upon a sunny knoll, and had lunch, and soon alter starting again passed the stone figure of a little child, "the son of Buddha," the guide said, KOBE. 469 while in every earthy crevice at the roadside were small pieces of written paper, fastened like little flags to sticks which -were run into the ground. "They prayers," the guide explained, "people help build temple, they name put there for membry of the god." At last appeared a large wooden gateway whose side posts were boxes containing the " Guards of the Gate" — huge, ugly w-ooden figures nearly covered with paper pellets which the faithful pilgrims had fired at them like school boys to show their contempt, though some say it is a form of prayer, and if the pellets stick to the idol the prayer is heard ; we passed them feeling almost as if they might turn on us, and gradually won our way up the three hun dred steps to the Temple. Half the way up were tea-houses, at each of which I pro posed a halt, sitting down on not a few of the steps to re cuperate, but Max thought it better to take a longer rest at the top, and have tea coming down, which we did, buying the cups as souvenirs and some waxy candy in boxes, which the priests make from wheat for the cure of dyspepsia — said to be a specific in sea-sickness. After looking at the gilt ornaments, canopy and shrine, and a small image in the vestibule (whose head was com pressed to cure a pilgrim of the head-ache, and the chest rubbed by a consumptive), listening to the ringing of a large bell by the guide, and resting in an open-sided room enjoy ing a magnificent prospect. Max proposed seeing where a path, steep and tortuous, led upward, and we at last stood indeed upon the summit of Mah-ya Yama, near a small shrine surrounded by evergreens and other forest trees and plants, with an outlook upon the empire as far as eye could reach. A few moments only, and the wind and rain came sweeping down, and we retreated weary but happy, enjoy ing tea at several places by the way — nt)t much fearing nerve-derangement from the mild decoction — water just off the boil poured over fresh leaves, and immediately decanted into the table-spoon-ful cups. At one place were small cakes of rice, candy, and half-dried oranges — also eggs, but as age seemed to be considered one of their strong points, we did not indulge. Round and round — could that be the road we must traverse — away up on that hill ? 470 BOHEMIAN DA YS. " Yes,'' our guide calmly answered — what to him were a few hundred feet? but it seemed to me I should need a new pair. On a bank while resting my hand came in contact with a string of "cash," and Yo-she-mota told me nicely that no doubt it had been placed there by some devotee who worshiped the Mountain Gods. " I would not have the poor man's money, he will perhaps seek for it," and I replaced it, but was sorry to have turned about a few moments later as Yo-she was putting it in his pocket. He did not seem to care, but I was decidedly cast down — a case of vicarious conscience perhaps. A climb, a rest in a pilgrims' arbor above a mountain gorge, a swift descent by narrow paths, where jinrickshas met us, and the jins continued the topical lesson on botany we tiad begun, then through old temple grounds, a rice- mill and a lively shower. The mill was a primitive one driven by a mountain stream which turned a long circular beam into which three rows of wooden pins had been driven, each of these in turn catching, at each revolution, a corre sponding protuberance in the end of along wooden hammer- handle, or an upright pounder. Each hammer had its round bowl, and all seemed to be running a race to see which could pound hardest or strike first. It was a lively scene and decidedly noisy. We all laughed — I do not quite know why — it does not seem so funny now, but Max and I looking at each other began it, and then the guide and jins almost went into spasms, immediately fol lowed by the miller and his boy, — while the active little and big hammers seemed to run faster and faster, clattering and creaking in chorus. The rain poured, we were very weary, night was falling, but for the moment we remembered and cared nothing for it all. Max said the mallets reminded him of diminutive tilt-hammers, while the upright ones were like pestles in an oil mill. In China men stepped on these hammer handles. An hour later we were at table d'hote, while all around the guests were conversing pleasantly, most being French and Germans, who easily exchange compliments and court esies with strangers. -A.mong my pleasures was a visit to the family of Dr. At kinson, one of the most prominent missionaries in Japan, YOKOHAMA. 471 and a school for Japanese girls where the classes were reciting and singing, while others sewed as they sat in their usual style on the floor. I was shown their bowls and chop sticks and neat, but not elaborate mat beds and comforts. They seemed happy and content, were reported as learning all branches rapidly, and some evincing genuine piety. But the time had come (and so had the Teheran) for our departure to Yokohama — the cholera, too, was reported as carrying off a number every day in Hiogo, in spite of which we paid a last visit to some of its little shops, then picked up some bits of old ivory at the temple stalls, said good-bye to kind friends, and were asleep on board before midnight, when the steamer left her pier. CHAPTER XLVIII. YOKOHAMA — TOKIO — THE PACIFIC. The second morning thereafter the Teheran had run the 300 miles, and before us as we steamed up the bay was the stone quay of Yokohama with its fine hotels and busi ness houses, residences of foreign Consuls, parks and gar dens ; to the left the high, beautiful green bluffs, covered with pleasant homes, a little to the right the close-built native town Kanagawa with over 60,000 people, and far away to the north the snow-capped peak of Fuji-no-Yama, " the peerless mountain," the pride and idol of every Japa;«ese. The bay was dotted with steamships and smaller craft, among the former two or three U. S. gun-boats. Landing in the steam-launch of the. Club Hotel, to which we had been recommended, we stopped for a few min utes with the Custom House officials, who insisted on ex amining the baggage, although it had gone through Jap anese hands at Kobe, but they were civil enough, only breaking for us an elaborate piece of coral. At the hotel all possible attention was given and no over-charge during the nine days' sojourn, during which we went by 'ricksha and train on various short excursions to points of interest. 472 B OHEMIAN DA YS. One day we spent at Tokio (Yeddo) the present Capital of the Empire, a city covering several square miles, its million people dwelling generally in two-story houses, on wide streets, lighted at night by gas, with frequent pillar letter boxes and not a few policemen ; street cars, and of course numberless stores full ofbeautiful things. Within several guarded walls a new palace for the Mikado was in con struction, and there were a number of large buildings be sides the curious old Temples, richly decorated, and tombs ofthe Shoguns. Max went into a bank opening into the Ginosea or prin cipal street, and was amused by its simplicity. Behind a railing sat a man busy among piles of papers on a low stand, now and then using his paint-brush pen, and pushing to one side little heaps of silver "yens"(dollars),"sens''(cents), or copper " cash." Near him was abrazier or hebach, with a few live coals, whose warmth could scarcely be detected by immediate proximity, and on his knee the little box calculator which the merchant uses for even a few sen, rattling the little buttons along their wires and declaring the result even of a very large sum in a few moments. For some purpose Max wanted a few pounds of" cash," and he and the wondering jins came out heavy laden. After some hours of sight-seeing in the pouring rain we ad journed to a Japanese restaurant for a native meal, and en joyed it more than even the unlimited beauties of lacquer and china, parks, institutions or manufactories of curious things, or even the Karsei Gakko, or Imperial college, with its many foreign professors and numerous students. There is something so cheering, almost inebriating — stimulating, I should say, in a good, hearty laugh, especially on a dull day when things do not seem lively. It was excruciatingly funny to me when Max, having removed his shoes, walked up the polished stairs into a room furnished only w-ith win dows, matting and a bamboo flower-pot full of exquisite hhes, the door itself being part of the wall slid back, as it might anywhere, and tried to accommodate himself to a two-foot square black-velvet cushion, placed on the floor for his convenience by a dusky maid, who retreated hastily to the lower regions before he had found his balance — that she had lost hers was evinced by the sounds of stifled YOKOHAMA. 473 laughter below. Not having so far to descend, I made out more easily, but was still in a state of collapse with mirth when she gravely entered with a small round brazier filled with ashes and on the top two live coals which amazed me by still being alight when we left. On such things they do their simple cooking. " Fried fish ? " cried Max, as a fearful smoke came cloudily upward into our eyes; " they must be burning it up ! '' But a few minutes later she brought four small dishes of broiled fish, cooked with a sweet sauce called soy, whose flavor was delicious, a kettle of rice, another of tea, two kinds ofpickles in bowls (which were decidedly unsavory) and a waiter with our little china bowls and chopsticks (their tables were about a foot high and wide), in solitaire fashion. We enjoyed this meal in spite of some drawbacks. Max had not been educated in the use of chop sticks, and the edibles had a trick of flying off from them at various inconvenient and unexpected angles, insomuch that after several lessons the maid hastily brought a silver fork when I stood (or sat) at quite a disadvantage, but was well repaid when the girl having held out her waiter for his bowl returned it to him full of tea. He gave me an elo quent look, but I scarce dare see it, then like a little man drank it down without a word. "It's the first time," he said contemplatively, "that I ever drank tea and gravy — but it's not so bad." Of course when my turn came I followed his example. The girl brought two paste-board boxes, into which she laid the fish we had not eaten and handed them to Max, who had just bought the chopsticks. "Show there's plenty more," said Jin, as he took them for his own use; " it first- class place." There are other places of interest around Yokohama ; the island of Inoshina, twenty-five miles away, where is a curious cave opening from the sea; an immense idol on the plain of Kamakura, which they call " Daibuts " or great Buddha, forty- four feet high, seated on the lotus flower on which he came from India to Japan, the hollow inside being used as a temple ; and those beautiful gardens where they dwarf trees such as oaks or pines, making them grow in 474 BOHEMIAN DAYS. curious fantastic forms on frames — they looked odd but not attractive, and were not beautiful like the abundant flowers. The Japanese are very fond of flowers, which grow luxuriantly even in a wild state, especially a won derful variety of lilies. There is a little town called Dango-zaka, which in chrys anthemum season becomes a marvel of beauty, a wonder ful flower-show, with streets decorated, wherein are crowds of people who have come to see illustrated stories, legends, beautiful landscapes — all made of curiously trained plants by the tireless hands of these artists, who prune and train the living branches and wait for their blossoms to color the picture. We became acquainted with several American mission aries, among them Miss Crosby, of New York, who has a thriving school for girls up on the Heights, and Dr. and Mrs. Hepburn, who for thirty years have labored zealously among this people and in China. The Doctor was about finishing the third revised edition of his Anglo-Japanese Dictionary, which has been so useful to students, the result of twenty-seven years' patient study, when we had tea with them in their lovely home. Mrs. Hepburn was greatly in terested in fostering the taste and culture ofthe natives, and to this end had a fine flower-show, which also assisted a needy church. On the gunboat Ossippi Max found an old friend in one of the officers, who made our stay in Yokohama still more agreeable, taking us over his boat, and to some ofthe curio- stores which we had not seen. Those bird-shops ! what a delight they were. I did not covet the tailless cats, or little pug-dogs, but that lovely golden-pheasant that came and fed from my hand — I hardly knew how to leave it, though at last contenting myself with five other birds small enough to inhabit one cage — a brilliant love-bird, two Chi nese larks, and two canaries who looked gorgeous, but caused me grief by not carrying out the idea of a '' happy family " which I had in view. We were greatly interested in the manufacture of clois onne ware, the tracing of figures on bronze or earthenware, application of silver wire bent by pincers to fit each line where glue held it in place, the filling these hollows with THE PACIFIC. 475 colored paste, frequent baking, and lastly, the triple polish ing it received with stones, paste of potato starch, and wood. One vase about two feet high they were finishing was very beautiful — a ground-work of deep blue with flowers wreathed around it in all their natural colors, thirteen shades I counted, and an exquisite polish. If I had pos sessed eighty dollars I knew not what better to do with, it would certainly have been mine. Ourlast evening Max's nautical friend, Mr. Nelson, dined with us, and gave a very interesting account of their late trip to the far north after a missing paymaster. The man had been for some time under surveillance, but managed to have everything pre-arranged for an attempt at escape, and slipping over the ship's side when attention was drawn in another direction, and several officers absent, was rapidly rowed away into the darkness by waiting con federates. In a half hour he was missed, and in spite of valuable effects left around and apartially made will to lead to the idea of suicide, the officers sent boats in all direc tions in search of tidings. A schooner had just left for the north, and on the chance of his being aboard, as soon as some necessary preliminaries had been arranged they gave chase and found it six hundred miles away in a sheltered bay on a rocky coast. The man had been aboard, but fled to the land at their coming, so they placed guards on that and another schooner, and the authorities promised that he should not be harbored in their town. While they were awaiting events came the sudden shock of an earthquake, when not only did the ships reel, but from the mountains great rocks were hurled into the valleys, roaring and rush ing as they leaped from point to point, frightening the wild animals and birds from their hiding places, and even the poor runaway paymaster, who, now that Nature herself seemed arrayed against him, crept trembling out from his quaking cavern and gave himself up. He had been en route to some part of British America, having promised the captain of the schooner ,^3,000 for being safely transferred to a vessel in that more healthy latitude. When we left he was standing trial in the cabin ofthe Ossippi. Many schooners are engaged in procuring skins of fur- bearing animals on the Siberian coast, in spite of the Rus- 476 BOHEMIAN DA YS. sian authorities, who punish severely if caught, besides taking possession of the cargo. I regretted not seeing a Japanese festival called " the Feast of Bong '' which comes in August, when all the peo ple, rich and poor, gather in the temples for service, the towns being decorated with flags and flowers, and a pro cession goes out with quantities of all good eatables and beautiful blossoms to decorate the tombs in the cemeteries, where they remain feasting for several days, dressed in their best and brightest, and listen to a stately historian who reads the events of the past year for dead and living, while at every meal a goodly portion is laid on each grave for the departed, and fires by night and illuminating lanterns among banners and images. On the third day a scribe reads in a gossipy way of minor events, much to their amusement, after which a great procession m'arches like Mardi-gras, and the little ships full of "chow-chow" or food, each with its fireworks, are taken and launched on the sea by the thousand, making a brilliant display — and the feast is over. The 2 5 th of May we leftYokohama for the 4850 miles' voyage to San Francisco, with about three dozen cabin passengers, a small company of Japanese students intermediate, and over ,1000 Chinese. The Oceanic was a large, pleasant steamer, well officered, and the Chinese seamen active and willing ; even when near the Aleutian Islands, the air became very cold, rain and sleet turned the rigging into a glare of ice, in their insufficient clothing they worked manfully without a murmur, though their faces and hands were blue. Most of us occupied our berths for a few days. One morning I heard voices outside the room, one enquiring how the passengers were getting along. " Well," was the reply, " the ladies is all horse du com bat — " A moment after I regretted the laugh irrepressible, de- . spite my collapsed condition, for I heard no more of that conversation. What a splendid time for thinking ! How I wished my self back in lovely, green Japan, that immense curio store, where if they have not the old articles desired they will cheerfully make them. "Age" there "is honorable" THE PACIFIC. ^-j-j among the people as well as coins and lacquer, but it made me tired to think of those 38,000,000 toilers, patient and cheerful though they are. Perhaps they feel young at heart. The heart of Mother Nature has not lost its pris tine warmth, for she occasionally awakes and gives her Sunrise Empire a loving shake. The people have a curious idea that under the Northern Light-house lies the head of the Dragon on whose back rests Japan, and at certain sea sons this Dragon is aroused and shakes himself, — his huge tail wagging makes the earth quake. The Dragon is a favorite emblem in Japan, as shown by its figure on all sorts of ornaments and coins, — a good sign, too, when old articles have the emblem ofthe Mikado, a chrysanthemum flower, emblazoned upon them. The simple-hearted celestial expects to take you in, gen erally does so and is happy — of course despising you a little for being so gullible, but overlooking it if you spend freely and call again. It is strange how money melts away; I seemed to get very little at a time, but what a load we had after all, and the pocket-books lightened marvel ously. Max expressed an idea that he would have to charter a ship if my purse were better filled. Those lovely screens ! — so beautifully carved and inlaid with cloissonne. All the days were not spent in retrospection, for some were beautiful, and from the deck we looked on numbers of spouting whales, porpoises, slender-winged gannets, sea gulls, and a ship or two, and after our long Tuesday of 48 hours, when we made a day in crossing the 180° of longi tude, and did not know what to do with it, each day we more earnestly studied our distances and rate of progress, and looked forward to San Francisco as a possibility. There was music in the cabin, there was high play and toddy in the smoking-room, there was service in the cabin on Sunday attended by but few, for quite a company prided themselves on being infidels; there was a gentleman who told stories about Southern life, and gave some wonderful items of his success when farming, and a Scotch Colonel long resident in India, who imbibed a good deal and told of military engagements; a tea-merchant from Boston, a returning missionary, and ladies and gentlemen of leisure from several countries. 478 BOHEMIAN DA YS Max seemed quite absorbed in some project, and on in quiry it turned out that he was considering the feasibility of having an "International Railway " running from Pata gonia, by Central America and Behring Strait, which could be bridged or tunneled, through Siberia to Western Europe, which he thought would not take over ,^100,000,000; also a tunnel under Greenland to the North Pole, but I felt hardly strong enough to cope with such extensive ideas. One evening at dinner some one spoke of "faith." " We do not really believe," said another; "we should be quite surprised if we received just what we asked for — like the old woman — down South I expect, Mr. Hill — who prayed 'O, Lord, remove this mountain from before my door,' then ran to look out, and slamming it shut cried, ' There ! — I knew it wouldn't be gone ! ' " "An extreme case — an extreme case, sir ! " said Mr. Hill, who had been interrupted in an account of a sugar orchard he had in Southern California. " I knew of one case — that was in the South, sir, — in Gyorgia. There'd been mighty hard times — crops short — her little patch done no good. Well, sir, she was in her little cabin where she lived alone — not a chick nor a child — and she hadn't a thing to eat. She went to the meal bar'l agin and swep' it out clean, but there was only a few flakes o' bran. Then, sir, she fell on her knees an' went to praying powerful hard that the Lord 'd send her some bread like he use' to by the ravens to the prophets of old. " Some boys was out a picnickin' and heard her prayin', an' sez one, ' Wouldn't it be fun to drap one o' these here loaves of bread (or dodgers mebbe they said) down the chim'ly and see what she'd say ? ' "They all agreed, but got to laughing so they could har'ly chmb onto the shanty on the low side, though it was built agen the hill. Well, the fu'ther off help seemed the harder the poor ole soul prayed, an' the tears of want and mis'ry jist run down her sunken cheeks. ' O Lord,' sez she, ' I know I haint what I orter be, but I done tried mighty hard,' sez she, ' to do my dooty,' an' she sobbed right out, ' an' I be lef 'lone hyar to die, 'pears like. Drap down some bread from heaven' — and sure enough with a rustle in the chim'ly and a bump upon the floor here it come. THE PACIFIC. 479 ' I knowed it ! ' she cried joyfully, pickin' it up and puttin' a piece in her mouth, for she was starved mighty nigh, ' He's heerd an' answered ' — a burst of laughter at the door interrupted her, an' turnin' she seen a half dozen o' them lively youngsters, an' they cried out as they hollered an' 'hooped, 'No, He didn't! no, but He didn't, Mis' Smith: we-uns throwed the bread down the chim'ly.' I 'magine I see her lookin' at them boys a minute, an' she had an answer for 'em, you can bet your last dollar; sez she, 'It wuz the Lord sent it; mebbe He sometimes uses the Evil One for His messenger.' They was bad boys enough, sir, but more full o' mischief; any how they didn't dispute the point with her, it seemed to give 'em a new idea. I think myself — ha! ha! she had the best ofthe argiment." One ofthe Japanese students on board belonged to a noble family, but the sensible father refused to have any difference made, saying that he must go on an equality with those who were to be his schoolmates and compan ions. It happened that we left Tokio on the same car and saw the deep bows ofa number of his friends, who shook their own hands and stepped back a little and shook and bowed until I really could not help smiling, and the boy looking up smiled too. His mother at home, they said, was sick with grief. A word or two in passing quite cheered him on the voyage, where he was sea-sick and I think a little home-sick, too. Our travels had been in many lands, but none which, looking back on them, seemed more beautiful or desirable than our own America, as for hours we eagerly watched for the light on the Farralone Islands which should tell us our haven was near. Not much sleeping was done on board the steamer the night we reached our anchorage inside^ the Golden Gate, some of the passengers making a regular festival with songs and clinking glasses, while over the whole ship was a lively stir of preparation for landing, although no one could leave until we had steamed up in the eariy morning to Custom House Dock with its great partly closed-in shed built upon piles. We were in a large bay, eight miles across and thirty long, surrounded by yellow or brownish- red hills, burnt by the heat of the summer sun, it being the dry sea- 48o BOHEMIAN DA YS. son, very different from the green isles of Japan ; but even that could not kill our enthusiastic thought — "nearly home ! " Sixteen days on the ocean, "buffeted by the waves" and nearly frozen, a fine June snow-storm, a tiny room 8x6, in which Purgatory had been our close companion, or the deck, which persisted in rising in unexpected places, or the saloon, where were many dainty viands which our souls did abhor — who from such an atmosphere of torture would not welcome the Desert of Sahara ? Instead of this we came into a Fair Land with every kind of fruit, vegetable, soil, people or climate which could be called for, of mammoth trees and great vineyards, of plains of shimmering golden wheat — though these we mostly saw after that cold June day when an uncivilized American Custom House official made a rag and bottle shop of every box and package. " Well ! no foreigner ever treated us so ! '' Max exclaimed, while I sat speechless on a hand-barrow, trying to shield my shivering birds from the keen wind blowing from the sea. The man walked away with a malicious smile, leaving us vainly endeavoring to fit the contents into the trunks. Probably he was bidding for a "tip: " some Englishmen just before us did not have such annoyance. Finally cords were procured and articles bound together sufficiently to prevent their being sown along the street in transitu. CHAPTER XLIX. CALIFORN I A SAN FRANCISCO MONTEREY. San Francisco is a large and attractive cit}-, six miles square, built over many hills on a long peninsula south and west of the bay. From the wharf run a dozen lines of cable cars up hill and down, and horse cars connect them, while dummy engines carry passengers far beyond the city limits. It is unique in the matter of hotels and restaur ants, having eighty-eight of the former, two hundred CALIFORNIA. 481 and fifty of the latter, and lodging and boarding houses without number ; certainly not a city of homes. The Palace Hotel, built by a Mr. Ralston, cost seven mil lion dollars, and is said to be the largest in the world ; it is seven stories high and has over nine hundred rooms. There are many palatial residences on the hills and great blocks of business houses nearer the bay ; quite a contrast to the village of small tenements forty years ago, when gold was found and emigrants poured in, after the Mexican War had won it for this Republic. Some old settlers described the change in glowing colors, pointing. out ancient landmarks, and telling of wild specu lation, fortunes made and lost on the cast of a die, and later the gambling in stocks. There is a mint coining twenty million dollars yearly, ex tensive museums and libraries, a fine dry-dock, large parks, many churches, and excellent schools. Californians, especially the 300,000 San Franciscans, are the most enthusiastic lovers of their section of country, and with reason. Not that I greatly enjoyed the cold wind which swept through the city every afternoon, making our eyes weep with the dust and sand, or the heavy fogs which occasionally shut us in, — but one may become accustomed to anything, and friends who conversed with us would not admit that The City, par excellence, had any drawback or defect. " This is really our winter," said one ; " these cold winds do not blow at any other season;" adding, " We are more economical than you, and wear the same clothing all the year round — no trouble about ' spring bonnets ' here ! " At first I thought that many travelers had arrived from some northern region, but found that the regular dress was flannel and furs. At San Francisco we had a large, well-furnished room at five dollars a week, and had meals at whatever hotel or restaurant was most convenient and agreeable, having thus a good place for leaving baggage when absent on excur sions. Around the city are many pleasant places ot resort. Among the parks is the parks is the " Golden Gate," which has over a thousand acres of lawns, shrubberies and con- V- 482 BOHEMIAN DA YS. servatories, where frequent good concerts are highly ap preciated by a concourse of people who ride out in car riages and street cars. Six miles out is the Cliff House, from whose porches you can see hundreds of seals and sea- lions basking in the sunshine, or gambolling upon the rocks, and above it a park called " Sutro Heights," in process of becoming one of the most charming places in California. Col. Sutro, who constructed the tunnel bearing his name, was superintending the work, on which it is said he has al ready expended nearly a million dollars. Max said the walks, statues and fine outlook reminded him ofthe Pincian Hill at Rome. Not everything expensive so well repays in artistic beauty as this souvenir given from the hand of a scholar and traveler to the chief city ofthe Golden State. One day we visited Fort Winfield Scott, -which defends the entrance to the Golden Gate, and the Barracks at Presidio, and at the latter saw geraniums blooming pro fusely, higher than the six foot fence, and heliotrope running over windows and trellis, with the roses making the whole air fragrant. Camp Taylor, some forty miles north, was a popular picnic ground, and the Hotel del Monte a delight ful resting-place after the 125 miles on the train to Monterey, which has rather a pretty bay. A mile beyond, Pacific Grove, the "Chautauqua" of the Occident, had many nice little cottage homes, and a hall where hundreds were gath ered to hear some noted lecturers, among them Mrs. Field, who has been so active in this Popular Education movement. By the bay was the skeleton of a large whale, and curious si-^is imbedded in rock. The excursion train was crowded on the return journey, Max having to stand, while I accepted a seat beside a very entertaining English gentleman, middle-aged, " ruddy and fair," who shortened the trip by a number of anecdotes and riddles. "Why is the Church of England like a virtuous goose? Because she sticks to her own Propaganda, \\nien a clergyman leaves the Church of England for that of Rome, why does he take very little luggage ? He leaves 39 articles behind him. What best describes but most impedes a Christian's progress ? A Bunyan." I was sorry not to be able to guess any but the last; a di- CALIFORNIA. 483 vided mind is not easily concentrated, and people inside the train were interesting, as well as the mastodon bones just dug up at Pajaro, and a succession of beautiful residences at Menlo Park and San Jose, besides manufactories and windmills. " Sheridan was told by his son that he had a great desire to go down into a coal-mine. ' What for ? ' said Richard. ' To say that I have been there,' replied the son truthfully. 'And can't you say it without the trouble of going ? ' in quired the corruptive parent, who was more witty than wise. You remember the son's reply when his father ad vised him to get him a wife ? — ' Whose wife, father? ' said he ; and then when he threatened to ' cut him off with a shilling,' how innocently the young man agreed, but wanted the shilling at once." " The world is very small after all," he declared after some further conversation, of a more personal character. " Why, Mr. B. is one of the dearest friends I had in Lon don ! — and to think they are your relatives ! — We were aldermen together for years. 'Well ! Well ! " and I re ceived a message to transmit not only of their own well- being, but the transcendent beauty, fertility and altogether unapproachable perfections of Southern California. " Beautiful sunlight on the mountains," said I. • Our days are like the shadows On sunny hills that lie — ' The smoke of this engine — does it not remind you of ' the smoke of the Torment which ascendeth forever ? ' — much worse than in England — consume their own smoke there," said the gentleman. San Jose we much admired with its fine houses and and grounds, pleasant climate, fertile land and — pretty cemetery. " People die even here in this lovely place," said I with a sigh, and a feeling that " what did it all matter ? it came to that anyhow." "Ah, yes ! ' AfHiction sore long time I bore. Physicians were in vain,' 484 BOHEMIAN DA YS. you know," cheerfully. "I was just thinking of the witty reply of Samuel Johnson when his Bozzy^ — Boswell, you know — complained of an unaccountable headache. John son, hov/ever, said that it was caused by an over amount of wisdom received into it the night before. ' Does wisdom make the head ache, sir ? ' Boswell inquired. ' It does, sir,' was the reply, ' when you're not used to it' " It was in deed " a pleasant pastime." Our heavily laden train was long in reaching its destina tion, but thanks to our lively, good-humored friend, the time did not seem long until ten o'clock, when we walked home in the brilliant moonlight. CHAPTER L. TO THE YOSEMITE CHINESE CAMP " PRIESTS " BIG OAK FLATS " crocket's " A GOLD MINE. We were near Oakdale. The sun was rising from behind the mountains into the light blue sky, and the early morn ing breeze turned the golden wheat-fields into a rippling sea of light, satiny waves. In the grove surrounding the airy, pleasant, light-colored frame house of our friends, the birds sang merrily. The linnets and the larks, blue birds and tiny sparrows, golden- winged orioles and merry mocking-birds, blue-coated jay, yellow hammer and canary — all had come for a morning drink and ablution ; yes, and their breakfast in the great fig-trees where they chattered and fluttered as if the busi ness of the whole bird nation rested on their w-ings. There was a pleasant stir and hum in field and barn-yard. The easy, comfortable-looking cows rose slowly at the milkmaid's call, and, stretching themseh-es, walked lazily to the trough of running water which was constantly fed by the revolving wind-wheel whose great sails fluttered on the hill beyond. " Tut-tut-tut !" cried a nervous chanticleer as the colts ran a race in the field, and a troop of a hundred turkeys came flying down into the yard from their perches in the tall oak trees. TO THE YOSEMITE. 485 Further out in the fields the doves cooed softly as they flew over the beautiful crested-quail, and the little owl and the squirrel came to the door of the house where they dwelt amicably together. The squirrel ran swiftly to his mother's granary, but the owl stood blinking and drew his brows down as though badly in need of his sm.oked spec tacles. It was early indeed on that warm summer day, but we had been comfortably packed into the " buck-board," (a buggy top on a wide elastic board, light and strong), re ceived kindly advice and good-byes from all the family, and hastened over the dry, smooth road in fine style behind the noble bay. " Clint " was a character. With his small head and curiously fretful expression of countenance he reminded me of a mammoth ant. We had before been apprised of his intelligence and independence, which made him the leader of the twenty horses at the great reaper, where he was dissatisfied unless allowed to turn quite around occa sionally and note progress. Our principal trouble, at first, arose from the fact that Clinton did not know us (1 name him first, for not only did he take precedence, but my almost undivided attention); the second fact was that we did not know him. You never can tell how an unknown quantity will turn out. " There ! he is going to run away ! " I almost tearfully exclaimed. " Do let me get out," making a decided motion to that effect. Clint '-s head looked to be about eight feet from the ground, the nose higher than the pretty pointed ears as he gave a "view-halloo," or some other sound of which I did not know the meaning, to attract the attention of a horse trav eling in an opposite direction, and as the mountain did not come to Mahomet he concluded to go to the mountain, and that at 2:40 speed. He had seemed rather tired for a few minutes, and in no special haste, but suddenly revived. "Pshaw," I could almost hear him say; " let go these lines ; I don't know you ! " " Who-who ? " he remarked to the other horse in a confidential tone. Meanwhile, as Max did not think it worth my while to alight, I sat silent, but trembling. Talk of a woman's curiosity ! 486 BOHEMIAN DAYS. " Clint ? " said my soft, salubrious tones, so mildly that I should not have known them. In a moment he had forgot ten all about the other horse, and during the time he was straining every nerve to find out who could be the second person in his vehicle (he had thought there was but one), Max had us all nicely in the road again. We passed through a diversified country, all very dry, as no rain had fallen for a couple of months ; much of it roll ing prairie, with here and there a little woodland. As we descended a steep, rocky hill, with forest on one side and a roughly-fenced farm with frame house and wind- wheel on the other, our jolting over a stone reminded us of a sack of oats which had been placed at the back, and on in vestigation it was found minus — or rather not found at all, so I jumped out, and the principal partner drove back to make search. As I began to feel lonely, my attention was attracted to an elderly man and a cow advancing from the direction of the white house, and when the two came into the road and the latter, who had peculiarly long horns, proposed making my acquaintance. I preferred car rying on the interview from the reverse side of a barbed- wire fence, though somewhat difficult of attainment. " Will your cow hook ? " I called over it to the rusty, sad- looking old man in brown jeans, who came slowly forward, leaning on his staff and hobbling painfully (the cow still advanced). "Coming through this way?" He was unfastening the gate. " Yeh — mighty putty day,'' smiling suavely and nod ding. " Will the cow hook ? " I shouted again— evidently his hearing was somewhat defective. " Yeh, soon be time to plow — ground dry now- — harves' mos' done, — yeh ! " I drew nearer to him, as he accommodatingly preceded his cow ; he was very homely and untidy, but was old and a sufferer. " Shall we have a hot day ? " said I. "No! no! no! — no time for hay!^ shaking his head. " Wheat now. Useter be all digging fer gold — but it's wheat now. Turnin' out right smart arter all, too," TO THE YOSEMITE. 487 He seemed a trifle disappointed that I desisted, but it was too fatiguing; probably he was glad to find some one he could understand. A sound of rapid wheels, a mounting to place, and we were off again. " I think this is delightful ! " said I enthusiastically ; " Clint is a perfect treasure." " 'You have changed your mind ? — believe I'll walk up this hill." " But we may arrive at the top first" — he was gone, and Clint, recognizing the loss of two hundred pounds avoirdu pois, set the light vehicle tottering as he advanced up the hill in great strides, looking so very cheerful that it had the con trary effect upon me, although I basely assured him that he was " the dearest old fellow," and " a good horsie," which deceived him into believing it himself and acting accordingly until Max came puffing up and climbed in, when we trotted along serenely. "Wo-0-0!""What is the matter?" I inquired anxiously. Max was looking down in front of our conveyance, and I heard a murmur about " that bolt,'' and " was there ever such luck ! " and several other things, but on his searching in a kind of Pandora's box of useful articles, and an applica tion to the lacking member, we were soon en route again. " What a good thing you happened to have that rope," said I. "It isn't a happen-so, — in a journey like this such things are a necessity. That shaft'll hold till we get to the Col onel's." Which fortunately it did. "You'll find the country rougher beyond here," said the pretty, dark-eyed young lady who had fitted us out as good as new. We fully believed her when we reached the " be yond." On a high rocky hill we met teams of ten or twelve mules and horses drawing large, empty wagons, and below it a couple of men in a buggy, who looked rather frightful with their very obvious revolvers and other arms. The dust became deeper as we journeyed on, until we seemed envel oped in a red-yellow cloud, and as the day was sultry, per spiration starting from every pore, we became of the same 488 B OHEMIAN DA YS. time-honored color as the Damascus hill-side from which was constructed our ancestor Adam. A little past noon-tide we climbed a dry, dusty hill with a large barn on one side of the road, and on the other, set back some fifty yards, a bare-looking, old, two-story frame house whose some-time color had long faded into a dingy gray. A narrow porch ran part way along one side, at whose open end, looking out towards us, sat a heavy, red- faced man with a pipe in his mouth, at which he occasionally took a draw. His feet were up on another chair ; his checked shirt, open, displayed a thick bronzed throat. We knew from his air of at-home-ness that this was the master of the house. Before he was distinctly visible a soul-harrowing sound could be heard, coming out hoarse, yet cutting, and on driv ing to the door we saw the small square unpainted box swinging to the limb of a tree from which the intermitting, doleful noise proceeded. It was a large hawk, who would half spread his wings and look away, away into the free heaven in which he had once so exultantly soared, and mourn and mourn. What if he had stolen the chickens? what if the good of society demanded that he be incarcerated, and used as a decoy for other depredators ? " Who sins must suffer," you say? Well, we must be terrible sinners all, for the world is full of suffering. I spoke sympathetically to him, which he seemed to ap preciate, yet do we all have such mixed feelings ! — he an swered me softly, but looked longingly at my fingers, which, fortunately, were not quite within his reach. " Ungrateful bird ! " I thought ; then changed my idea — " it is but nature." He plunged in a moment into a basin of fresh water and drank eagerly, and accepted scraps of chicken from our lunch-basket. " You'll be wanting him next," laughed Max, and I could not deny it — whatever our hands have tended acquires an interest and value. It was weeks before I lost the sound of that doleful cry. The weak-eyed, sallow woman who kindh- supplied our wants, and her sturdy husband, had been pioneers, arriving on the golden tide of promise of early mining days, which receding had left them in a wild country, gradually reduced TO THE YOSEMITE. 489 to farming land by their active hands. Their children were scattering to newer places, and they minutely described the clearing where, on our route, a grown son was installed in his bachelor cabin with "the httle one " to help him, to whom Mrs. Curtin sent a message with as much feeling as any aristocratic lady, though, perhaps, not in as choice lan guage. " It is ' the thing ' to be impassive," some one tells me, " and never to be surprised at anything." Alas ! I am often surprised. We passed over a tract of volcanic-looking country, with great boulders of lava, but no visible crater ; and water courses mostly dry, but lively enough in the wet season, which had cut through various strata, best seen at the sides of Stanislaus River. It is said that a great stream of lava flowed down through here for seventy-five miles. Chinese Camp with a few new houses, and many uninhabited, grad ually undergoing demolishment by the elements, was an old mining town, now used mostly as a stopping-place for coaches on their way inland to various mining camps, and to the Yosemite. Here a number of Chinamen were dig ging for gold, but not one white man, though it is said these persistent orientals gain a good living. To higher ground where the valleys were green and spring-like, and then a primeval forest where Max walked up a mountain, and Clint rushed indiscriminately up after a pack of loose mules with jingling bells, and to persuade him to stop I had to use the homoeopathic treatment ofa few cuts of the whip, surprised at my own daring and Clint's submission — I think he was, too. How funny a man would look if he turned nervous, and had some little salty drops pattering silently onto the reins he was grasping with the energy of despair. A heroine, now, would have smiled, but you have to be born to that kind of tiling, I suppose. How little Max knew of my thoughts on various matters as he sat himself beside me with a few deep breaths, and then had a lively little time of his own with the horse. A mountain rose above the fruitful, narrow valley, well- watered and verdant, with luxuriant vines and fruit trees Jaden, where we bought some delicious grapes and mellow pears from an old Italian who lived in a patriarchal way, sur- 490 BOHEMIAN DA YS. rounded by several generations. The sun was setting as we slowly wound up a forest road to the mountain top, while to our left far below were great yellow gulches with two or three Chinese at work, a few years before alive with the busy hum of trade, traffic, and campers' rude homes, how "silent now, like an old ruin without mediaeval prestige, or picturesque moss and ivy adornment, yet silence is eloquent, and lends rude dignity to the otherwise commonplace. A clearing upon the summit, a two-story house on whose porches were lounging people, while others passed continu ously in and out-; an old horse drinking from a water-trough before the office door, and a newly arrived " Concord " stage full of tourists ; a long detached building at right angles with the larger one, in which we shortly had a pleas ant room and were ready for the abundant supper — for this was " Priest's," noted for good cheer, and our first day out (thirty-six miles) was accomplished. To those who have been enervated and almost overcome by continued heat nothing seems so altogether sweet and desirable as a fresh, bright morning on a mountain height, with the cool, bracing air, full of ozone, giving inspiration and invigoration with every breath. Before daylight we were aroused by sounds of departing coaches, pitied the passengers tied by time, and napped again, but in an hour or two were ready for a quick walk. After breakfast Mrs. Priest graphically recounted to me the hardships endured long years before, when the great mining camp beyond. Big Oak Flats, was in its infancy and prime. She had accompanied her first husband from Scotland, and the country to her seemed wild and desolate ; however, there was enough hard work necessary to be done to fill the time which might have been spent in repining and regrets. The camp had grown into a busy little town of shanties most!)-, and here many a wild scene was enacted, man}- a fortune lost and won by lawless, gambling treasure-seekers, many a deed of blood was hidden in the red gulches whose rocky hearts had been torn to slireds by the pickaxe of the adven turer. Men came to obtain a fortune for loved ones far away, and seized by lust for sudden wealth, had gambled, lost, delved again, and finally disappeared and been forgot- .ten. It was easy to forget those who fell out of the race fdV TO THE YOSEMITE. 491 the treasure on which all eyes were set. Mother loving boys had come, at first been shocked by the reckless profan ity, but remaining from year to year conscience was blunted, home ties forgotten, while many took quick leave of life from the gambling den and bar. She told me of her loved ones lingering in long illness, and how almost impossible it was to obtain medicine and other necessaries, of her hus band's death and her lonely widowhood ; she now had time for memory in the quiet eventide. " You may drive a piece," said Max, alighting on a parti-colored pile of earth and gravel, where he immediately became absorbed in n search after impossible treasure. It was the old placer '-diggin's" of'fBig Oak Flats," now silent and deserted, with channels worn by rushing water through great mounds of large and small stones, — debris from the " rockers" ofthe past. A few scrubby trees stood guard over the waste unrelieved by even a blade of grass. I also was seized by the gold fever accidentally left by some former resident, and would fain have joined in the quest, but Max had the advantage of being already on the ground. A few minutes we lingered lovingly, longingly, then de parted none the richer save in experience. On the hill above was a small, dilapidated, almost forsaken village, which had been dragging out a feeble existence since its Golden age, and two miles further appeared one more thriving, with a quartz mine still in operation on the opposite side of the valley. Pleasant shade trees and some neat homes told of hope and comfort, but most of the houses were bare, un painted frames, whose materials years before had been brought toilsomely over the mountains on mule back — a few indeed still had the air of remembering past " better days " when they were sought after, and quite the fashion — having a tinge of jauntiness. " I was a beau,'' said he, "and mingled in the best of company — " but Max could not hear them saying any such nonsense and thought them unpoet- ically dingy, and the whole place dying of the blues. Beside a spring almost hidden under great rocks in a wild little dell in the forest we laughed, chatted and ate our luncheon, surrounded by grand old firs and pines, one species with .curiously mottled, scaly, yellowish- brown trunks—" like ripe alligators," said Max. 492 BOHE.MIAN DA YS. " I love these mountain rides," said I, putting some pretty ferns under the cushion to press ; " doubtless there is danger, but where is there not? you may die at home in a rocking- chair for that matter. There is such freedom — oh, there is an aqueduct across this lonely, rocky little valley " — with sud den change of idea. " A sluice — there's the mine over on the hill-side. I heard them talking of this mine the other day — belonged to a big company — broke up lots of people," said Max. " This silence is dreadful — " But Max was on his knees picking up little bits of rock which " might be worth something," but were not. We seemed so isolated amid a stillness so profound that I really felt afraid ; what an easy thing it would be for robbers to attack people in this wild country. O for even the chirp of a cricket, the song of a. bird to break this weird so lemnity ! It is fortunate that Max has not a foolishly imaginative nature, — as we drove away he startled me by speaking out loudly on some common topic, (I should have whispered) and the spell was broken. On the hill-side and beyond it among great trees and rocks were new and old cabins, and piles of fresh damp earth from well-like mines newly opened : an old, long-buried interest was being resuscitated. There was a " store," too, half old and weather-beaten, w-ith an addition of new, shining boards, and flour sacks, fruit and tin cans conspicuous. From this we drove into a large clearing, and along a wide lane, all green save the well-trodden central track: to the left upon a hill was a great barn, and cottages below it in the lane ; to the right an unfinished house, and beyond it half hidden by hill and fruit trees the home place (and wayside inn) of Captain Crocket, whose whole family came out to welcome us — even the beautiful Newfoundland toss ing a chip into the air and rushing after it in the most en gaging manner. O that delicious, cold spring water ! it was w^orth being hot, and dusty, and tired, to feel such luxury of rest and re freshment. We took each a room, napped, abluted, and came forth like giants refreshed, and ready for the walk to a gold-mine through the forest. TO THE YOSEMITE. 493 " Well ! " I exclaimed, drawing back rather hastily. " Very much like a well," said Max, shaking his head gravely, but doubtfully, as he also took a backward step ; " do you intend going down that place ?" " Why — certainly ! that was what we came here for, wasn't it ? won't you ? " and I again peeped down the dark-look ing shaft of the gold-mine, under a windowless shed which made necessary the candles which the proprietor's wife now began lighting. The owner, an old, thin-faced man with a wretched cough, held a candle above his head some twenty feet below us, and looked weakly upward at the call of his pleasant and plump, but care-worn, middle-aged wife, who stood beside us calling that " some strangers would like to see the mine." "All right," returned the sharp but feeble voice, "can they climb down ? " " Will you go ? " she enquired of Max. "No thank you! I expect to be under the ground as soon as I want to without trying. Are you going ? " (to me.) I thought I was, and the fair, bright, but sad-faced young teacher of " Crockett's " children, who was our guide, ac companied me. " He looks muddy," I whispered doubtfully. "They all do, mostly,'' she replied, laughing; "some of them are a sight in wet weather, or when water gets into the mines." ,She often laughed, this little teacher, whose husband had spent all his money in trying to develop a mine, and gone to " Frisco " to raise more in some indefinite way — the money being quite indefinite as yet. My prehensile fingers clung to the rounds of the straight up and down ladder fastened against the wall of the shaft. I looked down at the water at the bottom, but without any experimental curiosity as to its depth, preferring rather to alight on a beam at the side and follow the miner through the narrow tunnel he had dug to another opening. He showed us "the drift," and " the ledge " and "the lead " of the ore, calling our attention particularly to the narrow strip of parti-colored rock, which to my unaccustomed eyes had no appearance of gold, yet on being crushed and the precious particles gathered with mercury yielded a small 494 P OHEMIAN DA YS. portion of the pure metal. He coughed again and again, and such eager eyes in such a cadaverous countenance I never had seen. The gold disease was on him with its fever of expectation, its chills of disappointment, and no navvy on the road worked harder than this dying man, delving out heavy rock in twilight damp and chill. I shivered for him as well as myself, and was quite ready to " Come up ! " into fresh air and sunshine. Within a shed was a twelve-foot tub with large, rough stones fastened to beams rolling around and crushing the soft rock and earth to free the particles of gold, a little stream furnishing necessary water-power, besides keeping the red mush in the tub well dissolved. " What are you going to do with that great piece of rock?'' Max inquired of me in a loud whisper, "'Carry it home?' well!" and the long suffering man quietly removed it from my fervid embrace and deposited it elsewhere ; but whilst he intently gazed into a pan, admiring the small par ticles of gold which glittered in the sunlight, I too went ' elsewhere,' and a portion of that rock now rests among my treasures. " How beautiful and bright everything looks," said las we were returning. " Yes — now, but you should see it in the w inter," and the young teacher's voice saddened. " Snow, snow over every thing ! We are shut in for months in this dreary forest." Certainly another side to the picture. The morning was full of the song of birds, murmur of brooklets, and " sh-h-h " of the forest trees w hispering beautiful secrets. Among flowers and ferns, over hill and dale, mountains and green valleys, past wonderful rocks, or pausing at road-side wells of deliciously cool water (in a thirsty land) — so on we fared. Occasionally we met parties from the Yosemite, supplied with camping outfits from bed and stove to cologne and the last new novel. Max had been walking ahead, but as we rounded the hill what was my surprise to see Max coming back on the run, waving his hand excitedly. Now Max is not one of those shallow people who fly all to pieces if a breath of imaginary TO THE YOSEMITE. 495 danger blows on them, so when he shouted " Jump out ! jump out ! " I did not pause to inquire the why or where fore, but in a second swung myself onto terra firma, when he caught Clint by the bridle and led him into the bushes. Running a few steps along the road, I saw a half-empty hack and two gentlemen about to revolver a huge rattle snake, and such a reverberation did this small " cannon " make that it nearly caused several runaways besides that of the authentic recorder of this history, — after which some minutes were occupied in picking up articles scattered from the buck-board. A new log house in a clearing, a little boy peeping from the door, and a ruddy, hearty young man, carrying a bucket of water from the well — it was Curtain's boys at home on the government claim lately taken up. "Busy? yes, always that!' said the elder pleasantly, after we had introduced ourselves; "I been makin' shakes" (shingles), "an' Bob he gets the cookin' done fer the fam ily." Bob smiled and wriggled at the half-open door, but declined to come out. '' 'Cause his clo'es is tore. We been lookin' fer mother all week-— git out, June ! — what d'ye mean? " to a snarling, jealous hound which had slyly crept up behind and snapped viciously at my hand. The little boy called " good-bye," bashfully, as we drove on, and was evidently delighted when he received his mother's message. No matter how plain and homely to others it may appear, to us the face of our mother is won drous beautiful, with the halo of love around it. A row of cabins near a little stream, a large saw-mill over a rocky steep, great boulders in fantastic shapes, and here — and here — suddenly I was stricken dumb — over whelmed with the subhmity of my first grand view of the Yosemite 1 496 BOHEMIAN DA YS. CHAPTER LI. YOSEMITE THE GRAND BRIDAL VEIL, YOSEMITE AND VERNAL FALLS MIRROR LAKE A " TRAIL " EXPERIENCE. I HAD gazed with delight upon the purple-tinted, snow- crowned Alps; with admiring terror at the storm -tossed billows of the Atlantic ; from the summit of lofty Lyca- bettus had looked down upon the storied plains and ruined grandeur of Athens ; had dreamed within the Colosseum and beneath the Gothic arches of many an old cathedral, and over the sacred paths of Judea had stepped softly in reverence, for I was upon holy ground. — Yet, here, upon our Western border, in the heart ofthe mountains, was a scene so surpassingly awe-inspiring and sublime that almost my heart forgot to beat, as my very being became ab sorbed in sight. At first it seemed but one great mountain frowning ma jestic down upon the deep-cleft gorge, but as our eyes be came more accustomed deep shadows called forth the sep arate peaks and lofty domes ; while opposite to us, as we reached the edge of the great precipice, came mistily down the beautiful Bridal Veil, and to our left El Capitan's great rock lifted its giant front a sheer four thousand feet above the fair valley which gradually opened before us like a quick-blossoming rose, and far in the distance were the snowy peaks of the Sierra Nevada. As back and forth we wound down the face of the mountain, so small, so insignificant we seemed creeping along the verge of the precipice, it appeared almost miracu lous that we were not hurled downward into the yawning gulf, for there is some force which seems to draw us to the very chasm's edge. In terror I held to the side of the buck-board as the horrible fascination grew- upon me. I gasped — I gazed — I closed my eyes — it was too sublimely grand for me. A groan at my side roused me, — was Max still more af fected? I turned quickly, still holding on. His eyes were almost closed, his frenzied features a dark red, and in YOSEMITE. 497 this new alarm I almost forgot the other — was it apo plexy ? " What can I do ? '' adding some pleasing expressions of good will not necessary to be here introduced. " My tooth has been aching for this hour ! " he fervently ejaculated. I was sorry, and said so, but this did not cure the ache ; sympathy seems to come too easily and cheerfully from one free from pain. The fact was the rare atmosphere had brought on a severe attack of neuralgia which, I after wards learned, is frequently the case four thousand feet above the sea. I have heard people speak of " having their hearts in their mouths ; " some may regard this as a mere figure of speech, but if any doubt the possibility let them just one time try riding down that eight-to-ten-foot, unguarded road, with a horse that has never seen it before, and is absorb ingly interested even in the rustle of a cricket's wing. Let them see a couple of workmen cross the road, just ahead and stand with shining tools against the inner bank, while the horse is doubtfully feeling the edge of the three-thou sand-foot precipice with the foremost buggy wheel. — Ah ! talk of nightmares ! I was on the outside and looked dizzily down — " should I strike those cruel rocks ? — could I per chance catch to the wall?" — a shiver ran over me, a deadly sick feeling and numbness as I glanced dimly at Max, who seemed receding from me. He, however, was still dwelling on the inside of that dis tracting molar, and took but secondary interest in all this sublimity and so forth, but roused a little as he encountered my look. " You couldn't drag him over," he said, irritably, in answer. . We passed through this " reign of terror," and still lived — which fact may have struck my readers, as I tell the story. I have often been struck by such things myself. One httle woman grown quite gay Asks if her "hair hasn't all turned gray." "And this is 'pleasure ! ' " somebody said " 'Wish I hadn't a tooth in my head." 33 498 BOHEMIAN DAYS. With flowers abloom on every side, birds singing in the verdant meadows and waving tree-tops, with wonderful rocks like giant sentinels standing guard, and the soft ca dence of distant falls, we drove down the three miles ol valley park to Barnard's Hotel, near the Yosemite Fall ; past Indian lodges, and pleasant dwellings of people more civilized, but perhaps less happy; past century" oaks, and groves of pine, fir and maple, clustering softly upon the feet of the silent, dome-crowned rocks which in some way re minded me of the Egyptian Pyramids and Sphinx, so passionless, so full of an eternal, impenetrable calm. We looked upon their shadowy sides, and golden summits, snow-capped and resplendent in sunset sheen, and felt our selves surrounded by a wondrous region of beauty and grandeur, fresh as the primal world new-rolling from the hand of its Creator, hailed 'by the pseans of admiring ser aphs whose snowy wings were the soft clouds hovering over, and itself slow-waking into life a silent, soul-inspiring harmony. Sometimes we drew a long breath, because the short ones were forgotten. " One more river to cross," I hummed as we came to still another bridge : all around us flags were flying, for the Grand Army of the Republic re-union at San Francisco greatly increased the tourist ranks, and patriotic emblems were at a premium. " Do go to your room and rest," said Max from his doorway on the wide verandah ; " somebody else '11 feed those ducks." They did look so funnyracingafter the pieces of cracker on the river. Laughing rests me, but cheerful obedience does also — not yet having been worn thread bare. The sun had set when we crossed the foot-bridge, fol lowed a well-worn path, and climbed over rough rocks almost to the foot of the Yosemite Fall, — and whatever others may think of the different places of attraction in this wonderful valley, not one pleased me better. " Here, follow after me," said Max, " you'll fall into some hole among these rough rocks and that'll be the end of you." " Isn't it curious — do you notice how close and warm YOSEMITE. 499 the air is just here ? " I enquired, peeping into a dark aperture. " A bear's den probably " — and the next instant I was perched upon a tall rock at some distance beyond Max, ind ready for further flight. " But really," I gasped, " might there be bears here, or are you only laughing at me ? " " I don't see why not " — ^Max began. " Your voice trembles ! you are laughing ! I don't care, there are snakes or something not far away — and see how dark it grows ! " — commencing a retreat, yet looking back at the tossing, foaming water, while Max continued his amusement of forcing part of the stream to seek another channel for a, few moments longer, when we almost groped our way back along the indistinct pathway, while all around the air was sweet with the fragrance of the large canary-colored evening primroses — and the cool dew gently slid through the interstices in our foot paraphernalia. 'This late, mysterious kind of rambling made a well-lighted room appear unsentimentally agreeable, though some warbler, not ofthe nightingale species, persisted for an un limited time in describing her " Grandfather's Clock," in a too-too touching manner which became monotonous after our tears were dry. In this same hotel parlor, across the road from the dormitories, was quite a curiosity — the lower ten feet of a tree of that same diameter, with a cushion of grass around its feet, — a strange parlor ornament, but it evidently did not notice any difference, its branches waving a hundred feet above, just as they used before it became a fashionable curiosity. A swift drive through the fresh morning air, rising laden with the scent of a thousand dewy, woodland flowers, and we stood waiting for " sunrise on Mirrcw Lake," a small sheet of placid water reflecting the encircling mountains, and listened to the sweet tones of an old colored uncle's bugle as they echoed and re-echoed from rock to rock, looked at the "two suns," to which he called our attention as the Monarch of the Day glanced into his mirror ; and traced with him many curious reflections of the rocks in the water which he called " the elephant," " the rooster," and even the "Old Fellow" himself; and becoming enthu- 500 BOHEMIAN DA YS. siastic over it all and on friendly terms with a dozen now (Uke . ourselves) thoroughly awakened tourists, completed the occasion by rendering a couple of stanzas of the Na tional hymn, " Liberty," in a hearty chorus. Then away down thevalley again, after a few minutes' chat with friends at Merced Bridge, from which they set out for the Vernal Falls, and we for the little church below "Barnard's" to meet a party made up for the '' trail to Glacier Point." One ofthe things all must accomplish while visiting the Yosemite is to scale at least one of the dizzy heights by means of mules or horses, which, being accustomed to the narrow paths or trails, are less apt to return to the valley by the short route ; yet there are persons of limited capacity and taste who think the grand views but small compensa tion for the terrors and perils incident to such a journey, and when once more on a safe level declare that nothing could induce them to try such a feat again. I had time to think of the remarks I had heard the evening before on this subject while looking at the dangerous way we soon should be climbing, for we had a half hour of waiting for our party of a dozen with the two guides. " ' Pleasure ! ' " one had cried, "a painful pleasure truly, where we take a wonderful amount of trouble to almost lose our lives.'' " 'The magnificent view? ' " said another laughing. " Oh, I could not take time to notice anything until I was on top, for I was busy holding on to the saddle, and every time we took those frightfully short turns it seemed almost im possible not to slip off and tumble down the mountain — but going up is nothing to the coming down ! " Yet other some were enthusiastic, and proud to recount the dangers they had faced. Every one must realize for himself Inexperienced people cannot believe in the perils of life from which the aged traveler would warn them ; let them learn, it is all in a lifetime, and if a certain amount of peril or trouble must come into our lives it is a fine thing to have weathered such a storm of it at once. But here they come laughing and talking, and here wasa pretty white horse for me to mount. — Ah, Jiminy ! to think what pleasant things I said to you, and yet how you treated me! YOSEMITE. 501 The party as usual was a mixed one. A tall gentleman just before me belabored his stout white mule one minute (without the slightest effect) and the next was exchanging remarks with his wife, a small brunette lady on a tall horse before him, or repartees with various members of the com pany as the winding trail brought them into his vicinity above or below. He (Mr. J.) was the inveterate joker without whom no troupe would be complete. Before them was a weighty gentleman who had brought his pale sister from her heavy home cares to have a little outing and rest. There was also an aged gentleman with his pretty, silver- haired, gentle-faced wife, who were both so overcome by the terrors of the way that they turned about at the summit to return as quickly as possible to level ground ; also, three single gentlemen, and another couple. Behind me Max labored in vain to keep his panting steed up with the company, even with the assistance ofa boy who acted as rear guard. " Boy !" called back Mr. J., " are people ever killed here ? " "Not often," — encouragingly. " Ah ! some are — eh ? " The boy laughed (we shuddered). " Not gen'ly more'n onct ! " said he. " O Mr. J.!" said his wife looking back. " Better keep right on, Mrs.' J. — you might fall off. Get up! Jehu — hi! hi ! hi! there!" a blow accompanying each word. "Do come on, Mr. J. I know you could come a little faster." " My dear, how can I ? — -he won't go ! " another applica tion ofthe whip. "This is Union Point," said our h^lf-Mexican guide, Joe ; " rest half a hour. You wish to get off? " Most of us dismounted, and stepping onto a rocky pro montory viewed the falls, mountains, domes, cathedral spires. El Capitan, Agassiz monument, and, far below, the green valley, with gardens, park, pleasant homes, and the little Merced River winding tortuously among them. — The tiny, uneven trail, too, by which we had gained our present elevation, and above, the continuation of the same, with 502 B OH EM I A N DA YS. sharp turns, narrow, sloping pathways around jutting rocks with scarcely room between them and the preci pice for the turn. I drew a deep breath — not of relief " Don't go so near the edge ! " Max called to me ; " it makes me dizzy." " There are rocks a yard high between." " I don't care ! they might fall, too. — No ! I'm not going there — Oh, how my head aches ! " Another start upward. " There was mounting in hot haste," quoth Mr. J. dramatically, suiting his action to the word. "Lead on!" The guide was too well accustomed to the eccentricity of travelers to render him more than a half smile, but we be longed to the larger number who like to be amused, for whom these distinct types preserve the balance, and assist in moving the social machinery, going to almost any length for our benefit. They really may be considered philanthropists, though often only amusing themselves, for one who brightens life for others, and wins a laugh from careworn gravity, is a benefactor of his species, and not to be railed against as a fool though he may wear the cap and bells. The horses became animated as we rounded the summit and the goal was in sight, and in a few moments the party had alighted on the porch of the hotel, but hastened to visit Flagstaff Rock. A • few minutes only had elapsed when Max, who had seemed to be better, put his hands to his head, for the pain was unbearable, whereon the guide advised him to hasten down the mountain, for this great height and rare atmosphere sometimes caused dangerous congestion, with a flow of blood from ears and eyes. Max refused to ride and in a few moments was out of sight, and the fine prospect was now of secondary interest to me. After lunch we sat on the front porch watching the beauti ful change of tints which once a day comes over the lovely Vernal Fall, the fleecy spray caught and imprisoned the sunlight — " vernal," indeed, and shimmering gold. The guide pointed out the various peaks and domes, and told of lakes which lay hidden in the recesses ofthe mountains; of hair-breadth 'scapes and gallant exploits. A few years before, a man named Anderson drove in spikes one above YOSEMITE. 503 another, climbed 900 feet on the opposite side of South Dome, and attached a heavy rope to the summit, by which odiers scaled the dizzy height. From Mt. Dana twenty- eight lakes are visible. Cloud's Rest, a little above the Dome, has an altitude of nearly 10,000 feet above sea level. "Time now for the descent," but there seemed to be general reluctance — not so much at the idea of leaving this grand panorama, as genuine fear. A gradual slope did well as a commencement, but as we neared those steep places where all had to hold to the backs of the saddles to prevent pitching off, yet pull the horses' heads sharply round each rocky turn to keep from hovering over unknown depths, the lady next behind me called out sharply — "01 cannot ! — I cannot ride down here — Guide, you must let me get down, or lead the horse," her hands over her face. So that horse was dragged past mine, who stood solidly to prevent going over ; the guide fastened a leading rein to the lady's bridle and jumped on his pony again. At every sharp turn almost the pangs of death would seize me (and no doubt the others felt the same) until I persuaded myself that the emotion itself might cause an accident, and the thought flashed over me, " Why fear or care so much ? why not be willing to die here as well as elsewhere ? — a moment — all would be over," but one will care all the same, reason as they may — which was well exemplified a few moments later. We had paused at request of the lady before me, the horses standing close together, when without warning my naughty Jimmy suddenly lay flat down in the narrow path, at the edge of a two-thousand-foot precipice down which I looked. One scream, one jump, one little pile of cinders on which I tried to stand, holding by a briar bush, against a rough, stone wall, — a cruel friend, indeed, which pierced my fingers and tore my clothing. The 'guide was instantly off his horse—" Climb further up ! climb further up ! "he loudly called, striving to pass the closely packed group of horses. A quick blow from his whip made Jimmy spring to his feet. The gentlemen above were dismounted and giving advice. " What will you do ? " cried a lady. With earnest eyes on mine the guide counted—" one,— 504 B OHEMIAN DA YS. two, — three ! " — safely up again, thanks to the little horse who stood firm, when one step back would have landed us in eternity. Further down, in two places, were cards from Max, as suring me of his returning health, but I found him at the hotel "waking from a dream that I had fallen off the mountain." " No more trails ! " said he, in which I very willingly ac quiesced. " You can only die once," some one very truly re marked. " Yes, and you can only live once as far as this world is concerned." On our return journey we again visited the thirty " Big Trees" of Tuolumne Sequoia Grove, one of which is thirty- two feet in diameter, and drove through the heart of the "dead Giant" with plenty of room to spare. They are of immense height and believed to be several thousand years old. The valley west of the Sierra Nevada Mountains bears marks of having been a great lake or sea. At Knight's Ferry we deviated a little to visit a large, well-kept vineyard belonging to Mr. Schell, who very kindly entertained and gave us a view of his wine-making, and cellars containing thousands of gallons of port and other delicious wines. At the Ferry our attention was called to a large tree under which General Grant pitched his tent and smoked his pipe when this was the headquarters of his command. A month had passed since our arrival at the great wheat ranch of Captain A. J. Patterson, and we regretfully said " Good-bye " to the kind friends whose welcome and hos pitality will never be forgotten. A few hours were spent at the pleasant home of Max's old friend Dr. S. P. Crawford at Stockton, where we also visited the State Lunatic Asylum — the finest and best policed of any institution of this kind Max had seen in the world, and by rail, through the beautiful San Joaquin val ley, replete with farms, fields, and flocks, happy homes, harvests, meadows and gardens of abundance, we sped back to the cooler air of San Francisco. Oakland, opposite " the City," has a much milder climate. A FUNNY CHAPTER. 505 A few days after our arrival in California we concluded to search for a very agreeable family who had visited in Knox- ville the year before. " Where do they live ? " I asked Max. " I don't exactly know, but over in Oakland somewhere — it can't be a large place, we shall easily find them." So we crossed the ferry and landed in a shed of continually moving trains. " This looks like business," said Max. A guard informed him that there were many stations extending twenty miles probably which unitedly formed Oakland, and the train we should have gone by had just left. Well, here was another — a fast one that would catch the first at such a station — naming it. " ' Population ? ' — over forty thousand." Yes, he had seen the gentleman in question — came in from Brooklyn, he thought, had an office at Broadway. Well we were considerably enlightened, and more so before we at last (going back and forth) found Judge Nye in his office. We soon after by kind invitation spent a couple of days delightfully in their pretty home, sur rounded by blooming trees and plants, and a variety of edible luxuries, among them a cherry orchard — a perfect picture — loaded down with luscious, ripe, black, red, and cream-colored fruit. Into how many strange lands and places we had entered, yet almost everywhere met kind friends. It is not such a " cold world," after all. CHAPTER LII. A FUNNY CHAPTER. (P. S.— This Post Script, in this case becoming a Pre Script, is placed first in the chapter, not ftiat it contains, as is sometimes the case, the most important matter, but it seems well to call the attention of the Genial Reader to the descriptive heading, for fear, like some of Ingersoll's follow ers and friends, they should not see the point until it was too late to profit by it. A wasted laugh, or a hiatus where a laugh should be, is one ofthe saddest things in Nature. 5o6 BOHEMIAN DA YS. I know this by experience, of which I have had several. Still I must add that there is nothing injuriously amusing, nothing which a sufferer with the heart-disease need fear — though this did not deter me. Like " another," I never dare write "as funny as I can," but from a different motive. I have a friend to whom I air these airy nothings, and I must be considerate to him (or her) — and to myself I am apt on these occasions to experience a feeling of elation, a super-lunary exaltation, as it were, and when I have ex plained it all out and just what I meant by it, I seem to de scend too far, and have a sense of flatness ; the balloon of fancy has altogether lost its buoyancy and been wrecked on a solid Fact — a Mathematical Fact probably, an enquiry into dates and other indigestibles, — and, as I naturally ought, I feel that I am naught, and have failed to make a figure in the world. So I always now joke mildly and as un-intricately as I can.) It seemed strange that after all these long months of wandering in many foreign lands, and the seeing of sights and wonders, we had returned again to a part of our own country and found it to be the most wonderful, produc tive, and altogether attractive and desirable land of all. In the first place we learned this from the inhabitants them selves who never wearied of its eulogy, u^itil finally what had seemed to us faults became in some unaccount able way cardinal virtues. For instance, the heavy fogs enveloping San Francisco of an afternoon, which we at first thought rain, but learned that it never rained in summer, how cool and depressing they had been, but soon we found that they assisted in equalizing the temperature, abundantly refreshed and recuperated Flora's beautiful kingdom, and went far towards obviating the necessity for Spring bonnets — the season itself being obsolete. — I noticed, at the time, the greater preponderance of gentlemen in proportion to the population than farther east. One of them also called my attention to the fact thatthe inhabitants were more economical in other respects, the climate being such that flannel and furs were in season all the year round — -even the seals wearing the latter (when not borrowed) on their sea-side excursions to the Cliff A FUNNY CHAPTER. 507 House rocks. There were some other things — but I for bear: it is not well to praise too highly, it makes enemies. Time is worth a good deal except to the unlimited tour ist and those who spend themselves in the endeavor to spend or kill it, whereas it always flies to the busy sight seers who cannot get enough of it at once, and the archi tect of great plans who will accomplish so much "when I get the time," but is interrupted — or at least carried on into a much wider sphere, who knows? those plans may mature in as much nobler fashion as time is inferior to eternity. Gold is little thought of, being so plentiful in the Eldorado, unless perhaps by those who have too small an amount, or the very wealthy, or those who have long been in the habit of sjow accumulation — and some others. I have heard of a miser whose eye was so filled by a gold piece that he could in no wise see the church-plate under his very nose, and continually forgot to pay even a small portion of his debt to Heaven ; indeed it was thought he would even grumble when called on to pay the Debt of Nature — but he probably lived in New Zealand. I had interviewed the Heathen Chinee upon his native soil and sampan, and found him in appearance much the same when transplanted, joss house, opium den, and curio store, advertising pole and parti-colored sign of invitation, but to some of my friends and acquaintances he appeared in such a different light to others that I, who sympathized with all, was quite unbalanced ; first the China scale went up, as I was assured that the Celestial was wholly incon gruous to our civilization, that he degraded our people with his opium and superstitions, was rascally and deceit ful to the last degree, curiously mending broken articles and selling them for new, inflating stock — such as sheep — (not mere paper which is but a light offense,) and making them appear well fattened, and worst of all taking the very bread from our people's mouths by working for small wages (not over double Eastern prices), that they told false hoods as to the worth of their goods, put stones among articles sold by weight, had no Sunday, and would hot even allow their bones to enrich our soil — after this last,, which was on the face of it so unreasonable, as it could 5o8 BOHEMIAN DA YS. make no difference to them, and seemed like malicious forethought, even I agreed that the Chinaman must go. Up near Santa Rosa there had been a murder committed by a wicked Chinee shortly before our arrival, and the man got away, whereupon there was a thirsting for blood of one of the same color, which is quite natural ; even the Indians have set us that example ; but this seeming inconvenient at the time, every member of that nationality (at Guerneville for example) was warned to leave under some dire penalty. After their hegira, however, great inconvenience was ex perienced, — who should "washee, washee ? " The white washers, who had greatly assisted in the dispersement of their co-laborers, took it all in, but the proprietors seemed to think that they also had been taken in when the bills came to be settled, and a cry went up from the household for the return of the Almond-eyed, who, however, were slow to avail themselves of their privileges. I was assured by these good citizens and re';pectable, that the Chinee was an unmitigated blessing, being industrious, active, cheerful, civil, obliging, sometimes honest, exhibiting an always-there-ness not found in any other nation, the best washer in Christendom, and as for his bones, it made little difference, for he didn't seem to have many anyway; — so again I relented and said perhaps they had better be em ployed, as they made such good servants, and raised pro duce for market none of the others did. But almost every other person I met differed on the subject, and I couldn't remember which side I was on, so I gave it up. At one town the washers left in a body, except one man who cut off his queue, donned the garb of a Christian and ran down street crying, " Me no China man no more, me Sam Lee, all same Melican man ! " and he was not inter rupted, but is even now gathering in the dollars richly. There is something in a name, Shakespeare, and in taking the right cue. As for ourselves, we had many delightful experiences (not Eden-like for monotony) even to another Sunday Ex cursion, which it seemed right (though wrong) to attend, as not making exceptions in favor of the Old World. It was, however, much as if we had been suddenly transported to the other side of the Atlantic, for around us were people A FUNNY CHAPTER 509 of such varied nationality and un-American speech, manner and ideas, albeit in some conspicuous ways determined ultra- Americans. German Socialists, French Communists, erratic Poles, dissatisfied Russians, agitators from the Em erald Isle, progressive (craw-fish) Americans — we were an anarchist community generally, " without God in the world," according to their creed, but "hoping" to possess a goodly portion of our rich neighbors' goods and chattels when general distri'oution-time came round. Games, drinking, cards, swings, dancing — so passed the hours in the old greenwood, under tents and sheds, among the enormous red-wood trees. When in China we learned that many of their Taoists (believers in Nothing) on the apparent approach of the King of Terrors become very religious, and earnestly call upon the gods of their fathers, lay gifts upon their altars, send money to pay for the release of some eels, in short appear to be sudden and hearty converts to the old religion — unless they happen to recover. There is the same uni versal human nature, though a little more evinces itself under trying circumstances. No sooner did our over-loaded Bay-steamer threaten to careen — swaying from side to side in an altogether frightful manner, than these scoffers at death and the Ruler of Life began wildly calling upon Him to rescue them from peril, which He did in spite of their inconsistency, and like the Chinaman's Joss was immedi ately thereafter set in the back-ground again until future requirement. On alighting at the station among my lively yet weary companions, I felt somewhat abashed under the eyes of my prayer-book-in-hand fellow-beings : it is so much easier to walk out brightly in the early morning, rather like the boy out for a Sunday fish, I fancy. For most of these excursionists, though, there is quite another side to be considered. To the ^oor, hard- worked men and women who see nothing of nature within the four brick walls which constitute their worid of work, these hours of relaxation and peace, far from the treadmill exist ence that is wearing their lives out, breathing pure, fresh air instead of that already inhaled and de-oxygenated and free as the Bay breezes, prove a grateful change if confined within the bounds of reason, yet like sunlight on cellar 510 BOHEMIAN DA YS. plants, distortion instead of growth may follow excess. These may be excused if they mistake the flame ofa lamp for the purer sunlight — and they have to bear the singeing — if it come to that. For me — I think I do not prefer this form, of amusement, especially with this kind of an ending, it is too exciting. An old Sea-captain on the steamer henceforth "abjured such dangerous sport," — (along with half the passengers) and Max held affectionately by a life-preserver; one man had a fit, a French woman rushed back and forth crying "MonDieu! sauvez-moi, mon Dieu ! " in agonized accents, while the little children holding to her skirts cried and screamed themselves black and blue. We 2\\felt\A\xe. Of our ten-days' trip up into Sonoma County the most lasting impression Max received was from the poison-oak (Rhus Toxicodendron), whose name I also should remem ber were it a mile in length. Captain Watson and his fam ily were agreeable, as also our friend Major McKinnie and his camping acquaintances; the mountains with their giant trees, quick flowing brooks, and rich herbage beautiful; the warm, bright days, and cool nights when we gathered around the roaring log fire, told stories, sang and made merry, were pleasant indeed — but Rhus will be remembered when all these are forgotten. From this mild region we descended into the torrid Santa Rosa Valley and Stanislaus County, where the ther mometer registered iio° to I20° in the shade, Avhere door handles and forks were unpleasantly warm, water needed cooling for washing dishes, and eggs quickly baked in the sunshine (so one of my friends informed me), where o\er the magnificent fields of golden grain, thousands of acres in extent, and vineyards which might supply the world with wine, came a sultry breeze that gave no refreshment ; but with the night came relief and rest, and a blanket w as not unacceptable. Yet the people are thriving and happy, and think no country like their own. Climate ! " What kind of a climate ha\-e the}- in Califor nia? " we were inquired of by "many friends." Just any you please. Eternal spring abides in lovely Santa Barbara, San Diego and Los Angeles; the mountains are cool with abundant winter snows; San Francisco is never over- warm, EASTIVARD HOI 511 and "one who ought to know" told me that the winter months are really her summer. Some parts are hot and dry, others never need irrigation. Shakespeare seems to have visited California when he wrote, "There is a beauty in variety." There are some few isolated spots where the land has not been "taken up," it maybe "swamp or desert" as you say, but swamps can be drained, and deserts, if irrigated, "blossom as the rose." Yes, zve also loved California, and could not quite say " good-bye" as we left the hospitable land and people, but "au revoir." CHAPTER LIII. EASTWARD HO ! THE ROCKIES SALT LAKE— MANITOD— KANSAS CITY TENNESSEE. By boat and train we swiftly passed eastward, seeing for a few moments the Capitol and other large buildings of the capital city Sacramento, but most rejoicing in its magnifi cent fruit. Max brought me a five-and-a-half pound bunch of grapes, which caused occasional unhappiness for a week, trying to preserve them to astonish distant friends ; yet still the bunch grew less — they were so delicious ! Near Sacramento is the Eldorado mine, where gold was first dis covered in the State. Passed large almond and peach orchards, and vineyards in the gray twilight. All night we steamed along the Central Pacific Railway, and in the early morning, clear and cool, saw the sunrise on Truckee Lake in the midst ofbeautiful mountain scenery, which we enjoyed most of the day, but the dfect was somewhat spoiled in places by the long snow-sheds. But what a change ! after running swiftly down the eastern side of the Rockies, in the afternoon a waste region appeared where the fine alkaline dust almost blinded and choked us, and the green trees and grass were replaced by the dull sage- bush ; where vehicles passed slowly along enveloped in a dull white cloud, and along a shallow stream catde fed on 512 BOHEMIAN DA YS. the sparse bunch-grass, while the sun was a ball of fire, indeed, reflected in a white glare from the sands of The Great American Desert. The light blue waters of Hum boldt Lake with a fringe of green along the shore. Then followed a stiflingly hot, long night, unrestful and close, with but one event worthy of mention — the jumping ofthe train across a " wash-out," which could not have been done had nbt the engineer, equal to the emergency, put on high speed when close on the break, hardly visible in the faint moonlight. Morning of the 20th — still in the desert land, but with mountains of rock purple-tinted in the sunrise, and a lovely oasis not far distant with farms, a large blue lake around which the train runs to Ogden (900 miles from San Francisco) and after hours of waiting for the section not able to pass the widened break in the road, a ride of 40 miles in a pretty plush-lined narrow-guage car to Salt Lake City. At Ogden some of our friends left for the National Park of the Yellowstone to see the wonderful Geysers. Of course I desired to accompany them, but Max proposed that we should leave something for future delectation, which seemed reasonable. Looking around at the beautiful park surrounded by mountains, the flashing waters of the blue lake, so passing fair and pleasant after the desert, it did not seem surprising that "the " Saints " had deemed it a new Canaan, or Land of Promise, and been glad to enter in and possess it. The City has 25,000 inhabitants, and outside ofthe sub stantially built business streets is like a pleasant grove, with orchards and gardens surrounding the low light- colored adobe houses, streets hid with trees, and water flowing at their feet. On a plateau back of the city is Fort Douglas, and on Temple Square, ten acres in extent, the oval Tabernacle which seats 12,000 people, the Assembly Hall now in use, and the beautiful, but unfinished " Temple of Zion " designed in imitation of Solomon's grand building, of white hewn granite that sparkles as if strewn with diamonds, in the sunlight. The upper windows, which are circular, are called " The Eyes of God," and over the whole building are stone symbols and types of the earth and heav enly bodies. It has been nearly thirty years building, cost EASTWARD HO/— FINIS. 513 three million dollars, freely given by the people in tithings, and contributed from foreign countries. On the Lake are several resorts, reached by train, where bathing is indulged in, and our friends who had tried it in sisted on our following suit — it was so refreshing, so invig orating. " But," said one laughing, " don't put your Itead under. Auntie was nearly strangled ; the water is twenty per cent, salt and sodium, you know." We were at " Garfield," and the lake looked lovely, though the air was rather cool for bathing. I well remember those rock hills, sparse vegetation, large shed and hotel, long row of rough-plank dressing-rooms some ten feet above and extending out over the water ; the long steps too which we slowly descended — not dressed in photographic style, one trouble evidently having been that they had no men more than two-thirds the size of Max, while the women nearly equalled them, but you can roll up garments and make them smaller, whereas the elongation of the short ones is entirely another matter. Happily we were alone. " Why don't you come in ? " inquired Max, almost up to his neck in water. " Don't sit on the step, you'll catch cold. Come here." " The water would be over my head." " No it won't," taking a step nearer on the gentle in cline. " Now, isn't it nice ? " " It's c-c-cold." " Never mind, you'll get over that directly. How buoy ant the water is ! I can hardly keep my feet down. Duck your head under." " O no ! they told us not ! " "That's all nonsense — here! I'll hold your hands and we'll go under together." Which we did. "O — O dearV letting go his hand immediately on re turning to the air, and creeping off to the steps with hands to my eyes — how useless, for they too were soaked in this horrible water that was burning eyes, nose and throat like concentrated red pepper. " What's the mat— ah— ee— oh ! " and sundry other ex plosive expressions. " I wish I hadn't—" from me. '" O dear ! " 33 5 1 4 BOHEMIAN DA YS. " Why did you then — he — e — u ! " with a long whistle. " You told me," tearfully. " Are you generally — ah-ha-a !— so obedient ? " "O if I had a handkerchief! — my eyes ! — my throat ! " " Who told us to do this stupid thing, anyhow ? ha-a ! — you'll catch your death of cold on these steps, half out of the water," the tones not like those of a mother to a favorite child, which goes to prove that salt, whatever its effect on substance, does not always preserve the temper. Yet this sad result soon wore off bodily and mentally, and in a few minutes Max was swimming around happily, and I holding on to a piece of wood floating on the water — but we did not try the experiment of head immersion any more. Several days we spent enjoyably in, and riding around the city, and a very great pleasure came to me but a few hours before our departure. "In emerging from the Taber nacle (where, by the way, we had heard much good advice), whom should we meet, just arrived, but Col. and Mrs. Mitford, with whom we had parted in Japan. A few pleasant hours with them, and again we were speeding on our way, this time down a fruitful valley by the Denver and Rio Grande Railway. At every stopping place came children with baskets of fruit, and cooked provisions for the wayfarers, and at one place a cowboy set off to race with the train, looking as wild as an Indian, on his pony. We passed the summer resort of Provo City, on Lake Utah, near the Wasatch Mountains, a pretty place of over four thousand residents ; saw to our right the snow-crested Mount Nebo, tw-elve thousand feet high, and were drawn up the Wasatch Mount ains by three puffing engines, where, among the rocky, tower-like elevations, we saw remnants of mining camps and charcoal furnaces, miniature waterfalls with ferns and flowers — not so much a desert after all, but a wild broken region, from which we swiftly descended beside the small, winding South Fork ofthe Green River, shaded by willows. Near' the track were cowboys with dogs and guns, and rather wild-looking girls waving willow branches. A vil lage without one shade tree. A deep, wild caiion, with old A BATH IN SALT LAKE. (See page 613.> , SQtJAW AND PAPPOOSE. CSee page 515.) A COLORED STREET ARAB OP KNOXViLLE. (See page 519.) EASTPVARD HO/— FINIS. 515 dug-outs among debris, where we turned some sharp curves that seemed dangerous. And night again, but no slacking of speed. The rain dashed by the wind against the windows. Morning at Montrose, and from among the adobe foot hills a terrible flood of people submerged and almost over whelmed us, more than could be seated with all our " doubling up." I looked anything but happy, I know, all my possessions having to be crowded into so small a compass, but the pleasant-faced lady whom I regarded at first as an enemy proved to be a "blessing in dis guise," and greatly entertained me by a history of her life, including the removal to this wild-looking country, which had made her very unhappy, but now she " would not leave for the world; " also her hunting expeditions, collec tions of flowers, and specimens from mines in the vicinity. This was the Squaw Range we were approaching, and the bright red berries in her hand were squaw berries, yes, and a little group of squaws and children sat on the edge of the platform at the next station, with two pappooses strapped to boards, odd little bead-eyed creatures to whom the pas sengers donated various small amounts. Hills of adobe which, she said, stuck tightly to your shoes as mud, and when dry blew everywhere. A climb over the Range, the train dividing into sections, which almost formed a loop, the road wound around so in the ascent. Great snow-sheds which hid the fine backward view we were enjoying. Much bunch grass, but not as plentiful as usual, causing stock men anxiety. " The higher you get the better the grass is until you reach above the timber line," said my in structress. The Black Caiion, through which flows the Gunnison River, is wild and grand beyond description, and with its great castellated rocks, well worth goyig a thousand miles to see. Through this and Grand Caiion many rode on an open car, but regretted it as the ashes from the engine filled their eyes. Curacanti's Needle, a sharp, rocky cone. Marshall Pass, over a high mountain, giving a grand out look until shut in by the envious snow-sheds. Cation City is a pretty little town, well shaded, with a 5 1 6 B O HEM I A N DA YS. large penitentiary built of light-colored stone. From this time on, the hills began to have larger forest trees. We glided swiftly along down the valley of the Arkan sas, where are curious rocks with dome summits, and forests of willow and poplar; then well tended gardens in the mile- wide low -land between walls of light-colored, horizontal, stratified rock ; corn fields and beautiful meadows, and acres of river-weed like a small sun-flower on the banks. Pueblo, the second city in population in Colorado (15,000), built solidly of brick, where we waited awhile, learned that the train was two hours late, and arriving at Colorado Springs at about nine o'clock were informed coolly that "Oh, yes the Manitou cars have just left, but there are good hotels here." We were a party of ten by this time, and numbers give strength. The good-natured conductor under severe pressure approached the easy and careless young man at the ticket window, and in spite of his assurances that "it wasn't likely," and he "didn't b'lieve they'd come for us," at last fairly ordered him to dispatch for their immediate return. " They must come," said he, " I promised this party that the Manitou cars would be on hand." "Mebbe they will" dubiously, "I've dispatched anyhow — oh, here's the answers-be here in half an hour." I was half inclined to agree with a wrathy passenger that " Some of these independent little fellers need killin' a time or two." "I wonder how human nature looks to them, anyhow, from that peephole," said another; "like cattle, I reckon. They get mighty airy themselves." We walked about to keep ourselves warm, but did not succeed. " Here she comes in a hurry ! " and in a fiSw minutes 'we were alighting on the deserted platform at Manitou, and making inquiries. " No," said the brakeman, " they's no omnibus, nor car riage neither out now, ' Guide ? ' no, ther's nubudy but me, — I'll show ye the place if ye'll wait — ther's good hotels nearer." But all sat looking at him as their dernier rcssivt. ¦While at Salt Lake a certain small hotel at Manitou had EASTWARD HO /-FINIS 517 been strongly recommended to us, and these agreeble fel low-passengers would have no other, so when the man had recovered from a desperate quarrel with a portly gentleman who was not very gentle, over some undelivered baggaee oiled all the wheels, and collected a few confreres for com-' pany he piloted us through the darkness, made almost visi ble by his smoky lantern, to our destination, where we perched around on various steps while sundry doors were being pounded ; this midnight houselessness was somewhat harrowing, but there was plenty of company, and all were old travelers accustomed to vicissitude. " He's awake— Say ! " in a loud tone, " haven't ye got room fer a dozen folks that wrants to stay?— No," turning to us,^^" he says he hain't room.— Say !— can't ye fix to keep 'em ? " We could hear a low growl of disapprobation at being disturbed. " Git up ! " cried our spokesman, " come an' speak to 'em yerself-— He's a comin'" encouragingly — "I knowed I could roust him, — he's all right now — was jest crost at bein' woke up." Which proved to be true, for in a few minutes he had comfortably disposed of us all for the remainder of the night. The next day all had a lovely twenty mile ride through the " Garden of the Gods " with its bright-hued, giant, three-hundred-foot gateway and curious rocks in grotesque shapes ; beautiful Glen Eyrie, a lovely home embowered in clematis, with curious pillars of pink sandstone called by various names such as the Major Domo, Cathedral, Mel rose Abbey ; Colorado Springs a town of five thousand inhabitants, whose chief interest to us was the two-story dwelling where but a short time ago lived the beautiful restless spirit known to us as H. H., whose favorite haunt, Cheyenne Caiion, we next visited. At the entrance to the deep gorge, in a little grove, we all alighted, where, a shower preventing our picnic from being a success, we lunched within a small, unfurnished cabin, and then set off along the rough path up the deep- shaded caiion, crossing and re-crossing the little stream, until we reached a high wooden stairway of two hundred and sixty steps, near which the foaming water dashed down five hundred feet in seven cascades. There were beautiful 5i8 BOHEMIAN DA YS. ferns and climbing plants below and on the rocks, above the forest and a rift of blue sky. Following a path made by many feet, there appeared a solitary mound with "no marble to shut out the glorious sky " as said another, for here according to her desire Helen Hunt Jackson was quietly laid to rest by but three friends she loved, without other requiem than the whisper of the pine-trees above her. On a tree her initials are engraved and near by there is a memorial cairn. This was her favorite haunt in life where in the higher atmosphere she breathed in inspiration, and sent forth beautiful thoughts on light wing like birds of promise to kindred hearts. She rests. We look abroad upon the grand scenery she loved — and pass away. At sunset Pike's Peak, was grandly revealed to us from Colorado Springs Station. It had been enveloped in a dense mantle of cloud as a terrific thunderstorm descended upon the town, but just before the train departed it was gloriously illuminated for a few moments, then all was dark, and in heavy rain and wind we passed northward to the pretty, well-built city of Denver. Across the great Nebraskan plains, with ranches, droves of cattle under guard, and small unfenced villages, and more people in gay habiliments going to a circus than one would think the country contained ; Kansas City with nearly a quarter of a million people, and over a dozen lines of rail way — not speaking of the omnipresent cable— and miles of fine buildings where a few years ago stood but a small village on high uneven hills — and, apropos of this, in Europe Max was questioned whether Kansas City was a part of the United States, or vice versa, to which it stands on record that he replied that " The United States was a suburb of that City of phenomenal growth." Down through rich eastern Kansas and by night along low river banks in Arkansas. Then at sunrise borne across the great Mississippi on a river-boat to pretty, well-built Memphis on the western border of our own home-State ! It was accomplished, — the thirty thousand miles journey by steamboat, rail, jaunting-car, diligence, buck-board and half a dozen other conveyances, and that without an acci dent, or serious delay at any point; and we, a few thousand EASTWARD HO/— FINIS. 519 dollars lighter in purse, but rich in experience, again rested within the mountain- heart ofbeautiful East Tennessee. Poets have sung of her clear-flowing fountains, produc tive valleys and forest-crowned mountains ; of her iron and coal — inexhaustible wealth — and the wonderful Cliffs above dew-point, for health. Oh, I would not wish to be rocked on the billow, or dream like a houri on rose-scented pillow, or wand'ring Alnaschar in search of delights, in any fair land of Arabian Knights. I covet no splendor of rich Ispahan, nor the palaces grand where they keep Ramadan ; I envy no head weighted down by a crown — I would not give for it a last summer's gown. Oh, I'd not exchange for a yamen Chinee my home mid the mountains of fair Tennessee. Knoxville has types and figures of her own outside of the newspapers. Looking out of my window the other day I was interested in a colored street Arab, who went joy ously along, smoking the stump ofa cigar; he would have done well for a ragpicker's sign. We have not always been as comfortable and serene in our wanderings as home-dwellers, but wonderfully fortu nate and happy, all things considered. Bohemians should be content with any fare — ^o they "fare- well." FINIS. YALE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY 3 9002 03097 3235 wmm mmwm i.iw'i>iiiiiji nm i.4..KH\t(m'"