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diff --git a/old/51784-0.txt b/old/51784-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 50ecc05..0000000 --- a/old/51784-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,2164 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Chambers's Journal of Popular Literature, -Science, and Art, No. 727, December 1, 18, by Various - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: Chambers's Journal of Popular Literature, Science, and Art, No. 727, December 1, 1877 - -Author: Various - -Editor: William Chambers - Robert Chambers - -Release Date: April 18, 2016 [EBook #51784] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CHAMBERS'S JOURNAL, DEC 1, 1877 *** - - - - -Produced by Susan Skinner and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - - - - - -[Illustration: CHAMBERS'S JOURNAL - -OF - -POPULAR - -LITERATURE, SCIENCE, AND ART. - -Fourth Series - -CONDUCTED BY WILLIAM AND ROBERT CHAMBERS. - -NO. 727. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1877. PRICE 1½_d._] - - - - -COSTERS AND THEIR DONKEYS. - - -In walking through any part of the metropolis--be it in the City, -the West End, or any part of the suburbs north or south--you will, -especially if early in the day, see men with wheeled trucks drawn by -donkeys, and laden with fish, vegetables, or other articles for sale -to the inhabitants. Rough as they are in appearance, and poor as may -be their commercial outset, these are a useful class of persons; and -looking to the vastness of the population crowded within a wide but -yet limited space, one has a difficulty in knowing how the ordinary -life of many individuals could get on without them. A small town could -manage pretty well with a few shops. But in the metropolis, in which -there are now from three to four millions of people, the shop-system -does not fulfil the general wants; and supernumeraries with trucks to -hawk their wares among customers, have sprung up as a convenience and -necessity. The name given to these humble street-traders is Costers -or Costermongers. Their professional designation is of old date, and -is traced to Costard, a large variety of apple. Costermongers were -therefore originally street-sellers of apples. The apple might be -termed their cognisance. - -Henry Mayhew, in that laboriously constructed and vastly amusing work -of his, _London Labour and London Poor_, issued some six-and-twenty -years ago, describes the costermongers as numbering upwards of thirty -thousand. It might be inferred that in the progress of time, the number -would have increased; but such, we believe, is not the case. Social -arrangements have considerably altered. Owing to police regulations, -there is a greater difficulty in finding standing-room in the street -for barrows. By improved market arrangements and means of transport, -small shopkeepers in humble neighbourhoods have become rivals to the -costers. As regards means of transport for traders of all sorts, there -has been immense progress within the last few years, on account of the -abolition of taxes on spring-carts, and latterly the abolition of -taxes on horses. We might say that for these reasons alone there are in -all large towns ten times more spring-carts and vans for distribution -of goods from shops than there were a very few years ago. Of course, -all this has limited the traffic of itinerant vendors, and prevented -any great increase in their number. Under such drawbacks, however, -there are probably still as many as thirty thousand costermongers in -and about the metropolis. The young and more rudimental of the class do -not get the length of possessing donkeys. They begin with hand-trucks, -which they industriously tug away at, until by an improvement in -circumstances they can purchase, and start a donkey. Having attained -the distinction of driving instead of personally hauling, they have -enviedly reached the aristocracy of the profession. They are full-blown -costers, and can set up their face in all popular assemblages of the -fraternity. A costermonger driving his donkey and habitually taking -orders for carrots or turnips as he passes the doors of anticipated -customers, is in his way a great man. At all events he presents a -spectacle of honest labour, and is immensely more to be respected than -the pompous 'swell' who sponges on relations, who is somewhat of a -torturation, and who never from the day of his birth did a good hand's -turn. - -Mayhew, who deserves to be called the historian of London -street-dealers of all descriptions, gives a far from pleasing picture -of the social condition and habits of the costermongers. With all their -industry, they are spoken of as for the most part leading a dismally -reckless kind of life--spending their spare hours at 'penny gaffs,' a -low species of dancing saloons, and so on. What he mentions is just -what might be expected in a loose, uneducated, and generally neglected -population of a great city. If you allow people to grow up very much -like the lower animals, what are you to expect in the way of delicacy? -You may be thankful that with the innumerable disadvantages of their -condition, and the temptations that surround them, they have the rough -good sense to work for their livelihood, however vagabondising may be -their enterprise. - -The lapse of thirty years has made a considerable change for the better -in the social economics of the costermongers. They have participated -in, and been benefited by, those elevating influences which have -been assiduously cultivated by city missionaries, by the press, and -other agencies. Penny gaffs have almost disappeared. The licenses -compulsorily required for singing, music, dancing, and dramatic rooms -may be said to have killed them. The costers with advanced tastes and -intelligence seek for more rational recreations than were customary -in the past generation. Attached to home life, marriages amongst them -are more numerous; they pay greater attention to their children; they -read more and drink less; notably they are better dressed and kinder -to their donkeys. On this last particular we would specially dwell. A -consideration for the comforts of the animals dependent on our bounty -marks an advance in civilisation. The character of a man may indeed -be known from the manner in which he treats his horse, his dog, his -ass, or any other creature of which he is the owner. Rude treatment -to any of these dumb and defenceless beings who willingly minister to -our profit or pleasure, indicates a low type of humanity. The London -coster used to be careless about his donkey. As concerns its food, its -style of harness, its stabling, and its hours of work, there was no -particular attention. Such, generally speaking, is no longer the case. -We might say that the rights and feelings of the animal are respected. -So to speak, it is better dressed, and is more lively in its aspect. -In its face there seems to be a spirit of contentment. The coster, its -master, pats it, and addresses it in a far more encouraging and kindly -way than was customary in our early days, or even so lately as twenty -years ago. - -All this is as it should be. Has it ever occurred to any one to inquire -why the donkey should have so long been held in contempt and been -cruelly tyrannised over? In the East, and in the south of Europe, -the ass is esteemed as a useful beast of burden. Alpine regions -inaccessible to wheel-carriages, would not be habitable without the -services of this sure-footed and easily-kept animal. It is the only -carrier, and may be seen patiently toiling with laden panniers on -narrow pathways far up in the mountains. In our own country, as an aid -in various laborious occupations, the donkey has never been properly -appreciated, but on the contrary, it has met with such shameful -usage as to stunt it in its growth and sorely to try its naturally -gentle temper. Reasons could perhaps be assigned for this undeserved -contumely. The poor donkey has no great claim to elegance of form. Its -long ears are a reproach; no one being apparently aware that Nature -has bountifully granted these long trumpet-shaped ears to enable it to -hear at a great distance, and if necessary to escape from its enemies. -Another reason is, that the donkey is too patient and meek to resent -affronts. Its submissiveness is imputed to stupidity. If it could stand -up for its rights, it would be more thought of. The lion, which is of -no use whatever, and is nothing else than a ferocious wild beast, with -a proud overbearing look, is highly honoured as an emblem of power and -dignity. The ass is heraldically valueless. It could be adopted only -as an emblem of untiring and uncomplaining labour, which would suit no -coat armorial. In the improved treatment of the costermonger's donkey -we begin to see brighter days for this hitherto down-trodden creature. -The costers themselves being improved through different agencies, their -animals feel the benefit of the general advance. - -In the vast obscurities of London there is a neighbourhood known as -Golden Lane and Whitecross Street, intimately associated with the -progressive improvement of costers and their donkeys. A kind of oasis -in the desert, this neighbourhood, which is now considerably improved -in appearance, shines forth as an important central mission, to the -merits of which we can but feebly do justice. We have often had -occasion to remark how much good is unostentatiously done by one man, -through mere force of character and persevering vigilance. The one -man in this case has been Mr W. J. Orsman, who for a series of years -has earnestly devoted himself to the amelioration of the condition, -moral and social, of the poor street-dealers clustered in and around -Golden Lane and Whitecross Street. He acts as honorary secretary to -the Costermongers' Society; he edits a little periodical, known as the -_Golden Lane Mission Magazine_; and he fosters and helps to maintain -many small sub-societies, if we may so term them. Among these are a -'Share Barrow Club,' for lending barrows to men who possess neither -donkey-carts nor hand-barrows; a Sick and Burial Club, to which the -men pay fourpence a week each; a 'Coster's Friends' of Labour Club, -through the aid of which the men can put out small sums at interest, or -borrow small sums for limited periods; an 'Emily Loan Club' (named, we -believe, after a daughter of the Earl of Shaftesbury), for the benefit -of respectable female street-dealers; a Penny Savings-bank; a Maternity -Fund; a Soup Kitchen; a Coal Fund; a Clothing Club; a Donkey Club (for -purchasing donkeys by means of small instalments), besides others for -educational, moral, and religious improvement. - -The accounts given of the annual meetings of the costers and their -friends are among the curiosities of current literature. Coming -prominently forward at these assemblages we perceive the Earl of -Shaftesbury, a nobleman who, animated by the kindliest motives, deems -it no sacrifice to his high position to encourage by his presence and -by his speeches the humble efforts made by the costers in the progress -of well-doing. A few years since, at one of the annual meetings, which -are held in May, the Earl of Shaftesbury took the chair. First, there -was tea given to three hundred of the men; then was held a donkey-show, -in which the excellent condition of the animals was fully evinced; -and then came the event of the evening. The costermongers had bought -a donkey of unusual size, strength, and beauty; they decked him -profusely with ribbons, and brought him into the Hall. In the names of -all the men, Mr Carter, a vestryman of St Luke's parish, who kindly -interests himself in their welfare, presented the donkey to the Earl of -Shaftesbury. The Earl, as is said, had already become, in a whimsical -and pleasant sense, a costermonger, and now in virtue of his donkey -was an accepted full member of the corps. Whether the Earl's Neddy -appreciated the honour conferred on him, we do not know; but we may be -quite sure that no hard usage was in store for him. - -As may be generally known, attempts to encourage the improvement of -donkeys have taken place through public shows and the offering of -prizes. A Donkey and Mule show, held at the Crystal Palace in May -1874, was the means of giving to many persons their first idea of -the real value of an exhibition which some had beforehand laughed -at, as an absurdity. It was amply proved that the donkey can become -a really beautiful animal when well treated; and it was equally made -manifest that rough street-dealers can be as kind as their betters -when encouraged to be so. An archbishop carried off a prize; several -costermongers did the same; and a truly cosmopolitan feeling was -exhibited when the prizes were distributed. The Earl of Shaftesbury, -who presided on the occasion, humorously claimed to be a costermonger -himself; for (to encourage others in a good work) he had enrolled his -name in the Golden Lane branch of the Costermongers' Society. Many -of the donkeys exhibited at the Crystal Palace had been employed in -drawing carts and trucks laden with vegetables, fruit, fish, salt, -sand, firewood, crockery-ware, and other commodities; and the excellent -condition of some of them won prizes for their owners. Even a few of -the donkey-drivers of Blackheath and Hampstead Heath shewed that the -fraternity are not always so rough and unkind as they usually appear. -It was asserted that donkeys which do not work on Sunday are generally -more active and ready on Monday; so that the trader is but little a -loser by this course in the long-run. The Earl of Shaftesbury remarked -that: 'It would be seen from the show that these animals are designed -by Providence to be of the greatest service to mankind; and that -kindly treatment and respect--respect for the wants and feelings of -the animals--will bring their own reward in willing service.' Several -donkey-shows have since been held in and near the metropolis, conveying -the same useful lesson. - -In August of the present year, a Pony and Donkey show was held in -London, in connection with the Golden Lane Mission and Society. The -Earl of Shaftesbury and Lady Edith Ashley kindly and patiently examined -the hard-working dumb companions of the costermongers, and exchanged -pleasant words with the men. There was a tea for four hundred going on -nearly at the same time. After this came a general 'march past,' and -a distribution of money and books as prizes. The donkeys were all in -admirable condition; while many of the ponies were plump and sleek. His -lordship now called for Wilkins, a shrewd prosperous coster of Golden -Lane, and bedecked with the insignia of authority as an officer of the -Benefit Society. This coster and another made brief speeches; after -which Colonel Henderson, Chief Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, -declared that the costers are generally deserving of high praise, and -that the police have very little trouble with them--when once the laws -relating to the public streets are well understood. After a few more -speeches and addresses, the noble chairman said in pleasant humour that -he had received a poem entitled _The Earl and the Ass_; that the donkey -he had received a few years before at the hands of the costermongers -was under the doctor's care; and that this fact alone prevented the -animal from being present. Every donkey at the show was known by some -name or other; and hence there were many such designations as Tommy, -Old Tommy, Black Tommy, Jack, Prince, Paddy, Old Jack, Old Sam, Boko, -Charlie, Mike, Ugly Tom, Quick; while the other sex in the race was -represented by such feminine names as Jenny, Pretty Polly, Kitty, -Pretty Jane, Maggie, and Betsy. - -We do not know what was the poem to which the Earl of Shaftesbury -alluded, but conclude that it was a poem which appeared in _Punch_ -relative to the presentation of the donkey to his Lordship. To shew how -a facetious periodical can rise above mere jesting, we transcribe the -following verses: - - Could there be a better gift? The patient beast - Who bears the stick, and will on thistles feast, - Yet in hard duty struggles to the end, - Is always grateful to a human friend, - But seldom finds such friends; is roughly fostered - By costermongers, sellers of the costard, - Sellers of other things from door to door, - And very useful traders for the poor-- - - He bears a cross, we know; and legends say - Has borne, in memory of a wondrous day, - When love wrought miracles, in stress and strife, - And sick were healed, and dead men raised to life. - Since when, 'twixt hard knocks, hard words, and hard fare, - He and his owners both their cross must bear. - - The Earl, who loves his race, loves other races; - He has sought evil out in darksome places, - And bravely grappled with its many arms, - And tamed its strength, and paralysed its harms; - Brought aid to weakness, moved dead weights away, - That crushed the soul down, deep in mire and clay. - The greatest, by descending, may ascend: - The peer who is the costermongers' friend, - Dares on the platform stroke an ass's ears, - Rises above the level of his peers. - -As an evidence that the endeavours to improve the London costermongers -morally as well as physically, have not been thrown away, we may add -the following anecdotes. - -In 1872 a costermonger named Darby, plying his itinerant trade in the -densely packed and comfortless region immediately eastward of the -City of London, was one day driving his donkey-cart, laden with cheap -fish from Billingsgate. The poor donkey accidentally put his foot -into a plug-hole, fell, and broke his leg between the knee and the -fetlock--pitching his master out of the cart, and seriously bruising -him. His brother-costers advised Darby to kill the animal at once, as -no one had ever heard of a donkey's broken leg being healed. But Darby -would not listen to this. He took the donkey home, and made a temporary -bed for him in the only sitting-room. The man and his wife tended the -poor animal, which often groaned with pain. The wife was a washerwoman -at the East London Hospital, but she did not grudge to the poor donkey -a little of that time which was so valuable to her. A kind lady then -undertook to take charge of the donkey until cured, at a place twelve -or fourteen miles from London. With bandaging and careful treatment, -aided by the benefit of pure fresh air, the leg became sound in -eighteen months; and Darby had a good reply to make to those companions -who had said to him: 'Kill it, old fellow; it will never be able to get -up again. First loss is the best; nobody can set a donkey's leg. Kill -it, old fellow, at once!' The kind-hearted costermonger became known -as 'Darby, the donkey's friend.' A testimonial was presented to him by -the Ladies' Committee of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to -Animals; and he is justly proud of it. - -As we write, a paragraph appears in _The Times_, communicated by -an observer. 'Having occasion to pass through Whitecross Street on -Thursday evening, my attention was attracted to some fine turnips on -a coster's barrow. Retaining my boyish fondness for a raw turnip, I -at once selected one, and putting my hand into my pocket, paid, as I -thought, two halfpence, the price charged. I had scarcely advanced a -hundred yards, when a tap on my shoulder caused me to halt; and lo! the -woman from whom I had made my last purchase accosted me. "What did you -give me?" she said. I told her as above, when she opened her hand and -displayed two bright shillings, which I had given her by mistake, and -which she now returned. Thanking the woman for her honesty, I rectified -the matter, reflecting on my way home that the labours of Lord -Shaftesbury and his worthy coadjutors among the costermongers could not -have been spent in vain; for the cleanliness, civility, and "honour -bright" of these small traders are very evident to those who knew the -locality ten years ago.' - -Our task is ended. We have told all we know about the costermongers, -and no doubt much that we have said is not new to many of our readers; -but in the way we put it, good may be effected, as shewing the -degree of social progress in an industrious and useful class in the -metropolis. Donkeys can of course never attain to the beauty, the -strength, and the value of the horse. We may admit their inferiority to -ponies; but as docile, kept at little expense, and useful in various -departments of labour, they have their appointed place in creation. -They offer themselves as the poor man's friend and servant. In what -numberless cases, as is exemplified by the London costers, might they -be employed to meliorate a lot sometimes very hard to bear! We do not -bespeak for them more consideration than they deserve. All we expect -is that they shall not be treated as abject and worthless. Let us -appreciate their unobtrusive willingness to serve to the best of their -ability. They ask little, and let that little be conceded. We do not -look for elegant turn-outs of donkeys, though we believe the example of -a donkey-phaeton has been set by the Baroness Burdett-Coutts, who is -never wanting where the welfare of the lower animals is concerned. From -our own personal experience, we may tell of employing Donald, our pet -donkey, to draw a light four-wheeled phaeton, holding two persons. In -bright harness, enlivened with jingling bells, he proceeds on a drive -of eight to ten miles with the speed of a quick-trotting pony, and with -a cheerfulness which it does one good to look at. - - W. C. - - - - -A CAST OF THE NET. - -THE STORY OF A DETECTIVE OFFICER. - - -IN FOUR CHAPTERS.--CHAPTER I. - -Any one who feels the slightest curiosity as to the date of my story, -can tell pretty nearly when its events occurred, by various incidents -mentioned in it, and which the public know quite as much about as I do; -but I do not feel inclined, for certain reasons of my own, to identify -the precise date or to name the exact spot at which I was employed in -the business. - -It was a case for the police--for the detective police--and I was the -detective employed. Now you must understand that I was not at this time -regarded as a regular detective; I was a sergeant in what we will call -the 'A' division, and I did ordinary duty; but though I was not yet -on the regular detective staff, somehow or another I was very often -taken from my usual work and put on all sorts of jobs, sometimes fifty -or a hundred miles in the country; and I was once paid a very high -compliment by the chief magistrate--of course I mean at Bow Street. He -said: 'Nickham, you're not a regular detective, are you?' - -'No, your Worship,' I said; 'I am not.' - -'Well, Nickham, you're worth a dozen of them; and I have made a special -note of your conduct, and shall send it on to the Commissioner.' - -The Commissioner was old Sir Richard Mayne then. And that's how I got -to be a sergeant; but it was only because I was lucky in two or three -cases which the chief magistrate happened to notice. - -Well, I was one night at the section-house, for I wasn't on duty (I -don't mean the station-house; the section-house is a place where our -men lodge, perhaps fifteen or twenty together, or more); and I was -sitting in the large room by myself; for it was a fine evening, and -none of the men cared much about chess or draughts or things of that -kind. I was reading the paper by myself, when the door opened and one -of our people looked in. It was Inspector Maffery; and I was very much -surprised to see him there, as our place was quite out of his district. -Seeing I was by myself, he said: 'Oh!' in a tone which shewed he was -pleased at it, and turning to some one outside, he said: 'Come in, sir; -the party is here by himself.' With this, a tall, stout, gray-whiskered -gentleman came in. - -Inspector Maffery closed the door after him, and not only did that, but -shot the bolt, and then coming to me at the table, says: 'Nickham, this -is Mr Byrle, the celebrated engineer that you have heard of.' - -Of course I had heard of him; in fact I once had a cousin who worked in -his factory. So I bowed and made a civil remark. - -Then Inspector Maffery went on to say: 'This, Mr Byrle, is Sergeant -Nickham, one of our most active men, as I have told you, and who, I -think, is just the man for you. This place is very safe; and as I have -bolted the door, and the men below know I am here, there will be no -interruption; and you can say anything you wish to Nickham as well here -as anywhere.' - -So they sat down; and with a very polite speech, for he was really a -gentleman, Mr Byrle told me what he wanted. - -He made a long story of it; I shall not; but the public have really no -idea of putting facts well together, and presenting them without any -excrescences, if I may say so. However, I listened patiently, and found -out what was required. It seemed that his factory had been robbed on -several nights, in spite of an extra watchman being put on; and only -the completely finished and most expensive engine-fittings were taken; -shewing that the thief, whoever he was, knew what things to take, -where to find them, and where to dispose of them. The robberies were -mortifying, because they proved, as all such things do, that the firm -were employing a thief, and trusting some one who was deceiving them. -The loss of these fittings often delayed other work seriously; and -above all, it was considered that it demoralised all the factory (where -best part of a thousand hands were employed), by shewing that the firm -_could_ be robbed with impunity. So, although it was hardly the sort -of business which a first-rate man was required to work; and though I -say it myself, and though spite and envy in certain quarters kept me -off the regular staff, there was not a better man in London than I was, -and our people knew it; yet I listened very patiently, and asked such -questions as occurred to me. For a civilian, Mr Byrle seemed pretty -sharp at catching my drift; while as an old hand, and knowing what was -best with the public, Inspector Maffery sat without saying a word, or -one now and again at the most, leaving Mr Byrle to settle things for -himself. I then roughly sketched out a scheme, which in a few words I -laid before the gentleman. - -'I understand your plan entirely, Mr Nickham,' said the old gentleman; -'and the sooner you begin, the better, for I feel we shall be -successful. Mr Maffery assures me you can be relieved from your duty -here at any time; so I trust there will be no delay. I have said money -is not to stop you, and you will take this on account of expenses--when -exhausted, let me know.' With that he handed me a bank-note, and I -thanked him, and of course promised to do my best. - -Then Inspector Maffery said: 'I will see to all the essentials, -Nickham, so make your preparations as soon as you can.' - -Now I liked Maffery very well, and he was certainly one of our best -inspectors; but all this civility, taking trouble off my hands and so -forth, merely told me that Mr Byrle was a most liberal party, and that -Maffery believed he had got hold of a good thing. Mr Byrle shook hands -with me, and they went away together, leaving me to think over the -business. - -I must confess I was a little disappointed--although I could see I -was likely to be well paid for my work--in being set at such a very -commonplace job as this. After I had traced Lady Brightley's jewels -(the reader does not remember this, I daresay, as it was kept very -quiet, but I got praised for my management of the case), I thought -I should have been selected for the most important work; and when -Inspector Maffery brought Mr Byrle in, I really hoped it was about the -great Bank-paper robbery. - -The reader is quite aware, I have no doubt, that Bank of England notes -are printed on paper specially made for the purpose, and that no other -paper has three rough edges, the only clean-cut edge being where the -two notes have been separated--and this is one of the great tests of -a genuine note. It will be recollected too, how a great quantity of -this paper was stolen from the mills at Alverstoke, and the Bank was -in a terrible state about it, because as for engraving and all that -handicraft sort of work--why, bless me! there's men by the dozen in -England and on the continent too--_I_ know some of them--who could -print off a note with all the little touches on which the examiners -rely, as perfectly imitated as if they had worked for the Bank for -years. So when the gang got hold of the genuine _paper_, it was a -serious matter. They took the principal thief, however, and got the -paper back. A desperate service it was too, as B----, the chief man -in the affair, was one of the most resolute and desperate roughs in -London; and the officers that took him ran great risk, and deserved -great praise. - -Of course the public rejoicing was very great, because nobody had -known when the bad notes might come into circulation; but we knew, -some of us, that it was all a sham, that a lot of the paper was still -missing, and that if the right man got hold of it, there would soon be -thousands of forged notes--all fives probably--flying about. It was -pretended that all the paper was got back, or that the Bank people -thought so, on purpose to make the holders of the remainder think that -the hunt was given up; but it was no such thing. Two or three of the -best men in the force were to continue the search, and I had hoped I -should be selected; but I was told I would not do, because I could not -speak any foreign language, and it was thought the men might have to -go abroad after the paper. For all that, when I saw Inspector Maffery -come in with Mr Byrle, I thought, as I just said, that I was to be -chosen. However, I had found out my mistake; and I was thinking over my -instructions, when the door opened again. I did not look up at first, -supposing it was one of our men; but a cough attracting my attention, -I turned round. I saw a slight-built, rather under-sized young fellow, -with something of a foreign cut about him, very good-looking though, -and a most uncommonly piercing eye; and he at once said: 'I am Mr -Byrle's clerk, and have been waiting for him, and he wishes to know -where he is to see you?' - -'To see _me_?' I said. 'Why--does he want to see me?' - -'I think what Mr Byrle means is, that in case he wants to speak to you, -where shall he find you?' replied the young fellow. 'You see I don't -know much of the business myself; I only know he has engaged you as a -detective.' - -'And that's more than you ought to have known,' I said; 'however, Mr -Byrle knows his own business best. Tell him that of course he can -always hear of me under the name agreed upon, at the _Yarmouth Smack_, -where I shall lodge.' - -'Under what name, did you say?' asks the clerk. - -'I didn't say any name, and I don't mean to say any name,' was my -answer. 'If Mr Byrle wants any more information, he had better write.' - -'Oh, very well,' says he, quite short and sharp, for I supposed he did -not like my manner, and away he goes. - -I sat and thought, or tried to think, but I could not get on so well -as before; the visit of that young fellow had unaccountably upset -me, and I could not settle down again. Then in came first one, then -another, then two or three of our men, and so I got up and went out. I -had hardly turned the corner, when I met Inspector Maffery, and it was -pretty easy to see by his rosy cheeks and unsteady eye what _he_ had -been up to. - -'Off for a meditative stroll, I suppose, Mr Nickham?' he says. 'You are -the boy for my money.' - -'I'm glad to hear it, Inspector,' I said. 'But I don't think much of Mr -Byrle's clerk, nor of Mr Byrle himself for his judgment in sending him -to me.' - -'Mr Byrle's clerk!' he says; and then repeats it: 'Mr Byrle's clerk!' - -'Ah!' I said, 'Mr Byrle's clerk. He came with a message from Mr Byrle -to know where he should meet me if he wanted to see me. I had already -settled with him how I would call at his manager's private house with -my report, whenever I had anything to say; and he ought to have been -satisfied with that.' - -'You are making some mistake here, Sergeant Nickham,' says Inspector -Maffery. 'Mr Byrle had no clerk with him; and moreover than that, I've -been with him myself till the last five minutes; till he got into the -train in fact, and can swear he never spoke to anybody but myself from -the time I left you.' - -'Then there's a screw loose!' I said; 'there's a something wrong here, -Inspector, and we have got to deal with some uncommonly deep files. -They have scored the first notch in the game, that's clear; but perhaps -we can turn the tables on them all the better for it.' - -'If there's a man in the force as can do it, Sergeant Nickham, you are -that man,' says Inspector Maffery; 'I'll trust it to you; for my head -just now isn't up to the polishing off of such a business. But do what -you like.' - -'Can I have Peter Tilley for a week, Inspector?' I said. - -'Have half a dozen for a month, if you like,' he answered: 'Mr Byrle -is that much in earnest, Sergeant Nickham, and he is that rich and -liberal, that he would buy up half a division rather than be beaten. So -pick who you like, and keep them as long as you like. I will see you -all right.' - -'Very good, Inspector,' I said. 'Then I will have Peter to-morrow; and -don't make any report of this little adventure, not even to Mr Byrle. I -think I see the little game, and I will try to spoil it.' - -If I had had any doubt as to the Inspector having had quite enough -brandy-and-water with Mr Byrle (it was sure to be brandy-and-water, for -Inspector Maffery never touched anything else; he said it was ordered -for his liver)--I say if I had felt any doubt before, I should have -had none after the way he wrung my hand and said: 'If there's a man -in the force as can do credit to the force and bring 'em through in -triumph, that man is Sergeant Nickham.' And so, with another squeeze of -my hand, he walked away with a step so excessively solemn and stately, -that it was only a little better--a very little--than staggering across -the pavement, in the way of telling what was the matter with him; but -Inspector Maffery was not a bad fellow, and never curried favour with -those above him by worrying and spying on those below him, and so we -liked the old boy. - -Now this was a very awkward incident--I mean of course about the -clerk--and shewed me that my work had already begun, and was likely -to be a little more intricate than I had expected. How the stranger -came to know so much as he evidently did, I did not trouble myself just -then to consider: he _did_ know it; that was the fact I was concerned -with. Why it was worth his while to take so much trouble about a small -affair, I did not much care either, though this was more important, as -it was evident some one had employed him, for I would swear he was no -smith or fitter; and so it was clear there was a good many in the swim. -I don't mean to use any slang if I can help it, but 'swim' is a regular -word, you know, and we can't do without it. - -My mind was at once made up; I was always very quick in making up my -mind, and prided myself upon it. I am bound to admit I often got wrong -through it, but perhaps no oftener than people who were slower; and I -took care to make a good deal of the times when I _was_ right, and so -that covered everything. Now, Peter Tilley, the officer I had asked -for, was a man as much about my size and build and colour of hair and -eyes, as if he had been my twin-brother; and indeed he was not much -unlike me in his features. Any one who knew us would not mistake us -for each other, but a casual acquaintance might do so. I was wearing -then rather extensive moustaches and whiskers; they gave me quite a -military cut; and they were not common in the force then, though any -man wears them now that chooses. I at once determined to shave them -off--for I never allowed personal considerations to interfere with -business--and make Tilley wear a set of false articles as much like -my own as possible; and this I knew would immensely increase his -resemblance to me as I appeared that day, while I should of course -look very unlike myself. Then I would send Tilley to the _Yarmouth -Smack_--which was a public-house at which, under some disguise, I had -agreed to lodge while on my search--and he could keep his eyes open -for anything going on; but he was not to trouble himself much. It was -uncommonly likely, I thought, that the spies--for I didn't doubt there -was more than one--would make sure that Smith or Brown or Jones, or -whatever Tilley called himself, the lodger at the _Yarmouth Smack_, was -Sergeant Nickham, and so, as long as they kept him in sight, they had -the trump-card, if I may be bold enough to say so, in their hands. And -if I had not met Inspector Maffery when I did, when the clerk's visit -was fresh upon me, and I was rather out of temper about it, I should -probably never have thought of mentioning the matter, and the detective -work would have begun on the wrong side. - -Byrle & Co.'s factory was close to the Thames, and had a wharf in -connection with it, and one waterside public-house would do as well -for me as another. In fact, as the receiver was as likely to live on -the opposite bank as on their own, I might actually gain by living at -some place with the river between me and the factory, for a boat could -easier cross the river in the dark than a cart could drive through the -narrow streets and lanes without being noticed. - -I told Tilley as much of my plan as was necessary; he was delighted to -help me, for he fancied I was a rising man, and it was something of an -honour to work with me. He was willing enough to wear the moustache -too; indeed this was such a common and natural sort of disguise, that -it was adopted quite as a matter of course. I did _not_ tell him that I -wished him to be mistaken for me; I took care to choose the moustache -and whisker; but it never occurred to him why that particular style was -chosen; nor did I tell him, or Inspector Maffery or Mr Byrle, that I -was going to shave. There's nothing like keeping your own counsel in -these cases; and I resolved that if I had occasion to report anything -to the inspector (for he was supposed to have the case in hand), I -would actually wear a false moustache myself; but it was specially -arranged that I should not go near any of the authorities until I -thought it desirable, for Mr Byrle was of opinion that if the least -suspicion got afloat with regard to myself, the men who were robbing -him were quite fly to watching where I went. (I am afraid I have -dropped into slang again; to be 'fly' to a thing, means that you are up -to it, or down to it, as some prefer to say.) Well, this was Mr Byrle's -opinion, and I am bound to say, after the visit of the sham clerk, it -was mine too. - - - - -OUR IRON-CLADS. - - -In our ballad literature not a little is heard of 'the wooden walls -of Old England.' History is so full of exploits by three-deckers and -frigates, that one feels as if the general disuse of these engines -of naval warfare would lead to national disaster. England, however, -does not stand alone in exchanging wooden walls for iron-clads of -an entirely new type. All the navies of the world have been thus -transformed in the twenty years which have elapsed since our last -great war. There are ships of war now afloat which could single-handed -meet and defeat the whole fleet that followed Nelson and Collingwood -at Trafalgar. These great changes have been brought about by the use -of armour-plating, the growth of the guns, the improvement of marine -engines, and the adoption of machinery to aid in the working and the -fighting of the ship. We remember a few months ago hearing one of our -admirals, a man of the old school, talking of naval war. 'In past -times,' he said, 'war was all courage and chivalry. What is it now? -Cunning and machinery!' And to some extent he was right. Cunning and -machinery will play a great part in the naval battles of the future; -but of course there must be courage, and iron courage too, behind them, -or iron plates and monster guns will avail but little. In the new class -of war-vessels, the massive plates are bolted on to iron frames; the -only wood is the 'backing' of Indian teak behind and sometimes between -them. Oak, so far as beams and planks are concerned, has disappeared -from the navy. The 'hearts of oak' are left, however, it is to be -hoped, in the brave fellows who happily still man our new navy. - -Our Navy List tells us that we have something like eight hundred ships -of war, including in round numbers sixty iron-clads. These figures -given in this way of course require some explanation. In the list are -included gun-boats, tenders, store-ships, tug-boats, old wooden ships -which are really waiting to be broken up, training-ships, and wooden -guard-ships stationed at various ports. Our fighting navy really -consists of the iron-clads and the unarmoured cruisers built for high -speed; to these we may add gun-boats of a recent type built to carry -one very heavy gun. And with regard to the iron-clads it must be noted -that even they are not all fitted to take a place in line of battle. -Many of them are ships built from 1861 to 1864, having very thin -armour, comparatively light guns, and we fear in many cases worn-out -boilers. The _Warrior_, our first real iron-clad man-of-war (for we -can hardly count as such the floating batteries), was launched in -1861. She was built on the lines of a fast sailing-ship, and has none -of the heaviness of form which was unavoidably given to most of her -successors. When she was launched, armour was still in the region of -doubtful projects, and it was considered a remarkable success to give -her four-and-a-half-inch plates on her central portion only, for the -ends were wholly unprotected. The _Warrior_ too was an enormously long -ship--no less than three hundred and eighty feet from stem to stern; -but even this length was exceeded in the sister ships _Northumberland_ -and _Minotaur_. These ships are neither strong in armour nor handy in -manœuvring; they have of course their uses, but they cannot be compared -with the later ships constructed when we had acquired some practical -knowledge of what an iron-clad should be. - -As soon as it was recognised that rapidity in manœuvring--in other -words, power of turning easily and certainly--was a necessary quality -of a good iron-clad, ships were built much broader in proportion to -their length; and this facility of manœuvring was further increased by -the general introduction of the twin-screw; that is, the placing of -two screw propellers one on each side of the stern-post, each being -independent of the other; so that one or both can be used to drive the -ship; or one can be reversed while the other continues driving ahead; -thus enabling the ship to turn as easily as a boat when the oarsman -backs water with one hand and continues pulling with the other. - -While the increase of armour kept pace with the growth of the guns, and -rose gradually from four inches on the _Warrior_ to two feet on the -_Inflexible_, a species of internal defence was gradually developed by -the division of the ship into numerous compartments; so that if she -were pierced below the water-line by the explosion of a torpedo or -the blow of an enemy's ram, the water would only partially fill her, -and she would still be able to keep afloat. All the later iron-clads -have a double bottom, the space between the inner and outer bottom -being divided into numerous cells. The body of the ship is divided by -the water-tight bulkheads extending from side to side, and from the -bottom to the upper deck. To these transverse bulkheads Mr Barnaby, -the present chief constructor, has added in all the iron-clads which -he has designed a longitudinal bulkhead extending from stem to stern, -and dividing the ship into two halves in the direction of her length. -Further, there are minor compartments formed by strong bulkheads, -designed for the protection of the engines and boilers. In a large ship -these compartments of various kinds are very numerous; the _Inflexible_ -contains upwards of one hundred and twenty; great care, therefore, has -to be taken in planning them, in order to insure that this isolation of -the various parts of the ship may not interfere with the working of -her guns, engines, and steering apparatus while she is in action. - -Side by side with this development of defensive power, there went on -an equally rapid development of machinery and mechanical appliances -for the working of the ship. The first necessity of an iron-clad is -powerful engines, to drive her at a speed of thirteen or fourteen knots -an hour on an emergency, though of course in ordinary times a much -lower rate of speed is considered sufficient, and the engines work at -half their power, or are stopped entirely, while the ship proceeds on -her way under sail. But the propulsion of the ship is only one of the -numerous duties to be discharged by this new adoption of steam, a power -which was only just really establishing itself in our navy when we went -to war with Russia in 1854. An iron-clad does not carry anything like -the crew that used to be put on board of an old three-decker. Eleven -hundred men used to be the complement of a ship of one hundred and -thirty-one guns; one-third of the number is more than the crew of some -of our most formidable vessels of to-day. In former days guns could -be handled and worked by men and even by boys, provided the number of -hands were sufficient; and nowadays it is very different work running -in and out guns weighing thirty-five, thirty-eight, and eighty-one -tons, and dragging along and ramming down shot and shell weighing from -six hundred pounds up to three-quarters of a ton, and cartridges each -of which contains perhaps more than two barrels of gunpowder. This -kind of fighting is work for giants, and so the giant Steam lends his -strong hand to do it. Steam turns the turrets of the monitor, steam -exerts its force through the medium of hydraulic machinery, checks the -recoil of the heavy gun as it runs in, forces the mechanical sponge -into its bore, works the shot-lift that brings up the ammunition, works -the rammer that drives it home into the gun; finally runs the gun out -and points it, the huge gun raising or lowering its muzzle, or turning -to right or left, as the captain of its crew touches a valve-handle or -presses down a little lever. - -But steam is not applied to the guns only; it works the windlasses, -winches, and capstans that raise the anchors, braces up the yards, and -lifts stores and heavy weights in and out of the ship, or moves them -from place to place. It furnishes power to the steering apparatus, -works the pumps, keeps the ventilating fans going; and in ships that -shew the electric light at night it drives the electrical apparatus. -Engines are made to start engines in some of the newer iron-clads. -Instead of moving heavy levers when he wishes to set the engines -going, the engineer just touches a miniature engine, which moves the -levers of the larger engines for him. And all these more important -engines are multiplied and made to act either together or separately, -so that in the event of one being disabled, others are left to do -its work. We hear of ships of war being fitted with twenty or thirty -engines, without counting sundry smaller ones. Those of the turret-ship -_Temeraire_ are thus divided--two main engines for propelling the ship, -with two starting engines; four feed engines, two circulating engines, -two bilge engines, four fan engines, one capstan engine, one steering -engine, two pumping engines connected with the hydraulic loading-gear, -two turning engines for rotating the turn-tables or turrets, two -engines to pump water in case of fire, four engines for hoisting -out ashes, one engine for condensing air in working the Whitehead -torpedo, and an engine for the electric light apparatus. Admiral -Fellowes had such ships as these in his mind when, speaking before a -committee of the Admiralty, he said: 'Men-of-war now are nothing more -nor less than floating machines; there are the steam capstans, the -steam steering-gear; every portion of your guns, slides, and carriages -worked by steam; there are the double bottom and the inner bottom, and -everything connected with the machinery; in fact the whole ship is now -a floating machine, and is more or less under the control of the chief -engineer.' - -In all our great naval wars, our ships had only a single weapon, -the gun, and this not a very heavy one, for the highest limit of -naval ordnance was the sixty-eight pounder, which indeed was looked -upon as a very terrible weapon. To the guns of nowadays, the old -thirty-two and sixty-eight pounders are mere pop-guns. There is the -huge eighty-one-ton gun, twenty-four feet long, and six feet thick at -the breech, its huge shot of fifteen hundred pounds being capable of -penetrating thirty inches of armour. There is the thirty-eight-ton -gun, whose shot of six or seven hundred pounds weight has smashed -a thirteen-inch plate at a thousand yards. Then there are guns of -six-and-a-half, nine, twelve, eighteen, and twenty-five tons, with -projectiles weighing from one to six hundred pounds, all of them -capable of piercing armour, against which the old naval guns would be -as useless as a schoolboy's squirt. But the gun does not stand alone. -There are two other weapons, either of which is more terrible, and -in certain cases more effective than the heaviest gun afloat. These -are the ram and the torpedo, the latter of which has recently been -described in these columns. Let us, however, have a look at the ram. -In the old days, the ship herself had no attacking power. She fought -with her guns; or else she was laid alongside of her enemy, and the -crew with axe, pike, and cutlass clambered over the bulwarks and on -to the hostile decks, which they cleared by hand-to-hand fighting. -Probably no iron-clad will ever be laid alongside of another to board -her. Were an iron-clad to go into action, all the openings in the deck -would be closed, and every one, even the steersman, under cover. Many -modern ships could continue a fight successfully with a hundred or a -hundred and fifty boarders in possession of the upper deck; and their -own turret guns, or the fire of friendly ships, would clear away the -intruders if necessary. Thus, in the recent war between Paraguay and -Brazil, during one of the river engagements, a Paraguayan ship ran -alongside of a Brazilian turret-ship and sent a crowd of boarders on to -her iron decks. They met with no opposition; the round turret in front -of them continued its fire against a Paraguayan monitor; while another -Brazilian monitor sent volley after volley of grape-shot sweeping -across the decks of her consort. In a few minutes they were clear. -The Paraguayan boarders had been killed, had jumped into the water, -or had escaped to one of their own ships. This, we believe, is the -only attempt on record at boarding an iron-clad; its failure shews how -hopeless such an enterprise is against a ship the possession of whose -deck does not give any control over her movements or those of her crew. -It is therefore probable that it will be only in the most exceptional -cases that iron-clads will approach each other with the object of -boarding. If they do come to close quarters, it will be only to use the -ram. - -This idea of fighting with the ram is a very old one. The _beak_ was -the weapon of the ancient navies of the Mediterranean, and the beak -was what we now call the ram. It is quite evident that to make the -ship herself, weighing from nine to twelve thousand tons, take the -place of the projectile, by driving her at a high speed against a -hostile vessel, is to use a weapon more powerful than the heaviest -gun. A ship like the _Inflexible_ or the _Sultan_, with a speed of ten -or twelve knots an hour, will strike a heavier blow than a shot from -even the eighty-one-ton gun would give at a range of a few hundred -yards; and while the injury done by the shot will probably be above -the water-line, the ram will cut the hostile vessel down from above -the water-line perhaps almost to the keel. Every one remembers how the -_Iron Duke_ sank the _Vanguard_ by an accidental collision at a low -rate of speed. But in this case the injury was such that the _Vanguard_ -did not sink for nearly an hour. Much more terrible was the sinking -of the iron-clad _Re d'Italia_ in the battle of Lissa in 1866. The -Austrian admiral found himself inferior in gun-power to the Italian -ships; he therefore decided on using the ram as much as possible. -'I rammed away at everything I saw painted gray,' he said himself -in describing the action. One of these gray ships was the splendid -iron-clad _Re d'Italia_, which struck fair amidships by Tegethoff's -bow, went to the bottom of the Adriatic with all her crew in less than -a minute. We believe that this use of the ram will play a great part in -any future English naval engagement. - -Such are the means of defence and attack possessed by our fleet. There -has never yet been anything like a grand engagement between two great -iron-clad navies; when that takes place, we shall see what the new -naval warfare really is; meanwhile one thing is quite certain--that -iron-clads are neither as handy nor as comfortable as the grand old -ships of say forty years ago. Sailors in the royal navy have had to -exchange the well-lighted, airy lower-decks of the line-of-battle ship -for the hot dark 'compartments' of the iron-clad; for oil-lamps, hot -rooms, and artificial ventilation, and perhaps the prospect of being -battered with monster guns or blown up with torpedoes. This change of -conditions may have serious consequences, not contemplated by designers -of iron-clads. At present the crews of these vessels have been nearly -all engaged as boys, put on board training-ships. They turn out a fine -set of young men, but they do not remain in the service. Before they -are thirty, most of them have gone, and are engaged in employment on -shore, or in yachts, or in ocean steam lines. We believe there will -be also a growing difficulty in procuring a good set of officers, -including surgeons, for the iron-clads. Young men of good education, -with numerous openings for them in civil life, do not like to be -immured in dark floating hulks, with the risk at any moment of being -helplessly sent to the bottom of the sea. We at anyrate know the fact -of two young men trained as surgeons for the royal navy who on these -grounds have shrunk from following their intended profession. In short, -science may invent ships of overpowering destructive grandeur, but it -cannot invent men who will agree to live under conditions of dismal -discomfort in these floating dungeons. Such, we imagine, will be -found to be weak points in a navy of iron-clads. Nor can we look with -indifference on the many instances of disaster in the mere working of -these new-fashioned vessels. Explosions and other fatalities follow in -pretty quick succession. Furnaces and steam-machinery are constantly -going wrong. Shafts and bearers are going wrong. There seems to be -such a complication in all departments, that one can have little -confidence in matters going quite right in case of that kind of active -service involved in absolute warfare. A contemplation of these several -contingencies, it must be owned, is far from pleasant. - -Since this article was written, news has come of a successful naval -engagement which shews that our sailors are as brave and as skilful -as ever they were. One day last May a rebel Peruvian iron-clad, the -_Huascar_, having committed piratical acts in the Pacific, was attacked -by two of our fine wooden cruisers, the _Shah_ and the _Amethyst_. -The two English wooden ships fairly beat the iron-clad turret-ship, -which was so damaged that the rebel crew were only too glad to go into -harbour and surrender to the Peruvian authorities. This is the first -English action with an iron-clad; and slight as it is in itself, the -fact that our ships were only wooden cruisers meant for no such severe -work, gives it some importance, and makes the victory a legitimate -cause for well-founded satisfaction. - - - - -THE 'SOFTIE'S' DREAM. - - -IN TWO CHAPTERS.--CHAPTER I. - -In the fertile valley of the river Suck, just where some years ago such -consternation was created by a portion of the Bog of Allen shewing -an inclination to settle for good, there stood many years since a -farm-house of rather a better class than any of those in the immediate -neighbourhood, or indeed in any of the adjacent villages. The house -stood a little off the high-road from Castlerea to Loughlinn, and -few people who passed failed to observe its well-to-do, comfortable -appearance and 'smug' haggard (steading). Its occupier, Owen Kearney, -was a very hard-working sober man, who not only minded his own -business, but let his neighbours' affairs alone. He was never in -arrears with his rent, had his turf cut a year in advance, and got -his crops down first and in earliest; so that it was not without some -reason that people said he was the most comfortable farmer in the -village of Glenmadda. Added to being the most industrious, Owen Kearney -was (what few tenant farmers in the west of Ireland were thirty years -ago) something of a speculator. He did not tie his savings up in an -old stocking and hide it in the thatch of the barn or cow-house, as -the majority of his neighbours who had any savings usually did; but -despite the repeated warnings of Shaun More Morris, the philosopher -and wiseacre of the village, invested in new and improved farming -implements and in horses, of which he was not unjustly considered the -best judge in the County Roscommon. As he did all his business when -he was perfectly sober, he seldom had any cause to complain of his -bargain; and the 'luck-penny,' instead of spending in the public-house, -he made a rule of giving to the priest for the poor of the parish. - -Not being in the habit of gossiping either about his own or his -neighbours' affairs, no one could form any correct idea of how rich -Owen Kearney really was; but it was generally known that he kept -his money at the bank, as on fair and market days he went into that -building with his pockets well filled and came out with them empty, and -mounting his cob, rode home quietly, long before the fun or the faction -fights commenced. - -Not so, however, the younger of his two sons, Larry, a wild restless -lad of seventeen, on whom neither the precept nor example of his -father and brother seemed to have the least influence. Martin, the -eldest, was steady and thoughtful like his father; but Larry, with his -boisterous laugh and ready joke, dancing blue eyes and flaxen hair, -never spent a minute in thinking during his life. While he worked, -which was not often, he was as good as two, his father used to say; and -'when he took his divarsion he was the divil at it,' Martin used to -add good-naturedly. Innumerable were the scrapes Larry got into, and -miraculous were the methods by which he managed to extricate himself. -There was not a wake, wedding, or christening for miles round that he -was not to be found at. No merry-gathering or fair was complete without -him; and it was almost a proverb that Larry Kearney was the last to sit -down wherever there was a dance, and the first to shake a shillelah -wherever there was a shindy. Of course he was his mother's favourite; -such boys invariably are. She shut her eyes to his faults, supplied him -with money without any questions, and being a very religious woman, or -what in that part of Ireland is termed a voteen, she atoned for all his -shortcomings. - -There was another member of Owen Kearney's family as full of fun and -mischief in her way as Larry; this was Dora Costello, the farmer's -orphan niece. Little Dora, everybody called her, because, when she lost -her own father and mother, and went to live with her uncle and aunt, -she was a little toddling thing of three years old. At the time this -story tells of she was a fine girl of seventeen, tall, finely formed, -and as graceful as a willow. A fine specimen of an Irish peasant girl -was Dora Costello, with her red-and-white complexion, merry changeable -hazel eyes, and rich, reddish auburn hair. There was not a farmer's -daughter within many a mile who could _scutch_ or spin as much flax -of an evening, nor one who could better milk a cow or make a roll of -butter. Bright, intelligent, and good-tempered, with a tongue as ready -as her fingers, and a sense of humour as rich as her brogue, Dora was a -general favourite, and as a natural consequence had numerous admirers. -Being by nature somewhat of a coquette, she managed to play them -off one against another with an ease and grace which a London belle -might have envied, keeping good friends with all, and giving none the -slightest preference. But when it came to a question of marriage, it -was a different thing altogether. Dora declared she was very happy with -her uncle and aunt, and unceremoniously refused all the eligible young -men in her own and the next village, declaring of each in turn that she -would 'as soon marry Barney Athleague.' - -Long ago, in almost every Irish village there was to be found hanging -about the farm-houses some poor half-witted creature, called in one -place an _onsha_, in others an _omadthaun_, and in the County Roscommon -a _softie_. They were boys without any knowledge of who their parents -had been, cast as children on the charity of some village, from which -they usually took their names, as Johnnie _Loughlinn_, and Barney -_Athleague_. How Barney came to make his way to Glenmadda no one knew, -but one day when about ten years old he was seen following a hunt. -Stumbling over a loose stone, he sprained his ankle, and so was thrown -on the protection of the villagers. A glance at the lad's motley -appearance and vacant face was sufficient to shew what he was; and -as in most parts of Ireland, as in Germany, there exists amongst the -peasantry a sort of superstitious regard for silly people, poor Barney -found food and shelter, now from one, now from another, as indeed -the softies invariably did; in return for which they ran on errands -and looked after the pigs and poultry, and were always at hand in an -emergency. - -As a rule, the softie looked a great deal bigger fool than he really -was. He contrived to live and be fed, clothed and lodged without -working. He made himself at home everywhere, was generally treated -very well, and never by any chance treated badly. He knew everybody's -business (for curiosity was one of his virtues or vices), and with the -special advantage that people thought he knew nothing at all. All sorts -of matters were discussed freely round the hearth in his presence, he -meantime staring into the fire, sucking his fingers, or rolling on -the floor with the dog, no more heeded than that animal; yet all the -while drinking in the conversation, and with a sort of crooked wisdom -treasuring it up. Animal tastes and instincts were generally the most -marked in the softie; as a rule, he was greedy, selfish, and uncleanly -in his habits, violent in his antipathies, yet with a capacity for -attaching himself with a strong dog-like fidelity and affection to a -friend. - -Such was Barney Athleague--perhaps a trifle better and more intelligent -than the generality of his class; and there was no place in the village -where he spent so much of his time, or was so well treated, as at -Owen Kearney's; first, because they were naturally kindly people; and -next, Mrs Kearney's religious feelings made her especially good to the -poor and friendless; and there was no person in the whole world whom -the softie cared so much about as Dora. Wherever she went, Barney was -not far behind. He was always ready to do anything in the world she -asked him, no matter how wearisome or hazardous. When she was a child, -he climbed the highest trees to get her birds' nests, tumbled like a -spaniel into the river to get her lilies, and walked miles and miles to -recover a pet kid of hers which had gone astray. As she grew older, he -carried her cans when she went milking, fed her poultry, and in short -waited on her and followed her about like a lapdog. It was great fun to -the 'boys' who used to assemble in the farmer's kitchen of a winter's -evening to tell stories and gossip, to see Barney fly into a furious -passion if any one he did not like touched Dora, or even put his hand -upon her dress. - -One of the persons the poor softie most cordially detested was Larry -Kearney; perhaps because the young man was too fond of teasing him, or -else too much given to sitting beside Dora. How or whatever the cause, -the poor fool hated him; but with a prudence which one would hardly -have expected in a softie, he kept his opinions to himself, and watched -his enemy like a lynx. Not once or twice he saw the young man descend -from the loft where he slept with Luke the 'help,' after the family -were sound asleep, and opening the door, steal noiselessly from the -house; and after much consideration, Barney at last made up his mind -to follow him and learn his destination, nothing doubting but it was -the village public-house or _shebeen_, or the forge, which was often -a haunt for the idlers to play cards and get tipsy in. But Larry took -the very opposite direction from what the softie imagined. Crossing -two or three fields, he skirted a plantation of ash, on the other side -of which was a _rath_ or _forth_, said to be haunted, and the resort -of 'the good people.' The place was very generally avoided after -nightfall; and Barney's courage was beginning to fail him, when Larry -was joined by three or four other young men, which revived his spirits, -and nerved him to follow silently and cautiously as a cat. - -On rounding the hill he saw there were between thirty and forty persons -assembled in a field, and after a few minutes one of them advanced to -meet Larry. The softie, on seeing the man approach, concealed himself -behind the ferns and brambles, all his curiosity aroused, and strained -his ears to catch the conversation; but the men spoke so indistinctly -that he could not distinguish a word till after a little while they -drew nearer to his cover. - -'Look here, Larry,' one said, drawing something which gleamed in the -moonlight from a cave or hollow in the hill-side, within arm's length -of Barney's crouching form. 'Look, me boy, there's twoscore pike-heads -lying snug enough in there.' - -'Good captain,' Larry replied, with his merry laugh, 'an' there's -two-score "boys" ready to handle them.' - -'Yes; but we want more,' the captain said, as he replaced the weapon -in the cave, and carefully drew the thick grass, ferns, and blackberry -bushes over it. 'Did you speak e'er a word to Martin?' - -Larry laughed again. 'Sorra a word, captain; an' if "Molly" herself was -to go an' ax _him_, he wouldn't join us,' he said; 'an' bedad, maybe he -might inform!' he added merrily--and the men moved away. - -'Ha, ha!' Barney said to himself as he crept from his hiding-place, -and made his way back to the farm-house; 'that's where Larry goes. An' -who's Molly, who's Molly? I'll ask Miss Dora to-morrow who's Molly;' -and with this reflection he crept into his bed and fell asleep. - - -CHAPTER II. - -'Father, I think I'd like to join the Volunteers,' said Martin Kearney -one day, about a month after the above event; 'the country is in a bad -way, an' it's time for them that love peace and quietness to spake up.' - -'True for you, Martin; an' if I was younger I'd do the same thing,' -Owen Kearney said, looking up from the newspaper, in which he was -reading an account of the arrest of several of the rebels known in 184- -as the _Molly Maguires_, from their having first met in the house of -a woman of that name. 'It's bad for the poor boys that went with the -"Mollies."' - -'Will you join with me, Larry?' Martin asked. - -But he shook his head, as he replied somewhat hastily: 'Not I, faith; -the "boys" never did anything to me.' - -'An' I'm not going to do anything to them,' answered Martin quietly. -'Only, I think it's right for us to shew that we're honest Roscommon -boys, an' have nothing to do with villains who go round the country -at night frightening women an' children, an' murdering poor innocent -cattle, not to mention shooting their next-door neighbour from behind -a hedge, without any reason. I know _I'd_ liever be a sheep-stealer -than a Molly Maguire; an' to shew I have no dealings with them, I'll go -to-morrow to Boyle an' list in the Volunteers.' - -Larry used every argument to prevent his brother going to Boyle as he -said, but without any avail; and early the next morning Martin started -to do what numbers of the better class of farmers' sons in the vicinity -of the small towns had already done. - -About twelve o'clock on the night that Martin left his home, Owen -Kearney and his wife were startled out of their sleep by the softie -rushing into their room screaming wildly that he had a dream. - -'An' what was it, Barney?' asked Mrs Kearney kindly. 'Don't be -frightened now; but tell me.' - -'Arrah, ma'am,' he sobbed, 'I dreamed I saw Martin; an' two men with -their faces blackened rode up to him on the plains of Boyle an' shot -him. Oh, _wirra, wirra_, one of them was Larry!' - -Poor Mrs Kearney fell to wringing her hands, and sobbing wildly at the -extraordinary dream of the poor fool; while her husband rushed to his -son's room in the hope of finding Larry; but his bed was empty, as was -that of Luke the servant. Full of terrible forebodings, the farmer -began to question Barney more particularly as to his dream; but he -could only repeat again and again that two men fired at Martin on the -plains of Boyle; one of them was Larry, the other was Luke: this he -maintained with a persistency which it was almost impossible to doubt. -No one thought of returning to bed; and while they were consulting as -to what was best to be done, the softie again uttered a wild shriek, -and rolled over on the floor, as a bullet entered the kitchen window -and lodged in the opposite wall, followed by another, which whizzed -past Owen Kearney's head. - -'The Lord have mercy upon us!' he exclaimed, crossing himself devoutly. -'Where will it end?' And he held his wife, who was almost insensible -from the fright, close in his arms. At that instant a bright light -illuminated the whole kitchen; and in a moment the truth flashed across -his brain--his steading was in flames. Not daring to open his door to -look out, he tried to think what was best to be done; for perhaps the -house over his head was blazing too, or would be in a few minutes. -Casting a hasty glance round, he lifted his wife in his arms, meaning -to carry her to the front of the house and out of sight of the flames; -when a violent knocking at the door startled him, and he recognised -his niece's voice demanding admittance. Hastily unbarring it, he saw -her accompanied by a party of soldiers, who, when they found no lives -had been taken, set to work bravely to protect the property which was -yet untouched by the fire. But there was little left for them to do. -The cattle had been hamstrung, the horses stolen, and a lighted brand -placed in every stack of oats and the thatch of every outhouse. The -work of devastation had been done only too well. - -'They're taken, uncle--them that set the haggard a-fire,' said Dora as -soon as she was able to speak. 'I brought the soldiers to the house; -and,' she added, 'one of the villains said he had finished off Owen -Kearney. Thank God, it is not true!' and she threw herself into his -arms. - -'Yes; I heard him,' said one of the soldiers; 'and we've sent him to -safer lodgings than we took him from. It seems, Mr Kearney, that your -niece was returning home from a visit to a neighbour's, when she -heard two men whispering in the lane at the end of the meadow. As -they were in front, and she didn't like their looks, she kept behind, -and heard them say that there were two gone to Boyle to look out for -_the Volunteer_, and that they were going to do for old Kearney and -his wife, "string" the cattle and fire the haggard. Like a sensible -girl, she turned round quietly and ran as quick as she could towards -Castlerea. By good luck she met us half-way; and though we were going -on another errand, we turned back at once with her, and netted the -rascals who did this pretty piece of business.--I sent six men on -towards Boyle, to see if they could learn anything of the villains that -followed your son,' added the sergeant. - -'Where's Larry, uncle?' asked Dora, after she had tried ineffectually -to console her aunt. 'Why isn't he here?' - -'You're all I have now, _alanna_,' Kearney said, pressing her to his -breast. 'Martin is gone, and Larry is gone. Well, well, God is good.' - -'Miss Dora, Miss Dora!' cried Barney Athleague faintly, 'come here a -minute.' - -In the general confusion, every one had forgotten the poor softie, who -lay on the floor quite insensible. - -'What is it, Barney? Are ye hurt?' inquired Dora, bending over him. - -'Not much; only my back is bad, and I can't lift my legs. Tell your -uncle Owen Kearney that Martin isn't dead. He's lyin' on the settle -in a shebeen with his hand on his side, calling "Dora, Dora!" I see -him--sure I see him; and Larry an' Luke is took; the sogers is bringing -them to Roscommon. Oh, wirra, wirra!' - -'Shure the poor creature is frightened to death's door,' said Owen -Kearney, trying to induce Barney to get up and drink a little water; -but the mug fell out of the farmer's hands in dismay and horror, for he -found the poor softie was bathed in blood. 'He's shot, he's shot!' he -exclaimed; and one of the soldiers drew near and examined the wound. - -'There's a bullet in his back,' the man said; 'and he'll never eat -another bit of this world's bread. And may God forget the man that -forgot he was an omadthaun.' - -Poor Barney never spoke again. Nothing could have saved his life. But -his dream was literally true. At the very moment he awoke screaming, -Martin Kearney was fired at by his brother Larry and his father's -servant; at the hour he mentioned were the murderers taken; and Martin -himself was taken into a shebeen, as he said, and laid upon a settle in -the kitchen, where he called untiringly for his cousin Dora. - -Such was the softie's dream; and such sad stories as that above related -are a part and parcel of every Irish rebellion. Martin Kearney did -not die; and Larry pleaded guilty, declaring that he was forced to -attempt his brother's life both by solemn oath of obedience and by lot; -at the same time confessing all he knew of the strength and doings of -the Mollies, assuring his judges that he joined them in ignorance, -and now thought of them only with horror and regret. Therefore, in -consideration of his youth, repentance, and valuable information he -gave with regard to the rebels, his life was spared, and he was instead -sentenced to twenty-one years' penal servitude; while his companion, -Luke Murphy, was hanged. It would have been almost a kindness to Larry -to have been permitted to share the same fate. Before two years he died -of a broken heart. - -Owen Kearney's house was not burned; but after his son's -transportation, nothing could induce him to live in it. He therefore -sold his furniture and such of his stock as the cruelty and violence -of the Mollies spared, and went to end his days amongst his wife's -relations in the County Galway. Dora and Martin were married, and after -some time emigrated, and spent the remainder of their days in comfort -and happiness, clouded only by the memory of how much pleasanter it -would have been if they could have settled down in the old farm-house -dear to them both, to be a comfort to their father and mother in their -old age, and at last to sleep beside them in Glenmadda churchyard. - -The stock of one of the wealthiest gentlemen in the County Roscommon -now graze where Owen Kearney's house once stood. Not a trace of his -family remains in the Green Isle. Their tragical history is almost -forgotten; but amongst the gossips and old women the softie's dream is -still remembered. - - - - -GLIMPSE OF THE INDIAN FAMINE. - - -On this dismal subject so much has lately appeared in the newspapers -that we almost shrink from troubling our readers with it. Everybody -knows the cause of the famine--a long and unhappy drought in Southern -India which parched up the land; nothing would grow; the people, -millions in number, had saved nothing; their means of livelihood were -gone; and with a weakness which we can scarcely understand, they sat -down to die--of starvation. In times when India was subject to Mongol -rulers, the population, on the occurrence of such a catastrophe, -would simply have been left to die outright. Famine, like war, was -deemed a legitimate means for reducing a redundancy in the number of -inhabitants, and was accepted as a thing quite natural and reasonable. -Matters are now considerably changed. India is part of the great -British empire, and British rule is no doubt a fine thing to be boasted -of. It gives the English an immense lift in the way of national -prestige. Along with prestige, however, come responsibilities that -are occasionally found to be rather serious. The bulk of the people -of India are living from hand to mouth. If their crops fail, it is -all over with them. Then is heard the distant wail of famine from -fellow-subjects, which it is impossible to neglect. Noble subscriptions -follow, although subscriptions of one sort or other come upon us -annually in regular succession from January to December. But when -was the Englishman's purse shut while the cry of distress was loudly -pealing around him? - -There is much satisfaction in knowing that more than half a million -sterling has been gathered for the assuagement of the Indian famine. -Although vast numbers perished of hunger, vast numbers were saved by a -well-conducted system of dispensing food suitable to the simple wants -of the people. The natives of Southern India live chiefly on rice, -and a little serves them. The distribution of rice was accordingly a -ready and easy method of succouring the poor famishing families. Along -with boiled rice there was usually given a cup of water, rendered -palatable by some sharp condiment, such as pepper or chillies. This -desire for hot-tasting condiments seems to be an inherent necessity in -warm climates, for which Nature has made the most beneficent provision. -With these few preliminary remarks, we proceed to offer some extracts -from the letters of a young medical gentleman connected with the army -at Madras, descriptive of the plans adopted to feed the assembled -crowds who flocked to large camps or barrack-yards in a state of -pitiable suffering. The letters were no way designed for publication, a -circumstance which gives them additional value. - -'_MADRAS, July 25, 1877._--There is not much news this week. One day I -drove out to one of the Relief Camps beyond Palaveram to see it. A most -curious and interesting sight it was. We went at half-past five, which -was feeding-time; and there we saw nine thousand five hundred starving -wretches all seated on their hunkers [crouched down in a sitting -attitude on their heels], awaiting their food. What a motley crew and -queer mixture of old men with more than a foot in the grave; strong -men and young women and unweaned babes all mixed indiscriminately, but -all seated in long rows of about a hundred each, in perfect order, and -kept so by not more than a dozen native police with two half-caste -inspectors. The majority of the people were Pariahs. Few caste -people care to come to the camps, and prefer to die rather than have -their food cooked for them by non-caste persons. However, there were -some--about two hundred in all--Hindus and Mohammedans, and they were -set apart from the Pariahs. - -'The food, rice, is cooked in enormous chatties, and then spread out -on matting to cool; after which it is put into gigantic tubs, which -are carried slung on bamboos by a couple of coolies to the people, and -a large tin measureful given to each. A measureful of pepper water -(a mixture of chillies and water) is also given to each, and as much -drinking-water as they like. - -'So much for the food; now for the camp itself. It is situated on a -large plain, and the inclosure is about a mile round. It is in the -form of a square, three sides consisting of chuppers [a kind of wood -and matting tents], roofed in, and protected from the wind on one -side, being open on the other. Each of the three chuppers or houses -of accommodation is built of the very simplest material: the floor -is hardened mud, perfectly smooth and comfortable, as you know the -people make it; while the roof consists of leaves matted together, -supported on bamboos, and the side of matting. Each chupper is about -a quarter of a mile long, and has accommodation for no end of people, -the evils of overcrowding being avoided by the almost free exposure -to the air. To windward is the Hospital, a good building, rain-proof, -and covered in on all sides. Still further away are cholera and -small-pox hospitals. The people at the camps receive two meals a day -of rice and pepper water; and once a week on Sundays they get mutton. -At this camp alone not less than fifty bags of rice were cooked and -consumed daily, sometimes much more. The camp is open to all comers, -and each is provided with a cloth and residence. The people appear -all to be contented and happy, and await their turn for food calmly -and patiently. The feeding is proceeded with rapidly now; but when -first the famine came, it was not so; and owing to the paucity of -servants, the feeding used to last from five P.M. till five the next -morning. Rather trying for starving people to wait that time; hard -too on the servants. Now, thanks to good administration, the feeding -is all finished in about three hours. I was struck on the whole with -the aspect of the people; they all with few exceptions looked well and -in good condition. However, the Inspector said, had I seen them when -they first came, it was different, and that if they were to return to -their own villages, they would be dead in a few days. In fact, all the -villages round are empty. Rice has now reached the appalling price -of three and a half measures for the rupee, and of course one has to -pay all one's servants extra. The poor cannot live, and they say the -famine is getting worse! Only one man did I see who was lying among the -others. Poor fellow! he had just managed to crawl into camp, and he was -dying. I ordered him to be removed to the Hospital, a living skeleton. - -'The Hospital was truly a sad sight, the saddest I ever saw. There in -one ward, lying on the floor, were a dozen beings, literally living -skeletons, with sunken eyes, and ghastly hollow cheeks, and livid lips, -with their bones almost protruding through the flesh; too ill to move, -and barely able to turn their glassy, stony stare upon you. Yes, dying -all from starvation, and being hourly brought nearer death by wasting -diarrhœa or dysentery. - -'One woman I shall never forget. She had her back to me, and her -shoulder-blade stood out so fearfully that I gazed upon it in momentary -expectation of its coming through the skin. So awful was it, that I -felt almost tempted to take my nail and scrape it, in order to see the -white of the bone. Perhaps the saddest sight of all was the lying-in -ward, where a lean mother was to be seen unable from weakness to nurse -the bag of bones she had given birth to; barely a child surely, with -its huge head and sunken eyes and its projecting wee ribs. Poor infant, -it couldn't live long.' - -'_August 7._--This morning I was up at five, and after my breakfast of -porridge and goat's milk, was driving out to Jeramuchi Famine Relief -Camp, eleven and a half miles distant. The camp is much the same as the -Palaveram one I already described to you; but it is superior, and more -luxurious in some ways. It is not built in the form of a square, and is -all the better of that, I think. It is fenced in all round with a trim -palisading, as was the other camp, sufficient to prevent the people -straying at night. The chuppers are arranged on the pavilion system, -right down the centre of the camp. During the day they are entirely -open at both sides, therein differing from the Palaveram ones, where -one side is always closed. However, at night either side can be closed, -as the sides consist of pieces of matting on a wooden framework, which -is hinged to the side of the roof; and during the day the sides are all -put up, supported on two bamboos each. - -'The children at this camp are all collected together and fed first, -the grown-up people afterwards. This morning I saw five thousand -children, in age from twelve to infants, mustered for breakfast. An -old gentleman with great swagger played a tom-tom with a couple of -sticks; it was in the shape of a kettle-drum, and they all mustered, -standing up in a row. M---- and I walked down two streets of these -children. They were almost all bright and happy-looking; and on being -asked if they had enough to eat, they all replied in the affirmative, -save one boy about twelve, who shook his head and smote his belly. Poor -creature; his looks confirmed his words; there he was on two legs like -walking-sticks, mere bones without an atom of muscle, on which he could -hardly stand. On being asked when he came in, he said last night. Where -were his father and mother? Oh, father, mother, brother, sister, and -he all left village together; walked many, many miles; no food. First -sister, then mother, died on the road; then brother; yesterday father; -he alone being able to reach the Relief Camp. - -'This tale is only a repetition of dozens of the same. He was ordered -milk and port wine as extras; and I hope the poor orphan being will -recover. We went over the rest of the camp; saw the men and women -all sitting patiently in rows in their dreamy eastern way, silently -awaiting the summons of the tom-tom after the children's breakfast -was over, to call them to theirs. On coming to the Mohammedan women, -about thirty in number, they all promptly stood up. One could not but -be struck with their appearance, so fair-skinned, clean-looking, and -handsome, compared to the Pariahs and others. They all spoke Hindustani -of course, and were most polite and respectful. Despite the poorness of -their attire and the absence of their jewellery, they had a refined air -about them, and a superior look totally foreign to the ordinary Hindu. -One young girl I was particularly struck with; she could only have -been about fifteen, with most lovely eyes and perfect teeth, and such -a figure. Ah! I thought, if this young woman was dressed in European -clothes and was a lady, she would make a figure in London. Dressed in a -scarlet and golden saree, with bangles and other jewellery, she would -to my mind have been the realisation of my idea of an Indian princess. - -'The Hospital presented the same sad scene of cases of emaciation as -at Palaveram; there were more than one hundred cases of dysentery and -diarrhœa. I also saw another case of a milkless mother trying to suckle -her newly born handful of bones in the lying-in ward. It is a mercy -with such a large community that no cholera prevails. They have about -twenty cases of small-pox. Leaving camp, we saw two stretchers coming -in with coolies. Every morning the highways and byways are searched -for three miles round; and those poor creatures who have died or are -found dying, unable to come to camp, are brought in. If dead, they are -at once buried about a mile away from camp; if alive, they are sent to -Hospital. The famine continues very bad; and there was a great meeting -in Madras at the Banqueting-hall, when it was acknowledged government -could not now cope with it without extraneous aid. Accordingly a -telegram was despatched to England, calling on the Lord Mayors of -London, Dublin, Manchester, Liverpool, and the Lord Provosts of -Edinburgh and Glasgow, to open subscription lists. I am sure it is a -worthy cause.... In Mysore alone there have been more deaths the last -three months than during the last five years. The Viceroy is said to be -coming down immediately from Simla to personally inspect the state of -matters.' - -In a subsequent letter, October 25th, the writer adds--'The accounts -are still dreadful. Many poor creatures die after reaching the camps, -from inability to swallow or receive the nourishment offered to them -in the hospitals. The day the Viceroy visited Bangalore, no fewer than -ninety dead bodies were found in the streets and the bazaar. The people -at home have certainly done much to help their poor brethren in India; -but I believe they would do still more were they to be thoroughly aware -of the terrible scenes which have come under my notice.' - -In conclusion, it is not out of place to say that the frequently -occurring famines in that country call for measures of prevention as -well as temporary aid. In making roads and railways, the English have -done vast service to India; but something equally imposing in the way -of irrigation from artificial tanks and from rivers has seemingly -become an absolute though costly necessity, for only by such means -can a repetition of these dire famines be averted. In this direction -evidently lies the duty of legislators, and we hope they will, with -considerate foresight, be not slack in its performance. There might -also, possibly, be something done by enabling masses of the redundant -population to emigrate, under safe conduct, as coolies to countries -where their labour is required. - - W. C. - - - - -A BURIED CITY. - - -The history of the destruction of Herculaneum and Pompeii under the -ashes of Vesuvius is well known; but long before that period, and -contemporary with the age of Stone, a city in the Grecian Archipelago -was buried in the same manner, with its inhabitants, their tools, and -their domestic utensils. Here they have lain for thousands of years, -until M. Christomanos, Professor of Chemistry at the University of -Athens, called the attention of the public to them. - -There is a small group of islands to the north of Candia where these -discoveries have been made, chiefly in Santorini and Therasia, which -with one or two others form a circle round a bay. The two already -mentioned are in the shape of a horse-shoe, with the concavity turned -inwards, rising from the bay in almost inaccessible cliffs. Horizontal -strata of deep black lava, layers of reddish scoria, and cinders of -violet gray, are unequally distributed over these steep rocks, the -whole being covered by pumice-stone of a brilliant whiteness. A few -banks of marble and schist crop out to shew the original formation over -which the volcanic ashes have poured; and long vertical streams of what -has been molten matter can be traced down the cliffs. On the opposite -side, facing the open sea, the islands are altogether different, -sloping gently down, and covered with pumice-stone, the light fragments -of which are soon displaced by the wind, and sometimes carried to great -distances by the equinoctial storms. A few villages are scattered -about, and the vine clothes the ground with its beautiful greenery. - -From time immemorial the pumice of Santorini and Therasia has been -dug out for building houses; and when mixed with lime, it affords an -excellent cement, acquiring such hardness that it resists shocks of -earthquakes and the action of air and water. It has been used for -building piers and moles along the Mediterranean; and recently the -works at the Isthmus of Suez and the ports of Egypt have given a great -impetus to the trade, and thus opened out the underlying soil and -remains of human habitations. There are immense quarries where the -stone has been worked; the material being transported to the edge of -the cliff, and thrown down a _glissade_ about a hundred and fifty feet -high, to the side of the ships awaiting it. Contenting themselves with -cutting up the highest layers only, the workmen avoided the lower part, -which seemed to be mixed with stony masses. These hindered their work, -and were not valuable; but upon examination they prove to be walls -of ancient houses. This had no interest for the owners of the land, -who had long been aware of the fact; but an accidental visit from M. -Christomanos awakened the interest of scientific folks at Athens. - -At first the idea arose that this was an ancient burial-ground, and -that the tombs had been hollowed out of the pumice-stone after the -volcanic eruption; but it is now fully ascertained that they were built -long before. The largest edifice, which has been cleared of the tufa -which fills it, consists of six rooms of unequal size, the largest -being about eighteen feet by fifteen; and one wall extends round a -court of twenty-four feet in length, with a single entrance. The walls -are built in quite a different manner from the fashion now used in -the islands; they are formed of a series of irregular blocks of lava, -uncut, laid together without any order; no mortar, but the interstices -filled with a kind of red ashes. Between the stones, long twisted -branches of the olive-tree are laid, still covered with bark, but in a -very advanced state of decomposition. The wood has become nearly black, -as if burnt, and falls to powder at the slightest touch. The inside of -the rooms has never been whitewashed; but probably a rough coating of -red earthy matter, similar to that which lies between the stones, has -been put on. - -At the north side there are two windows; a third and a door are found -on the other sides, and several openings into the different rooms. As -these were formed by pieces of wood, which have decayed, the situation -of the openings is chiefly ascertained by the mass of stones that have -fallen in. In every case the roof lies in the interior of the rooms, -and has been formed of wood laid upon the walls in such a manner as -to be sloping; whilst in the largest apartment a cylindrical block of -stone buried in the floor, has evidently supported a beam of wood, from -which radiated the other pieces of the roof. - -The things which have been discovered in this building are numerous -and varied. There are vases of pottery and lava, seeds, straw, the -bones of animals, tools of flint and lava, and a human skeleton. It -may be remarked that not one article of iron or bronze has been found, -not even the trace of a nail in the pieces of wood which have formed -the roof; the absence of metals is complete. The pottery is all well -proportioned, the commonest kind consisting of yellow jars, very thick, -and capable of holding many gallons. They are filled with barley, the -seeds of coriander and aniseed, gray peas, and other articles which -cannot be made out. The form, material, and size resemble the jars used -in Greece for keeping cereals in very early though historic times. -In many of the rooms, heaps of barley lie against the walls. There -are smaller jars of finer ware and a brighter colour, ornamented with -circular bands and vertical stripes. The colouring-matter, of a deep -red, has been put on in a moist state without variety of design, being -always in circles and straight lines. - -Besides a double necklace and ear-rings of a woman, many articles -made of obsidian, a volcanic product sometimes called volcanic glass, -have been found in Therasia. These are cut, but not polished; some -of a triangular form have probably been the points of arrows; others -are like small knives or scrapers for preparing skins. The use of -obsidian appears to have been common during the Stone age among those -nations who lived in volcanic regions, and even in later periods. It -is said that it is still used by the women of Peru for scissors. It -was more generally in vogue before the discovery of metals than since, -particularly in Greece, where arms and tools of stone disappeared after -copper was found. In the strata where they are at Therasia, there is -nothing of iron or bronze. - -Two small rings of gold are rather remarkable; they are so small that -they would not pass over a child's finger. It may be inferred that -they were links of a necklace. In each there is a hole about the size -of a needle's eye. Probably they had been threaded one after another -on the same string, and not interlaced like the rings of a chain. The -interior is hollow; and no indication of soldering can be perceived, -neither does the gold seem to have any alloy of other metal. The maker -had flattened the bit of native gold by hammering it to the state of a -thin circular leaf, and then folding it up with the edges to the inside -of the ring. As gold has never been found in Santorini or in any of -the neighbouring volcanic islands, it proves that the inhabitants held -communication with the continent; certain streams of Asia Minor having -been celebrated in antiquity for the great quantity of gold brought -down. - -Geologists have endeavoured to draw out the history of the terrible -event which overwhelmed these islands and their inhabitants. At the -beginning of the tertiary period, Greece, united to Africa, seems to -have formed part of a large marshy continent, where now flows the -Mediterranean. It was inhabited by those gigantic mammifers whose bones -have been largely found in Africa. Towards the close of this epoch a -lowering of the land separated Europe from Africa, and gave to the -Mediterranean its present configuration. An oscillation of the crust of -the earth afterwards produced openings, through which igneous matter -has flowed. Torrents of lava gave birth to the volcanic rocks which are -to be found in Greece and the neighbouring islands, and a volcano had -evidently opened in the present bay of Santorini. The hill Saint Elias, -the top of which forms the culminating point of the island, was then -an island composed of schist and marble. The igneous matter, cooled -by contact with the water and the atmosphere, attached itself to this -hill, and the whole united together, formed the space now occupied by -Santorini, Therasia, and Aspronisi. Repeated layers of lava, scoria, -and ashes collected during many ages when the crater which occupied the -central part was gradually becoming undermined. - -Volcanoes are the weak parts of the earth's crust; there is not one in -full activity which does not present alternative series of increase or -lessening. The cone rises gradually until by degrees it is obstructed -with lava, then a sudden fall destroys it and hollows a new crater, -sometimes larger and deeper than the first. Many such occurrences have -been described, but none can equal in importance the gigantic fall -which formed the Bay of Santorini. All the central part must have given -way, and been suddenly ingulfed, leaving but a narrow border of land, -through the northern part of which the sea has dashed to fill up the -hollow. Instead of a mountain three thousand feet high, there is a bay -of immense depth, surrounded by precipitous rocks, close to which ships -can anchor. - -This violent catastrophe must have taken place when man was on the -island; and the event must have been sudden, since the remains prove -that there was no time to move away or to displace anything in the -houses. The eruption of pumice-stone has preceded the sinking of the -cone, for the tufa which covers the downs is cut through by subjacent -streams of lava; nor does it seem to have been preceded by any violent -earthquakes, as in that case the houses found in Therasia would have -been demolished and the walls no longer standing. This is remarkable, -as the construction of the buildings proves that the island was subject -to them; the pieces of wood inserted in the walls seeming to be for no -other object than to prevent the disastrous effects of such a shaking. -This custom is still in use among all the islands of the Archipelago. - -From the abundance of wood used in the houses, the island must in those -days have been well supplied with timber. The olive-tree grew freely, -and barley was the commonest of the cereals. Probably too the climate -was different. The vine does not seem to have been there; still less -was it the only plant cultivated, as now, at Santorini. The population -were husbandmen, understanding how to grind barley in mills and make -it into bread; how to press oil from olives, to bring up cattle, -and to weave stuffs. Yet the great abundance of utensils of lava, -obsidian, and flint, without any metals, shews that theirs was the age -of stone, when the use of metals was unknown. The blocks of stones -at the angles of the house at Therasia and the column standing near, -indicate considerable skill in the workmen, when the kind of tools they -used is taken into consideration; whilst the vases of pottery-ware are -remarkable for their elegance of form. - -It only remains to consider how many years ago it is since this great -eruption took place. The data are vague, but geologists have tried -to make some approximation. It is well known that after any violent -catastrophe the subterranean forces seem to be exhausted; the periods -of repose in a volcano are proportional to the previous energy. About -one hundred and ninety-six years before Christ there is the record of -an eruption, which raised in the centre of the bay a small islet called -Palæa Kameni. After the Christian era, frequent slight emissions only -served to increase the size of the island, and during the middle ages -there was a period of calm. In the fifteenth century the excitement -again burst forth, raising reefs both inside and outside the bay. The -second duration of rest was about ten centuries; so that to the first, -according to its intensity, there may be calculated at least twice that -time; thus the formation of the bay was perhaps two thousand years B.C. - -Historical records furnish more positive teaching, as the bay certainly -existed fifteen hundred years B.C. It was at this epoch that the -islands of the Greek Archipelago were invaded by the Phœnicians. This -nation occupied Therasia and Santorini, as the many ruins still to be -found testify, and they are built on the top of the pumice-stone. But -the great eruption must have been long before that, since thick beds -of pebbles and shells, from fifteen to twenty yards deep, lie on the -tufa; and geologists know well, from the habitual slowness of this -raising of the soil, that it corresponds to many centuries. There was -also a population on the islands differing from those who were buried -in the ashes, and from the Phœnicians. The latter knew the use of -bronze, and introduced it on all the shores of the Mediterranean. Most -likely we may place the great event during the early days of Egyptian -civilisation, which some historians compute to be four or five thousand -years ago. The primitive population present no trace of the influence -which that nation exerted, and with which commerce would have placed -them in frequent relations. - - * * * * * - -The Conductors of CHAMBERS'S JOURNAL beg to direct the attention of -CONTRIBUTORS to the following notice: - - _1st._ All communications should be addressed to the 'Editor, - 339 High Street, Edinburgh.' - - _2d._ To insure the return of papers that may prove ineligible, - postage-stamps should in every case accompany them. - - _3d._ MANUSCRIPTS should bear the author's full _Christian_ name, - surname, and address, legibly written. - - _4th._ MS. should be written on one side of the leaf only. - - _5th._ Poetical offerings should be accompanied by an envelope, - stamped and directed. - -_Unless Contributors comply with the above rules, the Editor cannot -undertake to return ineligible papers._ - - * * * * * - -Printed and Published by W. & R. 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