Fred Markham in Russia | Page 3

have to pay, I suspect," answered. Cousin Giles.
"Oh, you don't know what this vessel would go through," replied the young master.
"Humph!" remarked the old lieutenant; "I know where she would go to if you did not heave all this deck lumber overboard."
"I presume you have been to sea before?" said the master.
"At times," answered Cousin Giles quietly.
England sends large quantities of machinery of all sorts to Russia. The cotton had come from America to Liverpool, had been thence sent across the country by railway to Hull, and was going to supply numerous manufactories of cotton goods which have been established in Russia, and fostered by high protective duties. They are chiefly managed by Englishmen, and the foremen are mostly English or German. Manual labour is cheaper than in England, as is the expense of erecting the buildings; but, as all other items cost much more, the Russians have to pay very dearly for the cotton goods they use. Even with the high duties imposed on them, they can buy English manufactures cheaper than their own.
In addition to the cargo on deck, there were twelve fine horses which an English groom was taking over for a Russian nobleman, who was to figure at the approaching coronation of the Emperor. The Russians set great value on English horses, and employ a considerable number of English grooms, many of whom raise themselves to respectable situations, as had the man who had charge of the horses in question.
There were several other passengers, some of whom were English merchants who had resided in Russia for many years, and from them the friends gained a considerable amount of valuable information. This Cousin Giles had particularly the art of eliciting from his companions, and Fred and Harry had abundance to do in noting it down. The cabins and saloon were both comfortable and handsome. The latter was lined with mahogany, had gilt mouldings, and the sofas which surrounded it were covered with cool, clean, antibilious-looking chintz, while in the centre there was a sociable table, with a skylight overhead. Everything, also, was provided by the young master to conduce to the comfort of his passengers.
On the afternoon of the day they sailed, the sky looked wildish, and the master prognosticated either wind or heavy rain. A thunder-storm played at a distance round the ship; the lightning flashed vividly, but scarcely a mutter of the clouds' artillery was heard; some heavy showers fell, then the weather cleared up. The stars shone forth brightly from the clear sky, and the waning moon arose and shed her silvery light on the calm water, over which the breeze played with just sufficient strength to crisp it into silvery wavelets. It was a night for meditation and prayer. Unhappy is the state of man who can look forth from the deck of a ship on such a scene and not feel gratitude to the Framer of the magnificent firmament above him,--whom it does not make more meditative, more prayerful, than his wont,--whom it does not cause to think of eternity.
The next day a bright silvery fog hung over the sea, yet so dense that no eye could pierce the bowsprit's length through it. The engines were therefore put at half their power, yet even then the vessel went nearly seven knots through the water.
The lads were delighted with the smooth, easy way in which the vessel glided on. They remarked it to Cousin Giles.
"You think it is very pleasant, because you see no danger, my dear boys," he answered. "Much the same aspect does vice bear to the young, while they shrink with fear from the storm of adversity. Now, `a wise seaman dreads a calm near a coast where there are currents, and a fog far more than heavy gales of wind in the open ocean.' Put that down in your log,--it is worth remembering, as the lesson you have learned from a calm and a fog."
CHAPTER TWO.
Cousin Giles finds an old Shipmate--Tom Puffing's Account of the Wreck of the Victoria--Miraculous Escape of Part of the Crew--God's merciful Providence displayed--Cousin Giles converses with the Crew-- First Sight of Denmark, Elsinore, and its Castle--View of Copenhagen-- Description of the Battle and its Cause--Sunday Service on board Ship--Voyage up the Baltic--The Gulf of Finland--Cronstadt and its Batteries--Why the British did not take them--The Czar's Mode of Manning a Ship in a Hurry--The Russian Fleet--Leave their Steamer and proceed towards Saint Petersburg.
Cousin Giles soon found his way forward, over the bales of cotton and piles of hay, followed by Fred and Harry, and entered into conversation with the crew. He had not been long there when an old weather-beaten seaman put his head up the fore hatchway. "Ah! Tom Pulling. I thought that I had caught sight of the face of an old shipmate,"