FROM KÖNIGSBERG TO DANZIG.
"Do you remember that amber chamber we saw in the palace of Czarskoé
Sélo?" asked Dr. Winstock, as the steamer left the ship.
"Yes, sir; the amber was presented by Frederick the Great," replied
Lincoln.
"Probably he obtained it from this vicinity, where it is largely
gathered on the sea-shore, after a storm. It is also dug out of the
ground in the interior of the country."
"What is amber?" inquired Norwood, who was listening to the
conversation.
"It is a resin, or gum, of vegetable origin, supposed to come from a
kind of tree now extinct, hardened into a mineral. It is noted for
its electrical properties. About one hundred and fifty hogsheads of
it are annually collected on this coast. A piece weighing a pound is
worth fifty dollars; but like diamonds, its value increases in a much
greater ratio than its size. The Grand Masters of the Teutonic Knights
took possession of the trade, and derived large revenues from it. At
the present time the King of Prussia receives an income of sixteen
or seventeen thousand dollars from its collection. Amber is exported
in large quantities to Mohammedan countries, where it is used for
mouth-pieces of pipes and for ornaments. In the city you will find many
amber-workers, and a large assortment of goods made from it."
The steamer ran up into the Pregel River, and the company landed.
Königsberg was once the capital of Prussia Proper, and for a long time
the residence of the Electors of Brandenburg. The old palace was the
residence of the Grand Masters of the Teutonic Knights, and of the
Dukes of Prussia. In the church connected with it, Frederick I. placed
the crown upon his own head; and here, also, the present king followed
his example. The Cathedral is a Gothic building, five hundred years
old, which contains the tombs of many Teutonic Knights, and that of
Kant the philosopher, whose house is also pointed out in the city.
"There isn't much here to be seen," said Lincoln, as he walked about
the parade-ground.
"No, not much; but it has been a royal residence, and visiting it makes
the facts of history more real to us," replied Dr. Winstock. "Great
events have transpired here and in this vicinity. Twenty-two miles
south of this city is Eylau, where Napoleon defeated the Russians in
1807, and a dozen miles from there is Friedland, where he again routed
them in the same year. These events led to the treaty of Tilsit, which
is some ninety miles north-east of this city, on the Niemen, near the
frontier of Russia. The treaty was signed on a raft, moored in the
middle of the river, on which was a pavilion magnificently fitted up.
The three sovereigns of France, Russia, and Prussia met upon it. By
this treaty Prussia lost nearly half her territory, as Mr. Mapps told
you, though she regained it in the treaty of Vienna."
"What did they meet on a raft for?"
"It was evidently a whim of Napoleon, and in our time the idea would be
considered rather sensational," laughed the doctor.
Having exhausted the sights of the city, the party walked to the Hôtel
de Prusse, where dinner had been ordered for them. They passed through
the restaurant, in which De Forrest and Beckwith were dining with the
Kinnairds. If the runaways had been prudent they would have removed the
gold lace from their coats and caps; but as Miss Julia Gurney liked the
appearance of it, and it seemed to obtain consideration for them in
hotels and other places, they did not lay it aside. Beckwith suggested
the idea of doing so, but De Forrest thought it would cause the pretty
English girl to ask hard questions, and he declined to adopt the
suggestion. When the students entered the restaurant, De Forrest asked
to be excused, and they tried to get out of sight; but the quick eye of
Mr. Lowington was upon them, and he placed himself in their way.
"Ah, young gentlemen, I'm glad to see you," said the principal. "It was
unfortunate that you missed the train at Moscow, or took the wrong one."
The runaways studied the floor.
"Perhaps you had better dine with us," suggested the principal, as he
pointed to the adjoining room.
"We have been with a party of English people for some time," stammered
the late purser. "Will you allow me to speak to them before I leave?"
"It is unnecessary. You were not so particular when you left our party
at Moscow. If any explanations are required, I will make them for you;"
and the principal pointed to the door again.
Seats were assigned to them at _table d'hôte_, but somehow their
appetites were not very sharp.
The Kinnairds hardly missed the runaways, for Miss Gurney began to
recognize the young officers who had been so attentive to her on
board the ship, when she visited her at Christiansand. As Lincoln,
Cumberland, and others were only human, probably they had been more
polite to her because she was very pretty, than they otherwise would
have been. Lincoln promptly recognized her, and so did Cumberland.
"I am very happy to meet you again," said the former.
"Thank you. I am delighted to see you," replied Julia.
"Is your ship here?" asked Mr. Kinnaird.
"No, sir; she is at Pillau," answered the commodore.
"That is unfortunate, for Julia very much desires to go on board of her
again."
"We must go to Pillau, Mr. Kinnaird," laughed the pretty maiden. "We
have been travelling with two of your officers for more than a week,
and my interest in your ship is greater than ever. You are one of the
lieutenants, if I remember rightly."
"I was third lieutenant at the time I met you, but I am not now,"
replied Lincoln.
"He is commodore of the squadron--the highest office," interposed
Cumberland.
"What a great man you must be!" exclaimed Julia. "And you were captain
when I saw you," she added to Cumberland.
"Yes; but I have fallen to the rank of first lieutenant."
"Not by any fault of his own, let me add," said Lincoln.
"Will you allow us to go on board of the ship if we go to Pillau?"
asked the young lady.
"Certainly; but we sail for Danzig to-night," replied the commodore.
"We are going to Danzig to-morrow," suggested Mr. Kinnaird.
"Then we shall certainly see your ship. But I wonder where Mr. De
Forrest and Mr. Beckwith are," added Julia.
"They are in the next room, with the rest of our people," answered
Lincoln, who had seen the principal pointing the way for them.
"They must be delighted to see all their friends again."
Lincoln thought not, but he did not say so. The two officers entered
the dining-room, and joined their companions. After dinner, the
principal had an interview with the Kinnairds, and as Miss Gurney
manifested so much interest in the ship, Mr. Lowington invited them
to go to Danzig in her, and the pretty maiden leaped with rapture at
the idea. The invitation was accepted, and at seven o'clock in the
evening all hands were on board. De Forrest and Beckwith had looked
about them for a chance to escape; but none was offered, and they
were compelled to go to the ship. They were required to take off their
uniform, and clothe themselves in seamen's dress at once. They were
stationed without delay by Cumberland, the first officer. Of course
they were heartily disgusted, for both of them had occupied places in
the cabin for several months, and it was not pleasant to return to the
steerage, and do duty before the mast. The fact that Miss Julia Gurney
was on board added a hundred fold to their mortification. De Forrest
determined not to appear on deck till he was obliged to do so; and
then, unhappily, he was stationed on the mizzen topsail-yard in furling
and setting sail, and at the spanker sheet in tacking and wearing.
Two spare state-rooms in the after cabin of the Young America were
appropriated to the guests. The principal was always glad to have
ladies come on board of the vessels of the squadron, because he
believed that female society had a refining influence upon the
students. During the preceding winter he had remodelled the interior
of the ship, so as to have more state-rooms for the accommodation of
occasional passengers. Miss Gurney was delighted with her room and
the cabin, and perhaps more than anything else with the gentlemanly
young officers, who were, of course, put on their good behavior. At
supper she was placed on the right of the commodore, while Mr. and
Mrs. Kinnaird were on the right of the captain. Lincoln was very much
pleased with the fair girl, and, after the meal, escorted her to the
deck.
There was not a breath of wind, and the German pilot on board was
unwilling to sail without a good breeze, so that the ship would work
lively. The runaways, therefore, were not obliged to show themselves
that evening. The commodore conducted his charge to every part of the
ship which it was proper for a lady to visit. The students gazed at
her with admiration, and some of them doubtless wished they were the
commodore, in order to be in a situation to perform such agreeable
duty. The breeze did not come during the night, and at seven bells the
next morning the squadron was still at anchor.
"If you are tired of waiting, Miss Gurney, we will send you ashore,"
said Commodore Lincoln.
"Indeed, I'm not tired. I enjoy every moment of the time. I think it is
delicious."
"I am glad you like it; but I am sure if you were not here, I should
think it was very dull indeed," added Lincoln, laughing.
"Thank you, Mr. Commodore. You are very kind," continued Miss Gurney,
blushing just a little.
"We have to go to work in a few moments; but I hope you will find some
way to amuse yourself."
"To work?"
"Yes; we have to study and recite our lessons; but there are plenty of
books in the library."
"May I go into the school-room, and see what is done?"
"Certainly, if you please. You may come into our class. It is Greek,
navigation, and French to-day."
"I will join the class, for I have studied Greek and French, but I
don't know anything about navigation."
"The lesson to-day in navigation is, 'To regulate a chronometer by
means of a transit instrument;' and I have no doubt you will find it
very interesting," laughed the commodore.
"I have no doubt I shall, but I'm afraid my interest will centre in
your perplexity."
"Thank you; but I have learned my lesson, and don't intend to be
perplexed. Just as soon as a breeze comes, we shall get under way."
"That means to start, I suppose."
"'Only this, and nothing more;' but if I should say start, my shipmates
would laugh at me, and declare that I was not fit to be an officer."
The recitations commenced, and the guests were as much interested in
them as they had been in other proceedings on board. But at ten in
the forenoon, there was a good sailing breeze, and the students were
dismissed from the steerage.
"Now you are going to start--I mean, to get under way," said Miss
Gurney.
"We are," replied the commodore, as he gave the order to run up the
signal for sailing at once. "Captain Cantwell."
"Commodore Lincoln," replied the captain, touching his cap to his
superior.
"You will get the ship under way immediately."
"Dear me! how fine!" exclaimed Julia. "But why don't he do it?"
"Pass the word for Mr. Cumberland," added the captain to one of the
midshipmen.
The first lieutenant reported himself, and received his orders from the
captain. The boatswain's whistle rang through the ship, and the call
was heard from the consorts.
"All hands, up anchor!" shouted the executive officer, when the crew
had mustered; and the anchor was heaved up to a short stay.
"Stations for loosing sail," continued Cumberland; and the order was
repeated by the officers forward, "Lay aloft, sail-loosers!"
The seamen scrambled up the rigging like cats, and Miss Gurney
expressed her delight in many exclamations. In a few moments the white
sails dropped down, and all hands aloft, except a few whose duty it was
to remain and overhaul the rigging, descended to the deck.
"Sheet home and hoist away!" said the first lieutenant; and up went the
yards. "Top up the spanker boom."
At this last order the sheet men were obliged to take their stations,
and De Forrest cast off the sheet.
"Why, that is Mr. De Forrest," said Julia, as she recognized her late
travelling companion.
"That's De Forrest, certainly; but we don't call anyone mister, unless
he is an officer," replied Lincoln.
"But how different he looks!"
"A little change in his appearance."
"Good morning, Mr. De Forrest," said the fair girl, seeing that he was
disengaged, while the other hands were walking away with the lift.
"Good morning, Miss Gurney," replied the runaway, sheepishly, as he
counted the seams in the quarter-deck.
"But I thought you were an officer," added the astonished maiden.
"Where are your gold lace and gold-banded cap?"
"I'm not an officer now."
"Belay the sheet," said the fourth lieutenant.
"Man the bars!" shouted the executive officer; and De Forrest had a
chance to escape.
"What does it mean? Mr. De Forrest said he was an officer," continued
Julia.
"He was; but when he came on board yesterday, he was reduced to the
steerage."
"That's too bad! But why was it?"
"I am sorry to tell you the truth, but he ran away from the ship."
"Is it possible? Such a nice young man!"
"Unfortunately it is true."
As the jib and flying-jib were run up, the ship began to move through
the water, and De Forrest was called aft again to help set the spanker.
In a few moments everything was drawing, and the ship went off on the
port tack. The starboard watch had the deck, and the port watch went
below to attend to their lessons again. The commodore was obliged to
leave his pretty friend, who preferred to remain on deck. De Forrest
was one of the two hands at the wheel, in charge of a quartermaster,
and his mortification was as long continued as it was deep.
"I didn't see you again after you left us yesterday, Mr. De Forrest,"
said Julia.
"You will excuse me, but I am not allowed to talk with any one while at
the wheel," stammered he.
"His conduct was such that I declined to permit him to return, and I
promised to explain the matter to you," interposed the principal.
And he did explain the matter in full, and in the culprit's hearing.
De Forrest could not help seeing that he had sunk to zero in the
estimation of the fair girl, who, after this, hardly looked at him.
At eight bells the commodore came on deck again, and entertained Miss
Gurney, till the squadron anchored off Neufahrwasser, the port of
Danzig, at an early hour in the afternoon.
"I am sorry we have arrived so soon," said she, when the ship had
anchored.
"Why?"
"Because I suppose I must leave you now."
"Aren't you tired of going to sea?"
"No, indeed! I think it is so delightful!"
"Then I hope you will stay with us longer. We are going to look at
Danzig, and then sail for Swinemünde."
"Will you allow us to stay any longer?"
"Certainly; we shall be very glad to have you remain on board as long
as you will."
The principal indorsed this request, and the Kinnairds assented.
"You will see something new on board to-morrow, if you stay," added
Lincoln. "To-morrow will be the first day of the month, and we have an
election of officers."
"And will you be the commodore next month?"
"I don't know," laughed Lincoln. "Perhaps I shall not have votes
enough."
"O, I hope you will!"
"Thank you, Miss Gurney; my position is certainly a very comfortable
one, for I have but little to do, except to entertain the ship's
guests, which in this instance is an exceedingly pleasant duty."
"You are very kind, Commodore Lincoln. I wish I was a young man,"
added Miss Gurney.
"I don't; I'm afraid I shouldn't like you half so well if you were."
"But if I were I should be a sailor, and would study till I became a
commodore," replied the young lady, blushing.
"You overrate the office."
"Nothing could be more delightful than to live in the cabin, and go
from place to place in this beautiful ship."
"If you were on board in a gale of wind, perhaps you would not think
her so very beautiful."
"Well, I think so now."
The conversation was interrupted by the call for all hands to go on
shore. The boats were lowered, and the ship's guests were invited to
take passage in the commodore's barge. De Forrest pulled the stroke oar
in this boat, and his disgust was intolerable. The fair Miss Gurney sat
directly in front of him, chatting with the commodore. He had flattered
himself that this young lady had some regard for him, and he had
accompanied her party from city to city, solely for the sake of being
with her--she was so fascinating. He had permitted her to lead him to
the shores of the Baltic, where he had been captured by the principal.
And this was the reward of all his devotion! Thus she gave him the cold
shoulder, and bestowed her smiles upon the commodore! It was real agony
to him, and the coxswain was obliged to call out to him more than once
to mind his stroke.
The company landed, except De Forrest and Beckwith, whose liberty had
been stopped, and they were handed over to the care of Peaks, the
boatswain, who put them both into the fourth cutter, and pulled back to
the ship, leaving the other forward officers in charge of the rest of
the boats. The party took the train at Neufahrwasser, and in a quarter
of an hour were in Danzig.
"Large vessels used to go up to the city," said Dr. Winstock, who was
in the compartment with Lincoln and the Kinnairds; "but on the breaking
away of the ice in the Vistula in 1840, a new passage to the sea was
opened, and the water was diverted from the deep channel."
"Danzig is a great grain city--isn't it?" asked Lincoln.
"Yes; immense quantities of wheat come down the Vistula from the grain
regions of Prussia, Poland, and other countries. It was formerly the
greatest grain port in the world, but is now far surpassed by Chicago.
It is five miles from the Baltic. The granaries are on an island in the
river, where no dwelling-house can be built, and no fires or lights are
allowed."
The company left the train in the city, and went to the cathedral,
commenced by one of the Grand Masters of the Teutonic order in the
fourteenth century, and finished in the sixteenth. It is a fine church,
and has fifty chapels, founded by the chief citizens as burial-places
for their families. The principal curiosity in the church is a picture
of the Last Judgment, painted for the pope, but captured by pirates on
its way from Bruges to Rome. It was retaken by a Danzig vessel, and
placed in this cathedral, but in 1807 was carried to Paris by the
French. It was reclaimed after the war by the King of Prussia, who
offered forty thousand thalers for the privilege of retaining it in
Berlin; but when the owners declined the offer, he returned it to them.
Danzig is one of the oldest cities in Germany, and resembles Nuremburg
in the quaint old structures which it contains, and the walk through
the _Langgasse_, the principal street, and the Long Market, was full of
interest to the students. At half past seven all hands had collected
at the railroad station, and before nine were on board the vessels. As
the breeze was both fresh and fair, the squadron got under way, and the
next day it was far out in the Baltic.