THE SEASHORE.
My mother Celeste once took me down to Ramsgate, thinking, as she
said, that I needed sea-bathing. She packed her clothes and mine, and
ordered my house (the baby-house) to be carried behind her. The next
morning my mother rode in her carriage, which was made expressly for
herself and me, to the water-side, where we went into a little house,
and putting on our bathing clothes, jumped into the water. My mother
had fastened me by a string to her waist, and so could swim without
being troubled by me. She then showed me how to keep myself above water
and how to swim, for she said that soon she was going to let me bathe
alone. I enjoyed the water very much, and thought what a great loss
it must be to some dolls, who cannot go into the water because their
complexion will not allow them to be washed in any thing but sweet oil
or butter. I thought how sticky it must feel during the process, and
how uncomfortable it must be afterwards. We went into the little house
again, after bathing, and put on our skirts and dresses. All day it was
very hot, and we remained in the house reading, until evening, when we
went to bathe again. While bathing, I saw several large birds fly over
the water, and several times dip down into the waves. I asked my mother
what they were, and she said they were sea-gulls.
The next morning, when we were in the midst of bathing, there was the
cry of "A shark! a shark!" As soon as this was said, every one started
for the shore, and all got there safely, except one little girl, about
nine years of age, who was so frightened that she could not swim. The
shark was nearing to her every moment. At last a strong and brave man
jumped into the water, and swimming up to the shark, killed him with a
long knife which he carried in his belt. After a couple of weeks spent
in this manner, we went home.