UP THE CHRISTIANIA FJORD.
"I should like to know where this place is," said Ryder, the second
master, as he appeared upon the quarter-deck of the ship, with one of
the forty bound volumes of Harper's Magazine, which were contained in
the library.
"What place?" asked Lincoln, the third lieutenant, as he glanced at
the volume.
"That's more than I know; but here is a picture of a steamer between
two high bluffs of rock, and under it, she is said to be entering the
fjord."
"We are just at the mouth of the fjord now, and if there are any such
rocks as those here, I should like to see them. Why, you see they rise
above the steamer's main-topmast."
Lincoln took the book, and read the description; but he was none the
wiser for his labor, for the narrow strait through which the steamer
in the picture was passing was not particularly described. The book
was shown to the pilot, who did not know just where the place was; but
after he had been told that the steamer came from Gottenburg, and was
on her way to Christiania, he thought that the bold rocks must be in
the vicinity of Frederiksvaern. He offered to take the ship through
the pass, as the wind was fair, and Mr. Lowington consented that he
should do so, for in order to enable the students to see the fine
scenery on the fjord, the studies were to be laid aside for the day.
"I don't see where there can be anything like this," said Ryder, as he
surveyed the shores.
"There are plenty of islands here, but certainly none of them rise to
any such heights as those in the picture," replied Lincoln. "They are
bare rocks out at sea, but some of them are a little green farther in.
It don't begin to be so wild as I supposed it was in these parts. Why,
I have read and heard so much about the Christiania Fjord, that I
supposed it was the grandest scenery in the world."
"It don't look much like the picture--does it?" laughed Ryder.
In a short time the ship was approaching the narrow pass. The cliffs
on each side were very bold and rugged, and if the students had not
been feasting themselves with grand anticipations, they would have
appreciated the scenery much better. Ryder and Lincoln laughed when
they compared the reality with the pictures they had. The scenery
could not be called grand, though it was certainly very fine. The
strait was very narrow, and on each side of it rings were fastened in
the rocks, which were painted white around them, for the convenience
of vessels warping out in a calm or against the wind. On the high
rock,--it could not have been a hundred feet high,--at the right, was
a small fort, which looked grim and terrible in its way, but which any
well-ordered man of war, with modern ordnance, could have battered
down in half an hour.
Passing through the strait, the ship came in sight of the small
village of Frederiksvaern, which is a naval station, where a number of
gunboats are housed in a series of uniform buildings. The town itself
is only a hamlet, but as the vessels proceeded, those on board saw
Laurvig at the head of the bay, which is a place of considerable
importance.
"Little Foerder," said the pilot, an hour later, as he pointed to a
tall, red light-house, at the entrance of the fjord.
"Then the land we see beyond must be Sweden," added Ryder.
"_Sverige_," nodded the pilot.
"I suppose that is Sweden, but I don't see the use of having half a
dozen names to a country."
"And this is _Norge_," added the second master, pointing to the other
side.
"Yes, _Norge_," answered the pilot, pleased to hear the young officer
apply the Norwegian name.
On the port hand of the ship was a vast sea of rocky islands, of all
shapes and sizes. Those farthest from the mainland were entirely
destitute of soil or verdure; but in the distance a few pines, and the
fresh tints of the early grass, could be seen.
"Keep her north-north-east," said the pilot.
"Man the weather and stand by the lee braces!" shouted the first
lieutenant.
Clyde Blacklock took out his station card, and looked to see whether
the order applied to him.
"You are on the main brace," said Scott, a good-natured young tar,
who happened to be near the new student. "There you are, on the
weather side."
"Who spoke to you?" demanded Clyde, dropping his card, and looking
Scott in the face.
"I haven't been introduced to you, I know; but I thought you wanted to
know your duty," laughed Scott.
"You take care of yourself, and I'll mind my own duty," growled Clyde.
"All right, my lad," replied the good-natured student, whose station
was at the weather fore brace.
Clyde walked aft, and placed himself in the line of those who were to
haul on the weather main brace.
"Slack the lee, and haul on the weather braces," said the first
lieutenant, and the other officers repeated the order.
"Walk away with it!" shouted the fourth lieutenant to those at the
main brace.
Clyde took hold, and tugged with all his might; but the brace would
not come away. To tell the exact truth, there was a disposition among
the students to haze the new comer, and the main brace men had agreed
among themselves to let him do the whole of the work. They pretended
to haul, but not one of them bore a pound upon the brace.
"Pull!" shouted Clyde, at the top of his lungs, as he strained at the
rope. "Why don't you pull, boys?"
"Silence on the quarter-deck!" cried the executive officer--for all
work was required to be performed in silence. "Walk away with the main
brace."
"Come, boys, why don't you pull?" roared Clyde, who was blest with a
pair of hearty lungs.
"Silence, Blacklock! You mustn't hollo like that when you are on
duty," interposed De Forrest.
"Who says I mustn't?" demanded Clyde, dropping his hold upon the
brace, and walking up to the officer who had dared to give him these
words of counsel, which were uttered in a mild and pleading tone,
rather than in those of authority.
"Starboard the helm," said the executive officer.
"Starboard, sir," repeated the quartermaster at the wheel.
"Walk away with that main brace!" added the first lieutenant.
The main brace men, finding that Clyde was at issue with the fourth
lieutenant, applied themselves to their work, and the main yard swung
round.
"Steady!" said the executive officer.
"Steady, sir."
"Avast hauling! Belay, all."
By these manoeuvres the ship had been kept away, and was now headed
directly up the fjord.
"I don't allow any fellow to speak to me like that," blustered Clyde.
"I want you to understand that I am a gentleman."
"Go forward, Blacklock, and don't make a row on the quarter-deck,"
replied De Forrest, mildly.
"I'll not go forward!"
"Then I must report you to the first lieutenant."
"I'm willing to do my work, but I won't be fagged by any nob in gold
lace."
"You are making a mistake, Blacklock," said De Forrest, in a low
tone, as he walked towards the angry Briton, with the intention of
reasoning with him upon the absurdity of his conduct.
Mr. Lowington had cautioned him and other officers to be very prudent
in dealing with the new student till he had become accustomed to his
duty, and certainly De Forrest was prudent in the extreme. Perhaps
Clyde misunderstood the purpose of this officer when approaching him,
and suspected that he intended to use violence, for, drawing back, he
made a pass at De Forrest with his fist. But the latter detected the
nature of the demonstration in season to ward off the blow, and, still
in the exercise of the extreme prudence which had before characterized
his conduct, retreated to the other side of the quarter-deck.
"Enough of that," said Judson, the first lieutenant, as he stepped
between Clyde and De Forrest.
Clyde was very angry. Though he had made up his mind to perform his
duty in the beginning, he fancied that no one had the right to command
him to be silent. In his wrath he pulled off his blue jacket, tossed
it upon the deck with a flourish, and intimated that if the first
lieutenant wanted to fight, he was ready for him. Happily the first
lieutenant did not wish to fight, though he was fully prepared to
defend himself. At this crisis, the principal observed the hostile
attitude of the young Briton, and quietly ordered Peaks to interfere.
"Go forward, Blacklock," said Judson, calmly.
"I won't go forward! I have been insulted, and I'll break the sconce
of the fellow that did it," added Clyde, glancing at the fourth
lieutenant.
"Come, my hearty, let us go forward, as we are ordered," interposed
Peaks, as he picked up Clyde in his arms, and in spite of his
struggles, carried him into the waist.
It was useless to resist the big boatswain, and the pressure of
Peaks's arms soon crushed out Clyde's anger, and like a little child,
he was set down upon the deck, amid the laughter of his companions. He
felt that he was not getting ahead at all; and though he reserved the
expression of his anger, he determined at the first convenient
opportunity to thrash both Judson and De Forrest. He had also decided
to run away at the first chance, even if he had to camp on a desolate
island in doing so. He regarded Peaks as a horrible ogre, whose only
mission in the ship was to persecute and circumvent him.
"I'll have it out with those nobs yet," said Clyde, as Peaks left him,
restored to his senses, so far as outward appearances were concerned.
"Have it out! Have what out?" asked Scott, the good-natured.
"I'll whip that nob who told me to be silent."
"Don't you do it, my jolly Briton," laughed Scott.
"I can do it."
"Do you mean the first lieutenant?"
"Yes, that I do; and I'll teach him better manners."
"I wouldn't hurt him; Judson's a good fellow."
"I don't care if he is; he'll catch it; and De Forrest, too. They
insulted me."
"I dare say they didn't mean to."
"If they didn't, I'll give them a chance to apologize," added Clyde,
a little mollified by the mild words of his companion.
"That's very kind of you; but officers don't often apologize to seamen
for telling them of it when they disobey the rules of the ship."
"Rules or not, I'll hammer them both if they don't apologize."
"Don't be cruel with them," laughed Scott.
"And that big boatswain--I'll be even with him yet," blustered Clyde,
as he shook his head menacingly.
"Are you going to thrash him too?" asked Scott, opening his eyes.
"I'll take care of him. He don't toss me round in that way without
suffering for it."
"Well, don't hurt him," suggested the good-natured seaman.
"He'll get a broken head before he grows much older," added Clyde,
drawing out a belaying-pin from the fife-rail. "I shall not be in this
ship a great while longer; but I mean to stay long enough to settle my
accounts with the big boatswain and the two nobs on the quarter-deck."
"How are you going to do it, my dear Albion?"
"Leave that to me. No man can insult me without suffering for it."
"Perhaps the officers will apologize, but I don't believe Peaks will.
He's an obstinate fellow, and would do just what the principal told
him to do, even if it was to swallow you and me, and half a dozen
other fellows. You don't mean to lick the principal too--do you?"
"I haven't had any trouble with him."
"But he is at the bottom of it all. He told Peaks to persecute you.
I'm not sure that the principal isn't more to blame than all the
others put together."
"No matter for him; he has done very well."
"Then you mean to let him off?"
"I say I've nothing against the head master."
"Don't be too hard on Peaks," added Scott, as he climbed upon the rail
to see the scenery of the fjord.
"I suppose all these islands, points, bays, and channels have names,
just as they do on the other side of the ocean," said Laybold, at
whose side the good-natured tar seated himself.
"Of course," nodded Scott.
"I wonder what they are."
"Don't you know?"
"Certainly not--how should I?"
"I didn't know but you might have seen the chart," added Scott,
gravely.
"There's a town!" exclaimed the enthusiastic Laybold, as the progress
of the ship opened a channel, at the head of which was a village, with
a church.
"I see; that's Bossenboggenberg," said Scott.
"O, is it? Is that a river?"
"Not at all. That's only a channel, called the Hoppenboggen, which
extends around the Island of Toppenboggen. That channel is navigable
for small vessels."
"Where did you learn all those names?" demanded Laybold, amazed at the
astonishing words which his companion rolled off so glibly.
"My father had to send me to sea to keep me from learning too much.
My hair all fell off, and the schoolmasters were afraid of me."
"There's another town ahead on the port hand," said Laybold, a little
later.
"That is Aggerhousenboggen, I think. Let me see; here's Cape
Tingumboggen, and that must be the opening to the Stoppenboggen Fjord.
Yes, that must be Aggerhousenboggen."
"Where did you learn to pronounce Norwegian so well, Scott?"
"O, I learned Norwegian when I was an infant. I could speak it first
rate before I learned to utter my mother tongue."
"Go 'way!" protested Laybold. "Do you know what island that is on the
starboard hand."
"To be sure I do. Do you think my education has been neglected to that
extent? That's Steppenfetchenboggen. A very fine island it is, too,"
continued Scott, rattling off the long names so that they had a
decidedly foreign ring.
"I don't see how you can pronounce those words," added Laybold. "They
would choke me to death."
"I don't believe they would," laughed Scott.
The squadron passed through several narrow passages, and then came to
a broad expanse of water at the mouth of the Drammen River. The
students were perched on the rail and in the rigging of the various
vessels, observing with great interest the development of the
panorama, which seemed to be unrolled before them.
"It is rather fine scenery," said Lincoln, who still carried the book
in his hand, and occasionally glanced at the pictures; "but I think
the artist here must have multiplied the height of the cliffs by two,
and divided the height of houses, men, and masts by the same number."
"It certainly looks like an exaggeration," replied Ryder.
"Look at this," added Lincoln, pointing to a scene on the coast of
Norway. "There's a large steamer carrying a top-gallant yard on the
foremast. That mast is probably a hundred and fifty feet high, and
there are hills and bluffs beyond it--which would lose by the
perspective--five times as high."
"Still it is very fine scenery."
"So it is; but no finer than we have on the coast of Maine. You
remember last summer we went through the Reach, down by Machias? That
was something like this, and quite as pleasant."
"We mustn't be too critical, Lincoln," laughed Ryder.
"I don't intend to be critical; but I had an idea, from the pictures
I have seen, that Christiania Fjord was something like the Saguenay
River, where the cliffs rise perpendicularly four or five hundred feet
high. These pictures would certainly lead one to expect such sights."
"Horton," said the pilot, pointing to a town which now came into view,
as the vessel passed beyond a point of land.
It was a small place, in appearance not unlike a New England village.
At the wharf were a couple of small steamers, one of which had come
down the Drammen, and the entire population of the town seemed to
have turned out on the occasion, for the shore was covered with
people. They were all neatly dressed. On the opposite side of the
fjord was the town of Moss, where the convention by which Norway and
Sweden were united was drawn up and agreed upon.
The fleet sailed rapidly before the fresh breeze across the broad
expanse, and then entered a narrow passage. There was a gentle
declivity on each side of the fjord, which was covered, as far as the
eye could see, with pines. Droebak, on the right, is a village of one
street, on the side of the hill. The houses are mostly of one story,
painted yellow, with roofs covered with red tile. Before noon the
passage began to widen, and the fleet entered another broad expanse of
water, filled with rocky islands, at the head of which stood the city
of Christiania. Some of the islets were pretty and picturesque, in
some instances having a single cottage upon them, with a little
garden. The rocks were often of curious formation, and the shore of
one island was as regular and smooth as though it had been a piece of
masonry. After rounding a point of rocks, the fleet came into full
view of Christiania. The city and its environs are spread out on
the southern slope of a series of hills, and presents a beautiful
landscape to the eye. On the left the country was covered with villas,
prominent among which was Oscarshal, a summer palace of the late king.
On the right was the castle of Agershuus, rising abruptly from the
water. At a little distance from the town was a kind of hotel, built
on a picturesque island, with its pretty landing-place, not unlike
some similar establishments near the head of Narragansett Bay. At the
wharf in front of the city, and lying in the bay, was a considerable
number of steamers, some of them quite large. The fleet ran up to the
front of the city and anchored.
"This is the end of my voyage," said Clyde Blacklock, when everything
had been put in order on board of the ship.
"You are not going yet--are you?" laughed Scott.
"Very soon."
"I thought you were going to stop, and whip Peaks and the two
lieutenants."
"Time enough for that. I suppose the ship will stay here two or three
days--won't she?"
"Perhaps a week. I suppose we shall go on shore this afternoon, and
see the sights."
"I say, Scott, if you tell those officers what I've been saying to
you, I'll serve you in the same way," added Clyde, as for the first
time it occurred to him that he had been imprudent in developing his
plans to another.
"No! You won't lick me, too--will you?"
"Not if you behave like a man, and don't peach," answered Clyde, in a
patronizing tone.
"I will try to be a good boy, then," laughed Scott.
"I only want to catch them on shore, where I can have fair play. I'm
not to be fagged by any fellow that ever was born."
Clyde walked uneasily about the deck till the crew were piped to
dinner, evidently thinking how he should carry his big intentions into
execution. To one less moved by fancied insults and indignities the
case would have looked hopeless. He devoured his dinner in a much
shorter period than is usually allotted by well-bred Englishmen to
that pleasing diversion, and hastened on deck again. Peaks was there,
acting as ship-keeper, while the carpenter was painting the second
cutter, the repairs upon which had been completed. The big boatswain
was seated on one of the cat-heads, where he could see the entire deck
of the ship, and observe every craft that approached her. The new
student observed his position, and thought he was seated in a very
careless manner. A very wicked thought took possession of the Briton's
mind, and he ascended to the top-gallant forecastle. The boatswain sat
very composedly on the cat-head, with his feet hanging over the water,
and was just then studying the beauties of the landscape. A very
slight exercise of force would displace him, and drop him into the
water.
"Well, my hearty, you stowed your grub in a hurry," said Peaks, when
he discovered the new pupil.
"I was not very hungry, and thought I would take another look at the
town," replied Clyde. "What's that big building off there, near the
hills?"
"That may be the county jail, the court-house, or the lunatic asylum.
I haven't the least idea what it is," answered Peaks, indifferently.
"The professors can tell you all about those things."
"I wonder where that ship came from?" added Clyde, pointing to a
vessel which was standing in ahead of the Young America.
"That isn't a ship," replied Peaks, as he turned partly round, so that
he could see the craft. "That's a 'mofferdite brig; or, as bookish
people would say, an hermaphrodite brig--half brig and half schooner.
You must call things, especially vessels, by their right names, or you
will fall in the opinion of--"
At that instant the big boatswain dropped into the deep waters of the
fjord.
"And you will fall, in my opinion," said Clyde, as, taking advantage
of his antagonist's attention to the brig, he gave him a smart push,
which displaced him from the cat-head.
But Peaks, who was half man and half fish, was as much at home in the
water as on the deck, and struck out for the cable, by which the ship
was anchored, as the nearest point of support. Clyde walked along the
rail till he came to the swinging-boom, where the boats which had been
lowered for use after dinner were fastened. Climbing out on the boom,
he dropped down by the painter into the third cutter, one of the
four-oar boats. Bitts, the carpenter, who had been the only person on
board except the boatswain, was in the waist busily at work upon the
boat, and did not observe that anything unusual had transpired. Clyde
had practised gymnastics a great deal, and was an active, agile
fellow. Casting off the painter of the third cutter, he worked her
astern, so as to avoid Peaks. Then, shipping a pair of oars, he pulled
for the shore.
In the mean time, the boatswain, disdaining to call for assistance,
and not having observed the movements of Clyde, climbed up the cable
to the hawse-hole, and then, by the bowsprit guys, made his way to the
top-gallant forecastle, where he discovered the Briton in the cutter,
pulling with all his might for the shore. Shaking the water from his
clothes, he hastened to the main cabin, and informed the principal
that the new scholar had left the ship.
"Left the ship!" exclaimed Mr. Lowington. "Were you not on deck while
the students were at dinner?"
"Yes, sir, most of the time; but just at the moment when the young
sculpin left the ship, I happened to be in the water," answered Peaks,
shrugging his shoulders like a Frenchman, and glancing at his wet
garments.
"How came you in the water?"
"The little Britisher pushed me overboard, when I was sitting on the
cat-head."
"I see," added the principal. "We must get him back before his mother
arrives."
By this time most of the students had come up from the steerage, and
the order was given to pipe away the first cutter. Peaks was directed
to change his clothes, and go in her. He was ready by the time the
crew were in their seats, for, as he was not a fashionable man, his
toilet was soon made. The boats from the other vessels of the fleet,
including those of the yachts, were already on their way to the town.
The first cutter pulled to the shore; but Clyde had already landed,
and disappeared in the city.
As at Christiansand, Paul Kendall and lady decided to remain on shore
during the stay of the fleet. They had several pieces of baggage, and
the custom-house officers on the wharf were obliged to examine them,
after which they followed a porter to the Victoria Hotel, which was
said to be the best in the place. Peaks found a man who could speak
English, and immediately applied himself to the business of finding
the runaway. Clyde had been seen going up one of the streets, but no
one knew anything about him.
The fugitive felt that he had achieved a victory. He had "paid off"
the big boatswain, and no fellow on board of the ship could believe
that he had not kept his word. He walked up the street till he came to
Dronningensgaden. People looked at him as though he were a stranger,
and he became aware that his uniform was exciting attention. In the
Kirkegade he found a clothing store, in which the shop-keeper spoke
English. In changing his dress on board of the ship, he had retained
the contents of his pockets, including a well-filled purse. He
selected a suit of clothes which pleased him, and immediately put it
on. At another store he bought a hat, and then he appeared like a new
being. With the bundle containing his uniform, he walked till he found
a carriage, in which he seated himself, and ordered the driver to
leave him at the Victoria Hotel. He thought it would only be necessary
for him to keep out of sight till evening, when his mother would
probably arrive in the Foldin, and he was confident he could induce
her to withdraw him from the Academy. He would stay in his room the
rest of the day, and by that time the search for him, if any was made,
would be ended.
"I want a nice room for myself, another for my mother and sister, who
will arrive this evening, and a place for the man," said Clyde, as the
porter of the hotel touched his cap, and helped him out of the
carriage.
The young man was evidently a person of some importance. The porter,
the clerk, and the head waiter, who came out to receive him, bowed
low. A man took his bundle, and he was ushered to a room on the ground
floor. As he crossed the court, he discovered several of the Orlando's
passengers in the reading-room. He had not entered his chamber before
there was another arrival,--Paul Kendall and lady,--who were assigned
to the next room.