GOTTENBURG AND FINKEL.
On Saturday night, as Clyde had anticipated, his mother arrived at
Christiania; and the people at the Victoria informed her of the
disappearance of her son. The next morning she hastened on board of
the ship, and heard the principal's story. Mrs. Blacklock wept
bitterly, and was fearful that her darling boy was forever lost; but
Mr. Lowington assured her that no serious harm could befall him. He
spoke very plainly to her in regard to Clyde's character and his
ungovernable passions, assuring her that he must certainly come to an
evil end within a few years, if he was not restrained and controlled.
The poor mother felt the truth of all he said, and was willing that he
should continue the beneficent work upon which he had commenced. She
spent the forenoon on board, and was introduced to Kendall and
Shuffles and their ladies. The principal illustrated what he had said
about Clyde by relating the history of the present captain and owner
of the Feodora, and Mrs. Blacklock went away even hopeful that her boy
might yet be saved to her.
On Monday, the first secular day of the month, the new list of
officers was announced in each vessel of the squadron. The changes on
board of the ship were not very violent, though the third lieutenant
became captain, while Cumberland became the commodore.
"I congratulate you, Captain Lincoln," said Dr. Winstock to the new
commander, when he appeared in the uniform of his new rank.
"Thank you, sir," replied Lincoln.
"I have been satisfied for some time that you would attain this
position."
"I am only sorry to be promoted over Judson and Norwood, for they have
always been good friends of mine."
"If they are good and true friends they will rejoice at your success,
though it places you over them. You have worked very hard, and you are
fully entitled to your rank."
"Thank you, sir. I have tried to do my duty," replied Lincoln,
modestly.
"When I see a young gentleman use the library as freely as you do, I
am always tolerably confident that he will attain a high rank. We go
on shore this forenoon, I believe."
"I heard we were to make an excursion to-day, and another to-morrow."
"You will see something of the interior of Norway, after all, though
it is not quite possible to transport two hundred boys over a country
where the facilities for travel are so meagre," added the surgeon.
"For my part, I should like to walk, even a hundred miles."
"That is not practicable. How could such a crowd be lodged and fed, in
some of the small villages where you would be compelled to pass the
night?"
"I suppose it would not be possible, and I shall be satisfied with
whatever the principal thinks best," replied the captain.
The students were called to muster, and Mr. Lowington explained that
he proposed to spend the day, in picnic style, at Frogner Saeter, and
that the party would walk. The boats were then prepared, and the crews
of the several vessels went on shore. Captains Kendall and Shuffles
procured carriages, for the ladies were not able to walk so far.
Passing out of the more densely settled portions of the city, the
excursionists came to a delightful region, abounding in pleasant
residences, some of which were grand and lofty. For a time the
landscape was covered with small cottages, painted white or yellow;
but as they proceeded they came to a country very sparsely settled,
and very similar to that of New England. The road lay through woods of
pine and fir, and had been constructed by Mr. Heftye, a
public-spirited citizen, who owned a large estate at the summit of the
hill.
"This looks just like Maine," said Captain Lincoln, who walked at the
side of Dr. Winstock.
"Exactly like it. There is a house, however, which is hardly so good
as those you see in Maine," replied the doctor.
"It isn't any better than a shanty, and the barn is as good as the
house. I wonder what that is for;" and Lincoln pointed to a bunch of
straw, on the top of a pole, at the entrance of the barn. "I have seen
two or three of those here, and near Christiansand."
"It was grain placed there for the birds during the winter."
"That's very kind of the people, I must say."
"They are very kind to all their animals."
Near the summit of the hill, the party came to the summer-house of Mr.
Heftye, a very neat structure of wood, with a piazza, from which is
obtained a beautiful view of the surrounding country. Another half
hour brought them to the top of the hill, where the proprietor had
erected a wooden tower, or observatory. It was some sixty or seventy
feet high, and was stayed with rope guys, extending to the trees on
four sides, to prevent it from being blown over. Only twenty of the
boys were permitted to go up at one time, for the wind was tolerably
fresh, and the structure swayed to and fro like the mast of a ship in
a sea. From the top, mountains fifty miles distant could be seen.
Christiania Fjord lay like a panorama in the distance, stretching as
far as the eye could reach. To the west the country looked wild and
desolate, and was covered with wood-crowned mountains, though none of
any considerable height could be seen. It was a magnificent view, and
some of the most enthusiastic of the students declared that it was
worth a voyage to Norway; but boys are proverbially extravagant.
A couple of hours were spent on the hill, the lunch was eaten, and the
boys declared that they were well rested. The return walk was not so
pleasant, for the novelties of the region had been exhausted. The road
passed through private property, where there were at least a dozen
gates across it in different places; and as the party approached, a
woman, a boy, or a girl appeared, to open them. Kendall or Shuffles
rewarded each of them with a few skillings for the service. When
their two and four skilling pieces were exhausted, they were obliged
to use larger coins, rather than be mean; but it was observed that the
Norwegians themselves, though able to ride in a carriage, never gave
anything. It was amusing to see the astonishment of the boys and girls
when they received an eight skilling piece, and the haste with which
they ran to their parents to exhibit the prize.
The party reached the vessels at five o'clock, and after supper the
boats were again in demand for a visit to Oscarshal, the white summer
palace, which could be seen from the ship. Mr. Bennett had provided
the necessary tickets, and made the arrangements for the excursion. It
is certainly a very pretty place, but there are a hundred country
residences in the vicinity of New York, Boston, or any other large
city of the United States, which excel it in beauty and elegance, as
well as in the expense lavished upon them. Before returning to the
anchorage, the boat squadron pulled about for a couple of hours among
the beautiful islands, and when the students returned to the fleet,
they felt that they had about exhausted Christiania and its environs.
The next day they went by the railroad train to Eidsvold, and there
embarked in the steamer Kong Oscar for a voyage of sixty-five miles up
the Mjosen Lake to Lillehammer, where they arrived at half past five
in the afternoon. The scenery of the lake is pleasant, but not grand,
the slope of the hills being covered with farms. Near the upper end,
the hills are higher, and the aspect is more picturesque. Some of the
western boys thought it looked like the shores of the Ohio River,
others compared it with the Delaware, and a New Hampshire youth
considered it more like Lake Winnipiseogee.
Lillehammer is a small town of seventeen hundred inhabitants. M.
Hammer's and Madame Ormsrud's hotel were not large enough to
accommodate the party, and they began to experience some of the
difficulties of travelling in such large numbers; but Mr. Bennett had
done his work well, and sleeping-rooms were provided in other houses
for the rest. The tourists rambled all over the town and its vicinity,
looked into the saw-mills, visited the farms, and compared the
agriculture with that of their own country; and it must be added that
Norway suffered very much in the comparison, for the people are slow
to adopt innovations upon the methods of their fathers.
Early in the morning--for steamers in Norway and Sweden have a
villanous practice of starting at unseemly hours--the students
embarked for Eidsvold, and were on board the vessels long before the
late sunset. On the quarter, waiting for the principal, was Clyde's
courier, who had arrived that morning, after the departure of the
excursionists. He evidently had not hurried his journey, though he had
been told to do so. He delivered Sanford's brief note, which was
written in pencil, and Mr. Lowington read it. The absentees were safe
and well, and would arrive by Thursday. He was glad to hear of their
safety, but as the squadron was now ready to sail, he regretted the
delay.
"Where did you leave the boys?" asked the principal of the courier.
"At Apalstoe," replied the guide, whose name was Poulsen.
"Do you belong there?"
"No, sir; I live in Christiania. I went down there with a young
gentleman last Saturday."
"Who was he?"
"Mr. Blacklock, sir; a young English gentleman."
"Ah! did you? And where is Mr. Blacklock now?"
"I left him at Apalstoe with a party of young gentlemen who were
dressed like the people here; and he sent me back with this letter,"
replied Poulsen, who proceeded to explain that Clyde had engaged him
as courier for Christiansand, but had changed his mind when he met the
party belonging to the ship, and had concluded to return to
Christiania with them.
This was precisely what he had been told to say by the young Briton,
and probably he believed that it was a correct statement. The
principal saw no reason to doubt the truth of it, for Clyde must be
satisfied that his mother was in Christiania by this time, and would
naturally wish to join her. Anxious to console Mrs. Blacklock, Mr.
Lowington called for a boat, and hastened on shore to see her. He
found her, her daughter, and Paul Kendall and lady, in the
reading-room at the Victoria--a unique apartment, with a fountain in
the centre, a glass gallery over the court-yard, and lighted with
many-colored lamps. The principal communicated the intelligence he had
received of her son to Mrs. Blacklock, whose face lighted up at the
news.
"Then you have heard from the absentees, Mr. Lowington," said Paul
Kendall.
"Yes; they are on their way to Christiania, and Sanford says they will
arrive to-morrow, at farthest; but they may be delayed," replied the
principal.
"No one need worry about them if they are safe and well," added Paul,
glancing at Clyde's mother.
"They are safe and well, but I intended to sail for Gottenburg
to-morrow morning. I have almost concluded to do so, and leave some
one to accompany the boys to Gottenburg in the steamer. I do not like
to delay the whole fleet for them."
"It would take a long time to beat out of the fjord against a head
wind," added Paul.
"If the wind is fair to-morrow morning, I shall sail, whether they
arrive or not."
"A steamer leaves for Gottenburg on Saturday morning, and she may
arrive as soon as your ship," added Paul.
"Very true. I think I will leave Peaks to look out for the absentees.
Are you sure the steamer goes on Saturday?"
"Yes, sir; here is the time table," replied Paul, producing a paper he
had obtained at Mr. Bennett's. "Dampskibet Kronprindsesse Louise."
"That's Norwegian, Paul. Can you read it?" laughed Mr. Lowington.
"A little. 'Hver Loeverday;' that means on Saturday; 'at 6 fm.,' which
is early in the morning. She arrives at Gottenburg about midnight."
"That will answer our purpose very well. We shall get under way early
in the morning, Paul."
"Then I will go on board of the yacht to-night, sir; but you need not
wait for me, for I think I can catch you if you should get two or
three hours the start of me. I haven't used my balloon jib yet, and am
rather anxious to do so."
"I shall not wait for you, then, Paul."
After a long conversation with Mrs. Blacklock, in which he assured her
again that nothing but firmness on her part could save her son from
ruin, the principal left the hotel, and returned to the ship. In the
evening Mr. and Mrs. Kendall went on board of the Grace. On the
following morning, the wind being a little north of west, the signal
for sailing was displayed on board of the Young America, and at six
o'clock the fleet were under way. The weather was beautiful, and the
fresh breeze enabled all the vessels to log eight knots an hour, which
brought them fairly into the Skager Rack early in the afternoon.
"I suppose we are off the coast of Sweden now," said Norwood, as he
glanced at the distant hills on the left.
"The pilot said Frederikshald was in this direction," replied Captain
Lincoln, pointing to the shore. "It is at the head of a small fjord,
and is near the line between Norway and Sweden."
"Charles XII. was killed there--wasn't he?"
"That's the place. The fortress of Frederiksteen is there, on a
perpendicular rock four hundred feet high."
"I wish we went nearer to the Swedish coast," added Norwood.
"We shall see enough of it before we leave the Baltic," said Lincoln.
"Probably we shall not care to see it after we have been looking at it
a week."
"According to the chart, this part of the coast is fringed with
islands, but they don't look so bare and desolate as those of Norway.
I had an idea that everything on this side of the ocean was entirely
different from what we see on our side," added the captain.
"That was just my idea."
"But it isn't so. It is almost the same thing here as the coast of
Maine. The shore here is hilly, and through the glass it looks as
though it was covered with pine forests."
"I expect to see something different before we return."
"Not in the Baltic; for I fancy most of the southern coast looks like
that of our Middle and Southern States."
"Up here, even the houses look just as they do at home."
"I don't believe we shall find it so in Denmark."
As there was little to be seen, the regular routine of the squadron
was followed, and those who were in the steerage, attending to their
recitations, did not feel that they were losing anything. Later in the
day, the wind was light, and the vessels made very little progress,
though the course brought them nearer to the coast, where on the port
bow appeared a high promontory, extending far out into the sea. The
wind died out entirely just before sunset, and the sails hung
motionless from the spars; for there was no swell to make them thrash
about, as at sea. It was utter silence, and it was hard to believe
that very ugly storms often made sad havoc in this channel.
When the sun rose the next morning it brought with it a light breeze
from the west, and the fleet again skimmed merrily along over the
water. Its course was near the town of Marstrand, a noted Swedish
watering-place, situated on an island. Soon after, pilots were taken,
and the vessels stood into the harbor of Gottenburg, which is formed
by the mouth of Goeta River. Along the sides of the channel were posts
set in the water, for the convenience of vessels hauling in or out of
the harbor. The fleet came to anchor in a convenient part of the port,
and those on board proceeded to take a leisurely survey of the city.
The portion of the town nearest to them was built on low, flat land,
and they could see the entrances of various canals. Farther back was a
series of rugged hills, which were covered with pleasant residences
and beautiful gardens. After dinner the students were mustered on
deck, to listen to a few particulars in regard to the city, though it
was understood that the general lecture on Sweden would be reserved
until the arrival of the squadron at Stockholm.
"What city is this?" asked Mr. Mapps.
"Gottenburg," replied a hundred of the students.
"That is plain English. What do the Swedes call it?"
"G-oe-t-e-b-o-r-g," answered Captain Lincoln, spelling the word.
"Perhaps I had better call on Professor Badois to pronounce it for
you."
"Y[=a]t-a-borg," said the instructor in languages, repeating the
pronunciation several times, which, however, cannot be very accurately
expressed with English characters. "And the river here is Ya-tah."
"The French call the city _Gothembourg_. It is five miles from the
sea, and is connected with Stockholm by the Goeta Canal, which is a
wonderful piece of engineering. Steamboats ply regularly between
Gottenburg and the capital through this canal, the voyage occupying
three or four days."
"I intend to make a trip up this canal as far as the Wenern Lake, with
the students," said Mr. Lowington.
A cheer greeted this announcement, and then the professor described
the canal minutely.
"The principal street of Gottenburg," he continued, "is on the canal,
extending through the centre of the city. There are no remarkable
buildings, however, for the city is a commercial place. It was founded
by Gustavus Adolphus, and, like many other cities of the north, being
built of wood, it has several times been nearly destroyed by fire. The
buildings now are mostly of stone, or of brick covered with plaster.
The environs of the city, as you may see from the ship, are very
pleasant. Now a word about the money of Sweden. The government has
adopted a decimal system, of which the unit is the _riksdaler_,
containing one hundred _oere_. The currency in circulation is almost
entirely paper, though no bills smaller than one riksdaler are issued.
The silver coins in use are the half and the quarter riksdaler, and
the ten-oere piece; the latter being a very small coin. On the coppers,
the value in oere is marked. A riksdaler is worth about twenty-seven
cents of our money. Sweden is a cheap country."
The signal was made for embarking in the boats, and in a few moments
the Gottenburgers, as well as the people on board of the foreign
vessels in the harbor, were astonished by the evolutions of the
squadron. The students landed, and dividing into parties, explored the
city. Their first care was to examine the canal, and the various craft
that floated upon it; but the latter, consisting mainly of schooners,
were not different from those they saw at home. They visited the
exchange, the cathedral, the residence of the governor of the
province, and other principal edifices.
"How do you feel, Scott?" asked Laybold, after they had walked till
they were tired out, and it was nearly time to go to the
landing-place.
"Tired and hungry," replied the wag. "I wonder if these Swedishers
have anything to eat."
"Probably they do; here's a place which looks like a restaurant."
"I feel as though I hadn't tasted food for four months. Let's go in."
They entered the store, which was near the _Bourse_. A neatly-dressed
waiter bowed to them, and Scott intimated that they wanted a lunch.
The man who understood English, conducted them to a table, on which a
variety of eatables was displayed, some of which had a familiar look,
and others were utterly new and strange. The waiter filled a couple of
wine-glasses from a decanter containing a light-colored fluid, and
placed them before the boys.
"What's that?" asked Scott, glancing suspiciously at the wine-glass.
"_Finkel_," replied the man.
"Exactly so; that's what I thought it was," replied Scott, who had
never heard of the stuff before. "Is it strong?"
"No," answered the waiter, shaking his head with a laugh. "Everybody
drinks it in Sweden."
"Then we must, Laybold, for we are somebody."
Scott raised the glass. The fluid had the odor of anise-seed, and was
not at all disagreeable. The taste, too, was rather pleasant at first,
and Scott drank it off. Laybold followed his example. We must do them
the justice to say that neither of them knew what "finkel" was.
Something like strangulation followed the swallowing of the fluid.
"That's not bad," said Scott, trying to make the best of it.
"No, not bad, Scott; but what are you crying about?" replied the
other, when he recovered the use of his tongue.
"I happened to think of an old aunt of mine, who died and left me all
her money," added Scott, wiping his eyes. "But you needn't cry; she
didn't leave any of the money to you."
"What are you going to eat?"
"I generally eat victuals," replied Scott, picking up a slice of bread
on which was laid a very thin slice of smoked salmon. "That's not
bad."
The waiter passed to Laybold a small plate of sandwiches, filled with
a kind of fish-spawn, black and shining. The student took a huge bite
of one of them, but a moment elapsed before he realized the taste of
the interior of the sandwich; then, with the ugliest face a boy could
assume, he rushed to the door, and violently ejected the contents of
his mouth into the street.
"What's the matter?" demanded the waiter, struggling to keep from
laughing.
"What abominably nasty stuff!" exclaimed Laybold. "It's just like fish
slime."
"Don't you like it, Laybold?" asked Scott, coolly.
"Like it? I don't like it."
"Everybody in Sweden eats it," said the waiter.
"What's the matter with it? Is it like defunct cat?" asked Scott.
"More like defunct fish. Try it."
"I will, my lad," added Scott, taking a liberal bite of one of the
sandwiches.
"How is it?" inquired Laybold.
"First rate; that's the diet for me."
"Very good," said the waiter.
"You don't mean to say you like that stuff, Scott."
"The proof of the pudding is the eating of the bag. I do like it, even
better than 'finkel.'"
"I don't believe it. No one with a Christian stomach could eat such
stuff."
"You judge by your own experience. I say it is good. Yours isn't a
Christian stomach, and that's the reason you don't like it."
"You are a heathen, Scott."
"Heathen enough to know what's good."
"Some more finkel, sir?" suggested the waiter.
"No more finkel for me," replied Scott, whose head was beginning to
whirl like a top.
"Better take some more," laughed Laybold, who was in the same
condition.
"I can't stop to take any more; I'm hungry," replied Scott, who
continued to devour the various viands on the table, till his
companion's patience was exhausted.
"Come, Scott, we shall be late at the landing."
"We won't go home till morning," chanted the boozy student.
"I will go now;" and Laybold stood up, and tried to walk to the
door--a feat which he accomplished with no little difficulty.
"Don't be in a hurry, my boy. Come and take some finkel."
"I don't want any finkel."
"Then come and pay the bill. I shall clean out this concern if I stay
any longer."
"How much, waiter?" stammered Laybold.
"One riksdaler."
"Cheap enough. I should have been broken if they charged by the pound
for what I ate."
"That's so," added Laybold, as he gave the waiter an English
sovereign, and received his change in paper.
"Now, my boy, we'll go to sea again," said Scott, as he staggered
towards the door. "See here, Laybold."
"Well, what do you want?" snarled the latter.
"I'll tell you something, if you won't say anything about it to any
one."
"I won't."
"Don't tell the principal."
"No."
"Well, then, we're drunk," added Scott, with a tipsy grin.
"You are."
"I am, my boy; I don't know a bob-stay from a bowling hitch. And you
are as drunk as I am, Laybold."
"I know what I am about."
"So do I know what you are about. You are making a fool of yourself.
Hold on a minute," added Scott, as he seated himself on a bench before
a shop.
"Come along, Scott."
"Not for Joseph."
"We shall be left."
"That's just what I want. I'm not going to present myself before the
principal in this condition--not if I know it."
Laybold, finding that it was not convenient to stand, seated himself
by the side of his companion. Presently they discovered a party of
officers on their way to the boats, and they staggered into a lane to
escape observation. The two students, utterly vanquished by "finkel,"
did not appear at the landing, and the boats left without them.